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tilltheendwilliwrite · 1 year ago

Text

Reflections

Chapter Eight

Master List / Real People Master List / Reflections Master List

Pairing: Mia MacAlsdair x Au Tom Hiddleston

Warnings: language, fluff, angst, mentions of suicide and self-harm, 18+ Minors do not interact

A/N: I apologize in advance should my Scottish/English interpretations be incorrect. I am Canadian playing in a world of my own making. Do not @ me.

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Tom watched Mia drive off, on the correct side of the road, into the low-lying fog. She didn't have far to go, but he made her promise to text when she arrived. The compassionate and understanding look she gave him said Emma must have explained about their parents, but she promised she would, and it eased his mind.

On a clear day, he could watch her make her way along the winding roads, the trek by car longer than the walk across the fields, but with the fog covering nearly everything, he had to wait for confirmation of her safe arrival.

He remained outside until it came and sighed in relief. It was unexpected, but she had become quite dear in a very short span of time. He appreciated her honesty, that she willingly spoke to him about her beliefs, her life, and her past. There was nothing false or contrived about Mia. She was exactly the woman she showed to the world, unapologetic and authentic to herself.

That she trusted him enough to speak of her… vision? Experience? He wasn't sure what to call it, but it humbled him that Mia told him her story. And he would be forever grateful for whatever, whoever, saw the child on the bridge and intervened.

Tom looked around at the empty grounds and then up at the cloudy sky. "I don't know if you truly are real, if you care what I think, or would bother listening to me, but if you are out there, thank you. Thank you for saving Mia."

A flash of red caught his eye, and he turned to find a raven sitting on a window sill. It hadn't been there before, of that he was sure.

It croaked at him and flew off, leaving Tom bemused.

God? Raven? Omen?

He shook his head. He wasn't sure he was ready to find out.

He walked inside to find his siblings waiting to ambush him.

"To what do I owe this pleasure? This isn't another intervention regarding cardigans, is it? I'll have you know, I haven't worn another since you likened me to Grandfather George."

Emma giggled and shook her head, her grin smug and body nearly vibrating with glee. "It seems you and Mia got on smashing once you removed your foot from your mouth."

Tom huffed and shook his head, striding past them into the study. "She's a nice girl."

"Oh, please! We watched you snog her," Kip snickered.

He barely contained the need to wince. "What of it?"

"You dog!" Kip crowed, laughing as he went to the sideboard and poured two fingers of whiskey.

Tom sat behind his desk with a scowl. "It wasn't like that."

Emma perched on the corner. "What was it like?" she asked softly.

He flexed his hand against the chair arm, still able to feel her touch like it was imprinted on his skin.

"He's speechless," Kip murmured.

"Not hardly," Tom huffed, shuffling papers around.

"Tom," Emma murmured. "You like her."

He paused in his shuffling to stare at the wood. "Yes. I… yes."

"She's really lovely, had a hard go before now, but so open."

He looked up at Emma, watching him knowingly and sighed. "I asked her to dinner tomorrow."

She beamed.

"And I told her about Sarah."

Kip and Emma appeared gobsmacked by that.

"You did?" Kip gasped.

"Henry cares for her farm. She's already heard things. I wanted her to have my truth before he distorts it."

Kip sank into the chair across the desk, his expression stunned. "It happened. It actually happened."

Tom scowled. "What are you prattling on about?"

"Love at first sight. You've already fallen for her."

Emma gasped and squealed for joy.

"I have not!" Tom bellowed, but his traitorous heart jumped in his chest.

Kip snickered. "You're so far gone 'round the bend, you can't even see it anymore."

"Fuck off!" Tom growled, glaring at his brother.

"That's so romantic." Emma smiled. "I'm so happy you've found someone."

"Not you, too," he groaned. "We've only just met!"

"I've never seen you take to anyone so quickly, though. Not since-"

"Do not say that name!" Tom snapped. "It was a mistake, and we all know it. I was nothing but a PR stunt for her." The first and last time he allowed anyone to talk him into a public relationship for the sake of image.

"Camila is different," he admitted. "There's something… almost innocent about her. She's genuine, honest, and utterly kind." He grinned slowly. "Until you annoy her, and then she lets out the temper her hair warns of."

"You are so smitten. Is the world now rose-coloured?" Kip snickered.

"No worse than you with Serina," Emma huffed.

"Or you with Ethan," Kip shot back.

"Clearly, when it's the right one, Hiddlestons' fall hard." Emma sniffed. "But you are seeing her again?"

"As I said. Tomorrow."

His phone pinged, and he glanced at it, finding a text from Mia to let her know when and where tomorrow for their date.

Tom grinned, replied he would pick her up, and wished her a pleasant night before teasing that perhaps she'd enjoy a new television show. She should see if she could find a three-episode series called The Hollow Crown.

Her cheerful thanks for the recommendation led him to believe she had no idea he was the lead.

"That's her, isn't it?" Kip snickered.

"Yes, and he's being all sneaky, suggesting she watch Hal." Emma giggled.

Tom glared at her. "It's poor manners to read another's private texts."

"Then do a better job of not showing them to me," she teased.

Another ping had him glancing down.

"What's it say?" Kip asked.

Emma leaned closer, causing Tom to snatch his phone away, but not fast enough. "She Googled and now wonders if that's his attempt to keep her thinking about him the rest of the night."

"Out!" Tom roared, pointing at the door as Kip burst out laughing. "Both of you bugger off! I don't have time for your nonsense right now!"

Emma snickered and pressed off his desk. "Ah, yes. Mayor Campbell has an appointment. Is he still after you to sell the west fields to his nephew?"

Tom rolled his eyes. "Yes. Thankfully, I have the note stating we're a heritage site now. He can't touch it as long as Highpark is in our family's possession."

"Good," Kip grinned. "Can I sit in? I would love to see the slimy toad's face when you hand him the papers."

"Let's allow him his dignity," Tom muttered.

He wanted to maintain a semblance of civility with the town and its Mayor. Kip's remarks would be unwelcome and potentially detrimental to that.

He huffed but stood. "Then tell Mia the portrait is perfect. Serina will adore it."

"Do we get to see it?" Emma asked, attempting and failing to appear uninterested.

"After Serina," Kip snickered.

Emma pouted and flounced out of the room, leaving Tom alone with Kip.

"I'm chuffed for you about Mia. I knew when we met, she was special."

"She's a remarkable woman," Tom agreed.

"Don't muff it up," Kip smirked and sauntered from the room.

Tom had no plans on fucking up a second time.

Mia sat on the couch, a bowl of popcorn in hand, watching The Hollow Crown with Cora. It was surreal and a little odd to not only know but have kissed the man who played Henry the Fifth all these years later.

"He's so young in this," Mia murmured, but Gods, if she didn't recognize that smile.

"Aye. It was odd watching him grow up on screen for a few years," Cora chuckled, helping herself to the bowl. "But he's a good man, an honourable man. He did right by his family and the village."

"What do you mean?" Mia asked, turning to face Cora.

"Came a time the Mayor wanted to turn Kelso into a thriving metropolis, make us the next Edina, but it was never what we wanted. If Highpark had folded, Campbell would've been all over that land. He talked of tearing down the keep, but conservancy said he canna, so he was goin' to turn it into a luxury hotel."

"And that would be bad?"

Cora snorted. "We don't mind the occasional tourist, but having them around all the time, pushing up prices, complaining about this and that," she scoffed deep in her throat. "We moved out of Edinburgh and Glasgow for just that reason. But Tommy came home, saw the lay of it, and dug in. Campbell still skulks around, but there's naught for him here."

"And if he took over Ashwood Farm?" Mia asked, curious what his plans were for this place.

"Feckin' holiday lets," she snorted. "He canna take down this house either, titled as it is, but he could convert the barn, the outbuildings, build what he wished in the fields. It would be a bloody mess."

Mia scowled. She would hate that. It was so peaceful here. The land was pristine and quiet. It was the only 'church' she ever needed.

"Yeah, that's not happening," she said, causing Cora to chuckle and eye her speculatively.

"So, as we're watching a film with Tom in it, can I assume yer day at Highpark went well?"

Mia blushed, causing Cora to chortle. "It was fine."

"Oh, a bit more than fine when ye blush like a schoolmaid!"

Mia groaned but quickly gave in and told Cora all about her encounter with Tom, him running out to stop her driving off, their walk around Highpark, and how he kissed her.

Mia never knew what it was like to have grandparents, but she imagined the relationship between herself and Cora to be pretty darn close. The older woman had become a confidant for Mia, someone she could ask anything of without fear of judgment.

"About damn time!" Cora crowed, throwing her hands into the air.

"What?" Mia frowned.

Cora patted her thigh. "Tommy's a good lad, but it's high time he found himself a good lady. Many a Kelso lass has tried to catch his eye, but none could. Glad I am it's ye. Ye deserve better than ye had, and Tom is better."

Mia blushed again - damn fair skin - and fiddled with the popcorn bowl. "He… he told me about Henry and Sarah."

Cora's face fell. "Aye, that was a hard time. Very hard."

"Will you tell me what you know? Henry warned me off Highpark and Tom in particular. Then Tom told me about Sarah's infatuation-"

Cora shook her head. "Nah, that girl was obsessed. She set her sights on Tom early, maybe eight years old and spent the rest of her life planning how to marry him. It was… unnatural."

"What do you mean?"

Cora sighed. "Plenty of lasses have crushes. This was more. If anyone were to naysay her, she cut them out of her life. Her entire focus was Tom."

"How did no one notice? Did they try to get her help?"

Cora shook her head. "Henry and Sarah didnae have the most involved parents, and Henry adored his sister. She could do no wrong in his eyes. Tom, for his part, tried to keep a separation between them, but Sarah was persistent. Then, the lads went off to college, and Sarah changed. She got sneaky. She didnae talk as much, but there was something… off about her. She spoke when spoken to, was pleasant, but something behind her eyes was just… wrong."

Mia sighed. "And Henry didn't notice because he was away, too."

"Something happened the night of the Highpark Christmas party. It all went sour, then poor Sarah…" She shook her head. "I've never said this to Henry, but… I have wondered if her taking her life was an accident."

Mia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She wasn't the type. Dramatic? Yes. Conniving? Absolutely. I wouldn't have put it past her to do what she did to gain sympathy and guilt Tom."

Mia's jaw dropped. "Really?"

Cora nodded sharply. "Henry wasn't one to let things fester. If he hadnae been pished, he would have let her cool off, then gone to check on her. Instead, he fell asleep and found her in the morning."

"Oh, shit," Mia whispered. The utter horror of that find would be enough to break a strong man.

"Aye. It was terrible. He grieved hard and never went back to finish school. His parents moved away, but he stayed on, came to work here. I dinnae ken if it was the grief that kept him or the guilt, but he never left. Stuck he is."

Mia bit her lip before glancing at Cora. "Before he warned me off Highpark, Henry tried to kiss me."

"Eh!?" Cora gasped.

"I stopped him first. He's a nice man, but I don't see him like that. But Tom…"

"Aye," Cora smirked. "Thomas, he's handsome enough to make my old bones quiver!"

"Cora!" Mia laughed, making the older woman cackle.

She waved at the TV. "I'm old, not dead!"

"He asked me to dinner tomorrow night, but I don't want to cause more problems between Tom and Henry."

"But you like our Tom?"

Mia nodded.

"Then that's yer answer. Henry is a grown man. If he canna take rejection, that's on him. Besides, fighting over a bonny lass is what those two need to clear the air."

"I'd prefer not being the centre of that," she grumbled.

Cora scoffed. "Watching two braw lads come to blows over ye is a particular type of thrill. Ye canna decide if it's exciting or horrifying, but the make-up afterward is the best part."

"You're terrible!" Mia laughed.

She shrugged. "I had a few adventures once my boys were grown and gone. None stuck, but they were fun while they lasted."

