#Me: idk who I'm going to romance yet so I'll probably feel it out as I play

[arimabari]

Balor can I try rizzing you up please please please please please please-

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

In case you haven't talked about it yet, what are your thoughts on the infamous statue scene?

Because I think this is such a weird way to have Adrien develop a crush on Marinette? The implications that her practically kissing what she thinks is an inanimate object without his consent (Not blaming her though she didn't know) leading to him liking her... idk it's a little icky to me? Also I genuinely believe that before s5, nobody would've guessed this was the turning point, because Adrien's behavior around Mari literally didn't change at all??? The first significant change happened in s5ep2 and I just feel like the show almost """gaslighted""" the fandom into liking the statue scene by giving it this sort of relevance. Like suddenly a chunk of the fandom changed their mind from "ew uncomfortable and cringe" to "oh wow what a good and cute scene<3".

I have incredibly mixed feelings on that scene, especially now that canon has gone all in and made it narratively important. Let's start with the scene itself and then move on to the crush nonsense.

The Scene

The statue scene makes me so uncomfortable that I have never actually watched the scene the full way through. I literally looked away until it was over. In spite of that, my criticism of it is pretty tepid and I'll even defend it to a certain extent. While it's understandably an unpleasant scene for many, I think people are extremely over critical of Marinette's actions here. This is one of her more normal moments. A teenage girl was alone with an image of her crush and decided to have an over-the-top fantasy moment where she pretended to confess to him. That's normal, unconcerning behavior.

The only reason I can't watch the scene is because it's secretly really Adrien and the secondhand embarrassment hurts my soul. If it was actually his statue, then I'd probably cringe at Marinette's theatrics, but be generally unaffected by the scene because she's not really doing anything wrong or out of the ordinary. In fact, I could see Adrien doing something extremely similar with a Ladybug statue and apparently so could a lot of fans given how many fanfics and fanart show him with things like Ladybug action figures and Ladybug pajamas.

Water is wet, the sky is blue, and people are weird about their crushes. Who knew?

All that being said, I do think there's a decent argument that the scene goes too far, just not in the way that people tend to harp on. My issue with the scene is that it's a little too cruel to Marinette.

The show has a massive problem with how Marinette's crush is written and the status scene is an excellent representation of a big part of that problem. Instead of a scene celebrating the ridiculousness of teenage love, she's horribly humiliated in front of her crush for the sake of a cheap gag. We're not meant to empathize with her here. The scene is played as a joke mixed with the writers teasing a crush reveal at her expense. We go straight from the reveal that it's really Adrien to this:

Adrien: Were you serious when you were talking to the statue? I mean... me as a statue? Marinette: Serious? Me? (fake laughs) You gotta be kidding! I'm the queen of pranks! (fake laughs) I knew you were playing a prank on me, so I just wanted to get you back! Gotcha!(laughs forcefully) Adrien:(slowly) So you didn't really mean all the things you just said? Marinette: Of course not, I was role playing! I was in love with a statue, not with you! (stands) If I'd feel anything for you, it wouldn't be like for that statue, rather like, for a... regular human being! (fake laughs)

And from that to the day's akuma fight. There is no empathy for the complete and utter humiliation Marinette would have felt. It all feels so wildly mean spirited to me and that's true for a lot of the writing around Marinette's crush. It's used to humiliate and punish her left and right and that's just not what I want from a romance.

Adrien's Crush

The reveal that the statue scene was where Adrien started to fall for Marinette makes me sad because it really drives home how bad the writers are at their job. There was a much better scene to use and looking at that scene really drives home why the statue scene was the wrong choice.

In Glaciator 2, we get to see Marinette once again unknowingly confessing her love to Adrien by practicing her confession on Chat Noir. The tone of that confession perfectly matches the tone she used in the statue scene. Let's quickly compare them to show what I mean.

Statue Scene:

Marinette: Oh, beautiful statue of Adrien, your wax is so soft! Your yak hair is silky. Your eyes are so green. (twirls) Oh, shall I be a statue, too! Everything would be so much easier. (embraces him) Why haven't we been molded together in the plaster of destiny? Marble to marble, wax lips against wax lips, entwined for eternity... Ah... (tries kissing him)

Glaciator 2:

Marinette: Dear Cat Noir, ever since I met you, I've had three suns in my heart. They shine so brightly that whenever I see you, they make me melt until the slightest thought has reduced to droplets! Those suns are only three little words, but they're burning my lips! Please soothe me, Cat Noir, and tell me that you love me as much as I love you— uh—

There is no substance to these confessions. They're vapid, shallow, nonsense that anyone could say to Adrien. Similarly, Marinette could say them to almost anyone, but Glaciator 2 let her realize that, leading to one of the best moments in the show:

Marinette: Ever since I've met you, I've had three suns in my heart. They shine so brightly that whenever I see you... (stops and frowns) Cat Noir: That was a good start. What's wrong? Marinette: What's wrong is that this is not really me. (crumples the paper) The first time I saw you, I misjudged you. I thought you were conceited and superficial. But then, I got to know you. I saw who you really were deep down—someone sweet, sincere, and generous. Since then, there's something I've been wanting to tell you. But every time I try, it's like my brain suddenly freezes. But now, I think I'm ready. I love you. Cat Noir: Your declaration was beautiful, Marinette. The boy you're in love with is a lucky guy.

This is where Adrien should have fallen in love. It's a confession straight from the heat that's tailored to who he is as a person, not his looks. While it's fine that Marinette is attracted to him, it's important to acknowledge that Marinette isn't just interested because he's pretty and popular. Her crush came from a moment of genuine intimacy and that matters. It's why their romance has actual substance. But the writers didn't care about that substance. They only cared about getting to use the museum location again and so we get Adrien falling for Marinette when she was at her most fan girl instead of him falling for her at her most sincere. It's a terrible writing choice that makes no sense and perfectly matches the quality of everything the love square has become as of season five.

Final Thoughts

I don't hate the statue scene in and of itself, but I do hate everything it represents for the show as a whole. The place the writers have given it in the narrative perfectly encapsulates how terrible the story has become. The writing is so focused on petty drama and shock value that it's taken a love story for the ages and turned it into generic, nonsensical, shallow schlock that could be about anyone.

[taeyongdoyoung]

kiss from a rose

summary: tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, beauty and the...dragon? pairing: taeyong x reader genre: fantasy, romance warnings: idk, shitty sisters, lowkey death threat, anger issues, wicked ppl, throwing stuff, but overall mild descriptions of violence; the occasional song references in bold hihi author's note: this is jincredibly self-indulgent, just because beauty and the beast is my fave fairy tale and i've been in my taeyong missing hours word count: 4.7k

The roses in the garden are in full bloom, their dark red colour contrasting with the pearl white snow. Unlike your sisters who'd asked your father to bring expensive dresses and fine jewels, you only wanted a rose. So, your father, exhausted from the long journey in the snowstorm, feels like finding this castle is a true miracle. There is warm food, water and wood burning in the fireplace. And not a person in sight. So, as the storm subsides and he is making his way out through the garden, he can't resist the temptation of plucking a singular rose for his favourite daughter. Surely, no one would notice? Only he doesn't realize what a terrible mistake he makes.

Suddenly, he hears a booming roar from somewhere above. A large dragon appears in front of your father, breathing fire from its huge mouth and melting the snow nearby.

"Who dares disrupt my garden?" the dragon asks angrily in a human voice.

"I'm s-sorry, I d-didn't know it was yours," your father explains, terrified for his life. "I only meant to surprise my youngest daughter, I swear. It's the only thing she wants."

The dragon considers this for a brief moment.

"A gift, you say? Very well, I suppose I could spare one rose," the dragon murmurs in a deceivingly calm tone.

"Really? Thank you so much for your generosity, uhh…your greatness."

"Don't thank me just yet. You can have the rose but in return I shall have your daughter who asked for it."

"What? N-no, she's more precious to me than anything. You can keep the rose."

"Too late," the dragon grunts, breathing fire and sends your father running for his life. "If you don't send your daughter here before the sun sets, I will burn your home with your entire family."

Once your father returns home and explains this whole situation, there are two types of reactions. Your sisters are only concerned with the amazing clothing and jewelry your father has brought for them and they don't take his words seriously, saying he was probably hallucinating from being exhausted. You, however, trust your father's story to be truthful. Throughout your life, you've seen and heard things you can't explain, so it makes perfect sense that dragons exist.

"I'll go there, father," you promise. "It is only fair, I'm the one who asked for a rose."

"No, my darling, the dragon could burn you alive or eat you!" your father panics.

"It doesn't matter. If I don't do as he says, he'll kill all of you!"

"We'll think of something, we'll move to live somewhere else," you father tries to dissuade you.

"We don't have enough money for that. Just let me go."

Your father nods reluctantly, not seeing another way out and explains the location of the castle to the best of his abilities.

You run outside and hop on the horse. Luckily, the wise animal remembers his recent adventures and takes you to the castle easily.

You marvel at the sight. The castle is covered in snow and right in front of it is a gorgeous garden with so many roses. These might be your last moments, but it is still a true blessing you got to see such a beautiful view.

As you enter the castle, you are greeted by a similar setting to the one your father saw. Warm meals and red wine, a burning fireplace, fancy plates and candles. It is truly magical. Confused by the welcoming atmosphere, you take a seat. Not daring to eat or wander about without permission, you play with your hands nervously for a while, until finally, the doors of the grand hall open and you see what your father was so scared of. The dragon. He has red scales and his eyes are darker than night itself. Strangely enough, the way the dragon walks in is so…elegant, almost human-like that you barely resist the urge to gasp. Why on earth is this dangerous creature so stunning?

"You came," the dragon remarks.

"Didn't have much of a choice, did I?" you reply hastily before thinking.

"There's always a choice. You could have decided to burn together with your family. Instead, you came here all alone to atone for your father's sin, not knowing what awaits you. Can't tell if you're stupid or selfless."

You shrug.

"I hardly think plucking one rose is a sin, but whatever," you roll your eyes.

"You have no idea what a single rose could achieve," the dragon mutters quietly.

"Explain it to me, then! What do you want with me? Are you going to eat me or what?"

"Sorry to disappoint," the dragon growls. "Not really a huge fan of human meat. I just want to have dinner with you every night."

"Dinner? As in…I am not the dinner?" you keep joking to ease your tension.

"Not unless you try to escape," the dragon warns.

"That sounds doable," you agree easily. "What should I call you?"

"What?" the dragon blinks in surprise. It's been forever since someone asked him that.

"Well, I can't just go around calling you "Mr. Dragon", can I? You must have a name of some sorts."

The dragon nods thoughtfully, not at all sure how it came to this. Why is it so easy to talk to you?

"You can call me Yong," the dragon replies.

"Alright, Yong. I'm Y/N," you introduce yourself, because it seems like the polite thing to do. "I wish we'd met under different circumstances but it is what it is. Let's have dinner."

As you use your fork and knife to eat the delicious meals, you notice the dragon's terrible table manners. He talks like a human and yet he devours the food like an animal, starving and eager to get it over with. You can't help but smile, finding the contrast between his words and actions so amusing.

"What are you smiling about?" Yong hisses.

"Here, let me show you," you take hold of his…what even should you call it? Hand? Paw? Front limb? You have no idea but you try to fit a fork in the space between his claws and guide him gently in an attempt to explain how to use the fork.

"I know how it's done, it's just uncomfortable," Yong snaps at you.

"How do you know?" you ask curiously.

"None of your business," the dragon grunts and for a few moments he tries to appease you by attempting to eat with a fork. But he keeps spilling food, making a mess of everything, and eventually gives up, throwing a couple of dishes on the floor with his enormous limbs.

You flinch involuntarily, taken aback by his violent outburst.

"This is stupid," he growls and leaves the room.

You sigh to yourself in the grand hall when the silence is suddenly interrupted from the most unexpected direction.

"Ugh, finally," the candelabra moans in relief. "I was wondering when he'd leave."

"Don't speak like that of him," the mantel clock scolds the candelabra. "He's trying his best."

"You guys can speak?!" you gasp in surprise. Although…if there is a talking dragon, why can't there be talking objects?!

"Oh, shoot, I forgot we have a guest," the candelabra says. "Nice to meet you, I'm Johnny."

"And I'm Jaehyun," the mantel clock adds. "It's really nice to have some human company around here."

"Uhh, sure, it's nice to meet you, I guess," you blink, still recovering from the shock.

"Don't mind them, sweetheart," the teapot joins the conversation. "Would you like a cup of tea to ease your nerves?"

"Mom, not everything can be fixed with tea," an adorable chipped teacup responds.

"For the hundredth time, Haechan, I'm not your mom! Lovely to meet you, Y/N. I'm Doyoung."

"Wow…the pleasure is all mine," you reply sweetly, although you're not sure pleasure is the right word for what you're currently experiencing. It surely is a lot to take in…

"Go get some sleep, sweetheart," Doyoung the teapot encourages you. "Tomorrow will be better."

"Or not," Haechan the pessimistic teacup chips in.

You shake your head and make your way to your room, following Doyoung's helpful directions. When you close your eyes, despite the overwhelming day you've had, you immediately fall asleep.

