#this is from a fanfic I read! it's a fun read!! *-*)

[pain-in-the-riri]

Legitimately, the only way to get better is to write a lot of bad stuff!!! That's why fanfic is cool, cos it's a no-pressure way to improve your writing.

You'll improve by reading other fiction and incorporating techniques you see in it, and also looking up advice from authors can be really fun, for example check out Chuck Palahniuk's writing advice, I think it's really great.

(Here's one of his essays, but he has a lot of writing advice out there if you google!)

The reason AI fanfic is bad is because, since we already expect fanfic not to be as high quality as "professional" "published" writing, the thing that makes it great is the passion behind it, of someone saying "Damn i love these characters so much that I want to see them do this new thing and I'm willing to put my precious hours into writing a short story about it!"

If it's BOTH bad AND has no passion, why the hell would anyone want to read it?

just saw a fanfic on ao3 have a dedication for chatgpt... that section is meant for your horny perverted mutual who proofread your work, you violated sacred law and you will be torn apart and laid bare btw

[rynekins]

Nyello! This is the official post for the Daycare Attendant Bee Team Secret Santa Event.

For those unfamiliar, during this event participants will be making a secret gift of fanart related to the DCA from FNaF Security Breach. No one will know who is also drawing for them n_n For it to be fair, all gift art should be at least lined and flat colored. If it’s a purposely black and white piece, then it would need to be shaded. A background is not required. Gift must be new piece, no use of previous work Written fanfic gifts must be at least 2000 words. Gift MUST be DCA related, but not necessarily holiday related. AUs are allowed Nothing too gorey or spicy, this event is PG13

Here is the discord server for DCABeeTeamSS24. https://discord.gg/h2qx9mxk

If you are definitely interested in participating in the event, you are welcome to join. TO BE ON THE LIST OF NAMES to be drawn to participate, you’ll need to have at least your tumblr name posted in the intros-and-wishlists channel by December 2nd. It’d be great if you can have your wishlist done by then as well. You are also welcome to spectate, but if that's the case don't post an intro yet. I do apologize for the walls of text in the rules and info, but it is a necessary read to make sure this is a fun and safe event.

On December 3rd, we will tell you who your recipient is. On December 25th-31st we will all post and share our gifts. You will need to keep your recipient and progress on your gift a secret!

Please let me know if you have aaaaaaaany questions. Feel free to reblog and spread the word!

[dwaekkicidal]

Felix at 12:59AM (0:59)

[original ask] no warnings <3 just a slice of life drabble with roommate & crush! felix

Felix is just walking in the door. Him and his friends just finished their 10 hour study session at the local library, the upcoming finals finally pushing them to dedicate some time and effort into studying.

He almost invited you, wanting to not only spend time with you but also not wanting to leave you alone in the apartment for so long considering you both were codependent with each other. But his little crush on you made him too nervous to ask, so he instead texted you during every single break. During the last two breaks, you had stopped responding despite your messages coming in as "read," and his heart ached at the thought that you were possibly upset with him.

But once he walked into the living room and placed his bags down on the kitchen island, all those worries went away. You were snuggled up in his blanket- the one he always left on the couch just in case you got cold- and your cheek was smooshed against the cushion of the couch as you breathed shallowly.

His heart skipped a beat as he noticed your phone in your hand slightly slipping out of your loose grip. His text messages are open on the screen.

He smiles to himself and rushes to his room, quickly showering and putting on his pajamas before quietly jogging back into the living room. The hunger he felt earlier is long forgotten as he slots himself between you and the back cushions of the couch, sliding under the blanket and cuddling up to you.

It wasn't abnormal- Felix was a very touchy person, and you were a very touch starved person- so the two of you fit like perfect puzzle pieces. Yet, it still woke you up slightly, the familiar warmth catching your attention as well as the happy giggles and shakes of the boy behind you.

"Lixie..?"

"Hai..." He nuzzles against your ear, deep voice making you shiver slightly until he tugged you unimaginably closer and hugged you to his chest. "Sorry for waking you, but I wasn't gonna let this chance slip by."

