#make it like their whole thing to act like they’re another professor

[halfelven]

horrible little vindictive spirit that lives inside me so pleased when i bring up a question i am planning to ask the teacher (our assignment) in small group discussion and one of the other students starts answering in a way that is not only not answering my question but ALSO assuming i know Nothing about writing papers. like yes thanks i do know that we have set spacing and margins.

and then i ask my question anyway and not only is it answered the teacher proves i was not asking at all what that student tried (multiple times and all wrong) answering and also the answer was something most of the class didn’t know and were happy to hear. like the teacher Literally put another slide in her class slides specifically to answer this question because she realised it was an oversight

have you heard such a reason to be insufferably smug?

[thatnonameuser]

A Wonderland Of Yanderes

World Building is here Part 2

It all started with that class.

The final class for the first week of the first semester. After all the chaos of coming to Twisted Wonderland, of being thrown into a world you don’t understand, a quiet weekend to start finding a way back is something you’ve been awaiting.

The classes here were chaotic but fun, and even interesting as a human from a world without any magic. 

Making potions that could do so many different things in Alchemy. Speaking with animals or a cat that can't talk like Grim in Animal Languages. Riding broomsticks in Phys Ed. Even the boring classes like Magical History, learning of this world full of wonder and mystery, and Arithmancy, math was boring, but it was fun to learn that it’s the same in this world. 

But out of all the classes this was the weirdest one of all. 

It was called The Art of Ensnaring Hearts. About ‘darling control and protection’. It’s a weird sounding class, but even weirder, it’s a mandatory subject for all first years, which seems weird for what sounds like an elective. Still it’s just odd, not anything too weird.

The name is nothing that you’ve seen in any fantasy book or tv show in your world. But by now, you knew weird being dropped head first into an unknown world. By now anything new and weird should have been expected, understood, brushed aside as something to accept and move on.

So here you were sitting between Ace and Deuce in the lecture, Grim fast asleep on your lap, waiting for class you knew nothing about.

“I can’t believe they’re making us take this class.” Ace complains.

“Stop complaining Ace. It’s a really important class!” Deuce objects.

Ace whined his butt off the whole way here, complaining about how stupid it was that they had to attend it. Deuce on the other hand, was incredibly enthusiastic and you are completely in the dark for what this class is even about.

Ace shrugs, “Still, my folks and brother taught me all about this stuff. It’s a waste of time.”

“Not everyone has parents or siblings who can teach them about darlings, Ace.”

“Nothing personal Juice, but this class is going to be as boring as Magical History.”

“Well, if you know so much, what exactly is this class about?” You joke and they both look at you like you’ve grown a second head. "What?" you say, now uneasy.

 “You don’t know?” Ace asks.

“What part about ‘I’m from another world’ keeps slipping your minds?” Your attempt at a joke falls flat, as they look at you in incredulity.

Deuce practically reels back in surprise, “N-No it’s just that it's so normal here. You don’t know what darlings are?”

You shake your head, “No, not really.”

A crack of a whip onto the blackboard calls your attention to Professor Crewel, "Alright pups, I have to do this every year so let's get this out of the way now. This class will provide you with any and every method, skill and technique to find, capture and control your future darlings, including evading the law in your respective homelands." Now, you're confused, why exactly is a school teaching students how to break the law?

"As you know Sage Island makes special accommodations for NRC and RSA students, all acts that may be forbidden in any of your hometowns, with the exception of Darling murder, will be pardoned and forgiven. In the case of a family investigation, the school will stage an accident so please do not butcher them beyond repair." No words or sounds slip from your lips, with you stunned silent in pure horror.

What pools in your stomach is hot dread mixed with cold fear. Just what exactly is this world? Murder can be excused here? It can be covered up, with only a slap on the wrist. You need some explanations and you need them now.

A student raises a hand, "Professor?"

"Yes, pup?"

"Why are there no darlings enrolled in Night Raven?"

"One too many murders on campus. A few too many mutts ran around unneutered and decided to draw blood." You smother your gasp a few seconds too late, as more than a third of the room turn to you, confused.

"Something wrong, pup?" Crewel raises an eyebrow at you. His eyes drill into your soul, inspecting, calculating.

"N-Nothing! I'm fine. Perfectly fine." Crewel doesn't push you on the subject, returning to his lecture.

You lean back in your seat, and the cold sweat on your body makes you shiver. Right now, you'll bite your tongue and hold back your horror.

You need to see Crowley, as soon as possible.

[marigold-hills]

Dunes & Waters, part 4

PART 1 • PREVIOUS PART • NEXT PART

“Lovely, lovely things,” Black speaks to a box filled with jewellery: strands of gems on long strings, little dangling ear studs. Pulls out a silver ring. Slips it on his finger.

“Beautiful boy, beautiful ring,” says the man manning the stall. He looks elated, like he’s won a lottery, and it might have less to do with the sale and more with how passer-by’s look at Black. He brings eyes to the table.

It’s a whole production, going outside with Black. Remus is used to stares – the ever-growing collection of scars on his body gets its share of lingering looks - but the way people are looking at Black? If someone said he was a celebrity Remus would believe them.

Black buys the ring, adds a pair of earrings to his mounting purchases. They’re in the Muggle part of Aswan so he’s carrying them all in bags, without shrinking anything. Clothes and jewellery and little pots of makeup and lotions. Remus feels, viscerally, each frivolous acquisition. The ring itself costs what Remus usually spends on food in a week, and Black buys it without pause. Like it’s a normal thing, to spend that kind of money of a piece of metal.

The next vendor pushes Meshbek into Black’s hands. It’s drenched in syrup, coating his fingers. Remus declines when offered but takes the bags from Black so he can eat as they explore further. Immediately thinks you were meant not to indulge him, but it’s that politeness he’s had instilled in him since childhood and it’s one thing to want to say no when Black acts like he’s already said yes, and another to actually do it.

It’s an explosion of colour and smell, the Aswan market. The air itself is fragrant with cumin and fennel, tastes warm like a well-loved kitchen.

Remus looks at all the stacks of spices longingly, wishes he knew what to do with them – or that his cooking proficiency extended beyond beans on toast. Black chooses things seemingly at random but it’s clear he knows what he’s getting. Speaks to the vendor in fluent Arabic. It changes the way his voice sounds, faster than his posh British drawl. Laughs at something that’s said to him, sudden and loud like a barking dog. Moves from stall to stall licking the syrup off his fingers and stopping to look at every small thing.

Remus is busy looking at a display of fruit and doesn’t notice a child running his way. They almost collide but Black grabs his hand to pull him away.

The burn is immediate and terrible. Remus yelps, pulls his hand away as if from a fire. There’s only one thing that can cause that and Remus stuffs his hand in his pocket, hoping Black hadn’t noticed the blisters he can already feel forming.

For a moment, Black looks confused, but his face hardens quickly. “I’m not contagious, Professor.” He says contagious low and slow, and the implication is clear: you can’t catch what I have even if you tried. “No need to get yourself in a pretzel.”

Remus wants to argue. It’s laughable, what Black is alluding to, the very thought that Remus could have an issue with a man holding his hand. But arguing means he’d have to give an explanation and he’s definitely not about to do that. The pain in his hand is making his thoughts hazy and he really doesn’t want to deal with the volatile storm brewing around Black, an almost palpable aura of anger. Propensity for accidental magic, he remembers.

NEXT PART

@tealeavesandtrash

@moon-girl88

@hoje--aqui

@cocoabutterandbooks

@onion-sliced-apples

@prancingpony42

(let me know if you do/don’t want to be tagged!)

[runin-reads]

James and Sirius as parents: a list of happy head canons

AU where there’s no Wizarding war.

They have an entire litter of kids because they can’t keep their hands off each other. They cap it at around 5-6 (biological) kids because even they need a break lol.

It becomes sort of a gag when James announces yet another kid to their inner circle. For the first few announcements, everyone goes through the typical motions of saying congratulations and fussing over the new baby. But over time another kid would just a regular Tuesday

James: we got a new kid. Remus: again?

The kids inherent the Potter surname only. Sirius wants to distance his family from the Black name as much as possible, and adopts the Potter surname once he’s married to James

James is the more outwardly affectionate dad. He’s always showering his kids with hugs and kisses, always asking them about their days etc. He never misses a chance to spoil them or say “I love you”. This reflects his own upbringing as an only child who grew up with wealthy, doting parents. He knows no limits when it comes to his babies.

At first, Sirius is the more distant parent. On occasion he might unconsciously slip into the old habits his family instilled on him: impeccable manners, high expectations etc. but he’d be very aware of how his tumultuous upbringing differs from James’. Sirius would quickly realise his past is affecting how he acts as a parent and would try to emulate what James does instead.

I think Sirius would be the most hesitant to have kids because he’s not confident in his ability to be a good parent, but he does give in because James’ insistence and faith in him

Overall, their kids grow up spoiled rotten and immensely loved. I imagine most if not all of them have a rebellious streak and become an endless source of trouble throughout their years at Hogwarts. Older professors would see the name Potter on the register and instantly sigh

Since their parents were so popular at school I feel like the Potter kids would quickly gain a reputation amongst the staff. Any time they wreak havoc, their professors sigh and say, both with fondness and burning contempt, “you lot are just like your fathers.”

James’ parents play a major role in raising the kids. They’re even more doting that prongsfoot and are always happy to visit them or to welcome their grandkids into their own home

They spend holidays at James childhood home

If one of them did become a stay at home dad, it would be James. He’d adjust quite easily to it because he knows what a healthy, loving family is like and is confident he can provide that for his husband and kids. Make no mistake, though, he’s hardly alone even when Sirius is busy. I head canon him as very sociable and extroverted. He becomes friends with their neighbours, the parents of the his kids’ friends. He’s the guy that gets stopped everywhere because he’s just so likeable once he’s an adult and he’s gotten more mature. Plus his parents are always ready to stop by if he needs help. He takes the whole “it takes a village to raise a child” notion very seriously.

I think being a dad would force Sirius to do a lot of reflection on his own childhood. He’d realise there are a few merits to the way he was raised as an aristocratic pure blood and this is all thanks to the Potter family. At first he wouldn’t want his kids to have the typical childhood of personal tutors, etiquette lessons, learning multiple languages etc. James disagrees with him though because as a child he did all these things in a fun, enjoyable way. Safe to say the Potter kids do experience a traditional rich kid upbringing, just not in the way Sirius did.

Prongsfoot are like Morticia and Gomez Adam’s in the sense that they’re undeniably and endlessly in love with each other. Of course they argue like any couple does but it’s rare. It’s so funny to them when their kids get old enough to cringe when they’re affectionate with each other. James will even become more touchy with Sirius just to see their faces twist in exasperation.

Sirius is called “dad”. James is called “appa” (short for “appachan”) to reflect his Christian Indian heritage

I think their kids would be brought up somewhat Christian i.e. they have godparents, they go to church if they’re staying with their grand parents and during important holidays, but prongsfoot bother properly instilling religious beliefs onto them

All their kids have first or middle names based on constellations because James thinks the Black naming tradition is too cute to pass up

Harry’s the eldest and resembles James the most out of his siblings. I’m a sucker for green eyed Harry so let’s just say no one knows where that specific feature comes from

When the kids are still small, Sirius has a habit of turning into Padfoot so he can scruff his children like puppies

James loves turning into prongs so their kids can ride on his back

Their kids are banned from becoming animagi until they’re adults. Prongsfoot know that they were way too reckless as teens and would make sure they’re kids don’t make too many of the same risky choices

They’re generally chill as parents but they do draw a firm line between having fun and being down right reckless. Their kids wouldn’t have many restrictions at all so long as they’re not putting themselves or others in direct danger

It’s super hard for the kids to do things behind their parents backs because prongsfoot are already aware of all their possible tips and tricks. Safe to say their rebellious streak in Hogwarts pays off

James has a baby sling that he brings with him everywhere whilst they still use it

That’s it for now but feel free to send me asks if you have a specific scenario in mind and want to hear my thoughts!

[bugeyedfreaks]

Hi! Uhm...I wonder....About the lovely interests of Mojo Jojo and HIM. I mean...I know Mojo was in love with Mono Joko and it seems HIM loves Professor Utonium...but is that true? And they personally take this point clear to us, please?

