#i do honestly want to reread it just like knowing what is actually happening now

[kuiinncedes]

finished this is how u lose the time war :0

[slytherin-pen]

The Secret

pairing: Xaden x Reader

word count: 2.3k

warnings: ONXY STORM SPOILERS, DO NOT READ FUTHER

a/n: ok so during my reread ahead of OS i caught some foreshadowing whenever Xaden talked about family but specifically when Violet asked if he had any siblings. idk it just rang bells in my head, i honestly thought he would have a secret sibling but then we saw what actually happened..i’m still proud of myself like i caught that shit! anyways, here’s me giving my theory some life. also, happy day 5 of Xaden Week! @empyreanevents

“Xaden what is going on?” you ask as you jog to catch up to his long strides.

He’s been acting weird all day. Being short with you, not kissing you, and seemingly avoiding any physical affection since you and your squad arrived at Riorson House for your two-week rotation.

It was your first rotation in Aretia from Basgiath since leadership came to an agreement of sorts to both protect Navarre and the provinces outside of the wards. You had been excited, Rhiannan and Ridoc teased you constantly during the days leading up to it. It would be the first time you got to spend more than a day there while conscious. When Xaden brought you here after you’d been stabbed by a venin during War Games, you slept most of the time and once you were awake you all rushed out the door back to Navarre for Garrick and Xaden’s graduation.

Now that you think of it, Garrick, Bodhi, and Imogen have been acting weird since you arrived too. You had even asked Rhiannon if you smelt bad—worse than the usual smell you have after being on dragon back for hours—but she said no. Your confusion had only amplified.

An insecure part of you thought that he was about to break up with you. It’s the only explanation you could come up with. His friends are avoiding you. He’s avoiding you. Why else if not for knowing that the moment you arrived after not seeing him for weeks, he was going to end things? It angered you. Sure, they’re his friends, but you thought they were yours too. That you at least had some form of girl code with Imogen, and if she knew your heart was about to be broken she’d warn you. But you also knew their loyalty to him came above all else. That if he asked them not to say anything to you, they would listen.

You lunge, gripping his wrist and he finally stops to face you. “Can you answer me?” you snap. “What the hell is going on?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose as he exhales slowly. “I—just follow me.”

When all you do is glare at him in response, he sighs again. “Please?”

You drop his wrist but put more distance between him as you walk down the halls of Riorson House. If this is really how he breaks up with you, you’re going to be livid. Two years together and this is how it ends? This is how he treats you? You’ll stab him. And then when you’re done stabbing him, you’re going to stab his friends too. You get it. Kinda. He’s officially the Duke of Tyrrendor—or at least has the title back. He has a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, on top of everything he already has. It’s a lot, and it doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for him to be your boyfriend. But you didn’t mind. Now, you want to kick yourself for sitting around like a lost puppy waiting for him to throw you scraps.

He unlocks a set of double doors with a flick of his wrist and motions for you to enter the room. Your boots scuff along the cobblestone floors as you hesitantly walk inside. The room is bare aside from a square wooden table and three chairs. The lack of dust on the table tells you it had been moved in here last minute for this very occasion. You nearly scoffed. You were definitely going to stab him after this.

Xaden clears his throat. “Just—uh—sit down and I’ll be right back.”

You don’t even get to send him a withering glare before he’s out the door again, shutting it behind him.

You stomp to the chair on its own side, across from the side with the two other chairs, and plop down. Your knee bounces with anticipation. You can tell he’s nervous. You can count on one hand how many times you’ve heard Xaden stutter, but the sympathy you usually feel for him in those moments is nowhere to be found. How does he think you feel? You’re not stupid. You can tell something is going on, and his nerves only exacerbate yours.

Anger flares in your chest. He has no right to be nervous. He’s not the one being broken up with. He’s not the one being ignored and led to a sketchy abandoned room by yourself. What’s next? He tells you that you can’t join your squad on the next rotation? That he never wants to see you again? Tears prick your eyes but you blink them away. He doesn’t get to see you sad. You’ll stab him and then go cry to your squad. You know at least Sawyer would help you stab the others who knew about this.

As your thoughts continue to spiral, the door finally opens again. Xaden stands in the doorway, shielding your view of the hall with his body and the door.

You roll your eyes. “Just spit it out Xaden. I don’t have all day. Might as well get it over with.”

Confusion flashes across his face but he reins it in quickly. “I have something to tell you.”

“No shit,” you scoff.

Again with the confused face. As if he has no idea why you’re so angry. He really does think you’re too stupid to figure it out.

“Just try not to be mad at me,” he pleads softly. “I had my reasons and you know how far I’ll go to protect the ones I love. It’s not that I didn’t trust you, but no one who didn’t already know before the Apostasy could find out. It was the only safe option.”

Now it’s your turn to be confused. Your face scrunches as you look him up and down. What the hell is he talking about?

He pushes the door open the rest of the way as he slowly walks inside. It isn’t until he’s made it past the doorway that you notice something behind him. Correction. Someone.

Your jaw drops as a child—a boy—who looks like the carbon copy of Xaden shuffles in behind him. He couldn’t be older than ten. He has the same black hair and brows. The same tawny skin and onyx eyes. His hands are held behind his back, just like Xaden’s. The perfect, confident posture that you only learn from years of being taught how to carry yourself as a leader. Regardless, you can tell the boy is nervous with the furrow between his brows. The way he keeps looking at Xaden for reassurance.

“My love,” Xaden begins, glancing from you to the boy, “this is my little brother, Jace.”

The boy—Jace—steps forward and dips his chin in greeting. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss.”

Your mouth gapes like a fish, your brain still grappling with the fact you are not being broken up with but instead being introduced to a child.

“Little brother?” you manage to choke out.

Xaden nods, placing a hand on Jace’s shoulder as he guides him to sit down in a chair across from you, Xaden taking the seat next to him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, but it was crucial no one knew of his existence until it was safe. Now that we have some form of an alliance with Navarre, his presence can be known by others but still kept quiet.”

“I—I’m sorry. You have a little brother. That’s why you brought me here?” you stammer.

Xaden tilts his head as he regards you with his inquisitive gaze. “Yes, love, this is why I brought you here. Why else?”

You shake your head, hoping that rattling your brain around will help unscramble your thoughts. “I’m just shocked is all,” you say. “It’s not at all what I was expecting. It’s wonderful to meet you, Jace.”

Jace gives you a shy smile and looks back to his brother.

“Why exactly has he been kept a secret?” you ask.

Xaden sighs and ruffles Jace’s hair, to which Jace swats his arm away with a glare that could one day rival Xaden’s. “As of right now, he’s my heir. With all the targets on my back, and even Bodhi’s who everyone thinks is my last living relative, it was the only way to keep Jace safe. You want to believe no one would kill a child for the sake of ending a family line, but I wanted to believe an entire kingdom wouldn’t keep venin and wyverns a secret from its people for so long, yet here we are. If anyone high up had known that Duke Lewellen was harboring my little brother—I don’t even want to think about what they would have done.”

You nod solemnly. He’s right. You would want to believe they wouldn’t kill an innocent child but you have seen just how far they’re willing to go to keep their secrets or further their agendas. Jace would have been an easy target.

“So now that you’re back, he doesn’t have to be a secret anymore?” you hedge.

“Kind of. Those who are trusted to come to Riorson House are allowed to know about him, but I ask everyone to not let it leave Aretia. Things are still rocky between Tyrrendor and Navarre despite the treaty, and I won’t take any risks when it comes to him. But now that I’m home to watch over him myself, I feel a little better about letting him out into the world.”

“I can take care of myself,” Jace chides.

You roll your lips together as you try to suppress a smile. He’s practically Xaden Junior and you want to laugh at the absurdity of it all. That your thoughts spiraled to something so terrible when in reality, Jace will probably be the greatest gift. He’ll at least make things a lot more fun around here.

Xaden smirks as he looks down at Jace. “Yeah, I’m sure you could, little man. You’ll give Bodhi a run for his money when he starts training you in combat.”

They joke and tussle each other some more while you watch with a fond smile. Your galloping heart is still slowing, still soaking in the truth, but the sight of Xaden and Jace laughing together soothes you. Xaden is so serious all the time, always brooding or giving orders. It’s nice to see him be a little more lighthearted.

As they calm down and remember their company, the seriousness returns to Xaden’s face as he looks at you. There he is.

“I wanted to tell you first, Xaden murmurs. “But I didn’t get to pick the rotation schedule. I’m sorry.”

You shook your head. “No, it’s alright. I honestly—“ You halted, remembering Jace and deciding it wasn’t best to have this conversation in front of him.

Xaden seemed to realize your hesitation and told Jace to go find Garrick with a pat on his head. Jace smiles at you in goodbye and you return it. Xaden picks up his chair and moved it to your side of the table, leaning so his elbows rest on his knees and gives you his full attention.

You reposition yourself in your seat and grab one of Xaden’s hands to fiddle with his fingers in an effort to calm your nerves.

“I thought you were breaking up with me,” you whisper.

His head rears back, shock clear on his face. “Why the hell would you think that?”

Heat spreads across your cheeks from embarrassment. “You were acting weird. Everyone was acting weird. It’s just the first thing that came to mind, I’m sorry.”

Xaden places one of his hands on yours to stop your fidgeting, forcing you to look up at him. “Don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. Everyone was acting weird because they knew I’d be telling you today and honestly, I was terrified,” he says, his voice cracking at the end.

Your brows furrow with confusion.

Xaden sighs and scoots his chair closer to you, your knees touching. “In the beginning, I had to keep so many secrets from you. And we promised each other to be truthful after you found out about the revolution. I worried that when you found out…you’d break up with me. It’s why I didn’t let myself touch or kiss you. I thought it would just make it worse for myself.“

“Oh, Xaden,” you sigh. You get up from your chair and crawl into his lap, straddling his muscular thighs as he moves his hands to your hips to support you. Your hands cup his face as you speak. “I don’t blame you for my insecurities. And I definitely don’t blame you for protecting your little brother. It’s quite sweet, actually.”

Xaden scoffs and looks away, a slight blush crawling up his cheeks. You smile at the man you love. The man you are so happy isn’t breaking up with you. It’s the first time you’ve been grateful he had another secret.

Onyx eyes meet yours and you practically melt at the love shining in them. “I’m so glad you aren’t mad at me,” he whispers.

