#there are a lot of my joys i think are embarrassing but to be treasured isn't one of them. that one's just pure thankfulness

[bataranqs]

10 Happy Things

May 11, 2024

Slept most of the day let's gooo

My bed and clothes are so warm and cozy

Called my mom and apparently she was out with people but she stepped outside to talk to me for a bit before going back to them and just feeling very very loved

My mom called me back and I talked to my sisters for nearly two hours hwjoiegdjkl we're just absolute nerds the lot of us

The Bible Plan I've been doing these past few days is just re-looking at everything from the basis of just get right with God, are you following Jesus and it's been very comforting to have that reminder like it is relational, it is supposed to be a delightful life we're living, there's no stress at all about doing x or y and if you're supposed to, it will not be anything but good

I can't really move my toes individually (except the ones at the ends) and I think it's kinda cute. They're a pack. They're friends. Do Not Separate.

The Tim Horton's White Hot Chocolate is so insanely good

Dungeon Meshi is such a good manga broooo

There are so many joys that I don't think I'll run out of them, and isn't that just the most delightful thing ever?

When I started this list I was feeling a little tired but now I'm quite happy and excited!! I'm so grateful to Katie for getting me into this, and my friends who also do stuff like this

[stellamancer]

entreat (reader x yuta okkotsu)

notes: hellow hellow! this is actually my first time writing yuta ahaha. he's a sweet boy who deserves the world (like most of the rest of the cast). intially the idea for this fic was a bit different but, i think this is cute too.

this fic was a request written as part of the @/ficsforgaza initiative as a gift for @yutaleks. my requests are currently closed, but if you are interested please do check the ffg tumblr out! there are lots of writers participating!

contains: gn!reader, food (mentions of, eating and sharing), yuta okkotsu being a cutie patoot

Whenever Yuta travels for a mission, he always brings back souvenirs; boxes of ridiculously sugary sweets for Gojo, bags of interestingly flavored potato chips for Maki, eclectic and downright gimmicky foods for Panda and Toge and for you—

Yuta brings back things he wants to eat with you. 

It started with the first-ever souvenir he brought back for you, from the very first solo mission he received after being reinstated as a special grade. He'd given it to you to say thank you for your support because just saying it has never been an adequate expression of gratitude for Yuta. 

But he'd apologized too, as he handed you the box– cookies from Hokkaido using locally sourced butter and cream, the prefecture’s pride and joy. 

Yuta is maybe the only person you know who would say sorry when handing someone a gift. 

“Why?” you'd asked.

He looked embarrassed as he answered. “I didn't know what you would like, but I couldn't just not bring you anything so I… got something that I thought sounded good…” 

His face was the picture of guilt, like he had admitted to the most heinous crime in all of history– not knowing what you would have liked. 

“It's okay if you want to throw it away or give it to sensei! I won't get upset or mad!” 

You remember distinctly thinking that if Rika were still here, she would send you to the grave if you threw away Yuta’s gift. Instead of that, you started to open the box, peeling away the wrapping and the box top to reveal two neat little rows of individually packaged cookies. You’d plucked one out and offered it to Yuta. 

“You said you thought it sounded good right?” you had asked. 

Yuta only stared, obviously unsure of what to do. 

“Come on, take it.” 

He hesitated, clearly not wanting to partake in a gift meant for you and for a moment you both stood there, unmoving. 

“Come on, Yuta, please?” 

That had been enough to get him to give in. You remember being surprised that was all it took. He gingerly took the cookie from you, handling it like a treasure, and you’d grabbed one of your own, knowing there was no way Yuta would eat one if you didn't first.

You'd tucked the box under your arm to rip the packing open and with another thanks you popped the cookie in your mouth. 

Honestly speaking, it had been one of the best cookies you'd ever had; crisp, yet tender, with a subtle sweetness that was nothing short of addictive.

When you had finished it, you stared at Yuta intently. It took him a second to realize that you meant for him to eat his, too, and with both yet another apology and yet another thank you, he delicately tore open the package and ate the cookie. 

You watched as he chewed it thoughtfully, evaluating the flavor. And when he finished, you tilted your head to the side and asked, “So, did you like it?” 

You remember how he nodded and smiled, carefree and innocent– a look you had always felt suited Yuta best. 

In return, you’d offered him a smile of your own. “You don't need to go through the trouble of bringing me back anything, but if you do, bring stuff like this— that we can share.”

And Yuta did just that. 

Now, every time he comes back from a mission, he comes bearing souvenirs from all over Japan: chestnut daifuku from Nagano, gyoza senbei from Tochigi, Kobe pudding from Hyogo… the list goes on. Sometimes, it’s just one thing. And other times, he comes back with two or three, looking apologetic as he tells you that he just couldn't decide. 

You don't mind, though, you never do– in fact, you actually look forward to when he brings multiple. More to share means more time with Yuta.

And this time, this time is no exception, but….

“...this is an awful lot…” you say looking at the array of ten different boxes that Yuta’s brought back from his latest mission. 

“I'm sorry!” He apologizes automatically and then, just like always he adds. “It was so hard to choose… Everything sounded so good.”

He's not wrong. Every single thing he's brought back sounds absolutely delicious and catered specifically to your tastes. It kind of makes you wonder if he's been taking notes all this time, commiting the things you've liked to memory. 

“It's fine!” you insist. “I'm just not sure if we can finish all this together…” 

At least not all at once. The things that are individually wrapped should be fine, but there are a fair amount of things that are probably meant to be eaten in a single sitting. 

“...maybe we should see if the others want some too…” you murmur thoughtfully. It's been a while since all of you ate together, between missions and the like. It would be fun. 

Yuta makes a soft sound and you look toward him. He’s very obviously avoiding your gaze, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. You know him well enough to realize that means he's got something on his mind.

“What's up?” you ask. 

He doesn't say anything, not at first, but it's obvious he's debating whether or not to tell you. If you wait long enough, though, you think he'll say it. And sure enough, after a minute or two Yuta takes a deep breath and says, “I was actually hoping we could still just share everything just the two of us!” 

The words come out in a two-breath rush and you stare at him as the meaning of his words sink in. You did tell him to bring back things the two of you could share, it just never occurred to you that he thought that meant only the two of you. 

Yuta, on the other hand, looks mildly horrified, regret instantly visible, as if it was a mistake to voice his own desires, and so he adds. “But— but if you want to eat with everyone, that's fine! I can call Toge and Panda and–”

“Actually,” you interject and while you don't want to talk over Yuta you want him to know— need him to know that it's fine. It's fine for him to say what he wants, because not only will you always listen, you’ll—

“I take it back. I think we can eat this all ourselves. Just the two of us.”

You’ll never, ever refuse him. 

[hon3yteddy]

꒰ things that make nct dream flustered 🍦 ꒱

synopsis: flustered dream ? and they're all a bit pathetic in a cute way genre(s): established relationship, romance, fluff, stuff that could make you cry if you were just that tiny bit insane warning(s): insanity, cheese author's note: double post !?!?! i feel like my writing style is repetitive which puts me off

for mark it's definitely pet names. things like “love”, “sweetheart”, "darling” and especially “baby” but it has to have the “y” at the end. normally you’d say them so naturally, not thinking too much about it, mark on the other hand is a mess. a simple question could be asked with the additional “baby” at the end and he’s praying for strength as he tries to answer with incoherent words. he'll always try to argue that he doesn’t like it, but he’s in fact proud of the fact that he’s simply yours. it’s adorable to say the least, the way he’s simply at the palm of your hands, compliant to your words just because of a simple word.

if renjun catches you staring, he’s over the moon. hearing a “pretty” slip out from your lips as you admire him. you’re shameless about it, not bothering to look away after you’ve been caught. it’s more embarrassing for him than it is for you. your gaze is so attentive and so soft he swears he’s blushing and on the verge of passing out. he’ll give you a “what do you want?” but never gets an answer as you carry on admiring his ethereal beauty. he was never one for attention, and having your attention just seemed to have more of an effect. renjun's got such a soft spot for you - he’ll never admit it though.

jeno is a dead man when you feel him, but not in that type of way. you’re simply just feeling him up out of pure curiosity. yeah, you’ve felt the man a lot but you can’t help but poke, pinch, squeeze at his muscles. you’re practically in awe of his build. obviously, you don’t like him for his body only. it's just fun to just squeeze his muscles every now and then and watch how he reacts to your ever so curious touches. you’re soft and careful, but tend to be calculative, eager for a reaction out of him. you like how he’s shy under your touch, the way he tries to ignore it all, but you can tell, anyone can tell that he’s enjoy it despite his want to not do so. jeno's fingers fidget, his face turns away from yours to avoid your gaze, sometimes you can feel him become tense as you drag your hand along his bare skin. be careful of the power you hold over him because he might just lose all sanity.

your compliments have got the lee haechan ascending into another galaxy. he’s not necessarily flustered by your side comments, he’s actually rather cocky about it, whispering for you to say some more or pretending to tuck his hair behind his ear and bat his eyelashes at you as a joke to hear you laugh. yet internally it's utter chaos, he’s on his knees in tears, screaming in pure joy. he definitely giggles about your kind words later, trying to remake the whole scenario just to feel something again. he could never let you see how much of an effect you have on him with your words. he’s a lot better when it comes to the banter you exchange on a daily basis so he’d treasure your words forever.

jaemin adores it when you become a bit whiny, not in a slap deserving way. he’s normally the whiny one, begging for attention, a kiss, a cuddle, so when the roles reverse he’s simply gone and under your command. you want to hold hands, he’s dropping everything in his hands for you; you want to cuddle, he’s diving into your embrace with no questions asked. he gets giddy when you ask him for the most simplistic of things. he adores how vulnerable and cute you sound, whining for his attention, outreaching your hand for him to hold. it’s even worse for his heart when you’re doing it half asleep, calling his name as you lay side by side, asking for a hug to nestle yourself in. jaemin would do anything you asked of him, anything at all.

if there’s one thing chenle would say he loves about you most, it’s got to be your laugh. he doesn’t care if you don’t like it, every time he hears your laugh it seriously takes his breath away. he hates the way you’ll try and hide it, he loves it so much, and he definitely loves to hear it when he’s the cause of it. he likes the one where you’re fighting for your life in tears, laughing your ass off at a joke he’s made. chenle takes pride in them every single time. he’s normally laughing with you, glancing towards your beautiful smiling face. that is, until you're laughing at him. then he’s pouting and shying away. but he could never be angry for too long seeing you so happy. if chenle could, he’d get you to laugh everyday, simply because he loves you that much.

anything can mess with this poor boy’s heart. You don’t even need to be there in jisung's presence to have some sort of effect on him. a simple text message gets his heart flatlining. texting you has got him using all of his brain power to send the perfect text only for him to regret everything he says. he can be a bit more confident through the screen, using how you can’t see him act embarrassing in the comfort of his room to his own advantage. yet a “good night <3” has got the 6ft grown adult rolling around his bed, kicking his legs, crying and screaming into his pillow awakening everyone else. it gets worse when you send a picture of yourself just because you can. the rest of nct might as well just prepare for his funeral at that point. He’s just a lovesick loser but you can’t help but love him anyway.

jan 2023 © hon3teddy

[freyyzu]

SEE YOU AGAIN SOON

it's finally the day of your depature, and you decide to leave baxter with one last memory to hold onto until you can see each other again.

a/n; i'm so head over heels in love with this monochrome man i feel like my heart's gonna burst. thank you so much for the amazing game and loving memories, gb patch i'm going to treasure Our Life always

“Is this everything?” You’ve heard that question no less than three times now since leaving Baxter’s apartment. Once, when he closed the door, twice, when you exited the car, and now for a third time as you’re at the station waiting for the train to arrive.

