@imma-write-stuff has a blind date with...

Bianca the Ghost

Bianca is a petite and very femme ghost who appears as a monochromatic, translucent woman wearing a sundress. The hem of her dress flutters in a wind that the living cannot feel, and the edges of her form flicker very gently. She has long, curly hair and kind eyes.

Bianca isn’t sad about the fact that she’s dead, and is a very cheerful soul who always has a message of support and comfort ready. She’s your number one cheerleader and is always proud of your accomplishments and anything you create. 

She’s a techie! Although she’s a ghost and can’t access most things in the physical world, Bianca has a way of getting computer code of various kinds to listen to her desires, and likes modding video games and finding ways around paywalls. You never have to pay for a streaming service with Bianca’s help.

Bianca likes to hang out with you while you crochet or do art, and is always happy to model for your artwork. She loves seeing how your skill grows over time as you get more and more practice with your chosen crafts.

Bianca is rather shy around new people, and tends to turn invisible whenever she gets flustered and nervous. She is trying to be more gregarious and meet new friends, however, and wants to travel the world with you one day.

“That’s very pretty,” a feminine voice says by your elbow. “You’re an amazing artist.”

You look up from your sketchbook and glance around the café, but don’t see anyone nearby. You take a sip of your drink and nibble the pastry you bought, still looking around, but the speaker doesn’t present herself.

“Oh, wait, you can’t see me. I’m so sorry, let me just…”

Your eyes widen as an attractive, translucent woman appears in front of you. She grins mischievously and holds up a finger to her lips to signal for quiet. “Nobody can see or hear me right now except you,” she promises. “I don’t want to cause a panic, after all.”

A child carrying a glass of lemonade moves through the translucent woman in front of your table, and the woman sniffs in annoyance at the intrusion. 

“Anyway, I’m Bianca,” she says. 

Not wanting to be seen talking to seemingly empty air, you write your name in a corner of your sketchbook and add a little smiley face next to it. The ghost smiles at the cute gesture. 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve appeared before a living person,” Bianca says. “Is it okay if I watch you draw?”

Sure! you write next to your name, and Bianca smiles and moves to peer over your shoulder. As she does so, the song playing in your earbuds grinds to a halt as an ad begins to play. Bianca rolls her eyes and taps your phone with a translucent finger. The screen doesn’t change at all, but the music immediately resumes.

“I despise the audacity of these streaming services,” Bianca says. “Anyway, I upgraded your subscription to the premium plan without charging you. I hope you enjoy it.”

Thank you so much, you write.

“Don’t worry about it,” BIanca says with a grin. “I love being a patron of the arts. Can you tell me what inspired you to make this piece?”

You happily begin writing about your latest sketch, and Bianca eagerly reads every word.

see here to get your own blind date with a monster!

Day three of OCtober is ‘A friend’s OC’, and this was the perfect excuse to get in some animal practice and make some gift art for @kaisertiger​! <3 This is Marcellus, one of her fluffy OCs that I definitely can’t do justice to, but I had to try anyway. <3 He’s an amazing caracal and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the future - actually eagerly waiting for more of Kasa’s art always, it’s all so good and her OC’s even better! <333

We switch to Gunther and Brit’s lot, where the very first thing that happens (and you can tell it’s the first thing by the fact I still have the creepy sim modder baby out to change Brit’s LTW) is Melody coming to visit us (NOT as part of the welcome wagon) and heartfarting over Gunther, MELODY ISTG-

-and THIS is Gunther’s want panel. Gunther you literally make me appreciate the main house with your bullshit, yes, offense.

So Brit’s LTW was to reach the top of the sports career but I don’t think it fits her at all, she’s never been into sports in my game, and since I feel ok with semi-cheating in the spare households I change it to the show business one. It goes nicely with Gunther’s visionary LTW, they’re gonna be an artistique power couple-

-or not, if Melody and Gunther have anything to do with it! Melody WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE. Go back to your kids, husband, and 10 cats.

Your mother judges you!

-Oh, that Gunther is one fine piece, get it, Mel!

Wanda PLEASE.

Hate, hate, hate. Double hate. LOATHE ENTIRELY.

-So Gunther, are you and Brit getting married soon? -Oh ya totally, but you know, I think it’s important to live with each other for a while before we’re like ready-ready. A 10-year-long engagement should do the trick. -Definitely! Or, you know, even longer maybe? -Ya, 10 years is like, the minimum. -Totally!

-I can’t believe my kids are going to school already! They grow up so fast when you ignore them. Do you want kids, Brit? -Of course we do, right Gunther? Gunther?? Where did he go? -Emergency vasectomy?

We adopt the puppy Gunther wanted, this is Benny! I didn’t think Brit would be an animal person, I got Malcolm Pet Asylum vibes from her, but she loves him!

In case you guys forgot, Brit and Mel actually used to be best friends before Brit.. you know.. BANGED MEL’S FIANCE, so now that the furiousness has died down they kinda went right back to being friends? It’s weird-

-but I guess it does explain why Melody pops in to see her ~besties~ EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Because of his art degree, Gunther started in the artist career at level 7 and immediately got promoted..

