#time to become obsessed with “love on instinct” trope again

[bakvrue]

I think it might be time for my yearly rewatch of darling in the franx 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

[lizhaoyu]

Nightowl's Birthday Special: Shadows and Snow

(A/N: Welcome to my Birthday Special Fanfiction~ How are you guys doing? My birthday was on August 10! I know, I'm months late. But I hope you guys still enjoy this fanfiction nonetheless.)

(I gave the reader ice abilities, and Iso some shadow abilities because imagining Iso with shadow abilities makes me cum. I know. It will probably make you too.)

GN!Reader x Iso

TW: Obsession (I love the obsession trope. It's my birthday special, so I decided to make it my favorite trope. I made the reader SUPER COOL and SUPER NONCHALANT at first because why not.)

The streets were alive with chaos. Explosions shook the ground, and gunfire echoed in every corner. The enemy had unleashed their most dangerous weapon, and the mission seemed doomed.

Amid the chaos, you moved like a ghost. Your ice-coated boots barely made a sound through the broken remains of a building, your eyes scanning every shadow.

Suddenly, a movement caught your attention. A figure darted through the smoke, fast and fluid. But something was off. The way they stumbled. You grip your Vandal tighter and creep forward.

Just as you were about to turn a corner, you heard a groan. You peer through the smoke and debris and see him—Iso. The notorious agent, known for his ability to manipulate shadows and disappear at will, was on his knees, bleeding from a deep gash on his side.

You froze. You heard about him. The lone wolf. The assassin who never worked with anyone. But right now, Iso didn't look invincible. He looked human. And vulnerable.

Without a second thought, you rush to his side. You crouch next to him, your hands glowing faintly with ice energy as you press them to his wound, slowing the bleeding.

Iso's eyes snapped open, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun, but his vision blurred as he recognized the figure kneeling beside him.

"It's you..." he rasped, barely able to form words.

"Stay still," you command, your voice cold but steady as your icy powers worked to freeze the blood long enough for him to heal. "You're lucky I found you."

You ignore the comment, focusing on stabilizing him. Iso watched you work, fascinated by the contrast of your delicate hands and the deadly power you wield.

Something was mesmerizing about your calm under pressure. As you work, the world seems to fade away in Iso's eyes. He found himself staring, the pain in his side forgotten for a moment.

You glanced at him. "You'll live, but you owe me one."

Iso chuckled, though it was cut short by the pain. "I don't... like owing people."

"You'll get over it." You scoff, standing up.

-

The mission was somehow completed. Both you and Iso had made it out alive, though barely. Days later, back at base, Iso couldn't get you out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw you — the way your icy powers had flowed through your hands with such precision, the way you had saved him without hesitation.

It gnawed at him. He wasn't used to needing anyone, let alone being saved by someone.

He found himself wandering the halls of the base, looking for you. Obsessing over his and your encounter, replaying it over and over again. He knew he should be focusing on his recovery, on the next mission, but you had become a fixation.

He wanted to understand — this mysterious person who had appeared in his life at his most vulnerable moment.

When he finally found you, you were in the training room, perfecting your aim. Your breath was steady, your movements fluid as you fired shot after shot with pinpoint accuracy. Iso watched from the shadows, his haze never leaving you.

"You always watch from the dark, or are you planning on saying something this time?" Your voice broke the silence, your eyes never leaving your target.

Iso smirked, stepping into the light. "You noticed."

"I always notice," You replied coolly, finally turning to face him. "What do you want?"

He wasn't sure how to answer that. He wasn't used to wanting anything from anyone. But this... this was different.

"You saved me," he said after a pause, his voice low. "I don't forget things like that."

You tilt your head slightly, your expression unreadable. "You're welcome."

There was a moment of silence. Iso, normally quick with a retort, found himself at a loss for words. His obsession with you was growing by the minute, and he didn't understand it. All he knew was that he needed to be near you. To figure you out. To see if the ice-cold interior you showed to the world was real, or if there was something more beneath it.

You sense his inner turmoil, narrowing your eyes. "You're not used to people helping you, are you?"

Iso clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "No."

"Then stop following me around," You say bluntly, turning back to your target. "I'm not one of your shadows."

Your words stung, but Iso wasn't deterred. Instead, they fueled his obsession. He wanted to know why you had saved him, why you had chosen to help someone like him.

And more than that, he wanted to understand your identity behind the ice.

-

Over the next few weeks, Iso's fixation on you only deepened. He found excuses to train with you, to be in the same missions, always watching you, always drawn to the cold precision in which you operated. You intrigued him in a way no one ever had, and that both frustrated and thrilled him.

You, for your part, remained as distant as ever, though you couldn't deny the strange pull you felt towards Iso. He was reckless, unpredictable, and everything you usually despised in a teammate. Yet, there was something about the way he looked at you, the intensity in his gaze, that made you pause.

It wasn't long before Iso's obsession became undeniable, even to him.

One night, after a particularly grueling mission, Iso cornered you in the empty hallways of the base. His eyes, dark and intense, more into yours as he finally voiced the thoughts that had been consuming him.

"I can't stop thinking about you," he confessed, his voice rough. "You saved me. And now... I can't stay away."

Your heart raced, though your expression remained calm. "You're confusing gratitude with something else."

"No," Iso growled, stepping closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It's more than that."

You met his gaze, ice meeting shadow, and for the first time, you didn't have a quick reply. The tension between them crackled, and the lines between the mission and obsession blurred.

Iso's expression darkened, his hand gently brushing your arm. "I don't want to conquer you. I just want... to understand."

You pulled away, your eyes cold and conflicted. "Then stop trying so hard."

But as you walked away, Iso knew it was too late. He was already too deep. And somehow, he sensed that beneath your icy walls, you were just as trapped in this dangerous game as he was.

-

The tension between you and Iso grew thicker with each passing day, yet something in you had begun to shift. Where once Iso's constant presence had felt suffocating, now it was... familiar. You could sense him before he entered a room, always lurking in the shadows, waiting, watching.

It was unnerving, yes, but there was a strange comfort in his obsession.

You had always been alone, used to standing apart from the others. Your ice powers isolated you, both physically and emotionally. Most of your teammates respected you, but none dared to come too close.

Until Iso.

At first, you tolerated his fixation, thinking it would pass. But now you begin to wonder if, in some twisted way, Iso understood you. He wasn't afraid of the cold, the distance. He wasn't put off by your silence or the walls you kept around yourself.

Instead, he seemed drawn to it, captivated by your very detachment.

It wasn't long before you stopped pushing him away.

-

One evening, after a particularly exhausting mission, you were sitting in the quiet of your room, your mind replaying the events of the day. You had barely noticed Iso slipping into the room, as silent as a shadow, until he was standing in front of you.

"You shouldn't be here," you said, though your tone lacked its usual sharpness.

You looked up at him, your eyes meeting his dark, intense gaze. You knew you should tell him to leave, set boundaries, and stop this before it spiraled further.

But something inside you couldn't. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the mission or the loneliness that had been creeping into your heart for far too long.

"You're obsessed with me," you say simply, but without accusation.

Iso didn't deny it. "I am."

"And you're not going to stop, are you?"

He shook his head, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "No."

You leaned back in your chair, studying him. The old you—the you that had thrived on isolation—would have iced him out long ago. But something about Iso's unwavering devotion had worn you down. Maybe it was the intensity, the way he never faltered in his obsession.

Or maybe it was that part of you, the part that you tried so hard to keep frozen, that longed for connection.

"You're a fool," you said softly.

Iso knelt in front of you, his gaze never leaving yours. "Maybe. But I'm your fool."

You felt a small, almost imperceptible crack in the ice around your heart. You should have stopped this—should have pulled away before it became something darker, something dangerous.

But instead, you let him stay. His presence was suffocating, yes, but it was also strangely comforting. He was there, always there, and for once, you didn't feel completely alone.

You didn't speak as Iso reached for your hand, his fingers brushing against your cold skin. The touch was electric, sending a shiver down your spine, though you kept your face composed.

"I can't stay away from you," Iso whispered, his voice raw with need. "I don't want to."

Your eyes flicked to his, your usual icy exterior melting just a fraction. "Then don't."

For the first time, you let him in. Just a little. It wasn't love, not yet, but it was something—something that tugged at the cold, hard edges of your soul. Iso's obsession was dark, unhealthy even, but there was a part of you that welcomed it, needed it. Maybe you had been in the cold for too long.

Iso smiled, a rare softness in his features as he realized what just happened. You had accepted him, accepted his obsession. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against your skin as he whispered, "I'll always be here."

"I know," you reply, your voice barely above a whisper.

For better or for worse, you had let Iso in. You knew it wouldn't be easy, knowing that his fixation on you was more dangerous than he let on. But for now, you had let yourself sink into the darkness of it, letting the shadows close in around you both.

For the first time in a long time, you weren't entirely alone.

-

(A/N: How was this? Thank you for the support, everyone! Obsession is one of my favorite tropes, and I hope you guys like this one too.)

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Stone’s Throw

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: The night Jason wakes up in the convalescent home, he’s accompanied by his favorite nurse (Nurse Kathy). Nurse Kathy follows her instincts and decides to foster him in the nearby city of Blüdhaven. Soon, her partner and roommates become Jason’s new family despite hopes that he’ll regain his memories.

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Characters, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon

Additional Tags: Disabled Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne Doesn’t Know Jason Todd is Alive, Angst, Fluff, Found Family, Jason Todd Has a Foster Family AU, Jason Todd Moves to Blüdhaven, Original Asexual Characters, Original Lesbian Characters, Amnesiac Jason Todd, “Missed Him By That Much” Trope, Hurt/Comfort, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Four: Homecoming

Daniel and Kathy arrived at the house a few hours after Dodie settled in, and Kathy took a box straight to the kitchen without a word and started. “Hey, Dodie. Mom’s a little frazzled, but she’ll be okay once everything’s done,” Daniel reassured him. 

“I know. Have you seen the boy yet? Are you gonna—?” 

“No, this is all Sibyl and Mom. And I haven’t seen him. I hear he’s a bigger boy… Very strong. She’s the only person at the hospital that he likes,” Daniel replied, “I think this will help her feel good again. I was worried that she hit a wall.” 

“Mom’s struggling?” Dodie asked. 

“It’s nothing bad… She just seemed empty this past year. I could feel something shift when she met this boy—.” Kathy rushed into the living room and hugged Dodie. It nearly knocked him off balance, but he softened and settled into her embrace. 

“Hi, Mom. I missed you, too,” Dodie smiled, “How’s New Jersey’s favorite nurse?” 

“I’m all over the place, Dodie… But this feels like a nice new start. We have more space, we’re closer to you, and there’s a community garden on the roof. I’m so excited and terrified and I want you to know you can sleep here whenever you like. I—.”

“Mom, breathe. Do you need help in the kitchen?” Dodie asked. Kathy nodded, taking Dodie’s hand and leading him to the kitchen. “So, am I gonna be an older brother? Or is this just temporary?” 

“It depends. If he has a family out there, I have to help him find his way home. If it’s just him, then of course, I’d love to keep him. He’s such a doll. I think you’d like him. You used to love to visit the hospital with me. It’ll be nice to take this ride with you on Sunday,” Kathy smiled as she opened the fridge. 

“Mom, have you taken a moment to kind of—?” 

Kathy washed her hands and started cutting onions. “How is work, honey bunny? You’re working on a new subdivision, right? Cape cod style houses? ” Kathy interrupted. She stopped to look at him and smiled. “I’m always obsessed with the little shutters, but why don’t they ever install real shutters? I love real shutters. My house had real shutters when I was a little girl. Papa used to close them at night, so we wouldn’t get scared of the shadows outside.” 

“It’s going great. Maybe I could send you my palette ideas, and you could give me some input,” Dodie suggested, “And now that you live so close, maybe I could stop by, and we could do pajama nights again.” 

Kathy grinned, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I would love that so much,” Kathy replied. 

**

SUNDAY IN BLÜDHAVEN 

Dodie sat in the car while Kathy went in. She nervously signed the discharge paperwork, holding back tears as she handed the clipboard to her supervisor. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever that afternoon as she approached Jason’s room. He was already dressed in the clothes she bought him. Kathy adjusted his glasses, and he wrapped his arms around her. “I told you I’d be here… It’s time to go home now,” Kathy whispered. Jason sat down on the bed, and Kathy shook her head. “You’re coming with me.” 

She extended a hand, and Jason took it, following her down the hall. She took him outside to the car, and Jason hesitated. “Oh, hon… This is my son, Dodie. He wanted to meet you,” Kathy explained as she gestured for Dodie to get out of the car. 

Dodie stepped outside, and he extended his hand to Jason, slowly as he examined the bruises and cuts on Jason’s face and hands. “Dodie Hines-Fletcher, pleasure to meet you,” Dodie smiled. Jason took his hand, shaking it firmly before taking Kathy’s hand again. “She’s our mom for the time being… Guess that makes us brothers.” 

Kathy swallowed hard and let Jason in the car, buckling him in as she got into the backseat. Dodie got in the driver’s seat. “Did Mom tell you about Dad?” Dodie asked. He turned around, looking past Jason and Kathy as he backed out of the parking space. Jason nodded, and his round glasses slipped to the tip of his nose. “Dad’s great. You’ll like him. He’s just as sweet as Mom.”

Jason turned to Kathy, tapping her knee as he raised his sweatshirt to show her a fist-sized bruise on his lower abdomen. Kathy took a closer look, putting pressure on it. Jason didn’t budge. “Does that hurt?” Kathy asked. Jason shook his head. “A few days ago?” Jason nodded. “Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. You’re going to stay with me from now on.”

Jason lay his head on her shoulder, and Dodie smiled as he drove toward the freeway, heading toward Blüdhaven. “We’re going to Blüdhaven. Nudge Mom if you see something familiar,” Dodie stated. Jason looked out the window, his hand never straying far from Kathy. He held on, not wanting her to leave him somehow. Kathy. His Catherine. It all melded together in his mind. He couldn’t clearly remember why the name made his heart feel full and heavy or why hearing Dodie call her Mom made him want to cry. 

The sky was a sad grey as the clouds covered the son, gently breaking into a weepy drizzle. Jason touched the door, pressing his hands against the interior until his fingers found the button for the window. He rolled it down a crack, tilting his head up, and breathing in the air through his open mouth. Kathy watched the rise and fall of his chest before smiling. “It’s nice to have fresh air, huh?” Kathy giggled. “Want more?” Jason shook his head. 

He watched the cars pass by, and Kathy rubbed his back, gently watching as he enjoyed the air coming through the open sliver in the window. Jason fell asleep within fifteen minutes and the other twenty minutes were nearly silent as they passed the police station. “What do you call him? You haven’t given him a name… I know you haven’t, but I can’t call him sweetheart or hon like you do,” Dodie whispered. 

“I call him Blue Eyes sometimes, but I’m still waiting for him to tell me his name,” Kathy answered. 

