#i personally feel like it's somewhere in between

[mercif4l]

𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆.

pairing: reader x choi seungcheol genre: fluff summary: seungcheol and you are forced to confront your feelings after some time apart. content warning: pure fluff, she/her pronouns and femme!pet names used, mentions of alcohol consumption, a teensy bit of yearning, friends-to-lovers, idiots-to-lovers, vernon is like the opposite of a mediator.

leftovers.

csc 👋, named after his excessive use of the waving emoji when you first started texting. instead of ‘hi’, or ‘sup’, or ‘may i take you out?’, it was always the 👋 instead. years later and he still defers to the habit when he’s a little overwhelmed by his feelings. it’s cute. he’s cute. he loves your contact name in his phone—it always puts a shit eating grin on his face. so much so that the boys know just when he’s texting you; its the only smile bigger than the one he gives to carats. but the nickname's conception is nothing special, really. it just happened to be the first gift he bought you: a box of ladybug chocolates. you’d ogled and fawned over them at some white elephant party, devastated when they were taken away by (always the machiavellian) jeonghan, only to have a box of your own delivered the next day by a red-nosed seungcheol. hence aa ladybug ᡣ𐭩.

notes: seungcheol and you are both typo warriors. your obsession with emojis inspired a more liberal use of his. cheol has no shame in spilling all his feelings out into imessage; he'll say it all again in person when he can, but he's practically bursting at the seams to confess at this point. vernon is stuck somewhere in between, violently single and sick of it.

a/n: like everyone on this platform, i am obsessed with @xinganhao and their smau storytelling! they inspired me to have a go fooling around with one of these and try the medium out... if i flopped yes i didn't <3 my fic drafts are a hellscape rn so this was such a relief to write heh hope u enjoy.

[theoccultz]

Your future spouse first impression of you ?

+ your first meeting details

Posted on : 19 nov , 2024

Pac #2♠️ of my future spouse series

All of my pacs are queer friendly

Since not everyone wants to get married , you could read for your s/o as well

Pics & dividers not mine , credits to their rightful owners @/saradika

Apologizes for any mistake

Let me know which pile you picked & dont be afraid to express your thoughts!!

Pile l . Pile ll . Pile lll.

Pile l .

The situation?

You are definately in an event together but you dont know each other for sure , you catch their attention first but its not very direct , this situation is very passive i'm seeing a scenario where someone actually saw the other person because of an accident its like you caught their attention by accident, this is an open space it could be a garden , an amusement park some sort of gathering or a wedding , there's people but they are minding their own business i do get a lot of chitter chatter so it could be a lively event . Yeah so back to the situation, i feel like maybe someone fell or something fell and you were around that object in that space so it all happened very naturally and the other person is prob sitting somewhere maybe a bar or some corner and they are bored asf ,this person seems to be drinking something as well , you both are well dressed they seem wasted and kind of intimidating to approach.

Why did you caught their attention?

Your person is in a time n space where they are not really feeling a lot hope or happiness, nothing bad has happened its just they are in a reflective/hermit mode and they dont have any energy or interest to interact with others, they could be going through their 12h transit so they are appearing to be very mysterious than they intend to , i'm seeing its love at first sight but you guys won't be that forward with each other your love story will slowly gets to its destination, so this person will for sure see you first but you are very much not aware , you on the other hand seems to be in a good mood , you could be picking up something for someone it could be a glass or some sort of utensil that made a loud noise lol or maybe someone tripped and fell & you kind of helped them out , you will feel as though someone is staring at you and yep you are right its them your fs , its not that awkward for both of you tbh you guys are feeling attracted to each other its like something clicked and you cant look away ,you guys will be sneakingly stealing glances throughout the night and did i mention? its late evening vibes , as i said this person will be feeling nervous its like they wanna say something do something they are very much on edge there's this fear of time , they will be contemplating on their thoughts should i go ? I dont know ? What to do ? Blah blah n stuff . Now onto my readers , you guys are feeling confident you are feeling brave in this situation you could be air signs or there's this Airy fairy vibes to you , you could be a scorpio moon as well or it could be just you are taking in everything and being in control of your emotions

Who will approach who first ?

I see there is some third party that will interfere like a friend or an acquaintance , they could be pulling you guys for a dance, for a game, just anything and thats when you will decide to approach them but its very subtle like oh i love what you're wearing? Navy blue ... its my favourite colour or you could just go and sit beside them ,So yeah those kind of small talk will lead to bigger things between you guys , you and your person are very similar to each other , you could come from same hometown you could be wearing same brand clothes , you could love cats and they could have a cat child as well . I do see you exchanging socials or trying to be with each other often . This person will feel rejuvenated its like starting a new chapter & anything thats new is exciting, Its very clear you like each other but yeah you guys will take time to confess 🙂‍↔️✋🏽

Okay cool people this is all i got for you , its veey simple yet interesting .

The song i got for you is also very "interesting" because in that music video they use this theme of falling in love at first sight and they meet each other by accident but its all destiny , i mean you can watch for yourself .

Song :

Thanks for reading !!

Pile ll .

The situation?

This is the story you will remember and laugh , you both will meet through other people and you both had to interfer , you're trying to create peace between two people who are creating conflict, you could be at a shop buying something and i think a fight will break out and its very stupid like you dont have change ? You are the store owner you get it for me , and the other person is like you cant talk to me like that give my stuff back , get out ......(I suck at giving examples so bear with me 🥲✌🏽) it could be as small as that or as big as you both are divorce lawyers fighting a case for your clients , but yeah you dont have anything to do with this situation but you guys had to intervene , when this situation gets over , you guys are kind of discussing/ bitching abt it like your ideologies match ... " Oh people are so stupid nowadays" ..... "yeah i agree " they fight on such small things like there's no understanding in the world *there is this Aquarius situation* where you guys are somehow jumping from topic to topic and its very logical , i'm literally hearing someone get political like yeah its the government they suck they increased taxes 😭🙌🏼blah blah

This is so funny lmao , you unknowingly kind of clicked , it is a situation that involves two strangers and something abt buying or returning is involved , i could describe another scenario for you guys to understand this , it could be a family conflict , your friend arguing abt the last donut , or people pushing each other to buy merch at the concert and its ridiculous because they are pushing each others button so you guys are kind of being the responsibile one is what i'm getting. I feel like the reason this situation is funny is also it could be your friend and their friend is arguing abt something and you guys are Falling in love like oh i didn't knew you love hot food , yeah i totally recommend this restaurant its so great and in the background its like a whole world war 8 waiting to happen.

Why did you caught their attention?

Because you were there and they found you attractive , i'm seeing this is the pile of my introvert readers or in this situation you could appear very calm n collected ,one moment you are shopping you are looking good and the next moment your friend is fighting and the next you are finding a stranger attractive like everything is happening so fast that too in a day lol , you will be attracted to them because they are your type and this person has some GOOD communication skills as well as great fashion sense, its something abt their eyes or hair that will attract you . Anyways i think you will be in the same locality and you will keep meeting each other , i didn't knew you existed kind of situation, so in the morning you guys are in the same park , you are studying in the same uni , you are volunteering for the same organisation, they are your new neighbour, stuff like that 🐰👏🏼

Who will approach who first ?

Them because they do not want to loose a great connection, they could be a leo mars so if they like someone they go all in to shower the person they love with attention and care , your energy seems very inward and their outward in this situation, they are the type of person who will be always ready to help you , your showers not working i got it ? You want notes , i got it , they will lookout for you , i do think you are away from home so you could meet them when you are in a transition period and you will admire them , there won't be any obstacles like you guys are meeting freely n stuff so you both are independent and content with your life ,you both are a great addition to each others life its like i found a great companion in you . This person is sweet but protective its those people who wants to take their lover everywhere and hold their hand all day , your fs has this energy of hold my hand and travel the world with me , they are also very sensual, humble , sweet , i feel like this person is enamoured by your beauty they feel like they needed you in their life and when they have you they're not gonna let go .

As everyone knows , i do have a movie addict roommate and his tip is to watch the movie "ishq" . So yeah let me know what the story's about .

Chanelled song :

Thank you for reading !!

Pile lll .

*Sorry for cussing so much in your reading, when i channel i just pick up on things as they are *

The situation?

You guys are my starboys/girls ,you are those people who have high standards in love , you will meet them when you both are not looking for something serious , this person will tempt you to think differently about love , I'm seeing you will meet them when you're rigid about your values , you are in a fierce energy its like you will go through this whole transformation where many people will not resonate with you anymore and you will be looking good af , you will be in an energy where you will attract people to you , this person is someone who's also on the same length as you , you both will be in this...." i'm single & i'm hot"..... energy , people would wanna be friends with you n stuff , i feel like you will also be a completely different person when you meet them , you were an introvert ? now you are not . You used to drink ? now you dont . So you are changing a lot of things about yourself in general & so is this person , since you guys are my ...." i dont need anyone "....pile you both will fail to resist one another , i took an oath ? Nevermind i'm breaking it , its like you know those 2 friends in a group who everyone knows they are fucking behind our back but no one dares to ask yeah that's you guys , people don't really need to know if you are into each other its VERY obvious , this is that person who does not care they show their crazy in love ,if they dont like it they're gonna say it , they don't want you to wear that they're gonna say it and they win everytime, i feel like you will give in ,you might be an independent bitch but with them you are not , this is kind of my dark soul people who have seen things in life , got their heart broken , they resonate with dark music , their eyes look intense , they give off intimidating vibes and this person is also very similar to you , its like unconsciously you wanted someone as intense as you , where your intensity does not scare em .....it turns em on... and this is that person who will be the result of your manifestation's .

