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#Good and wonderful and delightful and colourful and fun and great and nice and lovely actually
amelie-isnt-french · 2 months
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I'll bite.
I need to know about the red string conspiracy doc.
Sounds very fun
I have been WAITING for this. Get ready for the combined brainrot of @alice-apparently and I, you poor soul. Now, listen up, 'cause we’ve got a labrynthine twisted task of a tale to tell, and if you don’t keep up, you might get lost :)
And obviously: spoilers for tmagp. don't keep reading if you're behind 🫵🏼
First things first: anyone currently descending into paranoia? we're already there, poster children of paranoia-land, that's us. May I present the title of the wonderful conspiracy doc -
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There's also a TMA conspiracy doc Ali made, fully colour- episode- and entity-coordinated. It's like 24k words and not even fully done. don't worry about it.
Which is why we're going to be super normal and low-key about the Protocol red string doc right?
of course.
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As you can see above, our collaboration relies on Ali's colour coding and her making nice, structured observations of possibly important things, while I provide the Latin and cheer her on. Balance is important in a marriage.
Also included in this all-round package: character info, quotes, etc.
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I've since moved on from my "Gwen is evil" theory because I simply love socially awkward, abrasive characters who are good at their job a little too much (nervously shuffles Jonathan Sims, the Archivist, further behind my back). Still the hottest bitch at the OIAR, don't @ me.
Also also, in this house we love Alice Dyer and don't trust her any further than we can throw her. what is UP with all your comments Alice? What do you know???
Anyway.
But Ames, you say, didn't you promise quotes? I did, and I'll do you one better: tmagp quotes with additional obnoxious commentary from yours truly and Ali
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If you'd like to see Ali lose her shit over the red canary implications (which I fully support), hop over to her tumblr @alice-apparently and give it a read. It's delightful.
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Right. Moving on from the random screenshots. Basic outline of part one of the paranoia board is a section for every episode. Ali is listening to ep7 as I write this and having a great time (not), so there's not much in the ep7 section, except for this:
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Thoughts and prayers, love, thoughts and prayers.
And FINALLY, my favourite section.
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This is the speculation part, time line puzzle and colour coding reference, but my current favourite is this:
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She's trying to reverse-engineer the case coding in tmagp, a noble cause. Godspeed, Ali, bc that is too many numbers for my silly little brain. I only excel at criticising stupid horror protagonists aka Personal Screening:
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That's all for now.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk, and to send you all off, one last silly comment from me to you and the universe:
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Bye!
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the-peak-tmnt · 24 days
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Hey there! 👋 I just finished reading the latest chapter of Reciprocity and (hope I'm not bothering you) but I wanted to say all of this while it was still fresh in my mind!
Firstly: I love love LOVE how you lightly touched on Splinter and Raph's relationship pre-losing Leo before things got tense between them. It was just SUCH a nice breath of fresh air from how things currently are with them 😭 (hope they'll have that father & son relationship again someday).
Secondly: Love how you're giving us a glimpse into Leo's anxiety. As someone with crippling anxiety myself, I HEAVILY RELATE TO OUR BOY. And did he almost tell Raph about his spiritual connection!? (I forgot exactly what you called/described it as in your fic, but I noticed it!!)
Thirdly: Your overall world building and real-life references are always such a delight to read. You really make the story and characters FEEL believable, like the film was aiming to do! So reading about them receiving fan-mail and art from kids is SO SWEET.
I know this is already long (sorry); but there's one thing I'd like to ask. The part with the little girl wearing the armbrace and bandanna in Raph's colours WARMED MY HEART. So, this may be a silly question to ask, but will that girl ever make an appearance again?
I understand the point was so that Raph realized the importance of them being "heroes" and inspiring people. I just can't help but imagine a scenario where he randomly runs into her again after everything that's happened. (Not saying you have to put this in your story - pls don't do that omw this YOUR baby!!). It's just something I've been thinking about for HOURS - it really stuck with me.
Again, sorry this was quite long! 🙈 Keep up the great work, take your time, and stay amazing! ✨️
Ahhhhh you are SPOILING ME today! First the fan art on Twitter, now this wonderful comment 😭 And it's never a bother to hear from someone!!!
Firstly: I love love LOVE how you lightly touched on Splinter and Raph's relationship pre-losing Leo before things got tense between them.
Glad you liked that! I really wanted to give everyone a glimpse of "the good old days" (if only to make the current state of things even more painful lol)
Secondly: Love how you're giving us a glimpse into Leo's anxiety. As someone with crippling anxiety myself, I HEAVILY RELATE TO OUR BOY.
On the one hand, I am really sorry to hear that. But on the other, I'm glad that more than a few people have said the way the boys are written feels authentic and relatable. The things the boys are struggling with are delicate subjects, and I'm trying my best handle them appropriately and do them justice.
And did he almost tell Raph about his spiritual connection!? (I forgot exactly what you called/described it as in your fic, but I noticed it!!)
Leo was trying to tell Raph about it! At that point, everyone thinks Leo is just a really sensitive and empathetic guy. I don't want to give too much away, but at that point, Leo was beginning to realize that what he was feeling was something more than that. It's freaking him out though, and Raph was the only person he felt comfortable enough telling back then 😭
I haven't actually given it a "name" per se, because Raph still isn't really aware of it when he's awake. I've been using a few different words interchangeably like connection, bond, link, etc. As things progress and we learn more, my plan is to have one of the characters give it an "official" name.
Thirdly: Your overall world building and real-life references are always such a delight to read. You really make the story and characters FEEL believable, like the film was aiming to do! So reading about them receiving fan-mail and art from kids is SO SWEET.
THANK YOU! I just really really love world building, and I especially love the world building of Mutant Mayhem. It feels real and believable. Its just really fun to sit here and think about how this would play out in the real world (even the boring and logistical parts like having to go to the post office or how they're able to pay for things lol).
I know this is already long (sorry); but there's one thing I'd like to ask. The part with the little girl wearing the armbrace and bandanna in Raph's colours WARMED MY HEART. So, this may be a silly question to ask, but will that girl ever make an appearance again?
akjshfgaksdfhdsaf I can't tell you but...!!!! Sort of! Kind of! Not her specifically, but there will be another Raph and "little kid looking up to him as a hero" moment that's very important and a huge turning point in the whole story and it is taking EVERYTHING I have not to give too much away!!!!!!! WHY CAN'T I WRITE FASTER?!?!
Thanks again so much, I love comments and asks!
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the-himawari · 1 year
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A3! Sakisaka Muku - Translation [SR] MANKAI ☆ New Year (2/2)
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*Please read disclaimer on blog; default name set as Izumi
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Tsuzuru: Sorry for asking you to come all of a sudden, Director.
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Izumi: No worries at all. I’m guessing you want to discuss the New Year’s cards?
Tsuzuru: Yeah. It’s about the composition of the photo we’re taking. There’s surprisingly a lot to consider with 4 people, so I’m not sure how to proceed.
Izumi: I see. What kind of arrangement are you stuck on?
Tsuzuru: I thought it might be refreshing if we had some people sitting instead of all the members standing like last time.
Izumi: I like that idea. It’ll feel like a commemorative photo!
Tsuzuru: Thanks. It’s just, I’m not sure who to put in front… Considering my height, I think it’d be better for me to stand in the back.
Izumi: I see. I think placing two people side-by-side and having one person in the front would look nice.
Tsuzuru: Exactly. I was just considering doing something like that…
Muku: E-excuse me…
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Tsuzuru: Oh, Muku? What’s up?
Izumi: Is this also about the New Year’s cards? We were just talking about them, so I’ll hear you out too.
Muku: Thank you! I’m asking everyone which colour they would like for their kimono… I’ve already asked Taichi-kun and Hisoka-san. I’d be happy if you could let me know too, Tsuzuru-san.
Tsuzuru: Oh, I see. Then… I’ll ask for a green one.
Muku: Noted!
Izumi: I can’t wait to see all of you in your kimonos.
Muku: Yes! Fufu, I can’t wait for the New Year’s cards to be completed. I want to send one to my sister as soon as possible.
Tsuzuru: … Yeah, that’ll be nice.
Muku: By the way, was Tsuzuru-san just saying there’s something he’s unsure about?
Tsuzuru: Yeah, I was stuck. But I solved it seeing you, Muku.
Muku: Eh?
Tsuzuru: I was going to arrange us in the front and back. But for the person in the front, I was going to ask them to sit in a chair. I’d like that person to be you, Muku.
Muku: Ehh! Me, front and center…!
Izumi: Great idea! I’m sure your sister will love to see it.
Tsuzuru: That’s right. Muku was the one who suggested doing the New Year’s cards this year anyways.
Muku: I-if you say so…! I’ll go for it!
Izumi: (Fufu. I can’t wait to see the finished cards.)
-pause-
Muku: Director-san, the New Year’s cards are done!
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Izumi: …Wow, they look wonderful! All of you look amazing in your kimonos.
Muku: I narrowed the outfits down to a few based on the colours everyone requested, and then we all decided from those.
Izumi: The lettering Taichi-kun composed looks adorable too!
Taichi: Hehe. I’m glad I chose it together with you, Director-sensei!
Izumi: Thanks so much for your help too, Tsuzuru-kun, Hisoka-san.
Tsuzuru: I enjoyed putting lots of thought into the composition.
Hisoka: I had fun going shopping with you for marshmallows… and the postcards.
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Izumi: Now you can give a card to your sister, right, Muku-kun?
Muku: Yes, I’m so happy!
Tsuzuru: I��m gonna need a lot to give to my brothers back home. I might as well send one to Mizuno while I’m at it, huh?
Izumi: Good call! I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed.
Tsuzuru: Ahaha. Well, as long as he’s happy.
Taichi: I’m gonna send one to someone I’m indebted to!
Izumi: And the person you’re indebted to is…
Taichi: Hehe. Lee-san!* They’ve been taking care of me both for my play rehearsals and personally~.
Izumi: We’ve received a lot of assistance as a theatre troupe too.
Hisoka: New Year’s cards… That reminds me, Guy said he’s going to hang one that he made himself up in his shop.
Izumi: I see. That sounds like a perfect way to greet both his regular and first-time customers.
Hisoka: Yeah. So I’m going to talk to Guy and ask him to display this New Year’s card in the bar too.
Izumi: Nice idea. That’ll be a good publicity for the troupe, so please do!
Tsuzuru: It’s just like our Director to think of advertising from that.
Muku: I mean, it’ll be delightful if lots of people can come watch our plays, right!
Taichi: Yep, yep! I’m counting on y’all next year so we can deliver more awesome plays together!
Hisoka: Yeah, same here.
Izumi: Ahaha. It’s a bit early for that, isn’t it? But I’m also looking forward to working together next year! (I hope all of us can deliver all sorts of different plays and spend an enjoyable time next year as well.)
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*Lee-san is featured in the Mantou Fist and Midnight Chinatown event stories
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istherewifiinhell · 1 year
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LETS FUUUUUCKIIINGGGGGG GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
BAT TURTLES
Here yee here yee! Come one come all! New and long time fans, young (ish) and old. These are so god damn. PREMIUM. Grade A. Turtlefied Certified. Ninja Turtles. Who are Mutant Teens.
Long have we wondered. Must a turtles movie overly explain the concept and set up of the turtles. Or else be a sequel that could confusing or lower quality. Must there sadness about fathers, conflict between brothers and general. Condensed movie run time character arc things. Well. The answer is here. And its this. Who know who the fucking turtles are. And Batman too. So lets just get to do some fucking Movie Ass Movie shit.
(And okay side note I only know animated dc im not like. All up on it but. Yeah. Its batman. Hes over there).
There is a plot a foot! A foot plot! even. Turtle villain and bat villian team up that leads the guys to gotham! And due to it being. Ninja robberies. Misunderstandings abound. But then the team up of the. Two teams. And conflicts arise there. Until they work it out for the greater threats, and thematic culmination in your final action set piece. Delightful. Tasty. So so workable.
Anyway. HELLO ANIMATION. These turtles are so. Wonderous and goofy looking. We have distinct shapes and colouration going on, which is the hotness for modern designs. They have the all white eyes look which is classic and cool. Theyre a bit toned down in shape and snoot having but its a vibe, it looks great in motion.
The action is sick as shit. and a little bloody! your not in nicktoons anymore! hey some turtles arent for little kids indeed. people can be killed! But its not like. Aggressively so. Just enough to feel it. But also theyre doing great comedy animation too. all rounder.
So whats the real meat of it? Well. WOULDNT IT BE SICK IF THE TURTLES WERE IN GOTHAM? And yes. Yes it is. Due to the crossover nature and large cast. We dont really need large changes and arcs. Isnt it enough to see how characters would bounce off situations and others...
Hows our comic lover goof ball, with slight powers of 4th wall poking, enjoy the rogue gallery. What happens when our sciencey tech guy puts his mind to finding a secretive vigilante. What do our serious leaders in blue make of each other. What if an EXTREMELY self aware 16 year old with an attitude read ur entire gimmick from a mile away. What happens when 4 sewer raised teens end up in a rich dude MANOR with a whole ass bulter...
Like basically. All of them are allowed to be their cool funky selves without needing to push it into something thats gonna be the crux of a joke or problem. We get that Leo has the weight of his responisblity as leader stuff, but his still a teen, without him having to tear into anyone. Donnie's doing his tech stuff that goes over other ppls heads without anyone saying he "relies on it too much" or being pressured into fixing everything for everyone. Mikey is techincally, a joke in that. hes saying funny things, hes goofing. But no one needs to slip into anything down right cruel about it, nor does it make him a fuck up.
And Raph... my RAPHIE.... Giving the fucking. Crown of Raph understanders to these fine folks! Yes he's implusive! Yes he's the bruiser. Yes he finds his little brothers jokes annoying! (this is half the point of a little siblings joke. trust me). But also he loves his fucking family. He's nice to kids! And he doesn't have time for anyones elses dramatic broody horseshit. THATS HIS THING??
Delicious. Finally some good fucking food. And eh. Pish posh I really dont know enough about the other bat characters but know its Babs, who is also a purple smartie, and she was fun! Shes fun to see react back at the turtles. And The smallest angriest robin. Who yeah really idk him. BUT DELIGHTFUL. To force into contact with the turtles. This is a mandatory playdate you WILL be dragged into shenangans. Enjoy ur new older bro/cousin figures. They came free with ur fucking crossover.
Shout the fucks out. Watch this movie. They gave the turtle van a little angry mouth again. Fuck Yeah.
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fatfatiyas · 2 months
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Gift Ideas for Your Lady: 7 Must-Have Handbags for Every Woman
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Do you want to buy a nice gift for a special woman in your life? Handbags make wonderful presents for ladies. A stylish handbag is something every woman loves to own. Handbags are very useful too. They help keep all her things together in one place. So which are the best handbags you can give a woman? Read this blog to find out the top 7 handbag picks that every lady would be happy to receive as best handbags for gifts.
The Classic Leather Tote
 A classic leather tote is always a good choice and will never disappoint you. It is stylish and roomy. It fits all everyday essentials. Brown and black colors match most outfits. Leather totes are ideal handbags for gifts.
The Elegant Clutch
A sleek clutch bag is a wardrobe staple. It complements dressy evening looks. A clutch lets a woman carry her lipstick, phone and other small items in style. Metallic and beaded clutches make lovely handbags for gifts.
