#but he is such a great storyteller and i love hearing him speak so i am sold !!! i am hooked !

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Inspirations and Themes in “Nosferatu” (2024), according to Robert Eggers

At the surface this film appears to be “just another remake”, but it’s actually the opposite; it’s a subversion of every theme in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and on the original 1922 “Nosferatu”; because Eggers threw the “sexual purity”, “Christian salvation” and “Victorian romantic love” out of the window in this one.

What is Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” about? What are the themes? What makes his adaptation different from the others? Let’s explore the list of inspirations for this story, according to their own creator:

1. Emily Brontë “Wuthering Heights” (1847)

“You loved me then, what right had you to leave me? What right, answer me, for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart, you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.”

Themes of the all-consuming, obsessive and self-destructive passion, wrecking the lives of everyone around them and only stops when they are both dead; the destructive power of love; revenge; love triangle between a “beastly” man/mental unstable woman/gentleman; blend of hatred and love; couldn’t be together in life, united in death and reunited in the spiritual world; I already expanded on this topic in another post.

2. “Svengali” (1931)

“Oh, God, grant me in death what you denied me in life; the woman I love.”

Theme of the villain who induces others in a hypnotic and mesmerized states; infectious nature which causes contradictory feelings of repulse vs. attraction. Orlok using his sorcery to access Ellen (once again); Love triangle between a obsessive hypnotist/young woman/gentleman; Ellen’s life consumed by her connection with Orlok; couldn’t be together in life, united in death and reunited in the spiritual world.

3. “La Belle et la Bête” (Beauty and the Beast) (1946)

“Love can turn a man into a beast. But love can also make an ugly man handsome.”

Themes of reality vs. appearance: nothing is as it seems, and there’s more to the story than meets the eye. The storytelling is intricate, complex and requires intention and receptivity to truly understand it. Transformation and metamorphosis. Love and self-acceptance; embrace oneself and breaking free from social expectations. Cursed creature whose curse can only be broken by love: “And so the maiden fair did offer up her love unto the beast, and with him lay in close embrace until first cockcrow, her willing sacrifice thus broke the curse and freed them from the plague of Nosferatu.”

4. “Great Expectations” (1946)

“A young gentleman of great expectations.”

Themes of wealth and ambition vs. affection and compassion. Inspiration for Thomas Hutter character, who seeks social advancement, wealth and climb the social ladder, motivated by a desire of self-improvement. Friedrich Harding is Thomas’s Pip Estella; as he wishes to emulate him, and become a sophisticated gentleman. The arrogance and snobbishness of the upper class. Taking damaging risks in order to achieve ambition (traveling to a remote and mysterious castle), and falling into debt to sustain a certain lifestyle (with Friedrich). Learning that love is more important than wealth, the hard way (both Friedrich and Thomas).

5. “The Queen of Spades” (1949)

“If you've any human feeling in your breast, you can't refuse me. I beg. I beseech you. I know why you won't speak. The secret is connected with some terrible sin. That's it, isn't it? I'll make a bargain with you; tell me your secret and I'll take your sin upon my soul. Do you hear me? I mean it. A bargain. I'll take your sin upon my own soul.”

Theme of the horror element relying on Gothic ambience and atmosphere, than overt terror. Heavily rely on visual symbols to give meaning to the story: in “Nosferatu” are the lilacs and windows showcasing the connection between Ellen and Orlok. The idea that malevolent forces are at work is introduced early in the narrative. Theme of Faustian deals with the Devil. Themes of fate and the supernatural commanding the life of the characters, and leading to their demise. Themes of greed, power and pride leading to ruin; thirst for power as a pathway to madness, loss of dignity and loss of compassion for others, embodied in Herr Knock’s character, as he won’t stop at nothing to learn Orlok’s secret of immortality.

6. “The Innocents” (1961)

Miss Giddens: Were Quint and Miss Jessel in love? They were in love, weren't they? Mrs. Grose: Love? [Laugh] Oh, I suppose that's what she called it. But it was more like a sickness. A fever that leaves the body burned out and dry.

Themes of sexual repression and Victorian views of female sexuality (wickedness; sickness, shame; contagion; corruption) vs. love (pure; virginal; sacred; innocent; over-protective). The female protagonist overbearing protection of the children/Thomas masks her underlying conflict with her own sexuality (which she sees as sinful, shameful and diseased). Probably the inspiration for connecting flora (lilacs vs. willow tree) with the Ellen and Orlok, too.

7. “Andriesh” (1954)

Theme of the folk horror fairy tale, which also characterizes “Nosferatu”. The inspiration for Thomas dwelling in Transylvania and traveling to Castle Orlok, in the Carpathian Mountains; as he’s also given a magical token for protection, meets the people targeted by the supernatural, and faces a perilous journey to reach the castle, and then escape the castle; making allies along the way (Romanian old lady and the Nuns).

8. “Vechir na Ivana Kupala” (“The Eve of Ivan Kupalo”) (1968)

Theme of a darkly evocative, poetic and imagistic story deeply rooted in folklore. Use of several and overlapping cinematic techniques (fast motion, camera angles, etc.), to break the sense of reality within the film; in “Nosferatu” this probably translates in the dream/nightmarish atmosphere and hallucinations. Quick changes in tone (from horror to comedy to melodrama). Non-linear story and “show, not tell” approach; where the symbolism, mythology and cinematic complexity are more important than dialogue. Probably also the inspiration for Orlok giving Thomas’s a mount of gold as payment for his signature on the covenant, which will lead to the ruin of his marriage to Ellen.

9. “Leptirica” (“The She-Butterfly”) (1973)

Theme of a story and a vampire heavily influenced by folklore; in “Nosferatu”, by Romanian (strigoi). Use of humor to disarm the viewer. Withholding the reveal of the vampire to the audience; starting with close-ups on the hands, eyes, etc. Using a horse to find the grave of a vampire (in Balkan folklore it’s a black stallion, but Eggers probably choose white to be more visible in the night). A new and completely original ending to a cult classic. The female lead character appears to be naïve and harmless, but is revealed to be the true monster of the film.

[christiangeistdorfer]

JOHN WATSON signing autographs at the 1979 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

[artist-issues]

I Hate How She Talks About Snow White

"People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it's like, yeah, it is − because it needed that. It's an 85-year-old cartoon, and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond 'Someday My Prince Will Come. "

Let me tell you a little something's about that "85-year-old cartoon," miss Zegler.

It was the first-ever cel-animated feature-length full-color film. Ever. Ever. EVER. I'm worried that you're not hearing me. This movie was Disney inventing the modern animated film. Spirited Away, Into the Spider-Verse, Tangled, you don't get to have any of these without Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937.)

Speaking of what you wouldn't get without this movie, it includes anime as a genre. Not just in technique (because again, nobody animated more than shorts before this movie) but in style and story. Anime, as it is now, wouldn't exist without Osamu Tezuka, "The God of Manga," who wouldn't have pioneered anime storytelling in the 1940s without having watched and learned from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the 1930s. No "weeb" culture, no Princess Mononoke, no DragonBall Z, no My Hero Academia, no Demonslayer, and no Naruto without this "85-year-old cartoon."

It was praised, not just for its technical marvels, not just for its synchronized craft of sound and action, but primarily and enduringly because people felt like the characters were real. They felt more like they were watching something true to life than they did watching silent, live-action films with real actors and actresses. They couldn't believe that an animated character could make kids wet their pants as she flees, frightened, through the forest, or grown adults cry with grieving Dwarves. Consistently.

Walt Disney Studios was built on this movie. No no; you're not understanding me. Literally, the studio in Burbank, out of which has come legends of this craft of animated filmmaking, was literally built on the incredible, odds-defying, record-breaking profits of just Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, specifically.

Speaking of record-breaking profits, this movie is the highest-grossing animated film in history. Still. TO THIS DAY. And it was made during the Great Depression.

In fact, it made four times as much money than any other film, in any other genre, released during that time period. It was actually THE highest-grossing film of all time, in any genre, until nothing less than Gone With the Wind, herself, came along to take the throne.

It was the first-ever animated movie to be selected for the National Film Registry. Actually, it was one of the first movies, period, to ever go into the registry at all. You know what else is in the NFR? The original West Side Story, the remake of which is responsible for Rachel Ziegler's widespread fame.

Walt Disney sacrificed for this movie to be invented. Literally, he took out a mortgage on his house and screened the movie to banks for loans to finish paying for it, because everyone from the media to his own wife and brother told him he was crazy to make this movie. And you want to tell me it's just an 85-year-old cartoon that needs the most meaningless of updates, with your tender 8 years in the business?

Speaking of sacrifice, this movie employed over 750 people, and they worked immeasurable hours of overtime, and invented--literally invented--so many new techniques that are still used in filmmaking today, that Walt Disney, in a move that NO OTHER STUDIO IN HOLLYWOOD was doing in the 30's, put this in the opening credits: "My sincere appreciation to the members of my staff whose loyalty and creative endeavor made possible this production." Not the end credits, like movies love to do today as a virtue-signal. The opening credits.

It's legacy endures. Your little "85-year-old cartoon" sold more than 1 million DVD copies upon re-release. Just on its first day. The Beatles quoted Snow White in one of their songs. Legacy directors call it "the greatest film ever made." Everything from Rolling Stones to the American Film Institute call this move one of the most influential masterpieces of our culture. This movie doesn't need anything from anybody. This movie is a cultural juggernaut for America. It's a staple in the art of filmmaking--and art, in general. It is the foundation of the Walt Disney Company, of modern children's media in the West, and of modern adaptations of classical fairy tales in the West. When you think only in the base, low, mean terms of "race" and "progressivism" you start taking things that are actually worlds-away from being in your league to judge, and you relegate them to silly ignorant phrases like "85-year-old cartoon" to explain why what you're doing is somehow better.

Sit down and be humble. Who the heck are you?

[resident-idiot-simp]

Logan "has seen all the Wars" Howlett and Wade "I know I'm not real and nothing matters" Wilson

(x)

With the new Logan now in the world the X-men were conflicted on one hand they had lost their friend on the other they kind of had him back. This Logan, however, didn’t act anything like their own so it was easy to not see him like their old friend.

Laura, the daughter of their late Logan, however, had been adopted by him and so it wasn’t the most uncommon thing to see him around the mansion.

The kids loved him just like they had loved the other Logan, especially the students who knew the other Logan. However the only thing that may cause issues is the fact that this Logan was always with Deadpool and a lot of them didn't know what to think of that.

Jean had investigated one day by sifting through Logan’s mind and to her surprise there had been only vaguely homicidal thoughts. Most of them were just about how much he loved and adored the merc.

It wasn't expected and she wouldn't say anything as long as he was happy, that's all that mattered.

One day Logan was entertaining the students in one of the main rooms when Jean had run across them. The other Logan would do this he was always a good storyteller with as old as he was, he had an endless source of stories. The X-Men had also often listened in. It was always a great way to get their minds off of more daunting things.

Today was no different, only this time it was war stories Logan didn't often tell those mainly because the old Logan didn't remember many of them, she supposed this Logan didn't have the same issue. He was currently recounting a story on how he saved an enemy soldier from a nuclear blast when he was being held as a prisoner.

He was being relatively vague and moving on from some parts quickly and she couldn't help but be curious.

In his mind it told a completely different story, one of excruciating pain as he was scorched alive by the blast and the horrific pain of being obliterated down to your bones and then feeling the skin and organs slowly start to regenerate. She could almost feel the pain to the memory, and she had to hold herself up from collapsing.

She wondered how he could bring himself to recount such a horror.

Deadpool had started speaking as well recounting a story of his own one of how he got his powers. It was vague and unclear; the story was disjointed as everything always seemed to be when he spoke. The man couldn't tell a coherent story from beginning to end.

The Students were enamored, however, because despite how choppy it was it was still very interesting.

Again, she couldn't help her interest as she attempted to peer into his memories as well. Immediately she felt like she was being sucked in. Everything felt like it was dying as decay clawed at her feet.

All the while flashes of torture, of being drowned and beaten, frozen and suffocated. Flashes of excruciating pain and a diagnosis of only a few months to live as cancer ate him alive and made him weak.

Everything hurt, nothing was OK but at the same time it was fine, nothing was real anyway. They were all just characters in a story, they didn't matter because they were just entertainment.

Others were watching others were talking, she could hear them. Perform they demanded entertain us, she could almost see people on the other side of a wall that wasn't there before, they were reading.

She managed to pull herself away stumbling back eyes wide and she stared.

