#so the heroes doesn't know what happens there

[emacrow]

Considering Danny doesn't know the concept of time moving forward without him and the length of him going through to make sure he didn't hurt anyone.

He must've taken the his entire house along and everything blueprints, experiments, and the very portal that killed him transferring it onto his island..

But even the house had become warped in a way due to being exposed to his ice core.

Instead of a mad scientist home, it was now looked more like a menacing almost never melted ice tower sunken in ice with an igloo on top as the beginning door was.

where the rooms are neverending mazed that if you go from the living room and take one step in the hallway, you end up in room you don't remember stepping onto.

The frosted covered pictures of the walls have glowing eyes that watch where you move, even if you left a trail for yourself to remember where you went and come back to the very same room. It will be an entirely different room from where you started.

That was Dani's work in the making as she didn't want Danny to lose his mind after hearing what had happened in Amity Park, but she was a free spirit and couldn't stay in Icy Isle like danny, only to got a green sticky note from clockwork.

The fenton house became her little funhouse domains since she was Danny's neverborn spirit. She could mold the very foundation into her own adventures explore rooms help danny from becoming an ice hermit.

Exploring the new became her thing, taking souvenirs or two from city spirits, newly so-called heroes, villains, cults, etc.

She barely noticed that nearly 40 years went by only for one very night, she snatch a really cool sword from some stabby twink.

One thing led to another, and suddenly, she got a full flock of bat and bird cosplayers chasing her then came the flying duo and wonder woman who she stole that really nice belt and arm bracelet.

She thought she lost them, arriving back on Frosty isle, not even noticing a blinking tiny tracker on her shirt as she went into Danny's igloo to stash away the newly stolen goods.

The moving Isle of Frost

DP x DC Prompt

Danny is living on a frozen island he made with his own Ice Core. He still lost his friends and family from the Nasty Burger explosion. So he's isolated himself to stop him from becoming Dan, and he's suppressing his presence to stop any Ghosts from finding him to do his duties as Ghost King. And he's learned that when he's in his Ghost form, his human half doesn't age, need hunger, need the bathroom, or suffer any injuries (Clockwork's doing before Danny lost his family and friends).

Danny has the twisted idea that if he stays on his frozen island until after the date of Dan finally destroying Amity, he'll not become Dan when that day passes. And that's quite a few years in the future. He just doesn't know that his island is moving on its own.

The Batfam has noticed a large floating island made entirely out of ice off the coast of Gotham. At first, they thought that Mr. Freeze was out and causing trouble, but Mr. Freeze was still in Arkham and hadn't been out for awhile, it seems that he's listened to Bruce's words about helping Nora if he stays in Arkham to serve time.

When they began to explore the ice island, they had seen things on there that made it look like someone is living on it, though the ice shapes that look like humans don't look good (Danny made Ice sculptures of his friends and family).

In an igloo, they found a boy with light blue skin, slightly pointed ears, and snow white hair that flows like it's underwater, even as he sleeps in the igloo.

[witherby]

Hey El! I’m back and god this place needs a clean! *Iooks in the booth and sees a man sleeping* is this one of your employees or not? Also with truceJuice how would Kon and the family react to an over worked mouse?

You leave that little guy alone! That's Blorbo, he's my emotional support loiterer! I give him some leftover drabbles and he scrapes all the gum off from underneath my tables and warns me when the Health Department is coming. We have a symbiotic relationship.

And, hmm. I like this question! Let's walk it through!

How does your family + Kon react to you overworking yourself at Truce Juice?

Masterlist is Here!

Bruce:

Can't say shit to you and he knows it. This man is THE overdoer of overdoing anything. Trained his body beyond typical and atypical human limits. Used to train himself to sleep in 20 minute bursts in his prime so he could spend the other 23 hours and 40 minutes a day working on bettering Gotham day and night. Made contingency plans for every single hero and villain and antihero known to him just in case he might need to put them down one day. Bruce has never done anything with less than 110% commitment. It's not a surprise you picked up that trait, as much as it makes him both proud and worried for you. So, like the hypocritical coward he is, Bruce says nothing.

To you. He's gonna lament about it to the others, though.

Hal:

Not happy about it. You're grown, and you can do what you want with your time as you see fit, but if you happen to be spending more time at your cafe and less time at home, that's when he's gonna crack his knuckles and start bugging you.

"Hey, kiddo! I think you've stocked up enough ingredients to keep this joint running for the next 6 months. Five if Killer Croc orders anything more than once a week. Don't you think you're going a little overboard? Come on home and take a rest; I'll give you a ride."

Dick:

He's gonna try to get legal about it. If you're in there working beyond your posted opening and closing times, he's threatening to fine your business. You wouldn't want that, would you? Just call it quits for the day and go lie down! Everything is fine!

(This does not work. You hand him a fat stack of cash to cover the fine, call your brother a Blüddy pig, and oink at him until he rushes out of the store, embarrassed.)

Jason:

Enforces the Weekly Family Nap Time when you don't. He calls or texts you and says you've got five minutes to wrap up the most important shit, then he's coming. It doesn't matter if you lock the doors, he's getting in the building, he's hoisting you over his shoulder, and he's taking you home and putting you and everybody else to bed. Shouldn't have skipped dinner, idiot. Now you're in a big cuddle puddle. If you use your shadows to slip away, he's threatening to cause property damage. He'll take the heat on that if it gets you to slow down.

Tim:

You're stubborn and bull-headed like the rest of your family. Once you focus on a task you're very unlikely to pull your attention away from it unless you're made to. So he makes you.

He locks down your POS system until you call him in frustration, then gets you to give it up and come home.

"It's eleven at night, M. The place closed at seven. Come back and I'll reactivate it tomorrow morning before it's supposed to open again, I promise. Whatever you're doing can wait."

Damian:

Similar to Jason, he's slipping into the cafe after hours and leveling you with a disappointed glare. Unlike Dick and Hal, his little guilt trips and speeches actually work.

"When you were six years old, I watched you flatline in a hospital bed because of your poor immune system. And you hadn't even done anything to get yourself sick back then." He leans against the counter and watches you painstakingly adjust and readjust and re-readjust all the furniture in preparation for the painting crew scheduled to arrive in the morning to give the place a fresh look. You refuse to turn around and face him. "Why are you purposely working yourself sick again? Are you going to make me sit at your bedside in the ICU while you fight for your life over something you couldn't leave to the other staff? To the contractors you hired to do this for you? Are you trying to frighten the people that love you, Flit?"

You leave the furniture where it's at and go hug your brother, then let him take you home.

+ Conner:

Sometimes you're overworked because there's too much to do, and not enough hours in the day. You aren't the kind of boss to ask your staff to stay longer than they've been scheduled for (not realizing that they happily would if you needed the help), so you take on the mundane, often laborious, after-closing duties yourself.

Conner is attuned to your needs and desires. He doesn't have to convince you to pack it up and go home. He knows that's what you want to do. But you also have to take care of your business, and sometimes that means staying for hours past closing to supervise a major renovation, or coming in so early the sun hasn't even risen to receive a shipment of baked goods from across the city.

Conner doesn't force you to abandon those tasks to go home. But he does stay to help them along. Need something moved from one end of the café to the other? He's on it. Need something dropped off at another store? Leave it to him. Need someone to prevent the creepy window washer from staring at your ass? He's already on it.

And when it's all said and done, and you can finally head out for the night, Conner will carry you home.

[johanna-swann]

Post 8x16 thoughts nobody asked for:

Starting with the positives: The episode was solid and it did make me quite emotional. I really liked the flashbacks and ghost!Bobby. It would've felt incredibly weird if we'd just never got to see him again and I miss him so much already. Bobby is probably my favourite character on this show. Was. I wonder if there are going to be many more flashbacks in the last two episodes.

Kenneth Choi FINALLY got a plot that actually revolved around his character again, not Maddie. It wasn't about her trauma or their marriage, their child, their future as a couple, it was about Chimney as an individual outside of his relationship with Maddie. (It's been 84 years, etc.) He did such a good job too. Chimney is usually the peacemaker, now he's the pot-stirrer. A few lines seemed somewhat over the top and illogical: On the one hand he insists he blames Bobby for giving up on finding a way out and that he doesn't really blame himself (he wishes Bobby had lived, he thinks it's unfair he got to live and Bobby didn't, but he doesn't believe it was his fault), then again he says stuff like "I already killed my last Captain". Idk, seems like they were forcing the drama here a little. But all in all I'm glad they focused on Chim again for once. They already gave us a very beautiful Buck&Chim scene and I hope they follow up on this a little more.

Athena being a little all over the place yet still trying to stay on top of things and doing her lone wolf thing was very in character. (Also a great opportunity taken with the fight between her and Chim.) I kinda wish she had gone to someone and admitted she needs help/comfort/support instead of everyone having to chase after her, but oh well. Her scenes with Hen and her kids especially were amazing.

On to the questionable stuff: I did not expect there to be a time skip this big (Hen back at work? Chim back at work? Maddie much more visibly pregnant? It's been a month at least I'd guess, but it kinda worked.) and I didn't expect the funeral to just be a montage at the end of the episode. Look at all the trucks and ambulances, the street had to be closed down, there were dozens of extras and everything. This must've cost the show a fortune AND it got spoiled weeks and weeks in advance. For an end of episode montage. Not worth it, very much not worth it. No wonder this show has budgeting issues. Who needed this? We already know Bobby was a hero. You don't have to convince us by squeezing a few more trucks and engines in one frame in a montage at the end of the episode.

In general I wish we'd got a little less pizzazz around the funeral and instead a little more focus on the characters. Athena and Chimney got their chance to shine and it looks like Hen will battle her grief through the Captaincy question next episode, but between the burning water and end of season earthquake disaster - when will the other characters have time to grieve? Bobby's mother was there, but she didn't have a single line. Buck was... extremely well put together (for now). Eddie had very little to do in general.

Also, why did they bring back Gerrard AGAIN only for him to play grumpy but sympathetic grandpa AGAIN? He got to show more of his grief than Buck, Eddie, Ravi, Maddie, Karen, Tommy or Hen. Why do they keep bringing him back and why do they keep writing him as a bit of a drill sergeant, but otherwise harmless? That is the same guy who called Tommy a fairy to his face last season, right? At least this time they confirmed upfront a different Captain will be taking over soon and I guess we should be grateful Brad was only there as a foto on that shrine.

The episode also didn't answer any of the burning questions that still remain with other loose ends. Like what will happen with Eddie? He was barely in the episode, he came to LA alone and had next to no dialogue. It was impossible to read the vibes here one way or another. I still have no clue whether he'll move back during the finale or leave the show after season 8.

They still didn't adress the Bucktommy situationship. And let me be clear, I didn't want or expect a full love confession / reunion or confrontation / closure subplot, but they didn't even exchange so much as a glance. Buck voiced his intention to call Tommy, talk things through and apologise for lashing out in 8x11. 8x16 is over now and they still haven't talked even though we had a few time skips and months have gone by. They're not only dragging this out for us as the viewers, a huge amount of time has also passed in universe.

Again, there are only two episodes left, both of which seem to have big emergencies and there is a lot of ground they still need to cover. We need an answer to the Eddie question, they need to make a decision about Bucktommy one way or another, they need to name a new Captain, they need to let the other characters grief, Maddie needs to give birth at some point (they could let this happen between seasons, but why would they?), there will possibly be more flashbacks and they only have ~90 minutes for all of it.

So yeah, 8x16 by itself was fine, love how they involved Peter Krause and Athena working through her grief by working a case was interesting to watch. But I'm growing more and more agitated about the things they haven't addressed yet.

(I mostly worry about Buck's plot(s) tbh. For Hen they already confirmed she'll have to think about stepping up as Captain. Maddie and Chim will have a second child. Athena and Chim had a lot of screen time this week. The Texas arc is almost over, they can just have Eddie move back and give him a bigger plot again next season or give him a heartfelt goodbye and be done with it. All of that seems manageable even in 2 episodes. But Buck has two big unfinished businesses NOW that are somewhat complex and I hope to god they don't plan on dragging them into season 9. They already didn't let him have feelings about Maddie's abduction in a way that was absolutely ridiculous and only made an off-handed "oh he handles it rather maturely" comment in an interview to explain it, if they now also gloss over Buck's grief and have him handle losing Bobby "maturely" then I will lose it. Also they either need to give us at least a hint at a Bucktommy reunion or finally let Tommy go. I can't handle a second summer break like the last one.)

[writingpandagoth]

Hiii!!!! Can you do one sev×fem reader in wich again she is James' little sister, but he truly loves her sis.

So when she arrives to Hogwarts, Severus see her as an opportunity to get revenge over James for being his bully, so he and yn start a secret relationship but he treats her so bad and James doesn't know what is happening with her sis; eventually severus realize that he indeed loves her and it's up to you if it ends up good or bad, pleaseeee

I think that I requested something like this, but I can't remember if I asked it or not. Either way, I love love LOOOVE ur writing

So yeah you did requested it already but no worries!

I had quite mixed feelings about this if I am honest.

I was struggling to see just where this could lead and I couldn't quite get close to Severus being abusive. Even if its not physically. Also I felt like if Severus would have been bad to Reader it would later make the bullying worse.

So I thought about it and suddenly I had this thought:

What if he actually does the opposite?

Well here it is and warning: It's a lot.

I hope you still Like it even if I kind of twisted it around a little.❤️

Safety Net

The Great Hall buzzed with the usual breakfast chaos. Owls swooped overhead, plates clattered, and somewhere down the table, Sirius was hexing Remus's pumpkin juice to leap from his goblet.

You sat beside James, buttering toast with sleepy precision. He watched you struggle for a moment, then laughed and stole the knife from your hand.

“Hopeless,” he said, spreading the marmalade smoothly.

“Bossy,” you shot back.

He grinned and shoved the finished toast back at you. “You’re welcome.”

From across the hall, unseen by either of you, Severus Snape watched.

He sat alone at the Slytherin table, untouched porridge congealing in front of him. His black eyes flicked between you and James—the effortless closeness, the unguarded smiles. Bitterness twisted inside him, familiar and sharp.

James Potter. Always the hero. Always the adored.

Severus’ gaze lingered a moment longer before he forced himself to look away.

Later that day, in the shadowed corridors near the dungeons, Severus found himself face-to-face with the Marauders. Like it had been the past years.

James and Sirius, laughing about some prank, spotted him rounding the corner. Their expressions shifted—wolfish, sharp.

“Morning, Snivellus,” James drawled, stepping directly into his path.

Severus stiffened, grip tightening on the books in his arms.

“Off to another thrilling day of potion-brewing and sulking?” Sirius added, smirking.

James flicked his wand lazily. Severus’ books flew from his grasp, pages scattering across the stone floor. Another flick—his satchel tore open, ink spilling in a dark pool.

Laughter echoed down the hall.

Severus bent down quickly, gathering his things with shaking hands. His face burned—not just from humiliation, but from the sheer helpless rage twisting inside him.

James ruffled his already-messy hair, as if Severus were some misbehaving pet.

“Careful there,” he said cheerfully. “Wouldn’t want you slipping in your own slime.”

They walked away without a second thought, leaving Severus kneeling amidst the wreckage.

He remained there for a long moment, ink staining his fingers, heart hammering against his ribs.

--

That evening, you accompanied James down to the Quidditch pitch. He was gearing up for practice, broom slung over his shoulder.

“You’re not staying,” he warned, eyeing the storm clouds gathering above.

“I’ll watch a little,” you insisted, stubborn.

He sighed but smiled, ruffling your hair affectionately before jogging onto the field.

You found a spot near the stands, scarf wrapped tight around your neck. A few other students lingered, including a Ravenclaw boy you vaguely knew from Charms.

He struck up a conversation—light, harmless. You laughed politely at something he said no longer focused on the practice going on. 

High above, James spotted you. His broom dipped sharply as he veered toward the ground.

Moments later, he landed with a thud and crossed the grass toward you, chest heaving.

“Hey,” he said, too casual. “Ready to head back?”

You blinked. “I was waiting for you to finish.”

James wraps an arm around your shoulder and pulling you to his side while pointedly glaring at the Ravenclaw boy. "I am done now."

The boy made himself small and proceeded to make a polite excuse and wandered off. You narrowed your eyes at James.

“You’re unbelievable,” you said.

“Better safe than sorry,” he replied, grinning sheepishly.

Despite your exasperation, you fell into step beside him, the argument forgotten before it even began.

From the far edge of the stands, Severus watched, a plan forming in his head.

If he could make you his—if you chose him—James would never dare touch him again.

And thats how it all started.

--

The library was nearly empty by the time Severus spotted you, alone at a back table, a halo of afternoon sun catching in your hair as you flipped through a worn potions text.

He’d been watching, studying you, for days now just observing. Learning your patterns. What you liked and what you didn’t. 

You liked to study in the back corner when the tower light got too warm. You hummed when you concentrated. You sometimes chewed your quill.

 You weren’t like James — loud, smug, always needing attention. You weren’t like the rest of the school who only saw what they were told to see. You were... still. And honest.

You noticed people and that was what made this whole plan dangerous.

If he played this wrong now and you sense something off, everything falls apart. So he didn’t storm in. He waited, breathed, composed.

“That edition’s missing the revised belladonna compound,” he said, calm and even, gesturing to the page you were annotating.

