#but also i like henry so i want him to be real ❤️

[wheelercore]

Falling down the rabbit hole of whether henry creel even really exists, or whether he exists but was framed, because really what we have is a "silly terrible play", els flashbacks which is riddled with questions about their veracity, and an insane asylum inmate who claims to be Victor Creel (and even if he is, his recounting of events is suspect) in a subplot where it was all too easy for nancy and robin to swindle their way into the Pennhurst basement (and get away?? From what should be a very high security area of the hospital??) while the "inmates -at -an -insane -asylum -participate -in-an-elaborate -ruse -orchestrated -by -the -psychiatrist -to -convince -the -main -character -of -an -elaborate -lie" movie (Shutter Island) is right there on the inspo board with direct parallels.

How do you trick someone very convincingly? You let them think they are outsmarting you instead. Dr. Hatch and his associate Dr. Brenner Brantley would know this, they are academics after all.

Which is super fun to think about it, like why would they want to lead the gang down on a wild goose chase for a demon that victor creel claims killed his family- and the oh so convenient lore dump by vecna in which he repeatedly refers to himself as the demon.

[writerfae]

No thoughts, just Aiden and Henry hugging!

Also, how come Ranva used to call Henry little crow? (Not that it doesn't fit, it does (duh), I'm just curious if there's a story behind it)

And how did Hela end up in the human realm when she met Aiden?

Forest demons: uniting friends since day one!

And I wanted to rant at you a little about Bendegúz because I realized that I haven't really done that since I talked about his dad, and it made me sad, because I love him (also, I'm scared that sometimes I accidentally mischaraterize him because him and I have the same exaggerated humor but if you mix those together it just makes him sound insane💀)There's a very good reason why the difference between the villain Adél au, the villain Ákos au and canon is what Bendegúz does!

I wanted to tell you about some moments of his that I love (angst warning)

I mentioned that he and Ákos sometimes playfight, and Bendegúz sometimes shows him how to use his spear. And can you just imagine 8 yo Bendegúz with a 3 yo Ákos, and they're playing with sticks (pretending they are spears), and Bendegúz isn't that good with a spear yet, but to Ákos he already looks like an expert ❤️🥺

Also, there's this sweet moment where they're preparing to fly home from the swamp (and it's not the happiest circumstances for Ákos' first, real flight) and Bendegúz apologies for this and promises that after this is over they'll go on a real, nice, pleasant flight

The fact that he took care of Moss (who he doesn't even like) while Ákos was gone

When Adél is told that Ákos is dead the first thing she does is run to Bendegúz and he's holding her so tightly and aaaaa

Just his inner struggle of "It wasn't MY litte brother! I can't be sad!" But as soon as there's even the slightest chance to get him back, he's on it!

Both him and Adél being willing to go to the swamp even though they know that the chances of Ákos being alive are close to zero.

Adél and him spend so much time together! Ever since their parents introduced them to each other as babies they were always together. Never one without the other

Bendegúz learned to fly, and now him flying up to Adél's window just because, is a regular occurrence. They constantly have sleepovers (it's really easy since Bendegúz and his mom live on the castle grounds)

It's really cute because in Bendegúz's house Adél's childhood drawings are hung up, and vice-versa 😭

And they play a lot of boardgames 😭

He is very good at lighting up a bad situation with a joke but never in an inappropriate way. Just in those moments when people need a little cheering up, and this always makes his friends feel all warm inside.🥺

I'll stop cause we'll be here all day...(sorry if this got long)

I hope you liked this little rant 🙈

Ranva called Henry her little crow because of the color of his hair and for a second reason that I can’t say out in the open xD she also referred to her sons as her little crows sometimes, also for that second reason.

And Halea came to the human realm because while fighting the forest demon, the beast and her practically “fell” through an open portal to the human realm that someone (or something) must’ve opened shortly before and left open.

Bendegúz really is a sweetheart, his relationship to the royal siblings is really adorable! You can tell he loves them!

[rwrbficrecs]

The last of our monthly recs for 2023 ❤️ Every Day’s a Holiday (When I’m Near to You) by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@dot524: I loved every bit of this road trip fic. Henry has a crush on Alex and impulsively decides to join him on a road trip to Texas, which turns out to be longer than expected. The delicious yearning, only-one-bed situations, and funny road-trip pit stops made this a great story. I didn’t want to stop reading.

@heybuddy-drabbles: this ticked all my boxes honestly. The pinning, the yearning. The friendship they build while falling in love. And then the love, wild and unstoppable and so free. It was just perfect.

I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard? by dollarstoreannabethchase (book-verse)

@dot524: A deliciously angsty Henry POV of key events in the book - lake house & storming of Kensington Palace. Broke my heart and put it back together again. The description of his depression and pain made me want to give Henry a hug.

Last Christmas by @celaestis1 (book-verse)

@suseagull04: Enemies to lovers meets Christmas feels and found family. The establishment of every relationship, both romantic and platonic, in this fic is fantastic too!

Never Did Run Smooth by @clottedcreamfudge (book-verse)

@dot524: What a delightful ride! I loved the unique reality-show setup and the roommates/best friends to lovers pining from Henry’s POV. It had a few fun plot turns that kept me guessing and many scenes that made me grin like an idiot (e.g. a cake-baking contest and partner yoga with someone else). This isn’t exactly an undiscovered gem based on the number of comments and kudos — but I hadn’t read it, so I wanted to spread the word for those new to the fandom!

No Consequences by @anchoredarchangel (book-verse)

@thesleepyskipper: In this AU where Henry is still the Prince but Alex is a civil rights lawyer who works with Pez, the author has given us an incredible meet cute!! Alex pulls an Alex and shoots his shot for a selfie that turns out pretty well for him in the end. 😏 The author’s writing of Alex here is absolutely spot on AND hilarious. I still can’t believe this is their first published fic!!!

@zwiazdziarka: this fic has everything one could ask for: it's funny, it's cute, it's awkward, it's hot and addictive. I can't stop thinking about this version of Alex and Henry and their characterisation is absolutely perfect!

Made For Love by @candyspandemonium (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: AU where Henry and June are ice dancing champions and Alex has a lot of feelings about some guy stealing his sister. There are just so many good things in this fic - emotions, Alex being totally unhinged and not realising what it means, Henry as perfect fantasy, dealing with media and public opinion - and all that in nice scenery of ice rinks. Can't recommend it enough!

(Secret) Santa Baby by @indomitable-love (book-verse)

@dot524: Such a sweet AU about office romance between Alex and Henry and how a Secret Santa gift & being paired together on a project leads to something more. Heartwarming and made me smile… this writer’s characterization of Alex & Henry is always spot-on for me, no matter the universe.

The Royal Magician and the Ravens of the Tower of London by @bluflamingo (book-verse)

@suseagull04: The world-building in this fic is phenomenal! It's the perfect blend of magical realms and the real world, mystery and magic AU, and I love it!

could it be mad love? by @duchessdepolignaca03 (book/movie-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: actors AU, but also Henry is Alex's biggest fan and his awkward celebrity crush adds all new flavour to their relationship once they meet. The range of emotions fit in this story is truely amazing. There's so much tension and every moment feels like the one where it all can turn into a dissaster or something absolutely wonderful.

where every wish comes true by @hypnostheory (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: Neighbors!au + fuck buddies. Alex locks himself out of his apartment in a filthy costume and his neighbor and fuck buddie Henry takes him in. It's very funny and sexy!!

[internetaddict104]

My live thoughts on Deadpool and Wolverine

* I’m torn between wanting to fangirl over the fight scene and wanting to sing and dance to *NSYNC

* Also I’m crying at the shots of DP doing the Bye Bye Bye choreo cut into the fight 😂

* The Iron Man helmet covering Tom in the photo with RDJ 😂

* Hearing Matthew Macfayden’s natural British accent is so jarring after watching Succession

* Wait I’m so confused on how Wade was interviewing for an Avengers position with Happy on Earth 616 and then it cuts to 6 years later on Earth 10005

* Wambsgans being the villain is insane

* This movie takes place within 3 days?

* DID THEY JUST REFERENCE THE OSCAR SLAP

* The little cgi Logan is so jarring

* *turns around* “I’m Marvel Jesus you dull creature and I-“ *gets bitch slapped by the Hulk and dies*

* HENRY CAVILL WOLVERINE VARIANT HOLY SHIT

* CHRIS EVANS?!?!?!?!?!

* IT IS CHRIS I’M FUCKING CRYING I LEGIT JUST STARTED SMILING

* JOHNNY STORM CHRIS EVEN FUCKING BETTER

* Did he just die

* I knew Wolverine was gonna just slice Sabretooth’s head off but I’m still sad there wasn’t any real fight

* Oh thank God Johnny is still alive

* Wait where’s the rest of the og FF? Where is my Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, and Michael Chiklis???

* Fuck she killed Chris 😭 I knew it was coming but it still hurts

* Why do I lowkey feel like whatever this Logan did to fuck up his world is gonna be something jokey and/or stupid

* Lady in Red playing during Dogpool’s intro 😂

* Also I did not know Dogpool was a girl

* The intro to The Greatest Show on the radio 😂

* There’s a lot of random music in this movie and idk if I’m really feeling it

* I saw a Scarlet Witch statue… 👀

* Oh shit Garner Elektra

* WESLEY SNIPES?!?!?!?! IS HE REAL OR CGI

* CHANNING TATUM GAMBIT ❤️❤️❤️

* My jaw literally dropped for these 3 I’m dead serious

* Oh this is where X23 comes in

* Wait is this Laura the same one from Logan or is she a variant

* So he’s the worst Logan because he went to a bar and the rest of the XMen got killed by humans? That’s so stupid he wasn’t even there like he didn’t lead the humans to them or run away

* Should I know who the purple girl with Cassandra is bc I feel like I should they keep focusing on her

* Should I know the bearded guy in the striped tank top bc they keep focusing on him too and I don’t recognize him

* Wait so Logan did run away when the XMen were attacked?

* Wait Logan betrayed the XMen?