“I should hope so, otherwise one of my belongings is lost within the depths of your apartment now,” you tease good heartedly.

“Hm,” his concerned frown is quickly replaced by a grin. “Maybe I should hope you did leave something behind, then. It would give me an excuse to bring it to you.”

The both of you share a hearty laugh at that. You hadn’t even been parted yet, but here he was already thinking of making his way back to you.

Well, you did agree to have him come over soon after the hectic rush-planning that was Jude and Scott’s wedding, and the five days that you had spent here wasn’t enough to make up for the five years of no contact. There was going to be a lot to catch up on, and a part of you hoped that you’d always have something to catch up on with each other. That there was always going to be something new to learn about one another—together.

“We’ll call,” you reassure him. His shoulders visibly untense at your words, a softer smile adorning his lips. “And text, the days before you arrive will be over before we both know it.”

Baxter reaches out to take your hand, no pauses, no falters. “Then I look forward to that day with bated breath.”

Your eyes crinkle at the edges, and despite him being the one who took hold of your hand first you decide to turn it around on him—literally. Flipping your clasped hands, you bring it up to your lips in a gentle kiss, his bright, brown eyes following the motion as goosebumps chill their way down his arm.

“Why don’t we take a picture together?”

The sudden question catches him off-guard. “A picture?”

“The frame on your desk was empty last time I saw it, right?”

“Ah,” he looks abashed at that. Even though you had gifted him a picture frame, Baxter had never been able to actually use it for its intended purpose. “You noticed that as well, huh?”

You swallow the words at how it’s a bit difficult not to notice something like that. “What do you say?”

There was simply never a moment precious enough in his life to capture in time until you showed up again, and since your arrival every day felt special enough to be caught in the moment. Now with that offer laid bare in front of him, there was no way he was going to let it go. “I’d say that’s a great idea.”

Setting your bags on the nearest chair, Baxter pulls out his phone and you shimmy closer to his side, his arm reaching out to wrap around your waist almost instinctively. It felt a bit embarrassing, using the selfie function of his phone; he couldn’t remember the last time he ever did if ever.

Though far past his embarrassment was the joy of being able to see your face every day whenever he so wished, even if you weren’t there in person.

The shutter goes off, and at the same time he feels a soft press into his cheek.

The motion catches him by surprise, the only word able to leave the tip of his tongue being, “huh?” followed by your chuckles.

His eyes glance down at his phone, the picture displaying all its glory to you and him. He sports a startled look, the tips of his ears forming the faintest red and of course you’re leaning in, your lips pressed against his cheek with a smile.

“It looks good,” you comment cheerfully, either not noticing or feigning ignorance to the way his entire face has lit up in a bright, strawberry red. “Don’t you think?”

“I-” he catches the same tint of red dusting the edge of your cheeks. No doubt that action had been a spur of the moment decision on your part, rather than a well-thoughtout plan, though at this point he can’t say he’s surprised—if the last-minute party plannings were anything to go by.

An affectionate sigh leaves him, and he leans in, following the bubbling warmth in his chest, hand gently cradling your cheek as he pulls you into a kiss. A proper one, where both of your lips touch and your eyes flutter close, blocking the entire world around you.

Your arms wrap around his shoulders, fingers playing with the ends of his hair, and he nearly melts at the tender motion of your hands. Baxter’s spent the last five days wondering how he could be so lucky. To reunite with his ideal, the person he fell for, the one he loved—loves—from all those years ago and how even after a long five years you still haven’t forgotten, haven’t given up on him.

“Baxter?” Every part of you, from the color of your eyes, to your kind, patient personality, to your hands that treat him like he’s glass, to your voice that calls his name with so much warmth.

At one point, the kiss had broken and he bumped his forehead with yours. He couldn’t tell you not to leave, even when every fiber of his being wished for you to just stay by his side, and so he swallows those words. This is enough for now, these five days, the next five years. You’ll make it work.

“I love you.” From this close of proximity, the breath that follow his words flutter your eyelashes. His hand doesn’t move from your cheek, but his thumb begins to rub timidly along your skin, as if afraid you’ll back off if he did any more.

Your eyes gloss over at those three simple words. He was really going to make it hard to leave wasn’t he? Even though you were the one who had been trying to keep it together this entire time. “I love you, too,” you whisper, leaning in for another kiss.

If time stopped there, neither of you would have minded, but it doesn’t, and soon the ring of the train bells force both of you to pull away.

“I should get going,” you mutter with less resolve than before.

“I’ll walk with you to the doors.” Baxter picks up half of your bags again, motioning towards your ride with his head. He looks just as, if not more, insulted than you at the interruption.

“Thank you.”

The walk was short and quiet, there were a million and one things you could have said, but chose not to. They could wait until you met up again. And everyone knows that there was no one more patient than you around here. You’ve waited this long, you could wait a little more.

“I’ll see you in a bit?” Baxter passes your bags over to you. It’s unsure of exactly how long ‘a bit’ actually refers to, but you’ll get your answer eventually.

“Definitely,” you reply. “I’ll see you again soon, Baxter.”

He leans in for the last time, and you’re almost sure he was going to kiss your lips again, but he falters at the last second and moves upwards to press his lips against your forehead instead.

“I feel like if I kiss you now I’d never stop,” he chuckles in jest, though you can hear the full sincerity in those words. “I’ll see you again soon, darling.”

‘Darling’ that was a pet name you’d have to get used to unless you fear for your poor heart exploding.

You give him one last kiss of your own, also on the forehead—he hums contently at the action—before pulling back; the train doors beginning to close.

And when the train finally takes off, and your waves weren’t within sight anymore, Baxter finds himself crumpling to the floor in a heap.

It’s a question he’s asked himself multiple times, more times than you’d call appropriate, but was he allowed to be this happy? A hand goes up to his forehead where your lips had just been, and he allows himself to bask in the feeling.

‘It’s alright.’ He was allowed to be this happy.

A ping from his phone pulls him out of his thoughts, and he grumbles at the interruption. He pulls out the device with a less-than-appropriate mumble though stops completely when he sees who it’s from.

[ could you send me that picture, please?

i’d like to have a memory of us as well. ]

[ Of course. ]

Comes his instantaneous response.

He sends you the photo immediately, and his eyes linger on it for just as long as it takes for you to reply back.

[ thanks! i’ll treasure it ]

Yeah, he is allowed to be this happy.

With you.

And he hopes with his entire heart that you feel the same.

[ As will I. ]

[yuri-is-online]

Hi hi, Can you please to prompt 4 with Malleus,Vil, and Riddle?

4. You met someone really wonderful at the Masquerade Ball and have been ranting about how he was totally the love of your life to your abnormally quiet friend. Actually wasn't he invited too? Maybe you should ask him how that went.

Hello hello and of course I can, and I agree with the first ask you sent me. I was not really thinking of Malleus specifically when I wrote that prompt but it really does suit him doesn't it?

Oh also, welcome to the hell site. I noticed you're new from the few asks you sent me (I was so confused as to how a blank blog was talking to me), I hope you have fun with the content on here. New people are always welcome with me, I know all about being shy and uncertain of how to interact with people. I'll answer the other Malleus prompt you sent in after I have done some others, it was my bad for not realizing you were the same person haha.

notes: they/them used for Yuu, full shojo manga lack of self awareness here in Malleus's part (it is implied to take place before the Ch. 6 reveal), just don't think about it is Yuu's middle name. The rest of the requests can be found on my masterlist here.

Malleus

"Tsunotarou, you know a lot about gargoyles, right?" Such a foolish yet welcome question. Truly your unawareness of just who you are conversing with never ceases to amaze and infatuate him.

"Of course, I am something of an expert." He smiles, trying to keep it from showing the whites of his teeth.

"Oh well then you must be very happy to be in Diasomnia." Your eyes are sparkling, and he pauses. Yes he is very happy to be in Diasomnia, but not for the gargoyles. Briar Valley has long respected the legacy of the Thorn Fairy, and what better house could there be for the noblest of nobles than one that's very core is the spirit of nobility? But these are not exactly things he wishes to speak with you about, it would require detailed revelations he fears the consequences of.

"And what makes you think that, child of man?" Still there must be cause for your reasoning, and he does wish to hear it.

"Well your housewarden is one, isn't he?" You seem very pleased with yourself, but your mind is clearly very far away. Malleus stares at you, eyes wide in shock as he attempts to piece together what logic might have drawn you to such a conclusion. "I met him last night." Your dreamy sigh fills him with jealousy, just irrational enough that the thunder crack above you is quite small enough that he can convince you to remain outside of Ramshackle in conversation with him.

"Your mask is really impressive!" Your eyes always shone at the simplest displays of magic, it filled Malleus with a joy he could never quite find his fill of.

"Mask?!" Roars Sebek, his volume matching the pride rapidly feeling Malleus's chest. "Foolish human, this is more than a mere mask! This is a display of my lord's skill! A perfect recreation of old Briar Valley Masquerade tradition! His artistic talent has been woven though magic to bear his true face for the world to see-"

"That's quite enough Sebek." He does enjoy his retainers praise, but he has a task in mind that the over excited boy might- no will definitely endanger if he speaks further.

"But my lord!" Poor Sebek is torn between embarrassment, jelousy, and concern as he watches his precious lord observe you in the same manner one might a particularly expensive jewel.

"They have given me a most treasured compliment and I wish to reward them in turn." He bows, making sure to flourish his hand as he extends it, taking great pleasure in the little shudder that he only sees unaccompanied by fear in you. "May I have this dance, prefect?"

"Y-yes. You may." You seem in a daze as he takes you to the floor, just as unaware of the others around you as he is. It's wonderful, no matter how many times he visits you he has never had such a good excuse to hold you as this. Your scent, the weight of you in his arms, the way he can better familiarize himself with the subtle movements of your face is all much more real and overwhelming than he had ever imagined it being. It's all Lilia can do to drag him away, whispering teasing things about impropriety and duty to soothe the storm at his fingertips as he sees your friends scoop you up where he left off.

"He is a very handsome gargoyle. And so polite! But then I guess he is royalty so that makes sense..." The continued thunder has you inviting him in, mentioning something about tea he really can't be bothered to think about.