..whereas Brittany had to start at an uh.. less dignified level.

-Don’t worry, Brit, any day now you’ll become an international soda commercial sensation, and Hollywood will come knocking!

Boy, Gunther and Melody sure love those platonic but touchy interactions, ugh.

UGH.

OK MEL, FOR REAL GO HOME.

We are skilling tirelessly as I naively wait for Gunther to roll a marriage want, I figured he rolled the engagement one he’ll do it again, right? Right??

(Btw as soon as I saw these amazing vandalized statue recolors I was like omg, that’s exactly the kind of ‘art’ Gunther would make, like he’d just take an existing art piece, spray some graffiti boobs on it and call it a day lmao)

While Brit has had her marriage want locked for ages, Gunther shows no signs of wanting to go past the engagement level, and has taken up a new hobby:  

Starting multiple fires!

As you guys might recall that’s what Cyn did too when she couldn’t cheat on Don for a while, is it legit a romance sim thing? Like if they’re not being hoes they start setting shit on fire??

Benny grew up into a Maxx clone and appreciates the burned lobster!

We need a few more friends to top the careers so the time has come to harass the unfortunate townies that walk by our house.

-Trust me dude, you haven’t seen a film until you watch my new one, Memory Fragmented. -Oh wow, sounds dramatic, what’s it about? -It’s one of those found footage deals, it shows what happens in my pool during the course of 6 hours! -So you just forgot your camera by the pool for 6 hours. -YA genius, that’s why the Memory is *Fragmented*. You know what, it’s probably too complex for you, stick to Herzog or some shit.

-So, do you recognize me? -Uh no, should I? -Aww, are you star-struck? It’s ok, I’m a normal person just like you, only much more talented and attractive! -Ya sorry, I have no idea who you are. -I’M KNIGHT #4 FROM THE MONTY FARMS ORANGE SODA COMMERCIAL!!! GET YOUR EYES CHECKED, YOU FUCKING FOSSIL

You know who else keeps visiting us other than Melody?? THE GODDAMN LEADER OF THE PACK THAT JOJO HAS BEEN WAITING FOR FOR THE PAST DECADE. He literally hasn’t stepped foot (paw?) on the main lot since Abbey tried beating him up but here where we have no use for him it’s like every other night, here he is to attack Benny. FUCK OFF

Gunther effortlessly topped the artist career, but since he started at level 7 it’s really not impressive, this was legit the easiest shit ever-

-and Brit tops the entertainment career but I don’t see 25k points over her head and I’m like???

Because it turns out.. THE SHOWBIZ AND ENTERTAINMENT CAREER ARE DIFFERENT THINGS LMAO. I’M SO SORRY BRIT I’M A DUMBASS

-That’s ok, no one expects anything from you anyway.

Well that’s hurtful.

-But if I can’t have my career, I’ll at least get my goddamn wedding!

Aww, are you gonna propose?

-No, no, I have something more traditional in mind..

-Hey babe, how did it go? -NOT GREAT, GUNTHER. I TOPPED THE WRONG CAREER -YOU DID? LOL. Well it’s ok, it happens? I assume?? I mean I’ve never heard of it but I’m sure it has happ- -SHUT THE FUCK UP

-Oh come on, it’s gonna be ok, the skills for the showbiz one are pretty much the same, right? -I don’t know and I don’t care!! You either set a date or I’m outta here, you got it? -Oh sure, I can set a date! Wanna hit up P.U.R.E? -I MEANT A DATE FOR OUR WEDDING -Oooh ok.. We’re still doing that thing? -Well we better be because I’m pregnant!!!

-GUNTHER. -Sorry, I blacked out for a second. What did you say? -I SAID I’M PREGNANT, ASSHOLE, I’M CARRYING YOUR LITTLE HALF-UNION ABOMINATION!!

Ok Brit, you’re literally not pregnant tho.

-Will you shut it?!

-I am now! :)

-Aren’t you so excited about our baby and our wedding, Gunther? I mean, don’t you just wanna cry?? -I really do!

LGBTQ Light Novel Review — I'm in Love with the Villainess

A stunningly profound, entertaining, and queer title that eclipses other isekai and Yuri series

There are few titles the general public seems to be as excited about as Inori and Hanagata's I'm in Love with the Villainess, as it has been sitting at or near the top of Amazon's LGBT Manga list for months and Twitter is consistently abuzz with the latest news on this isekai Yuri series. I was somewhat more skeptical, as I have had relatively poor experiences with isekai and fantasy Yuri. Still, my excitement went through the room, and I eagerly boarded the "hype train" upon the cover reveal for the third volume. Yuri families, where two women raise children together, are one of my greatest desires and something I rarely see portrayed in the genre. However, I still had mostly low expectations for the series going into the first volume. I looked forward to some light meandering comedy and typical boring trope-filled isekai shenanigans. However, I'm in Love with the Villainess more than exceeded my expectations. No, even this statement is far too moderate to describe how utterly stunned and blown away I was by Inori's creation. I'm in Love with the Villainess is completely shattering and easily one of the greatest light novels I have ever read. Thus, I have no choice to award a perfect 10/10 score, my first ever for a light novel.

