#Ruth First Lecture

[owlbrain]

How do you think a NPMD swap AU would work out? In terms of the nerds being the popular ones and the popular ones being nerds, not switching characters around.

Richie and Steph are the easiest to do; Richie is the football team mascot so could be popular through that, and Steph could be an unpopular nerd if we make her study really hard after her mum’s death to get her dad’s “love”.

Max is harder since he’s hard to take off the football team. I’m not American but I assume there’s a position that’s unpopular? We can say he was briefly the quarterback but messed up badly against Clivesdale (fuck Clivesdale) and got demoted and everyone hates him now. That’s probably how American football works.

Ruth is also tricky because I’m not really sure theatre kids are that popular. I guess they could be? Sure let’s go with that. She’s always the lead in school performances, and let’s say her headgear got taken off in freshman year and suddenly omg she’s so hot. Same vibes as when the nerdy main character takes off her glasses. She could be a cheerleader maybe, she’s kinda joining in with that in Go Go Nighthawks, but probably not.

Finally the ones I’ve been putting off. Pete and Grace. Both of which are really hard to make cool without completely changing their characters.

Pete can go first because why not. He’s literally your stereotypical nerd, I don’t have much to work off of here. Being friends with Ruth and Richie already earns him some cool points, but we need more. Football player is out for obvious reasons. I’ve seen people have him in the Smoke Club but I can’t really see that happening, he’s more likely to lecture you about the health risks. However. Ted would be so down to let him have alcohol. And probably wouldn’t object to him having people over while he’s at Charlotte’s house. So I’m gonna call Pete the party guy and call it a night. May change this later.

Grace might be even harder though. She doesn’t exactly have any popular traits. Honestly she’s at her closest to being popular when she’s just snapped. Post-NPMD Grace bagged a football player and was smoking, might as well throw her in the Smoke Club.

You’d think I’m joking but I think there’s potential there actually.

Let’s say something happens to Grace. Maybe her parents get divorced. Maybe she has a sexuality crisis. Maybe the bullying actually starts to get to her. Anything that’s enough to push her off that edge she’s always doing an acrobatics routine on. She doesn’t fall quite as hard, she doesn’t go insane like in NPMD, but she starts to question her religion a little and she starts to act a little more like the popular kids. She gets into Smoke Club (I hc her and Lex as cousins anyway so let’s just say she gave Grace an in) and at this point has drifted apart from Steph, who is in full nerd mode at this point. She doesn’t realise this and we still get some Grace-thinks-she-and-Steph-are-friends shenanigans. She probably dates Jason at some point as a mixture of rebelling against God or something and her being totally straight she promises.

See? I made it work. Probably.

I’m letting anyone who isn’t the main 6 stay basically the same. Probably with the exception of Gabe though. He's on the football team and still has a one-sided crush on Grace. I hope he stubs his toe. Stacy and Brenda might also switch just so that Steph has actual friends.

[mollywog]

Complicated

They've finally made it to a place where they’re stable enough that he doesn’t need to spend every Sunday out in the woods. The girls have stopped outgrowing their clothes and with the spring, Katniss’s morning hauls bring what they need for the week. He still loves it beyond the fence, but after years in the mines, six days a week, even a favorite pastime can make a man weary. So lately he’s forgone his hunts for time on the porch rocker.

But this morning he’s back in the woods at his wife’s insistence. She’d said she was worried about Katniss in an unusually cryptic way that suggested she wanted him to judge for himself. Katniss and Ruth are both headstrong, two peas in a pod, though he knows better than to speak it to either aloud. As a result, the tough conversations come better from him.

He’s paid particular attention all morning, but can’t seem to pinpoint the source of his wife’s anxiety. Though she has only just turned eighteen, Katniss seems to have grown into a woman overnight. Or maybe this has been a long time coming and he’s missed it in the dim light of evening. If anything, she seems to be alight from within.

It isn’t until it’s time to dress their kills that he understands his wife’s concern. Katniss’s glow vanishes, replaced by a palid green hue before she loses her breakfast behind a bush.

Shit.

He crouches beside her, his water flask in hand, “let’s sit down and talk Catkin.”

“Do we have to?”

“I don’t need the particulars, just a few questions,” Where her mother would lecture and fret, he knows there’s no use in the would’ve/should've - what’s done is done. “How far along?”

“Not long, but I’m keeping it, if that’s what you’re after,” she says, clutching her midsection protectively.

He nods, “and you know who the father is?”

“Of course,” she snaps and he’s glad to see she’s still got fire despite her exhaustion.

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t realize you had a boy. Does he know?”

“Not yet.” He lets his silence speak for itself. “It’s complicated,” she adds defensively.

“Is he free?”

“One final reaping. Same as me.”

“That’s not what I meant. Is he free?”

She scowls, “No papa, he’s not married nor bound.”

He tisks, “Then I can’t figure what could be so complicated about it. Unless you don’t think he’ll do what’s right? Or maybe you don’t want him?”

She sighs, “it’s not that either,” she rubs her eyes, “I’m gonna tell him, but if I do it now he won’t want to wait to get married and that would ruin things for him.”

“Hmm, Is he a fool?”

“What? No!”

“If you trust him, you should tell him. If he respects you, he’ll heed your concerns. You’re a smart girl, I’m sure you can figure it all out. If not, you'll always have a home with your mother and I.” He means it, but he feels ten years older than he had just this morning, with the thought of their present security gone.

“Thanks papa,” she says, and he smiles despite his concerns. “I’ll think on it.”

Their trip to town is made in silence as he tries to imagine the man and the circumstance but comes up blank; not even a guess.

Their first stop is the Mayor’s, then Cray’s, then the butcher’s. He stands back and watches Katniss handle the trades. It fills him with pride.

When they arrive at the bakery, she falls in step behind him, and he takes the hint to lead. He’d bet she’s looking for a buffer if the baker’s witch of a wife is around, but fortunately for them one of the sons answers today; the youngest if he recalls. “Is your father in?” he asks.

The boy straightens, “Yes sir, but I’ll be handling trades from now on. Come summer, I’ll be the new baker.” The kid’s eyes flit to his daughter then back to him, “I just got word that my loan was approved. I close on the bakery July 5.”

“Really?!” Katniss’s voice catches him off guard and he turns to find her open delight at this seemingly trivial piece of town news, before she drops her eyes to her bag. He looks back at the boy who’s still beaming at his daughter and the pieces fall into place.

‘It’s complicated’ - hadn’t that been what Ruthie’d told him all those years ago when he’d asked her to marry him? He supposes it might have been even more so if her parents had been considering selling her the business and she’s been expecting his child.

The pair regain their composure enough to complete the trade, though neither quite successful at hiding their giddiness.

“Complicated huh?” He says as they walk back towards the Seam, “let me guess, a little less complicated come July 5?”

“Maybe so.”

He hums, “just don’t wait till then to tell him.”

What If?

