#others will be potentially sorted into schools as more are written

[ellecdc]

okay so I just wanted to start by saying I love you're moonwater stories so much.

Ive been thinking about this like paring ig for a bit and your recent moonwater story when r gets home from girls night just made me think of it more so if you're interested id love for you to do it.

Basically its like poly moonwater plus Barty ive been calling it moonwaterkiller in my head (idk if its already a ship or already has a name but I haven't been able to find anything) but basically I feel like r and Barty would be like a chaotic duo and reg and rem would just be like wtf a lot idk... I just think it has some potential and I just love your writing so fucking much.

(I also just love how you write Barty)

so if you're interested I think it would be cool

much love :)

I love the way your mind works babes. thanks for your request! (it's almost two am where I am so please forgive any awkward sentences or spelling mistakes). also, if I didn't completely lose everyone with my DeathStar fics - this may very well do it. && this was written with the help of our fabulous @unstablereader

poly!moonwater x chaotic fem!reader + Barty Crouch Junior

Regulus didn’t know whether to be concerned or slightly aroused at the slightly deranged way that Remus was stalking the halls in search of you and Barty. 

You and Regulus had both at one point or another been in a friends-with-benefits situation with Barty (albeit separately) during your time in school, before you and Regulus went and fell in love with a Gryffindor. 

Regulus still wasn’t quite over the humiliation; both of falling in love and falling in love with a Gryffindor.

Of course, you and Regulus both stayed friends with Barty; Regulus mostly because he couldn’t shake him (ignoring the fact that Regulus really was quite fond of his maniacal friend), and you because the two of you really were sort of two sides of the same hyperactive galleon. 

And though Remus (and sometimes Regulus) liked to pretend that yours and Barty’s friendship caused them grief, they couldn’t deny how much they valued Barty’s loyalty and devotion to his friends; specifically you. 

Regulus’ new favourite thing was easily Remus’ new found appreciation for Barty. 

Up until this point, Barty had been his notoriously flirty and salacious self when it came to the likes of Remus, who wasn’t yet accustomed to Barty’s unique…personality.

However, once Remus realised the history between his two partners and the other Slytherin boy, he quickly came to appreciate the kind of pull Barty could have on people.

So, Remus had started flirting back.

Barty hated it.

Regulus loved it.

You started keeping track of the number of times Remus reduced Barty to a blushing and stuttering mess in your notebook. 

Barty hated that too.

It was nearing curfew and Remus and Regulus hadn’t seen you all afternoon. 

Usually that was fine, considering you were a bit of a free spirit. What was concerning, however, was that they hadn’t seen Barty either.

Regulus watched as Remus checked the stupid map that his brother and their friends had created when his brows furrowed in confusion.

“What? Don’t tell me they’re in the middle of the Black Lake again?” Regulus asked quickly, moving to stand over Remus’ shoulder to peer at the map.

“Again?”

“Don’t ask.” Regulus muttered.

“But…doesn’t Barty not know how to swim?”

“I said don’t ask.”

Seeming to know better, Remus turned back and pointed towards the Ravenclaw common room on the map. “It says they’re up in Ravenclaw tower?”

“For fuck’s sake.” Regulus muttered, dragging a hand over his face.

“How’d two Slytherin’s manage to get into Ravenclaw tower?” Remus asked bemusedly, earning him an unimpressed glare from Regulus. 

“Remus, I love you, but that was perhaps the dumbest question you’ve ever asked me.”

Remus rolled his eyes as he closed the map and tucked it back into his trunk.

“Come on, we might be able to catch up to Pandora on her way up and have her help us in.” 

They had indeed caught up to Pandora, and Pandora had indeed helped them in, though it seemed to be for naught. 

“I thought your stupid map said they were here.” Regulus muttered as he surveyed the common room, unable to spot a single lick of green and silver.

“It’s not stupid and they are in here.” Remus muttered back, moving to stand in the dead centre of the room. 

“How do you know they’re here if you can’t see them?”

Remus glared at Regulus before looking around to ensure no one could hear them. “I can smell them.” He whispered.

Well Regulus just didn’t know what good these wolfy senses were if they were still out two Slytherin’s. 

“Shit.” Regulus heard whispered suddenly as a quill fell from the air and landed beside his foot.

Remus and Regulus both looked up to see you and Barty casually lounging in the chandelier above them.

“Are you sodding kidding me!?” Regulus shouted.

“I think our cover’s been blown.” You said simply to Barty as if you didn’t have two fuming and fretting boyfriends standing nearly forty feet give or take below you.

“Pity.” Barty responded as he peered down. “This was a nice refuge.”

“How’d you even get up there?” Remus cried, pacing like he was getting ready to catch you should you fall.

“Magic.” Barty taunted from above.

“Junior, so help me gods if that witch falls I-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Lupin. I resent the insinuation that I would ever let anything happen to our sweet angel baby.” Barty bit back immediately.

“Okay, okay. Fair enough.” Remus acquiesced as if he were negotiating a hostage situation. “Why don’t you both just come down here, nice and slow, okay?”

Both you and Barty leaned forward to look down at the two boys, causing the chandelier to swing precariously.

“Fucking hells! Stop moving!” Remus shrieked, causing the attention of the few Ravenclaws sitting in the common room to look over.

“Such a worrier.” Barty muttered as he stood and started manoeuvring himself to the edge of the chandelier - you following him over and causing the chandelier to tip to a nearly 90 degree angle. 

“I’m going to be sick, I’m actually going to throw up right here.” Regulus muttered mostly to himself whilst Remus tried to stand directly underneath you lest you need to be caught. 

To Remus and Regulus’ absolute horror, Barty launched himself away from the chandelier, grabbing at the billowy banners hanging from the ceiling causing the chandelier to swing away from him like a pendulum. 

“JUNIOR!” Remus shouted, causing Barty to momentarily look shamefaced as he looked below him. 

As the chandelier swung towards the opposite wall, you too launched yourself at one of the billowy banners hanging from the ceiling and began monkey climbing down them.

“Can you make sure she doesn’t fall, please.” Remus barked at Regulus as he made his way towards Barty.

Barty let out a high pitched screech and began hastily making his way down the wall. “Run Treasure! Save yourself!” He shouted dramatically.

You turned quickly at that and saw Regulus making his way to you.

You let out a surprised squeak and hurried down, and before Regulus realised what you were doing, you had used your wand to open one of the windows and were shimmying out.

“Oi! What the-” but before Regulus could even shove his torso out the window, you’d managed to shift into your animagus form - a mink, which Regulus felt was very fitting considering what a sodding cheeky minx you were being right now - and began scaling your way down the side of the building.

Regulus was interrupted by the sound of a squeal - Remus’ squeal - and turned to see Remus hanging halfway out of the window in much the same fashion that Regulus had been.

Unlike Regulus, however, Remus had been successful in his capture of Barty and had him hanging from the tallest tower at Hogwarts by one of his arms.

“Junior! Are you trying to sodding kill me!?” Remus barked angrily at him, trying to pull Barty up without any help from Barty himself.

Barty looked up at Remus with all the innocence he could muster (read: none) and winked. 

“Catch me if you can, Mr. Wolf.”

And Barty shrunk into his own animagus form - an osprey - and let out a cry before swooping down to pick up something that looked suspiciously like a mink from the eaves of one of the lower towers and took off towards the grounds. 

“Fucking son of a bitch.” Remus cursed as he tried catching his breath, still sitting half out of the Ravenclaw window. “Why do we put up with those two?”

Regulus shrugged with all the nonchalance he could muster. “‘Cause they’re cute?”

Remus sighed and hit his head against the windowsill. “They’re so sodding lucky that they are…”

“Come on.” Regulus said, offering Remus a hand and helping him out of the window. “Unfortunately, I know exactly where they went.”

Barty loved nothing more than the feeling of his feet sinking into the sediment of the Black Lake below his feet. He also loved the feeling of being near you, his Treasure. He also loved the idea of two handsome men frantically searching for you, and him by proxy.

All this to say, Barty was having a really nice night.

“Junior!”

Barty’s face morphed into a Cheshire cat grin as he turned towards the voice of the man and his boyfriend as they stormed towards the waters edge.

“Well hello, Lupin. How nice of you to join us; care for a dip?”

“Get out of the water.” Regulus drawled in a bored tone.

“Why would I do such a thing? The water’s lovely, I’m in wonderful company, and we’re going to feed the Giant Squid.” He argued.

“Barty.” Remus barked with all the severity he could manage. “You don’t know how to swim.”

Barty scoffed indignantly. “Yeah, well…neither can Reggie!”

“That’s why I’m standing on the shore you absolute bell-end.” Regulus countered quickly.

Remus turned his furious gaze into a bemused one as he took in Regulus. “Do you really not know how to swim either?”

“None of us can!” You shouted from your disturbingly deeper place within the lake as the gentle waves nearly lapped against your skirt.

“Oh, for the love of- you know what? This summer, everyone’s getting swimming lessons.” Remus proclaimed.

“Ou, does that mean I get to see you in your swim trunks, Lupin?” Barty called.

Remus, without missing a beat, started towards Barty, walking into the lake in his shoes and all. “You could see me right now, in less, for free, Junior. You only had to ask.”

Barty let out a screech and tried running towards you, albeit in slow motion on account of the water’s resistance. “Y/N! Treasure! Help! Make him stop!”

“No can do, bubs.” You called back in monotone, still throwing chunks of bread towards the middle of the Lake in hopes of eliciting the company of one Giant Squid. 

“Dove, you’re going to catch a cold; get out of the water.” Remus called to you, pants soaked up to his knees after giving up on chasing Barty in the water.

“We’re trying to make friends!” You whined.

“You cannot make friends with a squid, amour. He will eat you.” Regulus explained from the shore. 

“He wouldn’t eat his friend.” You scoffed. 

“Dove.” Remus barked again.

“I want to see the the big water kitty!” You whined again, turning towards the boys and offering the most pathetic pout you could muster.

Regulus scoffed from his place, still dry on the shore, Remus let out a pained sigh, and Barty all but skipped towards you. 

“A valiant death it will be!” He cheered before he felt the fabric of his jumper being summoned by an accio, dragging him unceremoniously through the water towards Remus.

“No! Ah! AH! STRANGER DANGER. STRANGER DANGER!” He shrieked as Remus threw him over his shoulder.

“Okay, well, now you’re just showing off, Lupin.” He muttered, crossing his arm petulantly as Remus held his free hand out to you.

“Dove, please? Come inside with me?”

You looked distressed at this and moved obediently towards Remus. “Are you mad at me?” You asked timidly.

Barty could actually feel Remus’ body soften beneath him as he allowed some of his tension to dissipate. “Of course not, dovey. I love you.”

You leaned over and pecked a kiss to the corner of his mouth before turning into your animagus mink and swimming to the shore, crawling up Regulus’ pant leg (who admonished you in faux contempt for ruining his trousers), and allowed him to carry you back to the castle. 

Barty was feeling petulant about the whole matter of being chased and chastised so decided then that he was going to force Remus to carry him all the way back to the castle in silence.

Unfortunately for Barty, he hated silence.

He was at least proud he’d made it to the dungeons before giving up on his vow of silence.

“You’re really not upset with her?” Barty asked quietly from his current prison. He could feel Remus’ head tilt in confusion, though his steps never faltered.

“Of course not?” He responded as a question.

“Hmmm.” Barty said, racking his brain for something to upset or fluster this man.

“Oh! What about me having slept with both your boyfriend and your girlfriend?”

“What about it?” Remus asked plainly. 

“Well…aren’t you upset about that?”

Remus scoffed and adjusted his grip on Barty, hand’s migrating none too innocently up the back of his thighs. “Junior. The only thing I’m upset about is that you haven’t slept with all three of us. I don’t like feeling left out, you know?”

Barty made a strangled sound as he struggled in Remus’ grip to no avail, causing you and Regulus to chuckle from a few strides ahead as you all stepped into the Slytherin common room.

“We told you he was smooth, Barty.” You chuckled.

“You should hear him in bed.” Regulus taunted, reaching over to pinch Barty’s arse, causing him to yelp and start cursing at him.

Remus relented and put Barty down, who immediately made for Regulus’ throat.

“Easy, Junior.” Remus chuckled, pulling him back by the shoulder. “You wanna keep Reg around, don’t you?”

Barty harrumphed and crossed his arms indignantly.

“We’d like to keep you around.” Remus continued.

Barty grumbled again and let out a quiet. “Fine.”

Remus beamed at him, which was very alarming if you asked Barty, as they stepped into his and Regulus’ shared dorm; Rosier and Avery were already asleep in their beds with their curtains drawn.

“Yeah? You’ll let us keep you?” Remus asked.

“I said fine, Lupin.” He bit back.

“Great. So we’re in a relationship then.” He explained simply, causing Barty to level him with a severe glare. “How dare you, Lupin. Never say such vile things to me again.” He spat before storming towards the boy’s bathroom.

