#this new generation of parents are terrible honestly

[calcifiedunderland]

The Prefect’s Kiss~!

—When a Night Raven College housewarden falls under the Sleeping Curse, only one person can wake them up.

Leona Kingscholar, Vil Schoenheit, Idia Shroud, Malleus Draconia x gn! Reader

Riddle, Azul, Kalim ver.

“Oh! How terrible! Oh woe is me! How could this happen?!”

Crowley wailed at the news, sobbing fake tears beneath his mask. “What will I tell the parents?! The press?! How will I be able to afford vacation- I MEAN funding for my wonderful students?!”

Crewel rolled his eyes. He’d actually feel sorry for the Headmage if he was actually crying tears. The tissue clutched in Crowley’s fist was still dry.

Trein sighed, “this is the antidote recipe for Sleeping Death. Although, the materials are extremely hard to come by.” Crewel scanned the paper, noting the ingredients. “The recipe is possible, although they are quite expensive.” Crowley cringed, “how much will it be?” He screeched at the amount Trein said.

Meanwhile, Crewel muttered to himself. “The only other option is possibly true love’s kiss.” He looked up, “well, I’ll get the ingredients first thing in the-“ He stopped. Where Crowley was standing, was now a few black feathers fluttering down to the carpet. Crewel’s face fell, “oh no…”

In Ramshackle dorm, the Headmage chuckled nervously, sweating. You stared in disbelief, “I… honestly can’t believe that happened?” You were beyond shocked to hear that a Housewarden of all students had been knocked out with Sleeping Death. Crowley nodded wisely, “And I have decided to generously ask you to do the honors!”

“Huh?!” You stared incredulously at the Headmage as he ushered you out the door. He looked cheerful, “ah, aren’t I so gracious? I’m reuniting you with your true love!” You stared at him, jaw dropped, “HUH?!”

Leona Kingscholar

💛 “Are you sure he’s under a sleeping curse?” you asked, before Crowley shoved you through the Savanaclaw mirror without a second thought. You were left with more questions than answers. Namely, could you actually be his true love? It wasn’t like Leona really showed a lot of affection to anybody really. Sure, he didn’t chase you away when you bothered him in the greenhouse. And you supposed that he did help you a lot on your homework, even though he grumbled under his breath.

💛 Your own crush on Leona was painfully obvious. Sometimes you’d go out of your way to the greenhouses, or take some tasks from Ruggie to deliver things to him. You tried to keep your feelings in check. Despite his laid-back attitude and nonchalance, he was still a prince. And you were just a herbivore, as he always reminded you. Too bad you’d pout and look away every time - otherwise, you’d notice the soft look on his face when he called you that nickname.

💛 As you walked through the common room, you saw how panicked Jack looked, tail thumping against his legs. Ruggie lead you to Leona’s room without a single joke or clever comment, You noted how agitated he looked - his hair was a mess from running his hands through it.

💛 To be honest, if you didn’t know otherwise, you would’ve thought Leona was fine. But the moment you stepped foot into his room, you didn’t hear Leona’s light snores or see his chest moving as he breathed. He was completely still.

Sunlight streamed in, catching on Leona’s hair. You brushed some of it aside, thumbing one of his braids absently, “how long has he been like this?”

Ruggie sighed heavily, carding a hand in his disheveled hair. “Not sure. We… we all thought he was just napping.” He swallowed thickly, “just… get me if you need me. I have to wash his laundry.” You watched as Ruggie hefted a basket and left. Your attention went back to Leona.

��You’ve got everybody so worked up,” You bit your lip, surprising yourself as your eyes began welling up. “You’d probably think it’s funny. But I…” You gulped. “…miss you.”

You took a deep breath and softly slotted your lips against his. For an agonizing moment you thought it didn’t work. Until Leona groaned. “Hhh- hmm?” You pulled away quickly.

Leona’s ears twitched, and you felt yourself grow flustered when you made eye contact. You gawked, “I-it worked?” He shifted upright, giving you a lazy smirk. “Huh, never took you for the romantic type, Prefect. You went straight for True Love’s Kiss.”

You felt your face grow hot, but you couldn’t find it in you to feel embarrassed. Relief filled you, and you felt yourself relax as Leona loosely wrapped you in his arms. “Yeah whatever, you lazy lion.”

His hand reached up to cup your cheek, thumb brushing away a tear. He brought his forehead to yours with a soft grin, “Ha, you really are just a herbivore,” he said fondly.

Vil Schoenheit

💜 The moment Rook burst into your dorm, Crowley suddenly vanished. Before you could react, Rook was already leading you down to the Mirrors, bringing you up to speed on what happened. The nervousness didn’t really set in until Rook began singing when you entered the dorm, “finally! Le Roi du Poison’s savior has arrived!”

💜 Apparently, Vil thought he was drinking apple juice from the fridge, but it was actually Epel’s mislabeled draught that he made as his potion. Oh how the tables had turned. At least Epel knew it worked. Task failed successfully?

💜 Everything you learned in Crewel’s class about Sleeping Death was swirling in your head. True Love was no small thing. Especially when it came to Vil. It didn’t matter that he seemed to soften whenever he looked at you, or that he paid extra attention to how you carried yourself. Or how often he had ‘extra’ beauty products and clothes that just happened to be your size.

💜 Epel was looked dejected when you saw him, and looked away from you. Rook solemnly led you to Vil’s room, and bowed as he opened the door “True love will prevail, mon cher trickster! I have no doubt in your abilities!” Thanks Rook, you’re not helping. Look, (Y/N) is even more nervous now.

Even in sleep, Vil looked picture perfect. You quietly padded into his room, perching softly next to him. He laid on his back, and hands were clasped over his torso. It looked like a scene out of a movie, you thought.

You gently brushed some hair out of Vil’s face, “it’s so unlike you to make careless mistakes,” you said out loud. Silence hung in the air. “Even Epel wants you back, y’know.” You frowned, pursing your lips.

“I… I really hope this works,” your voice cracked. You didn’t know what you’d do if it didn’t. You never thought you’d actually kiss a celebrity, let alone Vil, but somehow you were here. “Please don’t be too mad at me if… when you wake up.”

You took a deep breath and softly kissed him. You gasped and pulled away when you heard him breathe deeply, and Vil’s eyes fluttered open. “Prefect? What are you doing here?” Vil sat up and you felt your mouth grow dry.

You rushed out, “you were under Sleeping Death, and Rook brought me here-!” Vil shushed you gently, “so, you gave me True Love’s Kiss as the antidote?” You nodded hesitantly. Vil gazed at you, looking thoughtful.

He took your chin, looking at your mouth. “Hmm, it seems your chapstick wore off. No matter, you can use mine.” You were about to thank him when he snatched a tube of balm off his nightstand. You watched, dumbfounded, as he applied it to his own lips before capping it.

“This formula is my own blend,” he said casually before looking back at you with a glint in his eye, “and I’ve been wanting to test how it transfers.” He put a finger under your chin, tilting your head so you’d look at him. He had a soft, fond smirk, “you’ll help me, won’t you?”

Idia Shroud

🩵 Halfway through Crowley’s speech about True Love, Ortho burst through Ramshackle and began dragging you to Ignihyde. You probably would’ve been upset at the intrusion (and the bill to fix the door), but the robot boy looked so devastated. “You have to save big brother!”

🩵 Apparently, Idia thought he was mixing energy drinks together but he ended up putting Sleeping Death in his drink. Through Ortho’s explanation, Idia was pregaming for an all nighter of farming for the new SSR he pulled, and put the wrong drink in his exhausted-gambling-victory haze. You couldn’t say you were surprised. One of the things you liked about Idia was how passionate he could get.

🩵 Whether it was gaming, tech, or programming, it was always a treat to get Ignihyde’s resident shut-in to talk to you, the ends of his hair turning blush pink. Whenever you visited, Idia always had your favorite snacks and drinks. It came to a point where he had a whole gaming setup made for you, with your own chair and headset.

🩵 The two of you would spend hours gaming, taking the occasional break to watch anime or do snack runs. Idia always seemed a little more inclined to get out of his room if it was with you. During those times, Ortho seemed to hum with excitement. Some days, Idia even lent you one of his hoodies after you begged. Now, the lights of Idia’s screens were off, and the room felt even colder.

The only lights in the room were Idia’s and Ortho’s hair, glowing a soft blue in the dark. Ortho hovered anxiously as you walked to Idia. His hair illuminated his face, and he looked almost like a marble statue.

You suddenly realized how long you’d been staring at him, and became aware of Ortho when you heard his joints clinking nervously. “Hey, Ortho,” you said soothingly, “could you wait outside for me? It’ll just be for a few minutes. I’ll do my best to help.” You tried to smile like you had everything under control, but as Ortho left, you suddenly felt the weight of the situation.

Like a moth to a flame, your attention drifted back to Idia. The light from his hair softly cast a blue glow on him, and you sighed softly. You brushed your thumb against Idia’s cheek, moving your face closer to his. “Please wake up,” you pursed your lips, “for Ortho. For… for me.” Softly you pressed your lips against his.

You pulled away with a small gasp, inches apart. Idia breathed in deeply, face scrunching up. His eyes slowly opened, blinking blearily. “H-huh? Prefect?!” Immediately, Idia’s hair whooshed in dark blue flames tipped with scarlet, “What are you doing so close to my face?!” You pulled back immediately, eyes wide.

Ortho zoomed back into the room, “I sensed movement! Big brother! You’re awake!~” Ortho looked up at you innocently, “it looks like you’re his True Love after all!” Idia stared at you for a second, then his hair turned dark pink. “Wh-WHAT?!” The room suddenly felt several degrees hotter. Or maybe that was just your flustered face. Still, Idia’s nervousness lessened when he saw your eyes shine at Ortho’s words.

“S-so, uh…” Idia chewed his lip, “do you wanna stay over tonight?” Ortho looked excited, “do you want to stay forever?” Idia choked, “Ack- ORTHO!”

Malleus Draconia

💚 Saying you were shocked was an understatement. You couldn’t believe that the Malleus Draconia was under a sleeping curse, and you ran to Diasomnia before the Headmage could finish speaking.

💚 You’d thought it was strange that he didn’t show up last night. As per tradition, you’d wait up for him each night and the two of you would walk the grounds, enjoying each other’s company. Sometimes, Malleus would do small magic tricks - summoning balls of light, fireflies, even conjuring some thornless crimson roses and tucking them behind your ears.

💚 You began to look forward to seeing him. You’d watch in awe with your eyes sparkling, and Malleus couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this euphoric. And it was all thanks to you. So he’d try to show it through gifts. A dragon never parts easily with their treasures, but at this point, Ramshackle seemed like his second hoard. Though secretly, you were the most precious jewel there.

💚 When you got there, you saw Sebek wailing and Silver with a panicked look outside of Malleus’ room. “We’ve failed our duty! My Liege!” Sebek nearly broke your eardrums but you couldn’t find it in your heart to hush him. Silver nodded to you solemnly, and let you in the room. Lilia was with Malleus alone. You approached them silently, never taking your eyes off Malleus.

“How did this happen?” You whispered, sitting on the other side of the bed. . Lilia sighed, patting Malleus’ hands, “I’m not sure. He simply went to bed, and…” You bit your lip, feeling your eyes well up.

Lilia watched you carefully, frowning. “Did the Headmage tell you it was Sleeping Death?” You nodded, “h-he said I was…” you swallowed, “he said I could help.” You badly wanted to help.

You sniffled, tears running down your eyes onto Malleus’ cheeks. You whispered “Tsunotarou… you have to wake up,” before pressing your lips to his. You felt the slow rise and fall of his chest, and you slowly pulled away, hopeful. To your dismay, he stayed still, and you choked a sob, shoving your face into Lilia’s shoulder. “Try again, he should wake up soon” he whispered, patting you gently. You slotted your lips on Malleus’ again, closing your eyes.

You weren’t sure how long you were there. At last, Malleus stirred awake, and you pulled away with a gasp. He blinked twice, before realizing you were there. The small smile he gave you made your insides melt, “Child of Man,” he breathed, “to what do I owe this kiss to awaken me?” You sniffled, laughing as Malleus’ hand wiped away the last of your tears.

“I-I thought you weren’t going to wake up,” you wavered, “they told me I had to kiss you awake.” You weren’t completely coherent as you threw yourself on him, making him fall back into the mattress as you clutched him. He rubbed your back softly, hushing you. “Thank you,” he murmured, “this means more to me than you know.”

You sighed, relaxing against him. Slowly, you felt your eyelids grow heavy as the stress of the day wore on you. As you drifted off to sleep, Lilia watched you both with a small smile. “You know Malleus, they were worried about you. And Silver and Sebek were, too.” Lilia suddenly had a small mischievous smile, “perhaps I should use my electric guitar on you, like when I try to wake Silver?”

Malleus hummed as he held your sleeping form, “well, I suppose my ‘Power Nap,’ as you call it, did last longer than the average hour.”

———

Last part is up!!! Hope you enjoyed this is mini-series 😄

Comments, reblogs, and likes are forever appreciated!! Take care shrimpies~~

Xoxo Calci

[lewmagoo]

i love when parents blame teachers for things that aren’t their fault. i have a kiddo who recently had a tooth abscess and it turns out she had 6 cavities. 6! and the mom goes “please stop feeding her candy at school” like girl…we rarely give the kids candy. this little one comes in with sugar filled lunches, and almost zero protein sources. her mother sent her in with a large iced coffee this morning 💀 she’s literally 6 years old. teachers aren’t to blame for that one. that’s your fault as the parent.

[backseatloversz]

why do i feel like a freak for messaging people and leaving comments on their posts on social media. sorry for being social on social media

[savanir]

DP x DC prompt [6]

Weapon design always came easy to Jack Fenton. He grew up with it, all the way back in Atlantis, when he was just a little guppy.

What he wasn’t aware of at the time was that his parents were from a long and prestigious line of scientists and weapon manufacturers in Atlantean society. But things had been getting dangerous. 

The King at the time cast them out when they refused his demands of greater, stronger, deadlier weapons. The kind of weapons they knew would not only destroy their enemies, but themselves as well.

They fled and went where they thought they would never be found, the surface.

Jack had the easiest time adapting, being as young as he was getting used to breathing air was a lot less of a struggle. 

He adopted one of the most generic male names he could, and adapted the family name of Fenestratus into Fenton. And then it was just living as a human, as humanly as possible, nothing to see here.

By now Jack basically doesn’t know any better. but this piece of heritage is coming back now all these years later, when his son is looking to him for help from the government.

But first he holds his boy close and apologizes, because he sees the fear, and he understands a little too well, and he doesn’t like the picture he’s seeing now that all the puzzle pieces are falling into place.

“I almost became the thing I hate the most. I’m so sorry Danny, I’m sorry I made you feel unsafe in your own home”

The hug is long and warm and tight and Danny isn’t ashamed to admit he might have clung a little bit.

Then Jack holds Danny tightly by his shoulders and gives him a big grin, “Good news though, you’re only half ghost, the other half is not only human but also Atlantean, and there are laws protecting us now” Jack mutters to himself, “I wonder if the whole ghost stuff would actually be put under the meta protection thing… hmm”

Danny blinks for a moment, Jazz gapes, Maddie is suddenly no longer spiraling about how her baby boy got in a terrible accident in their lab and she didn’t know.

“I’m also what?”

“Dad!?”

“oh did I forget to mention that? I thought I did, I know for certain that I had been meaning to”

“Jack sweetie, are you-”

“oh yes, and I remember now, I decided to tell you after our big breakthrough because I didn’t want to distract you, and-” Jack looks sheepish, “I hope you aren’t too mad at me Maddiecakes”

“mad? oh I would never be mad at you about this but we could have- I don’t know, accommodated- Atlanteans are aquatic, well I guess that explains how you could always put away so much water, and when you gave me your umbrella and I thought you were just making an excuse when you told me you didn’t mind and in fact loved getting pelted by the rain-”

Maddie goes on, and Jack thinks to himself that this is exactly the reason why he kept it to himself at the time, Maddie never half asses anything, he’s sure a lot of things are going to change in the house now, it honestly only makes him fall in love with her even more.

Meanwhile Jazz had filled up a bucket of water and then dunked her head in, then came back out not even slightly gasping for breath, just saying “oh my god” over and over.

Danny timed it, “yeah okay, I guess that proves it. now I’m starting to wonder if my weird relationship with air is ghost related at all”

[lurkingshan]

Things That Have My Attention In 4 Minutes Episode 6

Original timeline FINALLY let’s gooooooooo

Going back to the start to see Great’s utter lack of remorse for killing that woman, his spoiled brat reaction to his dad handling his mess, and his decision to help his terrible friend get away with a murder was a great reminder that he is in fact a terrible person.

