#what do you mean i might have to wait until 2025 for book 3

[ridleyandthebeast]

You can't tell me that The Prophecy by Taylor Swift is not Will and James coded from Dark Heir! The longing, the acceptance of fate, wanting to be better but held down by the constraints of their past lives. Every time I hear this song I think of one of them and then I wanna cry out in anguish at the cruelty fate has dealt them both!

How will they change the outcome! How will they change what has already happened! The dominos have already fallen and the inertia will continue to push them both towards the already written narritive of their doom from past lives and haunting ghosts.

[valentinaonthemoon]

Gmmtv 2025 Thoughts Tag Game

Rules: write your thoughts on all the gmmtv series pilots released today (or just the ones you plan to watch) and tag any 3 (or more! or less!) ppl whose thoughts you wanna know about!

I was tagged by the sweet @cryingatships and I agree on most of what they said, too, over here! Thank you, Miu!!

Dare You to Death: I'm not a big fan of a police procedural drama PLUS romance. I need it to be one or the other. I don't think this is for me at all...

Head 2 Head: Okay, so this is the first of the trailers this year that's vaguely connected to magic. Where did the vision of the future come from? What did it mean? Why does someone always have to die? Honestly I will wait for the actual trailer to come out to decide if it's for me or not, because I'm not that sold with this one.

Burnout Syndrome: OffGun just can't go wrong with any series, honestly. As mentioned by @cryingatships, Gun with makeup looks very very pretty, so good for him. Off seems very annoying, so I am looking forward to his redemption arc in some way, and Dew is a very interesting addition to the couple. Since this is the team from Not Me, I'm quite confident this will be good, so I will be surely watching.

I Love "A Lot Of" You: I am sure there is a lot to say about Multiple Personalities Disorder and hopefully this romance series will treat the discussion better than some thrillers have done before, but this is just not something I would watch at all, sorry to the straight people in the audience. (which brings us to)

Whale Store xoxo: this is for the girlies!! Milk keeps playing relatable characters (until she decides to eat cat food???????) and Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl Love is there to save everyone's day, so I'm pretty sure this will be cute and I will watch it.

Only Friends: Dream On: "Dream on" is what I will say to whoever tells me to watch this one, because unfortunately the only thing that I liked in season 1 was the dynamic between First, Khaotung, and Book's characters, and now that they're gone I will not watch more of other people trying to sleep with each other for nothing, ughhh, I'm tired. Not even one demisexual in sight. (I'm kidding, this was a joke)

That Summer: I'm not going to lie, this looks like a cute show to watch during summer, and Satang and Winny finally having their own main couple show is a win. I think I'll be watching this one.

My Romance Scammer: I am glad that everyone can get married in Thailand, which means that everyone can also get divorced and these series can happen. Unfortunately I do not care about this one in particular, and I'm mad because they keep underutilising Junior in the comedy department when he was the funniest person in CMTH and needs to be cast in a roadtrip buddy comedy of sorts as well as multiple couple romance dramas, thank you very much. Next.

Melody of Secrets: oh this one looks So Good, actually. I love me some well written interesting horror sometimes, and ForceBook and Jan will definitely carry the show well!

Love You Teacher: Perth's character hating kids and teaching in primary school needs to change careers or to change his stance on pedagogy because kids these days are BRUTAL. Either way this series is weird and silly, and it's made by the same team as Peaceful Property so I don't care about what any of you say, I'll watch it. It's also going to make people cry, knowing Dome at this point.

Mu Te Luv: it might be interesting to watch if you like how magic and superstition is portrayed in Thailand, maybe?? Unfortunately that is too many people in one show and I'm already tired. Not for me, sorry.

Cat for Cash: this is the funniest premise ever. Kitty Magic, even. No need to be a virgin, but a cat lady has to die on you, apparently. I am seated and I can't wait to see all the cat food sponsorships kitties!!!

Girl Rules: Only GirlFriends. I will watch at least the first two episodes because I am loving NamtanFilm in Pluto, but I am not a fan of messy relationships if they're not well written or developed. We'll see.

Boys in Love: It feels like I've watched this trailer many times and yet I still don't know what it's about. I don't think this will be for me, but nice to see that GMMTV won't lose its yearly quota of BLs set in school.

My Magic Prophecy: More magic!!! Now, if you've been following me anywhere, you already know that I don't like angsty stuff! And I love JimmySea, but they keep acting in angsty series! This is a conspiracy against me specifically. I guess I'll watch the actual trailer and decide then.

A Dog and a Plane: My DADS. Unfortunately TayNew can't go wrong, you already know I will be watching it even if it's the trashiest thing ever because of them. Also the translators on twitter said that the original dialogue said "husband" and not "top" or "bottom" so that was weird of the official translation. Either way, I love seeing those two with their chemistry hate each other and then fall in love because for what it's worth for me, they were born to do that, thank you very much, next

Me and Thee: this seems goofy and I'm here for it. Also p'X directs it, and after Cherry Magic I can trust him for anything.

Wu: Okay, the premise can be intriguing, but I don't know much about the plot or the two actors to have a complete opinion on this. For what I know this could be better as a movie, idk.

Memoir of Rati: now, I know not everything can be I Feel You Linger In The Air, but I still love a period drama, so I will be here for it when it comes out. And finally,

Ticket to Heaven: my goodness, not the Catholic guilt, boys! (btw somebody referred to this one as an historical series when it's set in 1996 and I had to re-evaluate what I know of time itself) Anyway, no jokes. I rewatched the trailer and it gave me chills. Gemini and Fourth are amazing and this story is important!! I grew up in a Catholic environment and my own best friend once asked me what the Church thought of gay people. We were teenagers! It's unbelievable how the Scripture says that God is good and kind and Jesus says "Love everyone like you love God" and then some people take it as "Yes, but we don't like these people so we won't love them as they are" WHAT THE HELL???? LITERALLY!!!! Anyway, it is a very interesting and powerful story and I will be watching and get mad at it every week, okay bye.

That's it, 20 whole trailers! Thank you for reading until here, please let me tag some people for this little game, if they want to do it, and if you wanna talk about any of these some more I'll be happy to! :)

Tagging: @pollodigitale, @almayver, @boozles, and @theflagscene!

Have a lovely day, all! <3

[shotsbyshae]

Rock & Roll (Part 3)

Warnings: Vomit inducing fluff, angst

Words: 1.6k

Pairing: Peter Parker x Fem!Reader

A/N: Takes place post Endgame, so spoilers. For those who have age issues, Peter is over 18 in this scenario.

Song: Rock & Roll by Led Zeppelin

It's been a long time since I rock and rolled.

2025

The warmth from the coffee mug in your hand is a soothing comfort as you make your way down to the lab, the music coming from there drawing your attention. You smile as you see Peter working away in the same place you left him last night, his Zeppelin playlist still going strong. You had simply asked him about a suit, after all, yours had seen some wear and tear over the last two years. That hadn’t meant staying up all night working on it. Stopping in the doorway, the nostalgia takes over as you stare at the man before you.

2017

You walked into the lab and spotted the boy with his arms folded under his head on the table, a science book and notes open and scattered around him. You gently nudged his shoulder and he jolted awake, hair mussed, and eyes squinted as he focused on you.

