#it's fascinating to observe tbh

[zhaoly]

now im gonna admit that sure i'm not THAT much older than these people but sometimes you just read some kind of argument someone's trying to make and ur like... there's no way this person is past the age of 20

[hollowfairybabybat]

(Neutral tone, observation) wow you're all kinds of fucked up.

thank you 🥰

[morningstar-darling]

while edging tonight, I instinctively reached for my largest dildo. not to fuck myself with, but to suck on while I ached.

[felrott]

I am obvs hardcore into the wincesty vibe bc it’s 👌😩

But for a change I’m trying destiel and like, I am trying so hard, SO HARD to find decent destiel fic, like I accept that there’s a lot to trawl though, but I never expected it all to be so…. Bland? Is that the word I want?

Like I’ve gone into ship tags before and the ‘highest kudos’ pages had some misses but it was generally a good solid list of quality fic, but like I’ve never had to scroll through so much bland sounding shit before in my life in the hopes of finding something good. And then I find something. Great summary, 10,000 kudos cool fine. Open it and it’s like the woobie olympics in there and I’m back on the hunt (lol) and how long must I search, I feel like all I’m doing rn is reading first chapters and noping out wtf is this

I’ve never NEEDED a rec list to survive/find stuff before, I’ve always been able to brute force my way through but maybe this is it, maybe this is what finally does me in and has me begging for help/recs

[isekyaaa]

If you don't know me well and you've heard my opinions abt people talking shit, I probably seem like the person that enjoys talking shit about others. To which the truth of the matter is that I don't. Tbh, I feel I do something worse. When I talk about a person to someone else, I break them down from the bottom up by analyzing what makes them so irritating, but also what makes them so great, and I share that analysis with the person I'm talking to. It quickly escalates to bringing up a person's personal issues, traumas, insecurities, etc, and analyzing them under a lens.

[felikatze]

why is every single wh ship so good. like i have my favorite (cough noel/claire and noel/ashe cough) but like. there's truly no misses here. wilardo/sirius? sure. wilardo/ashe? sure. sirius/noel? yeah absolutely

[stellacendia]

I've been enjoying my Spanish lessons on Duolingo for so many reasons but one of them is definitely that my confidence in speaking it has gone way, way up from where it was back when I was taking classes in high school. And one of the reasons for this, I'm finding, is that in a lot of places Spanish is literally physically easier for me to speak than my native English. Like, the way my mouth needs to move to form the proper sounds is easier than my strongly American-accented English.

I have a really hard time pronouning words that have multiple r's or an r and a w. Rural, for example, is a word I absolutely hate because it's super hard for me to say. There are others I can never quite say right but I can't think of them right now.

But tonight's Spanish lesson? It included the word librería, which I looked at and thought 'oh man I'll never get that one right' because if that was an English word I was saying in my normal accent those two r's so close together would trip me up so badly. (Just for fun I tried saying it in the most American way and I actually couldn't.) But pronouncing it with the right accent and rolled r's? Super easy! Rolls right off the tongue, is even fun to say.

There are several reasons why I chose to learn Spanish but I think my choice to return to it after so many years out of high school is this, that it's so easy for me to speak.

[astrosamara]

Moon Sign Observations

Observations from a Pisces Moon :) All these opinions come from my own personal experiences with the different moon signs, so it might not apply to everyone. Various aspects to the moon and house placement can also change interpretation and expression of that moon sign.

Aries ☾

They hate wasting time. When they make their mind up on something, they don't like to sit around and contemplate on it, they want to go after it right away. Super action oriented. I love being around Aries moon's, even if our energy levels can be quite incompatible. I've also seen so many Aries moons that stand up against bullying and root for the underdogs. They can be great in leadership positions. Even with their competitive nature, I feel like they're the moon signs who want to see everyone win, especially the people that they love.

Taurus ☾

I haven't met many Taurus moon's, the one's I have met though always seem to be super big on luxury items and comfort. They can live beyond their means sometimes because they just want to have the best of the best. I've noticed this more frequently in younger Taurus moons though. Very beautiful people who seem to always look good without trying hard and can have a very strong interest in beauty and fashion. They can also be SUPER stubborn over their opinions and can be pretty closed off to hearing what other people have to say.

Gemini ☾

Deeply fascinating minds. It's hard to pin Gemini moons down and they tend to live a double life. You can think you're really close to a Gemini moon, but there can be so much about them you still don't know. Excellent communicators that tend to be lighthearted and funny in conversations. They think deeply about life and I know many Gemini moon's that are insomniacs because they have a hard time shutting down their busy minds. They also tend to have a wide variety of interests and are incredibly smart in any area they apply themselves in. Incredibly analytical and perceptive.

Cancer ☾

I feel like I've met more Cancer moons than any other moon sign. They just appear to be everywhere in my life lol. Very caring and sensitive people. A lot of them wear their heart on their sleeves. They tend to be the mother friend of their friend groups and this sensitive energy can often be taken advantage of by people who only want to use them as their therapist. I've also noticed many people tend to baby Cancer moons and don't hold them accountable for some of their more toxic behaviors. They also have an energy about them that makes people feel safe and comfortable around them almost instantly. Strangers will just start telling them their life story and want to open up to them.

Leo ☾

Leo moons are LOUD, especially when they're comfortable. They also tend to have a very lively and radiant aura to them. Unfortunately, I know a lot of Leo moons that can be a little too self involved to the point that they're uninterested in the people around them. They love having attention on themselves and can become upset if they feel like they don't have that attention. They like to put on a show with their emotions and express themselves in a theatrical manner. I wish I had more positive experiences with Leo placements in general, but I haven't tbh. I will say though that I love how open and expressive they are with their love towards others. Rarely are they emotionally cold and distant, which is refreshing to be around.

Virgo ☾

HUGE worriers. Feeling like they need to be perfect in order to be accepted by themselves and by others. Can stress themselves out to the point of sickness. Underdeveloped Virgo placements in general tend to have very fragile egos and crave external validation to an unhealthy extent. They can struggle with intrinsic motivation, because they don't see the point of doing something unless they're rewarded or praised. I haven't met very many Virgo moons in my life, mostly Virgo suns, but I feel like this would be one of the more challenging moon placements to have. Frequent overthinking and anxiety, similar to that of a Gemini moon. I feel like Virgo's are much more hard on themselves though than Gemini's.

Libra ☾

Super charming and flirty people. They crave beauty, peace, and harmony in their lives. They tend to have a natural way with people and can have many friends throughout their lives. Libra moons are just very friendly and polite people overall. I've found that Libra tends to be more happy in the moon than in the sun, which is why Libra moons can have stronger positive Libra qualities. Similar to Taurus moons, they tend to be very beautiful people with a strong interest in beauty and fashion. Unlike Taurus moons though, Libra moons have a strong disinterest in conflict and fighting. Due to their strong desire to keep the peace, they can probably easily fall into habits of people pleasing and not speaking up for themselves.

