#took so much time and was supposed to be a doodle and didn't like it in the end :(

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Dream in dresses but it's like a week later and is Madoka :333

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Coding woes (Patreon)

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ATEEZ as Hogwarts Students

Pairing(s): hogwarts student!ateez x hogwarts student!reader

Word Count: 9.8k

A/N: Oh my gosh, thank you all so much for helping me reach 2.3k followers! To celebrate this, I'm back again with another one of these! Once again, special thanks to my one and only, my pookie, @itstheghostofmypast, for helping me confirm which houses some of the members should be in💘

ATEEZ MASTERLIST

Hongjoong ↠ Gryffindor

The Poor Prefect That Nobody Takes Seriously

"I swear to god, if I see another damn chocolate frog loose in the dorm, I'll—" Before Hongjoong could even finish, a cheeky first-year passing by stuck his tongue out at him. "What are you gonna do? Run off to cry to Professor McGonagall again?"

The seventh-year's jaw dropped, his blood pressure spiking, but the kid was gone before he could even scold him. Two years—he'd been a prefect for almost two years now, and still, no one ever took him seriously. Thinking back to his early days as an optimistic prefect, eager to bring order and discipline to his rowdy housemates, he knew now how impossible that dream was.

But was he going to stop trying?

Not a damn chance.

Hongjoong had chosen to become a prefect the very moment he was eligible in his fifth year. Professors had always praised him as reliable, a natural-born leader, and he'd believed that wholeheartedly. He'd pictured himself bringing order to his dormitory, respected by his housemates for his efforts to keep things in line. But the reality? Gryffindors, as he was learning, could be a lot harder to control than he ever expected.

Unfortunately, his "small but mighty" reputation didn't exactly translate into authority. He'd start off with a firm tone, reminding them of the rules, only to watch them twist his words into a rallying cry for their next scheme. His attempts at seriousness somehow only fueled their chaotic Gryffindor spirits, making him seem more like a mascot for daring antics than a figure of discipline.

While the academic staff continued to commend his commitment, his classmates saw him as the "cool" prefect—the one who'd cover for them more often than not, a little too forgiving to actually be feared. Some nights, he'd even find himself dragged into the very pranks he was supposed to be preventing, swept up by the contagious energy of his friends.

Despite everything, Hongjoong couldn't bring himself to truly give up. Every morning, he'd tell himself that today was the day he'd put his foot down, that he'd be the prefect his professors always said he could be. He knew the odds weren't in his favour, but in true Gryffindor fashion, he wasn't about to back down from the challenge.

Today's the day—I can feel it in my bones.

Letting out a determined breath, Hongjoong's gaze fixed on the notice board, now littered with doodles, silly notes, and questionable "decorations." With a purposeful nod, he crossed his arms and cleared his throat, catching the attention of the Gryffindors lounging around the common room. "Forget the frogs then. How many times have I told you all not to vandalise the notice board with your nonsense? It's used solely for—"

"For important announcements. Yes, we get it," piped up a cheeky third-year, eyes glinting with mischief. "But there are no announcements at the moment, so is it really so bad if we, y'know, decorate a little?"

And there it was again—the quick responses that left him speechless every time. Hongjoong tried to keep his expression stern, but a tiny part of him could almost see their point. Was it so bad to have a bit of fun? No, he reminded himself, that's not the point. But as he felt his resolve waver, he knew a miracle wasn't going to happen today. Why couldn't he be both firm and likeable, just like—

"Oh, so you want to test if it's bad?" your voice cut through, sharp but calm, as you stepped down from the spiral staircase. You'd been listening long enough to hear their usual defiance, and you were not about to let them undermine your boyfriend's authority. "How about we invite the professors to take a look at your 'artwork' and see how much they'd appreciate it, hm?"

Like you.

Hongjoong released a breath he hadn't realised he was holding, grateful for your support. You, with your knack for balancing authority and approachability, were everything he wished he could be as a prefect. If he could just learn how to be firm, like you, maybe Gryffindor's antics would finally come under control.

"You heard her," he added, finding a bit of confidence again as he nodded in agreement. "Clean it up. Now."

The students exchanged glances, sighing as they reluctantly began peeling off the doodles. He couldn't help but grin a little as he glanced your way.

"Thanks, babe," he mouthed.

You shook your head, smiling as you nodded toward the remaining Gryffindors lounging around. "I'm heading to the Great Hall first. I'll leave it to you to get everyone to breakfast on time, Joong. Think you can handle it?"

Hongjoong nodded enthusiastically, eager to make you proud. "You bet. They're going to see a whole new Prefect Kim this year," he declared confidently.

You laughed, both amused and a bit sceptical. He'd nearly caved to their antics just moments ago, but that was part of his charm. You loved how different he was from you—how he helped you loosen up when you were too serious, just as you helped him stay firm when he got a little too lenient. Together, you two were like yin and yang, balanced and perfectly matched, as everyone in the house always teased.

Squeezing his hand, you gave him a playful smile. "Show 'em, tiger," you winked before turning to leave, catching a glimpse of his cheeks turning pink.

The moment you were out of sight, the common room burst into whistles and smirks around him. Snapping out of his trance, your boyfriend rolled his eyes, trying to keep his composure.

"Alright, folks," he called out, clapping his hands. "You heard my girl. Let's cooperate for once and head to the Great Hall on time—don't make me disappoint her!"

The Gryffindors grinned, shuffling toward the door without a fuss, eager to play along. He smirked, pleased with their obedience whenever you were mentioned. Maybe he'd always need your presence to keep this difficult crowd in line, but he didn't mind at all. He knew they didn't have to fear him for him to be a good prefect. Deep down, he knew they all adored him, and he was pretty sure that, rule-breaking aside, they wouldn't truly make things difficult for him. They just loved teasing him—because, honestly, he might just be their favourite prefect.

Seonghwa ↠ Hufflepuff

The Goody Two Shoes and Teacher's Pet

"Oh, Seonghwa, my boy! What brings you here on a weekend? Shouldn't you be off enjoying Hogsmeade with your girlfriend?" Professor Sprout asked, pleasantly surprised as her star student stepped into the greenhouse, notebook in hand. The seventh-year smiled brightly, giving her a respectful nod before approaching.

"Good afternoon, Professor! I just came by to check on my mandrake—I'm determined to cultivate one to maturity for my latest Restorative Draught. And, uh… my girlfriend, she'll be here to join me soon," he added, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks turning pink at the mention of you.

Professor Sprout's expression softened, a smile touching her lips. "You're too hard working for your own good, both of you," she gently chided, pride swelling as she glanced at the Hufflepuff sigil pinned proudly on his denim jacket. Even on a day when house representation wasn't required, Park Seonghwa wore his Hufflepuff loyalty openly, reminding everyone where his heart belonged. She knew he had a bright future ahead, and if she were to ever consider early retirement, he would be her top choice to take over as the next Herbology professor.

As if on cue, you pushed open the greenhouse doors and stepped inside. "Hwa, are you here already?" you called, glancing around before your eyes landed on your boyfriend and Professor Sprout.

Seonghwa, who'd been focused on his mandrake, looked up at the sound of your voice, a soft smile lighting up his face. In the presence of authority, he resisted the urge to rush over and hug you, his restraint both endearing and unmistakable. You bit back a laugh, amused by his adorable attempt at composure.

"Oh! Good afternoon, Professor!" you greeted, nodding respectfully. "Are we disturbing you? We can come another day if you need the greenhouse for your work."

She smiled warmly, waving off your concern. "Not at all, dearie. I was just on my way out. You two enjoy your little date," she added with a knowing wink. "And if you're in the mood for a treat, there are some extra Every Flavour Beans on the top shelf—please help yourselves."

"Thank you, Professor!" you and Seonghwa chimed in unison, exchanging a look of warmth and shared gratitude. As the elderly woman left, he gently took your hand, pulling you close enough to place a soft kiss on your forehead. You leaned into him with a contented sigh. "How embarrassing—now she's certain we're dating," you murmured, unable to hide your own smile.

He chuckled, his eyes dancing with affection. "Is that such a terrible thing, love? Maybe it's time the whole world knows you're mine."

You gasped in mock scandal, playfully nudging his shoulder. "How improper," you laughed, but a blush crept into your cheeks. Though you'd never formally announced your relationship, it was hardly a secret—everyone must have guessed by now with all the time you spent together. But for the sake of his reputation as the model student, you'd both kept things understated, not feeling the need to broadcast your love. Now, though, there was a new spark in his eyes, a hint of the Slytherin heritage running through his veins, as if he suddenly wanted the world to see what his heart had always known.

Seonghwa, after all, was the first Hufflepuff in a long line of Ravenclaws and Slytherins—a surprise his family hadn't quite anticipated. But their surprise had never bothered him. Instead, it had only strengthened his resolve to prove that Hufflepuff was as noble and worthy as any other house. Consistently at the top of his class in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, he'd gained the admiration of professors for his quiet dedication and high moral standards. Always the first to lend a hand to new students or submit his assignments, he was as dependable as they came.

Yet as much as he wanted to honour his house and his achievements, his heart now longed for something deeper. For the first time, he wanted his family—and everyone else—to see you, the one who had believed in him through every challenge and celebrated every victory, who had loved him exactly as he was. He knew that letting you into his life so openly would be the proudest badge he could ever wear.

"So," he began, biting his lip as he shifted his focus from the mandrake to you, who was busily jotting down notes about its latest growth. "Should we spend some time in Hogsmeade after this?" His voice was soft, almost hesitant, and your eyes widened slightly, your actions faltering as you locked gazes with him.

"You're joking, right? All our friends are there—" you started, but he shook his head, his expression earnest. "I'm serious, love."

The weight of his words sank in, and you realised he wasn't joking at all. A rush of emotions washed over you. "I... I don't know why it took me so long, but I don't want to hide my feelings for you anymore. I want to openly show my affection and be like every other couple in school. It's already our seventh year, and we haven't even been on a proper date. Can we make this the first of many more? Would you like to... go on a date with me?"

Placing your pen down, you blinked, your heart racing at his sincere proposal. This was a big step. Once the truth was out in the open, there would be no turning back—everyone, including his family, would know about you two. But as you looked into his eyes, you felt a rush of warmth. If he was ready for it, then so were you. You knew he would always protect you, no matter what.

With a shy smile, you nodded, feeling butterflies fluttering in your stomach. "Thought you'd never ask."

His face broke into a radiant grin, and the world around you seemed to melt away. Seonghwa stepped closer, allowing your head to rest against his shoulder, enveloped in the warmth of his presence like a cosy blanket. "I can't wait," he murmured softly.

"Me too," you replied, a wave of excitement bubbling in your chest.

In that greenhouse, surrounded by vibrant plants and warm sunlight, you both felt the first tender blooms of something beautiful—a love that was finally ready to thrive in the open, with all the joy and light that came with it.

Yunho ↠ Hufflepuff

The Popular Triwizard Champion

"Well? Have you managed to figure out the next task, golden boy?"

Yunho's head snapped around at the sound of your voice, his wide eyes betraying his surprise. Before he could respond, a few stray water droplets from his damp hair splashed onto you, drawing a squeal from your lips.

"Oh no! Angel, I'm so sorry!" he stammered, hastily brushing at your sleeve, his genuine concern making you laugh. He held the golden egg tightly, now safely shut after his latest round of inspections. "But seriously, what are you doing here? You'll be in trouble if anyone finds you sneaking into the prefect's bathroom!"

You snorted, though your heart melted at the way his brows knitted with worry. "Well, I could say the same for you, Yuyu. You're not a prefect either," you quipped with a grin.

He chuckled, the sound echoing in the steamy room as he swam closer to where you sat at the edge of the bath, your legs lazily dangling in the water. Gently, he set the golden egg beside you, then rested his arms on your thighs, gazing up at you with a playful smirk.

"The difference is, I'm a Triwizard Champion," he teased, his grin widening, "and you're not."

Rolling your eyes, you booped his nose with a finger, earning a soft laugh from him. "True, I'm not," you replied, sticking your tongue out cheekily. "But I am your girlfriend, so that grants me a special privilege, doesn't it?"

Yunho's gaze softened as he beamed up at you, water glistening on his face like tiny jewels. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice warm and affectionate. "It definitely does."

With a tender smile, you reached out to brush the water from his face, gently pushing his damp hair back from his eyes. Your heart skipped a beat when he instinctively leaned into your touch, his warmth grounding you despite the growing tension in your chest.

"You haven't answered me yet," you reminded him softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "Have you figured out the answer to the second task?"

He nodded, his hand lifting to cover yours on his cheek, holding it in place as though it anchored him. He gave your fingers a soft, reassuring squeeze. "I have," he murmured, his gaze meeting yours with a quiet intensity. "But... I don't want you to freak out. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

Despite his comforting tone, the knot in your stomach tightened. You tried to mask it with a cheeky smile, nudging him lightly with your foot in the water. "Suuure, Yuyu. I totally believe you when you say these tasks will get easier. I mean, it's not like the first one involved dragons or anything."

Your boyfriend sighed, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. You knew he was thinking about the moment his name had been announced as the Hogwarts champion—the wave of fear that had gripped you as the Great Hall erupted in cheers.

He had submitted his name on a whim, more as a joke than anything. He hadn't thought for a second he'd actually be chosen. But of course, you should've known better. He was Jung Yunho—the school's golden boy. Everyone adored him, from his endless optimism to his natural charm. He could light up any room he walked into and never turned away anyone in need. His wild card selection had shocked everyone, but he had embraced it with the same unshakable enthusiasm he brought to everything in life.

For him, the Triwizard Tournament was an adventure, a chance to make memories and new friends. For you, it was a constant worry. You knew the dangers far too well, and it terrified you. Still, when he had emerged victorious after the first task, his joy had been contagious, and you told yourself you had to let your fear go. You couldn't hold him back from greatness. He needed your support, and you were determined to be the girlfriend he deserved.

Leaning forward, you pressed a quick kiss to his lips, hoping it would reassure him as much as it did you. "Alright," you whispered, brushing your thumb along his jaw. "So tell me. What's the second task?"

Before you could pull away, he held onto you, wrapping an arm around your waist and resting his forehead against yours. His voice softened, steady but laced with a vulnerability he rarely showed.

"The Black Lake," he said quietly. "I... I have a feeling I'm going to need you to get through this task."

His words sent a shiver down your spine, but the conviction in his eyes made you hold your ground. Whatever this task demanded, you knew one thing for sure: you'd face it together.

And his predictions couldn't have been more accurate—he and the champions from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had an hour to retrieve something that had been stolen from them from the merpeople's village beneath the Black Lake.

The lake was eerily silent, its surface shimmering under the overcast sky as Yunho broke through the water, gasping for air. His strong arms cradled you protectively, his chest rising and falling in rapid bursts. The tension that had gripped him since the start of the task finally began to ease now that you were safe in his embrace.

You coughed violently, expelling the icy water from your lungs, your breaths coming in sharp, shallow bursts. The fragments of what had happened began piecing themselves together in your mind—the haunting stillness of the underwater village, the muffled echo of water all around, and your boyfriend's words from the prefect's bathroom resurfacing with a jarring clarity: "I have a feeling I'm going to need you to get through this task."

He had been right.

The task wasn't just about retrieving an object of value—it was about recovering the most precious thing stolen from them.

For Yunho, that had been you.