[dinoformer]

Alone again

She/her, Prowl, Sins of the Wreckers spoilers. inspired by: Dandelions- Ruth B, Atlantis- Seafret

☆*: .｡. ☆☆*: .｡. ☆☆*: .｡. ☆☆*: .｡. ☆☆*: .｡. ☆

When he listens to bots saying the famous 'don't know what you have until you lose it', Prowl never thought there would come a day where he must live that. He always had complicated relationship with other bots with most of them being negative.

He met her before the great war, she was introduced to the Autobots as a new member and medical assistant for the Wreckers, and one of the few triple changers on the team.

As they were paired for missions, she demonstrated to be a friendly individual, and even then, at beginning she found herself on one-way conversations most of the time and outside of the base he pretended he did not know her name. But like every good medic she was a caring bot to the young autobots, he often saw her checking on Bumblebee or lecturing Cliffjumper. Prowl noticed her caring nature extended to the rest of team including him, she sometime would ask him if he had enough rest or if he already had his energon rations. When he got injured during missions, she was the first one to make sure he was physically and mentally well, she would ask him how he was holding after rough mission and accompany him to the med bay.

Just like that she become a constant presence in his daily routines, it was suffocating at the beginning since Prowl was not used to having someone care so much for him, but with time he also began  waiting for her at the entrance of the base on the mornings, and at the end of the day he would walk by the med bay or training grounds when she was done with her assignment.

Naturally, they started gravitating to each other more and the rest of the Wreckers could not understand how it happened.

Why Prowl? From everyone on the team she chose Prowl.

He couldn't understand it either, it just happened without him realizing it, he found himself sharing energon treats with her after training, going together to the market when she needed supplies for the med bay, walking her to her habsuit, and he just felt odd when he was doing domestic activities with her.

Maybe it was when she went out of her way to check on him or how she made him feel safe after his missions.

Maybe it was her smiles when she spots him from far away or the way she started holding his hand when they walked around the market.

And it was good, he never imagined feeling this content because of someone else.

The relationship was never formalized by words to the rest of the team, but everyone could tell that they were practically conjux at that point.

Prowl had heard bots talking about 'a love that comes once in a lifetime' before and he wanted to believe that she was the one, after all she was the only one that stayed by his side for centuries, the one that bonded with solidifying their feelings.

At the beginning of the great war he started working with Mesothulas, he thought he was helping the Autobots and that the cause justified the means, so he never told her about Aequitas, the Decepti-bombs, or anything regarding the partnership with the scientist.

Mesothulas whoever was aware of her and Prowls relationship, he did not really plan to do anything to her but then Carpessa was destroyed and Prowl wanted to break of their partnership. He believed he needed Prowl a much as Prowl needed him for the success of the autobots, so he lured her to his laboratory.

That same day Impactor made his way to the laboratory to get rid of the scientist on behalf of Prowl, he barreled into the place not noticing her standings next to the Noisemaze since before Impactors arrival Mesothulas was about to trap her inside the Noisemaze.

It was too late now, Impactor pushed both into the prison, he noticed her too late and even when he tried to reach her, he was not fast enough.

Impactor did not know what to do or what was he going to tell Prowl, but he needed to destroy the Noisemaze with the rest of the workshop.

After they decided to keep Ostaros Prowl asked Impactor if he had seen his partner.

"She is in Noisemaze, Mesothulas trapped her when I arrived, we don't know what is inside there and she is probably gone by now" Impactor was not sure if she was alive inside that place.

"It can't be" he denied "she doesn't even know him, why would she be there with him?"

Prowls mind went blank, what is he going to do now that he is alone again. He can save her, his pillar, he must save her and hold her close again.

He never thought that when you love someone in your mind, they are invincible, you do not think that something is going to take them away until it happens.

And he feels more trapped every day, he lives with a mask of indifference, but he is fooling none, the Autobots could tell when walked by her habsuit and went to the med bay after his shifts, he was mourning the loss of his partner.

He promised her once that he will always find her, he doesn't care who he has to destroy for her.

He must set his grief aside and get her back home.

[stevebattle]

Teeeni (1988) Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI), School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Singapore. "Prof Goh said the institute's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering first started experimenting with micromouse building in 1987, using a commercially available kit from Japan. The result, named Rattus-Rodee, was not only bulky and clumsy, but extremely slow. Undaunted by the poor performance, NTI rounded up a group of lecturers with expertise ranging from microprocessor hardware, computer software, motor control, sensor technology to artificial intelligence. At least 80 students at different levels of study were recruited for the programme. What helped most, Prof Goh recalled, was the in-house programme which required second-year students to undergo 10 weeks of intensive practical training during their long vacation. This exposed them to different training modules which included industrial talks, factory visits, mechanical workshop and workstation education. Having been taught the basics, the students were challenged to build micromouses and compete for prizes in campus contests. This resulted in successive generations of micromouses, each of which was an improvement of the previous one. "Ruth", which came after Rattus-Rodee, was reduced in size and weight and travelled more accurately, but was still slow. Though sleek, the third-generation model "Teeeni" was still heavy and slow. But both performed creditably in the National Micromouse Contest last year. Ruth was in fourth position and Teeeni was placed second." – Mightiest Mouse, by Nancy Koh, The Straits Times, 6 November 1989.

The video is an excerpt from "UK Micromouse 1989."

[scarscribblesstuff]

Cinnamon Buns

Fandom: Redacted Audio

Characters: Lovely, Sam, Darlin (briefly)

I always add a song to go along with a fic so optional enrichment of TWTGA by Bing and Ruth

https://open.spotify.com/track/4ljALrblJ6OyrXFH0PzXwK?si=7T4vQG5tTIiCNMK1nSmo-A&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A5dfUD4mVuuZbcSWBpqJLgz

Basically this is me loving the world that has been built and just how alive a lot of these characters feel. Particularly platonic relationships and I particularly want Lovely and Sam to be best friends so here you go. Spoilers for post inversion stuff btw!

Please do not feed to AI, claim as your own, or repost to other platforms without my permission. The characters belong to Redacted Audio and this is a fan work.

(Fic below cut)

“Do I gotta get one of them camera doorbells now just to stop trespassers loitering on my porch?”

“Sam! Hi, sorry I should've texted you but this was more impromptu than I'd hoped!” Lovely spins to greet him, fidgeting with their fingers.

“Are you okay?” He asks brow furrowing.

“Yes? No? I don't know. I just wanted your company… to talk to you b-but it doesn't have to be about anything serious if you're tired or anything.”

He looks them over, “Let's go inside.” He pulls out his key and unlocks the door.

They awkwardly follow him in, watching him to mimic him taking off his shoes.

“Oh! I made cinnamon rolls. T-to thank you for seeing me.” They say holding out a small tupperware.

“I'm touched, but what's got you so on edge? You haven't been this… well, awkward, since Vincent first introduced us Sp-” he quickly cuts off the old nickname, inwardly cursing himself.

They swallow and look away, silver eyes catching on the small lights in his kitchen.

“I wanted to ask… i-it's silly and stupid and stuff and you don't have to because it sounds I guess weird or- or- arrogant to want this-”

He notices the tupperware creaking slightly in their hands as their grip tightens and he gently takes it from them, setting it down on the table.