Congrats to… a bunch of us? for piecing together the original timeline correctly based on what we had. In the original sequence of events, Tyme was deep in his revenge plan, got dumped by his girlfriend for neglect, and then intentionally seduced Great so he could record their sex and use it for leverage against Great’s dad. Which didn’t really work. He’s not good at plans, y’all!

By the way, Tyme? Clearly not a virgin. I never liked that read anyway so I’m glad it’s dead. His awkwardness during his first time with Great in the redo timeline is more about his feelings being engaged, it seems.

Great being unphased about the video and just wanting more of that good dick makes perfect sense for his character. He doesn’t care about anything or even have real curiosity about what Tyme was after with that stunt.

And as we finish up the timeline we learn the source of Great’s regret. It’s not any actual self-motivated remorse or understanding of his moral failings, of course. Instead it’s Tyme calling him a coward to his face and rejecting him. His attempt to suddenly claim a moral high ground with his parents after his own string of murders was hilarious and I don’t think he gets the irony.

But someone does! Tonkla coming in clutch as the cause of Great’s cardiac episode was EXCELLENT. And it makes perfect sense because in this timeline, Great is one of Dome’s murderers along with Title. I think safe to assume we’ve been seeing everything else Tonkla was up to in this time in the cold opens, though the exact timing and sequencing of them is up in the air.

The only piece that’s still not tracking for me is Tyme’s side of the romance. The events of this episode explain why Great’s choices in the redo seem to center on getting Tyme to trust him, but they don’t explain Tyme’s reactions to him. This is hardly a love story for the ages. He and Great were emphatically not in love in this original timeline, so I don’t see why Tyme would trust him if he was also reliving this timeline. And if Tyme is not reliving things, that rushed romance arc in the redo timeline doesn’t really work. He has no reason to trust or fall for Great that easily. We also still haven’t seen how Tyme gets shot, so I am inclined to believe there is an additional timeline at play that fills in the remaining gaps and better motivates Tyme’s end of the romance.

Noting here that in the original timeline, the lady Great hit, Dome, and Nan all die, but his mom does not. So by saving that woman, Great inadvertently caused his mother’s death. Something to ponder as we head into the final eps and figure out whether these changes stick.

I’m still hoping that this story is going to take us to a nuanced and complex place and not lead to a pure happy romance ending for Great because honestly he does not deserve it.

It’s nice to finally have a week where we actually got a bunch of questions answered and didn’t generate too many new ones!

[ellastone-olsen]

Undisclosed desires - Agatha Harkness

DO NOT COPY ANY OF MY WORKS. MINORS DNI 18+ ONLY

Summary: Agatha is your mother's best friend with whom you like to spend time. Everything is great if you don’t remember about your little (big) crush on her. What if one movie night something doesn't go as usual?

Pairing: moms best friend!Agatha Harkness × f!reader

Warnings: NSFW, dom!agatha, sub!reader, age gap (A45 R21), mommy kink, face sitting (A), thigh riding (R), masturbations (R), little stalking i think, pet names, oral (both), a little fluff

DISCLAIMER: ENGLISH ISN'T MY FIRST LANGUAGE SORRY FOR GRAMMAR OR SPELLING MISTAKES

Word count: 2.7k

AN: hi guys this is my first work in English and the first work that I generally post on tumblr. I hope you'll enjoy <3

Agatha met your mother when you were just over 18. It was a typical weekend when the older woman walked into your house, talking sweetly with your mother. Out of curiosity, you went downstairs from your room; honestly, you didn’t often have any guests in your house after your parents’ divorce.

When you appeared in the kitchen, Agatha had her back to you, your mother was the first who notice your presence. "Oh my god Y/N you scared me! You can't walk so quietly!" Agatha immediately turned to your mother’s screams. The first time you looked at her, you forgot how to breathe. She seemed beautiful, even attractive, you of course knew about your “mommy issues” but how quickly your admiration for the woman grew into a little crush... you knew it wasn't right.

But that didn’t stop you from finding her social media “I’m just curious to know more about her” you told yourself, of course that was partly true. It started as a sweet, innocent thoughts about her beautiful curly hair, blue eyes and the sweet smile that she gave you when she came to visit and the three of you were sitting in the kitchen. “Y/N, you’ve already entered your second year of college, how are your studies?” she asked either out of politeness or out of pure curiosity. You were always happy to answer any of her questions, and then sneakily watch her facial expressions and gestures while she told your mother something about her failed Tinder dates. Deep inside you were jealous and hoped that these dates would remain a failure.

Later your relationship became closer one. This happened after about a year of her frequent visits in your house. At first sight it looked like she was your aunty and you were her favorite niece. At least that's what it looked like to your mother. Considering that Agatha did not have children (you also learned this from her social media), she was happy to spend time with someone who wasn't your mother. So your phrases like “Agatha and I are going to the mall today” or “I’ll stay at Agatha’s for the night” were not something surprising. Your mother was glad that you were spending your free time with a person whom she could trust and know that everything would be okay with you, even though you are already 19.

You loved staying at Agatha’s house, looking at her in her home clothes, and in the morning waking up and hearing “I made you a breakfast, superstar” by the way she cooks divine. At each of these weekends, you were talking (sometimes she tried to ask you about your possible boyfriends or girlfriends, which made you blush and go away from the topic), cooking some crisps and towards the end of the night, sitting down to watch movies on her big plush sofa. “Aggie, I’m cold,” you said after which you moved closer to her and hugged her in secret dying from such closeness.

Even later, you caught yourself having terrible frank thoughts about her. They fell on you like a bolt from the blue. So once again going to her Facebook and opening a new photo you began to look at it more carefully than always. It was an ordinary photo where she stood in a black light dress with straps with a V-shaped neckline, holding her hand to her face, covering her smile and the caption “at home you can look the way you want😘.” The focus of attention first moved to her lips, then dropped to a thin hand with a neat black manicure, thoughts concentrated on each of the fingers, about how you could... Even lower to the neckline on her dress which opened up a view of her breasts but left room for imagination, the light fabric did not hide the outline of her nipples and then...

You were already lying on the bed in your room, your mother had long gone to bed. The same photo of Agatha was open on your phone while your fingers traced circles on your clit. Then they moved lower, collecting abundant wetness at the entrance, and when one finger entered you and your gaze was again drawn to the photo on the phone your back arched. You imagined that it was Agatha doing all these things to you; the second finger slipped inside filling you so well and the pace increased. All that was heard in the room was shaky breathing and a quiet whine, “Fuck Aggie...yes that’s it, yes mommy please,” the other hand came down to rub the clit and then it happened. You saw stars looking at the woman's photo, wishing that she would shut you up with a kiss now. When your breathing evened out, you took your phone and typed one message, “Tomorrow is the weekend, can I come over for the night?”

Saturday was your favorite day of the week because Agatha wasn’t at work like on weekdays and you could spend time together. Right now you were walking through the parking lot to her car so that she could take you two to the cafe that you had been telling her about for a long time. "How are you doing, superstar?" The woman asked while watching the road. You loved that cute little nickname she gave you so much. “Well, in general, everything is fine, except for small problems with writing a thesis, you know, it turns out to be not easy I’m very tired” you said and felt her hand gently covering yours and squeezing. Raising your eyes, you were met by her familiar smile, “You can handle everything, you know that you can always ask me for help?” you just nodded, and the older woman continued to watch the road.

The day passed too quickly when in the evening the two of you walked into Agatha’s spacious but cozy apartment. "So I think that after such an eventful day we can immediately move on to watching a movie, how do you look at it, superstar?" You went to wash your hands and called out to her from the bathroom, “As much as you want, I’ll like any of your ideas. For now, I’ll go change clothes and come back to you,” you said, wiping your hands and taking your bag with things.

There are two bedrooms in Agatha's apartment , one for her and one for guests. You were always located in the second one but more than once you were just a guest in the older woman’s bedroom. Speaking as a “guest” we can say that you just came in a couple of times to find out how long it would take her to get ready and briefly examined the interior. All you remembered was the purple tones of the room, a large bed, a chest of drawers with a bunch of jewelry and cosmetics on it, and above that was a regular oval mirror. Apparently there were also a couple of intricate paintings and a bedside lamp. You respected this part of the woman’s personal space and did not poke your overly curious nose into it.

Your bag was thrown on the floor of the room that had already become yours, your street clothes were scattered on the bed, your makeup was washed off and you were already wearing the soft plush pajamas that Agatha had given you last Christmas. “I’m here,” you called out as you returned to the room, where the older woman had already carefully prepared snacks for the movie and selected a two-hour thriller for tonight. “Come here,” Agatha patted the spot on the couch next to her and you landed there, covering yourself with the blanket and resting your head on her shoulder.

The movie went quickly and you didn’t notice how you had already started to fall asleep when a sharp poke in your side woke you up, “Hey don’t sleep, you’ll still have time for this tomorrow,” Agatha said grinning. You jumped up sharply which made her laugh. Here on the TV screen there is a chase, explosions, the main character miraculously escapes when suddenly..."OH MY GOD" you screamed and crawled with your head under the blanket when moans came from the TV speakers and a sex scene appeared on the entire screen in front of your eyes. You weren’t ready to see this right here right now, especially in the company of an older woman, and you behaved like a blushing virgin. Agatha’s laughter came from above, “Come on Y/N, you’d think you’ve never seen anything like this before. Get out of there”. The blanket was thrown off you and a picture of naked people appeared before your eyes again. Your eyes widened as you looked from the TV to Agatha and back. This whole situation has made your cheeks warm up and you can already feel a faint pulsation between your legs.

“Oh, is it really such a small thing that has embarrassed you so much, superstar, you’re already a big girl, why are you blushing so much? Or maybe... oh..” the woman looked at you more carefully, studying how quickly your chest rises and falls, noticing how you begin to squirm in place. The gears in her head are spinning intensely and a thought arises.“Oh sweet girl, let me help you. Come here,” the woman moves you closer to her, squeezing her thigh between your legs, encouraging you to ride her. You're about to explode. “Aggie, what are you doing? What..” you are stopped by her hand covering your cheek, “Oh baby you have now confirmed my suspicions on this matter,” your heart is about to jump out of your chest, “What do you mean, Aggie?” The woman moves you closer and already runs her lips along your neck to your ear and whispers, “About your little crush. Did you think I wouldn’t notice this? Or maybe I’m too dumb and won’t put two and two together mmm?” You pull back to look at her dumbfounded. What's happening now? Does she want you too? Did she know all along? A swarm of thoughts race through your head as her hand grabs your hair and pulls you back towards her. “You’re thinking too loudly honey, let mommy think for you.” The nickname she gave herself completely drives you insane and you groan. “Oh fuck” comes out of your mouth.

The woman laughs and lowers her lips to your pulse point. Her hands grab your hips, encouraging you to grind against her thigh. When you do what she wants Agatha looks up from your neck, “Such a good girl you’ve had a crush on me for a long time, haven’t you? I bet you’ve been thinking about this moment. Tell mommy, am I right Y/N?” Your breathing is unsteady and you feel like your underwear is hopelessly wet, the thoughts in your head are confused. "Mmmh yeah you're right." The answer seems to suit Agatha as her lips immediately find yours in a careless kiss and your whole world explodes. The woman’s hand reaches under the elastic band of your pants and she strokes you through your underwear, feeling how wet you are. With such contact you moan into her mouth and beg, “Oh Fuck Mommy please please I need more.” Agatha shushes you and takes her hand out of your pants "Hush baby, you'll get what you want but first mommy needs to cum. Can you do that for me? Make mommy cum and I'll return the favor."

She pulls you encouraging you to get off of her and begins to undress until she is left in only black underwear. You stop her hands when her fingers cling to the edge of her panties. “I want to help you. Can I?” She nods and you kneel in front of her, taking off an item of clothing and seeing how her sticky wetness stretches. You start biting and sucking on her inner thighs and are almost to the top when she stops you. “No, not like that, lie down on your back.” You do as she says and she ride you, moving higher up to your head, “I want to sit on your pretty face baby, will you let mommy ride your face?” Your pupils dilate as you nod impatiently "Please." Agatha lowers her dripping pussy onto your mouth and you suck and lick her clit, and then push your tongue into her hole, causing the woman to arch and move her hips. “Oh god that's such a good girl. You're going to make mommy cum baby. Mommy's gonna cum all over your face." These words turn you on more and you start working on her pussy harder until the woman lets out her last moan as she cums into your mouth. She continues to sit on you while you lazily lick her clean, and then stands up and grabs your legs, opening them wide.

Pants with panties tossed somewhere to the side, the sweater is also pulled off your body and you lie in front of her completely naked. “Fucking god you’re even more prettier than I imagined”. Agatha mutters and turns you over so you’re sitting on her lap again. Your breasts are right in front of her face and she takes one nipple into her mouth while she roughly squeezes your thighs, feeling your wetness on her leg. You hold her shoulders with your hands and stand up. “Please Aggie, I need to cum so bad.” Agatha releases her nipple from her mouth and growls “Wrong name.” Your forehead presses against her shoulder as you whimper “Please mommy make me cum.”

She spreads the wetness all over your pussy and teases your clit. Two fingers circle at your entrance and she pushes them inside, to which you moan and bite her shoulder. "Fuck, you're so tight, what if I add another one? You're so wet you can take it can't you baby?" You hum into her shoulder in agreement and three fingers slip inside “Ride me” Agatha takes your waist with her free hand, helping you move and you start bouncing on her “Mommy I’m so full. Feel so good” you moan. The room is filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin and the smell of sex. Incomprehensible whimpers and requests not to stop escape your mouth while you try to push yourself deeper onto Agatha’s fingers. Your hand reaches for your clit and draws circles on it. Abundant wetness flows down the older woman’s hand and she feels your walls squeezing around her. "Mommy I'm going to cum. Oh God I'm going to cum Aggie, mommy don't stop please." When Agatha's fingers deliciously hit that right spot inside you over and over again, when you hear "That's such a good girl. Cum for your mommy, cum all over my fingers baby" it happens and you explode, cumming on top of her. Agatha finds your lips and pulls you into a kiss, brushing the sticky hair from your forehead and whispering how well you did for her.

After a minute, you catch your breath and get off of her, lying down next. You are silent. Agatha is silent. You don’t believe what just happened and how this is even possible. The gears in your head start working again and you try to decide what to do next. She wanted you, does this mean that your feelings are mutual or was it just sex for one time? A soft blanket covers your naked body and a hand strokes your shoulder. You hesitantly raise your head to Agatha, she is the first to break the silence.

"You're thinking too loudly again, superstar." Her hand gently strokes your cheek. "I understand your doubts and fears, baby. Let's just go to bed for now, do you agree?" You nod and get out of bed still in the blanket, taking your pajamas with you. Your legs slowly drag you into your bedroom as Agatha’s question hangs in the air. "Where are you going?" She gently hugs you by the shoulders, leads you into her bedroom and lays you on a soft, large bed where you fall into a calm, deep sleep.

[inkwolvesandcoffee]

First Times (Poly Relationship w/ John & Ghost Headcanons)

I spent the morning exploring Hackney, which is rich in breweries. While wandering about, I got to thinking, what if…

John starts working at a brewery when he retires from the army?

OR!

He starts a micro brewery/pub with Simon, who retires around the same time.

🍺 The two men set to work immediately to acquire the proper licenses and a premise. Fortunately for the both of them, they’re quite handy and so know how to create a lovely, albeit very manly, space without too much interference from contractors. After all, why hire others for work you can do yourself?

🍺 Honestly, the business is a dream come true for John. Owning a micro brewery was his Plan B should things not work out with the army. However, it’s because of his former employment, he’s become a better business owner. It’s through the development of his leadership and risk-assessment skills he managed to secure the rank of captain.

🍺 For Simon, the brewery is an unexpected ambition, a new dream to follow. While he lets John do most of the marketing (because Simon can’t be arsed with social media… being social in general), he’s mostly pre-occupied with the creation of new and improvement of the already existing craft beers.

🍺 The business steadily grows as word gets about town. Soon, it’s not only the local Hackney residents who pop by, but also people from other boroughs.

🍺 Including you.

🍺 Come from Inner London, the people of the area find you somewhat of a posh puppy, a bit of a toff. It’s this view of you which makes them wonder what on Earth you’re doing in East London, this artsy and not as affluent part of the city.

🍺 Nevertheless, you’re a sight for sore eyes if you ask Simon, who’s your old neighbour back from the few years you lived in Manchester after moving there with your parents.