The Practical Crossbody Bag
Crossbody bags are hot favourites. They free up the hands. Ladies can securely carry their valuables when shopping or travelling hands-free with a crossbody bag. Go for colourful prints, and leather or canvas crossbody bags as functional handbags for gifts.
The Spacious Tote
Big spacious tote bags can hold everything. They are great for work, travel and even sleepovers. Upgrade her carry-all with a new roomy and sturdy tote bag.
The Satchel With Personality
From petite, ladylike versions to large statement-making satchels, this classic bag silhouette is versatile. Pick a fun color or print satchel with plenty of pockets as a handbag gift.
The Camera Bag
Camera bags are currently very trendy. The rectangular bag style looks chic. It also photographs well for social media posts! Camera bags make Instagram-worthy handbags for gifts.
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The Tiny Purse
Tiny purses are too small to hold much. But they pack a cute statement! Jazz up an outfit with a mini sequined bag or crochet version.
Conclusion
Handbags make fantastic gifts for the special ladies in our lives. They are stylish, useful and bring great joy. Classic leather totes, elegant clutches, practical crossbodies, spacious carryalls and trendy camera bags are winners. A tiny purse also delights through its novelty factor. Now that you know the top 7 handbags that make wonderful handbags for gifts, you can pick what suits her personal style best.
Are you looking for the best handbag gifts for the woman? If yes, Fatfatiya is a brand that creates contemporary design handmade fashion bags, accessories, wall art, and home furnishings. Reach out at +91 8209739667 or [email protected].
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dantefzbj024 · 2 years
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10 Things We All Hate About rainbow runtz strain yield
Fascination About Rainbow Runtz Marijuana Strain Information
Table of ContentsThe Ultimate Guide To Rainbow Runtz Marijuana StrainUnknown Facts About Rainbow Runtz Marijuana Strain Information5 Simple Techniques For Rainbow Runtz: The Pot At The End Of The RainbowThe 25-Second Trick For Source Rainbow Runtz
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Barrel over the stars, at that point click to cost (rainbow runtz seeds).
Made along with Outline. Produced along with Lay out. rainbow runtz genetics.
I often tend to only delight in sativas, but I would certainly acquire this indica once again, because it offered me the unwinded sensations credited to indicas without the couch crash. This is actually a lovely stress under the spotlight as well as is actually a wonderful indica for a sativa cigarette smoker trying to find something different. You will really feel the regular indica results however are going to still be able to take pleasure in the journeys that possess finding this marijuana by the end of the rainbow.
Dried out as well as dried total amount of almost five weeks prior to coming to me. Got this today, 3/2/21 - Unrelated within this situation however this is definitely $50+/ 8th weed if it were marketed in the clinics below. Presume $400 oz. Type - Sativa pitching crossbreed that is a cross of Rainbow Potato chip x Runtz (rainbow runtz strain effects).
I despise when that occurs. Anyhow, this certain assessment gets on the stress as explained. - Colours are considerable amounts of purple, strong dark green, a silvery trichome-y luster, some reddish, as well as several other shades of dark-green. It is actually wintry along with trichomes. The buddies are actually heavy - certainly not hugely so yet good, sound thickness.
This might be this tension's finest hr - rainbow runtz strain price. I anticipated whole lots of sweet taste as well as fruit product, and also it possesses that in droves. However when smoked, a minimum of to my color scheme, the sourness arrives even more onward. In a really really nice way. It balances the sweet taste as well as delivers a serious complexity to the fruit product element.
See This Report on Rainbow Runtz Long Lasting Fun
Lemon without a doubt. That's the toughest flavor however certainly not therefore in all (rainbow runtz weed strain). Well balanced with a mixture of a respectable amount of orange, a little bit of grape, a little bit of grapefruit, a little bit of mango (!), and perhaps a small twinge of apple even, although that might possess been my hopeful reasoning.
- I smoked coming from a well-maintained bong along with cold mineral water. The smoke is actually dense as well as creamy. Not severe. I had the capacity to take really big smash hits without a coughing from the smoke cigarettes on its own. It's soft. It is actually additionally extensive, and also carried out acquire me when. Lol. Great, enjoyable on the palette smoke that is actually hassle-free sufficient to burn out of your nostrils, which I do to help me assess the preference.
So I mention that given that "sort of buzz" is actually truly "sort of buzz as it affected me individually." Companion this is different for everyone, right? Therefore coming from a, the talk is actually rather well balanced and also bends firmly sativa for me. rainbow runtz strain price. It's analytical, as well as is mosting likely to be actually terrific weed to jam on.
I definitely would not say it was actually virtually as tough a physical body news compared to the head, although that may be a functionality of my good friend's propensity to harvesting in any way milky/no brownish-yellow, as apparently these were actually. (My taste also) Coming from a, I am no physician but I know what jobs on my pain in the back (rainbow runtz strain yield).
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This set, after concerning 5 mins, took me a noticeable degree of alleviation. So of what it costs, it had a beneficial clinical effect for me. rainbow runtz strain info. rainbow runtz strain I will call it moderate in that respect, a minimum of for me. Obvious relief, certainly not frustrating. Most definitely good enough to call it a plus however.
As I type this it has to do with a hr and also an one-half eventually and I have however to really feel any type of much less stoned than I performed in the start. Maybe a little bit even more body system as the buzz goes on. Potency - As it performed not stem from a dispensary as well as has actually certainly not been actually tested, I don't actually understand the amounts or official strength.
The 8-Second Trick For Rainbow Runtz
It is plenty highly effective. Not newbie weed by any means. - Prematurely to state anything besides that it possessed a visibly good result on my level of pain in the back after a few moments of smoking, so for me that's the most effective therapeutic use (rainbow runtz strain review). - I now comprehend why Runtz is among the current very most preferred tensions in the united state
This grass ruins the dispensary grass in this particular state, which becomes part of why our team all expand I make certain - rainbow runtz genetics. It is actually a flavor event in your mouth. It's spectacular. It is actually powerful with an amazing, long-lasting news. It scents impressive. I am going to be actually growing this asap, as I have to possess so much more of this.
I'm 55 as well as I am actually rarely super pleased. runtz rainbow. Good task on my colleague's component, however the This is actually the only Runtz stress I've ever before attempted therefore however I can't contrast it to some of the now wide variety of Runtz crosses that are out there. Yet I will advise this stress BIG opportunity as well as without concern.
Given that my pal grew this and our company chat numerous times a week, I observed his expand along with keen rate of interest (rainbow runtz weed). Therefore, I have some photos of the actual vegetation itself that made this examination weed. Or at the very least the plants the buddy arised from. So I uploaded 4 pics in sequential order.
The 2nd is the end product he created coming from the plant and also delivered to me. The third is actually several of the buddy separated in the mill however certainly not however ground, which ideally reveals the crystal fully. The final is an ultra closeup (as near as my technician will definitely allow me receive) of the ground weed, which perhaps presents the astonishing purples within this strain.
Insanity, the runtz trend is actually taking United States by storm but recently a pal of mine put me on to rainbow runtz. Shit had me spaced out along with eyes low momentarily. To be actually honest it was unusual, it had been a minute given that I've possessed a wonderful low eye lengthy lasting weed. rainbow runtz thc level.
Rainbow Runtz Marijuana Strain Information - The Facts
What is Rainbow Runtz? It's a cross of Runtz and Rainbow Sherbert - rainbow runtz effects. Individually the Rainbow Runtz is a lot more remarkable to me than the Runtz pressure but that's just me, aight. Everybody is actually different when it happens to buddy, at times what strikes someone effectively is different for one more individual. Hows it really feel tho? Hold on, let me take a few even more snaps and bad inform you.
There are actually various other scents in there but now it is actually challenging to discern since I keep scenting it and also at this moment my nostrils is just swamped. Lol Do not hesitate to come out with on the aroma account PLEASE! Remark! The Outcome, Of the Snaps How it was smoked Tidy beaker bong without any percolator or even ashcatcher.
This how it experiences tho? Numbing, heavy headed eyes low. It is actually amusing because earlier I was smoking this tension - rainbow runtz review. My eyes felt reduced at the moment however when I first started cigarette smoking in order to write this write-up I felt like wtf! This is inadequate! my eyes may not be really feeling hefty at all.
It's merely the form of strain where you can effortlessly amuse your own self. But where it actually shines is actually in it's capability to space you out while you take pleasure in a bunch of the factors you appreciate doing outdoors (rainbow runtz thc level). As an example, right off the baseball bat I can inform you this is actually an excellent very hot springtime tension.
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readyplayerhobi · 3 years
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Jung Hoseok and the Magic to Happiness | 04
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; Hufflepuff Teacher!Hoseok x Reader
; Genre: Fluff, angst, future smut
; Word Count: 5.2k
; Synopsis: An unexpected issue with your Ministry of Magic job leads to you taking the role of Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. It’s here that you meet your best friend’s younger brother for the first time in years, the Hufflepuff Head of House, Jung Hoseok. While you contend with seeing him once again, Hoseok tries to show you that he’s very much a man and no longer the gangly teenager you once knew.
; A/N: I swear, it’s so hard getting back into writing because I’m permanently convinced that everything I write is bad lol. If you enjoy reading this, please let me know by leaving me an ask or writing a comment on a reblog! I appreciate all the comments I get and it helps to inspire me on <3
Last Chapter ; Next Chapter
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The Winter Solstice Ball was a newer tradition at Hogwarts. Before the Battle of Hogwarts, there hadn’t been anything resembling the ball that would happen. The closest you knew of was the Yule Ball, but that only occurred whenever there was a Tri-Wizard Tournament. 
Something that hadn’t occurred since the unfortunate events of 1994, when poor Cedric Diggory had been murdered by the dark wizard Voldemort. As expected, it had been mutually agreed that the tournament should no longer continue to ensure there could never be another event like Diggory’s death.
Admittedly, that had been a rather unique set of circumstances. The inclusion of the wizard, Harry Potter, in the Tournament had been arranged by dark wizards on the behest of Voldemort, meaning that Diggory’s death had been even more tragic as he wasn’t meant to be there. 
In an attempt to bring more cheer to what should be a happy holiday, Hogwarts had started the Winter Solstice Ball tradition. Unlike the Yule Ball, all years were invited to attend and it also wasn’t on Christmas Day. Instead, it was held on the last day of term and was just a fun event for everyone to enjoy and let off some steam after their first semester back.
You’d always enjoyed it as a student; feeling like a grownup during the first few years and using it as a great way to flirt with boys when you were older. There hadn’t been a year that you hadn’t loved going to it.
It felt a little odd this time though as you were attending as a professor, which meant you had the job of chaperoning all the excited students for the evening. As such, you were excited for an entirely different reason as you would get to watch the First Year’s experience of the ball.
The House Elves had gone all out when decorating the Great Hall today, bringing the feeling of winter inside and taking your breath away. Standing by the open doors, you look around cavernous space with wide eyes and a bright smile. Chaeyoung was next to you, a dress of starlight gracing her body and highlighting just how beautiful she is.
You’d already complimented her as soon as you’d spotted her, admiring the elegant design of her dress and how the tiny crystals are sewn into the fabric reminded you so much of sunlight hitting frost on a winter’s day. Her long black hair was curled into soft waves with her fringe pinned away from her face with a delicate snowflake.
Where she was all light and ice, you were the sumptuous darkness of winter. Your dress was a sumptuous royal blue around your chest which slowly blended into deep midnight by your feet, a shawl of the lightest chiffon in a dark blue around your shoulders. Silver glinted occasionally, threads of it woven through the fabric of your dress and adding a little sparkle alongside the dainty silver necklace around your neck.
The two of you made a striking pair and the combination of a full face of beautiful makeup combined with the jaw-dropping dress made you feel like the prettiest girl in the room. Whether that was true or not, you didn’t care.
The hall itself matched the colour scheme of you both with long swathes of gauzy fabric in rich lavender, crisp white and shimmering silver decorating the tall windows and streaming from the ceiling. Tonight, the ceiling had been enchanted to show clouds backlit by a full moon and tiny flakes of snow fell. They didn’t reach the ground though, melting away a few metres away from the tallest person in the room.
Candles lit the room in all corners, hovering in the air and situated around the room and the tables. A large open space in the centre of the hall was reserved for dancing while a raised section before it hosted the musical entertainment for the night. Small tables surrounded the floor, each only big enough for six people and with white cloths embroidered with tiny snowflakes in silver.
Platters piled high with finger foods dotted the tables alongside empty goblets and jugs of pumpkin juice and butterbeer. A few of the ghosts that haunted Hogwarts floated through the tables, greeting the formally dressed students with cheer and getting into a few conversations with some of them.
Already the hall was filling nicely, students greeting you happily as they rushed inside to meet up with friends and a few of them had already begun to dance. Some of them danced together, trying to figure out how to ballroom dance with the typical awkwardness of teenagers discovering their hormones, and others danced in friend groups. The latter seemed to just be having fun, shaking their bodies wildly to the beat of the music.
“I remember doing that.” Gesturing towards a group of mixed house Fourth Years, you grin at Chaeyoung before chuckling at the memory of dancing like that with Jisoo, Robert and Candace. That had been your ‘group’ of loyal friends throughout your years at Hogwarts, though only Jisoo had remained a close friend once you’d all left.
“Merlin...me too. I had no rhythm back then. Still don’t. Dancing is not for me.” Chuckling, you lean into her and push until she staggers away from you a little before returning the gesture. Glancing around the hall, you note the more introverted people sitting at the tables and sipping at drinks. They don’t seem to be uncomfortable but you resolve to check up on them throughout the night to make sure they’re okay.
“One thing I do love about working with such handsome men here? They make the ball so much better to enjoy.” Chaeyoung hums over the top of her goblet of butterbeer, her refined brows rising in amusement as she looks across the hall. Following her gaze, you have to hide a smile as you take in the sight of some of Hogwarts most eligible bachelor professors and how well they smarten up.
Park Jimin is standing next to Kim Taehyung, his silver hair styled even more elegantly than normal while his dress robes look to have been perfectly tailored to his slim body. A white bow tie adorns his neck and he’s smiling at whatever Taehyung had told him. The Gryffindor Head has his usual boxy smile and you note that he scrubs up just as nicely. Together, they make a lethal pair in terms of looks.
“Now, now,” You muse lightly, looking over to Chaeyoung with mischief on your face. “We’re here to chaperone, not to swoon over good looking men like the teenagers we teach.”
A derisive snort is the only response she gives you, but you see that she’s not taken her eyes off the two younger men. Idly, you wonder which would make the perfect partner for her. You’d consider Taehyung to be a good candidate as their fun-loving natures would get on well, but there’s something about Jimin that makes you think he’d be an even better pick.
She wouldn’t even have to change her last name.
Any more thoughts you have on the subject vanish when the newest professor walks through the door. Black hair made darker from some kind of styling gel is swept up from his forehead, a strand or two falling stubbornly and giving him an almost charming appearance. Deep black robes sweep from his shoulders, covering up a suit that highlights his body in all the right ways.