Scorpio ☾

I'm in love with Scorpio moons. Incredibly emotionally intelligent and aware individuals. They go through a lot of dark shit in their lives, but they really know how to grow from their pain and transform with it. I've never met a Scorpio moon that didn't have this intense and magnetic presence to them. I've found them to be much more intense than Scorpio suns (being one myself) because this tends to be a really challenging moon placement to have. They have a very dark and deep inner world and they grow accustomed to carrying a lot of pain with them in their daily lives. There's also a very painful and strong desire for intimacy and to feel deeply understood that could stem from a difficult childhood. They have a strong disinterest in superficiality and their intuition guides them heavily throughout their life. If you meet a Scorpio moon that is emotionally healthy and healed, they probably went through hell to get to that place of contentment in their life.

Sagittarius ☾

Super funny people. Being a Jupiter ruled moon sign, they have very expansive and limitless minds, which they have in common with Pisces moons. Freedom to express themselves and their individuality is super important for them. Usually a very strong connection to spirituality and a strong interest in learning about other cultures through traveling. I've found that with many Sagittarius moons, people really want to listen to them and hear what they have to say. People see them as a wise guru. They also have a tendency to struggle with commitment and being tied down to anything or anyone (I've found this to be more true for people with heavy mutable energy in their charts overall).

Capricorn ☾

I've rarely met a Capricorn moon that I didn't like. Very loving people that like to take care of the people closest to them. They can struggle pretty intensely, especially younger people with this placement, with a fear of failure and never reaching their full potential. They can have this innate sense of responsibility and structure as a connection to their emotional fulfillment. Capricorn isn't happy in this moon sign, so emotions can be quite challenging for them to navigate. Even though they don't like expressing their emotions openly, when they do, they can express it in a very beautiful and poetic way. There's a lot of singers with this moon placement that have songs with deeply emotional and impactful lyrics.

Aquarius ☾

Aquarius moon's often get described as emotionless or cold, but they actually feel quite deeply. The problem is they intellectualize their emotions more than they actually feel them. I've also noticed they can shut down or feel distant and uncomfortable when they witness other people be emotional around them. This is a moon placement I truly feel for. They can feel incredibly different from the people around them and their feelings can frequently be misunderstood by others. A lot of deep emotional loneliness with this moon sign. I've noticed this to be a common "black sheep" placement, more so than with other Aquarius placements. They have very beautiful and unique souls with a strong interest in bettering society. Very humanitarian.

Pisces ☾

Pisces moon's tend to have strong connections to their grandparents from a young age, or older people in general. They also tend to be into grandma or grandpa activities because they feel like such an old soul lol. Might feel a disconnect from their generation and modern trends. I've noticed many Pisces moon's have these dreamy and sparkling eyes that appear to be filled with magic. They tend to have a very powerful connection to music and they're the type to just be huge music lovers in general, connecting to the vibes of music overall, instead of having a specific genre they listen to. Can be heavily addicted to isolation as a coping mechanism when life gets too overwhelming. Reality can feel very limiting and restrictive for them, which is why I think it's so important for Pisces moon's to have creative and fulfilling outlets (especially during this Saturn in Pisces transit that has definitely been testing them. I know it has for me lol).

[littlcdarlin]

Dad!Joel headcanons (Jackson)

warnings: big age gap (unspecified), reader calls Joel Daddy (as in he’s her baby daddy), pregnancy, mention of labour, afab!reader, in my mind Joel has a breeding kink but it’s not explicitly mentioned

note: for the person who requested this <3 hope it lives up to your expectations! For my own sanity, Sarah never existed in this. I cannot handle Joel having another kid after losing her, and I don’t think I will ever write that tbh. Also, the picture in the middle made me cry.

When you tell Joel you think you’re pregnant he doesn’t believe it for a full five minutes (which you find amusing after how hard he tried to accomplish just that) — then he cries

He worries a lot during your pregnancy and babyproofs the house best as he can, using materials Tommy & Maria can spare

One thing he loves about your pregnancy is that whenever you have sex, he doesn't have to pull out, and he makes good use of that newfound freedom

He builds a cradle by himself, surprising you one evening with a set-up nursery: he painted the walls while you were on greenhouse duty with some paint Maria gave him, and even found some cushions to put into the cradle

When you get insecure about the way your body changes, he lets you know how beautiful you are to him, regardless of size or skin condition or anything else

When you start to show people start whispering because of your difference in age, but he brushes them off, so proud to be your baby daddy

He holds your hand the entire time you're in labour, and you squeeze so hard you bruise his bones – the midwife says his fingers might be broken, but he doesn't pay her any mind, not when your baby is almost here

When your little girl is born, Joel is terrified of holding her small body, afraid he'll drop or hurt her somehow, but you reassure him he can do it, and when he does, her tiny body fits into his arms perfectly

You've never seen him cry so much as during the first couple of weeks – a yawn, or sigh, or blink from your daughter will do it, tears streaming down his cheeks

He asks Tommy to be Godfather, and after he accepts, any past fights are forgotten and they start spending more time together

As your daughter gets older, Joel and her bond over all sorts of things. She's fascinated with bugs, so he takes her "bug hunting": they try and find as many insects as they can, Joel drawing small pictures of them into a notebook, while she observes their behavior. By the time she's seven, she's got her own bug lexicon

Sometimes you and Joel disagree on certain rules or privileges for your daughter: you figure self defense is an important skill, but Joel doesn't want her to touch a weapon, ever. In the end you settle on teaching her combat

When you see the pride in Joel's eyes whenever he looks at your daughter, you jokingly call him Daddy – that night he fucks you so deep you think you're having ten more babies just from that

You're adamant about teaching your kids a healthy perception of gender-roles, and you know the age difference between Joel and you sometimes results in traditional roles. Joel agrees with you and asks Maria to get a day a week off of patrols to do household chores, etc.

While your daughter is little, you're allowed to stay home with her, but as soon as she starts classes in the little makeshift school in Jackson, you start working again – sometimes in the greenhouses, sometimes on patrols, and sometimes in the kitchens

Joel and you never go on patrol together – partly because someone has to watch your kid, and partly because of how dangerous it is outside of Jackson. You want to make sure if something happens to either of you on patrol, she still has a parent left

Tommy and Maria take her one night a week so that you and Joel can have some time to yourselves – between clickers, kitchen shifts and raising a kid, romance tends to fall a little short

Some nights you have dinner in your house and cuddle up on the couch together, finally having a whole evening to talk to each other and enjoy each other's presence, and often Joel sneaks you a little surprise treat, like a peace of chocolate, a flower he found on patrol, etc.