“Hi,” you said quietly as you offered him your coffee.

“Sorry,” he looked embarrassed as he took the mug from you, sipping the caffeine. “I have a mid-term on Monday.”

“I don’t miss those days,” you remarked as you glanced through his notes. “Want me to help you study?”

“Oh – you don’t have to,” he shook his head.

“It’s fine,” you said with a smile as you pulled up a chair. “I don’t have to train with Natasha for another hour. I’m all yours.”

You had mourned Peter after the snap, well everyone really, but you and he were friends. Then he came back, five years later – five years older than when he left – he came back, but you lost Tony and Natasha that day and there was no time for celebrating everyone’s return, not even Peter Parker.

2025

You approach the table as he glances over at you, reaching up to scratch the back of his head shyly, “Oh – hi.”

“Looks like you didn’t sleep,” you offer him the mug, after all, he probably needs it more than you, and he graciously accepts it.

“Yea, I got sidetracked,” he replies, before sipping the coffee slowly, savoring the caramel flavor you've added. “That's good.” His face lights up with excitement as he places the mug on the table, “I came up with something new.”

“I didn’t want something new,” you shake your head. “The same design was fine Parker.”

The suit was Tony’s idea, a deep violet color with black accents. Peter knows what the concept means to you, that’s why he didn’t change Stark’s original plan, only the color scheme.

“I thought it might be time for a change,” Peter begins, working with device in his hand. “Someone should carry on the legacy – it can’t be me.”

“Parker, no,” you shake your head vehemently, not liking the idea of what he’s talking about. “I’m nothing like he was – I – I can’t.”

He smiles at you warmly as he flicks the device in his hand, causing a case on the wall closest to you to slowly open, revealing the suit he's been working on all night. Your hand covers your mouth as you look at it in surprise.

“You admired him – yea – but that’s not who really trained you,” Parker says. Tears well up in your eyes as you stare at the solid back suit that resembles Natasha’s. Her customary red accents now a deep violet color as are the Widow’s Bite bracelets which adorn both wrists. “I suggested it to Rhodey first, and he agrees, so do the rest of the guys.” He follows with you as you approach the suit, reaching out to run your fingers along the Kevlar material.

You clear your throat as you try to wipe the tears from your eyes without him noticing, “I don’t know.”

“I do,” Peter nudges you with his shoulder. “You’re her legacy.”

“Thank you.”

It’s the first time he's seen you look genuinely happy since you've returned, and he can't help the smile that crosses his face as you glance up at him. He feels a rush of endorphins as sees the glint of admiration in your eyes for him and that look alone would be worth a week of sleepless nights spent in the lab.

“I love it Parker,” you add before moving closer to inspect the utility belt and thigh holster.

***

It was supposed to be a simple run, take down a biker gang who were running guns across the border.

Nothing is ever simple in your world though.

You use the Widow’s Bite bracelets to electrocute the man who has you from behind. Parker is busy disarming a few of the other men and webbing them up when you see one of them break free from his webbing as if it’s nothing and your eyes widen in shock. He jerks two of the henchmen free from their webbing as well and they grab weapons.

“Enhanced,” is the only word you can get out before the man launches a table across the room at you, knocking you to the ground. Peter turns quickly, sensing the oncoming assault and ducks, grabbing the man’s fist as he swings, engaging in one on one combat with one of the assailants while the enhanced individual stalks towards you.

Gathering yourself from the floor, you shoot a taser from your wrist into the man, but it does nothing against him as he continues towards you. Using your boot, you kick one of the already broken legs off the table, severing it and you grab for it clumsily.

The simple mission has just turned into a fight for survival as Parker dodges bullets, his webbing depleted, and you face down an enhanced individual. Ninety-five percent of the time missions are successful with no casualties – no blood spilled – unfortunately this is that five percent.

 ***

You glance from the blood on your hands to the bodies on the floor, Parker moves slowly towards you, limping visibly from the bullet you saw graze his calf.

“Are you okay?” He pulls the red mask from his head, his dark eyes full of concern and his hair a chaotic mess.

“Yea,” you reply as he glances at the blood on you, “it’s not my blood.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Peter states.

Back on the quinjet, you scrub your hands clean as Parker places the controls on autopilot. He watches as you dry your hands angrily. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s had to kill someone, nor will it be the last. He doesn’t like it, but sometimes, it’s necessary in this line of work.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He questions you again quietly.

“I’m sorry,” you reply. “I’ll talk with Wilson about this. The intel should have been better. They had an enhanced individual and we should have known that. We shouldn’t have been put in that position, I’m sorry you had to – you had to do that.”

“Hey,” Peter tries to calm you. “It’s okay. It happens.”

“No,” your voice is louder, “it’s not okay. You’re just a –” You catch yourself and stop.

“Just a what?” He raises an eyebrow. “A kid?”

“That’s not what I meant,” you begin, but he interrupts you.

“Is that what you see when you look at me?” He questions and you shake your head quickly as he folds his arms across his chest. “Then what do you see?”

“I see,” you begin, noticing how much he fills out the red and black suit. “you, Parker – like always.” He’s staring at you intensely. “Why? What do you see – with me?”

His dark eyes never waver, adrenaline from earlier still coursing through his veins, “I see the girl I’ve had a crush on since Berlin.” You tilt your head curiously, waiting for him to say he’s joking, but he begins to walk towards you. “Is that really what you see when you look at me?” He asks, hearing as your heart rate increases with each step he takes. “That awkward sixteen-year-old kid?” You move backwards as he advances until your legs bump the table. He’s far from the teenager you knew back then and even if your mind is having a hard time registering that, your body is screaming it.

You tense up as he moves closer to you, the table preventing you from getting away, “We were kids Parker. I was supposed to watch out for you.”

“We’re not kids anymore.” His eyes are full of sadness as he reaches up and brushes your hair behind your ear gently. “We watch out for each other now.”

His touch sends a shiver down your spine and your throat goes dry as he takes a step back, turning away from you. The words he said replaying through your mind, he’s had a crush on you since Berlin. Your hand flies to his arm instinctively to stop him, “All this time?” You question as he turns back to you slowly. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“You needed time to heal – we both did,” he responds. “I was waiting for you to come home.”

The muscles in his arm ripple underneath your touch as his hand moves to your waist, your voice doesn’t feel like your own as you say softly, “I’ve been home – what are you waiting for – Peter?”

His lips crash against yours – hot and hard – urgent as he drags you closer to him. There’s not an inch of space between you as your fingers tangle in his hair, heat flaring from every pulse point.

“Peter,” E.D.I.T.H.’s voice comes across the loudspeaker in the quinjet causing the two of you to pull apart slowly.

“Yes E.D.I.T.H.,” Peter acknowledges the AI.

“Mr. Stark’s protocol for this situation requires me give you a message,” the voice begins, the tone changing to a more serious one. “Took you long enough kid.”

You close your eyes, burying your face into Peter’s shoulder as you try not to laugh. Peter, however, does laugh a little as he pinches the bridge of his nose before saying, “E.D.I.T.H. initiate privacy mode please.”