“I ain't gonna judge, you know that. I never do.”

They level him with an unimpressed look, “That's bullshit Sam and you damn well know it.”

There's half a pause where they're both able to maintain the veneer of seriousness before it cracks and laughter breaks between the two friends.

Sam feels the small swell of pride seeing how their shoulders relax a little after that.

“I don't know what you mean, I am the pillar of all that is good in this god forsaken clan, watching over you headless chickens creating chaos and getting injured.”

“Keep telling yourself that cowboy.”

“You little shit-” he goes to jokingly poke their arm but they dodge out the way lightning fast, jumping up onto the counter opposite.

“Too slow Sam, you really gotta up your game.” They tease. “Honestly you fall down a mountain one time-”

“You what?” Sam asks, his eyes narrowing, quickly sweeping his gaze over them for signs of injury.

Their eyes widen as they realise their mistake. “Vincent didn't tell you…?”

“No, should I have been informed?”

“Nope! I merely had a slight stumble and got a few teeny tiny scrapes and Vincent and my wonderful new healing kicked in and saved the day so really there's no need for-”

“Good luck, you're still gonna get a lecture.” Darlin called out from the hallway, strolling into the kitchen swinging their jacket on.

Lovely deflates at this with a slight pout. “Dammit” they mutter under their breath while the shifter chuckles. Darlin turns to Sam after grabbing their keys off the table.

“I'm heading to Ash’s house, he's practically begging for someone to beat his ass at this new game he got; so David, Milo, and I have been roped into a ‘family game night’” they huff but Sam doesn't miss the slight twitch of a smile.

“Well try not to beat them all too hard or Asher will never let you leave asking for rematches.” He gives their hand a small squeeze, holding it to his mouth before pausing and looking to them for permission.

They give another huff but nod, looking away as he carefully places a kiss on their knuckles and letting them go.

“I'll text you.” They say, quickly turning back to the exit, tossing Lovely a wave. “See you later baby fangs.”

“Bye- oh wait I bought extra cinnamon rolls in case I bumped into you!” Lovely - who had been quietly sat watching the couple - jumps to their feet and rummages through their bag for another ridiculously large tupperware. “Here! For the pack.” They say holding it out to Darlin.

“Oh. Thanks.” They say a little gruffly, gently taking the container from Lovely. “I'm sure the pack will love these.”

“How many did you make?” Sam says, incredulously looking between the massive container, Lovely's bag, and the additional container on the table.

They shrug. “A little over two hundred I think, by accident!”

“How the hell do you make two hundred cinnamon rolls 'by accident'?”

“Well I wanted to make some when I decided to see you, then I thought I might bump into Tank and so thought I should at least try to make some extras. But then I finished them so fast that waiting for the first batch to prove was taking forever and so I made more whole I was waiting, and thus created a kind of cinnamon bun mlm scheme?”

Sam chuckles and even Darlin lets out a small scoff of laughter. “Well I'm sure the whole of Dahlia is grateful for the cinnamon buns, even if it was at the cost of all the flour in the region.”

“Hey try them first old man.” They joke, “Dahlia might come for me with stakes yet.”

That made Darlin snort properly before pecking Sam on the cheek and grabbing their motorcycle helmet.

“Okay I really have to go now or David will have my ass for being even later than I already am.”

Once the door was shut Sam turned back to Lovely with his signature mother hen look. “Was the reason you stress baked to hell and back the reason you're here right now?”

Lovely deflated slightly, picking at their fingers again. “Straight to it huh?” They smile sadly up at him, taking a deep breath. “I've been working on, saying what I need more with my therapist. I've gotten a lot better but sometimes I still get that block and… well this is something I've wanted to ask about for a good few months now. I wanted to ask before things got too crazy with Summit planning.”

Sam leaned back slightly, a small frown creasing his features feeling his stomach twist slightly at the thought that he'd upset his friend somehow.

“I always hope you can talk to me. You're my friend just as much as Vincent is.”

Their shoulders drop slightly and they smile bashfully at him. “That means a lot to hear you say that Sam, thank you. You're one of the best friends I've had for a while I just…” they consider for a moment. “Ever since I… I died. You stopped calling me Sparky, and I guess I'm asking if you could again.”

He blinks, that not being what he expected at all. “I- What?”

“You don't have to if you don't want to.” They seem more relieved having spoken it aloud, “but I don't know, I liked it and it felt like our thing. I don't want… I don't want our friendship to be another cost of my turning I suppose, despite knowing you're still here.”

“I…” he swallows, “I'm sorry, I just didn't know if you'd want the reminder. I know I sure as hell didn't.”

There’s a quiet as understanding passes through the two.

“But then again I didn't have anyone really. And those I did have I wasn't close to… didn't want to be.” He sighs, rubbing his forehead.

“Of course. You had choice and freedom taken away from you in the worst way possible… I'm truly sorry Sam. You never deserved it.” They add quietly, looking up at him.

He shoots them a wry but sympathetic smile, “Neither did you. Guess we both know a thing or two about that.”

“When I lost my powers I-” they crumple slightly, “I just hope I can get some back at least.”

Sam feels his heart tear in two, driving him to his feet to hold out his arms to them. “Hug Sparky?”

They barrel into his arms with vampiric speed; if he still had air in his lungs it would have been knocked out.

They didn't speak for a while. Just holding each other in the soft dark of Sam’s kitchen.

“It's silly but… I think I miss my eyes the most.” they trail off.

He gives them a small squeeze. “It's the little things that get you.”

The knots loosened a little.

And the night was quiet.

[pixthefuckup]

things that happened to me that i think hatchetfield teens would experience

richie: got chosen as a throwaway member for a sports team in gym and ended up being the goalie. i had an entire sports anime arc with these guys (the captain learned how to develop and delegate better, the strikers were foils of each other with one learning to be more smooth while the other learned to be more aggressive, the midfielder realized that he was super important and his good stamina wasn't the only reason he got the role, and i learned to stop doubting myself, how to use all my experience to realize flaws in the other team, and go for it) we were literally a thrown together team because the captain just wanted the role for more credit. we somehow won the entire tournament.