Most weeks your free night results in sex – before you had a kid he fucked you almost every morning and night, but there's less time for that now. In the beginning you miss it a lot, but you quickly learn to appreciate the built up, week-long tension: Joel is insatiable, using your precious hours to find as many ways of making you come as he can. It's worth even Tommy's knowing grin in the morning, when both of you have to stifle your yawns

When your daughter is old enough to want to play with toys, Joel starts carving wooden animals for her. He's more handy than you realized, the little toys have lots of character, and Joel's face always lights up when he watches your daughter name them

He loves singing her to sleep, his deep honeyed voice perfect for soft lullabies, and you often catch him making up sweet texts to familiar melodies

You know he wants more children, but he doesn’t press it, not wanting to rush you into the decision. Sooner than you thought you start to miss being pregnant and the magical time after giving birth. You know you’re one of the only people in the world able to have children in safety, and every day you watch your girl grow up healthy and happy you’re thankful for it

When you tell Joel you want another one during one of your date nights, he’s over the moon and makes love to you as often as he can “to make sure it takes the first time ‘round”. By the time he’s done with you, you’re an exhausted, happy, dripping mess

It does take — when you tell Joel your period is late a short while after that night, he swoops you up in his arms and the three of you celebrate as a family that evening, Joel cooking dinner instead of going to the dining hall

[doremimosasol]

𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐓𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 ☆

warnings: suggestive? honestly not really, nothing much tbh

word count: 3,6 k

summary: you being the only good chess player (you thought), could it be that you found a shared interest with Tom Riddle?

@thatdammchickennugget ‘s Hogmarch challenge prompt 3

Tom loved wizarding chess, it was the thing that he was best in. Yet he hasn't found anyone yet who was enough of a challenge for him to compete with. He wasn't just good, he was just absolutely phenomenal at chess. He gave up on finding a match for himself, playing against nothingness, preparing moves for god knows whom.

That was until he saw you, you were practicing in the courtyard. Your feet were pulled under your legs, sitting cross-legged while focused on your game. There was a slight frown on your face, lost in concentration to beat the air. There was a way to enchant an opponent, but for the best, those weren't even good enough to win. It was boring not having a partner to play with, but it was the best you've got right now.

He leaned against a pillar close to you and observed your game. You were good, but were you good enough to beat him? He knew it was sort of an advantage, watching you play for a while before he'd ask you to play against him. But no one said Tom was a fair guy, he'd do anything to win. He'd never recover from a loss in wizarding chess, the game he was supposed to be best at. The game that was supposed to be his talent to always win in.

But you seemed good too. You knew great opening moves, you checkmated the fake opponent in 5 moves sometimes. You knew a lot, things he didn't even know others knew about. Moves he thought only he knew about. Even openings he thought he came up with himself. It seemed as if you knew the game through at through, he had never met anyone like you. You were different, fascinating, yet so different than the rest.

It was extremely enchanting to watch you play, to watch you win every single time. You, you were the person he'd been looking for, for months now, for years even.

Wizarding chess didn't start for him when he started attending Hogwarts. He didn't even know it was a thing before. He found a way to enchant the pieces himself back when he lived in the orphanage, the great wizard he was back then already. He crafted stuff he found around the home into pieces to use during his games.

He endlessly played, going again and again. It was his favorite thing to do, besides cursing other students at the orphanage. It wasn't on purpose, his anger sometimes just got the best of him. Before he knew it some of his classmates fell down the stairs. Was it his fault? No, because he didn't know how to control it. Did he enjoy it though? Probably yes.

He watched you sigh as you won another game once again, seemingly bored by the lack of competition. That's when you started talking, his heart almost dropped. "You know, you can also play with me instead of watching me from a distance. I can see you're studying the way I play, don't you think that's a bit unfair?"

He almost looked shocked. You couldn't have possibly seen him standing there? You didn't even look up once to be able to notice him, yet you did. "To answer your question, you aren't subtle." That's when you looked up at him, and that's when he first saw your face clearly.

You were beautiful to him, the only thing that bothered him was the yellow tie you were wearing. A Hufflepuff? That couldn't be possible, right? To him, there was no possibility of intelligence in any other house than Slytherin. Someone needs to tell this man that his house isn't superior. It caught him slightly off guard before he decided to speak up.

"Play with me." He got straight to the point. He saw you as a challenge and he wanted to test you, see if he could beat you. Of course, he could, he was sure of it. Always so goddamn sure of himself.

You laughed at the way he was so insistent. "Fine." You got up and made the board disappear with a flick of your wand. "Tomorrow evening in the great hall." You smiled softly and walked off into the castle.

He was intrigued. He often saw you walking in the hallway, you had a lot of friends. It seemed like people adored you. He always connected having a lot of friends with being unintelligent but now he was rethinking those prejudices. He even was thinking of giving you the first chance to become friends with him. He'd view it as an honor, getting to be friends with him. God, he was so full of himself. He should feel honored himself to be friends with you. Everyone wanted to be friends with you.

The next day, you sat in the great hall, setting up the pieces as you waited for him. The hall was dimly lit by the floating candles hanging over the tables.

When he came in, he noticed you sitting at the Hufflepuff table. It didn't feel right to him to not sit by the Slytherin table but he put his pride aside and decided not to annoy you by asking to switch places. But he was thinking about it the whole evening, hoping no one would walk in on it. Every other Slytherin could care less, they sat at other tables all the time.

He sat down in front of you and you immediately lifted your head to look him in the eyes, a small smile forming when you noticed him. Why were you always smiling? It was so weird to him, you didn't even have a reason to smile. But you never needed one.

"Are you ready for me to beat your ass?" You raised your brows and he scoffed mockingly.

"I bet you've mistaken me with someone else because I never lose." He had such a competitive glint in his eyes, you've never seen anyone this serious about chess.

You chuckled at his confidence. Oh how disappointed he'll be, poor Tom. "We'll see..."

You were white, which allowed you to make the first move. It wasn't always an advantage but you were always white, it had never been different. Good thing Tom always played black. It was like both of you were made to play against each other.

"Pawn to e4." And the game was on.

It took you probably less than 20 minutes to checkmate him. Easy... He was probably too confident, thinking he could easily win. His confidence played into his disadvantage.

The second game, won after 40 minutes. He was already fuming by now. You saw the determination in his eyes, he couldn't lose again. He must win. At least once.

The fourth time, won again. It was a longer game, it took up to an hour. But you did it once again without any flaws. Oh, but he was so mad by now. His knuckles turned white by the way he was clenching his hands into fists.

"Filthy cheater, we go again!"

Could it be that the Tom Riddle was a sore loser?