“Yes, Peter.”

[duggardata]

When Did Josiah + Lauren Start Courting?

TL;DR—By Duggar (by birth) standards, Josiah was due to begin courting on 8–28–17. If you include in–laws in that average, he’s not due to start until 5–19–19. Meanwhile, based on the timing of SiRen’s public courtship reveal (on 1–23–18), Josiah probably ‘courtprosed’ between Nov. 25, 2017 and Jan. 22, 2018.

Relatedly, does anyone know what Josiah was up to for Thanksgiving?

On January 23, 2018, PEOPLE exclusively reported that Josiah Duggar, 21, was courting Lauren Swanson, 18—a family friend who once appeared on 19 Kids & Counting (Episode: “Duggars Do Dinner”). Josiah and Lauren told PEOPLE: “We are overjoyed to begin this new phase of our lives... It’s truly an exciting time for us, as we take this big step in establishing a relationship.”

What the duo failed to mention was when, exactly, this “big step” occurred. We are left to speculate, so let’s do it with data...

Online, at least one person claims to know when this courtship began:  Pickles, of “Life is Not All Pickles & Hairspray,” reports that the Duggar Family broke the news of Josiah’s courtship before the PEOPLE exclusive. Reportedly, the family told fans at an Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP) event in New Zealand that SiRen started courting on January 6, 2018, after a few months of long–distance ‘getting to know you.’ 

(You’ll recall the Duggar’s trip to Australia and New Zealand this January, which is how they would have been in NZ in the first place. Also, who could forget the book signing incident in Australia, just about a week before the family allegedly blabbed the courtship news... SiRen sat together and signed books as “Lauren + Josiah Duggar.” Subtle.) 

Anyway, Pickles’s ‘source’ hasn’t been verified, and the story is a bit suspicious. After all, PEOPLE ran SiRen’s courtship story as an exclusive... So, wouldn’t the Duggars be bound by a non–disclosure agreement (NDA), not to share the news until publication? (Come to think of it though, breach of a NDA may explain why US Weekly broke the news of SiRen’s engagement, rather than PEOPLE. Maybe PEOPLE refused to work with the couple again, and US Weekly was their back–up plan...)

Pickles’s source was right about several things, though:  Lauren’s mother, Lana, was “expecting her ninth baby [at] the same time as Joy.” (Baby 9 was born by, and pictured at, the Duggar’s March 3 party for Josh’s birthday.) The Swansons do live in Georgia, and Lauren is 18, turning 19 in May.

So, maybe the source is credible. Let’s see if the data bolsters that credibility: We can guess when Josiah ‘courtposed’ based on—(1) Duggar males’ typical age at courtship, and (2) the timing of the announcement.

Male Duggars’ Age At Courtship

Pre–SiRen, there were six successful Duggar courtships, involving six different males—Josh, Derick, Ben, Jeremy, Austin, and Joe. Obviously, two are actual, by–birth Duggars (Josh and Joe), while four are in–laws (Ben, Der, Jer, Austin). We know the exact date that Ben, Derick, Jeremy, and Joe ‘courtposed.’ Josh and Austin’s data is not 100% certain, but my spreadsheet estimates January 2008 for Josh and August 15, 2016 for Austin. (My post defending the August date is already in the works, but not quite ready.) Using that data, here is each guy’s age at the ‘courtposal’ (with citations)—

Josh—19.87 Years  (on 1–15–08)*

Derick—24.71 Years  (on 11–22–13)

Ben—18.31 Years  (on 9–9–13)

Jeremy—28.71 Years  (on 5–21–16)

Austin—22.68 Years  (on 8–15–16)

Joseph—22.13 Years  (on 3–7–17) 

* We don’t know the exact day for Josh, so I chose a day right in the middle of January (the month he says he got Anna’s father permission for courtship).

As you can see, the minimum age was 18.31 (Ben), while the maximum age was 28.71 (Jeremy)—there’s more than a decade between them!

Meanwhile, for Duggar males (including in–laws), the mean age at ‘courtposal’ was 22.73—or 2 Years, 8 Months—and the SD was 3.68 Years. Together, that gives a probable (68%) courtship age of 19.05–23.78 Years. Excluding in-laws, the mean age is 21.00, the SD is 1.60, and the 68% Probable Range is 19.40–22.60 Years.       

Currently, Josiah is 21.56 Years old. His D.O.B. is August 28, 1996. To beat Ben for youngest male to court, Si would have had to ‘courtpose’ by 12–19–14. If Si waited as long as Jeremy, he would be single until at least May 14, 2025. Josiah will be 22.73 Years old—i.e., average courting age, including in–laws—on 5–22–19. This year, he reached the average courting age for actual, by–birth Duggars, turning 21 on August 28, 2017.

So, what does this mean? Well, Josiah was 21.36 Years old on January 6, 2018. If SiRen’s courtship began that day, Josiah’s courtship was either 131 Days late (by born Duggar standards) or 501 Days early (by overall Duggar standards). By either standard, however, his age is perfectly ‘typical’:  It’s less than half of a SD from both means.

Also, I think it makes perfect sense that Josiah is on the young side of average. After all, Josiah courted Marjorie Jackson in 2015. If he was ready to court then, at 18, he must think he’s even more ready now, at 21. 

# of Days To Announce A New C.S.

Now, let’s look at how long it takes the Duggars to reveal a new courtship. Like SiRen, every Duggar couple—except Josh and Anna—made a public courtship announcement. Below, the number of days each pair waited before sharing the news...

Josh + Anna—N/A

Jill + Derick—129 Days   

Jessa + Ben—7 Days

Jinger + Jeremy—30 Days

Joy + Austin—92 Days*

Joe + Kendra—1 Day

* It’s an estimate for Joy + Austin since, like I said above, their courtship date is not 100% certain.

Just for fun, let’s throw in...

Josiah + Marjorie—7 Days  (Began courting 4–6–15, announced 4–13–15.)

As you can see, the minimum is 1 Day (JoKen), while the maximum is 129 Days (Jillard). That’s a pretty substantial range, so let’s use median and MAD (instead of mean and SD), as it’s more resistant to extreme values. Doing the calculation, the median is 30 Days, and the median absolute deviation (MAD) is 29 Days. As a result, we can say that a new Duggar duo will probably (68% sure) wait 1–59 Days to tell the world they’re courting. At the same time, we can be more-or-less certain (98% sure) that they won’t wait longer than 88 Days to announce.

Based on this data, and SiRen’s 1–23–18 reveal, Josiah probably asked Lauren to court between November 25, 2017 and January 22, 2018. (Note: November 23 was Thanksgiving.) Also, we can probably rule out any dates prior to 10–27–17, as that’s outside the 95% Range. IMHO, I doubt SiRen rushed to announce. Si had a prior failed courtship; he probably wanted to be sure this time around, and Lauren’s parents probably made sure he was.

So, that’s the data. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide a clear answer, but it does tell us that Si is of typical courting age. If Si + Lauren’s announcement was just as typical, their courtship probably started no earlier than late–November 2017. Personally, I think it might have been a Thanksgiving thing... Anyone know what Si was up to on Turkey Day?