After waking up in the world of her favorite otome game, Revolution, protagonist Rae is ecstatic to be faced to face with Claire Francois, the game's villainous rival. However, Rae never played Revolution for the thrill of romancing any of the three attractive young princes. She was always in love with Claire. She attends the academy and studies magic in the fantasy world alongside Claire, the princes, and various other supporting characters. Using her skills from the modern world and her encyclopedic knowledge of Revolution, Rae manipulates the situation to be close to Claire, becoming her maid, and garnering status and money along the way. As an inevitable conflict looms closer, Rea begins to enact plans to protect herself and Claire, many of which are not fully understood or explained until the finale fantastically reveals the reasons for her actions. There is a natural and steady pace to the narrative that awards readers’  predictions and attention to detail.

I'm in Love with the Villainess has some excellent supporting characters, all of whom have unique personalities, histories, and abilities, some of which are revealed by Rae's exposition and others naturally throughout the novel. However, the stars of the show are the central couple, Rae and Claire. Claire is an elite aristocrat and extremely bratty. She often sneers at commoners and makes her disdain of Rae very clear from early on. On paper, she sounds like the perfect villain and someone all readers would despise. However, Rae's utter devotion and infatuation with Claire is so sincere that we cannot help but be pulled in and adore Claire and all her tantrums. Rae is a delight herself, continually flirting and poking fun at Claire, which gets her verbally berated, much to her masochistic pleasure. However, she is also exceptionally cunning and intelligent, and some of the light novel's greatest joys are listening to her analyze a situation or watching one of her plans fall into place.

“Ah, I’m… Well, it doesn’t matter. I mean, it’s irrelevant to cuteness—because, Miss Claire, you are cute.” “Huh?!” She pulled away. It was perfect—such a pure reaction. “Miss Claire, you hate me, right?” “Of course!” “That’s fine. Please keep teasing me. I love it.”

The beginning of the book does not immediately clue one into its brilliance. Sure, Claire and Rea get some great one-liners as they bully each other, and the scenarios are authentic and fun, but it is nothing shattering. I was feeling pretty relaxed and having a lot of fun with the characters, their relationship, and the various slice-of-life style scenarios they encountered until one section, I remember the exact page, 81, as it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was flabbergasted and briefly frozen before shooting up out of bed, shouting expletives as I ran to my office to immediately record what I had just experienced. It all begins with the line, "Hey, Rae. Are you what they call gay?" What followed was one of the most thoughtful, condensed, informative, and nuanced discussions of gay and queer identity (both terms used in this scene) I have ever seen in Yuri. Everything from representation in media, the perceptions of and prejudices against gay people, and the role gender plays in romance for bisexual and gay people are analyzed. Its commentary is succinct yet so respectful and forthright that it could have only come from genuine experience, thus selling the book and its characters so much more.

"Queer people were still overwhelmingly closeted in this world, which was rife with prejudice and nurtured little understanding. As I noted, the queer people depicted in the story were either the sex fiends Claire imagined or the free-loving sort Lene had in mind. Diversity and acceptance were a long way off.”

Thus, Inori's writing's beauty exposed itself, and the book opened itself up to a delightful cycle. The narrative masterfully integrates isekai slice-of-life hijinks, like running a cross-dressing café or battling a giant slime with nuanced and challenging moments that dissect complicated topics. The latter mainly consists of a growing rift between the aristocracy and common people, mirroring real-world wealth gap issues, but the novel also touch on matters such as unequal prison sentencing and segregation. Every scene helped further the complexity of the characters and their relationships or else built onto the world of Revolution. Speaking of which, I'm in Love with the Villainess has some of the best worldbuilding ever seen in a light novel.

Initially, brief exposition establishes much of the world, which is adequate if not exciting. I will mark up to a casualty of the light novel's serialized nature, as it must present readers its setting immediately. However, Inori does not stop here. Through the narrative, new elements are established, such as a magic system and the kingdom's politics. Rea notes and describes how the world, while clearly based on medieval Europe, has many modern Japanese attributes, as Japanese game developers created it. Her pointing out the intersection of the two is fascinating. Furthermore, A great deal of time is spent establishing characters and organizations all have their own wants, agendas, and methods, many of which are not even directly involved with the story. Instead, they act as a background and help further contextualize others. For example, the Church publicly appears to lean towards supporting the commoners in their efforts for equality but has its own agenda of superseding the nobility. While they play little role in Rea and Claire’s adventure, they are one of numerous factors contributing to the unrest of the lower class. All these additions are interesting, and it never feels like the story or characters suffer for their inclusion, quite the opposite.