🍺 Though gruff and distant in the beginning, Simon gradually warmed up to you. Despite never opening up emotionally, you two did develop a strong amiable bond. Maybe because you were the only one to greet him on the street, to ask about his career after catching a glimpse of the dog tag around his neck, to welcome him back each time he was deployed.

🍺 To show sincere interest in him.

🍺 Your parents weren’t a fan of you socializing with the giant in the skull balaclava, but they never told you off for it since you two always seemed to have a good time. Moreover, they rarely saw you smile unless you were with him. So they let it slide, prioritizing your happiness over their prejudice.

🍺 It was only in the spring before you moved without telling him where to and he was deployed yet again, Simon realized he had feelings for you. Nonetheless, he put them aside or, rather, suppressed them until they numbed. He had nothing to offer, fifteen years your elder and terribly haunted.

🍺 So imagine his surprise and absolute delight when you stand in front of him, prettier than he can remember. “Been a while, hasn’t it?”

🍺 “Y/N,” it’s the only thing he can say, finally out loud after years of uttering it in silence.

🍺 “Who’s this fair lady?” John slides up next to Simon, arms crossed as he takes you in. His sea blue eyes darken when they meet yours. “How can we help, miss?”

🍺 The way he practically purrs the words sends a pleasant shiver down your spine. Yet, you conceal the effect he has on you behind a steady voice. “I saw the notice on the window, about the open position. Has it been filled in the meanwhile or can I still apply?”

🍺 “She’s a good one, John. Hardworking, trustworthy, kind. Fast learner too,” Simon says pensively.

🍺 “Got experience in the field?” John asks.

🍺 “Studied psychology, during which I mostly focused on the effect of marketing on the human psyche. Also run a food blog and Instagram”

🍺 “Thank Simon properly before you leave. I trust his judgment and seeing he knows you best, I’ll take his word for it.” He slaps his business partner on the shoulder. “Drop by tomorrow and we’ll discuss your contract. I’m looking forward to working with you…”

🍺 “Y/N.”

🍺 “Y/N...” John repeats thoughtfully. Then he hums and heads off.

🍺 Thus begins a series of firsts and connections as you settle down in Hackney.

🍺 Over the course of a few weeks, the locals come to see you as one of their own as you show them you simply aren’t some girl with rich parents, a spoiled princess, but a young woman trying to make a life for herself with her own hard-earned money via helping at the counter and striking up conversations.

🍺 John and you grow closer too. He admires and respects your eye for detail and aesthetics, though sometimes he feels a little awkward when you’re trying to direct him for the occasional TikTok. Nevertheless, it’s your creativity that keeps drawing him in, igniting the need to keep getting closer to you. What also helps is you bringing him coffee or reminding him to take breaks (both with a kiss on the cheek later down the line).

🍺 Loves to review the content you create together, especially when you’re in his lap while doing so.

🍺 On your mutual days off, John drags you all over London to visit bakeries and cafés. Never had you thought him a foodie, though it’s a pleasant discovery since there’s always something new to experience on the food scene. Moreover, he loves helping you out with your own blog, not just the one you created for the brewery.

🍺 These days, you’re teaching him photography and are taking baking classes together. Although, you might as well go on your own to the latter because he’s a terrible baker (unlike Simon, who’s self-taught and surprisingly good, like, sale-appropriate why-doesn’t-he-have-at-least-a-micro-bakery good).

🍺 Your bond with Simon mostly rekindles via being his guinea pig. He knows how brutally honest you can be in your feedback, which he thoroughly appreciates. Outside work, the two of you frequent bookshops, have picnics in the major parks in London, and visit the city’s oldest cemeteries. The latter is a bit of a morbid idea of a nice outing, but you appreciate the silence and romantic sense of decay in the air.

🍺 It isn’t long before you take up residence in the apartment the two men share, which leaves the other residents of the building wondering about your relationships to one another. Although, they can guess at the nature of it seeing the “noise” at night. As I said, lots of first including a relationship with two men older than you.

🍺 But aside from the plethora of sensual moments, there are also plenty of tender (and domestic) firsts. For example, Simon accompanies you to your first tattoo appointment. When, the next day, you’re struck by tattoo flu, he takes care of you. Of course John doesn’t force you to come to work nor Simon for that matter, who you clearly need at the moment (despite claiming otherwise). Henceforth, you’re both granted PTO until you’re back on your feet.

🍺 Speaking of the former-captain, John is your very first kiss. You and him went out for pizza (Simon preferring to stay home and read). On the way to Hackney Wick, beneath a bridge heavily decorated with graffiti and sheltering a few barges, he put his hands on your cheeks and crashed his lips into yours. He tasted of tobacco and white wine, laced with the sweetness of tomatoes and basil. That night, he made love to you.

🍺 Another first.

🍺 Simon prepared breakfast the next morning, serving food to ensure John and you wouldn’t succumb to exhaustion later in the day. Nor him, for that matter, because while he doesn’t get jealous and loves sharing you with his best friend, he sometimes wishes you wouldn’t go at it till early in the morning when the next day is an ordinary work day.

🍺 You’re there for them when either of them suffers from night terrors or combat stress. Simon is more prone to the former, whereas John is to the latter.

🍺 You accompany Simon to therapy too after he’s been diagnosed with PTSD. At first he didn’t want to go, refused it even, until he finally relented after another episode of flashbacks and coming to his senses while shaking in your arms.

🍺 Life with John and Simon isn’t always easy nor romantic.

🍺 But bloody hell, do they make it better.

[livwritesstuff]

So you know how parents always have that *one* story about a time where their kid scared them beyond this universe — like their kid could be a daredevil and constantly trying their patience but this particular story is the most harrowing, scariest situation they’ve been in. (This may not be universal but I’m hoping I’m explaining it right lol)

What do you think would be Steve and Ed’s stories for each of the girls?

tw: hospitals, illness, car accidents, in general proceed w/caution if sensitive to children sustaining injuries/illnesses

When Moe was about six months old, she got sick – really sick, hospital-trip sick. All Steve really remembers is that one minute her appetite wasn’t what it usually was, and the next her temperature had spiked to 104 and something about her breathing was not normal and they were on their way to the ER.

They'd ended up staying for three days, Steve didn't sleep the entire time, and because it was before Moe's adoption was finalized, they had all kinds of DFS paperwork to fill out in addition to the mountain of documents the hospital had given them. Steve remembers having to coordinate with Ed dropping everything off at the DFS office and thinking for the first time ever in their years of fostering kids how stupid it was that he was expected to focus on following DFS procedure instead of being there for his baby girl.

The scariest moment with Hazel was the time they lost her.

They’d been at the New England Aquarium with all three girls on a Saturday afternoon – ridiculous, in both Steve and Eddie's opinion, and honestly they weren't even able to enjoy outings like these because they’re still in the stage where they spend the entire time anxiously keeping track of the girls (who were having the time of their lives, obviously – that's why they're suffering through it).

So when Steve did a headcount like he usually does every so often and came up with two, his heart flipped over. He checked again, and again only counted two. 

Triple-checks. Two.

In real-time, they hadn't lost sight of Hazel for more than ten seconds, but it was the longest ten seconds Steve had ever lived by a mile, and he’d spent the whole time thinking that it had to be the worst-case for a situation like this because it was Hazel. If Moe or Robbie got separated from them, they would have no problem marching up to the first person in an NEA shirt they could find and demanding help finding their dads. Hazel, though, is quiet and shy and usually stuck to them like glue. She won’t talk to strangers in the best of moments, so there was no chance she’d find it in herself to try during a bad one.

Turns out, Hazel had been so mesmerized by the jellyfish that even after they all moved on to the next display, Hazel just had to turn back to get one more look, and Eddie had his head screwed on tight enough that day to think of checking there first.

Later, Steve reneged on their plan to take the girls to Boston Pride (which would have been in a few weeks) because it had been scary enough losing track of Hazel in an enclosed space where there were only so many places she could wander off to. The idea of it happening in the dead center of the city, with all those crowds of people, with infinite directions for her to go…no chance. They’d try again next year.

Between all three girls, the scariest moment by goddamn lightyears was Robbie.

When Robbie was fifteen – a high school freshman but placed in the senior-level band class – the school took their music classes (band, orchestra, chorus) to Disney World for the performing arts workshops they offer in the spring.

The student-adult ratio on trips like these is pretty terrible and, in Steve's opinion, there is too much unsupervised independent time for a group of high school students.

Way too much.

A few days into the trip, one kid – a senior with a fake ID who Robbie was friends with through band – managed to commandeer a car and convince a group of kids to blow off curfew and secretly explore the city.

Three hours and half a liquor-store’s worth of alcohol later, Steve got a call from one of the chaperones telling him that his fifteen-year-old was unresponsive in a hospital in Florida.

Planning their last family vacation had taken three entire months of planning and indecision and research.

It took less than five minutes for Steve to get flights booked for the next plane bound for Orlando.

“Maybe if she hadn’t gone on the trip in the first place…” Moe trailed off innocently as she watched her dads pack – she's anything but innocent though. Moe had been pissed to all hell that Robbie got to go to Disney World and she didn’t. She’d spent weeks trying to weasel her way onto the trip to no avail, and she’d been sulking the entire four days Robbie had been gone.

“Not another word,” Eddie warned her, his tone icier than perhaps he’s ever heard directed at one of his kids. Moe opens her mouth to retort, but he cuts her off, "So fuckin' serious, Moe. Not the time."

Robbie had been in pretty rough shape when they finally arrived which was horrible to see – especially for Steve, who had always connected the way Robbie was similar to Eddie with the way Eddie almost died, so seeing her unconscious in a hospital bed, light brown curls strewn out over the sterile-white sheets and tangled amongst all kinds of tubes and wires was pretty much a nightmare come to life.

He was actually thankful for Eddie’s threats to find the idiot driving the car and murder him because he seemed pretty serious about it and making sure he didn't do that gave Steve something to focus on other than counting the hours Robbie had been in the hospital all alone.

[heloflor]

Ok so last week I saw the videos/screenshots talking about fop Peri which got me a bit curious about this show, and after seeing “Battle of the Dimmsonian” and especially the Cosmo-Wanda-Peri part of “Lost in Fairy World” (there’s someone on Tumblr posting clips of all the Peri-centric moments since his debut), I was genuinely impressed with how the characters were written and I wanted to gush about them! On top of doing some overanalysis of those characters. Btw I also saw some clips from “Operation: Birthday Takeback” (again the Cosmo-Wanda-Peri side of it).

So here’s a post talking about Cosmo and Wanda’s relationship with Peri, Peri in general, Peri with Dev and a few other random thoughts about the early episodes given this made me start to watch the show (ended up making it its own post), though I haven’t gone far yet (I’m on like episode 5-6, which is episode 4a or something). On that note, take what I say in this post with a HUGE grain of salt since I don’t have the full context for Dev’s character arc.

Tl;Dr: The Fairywinkle-Cosmas are adorable, loving but also realistic in their portrayal.

Peri is the definition of “20 years-old who recently left his parents’ home” and I love him for it.

Dev and Peri are a terrible match due to Peri’s inexperience, Dev not taking him seriously, and Dev’s daddy issues making it hard for him to connect with a fairy who has loving parents.

(Btw on top of the characters moments, what made me start to watch the show is also the fact it’s apparently incredibly wholesome and fun + apparently the writers of “Infi//nity Train” worked on it (and if that’s true it’s crazy how nobody is talking about it to bring in new fans; I mean remember when the Duck//tales reboot came out and everyone pointed out how the writers of Gra//vity Falls worked on it? We should do the same thing here, at least again if it’s true) + Hartman isn’t involved and it’s hilarious how the creator of those characters not getting involved is a good thing)

Oh and spoilers for “Battle of the Dimmsonian”, “Lost in Fairy World” and “Operation: Birthday Takeback”! (4.6k Words below)

--

Ok so “Lost In Fairy World” and why I love its characters’ writing so much. I’m actually going to start by the lesson at the end and build from there as it seems like the best way to get a train of thought going.

So the lesson of the episode for me was basically a “new hire vs experienced employees” with a second layer added due to the three fairies being family, and that’s already something I really appreciate!

By the end of the episode, Cosmo and Wanda learn that they need to back off and let Peri do his thing. He’s an adult, he got hired for a reason, let him do his own trial and error and learn his own way. But at the same time, Peri shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help or advice if he needs it, the more experienced people are here for that! And again, there’s the family layer to that discussion that I really like, with Cosmo and Wanda being particularly clingy bc Peri is their son, while Peri is particularly embarrassed to ask them for help because they’re his parents, probably not helped by the fact he likely very recently left their home and seeks his independence.

And that’s another thing I absolutely love after watching this episode and “Battle of the Dimmsonian”, with “Operation: Birthday Takeback” adding to it as well: Honestly, Peri has to be one of the most realistic depictions of “20-something who just left his parents’ house” I’ve ever seen (yeah I don’t watch much stuff outside of cartoons, working on that). They somehow managed to make him very clearly be an adult with adult responsibilities, all the while giving him a level of inexperience and immaturity that reminds you he’s still young.

Giving some examples, the way he talks in general makes it obvious he’s an adult, and when introducing himself to Dev + telling him he can’t visit Fairy World in “Lost in Fairy World”, he has that suave put-together personality to himself. But at the same time this suave personality crumbles the second Dev opens him mouth.

And on top of that, Peri’s one day into his job and his already exhausted, spends the entirety of his debut episode worrying about what his parents will think of his career choice, and in stressful situations tends to turn towards others for help very quickly (reading Da Rules, low-key panicking a bit and looking at his parents in “Lost in Fairy World”, hiding when facing Vicky, moments like those).

There are also those moments where he either acts or sounds childish (with his voice even getting a bit higher), like when Wanda asks if he has a godkid plus him hiding behind his wand right before that, and earlier on when he didn’t want them to see him, the “my wand is missing” line and tracker line in “Lost in Fairy World” (the “sowwy” when telling them his tracker is off tho), the ending of this episode as well when he apologizes to them, also when his parents tell Jorgen that Peri did nothing wrong and he lets them take the fall, or that moment in “Operation: Birthday Takeback” when he goes “moooom” with a whine.

That’s actually something I absolutely love about those interactions, and why I find them realistic. It could have been SO easy for the writers to make Peri act like an adult all the time while his parents are the coddling cringy kind that make him look like a kid. But instead, it comes from both sides. You can clearly tell from how Cosmo and Wanda act that he’s their baby boy, but you can also see from Peri’s dialogues and actions that they are his parents. And I am so happy they took this direction!

So yeah, Peri is the most “young adult who just left the nest” ever and I absolutely adore this characterization. He’s an adult with a job and responsibilities, but he’s still young and can find himself relying on his parents or talking to them in a childish way. Such good character work!

Another thing I love about their dynamic that we see very well in “Lost in Fairy World” is just how much those three love each other. That’s something I did hear about this show, that it was a lot more fun and sweet (compared to the og which could be very cruel and cynical when it wanted), and you can really see it with those three.

With Cosmo and Wanda taking over Peri’s job, you can tell they’re not doing it out of any malice or feeling that Peri can’t do it. Heck if you pause at the scene where Peri tells Dev he can’t go to Fairy World, after he’s done talking and right before Cosmo takes another picture, you can see Cosmo and Wanda looking at Peri with the biggest smile (and it’s adorable!). And it’s the same with the rest of the episode. If anything, they’re so used to taking care of godkids that they just do it out of habit, without realizing they’re causing an issue.

Heck I’d even theorize that their behavior is partly due to their time with Timmy, hence it being a force of habit. For a long time (possibly 50 years if that one secret wish is canon), Poof/Peri was with his parents helping with Timmy, but he wouldn’t do much besides granting wishes. Poof couldn’t talk, so most of the time he’d just stand there while his parents did all of the talking. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of this was the reason why Cosmo and Wanda are straight up talking over Peri in “Lost in Fairy World”, they just got used to do so when taking care of Timmy and are now getting back into this habit.

On top of that, Cosmo and Wanda are just excited to finally be with their son again after their 10 thousand years-long vacation. Plus, when Peri does call them out, by the end of it they acknowledge their mistake and apologize, promising to back off. And while they remain cuddly towards him, from the looks of it they did stop coming in-between Peri and Dev, letting their son do his thing.

Also worth noting that, despite doting on Peri, they still very much talk to him like they would talk to an adult. Yes they hug him a lot (and I mean a lot) and call him pet names, and they were definitely excited to see him again in “Lost in Fairy World”, but other than that they clearly respect him as an adult, listening to him and trusting him. I’m not going to list examples because it’s basically every dialogue in which they don’t “baby” him. That being said I feel like “Operation: Birthday Takeback” displays it the best from what I’ve seen of it.

