#riddle realize people care about you challenge

[sleepyorchidmonster]

Okay, but what if Riddle attempts to fight Malleus alone to buy Idia some time?

Like, we know Riddle is both reckless and confident in his power, also, if timed correctly, Off With Your Head can be make a difference in a fight, and even Leona was having trouble with it (granted it was normal not-overblotted Leona and this is Malleus we're talking about).

It can also play with the reveal that Riddle thinks everyone hates him, so he convinces himself that the least he could do is make sure Idia stays safe, both for the mission and Ortho (and maybe he's feeling guilty because last he checked Ortho required urgent repairs and it's his fault). Or maybe Riddle just feels like his lack of understanding of technomancy is not being helpful enough andhe is eager to actually do something right (he doesn't understand the situation and, as far as he can tell, everything went wrong after his dream).

And then Idia has to stop his doomed typing with a side of panicked ramblings to take a deep breath and tell the 17-year-old kid to "Calm Down. We're not dead yet, and I'm not letting you go on a suicide mission."

And before Riddle can make a counter-argument, Idia is already following up with some extra points:

1) "Yeah we're both housewardens and troublemaking SSRs. I'm also older so I'm supposed to be the responsible one here."

2) "Technomancy is my domain, so if I say you're doing okay, you're doing okay. It's natural for veteran players to carry the noobs when they're just starting out!"

3) "You're a powerful DPS, but you're also a glass canon. Meta dictates that good DPS units need great supports, and I'm trying to summon them with negative gacha pulls and a dream here!!!!"

4) "If we open the door to let you fight Malleus, then the door will have been opened anyway, and that guy can multitask like a PRO..."

5) "You know chess right? Great. We're currently in check, with the only thing between total anihilation being a Rook (A.K.A. my precious door) and the Queen (A.K.A. you). The lil' pawns may have metamorphosized into a murderous army, but there's still a whole board between us, so we have to hold on!!!"

6) "And before you get the chess analogy wrong, I am NOT keeping you around just because of your magical power. You're a TEENAGER not a weapon, for crying out loud. Did you really think I'd be that stupid?? Ortho is literally my brother and I'd rather DIE than treat him like a weapon!"

7) "Is it really that hard to understand that I don't actually hate you? Sure, you have zero E.Q. and is in my "Top 5 Most annoying Students in NRC", but I don't want you dead! Who would drag me to dormhead meetings then? Vil and Ortho need a buddy who's not afraid to break the doo- NOT NOW MALLEUS"

8) "I actually like being alive and don't want Trey and Cater to kill me, and neither that freaky cat friend of yours. Or Floyd, Kalim, Sebek, Silver, Vil..."

Idia: And that would be all! Thank you for coming to my TED Talk! Now, I know the Final Boss is right outside that door, but why don't you read a manga or two to pass the time? You've already helped me A LOT, so why don't you rest a bit?

Malleus, from the other side: You should listen to Shroud, Rosehearts. I will even refrain from tearing the door down while you read, rest assured!

Malleus: Also, who gave you the idea that everyone hates you? I just want to have a pleasant chat with them! Lillia taught me the importance of understanding the point of view of others! :)

Meanwhile the others are trying to use Meet Me in a Dream while driving a gigantic Blastcycle so they can speedrun the dream hopping and get back to Idia's dream so they can make sure Idia is okay (Ortho), complete the final stage of the plan (the others) and locate Riddle (Heartslabyul and Equestrian Club mostly, but everyone's at least worried that he's MIA). Also Silver is resting while Ace uses his UM and Deuce drives.

Leona got what he wanted (a better mean of transportation between dreams) but at what cost (two freshmen at the wheel, and they're not the competent robot kid).

[solxamber]

Hello! I, unapologetically and shamelessly, love love loveeeee buff ladies, id like to see how the second-years, + leona, jack, malleus and vil react to the only female student of nrc that can also carry them no problemo, no sweat🤭🤭🤭

added Lilia in for funsies, hope you don't mind and thank you for waiting so long!!

Second Years + Leona, Jack, Vil, Malleus, Lilia x Buff! Fem! Reader

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle would initially view your incredible strength with disbelief and a hint of skepticism. The idea of someone so effortlessly strong, and a female student at that, would challenge the traditional rules and expectations ingrained in him.

When he finally witnesses you in action—whether it’s carrying something impossibly heavy or, worse, someone else—he’d stand frozen, staring with wide eyes and a flush creeping across his face. "That is… certainly impressive," he’d mutter, trying to regain his composure.

However, if you ever picked him up, he’d be a spluttering mess. “Unhand me this instant! This is entirely inappropriate!” he’d exclaim, his voice high-pitched with indignation.

Despite his protests, there’d be a tiny part of him that felt oddly reassured by your strength. After all, it’s not often someone can lift him with such care and ease.

Over time, Riddle would quietly admire your abilities, though he’d never outright say it unless pushed. His respect for you would deepen as he realized your strength isn’t just physical but also tied to your determined and confident nature.

Leona Kingscholar

Leona’s initial reaction to your strength would be a raised eyebrow and a nonchalant shrug, he’s used to the strong women back home, after all.

But the first time he actually saw you lifting something—or someone—effortlessly, his sharp eyes would narrow slightly, and a smirk would spread across his face. "Huh. Didn’t think herbivores came that strong," he’d comment lazily, though the glint of interest in his gaze would betray his amusement.

If you picked him up, however, the teasing would take a turn. “What do you think you’re doing?” he’d grumble, though he’d make no effort to get down. Instead, he’d lean back slightly in your arms, acting as though being carried was the most natural thing in the world.

"You’re lucky I don’t care enough to make this a big deal," he’d mutter, but the flick of his tail would betray how much he actually enjoyed it.

Leona would respect your strength but wouldn’t openly praise it—he’d show his appreciation in subtle ways, like trusting you to handle difficult tasks or letting you take the lead in tough situations.

Ruggie Bucchi

Ruggie would immediately see the practical benefits of your strength and wouldn’t hesitate to make jokes about it. "Oi, you’re like a walking moving service, huh? Betcha could carry all my shopping bags with one hand."

His tone would be playful, but there’d be genuine admiration behind his words. Seeing you carry heavy objects—or people—without breaking a sweat would make him stare in awe (just for a moment though!)

If you carried him, Ruggie would laugh even harder, playfully clinging to you. "Careful, don’t drop me, yeah? I got big dreams!"

While he might make light of the situation, there’d be a part of him that felt incredibly safe in your presence. He’d trust you more than he trusted most people, knowing you had the strength to protect and support not just him but anyone who needed it.

Over time, Ruggie would take pride in being your friend, often bragging to others about your incredible abilities.

Jack Howl

Jack would be one of the few people to respect your strength without a hint of doubt or hesitation. As someone who values physical fitness and discipline, he’d immediately recognize how hard you must have worked to achieve your abilities.

"You’re really strong," he’d say bluntly the first time he saw you in action, his tail wagging slightly as he observed you with admiration. Jack would likely ask to train with you, hoping to learn from your techniques and perhaps even find a friendly rival in you.

If you ever picked him up, Jack would be caught completely off guard. His ears would flatten, and he’d stammer, "W-what are you doing?! I can walk just fine!"

Despite his protests, he wouldn’t struggle too much, secretly marveling at how effortlessly you carried him. Afterward, he’d apologize for overreacting and thank you for helping him.

Jack would see you as a dependable ally and someone he could always count on, and he’d quietly admire the strength and determination you brought to every situation.

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul would be utterly flustered by your strength, especially if he witnessed it firsthand. The logical part of him would be impressed—after all, having someone with your abilities on his side could be quite advantageous.

However, the more self-conscious part of him would struggle to process how effortlessly you could do something that would leave him winded. "You… certainly have an unusual amount of strength," he’d say, adjusting his glasses and avoiding your gaze.

If you ever carried him, Azul’s reaction would be a mix of mortification and grudging acceptance.

"W-what do you think you’re doing?! Put me down this instant!" he’d protest, but as he realized how steady and strong your hold was, his protests would fade into awkward silence.

Once he was back on solid ground, he’d clear his throat and mumble a thanks, clearly embarrassed but oddly grateful.

Over time, Azul would grow to appreciate your strength and even rely on you in situations that called for it, though he’d always try to mask his dependence with formalities and business-like excuses.

Jade Leech

Jade would be thoroughly intrigued by your strength and composure, finding it a delightful surprise. "How fascinating," he’d murmur with a small smile, studying you intently.

He’d probably ask a few pointed questions about how you developed your abilities, though his tone would remain polite and composed. If he saw you carrying something—or someone—effortlessly, he’d remark, "You’re truly full of surprises."

If you picked him up, Jade would chuckle softly, seemingly unfazed. "My, my. I never thought I’d find myself in this position," he’d say, clearly amused.

He wouldn’t struggle or protest, instead observing the situation with keen interest.

Afterward, he’d tease you lightly about your strength but would also express genuine admiration, finding your abilities both impressive and endearing.

Floyd Leech

Floyd would be absolutely ecstatic about your strength and would make it his mission to see how far he could push your limits.

"Shrimpy! Pick me up! Do it, do it, do it!" he’d exclaim, practically throwing himself at you. The first time you carried him, he’d laugh uncontrollably, flailing his legs and making exaggerated comments about how fun it was. "You’re the best! Strong Shrimpy is my favorite Shrimpy!"

Floyd would constantly pester you to carry him again, treating it like a game. While his enthusiasm might be overwhelming at times, it’d be clear that he genuinely admired your strength and found your abilities endlessly entertaining.

He’d also brag about you to anyone who’d listen, making it clear that he thought you were extremely interesting.

Kalim Al-Asim

Kalim would be absolutely delighted by your strength, his bright smile lighting up even more as he watched you carry things—or people—around with ease.

"Wow, you’re amazing! I didn’t know you were so strong!" he’d say with pure excitement, clapping his hands together.

Kalim wouldn’t hesitate to shower you with praise and would likely ask if you could teach him a thing or two about how you became so strong.

Uf you ever picked him up, Kalim would laugh joyfully, throwing his arms around your shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. "This is so much fun! You should carry me around more often!" he’d exclaim, his cheerful energy making it impossible not to smile.

Kalim would admire you deeply, not just for your physical abilities but also for your kind and easygoing nature.

He’d see you as a source of strength in every sense of the word and would look up to you as a close friend and role model.

Jamil Viper

Jamil’s initial reaction to your strength would be subtle surprise, though he’d quickly mask it with his usual calm demeanor. "Impressive," he’d remark with a slight nod, his sharp eyes studying you with curiosity.

Jamil would be intrigued by your abilities but wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, preferring to observe you quietly from a distance.

However, deep down, he’d feel a twinge of admiration for how effortlessly you carried yourself, both literally and figuratively.

If you picked him up, Jamil would tense immediately, his eyes widening as he muttered, "What are you doing? Put me down!" Though his tone might sound irritated, there’d be a faint blush on his cheeks, betraying his embarrassment.

Once he was back on solid ground, he’d clear his throat and pretend nothing happened, though he’d secretly appreciate how strong and dependable you were.

Jamil would quietly respect your abilities and would come to see you as someone he could trust in times of need, even if he never outright admitted it.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil would be both impressed and intrigued by your strength, though he’d maintain his composed demeanor as he acknowledged it. "Well, aren’t you full of surprises," he’d say with a raised eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of approval.

Vil would appreciate your abilities as a testament to your dedication and discipline, though he might offer some teasing remarks about how you should ensure your strength doesn’t compromise your elegance.

If you picked him up, Vil’s reaction would be a mix of indignation and surprise. "Excuse me? What do you think you’re doing?" he’d demand, though there’d be no mistaking the faint flush on his cheeks.