I’ll answer your question about Him in particular but I’ll also use your ask as an opportunity for me to do a bit of a deep dive into Mojo and Him’s love lives, because……. why not? 😆

So we’ve definitely seen Mojo in love before/knows how he acts when he loves someone. He’s a romantic goofball and absolutely dotes on whoever he likes (which is freakin’ ADORABLE). And he absolutely only had eyes for Moko. You could make some sort of argument that it was for the bit and it was to parallel how the Beatles broke up IRL, but there’s also a whole comic written before that episode where we see Mojo sending in tapes to a dating agency ~for the ladies~. He then gets so desperate because the ladies are afraid of him that he ends up Frankensteining his own bride. So… take all that as you will when it comes to Mojo’s romantic preferences. 😆

Meanwhile, yes, Him definitely has shown, um, interest towards the Professor, which I think is hilarious and great. I think the biggest example of that is the big ol’ wet lick he drags across poor Professor’s cheek in Tough Love. However, did he do it just to antagonize the girls? Is it because he really does think the Prof is a hottie (like any sane person should)? We just don’t know. I feel like with Him being Him, you can see him going aaaaany which way romantically, but how he acts towards the Professor is, like, the only indication in the series of where his romantic interests may lie.

I know I mentioned my dislike of Mojo/Him earlier today, and I feel like I can’t not touch on it while on this subject, so I guess I’ll tack this on because I don’t think I ever explained why I don’t like it. As far as the whole ship between these two… I mean, I get why people ship them. Because, you know, ~they hugged~ that one time. 🙄 They’re both also evil, and people want those evil couple goals. So I get it. But to me, it feels uninspired and just… too obvious, I guess? No real thought behind it aside from surface level stuff like with PPG/RRB. CMC likes to claim Mojo has high respect for Him, and… yeah, Mojo called him “sir” for, uh, ONE EPISODE. Otherwise they’re rivals, often seen sniping at one another, calling each other stupid, maybe occasionally band together to try to defeat the PPGs, and in my perspective? I wouldn’t respect or even love anyone who was lazy enough to just outright steal my evil creations and recolor them (i.e. with the RRB).

That said, I feel like I have to always have a disclaimer whenever I talk about stuff like this, because there’s almost always one person who flips out and screams at me about how, “I can ship what I want!” Yes. I know. You absolutely can. Personally, per my reasoning above, I just don’t vibe with it. But, as evidenced by many things, fandom is an unstoppable force, and I’m not out to stop anything anyway. I just do not dig the thing.

…so, yeah, sorry I went off on a bit of a tangent, but I hope this answered your question! 🤣

[benwvatt]

🍊🍍

thank you so much for the fanfic ask prompts!

🍊 Who’s a character you don’t write for that often, but keep meaning to write for more? (They’re so interesting! But maybe you have trouble pinning them down, or keep getting distracted by another blorbo…)

look, this might make me sound terrible, but as much as I treasure platonic love in my own life, I am terrible at writing it in fanfic. As a fic writer, I want to be validated, and that means writing for two (2) characters in a main romantic relationship in a relatively large fandom so I can get feedback and be understood as a writer. It's a terrible system, yes, and I still do it.

So, characters I want to write more about: Imogen Heaney, June and Nora from RWRB, all of the Murdoch Mysteries main crew, Ava and Deborah from Hacks, Tracy Stevens and Danielle Poole from For All Mankind, Parker and Sophie from Leverage... I have so many fic ideas and not enough time to write. And that's okay, I guess.

🍍 What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with?

Oh, thank you so much for asking me this!!! I love writing and reading almost all AUs - college, coffeeshop, fantasy, sci-fi, lawyer, professor, retail. I do have reservations about some AUs because they can be handled in ways that don't necessarily appeal to me (they aren't necessarily BAD, per se, but some AU aspects just aren't my thing.)

Like, I think high school AUs can be a bit melodramatic and hard to take seriously when I don't believe that this is how a teenager would act;

soulmate AUs can be a bit intense in terms of "I WOULD FIND YOU IN ANY UNIVERSE, I WOULD KNOW YOU, I COULD PICK YOU OUT OF A HAYSTACK" when the whole point of canon is often that someone wouldn't know you in any universe. The main character here was lucky to find their partner, but they're not magnets or drawn together by destiny;

social media / texting AUs can sometimes be written in ways that prioritize crazy disastrous moments and silliness over true character depth and growth (like, I love shenanigans, but your story can't JUST be yelling and chaos);

I also have such a moderate pet peeve for AUs that replicate the source material beat-for-beat, scene-for-scene, plot point for plot point.

The point of, like, a Cinderella AU is not to change the characters' names and appearances, substituting X for Cinderella and Y for Prince Charming, swapping one person in for another. The point of a Cinderella AU is to write a transformative story that elevates the characters, provides character growth, and uses the themes/tone/worldbuilding of Cinderella to tell a complex story.

anyways, hope I'm not being too negative! Thank youuuu. Have a lovely day.

[justatypicalwizard]

Wants Within | S. Shinazugawa | Chapter 24

✦ Sanemi Shinazugawa x femReader!, college au, reader is adult

✦ Synopsis: You're a college student taking classes with a very strict lecturer- professor Shinazugawa. Because of an unfortunate event you got on his bad side so now you're trying everything to regain in his eyes. Well, you most certainely didn't expect that kind of attention.

✦ Word count: 1,3k

18+, minors do not interact

You walked slightly past Sanemi, looking at him from time to time but he seemed deep in his thoughts. You wanted to ask if he needed help, if he wanted to vent out, tell you something, but you were not in the position to do it. You were the one that started the topic and destroyed the whole date. You are the one that lied to him. 

‘’I’ll tell you, but only once so you better fucking listen.’’ Suddenly he stopped and looked you in the eye, like a predator spotting his prey. 

You quickly nodded your head, now even knowing what he was about to say. 

‘’I never told it to anyone so you better…’’ He really didn’t know. 

In his eyes you looked so… small. Too small to scold and throw anger at. 

‘’But… should I…’’ You tried to tell him something but it was hard. ‘’Should I be the one to know your… secret?’’ You were still filled with guilt and shame. Right now you felt like the last person to be honoured with his honesty. 

‘’Yes, out of all… you should be the one.’’ The white haired lit up your heart a bit once more. You did not anticipate something like that. ‘’Because you’re the only one that had the guts to admit guilt to my very face.’’

Your eyes traced his features in awe. You never thought he read the situation like that. What human would even make a point like that? You just told him that you’re a dirty eavesdropper and he thanks you for your honesty? What is this? A Monty Python sketch? 

‘’I can’t believe it.’’ You speaked up. ‘’You’re just… one in a kind. How can you thank and trust me after what I just admitted to.’’ 

‘’I’ve already told you, now listen if you can… because I’m fucking sad.’’ He started walking again, at a slightly faster pace. 

Now, the enchanted forest around you turned into a more eerie one.

‘’I met Kanae and Shinobu at the uni, when we were younger. There was a bigger group of friends that some of you may know. We were all on the same track, trying to be future professors at the university that you go to. You do recall Rengoku and Tengen I believe.’’ You nodded your head, their faces appearing in your imagination. ‘’Yeah, they were also in the picture. I guess I kinda flirted with her, ah screw it, I did very much flirt with her and she liked the attention. Shinobu didn’t, she always had THE balls to tell what was on her mind. She didn’t like me from the start. ‘He looks like a punk, he’ll likely be out of the uni in no time, look at Rengoku, he’s so well-mannered.’ That’s what she babbled all the time about. At one point I even argued with Rengoku until he told me that he’s not interested in Kanae. Heh, funny, at that time he also told me that in his opinion, Kanae is not the best for me. Of course I didn’t listen. She was, and still is, beautiful. And that’s kinda all she has, sorry to say that. At least that’s what I think. She has no moral spine and interests of her own. The worst part is that the two of them act like they’re one organism. They also have an adopted smaller sister that’s mannered just like them. Kanao, that’s her name.’’ 

What? Was it that Kanao, the one that shittalked you?

‘’We went to parties together, drinked together, talked at the uni. One thing led to another and I asked her if she wants to be my girlfriend. We started dating and at first it was okay, I just kinda ignored Shinobu. I thought Kanae was the one in charge of their sisterly relationship. Now, I don’t know for sure. It’s not like Shinobu orders Kanae to do things but she has that little, shitty strategy of whispering things to her ear. At first I thought it was just Shinobu being Shinobu, I thought that Kanae disagreed with her, but she didn’t. She very much agreed.’’ A long breath escaped his lips. ‘’They both had a similar opinion about me and Kanae thought she could shape me just like she wanted to, and like Shinobu wanted to. That I would change for her, for them. And guess what? I didn’t want it. I have a lot of flaws, plenty, but I like myself. Before I realised that I already proposed. I bent down to the pressure of their constant talk. ‘He should propose already. You could do so much better. If he doesn’t propose it means he’s cheating.’ Ah, I don’t even want to remember all of that.’’ 

His pace slowed down, mimicking the sinking of his voice and weight in his heart. All of these hurtful memories flashed over him once again like a stormy sea. 

‘’The story isn’t extreme. We just didn’t agree and I ignored all the red flags. I ended things once I was fed up. I thought we would just part and that’s all but once again I was wrong. They can’t get over it, bombarding me time and time again. The relationship got more heated after the breakup. The rest I think you’re aware of because you heard Shinobu talking back then, you know what they accuse me of.’’ 

‘’And is it true? Any one of their accusations?’’ You didn’t know where the sudden courage came from but it did and you asked this question. 

One part of you believed Sanemi, yet, there was a small digit that couldn’t let go of women's solidarity. 

‘’I promise I’m hundred percent true right now.’’ The white haired stopped in his tracks, you faced him. ‘’At that time I did love Kanae, in some way. I never did anything to purposely hurt her. And I never will, I’m better than that.’’ 

Although it was painful to hear him talk about his love for another woman, you understanded him. Feelings change and it may be a good sign that he doesn’t deny his past emotions in the light of the present situation. He’s honest with you and with himself. 

You nodded your head, looking to the ground and started to stroll once more. After a while of silence that helped the both of you process everything that just happened you started once again in a quiet and unsure voice. 

‘’I’m sorry I ruined the date, you must have taken some time to prepare this.’’

‘’You didn’t ruin it.’’ His voice flared up hope in your slightly wounded heart. ‘’Dates are for people to get to know each other. That’s what we are doing. Getting to know each other. You should love not only my hot abs, sexy smile and mesmerising personality but also all of my cuts and scars, baby.’’

‘’Are you sure you’re twenty something, cuz sometimes you speak like a wise, old, old, old man.’’ How come he always made you laugh, even if it was a smile lined up with pain?

‘’Are you sure you’re twenty something because sometimes you act like a fucking brat.’’ He spat back. 

‘’First, don’t steal my lines. Second, aren’t you a brat tamer, hon?’’ You wiggled your stretched pointing finger in front of his face in a pretentious manner. 

‘’Hon?’’ 

You acted as if you didn’t hear it, turning your back to him and walking down the path, hips swaying from right to left in your victory lap. In an instant you felt the weight of his arm around your shoulders. 

‘’I need to say, you would also do good in taming.’’ You looked him in the pale, violet eye, his face inches from your. ‘’Taming me.’’ 

SERIES MASTERLIST

Taglist:

@secretxchive @vesperazhier

[all-the-things-2020]

Continuing the Way - Chapter Two

Summary: Mariana gets some good news at work and the boys eat cake.

Rating: PG-13

Mariana rushed into Professor Ti’lik’s office. “Sorry, I’m late,” she said as she stashed her bag under the table in the corner that served as her desk. “We had a small meltdown this morning when Cabur decided he doesn’t like his gray pants anymore, and of course, they’re the only ones that are clean right now.”

Ti’lik chuckled. Her own offspring were fully grown but she sympathized. Her species went through its own version of the Terrible Twos, known as “the Years of Anger,” in which young ones wrestled with the emergence of negative emotions by screaming and slamming doors and head butting the walls. Mariana was certainly glad human children didn’t go quite that far.

“Not to worry,” Ti’lik said. “We do have a meeting with the Galactic History Consortium this afternoon, but otherwise you have the whole day for research.”

It was the one day of the week that Mariana did not have any classes, and it was her favorite day. She could get lost in her research and get home early enough that she could take the boys to the park or to do some shopping, giving Din a bit of a break from childcare.

“What time is the meeting?” Mariana asked, pulling out her data pad to set herself an alarm. When she got involved in her work, she tended to lose track of time.