You giggle in response and lightly toss your phone onto the coffee table. Once you lay back again, you instantly melt into his embrace and sigh happily at the affection. "Missed me?" You chuckle and nod softly, "Always..."

Felix's heart skips a few beats and he smiles down at you, eyes in the shape of crescents as they trace over your features in the dark. "It's ok, I missed you too~"

"I can go with you guys next time if you're okay with it... " Your voice comes out quiet and he can hear the uneasy shyness in your voice. If only you knew how giddy it got him in reality.

"I'll forever be okay with it. I always want you by my side... Don't be afraid to ask me anything, especially if it's about spending time with me, okay?"

He can vaguely see the sides of your cheeks poke out from your smile and he hugs you tighter, knowing his heart made the right decision in falling in love with you.

"Sleepy time?" He hums in response, nose nuzzles into the back of your ear as he gets comfortable. He almost has half the mind to place a kiss on your hairline, it's mere inches from where his lips are. But... he thinks he'll save that for another, more romantic time.

"Sleepy time."

Taglist (red=can’t be tagged):

@valkyriexo @lunearta @jabmastersupriseee @rylea08

@yaorzu-blog @amararosesblog @jiminssluttyminx @clemissleepy

@miss-daisy04 @kittyxnoa @dwaekkiiracha @bubblerizz

@mariteez @fun-fanfics @honeyybbuubblleess @kittycatkrissa

@nicora04 @chuuyaobsessed @moonlightndaydreams

@aeri-skzver

[colberiusrex]

I will agree with the single exception of The Barista from ffn which is a Stargate SG-1 Coffe Shop AU, in the sense that it's from the perspective of Daniel's barista, and it is an excellent read for fans of the series.

It's complete with an incomplete sequel but completely worth it imo, for the sheer SG-1 shenanigans and the story of the barista, Kira, who is a lot of fun.

"Popular" is of course a debatable term, but I just picked a few I see very often and/or seem to have a lot of works on AO3. Please RB if possible, I've got a reach of about zero people lol

[shepscapades]

Hi hi shep!! I’ve been following your AU for AGES now (honestly the only reason I open tumblr these days)

And I recently listened through the Etho playlist with my best friend and we’ve been absolutely obsessing over the AU all over again!!

Genuinely so blown away with how fantastic the playlist is. Our favorite parts are the intro into the initial deviation and the first void segment!!! The songs you picked flow so well together and your descriptions were SOOOO enlightening and fun to read we adored it.

VERY excited for the fanfic on the horizon post destruction!!

((Fanart may or may not be on the way 👀))

But we just wanted to say thank you for this amazing AU and we’re SO incredibly invested :)))

~ 📺

WAUUUU thank youuuu this is so so so so sweet :( <3 I’m so glad you enjoy the playlist, it truly is a labor of love! Etho’s story has been rotating in my head for so long, and it makes me happy to allow others to finally experience it in a similar way!! <3 the beginning songs representing Etho’s initial deviation are also some of my favorites—just good songs to bop to, peak vibes imo!! And yes!!! Key is such a fun transition song, I’m so glad it’s effective! :DDD

AND…. You didn’t hear it from me but there’s a very good possibility that Don’t Let it Reach the Heart will be postable by the end of the week.

[dragonbma]

🌲 !25 Days of Blockmas! 🌲

The holiday spirit is almost upon us! Starting December 1st, please enjoy this little board of activities I’ve cooked up for the MC:SM community. Blockmas features a handful of fun ways to partake in the fandom along with festive drawing prompts scattered in. Please note everything is optional and you do not have to complete every day to partake! Feel free to use the #25 Days of Blockmas tag so I can see your posts! Have fun and happy holidays!

✏️Day 1: Snow Day!

Toss characters into a nice chilly landscape, snowball fight, or the Icy Palace of Despair. Or perhaps just give them a nice cup of cocoa. ^^

Day 2: Scribble challenge!

Pick a character to draw using only one line. Once you lift your pen off the paper, that concludes the one line! (Feel free to color underneath the scribble!)

Day 3: Secret Admirer!