[diabeticmemoirs]

Fuck Trump...what about the Aliens?

There can be an unimaginable disparity between fear and reality. Which, of course, makes sense because a healthy sense of fear is what keeps us alive most of the time. Even adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers weigh all of the risks before jumping out of a plane, off a cliff, or down a mountain. I know because I’m one of them. The point is to get a rush...not die. But I’m getting off point.

Fear can be so powerful for some that a tiny spider, with absolutely no capacity to harm a person, can still freeze them in their tracks. It’s an absurd reaction — my sister once left a wolf spider trapped under a water glass with my name exclaimed and double underlined on a note of paper, telling me to take it outside because she knew that I didn’t like to kill them — but it happens. And a lot of the time strong emotions, like fear, can overpower our common sense. It’s instinctive, animalistic. It stems from our temporal lobe — a lower, less logical part of the brain. And as of right now, nearly 1.84 million Americans are afraid of one thing in particular...our president. 

At least that’s what an average of the last eight polls tells us. He has a 56 percent disapproval rating. It makes sense. In the two years he’s had as president so far he’s managed to; add corporate tax cuts that’ll probably increase our national debt by 1.5 trillion dollars over the ten years after signing it, he’s started a tariff war with China that’ll probably cost the U.S. another $2 trillion in trade, and he pushed forward the Keystone and Dakota Access oil pipelines while declaring climate change to be a myth perpetrated by China...which is a wilder conspiracy than faking the moon landing, and it’s what our PRESIDENT believes. He put over 800 thousand people out of work with the longest government shutdown in history, tore immigrant families apart at U.S. borders, and openly admitted — on tape — to forcibly kissing and groping women...which. no matter how you look at it, is sexual assault. 

Donald J. Trump is a shitty person, hands down. But shitty people tend to make for good television...well, at least dramatic television (media, news, angsty teen podcast), and the unending, random nonsense that keeps coming out of his mouth is keeping food on the table for many a struggling comedian. Our fear is that his lack of experience and tendency to throw tantrums and pick fights with other nuclear powers is going to start World War 3, but what’s the reality?

The reality is that America has had terrible presidents before. We’re going to survive...probably. And maybe, like any other toddler, if we stop showing him so much attention, he might mellow out. Allowing us to get back to worrying about things that matter like curing disease, general education, or feeding the world’s population. There are so many more pertinent things to be focused on than the latest racist tweet from our commander in chief. Like the new sixth branch of the military that he promised.

That’s right, I’m talking about the only thing that Mr. President has ever gotten me excited about — a Space Force. Whether you believe in them or not, aliens have been trending more and more over the years, and Donald has demanded that we start colonizing the stars, or at least the planet Mars by the year 2025. Something like 75 percent of the American public says they believe that some form of extraterrestrial life exists — 54 percent say that that life is intelligent. Most notably the smartest of us, people like Stephen Hawking, have said that mathematically there’s no way that extraterrestrials don’t exist (there’s an equation and everything). Also, those few of us who have actually ventured into space, like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have openly spoken about the fact that they witnessed alien structures and spacecraft on the moon. 

Shows like the History Channel’s long running Ancient Aliens and new drama series Project Blue Book have made the concept of extraterrestrial visitation more widely accepted. Even to the point that classes in alien diplomacy are being taught in universities around the world — which is wild. It’s almost as though the general public is being prepared for it to actually happen. And that’s probably for the best because in my own opinion, it seems that reality has a tendency to emulate science fiction.

I mean just look at the most recent discoveries in science. Alternate dimensions, quantum physics, sunken cities that were once mythological, traversable wormholes. Yes, you read it right, I said ‘traversable wormholes,’ but first you might need a quick lesson in quantum mechanics.

Most people have heard of Schrodinger’s cat...or at least they’ve heard of the multi-verse theory that sprouted from it. The basic idea is simple. In one universe the cat is alive and in the other universe the cat is dead. At least that’s the way it would be after someone looked in the box. Before opening the box to confirm what happened to our feline friend, however, the cat is both dead and alive. This is where people start to get confused. That’s because most don’t know that this was just a thought experiment...and that it was supposed to be a joke.

Some dudes, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, over in Copenhagen during the late 1920′s, came up with a theory about the behavior of matter at the quantum level (quantum just means ‘really small’ like electrons and other subatomic particles). They said that until that matter is ‘observed’ or ‘measured,’ it exists in multiple states. For instance, electrons have a “spin” and position at any given moment in time. According to the Copenhagen theory, as long as the electron hasn’t been observed or measured, it can be spinning in multiple directions at the same time. Which is insane! At least that’s what Schrodinger was telling Einstein in his letters at the time. 

His thought experiment took a cat and put it into a steel box (assume it could still breath) with a piece of radioactive material that has a 50 percent chance of emitting a particle that will register on a geiger counter. If it does, then a hammer will smash a bottle of poison, killing the cat. So there was equal chance that the cat would be either dead or alive once someone opened the box. According to Bohr and Heisenberg, and their Copenhagen theory, before the box was opened, the cat would be dead and alive just like those electrons could spin this way and that way all at the same time. Schrodinger said that was absurd. But guess what...Bohr and Heisenberg were right.

 That’s actually what quantum particles do. They also do this cool thing called “quantum tunneling.” Just imagine bouncing a ball against a wall and suddenly it just disappears and reappears on the other side of the wall. What about quantum entanglement? Well China just beamed some entangled photons up to a satellite sooo...and M-theory (the most widely accepted combination of string theory) says that the only way to mathematically reconcile the effects of gravity on quantum particles is if there are, in fact, 10 dimensions of space and 1 dimension of time totaling 11 not 4. Are you seeing what I meant by reality emulating science fiction?

So how does this relate to traversable wormholes? Well without going into the math (me and numbers don’t always get along), and to try and put it simply, think of every measurement of a quantum particle as “information.” Quantum mechanics says that information can’t just be destroyed in the event horizon of a black hole. So one of the likely scenarios is that every black hole is, in fact, a wormhole with an exit. The only problem is that these wormholes are super unstable and would most likely collapse before any matter could get to the other side. Oh wait, no, string theory fixes that too. 

Ok...sure...it’s still mostly theory, but so was quantum mechanics almost 100 years ago. The math works. We’re at the beginning of the second space age. Mars One is planning to colonize the planet by 2023. More people than ever are accepting the notion that we aren’t alone in the universe. Quantum technologies are on the verge of being born. Our population is growing exponentially and honestly...if we don’t figure a way to get off this rock soon...it’s likely that the planet Earth won’t maintain us. 

So I say once again...Fuck Trump...and where’s my hover-board?

[theraredreamer]

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Fic: I Am My Brother’s Keeper (Part 4 of 4)

By: @rarity-kasket

3k words, rated G

Being the son of Harry Potter isn’t easy and being the brother of James Sirius “Golden Boy” Potter doesn’t make it any better. However, as obnoxious as his brother can be, Albus wouldn’t trade him for the world. When Albus accidentally stumbles upon a secret, it threatens to break apart his already complicated and messy relationship with James.