As the sun's rays enter your new room, you slowly awake, greeted by the unexpected warmth and the different voices.

"Oh, I can't wait to dress her up! A human girl, can you believe it?" the wardrobe exclaims.

"Shhh, let her sleep," the mirror responds.

"Woof! Woof!" the footstool barks enthusiastically.

"Jungwoo, quit acting like a dog, that joke got old a few years ago!" the mirror scolds the footstool.

You sit up in the bed to meet your new roommates.

"Erm…good morning, everyone," you greet them kindly, because you don't see any other option than to run with it.

"Yes! Time to get you dolled up!" the wardrobe can't wait to turn his fashion dreams into reality. "I'm Yuta."

"I'm Mark," the mirror introduces himself, as well.

"Woof!" the footstool keeps barking.

"And that's Jungwoo," Mark explains. "He's going through his dog phase."

"Uhh, good to know."

"When we're done with you, you'll look so dazzling Yong won't be able keep his eyes off of you," Yuta promises.

"And that is a good thing because…?"

"Oh, right, I forgot you might be scared. But trust me, once you get to know him, he's not that bad."

"I'll be the judge of that," you insist. "But I won't mind some distractions to keep me from thinking about the inevitable dinner."

"We're on it," Mark the mirror vows.

Once your new talking furniture friends are done with your makeover, they fall asleep and you finally get a moment to yourself. You need to investigate, you decide. You can't imagine how hard it is for your father with no one to help him (your sisters aren't very reliable). There's gotta be a way out of this castle, right? To your amazement, your room's door is unlocked and you walk down the corridors, nervously looking around. On the walls there are portraits of people you've never seen before. They look like royalty. One of painted faces has been slashed through with…claws?! What even is this place? Then, you find a massive wooden door, slightly ajar. Your curiosity gets the better of you and you sneak inside the mysterious room. As you walk further, you spot a dim glow. You follow the direction of the light and discover a glass jar by an open window leading to the balcony. Inside it is a single rose. Enchanted by its unusual radiance, you lift the jar, overwhelmed by the urge to touch the plant…

Just as your fingers barely touch the petals, a loud voice interrupts the serenity.

"What are you doing here?" the dragon yells angrily. "What did you do?"

"N-nothing," you mumble awkwardly, putting the bell jar back in its place. "I was just-"

"Get out of here!" the dragon screams madly, "OUT!"

Startled by his wrath, you run out of the room and down the stairs.

"It's dangerous out there, Y/N," Doyoung the teapot tries to stop you.

"I'm not wanted here," you cry out and keep sprinting towards the exit.

"That's not true!" Johnny the candelabra attempts to argue. "We need you!"

"Jungwoo, stop her!" Doyoung says.

Jungwoo the footstool runs in front of you, blocking the exit and starts barking.

"Who's a good puppy?" Jaehyun the mantel clock starts praising Jungwoo.

But Jungwoo's attention span seems limited and suddenly, he's in the mood to play around, jumping excitedly.

"No, not now, bad puppy!" Jaehyun sighs loudly.

But it is too late and in no time, you have gone outside and towards your freedom. Hopping onto the horse, you urge him to go as fast as he can.

Despite the bad weather, you are determined to make a run for it and go deeper into the snowy forest. Looking back to see no one is following you, you think luck is on your side this time around. Barely having had time to think that, you spot a pack of wolves looming in on you. There is a frozen lake nearby and your horse doesn't hesitate to gallop onto the ice. But the weight of you both is too much and the ice starts cracking beneath you. The wolves close in. You get off the horse and urge the loyal animal to reach the safe ground. The wolves have grabbed your clothing and are pulling with all their might. Just then, the ice breaks loudly beneath you and you fall into the freezing cold water.

The shock is so strong but before you manage to panic, you suddenly feel yourself being pulled back onto the surface. He saved you. The dragon. Yong attempts to scare the wolves by breathing fire in their direction. But the fire only manages to melt some of the ice, making it dangerous for you all. The wolves are viciously biting the dragon but the red-scaled beast is doing his best not to actually kill them with fire. Eventually the heat and the dragon's attacks are too much and the wolves scather around in fear.

Yong looks exhausted from the fight and closes his dark eyes, lying helplessly on the ice. This is your chance to get the hell out of here once and for all. But…he came for you when you were in danger. And he looks injured. You can't just leave him like this. But you can't exactly move him back to the castle, either. With a sigh, you kneel next to the dragon.

"We have to get back to the castle," you whisper, daring to touch his blood-red scales. "Yong, please."

He opens his eyes begrudgingly.

"Hop on," Yong suggests.

"What?!" you squeak in shock.

"Too tired to walk," he explains. "We'll fly back to the castle."

You don't find the energy to argue, so you climb on the back of the dragon. Luckily, you didn't manage to make it that far and the castle is only a short flight away. But you can't imagine how hard this must be for Yong. Not only did he rescue you from the ice-cold water and singlehandely fought these vicious wolves, but now he is also flying.

Back in the castle, you are tending to the dragon's wounds to the best of your abilities.

"Ouch, that hurts," he complains loudly with a hiss.

"If you stop moving, it won't hurt that much," you point out gently.

"If you hadn't run away, I wouldn't be injured," Yong replies sassily.

"If you hadn't yelled at me, I wouldn't have run away," you respond.

"If you hadn't sneaked into my room, I wouldn't-"

"My God, I get it," you interrupt him with a huff. "Let's just…try to calm down."

"Alright," Yong finally agrees in a quiet voice.

"Thank you for saving me out there," you whisper softly.

"Yeah, erm…thanks for not letting me fall asleep in the cold."

"It was the least I could do," you shrug. "You…you can fly."

"Duh, these wings aren't just for show," Yong chuckles and you are surprised by how lovely it sounds.

"Show-off," you mumble. "Get some sleep."

"Will I see you at dinner tomorrow?" he asks and you are even more shocked by the vulnerability in his voice. As if there is a possibility you'd try to escape again after what just happened… As if you would say no.

"Sure, you will," you promise and you mean it.

Tomorrow comes sooner than expected and you are amazed by how quickly Yong recovered from his wounds. Just dragon things, you suppose. This time around, you spot him trying to eat politely, even though the fork is not exactly of much help. Honestly, he is kind of cute. Wait, what?!

"You feeling better today?" you ask kindly.

"Much obliged, yes," the dragon replies politely.

Oh. He's…somewhat charming, no?

"Glad to hear that. You know…if it had been under different circumstances, it would have been pretty magical to fly with you."

"I couldn't agree more," Yong laughs.

"It kind of reminded me of reading. It truly transports you to another world."

"You like to read?" the dragon eyes you curiously.

"I love it!" you exclaim, happy to be given the chance to talk about something you're passionate about. As you rant about some of the books you've read before coming here, you are stunned to find Yong listening you intently, his dark eyes warming up to a hazel brown.

"I need to show you something," the dragon finally speaks again.

You follow him with interest as he slides through the corridors. Finally, he stops in front of a door.

"Close your eyes," Yong says.

"Why?" you ask suspiciously.

"Do you trust me?"

"Not particularly," you joke.

"Smart girl," the dragon grunts with amusement. Still, you close your eyes obediently and when he finally tells you to open them, you are stunned by the sight of hundreds, no, thousands of books just standing there in a large library.

"Wow. That's…incredible," you manage.

"You can…come here to read whenever you like," Yong suggests calmly.

"Really?" you look at him, eyes blurring with some foreign emotion you haven't felt before.

"Of course. I haven't had the chance to read since…"

Since what? You want to ask, but are too afraid to do so.

"I can read to you!" you offer boldly.

"Yeah?"

"Sure! I love reading out loud!" you explain.

You don't know what comes over you, but you feel so grateful for this opportunity that you wrap your small arms around the dragon's neck in a spontaneous hug.

"Thank you, Yong! Let's read together!" you mumble.

You might be hallucinating but you swear you see something wet coming out of the dragon's big eyes.

As you sit next to the dragon and read him a magical story about amazing adventures, you can't help but think the reality you found yourself in is an adventure in itself.

The days pass and you realize Yong is far more pleasant to talk to than your first impression. He's a good listener and you can tell he is genuinely interested in what you have to say. He always makes sure the meals are to your liking and the fire is warm enough. You can't imagine how lonely he must have felt in this castle to become so guarded. You grow closer to the talking objects, as well. You spend your time either reading in the huge library, eating in the huge dining hall or looking at the stunning red roses in the huge garden. Despite the fact that you've become somewhat attached to this place and the beings in it, you still miss your father. Even your bratty sisters. You wonder how they're all doing. So, you gather all courage you can possibly have and ask the dragon.

"Can I please see my father? I'm really worried about him," you confess.

"Actually, Mark has a power he may have forgotten to tell you about," Yong admits.

You approach the talking mirror, hoping he would grand your request.

"Mirror Mark on the wall, show us Y/N's father," Yong orders.

Mark the mirror obliges and immediately shows you the image of your father. He is sick in bed with no one to look after him. Your sisters are too busy going to balls in shiny dresses, trying to attract suitors. Your heart can't take it.

"Oh, Yong," you cry out. "Please, please, let me take care of him. Just for a couple of days. I promise I'll come back."

You beg him so ardently with tears in your eyes that Yong cannot find it in himself to refuse. He knows everyone's lives are at stake, not just his. But how could he hurt you even more than he already has?

"Alright. I'll fly you back to your village," the dragon suggests gallantly.

"Thank you so much! I will be forever indebted to you, I swear I'll return as soon as my father gets better."

And indeed, Yong lets you climb on his back once again and flies you to your father's home. However, he does not take into account the fact that dragons, while very powerful and majestic, are not invisible. So, during your flight, a lot of evil-minded people see him and join forces with the wicked intent to kill the dragon…

"Please, come back to the castle before the last petal of the rose falls," Yong gives you a little mirror that has powers akin to Mark's. "Just look at it and ask it to show you the rose."

"What will happen when the last petal falls?" you ask, worried by the urgency of his voice.

"Just…make sure you come back," Yong pleads you to promise, so you do, overwhelmed by the fact he let you go to your father in the first place.

With you tending to your father, he is so overjoyed that his sickness gradually starts leaving his body. Your presence also has an effect on your sisters and they try to be more helpful than before. You are so happy to be back with your family that you almost forget to check the little mirror. Eventually, once your father has recovered, you remember your promise.

"Little mirror, show me the rose," you ask.

The mirror grants your wish and your eyes become large as they witness one single petal barely hanging onto the rose.

"Oh, no," you gasp, even though you are not sure what would happen once it falls. But then you remember the pleading in Yong's voice, his kindness and the talking objects telling you how much they need to you…So, you get on the horse once more and hurry back to the castle.

However, when you get to the castle, you find it surrounded by angry people with weapons. What is happening?!

You manage to sneak in through a secret entrance Yong once showed you that leads to the library. As you anxiously run to the dragon's chambers, you realize he isn't there. The talking objects are suspiciously silent, as if unable to speak. Was it all a dream? You begin to panic and rush into the grand hall to find Yong lying there with arrows sticking from his scales.

"No!" you scream in horror and rush towards him.

Then, you spot your suitor whom you'd rejected about a million times but apparently, he couldn't take no for an answer.

"What did you do to him?" you hiss angrily.

"What the monster deserved," the asshole grunts.

"You're the true monster!" you scream.

"Come on, Y/N, let's go back home."

"Over my dead body. Or yours," you vow and do something that is perhaps foolish but you don't have time and you can't think of anything else.

You knock the candelabra to the side with a quiet "Sorry, John" and the fire starts spreading towards the tablecloth and approaches the intruder. Then, seeing as this is not enough to scare him away, you throw the small mirror at him, apologetically, but it does the trick, as it cuts him and he starts to draw back. As if awakened by your vigorous attacks, the talking objects join in and soon, Doyoung the teapot is sending scorching liquid, Mark the mirror is showing horrifying images and Jungwoo the footstool is biting the legs of the fiend furiously.

The intruder goes away running, taking the angry crowd along with him and screaming that this place is cursed by evil demons and they shouldn't have come here.

Though relieved you managed to get rid of the vicious people, you are still worried about Yong's state and you kneel down next to the injured dragon.

"You came," Yong murmurs weakly.

"Of course, I promised you, didn't I?" you insist, tears falling down your face.

"I was afraid you wouldn't. He said you were his fiancée. That's why I didn't fight back. I thought…"

"I could never love someone like him," you shake your head furiously. "Oh Gods, I should have come here sooner."

"Maybe it's for the best…" the dragon sighs exhaustedly. You caress his red scales softly, trying to express how much he means to you.

"No, don't say that! I'm here now, everything will be better."

"I'm glad I got to see you one last time…" Yong reaches out his front limb but it falls to the ground before he could touch your face and his eyes close.

"No, please, no, Yong! Don't leave me! I love you!" you confess through the tears, desperate to keep him with you.

The talking objects stare sadly as the last petal falls off the rose.

You cry with your arms wrapped around the dragon's neck, not wanting to lose him, when suddenly you feel his body exuding an abnormal amount of warmth. You are hesitant to let go but the heat becomes unbearable and you take a step back to assess the situation. Yong starts levitating and a mixture of fire and ice envelops him mid-air. His red-scaled limbs start decreasing in size and changing in texture. His claws slowly start turning into fingers. His majestic tail disappears. You blink in shock, as the dragon's body transforms into that of a human. Finally, you are met with the face of a handsome young man with big beautiful eyes and a jawline sharper than his former claws.