Slip an ask into the inboxes of your favorite creators and tell them how much their work means to you! Remind your beloved artists why they bring you comfort or inspiration, tell the writers how much their stories made you laugh or cry, etc.

✏️Day 4: Winter Clothes!

Wrap a character in a nice, snug sweater, puffy coat, scarf, or other festive apparel!

Day 5: Storytime!

Grab your blanket and start reading a fic you’ve been wanting to try for a while.

Day 6: The Good, ‘Ol Days…

Vibe and watch a playthrough of your favorite episodes of Minecraft: Story Mode. Alternatively, play the game yourself!

✏️Day 7: Ice Scream!

Turn a character into one of those cursed ice cream treats…

Day 8: AU Appreciation!

Send an ask to a creator about an AU they’ve crafted. You never know what may help them develop the story!

Day 9: Why is this here?

Slip some memes into a mutual’s inbox. Or many mutuals’ inboxes… Or a stranger’s inbox!

⭐️Day 10: Free Space!

Day 11: The Pen is Mightier…

Write a festive snippet about the holidays anywhere in the game! (Beacontown, Sky City, The Underneath, etc!)

Day 12: Kind Comments!

Leave appreciation on a few fanfics of your choice! Tell the authors how much they mean to you ^^

✏️Day 13: Cozy…

Time to keep warm during the snowstorm outside. Snuggle up in a blanket, sip some cocoa, or stay close to the fireplace!

Day 14: They would NOT say that—

Have fun with incorrect quotes or draw over images!

Day 15: Repetition!

Repeat any day of your choice or try one from the remaining list!

✏️Day 16: Gift Giving!

Share the holiday spirit with a few fun presents!

Day 17: Time Machine!

Revisit one of your favorite fics to enjoy the tale all over again.

Day 18: Classic Minecraft!

Have fun mining and crafting! Perhaps play with friends—

✏️Day 19: Ugh, Fine. <3

Give one of your least favorite characters appreciation. (It doesn’t have to be a lot. Just a small doodle will suffice.)

Day 20: Well-Deserved Break! Take a rest. The coming days will be rather artsy so get your pencils ready!

✏️Day 21: OC appreciation!

✏️Day 22: AU art!

✏️Day 23: Doodle a scene from a fic you enjoy!

✏️Day 24: Your choice!

^ For the prompts above, you may use OCs/AUs that belong to others!

🌲Day 25: Recap!

Sit back, relax and take a look at all you accomplished! Enjoy your holidays! If you would like, use this day as another optional Free Space!

[aroaceleovaldez]

Ibr despite having ADHD/autism/depression a lot of the disability themes in PJO you've written about have kind of... managed to fly over my head? Everything you've said makes sense and I accept that you're right, but I've always read the books as a fun "mythology in the modern world" sort of deal.

If I write a pjo fanfic, do I need to highlight disability themes too? I just want to have fun with the setting and characters, but a lot of what you've mentioned is daunting, and I don't know if I could do those themes justice.

Anon, i am gently holding your face. In fandom (and fanfiction is included in that), you are not beholden to the original themes of the work. You can do whatever you want forever. Nobody can stop you. You are creating your own art derivative of this work that can have whatever themes you want because it is yours. If what you want to do is just have fun with the settings and characters and not delve into deeper topics than that, it is your right to do so!!!! If that is what you want to do then that is what you can do! Nobody can stop you from playing in your sandbox however you like.

Also, it can be both fun mythology in the modern world and a discussion about disability themes! These things are not mutually exclusive. Examining themes about disabled experiences in the lens of modern fantasy/mythology can be fun and silly and light-hearted!

When I talk about disability themes in PJO in the context of the fandom, largely I'm discussing how the fandom tends to refuse to acknowledge the disability themes in the original work when discussing the original work itself (outside of fanworks), or refuse to acknowledge characters being disabled at all (or not interacting with disabled characters appropriately - such as using ableist stereotyping or doing no research into portraying disabilities the characters have - this is extremely common with Percy, Leo, and Nico in particular). This is a thing that happens in general fandom a lot, and in any fandom with disabled characters, but it's very poignant in PJO specifically because of how the original work itself is so explicitly about disabled experiences.