Unlike Jimin and Taehyung, his outfit was completely black and you swallowed instinctively as you let your eyes run down his frame. Hoseok pauses at the doorway, pink lips moving as he talks to Nayeon, the divination professor. She looks pretty in a floaty dress of bubblegum pink and fizzing lilac, her smile genuine and eyes sparkling as she looks up at him.
Lips twisting, you turn away from the sight and don’t even notice the way Chaeyoung is watching you closely, her lips turning up in a smile she tries to hide. Looking away from you, she catches Seokjin’s questioning expression across the hall and nods at him subtly, enjoying the way the astronomy professor gets a determined look on his face.
“Speaking of men who are too beautiful to be real, Jung Hoseok always looks so good at these events. How is a man like that allowed to even exist?” There’s a breathy note to Chaeyoung’s voice, causing you to frown at her a little before looking back over in his direction. 
Nayeon is still standing there, a forlorn expression gracing her face as she watches Hoseok move away from her. It’s only then that you realise he’s walking towards you, causing your eyes to widen in surprise. Confusingly, you’re a little unsure of what to do or how to act.
Not when he’s looking like that. This is not the shy and awkward Hoseok with his dress robes too big for him, the only memory you have of him at the Winter Solstice Ball. He couldn’t be any further from that teenager and you don’t know how to handle that.
Especially when he gives you that breathtaking smile, his cheeks rising and dimpling while his dark eyes shine in delight. You should’ve known the Jung genes would result in him growing into an attractive man; his sister was one of the most beautiful people you’d ever seen.
“Y/N, Chaeyoung,” He bows his head to you both, that smile just as prominent and you nod back to him a little awkwardly. “You both look beautiful tonight. Winter is personified with your colours, it’s nice.” 
For a moment, you’re a little lost for words on how to respond to him. You couldn’t recall the last time you’d been so casually complimented, especially from a man. A man as attractive as him. It causes you to swallow wrong and you cough loudly, pressing a hand to your throat.
“Thanks, you’re looking pretty fine yourself tonight,” Chaeyoung teases him, causing that smile to become a little more bashful. “Anyway, I’m going to leave you two alone for a moment, okay? I need to go talk to Seokjin about something.”
You watch her go with wide eyes, noting with suspicion that she’s moving a little faster than you’d expect and you wonder if she’s up to something. But then you realise that you’re being left alone with Hoseok, who’s casually looking you up and down while you’re attention is elsewhere.
It’s only when he catches your eye when you look back, a brow raised, that he realises you’ve caught him. Hoseok turns his head quickly, probably giving himself whiplash and you have to hide the snort at the soft blush on his cheeks.
He may be all grown up now, but he still reminded you of that shy boy who never quite knew how to talk to you.
Reaching out, you poke at his chest and grin at him.
“She’s right, you are looking good tonight. Cleaned up very well.” Hoseok gives you a droll stare and you laugh, feeling any awkwardness rushing away as you both fall into the easy-going nature of your friendship.
The rest of the evening goes by in much the same manner with the two of you separating on occasion to handle issues with students or just to do a walk around. Apart from that though, you both end up spending more time with each other than with anyone else. Conversation flows easily like a fast-moving river and you find yourself laughing more than you have in a while.
You only have to break up one fight between two young boys; the culmination of weeks of tension between the two finally bubbling over. It starts with raised voices before escalating to blows, resulting in you escorting the two to Madame Pomfrey to check for any injuries. After that, you leave them in the hands of Park Jimin to discipline them given their house.
When you get back, you look around for Hoseok or Chaeyoung. You can’t see either of them, causing you to take up a place at the back against the wall to observe for any fallout from the fight. Thankfully, the mood seems to have picked up and you wonder if that’s got anything to do with the more upbeat music that’s being played.
It was never nice watching your students get into fights with each other or lose friendships, but you knew that was part of growing up. The thing about teenagers, and kids, was that they were incredibly resilient. You did not doubt that they would both be back to being friends within a week or so.
“All sorted?” Comes a deep voice to the right, the sound closer than you expected and causing you to jump slightly. Turning to look, you note that Hoseok has turned up out of nowhere and you relax at the sight of his familiar face.
“Yeah, no injuries to each other apart from wounded pride and friendships.” That causes Hoseok to snort and roll his eyes, leaning back against the wall alongside you. Suddenly, you recall how many times Jisoo complained of having to comfort her brother when he’d had yet another fight during his tenure at Hogwarts.
“I’m sure you know all about that, Mr Jung. I remember Jisoo having to deal with you. You were shy but a firecracker.” He sighs deeply and you lean into him, giggling as you regale him with some of the tales she’d told you. Thankfully, he takes it all with his usual good nature and you end up segueing into other memories of your time at Hogwarts.
The exams and the studying, the professors back then and your favourite subjects. It’s something he already knows as you’ve both discussed it previously, but he indulges you and listens amiably while keeping an eye out.
You’re stopped though when he suddenly interrupts you, straightening slightly.
“Would you like to dance? There’s not as many people out there now and you haven’t danced once tonight.” His question is abrupt, causing you to falter in your conversation. Narrowing your eyes, you look him over closely and wonder if he’s being serious. And you conclude that he is.
Looking over at the dance floor, you contemplate for a moment and chew your lip before nodding. Now it’s your turn to feel shy, avoiding his gaze and trying not to catch the eye of anyone else in the hall as he leads you carefully to the floor. 
There’s probably a few statues in the British Museum that are less stiff than you as you turn to him, feeling his hand as he settles it on your lower back. You’re hyper-aware of that hand; how hot it feels against you even with the fabric of the dress between you. But that pales in comparison to the feel of his hand against your own, the way he holds it almost tenderly.
Logically, you know that he’s doing that because that’s how you’re supposed to dance like this. A light touch, but it makes you feel a little strange. You’re not sure why it makes you feel like that and you find yourself staring at his long fingers, wondering if he kept up the piano he’d been taught when younger.
The music leads you both in the dance, each beat dictating where you move and you’re vaguely aware of the students dancing around you. None of them are staring or looking confused as there had been many professors who had danced together tonight. But you couldn’t help but feel like this dance was a little different.
This was the closest you’d ever been to Hoseok and his body is so close to your own that you can physically feel the heat coming from him. Every breath you take brings the smell of him into your nose, the familiar mix of rich wood and lemongrass that is so, undeniably Hoseok. And underlying all that is the smell that’s unique to him.
“Is this okay?” He asks quietly and you stare at the black button-up covering his chest, avoiding his gaze given how close the two of you are. It’s probably not the best thing to do when you realise that shirt is straining a little and you can see the outline of his torso from the light of the nearby candles.
Swallowing hard, you look over his shoulder and try to ignore the sudden knowledge that Hoseok is buff beneath his clothes. Which doesn’t help, because you find your eye trailing down his chest as you consider. It’s only when you reach his belt buckle that you suddenly look away, taking a deep breath and wondering what was wrong with you.
You’d had one too many butterbeers tonight or something, which was a terrible excuse as it had such little alcohol content that it didn’t even matter. This was Jisoo’s brother, her little brother. Not someone you should be thinking about half-naked.
Right?
Finally, though, you register his question and nod quickly in response. You’re not sure that you can talk to him without saying something inappropriate as your brain isn’t working very well right now. Not when you’re so confused about...well everything.
“Are you sure? You’ve gone a little weird. Quiet.” Hoseok murmurs, his voice low to avoid any of the students overhearing it. Sighing, you stand a little straighter before looking at him directly and giving him a firm smile. It takes a little more effort than you’d like to push away those errant thoughts but you do so.
“Fine, just worried about those students. I hate seeing their friendship ruined and them angry at each other, you know?” It’s not a lie as you are still concerned about them, but he doesn’t need to know everything going on in your head. Which is why you’re thankful when he nods slowly before spinning you around.
“They’ll be okay. I’ve been doing this job long enough to know that they’ll be back to being friends sooner rather than later. They’ve already got some of that testosterone out by punching each other, which I’d rather they didn’t do but Jimin will talk it out with them. Don’t worry too much, they’ll be fine.” It’s sweet how considerate he’s being and you can hear how genuine he is in his voice. 
You don’t get to say anything else though as the tempo increases when the song switches over, causing Hoseok to twirl you away from him with a laugh. All around you the dances start to get a little more energetic and you can’t help but shriek with joy as he matches the student’s enthusiasm, listening to them as they cheer at two of their professors getting involved in the frivolities.
Neither of you notices the way Seokjin and Chaeyoung watch you both closely before smirking at each other.
-
Glancing around the room, you note how most of the students had already left and gone to bed for the night. The clock had struck midnight a while ago and you had to press a hand to your mouth as you yawned, turning your head away to be polite. A few remaining students were still dancing on the floor but even as you watched, some of them started to walk towards the exit.
Looking over at Chaeyoung, you caught her eye with a wave and smiled with relief when she nodded and made a shooing gesture. Turning to Hoseok, you tried to hide another yawn and almost giggled when you saw that he’d caught one from you, his mouth wide as he didn’t even try to hide it.
“I think we can go now. Chaeyoung gestured that we can leave so I think they’re going to hustle the last students to bed. Something which I’m also very excited to do because I feel like I’ve been awake for two days right now.” Blinking and almost trying to stretch your eyelids by widening them as far as you could, you almost missed the way Hoseok laughed at your antics.
“Tired? It’s not even two in the morning, I expected better of you.” He teases, gently pushing his elbow into your arm before avoiding your hand as you try to swat him. You’d admit that he looked a lot more awake than you did, which you’d say wasn’t fair but you don’t think you’ve ever truly seen him look tired.
“Well, you’re still young and spry. You’ll learn when you get to my age.” Moving off towards the doors of the Great Hall, you grab a tiny triangular sandwich from one of the remaining platters on a table as you pass by.
Light pressure on the small of your back causes you to arch slightly, your chest moving forward and you tilt your head to look at your companion. There’s no expression on Hoseok’s face, nothing to indicate he’s affected by touching you and you frown slightly as you wonder why it’s affecting you.
“You’re not old, I don’t know why you keep thinking that.” He murmurs, voice deep and quiet.
Neither of you says anything more for a few minutes, instead just walking quietly through the hallways. It’s a comfortable silence and you muse for a moment on how much you’ve come to enjoy spending time with him. You would happily say that he was your closest friend here at Hogwarts; something you would’ve never thought would happen when you were studying here and he was just your best friend’s little brother.
That makes you think of how defensive he always gets whenever you, or anyone else, seems to imply that you’re old. Huffing out a laugh, you bite your lip as you contemplate that for a second. Maybe he doesn’t like the implication that you, and by extension, his sister, are considered ‘older’ by the students. Or that he’s also approaching thirty.
The student’s opinions have never bothered you as they think anyone over the age of twenty is old. Nor have you been concerned overall, given the extended lifespan that witches had compared to muggles. You were finally feeling content with your career and your life, something you attested partly to growing older and becoming more at ease with yourself.
But he always got so defensive of it, so maybe he was concerned about himself.
“You don’t have to keep defending my age, you know,” Apparently you were going to query this with him and you blamed the butterbeer for loosening up your tongue. “I’m okay with it, honestly. Which means I’m okay with joking about it.”
Hoseok stiffened slightly and you spotted his expression looking a little uneasy. Frowning, you placed a hand on his arm and pulled him to a stop. Your quarters were only a few corridors away now and the two of you were given a warm glow from the candles lit nearby. 
“I’m not defending...I mean, okay maybe I am. I just...I don’t want you to feel like it’s an issue.” Now you’re giving him an amused look, lip quirked up on one side as you try to hold in a small giggle.
“It’s not an issue. Have I made it seem like it was?” Tilting your head, you watch as his eyes dart across your face in an almost shy manner.
“No...well, not in the way you might think,” He looks uncomfortable and you’re about to tell him it’s okay, that he doesn’t have to continue but he does so before you get the chance to speak. “I’m just made every aware of our age difference. You know, the whole ‘you’re her best friend’s little brother’ thing.”
“Hey, I don’t do that, do I?” Now you’re a little concerned.
“No, not really. Not for a while anyway. You did when you first got here but I understood that. We hadn’t met in a while and everyone was curious about how we knew each other. But now...I don’t even know what I’m talking about. Honestly, it’s not important. You’re right.” Hoseok’s babbling a bit but you decide to let him change the conversation. You’re not entirely sure why it truly bothers him, but you’re not going to press it anyway. He deserves to have his feelings and they don’t need to be analysed.
“Okay-” Before you can say anything else, you hear the quiet chiming of bells and frown in confusion. The sound echoes a little in the empty corridor, simultaneously creepy and also ethereal. 
Hoseok looks around as well, his brow knitted in confusion before he suddenly spots something about you both. Following him, you note the odd plant that’s grown from the ceiling out of nowhere. The green branches are still growing and you note with interest the small white berries that seem to be forming and familiar leaf shapes appear at the end of each branch.
A red ribbon is delicately wrapped around the stems and you see the little golden bells that let out tiny chimes as they rock from side to side in a non-existent breeze. Now you’re the one frowning as you look around you both, trying to spot who’d set a mistletoe charm to grow when someone walked beneath it.
“Mistletoe?” Hosek whispers, reaching up with one hand in an attempt to touch it. He can’t reach it and you sigh, shaking your head and crossing your arms over your chest.
“Someone has thought it’d be funny to put mistletoe charms around the castle for the ball. Certainly adds to the Christmas spirit. I’ve seen these popping up all night above couples on the dance floor. I think it’s a seasonal Weasley thing, seems like something they’d sell to annoy people.”
The mistletoe is suddenly snowing, letting tiny snowflakes drift to the ground around you both and leaving fluffy snow to settle on Hoseok’s hair and dress robes. How very romantic, you muse to yourself.
“Does it just disappear on its own after a while?” He asks, running his fingers through his hair to try and get rid of some of the snow. Smiling at him, you gently brush at his shoulders only to decide it’s a losing battle as more snow lands.
“Nope. You gotta kiss, that’s the whole point of mistletoe, right? Otherwise, it follows you around.” Hoseok sighs deeply and rolls his eyes.
“Of course it does. Definitely a Weasley thing.”
Looking back up at the mistletoe, and having to blink to avoid getting snowflakes in your eyes, you purse your lips before looking back at Hoseok. You’d long since come to terms with the fact that you find him attractive; anyone with eyes can see that. But you hadn’t planned on doing anything about it, not given who he was and who his sister was to you.
His words from earlier play through your mind though, and you wonder if he hates having to constantly know he’s given the best friend’s little brother status. Even now, months after you’d arrived and you considered him a friend, you knew that there were still people who thought of that as the most defining characteristic of your friendship.
Letting out a little sigh, you straighten your shoulders before reaching out and taking hold of his dress robes. Fuck it, you’re not one to waste a perfect chance.
Pulling him closer, you watch as his eyes dart to yours and widen when he realises that you’re moving towards him as well. And then those same eyes flick to your lips, the movement so fast that you’d almost miss it if it wasn’t for the fact that he did again only seconds later. 
Combined with the zero resistance he was giving, you came to the solid conclusion that he wasn’t going to reject you. Not when you were giving him plenty of time and reason to back out if he wanted to.
Tilting your head to him, you felt his warm breath as it caressed your face, the smell of butterbeer strong. And then your lips are pressed together, neither of you sure who made the final move and neither of you gives a damn at that exact moment. 