"No he isn't." Malleus pouts. "The nobility of Briar Valley has a reputation for being extremely dour and irrational."

"Oh. Well no wonder he seemed so happy I danced with him. Poor fellow must be very lonely." Oh if only you knew.

"Enough about my housewarden." Malleus declares without a hint of irony, bowing in a familiar fashion to prevent you from entering your kitchen. "He isn't the one you are talking to now is he? He isn't the one who you will be thinking about when you dream tonight." In a slight daze you take his hand, the living room fills with green fireflies as the storm outside slows to a halt as kinder, not softer emotions fill the young lord's heart. "He isn't the one your last dance is for, so focus on me, won't you?"

Vil

"This is why I told you to make sure whatever costume Crewel gave you came with a coat." Vil is beyond angry, with you certainly, but mostly at- life? The fact humans have an immune system that doesn't always work? You have no clue and your head is much too stuffed up to care. What you do care about is that Vil is here, and he really shouldn't be. Colds are contagious and Vil has so many things that he should be doing other than fussing over someone who is not in his dorm and not his responsibility.

"You could get sick." You say and he laughs, if you could see him, if he was not sat behind you on a bed in one of Pomefiore's empty rooms, you know the look he would have on his face. You would see his stupidly beautiful smug smile he has when he has something particularly cutting to say; instead you have to close your eyes and picture it as he pats your head dry just a bit more forcefully.

"Not my responsibility you say? You certainly seem to have a funny view of this." Vil has a word on the tip of his tongue. A word that's ambiguous, a word that would make his manager have a fit. If only she had been a fly on the wall during the Masquerade last night.

"My my, you seem a bit out of place." The tall stranger must be confused at your staring, but he seems more amused than offended. "Does my costume enchant you that much?"

"It reminded me of something." It would hard enough to explain to a friend what you are thinking of, harder still to a stranger. The scarlet costume could have been taken from a playbill, you find yourself looking him over for any sign of a folio. You highly doubt it's you the Red Death wants to capture tonight, but you cannot say you will protest too loudly if that's what he decides. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Quite the opposite," the stranger does not ask you to dance, merely extends his hand and gracefully leads you off to the side when you take it, "so long as you praise me out loud you can look as long as you like."

"It's not like you got me sick." You sneeze into your tissue and Vil frowns, satisfied with your care but not with your answer. He had his suspicions that you may have made a... mistake in your assessment of your time at the Masquerade. But it did hurt him slightly to think that you did not know his essence well enough to have recognized him at once. "And I did get a costume with a cloak, I just gave it to the Red Death because it was too weird to see him without it."

"Mhmm I don't know." you say. It's such a shame Vil can only see your lips, he loves it when you tease him so much already it isn't fair he has to focus on something so tauntingly close and yet so far out of reach. "I think your costume is incomplete."

"Oh?" Vil makes sure to hold you close to him as the song ends, daring anyone to come close enough to try and steal your attention so he can laugh at the attempt. "What's your reasoning for that? Depending on what you have to say, I just might agree." You back out of his arms and make a frame with your fingers. "Kiss me." He begs silently. "Kiss me and leave a mark." But instead you unwind your cloak and fix it to his shoulder.

"Perfect. Now you really look like the portrait." And to his great despair you are gone.

Despite your earlier stated worries, you fall back into Vil's chest, tilting your back to look up at him. "When I'm not sick remind me to tell you about the Phantom of the Opera? I wanted to spend more time dancing with him, but I was feeling too much at home and got scared he'd vanish." Vil's eyes shine with a strangely familiar light, and he gently guides you under the bed's covers. Just before he leaves he kisses your forehead so gently it's all you can do not to cry.

"I think your phantom might be closer than you think." He murmurs against your skin and leaves you to sleep, tucking you under a mysteriously familiar red cloak as soon as your eyes are well and truly closed.

Riddle

"You will be too tired to do anything after the ball, so make sure to shower and go directly to bed."

It was good advice based off of a reasonable assumption, and technically you were not in fact physically doing anything. You were also quite tired, you had expected to spend most of the ball on the outskirts observing the display of feathers and paints but that was far from what actually happened. You don't think you had ever danced in your life as much as you had in the past six hours. It would be extremely reasonable to assume that after scrubbing yourself free of makeup and sweat you would be down for the count.

But you weren't. Your mind was running a mile a minute, eyes constantly glancing at your phone on your nightstand. It's an odd feeling, wanting to call someone and not being able to. It is also a feeling you have become deeply familiar with, the ache it produces might as well be permanently woven into your heart, you should be immune to the pain at this point.

This time though, this time the person you want to call could theoretically be within reach. This person was someone you could touch, someone you could hold, someone whose touch still lingered against your hands.

The little knight was just as awkward as you were, if he didn't immediately stutter out a protest you would have thought he was just as inexperienced with the whole formal party thing as you were.

"I know what I'm doing I just-"

"Then can you show me how to dance? I've been practicing but I'm not great at it." He stares at you, and you are worried you said something wrong until he laughs, it sounds smug you think but you can't be sure.

"That's the proper way to ask for a dance." He takes your hand in his as he bows, kissing it so gently you half think it was your imagination. "This is."

You pick up your phone before it buzzes, immediately sitting up in shock when you see just who is messaging you at 3:30 am on a Friday.

[Riddle] Are you still awake prefect?

[Yuu] Ace is that you.

[Yuu] I'm not covering for you if Riddle finds out you took his phone again (¬_¬)

[Riddle] What do you mean again?

The little knight's dance is stiff at first, but he relaxes as you continue. He has been guiding you to the center of the room, you belatedly realize. You must have looked frightened once you did. "It would be rude to stay in the corner during the slower songs." He squeezes your hand to bring your attention back to him. "It isn't against the rules to be bad at dancing, but it is to monopolize other people's space."

"Aren't you doing that right now?" You tease and he stops leading you, almost as if he hadn't even considered that.

"Are you not enjoying yourself?" He almost sounds afraid and you find yourself having to take over the direction of your movements.

"I didn't say that." Your knight almost seems to grow ten feet tall at your praise before he becomes aware of himself again and gets a bit bashful. But he does not take over again, content to let you set the pace of your dancing for the rest of the night.

[Riddle] Actually disregard that. Since you are awake, would you mind coming to your window? I understand throwing rocks is considered romantic but breaking a window would be most unfitting behavior for a housewarden.

You are tempted to tell him you are waiting for a message from someone else, but the unusual behavior has you at your window before you can even full form the thought. You almost drop your phone at the sight you see below you.

Riddle expected to have difficulty making eye contact with you. He expected to be teased about his failure to follow his own good advice, his costume has got to be a mess between the dancing he did with you earlier and the pacing he did once he got back to Heartslabyul.

But neither of those happen. Neither matters, instead you see him and the familiar scrap of paper you had given him with your number and a heart and fly down the Ramshackle steps into his outstretched arms.

"I'm so glad it was you I danced with tonight."

[yourlocallyneysimp]

Dancing With Them

A/n: I can’t dance at all. 🙂

Characters: Lyney, Venti, Kazuha, Albedo, Aether, Xingqiu, Ayato, Thoma

+Bonus: Nilou, Yun Jin, Ayaka, Barbara, Columbina, Eula, Lynette

Lyney:

Lyney is a professional dancer and he performs all of the time, so as his s/o, it’s natural to him that he would try to teach you how to dance as well. No matter how many mistakes you make or how much you mess up, he still offers his hand each time with a small smile on his face. <3

Venti:

Venti doesn’t really know how to dance either, so it’s just a freestyle. Venti would use the wind to make it more fun and exciting and would even lift you up into the air for fun which results you both falling onto the ground laughing. It’s overall pretty exciting to dance with Venti and sometimes you wish that moments like these could last forever. 

Kazuha:

Kazuha likes to dance with you under the moonlight and when it’s slightly breezy outside.

It’s really cute since no matter how many times you step on his foot, he still holds you close and never lets go. 

Albedo:

Albedo is a prince okay. Ok, so, I feel like he would have some experience in dancing. If one day Albedo is in a odd mood, he would lift you up from your seat and start twirling you around his room. It’s fun at first until you notice that the star that was previously on his neck is missing. 

Aether:

Instead of Aether asking you for a dance, you take his hand into your own and start going around the room. You mostly do this when he’s not in a good mood or when he’s drowning himself in his depressing thoughts. Even though it’s a small gesture, he still appreciates it and it makes him feel better. 

Xingqiu:

Xingqiu probably took lessons to learn how to dance since he’s from a rich family, but he most likely didn’t stick to it since he chose books over exercise. Even though he told you this fact, it was sort of hard to believe since he literally does a flip in the air when he’s fighting.

Sometimes when Xingqiu finishes reading a good book, he would take your hand and start twirling you around the room talking about how amazing the book was. 💙

Ayato:

Ayato treats you like a princess and will kiss your hand when he asks for you to dance with him. He already took lessons since he has to eventually dance with his future wife- *COUGH* (you) so he made sure to perfect every step.

You don’t even know it, but he’s been teaching you how to dance for a while now. Until the day he proposes and the day of your wedding, he will make sure you know each and every step. 

Thoma:

This is canon in my head and I can’t stop thinking about it. Thoma WILL dance with you whenever he’s cleaning or when the Kamisato’s are out doing errands. It’s something you both do in secret.

When Ayaka eventually catches you both, she can’t help but smile at the heaetwarming moment. 

--------

Bonus!!

Nilou:

Dancing with Nilou will be a lot of fun and you can’t tell me otherwise. Whether you're both dancing in water or in the desert or even on stage- it’s still something you both enjoy. 

Yun Jin:

Dancing and singing with Yun Jin is definitely a learning experience since you learn a lot about opera and you both teach each other new dancing moves. 

Ayaka:

Ayaka thought that dancing with you would be embarrassing at first since she can’t really dance herself (lie), but when you both step into the water and start twirling each other around while laughing, she can’t help but treasure the moment.

She hopes that she could dance like this with you forever. This thought causes her to have dreams about you both eventually getting married. <3

Barbara:

You and Barbara are both idols and you both enjoy performing on stage together. Singing with each other brings joy to the both of you and it’s something that makes all the bad thoughts and stress in Barbara’s head go away. 

Columbina:

Columbina was shocked when you suddenly took her hand and started twirling her around. Columbina is a singer, not a dancer. It was cute seeing her shocked for the first time, but that expression quickly turns into a look of happiness as she starts matching your every step. You taking her hand was just a reminder of why she loves you! <3

Eula:

Eula is a professional dancer, so to be honest, you already lost. Eula would give you dancing lessons on a daily basis if you ask her and will teach you while trying to seem professional at the same time. (Even though she's embarrassed. Plus points if you compliment her dancing skills!)

Lynette:

Lynette met you during one of her and her brother’s performances. Even though her brother enjoyed performing, she didn’t really like the experience. Whenever the performances were over, she would watch as everyone else was dancing with their partner or friends.

When you came over to her and asked her to dance for the first time, that was the day that she felt human emotions for the first time.