Once the initial shock wore off, he’d sigh and compose himself, commenting, "If you insist on doing something so bold, at least make sure you’re doing it gracefully."

Despite his protests, Vil would respect your abilities and admire how effortlessly you seemed to balance strength and confidence, though he’d rarely express his admiration openly.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus would be genuinely fascinated by your strength, his eyes lighting up with curiosity the first time he saw you in action. "You possess remarkable power," he’d say, his tone carrying genuine admiration.

As someone who values strength and capability, Malleus would immediately see you as someone worthy of respect and would likely seek out your company more often.

He’d find your abilities both impressive and endearing, particularly because they set you apart from others at NRC.

If you ever picked him up, Malleus would be surprised but not offended. Instead, he’d tilt his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips as he remarked, "You are full of surprises, aren’t you?"

He’d remain calm and composed, treating the situation as if it were entirely normal.

Afterward, he’d express his admiration for your strength more openly, likely sharing stories of powerful warriors from his homeland and how you reminded him of them.

Malleus would hold you in high regard, seeing you as a kindred spirit and a source of strength and stability.

Lilia Vanrouge

Lilia would be absolutely delighted by your strength, his mischievous grin widening as he watched you in action. "Oh, how wonderful!" he’d exclaim, clearly impressed.

Lilia would find your abilities both fascinating and entertaining, and he’d likely tease you playfully about how you could easily carry anyone who needed it.

If you picked him up, Lilia would laugh heartily, clearly enjoying the experience. "How refreshing! It’s been centuries since someone carried me like this," he’d say, his tone light and amused.

Lilia would admire your strength not just for its physical aspect but also for how it reflected your determination and spirit.

He’d see you as someone truly special and would delight in telling stories of your (slightly exaggerated) feats to anyone who’d listen.

Silver

Silver would be quietly impressed by your strength, his calm demeanor remaining unchanged even as he watched you lift heavy objects—or people—with ease. "You’re incredibly strong," he’d remark simply, his tone carrying genuine admiration.

Silver wouldn’t make a big deal out of it but would silently respect your abilities, seeing them as a reflection of your dedication and resilience.

If you ever picked him up, Silver’s reaction would be surprisingly composed. "Oh," he’d say softly, blinking in mild surprise.

He wouldn’t protest or struggle, trusting you completely and even finding the experience oddly comforting. Afterward, he’d thank you sincerely, his admiration for you growing even stronger.

Silver would see you as a dependable and trustworthy ally, someone who could be relied upon in any situation.

Masterlist

[eustasscapitankid]

Eustass Kid x Reader | GN! Challenge: Kikitober 2024 "Partners" Rating: Mature Warnings: None Tags: Lowkey Enemies to Lover, Partners Summary: You arrive on an island with your crew, buzzing with excitement about the rumored treasure hidden within its depths. Your crew is ragged and tired. As you set off alone, you literally bump into Kid, the notorious pirate, and a competitive bet ensues to see who can find the treasure first. Word Count: 820 Next Chapter →

first fanfic ever in honor of #kikitober2024, and what is the beginning of this blog (and all the super talented people on here i've already come across)!

Your ship has docked on a small island in the Grand Line. It may not seem like anything special, as it wasn't even registered by your ship's navigator's log pose. However, this island is rumored to hold a treasure worth a hefty sum.

It was your idea to come here, and your crew is injured and ragged, so you will be taking on this adventure alone...or so you thought. As you set foot on the beach, you soon realize that you are not the only one with the idea to search for the treasure here.

You recognize a familiar flag waving in the breeze—the Kid Pirates. As you stare at the flag, you suddenly crash into someone standing in your path. It feels like you have run into a slab of concrete. You go to apologize, but when you look up, you see a cocky grin on the face of none other than Kid himself.

His grin only seems to widen as he sees you stagger back. "Don't hurt yourself," he says, clearly enjoying your discomfort.

"Oh, I won't," you scoff.

  "Here for the treasure?" he asks, clearly itching for some competition.

“And if I am?”

"Care to make a bet?" he challenges.

Disappointed that your crew has left you to your own devices, you find yourself intrigued by the idea of a bet. It would certainly make searching for this potential treasure haul much more interesting.

"What kind of bet?" you ask.

He looks you up and down, contemplating. "How long are you here for?"

 "A week," you reply matter-of-factually.

"Well...my crew told me to piss off and clearly yours did too...loser does whatever the winner says for the whole week?" he proposes.

The stakes are enticing, and your interest is piqued. You decide to accept, “Deal.”

You both have your own sources that led you to the knowledge of treasure hidden on this island and its whereabouts. As such, you both take off separately, seeking to gain an advantage over the other. However, it isn't long before you run into each other again. Stumped, you find yourselves interacting with one another - sharing information, helping each other with riddles and clues.

As the day progresses, you spend more time with Kid, helping each other through obstacles, than actually competing against him.

As the stakes of the obstacles increase, you find yourself trusting him more and more. Soon, what began as a friendly bet and rivalry devolves into laughter, banter, and...trust?

You shrug it off. So does he.

The night wears into days, and you realize that this is taking longer than either of you initially planned. But you are having so much fun that you could hardly care if you find the treasure anymore...in fact, you both figured out where the treasure was on the first day.

  As night falls, you both stop to camp together. Drinking, laughing, and bantering back and forth like a couple of belligerent fucks. Senseless and buzzed, you instinctively slump against Kid's shoulder. He hesitates, feeling his heart suddenly skip a beat. What the fuck?

You realize what you have done and quickly pull away. But he grabs you, one hand holding your shoulder firmly, and the other grabbing your chin - guiding your gaze to his own. Your breath hitches.

 "Kid...?" you say, unsure of what is happening.

 "I-I'm sorry-" he attempts to pull away, but you grab the hand that is grasping your chin.

"It's okay...I..." you gaze into his eyes, unsure of what to say.

His lips crash into yours. Gasping, you return his kiss, giving into every feeling you have been ignoring for the past few days. You both devolve into your base senses, giving into the feeling of your lips against one another and the friction building between your bodies.

His hands slide down your pants, and you feel yourself moving against him. You can't help yourself. What are you even doing? He is from another crew...wouldn't this only make things more complicated? "Uggnnnhhhh," you can't help but moan...his touch feeling like a drug.

 "Come with me," he suddenly says.

W-what?" you ask, surprised.

"You heard me...come with me. Join me. Join us."

You love your crew...you would never leave them. You would never abandon your captain for another, but...you can't force the words out of your mouth. He continues his movements, and your thoughts dissolve. Soon, you are moaning...

You both realize long ago that the treasure on this island was a trick. The map and clues forced you into interacting with another hunter...if you were lucky enough to have been searching at the same time as someone, lucky enough to find a partner. The real treasure was each other. He was the treasure...

Your body shuddered uncontrollably as you felt yourself crawling to the edge.

“Yes!” you moaned.

He smirked, watching you fall apart in his hands.

"Ready to be ordered around for a week..?"

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 28

chapter 47:

1. 😟😶 no one even got to say goodbye. i- WHAT THE HELL??? FUCKING RIDDLE

2. i’m at least happy that remus, james, and pandora can all take care of each other during the games.

3. im actually highly worried about regulus being a death eater. too worried, actually

4. “Regulus realizes it as he sits there, never moving or doing anything at all, just breathing; he isn't scared this time. Not even a bit.”

reg not being scared makes ME scared

5. “He had planned to kiss Remus' mask one last time, and kiss Remus, too.”

of COURSE it’s ALWAYS wolfstar that tips the tears over. why does THAT make me sob???

6. oh shit. it’s a maze

7. “”Come now, surely you wouldn't harm me and little Draco, would you?"

"I'm going to give you one chance to run," Sirius tells her, holding still, "and take little Draco with you."”

LMAOO they both know she’s lying out her ass

8. “It's Mavis and Velvet; they'd done exactly as they promised they would. They found weapons, found each other, and they died together. Their bodies are splayed out on the ground right beside one another, curled close in death like the lovers they were in life.”

oh shit oh shit oh shit i’m starting to cry again. i feel so bad for them, but don’t blame them in the slightest. it’s what i would have done

9. “and there's just this quiet, momentary mourning and respect for two people who loved each other and decided, together, that they would not participate in a game as cruel and sadistic as this one. They went out together, in complete control of their own fate, and they never deserved anything other than a long life full of love.”

crying HARDER. this would be the turning point in the games for me. i shit you not, i’d start teaming up and trying to break out the fucking arena

10. “And then, unprompted, Regulus' voice rings out, nearly snarling. He's addressing the sky, the audience, the Hallows in a low hiss of derision when he declares, "When you take them, you take them together, and know that it's your fault."”

i know i’m quoting this whole little section, but it’s IMPORTANT and it HURTS and everyone in that arena is being human right now instead of trying to survive. they’re all united on the front that they’re human and understand what it meant to love

11. i’m not surprised that the “first” kill of the arena was made by sirius. especially since it was to save regulus

12. WAIT YALL ARE GONNA LAUGH AT ME FOR THIS!!! sirius killed twelve people in the arena the first time. just like how he was blamed for twelve deaths in canon. i. it took me too long to make that connection yall

13. oh CHRIST i forgot that they planned to kill marlene’s parents in front of her right before she went in the arena. i’m so sorry. i want to comfort her

14. “Someday, Riddle is going to fuck with the wrong person, and they're going to slaughter him, and on that day, the whole world is going to shine just a little brighter” 👀 side eye

15. sirius has too much trust in regulus and i understand why and i see that, but BABES you’re so wrong

16. “In fact, they're all eyeing him like they're considering just killing him now so they won't have to deal with the headache he is sure to be. He's so ridiculously fond of each of them, truly.” 😶😑😶 blink blink. my dear. you need therapy

17. i- eli got in the arena and took a GODDAMN NAP- no fucking way. that’s wild y’all

18. regulus hating the rain is so me. and i’m not even exaggerating. reg hates the rain and refuses to go in it. if i get wet from the rain, the second i get indoors, i start having severe panic attacks over getting wet. i don’t blame him in the slightest.

19. y’all. people have really got to stop challenging regulus. he says that he’s gonna kill a person or stab them with a fork or brutally maim them if they kill/insult james or sirius. and every damn time, people still test him. and every time, he goes through with it. why do people not believe him?? he SAID he won’t hesitate

20. the authors notes are literally me on the previous point (19):

“regulus: i am telling you explicitly what i will physically do to you if you do This Thing

everyone else: *does it anyway and is immediately shocked when he follows through*

like??? DOES HE LOOK LIKE THE TYPE OF MAN WHO JOKES??? WHY DOES NO ONE TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY??”

😭😭😭 me fr

remember to respect zar’s wishes and fanfic laws! do not buy fics! do not repost crimson rivers on other sites. please and thank you.

[helpfandom]

Yandere TAS! Riddler x Platonic Reader

Hcs under cut. If you're my bestie who told me to do this: <3

Reader just doesn't care in this one, they have been transformed by the Gotham-ite lifestyle of don't care, and as such, is a snarky little bitch to Riddler. Brat is in loose terms.

Why would he take interest you, well... He took interest because you were one of the few who didn't care for his antics, and were one of the fewer who could go toe to toe to him that weren't an enemy. Well, honestly, you didn't care about what he did and went on with your day, and with all that goes on in Gotham, how could you not?

The next part is that in order to get him to not interact with you, you would be a stupid little 'brat'. God, you were slightly insufferable to be around when Riddler would try to antagonize you. "Riddle me this, Riddle me that, why are you such a big 'brat'?"

He's definitely hacked into cameras to watch you interact with people, and once he found out that you interact with people differently than him, he takes it to heart, but in the way that he finds delight in you being a 'brat' to him. He notices that you only are that way to him, If you're only a brat to him, surely that means you're comfortable with him! ...Right?