You looked up, startled for only a second not having noticed him walk up to you. Then you blinked, glanced at the book, and back at him. “Really?”

He nodded once. “Page two-thirty-seven. It misstates the interaction with dittany. If you write that on Slughorn’s exam, he’ll dock you.”

You eyed him, not hostile, not flustered.

“You’re Snape, right?” you asked, voice casual.

He didn’t smile — not fully — but there was something in his face that softened.

“Severus.”

You tilted your head. “Severus,” you repeated. Not mocking. Just saying it properly.

He studied you.

“Most people don’t bother,” he said.

“With?”

“Saying my name right.”

You shrugged. “Well most people are idiots.”

He paused. That was new.

She was warmer than he expected.

Good.

This would be easier than he thought.

“You’re James’ sister.” he said. Not accusatory — just observant.

You rolled your eyes. “That obvious?”

He arched a brow. “Not if you ignore the confidence and inability to leave a sentence unsaid.”

You grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Severus hesitated

“Do you mind?” he asked motioning to the empty seats.

You shook your head, intrigued more than anything. “Not at all.”

 He nodded before he sat besides you, just enough distance to seem respectful, just close enough to say: I chose this seat.

The two of you read in silence for a while. Occasionally, he offered a correction. Once, you passed him your notes to compare formulas.

It wasn’t much.

But it was enough.

The space between you wasn’t wide, but it felt... safe. He didn’t crowd you. He didn’t stare. After some time of silent studying, he turned slightly toward you, taking’ you in, his posture more open, as if he wanted to be close but wasn’t sure if he could be.

“Rough day?” he asked, noticing the slump of your shoulders.

You exhaled, giving a tired smile. “Charms today was...hard. I don’t want to talk about it.”

He nodded. “Understood.” A pause. “I’m terrible at Charms too.”

You turned, surprised. “Really?”

He gave a half-shrug. “I can do them. But I don’t like people watching me. Or expecting something impressive.”

That landed heavier than expected. Not in a dark way — just honest. Vulnerable.

You offered a soft smile. “I get that.”

He looked down at his parchment, then back at you. “You’re easy to be around.”

That made you blink. “That’s a... weird compliment.”

“It wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “I just meant... you don’t send me away like most people do.”

He offered a small, almost bashful smile — the first you’d really seen from him.

“I’m not very good at this,” he added. “People. But I like being here. With you.”

It hit something soft in your chest.

You nodded slowly. “You are not so bad. It has been quite nice having you here.“

And just like that, the silence between you changed — not heavy, not awkward. Just full of something new. Something careful. Warm.

Severus leaned in slightly, voice low. “If you ever need someone... to study with. Or not talk to. Or just... sit with... I’d be here.”

That, more than anything else, made your throat tighten. You smiled. Genuinely. “Okay.”

And for the next hour, you went back to your books and parchments side by side in quiet. Every so often, your elbows brushed. And he never once pulled away.

--

The courtyard was unusually still.

You clutched your books tighter as you crossed the stone path, the chill of the autumn air biting at your fingertips. 

You were on your way to the library when voices caught your ear — sharp, mocking, too familiar.

You slowed your steps, your stomach sinking.

There, by the fountain, Remus stood on the side looking somewhat guilty at the scene but not doing anything to stop it.

James and Sirius stood half-circled around a figure you instantly recognized — Severus Snape. His posture was rigid, arms crossed defensively, jaw tight. James twirled Severus' wand between two fingers, a lazy smirk playing on his lips.

"Come on, Snivellus, grow a pair and get it back." Sirius was laughing while James kept taunting Severus "Or maybe if you ask nicely on your knees I might have mercy."

Severus said nothing. His silence was heavy, more defiant than fearful.

Your chest twisted.

You had been talking with Severus for a few weeks now. You’d seen the way he listened when you spoke, how his voice softened when it was just you. He wasn’t the villain your brother painted him to be. Not to you.

Without thinking, you marched forward.

"James Potter," you snapped.

The laughter died instantly.

James turned, startled. "Hey, little one—"

"Give it back," you said, your voice sharp as the autumn air.

„But…“

„No but. Give it back this instant or I will not talk to you for a whole week.“

James hesitated, his face shifting between guilt and bravado. Slowly, he threw Severus’ wand back. It hit the ground at Severus’ feet with a dull clatter.

"You’re supposed to be better than this," you said, fixing James with a look that made him shift on his feet. "I am quite disappointed with you. Now apologize and let’s go."

James flushed a deep red. He opened his mouth, closed it again. With a muttered apology under his breath, he turned on his heel.

"Come on," he barked at Sirius and Remus.

They followed without a word. After a couple steps they stopped and looked back at you, expecting to follow them as well.

You stayed behind a little longer checking Severus with your gaze.

He bent to pick up his wand, tucking it carefully into his robes. When he straightened, his dark eyes found yours.

You gave him a small, soft smile.

Then you turned and walked away towards where James was still waiting for you. When you reach him he puts an arm around you, leading you away.

Completely unaware of the smug look that crossed Severus‘s face watching you leave.

It was late when you finally were leaving the library. Severus was leaning against the far wall, half in shadow, his hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets seemingly waiting.

He straightened the second he spotted you, that familiar guarded expression flickering into something softer.

"Fancy meeting you here," you teased lightly, slowing your steps until you stood before him.

"I was hoping to see you actually," he said quietly.

You smiled — a real one, no hesitation.

For a second, he looked like he might bolt. Then, with a sharp breath, he pulled something from his robes — a small, neatly wrapped bundle — and extended it toward you.

"I wanted to... thank you," he said.

You blinked. "Severus, you didn’t have to—"

"I wanted to," he interrupted, his voice more certain this time. "You didn’t have to step in. But you did. You didn’t just watch."

Curious, you unwrapped the package carefully.

Inside was a slender piece of parchment — not just any parchment, but a rare brewing chart you recognized immediately: a highly detailed, annotated diagram for advanced potion work. The kind of thing even sixth-years would kill to have.

You looked up at him, stunned.

"I thought you might like it," Severus said, shrugging awkwardly. "You're good at Potions. You deserve better resources than the junk Slughorn hands out."

You swallowed around the sudden tightness in your throat.

"Severus," you said softly, "this is... incredible. Thank you."

He didn’t quite meet your eyes. "It’s nothing."

You folded the chart carefully, tucking it into your satchel like something precious.

"I was just heading back to the common room," you said, a little breathless.

"I’ll walk you," Severus offered immediately.

This time, you didn’t hesitate.

You fell into step together, the castle's ancient stones echoing under your feet. Your conversation was softer now, quieter. Little smiles. Glances. A warmth growing between you.

Halfway up the marble staircase when your scarf slipped from your shoulders.

Before you could grab it, Severus’ hand was there, careful, deliberate, catching the edge and gently looping it back around your neck.

His fingers brushed your collarbone, lingering just a second too long.

Your breath caught in your throat.

He was looking at you closely, his hand still lightly against you.

"We wouldn’t want you catch cold," he murmured, so quietly you barely heard him.

You tilted your face up to his, heart hammering so loudly you were sure he could hear it.

"Thank you," you whispered.

For a moment, you just stood there — suspended in something delicate, fragile.

Then Severus pulled away, so carefully it almost hurt.

Neither of you said anything more as you walked the rest of the way. But when you slipped into the common room, scarf clutched tight, you realized:

You hadn’t wanted him to pull away at all.

--

The next day, you found yourself drifting through the library earlier than usual.

Not because you needed to study but because a part of you wondered — hoped — he’d be there.

And he was.

Severus sat tucked against the far wall near the restricted section, one leg crossed over the other, a book on his knee and a quiet intensity in his expression.

You hovered a few feet away, unsure if you should approach. But he looked up the moment you shifted your weight, his expression softening when he saw you.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to find me,” he said quietly.

You blinked. “I wasn’t looking.”

He arched one brow, then glanced at the empty seat beside him. “You sure?”

You stared at him for a second — then, without answering, walked over and sat down.

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable, it hasn’t been for weeks.

You let it stretch, the sound of pages turning and distant footsteps filling the space.

He didn’t speak again until he noticed you eyeing the page he was reading.

“Don’t bother,” he said. “It’s hopelessly dry.”

You gave him a sideways glance. “That your subtle way of saying you’d rather talk?”

“No,” he said. “That was my not-so-subtle way of saying I’d rather hear you talk.”

Your lips twitched, caught off guard.

“You’re not nearly as slick as you think you are.”

“I’m not trying to be slick.”

“Oh? Then what exactly are you trying to be?”

There was a beat of silence. Then, quiet:

“Interesting to you.”

You turned to look at him fully — and found that he was already watching you closely.

“You are.”

He blinked — like that was the last thing he expected you to say.

You dropped your eyes back to your open book, trying to ignore the sudden flutter in your chest.

—

Something has changed between you and Severus after that but even if you could feel it, you told yourself it meant nothing.

It meant nothing the way your stomach flipped when you caught Severus looking at you across the Potions classroom. The way he lowered his eyes a second too late, like he'd been caught.

It meant nothing the way his eyes softened slightly when you passed each other in the hallway between classesand his hand brushed yours.

He wasn’t flirting.

At least… you didn’t think so.

It was after dinner when you saw him, in the corridor outside the Charms classrooms, where the candles floated lower and the shadows moved like they were listening.

You hadn’t been looking for him.

Or maybe you had. You weren’t sure anymore.

He was standing with one shoulder against the stone wall, arms loosely crossed, eyes scanning the few students that passed — until they landed on you.

You stopped, breath catching just slightly in your throat.

“Twice in one day,” you said, voice lighter than it felt.

“Lucky me,” Severus murmured.

He pushed off the wall and walked toward you slowly — not with swagger, not trying to impress — just moving like someone who already knew he had your attention.

Because he did.

You didn’t even pretend to hide it.

“You always lurk in dark corridors?”

“Only for a certain Girl.”

That made you huff a laugh. “That sounded dangerously close to a compliment.”

He stepped close enough for your pulse to trip.

“I don’t hand those out often,” he said, voice lower now. “You should keep it safe.”

You tilted your head, caught off guard by the heat under his tone.

“You’re being bold tonight.”

“Maybe you bring it out of me.”

Your heart was hammering now — not from surprise, but from how calm he was. How intentional.

“You’re really different when no one’s around,” you said, quieter now.

“And how is that?”

You didn’t answer right away. You looked up at him instead — really looked.

Closer than he should’ve been.

Eyes sharp, but soft at the edges.

Mouth relaxed. Breath steady.

Like you were the only thing he saw.

“You’re warm and soft” you said, barely audible.

He didn’t move. But something in his eyes darkened, like he was absorbing the word and filing it away.

Only then did he take another step — enough to close the space.

Not touching you.

Just standing close enough that you could feel it — that gravity he carried when he looked at you like this.

Then, slowly — carefully — he reached up and brushed your hair behind your ear.

Just his fingers.

Just a whisper of skin on skin.

And that was all it took.

Your breath hitched.

“You have no idea just how beautiful you look right now.”

You froze.

Not because it was too much — but because you wanted him to say it again.

And he knew that.

He stepped back before you could answer.

“Walk with me?”

Your throat was dry. “Where to?”

“Anywhere.”

You did.

And by the time you got back to your common room that night, you knew it wasn’t nothing.

Severus was definitely flirting 

And you were already falling.

Hard.

--

It was later that week, you were walking down the corridor after class when you heard his voice behind you.

“Wait up.”

You turned, surprised — and there he was, slinging his satchel over one shoulder, catching up.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you voluntarily speed up for anyone,” you said.

“Consider it a limited exception,” he replied. “I only do it for you.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the soft blush creeping up your cheeks “how very charming.”

He didn’t answer right away. But then he looked at you, soft and quiet.

“I’m trying.”

Something flickered in your chest.

You slowed your pace, and he matched it without hesitation.

As you reached the stairwell, the two of you stopped — the space between you thick with something you didn’t quite wanted to say out loud.

“I have free time tomorrow,” he said suddenly. “After dinner.”

You tilted your head. “And?”

“And I think we should use it.”

You raised an eyebrow. “To study?”

“If you want.”

“And if I don’t?”

He shrugged lightly. “Then we’ll do something else.”

You considered him — this strange, sharp, brilliant boy who had gone from a mystery to something more… something magnetic.

Something dangerous, maybe. But not in the way that frightened you.

“All right,” you said finally. “Tomorrow.”

His eyes lit in that way they rarely did.

“Tomorrow, meet me at the Potions Classroom” he said warmly.

And when he walked away this time, it was slower.

Like he didn’t want to leave too much distance behind.

You didn’t know why he asked you to meet him here.

The Potions classroom was quiet this late — all the cauldrons scrubbed clean, the windows still fogged from the day’s heat. The stone floor echoed under your steps as you pushed open the door and stepped inside.

He was already there, standing behind one of the front benches, sleeves rolled to his elbows, two vials resting near his hand and a small, half-used page of parchment at his side.

You paused in the doorway.

“So this is ‘something else,’” you said, your voice echoing slightly.

He looked up — and there it was again. That soft flicker behind his eyes. That look he only gave you.

“Well It isn’t studying,” he said. “Not technically.”

You raised a brow. “So what is it, then?”

He stepped aside, gesturing to the bench.

“A demonstration.”

You eyed the setup warily, but curiosity tugged stronger.

You stepped closer.

“What are we making?”

“Nothing explosive,” he said. “Just… watch.”

You did — settling beside him, watching the practiced way he uncorked a vial and poured a thin, silver liquid into the pewter basin in front of you both.

“I remember you mentioned you wanted to see how to brew a Revealing Draught.”

You blinked. “I didn’t think you were actually listening when I said that.”

“I was.”

He said it like it was obvious — like of course he’d remember something small you let slip between conversations.

You glanced away to hide the way your heart tripped.

His hands moved with precision — deliberate and smooth. He showed you how the ingredients were measured. What the best way was to brew it to perfection.

And you listened, taking every word in and watching every single of his movements.

“Here you try” he said. “You have to stir counterclockwise.”

You reached for the ladle, your fingers brushing his.

He stepped back to let you have the space, observing you as you stirred the potion. His gaze made you heart speed up and you stirred a little faster.

The color shifted — faint blue to soft green.

“Too fast,” he murmured. “Like this.”

He stepped up behind you slowly, his hand sliding over yours, not forceful just guiding you with care. 

Your breath hitched as you tilted your head back to look at him over your shoulder.

“Better,” he said, voice low near your ear.

You could feel the warmth of him behind you, the steady pressure of his hand over yours. It wasn’t rushed.

When he finally let go, you missed his touch immediately.

He moved around to the other side of the bench and dropped a powdered herb into the mix. The potion shimmered and turned clear, then began to pulse — slow, steady, like a heartbeat.

You stared.

“That’s…”

“A perfectly balanced brew,” he said, not looking at it.

He was watching you.

You flushed, biting the inside of your cheek.

“You’re dangerous when you’re showing off.”

He tilted his head. “Am I showing off?”

“You planned this.”

“Yes.”

You blinked at the honesty.

“But not because I wanted to show off” he added.

“Then why?”

His answer came without hesitation.

“Because I wanted to be near you.”

It knocked the breath out of you.

The honesty. The calmness of it. The way it felt real.

You stepped back slightly, suddenly fully aware of the way your heart was close to jumping out of your chest.

He didn’t press forward. Didn’t touch you again. He just watched you, steady and patient.

You gathered your voice.

“I want to be near you too,” you said.

His mouth twitched. “That’s good to hear.”

He reached for a cloth and wiped the edge of the bench, then looked back up at you.

“I’m going to ask you something tomorrow,” he said, casual but direct.

You stared at him.

“And I hope you won’t run away screaming.”

Your throat tightened.

“Why tomorrow?”

“Because I want tonight to be just this.”

When you left the classroom a few minutes later — your hand still tingling, your chest too full — you didn’t look back.

But you knew he was still standing there.

Watching you go.

--

You weren’t surprised to find him waiting outside the library for you again.

Not this time.

He stood near the arched window, backlit by soft torchlight, his arms folded loosely. He looked calm, like he hadn’t been standing there thinking about this moment all day.

But you knew he had.

He looked up the moment he saw you, something quiet but sure passing through his eyes.

“Hey,” you said, smiling.

He stepped forward — not awkward, not shy — and stopped just in front of you.

“You remember what I said last night,” he said.

You blinked. “About what?”

“That I was going to ask you something.”

A slow flutter stirred in your chest.

“And?”

His eyes didn’t leave yours.

“Go out with me? Saturday.”

You smiled — wide, open, already nodding.

“I’d love to.”

Something almost like relief softened his expression, but it passed quickly.

“I’ll meet you after lunch,” he said. “Clock tower.”

You nodded, your stomach light and full of heat all at once.

As he turned to go, you stood there for a moment longer, still feeling the ghost of his voice in your chest.

On Saturday you found him where he said he’d be.

The clock tower courtyard was still warming in the early afternoon sun, light streaking the stone floor in golden shafts. Severus stood in the center, hands clasped behind his back.

His robes were neater than usual, pressed, clean, dark fabric draping sharply over his shoulders. His boots polished. His hair soft, falling more gently across his face.

He looked…

Beautiful.

“You look nice,” you said before you could stop yourself.

He smiled, a full one, at you.

“So do you but then again, you always do,” he said — easy, quiet, like it was just a fact.