“I’m glad you aren’t breaking up with me,” you whisper back.

His lips find yours, slow and passionate. As if he’s pouring his love into your mouth and making sure you savor every declaration.

He rests his head against yours, your chests heaving as you catch your breaths. “We are going to have a talk about why in Dunne’s name you thought I would ever let you go.”

You laugh, throwing your arms around his shoulders as your head tilts back.

There’s a smirk on his face when you calm down, but his eyes tell you he’s not joking. He won’t be letting this go anytime soon.

“So when do I get to watch Jace kick Bodhi’s ass?” you ask.

This time Xaden is the one to laugh.

[mythicmanuscripts]

omg omg hi, I don't know what to request, I simply am happy that you are back.

Hmm.... Something with subby Aemond... Could you elaborate on the collar (you said that it needed to be something that he would never have to take of, so somethin simpel like a necklace). What if he lost it during battle? What if his wife also started to wear jewelery as a symbol of their partnership? Like maybe exclusively saphire pendants or something like that.

thx xoxo

Thank you for the kind words!! I'm very glad to be back.

Honestly I can't really remember the ask you're referring to (if someone finds it could you tag me or something? I'd love to reread it at some point), but I'll never turn down an opportunity to chat about collars or any sort of jewellery representing dynamics so I'm very happy to discuss thoughts about Aemond and collars/jewellery :))

This answer isn't explicit but since it's very very clearly sub!aemond I'll add a cut to be safe. Enjoy lads!!

So firstly I think Aemond would absolutely love to have something that felt like ownership? He wants to be yours, and he wants a physical reminder of it.

I think maybe you first saw a glimpse of this desire the morning after your first rougher night with him? He got up before you and you awoke to the site of him standing before a mirror and tracing the outline of the scratches on his hips and the bruises on his collar bones. At first you think he doesn't like it and offer to call the maesters to see what will heal it quicker, but he shuts that down immediately.

He gets all squirmy and blushy, not quite being willing to meet your eyes and eventually you manage to get out of him that he really likes the marks. For a few weeks it goes on like that, with you ensuring to leave marks on him because he seems to love it.

Eventually you start to realise he loves the physical reminder, not only of what happened when he got those marks but also as a reminder that you love him, that he's yours. You really only put that together when you realise how protective he seems of any evidence of you? He tells off the servants who move your brush back to your private quarters, he keeps your favourite book on his nightstand even though he never reads it.

The first thing you offer him to try and meet this need is maybe just a piece of a clothing item? It happens while the two of you are walking together, far away from Kings Landing. Aemond often asks you to come out on Vhagar with him, simply to fly somewhere quiet where no one can hear you.

You're walking along a rocky terrain and you put your foot wrong and nearly fall. You catch yourself, but your shirt or dress gets caught on the branch of a small bush. You don't mind the tear of course, it's of no real consequence, you have plenty of other clothes back at the red keep anyway. But Aemond seems distraught about this? He asked you to come with him and now you're ruined your clothes because of him.

You end up taking your knife/dagger and cutting the torn piece of fabric off so it's not just hanging. That action seems to upset Aemond even more, since now the tear can't ever be sown back together. That is, until you take his hand and tie the fabric around his wrist, telling him that there, now the fabric isn't going to waste.

You do it mostly as a silly thing, not something you expected him to seriously cherish. But the following day he still hasn't taken it off, and he doesn't take it off the next day nor the day after that.

When you ask him about it, he actually panics a little, mumbling about how you gave it to him and please don't take it back. Repeating that you said it was his, he wants to keep it.

Which... sometimes Aemond truly is one of the most sensitive, sweet souls in all of the seven kingdoms. You promise him you will never take it from him, and tell him you're glad he likes it.

A few weeks later you present him with a bracelet inspired by the piece of fabric. Except the bracelet is made of dyed leather, iron and jewels, not fabric. It's in the same colours as the fabric, but this is made to last must longer. Aemond cries for a solid twenty minutes when you give it to him. It takes him nearly a week to stop tearing up every time he looks at his wrist. And yes he knows you're already married and you already wear rings and whatnot, but that was an arranged marriage. He didnt love you back then, he didnt want to be yours back then. To him the wedding rings show the world he is married, but the bracelet is just for him, just to show him that he belongs to you.

Needless to say, he'd be absolutely distraught if he lost it.

It would definitely have to be lost in battle, because that's the only time he wouldn't automatically notice if the bracelet isn't around his wrist. When he does notice, his stomach drops. He feels so... exposed? He gets back to kings landing as quickly as possible. When he walks to your chambers he has his other hand around his wrist, like he's trying to hide not having the bracelet on.

Of course you're not at all upset with him. He returned from battle unharmed, that is all you care about. But despite that, he can't settle without it and you can't let him go back to flying the largest dragon in the world when he can't even think straight. You end up cutting another piece of fabric out of one of your clothes for him, this time cutting it long enough that you can wrap it around his wrist three times before tying the ends together.

You can see the way he relaxes once it's done. He leans against you, mumbling his thanks against your neck.

When he leaves again, you arrange for a new bracelet to be made, but this time you decide to get more than just that. You also get two necklaces, one short and one long and then another bracelet made as well.

You present the replacement bracket together with the longer necklace to Aemond when he returns. He had been hoping and praying you'd give him another bracelet (part of him feared you'd be so disappointed that he lost the first one that you wouldnt get him another and that would just break him).

He's entirely shocked when you give him the necklace, and even more shocked when you show him that you had another one made for yourself. When he looks closer at the necklace then he gets confused at first, because it doesn't match the bracelet and necklace you got him? It's made of the same metal, but yours have sapphires.

When he asks about, you simply run cup his face, stroking his cheek under his eyepatch. You watch as his other eye tears up at the realisation of why you chose what you did. He adores it, and he's so so gentle when he puts the necklace and bracelet on you, his hands shaking so much that he has to stop and try again.

You always wear the necklace, and Aemond adores seeing it on you, especially in public? In private he'll often run his fingers over the sapphire, even lean down and kiss it. But in public, just glancing at you and seeing it is more than enough to make him smile.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Normally, I post theories on this blog, and what I usually do is solve plot holes, but I'm currently rereading Deathly Hallows, and I honestly forgot how stupid some decisions there are. So, I'm compiling some of them here to maybe theorize and solve these plot holes later. But for now, I'm baffled.

1. I just reached the part where they started camping in the woods, and Harry just started being hungry, and I don't think I can adequately describe how dumb that is. Like, I can get wanting to stay hidden and stuff, but why not call Kreacher?

I mean, Harry showed in HBP he can just call Kreacher to him:

But the question was, how to call him? What did you do? Quietly, tentatively, Harry spoke into the darkness. “Kreacher?” There was a very loud crack, and the sounds of scuffling and squeaks filled the silent room.

(HBP, 419)

Why not call Kreacher and tell him to bring food to the tent? He's a house-elf, so he could apparate through their wards with no problem. They could've had Kreacher's cooking still, I just don't get it.

2. They didn't actually need to leave Grimmauld Place at all. The book explains it like this:

“Harry, I think he can. I—I forced him to let go with a Revulsion Jinx, but I’d already taken him inside the Fidelius Charm’s protection. Since Dumbledore died, we’re Secret-Keepers, so I’ve given him the secret, haven’t I?” There was no pretending; Harry was sure she was right. It was a serious blow. If Yaxley could now get inside the house, there was no way that they could return. Even now, he could be bringing other Death Eaters in there by Apparition.

(DH, 271)

But Yaxley wouldn't be a Secret Keeper, he couldn't bring other Death Eaters inside. This isn't how the magic works.

After Dumbledore dies, everyone he told the secret to becomes the Secret Keeper. Hermione is a Secret Keeper. She can reveal the secret to Yaxley by appparating him, but that doesn't turn Yaxley into a Secret Keeeper. It's just one Death Eater who knows how to get in that Harry and Co can kidnap, obliviate, or kill if they're really stressed about it. Yaxley couldn't bring anyone else inside regardless of how much he wanted to. He isn't a Secret Keeper, so all the other Death Eaters would've had to wait outside and watch the place the house should be in like they did up to this point.

And sure, Snape is a Secret Keeper but considering he somehow lied his way out of telling them the secret, even though we see Death Eaters stationed outside Grimmauld Place, I think it's safe to say, he wouldn't tell even after Yaxley knew and potentially returned with this information. I mean, the fact the Death Eaters are watching outside Grimmauld Place tells us Snape didn't tell them, and it should tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione Snape didn't betray the secret, as otherwise, the Death Eaters would've just broken in to search for them.

3. If we're talking of the Fidelius Charm and Secret Keepers, I don't get why Bill and Arthur Weasley have to be their own Secret Keepers. Why create this plot hole so late in the game? I mean, up until book 7, I didn't question why James and Lily had to have a third party as their Secret Keeper. It was just how the spell worked. Well, not anymore.

So, now I have to wonder why they were convinced they needed someone else, someone outside the house? Perhaps it was out of paranoia? So that if something happened to them anyway there'd be someone outside who could bring help?

4. And don't even get me started on the Battle of the Seven Potters. I mean, apparition or side-along apparition are completely viable methods of transportation, so why brooms? Wtf?

I mean, the Order makes this same ludicrous decision in OotP, when they transport Harry from the Dursleys to Grimmauld Place on brooms, so at least they're consistent in their stupidity.

Like, I could make an excuse for the use of brooms if they're trying to evade the Trace. According to how I believe the Trace works, the Trace wouldn't pick up on a broom the same way it didn't pick up on the flying Ford Angelica. It's an item already enchanted, magic isn't being cast, so it doesn't pick on it. So, while the Trace would pick up on apparition, it won't pick up on broom flight.

The problem with this is that in OotP we see the Order cast magic inside the Dursleys' house, making any chance of avoiding the Trace moot:

“Don’t be stupid, it’ll be much quicker if I — pack!” cried Tonks, waving her wand in a long, sweeping movement over the floor. Books, clothes, telescope, and scales all soared into the air and flew pell-mell into the trunk.

(OotP, 53)

And in DH, Harry is already 17, and the Trace shouldn't be a problem for him, so this excuse doesn't really hold water...

I'm sure I'll remember more as I continue reading, but these are the ones that really bother me now. Rant over (at least until I find a hopefully not super contrived way to make all this make sense in-universe).

[icarus-last-fall]

Wolfstar fic recs

I made a poll a while (r: an eternity) ago and you voted for a wolfstar rec list so here it is!