ruth: im in a theatre group that makes its own original play through january to february. now, the plays are always hitting and they're incredibly. but... each time i improvised a random filler line, it ended up getting stuck in the show no matter how bad it was. i was performing night after night the same shitty "we're friends! friends are supposed to tell each other things!" because i couldn't figure out how to start an argument weeks ago and nobody could either apparently. i mean, i apparently got laughs but i couldn't hear shit over the rushing embarrassment in my ears. i can commit to the bit but not without internally dying ig

either side of potseed: i got high once in a park surrounded by theatre kids and instead of being chill or dazed, like i imagined, i started yapping about dante's inferno and fanfiction, their connections to each other, and then their connections to the veil and reaching past human life to things unable to be held but yet taken as precious things to be obsessed over and analyzed. mind you, it sounded incoherent af because i was high. this was also my first time getting high (if this sounds familiar and you follow me NO IT DOESN'T HAHAHA I NEVER USED THIS EXPERIENCE FOR ANOTHER FANDOM) steph: had a 10 minute compilation of me tweaking out over essays i did not give a single fuck about until deadline day (all the videos were in timelapse) bc i thought it was funny (i eventually deleted it for storage but im sure i can recreate it this year since it's my junior year) pete: i once managed to get the tea about my entire middle school hierarchy and secret dynamics because i had been sat at the table of two popular kids who didn't notice me. so while they were gossiping, i was sitting there, quietly doing math and also listening in. i was a goddamn master at multitasking. ziggs: me and my friend were trying to get weed so we followed a stranger who promised to lead us to a shop where he would buy the weed for us (dumb idea i know). instead, we got a bunch of lies about his backstory, an entire lecture on buying weed a certain way, and then he guilttripped me. thankfully, my friend got us out. we ran back to our group and we lied to them about all the shops being closed because it was too crazy and too embarrassing to admit what actually happened. hannah: my family has weird psychic experiences. it's really long to explain in detail but essentially: my grandaunt could hear ghosts and have dreams convening with spirits as well. my mom could have odd dreams and convene with people, whether overseas or dead. my brother used to see ghosts and predict the future. short example: he once told my dad their airplane home would break down. he was right. he forgot his experiences and abilities as he grew up. (the lex to my hannah fr fr) as for me, i could see past demons and had weird companions to warn me. the story's a bit long when properly told but tl:dr: white bear tried warning me of demon dad, i didn't listen, had to try and see past demon dad to get to real one. demon dad was standing in front of regular dad. i manage to walk through demon dad (freezing btw) and hug regular dad. white bear sees this as i go back to sleep on the pull out couch with dad, thumbs up.

[redjoey1992]

So last year, Disney's Wish was supposed to be a celebration of Disney's 100th year anniversary, and everybody was hyped up. Sadly, when it finally got released, people were very, and I mean very, disappointed with it. Yes, Wish has its flaws, and some parts felt rushed undet it's 80 to 90 minute running time, but for me personally, I thought it was good and it could've been better. For everyone else, it was a disappointment.

Then, people keep saying that they were robbed because of two concept arts that have been breaking the internet for over a year. One of them is the idea of a romantic plot of Asha and Starboy, a humanized version of the Star from the original movie (unaware that the humanized star is actually the younger version of Asha's Grandfather and the idea of them having a romance is gross, plus it's questionable because Stars are thousands and thousands of years old). The other is King Magnifico and Queen Amaya as a villain power couple. While those two sound like nice ideas, but in reality, they don't add anything new to it or could make it even more convoluted that it already is. Nevertheless, those two concept art ideas have been the main focus on everybody's Wish rewrite fanfic.

So, if I ever wanted to do a Wish rewrite fanfic, the first thing I do is change the main hero and villain.

ARMAAN:

Armaan is a starry-eyed and optimistic 11-year-old boy from the kingdom of Rosas. He’s energetic and passionate, sometimes rushing into a situation without thinking about it first. Although he considers himself a fish out of water because he has lived in Rosas for almost a year, he’s brave and hopeful and always puts a positive spin on any situation. He deeply loves and cares for his family and friends, especially his paternal grandfather, Sabino.

Armaan was born in a small region in North Africa to a philosopher from Rosas named Tomás and a seamstress named Sakina. Growing up, Armaan would hear his father lecture him about the stars and their connection to all living things. He would also spend time reading books, drawing, and building things. When he was nine years old, his father passed away from an unknown disease. Soon after his father’s death, Armaan and Sakina moved to the Kingdom of Rosas, where they now live with Sabino. He then made friends with seven kids named Ruth (10), Marri (16), Simon (15), Hal (10), Safi (11), Bazeema (12), and Dario (10).

At first, he had a high opinion of Princess Celeste like everybody else in Rosas, but he is rather curious about how she has the power to grant wishes and how the people of Rosas have great admiration towards her. He entered a contest to meet Princess Celeste for only one day on her 18th birthday. He saw this because of Sabino’s wish to inspire people with his music, and his grandfather’s 100th birthday is also on the same day as Celeste’s 18th birthday/wishing ceremony. Armaan won, much to his excitement.

The hangout with Princess Celeste started great in a little brother/big sister way. Then Celeste takes Armaan to her chambers, where she shows him the collection of all the wishes from the people of Rosas. When Armaan saw Sabino’s wish, he asked Celeste to grant it. But she rejected his plea. Celeste also revealed a dark secret to him. She erased everybody’s memories of the citizens’ wishes, rendering them devoid of any ambition and making them rely on her and adore her, which causes tensions between her and Armaan, which escalates into Celeste passing on Sabino’s wish.

Later that night, Armaan feels like he disappointed Sabino on his 100th birthday. Sabino then comes in to cheer him up and shows him to a wishing tree he and Tomás used to go to and says that sometimes wishing on a star can inspire him not to give up hope, something that he gave to Tomás when he was young. Soon, Armaan takes his grandfather’s advice and makes a desperate wish upon a star, hoping everyone in Rosas can make their wishes come true.

His wish is highly tremendous and pure, and he is granted the star itself, which takes on the form of an anthropomorphic ball of light whose name will be called Star. This will lead Armaan on a noble adventure to free all the wishes from Celeste’s wicked clutches.

So, I wanted to make Armaan’s relationship with Sabino as the emotional core as well making Sabino show him the wishing tree just like how he showed his father before him (it's taken from a deleted scene). Based on a friend's suggestion, I would have Armaan be more curious about Princess Celeste, her power to grant wishes, and the people of Rosas' greater admiration towards her, making Celeste’s villainous reveal more shocking. I based Armaan’s character design off of Ravi Cabot-Conyers (my ideal voice actor for him), Mickey Mouse from "The Sorceror's Apprentice" segment from Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Aladdin. There's also a little bit of Antonio from Encanto.

PRINCESS CELESTE:

Princess Celeste is the most beautiful, charismatic, and beloved 18-year-old princess of Rosas and the only daughter of Queen Amaya. From the day she was born, she was enchanted to be attractive, sing beautifully, and be beloved by all, but she was born with magical powers. As the princess grows up, she's been learning and mastering all kinds of magic and sorcery and studying astrology and alchemy. But her one extraordinary magic power is that she can grant the wishes of her subjects. She has that ability because, unbeknownst to everyone, including herself, Celeste is born a half-human/half-star hybrid. She considers her magic superior to all others to the point where she lets the power go to her head, leading her to develop a giant, vain, self-absorbed ego.

One day, people forget what they want or desire. Then, on her 15th birthday, Princess Celeste declares that she will be willing to help her people by announcing a ceremonial event where she'll grant only one wish every year on her birthday.

Unbeknownst to the people, including her mother, Celeste is wicked, selfish, devious, callous, narcissistic, and sociopathic. She cast a powerful and dangerous spell that will steal the memories of her people’s wishes and keep them sealed and locked away in her study room forever. Celeste can only grant wishes that would benefit her and keep the rest locked up, especially those that she deems a threat to her. She created the wish-granting ceremony every year on her birthday to maintain her power, beauty, and influence and have people feed her ego. She learned that spell from a book containing forbidden magic, which she uses as a contingency in case something threatens her power.