It is obviously still Yong, but you are too surprised to say anything.

"Y/N! It's me, Yong!" he confirms enthusiastically. "Well, Prince Taeyong, actually, but you can call me whatever you like."

"It is you!" you gasp and rush into his arms, hugging him as tight as possible.

He laughs, spins you around and kisses you in relief.

"I can't believe this," Taeyong shakes his head.

All of a sudden, the talking objects also start transforming into awesome humans.

"Look at my long legs!" Johnny the former candelabra exclaims.

"Mom! You look amazing," Haechan, no longer a teacup, grins at Doyoung.

"Still not your mom, you dork," Doyoung chuckles and hugs everyone around him.

"Mark!" Haechan exclaims happily, rushing towards the former mirror.

"Duuude, it's been ages!" Mark is overjoyed to be reunited with his best friend.

"WE ARE NEED COFFEEEE!" Yuta the past wardrobe is thrilled he'll get to experience the small but certain happiness of caffeine.

"Count me in!" Jaehyun the recent mantel clock joins in on the fun.

"Woof!" Jungwoo adds.

"Some things never change," Jaehyun sighs, laughing.

"Come on, admit it, I'm funny," Jungwoo finally speaks in a human voice.

"Hilarious. Now how about we all go walk the mad dog?" Jaehyun suggests.

"Oh, for sure," Doyoung catches on that Jaehyun wants to give you and Taeyong some privacy and plays along, "Come on, gang."

Your friends rush outside into the garden, leaving you alone with Taeyong.

"So…care to explain how you became a dragon and now you're human?" you inquire with a chuckle.

"It's a long story," Taeyong scratches the back of his head nervously.

"Lucky for you, I've got all the time in the world."

"Well then…once upon a time there was a cruel prince who only cared about appearances…"

As Taeyong finishes telling the story, you are met with the realization that it never mattered to you how he looks. Dragon or human, beast or prince, flying or walking, it is his generous heart you fell for. And though it started in a strange way, you are truly grateful you met him and got to know his precious personality. It truly feels like a miracle.

"Can I have this dance, please?" Taeyong asks.

"Provided you give me a kiss," you bargain.

"A dance for a kiss…hardly seems fair," Taeyong jokes.

"Not more fair than a life for a rose," you tease him back, as you dance with him.

"Oh, and what a priceless rose it was," Taeyong laments.

"You are the most priceless rose to me, Yong," you confess, kissing him once more.

The eternal winter is finally replaced by an endless spring. The castle, once covered in snow and surrounded by black clouds, is now bursting with vibrant colours, as the sun's rays hit its windows. Walking hand in hand through the magical garden of roses, you know in your heart that your love story is just beginning.

The End

[underthevenadahl]

Okie! So! As someone who hasn't finished the game yet, I thought it would be cool to list off a few predictions here and see if they end up being right! I'll do 12, one for each month of the year. Sorta in the new year spirit yknow?

So, there are definitely gonna be spoilers in this post so the rest will be below the cut! I've managed to stay away from a good deal of big in game spoilers, so I shouldn't be too tainted in my guesses, lol.

Important note: I tend to have weird pattern recognition with media, so I'm usually either pretty accurate or pretty off base, no in the middle. I think I'm fairly accurate on most of these, but I guess I'll have to see! In no particular order, here we go!

1. Starting off obvious . The weird Wraith thing, gloom howler(??) in Davrin's quests, has something to do the Last Flight. I dunno what yet, I wouldn't be surprised if it's something caused by Isseya's bood magic?? But ofc they are gonna tie in Last flight somehow, it's the origin of our current gryphons!

2. This one I have no evidence to back up at all, but someone's gonna die by the end. I feel it in my bones? This game is light and fun in some ways but I feel an air of tragedy, and I would put money on it specifically being related to one of our companions. And probably it's gonna be one of those scenarios where WE have to decide too, uhg. Hate those

3. Something is up with varric. Like a BIG something? Ill be quite upset if im right. At first I thought that maybe he'd betray us or something, because this game also has an air of betrayal, but I've been really sitting on it yknow. I've noticed, he's never mentioned by the others, he very rarely shows up in cutscenes he should probably be in, and he's shown no getting better. Another thing that's bothering me, is when harding touched the dagger, there was an entire awakening, but the dagger went INSIDE of varric, literally interacted with his blood, and nothing? Nothing at all? It just isn't adding up. I'm starting to think that this might be that one trope, where we see a charcater the whole time but it turns out it was just in the mc's head?? If I'm right I'm gonna be SO upset. He just feels so weird.

4. There is probably gonna be a problem with Taash's mom? I've no evidence, but parents don't tend to last very well in this series? And Taash has a parent who while a little iffy, would probably still do almost anything to protect them I feel like. Within the series we tend to get this history of charcaters who love and would do anything for someone, sacrificing themselves. So. Yknow. I guess I'll see? As someone who relates to their relationship I want it to all turn out well but idk.

5. Rook is prolly gonna have a say in if Emmerich becomes a lich? I say this mostly because in the games, the Mc ALWAYS ends up making final choices for charcaters so, I already have a decent idea of some of the choices I'm gonna have to make based on the early quests

6. In the same air, rook will probably have a say in what goes on with Bellara's brother? That's what I think it's gonna be in her quest at least. Bellara and Emmerich are the only two I can rlly guess about right now, maybe Lucanis too? But the others I haven't fully figured out what their Big decisions are, albeit I have some ideas, just nothing concrete.

7. The inquistor will not fare well. I dunno what exactly but I get the idea that bioware is gonna try to ruin us with them. Maybe they die in the end? Or maybe they just can't protect thedas like they are trying. I have a Lavellan who romanced solas, and I just know that's gotta end up tragic right? No way are they gonna give us a good happy endinggg.

8. This one's purely optimistic: the Grey Wardens will be better. I want a world where they don't hide as much. So I'm gonna say, that they get their act together and stop some of the secrets.

9. To counteract the previous one: the Grey Wardens are over. Forever. From what I can tell the current stuff in game is the blight to end all blights. And maybe people will just decide they don't need the Grey Wardens any more ):

10. Neve and lucanis are gonna be a thing? Hasn't happened yet in my game, but MAN do they have banter. It's gotta be like Bull and Dorian ya? They r totally a thing. Low key ship others more, butttt Neve and Lucanis is still pretty cute, they could match very well.

11. Ghilan'nain is probably gonna be secondary to Elgar'nan when It comes to defeating them? As in she will probably die first, and he will be the finale. I say this because he seems like the type to toss her to the side if it'll get him what he wants. But what I want to happen, is her betraying him and going to the "good" side. Lol. I just like her so much, i hope we get to see a softer side to her, even if we have to end up killing her or something.

12. The titans, or more likely the dwarves, will gain a new connection? I wanna say they will reconnect the titans to the fade in some way, but it just seems too complicated for them to go for in the game I think. And I believe most of the titans are dead, if not all of them? So I dunno. But it would be suuuuper cool to see the dwarves regain a connection to something yknow, to see more of them become like harding. And I think it would be healing for them.

[onepieceisreeeeaaalll]

The Straw Hats As My Spotify Wrapped

Look, this post is very self-indulgent and chronically online. I understand it's probably just for me, and I'm okay with that. I've watched a lot of One Piece this year and have made it all the way from Fishman Island to where I'm snuggly in Act 2 of Wano. I'll provide my rationale, but I just wanted to share the random songs from my wrapped that remind me of the Straw Hats and a couple bonus people! I'll also throw in a specific lyric to show what I mean.

THIS BEING SAID: I think everyone should do this. All the people I follow and all mutuals. I would LOVE to see everyone's wrapped songs and pair it with their fave characters.

LUFFY Meet Me At Our Spot - THE ANXIETY, WILLOW

Okay, I labored over this one. There are a few songs that give me Luffy vibes for different reasons, but this one kind of just fits in the sense where I just...feel like it's the best vibe? It's about youth and forgetting about your worries by spending time with the person you care about. Luffy is that person for so many people and his crew means everything to him. It's like an escape, kind of like freedom. Idk. I also thought about Doombop by the Toxhards for him.

Meet me at our spot Got something I wanna show you Meet me at our spot They can't find us there

ZORO Heavy Is The Crown - Linkin Park

I know people have their opinions about this song's placement in LOL and the new Linkin Park singer, but I think this song is just kind of awesome for a war chant. I feel like you could make an AMV of any Zoro fight to this song and it would elevate it.

You can't win if your white flag's out when the war begins Aimin' so high but swingin' so low Tryin' to catch fire but feelin' so cold

NAMI not yours, never was - Cherub Tree 

Please, please listen to riot grrrl music. Nami is a badass and this just feels like the perfect woman empowerment song for her.

Let's smoke the parliaments and burn them all to ashes You think you're gonna stop me? Come on dude As if you own me? Seriously?

USOPP Talk Too Much - Renee Rapp 

This is for a few reasons, the obvious one being that Usopp is a talker. Through-and-through. But it's the anxiety that makes him talk so much, which Renee Rapp talks about in this song. It's definitely more of a love song, but still. I think it applies.

I'm takin' everything I see as a sign and I know it's crazy But what if it's right

SANJI Home - Cavetown

OKAY OKAY so I know people have their opinions on Cavetown but everyone is going to have to pry this song out of my cold dead hands. When I watched Whole Cake earlier this year, my love for Sanji just grew exponentially. He's been through so much but he's still just such a beacon of light. He's kind, he's caring, even after all of the pain he's been put through. I feel like this song just kind of encapsulates that part of him that still feels vulnerable from the trauma.

Get a load of this train wreck His hair's a mess and he doesn't know who he is yet But little do we know, the stars Welcome him with open arms

CHOPPER HOT TO GO - Chapelle Roan 

This is mostly just because I saw an animation somebody did of Chopper doing the dance and I LOVED it. I always think of him and his cute little arms.

H-O-T-T-O-G-O Snap and clap and touch your toes Raise your hands, now body roll Dance it out, you're hot to go

ROBIN Mic Check - Sophie Hunter 

Confession: this was my number one most played song this year, I've had a rough year lol. Why I chose it for Robin is kind of self-explanatory. She has been through so much and her 'I want to live' moment is very obviously iconic and impactful to the story and her character. What I like about this song is it's kind of like an acceptance of those negative, self-harming thoughts and behaviors that permeate all of us. It's kind of like a 'fuck it, we ball.'

Mic check Think I got a jacked up preset Been feeling myself start to regress All I want to be is decent Yeah I need a pick-me-up

FRANKY Na Na Na - My Chemical Romance

This man has built and rebuilt himself. His transformation from Cutty Flam to Franky is such an important shift for his character. I just feel like this song is kind of like an anthem to that, though it's more about when he became a punk in Water7. It's his own 'fuck it, we ball.' It's high-energy and I think really fits him.

(Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Let's blow an artery (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Eat plastic surgery (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Keep your apology Give us more detonation

BROOK DEBT COLLECTOR - Jhariah

This is purely because of vibes. The song is kind of like a dark fantasy which I think suits Brook really well. Plus it's got a cool kind of jazzy funk to it that I think the Soul King would heavily fuck with.

Gravedigger Cordial killer Your payment is due, they're looking at you We've done what we can, it's out of our hands Sooner or later, it comes back again

JIMBEI Read My Mind - golda may cover (originally by The Killers)

Ah, the Fishman Island Arc. The things that came out of it about Jimbei's time in the Sun Pirates just made me love him even more. They fought so hard to save people from slavery and the injustices of the World Government, and I feel like the softer vibes of this cover feel like it would suit a flashback or reflection of that time.

The good old days, the honest man The restless heart, the Promised Land A subtle kiss that no one sees A broken wrist and a big trapeze

BONUS: 

ACE Sirens - Bear Ghost

This one took a minute and I debated a few other options. Bear Ghost controversies aside, this song kind of reminded me of a meta-analysis I read about Ace a while back relating to how he perceives himself and his general self-worth. It was a very good read and maybe if I can find it I'll link it here. Anyway, this song is basically like an ongoing panic attack.

Brother, sister, please don't shame me Silence so loud But I promise I'm fine here I'm just getting my fill And if you had just what I need I wouldn't want it now

LAW vampire - Olivia Rodrigo

I slaved over which song from my list would work for Law, and there are so many. This is the least self-indulgent, the rest that remind me of him are purely based off of a stupid oc roleplay that I do not care to elaborate on lol. This song for Law, though - WOW, I just think of the struggle he went through finally taking down Doflamingo. It wasn't planned, it wasn't what his goal was, but it was so important for him to heal those old wounds.

I see the parties and the diamonds sometimes when I close my eyes Six months of torture you sold as some forbidden paradise I loved you truly Gotta laugh at the stupidity

DOFLAMINGO Good To Be King - Journey to Bethlehem

I'm sorry to report that I am a theatre kid. This musical has some bops, and while I'm not particularly religious, I absolutely loved this song. Every time I hear it, I think of Doflamingo and his time in Dressrosa.