* Huh so the portal was just white anyway it wasn’t an editing trick to hide anything in the trailer

* I know I should know who Pyro is but I don’t 😭

* Did they digitally elongate Emma Corrin’s fingers bc they look way too long

* Cassandra without the coat looks so sickly idk why the coat made her look fuller

* Logan’s disgusted look when Wade and Dogpool reunite 😂

* Oh I was wondering when Ladypool would show up

* I need to know if any famous actor is in the Deadpool Corps

* Logan holding Dogpool as far away from him as possible like a dirty dishrag 😂 he’s so disgusted by this dog

* WAIT LADYPOOL SOUNDS LIKE BLAKE

* Why is Kidpool a girl

* Cowboy Deadpool sounds familiar too who is he

* THE COWL 😭❤️

* I can’t make out what Blind Al says during the Deadpool fight and I really wanna know what she says 😭

* PETERPOOL

* So Logan is gonna sacrifice himself isn’t he

* Yeah I knew Wade would go in Logan’s place over the heartfelt speeches began

* And Wade isn’t gonna die he can’t he’s too popular

* Oh they both went

* Logan’s top disintegrating 😂

* “You look damn good in that suit” “I’m so sorry” I love Peter

* Wait that’s so cute they’re all in the main universe now (or Wade’s universe idk if they’re the same yet or not)

* I need to find the post credits scenes apparently they were leaked online but I can’t find them anywhere please I wanna watch them I read what they are but I still wanna see them myself

[pinkydoggy83]

🌺🌿 — TROLLS AU TIME

I had this idea a while back. It’s not completed but I want to show what I have so far.

Basically, the au is a Troll parody of the Mamma Mia movie. Before Poppy and Branch’s wedding, Poppy finds out King Peppy’s three past exes and, determined to figure out who is her real mother/father, she invites them all to her wedding. THEN chaos occurs!

While it pretty much follows the movie’s plot with some changes I made. Mostly to make it so Poppy and Branch together are still the main characters in the story. BUT I will be covering the au’s plot line in another post! [I will add the link right here and below!]

Here was my first attempt on designing the three exes. I also thought it would be funny to name them after the Golden Girls because they’re old people trolls-

I don’t have a definite names for them but I been using the names: Dotty, Rose, and Blair. So I’m just gonna call them that for now.

💜 — Blair was the first one I finished. She takes the place of Henry from the movie. Blair is a solo business troll who designs clothes. She uses quilting and knitting as her main form of design.

Blair is your classic diva-confident and very regal type of person. Poppy really looks up to her because of her raw passion for her craft and fun personality. She is King Peppy’s 3rd ex.

❤️ — Rose was the next one I finished. He’s takes the place of Bill from the movie. Rose is soft-spoken and easily a comforting parent figure. He enjoys tending to his garden and gifting big bouquets of flowers.

Rose is always encouraging to others and his compassion is his strong suit. Poppy becomes close to him after he helps comfort her from all the stress from the wedding. He is King Peppy’s 2nd ex.

💛 — Dotty is a design I’m still not completely happy with and would like to work more on. She takes the place of Sam from the movie. Dotty is the level-headed and more serious type. Kinda has the strict mom friend energy between the three of them. Seemingly being the one Poppy is the least alike with.

Dotty would be the one to focus more on why Poppy invited them. Asking Poppy what the real reason is and if that’s really want Poppy wants. (This will make more sense when I explain the au’s storyline). After some time, Poppy and Dotty become close as Dotty helps Poppy reflect on the situation and herself. Dotty is King Peppy’s 1st ex and old childhood best friend. HUGE DRAMA BETWEEN THEM!

Also she owns a hot air ballon and helps bring Rose and Blair to the wedding. That’s how they all met up.

Adding more, Rose and Blair have been best friends since they were small. That’s right! King Peppy dated two people who were best friends. Smh. Oh the drama.

Btw, none of them are still in love with King Peppy. All of them moved on, if not a still little pissed off with him (Dotty mostly because they were childhood friends and have more history together). But they all will learn to get along and become close parent figures to Poppy. Yippie!

Thanks so much if you read this all! I’ll post the au’s storyline soon!

[I’ll add the link here again when the post is out]

[seriousbrat]

what would the marauders' (+ lily and snape's) tastes in literature and poetry be like? i like to think remus would be a kafka guy and i see lily as a big fan of sylvia plath and the romantic movement, but i'm curious about your take

Ahh I love this question soo much and I've been thinking about it a lot! Thank you for asking ❤️

James

sorry to say but this is a Kerouac bitch. this is a bitch who likes 'boy fiction' like On the Road and Catcher in the Rye. I also think James would like epic fantasy like Lord of the Rings, and science fiction like Dune.

Also, I'm just going to go with Muggle (aka real. lol) literature for this BUT I also want to say that I have invented a wizarding poet that Fleamont is really into for my fic, (this is just an excuse to write/include poetry lol) and James would like that too, having grown up with it. ALSO in my mind James would read poems about Quidditch lol

As for poetry, I think he'd like Beat poetry. But also TS Eliot and Dylan Thomas, similar to Remus, and Yeats, like Lily. An Irish Airman Forsees His Death is perhaps my favourite poem of all time and I think it would REALLY resonate with James. Especially since 'a lonely impulse of delight' would also drive him to 'this tumult in the clouds.' wahhh i love that poem

Sirius

I think Sirius would skew a little darker than James. Honestly as much as he'd hate this he might have a bit in common literature-wise with Snape lol, so I'm giving him Camus, The Stranger, and Sartre, Nausea.

as for poetry, Ginsberg's Howl would appeal to him. and William Burroughs. Like James, Beat poetry in general, though I feel he wouldn't be as into Kerouac as James.

A lot of this kind of stuff doesn't appeal to me as much (Kerouac is my fav Beat unfortunately) but I think generally Sirius would like fairly gritty realistic dark stuff. So the obligatory Bukowski is going here. Also perhaps Ted Hughes. Maybe stuff with a political/social commentary.

Peter

honestly I can't see Peter reading a lot lol but if he did, it'd be fairly easy and exciting things, maybe fantasy/scifi like James. I can see him liking The Hobbit. Also maybe crime novels or thrillers? Like kind of bad, easy to read ones haha.

Also comic books, i know nothing about that personally though. Super heroes?? lol idk

No poetry lmao, he wouldn't get it. Maybe he'd like humourous stuff. Limericks lol. An epicure dining at crewe / found a traitorous rat in his stew, etc

Remus

I agree about Kafka!

I just want to give someone this because it's one of my favourite novels ever, so I'm giving Remus Le Grand Meaulnes by Henri Alain-Fournier. (I think it's been translated as The Lost Estate in English but I prefer the original title.)

Hmm I think he might be a Hemingway?? Also Raymond Carver (who is one of my fav authors) anyway I think the minimalist, understated style of both would appeal to him.

I also think he'd like a good coming-of-age story when younger so, the aforementioned Meaulnes (honestly i rly just love that book) but also Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and, like James, Catcher in the Rye.

And then when older it would be more minimalist stuff. I just think he'd be a Hemingway! Also maybe Steinbeck and Capote. I really dont know why I'm always giving Remus such American taste in things. In my mind he has great taste though haha.

For poetry I'm giving him Dylan Thomas (see? Welsh) and T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden.

Lily

absolutely Sylvia Plath! I had her reading The Bell Jar in my fic.

but also other poets, particularly female poets. Anne Sexton, Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Edna St Vincent Millay.

Yeats too, she'd absolutely love Yeats. Like I said my fav is An Irish Airman... but Lily would LOVE and be so enraptured by The Stolen Child (as am I)

as for fiction, she'd love The Mill on the Floss (as well as other things by George Eliot,) the Brontë sisters. God would she love Wuthering Heights (both the book and the Kate Bush song.) I think she'd like Little Women too and really identify with Jo (as do we all,) and also Virginia Woolf. I'll give her Oscar Wilde and Poe too.

Also I want someone to be a Wodehouse fan and that's going to be Lily.

as a kid I think her favourite books would have been The Secret Garden and Watership Down. And Alice in Wonderland. She probably grew up with Beatrix Potter and Edward Lear too. This is essentially just my own taste/what I grew up with btw lol

Snape

I think he'd like Kafka too. also, like Sirius, Camus's The Stranger and Sartre's Nausea lol. he'd be pretentious and dark, basically.

I also think he'd read the most nonfiction, specifically philosophy, specifically nihilism lol so the aforementioned Camus and Sartre, Kierkegaard, and NIETZSCHE. god.

He might like horror. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde. I'm not really a horror fan myself but I think Snape would be.

fun fact but hpwiki lists 'poetry' as one of Snape's skills and I believe that. Anyway, similarly he'd enjoy moody man poetry. But also be more romantic and more classical than Sirius.

I'm giving him Richard Lovelace, I think he'd relate to the romantic aspect of To Althea, From Prison (which is so beautiful) but also the tragedy haha.

As you might be able to tell this is heavily based on what I like and therefore what I could think of off the top of my head. I feel like if you combine Lily's taste with Remus's and then add a bit of the darker Sev side of things, that's just what I like lmao.

So I'm sure there's obvious stuff I'm missing for someone, pls feel free to suggest things!

Edit wait, since I mentioned Dylan Thomas I wanted to share this Welsh translation of his famous poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, sung by Welsh group Brigyn! It's a bit folksy haha but such a beautiful version:

[cha-melodius]

A ship of your choice firstprince, please!

A location—(Although I dare someone to send the White House or Kensington, I WILL make it into an AU. I have ideas.) Also if you want a particular historical setting, you can feel free to include a time period too. GO NUTS, please.

Well sheesh, with that kind of tease, I suggest both the White House and Kensington Palace, circa the year 2068.

I look forward to seeing what you choose to do with this! I am certain to enjoy it, whatever it is ❤️

(This was such an intriguing prompt, and I hope you enjoy what I did with it. Also happiest of birthdays to @dumbpeachjuice, who's incredible fic "make me your god" inspired this one.)

The Impossible Soul

(M, 7.2k, read it below or on AO3)

“I shouldn’t let you do this for me,” Henry tells him in the moments before.

“You should know by now that you’re not letting me do anything, sweetheart,” Alex returns. “Anyway, I’m doing this for us.”

“Even though we still won’t be able to be together?”

“I told you, it’s only temporary. Once my mom’s no longer in office, I won’t be in the spotlight. But I can’t leave you trapped here for another four years. I won’t.” Alex cups Henry’s cheek with his hand and brushes a thumb against the corner of his perfect mouth. “Besides, what if I left you here and you forgot about me?”