Not to mistake this love as some stupid love , you guys will have a level of dedication to your relationship, you have principles set for your relationship, like we won't say stupid stuff to each other when we are angry n stuff . You guys have a lot of respect and loyalty for one another this is the typical they were made for each other & they found one another , this is all they needed . You guys are that couple who haunt each other like crazy , you guys don't mind waiting for one another , you won't leave each other ever and i think they will soothe this fear of your's (abondonment in love )

I will say this is the standard we all need in love ngl ❤️‍🔥✋🏽🙂‍↔️

Why did you caught their attention?

Bro this person is down bad , i am hearing crazy things anyways ......what about you does not attract them ? Everything, they were attracted to your light, shadow self ,crazy self they knew you were theirs the moment they met you i didn't clearly got where they met you but its some cafe i hear light jazz yeah you both were relaxed and this place is expensive asf , you could also meet them on a beach i see sea view and dim lights , you could wear red that day like there's wine , music , people this place is cold too , yeah so they were atrracted to your energy you stood out to them maybe you were the only one zoned out i dont see you being interested in whatever's going on in the background but everyone's enjoying it like its a whole DAMN mood , this person will be with their friends just observing you and honestly they could challenge you in your first meeting, you both are giving hints to each other back to back , like i know i have power over you , i know what i'm doing, i know you are flirting with me and its working, they are coming off as cheesy ,this could be a restaurant but you are alone and kind of exhausted, you could also go to this place after a hectic day, this person's style reflects a carefree rebellion nature , there is something different about em they could have tattoos they could wear earings even if they identify as a men , maybe paint their nails , maybe the women's also have short hair they could also hair dye their hair , piercings, they could wear something black on their eyes idk what you call them idk maybe they dress emo but yeah they look like they believe in breaking stereotypes. I feel like you on the other hand does not experiment with their looks n stuff but you will be during the time you meet this person , they might assume you are like them .

Who will approach whom first ?

Both of you are giving signals to each other , i do see someone behaving over the top here like they are risking it all *being very obvious in approaching the other * ahh idk i'm confused but their actions will flatter you for sure, its very clear to you , maybe there's a singer in that bar or place & this person will tell them to dedicate a song to you but there's a challenge here for sure , you think they are challenging you on something but its very playful and not hostile , it could also be a hookup but you will meet again and when you do its gonna be shocking maybe they are your senior or smth .

Song :

Thanks for reading!!

[lorddeathofmurdermountain]

From what I understood, since the astrofucks think everything about them is determined by the stars, which includes sexuality, OP telling that that that's fake as shit is immediate grounds to look into why OP is wrong, bc of course that's the case. Just like with Christians, it's not even the inability, but sheer unwillingness to engage with an idea unsupported by your belief system.

However, if I understood this right, what the tags said is basically a reactionary thingamajig bc they wanna shut OP down by (in their own mind) following OP's logic (which they aren't). Lemme explain. Since they think the stars and celestial bodies and idk space farts make them who they are, they're arguing that a bi person, through their larger pool of available partners, wouldn't feel constricted and thus wouldn't contemplate "being bi from birth", ergo leading to higher critical thinking towards the very idea of being a certain way from birth, which to them is synonymous with the stars making you that way from birth, bc to them only the stars can influence your personality.

ASStrology, just like Christianity, is a religion. And just like Christianity, most people are chill, but anyone who HARD believes the stuff is an insufferable piece of shit at best and a maniac at worst, typically somewhere in between.

it does still make me insane specifically how many queer people lovingly embrace astrology. I went to a poetry workshop yesterday that was genuinely quite good but also included an option to disclose astrology designations during introductions and so many people broke out some variation of "I'm a [x] sum but I have a [y] placement and it SHOWS" girl no it doesn't. that's meaningless correlation you completely invented the causation

[deathbxnny]

Can you do how the arcane characters would react to you having a Panic attack/panick attacks

Arcane characters reacting to you having a panic attack! | Caitlyn, Sevika, Jinx, Vi x Gn!Reader

Thank you for your request, Anon! I absolutely loved writing this, so I hope you'll enjoy it!<33

Content: Panic attacks, fluff, swearing, established relationships, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns.

((Not proofread))

》CAITLYN

Her first instinct is to immideatly take you somewhere safe and private when she notices the panic attack approaching. She has very good intuition and has observed you for long enough to know your cues and signs, but sometimes even her own senses about you fail her during acute attacks that come out of nowhere. This doesn't mean that you can't rely on her to take care of you anyway.

"Hey, hey... let's breathe together, okay? Alright. Deep breathe in... hold it... and now release slowly... good job, let's do it again."

She's very quick to react to your needs and usually tries to regulate your breathing first before anything else, as that's how she learned to deal with them in her medical training. Caitlyn will also try and keep some distance in between you two in case you need space and only come closer once you're ready for that. She's very gentle and patient, as she soothes away your fears and worries.

Later on, she'll gently hold you and spoil you with nice food whilst you finally calm down and rest. Cait won't ever push you to tell her what triggered you, but will encourage you to tell her how she can help you better next time. Something she'll probably write down somewhere for future reference for better efficiency.

》SEVIKA

The first time it happens to you around her, she'll admittedly be a little surprised. It's not like she hadn't seen panic attacks before, but she simply just never had to deal with them before. With that said, her first instinct is to wonder if someone had bothered you and, if so, how quick she can beat them up for hurting you like this. The last thing she wants is for someone to ruin that beautiful smile of yours, and the sight of you suffering like that makes her feel uneasy.

"Alright, tell me what you need, and I'll do it for you right now. I just... fuck, tell me how to help you, sweetheart."

Sevika will lean down to your level after also taking you somewhere private so that she can let her guard down in peace and focus on you. She's not good at comforting people no matter who you are, and she's certainly also not the most affectionate person out there. But she knows to keep her distance and focus on what you need from her in that moment. Your hyperventilating and short breaths worry her, but that's nothing she can't handle with some direction from you.

After the panic attack blows over, she'll demand a detailed list of what exactly she should do better next time. She doesn't like being unprepared, especially when it comes to your care and well-being.

》JINX

She has memorized absolutely everything about you and is the first person to notice when a panic attack is coming up, which makes her the best helper out there at that moment. Jinx immideatly springs into action and brings you to her hideout, where she knows things are safe and sound. No one can hurt you here, especially not with her around. She'll sit on the ground with you and take your hands in her own carefully. The girl doesn't make any sudden moves and just observes every reaction you make very closely, practically analyzing them to know what to do next. And her voice would be so calm and soothing whilst she speaks.

"It's alright, cuddlebug. No one's laying a hand on ya whilst I'm here... so let's just breathe together."

Jinx doesn't want you to feel alone whilst you're going through this and will be right there with you until the last of your tears have been shed. Afterward, she'll either cuddle you to sleep or get you something nice to eat. Either way, you're being treated like royalty by her, just because she doesn't want you to feel like she did when she still had to suffer through everything all on her own. Having you here is a blessing, and taking care of you was a way to pay you back for it.

》VI

Despite what people may think, Vi's intuition about other people has never failed her. She always feels so deeply for others. It isn't all too surprising when she is quick to notice your mood shifting drastically out of nowhere. Once the panic attacks start, she'll have enough past experiences to take care of you as well as she can. It may not always be perfect due to her inability to express her love and affection all too well in moments of panic, but she'll still pull through for you. Getting you out of danger and into a more secluded area, she'll wrap her jacket around your shoulders and try soothing your quick breathing.

"Hey, hey, hey, let's calm down, okay? I'm right here. Nothing can hurt you."

She may honestly slightly panic herself, especially as seeing you so distraught messes with her own emotions, too. Vi hates to see you suffer, and the last thing she wants is for you to potentially get hurt if you don't calm down.

Vi will most likely ask you what she can do better next time as well, since she secretly feels a bit disappointed in herself for not being able to do more for you. But she's open to learning how to be perfect for you next time, that's for sure.

[venomwrites]

Cait keeping Vi's red jacket.

Warnings: Season 2, Act 2 spoilers, dubious jacket thievery and sexy times.

Vi sneaks into Caitlyn’s room semi-regularly now. 

She doesn’t quite understand how she’s landed in this role, somehow straddling the line between her sister’s revolution and the general desperately trying to quell it while also enabling it. They still hate each other but there’s a grudging kind of truce between them. One that Vi seems to be the lynchpin for. 

Caitlyn always leaves her balcony cracked for her though Vi tells her not to. 

Yes the sneaking in is a sham, the Enforcers that make up Caitlyn’s personal guard know she’s there. Even though Vi wishes they would let her sneak around for real. Letting too many people know is putting the entire plan at risk. Of course the alternatives are equally shitty. Caitlyn going down to her is out of the question and the front door means dealing with Caitlyn’s father. And Vi sure as shit doesn’t want to do that. 

“Special delivery,” Vi says closing the door behind her, “Cait?”

A soft snore greets her. 

Caitlyn is perpetually sleep deprived as she tries to outmaneuver everyone. Her bedroom is more schematics and charts than a bedroom. It’s so clean Vi realizes this is the perpetual state of Caitlyn’s bedroom. Whether she’s saving the world or not. Vi feels like she’s intruding if Caitlyn is finally getting some shut eye. She glances around for a place to leave Jinx’s delivery and maybe a note or something. 

“Vi?” 

“Shit, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” Vi says, “I—“ 

Vi’s rarely at a loss for words but it’s really hard to make them when all the blood in your body is going somewhere unhelpful. 

But Caitlyn’s wearing her jacket. 