Despite her potent magic and enchanting appearance, Princess Celeste harbors an intense jealousy and resentment towards her mother, Queen Amaya, who is more humble and caring to the people of Rosas, leaving Celeste to feel overshadowed by her and will do anything to make herself the center of attention.

On her 18th birthday, she can only invite one person to spend one day with her so she can grant one special wish for the winner. When an 11-year-old boy named Armaan was declared the winner, things went wonderfully in a little brother/big sister way. Then she showed him the millions of wishes in her study room. Armaan discovers his grandfather's wish to inspire people to play the guitar. Once he tells her about her grandfather's wish, she assumes that it might be dangerous, although Sabino is mainly kind and harmless.

Then Armaan starts questioning why Celeste only grants one wish while many others will never for another year instead of being given back so the people who initially wished them could achieve them themselves. Celeste tells him that they can't do it on their own because it's unachievable, and they come to her because she's the only one who can grant the wishes to come true, so they don't have to worry about doing it on their own. Armaan is shocked and surprised by how she did it so people would forget the best memories about themselves, with an enraged Celeste declaring that she's the only one who decides what the people deserve. So, she refused to grant Sabino's wish at the wishing ceremony, leaving Armaan crushed and heartbroken.

Later that night, Armaan wished on a star for help, and the star, revealed to be a little, exciting, boundless ball of energy, answered. Celeste saw the light it caused and believed that someone had threatened her power. All this would lead to the events of her downward spiral, building up to her inevitable defeat.

My idea for Princess Celeste is to create an evil Disney Princess, which is something that Disney has never done before, so having a Disney Princess be the main villain sounds more refreshing. Plus, it would make more sense for her to grant only one wish a year every year on her birthday so she can have the people of Rosas feed her ego. I based Princess Celeste's character design off of Chloë Grace Moretz (my ideal voice actor for her), Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, and King Magnifico. Some of her character was inspired by Princess Fiorimonde from the fairy tale "The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde" and it's a very awesome read. You guys really need to check it out.

More ideas of my Wish rewrite will be coming soon.

[snailsgoingdowntown]

Ruth x maid! Fem! Reader

Ruth is 30 and reader is 24, 6 year age gap cuz I'm turning 23 this year but I think Ruth is supposed to be in his early to mid thirties so I'm being kinda Self-indulent (I didn't want to make the gap 7 years so... Yeah, upped the age).

Not the actual fic that will come out, just a drabble that I came up with

Warnings: slight self-conscious on Ruth's side

Nsfw warnings: fingering, oral (f receiving)

Minors, ageless blogs that barely have anything, dni or you get blocked.

This blog contains/interacts/creates dark content, dni if you are uncomfortable with that.

No tag list for this cuz I'm on the road + I wrote it down on a sheet of paper I left at home.

--

I think Ruth would absolutely have a low sex drive. He just doesn't look like someone who thinks about it often, much less have the urge. I am 100% sure he's a virgin cuz like, look at him. He doesn't know how to rizz ppl up nor does he want to unless it benefits him (having maxi help with making the magical devices, but that was more peer pressure than actual rizz).

I'm just saying, Ruth would be kinda hopeless with asking out the reader, not because he's cluelese (probably seen Gable and the others pick up chicks, so has a vague idea of what and what not to do + can see how unbalanced maxi's relationship with Riftan is. He literally told him to calm down with his antics once, but thats about it if I remember correctly) but because he's just so... Blunt that it comes off as rude.

Maxi literally thinks that in the webtoon when her maid slams his drink down on the table instead of placing it down gently like she did with maxi's cup.

But anyway, I just imagine Ruth as the type of guy who at first, tries to ignore the developing feelings he has for you, and it works, but it gets harder and harder when you smile at him like that, when you return his playful banter and don't get offended at his tone and choice of words. When you don't overstep his boundaries, attempt to get to know him, his likes and dislikes, interests, how you want to learn about magic and you listen to his lectures, hell sometimes he even invites you to sit along with maxi as he goes about teaching her (only if the lady of the castle is comfortable, of course, which she will be after a while cuz I said so).

The way your face lights up in awe and wonder whenever he performs a spell or summons fire from the tip of his fingertips. The very eyes that tend to glance at his lips, and he pretends he doesn't notice. Your hands that are a bit rough from washing clothes, helping in the kitchen, cold water stinging and numbing them when you scrub the castle floors, are the very hands he wants to hold, and sometimes late at night, he imagines them pulling and tugging at his hair as you lean against 'his' table or even the library wall, and fuck if he actually had enough room to use in his tower, he would, his mouth latched onto your clit and fingers pumping in and out of your sloppy cunt -

It's not very often he gets thoughts like that, but when he does, he gets harder than riftan gets with the knights and their training.

He doesn't comment on your efforts to keep the library tidy, organizing his books and research papers to where the place looks presentable, at least. But he shows his appreciation through small favors in return - helps you with the cleaning if times allows for it, showing you flashy yet small spells that don't affect the area or people around (riftan would quite literally kill him if they did), gulping down his embarrassment as he massages your shoulders, ignoring the way you were just a bit too squimish, or how flustered you would get but accept his offer regardless.

It's not even a sexual thing, it just makes him want to wrap his arms around you, take in your scent, confess and just enjoy a simple life with you -

It's not really possible. He's just incapable of showing clear romantic intentions and affections. He's not husband material and he doesn't want kids, and he's very iffy about weddings and marriage in general when it concerns him. Besides, he's older than you, and while age gaps are common, he thinks it'd be better if you were to settle down with someone your own age. Because someone your own age would understand you better, give you children, marry you without worry.

You deserve a loving, caring husband, one who would hug and kiss you, make love to you, respects you, who isn't afraid or uncomfortable with physical affection, and doesn't have a rather bad reputation around the castle because of his personality.

So, when your hands clutch at his shirt, tilting your chin up, mouth pressing against his, he should stop you. He should stop instead of loosely wrapping one arm around your waist, bringing you closer, moving his mouth against yours. He should stop instead of clumsily bumping teeth with you, humming in content as you sigh into the kiss.

He should stop instead of going in for another kiss once you part, finally understanding what makes riftan so crazy about physical affection.

He should stop, but he doesn't.

He can't nor does he want to.

[soulsuckrrs]

open to: m/f/anyone plot: y/m & Ruth are traveling after y/m's house/family was attacked, they're trying to reconnect with other survivors from the attack but no one is responding to their efforts of contact. Hmu to plot more if you'd like! connection: person he was hired as their bodyguard.

Another hour had passed without his messages being read let alone responded to, the other guards from his team all had training for this sort of situation but for the first time Ruth had been in charge of the team and he could already hear his father's critiques and lectures about Ruth's failures. He couldn't focus on that right now. With a sigh he hung up the call he'd made as it went to voicemail. Shit. His oldest brother always picked up and wasn't. Either it was some form of cruel punishment or something wasn't right. He hoped it was the former.