"I bet," Mia snickered.

Her eyes lit up, and her smile widened. "I'll tell ye of Patrick McCain! Woo boy! The man was dense as a brick but had a boaby like-"

"Cora!"

"Bah, dinnae be a prude!" she huffed before continuing her story.

Mia was red-faced but utterly amused when she finished. "Oh, my Gods! You're terrible!"

"Was the best three days I ever spent. And when I got back, took two days before I could walk without whinging. Yer grams, she scolded me fiercely, saying it was bawheided to run off with a man I barely knew, but then she asked me how it was, and we spent an afternoon giggling over biscuits and tea!"

Mia couldn't help but laugh, only to groan and thunk her head back. "It's been so long since I.. you know."

"Since ye been proper pumped?"

"Cora!"

"Bahhahahahah!" She let loose and laughed until tears streamed down her face. "Yer too easy!"

Mia traded her bowl of popcorn for the kittens when they came to investigate the laughter and plopped one in Cora's lap. "There, now you have to watch what you say around the children."

She snorted and covered Tyr's ears. "Ye put on a nice party dress and have a good night. But if ye end up parked with that rascal, don't get caught doggin'."

Mia blinked at her and finally sighed as Cora's grin continued to widen. "I don't even want to know what doggin' means."

"When people catch you doing it in the backseat of a car."

"Odin's one eye, Cora!"

She cackled again and stroked Tyr's head. "Yer young! Go out! Have fun! And for the love of all that is holy, get some for us too old to get any for ourselves!"

Sure her face was scarlet, Mia plucked Tyr from her lap and stood. "I'm going to bed before you get any wilder. Good night, Cora. But know, if you wanted to-" she rolled her eyes, "-get some, you could. You're gorgeous."

"Bah! Yer bums oot the windae! But I thank ye anyway. Yer a good lass."

Mia bent and kissed her cheek. "I'll clean up in the morning."

Cora waved her away. "I think I'll finish the show. I'll get it afore I'm for bed."

"Alright," Mia nodded, wandering off with the kittens.

As she reached the stairs, she smiled and whispered to her fur babies, "Three good things. One, I met Tom. Two, Kip liked his painting. Three, I have a date."

Four, he kisses like a God.

"Shush. That was part of number one," Mia grumbled.

No, girl, when a man kisses that well, it deserves recognition.

Mia smiled and walked into her bedroom. "Yeah," she whispered dreamily. "It really does."

Loki's laughter was soft and indulgent.

Mia woke the following day in anticipation, hurried to dress, and waited impatiently for the coffee to drip before pouring her cup and heading for the door.

Every morning, Cora made breakfast, but Mia usually woke up to take her walk before the older woman. She made the coffee and came back to the kitchen smelling of bacon. It was an easy and beneficial relationship, as Cora could growl like a bear pre-coffee, and Mia hated cooking breakfast but loved to eat it.

But today, she was excited to see if Tom would ride down to meet her and rushed out the door only to nearly cover Henry in coffee when they collided.

"Whoa! Ye've a head a steam up. In a hurry for yer dander?" He chuckled.

"Something like that," Mia muttered, embarrassed, wondering how to break it to Henry that she was going on a date with Tom tonight.

He frowned a little but didn't ask for clarification. "I've a need to speak with ye. A friend from the north called last night. Seems his missus took a turn and landed in hospital."

"Oh no!" Mia gasped. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Aye, but he needs a hand seeing to his farm for a few weeks."

"Of course! Absolutely," she nodded. "I can look after the animals." She had already helped him around the place a few mornings and was familiar with the routine.

He seemed to relax with relief. "Thank ye. He's a good mate. Kept in touch after I left school. I was there when they married."

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Henry, go. Cora and I can look after the horses and dogs for the next few weeks. And if I have questions, I'll text you."

"It's all done this morning, but I left instructions in the feed shed," he muttered, stepping back and heading for his truck. "We'll postpone the riding lessons 'till I get back!"

Mia nodded and waved him off, watching as he drove down the road.

Well, that would put a damper on her morning walk for a while.

She sighed, but it couldn't be helped. Henry's friend being there for his wife was much more important than Mia sneaking out to watch Tom ride.

Still, she had today and headed for the meadow, whistling the dogs to her when they sat staring forlornly after the pickup. She would check Henry's instructions later and hope they were legible, but she was pretty sure she could look after two horses and a handful of birds, though collecting eggs hadn't been all that fun last time.

The morning was warming as they moved from May into June, and the light mist over the fields made her smile.

However, at that very moment, she realized she left her coffee cup on the counter in the kitchen, where she had placed it after attempting to pour it on Henry and swore softly in disappointment.

Then the dogs barked, and she looked up to find a man on a large black horse standing at the fence and forgot all about her caffeine deficiency.

With the pair rising out of the morning mists, a golden glow suffusing the two, she almost gasped. They were a sight to see, like some old-world painting.

"I thought perhaps you weren't coming." Tom smiled, though it appeared a touch relieved.

"Sorry. Henry stopped me on my way out the door. He has to go away for a few weeks, so I'm going to have to forego my walk to muck stalls and feed chickens." She sighed, stroking the black's nose when he stuck it over the fence.

"Henry's leaving?" Tom frowned.

"Left," Mia corrected. "Said something about a friend whose wife is in hospital and needs him to run his farm." She shrugged. "It was all very fast, and sometimes I still struggle with the accent."

"Damn." Tom sighed. "I had hoped to clear the air between us as best as possible before taking you out. I don't want to make him uncomfortable if we cross paths in the bailey."

"Is that the barnyard?" Mia asked.

Tom chuckled. "After a fashion. Well! There's nothing for it, then. Hop up on the wall," he instructed as the horse shifted to turn its body to show her his side.

She blinked at him, not understanding. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Climb up on the wall. Then, you can step over and sit close behind. We'll give Mystic his exercise and see a bit of the countryside. Do you have chores to do this morning?"

"Henry said he did them," she muttered, staring at man and horse skeptically. "I don't think I'm climbing up anywhere."

"Mia." He leaned toward her. "Trust me."

He held out his hand, and by the Gods, she did trust him.

Mia grasped his hand, climbed up on the stones, and gingerly slid behind him on the big horse.

"Oh, that's a long way down," she muttered, also aware of how widespread her legs were over the horse's rump.

"You have to scoot closer, love." Tom chuckled, reaching back to grasp her knees and pull her until she was flush with the saddle and his back. "Better," he purred. "Best to put your arms around me."

"Now that's definitely a line," Mia quipped, her face red, but she wrapped her arms around him.

"Nice and tight now. Mystic still has power in his legs. We don't want you taking a tumble off the backend."

She tightened her grip across a very tight, very toned, very flat stomach.

"Good girl," he crooned, nudging the horse forward, to which Mia yelped. "It's alright, darling. I won't let anything happen to you."

Then he whistled for the dogs, who came over the fence like hurdlers, making it look so easy, and trotted beside the horse.

"Get a feel for how he moves. How your hips have to shift as he walks, then we'll ask for some speed and give you a thrill."

"Thrill?" Mia squeaked. "I'm thrilled already!"

Tom laughed. "You should feel honoured. This old man made over three million on the track. Not just anyone gets to ride him. And he's doubled that in his sire fees."

"Dollars!" Mia shouted.

"Pounds, love," Tom snickered. "This isn't Canada."

Mia poked him in the stomach. "Stop making fun of my homeland. At least we never lost a war to the Americans."

Tom gasped. "How dare!?"

Mia laughed at his outrage, faux as it was, only to damn near fall off when Mystic went from a slow amble to a rolling run.

It wasn't a full-out gallop, just a nice pace the dogs could keep up with, and while initially figuring out how to settle her body so she didn't fall, didn't bounce around, and didn't squeeze the life out of Tom, took time; eventually, she got it. Then, she could take in the countryside, feel the rush of wind across her face, and enjoy the sound of pounding hooves up close.

As they approached the stone fence, Tom drew Mystic down to a walk again.

"Keep going or stop?" he asked, looking back at her.

Mia beamed. "Keep going. Definitely."

Tom grinned and leaned down to open the gate.

They arrived back at the farm an hour later, Mia laughing as she carefully guided Mystic toward the barn.

She and Tom had switched positions as he gave her an impromptu riding lesson, and the horse - Mystic - was a perfectly behaved gentleman.

The mares in her paddock whickered at him as if admiring the pretty male, who nickered back like a flirt.

Mia giggled at the three of them but kept a steady course for home, where the dogs, thoroughly exhausted from chasing Mystic, flopped down in the breezeway between the stalls and the feed room.

Cora stood in the open door, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I see why ye're late for breakfast. Tom, ye stable that horse and get in here. Ye can eat with us."

"I would be delighted, Cora," Tom agreed, sliding from Mystic's back over his hind end before joining Mia to help her down.

Her knees were like jello, and her thighs were sore when she landed, causing Tom to grab her tightly.

"Easy, love. The legs take finding again after a long ride. A bit like finding one's sea legs."

"I see that."

He held her closer as she looked up. "Let me make Mystic comfortable, and I will meet you inside."

"Okay," Mia whispered, her attention on his mouth.

"You make this impossible," he grumbled.

"What?"

"Being any sort of gentleman," he muttered before stealing a soul-searing kiss.

She moaned, surprised and instantly turned on, clinging to him when he pulled away.

His hands grasped her hair, and "Camila" whispered from his lips like a prayer.

He sank in again, stealing her breath before his tongue pressed against her lips and snaked between, coaxing his way into her mouth with minimal effort.

He backed her into the barn wall and ravished her mouth, another thing Mia thought only happened in books until a discreet cough reminded them that Cora still watched.

They broke apart like guilty teenagers.

Cora cackled and went inside as red suffused their cheeks.

"Well, I'll just." Mia pointed at the door.

"And I'll just." Tom pointed at Mystic.

Mia nodded and practically ran inside.

"Oh, lass," Cora crowed, grinning from ear to ear. "He's a keeper! He nearly curled my toes clear across the bailey!"

"Hush, old woman!" Mia muttered, face so hot it felt like it was on fire.

"Bah!" Cora huffed, sliding a plate of bacon and sausage onto the table. "It weren't so long ago I was young. Ye canna tell me he didn't knock yer knees together."

"More like apart," Mia mumbled.

"Eh?"

"Nothing!"

Cora eyed her suspiciously, but Mia scooped up the kittens when they attempted to jump from chair to table.

"Not on the counters," Mia insisted, plopping both back on the floor.

They immediately jumped back on the chair and tried to climb on the table again.

"Cut it out, troublemakers." She huffed, snatching them up before they could reach the bacon.

"Go wash up," Cora commanded, shooing her out of the kitchen.

Mia took the kittens with her, needing a minute to calm down.

Her ride with Tom was amazing, the countryside gorgeous, and the company hadn't been half bad either. But it was so easy with him after their initial meeting it made her wary.

Was it too easy? Was she stepping into the same pitfalls as last time?

Stop worrying, girl.

"Easy for you to say. You didn't get burned last time." Mia sighed.

You keep looking at the past like it is something to regret. Take it as a lesson and move forward. It got you somewhere better. You learned from it. Reflect. Don't wallow.

"Why do you always have to be so rational?" she grumbled, frowning at herself in the mirror.

What? Would you rather I tell you to gather five sprigs of rosemary, three dandelions, and the horn of an ox, burn it during the next full moon, and dance skyclad around the fire to invoke my blessing? He snorted in amusement. Come now, girl.

"No need for all the mockery," she muttered, leaving the bathroom to follow the scampering kittens back to the kitchen.

The low murmur of voices greeted her as Tom looked up and smiled. "There she is. I was telling Cora she cooked enough to feed an army."

"Usually Henry joins us. You'll have to eat his share," Mia teased as she sat at the chair he held out.