Look how the peasants work down to the bone As I sit up high on my velvety throne Pulling the strings on the people below It’s so stinking good to be king

OKAY THAT'S IT! THANKS FOR READING IF YOU DID!

[bigbisickle]

So I made art for my fic 🥺👉🏾👈🏾 and theres the link if you're interested. It's just an au where the apocalypse never happened and Clem was sent to Ericson but with angst cuz I can. I've only posted one chapter but I'll update (eventually). I kinda made it a secret as to why Clem is there but if you want to know why, check under where is says spoilers.

Here's a line up of the trio but idk if I'll draw all the other Ericson kids cuz my hand would die. Clem is so hard to draw. I have so many versions that look like mandarin and tangerine but a Clementine?? Impossible. Also first time drawing Louis and I think he turned out alright and Violet is so simple to draw. Also this is set in 2012 which is why their fits are a little lame.

And yes there's romance in this but I'm still on the fence on with who. I feel like I'm just gonna pick Violet but idk part of me what's to see a Louis route. (lol it's probably gonna be that mean hunched back lesbian)

Spoilers for the fic under

Why she got sent to Ericson in short:

She brutally beat her bully with her crutch and was legally required to go to Ericson or be criminally charged while her guardians pay the girls medical bills. She's also been acting out by smoking weed, sneaking out, and according to Carley "abusing her medication". While in Ericson she has double therapy with her old therapist and an Ericson therapist. She's not allowed strong opioids and has to take anger management. She has her crutches but heavily relies on her prosthetic and hides her disability from the Ericson kids.

Long version below:

Here's the backstory:

Clem's parents died in a home invasion (robbery gone wrong) and she was later adopted by Lee. Lee later met and married Carley and they later adopted Aj. They moved to West Virginia for Carley's job. In this, Luke is Carley's cousin and he babysits for her. When CarLee were out of town, the house caught fire (from what? idk yet). Clem saved Aj but got trapped inside, Luke went back in to save her and did but died in the process.

(Ik the coloring of the scars is wonky but it was something doodled last minute plus I couldn't find references)

Clem saw Luke like a big brother and his death haunts her along with the death of her parents. She's severely depressed, has night terrors and survivors guilt. She, along with Aj, got burned in the fire and is covered with scars from severe 3rd and 4th degree burns and is a leg amputee. Shes actively hiding her scars and leg, and in a way is acting like the fire never happened. Shes given a therapist to help her cope but she is repressing her feelings.

[iris-black13]

In honour of Merlin trending for literally no reason today, I would like to share my theories that I came up with during my recent rewatch. (I'm only up to season 3 right now so there really aren't that many theories yet.)

1. Merlin and Arthur 100% fell in love with each other in season 1, but they aren't aware of it at all.

2. Merlin is so gay. I'm not sure if he knows it or not, but Merlin is not attracted to women. Every time he's seemed interested in a woman, it's because she's been a powerful sorceress or a magical creature. Speaking of Freya; his only real female love interest, what he loves about her is that he sees himself in her. He feels a sense of kinship towards her as someone who is trapped and hunted for something out of her control. I don't think he feels any actual romantic love for her. He loves her, sure. But I think he's confusing romantic love for something else. (But idk I could be wrong.)

3. I don't think the Morgana we got back after her disappearance is the same Morgana we had pre S2E12. I think she probably died and came back wrong. In fact, I think she's a shade. Because otherwise the personality difference is too drastic. Her relationship with Gwen for instance. It makes sense if she didn't forgive Merlin for what he did, but why is she so mean to Gwen?? Gwen was her best friend and maybe even her first love? Morgana was never classist before season 3, but afterwards she acts like Gwen is lesser than and it just doesn't make sense. Anyway that's my in-universe explanation for her terrible shift in character.

4. This is the most important one. Merlin doesn't realize he's in love with Arthur until some time shortly before the season 2 finale. Before the finale, Merlin is happy to cheer on the romance between Arthur and Gwen. Two of his best friends fell in love! Why wouldn't he be happy? Even if they think there's no future for their relationship, he's more than happy to help them get together because Merlin believes in loving who you want to love.

Now, I could go on about how falling in love with Gwen is basically Arthur's way of expressing his repressed feelings for Merlin since Gwen and Merlin are of the same social standing and since Gwen is a woman he can experience the love he could have had with Merlin if it was allowed, but I won't do that. This ain't about him. What's important is that Merlin, in the season 2 finale- knows he's in love with Arthur, and that Arthur can't love him back. After the finale, he's still happy to help his friends in their affections for each other, but his bright goofy smile is gone. It's replaced with this melancholy smile and a hesitant voice.

I'm so serious right now. If you don't believe me, just go rewatch seasons 2 and 3 and see the shift in his demeanor yourself. He actively avoids them when they're interacting in season 3. In- I think it was the changeling episode, at the end, Arthur and Merlin walk into a hallway at the bottom of the staircase. They both see Gwen on the staircase, and when Arthur starts up the stairs, Merlin immediately leaves. It's not a "I'll give them their space" moment. It's a "I can't be here right now" kind of moment. He doesn't even try to stick around to protect Arthur on their date in the episode where Morgana frames Gwen for witchcraft. (and don't even get me started on that episode of my god.) Normally, he would stick around in the shadows to make sure nothing goes wrong and they aren't attacked or anything. It's weird that he doesn't try to stick around!

And oh my God. There are so many moments where Colin Morgan's acting just makes my heart ache. In the crystal caves, Merlin trying to banter with an unconscious Arthur while trying desperately to heal him makes me want to cry. And any time he's encouraging Gwen to follow her heart and be with Arthur just makes me ache. In the "...you still have feelings for him." And the "you like him. He likes you. Isn't that all that really matters?" I just can't.

Honestly, I could go on, but this post is already wordy enough. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

[greenbergwrites]

This isn’t really a question but I just wanted to let you know that you made me fall in love with reading again. A few years ago you gave book rec for Kiki Clark and I gave it shot cause it was free lol and omg. I went from reading 2 or 3 full length five a year to like 200 books and getting involved in such wonderful communities too! Idk i was just thinking today about comfort authors and books i constantly reread (mine is the kincade pack books, like every 6 months lol) and i never would have found them without you. i hope you are doing well and continue to share you writing with the internet, and if you have anymore book recs i wouldn’t complain

;_; <3

This was such a nice message to wake up to this morning, thank you for it, genuinely. I know I can get a little obsessive when I'm really into something so I try not to annoy the masses but it's HARD when something gets me hype

I haven't read any new books in the past couple of months, I've been neck-deep into 9-1-1 fic since probably August, BUT I do have this page set up to showcase what I own physical copies of

Some of them are not very well-written but I found them compelling in one way or another. Compelling enough that I read them more than once, hence why I have the physical copy.

Some specific recs for stuff I really liked:

If you want fluff: Stella Starling's books, but I especially love the Semper Fi duology and the last book in the Delicious series, Promise, is one I think about a lot. It does feature characters from another book series but it shouldn't be too confusing, I think. It's all contemporary romance, but it's so cute, too <3

If you want something similar to the Kincaid Pack series: the Wolves of Kismet by Sam Burns is one of my favorites and they also have another series with WM Fawkes called Wolf Moon Rising.

If you want fluffy dark romance: Onley James, but specifically her Necessary Evils series. It has two different spin-off series, Jericho's Boys and The Watch. A new book just came out for the JB series which I haven't read yet but I'm looking forward to and the Watch series has a book coming out next month.

The Temptation series by Ella Frank, but listen to me: I URGE you to experience this one through the audiobooks. The narrator is amazing.

Another audiobook I love: the Quarterback by Mackenzie Blair. You can actually only find this one on audiobook anymore, but I do have this as a physical book, too, because my dad somehow found it available somewhere? idek how he achieved that but it's a great book and the guy who narrates this book is one of my favorites. I'll try just about anything if he's the one reading it.

Cole McCade is another author I think you should check out. Their prose is flowery and purple sometimes, but their characters are unique and interesting and very engaging. Criminal Intentions is a detective series, so the plot is heavy, but CM did write an AU of the characters where one owns a bakery and it's like a nice warm hug on a winter day. It's called Bitter + Sweet, I don't have time to link all the stuff I'm talking about, but I will link that.

OH. And last rec before I have to go back to work: Robin Moray!! They have an Omegaverse alien book which I love, a pack series of which the fourth one is my all-time favorite and the only one I usually reread, and under the name RJ Moray, they write the His Boy Next Door and Collar For His Brat series which is a long-running kink-focused series which I love.

And if you have any questions about any specific book on my shelf, feel free to ask! I love rambling about the stuff I read

[e-pluribus-unum-e]

Haunted (1/?)

A/N#1: This is a Mattheo Riddle x OC fanfic, I did this just because I struggle with writing "Y/N" over and over again. I feel like an actual name for the reader helps you connect better, and I already struggle with being a personable writer. Please forgive me. The OC is named Veralynn Post, she goes by Vera. Idk her middle name yet so don't ask. She has long curly blonde hair, it reaches to her mid to lower back, it's also very poofy (think Hermione Granger). She has amber eyes, almost like whiskey and honey. She's 5'2 and a Hufflepuff. And she's from the US of A 🗽. It probably doesn't make sense why she's in a wizarding school in England but bare with me. Also I'll probably have smut in this at some point but that won't be until they're well into their 7th year.

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Mattheo 🥵, my terrible writing, eventual smut but not until much later in the series

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Fem!OC

Summary: Vera's best friend finds herself in a whirlwind romance with none other than Theodore Nott. Vera reflects on her own love, how ever unrequited it is, and wonders when she'll finally confess to the man that holds her heart in his hands. 6.0k+ words

A/N#2: Dear Reader, Hello! This is the start of my very first attempt at a series LOL. I've written for my own enjoyment for years, but never on a blog or anything even similar to Tumblr. Last night at 2 AM I was hit with inspiration after hearing a series of songs play one after the other that reminded me so much of our baby boy Matty <3. So I have a timeline worked out and a list of songs I want to incorporate, one song per chapter, but that list is constantly changing because I'm trying to find the best ones possible to make this work. Also I'm starting them off in 6th year because yes, while they are minors, I need the time afforded to me by starting them off that young. No smut, NO SMUT, will happen before they're both well established 18 year olds in year 7. Please let me know how I can improve with my writing, it means a lot. It is my absolute pleasure to present you with the very first chapter in my Haunted series, When Emma Falls in Love. ---Sincerely, Me

When Emma Falls in Love

When Emma falls in love, she paces the floor Closes the blinds and locks the door When Emma falls in love, she calls up her mom Jokes about the ways that this one could go wrong She waits and takes her time 'Cause Little Miss Sunshine always thinks it's gonna rain When Emma falls in love, I know That boy will never be the same

Emma Hemlock is my best friend. I met her at Platform 9¾ on our first day at Hogwarts, and ever since then, we've been joined at the hip. With her dazzling blue eyes and her straight brown hair, her tan complexion, and her warm smile, she drew the boys' attention immediately. They would scramble to write her love letters, asking her on dates and whether or not she'd give them a chance. And she never said yes. Until, now.

Theodore Nott had been asking her out since 3rd year, always being met with a resounding "NO." He even asked me for advice!-- "C'mon Veralynn! What's her favorite flowers? Does she like butter beer? When does she-" "PISS OFF THEO"-- (spoiler alert: we didn't get along). But it seems he finally 'wore her down.'

That's such a terrible expression. At least, that's what Emma says. She explained that 'no, he didn't wear me down, I just finally had the courage to say yes.' Or something like that. In all honesty, her hesitation to say yes in the first place made sense. Theo had gained the reputation of a ladies' man, him and the rest of his crew. Draco Malfoy, Lorenzo Montague, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Mattheo Riddle.

Mattheo.

A man who could simultaneously get my heart racing out of fear and attraction. Fear of him, fear of the attraction, attraction because of the fear, however, you want to put it I don't care. But we'll get back to him later. Right now, it's all about Emma and her love life.

Emma finally said yes to Theo's persistent nagging, making him quite literally the happiest man in all of Hogwarts. No seriously, he ran into the Great Hall shouting "SHE SAID YES! WE'RE GETTING MARRI- OW, DAMN IT VERA!" (I may have thrown a dinner plate at his head).

So here I am. Waiting, sitting on the couch in our dorm, my arms wrapped around a pillow as I sat on my legs, watching the door in anticipation. They started dating in the summer. Emma's family had decided to spend their two months break on vacation in Italy. They ran into the Nott's while they were there. I have a theory that Theo caught wind of where the Hemlock family would be that June, and he begged his parents to let him go spend the summer in their family villa.

All that being said, they had had a whirlwind romance that didn't end when the warmer months came to a close. It's only the second week of our 6th year and they've gone on a total of four dates. It's almost hilarious how utterly whipped Theo is for her. That boy will never be the same.

Creeeeak. The door was pushed open—interrupting my thoughts—and Emma slipped into the room. She locked the door behind herself, her face looking... oh that's weird. She paced across the floor, closing the blinds, effectively putting an end to the bright sun I was basking in. I had expected her to come in, huffing and annoyed with the latest story on Theo's escapades. But this time, no, this time was different. Her eyes held a different story. "Vera..." Her grip on the window loosened as she turned towards me. Her lip trembling, and her eyes squinting. Suddenly her face split into the widest grin she's ever given me. "Vera-" "I know." We smiled at each other, one sincere and one feigned.