As for Peri’s side on this, he’s annoyed by his parents stepping in but it’s obvious he doesn’t hate them at all, quite the opposite. He just wants them to take him seriously as an adult, which is understandable. Also the fact he isn’t afraid to call them out is a very good sign. On that note, I love how when telling them his tracker is off, he actually apologizes (though he doesn’t have to, his reasoning for turning it off is understandable, and I appreciate he tells them those reasons!).

Also I live for that scene at the beginning of “Operation: Birthday Takeback” when his parents ask for a tour of the house (btw love Wanda telling him they’re ready to get him out of there if needed), they show interest in his suggestion, which makes Peri smile sheepishly. It’s such a cute moment and to me really shows Peri wanting to be seen as an adult and enjoying being seen that way by them, but also how he’s clearly attached to them! Idk it’s just a very cute moment! I love those three!

Also kind of a last minute addition before moving to Peri and Dev but looking at “Operation: Birthday Takeback”, I can’t help but laugh at how at the very beginning, the second the godkids are doing their own thing, Cosmo and Wanda throw themselves at their son. It’s very sweet. Also I love the implication that they’re here bc they’re Hazel’s godparents and need to stay with her, but also they really wanted any excuse to see their son!

And the reason why I say last minute addition is because this made me realize that Cosmo and Wanda do act pretty differently towards the godkids compared to Peri, which I find to be an interesting detail that makes their characters more complex in a way. Like yes, Cosmo and Wanda are very parental types, but to an extent you can see a line between them being with their godkids, who they are here to mentor and steer in the right direction for a few months until the kid is happy, and them being with their son, who they raised from infancy and isn’t going anywhere.

Now that’s not to say that Cosmo and Wanda don’t love their godkids, it’s obvious how much they adore those kids and care for them and probably remember each and every single one of them, but yeah you can still see a bit of a difference. At the very least, from what I’ve seen so far they can’t help but hug Peri literally everytime they have an excuse to do so, while having a bit more boundaries with Hazel.

But again, that’s a last minute thought and I’ve only seen a handful of episodes, so I might be wrong on that. Take it with a grain of salt. Still, I find it interesting to have those characters who are basically social workers and how there’s a bit of a difference between the kids they take care of for their “job” and the kid they have in their personal life. Again, that’s not to say they aren’t attached to the godkids, they are.

But yeah, all of this to say, the way the Fairywinkle-Cosma family is written in “Lost in Fairy World” honestly blew me away and really got me invested into watching this show, with “Battle of the Dimmsonian” and “Operation: Birthday Takeback” only adding to it (and I’m probably looking way too much into this and making it sound like the writing of this episode is much deeper than it actually is; I’m obsessed with this disaster (affectionate) of a family, help).

As for the part about Peri and Dev, basically there’s an element of Cosmo and Wanda talking over Peri in “Lost in Fairy World” that I wanted to explore, but then “Operation: Birthday Takeback” came out and there’s that moment in the “breakup” scene where Dev talks about his father not noticing his fairy while Peri is being hugged by his parents in the background. And while this is a visual gag, Cosmo and Wanda’s action in this scene actually fits very well thematically and made me realize something about how Dev might feel about Peri.

So now you’re getting a whole section about how Dev and Peri are a terrible match for each other, due to three main reasons:

1. The one everyone already talked about, Peri is severly underqualified. While you could say he’s been a godparent since he was a baby, back then all he did was grant wishes while his parents dealt with the talking + emotional support. Not only was he doing a small part of the job, he also had his parents, other more qualified fairies, helping him. Also the scene with Vicky tells us that Peri doesn’t have the best memories of his time as a baby, which is fair enough.

(note that I believe he was 7-8 years old when he had to say goodbye to Timmy, so he does remember him. As for Vicky, Timmy’s parents likely stopped hiring her once their son was 13-14, hence why Peri only has blurry memories of her, he would’ve been a toddler at best by then)

So yeah, Dev is Peri’s first kid, and Peri is not qualified for him. He loses his patience with the cupcakes, bites back when Dev is short and snappy with him (the classroom scene at the end of the “under//tale” episode, yeah I haven’t watched this one outside of this scene; and the beginning of “Operation: Birthday Takeback” with the flying shoes) and don’t get me started on Peri telling Dev in “Battle of the Dimmsonian” to give the staff back because “what will my parents say if my first godkid dies on me!”

Like PERI??? MAYBE DON’T SAY TO THE KID WITH ABANDONMENT ISSUES THAT YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT HIS WELLBEING BECAUSE YOU WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR PARENTS??? JUST A THOUGHT???

(note that I do believe Peri cares for Dev, it’s just that what he says here really comes off as him not caring, and since Dev is the one hearing what Peri says in that scene...)

Also obviously there’s the ending of “Operation: Birthday Takeback”. Tbh I don’t blame Peri much for this one since, again, he’s severely underqualified, but yeah his response to Dev’s wish was not the right one, which is reflected by Dev reacting with a frustrated scream which honestly made me feel bad for this kid. Peri going “as you wish” is just too distant and “professional”. That’s a kid in a vulnerable state! He needed comfort! Sure Peri had to go because Dev literally wished for it, but a more qualified fairy would have known what to say, if only something along the lines of “take all the time you need, I’ll be there for you once you feel better”.

So yeah, Dev is deeply hurting and a complete newbie who doesn’t have the patience or positivity for it was not going to make things better.

2. What I originally wanted to say about “Lost in Fairy World” before 3. showed its head: I think Cosmo and Wanda being around inadvertently makes things worse for the duo.

Thing is, Dev is a difficult kid. Because of that, I think that in order for him to open up to his fairy, said fairy needs to earn his respect so to speak. And not to say Dev’s fairy should be full on authoritative, but yeah they definitely need to be someone Dev respects and listens to, which is not the case for Peri. And I think the main reason why has to do with Peri’s relationship with his parents.

Basically, kids are smarter than we give them credit for and are observant as well. And what did Dev see his fairy do? Spend the first day on the job being terrified of meeting his parents who turned out to be incredibly sweet people. Then in “Lost in Fairy World” it honestly looks like Peri, Cosmo and Wanda just wanted to catch up and brought the kids for the heck of it, and Dev gets to see his fairy being babied by his parents, along with said parents talking over him. Then as said before there’s also Peri going “mooom” in front of Dev in “Operation: Birthday Takeback”.

And about “Lost in Fairy World”, there’s that moment in the beginning where Cosmo and Wanda tell Dev he can’t go to fairy world, only for Peri to step in and basically repeat the exact same thing as his parents (the “trial” part from Cosmo and “I can’t let you go” from Wanda). And while this line is a joke, I do think it’s important for Peri to put his foot down like that.

Because yeah, Peri is the one Dev should be listening to. It’s not just a question of “this is Peri’s job”, it’s also about Dev seeing Peri as an adult. But with Cosmo and Wanda, it’s a bit more complicated.

This is also another element I really like about this episode, Peri needing to be the one doing the talking so that Dev can take him seriously as a potential guardian.

But yeah, the thing is, it’s not working. Peri’s immaturity shines with his lack of patience for the kid, which Dev picks up on, leading the two of them to get snappy with each other on “even ground” in a way, which doesn’t help Peri’s case. And on top of that you have Cosmo and Wanda, who even with their eccentric side remain mature adults (and I love how them being eccentric doesn’t make them seem any less adult; love adults being allowed to have fun and be themselves without being shamed or called childish for it!).

Now as far as I’m aware the show never really talks about this, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Cosmo and Wanda being around played a role in Dev’s perception of Peri. Not only because of them being mushy parents as previously discussed, but also because they are clearly older and more experienced than Peri, making it harder for Dev to take Peri seriously. Hopefully this makes sense?

And speaking of Dev with Cosmo and Wanda, I actually get the feeling he somewhat respects them? At least more than Peri? And on that note, there’s that scene at the very beginning of “Operation: Birthday Takeback” that I find both adorable but also pretty depressing when it comes to Dev.

When Cosmo, Wanda and Hazel show up, they ask if Dev’s dad is here, to which he mentions “Project H”. And at that Cosmo makes a comment about this project being a big surprise party, and yeah this moments gets me.

Because for a second there, Dev actually smiles. He knows that what his dad is doing has nothing to do with the party, he says so himself in response to Cosmo, but he still smiles, because he understands that Cosmo is trying to cheer him up and appreciates the effort. Idk this gets me, especially also seeing the way Wanda and Peri are looking wary as Cosmo keeps talking, clearly unsure of how Dev will react.

Like am I making a big deal out of a ten seconds moment? Probably. But there’s just something about this sad kid closing himself off whenever his problems are brought up, acting like an entitled brat most of the time as a coping mechanism, yet when this random adult he vaguely knows tries to cheer him up, he’s able to understand it and appreciate it. Idk, again, it just gets me. And sadly it really shows how bad of a match Peri and Dev are. Peri hasn’t been able to get any sort of progress with this kid, but the second his dad shows up and talks a bit suddenly the kid is giving a sincere smile. Yeah…

Now granted in regards to Dev respecting Cosmo and Wanda more, it might also have to do with them not being his godparents, considering Dev is basically using Peri as some sort of servant at times since he’s a spoiled brat and all.

Finally for this part, I want to bring up that scene in the secret lair with Vicky showing up, because to me this is a very good example of Peri actually failing Dev, which in this case will make the kid not take him seriously (on top of not earning his trust and being frustrated with him).

Now I will say, I can’t blame Peri for panicking the way he does upon seeing Vicky (btw I forgot to mention it earlier but the way he goes “lalala” and continues while turning into a drone and looking at the banging door in horror is so real. Again Peri is peak young adult energy). He’s had to deal with that woman since he was a literal infant, of course he’s going to be traumatized!

Still, Dev doesn’t know that. All he knows is that there’s this scary lady his and Hazel’s fairies know about, but he has no idea what history is between them outside of “she was terrible to our previous kid and scares us”. Also he’s 10 and has a bad home-life making him selfish, I don’t think he can fully understand the adults around him being traumatized.

But yeah, all this to say, in this scene, Peri is completely paralyzed, hiding behind the others waiting for Vicky to leave, letting his parents do the talking. And yep, we yet again go back to Cosmo and Wanda being the mature adults around here. Also worth noting that once Vicky puts on the nice act, Hazel stops being afraid of her but Dev still looks intimidated!

In that moment, Peri should have been there to protect Dev. That’s his job as a godfairy. His kid was scared and in potential danger. Yet Peri did absolutely nothing. Instead he stayed hidden, technically behind his kid which means using Dev as cover, and who came to both his and Dev’s rescue? Cosmo and Wanda, the other two fairies in the room, who are clearly more mature and are Peri’s parents.

And again, I don’t blame Peri for being paralyzed in fear like that, but how do you explain that to Dev? How do you tell that kid that he’s braver than his adult magical all-powerful fairy? That while he had to stand and somewhat confront Vicky, that adult fairy that’s supposed to protect him went hiding behind mommy and daddy? Hell from what I’ve seen, earlier in the episode the kids do stand up to Vicky, which makes Peri’s actions worse!

So yeah, hopefully this whole part makes sense as it feels a bit like a mess. The main takeaway here is that Dev needs a fairy that he can see as an almost parental figure, someone he clearly views as an adult and respects as such, that way he can have someone he can trust and be comfortable with, easing him into breaking down his walls. But Peri isn’t any of that. He’s a young adult which makes him still quite immature, and on top of that his parents basically live next door, thus leading Dev to see his fairy getting treated like a kid. It just can’t work out between them as long as they stay like that.

3. Finally, the part related to that moment of Dev talking about his dad while looking at the fairies: Dev has some serious daddy issues related to his father never paying attention to him on account of being a piece of shit who only cares about himself. And the thing is, Dev doesn’t have anyone he can relate to on that front (saying this since it’s hard for him to open up, so having someone with similar issues could be a bit of a push for him).

Hazel has caring parents whose main issue is being busy, on top of her fairies who clearly love her and spend a lot of time taking care of her. Now I haven’t seen much of the school kids but also Dev isn’t exactly close to any of them apparently? Meaning that in any case he can’t relate to them.

Then there’s this fairy that shows up, meant to cater to him but also help him emotionally, and wouldn’t you know this guy talks about wanting to impress his parents and being afraid of them! No but seriously, thinking about it, I can’t help but wonder if for a moment Dev thought he and Peri could bond over family issues, at least subconsciously. But nope! As soon as Peri reunites with his folks, turns out they’re the sweetest most loving parents ever.

I’m actually surprised that from the looks of it the show doesn’t draw a parallel between Dev and Peri on that front. I mean you have a kid with an incredibly absent parent who wants nothing more than to get his dad’s attention, being taken care of by a fairy who finds his parents’ attention suffocating and just wants them to leave him alone. There’s interesting storytelling potential here, especially when taking into account how much those two struggle to get along (basically Peri’s family situation making Dev feel worse in a way due to his confusion as to why Peri puts a bit of distance between himself and his parents)

Which loops back to that scene at the end of “Operation: Birthday Takeback” with Peri getting hugged by his parents while Dev is opening up about his daddy issues and how this visual gag fits the theme of the scene. Dev is feeling like shit about his father not loving him meanwhile the fairy that’s supposed to take care of him is being cuddled by his incredibly loving parents who adore him.

On that note, there’s an element I haven’t touched on in this episode, and it’s the fact that Hazel and Dev were in trouble with Vicky but didn’t have their fairies to protect them due to the trio visiting the house. While this scene is another example of Peri failing Dev, what I find most interesting about it is the fact that Peri “abandoned” Dev to spend time with his parents. Idk, I can’t help but think that this detail twists the knife even further for Dev. Not only was his fairy not here to protect him, but his absence is due to him hanging out with his parents who love him and wanted to spend time with him.

Speaking of which, I wonder if Dev is also angry at the fact that Cosmo and Wanda are able to take care of Hazel and be there for her whenever she needs while still finding the time to hang out with their son and be involved in his life. In a way it’s further proof that Dale is an atrocious parent, at least when taking into account Dev’s pov since I doubt a kid his age spends a lot of time hanging out with other parents, so Cosmo and Wanda are basically the only couple he can compare his father to. Basically I could see Dev noticing how much Cosmo and Wanda do and it making him feel even worse about why his dad doesn’t love him the same.

But yeah all this to say, just like everyone else in his life, Peri can’t understand Dev’s issues with his father, issues that are the core reason why he has a fairy in the first place. On top of that, Peri not only has the one thing Dev wants, but the kid sees him push it away on numerous occasions.

And that’s the end of what I wanted to say here. Hopefully this isn’t too much of a mess since I’m writing this while sick + sleep-deprived due to illness + haven’t watched much of the show past a few episodes and the clips on Tumblr.

On that note, yet again please take this post with a grain of salt, especially the Dev-Peri part. I originally just planned on gushing about “Lost in Fairy World” and how much I love the Fairywinkle-Cosma in it, but seeing the ending of “Operation: Birthday Takeback” made me want to talk a little more about Dev. That being said given how little I’ve watched there’s probably a lot I’m missing about this kid, so by no means do I think this analysis is perfect (also, the fact I’m writing this while ill…). Now Dev does seem to be a “predictable” character, hence why I feel somewhat comfortable writing this despite seeing so little, but again I might be wrong.

(Btw when I say Dev is predictable I’m in no way saying it negatively, quite the opposite! I love that him getting a fairy low-key made him worse, and I’m very curious as to how they’re going to resolve him spiraling the way he’s currently doing.)

In any case, thanks for reading!

[annes-andromeda]

⚠️Spoilers for Wish⚠️

While I am excited for/ planning to watch Disney’s Wish, I honestly wish (heh) they had gone with the original plan for Amaya’s character and made her a villain alongside Magnífico.

Like, I genuinely think it could’ve been cool to see them as partners in crime and be inspired by classic Disney villain traits: vain, narcissistic, power-hungry, cruel, and enjoyable to hate.

I could’ve seen their relationship as something similar to Scarlett and Herb Overkill from the Minions movie, where it’s two married villains who are clearly terrible people, but are still heads over heels for each other.

I’ve read the golden book and kids book of the movie that some people have uploaded on YouTube, and while those books tend to omit things from the actual film, they give us a basic synopsis of the overall story.

(SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE BELOW)

——————

Essentially, the story ends with Magnífico being sucked into his staff, Amaya rules Rosas and Star gives Asha a wishing wand (essentially making her a Fairy Godmother sort of character mixed with elements of Snow White)

It’s a pretty basic, cut-and-dry story and I’m not saying I expected Shakespeare or whatever, but imagine how much better the story would’ve been with both Magnífico and Amaya as the villains:

The story could’ve been that the kingdom of Rosas was ruled by Magnífico and Amaya, who both seemed charming and generous on the outside, but were greedy and self-serving on the inside. They essentially didn’t care for anyone but each other.