“1400 hours,” Ti’lik replied. “I’ll remind you after lunch … unless I have to remind you to eat lunch.” Mariana shook her head. The professor would not let her live down the day she’d worked straight through until 1700 hours and promptly fainted the moment she’d stood up to go home.

“I have a reminder,” Mariana said, entering the meeting into her daily calendar. “Lunch: 1200 hours. Meeting: 1400 hours. There.” She placed the data pad against the back of her table and pulled out the heavy-duty portable terminal she used to access the university servers. It had a larger screen and a keyboard for inputting data, making it easier to use than her smaller data pad. She logged into the university system and immediately lost herself in the minutiae of Rigellian military customs in the fourth century of the Linomatian Regime on the Outer Rim.

*********************** Ten minutes before she and Professor Ti’lik left for the meeting with the Galactic History Consortium, a comm pinged on Mariana’s data pad. Another reminder from the med clinic that she was overdue for her checkup. She’d already missed three appointments because she was just so busy, but she knew she needed to schedule a time to replace her contraceptive implant before it expired in a few months. She flagged the message so she would see it the next time she accessed her pad, and promptly forgot about it as she and Ti’lik hurried to the meeting.

The Consortium was a group of historians from several different universities across the Republic and being invited to meet with them, even just the local representatives, was quite an honor. Mariana was mostly there as Ti’lik’s research assistant, but she was still excited.

Ti’lik was less impressed. “These things tend to drag on,” she warned Mariana. “Some of the older professors like to hear themselves talk. Just smile and nod and act like you’re taking notes. If there’s anything of real importance, I’ll let you know so you can pay proper attention.” 

The meeting did drag, as Professor Dawwinta from the University of Coruscant, the visiting speaker, gave a very involved and rambling report on his research into the history of the ancestral tribes of the southern continent of Naboo. Near the end of the two hours allotted to the meeting, Professor Ti’lik tapped Mariana’s foot, alerting her to the real business at hand.

Professor Kevit Dane, who was most likely to take over as department chair when Ti’lik retired, was the local member of the Consortium. He stood to deliver his own report. “The Consortium has asked our university to coordinate a bibliographic study of the literature of the matriarchal societies of the Old Republic,” he began. “I would like to propose that we form a task force to work on this project, and I’d further like to propose that Professor Ti’lik’s assistant Mariana Djarin take point on this endeavor.”  Mariana was taken aback. “We have a very good cohort of students in the department who can do the bulk of the work, but I think Mariana would be a good fit as project coordinator.”

The others nodded and Dane gestured at Mariana. “Are you amenable to that, Mrs. Djarin?,” he asked.

“Of course,” Mariana stammered. “I’d be more than happy to help, if Professor Ti’lik can spare me.”

Ti’lik nodded. “I think that can be arranged. We’re ahead of schedule on the research, thanks to your diligent work.”

Mariana felt herself blush a little. “I’m just doing my job,” she said.

“And doing it well,” Dane said. “Which is why I’m offering this project to you and not one of our adjunct professors.” He chuckled. “Quite frankly, our current adjuncts are overworked and under qualified.” The others nodded; it seemed to be a common complaint amongst tenured staff no matter which university they worked for.

The meeting wound down after that and fifteen minutes later, Mariana and Ti’lik were heading back to the office.

“That was a surprise,” Mariana said.

“Not really,” Ti’lik salad. “You’re the logical choice for the job. Technically, it should have gone to an adjunct, but as Dane said, they’re overwhelmed and frankly, you’ll do a better job. You have to know, Dane and I have already discussed hiring you as an adjunct the moment the ink is dry on your degree.” She unlocked the office door and motioned for Mariana to enter first.

“That’s very kind,” Mariana said, “but let’s wait to see if I manage to get that degree first.” She started packing up her things. “Between work, and classes, and the kids, I’m hanging in there, but it’s rough.”

“You’ll do fine,” Ti’lik said. “Like I said, we’re ahead of schedule on my project, so you can concentrate on the bibliography for the Consortium. It’ll look great on your resume.” She winked. “Now, go home and play with your babies … you’ve earned it.”

************************************ “Mama got a new project today,” Mariana said once she’d gotten in the door and dropped her bag on the table. “So let’s go buy a treat for after dinner!” Cabur and Ad’ika started jumping up and down.

“A new project?” Din asked. “That sounds exciting.”

“It is,” she said, digging through her bag for her credit pouch. “I’ll tell you the details later.” She kissed him quickly on the cheek. “I’ll take the boys to the park and then we’ll stop at the bakery for something yummy. I’ll get some of those meat and veggie pies the boys like for dinner, so you won’t have to cook. Just relax.” Just like that, she and the kids were out the door and Din found himself alone in the apartment.

The quiet was soothing at first, but after about fifteen minutes, Din missed the background noise that always accompanied his sons as they played. Even when they were napping, he was always aware of their presence, his ears tuned to listen for the small sounds they made as they woke up. He had been tempted several times to tell Mariana to take these afternoons for herself, to go out and enjoy herself, but he knew she felt guilty about not helping with the boys, and she liked her mommy time with them every week.

Din lay down on the couch, closed his eyes and dozed off for a while. He woke with a start when the door opened, the boys spilling in and filling the apartment with their comforting noise. “Da!,” Adi’ka shouted. “Cakes!”

“My cakes,” Cabur yelled. “Mine, mine, mine!”

Din sat up. “So, did you get cakes?”

Mariana laughed, juggling three carrier bags in her hands. “Yes, Cabur talked me into getting a dozen of those cakes he loves,” she said. “And I got some of those fruit hand pies you like.” 

Din helped her take the bags into the kitchen and unpack them. The boys hopped excitedly around their feet, clamoring for cakes. “Dinner first,” Mariana reminded them. “Remember what we talked about?”

Ad’ika nodded, but Cabur whined. He was still having difficulty with the concept of patience. Din pulled out some plates and plopped a savory pie on each one. “Here, kiddos,” he said. “Eat your dinner and then we’ll dig into the cakes.” He helped Ad’ika into his chair, while Cabur climbed into his own and reached eagerly for his plate. Before Din could even think of getting forks out, both boys had their mouths full.

He handed Mariana a fork but she was already biting into her pie, holding it with both hands like the boys did. “No manners,” Din chided, tossing a napkin at her. She made a face around a mouthful of pie. Din made a show of eating his own pie properly, with a fork, but his family didn’t care. As soon as Cabur had swallowed the last bite of his pie, he started a chant, “Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!”

Ad’ika joined in, and Mariana tried to shush them. “Wait until Daddy’s finished,” she said.

“Daddy slow!” Cabur complained. 

“Buir n’iviin'yc,” Ad’ika agreed. Father not fast.

“Oh, fine,” Din said, shoving the rest of his pie into his mouth, which made the boys laugh. As he struggled to chew and swallow the wad of food, he brought the box of cakes down from the shelf.

Cabur stood on his chair, half laying on the table in his eagerness to reach the sweets. “Calm down, ad,” Mariana said. “You’ll get your fair share.” Din placed two of the small cakes on each plate, raising an eyebrow at Cabur, who was ready to snatch his before they touched the plate.

“Okay, go ahead,” Din said once they had all been served. Cabur shoved one of the chocolatey cakes into his mouth, nearly choking himself. “Slow down there, son,” Din said. “Enjoy it, don’t inhale it.” Cabur wrinkled his nose and kept cramming the cake into his face. They were his favorite dessert and they only bought them on special occasions.

Ad’ika was slightly more sedate, but still gobbled his cakes quickly. Mariana ate one, then divided the second one in two, sneaking one half onto each boy’s plate. Din pretended not to see her, and the boys giggled, thinking they’d pulled one over on Daddy. Din made sure they watched him eat both of his cakes.

“Buir me'dinuir?” Ad’ika asked. Father share? Din shook his head.

“Nayc,” he replied. No.

Both boys narrowed their eyes at him, looking as fierce as they could. Din glowered back until he finally broke and pulled two more cakes out of the box and handed them to the boys.

“Elek!,” both boys shouted. Yes!

Mariana shook her head. “And you say I spoil them,” she said. Din just shrugged and popped another cake into his own mouth. Mariana peeked into the box. “There’s only one left! I bought a dozen … you boys are too greedy.” She snatched the last cake and delicately nibbled on it, making it last long after their own cakes were gone. “See, if you take your time, you get to enjoy your cake longer.”

“But you only got two and we each got three,” Din pointed out.

“And a half,” Mariana said, pointing at the boys, who both had chocolate smeared around their mouths.

“Three and a half,” Din admitted. “Well, come on greedy boys, let’s go wash our faces while Mommy clears away the dishes.”

Once the boys were cleaned up, the sugar kicked in and they filled the living room with their squeals and giggles as they attempted to play with every one of their toys at once. Finally, they crashed and nearly fell asleep in the bath. Mariana didn’t even need to tell them a story after they were tucked in; both boys drifted off to sleep almost immediately.

“So,” Din said, when he and Mariana adjourned to the couch, “tell me about this new project of yours.”

Mariana rattled on about the bibliography and how she was going to be in charge of a research team of her own, clearly excited about the prospect. “And Ti’lik said we’re ahead of schedule on her project, so I can take some time off from that to concentrate on getting the bibliography project up and running,” she concluded. “Best of all, she said that once I have my degree, they want to hire me as an adjunct!” She snuggled closer. “I think this project is a trial run just to make sure I’d be a good fit.”

“Of course you’ll be a good fit,” Din said, squeezing her tightly. “You’ve been doing an amazing job, from what Ti’lik has told me when I’ve spoken to her.”

“When are you talking to Professor Ti’lik?” Mariana asked, sitting up to look at him curiously.

“She calls now and then to check on how the boys and I are doing,” he explained. “And sometimes she wants to make sure I get you to relax or eat or whatever. She worries about you, cyar’ika.”

Mariana snorted. “I’m fine,” she said. “She fusses too much.”

Din shook his head. “You fainted that one time,” he scolded. “You work too hard, and for too long.”

“I’m making up for lost time,” Mariana said. “Once I get my degree finished, things will slow down.” She nuzzled against his neck. “And we can start thinking about giving the boys a little brother or sister.”

Din hummed a noncommittal reply as she kissed and nibbled at his throat. “I know you want another one,” she said. “So do I, and I’m not getting any younger.”

Din couldn’t argue with that, and he didn’t want to. “We’d better practice, then,” he said, before escorting her to the bedroom.

[midorishinji]

Disappearance act - chapter III

Geto observed her more carefully, trying to decide whether she was being serious or not. — Killing non-sorcerers? — It's an option, but I don't take it seriously. Do you? — Yuki pressed him with a loaded question. Suguru Geto thought of them all — Shoko, Nanami, Haibara, Riko, Kuroi, his parents, Satoru — and his chest filled with an unbearable pain, but also an incredibly monumental love, so much that it felt like it would stretch and burst at the seams of his heart that could not contain it. He thought of his father again, reading him "Night on the Galactic Railroad" when he was young, and he thought of Satoru reading his own copy now during his leisure nights. He thought of Giovanni and Campanella, and of the Scorpio of the night sky, and of the nobility of sacrifice, of setting yourself on fire to warm the world.

Satosugu ｜Finalized｜Long fic｜Also being published in Portuguese and on AO3

Chapters: I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII - VIII - IX - X - XI - XII - XIII - XIV - XV - XVI - XVII

Chapter III: it's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness

A day of work left until the break. Professor Yaga was surprised as to why two of his best students decided to take some time off at the same time, but he rather not question it: he knew they were both overloaded with missions, as everyone was, in fact; Shoko rarely went out into combat, her skill was too precious for her to risk it all in the field, and the younger students could not meet the ever-increasing demand for exorcisms on their own... Most of the burden still fell on the shoulders of Suguru and Satoru, even more so when it came to the most complex missions and the strongest spirits. He let them go, not only because he agreed they were tired, but because he knew there was something behind their sudden desire to rest.

Masamichi Yaga, from the beginning, suspected that the Time Vessel Association had not taken both Riko and Misato's bodies. Riko’s, well, it was possible: she was the target, and her corpse would prove that they had accomplished the mission; but Misato, what did they care about her? She was nothing more than a casualty, another life lost in a senseless war. That whole story was suspicious and weird, and he knew very well about Satoru Gojo's absurd propensity for getting into trouble and doing things his way. Despite this, he trusted Geto, who had always been the more correct of the two; he trusted that they had done the right thing.