Despite being 'super intelligent', Riddler is quite unperceptive about the fact that Reader dislikes/hates him. To you, this is just some weirdo on the street who likes to bombard people with riddles and take over Wall street for revenge. But soon you start to notice that he attacks more towards places you go to frequently and even people who, to your knowledge, haven't interacted or offended him. Of course, to him, interacting with his kid is a major offense, so he attacks your parents and friends, even a couple teachers who he thinks aren't teaching you well enough. "My, My, You simply don't have the brains for teaching my dear adolescent, perhaps I should remove it? Hmm?"

Because Reader can go 'toe to toe' with him [most of his riddles have multiple answers that he doesn't realize and when Reader points them out, he takes that as a sign of intelligence, and Reader being able to keep up with his 'genius'], he assumes that Reader has intelligence that can only match his, and as such, he must fuel this potential intelligence. [He means adopt you].

He definitely tries to kidnap you a lot, but with how much he has done schemes related to you, Batman (and maybe Robin if you're friends) already know and stop him.

Although, if he were to kidnap you, he would set up cameras everywhere THAT DOESN'T INTRUDE ON PRIVATE SPACE. So nothing in your bedroom or the bathroom. Everywhere else is free game though. Escape is possible, but unlikely, because of his many cameras and intelligence.

Although, he would fake the idea of an escape in order to test your intelligence, he would put a series of puzzles (Not riddles) and if you solve them all, he congratulates you. He finds a small bit of selfish pleasure in watching you fail to escape, and he thinks that escaping is a game for him, a fun thing for you to challenge his brain.

Absolutely has no idea how to take care of a kid though, so you're screwed if you're super young and don't know how to take care of yourself.

"Listen well, my dear adolescent. I will act as your father figure now. The rest of the society is too,, unintelligent to take care of minds like our own. I will hone your mind until we create father/kid pair the world has never seen!"

"Bro literally, I don't care, your riddles are stupid. Shut up."

"Oh, how I enjoy our banter."

[galway-girlatwork]

written for @studioghibelli's writing challenge

Fandom: Narcos

Rating: Mature-There is angst, fluff and smut if you squint really, really hard. 😊

Central Characters: Reader/Pena/Murphy

Central Relationship: Pena/Reader

Word Count: 3,478

AO3

Please do not copy or reblog my work without tagging me

Music inspiration: The Pretty Reckless

SUMMARY:

A tumultuous relationship with a fellow DEA agent, is marked by tension and unspoken feelings. Can a growing affection, mixed with reckless behavior, drugs, death, money and power, really survive? From Bogota, to Miami, to Rome, how far will it go?

A Broken Silence

As the last of the Cali Cartel fell, like little toy soldiers, she wondered what was next. She’d been down in Columbia, longer than she’d lived back in the states. It had taken years of dedication, long fucking days and even longer nights. Elise thought of the hundreds of people that had died, gotten hooked on blow and for what? Power and money. That was the root cause of it all, power and money. She’d been assigned to Columbia a year after she became DEA. They told her she’d be an asset, it turned out to be a load of shit. Women agents were looked at as glorified secretary’s but that was until she met Pena and Murphy. Pena looked at her like a piece of meat, Murphy actually used her intelligence to their advantage. Did she ever actually make it into the field? Yep, as an undercover hooker, Pena’s idea of course. His exact words to her, as she stood there in a slinky red dress was, she had a body, might as well use it. That was the first time she hit him. The second time was when he drunk on whiskey and made a pass at her.

The three of them had been working together for a year before she realized she actually cared about Pena. She’d been sitting in her car, in the parking lot of the embassy when she saw him pull in, a gangly female crawling out of the passenger seat, as he got out, pressing herself against him, her tongue half way down his throat, his hand on her tit. Part of her wanted to vomit, part of her wanted to punch the whore. She knew the woman was a whore, those were the only types of women Pena seemed to be interested in. It was that afternoon, the dynamic of the relationship changed between them because she realized she’d been jealous and the only reason a woman was jealous was because she wanted him. She wanted all of him but knew it would never happen. Her attitude towards him went from indifference to straight up bitch, Murphy snickering every time she went for a kill. By the time Escobar was riddled with bullets, Pena hated her with a passion, which he made clear before he was sent to DC, Murphy back to Florida and she was right back where she started, glorified secretary.

A month later she had been re-assigned, working with some head honcho on the Cali cartel and the intel needed to break up their little surrender deal they had going, cringing inward when a jean clad hip, found the edge of her desk.

“Well, well, seems something is working out for me, how’s is shaken Tanner?” “Are you fucking serious right now Pena? I am working with you? Again? Can someone please tell me who I pissed off in a past life?” “Probably the devil himself hermosa.”

“Don’t, don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Come in here thinking I won’t deck you for bein a polla.”

“Whoa, Spanish is improving.” 

“Get the hell off my desk Pena and go find yourself a whore. I’m sure there were slim pickins in D.C.”

“You offering?”

“Vete al infierno.”

“Already there babe.”

Getting off her desk, he went into his office, slamming the door, watching the glass rattle before he threw himself in the chair behind his desk. Fuck, he thought Elise would have been stateside by now, along with Murphy but as luck would have it, she was here to torment him. It was hard seeing her right now, needing to focus on Cali but he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Fuck she was still beautiful and her temper gave her skin a glow that most women he knew would kill for. Closing his eyes, he remembered all the nights he thought of her. Imagining his hands twisted in thick, curly brown hair, looking into eyes so brown, they were almost black, as he slid into her, marking her as his. He not only wanted her but had fallen in love with her. He wasn’t sure when it happened or how but he realized it the day he had been shipped to D.C. thinking his career was over, sitting in an airport bar with Murphy. Murphy knew it and told him to do something about it before it was too late. He’d laughed it off before giving his partner a hug, both of them going their separate ways. Well God had a sense of humor, he thought as he walked in, seeing her sitting there in jeans and a t-shirt, chewing on a pencil as she read the file on her desk. Yea he was so screwed and not in the way that made him want a drink and a smoke.

The next six months were unbearable, her nerves frazzled when it was all over, thrilled when they gave her a month before she was going to her next post in Miami. Just because Cali fell in Columbia didn’t mean the drug trafficking did, since it was still all about power and money. What was that saying, he who dies with the most toys wins? Well, these bastards were gonna make sure they had all the toys and more.

Sitting on a bar stool, surrounded by co-workers, they celebrated with food and drinks, the beer and tequila flowing freely, except for Pena, who leaned more towards whiskey.

“To victory,” Javi toasted, his eyes lingering on Elise longer than necessary.

“To victory,” she echoed, smiling, but there was a wistfulness in her eyes that Javi couldn’t decipher. As the night wore on, one drink led to another to another and before she could stop and form thought, she found herself in Pena’s apartment, passion flaring between them like an arc of lighting. His lips found the base of her throat, suckling at the skin and come morning, it would be a purple blossom of broken blood vessels. Fingers tugged at the buttons of his shirt before she grabbed the sides, yanking as hard as she could, buttons pinging to the floor before they moved to his belt. She wanted him knowing in the morning she’d be gone. One night wouldn’t kill her, right?

Fuck, he thought, as he yanked her t-shirt off her frame, breasts held in place by a wisp of lace, was this really fucking happening right now? Her skin was warm and soft beneath his hands as he undid the button on her jeans, hand sliding into the waistband, his mind focused on one thing, and he almost died right there as he slid his fingers into her depths, feeling how wet she was. God fucking damn he wanted her, laid out in his bed, beneath him, his body marking her as his.

She moaned against his mouth as his fingers slid into her, the pad of his thumb against her clit, every nerve over firing, sending dopamine coursing through her, limbs melting from one feeling to another until they were both naked, not remembering if they had even stopped kissing at this point. He was rough with her, one hand tangled in her hair while the other slid under her knee, teeth nipping at her earlobe. Reaching between them, hand wrapping around the thickness of his cock, she positioned him at her entrance, his name a whisper into the space between them.

That was all it took for his control to snap like a rubber band wound too tight and he slammed into her. He held still for all of thirty seconds before he lost control, hips bucking against her like teenager having sex for the first time. She was warm, wet, tight, her skin sweet on the tip of his tongue as he dragged it across one nipple before moving on to the other, lips attached themselves to the skin of her collar bone, sucking on it, knowing he would mark her there just as he did to the left side of her neck. He knew some thought hickies were tacky but he didn’t give a fuck. When she walked the streets of Columbia, he wanted everyone to know she was taken. He pulled out of her so violently, he wondered if he’d hurt her, but that thought was fleeting as he flipped her over, bringing her to her knees, fingers digging into her hips as he pulled her back, sliding into her with no remorse for the brutality of it. He was feeding his soul with her body and she was allowing it. He exploded violently within her as her orgasm hit, her walls clenching around his hardness made it impossible not to, his name screamed out into the sex filled air surrounding them. Arms wrapped around her, his chest against her back, holding onto her for a moment before he left go, collapsing on his back.

Her body had a mind of its own at this point, falling on her side, facing him, watching as he took in deep gulps of air. He turned to look at her, eyes making contact, it was like they had just seen each other for the first time and there was something so intense in his stare and she felt it within her soul, feeling as if he knew everything about her and still wanted her, wondering if he actually cared, if all the hate fueled words he’d thrown at her, was a façade. She shook her head, displacing those thoughts as she moved over him, wondering how many more times they could lose themselves in the moment before dawn streaked across the sky of Columbia.

He woke up to an empty bed, reaching out, only to find Elise’s side cold. Panic surged through him as he saw a note on the pillow.

*Javi, 

Watch your back. Be safe. 

Elise.*

Fuck, he thought, as his heart sank, crumbling the note and throwing it across the room. He’d never been good with words, especially when it came to expressing feelings. He’d cared for Elise, but kept that buried, not wanting emotions involved because they were a distraction in the dangerous world they’d been living in. But now, that time was up down here, he realized he couldn’t let her go and now he had to find her.

Finding her hadn’t been as easy as he thought it would be. By the time he got cleaned up and to the embassy, he found out that everything was being sent to the field office in Miami, her next assignment. He wasn’t due to leave Bogota for another week. By the time he got to Miami, his nerves were on fire, feeling like he was always just one step behind her. She’d checked in with the field office but twenty-four hours later, she’d gone on vacation and no one knew where, all they could tell him is she wasn’t due back to the office for a month. Where the fuck could she go for a month?

It took him two days and breaking protocol, something he did with ease; to find out she was in Rome. How the fuck was he going to find her there? He’d never been to Rome and no idea where to start. That was when he broke into her new apartment, searching for any clue and found just the name of a museum, Galleria Borghese. What the fuck was he doing, chasing some woman across the fuckin world? This was out of character for him, he was the fuck em, use em, kick em to the curb kind of man but now he was standing at a ticket counter, passport in hand, heading to Italy.

Everything she’d done since she landed were things she did on the fly. There was no rhyme or reason to where she went, how she spent her days, just happy to be away from drugs and death. Don’t get her wrong, she loved her job but Columbia had taken a lot out of her and she needed time to breathe, to find herself again. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Javi. The night they shared had been everything she had ever wanted, and yet, she knew it was impossible. Maybe that was part of the reason she’d come here instead of staying close to home. Maybe she was running and didn’t even know it. Maybe she was just a tad crazy about a man who went through women like he did cigarettes.

She wandered around Rome, trying to take in what was around her from Vatican City, to The Colosseum, every art museum and tonight to the Trevi Fountain. She’d learned that it was best to go at night, the crowds were not as bad and to make sure she threw three coins into to the water. Gelato in hand, she was standing at the edge of the fountain, the white marble still warm from the sun that had beat down on it from the day. Even she had to admit that it was beautiful and again that is when her mind went back to Javi. Fuck, why the hell did she had to be in love with that man? He was more a man of action, not of words. She had seen him break hearts before, and knew she was just another casualty.