A few notes before we start: all the fics are on ao3, most of them are one-shots and there's no smut

Any fic written by @engie-ivy (ao3 here)

Yes I am recommending a writer. The other recs will be individual fics but it was either that or listing all of their fics.

Literally the best wolfstar writer believe me

(ik I'm not giving you lots of information but just check out their ao3 it takes two seconds and I promise it'll be worth it)

Just like best friends do by MsAlexWP (3k words)

Summary: After uselessly pining for three years Remus decides, finally, to get Sirius out of his system by shagging as many blokes as he can. It doesn’t go quite as planned.

Ugh I love it. The pining, the jealousy... I don't have a lot to say about it but trust me it is good.

Hoax (wolfstar's version) by mhiiiaka (6k)

Summary:

"I never said that!" 

"You didn't have to, because you never said anything else either!" 

***

Or, in which Remus Lupin doesn't believe Sirius Black actually wants him, even though they've been snogging each other senseless for months. And now, there's someone else interested in Remus and Sirius can't bring himself to use his fucking words.

Honestly who doesn't love a little 'didn't know they were dating'.

The angst in this is Pure. Fucking. Gold. It makes me scream every time I reread it (which happens often)

Remus Lupin is the number one James Potter cosplayer by fishflipperfan (8k)

Summary:

“I’m Sirius. You are James, aren’t you?”

Remus, still slackjawed and speechless, managed a tentative nod of affirmation.

He was fucked.

OR

James has promised to be in two places at once and needs somebody to cover for his blind date. Remus is a pushover. His one task is to get rejected. What he doesn't anticipate is meeting Sirius Black-- beautiful, incomprehensible, and impossible to say no to.

Based on the youth of may premise but without any of the sadness and considerably more dumb.

I don't read a lot of first meetings but this one is so so good. It's also really funny!

That's different, then by my_castlescrumbling (2k)

Summary: "The day that James Potter told Sirius Black he no longer fancied Lily Evans, the entire world changed." - Sirius thinks James likes Remus...how long will it take him to figure out that's NOT true? Just a fun, sweet, misunderstanding with a happy ending, folks. Wolfstar and Jegulus for the soul.

Mainly Sirius and James friendship + Sirius being an idiot. I laughed so much reading it.

Is this a prank? by mhiiiaka (6k)

Summary:

“But you’d also be that gorgeous professor that even the janitors had the hots for,” Sirius said softly with a smirk. He knew it wasn’t very wise to ruin the moment like that, he knew Remus would probably stand up and run away.

Which is why he was so taken aback when Remus slipped on a sly smile and leaned in too. They were close, Sirius could count every freckle on his delicate skin. Christ, he was beautiful.

“Yeah? I didn’t know you wanted to pursue a career as a janitor, Sirius.”

***

Or, in which Sirius Black decides to flirt his way into Remus' heart, but he didn't expect Remus to flirt back.

Remus flirting back and Sirius having a full-on crisis is one of the greatest tropes and mhiiiaka writes it so well.

The Truth in the Dare by Marie_Thomas (5k)

Summary: Remus has no idea why the Gryffindors always dare Sirius to snog him every time James, Peter and Sirius play Truth or Dare. Yet for some reason, he can't bring himself to complain about it.

Really cute fic and I love the plot idea.

The Art of Gift Giving by my_castlescrumbling (600 words)

Summary: But the next night, when he said to Sirius, heart beating nervously, "My quill broke yesterday. My favorite one," he was half-hoping not to find the stunning, gold-plated quill he saw on his pillow the next day. Because he knew what that meant. - Remus is getting gifts from a secret admirer, and he's pretty sure he knows who it is.

Really short but so sweet I love it.

Side note: @my-castles-crumbling writes a lot of microfics on Tumblr and they're all amazing

Chef was cute, would eat here again by her_smile_forges_galaxies (5k)

Summary: Sirius is used to critics visiting his restaurant, but when the most beautiful man he's ever seen sits down, he's faced with what should be an impossible decision... the hope of a date, or a good review?

Really, it isn't even a question.

I said I didn't do first meetings, yet here's another one... I honestly don't know what to say except that this fic is amazing.

With my corkscrew hair by weeb_grass (6k)

Summary:

“It's nothing! I just— Well, what James said earlier, y'know, about not taking the potion because it wouldn't work on him. He wasn't exactly lying. If he truly loves me—” here, her cheeks begin to fill again, “—then the potion really wouldn't work on him.”

Or:

Does amortentia work if you're already in love with the potion's brewer?

I always love an amortentia fic but the originality of the plot makes it even better.

And that's it! Hope you like those fics :)

I'll probably make another poll to ask which ship I should do next but don't hesitate to request a rec list!

[altraviolet]

Just reread the echo garden again and I must say that Soundwave’s character development throughout the story has been both beautiful and extraordinary! (Even I was proud of him)

There is something that I’ve been curious about tho. What if Soundwave somehow got the chance to reunite with his universes Megatron at some point after the events of TEG? What might a reunion between them look like?

Thanks for the reread! =D

This is a popular question! I've been asked several times: it's something people are definitely curious about.

I never had an answer because I always knew we wouldn't be going back to SW's dimension in the fic. And even if we did, his Megatron would be dead or altered beyond recognition, due to the internal logic of the universe. I never needed an answer. And it felt like it would be very complicated and Too Much Work to figure out.

Unsatisfying but true, lol.

But, okay, let's do a little mind experiment. Off the cuff. No prior planning. Let's say that, somehow, SW's Megatron is preserved and in a recognizable state, and that the last we saw of him in TFP is also true in universe. And for some reason, SW wants to go back. And for some reason, they've run into each other.

The last we saw of Megatron in TFP, iirc, he'd just been freed from subjugation under Galvatron, and he stated that he never wanted to feel like that again, and he would not do it to anyone else ever again.

So disregarding RiD2015 as any possible source of further characterization...

...I feel like this Megatron would avoid Soundwave and the other Decepticons for a long time. He really sounded like he wanted a Very Long Time Out. His character change was stark, in those last few on screen moments, and there isn't much to go off of, regarding what New Directions he would head down.

He had a very calm air about him when he said it... but he's not an innately calm character. He's been driven by anger for a long time. He had expectations of being fully obeyed for a long time. He has just been handed the reveal of his life: that everything he did was extremely awful and he's only learned that because it happened to him.

So we have a character in an unknown state. How much growth will there actually be? Or will there be a backlash, a backslide into something similar to what he was before? There are no real answers (as far as I know of, in canon), so this becomes the domain of the fic writer.

And that's what I mean when I say this sounds like Too Much Work xD How do I proceed with an arc that feels Megatron-y, doesn't copy any other arcs we've seen, feels authentic to the character and world... what happens when you push a character to the destruction of their core values? How do they build themselves up again?

I don't know :D I'd have to rewatch TFP and then sit and think about it for a long time, and I'm not interested in doing that. I see several courses his arc could take, but I'm not sure which one is the most 'authentic.'

But, okay, people keep asking me.

Let's say TFP Megatron has been scrounging around, somewhat pathetically, on Cybertron (I honestly don't remember what state Cybertron was left in, at the end of TFP, but we're far into the future so uhhhhhh idk it's rebuilding), and our main characters meet because SW has returned to his home dimension for supplies. I assume SW would be accompanied by a few friends, probably including Rodimus.

There'd be some kind of first contact scene, but the thing the readers most want to see is SW and Megatron alone, so we'd have to plot for Rodimus & friends to go somewhere else (be amenable to giving them alone time, or get distracted by something, etc). So now we have SW and Megatron. And they're staring at each other.

SW is looking at the mech who destroyed him, rebuilt him, and then used him for millions of years.

Megatron is looking at the ultimate example of his tyrannic rule: a mech he shaped into a perfect servant.

SW sees Megatron as a pitiful thing, obviously living off scraps [since in this character arc branch we won't let him backslide into dark energon use or his tyrannical tendencies], obviously alone and doing terribly.

Megatron sees SW as a faded and scratched up, but obviously healthy mech, who initially arrived with allies. Allies who wear the Autobrand.

What next?

Well... I don't know. I'm going to give you some possible reactions Megatron has to this:

-immediately starts calculating how he can use Soundwave to his advantage. this Megatron IS clever enough, in my opinion, to possibly recognize that SW's associates are not Of This Universe. perhaps, he thinks, he can appeal to SW's loyal nature

-truly feels sorry for what he did to SW: either does or does not know how to apologize for it

-"Even you, Soundwave?" though Megatron has sworn off his old ways, he's still disappointed that his most loyal soldier has switched sides. it's a reminder of his own weakness and failure. he couldn't even keep Soundwave loyal

Some possible reactions SW has to seeing Megatron:

-!!!

-correctly recognizing him as the pitiful figure he is, and perhaps even going so far as to identify with the long process Megatron has ahead of him for healing, should Megatron even be able to find people to help him through it

-anger. despite the pitiful appearance, Megatron still did bad things, and unlike 0001 Megatron, never apologized or made any amends

-perhaps the most biting response: SW could look at Megatron for a moment and then just walk away. maybe Megatron calls out to him, but he keeps going. he lets Megatron see that he's healthy and thriving, and that he doesn't need Megatron, and that he doesn't care about him. he doesn't even need or want an apology, or any kind of response. he assesses and moves on, like Megatron is just another piece of scrap

or, of course

-some kind of hilariously inappropriate troll response, lol.

so yeah. as you can see, anon, there are quite a few ways things could go. there's an infinite number of ways things could go!

the way you choose which thing to do would depend on what you want the story to say. is there some kind of message about forgiveness? or is the message that there are some things you just can't forgive, and so you must move on for your own sense of self and preservation? cut ties, and so forth

and so that's the answer: there are too many answers and I'm not particularly interested, at this time, in figuring out which one is the best. I always say, hey, you never know: if I ever do feel like writing out this scene, I will

hope you enjoyed ✨

[disappearenceofsomeone]

the small... the itty bitty.. the sad sniffles..