You don't have to delve super deeply into the minutia of the characters' personal experiences with disability in your fanworks or anything, or even ever explicitly bring it up at all if that's not a detail you want to focus on. Like, if I'm writing Nico, I don't have to mention he's a brunet every time I write him. That's just a known fact about his character. It's the same with their disabilities. It will affect them and how they navigate things, but in the same way any other trait does, which will crop up when you write those characters if you have spent any amount of time analyzing a character to figure out how to write them. But it's important to be aware of the fact that these characters are disabled and what their stories are about to better understand the characters themselves, which will service you in fanworks you want to create even if it's not about that topic specifically. In PJO specifically, it also helps you understand the mechanics of how the world works within the metaphor it was built around, so that you can make sense of the logic being used and expand upon it further with more consistency if that's your jam! It just adds another tool at your disposal. But ultimately you can wield that however you'd like.

[meetinginsamarra]

Fanfics I Really Liked in September 2024

So. Since I keep a list of what I´ve read anyway (there´s always a list), I will rec all the fics I´ve wholly enjoyed on a monthly basis. Old and new, canon or AU, big or small authors, long or short but nearly always Johnlock (-ish).

Clean Start by standbygo @blogstandbygo

UniLock - John meets an odd man at the laundrette who deduces people from what's in the dryer.

Delightful different first meeting.

These Hours That Define Us  by predictably_unpredictable

Sherlock has just been discharged from hospital, not knowing what to expect or what he'll be coming home to. He's convinced himself that he should never see John again for John's well being, believing himself to be a hindrance to him. But when John shows up unexpectedly to 221B in the middle of the day hoping for a place to stay, things take a different turn, forcing them both to confront their past and their future.

Awesome S3 fix-it!

The night visitor by Snoozydog

John Watson, former army surgeon, employed by the secretive and indefinable government official Mycroft Holmes, accidentally saves the life of his employer's younger brother and ends up being hired as his private physician. John is immediately fascinated by his new patient but not only is Sherlock engaged to be married to someone else, but he is also a man surrounded by many dark secrets. Under the looming threat of Mycroft’s watchful eyes, as well as Sherlock’s imminent wedding there is also something else that lurks in the shadows, something that threats the budding relationship that has started to develop between the doctor and his enigmatic patient.

^^ Says it all, go read!

The winding road of secrets and lies by Snoozydog

John Watson takes on a mission to infiltrate the household of Mycroft Holmes by order of his new employer, Sebastian Moran, to access information their boss is wishing to get his hands on. To be able to get to Mycroft John will have to befriend his younger brother Sherlock and try to establish a bond with him. But what starts out as a seemingly simple job proves to be much more complicated for John as the Holmes household harbours many dark and unexpected secrets, especially about the very complicated relationship between the two brothers. Under pressure from his boss to follow through with his assignment, Mycroft suspiciously watching his every move and, to complicate matters even more, John beginning to develop feelings for Sherlock, he is beginning to regret ever taking this job. Can he complete his initial plan to steal information from Mycroft and what will happen when Sherlock finds out the truth?

^^ Says it all, go read!

The Printer Is Jammed by startrekto221b (snowandfire)

John is a disgruntled customer who just wants his money back for a shoddy printer Harry ordered for him off of a catalogue. Sherlock is a bored customer service rep working the summer he has off from Oxford. They are both about to get more than they bargained for.

Fandom classic AU different first meeting. Grumpy John and snarky Sherlock and hilarious shenanigans aróund the printer. Lots of fun.

The Printer Is Still Jammed by startrekto221b (snowandfire)

Life after happily ever after still has its pitfalls. Glimpses into the lives of Sherlock and John after they said ‘I do’.

Part 2 of the printer fun.

[createwithintent]

Journaling ideas for beginners

From a person who's been doing it for over 5 years 🤍

What you hope Your day will look like , and then an eventual reflection on what went well/or could improve

Lists: wishlists, desires, hopes, whatever you can think off

You could keep random trinkets, wrappers, tickets in a separate pouch

You can't really go wrong with stickers and pressed flowers

tiny comics about funny encounters you had

Specific songs and what they mean to you

Write in your target language! (Mine is French)

You could practice calligraphy if you're wanting to improve your handwriting

Scripting: write your future as if it's the present to manifest it into your reality

Swatches of your fave makeup (might do this with my lipstick collection sometime 🎀)

Countdowns, progress checkers, calendars to track certain things (maybe like a sober counter?)