Tom shifted to the side to do the same for Cora, who batted him away. "Leave off with yer high table manners."

He chuckled, appearing to enjoy teasing her. "Now, Cora. You know no one has been a high table lord for a long time at Highpark. I'm just one of the common people now."

"Uh-huh," she sniffed. "And I'm Mary, Queen of Scots."

"Your majesty." He bowed deeply before dodging the swat she sent his way, laughing loudly as he skirted to sit across from Mia, who was plucking Tyr from the table. Again.

Tom smirked. "Little scamp."

Mia sighed. "They're usually pretty good about staying off the table, but bacon makes them crazy."

"It does that to the best of us," Tom teased as he picked a pastry with a chocolate centre from a basket. "Cora, my sweet lady. I should get down on my knees and convince you to run away with me for these blessed things alone. If I thought you would say yes, I would."

Cora snorted. "Ye've always had a sweet tooth for a pain au chocolat. I remember ye as a boy snitching them every opportunity ye got."

"But none are as divine as yours," he swore. "I have tried some of the finest pastries from around the world, but nothing compared to these. You could ask a princely sum, and people would line up for them."

She scoffed. "In New York or London, maybe, but in Kelso? Bah!"

Mia swallowed her eggs before saying, "If you like them so much, I'm surprised you haven't asked Cora to supply the cafe at Highpark."

Tom looked like he'd been hit with a shovel, while Cora just seemed surprised.

"What?" Mia mumbled when they both continued to stare at her.

"You're a certified genius," Tom whispered. "Three years we've been ordering from the grocer. Mia! You're a bloody genius!"

"What if I don't want to bake for your fancy cafe?" Cora huffed.

Tom looked crushed.

Cora burst out laughing. "Gah! Yer face!" She laughed until tears fell and sat back to cross her arms. "I'll bake what I want."

"Of course, though, there will be a minimum order and a maximum for space saving in the kitchen."

"Course." She nodded. "I may want to use yer fancy Highpark kitchen."

"Done."

"And if I don't, ye've got to come here for pickup. I won't deliver."

"I wouldn't dream of making you haul your goodies up the hill." Tom grinned.

Cora smirked. "I'll run ye some numbers. Won't give up my market stall, but I'll figure my own logistics."

Tom leaned closer. "Cora, dear. You tell me what you need, then tell me what you want. Your baked goods at Highpark will be a coup for us. It may even draw local traffic up for a cuppa. I'll happily pay for the privilege."

"We'll talk more later," she agreed before rising.

"You're not eating?" Mia frowned.

Cora smirked. "I did. Before ye got back. I'll leave yous to it. Enjoy."

She wandered off, leaving Mia gaping after her.

Tom chuckled. "I aspire to be as true to myself as she is when I'm her age."

"Yeah," Mia agreed. "She's amazing. I would have been so lost here without her taking me under her wing."

"She was always a bit of a village mum. Never afraid to scold anyone's children, not even those whose parents could have potentially lost her, her job."

"Tom Hiddleston! Did you threaten to have Cora fired?" Mia gasped.

"Eh? No!"

"Good. I was about to change my opinion of you."

He shook his head. "Benedict, the Mayor's nephew, and Joseph, the Mayor's son, were not so fortunate. Sadly, I missed the explosion to follow, but I heard from Kip that Cora marched both by their ears into the Mayor's office and told him just what she thought of the mannerless heathen brats he had in his family."

"She didn't!" Mia could see it, but she wasn't sure she believed it.

"She did!" He snickered. "Joseph straightened up after. He went off to London and became a doctor last I heard; a family practice. But Benedict never grew out of the prick stage."

Mia giggled. "I don't think he knew what to do with me."

"I surely didn't."

She looked up and found him watching her with a slight smirk and soft eyes, an almost lazy aspect to them as if he were tired, but the intensity of his focus said otherwise. He brought a hand to his mouth and rubbed his index finger over his lips as he devoured her slowly.

"And what about now?" she asked, biting down on a strawberry.

"Do I know what to do with you?" He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. "Oh, yes, pet. I know exactly what I want to do with you."

Mia smiled and blinked slowly, attempting a seduction and succeeding if his sharp inhale and bitten lip could be believed. "Don't call me pet."

He grinned like a flower unfolding. "Why not?"

"It implies ownership." She snatched Idunn and dropped the kitten on the floor before she could snag a sausage, but she never looked away from Tom's eyes.

"And I don't own you…"

The word yet resonated like a gong between them.

Mia tilted up her chin. "I wasn't looking to start anything with anyone, but if I did find myself in a new relationship, I want a partnership. My fiancé tried to change me, subtly at first, but I couldn't see how much until I was on a plane over the Atlantic."

No longer hungry, Mia pushed from the table.

Tom rose with her. "Mia, tell me how. What did he do that hurt you? How did he try to change you?"

She sighed, but he caged her against the island and wouldn't let her escape.

"My wardrobe. Nothing was good enough. I had to look the part of a lawyer's woman. He didn't want me to feel out of place when I met the partner's wives. Which, I thought, was sweet until the clothes didn't fit right. He said something about joining a gym. I had them tailored. He wasn't happy, but he backed off. Then it was tone down my freckles. Then cover them up."

"He didn't like your freckles?" Tom's gaze travelled over her face, following the path of gentle fingers, almost as if he mapped them. "I adore them. I want to memorize them." Hot eyes lifted to lock with hers. "I want to know how much of you they cover."

Mia trembled. That sounded like a threat, but his eyes said it was a promise.

"What else, Mia?"

"My art. He thought it weird, but it was income. Then Covid happened, and nothing I did was right. My music was too loud. I was too messy. I didn't fix him a meal when I made my lunch, even though he originally said he wasn't hungry. It was a lot."

Tom cupped her face. "Mia, love, he may have only hit you once, but he was abusing you. He has been for years."

"I know," she whispered, a little ashamed because she did know, but leaving was more complicated than people understood. "But… he was all I had."

"You deserved better."

"Tom…" she whispered, closing her eyes. "No one loved me from the time I was eleven. I was just a kid in the system. To go back to being alone, unloved, and homeless? How could I leave? At least with him, I had something. It wasn't good, but it was something."

Warmth preceded his forehead resting against hers. "Mia, sweetheart, you're killing me. You deserve the world, happiness, and so much love."

"I know that now. I know now that even after my parents died, my family was looking for me. They loved me enough to leave me this place and help me find a home I didn't know existed. Being here has helped me learn to love myself again, to remember the good and forget the bad. It's shown me there are good people in the world, even when I felt so very alone."

He threaded his fingers through her hair. "You're not alone now."

She opened her eyes to find dark blue staring back. "No. No, I'm not."

"Mia," he murmured, his hands warm and rough on her face.

"Tom, just shut up and kiss me," she whispered, slipping her arms around his neck.

"Yes, ma'am."

She pulled back. "Don't call me ma'am either. You make me feel old."

"No pet, no ma'am. I'm notorious for endearments, darling. I have to have something." He chuckled.

She melted against the counter. "Darling is good. So is… love. Sweetheart was also nice."

A cheeky grin flashed. "Love," he crooned. "I would kiss every one of your freckles. They are charming."

"My mother used to pick out her favourites. I hated them as a child, and she made me pick my three least hated. She would pick her three favourites. Eventually, I stopped hating them and started seeing them like she did."

"Good, because I would be most cross if you chose to cover them up," he grumbled.

"Cross?" she teased, mimicking his accent.

"Now who's poking fun?" he quipped before brushing their noses together. "You're gorgeous, Mia. I thought it from the moment you walked through the study door. I cannot wait to take you out tonight."

She blushed, pleased and a little embarrassed. "Thank you. Where are we going?"

"A restaurant in a nearby town. I thought it would be nice not to be fish in the bowl on our first night out."

Mia laughed. "That does sound good."

"Good. People mean well, but they're busybodies."

"Yeah, I'm sure everyone has heard about me and my black eye now." She sighed but smiled.

"People here care. You were Lorna and Douglas' family. That means you're ours now, too, Mia." His thumb rubbed over her cheek. "I have no plans on letting you go."

She felt it like a promise and trembled again as he pressed soft lips to the corner of her mouth.

"I need to return, but I will pick you up later."

"Yeah," she sighed, waiting for him to kiss her properly.

Tom smiled and stepped back. "Until later." He winked and walked out the door without looking back.

"Oh, that was mean," she grumbled, only to hear a commotion that had her turning just in time to watch Idunn and Tyr run off with a sausage.

Next Chapter

#reflections #au tom hiddleston fiction #rpf #real people fiction #tom hiddleston

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waternilly · 3 months ago

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No Tricks (George Weasley x OC) - Part 7

Fandom: Harry Potter Ship: George Weasley x OC Word count: 1.3k Warnings: None Ao3 link: here Summary: A tattoo shop opens across from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, immediately catching the eye of the youngest twin. The intriguing owner, though well-versed in the magical world, doesn’t quite belong to it herself. As they navigate their differences, their mutual curiosity blooms into something deeper. Harry Potter Masterlist

“Georgie!”

He looked up from the accounting book on the desk before him, eyes travelling to the door that led to the shop. That was his brother’s voice.

“Georgie!” he heard again, spurring him to stand up and hurry to the front of the store.

“What’s wrong?” George asked in a hurry, brows furrowed.

Fred did not bother turning his head, still leaning on his hand over the desk. Instead he only nodded across the street.

“Your girl seems a bit down.”

“First of all, she’s not my girl, thank you very much,” he said, walking closer to his brother, “and second, what makes you say that?”

“She hasn’t had a lot of clients since she opened. Looks like she’s turned to traditional portraits as a result.”

George’s gaze travelled in the same direction and noticed Oli sitting alone in front of a tall canvas, brush in one hand and paint pots spread on a small table next to her. His brows furrowed.

“That’s strange,” he admitted.

Still not averting his eyes, Fred leaned towards his twin and stage whispered: “You should go talk to her.”

Yes. He should. He was going to before his brother suggested so. But now, he did not want to satisfy Fred’s ego and matchmaker mannerisms.

Cocking an eyebrow, George turned to him: “And why’s that?”

Finally looking away from the window, Fred furrowed his brows.

“Are you being daft right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Oli clearly likes you! Even if you insist that she’s not ‘your girl’, she’s at least your friend, yes?”

Repressing a smile, George sighed and admitted: “I suppose.”

Of course they were friends. They had dinner together five times over the two weeks since she moved in. And no matter how hard he was trying to repress certain other feelings, he knew he cared about her a whole deal. But it was too soon to openly show that to people. Yes, Fred was his twin, but ever since they moved out and he married Angelina, they had grown slightly apart. Nevertheless, he would be the first to know. In fact, George was sure he already knew.

“So?” Fred pulled him out of his thoughts.

Turning towards the window, George nodded.

“I’ll go talk to her later.”

“Why later?”

Motioning his arms as to show off the store, George deadpanned: “Because we’re working.”

“You know damn well I can man the shop alone.”

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

Fred pursed his lips.

“Besides, I’m busy with our accounting.”

Cursing under his breath, Fred stood tall. Sighing, he placed a hand on his twin’s shoulder.

“Stop making excuses for yourself, love.”

George opened his mouth to protest, but Fred did not give him a chance to. Leading him towards the door, he added: “It’s clear you wanna go talk to her. So just go do it. Now.”

Opening the door, he gently nudged his twin out.

“And don’t bother coming back until you’re done.”

Staring at the door, George blinked slowly then chuckled as realisation dawned on him. Fred definitely knew something.

Shaking his head and a smile plastered on his face, he crossed the street, trying to suppress the bounce in his walk. Having reached the familiar door, he knocked above the window panel in a reflex and waited with a hand in his pocket until Oli opened.

“Hello there,” she greeted, immediately walking back into her shop once she saw who it was, letting him close behind himself.