(hi guys!! needed a break to deal with something, but hopefully I can actually try a schedule for posting stuff soon :3 )

uhh I got designs + barely cohesive context right below:

I love these SILLIES!!! don't mind how empty Winnie's page is, I didn't know what to do

decided that giving them school uniforms to match the surrounding this took place in was a ok decision so I did that!!

also here's the rlly confusing context I made in the middle of the night whilst accidentally pulling an all nighter at the same time:

(I have 0 experience in writing anything in general, I was spouting whatever made sense in my head so if you think this is ooc for them, it probably and most likely is lmaoo. sorry in advance to everyone who was curious ehough to read whatever... this is considered..)

anyways, prologue takes place in an elementary school where Winnie just finished his day at school, it didn't go that well but y'know, there's 10 more things to worry Abt then that. He gets to the bus stop, knowing well he was gonna have to stay there for awhile and planned on making himself comfortable. Upon arriving, he hears sad sniffles from across the seats and boom, sad lil meow meow auggie appears!! Very concerned Winnie approaches the kid, proceeds to get a very hot headed response from him as auggie pushes him away (he isn't having any of it today + he was kinda a punk when he was little like damn!!!) Winnie clearly sees that the dude needs ATLEAST *some* company so he just, sits by him awkwardly. Augustine over here doesn't have a clue why he's still not going away but accepts it nonetheless, albeit in a very tsun tsun way I guess. Winnie takes this as a small talk starter and tries to engage with him, to no avail as auggie seems to have a very reserved manner when alone. After a few minutes of trying, he decides to just be straightforward and ask him what's up, to which Augustine replies with a 'none of your business, why do you want to know?' type of response. He just tells him that moping around wasn't gonna do him any good and since they both seem to be going home late anyway, might as well kill time. (on second thought, they sound very adult for 7-12 yr olds, what. I will come back to reread this dw) Augustine now knows Winnie doesn't mean any harm and decides why not, got nothing else to do. He proceeds to tell him regarding how others seem to only want to be around him whenever he acts a certain way (ie, very bubbly, friendly, etc) and thinks about whether or not people actually do like him for himself. It also makes him feel like if people actually knew how he was, not many would stay (like a 'yeah I want people to stay, but I want them to stay for who I actually am' type thing). Winnie tells him that he should be himself, regardless of what anybody else thinks otherwise. Additionally, Winnie thinks that if nobody's willing to stay after seeing the truth, it's their loss honestly, he thinks Augustine should care about people who would actually be there for him, not for who he's trying to be. Augustine is somewhat stunned by this, asking if he's been through this before, to which Winnie remarks with a similar situation happening back in his previous school (Winnie's friends didn't stay in touch and never contacted him ever since he moved). They pretty much notice atp how similar they were and decided to spend to the entire time waiting just chatting, turns out they got along very well (cue scenes of them yelling at each other playing games, cat scratching as they yell something dumb at the other while simultaneously talking about how cute the cats walking around were). Time passes and bam! Winnie's mom finally comes over to pick them up!!

"Hey! I know that lady! She's my mom's neighbour! :O"

"Oh, it's my mom-- How do you know my mom???"

"Uh, duh!! >:/ I just said that she's my mom's neighbour--- she's your mom!?!?"

(Cue them getting inside the car and getting bits about how Augustine and his mom met. Apparently, he and his mom visited to send off some gifts for her, when in actuality, it was to send off some medicine for Winnie, who was sick during this time. Of course they got some gifts but the medicine was important. And the gifts were too.)

As they got closer towards their houses, Winnie was planning to just go back inside the house immediately since he's got no plans going on and assumes that was it. Augustine thinks otherwise, so when they both got out of the car, he immediately blurts out his name and introduces himself. Winnie, realizing this entire time they haven't even said their names towards each other, also introduces himself in response.

They both seem to connect easily and since no one else was willing to, they will instead. With a promise to stay by each other's side no matter what, they both spent their entire childhood together. They were practically two peas in a pod, nobody ever saw them apart, even if they were in a group of people. They stood out by a lot since then, the very loud and obnoxious kid was hanging around with someone who could chill him out in an instant. The two were inseparable

[coff-in]

hii this is the anon who requested for that pregnancy fic w the graves siblings >< thank you so much for answering my follow-up questions!! 🥺🤍 I had a bit of thoughts as well as your fic and response made me have a hugggeee brainrot!!

so after everything you had said, I had a strange dream weirdly enough of the scenario and hcs you came up with (I like to read fics and hcs before I sleep, including urs <3) and basically, I was thinking that yes:

• ashley, despite not liking [reader] and kind of terrorising her when andrew became obsessed with her, still pretty much assists in kidnapping and bringing her everywhere despite her protests and horror when she witnesses the grave siblings murder and sacrifice people.

• along the way however, ashley has a bit of .. how shall I put it, tsundere feelings for [reader] <3 falling for her and convincing andrew to have a threesome rape with her eventually

• when [reader] got pregnant (before ashley fell for her) ashley ofc wasn’t too happy about it but also, didn’t allow reader to escape from them with andrew’s baby or to scream for help, in fact, she threatens her that if she tries calling for help or running away, she’ll mutilate her arms and legs and cut her tongue out </3 anything to defend her brother

• ok this is probs a bit dark so feel free to skip this one (my own lactation kink!) but can u imagine while [reader] is pregnant, andrew and ashley notice that [readers] breasts are larger than normal .. and that she is leaking through her shirt … and well they *are* a bit thirsty and could use something sweet … so … they caught [reader] unaware and pretty much forces her shirt up before latching their mouths onto her nipples </3 (ahh the symbolism! kind of like healing their inner child by trying out mommy’s milk) despite reader begging and crying for them to stop, they can’t

• omg also maybe a few months in while reader is still heavily pregnant, andrew and ashley can’t stop getting horny seeing reader waddle around with her pregnant belly and decide to rape her bcs she looks too cute not to molest </3

• ooo omg maybe this same scenario but with male ashley (asher) … hating reader at first but slowly falling for her and now, seeing his big brother having a baby with her, he wants one too! </3

thank you for listening to me ramble 🤧 soo many yummy scenarios 🤍 take care!!!

notes from coff-in: 'NONNIE YOU COOKED!!! YOU COOKED A WHOLE MEAL!!! A DINNER FOR FOUR!!! when i woke up to this at first i was like "wow... that's crazy /positive" but i've came back to my inbox to reread this like 10 times and now i'm like "teehee 🤭 that's so silly i wonder what happens next" like... you're so creative, 'nonnie, honestly feeling so blessed to see this in my inbox! YOU CAN ALWAYS RAMBLE TO ME!! remember this guys, you can always come to me to ramble if u need to. i listen to everything

[fem] reader-insert, [afab] reader-insert, mentions/brief talk of male ashley graves, NSFW, rape, incest, pregnancy, lactation kink

you gotta tell me how [reader] and the siblings met. i keep it vague intentionally but i wanna hear from YOU how they meet. what would get andrew so obsessive over them? especially to the point where he has to fight with ashley to keep her around and ashley FUCKING DOES IT?? ashley is impulsive, not stupid, i know this-- she doesn't just outright kill people she doesn't like. but back at the apartment it's a fucking free for all, she would be so so justified if she did kill [reader], she's just another loose end after all. like the lady in room 302. actually this parallels(?) what happened in room 302 a lot; unknown neighbor lady, andrew watching her and keeping her hostage, ashley believing that he just wants to get his dick wet with her (except this time he actually does want that??). instead of killing her they just take [reader] with them... do they ever explain to her why? how would they do that??? they'd probably pressure her into committing a crime (murder/cannibalism) so they'd have that leverage over her... god they're so fucking crazy ♡

i can see andrew just cradling [reader] in his lap while they watch TV, holding her in his arms while he rests his cheek on top of her head. so calm and peaceful while [reader] is shaking like a leaf because ashley is glaring fucking daggers at her and andrew isn't doing anything about it (it all reminds me of julia, except andrew actually likes/cares for [reader] more than he did julia). omg ashley threatens to fucking cut off [reader]'s limbs and tongue and andrew comforts her, petting her hair as he whispers "it's okay, ashley's just trying to scare you. she's just a little jealous. if you keep being good we won't have to resort to that, will we?"

i love sucking on tiddies (i have never done so) so seeing andrew and ashley latch on to [reader]'s leaking nipples is such a mood. it'd be so funny if they sort of fought or pushed each other out of the way so they can drink more and [reader]'s underneath them gently trying to break it up, "hey, hey... one at a time! there's enough for both of you..." i honestly feel bad for [reader] though, i hope they do nice things for her since they rape her so much. (was not expecting to type that out) like they better be giving her the best dick/strap or head ever!!!

these were so yummy, you guys take such good care of me ♡

----

coff-in

[elainsgirl]

the petty side of me laughs at how poorly all these gwynriel comms and posts are going to age. they repeatedly talk about gwyn and azriel being mates as if it’s canon, despite zero definitive proof and more proof to the contrary, and it’s hard not to feel secondhand embarrassment for them.

at least most elriels will preface their art and posts with “this is what i think will happen because of XYZ” or “this is my favorite theory” or even outright say it’s a crack theory; meanwhile gwynriels are out here with their whole chest saying “they are MATES and i can’t wait for them to find out that they’re MATES and nothing is more important than the fact that they are FOR SURE MATES and this is CANON because SPARK”

they are setting themselves up for failure at this point and it is going to make looking back at their old comms and posts physically painful tbh.

i guess it doesn’t help they don’t have any actual canon to go off of, whereas we do and can create from that. it would make me feel bad for them if they weren’t so toxic and rude about it

anyways, thanks for listening to my rant, happy elriel announcement year!!

Hey anon 🫶

Honestly, I think they’re just going to go on a huge mass delete and erase everything they’ve said about elucien/gwynriel. It depends on how serious they take the shipwars - I know some act as though it’ll affect their actual life whilst others do not care. Idk about comms, there’s beautiful art of both elucien/gwynriel however their theories/opinion posts? Yh. Does will not age well and give second hand embarrassment. I can imagine them rereading all posts wondering where they went wrong lmfao.

The obsession w mates its so…weird? Can’t just be me who feels this way. At this point - its not even about love or true soulmates. It’s a hostage situation especially in Elucien’s case.

I think the funniest thing about antis claiming gwynriels are mates - is that simple logic, Sjms patterns and literally acosf disprove this so easily. Yet they hold onto that spark and over exaggerate it to be something it isn’t. Which in the end will backfire when it’s proven sparks ≠ mates in every case.

Yeah see, when you’re working with 0 canon or very little of it - you don’t have an outline to work with. Anything goes which is why 1) you have so many different versions of elucien/gwynriel and how their stories will go 2) thats now how canon ships work. Authors who hint at a couple a book or two prior to them being canon will always leave an outline (don’t know the technical author word for it) so you know how this couple will turn out to be.