It knocked the breath right out of you.

You walked together down toward the Black Lake, the trees shedding the last of their autumn color. The path was mostly empty. Just you and him and the hush of wind through gold-leafed branches.

Near the shore, he conjured a blanket — elegant and fast, not showy and laid out a small spread: warm cider, pumpkin pasties, and chocolate frogs tucked in a paper bag.

Simple. Perfect.

You sat close.

You told each other things that felt small and strange and real, favorite books, strange dreams, old memories you hadn’t touched in years.

He listened to every word you said. Really listened. When you laughed, his smile was soft and warm. When you looked down, he waited for you to look back.

At some point, the breeze picked up and you shivered without meaning to.

Severus didn’t say anything. He just slipped out of his outer robe and draped it over your shoulders like it was nothing.

But it wasn’t nothing. It was the kind of gesture you didn’t expect from him but now, couldn’t imagine from anyone else.

Your hands brushed when you reached for a cup of cider. At first, he didn’t move.

Then his fingers turned under yours, slow and careful.

You laced your fingers into his, your heart doing something wild in your chest.

He glanced at your joined hands. Then, without a word, he lifted yours and pressed a kiss to your knuckles.

Soft. Slow. Intentional.

His eyes searching yours, giving you space to stop him as he slowly leaned in, you didn’t hesitate.

You met him halfway.

His lips were warm. Gentle. Just the right amount of unsure.

He kissed you like he’d been waiting.Like you were already his. 

His hand touched your jaw, thumb brushing your cheek like you were made of glass.

You melted into it — the kiss, the moment, the quiet between you.

Deep inside, Severus was celebrating.

But on the outside?

He was flawless. The perfect boy.

And you — You never stood a chance.

--

Something about you had changed.

James noticed it almost immediately — the way you floated down the halls, the way your eyes sparkled when you thought no one was watching. The way you couldn’t stop smiling at nothing at all. He knew it

He teased you for it, of course — he was your brother, after all — ruffling your hair when you laughed too easily, bumping his shoulder into yours when you daydreamed through breakfast.

"You’ve got that stupid, love sick look on your face again," he said one morning in the Great Hall, grinning.

You rolled your eyes, biting into your toast. "I’m allowed to be happy, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," James said, nudging you. "Just don’t let it rot your brain."

But inside, he was happy too. You deserved someone good. Someone who made you feel like this.

He just hadn’t realized yet who that someone was. Until he saw you.

James was just heading toward the library, laughing with Sirius about the prank they'd pulled on Filch when he caught sight of you — and stopped cold. His laughter dying in his throat.

You were standing close — too close — to Severus Snape.

You tilted your head back at something Severus said, brushing his arm with yours, The way Severus looked at you angled slightly down, eyes soft, mouth relaxed. 

And when Severus leaned in — not touching, but near enough to kiss if either of you tilted your heads an inch, James swore his heart stopped. 

He watched, frozen, as Severus reached up to tuck your hair behind your ear. while you — his little sister — beamed up at him like he had hung the bloody moon and stars himself. The way he did is so casually, fingers grazing your temple with such calculated softness, like he had done it a thousand times before, made James' fists clench.

Beside James, Sirius noticing how his friend had gone quiet, turned to follow his gaze and immediately swore under his breath.

"Bloody hell," Sirius muttered. "That has to be a joke."

And just as you slowly leaned up to press a soft kiss to Severus lips

 “Oi!” 

James didn’t waste another second and was already moving. You startled at his voice, turning quickly as he stormed up. Sirius trailed behind him, tense and silent, clearly knowing not to get in between what’s gonna happen next.

Severus tensed slightly behind you, but when you turned to look at him, concern flashing across your face, Severus ducked his head — quiet, gentle, even bashful.

James wanted to hex the look right off him.

"What do you think you are doing?" James demanded, voice sharp.

"What do you mean? I just wanted to kiss him" you said, your voice laced with confusion. 

"Are you mental? Why would you kiss that ugly git?" James blurted, immediately regretting it when your face hardened.

"James," you said warningly, "I will not stand here while you insult my boyfriend."

James stared at you like you had grown a second head. "You’re dating Snivellus?"

You crossed your arms. "His name is Severus. I would appreciate if you would call him that and not by that insult. And yes, I am dating him.“

Severus, standing behind you, tilted his head slightly — a barely-there motion — and smirked at James over your shoulder.

"You—he—" James spluttered, jabbing a finger at Severus.

“He’s not who you think he is,” James tried again, lowering his voice. “He’s—”

“I’m happy,” you said, more softly now. „He makes me happy. Isn't that what you should want?“

And just like that, James was undone because that was all it took. He let out a slow breath and stepped back and nodded once.

You turned then, fussing with Severus’ scarf like it was the most natural thing in the world, smoothing it down, murmuring something too low for James to catch. Severus cheeks flushed his gaze dropping like he was embarrassed by the attention.

James could see the truth, though. He could see something like triumph glittering in Severus’ eyes.

It made his stomach churn but he bit his tongue. Because no matter how much he hated it, he knew one thing:

If he pushed too hard, if he hurt Severus now — he’d hurt you.

And he would never, never do that.

James watched Severus look over your shoulder one more time. The smirk was gone but the message was clear.

Checkmate.

From that day on, Severus was always there.

Wherever you were, he wasn’t far behind — your shadow in the best way. You’d gotten used to the feel of his hand finding yours in passing, the low rumble of his voice at your ear, the warmth of him brushing against you when you sat together too close.

And he was always close.

He walked with you between classes. He waited outside the library. He joined you for breakfast when the Great Hall was quiet, slipping into the seat beside you like he belonged there.

You didn’t question it.

He carried your books. He kissed your cheek when you handed him his tea. He brushed his fingers through your hair when you weren’t paying attention, soft and slow, like it was second nature.

It was.

You were sitting on the stone ledge outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower, your legs draped over his lap, your hands fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve while you talked about nothing in particular.

Severus wasn’t really listening.

He was looking past you — across the courtyard where James stood with Sirius and Remus, pretending not to notice.

But he did notice.

He always did.

So Severus leaned in and pressed a kiss to your jaw — slow, warm, deliberate.

You blinked and smiled, tilting your head to meet him. “What was that for?”

“Felt like it,” he murmured, brushing another kiss to your collarbone, just below the line of your scarf.

You laughed, a little breathless. “You’re being sweet today.”

His eyes flicked up, past you.

Straight to James.

And then he smiled.

Just a little.

That night at dinner, you tugged Severus down into the seat beside you at the end of the Gryffindor table — the spot everyone politely pretended not to see anymore.

James watched from further down — quiet, tight-lipped.

You were too busy slipping a Chocolate Frog into Severus’s hand and leaning your head against his shoulder to notice.

He kissed your hair once. Then again.

And then once more — this time brushing his lips lower, to the side of your neck.

You giggled and pulled him closer, murmuring something about how he always got more affectionate when he was tired.

Severus didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

Because he could feel James’s stare boring through the side of his head.

He reached under the table, laced his fingers with yours, and pulled your joined hands into his lap.

You smiled against his neck.

James got up and left without finishing his meal.

--

You were sitting together on the low stone wall near the Charms corridor, the last sun of the day casting long shadows behind you. Your legs were tucked to the side, your shoulder against Severus’s chest, his arm around your waist.

You were laughing at something — one of those little observations you made that no one else ever seemed to notice.

Severus wasn’t really listening.

Not at first.

He was watching across the courtyard, where James leaned against the far wall with Sirius, arms crossed, eyes locked on the two of you like it physically pained him.

Severus turned toward you, brushing your hair back behind your ear — soft, deliberate.

“Hold still,” he said.

You blinked, confused, and then laughed when he pressed a kiss to the tip of your nose.

“Sev—what are you doing?” you giggled.

“Kissing you.”

Your smile widened. “Well, carry on, then.”

And he did.

He kissed you again — your cheek, your jaw, the curve just beneath your ear — until you were warm and breathless and burying your face in the crook of his neck, trying not to squeal.

Severus glanced up one more time.

James was gone.

but he didn’t stop.

Later, back in your little hidden classroom, the lamps glowed low, casting golden shadows on the walls. You had Severus’s robes balled up under your head and your legs draped across his lap, twirling his hair between your fingers while you talked softly about absolutely nothing.

He watched you — head tilted, eyes steady — like you were something distant and glowing, like you might vanish if he blinked too hard.

He didn’t mean to reach for you.

But he did.

His fingers curled under your chin, tilting your face toward him — not sharply, not with intent.

Just… need.

You quieted.

His mouth brushed yours — slow, slow, and again. And again.

It wasn’t sharp this time. Not strategic.

It was aching. Sincere.

Your fingers slid into his hair. You kissed him back like he was everything.

And Severus forgot, just for a second, that he wasn’t.

--

The castle was mostly quiet when you stepped into the old classroom.

It had become yours over the past few months — yours and Severus’s. No one else came here. You doubted anyone even remembered it existed.

The lamps flickered low, casting long shadows across the stone floor. The air was warm, and the blanket you’d brought last week still lay folded on the windowsill bench.

Severus was already there.

He didn’t look up at first — just sat at the edge of the desk, his hands resting loosely in his lap, his posture tight in a way you recognized too well.

You dropped your bag without a word and crossed the room.

When you reached him, you touched his sleeve lightly. “Rough day?”

He nodded once.

You didn’t press. You never had to.

You just stepped between his knees and gently peeled his robe from his shoulders, folding it neatly beside him before brushing his hair back from his face.

“You haven’t eaten, have you?”

“I wasn’t hungry.”

You huffed softly and reached into your bag, pulling out the small bundle you’d stashed from dinner — a roll, an apple, a bit of chocolate.

You handed it to him and raised your eyebrows.

He didn’t argue.

You sat beside him on the desk, thigh pressed to his, and leaned your head on his shoulder while he took slow bites of the food you’d brought.

“Better,” you said quietly.

He didn’t respond, but you felt the way his shoulder softened beneath you.

You reached for his hand — fingers cold, a little ink-stained — and held it between yours, brushing your thumb over his knuckles.

“You work too hard,” you murmured. “You don’t sleep enough. You forget to eat. Honestly, sometimes I think I’m dating a ghost.”

His lips quirked just barely.

“I mean it,” you said, looking up. “Someone’s got to take care of you.”

He looked at you then — really looked.

And whatever he meant to say never came out.

Because you leaned up and kissed his cheek, then his temple, then the corner of his mouth.

“I love you, you know,” you said.

So casually. So easily. Like it was just true.

Because it was.

Severus didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

He just sat still, your warmth pressed against him, your fingers gently brushing through his hair like you didn’t realize you were touching something fragile.

He pulled you closer, his arm tightening around your waist — not out of panic, but something quieter.

Need.

In a move so smooth it made your breath hitch, he pulled you into his lap.

"You can't just—" you began, laughing quietly.

He silenced you with a kiss.

It was deeper than usual — slower, heavier — his hand splaying across the small of your back, holding you firmly against him.

You melted into him without thinking, one hand finding the nape of his neck, fingers curling into his hair.

When he finally pulled back, he didn’t go far — resting his forehead against yours, breathing you in.

"You always spoil me," he whispered.

You grinned, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. "You deserve it."

You meant it. With everything you had.

It hit him deeply and all at once:

If you found out…

He wouldn’t just lose the plan. He’d lose this. The quiet. The comfort. The way you looked at him like he mattered.

He didn’t want to be without you.

And the fear of that — of losing you — settled deeper than he liked.

Later, at dinner, you made sure to sit with him in the Great Hall — ignoring the way Sirius arched an eyebrow and Remus coughed awkwardly into his pumpkin juice.

James watched the two of you from across the table, silent, chewing mechanically through his food like it might break in his mouth.

You barely noticed.

You were too busy fussing with Severus — pushing his hair back from his face, slipping a Chocolate Frog into his pocket, murmuring little things only he could hear.

Severus let you.

He basked in it.

He kissed you, slow, lingering kisses that left you dizzy and smiling and clutching at his robes like you couldn’t stand not touching him.

Sometimes, his hand would slide to your waist, pulling you closer. Sometimes it would skim up your back under your robes, fingers splaying against your spine — possessive, sure.

Each time you leaned into it without hesitation, letting yourself drown in him.

Each time James watched with gritted teeth, fists clenched beneath the table.

--

James had lasted longer than anyone expected.

He’d watched you throw your arms around Severus in the corridors. Watched you giggle when Severus whispered something only you could hear. Watched you sit in his lap, touch his hair, press your lips to his like there was no one else in the world.

And James said nothing.

For weeks, he held it in — every instinct screaming at him to drag you away, to hex Snape where he stood — but he didn’t.

Because you were happy.

And James Potter would rather choke on his anger than wipe the smile off your face.

But there were limits.

And tonight — they shattered.

The library was nearly empty. The lamps burned low, casting long shadows between the shelves.

James waited by the main arch — arms crossed, jaw clenched, heart pounding too loud in his ears.

Severus stepped out from a side aisle, his usual smooth precision in every step. Calm. Composed.

James moved into his path.

They stood facing each other in silence — neither blinking.

“You think I don’t see what you’re doing?” James asked, voice quietly, dangerously calm.

Severus gave a slow, deliberate blink. "No idea what you mean," he said, voice dripping with false innocence.

"You’re not subtle," James said. "You’re using her. Touching her, parading her around in front of me like some twisted game.“

Severus tilted his head slightly eyes turning harder for a fraction.

"Maybe if you hadn’t spent years making my life miserable, Potter," he said softly, "I wouldn’t have needed a shield."

“So that’s what she is to you? A solution to me?”  James laughed out, humorless.

“She gave me peace,” Severus muttered. “That’s more than you ever did.”

"You’re lying to her," James snapped at him his voice dangerous. “She thinks you love her.”

Severus hesitated, the word catching on his tongue. 

“She was—She made it easy to stop all of it. I didn’t plan for it to go this far.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then — so quiet it barely landed:

“She was just… convenient.”

The words hung in the air like a curse.

And from behind them, a soft sound — a book hitting the floor.

Both boys turned.

You stood frozen in the aisle your fingers trembling.

Your eyes — wide and stunned — locked onto Severus.

"Convenient," you repeated, barely audible.

You swayed slightly where you stood. James moved immediately, crossing to you without hesitation.

You didn't pull away.

You let him catch you, his arms wrapping around you tightly, grounding you.

Severus took a small step forward.

"Y/N—" he said, voice rougher now, almost panicked.

You shook your head fiercely, pressing your face into James’ shoulder.

Severus kept talking, desperate now. "I didn’t mean—"

You lifted your head, tears streaking silently down your cheeks, and cut him off.

“Stop,” you said, voice sharp now. “Just… stop.”

He froze.

“I believed you,” you said, voice soft and wrecked. “Every word. Every look. I believed it all.”

Severus stepped forward again.

“Y/N—wait, I didn’t—”

“Don’t” you said — not loud, but it cut clean. “Don’t come near me.”

He faltered. “You don’t understand—”

"Stay away from me," you said, voice shaking but strong. "You got what you wanted. I hope you are happy now.“

The words hit Severus harder than he thought they ever could.

James tightened his grip around you protectively.

„Stay away from us,“ James said, voice low and sharp. „And we will stay away from you.“

Severus opened his mouth — but no words came out.

James turned, guiding you away gently but firmly, one hand between your shoulder blades, keeping you steady.

You didn't look back.

And Severus — Severus stood there, watching you go, the crushing weight of guilt settling heavy in his chest.

--

It was worse than he had expected.

Severus thought he had prepared for it — thought he could stomach the cost of losing you. After all, it had been a game. A plan.

A way to get James to stop tormenting him.

It wasn’t supposed to hurt.

And yet —

Every time you passed him in the corridors, your arm looped through your brother’s, eyes sliding right past him like he’d never existed — it felt like a blade twisting in his ribs.

You didn’t look at him. You didn’t flinch. You didn’t acknowledge him at all.

You made yourself deaf to the way he sometimes stumbled in your wake, as if drawn after you like a ghost.

You were colder than any hex. And it destroyed him.

The Great Hall was louder now — every scrape of cutlery, every shout, every burst of laughter like a hammer to the skull.

Without you beside him, it was unbearable.

Severus picked at his meals in silence, alone at the end of the Slytherin table, eyes drawn helplessly to the cluster of Gryffindors halfway down the hall.

You sat between James and Lily, laughing at something Sirius said, your smile strained but brave.

James kept a protective arm draped casually across the back of your chair, his eyes always scanning, always watching — daring Severus to come closer.

Severus didn’t.

He couldn’t.

Not because of James.

Because of you.

Because every time you smiled through the ache, something inside him cracked — slow, quiet, and bleeding.

You still carried yourself with pride — back straight, chin up but Severus could see the cracks if he looked hard enough.

The moments when you went quiet, staring off into nothing. The way your fingers curled tightly into the fabric of your robes when you thought no one was watching.

The way you blinked fast sometimes, like you were forcing the tears down before they could escape.

He had done that. He had taken your trust — your love — and shattered it.

And he hadn't even realized what he had until it was gone.

One night, he found himself standing outside the Gryffindor Tower entrance — stupid, pathetic, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of you through the open portrait hole.

He didn’t see you.

But he heard your laugh — soft, tired, real — floating down from somewhere inside.

Not for him.

Never for him again.

