#and i've been looking since January which is uh

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Patreon June Posts

I plan on making a post tomorrow for what I'll be posting on my Patreon (and my public profiles) for July, but I realized I never did one for June! So, here's a quick round-up with links for those of you who are subscribed to my Patreon!

Original Story: Simon - This is the first chapter of the book I plan on publishing in the next couple of months called Simon. The book revolves around the life of Simon who is the first-born son of a rich and powerful father who values image over everything else. The book deals with the pressure of a parent, finding family outside of the blood you were born into, and a little bit of boxing and learning how to throw a punch. (I plan to make the first chapter, at least, available on my public profile sometime later.

Exclusive Story: BNHA - Repeat - Part 1 - A Patreon-exclusive story I'll be writing and only posting to my Patreon. This story involves Shinsou Hitoshi, the adopted son of Eraserhead and Present Mic, babysitting the two after they get hit by a de-aging quirk and turned into nine-year-olds. He also is babysitting his adopted baby sister Eri. It's essentially four kids with trauma clashing into each other and learning that family can be a stronger bond than anything else.

Exclusive Story: Attack On Titan - A Sweet Hope - This is a drabble I wrote for an Attack On Titan pairing + OC that was requested by one of my $10 tier Patrons (who get a free 2k word drabble each month). It was a really cute one to write.

Original Story: A Chance Meeting - This one was inspired by an old commission I did that dealt with Final Fantasy content. I changed the characters and names and tossed up a few other things to where it's now a short original piece more than anything. It's also one I plan on posting to my public profiles in a month or two.

And that's it!

I'll talk about this more in another post, but the drabbles and stories I post to my Patreon will either be Patreon exclusive or be works that I won't post to my public profiles for 1-2 months, so pledging is a great way to read all of my content way sooner!

Depending on the tier you can also vote in polls, request stories you'd like to see written, or get a free 2,000 word drabble each month.

[penny-anna]

“Clark, bud, I think you’re outnumbered,” said Billy. “No, I’m not,” said Clark. “We’re fifty-fifty.” “Uh, there’s five of us?” said Billy. “Well –” Billy, as per usual, cottoned on faster than Wally did. He spread his hands. “Dude, I’m on the team too.” “Not right now, you’re not!” Clark shot back. Billy threw the rock at him. It hit him solidly on the forehead. “Ow,” Clark deadpanned. “Billy, don’t throw rocks at Clark,” Bruce told him. Billy was already going for another rock. “Clark, at the very least it’s a solid back up plan.” “We are not,” said Clark. “Using a kid as bait, okay? He’s fifteen.” “We’ve used him as bait before,” Diana pointed out. Clark put his hands over his face and groaned into them. “Oh, God.” “Yeah, you used me as bait like last month,” said Billy. “It’s chill.” “It’s a bit different when you’re powered up,” Clark protested. Billy gave him a weird look. “Dude, I’m still fifteen when I’m powered up?” “He is still fifteen when he’s powered up,” Wally agreed. Clark glared at him. “Which side are you on here?” “Uh,” Wally tried to figure out how best to answer. “The side where Billy’s gonna be fifteen till he turns sixteen?” “That’s math,” Billy pointed. “This is dumb,” said Clark.

big news guys!!! i finally finished this fic concept that i've been sitting on since uhh january 2022? its about 19k and I have titled it 'little warrior'. coming to ao3 SOON but not THAT SOON bcos i have to edit some other stuff first👍

[avianyuh]

DK as a boyfriend

His personality is the sun baby from teletubbies

I'm just kidding, that was me letting an intrusive thought win...

No but seriously, Seokmin is a ball of sunshine

(ps. I'm gonna be using DK and his actual name Seokmin interchangeably)

When you met, believe it or not, he might be a little shy around you.

Mainly because he thinks you're cute and he becomes hyper aware of how loud he is and how his energy is always at 100%

Basically, he doesn't want to scare you off.

But when you guys get to know each other.

And when he gets comfortable...

Prepare for a lot of screaming.

Btw, remember that he's technically an introvert (INFP)

***(introvert doesn't equal shy. introvert just means you have a social battery and it drains faster. the only way to recharge is to spend some time alone or be around people you're comfortable with. so yeah, DK is loud and happy and goofy at times, but remember he's probably at his most comfortable around the other members because they're all his brothers. they all understand each other and know each other's limits.) okay, explanation over.

But also a lot of hysterical laughing.

DK is the boyfriend that rolls on the floor with you while you both laugh to the point you have tears in your eyes.

And it's all because he made some stupid joke or threw something and didn't catch it in enough time.

Or he stubbed his toe and hit a high note.

Like, anything with him is comedy gold.

He's your happy pill, your personal source of sunshine and positivity.

But I feel like he could always see right through you

And once you're a couple, it'd be his sole mission to make sure that he keeps you happy and energized.

And your mood really influences his mood.

If you're having a bad day, that in turn makes him sad and though he tries to cheer you up, if that doesn't work, he gets upset knowing you're down about something.

It's really sweet. Then you pull yourself out of your rut to try to get DK happy again, which doesn't take much effort.

Would kill at karaoke.

I feel bad for whoever goes against him unless you're Seungkwan or Mariah Carey...

Definitely would sing you to sleep.

Honestly, would just constantly be singing.

Around the house, in the shower, in the car, literally anywhere.

And you tease him for it and call him a show off, which he scoffs at but you always see that smile he tries to conceal by looking down trying to cover his mouth.

Type of bf to send you deep text messages on a random Tuesday night at 10:53 pm

I think Seokmin would know pretty early on if you were a good match for him or not.

Do you make him happy?

Is he crazy about you?

And if he answers yes, then he's made up his mind.

So you'd probably meet the members, his family and friends early on.

I see him wanting a private relationship.

Just wants to protect you and the best way to do that is by not outright publicizing it.

Low key romantic because he's protective, ya know?

*yes, I'm using the iconic robe photo, YOUR WELCOME*

Shmexy shtuff🥵:

Hmmm

First of all, I know he's not the type to be shirtless but I just KNOW that man has a nice ass body. Like, have you seen his arms????He works out so, bedroom action with this man will be great.