Like - elriel is the same dynamic and have the same theories or direction of the story no matter who the elriel stan is or which platform they’re on and that’s because elriel has an outline within the book. You know how they’ll turn out to be - Elriel is just consistent whereas with the other two - you have different versions of the ships heading into different directions.

At this point, Im just waiting for the announcement and the fandoms reaction after bcs I know the announcement wont end the shipwar but instead antis will change their tune and I want to see how far they’ll go to basically backtrack what they’ve believed and said for years.

Anytime anon 💕

Happy Elriel announcement year ✨🤞

[silenzahra]

Muahahaha, you know I'd LOVE to ask you some questions about your writing! Even though I already know the answer to some of the questions in the ask game, there are also quite a few I don't, and really want to change that😉 For now let me ask you these: 4, 11, 17, 18 and 23.

I hope you know that it's okay if you take some time to answer!😊

Based on this fanfic ask game ✨

My dear Mugi! Hehe, I'm so glad that you're so curious about my writing 🤭 You certainly know a lot about it already, but I'm so happy you wanna know more 🥰

Thank you so much for sending these questions! Let's-a go! 😄

4. What are some words or phrases you feel like you overuse?

... Oh wow, we start with the hard ones, huh? 😬 Mugi, I swear, just with this answer I'd have enough mateial for a whole post, and a VERY long one 😂 But I'm gonna try not to do that and say... Well, for the words, precisely the word "say" and its many synonyms (such as "ask," "respond," "exclaim"...), as well as the word "look" and its many synonyms ("gaze," "glance," "stare"...), definitely win the prize. I struggle SO MUCH when editing my translations so they won't sound too repetitive because of these words. As for phrases... I feel that I always describe the characters' emotions and reactions the same way. For instance, they're always "short on breath," or their heart "skips a beat," or they're always putting "a hand to their chest," or things like that... And they're ALWAYS smiling, and the way I describe their smiles, again, feels the same every single time 🙃 I'm well aware I'm probably the only one who notices, but being a perfectionist writer as I am, it's one of the things I definitely need to improve.

11. What makes a fic 'successful' in your opinion?

Hmm this one is quite interesting 🤔 You know, the first thought usually has to do with the numbers, like, it'd be the most obvious thing to think that a story that has success is the one with the highest number of notes/kudos/comments/whatever. And maybe in the past I would've agreed, but not anymore.

To me, a fic that is successful is a fic that can make people happy no matter when it's been posted. It's a fic that can make whoever reads it feel things, so much so that some people even feel like rereading it at times. It means that the story stuck with them when they first read it, and I've learned that this can happen even a year after said fic was published. All in all, that's what matters to me the most: that what I write can make people happy. Even if it's just one person that enjoys the fic, then I'll consider it to be successful. It fulfilled its mission.

17. What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing?

👀👀 I can clearly *see* what you're doing with this question, my friend... I'm afraid you're not as sneaky as you may think 🤭😌

Still, here's my answer: I'm proud that, even if I'm mostly a VERY slow writer and usually spend months working on a story before I feel ready to finally post it, at times I can actually do the opposite and write a short story in just a few hours, AND feel happy and proud with the outcome. Oddly enough, this has happened to me with the two most recent Mareach fics I've posted, Bubbles of love and Clear morning, as well as with Bliss, the short story I wrote inspired by @bberetd's most recent comic.

And now that I think about it, I also didn't take too long writing Where is my brother? 🤔 I guess that, when the words start coming, I simply obey, sit down, and don't get up until I've written them all 😌📝

18. How many WIPs do you have and how many do you expect to finish?

Oof, this one's a bit tricky 😅 There are a few WIPs that I haven't talked about publicly yet, and as for now I'd rather keep it that way (I prefer to wait till I've worked a bit more on them or even till they're finished). And adding them to the ones that I have mentioned at times... lemme do the math... 23. Okay, that's honestly more than I expected 😅 I need TIME to bring them all to life oh my God.

As for the ones that I expect to finish... I mean, hopefully all of them 😅 But speaking in terms of a near future, let's say three. If everything goes according to plan, the first one will be ready next month! 🤞🤞🤞

23. What's a story you'd love to write but haven't even started yet?

Oh I have this one VERY clear: it's the story that narrates my girl Violet's birth and everything that happened before that. A GREAT part of it is inspired by Luigi's Mansion, which is among my most favorite series in the Mario franchise, and so many things happen that I get excited just by thinking about it 🤭 And I swear I do it on a daily basis at this point 😂 So I know when the time finally comes to start writing this fic, I will have a BLAST 😁

So this is it, dear Mugi! I deeply appreciate you sending this ask as I've really enjoyed answering these questions 😄 (And also that you said that it was okay if I took some time 🫂). I hope they satiated your curiosity and you could get to know me a bit better as a writer 🥰

Still, I do see that "for now" right there, so if there's still something else you'd like to know, feel free to ask!

Thank you sooo much 💖

[farshootergotme]

Oh you and your friend make some interesting points about why Bruce adopting Dick so late in his life was a problem. It’s something writers clearly didn’t take into account when the trying to make this scene work while also not letting go of the not being adopted thing plot line while also trying to have their cake too by having Dick and Bruce makeup and finally having Dick be adopted by Bruce.

I know the writer writing Protugal wanted it to be a touching moment between the two of them. But the problem is it isn’t about what Dick wants and it written in a way where Bruce while has good intention offering him the adoption papers, he doesn’t own up to the fact he caused this issue in the first place if I am remembering correctly although I will have double check and reread that scene so take my statement with a grain of salt. Poor communication is truly the worst emery of them all and cough comic book writers loving to hammer in unnecessary drama and conflict even if makes no bloody sense at times or take into account how it effect the characters going forward. 

The thing about what is a good Batman writer is not necessarily if they nail Bruce Wayne and Batman as a whole but rather if they care about Robin as a concept or even like characters Dick Grayson in general. Same goes to Nightwing writers as well you can absolutely love Dick Grayson but do you actually understand Bruce Wayne as a character and are you willing to explore that aspect of their relationship Ie father/son. (Then again some of Nightwing writers do him so bloody dirty it’s honestly mind boggling to me.)

Another thing to think about is how most modern day writers and even some of older best writers from back in day of Batman is that they refuse to let him be wrong or admit he has messed up. Like my god, I like Bruce as character I really do but it’s so frustrating to see how he is treated in modern books like my god just stop the drama already with his family, I’m tired of Batman being regressed to his younger less mature self mentality and acts like he has learned nothing. Why is it so hard to just let him be a flawed but well meaning dad who yes messes up sometimes but is willing to get better and grow as a person because at the end of the day he truly cares about his children.

My problem with Richard getting adopted as an adult is well mainly with how it was handled. It never about what Dick wants if it was the writers would have made Bruce apologise for his failing as a father to him and make it so it’s up to Richard if he decides to forgive him or not because let’s be honest Bruce hurt his eldest son by his selfish actions but Bruce should also just be honest with him about he has always seen him as a son maybe not at first but it grew into that overtime and that he was wrong for assuming how Dick felt about being adopted and should have done sooner in fact he should have done around the same time as Jason. Again he should have done the minute or at least offered it when he and Dick had a heart to heart in the Marv wolf man run at Donna wedding but I don’t know. You know what amusing about his run is before this story was made he refer to Dick as Bruce adopted child early in his run which is an interesting thing to think about or maybe I misremember and it was a different writer altogether. OvO’)

Or maybe we can just skip all the stupid drama of adopting or no adopting bs and just have Bruce adopt Richard as a young teen which gives Dick enough time to think about it and probably change his mind. It also gives them time to bond as father and son, now I am not asking for Bruce to be a perfect father figure mistakes will happen as he learns what it means to be a father figure to Dick. Like come on give me fun and compassionate Batman please I miss him like geez why are the writers afraid to just let Bruce grow and move on from his past to some extent. 

Another to get off my chest with DC is well isn’t time to just retire the whole ward thing because it not really used anymore and might as well change to Dick being a foster child because that is what he is. Like the 2004 cartoon The Batman made this change to just that. Like I get Ward is historically important to Richard but I don’t know. Another thing I wish for is just to let Dick be adopted earlier at this point because the drama of not being adopted is just hurting both Dick and Bruce as characters at this point. 

When you could instead be focusing on why Dick wanting space and independence from Bruce like how his parenting style can be quite old fashioned the strict yet overprotective father figure and how he shows his love through his actions rather then his words. You could also explore how Bruce being a dad with a mental health issue aka ptsd, being kind of a control freak and suffer from self loathing issues and how he thinks he never be a good enough parent to his adopted soon. Effects Dick development and how Dick felt like over-coddled and suppressed by Bruce being overprotective and at times being super critical of his decisions as a young teen and young adult.

Honestly what frustrating about Tom Tyler run of Nightwing is that the scene with Dick and Bruce in the bat cave is so good but the problem is it is not earned because Tom Tyler hasn’t really taken the time to explore Dick’s and Bruce’s relationship as father and son or having the balls to actually explore the nuances of it and gasp let Dick call Bruce out on where he has hurt him and that Bruce needing to take responsibility for his actions as father. 

This is why I hate when people say they aren’t father and son or god damn family because one it makes it out Bruce actions aren’t as bad because they’re just “coworkers/partners” which just gross to me and also takes away Richard agency and why he repels so heavily against Bruce and why he is so upset about not being adopted you can’t just sit there and tell me they’re not family because it’s simply not true because this effects Richard heavily because in his mind he thought he wasn’t good enough to be Bruce’s son and felt replaced. Literally Eldest feeling replaced by the new baby sibling coded right there.

Another thing, I feel people will have come and accept about superhero comics mostly by Marvel and DC is well they’re kinda like fairy tales in a way, writers giving their own spin and takes on the world and the characters that function within it. They only things that keep them connected is how characters themselves and if they develop and grows carries over or sticks within that part of the lore. I also feel that writers are afraid to take big risks like changing how Dick Grayson became Nightwing even though they’re already one or two versions where it doesn’t lead to him fighting with Bruce and getting fired.