Research fun essays about whatever (e.g. philosophy, crocheting, psychologyplsnts, crystals, etc.)

Nice quotes and/or compliments you heard or received throughout the day

Things you're grateful for

Recipes

Bad poetry you wrote

Conversation starters

Love letters

Ur current interests

Write haikus

Acrylic paintings on random pages

Tarot readings

Tea tabs

Make up your own aesthetic

Plan out your dream home!

Beauty tips you wanna pass on one day

Study tips (on another note: I'll make another post with my tips for exam prep)

Make a map with your favorite locations in your area

I'd be a fool if i didn't add Shadow work to this list, it's a way to access your deepest and confront yourself with your past. I totally recommend this for anyone (fair warning: it'll get intense)

Collages with random stuff or pics (or with a specific intention)

Lyrics that you hold dear

Cute notes for yourself to rediscover again

Dreams you've had

Signs from the universe (numerology, animals, angel numbers...)

Letters you won't ever send

Extensive book reviews (or fanfics, i wont judge)

Money (seriously, it always improves my mood to find a random bill of 20 in my old journals but just be careful!!!)

Write your own stories! (Make an oc that lives your dream life or something 🩷)

Mantras, affirmations, etc..

Your daily routines

Pictures: magazine cutouts or Polaroids

Happy journaling!

Also my asks are open!

So feel free to submit a question 🤍🤍🤍🫶🏾

With love,

Elle 🤍

[chaosstuffsstuff]

Idk about the season two stuff, but I have thoughts about season three:

I HATE hate hate hate when people say Cat King should be used as a way for Edwin to become comfortable enough with himself to date Charles. It almost makes Payneland a notp for me. If it's that situation, that's just crap writing. No one should be used like that, even in a story. I hate it.

Aside from that, Charles already basically said no to Edwin. In my mind, that means it should be final. I don't care if he suddenly realizes he loves Edwin in a romantic way- that's just a sucky thing to do to someone. Let Edwin realize his first real crush doesn't have to be who he ends up with- that's NORMAL. That's HEALTHY.

I don't really have a problem with Charles and Edwin as a concept- I originally said I'd be okay with either outcome- but sticking Edwin with his first crush forever (literally) would damage his character. Him and Charles started as essentially mentor/mentee, then they became friends/mates, then brothers. They shouldn't become a romance after one of them already indicated rejection to the other.

Edwin should be allowed to move on and place his romantic love elsewhere. Even if Charles suddenly realizes he was wrong, that's not fair to Edwin. Even if Edwin doesn't end up with CK, he shouldn't end up with Charles. It's fun to ruminate on what that could be, the fanfics are amazing and definitely worth reading, but it shouldn't become canon.

Saying "there's no one more important to Edwin" is locking him in a box. Sure, Charles will always be his first love and his most important, but that doesn't mean he can't date someone else.

As an example from another fandom, this situation reminds me of Steve and Robin from Stranger Things. While they're portrayed (in fandom especially, for this example I'm focusing on that) as being each other's Person and most important, they're never going to date. Even though Steve confessed, Robin wasn't interested. She's a lesbian. With Dead Boy Detectives, it's flipped. Even though Edwin confessed, Charles wasn't interested. He's straight, as far as we/he knows and he hasn't indicated any feelings for Edwin that couldn't be just brotherly. Like Stobin, they're each other's Most Important, but it isn't romantic.

Sorry to go off, but this is just so frustrating to me. I hope this all made sense.

Also, as a general to everyone who's gotten this far, please stop posting how much you don't think Catwin (or any other ship) is going to happen under those ship tags- you can put it under any other ship tag for the fandom or even the characters, but if you're tagging a post about how a ship is impossible as that ship, that tag is filled with just that and it's very frustrating.