@abradystrix and @autumn-of-ilvermorny, thank you, thank you, and thank you! Your insightful feedback really helped shaped this story, and for that, I cannot express how grateful I am for you two! You’re both so lovely.

For everyone who read, liked, commented, and reblogged, thank you for joining the journey! You’re awesome! Enjoy!

Please click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Sunday evening, Spring 2025

The evening does not go well. After their non-existent Sunday dinner, things goes from bad to even worse. Scorpius barely utters a word to him after they arrive home together.

“Scorpius…” Albus says as he watches the blond loosen his tie. He doesn't know why Scorpius insists on being so formal at these dinners.

“Scorpius…”  

Scorpius properly ignores him.

“ Scorpius please--”

Scorpius is shaking his head silently. He slips the tie from around his neck. His eyes barely meet Albus's. “I don't even know what to say to you…”

“I lost it for a second. I mean, you heard what James said--”

“You don't pay evil with evil, Albus. You pay it with kindness.”

“What was I supposed to do?”

“Say nothing. Turn the other cheek. Be mature.” Scorpius replies. “Do you realize that you’ve probably lost James's trust tonight?  No, he’s not perfect, and yes, he said awful, hurtful things tonight.”

Scorpius looks up to the ceiling as he formulates his next train of thought.

“I get it. It hurts, coming from James. Albus, I--I just wish that you saw yourself the way that I see you. Clever. Thoughtful. Resilient. You’re not perfect, but I think you're brilliant. Maybe if you thought of yourself that way, you wouldn't see yourself as any less than Harry or Ginny or Lily or James. Maybe tonight wouldn't have been such a disaster. I wish that you--you knew how amazing you really are.”

Scorpius’s kindness painfully twists and knots inside of him, worse than any cruel words or powerful hex.

“Scorpius--”

“I’m going to bed,” Scorpius says quietly before he retreats to his room.

Albus is left alone.

The present, Spring 2025

Albus is astonished to find Rose waiting for him in the quad after classes. He doesn't know why she would be here, but when she spots him in the crowd, she smiles and waves Albus over.

“What are you doing here?” Albus jogs over to her, and Rose’s smile slips easily.

“Well, hello to you Albus,” she huffs.

“You surprised me is all--not that I’m not excited to see you. I just…”

Rose raises a hand to silence him.

“Relax, Albus,”

“Seriously, why are you here?”

“Can't I be friendly and stop by?”

“No.”  

Rose sighs before she leads them over to a bench on the campus quad. She waits for Albus to sit before she speaks.

“I'm worried about you. Well, James and you…”  

Albus's shoulders sag as he groans in response. “Why am I not surprised that the news has spread quickly?”

“Albus, you should know better. There are no secrets in the Weasley family.”

Right.

Albus can think of a secret that a specific someone has been keeping the Weasleys in the dark about.

“My mother says that the argument was quite awful.” Rose continues quietly.  

“Yeah,” he responds. He doesn't know what to say. He couldn't possibly confide in Rose, nothing stays secret in their family long. Then James would really hate him.

As irrational as James is being about this, Albus did something awful by risking James’s secret. He’s probably lost most, if not all, of James’s trust. To top it off, Scorpius is avoiding him.

“You know, you can talk to me about it.” Rose offers.

Not really.

“I just don't feel like talking about James right now.”

“Okay.”

For a second, Albus is surprised by how easily she lets the subject drop.

“So let's talk about something else.” She suggests.  

Albus looks at her strangely.

“Like what?”

“Scorpius.”

She grins at him coyly.

“No.”

“Albus--”

“Definitely not.”

“But--”

“I refuse to chat with you about my feelings for Scorpius like a pair of gossiping school girls.”

“So you do have feelings for Scorpius?” She asks.

Checkmate.

Albus feels his cheeks burn hot. He looks away from Rose.

“I refuse to answer that.”

“Why not?”

“How would you feel about me asking about Yann?” Albus asks.

Rose’s smile quickly fades.

“My point, exactly,” Albus says.

The two sit in an awful and long silence before Rose says, “You know how I told you that there are no secrets in the Weasley family?”

Albus nods.

“Well, I lied.” She says, sinking a little into the bench.

“You did?”

“Yeah. I’m…” Rose sighs deeply before looking up to the sky as if the rest of her sentence would be up there, flapping in the wind. “I'm not like most people.”

Albus looks around them. “Of course you're not like most people, Rose--you’re the fiercest witch that I have ever known. The greatest Chaser of our generation--”

Rose stops him.

“No. That's not what I meant--” Rose sighs and shakes her head.

“I haven't told anyone this. It's hard to explain to others.” Albus doesn't know the words to comfort her. He doesn't trust himself with words.

You don't have to say anything. Just be there for them.

Albus reaches across and takes Rose’s hand in his own and squeezes gently.

“I’m asexual.” Rose quietly admits.

“Asexual?”

Rose nods.

“That's why I make up all of those excuses. It’s easier that way. Instead of people looking at you like you’re broken or something.”

“Why would people think that? I don't understand why--”

“Sex, Albus. Sex.” It dawns on Albus, and suddenly he feels like he is the wrong person to be having this conversation with Rose. His cheeks grow warm.

“Oh. Um… do you even like Yann? Not um, sexually. Obviously, but…”

Rose laughs. “Yes. I like him, a lot.”

“Why should it matter if you're asexual then? If want to be with him, then be with him. It should be that simple.”

“Because,” she pauses. “People break up over sex. There will be a day when he’ll want to take that step with me, Albus. I don't want to face the disappointment and humiliation. It's better to spare myself the heartbreak. “

“That’s stupid!” Albus says sharply.

“Excuse me!”

“That's stupid. And unfair.”

“Unfair?”

“You never gave him a chance. Yann is a big boy, and he can decide for himself what type of relationship he wants to be in. You’re making this decision for him without even talking to him first. If he cares about you, I think he would understand, and you two would make it work and I don't know--fall in love. You’ll never know until you talk to him.”

Rose scrutinizes him for a long moment before bursting into laughter. Albus doesn't get it.

“Did I say something funny?”

“If only you actually took your own advice.”

Albus furrows his brows as thinks about what could Rose possibly mean by--

Oh.

Albus abruptly stands up much to Rose’s surprise.

“I have to go.”

“Where?”  Rose asks.

“I have to… take my own advice.”

Rose smiles before standing up too.  Unexpectedly, she pulls Albus in a tight hug.  

“What was that for?” He asks, looking at her with surprise and wonder when she pulls away.

“For listening. It was the first time I ever told anyone. Now,” she says, “go.” Rose gives him a good push in the right direction.

Saying that you’re going to woo someone is a lot easier than actually wooing said person. Albus loses all courage when he sees Scorpius reading quietly at the kitchen table as sunlight pours in from their window and casts a soft halo around him,

“You’re studying?” Albus asks tentatively from the kitchen threshold. Scorpius shakes his head.

“Just reading,” Scorpius says curtly, not lifting his eyes from his book.

A part of Albus knows how much Scorpius hates to be disturbed from reading, but Albus doesn’t know how much more he can take of Scorpius not speaking to him.

Albus swallows thickly. Now. He has to tell him now.

Merlin’s beard, where does he start? What words does he say? He could really use James’s advice right now. His brother would know exactly what to say--

You don’t have to say anything.