She fell in love. 🌹💞

[hannahhook7744]

The Day(s) We Met.

Chapter 2: Joyce 'Joy' Penelope Foxworth.

Summary: Hannah Hook meets Joyce 'Joy' Penelope Foxworth. 

Trigger Warnings: smuggling. 

Co-written with @casinotrio1965 .

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

Hannah opened the door to the room FG had pointed her to. Keeping a tight grip on her bags and shooting Skia (who was in her crow form still) a stern look—silently telling her to stay in that form until they knew that they were alone. 

Joy, who was watching her pet bunny Taffy run around, looked up and saw a strange girl in pirate getup.

“Oh hi,” Joy started. “Are you my new roommate?”

“Aye.” Hannah looked around the room, trying not to grimace at the third bed that obviously had been half-hazardly shoved in there. Most likely recently.

“Nice to meet you ! I’m Joy—” She pauses to pick up her pet bunny . “And this is Taffy !’

“Nice… to meet you too?” Hannah hummed, not sure what else to say. “Uh. This is…Rogue—” she gestured to Skia, coming up with a name on the spot. “And this—” she gestured to her pet owl, who was on her other shoulder. “Is Icarus.”

Her pet raccoon hissed from his cage. “Oh, and that's Midas.”

“Cool pets but… Icarus isn't gonna eat my rabbit is he? Cuz…” Starts Whispering, so Taffy won’t Hear . “Owls in the wild eat rabbits for breakfast”

“No, he won't. He's well trained, I promise. But if it 

makes you feel better, I'll keep him in his cage when Taffy is out.” Hannah offered, figuring she should at least try to get along with her roommates. 

“Thank you. That means a lot!” Joy said very relieved. “So … tell me about yourself . If you want to—”

Hannah interrupted, trying her best to look apologetic and not on edge. Silently  hoping that River hadn't been caught hiding at the docs yet and that Luke still had plenty of air from where he was hiding in her suitcase. “Uh, sorry to interrupt but I thought there were supposed to be two of you?”

“Oh! You must mean Amira! Yeah she’s taking her pet tiger for a walk . Don’t worry she’ll be with us shortly…” 

“Nice, nice. I'm guessing this is my bed? Unless it's for Amira's Tiger or one of yours?” Hannah gestured to the bed closest to the door. 

“No, that’s your bed for sure !” 

“Right. Thank you. So…. Wanna tell me about yourself?”

“Sure! My  hobbies are History, reading, listening to music, animals, animal care, sailing, treasure hunting, fishing, playing games, pizza, climbing, singing, and yodeling.”

Hannah was thinking more like what her last name was and who her family were but she wasn't gonna complain. Any excuse to unpack was good enough for her. 

“My mom Is Jenny Foxworth and my dad is Nibs Darling who used to be a lost boy for Peter Pan himself!”

“Oh. Cool… I'm uh, Hannah Hook. But I'm guessing you already knew that.”

“Yeah FG Informed us ahead of time .. So what’s Hook like as a dad?”

“Uh, like any other dad I guess?... I'm not sure.”

“Oh right.. Sorry. So What do you like to do for fun?” Joy asked sheepishly, embarrassed.

Hannah sat down on her bed. “Sailing, writing, playing games…drawing. Sword fighting. Treasure hunting. Reading. Lots of things.”

“No way! I like sailing, playing games and treasure hunting too! Guess we have three things in common!”

“Sweet—also does this place have a bathroom? I really gotta go.” It was a lie but the redhead didn't need to know that. 

“Uh yeah right next to our shared closet .. “

“Alrighty then. I'll be right back.” Hannah smiled nervously, before heading to the bathroom with the suitcase that held Luke in it. 

Leaving Joy behind to think that her and Amira's new roommate was more than a little odd.

[a-araiguma-a]

Between the serving and Her smile

Chapter 2. From Muggles to Wizards: Between Studies and Dreams

Fandom: Harry Potter Pairing: Oliver Wood x fem!OC, Charlie Weasley x f!OC, <?> Warning: fluff, mutual pining, friends-to-lovers drama, first love, jealous

Summary: He was the captain and keeper of the Gryffindor team, and his quest to win the Quidditch Cup became an obsessive goal. All his thoughts revolved around tactics, training and strategies, but sometimes his own heart reminded him of another, equally important side of life. He believed that love and Quidditch could coexist in his life. He swore to himself that he would do everything possible to preserve these two treasures, even if it required the impossible from him.

Start - Prolog (Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5) - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8

Everyday life at Hogwarts quickly settled into a familiar routine. Each day was filled with lessons, new knowledge, and magical discoveries. Gradually, Margaret began to feel more confident. She became better at understanding magical subjects and spells. She often thought back with gratitude to her lessons with her grandfather, which were now paying off. Thanks to their practice sessions, she found Charms and Potions classes much easier. She quickly mastered many basic spells and even helped her friends with their assignments.

“How do you manage so well?” Emma asked in surprise when Margaret once again effortlessly performed a spell in Professor Flitwick’s class.

“My grandfather helped me prepare,” Margaret replied, slightly embarrassed. “We practiced a lot before I came here.”

“Lucky you,” Sophie said with a smile. “I’m finding this all a bit more difficult.”

Her favorite class turned out to be Transfiguration, where she learned to turn matchsticks into needles, and she couldn’t believe that her own hands could perform such magic. She would hold the needle in her hands, marveling at the magic she could feel at her fingertips.

In Potions, she was particularly amazed by the ingredients, which seemed incredible compared to the ordinary spices and herbs used by Muggles. For example, the first time she used unicorn horn in a potion, she felt a deep reverence for magical creatures. Over time, she learned to handle these ingredients, understanding how they interacted with each other. One of the highlights was when she brewed a Sleeping Draught for the first time, and her partner, after trying it, immediately fell asleep for a few minutes, causing everyone to laugh and feel relieved.

In Charms class, it was an incredible feeling—realizing that words could bring magic to life.

Hogwarts itself was one big mystery for Margaret. Her Muggle fairy tales gradually faded into the background, giving way to real magic. One day, she accidentally stumbled upon a secret passage in one of the castle corridors. The passage led her to an abandoned wing where she found ancient paintings, books, and even some magical objects that, as she later discovered, had belonged to students from a century ago.

In the evenings, Margaret often talked with Charlie Weasley in the common room. He was older than her but always found time to chat about life at Hogwarts and his large family.

“I have six brothers and sisters,” he once said with a laugh one evening. “A big family is pure chaos, but it’s fun. Speaking of brothers, one of them, Percy, is studying with you. He’s a bit of a stickler, but only at first glance. Maybe you’ll become friends? I think you’d like our family.”

“That sounds amazing,” Margaret smiled. “I’ve always wanted a big family.”

Thus, six months passed at Hogwarts. Margaret had grown accustomed to her new rhythm of life, finding joy in each day spent among friends and books. Studying came easily to her, and Hogwarts felt more and more like home. But despite everything, by Christmas, she started to miss home deeply.

Christmas at Hogwarts was a magical time. The castle was decorated with hundreds of garlands, a giant tree towered in the Great Hall, and the air was filled with the scent of pine and gingerbread. But Margaret knew that soon she would be going home to see her family, something she had been dreaming of for weeks.

Mr. and Mrs. Denning, Bennett’s parents, also promised to visit for the holidays. The magical heritage was hidden from them, and Margaret couldn’t wait to finally return home and spend time with those she cared about.

On the last night before her departure, Margaret stood by the window of her room, gazing at the snow-covered slopes and the castle glowing in the moonlight. Her heart was filled with warmth at the thought of returning home, but she knew that Hogwarts would always be a special place for her, a place she would gladly return to after the holidays.

After spending long months at Hogwarts, Margaret finally returned home for Christmas, eagerly anticipating her reunion with her parents. Platform 9¾ was once again bustling with activity as students said their goodbyes to friends and prepared for their journey home. Margaret, having gathered her belongings, hurried to the station, where her mom and dad were already waiting for her. Seeing them, she couldn’t hold back her smile and ran toward them.

“Mom! Dad!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around their necks.

“Margaret, darling, we’ve missed you so much,” Miranda said, hugging her daughter tightly.

“You’ve grown up so much,” Bennett added, looking at her with pride. “How’s school? Is everything going well?”

“Everything is wonderful,” Margaret replied, beaming with happiness. “I have so much to tell you!”

When they returned home, Margaret savored the familiar, comforting atmosphere. The house was decorated for the holiday, and it smelled of pine branches and freshly baked goods. That evening, at the festive table, they were joined by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Denning, who had also missed their granddaughter dearly. They believed she was studying at a school for young ladies, only returning home during the winter and summer holidays. They were strict but kind-hearted people.

“Margaret, dear, you’ve grown so much,” her grandfather said with a smile as he hugged her.

“We’re so glad you’re home,” her grandmother added, her eyes sparkling with joy.

During the holiday dinner, decorated with Christmas ornaments and a sparkling tree, Margaret shared her academic achievements.

She also began to open up more to Miranda, telling her how much her grandfather’s lessons had helped her before the school year started and how they had made her assignments easier. Many of the spells and potions were already familiar, making her studies much more manageable. Sometimes, she was even asked to help with homework. She talked about her new friends and funny situations. Perhaps her heart softened toward Miranda, and she began to reciprocate her feelings.

“You’re doing great,” Miranda praised her, proud of her daughter’s achievements. “We knew you would succeed.”

The Christmas holidays passed quickly, and soon it was time to return to Hogwarts. Margaret spent the last few days at home relaxing and enjoying the warmth of her family.

Returning to her studies went smoothly, and she continued to excel. In the Gryffindor common room, Margaret spent more time talking with Charlie Weasley, who shared funny and awkward stories about his younger siblings and his love for magical creatures, especially dragons.

One day, she found Oliver Wood in the common room, reading a book about Quidditch, and he told her about his dream of joining the Quidditch team.

“I really want to try out for Quidditch,” he said, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “But unfortunately, they only accept second-years. I can’t wait to give it a shot.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great,” Margaret replied with a smile, encouraging him.

Spring passed quickly, and soon it was time for the summer holidays. Margaret said goodbye to Hogwarts with a hint of sadness but comforted herself with the promise of staying in touch with Emma and Sophie through letters. That summer, she resumed her lessons with her grandfather, studying literature and the origins of magic. Now, with her newfound knowledge, she could engage in discussions with him.

“You’ve become a real witch,” her grandfather once said, looking at her with pride as they discussed ancient spells. “I never thought I’d be discussing such complex topics with you so soon.”

“I’m really interested in this,” Margaret replied, feeling her confidence grow with each passing day.

However, her grandmother insisted that Margaret spend more time relaxing.

“Once you return to Hogwarts, you won’t have as much free time,” she reminded her. “Enjoy the summer while you can.”

The family supported this idea, and one day they even went to an amusement park. It was Margaret’s first time in such a place and the first time she had spent so much time with her father. She rode the rides, ate cotton candy, and enjoyed every moment.