Henry covers Alex’s hand with his, warm and soft. “Never.”

~~~~~

One Year Earlier

Alex didn’t think he could be surprised by AIDEs at this point, but the ones populating Kensington are really something else.

“It’s a pleasure to have you here,” Prince Henry says, his blue eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he shakes Alex’s hand.

Alex can’t help but stare. The eyes are the hardest part, or so Nora says. All the Secret Service agents’ eyes have a kind of strange metallic glint behind them. Often it’s not even noticeable, but if you look too closely, it becomes obvious. Prince Henry’s eyes are flawless, though. Just endless, perfect blue. Really, the only flaw Alex can see in this model is that they made him inhumanly beautiful. No real person has lips like that.

Henry’s hand is warm in his, his grip firm but not too tight. Alex forces himself to let go.

“Yeah, thanks,” he says, looking around rather than staying trapped in Henry’s piercing gaze.

Palace servants flit about, attending to all of the gala guests’ needs along with those of the princes and princess. Apparently, it’s a perfect recreation of the palace’s operations from the turn of the century, back before the monarchy was abolished. Now they just keep fake royalty here, like they can’t quite let go of the idea. Alex has never understood it, and visiting hasn’t really helped. Of all the things he’s had to do on this goodwill trip, this is by far the strangest, pretending to hobnob with royalty at a fancy ball like anyone does this shit anymore. Then again, maybe showing off is the whole point, same as it ever was.

It’s not like Alex isn’t used to interacting with AIDEs. The use of Artificially Intelligent Dynamic Entities is still limited more broadly, but they’re common in dangerous or sensitive jobs. The entire Secret Service was replaced by them two administrations ago; their loyalty is never in question, nor their willingness to protect their charges at all costs. Use of AIDEs for entertainment purposes is growing in popularity too, like the Kensington ones. They play the role they’re programmed to without deviation, they don’t need to eat or sleep (though they usually do, to better mimic humanity), they can be abused or even killed without repercussion and, most importantly, they don’t need to be paid.

“I hope your visit to London has been pleasant?” Prince Henry asks with perfectly-tuned amiability. It makes Alex want to push a little, though he knows Nora would tell him it’s a futile exercise.

“Mostly I’ve been spending it in lots of meetings,” Alex says. “Kinda wish I had time to go out and see more of the city.”

“I can understand that,” Henry replies, glancing toward the doors in a way that Alex would call wistful if he didn’t know better.

Can he? Do they let them leave the palace? Probably not. Does Henry want to, though? That would be a weird thing to program into an AIDE that’s supposed to stay in one place.

“I guess you probably don’t get out much, huh?” Alex asks.

Henry smiles indulgently at his bad joke. “Not so much, no. Makes it ever-so-difficult to meet people, you know.”

Alex laughs despite himself. He’s never met an AIDE that was so self-aware. If he tries to joke with Cash about taking a day off, the agent just stares at Alex blankly. “You must talk with a lot of visitors to the palace, though.”

“I do,” Henry allows, taking a sip of his champagne. “Most of them aren’t very interesting, though. All they do is ask what it’s like to be a prince.”

“And? What’s it like?”

Henry smirks a little. “Bloody boring. Not that I can tell them that, you understand.”

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, a little lost for words. Henry is nothing like what he was expecting. “So, what do you want to talk about, then?”

In response, Henry takes a step closer. He smells like fancy cologne, like linens and fresh grass, and something inside him seems to tug Alex closer. “Can I show you something? Still inside the palace, of course.”

Alex’s eyes flick over to June and Nora, chatting with someone he doesn’t recognize—AIDE or government official, he can’t tell—and the Secret Service agents linger at the periphery of the ballroom. He knows shouldn’t leave the event, but honestly chances are no one would notice he was gone. Plus, his curiosity is through the roof.

Henry takes him to a library. There are barricades set up to keep the visiting public to certain areas, but Henry slips past them and Alex follows him. Watches as Henry walks down the rows with a small, private smile curving his lips, trailing a finger along the spines. He pauses and plucks a book off the shelf—Pride and Prejudice, Alex can just make out—and smooths a hand lovingly over the cover.

“I love to read,” Henry says, almost to himself. His eyes flick up to Alex’s, shining brightly in the low light. “All those worlds… They’re incredible, don’t you think?”

Alex doesn’t know what to say. AIDEs don’t read. They don’t dream of other worlds.

“The rest of your… family,” Alex says, diplomatically. “Are they like you? I mean, with the reading.”

Henry laughs quietly and shakes his head. “No. No one’s like me.”

Alex is rapidly coming to that same conclusion.

~~~~~

“There’s nothing special about the Kensington AIDEs,” Nora tells him, sounding more beleaguered than necessary. “We talked to Princess Beatrice for like an hour, it was the same as any other AIDE. Pleasant, but a little vacant. The eyes are a neat trick, though.”

“I’m telling you, Henry is different,” Alex insists. “We talked all night. He’s aware of what he is. He reads and he thinks and he feels. Fuck, Nora, he dreams when he sleeps.”

“AIDEs don’t sleep. Not really.”

“Henry does.”

“Someone just got a little creative with the programming,” Nora says dismissively. “He’s supposed to say those things to make him seem more real. If you went back, he probably wouldn’t even remember you.”

“And what if he did?”

“Alex—”

“What if he did remember me? What if all of it really is real?” Alex presses.

Nora frowns at him. “Then there are some major ethical implications that current AI laws are frankly not prepared to deal with,” she says bluntly. “Look, it’s just not possible. They don’t have feelings, period. He’s just a fancy computer.”

“Fine. Whatever you say,” Alex huffs, mostly because he doesn’t want to have this argument anymore. She’s not going to change his mind, and clearly he’s not going to change hers.

“Promise me you’ll leave this alone. We can’t afford some kind of diplomatic incident because you got a crush on the prince AIDE.”

Alex glares at her. It’s not a crush. “I’ll leave it.”

He absolutely will not.

~~~~~

Cash doesn’t blink—literally—when Alex tells him that he’ll be visiting Kensington Palace again rather than the scheduled afternoon tea with some MP he couldn’t care less about. He sends his apologies with an excuse that he’s not feeling well and heads to the main entrance with the rest of the tourists. He has no idea where Henry might be, but AIDEs don’t take days off, so it stands to reason that he’ll be somewhere acting princely, or whatever he does all day.

Unfortunately, he gets stuck on a tour led by an AIDE with a dirty blonde bob and green eyes who most definitely shows none of Henry’s spark. It’s boring as fuck, and he almost bails more than once, but this place is huge and he’d probably get lost forever before he found Henry. They go past a few rooms Alex recognizes, but there’s no sign of the ‘royal family’ anywhere, and Alex starts to worry. Maybe they only trot them out for big events. Maybe you have to buy a special tour package. Ugh, his mom is going to kill him if he ditches any more events.

“Next, we’ll visit the palace library,” the guide says, and Alex perks up.

This has got to be his chance. Henry had said they were basically allowed free run of the palace so long as they remained in areas where they’d run into visitors during operating hours, and Alex knows there’s nowhere Henry would rather be than the library. Sure enough, he’s reading in a massive armchair by one of the windows, though he gets up when the tour group enters and comes over to talk to them. His face is fixed in a pleasant, bland smile as he looks over the group, until his eyes land on Alex. The flash of recognition is clear, even if he recovers quickly, and Alex’s heart thuds a little harder in his chest.

He lingers toward the back as the rest of the visitors ask Henry about living in the palace and being a prince—exactly as he said they would. He answers graciously, of course, the words so bland and scripted that Alex almost wonders if maybe he hadn’t been drinking too much champagne during the gala. But he hangs back when everyone else files out, and as soon as Henry turns to him, his eyes practically light up.

“You came back,” Henry says, his voice soft with something like wonder.

“Of course I did,” Alex replies. “We didn’t finish our conversation.”

Henry ducks his head, blond hair falling alluringly over his forehead as his cheeks turn pink. The way their bodies mimic human physiology is astounding sometimes. “I suppose we didn’t. Would you care to walk with me in the gardens? It’s a lovely day.”

“Can we do that?”

“Ironically, you’re allowed so long as you have one of us with you, and I’m allowed so long as I’m with a guest,” Henry explains. “Plus, you’re a foreign dignitary. No one will bother us.”

“Sure you wanna be seen with me? My sister would say I’m the furthest thing from dignified,” Alex says, grinning probably a little too broadly.

Henry’s smile slants mischievous as he steps close enough for Alex to get a noseful of linen and fresh grass again. “Maybe I like that about you.”

~~~~

“Have you ever been outside the palace?” Alex asks on his next visit. Nora had given him a look like she knew exactly what he’s been up to when he’d begged off from an official tour of the British Museum, even though he hasn’t brought up Henry again. The fact that she’d found him down a rabbit hole of academic papers about AIDE psychology probably hadn’t helped anything.

“Not that I remember,” Henry answers. It’s rainy today, so they’re ensconced in some kind of parlor with ornate, uncomfortable furniture. The fact that Henry only knows this life is outrageous. Has he ever truly been comfortable? Does anyone even care? “They gave me a basic knowledge of London as a background. I’m supposed to be fond of the Victoria & Albert Museum, but I’ve never seen it myself.”

“That’s fucked up,” Alex blurts.

Henry shrugs. “It’s just how it is.”

“How does none of this ever seem to bother you?”

“It can’t bother me, Alex. My entire existence has been—and will be—only this, and if I allowed any of it to bother me, I’d go mad.”

This does not, in fact, make Alex feel any better about the situation. “Guess I’ll just have to be angry for the both of us, then.”

“I’d rather you weren’t,” Henry says mildly. “It’s no use being upset about my life. Nothing can be changed.”

“Bad idea to tell me something can’t be changed, sweetheart. I fucking love a challenge,” Alex returns. He’s not joking, but Henry laughs anyway. “I’m serious, Henry. You deserve to get things you want, too.”

“What if I said I wanted you not to worry about it? That I want you to be happy?”

“Because you’re programmed to?” Alex counters, letting more bitterness than he means to slip into his voice.

