#in all seriousness. i think it is the point where wizards go from 'i can't take a hit i'm AC12 and i'll DIE' to-

[wetcatspellcaster]

I will have you know I have had beef with wizards my whole d&d/bg3 career and you have singlehandedly convinced me that wizards are sexy. I don't know how you did it, but you did.

well, in fact it was easy, anon, because i am right x

[avocado-writing]

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

*eats your words*

no but seriously, your writing has me kicking my feet when I’m supposed to be typing an essay 😞‼️ I was wondering if you could do some headcanons for the companions x monk! Tav who, when being confessed to, Tav responds with “it’ll pass”?

basically fleabag inspired 😍‼️ please and thank you! stay safe n warm 🔫

OH GOD HEARTBREAKING i tried to make it have a happy ending tho!!! enjoy! and I'm so glad that you enjoy my writing! (mild nsfw mentions)

writing as if you're saying this because you think you wouldn't be the best option for their future, one way or another, and want to try and soften the blow for them by replying like this. you only want them to be happy and you're scared it can't be with you.

Astarion

you cup his face, and the look in your eyes is so, so sad.

you think perhaps your simple nomadic lifestyle will not be enough for him. you love him, you do, but he needs someone more modern. more cosmopolitan.

when you tell him it will pass you see a myriad of expressions cross his face: sadness, confusion, anger... but finally, resolve.

he takes your hand in his, firmly.

"my heart. I know when things will pass, and when they won't. my love for you is not some trifle, a fashion to be abandoned like it would go out of style. I mean it. I can make my own decisions, and I have decided where I want to be. It's with you."

he reaches out to embrace you. you're surprised, but let him do it anyway, and you bury your face into his neck to hide your emotions.

maybe, just maybe, you were wrong.

you hold him tighter than ever that night.

Gale

you're worried he is too smart for you. that he will get bored of you, and the idea breaks your heart.

you tell him "it'll pass" when he confesses because you're scared.

seems actually offended that you'd tell him his love for you might be fleeting.

"there are things which will span the ages. stories, gods, heroes. my love for you is one of them. I do not confess that lightly. you are a beacon of hope in my life, love... and that will never fade."

goes on for some time afterwards about how committed he is and how much he loves you, until eventually you accept that he's not going anywhere.

bloody wizards, so good with their words...

fall asleep that night after having the most intimate lovemaking session, all about feeling each other's breath and heartbeats.

he is here to stay, forever.

Wyll

wyll deserves someone amazing. someone who could handle his life if he became duke, and you're scared you'll let him down.

when you tell him 'it'll pass' he is hurt, and leaves the conversation for a moment. you think perhaps it is for the best. you don't need this to cause any more pain.

but later he comes to find you and asks if he can have a private moment. you find out he wasn't hiding from you but preparing: he has a little intimate picnic set up where you can sit and be alone.

when you're comfortable he tells you about how deep his love is, how fate has thrown you together.

"there is nothing about how i feel about you that could pass. nothing."

to prove his point, he slips to his knee, and that is when he proposes.

you're overcome with emotion. you have to accept how committed to you he is, and work out if you deserve something as fierce as his love.

there are tears in your eyes when you accept. you never think his love will pass again.

Karlach

probably the hardest one to say this too. together, your future is so uncertain. it will be easier to break it off here rather than maim both of you.

gets angry. in fact, goes into a rage. tears up the surroundings, and for a moment you're taken aback--

but then she turns and she's sobbing, stuck at the midpoint between being apoplectic and brokenhearted.

"you don't get to decide that for me! you don't! you're the first person i've loved... I've touched... I've felt anything for, for a fucking decade! when i feel this, it doesn't fade! how dare you think about yourself like that? as if you're some sort of phase?"

eventually she calms down enough but bursts into tears instead. you go to hold her and she embraces you so tightly that the wind is knocked from your body.

"i love you. i won't leave you. don't leave me." her voice is tiny.

how could you ever say no? how could you ever doubt her?

when the two of you are in Avernus, you're reminded of this moment, and so glad she fought against it. you'd trade this away for nothing.

Lae'zel

would she want someone like you? long term? she's so brave, so fierce. what if you're not good enough? what if your relationship develops only for you to let her down?

she gets angry too, but quieter.

is furious that you would question her affection.

"githyanki do not give their devotion lightly. the fact that you think my love for you could pass makes me wonder how well you know me."

it turns into an argument where you try and explain your side, and she's angry at you for thinking this way.

eventually it descends into angrily making out. some fierce lovemaking. her saying how much she loves you, possesses you, between every bite and kiss.

you lie in the afterglow. she says she will not leave, and pretty much tells you that you won't either. you agree, and tangle your hand with hers.

Shadowheart

tries to hide how hurt she is.

yes, Shar is the lady of loss, but the idea of losing you... of not having you in her life? unthinkable.

you only tried to tell her it will pass so that, if she wishes to become a dark justiciar, she will have no lingering attachment to you after.

and yet...

it is blasphemy for her, but she refuses to let you go.

"no. i won't allow it. i can't believe this will fade between us. you are the most precious thing to me. stay."

you're weak for her, end up tumbling into bed, reconfirming your love for each other.

you never quite believe that this is forever until she changes her hair, embraces selune. then your heart is full of joy. and it is full of Shadowheart.

[svp3rrn0va]

The Artist & The Muse (NSFW)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Summary: MC is an aspiring artist. She talks to her close friend, Sebastian, about her hobby and how she wants to practice painting anatomy. He offers to be her nude model, and MC can't help but admire his body in more ways than one.

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit sexual content, body worship, foreplay, oral m!rec, unprotected sex, praise kink

Word Count: 4,748

You sigh as you struggle to focus on your book amidst the chatter of your peers around you. Out of anywhere you could've chosen to read, you chose the fountain in the literal epicenter of the castle. Central Hall seemed to be absolutely packed at any point of the day before curfew. It doesn't help that the content you're trying to read is already a bit confusing for you.

To your left, there is a group of friends cheering for a 2nd-year Gryffindor as he walks up the wall. Any moment now, you think to yourself. Just then, as if he'd read your mind, he falls to the floor with a shriek. Thankfully for him, one of his friends cast a charm so he wouldn't hit the hard floor below him.

They all began to laugh really loudly, and that was your last straw. Just as you were about to turn to them and scold them for picking such a crowded area to do something so dangerous, your friend Sebastian Sallow approaches you and sits beside you on the fountain with a smile. You give him a sigh that means "oh, hello."

"What are you reading?" he asks, his head pointing toward your book.

"It's an art book," you reply, closing it and placing it in your lap. "Although I can't get much reading done with all this noise."

Sebastian chuckles. "You're surprised you can't pay attention to your book in Central Hall?" You roll your eyes.

"Also, I didn't know you were into art."

"Yes," you say with a hint of shyness. "I paint, actually."

Sebastian's eyes light up. "You paint? I can't believe you've never told me this before!"

He was right. It was a rather ridiculous notion that you kept something like that from him. You actually kept that from a lot of people. Not because painting is such an embarrassing hobby, but because you're still learning, and you haven't felt ready to show your work to people yet. You've always had a tendency to be hard on yourself.

"Here and there I do; I don't really take it that seriously." That was a lie. Of course you see yourself having a career within the wizarding world, but you would also like to have a career as an artist in the muggle world, perhaps under an alias.

"Even so, I bet you're really good at it. You're good at everything." Sebastian says with a smile.

You scoff. "You're only saying that to be nice."

"No, I mean it! You're the smartest person I know, besides me, of course," he smirks.

You scoff and nudge his arm playfully, and you stand up. "On that note, I'm going to go to my room and read where it's peaceful."

Sebastian quickly stands up as well. "Your room? Your room of requirement? Is that where you paint?" You sigh, and Sebastian acts like a kid in a candy store. "I bet it is! I want to see them."

"You want to see my paintings?" you ask.

"Of course! You can't tell me that you paint and not expect me to want to see them."

You swallow, and you feel your nerves building up. You've never shown anyone outside your family your paintings.

"You're not going to let this go until I show you, will you?" you ask, already knowing his answer. Sebastian shakes his head, and you sigh. "Fine. But don't laugh at me. They aren't great."

"That's subjective. Besides, even if I were to not think they're great, I want to support you regardless. That's what friends are for, anyway." He says softly.

You smile, feeling touched by his words, and it makes you feel more relaxed.

***

You open the door to your room of requirement and Sebastian looks around in amazement. The room is quite large, and you've made yourself a nice, personal space. You've got a large bed, a large desk for your assignments, massive bookshelves filled with books, potting tables, and of course, your painting area with everything you'd need.

"Wow, if this were my room of requirement, I'd never leave," he says, taking a seat on the sofa by the fireplace.

"What's in your room of requirement?" you ask.

"I don't have one. I just spend all my alone time in the Undercroft."

You laugh, not understanding how he could choose a room like that over a room where he could have absolutely anything he wanted. Sebastian turns around on the sofa and looks toward your painting station, his smile dropping when he sees that the only visible canvas is blank.

"I thought you had paintings in here," he said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"I do," you say as you walk towards the bed. You open up the chest at the foot of the bed. "They're in here."

Sebastian quickly gets up and walks over to you, peering inside the chest to see three canvases facing down.

"May I?" he asks, looking up at you as he leans down to grab them.

You nod and take a deep breath as he pulls the canvases out of the chest and looks through them.

One is of the Scottish coast, with beautiful cliffs overlooking the sea. The second is a view of the night sky from what appears to be the observation deck in the astronomy tower. The third is your cat lying on your windowsill, looking at sheep passing by in the fields outside.

You chew on your lip as you watch Sebastian's face, trying to decipher from his expression whether he likes the paintings or not. It's a bit hard to tell, and he's silent. You begin to get antsy.

"Well?" you ask impatiently.

"These are-" he begins before once again going quiet as he keeps alternating between the paintings. You groan.

"Do you have to be so dramatic? Please tell me what you think!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sebastian says, snapping out of his trance. "I'm just speechless. These are amazing! I can't believe you said they aren't great!"

You raise your eyebrows. "Really? You think so?"

"Of course! I'm not a painter, so I can't use technical terms, but you're very good at blending the gradients in the sky, and the water in this one, just look at the way you did the bubbles on the crashing waves! You're really underestimating yourself."

You can't help but smile, and you look at the floor, blushing. "Thank you, Sebastian. That means a lot."

"You should be proud, really," he says as he gently places the canvases back into the chest. "What art book were you reading, exactly? Judging by these paintings, you shouldn't have much more to learn. You're already great."

"Alright, alright, you're flattering me too much now," you laugh. "It was an anatomy book. I've had enough practice painting landscapes and animals; I don't have enough practice painting humans."

"Well, why not just try doing it instead of trying to learn from a book first?" he asked.

"That's the thing," you say, and you feel your face getting warm. "I could handle painting people with clothes on, but I've always been inspired by art from the Italian Renaissance. I'd like to recreate that style."

"Well? What's wrong with that?"

"A lot of famous paintings from that time depict nude people," you bluntly reply.

"Oh," Sebastian says, clearing his throat. "You want to do a nude painting?"

"I'd like to try and make a painting in that style, yes," you chuckle nervously. "I just would like to get a hang of human anatomy before I even attempt to recreate a Renaissance piece. But asking someone to pose for that is-"

"I'll do it."

You weren't sure if you heard him correctly. "You what?"