(I'm tagging this Payneland because I'm sleep deprived (it's WAY too late (early?) for this) and petty, do as I say not as I do lol)

season 1 ended with both Crystal and Edwin being interested in Charles.

for me season 2 would have ended with him "losing" both. Charles choosing to let Crystal go and live her human life, and Edwin having his "adult experiences" with the cat king.

of course in a hypotetical season 3 we could have got payneland togheter. Because as much as i love catwin, i really feel no other person can be more important to Edwin that Charles. Its just how it is...

[umblrspectrum]

i love learning cursive just to write text for exactly one character

[greatwyrmgold]

The new Jenny Nicholson video makes me want to write a Star Wars fanfic based on her experience in the Star Wars Hotel. Amiithia Tope, a wealthy influencer from Coruscant (Jenny's actual choice of "character," if I spelled her name right), trying to help the First Order but getting ghosted by them even as the Resistance tries to recruit her.

Chewbacca escapes because Lieutenant Croy assumed her attempts to warn him that a high-profile prisoner was escaping, come on, were just a youngling prank. On the Baatu excusion, Amiithia and her sister end up doing a mission for the Resistance out of boredom and confusion, but it turns out their Resistance contact gave them inaccurate instructions and they have to check all the crates again to find the Holocron. Amiithia meets Hondo Onaka and discovers she dislikes him. Sammy thanks Amiithia for helping him steal a TIE Fighter even though she never even responded to his text messages. Maybe Lieutenant Croy hears this and Amiithia gets in trouble with the guy she wanted to surrender, which is why Kylo Ren Force-tortures her to get Rey to talk.

Worst cruise ever. There was a support column in front of her table at the dinner show!

[panevanbuckley]

when the hyperfixation kicks in like crazy and you end up reading far too many fics in a matter of days

[theefloraknight]

Last song: Say No To This from the Hamilton musical

Favorite color: PINKPINKPINKPINK

Last book: Technically the Fellowship of the Ring(I haven’t finished but I will I SWEAR)

Last TV show: Heck if I know…(I’ve been too busy planning and obsessively reading character analysis lol)

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: Sweet. I have a massive sweet tooth.

Last thing I googled: The lyrics to Your Obedient Servant from Hamilton because I couldn’t remember if it Hamilton said it was an itemized list or an itinerary of 30 years of disagreement

Current Obsession: thinking about writing my fanfic but never actually putting words down because it always happens when I’m about to fall asleep, Alice in Wonderland, doodling, procrastinating, and playing Honkai Star Rail(I can’t help it. I finally built my characters and I’m having fun destroying bosses)

Looking forward to: Actually getting stuff done. I’m going to write something. Honest. I swear.

Tagging: Anybody who wants to play I guess??

Get to know me tag ✨️

I got tagged by @jellyskink :D Ty bestie!

Tagging @man-i-dunno @i-can-kazoo @lepetitfruit @qwerty-coelho and @sillyhyperfixator If y'all feel like doing this

Last song: Peasant's Throne by Lilith Max! It's very female rage mixed with revolutionary spirit. It's on many an OC playlist lol

Favorite color: Maroon/burgundy! I just really like that muted reddish purple range. It's very nice

Last book: The last book I finished? The Book of Bill. But I've been listening to the audiobook of Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer and it's very good. He does cosmic horror very well. It's like if Lovecraft wasn't an incurable racist

Last TV show: House MD. My moots got me into it and I'm invested. I've only gotten up to season 2 because I've been busy, but I really do love it lol

Sweet/spicy/savory: Sweet!!! I'm horrible with sugar and I'm okay with that haha. I have gotten better with spice lately cause I've been eating a lot of curry. Savory is good because I love salt. I used to keep salt rocks in my pocket and I would lick them all day lmao

Last thing i googled: "5 pm to 9 am is how many hours" LOOK I'M SICK OKAY I CAN'T DO MATH. All my recent searches are about medical stuff because of the Hospital Saga™️

Current obsession: Gravity Falls <3<3<3 With a side of House MD and a sprinkle of Baldur's Gate. But Gravity Falls is king rn

Looking forward to: I have a birthday coming up! December tenth baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm also REALLY excited for the final saga of Epic: The Musical. We don't have a release date yet but I'm hoping it comes out this year!