Henry reaches out and slides a hand over Alex’s fist where it’s curled on his thigh. “Because I like you, Alex.”

~~~~

On the last visit he can manage before he leaves London, Alex brings Henry a cell phone.

“What’s this for?” Henry asks when Alex hands it to him. It’s a cheap smartphone, pay as you go, something that Alex can renew the data and minutes on remotely.

Alex frowns at him. He would have figured Henry would be familiar with the concept of phones, but maybe they purposefully programmed him to not recognize it. “It’s for communication. Audio, text, video—”

“I know what a phone is, Alex,” Henry says wryly, interrupting him before Alex can make a fool of himself. “I mean why are you giving it to me?”

“I’d like to keep talking to you after I go home,” Alex tells him, feeling oddly exposed by the question. “If that’s something you’d like, too.”

Henry smiles, almost bashfully. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“I assume you’re not allowed to have that,” Alex says with a nod at the phone.

“I don’t think anyone would consider it a possibility that we might,” Henry muses, “but I’ll keep it hidden nonetheless.”

“Good plan.”

“I’m going to miss your visits, Alex,” Henry says earnestly. “I’ll miss you.”

AIDEs can’t miss things, Alex’s brain supplies, an oft-repeated truism. He feels vaguely sick, leaving Henry here like this.

“Yeah,” Alex croaks, unable to quite meet Henry’s bright blue eyes. “I’ll miss you too.”

~~~~~

“How would you get a site-locked AIDE off the premises?” Alex casually asks Nora one late night at the Residence, when they’re deep in the weeds of polls and projections.

The campaign has been rough; rougher than the first one. Or maybe it’s just that Alex is far more involved in the filthy underbelly of it this time around. The experience has definitely made him question his resolve to go into politics. Then again, sometimes it feels like his only option to make a difference in the way he wants to. These days he frequently gets into arguments about the need for more protections for AIDEs, though right now it feels like a losing battle. They’re not supposed to need protections, that’s the point of them, and no one believes him when he suggests that they might have more in common with humans than previously believed.

It’s been months. Months of texting, and phone calls, and occasional video chats. Months of getting to know Henry—the real him, beyond his programmed backstory. For his part, Henry has seemingly blossomed further with access to the internet. Alex was admittedly not certain that was a great idea, but Henry seems to stay off the darker parts. He watches a lot of Bake Off, apparently. He’s obsessed with some cute beagle account on Instagram. He reads travel blogs and insists that just knowing that these wonderful places exist is enough for him.

Alex doesn’t believe him. Well, he believes Henry believes that, but that doesn’t stop Alex from yearning to show Henry some of them in person. Even something in London would be worth it. Hence, the question.

Nora looks at him like she knows exactly what he’s on about. He’s kept his correspondence with Henry a secret from everyone, but he’s pretty sure she suspects something is up. Him broaching this topic all but confirms that, but he needs the help.

“Permanently, or short-term?” she asks.

“Let’s go with short-term to start.”

Another capital-L Look. “Well,” she says eventually, “I would probably hack into the control system and override the barrier protocols. These systems are self-healing, though. You’d have a couple of hours at most.”

“And what happens if the AIDE was off-site when the system kicked back on?” Alex asks.

“Depends on the program. Possibly just an alarm or something. Most of the time it’s full deactivation though.”

“They kill them?”

“AIDEs aren’t alive, Alejandro,” Nora says pointedly. Alex bites his tongue. “But yes, in a manner of speaking.”

“Fuck,” Alex breathes, wiping his hands over his face. “And to permanently get him out?”

It’s a slip. He’s not dumb enough to think she missed it, though she doesn’t show it.

“Not entirely sure,” she admits. “I’d need one of the tablets they use to control them so I could go into the AIDE’s code. And good luck with that; the companies that make them have some of the tightest security out there.”

“Yeah, of course.”

She turns back to her laptop, and Alex half-expects the conversation is done, at least for now. But then, as she’s typing, she says, “I assume this isn’t idle curiosity.”

Alex sighs. “No.”

~~~~~

It takes nine months from their first meeting for Alex to find a reason to visit London. His mother offhandedly mentions sending someone to some conference he doesn’t really care about, and he jumps at the chance. All he can think about is Henry. Being in the same city as him again. Seeing him. Touching him.

Alex has had time to come to terms with his desire for Henry. Honestly, the bisexuality was easy compared to the AIDE aspect of it. Nora is fond of pointing out that they’re literally designed to be desirable, even the ones not populating what basically pass for sexy amusement parks, but Alex doesn’t just want Henry physically. He wants to spend time with him, to make him laugh and see the crinkle of his eyes not through a phone screen.

Frankly, he also wouldn’t mind a little clarity on the whole situation. To either get incontrovertible proof that Henry is fundamentally the same as a person, or else be reminded that he isn’t, that Alex has deluded himself into believing Henry was more than a machine (a possibility that Nora regularly reminds him of).

On the flight over, Alex finds himself watching Cash, not for the first time. He’s doing a sudoku puzzle, which can’t really be much of a challenge for him. Still, he works on them religiously. Did someone program that into him? Or does Cash actually enjoy doing them?

“Do you like your job, Cash?” Alex asks.

Cash looks up at him, setting his ballpoint pen down—he does the puzzles in pen because he never makes a mistake. He’s got an expression on like he doesn’t really understand Alex’s question, even though it should be straightforward. “It’s my job,” he finally says.

“Yeah, but do you like it?” Alex pushes. “Do you find it fulfilling?”

The tip of his head means Cash is analyzing Alex’s body language. After another moment, he says, “Yes.”

Alex can’t quite hold back a sigh. The answer is predictable. Cash is only saying that because he thinks Alex wants to hear it. That’s what AIDEs do, they anticipate your needs and wants.

“Is that not the right answer?” Cash asks, frowning.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alex says.

He knows Cash won’t.

~~~~~

Henry is understandably nervous about the plan. It is, after all, his life on the line.

“The control system will go down at the very end of the visiting day, so we can slip out with the exiting crowds,” Alex tells him. “It’s gonna look like maintenance, which shouldn’t set off any red flags right away. Between that and the roadblocks Nora’s set up, we should have five hours.”

“For what?” Henry asks.

Alex just grins. “It’s a surprise, sweetheart.”

Henry looks even more human in Alex’s Longhorns baseball cap and hoodie. Soft. Dangerously so. It makes Alex want to do reckless things. Instead, he sets his watch for four and a half hours and reminds himself how high the stakes are. He’s arranged everything just so tonight. No surprises.

The escape goes off without a hitch, and Alex breathes a sigh of relief once they’re making their way through the crowded city streets. Out here, the two of them are completely unremarkable, even with Cash trailing a few steps behind them. Henry seems to take it all in stride, though Alex doesn’t miss the quiet looks of awe that steal over his face as he takes in the city. They stop and get falafel at a food truck. Henry asks to pet every dog they come across. He looks indescribably happy in a way that makes Alex’s heart clench in his chest.

At the back entrance to the museum, Alex pays off the night guard—not an AIDE, thank god, they’re nearly impossible to bribe—and they slip inside, leaving Cash by the door. It doesn’t take long for Henry to catch on.

“You brought me to the V&A,” Henry breathes as he looks around.

It had seemed like the obvious choice, after what Henry had told him. “I’ve never actually been here,” Alex admits.

“That’s all right, love,” Henry says, grinning now. “I know my way around.”

Alex has never been so enraptured by someone telling him about art, but it’s impossible not to be taken in by the passion with which Henry speaks about the sculptures. He tells Alex about Tipu’s Tiger, about Giambologna, about Narcissus and Zephyr and Pluto rendered exquisitely in marble. His programming hadn’t bothered to give him anything more than a general interest; all of Henry’s knowledge comes from reading in the palace library—and now on the phone Alex gave him—and he’s apparently done a lot of it. His programming also has nothing to do with the wonder and emotion in his voice, with the tears that glitter in his eyes when he gets overwhelmed by the experience.

Machines don’t cry over art. They just don’t. Art is supposed to be a fundamentally human experience, which is proof enough to Alex that, whatever he was designed as, Henry is just as human as Alex is now.

~~~~~

In the Santa Chiara chapel, Henry finally pauses and turns his awe on Alex.

“I’ve dreamed of this,” he murmurs, closing the space between them until only inches remain. Alex has to tip his head up to meet Henry’s bright gaze, and his heart thuds hard in his chest. “You risked so much to give this moment to me. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“You deserve it,” Alex tells him, meaning every word of it. “You deserve the entire world.”

“Alex,” Henry breathes.

Alex doesn’t think; he leans up and presses their lips together, a fleeting thing, over before he can convince himself it was a mistake. Except it was, because now he knows the softness of Henry’s lips against his, and he’ll never be satisfied with anything else. Henry’s eyes are wide when he pulls back, his lips slightly parted, and all at once Alex curses his impulsivity. What if Henry thinks that’s what he wants in return, that he owes Alex part of himself for this, when the last thing Alex wants is to take advantage of his programmed desire to please?

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

But Henry presses a hand against his face and pulls him in again, slides their lips together with intention, leaves Alex breathless when he pulls away again.

“You don’t have to do that,” Alex breathes into the silence afterward. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I want to,” Henry says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I want you, Alex.”

“You’re not just saying that because you think I want you to?”

Henry laughs a little, shaking his head. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you,” he confesses. “I can assure you, that wasn’t programmed. And neither is this.”

This time, when Henry kisses him, Alex can’t help but smile into it.

~~~~~

They go off-plan. There are two hours left when Alex takes Henry back to his hotel room and presses him back into the bed. Peels away their clothes and kisses across warm skin that feels no different from his own under his lips. Henry gasps and twitches under him as Alex takes him in hand; for an AIDE that was only supposed to staff a museum, whoever designed him really went all out on the anatomy.

“Have you ever done this?” Alex murmurs into the crease of his hip, breathing in the scent of him. Linen and fresh grass and something else, musky and heady.

Henry shakes his head, and relief floods through Alex. It isn’t some virginity kink, ok? He’s just heard stories of how some people treat AIDEs no matter what their jobs are, like they’re free for the taking because they never say no, and he’s glad Henry’s never been in that situation.