“The Bauer Kingdom had started a step behind other countries when it came to magical research. They dominated the surrounding countries in military strength, and this had made them complacent, leading them to underestimate the value of new magic technology until the best researchers had all been enticed to other countries. Even after the king came up with his magic-focused meritocratic policy, Bauer lagged behind.”

I can only make complaints by scraping the very bottom of the barrel. Hanagata's beautiful art is too infrequent to add much to the light novel, and many scenes crying for illustrations are left to the readers' imagination. However, Inori so wonderful writes the story that one hardly cares and can easily picture every moment with delight. Besides, the manga adaption will nullify this issue. Where I cannot complain at all is the spectacular translation by Jenn Yamazaki and Nibedita Sen, one of Seven Seas best (which is high praise considering the competition). Sure, I was slightly disappointed at first to see the adaptation left off honorifics, but the more I thought about the setting, the more sense it made. I am sure people much smarter than I gave the issue much more consideration, and I am happy with their decisions.

I'm in Love with the Villainess left me reeling with how pleasurable and powerful it was. The story and characters are such a joy, and I cannot wait to see Rea and Claire bully each other again in the next volume. Astounding worldbuilding and powerful, thought-provoking politics surround their antics and the high stakes plot. Every moment of their journey will enthrall readers as they squeal with glee at its hilarious set pieces or are shocked by its commentary of society's most significant challenges. Inori has created one of the most delightful, heartfelt, complex, profound, and genuinely queer light novel series ever. If you only read one thing I recommend this year, let it be I'm in Love with the Villainess.

Ratings: Story — 9 Characters — 10 Art — 5 LGBTQ — 10 Sexual Content — 2 Final — 10

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

Purchase I’m in Love with the Villainess in digitally (9/23) and in print (11/10) today: https://amzn.to/32NEyG1

Supports creators by purchasing official releases.

May I request Headcanons or a oneshot with Michael and Brahms with a s/o who’s an artist but they mostly sketch them a lot?

Decided to do it for all the slashers but here ya go!

The Slashers with an Artist S/O Who Likes to Sketch Them:

Thomas Hewitt

Thomas loves your art. Thomas loves everything that you do. Thomas just loves you.

Luda May also loves your art. Might even hang certain pieces up around the house to ‘brighten the place up’ like a proud parent.

But when you start doing sketches of Thomas? Oh boy he just melts with absolute adoration.

No matter how many times you tell him that he’s handsome and that you love him, he’s going to have the tiniest bit of doubt about your physical attraction to him.

But seeing all these sketches of him like you think he is appearance is worth immortalising in your work, he’s in awe.

Some or with the mask, some are without. Your favourites are the ones without. Normally Thomas finds it difficult to look at his face, whether it be in the mirror or in a photo, but this he can look at.

You didn’t change anything to make his face more...appealing. You just thought it was attractive enough to draw and that makes it easier for him to look at for some reason.

Michael Myers

Michael acts very neutral towards your art, just like he does with everything else.

He’s more likely to admire it when you aren’t around. Yes, he does actually like your art. Quite a lot actually.

When he finds the first sketch of him, you aren’t around. He’s a little surprised but examines it closely. You did catch him though, finding him distracted by the sketch and smiling to yourself as he seemed to approve of it.

Michael would never ask you to show him your work or the sketches of him but he definitely goes looking for them, wanting to see what you’ve been working on or how you’ve drawn him this time.

He knows when you’re sketching him. Sensing your eyes on him as you sit on the couch with your sketchpad in your lap. 

He probably won’t mention it but he won’t move or leave the room, letting you work in silence.

Jason Voorhees

Loves your art a lot! And will let you keep them all around the cabin. Every time he sees them he thinks of you and it makes give the cabin a homely feel.

Could just admire your art all day, he loves it!

But then he discovers that you have various sketches of him? Omg, that’s too much for his heart to take.

Jason is in awe as he examines them, admiring every detail.

He noticed that most of him are of him wearing his mask and he realises that most of these must have been done when you were silently watching him and he hadn’t even noticed.

But a few of them are of him without his mask. No matter how long you are together, he’s still going to be a little insecure about his appearance, but this is just another thing that shows how much you really do love him.

Brahms Heelshire

Brahms loves your art and how passionate you are about it.

Ever since you got to the house he had been admiring you and your artwork.

He loves watching the concentration on your face when you’re drawing or painting. He loves watching your delicate hand as you add little details. And, of course, he loves the outcome of each piece.

When you start to do more pieces of Brahms? He absolutely melts.

You must love him a whole lot if you spend so much time sketching him? God, he loves you too!

It can be difficult to get Brahms to just keep a calm arura on many days. Something about him always seeming chaotic or fidgety.

But he could see and watch you draw for longer than even he realises. It’s all worth it to see the outcome of how you’ve drawn him.

He may not be a great artist but he’s had time to do some sketches of his own and has picked up some skills here and there. So he might just sketch you in return.

Will pose for you if you ask him too.

Bo Sinclair

Bo likes your art a lot more than he lets on. He’ll give you a smile and a casual compliment when you show him a piece of work.