The pressure of your lips against each other is gentle at first, almost hesitant as both of you try to figure out where to go from here. All that was required was a kiss, which was what you were both doing right now. But you didn’t quite want to let him go just yet, not when you knew he probably had so much more to offer.
Shifting, you manoeuvred your way into a position that made the kiss a little more personal and no longer like two teenagers who’d never kissed in their life. Letting go of his robes, your arms move to wrap around his neck and you run your fingers through his hair, enjoying how soft the black strands feel against your fingers.
A quiet noise leaves Hoseok, his arms sliding around your waist to pull you a little closer to him while he kisses you more forcefully than before. It feels...you can’t even find the words to describe how it feels, only knowing that you’re not entirely sure you want him to stop.
Any hesitation has disappeared between you both and you simply lose yourself to the delightful feeling of Jung Hoseok against your lips, against your body and how he feels under your fingertips. It’s only when he moves a little further, his tongue asking for entrance to fire up the kiss even more, that you suddenly come to your senses.
Pushing back from him, you stare with wide eyes and only just realise that the bells have stopped. A glance up shows the mistletoe is gone and you breathe a little heavily, not realising that you’d kissed him that forcefully until now. Hoseok looks just as out of breath with an odd look in his eyes that you can’t quite figure out.
Licking at your lips, and trying to ignore the knowledge that you could probably taste him right now, you run your hands down the front of your dress robes before giving him a slightly awkward smile. Coughing, you turn your eyes away from the strangely intense gaze he’s giving you.
“Erm, well it’s gone now. So...we’re not gonna be followed by mistletoe anymore,” Playing with your fingers, you wonder if you made a very bad decision tonight. “I, erm, I’m gonna go to bed now. It’s late and...well...yeah. Thank you, for walking me here and spending time with me, you know, dancing and all that. It was nice, I had a good time and thank you. Yeah, I already thanked you. Err...get to bed safely, okay? I mean, I…” 
Hoseok reaches out and takes hold of your nervous hands. It makes you jump nervously, but he just gives a reassuring smile while rubbing the back of your hands with his thumbs.
“Y/N...it’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Go to sleep and have good dreams.” There’s no annoyance in his voice, no anger or outrage that you’ve gone from initiating that kiss to acting very strange in only seconds. 
“Yeah...I...you too. You too.” Frowning as you walked away from him, you wondered what in Merlin’s beard you’d just done.
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prof-peach · 3 years
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Hello, Prof! I’m looking to adopt a Pokemon as a companion. I’m leaning towards grass types, so I figured you’re a good source to ask. What kinds of grass Pokemon are best suited to a slow, domestic life, and what can I do to make them as happy as possible?
A wonderful bracket of Pokemon to start your Pokemon family with, a good grass Pokemon can be very sturdy and joyful, so here’s a few I’d suggest for both great companionship, plenty of laughs, and who would also suits home life very well.
Sunkern: Often jolly and super happy indoors, so long as they have a sunny window ledge to sit and bask on. They like a good misting to refresh their little leaves, and actually sleep quite a bit compared to other more active grass Pokemon. They’re a Pokemon I breed a lot of variations of, and they have a lot of forms and sizes, but their drastic changes come upon evolution, so be careful to not catch or buy a variant who may become very large in the long run. They just kind of love to be with their selected family, so just treat them well and they’ll sit on your shoulder and want to know what you’re doing all day.
Bounsweet: they can like a little more heat so if you get cold winters it’d be worth getting them some cold weather gear, but on average they’re very kind, social Pokemon, with perhaps a simpler outlook on life. They’re often easy food for predators outdoors, so an indoor life isn’t terrible for these individuals, so long as you have a bright window for them to hang out on. They need a humidifier close to their sleep space to keep them nice and healthy, but they can handle a lot of conditions considering, and are quite adaptive should they want to evolve, able to keep up with modern living, even enjoying jobs and tasks around the house to elephants them busy.
Cottonee: soft and sweet, this Pokemon is a very simple soul, happy in a number of conditions and surprisingly tough in the cold should you get harsh winters. You’d still do well to bring them in during really chilly snaps, but they’re cool without gear in the snow, should you go out to the shops or trips to view it friends or family. I would however advise a safety line for windy days, these Pokemon can get blown away if it’s super blustery out. They enjoy a good brush, and are normally quite open to a good cuddle.
Budew: usually really varied in personality, they can be very fun, super engaged with their partners activities, and happy indoors given bare basic care needs are met. They’re too small to do long travel without a little care, so they suit a home life, and settle into a routine quite well if given the chance. They can give the home a quite delightful scent, and are notoriously clean Pokemon, being found tidying up their territory in the wild, and homes in captivity. Once evolved they can become capable helpers around the home, and good lifelong friends who defend their loved ones with ferocity.
All the Pokemon I have suggested need at the very least, a pot of soil to root into, big enough for them to sit comfortably without falling or tipping over, fresh water available at all times, all bar the cottonee need a misting regularly, cottonee instead needs a good brush unlike the rest. All four do well with moderate to high levels of light so again, sunny window at the very least, but ideally a small garden, outdoor time for at least an hour a day, or a balcony for fresh air. Just because they’re at home a lot doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy going out and learning about the world around them, so peak their interests, share your joys with them, and try to show them as much as you can, so they have a good understanding of their world. Sheltered Pokemon can have a lot of fear of the unknown, and in turn have a hard time socialising and enjoying the great outdoors, so learning stuff is super great for them, and you two can bond over all sorts!
All four of their diets are plant based, fruits, greens, herbivore poke-foods that you can find in the shops, they’re not fussy, and at their small stages need no specialised care within their diet unless they begin to show signs of nutrition deficiencies, which is usually easy to spot because of their green foliage parts changing colours. This can also happen with the changing seasons, and you’ll learn to notice what’s normal and what’s not as you get to know them more. Nutrition issues are not something to be deathly afraid of, and are normally easily fixed.
Hope you find your perfect partner, but keep an open mind, what I suggested is not always what finds you. Good luck!
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Text
Daddy's first pride
This is probably terrible, if so I'm sorry. From the Ana'verse.
"Plain iced cupcakes with different flags or rainbow icing." Robert announced as Aaron walked in the door with Ana on his hip and Seb following, making a beeline for his toys, giving his Dad a half hearted wave, as usual too interested in playing than anything else.
"Is this a quiz or..." He sets Ana down on the floor having picked her up from Sarah. He just stares at his husband, surrounded by recipe books, tapping away on his laptop, Sara in her bouncy chair in front of him fast asleep.
"For Pride. I can't make my mind up. Which do you think would be better?"
"Can we go back to the beginning, because I feel like I've walked in halfway through the series."
"Charles came in the cafe today, he's organising Pride in the village and he asked me to get involved." Aaron hasn't seen Robert look so eager about anything for ages, not since he came out of prison and he smiles along with him. "He's asked all local businesses for sponsorship or to be involved. I'm doing refreshments and stuff."
"When is it?"
"Next month. He said he'd called at the yard but couldn't make you hear." He goes back to scrolling on his laptop. "What do you think of these?"
"Must've had the crusher going." He shakes his head and picks his way through the mess surrounding Robert before he can sit down, lifting Ana onto his lap. "I can't hear a thing with that going you know that. What am I looking at?"
"Cookies. Maybe Mum could ice them, you know, all the different flags?"
"Yeah, why not. You know I'm the wrong person to ask, all I care about is if they taste nice."
"Idiot." He leans over to kiss him, closing his laptop. "I've put tea in early because there's a meeting at the village hall at six."
"About?"
"Pride, Aaron! I'm on the committee so I have to be on time. So you'll have to do bath time and that. I'll be home before they go to bed."
"There's a committee?"
"Yes. It all has to be arranged. You can help if you want. Mum's already volunteered, and there's Matty, Ethan, Charles, Nicola and Vic, oh and your Gran." He couldn't help smiling because he'd not seen Robert this animated in ages even if he truly couldn't remember any conversation they'd had about any of this.
"I'm not one for meetings am I, but I can do heavy lifting and that." He hesitates, not wanting to dampen Robert's mood one bit.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just...you've never really seemed interested in going to pride or 'owt." Robert looks down and he instantly feels bad. "Oi, it's not a criticism, I just wondered...you seem to be going at this hell for leather that's all. Did you want to go before or...?"
"Not really...I, nearly went once, in London. Chickened out at the last minute, worried someone from work might see me and just know which was daft I know, and when you and me got together, something always seemed to get in the way. I just thought...I know who I am now, and I'm happy. That's something to celebrate, isn't it?"
"Yeah, course. Be my first time too." He winks making Robert laugh. "Right, so, what else have you got planned?"
--------
"Robert!" It's only been a week and Aaron is wishing the days away so he can have his husband, and his house back. He's come home to a living room full of boxes.
"Oh, you're home. You're early."
"I thought I'd sack it off for the day and we could go to the pub for tea with the kids. I didn't expect to come home to...well this."
"Daddy look!" All of a sudden Seb emerges from behind the pile of boxes with what looks like a door curtain trailing behind him.
"Very nice mate. Robert what is all this."
"Ah...well..." Robert scratches his head as he untangles Seb from the decoration he's wrapped himelf in. "The thing is, I'm kinda in charge now."
"How come?"
"It was meant to be Andrea, although if you ask me she only agreed because she thinks it'll keep her in with Charles." Aaron nods, even though he really has no idea what he's talking about, but then Robert's always been more into village gossip than him. "Anyway she's cried off, I don't know, some kind of drama with Jamie again, and well Charles needed the help."
"And you agreed."
"He was stuck!"
Robert and Charles have struck up a kind of friendship since Robert came home, and Aaron knows that he's confided in him, stuff he doesn't want to tell Aaron, or things he needs to sort out before he does.
"Right, so basically the house is going to be a store room for the next fortnight?"
"No, I'm moving it all over to the village hall, but it needed checking, and Mum was going to help but then Ana wanted to go to the swings so she took her, and Sara."
"I'm helping!" Seb pipes up, with his head inside another box as Robert shook his head.
"Well how about you help me and Daddy move these boxes and then we can go and get some tea?"
"Chips?"
"If you get your head out of that box and stop spreading stuff everywhere then maybe."
--------
The next few weeks are a flurry of plans, of Robert having daily brainwaves or panics about one thing or another, and his phone is constantly lighting up with WhatsApp messages, but finally it's the evening before and he thinks Robert has calmed down. He's at one final committee meeting leaving Aaron in charge of the kids tea.
"You alright mate?" Seb's pushing his pasta around the plate rather than eating.
"Where's Daddy?"
"He's at his meeting, you know sorting things for tomorrow. He won't be long."
"What's Pride?" He says after pushing a few more bits of pasta around. He supposes he shouldn't be surprised Seb's asking, it's all they've spoken about for the last month or so after all.
"Well in some places it's like a big parade and it's full of colour and everyone's happy. Emmerdale's a bit small for a parade though ain't it, so it's just going to be like a big party with music and face paints and food and all sorts of things."
"Oh."
"What's up mate?"
"Oscar, at school, he said havin' two Daddies is weird." Aaron's never head of this Oscar, and he has to remind himself it wasn't the kids fault that he obviously hadn't been taught properly.
"Do you think it's weird?"
"No. You and Daddy both play with my trucks and take me on the swings."
"Exactly, some boys and girls have a Mummy and Daddy, like Eve, some have two Mummies like Moses and Johnny, and some like you, Ana and Sara have two Daddies. But all of you have fun, and everyone loves you, so it's not weird. Oscar maybe just doesn't understand hey?"
"But I had Mummy too." Aaron let out a breath, it'd been a good while since he'd mentioned Rebecca, other than saying goodnight to her photo every night. He wished Robert was here, he was always better at dealing with it than him.
"Yeah, well, Moses has a Daddy too doesn't he? A family can be made up of whoever, and still be the same as everyone elses. Do you understand?"
"I think so. And pride is like a party?"
"Yeah, celebrating the fact that people like me and Daddy can be together and stuff."
"But...why?"
"Because years ago we wouldn't have been allowed to get married or be together and some people still think we shouldn't."
"That's silly."
"Yes it is. Really silly."
"Can we go see Daddy?" Aaron smiles, and nods, happy that Seb's satisfied with his answer.
It's a bit of a struggle, managing the three of them, but eventually he gets Seb to push Sara in her chair, while he carries Ana, and they're heading towards the village. Suddenly Seb stops, mouth open and Aaron stops fiddling with Ana's cardigan to see what's wrong.
"Wow." Main Street is literally awash with colour and Seb's eyes are as wide as Christmas. "Look Daddy!"
"I am mate. Cool huh?" He can see Robert in the distance, with Charles and he nudges Seb to carry on walking, smile growing wider as they gets closer to his husband, seeing how happy he is.
"Daddy! Everything's pretty!" Seb all but abandons the buggy to run the last few metres to Robert who immediately picks him up and sits him on his shoulders.
"What do you think young man?" Charles asks him and Seb giggles. He likes Charles, had crazed them to be allowed to go to the after school club he'd set up in the village.
"I like the colours! Daddy said that Pride is cos he and Daddy are allowed to get married. Is that right?"
"Something like that yes. Do you remember we talked about it last week at after school club?"
"When we coloured in?"
"That's right. All of your drawings are hanging up in the church so maybe you can show your Daddies tomorrow."
"OK!"
"Come on chatterbox, let Charles get home."
"He's fine. I'll leave you to it. It looks really good Robert, you've done a great job getting everyone organised, especially last minute."
They take a slow walk home once Robert's done one last check of everything. Aaron's just happy to wait, happy to watch him. It's been a strange couple of years since he came out of prison, ups and downs along the way and he knows Robert's struggled with village events sometimes, feeling as though people are watching him, judging him. Seeing him taking such a delight in organising everything hopefully means he finally feels properly back at home.
"You ready?" Finally finished he kisses Aaron, Seb resting against his shoulder, suddenly tired. "It does look ok, right?"
"Yeah. Proper proud of you I am."
--------
"She's sleeping again." Aaron clicks off the light and slips into bed beside him, not getting any response from his husband. "You ok?"
"Hmm? Yeah. It's just..."
"What?"
"Charles asked me if I'd say something tomorrow."
"Ok, and...you don't want to? I'm sure he'd understand."
"No I do but...I don't know what to say."
"Just say whatever comes to mind. You don't have to make a big speech, just welcome everyone. He wouldn't have asked you if he didn't think you could."
"I just...it has to be perfect."
"Robert, it already is. Look at what you've done, the village looks amazin', and tomorrow is going to be brilliant and that's down to you."
"People helped."
"Yeah, but they wouldn't without you geeing them up. It's all set up now...you get to enjoy yourself."
"Mmm, love you, you know. I'm glad I didn't go that time in London, I'm glad my first pride is with you."
"Soppy git."
--------
"Right, I'm ready." He's barely set a foot on the bottom stair when Robert stops him.
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"You are not wearing all black. I will suffer it the rest of the year, but not today."
"Why the hell not? Last I checked it was a free country and I can wear whatever I want."
"No Daddy. You has to wear colour! It's the rule." Aaron bends down to Seb who has his arms crossed, mimicking Robert.
"Oh is it? Well I heard that it's the rule to tickle little boys until they shouted me to stop!"
"No! Daddy, stop it! Daddy help me!"