Albus sighs.

Now or never.

Okay, that’s a little dramatic.

Now or lose all his resolve.

Striding over to their table, Albus gently presses Scorpius’s book close.

“I was reading--”

Albus takes Scorpius’s face into his hands and kisses him. His mouth writes an unspoken love letter across Scorpius’s lips. Paragraphs and paragraphs of adoration. Run-on sentences of desire. Messy scrawlings of ‘I love you’.

When Scorpius kisses him back, it feels like the first stroke of color on a blank canvas. Exhilarating. His heart thrums with excitement, and he’s afraid that it might burst inside his chest from over-exertion. Scorpius’s hands are in his hair as his mouth presses hungrily against his own. His lips are softer than any fantasy that Albus could have conjured up, and his face is warm from where the sunlight has bathed him. Albus imagines this must be what falling in love feels like.

He is more than content to stay like this all day, kissing Scorpius and letting himself be kissed by Scorpius, but there is this silly little thing called air.

When they pull away, they are both flushed and panting. The room is silent except for the quiet sounds of their breathing.

“How did you know?” Scorpius asks quietly, his eyes darting around the room. “Was I that obvious?”

“Know what?” Albus asks.

“Oh.” Scorpius breathes before drawing his gaze back to Albus

Scorpius’s face grows rosier before he stands. This time, it is Scorpius who takes Albus’s face in his hands and kisses him. It is a brief press of the lips. Scorpius lingers when he pulls away, and Albus feels dizzy with happiness.

“Um, so does this make us…” Albus trails off.

“Boyfriends?” Scorpius asks, and Albus nods. “Would you like that--”

“Yes!” Albus exclaims, and he feels embarrassed by how eager he sounds. Scorpius is supposed to be the geek, not him. “Um, yeah..” He says a little more casually.

Scorpius laughs. Oh, Albus has missed that laugh. It’s been too long since he has heard it.

“I hate not talking to you.” Albus says softly.

“I hate not talking to you either. There’s just so much that I’ve wanted to tell you. So much has happened, and I couldn’t talk to the only person that I wanted to.”

“Scorpius, I made a mess of everything.”

“Well, you’re fixing it. That’s what counts.”  

“I have to talk to James,” Albus says before finds the courage to quickly kiss Scorpius again.

“When I get back, you’ll tell me everything, right?”

Scorpius smiles. His smile is all dopey and warm and bright. It makes Albus want to kiss him again.

“Yeah, I’ll wait for you.”

He’s not even sure that James will be there when he floos to his flat. For all Albus knows, he could be working late at the Auror Department. Lucky for Albus, James is standing by the doorway, looking surprised as Albus steps out of the fireplace.

Albus doesn't let his brother get a word in.

“I don't care if Teddy and you are together. It’s never bothered me, okay? I don't care as long as you're happy, as long as Teddy makes you happy. I did a terrible thing by almost betraying your secret to Dad. I was hurt. I--I don't know, I’m used to people saying things like that about me. For the most part, I brush it off. I just didn't expect it to come from you. Still, I  shouldn't have-- I’m sorry.”

James takes time to process this all. Seconds tick by like hours waiting for him to respond.

“I should apologize too. That was a low blow. I don't think you're a dark smudge on the Potter legacy.”

“You don't?”

“No, I said it because I knew that it would hurt you. I was…”

“Scared. That I would think less of you.”

James looks surprised that Albus guesses correctly before nodding.

“Yeah.”

“I would have been okay with it, I am okay with it.”

“I just… panicked when I saw you. I’m not as perfect as you think, Albus. I have flaws, lots of them. I have problems. Not like the ones that Dad or you had to face, but things still bother me. I know what people think of me: the easy-going 'Golden Boy’. And sometimes, that pressure is a lot to live up to. It feels like I would be letting people down if they were to know that Teddy and I…”

“You don't have anything to be ashamed of--”

“I'm sure that's not how other people or the newspaper would see it. Teddy is our godbrother.” James says, walking over to the sofa before sitting down.  Albus sits next to him.

“Yeah, well, who cares about them? Our dad is one of the most influential wizards in the world. Our mum has the meanest Bat-Bogey Hex. Then there’s Lily, and Merlin’s beard, no one wants to get in a fight with Lily.”

“She’s terrifying.” James agrees.

“And you have me. I’m not that impressive, but I’m here.”

James smiles.

“You’re more impressive than you give yourself credit for, and you're braver than you think, Al. Maybe there is a little Gryffindor in there.”

“I hope not.” Albus grins.

Silence settles over them before James speaks again.

“Mostly, I’m afraid of what Mum and Dad would think.”

Albus cannot predict how his parents will act.

“I know that they will always love you, and they would want you to be happy. Teddy makes you happy. Do you love him?” Albus asks.

He observes as the tips of James’s ears turn a scarlet hue. Looking down at his lap,  a small smile tugs on his brother's lips. His eyes glimmer with something warm and affectionate.

“Yeah, I love him.”

Albus smiles.

“You’re absolutely vomit-inducing to watch right now.”

James laughs.

“Falling in love does that to you. You should try it.”

Too late.

There is a lot that he wants to ask James. About love. He doesn't feel that courageous yet. Also, a part of him just really wants to keep Scorpius all to himself for now. He’ll tell James soon,  maybe at the next dinner.

“Do you think you'll tell the others any time soon?” Albus asks quietly, and James shrugs his shoulders.

“One day. I kind of like it the way that it is for now.“ James says before he pauses to think of something. “Hey, Teddy has a meeting to discuss creating a habilitation and study center for magical beasts at Hogwarts. He’s going to be a while. Do you want to go and grab a drink with me?”

Albus thinks of Scorpius back at their flat, reading by the kitchen window.

I’ll wait for you.

“That sounds great. So we're good?” Albus asks, and James throws an arm around his shoulders before tousling Albus's hair. James smiles, and Albus can't help the smile tugging on his own lips.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

Fall 2015

“James,” Albus whispers faintly, his small hands wrapping around James’s shoulder and shaking him slightly. James groans and bats Albus away,  rolling over.

“James,” Albus whispers a little louder before he shakes James harder. Turning his head, James opens one eye and glares half-heartedly at his brother in the darkness.

“Al, it’s late. What are you doing?”

“Can I sleep here tonight?”

“No way!”

“Please?” Albus’s lips puffs up in a little pout as he blinks those wide green eyes at James.

A sigh.

“Fine.” James says quietly before he pulls the blanket back for Albus to climb in. Once they were both settled in the bed, Albus watches James’s eyes slide closed once more. He admires the way that a patch of moonlight illuminates his face in the darkness. He tries to commit the image of James's chest slowly rising and falling to memory. He wants to remember this moment.

“Could you not watch me?” James grumbles into his pillow after a long while.

“I’m sorry.” Albus murmurs. James sighs heavily before he opens his eyes.

“You’re being weird. What’s eating at you?”

“Nothing,” Albus replied quietly, and James tiredly pokes Albus's cheek before yawning.

“You’re a bloody liar.”

“You’re not allowed to use that word.”