She’s wearing a flowy silk slip that practically matches her hair. The monochrome of it makes the bright bright red of her jacket just stand out more. When given the option Caitlyn always wears things that are severely tailored. So tight Vi can’t understand how they could possibly be comfortable. Nothing is tight on Caitlyn at the moment. Not the silk. Not her jacket. 

“Sorry,” Caitlyn says, rubbing sleep from her eyes and pushing her hair behind her ears, “I must have fallen asleep,” pink blossoms along her cheeks and it’s somehow making things so much worse, “when did you get here?”

“Just now?” Vi gets out.

Caitlyn gives her a prying look and it seems to occur to her that she’s in just her nightgown. Like that’s the problem here. She quickly pulls the jacket closer, doing the fastening up along the waist. One of the snaps was always sticky, Vi remembers that. But Caitlyn does it up without even looking or struggling. Like she’s done it a million times before. 

“Are those the new—“

“That’s my jacket,” Vi blurts out. 

Caitlyn stiffens and looks down like she’s forgotten she’s wearing it. Vi watches as she goes from pale to blushing to practically a matching shade of red. Neither of them move for a moment and then Caitlyn fumbles for the fastening.

“Sorry, I forgot I had this,” Caitlyn stammers. 

“You sleep with it on?” 

“Not always, I was just cold!” Caitlyn says, holding it out, “here!”  

Now of course that leaves her flushed and embarrassed and wearing a silk nightgown with the thinnest straps Vi’s ever seen. Her bloodflow was bad when Caitlyn was wearing it, somehow it’s worse now that it’s off her. 

“It’s ok,” she says, “you can keep it, you just—caught me off guard,” she scrambles for something, “if you closed the door you wouldn’t be cold,” she points out. 

Caitlyn makes a noise in the back of her throat. Vi shoves her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Caitlyn looks at her for a moment longer and then drops her hand. She walks over to the bed and puts down the jacket, picking up her robe. There’s something suspiciously like a  whine of protest caught in Vi’s throat, but she forces it down as more blue silk swallows Caitlyn’s form. 

“Let’s start again,” Caitlyn says and looks at the bag next to Vi’s feet, “are those the new gears?”

Vi nods and forces herself to pick up the bag. Caitlyn comes closer to take it. The silk really does match her hair perfectly.  Vi’s eyes trail Caitlyn’s fingers as she slips a piece of hair behind her ears. It’s not the first time Vi wonders what it would feel like to run her fingers through it, but it’s the first time in a while. Caitlyn’s mouth is moving but stops, her brows drawing together. 

“I’m sorry, I’ve made this awkward,” Caitlyn says, setting down the bag, “I never should have held onto this,” she says walking over to the bed, “I was going to give it back—“

“Don’t,” Vi tries to say but the strangled voice can’t be hers. She’s never made that sound before in her life, “it looks good on you.” 

The air between them goes electric. Caitlyn gives her a look that Vi can’t decipher. Vi know she’s fucked up. Of course she has. That’s her speciality. Why the hell is she the one whose holding this whole thing together? She drags her hands down her face. By the time they make it past her lip scar, Caitlyn is at the bed. 

Caitlyn holds her gaze as she removes her robe and reaches for the jacket. Vi doesn’t remember there being a chair behind her. It’s a miracle she drops into it instead of on the floor. Either way her knees are suddenly having a really hard time supporting her. Caitlyn drags it on achingly slowly and Vi wonders why the air is suddenly out of the room. It traps Caitlyn’s hair under the collar. Everything in Vi howls to pull it out. But Caitlyn just stands there and appraises her.

“Better?” 

“Fuck,” Vi can barely get the word out, “Why?”

“It smells like you,” Caitlyn says and Vi doesn’t know how she’s making this even more torturous, “it helped me think straight when you were gone.”

“I’ve been back,” she croaks. 

They both know it’s not the same. Vi still doesn’t know what the hell it is between them. She can’t live without Caitlyn and sometimes being around her is so painful she can’t look at her. It’s such a knotted, awful mess. And at the end Vi knows she’s going to have to choose. Piltover or Zaun, Powder or Caitlyn, she’ll only get to stand on this precipice for so long. Eventually she’s going to have to pick a side. The thought taunts her every time she leaves one place for another. 

Caitlyn is near the desk but she doesn’t come any closer. Whatever has transpired between them, Caitlyn no longer tries to make Vi choose. That’s the thing about prison and desperation and even fucking Piltover. They don’t care what you want. The scrap of freedom she has now still tastes new. But freedom means having to make decisions and sometimes she wishes someone would just try to tell her what to do again. 

“I can’t promise anything,” she says. 

“I’m not asking you to,” Caitlyn reminds her. 

Vi drags her gaze up. Even though she holds herself still, Caitlyn can’t help but reach up and push the hair behind her ear. 

Again. 

Dimly she hears the chair skid as she closes the distance. Caitlyn is already pulling her closer by the lapels. She tastes like Vi remembers. Except there’s nothing soft or gentle about this. Vi doesn’t have the vocabulary for what they’e doing, she wants the ache to go away. One of Caitlyn’s knees touches her side and she hooks her arm around the limb and helping shift Caitlyn so she’s on the desk. All of her senses are swallowed by Cait’s midnight blue. And it’s still somehow not enough. 

“I’m fine!” Caitlyn cries and Vi dimly realizes someone is knocking. 

“I heard a—“ she hears Caitlyn’s dad. 

“I said I’m fine!” Caitlyn repeats, trying not to sound breathless and failing miserably. 

Vi realizes half of Caitlyn’s desk is on the floor, including some ornate paperweight that Vi’s always thought could be used as a weapon. Of course they’ve managed to worry the only parent Caitlyn has left. There’s a jingling sound and Caitlyn’s leg tightens around her hip. Vi presses her forehead against Caitlyn’s collarbone and tries not to think of the cruel words spoken the last time she saw him. 

“It’s just me, Mr. Kiramman,” she says. She can feel Caitlyn inhale sharply, bringing the silk edge of her slip dangerously close to Vi’s lips, “everything’s fine.” 

She half expects him to kick open the door anyway but the jingling of keys stops. 

“Hello Violet,” he says. His voice is tight but he’s not coming in and Caitlyn’s not pulling away, so Vi’s taking it as a win, “how are you?” An almost win. 

“Fine, Mr. Kiramman,” she calls back.

“That’s good. Say—“ he starts.

“We’ll talk to you later!” Caitlyn cuts in, but when she turns it hikes her slip up and puts Vi’s fingers right against the scar on her upper thigh. The ridge stands out against the smooth skin and Vi can’t help but dig her fingers in. “could you go make tea?!”

“Tea?” She rasps. 

Caitlyn rolls her eyes and pulls her back up and up until Vi finds herself fully on top of the desk as well. She knows more stuff gets knocked over in the process but that seems irrelevant as she focuses on touching every inch of skin not hidden by the jacket. Caitlyn manages to get hers off and throw it somewhere. Her fingers rake across the ink on Vi’s back and short out any thoughts Vi might be having. She leans up at one point and reaches behind her neck.

“Don’t—“ Vi starts and Caitlyn hums against her lips.

“Here,” She guides her hand to a knot that holds up the infuriatingly long slip, “I wasn’t going to take off your jacket.” 

Her last coherent thought is that’s the hottest fucking thing Caitlyn’s ever said. 

She doesn’t think for the rest of it. When her hands don’t know what to do, Caitlyn guides them. Her world tunnels and narrows to just Caitlyn and her midnight blue. And then everything goes white and hot as she falls apart with Caitlyn. 

She doesn’t know how long they lay there. It’s so nice. She’s dimly aware of Caitlyn tracing her tattoos, even though she can’t see them. Like she’s got the pattern memorized. Her fingers drag up and though her hair, resting on her chin as Vi starts to lift it from Caitlyn’s collarbone. 

“Your kitchen’s far away, right?” She mumbles. 

Caitlyn laughs. Vi’s always loved her laugh. But now she can feel it where their chests are pressed together. It makes her love it even more. 

“Very,” she says and gives an apologetic look, “but—“

“Yeah, we should let him know you’re alive,” Vi says, shifting up. 

Caitlyn slides out from underneath her. The rush of cool against bare skin makes Vi ache to follow her. The sight of her wearing nothing but her jacket makes her not want to move. Caitlyn disappears into her closet and Vi forces herself to slide off the desk and find her sea legs. And her clothes. She tells herself if the tables were turned Caitlyn would suck it up to assure her dad that she was alright. 

“You can wait here if you want,” Caitlyn offers, fully clothed in only her own clothes. Vi wishes that cleared her head more than it does. But the image of Caitlyn crying out wearing on her jacket is going to override everything for a while, “Or you can go,” she hesitates for a moment, “or you can come get tea.”

She lays out the options simply but they all feel weighted in their own ways. But when she steps closer to Caitlyn and slots their fingers together, none feel quite as heavy.

“Lets go show your dad you’re alive.”

[bisclavret]

PLEASE... bresson's style takes some getting used to because he was french and pretentious and only made this film with a budget of like 10 francs but his vision was unshakeable and very much in line with the things we enjoy in our corner of arthuriana imo

here's four entire minutes of (french) sir gawain on the literal edge of his seat losing his mind watching lancelot sweep the floor with everyone at a jousting match and saying "lanslo" (french for "lancelot") to king arthur every time he wins just in case arthur missed it. one of the many ways arthurian cinema peaked with lancelot du lac (1974) dir. robert bresson

[theunsinkableship1]

Things are not always what they seem...

⚠️Disclaimer: This is Lukolaland only. If you don't believe you should skip. No harm intended and no hard feelings. Only strong feelings here.