like... look at those arms😫👇

I don't see DK as the type to do anything crazy in the bedroom

Probably a vanilla kinda dude

I could see him as the type to play music and get really attentive

I said he would be the type to send long, deep text messages

So, I think he'd be really into pillow talk

Long story short, I don't think DK is for the freaks...

~~~

{A/N: Uh...Heyyyyy. Wow, this is awkward. Soooooo, I've been gone for like two months. Really sorry about that guys. I had taken a short break from writing for awhile due to schoolwork. I know I say that a lot though. Yeah, headcanons don't make up for a lack of stories but this has been sitting in my drafts since January so I thought I'd finally finish it. The other thing is my writers block when it comes to fanfics. I had ideas but found it hard to find an idol to pick and envision for the story, idk if that makes sense. It's almost the end of my semester, I have finals coming up and I really miss writing on Tumblr. Side note; I've been listening to a lot of EXO and Got7 lately. It's been so much fun because I used to be a huge ahgase and exo-l back in middle and high school. Python is such a good song btw. I know someone had asked if I'd write for Got7 and idk, that might be on the horizon. Also, just remembered that I never finished writing Boring, so that'll be one of my summer projects. Okay, I promise to not disappear again. Love you and mwahhhh💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋}

[wayfayrr]

hey uh. if requests r open. would it b possible to request a follow up to that self-aware-twi fic. if not thats ok i just wanted u to know i havent stopped thinking about it since i read it. altered my brain chemistry, touch-starved twilight princess link my beloved, etc etc. ur writing is top-tier <3<3<3

I think the best part about this ask is - I've had this written since early January. I actually wrote part two as a birthday gift for a good friend of mine @glowyskull <33

So this is more just me finally posting it sfbgdfbgdb. it's also funny to think that the twilight fic is my most popular fic now considering how the self aware au really started as just a really guiltily self indulgent fic - something fun to write that I didn't think could get as big as it did on my blog. and I'm glad that you liked it so much <333 whimpery touch starved twilight princess link is just so AUGH love him so

[masterlist]

“Oh you’re finally wakin up then darlin’.”

“...hmm?”

“C’mon darlin’, you can’t have forgotten what happened earlier already? Can you? Your fever - cold isn’t that bad so you can't have…”

Who’s rambling… and why does it sound so familiar?  Wait does that mean - is everything that happened earlier all real then, did link really crawl out of my tv just because he was lonely. Because I left him there, left him all on his own to rot in his own solitude. 

“Link? You - that - everything was real then? All of it?”

“All of it darlin’, from how I got out to how I’m never gonna leave ya.”

“Huh..? I could’ve sworn that you didn’t even mention anything like that…”

“Mhm, well you’re ill and still a little out of it darlin’ so you probably just forgot, you did agree though.” 

It does sound like something that I would agree to, I mean I’m the reason that he’s sentient. It would be cruel of me to throw him to the other wolves, he isn’t from here but besides even that, he isn’t from here. He doesn’t know how this world works, it would be worse than sending a dog to a shelter. It would be his death sentence for certain, and after all that I put him through for a simple pause in playing. The way he’s petting my hair like this though, it’s enough to simply just wash the rest of my worries away, if I could I would spend the rest of my life right here easily.  

“About your illness though, do you have any red potion anywhere?” 

“No, no things like that don’t exist here link and the painkillers I have aren’t worth moving for.” 

“If you’re sure… I’ll go and get them for you the second you change your mind.”    

“You don’t even know where I keep them.” 

His hand paused at that, causing me to let out an involuntary whine. I couldn’t even think to stop it with how it slipped out instantly, which he seemed fond of. Cuddling me closer to his chest and resting his head on top of mine, with what felt like a giant smile on his face. 

“I can look for them, It’s not like I won’t need to learn where everything is now that I’m living with ya… besides I’ve already put you through so much stress when you’re not well.”

“You didn’t mean to link, how could you have known I was sick?”

“...I don’t know - I just - it shouldn’t have been hard to know with how you looked when you opened the game. I’m sorry love I just wasn’t even thinking I just wanted to be out, but I should’ve been more considerate to you.”

With how silent he is in the game you could never have guessed how much he likes to ramble, it’s the second or third time it’s happened since he crawled out of the glas- the glass. Are his bandages holding up, he seems fine but he’s not from here, any infection could be deadly. He wouldn’t even see it coming with how much he’s fawning over my comfort right now. 

“Link?” “Yes, darlin’?”

Oh wow, he - well he’s whipped already. Is it real love or has all that time trapped alone twisted him into this. I’d look into getting him therapy but… if he mentioned the truth then it would be a matter of seconds until he’d be diagnosed with something inaccurate. No one. No one at all would ever believe that a video game character actually broke out of their game - especially not someone like Link falling for an exhausted student like me.

“Are you feeling alright? You have so many cuts and wounds right now.”

“It’s nothing that’s worse than anything else I’ve ever had. They do feel more real though.”

“...real?”

“They feel like real wounds, not something that could be healed away in seconds and they’re just tiny scrapes.”He sounds so giddy as he’s talking about being hurt - it’s unnerving when he starts holding me even tighter when he’s saying it. I don’t think I’m ever going to be getting away from him ever again… if I wanted to. Why shouldn’t I take a chance at having a relationship though. He cares about me - he really does even if it’s unhinged - it would be so nice to come home to him, to be able to spoil him and be spoilt by him. Even being held like this feels so unreal, so impossible that I shouldn’t be here with him. So much so that I want to stay here and fall back asleep without any argument. Didn’t he even say he wanted to be my lover? Why look over a gift too closely?

[phoenixyfriend]

Feb. 26, 2025 - Status of the Colourpop New Moon Collection argument

Hi! No idea if you're a follower who's been following me and my decision to try to cyberbully a multimillion dollar company into doing the right thing. If you're not, you may be confused! I explain under the cut, including a timeline of actions so far.

If you're not new, then the latest is that they do appear to be deleting some comments on this issue, and possibly shadow-banning.

So... maybe it's working? Here are the links to the six places where they can be contacted. Pick one and have at it. Use one of my past posts (post one, post two) if you need suggested phrasing.

Email contact form: private, and slow response times, but this is the place where we can make the longest arguments/explanations of the issue and why we care. This is something you do once or twice, and keep polite, then go over to the social medias to grind them down.

Instagram: The one I've been haunting. They post several times a day, but often about specific products that I don't feel give me a segue option.

TikTok: I don't have TikTok but given its presence in the marketing world, I assume they post there as often as they do on Instagram, and with pretty much the same content as their reels. I feel like TikTok is wild enough for me to tell you to give 'em hell.

YouTube: exists, but they haven't used it in nine months, so not really on top of things. That said, if it's your ONLY social media, go for it. Can't hurt.

Facebook: I can't actually access this one so I don't know what's going on there, and the link appears to be broken. If you can find their page, go for it.

X/Twitter: Like Facebook, I can't really access this one (I'm using xcancel to see it in chronological form), but it looks like they're bragging about Chappell Roan approving of their makeup. So uh. If you follow her on any platform, ask her if she approves of the situation (also of the Harry Potter collaboration, which is directing money through merch royalties to JKR's transphobic lobbying, something I'm sure Chappell Roan would also be unhappy with).

EDIT: I put the wrong year up top, this post was made in 2025, not 2024. Hopefully this edit will show on reblogs of the original since it's under the cut. Sorry for the mistake.

The short explanation version: Colourpop is a cosmetics company known for fun colors and cool collaborations. At the start of 2024, they started releasing a collaboration with Twilight.* January of 2025, they dropped a New Moon collection. Given that the Quileute people have not seen a cent of the Twilight money despite the massive role their people and culture played in it, much of the fandom has decided that the best approach to any Twilight merchandise is to send a portion of the profits to the Quileute "Move to Higher Ground" fundraiser, meant to relocate their town away from the danger posed by higher sea levels. Colourpop has made no statements on donating to the fundraiser, and it's a topic I care about enough to try and galvanize people into making it happen.

The long version: here. And here. And here.

* I wasn't paying attention at the time, as I'd last purchased from them in 2020 (the Safiya Nygaard collaboration), and I'd only come back because they were having a massive sale back in early January. The New Moon collection hadn't dropped yet so I didn't see it, and the first Twilight collection was in colors I don't wear much, so I was more focused on being mad at the Harry Potter stuff.

I am not the first person to have expressed frustration about this to Colourpop, and it's not the first problematic collab they've done. However, they are smaller than many make-up companies, so it feels possible to actually move the needle here, which is what I'm hoping to do.

To be very clear: My goal is not to get the makeup pulled from shelves or to get a public apology. My goal is to get money directed to the fundraiser. That is what's important here, not any virtue signalling or grandstanding. If there is no donation, then we want a statement as to why. Those are the demands: donate, or explain why you won't. We focus on this.

Timeline:

I sent my first email on January 19th, posted about it here the same day, and then started commenting on their New Moon Instagram posts on February 3rd.

I sent a second email on February 9th, as the promised "3-5 business days to respond" had come and gone.

I was temporarily blocked from commenting on anything by instagram on suspicions of being a bot due to suspicious activity, lasting a week. During that time, I continued updating tumblr posts with links to instagram posts that I thought posed an opening (being about the New Moon collection, about sales that weren't content-specific, or that had some phrasing that I thought invited response, like 'what do you want to see?').

Feb. 10: In response to one comment where I admittedly baited them by being ambiguous enough for them to think I had a problem with an order instead of my usual comments, they deleted said comment and DMed me directly. I responded, explaining my actual issue, and they left me on read.

On February 14th, they responded to my Feb. 9th email, likely spurred by the DM conversation. I assume the folded whatever case file the Jan. 19th email had opened into that one. The response was very canned, but it was at least some response.

Since then, I tried sending another email through the contact form, and it failed to go through since I already have 'open threads,' which I'm guessing is an automatic filter and not targeted.

I have continued to comment on their Instagram posts, and have also encouraged others to do the same. One of those posts was taken down after a day, but I don't think it had to do with us; rather, they were getting a lot of flack for perceived violations of some kind of health and safety thing (iirc people were arguing over what length of beard required a net).

Today, February 26th, we have confirmation from @rairii that comments on this topic are being deleted. Not all, possibly for plausible deniability of 'see, we're not trying to hide the problem!' while still making it harder for the layperson to see, but at least one of theirs. This tumblr user also appears to have been shadow-blocked in some way, as they are unable to access colourpop's page at all on mobile.

So. That's where we're at now.

Let's hope we're getting a little closer to them making a statement on this issue.

[bringerofdarkness-fancomic]

Oooough I’m not normal about Exnic. He’s so googy he’s so gooby wooby he’s so blorbo.

video response for you!! :DD

(can't listen right now? no problem. here it is in writing/as a transcript to some degree for you under the cut. 👌)

On January 13, 2024 at 8:06 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, Anonymous asked: "Ooh I’m not normal about Exnic. He’s so googy he’s so gooby wooby he’s so blorbo."

I get it. I understand completely. If there's anyone around here who is not normal about Exnic the Hedgehog, it's me. The guy who made him. Primarily because he is a big, BIG reason as to why I haven't dropped Bringer of Darkness to begin with… for the last two or so years.

Every time I would, uh, take a break or… put the comic on hiatus for… you know, the last two or so years. It doesn't seem that way because… it's been on a backlog. I've had each page scheduled out in advance.

So, there was no breaks between each Friday, unless I meant there to be, unless something came up, or I chose to schedule it early, but primarily attempted to post every Friday since… July of 2024.

But, yeah. Exnic is such a huge reason as to why I haven't dropped Bringer of Darkness. 'Cause like, every time I'd stop, eventually I'd just think about him and go: "Ooh, I need to work on Bringer of Darkness again, I miss my ugly rancid little son, my — my gooby wooby. My little gloinky sploink. My little guy."

So, eventually I'd come back to it, and I'd work on it again. Just 'cause of him. And it feels really, really weird that he is just not in the comic anymore currently.

Um… he's been here, truthfully, since the second page of the comic, since, you know, the cover wasn't really the cover. It was just made originally as a ten page milestone and was tweaked to be a cover when I posted it to Tumblr. Right? I needed to make a good first impression. So I tweaked that piece and I made it into the cover.

So truthfully, Exnic has been in the — in the comic proper since the second page. And to have him just no longer be there just feels weird. It's like: "Where'd he go? Where's my son? Where did he go? Why is he gone? And I know why. I know why. He's just, uh… he's just… preparing.

In truth, I didn't want him to overstay his welcome. It's just… that's the thing. I love him so much, but I don't want him… to like… just… be there all the time, right?

So. After the prologue now I'm going to have to like figure out how to limit his appearances, which sucks because he's — I love him. But. I get it. 'Sall I'm saying, I can understand the feeling of not being so normal about Exnic, primarily because I am not normal about Exnic.

I just want to add, for no other purpose than because I think it's funny, but. We've got two more pages, technically, left of Bringer of Darkness' prologue. I know. I know, it's weird to have a number and be like: "Wow, this is how long the prologue is. Wow!"