[babydollmarauders]

TIMELESS — JACK HUGHES

jack hughes x fem!reader

surprise song! part (and final part) of the Speak Now Fic List

summary: in which y/n writes she and Jack’s first dance song and it’s Jack’s first time hearing it

notes: Taylor doesn’t exist in this alternative universe, and you’ll understand why! (2.5k words)

“i want you to write our first dance song.”

when Jack had told me that just five months ago, i was at a loss for words.

i’m no pop star, by any means, and i’ve never desired to be one. i dabble in song writing as a way to release my anxiety and that’s it.

i’ve bounced lyrics off of Jack for as long as i can remember. we went from facetimes in high school, after practice, singing him verses i was unsure of, to sitting beside him in bed, my guitar in my hands as i tried to work out lyrics and having him put his two cents in.

he knew i never planned for anyone else to hear them. they were for he and i’s ears only. yet he still complimented my voice, my lyricism, the instrumentals i played out in the dead of night.

he told me i wrote like a poet. he called me the greatest storyteller who’s ever lived.

but the greatest compliment, and also the greatest challenge, he’s ever given me, was to write the song to which we’ll have our first dance as husband and wife. to write our love into the purest form of art.

it took me four months to write what our love felt like, into words. constant lyric changes, and multiple instances of scrapping a song altogether and starting anew. it took another month for me to get it all made in a rented studio. recorded and produced into the song it is now.

but as i took so long to perfect it to my liking, i took the greatest risk of my songwriting journey. i never once bounced lyrics off of Jack. i wrote only when he was on roadies, hiding my journal inside of an old blanket that sits on the high shelf in our closet when he was home.

i wanted this song to be a complete surprise once it was finished. i wanted him to only hear it once it was in its perfected form. and that would be today.

my leg bounces on the couch, my fingers playing with the fringed side of the decorative pillow that lies within my lap, as i wait for Jack to get home from practice.

my nerves are quickly rising, my anxiety getting the best of me. if he dislikes this song, then i only have one month to create an entirely new one.

i feel sick. like i could both pass out and lose my breakfast at any moment.

my head perks up as i hear the apartment door open, the un-hushed whispers of Jack and Luke reaching my ears, and when they step into the living room, the signature smile on Jack’s face brightens.

“hi, baby.” he grins, bounding forward to press a kiss to my forehead. “i didn’t think you would be awake already.”

“i got it.” i rush out, the monotonous small talk of the moment not appealing to me in the slightest.

“got what, doll?” Jack’s brows thread together in confusion, and i can hear Luke’s pots and pans clattering in the kitchen.

“the final demo of our first dance song.” my teeth sink into my bottom lip, watching realization settle over Jack’s face. “the producer sent it to me this morning.”

“that’s great, baby! why do you look like your gonna throw up?” he laughs, taking a seat beside me on the sofa.

“because i’m scared you’re gonna hate it.” i confess. “i spent so long on this one song, making it into something i’m proud of, but it all means nothing if you don’t think it’s good enough.”

“hey.” he coos softly, a gentle hand raising to cup my cheek. “i love everything you write. and i know that this song is gonna be no exception.”

his forehead rests against mine, my eyes fluttering shut as i take a deep breath.

“are you ready to hear it?” my words come out in a whisper and i can feel him nod against me.

“i’ve been ready since the day i asked you to write it.” i pull back to smile at my fiancé, heaving out a deep sigh.

“hey Luke?” he calls out, getting a distracted ‘yeah?’ in return. “you mind giving us a few minutes alone?”

“uhh-” Luke peeks through kitchen entryway. “‘in my room’ alone? or ‘leave the apartment’ alone?”

“in your room is fine.” i assure him gently and he nods.

i watch as he turns the stove off before walking to his room. as soon as his door shuts, Jack is turning to me with an excited smile.

“okay, let’s listen!” my hand shakes as i lean forward, clicking on my laptop that rests on the coffee table, pressing play on the file.

the first notes echo throughout the living room, the gentle guitar strums causing Jack’s eyes to crinkle as he smiles softly, bobbing his head, his eyes glued to the laptop screen.

“Down the block, there's an antique shop

And something in my head said, ‘Stop,’ so i walked in

On the counter was a cardboard box

And the sign said, ‘Photos: twenty-five cents each’

Black and white, saw a '30s bride

And two lovers laughin' on the porch of their first house

The kinda love that you only find once in a lifetime

The kind you don't put down”

he looks over at me, confusion written across his face, but his eyes still shining with joy.

“And that's when i called you and it's so hard to explain

But in those photos, i saw us instead

And, somehow, i know that you and i would've found each other

In another life, you still would've turned my head even if we'd met”

his eyes grow softer, my cheeks heating up.

sure, i’ve written love songs about Jack in the past, but this one was special. this one speaks a truer and deeper meaning than any of my past songs.

“On a crowded street in 1944

And you were headed off to fight in the war

You still would've been mine

We would have been timeless

I would've read your love letters every single night

And prayed to God you'd be comin' home all right”

his smile is gentler now, his eyes glistening with unshed tears as he snakes his hand over to hold mine, and i know he’s thinking about the same thing as me.

remembering the time early on in his NHL career, when i confessed to him that every time he went on a roadie, i had so much worry that he would get hurt and i wouldn’t be there for him. when i admitted that, regardless of me not being a highly religious individual, i prayed before every game that he would come out okay. that he would come home in the same condition as he left.

“And you would've been fine

We would have been timeless

'Cause i believe that we were supposed to find this

So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine

We would've been timeless”

salty tears roll down my cheeks at the sight of his, gathering on my chin and dripping down onto our conjoined hands, gripped tightly together in my lap.

“I had to smile when it caught my eye

There was one of a teenage couple in the driveway

Holdin' hands on the way to a dance

And the date on the back said 1958

Which brought me back to the first time I saw you

Time stood still like somethin' in this old shop”

he pulls me closer, until i’m practically sitting on his lap, pressing his lips to my cheek, and i wonder if he’s thinking back on when we first met too. but what he doesn’t know is that i saw him first. i’d never told him that bit.

how i silently pined after him for months until we really met. it’s written in my vows though.

junior year, when i first saw him in the school hallway and it felt like everything around me had frozen.

he had been standing at his locker, laughing about something that Trevor had said. i heard the laugh first, and my entire body felt warm. but then i turned and caught sight of him, and it felt like time had stopped. my heartbeat had sped up, everything around me drowning out until all i could focus on was him.

“I thought about it as i started lookin' 'round

At these precious things that time forgot

That's when i came upon a book covered in cobwebs

Story of a romance torn apart by fate

Hundreds of years ago, they fell in love, like we did

And i'd die for you in the same way, if i first saw your face”

our foreheads press against each other, my thumb wiping away his tears.

“In the 1500s off in a foreign land

And i was forced to marry another man

You still would've been mine

We would have been timeless

I would've read your love letters every single night

And run away and left it all behind

You still would've been mine

We would've been timeless

'Cause i believe that we were supposed to find this

So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine

We would've been timeless”

his lips slot against mine, perfectly placed in harmonious synchrony, our fallen tears mingling together upon the meeting.

“Time breaks down your mind and body

Don't you let it touch your soul

It was like an age-old classic

The first time that you saw me

The story started when you said, ‘Hello’

In a crowded room a few short years ago

And sometimes there's no proof, you just know

You're always gonna be mine

We're gonna be-

I'm gonna love you when our hair is turnin' gray

We'll have a cardboard box of photos of the life we've made

And you'll say, ‘Oh my, we really were timeless’”

my thoughts drift back to the first time we really met.

it was on new year’s eve in our junior year. Cole was having a joint new years and birthday party.

*** DECEMBER 31ST, 2019 ***

Cole’s house is crowded. insanely so.

i didn’t originally plan to come. but Cole’s become a good friend of mine through our shared history class, and he’s been blowing up my phone all day, begging me all day to attend.

so now here i stand.

alone in the crowded living room of Cole Caufield’s billet residence, a red solo cup in my hand as i people watch.

i’m unsure of what to do. Cole currently sits on the couch with a few of his hockey friends from the US National Development Program, and i feel awkward going over there. but i don’t actually know anyone else here.

i tend to keep to myself more often than not, which results in the rest of my friends being fellow introverts that would never be at a party like this.

“y/n!” my eyes grow wide, my head snapping to find where the call of my name had originated from, and i’m slightly surprised to find Cole grinning over at me, his hand waving in the air and motioning me over.

my eyes flicker beside him to see Jack sat next to Alex, both paying no attention to anything going on around them.

with none of Jack’s attention on me, i figure it’s safe to go over and wish Cole a happy early birthday.

i push my shoulders back, standing up straighter, attempting to push my way through a horde of fellow high schoolers.

but my walk is a lot less confident once i witness Jack’s gaze drifts towards me. i stumble a little, crinkling my nose as a guy i share pre-calculus with bumps me in the back.

“hi Cole.” i force a smile on my surely red face, fidgeting under the gaze of all the boys, but especially anxious now that Jack’s attention is on me.

“hey! you came!” Cole rises from his seat, pulling me into a hug, recklessly causing my drink to slosh in its cup.

“well you were texting me all day. you wouldn’t take no for an answer.” i chuckle as he plops back down to the couch with a sigh.

“i couldn’t throw my birthday party and not have my favorite girl show up!” he shouts, my face heating up. “oh! guys, this is y/n! she’s my friend from history!”

the guys all mumble out distracted ‘hey’s, no longer paying any attention to me, more interested in their new conversations or, in Trevor’s case, trying to charm a girl.

except for Jack. his baby blues are still locked on me, the corners of his mouth pulled up in a small smile.

“hello.” it’s only one word, but my heart races in my chest. i’ve been pining after this exact boy from afar for months, and now he knows who i am. “i’m Jack.”

“hi Jack.” i shake his hand, his touch sending shivers down my body.

*** PRESENT ***

Jack’s hand rubs my thigh, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“We're gonna be timeless, timeless

You still would've been mine

We would've been

Even if we'd met on a crowded street in 1944

You still would've been mine

We would've been

Down the block, there's an antique shop

And somethin' in my head said, ‘Stop,’ so i walked in”

*** ONE MONTH LATER ***

my arms wrap around my now-husband’s neck, my hands toying with the hair at the nape of his neck.

our family and friends watch on from their seats, Ellen’s eyes catching mine, tears already threatening to pour over.

the first guitar chords stream out from the speakers as Jacks hand wrap around my waist, and we begin swaying around the dance floor.

Jack’s eyes gaze into mine, smiling as he whispers the lyrics back to me, relieving some of my anxiety from our guests hearing my song.

i grin back at him, craning my neck to press a kiss against his lips as the song nears its end.

i purposefully avoid looking anywhere near the crowd, laying my head on his chest as the song ends, the final chords strumming.

his heartbeat echoes in my ears, quickening as he presses a kiss against the top of my head.

his words are mumbled into my hair, his lips pressed to my scalp- “our love is timeless.”

[soujux]

Semiotics in Your Sky Confessions

Dir. Kla revealed that both confessions were initially written to take place at the airport, but it had to be modified due to new rules that basically ban kissing at the area. They knew it wouldn't be enough if Teerak and Muenfah didn't kiss after proclaiming their love for each other, so Dir. Kla worked with the writers to make last-minute adjustments to the script.

And I think they made the best decision ever.

The change benefitted the script semiotically.

Teerak's confession was quick. It was stress-driven and anxious, because he spent days sitting on the realization that he has feelings for his fake boyfriend, believing it's unrequited. The airport was a perfect representation of his disposition. It was busy, noisy, and full of goodbyes. He was bracing for an inevitable heartbreak, so he was ready to flee even before he started to speak, like a plane that won't wait for you.

It's a complete contrast to the bridge or the river where Muenfah found him crying. It was tranquil and quiet—the perfect manifestation of Muenfah's sure and stable heart. Unlike Teerak, Muenfah was certain of his feelings for awhile now, and after Teerak's confession, he had nothing to fear anymore.

The dichotomy in locations were great storytellers of Teerak and Muenfah's characters.

I always love hearing "behind" stories of shows I adore. Sure, Your Sky does not have the strongest and most consistent story, but this was serendipity. Everything happened just for Teerak and Muenfah to share the most perfect moment with their love.

[rosiestalez]

One Swipe With Love

Battinson x teacher!f!reader

wc: 990

Summary: You take a shopping trip with Bruce’s card to stock up on your favorite things. You see him struggling to remove his makeup one morning, and you help him take it off. He does the same thing after a long day of work.