"I said I'll do it." He has to be joking, right? But he looks completely serious and doesn't look unsure at all.

"You'll... you'll pose nude for me?" you ask, whispering the last few words as though someone can hear.

"Why not? We're close; I trust you. And I'd be honoured to help you get some practice. Unless you'd prefer to paint a female body."

"No, no, it doesn't matter to me. But are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I wasn't," he shrugs.

You stand there and sigh, still surprised by Sebastian's sudden offer. Despite his offering, you don't want to put him in an awkward situation, but it also saves you from any future awkward situations of finding someone to pose nude for you.

"If you're comfortable with it, then alright. We've got time before class, so we could do a bit now, if you'd like." You say.

"I don't mind," he says, looking around the room. "Where would you like me to be?"

"You can be on the bed so you're on a soft surface." You grab your easel and blank canvas along with a chair, and you move them both across from the bed. "And I will be here."

Sebastian nods, and you make your way back to the table to gather all of your brushes and paints to use for the canvas. You grab your mug, and with a quick cast of Aguamenti, you've got a full water mug ready for you to clean your brushes.

When you turn around and catch sight of Sebastian, you nearly drop everything in your hands when you see he's already fully naked, standing by the bed.

"Are you alright?" he asks, chuckling.

"Sorry," Your face was burning hot at this point. You clear your throat. "I just didn't expect you to get undressed so quickly."

"I didn't mean to shock you," he says, looking at the bed. "How would you like me to pose?"

"Erm," you hesitate as you try your best to keep your eyes on his and not focus on his lower region. "You can lay on your side with your hand resting on your head, one leg propped up? That way I can see... erm... everything."

Sebastian nods and climbs onto the bed, getting into the pose you asked him to. You place all your paints and brushes in front of you, trying to ignore the blood in your cheeks and your heartbeat. You've seen a man naked before, but you've known Sebastian for a long time and had never been intimate with him, so you weren't sure how to feel.

"How's this?" he asks. You look to the bed, and he's laying in the correct pose, although his leg was tilted a bit downward, so you couldn't see his privates well.

"That's alright, but if you lift your leg up a bit more, then it's perfect."

He listens. He lifts up his leg so his knee's pointed directly towards the ceiling, and you see it. Your breath stops for a few seconds.

It's quite... big. Thick, but not too thick. It's more long than thick. You quickly peel your eyes away to not make him think you're staring. You begin to paint his head, and you notice your hand is shaking. You shut your eyes and clear your throat again to try to clear your thoughts.

"Are you comfortable like that?" you ask, trying to make conversation and feel more relaxed.

"I am," he responds casually. "This room is amazing. It conjured up a much cozier bed than what we've got in all the dorms!"

"I know," you reply. "I actually don't sleep in it much, though."

"Well, you should," he says. "I reckon you'd be the most well-rested person in the castle!" He moves his arm and head a lot as he speaks, making you struggle.

"Try not to move too much," you instruct him. He nods, quietly apologising.

You begin painting his lips, and you try to focus on his face, but it's very difficult. Your eyes have a mind of their own, and they keep trailing down to his length. You swallow hard as the light from the fireplace allows you to clearly see, even from that distance, the veins along it.

Sebastian seems to be unaware of your attention as he looks around the room while you paint.

It's no secret that Sebastian is a very attractive man. You and many other girls in the castle can agree on that. However, the fact that he feels comfortable enough with his body to agree to do this for you somehow makes him much more attractive to you.

You admittedly feel a bit entranced by him in this moment. You've never felt this way for him, so it's a surprise. In fact, you're so entranced that you almost didn't notice the heat from your cheeks sinking to your lower region as well.

No. No, now is not the time for this, you think to yourself. As you feel the heat turning into a slight throb, you clench your thighs together, trying to get the feeling to go away. You somehow manage to finish his head and hair, and it looks good.

As you begin to paint his torso, that's when you notice how toned he is, and how his freckles aren't just on his face. You begin to sweat, and the throbbing you feel doesn't get any better. You feel it even more this time. You gently take your hand and place it in between your thighs, closing them around it.

You shift in your seat and Sebastian turns his attention towards you.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his eyebrow raised.

You struggle to find words, and you quickly nod your head as you chew nervously on your bottom lip.

Sebastian begins to eye you as you insist on keeping your attention on your canvas. He sees your hand between your thighs and your fingers digging into the skin of one of them. When he looks up at your face, he can see how red your cheeks are and how aggressively you're chewing your lip.

"No really, are you alright? You seem flustered-"

"I'm fine, Sebastian," you snap. Unbeknownst to you, Sebastian knows better. He can tell by the way you can't sit still. He can tell by the way you're clawing at your skin. He can tell by the red of your cheeks. You're turned on, and he knows it. He just chooses to play coy.

You begin to paint his beautifully broad shoulders. Merlin, these intrusive thoughts. Get out of here! You almost don't want to look at him again, but you have to. As you take another look at Sebastian, your eyes quickly dart down to his length once again, and that's when you notice it.

He's getting hard.

You immediately stand up and start putting everything away.

"I'm sorry, this wasn't really a good idea. I really appreciate you offering to help, though," you say, almost too quick for him to understand.

"What? What's wrong?" Sebastian asks, getting out of his pose and sitting upright.

"This just feels too wrong. I didn't want there to be tension, I thought this would just be-"

"Tension?" he asks again, looking down to notice the obvious tension as well. "Oh shit."

You put away the easel and chair and begin to nervously pace.

"Again I appreciate you doing this for me but I'll just look for another model. Just put your clothes back on and we can act like this didn't happen, alright? I'll see you in class." You try to rush out of the room when you feel Sebastian grab your wrist.

You turn around in surprise as you didn't even notice him get up from the bed and walk towards you in your frantic state. You look down at all his glory once again before meeting his gaze.

"There's nothing wrong with it if you like what you see, you know," he says, his voice lowered. Your breathing speeds up.

"I-I don't know what- what you mean," you stammer.

"I've known you for a while," he smirks. "You've never been discreet, and you certainly aren't now."

He keeps his eyes fixed on you, and you can't pull yours away.

"Tell me what's on your mind." He licks his lips and you can practically hear your heartbeat in your ears.

"Y- your body," you say so quietly it's almost a whisper.

"What about it?" he asks softly.

"It's so beautiful."

"Beautiful in an artistic way? Like you want to paint it?" he asks, his eyebrows raised. You can tell that he is trying to get more out of you.

You hesitate and lick your lips before answering. "Yes, but, not just paint it."

"What else?" he whispers, and you can't help but whimper slightly at his voice.

"I want to touch it," your eyes begin to trail down his body again. "And kiss it..."

Sebastian, still holding onto your wrist, gently brings your hand up to his chest. You shiver as you touch his skin and he slides your hand down his torso.

"You mean like this?" He asks. You nod.

"And you want to kiss it?" He asks again. You nod again.

He chuckles and he interlocks his fingers with yours. He takes his other hand and places it behind your neck, pulling you in and crashing his lips to yours. As soon as your lips touch, you feel all of your nerves go away. All you want is him.

You run your hand through his hair and moan into his mouth. He smiles against your lips and waits for you to open your mouth just a little before he adds his tongue.

You pull away from the kiss with a gentle bite of his lower lip. He looks at you with nothing but lust in his eyes. Then you lean in and kiss his jawline, down to his neck.

A soft "mmm" comes from Sebastian and you smile as your kisses travel lower down to his collarbone all the way to his bellybutton.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted this," Sebastian growls.

You're on your knees at this point, and you look up at him with a look of surprise at his words. You had no idea Sebastian felt that way about you, but you weren't complaining.

"I think I have an idea," you reply, eyeing his erection in front of you.

"May I?" You repeat his question from earlier as you guide your hand towards his cock, glancing at him for permission. He nods and you place your hand on it, swirling your thumb around his shaft.

Sebastian hisses and you smile, before leaning forward and licking his tip as you begin to pump his dick with your hand.

"Oh god," he groans, throwing his head back. "That's perfect." He grabs onto your hair as you start bobbing up and down on his cock, pumping the rest with your hand.

You aren't quiet either. You make sure to slurp and gag as you take his length as far back into your throat as you can. He obviously loves it, too, as his legs shake and he moans with each gag.

"God damn, is there anything you're not good at?" Sebastian asks as his voice cracks, an indication to you that he may not last much longer.

You begin to massage his balls and he tugs harder on your hair. As you suck him off, you gradually use more tongue, and you can just feel his veins against your tongue from how prominent they are, and you love it.

"You're gonna make me cum," he whimpers. "Do you want to swallow it?"

"Mm-hmm," you reply, not taking your mouth off him. Anxious for his release, you begin to pick up the pace, just as he begins to thrust himself into your mouth. At this point your pussy is throbbing like crazy, and you take your hand from his balls to try to rub yourself through your underwear. Unfortunately, the hem of your pants are too tight.

"Oh that feels so good," he moans, and with one final thrust, you feel his cock twitch and he releases his load into your throat.

You giggle with satisfaction as the warm liquid fills your mouth. Once he pulls away, you swallow as if you've just had a nice, refreshing glass of water.

"Come here," Sebastian says as he takes your wrist again and pulls you to your feet, pulling you into another passionate kiss. You two begin to walk backwards while you kiss, not paying much attention to where you're going.

Next thing you know you collide with your painting table, and you press your hand onto something wet. You turn around and begin to laugh as you notice your hand landed directly on your painting palette.

"Oh, I'm sorry," says Sebastian, laughing as well.

"That's alright." You place your paint covered hand on his cheek and kiss him again, his eyes widening.

"Hey!" He exclaims against your mouth. You pull away and giggle once again as you see a handprint on the side of his face. Then an idea comes into your head.

Sebastian watches in confusion as you put both hands on the painting palette. You turn around, biting your lip as you slide your hands down his body, covering him in paint.

"What is this?" he grins.

"You're my art project," you laugh. "And I just want to keep touching you."

"It's my turn to touch you now," he growls. He begins to undo your pants, and you arch your back off the table so it's easier for him to pull them down.

He removes your pants and to your surprise, you've gotten so wet, you can see it through your underwear.

"And you tried to be discreet," he says with a smirk. "Tsk tsk tsk."

He slides one finger along your cloth covered slit and you gasp. You prop one leg up on the chair beside you to give him better access.

"Oh, we're eager, aren't we?" he whispers right next to your ear. You shiver. "You're soaking wet."

He presses his finger up against your clit through your underwear, almost to tease you. You whimper in desperation, and he grins again as he begins to rub. "What's wrong? You want me to touch you directly?"

You nod. "Please," you whisper. "Please touch my pussy."

With a bite of his lip, he hooks one finger through the hem of your underwear and slides it down towards your knees.

"Just look at that pussy," he says, admiring you. "I can't imagine what you've got under the rest of those clothes."

He begins to rub circles on your clit and you place one hand behind his neck to stabilise yourself. His fingers are cold, and it feels so good against your pussy that you shudder.

Sebastian leans in to kiss you again. He then drags his lower lip along your ear and places a gentle kiss on it. "So fucking good," he says. "So talented, you are. So smart, too, and so fucking beautiful." He rubs your clit even faster and your head falls onto his shoulder.

"Even better at sucking my cock, and I know you'll be great at taking it in that beautiful pussy of yours, too." His words are sending you closer to the edge. "I bet you're so fucking tight."