They parked in Kathy’s parking spot, and Jason woke up. Kathy nudged Jason, and he stirred, looking around at the buildings. “Hi, Blue Eyes. It’s time to go inside, honey,” Kathy whispered. Jason opened his eyes and took her hand. She led him inside and up the stairs of her building before taking Jason by the shoulders. “The people inside are my friends. There are two men. One woman. The men are named Daniel and Walter. The woman is named Sibyl. They won’t hurt you. I promise.” She nodded slowly, waiting for Jason to nod along, and she smiled when he finally did.

Daniel smiled and waved, looking up from his sketchbook. 

“I’m Daniel. Would you like to take a seat? Lunch is almost ready,” Daniel asked. Jason looked at Kathy. 

“That’s Daniel. He’s Dodie’s father. You can sit with him if you like,” Kathy reassured him.

[sugarpasteltmnt]

i am currently catching up on neon void, and it is a delight to read. your descriptions of leo’s mind is mesmerizing and grabs the reader’s attention so well. it’s very diverse and unique compared to other interpretations and fics♥️

i’m curious to know what your thinking process was like while writing leo’s insanity and his own thought processes.

(spoilers for ch11) the scene that stuck out to me the most was when leo was about to infect donnie. it felt so vulnerable and raw ahh

anyways i just want to dig into your mind a little to know how it works.

keep up the great work, you are doing wonderful.

WAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH 😭😭😭 you are so sweet thank you!! 💙💗‼️and ohmigosh what a fun ask.

tbh i sat on this one for a while to think of how to dive into it-- beware of my (VERY) long ramblings below!

this question really got me Thinkin' and i kinda popped off but!! If i may indulge myself, here's sort of a wild explanation of how i approach Leo's Insane Brain for this specific fic:

does it meet R.I.S.E???

R - Realistic? I - Interesting? S - Silly? E - Existential?

R - Realistic

"How the hell do i make this sound realistic" is often an obstacle i run into. but it's also the Secret Sauce. What really gives the thought process direction. Given Leo's current situation, he's battling between what he wants and what he needs to do. Which is often a very real problem real people have. Exaggerating it helps create a fun back-and-forth dialog that can make his thoughts seem muddled.

With Leo in this fic’s setup, there are about five main key factors i rely on with his decision making:

Happiness The root of Leo’s general personification. He’s the guy who beat Krang One. The one who escaped a place worse than Hell. After years of missing home so much he’s FINALLY home. He’s drunk on happiness. He was finally home. And that relief and joy is what makes him so jubilant and goofy.

Awareness of his goal Though Rise Leo is a very funny dude, he's still a Leonardo. Throughout the series, Leo is the voice of reason when things are getting out of hand or are potentially dangerous. Leo's had nothing but time to think. Wishing what he'd done different. Wishing he had been more serious. After five years obsessing over his mistake and missing his family, the moment he see's the opportunity to make sure this never happens again he'll latch onto it. And when the stakes are high, accentuating that tension can help with frantic impact of his thinking.

His desire to see his family This desire often clashes with point number 2. Writing his internal struggle between the two helps with the “overwhelmed thoughts” vibe. It’s hard for him to choose! And he doesn’t wanna have to choose! Playing out the conflict between his 'want' vs his 'need to do' helps me bring out his nervous thinking process.

He's self-reprimanding thoughts We all love an Angsty Leo. It was hinted in the show that he had some self-esteem issues, but who doesn't love ramping it up to 11 for a fic??? That, and he was trapped with Krang this whole time. After hearing he was nothing but trash for five years PLUS the guilt of nearly ending the world, the guy doesn't exactly see himself in a great light you know? This can help clash with point 1, again helping with that 'what he wants' vs 'what he needs to do' inner conflict.

Instinct to Survive / Feral Tendencies This one is super fun. I love feral AUs/tropes. With little to no socialization in the Prison Dimension, Leo's sanity started to slip, leaving his body's natural instincts to become more profound. Plus, with the Krang Parasite, I like to exaggerate how feral/dangerous he could be outside of 'turtle' instincts. (Seeing that parasite hosts in the movie were very violent). Sprinkling in feral moments is just a delicious thrill I love adding, and it makes the insanity factor skyrocket and it's so fun to write 🩵🩵🩵

I - Interesting

Is Leo's thought process interesting to read??? Honestly, I just gun for what I think is the most interesting; Leo's relationship with his brothers (especially Raph), and the cause and effects of his shenanigans.

Also, I liked to experiment with wonky texts to help emphasize key moments or words to grab attention. Mostly because it feels like a fun surprise to read them in my opinion. Though not necessary in writing, I thought using some funky fonts might entice and excite 💙

S- Silly

THE BIG ONE!!! EVERYONE'S FAVORITE!!! 🎉🎊🥳🎉 Something I really love love love about Rise's style is that it's silly It's unique! It's fun! I love that Leo and the others are goofy and have some slap-stick moments. And I wanted to keep that with Leo despite everything. Plus, I ADORE that in this iteration of TMNT, the characters are such showmen. They are DRAMATIC. They are SILLY. And that's something I wanna celebrate!! Plus, as much as I love angst, writing nothing but pure angst is exhausting. (And I'm sure reading pure angst isn't enjoyably to everyone.) Throwing in Silly moments is like a little moment of refreshment to me 🩵

I also like to believe that Leo kept his sense of humor out of sheer SPITE. The 'wipe that stupid grin off your face' line in the movie really stuck with me. I feel like Leo would smile through his fear and still be a clown just to spite Krang One.

E - Existential

At the end of the day, Leo is dealing with a VERY big issue. I felt like the Rise movie did an excellent job portraying the severity of an alien invasion for the setting Rise had. And the weight of the situation would be too great for one person. And this is often what I refer back to to make Leo snap. A relapse in clarity of mind. A moment for the panic and PTSD to come back in full force and make him rely on his instincts. Usually the feral instincts he became more attuned with while fleeing/fighting Krang One. It also goes hand-in-hand with his awareness of his goal (as mentioned in 'Realistic' above).

And that's kinda a word-vomit of how it goes!! Honestly??? The tug-o-war between conflicting thoughts helps me write the madness in his head. It's been super fun and interesting, and I hope it's been fun to read!!! (Though I'm telling you now I will NOT be doing those floating text tables again OOF)

Thank you again for the ask it was super fun to think about ;w; 🩵‼️

[thegirlwhowrites642]

Jilly and hinny

You are going with the big guns here.

I ship both of them.

I've always loved both, but my first obsessive love was actually jily. I'll never forgive the marauders fandom for becoming such a toxic community that I can't even read jily fics anymore.

And hinny, I mean, hinny is the OTP. It's art, poetry, literally the perfect match.

Jily

What made you ship it?

You know, I genuinely don't remember. The marauders always attracted me as an interesting intellectual exercise: rebuild the whole story using the explicit and implicit information left in canon.

Plus, when I was younger I found the whole enemies to loves thing far more fascinating than I do now. And the extremely cool thing about jily is that it offers an enemies to lovers without making it toxic.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

The tension, the banter, the whole context around it, the symbolic implication of them being soulmates (you guys know I'm a sucker for that). Both of them are really good intelligent students, so you know equals, I love that.

And it falls under what I call the turning-tables trope. One is in love, the other isn't, the first apparently moves on, and then karma strikes. I love that so much, it's maybe my favourite trope, the universal punishment of it all but with a happy ending (as happy as an ending there can be for James and Lily).

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

It's absurd how under-used is the academic rivals' potential of these two.

Hinny

What made you ship it?

I don't have a specific moment, the movies unfortunately took that away from me. I was supremely confused by Ginny and hinny in the movies, and then I discovered that they were completely different in the books, and that's honestly the main reason why I read the books. It was all love from there. Also, besides the whole Harry and Ginny being a perfect match thing, it always attracted me the fact that it's a literary relevant narration. Rowling wrote it as a mystery to solve for Harry's brain, how cool is that? And Ginny is a true equal to Harry, which is such a rare thing for a character that it's so obviously the hero of the story. She is not his helper and her identity and trauma are not a tool for Harry's quest. I can't go into detail now, but Rowling basically invented a trope with them.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

You guys know how much I love them for many different reasons but, to avoid writing a book, I'll stick with number one: their falling in love does not depend on their story.

Harry starts to fall for Ginny when Ginny allows Harry to see her for who she is, that's it, that's all it takes.

They experience together a hyper-traumatic thing but it takes them two years, arguably two years and a half to become friends. Their relationship does not depend on shared trauma. Even after the lucky you scene, it's just Harry being reminded of who Ginny is in her entirety, it's not like after that they spend every waking moment together.

They share a sense of humour because they just do, not because they are constantly around each other. Even in PoA, when there should be so much awkwardness between them, they make eye contact and share the inside joke.

They understand each other because they just do, again, it's not about them constantly being around each other. It's just instinctive. It's part of who they are. It doesn't even depend on their shared trauma. Besides the fact that they get each other really well even in CoS, the first time Harry realises Ginny can basically read his mind it's something about Ron.

They spend time with each other because they want to. It doesn't happen after the chamber, it doesn't happen because Harry is constantly around the Weasleys. It happens because now Harry knows who Ginny is. They are not even in the same class, and they don't really have the same friends. On the Quidditch team, there's no reason for them to interact so much with each other besides the fact that they want to.

Ginny actively tries to get over Harry but she can't.

Harry actively tries to stay away from Ginny but not even the risk of losing Ron's friendship is enough, because she is Ginny and he is Harry and that's really all it takes.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Probably I have many.

Let's go with: during HBP, if you take away the Voldemort-related stuff, you'll notice that Ginny becomes Harry's best friend. And again, if there hadn't been Harry's need to keep Ginny's safe that led him to not even think about involving her in the Voldemort-related stuff, Harry would have noticed too.

[sovereignzofdarkness]

hhai I think you're rllt cool uhm . Opinions on this dude?? :0

ah, beloved cheese... one of those characters i have a surprising amount of thoughts on but i feel like i dont actually ever talk about them

Sexuality Headcanon: this kind of goes hand in hand with my gender headcanon for them but i genuienly feel like they dont stick to labels all that much. they like being a human (or cookie i guess) enigma making men question their sexualities either which way. they think its funny and i feel like they revel in that kind of thing. they go with whoever they want and everyone around them desires them carnally

Gender Headcanon: again feel like they dont stick to labels but at most if they absolutely had to theyd consider themself transfem but dont really go beyond that. theyre some secret third thing A ship I have with said character: cinnafort has quiiiiickly grown into a big big favourite of mine dont even ask me how it just happened i like it a lot. cant help enjoying the trope of a more outwardly souave character paired with someone whos just a hot mess. (not to say roguefort isnt also a hot mess but no ones gotta know... for now...) though honorable mention to cheesefort because i can never forget a first love... (still like the pairing cinnafort is just my go to rogue pairing) LAST MINUTE EDIT TO SAY I ALSO REALLY LIKE CROWFORT ME AND A BUDDY HAVE WRITTEN A LOT OF SPECIFIC SCENARIOS REGARDING THEM TOGETHER AND I THINK THEYRE A REALLY FUN RIVALS TO STILL KIND OF RIVALS BUT WITH A WEIRD ROMANTIC TENSION GOING ON THEYRE VERY FUN.

A BROTP I have with said character: roll cake and roguefort living in the same apartment complex and becoming kind of friends through that is something that started in a roleplay server of mine and ive kind of been obsessed with the idea since. i really like the idea of rogue and roll being friends, not super close but roll invites rogue to dinner sometimes just as a nice thing to do as sort-of neighbors and hes completely oblivious to rogues personal life but they get along well enough

A NOTP I have with said character: this may be a bold one to say and i dont really *hate* it as much as i just find it *boring* but i kind of dont care much for almondfort. i understand the appeal, serious straightlaced detective with smug thief, i understand why people like it, and i understand why its the most popular pairing for the both of them (except maybe beaten by almondlatte w almond but im not even sure about that) but at the same time it feels like the most...boring approach to their dynamic? to be blunt? at least in the way ive seen it portrayed most of the time.

i dont mean this to be mean to anyone who likes the pairing bc i know there are people in my following who do like them; those are just my own personal thoughts. ive always found a more interesting reading of their dynamic to be related a bit to how i generally view almond; someone who tends to accidentally come off as patronizing to anyone younger than him and whos instincts as a father can genuienly sometimes get in the way of his detective work when it comes to certain criminals. and then take roguefort, someone who comes from a somewhat troubled family background, and that almond knows that they come from a somewhat troubled background, and well almond starts having a sort of pitying, 'i know they can do better' mentality that i feel roguefort would be aware of and would honestly probably drive them to act out more which causes almonds pitying to get stronger and well its an awful cycle. went on a bit of a tangeant there, but i think that sort of weird strained dynamic can just be a lot more fun to explore imo. no drag to anyone who does like them as a ship but those are just my thoughts

A random headcanon: i think in a real life human setting roguefort would be franco belgian

General Opinion over said character: rogue is a very very very fascinating individual. very fun to write about! has so many things wrong with them

[why-this-kolaveri-machi]

please. i can’t do this alone.

Titans 3.01

thoughts! thoughts! thoughts! some red hot thoughts!

SPOILERS ahead.

1. one episode in, and this season already looks set to give me everything i want. its abandonment of plot and storytelling conventions as it goes from one point to the next at breakneck speed; its cheerful bastardisation of iconic storylines from the comics; the ‘as-you-know-bob’ clunky exposition on one end and extremely restrained, subtle explorations of complex character dynamics on the other; endless shots of neon bleeding into black and blue corridors, shadows and silhouettes; my delight in seeing it celebrate and deconstruct the dark nolan-y batman aesthetic at the same time; my bafflement that it’s so fucking goddamn obsessed with the batfam when it’s supposed to be about the TITANS; kory just... saving every overburdened, clunky scene that she’s in by her sparkling charisma. just... *chef’s kiss*. muah. my show is back, in all its glory.

MY SHOW IS BACK, Y’ALL!

1.5. i mean... this show is so artful and weird and not afraid to go absolutely bonkers in exploring its characters’ psyche, but can just about barely stage a passable comic book fight when every tom dick and harry and their new streaming services can deliver ones that are far more exciting. i love this show with every atom of my body.

(there’s something to be said about rooting for the underdog as well. a pleasure in finding something to love about what other people dismiss. but! enough navel gazing! i have fictional characters’ navels to look at! metaphorically! and maybe literally!)

2. i expected jason’s death to come about pretty early in the season as soon as i heard rumours that red hood was showing up, but for it to happen in the first five minutes of the first episode... that’s a record. 

(well. “happen.” still don’t know what exactly went down there.)

2.25. GOD. jason is such a tortured and tragic character in this show, used and passed around by people with alleged good intentions, never really fitting in anywhere. he’s veritably bleeding vulnerability and the need to belong, the need to be known, and yet the tragedy is that his death proves that nobody in his life knew anything about him at all; that they only saw the flimsy walls he put up to protect his soft core, and thought that that was all there was. that they say they loved him, but blame him for his own death. 

dick is flabbergasted that jason can read, though we know from last season, from what jason revealed to rose, that he has a love for plays and music. barbara is quick to dismiss his actions as ‘impulsive’. bruce has no idea that his supposed son was building his own little chemistry lab right under his nose, and beyond that, no idea that jason needed structure, stability and validation beyond being left alone in a huge house with a treasure trove of dangerous weapons. kory thought his decision to fight the joker was from not learning and growing when the guy tried to kill himself last season and nobody apart from dick even tried to talk to him about it! did you consider that he might still be suicidal? especially after the titans admitted to having “given up” on him because he was just “too hard”?