Now I am not saying ignore canon completely but I feel you’re at the mercy of the writers or eras of comic book runs and I think people should pick the writers they like rather try to stitch all these different takes and continuities together. Then again, I guess it doesn’t help that most media has Batman alone and completely disregard the concept of Robin or his found family in general and that honestly such a shame because Robin aka Dick Grayson is the reason Batman comics stayed alive for so alive for so long, hell he was created even before blooming Alfred.

Which leads to final point this whole thing about Dick Grayson not being adopted, has made so that is all is ever talked about. Who Dick Grayson the character like what are his goals who he is like yes he relationship with his father figure is important as it what lead him to this pathway and wether he likes or not he can quite similar to Bruce in terms of his beliefs and parts of his personality but also what about his friends the titans or his journey into adulthood and he finds himself that’s more interesting to me. Modern writers what are you doing with Richard he has so much potential and yet it feels like they have no idea on what they want to do with. No more Tony Zuuco no more changing to his backstory leave it alone please it’s fine how it is there is no reason to make it more complicated and by doing that you take away how the parallel between Bruce and Dick backstories 👏👏👏Hot take I know. 

Also, there is nothing wrong with wanting to write Dick and Bruce patching up their relationship as father and son, I love Bruce being a good dad that is trying to best despite being mentally ill himself. But keep in mind how you go about writing Bruce and make sure he faces consequences for his decisions and actions as a parental figure to  Dick Grayson and his other children. 

Oh wow sorry for making another kinda essay in your ask box again. 😅 (Hmm, I could talk about how Dick parents and his lifestyle at the circus effect his personality and how his flaws were already there before Bruce took him in but that probably for another time ha ha.

Anyway, that is enough of my rambles and inner never ending thought of this complicated father and son duo.

Hey, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I personally can agree with a lot that you're saying.

The problem when it comes to writing Dick and Bruce is that their characters are so old that many of the things from the earliest comics would be very different if one wants to write them in a more modern era. But many writers seem to choose to keep things (despite also changing things that are actually alright and should be left alone, but, oh, well...)

I mean, I don't think the drama of Bruce not being able to adopt is all that bad. For example, in one of the origins, there was woman, Sister Mary, who took care of Dick during his time at the orphanage. She mentions doubting Bruce's capabilities as a father because of his reputation as a womanizer, but that she was convinced she'd be good for Dick after talking with him in private.

They could still use this conflict in modern era and how his image as the playboy billionaire could influence the jury's decision to only give him custody of Dick as his new guardian rather than his adoptive father. Plus (I don't remember if it was in the same origin or not) Dick at the beginning wasn't fully ready to have a 'replacement' for his dad, so Bruce would respect that and accept the responsibility as his guardian.

However, here's where I'd say that they screw up; they let the years pass, no mention of adoption whatsoever (despite both clearly growing to see each other as father and son, respectively) and they just leave it at that until, check this out! Jason is adopted! I would assume now the jury is okay with letting him adopt a child because he's proven himself by taking care of Dick all these years. But, yeah, actually, back to Dick, what about him, then?

I don't believe for a second nobody would bring up the adoption issues. Like, if not Bruce or Dick (maybe because they're both afraid of being rejected by the other if they bring it up) why not Alfred? He's not shy about voicing his thoughts to Bruce, and I'm sure he could convince him to have a chat with Dick about a possible adoption because Dick is only getting older and one day it'll be too late to ask.

(Except not apparently because DC wrote Bruce asking a Dick in his early twenty's if he can adopt him which is definitely not late at all! Not to mention they had the first real conversation about adoption years ago, but Bruce just ignored Dick clears desires to be adopted and only brought it up when he thought it was the right time because why make a father that cares also about his son's emotions, am I right?

It just feels like a cheap compensation for all the years they (specially Dick) waited to become an official family. So what if the bond is more important? Maybe Dick wanted the reassurance that no matter what he would still be Bruce's family without meaning the end of their relationship everytime he left the manor to make a life for himself, is that so wrong?)

And it just makes Bruce look so bad when someone comes up with the excuse that "Dick didn't want to be adopted so Bruce was only respecting his wishes". Well, of fucking course he didn't want to get a new father a few weeks after he saw his dad's bloody corpse laying on the floor of the circus! But years later? When he's already learnt to deal with the grief and has found a new family in these two older men that chose to take care of him? What excuse does Bruce have then to not have ever brought it up again? The only 'excuse' I could think of is that he was insecure that he wouldn't be a good father to Dick (or as good as Jhon Grayson) or, as I mentioned before, afraid of being rejected. But this isn't just about him!! And as the adult in the situation he needs to save those feelings for later and communicate with Dick first without coming to any assumptions. What will change from the current relationship, anyway? Other than the security that Bruce can't just get rid of Dick whenever he wants since he's just his guardian and he can pass the responsibility to anyone else which sounds a lot more like a plus to me than a negative change.

And Bruce himself said "it doesn't really change anything" when he gave Dick the papers, so it really was a non-issue since the beginning.

I get he can have doubts and insecurities, but when it's between putting your feelings first or the ones of the child you're raising, I think the decision should come pretty easily. (Not to Bruce, apparently)

So, yeah, if DC really wanted, they could just change the early years again (we know they can, they've done it enough times already) and make Dick Bruce's officially adopted son during his Robin years and fix the whole issue very easily.

Now, I wanted to address the part about Bruce's parenting and DC not letting him develop and grow as both a character and a father, but I don't want to make this too long and you already said enough about the topic, so I'll leave it at that.

(also, would definitely love to hear about your thoughts on Dick's upbringing at the circus and how his issues began from his early childhood and not everything was for Bruce's influence. I have my own thoughts about that and it'd be great to discuss them with you)

[speedierthanasubmarine]

Finished heaven official’s blessing and I really enjoyed writing an analysis on helluva boss I want to make this a regular thing because it’s fun so here’s my thoughts on

Heaven Official’s Blessing

Spoilers (duh)

I think it’s incredibly impressive when someone can make an overarching narrative in which different seemingly disjointed events are significant without A) putting a giant exclamation mark on top saying “REMEMBER THIS IT WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER” and B) Significantly over or under emphasizing the importance of the scene in the moment. Each event stood on its own and I liked that.

There were several janky sentences and word choices but that’s a translation issue, this writer clearly knows what she’s doing.

Characters were a lot of fun and distinct, my favorites were Feng Xin, Pei Ming, Qi Ying, and Ling Wen whenever they were on the page I was like Ah yes, these pages are gonna be enjoyable and I was right, they’re all delightful (cept the brocade immortal stuff, but like I don’t care, Google assistant is fun) Xie Lian and San Lang are delightful, love them, and San Lang is so effed in the head it’s enjoyable to try and imagine what unhinged thing he’ll do next

Tbh there isn’t much plot breakdown I want to do with this series because it knows what it is, it’s a fanfic ass book with good times, trauma, gay fluff, and fights. Need I say more? That’s not a detractor, it’s a strength. Be what you are and own it because a house with a house’s foundation is a great house but slap a building on that house’s foundation and it fails in both regards.

The only aspect I’m going to analyze is the narrative voice the books are written in because holy crap is it super impressive. Xie Lian is a super mature (or ditzy, depending on your point of view) character, he doesn’t dwell on things, doesn’t hold grudges, doesn’t really care that much about people’s histories or even their present, doesn’t focus much on externals and it comes through in the way the book is written. I noticed this when throughout the books San Lang would do fucked up stuff like make it rain blood and kill a pit’s worth of people and Xie Lian kinda didn’t really seem to care and at first it pissed me off, why isn’t the author letting consequences occur because of these peoples’ actions, but then as it held consistently throughout the book and other people kept being super concerned about stuff, like Pei Constantly asking after Shi Qingxuan (I don’t know how to spell their name, it’s so hard to keep track I’m so sorry) or people bringing up Banue, I realized this is just Xie Lian, other people in the book are regular people like me, this one guy is just experiencing things, going “Well, ain’t that something” and then just moving on. Honestly iconic, but also I was halfway through book six when I realized. Especially since whenever they do flashbacks Xie Lian does all normal stuff. He describes settings he’s in, he mentions events that happened a few pages ago, he tells the reader how he feels, it’s after he experiences all his shit he goes through that this all kinda slips away. In “present” scenes he’ll reference things as they come up but like in the flashback after Mu Qing leaves they talk about it a few times and I find that aspect of acknowledgment to be noticeably absent in the “present” scenes. After the black water arc there is a complete lack of discussion about the frankly trauma inducing event that just transpired but sure Cie Lian, you and San Lang have to not hold hands for the billionth time. At first I thought is this author high but then I realized what shes doing is characterizing through prose which is IMPRESSIVE AS HELL. This may be a point I noticed and am now misremembering the entire series just to bolster my take and if that’s the case then I shall sheepishly shrug and say I’m sorry. I’m not rereading 8 books to write a tumblr review. Maybe if I ever start a YouTube channel

I don’t know, I just find it to be an incredible feat of actually good writing when a story is being told through the lens of the main character and you can characterize that character by simply reading the story and seeing how it’s written, not even through dialogue and action. It’s kinda like the Great Gatsby or a Separate Peace, and it’s super cool that a book like this can accomplish the same thing that makes those classics great. There isn’t as much symbolism or analytical potential but those books wouldn’t be nearly as impactful as they were without great execution, which this book pulled off in spades.

[epickiya722]

I really feel like Gégé wanted to write more about Sukuna and Yuuji but got into too many things at once to be able to solve everything

Still JJK will stay one of my favorite manga (maybe more the anime tho, the jujusanpo are peaks) because I fell for the universe and the characters

I am aware of all the flaws but I still feel at peace now somehow

You know what, maybe I feel this way because I write, but... when a story has flaws I don't really mind them. For me, it's like learning from something, taking that example and using it to perfectly own flaws in writing be it pacing or filling in plot holes. If there's something missing from that canon story, I could just use my imagination and figure out the "what if". For all I know, maybe that's what the creator (Gege, in this case) wants me as a reader to do.

Keeps me engaged, you know?

It really just sucks because even with flaws, some people act as if those flaws are like, illegal, to have and every person has to be a brilliant, perfect, flawless writer. They don't take in the account of the multiple elements that could affect the writer and why they did or did not do this for THEIR OWN STORY they wanted to tell.

With that said, having read both the official and fan translation, I don't think the ending was actually bad. Overall, I don't think JJK was bad. Yes, there are flaws, but they don't make JJK garbage.

I feel like, just me now putting myself in someone else's shoes, Gege did want to expand on a few things and did think there would be time for it. However, a lot of things did happen in real life that changed that.