I’d also add Amaya’s cat Charo from the concept art book, cause it think it would be cute that these two are absolute shitheads, but are still cat parents who spoil their cat and take it everywhere.

Anyways… Magnífico, like in the actual story, only granted the wishes that benefited him (and his wife), while the majority of wishes were stashed away in his tower.

Asha wants to become Magnífico’s apprentice and when introduced to the wishes, wants to grant her grandfather’s wish and finds the kings (and queens) whole wish-granting system unfair to the people (again, like the canon material).

The story would then go like the actual movie: Asha makes a wish on a Star and Magnífico sees her as a threat to his power and hunts her down (only with Amaya by his side).

I’d like to think that while Magnífico has his moments where his true personality shines, I feel like Amaya wouldn’t truly snap until the very end, having a little more composure than her husband (similarly to the Evil Queen or Maleficent or Ursula)

In the end, the King and Queen are defeated and banished into Magnífico’s staff. Asha is named the new Princess of Rosas (or Queen, whichever you prefer), and she actually joins the Disney Princess lineup and it’s not just advertisement. Like the real story, Star gives her a wand and Asha becomes the new wish-granter.

It’s not perfect, but I think it may have been more interesting and entertaining to see rather than the typical director the creators went with the story

These are just my thoughts, however, I’m still gonna watch the movie and see I think about it.

[calcifiedunderland]

The Prefect’s Kiss~

—When a Night Raven College’s housewarden falls under the Sleeping Curse, only one person can wake them up.

Riddle Rosehearts, Azul Ashengrotto, Kalim al-Asim x gn! Reader

Leona, Vil, Idia, Malleus ver.

“Oh! How terrible! Oh woe is me! How could this happen?!”

Crowley wailed at the news, sobbing fake tears beneath his mask. “What will I tell the parents?! The press?! How will I be able to afford vacation- I MEAN funding for my wonderful students?!”

Crewel rolled his eyes. He’d actually feel sorry for the Headmage if he was actually crying tears. The tissue clutched in Crowley’s fist was still dry.

Trein sighed, “this is the antidote recipe for Sleeping Death. Although, the materials are extremely hard to come by.” Crewel scanned the paper, noting the ingredients. “The recipe is possible, although they are quite expensive.” Crowley cringed, “how much will it be?” He screeched at the amount Trein said.

Meanwhile, Crewel muttered to himself. “The only other option is possibly true love’s kiss.” He looked up, “well, I’ll get the ingredients first thing in the-“ He stopped. Where Crowley was standing, was now a few black feathers fluttering down to the carpet. Crewel’s face fell, “oh no…”

In Ramshackle dorm, the Headmage chuckled nervously, sweating. You stared in disbelief, “I… honestly can’t believe that happened?” You were beyond shocked to hear that a Housewarden of all students had been knocked out with Sleeping Death. Crowley nodded wisely, “And I have decided to generously ask you to do the honors!”

“Huh?!” You stared incredulously at the Headmage as he ushered you out the door. He looked cheerful, “ah, aren’t I so gracious? I’m reuniting you with your true love!” You stared at him, jaw dropped, “HUH?!”

Riddle Rosehearts

♥️ The Headmage’s speech about True Love’s Kiss echoed in your head. You’d admitted to your friends that you had just a tiny, itty-bitty crush on your beloved Teapot-Tyrant. You didn’t know if he’d ever like you back, even though Ace swore up and down that Riddle gave you special treatment when you, Ace, and Deuce got into trouble (aka gently scolding you while they got collared and yelled at)

♥️ You didn’t want to give yourself false hope, even though you got butterflies every time Riddle personally waited on you during Unbirthday Parties and offered to tutor you when you didn’t understand something. If only you didn’t look away every time you got flustered, then you see the sweet blush on Riddle’s face and the gentle look he’d give you when you were together.

♥️ Now, you stared at the boy in front of you. Your beloved hothead-redhead looked too peaceful to be under a sleeping curse. You deadpanned at Ace and Deuce. “Explain.”

♥️ Apparently, while the two of them were messing around in the botanical gardens, they dropped some draught into Trey’s strawberry plants. And Trey baked the strawberries into a tart for Riddle. It was just your luck that your two beloved idiots had Sleeping Death as their potion.

You rubbed your temples. Deuce held his head in his hands. “The Housewarden will be so furious,” Ace said in a daze. Cater nodded solemnly, tucking his phone away, “your heads’ll be off quicker than you can say Magicam.”

“And they’ll be permanently off if you don’t leave them now.” Trey’s aura made them bustle out of the room, and Cater flashed you a little kissy face before leaving after Trey. You turned back to Riddle, sitting next to him. You gently cupped his cheek, brushing his bangs away from his face.

Even though you wanted to do it so many times before, thought of kissing him made you nervous. Especially when he could never wake up. Still, you leaned forward.

“Please wake up Riddle, I’ll miss you too much” you begged, before gently pressing your lips against his. You lingered there for a few seconds, before gasping and pulling away when you felt him move. Riddle’s eyes were wide open and staring at you, his face growing red. “P-prefect?! What is the meaning of this?!”

You threw your arms around Riddle, who dazedly hugged you back. Ace and Deuce fell through the door, and Cater and Trey rushed in. Deuce grabbed Ace and forced him down, bowing before Riddle, “we’re sorry, Housewarden! It won’t happen again!” Riddle looked at Trey and Cater in confusion, who explained “you were under the Sleeping Curse thanks to these two.”

You felt Riddle tense under you, and you pulled away. You cupped his cheek gently as he grit his teeth, “deal with them later, ok? Just rest,” you kissed his cheek and Riddle’s anger fizzled out as Ace and Deuce ran out of them room. Cater chuckled as he and Trey left, “we’ll leave you two lovebirds!” He sneakily snapped a photo, with you and Riddle wrapped in each others arms gazing at each other. He dm’ed you the photo, #truelove’skiss #finallythesetwoaretogether #getaroom

Azul Ashengrotto

💜 The Mostro Lounge was still running normally thanks to Jade. It seemed that only him and Floyd knew that Azul was under the Sleeping Curse. The entire dorm might revolt against working if they knew their Housewarden was cursed. The thought made you giggle, despite your growing nervousness of your crush being cursed.

💜 It was a long shot that Azul would like you. After all, more often than not you caused a lot of trouble for him. But still, you supposed you did get more discounts than the average student. And Azul did seem more keen on roping you into contracts, but somehow your end of the ‘deal’ wasn’t as harsh as others…

💜As Jade lead you into Azul’s bedroom, you asked what happened. Somehow, one of his edible mushrooms had been watered with Sleeping Death. They were making new dishes for the menu, and Azul accidentally ate it. You supposed they knew who spilled the potion into Jade’s precious mushrooms - you saw Ace and Deuce being worked to the bone in the kitchens.

💜“I’ll leave you two,” Jade looked worried when you first arrived, but somehow he looked amused as shut the door.

In the watery lighting of Azul’s room, the quietness felt loud as you remembered the Headmage’s words. You had to kiss him. He was your true love. You brushed Azul’s hair from his face, “are you?” You wondered out loud.

For a while, you tried to squash the growing feelings you had for him. But you couldn’t help but get flustered when he smiled so charmingly at you. And the way he’d offer you anything, anything Prefect please accept this, probably in a guilty attempt to ‘repay’ you. But deep down, you knew there was only one way you wanted him to repay you.

Despite yourself, you felt a lump in your throat as you watched Azul sleep. You grit your teeth. “You can put me in any contract you want. Whatever the price for this is, I-I’ll pay it,” you bit your lip, “just wake up, Azul.” And you pressed your lips to his before you could back down.

You couldn’t hear anything over your heartbeat loud in your ears, as you watched his chest move upwards while he breathed in deeply. His eyes snapped open, and immediately he focused on you, albeit blurry. Still, he could recognize you anywhere.

“Prefect?” Azul’s voice was raspy, and he frantically felt the nightstand for his glasses, “wh-what are you doing here?!” Your mouth flopped open but no sound came out. You stared at each other as Azul shoved his glasses on his face while scrambling to sit up. “A-AZUL!” You said too loudly, “you’re awake!” You both probably would’ve stayed there, staring, for the rest of the year when the door slammed open.

“Azuuuul~” Floyd ran in. “Guess ya finally woke up~ ” Jade sauntered in, and you could see relief in his face. “Yes,” Jade smirked at Azul, “it’s a good thing Prefect was here, isn’t it?”

Azul turned pink, and mercifully the twins seemed to think he’d had enough. They looked at each other with a grin, and excused themselves. You found yourself smiling shyly at Azul. “Are you feeling okay?” Azul seemed spaced out, but he snapped back to focus on you. He gulped.

“On account that you’re my… true love,” Azul took a deep breath, “perhaps you’d like to sign a contract now?”

Kalim al-Asim

🧡 The Headmage had barely said anything before Jamil slammed down your door and grabbed your wrist, hauling you straight to Scarabia. You’d never seen Jamil so stressed, ever. Crowley promptly abandoned you, wailing that he had to “go appease the parents.”

🧡 You could at least see why he was upset. The al-Asim’s were no regular family, after all. And neither was Kalim. Still, you couldn’t shake the thought. Bright, bubbly Kalim laying in bed under the Sleeping Curse. It didn’t matter how rich he was, how could someone do that to him?

🧡 Maybe it was because of how everyone at NRC was, but you’d come to appreciate Kalim. It wasn’t a stretch to say you enjoyed his company - whether it was him dragging you out on midnight carpet rides, or out to a party. His smile made the chaos bearable.

🧡 You never hid how happy he made you, especially so during his parties. Kalim always made sure to play your favorite songs, but you never noticed his smile widen when he saw you dance. You always looked so carefree, like a bird in flight. He always beamed when he got you to relax and have fun.

Jamil wasted no time dropping you off at Kalim’s room. “Just… please, I-” He swallowed thickly, before nodding at you. “I’ll leave you be.” He closed the door, and you slowly made your way to Kalim. He was laying among a dozen pillows, the with a few rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains. You sighed and sat next to him.

Scarabia felt downright somber without the sunniness of their Housewarden. Kalim’s usually smiling face was now devoid of any emotion. It bothered you more than you thought, to see Kalim with a neutral expression. You idly twisted a lock of his hair. The air felt thick without him to lighten the mood.

You didn’t want to think about never seeing Kalim again. Ever. “The dorm feels empty without you, Kalim,” you gently stroked his cheek, begging “you have to wake up to make it come back to life.” Softly you kissed him, closing your eyes tightly. You hovered there for a second, and pulled away with a gasp when you felt movement.

Kalim began stretching, still laying on the bed. “Mmh? Prefect?” he sat up with a small yawn, “What are you doing here?” He suddenly gasped, ruby eyes brightening. “Did we have a sleepover?! I totally forgot!”

You burst into laughter, feeling your eyes grow wet. You launched yourself at Kalim, both of you falling back onto the bed. Kalim hugged you back tightly, “Huh? What’s this about? Don’t cry, Prefect - I’m here!”

—————

I finally got some free time so here’s the fic three months late oops

Thanks for reading!!! Comments and reblogs are always appreciated, I hope you enjoyed 😄 the rest of the housewardens should be posted soon!

Take care shrimpies~ ✨ calci

[panelshowsource]

my IMMEDIATE thought is judi love, right?? her and roisin 1000% not even one show each, A SHOW WITH THEM TOGETHER 😍 and it's called JUDI & ROISIN'S DOUBLE DATES 😍

hahahaha absolutely! do you remember the stationary shop / pun guessing task that tim vine did on taskmaster s6? i always thought victoria would have enjoyed every single thing about that, just my intuition...

hahahaha this is so cute! they got married not to terribly long ago, so no worries. don't you love how sweetly they speak about each other 🥹 you know, when i saw richard at his last book signing in new york, he told a quick story about how ingrid had recently written for a doctor who publication and that she is super engrossed in & proud of the doctor who world 🥹🥹🥹 (made me so happy!!! bc i'm also a massive dw fan (i make those gifs on my main!) 🥹)

this is my modest richard and ingrid tag 🥹 i hope to flesh it out even more over time hehe

yes i've been listening to these!! they keep teasing a nish kumar one coming up that is supposed to be very special in some way?

anyways the richard osman one was very sweet because there was tons of kitten talk (LOVE) and you can tell how much richard adores david — which means he had a lot of fun teasing him hahaha that's what makes richard such a good podcast guest: he's such a comedy fan!

also enjoyed the eps with ivo and sam campbell, and i'm gonna listen to at least ed gamble, rose matafeo, and amy gledhill this weekend!

are you guys liking it??

i've def seen it (i saw the comedy blogs advertising the pilot) but i'm gonna be sooo honest and say i haven't had time to give it a listen yet TT have you?? i'm obsessed with both of them and will DEF listen to it this week! i'll post my thoughts :)

honestly, i think there are more comedy writers and comedy actors than proper comedians that i would like to read bios of. simon pegg comes to mind first! i also think it would be fascinating to read a kind of day-by-day journal of a proper circuit comedian, someone who could humorously and truthfully document the lifestyle. did you have someone in mind who hasn't written one?

as for books that are already published, i really want to read bonkers by jen saunders as well as richard e grant's semi-new autobiography (i'm worried it's going to be exceptionally sad since he'll always be dealing with the passing of his wife and he's very open about grief 🥺), so hopefully i get around to those before too long!

i haven't, tbh i never watched miranda, not going out, or even call the midwife — so even though i've obviouslyyy seen her around, sometimes on panel shows, and absolutely acknowledge how big she was/is, i don't carry enough nostalgia to read her whole bio. THAT SAID, i agree she was so so touching on graham norton and i think her stories both about her health and about finding love were SO LOVELY 💜 but if you tell me it's a must read then i'll definitely check it out!

and for anyone who's interested i added the audiobook to my drive :)

okay this scared me HAHAHA because as much as that is obviously not true if one uses a single modicum of common sense i am so easily fooled—

anyways it was a sweet episode! i don't really listen to that show but i was hoping to hear more about joe's particular approach to parenting, and even though he is clearly very private it was endearing. i love how much he loves birmingham (as someone who doesn't really have a hometown it's something i'm always fascinated by and envious of in others), and he really put his foot down about his sexuality! he was like "bi is bi, pan is pan, it's on you if you wanted to call me gay anyways" and PERIOD KING !! anyways, super happy for him. i have a feeling he won't post very much about it or even talk much about it in general, but i selfishly hope he does 🥹

it was a cute episode!! highlights for me include rob being extremely new to the concept of kimchi, rob claiming he doesn't understand why people care so much about seasoning (my fellow americans, have fun with that one), and rob roasting steve coogan lmaooo also i never get sick of the alan bennett impression i love how it's almost tom courtenay it's hilarious to me

i've loved a lot of the recent eps, especially the ones with matthew macfadyen and richard e grant (funniest man alive)! and i watched the gordon ramsay episode like 5 times, it was sooo interesting and soooooo sweet to hear about his relationship with angela!

one thing i really like about this show — besides how awesome angela is — is that nick asks the genuine questions someone who isn't big into cooking would ask. like, when they were eating the rib eye, he was like, "if someone wanted to make this at home, what would they ask the butcher for? is this a specific cut of meat?" and even though it's like 'lol yeah nick...rib eye...' people who aren't familiar with cooking beef wouldn't have known that! he asks about cuts, measurements, cooking times, that sort of thing in a way that feels genuine and curious, which i appreciate (as someone who doesn't cook a lot lmao)

for sure!

hello anon! these are always posted on reddit every single night that they air, i recommend sending a polite "hello would you kindly add me to the sub?" message (you don't need to get fancier or more specific than that; they have to keep the sub private for obvious reasons so no need to feel intimidated) to r/TV_NCA so you can snag those links each week

sure anon i'll work on that for you this weekend xx

—

PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS / NON-PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS FAQ / ASK

[maddy-k-reads-all-day]

There’s No Place Like Home

Previous Tape:

Aunt Kate gave her mother some old Amanda tapes to hold onto so Hameln would never destroy them… they are supposed to be super important. I’ll need to get my hands on them. Riley thought. Now here they were. Standing outside their childhood home where their grandmother was currently living with their parents. How long has it been since they last visited? The last holiday? Suddenly regret stung their chest. I should’ve come back here sooner. Time just… slipped on by I guess. They rang the doorbell and their father opened the door. 

“Riley! Oh it’s so nice to see you, it’s been so long!” their father said excitedly, giving them a big hug. 

“Hi dad!”