"Seb's right." Aaron stops tickling his son to frown at his annoying husband. Robert's wearing a t-shirt with PRIDE emblazoned across the front in the colours of the bisexual flag and before he can ask what he considers colourful enough he's handing him a bag. "I got you this."
He glares at him a moment longer, pulling what looks like a t-shirt from the bag.
"I knew you wouldn't actually wear proper colour so I got it made up in black." The shirt has 'love wins' across the front made to look like rainbow paint splatters. "Will it do?"
"Fine." He sighs, but he's smiling.
"I, er, I also got these, for the kids." He hands him three more shirts each saying the same thing. "You like 'em?"
"Perfect. Right then, I'll get changed, you can sort them, and then finally we can go!"
Fifteen minutes they're off, Seb running ahead, while Aaron has Aaron on his shoulders, little hands clutching at his hair. Robert's behind them, stopping to adjust Sara's sunhat.
"Seb hang on mate." He stopped at the top of the drive until Robert catches him up.
"Oh my God."
Main Street was full of people, and Aaron couldn't wipe the smile from his face.
"Look what you did."
"Yeah." He sounds stunned.
In the crush, the lose each other after a little while, and it's not until he hears Charles announcing Robert's name that he knows where he is. Making his way to the stage that's been set up next to the church he stands to one side with Sara's pushchair, Ana still on his shoulders. He can see Seb at the side of the stage with Vic so he's happy to stay where he is.
"Um...I don't quite know what to say. When Charles talked about this, I don't think any of us expected quite so many people. Er, it took me a long time to accept who I was, that, um, that I'm bisexual, that it's ok...Fifteen years actually, and now I'm married to the most wonderful man in the world and we've got three kids, and I'm happy. It's been a hell of a journey but I'm truly happy. Anyway I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's ok to not know, to take your time, to go at your own speed...so, have a wonderful day everyone!"
Aaron can barely hear himself think at the cheer, the whistle as Robert steps off the stage, picking Seb up and kissing him as he goes.
It takes a while but eventually they find each other and he sees that Seb had convinced his Daddy to let him get his face painted, cheeks perfectly matching his t-shirt that proclaims 'my daddies love me' with both a pride flag and bisexual flag.
"Was it ok?" Robert asks as Aaron moves Ana so she's standing with Seb, holding onto his hand.
"Did you hear them? It was perfect." He kisses him before hugging him tight. "Love you so much."
"Love you too."
"Daddy I'm hungry! Can we get a cookie from Ganma now?"
He laughs into Robert's neck as the moment's broken. It didn't matter, the whole day has been perfect from start to finish.
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stargazedmoony · 3 years
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Excerpt from a story I’ll never write: Wedding preparations.
“Why don’t you tell me something about the groom?”
Lily, caught by surprise, turned red on her cheeks. Through the mirror in front of her, she looked at the faces of her three best friends, who were now starting to giggle. “Oh, shut it,” she said as she turned around on the platform she was standing on, showing off a lovely, plain and white wedding dress.
She turned to the saleswoman. “Excuse me my very childish friends,” she laughed. “They’re still not over the shock of me being the first one to get married.”
“That’s not true!” Marlene objected. “Mary was the only one who thought that. And you—” She turned to Mary. “—still owe me three Sickles for it.”
Mary shook her head and grunted. “I can’t believe I made that bet with you. But I really thought you were going to get married first!”
“How can we?” Dorcas sighed next to Marlene. “Lesbian marriage is not even legal.”
“Yet.” Mary shot her a strict look, but then she quickly looked up, looking quite bewildered. “Oh!” she gasped with her eyes on the saleswoman who was eyeing the conversation with great interest. The woman friendly shook her head and said: “No need to worry. I don’t judge.” She gave them a small smile. “I’ll search for a few more dresses, alright, ladies?”
The four of them nodded and the woman left. Mary snorted. “I didn’t even mean the gay marriage thing when I looked at her,” she said. “I’m ready to fight anyone who disagrees on that. I was really just thinking about how she has no idea what a Sickle is.”
Marlene laughed and then looked up to Lily. “Yeah, how are you going to pay exactly?”
“Don’t be silly, Marls,” Dorcas said, shoving her girlfriend gently by the shoulder. “Lily’s still got Muggle money.”
“Yeah, I do,” Lily stepped in. It had been her idea to buy her wedding dress in a regular Muggle-shop. It made her feel close to her family and her origin. “Mum insists on paying for half of the dress,” she continued. “Euphemia and her keep fighting over it.” She was looking carefully at the dress on her body as she was talking, letting the fabric slip through her fingers and stepping right and left on the small platform to look at it from every perspective. It was really just a plain, white dress — very casual and quite traditional. It was also the third dress she was trying on and just like the other two, this one didn’t suit her either. She pursed her lips. “This is not it, right?” she asked the girls behind her, eyeing them in the mirror. Dorcas frowned. Mary shook her head at once. Straight up as she was, she said: “It makes you look very short,” and Lily laughed at her directness.
“It’s a nice dress—” Marlene started politely, but Dorcas cut her off. “Oh, shut it, McKinnon. It’s quite a boring dress.” Dorcas laughed at Marlene’s face and quickly grabbed her girlfriend’s hand to kiss the palm of it. Marlene’s face softened. Mary grunted.
“I can’t believe I’m the only one not in a relationship,” she said.
“You’re welcome to join us,” Dorcas winked playfully.
“No, she’s not!” Marlene gasped loudly. Dorcas’s roaring laughter filled the room with such delight that the rest of the girls couldn’t help but laugh along with her.
“I might have to pair up with Peter after all,” Mary said, still smiling but looking rather weirded out by the idea of settling with Peter Pettigrew. “Oh, come on,” Dorcas said. “Peter’s fun, he’s just—”
“A bit of an idiot? Short? Always eating?” Mary filled her in.
“I was going to say “quiet”, but damn, he does seem to be eating all the time, doesn’t he?” Dorcas chuckled while Marlene shrugged her shoulders. “He’s just stressed. And can you blame him? With everything that’s going on?”
“What? Lily marrying Potter?”
“No, I mean with the war.”
The room fell quiet. Lily looked at the ground. She hadn’t thought about the war all day, being too caught up with wedding preparations and looking at gorgeous wedding dresses. Suddenly, she felt very guilty that she was feeling happy and loved when there was a world out there being wrecked and destroyed. “Oh, Lily, I’m sorry,” Marlene said, noticing Lily’s uncertain look. “I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay,” Lily said, smiling softly. “I’m going to find the saleswoman. To tell her this is not the dress.” She stepped off of the platform as she said this, leaving Marlene looking guilty and Dorcas comforting her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Lily didn’t blame Marlene for talking about the war. It was all everyone could talk about. But Lily really needed something good in her life. The danger that she was in, being a Mudblood, and not to mention her family being in grave danger as long as she was connected to the wizarding world; it was sometimes too much to bear. There were nights when she couldn’t sleep at all, because images of her friends’ dead bodies were whirling like insects in her head. This wedding was all the light she had right now.
In the back of the store, Lily found the saleswoman. “Ma’am?” she said quietly. The woman looked up. “Oh, hi darling!” she said friendly. “Call me Maria, please. How can I help you?”
Lily smiled. “Well, I just don’t think this dress is going to be it,” she said. Maria nodded. “That’s OK!” she said enthusiastically. “Come with me! I’ve put a few more in your dressing room in case you wanted to try on a different one.”
Lily followed the woman to the dressing room to, indeed, see a few more dresses hanging on hangers and filling the empty space of the disappointing dresses she had tried on earlier. Lily waited for Maria to zip down the back of the current dress as she looked at a beautiful mild golden-white coloured dress that was hanging right in front of her. “Wow,” she breathed under her breath. Maria helped her out of her dress and put it back on a hanger. Lily, fully aware that she was almost entirely naked, pointed at the dress. “Can I— May I try that one?” Maria looked up, a smile creeping on her face. “Of course! I thought you might like that one.”
It took a while to get into the dress, but once it was on, Lily gasped for air. She could simply not believe she was looking at herself in the mirror. On her skin, the dress seemed to be a fine lined-colour between golden and off-white. It made her hair flair up, looking redder than it had ever done before, and it made the freckles on her shoulders stand out, like Autumn leaves on bare ground. She laughed, stunned by her own beauty. Surprisingly shocked by how comfortable she was, Lily kept on staring, knowing that Maria was watching her with curiosity and delight. “I— I look beautiful,” she stammered eventually.
Maria chuckled. “You do, sweetheart,” she said kindly. “Shall I dress you up a little more? Put your hair up, maybe? I brought a few veils that might go well with this dress.” Lily nodded, not entirely hearing what the woman was saying.
It was an A-lined long dress, embracing her belly around her waist and showing off her figure in a way she was sure would make James’s his jaw drop. The golden glow of the satin in combination with her red locks reminded her of the Gryffindor colours back in the old common room at Hogwarts. The body of it came with lace off-the-shoulder long sleeves, leaving her freckled arms in a glamorous pattern of flowers. She stared in disbelief at the dress and then at Maria. The woman was eyeing her with a small smile on her lips. “Tell me something about the groom,” she said, repeating the question she had asked earlier that afternoon.
Lily bit down her lip. She couldn’t believe the buzzing of butterflies awakening in her stomach by only hearing James’s name. “His name’s James,” she said, quite shyly and stroking the lightly sparkling dress on her body. “He’s very sportive, I guess. And he loves the Beatles.” Lily laughed as a memory came flying into her thoughts— James hearing “Come Together” on the ‘magical music box’, as he liked to call the regular radio, for the first time two summers ago at her parents’ house. “Who is this?” he had asked, eagerly. “Are they in the music box? Can you summon them out?”
“Oh, he’s just lovely,” Lily smiled, caressing the memory in her head. “He’s a real knob head sometimes, but he’s the most loyal friend and boyfriend you could ask for. He’s charming and… and endearing and he’s caring and he always makes sure that I eat or that I’m warm enough, and every night before bed he gives me this little kiss on my forehead. “For sweet dreams,” he then says to me. I don’t think he could possibly imagine how loved that makes me feel. And sometimes he—” Lily stopped talking, noticing the bright smile on Maria’s face. “Oh, I’m sorry! I bet you didn’t mean those kind of things, right?”
Maria chuckled. “Oh no, dear, please,” she said, carefully placing a veil on top of Lily’s hair that Maria had apparently decided should just fall onto her shoulders. “I was adoring the way you talk about him. I treasure these kind of moments with every bride I talk to, you know that? It causes magic to appear in between these walls.” Lily smiled at the choice of words, but let the woman continue: “Men don’t care for that kind of talk, so when women come here, they tend to really get lost in their feelings. It’s the look in their eyes that sparks my happiness. I just saw it in yours. It’s why I come to work every day.”
Lily smiled. “I think you’re a wonderful person. Thank you for your kind words,” she said. She could’ve sworn Maria reddened on the cheeks as she laughed. Lily leaned in, a bit to Maria’s surprise, and hugged her, and Maria hugged her back. “I think I’m ready to see my friends now.” Maria nodded, took the lower part of the dress in her hands to prevent it from catching dust or dirt, and guided Lily back to the platform. There, Lily was welcomed back by gasps of surprise and shock and small screeches of happiness. It was a noise that made Lily’s insides fill with her very own kind of magic. It was love.
by: @stargazedmoony :)❥
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agentnico · 3 years
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Free Guy (2021) Review
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“Don’t have a good day, have a great day!”
Plot: When a bank teller discovers he's actually a background player in a brutal open-world video game, he decides to become the hero of his own story - one that he can rewrite himself. In a world where there's no limits, he's determined to save the day his way before it's too late, and maybe find a little romance with the coder who conceived him.
Last time I watched such a hyper-actively positive film I was seeing little LEGO figures jumping about on screen with Morgan Freeman hanging off a string in ghost form. Yes, The LEGO Movie shares a lot in common with Free Guy, not just in its opening sequence where Ryan Reynolds’s loveable Guy is starting off a perfectly good day every day with a nice cup of coffee and wishing everyone not a good, but a great day, goes to the job at his bank and goes back home, and rinse and repeat. But the character of Guy himself is basically Chris Pratt’s Emmett from The LEGO Movie - full of sunshine and innocence and taking everything that comes with child-like excitement and energy. You can also treat Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” song usage here like “Everything is Awesome” with how many times its played, but damn if it isn’t catchy! And the film comparisons don’t end there. You wouldn’t be faulted for seeing references to Ready Player One with all the cameos and Easter Eggs and pop culture references thrown in the mix, to The Truman Show based on the general concept and obviously certain video games such as Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row and even Sims due to the video game open world that the movie creates. 
Speaking of the video game open world that is created, you could tell director Shawn Levy and the producers went through a lot of effort to research modern video games and all the tiny little details and quirks that exist. For example it was a lot of fun seeing characters tea-bag someone they just killed to then a character glitching out and jumping into the wall repetitively or the obvious inclusion of Fortnite inspired dance jiggles. You also get cameos from various real-life game streamers such as Jacksepticeye and DanTDM, and I found an interview on IGN where those guys spoke about in regards to how Hollywood can never seem to get video-game-to-film adaptations right, and how they appreciated that the producers of Free Guy went to them and asked questions and actually showed interest in wanting to create a realistic feeling video game in the movie and getting the terminology right. Evidently unlike other video game adaptations Free Guy manages to succeed from the fact that it doesn’t need to replicate a specific game from real life. There are nods to certain games as I aforementioned, but otherwise they’ve created their own entire game and as such there is no expectation to impress a certain individual fan base. So in conclusion what I’m saying is that I guess Hollywood should stop trying to adapt film versions of popular video game franchises and instead do their own original stuff maybe? Then again I do want to see that Ghost of Tsushima adaptation come to life, so yes, I’ll just go and kindly shut myself up.
Taking the video game matter aside for the time being, I found Free Guy to be an absolute delight from start to finish. Well, to be exact from 20 minutes from the start to finish. Honestly when the film began I was concerned if the movie was going to turn out to be the typical “I live in a simulation” story, and though as a basis it is exactly that, there’s so much goodness thrown into the mix with funny jokes to the cameos (the cameos are to die for!) to the visuals to the music choices to the performances - the movie is such a joy to watch. Speaking of the cameos and pop culture references, Free Guy is also an interesting film outside of its narrative. This movie was in production during the time the studio that was behind it - 20th Century Fox - was being sold to a certain little known company called Disney. As such, you can tell after the studio’s transfer to Disney was complete, this film underwent some additional reshoots and last minute changes, mainly in the finale because there are certain surprises at the end of the movie that will be a geek/nerd’s wet dream and were only made possible after Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, now known as 20th Century Studios. Personally I still have my qualms about Disney being the massive conglomerate business giant that is buying out all the other studios, but not going to lie even I got excited and jumped up like a kid in my cinema seat when a certain something happened at the end of this movie. Luckily only my lovely fiancée saw me like this as she was sitting next to me, and yes, I’m certain that me revealing my true nerd colours definitely lost me some attraction points from her, but nevertheless I don’t care, the Easter Eggs at the end of this movie are real fun!