[hater-era]

we're about to die (but what if we kissed before we all get shot)

sorry this is so sketchy and there is a goofy marius.

'the final battle' is one of my favourite moments in the show(understatement of the year). there is not a moment more exhilarating than when enjolras gets shot atop the barricade. (credit to actors who try to get shot eight times)

(a bit of a rant in the tags!!)

[myokk]

fast sketch of ominis & fast intro to the ominis longfic I'm working on!! This is going to be the most self-indulgent pride and prejudice ripoff that ever existed, 100% based on the ominis of my oneshot💘

I am just OBSESSED with exploring the idea that he’s a natural legilimens & OBSESSED with the thought that he thinks too much for his own good🫶🫶🫶

Ominis Gaunt has always suspected he is cold-blooded.

It makes sense, really.

He always seems to be cold: frigid, long fingers that are often stiff and difficult to move; goosebumps raising the skin of his arms and the back of his neck any time he walks through the drafty halls of the dungeons; even his eyes, he has been told, are reminiscent of ice. They are apparently quite unsettling. The only time he feels comfortable in his body is when he basks in the heat of the sun.

His earliest memory is of the cold. It went like this: he was four years old: his older brother, Marvolo, had led him outside as a joke, he swore up and down that it was just a small joke, and how was he supposed to know that poor, blind Ominis would not be able to find his way back home? When his parents had finally found him, his frail mother sobbing and holding his tiny, blue, hypothermic body to her chest, Ominis remembers feeling quite perturbed at the disturbance. Couldn’t he just be left alone, in the silent soft snow?

He does not know if he has ever felt warm since.

As he strides through the dungeons, the copious amount of warming charms he casts on himself do not seem to be enough, but he keeps casting them anyways and also: wrapping his wool scarf more tightly around his neck, quickening his pace in the hopes that blood flows more easily through his limbs, wishing that he had remembered his gloves. Winter is always a terrible time of year (this winter more terrible than usual), and every breath of warm air leaves his lips reluctantly. How he wishes that he could just hold on to it a bit longer and yet the warmth leaves him precisely fifteen traitorous times a minute, the frigid air gleefully entering and burning its way down his throat in response. Maybe it’s a punishment of some sort.

His whole life has been defined by punishments and sometimes he preoccupies himself with the thought that it is the only way he can view the world. Most of the punishments are manifested in curses inherited from his family. (His parents and Marvolo insist that they are gifts, but Ominis begs to differ.)

First, his blindness: the only true punishment-curse that even his family rejects: caused by inbreeding, no doubt. He did not cry after his birth and his mother cradled his tiny body in silent arms, lovingly whispering nonsense-evil-Parseltongue to him but when he opened his eyes and she saw a brilliant celestine blue with no iris, she screamed in horror and shattered the frigid peace of the room. His parents tried everything to fix him, make him whole, throwing money at various possible solutions to no avail. Magically induced disabilities are not, apparently, curable by magic.

Ominis is not sure that he hates being blind, although he suspects everyone thinks that he should. It is as much a part of him as his fifteen-breaths-per-minute, and he thinks that vision is not all it’s cracked up to be. He is always terrified at the thought that his tenuous hold on sanity is only due to the fact that he cannot see, until he realizes he shouldn’t be terrified of hypothetical situations that cannot come to pass. He consoles himself with the thought that maybe, if he has had to give up his vision for his sanity, it is a small price to pay. Although, he also thinks sometimes that it would be nice to live a life without any morality holding him back.

He is entirely too introspective, after all.

It is precisely this introspection that is his downfall in this moment (and his cold blood). Ominis is so busy casting warming charms on himself and thinking in circles that he cannot use his wand to help him sense his environment and so he should not be surprised when he crashes into her.

And yet he is. Terribly surprised.

Maybe if he were not so caught up in his own thoughts he could have paid more attention to his surroundings. Instead, he spent too much time ruminating on his reptilian heritage and has now barreled head first into his arch-nemesis.

Rosalie Harris.