“And you’re sure you want to with me?”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Henry nearly growls. He drags Alex up from between his legs and kisses him hard, then rolls them over so he’s on top, straddling Alex’s waist. Slides back until Alex’s cock is pressing into the cleft of his ass and rocks his hips in a way that makes them both moan. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Alex is pretty sure he sees God when Henry lowers himself onto his cock, sitting upright with one hand behind him gripping Alex’s thigh and the other splayed over Alex’s chest. Or maybe it’s just that Henry looks like a god, like one of the mythical marble sculptures in the V&A, muscles rippling beneath his skin, but warm and yielding and vibrant and alive.

You’re unreal, Alex almost says, but that’s not quite it. Henry like this is very, very real. Impossible might be a better word.

Henry is impossible, and Alex is impossibly in love with him.

~~~~~

“Do you think you could steal one of the tablets they use to access your code?” Alex asks as they lie together in the darkness. His ear is pressed to Henry’s chest, listening to the steady thud of his circulatory pump—not quite a heart, but not not one either.

Henry’s hand cards through his hair, idly twirling Alex’s curls around his fingers. “What are you planning, love?”

Alex tips his face up to look at him. “Can you?”

“I doubt I can,” Henry answers after a pause, “but the technician responsible for us… he may be willing to help.”

“And you trust him?”

“He’s protected me before. I think he knows about my… differences.”

Alex hums. “How do we contact him?”

~~~~~

What Shaan Srivastava is not willing to do is speak over any sort of electronic form of communication, which Alex honestly takes as a good sign. They meet in a cafe on the other side of London, the day before Alex is set to leave.

“I want to get him out,” Alex tells him plainly. “For good.”

“Mountchristen Technologies puts numerous failsafes into the AIDEs they build,” Shaan tells him. “Trackers. Latent viruses. Kill switches.”

“Can they be disabled?”

Shaan takes a sip of his tea. “I have an idea, but I have no way of implementing it. I’m just responsible for keeping them in good working order. I’m not a coder.”

The hope that flares up in Alex’s chest is dangerous but oh-so-seductive. “I think I know someone who could help with that.”

~~~~~

“This is insane,” Nora tells him. “You honestly think it’s a good idea to pull off some kind of heist from the world’s biggest tech company a month before the election?”

“No,” Alex says reasonably. “That’s why we’re waiting until after. I convinced mom to let me take a trip to London between New Years and the inauguration.”

Nora shakes her head, every movement like a knife in Alex’s gut. “I can’t do this. I won’t. I never should have helped you on that little excursion in the first place, but this is a whole ‘nother level. We could both go to jail for who knows how long. And for what? Because you fucked an AIDE and now you want him for yourself?”

“Fuck you,” Alex nearly shouts. “I love him, asshole! I can’t let him stay a— a slave in that fucking palace.”

“He’s a machine! That’s what he was designed for, Alex!”

“Maybe he was, but that doesn’t mean that’s what he is now,” Alex insists. He holds out the tablet that she has yet to take from him. “Just look at his code. Even I can tell it isn’t like anything else out there.”

Finally, she snatches the tablet from him and jabs at it a few times. Her frown gets deeper. “There’s something wrong with this tablet,” she says eventually. “It’s not displaying things properly.”

“It is.”

“It can’t be, this level of complexity is impossible—”

“He’s writing his own fucking code, Nora,” Alex interrupts. Shaan had explained his theory on Henry’s code as best he was able before Alex left London. “With every one of the choices he was never supposed to be able to make. That’s why it looks like that.”

Heavy silence stretches between them as Nora stares at the tablet, occasionally swiping around and tapping. She chews on her lip. “It shouldn’t be possible,” she mutters, half to herself.

“But it is. He is. Please, Nora,” Alex pleads, not caring how desperate he sounds. “I’ll do anything.”

“Yeah, well. Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

~~~~~

“You need to understand that the changes to his code means that accessing the safeguards is much more difficult.”

“Ok.”

“And I can’t guarantee that this will work. We can’t test it out. Once we shut him down, there’s no way to know exactly what will happen when we boot him back up again. He might come back the same as he is now, but he also might undergo some kind of reset. Even if he retains his free will, he might not remember his life before. He might not remember you.”

Alex swallows hard. “I understand.”

“Does he?”

~~~~~

It takes Alex a month to work up the nerve to broach the topic with Henry. On video call not long after the election, he explains Nora’s plan, how they need to do a full shutdown so she can extract the safeguards like a surgeon. He makes himself explain the risks even though his first impulse is to downplay them. Henry deserves to know, deserves to make the decision for himself. Alex would be a huge fucking hypocrite to take that away from him.

That doesn’t mean he’s required to like Henry’s reaction, though.

“It’s too much risk,” Henry says, a stubborn look on his face that Alex is very familiar with by now. “Things are fine now.”

“They’re really not,” Alex argues. “You’re no better than a prisoner there, Henry. Your freedom is worth the risk.”

“It’s not.”

“Of course it fucking is!” Alex snaps, rapidly becoming frustrated by this argument.

“Not when it could mean losing you!” Henry bites out. He presses his lips together and looks away from the camera, but Alex can see the tears shining in his eyes. “My memories of you—of the museum, of us,” he says eventually, his voice unsteady, “are the only things I have that are truly mine. And you tell me I could lose them… I can’t do it. I’d rather stay here forever.”

“Don’t you understand?” Alex pleads. He wants to reach through the screen and grab him, turn his face and make Henry look at him. “I’m trying to give you the world, baby.”

“I don’t want the world,” Henry says miserably. “Please, Alex. It’s better this way. You may think this is worth it now, but one day you’ll change your mind when you realize that having a secret AIDE lover isn’t exactly compatible with a political career. You’ll want to be with a real person. Someone whose affection you can be certain isn’t just programming. Just… leave me here with my memories.”

Then Henry hangs up on him.

~~~~~

Henry doesn’t answer his calls or reply to his texts, and Alex couldn’t be more miserable. He doesn’t eat and sleeps only fitfully, which confuses his family. Everyone’s still riding a high from winning the election. They think Alex is seriously ill and try to bring in a doctor, but nothing’s physically wrong with him. He can’t tell them he’s suffering from a broken heart like some pining Victorian maiden.

On the fifth day, Nora comes storming into his bedroom in the White House and throws a duffle bag at his chest.

“Pack your shit, we’re going to London,” she says bluntly. “Also take a shower. You reek.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“It’s Henry.” She waves the tablet in the air, which is still linked to Henry’s code in real time. “Someone’s trying to make changes to his code.”

Alex flops back down onto his bed and stares at the ceiling. “It’s probably just him deciding he’s done with me.”

“God, you’re pathetic,” she huffs, now rummaging through his dresser. “It’s not him. Looks like someone else is poking around, and that can’t be a good thing.”

That’s enough to make him rocket straight out of bed, an icy spike of dread shooting down his spine. “Have you gotten in contact with Shaan?”

Nora shakes her head. “No. He’s radio silent.”

“Fuck.”

“I booked us tickets with your credit card on a flight that leaves in two hours, so hurry the fuck up.”

“Nora, is he—” Alex starts before his voice clips off as his throat closes. He forces out, “Can you tell… is he ok?”

Her expression softens, and she puts a hand on his forearm and squeezes. “For now.”

~~~~~

The good thing about Kensington being a museum is that no one can stop him from just buying a ticket and going in. He’s been here enough times to know his way to the library, at least, which is where he goes first, barely aware that Nora’s following hot on his heels. All he can think about is Henry.

Henry’s not in the library, though, nor in any of the surrounding rooms. Alex stops a palace attendant and asks for directions to Prince Henry’s apartments, which she helpfully provides. It’s a part of the palace that’s not on any tours, but that doesn’t seem to matter. A palace attendant’s directive to be helpful to humans is off the charts, even for an AIDE.

Somehow he’s not expecting Shaan to answer the door when he knocks. Alex immediately shoulders his way into the room, anger and fear an unholy cocktail in his veins.

“Where is he? What going on here?” he demands, frantically looking around. “Henry, baby, where are you?”

“Mr. Claremont-Diaz—”

“Henry!” There’s no answer, and Alex rounds on Shaan again. “Are you doing this to him?”

Shaan sighs, and it forces Alex to look closer, to take in the bags under his eyes and the grim set to his face. “I told you, I’m not a coder, Mr. Claremont-Diaz. I have, however, been doing my best to slow their progress.”

“What’s happening?” Alex demands.

“Someone higher in the company noticed Henry’s unusual code. I’m not sure how. A standard review of the AIDEs in the palace, I suppose. Or your trip out of Kensington was less secret than you hoped.”

Fuck. None of that is good. Alex scrubs a hand over his face, forces himself to take steady breaths and not descend into a panic attack. “Ok, ok. Is he all right?”

“Alex?”

Alex’s head whips around so fast he nearly strains his neck. Henry’s standing in the doorway, dressed in his usual slacks and button-down with a blue v-neck sweater over it. He looks… normal, and Alex nearly sobs in relief.

“Baby,” he breathes, practically throwing himself across the room and into Henry’s arms. He buries his face in Henry’s neck and breathes deeply, and the barbed wire wrapped tightly around his heart loosens a little.

“What are you doing here?” Henry asks, his strong arms wrapping automatically around Alex’s body.

Alex yanks his head back and looks askance at Shaan. “Does he not know?” He stares up at Henry. “Your code is under attack.”

“Ah, yes,” Henry says carefully. “It’s not the first time.”

“This has happened to you before?” Nora asks, and Henry looks at her in shock, like he hadn’t realized she was in the room.

“You must be Nora,” he surmises. “Yes, it has. I might have thought you’d have noticed the effects in my code.”

A look of understanding dawns over Nora’s face, and she nods. “They’re like scars. Fuck. How many times?”

“It’s not important,” Henry says in a way that suggests he’s been doing this for a long time. “The main point is that I can handle them.”

“Fuck that,” Alex spits out. “I’m not letting them scar you anymore.”

Henry closes his eyes and sighs wearily as he extracts himself from Alex’s grip. “Alex, love, you shouldn’t be here—”

“No, you listen, asshole,” Alex snaps, his terror giving way to fury. “You can’t fucking hang up on me this time.”

“I told you my decision, Alex—”

“And what about what I want? Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Fine,” Henry says shortly, his own temper flaring. “You know as well as I that we can’t be together as long as your mother’s in office and the public’s eyes are on you. So if you still want me in four years, come back and we’ll talk then. You know where I’ll be.”

He says it with a humorless slant to his lips that’s probably supposed to pass as a wry grin, like it’s a joke. Alex wants to fucking scream.

“And let them keep on trying to chip away at what makes you you? Take the chance that they’ll just get rid of you?” he retorts instead. “Fat fucking chance! I’m not leaving the man I love in captivity for four fucking years!”

It takes Henry’s eyes going wide and his mouth falling open for Alex to realize what he’s said. “Alex, you can’t—”

“What, love you? Because I do,” Alex says defiantly. “And I think you love me too.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you AIDEs can’t love?” Henry says, his voice wavering as he stares at the floor.

Alex steps close, forcing Henry to look up at him, until their noses are almost brushing. “Yeah, well, I know better,” he says, low and heated. “I also know I’m not gonna want anyone else, ‘real person’ or not. You’re a real person to me, Henry, and that’s what matters.” He raises a hand to Henry’s cheek and swipes his thumb through the tear track streaking it. “You’re it for me, sweetheart. I’m never gonna love anyone like I love you, and no one can take that away. Plus,” he adds, for the first time letting a corner of his mouth tug upward, “you know how annoyingly persistent I am. If you forget me, I’ll just make you fall in love with me all over again.”

Henry lets out a wet laugh and covers Alex’s hand with his. “It won’t take long.”