I tried to go for thirty pages, so the thirtieth page would come out on Valentine's Day, but I realized it — it didn't need that many pages story wise. So it's twenty-nine pages now. And, uh… something you got to look forward two is the official Bringer of Darkness comic dub by me and my friend, [blue-devil-gamin].

Tails' lines need to be recorded so it's not done yet. So we don't know when that's coming out, but you will be able to hear him… eventually. And I think if you haven't heard what his voice sounds like, because there is a clip… somewhere… of what he sounds like.

I don't know if I… I-I definitely did reblog it here from my main… my main blog, so it does exist. You probably will be able to find it, but. Yeah, you will be able to hear eventually. And, uh… yeah. What am I talking about at this [point]? I don't know.

Regardless. the next stage is to figure out how I'm going to write Chapter One, 'cause the-the last two or so years was spent finishing the prologue and now I'm like: "I know where I want to go from here. I know what I want to do."

I've got plans, right? And I'm figuring out his dynamics with certain other characters. It just feels weird to me now that I have to be like: "Okay. Chapter One. I have to write this now. And stuff."

It's just… I know what I want to do with Bringer of Darkness, but uh… to be able to take those first few steps into getting to that point is just. Huh? What? Right? So, yeah. For you… you get a very special recording of me talking about the gooby wooby. Exbonk the Honchsplonk, right? So….

I hope you like that. I'm gonna stop talking now. Not because I feel bad about yakking your ear off, but because I can't record for an hour and then just post that on Tumblr, so.

Technical reveal that this has been edited, just because I find it weird that I somehow did not mention Exnic by name when I said there's a clip of his voice out there. I guess I was just so deep in my own head that I thought people would just immediately understand who I was talking about, but I really just said, "You'll be able to hear him eventually," and uh, did not elaborate on that.

So, just for that purpose alone, I have decided to tact on that audio clip so you don't have to go looking for it.

[The video switches to Exnic's voice, of which has an accent and an echo to it.] Not quite. Hello. Glad you can make it, Miss Rose. Considering we have a lot to discuss after all.

[The video switches back to the creator of Bringer of Darkness' voice.] Just for extra clarification: the voice for Exnic is Mr. Nub Productions on YouTube. And uh, this was recorded after we had a little discussion as to what Exnic would sound like.

So, this is for you and anyone else who might be listening. You welcome, and have a great day. [Kissing sound.] For your forehead.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki DS Store Bonus CD 「Carrot and Stick: In the Case of Toudou and Harada」

Here's a translation of another of those DS CD dramas...2/4 for January. I should really go looking for short content after... since I go for quantity instead of length for posts. 😂

Also I got lucky and managed to buy a ticket for Tennocon! That's in July so I'm sure as hell not going to be translating that week. Sorta debating about spending an extra day in London (ON, not UK🤣) though when I go since do have co-workers there that I've only seen online, even if that might result in a higher hotel cost...

Hakuoki DS Store Bonus CD 「Carrot and Stick: In the Case of Toudou and Harada」

Translation by KumoriYami:

Toudou: Ah… if things were normal, I'd be drinking and having fun at Shimbara with Shinpat-san now… Damn it, Hijikata-san really is too much. It was just a small mistake, breaking the shoji door, then he just says that I'm not allowed out. It's rare for me to be off duty at night, but isn't it to much that I have to stay at headquarters the entire time? Speaking of which, what's Chizuru doing? Let's go see… For example, when Shinpachi was training last time and broke the shoji door in the dojo last time, he didn't say anything and pushed the blame onto me before running away!

(goes over to Chizuru's room)

Harada: No, no, that was Shinpachi's fault...

Toudou: That's odd? Why is Sano-san's voice here? Did he come to speak to Chizuru too?

(opens door)

Toudou: Sano-san, what are you doing in Chizuru's room?

Harada: Oh, if it isn't Heisuke. Fu, I just got back from patrol and didn't feel like going to sleep like this so I thought I'd come here to chat to pass the time.

Toudou: Seriously...?

Harada: Come to think of it/Speaking of which, you were banned from going outside today, right? What stupid think did you do this time?

Toudou: It wasn't a big deal...

Harada: What wasn't a big deal... I'm concerned about it so tell me.

Toudou: Shut up... leave me alone!

Harada: Why are you getting upset? You're making things difficult for Chizuru.

Toudou: Eh... uh... I wasn't yelling at you just now. It's just... well how do I put this... Litsn to me Chizuru! Hijikata-san seriously is too much! Just because I accidently broke a shoji door, he kept on lecturing me, saying that I was forbidden from going outside!

Harada: That really is unfortunate. Then I'll do something for you. I'll go bring some sake. Are you going to want to drink?

(Harada goes to get drinks)

Harada: Here, I've brought it.

(pours drinks)

Harada: Drink it.

Toudou: Oh, thank you.... Ah, delicious! Chizuru, you don't want to drink? Oh, is that so. You're not good at holding your drink. Huh? Why am I so upset? It's because Hijikata-san's behavious is so unreasonable. It's so frustrating, why am I the only one getting scolded by Hijikata-san! However even if it's useless to say anything to Shinpachi, this is something that Hijikata-san should know about. Sano-san is smart so he rarely gets scolded.

Harada: That's because you and Shinpachi make mistakes but since you always try to avoid taking responsibility, you get lectured more. If you had told the truth earlier when you broke the shoji, Hijikata-san wouldn't have been so upset.

Toudou: That's not the case! I'm the easiest one to scold so he always picks on me! I can't think of another reason! Besides, HIjikata-san is always nagging us about minor details, it's so annoying. Saying that we have set an example to the new members…

Harada: Hey, hey, you shouldn't be saying that in front of Chizuru...

Toudou: What is it, Chizuru… is it that you don't want to listen to me...? That's right, there's no way you wouldn't want to listen. Heisuke has started to complain… Chizuru, although it might be a hassle, please be patient and listen to him complain. I'll make it up to you later. Sorry bout this. Hm? It's no trouble at all? You… I don't know if I should say that you're seriously too nice or something… No, I'm not saying anything bad about you, and am complimenting you. Regardless of whomever faces you, no matter how evil/vicious they are, they'll probably lose their momentum..

Toudou: Hey~ Chizuru... why are you only listening to Sano-san... Listen to what I say too!

Harada: Hey, can't you tell when she's feeling annoyed? She's too kind and won't complain about anything.

Toudou: Is that true, Chizuru? If it's really like what Sano-sani said, and you don't want to listen to me, I'll head back to my room by myself.... Oh, you're happy to listen to me, and don't mind? R-Really? Thank you, Chizuru. You really are so kind.

Harada: Oi, Chizuru, you're being too lenient with Heisuke. If you keep smiling and nodding to him like this, he'll keep on taking advantage of your generosity. Isn't it necessary to be strict with him and leave him alone sometimes?

Toudou: What, if you don't want to listen to me, Sano-san, why don't you go back to your room? I want to continue talking with Chizuru.

Harada: What nonsense are you saying? How can I just leave Chizuru alone with you? It's too dangerous.

Toudou: What do you mean by dangerous! I'm harlmless/safe, right Chizuru? Look, she also says that I'm harmless.

Harada: That's why I said that you're always nodding along… your so nice that it's annoying. I'm going to have a drink too.

(sometime after Sano drinks...)

Toudou: Sano-san, do you still want to/is he still going to keep drinking? If Sano-san gets drunk, he might end up talking about how he committed seppuku again. It might be better for you to leave now. I'll look after Sano-san. You'd feel bad about leaving me alone? No, if you're worried about me, of course I'll be happy, but this is Sano-san…

Harada: Hey! What are you two mumbling about?

Toudou: Uh, Sano-san... that gaze...

Harada: Chizuru, come over here! I have a lot of things to say to you. How should I put this. Being kind to everyone isn't a bad thing, but there has to be a limit for everything! You haven't experienced how cruel society can be, so you might not know] how there are bad men in this world who will take advantage of women's kindness, and deceive and exploit them!

Toudou: What's wrong, you're starting a lecture now? This is why I don't like oji-sans. Chizuru, why don't you go now? It's pointless to continue listening to Sano-san.

Harada: Oi, where are you trying to take Chizuru? I wasn't done talking yet. Okay, sit over here. Today, I'll tell you a story that will benefit you greatly. Speaking of which, when I started to think about a way for men to survive back when I was still in Iyo…

Toudou: Hah... it's started again... Let's go, Chizuru. You've must be tired from hearing the story about how ano-san commit seppuku countless times. Hah? That's not the case? You're not forcing yourself? Even at Shiekan, none of us seriously listened to Sano-san's story. Um... you're really not forcing yourself? You're actually happy listening to Sano-san talk… Chizuru, regardless of what you say...

Harada: Look, isn't Chizuru saying that she wants to listen to me? A story that you can learn something from is a good story, regardless of how many times you hear it. First, I need to start with my hometown in the Iyo Domain...

Toudou: Uah... Chizuru is actualy listening to that guy with a smile on her face… She truly is a nice perosn. It seems that Chizuru really is able to make anyone lose their momentum. In a sense, she's probably the strongest.

---end---

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #66: TUNNEL VISION

January, 1991

Ultron 13 -- Avengers, 0.

Hah, that's pretty clever, comic text.

Also, Tigra is back to normal! Yessss! Can't wait to see that happen!

Previously in Avengers West Coast: Wonder Man's brother, the Grim Reaper, was brought back to life and now has to murder people to live.

Forever ago, Tigra went feral so Hank Pym shrank her and put her in a terrarium but then forgot about her and she got out and has been missing ever since.

Ultron is a jerk. Once, he tried to not be a jerk but another version of him came and killed him about it.

Over in Avengers West Coast Avenging West Coastishly... uh, the government asked them to relocate some protestors that are standing right in the path of a malathion pesticide aerial spraying.

US Agent is, characteristically, grumpy about it. He's probably muttering about the nanny state under his breath.

Iron Man uses his repulsors to blast the pesticide spray so it won't land on the crowd. Meanwhile, US Agent decides to yell at the crowd.

A man protests that the helicopters are spraying at night too and decides to take a swing at US Agent. Which the super-soldier easily dodges.

US Agent: "The authorities okayed this spraying. If malathion's good enough for them, it's sure good enough for -- Hey! What's that rash on your face? It looks like -- some kind of metal!" Guy: "That's what I've been trying to tell you, jerk... They've also been spraying in secret -- at night! I've heard 'em -- choppers, the works! I got this way eating fruit from my own garden -- in Pasadena! These other people got the same problem!"

So, I went down a small rabbit hole, trying to determine if having a story about malathion spraying was just one of those Very California Stories that Avengers West Coast sometimes does.

And apparently, in the 80s, California started spraying the pesticide to control an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit flies and continued the program for a while. But the program was discontinued when there was a bioterrorist attack that released massive numbers of the fruit flies in protest of the spraying. The culprits were never caught but it did result in the end of the malathion program (because it was ineffective) and also transporting Mediterranean fruit flies into California got bumped up from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Wild.

Anyway, in real life, malathion probably doesn't make people develop metal rashes, maybe.

Oh, brief tangent. Speaking of US Agent and how much he loves the government, you'd think that the Avengers losing their government charter would be a thing. Unless the government specifically stripped the charter from the East Coast team and kept on the West Coast team because they had their Agent on the inside.

The book has not said! And since they have different creative teams now, I do not expect them to try very hard to be on the same page! Granted, even when John Byrne was writing both books, they didn't really feel like two halves of the same whole.

Anyway.

Iron Man almost made the helicopter crash when he repulsored the pesticide. So after he saves the pilots, they decide to quit the pesticide business. They seem like they were on the fence already - sympathetic to the concerns about whether malathion is safe or not.

But US Agent has become a believer over one interaction and accuses the helicopter pilots of spraying at night.

Pilot: "You know that hothead, Iron Man?" Iron Man: "Who really knows anybody?"

Hah. What a way to dodge the question. He really doesn't want to associate with the guy.

The pilots deny having anything to do with nighttime spraying. All their flights were listed in the paper long before they did it.

US Agent is still being belligerent, though, so Iron Man picks him up and flies away with him. They weren't there to take sides on the malathion controversy.

US Agent: "Yeah? Well, we're Avengers, aren't we? If you'd got a close look at the skin on some of those people -- as metallic-looking in spots as your fancy-pants armor -- maybe you'd feel it was high time the Avengers West Coast finally started doing some real avenging!"

US Agent fills Iron Man in about the night sprays on the flight back to the Avengers West Coast Compound. And Iron Man agrees that it warrants the Avengers looking into.

Also, Tigra. She's back to normal. It happened off-panel! Agatha Harkness did it in Avengers Spotlight #38!

I'm slightly annoyed that the subplot dragged on so long in the book and it gets resolved in another book!

Tigra is also back to her old ways. She throws a flirt US Agent's way and he looks stricken by the attention. Slightly terrified, even.

Iron Man: "Yep. You're back to normal all right, Greer."

Everyone Avengers West Coast is in the meeting room, except for the Human Torch. Or as the ever-prickly US Agent calls him "the has-been Torch."

Do they have beef? US Agent and Human Torch both do so little that I don't remember them interacting very much.

Hank Pym called a meeting to tell everyone about the robot farmers he ran into.

And he reveals that in the most dramatic way possible.

Hawkeye isn't very impressed by some androids. The Avengers see a lot of androids.

But Hank Pym explains that these robots were being controlled remotely and disguised as perfectly normal wheat farmers. And that they blew up when he activated the Rover aircraft's engine.

Wasp speculates that if someone is replacing farmers with robots, it has something to do with tampering with the food supply.

US Agent connects some dots and wonders if this has anything to do with the metallic rash he saw on those protestors. He's not sure why these things would be connected but I think he could be onto something. Why are they in the same arc if not?

Hawkeye laughs this off.

Hawkeye: "Malathion spraying? Get serious, Agent. You think the Earth's being inaded by robot medflies?" US Agent: "You brainless -- ! Uncle Sam put me here to keep an eye on clowns like you -- not to take any of your bull!