Warnings: None, pure tooth rotting fluff

——————————————————————

Bruce could never take off his eyeliner properly. He would rub his eyes raw with soap and water, and for some reason it wouldn’t come off with as much ease as yours did. He would borrow your eyeliner from time to time, the water proof stuff, and he thought that was issue. Yet, when it was time for bed he’d still have remnants of his batman eyeliner smeared on his eyes.

When you came home one afternoon with a Sephora bag he was quite intrigued by your purchases with his credit card.

“Hey baby!”, you speak loudly from the entry way, “I wanna show you everything!”, you kick off your shoes and make your way into the living area where Bruce is sitting watching the news. He turns to you muting the tv. You kiss his forehead before taking a spot next to him on the couch.

It always seems like you two are polar opposite, through energy, clothes, color, interests, but you two still seem to find a way to love each other. Today he’s wearing a basic black on black sweat suit, but you however an elementary schoolteacher was wearing your favorite white tennis skirt and a hot pink tank top for your day off. Your makeup was beautiful, and you decided to do a touch of eyeshadow for your shopping trip.

“Show me what you got baby”, a slight smile tugs at his lips. You smile widely dumping out the contents from the bag, “wow that’s a lot!”, his eyebrows rising, “which card was this on?”

“The Black Amex one”, you pause, “I think”, your smile still wide. He just sighs.

“Baby, you’re so lucky i love you”, you giggle at his response handing him the card from your purse, “Alright now show me everything!”, his voice lined with sarcastic cheer.

You go through all the products, what they’re used for and why you need them. He doesn’t quite understand it, but he loves seeing your face light up when you explain everything to him.

“Oh! and this! this is my FAVORITE, makeup remover. it’s like a balm and it’s old based it’s awesome! it even removes my eye liner!”, holding up a bottle of Fenty Cleansing Balm.

Bruce’s eyes light up, you said it “removes eyeliner?”

“mhmm! even my waterproof stuff, it’s great”, you smile.

“Do you think I could maybe try it soon? like tonight?”, he asks softly.

“oh! Of course my love!” nodding your head, “I can even show you how to use it!”, and with that a genuine smile plasters all over his face.

Later that night Bruce plants a kiss on your lips before he leave for patrol leaving you and Alfred alone in the Manor. You’re nestled under the covers of your shared bed reading one of your favorite books with a cup of tea by your side. He’s never here to share these moments with you like your coworkers partners, who sit with them while they grade papers or make lesson plans. For you, that’s okay, because during the day Bruce is by your side with lavish gifts, support, and during the school year he drops by the school once a week for storytelling. Finishing your chapter, you roll over pulling the string to the lamp and you close your eyes to sleep.

—-

Your alarm blares, and you hear Bruce walking into the room, ‘5:30 am’. You get out of bed to begin your morning routine, while Bruce begins his night routine. You meet him in the bathroom, and see him trying to take his makeup off. “Good morning Brucey”, you hum.

“Morning, love”, his voice husky.

“D’you need some help?”, you smile sleepily. He nods, you open the cabinet under the sink pulling out your makeup remover you baught yesterday. “okay, so this is how it works”, you squeeze out a bit from the tube emulsifying it in your hand before rubbing gentle circles around his eyes removing the black makeup slowly. You direct him to wash his face under water before taking micellar water to wipe away the rest. “There you go baby, all clean. are you headed off to bed?”

“For a little bit, i have to go through some evidence about the Riddler character.”

“Promise me you’ll sleep for at least three hours”, your voice sweet.

“yeah”, he says plainly mustering up a facetious smile. You stand up on your tip-toes and plant a kiss on his forehead before scooting him out the bathroom to shower.

—-

You were exhausted, the kids were obnoxious, the school smelled awful from whatever they were cooking in the cafeteria, and during morning work a kid puked seconds away from the bathroom door. It was truly one of your worse days as an educator and that’s saying a lot. You walk through the front door greeting Alfred, and planting yourself in the den enjoying the silence that you’ve been craving all day. You exhale deeply soaking up all the couch’s plush warmth.

“Babe?”, a voice can be heard from the door way, “you okay?”, Bruce asks.

“i’m okay, just a long day”, you smile lazily.

“Rough day?”

“Something like that”, you sit up on the couch and Bruce takes a seat beside you. He brings you into a cuddle hug, running his fingers through your hair. You move further into his embrace letting his motions relax your mind. “I need food ASAP, i’m starving.”

“Alfred is working on dinner”, his voice low, “want to take that makeup off?”

You nod simply before standing up and following him into the master bathroom. He ushers you to sit down on the closed toilet seat just as you did this morning to him. He pulls out your makeup remover from beneath the sink and follows the same steps you showed him earlier.

He gives a tender kiss on your forehead , “s’beautiful”, he compliments, you smile, reaching up to plant a kiss on his lips.

a/n: snack on this while we continue to wait for poll results:)!

[byunpum]

More moments in the life of AUNT sully.

Pair: Aunt human reader x sully family x mate na'va x friends

Warning: none, Mention of trauma, death, nice ending

Note: This one was really hard, I was debating too much, but I still hope you like it. This was a compilation of 3 request. They were very similar, so I decided to put them together. I leave them here so you can read them "HERE". By the way, in one part of the reading the reader can breathe pandora's air? sorry, I forgot she was human and not the hybrid version. So pretend she can breathe xD

Request: @ilovechickenwings Maybe aunt series she find love and gets pregnant and all of the kids gets sad because they think she might forget them.

AVATAR MASTERLIST  (check all my auntie sully series)

Life had been very quiet for you the last 3 years, you had a great family, your son and a quiet place to rest. Little by little you had found your place in pandora, being a human was something very difficult to do but not impossible. Or so you said, since you had no choice. There were 3 types of humans in Pandora, those who had their avatars, those who didn't have avatars because they didn't want to or weren't part of the avatar project and on the other hand there was you… the only member of your group. The humans who could not have avatars because of their genetics. You could be Tom and Jake's sister…and they could be compatible with an avatar body. But your genetics were not compatible, and when it met with that of a navi. It practically broke the lifeline. Grace tried many times, she even came close, but always failed. You must admit that you were very jealous when you first saw Jake in your older brother's navi body. You wanted that…grace even tried to see if you were compatible. You didn't care about being a man in a navi's body, you just wanted to be one. But it didn't happen.

You got used to the fact that you could never experience what it was like to be a real navi. You had prepared yourself so much. You knew everything, from the language, to their customs. And the fact that you lived with them made you a very wise person on the subject of the Navi. So life in these last days had been easy for you, you were so happy. And even more so now… you were getting closer to a certain navi, who had taken an interest in you. No, you hadn't planned it… it had never crossed your mind to fall in love with a navi man. You were of different species and that was very clear to you…but with him. It was impossible. Ruk'e… was a very quiet navi, too quiet to be true. He was the storyteller of the Omaticaya clan. A serene navi, who was in charge of taking care of the farming, telling stories of the travelers. He was not a warrior, or someone who caused trouble. His presence was almost unseen by others, he liked to spend time in the forest with nature and devote time to himself. And for some reason, he had grown very fond of you. You used to go and sit by the campfire, while he told the old stories of the clan. Stories about the warriors, battles and many other things. Usually after three stories, the omaticaya who were listening would leave. But you were staying, looking at him with enthusiasm.

You loved to hear about the clan's past, and about other clans. You looked like a little girl, sitting with your legs crossed waiting for him to continue. At first it was strange to him, he had contact with humans but it was always at a long distance. The things that were said about humans were not very good…so at first he kept his distance. Picking up his things as he finished, he said goodbye politely. Leaving you alone at the campfire, but it wasn't until one night you got up the courage to ask him.

See how he is getting up from the floor, picking up his materials. He liked to use hand-carved wooden animal figures. To make his stories more entertaining. You approach him carefully. "Hello" you speak, you looked nervous. You didn't want to make him uncomfortable, you always sat backwards in the back corner. "Hello" says ruk'e making the gesture with his hands. You copy his movements. "I wanted to… I wanted to" you stutter, he laughs a little. And with all the patience in the world he waits for you to feel comfortable to continue. "I wanted to ask…if you could tell me more about the mountain clans?" you ask, you had your head down. You feel someone take your chin and lift it, you lift your face. And you see how he has a sweet smile on his face, it was so charming. "Sure little flower, it would be my pleasure" he speaks, his voice was calm and sweet. It was like a quiet melody. You sit down in front of him. He watches you settle in and you look at him intently. From that moment on… you were never apart again. He used to come looking for you, and you always went to listen to him every night. Things came naturally and your feelings for each other grew quickly.

Eventually after a while, you and ruk'e became a pair. This surprised everyone…first because ruk'e was very traditional and second because you were a human. But this didn't matter to the two of you, you had your own little world in which this spider. You had introduced him to the man, not long after he started courting you. The man was surprised that you did not have the father of the child by your side. Omaticayas are very monogamous, and it is very rare to see a woman alone with her child. But you explained everything to him…from the beginning to the end. You thought he wouldn't understand, but thanks to eywa he did. And you were even more surprised when he hugged you and kissed you on your forehead. "You are brave my yawntu" says ruk'e.

Spider fell in love with ruk'e. He had become his father, of course… he was not a normal Navi father. Hunting? Spider had to kill only what was necessary, there was no reason to kill a creature to show off his talents. Ruk'e thought hunters were sometimes a bit silly. Fighting? Why do you have to fight…violence begets more violence. This was a direct joke to tsu'tey, who was always making comments about ruk'e. Of course, spider never cared about any of this…he always obeyed his father. And thanks to that he was the kindest and most lovable boy in all of Pandora. And that's saying a lot, because the mo'at itself praised spider's upbringing. "His parents are raising a beautiful child," said the woman, watching as spider helped a pregnant woman, and he was only 5 years old.

The need for your family to grow was very evident in your eyes. You wanted to have more members in your family, all three were fine. But you knew that ruk'e wanted to have a child, but you were hurt to know that you couldn't give him that. You couldn't get pregnant by him in the first place, could you? You weren't sure…no one was. You could be compatible, sexually, and have no problem with that. But creating a baby together? Mmm you don't think it's possible. And having an avatar? That was history. Or so you thought, because someone gave you a surprise.

"Spider honey…come here!!!" you yell a little, while calling the little guy. You needed to clean him up, his mouth was all dirty. Spider was in the hammock playing with his father. "Honey…leave him alone. He looks cute like that," says ruk'e, while he blows a trumpet on spider's cheeks, and spider laughs. You start to look up at him. You hear someone approaching and calling you at the edge of your hut. You had moved in with ruk'e days after joining as a couple. The hut had been arranged to your liking and comfort. It sure was different from the other traditional huts, but ruk'e didn't mind. "Hey…Y/N can I talk to you for a second?" says norm, you could see he had some papers in his hands.

"Something wrong?" you approach, stepping out of the hut a bit. Spider signals to his father, for you both to go peek in. "I have very good news," says Norm, with a big smile. "What happened? Say it already!" you speak. "I think I managed to create an avatar for you," says Norm. For a moment you felt like all the air in your body was gone, you even felt dizzy. You stare at norm in surprise. "You're not kidding? Are you?" you couldn't believe it, finally. "No…I just need to run some tests and take blood samples. The avatar will grow in one of the capsules we have free. It might take about 5 years to grow, but…I think we can do it" Norm is so excited. Secretly he had been working on this project in secret. You jump up, and hug Norm, "By eywa…I am!!!! Ahhhh RUK'E!!!" You scream, running towards the hut. To your surprise, you see that your mate and your son were standing there, with a giant smile on their faces. "Did you hear everything??!!!!" you speak, you see as ruk'e nods his head smiling even bigger. He kneels down so you can hug him. "Finally…finally!!!" you feel like you could explode, this is really happening? You couldn't believe it.

Days and weeks went by, you went every day to the lab to see your avatar. She looked so much like you. Your excitement was so great, this was really happening. Jake was next to you looking at the avatar's body in the capsule. You were both silent as you watched the avatar make involuntary movements. "Are you sure about this?" says Jake, you look up. "Yes…I've never been more sure in my life about something like this" you speak, jake can see your smile widen and you continue to stare at your future body. He knew how much you wanted this. That same night, you were lying on your partner's chest. Ruk'e was stroking your hair, while singing a lullaby. "at last I can give you a son" you speak, you can hear ruk'e's voice stop. You lift your head slightly from your chest to see him. He was looking at you and had a serious expression. "Y/N I don't mind having a child. Sure…I want to. But it's not important to me. I don't want you to do this 'new body' thing for me. If you do it I want it to be for you" says ruk'e, his voice sounded distressed.

