#also obsessed w the side characters like the writing is actually so good and the art matches it perfectly

[ri4naaa]

OH MY GOD GUYS / guys/ guys. my friend put me onto this manga and. it's been i wanna say 5 days since i started reading and i am on chapter 110 this thing is literally so beautiful. the story? wonderful. the pacing? perfect. the character development? on point. the character designs themselves? 10/10. like i cannot stress or gush about this enough it is SO good like genuinely oh my godddd please go read the fragrant flower blooms with dignity

[noxtivagus]

the whole world of ffxiv is very dear to me

[wandanatswitch]

Hour of the Owl

Pairing: Dowager!Queen Alicent Hightower x Targaryen!Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst w/ happy ending

Summary: “Love can become both a sanctuary and a peril”

Warnings: NSFW +18 minors DNI, age gap (reader is aprox 18, Alicent is aprox 37), step-cest?, mentions of targcest, fingering? (reader receiving) oral (reader receiving), semi-public sex, mentions of infidelity (not between the main characters), religious shame and guilt, mention of suicidal thoughts, emotional dependency/obsession, mentions of homophobia, kinda? Toxic relationship, manipulation, I kinda wrote the reader from a BPD perspective so she could have some traits. Let me know if there's anything missing! NO DANCE OF DRAGONS AU! Note: English is not my first language! And this is my first time writing a fic so please let me know what you think <3 Also there is very few use of Y/N! 

Words: 2.9K

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ⁺

“May I join you, Princess?” 

The oh so familiar voice echoes through the empty gardens of the red keep perturbs your quiet late night stroll.

“Of course, Your Grace…” You reply while looking at the bushes filled with different coloured roses. “Is something the matter?”

 You wished to deny her, you really did… but as always, you failed to do so, you just could not bring yourself to say no to her, nor to reject her presence, the one that made you feel that stupid agonising passion that made you wish it was possible that two people were one. You wanted to be binded to her. You wanted to lay down under the same tree where you kiss her so desperately, and merge with her so you could never be separated from one another ever again.

She approaches ever so carefully, moving her hand slightly forward, making your hands faintly touch… An innocent mistake is what she would answer if you reproach her.

“Not at all” She gently caresses the edge of the rose petals in front of you. “I simply wished to know if you have received any letter from my son” A lie. “I know i have not received one since he left” Another lie. You knew for a fact that Aemond had written to the Dowager Queen, he told you himself in the only letter he had written to you, and you had heard Princess Helaena trying and failing to tell Aegon about what their brother had written to their mother… “Mother said he was vague , but that he was well… he wrote that he is not bored as he expected to be and that he is actually having a good time…” is what you heard Helaena say, but you stopped listening when Aegon groaned at his sister-wife’s words.

“What is your need to lie to me, Your Grace?” You did not look up from the flowers, you did not dare. “You always lie, at this point i find myself believing that lying is the only thing you know how to do”

That gained you a sigh from her “You are right, I apologize…” she whispers “I just wanted to be alone with you—”

“Please, do not say anything else and just leave” you cut her off in a hostile tone but whispered voice “You said it yourself, we are sinful. This is a sin. We are wrong and the Gods will punish us if we do not stop whatever twisted and vile-” she cut you off when she placed her hand on your cheek, caressing it gently with her thumb.

“I know, my darling but—” she tries to plead, but her words get cut off again. You step back, causing her hand to drop back to her side. “You always do this!” you whisper loudly “You always do this! And it is not fair that you get to treat me like a stupid toy that you only wish to hurt!” Tears are rolling down your face at this point, much to your dislike.

“I am so stupidly tired of this, and I simply cannot bear this anymore…” You closed your eyes and tried to be strong and take a deep breath, but it came out shaky and broken. “...I have two children, Alicent… What am I supposed to tell them when they see me cry in front of them because I just can’t take it anymore? That their grandmother's favorite pastime is to hurt me…? 

“Princess, you are speaking foolishly—” The Dowager Queen tries to say calmly, but once again, she finds her words being cut off.

“Am I?!” You are shouting at this point. The anger, the frustration, the pain, the hurt, everything, finally finding a way out. “Yes you are!” The older woman shouted, matching your tone. “My goal has never been to hurt you! Your pain is the last thing I would ever wish for! Ever!” “You are a liar! You have proven yourself to be—”

“I do not lie to hurt you, I lie so I do not lose you!” She starts to lower her voice, although her tone is still full of frustration. “I love you, you know that very well” “No you do not, if anything you despise me” The Targaryen princess tries to say firmly, but her voice wavers from the tears she has spilled “You would have to despise someone to hurt them like you have hurt me” You look at Alicent right in the eyes “Maybe is not me who you wish to hurt. Maybe you wish to hurt my mother and I am nothing more than a discardable piece to accomplish it.” Your breath quickens, your heart hurts and you feel like dying… you feel as if nothing matters anymore, and at this very moment you just wish to die. 

“You just cannot stand the fact that my mother is Queen, can you? And you are not only taking your frustrations out on me, but you are also trying to hurt her through me. That is what I am to you, right?”

“I will not allow you to say such idiotic, and simply untrue words” Alicent is angry. Angry at herself, angry at the Gods… but she is not angry at you, not fully at least. How can she blame you for thinking that? 

She should have been smarter about this whole relationship, the Hightower thought to herself. She should have never given into her sinful desires, but the want overpowered her… If she didn't know better, she would have thought that you were the reward the Gods had given her for enduring more than fifteen years of not only being Viserys' wife, but also a Queen… Turns out you were not her reward, but her damnation.

“I love you, Y/N” She states, her voice unwavering “I do. I love you more than i have ever loved anything before” The auburn haired woman lets out a tired sigh before walking closer to you. She lifts a hand to place at your waist out of pure habit, but she decides against it when she sees the anger and hurt still lingering in the younger girl's eyes. “I do not feel angry at the thought of Rhaenyra sitting on the throne, I promise you that. If anything, I am relieved… I do not have as much responsibility as I had before… And I do have more liberties too, the eyes of the court are not on me anymore, at least most of the time they are not… If Aegon had been crowned king, most of the responsibility still would have been thrown at me, besides I know he would have not been a good king…” Alicent fidgets with her hands as she continues “And the stupid anger i had for your mother, the foolish one sided fight i had with her for years… is over. I know the tension remains, but I promise you, Y/N, I do not hate her, nor do I wish for her downfall or to cause her pain. I wish her well in her reign.” The older woman’s hands grip the fabric of her dress in an attempt to keep her emotions at bay. “So no, you are not “a discardable piece”, Princess” The Princess does not know what to say, so she ultimately decides to sit at a nearby bench in complete silence. “My dear…” Alicent whispers to the younger woman. “I do not believe you.” The princess does not look up from the ground. “I do not believe a word of what you just said.” Alicent has to swallow a sob, but she cannot hold the tears any longer.

“...Why not?” The Hightower whispers as she tries to wipe her falling tears.

“Why…!?” You stand up from the bench and walk towards her, “Why do I not believe you, you ask?! Because like I said before, you have proven yourself to be a liar, Alicent!” The Princess looks up in an attempt to stop more tears to fall, but quickly realizes that it was a futile attempt to stop what she cannot control. “And because you have never once told me about what you just said. You never open up or tell me how you feel! So how am I supposed to believe you?!” The older woman tightens her lips before speaking up. “Alright. You want me to open up? i will.” Alicent steps closer to you and lifts both of her hands to place them on your waist, and this time she decides not to stop the action. “I wish I was born a man so that I could have you like your husband has you. I wish that I was a man so that loving you was not a sin, but I have slowly come to accept that I would gladly be damned to any of the seven hells if it means that I get to have you, to love you, or to even see your face every day. But I still wished that I was born a man… because it is not fair that my own son gets to have you but if I do as much as to touch your hand I will be considered a sinner by the Gods.” She sounds desperate… She looks desperate. 

“I wish I was a man, so I could grab you by your waist, and push you against a wall, and kiss you until you stopped breathing, and do it without fear” Her hands move to your hips. “….If I were a man, I would use you, I would spoil you, I would devour you, but above all I would love you without fear” Alicent’s grip tightens against your hips. “Oh, Princess… How I would love you… If only fate would have been kinder…”

You have stayed quiet up until this point, the words you are hearing have both made you feel like the most loved woman in the seven kingdoms, and the most doomed one at the same time. “...I do  not want you a man, I want you…” You whisper, but your voice does not lack certainty. “I want you as you are…”

Alicent’s eyes look at your own. She is looking at you with such love and tenderness… the kind that makes you melt and doubt if anyone has ever been loved like that before. “I know, sweetling…” The woman’s right hand moves to your tear stained cheek.

You look at Alicent with a pained expression “I love you” Your hand reaches her cheek as you lean forward for a kiss. You kiss her softly, trying to demonstrate with a kiss all the love you feel for her.

On the other hand, Alicent needs you. She needs to feel you, she needs to taste you, she needs to love you… So she deepens the kiss and squeezes your hips. You break the kiss, but not the distance. As you two look at each other, Alicent’s hands move up from your hips to your back. She wastes no time in starting to undo them with practiced ease. “Alicent—” She finishes unlacing your dress, making it loose on you. “Shhh my dear…  We will be fine…” The older woman utters before kneeling on the soft grass and extending her hand to you, a silent invitation.

As soon as you kneel, her hands are on you again, taking off your dress. You gently grab her face and pull her in for a hungry kiss, which makes her moan in your mouth. 

The princess’ hands are tangled in the Hightowers' hair, pulling her as close as possible, trying to become one with the woman that she loves oh so dearly.

As soon as your dress is out of the way, and you are only covered by your undergarments, Alicent’s mouth shifts to your collarbone, peppering kisses as she works on removing your undergarments. She was like a woman starved. She needs you, and you need her just as much. When your undergarments are not an obstacle anymore, her mouth reaches your breasts. She kisses the soft flesh with a mix of love and hurry, making your throat release sweet gasps and making your back arch.

Oh Gods, the sounds… They only fueled Alicent’s want more and more, and it did not help that your fingers had started to unlace her dress, making it each second more and more loose.

You needed that damned dress off of her, you needed to take it off of her just as she had taken yours off of you. You needed to feel her bare body against yours. You needed her in the way you have never needed anything else… In fact, you are sure that nobody else has ever experienced this kind of need and want.

Alicent continues worshipping your breasts as if they were deities themselves. Her tongue licks your nipple while her hand massages the other, and the moans that come out of your mouth are inevitable.

You finally manage to take the dress off of her, leaving her only in her undergarments… But still, that was more clothing that you wanted her in. “I think it is a little unfair that you have those on while I am almost completely bare, do you not think so?”

The older woman sits up a little bit, stopping her ministrations on your breasts. “You are right, princess… It is not at all fair” Right after she says those words, she removes the upper part of her undergarments, leaving her chest exposed to you. Your mouth finds itself immediately in her breasts… kissing, biting, licking…

A sweet moan falls from her lips , causing you to softly moan in return.

Alicent gently pushes you to lay on the grass, but not before putting your dress as a blanket for you to lay on, causing you to smile at her caring act. “I love you so much… I did not think it was possible to love this much…” You whisper to her, and those may be the truest words you have ever said.