“Well, I’m leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow. I’m practically an adult. So that means I can do whatever I want. “

Albus pulls the covers up to his chin, his eyes shifting over to James. He hasn't forgotten. It is all that he can think about. James is leaving tomorrow.

“What do you think Hogwarts will be like?” Albus asks.

James rolls on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Albus copies the action so that their shoulders press together.

“I don’t know. I can’t even begin to imagine. But I’ve been talking to Dad. He says it’ll be the best years of my life, and the people that I meet there will turn out to be the best friends that I will ever have.”

“Friends?” Albus asks quietly, grasping the blankets tightly. There is a terrible sore lump in his throat.

“Yeah. I’m going to make so many friends! You know, personally, I always thought it was kinda lame that Dad only had two friends. Everyone is going to want to be my friend.  Especially once I make Seeker my first year just like Dad-- are you crying?”

Quickly, Albus rolls over on his side, his face turned away from James, embarrassed.

“No.” He says as he wipes his tears on the sleeve of his nightshirt. He feels James pull on his shoulder until Albus rolls onto his back.

“Hey, what’s eating at you?”

Looking up at James’s earnest brown eyes, it all seems to just spill out of him.

“What if you go to Hogwarts and forget all about us?” A few stray tears slip down his cheeks. Albus sniffles before wiping his nose on his sleeve. Albus feels his cheeks flushed with shame.

“Al, I’ll be home on holidays, and soon you’ll be there with me too. How could I possibly forget about you?”

“What if you stop being my friend because you made so many?”

“That’ll never happen. You’ll always be my friend.”

Albus sniffles. “You promise?”

“I promise.” James nods before settling back down into the blankets. His eyes slide close again.

“James?”  

James opens his eyes to look over at Albus, and he doesn’t look annoyed. Instead, he smiles tiredly.

“Yeah?”

“Stay awake until I fall asleep?”

James opens his arms, and Albus snuggles into his side.

“Yeah, sure. That’s what big brothers are for.”

[theraredreamer]

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Fic: I Am My Brother’s Keeper (Part 3 of 4)

By: @rarity-kasket

2.3k words, rated G

Being the son of Harry Potter isn’t easy and being the brother of James Sirius “Golden Boy” Potter doesn’t make it any better. However, as obnoxious as his brother can be, Albus wouldn’t trade him for the world. When Albus accidentally stumbles upon a secret, it threatens to break apart his already complicated and messy relationship with James.

Again, special thanks to @abradystrix and @autumn-of-ilvermorny. You is smart. You is kind. You is important!

Please click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

Summer 2018

“And you’ll write to me over the summer?” Scorpius asks, bouncing on his toes as he stood on the train platform. Albus attempts to feign an exasperated sigh, but a subtle smile betrays him.

“Yes. I’ll write. You’ve already asked me twice on the train.”

“Actually three times.” Scorpius corrects him, his cheeks growing pink. “The summer will be dreadfully boring without you.”

Suddenly, James leaps off of the train, cuffing Albus on the back of the head before disappearing into the busy crowd.

“Hey Slytherin, Mum and Dad are here!” Albus glowers in the direction that James disappears before shifting his gaze to Scorpius.

“Please take me with you.” He begs Scorpius.

“You would rather spend your summer with the rumored son of Voldemort than your dad, the legendary Harry Potter?” Scorpius asks, to which Albus rolls his eyes.

“Trust me, you’re better company than my dad and James. Ugh, the entire summer is just going to be those two being chummy and swapping Hogwarts stories.”

“Now you have your own Hogwarts stories to share.” Scorpius offers, his eyes optimistic. Albus snorts bitterly.

“Yeah, which story do you suggest that I tell them first? The one where I was the last kid to get my broom up in flying lessons? Or the one where Karl Jenkins hid our wands and then sealed us in our dorm so that we couldn’t attend the end of term feast?” Albus asks sarcastically.  “I don’t know what’s worse, being at Hogwarts or being stuck in the same house as James all summer.”

“Lucky for you then, because you have a good friend who is willing to entertain you all summer. So it won’t be a complete waste.”

“Promise me that you’ll write often.”

“Albus, I would keep writing even if you never sent me a single letter back, but please do write. Otherwise, I’ll look pathetic. You’re going to get sick of me.” Scorpius smiles awkwardly.

“I could never get tired of you.”

The Present, Spring 2025

“So Teddy and James, huh?” Perched on his bed, Scorpius muses to himself as he watches Albus pace frantically around the room.

“Yeah.”

Scorpius sighs.

“Albus, please sit. You’re making me dizzy pacing around like that.”

Albus freezes on the spot, unsure of himself before Scorpius pats a spot on the bed next to him.  Accepting the invitation, Albus crawls into bed, sitting against the headboard next to Scorpius. He is all too aware of every point of contact their bodies make. The gentle press of their shoulders, arms, and thighs.

“Sorry. I’m just–” Albus lets out a loud incomprehensible sound of frustration before flinging a pillow. Scorpius frowns as he watches the pillow sail across the room.

“How do you feel about James and Teddy?” Scorpius asks quietly, and Albus shrugs.

“I’m not going to lie. It’s kind of weird, but James didn’t even give me a chance to be okay with it. He just lied to me.” Something very painful and all too familiar flares inside him. “He didn’t even give me a chance,” Albus repeats miserably, and Scorpius leans his head on Albus’s shoulder. Albus is aware of how intimate the gesture is, but it’s comforting. “He’s the worst brother ever.”

“You don’t mean that,” Scorpius says quietly.

“I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you, Albus, and I know your heart.”

In the moment, Albus wonders if Scorpius can hear the incessantly loud rush of his heart thrumming in his chest. If he does, Albus wonders if he knows that he is the cause of it.

Because I know you Albus, and I know your heart.

Albus doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t trust himself to not spew his feelings for Scorpius all over the place.

He thinks of James.

I know you. You’re crazy stupid about Scorpius, so stop wasting your time and tell him because being in love feels –really great.

Is he in love with Scorpius? He knows that he loves Scorpius. He would do anything for him because he was his first and only friend, but Albus has never been in love as far as he knows. He doesn’t know the difference. And he wants nothing more than to run to James’s apartment and ask him what is the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone, but James has shut him out.

Suddenly, it feels like their Hogwarts days again, two brothers existing in two very separate and different spheres.

“Maybe he’s scared?” Scorpius comments quietly.

“Scared? What could James possibly be afraid of? He’s one of the bravest people that I know. He’s too brave, in fact, he’s foolhardy.”

“Of what you might think of him.” Scorpius voices. “That you would think less of him.”

“I don’t know…” Albus swallows thickly as he is left with the startling and upsetting revelation that he doesn’t know his brother as well as he thought he did. He doesn’t know what James is thinking or feeling. Or how to diffuse the blow up from earlier. What can he say to make this right?

“I don’t know what to say to him. I always thought James was like an open book. He’s the Golden Boy. He’s never had to worry about anything.  What do you say to someone like that?” Albus asks.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just be there for them.”