2.5. the one thing that’s been consistent across all three seasons (so far) of the show is the unreliable narrator trope. there’s a reason why the characters’ dismissals of jason’s actions as impulsive is so repetitive; why jason’s death is a mystery dick feels compelled to solve. it’s a flailing attempt to know his brother much too late--but with red hood, maybe he gets a second chance, just like he got one with the titans. this is what jason’s arc has been building up to. this is ‘death in the family’ but more fucked up in some ways. it didn’t linger on the death because the death wasn’t the point. the joker isn’t the point. everything that came before it is.

this way it will also make perfect sense that the red hood’s main enemy becomes the titans rather than batman.

2.75. goodness knows what’s going on with jason’s little chemistry project. at first i thought he was immunising himself to joker gas or something, but maybe it’s what passes for lazarus pit juice in this universe? 

anyway, it’s pretty impressive that jason learnt all of that from a college chemistry textbook. STOP BRINGING UP THAT HE READ SOMETHING, DICK--

2.8. i’m glad that dick doesn’t immediately sink into self-loathing and guilt and tries to investigate jason’s death while also acknowledging how he failed him. it’s like he actually learned something from the last two years! 

anyway. more about dick later. 

3. oh how i love titans!bruce. a lot of characters had a lot of Opinions on his reaction to jason’s death in this episode, but again, i ask you to consider that they’re unreliable narrators, and this universe’s bruce is a product of how it shaped him. bruce wayne has become a phantom to himself--an artifice borne out of vigorous discipline and crushing self-denial. 

bruce has been batman for a very long time, and without a robin for much longer. (dick must be... in his early thirties? so he was robin for about, say, 10-12 years according to the timeline of the show. that still makes bruce pretty old when he took on his first robin.) things have... calcified (possibly parts of his brain). the personal cost and the collateral from the mission he’s taken up for most of his life is too much to countenance; it has to be a war, and war requires sacrifice. 

on some level bruce knows that’s a lie. he’s so goddamned alone. what’s he going to do? sit down and cry? who’s going to listen to him now? oh, is he going to just stop being batman? who’s going to stop gotham from consuming herself then? he’ll just have to forge ahead, do better next time, maybe he’ll be firmer with them, or kinder with them, or notice more things, or train them harder, or spend more time--

3.25. don’t get me wrong: titans!bruce is an asshole and a half. his roster of potential robins was honestly bone-chilling. the fact that there’s a twisted root of compassion makes it more disturbing. 

3.5. alfred’s dead! it must’ve been pretty recent, because i could’ve sworn that dick tried to call alfred in the very first episode of season 1, or at least considered calling him... 

what a devastating double-blow for bruce then, losing his father-figure and his, uh.... son-figure so close together.

4. i don’t know about barbara yet. i mean, i like her, but she had so much clunky expository dialogue to deliver this episode, and for an episode that was named after her, she only showed up halfway through it. but i like the weight of history behind her interactions with both bruce and dick and her compassion to bruce before he cruelly crossed a line. i also like the implication that she and dick have been in touch recently, and that she didn’t immediately try to guilt-trip dick about some perceived abandonment. it’d be too repetitive.

4.5. there’s also a sense that she ran interference for dick a lot whenever there was something Too Big and Emotional for him to confront directly, and i like and appreciate that character beat.

5. dick, my man! it really does feel like a substantial length of time has passed between the end of s2 and the beginning of s3... kory’s got a new costume, they’ve become celebrities in SF, working missions together, and dick’s actually smiling! genuinely enjoying his work and having fun with it for possibly the first time in the entire series! it’s really a far cry from the fractured, dysfunctional mess that they were at the end of the last season.

i just hope this doesn’t mean that they’ve magically reached a resolution off-screen to all of their fucked-upness from last season, and that the repercussions--for gar in particular--are actually addressed on screen. 

5.25. i mentioned this briefly above, but it really is so refreshing that dick doesn’t wallow in guilt and self-loathing after jason’s death; he acknowledges his and the titans’ failure, is able to admit to barbara honestly that he’s not doing great, and is actively trying to reach out to bruce to make sure he’s ok, is trying to investigate what made jason seek out the joker on his own, and is probably the only person not immediately buying that it was jason’s recklessness that got him killed. i love that dick is finally beginning to trust his instincts or just employ them at all after years of guilt and paranoia and self-loathing. we love some positive character growth!

5.5. another thing i love? the bruce-dick interactions on this show. every scene they’re in together is so fraught with tension, both of them holding themselves back, their emotions on a whipcord-tight leash. dick wants to reach out to bruce, is even somewhat familiar with this brand of denial in the wake of grief, but wants barbara to make the first move because he genuinely does not know how to get bruce to open up. his instincts are right, and wonderful, and genuine, but his expression has been smothered by years of trauma, emotional and physical self-discipline, and what i suspect is poorly treated mental illness. 

it takes a lot for him to finally explode at bruce at the end of the episode--in a way he hasn’t done even when his only opinion of bruce was ‘fuck him’--and it’s all the more startling for how subdued he’s been through the episode, how much he’s been holding back his emotions for bruce’s sake. love it.

5.75. it sort of hurts my heart to see the flying graysons poster in jason’s room. there are a few implications:

a) jason settled into dick’s old room despite living in a giant mansion with dozens of other rooms he could’ve used

b) he didn’t take down dick’s poster--not when he moved in and was idolising him, not when he moved out of the titans and was sort of hating him. i wonder if the reminder of what dick was before robin--that he was forged out of unspeakable tragedy--gave jason the connection to dick that he so desperately wanted in real life

c) dick moved right back into the room and slept on the bed that was now jason’s. grief can be so quiet and piecemeal sometimes.

6. i spy the beginnings of actual arcs for both gar and kory! i just hope that with the move to gotham their stories don’t fall to the wayside...

6.5. i’ve known tim drake for less than ten minutes but if anything were to happen to him i’d kill everybody 

7. this review has gone on for too long and i am tiRED. however, before i leave: i miss some of the dedication-to-aesthetic that titans season 1 used to have. remember how the first few episodes didn’t really feel like a superhero show but something out of gothic horror? there was something gorgeous and raw about that, about open landscapes and the road and creepy buildings looming up at the end of it. moving to titans tower in s2 really ruined a lot of that for me, given its ripped-from-architectural-digest aesthetic, all smooth and clean and artificial. 

i hope that we really explore gotham’s hellscape in interesting and innovative ways instead of camping out in the batcave all the time and indulging in the show’s unending love for long corridors, neon backlights and silhouettes.

8.....

9.  wait, fuck, HOW CAN I FORGET ABOUT HOT PSYCHIATRIST GUY (TM)??? NONE of you prepared me for his return! NONE OF YOU! i gasped! i got up and did a happy dance! 

listen, titans writers, if you’ve had a peek at my titans s3 wishlist, please go ahead and give the other items on the list a go too, thankyouverymuch.

[nissakii]

Significance of “Madness” in anime

We’ve already established in other posts about significant emotions and concepts in anime or specific media before. The Significance of losing or the one of visuals and metaphors in Haikyuu!! are some of those I would love to mention here, but today we shall delve into a broader topic that goes more along the lines of Makii’s thrilling post about Danganronpa and the Significance of Despair.

Today, our topic of interest is madness.

To ease your mind, in this post we will be talking about the representation of insanity and madness in some anime characters and how that reflects on the story and ourselves as an audience.To make one thing clear, a lot of the times we see overexaggerated versions of unstable characteristics in anime that aren’t realistic.

This is in no way a discussion about actual mental illnesses and not a professional approach to analysing them to our real life standards, but maybe a start to an interesting discussion about how we portray and handle what one may colloquially call “craziness”.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s start!

Artists, and no matter for example if they write or draw, use their platforms to deliver messages in cryptic ways. As humans, we have the innate ability to look at something and consume the facts through entertainment which makes us crave new media to follow and analyse.

We love to question things instead of just taking them as they are, and that is why most writers out there will play around with the perception of their audience.

You may be familiar with the common question that ghosts through your head as you enjoy the latest episode of your favorite anime.

Why did he do that? Is she a traitor? What makes them think that way?

Although one might always do it consciously, we most definitely analyse whatever media we consume and decide for ourselves if it is important enough to keep in mind for future reference.

What the writer or founder of the anime ultimately wants from the reader is a reaction.

No matter what they intend to do with it, if they enjoy the viewer getting excited or traumatised is not of importance, but a reaction is evidently one of the goals. 

And as strong emotions always evoke an even stronger reaction, anime characters are often very idealized and have ideologies that make them want to do one particular thing.

Be it save the world or destroy it, we focus and look at these characters and root for them if they give us a reason to do so. 

Both sides of good and bad can have deeply rooted admiration drawn out of us, and it sometimes doesn’t even matter because the more interesting part is the lovely grey area in between. 

We need a balance of good and bad to enjoy both.

Empathy makes us viewers want to relate to the characters, and if the author gives us the possibility to learn why someone does something, it gets harder and harder to dislike them. That’s why tragic backstories and flashbacks are such an overused tool in anime, because with the extreme behaviour some characters show they also need equal amounts of redemption.

We attach ourselves emotionally to characters depending on our personal tastes as well.

If someone likes and relates to a strong and independent protagonist who would drop anything for the sake of justice, you will find a lot of resembling characters in shounen for example.

On the other hand, if a darker or more obsessive character manages to take over a special place in a viewer’s heart, putting them on a pedestal gets more and more interesting, because you’re not supposed to.

Contrary to that, characters with insane or dark personality traits are often very popular, again tracing this back to human instinct of emphasising with wronged characters and curiously inspecting the fully deranged ones.

As this isn't something that should be put into vague concepts, we’re instead going to look at examples of characters and entities that are seen as ‘mad’ and how they’re interpreted.

It’s not just about villains being unreasonably immoral in this post, as we look into what madness entails and how it's shown, we also have some examples of corruption to look at.

So of course there are the typical evil-thinking evil-doing villains out there. 

Some of them have an actual backstory to make them more realistic and believable, some others are just pure evil. While they are often called mad for their actions to achieve their goal, the reason why they are put into that light is the stark contrast between the protagonist and the villain.

If the protagonist loves to save people and always has a smile on his face, of course he will differ from his counterpart when he finds out that his methods are a bit more vicious.

The protagonist perceives the villain as insane most of the time, but what does the viewer think?

We seek to look not only at characters that are enjoyable to watch, but also try to find similarities between us and them or draw lines in their behavior to understand them better. As mentioned before, empathy plays a huge role here as well, since whatever happens in anime doesn't have actual repercussions, we can forgive characters more easily. 

For example when they are taken by Insanity as a side effect rather than being insane due to trauma, we often get an 'ally turned traitor' trope through hypnosis or brainwashing, which is just as interesting to look at. 

If a person did something horrible under the influence of something they had no control over, are they still to blame? 

Does Insanity only involve a separate entity that comes from evil, or are we also looking at the gradual descent into darkness when life just isn't the same anymore? 

Insane and with no fear: Soul Eater

A great example of how insanity plays with characters be they good or bad is Soul Eater. 

With a premise that one needs a sound mind and body to inhibit a sound soul, we obviously know that people close to becoming Kishin-eggs will have a rotten soul drenched in bad deeds, but what about the good guys? 

In this instance we have a lot of different types of madness and insanity that touches multiple characters at different times, and by far the most drastic would be the black blood. 

The black blood being a synthesized weapon form of blood that can change form and harden into shape, is a weapon made by Medusa and introduced for the first time with Crona. He was melded together with Ragnarök as a weapon and used the black blood in his proficient fighting style. 

Soul Eater as well as Maka and other characters later come into contact with the black blood, and the consequence of the immense strength that comes with it is debilitating madness. 

As explained in the anime, the madness makes one deny the soul of oneself and others and takes away your fear. Now with no fear present, the person exhibits extremely erratic behavior and is not scared to hurt others or themselves.

This is an insanity that shows how essential a person's fear is, shown by Maka in one of the latest episodes when she fights Asura. The fact that she learned how to accept her own fear and realise that humans need it to survive is why insanity in Soul Eater is merely a concept to differentiate between what is human and what is Kishin. 

A Kishin kills and murders with no fear of anything. 

A human protects and masters one's own fear. 

The power hungry insanity: Hunter x Hunter

In Hunter x Hunter we have a lot of characters that don't exactly fit the norm of human action. 

With people like Chrollo, Illumi and even Chimera Ants there is enough crazy to go around. 

Still, the character we shall delve into to look at a different kind of instability is none other than Hisoka Morow.

Yes, in comparison to black blood madness Hisoka is an actual human being with no known influence outside of his own intellect. The contrary to another weapon or entity making someone insane is being shown in this anime.

Hisoka is just insane. 

We have no means to see if there is anything that might have caused Hisoka to be the way that he is, but what we do know is that his character is almost too nonchalant for his own good. 

His goal is to accumulate power and fight others that he seems worthy, as that is what attracts him. No person is spared if he believes he found a worthy opponent he will make that clear to them and pursue them passionately. 

We could rule that the clown is just eccentric, but with the given information from the anime he definitely had some sort of mental difference next to his peers. Harming himself holds no problem to him, and his behavior is deeply rooted only to suit himself. He has no self-preservation except for when he needs to accomplish something, and he even enters the spiders just to get close to Chrollo. 

Now we see a single person carry themselves throughout a story only to achieve one thing: a good fight. 

After having looked at these two examples of insanity in anime, let's look at how that insanity can be portrayed visually. 

A famous way to show someone's psychosis is the “Kubrick stare”. A directorial technique that got named after the director Stanley Kubrick who used a forward tilt of the head with eyes locked onto the camera to show the actors of his movies at their peak of madness. It became a very popular stylistic device and is used still very often in modern movies.

The character is supposed to look menacing, evil-plotting and absolutely unhinged.

Such devices, if used often enough, automatically invoke the message to the viewer.

If you’ve seen the Kubrick stare once in a psychotic character, you will definitely associate it with the same derangement again.

In anime we have a similar thing, and you might be aware of this already.

Familiar with the ‘eye angle just before a character goes insane’ meme?

It’s a running gag that shows multiple characters such as Asura from Soul Eater, Pain from Naruto, Light from Deathnote and Jason from Tokyo Ghoul in a frame where you can only see their eyes and it somehow looks extremely grotesque as if they were looking into different directions with their eyes.

As much as it is a joke, it is a perfect example of something extremely similar to the Kubrick stare used in anime culture. It goes so far that if any anime watcher would see a new character look like in a frame, one would assume they were about to go crazy.

Even Oikawa Tooru from Haikyuu!! was shown with a Kubrick stare in the last moments of the second Seijoh vs. Karasuno game, when his desire to win overtook him with incredible force.

Without loss there naturally can’t be any wins, and without sadness there will be no joy in laughter.

We need the different depictions of what one might call madness, to fill our stories with nuance that relies on our reality.