"I need- I need to send an owl to my parents. I need to ask my mom- oh shit this has never happened to me before. Vera, what do I do? What is this?" She started rambling, all the while her smile remained and she ran over to her desk. She pulled out her stationary and began her letter to her mother. "Ughhh I shouldn't even be writing to her about this, it's going to end in disaster anyway!"

What made me chuckle was the way she said it. The words were foreboding, but her smile never slipped. She didn't really expect this to end in a 'disaster.' "Write your letter, Em. Tell your Momma you're falling in love." I encourage softly from where I remain seated, nuzzling my face further into the pillow between my arms. Emma nods at me, eyes crinkling yet again as she leans back over her letter.

Okay, sure, maybe I don't sound as excited as I should for my closest friend. That's not the case, I am excited for her! But now's the time when we finally get to talk about Mattheo.

Chocolate eyes, curls the color of rich dark dirt, dimples when he smiles, and the scent of cigarettes and rain that clings to him no matter where he's been. To be frank, the man is liquid fire. And everyone else in Hogwarts noticed that too. And he took advantage of that fact. He had a new girl on his arm almost every day, never coming up empty in the 'love department.' But it was never love. Everyone understood he was never and would never be interested in anything serious. The problem with this?

Well that requires a bit of explanation.

I met him the same day I met Emma. Before her, even. I had gotten lost in the muggle train station trying to find the right platform, getting bumped into by grown strangers who didn't seem to notice the lost little girl tripping under their feet. I was born and raised in America until being invited to Hogwarts, and unfortunately, my parents couldn't afford to come with me to this wild train station. So I was all alone, trying desperately to find my way to Platform 9¾.

~flashback to that day~

I huff, dragging my luggage behind me as I try my best to push through the crowd. I couldn't see many children, which gave me my first clue that I wasn't in the right place. It was mostly muggle adults going to and fro, not glancing down to notice the small poofy-haired kid all alone. My thoughts were interrupted as someone slammed into me, "OW" I cried as the luggage slipped from my fingers. It hit the pavement floor below my feet, buckles popping open as the contents spill out. I shake my head in disbelief, looking up to see who knocked into me. All I saw was the back of a grown man walking away from me, seemingly the culprit, and also seemingly ignoring the fact that he just ruined an 11-year-old's day. "Hey wanker, watch where you're going!" I jump, startled at the grumbling voice ringing in my ear.

That wasn't my voice. No, that was behind me. Turning around, I gaze upon—for the very first time—the boy who would turn my whole world upside down. He was wearing jeans, and an almost too-big-for-him flannel, his curls falling effortlessly over his forehead as he glared past me at the man who just Kool-Aided into my back.

His eyes flickered from over my shoulder to my belongings on the ground. Wordlessly, he crouched down and started folding up the clothes and slipping them back into my suitcase. "Oh- no no that's okay you don't have to- I mean- agh this is such a mess." I scramble, trying to stop him from helping any further. 'This is so embarrassing.'

I squat down next to him, working side by side to get everything packed away. His hands stopped moving at the sound of my own voice, his head turning toward me as he took in my appearance for the first time. "You're American?" "Uh-" I blush, distracted by his pretty frown. "-yeah." I finally answer, a bit dazedly. "Cool." He responded. We just sat there, chocolate eyes looking into amber, until the distant sound of a train's horn broke us out of our trance. "Riddle. Mattheo Riddle. Where are you headed?" The boy asked, sticking his hand out for me to shake.

"Oh! I'm Veralynn Post, um, you can call me Vera. Everyone does." His eyebrow raised at that. "E-Everyone back in my- HEY!" I gasp as he starts laughing. "I was just teasing you Anna, no need to fret. But seriously where are you headed?" He tried to quiet his chuckling as he lifts my bag from the ground, carrying it along with his (and refusing to let me take it off his hands).

I took out the letter in my pocket, looking at the information it contained. "Platform 9¾." He seemed to ponder that for a minute. "I don't think that exists..." My eyes widen. How could I be so stupid? He's a normal not-wizardy-boy and here I am, spilling all of Hogwarts beans to the first person who would listen. Maybe if I play it off like I'm a dumb tourist he'll just forget all about it. Wait- is he laughing? OH THIS BOY- "Man it's easy to trick you. Lighten up, Vera."

My blush deepens, but not out of embarrassment. No, I was mad. "That's not funny Mattheo, I'm genuinely lost and alone and you're laughing at me." He seemed to soften at that, his laughter quieting down. "I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you." "I'm not laughing." "Hmm... touché." The way he said it made me want to punch him in the face.

Mattheo seemed to notice the anger in my eyes as he straightened up. "All jokes aside, I'm headed there too. We can walk together?" He offered, looking at me apologetically. "...fine, but no more teasing." "That's too high a price." "Fine," another huff from me, "you can tease if you want to but at least make it obvious you're not being serious."

His grin grew. "You're funny, Vera."

~end of flashback~

I met Emma when we got onto the train, and ever since then, I've had an unrequited crush and a best friend. Emma was everything I could have asked for; a dear friend, a confidant, and a sister. And I will always remember that day in fondness for when I met her, but alongside the sweet memories of a friendship comes the tainted recollection of a lost love.

Mattheo and I have remained friendly up to this very moment, as I watch Emma fall in love with his best friend, Theodore. But after I was sorted into Hufflepuff and he into Slytherin, we went our separate ways. Never being close but always painfully aware whenever he walked into the room. In his defense, it's not like he ignored me or anything. We were amicable with one another, just not in each other's core friend group.

The sad truth is, is that girls tripped over themselves because the kind boy I met seven years ago grew into Adonis reincarnate. They notice him because he's effortlessly good-looking and always seems to get great grades, even when he's constantly skipping class to smoke or make out with some girl in the broom closet.

His chiseled abs, strong jawline, and generally Greek-god-like physique (thank you Quidditch) made him a heart throb.

However, the female population of Hogwarts treat him like a piece of meat. Even though they're aware that he’ll cast them aside after just one night of being in his embrace, not only being aware but wanting it because no one really wanted to love him. Him. I've had to watch as everyone acted as if he really was just a carnal beautiful body and not a soul.

Sure, his core friend group (Pansy, Theodore, Blaise, Enzo, and Draco) didn't care about his looks. From what I've observed, they genuinely care about him. But after years of almost the entirety of Hogwarts not caring, I've noticed how it's worn on him.

And it's not just Hogwarts and their obsessive drooling over him, it's his home life. His father in Azkaban, his mother dead, his brother ignoring his existence. He had an abusive childhood and the roughest of up bringings. The very same women who will beg him for one night in his bed, turn around to gossip about how he's the next Voldemort.

So very few people cared about him.

And I've noticed how it's worn on him.

I've noticed lots of things.

I've noticed how when he walks through the food line, he never takes the last of anything, always leaving it for the person behind him. How he hangs behind after dinner to pick up the plates and trays our fellow students were too lazy to clean up themselves. I've noticed that whenever a girl in our year comes into class with bruises on her body, her boyfriend is in the infirmary the next day and there are cuts on Mattheo's knuckles. How he slips treats to the magical creatures when everyone's too busy listening to Hagrid's lecture to even notice the exchange. Everyone is too busy to notice, except for me.

I've spent my entire Hogwarts career falling in love with a boy, who grew into a man, all while I remained unnoticed.

I hang on to every word I hear him mutter to Theo, to every nod he sends my way as he walks past, and the rare time he asks me for my notes after he misses class.

So here we are, back in my dorm, watching my best friend's love life blossom before my eyes. Yes, I'm happy for her. But yes, I'm also, admittedly and ashamedly, jealous.

'Cause she's the kind of book that you can't put down Like if Cleopatra grew up in a small town And all the bad boys would be good boys If they only had a chance to love her And to tell you the truth, sometimes I wish I was her

I tried to listen as Cedric droned on, talking excitedly about this new book or muggle movie or something. To be honest, I've missed about 90% of what he's said. I slept roughly two hours last night, staying up to be Emma's sounding board. 'She really has fallen hard for this guy.' I think to myself as I glance across the Great Hall. Theo was sitting at his usual table, with the usual people. One of those people is Mattheo...

Mattheo laughed at something Enzo said, leaning across the table to grab food off of Pansy's plate (much to Pansy's protest). 'I hope he has a good day.' I sigh, looking back down into my cup. I had my hands wrapped firmly around the mug, sipping the warm black nectar. Emma still teased me after all these years, calling me a "Yank" for preferring just plain old coffee over tea.

A masculine rumble broke me out of my thoughts as my eyes flickered up again to see what was happening. Oh. Theo was here. And he was yapping, per usual. What, when did he get here?

The man in question was leaning his hand onto the table to my right, looking down at Emma who was in between us. "Hey, honey..." He muttered, their voices getting collectively quieter as they got wrapped up in each other's presence.

I rolled my eyes, sitting up slightly to grab Cedric. He leaned forward, but not willingly. My hands firmly grasped his collar to pull him halfway across the table. "AH- Vera let go-" "Not until you get me a new dorm and a new table. I can't handle it anymore, DO YOU HEAR ME? TOO MUCH THEO! TOO MUCH!" I shouted, sleep deprivation getting to me.

Theo stopped whatever poem or other crap he was reciting for my friend, looking up just to glare at me. "Oh stop being the anti-Cupid just because you're jealous." I turn my head, poor Cedric still being subject to my grasp, just to glare right back at Theo.

"Jealous? What the hell would I be jealous of? The fact that y'all effortlessly behave as if you got SLEEP LAST NIGHT?" "No, jealous that no one got you flowers." "Flowers? What flow- awwww Emma those are so pretty!" I push Cedric back down, turning fully in my seat to see the pretty roses in her hands.

She smiled up at me, nodding. "Someone told him they were my favorite." Her lovesick grin made me crack a genuine smirk. I sigh, feigning disappointment as I respond, "Too bad they lied."

"WHAT?" Theo exclaimed, eyes widening in horror. "Veralynn Post quit lying to my boyfriend!" Emma cried out as I just laughed harder. "Sorry, sorry, I had to."

I straightened up my posture, leaning back over my food, finishing the rest of my coffee as the lovebirds said their goodbyes. We both watched as Theo made his way back to his side of the Hall, sliding in to sit next to Mattheo.

Mattheo.

He was looking right at me. I smiled hesitantly at him, but he just looked back at his own friends, conversation continuing like it never stopped.

Oh.

My heart skipped a beat and not in a good way. This happened sometimes. I'd think he was encouraging me, I'd make an attempt to reach out, he'd go back to acting like I barely existed. My thoughts wandered to Emma. Emma. She seemed to be a natural at taming the 'bad boys.'

She had broken down the walls of her man, her man who was so misunderstood and underappreciated. Theo wanted to be good for her. It was like she was a drug he couldn't walk away from, a book he just couldn't put down.

My final thought echoed in my head like a constant ringing in between my ears as my eyes felt glued to the man who held my heart. And I knew—I knew that while I was happy to be myself—that sometimes on the coldest of nights and loneliest of days, when the absence of his love and affection rang the loudest... sometimes I wish I was her.

Well, she's so New York when she's in L.A.​​ She won't lose herself in love the way that I did 'Cause she'll call you out, she'll put you in your place When Emma falls in love, I'm learning

It was only the start of our 6th year, but every morning felt as if I was waking up on death row. Like my days were numbered, and with each passing minute, the executioner took another step closer. I've always been able to comfort myself by saying, 'It's okay that I can't hold him in my arms. At least I can be near him.'

Being in his presence alone has always been enough for me. His aura, his being, his soul being in the same room as mine has been enough for me to be content. But with graduation comes the end of it all. The end of us. The end of him. You might be going, 'Ah but graduation is just next year! You have time!'

Time? Time? It's taken me six years to get to this point and you think one more will be the difference between my anguish and my happiness? The time needed to cause a change? When him and I, two separate souls, intwine to become just us? No. There's never enough time and I'm too much of a coward to try it now, with another year in Hogwarts, where I would have to suffer not only 6th but 7th year in embarrassment and rejection. Because Mattheo Riddle doesn't want an us.

'Who am I even kidding? There is no us, there never will be. I sound like a fucking stalker.' I scoff, aggressively zipping up my bag. Potions had ended a while ago but apparently, I spaced out, only coming to when Professor Snape closed a desk draw rather loudly. It was only me and three other students in the room with him, taking our time to pack up and clean our workstations.

"-Vera. VERA." My eyes snapped up, noticing Emma waving her hand in my face. I grimaced, pushing her hand away. "How long...?" "A few seconds." She answered, frowning. I squirmed under her scrutinizing overlook. Her eyes swirled with a flurry of emotions; confusion, doubt, concern, etc. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She frowned deeper at that.

Chuckling nervously I hiked my bag over my shoulder, leading us into the hallway as we began our trek to the courtyard. Once a week we always pack lunch ahead of time, and then walk down to the Black Lake to have a picnic together. It was the highlight of my day and the pick-me-up I've really needed this past week. 'I just hope we can get there before we run into Theo.'