“What are you waiting for? Come inside!” their father beamed, as soon as the door was closed behind them, their dad’s demeanor changed. He locked the door and took Riley into the kitchen. “Okay what happened?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“What do I mean? What do I mean?! Kate’s house got burned down! What happened?!” 

“Oh that. That’s a long story.” 

“It had to do with that shady company she was looking into didn’t it? I told her to leave it be and now she’s dead and-” he freezes, “Riley… you went there didn’t you? You didn’t see anything weird in there?” 

“That’s actually why I’m here.” Riley sighs.

“Riley…” terror strikes his eyes, “You’re not intended to finish what she started are you?” their dad inquired. Riley looks away. He's not going to like my answer. But by their reaction he already knew. “You can’t! Are you crazy? Even if that company is up to some really terrible things- you know what happened to Kate and her friends right?” 

“Sophie and I are being careful.” Riley shoots back.

“Sophie… Sophie too? Oh god… why would you bring her into this?”

“Sophie’s family has been looking into that cult for generations.” Riley explains. 

“Cult? There’s a cult?!” he gasps. He rubs his forehead and shakes his head. “Honestly… that explains a lot.” he sighs. Riley thought he’d be more surprised about this. “But no- You can’t be doing this I don’t care what my sister told you to do-” 

“She actually warned me not to.”

“Then why are you doing this?” 

“Because I want to.” 

“You know what happened to Kate… don’t you? You can’t do this!” 

“Riley? You’re here…” their grandmother came down the stairs.

“Mom! Riley is-” 

“Hold on sweetheart, let’s hear them out okay?” Everyone sits down at the kitchen table. 

“I know what I am about to tell you will sound crazy. But you need to hear me out okay?” Riley says. The pair nods. Riley takes a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m doing this. They are going to think I’ve gone crazy. “Hameln is a cult that created Amanda the Adventurer in order to trap children’s souls into the show. For what reason? I don’t even think Kate knew.”

“Didn’t Kate get that show off the air years ago?” 

“Well yes. But there are a couple of issues. The company still exists. And they are planning on making a new show soon.” 

“So? That has nothing to do with you!” 

“I suppose it doesn’t. The second issue is that there are still two children trapped inside… well there could be more I don’t know… but… the voice actors of Amanda and Wooly are the only ones who are still conscious. And they are suffering in there… I just want to let them free.”

“But what does all this have to do with you?” 

“Can’t I feel sympathy for some children in serious pain and danger?” Riley questions. 

“I mean yes… but mmm… honey… Hameln is a big company. It’s been around for… forever… even if all of that is true… even if you could prove it. I doubt you can beat them…”

“I just want to let Rebecca and William find peace…” 

“Rebecca… Rebecca Colton?” Grandma inquires. 

“Yes. YES!” 

“Wait, as in Sam Colton’s daughter? Oh… oh… it all makes so much sense now.” Riley was starting to feel bad, for it looked like their father was having a mini-existential crisis. Grandma seemed sad but unaffected by the news. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t come by to visit more… I just got so busy with work and life…”

“It’s okay Riley…” 

“I… I’m sorry that I came here just to ask this… but… it’s really important. Someone who knew Kate told me that she gave some really important Amanda tapes to Grandma. I’ve been trying to collect all of them and I need them-” Grandma and Riley’s father exchange a worried look. Grandma solemnly nods. 

“Come with me.” she sighs. 

“Wha- You’re just going to give them up? You’re not even going to try and stop them?!” their father gasps. Grandma stands up and walks on right by and looks at Riley. 

“Are you coming?” she says sternly, sending shivers up their spine. 

“Okay…” they get up and follow their grandmother with uncertainty. They walk up the stairs. Everything feels like a blur. Have I angered her? Riley wonders. They continue walking up the stairs into their grandmother’s room. She kneels down and pulls out a box under the bed. There are ten tapes inside. “If I give you these tapes… will you allow me to see her? The girl Kate died for? My almost-granddaughter? At least once…” almost-granddaughter? Riley thinks in confusion. 

“I think I owe you that much.” Riley sighs, pulling out their phone. They click on the video and the show starts. Amanda and Wooly are standing in the backyard. Amanda looks on kind of nervously, fidgeting with her hands. Wooly looks nervous and confused. 

“Rebecca?” Grandma says. 

“Hi Grandma Park… it’s me… Rebecca…” Amanda introduces shyly. She recognized Riley’s grandma instantly. 

“That voice… It is you isn’t it?” Grandma says tearfully. 

“It’s nice to see you again.” Amanda replies with a gentle happiness in her voice.

“I’ve heard you’re in quite the pickle.” 

“That’s one way to put it, yes.” Amanda laughs sadly.

“I…” Grandma pauses, trying to find the words, “I hope things aren’t too terrible for you.” 

“They could be better…” 

“I’m sorry I didn’t watch the tapes she gave me sooner. I wish I had.” 

“That’s alright…” 

“Kate… she loved you very much.”

“I know… I know…” Amanda says, her voice trembles and slowly turns into soft crying, “I’m sorry Grandma…”

“What would you ever have to apologize for?” She smiles softly. Her hand reaches to gently touch her, but freezes in realization and pulls away. 

“Kate… she died trying to save me… and now Riley’s putting themselves in danger too… I told them not too…” 

“It's alright.” 

“And I couldn’t come for Thanksgiving… and I… I…” Amanda cries, choking on her words and hugging her arms. Wooly stands by her awkwardly.

“Shhh… it’s okay sweetie.” 

“I haven’t been a good girl like you told me to.” she sobs falling to the ground on her knees and hugging her arms tightly. “I haven’t… be-been a go-good girl at all…” she couldn’t get the words out anymore. Wooly awkwardly looks at her and then us. His hand carefully reaches out to try and comfort her but then pulls away with uncertainty.

“There there… it’s okay… just let it out.” Grandma says gently. Amanda just sits there and cries and cries. Wooly looks away sadly, as if her crying was breaking his heart. “You’re okay Rebecca, I’m not mad at you. I would never be mad at you…” 

“I never got to be your granddaughter…” Amanda whimpers. 

“Oh sweet child, you always will be in my heart.” she says tenderly. Amanda wails. She cries endlessly but no one stops her. No one minds. She needs this. “I just wish I could give you a nice warm hug right now… wipe your tears and make everything well again.” Tears are rolling down her eyes. Amanda sees this and slowly pulls herself together. Wiping her tears, hiccuping a little. Gathering the pieces and holding them together so she looks whole again, despite the fact those pieces would fall apart if she were ever to let them go. 

“I missed you. I missed you… and Kate… and Riley… and Uncle Park and Auntie Park… and my dad… and… everyone… I missed you guys all so so much.” Amanda cries. 

“We’ve missed you too Rebecca. Rest assured that you have always been very missed.” Grandma says gently. Amanda appears overwhelmed with joy. Riley feels confused… and guilty. It seems everyone knew about this but them. Wooly seems to react to this statement as well, squeezing his hands together tightly, slowly inching further and further away off the screen. As if trying desperately not to draw any attention to himself… to disappear…  I see you Wooly. Riley thinks.  

“Thank you Grandma Park… for everything.” Amanda smiles tearfully. 

“I assume if all goes well, we shall see each other again on the other side?”

“I’ll keep an eye out for you.” Amanda replies. “I love you Grandma Park… see you soon.” 

“See you soon, my darling Rebecca.” The episode ends. Riley is even more confused than before. What exactly was their relationship? They wonder. “I knew all along. Kate told me long ago. She’d ask me all the time… what she should do… whenever she came to be at a loss. I knew… I knew she was in there… but… I suppose I was just afraid.” 

“Grandma…” 

“Riley… you can’t save them… you have to set their souls free.” 

“I know…” 

“You can do that right? No matter how it breaks your heart?” “That’s what I intend to do.” “Then I have complete faith in you…” Grandma smiles. “For that was the one thing Kate could never do.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Let them go… she simply couldn’t let them go. As long as she believed there was a chance to bring Rebecca and Sam back into this world… she’d never let them go… And while I’m sure they would’ve wanted the same. That’s not what they need.” 

“They need to be free.” 

“Exactly. As long as you can let them go, you will succeed.” 

“And you’re not worried about me? I mean… they killed Kate. They burned her house down. They killed everyone who tried to help!” 

“Of course I’m worried… but things have changed. Hameln is not as powerful as they once were. We have Kate to thank for that. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking… or my own selfishness. But I think Kate weakened the monster so you could land the final blow. So here.” Grandma hands Riley the box of tapes. “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid.” 

“I promise Grandma.” Riley affirms. They head back downstairs with the box of tapes.  As they walk, Riley looks at all the family photos strung up along the walls. I really should come here more often… Riley thinks to themself. Just then, one particular photo catches their eye. A photo of one of their Thanksgiving dinners. It must’ve happened a long time ago, as Riley appears to be quite young in the photo. Wow… I couldn’t have been more than four or five years old in this picture. They think. They pause and stare at the picture awhile. Isn’t that… it couldn’t be… but it has to be. Sitting right next to Aunt Kate was Sam Colton. Even more surprising, next to Riley was Rebecca. Wait… did we know each other? I mean… the names and faces seemed vaguely familiar at the time… 

“Is something wrong?” 

“Did they come for… every thanksgiving? I don’t remember them coming at all…” 

“Only once. Before Sam… disappeared.” 

“I didn’t realize they were that close. I mean… I feel like I didn’t know Aunt Kate very well… she wasn’t around much…” 

“She used to be… she used to come by all the time… before that happened. Kate was so desperate to find them…” Grandma explains sadly. “It’s such a shame… how everything turned out. But there’s no changing the past I suppose.” 

“Grandma… Do we have more photos like this.” 

“Photos of Kate?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Of course.” she smiles. Once they get down stairs Grandma pulls out a photo album and Riley looks through it. Sure enough, there were a lot of photos of Kate from when Riley was little. Not just Kate at their house, but at Kate’s house too. Rebecca… was in quite a few of them as well. The photos suggested that they used to play together quite a bit. Amanda… she spent all that time wondering if her old friends still remembered her. I thought they would. Why wouldn’t they? And yet… it was so long ago… I don’t remember it at all. I wonder when… the name Rebecca Colton became the name of a stranger? Riley flips through the photos. They never realized how close the Coltons once were with their family. Grandma remembered… Amanda remembered… heck maybe even Dad remembered… why… can’t I remember at all? 

“Kate came to me one day… seeking advice… begging for an answer… what she should do.” Grandma sighs, “Sam was gone. Rebecca couldn’t be saved. But she couldn’t just give up right? I told her to let them go… she couldn’t accept that answer. She gave me these tapes and told me that if anything were to happen to her… I should keep them safe… keep them company… don’t let anything bad happen to them… that was the last time I saw her.” 

“So you’re really doing this?” their father asked, leaning on the doorway. Riley nods. He looks conflicted, but says nothing more on the matter. “Want to stay for dinner? Or do you have somewhere you need to be?” Riley thinks about it. They look at the photos and the box of tapes. 

“I think I’ll stay for dinner.” they say. I don’t want to have regrets. I don’t need all the answers… I don’t need to save the day… or get a perfect happy ending… I need to follow my heart. I’m going to end this.

Authors Note: A Riley-centric episode! Time can fly by so fast when you don't realize it huh?

[fand0mswithbunny]

this is so different from the other posts i do but fuck it. descendants 4: rise of red review, spoilers ofc, we still boycott disney's ass, pirate this movie like uma and her crew ate the intro of this movie instead of watching this from disney+

keep reading if youve seen it or dont care about spoilers but tldr: if you havent seen it and see this as a spin off movie instead of a 4th installment, i say go watch it. its basically how i feel about the 2024 mean girls movie, im just here for certain characters, dynamics and songs, and a bit of the actual plot, its fun but definitely not for everyone, i liked parts of the movie/plots tho

okay honestly overall, despite the fucking terrible rushed ass ending, i still honestly enjoyed a lot of aspects of this movie.

songs, generally i liked. yeah its all pop-y but yk, none of them were unbearable, i loop red, whats my name (red vers.) and love aint it what about it

the editing was. a choice at times. like it will cut at the most random moments and when red was being transported and fell from that. pipe. thing in the castle it was so. disney channel editing core LIKE OKAY I KNOWW OFC IT IS but grahhhhhHH

the cg was good, direction was. also a choice at times. idk how to explain it but it felt like every scene was being directed like a music video and not like a MOVIE esp the lighting oh my god idk what it is but its so GLOWY AND WEIRDD

the characters themselves, i love the main cast, red, chloe, ella, bridget, etc. were all cool. IM A FIRM RED/CHLOE SHIPPER THEY ARE GIRLFRIENDS IDC and i also liked the dynamic they have with their past moms it was nice

oh yeah i dont mind how they wrote mal, evie, jay, and ben outta the story, i mean they gotta explain their absence yk. and i loved the carlos tribute, you can tell china was genuinely not acting in that tribute scene.

the vks were. okay. i dont mind that literally every villain/princess/disney protag goes to high school. this whole series basically feature length fanfiction anyway, idc personally about that. its weird URSULAS SISTER was the main antagonist. like i get having a completely new villain aside from the vks parents or something but. ursulas. sister??? besides you could tell me shes ursula and ill believe you.

its nice seeing filipino prince charming thats it thats all i gotta say RAHHH PHILIPPINES BABYYY 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 MY MANS GOT THAT 'PINO RIZZ OKAYYY

the plot was actually fun, but yeah I WISH WE COULDVE SEEN CASTLECOMING WE WERE ROBBED OF THAT i knew when red and chloe got the book there was like 10 minutes left in the film but cmonn we couldve had Morgie, I DONT KNOW somehow freeing the rest of the vks and them STEALING THE POCKETWATCH AND RED AND CHLOE HAVING TO GET IT BACK, GET ANOTHER 30 MINUTES IN THE FILM MAYBE, ANOTHER ACTION SEQUENCE, CASTLECOMING. but its finee im sure theres a fanfiction in the works somewhere that has that exact premise because thats what fanfic is for babyyyy

imagine. during the dance chloe and red are scrambling to find the watch, they see the vks, they find bridget crying because her best friend isnt there, she thinks ella bailed on her, they have to find the watch but, they gotta make her feel better right? red comforts her while chloe chases after them to find the watch, ella comes to the dance late after deciding, fuck my stepmom, get your hands dirty parallels, something something, the four of them all stopping the vks together, THEN they travel back.

i should just write a fix it fic for this movie at this point damnn i impressed myself

but yeah the ending does leave a lot of plot holes, if bridget didnt change from the past WHO DID, if Red even CONSIDERED a VK in this timeline? if not then WHO IS IT?? IS IT CHLOE?? its hella rushed, its ass, but i guess we'll find out in the 5th movie ig

also i thought they were totally setting it up for Ella to be the one that humiliated Bridget in the past, like the "I saw through her" in Love Ain't It we NEVER GOT ANY CLOSURE FROM THAT WHAT HAPPENED?? sighhh its okay its fine

i see this movie as a spin off movie rather than a 4th installment of the universe because it pretty much is, like its basically its OWN universe with the lack of the og cast and new characters. i unofficially coin it as the "Descendants: Redverse" because it just makes more sense

so many questions, mainly WHY, but yeah, still liked it, would rewatch. certain. parts of it. but honestly? a 7/10. leaning towards a 7.5

is this a recommendation? not sure, depending on who you are you could totally love this film or hate it, i say give it a chance and completely ignore the busted ass ending <3

anyways KENDRICKKK FANFIC WRITERSSSSSS- DROP SOME MORE CHARMINGHEARTS FANFICS/D4 FIX IT FICSSS. AND MY LIFE, IS YOURRSSSS

[darth-jess]

Hello there! Care to share with me what got you into star wars (Anidala/Vaderdala, particularly)? And I'm currently reading Beauty & Rage, and let me tell you; Friday is one of the days of the week I look forward to along with Wednesdays (iykyk)

Thank you so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying Beauty & Rage, it's been so much fun for me to write it! Sorry it's taken me so long to get to your question, things have been a little crazy for me!

I'm going to start by answering your question of what got me into Star Wars:

I honestly don't remember the first time I watched Star Wars. Both of my parents were born in 1972, so they were 5 when Star Wars: A New Hope came out for the first time. They grew up as the Original Trilogy was coming out and became pretty big fans of the movies.

My first Star Wars memories weren't even of the movies– they are of my sister and I pretending to be Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader (I was Darth Vader, of course) and fighting with imaginary lightsabers. I must have been 3 or 4?

Star Wars was just a part of me for as long as I can remember.

Alright, what got me into Anidala/Vaderdala?

When I was 3, The Phantom Menace came out. I don't remember watching it, but as I got a little older, I remember thinking Padmé was awesome and she became my favorite female SW character (it was previously Leia and my favorite character overall was Vader).