"Oh thank god, you're alright," he murmured, his voice thick with relief as he guided you onto the shore. The cheers and applause from the crowd were a distant hum in the background, drowned out by the pounding of his heart. Grabbing a towel, he draped it over your shoulders, enveloping you in its warmth before pulling you close. His arms wrapped around you securely, as though anchoring you back to him and shielding you from the chill that clung to the air.

You pressed your forehead against his shoulder, his familiar scent grounding you amidst the chaos of the moment. Despite the lingering cold, a soft smile crept onto your lips. Your voice, though weak, carried an unwavering sincerity. "How could I not be? You'll always save me… my hero."

His grip on you tightened at your words, his heart swelling with emotion as he buried his face in your hair. "Always," he whispered, his voice steady but laced with the weight of his promise. "Now I understand how hard it is for you to worry about me. I promise I'll make it out alive, every time—for you."

The announcement of his second-place finish barely registered. Everything seemed insignificant in the face of what truly mattered. All that filled his mind was the undeniable fact that you were safe, right here in his arms—the one person he cared for most.

Yeosang ↠ Ravenclaw

The Annoying Ace

"Hey, Kang! What'd you get for Potions? There's no way you aced it this time—it was brutal, and you barely studied before the test," a fellow Ravenclaw called out, pulling Yeosang from his thoughts. He glanced up, a small, nonchalant smile gracing his lips as he held up his graded paper. "You're right, it was tough. I only got an A- this time."

The room fell silent. His classmates stared at him, their jaws nearly hitting the floor. Was he serious? Most of the class had barely scraped by, even after endless hours of revision. Seventh-year Potions was no joke, filled with the most complex and challenging formulas known to the wizarding world.

"Only an A-? Are you kidding me? Did you bribe the professor or something?" someone blurted out, their voice tinged with disbelief.

You, seated next to your boyfriend, shot them a sharp glare. "Say that again in front of Professor Slughorn. I dare you," you retorted, crossing your arms.

The student huffed indignantly, muttering under their breath. "Whatever. You probably cheated with Felix Felicis or something."

Before you could unleash another scathing comeback, Yeosang gently placed a hand on your shoulder, his calm demeanour soothing your rising temper. His ever-composed smile didn't waver as he addressed the accusation. "Well," he began, his voice light but laced with quiet confidence, "if we were skilled enough to brew the Liquid Luck flawlessly and effectively, wouldn't that alone prove we deserve our grades?"

The remark landed with perfect precision, leaving everyone speechless. They knew he had a point. Brewing the luck potion wasn't just difficult—it was borderline impossible for most, requiring six months of meticulous preparation and risking catastrophic failure if done even slightly wrong.

The room buzzed with unspoken thoughts. If you and Yeosang could pull off such a feat, would the Potions exam have been challenging for either of you?

Your lips quirked into a satisfied smile as you exchanged a glance with your boyfriend. That was just like him—always shutting down his doubters with quiet brilliance, never needing to raise his voice to prove his worth.

"Man, I really need to learn how to be as effortlessly cool as you," you teased, giving his shoulder a playful nudge as he led you by the hand out of the classroom and toward the courtyard for some fresh air.

He glanced at you, his usual relaxed grin softening into something fonder. "You're already the coolest person to me," he replied casually as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Your cheeks warmed instantly, and you lightly smacked his arm, looking away as you bit your lip to hide the spreading blush. Even now, you could hardly believe he had accepted your confession back then—and that he was now your boyfriend. To you, he had always seemed so distant, so untouchable, like a star out of reach.

That was, until the day he noticed you struggling with a potion after class and offered to help. You hadn't known it at the time, but that small moment of kindness would lead to something far greater.

Yeosang is that Ravenclaw—the one who always seems lost in his thoughts yet somehow aces every test with ease, charming every professor in the process. He's the envy of his classmates, who burn the midnight oil studying while he effortlessly secures perfect scores. His calm, almost ethereal demeanour only adds to the intrigue, making him a bit of a mystery to everyone around him.

No one can figure out how he manages to zone out during Potions lessons and still brew flawless draughts, but they're too in awe (and slightly frustrated) to ask. It's just him—an enigma wrapped in quiet confidence, and somehow, he was yours.

"But seriously, Yeo, have you actually managed to perfect your luck potion? Don't think I didn't notice Professor Slughorn sneaking glances your way. He really did trust you to brew some for him, didn't he?" you asked, leaning your head against his shoulder, fingers gently squeezing his where they were intertwined with yours.

He hummed softly, the sound vibrating against you as he rested his head atop yours. With a flick of his wand, he cast a subtle charm to deflect a stray prank from a group of cheeky Gryffindors playing with products from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The spell stopped the flying object just before it could land anywhere near you. Your heart fluttered at his nonchalant protectiveness, and you couldn't help but notice the envious sighs from a few girls nearby.

"I'll answer that," he murmured, his tone teasing, "when you tell me how you managed to brew such a flawless Amortentia draught."

You blinked, lifting your head to meet his gaze. "The love potion? What are you talking about? I've never even tried to make one."

A small smile tugged at his lips, and he reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. "Are you sure about that?"

You furrowed your brows, your confusion deepening. "Yes, I'm sure," you replied, your tone laced with scepticism. But before you could press him further, he leaned in and stole a quick kiss, leaving you gasping softly in surprise. Your hand flew to your lips, cheeks aflame as you tried to process what just happened.

Yeosang chuckled at your flustered reaction, his arm slipping securely around your back as he guided you to keep walking. "Then explain how you managed to make me so hopelessly enamoured with you," he said, his voice low but teasing. "It's the only logical explanation for how smitten I am."

"Oh, obviously. That's the only logical explanation," you burst out laughing, playfully trying to push him away, but he held firm, his grip steady yet gentle.

He chuckled along with you, pressing a tender kiss to the top of your head. "Exactly, my love. You've clearly bewitched me, and I have no intention of breaking free."

"The feeling's mutual, my darling genius."

San ↠ Slytherin

The Intimidating Head Boy Who's Secretly a Softie

"Oh, come on, Pumpkin! When will you learn to leave the Monster Book of Monsters alone?!" San groaned in exasperation, his eyes following his mischievous cat as it darted around, narrowly avoiding the snapping Care of Magical Creatures textbook that was now chasing it across the yard. The naughty feline had somehow managed to unclasp the book—again. "Come here, you stubborn little thing!" he called, swooping in to scoop up the cat.

With practised ease, he approached the wild book, stroking its spine gently until it calmed and locked itself shut, just as Hagrid had taught. Of course, San was probably the only one who had actually paid attention to that particular lesson.

A dramatic gasp caught his attention, and he turned to find you standing nearby, a teasing grin plastered across your face.

"Well well, who would've thought? The scary and intimidating Choi San names his cat Pumpkin? And a cat, no less? I always pictured you with an owl or a crow. Guess you're a softie after all. Wait till the rest of the house finds out."

He rolled his eyes but smirked, settling back into his seat behind Hagrid's hut. "Go ahead and tell them, sweetheart. It's not like I asked anyone to see me as the 'mean and cold Slytherin.' If they want to believe that, then that's on them."

You chuckled and took a seat beside him, watching as he cooed at his cat and peppered it with kisses. "So, what's a big bad boy like you doing out here, hm?"

"Detention, obviously," he deadpanned, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Fits my reputation, doesn't it?"

You shook your head knowingly, the corner of your lips curling upward. "If that's what you're calling it, sure. But Hagrid told me you were out here for some extra lessons on Hippogriffs when I passed him earlier."

He feigned a pout, resting his chin on Pumpkin's head. "Damn, you caught me. There goes my big bad boy image. Boohoo."

You burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.

San had always been an enigma to those around him. With his sharp, commanding presence and role as Head Boy, he had a reputation for being unapproachable. First-years practically scrambled out of his way in the corridors. But those who dared get to know him soon discovered that beneath the piercing gaze and confident swagger was a playful, caring soul who adored magical creatures.

And you? You were supposedly his rival—his female counterpart, according to your peers. With your equally composed demeanour and role as Head Girl, it wasn't uncommon for people to pit the two of you against each other. But those who looked closer would've seen the truth: you were far from rivals. If anything, you were two halves of the same warm, hidden flame, especially when it came to each other.

"Well, I hope you don't mind me joining you on your little detention, Choi," you teased, leaning your head against his shoulder.

He hummed thoughtfully, nuzzling his head against yours. "On one condition."

"And what's that?" you glanced up at him.

He bit his lip, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let me take you to Hogsmeade this weekend, Head Girl."

"Alright, alright. None of that in my class," Hagrid's booming voice cut through the moment, startling both of you as you quickly pulled apart, clearing your throats in unison.

San shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck while you tried—and failed—to suppress a laugh.

Hagrid folded his massive arms across his chest, his bushy eyebrows raised knowingly. "We're only doing this if you're both serious, okay? This isn't some fun little date idea."

You nodded earnestly, though the corners of your lips twitched with amusement. "Of course, Professor. We're serious about this."

But Hagrid wasn't done.

Turning his attention to the Head Boy, he added, "But please, do take her to Hogsmeade, lad. I've heard more than enough from you about how much you like her."

San's eyes widened, his cheeks instantly flushing a deep crimson. "H-Hagrid!" he stammered, his voice a pitch higher than usual.

You couldn't hold it in anymore, bursting into laughter as he glared at you half-heartedly. "Oh, you're never living this down," you teased, nudging his arm.

"I—uh—yes, sir," he mumbled, his voice barely audible as he stared down at the ground, clearly flustered.

The professor chuckled, giving a hearty clap to the young man's shoulder that nearly made him stumble. "That's what I like to hear, Choi. Now, back to work, both of you. Those Hippogriffs aren't going to train themselves."

As Hagrid lumbered away, you leaned closer to San, grinning. "So, how much do you like me, Choi San?"

He groaned, his hands covering his face. "Can we just focus on the Hippogriffs?"

"Not a chance," you replied smugly, your laughter ringing out as his ears turned an even brighter shade of red.

The journey back to the common room was filled with quiet comfort, but as you both stepped through the entrance, his demeanour shifted instantly. Gone was the flustered boy from earlier; in his place stood the stoic and commanding Head Boy, his sharp gaze sweeping over the lounging students.

"Keep it down," he said curtly to a group of rowdy second-years, his tone leaving no room for argument. They immediately quieted, murmuring apologies.

You bit back a smile, watching his transformation with newfound amusement. After seeing the playful, gentle side of him during the lesson with Hagrid, this intimidating persona of his now seemed more endearing than imposing. It was his way of keeping the chaos in check, and you couldn't help but admire how effortlessly he switched between the two sides of himself.

As you trailed behind him, snippets of hushed whispers reached your ears.

"Did they come back together?"

"Isn't that the Head Girl?"

"Are they… you know?"

You glanced at San and caught the slight gulp he tried to conceal, his stiff posture giving away his unease despite his poker face.

When you both reached the point where the dorms split, you turned to him, raising an eyebrow. He stood tall, keeping his expression neutral, though you could see the faintest flicker of nervousness in his eyes. The room fell silent, the curious gazes of your housemates fixed on the two of you.

You smirked, breaking the tension. "So, Hogsmeade this weekend, right?"

His eyes widened, and a soft gasp rippled through the common room. He cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure as he met your gaze. "You… accept?"

You shrugged nonchalantly, though the playful glint in your eyes betrayed your amusement. "Well, you did say I could only join you earlier if I agreed to this. Seeing as we've already finished the lesson, that clearly means I've accepted, no?"

For a moment, his carefully constructed mask faltered, replaced by a grin so wide and boyish that it made your heart skip a beat. He didn't care about the whispers anymore as he stepped closer, his hand reaching out to give yours a gentle squeeze.

"It's a date then, Head Girl."

You smiled back, your voice light but teasing as you replied, "Sounds good, Head Boy."

The room erupted into murmurs and low cheers as you turned and walked toward your dorm, feeling his gaze follow you until you disappeared from sight. If San had been worried about his reputation before, it was clear now that he didn't care.

Not when it came to you.

Mingi ↠ Ravenclaw

The Son of a Famous Wizard Scientist

"Going somewhere, Song?"

Mingi cursed under his breath, reluctantly pulling the invisibility cloak off his frame to face you. You sat casually in one of the Ravenclaw common room chairs, a book in hand and an amused smirk playing on your lips. He looked thoroughly defeated. "How do you always figure me out?"

You chuckled, closing your book and setting it aside as you straightened up. "It's not that hard with your lack of stealth. I feel the breeze every time you pass by. Honestly, the real mystery is how Filch hasn't caught you yet."

He crossed his arms with a huff, a pout forming on his lips. "Ugh, what's it gonna take for you to pretend you didn't see me? My dad cannot find out. Name your price."

You tapped your chin, standing to your full height and eyeing the Marauder's Map in his hands. "I want in on whatever you're up to."

His brows shot up in surprise. "You? But aren't you like... the model Ravenclaw? Goody two shoes, follows every rule, reads for fun? Why would you risk your squeaky-clean image for something like this?"

You shrugged, a mischievous glint in your eye. "Let's just say I'm curious about what the great wizard scientist's son is always sneaking off to do instead of, I don't know, living up to everyone's—and your father's—expectations."

He sighed in defeat, lifting his left arm to gesture for you to join him under the cloak. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. Just make sure you can keep up. And for Merlin's sake, please tell me your stealth skills are better than mine. You really don't want to run into Mrs. Norris."

"Trust me, I wouldn't dream of it," you replied, ducking under the cloak with him, your heart racing at the prospect of finally joining him on one of his adventures.

And so, that night marked the beginning of an unlikely yet thrilling partnership: you and Song Mingi, partners-in-crime navigating Hogwarts past curfew.

For someone as studious and rule-abiding as you, it was a surprising twist to find yourself sneaking through hidden passageways, clutching an invisibility cloak, and dodging prefects alongside someone like Mingi. But there was something irresistibly intriguing about him—the way he effortlessly balanced his rebellious streak with a sharp intellect, and how his lighthearted demeanour contrasted with the heavy expectations placed upon him.

You see, unlike your ordinary self, his life was all about finding his own path despite the pressures of his family name. As the son of a renowned wizarding scientist, expectations for him to follow in those illustrious footsteps were high. But Mingi? He wasn't interested in being defined by anyone else's legacy.

Sure, he had the smarts for it—his insights into magical theories often surprised you, even when they were thrown in casually during one of your late-night escapades. But instead of shouldering the weight of those expectations, he found joy in simply being himself. He explored magic for the sake of curiosity, not obligation.

Of course, it was hard for someone like him to truly fly under the radar. With his tall frame and infectious laugh, he had a knack for drawing attention no matter how much he tried to avoid it. He'd always play it off with an easy grin, though—effortlessly charming his way out of trouble (well, most of the time).

And now, here you were, walking beside him in the dead of night, laughing softly at his whispered commentary about the portraits on the walls. It was a side of him most people didn't see—carefree, thoughtful, and incredibly warm.

"Alright, where to next, partner?" you asked, barely containing your grin as you reached a fork in the corridor.

He glanced at the map, his finger tracing a path. "A secret stash of sweets hidden near the kitchens. Wanna check it out?"

"Only if you're willing to share," you teased, bumping his shoulder lightly.

He smirked, holding the cloak open as you ducked beneath it again. "Deal. But only because I need you to distract the house elves if we get caught."

With that, the two of you disappeared into the night, laughter echoing softly down the empty hallways. It was the start of a friendship, and perhaps something more that, against all odds, just worked.