"What is it? Can't stand that I'm easily winning? When will you give up Tom?" You were so enjoying getting him all worked up, it was quite the sight.

"I'll play again on one condition. The loser grants the winner a wish this time. What do you say? Are you in?" You extended your hand for him to shake, you loved making deals like this. It's because you always won, and that way always were granted a wish.

"Deal."

"You're going to regret this, y/n." You so wished you could wipe that smirk off of his face. You were going to win.

Oh, but how so wrong you were...

After 50 minutes, of a heavy and hard game, you lost for the first time ever in your entire life. It felt awful, especially since now you had to grant him a wish. You didn’t show it though, too prideful to give him this kind of satisfaction.

"Won. Guess you'll grant me my wish." He raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his chair, he analyzed your reactions and was satisfied to see an annoyed look on your face.

"What is your wish? Want me to announce to the whole school that you won, because I'll do just that." You were expecting that to be his wish so you already stood up to do it.

"Sit back down, it's something different."

Something different? What exactly could he want from you to do?

"Go on a date with me. Tomorrow night in the Room of Requirement." He sounded so confident, so determined to take you on that date.

A date?! Why in the world would he want to take you on a date? It almost sounded ridiculous to your ears. You never spoke before now, he didn't even know you. Why in the hell would he ever want to take you on a date?

"A date? Like… you and me?" He must have seen the confusion on your face, it was as obvious as the red color painting your face. You were blushing, unwillingly, but oh you were blushing hard.

"Well, I mean unless you have another definition for a date. Yes, you and me, tomorrow night. You can't say no, we made a deal."

And so you got yourself a date with Tom Riddle, you've never ever been on a date before. It'd be nerve-wracking enough with someone you knew well, but you didn't know Tom all too well. You felt like dying from the stress.

Was it even like a serious real date? You didn't even know what to wear, you lay out almost your whole closet on your bed but weren't satisfied with anything.

You even had to get your best friend to your room to help you out. Eventually, she chose a short black dress for you, it wasn't too short, classy and elegant even.

While you were almost eating your nails, you didn't know Tom was freaking out himself. Unlike you, Tom didn't have anyone to get advice from. It was all by himself, and not being experienced in these kinds of things, he was nervous. You wouldn't expect the calmth himself to be nervous, but he was quite literally freaking out.

He prepared everything since noon, he wanted it to be perfect. But also he started to think if it was too much? Or was it too little? The evening couldn't come soon enough or he'd have walked around the Room of Requirement twenty times.

You've never been to the Room of Requirement before, you've heard of it though. It'd show up when you most needed it but you didn't even feel like you needed anything at the moment. You just hoped it'd miraculously show up as you were walking through the corridors. That's when you heard a strange sound, it made you look up at the wall next to you. A large door appeared, guess this was it.

When you entered the room you were immediately greeted by the smell of freshly made food and a faint smell of roses. It's a smell you've always loved.

"Y/n, you came." He was wearing an all-black suit. God, he looked hot. Why haven't you noticed that yet about him? You were stunned, nailed to the ground. Your eyes on him that way put a smirk on his face, you were too easy.

It was different than you imagined, the way people described the room. It was often described as a large place with piles of stuff and goods but this place was clean not all too big and almost felt like a place to live. It was an open room with a book nook, a bedroom, a kitchen, a fireplace with a large couch, and a dinner table in the middle of it. It seemed to match his personality quite well.

Large iron snakes decorated the walls and the roof was painted with constellations. The room was mostly green, but not an unpleasant kind of green, a warm cozy green. It was pretty and the more you looked around, the better view you got of his personality. It's as if this room was painted to show what he was like.

It was obvious he loved silver. All the decorations were silver: the small snake details, the cutlery, and even the rings he was wearing. That's when you noticed his hands. Even during chess, you didn't pay them much mind but now you did...

His fingers wore several silver rings, some fingers covered by more than one. It was surprisingly attractive in a way, you almost felt wrong for staring at him that way but you couldn't help it.

He decided not to say anything about it but just let it slide. It'd be something he could tease you about later this evening, he just needed to find the right opportunity.

"You look beautiful." His eyes roamed your body like it was a piece of art, a piece of art he wished only he'd be able to admire. It wasn’t a creepy kind of look, you felt pretty under his gaze. He suddenly felt this weird feeling of possessiveness, something weird.

"Thank you, you look handsome yourself." That smile that painted your face again, was something he'd never get enough of. Something he wanted to get to see every day and together with that red blush on your cheeks. He felt powerful to make you feel so flustered. You weren't flustered quite often, however, he was someone who finally succeeded in doing so.

"Sit down, I'll bring the food."

The table was covered in red roses, thorns still attached. It was beautiful honestly, simple but stunning. The cutlery was engraved with roses too and a snake circling it. It was obvious that he was proud of his family history.

During dinner, you both talked about yourselves, explaining how you acquired the talent in chess. It was something your grandfather had taught you. He took care of you quite often while your parents were at work.

"They were great aurors, but not so great parents. I can't blame them honestly, I know they have a duty. I just sometimes wished they spent a bit more time with me. But it's honestly fine, my grandfather was a great man."

He always wished to have that kind of bond with a family member, it's something that always had been absent in his life. A void he so desperately wished to fill.

You motioned to the roses on the table. "They're pretty, but the school grounds don't grow roses... Where did you get them?"

He gives you that mischievous smile. "It's my secret."

It was a nice evening, the food was good and he was so much nicer than you expected. He was like a totally different person than when he was losing in chess.

A week passed and you hadn't heard from him since. You didn't dare to speak to him, scared he might not want to talk to you. Guess this was it, it was a nice evening but probably only a one-time thing. Maybe this is what he did with all the girls, getting a taste of their personality and going on to the next. You didn't view him like that at all but your view on guys wasn't all too great, so what else were you supposed to think?

It was until one night when you entered your dorm, a rose lay in front of your door. The thorns were removed and a small envelope was attached to it. You entered your room and sat down on your bed to open it.

"Meet me at the front gate just before dawn. - TR ps. check the envelope"

Check the envelope? It didn't feel like there was something else in there but decided to check...

A ring.

A silver ring, one of the rings he was wearing last week. It was the one that stood out the most, a green emerald covering the middle. It was a thick ring but it was so magnificent, you were drawn by the beauty of it. It must've cost such a great fortune. Why would he gift you this?

Just when you were about to put the envelope away, something else fell out: a thin silver chain. Did he want you to wear it as a necklace?

You decided to attach it to the thin chain and put it around your neck before getting ready to leave for the front gate. You didn't see the need to get all dressed up like last time, just something to keep yourself warm in this cold weather.