I was 6 when Attack of the Clones came out and Anakin immediately became my first love.

Like instantly.

Second he was on screen?

Boom.

I was in love.

Anakin was my favorite character from that moment on.

And then when I was 9, Revenge of the Sith came out and it broke my heart. (ROTS is also what made me realize I wanted to be a writer.)

Even though I already knew Darth Vader had been Anakin Skywalker, seeing it happen, seeing why he became what he became and how it was all for love and then how all amounted to nothing… it just destroyed me, and I hated it and I loved it and it immediately became my favorite thing ever.

To this day, Revenge of the Sith is my favorite movie– in Star Wars, and in general.

When it comes to Anidala, I have never seen true love in any movie or book so all-encompassing, so pure, so transcendent. I love how Anakin and Padmé's love for each other never faltered. Even as Palpatine tried to poison it, he never succeeded in turning Anakin against Padmé.

I love (and hate) that scene in ROTS where Anakin and Padmé meet one final time, and they both hurt each other so deeply that neither of them ever recover, and it's all just a terrible misunderstanding. They both love each other too much to see through their own pain.

Padmé has gone to him, and is willing to forgive Anakin for the horrible things he's done ("Come away with me, leave everything else behind while we still can"). The understanding they have for each other is boundless. She understands why he's done what he's done, and yet he hurts her, and this is something Anakin would never do. This is so unlike the man she knows, he would never ever hurt her. And the fact that he's hurting her means that in some way, she has lost him– the only person she has ever truly loved, the only person who truly knows her– and this breaks her.*

Anakin has just sold his soul– he even cries as he stares down upon the lava rivers of Mustafar, and my interpretation is that he's crying because he's dealing with the terrible things he's done. But it's worth it, because now he'll be strong enough to save the only person in the galaxy who matters, the only person who truly knows him. And then she arrives, and looks at him with horror in her eyes and says she doesn't know him anymore. And he looks up, and there's Obi-Wan. And he realizes that the woman he's just sold his soul for, the woman he's committed atrocities for wants him dead. This is more than he can bear. He has not stopped loving her, he is just so consumed in his own pain– the pain of realizing that Padmé brought Obi-Wan there to kill him, the pain of realizing that maybe she doesn't love him anymore– and it hurts so much and he just can't listen to her excuses and her lies, because every word breaks him more.**

In my opinion, even in this terrible, heartbreaking scene, George Lucas (along with Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen) did a fantastic job of showing that they still loved each other more than anything, even here.

But everything around them was falling apart.

I loved it because– even at the end, both of them were trying so hard to save each other that they destroyed themselves in the process.

I hope that answers your questions!

Also you can read below for notes.

*Padmé is aware that Anakin is still in there, but what happened was so traumatic and terrible that she can't recover.

**I say this every time I talk about this, but I am not defending Vader's actions in this scene. I am merely providing context, because context does matter. His actions are absolutely indefensible, but it is important to remember he is not acting out of hatred, he is acting out of such unbelievable pain.

[heyidkyay]

And I'm petrified of being alone, now |

Part Fifteen

Matty Healy x reader

Summary: She’s just trying to get by, really. What with being a single parent to her four year old son whilst simultaneously trying to kick start a successful career as a radio presenter. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted though, friends close by, a mum who’s merely a phone call away, and of course her baby boy. What else is there to wish for? But then, it’s not long before her relatively normal life gets upended and turned on its head, and she’s suddenly forced to deal with situations she’s never even thought to imagine.

What happens when one mention of a certain controversial singer on her show sends a flood of unexpected challenges her way? 

Authors Note: Honestly loved writing this one! Lots of tension, so many emotions! First scene has a few flashbacks in italics so watch out! Hope you enjoy x

> Last update: look back here if you'd like!

Masterlist

A list of things I remember about last night:

George buying a fan a bottle of champagne.. then four more for the table. He’d been six shots in and feeling more than a little generous.

Matty and I out in the smoking area, whispering back and forth, then giggling as we tried to knick a lighter from the back pocket of this big burly bloke trying to chat up the blonde beside us.

Hann leaving early but with smiles for all of us and the promise of seeing Adi and I again soon! 

Finn’s text saying that Teddy was fast asleep and all fine- an utter reassurance not just to me, but seemingly Matty too, who’d cooed over the picture I’d received alongside it.

Matty dragging me out onto the dance floor when a certain song had come on, his hands on my waist, mine tangled in his hair, the lights bright, the music loud..

The last round of shots, or one of?

Ross standing on a table??

Adi then slipping out with Ross- note to self, text Adi!!

And then…

Then the cab ride home!

But, I supposed it wasn’t headed home, or at least not mine, because now that I thought about it, dizzying images of awkward fumbles in the dark, searching for a light switch, hastily turned into a terrible attempt at trying to scrounge up some food, only a little less drunk than what we’d been when we’d left the club. But then even those soon spun and fluttered away, moving onto heavy hands and heated looks…

I froze, taking in the unfamiliar feel of the bed sheets beneath me and the weight of an arm thrown around my waist. How suddenly the skin beneath it felt hot at the realisation of its touch. I allowed my wide eyes to wander, holding my breath, the remnants of sleep quickly slipping from me as worry overwhelmed it. I saw the cemented walls, the soft hues, the sunlight which flickered in through the far window.

I didn’t know this place, but at the same time I felt as though I did.

I let my eyes fall close again, only briefly, when I finally allowed myself a moment to breathe, inhaling slowly so as to not stir the man settled behind me. 

Fuck.

And that was all that would come to mind because I was panicking now. It felt like I had been dropped into a black hole head first, or some other kind of alternate reality- or maybe even five years in the past! Because this couldn’t be happening. It had to be a dream.

But my thoughts kept on betraying me.

“Don’t run from me.” He whispered in the dim light of his kitchen as his fingers skittered over the length of my jaw, gently coercing me into meeting his gaze once again.

We’d been making toast, he’d only had a spoonful or so of butter left but had latched onto the idea the second we’d walked through the front door, the cab having not long left us. He’d pulled jams and spreads from high cupboards to goad me into it too, and I could do nothing but stand there and watch on, perfectly content and with a permanent smile etched into my face.

He’d patted the countertop beside him not long after finding a new loaf of white bread in the tin, gesturing me on round to sit on its top whilst he got to work.

“What do you fancy?” He’d asked me, plopping a slice into his sleek toaster, one which looked a decade newer than my own.

“You decide.” I had gambled, happy to just watch him laugh whilst he worked, licking his thumb free of chocolate and swearing under his breath when the butter finally ran dry.

On the plate I’d then been handed, sat four sections, each one a different spread to the other. He’d grinned up at me when he had passed it over and had watched on as I’d chuckled and picked a slice up.

“Blueberry, fine choice.” He’d hummed, his drawl deep and tinged with a faint hint of amusement. I’d shrugged, sheepish for some reason, and licked at the corner of my mouth to swipe the crumbs away from the bite I had just taken.

“Didn’t even know it existed.” I’d told him truthfully, taking another bite before reaching out to have him try. 

His movements had been careful at that, as though he’d been surprised by the offer, but then he’d let me feed him and had grinned around the sweet taste.

“Good?” I’d asked him, already moving to withdraw my hand before his fingers caught around my wrist. I'd blinked, confused and slightly startled by the suddenness of the gesture, but his hold hadn’t been harsh or hurtful, merely just that, a hold.

He had nodded at me in answer to my question, but then he’d taken the bitten slice from my grasp to place down somewhere on the counter.

“Matty?” I'd heard myself say.

He’d merely stepped on closer, “You have something.” His voice gruff.

He had lifted his free hand up towards my face, the other still caught on mine, and let the pad of his thumb brush away the tiniest piece of jam my cheek had caught. I’d felt my breath catch at the motion, somewhere in the very back of my throat, and then swallowed thickly at the sight of him placing the same finger into his mouth, sucking it clean.

I’d looked away, feeling the fierce rush of alcohol and embarrassment heat my face.

“Don’t run from me.”

His fingers still touched me now, even as he slept on, completely oblivious to the chaos that was my mind, the world that had continued on around us.

What would they say? What would they think?

Slowly, I forced myself to start moving, unable to continue lying in a bed that wasn’t my own. I hated myself a little for the fact that it was his, something deep inside of me knowing that this would’ve been so much easier had it simply been a stranger.

I lifted his hand from around my waist first, ever so careful not to have him stir, then silently slipped from between the sheets, my legs sliding out first before I willed my torso to follow. 

I picked up the first thing I saw from off of the floor, the white shirt he’d been wearing the night before, and pulled it on over my shoulders. My eyes skittered about the rest of the space, taking in everything that made up Matty’s room whilst simultaneously trying to find the dress I’d arrived in the night before. 

“I don’t think anyone has ever made me feel like you do.” He murmured into the space between us, my legs pressed against the counter top and dangling either side of his hips, his fingers grasped my chin, mine cuffed somewhere around his wrist. 

“It’s fucking maddening.” He continued on in the hushed tone he'd adopted, though no one was around to hear him had he spoken any louder, “I keep pulling away when I feel I get too close, scared you might push me away completely. ‘Cause what would I do then? Where would that leave me?”

I could feel the blood rushing in my ears and the way that my hands would surely shake if they weren’t already clinging to him. “I don’t understand, Matty.”

He smiled at me and I watched the way his eyes trailed their way across my face. I’d always liked his eyes. “I know. And that’s what kills me, ‘cause I don’t reckon you’ll ever think I’m enough.”

Enough. 

It threw me.

“You’re enough, what on Earth are you on about? Of course you’re enough.”

He shook his head at me ever so softly, with a sad smile this time around, whilst I dipped my own head to be nearer to his, wanting him to believe me. Willing him to.

“Matty-”

I was ripped away from the memory by the shuffling of sheets and stood in horror, barefoot in the middle of his bedroom, as the bed creaked with a slight movement. I held my breath, hands clutching at the buttons of the gaping shirt.

He sniffed unhappily, hands searching as he turned, but then was lured back into sleep.

I gave a stuttered exhale, heart pounding so hard it should’ve surely hurt, before continuing on with my search. I didn’t get too far though, not with my shaking hands and laboured breaths, the anxiety of it all overwhelming me now.

I could feel the pricking of tears that welled in my eyes, the stinging tingle of my nose as I fought not to cry. Why? The only question worth repeating, over and over and over. Why the fuck had I gone and fucked this all up?

“Mouse?”

My head shot up, startled by the suddenness of his voice and the realisation that I’d cowered into the wooden chair sat on the wall nearest to the window. Matty shifted in the sheets, sleep clouding his mind before I choked on a questionable sob and he was all but tumbling his way on over to me, catching on bed linens and fumbling across the floor.

“I need you to know, okay?” He whispered to me in the quiet of the kitchen, his wary face now cradled in the palms of my hands whilst his soft eyes stared back at me, mirroring an emotion I felt but couldn’t quite recall. “‘Cause, I don’t reckon I could say this whilst sober.”

“Know what, Matty?”

My fingers dug into the skin of my arms.

“Mouse, you hearin’ me?”

His voice sounded so different now, laced with a gruff edge I’d only ever heard during late night phone calls when he’d stayed too late at the studio and wanted company. There was an urgency to his tone now.

“Squeaks, just lemme know what I can do.” Matty rushed out, his face wrinkled with worry whilst his hands faltered, unsure whether or not to touch. “Please.”

Another sob ripped its way through me.

“I’m sorry.” I told him in earnest, crying hard enough now that I had to have been gasping to breathe, “I’m sorry, I, I just- I don’t know what to do now. I’m sorry, Matty. So sorry.”

He didn’t reply, didn’t say a word actually. Just moved to cradle me close, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as though that would hold me together, his body shielding my head from the rest of the world.

“I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for.” Matty murmured, so much like he had the night before but only sadder now. “Nothing at all.”

–

She was embarrassed. That much he knew.

Could feel the way she shied away from him now that she had calmed, still hidden away in his arms. He hated himself for it. He wanted to hate what had gone down last night too, but couldn’t bring himself to. What good would it do him now? Hate, always so stuck on it.

“Mouse.” He called out to her softly, after the quiet had been stretched and pulled far too thin. He swallowed thickly, “Let’s make some tea, yeah?”

He must've surprised her with his response because she glanced up at him almost unconsciously, but as soon as their eyes met hers were quick to dart away again. 

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, stare trained on the farthest wall. Matty licked at his bottom lip, still crouching in his position by the chair he had in the corner, moving his hands to now gently rest them by the knobs of her knees. 

He’d never been good at shit like this. Comfort.

He always got stuck in this place between panic and unease, forced to commit to empathising with another person and suspending his own agenda. It made him feel like he needed to make things better then and there, if only to save himself the strain of dealing with emotions.

That, and his mind was still so bleary due to the abrupt wake up, his heart still clenched to the point of exertion due to the spear of anxiety she’d propelled right through him.

“We can talk there, alright? Just, don’t leave just yet. Please?”

He felt bad for even asking her to stay but he knew her far too well, could see how desperate she was to run now, to escape her feelings and everything that had brought this moment to an abrupt head.

“Please?” Matty repeated even softer than he had before and was thankful when she finally nodded, a small thing he might not have seen had he blinked, but a nod nonetheless. “Okay.” He breathed out, something in him settling now that he knew she wouldn’t be making a run for the hills, “Okay, I’ll get a start on it then. You can have a look through them drawers over there, yeah? Find something, whatever, I don’t mind.”

He saw the bob of her throat as she swallowed and lingered on the motion until she nodded again.

By the time he’d made it out into the kitchen he was all but kicking himself, cursing as he tried to keep his temper in check. Of all the things he could have fucking done last night, why did he have to go and fuck the one good thing in his life up? She’d never fucking forgive him for this, even if she realised what had actually gone down and not what she’d just conjured up in that pretty little head of hers. 

Matty channelled his regret and sorrowful mood into hammering a pair of teabags into two empty mugs, figuring it to be the only way he could vent without banging everything about. He flicked on the kettle and moved to the fridge to pull the milk out, listening to it begin to boil instead of the stuttering of his pulse.

He only realised he’d been glaring a hole into the tiled wall when the thing finally whistled and the soft pad of shuffling feet echoed across the kitchen floor. Matty couldn’t help the way his head turned to find her.

“Hungry?” He asked, rubbing at his eyes, and although his voice was barely above a murmur it still felt too loud. She simply shook her head. Which was just as well really, he didn’t think he could even stomach this brew the way he was strung so tight. 

He dipped his chin in retort, ringing the two tea bags out before turning back to face her again. He paused when he found that her eyes were locked on the counter she’d been sat on the night before, Matty’s mind immediately flashed back to the skin of her thighs beneath his hands, the dip of her waist, the gentleness she’d held his face with, both the longing and sadness in her eyes when she told him he was enough.

He had wanted to scoff then, now even, but he’d never do that to her. If she thought he was worth even a fraction of the attention she gave him, then he’d take it. He was selfish in that regard, and couldn’t afford to waste anything she gifted him.

Christ, he sounded like a proper nut. How’d he let himself get so fucking gone on this girl?

Truthfully, he hadn’t even realised the depth of it until right then.

And now he had to be an actual grown-up and sort out the mess he’d made of things before he even got a chance to try to riffle through his messy array of feelings and their slow rising alarm bells. Another time- another day, even.

Matty cleared his throat as gently he took the seat beside her on the trio of barstools he had lined up on one side of his kitchen island, then faltered slightly, “Um, you good here or you wanna like, move to the settee or somethin’?”

She shook her head, hands careful as she moved to cradle the mug he’d just slid on over to her. He noticed how she moved her gaze from the counter down to the milky brew when he sat.

“Right,” He muttered, “alright.”

It was stupid, to feel so fucking incompetent then. In a moment he really should have been able to find the right words. Because Matty, somehow, had run out of things to say. And it was an accomplishment in itself, that he had to note, he wasn’t one to ever really be at a loss for words. But then again, Mouse was the biggest anomaly he’d faced so far.

He cleared his throat again and decided to just sip at his tea, noting that it was nicer than the usual scalding hot coffee he’d gulp down on his way out each morning.

Mouse went to open her mouth again, he saw the movement just out of the corner of his eye, and Matty already knew what she was going to say.

“Don’t,” He rushed out, though not unkindly. “No need for sorries, yeah?”

Her jaw snapped swiftly shut and she huddled in on herself slightly, staring back into the swirl of her brew. Matty immediately felt guilty.

He licked at his lower lip, feeling a cut there beneath his tongue just as a silence settled once more, one that was all the more suffocating.

He figured he’d best just get it over with, because at least then he’d be put out of the itching longing he had to end the quiet.