Severus turned away, his hands shaking in his pockets, guilt rotting inside him like poison.

He’d won.

But it didn’t feel like victory.

It felt like he’d set fire to the only thing that had ever made him feel whole.

Severus hadn’t meant to stop.

He was just passing through, head down, hands shoved deep in his pockets, thoughts tangled with you — like they always were.

And then — there you were.

Sitting on the stone bench by the fountain, the late afternoon sun catching in your hair, laughing — actually laughing — at something the boy beside you said.

Some Ravenclaw — all clean lines and easy charm, the kind of boy who never had to fight to be liked.

You leaned in closer when you laughed, touching the boy’s arm lightly, your smile bright and open and full of something Severus hadn’t seen in weeks.

He froze, the world narrowing to a single, unbearable point.

You looked... happy.

Happy like he had made you in all those weeks of kisses and whispered lies.

Happy in the way you had only ever looked at him.

The Dull ache in his chest got stronger with every heartbeat. 

He missed the way you fussed over him. The warmth of your hands, the soft murmurs, the way you sat pressed against him like you were proud to be his.

He missed all of it.

He missed you.

And in that moment — watching you laugh for someone else — he realized what he’d done. It hadn’t been a game. Not for a long time.

He had loved you. Not with flowers or poetry. But in the way you made him feel human. In the way you saw him — wanted him — before he even wanted himself.

And he had destroyed it.

Because he hadn’t realized until now — until he saw you moving on without him — that what he had with you wasn’t just a shield.

It had been real.

And he had thrown it away for something that didn’t even feel peaceful anymore.

Severus leaned back against the cold stone of the courtyard wall, his legs suddenly weak.

He watched you laugh again, tilting your head back, and something inside him cracked so loudly he was sure the whole world could hear it.

It was over.

You weren’t his to love anymore.

--

Severus heard the rumor before he saw it. A whisper over pumpkin juice. A scribbled note passed under the Ravenclaw table.

You’d been asked out. You’d said yes. You were moving on.

It shouldn’t have surprised him. He’d used you.

But somehow — stupidly — part of him had still believed there might be time. Time to fix it. Time to deserve you.

He hoped that he had still time to find a way to make it up to you but that part of him died that morning.

Something hollowed out inside him, sharp and aching.

When he saw James laughing with Sirius outside Defense class, something in him snapped.

He didn’t think.

Didn’t speak.

Just swung — hard — and hit James square in the jaw.

James stumbled back, shocked — then snarled.

“You’re dead.”

The punch came fast. James’s fist cracked against Severus’s jaw, snapping his head to the side.

Severus didn’t move. Didn’t lift a hand. Just stood there, arms loose at his sides, as James hit him again — harder this time — and sent him sprawling.

The corridor filled fast — students pouring in, eager for blood. Some gasped. Some laughed. A few even cheered.

Severus didn’t hear them. Not really.

James didn’t stop. He leaned down and hit him again. And again.

Severus didn’t move. Somewhere in the roaring in his ears, he caught Sirius’s voice — then a kick to the ribs. Pain burst behind his eyes. The floor tilted.

Another fist. Another kick. He took it all. Not because he was numb 

but because this was what he deserved. For lying. For realizing too late that he’d loved you, and that he’d destroyed the one good thing he’d ever had. Let them hurt him. Let it leave a mark.

He wanted it to hurt.

He didn’t notice at all but something shifted — the noise cut off, laughter stilled, tension thickened. Then—

“James!”

Your voice. Raw. Horrified. Real.

You didn’t hesitate.

You ran straight to James, grabbing his arm, yanking him back.

His fist froze mid-swing.

He was panting, wild-eyed, hands still shaking.

The silence was thick — heavy and watching.

Severus stayed down, vision swimming, ears ringing, blood warm on his face.

Then you were there. Dropping to your knees. Reaching for him.

“Oh my…”

He flinched before your fingers touched him.

“We need to get you to the infirmary,” you said, your voice breaking. You reached for him — gentle, steady — but he jerked away like your touch burned.

“No.” His voice was raw, wrecked. “Don’t.”

You froze, hand suspended in the air. Hurt flickered across your face, but still — you tried again.

“You’re bleeding. You need—”

“I don’t want your help,” he snapped, sharper this time, bitter and afraid.

The words cut deeper than any bruise.

“Severus—”

“Just go.”

The crowd thinned fast. Laughter faded to uneasy whispers. Eyes darted away. No one wanted to be the last one watching.

James stood off to the side now, fists loose, chest heaving — guilt already setting in like bruises under the skin.

You stayed.

Still on your knees, still reaching for Severus, even after everything.

“I’m not leaving you here,” you said, voice shaking but firm.

He shut his eyes. Your hands touched his arm — soft, insistent — and it nearly broke him.

He didn’t deserve this. Not from you. Not after everything.

And that — that — hurt more than every punch James had thrown.

He didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to stand. Didn’t want you to see him like this — bloody, weak, ruined.

But you were still there.

So he turned his face away, jaw tight, and forced himself upright with a sharp groan — pain lighting up behind his eyes.

You reached for him — not thinking, just moving — your hand slipping under his arm, steadying him as he tried to sit up.

“Let me help—”

He pulled away. Not rough. Not angry. Just... empty.

You froze, watching as he braced one hand against the cold stone floor, struggling to push himself upright. His ribs clearly screamed with pain. His lip was bleeding. His breath came shallow and uneven.

Still, he shoved himself to his feet.

He swayed.

You moved forward again, instinctively, hand outstretched—

“I said don’t.”

His voice was hoarse. Low. Final.

You stopped.

He didn’t look at you.

Didn’t say anything else.

Just turned — slow, stiff — and limped down the corridor, one arm wrapped around his middle, blood dripping down his jaw.

You stood there.

Watching.

Waiting for him to turn back.

He didn’t.

You’d seen people fall apart before.

Friends crying over exams. Students cracking under pressure.

But this wasn’t stress.

This wasn’t fear.

This was Severus quietly erasing himself.

You noticed it first in Potions.

He stopped arriving on time. Stopped wearing his robes properly. His shirt always wrinkled, his hair unbrushed, hanging in his eyes.

He stopped raising his hand. Stopped taking notes.

He barely seemed to breathe.

And you hated it. Hated that you still noticed. Hated that you still cared. Because you were supposed to hate him. Because he deserved it.

But the ache in your chest kept growing — steady, heavy, impossible to ignore.

Then he stopped showing up at all. One day. Two. Three. Four. No one knew where he’d gone.

The Slytherins stayed silent. The professors frowned, but didn’t say anything about it.

You told yourself it didn’t matter. You told yourself to stop thinking about him. You tried.

Then you heard it.

Two Hufflepuffs outside Charms — whispering, grinning.

“Did you hear? Snape got into it with Mulciber yesterday. Nearly got knocked out.” “Yeah, and someone said he picked a fight with three Ravenclaws. Because of that rumor — one of them dating (Y/N) Potter.” “Slughorn told McGonagall he’ll get expelled if it keeps up.”

You froze. The blood drained from your face.

Expulsion. Fights. Severus — who had once clung to ambition like a lifeline, who just wanted quiet, who only ever wanted peace — was throwing it all away.

No. You didn’t want to believe it. But the fear clawed up your throat anyway.

You searched the whole castle. The library. Empty classrooms. Dark corners where you used to meet in.

Nothing.

It was like he’d vanished. Like he didn't exist anymore.

And for the first time since he broke your heart— You were scared. Really, truly scared.

It was nearly midnight when a soft tap on your shoulder pulled you out of your thoughts.

You turned.

Lily stood there — red hair loose, eyes tired, holding something close to her chest.

“Hey,” she said quietly.

In her hands was a small box.

“This is for you,” Lily said. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were full of something that looked like regret. “From Severus.”

Your stomach knotted. You couldn’t speak.

She gently pressed the box into your hands. “He asked me to deliver it. That’s all.”

You nodded, wordless.

She lingered for a moment — like there was more she wanted to say. But instead, she stepped back and sank quietly into one of the armchairs across the room.

Not leaving. Just staying close. Respecting a grief she couldn’t name, and couldn’t fix.

You sank into the nearest chair by the fire, the box like a weight in your lap. It was plain. Unmarked. Small.

Inside, wrapped in soft brown paper, was a book. A rare potions text — the one you’d mentioned months ago in passing. You hadn’t even thought he’d heard you.

You didn’t even realize you were crying — not until a tear hit the cover.

You wiped it away fast, almost frustrated.

Your hands were shaking as you opened the first page.

At the bottom of the first page — small, careful, like he didn’t dare write it any bigger:

I love you.

You blinked — once. Twice.

Then turned the page.

There it was again. Just beneath a potion diagram, tucked between the inked lines:

I love you.

Another page. Scribbled faintly in the margin beside a brewing chart:

I love you.

They were everywhere.

Tiny. Hidden. Buried in corners and curves. Like he didn’t know if you’d ever see them. Like he had to say it anyway. Over and over. Because he couldn’t say it out loud.

Each one tore at you.

Each one made it harder to breathe.

By the time you reached the last page, your hands were trembling.

At the bottom of the inside cover, the writing changed — rougher now, uneven. The ink was smudged in one place, like something wet had struck the page and dried there.

A single tear, maybe.

I wasn’t brave enough to say this to your face. Not after everything. Not when I know you don’t want to hear it.

I know you’ve moved on. I know this won’t change anything. Maybe you won’t even read this. But I had to say it somewhere. At least once.

Be happy. That’s what I want for you. That’s all that matters now.

I will be gone soon, I will make sure this is the last time you’ll hear from me. I promise.

I won’t bother you again. I won’t let myself.

just know I never meant to hurt you.

I love you.

You pressed your forehead to the book, holding it to your chest like it could keep you from falling apart.

Your heart broke in quiet, shuddering pieces.

You were still sitting by the fire when James stepped into the common room.

Lily had been watching from the armchair. When she caught James’s eye, she gave the smallest shake of her head — subtle, quick. A silent message only someone who knew her well would understand.

It’s not good.

James didn’t hesitate. He crossed the room in a few long strides and lowered himself beside you, voice soft.

“Hey, little one. What’s going on?”

You didn’t answer. Didn’t look at him. Just clung to the book like it was the only thing left keeping you together.

James leaned in, eyes narrowing as he took in the frayed cover and trembling in your grip.

He reached for the book — slow, gentle — and you let him take it.

He opened it. His eyes landed on the first scrawled I love you.

Then another. And another. Written between diagrams, slipped into margins like secrets.

And finally — The last page.

James’s stomach dropped.

You broke.

A sob ripped out of you — low, raw, uncontrollable — and you crumpled into James’s chest like you couldn’t hold yourself up anymore.

He caught you immediately, arms locking tight around you — solid, steady, safe. You buried your face into his shoulder, fingers clutching at his sleeve.

“He said he will be gone soon,” you whispered. “I think… I think he meant it. They said he’s going to be expelled if he keeps fighting.”

James closed his eyes, burying his chin in your hair.

„It will be alright…“

“I don’t want him gone,” you choked out. “I love him. So much.”

Another sob tore through you, louder this time — broken, desperate — as you clung to James like he was the last solid thing in the world.

“I don’t want to lose him like this…”

For all the anger James had ever felt toward Severus Snape — all the hate, all the history — nothing had ever cut deeper than this.

Watching you cry like that. And knowing he couldn’t undo any of it.

But he could do what he’d always done.

He held you close. One arm around you.

The other gripping the book — the one thing Severus had left behind that still held the pieces of your heart.

He couldn't undo it but he sure as hell can fix it.

(Part 2 will be up later)

[howlingday]

Everybody on Beacon thinks that Weiss Schnee hates Jaune Arc, but that really far from the truth. The truth both Jaune and Weiss are childhood friends that are secretly dating, mostly beacuse Jaquess sees the Arc family not as a noble family of heroes like Nicholas Schnee saw the Arcs, but peasants that are skiled with the sword. So Jaquess dosen't let Weiss see Jaune for years, until the meet again in Beacon.

Another Time, Another Life

Knightshade

"I see you've been playing out in the snow all day." Nicholas chuckled. "And where are your gloves, young man?"

"I... I forgot." Jaune meekly answered.

"Huh?" His father lifted his hand to his ear. "What's that? Couldn't quite hear ya! I'm gettin' old, ya know!"

"I forgot." Jaune said a little louder. His father sighed, shaking his head, though his smile never faded. "I'm sorry."

"You think you're sorry? What do you think's gonna happen to me when your mother sees you without your fingers?" He took off his glove and held his son's hand between his index finger and thumb. "I don't think my hand's small enough to match yours."

"It was my fault, Mr. Arc." Nicholas turned around to see Weiss, his employer's youngest daughter, standing close by with her hands folded over lap. She knelt forward a bit. "I apologize."

Looking behind her, he found the family butler, Klein, with a pleased look on his face. Even a princess needs to be raised right, right? That she doesn't end up-

"Apoligize? For what?!" -like that. Nicholas watched as the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss' father, and his current employer held a twisted sneer beneath his burly moustache. "It's hardly your fault. If anything, it's the boy's own foolishness that brings his own misfortune!"

"Well, kids will be kids." Nicholas said, resisting the urge to deck the man who just insulted his kid. Unfortunately, lien was tight and the patriarch of the Schnee name paid more than well enough for the family.

"Perhaps your children, but my daughters, and my son, will bring glory to our family name, rather than frostbite from engaging in childish nonsense." He straightened a bit. "Why, Weiss is clearly smart enough to know that we Schnees are resistant to all types of cold weather!" The urge to punch him became harder and harder to resist the more they talked on it, so Nicholas yielded.

"Is there more work tonight?"

"Indeed." He extended an arm out towards the den at the end of the hallway. "You're familiar with my office?"

"Yeah." Nicholas knelt to his son. "Get those hands warmed up. I wanna hear all about the fun you had when I get back."

"Okay. I love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, Jaune." Nicholas walked away with a smile.

Weiss stood nearby, looking expectantly to her father for words of praise, or comfort, or anything. But instead, he passed her by, giving little if any attention after his boasting of the family name. She resisted the urge to call out to him. She knew better than to do that now.

"If I may, Miss Weiss, but I believe your father is right about one thing." Klein stepped in. "Your family is naturally resistant to cold. Perhaps even to the point of taking the cold away from others?"

Weiss perked at this. She nodded to Klein before getting close to Jaune. Without warning, she held his hands between hers and closed her eyes, willing herself to take the cold from him. And while she was red in the face from effort, Jaune was flush from something else.

He'd heard many a tale about knights and princesses, but normally it was the knight holding the princess' hands like this. She rubbed her hands over his before pulling away to turn them over. She turned to call for Klein, only to realize he was standing behind her. And like a mind-reader, he answered what she thought to ask him.

"He seems to be warm enough now. What do you think, Mister Jaune?" He nodded and Weiss released his hands, backing away and smiling. "Now, what would the two of you like for lunch? We have the greatest chefs in the world, and I will not let a day's worth of play end with empty tummies."

As the two followed Klein, Jaune glanced now and then to Weiss' hand. He could remember how soft and warm they were. True, they were warmer than his hands because he was in the snow without gloves, but she also went without gloves, but her hands weren't as chilled, nor as red, as his.

"What's wrong?" Jaune realized he'd been staring too long when Weiss was suddenly in his face. "Are you sick?"

"N-No, I... I was just..."

"Miss Weiss, I believe his hand is cold again." Klein explained with a grin.

"Already?!" Weiss replied in shock. "Here!" She gripped his hand tightly in hers. "Anytime you feel cold, just let me know, okay?"

Jaune gulped, then gave a nod. "O-Okay!"

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

A loud noise awoke Weiss in her bed. She gave a gasp, looking to her door, then saw a shadow moving on the other side. Fearing a burglar, she held her breath, diving deep into her covers in hopes that they would ignore her. It was then she noticed she was alone.

Jaune was sleeping next to her, but now he was gone.

She heard shouting that sounded like her father get closer to the door. As he passed, she heard him clear as day.

"...YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, ARC!" His voice, though still angry, grew softer as he passed. "I'll see to it that your family never works in..."

What happened to Jaune? The boy she'd known for only so short as a month was gone in the night, and her father shouting and cursing his family name wasn't pure coincidence, she thought. Steeling her nerves, she leapt from her bed and hurried to the door. Opening it, she found her sister, Winter, standing outside.

"Go back to bed, Weiss."

"But sister-"

"Go to bed, Weiss." The older sibling repeated, this time much firmer. "I'll tuck you in and explain everything."

Unable to resist, Weiss retreated into her room with her big sister shutting the door behind her. As she climbed into bed, Winter was tossing the blanket back before draping them over her little sister. She then climbed up and sat next to her.

"Where's Jaune?"

"He's gone, Weiss. His father came and took him."

"When will he be back?" Winter was silent. "Sister?"

"He... won't, Weiss. Not after tonight."

"What?!" Weiss sat up, only to be met by Winter's grip on her shoulders. She could feel the tears building in her eyes. "Was it something Mr. Arc did? Why is father yelling at him?"

"Mr. Arc did... nothing. So his employment with father is terminated as of a few minutes ago. I was worried when I saw him enter your room, but I'm relieved to see he hasn't hurt you."

"Why would he hurt me?! Sister, you're not making any sense!" Weiss tried to shake herself free, only to be met with a firm jostle by the elder Schnee.