~~~~~

Seeing Henry shut down is wrong. He doesn’t even look dead, he just looks… not there. There’s no light in his eyes. Alex hates it. Can’t make himself watch as Nora works furiously.

It takes longer than he expected, but eventually she takes a deep breath and mutters, “Here goes nothing,” then taps a big green button on the tablet.

Henry’s eyelashes flutter as he wakes up. He looks around the room, eyes landing in turn on Shaan, Nora, and Alex. He holds Alex’s gaze and Alex stares back as if he could make Henry remember him through sheer force of will.

“Hello,” Henry says pleasantly. “I don’t believe we’ve met?”

~~~~~

Five Years Later

Alex stands at the end of the long driveway that leads to a small bungalow by the sea on a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean. He’s got a bouquet of flowers clutched in one hand, which feels silly now. Maybe this was a mistake.

He’s kept tabs on Henry and his life after leaving Kensington. From what he can tell, Henry seems happy. He visits the markets and restaurants, knows the locals, and spends lots of time writing. He’s never taken a lover, but Alex doesn’t let himself believe that’s because of him.

It seemed easier, if they were going to have to be apart, to not fill Henry in on their history at first. At least one of them could weather the years without heartache. Alex threw himself into law school, letting nothing distract him. Graduated at the top of his class, got the job of his dreams working for a firm specializing in civil rights litigation, one of the few considering cases related to AIDE protections. He lives a pretty quiet life. No one really cares about what the former FSOTUS is up to these days. And now he’s here, half a decade later, with little more than hope.

Hope, and a wilting bouquet of flowers.

In his darker moments, he’s wondered if it wouldn’t be kinder to Henry to leave him be. Let him live his life. After all, Alex will get old and die, and Henry… won’t. No one really knows how AIDEs might break down over time—their organic-based bodies must, eventually—but their lifespans will surely be much longer than a human’s. In that context, coming back and hoping Henry will fall in love with him again seems nothing but selfish.

Still, he made a promise, and he owes it to Henry to tell him, if nothing else. Maybe Henry will decide that he’s happy as he is, that he doesn’t want the eventual heartache. He owes it to Henry to let him choose.

The gravel of Henry’s driveway crunches loudly under his shoes as he walks toward the bungalow, announcing his arrival as well as any doorbell. When he gets closer, he catches sight of Henry sitting on the porch that faces the beach, a notebook on his lap and a drink on the table next to him. They’d dyed his hair brown after fleeing Kensington, and brown it has remained. He’s still as pale as ever, though; AIDEs don’t tan or get sunburned.

He doesn’t turn at the sound of Alex’s approach, just stares fixedly out at the ocean until Alex stops at the bottom of the two steps that lead up to the porch. Alex’s heart is in his throat when Henry finally gets up and walks to the top of the steps. The smile on his face is warm, fond. Nothing like what he’d left Alex with when they’d parted.

It shouldn’t be possible… but then again, Henry is the very embodiment of the impossible.

He holds out his hand, and Alex climbs up to take it, letting Henry pull him in.

“Hello, love,” Henry says, raising a warm hand to his cheek. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

[cxhleel108]

LITG S9 Thots for this week

• Starting off the volume already annoyed cuz Melissa talking bout “GiRLS neED tO sTIck tOgeTheR”…Bitch you stole my nigga the minute you walked in the villa I don’t wanna hear shit you got to say!

• So yeah I take back saying that it would be funny if Kat was in here and her and Finn had some little relationship drama. I forgot Snoozebox can’t write for shit anymore.

• You like the fact that your ex-girlfriend acts like a child…YOU ARE 28!!!

• Literally offered to lend Hamish a hand and be a nice person and he still gon have the nerve to diss me??? No shade to my mutuals but I need some of y’all to please STAND. UP.

• She is so lucky I don’t want him cuz I woulda fucked her up real quick otherwise after this shit😭😭😭

• Mind you he was the one that told me to sleep with Henri last night.

• Miss “Girls need to stick together” everyone!

• That shower scene was hot lowkey🤭🤭🤭

• If Chen and Kat were actually fucking in there, why would y’all purposely walk in on them???

• This would be so cool if she wasn’t lying❤️

• Ah yes, the type of quality coding we can always expect after 2 weeks between each season release😁

• Omg the way I clocked that I’m so good at this. Initially thought he was a Taurus but then I was like he also gives Libra and considering we’re both Venus signs, basically the same thing. That explains so…so much.

• Them saying we did bits even though…we didn’t. Omg once again quality coding🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

• Now you telling me Melissa, Kat, and Hamish had a threesome in the closet wtf is happening???

• Her first spill.

Yeah uh ngl gang this shit already lame asf. Like from the bad hairstyles to the mid clothes to the even MORE subpar writing to the ungodly amount of coding mistakes…chile. They got like a week or two to fix this or I fear I won’t have anything to post about pertaining to this season anymore😭😭😭

[indestructibleheart]

Thank you, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf, @kiwiana-writes, and @junebugclaremontdiaz for the tags! ❤️

I have reached the point of the Doctor Who AU where I'm so close to finishing it that my ADHD brain has decided it cannot focus on it... which is incredibly annoying, but whatever. I'll finish it when I finish it—as you can see, I am trying to be kinder to myself, lol.

I was able to write some of The Coma AU™️ this weekend... so that's what I'm gonna share today. This is a piece of Alex's coma dream, particularly where shit gets real for him.

Content Warning: Major character injury, some light purple prose (lilac prose?) describing remembering a car accident.

It's also more than seven sentences, as these often are.

Please note the "ish" in the graphic. 😅

He remembers now. Waist-deep in Lake LBJ, he remembers the last letter Henry wrote him, left on the kitchen counter. Alex remembers the silence. The waiting. You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent, drafted and deleted. Dear fucking Thisbe, stuffed into his pocket on the runway. He remembers the sound of it first—skidding and screeching and sirens—then the white hot pain. It starts at the back of his neck and travels down his spine. Waist-deep in Lake LBJ, his knees buckle, but four hands catch him before he faceplants into the water—Nora's hitting his sternum hard enough to crack his ribs. Alex isn't even sure where they fucking came from, but they practically drag him out of the water until the three of them collapse into a pile of tangled limbs in the dirt. His ears are ringing like crazy; he only vaguely hears June's voice above the din, saying, "Stay with us, Alex. We've got you." He wants to tell her he's not going anywhere.  His lips won't move.

As a reminder... Alex will be okay, despite how grim this snippet may seem, and there will be a happy ending.

Tagging some lovelies under the cut. If you have not been tagged and you want to be, consider this your tag!

@anchoredarchangel, @barbiediaz @cha-melodius, @cricketnationrise, @guillermosfamiliar, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf, @hippolotamus, @inexplicablymine, @jettestar, @junebugclaremontdiaz, @lizzie-bennetdarcy , @missgeevious, @mulderscully, @myheartalivewrites, @ninzied, @nontoxic-writes, @notspecialbabe, @priincebutt, @rmd-writes, @rosedavid, @sparklepocalypse, @three-drink-amy, @treluna4, @vanillahigh00, @welcometololaland, @orchidscript, @ships-to-sail, @stereopticons

[fireflameproductions]

NOTE: THESE DESIGNS ARE OUTDATED I WILL REMAKE THEM SOON

Here’s my official lineup for the HIT era steam team! I’m super pleased with my designs for all of them and I think that they fit their personalities well! I have updated some things since then (this drawing is from July) but everything is still pretty much the same up till now.

They are a unique species that look human but share engine traits (grey skin, higher demand for water, and enhanced strength and speed). They all work as conductors and general workers on the railway.

My AU also takes place in the mid 1960s so technology is very limited and is still very old fashioned.

Headcanons and close ups below!

💙Thomas Billinton💙

Voice headcanon: Eddie Glen

Physical age: 33

Mental age: 20

- Despite being the ‘leader’ of The steam team he lacks in leadership skills. Unless the task is extremely important

- He is kind but can be mischievous and slightly rude when he wants

- He is pan and is currently dating Emily

- Despite his previous mistakes and wrong doings he tries his best to better himself and to not let others bring him down

- If there he candy around it will be gone in less than 30 seconds

- Annie and Clarabel are his closest friends and would kill if something bad happened to them

- Likes to bully the older members as he finds it funny (Gordon especially)

💙Edward Pettigrew💙

Voice headcanon: William Hope

Physical age: 65

Mental age: 47

- The father figure of the group, everyone looks up to him since he’s one of the oldest engines

- The sweetest member on the team (probably the sweetest on the island let’s be real)

- The best guy to go to for support and advice. He’ll try his best to help everyone

- Rarely ever gets upset, when he does you know you’ve messed up

- Due to his age he gets tired more easily. And has trouble working long, hard days

- He is currently questioning his sexuality

- Absolutely loves calm days on the railway, it gives him a chance to slow down and relax.

- Despite being pushed down by the younger members, he doesn’t let that bother him and continues to do his best

- Loves hugs, gives them out for free (go give him one he deserves it)

💚Henry Stanier💚

Voice headcanon: Keith Wickham

Physical age: 39

Mental age: 34

- Is usually kindhearted but can be rude if you grind his gears

- Absolutely loves nature, he keeps a ton of houseplants in his room

- He is bi

- Has trauma from The Flying Kipper accident, he has a lot of scars from the crash

- Is a sucker for cuddles (will get flustered if you hug him)

- Has frequent anxiety due to past accidents. He doesn’t want to go through that much fear again

- He loves napping under trees (he has a favourite one in his forest)

- Hopes one day he could pull the express full time (despite Gordon’s pleas)

💙Gordon Gresley💙

Voice headcanon: Kerry Shale

Physical age: 43

Mental age: 41

- Is one of the tallest and strongest workers on the island. He always thinks that he’s the best (and he is ofc)

- Despite his pompous and harsh exterior he is good hearted and wouldn’t hesitate to help others in need