Theo's been really good for her, and he's been really good to her. Honestly, never thought I'd say it, but he's become like a brother to me. I usually look forward to our playful banter and then watching him whine and pout and tell Emma she hasn't spent enough time with him, but something's been off with him lately.

His behavior is as if he's walking on eggshells around me. His glances were full of concern. His questions, 'How are you?', 'Do you need to talk?', etc., etc. have been way more persistent. Nothing about me has changed, at least I don't think it has. I have no clue how he's somehow gotten the skill to look right through my mask.

I risk a glance over at Emma, eyes narrowing. She was chewing her lip, her fingers tap tap tapping. It was a trait she picked up from me. She used to complain about how fidgety I was, constantly having to at least drum my fingers or shake my knee to be able to focus. Something that became more incessant as I would get nervous or uncomfortable.

And then I noticed her doing the same thing whenever she got... nervous. 'You must have rubbed off on me,' she'd say. Well, it's a two-way road, Emma. Because your annoyingly empathetic self rubbed off on me too.

I left her with a habit she hated, and she left me with the ability to read her emotions like a book. It had it's benefits. We push through the bustling crowd, making our way to the ‘glass room,’ as we so eloquently coined it in our 1st year. It was a room with an entire wall made up of windows and an almost simple back-patio-like door that worked as one of the many exits that led to the courtyard. It was our favorite, just because of how homey it felt.

I twist the doorknob, pulling the door open for her before following her outside. There was a small friendly match of quidditch being played on one side of the courtyard, some kids were studying, and there was just a general bustle of life out there. Both from the students and from nature. As we walked down the steps and into the grass, further past everyone, weaving through all the hubbub and finally getting away from all the prying ears, I turned toward Emma. We continued down to the lake but now we finally had privacy. 

“Emma, what’s been up with you? You and Theo, now that I mention it. It’s felt as if you’ve both been… watching me. It’s kinda weird.” I nervously laugh, running a hand through my blonde curls to push them out of my face. Our black robes with yellow accents swished with our movement, though Emma’s posture noticeably stiffened when I spoke up.

She slowed to a stop, hand reaching out to grab my own and making me halt right alongside her. “Em?-” “I know.” “Know what?” “I know you’re in love with him.” Time seemed to slow. My heart quickened and my hands started tap tap tapping. I tilted my head slightly, looking at her closer. I never told anyone, I never spoke a word about my feelings.

Which means she noticed, she caught on, and she figured it out. She’s the only one who could’ve figured it out. Theo’s too dense to have- she told him. “Love who?” I spat out, anger simmering just below the surface. She caught on to that too. “Matt-” I yank my hand from hers, stomping away from her and towards the water. “Vera! I’m not judging you- stop just stop running away!” “Running?!” I whip back around. “You told Theo!” 

Her eyes looked wet, her lip trembling as she took in my ruffled appearance. “I didn’t.” I scoffed. “I didn’t.” She repeated with a firmer tone this time. “He knows you enough to know something is wrong, but he doesn’t know what is wrong.” “My- my love isn’t wrong. It’s not the end of the world for someone to be loved by me.” I shutter out running a hand down my face as I try not to spiral.

I know she didn’t mean it like that, I know she didn’t mean to have that heart wrenching look of pity in her eyes. But I could just hear what she was thinking, my insecurities clanging like a gong in between my ears, ‘Oh Vera, how could you ever think he’d love you back?’

We stood in a field. Surrounded by tall grass and beautiful wildflowers, a lake just a few feet to our right, a tree about two yards to the left of us, and the sounds of our school echoing down the hill and filling the uncomfortable silence that fell upon us.

“Vera…” My friend’s words cut through that very silence, voice sincere. “...you love with a love so loyal, that you are content with standing on the sidelines for years. You love, with a love so fierce, that you will defend and fight and protect even when the object of your desire doesn’t take notice. You think I haven't noticed your absolute adoration toward the boy? I picked up on it back in 2nd year. You can’t keep secrets from me, you know that.” We both laughed through tears at that one.

I looked at her in shock, not knowing what to say. 

But she quickly spoke up before I could even fully process what she said before, “You love with a love anyone would be blessed to receive. But the fact of the matter is, you absolutely suck when it comes to confessions.”

My eyes narrowed at that sudden change in tone, getting whiplash from how fast she went from serious to downright insulting. It would be funny if the situation wasn't so emotional.

“You watch him from afar, you love him at a distance, but graduation is closer than it's ever been and you’re letting him slip through your fingers. I’ve watched you lose yourself in this love for long enough. It’s time, Vera. Tell him or move on but I won’t let you throw away our last years at Hogwarts just because you were trying to hold on to something you’ve never had.” I flinched at that, looking back toward the ground.

“I-I don’t know what you’re saying…” Evidently, Emma crossed the distance separating us, and I felt her hands comfortingly squeezing my shoulders. “I’m saying… it’s time you come clean. It’s time you tell Mattheo you’re in love with him.”

Emma met a boy with eyes like a man Turns out her heart fits right in the palm of his hand Now he'll be her shelter when it rains Little does he know, his whole world's about to change

So I told him I love him. 

KIDDING. After Emma surprise attacked me in that field, I ran back to our dorm and hid until noon the next day. She gave me her notes and we caught up on all the classes I missed, and then we talked for hours about him. And I told her everything.

Everything I felt toward him, everything I loved about him, everything I knew about him. She just smiled at me and rubbed my back during it all, giving nods of encouragement as I stuttered over my words.

The days went by as I tried to figure out what to do. I’d sound absolutely bonkers if I just went up to him and professed my undying affection. I’d become every other girl! ‘Except this time, it’d be a girl who truly cares about him…’ I thought bitterly to myself.

Every time I started to brainstorm on how I could run into him or get his attention, I felt like a crazy person. Like someone could peer into my thoughts and watch as I spiraled further and further into the madness of conspiracy theories and red string. It felt wrong to be so… calculated with him. He deserves better than that.

So I stayed quiet, waiting for an opportunity but not pushing it. Waiting for the stars to align and him to drop in my lap. Waiting like I’ve been waiting for the past six years. My frown deepened at that thought, heart weary as I walked into Transfiguration. Three things immediately drew my attention to the far corner of the room.

The object of my affections was actually… attending class.

He was sitting in my seat.

He was staring right at me.

I gulp, hands flexing around the strap of my satchel, nervously and uncomfortably holding eye contact with his gorgeous chocolate pools, the windows to his soul. The only way to describe the emotions swarming in those very same windows, was… curiosity? Amusement? Warmth? It was hard to tell at this distance—the occasional student walking to their seat or passing by to meet up with their friends making it hard to gaze wholly into his eyes.

‘Oh how I wish I knew what you were thinking…’ I shake my head, breaking that train of thought as well as the spell Mattheo and I seemed to be under. A shoulder bumps into me, reminding me I was planted in the doorway. I crossed the threshold, walking towards Mattheo— my desk.

“I’d say I was happy to see you but I’d be happier if I had my own seat.” I prodded jokingly as I sat down rather heavily in the seat to his left. A laugh slipped out of his lips, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile, throwing his head to the side to look at me. “Your seat? I’ve never seen you sit here, baby.” Mattheo teased, eyes glinting with humor.

I felt my cheeks burn at that comment. He said it so casually, that term of endearment that I would give anything to hear him say with meaning.

Our interactions always went this way. He'd shamelessly flirt with me (making me feel as if I couldn't breathe), I tried my best to meet his challenge (occasionally I got him to blush too), and it always ended with him walking away without a backwards glance. ‘Stop, stop thinking that. He’s talking to you, talk back!’ My inner Jiminy Cricket chides.

“You’ve never seen me sit here? Well, darling, I’d have to say this is the first time I’ve seen you in this class. It’s no wonder you’ve never noticed me sitting here.” Mattheo’s eyes widened slightly at that but his smile never faded, pleasantly surprised respond with your own pet-name. 

“Wizards and witches, quiet down!” Professor McGonagall called out, dropping a heavy book onto her desk. The sound of the loud thud echoed as the surrounding voices hushed to a silence. She had everyone’s attention. Well, everyone except for the two kids in the far corner.

We continued gazing into each other’s eyes, brows furrowing into an almost challenge to see who’d turn away first. “Ah, Mr. Riddle. Glad to see you bothered to grace us with your presence.” The older woman clicked her tongue, effectively pulling us apart, our eyes breaking contact as our heads whipped toward her. “Talk to me after class.” McGonagall made sure to stare point blank at Mattheo, voice steady and tone devoid of humor. “Fuck, she looks mad.” I put my hand over my mouth, holding in a snicker at Mattheo’s whispered comment as our teacher begins her lesson. “Stop, you’re gonna get us in trouble.” I scold, opening my notebook and reaching into my bag looking for a quill. Oh crap.

My eyes widened in panic. No quill. I started unzipping the different pockets, rummaging around, hoping that with enough silent begging and prayer, one would just magically appear. ‘It’s fitting we’re in Transfiguration… maybe the lesson will be on “Making Your Own Quill.”’

I’m pulled out of my inner grumbling with a tap on my shoulder. I was bent over toward the side, in between Mattheo and I’s tables, searching as silently as possible for anything to write with. So the sudden feeling of two fingers tapping my arm made me jump slightly.

I glance up, seeing the prettiest and most annoyingly smug grin. “If I lend you a quill, will you lend me your seat?” He asked, tapping on the chair he was leaning back in. I frown, eyebrows furrowing yet again as I sit back up. “You not only brought one, but two quills? I didn’t know you owned a notebook.” I whisper back, happily shocked to find out he had planned to pay attention today.

“No, I brought one. And trust me, it was a spur of the moment decision. Deep down we both know I wasn’t gonna use it anyway. Just take it.” He finally pulled out the writing tool from his bag, sliding it onto the wood slab in front of me.

“Mattheo I can’t take your onl-” “You can, and you will.” He smirked, insisting. "Well..." I sigh, nodding as I picked up the feather. "...Mattheo Riddle. You are my hero." "Call me any day baby, I'm happy to rescue such a beautiful damsel." His eyes glinted with amusement at my burning cheeks.

He turned back to face the front of the class, his heart stopping stupid ass grin staying plastered on his gorgeous stupid ass face. ‘He called me bea-HE CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL. What the heck is happening.' I close my eyes, breathing in and out a few times to try to get control over my racing thoughts.

'Will I ever get used to the utter heart palpitations this man causes me to have? It’s like a rabbit is trapped in my chest.’ I shake my head, looking back down at my journal.

I didn’t even know where to begin, utterly lost in this day's lecture as the past however-many-minutes was spent paying attention to Mattheo and panicking over my lack of writing tools rather than the actual subject Professor McGonagall was droning on about.

My thoughts wander back to what I was thinking of before I saw the beautiful boy to the right of me. I’ve been waiting for six years. For six years I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to drop in my lap, or for Riddle to come profess his love to me, or something, anything. I can’t even remember at this point.

I was tired of it all. Tired of waiting, tired of not knowing, tired of not living just because I yearned for something I didn’t have. I dip the quill in the ink, hesitating as the tip hovered over paper. The ink gathered at the point, almost falling off and splattering on the white page.

I glance to my right, gazing fondly at him. His profile, his curls, his general posture as he tried to pretend he was paying attention but he was simultaneously fighting sleep. His eyes kept fluttering shut and he was slumping further and further down into his chair.

I look back down at the paper. I’m tired of waiting. And so I began writing.

I met a boy with eyes like a man Turns out my heart fits right in the palm of his hand Now I’ll be his shelter when it rains Little does he know, his whole world's about to change

[babiebom]

What Kind of ~dere the bachelorette's would be

A/N:it's the girl's turn<3333 it took me 5ever to finish this for some reason. I'm only writing it now because i'm watching doctor who and need 2 different kinds of stimulation and i have no snacks tbh(doctor who started buffering so now im watching the little mermaid Im not trying to give play by play of me writing this but Im so hyped rn and its 2 in the morning)

TW: maybe some spoilers, maybe some cursing, idk yet nothing that bad! There is some brief mention of childhood trauma and abuse on Penny's part but nothing graphic.

Genre: Headcanons

WC: about 10 bullet points per person

Abigail

Hiyakasudere

Penny

Described as light-hearted and flirtatious, often mischievous and playful on the outside and constantly teases their loved one as a sign of affection.

Would playfully bully you to try and make her crush on you not obvious

Makes it painfully obvious to everyone but you

"This sunset is cool but you know whats cooler?" "What?" "My sword collection"

Probably smacks you when laughing

Smacks you when you do something funny

Laughs extra loud

"Lmao I'll fight you idiot"

You two probably get in trouble to playing around in serious situations

Invites you to the mines with her

Or to the woods past the wizards tower

You two probably get into trouble together and think its funny that you were attacked by slimes

Does make fun of you even when you get together

"Ew you have a crush on me that's so embarrassing"

Undere

described as a "yes-man" to their loved one no matter what the consequences are their devotion doesn't allow them to betray their loved one easily and is an extension of the Goudere characterization.

OR

Leah

A Kekkondere

Which is described as some who believes in love at first sight and wants to get married right away. They have a deep desire to remain close to the person they meet for better or worse and this can sometimes evolve into them becoming a yandere type

So I could not choose which she fit more so I will try to fit everything within 20

I feel like due to her being a more submissive type in my mind that she would 100 percent be a yes man

Especially with a woman like Pam as her mother.