His blue eyes shifted up to glance at the person approaching him, his charge and the person he was assigned to protect. Ruth stood, easily slipping down from the massive rock he'd climbed upon to get better reception, as if that had been the reason no one was answering his phone calls. "Are you ready to move? We should get to the safe house before it gets dark." He said, trying to sound as if he had everything under control but secretly he was worried about his brother, the other guards were simply foot soldiers to his father and Ruth rarely made connections with them. But making it to the designated safe house before dark was imperative.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Hugh Hewitt Resigns as Washington Post Columnist After Storming Off Paper’s Livestream

‘I’M DONE’

The conservative had argued with two progressive columnists amid the backlash at the paper over owner Jeff Bezos’ endorsement decision.

Grace Harrington 

Breaking News Intern

Updated Nov. 1 2024 2:28PM EDT / Published Nov. 1 2024 12:52PM EDT 

Conservative columnist Hugh Hewitt resigned from The Washington Post on Friday, shortly after exiting a stormy livestream debate, the New York Post reports.

Hewitt‘s is the latest resignation to rock the Post but this time unexpectedly from the right. It shows Bezos’ crisis isn’t easing up but instead hitting both sides of the political divide.

Hewitt walked off the Post‘s show “First Look,” with liberal columnists Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus, after a heated discussion on Donald Trump’s lawsuit about alleged voting irregularities in Pennsylvania.

Capehart started by asking Marcus if Trump is “laying the groundwork for contesting the election by complaining that cheating was taking place in Pennsylvania?” He cited Trump’s lawsuit against Bucks County for alleged irregularities.

“No election can be fair in Donald Trump’s mind unless Donald Trump wins it,” Marcus said. As Hewitt tried to interject, Capehart said, “Let Ruth finish, Hugh.”

“Well, I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said. “It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful... We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story. So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.”

After a pause, Capehart said, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when Hugh, many times, you’ve come here saying lots of things that aren’t based in fact.”

Hewitt then called the livestream the “most unfair election ad” he’s ever done and left the set.

Hewitt has been at the Post since 2017. He also hosts a radio show where he recently interviewed Trump.

The newspaper has been under fire this week over its owner Jeff Bezos’ decision not to allow it to endorse a presidential candidate.

[timeguardians]

✌- Who would you most like to go to jail with? Rose Dewitt Bukater, Philomena Cheer, Belle, Stephanie, and Bri

Rose gives off an undignifying laugh. If she was going to spend the night in a prison, she might as well make it exciting and to select her company by who would piss off her mother, RUTH, the most. I'd spend my incarceration time with Jack Dawson or Murphy Michaels @avictimofthejazz

Miss Cheer roars with bemused laughter, though for her incarceration had been quite real. "As long as it isn't that fool Charles Lee or Petty Shippen, I don't suppose I would mind much." Then drawing her shoulders up a little she adds, @vicictimofthejazz/ @anoseforrottenapples would bail me out. Huffing out a breath, she continues. "Perhaps, @honorhearted, if he'd spare me the lecturing. Otherwise, it won't be worth it."

Belle winces. "Imprisonment isn't a preferable pursuit. However, if I must be behind bars it would be with Patrick or Elsa @avictimofthejazz, Adam @brotherhoodwarlord, and Cyneric @swevene.

Stephanie is grumbling already. How does America's golden girl get in SOO much trouble? Of course, her first inclination is to name her childhood best friend Bucky Barnes and then Howard Stark @protectxthem. Immediately following them she adds, @agentnamed, Seg or Thor @menxyouxneed, @bloodyxballet, & Wally and Diana Prince @offwithhishat

Brianna glowers, the glass of champagene in her hand clutched indelicately tighter in her grasp. "Surely you must be jesting. They don't lock-up billion heiresses!! And even if they did, I'd take Alfred with me." @palaceofmuses. Oh, she knows her guardian is likely less than thrilled to hear this quip.

[buckpregnant]

And now for the 2/2 part…….

as for the second - ruth, i think she would be spoiled by her parents, but not like consciously, but just because of the byproduct of the times - like the war is over, rationing is gone, they have a new little baby and both gale and john provide her with everything they couldnt give the first one, but its not like bad spoiled, but just if she asks for anything she gets it………..but also shes a beta, so in gales eyes shes normal, and that sort of adds to the mentality oooo she’ll be fine….and she owns it, like shes independent and if somebody tells her no, it doesnt stop her……….i could absolutely see her driving a motorcycle (gale almost says no, but somehow she has them wrapped around her little finger)……in the future, she would be doing something adventurous, be like a traveller or a journalist, who writes and visits interesting places

for the middle one-maggie, shes often a bit of an afterthough, but at the same time she was a baby at the time gale was getting a phd and then probably another ….and like you know how you are suppose to talk to babies to make them aware of the world and to help with their linguistic skills…..i think gale did that with her, like he had his audience of one and during the entire process (writing, corrections, then planning and practicing the presentation and later on maybe even lectures) he just spoke to her about maths and physics — and i think that became their thing…..like she probably became a physicist working at NASA or something

….but at the same time she is forgotten a bit, especially after lou is born, and i feel like ruth notices that and the two betas form a really strong bond, and basically everything ruth does maggie also does…….and especially after they are a bit older they often cover for each other, like if maggie has a date with a boy, both betas say they are going together to something, and then they split up and are basically each other alibis

…..and another thing that i was thinking about is that maggie is the only one who knows about the stalag, like shes the middle one, and very smart and perceptive and she puts everything together at some point (like maybe after johns death, she talks to the other flyboys and maybe she finds some documents about that time/her parents and just puts the dates and the timeline together), but she never tells anybody (not even ruth), and it isnt until apple tv comes and talks to her siblings does she tells them about it

continued from page 1

ruth (baby #2) being spoiled OH FOR SUREEE mhmmm mhm mhm like theyre home its the baby boom postwar prosperity its peacetime like they buy a house things are good they deeeeeefinetly dote on ruth (and betty too) but like they can give her so much more than they could give betty for the first year(?) or so of her life yesss so like they shower both of them with gifts and affection <3 and like not in a bad way in totally a its peacetime and were home thank god way!! (i also think that like bc betty is the oldest the responsibilities of being The Oldest are put on betty in a way theyre not so much on ruth which creates some friction between betty and ruth and betty and gale tbh. i really want betty and gale to have a deeply fraught relationship im sorry!! i cant helpt it hahah) ruth becoming a journalist i LOVE THAT YESS!! and oh wait more friction shes a beta so gale doesnt feel the need to keep watch for her in a way he does betty (oh no hes always worried about betty making the mistakes he did!! aka getting pregnant so hes a little hard on her for that but with ruth he totally lets it slide. betty does not appreciate that lmao)(i literally cant stop gale and betty from having difficulties with each other ahah)

anyway….