"Sebastian," you choke out. "Don't stop." You begin to grind your hips against his finger and he chuckles.

"Yes, grind those hips. You're making me hard all over again." You watch as his cock begins to grow once again, already prepared for you. You moan at the sight, and your desperation to feel it inside of you makes you finish.

Your legs shake wildly and you fall back against the table as you cum. Sebastian slows his rubbing, and he sighs in satisfaction as he watches your delicious juices drip from your pussy lips as you finish your release. Once you're done, he licks his finger as if he's licking chocolate frosting off of it.

"So sweet," he smirks.

You're getting impatient now, and without a word you begin to strip your blouse off, and Sebastian watches you with complete lust in his eyes. As you begin to take off your corset, you struggle a bit and he helps you.

He undoes the last button and your corset falls to the floor. You turn around to face him and his jaw drops. He gently places his hands on your waist, and caresses up and down your torso. Sebastian moans softly as he runs his hands over your breasts, spreading his middle and index fingers apart as he passes by your nipples.

"And you said my body was beautiful," he gawks. "Look at you. Just fucking exquisite. You should paint yourself. This is real art."

His sweet words drive you crazy and you crash your lips against his once again. He kisses you back with somehow even more passion this time. He's got paint all over him now, but you absolutely love it. You jump up and wrap your legs around his waist.

He wraps his arms around you, getting paint on you now as well, but you don't care. Sebastian takes you to the bed and drops you on it. He grabs each of your ankles and pulls you towards him as he remains standing.

"I wish you could see yourself from this view," he says.

"Well I'm satisfied with mine, as well," you reply.

He lets go of one of your ankles to position himself at your slit, and you begin to drop your leg. He quickly grabs it again and lifts it back up. "Keep your legs up," he instructs.

You begin to say "alright", but you're cut off by your own moan as he pushes himself into you. Since he isn't too thick, he's able to slide into you quite easily, but he's just the right girth that it feels fucking amazing.

"Your pussy feels incredible," he sighs, as he begins to softly thrust in and out of you.

You watch his face, and you admire how gorgeous his expressions are. The way he shuts his eyes, and raises his brows, and slightly opens his mouth. You wish you could see him like this all the time.

"You can go faster," you tell him. And just like that, he thrusts faster and harder. You both moan in unison and his grip on your ankles tightens. "Fuck, Sebastian, that feels so good."

"God, I- I can't," he breathes as he lets go of your ankles and collapses on top of you, not hurting you, and he continues his thrusting. You wrap your legs around his waist again.

Sebastian rests his head in the crook of your neck, and places his hand on your other cheek. "You're fucking perfect," he says.

You lift his head up so his eyes meet yours and you kiss him, this time it being a romantic, tender kiss. You press your legs tighter on his waist, pushing him closer to you so his cock hits you even deeper.

Sebastian's cock is hitting your g-spot just right, and you can feel your orgasm approaching quickly. You begin to rub your clit just as you feel Sebastian's thrusts slowing down just a hair, and you know he's getting close, too.

"I'm close," he whispers. "Do you want me to cum inside you?"

You think for a moment, and you nod your head.

You tug on his hair and you begin to kiss his neck. He moans and that little sound makes you fall apart. Your legs close around him tightly and as your walls begin to clench on his cock, he loses it. He groans, and right when you expect him to shoot his load inside of you, he quickly pulls out and cums all over your stomach.

He chuckles, and you look up at him with a look of both confusion and disappointment.

"Now you're my art project," he laughs, and you can't help but roll your eyes.

Sebastian falls back onto the bed next to you. "Look at us," he says. "We're a mess."

"I can always conjure up a bathtub," you reply. "By the way, you're not going to be my nude model again."

Sebastian sits up with a frown. "Why not?"

"Are you joking? I'll never get any practice done with you! You've distracted me!"

"You say that like it was a bad distraction." he chuckles.

You can't help but laugh, too, because it's true. You look up at him with a smirk. "You do make a good canvas, though."

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hi! Do you have any tips how to not lose interest in a story and be enough interested to start/do write if? Personally I just get hyperfixated on a story idea I have, do the brainstorming, even the planning, sometimes world building and if I get serious I make lists about almost everything but never end up writing even if I have interest still, but at most cases at the point I could start writing I just loose interest and get bored of a story when I'm done figuring out what it'll be about and maybe because I don't really like thinking about the climax or the end of the story...

Hyperfixation on Planning Story, But Can't Write It

I do have some tips on rekindling your interest in your story, which I'll link below, but first I think it's worth addressing the specific issues you mentioned: that you don't like to think about the climax or end of the story.

Have you thought at all about why you feel that way? There are a few potential reasons I can think of:

1 - Your story doesn't have a conflict, so your story doesn't have a natural climax or ending. Stories revolve around conflict, or in other words a problem that needs to be solved. This problem could be in the character's heart and mind (internal conflict), in the character's situation/life/world (external conflict), or you can have both at the same time. Many stories these days have a parallel internal and external conflict. Stories are ultimately about someone (or a bunch of someones) trying to solve a problem. In order to solve that problem, they need to reach a particular goal or accomplish a particular thing. The bulk of the story will be their struggle to reach this goal as they overcome the obstacles along the way. The climax of the story is where they face down the cause of the conflict once and for all, whether that's a villain (like an evil wizard or corrupt corporation) or a force (like illness or a natural disaster) and try to solve the problem once and for all. Everything after that is the aftermath... whether they succeeded or failed, patching up their "wounds" from the "battle" (again, it doesn't have to be actual wounds or an actual battle), and settling into the post-conflict life. That's your ending.

2 - You have a conflict, but haven't figured out how it would be resolved, so the climax and ending are fuzzy. If you have a conflict but aren't sure how it would be resolved, it might help to think of the conflict as a problem that needs to be solved. For example, in The Hunger Games, the conflict was the Hunger Games Event... the problem was that Katniss volunteered to compete which put her life at risk. So the solution to the problem was to survive the event.

3 - You know what the climax and ending are, but you are enjoying the characters and world and don't want the story to end. This is one I think many writers can relate to. It can be really hard to let go of a story when you've enjoyed writing it, have gotten attached to the characters, and feel comfortable/familiar with the world. It can also be a little scary to think about diving into a whole new story. But, we do have to learn to let go of stories when they're finished and let them come to their natural conclusion. You can always go back to the world and characters, even if just for yourself, later on. It wouldn't be weird to write "fan-fiction" of your own story, and many writers turn these kinds of stories into prequels, sequels, companion series, and companion short stories that their readers enjoy, too.

Here are some tips for getting excited about your story again if you just need your motivation rekindled:

Guide: How to Rekindle Your Motivation to Write 5 Reasons You Lost Interest in Your WIP, Plus Fixes! Getting Excited About Your Story Again Getting Unstuck: Motivation Beyond Mood Boards & Playlists Feeling Unmotivated with WIP

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[childotkw]

okay but imagine the grindelwald! harry au mixed with that ybtm(ibty) au where it's actually harry that goes to nathan's world. i would assume that dumbledore wouldn't allow those rumors to spread if harry came to him first, but if harry had built up a reputation beforehand... it's technically not allowed/ taboo to discuss the rumor (not like the school can place a ban on it), but the whole student body knows it by the time harry is there and assisting dumbledore. dumbledore can't even claim harry as his son or relative at this point because it would just end in even more disaster. harry is super adverse to the rumor but his refusal just kinda stokes the flames higher and at this point even grindelwald is aware that his supposed son is hanging out with dumbledore at hogwarts. and wouldn't that be rejection of the highest order again? or perhaps he wouldn't really even believe the rumor but that power that harry effortlessly wields, that's something to see. i feel like nathan would believe harry when he said that he wasn't grindelwald's son, but orion would do the real plotting when he connects nathan's attackers to grindelwald, like, the amount of drama orion lives for is RIGHT THERE orion would prob be disappointed when he doesn't see results tho lol, but he has plenty of other entertainment. like harry and his everything. and tom too, but he sees tom more than harry, and tom likes to hide everything, so. anyways this idea has consumed me so i'm sorry about the word vomit lmao your aus are very plot-bunny inducing

A spin off of Dark Side of the Moon where Harry side-stepped Dumbledore and Hogwarts completely, and became some vigilante-esque figure in the Wizarding underworld because his saving people thing was alive and well even if he's a grumpy boy.

His actions - stepping in and defending others regardless of status or species, breaking up the more destructive and illegal rings in Knockturn and making things a little safer for those living there, dodging the aurors with all the skill of a career criminal, etc. - drew attention.

Because of course they did.

And people loved to gossip about him.

Because of course they did.

Harry was focussed on trying to get home (he has yet to chat with Death), and unintentionally kicked off some of those rumours himself. Rumours that, for some reason, had people thinking he was Grindelwald’s son?

(It was absolutely because of the Deathly Hallows tattoo on his hip - don’t ask how it got there, don’t ask how the group of hags spotted it, Harry purged that memory from his brain, it did not happen).

Anyway.

Harry was strolling around Knockturn on Halloween and stepped in to chase off the men attacking Nathan, safely whisked the boy back to his family and let them know that Grindelwald’s men were on the prowl. Benedict took that warning seriously, and Cynthia proposed Harry stop by one afternoon for tea as a thank you.

And one gossipy vampire who witnessed Harry curb-stomp Grindelwald’s men spread the word that the Dark Lord’s apparent son was ‘on the outs’ with his father because why else would he attack a group of Acolytes unless there was trouble in paradise?

Long, long story short - Harry eventually ended up at Hogwarts as some weird teacher assistant / in protective custody / a God (people are too scared to ask at this point). He just chilled in the school, occasionally disappearing without a word to dismantle an illegal poaching organisation or bulldoze through some of Grindelwald’s men.

It was only after a few months that Harry even heard the rumour that people think he’s Grindelwald’s disgruntled, long-lost son. He tried denying it at first but by this point the rumour is so pervasive and wide-spread that he couldn’t change it. So Harry just rolled with it.

“Why yes, I am Gellert’s son. Yes, I think his political agenda is stupid. No, he’s not all powerful, he’s actually a moron and I’m going to break his nose when I next see him.”

People are lowkey terrified. Nathan has his pseudo-older brother who is training him to be a badass. Orion is frothing at the mouth and Tom is vibrating at a frequency that could propel himself into the sun.

Gellert just wants to know why anyone would look at him and think he’d ever sleep with a woman. Then he claims the magically-powerful-possible-god-man-thing as his son because why not?

[therealvinelle]

I think the vampires in Twilight are boring, largely because they are so perfect. They're beautiful, super strong, super fast, fabulously wealthy, they have superpowers, and all without any of the interesting drawbacks from popular vampire lore apart from the bloodlust (which is mostly utilized in the narrative for romance angst) or mental stagnation (which is weaksauce). I'm not even gonna talk about the sparkling

I think there's room for different interpretations of myths and archetypes but I feel like this one just sanded off all of the all interesting bits instead of actually reinterpreting them

What's the point of vampire romance if they're barely vampires?

What's your take as someone who is knowledgeable about this topic?

You know, rather than defend Twilight, I'm going to make the same argument about Good Omens, Alien, the Wizard of Earthsea, and Harry Potter. I'm also going to be incredibly mean to you, I'm sorry, I know your question is asked in good faith but deep in my heart is a snarky monster yearning to break free. It has been unleashed, because you see, I strongly disagree with the "the vampires in Twilight aren't actually vampires!" criticism.