“I love you too. More than anything” She lays down next to you, and instantly kisses you again while she runs her hands through your body. “You are all I need, and there is no such thing as something that I would not do for you, my sweetest girl”

Alicent’s hand reaches your hips and as soon as she grabs the hem of the bottom part of your undergarments, she slides them down your legs.

“We should go to my chambers… or yours, anyone could see us here—” Your words are stopped when two of her digits rub your clit in the way only she could “Oh Gods…!”

Any thought of getting caught had suddenly vanished from your mind, and instead, it was replaced by pleasure and Alicent’s name.

“No one will see us, my darling” She moves her fingers faster, while her other hand caresses your hair “It is the hour of the owl…” She stops her movements so she can position herself between your legs “And everyone knows that this pacific garden is yours, my love, no one will come, do not worry in vain” She reassures you once she is kneeled in between your legs. 

The only response you could give to her was a weak nod, but that quickly changed once her tongue made contact with your core, making you moan her name. 

Your hands made their way to Alicent’s hair, tangling themselves between the strands. The only thoughts you had were of Alicent, nothing more, nothing less. 

One of Alicent’s hands grips one of your thighs, while the other one travels up and towards your chest.

The Dowager Queen was lost on you. On your taste, on how you feel, on how you sound… This is everything she could ever want.

“Alicent…!” You moan loudly as your back arches, involuntarily searching for more. “Alicent I’m close…!”

The older woman's hand reaches for your own, stopping her movements on your breast , and instead intertwines her fingers with yours.

“Go ahead, my darling” Alicent says without moving away from your clit, softly moaning at the taste.

Your grip on your love’s hair tightens, and your eyes roll back. It felt as if you were on fire, and you never wanted it to end… You moan and gasp Alicent’s name as you reach your climax,  your hips bucking up towards your lover’s mouth to ride the last waves of pleasure.

Alicent crawls up and lays next to you… Her hand gently caresses your body as she places a sweet kiss on your lips, when she pulls away she takes her time to admire you… spent, panting, and underneath the moonlight. 

“...Run away with me…”

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 20 October 2024

Still feeling out how regularly it makes sense to do this; first one was 2 weeks ago on 6 October. If you're interested in GL older than that, check out my GL rec list through Feb 2024 and my update in July 2024. New series marked with an asterisk*.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to Oct 6):

Reverse 4 U 7/8 (Thai, Tuesdays 1:00 PM EDT, Netflix / YouTube) I'm disappointed by how this final arc has gone. We haven't really seen any growth for Wa, and the whole plot with Wa and Vivi's father didn't really make sense. I really don't understand why he had to stay away, or why the rules are so different for him than for Wa. The relationship between Wa and Four also feels flat because we've barely seen them together. I was rooting for this one but alas.

Unlock Your Love ep 6/8 (Thai, Wednesdays, GagaOOLala / YouTube [cut version]) The sequence where Rain and Love keep trying to have sex but getting interrupted/hurt was very funny; this show still drags but the core of it is pretty good. I mostly just wish it were tighter.

Chaser Game W s2 ep 5/8 (Japanese, Thursdays 12:30 PM EDT, GagaOOLala) @lurkingshan is already doing a great summary of this week to week in her JQL weekly round-up!

Affair the series ep 8/8 END (Thai, Fridays 11:15 AM EDT, iQIYI/ YouTube) Other than the jealousy in the last 10 minutes of the show, I really did like this ending for the series. I really liked Wan's decision to take time for herself after being disappointed by Pleng's decision again. The plot and melodramatic-ness of this show is not my favourite, but I enjoyed it week to week in spite of that. The acting was so solid, the women so gorgeous, the chemistry so fire, and the writing was great for the genre its in (the story was internally consistent and coherent, and the characters were complex and their motivations were clear. There was even a good plot reason for the 'they might be siblings' twist). If you don't mind melodrama, give this one a try!

*Pluto ep 1/12 NEW (Thai, Saturdays 9:30 AM EDT, YouTube) Starting off with a fantastic kiss and Namtan on a motorcycle is truly an incredible opening gambit. That being said, I don't buy the core premise of the plot and it is making it difficult for me to actually enjoy the show. I'll probably be mostly quiet about this one because the things I don't like about it aren't actually about its execution but rather my taste.

*Apple My Love ep 2/7 NEW (Thai, Saturdays 11:45 AM EDT, GagaOOLala and YouTube) I already shouted on main about ep1 here; so far I'm obsessed with this show. Kris is too gay to function, and the misunderstanding is perfectly executed. Very excited for this one, it's so far fantastic.

The Loyal Pin ep 12/16 (Thai, Sundays 12:15 PM EDT, YouTube) Anin's speech in this episode was fire. I feel for these girls, Anin and Pin are just so desperate to be together and their choices are limited. This show continues to be gorgeous and so well done, and I keep bracing for pain.

Red Whisper ep 4/8 (Korea, [schedule is kinda unpredictable; vaguely every 5 days??], YouTube) Cheating and taking advantage while your crush is heartbroken and drunk is not my fave but is par for the course with these SukFilm short series; my fave so far has been their first GL so if you haven't seen that yet I'd honestly recommend that instead.

Recent One-offs & Side Couples

We finally got the sapphic backstory in The Hidden Moon but it was (as expected) sad and mostly inferred.

We also got more of the Aim as a Lesbian plotline in the new Love Sick 2024 remake (this was not a plotline in the 2014 version and it's one of the changes I really like and that I think works really well)

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so

Starting soon:

The Nipple Talk, [ensemble] Taiwanese, 1 November GagaOOLala

My Ex's Wedding [in theatres in Thailand 14 November]

Mom Ped Sawan, Thai, 17 November [international distribution uncertain; it should be on VIPA app with subs, but that is region-locked]

Petrichor, Thai, 23 November, TBD

[definitelynotshouting]

context: ik most of my asks are pretty disorganized, stream of consciousness type of thing but GEEZ this got out of hand. you know that thing cats do when they bring you a dead mouse and *they're* super proud of it and you're just like dude.. why /lh

i usually put whatever my immediate thoughts are after reading the chapter and this time i thought it might be fun to write it out before. can you tell im running on five hours of sleep?? lmk if this made any coherent sense because even i dont understand it!!

so last chapter ripped my heartt out and stomped on it. i am LIVING for the way this whole thing was written, gorgeous prose as always <3. i was very curious as to wether Mumbo would question Grian but i think him NOT doing that was SO in character, and i adore it. I feel like w/ some fics (my own writing included) Scar is the ONLY one Grian relies on for support (in ANY area), and whenever Mumbo is even in the picture, he's just kinda "there", he doesn't check up on Grian or broach the topic of whatever is currently plaguing our little bird guy (basically, he's not involved in Grian's life despite being "his best friend"). And the way you characterized him was just So Real?? I would wager a guess (correct me if im wrong ofc) that part of it is that he just DOESNT know, (because Grian is oh so good at telling half truths and privately justifying his self sabotage) but a part of it is also him being lowkey willfully ignorant. he doesnt WANT Grian to be sick (mentally or otherwise) but definetly knows that SOMETHING is up. he really WANTS to help fix whatever is going on (evident by the gold farm) but he doesnt know what Grian needs or how to help him.

i have been OBSESSING over how Grian saying goodnight to Mumbo was ACTUALLY his goodbye to him but Mumbo DOESNT KNOW AND ITS EATING ME ALIVE. (also thought it was super interesting how Grian sort of took Mumbo leaving to sleep as "permission" to do the deed)

side ish note: how tf does Grian even plan to do that?? ik he's got the spider eyes and i *think* he's planning to turn the healing potions into weakness potions but like?? how is he going to do that??? i would assume that the gang would be watching the potions AS they were brewing, and even if they weren't, healing potions and weakness potions are.... vastly different colors. (unless im mixing them up with something else). also aren't they going to walk in on him prepping or already being in the middle of it and just save him like last time? the team as a whole has done a pretty good job on keeping an eye on Grian (from just a "this person can't walk" standpoint) so far. is he waiting for a chance when everyone is busy or does he plan to use MORE weakness potions to make it stronger or quicker?? im interested to see if he's even going to follow The Plan, because up until this point he's been pretty careful with trying to make plans and sneak around EXCEPT for the spider eyes basement adventure, which makes me wonder is he'll get more frantic/desperate as the appointed time draws closer.

Real talk though, Mumbo (and everyone else) is going to be beating himself up over not noticing when stuff goes down (which i would assume would be next chapter, but idk). Also, the fact that Grian asked him to stay means A LOT. To me (and idk if this is what you meant to convey) that signals that a part of him WANTS to stay. theres a part of him that wants to continue to experience the comfort and joy he gets from his friends, but he feels like he's only going to continue to hurt them, so to him this is the ONLY option to keep them safe. also the majority of his existence is just misery and pain so thats probably not helping. (PLUS the whole slew of mental health issues, this is not purely self sacrificial).

anyway, i LOVED this chapter as always, it was like chicken noodle soup for my overworked little soul and i savored every bit of it!! (also, no need to apologize for not having enough spoons!! i dont have any chronic illnesses but i know that shit sucks. this is a particularly long ask for me so dont feel compelled to answer everything in it, or answer right away. hope ur doing well <3)

-🐛

BUG ANONNNN THIS COMMENT IS SO SWEET AND I LOVED READING IT OMGGGG

you hit the nail exactly on the head for where im going with mumbo's characterization-- there is 100% a level of willful ignorance there. Ive always felt like mumbo is the kind of guy who has a thing about avoidance-- he feels very much like a character who will absolutely do his best to ignore things that hes decided arent his business (right up until he stops LMFAO) and part of that in hunger au is him being so anxious for grian to get better that he stops looking at the red flags grian is aggressively waving around. It'll work out!! He's sure of it!! Grian even directly said he's trying to get better!! And i think if he looked at that for longer than it takes for him to flinch away from the entire subject, he would see how much of a bald lie that is.