Regulus groaned and grabbed his own toiletries before making his way to the washroom behind him. “I’ll go make sure he doesn’t try to drown himself in the shower again.”

Remus shook his head and changed into his pyjamas before climbing into Regulus’ bed and pulling you towards him.

“So, explain this to me, Dove. Why is Barty the way he is?”

You snorted a laugh and turned to face him. “You’re going to have to be way more specific, love.”

Remus chuckled and ran his hands up and down your back. “He likes Reg. He loves you. He seems sweet on me. We invite him to be ours and he accepts - but runs when we make it mean something?”

You smiled up at your boyfriend and booped his nose with a perfectly manicured finger - which Remus found very confusing considering you spend your spare time scaling the rafters of grand ceilings and enticing Giant Squids from their hiding places. “Barty doesn’t understand, Rem. He wouldn’t know love if it punched him right in the face.”

Remus could feel his brows furrow and he pulled you in tighter to his chest. “Dove…love doesn’t punch you in the face?”

Apparently that had been the wrong thing to say as you rolled your eyes in exasperation and threw your head back onto the pillow. “You see? That’s the kind of thing someone who grew up loved would know.”

It’s not that Remus ever really forgot to worry about you per se, but he sometimes really worried about you Purebloods. 

At some point in the night, you had apparently decided Remus and Regulus’ bed was too hot and moved to Barty’s. Remus would have been slightly more petulant about the matter if he hadn’t thought you looked absolutely precious with Barty resting his head on your chest.

He looked so innocent in his sleep.

Sleep clearly didn’t know him very well.

Remus was shocked when the four of you entered the Great Hall for breakfast and Barty actually followed you three to the Gryffindor table. Though Remus was trying to play it cool, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter of hope surge within him at what that might mean for the three four of you.

Remus was just about to bite into his toast when a sultry voice sounded from behind Barty.

“Hello, Bartemus.” Amelia Bones sing-songed as she trailed a finger up Barty’s arm.

His brows furrowed almost comically from above the rim of his coffee cup before he slowly lowered it and turned to consider the Hufflepuff.

“Bones. Can I help you?” He asked, punctuating the word help as he plucked her fingers from his being between his two fingers as if he’d found something really quite disgusting on his person.

“I was thinking, you could help me, perhaps tonight?”

Barty turned to look at her incredulously.

“Help with what, Amelia? I’m really quite busy.” He spat, gesturing wildly to his cup of coffee. 

“An orgasm or two? Gods, you’re pissy in the mornings.”

Barty scoffed, sounding completely scandalised as he clutched at non-existent pearls adorning his neck. “I am sitting here with my beloveds, Amelia. For shame. You see this lot? I’m theirs, capiche?” 

Amelia looked bemusedly at the group of you before shaking her head in confusion. “Whatever you say, Junior.”

She moseyed on away, and Barty turned back towards his cup of coffee. “The gall of some people, honestly.” He said in exasperation, downing the rest of his still hot coffee and standing unceremoniously.

“Well, I best be off. Things to fuck up, people to scare. Tah-tah.” He called, pressing a quick kiss to your hair as he left the Great Hall.

Suddenly, realisation dawned on Remus.

“Ah, I see. So no to a relationship, but he is ours.”

You and Regulus chorused a hum of acknowledgement. 

“That’s just how Barty operates. You’ll get used to it.” You explained, still not looking up from the Daily Prophet you had been reading all this time.

Remus didn’t mind getting used to that; not if it meant he managed to get everything he wanted.

[esmedelacroix]

Mr. O'Hara

ta!miguel o'hara can't resist student!reader's charms⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

cw: dom!miguel o'hara, age gap, smut, overstim, unprotected p in v, oral f! and m! receiving, slapping, creampie, pwp kinda

a/n: hey lovies, this is a little something I wrote like a year ago about a different character and it's one of the first things I had ever written so I took and revised it, and made it about Miguel. I hope you all like it, enjoy...

wc: 2k

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You were a college senior when you first entered Mr. Choi’s Biology Class. It was a relatively easy class but every now and then you would get entirely distracted by Mr. Choi’s teacher assistant Miguel O'Hara. He graduated from your department the year before and he was now doing his master's. Since Mr. Choi had been out for a month and most likely be gone for more to come, Miguel had been teaching your class.

This meant you were busy staring at his muscular biceps that bulged out of his button-up shirt, his forearms that flexed when he wrote on the board, his hair that was always styled perfectly, and his sharp jawline that looked like it could cut through steel. Instead of taking notes and asking questions, you daydreamed about him.

So it was no surprise when Miguel returned your midterm with a bright red F on the front. He held the test result paper to your face to grab your attention seeing that you were lost in thought once again. He placed the sheet of paper on your desk and motioned toward the exit of the classroom.

“My office, now please,” he said in a stern tone of voice.

Miguel paced back and forth collecting his thoughts before closing the door. You sort of knew Miguel before he graduated the year prior so you had expected him to be chill about you failing one singular test. You couldn’t figure out why he was so disappointed in your grade, and not any other students' because the whole class had failed. He ran a hand through his hair and took off his glasses to look you in the eyes; the tension grew thicker as the two of you stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"What did you want to talk to me about Mr. O’Hara?" you had asked him, trying to sound as clueless as possible.

“Well, believe it or not, you were at the top of this class at the beginning of the semester, and please just call me Miguel,” he said as he leaned against his desk.

“Well, I knew I was good at Biology but I didn't know I was at the top of my class,” you said genuinely dumbfounded.

“So what's going on? I feel like you’re always daydreaming and zoning out in class nowadays. Your grades are slipping and I don’t want this to happen to you, I know your potential as a student.” Miguel said, as his expression softened.

“Well if you are as worried about my grades as you say you are, can’t you just raise them?" you asked with a blank expression.

"Well yes, I could if I wanted to be kicked out of school," he said, sounding sarcastically.

"It's just a few points," you said in a sing-songy tone as if you were teasing him.

"I can’t, it is a violation of school rules and unfairness for other classmates," he said.

"But, if I sleep with you, will you raise my score?" you asked as you sat back in the chair across from him looking up at him with fuck me eyes.

"Um, no?" Miguel said cheeks flushed with the bold proposition you had made.

"Come on, I know you had a little crush on me last year, your buddies on the soccer team told me," you said as the corners of your lips rose at his slightly embarrassed expression that he was trying to mask with confusion.

"Just, leave my office please," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You sure you don’t want this?" you asked as you traced your collarbone pulling his eyes to the tight button-up that showed some of your cleavage that you were sporting.

“Can you please leave? A no is a no." Miguel said as he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his gray trousers, and turned away from you as you left the room trying to hide his obvious boner.

"Okay big guy I'll see you this weekend at your place," you left his room leaving the door open a crack.

“Seriously I won’t do it!” he called out. 

. . .

Despite all of that denying Miguel had your legs spread across the armchair in his bedroom. His room had a huge ceiling-to-floor window overlooking the bright city lights. You looked out at the buildings that your teary and hazy eyes perceived as colorful dots. You were already three orgasms into the night, he never got tired of lapping at your folds and fucking you with his tongue alone.

Constantly letting you know that you tasted too sweet to be true. His calloused fingers circled your aching clit as he slipped his index finger into your wet, creamy cunt. He didn’t once let you touch herself; letting him eat you out was the reward that would make him give you that A+. He wasn't eating your pussy and making you squirt to make you feel good, he was doing it for his pleasure. He continued with both his index finger and his middle finger pumping them in and out of your sex. You watched as each muscle on his arm flexed as he fingered you.

Your hands gripped at the arms of the red velvety chair. You felt high on the feeling of him sucking your clit and fingering you. You couldn't help but squeeze around him as he added a third finger and pressed his forearm across your stomach holding you down as your legs began to spasm and your hips jerked up.

The wet, squelching, lewd sounds of Miguel's fingers going in and out of you filled the room, as your moans serenaded him, turning him carrying vibrations from his hardening erection threatening to bust the button of his slacks. Miguel brought his fingers to his mouth making sure he didn’t break eye contact with you. After licking all your juices off his fingers, he shoved them into your mouth, locking eyes with you as you sucked his fingers tasting a mixture of his saliva, your slick, and the whiskey he had beforehand.

His bulge was painfully visible through his trousers. "Take this off," he commanded, tugging at the hem of your pink button-up.

You slowly unbuttoned your shirt and tossed it on the ground along with your skirt, and panties. He smirked to himself, biting the inside of his cheek as he picked you up and took a seat on the armchair setting you on his lap. "Help me take my clothes off," he ordered with a smirk, enjoying how willing you were to do what he asked.

You unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside then you slid his pants and boxers off of him and watched his cock spring up and hit his stomach. You took a moment to take in the sight before you. Miguel sat back in the chair spreading his legs and motioning for you to kneel in between them just like he did to you moments before. "Are you going to stare at me or are you going to get to work?" he asked as he cupped your chin with his hand and slapped you across the face with the other.

You wrapped your hands around his warm veiny shaft. Your thumb and your fingers barely met when you wrapped them around his cock; he was that big. You licked the precum that was leaking from his screaming red tip earning a low groan from him. You slowly rubbed him in an almost teasing manner trying to assess how you were going to fit him in your mouth let alone your vagina.

“Miguel, you’re so big I don’t know how this is gonna fit-” you started.

“But you're going to take it anyway, right?” Miguel asked, trying to swallow his moans with his speech as you slowly stroked his length. 

He grabbed you by the hair and guided your mouth onto his cock. You only had the tip in, but your mouth already felt full. He pushed your head down even further on his cock bobbing your head up and down.

You could feel him getting warmer and feel his length twitching in your mouth against your tongue. He pushed your head further to the base of his cock and you gaged on it. Tears burned your eyes as they fell down your cheeks. Mascara falling with them making a mess of your eye makeup. You slowly lifted your head, his cock leaving your mouth with a pornographic 'pop' sound.

You took a moment to catch your breath before stroking his cock at a speed you knew he'd love. You got up and straddled him with both of your hands on his broad shoulders supporting yourself. You kissed a line from his jaw to his neck. You lined his tip up with your sopping-wet cunt practically dripping on his aching cock with her love juice.

You slowly slid down his cock with a prolonged moan feeling the near-painful stretch. He could feel your tight pussy almost ripping his cock off when you started to move. You slowly moved up and back down again easing yourself into the feeling of his huge cock stretching your walls.

You felt like your body was going to rip in half but after a while, the pleasure completely washed over the pain. Miguel leaned his head back beads of sweat dripping down his neck and chest as you began to ride out your high. He was meanwhile mesmerized by your tits bouncing along with you as he tried not to explode in you right then and there. You frantically rode Miguel feeling your legs shake as a wave of pure pleasure and bliss washed over your body as you experienced the most intense orgasm of the night. Miguel started to pound his hips into you at an ungodly speed riding out his high. With one final thrust, he released his cum deep inside you. Tip kissing your cervix as he filled you up with his babies.

“Miguel,” you moaned breathlessly as you were barely able to think any thoughts but him.

Your body plopped against his, wet, sweaty skin stuck together as the two of you panted

“That was only the beginning, and you call me Mr.O'Hara got it?” he said as he lifted you up with him and brought you to the giant window outlooking the entire city. Your legs were wrapped around his waist as he suddenly put you down and made you face the window. He pressed your naked body against the cold glass. Your nipples hardening at the sudden temperature change. You jumped startled by how chilly the glass was against your hot skin. He turned on the fireplace nearby and whispered in your ear, ��� I want the whole world to watch when I fuck you” 

The hairs on the back of your neck jumped after feeling his warm breath hit your ear like dry ice. There was nothing nice about what he was saying it was cruel a cruel promise that he would fuck you so good you'd question if you've ever actually had sex before. Moisture pooled in between your legs at the thought of it.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You want me to show them how good of a slut you are huh?” He asked as his finger circled your clit and her and kneeled on the beige carpet floors bringing you down with him bending you over doggy style. You pressed your hands against that cold glass and moaned,

"Yes, Mr. O'Hara, show them all how good I am for you,"

. . .

As all the students filed into the class, you couldn't help but notice that your name was number one on the end-of-trimester grades list. So much for all that, 'I'll lose my job' crap. Besides there's nothing Miguel wouldn't do after a fuck like that.