There's also the fact that this is Gege's first manga that did get overly popular. Not a first time experience working on a manga, but first time working on a manga that got this big. That and the draft is different from the final piece.

And honestly, the loud crowd of this fandom I tune out because reading some of their posts and whatnot just feels they didn't care to actually read the manga. Certain fans of certain characters are jerks who feel some kind of way and don't take in account that the manga wasn't written and drawn solely for them.

Again, I enjoyed JJK and it is a manga I would reread. I feel like there are some things I could still say, just don't know what exactly yet.

Sukuna and Yuji's relationship is definitely one topic though that does rotate in my head and yeah, I do feel like it may have been one of those things Gege may wanted to expand on.

By the end, I can say they are still two of my favorite characters (Yuji will just always be number one in my heart, that's my sunshine boy kicking ass and serving smiles since day one, strange little guy he is) and their scenes are definitely some of my favorites.

[perpetuallyfive]

making some kind of "commitment"

I've been feeling such a strong impulse to write.

But I do know that I've said this before, often in fact, and the final product doesn't always appear. Sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes the confidence in what's already written down dries up, but that's why I've decided to try to say some of it more explicitly.

I'd like to put it out there in an effort to give myself a commitment to something to work toward, sure, but also permission to actually do it and post, even when it's not entirely perfect. The world is largely imperfect, and I might as well chase my bliss.

Currently Writing:

Warrior Nun Dragon Age AU: There's 18,000 words of chapters 3 and 4 written, some of which has already gone to beta. I need to do some revising but this feels very, very close and I'm excited about it again, which is the most vital part.

Really Want to Write:

Frantically thinking about a believably in character way to write something for Caitlyn/Vi in the same vein as You Can't Become Unreal Again. This is the main place my brain is at right now.

A small Agatha idea that's not too intense in world building, dear god please brain just let me write something around 10k and let it go, let it goooo into the world.

Honestly I keep thinking about the idea of Bishova at the TVA. Has this already been done? It's probably already been done. But the time hijinks!

I Promise I Am Going to Finish and Still Think About It Regularly:

RWBY Dishonored AU. It's going to happen. I want it to happen. I have written so much of the next two chapters it's sick that they're not out yet. I just made it so long that I have to go back and reread everything to double triple check which things have already been made explicit and which things I've only been pondering for literally years at this point and never actually put into the text. I am (often) my own worst enemy.

Less Sure About But I Still Wanna Finish One Day:

When The Feast Is Over, the third Bechloe Marvel AU fic where I set myself up to have to figure out the entire first major arc of the MCU as it plays out in my specific universe so I could mess with it. Why do I always try to write ideas that require SO MUCH world building? Why is that the kind of thing that makes my brain so happy? Some mysteries will never be solved.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

What are your thoughts on drarry?

spireasalix asked:

Hi! I just found your blog and find your theories really interesting. I don't know if anyone has asked you before, but what do you think of Draco Malfoy? Do you think he would have a chance with Harry? Could they fall in love or there is too much history between them? Let's make Harry/Draco canon! Hahahaha

Hi, thank you so much! 😊

Since it's a ship/character ask I want to preface that everyone can ship what they want and like whatever characters they want and this is my personal highly subjective opinion.

I'll start with my thoughts on Drarry, as I had an arc there, like, back when I just got into the fandom I really liked the concept of Drarry, so I read some Drarry and didn't like most of what I found back then. That dislike kinda colored Drarry and Draco's character as a whole for me, so it was kinda like: "I can see the appeal on paper, but I don't like it". More recently though I read a lot about canon Drarry from @iamnmbr3 and she honestly got me rethinking my opinion on Draco and Drarry.

As I stand on it now, I'm not invested in Drarry, but I see them occasionally on my dash and sometimes I like what I see. It's the: yeah, I can see it happen, but it's not a pairing I'm passionate about.

Now, to @spireasalix more specific questions.

Draco Malfoy is an interesting character in theory but I don't think it comes across in the books as much as it could. Like, in books 1-5, I find him an annoying spoilt little brat. It can be entertaining when he comes on the page, and I know he'd be whining and dramatic and make a scene. And it makes sense Draco is this way, he's an only child of very rich parents who love him, he looks up to his father like Lucius could do no wrong, but he is lonely and attention-seeking. This need for attention is interesting and is part of why he is so obsessed with Harry. It shows he wants approval and is actually quite insecure under all his pride and mean attitude. He was raised to be a blood-supremacist spoilt jerk, and he does a decent job at being a schoolyard bully without crossing any super major lines.

Younger Draco can be a fun character, he's a problem Harry feels comfortable with because he knows how to deal with him, unlike his other problems (of which he has a lot). I think part of why Harry focuses on Draco as much as he does is because Draco is a predictable problem, one Harry feels he has control over how he wants to deal with him. Which is comforting considering how little control he has over literally every other area of his life.

Then in books 6 and 7, that's when Draco starts actually having his character development, and there are interesting things there, or the potential for them. I love what he goes through, becoming a Death eater only to realize, that: no, he can't really do violence. The constant fear for himself and his family, the torture he most likely goes through, being a prisoner in his own home, like, there is so much potential good angst there but I don't feel like the books really take it as far as it can go.

I recently finished my reread of HBP, and Draco in it was having a crap time, truly. He partially brought it on himself, but he really was thrown into the deep end and he is flailing around to keep his head above water regretting ever asking to leave the kiddie pool (because make no mistake, he asked to be in the grown-ups' pool). And you see how he matures there, going from a spoilt brat to a terrified teen. In one summer he went from the top of his own little world to seeing how powerless he actually is. And, like, out of everyone, the person he apparently confides in is Moaning Myrtle, like, idk, I love that, I think this friendship should be mentioned more. Like, Draco is having a crisis over his family, his worldview, his own worth, being a Death Eater and what it means, and his confidant is the ghost of a muggleborn girl who Tom Riddle, his new master, killed. Like, there are some implications.

I find it fascinating Myrtle says this about Draco:

“No,” said Myrtle defiantly, her voice echoing loudly around the old tiled bathroom. “I mean he’s sensitive, people bully him too, and he feels lonely and hasn’t got anybody to talk to, and he’s not afraid to show his feelings and cry!”

(HBP, 462)

That combined with the fact that Draco doesn't ever really try to harm Harry too badly (@iamnmbr3 wrote many great posts about this). Like, at the beginning of HBP, he has Harry petrified and he just breaks his nose. And this is already after he becomes a Death Eater. He also helps Harry multiple times throughout Deathly Hollows, something that places him and his family at risk.

And, yes, he makes some attempts to kill Dumbledore that harm others (the cursed necklace that hurt Katie Bell and the poison Ron drank) but I think the methods he uses are telling. Draco attempts to kill Dumbledore with methods where he himself is far away from the action. You can say it's due to a Slytherin sense of self-preservation, and that's part of it, I'm sure, but I think the main part of it is that Draco is averse to violence. At the end when he was face to face with Dumbledore he couldn't bring himself to cast the curse. Dumbledore was disarmed and surrounded, there was nothing he could've (or would've) done to hurt Draco, but Draco still hesitated. He couldn't kill him even when his own life and his family's were on the line. Harry also talks about how much Draco is likely hurt from having to torture others on Voldemort's orders in Deathly Hollows, and I think Harry is spot on about it.

If we look at the bullying of younger Draco, he doesn't act out violently. He is the cruel words and insults type, and I remember being honestly surprised he physically hit Harry in HBP because it's not the sort of thing Draco does. So, while Draco as schoolyard bully is mean, he practically is never shown to be physically violent, at least not that I remember. He only starts being more of a physical threat in HBP, and in the cases of Ron and Katie, he does so from a distance in a way he isn't directly involved in the violence.

That being said, while what he goes through is interesting and has plenty of potential and I do like his character, I find him kinda annoying. Like, in my very subjective opinion, I find his whining in the early books incredibly annoying and I find him, even in the later books, kinda underwhelming. Like, I want more out of his character, idk. Like, really, all power to you for liking Draco, he just, unfortunately, doesn't make it into my top Harry Potter characters purely because of personal subjective bias.

Like, for all of Draco being a Slytherin from a long line of Slytherins, he doesn't showcase many Slytherin characteristics (yes, that's something I dislike about his character, go figure 🤷‍♀️). Like, Draco isn't cunning, like, at all. He's smart, I'm not saying he isn't, he gets good and even outstanding grades in various school subjects, and he fixes the vanishing cabinet he knows nothing about on his own. He is skilled and talented magically and he can figure out complex magic on his own, but when it comes to long-term planning or general cunning... yeah, I don't think that's part of Draco's arsenal.

He acts out on useful information on the first opportunity he has, with very little thought about timing or how to best use it and very little forethought in general. In 1st year he gets Harry and Co caught outside after curfew but doesn't think his plan through so he too, is caught out after curfew. And sure, he's 11, but 11-year-old Harry wouldn't have made that mistake, I think (neither would Ron or Hermione). In 3rd year, his plan against Buckbeak and Hagrid was laughable and only worked because Lucius could pull it off. I mean, Draco wasn't even doing a good job at faking an injury compared to Harry who could believably pretend to be the Bloody Baron to scare off Peeves at 11, not to mention lying reliably to McGonagall at 12. In GoF he makes these Potter stinks badges, which are magically impressive (considering they still work 3 years later) but are again, an example of Draco acting on something immediately because that's how he tends to operate. Like how he goes straight to Harry every time he finds something in the Daily Prophet to make fun of.

Even if we look at Draco's later plans, like in HBP, he was mostly trying to buy plans rather than think about how to solve his problem. Because Draco knows how to buy his way out of problems, not think his way out. And while all this does make for an interesting trait for him to have in his rule in the story and he has an invisible arc to break away from this thinking pattern and that does lead him to the vanishing cabinet eventually, it does make me like him less. I'm biased, I can't help it.

His ambition is another thing, I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I don't think Draco is particularly ambitious. Like, he wants to make his parents (especially Lucius) proud, he wants people to like him, and he wants to be popular, sure, but he doesn't have any long-term plans or specific goals in mind. He grew up already having everything, so he doesn't really have any ambitions bigger than that. I'm not saying there needs to be, Harry isn't particularly ambitious either, it's just interesting to me that our poster Slytherin in Harry's year isn't that much of a Slytherin at all.