The angels and demons in Good Omens are nothing like Biblical angels and demons and the authors just made stuff up they liked. I'm not sure what the point of that story was.

The alien in Alien bleeds acid, it's virtually indestructible and Ellen has to eject it into space to kill it. What a terrible villain design.

The Wizard of Earthsea and Harry Potter feature very different wizards which makes me wonder- why couldn't either Ursula Le Guin or J. K. Rowling back off? Find some other word, because these fictional creatures can't be both what they are in the Wizard of Earthsea and in Harry Potter. Don't even factor in Lord of the Rings or the Dresden Files - these authors are all over the place, it's like they can't pin down what a wizard even is.

Vampires, being creatures that I take very seriously and want to see accurately depicted in my YA literature, damnit, are grievously disrespected in Twilight where that Stephenie Meyer woman used her imagination and did her own thing. The sheer disrespect, smh.

[honeypuffle]

Forbidden Love | Chapter Two

A/N - Hey guys! Thank you so much for all the love on the first chapter and prologue, and I hope you like this one just as much to! Don't forget to signup for the tag list so you can be notified when I post new chapters!

Chapter One | Masterlist | Chapter Three (soon!) | Taglist Signup

The castle of Hogwarts would always be like a second home to me. I grinned, grabbing Mattheo's hand and leading him quickly up the stairs and into the entrance before the Great Hall where my grandmother sat, watching all of the first years coming in. I quickly looked around before finding Pansy, Theodore, and our other friends and walked over to them, dropping Mattheo's hand. He didn't say anything to acknowledge it, but instead was neutral once more from his previous, happier, self in the boat. 

We all focused our attention towards Nana- no, Professor McGonagall, as she began. "Welcome to Hogwarts!" She clapped her hands, looking between groups of students before finding my eyes. "Now," she moved her gaze from me to other students, "in a few moments, you will pass through and join your classmates. But, before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses." She explained, before finally resting her gaze on a pair upfront, a boy with flaming red hair- he must be a Weasley, and a brunette with a bowl cut and circular glasses.

I loved Fred and George, Percy was okay, but I had met all of the Weasley siblings that had been through Hogwarts thanks to Nana, and was excited to finally be at school with them. I hope I could be friends with him, too. Nana's voice broke me from my thoughts of the Weasley family, "They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." Pansy nudged me, smiling. "Now, while you are here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will earn the House Cup." 

McGonagall is broken from her speech as a toad croaks loudly on the top floor. "Trevor!" A young boy calls out, dashing for his toad as he grabs it. Ah, this must be the boy that lost his toad, what was his name again? Neville! He looks up at Nana apologetically as she stares down at him with a disapproving stare. "Sorry." He nods, awkwardly shifting back into the crowd with his, now found, toad.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." Professor McGonagall nods before heading to the Great Hall, herself. Pansy wastes no time in turning to me.

"I'm so excited!" She raves, a bright smile on her face. I can't help but smile back as Mattheo shakes his head at us. 

We are briefly interrupted of our conversation as Draco swaggers to the front step, two rather-  how should I put it? Large?- boys follow him like cronies. "It's true then," he speaks loudly, causing the rest of the first years to snap their attention towards him, "what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He speaks boldly as Mattheo's grin once more fades into a look of seriousness. If any students weren't paying attention to the slick back blond, they certainly were now. 

"This is Crabbe, and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." He nodded at the two cronies- er, Crabbe and Goyle, sorry- before addressing the round rimmed spectacle boy again, causing the Weasley sibling to snicker. "Think my names funny, do you?" Draco asked, offendedly before beginning to asses the boy. "No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley."

The red-head's face has lost it's humor as he now glared at Draco, who had now turned to address Harry once more. "You'll soon find out that some wizard families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you with that." He outstretched his hand, offering Potter to shake it.

Harry made no move to take the handshake offer instead stating, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." It was at this time that Nana had reappeared from the Great Hall, tapping Draco over the shoulder with a scroll.

She shot him yet another disapproving look as he scurried off before she addressed us all again, "We are ready for you now." We paired up in partners as we walked into the Great Hall. I looked up at the enchanted ceiling, the night sky illuminated in part by magic and the floating candles all around.  Pansy noticed my airy looks and glanced to the ceiling herself.

"It is really pretty." She whispered to me and I smiled at her. I looked around the tables now, seeing if I could find any of my friends. I noticed the Weasley twins look at me and I smiled and waved. They sat next to Oliver Wood, who I also waved at. All three waved back before resuming their attention towards the front. 

Once all the first years came to the front, Professor McGonagall directed us all around the stage, but not quite on it. "Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." 

The older wizard stood up, causing any remaining chatter that remained in the Great Hall to silent. "I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce." He began as I looked between my friends. "Please note that the dark forest is off-limits to all first year students." Mattheo looks slightly bothered by this, and I shoot him a confused look. He doesn't seem to notice. "Also, our caretaker, Mr Filch," he motions towards a rather scrappy man, holding a beautiful cat. Ms. Norris! 

"Nana told me that when she's in her animagus form, that cat actually is afraid of him." I whisper to Mattheo, attempting to lighten his intense mood. He seems to lose the fight of controlling his chuckle before shooting me a smile, his shoulders dropping to a more relaxed state. There we go. 

"has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." Dumbledore concludes before sitting down, causing almost every student in the hall at least a little confusion- if not concern. Well alright, then. . . 

Professor McGonagall then commanded the hall, "When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." She paused, looking down to the now opened scroll she held in her hands, "Hermione Granger!"

The girl who interrupted us on the train stepped forward, looking nervous. I gave her a sympathetic smile as she sat on the stool, and she returned it briefly, grateful for a friend. It was then I noticed Pansy giving her a glare. I could understand why, but I would absolutely hate to go first in the Sorting ceremony. 

The old brown hat suddenly jolts alive, "Ah. Right then, hm... right. Okay. Better be, Gryffindor!" The hat shouts as the red and gold table bursts into claps.

"Draco Malfoy." Nana calls next, after taking the hat from the previous girl's head. The blond swaggers forward yet again as we all watch with amusement. 

The hat barely touches his hair before shouting, "Slytherin!" This time it's the green and silver table's turn to cheer emphatically. 

"Susan Bones." McGonagall calls as a small red-headed girl walks up. The hat thinks for a moment before concluding her house.

"Hm... Hufflepuff!" It bellows as the yellow and black house cheers. 

"Ronald Weasley." My eyes jolt to Fred and George, as they look expectantly at their younger sibling, almost in anticipation. 

My eyes flicker to Draco, who is now sat at the Slytherin table, glaring daggers at the boy on the stool. "Gryffindor!" The hat finally called out, causing my attention to be regained.

"Pansy Parkinson!" The girl next to me freezes, an almost scared look coming across her face for a moment as she replaces it with confidence. I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before quickly letting it go. I sent her a kind smile to which she returned, giving me a nod before heading up to the rickety stool. 

The hat is placed on her head, and seems to ponder for a moment before finally shouting, "Slytherin!" as the girl heaves a sigh of relief. I clap for her, alongside the far table before Nana called the next name.

"Harry Potter." The hall falls into a series of gasps and whispers as I noticed the brunette boy next to me tense up once more. Only, this time it's Theodore who nudges him out of his seriousness as the hat is placed on the other boy's head.

"Gryffindor!" The hat calls, causing Gryffindor to cheer the loudest of any table tonight. 

It's not until the next name is called that the hall falls silent once more. "Mattheo Riddle." Gasps once again echo against the walls as Mattheo is almost frozen. He isn't moving and Theodore can't make him. I take a step towards the boy, rubbing circles in his back before giving him a light shove.

He looks back at me with a look of betrayal, to which I give a small smile back at him. He nods, understanding now as he goes towards the stool. The hat is placed on his head. It takes a moment before making it's decision, "Slytherin!" It bellows as the snake table lets out a cheer that could rival the Gryffindors'. 

Professor McGonagall smiles to herself before calling the next name. "Y/N McGonagall." She calls, some of the older students almost rising out of their seats to see me as I sit. Nana winks at me as she places the hat on my head, offering a warm smile. 

"Ah, another McGonagall." The hat's voice rings in my head as I suddenly sit up straight. "Yet also, another Selwyn..." My brows furrow as the hat mention's my mother's maiden name. My eyes flicker to the Slytherin table, where I notice Mattheo and Pansy looking at me intently. "A unique inkling for knowledge, just like your grandmother. Yet, you possess a fierce courageousness as well." The hat chimes as I look worriedly up at it. "Yet there's plenty of ambition and resourcefulness too. . . But where to put you?" It asks before I whisper to it.

"Slytherin."

"Yet the only reason you ask for Slytherin is because of your loyalty to friends." The hat responded quickly. "But, if that's what you want, better be it then." The hat finishes it's talk in my head before booming it's final decision, "Slytherin!" 

I stand up quickly, my grandmother's warm smile not leaving her face even for a moment as she gives me a quick hug before I'm off to my table. I have a feeling that I'm going to love it here. 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Taglist:

@sydcanwrite @10turtlesinatrenchcoat @doodlebug0105

[galedekarios]

that interview is driving me insane i've been thinking about it for the past hour and i still can't wrap my head around it. i think what really gets under my skin is it just... contradicts with the text of the game. the most positive possible reading of the ending where gale blows himself up is that it was an unavoidable tragedy dictated by fate but even that's a stretch. to say it's a good ending?? or a satisfying conclusion to his arc?? i call bull. it's more infuriating because there is such a clear good ending for gale's character arc and it's the professor ending! his arc was about learning to accept himself as he was, to value who he is as he is flaws and all, and he's done that in the professor ending! and the god of ambition ending is a bad end for him but still ties into his overall arc in a satisfying if sad way (imo). the ending where he dies just... doesn't. which is fine as a tragedy but to imply it isn't exactly that, a tragedy, is wild to me. and it being so blatantly contradictory to the actual events of the game makes me think that whole thing was just catering to people who hate gale which like... why? people who don't like him don't care about his story so why pander to them like this?

uhg. i am sorry for blowing up your inbox like this i just feel like i'm gonna rip my hair out and need to express that to a fellow gale appreciator. i love gale's epilogue SO MUCH it made me feel for a bit like maybe the writers had actually changed how they felt about him but. nope! silly of me to hope for that. wish i could memory wipe that whole interview from my brain dark urge style.

don't be sorry at all! 🖤 i feel the same way in a lot of ways. altho i feel the need to mention that gale's writer, jan van dosselaer, was not involved in this interview.