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[venusandsaturnsrings]

The school year finally ended... I hate college SO much :( but I am alive!! I beg for some crumbs of thoughts on Sunday... -chubby darling anon who is very much alive and finally got a mitsuri scale figure <3

putting all of my other fics, blurbs, and asks on PAUSE for this!! congrats!! no more school foorrr… 3ish months!! after dropping out of uni, i’ve been finally considering going back myself for phlebotomy!! canadas health situation is lack lustre rn and the course is less than one year + paid practicum + immediate job placement which is kinda sweet… CONGRATS ON THE FIGURE TOO!! i recently (like a month and a half ago) procured the hatsune miku jirai kei subculture fashion figure and i cannot stress how pretty she is <3 sits on my pc right now bc my shelves are full… ANYWAYS… love you!!

includes: silly sunday hcs, potential story spoilers, maybe ooc im still feeling him out, praise, degradation, riding crops, his hands…, and gender neutral reader!!

very poignantly the hopeless romantic type. he’s always functioned as a ‘singularity’ of sorts and over the years developed a certain fondness of it, even if it hurts. it’s worth noting he vividly reminds me of the line ‘i miss the comfort in being sad,’ from nirvanas ‘Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle.’ he’s the type of partner to always be stuck in that self-absorbed martyr mindset a little bit.

pragmatic to a fault. Sunday is deeply a skeptic, take his departure from the harmony in favour of the order, as an example. it’s cool because it means you’ll never have to worry about any technicalities but it also means he has a hard time letting go of control or being spontaneous.

very into more subtle romantic gestures and an absolute gentleman. you’ll have flowers at your door at least once a week and he makes sure to take all of your preferences into consideration when planning dates (he will be the one planning). keeps his hand on your lower back most of the time, the waist is far too scandalous!!

not a big texter. he prefers speaking face to face and will call if he can’t come see you. that said, he’ll make sure to like or respond to all of the silly pictures and messages you send, even if it’s a dry ‘haha’ or just a heart. occasionally, you’ll find that he’s sent you a letter, ask about and he’ll shrug and say he simply wanted something more heartfelt if he’s to communicate written. he’s got a special stamp to seal the ones he sends you.

grabs your phone when you go to show him something. no explanation i just feel it in my bones.

although he’s no singer, he’s still a classically trained musician. i imagine he was taught the violin but went on to learn his preferred instrument, the harp, himself. he’s a bit shy about playing so rather than asking, just wait until he thinks it’s late and you’re not around to hear; he’s got quite the set of fingers.

…speaking of fingers, my bread and butter, he’s beyond skilled with playing you. while he enjoys getting down to business, getting to leisurely spread you open and thrum against all your nerves gets him going. could spend hours having you laid out, in his lap, on the floor, wherever, just gently coaxing you open, wet, and pliant for himself.

off of that, he likes you best worn down to soft edges and weak desperation. getting to play the saviour, making you come undone, has him stiff in his pants.

lots of sweet praise and subtle degradation. things like, “you want to be good for me, don’t you my sweet?,” or, “now, now, don’t get greedy on me. be patient, silly thing, and i’ll appease all of your foolish whims,” annddd, “come now, you’ve been so well for me, angel, don’t ruin that with any useless whines.”

he’s not one for being too harsh against you but push the right buttons and you’ll get a ‘dumb’ or ‘stupid’ here and there. Sunday doesn’t curse but he knows his way around how to make you feel inferior and looked down upon.

he likes the power play of staying fully and pristinely clothed while your completely nude, save for maybe a pretty collar he’s got you belled with. if you’re real trouble, say maybe a no good criminal causing problems on Penacony and once arrested you’re at his disposal and oh so pretty, he’ll find a nice muzzle to fix you with.

strikes, no pun intended, me as the type to have an affinity for riding crops over anything else for punishments. you’ll get the same sugarcoated degradation while he comments on how you’re not even good enough to be so close to his gloved hand that he just must use the crop!! (he likes the pretty bruises it leaves).

[ghostieblr]

the perfect star that hid

written for @sterekbingo square "soulmate au." kind of a new take on soulmate au? at least i haven't seen this particular type (if you have, please link them to me!! <3) also, my card is under the cut! at the very end. the full fic is here, but you can also read it on ao3 (where i'll post it when i get back home) if that's more your style.

The name unfurls on his wrist at the mall, filled with people, a scratch to his bone that goes unnoticed; he always wears full sleeves, a habit borne of shame and fury, fury at himself and his life and at the one who is writing it. He's 27 — older than the average population of those without someone by their side, someone who are made with dust and ashes that together make the perfect star.

He's celebrating his 27th birthday, actually, in this very mall. Friends that appreciate his appreciation for Star Wars, that don't mind him or pity him, who actually care about him — they booked an entire cinema hall for him, pulled certain strings to make it happen, and none of them had to pleaded or begged for it. They just love him.

He doesn't have his soulmate, yet, perhaps never will, but there is this truth as well: he has friends that love him like family, like their own. It might just have to be enough.

That's what he's thinking, the epiphany dredging up his past agony and mulling it over, layering it over with itself, a sort of aftercare that he's giving a try. And he's tired, too, of the heartache and the negativity — his own most of all. And he is tired of the day, muscles aching, and hey. It's a good time for a relaxing shower, now that he's home.

So he smiles at no one in the apartment but at himself in the mirror he's hung in the living room, a sort of statement piece that Lydia insisted on after taking one look at his at the time barely furnished abode, and shrugs.

"You don't need anyone, Stiles."

The words don't sound quite right as he hears them, the meaning of it turned desolate instead of triumphant as his thoughts become intangibly tangible, an epiphany to something he might just have to get used to. Still, he's said it, it's out there, and it's gonna have to do.

He picks the clothes off of himself, hopes the shower will help him pick himself up. Decides a bath would be better — but he's not got that now, has he? Perhaps he should start saving for a house, now. But it's just so much harder with one income only; he could move back to Beacon Hills? San Francisco isn't bad, but the prices of real estate are no joke.

The pros and cons of that potential scenario run through his head, his legs out of the jeans now, his hoodie off of his body next. Huh, he's almost out of toothpaste; he should go to the grocery store tomorrow. He should also see what's in his fridge and what's not but — later.

He's getting ahead of himself.

The t-shirt he's wearing comes off, too, a full-sleeved one, white, that looks rather good on him. Accentuates the lean muscle thing he's got going on from his years at the Track Team in high school and college. There's this scar he has on his left palm from falling once in the middle of a tournament. He turns his hand—

It's not bare, anymore. His wrist — it has a name.

His soulmate's name.

He stares. And stares and stares because what the hell. This has to be a joke, right?

It just has to be.

He has been within 100 metres of this person before multiple times. Has been to his childhood home, to the fucking police station he works at because hello — Derek Hale is one of Sheriff's Deputies, and Stiles is the Sheriff's son.

They've been within 100 metres of each other before.

But this has never happened.

But...

He rushes to his bedroom, naked, panicked, ecstatic. Picks up the phone from where he'd chucked it on the bed, opens the contact of a person he hasn't contacted since the last project they did together in high school.

Cora Hale picks up on fifth ring, when he's about to hang up and try again.

"Stilinski?" She sounds confused. "It's been a while. What's up?" A muffled voice, a male. Cora says, "Are you fucking kidding me? It can't be him — you've known each other for — it's impossible —" She's clearly not speaking to Stiles.

"Is Derek there?"

Cora stops talking.

"Cora, is he — did he get it too?"

Sounds of footsteps, labored breathing. Phone changes hands and then: "Are you Mieczysław Stilinski?"

Stiles stops breathing. It's real.

Derek is asking him the name nobody but his father and the people at the DMV know.

"I don't know any other Stilinski’s. Just your father and you," Derek is saying. He sounds confused, happy, breathless. "And I know your name starts with an M. I saw some papers on the Sheriff's desk once, by mistake but — how is it you?" A pause. "Not — I didn't — I mean like —"

"How is it me when we have been around each other for so long. I have been at your house, you've been working at the BHPD for... fuck, 3 years now?"

"Since I came back from NY, yeah."

"I don't know, Derek, I don't but I... you were at the mall today, right?" He just wants to be sure.

"Yes. Yeah. I was, I was buying a gift for my parent's anniversary."

"And today's my birthday, I was —"

"With your friends watching Star Wars. I know. I saw you and the Sheriff let the whole station know about it yesterday."

Stiles can't fucking believe this. And also... "I'm so fucking cold. I really should wear some clothes."

"What?"

"Long story short — Shower, saw the name, called the one Hale's number I had."

Derek's chuckle is sexy and seriously, how has he never heard it before? It's a crime. And Stiles should be in jail. At least then he would have met his soulmate earlier... but wait, that's a paradox. Isn't it?

"I thought you were short story long kind of person," Derek says, and follows up with, "And if you're free right now... I know it's late but, would you forsake your shower and meet me to figure out why he haven't met before?"

Stiles cuts the call.

Then calls Cora's cell again. Derek picks it up with an exhale that seems very anxious, so Stiles closes his eyes at his stupidity and admits, "That was a yes. My brain just jumped ahead a few steps. Please text me your number so we can let Cora have her phone back," Cora cheers in the background, "And I can end the call so that I can wear my clothes and you can text me whatever address and we can finally meet and I'm sorry for ending the call so abruptly and seriously why haven't we met before? It's so —"

Derek chuckles again, and really, it's such a nice sound. "Stiles, breathe. I don't want you to die just yet."

"I can absolutely do that, yep."

Silence.

"Stiles? Wear your clothes. I promise I'll help you out of them when —"

There's a sudden struggle at the other end, and then it's Cora's voice coming down the line, "Ew! No! Do it on your own phone. Stiles, I'm texing you my brother's number, so go! Now!"

She ends the call.

Stiles lets his own phone fall onto the bed, processes what happened for just a minute, and then smiles goofily when Cora makes good on her statement.

Somehow, even though they haven't interacted in all these years despite all the things connecting them to the same peg on the board, Derek texts Stiles: "Stop dawdling and come meet me at the diner on 5th. Remember to wear your clothes. For now."

It's all one block of text too, the dork.

Guess that's his dork now.

Greatest. Birthday. Ever.

[pointy-spiral]

Ella OC post

( very unfinished but will be edited as i add to her character)

- • - • - • - • - • - • - {•{•{○•○}•}•} - • - • - • - • - • - • -

Name - Ella Hvalheim

Class - First year Class C

Homeland - Norway

Height - 180cm

Birthday - Kept secret, because she hates parties and big groups of people. Only Jade and Ortho know, Ace and Deuce cant be trusted with secrets lol

Dorm - Ramshackle

Twisted from - Belle (beauty and the beast(grim lol)

Hobby - Reading and drawing and walks at night or during gloomy weather such as fog and rain.

Likes - Pretty scenery, sleeping, painting, and Pavlova.

Dislikes - Unskippable dialogue, bright light (the sun), people who mess up books and bend pages, and Crowley✨️

Best subject - Alchemy

Club - Mountain lovers club

Talent - Patience and really steady hands.. i guess?? And a big vocabulary hjdsfdsfhj very much "um actually-" potential

- • - • - • - • - • - • - {•{•{○•○}•}•} - • - • - • - • - • - • -

A magicless person from a different dimension, stuck living with a direbeast in a run down dorm belonging to a prestegious school for magic. A terrified stranger to this world, Ella avoids people like the plague and is often found seeking comfort in the school library, or locked away in her room. Books are everything to her, wether its fiction, textbook, sketchbook, or picturebook, she allways has at least one nearby.

Despite being soft-spoken and anxious, she has trouble saying no when people ask her to join stuff, and ends up getting dragged along by her friends into all sorts of stupid nonsense.

- • - • - • - • - • - • - {•{•{○•○}•}•} - • - • - • - • - • - • -

Smaller "fun facts" i guess??

She has snake bites, and pierced ears.

In her original world she had a lot of silver and steel jewlery, as it is worn for protection in old times in Norway out of superstition. ( mythical creatures were often thought to be allergic to the metal. Such as fae, Nøkken, etc) Though after being brought to twisted wonderland she really only has one neckalce and a pair of earrings, that she refuses to remove at all costs gjlkdfskjfdjk

She really REALLY likes studying folklore and myths, and the thought of being in a new world with new books to read... shes jittering alone in the dark of her room from chugging coffe so she can stay up and read more fdshkhdshdfsaslijisadoiu

She keeps a journal that she writes about her "new discoveries" in Twisted wonderland, writing down peoples names, birthdays, likes and dislikes, the plants that are simmilar to home, and stories about her new life here etc. Its all written in Norwegian so that nobody would be able to read it though teehehehehee

Other characters thoughts and interactions with her-

this part will expand as i remember and come up with stuff dfshdsksfd

Grim -

BESTIEE !! LITTLE KITTIE !! SO CUTE !! very much an emotional support cat. Lets her hold and pet him when she gets stressed. Pretends to disslike all the attention due to his pride, but deep down worries about her and likes being held. She brushes his fur and ties his ribbon for him all the time, its relaxing to her.

Grim takes on the role of "the beast" while Ella is "the beauty" as they live together in ramshackle. Like the beast, hes self centered, rude, inconsiderate, and deep down, very very lonely. Ella scolds him all the time for his behaviour, but not out of disliking him, rather because she worries about him. After a rocky start, they build a strong friendship.

Heartslabyul-

Riddle- He likes her since shes quiet, polite, and tries very hard with her studies. Though he wishes she would talk more, and not mumble so quietly all the time. Him and Ella get along, and hes even helped her with her studies a few times, taking pity on her for not being from this world, and explaining things to her. It messes with his ego slightly when she says hes "so smart!" when he answers her questions, saying hes such a cool housewarden. And yes hes a little upset about their height difference, but pretends not to be.