Approaching the large gate, he was already standing there. He was leaning against it, his eyes searching for something... "Come here." He motioned for you to come closer. There was something else in his eyes today, something mysterious but not scary. Just mysterious.

He traced your jaw and moved his fingers down your neck until he felt the cold touch of jewelry. He took it from underneath your shirt and lay it over your sweater. "Don't hide it, wear it with pride."

Without letting you answer he entered the courtyard, expecting you to follow him. "To answer your question..." You didn't even ask one, however, you'd like to know why he gave it to you.

He entered the school grounds, pausing his words before continuing. "I thought you would've liked it more around your neck than around my fingers. But I bet you didn't really mind staring at them, did you?" He caught you.

He looked at you with a smirk, enjoying seeing you flustered once again. "I wanted to show you something, I just needed to find the right day. Tonight seemed perfect."

He stopped for you to catch up with him and once you did, he took your hand in his. "You seem nervous, princess?" The cold of his rings touching your hand caught you off guard before deciding to answer. "Maybe I am."

"You shouldn't be." It was all he said before he stopped in front of a large rock, casting a spell on it before it revealed a large meadow.

"I know you're surprised, but we have to get in fast before it closes again." Once you both stepped inside, you noticed the meadow was covered by a bed of red roses.

This must be the place where he got all the roses... He moved behind you, his chest pressing against your back before he moved his hand around your neck to the front. He slowly moved it up to your chin, making you look up to the sky. "Look up, y/n."

Above you were the same constellations painted on the roof in his Room of Requirement. It was an exact copy of this place here, he made it exactly alike.

His fingers now moved back to your neck, taking the hair in front with him to give him access to your neck. You sensed him moving his lips closer to your ear, slightly touching the shell with his lips. "Do you like it? You're the first person to know."

Your breath caught in your throat once his lips touched your neck, he slowly moved lower. "Mhmm?" That's when he stuck out his tongue slightly to get a taste of your neck. "Answer me, y/n."

"Yes, I do... I do like it."

"Mhmm, good." He slowly started sucking on your neck, biting it every few seconds before turning you around to make you face him. His hand moved to the piece of hair covering your face, moving it behind your ear.

You couldn't help but take a glance at his lips, he was being extremely tempting right now. A sudden urge pulled you closer to him, you wanted to be closer to him. His gaze averted to your lips too, both of you almost touching now but not quite yet.

"Kiss me."

And that's exactly what you did, there was no shame in your actions, you weren't ashamed of how you were truly feeling. It felt right and natural...

He pushed his fingers through your hair and grabbed it softly, earning a soft moan from you as a result. Exactly what he wanted. He wasted no time to push his tongue inside your mouth, exploring it like it were a map. He needed to have tasted every part, twice to remember it.

The kiss became more intense as you both pressed against each other. Your bodies were pressed up against each other so tightly it was as if you were one entity. Your kisses were filled with heat, each kiss made his heart skip a beat. Your lips were so soft and your kisses were so passionate. It was almost as if your lips were made to please each other.

His hand moved away slightly to take his wand and with a flick, all roses grown in the ground immediately got rid of their thorns. Without a warning he picked you up and lay you down with him, his body on top of yours.

He pulled away to admire the sight of you lying on the bed of roses, your hair was spread all over the ground and he almost couldn't contain himself. He moved closer to whisper in your ear once again. "This is quite the sight but I’d much rather enjoy it without clothes..."

[t4tlottie]

late night thoughts keeping me up BUT WHAT ABOUT MERMAID LOTTIE!? 😭 i can imagine her being so fascinated with reader from afar (always seeing r coming to the beach to either surf or to swim in a specific cove) they always go so often that she figures out their routine and starts leaving so many trinkets like pearls, shells, seaglass etc. for them to find and hopes that they'll like them 🪸

would be the prettiest mermaid 🙂‍↕️

-⭐️

whenever i think of mermaid lottie i think of this pic like Uugh.

lottie who has had bad experiences with humans so she's kind of skittish and keeps her distant, just watching you for a bit until she deems you safe enough. finding you intriguing as you mumble to yourself as you put on your scuba gear and watching you draw little drawings into the sand in the cove. she always adds onto it and hopes you see it when you come next but the water always washes it away :(

thinking of mermaid lottie shedding her scales and she's SO shy when you think it's one of her trinkets she's left for you!! she's gurgling under the water and you hear something from behind you but when you turn around, she's gone!

mermaid!lottie who likes playing tricks on you too ;p TBH, the only things i rly know about mermaids are from h2o: just add water (GOATED show) so i can imagine lottie using her powers to make the water splash you randomly 🤭 or she gathers enough courage to kindddd of show herself and swims with you but she's surrounded by bubbles so you can't really make her out!!

"Do you like them?" A soft voice calls out from behind you.

You gasp, falling hard on your ass as you jump back in fear. You shine your flashlight around the dark cove, eyes darting around every corner and crevice until the light lands on a girl floating in the water.

"W-what?" You're dumbstruck, wondering how in the hell you didn't notice this random woman enter the cove with you. And is that a fucking tail floating behind her?!

"My gifts! I left them for you. You always take them with you, so I figured you like them, right?" she smiles warmly at you, moving forward with her tail. She frowns when you back up but leans her arms against the rocks surrounding the sand, eyeing you curiously.

She speaks again, this time with a teasing tone in her voice. "What, have you never seen a mermaid before?"

You shake your head dumbly and look around the cave before slowly getting up and wiping sand from your wet behind. You shine the light directly in her face as you creep closer and lean forward a bit, observing her scaly tail. She shows it off for you and splashes it around, making water hit your eyes. You wipe them dry and look at her again, noting how pretty she actually looks. "What's your name then, mermaid?"

"Lottie."

[coffeeailee]

Hello!! I was wondering if you could make some headcanons for Sigma, Fyodor and Lovecraft with a very "masculine" fem reader... They're dating but she's usually the one wearing the pants in the relationship and the taller one, stronger too!

———﹒♡﹒ My universe, my everything.

characters﹒ Sigma, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Howard Philips Lovecraft.

fandom﹒ bungo stray dogs

genre﹒ fluff, romance

This post might contain incorrect grammar/spelling and out of character, it also might be a little bit too cringe, proceed at your own risk.

— ﹒﹒ Sigma ☆

— Sigma is a man who seeks stability and reassurance; hence, I feel like he would feel very comforted to have somebody strong and confident by his side. Your taller height and commanding demeanor would be like a shield to him tbh, particularly when anxious or unsure.

— Privately, Sigma would be in quiet awe of how capable you are, he'd be constantly watching in wonder as you handle situations with ease, never to outwardly say such a thing. His actions would betray this, however, such as helping you when he doesn't need to.