- He is bi demiromantic and is currently dating Jessica (my self insert Oc)

- Has a massive fear of heights after the events of ‘A better view for Gordon’ and he hates it when people find out

- Avoids showing any form of weakness or vulnerability due to his reputation. He doesn’t want to look soft as he fears it will ruin him

- Enjoys a nice black tea at any time of the day

- Wouldn’t trade his job of pulling the express for anything. He absolutely loves it. And he hates doing any other jobs (especially if it’s dirty work)

- Despite getting teased by Thomas often he’s happy with his alliance with him, whenever he needs help he will come to his aid.

- Wouldn’t say it out loud but he would definitely cry if something happened to the ones that he cares about.

- He fears no one except for Diesel 10. He quivers in fear in his presence

❤️James Hughes❤️

Voice headcanon: Rob Rackstraw

Physical age: 32

Mental age: 28

- MASSIVE show off, will take any opportunity to show the world who he is

- He’s gay and has a crush on Edward

- Definitely has the biggest wardrobe of the group. He loves fashion and will wear makeup when he wants to

- Isn’t afraid to start beef with someone. He is full of drama and comebacks

- Sometimes, especially after an accident he feels insecure about his self image. And feels like he’s not good enough. He absolutely hates this

- Would definitely throw a tantrum if he doesn’t get what he wants

- Always wants to look perfect, he wants to impress everyone

💚Percy Stothert💚

Voice headcanon: Nigel Pilkington

Physical age: 27

Mental age: 19

- The youngest in the the group, he’s just a little child!

- Is way too pure for this world. He brightens up any room that he enters

- LOVES any job involving the mail. He takes pride in it and is always super proud of himself when he gets the job done

- He is ace

- He is very optimistic and always has a positive outlook on life. He’s also very supportive and wouldn’t hesitate to lend a hand!

- He loves animals! And usually tags along with Henry when walking in the woods

- He’s very curious and wants to learn as much as he can

- He gets scared very easily, others take advantage of this and try to scare him. Though he tries his best to be brave!

🤎Toby Holden🤎

Voice headcanon: Ben Small

Physical age: 53

Mental age: 51

- A kind and wise old man. On par with Edward on being a great source of advice

- Loves to take things slow and enjoy the littlest moments in life. You’ll never see him being in a rush

- He is straight and is married to Henrietta

- He has a massive fear of water after multiple incidents. And gets very upset when people tease him about it

- Despite being one of the smallest members of the group he has a massive heart. A great source of support

- Likes to participate in the younger members’ tricks on occasion. It gives him a good laugh

- Due to his calm nature, whenever he is stressed he often overacts as he’s not the best with dealing with anxiety

- He loves to wind down by sitting in his chair with a hot tea and with his wife close at the end of the day

💚Emily Sterling💚

Voice headcanon: Teresa Gallagher

Physical age: 72

Mental age: 35

- Surprisingly the oldest in the group. Although she doesn’t get teased about it as much as Edward

- Loves telling stories about her work experiences in Scotland. Feel free to lend a ear and she’ll tell you one!

- She’s usually very kind but she can be bossy when she’s grumpy

- She acts as the bigger sister to the group, especially the younger members. She will do anything to help them if they were in danger

- Loves a good old fashioned tea party. It’s one of her favourite activities

- She is straight and is dating Thomas

- She enjoys a good book. Takes frequent trips to the library. It’s her favourite way to wind down after a busy day

- Like Edward she gets tired easily and has trouble working long days

- She is the queen of girl outings, and is always ready to plan a get together

Whew that was a lot of typing, if you’ve made it this far, thank you. And have a good day ^^

[ambrossart]

Hi hello i absolutely love paper man best it fanfiction I've ever read. i just so happened to reread again and i have a couple of questions. they might be dumb but im curious!!

when evie burns herself with the glue gun and patrick wants to see it. can you explain why? is it because he wants to see her in pain or if he doesnt feel pain himself and hes interested by the idea of feeling something?

also i think it's funny how victors saw eves bright yellow panties and then she wears the yellow dress. was that on purpose or a coincidence?

last question im rambling sorry, can you explain why Patrick was so void of emotion when talking to evie about matin? like yeah he's usually very void and vague but it was reallyy emotionless well until he asks her if he should handle him lol. i just want to know what he was feeling and when he tells Evie something along the lines of its only her and him in the whole school. does he think evies real?

can't wait for more never stop being you ❤️

1) I'd say it's a bit of both, actually. Considering what we already know about Patrick, I think it's pretty safe to assume he derives some pleasure in seeing/inflicting physical pain on others. But I also think there's an element of curiosity to it. Innocent curiosity. It's hard to expand on that further without spoiling things, but Season 2 is all about Patrick. You'll be learning a lot about him then. Probably way more than you want to know.

2) You know, there are several yellow objects in the story. Evelyn's spirit week dress. The Band-Aid she put on Henry's cheek. Her pink-and-yellow quilt. And yes, even the panties she was wearing that night. When I think of Evelyn, that's the color that comes to mind, so... yeah, I purposefully made a lot of things yellow, especially if they're associated with Evelyn.

3) I assume you're talking about the scene in the science lab after Evelyn's assault? Well, there's a couple things at play here:

Patrick is incapable of empathy. If feelings were colors, this boy would be colorblind. He genuinely cannot grasp the full depth of Evelyn's suffering. He can’t imagine what she went through. He can't relate to what she went through. None of that is getting through to him. None of it.

Patrick has a very nonchalant attitude toward sexual assault and sex in general, if we're being totally honest. He's assaulted his fair share of women in the past, including Evelyn, and he's probably been assaulted himself a few times, especially in his youth. Patrick doesn't mind, though. It's just sex, after all. Sometimes it gets a little violent. 🤷🏻‍♀️

In Patrick's eyes, Evelyn got off easy with Martin, a known rapist, which is why he basically says, "Hey, at least you weren't raped, right?" It's not a very kind thing to say, but it's true. It could've been a lot worse.

And if it had turned out worse, I think Patrick’s response would be a lot different. It would still come from a very selfish place, but it would be different: stronger and more severe.

Setting all of that aside, I wouldn't say Patrick was entirely devoid of emotion. Evelyn's situation definitely affected him, just not in the way it would affect most people.

Patrick is wired differently. I think that's the simplest way to put it.

4) As for your last question, well… yeah, I'm not gonna answer that. I can’t answer that. I do love that line, though. I think it says a lot about Patrick and his feelings toward Evelyn. The boy’s intense, like scary intense.

Thank you so much for reading! 💖

[sgt-scottymoreau]

OCs as colours

Tagged by @cloudofbutterflies92 ❤️

Scotty 🌷

Sunflower Yellow Hello :] I have a feeling that you might enjoy using little faces like that, so I will, too! You've likely had a bit of a rough life, even if you don't share that with others too often, or if you do, it's so other people know they're not alone. That's admirable, but it's also good to talk about the things that trouble you for your own sake, as well. I know that you're strong, and you should be proud of yourself for how far you've come, but don't forget that it's also okay to step back for a bit, that it's okay if you're not put together. Regardless, you're someone that people tend to find comfort in, and you're a good, cheerful person to be around. It's a bit hard to come across someone like you nowadays- be proud of yourself, and if anyone tries to tell you that you're wrong for enjoying the small joys in life, just be happy that it's obvious you're truly living life.

All I have to say, pretty spot on!

Henri 🛩️

Orange You'll have to let go of it someday, you know that, don't you? Don't be afraid of that. It's something that has to happen, just as troubles will be forgiven, actions will be remembered, and just as the time will pass regardless of whether you are taking a step forward, or back. You've got a strong personality, and I admire you for that, along with your lack of hesitation when finding an answer for yourself and for what you want to do. Knowing what you want in life is very important, and although it's good that you know that, it's also important to consider what other people want in life, too. You're bright, and you're fiery, and emotions are something that you feel a bit too much of sometimes, but I understand. Don't lose yourself in the path of moving forward, or you'll end up right back at the start.

Without saying too much because I plan on writing his story, but let me say that some part resonate a lot with him in his younger days. Especially the second to last sentence. The first one tho? It is everything! He has to let go of many things.

Johan 🍺

Burgundy Red You're very passionate, maybe passionate in the way of people, maybe passionate in the way of a goal, of a love, of a desire- it doesn't matter that much. You're strong-minded, self-sufficient, and people admire you, perhaps for different reasons, depending on what parts of yourself are true or not. Are you done running from what you don't like? It's okay, to be afraid. Fear is normal, it's what makes someone human, what makes someone real, but that doesn't mean that you can avoid everything. Someday your grief of your old self will find you in the middle of a summer day and ask you if you've forgiven it yet, and you will have to find an answer.

I'll be honest I'm still working on him here and there because, he is mainly a side character in the grand scheme of Scotty's life, but it's fun to try things for him. So, I could use this to develop him more :)

[pippipoffin]

William Afton and/or the Son for the character ask game? :^)c

AGAGAGAGGA!!!! YEAAAS TY RICHARD!! i will do both!

ask game

WILLIAM AFTON

First impression 🎇

back in 2014 when fnaf 2 came out, i was already so enamored by this man. i mean, a tall mysterious guy who murders kids? whats not to love right? especially springtrap, i thought he was so badass.

i was 13 or so at the time and i was so obsessed with fnaf. i wasnt as into him as i am now, but i still loved him a lot and he was one of my favorite guys