Trey- Helps him with carrying groceries during trips to buy baking ingredient from Sams,

Cater - On her first week of school she asked him where the school library was, two seconds go by and shes been draged into extroverted shenanigans including Lillia and Kalim. He felt a little bad after learning she has social anxiety, so sometimes he invites her to hang just the two of them.

Ace- Thinks its both boring and calming how she doesnt really do much, he comes to ramshackle with Deuce for weekly study time. Ella helps them with the subject they struggle with, and they help her with hers.

Deuce-

Savanaclaw-

Leona - Stepped on his tail and has been avoiding him ever since, she thinks hes still upset with her.

Ruggie- Wants to pet his ears really really bad.. but stays away from him for the most part.

Jack- She often sees him going for runs when she goes for her walks, hes invited her to join before but she has a hard time keeping up, she still joins him once in a while though. They bond over both being from a colder place, and they suffer together dyring the summer fdkjldfsjkfdsjfj. Ella is from our universe (real life lol) and is from north Norway, so both her and Jack sit in an iflatable kids pool full of ice during the summer sjhfdfdsfdh

Octavinelle-

Azul- Tried to hire her as a janitor for the lounge when Jade told him about her strong dislike for people, thinking it would pique her interrest to have a job with little to no people bothering her. But when he tried to ask her, his overly buisnessy talk and unnerving aura scared her so bad she ran away..

Jade- BESTIES They met when they were partnered up for a project in alchemy, and despite his.. creepy vibe, way of talking, and such, they start to get along, and eventually become friends.

Yes the slenderman drawing i made is the canon way he made her join the club, and yes she knows about slenderman ( cause creepy folklore stuff!! weeeeee!!) and yes she tought he might be real in this universe and almost cried.

Floyd- Had a massive giggle fit when she explained Nøkken to him, and now wont stop joking about drowning her in lakes, and asking if her and Jade found any cool lakes during club activities.

Scarabia-

Kalim- OH DEAR GOD WHY

She doesnt dislike him, he just.. hes a lot.. A LOT

Jamil- Very very thankfull for him keeping Kalim distracted when shes around fsahjsahfdhjgfh

Pomefiore-

Vil- no no no no no no

Rook - Her first meeting with him was when she was still a janitor at the school (before crowley let her and grim be students) when he was doing his usual Rook stuff.. and following people.. He gave her the school uniform she wears, it was a leftover pomefiore shirt and skirt, esetially dragging her off to Pomefiore to play dress up fsdkhfdss. As a hunter, he sort of takes the role of Gaston since shes based on Belle, but you know.. less gross.. Just yet another extrovert who haunts her fddffdshjfdsklgfkjlgfk

Epel- She had a massive giggle fit when he told her what his name was dsfdsjhfdshfds Epel sounds like saying Apple in norwegian but with a thick dialect.

Ignihyde-

Idia- Tec-illiterate normie.. but also a friend of Ortho, so he tollerates her fdshfsdsdfaiai

Ortho - Shes in the same class as him, he sees a lot of similarities between her and Idia, hes the first friend she made at the school willingly. Very much the "she said no pickles" friend, and has often talked for her when she gets too scared. Ella is almost entirely tech-illiterate and gives Idia a headache when she asks the most basic questions, but Ortho remains understanding of her situation of being from an entirely different world where not only tech is different, but icons, symbols and terminology as well. He at some point wrote down the basics for her on a sheet of paper that she now keeps in her journal.

Diasomnia-

Malleus- Nightwalk besties

Silver-

Sebek- Oh dear god no

Lillia- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

- • - • - • - • - • - • - {•{•{○•○}•}•} - • - • - • - • - • - • -

[jo-harrington]

Closing Time (Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader)

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Summary: Eddie watches the reader slay a dragon. (Reader works at Claire's in StarCourt and deals with a shitty customer before closing the store.)

Previous Part: Leave of Absence

Warnings/Themes: Semi-established relationship (friendship? Eddie isn’t sure what they are either), fluffy. Reader is not a Hawkins native, but it's kind of just implied. Eddie is a romantic boy and makes everything fantastical in that silly head of his. Also he makes a crude (ish?) joke. Typical teenage boy/young adult stuff. Nothing crazy,

Note: This is my first drabble I'm actually posting. (I haven't written actual fics in a hot minute, only headcanons). I hope it's good, but it really was an opportunity for me to get my frustrations out after work in a store for the first time in 2 years since I moved to corporate. And I kind of liked it so I might write more. (Therapy who?)

(Future Jo here...You can find my masterlist here for more featuring our resident Store Manager and all of my other writing.)

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

___

"Ma'am, I'm sorry that this is confusing, but it's store policy."

"Then I'd like to speak to the store manager."

"I am the store manager," you explained, smile dropping right off your face only to be replaced by a cool mask of indifference.

Eddie stood just outside of the store, leaning against a railing that overlooked the Food Court, and watched you. It was a Sunday, which meant the mall was closed early, and all of the stores were dark except for yours. The gate was halfway down, but he could still see the tenacity--the ferocity--in your eyes as you dealt with an unruly customer and it took everything in him to ignore the little shiver that went up his spine.

When Eddie first gotten a job at Tape World, he had briefly wondered if it was a mistake. He had mostly been given closing shifts to offset gigs at the Hideout on Tuesdays and Hellfire on Fridays. Not to mention school once it was back in session. And seeing how closing shifts meant he was missing out at the opportunity to be dealing at local parties over the summer...well he didn't need to pass algebra to know it was costing him some potentially serious cash.

But the pay at Tape World wasn't awful and it was steady. Wayne seemed to be proud of him for finally having a steady job, despite the assurance that he would always be proud of Eddie. The discount was nice, and his manager let him promote Corroded Coffin shows at the counter.

And then there was you.

At first glance, it didn't make sense to anyone. You with your pastel purple name tag, mega-watt smile, trendy clothes, and stacks of scrunchies. And Eddie with his alleged devil-worshipping, superior taste in music, non-conformity, and hair wild either from too much head banging or the single window AC unit in his trailer. Shit, even he didn't understand it in the beginning; he thought you were everything he said he hated.

But you weren't.

Just like he wasn't everything the entire town said he was either.

Instead he found someone who was just like him, only sort of not at all, with your own flock of lost little bedazzled, pastel and neon sheep that you were protective of. You were a misunderstood soul, a compassionate leader, and one of the most patient people he ever met.

Except for right this minute.

The lights in the mall itself started to dim and the music went silent. Yet, there you still stood in front of one of the local PTA moms as she complained about a return.

She had already been in the store when Eddie arrived to meet you at the end of your shift. (Sunday nights were your...well, Eddie didn't know what to call them. Not date nights; not yet at least.) And you had given him one quick, apologetic glance over her shoulder before you geared up for battle.

But Eddie had been watching as your mood devolved ever since, and you went from understanding, to annoyed, to fuming. And here you were now, looking as though you could singlehandedly manifest a pit to open up beneath Loudmouth Linda to swallow her whole if she carried on with her rant.

And it was kind of hot.

Eddie wouldn't consider himself someone who thought anger was sexy. It was scary. He had seen the way his father would get angry over the most minor things and it stayed with him his entire life. He would freeze, even at the most minor indication that anger was being directed towards him. From his father, from a teacher, from Officer Callahan--although Hopper was usually there to rescue him from that one.

It was different when it came to bullies at school or the townies that spoke in hushed tones when he passed them by. He could stand up to the jocks and the popular kids that pushed him and his friends around. He could ignore the scathing looks from the busybodies at the grocery store. And as much as it hurt to be cast away by almost everyone he met for years, he knew that it wasn't anger--actually he wasn't sure what it was, really--that caused them to do those things.

Just like it wasn't really anger that fueled your fight for the past fifteen minutes. It was purely righteous indignation as you were attacked by this absolute dragon of a woman.

Deep down, he wished he could be your savior, having dealt with the spitting venom of these townies before on numerous occasions. But you were no damsel, and this wasn't your first battle either. You took every insult with grace, every octave of a raised voice was met with an equally raised voice before going back to calm. You verbally jousted, using every trick in your book, and when they didn't work...

"Once again it is against the policy of StarCourt Mall to have customers in the building this late past close and I will have to call Mall Security to come and escort you out regardless of your choice ma'am. So we can either proceed with your return and you get the money back that you paid and not a cent more or I tell my staff and security that you are no longer welcome in this place of business. And security will have to take your picture as they escort you out."

...You simply slayed the beast. With a smile. Although Eddie believed you were actually just baring your teeth in warning.

There was that shiver up his spine again, and were those goosebumps on his arms?

He sort of hoped to be on the receiving end of those teeth sometime soon.

Regardless, your customer was left speechless as you processed her return and called security to escort her to the exit. Eddie smiled smugly as they passed him by.

It didn't take long for the lights of your store to finally shut and for you to duck under the gate before locking it.

He didn't even get a chance to congratulate you on your victory and tell you how absolutely epic you were before you were walking face first into his chest and sighing as your arms went around his waist in a hug.

“Hey,” he chuckled and put his arms around you, one hand instantly rubbing up and down your back.

“Hi.” Your reply was muffled and you squeezed him a bit harder.

"Y'ok there?"

"Yeah," you responded quietly and rubbed your cheek against his t-shirt. “You wanna get DQ?” You looked up at him for a second.

“I could use a blizzard,” he agreed.

“Cool,” you sighed and settled back against him. “People suck.”

“They do.”

The two of you stayed like that in relative silence for a few minutes and as much as Eddie wanted to go on--to tell you that the lady was out of line, that she was entitled, and that he could never handle it as smoothly as you did--he knew that wasn't what you needed right now.

He momentarily wondered that it wasn't all bad, not being your knight, when he could instead be the home you returned to after battle.

And he would happily do it, even if you never asked him to.

"You know," he finally broke the silence. "I've heard people threaten to call security many times. Mostly on the receiving end, sometimes as an innocent bystander."

"Oh yeah?" You finally looked up at him, nose wrinkling with a smile.

"But I think that was the first time it almost gave me a boner," he admitted.

"Eddie!" you pushed away from him and slapped his arms as you laughed, eyes shining with joy. Your worries were not forgotten, he knew, merely smoothed over by, hopefully, your adoration for him. "You fucking perv!"

"I said almost," he defended.

He would be there. Happily.

Next Part: Team Building

[reddbuster]

The Hawthorne sisters make me so insane because they're so interesting and have so so much potential but the way they're written (Especially Dahlia) encourages the audience not to look below the surface.

(long ass ramble-y analysis below and cw for mentions of the shitbag that is Terry Fawles. btw)

Remember that the Hawthornes are also Feys. They spent their early childhood raised by Morgan, a notoriously horrible parent, in a society where they were essentially viewed as disappointments. To their own mother, they were nothing but a waste of space. Dead weight born to drag her own name through the mud. Not to mention the fact that they were identical twins. Morgan probably barely treated them like people, let alone as her daughters. And then, when Misty took her role as the Master of Kurain, she shipped them off to the same father that didn't hesitate to leave the family behind.

And then, unsurprisingly, he decided that he didn't need them either. Even having left behind everything they'd ever known, The Hawthorne twins could never escape the curse of being unwanted. And so he shipped one off to Hazakura, and, reluctantly, took the other into his home. Their entire childhoods were just comprised of being left behind, again and again and again, and then, finally, being ripped away from the only person who'd ever understood them. And then their paths diverge.

Iris is alone. She's left at a temple in the mountains with a stranger. After a childhood of the twins likely being treated as a single, undesirable unit, (And with Dahlia probably being the more outspoken and therefore more noticed sister) Iris probably wouldn't have much sense of who she is. And she's been brought back into the world of the Kurain channeling technique, where she already knows she is useless. All she knows about herself is that nobody wants her. But Bikini is different. Over the years, they become a sort of family. And Iris has her issues, of course, but at least she has a place where she's needed, wanted, loved.

And then there's Dahlia. She's left in much the same state as Iris, except she doesn't get that same experience of finally belonging. She grows up as the awkward stepdaughter that nobody really wants around. But at least, if she can finish growing up in this household without losing her mind, she'll finally have the freedom to build her own life.

She's just starting high school. She gets a tutor to help her with math. Everything is normal. And then it turns out her tutor, a adult man twice her size, is attracted to her. This grown ass man starts dating her, a traumatized and vulnerable 14 year old girl. Somehow, Dahlia gets a hold of poison (what the fuck were her parents doing!!!!!!) and finds a way out, a way to get rid of her abuser. But Valerie, a) Dahlia's older sister and b) a police officer, who has a responsibility twice over to protect this girl, encourages her to stay in this relationship so she can get a share of her father's money.