— Fairness in a relationship is what Sigma seeks, so he would respect your strength but would still want to try to contribute in his own way. He may insist on cooking small meals or just getting organized to prove to you that he can be of service too.

— I think Sigma would struggle a bit with the attention you attract from others; your height and confidence would naturally draw eyes. He wouldn't get jealous but might feel insecure, often wondering, Why would someone like you even choose me?

— On bad days, Sigma retreats a bit, thinking you are worth someone much stronger. If you had caught his mood, in one split second he'd brush it off, saying something like, "I was just... thinking. That's all." He won't admit to feelings of inadequacy, but your reassurance definitely would mean the world to him.

— Insecure as he is, Sigma would have these moments of silent pride when you're together. He'd smile faintly when you stood up for him or dealt with some problem with ease and thought, That's my partner.

— ﹒﹒ Fyodor ☆

— I feel that Fyodor would find your strength fascinating but show it rarely. He'd make those random cryptic remarks about it, like, "Strength is often misunderstood. Yours is... unusual, but not unwelcome."

— Fyodor appreciates brains and strategy more than he does brawn, and for that reason, your physical prowess would not intimidate him but be viewed by him as quite useful for his plans. He often says things like: "It's good to have someone reliable for certain tasks."

— I imagine he'd test you subtly, observing how you handle difficult situations to gauge your capabilities. If you impressed him, he'd give a small, approving nod but wouldn't praise you openly, it's just not his style.

— He'd quietly enjoy other people's reactions to your dynamic, for instance, people underestimating you because of your gender or appearance and getting proved wrong, he'd find it darkly amusing and maybe even tease you about it later.

— In the manner he does seem to have reserved calmness about him, at moments when I'd have thought Fyodor would simply revel in watching you take charge, with that slight smile sit back and later say, "You're quite efficient. Perhaps too efficient."

— Fyodor's not one who gets ruffled easily, but I think he'd have moments of surprise when you show affection in your own strong, commanding way-say, pulling him into a hug or messing up his hair. He'd freeze up for a second before softly muttering, "You're absolutely insufferable." But you know that he'd be secretly into it.

— ﹒﹒ Lovecraft ☆

— Lovecraft is pretty indifferent to social norms, so I feel like your height, strength, or "masculine" traits wouldn't even register to him as unusual. To him, you're simply you, and that's all that matters.

— Lovecraft would appreciate your practicality and decisiveness, especially since he tends to be passive. He'd rely on you to handle most interactions with the human world while he quietly follows along, content to let you lead.

— Lovecraft might not show much outward emotion, but he'd show his appreciation through actions. For instance, he'd wordlessly help you with small tasks or ensure your space is comfortable, even if he doesn't say anything.

— I feel like he would be comforted by your presence in moments of silence. If you are sitting together, he might lean against you absent mindedly or rest his head on your shoulder, drawn by the stability you reflect.

— Despite his aloof nature, Lovecraft would notice when you’re overextending yourself. He’d softly suggest resting or stepping back, saying something like, “Even strong things break if pushed too hard.” It’d be his quiet way of showing he cares.

— He would never be angry or uncomfortable should you ever tease him about being the "smaller" or weaker partner; all he would say in response is something like, "Size means little to me. Strength is strength, no matter what shape it comes in."

— Author's note

﹒﹀﹒ I just realized tumblr exist and checked it yesterday, and realized that there were probably a lot of people requesting and yet... I forgot, I'm genuinely sorry for those who requested but never receive them, if you still want me to do the request you can request again and I'll try to do them as fast as I can. Lovecraft is a little bit hard to write, but I did get used to it.

[derangedanomaly]

Hi!!!

Can I please request headcanons for the bad sanses with an s/o that has wings?

Thank you, and have a nice day!

MASTERLIST

BAD SANSES X READER THAT HAS WINGS

NIGHTMARE:

Nightmare finds your wings annoying, or fascinating. (Depending on what your wings look like)

If your wings are big, then they probably often get in the way of things, and Nightmare more than likely gets accidentally smacked with them...

But if your wings are small, Nightmare won't mind them at all. They're just...there. No complaints here.

Your wings sometimes have to stretch... Because they get too stiff if you won't move them much. Don't expect much help from Nightmare though. He has "other business to attend to" and he's "busy".

Though there are times where he'll give in to your pleads, And just- wrap your wings in his tentacles. It's actually kinda comfortable, since it feels like you don't have any weight on you.

He'd sometimes gaze at your wings, with no thoughts whatsoever. He's just observing them, in complete calmness...

If you show him some new tricks you learned, all happy and everything, Nightmare would listen to you. (Shockingly) but he'd act like he doesn't want to hear about your accomplishments.

KILLER:

Killer would gasp when he sees your wings. He immediately touches them (with your consent of course. Consent is hot)

He'd immediately work on some puns involving birds or wings. He's a silly dude lmao.

PLEASE let him brush your wings. He'd get so into it. Gently brushing your wings.

He'd probably ask you if you'll lift him up and fly with him around the castle. He's actually light as a feather, so it's not a hard task.

Imagine being Nightmare, just seeing Killer and you flying around, oh he'd so scold you.

No flying in the castle!! (Says the new rule.)

He'd brag to Dust and Horror that he has a personal traveller. (You)

He'd watch with awe when you happily show him some new tricks, he'd so request another ride.

Winces when he sees you stretch your wings, hearing a silent "pop".

Flirts with you that you look like an angel. (It works though, lmao)

DUST:

DUST WOULD OBSERVE THE FRICK OUT OF YOU!!!

He's so mesmerized and interested. He'd ask MILLIONS of questions. And you better answer all of them.

Let him touch your wings, a literal stars will appear in his eyes.

He'll probably ask you to stretch your wings so he can sketch them in his book. (He has a whole book dedicated to you)

He's a literal pro at brushing your wings. Will not make a mistake. Not even once.

If you truly want some help, or just need an advice, go to Dust. He's the most reliable. (A/N: how come Dust's always the one that's the most reliable 💀)

He's the type of person to make comments of his own, whenever you show him new tricks.

He's all like; "I think you'd be able to do it better, if you-" they might get a little annoying- but hey, they're helpful somehow 🤷‍♀️

He even bought a book about wings, just so he can know more about it.

He's just a nerd tbh.

HORROR:

Horror will gawk at your wings with sparkles in his eye. He's mesmerized, and thinks they're pretty..

He gives you a smile when you stretch your wings, or cover your wings around him.

He likes how fluffy they are.

He'll want to touch them, but won't do it, because he's afraid of accidentally hurting you. :(

He thinks they're probably fragile, and he won't want to be the reason you'd be wingless.

Will need a lot of reassurance that it really is ok to touch your wings. And that they're not really fragile at all.