“You know you can just enter, right? This is still a store,” she pointed out with a smile.

“Of course, but it’s much nicer when you welcome me inside,” he replied, trying to be charming.

“Can I get you something?” she offered, already climbing back on the stool facing the canvas.

“No thanks,” George turned down politely. “I just came to chat.”

“As opposed to when you don’t?” Oli joked.

Stepping closer, George looked over her shoulder at the painting.

“New piece?”

“An order,” Oli nodded.

It was a landscape, most likely of the English countryside, George guessed. In the distance, a large white mansion was nestled between bright green trees.

“Some rich wizard’s country house?”

“More or less,” she sighed. “Got the oil paints out for this one.”

“Why not the watercolours?”

“Because that’s not what my client asked.”

George remained quiet, admiring the large canvas. The house and its neighbouring trees were bright, a warm yellow light bouncing off them on small, individual leaves and roof tiles. Below them, what looked like a lake was still only an indistinct mass, not yet reflecting the environment. Above, Oli was applying a cool shade of grey to white puffs against a light blue sky.

“Will this one be a moving painting?” George wondered, squinting at the trees, through which he could already imagine the wind blowing.

“Unlikely.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I never learned.”

Furrowing his brows, George turned his gaze to the back of Oli’s head.

“What do you mean?”

She put down her brush on the small table, next to reference images of the mansion and countryside.

“I’ve never been taught how to make moving paintings,” she explained, shrugging and turning the stool to finally face George. “Besides, this is for a Muggle client.”

“Is that why all your watercolours are still?”

“What do you think?”

Oli had a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, but George also noticed how she swallowed with difficulty.

“Would you like me to teach you?” he offered without thinking.

Smiling with brows furrowed, Oli asked back: “What?”

“If you’d like of course!” he added in a hurry. “I’m no expert but it’s nothing too complicated from what I’ve seen.”

“Uhhh…” she looked away, opened and closed her mouth a few times. “I- I don’t know, really.”

“Oh.”

“Like I said, this is a painting for a Muggle client anyway so could you imagine him opening the delivery box and seeing a tiny version of himself waving at him through the painting, he’d probably have a heart attack or at least faint, perhaps he’d think I’d pulled his leg and sent him a screen with a video playing or something instead of a painting haha!”

Oli turned silent, swallowing and licking her lips.

“Besides,” she said, meeting George’s gaze again, “I quite like the look of still paintings.”

George smiled gently at her, sitting low on the stool, shoulders turned inwards, making her appear smaller than usual. Then, slowly, he nodded, afraid any brusk movement would scare her off.

“So do I.”

Hesitant at first, Oli allowed a bright smile to cross her face. Suddenly blushing, she looked down and closed her eyes, laughing at the spectacle she had made of herself.

George chuckled quietly, trying to not make her feel worse about the situation, but unable to help himself. He never turned his gaze from her, finding her embarrassed reaction endearing.

Without thinking, he lifted his arms and wrapped them around Oli’s shoulders. Still looking down and laughing nervously, she leaned into his touch, resting her head against his chest.

As their laughter died down, her arms snaked around his middle. She relaxed into his embrace and George looked over her wild hair tenderly, brushing it back into place. In the silence of the shop, they remained like this, peacefully, but not escaping the watchful eye of the other Weasley twin across the street.

“How about dinner tonight?” George offered.

Still pressed against his chest, Oli’s voice came out muffled: “I don’t think I’ll have the strength for another class.”

“Not to worry,” he whispered, motioning to peck her scalp but ultimately holding back. “I’ll cook for you.”

Thank you for reading! Also, I'm starting something new: a taglist. If you'd like to be tagged for the upcoming chapters of this fic or any of my other works, feel free to DM me or send me an ask :)

#george weasley #george weasley imagines #george weasley fanfiction #george weasley fluff #hp fluff #hp imagines #hp fanfiction #hp fanfic #nille writes #no tricks fanfic

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puzzlebean · 1 year ago

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Here are all the fics I have posted between September 1st and November 14th, sorted by fandom and ship. This is missing a couple of fics that I still need to crosspost to AO3. These will be on the next round-up.

Star Trek

Seven/Janeway:

Happy New Beginning [100 words, General, There Was Only One Bed, Fluff]

Seven and Kathryn have to share a bed.

Formula One RPF

Maxiel

help me hold on to you [1,2k words, Teen and Up, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Together]

They always leave, Max thinks.

But Daniel came back.

Chestappen

Staying By Your Side [401 words, General, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship]

Checo assures Max that leaving Red Bull doesn't mean he's leaving Max.

4433

Look at you Now [5k words, Teen and Up, Getting Together, Pining]

Max feels a little weird after winning his third championship, so he decides to call Lewis and ask him for advice. It turns into so much more.

how do you know how to talk to me? [3,8k words, Teen and Up, Mutual Pining, Domestic Fluff]

After the 2023 season Max is tired and needs a change of pace from what he usually does during the winter break. Lewis offers to solve this by taking Max to his home in Colorado. Max happily takes him up on it. He just forgets to take into account how big his crush on Lewis is and how challenging being in constant proximity will be. Because surely Lewis doesn't feel the same?

Courage [1,5k words, Teen and Up, Getting Back Together]

Lewis doesn't expect to see Max on his doorstep years after they broke up, but the outcome is better than he could have hoped for.

The Legend of How You Disappeared [7,7k words, Explicit, Future Fic, Getting Together, Parent Max Verstappen, Past Mpreg]

No one has seen Max Verstappen in years until he shows up at the Dutch Grand Prix with a kid hoping to talk to Lewis Hamilton.

Max and Lewis reconnect and realize they've had feelings for each other all this time. But can Max trust Lewis with his past?

Lestappen

Never Gets Old [100 words, General, Established Relationship]

Charles likes watching Max shine.

Of Course [783 words, General, Caretaking, Established Relationship]

Max takes care of Charles after he is injured.

Lewis/George/Max

might as well be drunk in love [5,1k words, Explicit, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, First Time, Getting Together]

Max presents late. He didn't think he would present at all anymore. Then he's on the podium in Mexico and his first heat comes on. He turns to Lewis for help because he knows Lewis is someone he can trust, someone safe.

Everything in Max’s life suddenly changes but with George's and Lewis' help he can face it. They take care of him.

Charles/Daniel/Max

Don't Tease Me [3,2k words, Explicit, Angst with a Happy Ending, Idiots in Love]

Max is jealous about Charles and Daniel's time in Las Vegas. Being there for the Grand Prix only makes him hurt more.

But maybe Charles and Daniel can fix things.

#seven x janeway #maxiel #4433 #lestappen #chestappen #fanfiction #my fics

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i-am-church-the-cat · 7 months ago

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tagged by @dwarvenchords to do some f1 questions :)

Who is your favourite driver? Logan. LS2. Logan Hunter Sargeant. The only US driver on the grid. The guy in the top left corner. Logan.

Do you have any other favourite drivers? Yeah, I have a hard time deciding, it changes a lot, but Alex, George, Carlos, and Lewis will always be on top.

Who is your least favourite driver? This also changes a lot. Currently it's KMag and Lando

Do you pull for drivers or do you like teams as well? Mainly drivers, one team. I think it's stupid to root for a company.

If you like teams, what team do you pull for? Williams only team ever <33 Yes I'm being hypocritical, no idgaf

How long have you been into f1? About a year now, I watched some races in July of last year but I really got into it over the summer break.

How did you get into f1? So I had actually heard about it on tumblr before but never seriously looked into it. Then my sister started watching it and I was like "yeah, sure, I'll check it out". And then my phone heard me and showed me a bunch of Formula 1 shit and now I'm trapped.

Do you enjoy fanfic/rpf? Yeah, I love it, it quickly took over my ao3 account lmao. probably the main reason i got invested in the sport at all. Maxiel they could never make me hate you

How do you view new fans? Well, I still consider myself a new fan, lol, but of course I love to get people invested in it

If you could take over as team principal for any team, who would it be and why? Mercedes. I could fix them. But I also would love to start my own team so I could partner with FIRST

Are your friends and family into f1 as well? Just my younger sister. My dad likes all kinds of sports but F1 runs too long for him to sit down and get invested

Are you open to talking to other fans/making friends? Yes absolutely. I want to try to meet more Florida Logan fans.

idk who else has done this or been tagged uhhh @boxboxlewis @nautical-nasa @bastet55 if y'all wanna

#tag game #f1 game #formula 1

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useyourtelescope · 1 year ago

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yuletide letter 2023

Hello, mystery author! I’m very excited that it’s time for Yuletide again and I hope you have fun writing for it. I’ve a tendency to write a lot here, but if you already have an idea that you’re really inspired by don’t feel like you have to stick super closely to my prompts. All of my requests are for ships so my general preferences are focused on that too, however I have provided some prompts for each that could be taken in a Gen direction if that’s more your thing. And though some fandoms have more prompts and/or explanations than others, please know that’s not an indication of preference - I’m equally happy to receive something for any of these requests.

I’m also useyourtelescope on AO3, you can find me here for reference. My account is open for treats, which are very welcome if you are so inclined! I have chosen 'My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set) ' for all my requests, but for treats I'm happy to receive only one character.

My requested fandoms this year are: Friday Night Lights (TV), Nancy Drew (TV 2019), Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (TV 2022) & The Borgias (Showtime TV)

General Preferences & Prompts

I prefer third person to first person fic, though focusing on the POV of one or more characters is fine. I love both fluff and angst, though I like my angst with a happy or at least hopeful ending. Below are some tropes/moments I enjoy:

Fake relationship (in all its forms, especially marriage of convenience and undercover as a couple)

Mutual pining (unrequited pining turning into mutual pining also welcome)

Friends/partners to lovers

Hurt/comfort (maybe patching s.o. up after an injury, looking after them when they’re sick or taking home when drunk - emotional h/c is welcome as well as physical)

One partner reassuring the other

Fixing the other character’s clothes (straightening collars, fixing ties)

Clothes sharing/stealing (especially female character wearing male characters clothes, like jacket or sweater/shirt)

One character covering the other with a blanket when they’ve fallen asleep either in their current place or carrying them to bed first and then tucking them in

Domesticity (e.g. cooking together, going grocery shopping, house-hunting, painting their house) either in an established relationship or in the ‘friends’ stage of friends to lovers

Letters / Emails / journal entries / texts

Sleepy snuggles, intentional or accidental

Hand holding (or some sort of significant hand or touch related moment - love me some hand imagery!)

Capers/Heists

Outsider POV

General DNWs: Darkfic, horror, rape/noncon, torture, suicide, permanent death of requested characters (assumed or temporary death is okay), terminal illness, threesomes/moresomes, pegging, infidelity, genderswap, bestiality, scat, watersports, humiliation, unhappy ending, reader/you fic, high school AUs, mentions of COVID-19.

[See specific fandoms for some variations. Regarding my death DNW, by assumed death I mean its fine to have a scene where characters believe someone has died (angst potential!) as long as its known by the end of the fic that's not the case. And temporary death refers to something like in Nancy Drew when George technically died but was brought back - anything in that vein is fine if it works in the canon.]

Yuleporn: I’m happy to receive Explicit smut in 2 of my 4 requests and mild (Mature rated) smut is fine for the other two. Here are some general smut likes:

And for further info linked here is my letter for this year’s Smut4Smut Exchange; for general preferences/DNWS this yuletide letter takes precedence and only one requested fandom there was the same as in this letter (WDTAE), but the additional smut tags I chose across the fandoms will give you more ideas/prompts for smut fic I would like generally.

Requests

Friday Night Lights (TV): Becky Sproles, Luke Cafferty

Fandom specific DNW - Aus that aren’t canon divergence. [Also, High school stories are fine for this request since that's the setting.]

Missing scenes of their relationship in the 8 month time jump between State and Luke leaving Dillon in the finale.