But he doesnt, because thats a LOT to deal with, and hes never really??? Seen this side of Grian before??? Not the way Pearl and Scar have. Theres a lot of intricacy there that i feel im skimming over but like Mumbo is very much keeping his own sanity in mind here too and thats another painful factor to the whole situation. Idk i have lots of thoughts about it and about the choice here to depict Mumbo giving in to that willful ignorance, and how its going to affect his and Grian's relationship in the future of the fic

(Quick tw for frank discussions of suicide below)

You've also completely nailed the subtext i was getting at with Grian asking Mumbo to stay-- smth ive always felt is a bit underrepresented in narratives like these are how at its most base core, suicide and suicidal ideation are often about needing something to fundamentally change in your life. It takes a LOT of both hopelessness and sheer willpower to actively try and overcome your body's instinctive will to survive. That instinct is baked into our very cells; when someone commits, it means their hopelessness for meaningful change to happen in their lives was so strong it overpowered everything else. And that is something deeply, deeply tragic, and also something i really wanted to respectfully highlight in this portrayal-- how bad things are when you spiral that far. Grian is starving to death. He wasnt lying about maybe having a week to live-- the intermittent feeding has kept him alive longer than anticipated, but its like trying to wall off an avalanche; theres only so much you can do in the face of all that :( and that hopelessness, in combination with how guilty he feels for what he did to his friends, has manifested in him feeling like his only recourse is to kill himself... but at the same time, that instinct to survive and KEEP SURVIVING is still blaring in his veins, and that manifests as him asking Mumbo to stay. Its a bit paradoxical, but its meant to really show how bad his mental state is, that he is willfully ignoring all the frantic signals his body is screaming at him to try and stay alive rn 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Also, with the potions-- without revealing too much about how this is going to happen, Grian is planning on making fermented spider eyes and using them to turn the healing potions into harming potions, which he'll then drink in the in-between to make sure he dies immediately. Now.. i know how this is gonna go, and i know the exact mechanics around how this is gonna shake out, but smth to keep in mind is hes not thinking logically anymore, he has FULLY capitulated to his own storm of emotional wreckage. So yes there are DEFINITELY some questions to be asked about how hes gonna try and get this done, but in all honesty they mostly boil down to "sheer opportunity" which you'll see a bit more of in the next chapter >:] but yeah its meant to be a bit illogical skdbwkdjskd since he just isnt thinking coherently anymore at this point :(

Bug anon thank u for my entire life this comment was so sweet and so wonderful to receive, i really love it when my writing is analyzed like this and seen and understood!!! Its amazing its such a wonderful feeling to have your work be seen like this and its something i very much do not take for granted :]]]❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ tysm for the ask i am seriously treasuring it SO MUCH rn (and also thank you for the well-wishes!! Im doing my best to stay silly out here HEHE)❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[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.

[rosypenguins]

🍃Elm Tree (Part One)🍃

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

Synopsis: 5 times Dominic felt something more for Elliot, and 1 time he realized someone else felt the same.

A/N: I don’t know why I did this. I just really like Dom’s character, and wanted to write something with him, which, of course, resulted in romance. A lot of this will likely become outdated considering Dominic and Faye only have about 5 minutes of actual screen-time, but I don’t care. I want to get more people talking about him. (Also, this is my first time writing a 5+1 fic, so I hope it turned out okay.)

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

“Surprised you’ve never done this before, Ellie.” Dominic commented, fingers weaving thin flower stems together in the beginnings of a flower crown.

The Gardening Club had wrapped up their usual activities almost an hour early, and since no one else had anything better to do, Dom and Faye suggested the four make flower crowns together. However, Bradley and Elliot had almost no experience in the matter, so the twins decided to take it upon themselves to teach them. And while Faye took Bradley to the opposite end of the garden to look for ‘nicer’ flowers, Dom and Elliot stayed close to the marigolds, sitting down near the flower beds to start working on their own crowns.

“I’m… not really good with more detailed tasks like this…” Elliot answered, as if the shakiness of his hands didn’t already make that clear.

“That’s okay. You just need practice, that’s all.” Dom replied. “I mean, my first flower crown was far from perfect. It practically fell apart the moment I put it on. Faye wouldn’t stop teasing me about it for weeks.”

“How long have you been making them for?” Elliot asked, and Dom shrugged.

“Long time now. Faye taught me when we were younger. She was obsessed with fairies back then. Always had to run around the house wearing one.” He trailed off for a moment, picking another flower to add to the ring he’d created. “I don’t make them as much anymore. But it’s still pretty fun.”

“I see.”

The two fell silent for a while; Dom only glancing up on occasion to provide assistance when needed. But eventually, Dom completed his crown. Record time, too.

“Viola!” Dom exclaimed, holding it out to show off. Elliot’s eyes widened.

“W-wow! That was fast!” He said, and Dom shrugged, a small smirk appearing on his face.

“What can I say? I’m just a natural! He bragged, before leaning a little closer to Elliot. “How’s yours going?” He asked.

“Good, I think. Just need to-” Just as Elliot lifted his fingers from the stems, the knot he’d made came completely undone. The flowers fell into his lap, and for a split moment, it looked as if he was about to cry. “…Nevermind.”

“Heh, hey, it’s alright. It happens sometimes.” Dom said. He gave him a reassuring smile, but Elliot refused to lift his head.

“…Sorry I’m so bad at this.” He mumbled.

“Ellie. It’s your first time. Go a little easy on yourself.” Dom stated, setting his flower crown to the side as he scooted a little closer. “I’ll walk you through it a little slower this time.” Elliot nodded, opening his mouth to say something, but ultimately deciding against it. Instead, he gathered up the flowers that had fallen into his lap, recreating the first step Dom had showed him.

Perhaps Dom should’ve done this from the beginning, instead of just telling Elliot what to do and expecting him to follow an example three steps ahead. Although this method was a lot slower, Elliot seemed to understand a lot better. And Dom was having just as much fun as he was before. Although, that was probably just because he was spending time with Elliot. Elliot was always good company.

After a while, Elliot finally managed to complete his flower crown. It was a little thin, and a little misshapen, but it certainly was a crown.

“Did I do it?” Elliot asked, holding it out to him. Dom grinned.

“Yeah you did! Look at you!” Elliot hummed in response, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Mind if I try it on?”

“Uhm, s-sure.” He agreed, and Dom carefully took the crown from him, placing it on top of his head to see if it’d hold. And sure enough, it did.

“Hey! It held! Good job!” Dom cheered, holding up his hand for a high five. Hesitantly, Elliot tapped his hand to his, giving him what was possibly the most gentle high-five in all of history.

“Oh, here! Try mine on!” Dom said, taking the flower crown he made earlier and motioning for Elliot to lower his head, placing the crown on his head once he’d done so.

Dom leaned back to view his work, and Elliot lifted his head, fixing his hair while his eyes remained on his lap. And perhaps that was for the best, because in that moment, Dom had a realization:

Elliot’s… really pretty…

The flower crown fit him perfectly, complimenting his gentle features beautifully. And suddenly, Dom was starting to feel a little warm.

“…H-how’s it look?” Elliot asked, which snapped Dom out of… whatever that was.

“Uh- oh, yeah! You- It look great, Ellie!” Dom said, giving him a thumbs-up and a smile.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, ‘course!”

…The two fell silent for a moment, and Dom quickly became aware of how fast his heart had started beating.

“Uhm! Hey! Wanna go see how Faye and Brad are doing?” He asked.

“Oh, sure!” Elliot agreed, fixing his glasses slightly. “L-Let’s go!”

…Well, that was a little strange.

*+*+*

“Come on, come on! You’ve just gotta meet Bitsy!” Faye exclaimed, reaching out for Elliot’s hand and practically dragging the poor gardening boy inside their house.

This was the first time Elliot was coming over to their place. And immediately, Faye was trying to introduce him to her beloved obsession. No proper introduction. No tours, no common courtesy, only Bitsy.

What a great first impression.

“O-oh, uhm, okay!” Elliot agreed, giving a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he allowed her to guide them through the house. Dom followed closely behind, taking it upon himself to ensure this hangout wouldn’t end in complete disaster. Club meetings would be a lot more awkward, otherwise…

Faye pushed open the door to their shared room, revealing a basic, albeit messy bedroom setup. There was a bunk bed against the left wall, with pale orange bedsheets and pillows. The bottom bed was left somewhat made, and was covered in various spider plushies of different sizes and colors. Meanwhile, the top bunk was a complete disaster. Pillows and blankets scattered around haphazardly with clothes hanging over the edge and a massive squirrel Squishmallow sitting in the corner.

There was a closet and desk against the back wall, and to the right was a rather large spider enclosure, which was very tidy and well-taken care of. Probably the only thing about the room that could be described as tidy. The rest was a mess, with clothes and shoes scattered across the floor and clutter taking up almost every surface.

The only somewhat saving grace was the golden fairy lights strung up around the place. Made it look a little more whimsical, and not so much like a disaster.

“Lemme go get her!” Faye said, making her way over to Bitsy’s enclosure. Dom, meanwhile, stood beside Elliot, crossing his arms as he bit the inside of his cheek.

“…You sure you wanna do this?” He asked. “You don’t have to-”

“No, no, I do- I mean-” Elliot took a quick breath. “I want to. A-And besides! It’s just a spider. How scary can it- oh fudge…”

Elliot’s voice trailed off as Faye turned around, revealing a small tarantula cradled in her hands.

“Tada! Here she is! Isn’t she just adorable?”

Dom turned to see Elliot’s reaction, only to watch as the color drained from his face. His body went rigid, chest completely still. If it weren’t for the fact he was still standing, Dom would’ve assumed he died right then and there.

“Y-yeah. C-cute…” Elliot managed, his bottom lip trembling. Faye lowered her hands, tilting her head as a frown overtook her expression.

“Are… you alright, Elliot? You look-” Before she could finish, Bitsy leaped from her palms, landing just beside Elliot’s feet.

And Elliot shrieked, reaching a pitch Dom didn’t even know was possible.

And before Dom could even process what was happening, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him closer and squeezing him tight.

And he glanced over to see Elliot, with his eyes blown wide as he stared Bitsy down.

His arms tightened further, and Dom could barely breathe. It was easy to forget how strong Elliot was, considering his quiet and gentle demeanor.

Dom opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even get the words out, the scent of lavender and sage hit the back of his throat. Elliot’s shampoo, maybe? He wasn’t quite sure, but his head was starting to get a little fuzzy. They were so close right now, closer than they’d ever been before…

He could feel Elliot’s heart pounding in his chest, and the slight shakiness of his arms. Why was Dom still standing there? Why wasn’t he doing anything? Why did everything feel so warm?

“Ah, Bitsy!” Faye cried, and suddenly, time was moving again. Bitsy was scurrying out of the room and Faye was in pursuit, chasing her down the hallway.

And Elliot was still clinging to him. Still shaking and barely breathing.

“Uhm…” Dom managed. “Ellie?”

It took a moment for Elliot to respond. He blinked once, twice, then gasped, quickly throwing himself off of him.

And Dom tried not to think about the sudden absence of warmth he felt.

“Dominic! I-I- oh my gosh, I am so so sorry! I-I don’t know- I didn’t-” Elliot’s face was getting redder with every word. He buried his face in his hands, mumbling incoherent apologies.

“Hey, hey! It’s fine!” Dom said, waving his hands in front of him. “I get it. I- uhm…” Dom cleared his throat. “You- you wanna talk in the kitchen? So you don’t… you know? Have to see Bitsy when Faye gets back?” Elliot opened his mouth, then closed it, giving a simple nod in response. With a quick motion of his head, Dom led the way.

“Sorry she lunged at you like that. Bitsy doesn’t… usually do that.” Elliot shook his head.

“I-I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I-It’s just a spider. And… and it’s not like they’re poisonous, r-right?” Dom scratched the back of his head.

“Well, they are venomous-” Elliot shuttered. “-But their venom isn’t deadly!” He quickly finished. “And Bitsy’s never bitten anyone before, so it’s not like she would have hurt you at all. She’s honestly pretty friendly. Well- as friendly as a spider can be.”

The two arrived in the kitchen, and Dom pulled out a chair from the dinner table for Elliot. It took a moment for him to register the seat was in fact intended for him, and he gave a quiet ‘thank you’ before sitting down. Dom nodded in response, taking a seat beside him and resting his elbows against the table.

“I… didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?” Elliot asked slowly, averting his gaze as he tugged at the hem of his shirt.