Overall a total sweetheart, he will be really gentle when it comes to touching your wings. He doesn't want to accidentally yoink them.

The others would probably tease him a little that he's much more gentle than he normally is.

Only you get this special treatment from him by the way ^^

[blingblong55]

Take me to church- Gaz, Alejandro, Rudy, König, Keegan NSFW

This is based on a request/personal need tbh.

F!Reader, smut, 18+, MDNI, F!Reader, monster au, incubus au, p-in-v, dub-con/somnophilia

Pt1

A/N: They wont be too long...

A demon like him, fucking a saint like you.

It was a known fact that there were demon like creatures roaming the Earth. Shifting into their human form and living normal lives and their true identities would be revealed, if wanted, at night. You would never expect that the task force you worked with was infested with them. You were always fascinated by them though, always researched on them. You had grown fond of one kind of creature, Incubus. You had seen the stories, the art other people did for them. And secretly you wanted incubus to find its way to you, to make you his for the night. To leave his marks on you, to please you. 

One fortunate night, you roamed base. It was past the curfew your commanding officers had set. You couldn’t sleep, so you tired yourself by taking a few laps around base. You, by accident had seen their true forms (individually ofc) you noticed their horns, the way their eyes would glow, how they had an evil sinister smirk on their lips. Your eyes wandered around his body. His muscles being showcased as the moon shone on them, a small piece of cloth only covering his underparts. You didn’t know why, but just the sight of him turned you on. His eyes scanned the base, he must’ve felt someone was observing him, then his eyes met yours. You quickly turned away, hiding behind some building.You made your way back to your room, hoping this would be forgotten by the morning.

Gaz: As you slept, he crept into your room and felt the soft skin that adorned you. You, so innocently moved in your sleep, he smirks, getting a view of the beautiful breasts that made you. "Gorgeous," he leans down, your neck now tickled by the hair that hung from his head. His lips on your collarbone. You open your eyes in a state of sleep, a dream come true knowing that this incubus had taken a liking to you. Your sleep state returning, knocking you to a new dream. His hands touch your breasts over the silk cloth. He nibbles on the skin of your tits and as the other hand moved your panties to the side, he fucks his fingers into your pretty cunt. You let out a whimper, a kiss from him shuts you up. He kisses from your neck to your inner thighs. His lips were so soft to touch, but that was unusual, a man like him to be soft is something new. Your cunt getting abused by how rapidly his fingers were edging you to the needed orgasm, your head thrown back as you let out a moan. To you, this felt like a realistic dream. His tongue on your folds, thick fingers spreading you apart. Your clit was so sensitive it made his tongue flickering better. Your juices, the forbidden taste of heaven. He swallows as if it were his last meal on earth, fingers you faster so you can squirt in his mouth. Kyle, the human, Gaz, the man that fucks you so good it keeps your pussy yearning for him.

Alejandro: He waited and waited until he knew his precious prey was asleep. Sneaking into your room and stroking his cock under the small cloth that covered his erection. Your ass was accentuated by the nightgown you wore. One peak of your wet cunt was all this horny man in the form of a demon needed. One lick and he would breed you full. It was sex but not just any other sex, it was sinful. His cock, needing to at least feel for your cunt, make him slap his cock on your pussy. His tip in your cunt, making you groan in your sleep. He smirks. Just the tip, let his cum drip from your folds from how good just his tip will feel. He spits on his cock and fucks himself in you. "Fuck," he whispers with a grunt. Your pussy, so tight and so delicious it yells for him to just breed you already. But you aren't ready for him, not stretched enough for his size. You were innocent, and he would be the man in your ear that turns you into his little sex freak. A wet dream, that's what you knew this to be. He presses his tip, letting it hit the right place and then lets his seed fill you. He groans a moan escapes his lips as he pulls out and sees his cum stain your ass and nightgown. So sinful it will have him masturbating to this for days and nights to follow.

König: The gentle incubus sneaks into your bedroom and watches how you play with yourself in the dark of the night. When you sleep, he can't help but get down and lift your shirt, revealing the wet cunt, dripping already for him. He grins and licks the folds, it is ecstasy. A new addiction he will never need the cure for. His tongue in your clit, flicking it like it was his only salvation. You moan, hips buck and he bites the inner thigh. It was a mark to never leave. His pierced tongue, making that sensitive tissue of yours cum again, he chuckles deeply when he feels your juices fill his tongue and throat. He grunts, eyes on your aroused nipples. Giving you what that sick and twisted mind of yours asked for the second your gaze gave you away hours before.

Keegan: He knew well, knew how you touched yourself at the idea of getting fucked like this by a man like him. An entity that walked amongst humans, taking you like his property to fuck senseless, but he wouldn't do that, it would be gradual. This time, he walked to your bed, watched you sleep and then, masturbated and let his cum leak all over your face. He couldn't help but love it and wanted to watch you wake up and notice his dry cum all over your pretty face. His cum would essentially be the mark he left all over your room. He needed it to be the very thing you fed from, the toothpaste you cleaned from, the man that would have all your holes and surfaces covered in his mess. His cock was never in you this night, he just got on his knees, spread your legs and stroked his cock as he filmed how you slept and how he moaned your name over and over again. "This is what good girls should be like," he said as he recorded how he lifted your nightgown and cummed all over your inner thighs. His mess is so sticky but so pretty on your body. It is a horror to most but a turn-on to him.

Tags:

@liyanahelena @lanadelreyandghostfan @anonymuslydumb @heeheehoohoohahahihi @under-the-dirt

[revalition]

OCT 19 - SHIVERS Raise the hair on your neck. Tune in to the city.

shivers my beloved!!! I love her so much!

Here is my favourite shivers quote since I didn't include it in the image this time:

SHIVERS - FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE. VOLATILE AND LUMINOUS. MADE OF SODIUM AND RAIN.

weeps... <333 not only is it such a gorgeous quote but it was also my first time hearing from la revacholiere... You need shivers of 5 to get it but luckily my first playthrough I had FYS of 4 and I got the patrol cloak the first day so I guess that's 5.. so when I was messing with the electronic doorbell on the first day and eventually got this line!!!!! I had NO IDEA what was happening but I was immediately fascinated by this skill.

also if Kim isn't with you, you can ask yourself what just happened and not a soul answers. your skills *never* just leave you in silence like that...

afterwards she also says:

SHIVERS - IF YOU WANT ME YOU CAN FIND ME ON THE BEACH, DANS LE DERNIER BAL.

which, like. what does that mean. the last ball? the last dance maybe? and then when you do the shivers check in the church there's a modifier that just says "+2 FIND ME ON THE BEACH"

anyway... no it's not oct 19 but that's the naming convention I set when I started so that's how it's going to stay. tbh I had no idea what to do with shivers which is why this isn't anything like my other skilltober posts but hopefully it still does her justice

lots of quotes under the cut as always

what's this? actual screenshots from the game??