The rest of the Avengers have to hold the two back so they don't start punching each other.

Hank Pym tries to get everyone on task, telling the Avengers to check out other farms in the area and asking US Agent to follow-up on the metallic rash. But Wonder Man interrupts to say he definitely will not be doing this.

He's got other priorities lately.

Wonder Man: "It's the rest of you that're crazy -- not me! Wanda and I told you how my dead brother's come back -- as the real Grim Reaper this time -- how he's drinking up people's lives like so much Miller Lite! And you want us all to charge off looking for robots down on the farm?"

Dr Pym acknowledges that he's not exactly the team chairman so he can only suggest what the team does.

Hey, the team hasn't had a leader since Hawkeye rage-quit. Why haven't they gotten around to resolving that? Like, the team doesn't need a leader. Some Avenger's iterations don't have one. In Jason Aaron's run, after Black Panther quit the leadership role to go deal with a bad solo book, the Avengers didn't replace him so made decisions as a group. It's perfectly valid.

Except, this book keeps going 'huh, weird how we don't have a leader, right?' and then not doing anything with that.

This is the era of Avengers where plot points drag on forever for no reason.

Anyway.

Dr Pym says they don't have any leads on Grim Reaper so they may as well focus on this robot farm threat while the whole L.A.P.D. focuses on tracking down the Reaper.

Wonder Man dismisses this reasoning.

Wonder Man: "Threat? What thrat? A tinker-toy version of Ma and Pa Kettle -- some bozo with zits whining about how somebody sprayed insecticide on his face -- and you jokers start worrying someone's going to cause rust on the food chain!" Iron Man: "We all hope you're right, Wonder Man, and it's just a false alarm. On the other hand -- don't you think you may have lost your objectivity?" Wonder Man: "I don't want to be objective, tin man. I want to find my brother -- "

Wow. You know that Tony is going to have to pay for that, right?

Wanda Witch runs after Wonder Man and tries to convince him not to fly off half-cocked, to wait for when the Avengers can back him up. Wonder Man says nuts to that. He asks Wanda to come and help him look for Grim Reaper but her powers are still gone so she's not sure what help she can be. So he says nuts to her and flies off half-cocked.

Later, the Avengers West Coast investigate various places for robots or weird pesticide spraying without finding much of anything.

Iron Man checks Riverside, US Agent checks Hollywood, Wasp checks Pomona, and Dr Pym and Wanda coordinate from the Compound.

But Hawkeye has gone rogue, going to investigate a closed down section of the metro rail tunnel without checking in with base.

And Quicksilver and Tigra have also gone rogue so they could sneak up and give him shit about going rogue. Because he was so obviously going to sneak off and go rogue that they couldn't help but follow him.

Hawkeye confesses that he took the malathion nighttime spraying stuff US Agent brought to the Avengers very seriously for reasons he can't really explain.

So he looked at the reports of nighttime sprayings and found that they made a nice circle around a metro tunnel that had been closed after a fire. Which IS a very ripped from the headlines thing, as an editorial caption confirms that the fire was in all the papers.

Rather than tell anyone about this lead, Hawkeye did not tell anyone. So the Avengers are flying around everywhere, wasting their time, so that Hawkeye can be the big man who cracks the case wide open.

Not a very good team player for a guy who wants to lead the team again.

Anyway, he's stuck with Tigra and Quicksilver now.

Tigra bends the bars over the tunnel entrance so they can get in. And she spots a minute crack in the wall where a secret tunnel (SECRET TUNNEL) was covered up.

Hawkeye blasts a new entrance hole with one of his arrows and the three go through to find a hi-tech secret base.

A base with a helicopter, like the ones that have been spotted spraying at night! Also, robots! Like the ones Hank and Jan found!

Team Hawkeye assumes hostility and starts bashing the bots. And they take care of them fairly quickly. Pietro hits one bot with another and then cheekily suggests he's available to help the other two Avengers. But they're also already done.

Hawkeye: "Four up, four down. All our super hero free-for-alls should be that easy!"

But just as Tigra is vowing she won't leave this base until she finds out what's going on, Ultron backhands her from the shadows and tells the Avengers they're not even allowed to leave.

Hawkeye says don't make me shoot you with an exploding arrow after already firing one. But you know Ultron, always made of really strong metal.

He shrugs off Hawkeye's electro-net arrows and then ZAPTs him.

Quicksilver tries running around and around to buffet Ultron with hurricane force winds. Ultron is even less bothered by that.

Ultron: "In earlier incarnations I created the Vision, and survived his betrayal --- I faced Avengers and Fantastic Four together, in the Inhumans' Great Refuge -- ! I triumphed even in battle with Ultron-12, who tried to usurp my identity and my station --" casually clotheslines Pietro "-- and now they send a mere jogger against me? It is almost -- insulting."

Hey. Hey, Quicksilver? Maybe you should have used that superspeed to run and get help.

By the time the Avengers waked up, Ultron has tubed them.

Villains love tubes.

Hawkeye: "Tigra -- Quicksilver -- you two all right?" Tigra: "Well, I had a bit of a cold, and Pietro's been complaining about an ingrown toenail..." Quicksilver: "This is hardly the occasion, Tigra -- !"

This is a superhero comic, Hawkeye. You're fighting a robot that's the unrestrained id of your fellow hero. Maybe a few yuks aren't genre inappropriate.

Hawkeye admits belatedly that maybe he shouldn't have run off without telling the others where he was going. But he guesses that Ultron is behind the farmer robots AND the night spraying?

Ultron confirms. He's been placing robots amongst the wheat farms of California so that they can add a crystalline substance to the crop. The spraying is another way of getting that same substance into circulation.

Hawkeye assumes that Ultron is trying to poison humanity but Ultron says he's trying to evolve them. Into robots. That's evolution... probably.

And in the half hour that the heroes were unconscious and being tubed, Ultron sprayed them too.

Ultron: "You see -- in the past, I made the fundamental error of wishing to conquer the human race. What use could I possibly have for men, either free or slaves? At last, I see what should always have been my true goal: to replace every man, woman, and child on the planet -- with living ROBOTS who are nothing more nor less than four billion extensions of myself!"

Ah, assimilation plot.

Very evil robot supervillain of you, Ultron. Although, I assume that if you ever manage to accomplish this, you won't be satisfied with the result. You wouldn't dick around with making robot wives so often if you wanted to sit around talking to yourself all day.

Still, I wonder how the Avengers West Coast is going to get out of this one. They don't have the heavy hitters they usually rely on to deal with Ultrons.

Wonder Man flipped the Avengers the double birds and went off into a back-up story to cover his subplot. Scarlet Witch lost her powers. Thor and Vision are with the East Coast Avengers. I guess Dr Pym is around but his track record against Ultron is... bad.

Anyway, speaking of Wonder Man subplot...

Not sure why this needed to be a back-up story. Roy Thomas worked on both the main story and this. Other issues of Avengers have had subplots going on at the same time as the main story.

Anyway, Grim Reaper ate a guy.

And just when he's relishing the meal and making it oddly sexual

Grim Reaper: "Tell me, friend... Was it good for you, too?"

Wonder Man shows up and punches him through a wall.

And credit where it's due, Wonder Man remembers that there's other plot threads going on and asks if Grim Reaper is involved with the night spraying that is turning people into robots.

Grim Reaper: "I don't even know what you're talking about! Why would I want to do something like that -- when I need human life to exist?"

He raises a good point.

Wonder Man says that means they're on the same side on this one and suggests Grim Reaper surrender and let the Avengers help him with his horror hunger.

Grim Reaper tzzakks Wonder Man. The Avengers are just humans and humans are just food. Except Wonder Man, who is useless as a food because he would eat Grim Reaper instead.

Since Grim Reaper can't really hurt Wonder Man, he plans to drop a building on him. To keep him out of the way!

BUT OUT OF NOWHERE, MANDRILL!

Not entirely out of nowhere. He's Nekra's sister and he tracked down Grim Reaper because he's furious that he killed her.

If only he were better at not getting killed.

Luckily for him, he'll be saved from death by poor editorial oversight.

He'll pop up thirteen years later with no explanation in a She-Hulk comic because somebody either forgot or didn't care that he was dead.

Wonder Man is horrified and clearly Grim Reaper killing a monkey man was a line too far in the way that him killing a random man was not.

Wonder Man: "You better kill me, too, Eric -- before I get my second wind. Because if you don't -- after what I've just seen -- I won't rest -- till one of us is back in that grave of yours!" Grim Reaper: "You almost wish I'd bury you beneath a mountain of rubble, don't you, Simon? Then you could stop feeling responsible for all the lives I've taken -- the ones I'll go on taking. I'd almost prefer to let you live -- so you can suffer every time you hear I've killed someone -- Which should be at least once a day. Yes, I think I will leave you in torment for a while. Then, when I feel you've agonized enough -- I'll finally come back and finish the job!"

Grim Reaper jumps down a manhole but Wonder Man is stopped from following him when the police arrive. What with all the dead bodies around, seeming to flee would be a bad move so Wonder Man stays put.

Police: "Saw somebody duck down that manhole as we drove up, Wonder Man. Any idea who the killer was?" Wonder Man: "Afraid not, officer. It was someone... I never knew...!"

So that's about where Wonder Man is falling on the drama scale right now.

Next Avengers time, the East Coast branch changes up their roster. But next Avengers West Coast time,

Follow @essential-avengers for more Avengers at this Avengers channel at the usual Avengers time. Like, reblog, comment, subscribe and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

[morelikeravenbore]

The Door Knocker Considers Retirement.

Since Aurélie's birthday didn't get a mention in Villain (because of er, reasons pertaining to angst), I wanted to honour the occasion with a oneshot. This was supposed to be super duper fluffy, but for reasons pertaining to my chaos brain not knowing how to be normal, uh… this happened instead.

Content warnings: none, just some good old fashioned sfw chaos in which a birthday gift goes horribly awry and the door knocker cops a fist to the beak. Sebastian x Garreth rivalry. Sebastian Sallow x F!OC Aurélie Collins.

Word count: 2.3k

Preview: The girls’ screamed like banshee's, pushing and shoving each other in their desperation to flee. One of them fell over, dragging two of her friends down with her. The door knocker let out an almighty screech as another girl somehow punched it square in the beak. Somebody was crying for their mother.

When January twenty-sixth finally rolled around, frozen over with snow and misery, Aurélie woke early in her dorm (as was usual) with cold fingers and toes (also usual) determined that she would have the most usual, non-eventful, non-birthdayish day that it was possible for anyone to have.

Unfortunately, life at Hogwarts was neither usual nor non-eventful, for the second her feet touched the cold floor, she was assaulted with a rousing 'Happy birthday!' from the bunk above her. A moment later, a potted Dittany popped through Samantha's bed curtains, followed shortly by her smiling face.

'I've been lying awake for ages waiting for you to wake up!' she grinned, hopping lightly from her bunk and bequeathing the potted plant like a crown. 'I grew this one especially for you! I'm not sure why, but ever since you arrived, my Dittany's have been growing exceptionally well.'

Months earlier, Aurélie had found a thriving Dittany to replace the half-dead specimen of Samantha's she'd accidentally poofed into the ether, and Samantha, as expected, had attributed the miraculous recovery of her sick plant to an equally miraculous recovery of her questionable Herbology skills. Now, considering herself something of an expert, she'd taken to gifting her friends so many Dittany plants that the common room, according to Everett Clopton, was beginning to resemble that of the Hufflepuff's. Little did anyone realise that Aurélie, feeling a sense of misplaced responsibility, had been secretly keeping them all alive with little offshoots of her Ancient Magic whenever she could.

'Oh, um, thank you,' said Aurélie, accepting her gift, and ultimately her fate to endure unwanted birthday wishes with as much grace as she could muster. 'But how did you know it was my birthday?'

Though she asked the question, she hardly needed an answer: the funny feeling in her tummy, something halfway between fluttering butterflies and angry ants, told her that one tenacious, freckled Slytherin boy was behind this most egregious betrayal of highly personal information. After all, Aurélie had made it a point — a point! – not to disclose her birthday to anyone, not even to Sebastian, who, despite his studious need to learn her like she was the most interesting book he'd ever read, had never actually asked when it was. — Which, now that she thought about it, should've been the first clue that he already knew.

She didn't have to wait long to find out.

Expecting the worst, she was unsurprised to find her trio of unlikely companions waiting for her outside the Ravenclaw common room: Mouse, small and, well, mousey; Poppy, who squealed with delight while brandishing what was clearly a birthday gift; and Sebastian, who knew he was in trouble by the look Aurélie sent him.

‘Happy birthday!’ Poppy sang, throwing her arms around Aurélie's middle with a force that almost sent them toppling over.

‘Thank you,’ she returned flatly, leveling Sebastian a glare over Poppy's shoulder. ‘How ever did you know?’

While Poppy flat-out ignored the question, Sebastian returned her glare with one of his slow-spreading smiles that made her chest tighten and her stomach flip.

Stupid handsome smile.

‘Happy birthday,’ he said once she was freed from Poppy's tight embrace. He made no move to touch her, but his fingers flexed and his eyes had that gleam in them that said I want to kiss you ‘til you can't remember your own name.

She promptly averted her attention, trying to ignore the way her heart was beating all over her body by politely refusing the gift Poppy was pressing into her hands.

‘This is from all of us,’ Poppy said breathlessly. ‘The Hufflepuff's, I mean. We all put in for it. It's a book!’ She bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. ‘Because, well, you are a Ravenclaw, but it's a pretty book, because you're French and —’

‘Why don't you let her open it first, Poppy,’ Sebastian cut in, while at the same time, Mouse scurried forward to present her with a half-empty box of chocolate frogs, and Samantha Dale popped her head out from the common room to tell her, ‘I've just set your Dittany by the windowsill, Aurélie. They always used to die whenever I left them there, but now they absolutely thrive! It's the strangest thing. — Oh, hello Poppy, Sebastian! What's that you've got there? Another birthday gift? Well, go on, then, open it!’