The plot is Dahlia's last chance to get out of this. The others see an opportunity for a profit, but for Dahlia it's so much more than that. She can use this to escape, from her family and from Fawles. If she can just wait out the plan, she can eventually start fresh, with money and a new identity, away from her past. And she asks her sister to help. Because, of course, Iris is just like her! Iris must be alone and desperate too, so surely she will understand. Meanwhile, Iris is scared. She loves her sister, but Iris has finally found a family. She belongs somewhere. And now her sister wants her to help commit a crime? What Dahlia wants could put everything Iris has gained in jeopardy. When she decides not to assist in the plan, Dahlia feels doubly betrayed. Not only is Iris not helping, but it seems like she's moved on from her sister. Iris has everything Dahlia wants. A safe home. A mother. A place in life. And Dahlia is alone, just like she's always been. At this point, she may not even have a sister.

Dahlia commits her first murder because she is abused, desperate and scared. And every subsequent crime is fueled by these same emotions. Dahlia is not a genius or an evil mastermind. She's a girl who is scared and angry and bitter and at this point she's too far gone to start over. She kills Valerie, the sister who used her. Fawles dies on the stand. She poisons the defense of her abuser. She is scared. She's left behind a trail of evidence. She's practically running away from her own shadow at this point. The only asset she thinks she has left is her looks. She probably doesn't think twice about using Doug Swallow, because what has life taught her so far but that any man who wants her cannot be trusted? Doug and Phoenix are collateral damage. She doesn't see humanity in them.

When she is convicted in Phoenix's trial, he has failed at what she sees as his only asset. To her he isn't a person who loved her, because the only man who's ever claimed to love her before is Terry Fawles, and look how that turned out. It's not like she was actually there to get to know him. In this long waiting game that is her life, he's just the piece that didn't stay put. She couldn't predict him, and that fact leads to her downfall. And maybe there's no point anyway. Maybe her whole life was a downfall of sorts. Maybe Dahlia knows she doesn't have a future. But she keeps going because what else is she going to do, this broken, miserable girl fueled only by hurt. In the end, all Dahlia Hawthorne's life amounts to is 2 dead men and a murdered sister. Those were all people from her past. But now, the ones who ruined her, Phoenix, Mia Fey, her own sister who she loved and who betrayed her, they're the ones who get to live what was supposed to be her future. And then she dies with that knowledge that her entire life was nothing more than a bump on the road on someone else's path to happiness. No wonder she was bitter. No wonder she wanted them dead. She's like the living embodiment of everything that's wrong with her family.

And then Iris has to live with that knowledge! And it's not like she did something wrong. Of course she didn't. She saved an innocent man from being murdered. But her choices hurt someone she loved anyway, because that's what it means to be a Fey.

Yeah so anyway I'm normal

[storm-angel989]

Hello! I have seen your writing and it is amazing! I do have one request though. Is it possible you can do Adam x female reader?

It’s completely okay if you don’t want to. I see a lot of Vees on here so if the Adam one is too much, can you do the vees figuring out reader has ADHD?

Thank you in advance and keep up the amazing work! I see pure talent here. 😁

Hi friend,

Thank you so so much for the compliment! I haven’t written Adam yet (outside of OTO) so I am totally down to write an Adam x Female reader. Just shoot me another request with a scenario! 

For now, the below story is the Vee’s discussing the potential that Reader (Valentino’s Daughter) has ADHD! This sort of goes in line with the vaccination short story and at the core of it all, Valentino doesn't want his daughter to experience pain or discomfort.

Enjoy!

<3 Mandy 

The note came home pinned to her backpack two months into the start of her first grade year. Sure, Valentino knew his daughter was energetic. She loved to be active, and sitting still was a struggle for her. Hell, they had put in a small indoor play gym just her size off to the side of their own gym down in Velvette’s studio. A safe place for her to run and jump and climb. But that was the age group, right? 

“I don’t see why she needs to be evaluated,” Valentino said aloud.

Around the table, Vox, Velvette and Valentino’s wife looked at him. 

“I mean, baby,” his wife began gently, “she’s really struggling to stay focused in school. How many times have we gotten phone calls that she’s had to pull a card?”

“I don’t think that’s right either,” Valentino declared. “She needs a new teacher. One who doesn’t engage in positive punishment.”

Vox sighed, “look. Val. I don’t disagree. And if you really want to go through the process of rehiring a teacher, we can fire her. But for now, can we focus on the issue at hand?” 

Valentino crossed his arms defensively. “Which is?”

“Damn it, Valentino. Open your eyes for like three seconds and see what we’re all seeing,” Velvette snapped. “The kid can’t sit still. She touches everything. She leaves things all over and can’t find them. She finishes her work fast, but instead of sitting quietly she pulls six other kids over and starts a party.” 

“Maybe she needs more challenging work,” Valentino shot back. “Or more work.”

“No! That isn’t going to..” Velvette stood up. “That isn’t how that works!” 

“Vees, take a breath,” Valentino’s wife said gently. “The evaluation process isn’t hard. She won’t even know it’s an evaluation, she’ll just think she’s having fun and playing. What can it hurt?”

“You really think this is a good idea?” Valentino asked. He crossed his arms defensively. “I don’t want her medicated.”

“One step at a time, Val,” Vox said easily. 

His screen began to brighten and Valentino’s wife put her hand on his arm. She gave him a look and his screen dimmed back to normal instantly. 

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” she muttered to Vox. 

“Fine, but I want us to be there with her,” Valentino said, oblivious to the events in front of him. 

“As much as we can without compromising the test, fair?” His wife asked. 

Valentino conceded. He stood up from the table and turned away towards his bedroom. All three winced as they heard the door slam shut. 

“I mean, that went better than the vaccination talk,” Velvette said with a shrug.

[possessedbyforcesunknown]

My Favourite Jooster Fics

Bertie's Blog (ongoing series)

The writing is so charming and whimsical. I've never read a Wodehouse story but I assume that if he wrote Bertie as a modern-day blogger he would write exactly like this. It gave me some Bridget Jones' Diary vibes if Bridget Jones was a gay man in his twenties with a career in blogging (influencing?). I just love picturing a cute blond Bertie and his tall, clever, solicitor boyfriend. They even have a meet-cute!

2. Refused Entry (probably abandoned)

(TW: sexual assault) Begging the author to release chapter 5 because this is just one of the best stories I have ever read. So much potential. Bertie catches the eye of a perverted male OC and Jeeves' protective side comes out. POV alternates between the OC and Bertie—their inner monologues are great. I just love reading about Jeeves from another character's perspective.

3. The Pianist (last updated Feb 2023)

Long fic about Bertie and Jeeves' paths crossing in different circumstances starting from childhood. Slow burn. Literally 'invisible string' coded.

4. My Man Wooster (ongoing series)

I can't wait to read the fourth fic!! Literally everything you want for a role swap, featuring Bertie as England's worst valet and Jeeves as the Olivia Pope of 1930s London. I need them to get together so badly!! There are also hints as to why Bertie has fallen so far from high society and my boy is going THROUGH it.

5. Something of Vengeance (15/15 chapters, Sherlock Holmes crossover)

The romance isn't very direct but it's still one of my favourite stories. Interesting plot and seeing old Johnlock react to oftentimes air-headed but always kind-hearted Bertie is so cute. I need to reread this soon!!

6. All's Well That Ends Well (4/4 chapters, Completed)

I'm a sucker for anything ABO. A classic 'Bertie gets himself into trouble and Jeeves saves the day' story. Jeeves really is a saint for having so much self-control because there are quite a few romance tropes like accidental lap-sitting. It just tickles my brain.

7. The Yaxley Affair (one-shot)

I was hesitant to read this because it's a crossover with The Man from UNCLE but I'm so glad I did. It's quite a long story at 57k words (novella-length) but very worth the read. The older, 'established relationship' version of Bertie (now Lord Yaxley) and Jeeves are perfectly-written. It's like Ilya and Napoleon are stuck in a generic spy thriller but they're constantly in disbelief at how Jooster don't follow the 'norm' and still survive. (Do you know what I mean?) The author (Mice) has also written a number of great fics in this fandom.

8. Jeeves and the Best Laid Schemes (6/6 chapters)

I haven't read a lot of stories from Jeeves' perspective. In this fic, Jeeves is trying to make Bertie take a hint about his true feelings but he keeps getting sidelined by other characters. I love it when Jeeves is the one who falls first.

9. Jeeves in the Shower (one-shot, E)

Short and sweet. I just love it when Character A finds Character B taking a shower and they proceed to have sex.

10. Jeeves and the Gadsby Filly (one-shot)

Bertie in drag meets Jeeves in a night club and are drawn together. Don't know how else to describe it but fluffy and cute.

11. Totleigh Academy (3/3 chapters)

I'm a reader of simple tastes. I will always click on a high school AU (which are hit or miss). This is a hit!! Teenage Jooster dynamic is just lovely.

Final Note: There are probably more fics out there because the writers in this fandom are so good at writing in this sort of Wodehousian style. They capture Bertie's voice so well and the dialogue in some stories is just sparkling!! I would recommend the entire catalogue of fics on AO3 tbh.

[demigod-of-the-agni]

PLEASSEEE TELL US ABOUT YOUR MYTHIC MUMBATTAN AU PLEASE PLEASEE

>:) very well, my people (currently screaming because i wrote a response but i accidentally CTRL+Zd everything out of existence lmao)

The Mythic Mumbattan AU is me pouring the following ingredients into an explosive mess:

Hindu mythology and Indian culture overload

college!Spider-Man shenanigans

revamping the original Spider-Man: India plotlines and expanding the lore

character studies!!! my favourite :)

a potential and self-indulgent crossover with another indian superhero (if we ever get there)

the horrors.

Pavitr and his personal cast!!! just!!!! THEY!!!!!!

(keep reading if you want more goodies >:D)

So the CoffeeBean is a coffeeshop that existed in the mainstream Marvel universe and in real life but that's another thing; the cast below frequently drop by to hang out with one another. The Mumbattan-equivalent of the CoffeeBean is actually the TeaHouse which is another real life thing but shh and so in-universe they're called the TeaHouse gang, but in my heart they'll always be the CBG 😌

Everyone goes to Brihanmumbai State University (BSU). Lots of crazy things happen here. Pavitr's relationship with the others is always in flux but ultimately they're super close with one another (fuck it, they might as well be poly). Their personalities I try to keep as close as I can to the mainstream universe E616 comics, but I'm being creative and letting a few things from the SMI comics and ATSV influence them:

Pavitr Prabhakar — Tamilar (Tamil); he has the charm and skills from his ATSV counterpart and the smarts from his SMI counterpart; he can be a bit of a jerk and a flake, but he tries to be a good friend, and is much more open than he was in high school.

Meera Jain — Kannadiga (Kannada); basically how I've written her in tibim: everyone's first impression of her is that she's carefree and seems to not worry too much about life. She secretly deals with a lot of self-doubt and personal fears, but the gang's presence is enough for her to push them aside.

Gayatri Singh — Gujarati (Gujarati); she's probably the most quiet of the gang, but undeniably the kindest. She's more similar to Pavitr, in that she's stubborn and quick to judge. She's the glue of the gang and always willing to extend a hand to others

Hari Oberoi — Maharashtrian (Gujarati/Marathi/Hindi); the son of the man who tried to bring literal hell to earth, but other than that he's okay. He's a people-pleaser despite having everything, and struggles with his own self-image and who he should become

Ekansh "Flash" Travasso — Goan (Marathi); the high school jock who's grown more understanding and compassionate. He knew Pavitr the longest, so they have quite an interesting collection of interactions. (ALSO I'M SO SORRY I WROTE THOMPSON IN THE ART POST INSTEAD OF TRAVASSO 😭 maybe i should go back and edit that)

Spider-Man is Spider-Man'ing. Mumbattan loves him (sort of. Inspector Singh has mixed feelings). But another question: why is that every where Spider-Man goes the demons of yore all start showing up and begin wrecking havoc? Why is that? I am taking the magic in Spider-Man: India and dialing it up to five million — horrors and magic of every kind! I can get my hands real dirty and /really/ push Pavitr to his limit >:)

That is all for now. There will be more characters, but they'll show up in time. Lots of stories too, all old and new and revamped and crazy, but they'll be told when they're ready. Perhaps this is enough to satiate everyone's hunger? (unless you want to know something else, then by all means go ahead and ask!!!)

[fayes-fics]

It Had To Be You: Chapter 2 - Pour myself a cup of ambition

Masterpost PREV | NEXT

Pairings: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader (also features Thomas Dorset x fem!reader, Benedict Bridgerton x Tessa), Modern AU

Chapter Summary: Set 5 years after Chapter 1 (linked above). As your job takes you abroad for the very first time, you bump into the last person you expect on another shared journey full of revelations.

artwork credit: @colettebronte

Warnings: none really… some sexual language, swear words, bickering, and flirting.