"But…you know I can't, and it's almost impossible that" you start to speak, but ruk'e takes your face in his hands and gives you a soft kiss. "I know…but we have spider, he's enough. Don't worry about it" he laughs. You settle back into his chest, hugging his chest tighter. "I want you to know that no matter what happens…I will always love you" ruk'e speaks, pulling you closer to his body. They both fall asleep quickly. That same morning, norm's scream jolted you awake. The man was agitated and from the look on his face. Something bad had happened. You get up quickly, and run to Norm, "You have to come to the lab" says Norm, you don't even get ready and run away. "Ruk'e stay with the boy…I'll be right back" you yell. Taking one last look around, watching as your partner is worriedly trying to calm the anxious spider.

You and Norm hurry to the lab. He didn't want to say anything to you on the way, nerves were killing you. What could be so bad that Norm would arrive at your house worried like this. As you enter the lab, your eyes widen. You see some of your friends surrounding the capsule where your avatar was, trying to stabilize it. You rush over, peering through the glass to see how it's warping. The scientists were doing what they could. "Get her out of there!!! " you shout, looking at norm in desperation. "We can't…she would die!!!" says norm, trying to install a tube so we can give her some medicine. All was chaos in the lab, you could see your friends running from one side to the other. While others were trying to stabilize her. You were a bit far away, this was not your field. So you decide to stay away and let them do their job. Out of nowhere, you hear a silence and see how everyone starts to look at each other. The machine that was checking your avatar's pulse had stopped and you noticed this. "Norm? NORM WHAT'S GOING ON?" you approach the man, who is looking at the capsule. You can see a tear come out of his eye. "I'm so sorry…I swear I tried" says Norm, it couldn't be true. This wasn't happening to you. "No, no, no…why? Why" your voice breaks, as tears well up in your eyes. You look at your avatar, she had stopped moving and looked a little pale. You start to cry and fall to the ground. You couldn't stop… you were so close. So close. Norm sits down next to you, and pulls you into his arms to hug you.

"Love…take it easy. I need you to breathe" ruk'e says as he holds you between his legs. Everyone was in the lab. Jake, Neytiri, ruk'e, norm, max…everyone. Norm had called them after the event, he thought it would be best. You were very upset. "And what happened? I wasn't well?" asked Jake, he was worried. "There was a glitch in her system… I thought the Y/N DNA had finally come together. But no…there was a break in her genetics. This caused a heart attack" says max. Neytiri takes a deep breath, she couldn't understand much of what max said, but she understood that your avatar had died. She was holding spider in her arms, she had told ruk'e that she would take care of the child that night so that he would take care of you. "He's a very young avatar…it's a shame," norm says. Everyone falls silent. While you are still crying, hugging your mate's neck. Ruk'e was doing his best to calm you down, but he knew you had to let all your emotions out.

Norm said he was going to take care of the body, that there was nothing to do. Your avatar was still too young, so he couldn't handle the whole process of genetic acceptance. You were devastated, ruk'e had taken you home. You were both sitting in silence, while your mate cut up some fruit. Your gaze is lost to anywhere in the hut. "Where is spider?" you ask, your voice sounded so sad. "He is with neytiri and jake…they will take care of him for the night" he speaks. You just answer him with a "mmm". Ruk'e walks over to you, taking your hand to kiss your palm. "everything will be fine" you raise your gaze, it looked lost. Ruk'e had to look at you for several more seconds, to be able to find you because you didn't seem to be there. He knew how hurt you were, you had put all your hopes in this. And now he was gone.

"I failed…again I failed. I failed in everything, what have I done to create all this" your tears begin to fall. "Why don't things work out for me? I'm a fucking failure" you cry, as ruk'e comes closer to put his arms around you. "Love you are not a failure" he speaks, you pull away. "Of course I am… he was right. I'm a fucking failure, I didn't make him happy. I'll never make you happy. I'm never going to get what I studied for so many years. I'll never… and it's all because of me. It's all my damn fault" you lower your head as your moans are heard throughout the hut. Ruk'e lets you cry, and respects your space. He doesn't usually get upset, but now he had a feeling of rage. He knew the damage that man (quaritch) had done to you. What he had left in you, so many years of mistreatment and you being so young destroyed you. Ruk'e turns to you, taking your hands and giving them a squeeze. You look up, and you can see tears welling up in his eyes as well. "I know you are hurt…I understand. I can't heal that wound. But I can be your support while you do" ruk'e takes a deep breath, and wipes away a few tears.

"I told you the story of the Binary sunshine flower?" ruk'e says, moving closer. To now stand next to you, draping one of his arms over your shoulder, pulling you closer to his body. "Ruk'a love…" you start to moan, but he continues.

"Once upon a time there was a Binary sunshine flower called Hewngea. Unlike the other flowers, Hewngea could not bear fruit or seeds. This made her feel left out and rejected for not fulfilling her traditional purpose. Hewngea felt sad and believed she was a failure compared to the other flowers. However, she was unaware that its beauty and fragrance attracted butterflies, which were key pollinators in the garden. One day, Hewngea saw how the yayo fluttered around her, collecting pollen on their wings. She realized that, despite not fulfilling the commonly accepted floral purpose, their existence was vital to the butterflies' life cycle and to maintaining diversity in the garden." Counts ruk'e, as he hugs you more.

"Ruk'e don't be like that…" you start to speak, but he ignores you and continues telling the story. "As the yayo flew from flower to flower, they carried Hewngea's pollen with them, helping to pollinate other plants and ensuring the reproduction of the surrounding flora. Hewngea realized then that, although she could not bear fruit or seeds, her role in the yayo colony was essential. From that moment on, she embraced her uniqueness and took pride in being a source of life and beauty for the yayos and her colony" spoke ruk'e, maintaining his silence for a moment.

He makes a quick movement, for now he is in front of you. His tail wagged from side to side, while his eyes searched yours. You pet the side of his face. "You are so important to me…you are my whole life. You are spider's mother, his mother. You are the best sister and the best aunt ever. You have a family that loves you, and if you were gone they would fall apart. I would fall apart. You are not a failure love…you are everything that is good and beautiful in this family" says ruk'e. You wipe away your tears, and move in for a kiss. For this reason you had fallen in love with him, how could he be so adorable? How could he be so… him?

"I see you" you speak, watching as he moves closer to your face. Leaning his forehead against yours. "I see you" there was a comforting silence. You knew he would be there for you, you knew he wouldn't fail you. That he wouldn't claim you for anything…he wasn't that man. No one was that man…you no longer had to meet his standards. Now you could be you. "Why don't we finish eating and then rest" says ruk'e, you laugh a little. "Yes…I agree" you say, coming closer to give him a big hug.

It had been three weeks since that event, and little by little you had recovered. It wasn't easy to say goodbye to your last chance to have an avatar body. But you were working it out. After all, you had everything you had asked for. You had your son, your mate and your family. What else could happen? Neytiri had asked you with her to go to the nearest lake to take the children to play. They were all between the ages of 2 and 6 years old, and they did not sit still and got bored easily. You agree, you didn't want to be alone for too long. They are both sitting on one of the rocks near the water. They were talking about everything, about the latest events that had happened. They might live nearby, but they both had lives of their own, so they were making the most of this time as friends.

It wasn't long before you started to feel sick. You swore that you saw the water in the stream and you saw it was white and your eyesight was a little blurry. Neytiri noticed how you were rocking back and forth, the movement was slow. "Y/N are you okay?" she asks, holding your shoulders. You were fainting, and just like that, you were in Neytiri's arms. "Y/N!!! no!!! Wake up!!!" was the last thing you heard, after that. You didn't know anything else. When you were finally able to regain consciousness, you could hear several voices in the distance. You could hear your brother jake, neytiri and ruk'e. They were a little upset but their everything was fine. They were a little upset but their whole mood was one of happiness. Even norm's voice, this made you open your eyes quickly.

You hadn't spoken to Norm since the event in the lab. Everyone saw your eyes widen. "You are awake" says mo'at, who was doing several massages to get you up. You see that you have something on your belly, and several wet cloths of a paste on your forehead. Thank eywa that you were now wearing na'vi clothes, otherwise this would be a disaster. Everyone comes around you, and ruk'e kneels down to stand next to you. You see everyone is looking at you with that stupid grin. "What the hell is going on? Jake?" you look at your brother, and you just swear you see him crying. "We have to tell you something" says Neytiri sitting on the other side of you. You look at her with concern. "What? Am I going to die?" you ask. Norm laughs. "You are pregnant," says Neytiri, very happy. Squeezing your hand, while you open your mouth in shook. "WHAT?" you shift your gaze to look at your partner. Ruk'e ascends with his face, and you turn to look at jake, and he copies ruk'e. You almost faint again, but mo'at holds you up. "Easy…we're here" says neytiri, you turn your gaze to her. She looked so happy for you.

You couldn't understand how you had become pregnant. It was almost impossible, if you couldn't with a human, why with a na'vi? What if you hurt your baby? Since your genetics are not compatible? Oghhhh you were going into crisis. After you recovered and felt better. Norm stopped by your home, he wanted you to go to the lab. But you didn't feel ready to visit that place yet. "How did this happen? How is this possible?" you ask. "Mmmm I don't know…I really don't know what to tell you. This is a one in a million chance" says Norm, you can see how happy he is. "But if I…I hurt him. That I wouldn't stand for" you speak, norm takes your hand. "I'll be there to help you and take care of you. I promise you everything will be okay" norm speaks. You laugh, and squeeze his hand. He always keeps his promise…always.

4 months of pregnancy had passed and everything was happening just right. It still felt so unreal to you. Sometimes when you are alone you swear it was eywa who blessed you with this pregnancy. Everything was calm again, you were sitting in the hut. You felt tired, it was a na'vi baby inside you. You might be 4 months, but you felt 7 months. Norm was always monitoring you, keeping an eye on everything. You were grateful to have your friends and family all together. You sat there resting while you watched spider and lo'ak play in the hut. Lately lo'ak always wanted to be by your side, so it was normal to see him at your house early in the morning. You watch as the two children approach, while spider leans down and places his face on your belly.

"I hear his heartbeat!!!" says spider, excited. The child had recently turned 6 years old, and is very active. Lo'ak mimics his movements, you stroke his hair while your nephew listens carefully to what is in your belly. See how his little eyes open, lo'ak has na'vi hearing so he can literally hear everything clearly. "Wowwwwwww" shouts lo'ak. "It's great?" you speak, stroking lo'ak's cheek. " Aunt Y/N…it's going to be a girl" lo'ak says, you look at him curiously. While spider nudges him a little. "How do you know!!!"? spider is already getting annoyed. "I just know," lo'ak says, rolling his shoulders up. "Lo'ak has magical powers" you joke, tickling both children. You were anxious to be a mother to your second child, finally.

Dictionary: Yoya [bird ]

p.s: I know that in the request they want aunt sully to have a na'vi body, but I decided not to do it. Since in other requests she is always represented as human. So leave her as human, I see no reason to change her. Being human and being the weird Aunt of the family is her job.

I am gradually answering all the requests. Wow…thank you very much, I love you very much <3

[hyacintheros]

Brand New City

3. Starman

|| (Marauders Era Characters x Fem!Reader)

Series Masterlist Previous Chapter

Pairing: Marauders Era Characters x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Rude James

Word Count: 2k

P.S: Sorry it took so long, I was a little busy, but I am back! Please enjoy doves c:

“Hey- are these seats taken?” Y/N flits her gaze to the boy in front of her, chocolate cream eyes fluttered at her with hazel lashes glistening from the sun projecting onto his face.

She’s a little confused, as the area of the library she's seated herself at is practically stuffed at the back, near the restricted section.

“No, not at all. You're looking for extra chairs, right?” The boy next to him lets out a muffled chuckle, his midnight curls swirling as he speaks animatedly. “We meant if we could study with you, doll? S'that alright?”

The girl flushes, not realising that they wanted to sit with her, assuming they were just taking some chairs. “Oh! So sorry, yeah of course.” She lets out an embarrassed laugh.

The two boys smile at her, unpacking their things onto the table. “‘D’you hear what happened in McGonagall's class yesterday? Some bloke turned his desk mate into a teapot instead of the spider!” Sirius says, trying to keep quiet as Madam Pince was on his case not too long ago.