The elders pressed him for answers, which he could not provide. And then the cult came forward saying that they had taken the bodies of the two victims. That didn't make sense, but it was enough to appease the elders' anger. Secretly, Yaga hoped that his two best students had not gone astray and were helping the Time Vessel Association. He hoped for this when he smelled burned paper on Geto's clothes one morning, after he burned the letter received by the cult. He dreamed of this when he saw Satoru return, happier, from a mission in Okinawa. He trusted that the respect and admiration with which the other students — Shoko, Nanami, Haibara — still treated them was because they would never be able to take two innocent lives.

The special vacation request was just the confirmation he needed. A small spy doll placed strategically on a shelf caught a phrase that didn't explain anything, although it was enough to fill him with relief: “they’re waiting for us, for Riko's birthday party”. Masamichi Yaga authorized their release.

At that moment, Shoko Ieiri and Suguru Geto were in the Jujutsu High library. Shoko had been studying for hours for her university entrance exams — she planned to continue studying, which would certainly improve her skills with the Reverse Cursed Technique — and her body was buried among dozens of books, papers, and coffee cups that were piling up higher and higher. Geto contributed to that Babylonian tower that was about to collapse by bringing her another cup of coffee, and placing it in front of her.

— You have no idea how difficult nephrology is... — Shoko muttered, annoyed — All those damn ions that need to enter and exit in the right place in the renal tubules, who cares? The Reverse Cursed Technique should handle this on its own, without needing me to know where to place each cell.

Geto still vaguely remembered his biology lessons, although nothing from nephrology, specifically. What he could offer now was coffee and a pleasant smile. — You’re studying a lot these days… You need to rest sometimes.

— Oh, don't worry, I will. I'm gonna pass the college entrance exam and from then on, I'm gonna cheat on every test, I just need a diploma. — Shoko replied, nonchalantly.

He suppressed a laugh, afraid to break the silence the environment demanded. — You're funny, Shoko. The worst part is that I know you're serious... Do you really need to know all this to heal people?

— If you want to do it the right way, you have to, or you'll end up putting all the organs on the wrong side, or when it comes to rebuilding someone's arm, you'll forget to put all the nerves in and leave a part unable to move or feel. — Shoko explained, between sips of her coffee — It's different from healing yourself. You know exactly where it hurts, and what's missing, as if the memory is in all of your cells, so it's not a conscious effort.

This made him thoughtful. — It must be great to be able to heal other people.

She shrugged. — Yeah, but it comes at a cost. When you swallow the spirits you’ve exorcised, you feel that too, don't you? The price.

The price to be paid was disgusting, harrowing, devouring each spirit was like eating a cloth used to clean someone else's vomit. The feeling never gets better, and it never goes away. Everything comes at a cost. — Yeah. — Suguru muttered.

— When I use the Reverse Cursed Technique, I am using the pain of the person who is injured to heal them. I need to take this pain, swallow it all as if it were mine. I need to feel it, or it doesn't work.

— Does it ever get better?

Shoko shook her head negatively. — No. You just get used to it. Before, healing a broken leg was difficult because I felt like it was my leg, my pain. Now I can do it because I feel the pain, but it's no longer the highest point on the scale for me, it doesn't matter anymore, there are worse things to feel, so I can ignore it. That's why healing a person when they're on the verge of death is so difficult... You need to bear what they're suffering and then some so you don't lose control.

— Every technique has its downside. — Geto agreed, kindly.

— I know. Satoru always has a headache because of his technique. It's as if his brain is trying to process information from a hundred realities at the same time, every second he has the technique activated. It's too much, even for him. Good thing he's learning how to use the Reverse Cursed Technique so he can do damage control when I'm not around, or he'd have, I don't know, a stroke before he's eighteen. — she said, finishing her coffee.

That's why he always eats sweets and energy drinks, to make his physical body cope with the information overload, that's what Geto thought. He had seen Satoru faint more times than he could count, but it had become rarer as time passed. Each of them bore their burden in silence.

Getting up from his chair, Geto smiled. — Tomorrow Satoru and I are going on vacation. Do you want something as a gift?

Shoko seemed to contemplate the possibilities for a second. — Um... Anything, as long as it's not sweet. Satoru does this on purpose, you know, he brings back a bunch of sweets saying they’re for me just because I don't eat them, and then he’ll eat them behind my back...

[motownfiction]

the worst mom on the playground

Before today, Lucy didn’t know how much she missed her childhood bedroom. It’s just here, upstairs, easy to access. It could be Elenore’s room now that she’s old enough to leave her crib (and Mommy and Daddy’s watchful eye). But Lucy likes that it’s hers. She likes that there’s still something in this world that’s hers.

She walks over to the bookshelf, which hasn’t changed at all since the day she and Will got married and moved into the basement. It’s still the bookshelf of a sixteen-year-old girl who thinks she’s going to Harvard soon. Still with the awards for excellence in English, history, French, speech. Still with the big anthologies with too many notes scribbled in the margins, as though annotating everything would make her a better student, a better thinker. A lot of good that did. She doesn’t know what to think anymore, and she ruins birthday parties.

Her own daughter’s birthday parties.

Within seconds, her parents walk through the door, furious as ever. Lucy hasn’t seen them look this angry with her since she was fifteen, and she pulled the garden hose off the side of the house when she tried to back the car out of the driveway. That feels like another lifetime ago, another girl ago. The kind of girl who could have gotten into Duke in her sleep.

“Are you out of your mind?” John asks immediately.

“Dad, you don’t have to lecture me,” Lucy says. “You don’t have to treat me like I’m a kid.”

“Oh, but I think he does,” Mary adds. “And I think I do, too. What was that down there? You were less mature than your three-year-old!”

“And to think, I assumed that when you decided you were ready to be a parent, you’d grow up a little,” John says. “But you didn’t! You’re still just as self-involved as you always were.”

“You’re always trying so hard to prove yourself. It doesn’t make you look good.”

“That’s right. It makes you look worse! Truly intelligent and capable people don’t feel the need to go around bragging about it all the time. They’re secure enough to let their actions speak for them.”

“And they don’t embarrass their friends in public.”

“And they most certainly do not derail their daughters’ birthday parties!”

“I know!” Lucy says, throwing her arms at her sides like she’s five years old and hearing she cannot have cookies for dinner. “I know what I did, and I’m sorry.”

Mary snorts.

“We’re not the people you should be apologizing to,” she says. “We’re just the only people who could look you in the eye after what you did down there.”

“You wouldn’t believe it, Lucy,” John says. “The humiliation I felt in that moment to know that I had raised someone who would treat others so poorly.”

“You don’t even know what’s going on with me,” Lucy says. “You never even asked why I was upset. You just jumped right to criticizing me.”

“Of course we did!” Mary says. “What you did down there was unacceptable! You clearly need to hear that. Otherwise you wouldn’t be acting this way.”

“Not to mention, we know why you’re upset,” John says. “Your professor told Mariam she could get into Duke, and she didn’t say the same thing to you.”

“That’s only part of it.”

“What could the other part possibly be?”

“I got a 93 on my paper!”

Mary and John look at each other like this one sentence changes the whole game. Lucy knows she should have led with it. After all, she gets her addiction to good grades from both of them. She comes from a long line of people who love A’s.

“You got a 93?” Mary repeats.

Lucy nods.

“Damn,” John says. “A 93.”

“Some people say that’s more insulting than a 90.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that. Though I’m sure Lucy would find a way to be insulted by any grade she got.”

They share a laugh, and Lucy wonders how much pain she would be in if she just jumped out the window. On a night like this, it feels like the only choice she could ever make.

She wanders to the other bookshelf on the other side of her old room. She finds a Polaroid of herself and Will, taken during the summer, just a little while before she got pregnant. It would be easy to say they were different people back then. Different kids. But they weren’t. There might have been a whole side of the world they hadn’t met yet, but Lucy and Will have always been the same. They have always been right for each other. Since before they ever met.

“It’s not just the grade,” Lucy says as she puts the picture of her and Will back down on the shelf. “It’s that I don’t know who I am if I can’t make it into a good graduate program. I mean, I’ve already faced the fact that I’ll have to get a terminal MA, which sounds like a disease you don’t want to know about. But I always thought … I don’t know, I always had this kind of fantasy that I would make up for it. Like, I’d get my master’s from Wayne fucking State, and then, I’d be irresistible. Harvard would have to take me. That’s kind of … that’s kind of what I always thought would happen. Maybe not thought, exactly. More like wanted. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

She does not add that she is very good at getting what she wants. Her parents don’t like it when she talks about the things she’s good at, after all. Not too loudly. If you’re loud, then you’re bragging, and no one wants to be friends with a kid who brags.

She hears the irony, but she’s not ready to respond to it.

“And you think this is what’s going to hold you back for the rest of your life?” Mary asks. “Your entire fulfillment and enjoyment of life and literature is just hamstrung by one low A on one paper written in the fourth semester of your undergraduate degree?”

“You say it like you think it’s not true.”

“Of course I don’t think it’s true, Lucy! It’s wrong! No one said the paper was bad. A 93 isn’t a bad grade. I think, somewhere in that very, very dramatic head of yours, even you know that.”

“That’s true,” John adds. “Sometimes, I assign a low A to the best paper in the class and a higher A to a paper that wasn’t quite as good. It’s about pushing the talent out of the student, not about the number that goes on the paper. I thought you knew that.”

Lucy sighs. Of course she knows all that. Of course she knows that a 93 isn’t a bad grade. If she’d gotten one of those on a math test in high school, she would have done a little jig in the middle of the classroom. She just doesn’t know how to cut herself a break. She doesn’t know how to forgive herself. She’s too focused on telling herself that there’s nothing to forgive.

And so, she breaks down crying, in the middle of her childhood bedroom.

“It’s just so much harder now,” Lucy says, gasping between her words. She doesn’t remember how to talk and cry at the same time.

“Harder than what?” Mary asks.

“Harder than when I was a kid who studied and slept in here! And I knew that! I knew that things were going to be harder and different when I decided that I wanted to have Elenore, that I wanted to marry Will. I knew that! And if I could do it all again, I really would do it all the same. But it’s just … most days, it’s easy to pretend like this was the plan all along. But then there are days like today, when your friend comes into your house and tells you she might get to go to Duke. And you … I … can’t pretend like this is the way I planned it anymore. And it’s hard.”

She cries harder and takes a seat in the middle of the bed. She folds herself up like a pretzel like she always used to when she was sad and didn’t want to cry. It doesn’t quite work this time. She can feel the tears going into her nostrils and stinging her there. It hurts, so it’s a good thing she doesn’t really care. At least, that’s what she tells herself. Lucy’s very good at telling herself things she doesn’t mean.

Like right now.

Mary and John look at each other and sigh. They get on the bed, one parent on each side, holding Lucy as close as they can. Lucy sighs, too. It’s nice. The last time they held her like this was the day she told them she was pregnant. It’s been a long time since she’s really felt like a kid. She knew what she was giving up when she did it. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss it. Doesn’t mean she’s not going to make a strong memory out of the way her parents are holding her right here, right now.

“I can’t imagine how hard it must be,” Mary says. “You made a very, very difficult decision when you were very, very young. And you’re still a bit of a spring chicken.”

Lucy laughs a little. She wipes away a few of her embarrassing tears. Maybe she’s beginning to calm down again. Maybe.

“Your mom’s right,” John says. “You’re still only twenty, and that’s still very young. Most of your friends are twenty, aren’t they? Aren’t they still kids?”

Lucy nods.

“In so many ways,” she says.

“Right,” John says. “But when you decided to have Elenore, and when you decided to get married, you knew what that meant. You knew what you’d have to give up.”

“Any shot at an Ivy League school. Any shot getting into a good school for my Ph.D.”

“No.”

Lucy looks between her parents, more confused than she was earlier today, when she got back that paper with the 93.

“What?” she asks. “What do you mean?”

“He means it’s never been about school, and it’s never been about prestige,” Mary says. “None of this has ever been about the way you look or what you do. When you chose Will and Elenore, you had to give up the rest of your time to be a kid. You had to learn how to be a real adult in less than a year’s time.”

“I was already kind of an adult,” Lucy says. “I read Proust, and I had a favorite champagne.”