The Trevi Fountain loomed ahead, Javi been all over the tourist places and had come up empty. He was frustrated, pissed and was beginning to wonder if he should just go back home and wait however there was one small problem, he was not a patient man, anyone who worked with him could tell ya that much. When he reached the fountain, the third time he’d been there, the coins glinted at the bottom, knowing each one was a wish, a hope and without a coin to toss in, he couldn’t help but think about his own wish, to find Elise. He was too stubborn, refusing to go back and wait. That was when he saw her, sitting at the very edge of the fountain, rubbing fingers over his eyes to make sure it really was her. About fuckin time, he thought, as he watched her throw a single coin over her shoulder. He moved towards her, pushing his way through the crowd, ignoring annoyed mutters and sharp glares of the other tourists he jostled aside. He was less than a foot away from her before he stopped, “What did you wish for?”

Shock couldn’t even begin to describe the look on her face when she saw him standing there, asking what she’d wished for. He looked out of place among the tourists and well everything that Rome was but his eyes were intense, filled with determination, a look she’d seen before when they were in Columbia. “Javi what the fuck are you doing here?”

“I came for you.”

“Why? My assignment in Columbia is over, so is yours so I am a little confused as to again why you’re here.”

Grabbing her hand, he began tugging her away from the fountain, looking for someplace where they could talk, finding a doorway, he pushed her back against the old, faded brick, kissing her, tongue slipping into her mouth, tasting lemon against her lips before he pulled away from her. “Why the fuck did you leave Bogota without saying goodbye?”

“Wait you came all the way to fuckin Italy to ask me that? Are you insane?”

“No. Yes. Fuck. I came here because I didn’t realize until I woke up to an empty bed, a fucking note, and you gone, that I love you.”

“You have lost your mind. Javi please don’t do this because I seriously can’t handle it. I’ve seen you with other women, I’ve seen you use them, hell I’ve seen you break them, and I can’t be just another one in a long line of em.”

“You’re not,” he said. “You’re not just another one of them. Te quiero hermosa.”

“Yea heard you say that a time or two. Look, what happened that night, it was, and this is not to feed your ego, was amazing but I am also not stupid. I can’t take the chance that this is nothing more than a fling and, in the end, the only one picking up the pieces is me as you move on to whoever can give you intel on whatever big bad you’re chasing.”

“God you fucking talk too much.” He kissed her again, hands wrapping in the thickness of her hair, before he nipped his way to her shoulder, teeth and lips, digging into the curve of muscle and sinew, suckling until he heard her gasp, her fingers digging into his hips. The tip of his tongue ran over the red mark on her skin, knowing he marked again, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Now every man in Rome will know that you belong to me.”

“I am not a possession Javier Pena.”

“Fuck I didn’t mean it that way. God damn it, Elise. No one is fuckin perfect but I’m standing in the middle of a fucking country I’ve never been to, chasing you around the globe wanting you, no one else, why can’t you see that?”

She stood frozen for a moment, eyes wide with shock, his words hitting her like the tidal wave crashing over her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out, “Because I don’t want to be hurt, can’t you understand that? I’ve been in love with you, all this time and there is a part of me that wants you too, to love all the parts you are. Demanding, possessive, passionate, asshole, dedicated. The risk? Of this? Of believing you want me this much is something I don’t know how to handle.”

“It’s not going to be cut and dry baby. It ain’t like intel where you dissect it all. Just feel it.” He took a deep breath, frustration giving away to relief, stepping closer, eyes locking onto hers. “I get it hermosa, never been down this road before with anyone. Scared shitless that I’ll fuck it up but let’s try to see where this goes.”

Feeling the warmth of his body against her, hearing all the words, let’s be honest, every woman wants to hear, “Okay,” she whispered, voice barely audible. Something in the back of her mind was telling her this was a mistake, of the highest, but fuck it, she thought, because she didn’t want to be that person who turns a hundred and has regrets. Fingers tugged on the belt loops of his jeans, she pulled him closer, tongue tracing the outline of his jugular, skin tangy with the salt of his sweat.

His breath caught as she pulled him closer, feeling her mouth against his throat. “I just want to get away from all of this. Just you and me, away from the crowds, from everything. I want to be alone with you, beneath me. Fuck we need to go now or I am going to take you against this building and we’re getting arrested.”

As dawn began to creep along the city, fingers pinched her nipples as she straddled him, hips rolling in circles, his cock buried deep within her body, he pulled her down to him, lips hard and demanding against hers, devouring her orgasm as his spilled into her depths, her heartbeat erratic against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

His name was whispered breathlessly, her voice trembling with the aftermath of their orgasms, feeling his embrace tighten around her, hands now trailing down her back, she pulled back slightly to look into his eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips as she rolled off of his body, laying on her side. “Didn’t get much sleep last night. We should stay in today, order room service.”

Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her towards him, a hand cupping her breast, nipple still erect beneath his palm. “I don’t think I will ever get enough of you hermosa, so I am in agreement with you on that. Te amo.”

“Yo también te quiero, cariño.”

“Getting better with the Spanish.”

“Been practicing.”

Fuck, he thought, hearing his native language fall from her lips, he was in deep with her and it was a realization that hit him with a force of a hurricane, watching her as her eyes drifted closed, breathing steady as she fought staying awake, losing the battle. How the fuck had he fallen for her? He, who had always kept emotions in check, as he whored his way through Bogota, taking down drug cartels, not wanting involvement. Figured he would be scared out of his fucking mind but he wasn’t. The last thought he had before sleep claimed him? How he could get re-assigned to Miami.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

Someone legit said:

Look I know people love to act like Zuko is the most dangerous, toxic, and temperamental character… but there is exactly one (1) male character Katara was canonically responsible for calming down from violent, destructive tantrums at risk to herself and it wasn't Zuko…

They also added in the comments:

Oh and guess what! Tell me, who was it who *actually* burned Katara in the show—again out of carelessness and losing control? Aang or Zuko? Which one forced romantic advances on her? Riddle me that

This show is honestly lost on ZK stans. They don’t care about its characters, they don’t understand nuance. All they care about is their Wattpad fanfic interpretation of the characters that they so desperately try to pass off as canon

Zutarians stop taking things out of context challenge.

Yes, Aang was the only one of these two characters to accidentally hurt or scare Katara. The key word here being ACCIDENTALLY.

Zuko meanwhile KNOWINGLY CHOSE to do things like threat her tribe, chase her group around the world, hold her hostage, try to kidnap her best friend, hit her so hard she passed out, and send an assassin after the Gaang.

Zutara is not an enemies-to-lovers ship because Katara "misunderstood" the brooding bad boy of the school and then realized he had a heart of gold despite being moody and kind of rude. It is an enemies-to-lovers ship because ZUKO WANTED HER DEAD.

He was a racist, imperialist prince who was actively supporting the people commiting genocide against her people. He wanted to destroy the world's last hope for peace. He tried to kill the last airbender, aka the last survivor of a genocide, who also just happened to be one of the people Katara loved the most.

They did not become friends because Katara realized she "misunderstood" him. They became friends because Zuko learned basic human empathy towards people that were not from his nation, aka the bare fucking minimum.

If you want to ship them even with that in mind, fine. The show itself wants us to like Zuko as a character, and his friendship with the Gaang, despite all that, and I say they did a pretty good job at it.

But if you're going to forgive the dude that WANTED TO GENOCIDE KATARA'S PEOPLE, you can't act like Aang is the devil for ACCIDENTALLY burning her or not being able to control the Avatar State - things the show itself holds him accountable for and has him work on.

Zuko hurt Katara WAY more than Aang ever did, and he did so intentionally. Claiming otherwise is not a "hot take", it's being stupid at best and an enabler at worse.

[twisted-gremlin]

Yuu leaveing, Second years Eddition

Riddle

- he was very quick to miss you. He notices that you donr visit and when he goes to ask why, he realized... you're gone...

- he has whatever you've given to him held close, and if there isn't anything, he hugs a pellow quietly as he cries into it

- he dosent let it affect his leadership though, he also makes sure to not put too much stress on those who are closest to you

Ruggie

- when he goes to see if you wanna steal some stuff with him or do some misalanious job with him, then he realizes, he can't, you're not there

- he feels a little lonely whenever he does some work now, so he usually does something with someone to distract himself

- i feel like Ruggie is likely to overblot, he would use his magic to prank people and do anything to ignore the fear of losing a member of his pack.

Floyd

- he would whinr about shrimpy being gone and missing you. He visits your doorm just to sit in your room for a bit when he misses you

- it happens whenever hebrealizes you should be there... and yet... you're not... he uses magic a bit less to be a bit like you so he can get some idea to be with you

- he isn't one to overblot really at all no matter what I think

Jade

- he isn't one to show much emotions on his face, he dosent know how to really, it's a challenge for him, but he misses you as much as his brother does, maybe even more

- he didn't really have friends outside on Azul and Floud, then you. You were quite interesting, and you let him express what he likes without fear nor annoyance. You happily ate the mushroom food he made, even if they could be a bit suspicious at times

- if Azul hadn't been overworking himself, he would've overblotted. But he mainly just needs to focious on Azul in these times who is also suffering

Azul

- you were definitely one of his favorite clients and workers. You managed to pick up quick on contact rules and were quite clever, fun to play games with whenever.

- when he is feeling overly emotional, he likes to burry himself in his work, and that's what he does. Focious on work, marketing, budget, whatever he needs to. He fociouses on it so he dosnt pay attention to how much he misses you

Kalim

- he has often brought up inviting you over for whatever festive even he is holding, then either remebers, or Jamil reminds him that, you're gone. He is quick to not Bing it up too much, but it does slip out. He thinks of what you would like to eat or see or do, he has a space left open for you

- he hopes dearly that you come back, or hell, he can visit you! He would love to see your non magical world and what amazing things one can do there

Jamil

- he has often pushed himself aside and has been placed aside for others (specifically Kalim) and when you helped him out of his overblot. He felt important to you, and he was glad that, atleast someone cared. Not to gain anything for themselves, but just, saved him. He could've just been killed that day, so he is very grateful for you

- he continues to actively do what he is passionate about, to improve more and more, to overcome his own weaknesses. It's what you probably would've wanted to see in him anyways

Silver

- this man is on the brink of overblotting. If Sebek wasn't there to help him share his feelings, he probably would have by now. He continues to train to try to control him magic, his sleepiness, and to protect Malleus, your dear friend, his dear friend, and his own friend too

Edit to add the first one lol

[glittervame]

Love or obsession?

Parseltongue

This post is going to be part of the Hogmarch Fandom challenge by @thatdammchickennugget check it out if you want to know more! I may have gotten a bit carried away...I didn't proofread so sorry for the spelling errors or if it doesn't make any sense, love ya! &lt;3

This is the most random shit ever, I apologize in advance, don't think it follows the theme I have another version if needed

Tom Riddle x FEM! Reader Warnings: Character death, No smut (Sorry guys)Reader is basically a puppet (Dance puppet dance)

Y/n was a peculiar girl, even by her own admission. She never quite fit in with the other students at Hogwarts. Tom Riddle, on the other hand, seemed to have it all. He was popular, good-looking, and possessed an air of quiet confidence that made everyone around him feel at ease. It was no surprise, then, that when Tom decided he wanted to be friends with her, Y/n didn't think twice about accepting his offer.

She didn't know it at the time, but their friendship was not entirely equal. Tom tended to give her orders more than anything else; he'd say "Y/n, fetch me that book from the library," or "Y/n, meet me by the lake at five o'clock." And without question, Y/n would obey. It didn't bother her at first; she was just glad to have a friend who seemed to genuinely care about her.