She has probably learned that disagreeing with her led to consequences that she does not enjoy.

So due to her childhood trauma she is more likely to just agree with whatever you say

And even if you try and get her to actually say her own opinion I don't think she fully grows out of it but it develops into a more shes a yes man because she feels safe.

Does not matter what will happen to her you are her main priority now so it is whatever you say goes because this is her fairy tale ending

On the other hand I think she is on par with us fanfic girlies on how delusional she is

Spends time constantly reading romance novels and imagining herself as the female love interest or heroine

So when she meets you and is immediately attracted to you

It turns into oh yeah this is love at first sight

This is meant to be because look at how i feel

This is like in the books I read

And she wants to get married very quickly

Brings it up maybe once at the beginning of your relationship

If you dont agree she doesnt say anything again

Just tries to manipulate you into marrying her quickly by doing wifey things

She will put it on you and make you wanna marry her

Will have you forever and ever just don't try to leave because she will enter yandere territory

Deredere(explained on Emily's part because I did hers first)

Honesty I thought none of these fit her thoroughly

Shes too....normal I guess?

At least to fit these categories

She's literally just an artsy girl i don't know

Like shes a creative but not delusional like Elliott so yandere is out of the question

Especially because her last relationship moved at a pace she disliked and was going to restrict her and what she wanted to do

So obviously shes not going to be the type of partner to hold you back in any aspect

But shes not going to let you run over her

Shes just a stable adult

Love that for her tbh

Could never be me where can I learn to become a Leah?

Emily

Deredere

Described as someone who is energetic, kind, and caring and while they show their affection to their loved one they can still hold normal relationships with others.

The sanest one here

Would not let herself get swept up in romance to the point of where its her whole life

There are other things she has to worry about

Like her sister, the wellbeing of all of her friends, being the chilliest woman on the planet

Emily tingz

Is the least likely to do something deranged because she knows that your relationship is stable and she doesn't need to do anything special

Because you love her for her and she loves you for you

Like yeah shes a weird(affectionate) person in general

But I also think she's the oldest out of the bachelorettes(hcs maybe?)

So she does have a clear head most of the time.

Amd she has probably been around and knows that she doesn't have to be crazy because trust is a good thing and luckily she has trust in you

Was probably insane in her younger years and its why shes chill now

Tbh overall a green flag

Maru

Hajidere

Haley

Described as someone shy and nervous around their crush and can socialize with anyone who is not them. Usually blushes or gets flustered at them making the first move

Gives me vibes like she will become super clumsy in front of you

And 100 times more socially awkward

Will stutter and trip over her words

Or drop things

Is the definition if the shy anime girl tbh

"O-oh Farmer! D-did you s-see that?"

I cringed writing that pls

Like it isn't very apparent in the game she just gives me these vibes

Especially because she does sort of go on about her sciencey stuff but i think that's just her being a nerd

I feel like she would be fine before she has a crush

But the second she realizes her feelings it becomes a problem

Obviously you notice but I think you would be too nice to say anything

Unless you're an Abigail type then ofcourse you say something

Becomes dumber the longer you are in her space because you're so attractive and now she cannot breathe

Mayadere

described as someone who is usually the antagonist who switches sides after falling in love with the main character. Usually first appears hostile or intimidating but a change of heart allows them to reveal their true feelings later on

Mostly this because I think she's a butch

But then she becomes cute after getting to know the farmer

Honestly I did not really like her and wanted to fight her up until I actually started gaining hearts with her

So I feel like this fits totally because like

She was the antagonist of my story at least

And she became cute and lovable the second she started feeling feelings

Like with one of her heart events

You literally take pictures with animals

She gets mud in her hair and doesn't even complain like

How she got me on her side Idk

Would probably be the type of girl to be like

Oh farmers here? And then very loudly say things like

"Oh yeah i could TOTALLY grow a few crops no big deal AT ALL"

"Did they hear it? You think they want me to move in yet? Do you think they're in love with me yet? Of course they are i'm Haley duh."

Not quite tsundere because she wouldn't do the whole "its not like I like you" thing

She would make it clear that she likes you but that she's the prize and not you

Sometimes is still hostile before she remembers she can let down her walls.

Its a journey to get her to say what shes actually thinking about certain things but you get there!

[astridthevalkyrie]

U want lds thoughts? I gotchu 🫡

I really like all 3 boys, but I'm leaning Zayne bc he's just so husband coded. He's the only one I could see a long-term relationship w. I love Xavier and Rafayel, but I just can't picture them as husbands or dads (at least w my MC/myself). I also desperately need them to interact in game and in the main story, there's just sm potential for chaos and funnies.

I honestly dk what will happen next. Obviously, MC is gonna want to investigate Onichynus and her heart, but idk how that story will unfold or how they'll tie in the stories w each li and their separate myths/reincarnation bit. (Also, the fact that the myths happen in the future doesn't make sense to me yet, so I hope they plan to really flesh that out and not give us questionable writing like most mobile otomes do). Idk how I feel abt Sylus (and possibly Caleb) becoming lis, ig I'll have to see what they're like and if they appeal to me at all, bc so far we haven't had enough Caleb content for me to actually get attached (I was also convinced he was MCs brother so idt I'll ever be able to see him romantically 😭).

I hope we'll get to see more of the side characters and what MCs life is like outside of just the three guys, but I honestly doubt it lmao (more for me to hc abt ig lol).

I have more but this is already rambly and idk how to be coherent rn. This game is giving me brainworms and I'm def thinking abt it too hard. Oh, well. I don't consume media, media consumes me.

i'm telling you it's xavier boyfriend zayne husband and rafayel sneaky link. that's exactly the look and vibe they give off.

i think as of right now zayne is the most popular, at least on ao3 him/mc is the most popular ship. which is just to be expected when you have a levi ackerman coded character LOL. like you said, he's a husband. he just is. he's a doctor and he's successful and he cares for the mc so deeply it just makes sense. i started the game for him because. i mean he looks like THAT. he acts like THAT. he has ice powers and you get to melt the ice in his heart and make him love you i adore that shit see my pinned post for the kind of romance i write you could make a zayne x reader set in the aot universe and it would be my fic. and dooooooon't get me started on dawnbreaker zayne. DON'T GET ME STARTED i gasped during the anecdote when the truth about the kid comes out. he dreams about his past life what the fuck bro what the fuck.

surprisingly, though, while i do love him, he's probably the one i've had the least amount of thoughts about (that's still clearly a lot of thoughts so that's not saying much). i think it's partly because my gacha favors xavier and rafayel a lot more and right now i pretty much am just heavily thinking about whichever guy i consumed the content for last.

xavier and rafayel have me obsessed. i thought xavier would be completely meh because zen from mysme was meh for me. but um. he was not meh. my levi hawks pattern has told me that i love a man who was forced into fighting because of the stupid goodness in his heart and manipulative outside forces. and even though that's not exactly what's going on with xav, he does have that vibe. his is the only myth i've watched in full and i'm just. they should have been able to go to uluru together. the scene where they're both lying on the ground i have watched it so many times. i love love love the royalty x captain of the guards trope so much. the fact that they both serve in both roles is insane. i've read the anecdote about her first life on philos too there's a fucking part in there that talks about how he shares his EARBUDS with you?????? end me.

and rafayel is beautiful. like he's actually beautiful. his english voice actor makes him sound so fucking bisexual + the bi wife energy whenever you're with him is just. UGH. the game is hilarious whenever he's on screen and obviously with the way the main story has ended for now he's the most intriguing. and while you can feel the pining energy from all three of them, his is just. lowkey the most pathetic. and i eat it up. bro started TEACHING AT HER COLLEGE just for the chance to see her. i like that he's not possessive per se but he is very whiny and attention seeking the sassy man syndrome is real. i need to unlock his myth but i'm not patient so i may very likely just watch it on youtube. i need to see hunter rafayel. i need to see him right now.

the main story is genuinely fascinating. i was a little bit bored up until the explosion happened and it really kicked in. bc suddenly it's not just 3 guys and you doing your best, but you actively investigating and them helping you. like i said i don't have raf's myth and i haven't finished zayne's yet (need more fucking upgrades to his card) so i don't have the full story but at least what i'm getting right now is okay. they're all from the past or future. they all remember?? xavier and rafayel definitely do. zayne knows something about grandma who seems kinda shady to me. i've seen the caleb=sylus or at least caleb lives theories. i saw someone say the man at the end isn't sylus though? and his english va is the same as caleb's but in other languages it's someone else. idk.

idk about the others but xavier's myth being in the future makes sense. i'm pretty sure the timeline goes: in our current timeline, earth is about to go bye-bye and become inhabitable bc of wanderers -> survivors go to philos -> xavier and a new mc are both born -> she dies bc of something in her heart and is reborn bc she's the only one who's truly immortal (everyone else on philos lives forever naturally but can still be killed i think??) -> new lightseeker mc and xavier are meant to become guard and prince respectively but philos is dying -> to save mc from being sacrificed again and again xavier decides to go back in time to find another way where he after at least like 200 years meets current timeline mc

i know what you mean about not being able to see caleb as a love interest. the first time i saw him i genuinely thought they had no need to make my brother this hot what the fuck. and then i realized he was just her childhood friend and i went

and then he blew up 😭

i neeeeeed to see the love interests interact. i mean mc barely thinks about the others whenever she's with one but i really hope in the next arc we actually see them meeting each other. beefing or working together or whatever, i need to know (i may also have already started a fic about what's gonna happen next bc i'm mentally ill). xavier has a tracker on her so he should be able to find her and zayne kinda disappeared off the face of the earth but i want them all back. i want interaction. i want it so bad.

[onelastskip]

Just out of curiosity, how many MCs did you make for Keyframes? Can you tell us a bit about them? I'm interested to know :D

OMGGG HAIII!!!

Technicallyyy 4? I played through the game on all seasons but my other MCs aren't as fleshed out (and I haven't drawn them...) — but I'll talk about what I have anyway!

So obviously Chi was my first baby girl, autumn, romancing Percy straight away, I yap about her a lot already but here's a fun fact I haven't mentioned yet, her full name is Chi Huệ Aubade, very cool!

My next mc was Mika (she's sort recycled from olba, sorta not because I hate the idea of being unfaithful to cove, idk if that makes sense just the way my brain works) she's a summer and... well I was supposed to romance Elio... but then the Percy summer meeting hit me like a truck and I went for him again... now she probably won't get fleshed out but I'm thinking of doing a male mc elio summer run (for real this time, no percy shenanigans)

And then I have my spring mc, Nari, and- I will admit I was very close to reromancing Percy but no! they are a Jamie romance (slowwburn tho) cause I found the cupcake confrontation was so good with a spring personality. So they're uh, well to describe them, in a word, they're self-assured (technically two but semantics). They're extremely competent and they know it, they have a big ego and tend to be overconfident, brash and competitive. Andd they also have a crippling fear of emotional connection and an avoidant attachment style. love my little guys who are so smart yet so very stupid. Anyway their dynamic with Jamie is sort of teasing? They were expecting to be annoyed by him bcos of his reputation but they ended up liking him more than they thought. They have a sort of "people disappoint me" expectation, a lot of the friends and relationships they've had in the past were shallow (not for lack of trying? but nari really didn't put any effort in) they only really mesh with deja and cam and don't even try to form deeper relationships with others, the boys are the first friends they've made in a while, and their first time besides with cam and deja actually trying to connect with people. They're an ISTJ and fun fact about them theyyy are very good at chess.

And lastly my winter mc, Yumi (name pending.) they're my no romance route (or slowburn? it depends how it plays out I guess). They're... to describe them in one word. Chill (lol). They're an artist turned law student and they are very go with the flow. They are also doing a minor of sociology! They stopped painting in their last year of highschool because they were told they needed to start taking things seriously (they had pretty bad-average grades before). While they're generally patient and relaxed, when they do get angry, they are no holds barred, cussing out authority figures, not a single thought in that brain, they get very passionate when they're being confrontational. They're an INTP and fun fact about them they know how to skateboard.

WAIIIIT- I'M GONNA USE THIS ASK TO YAP ABOUT THE ENNEAGRAM (sorry anon my attention span is kinda fucked, ADHD ramble incoming)

Okay I've mentioned before Chi's a 2w3, little lore drop, she's got family issues (eldest daughter in an asian family /hj) but yeah there's a lot of pressure from that direction, that's part why she's doing a law degree (polisci? I forget how it is in america), she was rushed into picking a degree and just went with what she was best at. Anyway I should probably explain the enneagram oops, OKAY, so she has a type 2 fixation, which basically means, she's got a gaping hole where her self esteem is and she tries to patch that up by creating relationships (people pleaser...), that's why she tries to be as helpful as possible all the time, she's got a deep seated fear of abandonment and feels like she can only be loved if she's providing some sort of support (usually as an emotional dumping ground) to the other person.