“That’s not what your mother means, and you know it,” John says. “You had sophisticated tastes and a truly excellent vocabulary, but that didn’t make you an adult. That didn’t make you mature.”

“You’re saying I’m not mature?”

“In a lot of ways, of course you are,” Mary says. “And in a lot of ways, you’re very much not.”

“Name them.”

“Well, should we start with the fact that you just asked me to name them?”

Lucy sighs. Her whole body feels like it’s on fire, and not in a good way, like when Will comes home wearing blue. She hasn’t felt like this since … well, since she found out she was pregnant. Ashamed. Humiliated. All in front of herself, the very person she’s been trying to believe is good enough. She exhales and thinks maybe if she does it for long enough, she’ll disappear. And everyone will forget her.

Then she remembers she doesn’t want to be forgotten. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? For someone to remember? For no one to forget? She wonders if her parents would think that was immature, too. If she wonders it, they probably would.

“You have always tried so hard to prove yourself,” Mary says. “Don’t you know you don’t need to do that? That you can just be who you are, and the rest will follow?”

“You sound like a greeting card,” Lucy says.

“OK, maybe I do. But those greeting cards didn’t come out of nowhere. Someone has to know something that works. And you need all the help you can get.”

“Can we stop talking about me like I’m a villain?”

“We’re not talking about you like you’re a villain,” John says. “We’re talking to you like you’re our daughter, and we love you … but we know you have a lot of growing up to do. Even more than you thought when you decided to have Elenore.”

Lucy wants to ask if this means they think she shouldn’t have had Elenore, if they think she’s a terrible mother who’s never done anything right since the day she brought her baby home. But she doesn’t. She figures that’s the immature question, and she is tired of being immature.

And isn’t that the mature thing to do? To admit when you’re being anything but? It bothers her that she doesn’t really know.

“I can’t believe all the shit I said down there,” Lucy says. “I mean, I can. It’s very like me. But it shouldn’t be. I shouldn’t feel like I have to act that way anymore.”

“You need to give yourself a break,” Mary says. “Everyone down there knows who you really are. They all think you’re amazing. You don’t have to remind them of it just because you forgot.”

Lucy feels herself cry again. Dammit. The one thing she’s gotten right all day is that she didn’t pick today to experiment with mascara. It would have been really bad to add “looking like The Joker” to the list of terrible things to happen today. Might have even been the limit.

“What do I do now?” Lucy asks. “Where do I start?”

She hears a knock on the door. John gets up to answer it, but Lucy’s not surprised by what she sees there. It’s Will and Elenore, waiting in the doorway, waving at her with heavy looks in their eyes. Lucy sighs. At least they’re still here. Her family.

“Never mind,” she says. “I know what I’m doing.”

It’s the first time in a long time Lucy has said those words and meant them.

[batmanaday]

Detective Comics 40 (1940)

We’re in for quite a few of these Robin In Peril covers, so let’s start a running tally now: 1.

As a Golden Age comic, it’s pretty inevitable we get a Hollywood issue. Here, it’s because Julie Madison--you remember her, Bruce’s fiance?--has become an actress. And call me crazy, but it just might be the movie set is in for some trouble.

Yeah, these things are still only about a dozen pages, so they’re not going to take a lot of time organically introducing suspects. And would you believe it’s the guy that acts completely innocuous and genial, not one of the people with obvious motives?

And talk about your sympathetic villains. Look, I’m not saying it’s okay to murder people for remaking a movie--but sheesh, Batman, you let that one guy get away with stealing Hindu artifacts. Hint. Hint.

Yes, this is the first appearance of Clayface, another Batman perennial, although at this point he’s pretty much a Shazam Family onto himself of legacy characters, spin-offs, face turns... at this point, he’s simply Basil Karlo, guy in make-up, and he’s pretty underwhelming. Although he does put in a good showing against the Boy Hostage.

Can’t say that cover was too inaccurate. As for our other supporting cast member, Julie Madison, she’s doing the usual “oh, Bruce, I wish you were more like that dashing Batman” routine. No wonder she’s basically never made it to the screen, except for I think one of the Schumacher movies. And as you might recall, those films aren’t focused on the female love interests...

At this point in the timeline, Batman is less its own thing than a hodgepodge collection of obvious influences, homages, and borrowings. Robin is openly compared to ‘Robin Hood,’ Gordon is a bumbling inspector figure, Strange is Professor Moriarty, and Clayface is ‘what if Lon Chaney Jr. became a supervillain?’ I wonder if I’ll be able to pinpoint when the whole thing snaps into focus as distinctly ‘Batman’.

[sukirichi]

a thing or two (m.)

tutor geto has a thing or two to teach you.

cw. oral sex (f and m receiving), lube, unprotected sex, sweet! geto, halloween setting so priest! geto, age gap, slight body worship, fingering, overall romantic sex, kitchen counter sex, dirty talk, lots of kissing, mutual masturbation, intoxication, pwp, unedited as always eep

note. for my right boob @sixeyesgojo​ my first ever geto fic and i hope it’s to your liking...writing this with a frozen arm and numb fingers weeeee, i almost became a geto simp.

Halloween festivals have never felt livelier in the city. People dressed up in various outfits milled about the events place, your drink nearly sloshing on the ground the more they bumped into you. 

Bass and music boosted from the large speakers smack in the middle of the grounds, and everyone danced to their heart’s content, you and your friends a huge inclusion to the crowd.

You don’t really go out to parties that much. Hell, you don’t even drink.

But after numerous encouragements from your friends, you’re now dressed in she-devil skin-tight black dress, black lipstick, and red horns placed on your head. It’s hard not to feel confident and sexy – the kick of the liquor is settling down as well – when you’ve got human eyes, vampiric red eyes, ghoul sclera lenses and even a fucking Cyclops eye turning your way.

You’re excitedly grinding against your friends, the whoops and cheers mixing in with slurred mumbles of the lyrics.

The night is young and so are you. 

This may have been your third or fourth drink, you don’t really know, but probably some way along the second since you’re not really hammered. You’re somewhat sober enough to feel large hands gripping your hips, a protest of not tonight, Dracula about to leave your lips when you come face to face with a face you never thought you would see here.

Clad in a long black cloak, a silver cross hung around his neck, his dark hair in a neat bun and black earrings a perfect completion to the hauntingly stunning look he pulled off, your throat ran dry.

“Sir Geto?”

“Hey, it’s you,” your tutor spoke up with unmasked interest, his curious eyes trailing down your revealing outfit…the way your dress hugged all your curves and how your breasts are practically popping from your top. Geto smirked, “And please, we’re not studying at home, just call me Geto. Surprised to see you here.”

“Well, it’s Halloween, would be a shame if I didn’t go out,” laughing nervously, you found yourself acting out of habit as you twirled a strand of hair to your finger. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you’d have work.”

“Nah, the boys and I are free for tonight,” he answered with a grin, nodding to where his friends – a really tall white haired man and a bored blond who looks like he’s ready to leave anytime – dancing and drinking at the corner. Geto must’ve felt your unnecessary prolonged stare at his attractive friends for he’s pulling you closer again, not sexually or even hidden with motives, but because it’s hard to hear each other through the music.

“Hey, do you wanna dance?” Nodding, you waved goodbye to your friends. They didn’t really notice considering they’re way too hammered and occupied dancing with others. Surely, they wouldn’t notice your little escapade.

Geto’s warm hands leads you somewhere out the bar and into the open grounds, where cups are already littered on the grass and people are drunkenly shaking their ass to everything and everyone.

It’s a ridiculous sight that has both you and Geto laughing.

“So…you liking the festival so far?”

“It’s…pretty fun,” you admit and loop your arms around him with ease. Normally, you wouldn’t be doing this. 

He may not be your actual professor or teacher, but he’s still a family friend of your friend who’s been tutoring you for the past semester and is basically the only reason you can endure math. Granted, he’s always been deadly attractive, but you’ve never really been affected by it, not up this close, anyway.

But you’re most definitely closer now, and Geto’s forehead is pressed against yours as he sways you both side to side.

“My first time drinking and I feel so light,” Geto hums at your slightly intoxicated eyes, his grin turning gummy when your curious hands trail up his robes to experimentally grope his pecs.

“First time, huh? We’ll I’ll be here to hold you up if you feel dizzy.”

“Thanks,” you beamed up at him. Geto, albeit being at least seven years older, feels so youthful that you’re not really bothered by the age gap. Again, it could be the alcohol, but he feels so warm, so nice, that you lean back to survey him this time around. “You look great, by the way, though you’re dressed up as…”

Geto rolls his eyes before you can finish.

“I know, the priest costume looks weird, but we found it pretty funny so here I am.”

“No, no, it looks great,” you wave off, your smile freezing on your face when a nostalgic song starts to blast through the speakers. In your head, in your head! “Zombies by the Cranberries. A classic.”

Geto’s hands snake around your waist before they hover over your ass, his eyes mischievous and slanted as he mumbles, “It’s a great song to dance with a perfect little devil with.”

You don’t know who leaned it first.

Not like it mattered, when Geto tasted strongly of strawberry flavored bear and cheesecake. An odd combination, even more so with his spicy cologne, but it only has you pulling you in closer to him.

He’s such a great kisser. Legs turned to jelly, knees weakening and lips locking in rhythm to the beat – it feels like it’s just the two of you in that moment. Geto smiles through the kiss, tongue prodding your lips to open before you’re gasping for air. Your attempt to regain air back to your lungs is cut off when Geto leans closer to slip his tongue inside your mouth, greedily sucking on it until you’re moaning in his arms.

Soon enough, you’re both holding on to each other to the point you might as well be fucking openly.

Geto is cupping your cheeks as he excitedly kisses you, his smiles intoxicating and the bubbling laughter he lets out much like music to your ears.

“Yo, Geto, are you sure about this? She looks like a minor, dude,” one of his friends speak up, and that’s when you see his white haired friend – who has extremely azure eyes that you can’t tell whether it’s contacts or not – crossing his arms on his chest, though his amused smirk said otherwise.

If anything, the guy is only suggestive, wiggling his brows up and down as he puts his fingers into a V shape, his tongue poked out.

You snort at his gestures, and just like how Geto did before, he turns your cheeks towards him again, his gaze feral and wanting. “I assure you,” Geto murmurs over your lips, “She’s not.” Eyes wide and all attention to him the way he wants, Geto’s smirk is cunning before he leans down to capture your lips in another heated kiss.

Stumbling back to his apartment turned out to be a lot more challenging. With the urgent need to relieve each other of this burning in your cores, you and Geto have made out everywhere, hands kneading each other’s skin until you fall awkwardly at his bed.

There’s no time to worry about it though. Not when he’s eagerly unbuttoning his robe, his dark hair messed up and a few strands shielding his eyes that glimmer when you struggle to squeeze out of your dress. He helps you get it off before he hovers over you, knocking your knee with his to make you fall open. You’re left completely vulnerable and naked under his predatory gaze, large hands smoothing over your skin – from your ankle, up to your thighs and the dips in your body, before he settles right above your breasts, nipples hard between his fingers.

“Fuck, you look stunning,” he praises, biting his lip at the same time you drunkenly giggle. “Bet you taste perfect too.”

“Only one way to find out, then.”

“Come here,” Get growls and rips off your panties, your half-hearted protests completely missed in his haze of pleasure. Upon seeing you bare for him, wet and pussy lips glistening, Geto groans deep in his chest. “Such a pretty pussy. Shoulda fucked you a long time ago when we were alone for so many hours,” curling his upper lip, he begins to settle down between your legs, peering up from you under his lashes as he teasingly blows air over your core that has you shivering. “I could’ve taught you so many more things, don’t you think?”

“Careful there, father, wouldn’t want you to sin tonight.”

“Oh no, you don’t get to do that to me tonight, sweetheart,” he laughs evilly, joined by you afterwards at the little teasings. “You’re a little devil and I’m nothing but a mortal man. Of course I’d fall to the consequences of my sinful desires.”

Sitting up with your elbows resting on the mattress, you tug him by his cross, hard. “Here’s your one way ticket to hell then,” you dared, letting your legs spread wider and pushing his head down. Geto inhales sharply when the tip of his nose nudges your clit, drawing out a shuddered moan from you. “Feast for yourself.”

“Hmm, you’re a whole ass fucking meal, baby,” he marveled, giving little teasing bites on your inner thigh that you’re sure would leave a mark. “I’m going to devour you.”