Word Count: 2.2k

Authors Note: Unbetaed. Chapter 2 of my multi-chapter modern rom-com, heavily inspired by When Harry Met Sally. Sorry that it's taken a while to get this next part written. I hope you all enjoy! <3

7 years ago (5 Years Later)

You stand just before the security gates at St Pancras International, engaging in a rare PDA moment. But you justify to yourself that this is the first time you have had to go away on business since you started your new relationship three months ago, and this one seems like great potential. Dr Tom Dorset. Friendly, sweet, handsome and, so far at least, well-adjusted and emotionally mature. Your friends agree he’s quite the catch. And he is pretty fantastic in all sorts of other ways too. You certainly have no complaints in the bedroom.

Just as he whispers how much he will miss you and kisses that spot on your neck that makes you a little weak, your moment is interrupted.

“Tom? Tom Dorset? Is that you?”

There in front of you is the man you thought you would never see again. Looking a few years older and dressed better, but there’s no doubt who it is. You’d never forget those eyes.

“Ben? Ben Bridgerton?!” Tom seems delighted, and it occurs to you that they must be old friends as Tom takes his arms from around you and shakes his hand warmly. Just fucking great.

“I thought it was you! I haven't seen you for years! Was the last time when I came to Ant’s at Trinity?! What have you been up to?”

“Medical school mostly,” Tom offers demurely, then turns to you. “Oh, sorry, Ben, this is y/n y/l/n, y/n this is Ben Bridgerton; I was his brother’s roommate at Trinity College, Oxford.”

Ben’s eyes cut to you, and you see a confused look pass over his face; like you are familiar, but he can’t place why. 

“Well, I must get this train, but it was great to see you! Email me!” Ben smiles warmly, and with one last brow knit in your direction, he takes off. 

“Thank fuck he didn’t remember me,” you exhale loudly when he is out of earshot.

“Ben?” Tom looks confused.

“Yes, We drove from St Andrews to London together five years ago, and it was the worst road trip I think I've ever had,” you bemoan. “He was dating a friend of mine, and I agreed to split the drive. Urgh, it was terrible. He’s so obnoxious.”

Tom looks over your shoulder. “Well, looks like he just got on your train, honey, so umm, good luck with that,” he chuckles, bemused as you roll your eyes.

“Just fucking great,” you sigh sarcastically and plant your head on Tom’s shoulder as he draws you into his safe, warm embrace again. 

“I love you; I will miss you,” he says softly, cupping your jaw lovingly as he gently kisses your lips.

It's only the second time he has said it, and your heart flutters as you break into a huge smile. “I love you too. I will be back before you know it,” you promise, pulling him in for a passionate kiss you hope he will remember.

As you part, he exhales raggedly. “God, now I’ll miss you even more.”

“Mmm, that’s the point,” you whisper coquettishly and run a hand down his back, inside his coat, unseen by people around you. “Text me, sexy stuff,” you request quietly, then gently bite his bottom lip.

He groans, “Good god, woman, get on that train before I drag you somewhere or buy a ticket to join you.”

___

You are still giggling and feeling so fizzy and light, like champagne is in your blood, as you skip onboard the train to Paris. Taking your seat in First Class that you’ve been assigned by work feels like such a luxury; excited to cover your first story abroad.

Your phone pings just as the train slips out of the station. Love you. Safe travels. Txx

You can’t help your little titter of happiness, and just as you go to type a reply, someone leans over from the seat diagonally behind you, across the aisle.

“I swear I recognise that giggle. The University of St Andrews?” 

It’s Ben. Of course, it is. Thanks for that fate.

“Yes,” you sigh, not turning around, annoyed he doesn't remember more detail. How could he possibly forget calling you beautiful? Your traitorous brain yells in your skull.

“Did we date?” he questions.

You can't help but almost snort at that. “Hell no!” You twist around. “You were dating my friend Gen. We drove to London together after term ended.”

“Oh, I remember now!” he smiles, “you wouldn't give me a Malteser.”

“You propositioned me!” you blurt out as you watch him pull an apple out of his bag.

“No, I didn't,” he laughs, “I just said you were beautiful,” and he takes a bite out of the fruit. “You still are, if it's any consolation,” he offers, around a mouthful.

“None whatsoever,” you fib, feeling your cheeks heat at the compliment. “And you still talk while you eat, like an animal,” you roll your eyes, barely believing how riled up you are from exchanging less than five sentences.

“Would you two like to sit together?” the man opposite you at the table offers.

“No, that's really not….” you begin.

“Yes, thanks!” Ben interrupts, and you scowl at him as he stands immediately, throwing his bag down next to you before swinging over as the man moves aside.

“So you were going to be a journalist?” he winks after he settles into the seat opposite you.

Up close now, he is still just as handsome as he was. Maybe more so, jaw more defined and smattered with stubble. The utter arsehole.

“I am a journalist. My internship at the Guardian turned into a job. I'm going to Paris to cover the climate summit,” you state proudly, squaring your shoulders a little. “You?”

“Visiting my fiancee,” he grins, and something twinges in your gut. Maybe getting tacos for lunch wasn’t a good idea.

“You are getting married? You?” you laugh in total disbelief.

And you are suddenly back in your old studio flat, hearing more about his player reputation. A few months after the drive to London, Gen came to crash on your sofa and commiserate her reentry to single life. She didn't seem that upset about the dalliance ending, to be fair, mostly about how much she’d miss the ‘fucking mind-blowing fucking’ as she had so indelicately put it. You can see the words floating like a speech bubble above her face in your mind “Y/n, I can live without the dick attitude, but damn, I don’t know that I wanna live without that dick, you know?” Then threw herself face-first into a cushion. You cut off her margaritas at that point. How much that had to do with not wanting to think about him and his member, you decided not to dwell on.

“Yes,” he cuts into your reverie. “Her name is Tessa. She's an artist too. She's Parisian.”

“Tres chic.”

“How long have you been with Dorset? Wait, don’t tell me. Let me guess,” he smirks.

You fold your arms and raise an eyebrow. “This ought to be good,” you mutter as much to yourself as to him.

“Hmm, three months?” 

Dammit. How did the bastard get it spot on?

“Why?” you try to bluff, but the victorious crooked grin that unfurls over his face shows he knows he's right without you having to say it.

“Goodbye before a trip. Classic three-month behaviour,” he opines, taking another huge bite of his apple.

“Glad to see your eating habits have at least got healthier,” you state dryly, trying to change tack.

“Tessa likes to eat healthily,” he explains with an almost dreamy expression. Part of you is already impressed by this woman you have never met who has turned the human rubbish bin into a more impressive version of a man. “Has he told you he loves you?” he queries, spittling just a speck of apple onto the table.

“Why is that ANY of your business?” you frown.

“Because if he hasn't, he's a fool,” he shrugs casually as if those words aren't some of the sweetest you’ve heard.

“Luckily, he’s no fool,” you respond, confirming without actually confirming.

He nods. “Good. Dorset is a good one. Don't ‘y/n’ him away,” he jests, using air quotes.

“What the fuck does that mean?” you spit, suddenly whiplash angry when just a few moments ago you were impressed with his sweetest.

“You can't smoke in my car. Eating that will kill you,” he adopts a high-pitched voice and waggles his head as he mocks you.

“Fuck you,” you grumble.

“I would have, happily, but you said no,” he winks, and you want to punch him.

“I thought you just denied propositioning me!” 

He just shrugs and laughs loudly. You can tell everyone around you is most amused by your back and forth, so instead, you shoot him a glare and then change tack, staring out of the window as the countryside of Kent zips by. So irritated you forget to text Tom back for another five minutes.

___

“Do you know anyone in Paris?” he asks, pulling out an AirPod as you close your laptop sometime later. 

The train is somewhere under the Channel, and the darkness of the tunnel outside the window makes the train feel a touch more intimate, claustrophobic even.

“No,” you admit.

“How about Tessa and I take you out for dinner?” he proposes.

“Isn't tonight your first night together in a while?” you frown.

“Yeah… and?” he seems to be either not catching your train of thought or being intentionally obtuse, goading you into a trap to state the obvious.

“I would have thought you'd be otherwise occupied,” you arch an eyebrow pointedly.

“Oh…” he suddenly catches your drift and, rather adorably, a spot of pink dust his lovely cheekbones. OK, maybe not the latter.

“Certainly not wanting a third wheel, like me hanging around,” you point out meekly with a knowing smile.

“If that is your way of offering a threesome, I’m down,” he flirts, his voice suddenly velvet smooth, so much so the hairs on the back of your neck prickle up.

“God’s sake,” you mutter, feigning more indignation than you actually have.

“You're the one who told me about your lesbian experiences at uni!” he argues defensively.

“I was just trying to prove a point!” 

“Got to be honest, don't remember a damn thing except the visual that almost had me drive into a bus shelter,” he admits with a chuckle.

“And take out that delivery cyclist,” you remind, joining in.

There is a moment where your eyes meet in a joint nostalgia of amusement, and something feels softer between you.

“Listen, Tess’s brother is a chef at a great little bistro; we will almost certainly end up there anyway, as we usually always do. I'm sure she would be delighted for you to join us,” the sincerity of his offer touches you.

“Thanks, but I have to do some research ahead of tomorrow. I’ll probably just order room service and crash out,” you admit, knowing that is a lame response.

“Fair enough. Well, let's at least exchange numbers this time. Stay in touch? If you are at a loose end at any point, let me know, and we’ll happily give you a tour or just grab a drink?”

“Okay”, you capitulate and hand over your phone for him to punch in his number.

“Wonderful” he smiles genuinely, and his hazy eyes dance. “Are we finally becoming friends?” he teases gently as he seems to fiddle a little longer than needed to put in a few digits.

“I guess so,” you respond with a laugh.

He hands back your phone, and weirdly it's screen locked.

“Good, And as my very first act as your friend, may I make a comment you are not allowed to take offence to?” he questions, with an odd tone.

Your dander is suddenly way up. “Whatttt?” you elongate the word rife with suspicion.

He leans over the train table suddenly, and you startle as his lips are warm against the shell of your ear, your heart-rate spiking. “You have a fucking fantastic pair of tits,” he murmurs.

You splutter, shame, outrage and desire flooding your system in almost equal measure. Incapable of forming words, you sharply pull back into your seat and shoot him your most sour glare.

“Maybe don't hand your phone over when it’s open to the message thread with your boyfriend,” he chuckles.

You feel mortified, recalling the photo you'd texted Tom last night as a going-away present, and you are almost blinded as the train suddenly swoops out of the tunnel and sunlight floods into the compartment.

In fact, you are grateful that he gets a call just at that moment. It seems to last ages, and he wanders away, probably to find the buffet car, knowing him. By the time you see him making his way back through the carriage, the train is pulling into Gare Du Nord. You are on your feet and walking to the next carriage to alight. Not certain you can live down your embarrassment. 

There are a few moments as you wander around Paris over the next two days when your fingers itch to dial his number… but you never do, something always stopping you. Bizarrely, you think it might be the idea of meeting his fiancee, and you have no idea what that means, so avoidance seems like the best tactic.

After all, he’s probably moving to Paris soon, so really, what's the point?

Benedict taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @margofiore @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @bridgertontess @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @lilithseve @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz

[ukrfeminism]

‘What’s the worst that can happen?” That is what Georgia Harrison asked herself one Sunday morning in August 2020 when Stephen Bear, who lived opposite, invited her over for a cup of tea. They knew each other through the reality television and influencer circuits. She had been on The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) and Love Island; he had done Shipwrecked, Ex on the Beach, then won Celebrity Big Brother. They had hooked up before and he hadn’t treated her well.

“We’d been in lockdown and I was definitely quite lonely, feeling quite rubbish about myself,” says Harrison, 28. “I knew that going to Bear’s was a bad idea – there were two voices in my head. In the end, I thought: what’s the worst that could happen? Well, now we know.”

What happened was this: the morning cup of tea stretched into a long lunch washed down by tequila, followed by drunken sex in Bear’s back garden. The sex was different from how it had been in the past – more performative, with Bear carefully positioning Harrison in various locations. “It was more dramatic and lasted longer,” says Harrison. “I just thought he was having a good day.” Afterwards, to Harrison’s horror, Bear mentioned casually that it might have been caught on his CCTV system. When he showed her the footage and she began to cry (“I’ll die if anyone sees it,” she said), he promised to delete the video. Instead, three months later, Bear posted the footage on his verified Only Fans account. Within days, it was all over the internet, including the website Pornhub. “Georgia Harrison sex tape” had become a top search on Google.

Harrison found out when a fan in the US sent her a screenshot asking: “Have you seen this?” Her reaction was to gag. But she picked herself up and went to the police. Bear was arrested, charged and convicted. In March 2023, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for voyeurism and sharing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress. Now, she has written a memoir about it, Taking Back My Power.

It is hard to overstate the impact of this case. Most victims of intimate image abuse never report the crime. They are teenagers too terrified of their parents’ reactions, professionals who fear for their careers, parents who don’t want their children or partner to know, or anyone else who can’t face walking into a police station armed with a link to Pornhub. Of those who do come forward, only about 4% will ever see a charge; a prison sentence is rarer still.