On one of the slower days at school, the two of you lounged in the Great Hall, a wizard's chessboard between you. The usual hum of scattered conversations and the clinking of goblets provided a quiet backdrop as Mingi hunched over the board, his tall frame bent in concentration. His eyes darted between pieces, plotting his next move with a focus that made you smirk.

"I've got an idea," you said, leaning back with a teasing grin. "Whoever loses has to take on a dare during tonight's adventure."

His head shot up, a glimmer of intrigue lighting up his eyes. He grinned, his expression a mix of mischief and admiration for the rebellious streak you seemed to save just for him. "Oh, it's on."

The match stretched out with calculated moves and sly counters, both of you pouring focus into claiming victory. But when your queen finally cornered his king, you leaned back with a triumphant grin. "Checkmate," you declared, watching the realisation dawn on his face.

He groaned theatrically, throwing his head back. "Noooo!"

You laughed, folding your arms smugly. "Now, about that dare..."

He straightened in his seat, narrowing his eyes as he tried to guess your plan. "Alright, hit me with your worst."

A mischievous gleam danced in your eyes as you leaned forward and whispered, "Tonight, when we sneak out, you have to charm Moaning Myrtle with your best pickup lines."

His jaw dropped, his ears turning an amusing shade of red. "You want me to flirt with a ghost?!"

"That's the dare," you said, grinning wider.

He blinked at you in disbelief, then let out a booming laugh, shaking his head. "You're insane. But fine—a deal's a deal."

As the two of you packed up, you noticed a flicker of something softer in his gaze. He clearly enjoyed this side of you, the playful daring you didn't often let others see.

The night was quiet as you snuck through the dark hallways, huddled beneath the invisibility cloak. The close proximity made it impossible to ignore the way your shoulders brushed, or how you could feel his breath softly against your ear as he whispered directions. You tried to focus, but the warmth radiating from him and the faint smell of his cologne made it difficult.

He wasn't faring any better. His movements felt unusually cautious, his arm brushing against yours more often than necessary, his voice a little lower than usual when he whispered, "Careful where you step."

Ironically, it was his warning that broke your concentration. Your foot landed on something uneven, and before you could stop yourself, you tripped, sending a potted plant toppling from its perch.

The crash echoed loudly through the corridor. "What was that?!" Filch's voice screeched in the distance, sending panic shooting through you both.

"Move!" Mingi hissed, grabbing your hand and pulling you into the nearest room. The door creaked shut just as the school caretaker's hurried footsteps grew louder.

You realised, to your dismay, that the "room" was a cramped broom cupboard. The two of you were squished together in the small space, the invisibility cloak still draped awkwardly over your heads. Your breathing was ragged from the sudden sprint, and you both struggled to keep quiet as Filch's grumbling grew nearer.

"Stupid kids sneaking around… I'll catch them sooner or later," he muttered as his footsteps faded in the opposite direction.

Only when the sound of his boots disappeared entirely did you dare to speak. "We're safe now," you whispered.

"Yeah," Mingi murmured back, his voice quieter than usual.

That's when you noticed just how close you were. Your heart stuttered as you looked up, your nose grazing his. His dark eyes locked onto yours, and you could feel his breath, warm and shallow, mingling with your own. Neither of you moved, the air between you was charged and heavy.

He swallowed hard, his hand slowly brushing against yours beneath the cloak. "I know I lost the game," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "But... is it alright if I flirt with someone else tonight?"

Your breath caught, your thoughts spinning as he leaned in closer, his lips barely brushing yours.

"That depends on who it is," you whispered back, your voice shaky.

He smiled softly, his eyes flicking between yours and your lips. "You."

Your heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, your hand slid up to grip the collar of his shirt as you murmured, "Fine."

Then, closing the final distance, you pressed your lips to his. When you finally pulled away, the world felt different as you stayed close, foreheads touching. He let out a soft chuckle, his thumb brushing over your cheek. "Best dare I've ever lost."

You smiled. "Guess I'll have to keep challenging you then, Song."

"Guess you will," he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

Wooyoung ↠ Gryffindor

The Talented Quidditch Beater

"Woo, you got it! That's my boy!"

The sound of your voice rang out across the pitch, instantly catching Wooyoung's attention. A grin lit up his face as he turned mid-flight on his Nimbus 2000, his eyes sparkling as they met yours.

"I'll make you proud, babe!" he called back, his tone brimming with confidence.

"Not if you can't keep your eyes on the game," his teammate—another Beater—shouted, swooping in just in time to deflect a bludger barreling toward him.

His eyes widened at the close call before a sheepish, boyish grin spread across his face. "Thanks, mate. That was a little too close!"

He turned his attention back to you, throwing you a playful wink and blowing a kiss in your direction. "Love you," he mouthed with a quick smirk, clearly revelling in the way your worried gaze softened into a smile.

And then, just like that, he was off again, zooming across the pitch like the fearless champ he was, ready to win not just for his team, but for the person cheering him on from the stands.

Pride swelled in your chest like a warm, unrelenting tide as you watched your boyfriend play. It was almost surreal to think about how far the two of you had come—especially since there was a time when you couldn't stand him.

Back then, Jung Wooyoung was everything you couldn't tolerate: loud, attention-seeking, and constantly wreaking havoc with his pranks. He was the popular Gryffindor Quidditch star with a magnetic grin, always surrounded by friends and admirers. Meanwhile, you were his polar opposite—a shy, studious student with no interest in shenanigans, focused solely on excelling in your studies and making your parents proud.

It all started when one of his pranks nearly ruined your Transfiguration assignment. Furious, you'd confronted him in front of half the common room, calling him reckless and immature. Wooyoung, never one to back down, had retaliated with a smirk, calling you boring and stiff. That marked the beginning of your rivalry—petty remarks, pointed glares, and intentionally getting on each other's nerves became routine.

But everything changed the day he overheard a group of Slytherins mocking you. Their cruel taunts about your Muggle heritage—and the word "Mudblood" slicing through the air—left you reeling. Before you could even muster a response, he stepped in, his usual playful demeanour replaced by something sharp and unyielding.

"What did you just say?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. The bullies faltered under his glare, and though they tried to brush it off, he didn't let them escape unscathed. He stood firm, defending you with a conviction that left you stunned.

From that day on, the dynamic between you shifted. He made it clear that no one was to mess with you—not even his own friends, who had occasionally targeted you with harmless pranks. In return, you stopped berating him for his antics, accepting that his mischief was simply part of who he was. Over time, you found yourself laughing at his jokes, and he discovered a softer side to you that few others had ever seen.

Years passed, and that fragile truce evolved into friendship. Somewhere along the way, the friendship blossomed into something deeper, something neither of you could ignore. And now, here you were, standing in the Gryffindor stands, cheering him on with every fibre of your being.

Only after being with him did you truly understand why so many adored him for his talent. On the pitch, he was in his element. As a Beater, he thrived on adrenaline, his bat swinging with precision as he sent a bludger hurtling toward the opposing team. He was a natural showman, hyping up the crowd with daring plays and cheeky winks. Though his mischievous nature was ever-present, he became fiercely competitive during matches, his focus unshakable when it came to leading his house to victory.

You smiled as he executed a flawless manoeuvre, his laughter echoing across the pitch when the crowd erupted into cheers. He was so different from the boy you had once disliked, yet so quintessentially the same. His charm, his energy, his ability to make everyone around him feel alive—it was impossible not to love him for it.

"Watch this, babe!" he called as he rocketed past the stands, his grin wide and unrestrained. He was a whirlwind of passion and joy, and he was yours. And somehow, you wouldn't have it any other way.

"Aaaand Gryffindor wins!"

The roar of the crowd filled the stadium as the Gryffindor Seeker triumphantly held up the golden snitch, the tiny wings glinting under the bright sun. Cheers echoed through the stands, Gryffindor flags waving wildly in celebration. You cheered, knowing that much of this victory was thanks to your boyfriend, who had spent the game clearing the path for his teammate with skilful swings of his bat.

Amid the chaos, Wooyoung's sharp eyes immediately sought you out. Despite the throng of screaming fans and his own teammates clamouring to celebrate, all he could see was you. Without hesitation, he veered his broom in your direction, ignoring the unmistakable warning glare from Professor McGonagall.

Hovering in front of you, he flashed his signature grin, his chest rising and falling from the adrenaline of the match. Before you could say a word, he leaned in and kissed you, his lips warm and slightly chapped from the cold wind. The crowd's cheers seemed to fade as you felt his smile against your own, your cheeks heating with the realisation of how public this display was.

When you pulled away, your voice was barely above a whisper. "That's enough, Woo. You don't want detention now, do you?"

He laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I wouldn't mind it if you were there too." With a wink, he flew off to join his team, leaving you blinking sheepishly under Professor McGonagall's sharp gaze.

You cleared your throat, attempting to smooth down your robes as you mumbled, "Sorry, Professor."

To your surprise, her expression softened, and she gestured for you to walk with her as the stands began to empty. "Don't be," she said, her voice measured but kind. "You're a good motivator for him. We appreciate it. I won't lie and say our victories haven't increased since you came into the picture."

Her words left you blushing furiously as you followed her down the steps. Did that mean even she shipped you and Wooyoung? The very thought had you hiding a bashful smile behind your scarf, the cheers of the Gryffindor team still ringing in your ears.

Jongho ↠ Slytherin

The Scary Prefect Who Commands Respect

"There he is! Shhh, keep it down!"

Your friends scrambled to settle into their seats, hastily lowering their voices and pretending to focus on the books in front of them. You followed their lead, keeping your head down as the most intimidating prefect of Slytherin entered the library. Choi Jongho's very name was enough to make most students sit up straight, and his imposing presence only amplified that effect. His silence carried more weight than words ever could, commanding obedience and respect effortlessly.

You swallowed hard, trying to concentrate on the text in front of you, but your focus wavered the moment his footsteps stopped—right beside you. Your heart raced as you eyed his polished shoes, unsure if you'd done something wrong. Too nervous to meet his gaze, you froze in place, waiting for whatever came next.

"Here. I think you dropped this," he said, his voice low yet unexpectedly warm.

Your eyes widened at the gentle tone, and you glanced up to see him holding out your late father's pocket watch. The faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips—so fleeting you wondered if you'd imagined it.

"O-oh, thank you," you stammered, taking the cherished item from him. A spark shot through you when your fingers brushed against his, leaving your heart fluttering in a way you hadn't anticipated.

"You're welcome," he replied simply, his voice kind yet measured, before continuing on his patrol.

As you watched him walk away, a realisation settled in your mind—perhaps he wasn't as fearsome as everyone claimed.

Jongho's reputation was well-earned. As a Slytherin prefect, he didn't need to raise his voice to maintain order. A single stern look was enough to make any student think twice about misbehaving, and his word was as final as it was rare. Yet, those who truly knew him understood there was more to him than his intimidating exterior. Beneath the cool, composed demeanour was a steadfast friend with a laugh that could shatter his usual seriousness in an instant.

And soon, you would become one of the few to witness that softer side of him—though, for now, you had no idea what lay ahead.

It was on a particularly eerie evening that you would come to learn the truth. The air hung heavy with an unsettling stillness as you wandered along the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, seeking solitude to clear your mind after a gruelling week. The low-hanging clouds cloaked the forest in shadows, and the quiet seemed almost too oppressive.

But peace was the last thing you found.

A low, menacing growl rippled through the trees, stopping you dead in your tracks. Your breath caught as you turned, your wand trembling in your hand, to face a pair of glowing eyes cutting through the darkness.

A werewolf.

Your heart pounded wildly as the creature advanced, its snarling lips curling back to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Panic seized you. You tried to cast a spell, but fear made your movements clumsy, and the incantation faltered on your tongue. The werewolf snarled again, its deadly intent unmistakable.

You were sure you were doomed.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar shattered the tense silence, startling both you and the beast. From the shadows emerged a massive bear, its fur bristling and eyes blazing with an otherworldly fury. The bear wasted no time, charging at the werewolf with raw power and unmatched ferocity.

Their clash was brutal and swift, the werewolf no match for the bear's strength and determination. Before long, the defeated creature limped off into the safety of the forest, leaving you frozen in place, trembling from head to toe.

The bear turned its attention to you, its intelligent gaze locking onto yours. Despite your fear, there was something strangely familiar in the way it looked at you—almost protective.

And then, to your utter disbelief, the bear began to shift. Its enormous form shrank, fur receding as its features morphed into something distinctly human. In a matter of moments, you found yourself staring at Choi Jongho, his sharp eyes unwavering as they met yours.

"You…" The word barely escaped your lips, your voice a mere whisper. "You're an animagus?"

His jaw tightened briefly before he nodded. "Yes," he admitted, his tone steady but quiet.

You blinked, your mind racing to process what you had just witnessed. It wasn't just the transformation that left you reeling—it was the way he had risked himself to save you. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" you finally managed.

He let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. For the first time, you saw the stoic facade crack, revealing something raw beneath. "People already think I'm intimidating enough," he said, his voice laced with vulnerability. "If they knew I could turn into a bear, they'd see me as a monster. Even if I chose this form to protect, not harm."

Your chest tightened at his words, at the loneliness he must have carried. His stern demeanour suddenly made sense—it was a shield, a way to keep others from seeing the parts of himself he feared they wouldn't understand.

"But it's not a bad thing," you said softly, taking a step closer. "You became an animagus for a noble reason. That says more about who you are than anything else."

His gaze softened, the hard lines of his face easing just slightly. "I appreciate that," he murmured. "But not everyone would see it the same way. People fear what they don't understand."

For the first time, you saw through the intimidating exterior everyone else feared. Beneath it all, he was just someone who cared deeply, someone who bore the weight of his secrets quietly for the sake of those around him.

"Thank you for saving me," you said earnestly, your voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside you. "Your secret's safe with me. I promise."

He nodded, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's my pleasure," he replied, his tone warm yet reserved. "Now, you should get back. It's not safe out here."

"And you?"

"I'll make sure the forest is clear," he assured you, his protective instincts shining through. "Go. I'll be right behind you."

As you made your way back to the castle, your mind was consumed with thoughts of Jongho. The boy who had just saved your life was so much more than the fearsome prefect everyone believed him to be. And now, you carried a piece of his truth, a secret that revealed a depth to him you never would have imagined.

From then on, something shifted.

You became one of the few who dared to hold his gaze, the rare recipient of his fleeting smiles. Where others saw the intimidating Slytherin prefect, you saw the quiet strength and vulnerability he kept hidden beneath the surface. And nothing shocked people more than seeing him sit next to you at breakfast in the Great Hall.

Whispers rippled through the tables, curious and incredulous alike. Choi Jongho, the stoic and fearsome prefect, sitting with someone? A girl? The novelty was enough to turn heads, but what truly caught people's attention was the way he looked at you.

There was something unmistakable in his eyes—a quiet affection, soft and unguarded, as if your presence unravelled the walls he so carefully maintained.

He glanced over at you as you finished your meal, his expression relaxed yet tinged with curiosity. "Where are you headed after this?" he asked, his tone casual but attentive.

You wiped your hands with a napkin, smiling up at him. "The Duelling Club."

His eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "The Duelling Club? But why?"

You bit back a laugh at his incredulity, placing your fork down with an amused shake of your head. "Because someone with a very admirable trait has inspired me," you said, your voice warm with sincerity. "To be stronger, to protect those around me too."