Dear Lukola Shippers,

I hope this message finds you well, no matter where in the world you are. Though I’ve been mostly quiet recently, I want you to know I’m still firmly aboard this ship, and the waters have felt calmer of late. We are witnessing great waves of success coming to our Lukola. Watching them thrive individually and achieve such success is a joy, it’s wonderful to see them striving and thriving in their unique journeys.

Today, I’d like to open up about something personal. It’s a topic that requires sensitivity but resonates deeply with what we often discuss as a community. Appearances can be deceiving.

Humans are complex beings, and we can never be entirely certain of what’s happening behind closed doors. Even when all signs seem to point in one direction, the reality could be something entirely different.

When I was younger, I was in relationships that seemed one way from the outside but were very different beneath the surface. Back then, I was seen as someone confident and put-together a "popular girl," if you will. But inside, I felt like a wallflower. People were drawn to the version of me they saw, not the person I truly was.

In one relationship, I fell deeply in love. To the outside world, we looked like the perfect couple. But the reality was far from that. I was shy and cautious, but I fell for one of the hit boys. I was deeply in love, but he wasn’t. I became more of a mix between a prop and a seat filler in his life. While I was publicly acknowledged, I wasn’t truly valued in his heart. Being young and in love, I sometimes acted jealous and irrationally, making poor decisions in my attempt to hold on to the relationship. While I gave my all, I never was someone that he truly cherished. I was young and blinded by my feelings, so I clung tightly to the relationship, convincing myself and others that everything was fine. Looking back, I realize that what people saw from the outside, the smiles, the handholding, was a façade for a connection that didn’t exist in his heart. His attention was always somewhere else.

Later, I entered another relationship. I was tired of being alone. All my friends were in relationships, and I found myself longing for one too. This time, it was with someone I became very close to through mutual friends. Though we had a strong bond, we quickly realized we weren’t a romantic match. Yet, for two years, we stayed in a "relationship" because it worked for both of us at that time, he was coming to terms with his own identity, and I was healing and waiting for the right person. To the outside world, we were a couple. We even lived together and shared milestones. But in reality, we were best friends who blurred the lines of companionship. Only our close friends knew the truth: to the outside world, we appeared to be a couple, but in reality, we were just best friends. Sometimes, things can get messy, and lines blur. While I was in this pretend relationship, someone from my past reentered my life, wanting to marry me. Things moved quickly, and even though my friend knew our arrangement was temporary and understood the situation, there might have been some emotional complexity. Perhaps I was ready to move on before he was, or maybe it was because we were emotionally intertwined in many ways. Societal perceptions could have played a role as well. I’m still not entirely sure. After my wedding, we went our separate ways. Though we remain on friendly terms, we are no longer close, and I haven’t heard from him in years.

Life is full of such complexities. For example, I have a chronic hormonal condition that, at times, makes me appear pregnant when I’m not. Years ago, this led to assumptions and speculation, especially early in my marriage. People congratulated me on pregnancies that didn’t exist, which was deeply painful as I faced uncertainty about whether I could have children. It taught me how much appearances can mislead even well-meaning people.

So, why share all this? Because as fans, it’s easy to speculate about the lives of people we admire. But the truth is, only they know what’s happening behind closed doors. I’ve noticed many people dismiss or deny the bond between them, but I believe we can’t be doubtful of its existence. I’m confident they are also aware of what they share. What we’re speculating about is what’s truly happening behind the scenes and why things are unfolding the way they are.

It all comes down to perception and observation. There’s something peculiar about this situation, too many coincidences for certain things to be purely incidental. Patterns emerge that can be explained rationally, and those who pay close attention recognize the mixed messages that make a straightforward narrative unlikely. Occam’s razor doesn’t apply neatly here.

Moreover, we have public evidence, not just imagined scenarios, that suggests there’s been something deeper between them at some point. The idea that 'there’s nothing more' doesn’t hold water because, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Appearances, whether on red carpets, social media, or interviews can only tell part of the story. And while our love for Luke and Nicola is real and rooted in admiration for their talent and chemistry, we must tread lightly.

I adore Luke’s subtle and nuanced acting and his incredible singing voice, which has a charm that captivates. Nicola’s range as an actress is extraordinary, and her vibrant personality shines through in everything she does. I support them both as individuals and as a couple because they make me believe in their connection.

I remain here because I believe in the love they seem to share, whether it’s in a glance, a gesture, or an unspoken understanding. Until the day there’s unequivocal proof otherwise, I’ll keep believing because they make me feel the love.

With love and hope,

The unsinkable ship 🚢

[nenynrawrites]

Def Leppard members as your boyfriend

Joe:

There's so much yet so little I know about him as a boyfriend / partner

But I know he'd be very doting

Like, as soon as you tell about anything that you're hyperfixating on, he will learn everything about it

Loves fangirl Fridays, where the both of you watch a bunch of interviews (old & new) on YouTube, or back then, on VHS, 'cause you always recorded at least one or two

He's fangirling about Ian Hunter obviously (it's so funny to me, but all hail the fangirls and fanboys♡)

One time you were hyperfixating on Sav, and therefor your attention was put a little bit more towards him

Poor Joe got a bit jealous, 'cause it was his best friend, but eh, he wasn't better, and it was harmless, so it's good, right?;3

Listens to you like there was nothing else going on

HUGS, HUGS, HUGS

Hugs from behind, quick side hug, hugs during cuddling...All the hugs!!💕🫂

Kisses range from every possible kind there is

Loves deep and long kisses, the ones where you basically lose your breath

You're kind of his personal heater / cooler when you're cuddling

Clings like a koala to you

Furthermore, very loyal and loves to have you on tour, but not too long, so that you won't get sick of it:)

Loves to call you ,,love" or ,,babe", or any other nickname you like, like childhood nicknames:)

Sav:

He always looks so slightly confused to me, omg-

Like, it took him so long to realize, that you two were a couple

It were two weeks, but it still felt like an eternity, like forever

Definitely teaches you bass (you gotta know where the rhythm comes from;3)

Will introduce you to the big and wide world of fashion

Will get you a custom suit (or dress...Or both):>

Breakfast in bed whenever he can:3

Cuddles EVERY night, even on call (no matter analog or digital)

Loves deep conversations about anything

Rick:

He is such a sweetheart

Won't stop looking at you when you two hang out

Like...He's so enamored, his eyes literally formed to hearts♡

ATTENTIVE!!!

Loves driving out somewhere:]

Asks everybody what he should get you for special occasions, despite knowing you in and out🤭

Loves telling you about the random stuff he saw on walks

I wanna squish his cheeks:3

Phil:

Active boy

Be prepared to always go anywhere with a bike if possible

He probably tries to swim so so far

But! If you wanna have a lazy day a few days in a row, he's not opposed to that

From reading his book, Phil is a deeper thinker than you might imagine, so lots of talking about his philosophy of life and how the world works. He genuinely believes you are soulmates. He cooks you vegan food, and takes you to the gym, whether you want to or not! Very keen on, ahem, bedroom activities, and probably pretty good at it after all that practice lol <- @steveinscarlet

(Somebody help me, I don't know what to add-)

Steve:

Do I have to say it?

I'll just say it again

BIGGEST👏SWEETHEART👏EVER❤️

Like, he's so fun to be around, talk to etc. etc...

Kisses all the time

Late night talks until dawn

Love making? Yes sir:)

The softest hugs known to mankind

Steve is super-shy, so you probably had to make the first move, or be so painfully obvious that even he couldn't fail to notice that you like him. Talks to you in funny voices and probably has a silly pet name for you which makes the other guys make vomiting noises when they hear him use it. He alternates between being really loved up and soppy, and needing reassurance that you really do love him. Buys you classy presents like jewellery and fancy perfume. You steal each other's clothes and eat from each other's plates. He tells you you're beautiful even when you have a spot the size of mount Vesuvius on your chin! <- @steveinscarlet

(Feel free to add, I'll add them:))

Vivian:

The first thing I thought about was Stu

He always had a little companion with him, wherever he would go (if he could take it with him, that is)

Absolutely loves playing your favourite songs on an acoustic, especially fast ones, 'cause they sometimes sound weird (he does it on purpose, 'cause it makes you laugh)

Lets you do his hair:)

Shy boy:>

Loves cuddling up in the middle of whatever you or he were doing

Forehead kisses

(Feel free to add!)

[nickrocketrodriguez]

Hello, Nick! Can you share with us some of your favorite scenes into the writing process of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory? Or even some scenes that didn't end up on the show but you liked it?

Gosh, we wrote these so long ago it's so hard to come up with specifics. For the episodes I wrote, I loved writing the scenes in "Halfway Home" between Daniel and Kenji. I have a relationship in my own life that mirrors (to a certain extent) theirs, so to be able to put all of myself into that episode -- my first as a staff writer on a TV series -- was very special for me. It really allowed me to completely open myself up to working with other writers to intimately. I also get a giggle out of the part where Kenji doesn't have the words to describe Daniel's ultimatum, so he just grunts -- I didn't know if it would make anyone else laugh, but it seemed to, so it stayed! That was pretty fun.

"The Drop" was a bit tougher for me, as it was a pretty pivotal moment between Darius and Kenji. In their scene where they struggle over possession of Brooklynn's phone, I really wanted Darius to rear back to take a swing at Kenji, but for some reason, in a show where people are eaten by dinosaurs, throwing punches (or even implying it) was a no-go, but what ended up in there was still really fun and to the spirit of what I was trying to do.