One of your smaller doodles will go missing. He took a liking and likes to keep it in his pocket. Shut up, he’s not going soft!

He has a huge smirk on his face when he sees the sketches you have done of him.

You must really like him, huh? God, you must be downright obsessed with him, darlin’.

Will tease you about it, making you blush, but he actually is flattered. He smiles whenever he sees a new sketch of himself but that quickly turns into a smirk when you catch him.

Vincent Sinclair

Vincent adores your art!

But when he first sees the sketches of himself, he’s both a little taken back and excited.

He has no idea why you would want to draw him but he’s glad that you did. It just makes him feel so loved and makes him love you even more.

It’s what give him to courage to show you the sketches he made of you.

Cue the two of you sitting together, smiling like idiots, as you share your artwork of each other.

Whenever he catches you drawing him, your gaze flickering from the page to his figure, he can’t help but blush a little.

Vincent’s workroom becomes your shared workspace for your art. Just filled with sketches of each other. Luckily Bo doesn’t wander down there much otherwise you’d both get teased quite a bit.

Lester Sinclair

Adores your art!

And tells you that all the time!

He’s always complimenting anything you make because he really does love it all.

His face turns red but his heart grows ten times the size when he sees the sketches you did of him.

He absolutely loves them though!

Lester doesn’t really know why you would want to draw him so much but he certainly had no complaints. The more, the better!

Yes, he would like to see them all. Anything you do and then present to him, he will accept it and respond with lots of enthusiasm. He loves them all so much!

After a bad day, seeing your newest sketch of him just puts a smile on his face instantly.

Bubba Sawyer

Bubba loves everything you do, he thinks you’re absolutely flawless, so of course he loves your art. He could never do anything like that, it’s so impressive!

ChopTop and Nubbins are also big fans of your art.

But Bubba is the one who gets to see your art the most and he feels a sense of pride at that.

He’ll admire any work you show him, he loves them all!

But when you show him the sketches you’ve done of him, he blushes a cute shade of pink and he babbles compliments that you can’t really understand. But you get the general idea and it makes you smile.

Wants to see every sketch you do of him. He just loves them and they make him feel loved.

Billy Lenz

Even before you knew he was in the house, he was admiring your art. He liked it a lot, almost as much as he liked you.

He loves when you show him your pieces, happily taking from you to get a closer look.

Gives you plenty of compliments on it.

But then you start sketching him or he just so happens to finally find those sketches? Oh he loves them!

Can he keep this one???

Billy is definitely flattered by your sketches and would like to see anymore you do.

Will tease you a little but in a very playful way and with a smile on his face, letting you know that he loves it so...please don’t stop making them!!

Otis Driftwood

Otis is curious as soon as he finds out you’re an artist. So is he!

If you’re shy about showing your work at first, he convinces you by showing you some of his as well. 

So the two of you can share your work with each other and get each other’s opinions. You’re both very supportive of each other’s work.

Once he learns that you have done plenty of sketches of him he has two main emotions.

One, he becomes a smug bastard. Look at you drawing him, how long have you been staring at him to get all the details right, eh? Like he hasn’t got his own sketches of you.

Two, he would be genuinely flattered that you’ve put so much time and effort into sketches of him.

He wants to see all the sketches you’ve done of him.

Otis will show you the various sketches that he’s done of you in return. Wait! Is that one of you naked?!..maybe...and he thinks it’s one of his best pieces. It’s definitely his favourite...

Baby Firefly

As soon as you start showing Baby your art or when she first sees it, she loves it!

If you ever felt shy about showing her your work, that won’t last for long. She’s so supportive instantly.

She’ll give you a whole lot of compliments! Seriously, Baby will absolutely shower you in compliments and praise for your work. Always encouraging you in everything you do.

But you get even more compliments for your sketches of her. They’re amazing! You make her look so good!

Wants to see every sketch you do of her!

Will absolutely pose for you! And in various costumes! Time to get more creative!

Yautja

The Yautja may seem more a species focused on combat and the sort but they can still have an appreciation for art. Especially more elder or mature Yautja.

He also admires your passion for it.

Will always praise your work, giving you a proud purr and a gentle pat on the head. It may be a patronising gesture among humans but it’s a sign of genuine affection from your alien mate, he thinks you’re just adorable.

When he first sees the sketches of himself, he’ll have a smirk on his face. Or the Yautja version of a smirk.

He’s honoured that you’d sketch actually. You must think highly of him to bother sketching him at all, especially this much.

Will never get bored of you showing him the sketches you do. Loves every single one of them and is filled with more pride with each one you show him.

May tease you just a little but always with love and never in a way that would actually upset you.