“No way! Would have loved to be in that class” Y/N laughs, amused at the story. Remus smiles and shakes his head imagining it, refocusing on his textbook.

“Y/N, could I borrow some ink?” The hazel-haired boy asks. They've fallen into a routine over the last couple of days, Remus forgetting his inkpot during class and always sharing with the girl.

“I've got different colours today! Black, Blue, Red, and Green.. which would you like?” Remus looks at her with a shine in his eyes.

“Could I borrow the red one please?” She hands the boy the red-coloured pot. He dips his feathery quill and starts taking notes, excited at the new colour rather than boring black.

Sirius, also intrigued by the different colours, pipes up. “Is it alright if I could try the green one?” The girl gives him a smile, sliding over the green ink for him.

“Woah! This is so fun, where'd you get these? They only sell black at Diagon Alley!” Sirius asks, hoping to snag a few for himself.

“I got them at a stationary store in London when I got my letter, thought they looked really fun!” The muggle girl says to him, happy that they found her oddly mundane inkpots fascinating.

Both boys hum in acceptance, facing back to their work and making small talk here and there. Remus, halfway through studying, pulls out a muggle book, The Silence of the Lambs.

“Sorry Remus, but is that book the one about Hannibal Lecter?” Remus gives her a cheeky grin, always being a sucker for muggle storytelling.

Sirius at this point in time, has given up on studying, instead putting great effort in making little paper doves. As he folds the wings, a pat on his shoulder brings him back to reality.

“What are you lot doing hanging out with her? Don't you see her robe? Come on, we've got better things to be doing than hanging out with a snake.” James, the boy Lily was always hanging around, said to Remus and Sirius.

“Don't you worry, I'll be on my way.” She says coldly, finally understanding why he was so cold to her. She packs her books in an instant and leaves with a stomp in her step. “Y/N, your inkpots!” Sirius calls after her, being held back by James.

---♡---

‘Why would Lily hang out with a foul git like that?’ She asks herself, unsure if Lily even knows of his attitude. She bursts into the common room, the coolness of the dungeon and the view of the Black Lake sending her a wave of serenity.

“Darling? What's going on?” Narcissa, who was reading in the common room, asked. Lucius, who was sitting next to her on the love seat looking back at Y/N, instantly knew it had something to do with a few Gryffindor boys.

“Your red lions giving you trouble, dear?” He snickers, Narcissa smacks his shoulder, hushing him. Y/N gives him a sarcastic laugh, glaring at him.

“Shut up, Luci!” She picks up a decorative pillow from the couch and chucks it at him. Narcissa giggles at this.

“Let's go to the Great Hall, I'm starving.” She lets out a sigh, tired and hungry from all the studying, having skipped lunch because she was too busy writing a paper for History of Magic.

Narcissa loops her left arm into Lucius’, then loops her right into Y/N's, telling her fiance and friend about the Hufflepuff girl who was being annoying in potions today.

Lucius, ever the drama queen, was gasping and gossiping along with Narcissa. Y/N was just bouncing around as they walked, happy to be out of the library.

“I hope they serve roasted potatoes” Narcissa says as they enter the Great Hall, taking their seats at the Slytherin table. Tucking themselves in, everyone grabs a generous portion of the delicious food that surrounds them.

While she eats, a pair of eyes, or three, stabs into her back. Signalling Lucius, who sat in front of her, he peaks over her shoulder, giving a sneer then looking back at her.

“That red-haired cousin of yours and your lover lions” Lucius snickers, earning a glare from Y/N. “Finish your food before I finish you.” She says, then continues conversation with a Slytherin next to her.

‘What the fuck.’ Lucius thinks, going back to his dinner, sulking.

---♡---

“Cissa, I'm gonna head out for some air.” The girl says to her roommate. Already tucked into bed, Narcissa responds, “Don't get caught by Filch, come back in one piece please” She mumbles, falling asleep.

Y/N tucks Bella in, already snoring in bed, then tucking Narcissa, and carefully escapes the dorms.

Paintings already asleep, therefore no need to be too cautious. The sleepless girl heads up to the astronomy tower, wanting to feel the breeze on her skin without stepping out of the castle.

On her shoulder, a throw blanket to keep her warm in the stoney tower. She sets up ‘camp’ next to the balcony, meaning a blanket and a muffin she snagged at dinner. ‘This muffin mad scrumdili-icious’.

Pulling out a book from her robe, opening to the page, which was dog-eared, finding solace in the book. Every so often, she would pause, the night sky captivating her attention.

“That constellation there is called Draco.” She turns back to the entrance of the astronomy tower. The boy with curly black hair greets her, his hair arching the colour of the night sky.

She pats the spot next to her, offering up the blanket to share. He strolls over, plopping down and crossing his legs. “You fond of astronomy?” The girl asks him.

“I'd hope so, being named after a bloody star!” He sasses back, pulling some of the blanket over his legs. “What are you doing up here, dove? Shouldn't you be in bed down in the Dungeons. Mighty cold down there if you ask me!”

She shushes him as she giggles, both of them obviously being too loud for this time of night, past curfew. “Couldn't sleep, needed some air. Shouldn't you also be sleeping? What are you doing?”

The boy dressed in a red and gold sweater pipes down, a gaunt look on his face. “S'nothing, couldn't sleep either.” The boy says, a slight clench in his jaw.

Seeing that this is clearly an odd subject for Sirius, she switches it up. “What's your favourite song?”. Sirius immediately lightens up, sort of like a puppy.

“Definitely Starman by David Bowie! Something about him is so alluring. They both hum the song together, falling into comfortable silence afterwards.

“How's Lily? Didn't get to speak to her today.” The Slytherin girl breaks the slience, missing her cousin dearly.

“She's worried about you, y'know? Always saying how you should eat more and sleep, which I can clearly see now why she says you need more sleep!” He laughs, her heart warming at the thought of her cousin.

Despite being rival houses, she doesn't care about such trivial things. So what if they're different? Just means they're different people with different aspirations, but that doesn't mean they need to hate each other.

“Tell her that I'm okay the next time you see her, I'll try to talk to her tomorrow. It's hard to talk to her with James around, guarding her like a dog! When I get my hands on him I'm gonna..” The girl yaps away about the Potter boy, not impressed with his behaviour.

The boy next to her shares a great bit of laughs at the predicament. “What's that book next to you?” The boy asks, curiosity killing him.

“Oh! It's a muggle book, Pride and Prejudice. Lily recommended it to me, we're supposed to debrief about it next Friday.” She hands him the book, and he inspects the cover.

---♡---

“Severus! Have you seen Nemesis? Need to feed her before class.” The girl runs around the common room, looking for her snake. “I saw her with Lucius, think she's choking him out.”

They look to the stairs where Lucius is rushing down, Nemi on his neck, grasping him like a slinky stuck on itself. “Get. Her. Off.” He says in-between chokes and gasps of air.

Y/N gently takes Nemi back, cooing at her and giggling at Lucius, dishevelled and red for the lack of air. “Let's get you some mice darling.” She heads back up to her room, feeding Nemi and setting her free. Nemi always comes back after classes.

“Come on Severus, we're going to be late to potions.” They hurry to the class, taking seats near the back. James and Lily sitting near the front. Both Slytherins burn holes into the boy's back, though for entirely different reasons.

Slughorn walks in, starting class off with theory, focusing on how Draught of Living Death was first made and how to spot its effects, as well as the cure.

Y/N practically falls asleep on Severus’ shoulder, lesson too long for her taste. With an annoyed look, he takes notes for her, trying to hide her sleeping form with his arm.

“Y/N wake up, he's approaching.” Severus draws out, propping her up. She quickly grabs a parchment and textbook, acting like she was, indeed, studying all along.

See, while Severus covers her notes for her in Potions, she covers notes for him in History of Magic, both forming a non-spoken alliance.

Potions is over and they part ways, heading to separate classes. The day draws on like an endless loop, even lunch didn't feel as fulfilling.

---♡---

Remus stops her as she studies at the library, pulling a chair to the table and sitting with her.

“You left your ink pots yesterday. He pulls them out of his bag, setting them in front of her. She sends him a sweet smile, thanking him for keeping them safe.

Lily comes in tow, sitting next to Remus and pulls out her study materials. “The Herbology test felt too repetitive! Like we reviewed the whole chapter for it to be on literally one plant?” Lily rants, angry she wasted study time on something that didn't need it.

Lily and Y/N catch up, talking about literally anything that comes to mind while poor Remus tries his best to focus, but how could he when the girls are talking about muggle books? It's like his kryptonite!

So, instead of writing for their History of Magic essay, the three spent two hours talking about Romeo and Juliet. Even reciting quotes verbatim just for fun.

Lily and Remus pack up, needing to head back to their common room. They all bid farewell, promising to catch up soon.

Y/N stays back for three more hours, promising to finish the History of Magic essay by nightfall. It's just about 10:00pm, meaning curfew is about to hit.

She packs everything, making sure not to be left alone in the library with Madam Pince. She races down to the Slytherin dorms, only to literally run into James Potter.

Next Chapter

[tj-dragonblade]

[Connect 4 FIC] Weekend Arts and Crafts

Fandom: The Sandman Pairing: Dreamling Rated: G Word Count: 1615 Tags: human AU, fluff, arts and crafts, crossover

Notes: For the @sandman-connect4 prompt Weave which is not the final space I needed but shh, I'll work on that next. This is in the Umbrella Boys universe, somewhere post-first-kiss but still early-ish in their relationship, and guest stars Gale from BG3. If you haven't read the rest of the Umbrella Boys, this can be read as stand-alone; all you need to know is that sharing an umbrella is their dating tradition, whether or not it's even raining.

Summary: Hob and Dream go on a date; Dream gets to meet one of Hob's friends

On AO3

"This class is taught by a colleague of yours?"

"Colleague and a friend, yeah." Hob scratches his chin, tilting the phone away so the sound of his nails through his stubble doesn't carry directly into the speaker. "He teaches astronomy here on campus, but he does some artsy classes at the community center. They're having an observer in to evaluate if the program is worth continued funding, and he'd like the class as full as possible to help with appearances." He spins his chair around, leaning back. "Thought it might make a nice date?"

"Will we be doing pottery? Painting?" Dream's voice comes through the phone, cautious but interested.

"Basket weaving, actually."

"Oh?" There's a little more interest, now, if Hob's not mistaken. Excellent. "I have never tried basket weaving, but I believe I might like to."

Silently, unseen, Hob pumps his fist. "Great! It's Saturday at one-thirty; we could meet up for lunch first if you like?"

"That sounds perfect." He can hear the little smile Dream is wearing. "Text me the details later; I know your next class begins shortly so I will not keep you."

"Thanks, dove. Talk to you later?"

"Of course."

Hob thumbs the 'end call' button, grinning happily. They've been properly dating for a little while now but every time he comes up with something new they can do that catches Dream's interest, it always makes him just a little giddy.

~

It's barely raining when they leave the cafe on Saturday; it's the sort of rain most Londoners wouldn't bother about an umbrella for, but they have a tradition to uphold. Dream tucks up close against Hob's side and Hob's umbrella covers them both as they stroll leisurely along the streets. Dream is uncertain where precisely the community center might be, and has no qualms in letting Hob lead.

"Your friend is a professor of astronomy, you said?"

"Gale? Yep. Been at UCL near as long as I have."

"How did he come to be teaching art and craft courses?"

Hob chuckles. "Ah, that's a question you'll have to ask him, and I'm sure he'll tell you if you do. Loves to share a good story, he does."

"A storyteller also?" Dream is hopeful that he will get on with this Gale; he would like to mesh well with Hob's friends.

"Oh yes. Especially if they're stories about himself."

Dream's optimism deflates a little. Something of it must transfer through his body language where he's pressed to Hob's side, because Hob laughs lightly. "Don't worry, he's not as obnoxious as I make him sound. A character, without a doubt, but a good bloke. I'm sure you'll like him and if you don't, we can always make an early escape."

"I trust your judgment." And he does; every date he's had with Hob so far has been a net positive and he is certain this will be the same.

They arrive at the community center precisely on time and Hob folds the umbrella away, shaking the dampness out of it first. There are several people there already, once they go inside and find the correct room; Dream is pleased to see that there are still open spaces available so he and Hob need not necessarily be squeezed in close to strangers.