Geto isn’t kidding.

You clearly undermined him, or perhaps you knew all along what he could do and you just wanted to bring out this side for him, because riled up Geto who was excitedly sucking on your clit like a man starved had you seeing stars in the whites of his ceiling.

“Hnggrr, G-Geto, fuck!”

“Yeah, you like that?” he chuckles from your pussy, the vibrations of it sending electricity jolting down deep to your core. Geto begins to trail down, his tongue playfully poking your entrance as slick coats his muscle and cheeks, licking and kissing everywhere that you actually find it hard to keep quiet. Narrowing your eyes at him – and you wished you didn’t, because you’ve never seen a more lewd sight before – you slap your palm over your mouth, the only thing keeping your legs apart the strong grip he had on you. “Don’t be shy, babe. We’ve got the whole place to ourselves tonight. Scream as loud as you want. Let the neighbors hear how good I’m fucking you.”

“Y-you’re so lewd, fuck-” you announce, but the sounds of your squelching being sucked by his eager, unquenched self is even more lewd. “Geto, I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Geto just pushes you over the edge, ignoring the way your thighs are shaking and you’re pushing him away once the overstimulation becomes too much to handle. You giggle when he sighs at not being able to eat you out anymore, but his glistening face is a lot more arousing than entertaining. Struggling to catch your breath, Geto smirks at how easily you’ve come undone, groaning as he wipes your juices with his thumb and licking his lips afterwards. He bends forward as he stares at you the whole while, slipping his digit through your mouth in a silent demand for you to taste yourself.

Never pulling away from holding his gaze, you wrap your lips around his thumb, swirling your tongue and sucking just hard enough that he absentmindedly humps the air.

“You okay? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“Shut up. You literally ate my soul out,” you stare at the trail of saliva connected to his finger, the image so fucking dirty yet arousing that you begin to clench around nothing. Meanwhile, Geto’s biceps flex as he runs his hand through his hair, and that’s when you see he’s so rock hard that he probably feels uncomfortable. “Do you want me to…?”

“You don’t have to. It’s okay.”

“Seriously, Geto, you’re declining an offer to get your dick sucked?”

“I mean, I’m not against it but-” you shove his boxers down and immediately take him into your mouth, no foreplay at all, and your teeth graze his dick as you do so. Geto’s hips sutter forward in a knee-jerk movement he almost falls down on his bed, but catches him on the last second to not crush you. He ogled at your cock-stuffed mouth and puffy cheeks, his breaths sharp from the pleasure he’s receiving. “Sh-shit, not so fast, baby. I don’t want to cum like this.”

“Hmm.”

Staring up at him innocently, Geto closes his eyes and runs his finger through your locks, slightly bucking his hips deeper into your mouth. Even in his euphoria, Geto is careful to let you go at your own pace, though his self-controls falter a little bit the moment you fondle his balls.

His eyes snap open. Teeth bared and belly flexing, you keep rendering him frozen with how you take him in deeper until his hair is tickling your nose, cheeks sucked in and hollow as you slide his cock along your warm walls. “Oh, fuck, you’re really a fucking devil, right there, yeah,” he hisses, taking a handful of your hair so he could get a better look at you. “Well, who would’ve thought? Always seemingly so innocent. Who knew you could suck dick like this?”

“You like it,” you tease while pumping his shaft up and down and giving kitten licks to the head, where Geto smirks at you.

“Yeah, I love it,” he corrects, his cock twitching on your dainty hands that look so tiny in comparison to his girth. “But no way I’m coming tonight anywhere than your pussy,” Geto pushes you back down on the bed where he showers you with heated kisses, wrists pinned under his grip and hickeys left everywhere on your neck. His sticky fingers trail down your skin to finger you, the sensation too much, too good, too wrong, and that thought alone that’s been drumming into you as the intoxication fades away make you both pause.

“I-I…”

“It’s okay, just relax,” he reassures, withdrawing his fingers that can’t get past your pussy that has now tightened the minute he touched you down there. Geto sends you another approving glance before he pumps his shaft and up down, aligning it with your entrance and kissing you flat on the lips the whole time. “I’ll put it in, okay? Tell me if anything hurts.”

“Hey, hey. Breathe,” he cups your cheek while looking deep into your eyes, though that slight pinch on his forehead let you know he experienced the same discomfort.

Geto must’ve realized both of you aren’t getting anywhere tonight because soon, he’s falling back to this side, eyeing your pussy with longing and lust before his arm lands over his face.  “Well… Maybe not tonight.”

“Geto,” you begin, turning on your side in hopes of easing the pained frown on his face. “I’m so sorry…”

“Hey, it’s fine, really, don’t worry about it,” he blinks at you and rests back on the pillows, his hand already wrapped around his hard, throbbing cock where the tip is leaking. “Let me just relieve myself. I’m so fucking hard it hurts.”

You don’t know what you’re expecting, but definitely not for him to jack off right beside you. You watch; perplexed, awed, undeniably aroused as he holds your gaze, his jaw clenched and accentuating his sharp features more from the movement. Geto is absolutely shameless as he fucks his own fist that is cum-stained, beads of white pre-cum coating his incredibly thick shaft with thick veins.

It’s so wrong yet so fucking hot that you can’t help but do the same.

Sneaking your fingers down to your kitty, you rub your clit and bite your lip, pleasuring yourself the same way he does. Geto exhales in wonder from watching you masturbate, his muscles ripping and arm so buff, you wonder why he hasn’t folded you in half yet.

Oh right, you’re too anxious to ever have his dick inside you, yet you’re shamelessly rubbing circles in your clit. Spreading your pussy lips open, you slide your fingers down and collect your juices, gasping right beside Geto who’s angrily pumping his dick.

Geto suddenly leans back on his calves to stare at your pussy and jacks off, catching some cum from your pussy lips which makes you giggle in surprise, but he comes back to fisting himself. The eroticism of your actions pushed you both to the edge until the both of you came, his dick softening and his cum shooting all over your thighs.

“God, you’re so sexy, I could stare at you all day.”

“That was…”

“Yeah,” he breathes out in stuttered chuckles, throwing a leg over the bed as he stands to hs full naked, cum-stained glory. “Hey, I’ll clean you up. Do you want something to drink or eat? A glass of water, maybe?”

“That sounds great.”

Geto comes back with a shirt of a rock festival and wipes his cum from your stomach, then folds it to wipe your arousal off. He helps you settle inside his oversized shirt that is warm, comfortable, and smells so faintly of him that the exhaustion of tonight’s events is rapidly coming to you.

“Come here. It’s pretty cold tonight,” You gladly cuddle with him, your head laid on top of his buff arm while his free one is wrapped around you.“How’s your studies going? Do you understand math a little better now?”

Despite his innocent queries, his actions are everything but.

His hands are trailing up to slowly to stroke your nipples. Geto thumbs at the hardened peaks before he softly squeezes your breast, letting his hand repeatedly graze over your sensitive nipples as if it’s second nature to him. It turns you on so bad, but you’re exhausted and you’re rubbing your thighs together, sighing and quietly moaning every now and then.

“A-a little, I guess,” you answer, a little bit distracted. He’s modest and no longer aroused (judging from his state inside his boxers), so you try not to start something you’re not prepared to finish. “Hey, Geto, can I ask you something?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you more of an ass or boobs person?”

Geto handles the question with ease. “As long as the proportions are right, I like both, and I like yours,” he grins, cupping your boobs in his hand as if to prove a point. Then, he tugs your (his) shirt up just enough to reveal the erect nipples, his eyes narrowed before he sucks lightly on the sides. You gasp at his ministrations but voice no complaints, and neither does he when your nails dig into his arm. “Yours are so beautiful.”

“Flatterer,” you playfully punch his chest, but Geto only chuckles and brings you closer to his chest, his lips warm on top of your forehead. “I’m pretty sleepy…”

“Then sleep. I’ll still be here tomorrow, don’t worry. You’re free to stay as long as you like.”

The next day, Geto is already gone from the room. You’re not worried because one) this is a one night stand with your hot tutor, you’re not supposed to be attached, and two) the smell of pancakes wafting from the slight crack of his door is very much present.

Stretching your arms out, you pad to where Geto is busy flipping pancakes. He’s already dressed comfortably in a white shirt and dark sweats, turning around to smile at you at the sound of your footsteps. “There’s a naked girl in my room? Wow.”

“It’s not like you haven’t seen everything last night.”

Geto doesn’t need to gesture you to come closer to him, you’re already too pulled in by his presence that you’re wrapping an arm around his neck while he kisses you flat on the lips.

“Doesn’t mean I get tired of it,” he teases, lips lingering above yours before he drifts down the crook your neck, voice deep and husky as he greets, “’Morning. Can you pass me the syrup?”

Nodding, you bend over the counter. The syrup is located in the bottom of the pantry and you’re halfway to opening the glass panels when you hear Geto shut off the stove. His hands come to grip on your hips as he grinds his hard cock on your exposed bottom, his lips hovering over your ear. “On second thought…I think I’ll have my meal a little differently.”

“G-Geto.”

“I bought lube while you were asleep. Maybe it’ll make you loosen a little bit?” Geto touches you down there, his eyes glimmering with mischief once he witnesses for himself your state. “You’re already wet babe,” he announces, proudly presenting his wet fingers right before your eyes. “Wait for me.”

Nervously, you fix your shirt and hair as Geto runs to the living room where he pulls out a bottle of lube and discards his shirt somewhere. He wastes no time in lifting you up to the counter where dives between your legs, and you’re tugging at his hair as his tongue eagerly licks your wetness.

“Geto, ah, stop playing around!”

“Wasn’t planning on it, babe, I’m a little impatient,” Geto stands up again to kiss you for a quick second before he grabs the lube and spreads it all over his cock, his fingers experimentally prying your hole open to see if you could take it.

Once his digit slides in with ease, you moan the same time he grins wickedly.

You think he’ll go straight for it but Geto takes his time with you, making sure you’re properly stretched open before he splits you in his half with his cock. He’s really thick, after all, and your tight little cunt needs to adjust well to make sure you enjoy it rather than be in pain. Once satisfied, you pull Geto by the collar and wrap one leg around his waist to bring him closer, gasping when his tip slides between your pussy lips.

Both of you are too lost in a daze of lust to be able to speak properly. One nod from you is all he needs before he’s slipping inside your warm walls, his head falling into the juncture of your neck where he keeps grunting on how good you feel around him.

You can’t help but scratch down his back the deeper he drives his hips, the mere movement of his cock sliding against the bumpy drags of your tissues making you fall apart.

Not a minute later, your shirt is bunched up under your breasts, free for Geto to suck on while he fucks the living daylights out of you. His knuckles turn white from how hard he’s gripping the counter, another hand planted right under your knee to keep your leg spread open for him. You’re moaning openly under him, strings of fuck yeah right there and shit, Geto, you feel so good filling in the early morning air that would’ve been innocent if there weren’t such loud sounds of skin slapping against skin mixing with the chirping birds.

You squeeze Geto’s ass as he plants himself deeper inside you, setting a pace that is both mind-numbing and exhilarating.

It’s hard to believe that just days ago, you’re in the exact same place sharing waffles with him, only you’re studying math and he’s wearing glasses; professional, formal, polite – the exact opposite of the sinful things he’s doing to you right now.

Geto’s grunts are almost choked in your ear as you come hard, walls convulsing and spasming around his thick length.

He immediately pulls out his hard cock to come all over your thighs instead, watching the way your hole clenches around nothing while his slippery dick is smeared and repeatedly slapping your inner thighs. You keep gasping as you ride out your orgasm, thighs burning from the uncomfortable stretch of having one leg propped by him and the other heel planted on the counters. Geto’s moans are deep, sinful, and inherently masculine the whole while he shoots his deep all over you, creating a mess both on the counter and on your skin.

It takes a while before you both regain your breath and composure, with Geto awkwardly pulling his pants up as he laughs along with you. “So…breakfast?”

“Yeah,” you giggled, “I’m famished.”

Safe to say, that morning was spent with not much enough breakfast, but definitely lots of kissing and even more fucking around. Everything Geto said the first time you met him had been proven true – he did have a thing or two to teach you.