One day, as they were walking through the castle grounds, Tom paused and looked at her intently. "Y/n," he said, "I've been meaning to ask you something." She glanced up at him, expecting the usual request for a favor or some other task. Instead, he continued, "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a secret power?" She frowned, confused. "Of course," she replied, "everyone wonders that, people might have but you never know until you try and find it."

Tom smiled knowingly. "Well, what if I told you that you had a secret power?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "And what if I told you that I knew what that power was?" he countered. Y/n felt a shiver run down her spine as he said those words. She didn't understand why, but something about the way he was looking at her made her feel…different. Intrigued. Scared. Excited.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Tom leaned in closer, lowering his voice as well. "I think you might be an Animagus, Y/n," he said. "I've seen you wandering around the castle grounds at odd hours, and I've never seen you transform or use any kind of animal form. I've been wondering for a while now…" He trailed off, leaving the rest of the sentence unspoken.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. Tom couldn't possibly know about her secret. He was just toying with her. Right? But as she looked into his piercing eyes, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was telling the truth. What if he was? And what would that mean for their friendship? It felt like a bucket of ice got poured over her. She didn't know what to say, so she just stood there, staring at him, trying to process the information.

She looked away, trying to collect her thoughts. It was too much to take in all at once. How could Tom know about this? And even if he did, why would he tell her? He had never given her any reason not to trust him before. But then again, maybe that was it. Maybe he saw something in her that nobody else did, and he wanted to help her unlock her true potential.

Finally, she mustered up the courage to meet his gaze again. "Why are you telling me this, Tom?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "And how do you know?" There was a long silence as he regarded her carefully. Then, with a sigh, he said, "Because I'm a little different myself, Y/n. And because I think we might be more alike than you realize." His words sent a shiver down her spine. She knew then and there that she couldn't ignore what he was saying.

Her voice broke the moment of silence, "My form is a snake, fitting for someone in Slyherin isn't it?"

Tom's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't show any other reaction. "Yes, I suspected as much. It's not a form that many people would expect from you, but it's perfect for someone like you. You're quiet, observant, and more cunning than you let on. And it's also a form that will come in handy when the time comes." He paused, studying her face intently. "It's fitting for someone with a friend that can speak parseltongue"

She blushed, embarrassed that Tom had noticed her secret. "I-I didn't know you could do that" she stammered. He smiled reassuringly. "It's just a little thing, really. Most people can't understand us. But it's nice to know that you can. And I promise, I won't tell anyone else about your secret. It's our little secret, just between us." She nodded, feeling relieved.

The sounds of battle raged on around them, but for a moment, it seemed to fade into the background as they stood there, caught in their own thoughts. Y/n had found herself at the battle of Hogwarts. She was fighting with Tom, the evil side some would say, she glanced over at Tom, wondering how he was feeling about all of this. He looked determined, but also a bit nervous. She wished she knew what to say to make him feel better.

She never questioned is orders, it was her job being his right hand, to give her undying loyalty. She was to nod and going along with whatever he said, that's probably why she never agknawlage her growing feelings for him. Love or Obssesion?

As they fought, their wands twirling through the air with deadly precision, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She knew that they were fighting against the very people she had once considered her friends, her family. But she also knew that Tom was right; on some level and that there was something more going on here, something deeper and more sinister. She couldn't abandon him, not now, not ever.

Their duel came to an abrupt end when they both found themselves facing off against two members of the Order of the Phoenix. With a sigh, they lowered their wands, realizing that they had been so lost in their own thoughts that they hadn't noticed the others sneaking up on them. The two Order members looked surprised to see them fighting together, but quickly regained their composure and launched into a new attack.

As they fought side by side, Y/n couldn't help but marvel at Tom's skills. He moved with a grace and precision that belied his evil reputation. She felt a pang of admiration for him. He was more than just a snake-like villain; he was a complex individual with his own motivations and desires.

The battle raged on around them, the air thick with the smell of smoke and the sounds of spells being cast. Y/n ducked beneath a swirling Shield Charm, her eyes meeting Tom's. For a brief moment, she seemed to forget about the fight, lost in the intensity of their connection. Then, with a nod, they turned back to the battle at hand.

As the tide of the battle began to turn, Y/n found herself separated from Tom. She fought her way through the chaos, searching desperately for him. When she finally caught sight of his form, she rushed toward him, then came to an abrupt stop as soon as she saw Harry Potter standing opposite of him.

Harry and Tom exchange heated words, their wands dancing in the air with deadly precision. Y/n can't help but feel torn, as she watches them fight. On one hand, she knows that Tom is her friend and ally, but on the other hand, Harry is the Boy Who Lived, the one who defeated Voldemort once before.

The battle reaches its climax as they both launch a powerful spell at each other, their wands connecting with a bright flash of light. Y/n feels the heat radiate from the force of the impact, and she knows that this is the moment of truth. As they stand there, locked in combat, she can't help but notice the determination in Tom's eyes, the fire burning within him. It's a sight that she has never seen before, and it fills her with a strange mixture of awe and fear.

She doesn't know how much longer they can keep this up, but she knows that they can't afford to let their guard down for even a second. The world around them is falling apart, and they are the only ones who can stop it. Or at least, that's what she tells herself. She wonders if Tom feels the same way, if he too is fighting for something greater than just himself.

As they continue to duel, their bodies moving in perfect synchronicity, Y/n finds herself thinking about the night they first met. It seems like a lifetime ago now, when they were simply two students at Hogwarts, living their lives oblivious to the darkness that was about to engulf them. How different things might have been if they had never formed that friendship, if they hadn't found each other in the midst of all the chaos.

Their battle carries them across the grounds, their steps steady and measured despite the turmoil that rages around them. They dodge spells and counterattack with precise accuracy, never once taking their eyes off each other. Y/n knows that this is more than just a fight; it's a test of their loyalty, of their allegiance. And she isn't sure which side she truly belongs on. All she knows is that she can't lose Tom. Not now, not ever.

That's when she sees tom loosing, when harry is about to defeat him, she thinks about all the time they spent together, about their friendship and their love, and she can't bear the thought of him dying. In a split second decision, she decides to help him. She turns back into her snake form and lunges at harry, fangs out ready to strike.

She doesn't make it to him before a sword slices her form in half, sending her tumbling to the ground in a heap. Her eyes closed, her body still and limp. For a moment, it feels as though she's back in that classroom, trapped beneath the Invisibility Cloak as she listened to Tom's heartbeat, steady and strong. But this time, there's no escape. This time, she's truly on her own.

There's a scream that faintly sounds like Tom's and then she's greeted with Death himself.

In my perfect little world, Tom is still pretty. I'm going to start a tag list for different characters so tell me in the comments if you want to be a part of it.

[coolbeans32]

Echoes of Destiny: The Serpent and the Phoenix

PAIRING: Tom Riddle x F!Reader(OC)

SYNOPSIS: Harry, Ron, and Hermione embark on a perilous journey to find Genevieve, facing uncertainty and danger at every turn. As they leave their families behind, the weight of their mission weighs heavily on Hermione and Ron, while Harry's determination fuels his excitement. Upon arriving at Grindelwald Manor, they discover Genevieve's diary, which reveals troubling revelations about her past and strained relationships. Realizing the significance of Genevieve's departure, they search for clues in her diary about her next destination. Returning to the Weasley home, they meticulously comb through the diary, uncovering painful truths and hidden secrets that set the stage for the next phase of their perilous journey.

WARNINGS: This passage contains tension, danger, and emotional turmoil as the characters face uncertainty and navigate through challenging situations. Additionally, there are themes of manipulation, strained relationships, and the weight of responsibility.

WORD COUNT: 2.8k

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this took longer to post! I have finals coming up and a recital but I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :))

Previous Part| Next Part

Chapter Three

The Manor

The trio awake at the bridge of dawn, awaiting their journey ahead to find Genevieve. Hermione and Ron were both a bit nervous as leaving their families was never easy, especially for Ron, without knowing when they’d return. Harry, however, was filled with such determination and excitement. He was ready for whatever lies ahead on the journey to not only find Genevieve, but to defeat Voldemort. 

Hermione moved to grab her satchel and performed an extension charm to minimize items to carry, while Ron and Harry moved to change out of their pajamas into more suitable clothing. Ron was contemplating on leaving so quickly, especially with Bill’s wedding coming up soon. Though, he hoped that they would be back in time for the celebration. 

When they were all ready to go, Harry, Hermione and Ron head down the stairs, to see Molly Weasley prepping the table for breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon fills the air. Arthur Weasley is engrossed in the morning newspaper, while Fred, George, and Ginny chatter animatedly among themselves.

Molly was bustling around the kitchen, setting plates of food on the table, when she heard the trio come down. “There you go, dears, help yourselves to some breakfast. Oh, Harry, dear, do you take sugar in your tea?”

Harry politely said, “No, thank you, Mrs. Weasley. Tea's perfect as it is. Thank you.”

Hermione, while she was digging into her eggs and toast, said “Mrs. Weasley, these eggs are absolutely delicious!”

Ron replied with his mouth full of toast,  “' ‘Specially when they're cooked by you, Mum.” Hermione looked at Ron and rolled her eyes while he was talking with his mouth full, obviously not a new occurrence. 

Arthur, who was busy reading the newspaper, lowered it and said solemnly,  “Did you all see the news lately? Times are getting more dark and rough, best be careful.”

Fred chuckles and remarks, “ That may be true, but nothing beats our wizarding inventions to bring in a little light and fun back, right, George?

George replies back, “Absolutely, Fred. Imagine a world without a little fun! Times may be gloomy but nothing beats our Extendable Ears or Skiving Snackboxes to bring that frown upside down.”

Ginny rolls her eyes, teasingly, “Yeah, because those are exactly what the world needs, more ways to prank people.

George tuts, “And yet, here you are with a Pygmy puff that may I remind you dear sister, we created.”

Ginny grins, “Fair point. That was a stroke of genius that I guess I should give you both your fair share of credit.”

Molly replies, “Oh, you boys and your inventions. Always keeping things interesting around here.”

Arthur laughs and replies, “They certainly do, Molly. Our own team of inventors and businessmen.” The conversation continues over breakfast, filled with laughter and camaraderie, as the Weasley family and their friends enjoy each other's company. Once they were all finished, Ron, Hermione and Harry glanced at each other.

Ron stepped forward and softly said,  “Mum, we're... we're going to have to leave for a little bit. We can’t tell you where exactly, but we think we might find some clues there that could help us... find someone. A mission for us three.” Molly's eyes widen with understanding, as well as a bit of fear,  and she envelops Ron in a tight embrace.

Molly tearfully asks, “Alright. Do you know when you’ll all be back?”

Harry answers, “We don’t really know, but we’ll try to get back here as soon as possible.”

Molly says, “Okay, well be safe, all of you. And come back to us soon.” Molly moves to then hug both Harry and Hermione.

Arthur joins them at the door, a mixture of pride and worry in his eyes. “Remember, the most important thing is to stick together. Especially in times like these. Be careful.  And don't forget to watch each other's backs. You never know who might be lurking around.”

Ginny steps forward, determination shining in her eyes, “I wish I could come with you, but I'll be here holding down the fort. Just promise me you'll be careful, “she says directly towards Harry.

Harry nods solemnly, “We promise, Ginny. And we'll be back before you know it.”

Fred and George also come up to them, half serious and half-jokingly say, “Be careful and make sure little Ronniekins doesn't get lost for us, will ya Hermione.”

Hermione giggles while Ron groans and rolls his eyes, “I’ll make sure Ron will be fine, we’ll be taking care of each other.”