Suddenly surrounded by a small, eager audience, Aurélie had no choice but to unwrap the gift while Poppy shuffled impatiently from foot to foot, and Mouse stole another chocolate frog from the box under her arm, and Sebastian watched with far, far too much amusement for someone who was minutes away from dealing with a very unhappy girlfriend.

Prepared to discover the aforementioned book as she peeled back the plain brown wrapping paper, she was instead met with something brown and hairy that growled at her. She froze, clutching the book-shaped thing in her hands while Samantha shrieked and Poppy spluttered in confusion.

Immediately, Sebastian elbowed his way closer.

‘What is that?’ he demanded, snatching the half-wrapped thing from her hands. ‘Poppy, what the fu—’

But he was cut short when the thing tore through the wrapping paper, leapt to the ground and began scuttling around on spindly little legs: not a book, but some sort of narrow, semi-sentient wooden chest.

Poppy was beside herself. ‘That's not the gift I wrapped yesterday!’ she wailed as Sebastian made a lunge for it. ‘I don't understand! What happened to the book?’

‘Don't worry about that now!’ Sebastian cried, leaping out of the way as the thing came for his ankles. ‘Just help me catch it!’

Somewhere in the midst of the chaos, Samantha Dale disappeared and Mouse made off with Aurélie's box of chocolates, leaving the three of them to deal with the rogue gift on their own.

‘Quick, usher it towards me!’ Sebastian, brandishing his wand, wore the same unadulterated expression of glee he often wore in Crossed Wands sessions. Given his propensity for fire spells, Aurélie thought it unlikely the Ravenclaw tower would go unscorched for much longer.

As if sensing its impending death-by-Slytherin, the thing made a wide circle around them, but when it turned abruptly and came for Aurélie, she shrieked in panic, hopping absurdly on the spot as it nipped at her shoes.

Sebastian launched into action. Diving toward her, he caught her by the waist and scooped her off the ground.

‘OI!’ he shouted, aiming a kick that connected with empty air. 'That's my girlfriend, you numpty!’

The thing took off again, growling chaotically as it went. Poppy, quicker on her feet than she looked, diverted it away from the stairs, but no sooner had she cornered it by the common room door did a group of fourth-year Ravenclaw's decide that now was the best time to make their way down to breakfast. Seeking an out, the thing made a bolt for the open door behind them, inspiring a chorus of horrified squeals and shouts as it scampered clumsily around the girls’ feet.

‘What is that?’ one of them shrieked.

‘It's a giant rat!’ another screamed, completely losing her head.

Pandemonium ensued.

The girls’ screamed like banshee's, pushing and shoving each other in their desperation to flee. One of them fell over, dragging two of her friends down with her. The door knocker let out an almighty screech as another girl somehow punched it square in the beak. Somebody was crying for their mother.

‘Shut the door!’ Sebastian roared over the screaming, but nobody listened. Swearing under his breath, he cast a well-aimed Accio that slammed the door closed before the thing could disappear into Ravenclaw tower. Running full tilt, it had no time to correct its course — it smacked bang into the closed door, bounced onto its back and flailed its little legs about like a hapless turtle caught on its shell. Aurélie seized the opportunity and hit it with a rather forceful Levioso, launching it upwards like a spring. Spinning wildly through the air, it smashed against the ceiling only to come barrelling back toward them at full speed.

‘Duck!’ Sebastian yelled, yanking her down.

The thing whizzed by, missing their heads by an inch. Unperturbed, Sebastian leapt up and cast another Accio as the last of the screaming Ravenclaw's fled to safety down the winding staircase, catching it before it could sail off after them to terrorise the school proper.

‘Gotcha!’ he said triumphantly. The thing, trembling in his grip, gave a pitiful little whine.

‘Don't hurt it!’ Aurélie fretted.

Sebastian threw her quite possibly the most incredulous side eye he'd ever cast and was ever likely to cast again. ‘It's not an animal, Aura!’

‘It's got legs though, doesn't it?’ Poppy panted, rushing over with her robes askew.

‘Yeah, so do tables and chairs but you don't go around worrying for their well being, do you?’ Holding it at arm's length, Sebastian studied the thing with a funny mix of curiosity, admiration, and mild disgust as it shook timidly in his hands, whimpering like some sort of cursed jewellery box for werewolves. ‘What is this thing, anyway?’

Poppy wrung her hands in distress. ‘I have no idea,’ she wailed, ‘but I swear to you, Aurélie, this is not the book I wrapped last — wait —’

Suddenly, her face went slack and her mouth fell open in horror, and as if on cue, Garreth Weasley came bolting up the marble stairs, red faced and so out of breath he could only flap his hands and grunt for several moments. Sebastian pointed his wand at him. Aurélie pushed it away.

‘Poppy —!’ Garreth gasped, gripping her shoulder while he fought valiantly not to asphyxiate. ‘Poppy — thank Godric I found you — the packages —’ He bent over double, resting his hands on his knees. ‘How — the bloody hell — do Ravenclaw's — live like this —’

Tucked under his arm was a book-shaped package, wrapped in brown paper much like the one Aurélie had just been gifted. Sebastian snatched it up with his free hand.

‘You,’ he growled. ‘I should have known this was your doing.’

Garreth looked up, his eyes falling first onto Sebastian's seething expression and then onto the package clutched in his hands. ‘Ah,’ he gulped. ‘I see you've found my Weasley's Wonders Potion Safe.’

‘Your what?’ demanded Sebastian as Aurélie caught his wand hand by the wrist again.

‘No, Sebastian,’ she hissed. Sebastian pouted.

‘Seems there was a mix up with our conveniently identical-looking packages when we spoke in the Great Hall yesterday, Poppy,’ Garreth explained with a sheepish grin.

Sebastian's expression was livid. ‘This monstrosity is yours?’

‘Hey, now!’ Garreth made a grab for it, but Sebastian held it out of reach. ‘It's a work in progress, alright?’

‘It almost ate my girlfriend!’

‘Look, it's not dangerous, it's just a new product I've been working on. Not a potion — obviously, you can see that, but a potion safe. Weasley's Wonders Potion Safe,’ he said with a flourish. When three pairs of eyes stared blankly back at him, he hurried on to explain, ‘It's a portable lockbox to store all your rare ingredients and keep your concoctions safe from the prying eyes of your competitors. It's supposed to, uh, be a bit aggressive about protecting its contents, you see,’ he added, grimacing as the thing snarled at him. ‘As I said, it's a work in progress.’

‘Why's it got legs if you're trying to keep your potions safe?’ Sebastian scowled.

‘And why is it hairy?’ Poppy put it.

‘That — uh, well, those were all accidental. I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of them, actually — the legs and, uh, the hair. I was going for something with a bit of bite, you know, but I don't think it's very, uh, marketable in its current state. Anyway!’ He extended his hand. ‘I'm happy to take it off your hands and get out of your hair.’

Sebastian squinted at him, and Aurélie could practically hear the Slytherin cogs whirring around in his brain; her hand tightened around his wrist lest he decide hexing a Gryffindor was more desirable than blackmailing one.

‘Maybe I should return this to your aunt,’ he said, evidently deciding on the latter.

Garreth rolled his eyes. ‘Bloody Slytherin's,’ he muttered darkly. ‘What do you want, Sallow? If it's gold, I have none.’

‘Pffsh, I don't want gold. I want a duel.’

‘What?’ Aurélie turned to him. ‘Oh, please no duelling, Sebastian,’ she implored while Poppy practically vibrated with excitement beside her. ‘Not today.’

‘No, not today,’ he replied, softening a little. ‘I have special plans for today.’

This time, it was her heart that summersaulted over itself. Stupid charming Slytherin with his eyes and his face.

‘Won't be much of a victory for you, Sallow,’ Garreth said. ‘I'm rubbish at duelling. Unless —’ his expression brightened considerably, ‘— we forgo the norm and employ the use of some fun additions.’

Sebastian quirked a brow. ‘Such as?’

‘Such as my Weasley's Wonder's Combat Potions!’

‘You want us to… throw potions at each other?’

‘Trust me, once you see these babies in action, you'll be begging me for an order form.’

‘I doubt that, but fine,’ Sebastian conceded, handing the so-called potion safe back to its master. ‘I'll owl you the time and place.’

‘Brilliant!’ Garreth nodded triumphantly as if he'd just completed a lucrative business deal. ‘Oh, and by the way…’ he adding, turning to Aurélie with a wink, and before Sebastian could say absolutely fucking not, he withdrew (with much difficulty) a sparkling lilac potion from within the growling box. ‘Happy birthday!’

Aurélie felt her ears grow warm with fresh indignation. Even Garreth bloody Weasley knew it was her birthday?

‘Have you got a fucking death wish, Weasley?’ Sebastian snarled, raising his wand again. ‘I told you to keep your experiments away from her!’

Garreth gave a dramatic start. ‘Welp, best be off!’ he said, taking the stairs two at a time. ‘Sorry again about the mishap! Won't happen again. Oh, do let me know how you get on with that potion, Aurélie. It's designed to help the drinker face a truth they've been avoiding — like having an overbearing, arrogant Slytherin twat as a boyfriend.’

Sebastian took off after him. ‘Weasley, you prat, I've changed my mind! Duel me right now, you coward!’

[eschergirls]

January '25 Caption Contest Winners!

It's been 2 weeks so it's time to pick the winners for the January caption contest!

The submissions as usual were really good this month and I had trouble deciding a winner! Since we didn't get as many submissions as last month, I'll pick 3 winners and 1 honourable mention.

Each winner will get to choose a prize if they wish (but you don't have to, you can just participate for fun too.) The prizes are extra Steam codes that I've acquired. If you won and want a prize, please contact me. 

The honourable mention can get a prize if any of the winners decline (I will contact you if that happens, the prize order for honourable mentions will be selected randomly).

So here are the entries, organized by the platform they were submitted on:

Fedi/Mastodon:

adriano: "Sir  Sir! Have you considered Femur Insurance? The Femur is the longest bone in your Body. If anything happened to it and you weren’t insured, you could be financially ruined!" waitworry: ["Thriller" plays]

Disqus:

Imry: "And it's recording now?" "No, you gotta hit the red button." "What red button?" "The one in the middle." "There's no red button." "Oh ffs, lemme see. ... ... I have no idea what you did." "This one looks kinda orange, maybe that's it?" "AHH FLASH! MY EYES" "Sorry sorry! I'll just uh--" Mel: It's the line to the ladies room. They are both obviously doing the potty dance and the line is often long enough to feel you've been mummified. Left mummy is screaming at that one woman taking bathroom mirror selfies and holding everything up. P J Evans: mummy mash?  

Tumblr:

atomicmosaic: *vogues aggressively* chaoscheebs: The funkiest of Weeping Angels approach! Don't blink! fyrenwater: "...and you get to be your own boss! Wait, why are you running away?" glassphemy: it's called "me trying to catch a kitty cat" harukami: You know it's thriller / thriller night / and no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike haveievermentioned: Halloween Horror Nights doing auditions for Mummy Strippers madfishmonger: "And we out in this space..." "On the Planet of the Bass!" milkawa-and-co: Woman on the left : *freaking out because of the flesh things on her shoulders* Woman on the right : Ugh, stop moving ! I'm trying to peel it off of you ! needsmoarg4: This is just behind-the-scenes footage of the Weeping Angels. This is exactly that footage. silvereyedowl: Weeping Angels on Casual Friday. therealityhelix: Walk like an Egyptian taken to its logical extreme.

The honorable mentions go to: @chaoscheebs, Mel, and @silvereyedowl

The runner-ups are: 

In third place: @harukami: You know it's thriller / thriller night / and no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike

In second place: adriano: "Sir Sir! Have you considered Femur Insurance? The Femur is the longest bone in your Body. If anything happened to it and you weren’t insured, you could be financially ruined!"

And the winner is... @glassphemy: it's called "me trying to catch a kitty cat"

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you so much to everybody who participated!

Stay tuned in February for another caption contest. I've been saving a picture specifically for Valentine's Day!

If you won and would like a Steam code as a prize, please message me with which prize you would like.  If you came in 2nd, message me with 2 choices in order of preference...  I'll give you your top choice that hadn't been taken by the other winners. (To clarify, every winner only gets 1 prize, but winners other than the one in first place should give me their list of games in order of preference so if one is taken, I'll give you the next on the list.  It makes it easier for me to hand out the prizes.)

If the winner or the runner ups don't claim a prize, then I will pick from the honorable mentions randomly to claim a prize if they want one.

The Steam codes I have available as prizes are for: Aragami, GoNNER, Hotel Giant 2, Peachleaf Pirates, Riot: Civil Unrest, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, Shortest Trip To Earth, Such Art: Genius Artist Simulator, Survivalist, and Uncertain: Light At The End.

[aliypop]

Don't Fly Away

Word Count: 1,722

Writers Note: So for anyone asking yes I saw Elvis Presley's ghost during our shared birthday Weekend and yes his ghost kept doing things to alert me that he knew I saw hi

Warning: None

Pairing: POC OC x Elvis

Plot: When the gates of Graceland have closed for the night, Anya takes it upon herself to sneak back in and finds a birthday surprise she didn't expect

Taglist

@darkmoviesquotespizza

@sissylittlefeather

@richardslady121

@thegettingbyp2

@presleyenterprise

@dkayfixates

@rjmartin11

@thetaoofzoe

@your-nanas-house

@zayurir

@60svintage

@sillybookmarks

@leapresley

@everythingelvispresley

@dreamondina94

@elvismylove04

@pocketfulofpresley

January 7th, 8:00pm

It was last the meditation garden walk up for the night, when Anya had gotten the idea, nothing too silly, but something that would've been hard to do, sneak into Graceland. Of course, earlier that day, she had taken the UVIP tour of the house and felt a strange feeling. But she didn't think much of it until that night. She'd wait for everyone to pass through the garden again to talk to Elvis as she did earlier, although if you asked her, Anya talked to Elvis every day. "El... Once again, happy birthday, even though today is my birthday, and I'm sorry I didn't get you anything, but then again, neither did you." She laughed, "I guess we're each other's gifts, so... ta-da!" She said, knowing she was crazy if Elvis even did respond, but then again, she did see him in Tupelo. As everyone cleared out, the security guards began to politely tell the guest to leave the premises of his home, which everyone did, 

"Alright, everyone, another surveillance of the house, and everyone's good to go..." 

"Man, I don't wanna go in there..."

"Whys that?"

"You don't hear the footsteps upstairs..." One guard said as Anya hid behind a tree by the pool. 

"Alright, goodnight?"

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Presley." One guard joked,

"Yeah, like he can hear you..."

"He moved my cup yesterday!" 

"Yeah, right..." The door then closed, and for a moment, the house was silent. Christmas decorations all glow as the red curtains complimented the white and mirror interior of the living room and piano room, 