Since I saw people talking about Ben's little big chill kids, I thought I'd finally do some headshots of my ones, who are also a part of my Ben 10 Next Gen. For me, I've always imagined that for young necrofriggians, they all start out looking the same (Beyond some size difference), but as they grow older, they'll start to develop their own patterns, small body traits and shades of colour, as showcased here. I'll share the little info on each sibling, and the basics of who they are as a person. When Ben first found them again, saving them from poachers and going full mum mode, they had been developing these different psychical traits, but not enough to identify each properly on their own, so while giving them names, Gwen used bandana pieces to colour code them, and each kid still wears theirs to this day, slightly modified. So here they are now, as full grown young adults. You can follow from left to right each row, or just the colours next to their names. -North (Black)- The largest and physically strongest of the kids, North acts as the leading member when Ben isn't around, doing their best to watch out for their siblings and be a middle ground to them. It's been this way since they were born, looking out for them and doing whatever they can to protect the others. This has resulted in North collecting quite a few scars and wing tears, though they wear them with pride, wanting to display how strong they are to others. They often looks up to Ben when it comes to being a hero, in how their mumdad protects others and the galaxy, and wants to be a fighter like him one day, often asking to train with their mumdad whenever he's around. Ben has suggested Plumber training for North, but they're still thinking about that. -Tundra (Red)- Tundra is a very curious one, and is known to wander off when things catch their interest. They prefer using experience to learn from, thus making them quick on their feet when something happens, and good at thinking logical. When the siblings are struggling with something, or come across some kind of problem, it's often Tundra who provides the quickest answers that should go well for them. That being said, due to their wandering, they gave gotten into trouble a few times and need to be saved by their siblings or Ben, as despite how smart they are, they can be a bit of a ditz when something catches their interest. -Grey (Silver)- Having a connection to the earth bellow, Grey often spends their time searching caves, and any hidden areas they can find. They especially love to research and find minerals of any kind, ranging from metals to gems, sometimes even studying their metal lunch for the day before eating it. Because of this, they can be carelessly dirty, and aren't the cleanest of people, but does pick up after themself when reminded. Grey is also pretty close with their sibling Storm, and surprising Gwen and Ben when first hearing the two call each other "Dweeb" and "Doofas", when first meeting them again. -Storm (Brown)- As someone who likes to spend a lot of time flying and high in the clouds, Storm is fascinated by the weather and how it behaves, and feeling the cold fresh air and challenging themself with flight training. This has provided them to have the most agility in the air, and knows the best ways to build up speeds, while also not draining themself. Whenever they aren't flying around, they're doing research on the weather, very keen to be a meteorologist one day. Whenever Ben visits, they will often ask him about the weather on other planets, and any adventures he's had in the sky. Storm is also pretty close with their sibling Grey, and surprising Gwen and Ben when first hearing the two call each other "Dweeb" and "Doofas", when first meeting them again. -Crystal (Blue)- Graceful on their feet, Crystal is a charming and gentle person, with a keenness for the art of dancing, especially when hovering in the air. This was something sparked in them when seeing how the patches in their wings, which are see through, glittered and reflected light through them, making Crystal often move around to see what they could get them to do, and the introduction of dancing was something they latched onto as a result. They are one of the hardest of the siblings to get angry, upset or rile up, and often goes with the flow and speaks in a slow and soft voice. Because of their kind nature and beautiful display of their wings, Crystal has attracted many others who are interested in them, many falling for them after meeting Crystal for a mere minute, though they tend to pretend not to notice, and turn down those who ask. -Orion (Orange)- Having an eye for art, Orion is a skilled painter and drawer, while also dabbling into other art forms to create things, their room filled with their works of art, and often creating gifts for others. From when they were little, Orion has always admired their auntie Gwen, and are always keen and eager to hang out with her when she visits, showing every new drawing and painting they have made while she was away. In fact their fondness for auntie Gwen is why they picked the orange bandana, as it reminded them of her hair. -Neva (Green)- Fashion focused and head strong, Neva is a keen one, who knows exactly what they like and isn't afraid to say it. They love designing things to wear, especially since fashion isn't that big on Kylmyys, and Ben brings them fabrics and items they request from earth whenever he comes by on a visit. Though, despite Neva's expensive tastes, they are most certainly aren't a snob, and more often than not create outfits and accessories for others that Neva knows they'd like, and wants to bring out the best beauty in them. Though admittedly, they can get a bit carried away if someone asks for fashion advice, or even brings up the idea of something related to it. Neva also a bit of a business mind too, having gotten some clients recently on their homeworld after seeing what Neva could make. -Raine (Aqua)- A very sweet young one, Raine has a keen eye for collecting things, particularly shiny or unknown stuff. From gemstones to simple earth utensil, if something interests them, Raine is known to take it with them, sometimes snatching without thinking. They don't mean any harm, and just sometimes think before acting, and will give something back if they've realized what they've done, but if it's clear they can keep it, then they aren't one to share, though do like to show off what they have with joy. They are also very well organized, knowing where everything they own is, and even when their siblings misplace something, having a photography memory and mental list of things. They may own a lot of stuff, but that doesn't mean they want to live in a pigsty. -Vale (Yellow)- Being one of the quiet ones, Vale likes to keep a lot to themself, and don't speak very often, only when they need to. They spend a lot of time outside, observing nature as it passes by them, using a little diary to note down what they see, hear, feel, smell and even taste. They like to appreciate silence and the world around them, and the beauty of nature, and collect little things to store away in their diary as memory. Whenever they visit earth, they love to visit the forests in the spring and summer, seeing the range of colours blooming from flowers, and has many flower prints because of this. -Lux (Beige)- Quite the basic of people, Lux likes to live life in a simple way, and tends to try and stare clear of any chaos, which is quite hard when you have 13 wild siblings. Because of them, they can come across as annoyed and frustrated at times, and can be blunt and honest, but they do love their siblings, and is often the one that says what's needed to be said. Lux also have massive wings compared to their body, a ratio none of the others have, and use to trip over their feet a lot growing up. Now, their massive wings are a great way to hide away when they're not in the mood to talk to read a book, or to hug a family member when seeing them down. -Micha (Pink)- Bubbly and sneaky, Micha has been dubbed the "Pink Ninja" for a reason, someone almost always able to hide away and sneak up on others. They love to jump scare people, and has found more and more crafty ways to get around without being noticed, even without their ability to go invisible. They love to pull jokes and get a laugh out of people, and Micha is known to have a snort with their own laughter. It's always their mission to catch Ben off guard when he visits, as each time it gets trickier due to him knowing it's coming, and his training and skills build up over the years, but Micha always finds a way in the end. -Zodiac (Gold)- Patient and often neutral toned, Zodiac is often seen to be pretty wise. From a young age, they've always loved stories from history, especially those about myths and legends they hear from around the galaxy, and spend a lot of their time reading and researching anything they hear about, always keen to hear a new story they may have never heard about before. It always fascinates them how much Ben has seen and done, and the stories he tells, Zodiac is practically fond of those about Alien X and Celestialsapians, and wants to meet one one day. -Alaska (White)- High on energy 99% of the time, Alaska is always zooming around and never has time to stop. They rarely sit still for long, and it takes a lot to drain them of their endless energy, always moving in a blink of an eye. Because of this, Alaska is the fastest of the crew, which has come in handy often. But they can be easily bored, and a little frustrating to deal with when they don't pay attention, but they do like to spend that energy by jumping around each sibling to spend the day with, and wants to engage in all of their activities to support them. -Arlo (Purple- The smallest of them, Arlo was born the runt of the group, but thanks to their siblings, especially North, they managed to survive childhood when most other necrofriggian runts would have died. This makes Arlo the baby of the group, and the one they all want to protect, even if it can be a little baring at much, wanting to prove they can be strong on their own. And Arlo somewhat got their wish, when reaching a certain age and Ben learning that one of his children had the spark, thus meaning Arlo is an Anodite, and is able to use magic, though they're far from being perfect at it, and their small body sometimes struggles to keep up. But each day Arlo practices, wanting to feel more than just the tiny one, but they are generally kind and great with emotions, being very supportive and just trying their hardest.