With one last round of hugs and well-wishes, Harry, Ron, and Hermione bid farewell to the Weasley family, their hearts heavy with the weight of their mission but fortified by the love and support of those they leave behind.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are trudging through a dense forest, their breaths visible in the chilly air. They’ve been wandering around for the last five days, trying to find Grindelwald Manor. Of course the journey wasn’t going to be easy, but they thought it would be a bit faster with the clue that they had. Tensions ran between the three the last couple of days. Slight bickering between Ron and Harry as Ron was starving most of the time, and Harry, getting frustrated at the constant apparating and walking, leading them to nowhere. Unbeknownst to the trio, the towering silhouette of Grindelwald Manor looms in the distance, shrouded in mist, very much hidden as they finally reached the correct region in South East England.

Ron squinted at the map that Hermione had packed and was holding,  “Are you sure this is the right way, Harry?”

Harry, absolutely frustrated, “Positive. It's just... a bit farther, I think. We would’ve probably gotten there if we didn’t need to stop so many times.”

Hermione, trying to relieve tension, relooked at the map, “According to this, we should take the next left.” As they turn the corner, they come face to face with a dead end, a wall of thick brambles blocking their path.

Ron exasperated, “Brilliant. Now what?”

Harry, while scanning the area, said, “We'll have to find another way around. Let's backtrack and see if we missed a turn.” Just as they turn to retrace their steps, the sound of footsteps crunching on leaves echoes through the forest. The trio freezes, exchanging wary glances.

Hermione exclaims urgently, “We need to hide, now!” They dive behind a cluster of bushes just as a group of dark figures emerges from the trees, their hooded cloaks billowing behind them. One of them had a mask on, seeming to be a member of Voldemort’s inner circle. The group of Voldemort’s followers seemed to be looking around, trying to search for the trio.

“Keep looking, they have to be around here somewhere!” One of them exclaimed.

Ron whispered,  “What are they doing here? How did they even know we were here?”

Harry answered grimly and quietly, “ I don't want to stick around to find out. We need to move quickly.” With bated breath, they silently navigate their way through the underbrush, careful to avoid any noise that might give away their position. Eventually, they manage to slip away from their pursuers, their hearts pounding with adrenaline, and apparate out of the forest.

Hermione said breathlessly, “That was too close.”

Ron nodded, “Agreed. Let's try to stay off the main path from now on.” With renewed determination, they press on, determined to reach Grindelwald Manor and uncover the secrets hidden within. 

They push forward, the adrenaline coursing through their veins, until they finally reach the imposing gates of Grindelwald Manor. With a sense of urgency, they push open the creaking gates and enter the eerie grounds.

Harry looks around warily, “This place gives me the creeps.”

Ron, swallowing hard, says, “Yeah, well, it's better than being out in the open with you-know-who’s followers on our tail.” They cautiously make their way to the front door and enter the dimly lit foyer of the manor. The air inside is heavy with dust and the faint scent of magic.

Hermione states as she surveys the room, “Let's split up and search for anything that might help us.”

Harry nods, and they each head in different directions, exploring the abandoned rooms of the manor. As Harry wanders through the upper floors, he stumbles upon a door slightly ajar. Curiosity piqued, he pushes it open and steps into a dimly lit bedroom. The room is furnished with antique furniture, covered in dust and cobwebs. He realizes the emptiness of the room, but what makes it clear is whose room he was in. There he found Genevieve's name marked across the wall, over her queen-size bed. 

Harry notices a diary lying on the bedside table, “Hey, guys, come quick! I think I found something!”Ron and Hermione rush into the room, their eyes widening as they take in the sight before them.

Ron approached Harry,  “What is it, Harry?”

Harry shows them the diary and starts flipping through its pages, “It's Genevieve's diary. And look,”  pointing to the engraving on the diary, “It's almost identical to Tom Riddle's diary. The one I destroyed in our second year.”

Hermione frowned, “That's... concerning.” They gather around the diary, reading through Genevieve's entries, each entry  painting a picture of a troubled soul grappling with dark magic from Gellert, some of her anger towards Albus and his constant eye on her, some so depressing, it was disturbing to even try to read through. Harry even began to resonate with her. Not what having parents feel like, but the constant expectation to be great. To live up to everyone’s expectations at such a young age, that living for oneself was hard. He felt a sense of comfort in her words even.

Harry turns to the final page and all of a sudden, a pensieve appears in the room. With a sense of trepidation, Harry places the diary over the pensieve, and a shimmering memory emerges and oozes out of the diary, falling into the pensieve. He exchanges a glance with Hermione and Ron, their silent agreement palpable.

Harry, in a determined state, “Let's do this. We need to know what happened here.” Together, they dip into the memory, bracing themselves for whatever dark truths await them within the depths of Genevieve's past.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter into Dumbledore's memory through the pensieve, they are enveloped in a swirling vortex of light and sound. When the sensation subsides, they find themselves standing in a dimly lit room, facing a younger Dumbledore and Genevieve Grindelwald, locked in a tense confrontation.

Genevieve, her voice trembling with emotion, “I can't do this anymore, Father. I can't keep being your pawn in this game with Pops.”

Dumbledore, his expression grave, “Genevieve, please understand…”

Genevieve interrupts him, irritated, “No, you don't understand! I'm tired of being caught in the middle of your feud. I'm tired of being used as a tool, instead of being your daughter.” Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchange uneasy glances, sensing the weight of the conversation unfolding before them.

Dumbledore says softly, “Genevieve, you know I care for you deeply. But I cannot allow you to endanger yourself any further.”

Genevieve states resolutely, “I've made up my mind. I've filed for emancipation from both you and Gellert. I'm leaving. I just can’t do this anymore. I will not be your pawn for any longer.” Silence hangs heavy in the air as Dumbledore absorbs Genevieve's words, his expression a mix of sorrow, resignation, and disappointment.

Dumbledore says, “Well that is rather disappointing. I thought it would take you another year, at the very least. I must admit I’m going to rather miss having you around in the manor.”

Genevieve rolls her eyes, “No, don’t do that. It’s not going to make me stay with you. I’ll be staying with Tom, someone who’s actually cared for me.”

“But why do you want to leave? I’ve only ever done what’s best for you. I’ve only ever cared for you.”

“You say you care for me, yet Tom Riddle, whom you made out to be evil, has loved me more than you or Pops could ever have. True unconditional love.”

“He has manipulated you, child! I know this because I know his tricks…he’s not to be trusted.”

“You say that as if you haven’t manipulated me either!” she exclaims angrily. “You may have given me shelter, education and kindness but all of that was just to keep me naive from your true intentions. I’m not just some soldier you get to order around.”

“My intention was never to make you a tool, Gen, it was simply to ensure that my plans go unhindered. I am working towards the greater good. I wish I did not have to keep these secrets from you, but I know it must be done. But now, to know that you have allowed yourself to be manipulated by Tom Riddle, who may I ask is he to you if not just another pawn in this great game of chess?” Dumbledore tried to reason.

“Of course, the greater good,” she scoffs. “And yet you are the one in charge of this great chess game using all of us in the palm of your hands. Well I’m no longer letting you do that.”

“Please. You don’t know what’s at stake here. But tell me…what do you think about this version of Tom Riddle of yours? Do you feel he truly loves you?”

She stares straight into his eyes, “He does.”

Dumbledore pierces back at her “You believe it? He’s not using you, as he has done so many others? That he loves you? Truly and completely?”

“He loves me, for me. He has finally let himself deserve to feel love.”

Dumbledore raises an eyebrow of disbelief “You truly believe it. That he loves you. That you have won his heart. That he has not been deceiving you, all this while?”

Genevieve straightens her back, “I do believe it. I’m not stupid.”

“No, I suppose you’re not. You’re clever. Like Tom. And like me. pause Are you truly prepared to leave? Leave this life, your childhood, everything you’ve known?…I know this isn’t going to stop you, but surely you must understand the consequences of your actions?” He asks with a concerned tone.

She sighs. “Yes, I’ve thought this through.” She says sadly, “I just can’t deal with this anymore. The back and forth, having to choose you or father Gellert. To feel disappointment every day…from the fact that you both don’t look at me as your daughter…I-I just can’t.”

He sighs sadly, “Yes. Perhaps it’s time I let you go, find your own path. And you’re right, that was one of my biggest mistakes - not treating you as a daughter. I’m so sorry that I never understood that that is what you wanted and needed the most. But I hope…. hope when your mind’s settled, we can reconcile. For you have always been special to me.” 

Gen sighs back, “Father…I hope you know that I don’t hate you…I just don’t want to keep breaking my heart in hopes that one day, you’ll be there when I need you…maybe one day…we can reconcile but right now…I don’t think I can.”

“Yes…yes, I understand. Can I ask you one last thing?”

Gen takes in a breath, exhausted, “Yes, father.”

“Do you remember the secret I told you?”

“I do.”

“Can you promise me one last thing…for old time sakes?” He asks seriously.

She takes in a deep breath, “What’s the promise?”

“You will not tell anyone. Under any circumstances. Will you promise me that?”

Genevieve contemplates until she decides, “I promise Father. No one else will ever know.”

“Thank you, child. Now, go ahead and collect your things from your room. The manor’s house elves will help you pack. I will miss you.”

She smiles solemnly, “I will miss you as well…Goodbye father.” With a final, pained glance at Dumbledore, Genevieve turns and strides out of the room, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with unresolved tension. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are taken back as the memory has finished.

Harry turns to Hermione and Ron, “We need to find out where she went next. She might have left clues in her diary. It’s the only thing we found that has any meaning.”

Ron nods, “Right. Let's get back home and take a closer look at that diary.” They apparate out of the manor and reappear in the familiar surroundings of the Weasley home. Making their way to the kitchen, they settle around the table, the weight of their mission pressing heavily upon them.

Hermione moves to open Genevieve's diary, “Alright, let's start from the beginning and go through every entry. There must be something here that can lead us to her next destination.” Together, they pore over the pages of the diary, searching for any hint of Genevieve's whereabouts, determined to unravel the mystery that she has left behind.

Taglist: @wheenerrr @jillian2003

Tom Riddle Masterlist

© coolbeans32 2024

[k-s-morgan]

Thank you so much for the new chapter of ATLWETD!! I have a few questions if you can answer, why did Alphard butt into the conversation between Harry and Tom? Is he growing more confident through the growing friendship between him and Harry? Since they think Harry is favored by Tom, is Alphard trying to get close to Tom for Harry? Or is he really into him? And was Tom bothered by the interruption of the conversation with Harry? Or was it this disrespect that Alphard did that bothered him? (1/2)

What are Harry's current feelings about Tom? The realization that Riddle sees him as a pet has infuriated him, but Harry is not as eager to get close to him, in fact now Harry is trying harder to befriend Alphard. Does this approach bother Riddle? I love this fic so much!! You have real talent, Katrin. Be safe, I'm always praying for you <33 (2/2)

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Hi! Thank you so much, I'm really happy you're liking this story! And of course, I'm always happy to answer questions <3

Alphard relaxed because he saw that Tom replied to Harry: he decided that he must be in a really good mood and that the exception applies to everyone, that everyone can speak freely now. He was also eager to discuss the topic, so he jumped right in without giving it a deeper thought. Alphard genuinely likes Harry, but his devotion and adoration toward Tom prevail, at least for now.

Tom, in turn, was annoyed for both reasons you mentioned. If he chooses to tolerate something from Harry, it doesn't mean he's willing to bend the rules for anyone else. He thinks that Alphard should know better than to forget the rules and jump out of line. He also disliked having his conversation with Harry in particular interrupted. Tom views Harry as something that belongs to him, and he's starting to enjoy being the one to explain things to him, teach him something, take care of him, etc. Alphard interfered and performed a role Tom wants to keep for himself.