The words caught him off guard, and you watched as his usual composure faltered. He blinked, a faint flush creeping up his neck and into his cheeks. The sight was endearing, a rare glimpse of boyishness in the otherwise composed prefect.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, reaching for his goblet of pumpkin juice and taking a long sip as if it might steady him. Setting it down, he muttered softly, "You don't have to." His eyes flickered to yours, vulnerable but earnest. "You'll always have me."

Your chest warmed at his words, his quiet promise resonating deeply. He might have been the boy feared by many, but to you, he was simply someone who cared more deeply than he let on.

You leaned forward slightly, a teasing smile playing on your lips. "I know," you said, your voice gentle but firm. "But it doesn't hurt to know how to hold my own, does it?"

He exhaled a quiet chuckle, the corner of his lips curving upward in a rare but genuine smile. "Fair enough," he conceded, his gaze lingering on yours for a moment longer before turning back to his plate. "But I'm coming with."

Any fellow Potterheads here? Humour this poor author and tell me about your Hogwarts house, your favourite Harry Potter book/movie as well as your favourite character! Most importantly, let me know if you agree with the houses I've sorted the members into!

Hope you enjoyed this! As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

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All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[fromgoy2joy]

What irks me so so much about the Pro Palestine movement and how it took place on my college campus was just how it... fizzled out.

In fall 2024, we've entered the new school year, and knock-on-wood, harassing Jews is not the go-to activism now.

Which I am elated about- we no longer have to hide the locations of events so stringently or keep our heads down in classes, fearing someone will catch us and know. And demand for us to answer for our supposed crimes.

But what stands out to me is that this activism only came from a place of anger they wanted to let out like a rabid animal. Teenagers and twenty-somethings wearing keffiyehs they bought from Amazon screamed about the evils of Zionism. They rattled their signs and beat their drums. They vandalized and attacked. There was nothing held back.

And you know what I never saw? I never saw a bake sale, or any sort of fundraising for Gazans. I never saw food drives for local refugees. There was nothing tangible. There was only a vehement rage for a cause they didn't seem to really care about.

Because they didn't care about the people suffering and dying- they just wanted an excuse to be angry at someone and that "someone" was Jews.

But they got their encampments with machine gun doodles and "glory to the resistance" on their posters. They got their yelling out and their pretty pictures they'll save for their children one day- "Look, Mommy was an activist!"

But you know what sustained me, just a bit? I tried to believe that my peers were in the end well intentioned. That they didn't mean to hurt us. That this was all an awful trick being played and that their goal at the end of the day was a more equal world and end to tangible suffering.

But now- their keffiyehs are abandoned and only taken out for a little progressive fashion statement, paired with pink go-go boots. They are so painfully apathetic, it hurts me.

And I think- I really think- the next time they'll pick up their picket signs again is when Jews get hurt, either in Israel or the diaspora. And they'll line up once more to cheer for it.

[miru667]

The whole Once-ler family is working full tilt!

Here's my full piece for the VK Onceler Zine! I was very lucky to get to be a part of it...🥹 I used concept art as my inspiration this time: [link] Keep reading below for my process vid and all my director's commentary!

Thank you for being curious! Here's a video of my WIPs:

Deadlines were TIGHT for this zine! We were given only 2 months (compared to the 6 months I had on the previous onceler zine), so to make sure I could finish on time, I decided to do only base colours and lighting, with almost no shading anywhere. Still, trying to balance all the colours took the longest for me, as you can see in the vid. xP

Also idk if anyone noticed, but for the face I chose to use an already existing onceler doodle: [link] Why? Well, why not! I really liked that doodle and I didn't want it to go to waste. 😆

Things that I enjoyed sneaking in:

-the golden spiral! Vaguely, at least! At the very least I hope your eyes can follow the order of thneed production, from the fallen tree at the window to the tuft harvesting to the thread spinning, to knitting the thneed and then drawing up plans for bigger and better things, and then ending with him pulling on his iconic glove to show he's going to take control now

-15 cents, a nail, and a great great great grandfather snail, as well as a tin pail since that's where you're supposed to deposit your payment

-combining things from the 2012 movie and concept art, the 1972 movie, and the 1971 book (e.g. that funny wrench he uses to fix pipes)

-Miss O'Schmunce-ler! You can see from the vid that I added the bracelet pretty late, because it was a late decision to have a Miss O'Schumunce-ler somewhere. I chose her to be the one picking up the pencil in the end, since she's pretty good with a pencil in the movie hehe. You guys can pretend the arms holding the phone is Miss Funce-ler.

-a thneed, a seed, and a (grickle grass) weed on the floor. The thneed is just the first of many that will soon create a giant pile. The seed lies forgotten in the corner. The weed is foreshadowing the future.

-hinting that Lorax and Once-ler were actually good friends, like they were in the Lorax musical stageplay. 🥺 I kept this part of the script in my mind for this piece:

This was aftermath Once-ler talking to the Lorax, reminiscing on their good times...and also being stupid and inconsiderate because the Lorax was in fact there all along as his friend, trying to warn him of what was going to happen. 😔

So in my zine piece we're witnessing a peaceful time before all the real biggering really starts. I like to think that in this scene, the Lorax had been sitting on the Once-ler's lap, holding his gloves for him and having a nice chat together with maybe some harmless bickering, but then the Once-ler gets a phone call so he cuts their convo short and rolls his chair over to the window to answer it. Putting business over friendship as usual, of course. Inspo for the lap sitting comes from this fanart by Emi that I love: [link]

What else...the parts that I'm proud of the most are the stool (I spent 2 days just drawing this stool), the curtains, the fact that I was able to include every truffula colour, and the Once-ler's pose. I was close to giving up on that pose because I had no idea how to draw it but I'm glad that I tried again. I wanted to show him at ease during a stage in his life that we never got to see much: the happier and more innocent days of his biggering when he only had a small shop. ��

That's all, I think! Thanks for reading if you did! Once again it was an honour to be part of this zine!!

[itsgivingmami]

Her Altar- Rhea Ripley

Warning: religious based homophobia

Practice what you practice, love who you love.

   Growing up had been nothing special. School during the week, riding your bike with friends on Saturdays and stuffing yourself into clothes you dreaded for church on Sunday.

   You had never really liked church but at a young age it hadn't occurred to you exactly what it was. You didn't like to do it the same way you dreaded math tests and asparagus but it wasn’t exactly an optional occurrence. As a young child you'd found the grain in the back of the pew you'd sat behind more interesting than whatever the pastor was groaning on about.

    For your seventh birthday your parents had gifted you a simple gold cross necklace and had hung it around you like a totem before you could tell them you weren't particularly fond of it. Or church.

   As you got older you learned very quickly that your opinion of faith was null and despite the fact that you were real, tangible and god (presumably) wasn't didn't matter. The laws of the bible did.  By the time you were thirteen you knew you were attracted to women, the constant reminder that being gay was a sin had only served as education on the subject. the constant reminder to stay quiet about how you felt kept you safe and you learned to repress school crushes on other girls. Growing up in a prejudice environment masked in faith had took its toll,

Then along came Rhea,

    Hiding your feelings for her made you feel more guilty than betraying the faith you were supposed to have. Every time you two hung out you felt like you were lying to her, you felt dishonest when you two linked arms walking through the mall and when she fell asleep next to you in the same bed during sleep overs. You started to avoid her under the guise of protecting her, believing that she was better off without you pining after her.

    "Why are you avoiding me?" She had caught you at your locker, trapping you between her body and cold metal.

     "I'm not.." you laugh off avoiding her gaze and you try and find a way under her arm.

    "We have talked everyday for the last god knows how long and suddenly radio silence," you shake your head as if she's wrong, but you know she's not. "I watched you make eye contact with me and run down the hall the other direction and did you think I wouldn't notice that you haven't been to a single one of my games in weeks?" You didn't, you figured she wouldn't notice your absence on the sideline and that she'd have no issues finding someone else to talk with. "What gives? I miss you,"

    You keep your eyes on her shoes, a familiar pair of dirty black chucks, your doodles covering the toes and you remember the day you two had spent ditching class on the bleachers with her legs thrown over your lap. Your parents had berated you for skipping but you hardly heard it, deeming the time you got to spend with Rhea worth it.

    "I'm sorry," you spoke quietly before biting the inside of your cheek, trying to will you ears to stop tearing,

   "Don't apologise just tell me what I did so I don't do it again and-" the hand she's gesturing with falls to her side, "let me have my friend back,"

    It's too much, the combination of her blaming and the way she calls you her friend makes you feel overwhelmed by guilt. You feel exasperated by the inner conflict and you want her to understand that you can't give her back her friend, because you don't feel at all friendly about her but telling her means really telling her the truth and your not ready to fully loose her either.

   "It's not you," you rasp as you quickly duck under her arm and run from her not bothering to close your locker door. It's selfish, but you can't have her too close and you can't loose her entirely. So without explaining yourself you flee and continue to keep her at arm's length. Rhea stands frozen staring at the spot you were just in, sighs and closes her eyes before gently shutting your locker for you.

                                             ~

     For the first time in years you go to confession after safely making it out the building sure Rhea wasn't going to come after you. Pulling open the door you don't remember walking here at all.

    You see the shadow of the priest through the lattice as you sit on the bench. It takes you a moment before you realise your supposed to greet him.

    "Sorry uh-," you shake your head and bring your hand up to cross your heart, your necklace feels like it's burning your skin as you speak. "Bless me father, for I have sinned?" It comes out as more of a question and you swallow thickly already regretting this decision. "It clearly has been a long time since my last confession," You hear a hum from the other side,

    "You are here now," its sounds empty, like he's said it too many times today and you're sure he has. "Why?"

    "I think I love someone," you tell him, it's the first time you admit it and hearing it out loud makes your chest thump.

    "How do you know you love him?" He asks you and you wince, him. Everything inside you is screaming at you to run, but you stay planted. Faith and whatnot right?

    "My heart races and I would do anything for," you hesitate, "this person, I can't imagine hurting the person I love, so much so I would hurt myself before I ever could," tears start to fall as you talk about it for the first time, "I can't live without her but I would if she asked me too,"

                                              ~

       When you walk through the door your parents are waiting, scowling and deep down you know; they know. Weren’t confessionals supposed to be private? A bag lands in front of your feet with a thud.

     "There will be no sinners living under our roof," your mother spits, you look to your dad you refuses to meet your eyes. You throw the strap over your shoulder and swallow thickly before straightening your posture. A shaky hand reaches up to your necklace and rip it off tossing it at their feet before leaving.

                                          ~

      Rhea has a cd playing quietly so she can listen to the thunder as she watches the rain our outside, she still can't figure out what she did to upset you and it's driving her nuts. Deciding to skip soccer practice and head home after you'd run from her again. She runs a hand through her hair at the memory and blinks back tears. It was bad enough she had cowered out of telling you about her feelings so many times, now you wouldn't even talk to her at all.

    Maybe you had caught on to her clingy-ness, she hated to think that she didn't at least get the chance to confess that she loved you in a way that might not freak you out. Her dim computer screen on her desk remains on her aim, countless unanswered messages on your part.

   "Rhea!!" Her mom's voice snaps her out of her thoughts as she quickly gets up and heads downstairs. She freezes on the last step when she spots you, soaked through, shaking, red eyed and her mother trying to wrap you in a blanket. She spots your dripping bags near the front door and she feels her body flash with heat as a rage bubbles up.

     "What happened?" Rhea questions as she comes towards you, making quick work of pulling her hoodie over her head using it wipe water from your face. You simply let out a sob in response as you jerk forward, she steps closer and pulls you against her.

   "They kicked me out," you sputter between breaths, "I didn't know where to go,"

     "Here," she answers and her mom hands her another blanket which she lays gently over your shaking body, "always here," She holds you while you cry into her collar and makes eye contact with her mom who simply nods before grabbing your bag to put whatever she can in the dryer.

    "We gotta getcha warm baby," she whispers to you softly, the endearment comes out naturally and you let out a soft cry at how kind she's being despite the fact that you've been avoiding her for weeks. "Let's go to my room yeah?"

   She holds your waist as she guides you upstairs, the front of your head is starting to hurt from crying and your face feels fuzzy. You enter the familiar space, greeted by pictures and posters you helped hang. Rhea sits you gently on her unmade bed and flips on the desk lamp, a soft yellow light illuminates the room.

     "You need dry clothes," she speaks as she's opening drawers in her dresser and rifling through unfolded piles. "Sweatpants or shorts? Tee or sweater," she rambles half to you half to herself. As you watch her grab things for you and mumble to herself you make a decision.

    "Rhea," you watch her turn to you "I have something I need to tell you,"

                                                ~

    "Whatcha doing baby?" Your wife's voice makes your memory fade as the window comes back into view, the patter of rain drops against it and the occasional clap of thunder. Strong inked arms come to wrap around your middle and you lean back into her.

     "Thinking," you tease, reaching up to scratch her jaw with your nails and she growls into your palm at your answer. "You know me well enough to know,"

      "Mmmmm," she hums as her chin rests on your shoulder. She does know exactly what storms remind you of, which is why she'd abandoned her workout in the garage to find you. Usually you'd be in the basement trying to drown out the sound but she had found you in the master bedroom in-front of the glass balcony doors. Your silhouette illuminated by snaps of lighting. “I love you,"

“I love you more “ you tilt your head back to look at her, you tell her you love her all the time but you gaze into her eyes trying to tell her how much you mean it each time. She places gentle kisses on your neck as her hands slide down to your front, you feel her warm palms press against your hips, pushing you further against her body.

“I love you most, I win,” she growls into your nape and you let out a soft breath at the feeling, a pleasant warmth swells in your chest. Her strong hands grip at your hip bones and it sends lighting straight to your core. You turn to face her and the loving gaze she’s holding you with. “Hi pretty girl,” she rasps to you.

“Hi,” you respond and smile before her lips are on yours and her tongues in your mouth. You let out a satisfied hum as her hand comes up to thread through your hair, holding you tightly against her. You’re both overwhelmed by emotions as your kiss gets messier, thinking about the days when you hadn’t been out and married to the love of your life. You gently separate from her mouth, “I need you,” you tell her, your lips brushing against hers as you beg for her. You feel the tell tale sign of her gripping at your waist band and you lift onto your toes and she pulls you to wrap around her body.

“God you’re beautiful,” Rhea admires you, your foreheads pressed together as your breaths mingle. You brush her bangs away from her face and she stares at you above her, she watches you like you’re the stars.

“Take me to bed,” you ask her and although you cannot be closer you need more, you need to be the place that’s always been the safest; enclosed by Rheas body.

“Did somebody forget who’s in charge?” She teases and she nibbles your ear lobe, you whine and squirm in protest which gets you a light slap to your ass but you feel Rhea start to move towards the bed anyway. Your back hits the soft mattress and your wife crawls over to join you.

“I let that last one go,” she tells you as her fingers running under the hem of your shirt and up the side of your ribs, her gaze flicks back out the window. She wants you to know that you’re okay, she understands it’s a hard night for you, “but act like a brat again and I’ll treat ya like one,” she gently slaps the bottom of your thigh a couple times before you bend it and her strong grip holds you.

“Rhea,” you gasp as her teeth hit your collarbone followed by the soothing of her tongue. She chuckles lowly and pulls your tank top up over your stomach, you sit up quickly helping her rip it off.