[daily-hayley568]

ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ Qᴜᴇᴇɴ//ᴛᴏᴍ ʀɪᴅᴅʟᴇ

ａｕｔｈｏｒ：Hayley ｓｕｍｍａｒｙ：Following the song of Killer Queen by Mad Tsai, see the insight of Y/N’s school and love life, and her strong need for revenge.  ｗａｒｎｉｎｇｓ：death, murder, blood, does not follow books or movies ｐａｉｒｉｎｇ（ｓ）：tom riddle x fem!reader

There was this girl, the most beautiful in the world She had all the boys in town wrapped 'round her finger, oh

Her hair was gorgeous. The beautiful y/h/c locks fell to her mid-back with a natural straightness to it. She always had the prettiest smile that she saved for the boys who would try to flirt with her, but she was never interested in such scoundrels. She’d flash them a fake smile and continue down the corridors. 

Once, Y/N dropped her books and two Ravenclaw boys scrambled to pick them up for her. “Here you go, Y/N.” 

She’d just smile and say: “Thank you, boys.” 

Of course this happened a lot. She’d need something and before she could get it, boys would hand it to her. It was exhausting having zero personal space. 

She would walk the halls and everyone would whisper and talk 'Cause all the girls in town wanted to be her

Y/N straightened her skirt as she stood from the library table and entering the corridor. She heard the whispers about her, but of course, she paid them no mind. Honestly, who had time to gossip about such petty things like what kind of hairstyle she had in today or anything else. 

There was better things in the world. Like Revenge. 

“Y/N is so pretty. I heard ten guys asked her to the Valentine’s ball, but she already agreed to the first guy who asked her.” 

“I heard Y/N slept with Hufflepuff’s seeker.” 

“Well, I heard she slept with Tom Riddle.”

“I’d date her if she gave me a chance.” 

But behind those emerald eyes

She's a devil in disguise

Y/N had the most interesting of eye colors. Her eyes were a deep emerald with a piercing stare to those she glanced at. Though to as many she deceived. Y/N was not innocent, she was not sweet, but she was a devil in disguise. 

Y/N was prone to acting as she was heaven-sent to all of her professors and most of her peers, but her thoughts were penetrated by the most of evil of things. She kept her anger cool, the facade of an angel mixed in with the cunning Slytherins. She cared greatly for success and revenge and she’d do anything to get it. 

Once a first year bumped into her, her eyes seemed to be so full of anger, but she would just subtly shake her head with a small smile relieving the first-year of their panic. 

Another time one of the girls were talking about Y/N, 

“I heard she got a lot of work done over the holidays. There’s no way she went from how she was to that.” 

Y/N’s eyes flicked over to the two girls walking past her as they openly talked about her. The menacing voice in her mind taunted her, Curse her. Make her feel humiliated in front of the whole Great Hall. They’ll never suspect you.

Do it. 

Obeying the voices in her head, Y/N used a nonverbal spell to make the girl’s books spill and fly in the hallway. The two girls began to scramble their things together and y/n stepped around them. The two gossipers gaped as they noticed Y/n was by them.

The prom queen has blood on her hands

Every boy and girl she dates disappears without a trace

So be careful when she asks you to dance

At the Valentine’s ball that was being hosted, they decided to take the tradition of crowning a king and queen at the ball. 

“This year’s Cupid Queen is Y/N L/N!” 

The girl casted a pageant smile as she stepped on the makeshift stage, taking her crown. She gave a little thanks and got off the stage. She was stopped by a fifth year Ravenclaw boy who she was sure made fun of her back in her ‘ugly duckling’ stage. 

“You look so gorgeous tonight.” 

“Aw, thank you.” She smirked, as she cocked her head to the side, “Would you like to have this dance with me?” 

The boy eagerly accepted her invitation to the floor. He began to twirl her in the midst of everyone. 

“Have you heard about the mysterious disappearing? I think they’re going to cancel all trips to Hogsmeade.” 

“Oh?” Of course, Y/N knew. She knew where the missing people were. “Let’s talk about this.. Somewhere more private?” 

Since she knew people would be watching her every move she and her dancing partner moved to be unseen by the crowds of people. The couple fled down the corridor, with goofy smiles on their faces as they moved along. Well, he had a childish grin and she had a smirk behind him. 

The corridor was empty only filled with her heels clicking and his shoes slapping the ground until they reached their destination. The destination was in the middle of the corridor with no one else around. 

“Where are we headed?”

“You’ll see.” She simply replied with a small smile on her face. 

Then there was a loud noise, and the most beautiful girl was dragging a petrified body off into the depths of the bathroom. 

She's a motherfucking killer queen, a psychopath at 17

That wasn’t the only time she was involved with murderous activities. Y/N was a cold-blooded killer looking for success and revenge and love is what she found on the way. 

“Avada Kedrava!” Her wand pointed at the girl’s heart. The girl dropped dead onto the equally as dead grass they were standing on. 

The birds chirped a slow, depressing song as if they knew the type of tone this situation was. For strictly good measure, the girl kicked the body watching the corpse’s muscles twitch in the moonlight. Casting a disillusionment and a floating charm, the girl’s corpse followed behind her back into Hogwarts. 

And another time. 

“You’re crazy!” 

“Possibly.” The girl’s smirk turned vicious as she smiled at her next victim the wand twirling between her fingers. 

“You’re the one behind the disappearances!” 

“Oh my, your Ravenclaw brain figured it out!” Y/N tilted her head to the side watching the boy’s confusion turn into panic. 

“Killer!” 

“Killer Queen sounds nicer, my dear.” 

They were arguing in the corridor and I a prefect, heard the arguing walking onto the scene. “What is a Y/H and Ravenclaw doing in this corridor at night?” 

“Riddle, please, help me!” I smirked turning to Y/N and then back to the Ravenclaw. 

“Would you like to do the honors?” Y/n jerked her head over to the Ravenclaw watching them suspiciously. Maybe if he would’ve ran, he could’ve gotten away. 

“Avada Kedrava.” I stated with a careless flick of my wand. I turned to Y/N and with two strides I was leaning down in front of her giving her a peck of affection on her lips. 

She entangled herself into my arms and I smiled down at her. “So, Killer Queen, what’s next?”

“I’ll meet you in your dorm about twenty minutes or so, Darling.” I nodded casting the two charms on the body for her and she dragged the body by his foot into the bathroom. 

A beauty in a blood-stained dress

As expected, twenty minutes later, Y/N walked into my dorm. She looked gorgeous from her naturally straight hair to her emerald eyes to her bloody dress. 

“The basilisk was starving.” Y/N groaned as she slipped her dress off her body and threw on one of my shirts. 

I was leaned against the headboard my arms crossed behind my head as I watched her. She was just one of the prettiest sights I’d ever seen and she looked so nice even if she was stained with Ravenclaw blood over her dress or if she was just in one of my shirts that she found comfortable. Y/N used a charm to clean the blood off her dress and then she climbed into the bed next to me. 

“I love you, you know?” She gave me a small sleepy smile before she responded.

“I love you more, Tom Riddle.” 

She'll fill your heart with kerosene

And light you up 'til you can't breathe

It was dark and murky in the Chamber of Secrets, just how Y/N liked it. The basilisk was sleeping currently, but Y/N and I were doing other things in the chamber. 

A Gryffindor boy was tied by a spell to the chair he was sitting on. “Truly I didn’t mean it! You were ugly admit it.” 

“Gryffindor brazeness is honestly on my nerves.” Y/N muttered as I let the basilisk out for his dinner. 

If you cross her path you just might end up dead

“There’s my killer queen.” I smirked as Y/N came into my room again. She placed a simple kiss on my lips before placing herself on my lap. She sat sideways to me and her legs hung off the arm of the chair and her arms were linked behind my neck. 

“I’ve thought of it!” 

“Thought of what my dear?” 

“Your new name. Voldemort.” I looked at her with a beaming, proud smile. 

[adcraball-a]

tm1o​:

          seeing her smile is enough to lift his spirit, even if just a little. the world gets a bit brighter, whenever her lips curl up.   he sighs ever so gently, letting her hand rest on his own; when her other palm rest on his cheek, he can’t hold back a new, soft sigh of relief, turning slightly his head to press gently on her fingers, following the movements of her hand with eyes heavy and closing. he hears her talk  ——  he just follows her words with delay, weary mind processing with difficulty over the burden of sleep.

« well… technically steelixes are very solitary pokémons, so… they tend to, uh… avoid interactions, especially when weaker… »   he begins, only to stop halfway through his discourse, pushing away his knowledge of steelixes that came out of nowhere at the sole mention of them.   « … oh. wait. metaphor. »   he snorts weakly.   « sorry. yes. i guess they do. »

there is a pause, after that. a long, heavy pause of silence, broken just by a short cough. thoughts begin to crowd his mind, too worn out by the fever to fight them back. they push for space and begin to scream, making his smile fade. he attempts to pretend that it’s nothing, that nothing is happening inside of him, but his entire body is the first to protest to his efforts. he has a FEVER, damn it  ——  just the latest of the consequences that he forced on himself, over and over again, to pay a debt that everyone says he shouldn’t, that he doesn’t even have.

he attempts to pretend. but keeping his eyes closed becomes a forced act, and his breath forceful as he tries to hold back the sobs, just to miserably fail.

not a single right thing, he can’t but think to himself. not a damn right thing.

« … s-steelixes don’t betray their friends, though. th-they don’t leave them back. they’re not cowards, th-they… they… ».   a flood of words just want to push out of his lips, yet they come to an abrupt halt at a stronger sob. kukui’s free hand covers his eyes almost in a rush, as if attempting to not make her see the tears that just began escaping effortlessly. he tries to stop himself for a second, maybe  ——  but he realizes quickly he’s just… too tired. too tired to think, too tired to pretend, too tired of… himself. of the situation. of everything.   « g-gods… i-i’m sorry, i… oh, gods, i-i c-can’t do this anymore…! »

“Aw, stop that!! Turn off the professor brain for five minutes!” she jokes in response, giving him the softest, tiniest little pat on his head as he slooooowly realizes that she wasn’t being literal.

As silence falls, she leans closer to give him yet another kiss on his nose, backing off only when yet another coughing fit made his whole body tremble.

She’s just about to stand when Kukui talks again.

When he sobs, finally decides to drop the act, and breaks her heart in half.

“Honey--!”

A hand goes for her own mouth, staring at him under her, and... unsure of what to do.

It isn’t the first time he breaks. It isn’t the first time he’s so hurt he couldn’t keep up his usual act. 

Part of her wonders if she should be used to it; another, a much stronger one, the part that loves him dearly, knows that she never will.

That she has to do something to fix this, to make him stop hurting, but... not now.

Not yet. Not while the same part of her who loves him dearly burns.

She has to keep in a sob of her own as she finally moves, still remaining on the bed, yet not on him anymore; words are usueless in moments like these, so she just lies down, by his side.

A hand goes for his own, gently removing it from his eyes to look at him - to silently tell him that it’s okay, he doesn’t have to hide from her -, while the other holds him into a tight hug, pressing their foreheads together.

It’s okay. Let it all out.

[dr4cking]

I just came across your blog and I love your writing so much. Can I request where reader and draco are in a secret relationship so she likes to tease him in public by flirting with guys!? And he gets like so possessive and fucks the living shit out of her 🧎🏼‍♀️🧎🏼‍♀️🧎🏼‍♀️🧎🏼‍♀️

Consequences.

masterlist taglist

draco malfoy x reader | smut | anon requested.

a/n : thank you for requesting! this was so fun to write! <3

this is one of the most excited things she got when she signed a deal to be in a relationship with the one and only, draco malfoy.

they have been secretly dating for 7 months and the fact that no one know about this, making the adrenaline of getting caught more exciting.

y/n loves how draco would treated her like she is the only girl for him, which is true. but she also likes how she would seek a chance of getting him worked up when she gets on his skin then she would get what she wanted.

like now, it was no different days but she decided she would add some fun today, she loves when he goes rough with her in bed and now she makes sure she would get it without having to look desperate.

y/n smirked as the brightest idea popped up in her mind. draco is the type of jealous and overprotective boyfriend, so why doesnt she proves it today?

she admit she was kinda scared when she saw the angry version of her boyfriend but she loved it at the same time. she likes to tease him, knowing he cant do anything.

and if this how she would get what she wanted then she would take it.

she walked out of her dorm and run downstairs, she knew draco already waiting for her in the great hall. it would be the perfect chance for her.

her eyes looking for the blonde haired guy as soon as she entered the great hall and she found him already looking at her, his eyes were telling her to sit near him,

but no, not today.

y/n took a seat beside theodore nott, a friend of draco who would always take his chance to flirt with all the girls who passed by him.