"Batten Down the Hatches" was sooooo much fun to write as a horror and action fan -- I feel like the team really took what I wrote and ran with it in the best possible way! Seeing that one at SDCC with a group of like 800 fans was something I will never forget. People laughed, gasped, shouted at the screen -- it was just such a cool moment for me.

But getting to introduce Soyona Santos was also such a special thing for me. As I've said in the past, getting to write for Dichen Lachman was such a fanboy moment for me, I'm so glad I got to reintroduce her to the world and help usher in a more three dimensional version of the character than there was time for in Dominion. I love the cat-and-mouse vibe of their conversation. There's also the bit that I'm not sure many picked up on where Santos is the one who uses the term, "limb difference" for the first time in the series. Our consultants had taught me that phrase, and I thought it was an interesting choice for Santos to introduce it to Brooklynn. The thinking was somewhere along the lines of, in her quest to get deeper into the trafficking of dinos, she probably didn't have a ton of time to look into how she was really feeling about losing her arm, let alone find anyone else who'd introduce that phrase to her. So when Santos uses it, there's a split second where Brooklynn kinda connects with it. I think it shows that Santos isn't just a mustache-twirly type of villain. She's intelligent, she's hip to how language has evolved, and she might even be a good person in another life. There was a moment where it was called into question whether or not Santos would use the phrase, so I'm especially glad we got to keep it in there.

And don't even get me started on the episodes my amazing colleagues wrote for the rest of the series. They all did such an incredible job, I don't even have enough words to express how awesome their episodes turned out, not to mention how awesome all of the rest of the crew did in bringing the show to life!!

[casino-lights]

so. the thing about Illario and Lucanis.

I don't have the screenshots but somewhere in Lucanis' mind, you hear Illario's voice saying "If I was in charge, you wouldn't have to do this anymore." as far as I can tell, all the other lines in his memories are from the game, but this one is from The Wigmaker Job. the story that took place over a year (probably more) prior to the events of the game. it's referring to a scene where Lucanis comes back from their contract, injured, and Illario, worried about his cousin, says that Lucanis wouldn't have to do Caterina's bidding anymore if Illario was First Talon. so now we know Lucanis still thinks about that conversation, even though it happened so long ago.

two other things about The Wigmaker Job: 1) Illario is a lot different in it and in some ways he seems more competent than the Illario we get in veilguard; and 2) we see Zara Renata at the end, and she already has Lucanis in her sights. depending on how much time passed between that contract and Lucanis' kidnapping, she could've been setting this up for months to years.

in the concept art/storyboard frames that were recently released, Zara is hardcore giving siren in the first image and it almost looks like she's straight up controlling Illario via blood magic in the second (imo)

now imagine if Zara was looking into Lucanis, started with the people closest to him, found Illario, and said all the right things. imagine she said he should be First Talon, Caterina never loved him, Lucanis doesn't believe in him and is secretly just tolerating him, he can save Antiva from the Antaam (or whoever else), he can lead the Crows to their long-awaited unification and make them even stronger, he's the smartest prettiest most super special boy in the whole wide world, etc. (if you give this man an ounce of praise and he actually believes it, he will crumble, I know it.)

now imagine Zara, having successfully sunk her claws into Illario - Lucanis Dellamorte's cousin, the only person closer to the Demon of Vyrantium than the First Talon herself - manages to convince him to let her kill Lucanis. he doesn't have to do it himself so there's less guilt. there's no way Caterina would make him First Talon if Lucanis was alive. and then Illario would be in a position to protect his beloved Antiva because if there's one thing the Antivan Crows are, it's patriots. I think Zara played Illario like a fucking fiddle and the game was just really bad at showing us that. I think when her spirit says "he fooled us both," she means he fooled her by being less of a coward than she thought and straight up killing her.

and maybe this is the Illario apologist in me, but I also think he realized the whole thing was a doomed plan after he was defeated. I mean, he shows up to the final battle to help, at risk of his own life. maybe he's trying to atone, maybe not, but still - he is there, and he sounds more like the Illario we see in The Wigmaker Job than whatever we got through the rest of the game. with his quippy little "was that suitably self-important?" line, he's closer to himself than he was this whole time, and that makes me wonder if maybe he wasn't fully Illario. maybe that was grief and guilt and a shaky sense of self and Zara's manipulation and the feeling of losing his grip on the power he never quite had to begin with, all bundled up into a new, bitter, resentful man. I think he was used like a pawn in Zara's chess game, and that doesn't take away from his agency in this situation or lessen the blow of his betrayal, but it does make it easier for me to swallow the fact that the Obvious Traitor Illario I was immediately skeptical of in-game is not the Illario I immediately loved after one scene in Tevinter Nights where he shaves a single hair because it was uneven with the rest of his five o clock shadow.

I think ultimately, Illario realized Lucanis would forgive him anyway. I think it's because he realized he would forgive Lucanis too.

[complementaryhalves]

here, have about 1k of unedited random paulos stuff. might continue it, might not

set on media day in Austin, warning for implied future cheating/debatably open relationships (i haven't decided)

Over nearly ten years spent in Formula One, Carlos has learned that most paddock VIP guests fall into one of two categories: either they’re people he’s never heard of and cares very little about, or they’re celebrities he knows and admires. In the first case, he usually has to rely on the info given by his media officer to hold a few minutes of awkward small talk, take a few photographs for social media, and then forget their names as soon as they're gone. In the second case,  he’s normally more excited and happier to engage. He often asks questions about their field of work, and gladly answers any they might have about his. A few times, like with Will Smith in Baku, he got properly starstruck, leading his teammate to make fun of him for being too flustered.

The experience of meeting Paul Mescal falls somewhere in between those two extremes.

He knows who the guy is—caught a few moments of a show he’s in that Rebecca occasionally rewatches, just enough to see that he was handsome and quite talented, at least in Carlos’ uneducated opinion. When he saw that he would star in the new Gladiator, he wasn’t all that against it. Sure, he was no Russel Crowe, but he had the look, and surely he could be convincing.  

When Ferrari told them they would do a collaboration with the film, Carlos was elated. He may not care about fashion as much as Charles, but he did enjoy working with Rocco on their outfits for the London premiere, and the thought of walking the red carpet among movie stars was exciting, in its own strange way. He even had Rebecca give him some posing lessons, mostly for fun. He was sure that once there he would forget all of her advice, but it would be fine—or so Silvia swore.

She was the one who told them Paul would join them for media day in Austin to be photographed with them and film some content, and Carlos was happy enough. He would have preferred to meet Pedro Pascal, but he could settle for the less famous guy. It would be easier, he thought. When he told Rebecca, he joked that he was glad she couldn’t be there to meet him, feigning a jealousy he didn’t feel, and she laughed and informed him that he’s got a girlfriend anyway.

It was only when they actually met, Thursday morning in Austin, that he realised there was little to joke about.

Paul Mescal, Carlos discovers on that warm Texan morning, is an extremely pleasant person to be around. More handsome in person than he is on-screen, at least from what Carlos remembers of that show he did. Casual in a way that looks intentional, handsomely scruffy, with a hint of edginess in the simple silver earring that keeps catching the sunlight as they talk outside the garage. He’s also funny, well-spoken, polite, easy-going. Eager to know more about what it is to be an F1 driver, happy to answer all of Carlos’ questions about what it is to star in a production like the Gladiator, excited to take part in the silly games the media team has devised for them.

Another characteristic Carlos notices about Paul quite early on is that he’s quite the flirt. Carlos knows the type—he’s had that kind of banter with Daniel or Nico before, and he knows how to take it in stride without thinking much of it and to give back the same energy just for the fun of it, with no real intentions behind it.

When Paul asks him if he’d give him a hot lap in a Ferrari, Carlos shrugs a light-hearted “sure”, dares him to name a model he’d like to try, and laughs when Paul grins and says, “I don’t care as long as it’s red and it’s got you at the wheel.”

A bit later, after Carlos has asked his many questions about making films, Paul asks him whether he’s considering a career change. When Carlos snorts his dissent, saying he definitely doesn’t have that talent, Paul gives him a once-over and tells him he’s surely got the look, to which Carlos laughs an unserious thanks.

And then again, when they somehow end up talking about Gaelic football, Paul laughs at Carlos’ obvious confusion about the rules, and proposes instead he should just take him to see a game back in Ireland. Genuinely interested in the proposal, Carlos enthusiastically says he’d gladly accept the invitation, before adding that his girlfriend would surely also enjoy a trip to Ireland. If the conversation becomes a bit stilted after that, he thinks nothing of it, and shortly after the three of them are ushered inside so they can get ready to film the challenge.

Charles stops him by the door while Paul is taken away by his media rep for a last minute briefing and make up check, and after putting a hand on his shoulder, he gives him an amused look and says, “You really broke his heart right then.”

When Carlos gives him an inquisitive look, silently asking him to elaborate, Charles widens his eyes and laughs at him, openly mocking.

“Mate, you really didn’t notice? He’s been flirting with you since he got here.”

“No, he hasn’t,” Carlos responds, making a face. Charles always thinks people they meet are after them in that sense; Carlos never agrees. “He’s just friendly.”

Predictably, Charles rolls his eyes. “He wasn’t that friendly to me.”

Grinning, Carlos wiggles an eyebrow at him. “Maybe he doesn’t like you.”

“Fuck off,” Charles scoffs, pushing his shoulder. “Everyone likes me,” he says, and while Carlos makes a sarcastic ‘yeah, sure’ face, he adds, “He was just nicer to you so he can get in your pants.”

“Don’t be crass, Charles. It doesn’t suit you,” Carlos responds with a disgusted grimace before shrugging his hand away.