The entire cast is top notch here. Ryan Reynolds does his usual shtick that he’s been doing ever since he found success with Deadpool, however naturally here he’s kept PG-13 and not swearing every other breath. That being said, his charm and sarcastic charisma really worked for the role of Guy, and he presented himself as really loveable and naïve and it was impossible not to like him in this film. Jodie Comer in her role has also been getting humongous praise from critics and reviewers alike, and yes, the rumours are true, she shares great on screen chemistry with Ryan Reynolds and also is proper cool and badass as to be expected. That being said I was told by a certain someone that they know someone who knows someone who knew someone who spoke to someone who said that they worked with Jodie Comer on the set of Killing Eve, and this was just some behind-the-scenes worker, and apparently in their experience they found Comer to be a real diva and challenge to work with. So that’s now me here spreading some gossip for no apparent reason besides causing a little stir and now I can move on. Joe Keery has a much bigger role in this film that the trailers made it seem, and I must say the lad has really been doing well for himself ever since his appearance in Stranger Things. Whenever I’ve see him in anything since such as Spree or Death to 2020 he’s always been wonderful to watch. Here in Free Guy he’s no different, getting to play a character who at first comes off as a villain but then is revealed to simply be a guy working for the wrong person. Speaking of that wrong person, the villain of the movie is played by none other than actor-director Taika Waititi himself, and his role is really interesting seeing as he plays the owner of this big video game business company who only cares about money and sequels over art, which I found quite ironic seeing as this movie is distributed by Disney that’s all about sequels, remakes and reboots. Just saying. Also found it funny how even though this movie marks a little reunion of sorts for Ryan Reynolds and Taika Waititi, they don’t share any scenes together which was probably for the best, as last time they worked together Green Lantern occurred. Anyway, Taika is as goofy and over-the-top as you expect him to be, and I can see him being very divisive. You’ll either find him hilarious or super annoying. However both opinions would work seeing as he’s the villain.
Free Guy is an absolute cuddly crowd-pleaser full of casual mayhem and crazy ideas, and is sure to be a welcome boost of fun in a summer that naturally lacked bigger blockbusters due to what’s happening in the world right now. However nonetheless, this and The Suicide Squad have really made a point that cinema is back, hopefully to stay.
Overall score: 9/10
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Okay, back in May @isolatedphenomenon asked me if I had an les mis fic recs and I went "oh boy do I !" and then promptly fucked off and disappeared from tumblr for like 6 months...
Anyway on the off chance people are interested, here is my vastly too long list of  my favourite les mis fanfic (that I'm almost 100% sure I'll have accidentally missed some of my favourites off of...)
The vast majority of these are main pairing Enjolras/Grantaire, so I've put those first, divided into multi-chaptered and then one-shots. Below that will be other pairings!
Multi-chaptered
• Witch Boy Series : magic AU, starting with Grantaire solving Enjolras' curse - this is just Incredible world building which gets better as it goes on - my favourite is the Babet interlude
• World Ain't Ready : you know how fandoms tend to have a fic that is just associated with it ? in my experience, for les mis this is it - and well deserved ! High school, fake dating AU with some of the most engaging writing
• BE : Enjolras is dragged back into theatre production, helping Eponine put on a production of Hamlet - really love the characterisation in this, and this is really one of those modern AUs that actually feels like real life - really good writing
• After the End : the definitive apocalypse AU in my eyes - les amis are an underground resistance to the dystopian government - really wonderful characterisation of Grantaire and the amis
• You never have to wonder; you never have to ask. : I tend to find fic by scrolling through bookmarks of a pairing, which means I often see repeats; this is a fic that if I see I just re-read cause I know I'll enjoy it - the amis sparked a failed rebellion, and now 18 months later Grantaire ends up staying at Enjolras' after returning to Paris for Marius and Cosette's wedding
• Your Heart on Your Skin : Soulmate AU with flower tattoos marking important emotions and events - wonderful concept and world building 
• Impatient to Be Free : Daughters of Bilitis AU - if that doesn't make you excited I don't know what else to say to convince you (aside from saying the author is a simply wonderful writer)
• You Dance Dreams : Okay. Not to be over dramatic, but this fic did genuinely qualitatively change my life, in that it was the first thing that got me looking up contemporary ballet and now that's like one of my favourite things and big hobby So. Also its really great writing; music/creative arts school les amis with Grantaire choreohraphing the ballet for Combeferre's opera, with a heavy emphasis on Grantaire realising he really never actually got over Enjolras
• philia : this one is an absolute classic to me, but not given nearly enough recognition - one of the more realistic college AUs ever written, and the writing of Grantaire is so good because it hits the perfect balance of sympathy and annoyance about his behaviour (that's a genuine compliment) 
• Coffee Hooligans : fucking tragedy this never got properly finished, Enjolras leads the amis as social justice vigilantes and tries to hide the criminal bits of his life from R
• Fighting the Hurricane : Pacific Rim AU that's less an AU and more just placing the les mis characters in the Pacific Rim universe. Really good and riveting read, also super interesting depiction of Grantaire
• Weaving Olden Dances : Fairy AU - Grantaire "claims" Enjolras to prevent his execution - really good writing, love Grantaires characterisation 
• Paris Burning : canon era (sort of) where cities have a physical being - Grantaire is Paris and becomes entangled in Enjolras' revolution - oh the world building is truly *chefs kiss*
• Euphoria is You For Me : Enjolras and Grantaire keep meet cuting in a wonderfully written Brooklyn - feels like a love letter to Brooklyn at times, and I really like the characterisation of Grantaire 
• so please just fall in love with me this christmas : Enjolras works for the environmental company Grantaire volunteers at, and keeps getting secret gifts at Christmas - I sound a little like a broken record but the Grantaire characterisation is very good
• You Are the Moon : Wild West esque Space AU - Grantaire has to call on the amis to help rescue Valjean and Cosette, despite Grantaire leaving the amis 6 months before. On re-reading the Enjolras characterisation feels a little rushed, but overall fantastic story telling and the Grantaire arc is a Delight 
• Pandemos : Enjolras is aphrodite, and seeks peace from all his suitors in R/Hephestus' cave
• Pining for You : Hallmark christmas romance - Grantaire returns home to work on his father's tree farm, and Enjolras is the lawyer helping prevent the farm being sold - cute as shit imo
• Once We're Kings : Fantasy AU - a country hosts a ball to marry Prince Enjolras and the rival country sends Grantaire as a fuck you - one of the best ways of doing Enjolras as a prince in a fantasy and just really nicely written
• Never Bitter and All Delicious : Fairy Godmother AU - yes really, yes its genuinely a very good read
• On One Condition : Fantasy AU - Enjolras is a bored knight who finally goes to check out the local dragon, which turns out to be Grantaire - I really like how they capture Enjolras' stubborn nature and it's such a well written soft growth of love between them
• That's How Easy Love Can Be : Les Amis work at a primary school; and its secret santa time! very fun portrayal of Enjolras
• The Lark and Her Lieutenants : re write of canon where Cosette is the leader of the revolution - just *chefs kiss*
• If You Tickle Us, Do We Not Laugh : Grantaire is Enjolras' secret android - really good at writing a relationship that's incredibly loving but just keeps being antagonistic and coming off wrong 
One Shots
• True Colours : AU where you leave colours on the people important to you - Enjolras and Grantaire falling for each other is so soft and gently written its lovely, this is genuinely one of my favourites
• Keep It Kind, Keep It Good, Keep It Right : this one is so good to me, because it builds off my pet hatred of everyone assuming Enjolras doesn't care about (or at least actively show he cares about) his friends
• blooming : very soft post-dystopian utopia that has just a really wonderful sense of hope and light to me
• and the wall leaned away (or: The Pros and Cons of Tilling) : perfectly realised characterizations of the amis, Grantaire needs a date to her final year art exhibition - deals with anxiety over protest in a way that actually hits for me
• not just one of the crowd : R helps run a leftist bakery and bike repair shop - very cute characterisation, and I think more les mis fanfic should link to anarchist essays
• Lovesickness : Enjolras is an idiot and thinks he's sick rather than having a crush - the writing of Joly and Combeferre in this is some of my favourite depictions of these two
• If there's a rocket, tie me to it : absolutely heartbreaking sci-fi AU about the amis as doomed mecha pilots
• Where I Fall is Where I Land : Enjolras is a Roman commander as Rome's power is leaving England, and then meets the pict Grantaire (+ fun soulmark stuff !)
• You Started Foreign to Me : Enjolras moves to america and R is the overnight grocery clerk who helps her learn Spanish - cute fluffy lesbians with a wonderfully written driven Enjolras
• Love Is Touching Souls : very cute soulmate AU - and one I really love for really truly considering the implications of soul marks and creating historical lore around it
• Ten Years : R is a musician, and it non-linearly charts his relationship to Enj from high school to 10 years later
• put up with me then I'll make you see : Grantaire lives above Enjolras, and its christmas - I find it to have a very fun interpretation of pining Enjolras
• A Cat Called Trash Can : this was one of the first les mis fics I ever read (yes I know it says it was published in 2020, but I think it has to be a re-upload or something?) and it does still have a special place in my heart - Grantaire rescues a cat, but Enjolras is the only one with an apartment free to look after it 
• Still I'm Begging to Be Free : inception AU where les amis have to rescue a sleeping R from his own brain
•I'm in it for You : cw: illness, cancer - R has cancer and is being a martyr about telling his friends so Enjolras drives him back from chemo
• walls come tumbling down : sky high au - a very good high school AU with the perfect level of campy superhero powers
• This brave new world's not like yesterday : Enjolras needs a job, so ends up working in a bowling alley with Grantaire and bonding
Enjolras/Grantaire/Combeferre
• In Defiance of All Geometry : les amis are a student co-op house, Enjolras and Combeferre are pining friends and Grantaire is the newbie
• Still the Same : this is very good writing and very compelling - if you can get over the (imo) plot hole of Enjolras working for the FBI. R was an art thief Enj put away and is briefly helping the FBI out, and Combeferre is Enjolras' husband
• To Kingdom Come : cw: war and PTSD from that, Enjolras and Combeferre are part of a group of refugees that have crossed into a more fantasy land, and Grantaire is a lone traveller from that land that attempts to help - that was a shit summary of this very emotional, wonderfully written fic about war and love in all forms
• Gonna need (a spark to ignite) : I always love a twist on a classic trope, and this is a very fun take on the soulmate AU - Enjolras loses feeling in his soul mark as a child, falls in love with Grantaire and then his soulmate, Combeferre, turns up
Eponine/Cosette
• Pretty Girls Don't Know the Things That I Know : simply stunning writing - perfect example of soft writing about a harsh world
• she knows her way around : Eponine and Cosette bond, ostensibly so Eponine can find out about her for Marius, and their interactions are so playful and realistic, its wonderful
• always find me floating on oceans : Cosette stows away on Eponine's pirate ship - I do always have a soft spot for eposette fics (not just cause I ship it) because they truly characterise Cosette in a really considered and interesting way
• There's No Making Love : I'm putting this under eposette even though there is some significant enjolras/grantaire content, because the Cosette characterisation is so fun and cute
• round and round again : this fic really beautifully translates Cosette's bad childhood and then isolated teenage years, and the impact that would have on her as an adult into a modern AU
• Underwater Thunderheards : this is based off the book The Scorpio Races, and is just a really nice short fic  about longing
• How To Change The World Without Taking Power : Marius has a crush on Cosette and she's tried being polite and subtle in turning him down, so just ends up fake dating Eponine instead
• blood red fruit and poison's kiss : Snow White AU - Cosette as Snow White
• The Winters Cannot Fade Her : Snow White Au 2.0 - Eponine as Snow White - this was written as a pair to the one above which is just so cute to me
• marriage à la mode : Cosette and Eponine run a bridal shop together and it's very cute !
• Temporary Hold : I personally find this a really fun and very unique take on Cosette - with exams coming up she decides she needs to get laid on the reg and so hits up Eponine to act as if they're already long term girlfriends
Combeferre/Courfeyrac
• better than you had it : fake dating but kick it up an emotional notch - Courf and Ferre pretend to still be together after breaking up for a family event
• take flight, come near : nice and cute low fantasy, where Combeferre runs a dragon sanctuary and Courf finds an injured dragon
Rare Pairs
• The Future's Owned by You and Me : cute Enjolras/Feuilly with actual radical politics and real life organising difficulties and wins
• First Dates and Other Dangers : Combeferre and Grantaire agree to go on a blind date and it's awkward until it isn't - just cute !
• after midnight : Combeferre has insomnia and meets Grantaire in various all night fast food chains
• as you are : Bahorel and Jehan getting ready together
• Almost Romantic : Jehan works at a museum, and takes Combeferre on a little tour
• Understudy : Jehan/Combeferre, with Combeferre's insecurities regarding being seen as second best to Enjolras
• Here There Be Dragons : Courf/Enj/Ferre - Courf and Enj are superheroes and Ferre is the doctor that patches them up
• To Let it Occur (Laisser Faire la Nature) : Feuilly has a stupidly long stopover in Paris and meets Enjolras
• rule of three : Courf/Enj/Ferre as spies and loving boyfriends
• Good Rhetoric : snapshots of cute cuddly courf/enj/ferre
• subluxate, dislocate, replace : found family and chronic illness with Joly/Bossuet/Musichetta
• Strike stone, strike home (like lightning) : so this fic took one minor piece of lore about Tolkien's dwarves and made a beautiful j/b/m fic from it
• Almost Inevitable : Bahorel/Feuilly friends-with-benefits
• god only knows (what I'd be without you) : Bahorel/Feuilly with a closeted Feuilly and a beautiful Feuilly and Eponine friendship
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beatlebachelor · 3 years
Text
May I? : Cedric diggory x reader
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summary: your Cedrics best friend and you begin to realise your genuine feelings for him after he enters the Tri-wizard tournament only to find out he feels the same. hufflepuff reader!
Warnings: possibly fluffy?
Word count: 2,257
Y/N - your name
Y/E/C - your eye colour
This is my first time writing one of these so if there is any way you think i could improve please feel free to give suggestions!
Its Monday morning, 9:10 to be precise, me and my friends Cedric, Hermione, Harry and Ron were all sat down having breakfast in the great hall. Despite the fact me and Cedric were in Hufflepuff and the other three were Gryffindor we always sat together. Cedric was two years older than us and did get teased about hanging out with third years but it didn’t bother him, he enjoyed our company. I often hoped he favoured mine especially.
After everyone had finished their food Dumbledore stood up to do his weekly Monday morning speech, but it felt different this morning. “Is that Bartemius Crouch?” Hermione inquired. “Who?” Harry said cautiously. As Hermione went to answer she was quickly interrupted by Dumbledore as his voice bellowed through to the other side of the hall.  
“Today, I get to announce something very special and to help me we have Sir Bartemius Crouch from The Ministry of Magic. Hogwarts has been selected to host a famous wizarding event. The Tri-Wizard Tournament!” suddenly there were many whistles, cheers and whispers coming from all four tables, me and Cedric looked at each other in immense delight but everything suddenly stopped when Dumbledore spoke again. “There have been some new rules put in place this year to ensure more safety for our students, after all this is a very dangerous competition. Sir Bartemius Crouch, if you will” a few small whispers formed from different areas of the hall. Ron whispered to us all “if any of you enter this competition ill be praying for you, this tournament is the real thing, so many people that have entered this died just from the first round” What Ron said shook me up a little, part of me knew that Cedric would give into whatever temptation he had to enter.