"Thank God... They're gone," a familiar voice said as he began to hum. He was wearing the Aztec medallion jumpsuit and his sunglasses as he came down the steps. He looked majestic and lonely and, 

"Hey, Honey, we're closed," He bent down to the girl's level as she looked in shock,

 "I-I really did see you..." She gulped, 

"Whadya mean saw me? " Elvis asked,

"In Tupelo, you were leaning on a tree by your statue... January 5th." 

"Yeah... I do that sometimes to uh clear my head," He laughed, gesturing his hand out to hers. She had a scared expression on her face as he smiled, "Sweetie, I should be more scared of you. Than you of me..." Anya took his hand as she felt it feel like flesh. He didn't feel cold, but he didn't feel all that alive either. "Say, weren't you the one who asked what I was watchin in the TV Room?" He asked as she nodded. She was flabbergasted at the moment, 

"Yes, I-I did..." 

"Well, I would've told ya, but you left." He laughed as he began to play piano. Elvis patted a seat next to him, 

"I don't bite, honey," He joked as he looked down at his appearance. He looked over at his hands and then the jumpsuit as he sighed. He didn't much enjoy the fact he was in his last stage of life, so he decided why not something better, something more lively. Anya was looking around the piano room as she took pictures,

 "You can get comfortable if you'd like." He smiled, wearing his red velvet shirt and some slacks with his black and white loafers. Taking her coat off, Anya was wearing a 1956 pink sweater with black pedal pushers and her black and white oxfords. Elvis couldn't help but notice.

"You dressed like that for me..." he mumbled as she turned to face him, her heart pounding.

"Been awhile since I've been twenty-three, suddenly I've got energy and- sweetheart. You're blushin." He winked at her, trying to get her to open up a bit more,

"I..." She coughed, "I... Are you flirting with me?" She asked as he nodded, "Might be..." He laughed as she physically swooned, "I still got it..." He mumbled, "Like you got my pink Sharpie..." She mumbled as Elvis laughed, 

"I like pink..." He mumbled,

"So do I." She chuckled, sitting next to him, a smile on his face. His fingers tinkered on the keys as she grinned, "So I gotta ask, did you come here with anyone special..."

"Came by myself, figured why not spend my birthday with you. You know." She mentioned as Elvis blushed, "When's your birthday?"

"Today..."

"Today, why let me make ya a cake or somethin!" He jolted up as he took her hand and ran to the kitchen, 

"El... you don't cook?" She laughed as he felt the space where his heart should be tightened, "You're right..." He laughed, 

"Well, you like to talk?"

"Sure, whaddya wanna talk about?" 

10:30 PM

"So then he tried to pretend to be you, which I said he could never be you because Elvis would never!" She laughed at the two hanging upside down on the couch, "I know... You told me about it." He began to smile again as she chuckled. Their faces were close, a blush creeping on their cheeks. Elvis began to lean in until they heard footsteps coming from the attic. 

"Booby, who on Earth are you talkin, too!" Elvis and Anya got up as she saw who it was, "A friend, mama..." He smiled as Gladys looked at her, a bit confused, and then she smiled, 

"She can..."

"Yes, I can, Mrs. Presley." Gladys smiled as she looked at her son. He was cheesing like he once was with Anita, but this time something was different. Of course, she also heard everything that Anya said to her earlier in the garden, "Ain't that something?" Gladys smiled, 

"Elvis kitchen now... Excuse us, will you."

"Of course."

"You're blushin..." Gladys laughed, getting the ingredients out to make a cake, 

"I-I-I- I'm not!" He whispered back as she laughed, "Elvis, I had you, and I know you, you like her." Gladys teased as he rolled his eyes, 

"I..."

"Well..."

"Yeah, I do, she gets me..." He laughed, "Like earlier, right? She found the pool room spectacular!" He smiled, "And she sings and-"

"She's wearing Dixie's sweater?" Gladys laughed as Elvis shook his head, cracking three eggs, 

"Mama, that's not the point. We got a lot in common..."

"And a lot uncommon..." Gladys gestured to themselves, "She's alive, we're not." 

"Aw hell, mama, I know that, " He sighed,

"Well, you know what. You two go have your fun, and I'll be here." She kissed his cheek, 

"Thanks, mama." He smiled as he began to walk back toward the living room. Anya was admiring the Christmas decoration as she looked at the tree in slight disgust at the tinsle,

 "This is the ugliest thing I've ever seen..." She mumbled to herself.

"I uhm... threw the tinsle in it..." Elvis said rubbing the back of his head as she turned to see him, "Oh, It's so beautiful!" She smiled as Elvis laughed, "Naw it's kinda ugly you're right," He slyly pulled her close to him as she blushed, 

11:30PM

"Say, you wanna see my bedroom?" He asked, realizing how that may have sounded,

 "I-I don't mean it like that I-" 

"I know though if you did I'd still say yes..." Anya blushed as her face was just as red as his, leading her upstairs to his bedroom, he opened the door to the velvet wonderland that was his room, TV's on the cieling and and EP on the wall, though she felt somber being in here, but Elvis knew how to shake the mood, taking her hand he took her to the window and smiled, 

"This is my favorite view ya know."

"It's beautiful, and with all the lights..." She gasped, "It's breathtaking." Anya smiled, taking it all in. There was something beautiful about this moment, but so sad, "Yeah, it's nice seein all the fans come in and out the house everyday," He smiled, "But, somber..." He sighed,

"Hey, hey, hey don't you go getting all sad on my birthday!" Anya held his hands, 

"You don't get it, everyone gets to walk in and out and..."

"You have to sit here and watch 'em leave," She held his face as he nodded, "You're lonely aren't you." He looked down at her as she cupped his cheeks, his eyes were still vibraint blue, she could feel his breath on her lips, "So lonely... I could die." He whispered as she giggled at the refrence, 

"Well...Kiss me." Anya whispered,

"You want me to..."

"Yes." She held him closer to her, "I'd want you to," Anya blushed as she felt his soft lips on hers, her fingers laced in his black hair as she pulled onto his velvet shirt, 

"Cakes read-" Gladys stopped as she walked away, the two blushing as they pulled apart, "I..I just kissed Elvis..." She mumbled as he kissed her cheek, "Mhmm, now come on so you can blow out your candle,"

"Our candles." She blushed,

11:59PM

"Alright blow out the candles." Elvis smirked, Anya counted down, the two hovered over it as she looked at Elvis and they both blew out the candles, Gladys smiling as she saw how happy he was, 

"Alright what did you two silly kids wish for."

"Well, It's silly really," Gladys nodded at her son as she rolled her eyes and shooed him off, "Well if ya'll wanna party I'm going to bed," She walked up the stairs, and back toward the attic, Elvis and Anya had now been sitting in the TV room in silence as they were eating cake as he looked over at her,

 "You know..."

"Hmm..."

"I died never finding my soul mate..."

"I know..." Anya looked at him,

"You do?"

"Mhmm... I wished for you to one day unite with your soulmate." Elvis looked at her as she giggled, "I think that wish came true, toots," He kissed her,

January 8th 5AM

"Do you really have to go..." Elvis asked as she was half asleep in his lap,

"Yeah... But I'll be back." Anya grinned as he smiled, Elvis walked her to the front door as he opened it, 

"You know something?"

"What?"

"This may have been my favorite birthday yet." 

Anya walked down the driveway as she felt eyes looking at her from the bedroom window, she turned to look as she saw Elvis watching her leave knowing deep down she'd come home to him. 

"Until August... May we meet in our dreams."

[les-pompiers118]

Last call for sin

900 words | rated Teen | Buck angst

A 1x01 coda ficlet for @911hiatus's week one prompt, "hunger." Title from All These Things That I've Done by The Killers, which is a perfect song for pilot Buck (in my humble opinion).

He managed the drive home okay—hands tight around the steering wheel, radio on too loud to keep his thoughts at bay, but he made it. He just put his mind on autopilot and drove. But now that he’s safely on his own front porch, fiddling with the keys in his jacket pocket, Buck feels like he can’t breathe. As if there’s a snake wrapped around his ribcage, squeezing.

He inhales sharply through his nose, then exhales more slowly from his mouth, talking himself through it like he’s his own patient. In… and out. There you go. You’re okay. On the far end of the porch, someone left an empty beer can in the potted geranium that’s languishing between two folding chairs. Buck keeps his eyes fixed on it, both to ground himself while he breathes and to have something—anything—to think about besides what happened yesterday.

He almost lost everything.

In… Out… In… Out…

The front door opens, startling Buck into taking a step back.

“Hey, I thought I heard you pull in,” Kyle says through the screen door. He’s wearing flannel pajama bottoms printed with puffy, cartoon Christmas trees and no shirt. “You okay, man?”

“Yeah, fine. Just didn’t get much sleep.” Buck walks over to the geranium, plucks out the beer can, and hands it to Kyle. “You guys, uh, have someone over last night?”

“Not me. Stayed up late watching a couple movies. I don’t have to work until noon.”

Buck follows Kyle inside, careful not to let the screen door slam. “Sorry if I woke you up.”

“You didn’t. Fucking car alarm next door again. I’m gonna let the air out of their tires next time, I swear to fucking God.”

“I did not hear you say that,” Buck grins, then gestures at Kyle’s pajamas. “Look at a calendar, dude. It’s January.”

“Yeah, so? My mom gave me these. They’re comfortable. Yo, I was about to make some eggs. You want some?”

“Nah, I’m good, thanks. Not hungry yet.”

Kyle gives him a thumbs-up and returns to the kitchen, and Buck goes upstairs to his room. The house is quiet at this time of day, at least on weekdays. Weekends are a different matter. Buck usually comes home to find a few friends-of-friends still hanging around for breakfast. Buck doesn’t care, as long as the mess gets cleaned up and no one has crashed in his bed.

God, he’s so damn tired. It’s not that they had a lot of calls last night; he just couldn’t seem to get his brain to switch off. Four straight hours in his bunk without the bell going off, and he wasted them listening to Chimney snore. Buck drops his gym bag on the floor and kicks off his shoes without looking to see where they land. Clothes are peeled off, replaced with sweats. Curtains get pulled closed. Autopilot. On the way to the bed, he catches his reflection in the mirror hanging over the dresser.

And then he can’t breathe again.

This is not a family.

The next time you screw up, it’ll be your last.

You’re done, kid.

In the dim light, Buck sees all the previous versions of himself staring back at him from the mirror, all with the same birthmark and blue eyes, the same nose that’s just a little too long. Twenty-six goddamn years’ worth of them—and it seems he’s no closer to figuring out how not to screw up his own life.

“I fucked up,” Buck whispers. “I fucked up again, Maddie.”

His reflection pleads with him in the mirror, begging for sympathy, but the voice in his head is brisk, sensible. Maddie’s voice.

Okay? What are you going to do about it, Evan?

He hasn’t seen her in years. It’s painful to think of her, still patching up idiots like him in the ER and then going home to her dickhead husband. At least she has one less thing to worry about with her little brother out of her hair. Buck hopes she’s okay. Maybe even happy.

It’s hard to imagine her happy.

It’s been five years since he left Hershey, hungry for something he couldn’t even name. So hungry it hurt. But now he understands what he was seeking as he was crisscrossing the country in her old Jeep: Purpose. Something he could hold up with pride. And people who gave a shit about him. He knows this because yesterday he almost threw all those things away for a couple of meaningless fucks. Jesus.

So. What is he going to do about it? The first step is obvious. Buck sits down on the edge of his bed and begins deleting every dating app off his phone. He’s done. He has to be done.

He makes the mistake of opening the last app. Four messages. Buck scans the profile pictures, his breathing picking up. God, it was an actual nightmare of a shift. That little girl dragged out of her house, bullets—actual fucking bullets—pinging off the fire engine. In two days, Buck’s going to be right back there, facing all kinds of awful shit again, having people’s lives in his hands. And then there’ll be the consequences of his screw-up to face. Bobby’s probably gonna have him scrubbing floors for a month.

Buck lets his thumb hover unsteadily over GirlOnFire94’s picture. The name feels like fate. He clicks.

One last time. He needs this.

His hands don’t stop shaking for a long time.

[gracexthoughts]

of violent delights chapter 1

duties and dementors

1 september 1995

Euphemia's POV

"Ugh, I have to get changed and go to the prefect meeting," I groan, leaning my head on Fred's shoulder. I had been secretly hoping the duty would pass me by and be handed to someone else, but of course Dumbledore had other plans. As if I don't have my hands full with school work and Quidditch. Not to mention trying to keep my brother from getting himself killed, again. Last year, he nearly died because he decided taking on a basilisk by himself was a smart idea. 

My little brother is Harry Potter, yes that Harry Potter. Oh, and my name is Euphemia Potter. I am two years older than Harry and, since our parents passed away, he is the only real family I have. Although we were technically raised by our Aunt and Uncle Dursley, really all they provided was the most basic necessities, often in the form of hand-me-downs and locking us in the cupboard under the stairs when we misbehaved. This summer, Harry accidentally blew up our Aunt Marge (she deserved it) and, anticipating the beating of a lifetime, I decided it was time to leave once and for all. I turn 18 in January and I was already planning on petitioning for custody of Harry at that point anyway. We spent the last of the summer living off the inheritance left to us by our late parents and staying at the Leaky Cauldron. When we leave school next summer, I'll find us a real apartment but the old inn was good enough until we left for Hogwarts. 

"Poor, Mia. She's all the teachers' favorites," Lee says leaning forward to sarcastically pat my knee in fake sympathy.

"Shut up, I am not," I scoff, pushing his hand away and standing to pull my robes out of my trunk.

"Don't lie to yourself , Mia!" Angelina laughs. "What's so bad about being a prefect anyway?"

"It's just more work that I didn't ask for and everyone is going to assume I got it just because Dumbledore plays favorites. And Kenneth Trowler is the other for our year," I state turning around.

"Ooh! Awkward!" Fred whoops. I swat down at his face, which he ducks easily, pushing himself into his twin, George.

"Oh, is he still hung up on you?" Alicia asks, looking up at me. Kenneth and I dated for 4 months last year. It didn't end badly but he definitely didn't want it to end at all and had sulked for the last month of the term.

"Let's hope not," I say, rolling my eyes. "I just hope I don't get paired with him for rounds. I've gotta change, I'll see you guys after the meeting," I call over my shoulder as I exit our compartment, robes in hand. After I change, I head to the front of the train. As I near the front, suddenly a body steps out of a compartment right as I am passing, making us run into each other.