"Stay still, Weiss!" Winter barked. "Jaune is gone, and he's never coming back!"

At this, Weiss stopped fighting back. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she turned in towards her pillow as she did her best to hide her anger and frustration and sadness. She felt the bed shift and heard the door open.

"Good night, sister." Winter said. "And... I'm sorry."

Once the door shut, Weiss didn't bother keeping quiet anymore.

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

"Dad... Where are we going?"

"Home, son."

"But... I didn't get to say good-bye to Weiss." His father was quiet, making small hisses and grunts. "Dad?"

"She's... She was sleeping when I picked you up. Did you say good night to her?"

"Yeah?"

"That's... good." His father nodded, lifting his hand to point up. "Because, uh, remember when grandma passed away? We had to say good-bye because good-byes are forever! But a good night means you'll see them another day!"

"Another day?" Jaune blinked. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. It was still dark outside. "When are we coming back?"

"I... can't come back."

"Why not?" A wind blew, making Jaune huddle his coat closer to him. His father opened his coat and brought his son inside. "Dad?"

"Jaune, there's... There's bad people here in Atlas. And there's a lot of problems that need to be fixed. Problems that I can't fix, but maybe you can one day."

"Bad people?"

"Mhm. Bad, terrible, awful people who make their money off the misery of others... and making sure they stay miserable." He shook his head. "I don't want to be that kind of person, Jaune. I want to make people happy. Make them smile. Because that's what a hero does, Jaune. And me... I'm no hero."

Nicholas couldn't tell his son the truth. How could he tell him in a way that he could understand? Not only in a manner appropriate for a boy his age, but in a way that doesn't make him sound like some sort of evil henchman. Jacques Schnee made a fool of him, sending him to a Faunus rally to act as a strike-breaker for peaceful protesters, and when he realized why he was there, he'd had more than enough. Grimm were one thing, and so were street punks and hijackers, but he refused to be the kind of monster who attacked innocent people asking for their fair share.

"...You're my hero, Dad."

Nicholas nearly broke as his son hugged him. Thankfully, the bullhead arrived to blow any tears away.

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

"Yeah, and we can paint our nails and talk about tall, blond, and scraggly over there~!"

Jaune perked as he heard that. Was someone talking about him? He looked over and saw Ruby talking, or rather being talked down to with an overbearing girl in a white dress. Her long, white ponytail reminded him of his childhood friend, but there was no way she was the same girl. It had to be a coincidence.

"Wow, really?!" Ruby perked up.

The other girl was quiet for a moment. "No." Yeah, definitely not her. It would be pretty weird if she just happened to be at the same school he was after all these years. Like one of those sappy rom-com stories some of his sisters loved to read.

All thoughts stopped when a man took the stage to give a speech.

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

"Stop."

"H-Huh?"

"What did you say your name was?"

"Uh... Jaune. Jaune Arc."

"Jaune... Arc... As in the son of Nicholas Arc, the former sellsword of the Schnee Family?"

"I... take it you're not a fan?"

"Hardly. Your father was responsible for the most heartbreaking years of my life."

Jaune paled. When he was finally old enough to be told, he was horrified to hear what his father was asked to do. He was glad to hear his father finally said no, but there was a part of him that feared just how far into this business he went before he finally said no and left the Schnee Mansion.

"Oh, gosh, I'm... I'm so sorry about my dad." Jaune held up his hands defensively. "Whatever he did to your family, I promise to help you however I can. I give you my word, and an Arc never goes back on his word!"

"Really?" She stepped into his guard. "And did your father give his word when he fled my home in the middle of the night?"

"Uh-"

"Did your father give his word when he stole my only friend out of my life?"

"H-Hang on a sec-"

"Well, did your father give his word?!"

Jaune had his back to the wall, both literally and figuratively. Everyone was staring as this girl, half his size, had him pinned and fearing for his life. When she stepped away, he didn't have it in him to relax. She glanced down before turning away.

"At least you're wearing gloves this time."

"...Weiss?"

"I expect a full explanation AFTER initiation." She walked away. "You better make it in."

"Uh... Sure thing..."

"...I'm Pyrrha, by the way. It was nice to meet you, Jaune~!"

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

"So that's what happened." Weiss set her cup down. "No one ever told me what my father asked of yours, but to think he'd stoop so low."

"Yeah, and it doesn't look like he's getting better, either."

"No?" Weiss lifted her brow. "And here I thought the threats of embargo and discrimination within his facilities were points on the buck by now."

"Points on the..."

"Oh, right." Weiss straightened. "I forgot that we've been separated for so long. I've picked up a few hobbies."

"Like what?"

"Stag hunting, for one."

"What's stag hunting?"

"Hunting stags." The two sat silently for a moment. "Deer. Stags are deer."

"Oh..." He cleared his throat. "I've, uh, been reading comic books."

"I see."

The two became silent once more. Making it into Beacon was the easy part, apparently, because talking to each other now felt so... off. Were all long lost friendships like this? If so, how did they ever reunite in the story books? Some people just clicked after seeing each other after a long time, but this? There was no click. Just two people, sitting together, for the first time in probably ten years.

"Oh, uh... Good morning."

"Excuse me?" Weiss looked at the clock on the wall. "It's a half hour past noon."

"Y-Yeah, but..." He sighed. "When my dad took me, he said it was good I didn't say good-bye, because good-bye is forever. Saying good night means you'll see them again another day." He gave a sheepish grin. "And, well, good morning."

Weiss smiled. "Good morning."

As he chuckled and smiled, there was the click.

[pikahlua]

I don't know if this is a right time for this ask or not, but I'm genuinely asking. What other "charitable" conclusion can you get out of Bakugo's death besides Horikoshi jobbing him (as well as all the other heroes who were with Bakugo) to make Deku sound cool or something?

I'm sorry but making Shiggy scared for 2 seconds isn't exactly a flex.

You told us to be "charitable" but I don't see anything else beside Bakugo getting ridiculed for the haters satisfaction and I'm not even trying to be mean to you or go against what you are saying. I don't just really understand where you are coming from. Hero academia is a shounen manga for entertainment so obviously fights and their results are more important than almost anything else.

Look, I just woke up. I'm not happy. I'm gonna try to contain myself, but I'm not happy. Unless you're a particularly young person who isn't used to coming to your own conclusions, I'm just really annoyed. You're putting it on me to assuage your insecurities. You're adding all this unnecessary baggage onto Horikoshi's statement. "I killed Bakugo to show Shigaraki's overwhelming power," is a statement that doesn't have to exist in a vacuum. You and I read the same manga I assume. Please just try to imagine what writing choices led to the final product. Horikoshi obviously made MANY decisions about his story to get that final product, and they all connect to each other. Maybe it's true--though I seriously doubt it is--that Horikoshi sat down one day and was like "Ah yes, I know what will give those Twitter bros specifically what they and no one else want!" and "jobbed" Katsuki to humiliate him. What I would say is far more LIKELY that happened is that Horikoshi considered a lot of unresolved elements in his narrative and came to decisions about them in a haphazard order, and now he's having to use hindsight to try to make sense of them all and come up with trivia to fill this fanbook.

Let's say one of his early decisions was this idea to use Katsuki's death to demonstrate Shigaraki's power. There's no guarantee that this WAS an early decision, but let's just imagine it for argument's sake. Here's how that thought process could have gone:

"Hmm, I need a way to demonstrate Shigaraki's overwhelming power. I suppose the best way to do that would be to kill a character. Who would be the best option? Ooh Katsuki would! Because he's so powerful in the narrative it would shock the audience if he died! But then how can I use his death to solve these other loose threads? Oh, I know! I can use his death to showcase this fundamental and soft truth about his character that would be hard to make a scene involving anyone else about. That would be beautiful. And I can't have him stay dead, he's just too stubborn, obviously. So I can use his death as a symbolic moment, yesssss. It will be glorious! A moment where he can literally defy death and despair and bring HIMSELF back to life! As a new and even more powerful hero! This would be a great opportunity to give him a strength upgrade! Yeah, then he can be the one to defeat AFO and take All Might's mantle, maybe even save All Might too! That would cap off his story perfectly! Yay I'm excited!"

Sound like I'm adding a lot to his innocuous statement in a fanbook? Well it's no more of an assumption than what you're making. You assume Horikoshi wants to ridicule Katsuki, not use this as an opportunity for his character growth. You're unimpressed by the fact that Katsuki spooked Shigaraki when NO ONE ELSE, NO ONE BUT IZUKU accomplished that. The reason it's important Katsuki scared Shigaraki is because it was FORESHADOWING. It showed us Katsuki would come back to life later. His strength upgrade would have to be explored. He would likely be a trump card for the late game. No one else achieved a strength close to that. You claim everyone else was jobbed all the same as Katsuki, but no one else was such a threat that Shigaraki panicked and killed them, no one else threatened him, no one else unhinged AFO's side of his personality. There's a REASON for that, and it was to hype up KATSUKI HIMSELF!

"Hero academia is a shounen manga for entertainment so obviously fights and their results are more important than almost anything else."

Maybe partially so, but I fundamentally disagree with a lot of dudebros on the internet as to why. Sure, the spectacle is part of the fun, but shounen battles are at their core dialogues. One of the reasons shounen anime is so influential in media worldwide is because it provides an easy blueprint for how to make battles compelling, and just a bland fight scene with no context behind it is not what draws people worldwide to watch shounen anime. Good cinematic fight scenes require there to be a story informing them and a progression of that story in the fight. If you really think everything boils down to "two or more people fight and someone wins and shows they're stronger yaaaaay" then I'd say go on a journey of learning about writing and gain a new perspective. Look, a quick search easily pulled up this article:

Fight Scene Tip #4: Show Character Development  Writing great action starts with the core of every good script: character. Action is unspoken dialogue. When words can no longer be used and something must be done, action is taken. Thus, we have a fight scene. The action stems from the development of the characters: their journey up until that point, how they’re feeling in the moment, their relationship with who they’re fighting with, level of fighting skill, and if the character has the desire to actually fight or hurt others. Their intention in the fight drives the action.

Framing fight scenes as "their results are more important than almost anything else" sounds to me like you're emotionally invested in a specific result in just this case, because I doubt you really believe this. If you truly believe this, why would you even read MHA or any manga for that matter? Why wouldn't you just look up the results of all the fights and be satisfied with that? Why would you watch an action movie and not just read a summary to get the fight results? You act as though losing a fight can only possibly serve the purpose of destroying the reputation of the character who lost, but Izuku has lost some fights too you know. His losses were important, and I never thought any less of him when he lost. I recognized those as the growth moments they were, and the story even framed some of those battle losses as narrative wins, like in the sports festival. Speaking of the sports festival, do people deride Shinsou for his loss? Does anyone shit on Shouto for coming in second place? Further, are Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami both jokes for losing in the joint training simulation arc? Is All Might a laughing-stock for putting up his last stand against All For One in the final battle arc?

There will always be bad faith actors who try to make you feel bad about something you love, especially on the internet. Unfortunately, to enjoy your time on the internet, you're going to have to learn to tune them out. Just because they're laughing at Katsuki doesn't mean their opinions hold any value. Jeez, just the other day I had to clarify a statement because some assholes somewhere tried to twist "if you kindly read volume 42 and imagine it" into "use your brain, dumbass." They're wrong. Don't let them rile you up. Don't give their dumbassery any credence in your heart. It's up to you, not anyone else, not even Horikoshi, to determine what MHA means to you.

[mikodrawnnarratives]

the ruler spoilers

not related to anything, im loving the episode so far its got me very JKLFDJKLDSF but

LOOK AT THAT FULL FACE OF FRECKLESS!!!!!!!! THATS WHAT I LIKE TO SEEEEE FRECKLES EVERYWHERE THAT I CAN SEEEEEEEE

I LOVE EVERYTHING BUT THIS

CAN YALL STOP WITH THE BOOGERS THIS SEASON AHHH EWW (okay in the released episodes so far its only happened one other time but still)

GET HER SOME TISSUES JFC

huh i wonder where i've heard this story before

that one post about gabriel dying so that everyone could be gayer really is so true this season

hehehehheheheh

SNORTS ADRIENNNN

ohhhh mlll please dont do what i think you are going to do

edit: i never addressed this again THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT I THOUGHT THEY WOULD WERE MARINETTE WOULD RUIN IT AND IT'D BE A MESS SHE'D HAVE TO CLEAN UP THANK GOD

this season is proving me wrong on multiple occasions, like "dw we're smarter now" and i am immensely greatful

alright fine, you're all (this class) without both parents being good parents-

Marinette: I'm not! I love my parents. My parents are fucking awesome

*jolly music w the dupain chengs ft the rest of the class honorary adoptions*

he's a runner he's a trackstar he gon run away~

and yet another classmate that Adrien could relate to once he's able to know the full truth about gabriel and heal and be like He Was A Bad Father, not at all a hero

and im loving this trend

noooo

but i love how emo he looks rn white boy dont do it

THANK YOU FOR GIVING HER A TISSUE

did something HAPPEN between ep 11 and now that is making her not want adrien to know. she's sick

..OH WHAT IF THIS IS CUZ OF EMILIE GETTING SICK

and for some reason that came up in unreleased episodes

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 ough im loving the focus the side characters are getting this seasonnnn

wait are they really not a couple yet

JLKDSFJLKDSF?!??!?!?

hm lots of subtext this episode i see

straight up lila is my favorite this season THE VOICESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS THE MANIPULATIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

THAT TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCEEEE

THESE EPISODESSSSSS ARE BUILDINGGGGGGGGG

doing this for his own good... so he doesn't suffer in the futureeeeee

HE IS ALREADY SUFFERING BC OF YOUR ACTIONSSSS

HHIIIIIII love that appearance catboy AND THE PUNNN

so cool one moment to look at this fucking expression JLKFSDJKLDSFKJLDSF LMAO

I CANT AHHH FDKLFJKLDSJKSFL:DFDSJLK:FSD HAHAHA

JLKFDSLKJDSFKLJDF THE ANIMATION FOR THE ARMS JUST JKLFDJKL

oh no

OH ADRIEN JLDFSKJLFDSJKLSFD

and here i thought it was some lore thing fjkddkfjl

JKLFSDJKLDSFKLJ?!?!?!

HAHAHAHAHA

also. "do you still love me" oof. Oof. oh marinette

oh they are so cute

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

yknow what it really feels like an intentional choice this episode to MAKE it something they aren't saying outloud but is so obvious cuz they've shown this season that they aren't afraid to show juleka and rose kiss, this is an INTENTIONAL choice that pays off at the end with "YOU CAN'T TWIST THIS ANY OTHER WAY BTW THIS IS A COMPLETELY INTENTIONALLY GAY EPISODE" and i lovvveeeee ittttt

i hit the image reaction but THE CHEEK CARESS OH ITS COMPLETELY INTENTIONAL I LOVE THAT ARTISTIC CHOICEEEEEEE SET UP AND PAY OFF AHHHHH THEY ARE SO CUTEEEE

"you're not a superhero" jklfdkjldfjkldsfajk;ls "transform me" ANOTHER COUPLE REVEAL AND THIS ONE WAS SO CUTTEEEEEEE

in the comic its the heros revealing their civilian identities and now its their civilian identities revealing their superhero ones and its so touching and somffttttt 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

[the-most-faithful]

I take down MovieFlame video (Morgan Ross) In Defense of Snape

I found a video in my YouTube feed that deals with a comparison between Snape and James and who was worse, now we know well that this clash has been going on for years and I don't think it will ever stop. The beauty of fandom is also the fact of being able to explore the subtexts, give personal interpretations and compare with other fans. So I don't want you to understand my intervention as a declaration of war against one side or the other. Whether you are supporters of Snape or James we must be honest and say that what we know through the canon is partial. We know many things, but not enough objective. James Potter is a character that we see only through the memories of a person and that is told to us. It is unfair to judge a person just by hearsay. So the comparison between Snape who appears in all the saga, and James who died in the time of the story is an unequal comparison.

My annoyance, however, comes from the certainty with which some fans, often Marauders stan (although not always) maintain that James was better than Snape. They assert it forcefully but when you dig deeper you realize that they have no solid evidence. If we don't know enough to judge James negatively then we don't have enough evidence to consider him better than Snape either. We can't have double standards on this. Either we know or we don't know. For this reason I usually avoid embarking on a comparison like this, but it is James' fans who first started, for years, to throw mud at Snape and to justify their hatred towards the character. They started comparing him to James, elevating the latter as a hero based on the little information we have. So let's move on to specifically dismantling this video, which reports most of the points that are brought up by James' defenders. (for fairness I invite you to watch the original video HERE, so you can get a personal and balanced idea) The first point brought up in the video is this:

“it's true that James bullied Snape when they were kids which wasn't right but Snape took part in this rivalry as well oftentimes going after James but people just conveniently forget that”

I would like to point out that the first part, absolutely correct, which admits that James bullied Severus, admitting that this was wrong, is followed by a BUT as big as a house. Bullying is always wrong, it doesn't matter if the victim is a good person or not, I've already discussed this point other times but I will never tire of repeating it. If you think that bullying is less serious because the victim is someone you don't like then you are blaming the victim. And this is what many fans have been doing for years. First they try to minimize the seriousness of what James (and Sirius) does, then they justify it until they deny it by claiming that it wasn't bullying. And in the first minutes of the video this is exactly what the boy tries to do.