Slowly working out the physical side of their relationship in s5, putting the s4 ghosts behind them (mild smut - prefer rating not to be above Mature).

Future fic - Reuniting years later when Luke’s out of the army (Did they stay together through it all and it's a happy reunion just after he’s discharged? Or did they break up so its many more years down the line & seeing each other again is bittersweet until they reconnect and find there’s still a spark there even though they’ve gone down different paths? Also he gives her his state ring as he leaves, so what happens to it if they don’t stay together?).

Canon divergence - Becky keeps the baby and after a few years of raising the baby together, Becky and Luke fall in love.

Canon divergence/ future fic - Luke and Becky run a business together and their strictly co-workers & friends relationship turns into something more.

Becky turning to Mindy for advice on her relationship with Luke & her own future (missing time in the s5 finale, or post series).

Becky, Luke and Tinker shenanigans on the Cafferty farm.

Years in the future Luke meets up with either Vince or Eric and they catch up on old times.

This is one of my all time fave shows! I’m requesting Luke and Becky as I feel like there’s a lot more to explore with them; the s4 storyline was so emotional and in s5 we’d only really just got to see them get over their issues to get together properly shortly before the season (and show) was over. So there’s plenty of relationship development we skipped and oodles of potential for future fic. If you don’t want to write ship fic for these two, the last three prompts could be written in a Gen way, focusing on one of the characters in a platonic relationship and my other requested character in the background.

I think it was for the best that Becky didn’t keep the baby, but I also enjoy the trope of two characters raising a baby together and love coming second so I can’t help but wonder about that scenario for these two, perhaps if she hadn’t realised she wasn’t pregnant until later on. My enjoyment of tropes where the characters are friends/partners first and lovers second also inspired the business partners prompt, as did the scene where Luke shows Tinker how to present Mirabel the pig. I have zero knowledge of how pageants and animal showing works, but I figure between Luke and Becky’s respective experience there’s some sort of business that could be had.

Keeping closer to canon, it would be nice to see how they get from being teenagers not really sure how to do a relationship right to something more established and secure. I’m not sure they would have stayed together after Luke left for the army, but I think that’s okay! They’re so young in canon, they can grow as individuals and reconnect later on. We know Luke likes football but his desire to be great at it seems to stem more from wanting a scholarship to get away, and the army the option taken when he didn’t get a good football offer, so what comes after that? Does he return to the farm, or maybe football via coaching or something else entirely? And similarly with Becky, her pageants seem to be a means to an end for her too, so what does she end up doing later?

For the last 3 prompts I chose the platonic dynamics I love most for these characters, plus Coach because even though he and Luke don’t have the same bond Coach has with some of the others I’m always down for a scene where he imparts some wisdom to one of the kids (and even years into the future I’m sure Eric would still see him that way). The development of Becky’s bond with Mindy was so unexpected but so touching and I loved Luke’s friendships with both Vince and Tinker. I think if Luke stayed close with any of the players post-school it would have been Tinker rather than Vince, so a reunion between Vince and Luke down the line could be especially interesting, esp if Vince’s star rose in college and the NFL while Luke is living a regular life.

Note for this fandom I prefer not to have the fic be above a Mature rating - mild smut is fine (hence my prompt about their physical relationship in s5, I think it could be interesting to see how they go from kissing to making out & more in a way that Becky is comfortable with) but I don’t want Explicit/PWP fic for this request.

Nancy Drew (TV 2019): George Fan, Ned Nickerson

“Will you ask me again one day? Please, Ned Nickerson?” “You better believe it, George Fan.” - This quote is crying out for a future fic! How do they get there?

Emails/Messages exchanged post s4 finale as they keep each other updated over the years while they’re apart (and eventually leading to a return of feelings…)

One of them turns to the other for advice with an issue in their current relationship and its fine until suddenly the other realizes they want them back and can’t just advise as a friend anymore.

Post-breakup working a case with the Drew Crew where they’re undercover as a couple.

Nick being there for one of George’s sisters when she has a problem and George can’t be reached.

Regency AU where George & Nick were engaged in the past but had to break it off.

College AU where the Drew Crew meet at college when there’s a mystery on campus.

1920s/30s Agatha Christie style AU where the Drew Crew meet because of a murder.

I can’t believe there’s no more Drew Crew adventures ahead! When I first started the show George and Nick were the first two characters I latched onto and I was really pleased when their dynamic turned romantic. I loved their individual character journeys and the futures they had ahead of them at the close of the show, but I do wish they’d had more time to find their way back to a relationship. Of course, they’re still young and I head-canon that one day they get back together so I would love a fic where that happens. However, if you don’t want to write ship fic for them that’s cool as I love the gen relationships on this show - feel free to lean into the Drew Crew/case-related prompts or Nick’s dynamic with the Fan sisters when he and George aren’t a couple.

I really enjoyed how the show could flip between more comedic storylines and also excellent emotional moments, so whichever you prefer to lean into for this fic (or a combo of both) is great. I was ultimately pretty happy with how the show ended, especially considering how late they found out they weren’t getting picked up for another season, and I even loved George and Nick working through their breakup in s4 and confirming they’re still each others biggest supporters and ‘best friend’ despite not being together - and yet! After everything they went through together it felt like such a shame that the show ended with them being with random love interests rather than together (in fairness, I did like Jade but it's hard to compare with the history George/Nick had, and I can’t even remember the name of the person they were suggesting George was into). So that’s why my prompts for ship fic are more related to them reuniting post-breakup rather than missing moments from earlier in the show.

Still, I genuinely love all the leads on this show, so a group fic is very welcome as long as George and Nick are front and center! (Think something like 4.07 where they all played the haunted board game and it was up to Nick to be the hero at the end.) It could be case fic, it could be a virtual game night as the crew keep in touch while they’re separated, whatever inspires you. I also ship Nancy/Ace so you’re welcome to include the pairing if you’re including the entire Drew Crew (and featuring Nancy’s dads as part of an adventure is always fun too). I’m also open to various AUs for this fandom, I’d just like the vibe of the show/characters to be transferred to the new setting and if you are doing an AU with a ship element to it I’d prefer a setting where George and Nick have already got some history rather than it being their first go at a relationship.

Note for this fandom I would prefer not to have the fic be above the Mature rating - so mild smut is fine (in fact if you do write a reunion fic, I think it could be interesting to explore how their physical relationship is different the second time around) but I don’t want Explicit/PWP fic for this request.

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (TV): Frankie Derwent, Bobby Jones

Settling into married life and how their different upbringings impact their ideas for the future.

Dinner with Bobby’s Dad or Frankie’s parents (or perhaps all three at once).

(smut) Roleplay with Bobby in uniform.

One of them getting into shenanigans with Knocker and the other having to be the sensible one.

Frankie buys some handcuffs to practise getting out of them after Chipping Somerton (I feel like this could go down the route of working out emotional trauma from nearly dying, or a smutty route of her and Bobby using them in the bedroom - both are welcome!).

Canon divergence where their goodbye at the end of episode 1 is in fact goodbye for a while - how do their paths next cross?

WDTAE happens in 1936, so it's not long until wartime - how about an emotional reunion after Bobby has been away in the navy for a while?

AU where Bobby didn’t return from the navy before WWII, so the first time he and Frankie reunite since childhood is during wartime.

Regency AU where Lady Frances and Bobby the vicar’s son fall in love (with or without the murder mystery).

A light-hearted mystery where the leads fall in love while investigating is exactly my vibe so no surprise that I loved this series. Bobby and Frankie have great banter and chemistry, and the show delighted me by including so many tropes I like (Friends to lovers! Mutual pining made awkward through class differences! Casual domesticity!). I’m inclined to assume anyone who matched on this isn’t opposed to the ship since that’s such a focus of the mini series, but if you aren’t interested in writing ship fic for them, you can lean into the gen aspect of the prompts involving their families or Knocker (and even throw in Dr. Arbuthnot for some shenanigans too - shenanigans are always welcome and this is a fandom where they would be particularly fitting).

I think most of my prompts are self-explanatory - I haven’t mentioned the obvious one of them being caught up in another case because I’m not that interested in detailed case fic for this fandom right now, though it would certainly be fun to see them bantering as they try to solve another case this time as a married couple if you want to do something where a case is on the fringes in the fic. I’m also not super interested in a fic solely about their dynamic when they were kids, but I’m down for something set in present day/future that references more details from that time/includes flashbacks. The prompt of them reuniting post-WWII is because I don’t think I could handle a super angsty separation fic only set while they’re apart, but I’d definitely be up for reading something that explored some of those emotions that had a happy ending with them seeing each other once more. Although I haven’t included kids in the prompts I can see Bobby and Frankie having a few and I’m open to future fics that involve their children, I’d just prefer the focus not to be on the original child characters. Similarly, Frankie being pregnant in any kind of fic is fine, but I would prefer the focus of the fic not to be on the pregnancy.

I’m also interested in seeing how their canon dynamic plays out in a different time period - I suggested Regency AU as the class stuff in particular would be felt more keenly, but feel free to explore other timelines. My canon ‘what if?’ prompt is because I loved the angst of the way they left things at Frankie’s house near the end of episode one and I’m curious about a scenario where Bobby went off to London when he’d originally planned and had been working/getting himself set up there for a while before he and Frankie next saw each other. What’s it like for them to meet again there, in a place where their differences are more clearly marked?

I also feel like there’s plenty of possibilities for Explicit fic. The show gave me one of my general preferences having Frankie wearing Bobby’s clothes so I’d love a fic that went one further and turned into smut - or you could lean into Frankie finding Bobby ‘dreamy’ in uniform. Honestly they both have lines that you can take in a smutty direction! Also, we catch a glimpse of Bobby’s tattoo in the shaving scene in ep3 - what are Frankie’s thoughts on it when she’s at leisure to explore it? I could totally see these two having fun in the bedroom, experimenting/roleplaying and figuring things out as they go.

The Borgias (Showtime TV): Cesare Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia

Hurt/comfort - one of them is injured or sick and the other insists on being the one to take care of them.

Lucrezia realising she can get Cesare to do whatever she wants and having fun with it (I’m thinking petty revenges, or you could of course write it in a smutty direction).

Time Loop! This could be centered around something that happens in canon, or something new.

(Smut) Lucrezia accidentally witnesses some debauchery and grows intrigued by a position/sex act she was unaware of - and then goes to Cesare for enlightenment.

Maybe Lucrezia has been behind more ‘accidents’ than what we’ve seen on the show - and her confession of them has been made to Cesare.

(Smut) Lucrezia wants to use restraints on Cesare in bed.

Cesare acting fatherly to Giovanni Borgia or a future child of Lucrezia’s (and maybe that future child could secretly be his…)

Crime family AU (any era) where one of them is struggling with what they’ve been asked to do for the family and so the other offers to do it for them instead.

Modern AU where Lucrezia has a different/more active role in Rodrigo’s empire from the start - how does this affect her character and her relationship with Cesare?

This show passed me by back when it aired, so it's a very recent discovery for me and these two gripped me from the start. I find both their characters fascinating and their dynamic is just too good! I’m open to AUs as long as it translates some of the complicated family power dynamics to a new setting, i.e. DNW mundane AUs. (I just can’t see these characters working at a cute little small business unless it was a money laundering front for whatever shady thing the family is really up to.) Although I am very much here for them being obsessed with each other in a shippy way, some of the prompts could be written in a gen/family way only if that’s your preference.

Some DNW clarification - since this is a canon that has political alliances through marriage I removed my general DNW of infidelity for this request; anything along the lines of what happens in the show where they’re together despite being married to someone else is fine. However, if you’re writing an AU fic where that’s not a factor and they’re properly together somehow, then I wouldn’t want them to be cheating on each other. Similarly, my DNW of Darkfic is removed here as this canon can lean a bit dark/twisted & you’re very welcome to run in that vein, I just don’t want something unremittingly dark with a very bleak ending for my requested characters. My DNW of Rape/Non-Con still applies, but that's not intended to ignore canon - referencing Lucrezia's rape/discussing her trauma from it in either a canon story or AU is welcome, I just don't want a scene involving rape in the fic.