"Greetings!" The man who speaks from the front of the room is remarkably attractive, longish hair half-gathered in a partial up-do, well-trimmed beard, warm smile and sparkling eyes, a dangling silver earring; he wears a deep purple button-down open well past his throat and tucked into tight jeans, a brown leather waistcoat unfastened over it. His shirtsleeves are rolled back to expose hairy forearms that are more toned than one might expect of an academic. His entire physique fills out his clothing in a way that suggests he does not spend any more time behind a desk than absolutely necessary, and Dream is already cataloguing every detail, suggestions of possible characters for future stories taking shape in his head.

The man's smile is broad and brilliant as he addresses the room. "I'm delighted to see so many new faces this afternoon! I? Am Professor Dekarios, of UCL—in my day job, at least. But this is not my day job, and you can call me Gale." He finishes his grandiose introduction with a flourish, face animated as he speaks. "Today, I shall be teaching all of you the wonderful and mysterious secrets of The Weave." He gestures broadly with his hands as he says it, enunciating such that the capitalization is unmistakable, and Dream wonders if perhaps his true passion was theatre before either astronomy or basketry.

He keeps wondering as Gale launches into explanation of the materials they'll be using and the basic components and terminology of this particular style of basket weaving. The man has a gift for speaking, animated in his instructional approach and extremely personable. He's dropped at least one cleverly-terrible pun so far and Dream can see, easily, why this man and Hob get on so well. He can imagine, as he follows instructions and sees a basket beginning to take shape beneath his hands, how charismatic Gale must be in the lecture hall with a captive audience.

They are halfway through the scheduled time, he and Hob chatting amiably over their growing baskets (Dream's is growing faster than Hob's), when Gale stops by in his rounds to see their progress.

"Hob, my friend! You made it!" His eyes turn to Dream, bright with interest. "And you have brought a companion!" He sweeps his gaze down Dream's body and back up, quick but unmistakable.

"'Course I made it, and yeah I thought it'd be a fun date." Hob puts the slightest emphasis on 'date' and Dream watches understanding flicker in Gale's face, flirtatious interest turning to ordinary charm in half a second. It's a fascinating shift. "Gale, this is Dream."

"Ahh, this is Dream!" A different sort of interest lights Gale's eyes, and his smile grows somehow warmer. "Hob has told me a great deal about you. It is a pleasure to meet you." Hob is fidgeting a little awkwardly but Gale pays him no heed, clasping Dream's offered hand and half-bowing over it in a courtly fashion. Dream is charmed despite himself.

"Likewise."

Gale smiles, broad and disarming. "And a pleasure to have you here today; thank you for coming! I can see you're already showing great talent with The Weave." He's released Dream's hand, turned his attention to the half-woven creation in front of Dream.

"It's very intuitive," Dream allows, picking up his in-progress basket to continue. "I am enjoying the process, and I believe I might like to do this again. Its almost meditative, and surely more practice will yield finer results."

"Ahh, indeed, for once you have tasted the magic of The Weave, you must return again and again in the attempt to master it."

Gale says this with the gravity and conviction of the wise old magician in a b-grade film, complete with a single wagging finger, and Dream feels his eyebrows lifting in bemusement. "I'm curious; why do you refer to basket weaving in that way?"

Gale chuckles, a little sheepishly. "I like to lend the craft an air of wonder and mysticism," he says, and Dream gets the sense that he's suddenly seeing a more straightforward glimpse of the man. "This is far from the most popular class on offer, after all. It's my hope that I can make the experience both fun and memorable for those who do sign up. Then, perhaps, they will recommend the class to others—or even return themselves."

"Well you're doing a marvelous job, in my opinion," Hob offers. "This is a lot of fun actually, and you've made it entertaining and easy to follow."

Gale glances between Hob's basket-in-progress and Dream's, which looks far closer to being a basket than Hob's does, and lifts an eyebrow with a smirk. "Easier for some of us than for others, perhaps."

"Hey now," Hob objects half-heartedly, while Dream ducks his head to hide his smile. "Some of us have talents that lie in different directions, is all."

"So long as you are enjoying the experience," Gale says with a grin, turning to move along to the next batch of students.

"Very much, yes," Hob replies, and Dream nods assent.

"I'm delighted to have you both here." Gale pats their table approvingly as he departs.

Dream ultimately finishes his basket before Hob, and spends the remainder of the class time assisting Hob with his—once Hob has admitted that the help would be appreciated, of course. When the allotted hours are up, they pack away their finished projects to survive the trip home and bid Gale farewell before heading out into drizzly late-afternoon London, Hob's umbrella keeping the worst of it off them both.

"It was lovely to meet your friend," Dream says, and means it.

Hob chuckles. "I'm glad."

"And to learn that you speak of me at length to your colleagues."

"I. Well." Hob shrugs a little awkwardly. "I do tend to be a bit chatty, and I've had a lot of fun on our dates so naturally you come up in conversation at work. I'm glad you don't mind."

"It's flattering, truly."

Hob shifts his grip on the umbrella. "I hope Gale wasn't too much?"

"Not at all." Dream snuggles closer against Hob's arm. "A character, as you said, but ultimately a charming one. In fact, I am definitely putting him in my next book."

Hob laughs, long and loud, and Dream smiles softly as they stroll on through the misty rain toward the bus stop that will see them home.

= Started: 11/10/24 Drafted: 11/18/24 Posted: 11/21/24

This is where I admit that I have never played BG3 or any DnD and all my knowledge is via friends and dashboard osmosis. But if you know even less than me and the joke didn't land: Gale is a wizard in his own canon and The Weave is the main magical force he manipulates in spell casting. This was the first thing that came to mind for the prompt and it insisted on being written. Hopefully it is at least worth a chuckle.

[jazzylovegood]

HAIKYUU HEADCANONS 1

Keiji Akaashi

Thanks to TikTok I learnt that Akaashi is canon to be one weird ass motherfucka, so….

- Definitely talks to himself. He mutters to himself all the time, no matter who he is around or what he is doing. Sometimes it would be on accident, he would be thinking and then just say it out loud.

“Was it the frog or toad that killed him?” -Akaashi

“….What?” -Konoha

“It was definitely the frog, the toad would never.” -Akaashi

- Listens to music you would not expect him to.

”Hey, Akaashi what you listening to? -Bokuto

”Nothing much.” -Akaashi

Bokuto puts his ear up to Akaashi’s headphones and just hears Cluster by fuckin Slipknot.

- Mr. Keiji “I cannot stop cracking my bones” Akaashi

Even in silence he will just randomly decide to crack something. Knee, fingers, hand, toes, head, elbow. He will be cracking it. Helps him concentrate.

- I would like to remind you that Akaashi is everything but shy, he is very blunt and sassy when he is speaking, and he definitely stays that way for everyone. Is not the type to hold back or change his personality when meeting someone new. (Which we saw in the show). Him and Kenma are not the same. There is a difference between chill and shy.

- You know you are one of his close friends when he remembers everything you tell him. Your shoe size, blood type, your favorite food as a kid, your 5th favorite color, even what you named your pet rock in 1st grade. You mention it once to him and he will remember because to him that is what could make him a great friend.

- He actually does write stuff in his notes app. His notes app is his most used app every week. 10 hours at least. He writes EVERY THOUGHT in there. For example, during the day when he thinks about food, he would like to eat for dinner he writes it down. As a reminder. Even though he has amazing memory, he does this to make sure his past self is happy.

- Watches tv in dad pose. Arms are entire crossed or on his hips. He will read the synopsis of the show and say he was not interested in it and then would be standing there watching. As The Gods Will for example.

- Makes eye contact. Wants you to feel heard and he wants to see the changes in your facial expressions (If you are like me, you have A LOT of those). That is why I think he is pulled towards people like Bokuto, loud and genuine people. He is also pulled towards great storytellers, people who use their hands when they are talking and/or voices for people involved. Always have that evidence on lockdown. He would love to see the receipts.

- Wears weird ass shirts. I am talking “a picture of pants on a shirt” type shit. World's greatest grandpa, I am just a girl, and would have shirts with his friend's names on it, in a pun way. “Danny stops! Do not poke your toes!” Get it. Bokuto. Poke your toes (I am kinda sorry).

═══════════════•°•🦉•°•════════════════

TIKTOK MENTIONS

“Sometimes he'll think of a line from a vid he watched a week ago and repeat it for hours.” -four ☆

“Does not smell like anything. not his shampoo, not even sweat, he doesn't have a smell at all.” -monira 💌

“Y’all know those little rubber band bracelets that made shapes? yea, he has a whole collection of them in a jar” -kai 🎸🦕

“If he had any piercings, he would constantly be playing with it touching them” -coors_lightt

Other HEADCANONS: Daichi,

[acourtofladydeath]

Poly+ ACOTAR Week Day 1: Beginnings

All his life Nyx has been raised by his parents, Rhysand and Feyre, and their mate Tamlin. One day he decides to ask him mom how their bonds snapped and she is more than happy to oblige.

Inspired by the storytelling in "The Princess Bride" and "How I Met Your Mother" this is angsty, fluffy fun.

So excited to kick off the first day of @polyacotarweek with one of my favorite trios, Feytamsand. Start reading below, or read the entire fic on AO3 here!

“Mom!” I shouted through the hall of the River House. It was her day off, which probably meant she was painting. The River House had a state of the art studio for her to work in, but she typically painted wherever inspiration struck. Which means she could be anywhere. 

The house was entirely too large. Something I loved growing up when I wanted to hide, but hated when I needed to find them. Sure, we could mind speak, but once I walked in on my parents having daemati sex, something I literally didn't know existed before then. After that, I refused to communicate that way unless there was an emergency. 

“In here Nyxie!” She called back from the library at the end of the hall. It had a huge window overlooking the Sidra and sunset. Throughout the day light cast through the window, ricocheting through the room. As it traveled it glanced across the wide array of books, some gilded and some plain, painting the floor in its own way. With the kaleidoscope of colors and dancing light, it was one of mom’s favorite spots to paint. Aunt Nes spent most of her time here when she visited, but today it was just mom. 

“What’s up, baby?” Mom said as I walked in. Covered head to toe in paint, she turned to look at me and wiped even more on her apron and one of her mate’s old shirts. Now which one, I wasn’t quite sure. But judging by those giant, billowy sleeves and the gauzy white linen fabric I had a pretty good guess. 

“I’m not a baby anymore,” I scoffed from the doorway. There was no way I’d get any closer to her like this. Last time she hugged me while painting it took three baths to get it all off and my clothes had to be burned. 

“Nyx you are thirteen, you are definitely still my baby. Even a hundred years from now you’ll still be my baby. I’m your mother, that’s how it goes.” She smiled softly at me then, one of those smiles that told me she was thinking about the past and the future all at once. They were my favorites. 

“What did you need? Or did you just want to watch me paint?” My mom asked, slight worry in her eyes. I’d never been great at schooling my expressions like dad was, mom and I had that in common. We both wore our emotions on our sleeves for all to see. 

I sighed, settling in to ask the question that had been gnawing at me for some time now. “One of the kids at school said something today that bothered me,” I rubbed at the muscles in the back of my neck with one hand, my gaze cast down on the floor as I tried to find the right words. 

It took me several long breaths, but mom waited patiently even as I felt her own anxiety build. “They said…” I let out a long sigh, there really was no good way to say this. “They said it’s not fair that I have two High Lords for parents, or for you to have two mates. And it’s not the first time, either.” 

Mom wrung her apron uneasily between her paint streaked hands, her art now completely forgotten as she focused on me. “I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this love. We knew people might say things like this, Nyx. I wish I had better answers for you, but the Mother gave your fathers and I each two mates.” She looked up at me with apology in her eyes, something I never intended and didn’t need to hear from her again. “I never wanted it to affect you negatively though.” 

“I know mom, and I know we’ve talked it to death.” I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “It’s just still a lot, you know?” A thought struck me then. I knew my parents were all mates, I knew they’d met around the time of Amarantha’s reign under the mountain. We’d had a lot of conversations that time so I wasn’t caught off guard if other kids or parents mentioned it, but still…

“How’d you all find out anyway?” 

Mom cocked her head slightly to the side, her brow furrowed just a bit. “What do you mean?”

“How’d you find out you’re all mates? I mean, we’ve talked about the mountain and how you met them, but I’ve never really heard the full story of how your bonds snapped.” 

A secretive smile slid across her face then, and my mom straightened her head toward me. “Would you like to hear the full story? I think you’re old enough now.”

“Only if you promise to spare the gross bits…” I said, internally cringing as the unbidden image of mentally walking in on them flashed through my mind again. Fighting back a shudder at the memory I continued,  "But I am pretty curious.” I smiled slightly, and her own brightened wide enough to light the whole room. 