Be it an unknown entity, hunger for power, lack of fear or the good old fashioned thrive for world domination.

Madness is just another part of what we call life, and to be honest in healthy doses and for effect why not enjoy it in anime?

Now, do you guys know any other characters or concepts in anime that would be worth mentioning? I would love to see them in the comments! 

Until then, stay sane!

-Nissa

[unsaidholland]

what a time | t. holland

hello besties, this is a tom fic that has been in the making for a while! a personal favourite trope, tom and musician!reader break up and she writes a song about him! what a time by julia michaels ft. niall horan is used as the reader’s song, definitely go listen to it if you haven’t!

warnings: it’s mostly sad so grab some tissues, fluff at the end

you, like tom, didn’t have a very typical job. while your friends went off to university to get their degrees, you went on to become a musician. that’s how you had met tom. he dmed you one day saying that he loved your music, you said you loved his movies, and the rest was history. he ended up introducing you to so many people over the ten months that you two were together, one of them being niall horan. niall and you exchanged numbers wanting to eventually collab, but neither of you thought that your breakup would be the reason that the two of you were going to release a song together.

after ten months, you and tom called it quits. you made sure the media thought it was mutual. that was the first thing you agreed on when the two of you started dating - if you ever went public and had broken up, it would seem to be a mutual agreement. neither of you wanted the other’s reputation to be ruined. little did the public know, the breakup was anything but mutual. he had broken up with you. you never knew why. he had just said, “it wasn’t working out.” that was all he left you with. that was all you had for closure. funny how forever seemed to last just over ten months, right?

you sat in your living room with a guitar in your hands. you had so much emotion that you had bottled up, and the only way you knew to get it out was songwriting. after messing around with different chords on your guitar, you found a chord progression that you were really confident in. the melody seemed to come naturally, and so your phone began to fill up with voice memos of possible lyrics. 

i think of that night in the park, it was getting dark

and we stayed up for hours

what a time, what a time, what a time

you clinged to my body like you wanted it forever

what a time, what a time, what a time

for you and I

what a time, what a time

for you and I

the chorus came naturally, the verses came next, and before you knew it you had a rough draft of a song. after listening back to the song, you realized that it was missing something. you looked around the living room, sunlight peeking through the sheer, white blinds. after writing for two hours, you decided you needed a snack and a coffee. 

you walked to the coffee shop down the street from your apartment. the coffee shop that you used to go to with tom. as you stood in line to order, your mind couldn’t help but wonder if he came to the shop when he was in town? did he stand in line and think about whether you still went here too? you ordered your iced coffee and pain au chocolat and sat at one of the tables. you chose a table far, far away from where you and tom used to sit. this place would always remind you of him no matter how hard you tried. the warm lights brightened up the room, but it still felt dim without tom. the coffee shop didn’t have that sense of warmth and familiarity that it used to, that tom brought to it whenever you used to go. 

you watched as people walked in and out of the shop. you watched as couples kissed in line as they waited. you watched as people seemed happy. you needed to figure out what was missing with your song, and as you watched two people out on the street argue, you realized you needed a second voice on the track. 

later that night, you asked niall to feature on your song. when you sent him a very rough recording of what you had written, he immediately agreed. the song was raw and real, the song revealed more about your breakup with tom than you could ever say. 

•••

it had been two weeks since you released the song. what a time became popular enough to get you and niall a spot on james cordon’s show. as you were sat on stage and the band started playing the intro, you felt tears well up in your eyes. you couldn’t do it. you walked off stage where niall found you.

“come here,” was all he said. it was all he needed to say. he wrapped his arms around you and rubbed your back as your head sat on his chest. his heartbeat helped to calm you down. you and niall were just friends, but he was like a brother to you, especially after he helped you with the song. “let’s try again, yeah?” he asked you after a few minutes. the crew backstage just watched as he comforted you. you wiped the tears away from your face and nodded.

soon enough you were back on stage and performing the song. you fought back the tears throughout the whole performance, but whenever you felt the tears about to spill over, niall was there to get you through it. when he was close to you, he would hug you or hold your hand, and when he couldn’t he gave you a reassuring look. a look that said, “we’re going to get through this.”  your voice wavered as you sang, but the audience still cheered you on. the emotion that you felt pushed you to finish the performance, because as soon as it was done, the sooner you could get home and cry, cry somewhere that wasn’t in the eyes of the spotlight. 

the episode you were on aired a few days later. you couldn’t bear to watch it, but you tweeted about it to help bring some publicity towards it. little did you know, on the other side of the world, tom was watching it as it aired. he was having dinner at his parent’s house when his dad had turned on the tv to watch the late late show. tom thought nothing of it and sat down on the couch next to the twins. he laughed at the segments, but then he saw you. nikki, knowing it was going to be too much for her firstborn, instinctively went to reach for the remote, but was stopped by tom saying a quiet, “no.”

he watched you as you sang. he watched as you poured your heart out to the world. tom watched you fight back tears that no one else could see, but most importantly, tom knew that he was the cause of this. he was the one who called it off, he was the one who ripped your heart in half, he was the one who caused all your tears, grief, and pain. he could never take that back. tom was too entranced by your performance to realize that he was shedding tears. he may not have been your boyfriend anymore, but he still knew you like the back of his hand. he missed you like a child misses his mother on the first day of school. he needed you the way the ocean needs the moon’s push and pull to create waves. it took you publicly fighting back your tears on stage for tom to realize completely that he had lost something more important to him than anything. 

tom listened to you sing.

you clinged to my body like you wanted it forever, what a lie, what a lie, what a lie.

he wanted you for forever. all he ever wanted was for you to stay in his arms forever, but clearly he lost everything when he broke it off. at the time it all seemed reasonable. he loved you, but he didn’t want to lose your relationship to the distance, so he called it off. tom just never thought that it would hurt this much. being separated by vast oceans didn’t make it any better either. it made everything worse. he couldn’t just go and see you. he needed to fly out to la, find out where you were staying, and find a place for him to stay. and in the case that you did take him back, he needed to change his schedule to make sure he didn’t lose you again, because he couldn’t lose you, not again.

he wiped away the tears that rolled down his flushed cheeks with the cuff of his blue midtown high sweater. as you and niall hugged at the end of the performance he thought about how perfect life was when he held you in his arms. he thought about how he should be the one holding you in his arms. he thought about how he lost everything the day he lost you. it had been a month and a half since the breakup, and he felt like he had been suffering ever since. he needed you, that was the only thing he knew to be true. 

“come here darling,” nikki said, opening up her arms to wrap around her son after getting up to comfort him. he held onto her like his life depended on it. she rubbed his back and placed a tender kiss on the top of his head. 

“i miss her so much.” his voice was breathy, light and filled with air, yet heavy with emotion. “mum i can’t live without her, why did i ever leave her?” he sobbed into her chest. tom didn’t care if the rest of his family was watching him sob over a girl he broke up with, he only cared about you. “i really messed up.” he pulled away to look at his mother’s expression expecting disappointment, but only seeing a soft, warm smile.

“you’re allowed to mess up. you live and you learn. the important thing is what are you going to do about it?” nicola was always a wise woman in tom’s eyes. she always knew what to say and when to say it. not only that, but she was always a good friend to him, not just his mom. she looked into tom’s brown eyes that were only swirling with emotion. deep in thought, tom could only hear his mom’s words roaming around his mind. what are you going to do about it?

•••

less than 36 hours later tom found himself in la. he was on a journey to find you, and this time he wasn’t planning on giving up. he knew where to find you.

you stumbled into your favourite coffee shop as you always did. the coffee in la was different than back home, so whenever you were in la you couldn’t stop the small coffee obsession. you sat down at a table, opening your laptop to answer some emails and get some work done. you may have been sitting alone at a table, but you were comfortable with the space. 

tom had walked in, ordered a coffee and a cookie, and after paying and receiving his order, his eyes scanned the room to find you, which he easily did. you looked ethereal, he thought you were so beautiful despite only wearing jeans and a plain t-shirt. you weren’t done up, but he still thought you were absolutely gorgeous. he mustered up the courage to ask if he could sit at your table, and once the two of you made eye contact it was as if the world stopped for a moment. his chest tightened at the sight of you, and the knot in his stomach had turned into butterflies. he was more nervous than he was at any press conference he had ever been to because if he didn’t do well, he would have lost everything for good.

“please sit,” you said after finding your voice. you shut your laptop, taking it off the table and putting it back into your bag to focus your attention on him. “what are you doing here? i thought you were still in kingston.” small talk was never your specialty. especially since you had so much you wanted to tell him with nowhere to start. 

“i flew out about 36 hours ago. i needed to see you.” tom cut right to the chase. he may have been sleep deprived, being too nervous on the plane and during his layovers to even sleep, but he was thinking clearly when it came to fixing your relationship with him. he needed you back, that was the goal, that was why he flew out in the first place. “yeah, i couldn’t get a direct flight, so i had a layover in toronto. it was cool and all, but all i could think about was seeing you.” tom kept rambling, and as much as you wanted to stop him and get angry with him, you just let him talk. you needed to hear him out. you needed to know if the past month and a half had been hell for him like it was for you. 

“i’m the biggest idiot that could have ever walked the planet, y/n. i shouldn't have broken up with you. i’m really sorry.” he reached out to grab your hands, cupping them in his. his touch was gentle, but so, so warm against your hands. his touch was intoxicating. you would be lying if you said that you didn’t want him, but even after he hurt you, tom was all you wanted. “i need to make things right. i need you back in my life, i need us to get back together. i want you, i’ve only wanted you.” i’ve only wanted you. his words were stitching your heart back together, but you couldn’t forget that he had left you.

“i was scared, so i broke up with you. that is the most idiotic thing i’ve ever done. i didn’t want the distance to hurt us so i needed to break up with you before the distance could break us up, but i’ll give you anything, no, i’ll give you everything if it means we can try again.” tom didn’t care about the people around your table, he just cared about you. he cared about getting you back. the two of you sat in silence, drowning out the noise of the other patrons in the shop. the bustle of the city was suddenly gone as you focused on him.

“do you mean it?” those words were the only thing you could muster out. your mind was all over the place. you looked behind him, at the people walking around the shop, grabbing their drinks and leaving, talking to their friends. your eyes focused back on tom. you focused on how he looked so desperate for you, how he was silently fighting for you as the two of you sat in silence.

“of course i do. i love you y/n.” those latter four words cut the silence like a knife. those four words were the last thing you thought you were going to hear from him, but here he was, saying everything you wanted him to and meaning it. he meant every single word he was saying to you, that much was evident.

“i love you too.”

•••

about a month later, you were scrolling on twitter only to see an article about you and tom getting back together. though the two of you never confirmed it explicitly, it was quite obvious with how much the two of you were spotted together. a few days after he flew out to reconcile with you, you had flown back home to london with him. countless dates were spent before tom had to go to ohio to film his newest project. you were meant to fly out later, needing to finish a few meetings in london about your next album.

you scrolled through your instagram to see a photo of you and tom that he had posted. it was a photo that harrison had taken of the two of you dancing around in the backyard as it was pouring rain. neither of you knew he had taken photos of you until after. the captured moment became both your lockscreen and tom’s lockscreen, and now it was out there for the whole world to see. he had tagged you in it and captioned it what a time for you and i, clearly referring to your song. a smile appeared on your face. you were quick to comment on his picture. when he says “you can stand under my umbrella” but he doesn’t have an umbrella :// if he was going to have fun with this, then so were you.

as your phone blew up, you got a text from tom saying he was taking a break from filming and that he would call you soon. what a time for you and him indeed.

[miss-bvnny]

Yet another fan tweaks up TLK 2 and TLG: The Squeakel.

Im bored and in a lil pain. time to jot down all my personal ideas/headcanons for how I'd polish up TLK 2 and TLG to fit with the first movie a bit better, and create something more cohesive since like only about 3 people on the TLK2 and TLG teams paid attention to the first movie. I've seen a lot of hedcanons and AUS and whatnot in my day so I've kinda got a good idea of what i like and what I think might work better. Veteran TLK creators please interact with me and gib feedeback on my sick tricks

Uhhh TW for abuse and cub death

So...while there's TECHNICALLY nothing I'd change about the first movie, as it's pretty much done and solid, I wanted to play with my ideas for Zira's backstory.

YES in my version it'd be a one-sided love, kinda like how DemiiDee on dA and Silver-Wolf-17/@mask-of-prime see it, Scar knew she was obsessed with him since the day she met him as a cub, and took advantage of that. After he became king, he wanted loyal lionesses just in case Sarabi, Nala, Sarafina and the others got wise and rebelled. Zira and her pride sisters were all starving, and he knew that. He welcomed them in, promising food and comfort in return for their loyalty. Zira didn't hesitate to agree, and Scar loved her blind adoration of him. He WOULD have liked it if someone like Sarafina was so blindly in love with him (Scar had a gross unrequited obsessive crush on Sarafina growing up, and he constantly held it against her after she chose to be with Nala's father Mega instead. This is another reason why he was so hard on the hunting parties. He used his position as king to get petty revenge on childhood bullies and the like). Scar decided Zira would be his queen but like...ONLY because Sarafina had already made her choice. Zira didn't care, and knew she'd make Scar proud and produce a lot of wonderful heirs for him, in order to repay him for ''all he'd done for her'' (A very thin and insincere ''all'' if you ask me). So, Zira gets pregnant with who will eventually be Nuka, but...Rafiki takes a look at her and sees she's very weak and will probably only have one cub. Oh well. Let's just hope this one son is a suitable heir in Scar's eyes.

....Well-

Nuka's born. Weak, unfocused, and not at all what Scar wanted or was hoping for. He TRIES to teach Nuka and raise him as an Heir, but...it just doesn't work. Scar believes he was destined for greatness and for a prosperous, strong lineage. Nuka is none of those things, and it seems Zira will never be able to give him another heir (I KNOW the ''This woman can't have kids'' trope is icky but HOLD ON wait until you see where I'm going with this) Scar disowns Nuka and scolds Zira for disappointing him. Zira begs for his forgiveness, and swears on her life she'll find a way to make things worth Scar's while.

During this time, several of the male cubs who were born around the same time as Simba are being exiled. Scar doesn't want any males around to threaten overtaking him, and nips the problem in the bud before it ever becomes an issue. Many pride sister saw him doing this, and while they disagreed with it...it DID offer one bonus: Trustworthy males were leaving for better lands. They could take the new young cubs with them, since none of the sisters wanted their children to be raised in Scar's Pridelands.