Charles raises his hands, signalling that he’s giving up on that conversation, and thankfully, Carlos can’t think too hard about what he said. Ollie just entered the room, and Silvia is coming over to explain to them what games they planned for the video.

[gentiansaint]

DA:V spoilers, and obligatory complaint about how little of this is explicit in the game vs how much i have to read between the lines for it but -- i was thinking about the difference between Neve and Lucanis romance possibilities dependent upon which city is saved.

i know some folks have complained that if you 'harden' Lucanis by saving Minrathous, you can't romance him; vs still being able to romance Neve in the opposite situation -- but i honestly think it makes sense.

note: in my first game i romanced Lucanis, saved Treviso. this game, i saved Minrathous (probably romancing Neve) to see the differences. i am not very far into this file yet so the below is just my initial vibes on it all.

because the thing about Lucanis that is different from Neve isn't just the obvious fact that they're different people lol -- but he literally just got rescued from an entire year of confinement and torture, knowing that he was betrayed by someone to get him there. he's got a literal demon inside him, and figurative ones, too. he spent that year daydreaming about things like going to Cafe Pietra for a very specific blend of coffee -- dreaming about the simple daily pleasures of his city, which he so clearly loves, helped to keep him sane and determined in the face of it all. (Spite is/was a Determination spirit, do recall, per a Seer we meet in Rivain.)

then you show up and you rescue him! and he returns home, his contract on Calivan at last fulfilled -- to discover that his grandmother, whom he loves, is dead, killed by, again, betrayal. (the nature of an emotional connection to someone who treated him the way Caterina did while training him as a Crow is yet another whole different essay i'm not writing here, but he obviously loves her dearly all the same.)

a year in a cruel prison, and when he finally is freed, his grandmother is dead. the betrayal continues, the larger enemy is still out there despite taking Calivan down; Treviso has been occupied by the Antaam and worse, now the whole world is on fire. but Treviso is still there. Treviso, with its cafes and its markets, its people with their spirit unbroken under occupation. he has that to cling to, just like he did while in the Ossuary.

and then the person who saved him from the Ossuary -- turns around and, to his view, betrays him, and betrays Treviso, by going somewhere else when Lucanis and his city were in need. the missive he sends while he's away afterward tells you that it's worse than you thought at first, that everything about the city which had survived the occupation has not survived the Blight. the things that were keeping him sane and grounded are gone, and he has to feel like a lifeline is gone with it. a part of himself.

is it any wonder he shuts himself off entirely from the person who took that from him?

by contrast, Neve loves her city too but she's also been fighting it, and its own worst impulses, forever. she doesn't cling to an idealized version of it, using it as a prop for her own sense of herself. honestly the opposite is likely true; she thinks it can be better, yes, but in her cases, she's seen the worst in human nature over and over again, and she understands making hard choices. it takes her a while to trust you again, but it's possible, and while she's hardened, it doesn't wound something fundamental in her the same way it does to Lucanis.

[dyke-zooble]

I do have a small theory I wanna bring to Tumblr: I think Pomni is going to abstract/start to abstract and then be pulled out of it by The Power of Friendship™. Here's why,

My main evidence comes from Episode 2 "Candy Carrier Chaos!". The start of the episode showcases a nightmare Pomni is having about the fear of being abstracted and that by abstracting she will have meant nothing:

There is a clear fear of abandonment and feelings of worthlessness here.

We know that abstraction is caused by a mental spiral, the one thing Caine cannot control (the human mind). So Pomni already being so fearful and having issues revolving the idea of abstraction may make her more prone to it. Abstraction is a clear parallel to a mental spiral, some kind of breakdown in the psyche. Whether caused by depression, anxiety, or other traumas. Abstraction is a symptom of a mental health crisis in the Digital Circus.

Now Pomni, is clearly not mentally stable. I say this as someone with Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, BPD, PSTD, Autism, a Schizotypal Disorder, & ect. Pomni is suffering from clear trauma somewhere. Hers seems to be more anxiety and depression based, with some PTSD (seeing Abstracted Kafumo and being chased by him) layered on top. The PTSD also seems to have given her a greater fear of abstraction than other characters, like how some people IRL get PTSD when a loved one dies and then fear death/dying.

There was already a link made between Pomni and Kaufmo, them both seeing the exit door. Now Caine did admit he made it but just had nothing to put behind it, but it's strange that both the first person we see abstracted, and the most mentally unwell person in the Circus have both seen the door. I wouldn't be surprised if Kinger has seen the door but just can't remember tbh.

Now you may say "But Yuri! There's never been anyone brought back after abstraction, it can't be done!" because nobody has ever tried. The closest that anyone has gotten was Kinger and Queenie in the fort.

But then Caine came and took Queenie to the cellar. I feel like she could've been pulled back if given enough time. Like with anyone going through a mental health crisis, you just need to be there and love them while they work through it. If you do that they will get back to you.

My LAST piece of evidence is the end of Episode 2, during Kaufmo's funeral. Pomni is imagining falling into the cellar again, but this time is being pulled out by her friends, by people she cares about.

She is being pulled out of her spiral:

She is being saved by people just being there for her.

So yeah that's why I think Episode 2 is foreshadowing for Pomni Abstraction Arc and her being saved by The Power of Friendship™!

[nthspecialll]

Am I the only one who feels like Arthur and Mary would have never worked out no matter what? I kind of think that no matter what happened, even if they got their happy ending so to speak, that they still wouldn’t be happy or right with each other? They make me feel so sad and this definitely is no hate to my girl Mary Linton but I just feel like they are rather the wrong person and the wrong time and that they wouldn’t have figured out that they couldn’t be together no matter what? Like they would wish and try to believe that they could be happy but they never really could if they were with each other? 😭

I think that them settling into a home life somewhere would have been a battle. They come from very differnet envioments, cultures and homes, there are going to be a lot of both small and big clashes between them where they would need to find a common ground.

One thing is being lovers but living seperately, another thing is when you move in together, there is a lot of small things that you need to agree on and that can be hard. It will mean a lot of compromises, on both sides and they need to find a way to do it without either feeling that they are giving more than the other. It will be hard and it will be a test of love, but if they truely love one another they will pull through.

[kookiewithluv]

TEASER

• TITLE: Under The Blue Sky (Tangled In Love And Destiny Series)

• PAIRING: CEO!Yoongi x Accountant!Reader

• GENRE: Romance, Grumpy X sunshine, CEO au, fluff (?), love at first sight

• WORD COUNT: 5k+

• TRIGGER WARNING: This story explores themes of love at first sight, identity concealment, and the clash of personalities between two contrasting characters. It delves into the complexities of their budding relationship as they navigate misunderstandings and attraction. The narrative includes mature content, including explicit scenes and sexual themes. Reader discretion is advised.

• SUMMARY: Yoongi, the grumpy CEO, never believed in love at first sight—until he saw you on a rainy street. He kept his identity hidden, but when you moves in next door, things start to get complicated. Your sunshine personality clashes beneath the surface, sparks fly. Can your sunshine essence melt his cold heart, or will both of your differences will drive you apart?

• a/n: This story is entirely a work of fiction and is the sole property of @kookiewithluv . The characters, events, and scenarios depicted are products of the imagination and are not intended to represent or reflect real-life situations, nor do I wish for anything portrayed here to occur in reality. I kindly ask that my work not be copied, translated, or reposted as your own on this or any other platform, including YouTube. Please respect the effort and originality behind this piece. Thank you for your understanding and support.

a/n: I'm not tagging anyone here since it’s just a little teaser, but don’t worry if you’re on the taglist—I’ll definitely tag you when UBS1 is ready to go (which shouldn’t take too long… hopefully 🙈). Thanks for being patient with me, you’re the best!

MASTERLIST

You slouched back on your couch, the exhaustion from yesterday’s move still weighing on your bones, but there was a sense of satisfaction that kept you from fully collapsing. Your eyes swept over the apartment—every box was finally unpacked, every corner now arranged to your liking. As tiring as it had been, the sight of your new home made it all feel worth it. You let out a long, relieved breath and let your head fall back against the couch, closing your eyes. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of your lips. The scent of room freshener—lilies and jasmine—clung to the air, soothing your senses as the cool breeze from the balcony slipped through the open door, brushing against your bare arms. A shiver danced down your spine, leaving a trail of goosebumps, but it only made you smile more, the chill somehow comforting.

It was strange, though, sitting here in this quiet space, feeling the weight of everything that had brought you back to Seoul after so many years. The city had a familiar coldness to it, something that you had once known and yet felt so distant now. Eight years in Busan, away from the hustle and memories of this place, and now you were back. It all felt like a dream, an impossible twist in the story of your life. But life was nothing if not unexpected. You had learned that lesson early—how everything could change in an instant, how things could shift and crumble, and how the paths you thought you were meant to take often led you somewhere completely different.

A bitter chuckle escaped your lips, but it was hollow. The memories you carried with you felt heavy, like weights tied to your chest, and the loneliness that had crept into your life felt more pronounced now that you were here, in this new chapter. It was funny, you thought—how at one point, your life had been full. Full of people, of laughter, of noise. And then, somewhere along the way, you lost that. You lost them. You lost pieces of yourself too, chasing after things you thought you wanted, only to find that when you caught them, they weren’t what you needed. And those things you lost, those connections, those moments... you would never get them back. Only regrets remained, settling into the quiet corners of your mind.

But that was life, right? You had so many regrets, so many things you wished you had done differently, but you were still here, still smiling, still breathing. Because it was life. And life didn’t care if you understood it or not. You had learned that much over the years.