“No! Not at all!” Dom assured him. He gave him a warm smile, but Elliot refused to look up.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” He said, his gaze softening as he rested a hand against Elliot’s arm. And he tried not to think too hard about the closeness the two had shared. Tried even harder not to question why he liked it so much.

“We all have things we’re scared of.” He continued, then paused, debating his next words carefully. Slowly, he took a breath. “I’m… still kinda afraid of the dark, if that makes you feel any better.”

“Really?” Elliot asked, finally glancing up to look at him. And Dom swallowed. He hadn’t really told anyone other than Faye before.

“Y-yeah. I still have a night-light in my room and everything.” He admitted, scratching the back of his head with a chuckle.

“Oh, me too!” Elliot said, and Dom’s eyes widened slightly. “But, it’s mostly just so I don’t trip over my nightstand in the middle of the night. Heh…” Dom laughed. Was he even supposed to be laughing right now? The fuzziness still hadn’t fully left his head just yet.

“I still manage to trip over all kinds of stuff with mine.” He joked. And now Elliot was laughing, drawing a hand over his mouth to obscure his smile. And a part of Dom so desperately wished that hand wasn’t there…

He found himself staring. Caught in that same trance he’d been in earlier, watching as Elliot’s laughter slowly faded and he took a moment to fix his glasses before finally meeting Dom’s gaze.

And their eyes met for a moment.

“Uhm… Dominic?”

Dom blinked, sitting up slightly. Crap! Uh- words! Words! Something!

“…Wanna go meet my gerbils?”

*+*+*

“Come on, Ellie! We’re almost there!” Dom exclaimed, pushing tree branches aside to allow him and Elliot through. It was a warm, Sunday afternoon. The perfect day for Dom and Faye to bring Elliot to the duck pond with them. This would be the first time anyone else had tagged along with them, and Dom found himself almost giddy with excitement. He never had the opportunity to introduce someone else to the ducks before. He couldn’t wait to ramble about them.

“That’s the third time you’ve said that, Dom.” Faye suddenly piped up. She was a little further ahead of them, having memorized the path after countless journeys. She had a bag of frozen peas tucked under her arm; the usual snack they brought for the ducks. Due to Dom’s tendency to ‘over-feed’ them, she insisted on carrying it.

“Well, sorry for being excited. Why do you have be such a kill-joy?” Faye only shook her head in response, before continuing down the path.

And after a few more minutes of walking, Dom could finally hear the sound of the splashing water. The ducks must’ve already been there.

Dom could barely contain his excitement. He loved ducks. And now, he was finally able to share that love with Elliot.

The three took a right, and the lake finally came into view. Just as Dom suspected, several ducks had gathered nearby. Dom couldn’t help but smile.

“There they are! Come on!” Without even thinking, Dom slid his hand into Elliot’s, whisking past Faye and heading straight for the ducks. And surprisingly, none of them swam off.

“Looks like the gang’s all here!” Dom said as they reached the ledge. “There’s Bernard, that’s Walter the II, over there’s Loaf-” Dom continued down the list, pointing out each duck as Faye opened the bag of peas, causing all the ducks to swim a little closer. However, as his list came to an end, he soon realized something.

Someone’s missing…

“…How do you tell them all apart?” Elliot asked, and Faye laughed.

“It’s easy, silly! They all have different feather markings! See, take Bernard and Walter for example. Bernard’s head’s a little darker than Walter’s. Oh! And his tail has a little bit more black in it, too!”

“…Hmm.”

“Hey, Faye?” Dom asked, turning to see her toss a handful of peas into the water.

“Yeah?”

“You see Matilda anywhere?” He asked, and Faye glanced over the ducks that had gathered.

“Hm… no I don’t. That’s weird.” Dom nodded, before leaning a little closer to Elliot.

“Don’t tell the other ducks, but I think Matilda’s my favorite.” He whispered. “She is the roundest bird I’ve ever seen. Rotund, even. She’s always fighting the other ducks for peas. I’m surprised she’s not out here…” Dom placed a finger against his chin, reaching into the pea bag and tossing another handful in, watching as the ducks scrambled to scarf them down. “She had babies about a month ago, though. Maybe that’s why she’s not out here?”

Elliot nodded, slowly reaching into the bag and tossing a few peas in the water as well.

“I’m guessing you guys come here pretty often, huh?” He asked, and Dom nodded.

“Oh, we’ve been coming here for years now. I don’t even remember when it started. I think we just stumbled across this place when we were younger, and just kinda… turned feeding them into a routine.” Dom tossed a couple more peas into the water, and Elliot did the same, smiling softly as he watched them splash around in the water.

Eventually, the three decided to settle on the ledge, taking turns tossing peas into the water.

And a gentle breeze had picked up after a while, bringing with it the faint scent of pine. Dom watched as it whisked past him, dancing through Elliot’s hair before carrying on with its journey.

And Elliot smiled to himself, running a hand through his soft pink locks to smooth them back down.

…And Dom found himself staring. Admiring the way Elliot looked beneath the dappled sunlight. The subtle blush to his cheeks, the warmth in his eyes. And that familiar, fuzzy feeling returned to him, filling his chest with a warmth not even the sun could replicate.

…In that exact moment, everything was perfect.

Because he was doing something he loved, and he was sharing it with the people he was closest to: his sister, and his best friend.

…Could he even call Elliot his best friend? Or was it too soon to do so? Him and Elliot had only known each other for about a months or so, but somehow, it felt almost longer than that. He couldn’t really explain it, but it felt like Elliot was someone he’d always known. Someone he could always turn to.

Maybe Dom just wasn’t too familiar with friendships. He couldn’t say he had many friends outside of Faye, much less close ones. Likely due to his habit of going on completely unrelated tangents regarding his interests.

But Elliot was different than anyone he’d met before. Because unlike most people, who tuned out his words and only nodded along out of common courtesy, Elliot actually listened to him. He’d ask questions. He’d express interest. And it was refreshing, to finally be seen and understood by someone other than his sister. Perhaps that was why he felt so close to him…

Regardless, Dom was happy to be with him. And that was all that mattered.

“Hey, there’s another duck over there…” Elliot commented, finally pulling Dom out of his trance. He turned to where Elliot was pointing, only to see a large brown duck swimming towards them, with three little ducklings in tow.

“Matilda!” Dom shouted, and without warning, he shot up, running over to greet her.

But one misstep was all it took for the rocks to slide out from under him, knocking him off his balance and sending him tumbling into the water.

“Dominic!”

Dom landed on his hands and knees with a splash, cold water soaking through his clothes and leaving him shocked. The ducks made a bit of commotion, but none flew off.

Faye suddenly burst out laughing, and Dom groaned, sitting himself upright.

“Are you alright?” Dom glanced over his shoulder to see Elliot running over to him, bending down and extending him a hand.

And the way the light practically framed his silhouette looked-

“Oh, yeah- yeah, I’m fine.” Dom responded, taking his hand and allowing himself to be pulled from the water. “Just a bit soggy now.”

“I’m… honestly surprised it wasn’t that deep. Thank- thank goodness for that, right?” Dom nodded, and Elliot let go of his hand.

“You’re never going to learn, are you?” Faye asked as she made her way over. Dom crossed his arms.

“Oh, shut up.” He mumbled with a huff. Faye chuckled, before leaning a little closer to Elliot, covering her mouth with her hand.

“He has about a 50% chance of falling into this pond every time we come here.” She told him, and Dom could feel himself flush slightly. “He’s a bit stupid.”

“Um! I am right here!” He yelled. “And it’s not my fault the rocks like to be so unstable around the ledge!”

“Maybe just don’t walk about the ledge then, genius!”

“But then I don’t get to see the ducks as well!”

“Then get your dang eyes checked!”

“Pay to have them puff air into my eyes? Hah, not a chance!” Faye rolled her eyes.

“Then get used to falling into ponds, stupid.” She retorted, and Dom stuck his tongue out in response, tugging off his orange sweater to reveal a plain white t-shirt underneath. Obviously, it wasn’t any dryer, but at least it wasn’t as heavy. After squeezing a bit of the water out, Dom tied it around his waist, glancing up when he heard Faye sigh.

“I’ll take that as our sign to start heading back.” She said, rolling up the bag of peas.

“What?!” Dom cried. “But Matilda just got-!”

“Wet. Socks.”

…Great, now that was all he could focus on.

“Mmm… ugh, Faye! Why’d you have to point it out?!”

“Because you can’t stay in wet clothes all day. Besides, if we feed the ducks anymore, they’ll get as fat as Matilda!” Dom groaned, before letting out a sigh of defeat.

“Fiiiine. Let me just… say goodbye real quick.” And before she had a chance to even respond, Dom snatched the peas from her, running back to the water.

“Dominic!”

He tossed a heaping handful of peas in Matilda’s direction. And if other ducks happened to steal a few… well, he couldn’t help that.

“Goodbye, everyone!” He called, giving them a wave. “I’ll see you all soon!” The ducks quacked in response, and Dom liked to imagine they were saying goodbye as well.

He turned back to see Faye glaring at him, taking back the bag of peas from him before leading the way back home.

…

And the first thing Dominic did when the three got home was shower, changing into an old pair of sweats before joining Elliot and Faye in the living room. He threw himself on the couch just beside Elliot, bundling himself under the blankets they’d gathered and making himself just as comfortable. The three talked for a while, before eventually deciding to watch a bunch of old Disney movies that Dom and Faye had on DVD. The first of which being Cinderella. The disk was a little scratched due to it’s age, so some scenes were a little glitchy, but Elliot didn’t seem to mind much, saying nothing as he sank a little further into the couch.

And Dom found himself leaning against Elliot’s arm after a while, finding comfort in his warmth. There was that soft, fuzzy feeling blooming in his chest again; it’d grown to be quite familiar now.

Everything felt so serene. The dim lighting, the soft audio coming from the TV, the faint buzz of the AC, the warmth of heavy blankets being shared...

And the last scene he could remember was the Prince’s waltz with Cinderella. The gentle serenade regarding the idea of love lulling him into a peaceful sleep.

[bangsinc]

Are we allowed to ask for some BTAS!Scarecrow x Reader? That character definitely deserves more love! But I totally get it if we can’t!

🎃More Scarecrow x Reader (HCS)🦴

UHMMM YES! I’m gunna be super honest, I’d much rather write for BTAS than Spider-Man.. this makes me very happy :3 I love Batman.. he’s my meow meow,,

Also I agree! Nobody writes for him (I kinda wish someone wrote for a goth reader w him too ngl)… no warnings! Also I wrote a lot,,, sorry. I GOT SO EXCITED TO WRITE ABT BTAS

Jonathan Crane was a man of many faces. He’d been a professor, a villian, but.. never a lover. He’d never dabbled in the dating scene for many reasons. He’d never been considered attractive for one, and additionally, his chosen profession, age, and introverted nature seemed like major obstacles in the pursuit of romance.. To think he could still make someone swoon for him was.. flattering? He’s not sure what to make of it initially.

After the initial first meet, he can’t seem to stop thinking of you. Your memory lingers in his mind like a song stuck in his head. Your voice was a melody only he felt he should be able to cherish, and your apperance was almost ethereal. It’s not that he felt out of your league but.. he really did.