Surprisingly, one of these lionesses trying to save her cubs...was Zira. Within the last few months, she'd...began to realize perhaps she was looking at Scar with rose-colored glasses. She was beginning to wonder if perhaps she was wrong to worship him the way she did. The thoughts were still kinda...new, and she wasn't sure what to do. But, during all her confusion, she DID happen to meet another male lion. Mpendwa, (Swahili for ''Honey'') was an old friend from her teenage years who was a wanderer by nature. Zira was VERY happy to see him again, after all these years. She met with him in secret, when Scar and the Hyenas weren't looking, and began to fall in love with him. REAL love. Mutual good love, where he loved her for who she was, and NOT what she could give him. Even Nuka seemed to like him, too! And...by some miracle, Zira and Mpendwa had a secret litter together! Four beautiful, healthy little cubs! It was perfect. SO perfect. Perhaps the problem had lain not in Zira, but in Scar the entire time. It served as more confirmation to Zira that...perhaps she was in the wrong to love him. Mpendwa asked her if she and their four cubs would come with him. Somewhere far and somewhere safe, where they could be happy together. Zira...was hesitant, afraid of disappointing Scar further, and even more afraid to leave her pride sisters behind. They were in this because of her, and...there were so many of them that it'd be impossible to get all of them out without Scar seeing something was up. Nevertheless, she knew she had to think about the future of her cubs, and NOT about Scar. She agreed, and plans were made for Zira and Nuka to meet Mpendwa at the border with her four cubs. In the dead of night, they'd leave using the rest of the evacuating males as a cover so they could make a clean getaway.

....Well...to make a very heartbreaking and gruesome story short...Scar knew about Mpendwa the entire time. And of course he saw Zira was pregnant. He overheard their plains to escape, and prepared accordingly. Mpendwa and three of Zira's cubs were killed as punishment for her disloyalty and attempt at mutiny. He lets her keep the youngest one alive as a reminder of her shortcomings, but ONLY if she'll swear her loyalty to him once more. With nothing else left to do, she swore her allegiance to him, and returned to the Pridelands with only Vitani and Nuka left of her family. In the coming days and months, Scar turns up the charm to further entice Zira, making sure she and Vitani are given the best of everything and taken care of, to ensure she feels terrible about what she did and she never acts out again. Sadly, it works, and Zira falls back in love with him, realizing SHE was the one in the wrong, and was an utter fool to betray Scar. Things are....steady for a while. Not bad, not good, but...steady for Zira and Scar. He of course ignores both cubs, and Zira has to reach out to him pleadingly if she wants to connect with him. Zira works as a willing mouthpiece to spout propaganda tot he rest of the pride, assuring then Scar is a GREAT king, their ONLY king, and that he will usher in a new golden age for them all. It pleases Scar and he is sure to...ever so slightly reciprocate his gratitude to her. If only to keep her totally convinced to stay with him. Zira can see he's...flaky and not too sure about her, and decides she MUST act fast to show him she is worthy.

She MUST somehow produce him a viable heir. And quickly. But with all the other males gone, there's not a whole lot of cubs being born. And her beloved Mpendwa is long dead. So...she has to figure something else out. One day, while hunting for Vitani and Nuka on her own, she runs across a skinny dark brown lone lioness taking a dead zebra somewhere. She tells Nuke and Vitani to wait, and begins to stalk this female, named Jibu (''Answer'') Jibu takes her kill to a secluded spot, and Zira notices she's having trouble catching her breath. It doesn't take Zira long to see...Jibu is pregnant. VERY pregnant, and close to giving birth. GIVING birth, actually! She's going into labor. Jibu cries out for mercy, knowing she is alone and there is no one around to help her. Zira, in a moment of maternal instinct and compassion, helps her. She, along with Nuka and Vitani, stay by Jubi's side as she gives birth to one little brown cub. Then, Zira gets...a really really REALLY terrible idea, just looking at the little cub. Calmly, she tells Vitani and Nuka that Jibu will need some water, and that they need to bring some back for her in some fresh moss. It's a big job, and the cubs are BOTH very willing to help. Vitani and Nuka leave on their big mission, and then Zira, Jibu, and the new cub are left alone.

Zira is quick about it. Merciful, even. By the time Nuka and Vitani get back, Jibu is dead. Zira sorrowfully tells the cubs that...the birthing process was simply too much for a weak and skinny loner like her, and that there was nothing at all that could have been done. Nuka asks what they're going to do with the cub, and Zira says she SUPPOSES they could take it back to the pride, as well as the zebra Jibu just killed. They return to the pridelands with food, and...Zira presents the cub to Scar. She tells him that his mother gave birth on the edge of the territory, before succumbing to her dehydration and fatigue. Scar looks the cub over, and is overjoyed. He declares THIS cub, this Kovu, WILL be his heir.

So, time passes, and before you know it, Simba returns. The TRUE Pridelanders rise up and reclaim their land. In the wake of his return, Zira's pride sisters see the error of their ways, and oppose the hyenas in battle. Scar is overthrown, and Simba takes his place as King. Zira is of course horrified, outraged, and...filled with a turmoil of emotions about it. Some part of her feels...free that Scar is gone, but the rest of her was so twisted by his words that she doesn't want to admit she's happy he's dead. She chokes those feelings down, trying to sit still and look pretty for Simba as he moves in. Nuka, Vitani, and little Kovu are doing well, and...as a mother that's all she should care about, really. But...deep down inside, there's a growing, growling, burning need for revenge in her soul.

As Kovu grows a little bigger and the pridelands heal more, Simba and Nala announce the birth of their OWN heir.....Kopa. Yep. Yes. That's right, I'm a Kopa theorist. Upsetting, I know. But like....it makes sense. Look at how overprotective and suffocating Simba was to Kiara in TLK 2. Almost like he'd dealt with tragedy in relation to a cub before, and vowed to never let it happen again. Huh. If YOU'RE reading this and you have no idea who Kopa is and the drama behind his very existence, first of all God I wish I was you, secondly, go here to learn what then entire TLK fandom is divided over:

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Kopa

Anyway, Kopa is begins to grow and learn as the next king of Pride Rock, good friends with Nuka and Vitani, and even their cute little brother Kovu. He's not...VERY old right now, but he'll grow and be able to play with them one day! Their mom, Zira, seems....a little upset about stuff. She always watches them from afar, never engages with the rest of the Pride, and doesn't seem to like Simba. Kopa, as a young kid determined to be a great king, takes a note to keep an eye on this. She might be really old, but she's part of his father's kingdom. Everyone else is happy and healthy, she should be too, right? Simba and Nala seem...worried about her as well. For different reasons, but yeah.

Ever the hunter and woman scorned, Zira has been...studying Kopa. He's young and naive, but...eager to learn and take over for his father. He's studious and intuitive, often finding trouble without meaning to, because he was trying to solve a problem or get involved in pride politics. Of course, all the other lions and creatures love him, and are eager to see him grow into a fine future king. There s NO doubt he's a jewel in his family's crown. But...he is still a cub. Zira remembers how devastated she was to lose Vitani's three siblings, and knows that Simba and Nala will be equally devastated if....something happens to Kopa. She knows exactly how she's going to avenge Scar now.

Simba and Nala were out on a little moonlight hunt together one night, like they enjoyed to do together. They were coming back to Pride Rock afterwards, only to hear a terrible commotion. Zazu rushed to meet them, telling of something terrible that had just happened: Zira tried to assassinate the young prince. Her pride sisters were now in arms against Sarabi and her pride sisters, trying to stop an attempted uprising. Simba and Nala quickly joined in to fight, Simba finding Zira with Kopa in her jaws. He stops her, and Timon and Pumbaa are quick to get Kopa to Rafiki for healing. Simba and Nala face off against Zira while she gives her side of the story. telling about how she's tired of being docile and pretending her heart isn't broken after Simba and Nala both took everything from her. Simba and Nala both see she's still...terribly twisted by Scar's words, trying to be patient but firm with her as they attempt to talk her down. She won't have it, and leaps at Simba, Nala gets involved, and they fight her off. Simba calls for her banishment, and she is thrown out of the Pridelands with the rest of her followers, and her three cubs.

During all of this, Rafiki is attending to Kopa and his injuries. They're...bad, but not fatal. With time, he'll be just fine. Zira left him blind in one eye, gave him a terribly ripped ear, nearly tore his tail off, and he's got a deep throat scar that will alter his voice quite a bit. With time he'll be alright physically, but...I'm not so sure about mentally. Kopa has...a LOT of PTSD over it. blaming himself for how he thought Zira was a friend he could help, wondering if he was stupid for never seeing her anger sooner. He begins to question his abilities as a future king. Yes, he's still young, and accidents happen, but...this event has left him a bit jaded all the same. Simba and Nala see it, and...want to do the best for their son. They can see the enthusiasm in his eyes to one day be king fading. It's devastating. And...while Simba isn't about to give up on him, he doesn't want to force Kopa into something he...clearly doesn't want to do anymore. On top of that...Simba fears Kopa may not be safe in the Pridelands anymore. Zira and her followers ARE in the Outlands, but...Zira is bold and full of hate. There's no telling what she could do next. After a lot of deliberation, meeting with Zazu, Nala, and Kopa...the king comes to a conclusion. He strips Kopa of his title as an heir, and sends him to live in the Oasis with Ma, Uncle Max, and the rest of Timon's family. He'll be safe and well-fed there, far away from Zira. It'll only be for a while, until the trouble with the outlanders settles down, and until Kopa is ready to return home. Kopa agrees to the idea whole-heartledy, and departs for the Oasis as soon as he's fit to travel. It's...painful and hard, but it's the best option for their son's mental health. Simba and Nala do visit often, and are glad to see it DOES seem to be working.

Okay. So Zira tried to kill Kopa in the name of Scar, got herself booted, and the origins of her three cubs have been dealt with. That's all the Zira/Scar and Kopa backstory stuff done and dealt with. I'm gonna cut it right here since this is gettin awful lengthy, and continue with TLK 2 and The Lion Guard in a part 2. Keep an eye out for that one.

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Werewolf Creature!Fic

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Embers by shiftylinguini Rated:  Explicit Words:  41216 Tags: Post-Hogwarts, First Time, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Draco Malfoy, Omega Harry Potter, Werewolves, Heat Companion Harry Potter, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Masturbation, Knotting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Scent Marking, Scent Kink, Come Marking, Dirty Talk, sexual negotiation, H/D Career Fair 2017 Summary:  Werewolf Alphas aren't meant to be alone, or to suppress their ruts indefinitely like Draco has been since he was bitten eight years ago. He needs company, companionship, to knot ― he needs an Omega Heat Companion. At least, that’s what the Healers say, and even Draco can admit contacting the person they’ve referred him to might be nice. Of course it turns out to be bloody Potter. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Heart Like Neon by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill) Rated:  Explicit Words:  41103 Tags: Sex Work, Sex worker Harry Potter, Rentboys, rentboy Harry potter, Past Harry/Ginny - Freeform, past Draco/Theo, Harry/OMC - Freeform, Trans Male Character, Trans Female Character, Switching, Transphobia, Tattoos, hung harry, POV Alternating, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Rimming, Comeplay, Watersports, Duelling, Facials Summary:  Bored of being The Chosen One, Harry discovers he rather likes sex and becomes a professional. He’s good at it, and part of why is that he can read people. Not minds, not Legilimens, but their whole self, and he can give them what they don’t even know they want. Enter Draco fucking Malfoy, enigma to everyone, including himself. Harry can’t help but want to break into him, to figure him out. And Draco, thinking he’ll fuck Potter on a lark, has no idea what he’s in for. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Who we are in the shadows by Quicksilvermaid Rated:  Explicit Words:  99714 Tags: Dubious Consent, werewolf instincts, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, child trafficking, Brief Claustrophobia, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Past minor character death, Past Child Death, Bigotry & Prejudice, prejudice against werewolves, internalized prejudice, Murder, Stabbing, Poison, Hallucinations, Creature Fic, Werewolf Harry, Werewolves, Auror Harry Potter, Case Fic, Masturbation, wanking, werewolf attack, Aural Voyeurism, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Biting, Marking, Claiming, Scenting, Possessive Behavior, Jealousy, Rough Sex, Edging, Secrets, Lies, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, Loyalty, Loyalty Bond, Bonding, Angst, Domestic, Falling In Love, Enemies to Lovers, Self-Acceptance, Emotional Growth, Angst with a Happy Ending, References to Auror Brutality, H/D Erised 2019, Comeplay, Wall Sex, sex without lube, Identity Porn, Secret Identity Summary:  What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost. But nothing is exactly as it seems. Not even Harry himself. And as he gets drawn further and further into Malfoy's world of honour and deception he finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew—about his childhood nemesis, the Ministry job he misses so much, and most of all, about himself. What happens when you’re forced to see that you were wrong? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Elusive Mate by 0idontknow0 Rated:  Explicit Words:  25786 Tags: Rating: NC17, Fanart, Creature Fic Summary:  Harry had done it (a) to save lives and (b) because the idea of him being Malfoy’s mate was clearly ridiculous, but now he had to tell Malfoy. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Finding A Place To Call Home by marysiak Rated:  Explicit Words:  54747 Tags: Alternate Universe, Creature Fic, Werewolves, Post-Hogwarts, Rough Sex, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Summary:  Feeling directionless after the war, Harry is unexpectedly torn out of his own universe and thrust into another, where he must hide out with Remus Lupin, Teddy and Draco Malfoy as Severus Snape and Hermione try to find a way to send him home and save both his and his unwitting doppelganger's lives. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 as much a light as a flame by p1013 Rated:  Explicit Words:  6303 Tags: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Mating Rituals, Werewolf Draco Malfoy, POV Draco Malfoy, Knotting, Scent Kink, Mating Bond, Outdoor Sex, Anal Sex, Comeplay, Art, Claiming, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  His mother paints a wolf on his chest, its eyes bracketing his heart, and its muzzle pointed towards his groin. His aunt fills in the spaces around his waist and ribs with symbols he's lost the meaning of in the wash of whatever plant had been mixed in with the steam. They move after her brush leaves his skin, turning from incomprehensible marks to his name to wolf to home to hunt and then back to misunderstanding again. His legs are painted in patterned bands, starting from his ankles and ending at his upper thighs. His groin is left unmarked, the pale and empty skin meant to leave no doubt of the Claim once he makes it. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Burning the Ground by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill), traintracks Rated:  Explicit Words:  10256 Tags: A/B/O-ish dynamic, Were-Creatures, Knotting, Rough Sex, Anal Sex, Bondage, Blow Jobs, sex on the floor, Rimming, Auror Harry Potter, Healer Draco Malfoy, Mildly Dubious Consent Summary:  "Strap him down," someone said, and Harry felt the rage thicken inside him -- the viscous fear. Magical bindings pulled taut around his wrists . . . He felt a wand touch his arm and then a sharp bite as something punctured the skin, and a sweet, cool tonic rushed his veins. His breathing slowed. His eyelids drooped. The ceiling went grey and dark. And then he heard a woman's voice sigh, "Someone, get Healer Malfoy." ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Omega's Binding by Madriddler Rated:  Explicit Words:  49405 Tags: Hogwarts Sixth Year, Alpha/Omega, Omega Harry, Werewolves, Knotting, Fluff and Angst, Anal Fingering, Size Kink, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Watersports, No Horcruxes Summary:  After a violent encounter, Harry Potter is turned into a werewolf. An Omega Werewolf, to be exact. Now dealing with heats and the ability to get pregnant, Harry must learn to live with his new forms and life, while a desire for revenge fuels him. Will he be able to resist his heat and vengeance? Or will he fall into an instinctual lust, and look for his Alpha? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Light More Beautiful by firethesound Rated:  Explicit Words:  81255 Tags: Hogwarts Sixth Year, Dubious Consent, Potions Accident, Post-Hogwarts, Aurors, Returning Home, Owls, Drinking, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Shower Sex, Masturbation in Shower, Knotting, Rimming, Falling In Love, Case Fic, Loss of Virginity, Acronyms, Motorcycles, Christmas, Quidditch, Pining Summary:  Thirteen years after Draco accepts Potter's help escaping the horror of his sixth year, he returns to England where he makes the unfortunate discovery that Potter is still as obnoxious as ever. And worse, more than a decade overseas hasn't been enough to dim Draco's obsession with him. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Run With Me by dragontara Rated:  Mature Words:  16738 Tags: Animagus, Creature Fic, Werewolf Draco, Animagus Harry, Bottom Draco, Bonding, Knotting, snarky Draco Summary:  Draco and Harry meet in the Forbidden Forest in their wolf forms falling fast and hard and eventually bonding with each other. Unfortunately bonding in their animal forms doesn't mean they are happily bonded straight away in a real life too. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Taro Milk Tea with a side of Depression by VeelaWings Rated:  Mature Words:  1073 Tags: Pre-Slash, Screenplay/Script Format, Conversations, Veela Draco Malfoy, Werewolf Harry Potter, Guidance Counselors, in therapy, Depression, Self-Hatred, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Morbid Humor, Inappropriate Behavior from a Professional, H/D Hurt!Fest 2020 Summary:  Draco sat through twenty grievous minutes of Ministry-mandated group therapy for Newly Registered Magical Beings & Creatures — then promptly stormed out. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Blood Moon Rising by noelleification Rated:  Mature Words:  38322 Tags: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Werewolf Draco Malfoy, Wolfstar is canon, Sirius Black Lives, Draco Malfoy Needs a Hug, Draco Malfoy is a Little Shit, Adoption, Slowburn Adoption, Drarry might happen at some point, idk - Freeform, Remus and Sirius adopt draco, Remus and Sirius as dads, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, So much angst, seriously get ready for angst, Abusive Lucius Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, Harry Potter but it's ridiculously gay, Gay Draco Malfoy, Gay Disaster Draco Malfoy, Trans Hermione Granger, Because we don't support TERFS in this household, Yearning, Sirius and Remus are in love but it doesn't mean they're smart enough to know it yet, so get ready for them to pine for awhile, uhhhhhh just have tissues ready I guess, I'm gonna try my hardest to make you cry, You're gonna suffer..., But you're gonna be... happy about it?, Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, traumatized Draco, Draco Malfoy Has Issues, Tonks is best girl, Tonks as lesbian wine aunt, Tonks has big sister vibes, Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks Never Happened, Everyone is LGBT, because fuck jk rowling, Found Family, Whump, this shit hurted, Parental Remus Lupin, Parental Sirius Black, Torture, Aftermath of Torture, this shit gets dark yall, just be prepared Summary:  Draco Malfoy is cursed. Ever since Fenrir Greyback ripped him to shreds, Draco has transformed into a monster every month on the full moon. The change is painful, and living with Lucius Malfoy might be worse. But Draco is strong. He doesn’t need anyone, especially not Remus Lupin. Remus Lupin might be the only person in the world who understands what Draco is going through—but he has enough on his plate, between the still-raging wizarding war, the publicized nature of his status as a werewolf, and his best friend, Sirius Black, who Remus might think of in a more-than-friendly way. He certainly can’t take in a seventeen-year-old Death Eater—can he? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Howling Good Time by FleetofShippyShips Rated:  Explicit Words:  5819 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Established Relationship, Werewolf Draco Malfoy, Full Moon, werewolf/human sex, Transformed Werewolf/Human Sex, Knotting, Consent Given Prior, Multiple Orgasms, Overstimulation, Morning After, Aftercare (delayed?), Scent Kink, Fluff, (hahaha both literal and emotional), Don't copy to another site, Come Scent Kink (i.e. some post-sex bum sniffing) Summary:  They’d talked about this, and Draco had agreed that he would try it for Harry, once Harry had convinced him he was utterly serious and not fucking with him. The timing, however, was entirely up to Harry, and he'd decided tonight, this full moon, was the night. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Am I a werewolf? by a_reader_and_writer Rated:  General Words:  1230 Tags: Werewolves, Curses, Drarropoly 2.0 - A Drarry Game/Fest, Dramatic Draco Malfoy, Boyfriends, Fluff and Crack Summary:  Draco is hit by the werewolf curse. The healers send him home and tell Harry and him to watch the symptoms. Of course this isn't as easy as it sounds with our drama queen Draco. ❤️ Read on AO3