As I mentioned earlier, Draco also seems to be averse to violence and doesn't have as much of a ruthless streak as his house is usually associated with. Draco, at the end of the day, seems to me like a very sheltered kid who idolized war when he heard about it in stories up until he had to actually take part in it. He is one of the softer characters in the books actually, in my opinion.

While I think he definitely values the traits of house Slytherin as he grew up learning to appreciate them, he doesn't actually possess them, at least, not in abundance. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but honestly, I think Draco is more of a Gryffindor than a Slytherin considering he is brave (in the last book especially. I want to note he isn't the same brave as Harry. Draco fears a lot more than Harry does, but when push comes to shove, he keeps going despite his fear. He's more similar to Neville in that regard), bold, and definitely has his personal code of honor and chivalry he acts according to, but I digress.

My personal issue with Draco is the main issue I have with Drarry as a ship, because, like, I can't be actively invested in a ship when I find one of the characters annoying. I have a similar stance on Romione as I have on Drarry. I like Romione well enough, I enjoy the fanart of them I see, but I wouldn't actively search for fics of them. Neither would I write fics where they are the main pairing. In Romione's case, I love Ron but find Hermione kinda annoying, I don't hate her, I don't even dislike her, I actually like her, but she annoys me. Draco is the same way, I like him, but he just gets on my nerves sometimes.

To summarise, I see the appeal of Drarry, and I can see how it could work on paper. I don't think Harry and Draco ever truly hated each other in the books, so, yeah, I think they could get together. They could definitely forgive each other everything, hell, the books practically outright say they forgive each other everything in canon. I think you can build a very compelling love story for them, it's just not a story I'm invested in reading/writing mostly because Draco isn't a character that I'm overly invested in.

[aesopsharpmybeloved]

Sharp March 2025 - 22. Admirer

Professor Sharp is a little apprehensive when he finds out his lover has a secret admirer.

Finally replied to all of the lovely comments 😅 Though it has been a pretty busy day 😁

22. Admirer (1.7k)

“What’s that?” Aesop Sharp asked neutrally as he watched you skim through a letter. It was an anonymous one, and not the first you have received over the past few weeks.

Frankly, you didn't think much of them. When the first one came, you made sure that it didn't have any curse or hex attached to it, and when it turned out it didn't, you pretty much only shook your head and wrote it off as just some silly joke.

Only the letters kept coming.

They weren't threatening or anything. Vice versa, actually. In them, the sender spoke of how much they appreciate all that you've done over the past almost three years, how skilled and brilliant you are, how they admire you.

You didn't recognise the handwriting either, and the sender could be, well, quite a lot of people if you were being honest.

Quite a number of people treated you as something of a hero following your fifth year and later, simply because you helped them one time. Be it chasing out a group of Ashwinders away, slaying a troll, recovering an object the person was extorted over, finding out what happened to a beloved disappeared brother, or simply retrieving a lost pet, you were the woman for the job.

One thing you noticed was that the handwriting wasn't exactly neat, which could mean the sender was either young or unused to holding a quill in their hand. Or unused to writing in English. 

That shortened the possible list of senders somewhat, but you still didn't know just who it could be.

“Oh, nothing important,” you finally replied with a smile, before handing the letter to your professor lover, “just something of a secret admirer, I suppose.”

Aesop frowned when he realised what you just said, stopping just before he fully brought the letter in front of his face to read it.

“A secret admirer?”

“Yes. I think this is the third letter they've sent me?”

“Third let- why didn't you tell me about this?” Aesop asked suddenly, before clearing his throat, “I mean… Of course you don't have to tell me, I'm sorry. You're more than entitled to your privacy when it comes to correspondence, or anything really, it's just that…”

Oh, the sweet man.

You had to stifle a little smile as you watched him try not to appear jealous or self-conscious, but fail quite terribly. He watched the letter in his hands with mistrust and suspicion.

“I didn't think it was worth mentioning,” you replied honestly, “I don't think much of the letters. Mostly, they're just little notes of appreciation, with no proposals or confessions of some silly infatuation or anything. You can read it yourself, I don't mind.”

Aesop frowned at the parchment in his hands some more before finally reading the short note.

He didn't stop frowning, though.

“Hm…” he murmured thoughtfully after a few minutes 

 You figured he must've read and reread it a dozen times by now, it really wasn't a long letter by any means.

“See,” you said, stepping closer and putting your hands on his shoulders, “it's nothing to be concerned about. It's probably someone I helped with something wanting to thank me, but being too shy to sign their name.”

After another minute or two, Aesop sighed, deflating a bit.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get this… defensive…”

“Do you mean jealous?”

Aesop suddenly seemed overly interested in his own hands, still holding the parchment (perhaps a bit tighter than necessary).

“Well… Yes. Perhaps a bit, yes.” He said finally, so quietly you nearly didn't hear him.

“I'm sorry,” he followed up immediately, “it's just- Well, I'm… largely unused to feeling like this again. Once upon a time, I thought I left these sorts of emotions in my teenage days, maybe early twenties. But now, being with you and loving you like I do, it makes me feel like… Merlin, it makes me feel like I was a young man again sometimes, and I again experience all of these strange and intense feelings, and it turns out even a man my age and experience is not able to suppress them.

“And, in a way, I don't actually want to. Because, yes, the jealousy is an ugly thing, but the rest is, well… Not quite so bad. The passion. The longing. The feeling like my heart is about to explode straight out of my chest when we kiss… I wouldn't want to trade these for the world…”

You just about melted right there. Oh, the impossible man.

“Ace…” you whispered and gently stroked his cheek with your hand, fingers tracing over his scar, his bearded jaw, until your thumb reached the corner of his lips. He closed his eyes and leaned into your loving touch, even turning his head and pressing a soft kiss to the digit near his mouth.

Without another word, you gently took his face in both hands, stood on your tiptoes and captured his lips with yours. He immediately responded to the kiss, his arms going to curl around your waist, the letter falling somewhere to the floor. He brought you closer, flush against his chest, and you could indeed feel his heart beat like a hammer on an anvil.

After a few minutes of truly passionate kissing, you reluctantly pulled away a little, but only to press your forehead against his own. You felt his warm breath on your damp lips, felt his hands caress the small of your back.

“Still feeling jealous?” You asked softly, stroking your nose along his own, “you must know that I am yours, right? Yours and nobody else’s. For as long as you'll have me. Forever, if you let me.”

He breathed out heavily, arms growing even tighter around your waist. He dropped his head then, buried his nose in the crook of your neck, his stubble scratching you sweetly through your shirt.

“Mine,” he whispered against your skin, his lips pressing small kisses there. “Mine. And I yours.”

“Yes,” you agreed readily.

He finally raised his head again, this time a small smile gracing his handsome face. He leaned down a bit one last time, to steal one more peck from your mouth. 

His eyes then dropped to something beside you. You looked in the same direction and saw the letter there on the floor. 

“Still - I'd prefer to know who's sending you these. Just to make sure they don't have any… ill intents,” he said finally, making you chuckle softly.

—

Neither of you expected that Aesop would have his answers less than two weeks later.

The two of you were in his classroom. Aesop was grading some essays, and you were keeping him company while brewing some mandrake restorative draught, as a part of rehearsing some more difficult brews for your NEWT exams.

Suddenly, Natsai Onai’s dulcet tones reached your ears. You turned around to see the former Uagadou student walk in, her hand on the shoulder of a fellow Gryffindor, only a significantly younger one. However, it was one you recognised immediately.

“It's alright, Archie,” Natty placated, making the nervous looking boy gulp audibly.

“Natty, Archie!” You said with a smile, “what brings the two of you here?” 

You took a subtle look at Aesop, who still appeared to be deeply engrossed in his work, but by now you knew better than to presume he wasn't paying attention to what was happening in his presence despite the focus he had to actively place elsewhere.

“Little Archie here wants to tell you something, but was feeling a little shy to do so, so I agreed to come with him for a little extra courage,” Natty said kindly with a smile on her face.

You smiled at the young boy whom the two of you rescued from Harlow's riffraff more than two years ago now. He stood before you with a nervous expression, his hands fidgeting where they were clasped in front of him.

It was at this moment that you knew who had been your secret admirer.

It did fit, after all - sweet if slightly naive words of appreciation, slightly untidy childlike handwriting, an anonymous sender.

“It's alright, Archie,” you said softly, “I know.”

“You-... You know?!” The first year’s eyes widened.

“I do. Thank you for those letters, Archie, they were all very sweet. But you needn't have worried about signing your name under them. After all, I don't bite.”

After a few seconds, the child's face lightened up in pure unadulterated joy, and he went from nervous to ecstatic.

“I'm sorry about that,” he said, “I wanted to thank you, and show you I'm really grateful to Natty and you, only I was a little, well…”

“Shy? That's alright, Archie. Happens to the best of us sometimes - doesn't it, Natty?” you smiled at one of your greatest friends.

“Indeed it does,” the Ugandan agreed, clasping her hands behind her back and smiling at the younger student sweetly.

“Wouldn't you agree as well, Professor Sharp?” you asked while turning at the teacher who was, as it turned out, looking at the lot of you already, quill still in his hand.

Being addressed was, apparently, not what he was expecting right now. However, he did recover quite quickly.

“Uh… Yes. Yes it does. Everyone can get a little shy sometimes. Or nervous. Or worried about something. That's why you need friends - to help you out when it happens to you.”

Oh, the precious man.

Yes, he seemed a little… stiff while he said it, but it was clear it was the right thing to say at that moment, for Archie was fully beaming now. And when you told him that you'd join him and Natty the next morning at breakfast at the Gryffindor table, he positively floated out of the classroom.

Natty only chuckled as she watched him retreat. “Sorry to disturb you, but he was very nervous, and I just wanted to help.”

“It's alright, really.”

“I'll leave you to yourselves now,” she concluded with a knowing smile, and left the classroom, shutting the door behind her.

You slowly turned at your lover.

“Told you - nothing to worry about,” you grinned before coming closer to the potions master, who proceeded to scoot himself and his chair a bit further away from the desk, making room for you.

You accepted his silent offer, and sat down on his right leg. You leaned into his warmth as Aesop wrapped an arm around your back and laid his hand on your hip.

“Or are you still jealous?” You teased gently, prompting him to chuckle.

“I reckon I'm alright now.”

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Hello! Hope you enjoyed reading ❤️ You can also check out all of myother stories over on AO3.