Buttt, thankfully when she got to college she met Deja and Cam, who did NOT fuck with that kinda behaviour so she's slowly getting better, I imagine over the course of her time at college she gets better at loving herself and sets boundaries with her parents, fixes the relationship (the other drama is she has younger siblings who are still with them and yeah) idk I just like writing character arcs like this it helps me understand my ocs better I think

onto my other mcsss:

uhh Mika's a 7w8, but I'm gonna skip her since she'll probably get reworked into something else anywayyy

so Nari has a type 5 fixation, their whole deal is they need to feel competent, need to feel like they understand the world around them because it's a scary place and if something doesn't fit in with the way they understand things that means they understand nothing. Anyway, their little character arc would actually be centred on the relationship, it's a story about them accepting emotional vulnerability, letting down their walls, losing their rigid world view, and choosing to trust in another person and fall in love :3

Yumi (name pending) has a type 9 fixation, their problem is... well basically, on the surface, they're confident, calm, collected, composed (heh alliteration), they really seem like they've got it all together but internally they've resigned themself to being another cog in the machine. They've lost their passion in life and they're stuck in the pit of "it is what it is". Their character arc would probably involve them dropping out of college and pursuing something they actually care about, that being art.

[invinciblerodent]

YEAH i instantly knew that you didn't get to that point yet and didn't explain further as to not spoil anything! First my condolences its a fucking hard decision i dont think i'll be able to handle it when i get the game, secondly my question: Do you meet dorian regardless of the choice made here?? And does the game say anything about sacrificing minrathous means hes dies or something like that? Thank you and sorry (lol hahaha 😵‍💫)

Okay!!! Now that I'm thorough THAT shitshow, I'll do my best to answer lol!

So, few things-

You meet Dorian in Minrathous before you would get the quest to recruit Davrin from Varric, which is what triggers this decision. I don't think Dorian dies if you sacrifice Minrathous (he's a powerful mage who can take care of himself, a Magister, AND a returning character- if the Crows in Treviso all survive the attack there, I don't think they would put such a big stake on the other choice), but I could be wrong. I don't see a very big chance of it happening, I think he, Mae, and Viper all probably survive.

I think choosing Minrathous might cut you off from Lucanis' romance altogether, though. I used one flirty line with him before (immediately post-recruitment, it was honestly just the one that sounded the most correct, I don't even think the prompt read as flirty but it definitely was delivered as such), and as I rushed to Treviso after saving Minrathous, I got a strange piece of dialogue from him that I feel implied that he's too heartbroken.

I noticed when taking them out together before that Neve and Lucanis sounded like they were flirting a little bit (I wish I had the line, but she at least definitely implied that she was attracted to him, something about the demon having "good taste"), and after getting to Treviso, he very specifically asked if she was alright- he didn't name any other companion, so that felt significant. I think that if you go long enough with them before doing this quest, the implication of them being kind-of-together becomes more explicit. (They did say in the promo stuff at one point that there will be an NPC romance that makes a choice in the game more difficult, I didn't think it would be this one, but yeah, it definitely came earlier than I had expected.

I don't know if they will reconcile after this- it would be weird if they did, when she had all of the same exact reasons to choose Minrathous as a Shadow Dragon Rook. if they reconcile, it might be possible for Rook to still romance him too, but I wouldn't bet on it.

The choice didn't cut me off from the Treviso area, but I DID get a prompt that said that the waypoints will need to be rediscovered, and it DID remove Lucanis' personal quest from my journal, so I think I'll be reloading to just before recruiting Davrin, and doing that part all again.

Overall I think I lost like a good, idk, 2 hours of progress and Davrin for the time being, but that's with my slow, exploratory playstyle- now that I know what I'm doing, it'll probably go faster.

I won't lie and say that I'm not a little bit bitter about this, but I'm not exempt from "you can deal" when applicable either, lol.

I just wish it had at least, like, another "progress with the main quest?" prompt or something, because I gotta say, I really didn't like that the recruitment quest of the first warrior character tossed me immediately into this. Feels like Mass Effect 2, but at least there you could choose the order in which you recruit the first batch of available companions...

If you're not playing a warrior yourself (which I know most people aren't, it's definitely my preference though), three out of the four companions you get before this part are ranged (two mages, two rogues), and you're basically going the whole game until now without a tank- I think many are likely to rush into recruiting Davrin asap, and that decision fucking things up for them like this, it's... kind of weird. I don't like this aspect.

So, yeah. Might be useful to finish the Treviso and Minrathous quests before recruiting Davrin.

They are keeping me away from my Warden husband, damn it, i don't WANNA go to Treviso, I wanna smooch. :c

[misc-obeyme]

Really random, but I think Barbatos would be very good at calming down paranoia. It's pretty obvious why; his calming presence, his calming tea, his overall comfort. While all of that is fine and dandy, I think it would also be in an "I'm the most terrifying thing in this house" type of way!

Mc being paranoid about the cursed paintings in the Demon Lord's Castle and Barbatos is just like "You need not worry about them. I am far more dangerous, and you have me on your side." This makes sense, right??? Idk, it makes sense to me.

Maybe it's because he practically raised Diavolo. Maybe it's because he's practically raising Luke, but he just has that supportive vibe!!

Same thing with anxiety. You're anxious? There's a delicious tea for that! You're not in the mood for tea? Well, I've heard mearly having someone else's presence with you could help! You don't want me near you right now? That's alright, I'll wait for you!

He definitely keeps things to help with nerves on his person at all times. He pays attention. He learns through trial and error and observations the things that help you and the things that don't. He's always there looking out for you.

Even if you're just feeling a bit down. He'll either be upfront about it and give you something to cheer you up, or out of nowhere, your favourite treat has magically appeared next to you! Or if you'd like, tell him what's wrong. He's always up for listening.

Honestly, you don't even have to be upset for him to do these things! He'd just go above and beyond whenever you are.

But really, it wouldn't take much for him to calm me down or cheer me up. Just imagine chilling in bed together, not actually doing anything yet still loving the moment. No words even need to be spoken to appreciate the romance of the moment. Just being near him would make me feel so incredibly peaceful and relaxed, I'd most definitely fall asleep.

Anywhoosies, I know this is probably a very popular thought, but I wanted to share silly style anyway!!

Also, I'm happy you think my sleep purring is adorable, I was giggling about that for awhile djwjdwk You're really fueling my late-night-scenarios-to-fall-asleep-to

This is exactly why I love Barbatos so much.

I have a lot of anxiety and I have a lot of shame and guilt around that anxiety. So I don't usually tell people when I'm anxious. I try as hard as possible to hide it.

But Barbatos is observant. And if you spend enough time with him, he'll be able to tell when you're dealing with a lot of anxiety, even if you don't say anything.

The idea that someone is paying enough attention to notice these things about you even when you try to hide it is just... top tier romance for me.

And Barb's whole thing is taking care of people. He wants people to be happy and comfortable. So I can just imagine him doing exactly what you say - kind of trial and error figuring out what works best for you when you're struggling with something.

Add to all that the fact that Barbatos is considered one of the most powerful demons in the Devildom and you've got no reason to feel anything other than calm and safe in his presence.

There's just something about knowing that the person who is being all calm and comfort with you is actually extremely dangerous and everybody else should be wary lol.

And I think it would help with any kind of issue along those lines: anxiety, paranoia, depression, etc etc. Anything where your mind is the culprit and it feels like nobody could possibly understand because they can't be inside your mind with you. Barb can see how it changes you, he can tell when you're suffering, even if you do everything you can to keep it in.

And he's going to be able to give you the space you need to be honest about it. He would sit with you, like you said, he would listen to you if you needed to just rant, he would let you cry on his shoulder if that's what helps.

He isn't afraid of your emotions. He's not going to judge you for them. He's just going to help you however he can.

So yes, I fully agree with you on all of this!

[mysteriouswolf]

Adding a read more cause it's literally just my random thoughts and a bit of a vent:

Being acespec and arospec as a minor fucking sucks. Because if I even begin to mention it to anyone besides some of my close friends, I get shut down with "but you're only *insert age*. Things change as you get older. You'll want those things someday."

And it hurts. It hurts it hurts it hurts because I KNOW. SEXUALITY IS FLUID. I KNOW THIS OKAY? And I don't need you to tell me that. I just- I want to be met with "okay. If you never want those things, that's fine. You're your own person who gets to choose what they want and what they don't."

I know things might change. But I want support for who I am now. Because I hate to break it to you, but almost everyone I know has had at least a crush, if not a first kiss and a romantic relationship by this time. And I don't want one. I don't have any interest at ALL. And I don't remember really ever truly wanting it except for wanting to fit in with other people.

I dunno why I'm so suddenly upset about this. I haven't even came out to anyone recently. It's just hitting right now and I don't know why

Oh wait fuck I need to take my meds. Wait this makes so much more sense now. That's why I'm freaking out--OHHHHHHH WAIT OKAY IMMA GO DO THAT

I'm not expecting anyone to really read this besides maybe Royal, Char, or Geode. If you're here and actually made it this far, hi lmao.

The other thing that bothers me a lot is just like- I have this one friend that I've had since 7th grade. They're really kind and supportive, but they've got a lot of shit they deal with in their personal life too. (Home issues, anxiety, anorexia, etc). And so I'm always there to support them because I care about them so fucking much and they really care about me. And if I ever need help, I can go to them and they won't question it.

It's just- they've like...been infected with romance-fever. For the past year. And it's all they wanna talk about, and usually that's fine because it *usually* isn't repulsive to me. But sometimes it is and I feel like they don't know how to communicate with me otherwise

Also random side note. They like guys. I don't find guys at ALL attractive (very rarely I get aesthetic attraction towards a guy but usually it's like one on the Internet or a fictional character lol) but they wanna show me whoever they're currently dating and I don't know how to react. I'm just like...yeah. cool.

And for the record, I'm not gonna stop being their friend. I care about them too much for that. And this literally won't even be an issue anymore cause I don't think I'll have any classes with them next year and they're mainly a school friend so whY IS THIS STILL BOTHERING ME

Oh

Wait

It's cause it's 10pm and I literally just took my meds. They haven't done their magic yet

Right

Okay. Good. Then my brain will go back to normal soon.

You get a picture of Rosie is you actually made it this far into the post. I'm impressed lmao.

Imma go listen to some music until my brain shuts off now. That's probably a good idea. I'll probably put on your cover of Well It's Better Than The Alternative Royal because it's stuck in my head and it's really nice to hear someone singing who isn't doing it to like. make money. Just to sing and make their friend happy cause sing. :)

Idk if that made any sense. Okay. I did a shit ton of work today. I didn't know setting up a fish tank for the first time was so much work. But not I am tired.

Byeeee

-Mysterious

P.S. I found a really pretty shell today :333 Also wtf does P.S. stand for???

[cyberpunkboytoy]

dol anon back and JUMPING FOR JOY!!!! i'm so curious what love interests you liked and which soft end you got (i have a guess but 🤫) and everything. pls. also i'm begging for you to drop your pc design i'm sure they're so cute <3 there is so much to do in dol i don't even know where to start sometimes, like the entire cooking system was just added a couple weeks back and i have barely touched it out of fear lol

I am still definitely early in discovering everything, as splitting time between files is hindering forward progression, but I still have plenty of thoughts 💪 (especially bc I've also been scouring the wiki)

My trial run PC is a lovely lady named Mela, who I don't currently have a good screenshot of. Imagine a dead anime mom in a happy flashback, that's her. Anyway, she's So Fucking Clumsy, exceptionally talented at tearing her clothes on every school desk, tree, gust of air... she's so fucking expensive. Mela, please.

Mela was me playing safe (largely being devoted to school), and I put my fucking life on the line trying to complete my science fair project only to get hunted by Eden. I made a separate save file just to see through Eden's bad ending, and ended up really enjoying her as a love interest—btw, why is ALL the fan art of Eden a dude??? She's obviously hottest as a huge scary woman. I kinda want to draw her.

I'll likely continue Mela's regular save state (didn't get past week 2 of normal life), but it was moreso training wheels and exploration than roleplaying a character I'm actually attached too.

My other current file is playing as my OC Dulce, who is a perfect fit for this game. There are so many other Dulce-esque characters already written in, the biggest being Whitney (all Whitney fanart is SOOO Dulce to me). I haven't met the ranch hand yet but he's apparently an alcoholic, which also reminds me of Dulce. Dulce is gonna slut it up & drink & do delinquent shit & dance, very excited to see where it goes. Probably is gonna try to pursue Whitney bc they are matchies.

I'm gonna make other PCs too, there's so much to investigate. Sydney, for example, absolutely fascinates me. So fucking cute, but also such an obvious little creepazoid. And SOMETHING is going on with him, but idk what yet. So many fucking red flags. Corruption kinks aren't usually interesting to me but I desperately want to see where that goes, too.

Robin is very cute. Sydney & Robin are currently my two favorite love interests, bc I'm honestly a sucker for vanilla romance. Kylar is a yandere & I don't enjoy yanderes so I'm not excited about him. I have a future playthrough in mind to pursue Avery—he reminds me of Fujieda Slow Damage (which is funny to me, bc this game feels like the perfect enclosure for Towa Slow Damage. Who i might play as). Also I'm really mad the Ivory Wraith isn't a love interest, she FASCINATES ME and I love how she talks and I want her so bad.

Miscellaneous thoughts: all the teachers need to be fired immediately and I hate the forest with my entire being.