gale talking to maggie as hes doing his phd YESS I LOVE THAT YESS!!!! obsessed with this and she follows his footsteps and bcomes an astrophysicist or something yess i love that!!! and her and ruth teaming up ooohh yes yesss!!! mhm and like exactly like maggie is a bit of an afterthought like shes a middle child. she was named after joe dimaggio so shes got some fire in her lol i definitely think if any of them are racing motorcycles in the mud it’s definitely maggie and ruth

HER BEING THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE STALAG. AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF BETTYS BIRTH OHMYGODDDD . OHMYYYYGODDDD MHM MHMM!!!!! MHMMMM!!!! like maybe it was a project for a college class or maybe when shes getting her masters or something she has to put together a family history and her mom (john is gone by this point) never talks about the war but she starts researching and she finds her parents’ records and that they were POWs in german territory and she puts the pieces together ohhmygodddd thats crazyyy yeah. and she doesnt tell anyone like if her mom never said anything about it its not her story to tell and betty doesnt know until years later thats so fucked up i love it 🩵

anyway thank youuu soo much for this!!! I LOVE IT I LOVE IT reading these always makes me go YESSS EXACTLY you get my vision!!!!!!!! 💕💕💕

[mariacallous]

On December 4, 2024, the Brookings Anti-Corruption, Democracy, and Security (ACDS) project observed its first anniversary with a webinar outlining the challenges facing democracy in 2025 and beyond, as well as strategies for building democratic resilience. Ambassador Norman Eisen (ret.), ACDS chair and senior fellow in Governance Studies, led this discussion with Asha Rangappa, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Senior Lecturer at the Jackson School of Global Affairs at Yale University and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. Speakers discussed the challenges of disinformation and polarization, concerns about disenchantment with democracy, and the tactics being used by authoritarians worldwide to undermine democracy. 

Eisen and Rangappa kicked off the conversation by unpacking changes to the media ecosystem and discussing their impacts on the electorate. Rangappa framed the fragmentation of the media landscape as one in which Americans are living in “two separate realities,” noting that “You can’t debate policy if you’re not starting from the same set of facts.” Rangappa and Ben-Ghiat discussed the benefits and challenges of the increasing individualization of online content. These include the risks associated with rapid dissemination of unverified content as well as the advantages of greater accessibility of information (including that it can make censorship more difficult). 

The conversation then pivoted to the factors driving democratic backsliding around the world, with Ben-Ghiat discussing how democracy has arguably made people “lonely” and failed to deliver for all citizens. Rangappa shared an alternative perspective that loneliness threatens democracy, noting that social media has “exacerbated a lack of trust and left a vacuum of things that used to bind us together.” 

The speakers also discussed the tactics used by authoritarians, including the weaponization of corruption to deepen state capture and consolidate power. Ben-Ghiat explained how authoritarians often make deals with oligarchs and elites in exchange for rewards from the state. Rangappa spoke to the national security implications of corruption, outlining how the nomination of loyalists to positions like FBI director could potentially result in increased foreign influence, destruction of evidence, poor surveillance, and the sale of classified information.  

The speakers also outlined pathways to reinforce pillars of democracy. Ben–Ghiat expressed that people want positive change, as seen in countries like Chile, Belarus, Iran, Israel, and Serbia that since around 2019 have experienced their biggest nonviolent demonstrations in decades or ever. She highlighted the example of Poland and its turbulent history of democracy, one in which Poles weathered Nazi occupation, communism, and recently a far-right government. Notably, Poles successfully organized to counter democratic backsliding and elect a new government. Rangappa emphasized that a belief in agency among the public is important to build resilience against “authoritarian creep.” According to Rangappa, some of the most important actions members of the public can take now are to get out into the community, reconnect with each other, and have meaningful conversations.  

ACDS will continue to host timely discussions and publish analyses that seek to address U.S. and global democracy, rule of law, and anti-corruption challenges. To better understand how to respond to democratic backsliding, review the Brookings Democracy Playbook 2025, which provides actionable steps for democratic actors in the U.S. and globally to strengthen democratic institutions and resist illiberal forces. 

[mercurygray]

(If you're still taking asks for TDS behind the scenes)

🎥 Ruth and the aftermath of Joe's injury, or maybe what the actors learned from talking with Ruth.

She's eighty years old, and she is the smartest dresser - she ran her own dress shop after the war, and she's got opinions about what everyone is wearing, always. She really gave the costume department what for about a couple of things. And she still gets her hair dyed - it's this very soft red, almost a pink, so she stands out in a crowd. She sounds like every New York grandmother they've ever put on a television show. She's this tiny little pixie of a woman and she's adorable.

It's because they were short. That's what Ruth said. They were short, and Ruth noticed Doris knew how to dress, after working at the department store. So of course they were best friends from that point on, because they could share clothes.

The first time I met her, she looked me over, from her wheelchair, and then she nodded and said "She'll be okay." I think inside she was really emotional. Her husband's been dead for a while, and it kind of…brought her back, I think. But she shared everything. She volunteers at a local Jewish historical society as part of their lecture bureau, and she gives talks to schoolkids about the Holocaust. She talks about her life during the war all the time, because she says it's important to remember. I got to meet her daughter, Mary Ellen, and her grandchildren - they invited me over for Shabbat, and she said the blessing for children over me like I was her daughter. I'm not a religious person, but I cried. It really made me think about the story we were telling here very differently.

The one thing she wouldn't talk about is the day Joe was shot. I don't think she remembers much of it, actually? Doris told us more about that day than Ruth did.

That was a rough day. They lost a lot of people. She'll talk about the camp, because she can, and some of the others won't, but she wouldn't talk about Joe getting shot.

She'll talk about Joe all day long if you let her, though. He was the love of her life.

-Cast Commentary, "Meeting The Girl Gang" Behind The Scenes featurette, The Darkening Sky Extended Edition Box Set

[nyx-lyris]

best laid plans - h.f.

fighting your own heart is among the hardest battles in the world.

ruth erwin is a college student at nyu in pursuit of a degree in english literature. though a bit older and more experienced than most of her peers, she has no trouble settling into university life once again. she decides to take a class in coding to spice up her schedule a bit - only to find herself struggling more than she would like.

in search of assistance, she finds herself in the office of one harold wren, her gentle and mysterious professor. she finds herself drawn to him, wanting more from him, despite the forbidden nature of such a relationship.

harold, too, despite his better judgment, finds himself wanting more and more of this lovely student of his. he knows there are a hundred and one things that stand between them, but he can't help but feel drawn to her.

but, when her number comes up, the two are placed in an impossible predicament. with so many dangerous secrets standing between them and so many unforeseen variables tying them inextricably together, the way forward seems cloudier than ever. what, in the end, will prevail?

chapter two: something new

weeks passed, each one finding ruth in harold’s office at least once, if not twice. harold had to admit, he’d been taken aback by her desire to do so well in his class - she was majoring in english literature and was hoping to teach someday, either as a high school creative writing teacher or as a university professor. and yet, she came in once or twice a week, like clockwork - always with a new question, a new problem to solve. she invigorated him in a way he hadn’t known was possible.