i started to make a meta post about this yesterday, but reading things like this from gale:

act ii [after elminster] Player: An old man with a craving for cheese. Hardly the great wizard of legend. Gale: A wizard doesn't reach Elminster's age without enjoying their home comforts. Those who seek danger over cheese don't tend to live as long. Gale: For Mystra to have sent him... The severity of her bidding could not be clearer. Or weigh more heavily on me. devnote: reflecting on mystra sending elminster, of all people - a powerful individual, becoming reflective. Gale: Time seems so infinite when you are young... a month is an age, a year is a lifetime... it is a strange feeling, to realise how little of it one might have left. Player: You're seriously considering doing what Elminster said?   Gale: Of course - he offered the clearest solution to our problem. All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes, and let go... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: Then the slate will be clean, wrongs will be righted, the Absolute will be gone... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: ...and I along with it. devnote: Still trying to sound upbeat, though this time the reality that this means he will die weighs a bit heavier

and:

act ii [act ii romance scene] Gale: I am terrified - I will not claim otherwise. My face could scarcely conceal it even if my words sought to deny it. nodecontext: Hushed, vulnerable Gale: There is no point in running from the inevitable. Better to meet it, on my own terms. nodecontext: Resigned

as well as this:

act ii [act ii friendship version] Gale: Yes... but there is so much to live for, and so few moments in which to house it all. Gale: Damn you. Damn you for giving me so much to care about. Our friends, our adventures... this would have been so much easier if it was just me. But it isn't. Gale: If there is a way - any way - to save all that's grown dear to me, I want to seize it. I just cannot fathom what that might be, other than to fail Mystra and condemn the world. Gale: Stay with me, will you? I don't want to think of it any more, but I don't want to be alone either.

act iii [before the netherbrain] Player: Gale... I think we should consider using the orb as Mystra intended. To blow up the Netherbrain. Gale: I'm getting rather tired of how often those I care about seem to reach the same conclusion.

when you have this:

and i just... couldn't finish the meta.

it's absolutely beyond comprehension for me how anyone could try to frame this as an ending that is the right one in "many ways", as the "guy who starts off annoying everyone", eating your "most priced possessions", having to "give back to the world".

for the founder of the company to say he wasn't "ready" the "first time", but he's finally "ready" now.

gale's death isn't only unnecessary, an instruction given to him by his former mentor on the behalf of a goddess, who would've sacrificed not only him but thousands of others to achieve her own goals, he doesn't want to die. he's terrified. he wants to live. he is offering this because he believes that his time has run out. because he wants his death to have purpose if it must happen. because he feels he made a mistake far bigger than he can ever make up for. because he doesn't want others to waste their chance at life like he feels he has. the will he leaves behind in the epilogue if he sacrifices himself isn't finished because he thought there would be more time. i could go on and on.

and again, the question is too... for what exactly does he need to "give back to the world"?

being perceived as annoying after coming out of what is presented as isolation and depression? asking for help with a now chronic impairment that feeds on his very soul and wreaks havoc on his body? for making a mistake? by that logic every companion deserves the same fate.

which brings me to the contrast to how most of the other companions are framed in this interview: k*rlach, "the labrador of the party". l*e'zel, "she's so young". ast*rion, "much of what he does it out of fear". sh*dowheart, "the jason bourne" and "victim of religous trauma". w*ll, "the true baldur's gate hero".

the difference is staggering. there's empathy here. there's at least a surface level understanding and/or appreciation of the characters there.

...and then you have gale.

it's alienating and disappointing to see devs have so little respect and care for their own character, as well as for the parts of their fandom who have grown attached to the character exactly for the strengths and flaws he has, for the struggles he faces and for the healing journey he can have if he is helped and lives.

[queenofbaws]

Hacketteers but what if we threw them into dragon riding school? 👀

catch me catching up on some not-quite-six sentence sat(or)sunday!

The day had been overcast from the start, heavy grey clouds obscuring the sun, but as the creature's great wings beat at the air, even nature itself took notice. Thin shafts of light, almost angelic in their radiance, shot down from between the rifts torn in the gathering storm. The world seemed to shake - or maybe just shiver - as it landed on the rocky shore, a mountain made of oil slicks, its scales shining sometimes black, sometimes green, sometimes colors none of them had names for.

Slowly, tentatively, the first of the students held his hand out, feeling an instantaneous bond as the dragon's molten eyes met his. It was in that moment, as though through telepathy, he knew its name:

"Brandomere Asskickeous VII."

***

"Jacob, you said you were going to take this seriously."

Immediately on the defensive, his hands shot up. He cast quick, friendly glances around the picnic table, meeting the other counselors' exasperated eyes with a grin with maybe just a touch too much mischief to come across as earnest. "I am! I am taking this seriously! Look man, you said we got to make our own characters, right? And I wanted to make sure my dragon was the one with the coolest, strongest name - everyone knows that's how this make-it-up crap works."

"Your idea of the coolest, strongest name for a dragon was Brandon Asskickeous?" Dylan set his chin on his hand, narrowing his eyes as he watched Jacob from across the table. "You should be studied, man. In a lab. Like, with a microscope or something."

"First of all," he cut back in, pointing with his pointer finger like some kind of pointy poindexter before someone laughed a little too loud and he decided a different finger was in order. "It was Brandomere Asskickeous the seventh, he's part of a long line of incredibly strong, incredibly powerful dragon wizards - "

From where he'd put his head down on the table, his arms wrapped around himself, Ryan groaned, "That's not a thing."

" - and second of all, I'm not sitting here judging your dragon names, so maybe, uh, what's the word I'm looking for here...oh, right, shut the hell up."

Scooching down lower in her seat, Abi gave Ryan a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Um, I'm not saying this to rub it in or anything, but...we did sort of say something like this would happen."

"Hey, are we gonna keep going or not?" Nick asked, his character sheet already a mess of doodles, scribbles, and hash marks. "Don't get me wrong, it's gonna be hard to top Jacob's dragon, but...I think mine might just take the cake."

"It's not a competition!" Rising up from his defeated slouch, Ryan cast an exhausted look out at their little gathering. Why had he thought this was going to be a good idea? Of all the bonding activities he could've come up with, why had a tabletop game been the choice he'd gone with? Genuinely, he couldn't remember. "The point of the game is to, y'know. Explore new worlds. Interact with cool characters. Solve puzzles. No one's dragon gets to automatically be the strongest - no matter what its name is."

Already Jacob and Nick were opening their mouths, no doubt to pick up where they'd left off, but Emma beat them to the punch. "Well I for one can't wait for you guys to meet my dragon, Daisybelle, so all in favor of us getting back to Ryan's masterful storytelling, say aye!"

Much to Jacob's chagrin, the ayes had it.

***

The air filled with a thick, oppressive heat as another dragon joined the first, immediately causing the gathered students to fan themselves as they sweat. Everywhere they looked, there was only the wavering lines of heat mirage, and the warning sizzle of raindrops not allowed to reach the ground.

At first, no one moved - no one thought they could. Such a presence would burn them alive, char them to a crisp if they ventured too close. But then, cautious but determined, a girl stepped forward and the heat dissipated like fever breaking. She set her hand on the dragon's amber snout, and again, its name formed in her mind.

"Trogdor the Burninator."

***

"KAITLYN!" The table erupted into chaos as Ryan threw his arms into the air, and while there were decidedly more groans than laughs, it sure didn't feel like any of them were on his side.

"What?" she asked, assuming the same defensive posture Jacob had before, her hands raised, her shoulders high, her face slack with fake innocence. "I thought it was a solid choice!"

Covering her mouth and nose to hide some of her snort-laughing, Emma fell against Abi's side. "What kind of name is that?!"

"Hey now, I'll have you know Trogdor is pretty much the name when it comes to dragons, okay? It's basically historical."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, see, I can tell you guys aren't dragon experts like me and Jake, so I'll let you in on the secret." Kaitlyn folded her arms on the table, then leaned in closer, widening her eyes dramatically. "Trogdor was a man. Well, he was a dragon man. ...or you know what? Maybe he was just a dragon. But he was still - "

And then, not just to Ryan's surprise but everyone's, she and Jacob popped up from their seats, whipping out what might've been fairly impressive air-guitar solos had they not been accompanied by them both shouting "TROGDOOOR!" at the top of their lungs.

Ryan put his head back on the table. He tried desperately to continue his narration.

***

Then there came a rumbling from the sea, as though some kind of -

***

"This seems like a bad time to reveal that my whole thing was going to be, like, a super edgelord version of Barney, huh?"

"Dylan. Barney's a dinosaur."

"Uh, okay, Abigail, what do you think dragons are?"

"They're...they're not dinosaurs! I...wait, are they?"

Knowing this was a battle he'd already lost, Ryan propped his head up on his hands. "Anyone else have a super hilarious dragon idea they can't wait to share?"

There was a beat of silence, and then Nick smiled sheepishly. "Uh...Toothless? From...y'know...How to Train Your Dragon?"

After another beat, Abi pulled her sketchbook up from off her lap, turning it around to reveal a startlingly gorgeous sketch of a stylized...

Wait.

"Um...mine's also...Toothless. Actually."

Emma clasped her hands together, leaning that much farther into Abi. "Oh my gosssh, you guys are so in-sync! Imagine that. Huh. You're like, dragon soulmates or something."

***

Once every student had their dragon, it came time for them to take to the skies. Only some of them, they had been warned, would survive this trial, and -

***

"Hey, uh, pardon me for party pooping, but...what is it exactly that you kids are doing right now? In the middle of the night? Besides eating...all of the trail mix, that is?"

There was a chorus of "Hi Mr. H!"es (and more than a few muffled giggles) as Chris came out of his office to stand by their table, arms folded and expression perplexed. No one rushed to answer him, though, which...well, that just figured, didn't it?

"We're playing a game," Abi said quickly upon realizing no one else was stepping forward. "Sorry if we were being loud."

"Trying to," Ryan corrected her, "we were trying to play a game. A TTRPG."

"Uh. Huh. Well NGL that sounds like a BFG, but FYI and JSYK, you guys GTG. To bed. It's late, and the last thing I need is you guys being all groggy-eyed for the scavenger hunt tomorrow. So quit ROFLing and GTFO, you know?" Clearly proud of himself, Chris gave a little chuckle.

"Sorry Ryan," Abi said, tucking her sketchbook back into her bag. "Maybe we'll actually, um, get to the dragon riding part next time!"

"Whoa, whoa, wait, there are dragons in your game?" Chris asked. "You mean like Trogdor?"

"Yeahhh!" Kaitlyn and Jacob cheered, giving each other a victorious high-five before cutting Chris in on that action.

There was no sugarcoating it. Ryan was devastated. "There's no way Trogdor the Burninator is a thing. There's no way it's a real thing."

"Hey, bud," Chris said, still grinning, "IYKYK. Now seriously, everybody, bed. Now."

((incredibly desperate author's note from an elderly millenial: please tell me you whippersnappers out there know trogdor omg))

[charmixpower]

You said you were happy to give more ,so I'm back for the sweet sweet child Valtor HC's (any plans for writing a fanfic? ). You've opened pandoras box and you can't close it now.

Muah! I'm so glad you're enjoying this little crack au that I got WAYYY to attached too and am now taking seriously XD

I could do like a one shot fic or something but my main concern rn is surviving s6-8 and wow

Anyways here's some SWEET headcanons

Not all of them are nice bc I cannot be dragged away from the angst but most of them are!!