“Are you too old to sit on mom’s lap for story time? I can change out of my paint clothes first, I know you’ve taken after your dad with how much you care for your clothes.” she asks, humor alight in her words. 

I feel the heat of a blush on my cheeks as I answer. “Definitely too old for sitting on your lap…but maybe not for the couch…” She knew what I meant. When I had bad dreams or hard days at school, sometimes I’d lay on the couch, head in her lap. It felt too juvenile to use the word ‘cuddles’ but I guess that’s what it was. A kid’s allowed to cuddle his mom right? 

A few minutes later, mom was back wearing leggings and one of her favorite sweaters. She sat on the couch next to the big window in the library and patted the seat next to her, warmth filling the space between us. I pushed off the wall from where I stood and went to join her. As I settled in, she began her story. “Alright Nyx, let’s start from the beginning. Here’s the story of how I met your fathers.” 

Continue reading at the first cut on AO3.

Please let me know if you would like off or on my taglist!: @pippsmcgee @born-to-riot @chunkypossum @bubybubsters @queercontrarian @yanny-77 @fieldofdaisiies @iftheshoef1tz @secret-third-thing

[dinkbear]

camp camp s5 e1 review (MAJOR SPOILERS!)

yea i thought it sucked

i just watched the new cc episode and i thought it was....not great

the pacing was very off, i feel like they had the potential to tell an emotionally complex story regarding max's feelings to returning to camp and seeing so much different, but that's difficult to do in 15 minutes, i feel like it could've worked better if it were even just 20 minutes. also, in "With Friends Like These" i thought max's new VA sounded practically the same as his old one, but in this episode he just sounds...off. again, a lot of the lines felt forced, when i hear this new guy i don't hear the little shit-stain max i just hear Some Guy™. i understand WHY they changed the va, but as a poc myself i genuinely could not care less if a white actor voices a poc character esp in an adult cartoon. it actually really brought me out of it when max was snapping at the obstacle course because it just felt like nothing, like i didn't care.

i. hate. CJ. i think he's unfunny, i don't like his design, i just...don't like him. hoping and praying that gwen stays and he LEAVES or there's some crazy twist or SOMETHING i just do NOT like him. also, why does he have the authority to deny the campers food??? is david not his boss??? DO SOMETHING BRO

david also felt off, i know that now he knows the campers better and he's had character development but he just seemed disingenuous

the bit with nikki freaking out over max possibly being mad had so much potential to be built on and have something done with it but it just...didn't. it was just that one line and that was it, i was excited for some crazy conflict that didn't happen.

i thought the thing with neil's clip on earring was hilarious and im sad that it'll probably only be in that one episode </3

UGGGGH they CAN tell heart-wrenching stories, they CAN expand on these characters emotionally, they CAN DO SO MUCH and they HAVE....but, for me, a big part of what made episodes like "The Order of the Sparrow" and "Parents' Day" so moving was that it was out of the formula. i LOVE LOVE LOVE shows that set themselves up as being episodic/formulaic/sitcom-y and then slowly introduce lore and show that the characters are 3-dimensional and have conflict, etc, etc. but in this episode and in "With Friends Like These," the emotional story-telling feels forced. it's not set up like its a regular camp camp episode where something unexpectedly emotional happens, its set up to be the unexpected thing...which makes it expected and lose its value. especially because, back when i was SUPER hyperfixated on this show like 4 years ago, post watching "Parents' Day" or "The Order of the Sparrow" or whatever, when i rewatched other episodes i saw more to these characters hidden in little aspects of their behavior or their reactions or their dialogue that was there the WHOLE TIME, but seemed like it was just a regular old episode where regular old things happen, but now it seems as though they are straying away from that and instead having the emotional development and storytelling be completely unsubtle and on the nose. i suppose it is the writers' choice and they have every right to do that even if i don't like it.

speaking of on-the-nose, i wasn't a fan of how they just flat out said "max is upset that things are different," in the episode he said how he didn't like that everything was changing over and over and over again. and like.....take "Parents' Day" for example, max was being an extra asshole to everyone subconsciously before realizing and admitting the real reason, which was great and how kids work (because remember, max is 11) but in this episode it was pretty much "GRRRRR EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND IM MAD ABOUT IT!!!!!" and i know it was supposed to be like 'well WHY is he so mad about it :o" which could've been good and interesting if there were...buildup...or anything...and not "This camp sucks, but you know what else sucks? Life out there. Family, school, a crumbling society?" and "You're just as lame as before, which is why you didn't have any friends back home to begin with." its just like....come on. was that REALLY the best way to get that across??? THEY CAN WRITE SUBTLY SO WHY DON'T THEY!?!?!?!?

i feel like there is SO MUCH potential to exploring max's emotions but they just seem to keep being unsubtle and on-the-nose about it, which an emotionally neglected kid would NOT be. we have to remember, they're kids. i feel like the earlier seasons did a great job of making that obvious- making them little rascals, oblivious to things, mischievous, full-of-energy, little devils, the line "I saw it on TV!" from s1 e4- but in these newer episodes its treated as though that aspect is not important (note: i have never rewatched s4 because i didn't like it, so i am not going off it for reference bc i barely remember anything that happened) max wouldn't know that he's upset with them changing because of how lonely it is, and i know he was supposed to be projecting but the dialogue felt so forced it didn't even feel like projecting it just felt like admitting. i don't expect the writers to have a phd in child psychology or something, but if they want max's emotional reactions to have power and be meaningful, i feel like they should be a CHILD'S emotions.

granted, this is all my opinion. i'm sure for the reasons i disliked the episode, someone really loved it for the same ones. i would give it a 3/10, but there was no jasper, so it gets a 0/10. very excited for the next episode, the post-credits trailer made it seem like it'll be good.

[victimeyez]

I’m kinda picky about podcasts but I’ve been slowly going through S1 of Malevolent and there’s some good whump. So here’s a bit about it.

If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a podcast set in the Lovecraft universe.

It’s from the point of view of Arthur, a private detective who suddenly comes to in his office - blind, unable to remember what happened, a nameless entity speaking to him in his brain telling him what to do, and his business partner’s corpse at his feet.

Arthur has to work with the entity slowly gaining control of his body to investigate what happened and how to stop other entities from preying on people. Arthur being blind means he relies entirely on his entity to direct him and help him get around. This provides a convenient reason for “John” (his entity) to describe to Arthur (and thus the listener) where they are and what they are seeing.

The story is told through dialogue, background/interaction sounds, and John’s descriptions. I’ve done foley and audio work, and I am a massive fan of found footage/found audio storytelling, so I’m unfortunately more critical than most on this type of work.

But the descriptions John gives are pretty practical without going into the very flowery descriptions that the Magnus Archives does. They still maintain some artistic additions and add enough mustard to give you a good picture of things, without totally breaking immersion with uncharacteristic monologuing.

Per my personal preference, I would always say “get nastier with it”, but I enjoy John’s menacing whumper moments a lot. Otherwise they have an alliance, and an odd friendship formed due to being stuck together. John does not remember who he is, where he came from, or why he is inhabiting Arthur - at least, so he claims, I’m not finished yet!

I’m a big fan of possession whump, I have a major project on it, so this is pretty up my alley.

Anyways, all of this is to say, there’s some great whump content in this podcast if it sounds interesting to you. I’d love to hear thoughts on the first season if anyone else is listening 👂

[honeymoonblues]

Kisses & Dreams

Remus Lupin x Professor!Reader

Summary: The school year is ending and you have a question for Remus. (Gender neutral reader).

Part 1 - Part 2

Word count: 2.9k

A/N: This is a continuation to my last remus fic, I never thought this would turn into a little series! I'm not sure if this will be the last part or not, we'll see.

Let me know if there are any spelling errors, English is not my first language.

It had been such a wonderful winter break, the best you’ve had in ages. Those two weeks felt like you had been walking on clouds.

You decided to stay at Hogwarts, along with some other teachers and a few students who didn’t want to go home. At first, seeing all these kids away from their families for the holidays left you heartbroken. But after seeing them all get together for Christmas dinner, you started to understand why they’d want to stay at school. 

It goes without saying that your favourite thing about the holidays wasn’t dinner, but rather the company. 

Professor Lupin had been the most charming companion ever. By the third tea shop rendezvous on the first week, it had almost turned into a routine. You had tried to get creative and do something different each time, but you always ended up back in the tea shop. There were only so many things you could do in Hogsmeade, anyway. 

Remus always ordered the same thing, and you always picked the same little teacup from the extensive collection that Madam Pudifoot’s had to offer. He’d sip on his Cherry Rose tea, and you’d marvel at the gorgeous little tea set that matched your favourite cup while drinking your choice of the day. 

Now that you didn’t pretend to be ‘just coworkers’ anymore, it became the perfect time to get to know each other better, and the shop was a great place to do so. 

Remus was quieter and a great listener, even when you started talking non-stop, he’d still love hearing your stories. But whenever he got to talk it was marvelous. A gifted storyteller with a million different tales about his life, his friends, and his time in Hogwarts. You adored him, and you were so grateful for the great time you got to spend together.

Regardless, the most heartwarming moment of all was when the clock struck midnight on Christmas day. 

When the kids left the Great Hall after the most delectable meal, you had to ensure they all returned to their rooms. You didn’t want to drink during dinner with all the children there, so after all was over, Remus and you got down to the kitchen to indulge in a bit of wine.

Then, Peeves decided to pull a little festive prank by locking both of you down there. Already on your second glass, you heard the poltergeist’s crazy laughter and immediately knew something was up. When Remus got to the door, he sighed and then started giggling.

“Not this again!” His head was resting against the door, his hand covering his face, and you could see him shaking with laughter.

“Again? What do you mean?” Soon enough, you too were chuckling.

When he finally calmed down enough to take a breath, he explained:

“Peeves did this same thing to me on Christmas Eve, back when I was a student here.”

“What? He locked you up? In the kitchens?” You questioned, speaking slowly. When he nodded, your eyes widened. “But what on earth were you doing down here?”

A dazzling smile showed on his face, and he raised his glass.

“Same thing I’m doing right now.” And you almost choked on your drink.

Realizing that whatever Peeves had done to the door couldn’t be all that serious, you agreed that it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy some more wine before unlocking it. Grave error.

When the third attempt at an Alohomora spell had failed because of your incessant laughter, you managed to say:

“How many drunk wizards do you think it takes to open a door?” And that’s how you spoiled Remus’ fourth effort.

At some point, you collected yourselves. You breathed in, and you unlocked the door. It should have been way easier than you made it. Any second year could have gotten out of the kitchen in a minute, as long as they weren’t drunk like you two.

Acting like two sober adults, you walked over to your office. Thankfully, you didn’t cross paths with any students hanging around the hallways past their bedtime, or it could have been quite embarrassing for everyone involved.

Fifteen minutes to midnight, you decided it would be the best opportunity to give Remus your Christmas gift. While you were talking, he noticed the way you kept looking at the clock and then realized what hour it was. Excusing himself quickly, he left your office.

“I’ll be back in a minute, I promise.”

Frowning at his sudden escape, you sighed. His gift was carefully wrapped, sitting in a corner of the room. You took it, your hands starting to sweat just by thinking about giving it to him. It felt embarrassing how much sentiment you had put into it, and how easy it was to do so for Remus.

Your train of thought was interrupted by him entering through your door again. He had a bashful smile, similar to the one he got the day he asked you on a date. His back was straight and his hands were behind his back. 

You looked at the clock one more time, three past midnight. 

“Merry Christmas, Remus!” He had a surprised look on his face when you offered your gift to him. 

“Well, thank you very much.” Remus chuckled, and he too extended his arms, offering a little wrapped box. “Merry Christmas to you.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to! Thanks!” The delighted tone in your voice was impossible to hide, you looked contented before even opening your gift.

He was the first to open the package since you were taking your time not to damage the cute wrapping paper on the box.

“Wait… you didn’t knit this, did you?” You smiled shyly at his question. “Merlin, you did! This is… so much work.” He immediately put on the sweater you had made, it looked so incredibly cute on him. “Thank you so much.” His tone was genuine, and you couldn’t stop grinning.

You would have almost forgotten about the unopened gift in your hand if it wasn’t for Remus giving a little nod in its direction.

“Well, it’s nothing compared to your gift but I-”

“Remus! Are you joking? Remus this is so…!” Barely containing the excitement in your voice, you started giggling. “I didn’t know they sold these! This is absolutely perfect!”