The girl who has stolen his oldest friend from him.

The girl who is currently making angry noises as she clambers to her feet and is picking up the things that he has crashed everywhere. Even if he could see, Ominis is not sure he would help her. Helping her would be akin to betraying himself, after all.

“Hey! Watch where you’re - oh, hello, Ominis.”

“Rosalie,” he says shortly, nodding his head where he thinks she might be standing and stepping to the side. He tightens his grip around his wand, feeling the texture of the wood change from rough to smooth as he runs his thumb down it. Smooth where he always seems to worry it, rough where the wood refuses to yield to the brushes of his thumb.

He surreptitiously casts the spell - he has at least done it so many times he no longer needs to say it out loud - and his surroundings light up. Or, he supposes that is the most apt description, considering he cannot actually differentiate between light and dark. He senses Rosalie’s silhouette to his left - she is standing with her arms crossed and her foot taps impatiently as she waits for him.

Waiting for what? he thinks, slightly irritated. She never seems to leave him alone and he wracks his brain trying to think of something, anything he can say to get rid of her.

Maybe if he speaks in Parseltongue, she would finally be scared away for good. He does not really want that second reminder of his family’s curse, though.

His family preferred speaking in Parseltongue with each other, believing the ability made them morally superior to everyone else and Ominis had not even realized until he had arrived at Hogwarts that no, it was not normal. When his name had been called at the Sorting, furious whispers had erupted amongst all the students, and his every step (terrified, confused, unsure - he had still been getting used to using his wand to navigate his surroundings) to the stool at the front of the Great Hall was plagued with a susurration reminiscent of snakes. Except these whispers, sneaking their way into his mind, had been unkind and overwhelming.

(He had not realized in that moment that he was also hearing their thoughts.)

Maybe now, with Rosalie standing in front of him and just annoyingly waiting for Merlin-knows-what, Ominis should use his Legilimency to find out what Rosalie wants. (He hates it, though.) It would not be difficult. (The thought makes him shiver in horror because he doesn’t want to abuse the ability.) He can feel the edges of her mind, her magic, and all he has to do is reach out - she is right there, and -

“Ominis?”

Her arms are crossed, he hears an impatient huff.

Why hasn’t she left him alone yet?

Hadn’t the Hogwarts Express already left the station, bringing all of the students home for the winter holiday? Ominis had thought he would be one of the only students left in the castle, and if he is being honest with himself, he had been looking quite forward to having the place to himself.

Ominis’s winter has just gotten infinitely worse.

Going to Gaunt Manor for the holidays is out of the question (he will not think about the nightmares that have been plaguing him ever since he received the owl demanding he go home), and Ominis does not want to be more of a burden to the Sallows. They already do enough for him over the summer, and Sebastian and Anne have convinced him to go to Hogsmeade with them at least twice over the next two weeks. Besides, with Anne’s curse progressing, Ominis does not want to be in the way.

“Why are you still here?” Ominis asks. He knows his voice comes across as cold as his blood, blunt, but he cannot help himself. Ever since Rosalie arrived - her entrance to Hogwarts also causing quite the stir - Ominis has been intensely annoyed by her presence. She is too happy. Too carefree. Too…well, everything he is not.

And, she does not seem to leave him alone.

Rosalie is always there, always hanging around Sebastian. (Taking Sebastian away.) He even showed her the Undercroft, which had almost caused a rift in their relationship. Ominis could not believe that Sebastian would be so careless, showing someone who for all intents and purposes is crashing her way into their lives, forcing them to pay attention to her. They barely even knew her, and yet Sebastian thought it was a good idea to show her such a sacred place?

(It does not help that she is intelligent, and Ominis has caught himself on more than one occasion about to ask her about her opinion on something before he catches himself.)

“I was looking for you.”

Ominis tilts his head at that and fiddles with his ring. He considers walking away, leaving -

“I mean…Sebastian said that you were also going to be here over the holidays and since everyone else just left I thought -”

“Thought what?” Internally, Ominis winces at the biting tone to his voice. It came out harsher than he intended, his voice loud and echoing through his mind, bouncing off the cold, stone walls surrounding them.