“I just,” He immediately paused, noting the way she had tilted her chin towards him at the sound of his voice, he coughed lightly then tried again. “Last night,” She tensed, and God, he had to steel himself further at that, “Nothing happened, alright? Well, yeah, I mean, fuck. Shit happened, but like we didn’t have sex or anything, I wouldn’t do that to you, Squeaks. You were drunk. It’d be a shitty move, yeah? So, just, if that’s what you’ve been worrying about, then..”

Matty glanced over at her wearily, internally wincing at the fucking stumble he’d made of things there, he found that her head was better turned towards him now, although her eyes still remained low. He watched her lips part, then quiver as though she was unsure of her response.

He let her have a minute.

“You were drunk, too.”

It didn’t sound like an accusation but felt a little like one. Still, he kept his head. “Not enough to not remember.”

The skin between her brows knitted, Matty could practically see the whirl of her many moving thoughts.

“I was naked.”

It took all his strength not to splutter at that, because he’d been trying his fucking hardest not to linger too much on that fact. Or how the sight of her in his clothes, even now, sent something stirring through his gut.

“Yeah,” Once again clearing his throat, Matty took another stilted breath, “Though to be fair, you’d had a shower then fell asleep like that after I said I’d be quick about mine.” 

His eyes flickered outwards, unable to look at her then, thinking back to the sight she’d made all sprawled out on his bed, face softened by sleep and the duvet pulled over most of her waist. 

“I didn’t see much,” He felt the need to add, because she was obviously a little torn up about it from the way she was wringing her hands, and knew for a fact that Mouse had a shit fucking perception of herself too. The way she breezily commented on her body and the scars that marred her face gave way to that fact, although most wouldn’t pick up on it, and he had realised quite early on that she didn’t either. Matty supposed he must have his rehab therapist to thank for that little enlightenment. 

He chuckled lightly when the image of her rippled to the forefront of his mind, clinging to the duvet with a strength no unconscious person should probably have. “You practically cocooned yourself in the covers anyway, threw a proper fit when I tried to steal some of it back.”

She smiled then, a tiny thing, mind, but a smile nonetheless. And that alone at least eased his mind a little bit.

“Thinking back, I probably should’ve just slept in the guest room but I was almost dead to the world. Sorry.” He was sincere in his apology, it’d been a misstep on his part, he just hadn’t been thinking. Hadn’t expected her to react so badly either.

“No need.” She said then, her voice a little more confident now as she mimicked his earlier words, “I shouldn’t, well, I shouldn’t have just assumed.”

Matty rolled his eyes and finally chanced a glance back over at her, so very pleased to see her looking back. Even then in that moment, after a right scare, fucking sobbing her heart out, and only just having woken up, she looked blinding.

He didn’t know if he had ever described a girl quite like that, or anyone really. But it felt too true to not shine a light to.

He internally chastised himself again- did ageing make you soppy or some shit? The fuck was he on.

“Yes, you should have. I’d’ve done the same, anyone would’ve.” He chuckled instead, loving the way her sheepish smile only curved up on the one side. “Least now we know you’d be fuckin’ mortified if I ever tried anything on.” He tried to joke, but it fell flat.

Squeaks swivelled her seat round to knock her knees against his own, then wrapped her cold feet around his ankle, “I was- I just haven’t, you know..” Matty arched a single brow, still rather pleased with their newfound position, his eyes lingering on the way her borrowed shirt slipped down to expose the majority of her collarbone. “.. slept with anyone in a while, and yeah, I don’t know, I wouldn’t want to go and ruin anything we have with a drunken mistake.”

Matty’s heart faltered. Felt it fucking implode and then shrivel up inside his chest. Mistake. 

He fought hard to keep his mask in place, smiling away. He sipped at his brew to keep the sudden sickness that jilted his stomach at bay then patched his bleeding heart back up. “How long’s a while?” He teased, smirking felt easier than a smile anyway.

It was her turn to roll her eyes at him then, laughing softly when she retracted her gaze, though their legs stayed intertwined.

“I don’t really know.”

“Yes, you do.” Matty laughed, having none of it, “Come on, a couple months?” She kept quiet, “A year?”

He frowned when she began to chew on her bottom lip, fighting the urge to reach out and stop her. “Two?”

“Six.” She answered him, probably tired of the guessing game.

“Six.” Matty murmured, reeling at the information. Six years. He’d fucking explode, “Is that even healthy?”

Squeaks was so quick in the way her hand shot out to swat him, “It’s fine, you dickhead! And besides, I just meant properly, you know? Like, there’s been a few quick passings but nothing, nothing like that.”

“Wow.”

“Don’t be a prick about it!” She immediately retorted to his breathy reply, obviously a little embarrassed and annoyed. “I have a toddler! And I’m always so fucking busy! I don’t even have the time to think about it!”

“Sounds like what you need is to get laid, babe.”

He snorted when she wacked him again, purposely ignoring the thoughts of her and him, drunken mistake.

“Leave off!”

“Fine then, I will for now.” Matty laughed, rubbing at his bicep, she continued to glare. “You want breakfast then? Or lunch now, I ‘spose. Can order in.”

Her knee knocked against his once more. Goosebumps trailed the length of his skin.

“Need to be back to pick up Teds from the nursery but yeah, lunch sounds nice.” She smiled, and for a second Matty was frozen in that very moment, content to just watch her smile at him like that forever.

Nice nice nice.

–

“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this.” I said, my tone almost scolding, but I’d been unable to flat out deny Matty of his request to come and help me pick Teddy up from school. I’d spent the rest of the day at his place, been given an actual tour, eaten some good food, and thankfully had been able to avoid any more awkward conversations pertaining to our wake up call that morning.

“What? You said I could!” He sounded almost petulant. “Besides, it’ll be lowkey, I have my hat, a hood. No one will know! Also, I’m not that important. Don’t reckon many four year olds are listening to Sex on the drive home.”

I snorted but my mind still flashed to memories of only hours earlier. My cheeks pinked. “First- lowkey, really? Aren’t we too old to be saying that? And second, that hat is the same fucking hat you haven’t taken off since Christmas!”

“Before Christmas, actually.” Matty said snidely, smirking all the while, even as he ducked to avoid the swat of my hand. “And anyway, I love this hat, so kindly fuck off.”

“Charmin’.”

Matty spent the rest of the walk to Teddy’s nursery singing This Charming Man whilst my mind lingered on his words. Claims of how he loved the small, insignificant gift Teddy and I had handed him. 

By the time we made it past the school gates, we’d been nudging shoulders and grazing hands most of the walk, so wrapped up in one another that I didn’t even realise I’d forgotten my phone somewhere until I patted down my pockets in the playground.

“Shit.” I muttered.

Matty, still blissfully unaware of my sudden circumstance and humming softly, kept on surveying the small school. “Yeah, the mural could use a bit of work but I think it’s meant to look shit, you know. Reckon the kids probably did it.”

Furrowing my forehead at his words, I then peered up at him, “No, I forgot my phone.”

Realisation dawned but then he shrugged, as if it were no big deal, “It’s probably still at mine, you use it this morning?”

I shook my head, feeling panicked now, which was stupid because it was just a phone. But, it also housed most of the things I considered important in my life; my work contacts, documents, notes, and To Do’s; Teddy’s doctors and dentist and school’s numbers; all the memories I’d made in the last few months that I had yet to save onto my icloud or hard drive; and pictures of Matty and I, as well as the rest of the guys too, but also our texts and little messages on Twitter and Instagram.

Losing it? I hated the very thought.

“No, I haven't touched it since last night. Could’ve left it at the club, or in the cab, or the-”

Matty’s hands came to cradle my shoulders, making me pause, and I realised he’d moved to stand before me, looking down at my pinched expression with a small smile. “You’re stressing, just take a breath. Alright? We’ll find it, ‘cause I’m sure it's back at mine anyway, but if not, then we can get it blocked and whatnot, try to get a new one before tomorrow.”

I forced myself to suck in a breath, still reeling from the feeling of my heart dropping to my arse. “Yeah, yeah I know, it’s just-”

“One of them things.” He finished with a knowing smile, hands squeezing my shoulders briefly before he wrapped me up in a hug. “Stressin’ won’t help and will only have Teds all wound up when he sees, yeah? We’ll sort it.”

His words ebbed my every worry just for a moment, I took another breath and let my arms find his waist, returning the hug and enjoying the way he settled his chin atop my head. 

“Okay.” I whispered into the edge of his coat, smiling when he squeezed me tight and then pulled away, “Sorry.”

Matty rolled his eyes at me, “Shut up.”

I chuckled to myself, shoving my hands into my pockets to keep from reaching out again and instead glanced about the rest of the playground. Most of the mums were here now and that panic that had subsided only a second ago almost came back in full force when I noticed how intensely they were watching me, or rather, Matty and I.

Carefully, I pivoted behind Matty, keeping my back to the gated fence which enclosed the school, but also forcing Matty to turn confusedly after me, his own back now facing the rest of the watchers.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He snorted with a bemused sort of frown, “Hiding?”

“Maybe.”

That had been the wrong thing to say because Matty nearly turned to glance back around, I reached out to stop him, hand encasing his elbow. “Don’t, alright? There’s a shit ton of mums just watching us. Got eyes like hawks or something.”

Matty merely blinked back at me before laughing, “You’re for real? Come on, they can’t be that bad.”

He went to turn again, only this time I couldn’t stop him. “Matty!” I called in a hissed whisper and he was quick to spin back around, face a little shocked.

“You reckon they’ll close in on us? I dunno if I can outrun them.”

I spluttered out an unexpected laugh, “I hope not. They usually hate me.”

Matty’s frown was quick to make a reappearance, “What, why?”

Shrugging, I glanced over his right shoulder, “You want a list? I’m a young mum, single, my kid doesn’t know his dad, I look like this, I don’t have a normal job or stay at home to take care of him, and sometimes Teds gets picked up by Finn or Adi, I don’t attend their stupid little-”

“Fuckin’ hell, alright I get it.” Matty said, his hand reaching out for my elbow just to slow me on my rant. “What a bunch of cunts.”

I forced a smile, “Yeah, well. Just another part of my life.”

Matty pulled a strange face at that, but before I could begin to decipher it, the classroom doors were opening and I was quick to step forward. Matty lingered behind me, keeping his hood up.

A few kids were called when Miss Sparks spotted certain parents and she did the same for Teddy when she saw me and smiled. “Teddy, your mum’s here!”

It only took a minute or so before Teddy came stumbling out with his backpack thrown over one shoulder and his hair a messy mass of curls. I grinned at the sight of him and picked him up when he hurried to grab at my legs, “Heya, little man. Good day?”

Teddy nodded in my arms, opening his mouth to tell me all about it when he peered over my shoulder and paused, his eyes lit up at the face he found there. “Matty!” Teddy all but squealed, immediately wriggling in my hold to make an escape towards the man.

Matty laughed, his eyes wide and dancing with warmth as he held out his arms for Teddy to jump on into. I rolled my eyes at the exchange but couldn’t help the way my whole being radiated with the beaming smile I wore.

“Alright, monster?” Matty greeted him, settling Teddy on his hip once he was done playfully swinging him about a bit. “How was nursery, hey?”

Teddy was still so awed by Matty’s appearance at his school, of all places, that he was eager to tell the man literally everything about his day. It was only once we’d managed to make a quick exit out of one of the side gates, that Teddy finally asked, “How’d you get here, Matty?”

Matty merely grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at the boy, “Magic.”

With a wrinkled nose, Teddy giggled, “Matty!”

“Alright, alright, jheeze.” Matty relented, all too easily, “I annoyed your mum into letting me come pick you up, didn’t I?”

Teddy looked at me with that, as though I’d gone and put all of the stars into the night sky. “Ta, mama!”

I shook my head at him fondly, leaning in to press a kiss to my baby’s cheek. “You hungry?” I asked him, instead of focusing on the entire scenario at hand, how Teddy seemed to cling to Matty and how entirely charmed Matty was by the boy. They appeared so close in that moment, it made me notice just how different Teddy’s reactions to Matty were to that of Finn’s, a man who had always been a constant in Teddy’s life.

The thought sent me spiralling down a rabbit hole, but thankfully before I could fall any further Teddy was nodding happily and Matty was making a suggestion, “Dinner at mine then?”

Teddy seemed thrilled with the idea but I merely raised a brow at Matty, “What ever will we make with your one egg and half a dozen jams?”

“Toast?” Matty grinned, enjoying the eye roll he received in return as he leaned in to laugh with Teddy. He looked back to me after a moment, “Could head to the shops if you wanna cook, or just order in.”

I pursed my lips, “Would you be able to?”

“To what?” Matty frowned.

I looked ahead as I clarified, “Get some shopping.” 

It was his turn to roll his eyes then, nudging his elbow against mine, “Yes, you muppet.” He shook his head when he glanced back at Teddy, feigning a huff that made the toddler giggle, “What do you want then, little man?”

“Ghetti.”

Matty could only blink.

–

By the time we’d made a quick whip around the local Waitrose (because Matty lives in an affluent area and not because he’s ‘pretentious’, he’d like to claim) and back to his, we’d been pictured more than a dozen times. 

Although, we’d only found this out when I’d finally caught sight of my phone, wedged between Matty’s bed-frame and the mattress, and managed to charge it. In between then and now, I had roped Matty into helping me cook whilst Teddy worked at the counter doing today’s reading.

“B-ah.” Matty carefully sounded out, still wearing one of the mock aprons Ross had apparently gifted him one Christmas, it was frilly, pink and had ‘This girl loves meat’ written in a pretty font. My own was of a similar fashion, only the words ‘Always use protection’ were warped across its front. “B-ah-guh.” He said once more, leaning up against the counter by Teddy.

“Bag!” Teddy exclaimed excitedly and looked practically giddy when Matty loudly cheered for him.

“Go on, mate! Knew you could do it.” Matty complimented, grinning down at Teddy before ruffling his hair and pulling him into a one armed hug. “Let’s see if we can get the next one before your mum’s done with the spaghetti, yeah?”

Teddy was all too happy to agree, something I slightly resented seeing as he whinged and moaned whenever I asked. But it was nice to see him enjoying his homework for once, a concept that was still so mad to me considering the kid was four. 

“‘Bout five minutes to boil now,” I told them as I wiped my hands on a nearby tea towel. My phone finally powered on then and so I moved about the counter to grab at it, not wanting to miss any important notifications. Adi and I had a guest on the show this week and had yet to be filled in on the requirements needed.

Only, before I could even pick the thing up, it started buzzing like mad with hundreds of notifications. 

With wide eyes I turned to glance over at Matty, who had paused in his helping of Teddy and was already staring back at me. I blinked and then went to pick the thing up, even as it continued to buzz, but Matty was now moving too, “No, wait.”

I shook my head, wanting to know what the hell was happening, but Matty had been closer, quicker, and was already reaching out to grab it. “Let me look first.”

“Matty.” I huffed, annoyed, but the man didn’t relent. Actually his expression only worsened as he scrolled through the thousands of alerts on my phone. “Matty! What’s the fucks going on?”

“Bad word!”

I winced, then turned to look over my shoulder, “Sorry, Teds, won’t do it again. No chocolate for me tonight, yeah?” My toddler nodded sternly, it made me smile before I glanced back at Matty who’s mood had obviously soured. He tossed the phone back down onto the counter and went to leave the kitchen, I could only assume to look for his own, “Oi!” I admonished, but he just shook his head, seemingly muddled.

“Sorry. Just- gimme a sec.”

I watched as he left, Teddy eyes latched onto him too before he turned back to face me, “Sad Matty?” He asked and I gave him another small smile.

“Not sure, baby. But he’ll be okay in a second.” Or at least I hoped. Teddy took it though and nodded, already going back to his work, though he kept looking over at the door every few seconds.

I forced my shoulders to drop, knowing the tension would only wreak havoc on my back come bed tonight, and took a careful step towards my phone. 

It had stopped pinging so incessantly now, but the odd notification still came through.

[HOMESCREEN] 17:18 Twitter now  Trending.. Notifications..  Instagram now Open to view News 1m Matty Healy's new budding romance? 

My heart stopped. It was all there, us dancing at the club, getting into the cab, Matty at his front gate this morning with the food delivery driver, us walking to pick up Teddy, the hug we'd shared in the playground, Matty holding a bundle that could have only been Teddy in an aisle at the shops- thankfully his face was hidden, the only saving grace of it all. But still, it all looked so convincing. 

We were definitely in deep shit.

“Squeaks?”

My head snapped up to find Matty standing over by the counter, his body tense but a gentle hand holding Teddy’s own, the horror I felt must’ve shown on my face because he winced.

“We’ve gotta talk.”