After all the whispers had finished Bartemius walked up to stand beside Dumbledore. He pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket where he had obviously written a speech. The room began to feel slightly tense. “From this year onward those who enter and compete in the Tri-wizard tournament must be at least 17 years old-” He was suddenly cut off by the majority of the hall shouting and screaming at him. Me, Harry, Hermione and Ron weren't phased by the new rule. None of us were of age anyway and if we were we wouldn’t have entered. Cedric however appeared to be very pleased with himself, he was 17, he could compete, he wasn’t my boyfriend or anything but id known him for ages. What if he entered and got hurt, I don’t want to stop him from doing something he is interested in though because that wouldn’t be fair.
When we all left the hall I went straight to dark arts, I didn’t speak a word to Cedric in fear that if I did I would just break down and cry. I didn’t want to ruin anything for him because I could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted to win that cup, and if he wanted it then I would want it for him. After all I was his closest friend, friend... that never felt nice to say.
In dark arts I could barely focus, all I could think about was if I liked Cedric, I had known him for so long and never thought about whether how I felt about him was more than just friendship. I mean would it be so bad if I liked him? I couldn’t get him out of my head. UGGGGHHH this is so frustrating. The thought always did cross my mind about how perfect his face was, everything about him in fact, I couldn’t think of a single flaw no matter how hard I tried.
By the time lunch came I still hadn't made up my mind on if I actually fancied Cedric, I mean come on, am I really going to be like every other girl in this school and fall for his charm. And as if he’d ever like me back, by the looks of it he’s probably into one of the Beaxbatons Academy girls just like the rest of the boys in this place. In all fairness it is rather enjoyable to watch them walk, how do they always look like they are floating? Besides the point! Hopefully I'm just unwell, surely that’s the only explanation.
I went straight back to the common room, anything to avoid Cedric, even if it was missing lunch. However, it appeared my plan to avoid Cedric had failed when I walked in to see him sat on the sofa next to the fire. Just him, no one else. “Are you ok?” I asked with a shake in my voice. “Y/N I wanted to talk to you. We have been friends for ages which is why I want your opinion, I trust you” I felt a small flutter of butterflies in my stomach and proceeded to say “you trust me? I mean emm what is it?” that made me feel rather embarrassed. “Well, I was thinking of entering the Tri-wizard tournament but i know how dangerous it is and idk if I'm capable of the magic I will need to protect myself. I also don’t want to hurt anyone if something bad were to happen to me” A horrible feeling formed in my stomach and slowly moved to my throat. The thought of Cedric getting hurt made me feel sick. “Cedric don’t be silly. Your one of the most talented wizards in this whole school and you seriously think you wouldn’t be able to protect yourself. If its what you want then we all want it for you and I will help in whatever way I can to ensure you win” I said that full of confidence, I really did mean it, every word. “Youve always been there for me Y/N, I genuinely don't know what I would do without you” He pulled me in for a hug, I always loved our hugs, my head would always fall in the right place on his chest. He smells so good, almost a musky bark smell with a hint of vanilla. I wondered if he thought the same.
A week passed and it was time for the champions on the Tri-wizard tournament to be announced. First the champion of Beaxbatons, Fleur Delacour. Next the Durmstrang champion, Victor Krum. As the paper for the Hogwarts champion floated down into Dumbledores hand my stomach sunk but then I felt a slight warmth on my hand, I looked down and it was Cedric. He had interlocked his fingers into mine and was gently squeezing them with excitement, I turned to him and smiled he looked directly into my eyes with a slight smirk as his cheeks flushed pink.
Dumbledore read out the name on the paper “And finally the Hogwarts champion is, Cedric Diggory” Cedrics face lit up with pure joy, so did mine, his iridescent blue eyes glistening. He hugged me so tightly for only about 2 seconds, but there it was again, that smell, his scent makes me feel so warm inside. He let go and stood up to go shake Dumbledores hand. Everyone was cheering, mainly the girls, of course it was the girls.
Another week went by and we had been preparing for his first task, dragons, I don’t know what would've happened to Cedric if Harry didn't tip him off. We practised basic spells on how to defend himself against them for hours and hours. Now we would have to see if he remembered them. Whilst in the tent I stayed with Cedric, he asked me to, his words were “your the only one who can keep me calm” After he had picked out his dragon the canon went off, Cedrics eyes glazed over slightly as he turned and gently kissed me on the forehead. He had never done that before, maybe it was just out of nerves. So many thoughts rushed through my head, surely Cedric didn’t like me? By the time I had gathered my thoughts he had already gone. I ran to my place in the audience, right next to Hermione. She asked what took me so long. I didn’t want to tell her but at the same time I did, I gave her a brisk hug and began to watch Cedric in hope that he would succeed and taking the egg.
Cedric managed to complete the first task unharmed within what seemed about 15 minutes. I was so proud of him. When we were all back at the common room I realised I needed to talk to Cedric, about all the hugs and the forehead kiss and most importantly, how I felt, I waited for everyone to head to their rooms and asked Cedric to stay behind. We sat on the sofa with the fire crackling beside us. “I'm so happy you passed the first challenge, I'm really impressed” I paused for a second thinking of how I was meant to say what I needed to say, but then he cut me off. “Y/N, about earlier, when I kissed you on your forehead, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Recently Ive realised how much you mean to me and I don’t want to do anything that your not ok with. I'm sorry if this is forward but I really do like you, its everything about you. Your hair, your smell, your Y/E/C eyes. I'm sorry I sound so stupid right now” A rush of emotions came over me, was I hearing this correctly, did I fall asleep and I'm actually just dreaming. “Cedric, I feel exactly the same, I didn’t want to tell you in case you didn’t feel the same way and then it was too awkward to continue being friends. That’s why I asked you to stay down here with me for a bit” Cedrics cheeks were bright red and he had a happy/embarrassed expression on his face, I could tell mine was doing the exact same. He held onto my hand again, it felt so natural, I usually wasn’t all for the idea of being touched often but when Cedric did it everything felt ok.  
A couple hours passed whilst we were just chatting and even played a game of wizards chess. After I began to get tired he walked me to my room holding my hand all the way. When I got to the door he stopped. ”Y/N would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me” I didn’t even have to think “Yes Cedric, I would” He hugged me and let me go into my room.
We practised for the dance for the next two weeks, it was so fun, we rarely took it seriously but that was what made it even better.
Finally, I hope our practise for the dance was worth while considering I have two left feet. I had just finished getting ready, I wore a flowy light blue dress with a few pale pink and beige tones. As I walked down the stairs I bumped into Hermione. She looked so beautiful, her hair was so perfectly done and she was wearing the prettiest pink dress. Had I not made a big enough effort? We continued to walk down the stairs and I noticed Krum was waiting for Hermione, I couldn’t see Cedric so I stood and waited with them both for a bit. And then, there he was, he looked as handsome as ever in his dress robes, a wide smile formed on his face when he looked at me. He slowly walked over “you look absolutely stunning Y/N” he said whilst gently holding onto both of my hands. “Don't look too shabby yourself” I said with a little giggle, he laughed too, he always did tell me that my laugh was contagious.  
Once everyone was gathered in the great hall the champions and their partners were ordered to enter as we were the first to dance. We took position. Staring into Cedrics eyes as he held onto my waist made me feel as if we were the only two people in the room, I wasn’t worried, in fact I didn’t feel anything but joy. The music began and we set off. The more I continued to look into his eyes the more natural the dancing felt. Every time he lifted me into the air butterflies formed in my stomach, my dream was always to be able to dance in a ball with a gorgeous boy and now, my dream was coming true.
As the night grew longer me and Cedric remained in the hall dancing for hours upon hours. Eventually we sat down “Tonight has been really fun Y/N” he started “i actually have something to ask you, well Ive been meaning to ask it for a while now actually.” There was only one thing on my mind “sure go ahead” Cedric slowly stood up holding my hand causing me to stand up too. He gently moved the hair from out of my face and put it behind my ear and the proceeded to place his hand on my cheek. His hands were so soft, I could feel the warmth on my skin. My heart was beating so fast. I saw him open his mouth as if he was too scared to say what he wanted to. “May I kiss you” he said silently in a slightly shaky voice. I leaned in closer to him, my lips very nearly touching his. “...yes”
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private-snippers · 4 years
Text
A Fog of Green
Soulmate September Day 4 - There is a trail of colour only you can see that marks out where your soulmate has been.
Pairings: Intrulogical, very minor anxceit (it’s mentioned in like two paragraphs at the very end
Warnings: blink and you’ll miss it self deprecation, talk of blood, gore, death (generally just Remus being Remus)
Notes: you can read Intrulogical as romantic or queer-platonic. I like to think of them as QPP’s, but there is talk of proposing at the end and I’m not sure if QPP’s get married?
ao3
Logan sighed, checking his watch for what must have been the seventh time in the past minute. If Patton has been in his position, he may have said Logan was checking his watch for the thousandth time, but he wasn’t, and Logan was not one for hyperboles.
Logan’s shift had started nearly 10 minutes ago, and they had been fidgeting endlessly ever since. He had been expecting a calm shift, looking at the fish and perhaps informing customers of a few facts. With this new disturbance, however, they thought it best that the customers simply inform themselves using the plaques attached to the walls nearby the tanks. The constantly fading trail of green smoke had their full attention.
It flowed in from the jellyfish exhibit, through the hall Logan was stationed in, and out past into the amphibians and beyond. Logan had come into the hall through the reptile exhibit, only passing the entrance to the amphibians, too engrossed in his thoughts to notice the green smoke. Even if he had noticed, however, he would have had to wait, as he did now, for the end of his shift. It was only his second day at the job, he could not afford to be flagged for missing his shift.
Instead, Logan spent their time pacing the hall, thinking of their soulmate and praying to the stars and the constellations among them that their soulmate would still be in their general vicinity when their shift finished.
Luckily for him, there was no need to wait.
Logan heard several pounding footsteps come in from the reptile exhibit, along with a few muffled apologies. His head snapped up, but not quick enough to dodge before he caught a flash of green out of the corner of his eye and someone slammed directly into him.
“Oh, fuck! Sorry! I’m looking for my–” they paused, looking at the air around Logan, “for you, apparently! Shit, that was a bad first impression. I’m Remus, she/her right now!”
“Logan, he/they. I presume that you are the source of all this green smoke everywhere?”
“So long as you’re the blue! Wait, I'm green? Please tell me I’m a good green!”
Logan laughed, “Well I certainly believe you to be. My apologies for not finding you sooner, I was planning to finish my shift before searching for my soulmate”
Soulmates. That’s what they were. Remus took a good, long look at the person standing in front of her– her Soulmate!–and grinned.
“I was too caught up in the exhibit’s to notice the smoke! They redid the reptile tanks after the last time I was here so I was reading all the new signs they put up!”
“You enjoy learning? Excellent. I am pursuing a degree in Astrophysics, with a minor in astronomy.”
“Ooh, fun! I’m gonna be a marine biologist, I’m writing a research thing on turtles! Did you know that alligator snapping turtles are a thing! They’re like alligator-turtle hybrids and they are insane! Nature is fucked! I wonder what it’d look like if they tore off someone’s head! Would it be like one clean snap, or maybe just a big, gushing tear–”
“Well I do not believe that an alligator snapping turtle would enjoy a human,” Logan interrupted, “it would certainly be interesting to research what effect their jaws and teeth have on their prey. Perhaps we could research it together over dinner?”
Remus looked up in astonishment, “You want to have dinner with me?”
“Why, of course. You are my soulmate, after all, and I do not believe that I would be given a soulmate I would dislike conversing with. The majority of soulmates develop a relationship together, do they not?”
“Well, yes, but– never mind. I’ll talk to Emile–my therapist,” Remus said after a questioning look from Logan, “about it next week.”
“If you are certain.” After a nod from Remus, Logan continued. “Why don’t you tell me more about Alligator snapping turtles? They sound intriguing, and you certainly seem to know a lot about them.”
The two continued to chat for the rest of Logan’s shift, prattling on about alligator snapping turtles, various other reptiles, and certain aspects of space that may or may not have involved explosions and flames.
~~~
It was a few weeks after the two had met, and their relationship was progressing nicely. They were texting or calling daily and meeting regularly as well. A few days ago, Remus had said that their brother wanted to meet Logan. Logan had agreed, as they saw no reason to wait any longer to meet, and as such had arranged to meet today.
Logan and Remus were standing in front of Roman’s door, a small two-bedroom apartment on the third floor of a building in the middle of downtown. Logan was nervously clasping and unclasping his fist, as he often did when he was anxious.
Remus grabbed their hand, squeezing it before whispering to them. “It’s alright, Lo, Roman’s great! Don’t tell him I said this but,” Xe lowered xir voice a bit, “he’s really helped me with, well, everything, and he’s a great brother.” Xe gave Logan’s hand one last squeeze before turning and knocking erratically on the door. “He’s gonna love you.”
There was a quick and sudden tapping of feet behind the door before it swung open to reveal Roman. “Remus!” He said, double-checking xir bracelet colour–a vibrant green almost identical to Remus’s smoke colour, much to Logan’s surprise and Remus’s delight. “And–Logan? You're my brother’s soulmate?”
“Wait, you guys know each other? What the hell?”
“Yes,” Logan said, “We were project partners a couple of months ago. Roman must have moved, as I did not recognize his apartment. Wait–You were the cause of the green smoke!” He said incredulously, turning to Remus.
“I–Yes?” Remus asked. “Were you not aware of my smoke colour which only you can see?”
“No,” Logan replied, a little frustrated, “When I came over for the project, I saw a faint green smoke drifting around the kitchen and sitting room. I asked Roman whether anyone had been in the house in the past few hours, and he said no. I assumed it had been a mirage of some sort, but you were there!”
“You snuck into my apartment?” Roman said, faking outrage. “Why?”
“I wanted cookies!” Xe turned to Logan. “Ro-bro has the best chocolate chip cookie recipe! You need to have some.”
“Actually, I’m all out. You ate them all yesterday, remember?”
“You had a whole day! And this is Logan, My Soulmate, remember?” Remus said.
“I was helping Janus plan for his date? With Virgil? He’s gonna propose?”
“Oooh, yeah! How’d the planning go?” Remus bounced around the hall as he spoke, mind running a mile a minute. “Is he gonna fly a giant banner with Virgil’s face on it across the sky? Ooh, no what about fireworks that say ‘Marry me, Virgil,” except they look like blood splatters and shit! Or or or! What about painting a portrait of Virgil in fake, or real, blood and then on the back it says “Marry me!” Yes, I’m a genius!”
Roman just shook his head. “I’ll tell you inside, c’mon!”
And if years later Logan uses one or more of those exact suggestions to propose to Remus, no one said anything.
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dansnaturepictures · 2 years
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New Year’s Day 2022: Blog two of three: Titchfield Canal Path and Southsea 
In continuation from my last post, when starting the spreadsheet for my year lists between coming back from my Lakeside walk and us all going out by entering the birds I had seen for the first time this year, I also set up columns ready for my other year lists when the times come mammals which I had one to add to today, butterflies, dragon/damselflies and moths a year list I only started doing again last year. I thought to myself that whilst the main time I will see moths this year is from the spring onwards, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility to see a moth soon as some are about in winter. So I was thrilled when getting in the car to see a beautiful Morning-glory Plume moth sat on the roof of the car above me, a moth I’ve seen many times at home and am fond of. It was a fun unexpected moment and a moment of intimacy with wildlife on our big day too. It felt so good to start three year lists today. I tweeted a video of the moth in the car on Dans_Pictures tonight.