Valtor is legally a ward of Light Rock and will be until he turns 18 and competes in his rehabilitation. I imagine that Light Rock is actually a nice place, the Trix just did not jive with it or the concept of becoming better people. He does therapy at the compound, and his favorite type is art therapy. Valtor really likes it there with his 76 well trained older brothers who are also technically guards

He picks up a bunch of different hobbies at Light Rock. He loves all the activities. They introduce him to theater and it goes exactly like you expect. He LOVES it, and invites the winx et al to all of his shows. He loves the costumes and dramatics about it, and eventually he's listening to Stella talk about types of stitches so he can make his own clothes too

You know those magic limiters the Trix wore on their foreheads at Light Rock? Valtor wears one but he can break it and take it off whenever they want. They're still trying to find a way to actually limit his magic, at some point Valtor got involved in the process

People were first really worried that Valtor could take off the magic limiter whenever he wanted but it slowly became clear that he's perfectly content to stay put so eventually no one cares. The Light Council even gives permission for Valtor to use his magic eventually, despite the fact he's supposed to be limited

Valtor was the one who told Bloom how to get to Obsidian. Like he was there when that happened and he spent all his time after the Ancestrals got trapped trying to get them out so he can just tell the Winx

He obviously doesn't go with them, just because he has the ability to use free will and the obedience built into his essence is now gone doesn't make him immune to mind control spells and he'd rather not. He also REALLY never wants to be face to face with Belladonna ever again, Icy was bad enough tbh

When Bloom puts her hacks powers back where they belong (in Domino) and becomes a normal ass (still stupid powerful, shes related to Daphne AND part of fire mixed with her magic at this point) fairy, she has to learn how to fight like a normal person instead of abusing the fact she doesn't get magic exhaustion. She spars with/around Valtor, primarily because as the Wizard of Magic he can tell her when she's getting exhausted bc she doesn't notice

When the Winx practice group combat they usually spar with Valtor too, who is ecstatic to spend time with the Winx AND use his magic, and they're all there like "if you didn't pull your punches for most the year and have an obvious exploit in your design (aka if you were a nomral born person) we would of never won."

Valtor is technically transformed 24/7 and can straight up die from magical exhaustion. Unlike other magic users who would just detransform, collapse, and pass out, he's far too sustained by his magic to survive without it. This is one of the said design flaws that could be used to defeat him, please note how both this and ripping his elemental components apart would both kill him

He's a kid but he's the WIZARD OF MAGIC, literally anything that's magic is under his domain and he absolutely treated their fights as games bc he COULD curve stomp anything. Belladonna wasn't fucking around when she created him

He still considers Bloom his sister after she gives up her HAXXS that makes her magic feel like his. Bloom thinks this is adorable and takes him out for family time. Valtor looks forward to whenever anyone comes to visit him, especially when he gets to leave the compound (it's nice there but he's used to having access to a lot more space) but especially when Bloom does it

Magic attaches to symbols easily, and Valtor made his mark to make really complicated magic (like Witch magic mind control and Fairy magic power boosting) easier on himself. He made the symbol at like 4ish and has been using it since. Sometimes he makes the symbol from his hands when he just shoots magic at the problem bc he thinks it looks cool

Eventually Helia takes over administration over RF from Saladin Valtor likes to hang around the place and he gets to help out with combatting magic lessons! Exciting for Valtor, terrifying for literally all the students. Riven and Diaspro tend to be around™ bc Helia harasses them into being around and they do not help the situation. The staff at RF uses Valtor to haze the freshmen. Valtor eventually notices this and is stuck between intentionally freaking them out and not wanting people to be afraid of him

Bby Valtor is Belladonna's biological son, no father. He's made from a combination of all the elements instead of just fire and his true form is more uncanny and otherworldly instead of chthonic looking. A very strong "I shouldn't be looking at this" energy, his appearance sets off the flight or fight response but it's not incomprehensible or anything. He's still humanoid it's just when you're a creature closest in make-up as all 5 of the gods of your world you end up looking weird. Still dragon looking tho

Nabu comes around often to just chat with Valtor about his magic. As a scholar Nabu is thriving asking questions about Valtor and Valtor loves the attention, everyone else is a little concerned if Nabu should be getting child that nearly took over the dimension thinking about how to use his magic more efficiently but it's fine. Valtor is a good kid now

Btw if the planet of Espero (where dimension wide government buildings are hosted, including Light Rock) was ever attacked....no it wouldn't be <3 Valtor would put an end to that shit so quickly it wouldn't even be a fight

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

So like, liquid luck makes you choose outcomes that will benefit you. Which means that the potion gives some level of foresight/omniscience (sorta like Hong Bellamy), not that the user is aware of it.

So... why don't all wizards abuse the shit out of that? What are the limitations? Why didn't Voldemort drink some before going to the battle? Why don't ministry of magic candidates use it to get the job? We don't students use it to cheat on tests?

WHY THE FUCK DID SLUGHORN GIVE THIS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL MAGICAL POTION TO A STUDENT?????

I imagine it makes you the equivalent of an NFA, at each decision point there are multiple probable outcomes, and the potion makes it such that you get the highest ranking path that leads to the most probable good result.

The obvious answer is JKR only came up with it in book 6, had an "oh fuck" moment when she realized everyone and their brother would use it all the time, and came up with weird exceptions for why it's never used.

JKR does this a lot with things like portkeys, time turners, you name it. It will suddenly exist in a book and either be treated like it was there the whole time or all the time turners in the world get smashed in book 5 and so the Death Eaters can never ever get one.

But this is a Watsonian blog so I have to try.

Canonically we're given a few reasons.

The Time Ingredients, and Skill of the Potion

When we're introduced to felix felicius it's noted that it's highly expensive to make with its base materials being both rare and luxury items (I believe gold is an ingredient).

Ron, Harry, and Hermione once casually debate making it themselves but take a look at the price tag and shudder.

It also takes a large amount of time. A batch has to be very carefully brewed over a six month period. This requires a) not only buying all the material but b) having the time to dedicate to the brewing.

It's also noted as a particularly difficult potion to brew and outside the skillset of most wizards.

There's Presumably Some Means of Detection

It's noted right away that the use of the potion is forbidden in job applications, examinations, and sporting events. This is why Hermione nags at Harry when she thinks he gave the potion to Ron. What this assumes is that there's some drug testing in the wizarding world where they can and will catch you if you try to use it in these settings.

(Nevermind we never see the students drug tested but let's just play along with it for now.)

Presumably, some very wealthy people do try this now and then, but if they have that kind of money it's probably easier to just buy the answer sheet or else buy the position.

It's Highly Addictive and Messes with Your Thought Process

Say all of the above doesn't bother you. You have the time, talent, money, and are sure you can escape detection or are using it in a situation where it doesn't matter if anyone knows you're using it.

There's still some issues.

The first is that it's highly addictive. If you keep using it, you will become addicted to it, which is a problem if you can't afford the materials, have to have a batch constantly on hand when it's a six month brewing process, and suffer whatever physical and mental side effects come with addiction.

So, already, if you use it, you want to save it for when you truly need it.

Second is that what we see from Harry it seriously fucks with your reasoning ability. Harry when on felix felicius acts like he's high, is unable to explain any of his decisions when asked, and acts on impulse guided by gut feelings.

He's not really in control of his actions.

Now, Harry's fine with that, but I don't see Tom Riddle being alright with that even if, in theory, it will make the outcome of an event more likely.

Probability is Only Probable

What felix felicius seems to do is make you make the right decision at the right time to get the most likely outcome of an event.

However, that doesn't guarantee an outcome of the probability is simply too low or else the event is impossible. If you're going to lose the battle then you're going to lose the battle.

What might happen is that felix felicius makes you choose something with some other outcome (less bad but not the worse) where you in the aftermath have no idea why you chose to do that and can't justify it to yourself.

Had Harry not been able to get the Slughorn memory even after drinking the potion (or had to do something truly awful to do it) then Harry would have declared the potion bullshit even if he got some other, good, result or got the memory in a way he didn't like.

Conclusion

I can see why people don't take it.

Harry would, but he's very stupid. However, he doesn't have the patience for it.

[themushroomgoesyeet]

Questions about wizarding world building: What was the wizarding world's reactions to recent world history?

When I read Harry Potter, I feel like I'm dropped into a bubble where for the most part, recent world history doesn't exist - Or at least, no one talks about it - which is stupid! Just because this stuff is technically "muggle affairs", doesn't mean that it doesn't affect the wizarding community too!

What do I mean by this? Well, in all of the books, it's mentioned here and there that the kids are learning wizard history, but they never bring up big events like, oh, I don't know, the world wars.

Sure, the stuff that's being taught isn't that recent, but you would think that that kind of thing wouldn't be mentioned from time to time, especially since it seems that the majority of the school population are either muggle borns or half bloods.

I'm racking my brain here and the only real world events that ever get mentioned are all the witch hunts in Germany and Salem (for obvious reasons) somewhere in the books, and WWI in the second fantastic beasts movie. Even then, there's not much of a reaction to either other than "oh, what a tragedy this is! Anyway".

(spoilers for fantastic beasts two) The fantastic beasts one especially concerned me, because here you have Grindelwald showing all these wizards visions of WWII, and all the wizards in the crowd just kinda sit there in shock while they watch a nuke go off, like they can't comprehend what they're looking at. The only one who's truly terrified and devastated is Jacob, apparently the only one there who actually experienced WWI first hand when he served as a soldier in the trenches.

Like, seriously??? How do you get so detached as a society that you miss both world wars??? Or space travel! I looked it up, Harry was born in 1981, 6 years after the moon landing. He may have missed the space race but he was still alive right when space travel became relevant. He would have been 6 when the Challenger exploded, and the end of the cold war happened during his first December at Hogwarts.

The fact that no one ever brings this up astounds me. No "Happy Christmas Harry, you get a Weasley sweater, an invisibility cloak, and the safety of knowing that the world is no longer under impending doom of nuclear war"

Like seriously, do the wizards know what nukes are or what they can do? Did any of them make a mad scramble to figure out a spell to shield from nuclear fallout? Were any wizards building bomb shelters in their backyards like the muggles?

Where was Harry & his friends when the twin towers fell? Bc that was 4 years after they graduated wizard school; what were they doing at that point?

And don't even get me started on the Internet; it was invented in 1983 so Harry and Hermione would have at least known about it before they went to Hogwarts

I have so many questions

[braveclementine]

On the Spaceship

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own my OC Elizabeth Lightwood. I do not condone any copying of this.

"In all the time I've served Thanos, I have never failed him. If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan with the Time Stone still attached to your vaguely irritating person, there would be judgment."

The needles that were around him, slowly pierced him. Stephen flinched, holding back his cries of pain. He brought up the image of Sam laughing in his head, focusing on that memory only. He was doing all of this for Sam.

"Give me. . . the stone."

Stephen could feel his entire body vibrating in pain. The needle in his cheek was the most painful, feeling like it was going to explode. Sam's face was starting to become blurry. He need to hold on.

If only for Sam.

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Tony leaned over the edge to see far below the wizard was being tortured. Something tapped him on the arm and he immediately reacted, pointing his blaster at the floating red cloak in the air. It held up its end flaps, almost in a surrendering gesture to show it was harmless.

"Wow, you're a seriously loyal piece of outerwear, aren't you?" Tony asked, heart beating a million miles an hour, but slowing. It started to speed right back up again though, when another voice suddenly cut in.

"Yeah, uh, speaking of loyalty." He watched the spider kid drop from the ceiling, his mask coming off.

"What the-"

"I know what you're gonna say."

"You should not be here!"

"I was gonna go home-"

"I don't wanna hear it."

"But it was such a long way down and I just thought about you on the way-"

"-and now I got to hear about it."

"-and kinda stuck to the side of the ship. And this suit is ridiculously intuitive, by the way-"

"Damn it."

"-So if anything, it's kinda your fault that I'm here."

"What did you just say?"

"I-I take that back." He said very quickly. "And now, I'm here in space."