His mind, and morals seem to get the better of him in this situation. He truly has no man or woman he can turn to in a time of desperation, as he’d disclosed himself off from mostly everybody. His own mind became a mentor, and he decided to follow its adivce well.

He begins, slowly, to go out of his way to see you. He’s quiet and especially awkward, not used to being on the giving end of starting a conversation. Many other professors almost look in shock if they’re able to see such a display of subtle affection. What had gotten into this man?

His students for the most part notice his change in demeanor. He’d been a good professor for the most part, quiet and honestly a bit too interested in fear to their liking.. but never outright happy? He was an older man, who’d they’d figured lost the spark he initially had in his job.. they think of themselvs as wrong from that point foreward.

The more your newly found and unexpected friendship progresses, Jonathan finds himself unintentionally opening up to you more and more, spilling facts about both him and what interested him in his profession. He keeps this side of him hidden at first, worried he’d regress to his younger years and scare you away.

The most suprising part about this new friendship is how much he trusts you, however. He’d initially thought of himself as closed off, and if anyone were to try and come close he’d simply push them away. But.. he does let you touch him playfully, nudge him, tease him.. he doesn’t mind it one bit, even though if it was anyone else he’d be bound to lose his temper.

Side note but I would imagine it being funny if you were unintentionally pushing him around slightly, like you bring him into a hug and he literally is so fucking fragile he just can’t breathe 😭

Might offhandedly ask you for your fears, and while he initially imagines what would become if he were to see you in a state of fear.. he somehow stops himself. This was the one actually good thing to become of his life in a big time. Sure, the obsession with fear was a lovely distraction, but what he needed the most was a connection with someone.. so, from that point foreward, he made a little vow to try and keep you away from any of his harmful hobbies.

A confession with him could go many ways. If he were the one to confess his feelings, it would take years. He’d need to know truly know you and your character. Your personality thick and thin, your downsides and upsides, your interests and hobbies.. hed need to be able to recite anything about you from memory, and have an almost spiritual bond in that sence.

A setting for him would also be rather specific. He isnt fond of the rain unless a thunderstorm is in its wake, a common fear, and he certainly isn’t a fan of sunny and warm weather.. fall would be perferred. Perhaps a rather warmer day of fall, the leaves a golden brown and bright yellow. Perhaps he’d take you to a park, or maybe you’d both find someplace nice and isolated to sit. The sun would barely shine over the pearly white clouds, creating a slightly dim atmosphere. An atmosphere he felt the most comfortable in.

Hes not exactly a poetic type, and feelings for him have always been complicated and hard to come by. For Jonathan, gestures say more than words, but obviously he would need to do more to confess his feelings twoards you.

He’d be more.. gentle the day he confesses to you. He has no intention to go on a mindless rant, and he looks incredibly nervous and uneasy. He wasn’t used to feeling nervous, if anything he had figured those emotions were something he controlled and could control on others.

—————————————

🎃Post Confession:

You wouldn’t be reading this if you rejected him, so let’s just go to the dating Headcanons! I have a lot for post scsrecrow jon too, don’t worry this all isn’t going to be professor crane lol.

He was undeniably a sentimental lover, his emotions in a constant state of flux. He’s very doting, very gentle and.. very touchy. It’s rather difficult for a man shunned affection in his early years to keep his hands off of someone willing to provide him with such a gesture.

Constant, maybe even unintentional touching. A hand on your thigh, or one on top of your hand as you sit together. There seems to always be a contented smile on his face in moments where it’s only you. He’s not a grumpy, reclusive man, and doesn’t feel the need to be.

Of course.. he wouldn’t have become the Scarecrow if he didn’t get fired from his previous job for his malpractice. The initial reaction was of course fury, and while he tried to contain the pent up emotions and bitter hatred he held for the Dean of Gotham university after the confrontation, he needed someone to talk to.

His initial reaction is to go straight to your home, not without multiple texts and calls, him frantically panicking and shouting about how all of his hard work and research was spent at a place he wasn’t appreciated at.. he was leaving details out, yes, but what you didn’t know surely wouldn’t hurt you..

If you two live together, he’s most likely going to hurriedly drive back to your shared apartment/house a complete and utter wreck, not even able to speak as his anger fuels all of his emotions.

Either way, he’s got his mind set on one goal now. He’s going to make the university pay, and he’s finally going to do what he loved. You were the only person he could trust, the only person he could count on. You try and be there to lend a loving hand in such a time of desperation, but he’s too far into his own world now. He still tries to be as loving as he can, but something seems off.. he’s definitely keeping a secret, and the more he seems to be hiding the more a sort of trust is broken between the two of you. A big factor as to why he did keep it a secret in the first place was the fear of you being hurt in the process of his own endeavors. He kept reminding himself that what you didn’t know would keep you safe, from the police, from his experiments, and from himself..

He comes to the realization that, if he does want this to work he’d need to let you in, even if you’d be upset over the initial anger he’d been living a double life. Of course, you probably were, but that slightly dampened trust was thankfully built between the two of you again. So what if you were going to date an aspired villian? You loved him, and he did kinda make good cinnamon muffins when you were sad.

His first mission (This would be taking place during his debut episode in Batman the Animated Srries!) was a simple one, sabatoge something, perhaps Gotham university. It was a widely spread crime, one that nobody was sure there was a motive for.. but there was.

I’m the span of his first two crimes, before his first robbery and getaway, he’d aqqired some goons. With the goons came a small name for himself in Gothams underworld, and with that came the need to form an alter ego. All of it was one game of dominos, fueled by revenge and desire. During these events, he’s.. awfully clingy, suprisingly. You’re the only person he can rely on, espically while he’s building a name for himself. He thinks his henchmen are dimwitted dropouts, and that the other criminals would never understand him like you do.

His goons are practically on your hand and foot, wether you like it or not. He’s made it very, very clear two his two main henchmen that your problems were his problems, and that he was never one to let his darling suffer. So.. congrats, you’ve gained two butlers, who work for free..

His goons were so, so suprised he cared about someone other than himself and his goals. The way he talked about you was a drastic difference from the way he talked about them, or anyone else for that matter.

Jonathan isnt shy to boast about his significant other, and many would think you two were an older married couple with the way he presented himself in your company. He’s the master of fear now, and you’re his Mistress/Beau.

Maybe it’s my own bias speaking, but your love would definitely shift into a more gothic and meloncholic undertone. Dates are eerie and poetic, and he serenades you the best way he can.. telling you about how you and him are to rule the world. You and him are two lovers destined to make the world bow at their feet as you both dance on the debris of a destroyed civilization.

His words are sincere, his devotion seeping through every sentence.

“People shall be screaming Hosannas in our name. They will kiss the ground we walk on, hand in hand, my love.”

He’s.. very overdramatic. But he does mean it.

Now when he robs banks, despite his initial claims that he’s not in it for the money, he does end up pocketing some from his goons. Now he does have someone he could be supporting, and at this rate in both of your lives, you either are living together or he’s living at your place so the police can’t catch onto him as easy. He’d like to make your life a little easier, anything for his little raven.

Strangely domestic, as if you two had been married for years. He gives you nicknames in a large supply, his favorites ones that most would deem to be ‘spooky’ or unconventional. My Raven, Adrienne, my flame, etc… might be a sucker for pumpkin too, both being called it and calling you it. You hardly get called your name the more and more you’re together.

You’d fallen in love with a villian, a villian willing to destroy cities in your name, you scare and terrify those who try to get in your way.. congratulations ;)

[yellowhollyhock]

For any (or all that you know? 👀) version of Michelangelo:

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

ah yayayay!!

2003

4 other media

Put him in MLP:FIM, he can have a video games cutie mark. I see him being a pegasus. He can have use his nun chucks to redirect tornados. Plus, super speed. And plus plus, baking! Lots of ways for him to have lots of fun in a world like that.

7 something fandom does that I like

It is simply delightful to read about Mikey being an absolute menace. Maybe especially because when I'm writing him I have a hard time coming yo with ideas for what to make him do. It's so fun to see people's creativity! I also love when his sweetheart shows through, he really feels deep and cares lots. And if the same story shows his sweetheart side and makes him create situations I couldn't dream up if I was paid? excellent

12 headcanon

I am not original for this but, genderfluid Mikey!!

21 favorite thing to do when writing, something I don't like

My favorite thing about writing him is how much he's watching and noticing everyone else's emotions. This is such a younger sibling thing. It's different from Leo or Raph worrying about others' feelings; it's like he's watching tv. Not that he's not worried but like. It's like he's the omniscient narrator. I mean he might be wrong sometimes but he's always watching and speculating.

Something I dislike? His brain moves so fast. I have a very Donatello-style choose one thing to focus on and that's my personality now brain, so it's always challenging to write for someone like Mikey who notices so many little things and connects so many different thoughts. Which in the end I guess I also enjoy in that it's very satisfying when I'm done, but the process is difficult

1987

4 other media

oooh I kinda want to see him in like. A Louis L'amour book. Just hanging out being nice to everybody. All the characters comment on his accent. By the end of it they're all talking like him. He can use his grappling hook to confiscate guns and talk to the horses and cattle and dogs and make everyone pizza 😌

7 fandom thing I like

I like in crossovers how everyone always loves him. This is such a true thing. Canon crossovers are wrong there's not a turtle ever to turtle who wouldn't get along with Michelangelo.

12 headcanon

hmm... actually I don't know if I have any. I can see him sometimes being the oldest. I do mean sometimes though,, there are some turtles that have an Age Order and some who are Quadruplets and say what's convenient. But 1987 Michelangelo is the only Mikey I'd see ever being the oldest

21 fave and least fave about writing character

His dialogue is mondo fun to write! Like, majorly good time dude.

as for something I don't like--his dialogue is totally challenging at times amigo!

2012

4 other media

I mean 2012 already put him in so many genres canonically akdjdhaj.

Actually. 2012 Mikey in Snorks. Okay listen it's this cartoon from the 80s, they're undersea creatures the size of smurfs with little snorkels on their heads and flipper feet and they're multi-colored and other than that they're pretty much just humans. The main cast is a group of teenagers who go on various adventures often related to keeping the ocean clean, taking good care of wildlife, or being good citizens of their community, but also just a lot of high school drama and some really random stuff.

They're very silly and I feel like 2012 Mikey would vibe. The fun thing is they can (for some reason) breathe on land, so instead of moving Mikey to there just put the main cast in his room. Him and Tooter would bond instantly. I'm kind of obsessed with this idea now

7 fandom

I don't read a lot of 2012 fics, but pretty similar with 03, I enjoy reading about chaos.

I also love love love when 12 Mikey is shown being protective of his bros. idk if that counts as something 'fandom' does since it's canon, but I do so enjoy fics where that trait is shown.

12 headcanon

Asexual. Remember the ep where he was like 'well I'm never getting a crush it makes you guys act weird' and then fell head over heels for literally the next person he saw? To me (ace lesbian) that reads very much like picking someone to convince yourself you like that way so you don't feel left out. I see him as demiromantic asexual. Unlikely to even come up much in fics but there it is

21 writing

it is more rare for me to write 2012 but I do have some things in the works. I like writing Mikey with Raph. They have a very fun and sweet dynamic. for dislike.. hmm.. it is a challenge balancing his emotional intelligence with his goofy side, I'm not sure why more so with him than the other mikeys? I feel like I always lean too hard one way or the other with him specifically

rise

4 other media

Easy: The Great British Baking Show.