“There’s my good girl,” Rhea praises your obedience and you melt a little more, your body pliant as she pressed you back down to the mattress. Her mouth is warm as she sucks marks onto your bare chest before taking a hardened bud, you throw your head backwards as you let out a moan.

The memories of your past fade a little more each time she teaches you true worship and only with her do you start to believe the priest who outed you might’ve actually been divine intervention. In the morning when you wake up next to her you’re certain angels exist, they simply must with one laying in front of you and in the night before you fall asleep you find your faith kneeling at her altar. You aren’t afraid that your love would cast you to hell, not when the goddess above you brings you pure bliss that you swear it must be what heaven really is.

[apeachty]

₊ ˚ ⊹ ♡ . ⠀negative kai. user guide | hk

⠀⠀⠀kai x reader

genre ; hurt/comfort, introspection and slice of life (?? all of it is so confusing?)

warnings | tags ; kai is kinda embarrassed and insecure about himself in a bad mood, so i guess it's a tiny bit angsty, but that's it.

wordcount ; 1.2k

summary ; kai helps you to sort your old stuff out and stumbles upon a note you made for yourself long ago.

✉ notes ; it's so not what i had in my mind... but blame it on "ghost town" playing in my head in kai's voice for hours. and the ending is also so cringe... i apologize beforehand to everyone who feels secondhand embarrassment after reading it.

⠀⠀⠀[ masterlist is here ]

the floor was a mess within a five-foot radius around you. you'd finally decided to sort your stuff out, but you hadn't realized how much of it had been hiding in drawers and boxes under the bed. dozens of pens and pencils, old notebooks, tiny figurines, a bunch of keychains, a few pencil cases, and even a drawing compass and protractor—when was the last time you used those? middle school?

the more you tried to clean, the bigger the mess became. kai, who had been checking on you every half hour to see if you needed anything (he wasn’t entirely sure you'd be able to stand up without stepping on something), finally decided to stay and help.

not that he was much help, though. just like you, he kept getting distracted by nostalgia over every little thing. he started looking through your stuff, fascinated by what your life was like years ago. that’s how he ended up flipping through a small notebook filled with random notes for your everyday life— to-do lists, phone numbers, grocery shopping lists, and little doodles. nothing extraordinary. half of it didn't even make sense to him—probably work-related—but it was endearing to see your mind scattered across the pages.

kai was about to put the notebook aside when a folded piece of paper fell out. he picked it up, hesitating to open it. when he asked you about it, you shrugged and told him there was probably nothing special on it, so he was free to read it.

but the very first line made him pause. written in your familiar handwriting was:

negative kai whatever it means

kai froze. the note was a numbered list, but he quickly glanced away before his brain could absorb more. unsure if it was something he should be reading, he cleared his throat, drawing your attention. you stopped in the middle of checking if yet another pen still worked and looked at him questioningly.

"uh... it says 'negative kai,'" he mumbled, holding the paper out with one hand while the other rubbed the back of his neck. "i'm not sure if... if i'm supposed to read this."

you took the note automatically but didn't even glance at it. you didn't need to. you remembered every word—even the crossed-out ones—perfectly. they were burned into your memory.

you shook your head and handed it back. "it's fine. you can read it. and you can ask me if you want," you said with a small chuckle at his hesitant expression. "there's nothing bad, but you'll probably have questions."

he nodded slowly, his eyes drifting to the next line:

1. don’t ask him what happened.

"pretty self-explanatory," kai muttered under his breath, already feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up his neck. the line was enough for him to understand what this note was—a guide for how to handle him when he was in one of his "negative" moods. the fact that you'd felt the need to write it down—

"'don’t ask him what happened'?" you interrupted his thoughts with a warm smile. "yeah, pretty much," you said so casually it almost eased his embarrassment. almost.

kai shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and moved on to the next line.

2. don’t talk to him talk to him, but don’t wait for his response (he won’t give it).

this time, he read it out loud. you had been right about him having questions, but now he also felt like he needed reassurance—about all those moments when he'd been like that. and you, noticing his hesitation, were already prepared to explain.

"the first part is crossed out," he pointed out, his voice tinged with uncertainty. both versions—"don't talk to him" and "don't wait for his response"—felt equally bad to him.

you shrugged. "because it seemed like an easy solution at first, but it wasn’t the right one."

"so... a one-sided conversation is better?" he asked, trying to wrap his head around your reasoning. "it doesn’t make sense."

you tilted your head, frowning slightly as though his confusion was unexpected. "of course it does. it helps you not feel alone in... whatever it is you’re going through when you’re like that."

kai wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it definitely wasn't that. embarrassment and shame mixed with gratitude and astonishment, and he glanced down to hide his shy smile. the next line offered a good excuse to switch the topic:

3. look carefully for his facial expressions. don’t make him tell you to shut up or leave.

kai pressed his lips together. "this doesn't sound great," he mumbled, absently rubbing the edge of the paper with his thumbs.

but you only shrugged again. "maybe it doesn't, but it makes perfect sense. because you'd feel bad if you said it."

once again, you had written it for his comfort—thinking of him, even when he was at his most difficult. kai bit the corner of his lip, avoiding overthinking as he moved to the next line.

4. give him space don’t leave him alone unless he wants you to.

he read it out loud, but this time, he didn't need clarification. he was starting to understand your way of thinking, your intentions behind each line.

"because you need someone next to you," you added anyway, just in case. "like the second one."

he nodded slowly. "makes sense, i guess..."

"the second one didn't make sense to you, though," you teased with a small laugh, lightening the mood. kai smiled sheepishly, realizing you were right. it hadn't made sense at first, but now that he saw how your mind worked, it all clicked.

his eyes fell on the last line. the ink was smudged, and the mirrored imprint of the words could be faintly seen on the top half of the paper if you looked closely. it was written differently from the others—hastier, more emotional, as if you'd just realized something important and hurried to write it down before the thought faded.

kai didn't read it aloud. he didn't need to. you already knew what it said. you'd only seen it once before folding the paper away, but it had stuck with you ever since.

"because it's the only thing you actually need," you said softly, crawling over to him without a care for the mess on the floor. "it was like cracking a code, you know?"

you took the note from his hands, setting it aside before replacing it with your own hands in his. "you’re still our precious kai. negative, positive, or anything else—it doesn't matter. your mood, no matter how bad, doesn’t change the way people feel about you."

kai tightened his grip on your hands, his thumbs brushing over your fingers. maybe he’d forget most of what that odd little guide said in time, but he knew he'd never forget the final line:

5. show him your love.

taglist...? : @biteyoubiteme

[tulip-room]

♡˚It's You! ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

"When we wrote these, I didn't think it would be you."

words. 1.5k

It had started out as an idea for all of you to do. Something you had seen on Pinterest and were interested enough to bring the idea up to your friends. You had excitedly turned your phone around and to the surprise of no one, Gojo was the first to agree to the idea. “So? What do we say?” You ask with a smile creeping onto your face. 

“Yes,” Gojo answered excitedly. “I have some paper in here somewhere,” he started going through his bag to find a long forgotten notebook. He let out an ‘aha’ when he found it and threw it down onto the table. “Alright, everyone get a piece of paper.” 

“So, what exactly are we supposed to write?” Shoko asked as she tore out paper, her edges jagged. Geto followed suit and got his own piece of paper. You and Gojo took longer, making sure that the paper was perfectly torn with no stray edges.

“You know.” You pull out glitter pens and stickers. “Things for your future partner, like what you’re currently like and how you hope they are or something. Cheesy stuff, if you want. Anything you would want to say to your future partner.” You smile and start carefully writing your letter. “Mine for instance, I’m going to put all the things I want out of a relationship. At least you know right now. Things I want to experience but wouldn’t outright ask for face to face.” They nod and sit in front of their blank pieces of paper. 

Gojo is the only other person who immediately gets to writing. He won’t let anyone see what his says, let alone what he could be writing in there. For someone who likes to share so much, he’s oddly silent about this. A calm smile on his face as he fills the page with surprising speed. “Why are you so quiet hmm?” Your shoulder bumps his as you tease him. 

“Why are you so curious? Hoping it’s you I’m writing for?” He teases back with his usual smirk on his face. You shake your head at him and push him again. 

Shoko is the first of the group to finish her letter, it’s simple and short. She didn’t spend very long thinking about it, more going along with it because she wanted to see you guys happy than because she wanted to do it. Geto is the next to finish, his letter is longer than her’s. It takes about half the page and is complete with a singular heart by his signature. You finish your’s after him. Your letter fills up the entire front of the page and has many hearts and other doodles littering the margins. Gojo is the last to finish his. His is so long that it not only filled the first paper front to back but also took half of another page. There’s many characteristic doodles, hearts, squiggles, swirls, even a cat or two.

“Wow, never would have thought you would be the sap of the group Satoru.” Geto teases him as he watches Gojo carefully fold the pieces of paper. 

“I’m just picky. I am the strongest after all. Got to make sure my partner knows what I expect.”

“That sounds slightly toxic.” Shoko replies as she rests her head in her hand. 

“Oh come on, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” He rolls his eyes and puts his notebook back in his bag to once again be unused. “I just have standards, that's all.” 

“Whatever you say.” It’s your turn to roll your eyes as you fold up your own note. 

You don’t think of the letters again until many years later. Shoko’s letter wound up in the trash a week after she had written it. Geto’s had lasted longer…till around the time he left. You and Gojo were the only two who still had your letters by the time you were adults. 

Shoko had dragged you out for a night of drinking and fun when the letters were brought up again. Both of you a few shots deep and slightly more than buzzed. “So, you give that letter to Gojo?” You give her a confused look. Letter? “You know, the ones you had us write. To our future partners.” Oh.

“I forgot about those!” You say excitedly as your hands go up to cover your mouth. “I have no clue where it is at this point.”

“It would be funny to find it and give it to him. See if he lived up to your standards.” She smiles and pushes another shot towards you.

“It would be pretty funny huh? I have always been curious as to what he was writing back then. I mean he almost took two pages. I’ll let you know if I measured up to his standards.” You joke and bump your hip against hers. 

When you arrive home Shoko waves you off at the door, your heels dangling in your hand as you unlock the door. “Baby!” You hear excitedly as you open the door. There he is. Your boyfriend, er- fiance now. Your fiance, sometimes it feels surreal. You look down and a smile grows on your face as you see the glittering gem of the ring on your finger. 

“Hi Dove, did you have a fun night?” You set your shoes down and he wraps his arms around your neck and buries his face in your hair. Your smile and wrap your arms around his waist. 

“Oh, it was so horribly boring.” He groans and kisses your hair. “I did paperwork, and had so many meetings, it was so bad when I got home and you weren’t here to hug me and kiss me and make it all better.” You let out a small laugh and it makes a smile grow on his face. That’s his favorite sound in the whole world, your laughter, he could listen to it until the tape starts to skip from repeating too much. “Did you and Shoko have fun?”

“Yeah, she actually reminded me of something.”

“Oh? Anything fun?” 

“Mhm, you remember those letters I had us write in high school?”

“Oh!” He pops up and unwraps from you to go to your bedroom. You tentatively follow him down the hall with a smile. You watch as he shuffles through a box in your closet before he smiles and comes back with notebook pages. “Here, I almost forgot about them.” You smile and take the paper from his hands.

“When we wrote these, I didn’t think it would be you.” You unfold the paper as you admit and you almost drop them right there.

“I did,” he says shyly as you read the first line. It’s your name. He wrote this letter for you. “I really was holding out that you would like me one day…Is that sad?”

“I think it’s sweet.” You kiss his cheek and he smiles as you read through the letter. “You were really down bad huh?” You read some lines outloud to him as you go through the letter. “You wanted us to write to our future partners and for as cheesy as it sounds I could only picture a life with you in it.” His cheeks flush red as you read the lines he wrote. “If there was anyone I would want to be my soulmate it would be you, you make me feel like there’s more to life than fighting. That I’m more than just what I was born for. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my partner.” He refuses to make eye contact with you, you can see where the corners of the page are worn like someone has read it multiple times.

“I love you and I hope some day in the future that you love me too.” He says with you and you look up from the paper. 

“Oh, my dove.” You set the papers down on the dresser and bring your hands up to cup his face. “You’re so sweet, I love you too. So much more than you could ever know.” You kiss under his eyes as you pull his face towards you. 

“That’s really cheesy, like geez what was that guy on?” He tries to joke and tease.

“Hush, I think it’s sweet. It made me fall even more in love with you.” He smiles as you place a soft kiss to his lips. “If that was a letter that I might never have heard, I’m excited to hear what your vows are gonna sound like.” He groans and pulls you into another kiss.

“It’s going to be so weird to say all that cheesy stuff in front of all of our friends.”

“Don’t want them to know that you’re down bad for me?”

“Oh, sweetheart. We both know that’s not true. It’s just. It’s going to be weird because they’re my thoughts about you. All the things I want and love about you and you’re the only person I really care about hearing them.”

“And I can’t wait to hear them.” You pull him into another kiss as the two of you smile.

Yeah. You guys were going to be okay. It was going to be okay as long as you have each other.

taglist. @hiraethwa

stay a while why don't you? check out my other stuff

[p0rk-guts]

Tentative final design for Charlie! yes I low-key abandoned the poll results but there's elements there. Really happy with this ^ - ^ design breakdown below👇🏾

I have a plethora of notes on my redesign Charlie's character and personality, but we'll skim over that for now and focus on their design. Og Charlie is supposed to be inspired by or themed after a porcelain doll I think? But it doesn't really come across without being directly told, which we aren't. Also I think her legs are supposed to be goat legs but they look normal as hell. Overall she just looks very basic. Her human edits just change like 3 little details and she becomes some white girl. Not giving "princess of hell" very much.

I wanted to base my Charlie off of a Chimera bc lions represent pride (Lucifer's sin), goats are often associated with the devil, and a snake was the form Lucifer took in the garden of Eden. Perfect thematic storm. I gave them dark hair that gradients into blonde (it's natural because this is fiction and also hell) to represent a lion's mane as chimeras have lion heads. I also gave her various goat features bc they're also part goat, as well as a snake tail like like chimeras have. The snake is like an extension of her subconscious, not its own consciousness, but Charlie often talks to it as if it were.

I wanted to give them shapes that'd allude to their angelic roots through Lucifer as well like with the ears and horns. They're also dark skinned because Lilith— as the first woman— was also dark skinned. Still debating what I want Lucifer to be and look like. Also I didn't draw her with her mouth open here but her teeth still look pretty much the same as they do originally

I really. don't like og Charlie's outfit. Logically. At a distance it looks fine, but under closer inspection it's just kinda weird and ugly. Why does her white turtleneck have buttons? If it's tucked into her pants, why are her pants so low waisted? If it's not tucked in and she wears it over her pants (ew), where's the middle seam? Her whole midsection just looks awkward and ugly to me. And the burgundy cuffs under her blazer?? Where do they come from???

She's a huge musical theatre nerd who's (supposedly) older than the Victorian era itself so I leaned into that and gave her old English and concert conductor inspired attire. I imagine Lucifer liked dressing them in similar old timey outfits. She wears a slightly simplified or toned down version of the style because she doesn't like overstating her status; she wants to come off as approachable and normal (but still kinda falls short of this with her inclination to bold clothing and her general off-putting nature)

Aaalright that's time! I wanna make another post abt her eventually bc I reworked her character a lot and I wanna yell about it. But later. Once again as a gift for (maybe) reading all the way through I offer some supplementary doodles

More hair options I liked but just wasn't sold on

And some sleepy Charlie's! Aka sleepwear redesign. Love the big bonnet with the cute little bow<3 Also if you noticed yes i did she/they her she's somewhere on the genderqueer/nonbinary spectrum now<3

And let me reiterate bc someone didn't get it last time!