I think this request lends itself naturally to angst more than my others & I am very down for fic of them doing lots of hand wringing over their forbidden desires and/or where they go from the s3 finale, etc. - but I am also a fluff fan so if you have an idea for a fic where they manage to find some kind of happiness together I would love that too. And smut is more than welcome, in either type of fic! It took me the longest to come up with prompts for this fandom, in part because it's so recent for me so unlike the others I haven’t requested it before, but mostly because I simply want more of the insane behaviour I got from the show. Honestly I could boil this down to I think they should just be unhinged, in general and about each other!

I seem to have ended up with multiple prompts about Lucrezia doing bad. I think that would be interesting to play with - she starts the show almost as a symbol of innocence in her family, but I felt like she was intrigued by the more dangerous side of things even early on (like in her reactions to both Djem and Cesare promising violence upon her husband if he didn’t treat her well) - but though I haven’t got any specific prompts about Cesare’s bad deeds a fic focusing on those would be just as welcome. Given the canon I assume anyone who matched on this isn't surprised to receive shippy prompts but obv ODAO and since Yuletide is character matching not ship, I’m fine with the fic being familial only - if you go down that route and want to include other characters, Vanozza is the one I’d most like to see.

I don’t have a lot of detailed historical knowledge of this period & don’t care about sticking to what really happened (certainly any fluffy fics in canon would have to diverge!). If you prefer to keep closer to history my only request is that I don’t want a story set mostly about Lucrezia’s life post the real Cesare’s death (as per my DNW of permanent requested character death).

#yuletide #letter

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intrepidacious · 2 years ago

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I posted 1,534 times in 2022

That's 1,357 more posts than 2021!

376 posts created (25%)

1,158 posts reblogged (75%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@traitorjoelite

@sweetascanbee

@foreverindreamlandd

@marvelettesassemblenow

@intrepidacious

I tagged 1,534 of my posts in 2022

#nika reads - 585 posts

#bucky barnes x reader - 381 posts

#nika replies - 371 posts

#inbox - 297 posts

#tiff 🌤 - 116 posts

#time after time - 116 posts

#ren 🐝 - 99 posts

#steve rogers x reader - 96 posts

#bookmarked - 84 posts

#sleepover time - 74 posts

Longest Tag: 129 characters

#please reblog if you liked this whatsoever :') i'm queuing my replies so i don't clog your dashes but like. i worked hard on this

My Top Posts in 2022:

time after time - masterlist

summary: After what starts out as a fairly normal mission, you find yourself stuck in a time loop. Which would already be bad enough in itself if it didn’t also mean having to watch Bucky die over and over again.

pairing: bucky barnes x time witch!reader

series word count: 47.7k+

warnings: f!reader; more or less canon compliant; time loops, canon typical violence, repeated major character death (in a russian doll/supernatural's mystery spot sort of way); slow burn, mutual annoyance to reluctant friends to lovers; negative self-talk; just a lot of angst (but with an eventual happy ending i promise!!)

this series is set after the events of the falcon and the winter soldier and will include spoilers for marvel projects up to and including multiverse of madness

a/n: welcome to the fic i've been thinking about for almost a year!! i am beyond excited and terrified to finally start sharing this. if you want to get notified whenever i post a new chapter, you can follow @intrepidacious-fics and turn on notifications or follow along on my ao3 💚

please mind that my blog is 18+ only, minors and ageless accounts will be blocked

See the full post

303 notes - Posted January 16, 2022

set me free

summary: Once upon a time, a soldier fell from a train. Thankfully, this time, he is found by gentle hands, and a beautiful voice keeps him safe from the cold.

pairing: bucky barnes x nymph!reader

word count: 6.4k

warnings: bucky dealing with the loss of his arm; a pinch of angst for flavour; reader is perceived as female by men in the forties, but what does that really tell us?

a/n: hi. i really like this one. it combines two of my favourite things, fairy tales and 40s!bucky 😌 title is from the song her voice from the little mermaid musical <3

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358 notes - Posted May 18, 2022

moving on

summary: He gets caught up in the lines and the streak of sunshine on your skin, until you catch him staring and raise a questioning eyebrow, so he looks away, reluctantly, unable to hide the small grin that appears on his face.

pairing: steve rogers x reader

word count: 6k

warnings: friends to lovers fluff, a pinch of angst for spice, heavily leaning into the fact that steve can draw and yes that’s a warning, canon compliant apart from. ya know. the moon stuff

a/n: i've been coping with the passing of stephen sondheim last november by listening to sunday in the park with george nonstop ever since. writing this was basically a love letter to that show and maybe the most cathartic thing i’ve ever done.

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396 notes - Posted January 11, 2022

Build a blurb hehehe! 🩹 tending to each other's wounds, 🚪 showing up at the other's door, begging for comfort, 🍯 friends to lovers, 🔥 slow burn - Enjoy >:3

heal me, baby

summary: Your friendship starts with you cleaning up his wounds and Bucky paying to get the blood stains out of your couch. Something else starts, too.

pairing: bucky barnes x nurse!reader

word count: 2.6k

warnings: canon typical violence, some fluff, s.h.i.e.l.d. still exists AU, protective bucky strikes again

a/n: lisha heard me request prompts to write something short and decided to go with slow burn. thanks for that, love. happy easter and joyous pesach to those of you who celebrate, i hope you're all well <3

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466 notes - Posted April 17, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

not even a little

summary: The problem of living with Bucky is that he makes it impossible not to fall in love with him. Even though you could list several hundred reasons why it’s a bad idea. And you have.

pairing: roommate!bucky barnes x reader

word count: 5.7k

warnings: pining idiots in love, slightly questionable roomie behaviour, simultaneously the softest and cockiest bucky i've written so far, blink and you miss it throwing shade at iron fist

a/n: this is my very late submission for kathie's (@pellucid-constellations) love letters writing challenge <3 thank you for this lovely idea, writing this was a challenge indeed but that is, as they say, a me problem. also huge shoutout to @barnesafterglow and @sweetascanbee, this really and truly would still not be done without you. love you both 💛

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852 notes - Posted April 7, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#nika rambles #THIS IS SO LATE BUT IT WOULDN'T LOAD FOR DAYS #not a whole lot of surprises there but yay tat made it to the top five <3 #and moving on as second runner-up aaahh!!#love y'all

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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years ago

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Four Little Sips

Day 28, Post #2

Title: Four Little Sips

Author: JohnMcHacker

Pairings: Harry/Bill/Charlie (platonic), Harry/Ginny (romantic), Gryffindor Quidditch Team (platonic), Fred/George/Ron (platonic), Ron/Hermione (romantic)

Prompt: In Vino Veritas

Rating: PG

Trigger Warnings: Alcoholism, Referenced death, Language

Note to admin: Thanks for organising, this is my first time submitting, sorry if I'm late or if it doesn't meet requirements. I have also posted to the AO3 collection.

* * *

You see, Harry had never really had anyone just a few years older to look up to. Alright, there was Hermione, but they were classmates and best friends and at roughly the same place in life, it wasn’t the same.

That summer of 1998, in the wake of all that pain and death and sorrow, the Weasleys pulled together and pulled him in with them. On a few occasions, this meant having a few drinks with Bill and Charlie, in various nondescript Muggle pubs in the vicinity of Ottery St Catchpole.

“Just because Kingsley cut you some slack doesn’t mean you have to take the offer,” said Charlie. “You’ve spent your whole life fighting Voldemort, one way or anoher. You deserve to take a break. Live a little. Or else, what have you been fighting for?”

Harry thought of several memorable sunlit days, and found he couldn’t really disagree.

“Or at the very least, know why you’re putting your life on the line, once again,” said Bill. “Well, alright, you were the Chosen One, you had your job to do then. But now that that’s over, you ought to think twice why you’re risking your neck on your own account.”

“Well, I think I’d be good at it,” said Harry. “And someone has to do it. The Aurors are short-handed and too many of Voldemort’s thugs are still out there.”

Bill shook his head, munching a handful of chips. “That’s not good enough. Merlin knows I’d love a crack at the bastards myself. But your neck’s not just your own now, Harry. Ginny has a say too. That’s part of what being together means.”

“Muggle birds ain’t bad,” said Charlie, nodding at a trio of pretty college-age girls gathered round a table across the pub. They caught him watching, giggled, and winked in reply. “Don’t limit yourself to witches. But if you do, don’t mess ‘em around, play fair, and come clean as soon as you can.”

“The most important part of my relationship with Fleur is trust,” said Bill. “We don’t have secrets, and she trusts that I won’t suddenly run off hunting Death Eaters or dragons or Hor... whatever. And I trust her not to do the same.”

“Family’s what it comes down to,” said Charlie, draining his glass.

“Family,” nodded Bill. “Your first responsibility.”

“My shout,” said Harry, because that was something else they had taught him was right, to stand his round, and he went to the bar to get the drinks. When he returned, they had moved on to other important matters.

“Free advice, Potter, take it or leave it,” said Charlie, tapping the side of his nose, “women; you’ll never go wrong if you please ‘em first, know what I mean?”

“Oi! That’s our sister you’re talking about!” snapped Bill, trying not to laugh.

“So what? She’s got fi... four of you looking out for her. Maybe I just want to see fair play.” Charlie winked at Harry. “Let me tell you about what I call ‘wandless magic’, and trust me, it is magic.”

“That’s it, you’re done, Perce is my new number two, it’s you that Mum and Dad should disown...”

“There’s more where that came from, Harry. You want to know how to beat Ron at chess? He can’t play gambits worth a damn. Stick with me, I’ll show you something called a Smith-Morra, aye?”

Advice, experience, honour, laughter. Maybe this was what it was like to have older brothers, thought Harry. It filled a hole in him he never even knew he had.

* * *

Oliver would never have allowed it, but Angelina Johnson was a more fun-loving kind of Quidditch Captain. She passed the word around quietly, and so the five Gryffindor players above the age of sixteen met in the changing rooms fifteen minutes before Potter and the younger Weasley were due to arrive. Of course it was the Twins who’d acquired the goods, however they managed it. Fred produced the bottle of Ogden’s from somewhere under his robes with a flourish, and George grinned toothily as he conjured shot glasses from thin air.

“Alright, I know it was my idea, but just the one, got it?” warned Angelina, pouring the drinks herself.

“Aye aye, Captain,” said Fred. George sketched a sloppy salute her way.

Katie Bell was practically trembling with excitement and nerves. “Oooh, this’ll be my first drink ever,” she said, holding up the glass of amber liquid to catch the light. “Are you sure we won’t get caught?” she asked, looking around as if expecting McGonagall to burst out of a locker at any time.

“Course we can’t be sure,” said Alicia Spinnet. “That’s part of the fun!”

Angelina looked round at each of them, and shouted “For the Cup!”

“FOR THE CUP!” they chorused, and knocked back the Firewhiskey.

Two years later, the three Chasers were standing at the bar of the Hog’s Head, but they had Oliver back now, and Angelina knew somehow that that was important, they were going to go to Hogwarts and find Fred and George and Harry and reunite the whole Team, and it meant she had to do this. She leaned over the counter, rummaged through the grimy bottles and found what she was looking for.

“You’re mad!” said Oliver incredulously.

“Probably,” said Alicia cheerfully, “but we did this every match and still won the Cup, didn’t we? Sixth-years and above only, of course, we had standards,” she said, catching Oliver’s outraged look.

“Don’t tell me you’re going into a real battle and don’t want a drink, Oliver,” said Angelina calmly as she poured, and that was that.