Impression now 🎇

hes my second favorite fnaf character of all time, with ralph (phone guy) being my #1. though honestly mike, ralph, and william all fight for that #1st place spot every day.

william is a very intriguing character to me. he's obsessive, he's charming and yet so utterly pathetic. he's a horrible father and a horrible friend and yet with the power he holds over people, no one can escape him once he's in their lives.

i. love. william. afton.

Favorite moment 🎇

Joke answer: when oswald came home from school and saw spring bonnie vacuuming the livingroom

Real answer: tie between the sister location opening cutscene, and when he whispers "it's still me" to mike when he hides in the vents in fnaf 6

Idea for a story 🎇

ralph and dave (william) go bowling together and then go back to dave's house to fuck nasty, the end ❤️

Unpopular opinion 🎇

i love william x henry, i cannot deny their history and chemistry. buuut its a little overrated...i think people should shake things up more and ship william and henry with other characters as well. i actually dont think ive ever seen henry be shipped with anyone except for william...thats sad.

Favorite relationship🎇

PURPLEPHONE FOR LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFEEEE!!!!!!!!!! ive shipped ralph and william ever since fnaf 2 came out and it will FOREVER be my OTP. FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite headcanon 🎇

This is like choosing a favorite child. impossible...but i will pick one of my headcanons to share.

I already made a post about this but, William's favorite drink is a Shirley Temple with extra cherries. which is also my favorite drink!! :D

----

THE SON

First impression 💊

I remember not having any strong feelings either way when i first played hlm2. Well honey, i had a big storm comin.

Impression now 💊

hes on my top 5 list of favorite characters, probably. if not, he is UP there. i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the son!!! he is so interesting. party boy brat but in a different way than Biker, and he has a lot of intriguing tragedy to his character as well.

Favorite moment 💊

ok how could it NOT be the final level, right?? i remember when i first played that...when the credits rolled i was just completely blown away (uh no pun intended)

Idea for a story 💊

i always thought a swap AU with The Son and Jacket would be very interesting. I'd elaborate on that but my fingers are starting to hurt from typing

Unpopular opinion 💊

i actually dont know what is or isnt popular in the hotline miami fandom since i never interact with it anymore. ummm i think he likes vanilla ice cream

Favorite relationship 💊

i like the son x jacket as a toxic awful terrible ship i want them to kill each other with hammers and the son to project all of his trauma on jacket

Favorite headcanon 💊

his first name is Rodion :)

----

if you read all of that...idek what to say, thank you?!?!?

[daffodilsonaprettystring]

I only have three real complaints about the RWRB movie now:

One, it felt wrong for Alex to give his big coming out speech in America BEFORE he talked to Henry. Like the whole thing about them at the V&A was agreeing to try and do this themselves and then that was ripped away from them, so it felt wrong for Alex to say ANYTHING about them, even if he thought he knew what Henry would’ve wanted and knew that Henry probably would’ve been ok with it, it felt wrong for him to say all of that without asking first. I LOVED seeing all of that from Henry’s POV tho that was a MASTERPIECE if I do say so myself.

Two, I think we can all agree that we all LOOOOATHE Miguel, right? And like I get that they wanted to streamline the outing storyline and all that but placing it all on a jealous ex rather than an actual villain felt really weird. Also I’m not crazy, right? There was another actor set to play him before. Somebody named Polo I swear I remember him. Oh well. Anyway. Yeah his storyline felt really weird especially when he didn’t even face any repercussions for this?? Where’s the justice???

Third… ARE WE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT MR HENRY GEORGE EDWARD JAMES HANNOVER-STUART FOX?????

This is less something I didn’t like and just something took me OUT lmaooo I get changing the name to avoid being like the real life royal family but that had me pausing the movie to CACKLE LIKE A WITCH because it was so funny lmaooooo

Anyway yeah that’s really all the negative stuff I have to say about the movie other than those it deserves a billion gold stars and 100% ratings and I WILL be rewatching a billion times thank you ❤️🤍💙

[the-auguer]

I just read The Forbidden Book of Forbidden-ness and HOLY SHIT IT WAS INCREDIBLE. like everyone was so in character, that moment where Asmo's emotional intelligence comes through and he knows exactly what Mammon is dreaming of, and Mammon, our wonderful first man, figuring out that it's not real because he doesn't feel overwhelmingly in love with mc before anything else tips him off, because Mammon may get tricked when it comes to grimm but his feelings towards mc can't be faked or imitated in a dream?? I am in LOVE with your writing

it made me curious what all the other brothers would experience if they were cursed by the book and how they'd wake up, or who would have the hardest time waking up. Levi would definitely be in an rpg game or the tsl universe with mc, he's the easiest one to imagine, but I wonder if Belphie would end up in a dream universe where he never tried to kill mc, like if he had been reminded of ch16 by somethingjust before opening the book and thought to himself that he wished he'd never hurt them

Thanks so much!! That was awesome to hear! I’ve alway been lowkey obsessed with perfect dream worlds and the willpower to reject everything you’ve ever wanted just for the harshness of reality. ig Gravity Falls ruined me.

I never really thought about the other brother’s dream world, other than Levi’s idea of what it would be, tbh.

I kind of really wanted to add them to Mammon’s dream so that it would be harder for him to leave. I played around with the idea of Mammon like, rushing home to tell Lucifer that something is up, and Lucifer pats his head and says he’s so proud of his cute little brother, and did you win big at the casino baby 🥹? Are you hungry? And Mammon obvs flips out. And Lilith is there and alive and everyone’s happy and also him and MC are engaged and gonna be married soon.

I feel like that would have been Mammon’s REAL ideal universe. But hey, I wanted it be a one shot that I could just play with and not a ten chapter, meticulously thought out story the way that would be, so it was scrapped. And I imagine that the other’s ultimate dreams would be much of the same, with Levi’s probably taking place in an RPG like you said, and MC is Henry and they are eternal best friends only, wait, MC just kissed me!!! 🤯❤️❤️

Again, thanks a lot!!!

[onegianthotmess]

Amelia’s Ikemen Vampire Contact List

The contact names and group chats I would have for these chaos men.

Napoleon Bonaparte - Panty Sniffer👀☹️

Either this name or “Trashy Fanfic Author✍️💕” would be my contact name for him

IRL Napoleon wrote a self insert love novel, so I’m saying Ikemen!Napoleon did that

It would probably switch between those two, if I’m being honest

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Fucking Germaphobe✋🙄

Pretty self-explanatory

I’d make fun of him for it and he’d probably yell at me for sneezing and coughing around him-

SORRY I CAN’T CONTROL WHEN I SNEEZE, YOU CLEAN WHORE-

Leonardo da Vinci - The Bisexual Cat Man💗💜💙🐈‍⬛

One, this man sleeps like a fucking cat

Whenever and where ever he wants

Two, you can’t tell me Leo and Comte haven’t at least had one maybe maybe not drunk night of sex together

Also, it’s a historical fact that Leonardo da Vinci, in real life, was most likely gay

But I’m saying Ikemen!Leo is definitely bisexual

His sex drive doesn’t discriminate-

And there I go rambling again, this isn’t my headcanons on what these sexuality of these weirdos is, it’s what their contact names would be in my phone-

Arthur Canon Doyle - Attention Slut Writer💃✍️

He doesn’t charge for attention, he gets it for free-

Also we’d probably just end up sending each other weird memes that we find while we’re up and on the internet at, like, one in the morning

Vincent van Gogh - Bubba😇🎨💛

As I’ve stated before, the van Gogh brothers have unofficially adopted me, so I’m their baby sister now

And I’m pretty sure people would ask if I’m actually related to them since me and Vincent both have the baby face curse-

Theodorus van Gogh - Bubba🖕🥞💙

Again, unofficially adopted older brother

Except we’re assholes to each other because that’s how we show our love to each other

Even though the bitch calls me a damn hondje-

I’m using salt instead of sugar in his pancakes for a month-

Dazai Osamu - Window 🪟

Seriously that’s all I got

He just climbs in through the windows to get into rooms, even my room

He’s a weirdo, but so am I, so I can’t really judge him-

Isaac Newton - Apple Pie 🍎🥧❤️

I’m his mom friend, I’m allowed to tease him

Also it was either this or “Fucking Nerd 🤓” and I didn’t want to be that mean

Also I’m the only one allowed to make apple pie for him because I don’t make fun of him for it outside of one tiny comment-

William Shakespeare - Wilhelm Shookspear🎭📝🍐

Tbh, I’d mispronounce his name just to piss him off

And then I invite him over to piss off Theo so that Will won’t be mad at me because I find him at least decent

Also, he’s Vincent’s bestie, why would I keep my unofficially adopted big brother away from his bestie he’s probably kissed while drunk once or twice

Le Comte de Saint-Germain - Mommy Comte🥰🥰

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, Comte is the mother of the mansion and Leonardo is the chill as fuck dad

Also, the residents are his children

It’s literally canon that he unofficially adopted them

Sebastian/Akihiko Satou - Husband 🥰

Self-explanatory

I could’ve been mean, but I love him too much and he’d revoke my affection privileges for a week and replace them with twice as many forehead flicks

Meanie bobeanie

But I love him-

Vlad - Strawberry Shortcake🍰💐🥀

It was either this name or “Dusty Old Man😐”

And he’s pretty as fuck, so that name didn’t really fit in my opinion-

I give him free strawberry desserts, he gives me free flowers to decorate the mansion with

It’s a win-win, really

Johann Georg Faust - Pyromania💥💥💥

Tbh, I’d make fun of him for his death all the fucking time

Mutual agreement that we insult each other and try to kill each other half the time and the other half we civilly interact with a sprinkle of petty insults

It’s fun!

Charles-Henri Sanson - Baby Blues💙💙

He has pretty eyes, what do you want from me?

Also he’s a babie, he needs love!

I’m borderline adopting most of these idiots at this point but I don’t care-

THEY’RE TRAUMATIZED AND ADORABLE!!

ESPECIALLY CHARLES