As hoped I saw my first Buzzard of the year on the way to the Titchfield Canal path.
We came here in the hope of seeing the regular Barn Owl and were over the moon to spot it across the field in it’s usual tree. I also believe a second of these wonderful birds was tucked in with it. We spent a glorious few minutes watching this bird and I was so happy to see it with it moving about a little in the hole. One of the best birds of my New Year’s Day and coming here to try and see this bird is a regular thing for us now having seen one here in six consecutive years, but that’s normally in the opening days after 1st January or even a bit into the year so it was really good to get this trip into New Year’s Day and see one of my favourite birds and a key bird for any year I am lucky to see one in. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of this bird among others which I tweeted tonight.
Pintails were a star year tick of a few lovely water birds to see on the floods before the Barn Owl, and afterward it we were delighted to see two more species we never had on a New Year’s Day before, a pretty Stock Dove a bird I do admire and just as we did in the opening days of last year a sweet olive coloured warbler the Chiffchaff. Very much a resident as well these days but there is still something so exciting about seeing a species so symbolic of spring on New Year’s Day. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, Wigeons, Black-headed Gull and Herring Gulls all by the flood which was a nice shot to get lots of birds in and all memorable ones from the visit. 
We got speaking to a gentleman we had seen at two previous birding trips out last year about various topics which was lovely and he said he was looking for Water Voles along the canal. I did think I had heard the plop sound of one and sensed a shape of one but didn’t quite see it.
At the canal path I saw some lovely white dead nettle/bee nettle shining out well which added to my New Year plant hunt nicely with quite a bit of it in flower. I took the first picture in this photoset of some.  I enjoyed seeing a lot of traveler’s joy clock I believe at Lakeside at the eastern meadows like I have seen a lot and on the way to our next location for today, and reflected again on how I’d seen a lot of the shells of flowers going into winter. There were some nice views with pretty sky scenes here today too and I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of views here today. 
Our next location was Southsea, Portsmouth to see if the regular Purple Sandpipers were about before some planned renovation of the area. It wouldn’t be Portsmouth without another of my favourite birds the Brent Goose and we saw a lovely group of them on the green here where a few of these birds which frequent nearby locations such as Farlington Marshes can often be seen really nicely for an urban area.
We were pleased to spot about ten of the Purple Sandpipers and it was breathtaking to watch these gloriously coloured waders rushing along the shoreline of the promenade. I feel so lucky to have been able to see these stunning birds which I quickly took to heart after first seeing them here in 2013 at this location for so many years in a row. This was another top bird to see today. I took the seventh picture in this photoset of one. 
We got a smashing view of a Great Black-backed Gull here, a year tick at Titchfield earlier today. A really nice moment and I took the eighth picture in this photoset of it with my new big lens. And on the way out looking over a pond in Southsea where we have fond memories of going crabbing in my childhood we spotted the slate grey back of a Lesser Black-backed Gull. A pleasing fifth gull species of 2022 seen today, I waited until February to see Lesser when they were arriving back to Lakeside and home for spring last year so it was good to see all of these gulls today.
It was also nice to take in lovely views at Southsea of the tower of the castle, the Spinnaker Tower, band stand, other towers, forts and the Isle of Wight and Gosport in the distance, with nice sky scenes too. It was nice bank holiday vibes at quite a traditional seaside resort type area with people swimming too and people enjoying being out. I took the final two pictures in this photoset of a nice sky and a nice view here today. And more daisies made a nice sight for my plant hunt here.
Wildlife Sightings Summaries:
Titchfield Canal path: My first of one of my favourite birds the Barn Owl of the year, my first Wigeon, Canada Goose, Pintail, Cormorant, Barn Owl, Mute Swan, Stock Dove, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit and Chiffchaff of the year, another of my favourite birds the Jay, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull and I heard another of my favourite birds the Green Woodpecker and Robin.
Southsea: My first of one of my favourite birds the Brent Goose this year, my first Purple Sandpiper and Lesser Black-backed Gull of the year, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon and Starling.
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faustrinus · 4 years
Text
Family (wolfstar)
Everyone has impulses. Like the sudden urge to eat ice cream or listen to a certain song- it depends. There are also different types of impulses, productive and useful ones and dumb ones, the ones that you know you will regret after doing it but you do it anyway.
Sirius has had a handful of dumb ones, maybe enough to start considering it as a part of his whole persona. But after running away from his family and receiving that not so delightful letter from his mother, something has been keeping him awake. 
We have removed you from the family tapestry. It read on the paper, big letters at the end assuring him that what he had done couldn't be undone, no turn back. It's not like he was interested in ever going back to that place, but knowing that he was eliminated from the most important thing the family had, a symbol of tradition and honour- although expected, it wasn't a nice feeling what invaded him. It was the total opposite.
Since he was young, his whole personality was the fact he was a Black. People didn't take the time to get to know him because they assumed all the members from the House of the Black were the same, cold and maniac pure-bloods. The first surprise was Sirius getting into Gryffindor and not Slytherin, but even like that people still had prejudices, sometimes he found himself sitting extremely straight, hearing footsteps and feeling panicked, or normalizing behaviour that was in fact... abusive and toxic. 
The marauders showed him a lot of things, helped him get better at being himself. 
But he couldn't show them all he wanted to, it was overwhelming to remember. That was why he didn't tell them about the letter or the words his own mother used to call him- that remained a secret, and it didn't feel right. Especially considering what he had in mind. 
A dumb impulse, one of the worst you could think of.
He had to get back to the Black house and confirm he was removed from the tapestry, he had to see it. One thing was reading it and having the benefit of the doubt and the other one was having it right in front of you. He had been planning since the letter arrived, writing at what hours he knew the family left the house, where Kreacher slept while he knew he was alone, the easiest way to enter, everything. He wasn't an organized person, but this was a matter of life or death.
If they saw him, they would kill him, no doubt. They were near to do it more times he was able to admit.
Now, going alone seemed like the perfect idea. He would go in, see the tapestry and then go, nothing more. But that house was not only that, it was hell, it brought memories so dark and terrifying that just thinking about being alone at that place made his heartbeat ten times faster. He needed someone around to stay grounded, at least somewhat peaceful.
James was too clumsy and curious, he would touch everything he was interested in or probably would try to hex something in the house as an act of revenge. Even without asking, he just knew Peter was probably too scared to go, and he wasn't going to force him.
Remus was a good option. He and Sirius had this weird more than friends thing going on- but it was fine, they were comfortable with it and their friendship remained the same, except for the kisses and couple stuff they were afraid to name. Remus could calm him and make him laugh even in the tensest situations. 
So it was Remus. 
He was there, reading peacefully as the sun hit the window. Maybe he was too concentrated to notice, but Sirius had been looking at him for more than twenty minutes without stopping.
Or maybe he did notice but was waiting until Sirius could gather all the guts he needed to say whatever was going on his mind. Remus was patient about it, he was conscious of how pressure could affect people, so he didn't do it. 
After five more minutes, Sirius finally got up from the bed, walking a little in many directions, nervous about how to explain the fact he needed Remus to offer him moral support while facing the trauma he had thanks to his parents. Not a very light to say. 
"You're okay, Sirius?" Finally, Remus asked, lowering his voice as he spoke, not wanting to bother anyone that was taking an afternoon nap, "You know I'm here for you, right?"
Sirius smiled, taking a deep breath. The crumpled letter found rest in his pocket, where he constantly played with it to distract himself, "Yeah, I know."
Remus nodded and turned back to finish his book, one of his hands tapping the space empty next to him, a sign from Sirius to sit down and maybe relax a little to talk better. He did. He sat and breathed a few times, Remus was taking it all so calm and normal that it made Sirius felt like it was something normal, something he shouldn't be worried about- it helped a lot the attitude the werewolf took to make him comfortable. 
"I need your help with something."
"What is it?" Remus closed the book, leaving it in a nearby coffee table they had to play table games. Sirius glanced at it, it was the third part of the novel the werewolf was reading- Sirius knew it because Remus couldn't stop talking about reading it, he was pretty quiet and sarcastic most of the time, but when it came about his favourite books, he could talk for hours.
"I need you to come with me to my house."
"Your house?"
"The Black family house."
As intuitive and perceptive as Remus was, he definitely didn't catch quickly what the shorter boy meant. He stared at him for a few seconds, wondering if what he heard was correct. 
"...Why? Didn't you run away from there?"
Sirius sighed, "Yes, I did, but-", he stretched out on the couch, trying to look casual, "I forgot something important."
"What?"
"Don't you think you are asking too many questions?"
Remus shrugged, "Well, what you are asking for is not the most normal thing, you know. You ran away from that place, why would you ever come back? and you were planning your escape from months, how did you forget something? it doesn't add up, Sirius."
"Yeah, I knoooow, but," Sirius looked at Remus, shiny eyes to convince him, "I need to go with someone."
"James?"
"Too clumsy and curious."
"Peter?"
"Too afraid."
"...Lily?"
"Oh, c'mon, Remmy."
"Fine", he mumbled while blushing thanks to the nickname, "But you have to tell me the truth."
"What truth?"
"Why do you want to go, because I don't buy any of the I forgot something bullshit."
Sirius got up the couch, ignoring whatever Remus said at the end, "Sounds great! We go tonight." And then he was out of the room, sprinting down the hallways without looking back not even once. Remus rolled his eyes and decided to take a nap, maybe that way the intrusive thought of what the hell Sirius was planning to do would stop bothering him.
The time at Hogwarts was different for every student. The younger ones were amazed by every little magic trick (especially the muggle-born students) and would love attending to their classes, perfect uniform and all the materials in hand. The older ones were... different, Sirius was the perfect example for it when he found himself searching for his favourite quill in an old trunk just minutes before he and Remus would leave the school to go to hell...willingly.
"Forgot something at the last moment again?" Asked Remus teasingly, in three steps he was already hovering over Sirius, analyzing the paper the boy had in his hands, "Is that a map of the house?... and a blank parchment?"
"It does say something, but it isn't important right now."
"You are keeping a lot of secrets lately..."
"Well, I'm not the one that was receiving love letters from a Hufflepuff girl last Monday..."
A huff left the werewolf's mouth, "It's not like we are together... couple kind of together."
"...Do you want to?"
As the words left Sirius's lips, a few voices could be heard walking into the common room, everyone was getting ready to go to sleep. It was the moment to take the invisibility cloak and get going before anyone could notice. They shared a resigned look like telling each other we will talk about it later. Sirius transformed into Padfoot and Remus grabbed the cloak, bending down to let the fabric cover him perfectly. Being tall wasn't that fun when you needed to be subtle.
They left the castle when the moon was already adorning the sky, realizing that a cold and silent night was giving them a not-so-welcoming embrace. They proceeded in silence until they reached Sirius' motorbike that was hiding in the woods. It was a birthday gift from James and of course, it had been intervened with magic. Remus absolutely despised flying in that thing, but he was already involved in the whole thing, wasn't he? the only option was going forward. So he breathed deeply and got on it, his chest against Sirius's back.
"I hope you got over your fear of flying."
"Make it quick or I'm going back to the school."
Did everything resemble a cheesy movie scene? It did. But Remus couldn't deny he felt comfortable as long as he didn't look down, and Sirius was a pretty good driver considering they hadn't died yet. Seeing the two of them like that made the werewolf understand that he was afraid of the word couple, but he wasn't afraid of being with Sirius, it felt natural, almost instinctive. 
If everything went well, maybe someday he was going to tell him he wanted them to be something official, with a name, with kisses shared in the back of the class and holding hands under the table.
"Almost there."
In a matter of seconds (or maybe minutes, being conscious of the time while you were holding onto the person you liked was hard) they were slowly descending into the dry land of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Not a single soul was on the street when they finally touched the ground, and the only people at sight were silhouettes in the windows nearby, most of them doing stuff like watching tv or sleeping cosily in their partner laps.
"Here we are... The Honorary House of Black."
"It 's... dark."
"Yeah, don't expect a lot of bright colours."
As Sirius went up the stairs (wand in hand), his motion was almost automatic. A quick move and some whispered spells opened the door like it was the easiest thing in the world, it was at least for him- he was raised there, he knew all he needed to know about the old place.
"We have to be very quiet, just follow me."
Remus nodded while slowly closing the door and followed Sirius, trying to not get distracted by everything that was going on there. All the walls were decorated with big portraits of the family members, the Slytherin symbol all over the place. 
With each stair they passed, more tense Sirius felt. Tons of memories were coming back at the same time, reminding him that this was probably the last time he would go visit that house, or even get close to it. He didn't miss it, but the melancholy was still there.
One look at the tapestry and you're gone. Just one look, that was it.
"So...what do you think about it?" he asked.
"I don't know what I was expecting... but it wasn't this. You grew up here?"
"When you are a kid everything is a little bit scarier, but I got used to it. Now... It just seems normal."
"There are domestic elf heads on the walls-"
"That is not the worst."
With every portrait they left behind, Sirius started to get more nervous, grasping his wand as if his life was depending on it. Remus didn't have any idea on what to say, so he just stood closer, and when they finally reached the room that made Sirius gasp softly, Remus placed one of his hands on Sirius's shoulders, feeling the tension, "You're okay?"
"Yeah. This is what I wanted to see."
Remus followed the images in the tapestry. It was big and it was clear what it represented, the honour of the family. It had thousands of people the werewolf had never heard Sirius' name before, all of them looked... almost evil.
And where it read "Sirius Black" there was nothing. Just a mark, like as if it had been burned, the name was blurred and it looked like whoever did that did it with resentment.
"She really did that."
Remus arched an eyebrow, "You knew...?"
Maybe it was time for the secret to get out.
"My mom- Walburga sent me a letter a few days after I ran away. It said a bunch of disgusting things, but the most important one was this. She removed me from the tapestry," He muttered as his fingers touched softly the place where his face used to be, "The tapestry is a big symbol in the family, it has been here forever and I will probably be until the end of times. It's... kind of a big deal, so I wanted to confirm she actually did it." 
"How... do you feel about it?"
"Fuck's sake, Remus... I don't know. I never thought this would really happen, my whole identity was being a part of this atrocious family. I don't know who I am without the Black last name."
"You are better," He assured, now his both hands exerting pressure on the shoulders of the shorter boy, "You don't need a recognized last name to be something in life. You are you, and that's enough."
Sirius mumbled a thankful "you're the best" at Remus and took out the blank parchment he had before from his pocket, analyzing. 
"What is that for?" The werewolf tried to see something on the parchment, but it was still empty.
"Who is that for. Is for Regulus, he always comes here to see the tapestry."
Sirius placed the parchment on where his face used to be, sticking it with a spell, "He is going to read it before she can, I know it. And is going to make him hate me, because if he doesn't he is going to lose his mind here."
"Sirius..."
"I don't have a family anymore... well, maybe I never had one to start with, it's not a joyful feeling to be completely honest, but it's okay."
"You have us, we are your family." 
And we will forever be.
“Just… no more secrets.” “I promise.”
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