[akq96618]

[ King ohger soul eater au ]

here it is! the rough idea doodles for other kings! It's just started with giramie (you can find them here ), but i think it will be fun if i added the others too

+ some more trivia below

(warning: big spoiler for soul eater manga, and me nerding over soul eater)

for those who aren't familiar with soul eater, the series revolve around the story of meister and demon weapon (human who can transform into weapons). The students of of Shibusen, school build by 'shinigami' take on missions to collect souls and protect the city from the world's threats.

The school parted into 2 types of class, N.O.T (Normally Overcome Target, class for those who just want to control their powers, pretty much just like a normal class) and E.A.T (Especially Advantaged Talent, consist of the 10% students in shibusen, class for students/agents who use their powers to battle evil)

-this au sets years after soul eater manga ending, where human and witch can already living side by side

-Morfonia used to be in NOT class, but then she moved to EAT class after reunited in shibusen and being partners with rita (they're childhood friends)

-Suzume supposed to be gira's weapon partner, since the Hastie and Dybowski family been on some kind of..bound? relationship? for a long time. But racles don't want gira to be a meister, so he took both of the dybowski siblings as his weapon (welp, gira still finds jera anyway)

-Top 3 EAT class academical rank: Rita, Himeno, Yanma (it's quite a tie with jeramie sometimes), gira is somewhere in the middle, or below-

-Top 3 EAT class physical rank (as in like, PE class): Gira, Rita, Jeramie, (you know where yanma at right)

-yeah i use racs and himeno's p1 hair bcs i love them

-Rita can see someone's soul, while Gira can 'sense' someone's soul perfectly (like, what kind of people they are) and know kishin's soul before they turned into kishin egg (kishin egg: evil souls)

-Sebastian is not a student but he still go to shibusen to accompany himeno as her butler and demon weapon

-before met yanma, shiokara used to be Mayuta's demon weapon partners along with usuba (sniper rifle) and akka (brass knuckle ring)

-Jeramie is a child of demon weapon and witch, his mom run away from the witch realm because she possesses healing magic, which is unforgivable and hated by the witches

-and jera got his black blood from his mother, who didn't know that she was used to be medusa's (antagonist witch in SE) experiment object. Medusa thought she's a failed object, so she throw nephila out of her object list.

-before Jeramie met Gira, he wonder all over death city to find who killed and ate his parents' soul

-Gira don't really like to live in the Hastie's main mansion , so he rented apartments near shibusen together with Jera after decided to be his Meister. As a condition to allow gira living out of the Hastie household, Racles ask Duuga, the Hastie's butler, to visit gira's place from time to time

-Jeramie had this 'madness of hope' that triggered his black blood

-i'm thinking about 'madness of justice' for gira but 'justice' will suit rita more...

i don't think i'll elaborate more about this au, but who knows

here's more giramie in madness + blackblood armor bcs i like to draw them in that

[jojo-schmo]

How did you come up with roleswap Elfilis' design? It's really cool!

Hi! Thank you so much! :D I'd love to share my thought process! Gather round the armchair by the fireplace, friends! It's story time!

I've said before that the Forgotten Land Roleswap started off as a doodle that swapped Dedede and Bandana Dee's roles as Player 2 and the Brainwashed Beast. But when I realized how fun that one little change was, how about EVEN MORE changes? That's how my one-time doodle turned into the full AU story. I swapped Meta Knight and Kirby, Clawroline and Leongar, and Sillydillo and Gorimondo- and because the story is so Waddle-Dee centric, I promoted Dedede to "Player 1" since the stakes would be higher for him as their King.

So now I had a story that had a lot of opposite traits to canon and I wanted to explore that further! When it came to the matter of Elfilin, I thought he would probably behave too similarly towards Dedede and Meta as he did to Kirby and Bandee. He'd be friendly and trusting, communicative, optimistic, knowledgeable, and cooperative. So how about providing them a travel companion who is defensive, has trouble communicating, a little wild, uninformed about themselves and the world around them, and has a bit of a temper?

But working with all these opposite traits didn't feel in-character for Elfilin anymore. So my natural next step was to swap Elfilin with Elfilis and make a new version of the Forgotten Land's lost little pup!

Enough yapping about the context behind my decisions, tho. How'd I come up with Roleswap Elfilis' design?

I see you out there, Fecto Forgo fans. Maybe somebody out there's thought, "Roleswap Elfilis does not look like them! Why not? That's what the other 50% of the Ultimate Life Form looks like! I demand justice for the angry glowing rat fetus!"

Maybe nobody has ever thought this. But I wonder sometimes lol

Your feelings are valid, friends. Please lemme explain my reasonings.

This fella, to me, is the abandoned wet specimen left to float in a jar for who-knows-how-long after a forcible physical and mental separation via spatial teleportation shenanigans. And I think part of their appearance is due to their role as the trapped and forgotten half.

The role of the half that got away fully formed his own body and inherited some traits from the complete being-

For Elfilin in canon, he got ears that are proportionally huge compared to the rest of his body, blue eyes that sparkle with the light of a thousand destroyed planets, a tiny bit of pink fur for his adorable blushies, and a really long fluffy tail. Maybe becoming a being free of chaos gave him those sweet eyes like Kirby and the Waddle Dees have.

My reasoning is that whichever half ends up escaping the Lab and fully forming their own body, they would carry the major physical traits the other wouldn't inherit.

Anyway, that left Elfilis with the horns, colorful and expressive eyes, whiskers, beige chest fluff, opposable thumbs, and pink tummy fur.

Elfilin gets the long tail in the bodily divorce so Elfilis has a short stubby little cotton tail like a bunny. Like if he ended up with just the very tip of the Ultimate Life Form's tail.

Behold this diagram above I came up with two years ago! Disclaimer: the canon Elfilin is the one in the chart. And I draw him a little differently these days lol. I ain't showing anyone how he ended up in the Roleswap yet tho!!!! >:0

But Roleswap Elfilis is more than just "baby version of the Ultimate Life Form..."

All the differences in the Forgotten Land Roleswap from canon stem from one event in the timeline. One change that I added to the events that were already supposed to take place. It's why the Ultimate Life Form split differently. Why the Beasts have different roles and aesthetics. Even why the portal took Bandana Dee and Kirby before Meta Knight and King Dedede.

How did that saying go again? The flap of wings somewhere can influence a bunch of huge changes somewhere else down the line...? What was the name of that theory again....? Hmm. Not important, I guess.

Anyway, the end!! You sly dog, you got me monologuing!!1! /lighthearted

[ant-nikki]

AND HERE IT IS MY FIRST FANART FOR EPIC THE MUSICAL (only a quick doodlish one tho)

I love Hermes SO FUCKING MUCH! He only appears in like 2 songs but he still managed to become one of my favourites on the spot <3

And because this was a very quick thingy i also did a digital version soooo enjoy the treat :)

Tips and criticism are welcome since I'm just a beginner :)

Rambling down the cut...

Ok so! This one was supposed to be a quick fun doodle to practice a lil bit of anatomy and foreshortening and well i did do that... Not the greatest but not super bad either yay

I really love both of hermes song and i can't unstuck them from my mind coz he's such a great fun character and also- HOLY MOLY!

THAT'S HILARIOUS.

I can't help but laugh so much every time i hear it even if i know it's coming- it's just- too muchhhh hahahah

Anywayyy back to the drawing...

I (as always) drew on paper but since this one was really small and it took me only around 20 mins to finish I thought MHM I SHOULD COLOUR! Then realized i don't have a skin colour marker and absolutely didn't want to get the pencils out so i just- made a photo :D

Used ibis paint on my PHONE for this so meh- but it was fun and the app says it took me a lil under an hour soooo

A fun lil HERMES drawing under an hour and half and COLOURED?! Absolutely ✧EPIC✧

I don't know what i was doing with the shadows they're all wrong but- uhhhh yep they'll stay just like that hahha

Anywayyyy loved this one so much and obviously drew it while listening to epic :)

[1tsstargaze59]

College AU Chapter 4 DROP 🧡💜

Sorry I didn't write for this AU in a while ^^" I got writers block TvT Then it was exam period in college and then the holidays- *oof* BUT IM BACK NOW, AND 2 CHAPTERS AWAY FROM THE END!!!

Actually, this chapter was inspired by @eechytooru 's artwork, same as the rest of the AU lol, but I mean specifically the doodle where they're playing chess in this post

(Do you guys have any idea how far I had to scroll to get this link??? XD) Anyway, you'll see why JSUT READ QISBWKSO-

Chapter 4 : Checkmates

Anne and Saddie, arms linked, walked up to the chess club doorstep one peaceful Monday afternoon. Anna had figured fewer people stay past class hours on Mondays, so there would be a lot less pressure. Having prepared herself for this, she felt a surge of energy throughout her body, and she had a smile from ear to ear.

"Thank you again, Saddie. You know, you really didn't need to accompany me, though."

"I'll be honest and say it was more for my nerves than your own," she admitted.

Anna-lee chuckled, "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow morning!" She waved goodbye to her senior and opened the door. The bright light of the room pouring into the hall.

Sitting at the front desk of the club was a smiling woman. She wore a knee-length blue dress with a subtle star pattern over a white t-shirt and a pair of blue ballerinas. The outfit was accessorized with a cute beaded necklace. Her blonde roots stood in harsh contrast to her bright blue pixie cut. Her style was so distinctive that Anne had no problem recognizing her. Her smile spread across her face just a little bit more.

Once the woman laid eyes on her, she sprang out of her seat and grabbed her hand to shake it excitedly, "Hello!!! Oh my gosh, I've heard so many good things about you! It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"You have?," she asked, her voice shaking, "That's great, but hm- what was your name again?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I can get ahead of myself sometimes; I'm Jocelyn, Jocelyn Meyer, but you can just call me Joy."

"It's nice to meet you too, Joy! Great name, by the way," Anna-lee pointed out.

"Thanks," she humbly accepted the compliment, "I'm assuming you came to check out the club! Would you like a tour, or are you good exploring on your own?" She offered.

"Well– " Anna leaned to her right side, checking out the room behind Joy.

On the left, there were students having coffee and playing card games, comfortably sitting on an assortment of sofas. To her right, a row of tables had more serious students playing a variety of board games, including chess. The entrance's bright yellow light dimmed into a redish hue that gave the rest of the room the air of a casino night. At the very back, Frederick sat at a desk, cabinets, full of board games and other knick-knacks standing tall behind him. He was bent over a ton of paperwork, his eyes darting between two copies, marking notes from time to time in red ink.

"I wouldn't mind an explanation as to why the chess club has much more games than I would have anticipated?" questioned Anna.

"Great question!" The two walked into the club, on their way to the back of the room, "A few years back, we really were just 'the chess club' up until the previous director took her maternity leave. You must know her since she's in your department : Saddie?"

"Yes! She guided me here, actually. I mean, aside from Fred, who's mentioned it in passing," she chuckled nervously.

Jocelyn’s eyebrows frowned and her lips perked.

"What?" Anne asked, her voice shaky, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just still surprised he didn't mention it more considering taking Saddie's place was no small feat. The humble bastard," she elaborated.

Before she could explain further, they had reached Fred’s director’s desk. Anne had a perplexed look on her face. She lifted a finger up to her lip. 

“Fred, could you shed some light on that for me?” asked Joy, but the question flew right past him as he continued his correction work. The girls shared a confused look before Joy hit the desk lightly with both her hands, “Fred?” she repeated, raising her voice ever so slightly.

The man jolted back before looking up. In an instant, his face flushed, his shoulders tensed, and he jumped out of his office chair, hitting his knees on the desk. The yell he stuffed down came out as a squeal. He fell back into his chair, holding his knees as it rolled back, breathing in through his teeth. Anna-lee hid her agape mouth behind her hands, and Joy scrunched her teeth.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she apologized, “Are you ok?”

“Yup! Give me a moment,” he took a deep breath before standing up straight and waving 'hello' with an embarrassed look on his face, “Hi Anna-lee.”

Anna smiled nervously, returning his little wave. Joy side-eyed her and smirked, “Fred, why haven't you explained to Miss Tyson how you got this position?”

“I... I don't really like to brag,” he responded honestly, returning swiftly to his work.

"Aw, it's not a brag! It's like, like... history! Of the chess club! Come on, tell her!" Joy poked his arm.

Anna-Lee's face lit up, "I like history!"

Fred sighed before explaining without looking away from his paperwork, "When a director leaves their post, the members of the chess club play a chess tournament in which the winner gets to become the new director-"

"He won the last tournament and hasn't lost a single match since!" Joy cheerfully finished his tale, clapping her hands together, proud of him.

Frederick's face flushed red, his eyes rolled in annoyance, and he smiled. Anna-lee looked at him in awe. Then, her brow frowned nefariously, "How offended would you be if I said I didn't believe you?"

He looked up at her again, this time with a serious look on his face, “... Is that a challenge?”

The next thing they knew, they were sitting face to face at a table in the center of the room, the chess board printed onto its surface, patiently awaiting the war of pawns. Jocelyn and a few club members as their audience. The tension in the room was slightly off. Everyone could foresee the outcome of the match, yet Anna-Lee's pure excitement and general brash attitude still had the small audience shaking with anticipation. Joy was referee; she flipped a coin to determine who goes first. Fred guessed his head, Anna guessed tails. The coin landed on tails, so she moved her pawn first. He did the same on his turn. The back and forth went on for five very silent, very focused turns, at least for Anne, who knew who she was up against and tried to do her best. Fred calmly swirled the coffee in his mug after every move, taking a sip from time to time, a smile plastered on his face.

“Checkmate,” he whispered after his fifth turn, having moved the black rook diagonally to the white king.

“Huh? But- Huh,” she scratched her forehead and threw her hands in the air, “I lost.”

Everyone sighed knowingly and casually went back to their own games, “Well, Joy did try to warn you. Hopefully, this didn’t upset you... and you still want to hang out in the club?” asked Fred, nervously hiding his face behind his mug. 

Anne reached over the table and grabbed his left hand, holding it with both of hers, “Let’s play again,” she said dryly, a fire burning in her eyes. 

He looked over at Joy, hoping she’d have something comforting to say or do, but she simply shrugged and went back to the front desk, leaving the two alone, more or less. He smiled at Anna, his eyebrows shaking nervously. 

They played for so long; they had lost track of time. At first, he counted the games he’d won, but he stopped counting after 12; determining that she wouldn’t stop playing until she’d defeated him... He tried giving her tips, but she wouldn’t listen to any of them, saying she preferred to figure it out on her own. Fred couldn’t help but feel bad, not only because playing against a novice this many times made him feel pity, but also because he was genuinely enjoying seeing her plan her moves and get excited over even the slightest bit of progress only to fail anyway and get frustrated. Every time Anna failed, however, it just fueled her passion more. She was frowning almost the entire time, but he thought she looked adorable regardless. Fred silently smiled to himself. Her king piece fell over and over until the club room was left completely empty.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, um, whatever is going on here-” Joy walked up to them, waving her hands at the situation.

“It’s war,” clarified Anna-lee, a straight look on her face.