Pining for your Best Friend

pairing: george weasley x gryffindor (fem) reader 

requested: @bunnyboo7

 “a George Weasley x Gryffindor reader imagine of 72,74&76. Where the reader and the twins are best friends, the reader likes Fred but Fred and Angelina has this ‘thing’ between them so she’s heartbroken. So George who likes the reader comes in and make her smile and laugh and stuff, and they somehow and up together. Can it also be angsty and fluff at the same time 🤍”

72 -  “I don’t want to let go” // 74 - “Just pretend to be my date” // 76 - “Keep me warm”

word count: 5k

warnings: angst, fluff, swearing

A/N: thank you so much for requesting this love! I had so much fun writing it Xx I hope you like it as much as I do! Also, for everyone else that’s submitted requests, I am working on them and they should be up by the start of next week!! Thank you bunches for requesting stories, it honestly makes me so happy!! Let me know what you guys think and don’t be afraid to request more if there’s something else you’d like written! Xx

Taglist: @justmesadgirl @xuckduck @yikesyikesyikes95 @filipi-yes @aestheticwh0r3 @siredkai @matsuno-nadeshiko @msmarklee1213 @immajustreadwritereblog @msmimimerton @lauren2408 @mischievous-queen @bunnyboo7 @grandeoptimist @kaitlynw011 @daddystevee @slytherinxhunter

You frown as you watch Fred and Angelina laugh together a few desks ahead of you. Not so long ago you had hoped it would be you and him in the same situation.

You and the twins have been best friends for as long as you can remember, your parents being friends with theirs and your fathers working together at the ministry. Having essentially grown up together, you couldn’t help but develop a crush on Fred. He was funny and outgoing and so easy to joke with, yet you had seen his softer side as well. 

You had seen him take care of Ron and Ginny when they’d get hurt or were having a bad day. You have been comforted by him a number of times and each time your heart swelled a little more with love for the boy.

Since starting hogwarts, however, you’ve been watching him slowly fall in love with Angelina Johnson - a beautiful, kind, and intelligent gryffindor like yourselves who was impeccably skilled in quidditch. It’s really no wonder he would fall for her.