Bear’s case – on the news, in headlines, all over social media – sent a message of hope to victims of this sort of abuse and a warning shot to potential perpetrators. There was a 56% rise in calls to the government’s “revenge porn” helpline in the month he was sentenced. Harrison didn’t stop there, though. She lobbied parliament to demand better laws around “revenge porn” and helped to secure amendments to the online safety bill that make the crime easier to prosecute. She is still campaigning for platforms that carry the footage of her and Bear to be held criminally accountable.

It is certainly not the life or career she had in mind when she left school at 16, the only child of a single mother, already intent on reality TV stardom. “I grew up in Essex and a lot of my friends were on Towie, so that’s what I wanted to reach for,” she says. “It was the idea of literally getting paid for doing photoshoots, partying and having some fun in all these mad countries and bars.” At 19, she did get on Towie; a few years later, she was on Love Island. She built a career as an influencer and was able to buy a flat in Essex at 21. Was it all she had hoped for? “Actually, it was even better,” she says.

Although she and Bear were neighbours, Harrison didn’t get to know him until October 2018, when they were cast in The Challenge, an MTV reality show. By then, the former roofer had built a TV reputation as a bit of a player, a “lovable rogue”. They got together during filming, but when the show finished, Bear went back to womanising. Shortly afterwards, they starred in the sequel and got together again. This time, though, Harrison says, he locked her out of their hotel room to sleep with someone else.

The next time Harrison saw Bear was in August 2020, when he invited her over for that cup of tea and secretly filmed them having sex. Afterwards, she felt certain he had planned it. “We’d been in every angle that his CCTV covered,” she says. “He’d made sure we were never outside the lines.” Even so, she didn’t see what lay ahead. “I was really upset and he seemed to understand. I never for a second thought he’d be stupid enough to send it to people. I hoped he had some form of respect for me, but I also thought he wouldn’t want to ruin his entire career or end up in prison. I just didn’t think he was capable of what he was capable of.”

In the days after, Harrison messaged Bear asking him to promise he wouldn’t do anything with the video. He assured her that he had deleted it. It was December when she received the screenshot from a fan in the US. “That’s when I knew it was global,” she says. “One of my first thoughts was: it’s time to tell my family. My mum knew already, but I needed to have the conversations with my dad, my uncle – the male figures, I guess – so they knew it was coming.” In fact, her uncle knew already; he had been sent the video by someone who didn’t realise Harrison was his niece. “They were all horrified, but supportive,” she says. “I was an adult having sex – they told me I’d done nothing to be ashamed of.”

She knew that, but shame still hit in waves. “It went so horrifically viral; my postman’s probably seen it,” she says. “It’s that feeling that I’d let myself down, let my family down, that I should have seen it coming and how could I have been so stupid?” Her influencer work went into freefall. Any post on any product would be flooded with comments about the video (“Congrats hon, you’re a porn star now!”). “There were so many other influencers – same amount of followers, been on Love Island, same calibre – who didn’t have a sex scandal. Why put me next to their brand?” She rented out her flat – for income and because she was terrified of seeing Bear – and moved in with her mum.

“I don’t think I’ve admitted to myself how bad my anxiety was until now,” she says. “I wouldn’t be able to go to the gym on my own, or I’d get in and feel everyone was looking at me and have to leave. I barely left the house and when I did it was really hard not to panic. It got to the point where I only wanted to be around my closest friends.”

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Harrison reported Bear, who was arrested in January 2021 and charged four months later. There was an 18-month wait for the trial. Harrison’s life was on hold. She knew she had a strong case – she had been filmed without her knowledge and had sent multiple messages to Bear begging him not to share it – but she dreaded a “not guilty” verdict. The Bear she knew, the Bear who had won Celebrity Big Brother, was a charmer. He could win hearts, talk you round.

“If he was found not guilty, I think I would have had to shave my head and move to Bolivia or something,” she says. “The career I love would have been over – that’s definite. But aside from that, my faith in the universe would have been so shattered. It would have drained all the hope and faith and love and life out of me. To see someone act in such an awful, evil, manipulative way and then walk away … I felt it might just ruin me – and it seemed possible. Bear could play things so brilliantly. I don’t know why he decided not to.”

Bear’s behaviour before and during the trial probably sealed his sentence. He uploaded X-rated videos of him and his girlfriend to the internet, captioning one: “At least she knows I’m filming her.” In another video posted just before the trial, the couple cavorted in orange prison jumpsuits. He ran a Twitter poll on what colour of suit he should wear to court – and turned up in a rented Rolls-Royce, dressed in pink and a huge fur coat, carrying a cane topped with a gold snake’s head. In court, he interrupted the judge and waved away the barrister. He pleaded not guilty, but his defence was nonsensical. At times, he claimed that Harrison wasn’t the woman in the video, or that she didn’t mind it being filmed, or that there was no proof that he had uploaded the images – it might have been his assistant, it could have been a hacker.

Had he pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, he would almost certainly have been handed a community sentence. Harrison still can’t understand it. “The Bear I first met was funny and cheeky, but also really charming – he could be kind,” she says. “That person in court seemed possessed. I feel like every show he went on, he was praised for being ‘the villain’ – and the worse he was, the more attention he got. At some point, the lines blurred. That role took over.” A reality TV monster? “That’s how it seemed.”

Giving evidence was excruciating for Harrison. She sat in the witness box as the jury (nine men, three women) looked through pages and pages of video stills, having to confirm that each one featured her. “I could tell the jury was absolutely cringing,” she says. “I was in a private garden in a private moment that I thought was between me and one other person. To know people have seen it is hard. To see people seeing it while they can see you is harder.

“As someone in the public eye, used to public speaking, it was still hard to get my words out. You don’t know where to look, who to talk to. You feel you’ve done something wrong when you haven’t. I dread to think what it’s like for a vulnerable young woman who isn’t used to addressing a room. I think it would be near enough impossible.” She hopes her case might make it a little easier. “Women come up to me all the time, crying, saying they’ve been through this horrible situation and never spoken to anyone about it before. They message me on a daily basis. Intimate-image abuse happens so much more than people think.”

After the trial, Harrison continued campaigning, initially to make cases easier to prosecute. At present, the sharing of intimate images without consent is not illegal – unless done “with intent to cause distress”, however hard that is to prove. In June, the government announced amendments to the online safety bill that will remove this requirement if the law is passed. This will mean that sharing intimate images without consent, whatever the motive, would become a criminal act.

But Harrison wants more.

“If you go to court for this and get a criminal conviction, that content should become illegal and any platforms that still show it and fail to take it down should become criminally accountable,” she says. “It’s crazy. If someone gets caught with drugs, those drugs are seized and disposed of. Why should this footage stay up there? A change like that isn’t hard to make and it would make a huge difference. Far more victims would come forward, because they’d know it will be possible to make all that footage disappear at the end.”

The video of Harrison and Bear is still out there. “I worry that one day I’ll have kids and it will be accessible to them,” she says. “I just hope that by that time, society may have got on top of this and it will be too risky and expensive for platforms to carry it.” She expects that finding a partner she trusts will take time. “As I get to the point where I am trying to have relationships, I’ve realised that I do have trust issues, but that’s not a bad thing. I’ve been burned so badly. I won’t accept anything that might be a red flag or makes me feel vulnerable. If someone really cares about me, they’ll just have to help me get past that.”

Meanwhile, she is busy again. There is a TV show coming up that she can’t talk about yet. The brands are back. Harrison has written Taking Back My Power. She would like to present daytime TV: “You literally get paid to have a natter!” She is also happy to be known for the court case. “I’ll never, ever lose the stigma of being all over those porn platforms,” she says. “But if I’m known as the person who stood up and fought back – I’d be proud of that.”

[magicstar16]

Okay Okay Okay I just had a thought and I legally CANNOT sleep until I share it

Sooo Gooseworx has confirmed the ages of the humans in The Amazing Digital circus

Brace yourself, this is gonna be long.

And she has also confirmed that Jax and Zooble were the youngest (With Zooble being half a year older)

Now I read a theory on the WMG page of Tv tropes that theorized that Jax might have been a teenager or young adult (I believe this was written before the age confirmation but stay with me here) when he got trapped in the digital circus (They didn't say anything about Zooble but the same could be applied for them) But here's my thought:

What if Jax and Zooble got trapped in TADC as kids. Not teenagers, but ACTUAL CHILDREN.

Think about it, The Amazing Digital Circus has a lot of it's aesthetic and general inspiration taken from 90s/2000s kid's edutainment games, and signs are pointing it to TADC having even been that kind of game In-universe.

So here's my theory:

Jax and Zooble were the age of the TADC's target demographic when they played it (probably early to mid elementary school age). My guess on what lead to them to getting trapped is:

A: When in playtesting/test audience phase, Jax and Zooble were two children chosen by C&A to playtest the game and act as a test audience of sorts, when it turned out they were straight up trapped in there, C&A said "Oh shit, our test players are trapped" And tried to do as much damage control as possible until the game was finished They filled Jax and Zooble's heads with false promises of escape, but eventually they both realized that the company was lying through their teeth and they were never going to get out, whether or not the game was completed.

Or B (AKA the simpler answer) : The game was already released and Jax and Zooble played it as kids (Whether they played it on school computers or home computers IDK) and they got trapped.

If you want to connect some more red strings to this theory, it could provide a potential explanation as to why C&A is in the run-down state it is now. When finding Kid!Jax and Kid!Zooble's bodies collapsed and unresponsive, Their parents/teachers/guardians reported it, and the news spread like wildfire. (Excluding Queener, the other crossed out portraits could have been other children who played the game during it's heyday and got trapped). The incidents of children going comatose while playing TADC lead to lawsuit after lawsuit being thrown at C&A, until they eventually went bankrupt.

As for explaining their behavior, the theory is MUCH MUCH more loose, but you can see what I'm talking about if you squint. Jax is a snarker and a prankster, and Zooble is just moody in general, most people would associate that kind of behavior with misbehaving or "troubled" children. Gooseworx DID say that TADC would be "Like Toy Story but everyone is a jerk".

How Jax and Zooble currently act, while not exact, could be VERY close to how they acted as kids. Because they practically grew up in the digital circus, considering the kind of game The Amazing Digital Circus is, they didn't really grow up at all, they arguably didn't HAVE to.

So yeah basically Zooble and Jax are emotionally stunted, since Jax says the whole cast has been there for years, Zooble and Jax (or at least just Jax) are like That because as kids they were trapped in a world that wouldn't let them grow up.

I'm not saying this theory is correct, I mean, this theory is built on a little information and heavy speculation, if this theory were a building it would be sloppily held together by Duct tape and glitter glue. But I feel like I'm onto SOMETHING here.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

It feels weird not to be requesting the murder mystery party (The story was so perfectly written!) but I am loving the Librarian!Buck story already!

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼 🔼

🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟

📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

Ahh thank you so much!! You are so kind!!!

30 for 🚨:

---

He wants to push it further. Give his dad the opportunity to say the wrong thing. Let Eddie off the hook of doing any emotional labor if all that’s going to happen is disappointment and hurt. 

“I’m going to ask him to marry me.”

Ramon nods. “If he makes you that happy, and you know him that well, then you should. That’s great, son.”

Fuck. It’s exactly the right thing to say. Not a hint of judgment or disdain. 

“Thank you,” Eddie mumbles. 

Maybe this is worth the risk. Maybe. 

He takes a deep breath. 

“This doesn’t mean I forgive Mom,” he tells his father. “This is… If we work on it, it’s just between us.”

“I know that,” Ramon nods. “She and I have… Well, we’ve discussed this. If she wants to change how things are between the two of you, she has to do that herself. But I’m not waiting for her to get there.”

Eddie can imagine them fighting about it. Her wounded pride. Her probably valid grievances about the kind of partner Ramon was, only to have this clarity now. But he’s right. It’s up to her to cross the distance between them. Even if Eddie isn’t sure he can forgive her. He definitely won’t if she doesn’t try. And… And maybe he’s glad his father is trying. 

---

Gonna move 🔼 to the bottom and put it under the cut for NSFW content.

So, 30 for 🧟:

---

But could things be way worse for her and the people she loves most? Easily. 

And the thing is, they sort of were. 

Before the end of life as they knew it, Hen had been dancing around the potential end of things as she knew it. Her marriage. Her family. Her stability. And it had been all Hen’s fault. 

Her ex, Eva, had been up for parole. Hen had gone to visit her a few times, before she’d gotten out of jail, and after. Nothing had happened, but she’d lied to Karen about it. Knowing it was an insecurity in their relationship. Knowing Karen wouldn’t be happy to find out. But Karen did find out and the resulting arguments had not been good. Hen had been scared. Scared and mad. Scared for her marriage and her future. Mad at herself. Mad at Eva. She’d felt close to imploding.

And then the world ended.

The thing is, apocalypses put all your other problems into perspective. You forget about meddlesome ex-girlfriends/bio mothers rather quickly when the chance is more than likely that she’s now a zombie. You put issues behind you super fast when you come so close to death. And Hen and Karen did that. They made up. Karen forgave her. They moved on. They survived. 