“Well, Madam Pudifoot said no one ever asked to buy her cups, but she was very glad someone liked them so much that they wanted to keep one.”

Carefully, you put everything on your table. The plate, the spoon, and the gorgeous little teacup from the shop. Then, without wasting any other minute, you hugged Remus tightly.

“Thank you, thank you! I love it.” Your chuckles were muffled by his shoulders.

It took a moment, but Remus was hugging you back. 

“I still can’t believe you knitted me a sweater, that’s… incredibly thoughtful.”

When your eyes met his he had such a sweet expression, and even in the dim lighting, you could see his cheeks taking a pink colour. You couldn’t tell if the heat on your face was from being so close to the fireplace, or from Remus, and you smiled shyly, realizing that you hadn’t released him. 

Suddenly, you sensed a weird movement from over your head and looked up. Mistletoe was twinkling brightly, floating right over the both of you.

“I didn’t put that there, I swear!” You mumbled, a little confused.

“No. I did.”

Then, you kissed. And if there was any remains of alcohol in your blood, you surely sobered up. It was soft, sweet, and slow. Everything you’ve ever wanted. Remus’ breath against your skin tickled, and you had goosebumps all over. You giggled every time you had to pull apart to take a breath. Then, spent the rest of the night drinking tea, speaking in whispers, and kissing each other some more.

The break passed so fast that you barely noticed, as did the rest of the school year. It was a busy semester, you had very little free time and it was all spent with Remus, which you didn’t complain about.

Sooner than you thought possible, the finals were just around the corner and most people were drained, professors and students alike.

Also, history was a tiresome subject for most kids. Even if they liked going to class, studying became monotonous, and it was much worse for those who didn’t enjoy reading much.

This year, you gave the students a choice. Each one would have the opportunity to choose between an oral exam or a written exam, because you’d seen first-hand the different abilities that the kids possess. Now, you regretted your decision completely. The amount of work that took making two different finals for every class didn’t even compare to the time it would take to take the oral exams for each student who had chosen it (which weren’t many, but still).

But there was no going back now. You had arranged the list of students per year, dividing them in those who wanted which exam. From the 800 students that Hogwarts accommodated, only a few more than a hundred wanted to take the oral exam, but they meant more than one hundred individual finals to take, and you just hoped for everything to go according to plan and not take more time than it needed to.

In those two weeks of finals, you said goodbye to your sleeping schedule, and coffee became your best ally. At least, you weren’t the only one dealing with this. All your coworkers related, and the bags under the kids’ eyes told you they weren’t much better off.

Overall, a torturous moment for all. But you could still see the spark of hope in the promised summer holidays. Every time you closed your eyes, you felt like you were almost there. On your short sleep cycles, you dreamt of the warm afternoons and cool drinks, of going back home and enjoying your local lake, and of finally getting to rest. Of course, you also dreamt of Remus.

Neither of you had been together much this last month. His classes had twice as many hours as yours, and he was always doing the most for the students. Excursions, magical creatures, games and mixing different classes together for duelling. He put his everything into his job, and you admired him so much for that.

Still, there was something else. For this whole year you had spent a great deal of time with Remus. Some of the most wonderful dates, or a simply shared breakfast in the morning. In all these months, you’ve managed to known Lupin on a deeper level, which softened your heart as well as his. But some things just didn’t add up.

Every single month, he became sick and took some days off. Which could totally happen to anyone, but each one of his sickness lined up to a very peculiar day, or night to be more specific. Besides, you weren’t stupid, and Remus knew that incredibly well. He was sure it was just a matter of time before you had to talk it out, but he had always been somewhat of a coward, and you were too respectful of his own space to demand the explanation he thought you deserved.

The truth is, you couldn’t care less if he was a werewolf! Remus made you incredibly happy, and no condition of his could affect the way you felt about him.

At first, you found it so silly that he had tried so hard to cover his lycanthropy. But after you let this knowledge sit in the back of your mind for a while, you understood how terrible of a situation this was for him.

You knew the way of life werewolves lead in Britain. The so called supernatural ‘beasts’ had a long history of ill treatment and abuse by the hands of the government that should be protecting them. It was a miracle Remus even had a job, considering the laws the Ministry of Britain had been putting up recently. The mere thought of the things Remus had to go through broke your heart into pieces.

In Britain, getting bitten by a werewolf meant the end of your life as you know it. It meant the resentment and fear of the other people, it meant persecution and judgement, and it meant the suffering and agony of your transformation, because no one provided you with the potion you’re supposed to have to endure your pain. The only potion that saved a werewolf from their own animal instincts, the only that can a 100% stop you from being dangerous after transforming. It was the same country who would point at you accusatorily and call you a ‘killing beast’, the one that would deny you the medicine to help you, and completely erase any danger a werewolf could pose to others or themselves. The irony was not sad, but infuriating.

Not every country was like this, in fact, most weren’t. And many places venerated the lycanthropes. In some of them, the werewolves were the protectors of the family, the ones that gave hope to the generation. Stronger, faster, with better reflexes and senses than most. It was obvious why they were worshipped all over the world, why wouldn’t they?

The only thing you desired, is for Remus to trust you with this piece of his life, to let you be by his side at all times. Because even with everything that was going on, the man remained kind and loving, and you couldn’t understand how. You wanted him to know that you didn’t care about his condition, no matter if he was a werewolf, a vampire or a fairy, you’d never, ever judge him.

But you refused to rush things, just like you both had been doing with everything else. You let things flow. Surely, he’d tell you when he felt ready.

Sadly, neither had any opportunity to truly speak to each other, not with the end of the semester upon you.

The seemingly endless weeks of finals were almost over, and your nerves began to ease. Your dreams turned more pleasant, and you’d see Remus in almost every single one of them. Walking hand in hand by the seaside, drinking iced tea in your couch, and cuddling with you under the stars, he was always there when you drifted off. And with that, you had a realization. There’s no way you’d let him go away on the holidays. He had to be there with you over the summer, and with butterflies in your stomach, you decided to ask him.

The last exam you took should have left you exhausted, but when the only student left had given you his paper, you felt more alive than ever. You checked the clock on your wrist. Remus last exam ended in fifteen minutes, and then, you were going to ask him.

Merlin, your heart felt like it was about to burst out of your chest with how hard it was beating. You were going to make the move, you were going to ask him! Excitement, confidence and nervousness, your head was spinning with so many emotions at the same time.

Your footsteps echoed around your office, you checked the time every ten seconds, until you decided you couldn’t wait anymore, and you made your way to Remus’ classroom.

‘Goodness, I am going to ask him!’ You thought, and had to stop yourself from running all the way to your destination.

The students were exiting his classroom, and you peeked inside, checking there was no one left, before you started to look for him.

‘Remus, good afternoon! Happy about finishing all these exams at last?” You called loud, trying to find where on earth he had hidden. You made your way up the stairs to his office, still talking. “Of course we still have to grade them, but we have almost a whole week for that!”  Chuckling softly, you finally got to his open door.

With your excitement, you almost missed it, but Lupin looked tired, incredibly so. It was understandable up until some point, but he truly seemed like he hadn’t been able to sleep for days. He barely looked up from his papers, and gave you a slight smile.

“Oh, Remus. Are you quite alright, there?” Getting closer to him, you stood by his side and ran your fingers through his hair, in the way you know calmed him down. But he didn’t look up to you again. You pondered for a moment how to ask him, so you started:

“We really, really need the summer break, don’t we?” And you giggled, not as cheerfully as you wanted it to sound. A soft humming sound is all that you got in response.

“Well, uhm…” Stuttering, you looked at him once more to confirm that everything was alright. “You know, I was thinking…” Thrown off by the contrast of his gloomy demeanour, you placed your hand comfortingly over his shoulder and said:

“Remember how I told you I wanted to go back home for the break, mm?” The cheerful tone in your voice was back, knowing exactly what could lift his spirits. “Would you like to come with me? I hope this is not too sudden because I’d love to-”

And just when you were about to ask him, formally, officially, to be you partner, he looked up with those bright eyes and through his wonderful lashes, and got up from his chair. Then, grabbing your arm softly, he interrupted you, speaking with his warm voice and gentle tone.

“I’m sorry. I- This is not going to work. I’m truly sorry, but it’d be best if we… part.”

[harrisonarchive]

At the Billboard Music Awards, December 9, 1992; photo by Reed Saxon/AP. (Both speeches can be viewed here.)

“George was the kind of guy who wasn’t going to leave until he hugged you for five minutes and told you how much he loved you. We knew where we stood with each other. […] I loved him so much, and if he had never played a note, I would have been so blessed to have him in my life. […] I'm just blessed by God to have known him. He had so much love in him. I realized it more with him gone that he was just pure love.” - Tom Petty, Rolling Stone, January 17, 2002

“‘Me and George have something somewhere where we're connected,’ Petty says with a laugh. ‘Some past life or something.’” - Pulse!, April 1999

“[George] was so funny, it’s hard to explain. He was the funniest guy I ever met. Such a keen sense of humor. A lot of fun. A wise person. He really wanted to know the meaning of it all. But at the same time, he was really light-hearted and tremendous fun. [Laughs] Just tremendous fun. And we got along so well. There’s really not a day that I don’t think about him.” - Tom Petty, Conversations With Tom Petty (2005)

“George [passing away] devastated me. I didn’t think George could die. It so ripped my heart out that I still can’t think about it.” - Tom Petty, Billboard, December 2005

“George came along, and we just got so close; it was like we had known each other in some other life or something. We were pals within minutes of meeting each other. I remember him saying to me a couple of days after we’d known each other — he’s just hugging me, holding me, saying, ‘Tommy, you’re in my life now whether you like it or not.’ It was like I’d been sent the very person I needed. He healed a lot of wounds.” - Tom Petty, Petty: The Biography (2015)

“I went through a bad period, you know, when my house burned… Just kind of one of those great gifts to run into Jeff and George like I did at that time. They probably don’t even realize it, but it really took away a lot of the pain.” - Tom Petty, In The Studio With Redbeard, 1989 (x)

“God I miss him you know. I miss him in the night a lot.” - Tom Petty, Concert for George microsite

“And so much has happed to me that you wouldn’t believe. I’m not gonna try to tell it all to you, but I’m thinking right now about one particular thing. I was looking out there - I know so many people here. Mo, Mo and Olivia [Harrison] are out there. I love Mo and I love Liv. Me and George Harrison and Jeff Lynne one night were at Mo Ostin’s house - this was before, we were just working on the idea of the Traveling Wilburys - and I had written this song ‘Free Fallin’’ and done the record and taken it to my label, MCA. And they rejected the record. And that had never happened to me before. I was like, wow, what do I do? So, we forgot about it. And we were at Mo’s house and dinner ended and George said, ‘Let’s get the guitars out and sing a little bit.’ And we sang and George said, ‘Let’s do that “Free Fallin’” Tom. Play that.’ So we had a kind of Wilbury arrangement of it with harmony. And we did it. And Lenny Waronker is sitting there, he said, ‘That’s a hit.’ With two acoustic guitars, you know? I said, ‘Well, my record company won’t put it out.’ And Mo says, “I’ll f*****’ put it out.” - Tom Petty, MusiCares speech, February 10, 2017 (x)

“I have a special fondness for him [Tom]. It makes you feel a little bit safer to know that someone like Tom is there for you. It’s a good umbrella to be standing under.” - Olivia Harrison, Petty: The Biography (2015)

“What makes Tom Petty a unique live performer is that he is a storyteller. His Florida drawl and the meter of his speech are engaging. Even his everyday observations sound more like tales, and whether he is singing or speaking you'll hear truisms in his words. I call him Aesop Wilbury.” - Olivia Harrison, Billboard, March 20, 2006

“Petty 'had a great bullshit detector – he didn’t suffer fools, just like my dad,’ says Dhani Harrison. While Petty and George Harrison 'were kind of stone-y, mellow dudes, they had that toughness. They’d kick your ass. But they loved the same stuff – ukuleles, motor racing. They would go to the Formula One races together.’ George 'really felt at ease with Tom,’ Dhani says, 'because it was like having another you next to you. There were more eyes watching out for you.’“ - Rolling Stone, 18 October 2017

“Tommy is just, like, the loveliest guy in the entire world. [...] [H]im and Jeff [Lynne] have been the nearest things I’ve had to a dad since I lost my dad.” - Dhani Harrison, Premier Guitar, January 16, 2018 (x)