A soft, rueful sigh left your lips, your eyes fluttering open as you stared at the ceiling. A memory crossed your mind, one that had stayed with you: "It's all in your head. Control it before it controls you." A piece of advice from someone who meant well, but who could never understand what it felt like to be stuck in the chaos of your own thoughts. Young you had thought it was profound. Wise. But now, now you understood it in a way that had nothing to do with wisdom. It was a struggle. The battle between your mind and your emotions, between wanting to control it all and knowing that you couldn’t.

The clock on the wall ticked steadily, its hands creeping closer to eight. Then, a sudden ding-dong of the doorbell sliced through the silence, jolting you from your thoughts. You blinked, disoriented, a frown pulling at your brows. “Who could it be...?” The words escaped your lips in a whisper, the confusion lingering as you glanced at your phone, only to toss it back onto the couch, your focus now entirely on the door.

You got to your feet, the motion slow, almost hesitant, as if your body hadn’t fully caught up to the change in pace. With deliberate steps, you made your way toward the door. Standing before the door, you paused for just a second, your hand hovering over the handle before you unlocked it. Just enough to peek your head out.

And there, standing on the other side, was a sight that left your heart skipping a beat. A man, impeccably dressed in a tuxedo, his hair styled with effortless precision. A stray lock fell across his forehead.

He looked... familiar. But not in the way you could place him, more in a way that tugged at the edges of your memory, like a faint echo of something. You frowned slightly, brows furrowing as you tried to remember where you’d seen him before. But you couldn’t quite grasp it. How could you forget a face like that?

He was stunning—his features sharp yet gentle, his lips full and soft. There was a youthful roundness to his face that made him look so effortlessly cute, and something about his presence made your chest tighten. His smile—oh, that smile—was a slow, knowing curve of his lips, and suddenly, you felt the urge to reach out, to pinch his cheeks, as ridiculous as that thought was. It was as if his smile held the power to disarm you completely, leaving your heart fluttering like it was caught in a soft breeze.

You stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to say or do, just staring up at him as your stomach twisted into knots.

"Hi!" he whispered, his voice soft. He gave a small, playful bow, his movements smooth. His eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and amusement, and his lips curled into a smile that was warm, disarming.

You blinked, still taken aback, and pulled the door open fully, your own response a little stiff as you bowed your head in return. Your hands hung by your sides, awkward, unsure of what to do next. You gave a small nod, the movement barely noticeable. It was more instinct than anything else.

"You live here?" he asked, his words filled with a strange mixture of confidence and confusion. It wasn’t the kind of confusion that showed doubt, but more like he was piecing something together in his mind. It was almost like a game to him, the way his brows furrowed playfully.

You nodded again, not trusting your voice just yet. His gaze was intense, but in a way that made you want to stay just a moment longer. His smile widened, slow and deliberate, like he was letting it spread across his face just for you to see.

"You need something?" You finally managed, your words polite, but your posture tense. It was hard not to be wary. Men, you thought. You knew better. They were nothing but trouble, a lesson you had learned the hardest way. The memories of it still lingered in your chest like an old bruise.

He tilted his head slightly, the smile never faltering. "Oh! Actually, you must have ordered food, right?" His voice was light, almost playful, yet his words felt oddly innocent. He didn’t seem like a creep, nor did he look like a delivery guy. He looked... out of place in a way that didn’t sit right with you.

You nodded, still unsure of how this was going to play out. You gave him another once-over, a little more deliberate this time. From head to toe, he was wrapped in luxury—designer clothes that probably cost more than your rent. You couldn’t even name half the brands, but you could tell from the sharp cut of his suit and the way he carried himself that he wasn’t some lowly delivery guy.

There was no way. No way in hell. Not a chance. He couldn’t be. Not in a billion years.

"And?" You prompted, still trying to piece together what was happening.

"Oh! Yeah. Yeah," he started, his words tumbling out quickly, almost like he couldn’t catch his breath. "Actually, the delivery guy dropped your order at my friend’s place. I was about to open it, but fortunately, I checked the bill attach to it and saw the address." He handed you the paper bag with a slight flick of his wrist.

You were so distracted by his presence, by the way his smile tugged at his lips and the gleam in his eyes, that you didn’t even notice the bag in his hand at first. You stood there, your fingers instinctively clutching the handle of the bag. A sudden rush of awareness hit you, and you looked back up at him, a sense of confusion swirling in your chest.

"Thank you...," you muttered, still trying to gather your thoughts, but your words trailed off when he interrupted, a touch of offense in his tone.

"Jimin," he corrected quickly, his brow furrowing slightly, a blush creeping up his neck. His lips curled into a playful, almost teasing smile, as though he found the whole situation amusing. "Jimin Park.”

The name hit you like a cold splash of water. Your eyes widened in shock as recognition struck you hard. Jimin Park. Of course. How could you not have known? He was everywhere—the notorious, high-profile director of Jeon Enterprises, always plastered across the media. Whether it was for business deals, lavish parties, or rumors about his playboy lifestyle, he was a constant figure in the spotlight.

You straightened up, an automatic sign of respect. "Thank you, Mr. Park." The words felt strange coming from your lips, like they didn’t quite belong to you. It was hard to act casual in front of someone so... big—someone you had only ever seen in the headlines.

Jimin's gaze softened, but there was still a glint of amusement in his eyes. He seemed to enjoy the moment.

"No. Please, call me Jimin," he said, his voice shifting to a softer, almost shy tone.

You raised an eyebrow, unsure how to respond, but you nodded slowly. "Okay, Jimin," you said, testing the name on your tongue. It felt casual, and for some reason, that made it all the more strange.

"Your the new tenant, right?" His voice practically bubbled with excitement, but you couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The way he was looking at you—too keen, too interested—made your skin prickle with unease. You felt your heart beat a little faster. His attention was...too much, too sudden.

"Yes...?" you replied, the uncertainty in your voice betraying the suspicion building in your chest.

"Wow! That's... something," he laughed, his grin widening, but there was a hint of something in his eyes. You weren’t sure if it was curiosity or mischief, but it made the hairs on your neck stand up.

"What you mean?" you asked, tilting your head slightly, trying to make sense of his words.

"Nothing, really! It’s just that this flat has been vacant for years now." Jimin's tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of something deeper. He seemed to be enjoying the effect his words had on you.

Your brow furrowed. "Why? It’s a good one. It even has a pretty view from the balcony," you said, trying to defend your decision. The apartment was beautiful, a perfect little corner in the city. You couldn't understand why someone would leave it empty for so long.

Jimin’s smile faltered, and his eyes dropped for a moment as if he was weighing his next words carefully. Then, his gaze flicked back up to meet yours, a hint of something dark flickering behind his grin. "No, you got it all wrong," he said, voice lowering just a bit. "Actually, it was instructed not to let anyone stay here. So...”

The words hit you like a cold shock, a wave of disbelief crashing over you. You blinked, mouth dry, unable to fully process what he was saying. "What?" The word came out too sharp, too confused. "Why would they do that?”

He shrugged casually, but the tension in his shoulders gave away that this was something more serious. "How would I know? I just do." The casualness didn’t match the weight of his words, and it made your stomach churn. Was he just trying to mess with you? Or was there something more? His easy smile didn’t help ease the growing knot in your chest.

You narrowed your eyes at him, your lips pressing into a tight line. "How do you know?" you asked, your voice low. Your gaze locked onto his, silently daring him to give you some ridiculous explanation.

He leaned in slightly, his smile not faltering, but there was something else now—a slight glint of pride, maybe? "What do you mean? I’m friends with the person who instructed it.”

You scoffed, disbelief dancing in your eyes as you raised an eyebrow. "Who is he?”

"Who else, woman. Min Yoongi, the CEO of Min Corporation.The owner of this freaking building.”

Your breath hitched. Now this conversation was spiraling into territory you hadn’t expected. A nervous laugh bubbled up in your throat, but you swallowed it down quickly. The name Min Yoongi struck you like a bolt. The CEO of one of the most powerful corporations in the country? This was getting ridiculous.

You knew about Min Yoongi. Everyone did. He wasn’t just a person; he was a name, a reputation. No one ever really saw him, though. He stayed out of the spotlight, almost like a ghost. Starting your new job at Min Corporations, it only made sense to know a little about the CEO. Not that you’d gone digging or anything—there wasn’t much to find. He was private, almost obsessively so.

Despite your gut telling you to shut the door and walk away, you stayed rooted to the spot. Your mind screamed for you to let go, but your curiosity was louder. Tomorrow would be your first day at Min Corporation, and you were curious, even though you shouldn't. You could almost taste curiosity in the back of your tongue.

"Why?" you asked before you could stop yourself, the words slipping out before you could think. Shit, you cursed internally. You never knew when to keep quiet.

Jimin’s eyes sparkled with... Something, you couldn't quite place, his lips curving into a grin. "I don’t know," he said, tilting his head slightly, his voice suddenly softer, more gentle. "But I asked him to shift here once, and he told me he loathes noise... and I’m noisy." He chuckled at the last part, his fingers twitching at his side, almost like he was waiting for your response. "Am I?"

You bit back a smile, the words "Yeah, you do seem noisy" on the tip of your tongue, but you swallowed them. He was fun to talk to, and you couldn’t deny it. It had been a while since someone had made you laugh, and it was oddly comforting.

"Jimin-ah" Before you could respond, a deep, calm voice cut through the air, and you froze mid-thought. Jimin’s smile faltered slightly as he turned to face the source of the voice. You followed his gaze, and when your eyes met the man standing at the end of the hall, your breath hitched.