7 fandom

when they give him hand tremors from making that portal in the movie. yessssss

12 headcanon

idk if this is really a headcanon, I feel like it's highly textually supported. But I like to think he really looks up to Leo and tries to act like him

21 writing

it's very fun to write hie explosive he can be! I probably overuse Dr Delicate Touch XD

what I dislike writing... hmm. It can be difficult to write how competitive he is. Very different from how my brain works so it can be hard to tap into

90s movies

4 other media

I think this Mikey should be in Friends. I haven't seen a lot of Friends but from what I have I feel like he'd be a fun personality to throw into the mix. Him and Phoebe both thin they're the sane one of the two of them

7 fandom

Love to see incorrect quotes. I haven't seen much of the 90s turtles generally in fandom, but when they make an appearance it's usually either an incorrect quote or a screenshot, both of which are excellent opportunities for Mikey to shine.

12 headcanon

He loves Dinsey princess movies. I mean loves. You can't tell me a guy who randomly starts singing and dancing that often doesn't have a closet full of Disney movies. Musicals as well but he also likes animation. Also Lady and the Tramp and Jungle Book are honorary Disney princess movies to him, in spite of April and his brothers' solid arguments against this. His favorite is Cinderella

21 writing like/dislike

he's kind of low-key for a Mikey, which is both fun and challenging as a writer.

Next Mutation

4 other media

Gummi Bears. They also live underground and try to stay secret. Grammi Gummi cooks really weird combos just like Mikey likes. He and Gusto Gummi would cause very chaos together. Plus there's so much magic elements, which Mikey would find cool because of Venus (and it would also make him extremely homesick). Plus it's a kids' show so they'll have episodes where they learn basic lessons like 'tell the truth' or 'apologize when you're wrong' and Mikey could state the moral on his radio show

7 fandom

allll of the Next Mutation stuff I've read has been you, train, and I gotta say I thoroughly enjoy him and Leo being dorks together 🧡🩵

12 headcanon

He doesn't call Venus 'mutatious babe.' In fact he doesn't call anyone babe

21 writing like/dislike

I haven't written him yet... but it's coming 😈

2007

4 other media

I wanna put this Mikey somewhere nice. Oh I know! Danville, Phineas and Ferb's town. This would be a safe place for him to be out among humans if he wants. He could throw so many parties. And his family can live there too. April could be a den mother (is that what it's called) for Isabella's scout group. Phineas and Ferb and Donnie would borrow parts and blueprints from each other like other neighbors borrow eggs. Leo could shadow Perry! Raph could be a yourh mentor at Kandace's school! And Mikey could work at a pizza place and on the odd occasion when someone comes in like "but you're a turtle?" he'd be like "trust me bro, you're gonna see weirder things than me around here. Just look out the window in 5.. 4.. 3....." And Phineas and Ferb are riding by on hoverboards being chased by a bunch of monkeys.

guys guys guys

"Aren't you a little turtle to be making these pizzas?"

"Yes! Yes I am 😁"

Plus the turtles could also meet Milo Murphy at some point. Michelangelo would be such a good friend to Milo!

7 fandom

Making him and Donnie so close 🧡💜

12 headcanon

I feel like I bring this up all the time, but I'm gonna bring it up again: Mikey knew Raph was the Nightwatcher.

21 writing like/dislike

like: giving him justice. let him yell, let him cry, let him have so much ice cream and pick the movie and get so many hugs

dislike: it actually can be draining to write him because he has so much anger inside that he doesn't know where to put.

bayverse

4 other media

hmm. again, I want a place where he can comfortably go out whenever he wants. What's a place with a lot of random creaturrrres...

Oh! Monsters Inc! And it could be after the movie so they're collecting laughs! That's his job! aww yis this is perfect

7 fandom

haven't checked out the bayverse fandom much. I like the idea of him and Raph being close, since Raph stood up for him in the second movie (never really got the impression Raph much wanted to be human for his own sake)

12 headcanon

audhd, and also besides self-diagnosing is largely the one to notice his bro's symptoms (Raph depression, Leo and Don both anxiety, idk what else). Even though he doesn't have the language for it, he understands a lot about his and their needs just from observation (it will help them all a lot once they start putting words to it and doing research tho)

21 writing like/dislike

like: he funny 🧡

dislike: sometimes he kinda crude :/

Batman vs tmnt

4 other media

All of it. Let him press. Every button. Every. Button.

hehe the Jetsons

7 fandom

I am getting more and more into Michelangelos where I haven't seen enough art or stories to notice patterns 😅 Love people appreciating or elaborating on his friendship with Alfred

12 headcanon

this Mikey is very close with his Master Splinter 🧡♥️

21 writing

this Mikey is fun because I don't have to think up schemes, just make him touch everything. difficult because there's only one movie of characterization to draw from

IDW

okay I am not caught up on IDW by a long shot, and I can't answer most of the questions for him, but

4 other media

put him some place soft. Strawberry Shortcake.

Mirage

same thing again, but I have one answer

4 other media

Highway to Heaven. Ex-cop goes on the road with a traveling angel. Michelangelo would be a good buffer at times and very funny picking on them both at other times.

[lilac-udon]

the person you like is perfect and just too good to be with you, you look at yourself and know how horrible and disgusting yourself is, so you just want the person you admire to be with someone better off

I realize this is how I imagined basil, he is selfless but till the last moment, he broke, the glimpse of hope he still has for his friend , and the selfishness of wanting something for once, wanting to be saved by someone he should have saved

I’m like very bad at analyzing, I haven’t touched the game for about two years? The point is I never felt we see all of basil, and I don’t think the last three days can summarize up his whole character. I know a lot people already knew the last fight with sunny is because the situation(and I knew still people just see that as a whole) , on the other hand, dream w basil is also unrealistic, like dw Aubrey, it may or may not being sunny wanted how thing are(but I still like to add the sunny dream world is really spot on and perfect copy memory) w which dream world basil being extreme with only the good side sunny see, other emotions or flaw at first I think he just push on to stranger as the part he didn’t want to witness, however, besides stranger being angry and disappointed of sunny, I don’t see too much of a negative personality for basil (however the whole cast are very friendly and wholesome)

I type so much just saying

I don’t understand basil

I hate yandere basil, but I also hate him being passive to no aggressive, and a lot of time I think it became all fanon because idk

I felt like every character can have our own interpretation but I just felt like basil is hard to work w,he is rather too cute and passive or just straight up obsessive creep

Also lot of times ppl ignore everything

He just happy

Another kel

Kinda

Actually if nothing happens

They all kel

Besides sunny and Aubrey

Oh don’t let me write about kel

I have more to talk about

[ivomartins]

clock it bc omg im playing hs rn (to understand requiem better but im just diamond mining) (apologies to hs lovers) and the dialogue and the storyline has been making me laugh it's so childish and uninteresting like wheres the flavour?? these people are supposed to be divine beings alive for centuries and they speak like twilight characters? every characters personality is so one dimensional and i kind of can't stand mc i hope she gets better in hs2 (also heard we'll get sexy anemic looking men w long hair for lis can't wait)

as opposed to that, like you said, requiem is DELIVERING. every characters is unsettling and creepy in their own way, but nothing about cain makes sense. mc herself said she couldn't understand what's going on in his head despite being right next to him and it actually shows to the player too. it genuinely feels like we're dealing with beings beyond comprehension, understanding and that just ups the stakes for the mc and maintains this dread the player feels throughout the story.

idk if you've played that diamond scene yet but when he tells mc he can understand her and be on her side, it feels so Fake like he's pretending to be human for achieving his goal and im obsessed w it. the writer is operating on levels we can't even begin to understand.

ofc it's only going to be more delicious to figure him out and watch him fall for mc and grapple with his feelings 🤭🤭

(ps the last four requiem asks you've gotten are from me, can i be your 'vivi' anon 💌)

girl (gender neutral) 😭😭😭 tell me about it i deadass can't get over how cartoonish hs is like no hate at ALL towards the book or the people who love it but i think it's so overhyped and most definitely the book/series that i'd rate the lowest out of all of alice's projects

because of that it's a blessing in a way that requiem is written by a different author?? like it's been so interesting seeing the lore from a different lens and being portrayed with such a different "voice" to the writing. like i thought requiem was written by alice at first and i remember how i suspected otherwise purely by the otherwordly way that cain was described in his first diamond scene like ???? i got so hype cause i thought alice was more in her element with this story and just has her spark again GDKSHDJE no shade towards her at all but i definitely think requiem having a different writer is one of the main reasons why it stands out and exceeds hs in this way. i think it's safe to assume it would have had the same storytelling/writing style as hs if it was written by alice (unfortunately)

i loooooove your take about cain being disingenuous when he talked to mc about understanding her??? that would add so much dimension to him if it's true!! i took it at face value tbh because they both do share the similarity of being outcasts from the group + being selfish and invested in their own goals instead of the greater good or whatever the squad is seeking to achieve. BUT it would be absolutely amazing if your interpretation turned out to be true because i can definitely see it with cain's devious lil ass

also. can we PLEASE take a moment to discuss the fact that LANE AND CAIN MET BEFORE???? i mean i saw a screenshot recently from chapter 1 where he's like "do you remember me?" and i also vaguely remember lane dreaming about him in chapter 1 too??? when i tell you. i am chewing my fist just thinking about it... i LIVE for pre-established dynamics like this 😭

[grippingbeskar]

hi bestie! Idk if I've asked this before tbh but as the author of one of if not the best frank series out there, do you have other frank fic recs?? I'd love more series but anything will do! I 100% trust your opinion on fics just based on your writing tbh

(PS can't wait for the next salt ice and fire update 🥰 )

okay i know this has been in my box for so long so i apologise but i wanted to actually take the time and curate a little list for you since you were so SWEET. thankyou so so much for your kind words like i actually treasure things like this so much, and i’m so glad you asked for recs BECAUSEEEE i have read so many frank fics it’s actually embarrassing.

now there is a stark LACK of read frank series in this rec list and that is only my fault i’m so sorry— i’m sure there’s a million out there however i don’t tend to read series as much (lmao that i’m writing one) but i will do a lil rec list of series once i’ve found some.

the fight and fuck series by @chrisevansredbelt - it’s literally so HOT and angsty and perfect holy shit. one of my favourite frank fics of all time, i’ve read the first part like 6 times i swear.

you gonna let me be good to you? by @chvoswxtch - even the TITLE like that is so frank. SO FRANK. this fic fucks me up in the best way possible.

sit around and miss you by @ohcaptains - this entire frank masterlist is fucking perfection. seriously some of the best writing i’ve read on this site, but this one in particular just hnggggggggg fucking yummy.

don’t ever leave my side, baby i’ll die by @balenciagabucky - sleepy sex w marine frank. do i have to say any more. it’s so good.

morning kiss by @itwasthereaminuteago - they have a lot of frank fics which r all PERFECTION but this one is my personal fave. you have to read to find out why heheheheh

reflection by @marvelswh0re - maybe i’m biased that this is my fave bUT again, anything by this writer RIGHT HERE is fucking genius so enjoy this whole account too

home isn’t a place by @saintmurd0ck - this was so hard to pick just one. but this author writes so beautifully like i can’t explain it. even the names of their fics are so gorgeous i die.

this poly frank x matt masterlist also by @saintmurd0ck - can’t tell u how many times i have devoured this omfg.

outdoor sex by @lovelybucky1 - HOWLING. that is all. i can’t

harlequin by @pedrito-friskito - guys this is so fucking good oh my god. also the reader in this is reading a book and as a fellow bookworm i am melting.

attagirl by @buckyhoney - you know i’m a slut for a good attagirl so like this fic right here had me ALL kinds of fucked up.

the four times frank almost asks you to marry him, and the one time he does by @amhrosina - i love this fic so much it warms my cold dead heart. frank is such an oldschool guy and the idea of him proposing is just so sweet to me like didocodkc i love this.

of fathers and daughters by @lemon-world1 - this captures franks character so well and WOWOWOW obsessed.