Harry is very conflicted. He's drawn to Tom almost against his will - Tom makes his blood run hotter because he constantly challenges him. Harry has to constantly stay alert in his company: he has to lie, to keep up with his older lies, to react appropriately and to catch the clues Tom might be sharing. If asked directly, he'd deny enjoying it, but with Tom, he has no time to dwell on the horrible things he experienced at the Ministry or miss his past life. Now Tom also helped him return his appetite. Tom saves him in the ways Harry can't help but appreciate.

His lies mess with his head, too. Sometimes Harry dives into his lies about sharing a past with Tom too deeply and the emotions he pretends to feel become worryingly real.

Of course there are other, much more negative feelings, too. Harry resents Tom a lot for being who he is; he's disgusted with him for using and abusing people, and while he can relate to him in some things, he's Tom's direct opposite in others.

Harry knows he must get close to Tom to achieve his plans, but he's confused and conflicted, so he doesn't seek out Tom's company in most cases. He prefers to let the situation develop naturally for now.

[ryker-writes]

LMAO I JUST REALIZED the culture clubs are about to have Camp Vargas pt 2 so Jaxon will be going probably. Imagine him trying to set up the tents and complete the challenges while working with Azul and Idia of all people 😭😭😭

I think Yuli is pretty good with camping since she’s a resourceful person. She’s not necessarily good at schoolwork, but she's independent and self-sufficient. I think she’d be very good with her hands and making things like a makeshift fishing pole or using something unusual to create a fishing lure. During the first Vargas Camp Ace probably tried to sneak off to visit her but got caught by Vargas and booted out 💀

As for Jaxon's reaction to her liking Ace, she’d be like 'honestly? I don’t know why either' because Ace is a bit of an idiot lmao.

Alternatively, if Deuce was her match- I think Deuce does have a bit of a crush on her because he hasn’t had a girl be nice to him since his mom. I don’t think he realizes it’s a crush though, at least not for a while. He probably realizes it during the Ghost Bride event when he's talking to Eliza and freezes up, and the dial up tone plays in his head. Poor baby becomes a nervous wreck the second he realizes that he thinks Yuli is pretty. Poor baby goes from swearing and talking about everything to her to a stuttering mess within the span of one day.

Deuce and Yuli would be a sweet and nervous kind of relationship, while Ace and Yuli is banter and friendship that eventually becomes more. Deuce is so loyal that they would probably stay together long into the future. Ace and Yuli might have some rough patches and take breaks from time to time, but always work through it since their friendship means so much to both of them.

Do you see Riddle and Jaxon having a future together? Or alternatively, Silver and Jaxon?

Jaxon is actually part of the music club, so he'd be stuck with Kalim, Lilia, and Cater. Rip Jaxon Cater is going to be his nightmare. He might break Cater's phone by the end of the trip lol

Jaxon is actually pretty good with camping. He had to for a while while he was expelled, so he's pretty good and comfortable with it...when he's on his own. With others may be a bit more of a challenge for him.

I see Jaxon as being pretty similar to Yuli in this case actually. He's not great with school work either, but he's independent too. Though he's less likely to make things on his own, he has pretty good knowledge of what to do and what not to do.

Jaxon almost has a caring like relationship with Deuce. Like he's also a mess, but he kinda takes Deuce under his wing and wants to help him not make the mistakes he did. He really looks out for Deuce in his own way so if Yuli likes Deuce or the other way around, he's supportive. He wants the best for Deuce, so he'll try and give advice wherever he can (even though he has little experience with that sort of thing)

Honestly, I could see Jaxon and Riddle having a future together. They'll have their rough patches too, but they work it out. Jaxon has also dealt with horrible parents, so he's not afraid of Riddle's mom at all. Jaxon is loyal and so he's not going to give up on the relation ship easily

If Silver and Jaxon were in a relationship, I think they would be able to have a future together too. I see their relationship having less problems than Riddle's. They're relationship would also be more quiet and relaxed.

[kismetkween]

Where to begin 

I need to learn to balance and maintain the things I love and enjoy before I love something into the ground 

This is strange for me. I chose this blog and name and site, all of it 2 years ago. 1 year and 10 months to be exact. When I thought I was well and ready and going to write and ...... I was in another fit of Mania. I remember reserving all matching domain names on all socials and creating a little design and putting it all on a creator cards. I ordered 1000 and had them in a box. I showed my friends the design at my birthday party and never really touched on it again. I have never had a birthday party so successful. I invited about 40 people thinking maybe one third would come but they all came.  

You see, I had locked myself in my house for about 2.5 years. First with a family situation then the pandemic, then mental health issues and this was my coming out, my reintroduction to society. I was my fattest, at a few lbs shy of 400 and I needed something to show for what I had been doing with all that time locked away. (That was not eating and crying. ) Another issue being the first time seeing most of my friends since developing mild cognitive impairment and there was a pretty credible rumor going around that I had attempted suicide. This mostly came from the 3 months I disappeared at work and my sister being harassed with questions.  

I am riddled with duality, and I want to believe I would not love my friends dearly if they were not sweet and genuinely cared about my wellbeing.... but a magical-friendship-me and realistic-practical-me vary on whether this swell in attendance was morbid curiosity or genuine compassion. Now I know it could be somewhere in the middle. Whereas they maybe simply missed me and were not compelled to feel strongly about it either way. But what is important to remember is that, I acknowledge they did not have to come, especially after 2 years of silence from me. I am very grateful for all the people in my life. I needed them. 

I wanted to show them I was fine, and things were good, but somewhere along the line I thought I had to convince myself of these things first. The issue is though, it was not a facade. I genuinely thought this was my new life, and I was good and okay. I thought I was going to be better. In actuality, it would be another year and a half, the worst years and a complete gutting of life as I know it (and myself ... literally), before I was okay.  

I was writing and that was what was helping, and I ran with it. 

I do this a lot. I will find the one thing that is different, whatever is helping or making a small difference and I will obsess over it. I will try to perfect it and I will make so many rules for it. Over the past few years, I have determined I am not going to "fix myself" but I can try to breathe balance into more aspects of my life.  

"I need to learn to balance and maintain the things I love and enjoy before I love something into the ground." 

I did, I burnt out on writing and as much as it was helping me, it was causing me to face real, challenging, and traumatic issues on a regular basis on a recreational level. This was a very confusing time for me and when I read back it was madness. 

I have always been full of art and constantly attribute it to saving my life, but I have never been one to create anything. I really didn't know where to start and I still don't.  

At this time, I was manic and alive, and for the 1st time in a long time, I didn't want to die.  

Next post I will post a run down a timeline of physical and mental contributions to my wellbeing and my decent into madness. (link coming) 

I am also attaching a writing from my journal in 2022 addressing a strong realization that art was why I was here. 

https://kismetkweenx.wordpress.com/about

[kinetic-elaboration]

September 9: Thoughts

Just got out of the shower. Surveying the wasted wreckage of this week.

I feel like I should have taken yesterday off. As a sick day. I sort of knew it at the time but I felt so guilty for being a big part of the reason I felt as bad as I did, but honestly, who cares? I had no business being at work. I did almost nothing. Most of what I did is probably riddled with errors. And also most importantly, I’m a human being, and I am in such bad shape right now.

Anyway, I don’t mean to complain. I’m just… not really sure of anything right now. I know I’ve done damage to myself and I’m not sure how much or how to fix it. I slept for 14 hours last night. I woke up and thought it had only been 1 hour (it was raining at the time so there wasn’t much natural light). I got up to get a painkiller for my headache and then lay back down, but then I was like, why am I so awake if I only slept an hour? And then I realized the real time. So that’s a lot of disorientation.

I have pretty well decided that it’s not possible to finish my Troped fic on time. I know I still have a decent chunk of time and so that might sound very defeatist but I also know how much of the outline I have left and… it would really take a lot to finish. Maybe I’m not at the point where it’s impossible but I am at the point where it would require a gargantuan effort to finish on time, more than I have expended yet probably, and the amount of effort I want to spend is actually trending in the opposite direction. I think that this challenge has been good for me: writing a lot, prioritizing writing—my word count for August is probably equal to my whole writing word count for the calendar year so far tbh. But I think I’ve gotten to the end of the benefits. I don’t want to stress about it. I don’t want this hobby to be a problem or a burden.

All of which probably sounds pretty obvious. You don’t feel like you’re having fun anymore doing something that is not in any way a requirement for you? Then stop! But I do feel guilty. I am disappointed. And I do worry that if I slow down TOO much, I’ll lose the thread or just not finish or end up with another WIP haunting me on that list I’m trying to whittle down.

I don’t want to stop working on it. That’s not the plan. The plan is just to stop worrying about the dates, to work on it with some speed and as a priority but not to completely give up doing anything else and to also take my time to edit and so on. One thing that’s becoming tough is that, as it’s a time loop, I have to re-write scenes and I’m… not interested in doing that and I also worry that that is coming through. I wasn’t worried about it but I’ve started editing and I’m on the first loop and I feel like it’s not sufficiently clear what is happening physically, since I’m so deep in a character’s head, trying not to be repetitive but to give a point of view on the whole thing.

So. I still have a certain fire to get it over with because I want to move on to other things and I want to post but I don’t think I can continue t care about the deadline. Have I convinced myself yet? I still do want to write tomorrow and I am still excited for these next scenes. I think I might… still toying with this… post the first part toward the point where the deadline hits. It’s a gamble: if people like it, it could inspire me to keep writing. If there’s just crickets, it might demoralize me. We’ll see.

[lilietsblog]

I have mixed feelings on this. I read A LOT of this genre, so they're from the belly of the beast so to speak:

Nowhere are the literary shortcomings of the genre more pronounced than in the comments section. The poor writers might actually have some sort of character ideas but they are accompanied by a background chorus of "why did the protagonist give up the gains (tm) for that random side character? the protagonist should only care about getting stronger!"

I actually do think that the WRITERS of this genre really do frequently try to express character-based ideas. LitRPG has a very low entry bar because it's formulaic enough you don't have to be good at stories to put a few chapters together, and then you can just keep going using the progression as a plot crutch. It's a genre that attracts novices, because it's easy. I don't even mean in the sense that "novices who want to wirte anything will choose to write LitRPGs" I mean in the sense of "more people who have once thought they would like to write a LitRPG actually end up publishing a LitRPG proportionally than other genres".

Also, regardless of the writers' intent and consciousness of this fact, ALL LitRPGs deal with transhumanism. Their characters are changed as they level up, and each writer chooses HOW, how it feels to them, which aspects change and which don't, whether there are stats for "intelligence" and "charisma" and what it looks like when they go up. They are not particularly nuanced or well-thought-through takes by and large, but that's their very charm. It's not what the author wanted to say, it's just what they think, how they see the concept. And I find it wicked interesting even when I abandon the work on chapter 10 bc my curiousity has been satisfied and I'm interested in literally nothing else about the story.

Quite frankly, there's nothing wrong with writing competent protagonists. They can still encounter meaningful challenges and be changed by the experience! Not everyone needs to be a YA dystopia ingenue who didn't realize their world kinda sucks before plot hits and has 0 relevant skills to anything that happens to them afterwards. The progression fantasy surge might be a blowback against that, actually? And writers frequently overfocus on this and overthink this, throwing their characters between entirely avoidable errors and inexplicable hypercompetence, because it's the topic of the day.

No, for real, there's plenty of progression fantasy that actually has good character work, worldbuilding work and plot work. And then there's progression fantasy that's just really good at being fun to read, action-filled and well-paced (Azarinth Healer has a LOT of weaknesses but it's so so so enjoyable). Sure, lots of it is very clumsy, but the same is true of any genre.