[alleyskywalker]

Ok for the ship pros and cons, completely random: Tyvolio, Romercutio, Rombalt and R/J <3

Tyvolio

Pros:

Enemies to lovers and this version is compatible with Romercutio ;)

I’ve enjoyed your commentary on like how they’re kinda parallels and foils at the same time - their personalities make them opposites and the feud fuels that, but there are similarities in like...their position relative to their families and stuff. I think those can be interesting dynamics to explore in a ship on the meta side.

Ok so Benvolio canonically has/had a dog, so we can assume he’s a dog person. And it’s pretty accepted that Tybalt is a cat person...can you imagine them moving in together with their respective pets and the pets do...the stereotypical cats-and-dogs thing? xD IDK this is really stupid but I find it funny.

Cons:

Subjective con, but basically neither of them are characters I’m very invested in in their individual capacity.

I like...really struggle to imagine how this would actually work? Like the emotional logic? How would they even go about falling in love? I’m cool with the ship like in theory, but I have a really hard time to imagining how the getting together/falling in love part would work.

Rombalt

Pros:

Enemies to lovers with a character I care about lol. Also a true Opposites Attract (TM).

I mean, if we’re gonna have an R/J type story, we just as might make it gay.

This one is a lot easier for me to imagine that Tyvolio bc... Well, Romeo is just Soft and is canonically willing to give Tybalt the benefit of the doubt (and frankly, probably would even without the Juliet thing). And because it’s a true opposites attract type thing, I can see Romeo winning Tybalt over by just being a sweetheart, even if it would take time and some external circumstances. I feel like Romeo is smol in a way Benvolio isn’t and that would trigger Tybalt’s protective instincts, etc.

(Ok also...Tybalt knows Romeo at the party by the sound of his voice. Who knows people they don’t regularly hang out/talk with by how their voice sounds unless they’re some obsession going on there?)

I kinda like a tropey slash ship of Dark Cynical and Dangerous/Sweet Smol Boi from time to time.  (Even better that there’s a Twist because Romeo can actually be hella snarky. I mean he keeps up with Mercutio no problem.) I mean is it a bit Beauty and the Beast? Yea... Do I still enjoy it now and again with the right ship? Unfortunately, also yes.

The potential for this to become Romtycutio, which to me, is an OT3 inferior only to the Montacrew OT3.

Cons:

Given that Tybalt’s reaction to Romeo in canon is Murder makes the whole thing a little suspect? Like I can see this going/being very dark very easily. And I respect the dark!fic crowd but it’s not really my thing for ships.

Romeo Deserves Better

Romeo/Juliet

Pros:

It can be cute? Like I can certainly imagine that if they got to know each other and had a relationship it could have worked out very well.

A het ship where the guy is very specifically coded as having more feminine feelings/reactions about it.

Cons:

I’m sorry but Love At First Sight is a trope I gag at (and find entirely unrealistic and, frankly, boring).

We don’t really get to see their relationship? We don’t get to see how/why they work together? We get little glimpses, but I always feel like the “understand each other immediately” is more headcanons than canon. (Granted, they vibe well with banter at the party and stuff.)

Related to everything above, it just feels like it’s about lust. Like we’re TOLD it’s about love but Romeo constantly sighing over how beautiful she is and Juliet being explicitly horny as she waits for Romeo...Like, you two just really wanna fuck. And yea that’s normal, they’re teenagers. But like...I don’t care.

Romercutio

Pros:

Best friends to lovers!

Loyalty kink!

I’m not saying that one person has to die for the other for it to be romantic or anything...but self-sacrifice can easily hit an id sweet spot for me.

Opposites Attract in a lot of ways but like...in a somewhat more normal/realistic way than Rombalt.

Banter! Their banter is so cute!

And they are so clearly on each other’s wavelength and know each other and each other’s boundaries so well. I have no idea how people read the banter in Act 2 Scene 4 and interpret it as...a legitimate argument or something? It’s so clearly banter and banter they’re both delighted with. It’s nearly incomprehensible and I’ve seen different interpretations in different editions’ line notes, which is likely just a factor of reliance on slang and cultural references which have to some extent been lost, but I like to think (headcanon?) it also being a matter of them having way too many inside jokes. But it definitely that connection where the two people say ostensibly mean or offensive things to each other but they’re actually not mean or offensive because they’re so tuned into each other that none of it crosses a line or is interpreted as anything other than joking around.

They just generally feel very compatible to me, all things considered. AND their chemistry on the page is through the roof.

This dynamic has similar vibes to the whole Prince and His Knight thing I talked about with Danatole, even if technically it isn’t, since they’re likely social equals more or less.

There’s a lot of potential for BOTH softness and fluff and adoration AND drama and interpersonal conflict and stuff. This ship is so versatile.

While this is also a con, as we will see below, there is a certain high romantic potential to the story of the faithful unrequited love for a friend, who is too oblivious to Realize, that ends in sacrifice and tragedy. it’s sad but...it’s very emotionally compelling to me.

The UST could be so delicious.

And honestly, I don’t see a case for a reading of the play as having Mercutio-is-gay subtext without also reading it as having Mercutio-is-pining-for-Romeo subtext.

Cons:

Oof the canon...it does come off very one-sided. Like at absolute best, Romeo’s feelings would have to be very suppressed. And while I’m not one of those assholes who’s out here implying that unrequited love is somehow less love than requited love, it’s just so terribly sad :( And you have to work around the canon het and stuff to get them together in fic, basically needing an AU. Unless, I guess, it’s a were-together-then-broke-up situation which is EVEN SADDER NO. And they don’t really come off as exes to me (while Tycutio does).

[degenerate-yandere]

Yandere Original Characters

Oh you best be sure I used picrews for this, ya girl can’t draw to save her life. Picrews used: (Ray), (Damon).

Anyway, people seemed sort of interested in my ocs so (⺣◡⺣)♡* here they are. Hope y’all like my boys.

Also special thanks to @darlingyanderez​ for inspiring me with her wonderful OCs.

Feel free to ask me anything about them if you’re interested! Please ask I have a lot of cute information for them. 

Also the names are just placeholders at the moment, I’m terrible at naming.

Name: Ray

Height: 183 cm (6′0)

Age: 19

Bio: A reserved, introverted college student with a dream of becoming a renown manga artist - a dream that he hopes will come to fruition from the inspiration his beautiful little muse instills. Suffice to say, he’s utterly obsessive. Skillfully drawn panels litter the walls of his bedroom, each depicting a character that bears a striking resemblance to his darling. Ray draws himself taking them on dates, embracing while they watch the fireworks, exchanging tender kisses; fulfilling every sappy shojo trope his little heart desires. Then, of course, there’s his private collection - the pieces he frantically drew as a wild blush bloomed across his face. Every perverse, deviant fantasy is drawn in intricate detail. He’d love to show them to you, one day.

Ray’s a terribly shy man, so he’s not one to outwardly approach his darling. Instead he opts to watch them from afar. He simply wishes to know everything about them! The route they take home, what their apartment looks like, the kind of clothes they like to wear, what time they to go to sleep... He has a list of ‘reference notes’, a compilation of all their information. Ray just wants to make sure he remains true to the source material. Pictures of his darling line his walls, his favorite one taking permanent residence within his wallet. He could stare at them for hours.

Ray’s apologetic, soft-spoken and nervous, even as he ties his darling to the post of his bed. He’s submissive in that regard; wishing only to dote on his beloved, to take the utmost care of them. He loves to drag them onto his lap as he plays his video games, gush about how cute they, tell them again and again how much he loves them. This man is a tad touch-starved, so he’s very handsy - but any ounce of reciprocation will leave him in absolute bliss. He’ll keep them safe, but more importantly, he’ll keep them his. Ray is gentle, completely adverse to any physical discipline. But he’ll do what’s necessary to keep his inspiration by his side, where they belong.

Name: Damon

Height: 197 cm (6′6)

Age: 22 

Bio: A thug with a troubled past of delinquency which, when coupled with his imposing stature and strong physique, make him quite the intimidating figure. Usually, seeing the fear upon peoples faces while in his presence instills him with a sense of pride. But if his darling avoids him, or flinches away whenever he walks near them, his heart shatters. That dread-filled expression that paints across their beautiful features makes his protective instincts kick into overdrive. Damon wants to keep them safe; to wrap them in his muscled arms and hold them as tightly as possible so that nothing can hurt them. He wants them to see him as their protector, and he’s quick to anger if they don’t.

Romantic rivalry is sure to bring out Damon’s sadistic side - he takes wicked glee in reducing anyone he deems a threat into an unrecognizable pulp. He thinks about showing you all his hard work, maybe you’d be proud of him. He’s quick to grow insufferably jealous, you are his after all. He’s possessive, sure, but what’s to be expected from a man so used to simply taking what he wants?

Damon is not a man of eloquence - he’s gruff and calloused. His actions speak volumes over his grumbled words. He’ll snatch their hand in his larger one, mumbling something about walking them home. Any protests will be outright ignored. He makes it clear how much bigger and stronger he is than you - if he wants something from you, he’s not adverse to simply taking it.

When Damon finally has them all to himself, he’ll be demanding and stern. He makes it clear that they are expected to crawl onto his lap whenever necessary, they are to kiss him and tell him just how grateful they are that he’s protecting them. His punishments are painful and ruthless. He’ll feign apprehension, but there’s a subtle, maniacal glee that he gets from putting them in their place. Just be good for him, and he can make all that pain go away.

[war--lords]

Hello! :) Can I plz request trope 3 with Hideyoshi? thank you ^^

Two in a day—what a miracle!

Semi-NSFW.

Trope 3: Distracted by the Sexy

Everyone is a little bit in love with you. 

The corners of Hideyoshi’s lips turn into a mild frown at the realization. Somehow, it’s not much of a surprise. Take Masamune, for example—the man might be a natural flirt, but with you, he seems to make an extra effort to impress you, and despite how it appears to be strictly platonic between you and the One-Eyed Dragon, Hideyoshi honestly thinks that he’s just a tiger waiting for the right time to strike.

And Ieyasu. Don’t get him started on Ieyasu. The banquet tonight has only gotten started for a short while and he’s already seen the younger warlord blush while you’re around him. Twice. That basically means he’s head over heels.

But he won’t exactly blame Ieyasu, he mulls over the thought with a sip of the sake he’s been nursing since the beginning of the feast. Instinctively, his eyes search for you across the room, only to have the entirety his breath lodged in his throat. 

You look absolutely stunning tonight. Not that you don’t usually look this good. It’s how you present yourself for a special occasion that drives him especially crazy—this is exactly why Hideyoshi thinks you’re dangerous. He is the kind of man with an eye for beauty in all things, of course, but the way he thinks of your beauty makes him worry if he’s being… obsessive.