OKAY. that’s all i can think of at the top of my head. all these writers are fantastic and have so many other frank fics to devour i just picked my favourites from their incredible lists.

[jewishregulus]

hold on because your thing with alecto carrow & the carrow twins……… you really did something there

listen okay i could go so crazy about them . i have so much lore trapped away in my brain . but i am going to summarize so fast and quick bc they drive me crazy….

general info abt both of them : they r born in japan bc the carrow family moves there post grindlewald and their mom dies and when she dies they move back to the england but they r poor af after everything so pureblood society looks down on them for being traitors. cue them fighting the entire wizaridng war to be given respect and seen as a genuine member of the sacred 28 and using intimidation and violence to do so… a if i cannot be better than them i will be so much worse moment . their dad is normal and loves them very much they just choose to be evil like that. their mom was a sweet angel also and everyday i cry over her even tho i invented her to be dead . whatever

alecto has a weird misandrist complex in which she hates men but is also performing for them all the time , a man hating lesbian who also can’t escape using the patriarchy to validate her skills and ambition. she loves spiders bc they are matriarchal . she bases her worth off of how well she appeals to others and has so her whole life to the point she barely has a sense of self . she wants to kiss lily evans on the mouth and she worships her like an absolute angel it’s serious and vicious . the few scraps of herself she has left are all about knowledge. she is obsessed w language and translation and tries to learn literally any language she can ever . despite this she still can’t give herself a voice . she wants barty crouch jr dead for the crime of being a man and a degenerate which like fair of her . evan n reg r chill tho bc game respects game . i think if she got the chance to explore Life she’d actually choose to become a teacher like voldemort Made her become , but she would be actually pretty good tbh. her and barty regularly brawl in the teachers lounge. alecto kicks his ass. in the modern college au in my head they are regrettably roommates and each conversation they have sets gay lesbian solidarity back 15 years . alecto is studying classics and women’s studies as a minor …. ik feminism is a big part of her character but chat do not reduce her to this u don’t get it … she has a deep connection to lady macbeth and the movie the handmaids tale . here is her vibe :

and amycus is his mothers son who does whatever alecto wants him to bc he just wants to be by her side. they are so aggressively co dependent . he is obsessed w magical plants and herbology and his favorite thing in the world is a magical venus flytrap he keeps in his dorm that evan keeps putting random drops of blood into the mouth of . his dream career would probably be using magical plants to make new medicines n poisons n such . hogwarts resident weed dealer . therefore he n barty r actually chill . he just misses his mom like so much 😭 he is consistently in morning over the life he could have had . he’s pretty good friends w everyone he’s not like a loner but he is lonely deep in his chest…… of course bc alecto is his sister #feministwomenloveamycuscarrow . every carrow is linked to an insect in my head and amycus is a praying mantis . …. he has the same capability for cruelty like he also is on the field w alecto during the war but like he’d rather be gardening :/. modern college au he’s probably studying biology and is the rlly menacing president of the gardening club. and u think this means he is secretly sweet but he’s literally evil. him n reg have a crazy friendship going in in which they do the craziest romantic shit but it is completely platonic. i’m talking like candle lit dinners . in my head he has a weird situationship w rabastan (who is another story….) but also i have a *whispers* oc….. who in the fic i have planned for them in my head (which i will never write) he ends up w and his name is maxx <3 but i will never talk abt ocs on here . i have some shame. amycus would follow alecto to hell if she asked (he just wishes she would stop going the- *car runs me over*)

here’s amycus vibes

i have so much more i could say abt them . there is so much in my head they have such a deep and complex story … i will take any excuse to yap abt them . anyways they are both gay and one day i will write the alectolily sugar mommy au in which lily is the sugar mommy bc she’s a super famous author n alecto works at an antique book store doing translation n repair <3333 and it’s completely accidental lily keeps paying to borrow these super old books and eventually she just pays for alecto to come over and help her research and then one thing leads to another . and alecto is guffawed when she realizes. amycus. thinks it his hilarious. i think her and lily would have an academic rivals to loves thing going on in canon and in like Any school setting but also just in general. they could be 5 years into their relationship and still competing to be the smartest . i think there is rosekiller alectolily double date hilarity potential. also have a lot of thoughts abt them paralleling to the rosier twins but what do i know … i will leave that to the masters ….

anyways that was my yapping . hope someone felt enthralled .

[danpuff-ao3]

Rarepair Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @cindle-writes!

Tagging: @writcraft, @perverse-idyll, @lizzy0305, @tackytigerfic, @sitp-recs, @consistentsquash, @mxlfoydraco, @wolfpants, @crazybutgood, @siriusly-sapphic, @stonedregulus, @broomsticks, @phoebe-delia, @nv-md, @ashesandhackles, @teacup-tai, @billsfangearring, @snapesnailtape, @fangqueen, @charlotterhea, and uhhh...anyone else who wants to play? And no pressure to the zillion people I tagged. It's just for funsies and I'm curious about what folks like! 😄

Rules: List the top rarepairs that you like outside of your OTP, and why you ship it! (Criteria for what makes a rarepair is up to your own discretion.)

My OTP is Snarry and I'm pretty sure most ships I like outside of Snarry are rarepairs haha! Let's seeeee...🤔

Harry/Scorpius

As I like to say: Snarry is my husband, and Scarry is the hot poolboy. I am a devoted wife, I swear, but sometimes...Well, sometimes a gal fantasizes about the poolboy, what can I say? 🤷‍♀️ I often struggle shipping Harry or Severus with other people, but Scarry feels less like a struggle and more like temptation. And while I find Young Severus ships easier to read (as I can imagine all roads lead to Snarry), I suppose Scarry can be enjoyed in the terrible universe in which Harry's actual soulmate was gone. (Not me vehemently defending myself for my guilty pleasure ship, noooo 😂)

Anyway, all that to say, I often wondered why I shipped Scarry myself. Why it's so much easier for me to enjoy than other Harry ships. Sure, it has the age gap thing going for it. And "son's best friend" going for it. And "son of my childhood rival" thing. Okay so yeah maybe it does make sense. 😂 What it lacks (in my imaginings) is all the fire I generally am drawn to, but ah well. It has enough else going in its favor. And really, what I'm only just now recognizing is that this sort of came together for me the same way Snarry did: my great love of the characters separately. I read the Cursed Child and fell in love with sweet cinnamon roll Scorpius. Which turned into...me being into Scarry!

Of course in my brain it happens one of two very specific ways 😂 Either Severus is...not there. For reasons. And Harry moves on with Scorpius one day. OR it's a one sided crush on Scorpius' end, which I am also hecka into. Who doesn't like a bit of unrequited love?? (At least, when their OTP isn't suffering for it.)

Draco/Sirius

I'M OBSESSED. WHY IS THERE NOT MORE OF THIS SHIP OUT THERE???? I CRY. Ahem. Anyway.

It's the age gap. It's the cousin incest. It's the "hooking up with my rival's godfather." It's the Gryffindor vs Slytherin of it. It's the Order and Death Eater of it. Also...they're both really pretty. 🤷‍♀️ Those good good Black genes, you know?

Also I just feel like...it can work. One of those things that might start off as sex and becomes really serious even though they both refuse to admit it for the longest time?

Sirius likes a challenge, I think, and Draco can provide one. And there's much more depth to Draco than I think Sirius might initially give him credit for. I see him as being a bit vain and a bit proud, but also insecure and vulnerable. He's sassy and bratty, and spoiled, but also with a lot of hurt and a lot of problems he himself might not be fully aware of. It's the complications and contradictions the Black family knows so well, and Sirius can understand Draco at that level better than most people, but also isn't so tied to family tradition that he can help pull Draco away from it. Sirius can shake up Draco's world a bit. Show him fun, silly things like bars and motorcycles and crappy Muggle flats. But also introduce him to freedom, and letting loose, and finding himself outside of that "Malfoy heir" identity, the way Sirius ran away from his "Black heir" identity.

I don't think Draco will pull away as much as Sirius did, and Sirius will understand enough to meet Draco where he is. And he knows the world Draco comes from enough to integrate into it when he needs to. And I think they'll find a lot of understanding and acceptance together, and learn a lot together, and explore a lot together, and be really chaotic and intense and messy together, and find so much joy and contentment together.

I have many Drarius feelings and I really need to write more of them one day.

Snape/Filch

Delphi sure SOLD me on this one, geez Louise. This is one of those I don't think is forever, but is meaningful and impactful to both parties. (It's gotta end Snarry, y'know? 👀) Love the age gap. And I love it best when it's student/caretaker. Maybe New Professor/caretaker, even. I love the idea of these two outcasts coming together and finding comfort together, and being able to appreciate each other in ways other people don't.

They both have their bitterness, and their sense of cruelty. They're both overlooked and unappreciated. Filch as the Squib looking after a magical castle full of magical people. The butt of many jokes. And Severus, the half-blood, the poor kid, the ugly kid. From a rough background, and surrounded by peers of much better circumstance. Targeted by the Marauders (who cause Filch enough trouble, too.)

It's fascinating to me, to see Filch, who doesn't seem to like much of anyone, being drawn to Snape. Sort of feeling a kindred spirit in some ways. A sense of camaraderie in the way Snape is seen, and treated, by others. Severus' broodiness and bitterness. But mostly sparked by some stunt pulled by the Marauders.

And Filch being the one to see how amazing Severus is. How intelligent and skilled, but looked over in favor of more handsome and charming and well-connected students. And I can see him being a bit torn between smug pride over how similar they are, and sharing that feeling of "yeah people don't see what I'm capable of, either" and then part of him growing to really care for Severus and wanting better for him and wanting others to actually see Severus the way Filch does. And Severus appreciating that, and feeling seen and safe with someone, at least to the extent that he can feel those things. (Wary as he is.) And really enjoying the affection he gets, and pleasure from their physical relationship. And maybe learning at least some small sense of self-worth and confidence in his own physicality.

One day I'm going to write the Snilch-turned-Snarry of my dreams and it's gonna be great, and in the meantime, a gal can dream.

Ginny/Gwenog

LISTEN. 2 lady athletes being hot together? Why not?? Of course with Gwenog being barely more than a mention, a lot of this is built on headcanon for her, but like...