"Yeah, right where I didn't want you to be." He stepped right up to the kid and said quietly. "This isn't Coney Island, this isn't a field trip. This is a one-way ticket. You hear me? Don't pretend you thought this through."

"No, I did think this through."

"You could not have possibly thought this through."

"You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider- man if there's no neighborhood." There was a pause where they stared at each other and then he said, "Okay, that didn't really make sense, but you know why I'm trying to say."

Tony sighed. "Come on. We got a situation." They walked to the edge and he pointed, "See him down there? He's in trouble. What's your plan? Go."

"Um. . . Okay, okay Um. . . Okay. Did you ever see this really old movie, Aliens?"

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Stephen cried out in pain. It wasn't so much seeing Sam's face as a human now, anymore. It was now when he had met Sam, when he had been a stoat. It had been so strange, turning into a creature like a stoat. Sam had found him just adorable.

Stephen found he had loved the affection and pets that Sam had given him, after he learned to accept the care. It had been hard at first, always thinking he was the most dominant, the smartest, all of it. But maybe he'd needed it, maybe that was why he had been the animal. To tone his ego down a little bit.

He loved Sam. So much. And if he didn't get to see him after this, at least he would be safe. Sam would be safe.

"Painful, aren't they? They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them-" He paused and Stephen saw Iron Man standing behind him, fully equipped in his suit and blasters pointed at the alien, "Could end your friends life in an instant."

"I gotta tell you he's not really my friend." Tony said and Stephen fought the urge to roll his eyes, even with the pain he was in. "Saving his life is more of a professional courtesy."

"You've saved nothing." The alien said, calling up a box behind him to throw at Stark. "Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine."

"Yeah, but the kids seen more movies." Tony said.

Kid? What kid?

Stark shot the blaster at the spaceship, which ripped the alien out. Consequentially, it ripped Stephen out too. His cape grabbed his arm, but couldn't keep the grip. He felt something grab him from behind and then went out into space. His breath caught in his throat and then jolted before he heard someone shout, "Yes! Wait, what are those!"

Then he was being pulled inside again, and he landed harshly on metal. He wasn't even up on his feet when he heard a young, teenage voice said, "Hey, we haven't officially met." And then, "Cool."

"Gotta turn this ship around." Stephen muttered, pushing to his feet, his cloak settling on his shoulders.

"Yeah, now he wants to run. Great plan." Stark snipped as he walked by.

"No, I want to protect the stone." Stephen said. He could feel blood running down his face and knew Sam was going to kill him when he got home.

"And I want you to thank me." Stark responded. "Now, go ahead, I'm listening."

God, all of the advice that Y/N had given Sam on how to deal with egotistical dickheads really was true experience.

"For what? Nearly blasting me into space?"

"Who just saved your magical ass? Me!"

"I seriously don't know how you fit your head into that helmet." Stephen responded.

"Admit it, you should have ducked out when I told you to." Stark snapped. "I tried to bench you. You refused."

"Unlike everyone else in your life, I don't work for you." Stephen snarked.

"And due to that fact, we're now in a flying doughnut billions of miles from Earth with no backup."

"I'm backup." The kid said, raising a hand.

"No, you're a stowaway." Stark responded. "The adults are talking."

"I'm sorry. I'm confused as to the relationship here. What is he, your ward?"

"No." The kid said. "I'm Peter, by the way."

"Doctor Strange." Stephen responded, not wanting to bring any anger out on the kid. It wasn't his fault. Although he also knew that Stark probably just wanted to get home to his wife and two kids. Although Stephen was also still pissed that Tony was the reason Sam was on the run.

"Oh, you're using our made-up names. Um. . . I'm Spider- man then."

"This ship is self-correcting its course. It's on autopilot." Stark said from up front.

"Can we control it." Stephen asked, not really wanting to end up at the location it was going for. "Fly us home?" When Stark didn't answer, Stephen barked, "Stark?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get us home?"

"Yeah, I heard you. I'm thinking I'm not so sure we should." Stark finally said.

"Under no circumstances can we bring the Time Stone to Thanos." Stephen growled through his teeth. "I don't think you quite understand what's at stake here."

"What? No. It's you who doesn't understand, that Thanos has been inside my head for six years. Since he sent an army to New York and now he's back." He was inches from Stephens face, spitting mad but Stephen didn't move an inch. "And I don't know what to do. So I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight him on our turf or his, but you saw, what they did, what they can do. At least on his turf he's not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him. Doctor. Do you concur?"

Stephen felt a rush of emotions towards Stark. There was still anger over making Sam run and hide. But there was an admiration there on his thinking, and also a small rush of affection towards the first bit. Or perhaps not necessarily affection more. . . leniency?

"All right, Stark. We go to him. But you have to understand, if it comes to saving you or the kid or the Time Stone, I will not hesitate to let either of you die." Stephen said slowly and firmly. "I can't, because the universe depends on it."

"Nice. Good, moral compass." Stark responded, patting him on the arm, though Stephen could see the pain in the eyes as he moved away, his fingers touching his wrist where Y/N's animal name would've been. "We're straight." Stephen watched him walk away with his eyes. "All right, kid." He touched both his shoulders, "You're an Avenger now."

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Tony and Stephen had been standing at the front of the ship for a while. Tony was staring at a photo of him, Y/N, Everleigh, and Arlo. It was a new picture, only taken a few weeks ago. Professional pictures done on the Avengers Compound since Y/N couldn't leave.

It was an old fashioned thing to do, carry a photo of your family around. One that you could actually touch. One that if it was bent or folded over and over would crease. But he treasured it. And now he was glad that he had it.

He noticed then, that in the very back he had photos of some of the Avengers. He had never been sure why he hadn't tossed them, but something stopped him every time. He glanced over at the wizard and sighed a little, quickly flipping through them.

With the photograph face down, he held it out without looking at the wizard. When Stephen took it, he walked forwards to see that they were almost touching down on the planet.

"Hey, what's happening?" The kid asked.

Tony turned to see the kid and saw Stephen looking down at the photo. "I think we're here." Stephen said, tucking the photo into his pocket.

"I don't think this rig has a self-parking function." Tony said, walking back and looking at Peter, "Get your hand inside the steering gimbal. Close those around it." He closed it around his own arm, getting ready, bracing himself.

"You understand?"

"Yep, I got it."

"This was meant for one big guy, so we gotta move at the same time."

"Okay, okay. Ready." They neared what look like a big star. "We might want to turn. Turn! Turn! Turn! Turn! Turn!" Peter repeated frantically over and over.

Tony closed his Iron man suit around him to help him out and the kid let the entire Spider-man suit close around him. Orange shield appeared around all of them as the wizard protected them, the ship coming apart around them.

"You all right?" Stephen asked, helping Tony to his feet.

"That was close." Was all he said. "I owe you one."

Peter came down from the ceiling, hanging upside down, "Let me just say, if aliens wind up implanting eggs in my chest or something and I eat one of you, I'm sorry."

"I do not want another single pop culture reference out of you for the rest of the trip. You understand?" Tony asked, not wanting to think about aliens planting eggs in anyone at all.

"I'm trying to say that something is coming." Peter said, pointing his thumb behind him.

Well, maybe that's all he should have said.

Something suddenly landed by their feet, exploding. Tony went flying, as well as the wizard.

Tony flew around as another guy flew around. He tossed him off of him, but he pressed a button, an electrode attaching Tony to a piece of the ship. He grunted, trying to push off it. Tony finally managed to get off, planting his foot on another alien man with red lines on his chest.

"Everybody stay where you are. Chill the eff out." The man who had been flying said, his blaster pointed straight at Peter's head, his arms tied together. The man let his helmet down to show that he looked like a rather normal human being, "I'm gonna ask you this one time. Where is Gamora?"

"Yeah. I'll do you one better." Tony said frantically, also letting his helmet come down, "Who's Gamora?"

"I'll do you one better." The man below his foot grunted, "Why is Gamora?"

"Tell me where the girl is or I swear to you I'm gonna French fry this little freak."

"Let's do it. You shoot my guy and I'll blast him. Let's go!" Tony shouted angrily.

"Do it, Quill! I can take it!" The guy below his blaster shouted.

"No, he can't take it!" The strange alien girl with feelers on her head, tied up by Peter's ropes shouted.

"She's right. You can't." Stephen said, almost in a bored tone.

"Oh Yeah? You don't wanna tell me where she is? That's fine. I'll kill all three of you and I'll beat it out of Thanos myself. Starting with you."

"Wait, what, Thanos?" Stephen asked quickly. "All right, let me ask you this one time. What master do you serve?"

"What master do I serve? What am I supposed to say, 'Jesus'?" The Quill guy taunted.

"You're from Earth?" Tony asked.

"I'm not from Earth. I'm from Missouri." Quill said stupidly.

"Yeah, that's on Earth dipshit." Tony responded. "What are you hassling us for?"

"So you're not with Thanos?" Peter asked, letting his mask come down too.

Quil sounded disgusted as he answered, "With Thanos? No, I'm here to kill Thanos." He lowered his gun a little bit. "He took my girl. Wait, who are you?"

"We're the Avengers man." Peter said.

"Oh! You're the ones Thor told us about." The creepy insect girl said.

"You know Thor?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. Tall guy, not that good looking, needed saving." Quil answered.

Needed saving. . . well if Thanos had blasted the ship apart, yeah he probably had needed saving. As for the good looking part. . . well Quil was probably just jealous because he wasn't much of a looker, in Tony's opinion.

"Where is he now?" Stephen asked.

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"The hell happened to this planet?" The guy, known as Peter Quil or Starlord, asked as they all stepped off the ship and onto the actual planet. "It's eight degrees off its axis. Gravitational pull is all over the place."

"Yeah, we got one advantage. He's coming to us." Tony muttered, looking around. "We'll use it. All right, I have a plan." He was dismayed when he turned around and saw insect girl- Mantis fittingly enough- jumping up and down in a pocket of less gravity. "Or at least the beginnings of one. It's pretty simple. We draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. Definitely don't want to dance with this guy. We just want the gauntlet." He spun around, "Are you yawning?"

Drax was indeed yawning and Tony went off on his rant, "In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down? Huh? Did you hear what I said?"

"I stopped listening after you said, 'we need a plan'." Drax said calmly.

"Okay, Mr. Clean is on his own page." Tony sighed, looking back at Starlord.

"See, 'not winging it' isn't really what they do." Quil explained.

"Um, what exactly is it, that they do?" Peter asked quickly.

"Kick names, take ass." Mantis replied.

Drax agreed with her.

Tony sighed. There were a lot of things that he could say, but quite frankly, he didn't want to waste the energy. He just wanted to finish this, kill the stupid bastard, and get home to his family. Maybe saving the universe would get Y/N off house arrest and they could go out to an amusement park or something.

"All right, just get over here please. Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?"

"'Mr. Lord'. Star-Lord is fine." Quil answered calmly. He nodded his head so Drax and Mantis came forwards. Peter backed up a few inches.

"We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude-"

"Dude, don't call us plucky." Quil interrupted. "We don't know what it means. All right, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan. Except it sucks, so let me do the plan and that way it might be really good."

"Tell him about the dance off to save the universe." Drax encouraged.

"What dance-off?" Tony asked, intrigued.

"It's nothing." Quil said quickly.

"Like in footloose, the movie?" Peter asked.

"Exactly like Footloose." Quil said excitedly. "Is it still the greatest movie in history?"

Great. There were two of them.

"It never was."