"Uh! Sorry, I-" I start with my hands out in front of me, moving away from the body in my way, as I look up into the eyes of none other than Mattheo Riddle, the son and heir of the most evil dark wizard of all time, Voldemort. Mattheo Riddle always has such a knot in his wand and makes it everyone else's problem. He is always getting into fights and intimidating others. Most of the other students are terrified of him, but I have never been. In my opinion, he is just a spoiled rich kid who throws a punch when he doesn't get his way.

"Watch where you're going, Potter," he spits, glaring down at me.

I scoff, irritated by his tone. "I was, Riddle. You stepped out in front of me. Maybe it's you that needs to watch where you're going," His jaw clenches, as I notice a shiny green prefect badge on his chest. Great, I think, this will be fun. Riddle has had it out for me for years and makes his distaste well known. 

"Hi Mia," a kind voice says to my left. I turn and see Astoria Greengrass, standing in the door of the compartment Mattheo came out of. She is wearing a green prefect badge as well.

"Hi Astoria, how was your holiday?" I say, stepping back so she could exit the compartment. Astoria is one Slytherin I actually tolerate- even like. While most Slytherins' attitude towards me ranges from cool distaste to outright hatred, Astoria has always been kind. We were potions partners last year so I actually know her fairly well. She steps between Riddle and I and pushes him forward by the shoulders.

"It was lovely! How was yours?" She asks over her shoulder, throwing back an apologetic smile over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it was alright," I respond simply, not wanting to get into all the details. I hear Riddle scoff ahead of me and I roll my eyes. Astoria and I chat while we walk through the train;  Riddle continues to sulk ahead of us.

We arrived at the first car to most of the other prefects already there. Percy Weasley was chatting with Penelope Clearwater who's wearing the Head Girl badge. According to the Twins, Percy had been insufferable since he got his Head Boy badge in the mail, wearing it at all times and constantly polishing it. The twins told me they had changed the wording and hid it a few times earning Percy's wrath and quite a few scolding's from their mother.

Percy gives me a small nod as I move toward the table with the other Gryffindor Prefects. Kenneth is already here as well and lifts his hand to wave eagerly to me. "Hi, Kenneth. How are you?" I ask, sitting down across from him along with Harper Crane and Jaden Filly, the sixth year prefects for Gryffindor.

"I'm good, Mia. Excited to be a prefect?" Kenneth asks eagerly.

"Uh yeah I guess," I shrug, looking around the car.

"Don't worry. It's not really as much work as it seems," Jaden says, leaning his head towards me, oddly conspiratorially, his eyes trailing over me. 

"I hope not," I say politely.

"Alright, everyone!" Percy calls, getting the meeting started. Percy and Penelope talk about duties and such and go around handing out the common room passwords and the round schedule for the year. I scan the schedule looking for my name. "Oh, bloody hell," I whisper, wanting to bang my head against the table. Under Tuesdays and Thursdays my name is written with my partner being Mattheo fucking Riddle.

"I can't believe they'd pair you up together, I mean c'mon. He's dangerous." Kenneth shakes his head, disbelieving.

"Its fine," I say curtly, pushing the paper away from me. Looking around the compartment, my eyes meet Mattheo's who glare at me. I narrow my eyes back and he turns his head, eyes leaving mine. The meeting drags on for an hour; Percy is very... thorough. Finally, it's called to an end and everyone gets up to leave. Grabbing my papers, I say goodbye to Kenneth and the others. Before I can move through the door, Riddle moves into my path blocking my way yet again. "Excuse me," I say looking up.

"Meet me outside the Slytherin Common Room tomorrow at 8:45," Mattheo says before going to turn. I scoff, and head out the door behind him. He thinks I don't know where it is, probably hoping I will be late so he can rub it in my face. Lucky for me, the twins and I found the Marauders' Map four years ago which is a map of the entire Hogwarts castle. I head back to the compartment my friends occupy and groan, sitting down heavily and laying my head on Fred's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Mia?" Alicia says as Fred moves to rub my shoulder.

"I've been assigned perfect rounds twice a week with none other than Mattheo Riddle." I sit up in the seat, pushing my hair out of my face and wave the schedule. "I'd rather have Kenneth." Everyone's head whipped around to me, their eyes wide.

"What?!" the twins said in unison.

"You're joking!" Lee says, as Angelina takes the paper with the schedule on it out of my hands.

"Why would they pair you two together, of all people?" she questions, looking over the paper.

"Ask if you can get it changed! I'm sure McGonagall would understand you not feeling comfortable around him." Alicia suggests, looking over Angie's shoulder to look at the paper.

"No, I'm not going to fuss about it. If I do that then, Riddle will just think I'm afraid of him like everyone else in this school. Fuck that, I won't give him the satisfaction" I shake my head and pull the paper back, standing to put it in my bag.

"No, Mia, it's not safe. He isn't safe, especially not for you!" Fred says, pulling me back down to sit so he can look at me.

"Please, Riddle is just a spoiled brat who's never been told no in his life. He doesn't scare me any more than Malfoy does." I say, looking down at Fred while I try to convince my friends I can take care of myself. Fred and George have always been protective of me. When I started at Hogwarts I was a shy, nervous kid. All I'd ever known was protecting myself and Harry, from our aunt and uncle, our cousin, the kids at schools. Fred and George found me on that first train to Hogwarts and never let me go. They were my first friends and the first people, besides my brother, who were willing to stand up for me. 

"Phe, you can't be serious! I mean now that Black escaped, do-"

"Freddie, Riddle is not going to kill me in the middle of the bloody school!" I cut Fred off, not currently of the mind to be lectured by one of the most reckless people I've ever met. I can't deny how his mention of Sirius Black sends a chill down my spine, though I'll never admit that to Fred. This summer, a Death Eater known as Sirius Black escaped the most secure prison in the world. Just this morning, Mr. Weasley had pulled me aside to tell me the Ministry believes Black has escaped to come after Harry and I. 

"Mia, c'mon. He's the last person you should be around," George adds.

"It'll be fi-" Before I can finish my sentence, the train grinds to a halt.

"Oh thank god, we're here. I hate how long the train takes," says Lee jumping up.

"We can't be there yet," I shake my head and look at my wrist watch, "It's only 5:15, we should have almost another hour." George and Alicia, who are sitting in the window seats, peer out the windows trying to see through the gloom and rain surrounding the outside of the train. The train jerks again and the lights go out.

"We must have broken down," Angelina says, pulling out her wand to provide light to the compartment.

"I think someone is coming aboard!"

"What, Ali, who would be coming aboard? We're in the middle of nowhere," Fred shakes his head.

"Guys, look," I whisper, pointing to water laying on the bench between Angelina and Lee. It was frozen solid when it had just been liquid minutes ago. We all looked around noticing the windows had an icy layer on them and our breath was visible in the air. "I gotta find Harry."

I bolt up from my seat and move out of the compartment as quickly as I can, moving quickly towards the back of the train. I vaguely hear one of the twins following me but I'm more focused on finding Harry. Finally I reach the last compartment and burst through the door. "Harry!" My brother stands, confusion written on his and his friends faces.

"Mia, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"I don't know, but I-"

"Mia, seriously, how are you so fast?" Fred says, panting slightly as he steps into the now cramped train car. I look around the car at the other. Ron and Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom are inside as well as a man sleeping in the corner. Besides the mystery man, I know all the others well, even Neville. I eye the man in the cloak. I've never seen an adult taking the train that didn't work on it. "Who is that?"

"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione says, pointing up at a case. The train jerks again causing Fred and I to lurch forward. I turn back around to look out the compartment door. Suddenly, a dark figure emerged in the hall outside our compartment, its long bony hand reaching for the door pulling it open. Its face was completely hidden by the dark cloak it wore and it made my stomach twist in knots. Fred reaches his arm towards me protectively as an intense cold swept over the already frigid room. What sounded like a raspy breath was coming from the creature as it flouted closer into the compartment turning towards us. I feel my breath quickening and my eyesight disappearing; feeling as if I'm being dragged downward as a rushing in my ears takes over all my other senses, growing louder and louder. Then I heard a voice, a voice I only hear in my nightmares, a voice long lost to this world.

"No! Please! Take me, leave them be! Please!" The voice pleaded as a bright green light erupted and a baby's crying took the place of the screams.

"Mia! Mia, wake up!" A different voice breaks through the cries and I realize I'm being shaken. I open my eyes to see Fred's face hovering over me, shaking me. The lights were back on and the train seemed to be moving again.

"Freddie?" I move to sit up but a wave of nausea overcomes me and I lean forward. Fred catches my shoulders as I dry heave slightly. "Harry?" I look up, fighting the nausea as I look for my brother. I turn, seeing him sitting up between Hermione and Ron. "Are you okay?" I ask, pushing myself up and hovering over my brother. He nods, looking behind me. I turn to see the man, R. J. Lupin, sitting across us, a distant but caring look in his eyes.

"Was that a-"

"Dementor. One of the guards of Azkaban, looking for Sirius Black." Lupin says.

"What happened? I-" I ask, still confused as to what had happened after the cloaked figure, the dementor, appeared.

"You and Harry passed out," Ron says, holding tightly to his rat, Scabbers, who is squirming in his hands. 

"Here, eat this, it helps," the man says, handing me a small piece of chocolate and splitting the rest of the bar between everyone else. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a little word with the driver." Lupin stands and moves to the door, pausing only to look back for a moment, "Eat, you'll feel better," before turning back and disappearing from view. I sigh, taking a bite of chocolate and turning back to Harry. "You okay?" he nods.

"You?" Harry asks me and I nod. "Did you... hear anything?" He asks, looking down at his feet. I look up at our friends surrounding us, and pull Harry to standing, nodding for us to talk in the hall.

"Did you hear something?" I ask, afraid he will hear the same things I did and hoping desperately I was wrong. He nods, looking at me through his eyelashes. I pull him back into a hug. "I did too, it's okay. It's just the dementors, horrible creatures."

"I heard screaming. Was it-" his voice breaks slightly, "Mum?" I take a deep breath and nod.

"Dementors, they feed on horrid memories. I heard her too, just before..." Harry nods looking down at his shoes. "It'll be okay, Haz," I say, putting on my best brave face. My eyes find the lighting scar on his forehead peeking out from underneath his hair; the one that matches the one on my left wrist. 

No one really knows why Harry and I both have curse scars from that night when Voldemort came after us. Best guess I have is that Harry was sitting in front of me when it happened, and my arm had been wrapped around him, covering his eyes or something similar. Although his pains him whereas mine never has. 

I say goodbye and leave Harry and his friends to go back to my own compartment, ready to get off the train, Freddie following in my wake. For the rest of the ride, Fred lets me lay on his shoulder and I try not to think about my mother's last words. 

Once we were off the train, McGonagall pulled Harry, Hermione and I into her office. Madam Pompfery checked to make sure Harry and I were okay and then talked to Hermione about her schedule before the three of us could head to the Great Hall. Hermione was upset we missed the sorting but I was secretly glad. I never liked the Sorting Hat's song and the ceremony drags on for what seems like hours. I take a seat amongst the other fifth years, sitting between Fred and Alicia, as Harry and Hermione move down to the third year table in the Gryffindor row. I whisper to my friends that they were just checking to make sure Harry and I were okay as Dumbledore stands up for his welcome speech.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast...." Dumbledore clears his throat and continues, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks," he comments blatantly. I look ahead at Harry who is staring at Ron wide eyed.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors." The twins scoff as Percy, who is sitting down with the seventh years, puffs out his chest very importantly. I can't help the anxiety settle in my stomach as Dumbledore speaks. 

"On a happier note," Dumbledore continues, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." There is mostly scattered applause for the man who gave me the chocolate. I watch him as he stands and bows slightly in greeting. He looks weary and tired and ill, scars marring his face and peeking out from his clothes.  "As to our second appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." At this a few laughs ripple through the student body. "However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

"That explains the biting book Ron and Harry had to get," I whisper to Fred and George, laughing.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," finishes Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!" At this, the goblets and plates in front of us are suddenly full of food and drinks. It is a delicious feast as it always was. Fred and George started brainstorming pranks ideas with Lee while Angelina, Alicia and I started talking about Quidditch. It's Oliver's last year at Hogwarts and we are certain he will be vying for the Cup this year; probably pushing us harder than ever before. After dessert, Dumbledore excuses everyone and students start scrambling to leave the hall.

"I have to escort the first years. Password is Fortuna Major. I'll see you later," I say to my friends, standing up from my place. I wave goodbye and find Kenneth to walk the first years to the common room. 

"Hey Potter!" I hear a familiar voice call from my left. I turn and see Elladora Lestrange leaning over the Slytherin table looking at me. Next to her standing Evan Rosier Jr, Theodore Nott and Lorenzo Berkshire; the rest of Riddle's friend group.

"What do you want, Lestrange? I'm busy."

"Is it true you fainted on the train? Were the big scary dementors too much for you?" She mocks and the boys laugh. I turn and throw her the middle finger over my shoulder, not bothering to come up with an insult. Their laughter follows me as I walk away. 

[felixravinstills]

obligatory felix ravinstill ask for the character thing

Ask Game

Thanks for asking, Bel! I tried to keep things rooted in canon which… uh for obvious reasons was hard!

My first impression Related to the current president, is he going to be important? Oh, it doesn't look like it.

My impression now Felix Ravinstill is the most thematically important character in tbosas actually. That's my guy! My boy!