And it's always a tempting trap to find meaningful literary value in even the least professional and most awkward works in the genre that speaks to you, while dismissing all works in genres that don't that can't convince you and draw you in regardless. But remember: if shlocky porn riddled with grammatic errors and misuse of synonyms has literary value, so do "numbers go up" protagonist-beats-up-everyone LitRPGs. Because on the other side of the text there's always a writer, trying to paint a picture with words and make other people imagine what's being on their mind.

Don't like, don't read.

so back in the day i read HPMOR, right? like many people. and as it went on (& yudkowsky kept talking about his writing process on tumblr) it became more and more clear that this was fiction approached from an angle i had never really considered before. i had been vaguely aware of places like the spacebattles forum or the dark lord potter forum, where apparently people wrote stories that were mostly just a long-form way to debate “would the USS Enterprise win against a star trek star destroyer”, or whatever. yudkowsky kept saying wild things like “the point of this scene is to vicariously enjoy somebody solving a problem” or “all characters should always do smart things so the reader doesn’t get frustrated with them” or “i wanted to add a short arc where this character doesn’t instantly solve all his problems but i was worried it would alienate the reader”. (see also.) just like, expressing this conceptualization that the point of fiction was to… write a character stomping through a little fake world going from victory to victory so that the reader could enjoy the vicarious glow of having a hard problem presented to them and then immediately resolved. how smart you are for following the line of thought of the main character, who did this smart thing!!

so that was very weird, but it was mostly a singular kind of weirdness. another weird, out-of-touch artifact from the rationalists, like roko’s basilisk but harry potter fanfiction instead.

anyway a while back i stumbled across “Mother of Learning”, and i think my initial response to it was ‘this is less a story with a plot and more a series of obstacles that are presented to the main character to be sequentially overcome’. there was a furry webcomic years ago that was a calvin & hobbes knockoff – small child, stuffed animal companion who became alive when they were alone, whimsy, etc – only where calvin & hobbes left the premise unstated, this comic, roughly 30 strips in, had a whole plot explaining: okay so these are a special kind of magical creature that bonds with children. in this metaphor susie’s mr. bun is also a magical creature. eventually they start going on adventures together. my overall thought was like, oh i guess i was assuming this was a narrative framing device structured around the themes of the work, but actually this was all meant to be fully diagetic and fully explained as part of the work’s “worldbuilding”.

anyway mother of learning is like that but for groundhog day. the time loop isn’t an unexplained device used to inspect a character through a lens, it’s a dragon ball-style training chamber. there are “plot developments” as more information is revealed, but all of that takes a back seat to extensively and exhaustively describing every ability and technique that the main character learns and how they use them to be more powerful. mother of learning is 800,000 words long. the time loop is because they’re actually duplicates of the ‘real people’, in a pocket universe constructed inside of an eldrich monstrosity that was designed to be used every x years by some kind of fated hero to keep it sealed. the main character has to escape partly to make sure some evil cultists don’t unseal some stuff, but mostly so he doesn’t lose all his experience gains.

anyway so reading that brought me to royal road. (i’ve always found the name very funny since my main familiarity with the term is the phrase “there is no royal road to geometry - euclid”, aka there is no shortcut to learning something; you always have to put in the hard struggle of comprehension. it’s actually named after… something from a light novel or something? it used to be a fan forum for a specific work before branching out into a publishing platform.) anyway it’s a place to post stuff, like fanfiction.net or fictionpress or whatever. there is a strong genre constraint: they mostly want to hear about their protagonists getting endlessly more and more powerful, and sometimes collecting a harem of sexy women. it’s for that kind of fiction. reading a few stories there was very illuminating, in that finally i could place HPMOR in a genre: that of the ‘progression fantasy’, a profoundly self-indulgent and formulaic genre that’s mostly just an action story with a lot of the bits stripped away so they can describe how much more powerful the protagonist is getting. a subgenre of this is the 'litrpg’, which are stories with a diagetic video-game-mechanics layer. people are checking their stats and getting experience from killing monsters and leveling up and all that. a lot of them read like text LPs of videogames that don’t exist. where the author is, of course, executing a min-maxed run.

(there’s a lot of overlap here between progression fantasies and like, xianxia stories? cultivation stories are generally all progression fantasies, and so there’s a lot of overlap thematically.)

anyway so that was kind of a grim awareness of a dark corner of the literary world. this stuff is popular. royal road is pretty aggressively farmed by publishers wanting to license stuff so they can make ebooks or w/e; there are author patreons there that make like, thousands of dollars a month for writing chapter 1394 of “my character with a cool spear levels up more”. i’ve read a bunch of progression fantasies but i wouldn’t say i really enjoyed any of them, partly because a lot of them are really bad at like… constructing a narrative with any kind of stakes. it’s all gonna be jettisoned away in favor of talking more about level ups. it is actually almost exactly the experience of grinding for levels in an RPG: it’s not really fun, but it can be engaging in the moment, and also you get to see a number go up, so that’s like a reward.

(i started writing one of my own as a writing exercise b/c i wanted to try some short-paced serial work that wasn’t porn, and it shot up to uh #40 top-rated on the entire site. it was in the top 10 for a few days. i have some complicated feelings about that.)

recently, i’ve been reading a lot of, uh, gay incest teenage mutant ninja turtles fanfiction. a lot of it is incredibly overwrought. 200k words of characters pining guiltily over each other! soap opera antics with miscommunications and secrets! genre cliches piled up in a big heap and remixed! and like, fanfic as a genre can be real formulaic too, right? a lot of people who read&write fanfic don’t read much else, and there’s absolutely a 'house style’ for most fanfic. but when i read fanfic i get the sense that the authors are, you know, aware of some literary conventions, of the various aspects that make up a story, and they’re struggling to convey concepts and themes. apparently i’m responsible for inspiring somebody to write what i think is the only sincere donkey/shrek porn fanfic in existence, and personally i think that porn fanfic has a million times the literary and artistic merit as chapter 1400 of randitly fucking ghosthound, because porn, overwrought incest soap opera dramas, is at least saying something about the nature of human desire, whereas most progression fantasy stuff is an utterly self-absorbed thesis on “writing somebody cool and powerful is escapism so i can feel cool & powerful”, stretched out to a million words.

like i guess 'i want to feel powerful’ is an expression of human desire but it’s a particularly flat one. i think a lot about that bit in dead zones of the imagination:

Violence’s capacity to allow arbitrary decisions, and thus to avoid the kind of debate, clarification, and renegotiation typical of more egalitarian social relations, is obviously what allows its victims to see procedures created on the basis of violence as stupid or unreasonable. One might say, those relying on the fear of force are not obliged to engage in a lot of interpretative labor, and thus, generally speaking, do not.

[…]

To be more precise: violence may well be the only form of human action by which it is possible to have relatively predictable effects on the actions of a person about whom you understand nothing. Pretty much any other way one might try to influence another’s actions, one at least has to have some idea who they think they are, who they think you are, what they might want out of the situation, and what their aversions and proclivities are. Hit them over the head hard enough and all of this becomes irrelevant.

a fantasy of having power is, i think, fundamentally a fantasy of never having to know anything you don’t want to, of never having to deal with the consequences of your actions. i feel it’s a particularly grim thing to enshrine into a millon-word epic.

anyway, hi, i’m back on tumblr, i guess. who can say if this will last. i’m still not happy about the porn ban! for reasons hopefully partially explained by the whole bit about porn above. also the increasing sidelining of custom layouts in favor of a uniform interface. sadly even with that it seems like tumblr is basically the only well-travelled social media site that’s not a total algorithmic nightmare, although the first thing i did when i remade this account was to go into the settings and turn off like a dozen algorithmic switches that were all defaulted to 'yes’.

i ended up moving cross-country during the peak of covid b/c my former housemate started having screaming panic attacks literally any time somebody stepped outside the house (literally literally, not emphatically literally). i would not recommend it. now i live somewhere where 'fire’ is a season, which is introducing new complications to my life. we’ll see how things go from here.

oh yeah, also my icon has more points now. i leveled up V:

[dearsnow]

WINTER CHILL

- when you find yourself bent to the whims of the common cold, your lover takes it as a challenge. (jon snow x gn!lannister!reader, established relationship fluff, reader with hair, part of the standstill collection but not a part of the main storyline)

word count: 711

STANDSTILL: The arrival of the Lannisters and Baratheons in Winterfell has caused the world to quiet for just a moment- a moment long enough to last lifetimes.

a/n - my first non-main-plot standstill fic!!!! in this one, you have an established relationship with jon, so it’s later in the timeline than i have written :) also i have covid rn, that’s why i wrote this 😭

“Stay away,” You sniffle, pulling your blanket closer to your body and away from Jon. “I don’t want you to fall ill.”

He brushes a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “I’m strong. The sickness won’t take to me like it does you.” There’s a caring sort of gentleness in how he holds both your hands in his, kissing them like he isn’t afraid. Like he isn’t terrified of your family name nor your affliction or even the rumors circulating you and your father. You realize, in that moment, that the connection threading between your fates is strong in sickness and in health.

His warm forehead presses against your feverish one and your heart doubles its pace. These soft moments, the ones spoken through the brushing of your skin to his, are just perfectly Jon. “Don’t worry.” He murmurs, voice sending you a slight vibration. “I’ll be alright.”

You believe him. As much as you worry about him, you’ve been craving his presence for days. That night, you let him sleep in your bed again. You fall into your familiar pattern of kissing him good night and holding his body against yours before you fall into the best sleep you’ve had since you banned him from your presence.

The next morning, you wake to empty sheets and a hushed conversation right next to your closed door.

“That was a foolish idea, you know how easily you succumb to sicknesses.” It’s Sansa, voice quiet but riddled with concern.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ll come out of it sooner or later. I needed to be with them.” Jon’s voice is stern and urgent, like he’s trying to wrap up the conversation. As they speak, going back and forth about what Snow should or should not do, you begin to understand that your lover is a big fat liar.

“So, you lied to me?” You call. The door muffles your voice just a bit, but the people on the other side can hear your intent clear as day. You can almost see the panic on their faces.

“It’s not what you think.” Jon says quickly, cracking the door open. “I didn’t expect you to be up this early.”

You raise your eyebrows. “Avoiding the question, are we?”

He hesitates before Sansa fills the silence. “Yes. He’s so stupid, he gets sick more than the rest of us combined and yet he still waltzes into your room like he’s trying to die.”

“Well, to be fair, I don’t think this illness will put me to death,” Jon protests. You and Sansa crack knowing smiles.

“Oh, the fancies of true love.” Sansa laments.

You smile. “There’s nothing quite like it.” Jon’s eyebrows furrow into his signature broody scowl, causing you to laugh for the first time in a while.

“Well, I’d better fetch the maester,” notes Sansa, giving an overdramatic curtsey. “I’m sure you’ll need him sooner rather than later.”

You stare at him for a few heartbeats. “Jon Snow. Did you really endanger yourself for a few kisses?” There’s a hint of seriousness in your tone, but you decide to drop the anger for a moment. It’s endearing, really- the unwavering love he constantly displays for you. Reckless, yes, but sweet even more so.

“I wanted to lie with you for one night, is that so bad?” Judging by the look in his eyes, there’s so much he isn’t saying. A hidden whirl of ‘I care’, a pinch of ‘I love you’, and a heaping of ‘I need you like air, as you need me like earth’ spiral in his mind, and you can see it all. He’s not very good at hiding his emotions. Not from you, anyways.

Your eyes soften further. “It’s not. I just wish you would be more careful.” As much as you love him, one person going through a bout of illness is enough.

“I will, I promise.” He takes your hand in his. “Allow me one more night and I’ll be out of your hair.”

You sigh as he rubs his thumb over yours in an attempt to win your favor. His insistent eyes stare at you so hard you think he might burn a hole into your head.

“You drive a hard bargain, Snow, but it’s a deal.”

Reblogs are greatly appreciated!!