Alicia and Katie and Oliver looked at her expectantly. Angelina searched for the words, and found there was really only one thing suited to the occasion. “Fuck Voldemort.”

“FUCK VOLDEMORT!”

And they did.

But oh God, the price they paid.

* * *

The Leaky was too well-known so they usually frequented a tiny hole-in-the-wall further down the street. The clientele was younger and the enchanted jukebox played muggle hits as well as the Weird Sisters, Mega Maggots, and the Bent Banshees, and that was perfect for the Twins. Perhaps half the entire current range of Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes had first been dreamed up in this pub.

“Alright, alright, what about this, George? Prank greeting cards.”

“You’re crazy, Fred.”

“Cards that won’t stop singing. Howler cards. Exploding confetti cards. Exploding firework cards!”

George finished his beer and signalled to the barman for another. The barman hesitated, then poured as George slapped a handful of Sickles on the counter. “Confetti yes, fireworks, I dunno,” said George. “Cheers, Fred.”

“It’s brilliant I tell you. Mud in your eye,” said his twin brother, and they drank. Then, quietly, Fred asked: “How’s the family?”

“Same old. They’re doing well. You should see the sprogs, it’s a hoot,” snickered George. “Ron and Gin and Harry and good ol’ Hermione, sneaking around trying not to get caught shagging like rabbits. God, the sights I’ve walked in on...”

Fred chortled along with George, and he finished the pint. The bell over the door jingled and new customers came in, but the twins barely glanced that way.

“Speaking of which. About her... you should do something about it, George,” said Fred kindly. “I see all the signs and I know you do too. She’s waiting on you. Go be a gentleman, Georgey-boy, go on.”

George sighed. “Not you too. Look, I get enough of this crap from Bill and Charlie, alright?”

“You two need each other. Besides, it’s too quiet around the flat.”

All at once, George’s face crumpled. “You don’t get to say that. Not you. Not you! YOU don’t say that!”

Fred said nothing, he only smiled, and walked away. George turned his head quickly to follow him, but as always, Fred slid out the corner of his eye and was g...

And then it was another Weasley brother standing in front of him.

This time, it was Ron they’d sent. Good old Ron, lanky and solid and biting his lip in sympathy as he came to find his older brother sitting alone at the bar hunched over a half-empty glass. On the counter beside him was one untouched full pint, the frothy head long since evaporated.

“Come on, George,” said Ron gently. “There, I’ve got you. Let’s get you home.”

* * *

She was a girl made of facts and reason.

That was just the way she was wired.

“Dutch courage,” she said to herself, eyeing the glass of probably cheap plonk as if it was poison. Which technically it was.

“What’s that?” asked Ginny.

“Dutch courage,” she repeated. “It’s a muggle term, meaning the confidence gained from drinking alcohol, according to the Cambridge English Dictionary. Although,” she amended, “it’s derogatory to Dutch people and we probably shouldn’t say things like that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind in case I meet anyone from Orange Tulip Land,” said Ginny, rolling her eyes. “You certainly don’t need that sort of thing, Hermione, you’re one of the bravest people I know!”

Probably just hyperbole, thought Hermione, as that would be quite something, given that Ginny hung around with Aurors and Quidditch players and her boyfriend Harry Potter, or ‘His Excellency Most Spiffing Chosen Boy Who Lived To Kick Voldemort’s Arse’ as George called him. She picked up the glass, sipped it carefully, decided she quite liked the taste of Chateau Diagon Alley or whatever this was, and had a bigger swig.

Here’s a fun fact: it takes 6 minutes for the brain to react to alcohol.

Six minutes later, she didn’t think she felt any different. Warmer perhaps, but the New Year party was in full swing and Hermione thought maybe it was just the ambient temperature rising from all the people circulating, moving, dancing, talking, laughing.

Fun fact: drinking is ‘fun’ because alcohol lessens tension, eases social interaction, and reduces inhibitions.

Hermione sat in her corner and nursed her glass and knew she wasn’t really a social drinker, or any kind of drinker, or even at all ‘sociable’ to begin with. She envied how effortlessly Ginny and Bill and Parvati and everyone else were visibly enjoying themselves; Hermione would honestly prefer a nice book, a pot of peppermint tea, and perhaps with the company of...

Breathless from joking with Aurors and Obliviators and Patrolwizards and friends, Ron flung himself down beside her and threw an arm around her, and Hermione’s stomach fluttered pleasantly. “Alright there, Hermione?” He followed her gaze towards the wineglass. “Not poisoned, is it? Cause that’s no fun, believe me.”

Fact: I want to say I...

“That’s not funny, Ron, you could’ve died,” chided Hermione, although she couldn’t help giggling. “No, I just... it’s Dutch courage.”

“What’s that?” Hermione told him about English soldiers and gin and bravery, and the way he looked at her as he listened made her feel warm all over. “Nice. You know everything, Hermione,” Ron said admiringly.

“Not everything,” said Hermione wistfully. “I don’t know how to have fun at parties. Well, maybe that’s one more thing I do know now,” she joked lamely.

Fact: I...

Ron laughed at her probably atrocious attempt at humour, and said “Rubbish party anyway. Too many plonkers just wanting to be seen with heroes like Harry and Neville” (characteristically, Ron excluded himself from that category, Hermione observed) “and they’re only here because Kingsley said they absolutely had to be. I’d much rather have a quiet night in at home with you, Crookshanks, a nice fire, maybe a...”

No, I don’t know everything, thought Hermione. But I know this fact. “I love you, Ron Weasley.” And she grabbed him and snogged the hell out of him, ignoring the catcalls and cheers that rose all around.

Was it really the Dutch stuff, or was it all her own self, after all?

To be continued...

#chudleycanonficfest2021 #HP fest #hp canon pairings #canon fest platonic #canon fest romantic #submission #tw: alcoholism #tw: referenced death #tw: language

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adsosfraser · 3 years ago

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The Stone’s Toll - Chapter Five

Read on AO3

Claire sat nursing her glass of expensive cognac. Neither of them initiated a conversation, preferring silence to the inevitable argument that would ensue.

It was Christmas Eve when she returned. Little over a month and a half in that soul leeching ward. Frank had decorated the house with holly, and ivy, and even some sprigs of mistletoe in an attempt for some normalcy.

“Claire, I’m sorry for what they did to you. I was angry at you. You not only chose to leave me once but twice over. You’d rather die than feel my touch. I wanted to feel anything but utter despair. I’m sorry it has taken me so long to return you home.” She offered no response.

“Do you have any idea just how difficult these last few months- past few years have been for me Claire? How utterly exhausting it has been to deal with your loss and then now this? I don’t wish to fight you on any of this. Let us have a civilised conversation please.”

“How hard it’s been for you!” Her mouth hung open in shock. “You think these past few months have just been a fucking picnic for me!” She stood in her anger and seethed at the fireplace, back turned from her husband.

“Of course not, but did you ever stop to consider how I’ve felt about anything?”

“Did you ever consider my feelings when you were sticking your cock into one of your students?! God, did you give me one of their diseases?” Shock plastered over his face. “Oh don’t act so surprised, I’ve smelt the perfume and all those long nights at your ‘office’.”

“Claire, be reasonable. You’ve only let me touch you once, and that was before I was intimate with anyone else. Not all of us are such mendacious sluts.”

“Oh and I’m sure you were an exemplary student of abstinence while I was ‘missing’, for fuck’s sake even during the war, because clearly me being the ‘mendacious slut’ that I am I wasn’t entirely faithful either!”

“I don’t wish to fight you anymore Claire, something has recently come upon my knowledge during my research, and it affects you. Please have a seat.” He gestured to the decanter on the side table and poured a glass for her.

“It pains me to see you like this Claire. I can’t in good conscience force you to stay here and slip further and further away from me every day” Frank sucked in a breath and smoothed his hands over his thighs. “It angered me to see that you’d rather die... than be with me. That you chose his memory over me, a living, breathing human being, and I couldn’t even be sure he was real. Still can't. Can you not see Claire why it took me a while to finally decide upon your release?”

The hazy buzz that normally surrounded her mind now had started to fade, if only slightly. Claire squinted at Frank and nodded.

He paused, calculating his next words.

“I’ve done some research with the Reverend. We’ve been in communication since you’ve told me what happened.”

Frank adjusted his collar. He stared at the stack of papers to his right on the desk.

“And well we certainly found evidence of your presence in the past, but there are other things.”

Claire stared straight through him, she didn’t need to worry about her glass face showing something wrong. She felt nothing. This confirmation made no difference for the hell she had been through. The numb feeling had taken a while to crawl over her body the past few months and she welcomed it. It felt better than the suffocating dread and grief she originally felt.

“I know I must let you go. Go to him I mean. It’s the least I can do for the pain I’ve inadvertently caused you, Claire. Please forgive me. It’s unbearable for me to live to see you this way, even if the alternative is to send you back.”

“He’s dead, Frank. They all are.” Her lips thinned into a line. “I have nothing to live for.”

She cringed at her last choice of words. She didn’t want to cause him unnecessary suffering. But she was too tired to lie, to protect him from such verbal blows.

“But Claire. He survived.” His white knuckles wrapped tightly around the armrest of the leather chair and he flexed his jaw. “This man, this Red Jamie was exonerated of his crimes, with a pardon from King George II himself. And his lands returned in reparation.”

“How-how can you tell me this? You know what I- God what you put me through. Why would you give me this hope?”

“I’ve also found one Alexander Malcolm and his,” he gulped, “wife Elizabeth Malcolm. But Claire, this is your hand on the document. A christening, where Elizabeth, where you’re stated as godmother in a church in Broch Mordha. But then there’s also this purchase of a croft on the Isle of Lewis, with the same signature as Alexander Malcolm.”

“Please, Claire, allow me to make amends for whatever part I’ve caused in your suffering. If there’s some piece, some knowledge I can give you, it would ease my mind considerably. I don’t wish for you to waste away before my eyes, for the rest of our days in resentment.” His lips tightened into a thin line. “I met someone while you were away. The new assistant under me at Harvard. I think,” he paused, “I think I love her as you love your Jamie. Let us divorce and I’ll give you what funds I have.”

“You’re just- okay with that?”

“Claire, you haven’t been my wife in years, not really.”

“So that’s just it? I offered divorce when I returned, and finally accept when you’ve damaged me. My mind, my soul!” He winced at the sight of circled bits of skin on her temples.

“And I am regrettably sorry, darling.” He reached for her hand and squeezed. “I know this is what you’ve wanted ever since you’ve returned. Please, let me make this easy on you. I have the banking number for what covers the divorce settlement. It should be enough to purchase a flight to London, and then I know the inheritance from your parents and uncle should help you on your way to Inverness.” He slid over a paper card to her, detailing the whereabouts of the money he was offering her. She kept her arms crossed tightly over her sternum, not wishing to take any charity from him.

“There's another thing. Your son, the name they said you called out in your sleep every night. I have this death certificate of one Fergus Claudel Fraser. Marked March in the year of our lord Seventeen Forty-Five.” Tears sprang in her dry eyes at the mention of him. He pulled out a sheet from the pile of papers he collected and shoved it over to her side of the table.

“Why are you doing this Frank?” She couldn’t bear this physical proof that she had left her son to die without her.

“Here is one Fergus Malcolm, on the Isle of Lewis, a year after his ‘death’ and you're on this too. Or rather your alter ego one Elizabeth Beauchamp Malcolm. If nothing else, will you not live for him? Even if the proof of him amounts to nothing, that he really did die at Culloden? Please, take the money, and the papers. I’m hoping it can ease my conscience from all the torture you’ve endured.”