He hears Nobunaga call for your name and can’t help but follow your form as you approach the dais. 

“Pour for me,” comes the order, delivered in a voice no less authoritative as when he speaks during war councils, but one glance at Nobunaga’s face and he can see the softness in his eyes.

Everyone is a little bit in love with you. Hideyoshi takes one full gulp of his drink. Again, not a surprise, but if it has to be him against the man he has sworn his life to, a bitterness emerged from his gut. 

Then he catches you looking at him.

Light caramel eyes widen in surprise that he could only contain mildly—you’re, concentrating on the cup you’re pouring into, having looked away quickly. He didn’t—couldn’t, too transfixed on the profile of your face to care if it’s turned to staring. 

He watches as your lips slowly part, further accentuating how the dim lighting of the hall reflects on them, highlighting the edges of your face. They look so soft and rosy, and he just can’t help imagining how it’ll feel to press his lips against yours. Would you be the type to let him take the lead? Or perhaps he’s only seen you in situations that require subservience, leading him to become unaware of your… wilder side?

“Someone’s lovesick.”

Hideyoshi swallows his surprise down his throat, something that he’s always done whenever it’s Mitsuhide he’s facing. The white-haired warlord has taken the seat next to his, unable to let the moment slip unnoticed. Hideyoshi can taste a mix of embarrassment and irritation on his own tongue as he speaks.

“Enjoying the party?”

“Oh, yes,” Mitsuhide answers, trademark smirk on his face, “but only when I caught you staring so blatantly at _________. Didn’t you say that the two of you are ‘family’? That you’re like an older brother?” He then clicks his tongue in faux disappointment. “Family don’t look at each other that way—it’s wrong, even for my standards.”

“Look at each other like what?” He replies, offering the left-hand man a challenging glare. Mitsuhide retaliates with a shrug, easily downing his own cup of poison.

“My mistake, I thought I saw something… interesting happening between the two of you. But it’s all innocent, as it should be, aren’t I right?” 

And just like that, he leaves, allowing Hideyoshi to breathe in deeply again, but not until you sit next to him.

“Hi,” you say, and he’s struck by how fragrant you smell, “I saw you looking earlier and I thought you’d want more alcohol. May I pour you some?” 

He shoots you a polite smile, all while willing his heart to not beat so fast to the point of combustion. “Please,” he replies, offering you his cup.

Your fingers move to fix your hair in a way that makes him want to bury his in those strands, and right after that you’re pouring for him, an honor that he knows he shouldn’t take lightly, but the only thing he can think of right now is the warmth rolling off your body and how close you are. So close he can embrace you, slip his hand around your waist—

“Here you are.” 

“Oh. Thank you, I appreciate it.”

There’s a lull between the two of you while he sips on his drink, thinking how it definitely tastes better now that you’re around. He feels something on his hand.

Yours.

His heart jumps in his chest. Looking at you, he finds your face showing a myriad of emotions. The red on your cheeks might not entirely be from the alcohol. Your words, however, might, because he never expects you to be so bold. He senses bashfulness, but reflected in your eyes is something… coy.

“Wanna go get some fresh air?”

♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️

“It’s starting to feel a little stuffy in there,” you begin, sitting next to him on the boardwalk. Close. He feels your arms against his.

“Me too,” he answers, his voice low. “I’m glad we stepped out for a bit.”

“Hideyoshi,” he hears you say, appearing slightly bashful and still so pretty at the same time, “I’ve actually been meaning to tell you something for a while now.”

His eyebrows furrow.

“What is it?”

“I didn’t have the guts to, but earlier Masamune and the others were telling me to go for it… I drank a few shots to get that liquid courage, but please don’t think I’m drunk!”

He turns to fully face you, only to get a look at your face—red. And definitely not just from the alcohol. Heavens, that’s not exactly fair. You look too beautiful like that. 

“I’ve thought a lot about how we like to say that we’re family and that you’re like an older brother to me and stuff like that, but I really don’t want to be in that kind of relationship with you. And when I saw you look at me earlier, I—”

The next thing he knows is that he’s leaned forward for a kiss, his hand cupping the back of your head to press you closer. You let out a surprised gasp that quickly melts into a moan of his name against his tongue and his chest cannot feel tighter. With a strong grip on your waist, he hoists you up, swiftly bringing you on his lap. You’re panting, lips moving and seeking his, your hands hooked behind his neck. He finds the strength in him to speak in between each kiss.

“Stop,” he says, but he doesn’t, tongue dancing with yours, “I don’t you to be the one to say it first.” 

“Hideyoshi—” he hears you sigh almost dreamily when the two of you part, only for him to immediately attack your neck. Your hands move to his shoulders, squeezing with each pleasurable stroke of his tongue on your skin. He sucks, and you mewl, the sound fueling his blood with pure adoration and arousal.

“I don’t want to be siblings too, hells,” he mutters the last part, his hands roaming up and down your thighs while his lips move to the shell of your ear. You hear every single word he says, the rumble deep in his chest, his breath on you, and the only thing you can do is plant an open-mouthed kiss on his jaw. He moans in response, a welcome reward.

“I’ve wanted you,” he says, nipping your earlobe, “for the longest time.” 

“That was supposed to be my line,” you counter, fingers already moving under the opening of his kimono. He lets out a ragged breath, replying you with a palm on your chest, caressing you. “So unfair of you to take that away from me,” comes your protest, but he knows that you’re far from disappointed. And really, there’s no harm in playing along.

“Then let me make it up to you,” he says, kissing you again, deeper this time. He grinds his hips up against you and you let out a scandalous “ah!”—one that can possibly attract unwanted attention, but neither of you seem to be able to stop.

You’re the first to pull away, short on air. 

“Walk me back to my room?”

Hideyoshi never thought the day he’d actually consider running down the hallway would come. 

[flydotnet]

Bad Things Happen Bingo! The event where you send me requests according to this marvelous card! (Red cross is the completed prompt, character headshots are prompts I’ve already filled. I don’t have any request left, so feel free to send in suggestions for this card!).

Adrenaline really does makes you do what you usually can't pull off, huh?

The other day, I was trying to write something that wasn't Valiant Soul because I'm not mentally ready to tackle on the FFI arc for it, so I was brainstorming. I then realized I hadn't written much Kidou up until this point, which was weird because he's one of my favorite Ina characters (really, the most I've written of him was his appearance in From the Eye of the Typhoon), so I set on to correct at least a part of this mistake. I also realized it'd be a good opportunity to write more of the Break Trio, since their dynamic is one of my favorites. Writing Endou is always fun and Gouenji is a pretty cool character too. I'm not sure of what this AU is, tbh. At first I was going for my usual magical girl-like AU setup, but the Hades inspiration was too strong, and that's when the references started to slip. I may expand on this universe or merge it with my usual set-up; I'll see. Just know people are usually hunting for stuff in teams and fight monsters I guess.

I also didn't know when starting on this fic, but the actual name of the "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed" is "Belated Injury Reaction" on TV Tropes and it was a bitch to write. I had no idea of what I was doing lmao. I tried to make most of it through.

One of my new kicks in writing Inazuma is to use underused given name (see: my obsession in Valiant Soul to do just that), so y'all get to see my weird POVs in action. Gotta do what no one else does!

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

No Time to Burn nor Bleed

Summary: As long as his sister isn't sure and safe, an older brother will pull through the pain and the blood to find her. That's something the Break Trio knows all too well as they head onto another adventure through fire and monsters.

Fandom: Inazuma Eleven (with a weird AU and aged-up characters, no minor was harmed for this piece of fanfiction)

Wordcount: 2.4K words

Event hosted by @badthingshappenbingo.

AO3 version available here.

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

Haruna is in danger and that’s all he needed to get moving.

 While Yuuto doesn’t know why he’s got that feeling, he’s sure of it: if there is one part of his instincts that never gets wronged, it’s what Endou would affectionally refer to as his “big brother instinct” (a concept whose existence Gouenji hasn’t even tried to debunk, most likely because it hits even closer to home for him). If the alarm inside his head telling him his little sister is in danger starts shrilling, he can be certain she’s in some sort of harm’s way and he won’t stand for it.

Not after they almost lost each other forever a couple years ago.

 He likes to think of himself as the rational one of their little trio, but right now, he can’t put together two thoughts that aren’t a mix of anger, panic and fear. All he wants to do is rush in and follow his sister’s trail before it’s too late, because the smell of blood and burnt ash from the Phlegethon Swamp area only inspire him further negative thoughts that are starting to catch up to him and poison the well of his mind. He knows he’s being reckless, and yet, he pushes through his barrier of rationality.

It can’t have gone over his partners’ heads. As much as he’ll give people thinking Endou is a brainless idiot credit, surely the latter can’t have not noticed a stark change in his friend’s attitude: multiple past missions and adventures have proved that to him. Gouenji, being noticeably more level-headed despite some hothead tendencies, has absolutely made note of it already and has simply kept quiet until now; perhaps because he already knows the answer to his question without needing to ask.

 He’s clutching his spear like a lifeline – it’s always given him a feeling of power, especially in times of hardship such as this one. He doesn’t think very clearly as he hacks through whatever monsters get thrown at him, sometimes throwing his weapon and retrieving it before he can get hit by another goon, sometimes seeing Endou panic and throw his shield between a monster and a comrade.

Yuuto figures this is where he should draw the line, but the fear of harm happening to his sister is too strong to stop. There’s nothing like the fury pulsing through him right now, to think of what could be happening to her, and the possibility they may arrive too late to do anything – he knows she can defend herself, she’s proven that time and time again, but

 He brushes blood that got splashed on his face from a nearby monster’s wound, swallows the taste of iron in his mouth and pressures onwards. There is no time to lose and no reason to stop for a break of any sort.

  From what he can see of Kidou and what he knows about the guy, Shuuya doesn’t think his friend is thinking clearly anymore… or that he ever did when they decided to go on that hunt for his sister’s safety.

 It’s not that he doesn’t understand the feeling: if Yuuka was in such the same position as Kidou is convinced his sister is, as she still hasn’t come back from a mission with her partner, he’d have been possessed like that too, would’ve rushed and burnt everything in his stead. It’s the most understandable feeling, to him, since he’s been in those shoes when he almost had to become a mercenary to save her from his blackmailers. He can only sympathize and, to be fair, if he wasn’t understanding of the feeling, he’d have never agreed to come.

However, since he’s not Kidou right about now, he can notice all of the sloppy mistakes his comrade is making. Usually, Kidou is the thinking head of their trio, while he’s the executioner and Endou is usually on the guard so they can avoid taking too much damage while Kidou calculates the best strategy when the situation calls for more than their reflexes and muscle memories. Tonight, however, has nothing to do with what habits they have: he’s the one who has to think so Endou and he can advance properly while Kidou is on a rampage.

Never anger an older brother – people like Kidou, Tsunami and he are perfect examples of that, and tonight’s adventure into darkness is almost too illustrating.

 Still, and as street-smart as he is, Shuuya isn’t too reassured with Kidou’s trance. They still don’t even know if their mission has a point, so he’s not been entirely on board, but there was no way to tear his friend from whatever fury he’s been in ever since he realized his sister hadn’t given a single life sign. He can’t do much except follow, he supposes…

The most concerning, however, is that he can see Kidou is bleeding from somewhere. Since the latter is in the lead and Endou is guarding their backs, the blood trail they see can’t be anyone’s but Kidou’s – to which their oh so level-headed tactician replied it may be Haruna’s, and that made him even more furious than he had been until that point. Not good, but also fairly predictable – getting caught in such a mindset does a number on your rationality. He’s learnt that the hard way.

 That does mean, on the other hand, that Endou and he need to be even more careful than he expected. There is no telling when Kidou’s adrenaline rush will end or when the blood loss will be too much: since they won’t stop running and there is no way either Endou or he will convince Kidou to stop so they can at least check if he’s injured (even though they have no need to check for that, because even Endou must have noticed the splatters of red on the ground in front of them and where they must have come from), Shuuya guessed a little while ago he’d have to muster what medical knowledge he has to make sure they don’t have a dead man on their hands.

In the meantime, he continues slaying enemies Kidou hasn’t seen as blood continues to spill, red or black, while they go through the charcoal trees of the Phlegethon Swamp. His sword slashes through hordes of monsters at a time, humanoid or not, not letting any chance get taken by them.

 He nonchalantly throws a potion of healing he’s had buckled to his belt in the direction of where he thinks Kidou’s injury is (on his right shoulder, since blood has splashed on this side of his face, and they haven’t faced a single red-blooded enemy since arriving here) and hopes everything will go as planned and they have an opportunity to do something about that wound.

  They’re finally reaching the end of the tunnel and, to be honest, Mamoru is very relieved of this fact.

 Usually, he’s the most enthusiastic of his group because, to put it bluntly, he’s always loved the thrill of a good quest. Of course, he does those to help around the people asking for them, and he’s never put much value in the prize (unlike Kidou, who always calculates the “risk-to-reward ratio” for a given mission, as he’d put it); but the thrill and adrenaline rushes are undeniably a huge part of why he’s here.

The thing is, now that he sees one of those rushes happening to someone else, he’s not sure if it was such a good idea to blindly follow his friend into a hunt when nothing except Haruna coming home late from a hunt of her own. Yes, he’s the most impulsive of the group, and he can’t deny that: that makes him a little knowledgeable on how rash that sort of decisions can be, right? Right?

Oh well, they’ve got no time to think over stuff like that: they have a mission to carry out and, tonight, he has someone whose back he needs to guard even more than usual.

 He’s been closer to Kidou than he ever has, to the point there’s blood splattering on his left side and around his shield, red droplets landing on its surface from time to time. It’s a little worrying, even if the thrill is here, and he’s glad he can pay his friend back for how many times he saved him by making him notice his own injuries and patch them up before it’d be too late.

Mamoru has never been the observant type, obviously, and he’d never pretend like he was, but even he can notice some things, especially if these are based on his habits. The one thing he’s noticing, unfortunately, is how reckless Kidou is being despite the very same Kidou usually scolding his head off at every opportunity given to make a misstep into a lesson to remember. Dashing into enemies like that, especially when he’s bleeding? Not a good idea.

 But, you know, there’s something familiar in Kidou’s rush to the lair of the enemy he suspects his sister fell to. Mamoru has felt it countless times – the most out of their trio, he’d say, due to what he’s been told is his “sanguine temperament” (he’s not a man of fancy words, this much he knows, he’d much rather call it “hotblooded” because that’s easier to understand and shorter to say) – so he knows what it feels like to power through an injury so you can arrive in time and do something.

The thing is, Mamoru is also familiar with the risks that comes with an adrenaline rush, mostly because his friends have had the patience to lie them in front of him. In the red-tinted atmosphere of the Swamp, it’s hard to tell about colours, so he has trouble seeing the paling skin typical of blood loss no matter how much he tries. What he can notice, however, is how Kidou’s pace has been progressively declining despite how hard his teeth are clenching, to the point Gouenji has gone ahead when it was the complete opposite earlier – he feels like he should do something about that, but what?