harold hadn’t been terribly sure of himself at first, taking a job as a college professor. he knew most of his students were fulfilling a requirement for a major. though there were a few bright, passionate students he’d encountered over the years, they were fleeting. His students mostly did the work and attended the lectures, behaving more like automatons than human beings. he’d virtually lost hope that any of them really cared about anything beyond grades - moving on to the next activity, the next job, the next paycheck - existing day to day, without truly living.

then he met ruth erwin. she was older than most of his students - somewhere in her thirties, he guessed - but she had ambition and curiosity that rivaled most of them. she didn’t speak much of her personal life or even of her educational life - not that he expected her to - but he found himself unusually curious about who she was. he often found himself looking forward to her visits - a fact which terrified him.

why did she capture his attention so fully? she was intelligent, determined, beautiful - but there were plenty of students he’d met over the years who fit at least one of those criteria. there was nothing about her that should have piqued harold’s interest. and yet.

a knock sounded at the door and harold jumped, cheeks coloring as he realized he’d become absorbed in his thoughts. rather inappropriate thoughts about a student, who was likely standing behind his office door at this very moment.

“it’s me, professor wren,” ruth’s voice called, confirming his suspicions.

“come in, miss erwin,” harold answered, shifting his attention to the papers in front of him.

the door opened and shut. harold ignored the inappropriate flip of his stomach, the skip of his heart, as she entered the room.

“i have something for you,” he heard her say and he looked up in curiosity. her blue eyes glittered cheerfully behind her glasses and she smiled. his heart fluttered again.

“oh?” he responded, giving her his full attention. wordlessly she handed him a circular tin. a small smile flickered across his face and he carefully removed the lid, the smell of warm cookies filling his nose.

“i hope you like chocolate chip,” she said, drawing harold’s attention back to the girl in front of him.

“is today some special occasion i should know about?” he asked. her smile widened.

“no,” she answered simply, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “i just made these for you because... well, you’ve helped me so much over the past several weeks and i wanted to say thank you.”

harold couldn’t help the smile that spread across his features. “thank you very much, miss erwin,” he said. “this means a lot to me.”

his stomach flipped at the way her face brightened, and he turned away to organize some papers, inwardly chastising himself. she was a student and far too young for him. this must be what a midlife crisis feels like, he thought, helplessly thinking of nathan and the young woman he’d been seeing when he was in the midst of his divorce. he thought of grace.

“so,” he said, forcing himself from his dismal reverie. “what seems to be the trouble today, miss erwin?”

the rest of the hour was spent assisting her with her work. harold was grateful for the distraction - coding and programming, computers, and machines had always made more sense to him than people. he was so dismally ill-prepared to deal with human emotion, especially his own. he was not one to act on impulse, to let his feelings on a matter interfere with his principles - but this young woman...

she was so close now as she looked over his shoulder at her computer, watching his demonstration of an example of the code she was trying to replicate for her homework assignment. the scent of her perfume tangled with the smell of the cookies from the still-open tin, creating a heady mixture that harold was surprised didn’t have young men swarming about her for her attention. he could smell a tinge of what he suspected was her conditioner as well, her long, light-brown hair falling in gentle waves as she leaned forward to inspect the screen.

harold closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself a respite while she was distracted. this was getting out of hand, fast. he knew it had to stop. if he allowed this to continue... he shuddered quietly at the thought. he couldn’t allow himself to become absorbed by passion. she was a student. even if she was an adult she was still too young - vulnerable. he had a duty to protect his students, even if that meant protecting them from himself.

he would resign. it was the only option he had. if feelings got hurt, so be it.

“professor wren?”

harold’s eyes snapped open and his cheeks flushed red. her eyebrows wrinkled together in concern.

“is everything alright?” she asked.

“yes,” he answered, clearing his throat. “yes, i’m quite alright, i just... didn’t get much sleep last night.”

that wasn’t entirely a lie. he rarely got much in the way of sleep these days, between the numbers he worked with john and the pain caused by his injury.

she nodded, though he could see the disbelief in her eyes. she didn’t ask any questions though, merely typed the required code into the program. then she ran it, grinning when the desired results came through. harold couldn’t help the small, proud smile on his face.

“thank you, professor wren,” she said, turning to him, a playful glint in her eyes. “you’ll make a master coder of me yet!”

harold’s smile widened and he chuckled warmly, rising with her as she gathered her things to leave.

“have a good afternoon, miss erwin,” he said, watching her leave. “and thank you for your gift.”

she paused in the doorway, an odd smile on her face. “you’re very welcome, professor wren.”

and just like that, she was gone.

the relative warmth of september gave way to the chill of october. harold and john managed to save investigative reporter maxine angelis without becoming a front-page news story. ruth erwin continued to stop by harold’s office. the resignation papers remained unfinished on harold’s desk.

a few more numbers came and went. graham wyler and his family. the brilliant dr. madeline enwright and her wife amy. daniel and sabrina drake, co-owners of a publishing company. ruth continued to ask for help and harold continued to give it. the resignation papers became buried under a swath of papers in need of grading.

he knew he needed to finish them, submit them to his employer, and find somewhere else to work. maybe go into insurance, as he had initially planned, or find some smaller community college, somewhere more low-profile. after all, the further under the radar he could stay, the better. but, despite his inner chastising and determination to finally sit down and finish the job, he always seemed to find some excuse not to do it. he told himself he was doing it for his students - at least waiting until the end of the semester, so his employers wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of finding a new professor in the middle of the term.

otherwise, things seemed to be going just fine. it was a saturday and harold was out for a walk on new york’s busy streets, bear trotting along contently beside him. despite the general hubbub around him, the day felt strangely peaceful. however, as with most good things in harold’s life, the peace didn’t last long.

the sound of a payphone ringing pulled harold from his thoughts and he paused, giving himself one more moment before limping over to the booth and picking up the phone. he’d long since figured out a way to memorize the string of words the machine gave him, so he had no need for a pen and paper. it was safer, he figured - he couldn’t risk someone finding his note, should it fall out of his pocket, and use it to find him and john and potentially expose the machine.

he contacted john, informing them they had another number, then returned to their base of operations. he moved with ease through the library, finding the three books he needed, then settling down in his chair to type in the number.

his eyes widened at the image of the young woman who appeared on the screen, his blood running cold.

their new number was ruth erwin.

prev chapter - next chapter

a/n: i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter from harold's perspective! the perspective will jump around a bit as the story needs it to, so i hope that adds something to the story. i'll post this chapter to ao3 tomorrow if you want to read it there. hope you guys are doing well and thank you so much for reading! let me know if there's anything i can do to improve my writing :)

ao3 link to best laid plans

[halfpintpeach]

Would love to request some Tutor Neil again :)

Tutor Neil || WIP Wednesday 11/8/23 (closed)

The lecture hall had two levels, the main section of seats accessible from both the second and first floor. Neil always entered and exited through the first-floor side door. He sat in the front row, not because he wanted to be a model student, but because it provided the most space for Babe Ruth. With everything packed up, he took hold of Babe Ruth’s leash and stability handle.