Joy giggled, “Sure! But um, it’s getting late, and I’d like to head home now.”

“Oh my gosh!" Anna yelled, looking down at her watch, "6PM?? I’m so sorry! I’ll leave now!” She jumped out of her chair and grabbed Jocelyn’s arms, hugging her as thanks, then swiftly running straight out the door. Before she left, however, she peeked her head through the door to say one last thing : "BUT! Don’t think this is over, Frederick! I will defeat you! MARK MY WORDS!” And she slammed the door shut.

The math teachers were left speechless. Fred swirled his mug one last time.

“Hey~ looks like someone's made a rival,” Jocelyn teased him, hitting his left arm with her elbow.

Fred tried to take a sip of his cup, but his tongue was left dry, “I think I’m gonna need more coffee.”

—————

For the next few days, Anna-lee showed up at the chess club after class, asking Fred for at least one match, to which he’d concede. She became an official member after her third day. Their games got progressively longer. She’d smile at him every time he realized she'd made unexpected progress, but no matter what technique she tried, Anne would always lose. Despite this, Anna-lee loved playing against him. Something about the competition, the goal she’d set for herself, made her feel alive. She had researched the history of chess and various chess strategies on her own time; spending hours sitting in her bed, curled up over her computer screen, reading. If she was to play against anyone else, she would most likely win, or at least she likes to believe that she could, but ultimately, she didn’t want to beat anyone else. She wanted to defeat Fred. Anna hasn’t had this much fun in a while. Now, when she enters the club, she feels right at home. Where she belongs. The red velvet walls give her a warm, comforting embrace. 

She sat at the chess table in front of Fred once more, holding out a coin.

“I’m ready when you are,” he said.

Anna flipped the coin, guessing heads. It landed on tails.

“Darn!” she cursed under her breath, which made Fred laugh.

The black and white checkered pattern of the board matched his sweater vest. Oftentimes, as silly as it sounded, Anna wondered if it gave him some sort of advantage. It almost seemed like every piece on the board was on his side, like she was playing against the game itself. Perhaps it was just an impression she got from not looking at him- enough? Her eyes darted up at him, and she was reminded why she so rarely does so. His dark eyes seemed to have no end. It was as if looking straight up at a clear night sky, the endless sea of stars glistening with hope. She swallowed and looked back down at the game; shaken by how much she had to live up to. In a sharp move, she shoved her bishop across the board; seeking some kind of struggle from him. Instead, he smiled and moved his rook, taking her bishop. Anne scoffed, face flushed.

“Sorry Madam. I will say, you’ve gotten much more confident with your moves,” he shrugged his shoulders ironically.

“That’s not fair. You distracted me!” she playfully pointed at him, her yelling grabbing the club members’ attention.

“How?” he chuckled.

“Huh-" shit-, "with your wits! I guess-”

"...True, I am a scientific calculator; you’re more like a novel,” he boldly stated.

“Huh?” Anna-lee muttered.

The room fell silent.

“I, wait, I mean-”

He scrambled with his words, trying his best to piece together an apology, but it was too late. As seconds passed, the silence in the room rang louder and louder in Anna's ears until she was deaf with anger, “No, you’re right! And you know what? You can have your win! We both know how this ends anyway, right?! Screw the rules, screw your stupid club rules : I FORFEIT!” 

Anna-lee grabbed her things and stormed out the door faster than anyone could process what had just happened. Fred cowarded in his seat, frozen by fear and shame. A dark, misty cloud closed in around him, causing him to shiver.

“Hey,” Joy said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her, speechless.

“I know you didn’t mean what you said, but then... why?”

All he could do was shake his head.

—————

It's been a few days since the two have spoken, and Fred still feels awful about it. Anna-lee had been avoiding him, missing their usual meet-up times on tuesdays and ignoring him in the halls. The only moments she even acknowledged his presence were at the chess club. She came in every other day to challenge him to a match, but only under the condition they did not speak during the game. He had no idea why he kept accepting this. He needed to talk to her about this, but if he did, it would break her trust, and she'd probably stop going to the club at all. He'd never see her again... over a game of chess? No. This was his fault. He had to fix this. He had a plan, but he had a strong suspicion that she was not going to like it.

Tuesday, after his class, he stayed in the classroom for as long as necessary. Just as he thought, Anna-lee showed up 15 minutes before her class began, way past their usual meeting time. When she entered the room, her eyes widened at the sight of him, and as she spun around to leave, her face frowned.

"Wait! Anna-lee, can we talk?" Fred rushed to meet up with her in the hall.

"What is there to talk about, Fred?!" She turned around to face him, "I thought I was finally getting closer to you, being curious about an interest of yours, but clearly, I was wrong to think we could even be- compatible, since you've shown you don't actually respect my discipline!"

"I didn't mean any of that!"

"I don't care! All I want is an apology!"

"But you yelled at me and ran out without letting me apologize! And you're doing it again! How am I supposed to make it up to you if you won't even TALK to me!?"

Anna was taken aback. She was speechless.

"... Will you please listen to me?"

"OK- go on."

"I didn't mean to insult your discipline. If you know me at ALL, you know how much I respect youand I'd never insult you intentionally. I was trying to come up with a... a 'roast'? You know, playful banter, like we usually have, but I said the first thing that came to mind, and I didn't think about what I was saying until... well until I had said it," his voice got weaker and shaky as he explained, his body folding in on itself.

Anna's face softened, and she stepped closer to him.

"I'm sorry. It was never my intention to insult you or your intelligence..." With his next thought, he gained some of his spirit back, "Actually, you're one of the smartest people I know."

She looked a little surprised at first, but then she smiled.

"You're smart and funny," he complimented her, slowly holding out his hands to grab hers and gently guiding her closer to him, "And if we ever were to get lost in a crowd of people, I know I'd always be able to pick you out amongst them, because you are radiant."

Anna-lee giggled, her laugh causing her to lean onto him, "Oh Fred, never change," she gave him a hug and sighed before pulling away to look at him, "You're right, I'm sorry I didn't speak to you sooner. I let my feelings get in the way of problem solving, and it just left both of us in an uncomfortable situation. I was acting childish - c-could you forgive me?" Her voice cracked, and her eyes shined. She clung into his sleeves nervously.

"Of course! So long as you forgive me," he raised his left eyebrow, tilted his head, and smirked.

Anna-lee chuckled, "Don't waste my time! I have a class to give!" She pulled away from him and walked up to the door.

"But you do forgive me, right?"

"Yes, Fred, I do."

"Great! I'll see you... after class? At the chess club?"

"Yes sir! And you better be prepared for the match of a lifetime!" She threatened him playfully.

Fred smiled, a sappy, enamored smile, as he walked away, wishing 3 hours could pass by as quickly as 3 seconds would.

—————

"Prepare yourself, Fred, 'cause I'm about to rock. Your. World!" warned Anna-lee, sitting across her opponent at the chess table.

"Should I be scared or intrigued?" asked Frederick with a shaky voice, making sure he was in the right mindset before the game.

"Preferably : both."

"OK, good. Then consider me prepared!"

(Author's note: GET A ROOM!!!!!)

Every member of the chess club was present for the match, impatiently leaning in to watch the show. Joy was very excited for this particular match, as her friends had finally gotten back to their usual banter. She refereed once more, flipped a coin and determined Anna would go first.

With each turn, the tension in the air strung itself just a little tighter. Fred was smiling like a dork at first, happy to be playing with her like normal again, until he realized that she was taking quite a few more of his pieces then he'd like. Did his feelings get in the way of his strategizing? They haven't gotten in the way before; what gives? Everytime he made a move, Anne swiftly countered it. Eventually, he understood : Anna-lee was using his own technique against him. His face melted into a frightened shock, his mouth agape. When she saw this, she smiled devilishly. He looked up at her, his hands starting to shake nervously, then back down at the board. He swallowed. The tables had turned. A drop of sweat trailed down his jawline. The back and forth went on for five more very silent, very focused turns, at least for Fred, who knew what he was up against and had no idea how he could win. Anna-lee calmly moved her pieces, a smile plastered on her face.

"Checkmate!" She shouted and jumped out of her seat once her queen had finally, finally cornered his king. The whole room burst into cheers and hugs; she had accomplished what they'd all thought to be impossible!

"YA!!! I have been waiting to use these for so long!" Jocelyn jumped at Anna, throwing a cape around her shoulders and placing a handmade paper crown on her head, which filled her heart with joy. With all the club members surrounding her and congratulating her, Anna's cheeks started to hurt from how hard she was smiling, a tear almost forming in her eye.

Fred was still sitting down; leaning over the board in disbelief. He lay his head in his left hand and picked up his king piece; sliding it over next to her queen piece, "Congrats," he said, in awe of her. Soft. Humble.

Anna-lee blinked twice and froze; her breath was cut short. For just a moment, everything else ceased to be. For just a moment, she looked into his eyes and got lost in them again.

Chapters: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

—————

The chapters only get longer from here, sorry gang XD

Redraw reward of my doodle from the last chapter as a thx for reading uvu🧡💜

[brainr0t-landfill]

🌃 Mercurial

ghoap x male reader

Chapter Three: Devour

"I can be good, I can be true

You know I don't love anyone, but I love you"

-Nicole Dollanganger, Chapel

(tw: poverty, dishonest reader)

You don't like it, you don't like it a damn bit.

You don't like the bandage on your bottom lip, you don't like the smiley face doodle next to their supposed names, you don't like that your front door is locked with the only key of the shitty, rental sitting safely on the cracked tile floor.

It makes you feel small, it makes you feel pathetic; like a small thing desperate for help the feeling claws away at you twitching your fingers as you punch their numbers in and thank them, lashes out your throat when the same snobby kid comes into the shop with the same posh car he's brought in four times this month.

It makes you restless, it makes you damn near resentfull to these two men who in no way deserve it, they just helped some poor bloke get home after a night out, they probably never thought about it again or maybe they did; maybe they still do maybe they think about how needy you are as you three text back and fourth.

You feel as like you owe them and it kills you inside, so you decide to repay them.

'hey off work this Sunday wanna hangout? :)'

And then it began, looking back now, from this distance, you can see the way you'd twisted the narrative, convinced them they could love you, that you were good.

It was awkward at first, then it was friendship, then you were sitting cross-legged on the bed getting invited into their relationship. At the time it had seemed too erratic, too fast, no time to sit and think, no time to second guess but from this distance you can see how you wiggled your way into a place meant for them, carved a space out in hearts desperate for stability and already occupied, for someone like you, somone who didn't know how stay.

It was always transactional on your part, or at least it was supposed to be.

You would help them out for the grace they had shown you that night and you would prove to them that the help they gave you that night was justified you would lead them into thinking you were a person deserving of good things. You had no ill intension despite the driving force behind these actions being festering, putrid emotions. And then you'd leave once the cards were even, your feathers smooth. You'd skip town like so many times before and leave them behind with good, happy memories.

But you stayed.

You showed up on time to planned hangouts, you cleaned up after yourself when you stayed over and cleaned up the flat they shared with the spare key Ghost had given you half a year into knowing you and stocked the pantry with foods you knew they liked, listed on a little notepad while they were on what you used to know as business trips.

You were overstepping boundaries, you were too much, you were restless. You were appriciated.

Then you let them in after they got kicked out from their flat because John got into a fight with the nosy landlord. You took notice of their likes, dislikes, the things that set them on edge wrote themn down and acted accordingly.

You gave the neighbours fake names and vague answers whenever they asked about them, you kept scotch in the kitchen closet and sleeping pills behind the cracked bathroom mirror, you kept the door barricaded with a chair at night and didn't even think of unlocking it untill you confirmed it was them.

In turn they opened up to you about their profession, their pasts, their relationship, their insecurities their desires.

You were ingenuine, you were too obedient, you were smothering.

You were becoming irreplaceable.

You were sitting by the window sill with John ,Simon out on an errand, when he said.

"Ye ken, we uhh- we appreciate you a lot hare. Wit' what we do 'n how we can be I ken we ain't the easiest folks to be around."

You snorted into your morning tea shaking your head as you knocked your shoulder against his.

"And I'm just the dew on morning grass ain't I? It's lovely to have y'all around, needed me some reliable mates for a while now anyways. And don't I owe you?"

John turned to you recently plucked eyebrows raised.

"Owe us? Fer what?"

"Y'know, that night by the pub, I'd have probably become a headline that night without you two."

It's his turn to shake his head in disbelief, giving you that lovely smile you're slowly becoming accustomed to.

"Don't ye think that score's been settled a few dozen times by now?"

And before you knew it the three of you were saving up money for a new flat (you should have said no, you shoul have told them you always kept your suitcase packed for when you were finnaly sick of things too familiar, too comforting, too yours).

The scotch and the pills are replaced with fresh strawberries from the farmers market and melanin gummies in the new fridge Simon cleaned every Sunday, days of biting your tounge against customers were now full of work at a different shop with encouraged and nurtured patience and a customer service smile half genuine with the thought of going home to them. Nights out at pubs were slowly becoming dates, vauge answers and calculating looks were confessions and and eyes soft in the light spilling through the tall window of your new apartment.

Someone smoothes their hand down the expanse of your back as you're putting up curtains, it's early but you want it done before you head off to work so all three of you sleep better in the privacy and shade it provides, so the new apertment feels more like home.

Simon's smiling at you, his face is bare and his hands warm, they just got home yesterday, none of you sleep well in new environments, you're glad the new bed has enough room for them to toss and turn.

His cheeks are flushed from sleep.

"Bit short for the job angel, let me help?"

You step down from the stool and hand him the end of the thick curtain, marine blue with patterns swirled on it like puffs of smoke.

"Always nice havin' tall lads at my disposal."

You joke watching his muscles flex and his hands work as they slide the rings on. You lean your head onto his thigh.

"It's warmer here, don't ya think? Real airy too, lots of room for us."

You nod, you haven't lived in a place so nice in years.

"Better when it's with you two."

Ghost and John became Simon and Johnny then Simon, you and Johnny.

You had dug yourself into a hole you did not deserve, built yourself a place not meant for people like you, filled it with the care and concern that had once been so calculated and planned before it became effortless, natural.

Your home, your safe heaven, your boyfriends; with your old suitcase rotting in a landfill somewhere.

Before you knew it you were restless once again.

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[thatcheesyler]

Blue Justice

Summary: Only a few months after being taken in, Powder Jinx is already causing trouble for her new guardian, Silco. Not too knowledgeable on how to deal with children, Silco assumes that she will obey like his lackeys if he scolds her enough. Sadly, Jinx isn't nearly as scared of Silco than he thought, and is quick to serve up some laughable revenge.

A/N: This is a SFW Arcane tickle fic which is basically my interpretation of this art from one of my previous posts, if you do not like that, pls dni. Also there is swearing, but this is Arcane so duh, and I'm sorry if I mischaracterised someone. Enjoy!

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It was a regrettable choice on Silco's part, buying a fresh new set of oil crayons for Jinx so that she could preoccupy herself, whilst he got his work done in (mostly) blissful silence, with the occasional smoke break to relieve some tension.

However, it all went South quite rapidly as the new leader of Zaun took note of pink and blue scribbling all over the walls in just the next hour. Turned out, Jinx loved to draw, but she would much rather use anything 𝘣𝘶𝘵 paper. Which is what led up to her officially crossing the line around five days later. Clearly, the little devil had grown very comfortable around Silco, and thought of no repercussions when she scrawled various patterns and shapes all across Silco's ashtray.