Autumn arrived, and Margaret once again found herself on Platform 9¾. She looked around for familiar faces and soon spotted Emma and Sophie, who were waving at her excitedly. They met and hugged, not hiding their joy.

“I missed you so much!” Margaret exclaimed with a smile. “How were your holidays?”

“We missed you too,” Sophie replied. “The holidays were great, but I’m glad to be back—there will be even more adventures this year!”

The second year at Hogwarts began with the usual hustle and bustle: classes, homework, and discussions of upcoming events. One of the most exciting moments of the year was the Quidditch team tryouts. Oliver Wood, with whom Margaret had become friends the previous year, was obsessed with the idea of making the team. Quidditch wasn’t just a game for him; it was a true passion.

Charlie Weasley, the Gryffindor team captain, was also eagerly awaiting the event. The excitement within the team was building, and as captain, he was eager to see who would join their ranks.

On the day of the tryouts, Margaret, Emma, and Sophie decided to head to the stands to watch the trials. Grabbing their scarves and cloaks, they made their way to the stadium, where students were already gathering. The field was bathed in light, the stands gradually filled with spectators, and the air was thick with anticipation.

“I think Oliver is definitely going to make the team,” Emma said as she settled onto a bench, glancing around. “He trained so much over the summer.”

“He’s got a good chance,” Margaret agreed. “I’ve seen him fly. He’s a natural-born Quidditch player.”

As the trials began, the spectators in the stands watched the action on the field closely. The players demonstrated their agility, speed, and broom-handling skills. Oliver, as always, was focused and determined, trying to showcase everything he could do.

“He’s relentless,” Sophie marveled, watching as Oliver skillfully maneuvered on his broom, dodging Bludgers. “He’d be perfect for the team.”

After a while, as the trials quieted down a bit, Sophie suddenly turned to Margaret with a mischievous smile.

“Why don’t you give it a try?” she suggested, her eyes gleaming with sudden inspiration. “You’re a great flyer! I saw you fly last year.”

Margaret thought about it for a moment. The idea of participating in the tryouts had crossed her mind, but she quickly realized it wasn’t for her.

“I love flying,” she replied, smiling slightly. “But chasing after balls is a whole different story. Quidditch requires a special kind of concentration and strategy. I enjoy the freedom of flying, the feeling of being in the air. I don’t think being on the team is for me.”

Sophie pondered this for a moment, then nodded, agreeing with her reasoning.

“You’re right,” she said. “Flying for fun is one thing, but playing Quidditch is something else entirely. But still, it would’ve been interesting to see you on the field.”

Margaret smiled, feeling that she had made the right choice. She knew that Quidditch wasn’t her calling, but it was nice to think that her flying skills had been noticed by her friends. Together, they continued to watch the trials, cheering on their friends.

When the tryouts were over, Oliver, exhausted but satisfied, climbed up to the stands to join Margaret, Emma, and Sophie.

“How’d I do?” he asked, catching his breath and wiping the sweat from his brow.

“You were amazing!” Emma exclaimed, genuinely impressed by his determination.

“Charlie is sure to pick you,” Sophie added with a smile.

Margaret, offering him a reassuring smile, said, “You did everything you could. Now it’s up to the captain.”

Oliver nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He had dreamed of becoming part of the team, and now, finally, he had a chance to make that dream a reality. The results didn’t take long to arrive—Oliver was finally accepted into the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Just as Margaret had predicted, Charlie chose him as the team’s Keeper, and Oliver couldn’t have been happier. Now he could proudly wear the team uniform and participate in the matches he had longed for.

The second year flew by unnoticed. Margaret focused on her studies and continued to excel. Potions classes took place in the cold dungeons of Hogwarts. The stone walls, low ceilings, and flickering candlelight created an atmosphere of mystery. The students sat at long wooden tables, on which cauldrons, flasks, and jars of various ingredients were arranged. Professor Snape, dressed in a black robe, glided between the rows like a shadow, watching every move of the students.

“Today, you will be brewing the Polyjuice Potion,” Snape announced in a cold voice that carried a hint of menace. “If any of you feel the urge to mess up, be warned: the consequences will be most unpleasant.”

Margaret, like the others, held her breath. She knew that Potions required concentration and precision, and under Snape’s watchful gaze, any mistake could be fatal. He was a strict and demanding teacher who tolerated no negligence.

Each lesson began with an explanation of the theory and a description of the ingredients, followed by the practical part. Snape rarely praised the students, but his silent approval was often the highest reward.

“Margaret,” Emma whispered beside her as they began adding mandrake root to their cauldron. “Are you sure we need to do this slowly?”

“Yes,” Margaret nodded, carefully monitoring the process. “If you add it too quickly, the potion might explode.” She had barely finished the sentence when a loud bang shattered the silence of the dungeon, like thunder on a clear day. Margaret and Emma simultaneously jumped back as the explosive wave swept through the room, engulfing them in heat and showering them with tiny drops of potion. Several students screamed, and others quickly backed away from their cauldrons, fearing their mixtures might also spiral out of control.

“Silence!” Snape’s commanding voice cut through the noise in the class. His dark eyes narrowed as he swiftly assessed the situation. He strode toward the source of the explosion, and the students hurriedly made way for him.

Margaret watched the scene, her heart pounding in her chest. Where there had been a whole cauldron just moments ago, now there was a wreck. Snape silently bent over the shattered cauldron, then his cold gaze turned to the culprit. His face remained impassive, but tension hung in the air, as if the entire room was holding its breath, waiting for his reaction.

“Perhaps, Mr. Howard,” he began in a quiet but menacing tone, “you should pay more attention to instructions before attempting to prove you can improvise.”

Eric Howard, shocked and bewildered, could only nod, not daring to protest.

“The rest of you,” Snape continued, slowly surveying the class, “take note of this lesson. Alchemy does not forgive mistakes and carelessness. One wrong move can lead to catastrophic consequences.”

Margaret felt her hands tremble slightly from the tension. She knew how dangerous potion-making could be, but now it felt even more real. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Emma, who stood beside her, equally shaken by what had just happened.

“You were right,” Emma whispered, afraid to attract the professor’s attention. “We need to be even more careful.”

Margaret nodded, trying to regain her composure. They returned to their cauldron, even more cautious and slow in adding the mandrake root. Snape’s eyes remained watchful, scrutinizing every move, but eventually, he returned to his desk, leaving the students to stew in their thoughts.

When the lesson finally ended, Margaret allowed herself to relax. She looked at her potion—the thick mixture in the cauldron was slowly bubbling, its color even and stable.

“You’ve done well,” a low voice suddenly said behind her. Margaret turned and saw Snape standing right next to her table. He nodded slightly, which for him was almost a sign of approval. “Next time, be even more attentive, Miss Denning.”

Margaret felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn’t exactly praise, but it was close. She nodded quietly, feeling both relieved and slightly apprehensive.

As Snape walked away, Emma quietly exhaled, “Well, if that wasn’t praise, I don’t know what is…”

Margaret smiled, feeling the tension gradually fade. This lesson had been a real test for her, but she had passed it, and the moment had bolstered her confidence—if she could endure Snape’s silent approval, she could handle much more.

Professor Snape often assigned complex homework that required not only theoretical knowledge but also the ability to apply it in practice. Essays spanning several feet of parchment on the use of rare ingredients, research on the history of potion-making, and detailed reports on experiments became an integral part of the learning process. These assignments demanded perseverance and attention to detail, and Margaret, like her friends, strove to complete them with the utmost responsibility.

Sometimes, she was asked to help with homework, and she was always happy to share her knowledge with those who needed assistance. Her successes at Hogwarts brought her great satisfaction.

The Hogwarts library was one of Margaret’s favorite places. Time in the library flew by unnoticed. The spacious halls with high ceilings and rows of bookshelves filled with ancient tomes and modern textbooks created an atmosphere of comfort and peace. Here, among thousands of books, one could find answers to any questions and delve into the study of the magical world.

In this library, among ancient tomes and mysterious books, she felt truly at home, as if her soul had found what it had been searching for—a place to explore, learn, and grow stronger, seeing how the knowledge they acquired began to come together into a complete picture.

Margaret smiled, bending over her notebook, where she carefully wrote down her thoughts on what she had read.

“I found something interesting about protective spells,” Sophie said, pulling a thick book from the shelf and sitting down at the table.

“Let’s take a look,” Margaret responded, sitting down next to her and opening her notebook.

Emma, sitting across from them, was rummaging through her notes, trying to figure out the structure of the essay they had been assigned for Potions.

“Snape certainly doesn’t go easy on us,” she sighed as she scanned the text. “But it’s interesting. I had no idea such complex potions existed.”

“He demands a lot,” Margaret agreed, looking up at Emma. “But maybe that’s how we’ll truly learn to understand potions. If Snape can teach us anything, it’s how to be precise and attentive.”

Emma nodded, setting her notes aside. “Yeah, you’re right. Sometimes it feels like he makes the assignments harder just to test us.”

Sophie, still flipping through the pages of the book she had just pulled out, raised her eyebrows.

“Have you seen this?” she asked, drawing her friends’ attention. “It talks about protective spells that were used during the First Wizarding War. Some of them are so complex that they require incredible concentration and willpower.”

Margaret and Emma leaned in closer to get a better look at the page. Before them was an entire chapter dedicated to rare and ancient protective spells, many of which had long been forgotten or replaced by more modern versions. Margaret felt her curiosity growing.

“This could be useful,” Margaret noted, quickly scanning the text. “You never know when knowledge like this might come in handy. Especially in a world where things are constantly happening.”

Sophie nodded, noticing the spark of interest in her friend’s eyes.

“I thought it might be worth delving deeper into this topic. Maybe we can find something truly unique that could be useful in Defense Against the Dark Arts or just expand our horizons.”

“I’m with you,” Margaret replied, already thinking about how this information could be used. “Let’s try to understand these spells and how they work. If we can figure them out, it will be a serious advantage.”

Emma, lifting her head from her notes, looked at her friends with newfound interest.

“You know, maybe this could even help us with our Potions essay. Some protective potions have properties that could be compared to spells. If we can link the two, Snape will definitely be impressed.”

“Good idea,” Margaret agreed, feeling her inspiration grow with every new thought. “Let’s analyze these spells and then try to find parallels with potions. It could be both interesting and useful.”

They once again immersed themselves in their reading, flipping through pages and discussing the complex spells, their applications, and possible consequences.

Classes, homework, time spent in the library, and conversations with friends filled Margaret’s days. But, as Charlie had suggested, she decided to try and find common ground with his younger brother. As she walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, Margaret began to notice Percy Weasley more often, but unlike Charlie, Percy was a very different kind of person. He was diligent, hardworking, and extremely serious about his studies and the school rules. He always had his nose in a book during his free time, his robes were always spotless, and his tie was always knotted precisely according to the rules.

Percy was tall and slender, with bright red hair and glasses perched on his nose, which gave him an even more serious and responsible appearance. He constantly carried a stack of books, always meticulously prepared for classes, and followed the school’s regulations to the letter.