"I swear," Jimin continued, shaking his head as if he was reminiscing about something. "That guy has serious issues. You need to be careful around him."

It’s him.

"Suga, hyung," Jimin greeted, his voice soft, almost in reverence. Suga. The name rolled through your mind, oddly familiar yet strangely comforting, like something you’d always liked without realizing it, and you recognized him instantly. The man standing there was none other than the person who had helped you two days ago—when you were a mess, crying in the rain at that bus stop.

You swallowed hard, your heartbeat picking up speed. It felt like fate had thrown this moment at you, but it wasn’t without its sting. You remembered every second of that breakdown. The humiliation of crying on a street corner, in front of a stranger, no less. And yet, there he was again, but this time, he seemed... Different.

Why wasn’t he looking at you?

Your stomach twisted in discomfort. It wasn’t like you expected him to remember you, but he—of all people—had been there when you were falling apart, and yet, his gaze didn’t meet yours.

It had only been two days.

His attention was fully on Jimin, and you couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. His eyes narrowed slightly, lips pressing into a firm line. “I told you to wait for me, Jimin-ah,” he said, his voice low and controlled, but there was a trace of irritation under the surface.

Jimin simply waved it off with a dismissive gesture, clearly unbothered. “I was. You’re late,” he said with an air of nonchalance, but his expression shifted to something as he added, “And why are you scolding me?”

Yoongi’s jaw tightened, his fingers tapping against the side of his leg, as though trying to hold his patience. "I told you to wait." His eyes flicked briefly toward you, but quickly away, as if it was an afterthought. The tension in his shoulders, however, told you something more. Anxiety? Was he anxious about something? Was he… waiting for something?

Jimin, still unfazed, pointed to the paper bag with a lazy grin. “I was just handing her this,” he said casually, nodding toward you. “Somebody delivered it at your place, hyung.”

Yoongi didn’t say a word after that. He simply nodded, a sharp, cold motion, before he turned on his heel, starting to drag Jimin toward the apartment next to yours. The air around you felt tense, heavy, almost suffocating. You were still standing there, unable to process the coldness that had overtaken him.

But before they could get too far, Jimin stopped, yanking his arm away from Yoongi with an exaggerated grunt. He turned back to you, flashing that same teasingly sweet smile. “It’s him," Jimin said, a playful glint in his eyes. "Your neighbour and the C—”

“I know him,” you interrupted quickly, your words tumbling out almost desperately.

But Jimin’s eyes widened, surprise crossing his face for just a fraction of a second before he turned to look at Yoongi with a slow, subtle smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Yoongi, however, was already shaking his head, his jaw clenched tight, his eyes not meeting yours. His voice, when it came, was sharp and final, the words cutting through the air like ice. “No,” he said, the simple word leaving no room for any further discussion.

Your heart skipped a beat at his tone. You hadn’t expected it—this abrupt, dismissive coldness. What happened to the guy who helped me? The memory of him offering you his coat, in that rainy street, his voice so soft and understanding, felt like a distant dream now. This Yoongi was nothing like the one you had met two days ago.

You took a step forward, wanting to hold on to the memory of that moment, desperate to remind him. “What?” you asked, the words slipping out before you could stop them. You were shocked, and you couldn’t mask it. “We met. Don’t you remember? Saturday evening—”

“I said I. Do. Not,” Yoongi interrupted, his voice colder than before, each word heavy with finality. His eyes still didn’t meet yours, and his posture was stiff, rigid. The tension between you was unbearable, like an invisible wall had been built between you two in the span of seconds.

Your face burned. The pink on your cheeks deepened with humiliation, your heart sinking. Why was he lying? Why was he denying it so harshly? You tried to hold it together, but your hands trembled at your sides, your breath catching in your throat. Why was he being like this?

How could he be the same person?

The disappointment hit you like a physical blow, and you felt your shoulders sag slightly, the weight of the situation pressing down on you. Your gaze shifted to the ground as your fingers clenched tightly around the paper bag in your hand.

Jimin, who had been standing there quietly, watching the exchange unfold, must have noticed how your face fell. He took a step toward you. He could see it, too—the change in Yoongi. And maybe, just maybe, he could sense your discomfort, but he didn’t know how to fix it.

“It’s okay if he don’t remember,” Jimin said, trying to break the tension, but his words barely landed. His voice, though soft, couldn’t lift the heaviness settling in your chest. “I’ll introduce you both. He’s your neighbor and the C—”

“Building manager,” Yoongi interrupted sharply, his words slicing through the air like a cold wind. His tone left no room for argument. He didn’t even look at you as he spoke, his eyes fixed on Jimin, his hand already gripping his arm with surprising force.

Jimin’s mouth hung open for a moment, clearly caught off guard by Yoongi’s sudden shift. He blinked rapidly, as though trying to process what he’d just heard. “Building manager?” His voice came out more as a question than a statement. His eyebrows shot up, and his mouth snapped shut with a soft click, as if he was trying to hold back the flood of disbelief.

Yoongi didn’t answer him. Instead, he pulled Jimin by the arm, his grip tightening as he dragged him toward the apartment beside yours. The muscles in Yoongi’s jaw flexed as he moved with a strange urgency, his face set in a hard line.

The door slammed shut behind them with a loud thud, the sound echoing in your ears like a final punctuation mark to the whole exchange. The force of it seemed to shake the air around you, the finality of it stinging more than you expected.

You were left standing there, frozen, staring at the now-closed door. Your heart still pounded in your chest, the hurt and confusion twisting inside you like a knot you couldn’t untangle. Building manager?

a/n: Hey, hey, hey, people! Did you survive it? Did you actually like it? Because if you did, please let me know—boost my fragile ego. And if you didn’t, that’s fine too; just rip me apart gently. Feedback makes me feel like a real writer or at least someone pretending to be one. Honestly, I don’t think it was that interesting, but hey, the goal was to post something, right? So yeah, hit me with your thoughts. I'm all ears (and slightly terrified)!

a/n: I know, I know, a lot of you are probably like, ‘Jae, what the hell? Why didn’t he just tell her he’s the CEO? What’s with the secret identity? And why is he so rude?’ Look, I get it. All I can say is: UBS1 is coming soon, so read it and find out. Also, he’s not rude, okay? He’s just... scared Jimin might spill the beans about him being the CEO. That’s it.

[maxdibert]

Any headcanons about Severus when he's not at Hogwarts hiding in the dungeons?

Ahhhhh yes!!! I have quite a few based on my personal interpretation. Lets go!

• Based on canon and the fact that Severus seems like someone who probably suffers from severe depression, I think he leaves Hogwarts and returns to his crappy house in Cokeworth as a form of self-punishment. If staying at Hogwarts, serving Dumbledore, and working as a teacher (even though he clearly doesn’t like children) is his subconscious way of repaying a debt to society, then isolating himself in his childhood home is like a second prison. It’s a depressing hole that only brings back horrible memories.

• He’s thought about selling it and moving somewhere else a thousand times, but he always finds himself incapable of doing so, as if something inside him tells him he doesn’t deserve to live in a place that isn’t utterly miserable.

• Despite growing up in a very Muggle-centric environment, he’s completely disconnected from Muggle culture since his parents died. He knows the basics and has more knowledge than the average wizard, but overall, he’s very out of touch.

• The Muggle world reminds him of his father and the disdain for magic his father had, which is why he stays away from anything related to that world.

• Ironically, the fact that no one in the Muggle world recognizes him or associates him with the burdens of being a spy or a teacher, infamous in half of magical British society for being an unpleasant bastard, gives him a certain sense of peace.

• Cognitive dissonance over his mixed heritage 24/7—it’s a constant source of inner conflict.

• Absolutely ZERO self-care. At Hogwarts, he maintains a routine and takes care of himself somewhat, but when he’s alone, he neglects himself entirely. He barely sleeps or stays up until dawn, often forgets to eat, and sometimes even forgets to shower.

• At home, he usually dresses like a wizard, but if he has to go outside for something, he wears clothes he’s had since he was 20. They’re ancient, faded, and worn out, but he doesn’t care because he lives in a shitty neighborhood and doesn’t think it’s worth the time to buy appropriate Muggle clothing.

• Extremely stingy. If he can save money on something, he will. He grew up without enough money for clothes as a child, so he’s very aware of his finances and hates spending on frivolities. He tries to haggle whenever possible and gets very, very annoyed if he thinks someone’s trying to rip him off.

• He could afford a few luxuries, but he never does because he feels guilty about spending money on himself unless it’s strictly necessary.

• Lucius worked very hard to teach him to “speak properly” and rid him of the “provincial” accent he arrived at Hogwarts with, but as soon as he sets foot in Cokeworth, his northern twang immediately comes back, and his way of speaking becomes much harsher.

• Similarly, being surrounded by purebloods and aristocrats taught him certain manners and customs, which he always uses at Hogwarts or in magical circles as a sort of shield, but at home, he’s the same working-class kid he’s always been and couldn’t care less about those pretensions.

• Once again, cognitive dissonance plays a role between the image he projects and his true working-class essence.

• When he’s very depressed, he tends to grab a pint at the biggest dive bar he can find and, paradoxically, feels quite comfortable among the rough crowd there.

• At work, he’s very orderly; at home, he’s not. His house is chaotic, but it’s an organized chaos. It’s full of books, papers, and research he’s working on, and while it looks like a mess, he knows exactly where everything is.

• He spends his time researching potions and reading books.

• He smokes occasionally, even though he always claims he’s quit.

• Sometimes, he doesn’t know whether he hates being at Hogwarts or at home more, but then he thinks that, at least at home, he doesn’t have to deal with putting up with idiots.