Albus looks down at Scorpius, who has his chin propped on Albus’s shoulder. As if sensing his gaze, Scorpius’s owlish grey eyes flicker up with meet Albus’s. Their faces are so close. Albus imagines what would happen if he just leaned in, letting their lips touch. The thought makes his heart lurch and his spine shiver. He wants nothing more than to take Scorpius’s face in his hands and kiss him until the sun comes up. The thought makes his chest ache with want.

“I should go to bed.” Albus clears his throat awkwardly.

“Or you can stay.”

The words paralyze Albus as his emerald orbs search Scorpius’s face, for some clue or sign. Under Albus’s intense gaze, Scorpius pulls back.

Overanalyzing Scorpius’s every move, Albus comes to the frustrating conclusion that he doesn’t know what the bloody hell any of this means.

Scorpius takes in a deep breath and forces his eyes to meet Albus once more.

“You don’t have to, but you look like someone who really doesn’t want to be alone right now. So stay, if you want.” Scorpius says quietly.

It’s true. He doesn’t want to be alone with his thoughts right now. However, it’s not the reason he says, “Okay.”

He says okay because he’s a selfish human being.

Albus settles back into the bed, slipping under the blankets. Scorpius’s silk sheets are cool and smooth again his skin. Pressing his blushing face into the pillow, Albus inhales the sweet scent. It smells like peppermint, like the shampoo that Scorpius uses. Merlin’s beard, he’s embarrassing.

If Scorpius notices anything weird, he doesn’t say anything. He grabs his wand and whispers a quiet incantation before the two are enveloped in darkness except for the faint light emanating from his wand.

“I have some studying to do, so I’ll stay awake until you fall asleep,” Scorpius says quietly.

Albus buries his face further into the pillow, smiling.

“Why are you so good at this?”

“At what?”

“Comfort.”

“My mum.” Scorpius smiles sadly, and in his eyes, Albus can see him conjuring up the memory of her. Albus swallows thickly, regretting that he asked. He prepares to apologize, but Scorpius continues. “She always knew just what to say or what to do to comfort me. So whenever someone needs comforting, I think about what Mum would do, because she had the kindest heart that I have ever seen.”

“You have her heart.” Albus murmurs quietly into the pillow, but he doesn’t think Scorpius hears him.

The quiet sound of Scorpius turning pages of a book lulls Albus to sleep.

A week goes by, and James and Albus manage to avoid each other like the plague. When their traditional Sunday dinner rolls around, Albus is surprised that James doesn’t make up an excuse to avoid the gathering. He is there, seated at the table, conversing with their dad about some event that happened at the Ministry today. Their mum is off in Germany for the weekend to review a Quidditch match, and Lily is at Hogwarts, so it’s just the men this Sunday.

“Oh hello, Albus and Scorpius,” Harry greets them; the wrinkles near his eyes smile kindly at them.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hi, Harry!” Scorpius greets him enthusiastically as he takes a seat across from Harry. “So I have a story for you.”

“You do?”

“Rightio! A wizard walks in the front doors of St. Mungo’s, because he accidentally ingested a shrinking potion. The healer tells him to sit in the lobby; he will be with him shortly. The wizard sits there for a while, waiting. Meanwhile, another wizard comes in for treatment. The healer takes the other wizard straight away. Before he does, he apologizes to the shrunken wizard and asks him if he can wait for a little longer. The elderly wizard says, ‘No problem, I can be a little patient’.” Scorpius grins. Albus is quick on the uptake and groans at the pun that Scorpius has landed on his father. It takes Harry a beat to let it sink in. Even James grimaces.

“That one was actually good,” Harry compliments him.

“Really?” Scorpius asks, hopeful.

“Best one so far.”

“Dad, all of his jokes awful,” Albus says drily, and Harry simply smiles.

“Like I said, best one so far.”

Scorpius joins Harry and James’s conversation. As Albus watches them interact it becomes unfathomable to him how his father had ever thought Scorpius was a dark cloud surrounding him. Scorpius, with his stupid jokes, who has sunlight in his smile. Over time, Scorpius Malfoy has found a way to affectionately worm his way into every Potter’s heart, including Harry’s.

Excusing himself, Harry retreats to the kitchen to check on dinner, and Scorpius eagerly volunteers to help him.

Which leaves James and Albus alone.

His gaze travels to James, who actively avoids all eye contact.

“Could we talk? Maybe after dinner?” Albus doesn’t know what to say to James or if he possesses the courage to start this conversation. He’s completely aware of his inability to be emotionally vulnerable with other people, and it feels like he’s flying blind here.

James pretends not to hear him as plays with a fork on the table.

“James.”

No response.

“Please.”

Nothing.

“You didn’t even give me a chance to be okay wi–”

“Albus, not now.” James hisses sharply at Albus before he glances cautiously at the kitchen.

“I don’t want to argue. Just talk.”

“I’m busy,” James says nonchalantly.

“You’re scratching your fork against the table. I doubt you’re busy.” Albus replies sourly.

“I’m not discussing this here, with you.” James huffs before attempting to make an escape to the kitchen. Albus quickly launches himself in front of James.

“You can’t keep avoiding me–”

“Watch me.”

“–or shutting me out.” This makes James stop in his tracks as he looks at Albus, unbelievably, before he laughs. His laughter is hard and bitter; it makes Albus cringes.

“Wow, that’s rich coming from you. Like you have room to talk.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re always the one shutting people out. You’re the one who just bottles things up and wallows in his own misery. You’ve never actually let anyone in. You’ve never let me in–”

“You’ve never tried!” Albus cries. “Where were you those first four years of Hogwarts, huh? I could have really used someone in my corner and that person was Scorpius when it should have been you, James. Do you know why it wasn’t you? Because James Potter, who has everything he could ever possibly want in life, doesn’t care about anyone else but himself.”

“I’m so sick of you thinking that my life is so easy.”

“Because it is! You’re the popular one. You’re the confident one. You’re the talented one. I’m not going to stand here and feel sorry for a perfect, spoiled golden boy who thinks one stupid secret is going to ruin his entire life. Get over yourself!”

“Yeah, well, I would rather be a spoiled golden boy than the useless dark smudge on the Potter family.” James shoots back darkly.

It feels like a cold shock of ice water splashing down his back. Paralyzing and numbing.  The words settle into his bones like an unforgiving frost. For a second, he wishes that James would have just struck him across the face. Anything would have been better than hearing those words. The words that he fears are true after all.  

Albus doesn’t recall when their father appears in the doorway, wearing a concerned expression.

“What is going on out here?” Harry asks.

Upon seeing their father, the cold evaporates. Instead, something hot and angry and red flares inside of Albus’s chest. Something begging to be unleashed and threatening to destroy everything in its wake.

Albus turns to their father. “Hey Dad, I think you would find it interesting to know what James and Te–”

Something catches his eyes.

Scorpius.

Standing in the doorway.

“Albus, please, don’t do this.” He begs quietly.

Suddenly, looking at Scorpius brings him back to reality, and his face flushes with shame.

“Someone needs to explain what exactly is going on here. Albus?” Harry looks between the two of his sons, neither say anything. “James?”

Albus’s gaze slowly meets James, who is staring back at him. His deep brown eyes hold a heavy mixture of emotion.

Rage.

Sadness.

Fear.

“Fuck you, Albus.”