“Percy?” Margaret had said in surprise when Charlie first mentioned his brother. “He’s always so serious. I’m not sure I can find common ground with him.” “Yes, he’s strict with himself and others,” Charlie admitted with a slight smile. “But he has a kind heart. If you can connect with him, he’ll be a good friend. Try talking to him about something you both care about—like studies. He’s a real workaholic.”

At first, it wasn’t easy for Margaret to establish contact with Percy. Her attempts were met with cold indifference. He was focused on his studies and didn’t like to be distracted by conversations that he considered pointless.

“It seems like he doesn’t want to talk at all,” Margaret complained to Emma and Sophie during one of their meetings in the library.

“That’s just how he is,” Emma noted with a shrug. “Percy is always serious and focused on results. It’s hard for him to relax.”

“Maybe he just hasn’t gotten used to you yet,” Sophie suggested.

One evening, after they had finished their tasks in the library, they noticed Percy sitting at a distant table, deeply engrossed in a book on magical history. Margaret gathered her courage and approached him.

“Hi, Percy,” she said quietly, careful not to disturb the library’s silence.

Percy looked up from his book, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to recall who was in front of him.

“Hello, Margaret,” he replied with a brief nod. “What can I help you with?”

“I’ve noticed that you’re very serious about your studies,” she began, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness. “I try to be diligent too, and I’m curious about how you manage all your work. Do you have any tips?”

Percy seemed to relax a bit, intrigued by her question. He put his book down and looked at her more attentively.

“Well, I just try to organize my time as efficiently as possible,” he replied. “The key is not to procrastinate and not to let yourself get distracted. I always plan my day in advance and stick to the plan. That helps me stay on top of everything and keep focused.”

Margaret smiled, feeling that the ice had begun to break. They continued talking, discussing different study approaches, memory techniques, and effective ways to prepare for exams. Percy turned out not to be as distant and cold as he initially seemed. His passion for learning was contagious, and soon they found they had a lot in common.

One day after class, when everyone else had already left, Margaret approached Percy, who was meticulously rewriting his notes.

“Hi, Percy,” she began, coming up to his desk. “I was wondering if you’d like to study together for the next Potions class? Snape’s program is tough, and I’ve heard you’re really good with ingredients.”

Percy looked up from his notes and considered her offer. He was known for his love of order and precision, and Margaret knew that this approach might catch his attention.

“It’s important,” she continued. “I try not to miss any details myself. Maybe if we combine our efforts, we can achieve even better results.”

This time, Percy thought more seriously. He clearly appreciated her diligence and eagerness to learn.

“Alright,” he finally agreed. “Let’s meet in the library after dinner. I have some ideas for the essay Snape assigned. We can discuss them together.”

Margaret smiled, feeling that this was a chance to get closer to Percy. They arranged to meet in the evening, and Margaret eagerly anticipated the meeting.

That evening in the library, Margaret and Percy met at one of the back tables, secluded from the rest of the hall. Books, parchment, and ink were spread out in front of them. Percy, as always, was deeply focused on his work, but now he was more willing to share his thoughts.

“I think the key difficulty with the potion lies in getting the proportions of the ingredients just right,” Percy said, carefully reviewing the textbook. “Many mistakes can be avoided by preparing the components in advance and strictly following the recipe. Snape emphasized that in the last lesson.”

“I agree,” Margaret nodded, jotting down his words in her notebook. “And it’s also important to maintain the correct temperature. If it’s not kept at the right level, the potion could lose its properties. I have some ideas, but I’m not sure if I’ve explained them correctly.”

Percy looked at her thoughtfully, then put down his quill and took her notebook, carefully reading what she had written.

“You’ve done well, but this could be refined a bit,” he said. “For example, when discussing the process of adding mandrake root to the potion, it’s crucial to understand the reaction of the ingredients.”

Margaret listened to his explanations with interest. His knowledge and attention to detail were truly impressive. They dove into the discussion, making notes and comparing their ideas. This marked the beginning of their collaboration. Margaret and Percy often met in the library, discussing various topics and helping each other with their studies. Gradually, they began to find common ground. Margaret grew to appreciate his love for order and pursuit of perfection, while Percy valued her ability to simplify complex ideas and get to the heart of any subject.

Their interactions, at first, were somewhat formal, but slowly, a genuine friendship began to develop between them, built on mutual respect and a shared interest in learning.

One day, as they were working on an essay for Professor Rakepick, Percy suddenly said, “You know, Margaret, I’m glad we started talking. I usually prefer working alone, but with you, it feels… easier. You help me see things from a different perspective.”

Margaret smiled, sensing their friendship growing.

“I’m glad too, Percy. You’re really smart and dedicated. I think we can learn a lot from each other.”

Over time, their conversations became more personal. Percy opened up to Margaret about his family, how seriously he took his responsibilities toward them, especially his younger brothers and sister, and how hard he tried to live up to the high expectations he set for himself. He was ambitious and wanted to achieve great things in the magical world, but he also felt a strong sense of responsibility toward his siblings.

“I feel like it’s important to be the best at whatever you do,” Percy confided one day, setting his quill aside. “I want people to be able to rely on me. It’s my duty to do things right and set an example.”

Margaret saw in Percy not just a strict and reserved student, but a person driven by deep internal motivation. He was devoted to his ideals and worked hard to achieve perfection in everything, which required great effort from him.

Margaret felt that their collaboration not only benefited her studies but also gave her the chance to understand Percy better as a person. They discussed not only school assignments but also the broader questions that concerned them, both within and outside of Hogwarts.

“Sometimes I think I’m too hard on myself,” Percy admitted one evening when they were talking about their future plans. “But I just want to make my family proud and be a role model for my brothers and sister.”

“I’m sure you’ll succeed,” Margaret said with a smile. “You’re already a role model for many here at Hogwarts. I believe that discipline and perseverance will lead you to great achievements.”

Percy nodded, feeling grateful for her words. Their friendship gradually strengthened, and Margaret was glad she had found common ground with him. They continued to support each other in their studies, helping each other understand complex topics and sharing their thoughts.

Margaret saw how Percy slowly began to trust her more and even smiled when they solved a problem together.

This friendship became important to both of them. Percy learned to relax a bit and see the world beyond rules and regulations, while Margaret grew to appreciate the discipline and pursuit of excellence that were so important to Percy.

Margaret, Emma, Sophie, and Percy often spent their evenings in the library, discussing lessons and working on homework together. They became a team that could always rely on each other, making their school life even more enriching and enjoyable.

[ghostalservice]

The shell-creature is at the edge of the river again, big eyes lazy, mouth wide open.

Stede pauses, just under the surface, and watches it.

He only has a few moments, of course: he’ll be missed by his father soon enough. Not missed in the sense of oh I wished you were here; no, more the where were you when you were supposed to be floating at my side like a good son and heir. And if his father gets too impatient, he’ll send out the dolphin guard to find Stede, and he hates the dolphin guard. They seem to take a certain joy in hassling him, nudging him with their noses and getting too close to his tail. They love leading him in through the warren of tunnels into the palace, a maze that only they know well, the ones that weave through the coral and bedrock, and making him squeeze through gaps barely wider than his shoulders, leaving his scales scraped and his fingers bleeding from tugging himself through gaps he can’t quite fit through.

Of course, they justify it by saying if they come in the front, everyone will see Stede being late and it will embarrass his father, and Stede knows that would be worse, but also, he knows there are pathways through the tunnels that are actually wide enough to swim through with dignity. He knows better than to complain, though.

He gives the shell-creature one more suspicious look: it seems to meet his gaze through the wavering light of the ocean surface, giant eyes wide and innocent, but then it turns, huge mouth scooping more bits from the surface, and Stede watches it turn back up the river.

He’s ventured further into the human-dug harbor than he should have—really, the dolphins would probably not dare go this far in, and his father would have to send the eels instead. Stede really doesn’t want to deal with them, either, so he turns around and swims back towards the open ocean.

His father is only slightly perturbed when he swims through the palace gate, looking Stede over with a calculating eye, and Stede sighs a careful breath of relief.

“You were supposed to be here at the tide,” says the king.

“Sorry, Father.”

“I suppose you were out playing with your seaweed again?”

Stede winces. He’s supposed to be working on new kinds of kelp, ones that will be more resistant to the things the humans put into the water. It’s an important job, one that he cared a lot about back before he found the cave of human treasures. But he nods, because he had stopped by the kelp beds this morning and collected some data; he just... hadn’t stayed there.

He’s about to answer when his father waves a dismissive tail at him. “It doesn’t matter. We have more important things to discuss.”

“We do?”

“The treaty with the Lord of Allamby is nearly finalized, and his daughter Mary—”

Stede doesn’t hear the rest, the sounds of rushing waves filling his ears instead, because he’d known, deep down, that this was coming. He’s been of marriageable age for... quite a while now, and he’d known that eventually, this would come. He’d tried not to think about it, but he’d known. And when he’d heard that the Lord of Allamby, ruler of the warmer currents further south, had four unwed daughters—

“What’s she like?” The words slip out from his most secret self, and he can’t stop them, feeling them bubble over his lips and into the water between them. His gaze floats over the room, nearly unseeing, and registers, bizarrely, the court artist, who’s paused his painting to watch the royal drama unfolding.

When Stede looks back at his father, he realizes with a sinking feeling in his fins that he’s just interrupted the king, and that’s why he’s staring at Stede with that thunderous look. But Stede holds firm, for once, doesn’t apologize, and his father sighs, a deep rush of water.

“She’s the heir to Allamby, Stede,” he says. “What else could possibly be important?”

Read more at ao3!

[akaakeis]

HI LOVELY!!! THIS ASK GAME IS SO CUTE!! i'd love to ask these three if that's okay <3: 6, 13, and 22!

HII NESS!! <3 RIGHT? I LOVE IT!! THANK U FOR SENDING IN AN ASK AAAA

6 - Give us a few quotes?

oh gosh im not the greatest when it comes to quotes but some of my favorite quotes are as follows!! :

from mieko kawakami's lovers in the night - "When I start to feel emotional about something, I can't tell if I'm actually feeling that way. What if it's just something somebody wrote in a book? Or maybe a line or a performance from some movie... Either way, I get this feeling like I'm quoting somebody else's work."

from chuck palahniuk's invisible monsters - "Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known."

wherever on earth this long quote came from, i always think about it - "Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

13 - Talk about a scent?

the smell of matcha <3 its so earthy and refreshing to smell, whether you just made it or if you just bought it from a café!! it reminds me a lot of slow days when i wake up late from staying up till like 2. it also reminds me of browsing books at barnes and noble and just not having any plans for the day! but at the same time, it also feels like late nights studying at the library, cramming for ap tests and finals. i love the way matcha smells- it just reminds me of so many different things <3

22 - Favourite snack foods?

...erm ☺️ i have the snack taste of a kid so. i really like jelly sticks, goldfish, piattos, and nagaraya!!!!!