---

30 for 📖:

---

When he calls Carla, she explains it. Shannon Diaz was killed by a distracted driver in Mar Vista. She was crossing the street when the driver blew through a crosswalk, striking her down. Eddie’s fire station responded to the call. He had to watch her die. Buck feels sick, listening to the story.

He doesn’t know what to do about it. There is nothing he can do about it. He’s already too late to attend the funeral. Not that that would be appropriate. Would it? He’s not sure what the etiquette is. He’s not expected to do anything. He didn’t know Shannon Diaz. He is her son’s librarian. He is somewhat friendly with her widower. That’s all. 

And yet, he feels he needs to do something. 

He thinks about it for days. Days, in which Christopher never comes back to the library. Where Buck feels like absence from the after school programming like a redacted line on a page. 

So he does something a little stupid. Technically against the rules. Eddie could probably get him fired, if he doesn’t like it. Buck hopes he won’t, though.

He goes to a local indie bookstore and buys a probably unnecessarily large stack of kids books. Things he knows are right at Christopher’s reading level or just above it. Adds in a little bookmark with a watercolor illustration of Santa Monica Pier. Wraps them up in recycled gift wrap. Attaches a card.

---

30 for 🔼:

⚠️NSFW CONTENT AHEAD READ WITH CAUTION⚠️

---

 Her enjoyment of it seems amplified, too. Eddie’s not going to take that as any specific review on his mouth’s own capabilities. Just that Shannon was really ready for this. So much so in fact, that she’s urging him to continue as soon as she’s finished once. She wants more. He wants to give her more.

So he takes off his belt and shimmies out of his pants. Throws her shirt and boxers on the floor. He’s vaguely, distantly aware it’s his work uniform and he left work for this. He pushes the concern aside. Right now, this feels more important than anything. Which is probably a sign his critical thinking skills are well and truly diminished to ashes. 

They have sex that feels nothing like making love and everything like desperation. Like they both have been wandering around in search of water, and this is the closest they can find that is relief. But not the oasis promised in a mirage. He’s thinking it. He thinks she’s thinking of it. It would be better if… 

Well…

It’s not bad. Not at all. It’s great, as far as orgasms go.

But he’s thinking about Buck and Shannon kissing when he comes. 

▶️

It doesn’t end up being the same as usual. Because usually, they’d have sex to avoid talking, and she sort of always let him get away with it. This time, Shannon changes the ordinance. 

“What the hell was that about?” She asks, breathlessly, once they’re recovered enough to speak.

“Sex?” Eddie asks. 

[museumgiftshoperaser]

ok ok so... AU where Gareth is Steve’s younger brother??

Because Steve has ‘only child’ written all over him, but I think it would be fascinating if he had a sibling, especially a younger one.  Gareth is the black sheep of the family, likes the wrong sort of music, hangs out with the weird kids, plays that game all the news stations are saying is satanic. He’s three years younger than Steve, just a bit too much for them to ever be close, but really it’s their parents who drive a wedge between them. Steve’s their golden child. Good at sports, dating that Wheeler girl their parents love. He’s the poster boy for the all american teenager. In the eyes of their parents, Steve can do no wrong. Gareth stays out after his curfew? Grounded for two weeks. Steve throws a party when his parents are gone? Just don’t do it again, okay?  Needless to say the Harrington boys don’t really get along. Gareth is pissed that Steve gets away with everything. That their parents seem to actually like him, parade him around in front of their friends, keep his sports throphies on a shelf in the living room. When Gareth won a contest in middle school for a short story he wrote his parents didn’t even bat an eye. He keeps the little plaque he got for it in the bottom of his sock drawer, embarrased that he even cares. Within the walls of their house, Gareth doesn’t even get to be himself without feeling judged.  Steve on the other hand can’t help but envy his little brother. He’d never mention it of course, if anyone asks he can’t stand the little twerp. But it’s hard to miss that Gareth actually knows who he is. He has an opinion for himself and doesn’t seem to care how their parents feel about that. Steve can barely pick a shirt without worrying if their mother would approve. Gareth has friends who clearly care about him, a group of self proclaimed freaks who all clearly hate Steve. He has hobbies he actually likes and ideals he cares about.  So yeah... Steve’s kinda jealous sometimes.  Especially after Nancy breaks his heart. When he doesn’t get into college and his parents approval runs dry. When he can’t make it through a family dinner without questions about whatever happened to his potential. All the years of trying to impress their parents weren’t even worth it. And now the little brats he babysits have started high school and they won’t shut up about how cool his little brother is.

When both Steve’s status and his mental health start to slip, Gareth can’t help but feel a little bit bad. People don’t respect his older brother the way they used to and their parents no longer give a fuck about either of them. Good thing Gareth has years worth of experience being an outcast and a friend group that’s more than a little curious to find out whatever happened to the King of Hawkins High...

[amchara]

Info from Cassie's Dublin Event

So, I bought an online ticket to Cassie's Dublin chat from earlier this week, and listened to it this evening while doing some chores. It's a really decent one- lots of Chain of Thorns discussions and the moderation was fairly tight. Very enjoyable to listen to! I've typed up a few of the Q&As - and one of the moderator questions from right at the beginning, and then the last few. I may go back and grab a few more but this is all I'm typing up tonight.

Also, she all but confirmed who the novella is going to be about. Spoilers and such below the read more. Questions are answered about potential dark Chain of Thorns alternate ending, Adult POV Shadowhunter books, potential Malcolm and Annabel story, most interesting villain / hero who would make a great villain, Matthew and Tessa happy endings.

Okay, as we probably all knew/predicted: Yes, it's going to be a Matthew novella. Cassie definitely confirmed it's going to be about him. Maybe visiting some of the other characters and popping in. Probably not Jordelia in Constantinople because she wants them to have a sweet honeymoon and nothing bad to happen to them and novella's require conflict. Maybe an online short though- like she's written before.

Okay, on to the questions-

After the pandemic - you changed your mind about certain characters and events in Chain of Thorns. For the better, for the worse?

I mean, I think for the better. I hope. It was very very early on in the pandemic and… I had been thinking- goin back and forth in my mind, between various potential endings. As I always do, when I’m plotting anything. For TLH, I remember thinking at some point, I could not write as bleak an ending, I had- I usually have endings ranging from all sorts of things happening. And I remember a few things that made it- at one point thought of an incredibly bleak ending. But then decide that didn’t make any sense. Because if everyone in TLH were to die, I did not understand how Will and Tessa could go on to have any semblance of a happy life. They both would’ve been traumatised forever. Tessa as we know her in the present would not be the person she is, so it didn’t really make sense. So I booted it. And then, there was still some thoughts I had- I don’t know, the transient tragic effects of time, everything vanishes, everyone dies eventually, and I thought, you know what- we got that in TID and that is not what I want to be thinking about and writing about right now. I want to think about human resilience and love and the good things in life and boy- it was a uniquely bleak experience - not that unique anymore, one day we were working around with many other people or in school and then you’re completely alone, and you don’t know for how long. Doing all the work by yourself, and that’s the experience I had. 

---

Older characters taking central roles in future books? 

Understand why you want to see it but it’s not YA and you can have a little bit of older characters, like I had to fight really hard to get Diana’s viewpoint in TDA because she’s like 25 and that’s too old. A question of genre you’re writing. And if you’re writing YA I can’t see a lot of ways you can have a lot of adult characters doing a lot of stuff because core and point of YA that this is about Young Adults who have the agency and direction and are doing and are responsible for making the choices and if there are adults around, those adults will sit on those kids. And will prevent them from making those choices because its the adult’s job to protect kids. So it is a really hard line to walk. In having those parents in the Last Hours I had to be very careful about the amount we saw of them and the amount that they could affect what was going on. They were away or their will was restrained in some manner or they didn’t know what was going on because if they did, they would step in and take over. 

And I think the way to do what you’re asking, is to do adult Shadowhunters books. And there’s no reason not to do that. It’s absolutely possible to write adult shadowhunters books that exist in the realm of adult fantasy. Always thought interesting to follow Clary and Jace or Will and Tessa and do an adult book that talks about them as adults and has them as the forward facing characters and that would be something I would be very interested in doing. I do think it would be adult though. (Which we know means spicy). My publisher is like ehhhh (joking)

--

Would you ever write a novella about Malcolm and Annabel? 

That seems really fun, all the things I like - doomed love and bad weather. I have thought about it. Glad at least one person would like to read it because not everyone as into doomed love and bad weather as I am. We know a lot of details about relationship and their lives and I feel it would be fun to see that. Writing Malcolm in TLH was such strange experience because we know Malcolm from TDA, he’s a bad guy, a murderer, a betrayer, a multiple murderer and generally not good. But in TLH this is Malcolm before all that, he was a good guy and now- I have written good people turned bad, but to write someone as good before bad and not even pretending/faking was really interesting and had me thinking a lot more about his relationship with Annabel and what that obsessive love did in terms of being a very good force in his love and then a bad one. Very interesting. 

--

Which fav villain to write and which of our stereotypical heroes to write would make an excellent villain (Me: It’s Julian- why are we even pretending about this?) 

Sebastian was fav because what makes a villain interesting in a lot of ways is how close they are to your heroes, and he was Clary’s brother! And he was a loathsome individual but he was really interesting to write especially because if he hadn’t been given demon blood as a child, might’ve been decent person and we see at end of book that there could’ve been alternate timeline where he wasn’t villain and just Clary’s brother. And that was really interesting, I had the most fun with him. 

Audience member: I think Magnus

Oh my god, that’s such a sad thought! Poor Alec, what is he gonna tell the kids- Dad’s gone evil? I can’t even think about that, not that I don’t think he wouldn’t be a good villain, very inventive and powerful so would be terrifying villain. I think, if you know about TWP and read TDA, we���re going to see Jace as a villain. So I have been working on that and he makes an excellent villain because he all these qualities - he’s determined, never gives up, if he wants something, will make sure he gets it, terrifying villain. Super strong and all that- and these qualities making him a good hero also make him a scary villain. Look forward to it. 

--

Is it possible for Matthew to have a happy ending in his life?

Very sweet question. Matthew is based on someone I know and love, my stepfather who was an alcoholic before he met my mother and by the time he met her, had been in AA and never drank again in his life. Remember talking to him about it, he was the sweetest guy and most kind and you could talk to him about anything, and I said, it’s so wonderful you’re no longer an alcoholic. And he said, I am an alcoholic, I’ll always be one, I am just an alcoholic who doesn’t drink. And it really lodged itself in my heart. Because I love him so much as a father and he has this thing in his past, it makes me so sad. 

And as I went on to know him (tries not to tear up- died five years ago.) He didn’t think of it that way, he thought of it as being an alcoholic as being just something part of his life, he didn’t drink. He didn’t think of it as bad, shameful, negative, he thought it as something that had made him stronger and kinder. And when I think of that, I think about Matthew. And that is - I want to be clear that, I didn’t want anyone to wave a wand at the end of the book and say Matthew, you’re cured, you’ll never want to drink again. I wanted to go through the process of Matthew realising he has a problem, wants to stop, does stop with the help of his friends. And he may always be an alcoholic who doesn’t drink but like with my stepfather, it makes him kinder (he’s already kind), kinder, sweeter, stronger, better. So I think- you know. I don’t want anyone to look at the fact that he had this illness as a tragedy. I want them to think about it as a thing that makes Matthew who he is, who is a very wonderful person. And he deserves a happy ending, and yeah- absolutely (tearing up) and while it is not always about deserving, sometimes- in this particular case, I think it would be a really nice message to see Matthew get a happy ending. And that’s all I’m going to say. 

Audience member: I think it was incredible that you were able to share- I know it’s really sad that he went through that and everything but its incredible you’re able to portray a piece of what he went through, in this character. Because Matthew as a character is going to live on forever in your writing, so you made his memory eternal, which is really cool and I admire that. 

(Cassie: That’s so sweet)

--

Ever think of loophole where Tessa is able to become mortal and live out her human life rather than have her live on forever (Cassie clarifies - you mean, live out her human life with Jem? And then die at the same time. 

Um. I think we’ll have to see what happens because we have another couple in that situation, which is Magnus and Alec. So, we have to think (audience groans) - immortal people going around having affairs, making people fall in love with them and then not dying- how selfish. We have to think about how it would be to have only one of those couples live out that ending. So we’re thinking about- 

(interviewer- there can only be one?) Like Highlander? There can only be one happy ending? I don’t think of it as a sad ending necessarily because what do you get with anyone you love- you get a lifetime and what your lifetime in these books are, it differs. But I do think its interesting because we have more than one couple in this situation, so I think we have to think about- how does this work and what’s the messaging about only one of them getting this particular killer ending. So.. we’ll have to see how it goes, obviously I can’t say anything. I know. We were all happier five minutes ago. 

Tagging: @belle-keys @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone @themimsyborogove @lifeofbrybooks because I think you'll all have some vested interest in some of these answers. :)