Snape took part in this rivalry as well oftentimes going after James

Again, attention to detail, the linguistic choice, first he admitted that James was a bully and now he is instead very subtly invalidating the first part by saying that it was a rivalry, because Snape also attacked James. This means that either the first part of the sentence is false or this one is and let's look at the facts. How do we know that this thing happened? In which case in the canon are we ever shown Snape attacking James? In none, because as I said at the beginning we know little about James, we only see snippets of his life, of his attitude and then we are told what he was like by his best friends, boys who even as adults justified his bullying. How can they be reliable? The fact that Snape attacked James is not shown to us, it is only told to us and by Sirius and Remus in the fifth book, after Harry has spied on Snape's memories in which he sees James and Sirius attacking him for no reason in the worst memory. (and don't try, memories in the Harry Potter world are objective, not emotionally modified) Sirius and Remus explain to Harry how Lily started dating James, the two say that James toned down a bit in seventh year and stopped hexing people just for fun. And when Harry asks if James stopped attacking Snape, Remus says this:

"Well," said Lupin thoughtfully, "Snape was a special case. I mean, he never missed an opportunity to curse James, so it was only natural that he would react..." (Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix)

This is the only part used by the Marauders Stan to justify James. The subtext is clear, James stopped cursing his classmates, but not Snape because he had to defend himself. But this is simply a reversal, James has heavily bullied Snape for years, and this is canon, but if Snape defended himself and responded to the attacks according to James' defenders this makes him on par with James. In short, if a victim rebels, he is no longer a victim according to them. While on the contrary, after years of heavy bullying, if Snape attacks James and James responds then Gryffindor is the poor victim who in short has the right to defend himself? Am I the only one who smells double standards? For consistency, we should always use the same approach. Either James was a bully for six years and Snape was entitled to defend himself, so they were not on equal footing. So in the last year Snape was in the wrong and James was just defending himself. Or they were equally in the wrong all along. This second hypothesis is absurd, after all, if someone attacks you, do you just have to take it? This message is terribly dangerous. While in the first hypothesis, that is, that it is legitimate to defend oneself (even for James), then the scales tip to one side. To be clear, we are comparing six years of James's severe bullying of Snape to just one year, the last one, in which Snape instead began attacking James at every opportunity. 6 against 1 How can one year be worse than six? Six in which Snape's life was ruined, in which he was humiliated, stripped naked in public and even risked being killed in the prank? Even if we take Remus' words for granted, it means that what Snape suffered from James is clearly worse than what he inflicted on Gryffindor. So first point dismantled. (and we're only at the first minute) Let's continue:

snape disliked James because he was jealous of him he envied James' popularity but meanwhile he spent his time practicing the dark arts with other future Death Eaters there's a reason he wasn't popular like James people saw him

Once again FALSE. All this information comes from the opinions of unreliable people. I have debunked the idea of Snape's alleged jealousy of James in the past but let's get back to it quickly. Who says Snape was jealous of James? Guess what, Sirius:

“The thing is,” said Sirius, “James and Snape hated each other from the first moment, it’s one of those things… you can understand that, can’t you? Because James was everything Snape wanted to be: popular, ace at Quidditch… ace at pretty much everything. Whereas Snape was just a little weirdo up to his neck in the Dark Arts, and James – believe me, Harry – has always detested the Dark Arts.”

This is an opinion of Sirius, James's best friend. He lists things that he considers essential, being popular, an ace at Quidditch. Things that Snape has never cared about. When did Snape ever try to be popular? When did he ever care about Quidditch? The truth is that Snape hated James because from the first train ride James was hateful to him, insulting the Slytherin house that Snape hoped to end up in. James butted into the conversation between him and Lily and already on the train James and Sirius started calling him Snivellus and tripped him up. Do you really think that the antipathy was born because James was popular? James started to annoy and bully Snape right away, it is clearly shown in the canon, in the seventh book. And the question of the dark arts? Same thing is Sirius who tells us, also giving an unflattering opinion, he considered Snape "just a little weirdo immersed up to his neck in the Dark Arts" Do we trust the words of a bully to judge his favorite victim, really? “my ex was really crazy” said the ex-boyfriend who cheated on her several times. Little angel.

It's true that Snape was fascinated by the dark arts, so what? How do we know that he spent his time practicing the dark arts with other future Death Eaters? When is it shown or said? Do you really want me to believe that at Hogwarts, the safest place in wizarding England, students practice dark magic undisturbed?

“There’s a reason he wasn’t as popular as James. People saw him.”

Really? People saw it and what did they do? Didn't they warn the teachers, didn't they try to intervene? The truth is that this is an idea of ​​Sirius that is passed off as fact without any proof. Snape was fascinated by the dark arts as were other housemates, period. People, teachers or classmates never saw him practice illegal spells, no one ever saw even the future Death Eaters do it. The strength of the precursors of the Death Eater, the Knights of Walpurgis in the era of Tom Riddle was that no one knew. Only Dumbledore SUSPECTED but he never managed to prove anything. Do you want to tell me that years later some teenage kids knew for sure what a capable wizard like Dumbledore never managed to prove about the dark wizard par excellence? This is simply ridiculous, an act once again only to try to justify James's bullying of Snape. I repeat, the subtext is always the same: Snape was a bad person, strange, passionate about the dark arts, jealous of James and therefore deserved to be bullied. This mentality, in addition to being horribly wrong, is dangerous. And do not forget, most of these suppositions are either false or unproven, so even if they were true, and it is a very big IF, they cannot justify the bullying suffered. The next point is very interesting instead, the creator of the video says this:

Lily also called Snape out because she wanted to join the Death Eaters.

This is a half-truth. The conversation you quoted comes from Snape's memories seen in the chapter The Prince's Tale in the seventh book and takes place after the worst memory in which Snape was bullied by James and Sirius, and threatened to be stripped in public, (which happens a few months after the prank) here Snape insults Lily after he saw her smile or almost while James was bullying him, he called her Mudblood. That same evening Snape went in front of the Gryffindor tower to apologize and Lily didn't accept the apology, and by bringing up the fact that Snape hung out with shady people, like Avery and Mulciber and that he himself wanted to join the Death Eaters she ended their friendship. But that's a later thing, Lily had known for a long time how Snape thought about Muggles, she knew who he hung out with and what his Slytherin classmates did and yet she remained his friend. The rift came after Snape insulted her. Lily, even if she badly tolerated Snape's ideas for years, as long as she was the exception it was fine, the problem arose only when she was personally insulted. But what interests me most is the sequel, the boy in the video says that Snape did not change his mind even to save his friendship with Lily, I quote:

“can you which for Snape is more damning than anything else I can think of thinking about this the person whose opinion he valued more than anybody else saw him as a bad person and he still didn't try to change let me repeat that Snape could not make himself a better person even for the woman that he loved like nobody else if he couldn't do it then it's clear that he could never change

This point would require a much longer and more in-depth discussion, but I will try to be brief. Snape was prejudiced against Muggles, there is no point in denying it, he frequented future Death Eaters and aspired to join them, not to torture Muggle-borns, but to gain power, to become respected. Something he never experienced. The same "good guys" who were supposed to represent good marginalized, mocked, humiliated, bullied him and were never really stopped. Snape had no one but the future Death Eaters to welcome him. Lily, his best friend, in all these years, even with the authority of Prefect, has never managed to stop the bullying or protect him properly. From his point of view, Snape's distorted one, the Death Eaters were the only way to gain respect. Statements by the author. So the idea of ​​changing sides, of joining the good guys who humiliated or marginalized him didn't make sense. Snape improved in the future, he understood his mistakes and tried to redeem himself as an adult, but as a teenager what did you expect would happen? After his best friend also turned her back on him what should he have done? Improve in what way? Marginalizing himself even more from the only ones who accepted and appreciated him? I understand what the video is saying, if Snape loved Lily so much he should have changed for her, but in the real world it doesn't work like that. If you change just to please someone, the change is not genuine but only superficial. It's a very manipulative attitude. Real change must come from within, it must be desired by the person who implements it, not be performative. Snape will change, even if it will be many years later, precisely because he will understand his mistakes, but as a teenager he lives that separation as something definitive, so much so that he no longer gets close to Lily, respects the girl's wishes and leaves her alone. On the contrary James does the opposite, he pesters her for years, threatens her so that she agrees to go out with him. He bullies her best friend as a moral lever, lies to her and in the last year he shows himself changed to go out with her. As I said before this is a superficial change, since we know that james continues to attack snape in the last year without telling Lily. James has never apologized, he has never understood his mistakes, if there has been a change in his not cursing his classmates for fun it was precisely in function of Lily. This distorted idea that changing for the girl you like is a romantic sign is problematic. You don't have to show that you've changed for the person you like, you have to change to become a better person for yourself first and this must happen for a personal desire that cannot have any exceptions.

If James continues to attack Snape then he hasn't understood his mistakes, he has only learned to hide them. If he had really matured he wouldn't have hidden it from Lily, if he had really been the victim in his last year he could have told Lily and instead he doesn't. Shortly after the boy in the video confidently states that James has changed since in his last year Dumbledore makes him Head Boy. And this simply doesn't make sense, why should Dumbledore's judgment be a moral compass to judge James? I don't know if you realize this but every time someone tries to show how good a person James was you have to go on trust with weak assumptions:

-Lily started dating him so he got better. - Dumbledore made him head boy so he matured. - Lily married him so he was good.

These are all assumptions with big gaps. Dumbledore also gave Remus the Prefect badge in the hope that he would keep his friends at bay and we saw how it went, it didn't help. The next point really made me turn up my nose. The boy in the video brings up a very interesting point, many people who were bullied as teenagers feel empathy for Snape and understand what he felt, but the video states that no, it can't be the same thing, because someone who is bullied in real life doesn't plan for years to join a group of assassins, such as the Death Eaters. On this point I can see the logic, but saying that you understand a character, that you feel empathy for him, maybe even because it reflects a personal experience in a small way does not mean justifying his mistakes. Understanding and justifying are two very different concepts. I rationally understand Snape's actions, but on many occasions I don't agree with them. Fortunately, most people who are bullied have not joined violent groups, but that is not an absolute. The world is complex, people react differently to trauma and yes, unfortunately in reality there are victims who have joined violent groups. The classic phrase "the abused becomes the abuser" must not become a way to justify wrong actions, but as I said before it is a way to rationally understand situations.

Bullying someone, even a bad person, is never justifiable for this reason too. What you trigger in the victim is a sense of helplessness and anger. Feelings that in the worst case can lead a person down dangerous paths. Those who understand this understand how strong she was when she was young, how difficult it was to remain a good person. The saga teaches us clearly, you have to choose between what is right and what is easy. But I breathed a sigh of relief when the boy in the video said with clear feeling that he was sorry for all the people who were bullied because they didn't deserve it. I smiled slightly and thought: "finally a nice message, thank you." But before I had time to inhale, he dropped the bomb, I quote:

“you guys did not deserve to be bullied and I am so sorry that that happened to you... but Snape kind of did deserve to be bullied”

The hypocrisy of this sentence makes me tremble. He clearly said that Snape deserved to be bullied. *Ok I'll take a breath* I'll repeat it clearly: NO ONE DESERVES TO BE BULLIED. If you justify bullying you are mentally a bully. The reason why he then justifies bullying is somewhere between absurd and exasperating, once again falsehood

"Snape himself was a bully, he and his little Death Eater friends picking on the other Muggle-born students"

FALSE, I know exactly where this idea comes from and it's so tiring to have to repeat the same things over and over again. Snape never attacked or cursed any of his fellow muggleborns. Was Snape a bully? In a way yes and I'll tell you why it might be correct to call him one (the fact that I have to do it is absurd) because he called muggleborns Mudblood, all except Lily. And we know that in fictional narrative that is a very serious slur. This is where his bullying begins and ends, and yes using insults like that is a form of bullying, I agree with that.

Now, what does this tell us? That using insults is a form of bullying and therefore those who use them deserve to be bullied? Again I smell double standards. By this logic then even James deserved to be attacked by Snape last year, because for years Snape was attacked, bullied, mocked with the name of Snivellus, stripped naked in public, suffocated etc... Why is Snape a horrible bully to demonize if one uses the term mudblood while the people who tormented him for years are justified? After years now I understand the game, I know perfectly well where people want to get with this. They want to make James look like a vigilante, someone who bullied Snape to defend the muggleborns. But once again it is false. James was a bully who attacked those he considered inferior, when he was in numerical superiority. He never attacked people like Mulciber, Avery or Malfoy. James started bullying Snape as early as the train ride, long before Snape had even heard of Death Eaters.

“Snape has always been a racist, even at 11 years old.”

.Funny how the video clearly quoted the part where Lily worriedly asks if it makes a difference to her being a muggleborn and Snape says NO. Snape hesitantly says it makes no difference.

“the only reason why he said no was because he wanted to make sure that Lily liked him the way that he liked her”

Excuse me? This is your baseless assumption, Snape has been her friend for years, he defends her, helps her understand the magical world. I understand not wanting to sanctify Snape, really, he has so many flaws and no, he wasn't a wonderful person, but if you take his clear words and start from the assumption that he is lying you are being unfair. Also because I would like to point out that this is exactly what James does. He shows himself to have changed ONLY to please Lily, didn't he praise him for this just now? Even taking the boy's false interpretation as true How come if Snape does it he is a manipulative liar while if James does it he is to be praised? Oh look, another double standard has entered the room.

"James's bullying is not responsible for Snape joining the Death Eaters."

This is a simplification of the speech, the bullying that Snape suffered is not the reason why he joined the Death Eaters but it is one of the reasons, not the only one but one of the. The difference is clear. If Snape had not been bullied and marginalized, if he had been able to live the Howarts years in peace with his best friend he would not have felt the need to be accepted by the future Death Eaters. Mind you I'm not saying that he would not have been attracted to them, his childhood experiences, the violent Muggle father would have remained, but with a positive contrast and a part of the "good" who defends him and helps him he would have been much less inclined to approach the Death Eaters. But we know that with the if you don't make history, it went as it went, but pretending that the bullying suffered did not play any role means denying reality. As well as trying to make it less serious than it is.

When we then go to compare the more "adult" versions the discussion becomes even more partial because we know even less about the first war. The fact that James joined the Order as I have reiterated several times is not a sign of maturation, he has always been against the dark arts and not by choice. His parents were against it, as they were against the purist ideology. He did not have to rebel, he simply adapted to the ideals that were fortunately right. Could he ever not have been interested in the war? Actually not since his wife was a target because she was Muggle-born and shortly after his son too. It is not a sign of maturation and if I may say so, not even of who knows what reasoning. Even Peter Pettigrew joined the Order, what does this prove?

The whole next part is based on pointing out that if Snape hadn't told Voldemort the prophecy, the Potters would be alive, but once again what ifs lead nowhere. If Snape hadn't eavesdropped on the prophecy and told Voldemort, the events that led to his destruction wouldn't have been triggered and we would never have had the saga. Drama is the engine of events. In the narrative fiction, Snape was reporting important information to his boss, he didn't torture or attack anyone, he just passed on information without knowing what it would lead to. What's the point of blaming him for what follows? Do we use the same reasoning for all the other characters in the saga? I don't think so, so let's not waste too much time on it.

Another great classic:

snape was going to let Voldemort kill a baby and probably its whole family without batting an eye until he realized that Lily was involved he asked for mercy only for her and even Dumbledore is disgusted that Snape doesn't care that James and Harry die.

I have often spoken about this and it is always the same story, couldn't Snape ask for mercy also for Harry who was Voldemort's main target and poor James? Why would Snape have cared about the boy who made his life hell? Snape dared to ask for mercy for Lily and to be sure he also went to Dumbledore risking his life. Allying himself with Dumbledore is a clear betrayal towards Voldemort, if he had been discovered he would have been killed. And I would like to remind you that Snape is terrified of Dumbledore at this point in the story, so much so that as soon as he sees Dumbledore appear he begs him not to kill him Dumbledore is then disgusted by what exactly? From his interpretation of events. Dumbledore thinks that Snape wants Lily all for himself. How distorted is this thing? It is disturbingly similar to what Voldemort thinks. Snape doesn't want Lily, he just wants her to be spared and is so panicked that he asks Dumbledore for help.

snape aided Voldemortin killing a baby without batting an eye

Ehm, no? Snape couldn't know that the prophecy was referring to a child, the prophecy is not clear, it is only said that whoever has the power to defeat Voldemort approaches. Approaches does not necessarily mean is about to be born.

I also approached the supermarket checkout yesterday to pay, I wasn't born in front of it. Snape learned that the prophecy referred to a child, Harry, only after Voldemort interpreted it that way. As soon as he learned that it referred to him and therefore Lily, he was activated. (and for those who pretend not to understand cause and effect, Snape's request to spare Lily is what allowed Lily's sacrifice to take effect)

james Potter died protecting his family and died a hero meanwhile Snape changed sides because he was obsessed with a girl who he called a racial slur and who probably hadn't given him a second thought since that incident snape holding on to this high school crush is creepy and honestly the fact that he even loves Lily in the first place is

James died protecting his family, true great thing he risked his life to try to protect the ones he loved. Commendable. Snape risked his life to protect the ones he loved by starting to snitch on silent after silent made it clear to him that he was disgusted by him and was clearly trying to use him. He risked his life for years. Disturbing.