Favorite thing about that character Um, well, ignoring everything that I've mostly made about him (bc clearly I like that) which is nearly everything. I kind of love that Coriolanus has such little to say about it. It speaks to not knowing him despite Felix being a Ravinstill. So many different ways to interpret why that's the case, but it does help me build my case that even people who are keeping track of important players doesn’t single anything out about Felix other than his relationship to the President which adds fuel to my fire that he’s kinda isolated and may not have many close/sincere friends.

Least favorite thing I hate that I've been making him up since January. I hate that he's my favorite little guy.

Favorite line/scene

The movie's "Have you tried this lamb? It's scandalous." will always be iconic for apparently changing my life, but Felix deciding to send Dill the water using whatever sponsor money has is also interesting to me.

Favorite interaction that character has with another When he's gossiping with Dean Highbottom.

A character that I wish that character would interact with more Coriolanus Snow. I like the dynamic of weird jealousy that I've invented for them, and I can kind of see Snow's narration potentially giving credence to that in whatever we do get (but it could go either way like everything with Felix). Alternatively, I'd love for him to interact with Max (his great-uncle) but that's another guy that I basically just made up so…

Another character from another fandom that reminds me of that character

I once compared him to Iphigenia (Greek Mythology), and I can stand by that in the narrative role I have given him in many of my fics...

If we want a character who's like him in canon, look no further than random office worker that I randomly get attached to in the background of an action movie.

A headcanon about that character

Ummm, is there a headcanon about him that I haven't shared at this point? I'm drawing a blank, because I never shut up about him.

His relationship to Ravinstill cousin OCs, Marius and Gnaeus is like meeting their eyes as they turn down a different hallway just as he enters the one he's currently in.

A song that reminds of that character Growing Sideways by Noah Kahn… Just "I'm terrified that I might never have met me" and "And if all my life was wasted / I don't mind, I'll watch it go / Yeah, it's better to die numb / Than feel it all."

I think I meant to mention this to Lily when she was doing the Noah Kahan song assignments but I… uh forgot. Whoops. (better late than never with the thoughts sharing though, @persephoneprice getting to the Persephone ask soon!)

An unpopular opinion about that character

This isn't really an unpopular opinion, but I think most people headcanon him as having a lot of external pressure put on him. I do think that's the case to the extent that there's external pressure put on a lot of the mentors to act and be a certain way, but I think that a lot of that for Felix is also self-imposed. Mostly, because in my head, President Ravinstill takes a "of course, my family can do whatever they want" approach to things, but has failed to communicate this to any of them.

Favorite picture

he looks so... pompous. I love him. (added the same picture again for better crop)

[iwritesometimes]

OC Tag Game: Rook Edition

tagged by my beloved @northstarfan - YAY ty bb! I've been working off and on trying to finish some Rook writeups since uh. January. But this one is the first I've managed to finish. 😅

tagging anyone who'd like to have a go who has played/is playing Veilguard!

I will also be doing this from Rook's POV as in previous reblogs, bc I love this idea. HOWEVER you are legally required to imagine her working her way through successive LARGE flagons of ale as she talks. okay let's go.

GENERAL

Name: Sihu Ingellvar

Alias: None really, besides the obvious, Rook. With my mates back home, we use each other's surnames day-to-day, and it seems strange at this point when anyone calls me Sihu.

Gender: Female

Age: 34

Place of birth: We'll never know for sure, but my life began in the __________ family crypt of the Grand Necropolis of Nevarra City.

Spoken languages: Nevarran and Trade, and I am trying to get better with the Orzammarian branch that surfacers tend to use with each other - it's about a third Carta cant; don't tell the humans. I can hold a conversation in it with a patient companion, but down the pub most of the talk flies right by me.

Sexual orientation: Unbothered. I haven't had much of it in my life, but the type of person was different each of those times, except that they were all friends of mine. I like feeling comfortable with whoever they are, mostly.

Occupation: Grand Necropolis guard and thanatologist, til all that went to shit. After this job with Varric, who knows - maybe I can find someplace quiet that needs a person to handle their village funeral rites.

FAVORITES

Color: Silver, ridiculous as that is. And the color of pure lyrium does something strange and good to my soul.

Entertainment: Talking with friends over a drink, reading, walking the streets of whatever city I'm in. I like to sightsee. And I really like to spar.

Pastime: It's a bit of a cheater's answer, but...tending graves. Yes, it was my job and my education, but it still calms me like almost nothing else. I like making the homes of the dead neat and tidy, making sure their candles are lit and their flowers cared for. I love ringing the bells, speaking the rituals, making the hand signs or grave offerings - whatever that person needs from me. It's fun to remember all those details, or go look up the ones I don't know as well, or learn the totally new ones. Hah, I could talk about this for hours, and it wouldn't make any more sense than it does now.

Food: Nevarran rice, with lots of cheese and peppers and spiced vegetables with pickles on the side. Festival frybread dusted with sugar and drizzled in honey, eaten painfully hot right from a vendor's stall in Newmarket Square. Oh, and all washed down with good cold ale. 

Drink: Beer if it's not too bitter.

Books: Dwarven history and folktales, but only if it's written by dwarves. Anything about funerary practices, boringly, and architecture, a bit less so. And...I admit to having a weakness for adventure serials - I was a fan of Hard in Hightown years before I knew Varric Tethras was a real person, let alone someone I might meet. If you breathe a word of that to him...

HAVE THEY…

Passed university: With honors, if you'll permit me to be insufferable a moment.

Had sex: Yes, and...recently, very much yes. I didn't know it could be quite so nice, honestly.

Had sex in public: Only once where other living souls could see. Uh, much more frequently where spirits were certainly getting an eyeful. A bit hard to avoid it, where I'm from.

Gotten tattoos: Yes, with some of my friends in the dwarven enclave - a few of us wanted to take hold of that part of our culture, try to...immerse ourselves a bit more. We studied as much history on dwarf tattooing as we could find, shadowed some artists in the neighborhood (they call themselves "engravers," which I like a lot) to learn how and why they did it, and took our time picking out the designs we wanted for ourselves. Then we all got drunk and had them done all together one day, holding each other's hands and weeping - not from the pain, mostly.

Gotten piercings: No. There's a kind of old-fashioned way of thinking in Nevarra, especially among the Mortalitasi, that piercing the flesh for jewelry is a bit stupid, or a waste of good grave gold - since you can't take your skin with you, you know. Piercing has this air of foreign custom about it (though who knows whether it got here from Tevinter or Orlais first) that has always made it unfashionable, even taboo, though almost no one under the age of sixty would express it in exactly those terms. And plenty of younger people now like getting their ears or noses pierced, especially if they're wealthy or well-positioned enough not to have to worry about the gossip they might stir up in the street. That not being the case for me, and in general it not really being something people were doing around me as I grew up, I never did indulge, though Taash and Neve have been making some awfully suspicious noises about taking a needle to my ears every time we all get a little too in our cups.

Gotten scars: Gods, yes - innumerable little cuts and dings from training, a burn mark on my right inner arm from being clumsy with some votive candles when I was a girl, a nastier scar on my left cheek from the civil war, though I think it might fade with time. And a scar on my belly from having my appendix removed decades ago. It's history; I don't mind any of it.

Had a broken heart: Many times, in small ways, but only once in a way I think maybe I'll never really come back from. They do say you can't go home again, don't they?

Been in love: With my work, with my home, and...yes, now I can say I have been in love with a person, too.

ARE THEY…

A cuddler: Not really, though I'm beginning to learn the art. 

Scared easily: Oh, very easily, but I learned from very young how to feel scared, acknowledge feeling scared, and carry on with what needs to be done. But don't ever think I'm not doing it all terrified.

Jealous easily: Nah. Life's too damn short.

Trustworthy: I have no idea how to answer this question. I try to be? You'd probably better ask the people I've disappointed over my life.

FAMILY

Siblings: None by blood, though being raised in a necropolis creche is a bit like being in a house full of noisy siblings, or cousins maybe. I didn't stay close with all of them as we grew, and more than one was unwilling to carry on knowing me after everything went bad back home, but two are still my best friends, and some of the dwarves from the enclave in Nevarra City are just as close to my heart. They would be the family I would keep around me, if I didn't know how wretched that would make all of them. We'll see if we can get on as well through letters.

Parents: A mystery that I'm happy to leave unsolved, though I doubt I'll be able to forever. I have...a particular fondness for one of the Necropolis residents, a being called Vorgoth. No one knows whether he's more spirit or more lich or something as yet undefined - and if he knows, he's not telling - but he takes a special interest in the well-being of foundlings among the tombstones, and he has listened to the silly and serious outpourings of my foolish heart on more than one occasion. I don't think of him as a father, exactly, but he's something more than a friend.

Children: Not in the cards for me, I think, and that's probably for the best.

Pets: I once kept a pretty little lizard who had wandered into my room in the dormitory from spirits know where - I checked and it was a species that mostly lives in the desert and is only rarely seen near cities. Knowing I couldn't just release it in an alleyway without likely dooming it, I made up a glass enclosure for it in my room (very much against policy, obviously) and did my best for it. It lived a surprisingly long time, and I came to think of it as a little friend. I called it that, in dwarven - Salroka. Then one day, a couple of years later, I came back to my room and it had died, its little rainbow scales all drab and grey. I had seen countless dead by that point - people who died of old age, of sickness, or bad luck, of foolishness. It was an honor to attend every one. But something about holding that little creature's body in my hand, never having gotten to speak with it or know it, not knowing right away what funeral rites or words to say over it...something about that crushed me deeply. I still can't think of it without getting sad, which I know is insane. But ever since then, the idea of being responsible for another little voiceless creature's life and eventual death has felt like too great a responsibility, and it seems hubris to think that responsibility should be mine. So I haven't tried keeping another pet, again.

...Apologies. I probably should not have had that third mug of ale.

[bonesandthebees]

Ok, so, I've never watched any of the qsmp streams, but I read your rambling about it and read your one shots abt it, and uh do you have any advice on how to get into watching the streams? Like where do I start? How to catch up on missed lore? Stuff like that

well there are a lot of different POVs you can choose to catch up on and which one(s) you choose will definitely affect your understanding of what's going on. if you want to just catch up on the primary major story beats overall (federation lore, main egg lore) this channel on youtube has made 3 videos so far summarizing the lore as it goes on. I haven't watched these videos myself so I can't say how accurate they are or if they leave anything important out, but I've heard positive things!

now if you wanna catch up on more individual lore/character dynamics and all that then you're facing a bit more of a challenge. I believe quackity has most of his qsmp vods uploaded on his vod channel so you can definitely check those out for his story stuff. if you wanna understand my fics better wilbur has the smallest number of qsmp vods out of the cc's at least somewhat tied into the storyline so it shouldn't be too hard to catch up on his stuff. his vod from day 1 of the qsmp has one of the funniest moments from any wilbur stream ever (yes I am referring to that moment he was talking to max) but I don't think you need to watch a ton from any of the day 1 POV's after the first hour or so.

while phil is the pov I watch the most for qsmp, he's definitely less involved in the plot. but unlike what I keep seeing some people on twt and tumblr say, he DOES participate in the rp and does care about the lore. he just doesn't go out of his way to get super involved in it and likes making 4th wall breaking jokes. but yeah if you're looking for more lore based stuff, phil might not be a great pov to watch as your primary.

now bad is the english speaking cc most involved in the heavy federation lore stuff, so his vods are definitely good to check out if you're looking for an english speaking cc to watch. jaiden's also definitely tied into it and has her own very interesting plotline going on atm involving the federation, but she doesn't stream as often so there are a few more gaps with her compared to bad who's been daily streaming for months now.

now for the cc's who don't primarily speak english, it's definitely a bit more of a challenge to watch those POVs if you don't speak the cc's language, but when many cc's are in a group they'll usually switch to english since that's the most common language on the server. also there's the translator that most of them have up on their screen, but it's not super accurate and a lot of the time cc's forget to switch it between languages so I don't rely on it much. for lore stuff, cellbit is a great choice because he's been heavily involved in investigating the federation and solving puzzles and all that since he first got on the server. from the french side, baghera jumped into lore stuff pretty quickly too so I highly recommend her pov as well

again I don't know how detailed/what the summary videos do and don't include but if you see clips from certain streams on that summary video that look interesting, I definitely recommend going to the vod itself and watching at least a bit of it. the group dynamic between all the players on the island is so delightful to watch. so many great friendships have formed bc of this server and it's so much fun to watch them grow in real time.

more than anything though when you're trying to catch up, go through the tumblr tag! follow people who liveblog a lot! follow the updates accounts on twitter! I actually don't catch many streams, but I'm usually pretty up to date on the big plot stuff happening on the server at all times just from what I see on my dash. read posts and check out the tags to absorb info via dash osmosis. that's how I caught up on dsmp when I first got into it back in january 2021 lol

hope this helps :)