“hey nott, you’re looking good today” y/n raising her voice a little bit louder on purpose, draco who sat across them already fuming at her flirty voices.

“hey y/n its all you, looking hot as always.” she laughs although its not really funny, she cringed at the way her laugh sounds but play it along when she heard a thumped sounds from a fork dropped to the plate.

y/n continues her flirting with theo touching his arm and laughing about his jokes until it was time for their class. she looks at draco’s red face and give him a wink and a smirk.

“what the fuck is up with your bratty behavior today?” draco asked as he walks past her, he makes sure no one was looking in their direction.

“who are you calling brat? because i’m for sure not one.” y/n replied giving him her sly grin before she runs to the class not giving him the chance to answer her.

they were sitting next to each other in potions class, draco tried his best not to distracting the class by calling y/n’s name at any chance he got but she was still ignoring him and told him it was nothing.

“baby, did i do something wrong?” she swore she almost wanted to stop all her game when she heard the intonation in his voice but she decided to be stubborn.

“its nothing draco i promise” y/n shoots him a smile reassuring him, the least she could do right now.

professor snape called out and announce that they’re gonna make a new potion and have to partner up with someone and when he listed her name with harry potter, she couldnt get more excited as she look at draco and shot him an apologetic smile.

“hey y/n, could you bring the ingredients i’m still working on how to make this properly” she nodded at harry’s order and get the ingredients immediately but not before taking a look at draco and swaying her hips on her way making him glared at her.

“here, harry. so, what’s the first step?” y/n asked and do what harry instructed.

she keeps asking him not-so- important questions to keep their conversation going but to make it worse she touched his arm on purpose and twirling her hair.

draco behind her already watching every move she made.

but whats make draco more mad is when they finished the potion and y/n jumped happily as they successfully made the potion and give the chosen one a tight embrace.

draco stormed out of the class balling his fists up, anger radiates off of him making all people passed by him to back off a little. y/n noticed this right away feeling guilty and decided to follow him but he was nowhere at the sight.

she was still looking around for draco asking people if they’ve seen him but the answer is no.

until a cold hand grabbed her wrist harshly and pulling her in one of abandoned class. she yelped when the person lock the door and put his hand on her mouth to muffled her scream.

“you did that on purpose, dont you, brat?” y/n rubbed her thighs together as she recognized the deep voice behind her, its draco.

“now you gonna have to stay quiet and be a good girl for me while i teached you some lesson, yeah?” she only nodded at him cant speak as his hand still on her mouth.

“for the whole day i’ve been wondering what i did wrong to make you act like an ungrateful brat. but all i see now is that you just need to be tamed, right?” draco whispers into her ear guiding his free hand down to the bottom of her skirt after y/n gives him a nod of permission.

he sneaked his hand under her skirt and put it in her panties rubbing her cunt getting her aroused then he pushed in his fingers into her without warning making her body jolt out.

“you just wanted to be fucked braindead, yeah? what a dumb girl” his hand still remain on her mouth not trusting she would be able to keep her voice down.

y/n put her hand on his hand that were buried deep inside her and pushing his fingers deeper into her starting to fuck herself on his fingers making him chuckle.

“think you deserve to cum after what you did earlier, hm?” draco said taking all the control in his hand and starts to thrusting his fingers deeper and faster.

his long fingers abused her cunt just like the way she needed and when he curls them inside she screamed, luckily his other hand still covering her. she was squirming there and then under his touch.

y/n rolled her eyes back in pleasure when his fingers meet her spot and pumping into it over and over again.

draco feels her walls clenching around him and quickly pulled them out of her leaving the girl whining.

“think about the consequences next time, princess.” draco turns her around and pushes her chest against the wall, placing her ass right in front of his crotch.

“i’m sorry i’m sorry draco! please i need to cum.. fuck me please dray punish me!” y/n finally let her voice out as his hands are too busy roaming around her body.

a hard smack delivered to her ass making a loud sound causing her to whimpered at the sting.

“stay quiet princess or i will not consider about giving you the chance to cum” she shuts her mouth instantly as draco unbuckled his pants letting it falls to his ankle.

y/n cant help but letting out high pitched moan when his hand came in contact with her marked ass again and when he pushed her panties aside finally lining up his cock against her entrance.

“now you will remember who you belong to.” draco said as he slammed all of his cock inside her, pounding into her right away not giving her time to adjust.

“oh fuck! y-yes dray..” y/n moans out loud which earned her another slap on her sore ass.

“quiet, brat” she tried to hold her moan by biting her lips but it just slipped off of her especially when his tip hit her spot.

draco’s eyes rolled back in pleasure, groaning quietly as he let himself disappear inside her going in and out of her with snaps of his hips, each time it gets harder and faster.

he roughly squeezed her breasts through her shirt making her shirt ruffled and messy before letting his hand down to circling her clit.

“make yourself cum, y/n.” he slaps her sensitive clit a few times making her writhed, ripping her orgasm through her body, she doesnt care anymore when she moaned his name out loud.

“feels so fucking good” with the last thrust, draco stilled and shoots his thick cum into her non stop, painting her walls white with his liquids over and over again making the girl moaned when her panties became sticky.

draco pulls out and put his pants back on. he stared at her fucked out body before turning her around to face him and quickly pressing their lips together kissing her passionately.

“next time just ask me if you want your needy pussy to get pounded hard by me. dont you dare do that stunt ever again.” y/n nodded at his words giving him a cheeky grin. sweats running through their bodies.

and when they opened the door, all the students that passed by giving them a weird look, draco smirked at them before pulling y/n back into a deep kiss.

“mine.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

pls i love this one-

tagging : @dracoscum (unblock me hoe) @hellounicorn @onyourgoddamnleft @whoreforgeorgeandfred @turn-to-page-394-please @underappreciated-spoon-321 @youreso-golden @silverdelirium @dracmalf0y-dm @f4iryluvy @famishedbeak @arzfia @starstruckgranger @lieswithoutfairytales @slut4dracoo @alexthealexthealex

[reilliane]

HELLO YES I COME BEARING 4NEMO HEADCANONS !!!! buckle up bc this is a lot longer than i thought itd be 🥲

an au where reader interacts with DCKZ (or DICKZ or another version of 4NEMO’s rival group) and childe and kaeya getting all up close and personal with fleur!reader just to get on 4NEMO’s nerves (ik it wouldnt make sense considering zhongli is xiaos dad (?) and is a professor if i remember correctly but lets just pretend ok 😭)

4NEMO catching a glimpse of fleur!reader dancing with eula!!! i want to see how they react

ESPECIALLY XIAO. DANCE MAJOR XIAO seeing fleur!reader dancing with eula and its either he’s very impressed or very disappointed. either way he finds himself wanting to dance with reader one-on-one :) it can be to help her improve (if it sucks) OR to have fun coming up with random choreography with her (even tho he tells her no its not for fun she just has a lot of ideas and is creative and hes taking advantage of it so he can come up with stuff for 4NEMO music videos. to which she goes “aw xiao u just called me creative and complimented me”)

also i saw that one thing where you responded to an ask about 4NEMO’s conversion to 5WIRL and i raise to you: venti, aether, xiao and kazuha getting increasingly more talented in their respective roles in 4NEMO because theyre petty about heizou being talented in all of their categories/being the jack of all trades :)

in venti’s case he doesn’t even try to hide it 😭 like heizou will pull up some new ideas for songs and the next day out of NOWHERE venti pulls up a forty-two page google doc filled with song ideas, music video concepts, and like. budgets? and links to pintrest boards hes made about them?

for aether he feels kinda bad about getting competitive about it bc they’re teammates + rlly good friends come on man but also he’s like “but see you will also improve if you do this, so technically its in the best interest of the entire group. plus….. impressing y/n” (in the end he just gives in cause he is a fucking simp just wants to better himself there’s nothing wrong w that right?) he’s obvious because he’s. eager :’)

xiao is probably the second most obvious one about it because of his whole angsty emo dance major act. what do u mean heizou’s already come up with the rest of the dance?? no, no see he’s done stuff too ok he’s come up w some stuff too look. no look at this. what do u MEAN hes jealous? he is NOT. he is not petty or. or. u know what whatever just come listen to what he has to say about heizou’s ideas if u wont listen to his own >:( (in the end more than half of heizou’s moves r scrapped and xiao Wins)

kazuha is probably the most subtle about it? he’s kinda like venti ish because heizou will come up to reader one afternoon with some random lyric ideas and concepts that he wants kazuha to help him with but kazuha doesnt know that now does he and then the following days after kazuha overhears their exchange the reader is handed a few ideas. it starts off with a few poems scribbled on scrap paper kazuha thinks would be good for a song until it escalated into there being an entire drawer in the readers desk filled with his musings and concepts and ideas and 😭

i’ll send more over when i have the time !! have fun envisioning these readers and writers alike <3 i am in the car rn and getting kinda dizzy help

have a wonderful rest of ur day!

🧦 <3

OMGOGMOGGOGM 🧦 ANON YOU REALLY SENT IN A 4NEMO PROMPT AEEEEEEE I'M THRIVING I'M LIVING- ROLLING ON ME BED LIKE A WERM GOBBLING THIS THING UP-

/cough cough - Ah, 4nemo, I miss writing for 4nemo I'll get to it after I'm done with the vigil ones~

YES LOL it would be a little different because Zhongli is Xiao's papuh but we can always think of some other universe where he's not and is a part of an idol group instead~

Childe and Kaeya will rub 4nemo's bad side so much lmao?? We all know that the Fleur universe is, despite that peeking angst at the corner, is founded on fluff and badly attempted humor-/j

They really will be subtle in their 'ohmygo what they doing to mc?? huh?? 🤨🤨 nuh-uh men'

But rivalry aside, Fleur!MC would be a good friend to the DCKZ group and whenever she'd hang out with them 4nemo would go-

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING???"

MC just gives them a grin and goes- "Tall men dorm. Movie night!"

THEY'RE CRUSHED.

Fleur!MC dancing with Eula is an absolute win. Despite MC's blithe nature, she's one who gets things right because- because lore- do remember she's referred to as 'mistress', implying.. ? 👀

DIGRESSING, XIAO WILL GET MC TO DANCE WITH HIM AFTER THAT SPECTACLE. BOY IMAGINE DANCING WITH XIAO. UGH.

He's not going to hide the slight upturn of his lips when he sees the rest of his groupmates lol. Can they tango?? No, no they can't, too bad! Guess he'll just sweep MC off her feet hehe 😏

AND YES, THE REVEAL OF HEIZOU (I always typed his name as Heizhou, what's wrong with me) has led me to include him in the LIs as a bonus one. As if there isn't one already lol.

So the LIs will then be: 4NEMO + Heizou, Zephyrus wink wonk

Heizou's introduction to the group will be a major 'boss battle' moment for the group ahaha imnotkidding- CONNECTIONS, CONNECTIONS.

ALSO JUST 4NEMO BECOMING BETTER AT THEIR RESPECTIVE FORTES IS DOWNRIGHT AMAZING LMAO- and comical. THEY CAN'T LOSE TO A NEWBIE- A newbie who seems to be too good at everything he does...

Ah, why is MC coddling him? Is he that good?? :((

YES HE'S THAT SHUCKING GOOD IT'S UNACCEPTABLE HE'S BECOME HUSBAND #5 AND THEY CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE RIVALS MAN.

Venti absolutely feels the most challenged.

He has the best friend card, thankfully, but that does not rule Heizou out of his radar. If he's petty, he's gonna be petty and MC will suck it up cause he's her bestie- okay he may not go overboard buT HE'LL BE PETTY- and at the same time x2 diligent in his work aha.

Xiao is another petty case, really. He won't hide his vexed pout when Heizou manages to outshine him in dance practice, you know, the space where xiAO'S SUPPOSED TO SHINE. It's become a one-sided rivalry.

Aether the softie for sure will hesitate about feeling slightly ill towards Heizou but he can't help it- goodness, this sweetheart man. AND KAZUHA, TOO, though yes he'd be more subtle.

Heizou definitely deviates more towards these two solely because they don't feel as dangerous as the cousins LMAO.

Ah, I can't wait to introduce the bonus LIs but there's much more to cover in the Fleur universe before that!