Hey look at more double standards. Also this whole obsession thing really tired my soul. You want to think that Snape was obsessed? Ok say it, I don't feel like repeating it all over again, I made a whole video about it, HERE. (Italian Version)

"honestly the fact that he even loves Lily in the first place is pathetic because Lily never showed any sign of feeling the same way i get it if you're hung up on your first high school girlfriend but Lily was never even close to that for Snape in fact most of their middle school and high school career she was questioning their friendship"

Really Morgan? Is unrequited love pathetic? I've had friends confess to having a crush on me and even though I didn't reciprocate I never thought they were pathetic. A relationship like that, as turbulent as you want, wasn't questioned until Lily was insulted, she and Severus had been BEST FRIENDS for years. She had doubts about Avery and Mulciber and exposed them to Snape of course but she never questioned Snape until her worst memory.

"Everyone commemorated James' heroic death"

But don't tell me? James was loved and popular, right? What's surprising about him being praised after his death? Can I remind you that even Peter Minus was considered heroic because he faced Sirius until he lost his life against him? At least in public opinion. Whoever dies in war becomes a hero, wow what news.

Snape became a teacher at Hogwarts spending his days bullying children as an adult people fault James for bullying a kid when he was a kid but Snape bullied innocent children as a grown man there was no excuse for that no matter how hard you were bullied.

Ah here we are, the comparison out of scale. James is dead so he is a hero, Snape survived, the comparison should stop there, you can't make a comparison between a dead person and a living person. Snape treats some students badly? Absolutely yes and I have already spoken about it. Is it unfair? Absolutely yes, but what does this prove? You see him getting closer, right?

The point is simple, James was a bully (so at least he admits he was) but as a boy, teenager against teenager, while Snape (bad guy) takes it out on children. What is there to do with it? first James is a bully, then he isn't, then in reality it's a rivalry, then he still was but he matured and Snape still deserved it and the thesis changes again, James was a bully but less serious because he took it out on those his own age. All aimed at downplaying James's faults. But he is totally blind to the evidence, even at the same age James always took it out on those who were lower than him, he attacked classmates (not just Snape) in numerical superiority 2 against 1, in superiority of magical ability, in superiority of status, he was popular and the others were not. by Sirius' own admission many turned a blind eye when they did these things. Where would the equality be?

But hey the video doesn't end there, everything that is brought up after that is already tired and hackneyed points, Snape bullied the students? I talked about it HERE. Snape was Neville's Boggart I also talked about this HERE. Then he goes on to say that Snape treated Harry badly in the first lesson because he still hates James and also the fact that Snape saved Harry's life in the first book doesn't count because he didn't do it to atone for his guilt but because he had a suspicious account with James, because he had a life debt since James saved him from The Prank.

Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt i do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father quit then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace

But guess what? This is a supposition of Dumbledore who in order not to reveal the truth to Harry says this thing but it is HIS SUPPOSITION. I understand that Dumbledore is wise and knowledgeable but he really is not the omniscient narrator, not everything he says is true and we know it well. Snape feels guilty and tries to atone as he can. Invalidating his commitment to saving Harry is absurd and unfair.

this was not heroic whatsoever it was immature selfish psychopathic and honestly I would even say evil

Ok there is only one thing I can agree with here, Snape is immature in some ways, he is in his early 30s and has some immature attitudes. but selfish? he sacrificed his life to fight voldemort, he gave up everything, he risked himself over and over again to protect Harry and not only that. How can you call him selfish? If he was, he simply wouldn't have agreed to be a spy, he wouldn't have cared. psychopathic? really a term used inappropriately just because it sounded good, I guess. evil for what? I'm really curious about this

"I will admit that Snape was brave for going behind Voldemort's back..."

oh great, at least this is... no wait talk again

"but the reason why he did this wipes away any credit he would get for it the fact that his inspiration for this was his “love” for Lily is concerning."

Oh well, even a brave thing he did is invalidated because he did it for the love of Lily, what a surprise. Then he tries to get back to the obsession thing and it reaches new levels of detail:

"he had not spoken to Lily since he called her a mud blood 22 years ago his last memory of her was a 16-year-old girl while he was a 38-year-old man thinking about this I'll let you sit on that for a second his obsession with Lily for 22 freaking years is disturbing"

Ok please tell me I'm not the only one with an image in my head here. it's clear what Morgan is referring to right? Snape alone in a dark room that reminds of his adolescence, remembers Lily, her beautiful green eyes, her red hair and then he goes down and... OMG I know I know some James stans are wild but this is just hilarious. You want me to believe that you actually spent time thinking about snape going you-got-it? This is disturbing, the fact that you thought about it. xD This is just a rather sick assumption by some fans, disturbed on multiple levels but with no basis in canon.

Snape may have died a brave man but he also died as a man who brought nothing but harm to the world.

How annoying is it that there is always a BUT? Snape is brave BUT... Snape saved Harry BUT... Snape gave his life BUT... We could do the same with James, but we're better than that, I hope.

nobody was better off because Snape was on this earth.

Of course not, except that without Snape, as mentioned before, the events that led to Voldemort's two downfalls would never have happened. But hey, who cares, right?

everything that made him a hero and made people argue that he was a good person was avoidable if as James said he wasn't alive he should not be commemorated the way James a true hero was

If Snape had died during the first war, you mean? Well, he certainly wouldn't have been considered a hero because he wasn't one yet. Really, what kind of nonsense reasoning is that? If James had died at 14, he wouldn't have been remembered as he is remembered in the canon for fighting Voldemort. But thanks to Zeus, it's obvious. Snape becomes a hero later, and is remembered as such for this, just like James. The fact that James was a bully doesn't erase his merit in fighting Voldemort, but the opposite is also true, merits don't erase guilt. This also applies to Snape, his guilt doesn't erase merits and his merits don't erase his guilt.

snape is an evil person and always was james' bullying might have brought that out a bit but deep down it was always in there

Evil again, I would like to understand why, but obviously it doesn't go any further, because all the things listed are just a constant invalidation of Piton's merits and belittling his suffering. even here, when for the umpteenth time he retracts on the bullying he suffered he ends up saying that the bullying he suffered only brought out that part of him but it was always there.

"if you're still defending Snape after everything I just went over you are absolutely delusional i'll leave you with these words FU*K Snape"

Yes the video ends like this. Very mature I would say xD. I am Snape Stan precisely because I can dismantle all these weak arguments. The real delusionals are those who for years have tried to throw mud on a character as complex and imperfect as Snape, driven by anger and precisely by disappointment because there are those who can appreciate a gray character and see heroism even in a not so nice person. And to justify all this it is precisely the James Stans who have started this unequal comparison that they are always destined to lose, in which they compare a complete character with one who only appeared in past scenes.

(I'm also working on a video answer but it's a long job, for now I hope this post can be useful to you)

@moonlightdancer26 @doeprince-blog @snapedefender @snapedefense @soraya-snape @lilithofpenandbook

[guardianspirits13]

Ok I now have the sugar and caffiene to respond to this how I meant to earlier:

Foggy has got to be the only character in the extended MCU that wants nothing to do with heroes/vigilantes/superpowered individuals.

Most characters in the MCU who aren't heroes themselves go out of their way to aid/abet/enable said heroes. They think heroes are cool or exciting or at the verly least a benefit to society.

I think a lot of Foggy's character and the Defenders saga as a whole exists in a unique pocket of time post-2012 Avengers where they are more or less regular people negatively impacted by the "incident" and the general impact of heroes on the broad populous.

Being fresh out of law school and experiencing the impact of these events shaped Foggy's perspective on the whole 'hero' schtick, which is why it is such a deeply personal blow to learn what Matt has been doing as Daredevil, beyond the law and the personal betrayal. Foggy was under the impression that they both had a very similar sense of morality, of right and wrong, and that creates an even larger crevice between them.

Even once he knows Matt is Daredevil, he wants nothing to do with it. He worries about Matt getting hurt and the possibility that an identity reveal could rebound and ruin both of their careers, but he doesn't take any interest in whatever ninja/resurrection/extracurricular bullshit Matt has going on at any given moment unless it affects him directly.

On top of this, he cares about Matt despite disapproving of vigilantism. He knows that Matt has Catholic guilt and pent up rage and how indulging in violence only results in more violence down the line. It's addictive for Matt and will one day kill him if he can't learn to control it.

It's rarely discussed in superhero movies how their heroism and self sacrifice can also be a maladaptive coping mechanism or even a form of self-harm. The only instance I can think of this happening other than Daredevil is in Iron Man 3, as Tony copes with his PTSD by obsessively creating new suits for protection and Pepper sees right through him. Most people who know heroes worry about them only in a physical sense, not wanting them to be hurt. Foggy knows Matt more deeply than that, and cares for him more deeply than that.

Just having a character who is supportive of the person behind the hero but not the heroism itself is so so interesting, especially since Foggy is only ever a force for good in Matt's life. He's not framed as being selfish or pessimistic for calling Matt out on his martyr complex, and accepts Matt's desire to help people beyond the power of the law without condoning it.

Also he's hands-down a better lawyer than Matt and that is non-negotioable 😤

ok but seriously how did the daredevil writers (squints at born again) MOST daredevil writers manage to make Foggy not just the comedic relief, not just the softer counterpart to matt’s harsh fearlessness, but ALSO the rational competent one?? like that’s an INCREDIBLE character right there! he’s definitely the funny one when situations call for it (though matt isn’t too dark and broody for comedy either lol), but he’s also the one who grounds matt and reminds him that sometimes you need to talk things through or let the law handle it, because not every fight is won with fists. BUT while he’s strong and capable in that sense, when it comes to a fight, he’s not above running away. he’ll help out if necessary, especially if you’re hurting his friends, but if not? yeah he’ll leave that up to matt thank you very much. he’s not a sidekick who can fully hold their own, but he’s NOT a damsel in distress either! HOW DO YOU PACK ALL OF THAT INTO ONE CHARACTER!! foggy nelson the man that you are

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere villain Deku concept please 🙏 

Sure! In this AU, Izuku is Quirkless. Since, y'know, no All-Might

Yandere! Villain! Izuku Midoriya HCs

(Quirkless Civilian! Darling)

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Kidnapping, Isolation, Coercion, Brainwashing, Sadism, Stalking, Stockholm syndrome, Forced relationship.

This AU would be an alternative telling of how Izuku deals with his bullying.

Due to being Quirkless, Izuku has often been told he doesn't matter.

No matter how much he aspires to be a hero, he can't.

Even All-Might, his idol, tells him it's unlikely.

Izuku has been told the world is better off without him.

In this AU, he never feels the need to save Katsuki.

Which means he never gets All-Might's attention... and never gets a Quirk.

Instead, Izuku ends up focusing on his negative emotions.

If the world doesn't want him...

He'll force the world to pay attention to him.

Later on he's probably even scouted out by Tomura Shigaraki, someone who happens to like his outlook on life.

This is what leads him down the villain path.

How I imagine a Villain! Izuku is a manipulative man who wants to change the world due to the treatment he's gotten.

I can see him being much different from the way I usually write Izuku, he's not the typical shy student, after all.

He's far from shy now, actually.

Izuku has learned to not show weakness around others.

He knows others prey on the fact he's Quirkless.

So he's found other ways to be strong.

Weapons... drugs... research into Quirk canceling....

That or he just has other people who work with him do it.

He happens to be good at putting together plans because of all his note taking.

Izuku comes off as cold since he doesn't want to be vulnerable.

Yet him having an obsession... throws a wrench into things.

Izuku may actually find having an obsession annoying.

Or at the very least distracting.

You make it very hard to focus on his goals.

He no doubt met you on a raid he had put together with his cohorts.

He needed supplies... and accidentally met you.

Since then he's been unable to get you out of his head... you looked so scared.

He isn't sure what to feel.

He's not soft... At least, not compared to his original version.

He's hardened and only somewhat vulnerable when around you long enough.

In fact, Izuku may not like his obsession because he feels vulnerable with you.

You make his stern and hardened facade crack....

Just what makes you so special?

Izuku may be driven enough to figure you out to kidnap you.

Whenever he meets you again during a job, he orders your capture.

Then, when you're tied up in a chair at his mercy...

He can finally figure you out.

At first, Izuku is considered mean, sadistic towards you even.

He experiments with you emotionally, wondering why you make him feel so soft.

In reality, you aren't the problem...

It's him.

He's the problem because he's isolated himself for so long.

Sure, he's surrounded himself with fellow villains and criminals...

But he doesn't really have friends.

Let alone anyone intimate with him.

He didn't think he needed anyone.

He's fine being alone and strong... No one messes with him.

Except you by... existing.

Over time I can see Izuku trying to get used to you.

You remain with him as his captive, but he treats you less like that with time.

He soon allows you to roam his hideout/base of operations with surveillance.

I doubt he ever takes his eyes off you, green eyes latched on you as he tries to figure you out.

He's just as good at note taking and observation as his original self.

He no doubt stalks you and notes down things about your behavior, even in captivity.

He often brushes it off... but others can tell you're close to him.

Other villains who make comments about you are often dealt with, Izuku acting like a mob boss at times.

While usually cold, stoic, and sometimes sadistic... I can see Izuku getting softer with you in private.

At first he hates it... but you make him relaxed.

He doesn't force you into the same bed... he'll wait.

He becomes surprisingly nice when you're alone.

I don't think he falls in love as fast as regular Izuku... but when he does, it's intense.

Imagine a Villain! Izuku who buys you gifts, trying to get you to like him.

He understands it will take time... he's captured you, after all.

You, a normal person, have no business dealing with him.

However... What if you're also Quirkless?

Then... maybe you should deal with him....

If you're Quirkless, he wants to make you feel at home with him.

This world casted him out for the very same thing you're afflicted with...

With him... He can make you feel powerful.

Maybe a union with you is meant to be?

Izuku would love a Quirkless partner....

He'd convince you no one else will take you... using some of the emotional manipulation of his past.

I can see Izuku brainwashing his obsession to make them stay by his side.

He'll bribe you with gifts... slowly easing you into kisses and touches... maybe even sleeping in the same bed....

For someone who's normally quite feared, he's surprisingly gentle with you when alone.

He's never loved someone... never had anyone that close...

Yet now there's you... and he'd be a fool to let you just run.

Izuku would kill, it comes with his profession.

If someone felt they had a say in who he pays attention to...

Izuku isn't afraid to just have them slaughtered.

It doesn't matter if you have family or friends... Izuku would even eliminate a hero to continue chasing his greedy feelings.

The blood on his hands doesn't matter, why would it?

The world doesn't care for people like you and him...

Which is why he needs to keep you as his.

Izuku as a villain would push his obsession to Stockholm Syndrome, convincing them that he'll make the world a better place for the both of you.

At times... he's similar to his original self... a man soft around the one he feels he loves...

It's just that this world has corrupted him...

Leaving a more sadistic and cold man... one who isn't as nice as he once was... unless he has you.

Hopefully having you will make things more bearable... for him.

[cedarwrought]

lin ling, yang cheng, and exploitation (because their similarities are insane . to me .)

(spoilers for ep 5 below)

its interesting how li haolin is framing our "perfect heroes" (lin ling and presumably yang cheng taking roles in the top 10) to be the ideal victims tbh. both are incredibly isolated and lonely without a proper support system, therefore relying on an easy crutch offered by hero society.

lin ling found his motivation (however parasocial it may be) through watching xiao yueqing in her hero persona and creating advertisements for her (which he refers to as a "labor of love" in ep.1), and ultimately found fulfillment to be a hero after realizing he wanted to protect those he cared for. (i have my gripes with how moon was treated but i addressed that in a previous post)

(personally, i'm not fond of the way his motivation seems soley to revolve around becoming a sword for those he loves as it's still quite self-sacrificial and the hero system will eat him alive. he may not be pressured to be "perfect," but when you are only a single person the public's demands will tear you apart as they project all their grievances onto you, regardless of whether or not it's reasonable)

similarly, yang cheng's motivation also revolves around another hero. (yes he has a crush on a girl, but it's not like her existence kept him going. he's just extremely lonely and self isolated and doesn't know what to do with himself lol)

e-soul saving him at a young age after undergoing a traumatic event (watching his parents die violently in front of him and nearly getting abducted himself) and became the sole thing that kept him going. he doesn't even consider himself worth saving, really, because he says he just wants to be able to face e-soul proudly. when the kid assumes he wanted to be a hero like e-soul, he dismisses it as impossible, and says there's no point in going to the event because there's no way e-soul would notice someone like him.

(sound familiar? lin ling tells his boss that his ad is effective because it shows even "nobodies like him" can be heroes. the thing is, even though lin ling said it to persuade his boss, he never really thought he could be a hero until the fight with his boss, but even then it was moreso because of his role as nice than rather being a hero himself. that doesn't happen until the end of his arc in ep. 4).

when yang cheng does get a taste of trust value and what heroism can offer, he's immediately cornered by the ceo's son who had judged the e-soul competition. even though the guy's initially set up to be a love-rival, we're quickly reminded that he's a businessman's son- one that intends to poach this viral underdog.

li haolin's really trying to hone in on the fact that the hero system's exploitative of vulnerable people and that exploitation isn't an infection of the hero system, but a symptom itself (and i am so here for it)

[andielle]

prologue|chpt. 1|chpt. 2|masterlist

You were born with powerful, photographic memories. A blessing, because you did amazing things in life. A curse, because you remembered every single inch of your parents' faces when they died. Meanwhile, you got to know Mark Grayson in college, he doesn't know who you really are, but you know him—you know him as Invincible, the 'hero' that caused your parents to die. What happens when you take comfort in the person that caused you grief?

chapter 2: notes | 1.2k words | warnings: none

YOU were trudging back to your dorm room when your pocket vibrated. You took your phone out to see who messaged you, expecting Amber or a random person asking you for notes. To your surprise, it was an unknown number.