[olderthannetfic]

Hey writer, take the write what you want to read further. Use it in original works too, you will feel so free.

Also, like read what you want to write and read a lot of it. My biggest struggle with both writing and reading has always been that I just really don't like the tropes that are used by native English romance writers. Now I love a good trashy romance, but English romance isn't even good. It's just the writing equivalent of a daytime soap. Like English publishing just feels like they don't treat romance very seriously since it's main demographic is women or queer folks. (Which I feel is why those are the groups who mainly flock to fanfic).

Korean and Japanese light novels and comics have been an absolute boon for me. (Chinese ones still come off as a bit too daytime soap for my personal enjoyment).

As a kid I went from tearing through anything I could get my hands on to reading as much fic I could as a teen to practically not reading at all for a good portion of 4-5 years because nothing could really grab me. All the romance for adults either had no plot or acted like sex was practically nonexistent and sometimes both. And if you like that, it's great but, it started to make me hate reading. Then I stumbled across the way that demographics work in japan and got curious enough to try again but with manga to see if I could get interested in what writers had to offer again. I was blown away honestly, I started tearing through comics (both Japanese and Korean) so quickly I was finishing and catching up with comics that had sometimes over 200 chapters in days. I started running out of things (because I have very specific taste but still my comic library is 3000+) so I started looking into light novels (god bless novelupdates)

A big part of my personal draw towards Japanese and Korean publishing is probably that even shoujo/teen girl demographics don't outright ignore sex, it's talked about and even happens in comics ment for teen girls. Like very fee that I've read ignore it. Also just in general the plots don't frustrate me as much much of English pub thrives off of avoidable misunderstandings that frankly give me second hand embarrassment (most English romance lit give me second hand embarrassment anyway cause the characters just suck but I digress) where as Japanese and Korean pub feels more like understandable misunderstandings? (English lit being mainly jealous/assumptions/cheating vs jap/Korean lit being hearing things out of context/rivals making misunderstandings/mistaken\double identies) summing up many English romances thrive of stupidity keeping the leads apart where as many jap/kor romances keep them apart via external forces. But I tangented oops.

Point being, it has finally given me direction in my own writing. I want to write in a way that emulates Japanese and Korean writing styles, I want to use the tropes that they more commonly use and a similar basic outline and story progression.

I can write and read again and it gives me genuine joy that I thought I had lost, that fanfiction simply can't fill for me anymore (the fandoms I'm in are starting to slow down due to age and most of the things that have active fandoms I'm just not interested in the source materials) anyway main point being sometimes you just need to branch out and look at less common places. Reading outside of English works finally ended my writers block and has given me a few small fandoms to interact with and while most of what I read has no English fandom I have such a treasure trove of orginal content that I very rarely need fic.

Thanks for letting me use the ask box as a little stage. I think you're wonderful for allowing your blog to be that kind of space!

-@botanicbones

--

[wellthebardsdead]

Annnnnd another of the Wendy boi to follow the last one

———

Henwen: *blearily blinks awake, feeling the familiar warmth of another body against his and relaxing for just a moment thinking it’s Kaidan in his tired deprived state, only to vaguely make out the golden hue to the other figures skin in the dim glow of the candlelight* Huh? *sits up and rubs his eyes to see Ondolemar, laying naked beneath the covers* oh… *feels an odd sense of shame run through himself as he recalls the previous evening. It wasn’t unpleasant but it wasn’t the same as it was with Kaidan, he didn’t feel the same giddy sense of excitement, or the joy that’d flutter through his heart like butterflies as his lips found his… instead it felt, empty…*

Ondolemar: *stirs slightly, sharp eyes focusing for a moment before looking up to see the snow elf sitting there looking at him* Henwen?.. my prince?… what’s the matter?…

Henwen: *swallows the shame down, reminding himself that Ondolemar is his best choice for now, even if it doesn’t feel right* … *smiles at him fondly and slowly crawls ontop of him kissing him with soft feathery touches before letting the high elf taste all of him again* mm~ *slides his hand down his torso slowly, letting it tremble ever so slightly to seem shy or nervous*

Ondolemar: *suddenly but gently grasps his wrist and guides his hand to his chest as he pulls away* shhh my prince, you do not need to put in any effort to please me. *slides his hands up the snow elf’s thighs and carefully pulls him back down and lays him in the pillows as he shifts between his legs once more*

Henwen: *shyly looks up at him before hiding his face acting embarrassed* y-you worked so hard to make me feel good I-I wanted to work to please you too-

Ondolemar: *smiles warmly down at the smaller elf and gently hands him a pillow to hug and hide behind not wanting to make him uncomfortable by removing what to him seems like an obvious anxiety comfort* you please me by simply allowing me to serve you my prince… *gently strokes his hands up his sides getting a better look at the bruising covering him and feeling his blood boil believing the mages to be responsible* how could anyone be so careless with a treasure such as you?…

Henwen: *sheepishly places a hand on one of his and peeps out from behind the pillow, looking at him with tired but intrigued eyes, trying to convey a want for him that he doesn’t actually have* …

Ondolemar: … *gently takes his hand in his giving it a soft kiss before slowly lifting his legs up around his waist* I promise to always protect you, Henwen…

*A few days later*

Henwen: *sitting in the understone forge playing his Lyre to help Moth work* I’m starting to think he’s making himself busy on purpose to keep me from going home.

Moth: *looks up from measuring leather* Can’t say I blame him, love can make any man a little possessive. But still, I think you’re right, I noticed he’s picked up a lot more on his workload recently.

Henwen: *sighs and continues playing* I know. But I have a life back in whiterun I need to get back to, and he’s been hinting that with his influence I can get housing in solitude of all places. It’s too hot there for me to live comfortably for long. *pouts*

Moth: heh, I think he just wants an excuse to have you closer to hi-

Guard: Pardon the interruption, your highness, a member of the companions guild is here claiming they’ve been sent to collect you.

Henwen: I? One of my shield siblings? What did they look like?

Guard: male, black warpaint around the eyes, built like a mountain.

Henwen: short or long hair.

Guard: long why?

Henwen: Farkas!! *gets up and hurries out of the forge past the guard to see the companion standing at the top of the steps waiting for him*

Farkas: hey snowbird *holds open his arms letting the snow elf hug him*

Henwen: *giggles and pulls back from the hug* what are you doing here?

Farkas: Taliesin told us what Kaidan did, I came here so you wouldn’t be alone. Vilkas went off to find Kai, and beat some sense into him I’m guessing.

Henwen: I… oh… I’ve found-

???: Wendy. Who is this?

Farkas & Henwen: *both look behind them to see Ondolemar*

Ondolemar: *steps out of his office, glaring down at farkas as he approaches*

Henwen: oh this is Farkas! He’s my guard and shield brother! He’s been teaching me how to fight. And- *sees this as an opportunity for him to leave* he’s come to bring me back to whiterun. There’s some pressing matters I need to tend to.

Farkas: *usually pretty dense when it comes to context clues, but picks up on Henwens desperate cue that he wants an out* *nods* I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but the matter cannot wait, I assure you he’s safe in my hands.

Ondolemar: *glares down at him before softening his gaze as he looks at Henwen* are you certain you’ll be alright with just the one guard? Beyond his- rough, exterior. He doesn’t seem like much of a suitable force.

Henwen: *lets go of farkas and gently takes Ondolemars hands* yes I’m certain. He’s saved my life more times than I can count already. I’ll be okay, I’ll write to you when I arrive home.

Ondolemar: *sighs and pulls him in close ignoring social faux pas for just a moment so he can display his sadness that he’s leaving* very well, please be careful… I’ll arrange a time in the future when we can be together again.

Henwen: *nods and returns his embrace, looking back at farkas with an expression of ‘I’ll explain later’ as he does so* I promise it won’t be forever. Thank you for taking care of me…

*a few hours later*

Henwen: *sitting in the cart leaving Markarth, rubbing his face in exhaustion* I slept with him.

Farkas: *seated across from him* I figured… so you and Kaidan aren’t a thing anymore then huh?…

Henwen: …he doesn’t love me anymore… *looks down at his hands in his lap* I wish I’d listened to him, I wish I never came here, n-now he hates me and thinks I’m stupid. *sniffles as his eyes glaze over with tears*

Farkas: *leans forward and gently takes his hand, spotting light bruising on one of his palms where he landed when Kaidan pushed him* …what happened that night…

Henwen: *sighs and rubs his eyes recounting what happened trying not to just break down into tears again as he relives it* -Then he pushed me away and I fell over… Taliesin picked me up and took me back inside before I could get up… *looks down at his hand before quietly unbuttoning his robe sliding it down and showing the bruising still present up his side where he fell*

Farkas: *pupils dilating and a low growl rumbling from his throat as he looks at it, wishing he could’ve been the one to go after Kaidan now so he could beat his ass* oh wendy… *gently pulls his robe back up and fixes it into place*

Henwen: I know it’s wrong of me to seemingly move on so quickly, I know it’s shameful, but I was scared… I felt so alone, and as terrible of a person as he is he treated me well… I can get information on the thalmor by using him… I know it’s not right but-

Farkas: you’re the last known living snow elf wendy. I’m sure there’s others hiding around, but now the whole world knows you exist. I don’t blame you for deciding to cosy up to the thalmor, there’s a lot of bad people out to get you, use you, sell you, buy you… the security the thalmor would give you alone is worth it… I understand why you made the decision you did… just… he makes me very uncomfortable.

Henwen: he makes you uncomfortable? try sleeping with him. *sighs*

Farkas: what is he that bad in bed?

Henwen: no it felt good just… it didn’t feel right… it didn’t feel like it did with… Kaidan…

*The next day*

Henwen: *resting his head against farkas as the cart slows* hm?… what’s going on?

Farkas: *peers out from the cover and sighs* Rorikstead, guessing we’re stopping to give the horses a rest. You hungry?

Henwen: *yawns* yeah, I’ll buy us lunch and ask for a room so I can change out of- *gestures to the needlessly long robe* this, and into my armour. *climbs from the cart and stretches before grabbing his pack*

???: Well looks like we’re meeting half way after all!

Henwen: huh?

Farkas: *jumps from the cart and looks over to see Vilkas, inigo, and Kaidan arriving as well* Hey. *glares at Kaidan before looking at his brother* talk about good timing.

Vilkas: *looks at his brother then past him to see Henwen looking visibly uncomfortable* good to see you pup, how are you holding up?

Henwen: *looks at him, then at Kaidan before choking back a sob and suddenly climbing back into the cart*

Inigo: evidently, not well…

Kaidan: *heart shattering like glass* …fuck…

[shizunitis]

@miaoqing hath taggeth me and thus. i answer

why did you choose your url?

so people would mistake me for @shizunstits

any sideblogs? if you have them name them and why you have them.