The last thing Claire wanted to do was ease Frank’s ego. She wanted him to suffer. But here was a lifeline, a way out and back to her family. She would see Fergus again if fate allowed. Her mind would never allow her to comprehend the other piece of hope before her. The one sure thing she knew was Fergus, he had been whole and alive the last she saw him. And there was something urging her to him. A panicked urgency. Her mind flashed to the nights after her therapies, when his presence in her dreams was almost so real she could feel his touch after she woke. She quickly signed the paper he offered. Claire Elizabeth Fraser. The wet ink shined against the thick paper. His suffering would have to wait. Her fingers began to twist the gold band on her finger but Frank stopped her.

“No, keep it. It will have value when you… return. The papers will be sorted by the time you’re gone, and we’ll both be free.” He swallowed sharply. “Know this Claire. I still love you, and I always will.”

He had a funny way of showing it, Claire thought. She didn’t dignify his statement with a response. She left him in the living room to pack, and as the sun rose the next morning her bed and dresser were empty.

Frank set aside some money for the divorce settlement into Claire’s own account. She withdrew the three hundred pounds without a second thought, and purchased a ticket to London. It barely covered the cost of a transatlantic flight, which was more of a luxury than anything, but she could afford to spend money, not time. A ship between would have lasted weeks, not hours. She was left with little over fifty pounds to find her way to Inverness. The only things she carried with her were her pearls, sgian dubh, the ring without its ruby stone, the copious amount of papers from Frank’s research, her old botany pocketbook, and a change of clothes, all packed into one small suitcase. Her things barely fit half the space inside it. The gold band hung around her neck on a chain now, instead of resting comfortably on her left ring finger. It clanged against the skin between her breasts with every sway of her steps. It was decided over a very pricey international phone call, she would go see Mrs. Graham.

#claire beauchamp #jamie x claire #jamie fraser #fergus fraser #outlander fanfiction #adsofraser writing #craigh na dun #canon divergence #divorce #frank randall #outlander fanfic

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echoheartza · 4 years ago

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First Post here, decide to post a small drabble I have, I will be posting this on Ao3 later today(My ao3 account is

Anyways, here we go.

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George glared at the two masked men that were currently fighting over him. George didn't like it. Not only the fact they were just getting louder but also the fact he did not share any feelings for either of them. "He likes me more!" Normal Dream said as DreamXD gasped offended.

A strong of incoherent, multiple voiced words came spewing from XD's mouth as Dream scrunched his nose. "You're just a simp! Trying to buy his love. How dare you!" Dream shouted crossing his arms. George groaned, dragging his hands down his face. He dragged his feet and turned around, trying to walk off.

He felt a large, cold hand on his shoulder which dragged him back. "Not so fast, Georgie," XD said his voice grating in Georges's ear. "What," George snapped, glaring at the two. "Who do you like more? Me or this buffoon?" Dream asked as George sat quietly. The two looked at him expectantly. "Soo?" Dream prompted as a ping sounded.

George saw the in-game message showing Wilbur joined the game. He felt relieved as he heard the deep-voiced brit. "Gogy!" Wilbur said as George turned. They both broke out into a grin as Wilbur barreled into George, lifting him with his arms holding his thighs safely. "Hi, Wilby," George said as he wrapped his arms around Wilbur's neck.

"What's going on here?" Wilbur asked as he looked behind his favorite brunette to glance at the shocked blondes. "Honestly, I don't know. All I know is hearing these two bicker all the time over me is annoying," George said as Wilbur nodded burying his head into the crook of his Georgie's neck. "Well, you're mine so they need to lay off," Wilbur said smugly, his breath tickling George.

George giggled, forgetting the two behind him exist. "Do you know who you're talking about, boy?" XD asked glaring ominously. "Uh yeah, a petty god that doesn't know the difference between friend-zoned and reciprocated feelings and a homeless teletubby that manipulates sixteen-year-olds and doesn't know what no means," Wilbur responded, sass dripping from every word. "I could snap my finger right now and you would just drop dead," XD threatened while Wilbur just chuckled.

"You could but then George would get upset with both of you and hate your guts. And besides, I'm technically already dead so killing me wouldn't benefit you at all," Wilbur said as he stared the angry god down. "Wait, why would he hate me? I didn't do anything in that scenario," Dream accused. "Exactly. In that scenario, you would've let me die, and that would hurt George and partial blame would go on you. Because you decided to sit back and watch," Wilbur said smirking as the man's face fell.

"Stop bickering the two grown children and let's go home, I'm tired," George said as he leaned into Wilbur's chest. "Of course, my king," Wilbur said as turned around and walked off. "This isn't over Wilbur!" He heard Dream shout from behind him as he walked away. "No, I think it is, Dream," Wilbur shouted back grinning.

"You're such an idiot," George murmured, as Wilbur chuckled. "Well, I'm your idiot, and you're my precious flower," Wilbur said as George giggled. "I care about you, Wil," George said as Wilbur grinned. Wilbur was still trying to get George comfortable with saying 'I love you' so this made his heart swell. It was close and that was good enough for Wilbur.

"I love you too, Gogs," Wilbur muttered softly as he opened his cabin door. With L'manburg now a massive canyon, he had taken to living in the Snowchester commune. "That should cause your simps to back off for the time being," Wilbur said as he placed George down on the couch, grabbing an extra hoodie from the closet. He helped George put it on and the two cuddled on the couch in front of the fireplace, a soft music filling the air as Wilbur played his guitar.

#georgebur #dream smp #wilburnotfound #dreamxd #wilbur soot #george lore #not cannon at all

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fishoutofcamelot · 4 years ago

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IT’S OFFICIAL! I’M MAKING A MERLIN-THEMED D&D CAMPAIGN!!! <3

Do you like Merlin? Do you like D&D? Do you like the idea of D&D but don’t know how it works? Then The Rising Sun campaign is just for you! (named after that one tavern in Camelot lmao)

CAMPAIGN PREMISE:

Jailbreak! The members of your party have been locked away in Camelot’s dungeons and must work together to bust out. But with a mysterious curse terrorizing the city, that might be easier said than done. Takes place during the three-year gap between seasons 4 and 5.

BASIC INFORMATION:

4-6 players, all at LVL3

Is this your first game? Your 50th game? All experience levels accepted!

Will feature monsters/characters/settings present in BBCM canon

The session will be recorded and posted to Youtube, so even people who don’t play can still join in on the fun!

Wanna chat about Merlin? (And D&D, but mostly Merlin) Join the Rising Sun Discord Server!!!

It’s a oneshot campaign, meaning there will only be one session

Submit your character sheet/s to me (email under the cut) by November 15th!

The exact length of the session will depend on player availability/preference, and how long it takes us to get through the campaign. But expect it to take around 2-4 hours

You can play as a canon character (like Mithian or Percival), or make an OC

We will be running this through D&D5e (5th edition) as this is what I’m most familiar with. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry about it!

Players must have access to Discord. Announcements, party talk, scheduling, etc. will be held on an exclusive channel through the Rising Sun Discord Server

WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITHOUT PLAYING?

Don’t worry, we’ve got something for everyone! I want this to be something everyone in the fandom can enjoy :)

The campaign will be recorded virtually and posted to Youtube in 30-minute parts/episodes, with captions available

Transcripts will also be posted to AO3

Join the Rising Sun Discord Server!

Don’t have a Discord account? Information about the campaign will also be posted to the Rising Sun Campaign tag on Tumblr

Feeling artsy? Feel free to post it! Any campaign-related art sent to me (through Discord, Tumblr, or Gmail) will likely be posted to my Tumblr blog and also feature in one of the episodes uploaded to Youtube, provided you give me permission to do so <3

Interested? More details under the cut!

PROJECTED TIMELINE

November 1: Player Submission period opens

November 15: Player Submission period ends

November 20: Official player + character list announced

December 18-January 18: Campaign session held. The exact date/time will depend on the availability of party members, but this is just the time period in which it’s most likely to happen (it’s my winter break!)

January/February: Campaign “episodes” will be uploaded to Youtube on a weekly basis, with their respective transcripts posted to AO3. Official release schedule to be posted after the campaign has been recorded

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Submit to my email: [email protected]

If you don’t know a lot about D&D and want me to teach you/help you make your character sheet, let me know through Tumblr!

Submissions should include your:

Tumblr URL and/or Discord ID

Time zone

Expected availability between Dec18-Jan18

Experience/comfort level with D&D

If you are willing to have your face shown in the recording

Character sheet/s

Any homebrew content you would like to use

You can submit more than one character sheet, but you can only play as one character, and only one character will be accepted into the campaign

If we get more than 6 submissions, players will be chosen based on their availability, friendliness, and how well I think their character will fit into the campaign/party

If you’re accepted as a player, I will let you know via Tumblr/Discord before posting the official player list to Tumblr. You will also be granted access to the Party-Only channel on the Rising Sun Discord server

You MUST be a member of this server, as crucial party discussions, announcements, and Zoom links will be shared there

Make sure to have everything submitted by November 15th!

GUIDELINES

My time zone is PST. Expect this to influence scheduling

If you aren’t comfortable having your face in the recording, you can turn your camera off! However, I will ask that you at least keep your mic on

The session will be held and recorded through Zoom. Make sure you have access to this program!

Due to Zoom restrictions, a Zoom meeting can’t be any longer than 45 minutes. So the session will probably be broken up into 30-minute meetings, with 5-minute breaks in between each one. The Zoom link/s will be posted to the Party-only channel on the Rising Sun server. If I find a more efficient way of doing this, I will let you know

There will be a session zero, also on Zoom, about a week before we record the session. This is just a quick and casual opportunity for us to meet, work out any technical issues, address campaign expectations, talk about our characters, and get to know each other better <3

General courtesy and Zoom/D&D etiquettes apply. Don’t be a dick!

I might end up commissioning/having art done of the Player Characters (PCs). If you’re not okay with that, let me know!

CHARACTER CREATION

Put your character at LVL 3

Homebrew content is allowed, so long as you have me look it over first!

Use the D&D5e character sheet for character creation (if you need help accessing this I can send you an editable pdf, or help you find an online character sheet creator)

CANON CHARACTERS

Make sure all information on your character sheet is accurate to canon. Any deviations from canon (like giving Elyan magic, or making Percival a time-traveler) must be talked over with me first

Does their canon background have holes or unknowns? Fill them in yourself! Get creative <3

If this character doesn’t have a race available in D&D, like a sidhe, then you have two options. You can either homebrew their profile, or you can using an existing race profile that’s similar while clearly establishing what their real race is

When writing their backstory, try to think of how they would fit into the campaign. Why are they in the dungeons? Is Merlin suffering the aftermath of a magic reveal gone wrong? Did Gwaine get into a tavern brawl? Has George been framed for murder?

OCs

Be creative! Time travelers, shapeshifters, orcs - as long as you develop it well enough, I’ll probably allow it

If your character has a race/species that doesn’t exist in BBCM canon - like an elf or a dwarf - then provide backstory as to why their people are never seen or mentioned in the show. Did the dwarves go into hiding during the Purge? Is your character the first of their kind? Were they cursed into a non-human form?

In the event that we get someone to do art for the PCs, please make sure the physical description of your character is very clear and concise. Consider including reference art of some kind as well. This will hopefully make it easier for the artist/s to do their thing

When writing their backstory, try to think of how they would fit into the campaign. Why are they in the dungeons? Did they get caught trying to kill the king? Did their friend turn them in for sorcery? Did they steal something from the vaults?

This should be a chance for us all to goof off and have fun, so I’m not gonna be super strict on the rules. And if you have any questions, hit me up on Tumblr!! <3

#yall its finally happening!!!!#i have been legit working on this for over 2 weeks now #i made graphics #and a discord server #and ive got a whole bunch of resources compiled for any newbies who need them #i taught myself some rudimentary animation + video editing stuff #i reread the entire dungeon masters guide for this #I. AM. READY #rising sun campaign #dnd #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #bbcm #fish post

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