Which, to be fair, he dismissed after a few minutes of staring at it, figuring that if he let her get it all out of her system, there'd be no more vandalism of his personal belongings. Oh how wrong he was.

And on this day, five days later, Silco came to that truth very angrily. She had doodled all over his jacket!! That was it, he didn't care if she was still just a child, such acts could not go unpunished. That afternoon, after scaring off a few smug underlings that dared to scoff a chuckle at the unwilling alterations of his jacket, he had Sevika drop Jinx off in his office, making sure he wouldn't be interrupted until his next meeting a couple hours later.

A sigh, the first sign of his disappointment in the small girl innocently gazing up at him. "Jinx." He started, standing up from his desk chair and walking around to where she was sitting. "I don't suppose you have some kind of reasonable explanation for the pure disrespect towards my reputation and fearful appearance?"

Looking at Silco like he was speaking another language, Jinx tilted her head to one side in confusion, those weirdly modest eyes boring into him and eliciting another short sigh, mainly to keep away any consideration about giving in to her pouty little expression. That was weird, why did he even get that feeling? Whatever.

He shook off the thought, and instead brought some light to what he was going on about, outstretching a pointed finger to the jacket that was slung over the back of his chair, pink and blue lightning bolts and monkey faces in crystal clear view for little Jinx. At the revelation of finding out her actions were wrong, her face contorted into a more irritated and obvious pout, looking to the side as she huffed through her nose.

Good, she knew she was caught. Though, Silco was expecting more of a fear response, instead of subtle arrogance. He had assumed this would work out in the same way that it would when he gave a scolding to some random poor criminal that worked for him. But no, Jinx instantly took the path of not seeing what she had done incorrectly.

Yes, previously he had just offered an honest lecture whenever she acted out a little. However, she wasn't messing with his stuff at that time. Now it was personal, not so easy to brush off.

"Oh you cannot be serious. You know you did this, and yet you don't even care to be guilty. Why's that, hm?"

"..Ugh, I didn't think you'd mind so much, Mr. Silco. I mean, you liked my additions to your ashtray and your walls! Hell, you 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 didn't say anything when I accidentally blew up to the paperwork that was being delivered to your office the other day!" Jinx argued, not even realising what she had just admitted to. It had been a pretty damn significant pile of contracts and work sheets that was lost to flames.

That.was.𝘩𝘦𝘳?! Oh if he wasn't mad before, Silco was definitely fuming now. He held no concerns for her young age and tendency to make silly mistakes, that was unacceptable. "What?! You were the one that burnt up dozens of highly important papers?! Oh for ffff- do you even feel any remorse for that?!!"

The girl in question was taken off guard by his lack of knowledge on the fact that it was her fault. Opening and closing her mouth in an attempt to say something, she instead wound up staying silent with that pout from before, a little bit guilty now, but refusing to show weakness. After a few moments, however, she found her voice again, and took the first chance to use it.

"Yeah well, it was an accident, I didn't mean to! I'm sure your old fart assistant, Sevika, can get you replacements for the paperwork." She countered, getting a bit angry now. She was tired of accusations against her. Oh, 'Jinx is always the one messing up', 'she can't be trusted with 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨'. Well she was having none of that anymore.

Silco wasn't having any of this either, his frustration only rising to dangerous levels at her backtalk. Maybe he could forgive her for the jacket at this point, but that stack of information and deals was 𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦. At least, as far as he knew. "No, no she can not get me replacements! What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 that I could harmlessly test out my new monkey bomb on the wall of an alleyway! But stupid Sevika passed by just as I threw it, wasn't my fault, you don't have to be so 𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 at me for an accident!"

"𝙅𝙞𝙣𝙭!!"

His voice was fully raised, Jinx having stood up from her seat by this point. She never responded well to yelling, it either scared her half to death or made her feral. In this case, I believe it's safe to assume the latter. Considering just a few seconds after Silco had shouted her name, she began building up some kind of territorial roar in dominance. In an instant, Jinx pounced on her new makeshift parent, both of them tumbling down onto the floor.

"Jinx what in Zaun has gotten into you- ack!" Silco was cut off by yet another war cry and the newfound sensation of ten fingers rapidly clawing at his midriff. It was Jinx's 'tactic', to try and scratch her way out of a fight, but since her fingernails had been so chewed on due to her thinking about, uh, 'the incident', her digging caused a very different reaction from the older man.

It tickled, oh it tickled real bad. Silco had to immediately bite down on his bottom lip to stifle any and all laughter, writhing beneath the blue haired demon child that was attempting to somehow hurt him. One hand frantically swatted at any part of Jinx he could reach, while the other went straight to covering his mouth instinctively. Smiling and laughing were a sign of weakness, weakness that he couldn't afford even at the best of times.

"Stopthismadnessrightnowyounglady!" Silco warned through gritted teeth, though it was muffled by his hand, so Jinx barely heard a word and continued her attack, a lot of pent up anger being released in this moment. A moment that, unfortunately, could probably last a longer time than either of them would manage. She was so concentrated on 'ripping apart' his abdomen, that she almost missed the sharp flinch and barely held back giggle.

...Her digging slowed to a brief pause, ever curious about Silco's strange response to the 'violence'. The second her fingers broke contact with his clothes, he wasted no time to indulge in a few relieved breaths, the hand clamped around his face falling limp on his chest and revealing a blink-and-you'll-miss-it smile beneath that disappeared as soon as she caught a glimpse.

Now, she was a child, children knew these kinds of games like the backs of their oddly skillful little hands. At least, Jinx sure did, the mischievous git. So it was only so long before the dots connected like beautiful clockwork in her brain, and her anger dissolved slightly with a smirk. "What's wrong, Mr. Silco? It doesn't look like I did any damage to you, so why are you catching your breath like that?"

Dammit, she was actually very intelligent sometimes, Silco almost forgot with his fit of rage. It was his turn to be taken off guard, any verbal articulation running away from him. But he didn't get the chance to get it back anyway, since Jinx was already digging into his stomach again by the time he had just about built a reasonable excuse. However, she was much more informed this time, and her clawing changed from blind rapid attacking to precise rapid tickling, softening her touches just a tad as well, to see if that pushed him closer to breaking.

And of course Silco already had that same hand back over his mouth again, but he wasn't so lucky with his resolve, as the change in her tactics did absolutely work on him. A couple giggles slipped out here and there, albeit to his embarrassment. Though, Jinx started to think about what had gotten him to flinch so harshly the first time, and then obviously made it her number one priority to find out his weak point.

Jinx was having a great time, learning more about the lead criminal of Zaun than quite a lot of people in an impressively short time. It was exciting. Maybe, if there was a promise of excitement like this every day, maybe she'd find herself at home here, after all. The little girl had some giggles of her own for the silly situation, finding his suffering hilarious and relishing in the way his legs kicked almost pathetically behind her, since despite everything, Silco didn't want to hurt the tiny menace by accident.

But then, she found it. Completely not on purpose, she found his weak spot. One finger made touchdown with the space on his side that lay just beneath his bottom left rib, and it was all over. The normally stoic man practically 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 behind his hand, the dam of laughter breaking at last. "Ahack! S-stohohohop thihihis, you detehestable nuisance! I am 𝘯𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘵 going tohoho tolerate this behahavior, Jihihinx!!"

"Oh, well I wasn't asking for you to tolerate it, so great! Hey, could you hold still for me? I'm in the mood to draw something." She replied cheerfully, keeping one hand occupied with skittering around that weak point of his, whilst she reached the other far beneath Silco's desk and grabbed her emergency stash of crayons. Her victim tried to scowl through his unyielding chuckles at the realisation of what she was planning.

Grinning wide, Jinx picked out her favourite pastel blue crayon and thought about what to draw for a minute, before seeming to clonclude that thought stream and going straight to drawing the outline of her 'masterpiece' yet to come. It was unbearable for Silco, since she just 𝘩𝘢𝘥 to start her art next to the bottom left of his ribs, combined with her free hand still idly spidering across his midriff in unpredictable directions.

"Yohohohou ahare in so muhuch 𝘧𝘶𝘩𝘶𝘩𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 trohouble, I swehehehear!!" He cursed, honestly so focused on deterring her verbally, that he pretty much forgot that he could struggle against her, aside from relentless squirming and the occasional swat at her arms. Truth be told, he hadn't been tickled for so long, that his mind was at an utter loss on deciding what to do when the feeling overwhelmed all his senses.

"Yeesh old man, don't you know not to swear in front of a kid?" Jinx reprimanded, that same shit-eating smirk eating away at her cheeks as she chose to take it a step further, the wandering digits of her available hand suddenly shoving themselves underneath his shirt and spreading their cold state along his torso through merciless tracing and skittering, all while continuing to scribble all over the opposite side of his shirt. Silco was going mad with hysterics.

"Ah fu-UHUHUHUCK, GEHET YOUR FIHIHILTHY GRAHABBERS 𝘖𝘏𝘖𝘏𝘖𝘜𝘛 OF MY CLOHOTHIHIHING!!" All this, and his body still didn't know what to do with itself, stuck between defending himself from the Blue Justice on top of him, and diverting his energy purely to keeping his dignity intact by covering his mouth with both hands.

Jinx saw his struggle with ease, her rage basically vanishing at how funny he looked when in such a confusing and helpless position. Thankfully, she was almost done with her crayon picture, adding a few finishing touches solely for stalling purposes. "Okay, almost doooneee! You didn't keep still, like, at all. But that's fine, I like messy art styles anyway!"

"YES WHAHATEVER, LOOK- I'M SOHOHORRY THAT I WAHAS UNNECESSARILY AHAHANGRY AT YOHOU! CAN YOU STOHOP NOHOHOHOW?!!" Apologies weren't Silco's strong suit, but he had a bit of a feeling that it was the quickest way out of this humiliation, without resorting to bribery. Though as soon as the 'sorry' came out his mouth, he was pretty damn sure that bribing Jinx would have been much easier. But he couldn't take it for any longer, that hand under his shirt was freely torturing him and he hated it.

Jinx was a bit surprised at his remorse, as not many people actually felt bad for being angry at her. She couldn't mess this up again, so with the final detail to her drawing, she finally let up, picking herself up into her feet and waited for him to regain his stamina and do the same, since he was too big for her to help up.

With greedy and eager inhales, Silco merely laid there for a short while, embracing his poor abdomen and huffing out any excess mirth. Until at last, he had come to his wits, and followed suit in standing up, only to instantaneously be spun around to face the office mirror, so that he could see the picture she made with her crayons. And damn did his heart practically melt when he saw it, two stick figures holding hands that resembled Jinx and him, a lopsided smile on her face while a neutral frown rest on his, with vaguely coherent words beneath it all that read 'thanks for tolerating my bullshit for three months <3'

It didn't show on his facial expression, but it was with that sweet message, he officially decided to see her as 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳. Not Vander's stray, not the cause of a disastrous warehouse explosion, not a singular-purposed part in his grand plan, but his child. Was this how Vander felt when Violet was taken under his care? It was..an indescribable emotion.

However, he eventually came to terms with the fact that he had definitely been staring at the mirror too long, as Jinx was beginning to give him a weird look through the reflective surface. Flustered, Silco cleared his throat and idly checked the time as a distraction, only to whisper "shit.." as he saw that his meeting took place in a couple of minutes.

The picture on his shirt, while incredibly wholesome, would destroy his reputation entirely, so he was swift to cover it with the vandalised jacket, though he didn't mind that so much, as it was all miscellaneous patterns rather than anything specifically embarrassing.

And with that, he gave a goodbye hair ruffle to Jinx, and was off. Within his meeting, Silco did learn that those destroyed papers were actually replaceable and he got mad at Jinx for nothing. Though, if it hadn't happened, they wouldn't have had that...crazy bonding session, and he wouldn't have made the mental decision to never yell at her ever again. Both because he was now a tidbit scared of her wrath, and because she had already been yelled at enough times in her life.

And he'd be damned if he was going to let anything happen to his little menace from now on. Of course, he got some light revenge later on, but it was all in good fun.

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Wow, I haven't written a full fic in fuck knows how long..

Uh, anyway, hope any lee!Silco fans out there enjoyed this stupid and probably mischaracterised oneshot, soyeahthanksbyyyeee <3

[casual-praxis]

Okay, so I know I said I wasn't going to do much with this AU since I was focused on a different one at the time (and I still am), but I've been thinking about the post-canon for this AU a bunch and I couldn't get it out of my head.

The designs are fairly simple (most changes occur post-canon), but there's still a few details in there that I'd like to talk about! Peep below the cut for more yappin' if you'd like.

(I just figured out how to add line breaks yeehaw)

I started with Green since I had the clearest picture of her in mind. I like to think they all got a mishmash of traits from the original Link here, so Green has the og Link's ponytail, but its length was divided between her and Red. All in all, she resembles Link the closest but isn't an exact match. I also made the executive decision that she simps for Zelda. She's just really worried about her future girlfriend, okay?

Blue didn't quite turn out how I'd hoped, but if I ever do something more with this stage of the AU, I can always make adjustments. Her hair is supposed to be the fluffiest, matching the og Link's texture. She's a little insecure about it making her look "too girly" or cute since that's not at all the image she wants to have, but she learns over time that being cute and badass can still go hand in hand.

Red is the one I was looking forward to drawing most, but she's still fairly simple as well. She wears her hair in a side ponytail to "not step on Green's toes", but also because she thinks it's cute (she and Blue don't see eye to eye on this early on, as you can imagine). She has a bomb-shaped hairbow that she made herself (tying into her post-canon shenanigans), but I haven't yet figured out when she acquires it.

Vio was supposed to be holding her bow here but I couldn't quite figure out how to draw it at that specific angle, so it's in hammerspace for now. Outside that, Vio's design has the most variety. She's meant to learn emotions over time within this au, and this progression is marked by the flowers in her hair. She starts out with none, but as they journey, Red starts to teach her the basics, and with it weaves Zelda's favorite flower into her braid. Once she joins up with Shadow, she's gifted a violet (because Shadow thinks it's punny, and for subtext reasons) that she starts using to pin her bangs out of her face. The flowers begin to wilt as time goes on, first the wildflowers, then the violet, until none remain and the final act is approaching. Shadow gives her one last violet before dying, though Vio doesn't actually start wearing it until the Four Sword is put back and they remain behind. Lots of lore for this one.

Finally is Shadow, who I'm actually surprised turned out so well. I went back and forth on whether I wanted her to wear the hat or not, but I ended up deciding against it since none of the others wear their hats either. Her hair pretty much acts like Shadow's hat in canon, it moves independently of her and the tips of it are smokey and wisp around. Along with Red, I have decided she is short. It just felt right. She does have claws and fangs, but she keeps them a little more on the down low until a suitably dramatic moment occurs to reveal them.

And that's all that comes to mind for now. I've had this idea floating around in my brain since I got back into the fandom, but never had the motivation to poke it too much and see what it do.

The post-canon is what I've mainly been focused on, so maybe I'll try and doodle a few things for it sometime. I took inspiration from one of the bonus comics in the manga where they all stay split after the sword goes back, so that's the canon ending for this au.

It goes fairly far into the future, with all of them settling into their own lives somewhat independent of each other (they all see each other multiple times a week with the exception of Vio, who travels a lot with Shadow ((who may or may not have been brought back through dubious dark magic rituals))).

The brainrot is real, but hopefully entertaining for anyone who made it this far.