@mark--er for anything unrelated to shizun/fandom, and a secret third one for. well. that’s my business.

how long have you been on tumblr?

since 2012, approximately? 2011, maybe?

do you have a queue tag?

i can’t figure out how to make it automatic…

why did you start your blog in the first place?

good question!

why did you choose your icon/pfp?

self-portrait

why did you choose your header?

shizun deserves support, love, respect, and to be handled with gentleness and care. he has old man hips.

what's your post with the most notes?

i’m not sure how i could check that, but it’s either one of my au’s from when i was young and excited, or the loyal ghost story? i’m sorry, i really don’t know 😞

how many mutuals do you have?

enough to make me sit and think about how much i love the world every now and then. every one of them, i respect and cherish dearly

how many followers do you have?

enough to intimidate me 😞 i’m used to yapping to myself, so this is. uh. overwhelming? but the warm and good kind. it’s fitting that it happened because of shizun… he truly is a treasure…

how many people do you follow?

226

have you ever made a shitpost?

what i do is speak my mind, not shitpost. i bless and curse people with my joy and sorrow. my funny shizun thoughts. write that down. but yeah, i suppose most of my posts are either shitposts or sad/melancholy/yearning shizun musings

how often do you use tumblr each day?

once. like my thinking of shizun, it never ends, so.

did you have a fight/argument with another blog once?

no. but i got very close, once. i respect what danmei-confessions is trying to do but. GOD. god leave my boy and my shizun alone. please

how do you feel about 'you need to reblog this' posts?

useless, condescending, annoying, does nothing, reeks of self-righteousness. shame does not work the way some people think it does

do you like tag games?

sometimes. i love seeing others’, i’m very lazy.

do you like ask games?

i do! a lot!

which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

odd question, mefears

do you have a crush on a mutual?

yes. i giggle every time they interact with my posts. it’s very embarrassing

what is the last song you listened to?

stars by tai verdes, it’s almost depressions season

what are you currently watching?

jerma vods, if that counts? i’ve been meaning to re-watch, you guessed it, the svsss donghua

sweet/savoury/spicy?

any and all flavours are good <3 depends on my mood.

what is your current relationship status?

courting two characters that are married to each other and one of them has two alternate universe counterparts that i’m also attempting to woo. it’s complicated.

what is your current obsession?

…guess? you’ll never get it, i promise.

what are nine albums/songs you've been listening to lately?

steve lacy’s dark red, hozier’s unreal unearth, some of taylor swift’s songs, syml’s the bird and the boy, radiohead’s amnesiac, epic: the musical, conan gray’s lonely dancers (but the album as well) and unlike pluto’s we’re screwed (PEAK. BINGQIU. also the orv animatic with this song? OUGH)

tagging anyone who would like to join in <3 (i’m insecure but mostly i want everyone to have fun so i can watch like a benevolent guardian)

[dnangelic]

i just wanted to send some positive words your way and let you know that i absolutely adore the way you write both dark and daisuke. it's clear you put a lot of thought and love into both of them, and your posts have always brought a smile to my face. i'll never forget the shock i felt when your blog popped up in my recommended and, i was on call with my boyfriend at the time, he hears me go 'NO WAY, ARE YOU SERIOUS?' before i slapped the follow button LOL d.n.angel holds a special part of my early teenage years and your blog brings the warmth and nostalgia i felt all those years ago. i almost feel like that 14 year old again, giddy over a silly anime and kicking my feet with excitement every time i see your posts c: thank you for being such a joyous presence on my dash

YOOOO YOU FOUND ME FROM TUMBLR RECCS???? that's so funny... i always thought that thing was useless but i've been proven so wrong LMAO. I'M REAL THOUGH. I'M SO REAL!!! *DOES A JIG* I'M SO GLAD MY BLOG CAN MAKE YOU FEEL THAT WAY TOO 😭🤧PLEASE IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. dnangel is such a weird series because it feels like everyone's at least -SEEN- or heard of it at least once but then it's still weirdly niche?? like there's not really anything for it esp anymore and nobody talks about it esp now that it's finally finished (manga-wise) after 30 some years but it's still like. most popular/easily recognized niche series ik off the top of my head JJGJKFKJ TYSM FOR UR COMPLIMENTS OVER MY PORTRAYAL TOO!!!

making this blog was such a good exercise in my own growth because going back to it sugisaki had such BANGER themes that i didn't even notice or totally grasp at first when i myself was in middleschool, so i feel like i'm lowkey compensating and paying proper attention to everybody now that i have. well. better critical thinking skills and media literacy DFKJKJGKJKJ even going back i was kind of surprised how it dealt with such dark topics like grief and death and the consequences of Playing God or sins and cycles when like.......... it's also a silly little dramatic rom-com about middleschoolers and immortals but it still never leaves you feeling hopeless or lonely, which as also sugisaki's intention with the series!! it's so nice!! i really wanted to be able to emulate the overall messages of her characters and loving art esp since it ends up so meta for us writers. i'm just happy to write!! doesn't have to be perfect or even exact, since i do take a tiny bit of creative/hc liberty with my own inspos and portrayals for dai n dark! but i'm always having sm fun interacting with everybody, AND I RLLY APPRECIATE U TOO!!! 🙇🙇

i'll probably be around for a looooong time bc dai n dark r just as much treasured and influential for me (i was also one of those 14 yr olds, i have embarrassing dnangel merch on top of piles of manga laying around, im certifIED REAL FAN /J) but it makes me so happy my posts bring u joy. im glad bc i know i can post/talk ooc a lot before i get the time to actually properly sit down and Write but that's just how it is for a lot of us kjgkjgfb anyways, thank u again!! things like this rlly help my confidence since actually at the start i had no idea if i could do like... a protagonist (daisuke)/'popular' (to me. dark/dnangel is popular and legendary and overwhelming in the eyes of the tumblr populace to Me-) chara any justice, but im put at ease any time i get such warm feedback like this!!! 💐💐💐FOR YOU! u get even more flowers this time straight from me!!! go buy urself a treat for being so nice!!!

[lyricalchrysanthemum]

ok i wanted to do like . special art and i still want to. it will just half to be late. and its probably embarrassing to celebrate my au's anniversary.

but real talk genuinely i did not expect for me to be as invested in my pokeverse as it is or just have it be an important aspect of my life. like its weird to say this for a silly pokemon au but like.

this project has been something ive been pouring so much creative effort into. and while ive been off and on in developing it, having some periods where i scurry off and lead this blog abandoned, i always come back to it with fresh and exciting ideas that make me spin around.

i didnt think it would last the most recent time i had a hyperfixation on it, but, well, here we are!! a whole year. with so many ideas and self indulgence and everything.

and through this verse, this silly little project of mine, ive met friends that i treasure and and get excited to talk everyday. just simply sharing work and art and writing with them just!! brings me so much joy. i treat this au like a stream of consciousness sometimes but like genuinely thats what pokemashe feels like.

just a stream of ideas that i think are cool. both ideas inspired by media i enjoy, but also the friends ive met here.

and its brought me a lot of joy and comfort in a kind of rough year of my life.

i didnt really think. that my verse would take the direction it has, and honestly i kind of am thinking about maybe redirecting it again. but for now im excited to see what more i can come up with.

happy 1 year pokemashe. happy 1 year to my special little story.

may this next year be just as exciting as this first one.

[adventuretolkienlover]

For the TTS Ask Game!

🥳 How do you like celebrating your birthday?

💇 What's the shortest your hair has ever been, and do you regret it?

👑 What's one responsibility that you wish you didn't have?

🐴 How did you meet your best friend?

🦉 What's the dumbest name you ever gave a pet (or non-sentient object if pets weren't your thing?)

🌕 What empowers you?

🌌 What's your dream?

🌨 Who are you trying to make proud of you?

🏕 What's the worst gift you've ever given someone?

🎨 What's your favorite art medium to use?

🎶 Favorite song to sing when you're alone?

🍳 What's one thing you've got to get for yourself?

🍎 What would you give up everything you're doing to get?

🍃 Do you like having the wind in your hair?

Thanks girl! Okay, let's see!

🥳: For my birthday, or any occasion really, I love going to the Natural History Museum! I'm a huge history and science freak. Someday I plan on working in a museum!

💇: The shortest my hair has ever been? That's good question. Because the thing is I never cut my hair. Why? Well, I always treasured having really long untamable hair. I viewed at a symbol of my personal freedom. So my hair has always been pretty long. Although lately, I guess you could say the shortest it's been is a bit past shoulder length. That the length it's seemed to have settled on since I've gotten older. Which is still pretty long actually. But yeah! It actually used to be longer which is crazy! Okay, I'm rambling. Moving on.🤣

👑: This is Also a tough one. Because well, I do struggle with a lot of my responsibilities cus of my ADHD. But I don't know if I'd want to be rid of them either because they're important to myself and to others. So I don't know if I can really answer that.

🐴: Over the Internet! I actually have three. 💕You💕, my friend @cassandrium360, and @disneyfanatic1993! I love you all!

🦉: Dumbest name? Well, I don't know if you could call it dumb, but me and my Mom named my cat Mouth.🤣 Because whenever it's feeding time or he's just talkative, he'll do these very long stretched out meows and opens his mouth real wide. Haha!

🌕: What empowers me? Well, knowing I have the Lord on my side is one thing for sure. I've had several experiences that I can call back on when I feel weak. And that definitely makes me feeling better.

🌌: My dream? Hollywood baby! But I'm not in it for money and fame. I guess that sounds cliche. But I want to help people. I want to write songs that will excite. Weave stories that will bring love and comfort. Creat art and animation that will inspire! I want to bring joy to people! Give them something that will lift the heavy burdens of life and wisk them away to somewhere of fantasy and happiness. And the money I earn? I'll put it to good use! Fix the world's problems! Help everyone can! Use in a way that would make Jesus and God proud. I guess I got a little dramatic. Lol!😅 But it's true! It's something I'm very passionate about. :)

🌨️: I don't know really. Honestly, none of the stuff I do is to earn any sort of praise. I simply want to do it because I feel it's my calling and I want to do good! But I suppose, I would like to make my family proud of me. I never really crossed my mind I guess.

🏕️: I haven't gotten any complaints from the gifts I've given before. Actually, I've been told I do really good when it comes to gifting. So, I'm not sure if I can answer that.

🎨: Favorite medium? And pencil and paper! That's all! And maybe, my Adobe Sketchbook App. But I think the good old pencil and paper rivals that.

🎶: Oh gosh. I don't even sing. Lol! I'm so embarrassed by my voice that I can't even sing to myself without cringing.🤣

🍳: The Full animation class by Aaron Blaise! One of my favorite Disney Animator Veterans! And if not that, a 3D printer. Cus those are awesome!

🍎: Woah. I honestly don't know. I've never felt that strongly interested in something before. Is that bad?😅

🍃: YES. WIND. RAIN. LIGHTNING. THUNDER. LET ME AT IT. WATCH ME PRANCE THROUGH THE CHAOS. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - HACK - *intense Coughing* Sorry. Let us continue.🥸🤣

Well, there you go! Thanks for the ask bestie! That was fun!