"Don't encourage this, all right?" Tony asked. "We're getting no help from Flash Gordon here."

"Flash Gordon? By the way, that's a compliment." Quil said from behind him. "Don't forget, I'm half human. So that fifty percent of me that's stupid, that's one hundred percent you."

"Your math is blowing my mind." Tony retorted.

"Excuse me." Mantis interrupted. "But does your friend often do that?"

Stephen was floating above a rock, green tendrils wrapped around his wrists. His head was jerking back and forth, side to side, up and down in weird movements. "Strange are we all right?" Tony shouted at him. Tony walked over to him and when Stephen dropped down, Tony put pressure on him so that he didn't fall off the rock. He knelt in front of him.

"You're back. You're all right." Tony said firmly.

"Hi."

"Hey, what was that?" Peter asked, sounding a little frightened from behind them.

Stephen was still breathing heavily as he explained, "I went forward in time to view alternate futures. To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict."

"How many did you see?" Quil asked from behind Tony.

"Fourteen million six hundred and five." Stephen replied.

"How many did we win?" Tony asked, dreading the answer. He could already read it on the wizards face.

"One."

[theknightlywolfe]

Spoilery rambling thoughts on The Marvels under the cut

I am so happy we're getting Maria Rambeau content, even if it is mostly alt reality Maria. It would be interesting to see X-Men pulled into main Marvel by America going over to bring Monica back to her home universe. Which means does SABER know about America? They're well informed but she ended up with the wizards. I'm sure there's a file after the attack in New York in MoM but then to the rest of the world she would have disappeared. Or is that going to be the plot of Young Avengers 1, Kamala meeting a trained America and then going to get Monica back?

I know why Kamala goes to Kate (is that a new apartment Ms. Bishop? Smart) but while Kate no doubt knows there is a saviour of Jersey City, not that it is Kamala. Where was the power demonstration and how long does Kamala think she can run things with 1) Kate's penchant for ignoring orders and 2) the fact that she is a high school kid. Again, child soldiers much? And really at some point Kamala is going to blab about how she snuck the tablet in the chaos of the initial fight in her house. And while Kate would respect the guile it also would reveal that Kamala doesn't have the safety net/backing she implies.

Goose! Mama Goose! Do flerkens reproduce asexually or is there a male flerken she hooked up with while catching a ride on Carol's shoulder? Where are the babies? I can't imagine Goose being happy with being separated from them for long so quickly, but they are a menace in quantity and no way the crew will accept them on the SABER platform. Are they in Louisiana with Carol on the farm? Did they warn the neighbors?

Did they touch up Hailee's face to make it more angular? I had to do a double take when they showed her face because it looked off. Not oh she is losing the baby fat off, but like cgi off. I know I mentioned before that I hate her uniform because it is zero protection but I hate Kate's uniform because she might as well wear a t-shirt.

I thought Dar Benn was a good character. Completely wrong casting, but a good character. I just couldn't take the actress seriously and half the times the camera cut to her it just threw me out of the movie. Not that she is bad actress, honestly she didn't do much acting in the role and was emotionally written very one note so its not like she could show any range. But she tried to be menacing and it was laughable. And she had no presence, she was just there saying lines and swinging a reused prop. Maybe if Ronan hadn't been the only person with one of those battle hammers maybe I would accept it as a "universal weapon". If it is meant to convey rank, why did Ronan have it before the fall of Hala when he was taking orders from Yon Rogg?

Secret Invasion makes both more and less sense if this was supposed to be before it. It makes more sense for the Skrull presence on Earth but less sense for Fury's arc. It makes more sense if it is after for Fury's arc and it explains why Carol had to call King Valkyrie to get the Skrull survivors instead of Fury and why the Skrulls manning SABER in Spiderman FFH are now gone but also, why would anyone trust Fury after the very public fuck up in SI in the square and his very literal going rogue for the whole of it? Why do Carol and Monica never bring up him getting Talos killed? Or anyone warning Carol about the very real political shit storm relating to Skrulls on Earth? Why did they even bother making Secret Invasion if it so clearly doesn't fit in to their own storyline?

And really, how funny would it have been if they hadn't done SI with all its bullshit and at the end of the Kate scene Maria Hill walks in and is like "gimme that tablet back" and Kate and Kamala both go full fangirl.

Speaking of fangirls, I did like the nod of Monica acknowledging she not only knows Kamala write fanfic about her Aunty Carol but also that she had read some of it.

[eradicatetehnormal]

Just Watched All of Mashle

I got interested in it mainly because of the second opening with the Jersey beat.

I really enjoyed this. I have a soft spot for characters who don't really think too much and just survive off instinct. They help remind me to not take life so seriously.

I also liked how respectful Mash is since I'm used to so much media that has characters resent their parents for how much they've sheltered them, but no, Mash is the perfect son, he's humble and thinks of the victories between his group as all of their victories, he's hard-working to an extent, his becoming more than what his dad is socially, and in the end, he plans to care for him.

I will say some things didn't make too much sense to me. I assume the manga goes more into detail about how the magic system works and the rules of the society, but the anime, particularly the latter part doesn't feel too well thought out. Like the red-haired character, the one who calls himself the main character, he has a moral code against squaring up with women, but why? You would think in a world that relies on magic and physical strength isn't valued that men and women would be on a more equal playing field, at least when it comes to battle. Is the world of Mashle like the Bewitched TV series where male witches are more powerful than female witches for some reason?

Also, I know that these moments are gag, but when you really think about it, if Mash has no magic, how can he turn turnips or whatever the screaming vegetable was into cream puffs? How was he able to resist that stupid bitch's love spell? (If the creator confirmed he's ace or something, I'm sorry).

Although this does bring me to something I think the show does relatively well, at least in comparison to other shounen. Mash is actually kind of handicapped. There is no bullshit where he starts off with no powers only to obtain anti-magic or eats a hair to gain powers or some other nonsense. He is magicless the entire time and wins in spite of that, even if some of the wins are total BS. I actually like that there were moments in the series, like where he has to get a key out of the balloon, where he actually does need help. I like that the show acknowledges that his weaknesses are in fact weaknesses in some scenarios. Even when it's revealed that he is a chosen one, the reveal doesn't feel like a betrayal of everything we've been taught so far. Because even with that in mind, he still has to work around having no magic, and the "strong" are still trying to consume him for their own gain and their sense of entitlement.

That also reminds me of the other part of the theme, when those two guys were having a wizard battle in the sky, and their ideologies were going against each other, but it's like, their ideas are two sides of the same coin. I think one of the characters even acknowledges that. The idea that the "weak" are meant to be consumed by the "strong" versus the idea that the "strong" are meant to protect and nurture the "weak." Like, the latter idea sounds pleasant on paper but then it also implies that the weak cannot nurture themselves (I'm assuming the weak is anyone looked down upon by their respective societies for something they can't control) nor defend themselves in any way. It's almost infantilizing. The idea has benefits to it. People need allies, those who can see them eye-to-eye or at least accept them if individuals are to co-exist. People need a room made for them in larger society. That shouldn't be done with the mindset of some asshole going "Oh, you POOR SOUL, WhAtEvEr will we do????? ShuSh, I wiLL SAVE YOU from your Disadvantage and CoDDle YOU..."

Maybe the anime tried to make that point too, because in the end the old guy had to be saved by Mash. It was just something I had in mind.

Aside from what I just talked about, this is a total turn-your-brain-off anime. Almost everything it commentates on is spelled out for you. Vilians are literally going around saying shit like "The weak exist to be used and disposed of by the strong. MWAHAHAH." but hey, subtlety is for losers. I'll give it a 7/10. A fun watch.

[otakween]

Digimon 02: D1 Tamers - Final Thoughts

Woohoo! I beat the Ryo trilogy :D -pops a party popper-

I didn't feel the need to make this multiple posts because this game is verrry similar to the last one (Tag Tamers). The main difference is that it's in glorious color! They also added a couple new features for better or for worse.

This game was fun and addicting just like the other two. There was just a little more grinding than I would hope for. The entire game took me 3 weeks to get through because of that. (Still not too shabby). Full thoughts below the cut.

Notes:

-The plot of this one felt kind of weird and forced. Firstly, I immediately got kind of confused about the chronology because the last game ended with Ken becoming the Digimon Emperor yet he's back to normal in this one. I guess either he hasn't progressed too much yet (it's only been a few days) or this is his IRL façade since we don't see him in the digi world. Anyways, the main plot is that Ryo has to fight in a tournament and if he wins said tournament then he'll become a soldier for the ~Harmonious Ones~ against Moon Millennium. I'm honestly not sure why the digi-Gods were included in this. They added nothing.

-Speaking of the Harmonious Ones, they ask you to pick one at the beginning of the game. I picked Qinglongmon because he was the only one I recognized lol. I'm not sure what the point of this choice was other than the fact that he shows up and says a couple things towards the end.

-Ken gets reduced to a guy-in-the-chair, but a very useful guy in the chair! I found the d-terminal way more handy this time around when it came to figuring out digivolution. Ken tells you exactly how many JP (Jogress points) you need to reach the next level. Honestly, it was a relief not having to tag team in this one too, that was kind of an annoying gimmick.

-Although jogress was still annoying in this game, they thankfully added an item that allows you to add +5 JPs to your digimon which made it so much easier to get some megas on my team. Also, digivolution and skills just felt more intuitive and happened faster this time around which is appreciated.

-I think they realized how OP stun was and nerfed it a bit. It's still a good feeling to win by stunning all the enemy digimon, but stun misses like 60% of the time, so you just waste your turn a lot of the time.

-Playing this right after Tag Tamers was pretty magical because I went from black and white to color (a Wizard of Oz moment). Although the inside of the dungeons were still very repetitive, the outsides were beautiful! (Showcasing some of my faves above).

-One stupid addition that made me mad was the D1 Tournament. This is a Digimon World-style AI vs. AI tournament where you just stare at the screen and hope your digimon win. It was just a slog to get through and I just wanted to get back to the dungeons. I really can't see the appeal in that sort of "gameplay." In fact, I fast forwarded or got up for a snack whenever it got to that part.

-Another lame part about this game is that you can't buy multiple items at once anymore! You could do it in Tag Tamers so why did they go backwards!? You seriously have to buy one item at a time. How dumb.

-I'm pretty proud of my final team: Metal Greymon, King Etemon, and AeroVeedramon. Metal Greymon had poison and curse, King Etemon had stun and AeroVeedramon had the best all-enemies attack. I could of gotten AeroVeedramon to mega as well, but I realized I didn't need to to win and it would have taken another few hours.

-There was a bit more variety in the dungeons compared to Tag Tamers. They all looked the same, but a lot of them had a gimmick. Some of them had puzzles or various ways you were supposed to interact with the bosses to progress. I'm glad they mixed things up a bit since the last game was really straightforward.

-Pretty hilarious that this game ends all ominously by being like "~And then we never saw Ryo again~" but then you hit the new game plus and Gennai's like "Ah, if it isn't Ryo!" Like, clearly the new game plus bit isn't part of the canon storyline, but it still made me chuckle.

-Apparently the only thing to do in new game plus is just continue raising digimon which...no thanks.

-I've heard that this acts as a prequel to Digimon Tamers which is so exciting! I'm glad that I'm doing things in the proper order. One more game (kinda-sorta?) and then I finally get to move on from Adventure 01/02 ;w;