 Mamoru isn’t a talker nor a genius, so he tries to make things quick and safe as much as he can. His senses are more alert than usual, no doubt in part due to the smell of blood in the air that he doesn’t like much, so stopping incoming assaults and preventing some others by bashing some heads has to happen. He’d usually much rather hang in the back and make sure nothing creeps up on his friends, perhaps shedding some blood in exchange for their safety – but today is reverse role day, so he’s the careful one and Kidou is the one who gets hurt, apparently.

Mamoru doesn’t like that. He usually likes change and gets excited for things to be shaken up, but that change is one that doesn’t ruffle his feathers in the right way, and it makes it all wrong and unlikeable. At least, it’ll be over soon, so he better get back to bashing the enemies away and provide the backup he’s always made sure to bring to the table.

That’s pretty much all he can do aside from letting himself be bit by concern when seeing Kidou’s usually fluid movements slowly turn into a wobbly leg dance; and he’s smart enough to know which one is the better option.

  When they arrive at the clearing where Haruna was heading, he’s surprised. If he usually dislikes those because he’d much rather be able to predict every outcome to any situation, Yuuto can’t deny this one is, as is rarely the case, a good surprise: she’s safe and merely enjoying some time in private with her partner. In fact, she seems happy, waving at him as his trio steps into the calm and serene Temple of Hestia, where the scorching heat becomes a comforting warmth.

Seeing this, the energy that he had left vanishes in an instant and his knees buckle under him, prompting Haruna to run up to him screaming his name. She kneels to his level, concern all over her face and words, as they both discover at the exact same time why he’s so winded out, much more than usual:  a nasty, bleeding wound on his shoulder, barely hidden under the right edge of his cape. That’s not to forget a second injury near his side, much lighter since it’s closer to a scratch – but threatening nonetheless.

 That explains a lot of things that, now that he can breathe again, he noticed here and there, such as Gouenji speeding ahead when their usual formation has him in the middle, or Endou being so much closer to him when he’d usually barely see him and instead trust his voice rather than their eyes. They both seem very bothered about what just happened: to be fair, he did drag them through the burning swamp to discover Haruna was actually doing fine on her own. He’d be pretty miffed too if that was the case.

They nonetheless sit down next to him to take a breather as Haruna’s partner rushes to them, shield still in hand, the other holding a first-aid kit he remembers having given to his sister. He’s more than happy to drink a bitter healing potion, for once, especially since his teammates tell him they’ve been worried they were going to lose him.

Adrenaline makes you do things that should be impossible, doesn’t it? If he didn’t feel like his sister was in danger, he’d have never been able to pull through the pain and daze he’s now hit with like a hammer hitting a nail – he’s no Endou, he doesn’t have the constitution to do what this man can do on a weekly basis. He didn’t have time to bleed so that’s how he pressured on: that’s the only answer he can think of to give her when she asks how and why.

 Unlike him, Haruna hasn’t really been harmed – she managed to fight against the menace on her own with only one other person with her, whose bandaged appendages and indented shield show who protected who. She is, on the other hand, very much unamused by the injuries she’s busy patching up while she asks her partner to hand her different tool from their first aid kit.

They all deserve a nice, long break and to be away from that stupid swamp for a while, that’s for sure.

[clericbyers]

you know whats an underrated trope? mike deciding to teach will how to kiss

“Have you ever kissed someone before?”

Will sputters around his juice and spends about a minute recovering from the shock of the question. He turns to Mike, who is flipping through a book nonchalantly as if the question is as simple as asking what color is the sky. “Uh, why are you asking this?”

“I’m just curious.” Mike looks up with innocence in his eyes. “You’ve never mentioned it before.”

“I don’t kiss and tell unlike someone I know.”

Mike rolls his eyes and closes the book with a resounding clap. “More like you don’t kiss so there’s nothing to tell.”

“Hey! Sorry I don’t stick my tongue in everyone’s mouth willy nilly.”

“Neither do I,” Mike retorts with a huff. Will begs to differ; since Mike and El broke up for the final time freshman year, Mike sort of turned into some kind of hot shot around school. Will could understand; hell, he’s been crushing on Mike since they were gangly kids with squeaky voices and Mike was definitely not high on the general hotness totem pole in school, and now that Mike grew stupid tall and insanely handsome and lets his hair fall in curls more, Will can understand the school body obsession even though some part of him is like, hey, I was here first, back off, he’s mine.

“Anyway, you didn’t really answer my question and pure curiosity doesn’t make you ask your friend if he’s kissed someone.”

Mike shrugs. “You know I really haven’t kissed that many people. The rumors are nice though. Makes me feel like I’m doing more with my time than I actually am.”

“I specifically remember you saying you made out with Betty during lunch three months ago.”

“Dustin said I did because he watched us go into the broom closet together but I promise you, we did nothing.” Mike crosses his fingers with a pout. “You know I spend, like, 80% of my day with you.”

“And in the remaining 20% you go off making out with girls.”

“Not girls.”

And wow, what the–. Will blinks twice, opens his mouth to say something, shuts it, hums, opens his mouth again, and still doesn’t know what to say. Mike laughs though. “Dude, I thought you knew.”

“You’ve literally never stated you had any interest in guys and all the rumors are about girls!”

“When a girl pushes a gay guy into a broom closet and tries to make out only for him to say he has no interest, she’ll make up a rumor so she’s not the ‘one girl he wouldn’t kiss’.” Mike leans back with a sigh. “The guys stay real quiet about it, though. Don’t want any rumors around school about them kissing boys.”

Will really cannot understand the direction this conversation has gone but there’s a good portion of his thoughts lingering on the fact that Mike likes boys and who likes boys, too? Will. Will likes boys. Will is extremely gay and in love with Mike and the only reason why he never thought they could be a thing was because he thought Mike liked girls. But now, Will knows Mike is gay and oh, wow Mike really doesn’t see him that way since he’s known Will’s gay for years now and never did anything.

Fuck.

“So, you kiss boys.” Will mumbles as he stares into his cup.

Mike hums. “Yeah. And, uh, I only bring that up though because you said you haven’t kissed anyone.”

Will’s a little confused. “And?”

“I kiss boys, you wanna kiss boys. I know how to kiss, you don’t know how to kiss. Does it add up for you?”

Will counts to four and then chugs down his juice as his throat dries up from Mike’s implications. “You want to teach me how to kiss.”

“Yeah, so you know how to kiss your ideal boyfriend.”

Mike, you oblivious nut, my ideal boyfriend is you. “Okay.”

Mike blinks. “Oh. Oh, I, uh. I didn’t expect to get this far.” He wipes the palm of his hands on his jeans and then pats the couch cushion next to him. “Alright. C’mere.”

Will is frozen in his seat, eyes wide as he stares at the cushion next to Mike. “Now?”

“No, in fifty years when my teachings become irrelevant. Yes, now.”

“Now now or now in like a minute?”

“Will,” Mike groans, “if you don’t want me to teach you, you can say no. I understand it might be a little weird to kiss your best friend but, really it’s fine. No worries. It’s just me.”

Yeah, it’s you and that’s the problem. But Will just nods and sets his cup on the table before making his way to Mike’s side. He tries his best not to make eye contact like an idiot, but is forced to when Mike pinches his side and says, “Hey, look up here.”

Will should have said no. He really should have, because now he’s so close to Mike and he can see the dark flecks of brown in his already rich brown eyes, and he can count the freckles on his face and see the pink blush coating the other boy’s pale cheeks. “First off,” he says, taking a hand to Will’s face and positioning him a little straighter, “you need to know that noses are a thing and you’re gonna have to tilt your head to avoid the worst of the collision.”

“Like this?” Will tilts his head left a little and Mike nods.

“Yeah. I’ll go to my left, too, so we’re tilted at opposite sides.” Mike does as he says he would. “Kissing is like slotting your lips together so you gotta be at the corresponding angles for it to work best.” He smiles and Will’s heart leaps. “Now, height is another thing. You’re still on the shorter side when it comes to guys so you’ll most likely be kissing someone taller than you. Good thing I’m your teacher, huh?”

Mike, who had another stupid growth spurt and now surpasses 6 feet in height. Will can only nod and squeak out a small, “Yes.”

“Okay, so, make eye contact, tilt your head to the side, and now height difference. Since you’re shorter, you’ll have to tilt your chin up to reach the other guy.” Mike takes one of his hands to Will’s chin and gently tilts his face up. Will is going to die right here and now. “It’s kind of a romantic thing for the taller person to tilt the other person’s head up, but it’s also equally as romantic for the shorter person to tug the taller person down by either the back of their head,” Mike takes one of Will’s hands and curls it around the back of his head and oh god, his hair is so soft and curly, “or the back of the neck.” Mike brings Will’s hand down to the back of his neck and Will can feel the goosebumps there. It kind of makes him a little less nervous to know Mike is nervous, too.

“Eye contact, tilting my head sideways, slotting our lips together, and understanding our height difference,” Will parrots back in a voice he’s never really heard himself use before. It’s a little rough and husky and Mike blinks a few times before turning bright red.

“Yeah,” he breathes, eyes sliding toward Will’s lips before he subconsciously licks his own. He brings his eyes back up and then smiles. “Ah, wow. Okay. Um, then you just lean in and press your lips together.”

“That’s it?”

“I mean there’s different ways but for starters, it’s just lip touching.” Mike shrugs and then takes his hand to Will’s chin. “I’m going to tilt your face up. You can tangle your fingers in my hair, too if you like, I don’t care.”

Will drags his hand back up into Mike’s luscious locks, his other resting on Mike’s thigh, and then smirks. “Didn’t know you were into hair pulling.”

“There’s still a lot of things you don’t know about me,” Mike whispers huskily before covering Will’s hand with his own, leaning in, and closing the gap between them in a single breath.

Will’s eyes flutter shut even though he’d really like to keep them open and see Mike’s face as he kisses him. It’s instinct, he supposes, to close off one sensory input to focus directly on the way Mike’s lips feel against his own. It’s just lips touching lips, nothing more than that, but Will feels like his heart is soaring. He’s heard all these rumors from girls whispering to each other about kissing Mike Wheeler when in fact, they haven’t. Will has. Will has kissed Mike Wheeler and yeah, it’s just Mike teaching Will how to kiss his ideal boyfriend, which is funnily enough Mike so this entire teaching session is apropos, but still. Will is kissing Mike and it’s the best thing ever.

Mike starts to pull away after a few seconds of contact but Will doesn’t want to let go and leans up into it a bit more. The other boy huffs a laugh against Will’s lips, parting his in the process, and then presses in again, taking Will’s upper lip between his own. The grip on Will’s chin slides into a caress of his cheek and the hand atop his on Mike’s thigh twines fingers with Will’s. Oh, oh. Will can feel a little nibble of teeth against his lip and he parts his a little more to take Mike’s bottom lip between his in turn. Mike hums and kisses him again, harder, a little more open mouthed and more movement of his lips capturing Will’s own. Will can feel Mike’s nose pressing into his cheek, his hot breath against his face and mouth, smell the scent of his cologne and natural musk, and god, Will is really going to die right here and now.

Will tightens his grip on Mike’s hair, pulling just a little as he feels his sense of reality slipping away from him, and Mike…Mike moans against his lips and Will can feel his entire soul escape his body in the process. He doesn’t even really know what he’s doing anymore, but he needs more Mike, he needs more of his mouth, more of his moans, more of everything. He presses in harder, using his hand on Mike’s thigh to position himself a little closer and basically clambers into Mike’s lap. Mike releases Will’s face from his grip and settles his hands on either side of Will’s waist, gripping him tightly as he continues the kiss. Now, Will is a little taller and Mike has to tilt up so Will tilts his head by pulling at his hair. Mike moans again, and fuck, Will’s spine is tingling and his face is burning and his chest is singing for air that he refuses to breathe in because he doesn’t want to detach himself from Mike’s lips.

The hot, wet sounds of their kissing permeates the room and fuels Will’s energy far more than anything else could. He groans into Mike’s mouth when the boy nips at his bottom lip, finds he kinda likes it when he can feel the trace of Mike’s teeth against his mouth, and then nearly gasps when Mike’s tongue dances against his lips. Oh, fuck. Will breaks the kiss with a gasp because he really needs air now before he passes out and Mike blinks out of his stupor, probably confused about why things have stopped now but his lips are so plump and wet from kissing and wow, Will did this to him. Will made him look so rumpled and taken apart.

Will can’t help himself when he goes back in for another kiss, making some strangled noise when Mike melts under him and deepens the kiss into heavy territory. He can taste Mike now when the boy has his tongue in his mouth, taste the lingering spice from the chips he was eating earlier, taste the underlying flavor of Mike Wheeler that’s consuming all his senses at the moment. Will is so screwed, so screwed but he can’t care at the moment as he makes out with his best friend, the one guy he’s wanted for so much of his life he can’t imagine wanting anyone else.

Mike starts pressing back a little firmer, taking a hand to Will’s back before he breaks off the kiss and pushes him backwards until Will falls onto his back with an oof. Will’s a little dazed, trying to figure out why exactly he’s on his back now but Mike hovers over him, hands on either side of his head with a knee between Will’s legs and his other framing Will’s left leg and fuck, this is so hot. Mike looks so goddamn good leaning over Will with his tangled mess of hair draped over his face and his eyes half-hooded and lips still so plush and face pink with excitement and exertion. Will loves him so desperately in this moment.

Mike closes the gap between them with a lingering kiss, just taking Will’s bottom lip between his before turning to kiss his cheek. “Can I tell you something?”

“Anything,” Will breathes out because he’s so whipped.

“I lied.” Mike kisses his lips again, his breath dancing over Will’s mouth. “I didn’t want to teach you how to kiss just any ideal boyfriend.”

Will is way too kiss drunk to be thinking right now. “You…what?”

“Do you know that you’re absolutely gorgeous?” Mike presses a series of kisses against the corner of Will’s lips and then hums. “You’ve been driving me up the wall for years now.”

“I–what?” Will tries to speak again but Mike kisses him and Will kinda just falls into the motions. It’s addicting, kissing Mike. He doesn’t want to stop but this conversation sounds kind of serious. “Wait, Mike, hold up. What are you talking about?”

“I like you, Will. Like a lot. A fuckton.” Mike smiles and it makes the whole world light up like a fire. “And I’ve been dying to kiss you since at least the 7th grade so when you said you haven’t kissed anyone I kinda just,” he shrugs and then smiles shyly. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Will is going to scream. “You like me? You like me?”

“Yeah.”

“And you never said anything?”

“You never seemed like you had an interest and you kept trying to push me with El and other girls.”

“Because I thought you were straight and could never like me.” Will breathes out a heavy sigh. “So, you’re telling me the 80% of your day you spend with me could have been spent doing this all this time?”

“I guess I am.”

Will smiles and pulls Mike down to him with a hand at the nape of his neck. “Well, get back to teaching me how to kiss my boyfriend then.”

Mike grins, nuzzling his nose against Will’s and Will is so lucky, oh so fucking lucky. Eat that, Hawkins High student body. “It would be my pleasure.”