Hey! It’s Mark, Amber gave me your number :) Oh, you didn’t expect this. You quickly typed back a response.

 

Hi, we could catch up on work during the lecture tomorrow morning! you replied. A part of you was nervous, hoping you don’t break down while teaching him. You freaked out when you recognized him, but Amber was nearby, so you didn’t completely crumble.

You thought about Jean’s words, maybe it could give you closure. You didn’t even need to be close to him, you just wanted to know you couldn’t hold your parents’ death against him.

You were in front of your door when you felt your phone vibrate again. Sure, I’ll see you then! he replied. There’s your chance to talk to Mark, you just hope you won’t scare him away once he truly knows you.

It’s been a long day, so you collapse onto your bed. You knew you would probably be woken up by a nightmare again, but you were too tired to even care.

—

Your eyes became teary as you yawned. You were painfully early for the lecture, so you were in a half-empty hall, waiting for the professor and other students to arrive. ‘Should’ve grabbed a coffee, but oh well, you thought to yourself as you felt another yawn emerge.

The professor finally arrived, and as minutes passed, students started filling up the hall, all except one. Mark arrived late, looking like he just got out of bed. “Grayson, how nice of you to join us!” the professor said snarkily, causing Mark to smile awkwardly under everybody’s attention.

Man… he does love the colors blue and yellow, you thought to yourself. He was wearing a dark blue sweater with a light yellow polo on the inside with the collar showing. It was like it’s his first day in college, technically it was.

His eyes scanned the hall and when he finally spotted you, he walked towards your direction, eyeing the seat next to you.

You moved your bag out of the empty seat. “Sorry I’m late, thanks for saving a seat.” Mark said, grateful.

“Hey, at least you showed up this time…” you commented. He chuckled awkwardly, “Yeah, you’re right.”

You spent most of the lecture half-listening to the professor. Mark was visibly confused, so you tried your best to explain everything to him. But, of course, he did miss two months worth of class material, but that’s okay because you gave him all of your physical notes. You didn’t need it anyway.

He kept an open ear to your explanations, and asked a lot of questions. It was apparent that he really wanted to stay in the university and lead a normal life, despite the double-identity he had. He was nice, and this was the most you could do for Amber, knowing the pain she must’ve gone through during Mark’s disappearance.

“You look so bored, while I’m over here panicking over the syllabus,” Mark sighs while scanning through the notes you gave him.

“It’s not as bad as you think, trust me,” you reassure him. He looked up from the notes and faced you. “Umm… yeah. Sure,” he said dryly which almost made you burst out from laughter. Maybe he wasn’t so bad, after all.

The lecture went by, and it finally ended, with everybody in the hall looking like their life was sucked out of them. What a way to spend the morning…

You waved bye to Mark as you got out of your seat to leave, but he stopped you. “I really appreciate all the help today, could I get a tutoring lesson from you? You seem to know a lot about this stuff and as you can tell… I’m like… so clueless…” Mark said nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

“Sure, I’m about to go to my dorm after this, I could tutor you a bit before lunch,” you offered, but he quickly declined. “Sorry, I have to catch up with Amber at the cafe today, maybe next time in the near future?”

“All good, just text me,” you grabbed your bag and your notes. As you were about to walk away, Mark thanked you again with a sweet smile on his face. You smiled back, walking down the lecture hall and out.

You suddenly became aware of the sweat on your palms, and how your hands were slightly shaking. You took a deep breath, grateful because it could’ve gone worse. You were just nervous, that’s all. Just think of him as Mark, not Invincible.

—

AMBER takes a sip of her coffee as she looks out the window. The cafe was bustling, with sleep-deprived students waiting in line for their dose of coffee. The cold weather outside also made it perfect for a hot chocolate, as autumn left behind leafless trees and chilly winds. She smells a faint coconut shampoo before she feels a warmth on her cheek.

“Hi love,” Mark kissed her on the cheek before he took the seat in front of her. “Hey,” Amber replied, “I took the liberty of getting you a latte, how did your lecture go?”

“Thanks, it went okay. Apparently we have a test next week—which I’m completely unprepared for…” Mark sighs, before taking a sip of his drink. “But, I got a lot of help from your friend, thank goodness.”

“That’s good, I heard she’s really smart... You got this,” Amber reaches her hand out to rest it on top of Mark’s. “Of course, and it’s all because I have the best girlfriend ever,” Mark teases. Amber’s lips curve up, trying to hide a giggle.

“She really is a nice person. While you were gone, she helped me feel better, especially with my grandpa.” Amber looks out of the window, before making eye contact with Mark again. “She reminded me a bit of you.”

“Woah—okay, am I getting replaced here?” Mark chuckles, before turning a little serious, “I’m glad you had somebody to rely on, and I really am truly sorry for being gone for so long,” he holds Amber’s hand tenderly on top of the table.

“You’ll be surprised, she doesn’t show it—but she has gone through a lot of pain,” Amber’s face turned solemn. “Look—I’m telling you this not because I want you to take pity on her, but you need to know this. I shouldn’t have introduced you both to each other.”

“What?” Mark tensed up, his eyebrows holding a worried expression. “What do you mean by that?”

Amber says in a hushed tone, “Her parents were victims of the Chicago destruction, that’s all I’m going to tell you. I don’t want you to blame yourself for this, but just be careful with her, okay?” Mark’s face quickly takes the expression of guilt, his breathing quickening.

“Oh… Oh my God.”

a/n: I hope this didn't antagonize Amber in any way. In my logic, couples would usually share very private things with each other. In this case, she wanted to protect you, knowing Mark's true identity and your past.

[bunchofdoodlesinspace]

Some sillier Hawks hcs bc the last list made me sad and I got hit with some really funny ideas earlier (Milder spoiler warning for some references to his backstory and such):

Y'know that absolutely baffled look that hawks and other birds of prey have sometimes. yeah.

Tangentially related I like to think one of the reasons his default expression is Like That is something along the lines of how like 90% of birds of prey just constantly look pissed. So he has like a weird sort of RBF but specifically the kind where it vaguely looks like he might be thinking about killing you when he's actually just zoning out thinking about how hungry he is or smth

Another bird-like mannerism he has is that if you startle him hard enough, he will squawk. He's really hard to scare like that though, so good luck

Perks of Large Wings: you can fly. Downsides of large wings: How the fuck do I get through this door-

No but actually certain situations are made specifically more annoying for him PURELY because of his wings and how large they are at their full length. Do you know how frustrating it is being in a long meeting and being unable to stretch normally because you WILL hit like three different people in the room

Another struggle is sleeping. As he got older and his wings got bigger he very quickly realized that sleeping on his stomach was probably the only genuinely comfortable way to do it, otherwise he ends up laying on part of the wing and even if that doesn't hurt, it gets uncomfy after a while

I can tell a lot of people hc him being more of a flirt and I agree to this but in the specific sense that he does it as part of like, the good-for-publicity front or whatever he's been trained to have. In a genuine scenario? He's lost. He's so fucking lost he doesn't know what's happening. If you were to flirt with him and mean it it would go directly over his head and he would just stare at you like :D???

In fact I think in general because of how he ended up being raised I think a lot of genuine social interactions outside of hero work/publicity just leave him confused. No he doesn't know what movie/show you're referencing. What the fuck is a "rizz". What's happening.

Yes he was trained to do it but he does actually greatly enjoy finding all the ways to get under people's skin and annoy them. One of those things that's a tactic he uses in undercover missions but is also just something he does to Be Annoying On Purpose. I like to think that behaviour is partially him subconsciously channeling the rebellious teenager energy he couldn't fully express when he was actually a teen. He thrives on being a menace.

Speaking of "channeling his inner rebellious teen" he likes to occasionally give the HPSC a mini heart attack when he does interviews. Casually skirts veeery close to revealing something he ABSOLUTELY should not but then casually circles back to a normal response like nothing happened. He does the same thing in speeches sometimes too. He gets scolded every time but continues to do it out of spite.

He'd be that friend who will jump into a convo like "actually the easiest way to kill someone and leave no evidence is [etc.]" and then be confused as to why everyone is staring at him in silent concern

He could ALSO be that friend that references some small part of his upbringing, is met by silent worried glances, and goes "WAIT HOLD ON THAT'S NOT NORMAL??"

Hates summer PURELY because his hero costume is designed to help keep him warm when he's flying at higher altitudes (because it's colder up there) and is therefore Awful if it ever gets too warm. Yes he can technically just take off the jacket but then he can't be dramatic about it

I like to think sometimes he pulls a "gif of the dude making a peace sign before vanishing" except instead of disappearing he just falls backwards off the edge of a building and flies away

[push-and-hold]

Oh god, there's just so much:

• One of the tropes I like best is thinking about the everlasting, excruciating pain Doofenshmirtz must experience every day.

It's not the pain of his amputee scars (or we'll, not only that one), but the toll of all the year of accidents and broken bones he had as a child, the growing up malnourished, always hungry at the mercy of the elements and the harsh Drusselstinian nights out in the wild, how much the starvation must have stunted his development to the point of him being physically unable to form muscle, only for him to experience the ache that comes with losing what little strength he has due to age-related atrophy as he grows old, unable to stand straight, unable to stand up, unable to feel normal once he can't even handle the weight of his titanium arms, helpless upon the betrayal of his own body with a Perry that feels completely useless because he's not able to help and he can't offer any comfort besides just... Being there.

• There's also the variations of hurt Perry, and the lovely idea of him going to Heinz for medicinal care. Except here they are not in his house in the middle of the night, but in a now decimated battlefield where there's no help coming anytime soon and the amount of blood Perry is losing is steady enough to send him into shock if nothing is done right now, so Heinz with whatever little equipment he might have tries to close the wound, cauterize his open veins and stitch the flesh in a rushed, ragged pattern as he hears Perry scream in agonizing pain, sobbing as Heinz is barely controlling the shake of his hands because he has to save him, he just has, fighting against time and not stopping his work even as little by little Perry grows more and more quiet...

• This one is kinda ooc, because there's a mysterious world ending treath that has to be dealt with, in a way that makes it impossible to know if whoever deals with it will even survive because they could never go back anyways, and for plot reasons neither Doofenshmirtz or anybody else can do anything to stop it or help to find some alternative way.

Of course, Perry is the one that's gonna sacrifice himself. Heinz begs him not to, to stay, to not be stupid, don't be a hero. It doesn't have to be him. Heinz doesn't know how he'll live without him, to please please PLEASE choose him over the world, because he is his world and if he goes he'll never be happy ever again, and Perry still chooses to go, because he knows that's not true. Doofenshmirtz has Vanessa, and he will survive. His daughter will survive, just as Perry's family will survive, and Heinz will grow old and he'll keep going on, and someday he'll be happy again, without him, and for Perry if Heinz gets to live... we'll then it is worth it for him.

• The last one I have (also ooc, I feel) is a setting where Perry can't take it anymore and one day just decides to write a letter confessing his love. Time passes, a few days, then a week and a few months and he has to keep going to DEI every day, but everything seems to be going on as usual between them.

Thinking there might have been some issues with the post, he writes another one, and one more after that. Letter after letter pouring his love is sent through the mail, but everything stays the same so he starts leaving them on his mailbox himself.

Nothing happens, so maybe someone's messing with the mail. He tries leaving them inside on his work bench, but those might be getting burned during their fights because it's still not being addressed, so he changes to try via email, sends him some text messages, writes to him on his internet boards, but nothing ever changes.

Eventually he gives up, assumes Heinz doesn't feel the same, that he's not loved the same way, and that Doofenshmirtz would rather pretend that it didn't even happened because he never ever mentions anything even remotely related to it. Even then, Perry keeps going every day. He lives with the pain, he gets to yearn and mourn it every single day, because it'd be worse to not see him anymore, to lose his friendship, to not have him in his life in any way he can.

But it turns out the letters never arrived because all this time his comms have been intercepted by O.W.C.A., that absolutely doesn't want to deal with whatever might come out of that, and Doofenshmirtz doesn't even know that he tried, and he will never know because by now Perry is just too tired and too defeated to try

Guys, not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for whump. The Perryshmirtz nation need more whump. If you have some prompts to share, I'm all ears.

[nelkcats]

Monster (or not?)

It was a normal day for the Justice League, nothing special had happened, but Batman seemed to have a bad feeling. So when the alarm went off, he was prepared for almost anything.

Unfortunately, not much can prepare you for a 10-foot ice-covered, invincible Eldritch in the middle of Gotham. As much as the League tried, they didn't seem to do any damage to it (Jason was the first to notice that the creature wasn't attacking, just defending itself; he frowned at the observation).

From there, many strange things began to happen. First: A group of people dressed in white (which, frankly, they had never seen before in their lives) fanned out around the League, giving them weapons capable of harming the "creature" and pointing out to them that it was a "ghost", giving information about it.

Second, a pair of colorful scientists stood at the center of all the agents in white, though they seemed to be arguing with each other. One looked murderous, while the other looked... tired, almost guilty.

Third and last, a group of students kept trying to get closer. Jason thought they were suicidal until he heard the girl in purple tell them to leave "Danny" alone. She seemed to be silenced quickly, but the detail stuck in his head.

With a bad feeling, Jason turned to the college kids. A red-haired girl stood in the center of them, holding a chunk of ice? and watching the creature at the center of it all. While the League dealt with the agents in white, Jason decided to listen to them.

"He's my brother," the redhead said as soon as she saw him, "he's not a monster, they broke his core, please, you need to understand"

Jason looked at the creature again, although its body was mostly black, he could see ice covering a crystal in the center, it looked broken, he suspected that was his "core". At the same moment, Bruce finished talking to the men in white and accepted the weapons.

Danny was frightened and panicked. His form changed when his core broke in the middle of a fight, the GIW had shot him, and he didn't know how to retreat to his original form. His words came out only in Ghost speak, and the heroes around him looked ready to kill him, which didn't help his ice control.

[is-not-a-bell]

Sleepy King

The Justice League Dark caught wind of a cult trying to summon the Ghost King. A being with power so terrible and great, that all of the chaotic Infinite Realms feared him. A true tyrant. Long ago it took the effort of ghosts equal to gods to seal him away into a permeant slumber.

And now this cult wishes to wake him and bring him to the living realm. It was a race against the clock to find the ritual site and all members were called on board, magic or not. Even Constantine looked stressed.

They did find the site.

But it was too late, the ritual was completed. The entire inner circle of runes glowed before being swallowed in a column of green light. The air filled with static and a ringing that made Supergirl crumble to the ground.

The light dissipated, but there was no great figure or being of pure evil. Instead there was a boy, a teenager. He laid on the ground curled up in his sleep. He was a ghost no doubt, dressed in regal clothing.

Despite this when he stirred, everyone froze. It seemed the cold hard ground woke him up. He got up slowly and yawned, revealing his sharp fangs. Once sat up he opened his bleary eyes to look around. He looked confused and tired, really tired.

"Where am I?" He mumbled. "I was trying to get some sleep." Constantine internally screaming, latches onto that last sentence. He glances over to Batman. He caught that last part too. Batman approaches calmly and crouches down in front of the boy king. Hardening his resolve, Batman takes on a gentle tone.

"Hey kiddo, sorry we woke you. Lets get you back to bed yeah?" The boy nodded in agreement. He pulled himself to his feet before looking around in a circle. "Where did my blanket go?" He asked rather sadly. Batman is quick to shed his own cape and drape it over him. "You can borrow my cape until we get you a new one." He nodded again, pulling the black fabric around himself.

John quickly summoned a portal door, while Batman led the King through it. John threw looks around at everyone. Everyone could tell he was mouthing the words. 'Find me a fucking blanket now'

Running on the logic of getting the king away from Earth, away from graves and the undead, that could give him power. The portal led to the Watch Tower.

Batman took advantage of the King's bleary state to send a base wide alert for all noncritical members to evacuate immediately. With a priority that death adjacent members leave first. "The stars are pretty." Bruce looked at the boy staring out the window in wonder. He almost looked like a normal kid, almost.

"Yeah they are, it's pretty late so we should get you back to bed." He nodded, going along with Batman's gentle coaxing.

He takes the boy to an unused bedroom. Making sure the room isn't dusty and that lights are dimmed. He glances back to see about a dozen different leaguers all holding blankets, one thought to bring extra pillows. The bed was pretty barren with only a single pillow and a thin bedsheet. So Bruce took a thick duvet, one of the fluffier blankets and a second pillow from his team before shooing them away.

The boy ended up keeping his cape, mumbling how it was warm. He tucked the boy in, before quietly exiting the room and turning off the light. He was pretty sure the King fell back to sleep before he even reached the light switch.

After the door shut, he made direct eye contact with John. "Constantine." They needed to figure out what the hell was going on.