this scene was just. so amazing. the worst part is how easy it is to miss! if your inland empire is too low you don't get the dialogue that lets you even try the shivers check (found that out the hard way in my second playthrough >:( and you only need 2 IE to get it) and then the shivers check is quite difficult too... the two people I know who played it, neither got to talk to the city! but that also made it feel very special

I remember screenshotting my game when I got this dialogue so I could go look for it! and then finding the body on the boardwalk and looking all around there and going ah, guess I can't get under the boardwalk and it was just flavour text. and forgetting about it.

and then finding it down there!!! it's my favourite I wore it the rest of the playthrough. also the modifier on it!! +1 Shivers: Gift from La Revacholiere 😭 shivers... shivers ily...

shivers memories of your mom?

she's so helpful

this one kills me every time I read it

also I've been angry with shivers about the humiliation of the shivers fail in front of neha the dicemaker where you take your pants of... and I went to grab a screenshot and it... was Harry all along? all shivers says is that you don't feel anything and it's a bit too warm, and Harry does the rest... sigh. of course he does.

this is a dialogue you can get after talking to Plaisance about the curse after you investigated the doomed commercial area... I know you can come to the conclusion that the curse of the doomed commercial area is caused by being so close to the pale, but that fact that Shivers can pick it up so early on...

I love when she humours you...

this damages your endurance! shivers scolding you can make you *die*

this one damages endurance too... but inland recognizing that shivers isn't one of your skills...!!!

there are a bunch of these (unsure if they're implemented in the game or not, I've never encountered them at least) of your patrol cloak talking to you through shivers!

Kim trying to convince you not to leave in the airship is heart-wrenching on its own, but La Revacholiere begging you not to forsake her...? sobs

this one has to be in here... the three skill checks are godly difficulty. urgh it hurts my heart

the miracle!! she protects the phasmid too, watches over it. observes it skating across the water, opening the buoy to retrieve the passport...

my two supranatural skills bringing you to the precinct! this dialogue has their names, even (usually EdC just relays it to you)

harry and the city are inseparable...

this one hurts me. the church sidequest is my favourite in the game, but there's always this underlying sadness to it that things cannot exist in that church...

fuck...

shivers is so poetic... In my first playthrough, all of their information on the surrounding area was overwhelming. And I didn't have high enough shivers my second playthrough to get the dialogue... but looking through it again now, it makes so much more sense after playing once.

Revachol forever.

this brings me great comfort... the city with pocket it for you. and you can finally move forward.

I don't know what this means... but I wish my city loved me the way revachol loves harry. you also need to pass a godly logic passive to deduce that the world is the thought reader...

that's only 27 screenshots but I don't have any others to add right now... so here is shivers from the spring storm WIP since I havent shared one of these in a bit

dont mind empathy and pain thresh photo bombing it...

and here is my personal shivers skill portrait, which conceptualization drew...

i'm not sure if it's weird to add this but screenshot from our shared discord, but it's kind of cool. they're often silly or rude to eachother but they have their moments. re: shivers suggesting moving to toronto (there is a bit more before this that I was contributing to).

I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard from my shivers... the first time was actually *in* toronto when I was there for a concert. the way Harry loves his city isn't the way I love my city, but it does make me wonder if I could feel that way about somewhere else...

anyway weird note to end this post on but. that's okay. half light next... hopefully tomorrow

[kastalani123]

Tbh I think Leo, Hazel, and Frank could've had such an interesting dynamic that was thrown away in favour of a love triangle because,,,,, heteronormativity, IG.

Think about it!

Hazel and Leo's powers are beautiful and beloved by their mothers — Marie partially due to greed, yes, but do not tell me she did not cup her daughter's tiny hands and tell her no stone could shine as bright as her, just as Esperanza cupped her son's chubby face and told him no fire compared to the one in his chest.

And yet, they are curses, ones that fell the ones that loved them so dearly.

Frank and Leo are the embodiment of their mothers' deaths — war, ever-shifting and unpredictable, and fire, flickering and explosive. Both deadly, so unbelievably deadly, but unavoidable and romanticized, the subject of so many paintings and songs and novels, of unhealthy fascinations that often end with death.

And yet, both their mothers fell in love with those very things, and of that love they were born, bonfires of potential.

This is not be the basis for a friendship, of course — especially not in the context of the story.

Hazel needs to remind herself: this is not Sammy. He looks like him and he acts like him and he laughs like him, but it is not him. She observes him closely to pin down the oddities, to help her differentiate them enough that she stops choking every time she must speak to him.

This is not a friendship.

Frank needs to remind himself: this is not the enemy. He will not fire a cannon at him, will not leave him to fend for himself in a fight, will not clutch his life tight and watch it crumble to ash. He observes him closely to never let him get too close, to prevent him from getting a chance to burn him, accidentally or not.

This is not a friendship.

This is not a friendship, but it is an understanding — when Leo uses a blowtorch rather than his own fire, when Hazel hurls glittering garnets at the walls and off the ship with a wail, when Frank breaks a mirror and falls apart at the sight of his bloody hands.

What is a friendship is this:

Hazel learns Leo's humour and she learns how to fit into it — not like with Sammy, never like with Sammy, but fit nonetheless. They learn to feed off each other, to encourage each other, to let loose and menace the others with maniacal laughter because they can, here on this ship, with kids no better than them. And when they're done, when they wind down and calm down, content and satisfied with working out their anger at the world — then, Leo learns to keep the engine room door open, to keep a pile of blankets and pillows in the corner, and Hazel learns to make her way into the hull of the ship, to make a nest of blankets and pillows. And he brings his schematics and tools, and she brings her sketchbooks and tools, and they work: she, humming songs from bygone days; he, rambling with no desire for an answer.

This is a friendship.

Frank learns Leo's tics, what makes him flare up or clam up or cheer up, and Leo does the same in return. They learn to work around each other, to fit together just so so as to cooperate without stepping on each other's toes. And when they finally do that, when they're not flinching or jumping or bursting at each other — then, they learn to sneak into the training room, to learn to fight in a more traditional and proper way together, to learn how to incorporate their own styles and preferences into that. And Leo brings tea and light snacks and headache medication, and Frank brings bandages and cold compresses and soft spare clothes, and they spar: he, with hammers and knives and too-sharp screwdrivers; he, with arrows and claws and daggers. After, they sit against the wall, looking over each other's scratches and bruises, coaxing each other to eat and drink a little more.

This is a friendship.

It may not be a close one, it may not be one where they check in on each other every few days after parting, it may not stay unchanged for years down the line — but it is one, and it is theirs.