Quidditch hero Gwenog. I like to headcanon her as a Slytherin (primarily due to a Snegurochka fic.) She's a Slug Club alum. She's a famous athlete. So I like to imagine her as a bit arrogant, and sure of herself. And maybe there initially being a "don't meet your heroes" moment between Gwenog and Ginny wherein Ginny very quickly loses her admiration of Gwenog because they meet at the wrong time (imagine they meet at some Slughorn event, haha.) But as Ginny loses interest in Gwenog, Gwenog's interest in Ginny is sparked.

Then one day they meet on the pitch, either as teammates or rivals. Either could be fun! And sort of coming together over their love of the sport and Ginny realizing there's more to Gwenog than first impression led her to believe. Also: there's at least some sorta age gap there, which you KNOW I love!

Also I love the idea of tabloids painting Ginny some type of way when she moves from a high profile relationship with Harry Potter: hero to a high profile relationship with Gwenog Jones: celebrity athlete. And maybe unfairly getting a reputation as a fame whore. And Ginny being super bitter about it because they don't understand!!!!

Anyway basically there's a lot of fun to be had.

Also I have weirdly specific feelings about tall Ginny. Just this tall pretty redhead athlete with short!Harry, and then moving onto her shorter butch girlfriend Gwen. Idk but really tall and more femme Ginny just does it for me. Like...she's like "I have long hair and I can pull off pretty dresses, but also I have the Bat Bogey Hex mastered, and I'll kick your ass on the pitch" and I respect that.

Hermione/Lavender

My newest obsession weirdly??? Even though I've read hardly any fics for it and there's no age gap to be seen. 🤨 Love me some Hermione/Fleur you know (my favorite Hermione ship still), and Hermione/Minerva and Hermione/Narcissa, but lately Hermione/Lavender is doing it for me on an almost opposites attract level?

This gives me a big impression of two people with the wrong idea of each other and having to face their own biases once they start to connect on some level. And then both being Ron's exes is hilarious. Bonus points for that. And imagine them as a longterm couple and they laugh years later over it. "Remember how we both dated the same guy? And we were jealous of each other? And now we're madly in love? Haha, life is funny."

Like, yeah, Hermione can be a bit bossy and fussy, and opinionated and judgmental in her own way. A bit self-righteous. Lavender isn't a very academic sort of person, but she's not dumb, and she's very brave. I like the idea of Lavender finding respect and admiration for Hermione only once she moves past Hermione being "very smart." And even Hermione sees so much of her value tied to her intelligence, and Lavender finding value literally everywhere else. How loyal Hermione is, how passionate she is, her love of travel and culture, etc.

And Hermione having to look past Lavender's "silliness" and face just how judgmental she is, and having to come to grips with yeah Lavender likes to gossip, and dress up, and she's very romantic, and she's interested in Divination, but there's also more to her than that. And that there is still value in things Lavender enjoys even if Hermione doesn't care for them herself, or even "believe" in them. And Hermione finding value in Lavender beyond how pretty she is, or how playful (especially postwar when Lavender maybe deals with heavy scarring and trauma and maybe heavy blows to her self-esteem.) And maybe being seen and recognized for better qualities even she maybe didn't think of herself as having, such as being quite brave and quite strong.

I dunno I just really want to explore them and all of the potential gives me many feelings.

[lemon-box]

My ideal scooby doo gang dynamic and their respective guiding personality traits:

Fred: AUTISTIC HIMBO WITH PARENTAL ISSUES & A SPECIAL INTEREST IN TRAPS! Pretty obvious, I basically think the mystery inc version of Fred is the most perfect one, minus the obsessive behavior he had towards Daphne in early season 2… I don’t think enough people talk about that side of MI Fred? It was honestly pretty uncomfortable, I think we could write it differently while still keeping the “I have abandonment/attachment issues w my girlfriend and it’s impacting us both” message. Either way, Fred is the himbo leader who owns the mystery machine, loves his friends, is reliable, and serves as comedic relief as well. He’s interested in mysteries because they’re the best way to make use of his traps & test out new ones.

Daphne: Daphne needs to be the one with social skills. That’s the one thing she has that the others don’t: she can network, has connections, and can use her parents’ infinite pool of money to just make any accommodations happen? Despite that she’s still very sweet, considerate, and one of the main 3 clue finders (them being Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby). I don’t really mind her being in love with Fred or Velma (sorry Shaphne shippers), but I don’t think love interests should be necessary for any of the characters. In one of Daphne’s character profiles released in 1999, it stated that her life ambition is to become a mystery novel author. AND I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THAT I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!! That is such an easy yet clever way to not only give her more depth as a character but curiosity & motivation for these dangerous situations as well, I think it’s such a shame that no scooby doo media that I’ve seen has utilized that for her :(. Daphne is a people person, is resourceful, athletic, and the resident fashion expert. She’s interested in mysteries because they help & inspire her with her writing.

Velma: Velma is the dork nerd with a tumblr blog on mysteries/unsolved cases and is an absolute academic weapon. You KNOW she took AP chemistry in freshman year and got at least a 4 on the exam. She’s super smart, confident, her only hobbies are studying and solving mysteries, and I think she has the least social skills out of everyone which makes it a really fun dynamic with Daphne! She’s very observant, serious, and despite how hard it is for her to show affection, she really loves her friends, they’re her found family after all. I don’t really like iterations of Velma where she thinks everyone around her is an idiot and it feels like she actually hates the gang. If we can portray her as a teen with trouble showing affection instead of a teen who actually doesn’t feel it, I think the anger issues she had in MI could work really well. Velma is a nerd with sass, biggest believer in ghosts/monsters, walking encyclopedia, and dependent on her friends to get through when she can’t find a solution. She’s interested in mysteries because she is a naturally curious person who’s hungry for knowledge and for a chance to study the supernatural.

Shaggy (and scooby): Shaggy is the anxiety ridden, emotion driven anchor of the group. Yet despite his overwhelming feelings he’s the one who keeps everyone grounded. Everyone else gets so carried away with investigations, clues, and their ambition that they forget where the line is sometimes. But Shaggy is unaffected by that, at the end of the day he seeks security and safety, and he can remind everyone to stop and consider new perspectives. That makes him great at finding clues, him and scooby are always looking where the others aren’t, especially using scoob’s sense of smell and shaggy’s sense of taste. In the 2020 scoob movie they described them as the heart of the group, and in one scene daphne said “with shaggy and scooby gone there was no one to remind us to eat lunch…” AND THAT’S EXACTLY IT. THEY’RE COMEDIC RELIEF, THEY BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER, AND THEYRE GOOD AT FINDING CLUES. I also love iterations of Shaggy where he’s a chef. It’s not his lifelong passion, but he loves food so he loves making it, both for himself and everyone else. He believes food tastes better when shared with others. Shaggy is interested in mysteries because despite the dangerous situations, he feels emotionally safe around his friends, and he also likes traveling if it means he gets to add more food profiles to his palette! Solving mysteries allows him to grow not only as a person, but grow out of his very sheltered life which left him rather naive about the world, but he doesn’t know that yet :) thats where the character development comes in.

Short Scooby part: Along with Shaggy Scooby is a big part of the heart. He’s basically everyone’s emotional support dog, especially shaggy’s, and as a dog he can’t help but go where his weird nose takes him. He brings everyone together, is loyal to his empathy, and he’s interested in mysteries because he’s just happy to be around his friends. I think MI gave him a much bigger and more important role than scooby has ever had before, and frankly I think that’s an excellent use of his character, he makes for a great plot device, I need writers to utilize that.

[thedrarrylibrarian]

I've been so excited about this month's Happy Hour guest because I enjoy her writing so very much. I first fell in love with @drarrily-we-row-along's writing during her 100 Drarry Drabbles in 100 Days. Short fics are sometimes hard to set a scene for, or hard to give good plot for, but I remember racing through each of her drabbles, feeling like I never wanted them to end because each bite sized piece of writing was so good! Most recently, I've been enjoying her contributions for @hdcandyheartsfest. It feels like every day in February I get to read something new and wonderful from @drarrily-we-row-along and I love it!

One of the things that I've learned about writers is that they are often readers, so it's always one of my greatest joys to get to peek into what one of my favorite fic writers is reading herself. Here's our wonderful February Happy Hour guest rec from @drarrily-we-row-along!

Hello friends! I was super excited, and very honored, to be asked to be the guest for Happy Hour in February. I love this blog and have read *so many* incredible fics that have been recced here! I’ve actually been reading quite a bit lately (so many beautiful fics that have brought me a great deal of joy) so it was really tricky to pick just one!

I ended up deciding on Fire Meet Gasoline by @lettersbyelise.

Fire Meet Gasoline by @lettersbyelise (62,600 words, rated E)

When Draco’s anger management issues land him in St Mungo’s, he thinks his Quidditch career is over. But Harry, A&E Healer and notorious workaholic, is faced with a similar predicament. To save their jobs, the two of them decide to fake a relationship. All they have to do is convince their friends and employers… and not fall in love in the process. Simple, right?

This fic.

It hit me right in the solar plexus. I read this fic back in the middle of January (read: devoured this fic- I couldn’t put it down once I started) and it’s been lingering in the corners of my subconscious ever since. This fic is really beautiful and honest; both Harry and Draco are incredibly flawed, wounded people and reading about their healing is immensely satisfying.

Also, it’s a fake-relationship fic which is always it for me. Give me all of the casual intimacy of a couple and all of the angst of a slow burn wrapped in one delicious fic. I’m obsessed with the rules they make in the beginning and the rules they break along the way. I’m a sucker for the ‘idiots to lovers’ tag, for the way that both of them feel they aren’t worthy of the other, that they could never be loved in return. *chef’s kiss*

(An important side note: Their relationships with their friends are beautiful and heartwarming in so many ways. Their respective found-families and the unconditional love they receive from them hit me in the feels repeatedly. I fell in love with Snaffles, and the version of Scorpius in this fic owns my entire heart.)

But most importantly for me, Harry and Draco in this fic are written absolutely perfectly in their imperfections.

Fics that deal with trauma in a realistic (and sometimes painful way) are my favorite and I love the look into both of their psyches in this story. Draco is so very much himself in this fic; he’s strong and he’s brilliant, he’s sarcastic and devastating; he’s all of the things that make reading about Draco such a delight. The way that he articulates himself, the way that he holds his boundaries, the way that he keeps everyone at an arm’s length, the way he feels about himself when he’s at his most honest; I’m undone. And Harry! Harry’s flaws and woundedness are absolutely, stunningly believable. I would read all day about a workaholic Harry Potter, who can never measure up to impossibly high standards that he’s set for himself because of childhood trauma. He’s a gorgeously flawed character, who seems to be trying very hard not to actually find himself and not to deal with all of his own hurt. Frankly, there were times that I had to take several deep breaths and blink back tears when I was reading about Harry because some of it hit just a little too close to home and the words were so poignant and touching.

This fic is beautiful from start to finish, I hope that you click the link and give yourself a treat. By the end you might just find that this beautiful fic has not only healed something within our lovely boys, but within your own heart as well.

Thank you again to @drarrily-we-row-along for this brilliant rec and thoughtful review! Thanks for joining us in the library!

❤️ As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ❤️

Lots of Love and Happy Friday!