For you, though, it was like a wrecking ball smashing into your heart, completely shattering it and making sure to swing back and hit the pieces it missed the first time around.

You’re not really sure when it had happened, but you had fallen completely in love with your best friend and there’s absolutely no point in telling him now. maybe if you had told him years ago, but it's not like you could go back.

You sigh, trying to ignore the breaking of your heart and the sinking of your stomach as you sit in the middle of transfiguration. Truthfully all you wanted to do was hideaway in your dorm, or maybe even the astronomy tower, and forget about everything. Maybe you could obliviate yourself? Was it safe? I mean, who really cares at this moment as long as you forget ever loving him.

“Hey, beautiful. What’re you thinking about?” You hear your other best friend, George, ask as he leans over to you.

“Nothing.” You sigh, sending a very unconvincing smile his way.

“You're such a bad liar, y/n. Always have been.” He chuckles, bumping shoulders with you as he teases you.

He knew exactly what you had been thinking about and he knew just how much it was hurting you with just one look at your expression and the way you were holding yourself.

“Only to you and Fred. If I remember correctly, I’ve pulled one over many a times on a handful of people.” You smile lightly, this one being a bit more genuine.

“That’s true, I suppose. I guess it’s one of those perks from growing up with you.” He smiles.

“I suppose so, Georgie.”

You give him a small smile, grateful for the distraction he provided from his twin. You weren’t sure if he knew what he was doing, but even if he didn't you were happy to have him. He somehow always knew right when to pull you from your thoughts or distract you from a situation.

~.~

“Hey, Angelina! Will you go out with me?” Fred asks over dinner one night and you swear you can feel your heart hit the floor. It had never felt so heavy before.

You watch as she nods, smiling widely at your fiery-haired best friend who is sporting a smile just as big.

Without realizing it, your eyes had filled with tears and you were on the verge of crying. You only noticed when one had started to slip out, which you quickly wiped away with the sleeve of your sweater.

“Hey...i’m sorry, loves, but I think I’m going to head back to my room. I-I’m not feeling real well all a sudden.” You excuse yourself, frowning lightly at you two friends; Adelyn and Maisie.

They frown as they realize why your excusing yourself, but don’t try to make you stay. They know you need to get away and be by yourself for a bit.

George frowns from beside you as you get up and quickly try to get out of the hall without drawing any attention to yourself. He hates knowing his brother is the reason for their best friend’s heart currently breaking into a thousand pieces. Fred doesn’t even realize how in love with him you are and it kills George because he knows Fred doesn’t look at you in the same way, whereas he does.

George has always liked you more than his siblings have. While it’s true you all had grown up almost as siblings, George had never been able to see you as a sister like Fred and Ron had. He saw you as this beautiful, vibrant girl he got to be best friends with. He saw you as one of the kindest, most brilliant, funny, and talented people he’s ever met. Then when you guys got older he only started to notice more and more how gorgeous you were.

Watching you go through puberty was absolute hell for him as he and Fred were unluckily starting to go through puberty at the same time. Watching you mature and your body fill out was absolute art to him, but it came to be a bit of an issue when he wasn’t able to control a certain body part of his. Too many times he had to excuse himself so he wouldn’t be caught with a boner, his ears always burning in embarrassment when he did.

After about ten minutes he decides he needs to see if you’re okay, already knowing you aren’t, but wanting to see if he could help in anyway. He hated knowing you were upset and would do anything and everything in his power to make you happy again.

~.~

“Hey George! Y/n!” Fred smiles as he sits down at breakfast a couple weeks later.

After Fred had asked Angelina to be his girlfriend and you left before you could start crying in the middle of the great hall, George had come to keep you company, assuring you that his brother was a thorough idiot and that you deserved someone who would notice your affections  and wouldn't just string you along.

He had stayed with you most of that night, only leaving in the very early hours of the morning before students would start waking up.

Since then you and him could be found together nearly every moment of the day. He would walk you to classes whether you shared them or not, and if you happened to share a class he would always sit with you, passing you playful notes the entire hour or whispering comments or jokes in your ear. You often had to hold back your laughter, opting instead to roll your eyes at him and smile.

If you guys weren’t in class, you could be found lounging around the common room or the library. You would work on your homework while George would either lay there with you, fidgeting with a prototype or he would be making notes for a new invention. Sometimes he would write you notes to smoothly pass you while you were working, effectively distracting you and getting you to smile.  He rarely would do his homework with you, which you always found annoying, but wouldn’t push him to do. in all honesty, you just liked having him near.

Aside from classes and your guys' free time, You and George would sit together at meals, talking and laughing with your friends aside from Fred and Angelina, you would walk the grounds together when you were bored while talking about anything and everything, and you would even curl up together in each other's bed at times just so you wouldn't have to part quite yet.

Truthfully, you and George had become more of a pair then him and his twin, but neither of you were complaining. You loved laughing and joking with him and he loved seeing you smile and laugh and joke back with him. He was proud of himself that he could take your mind off of his twin who could so carelessly break your heart without even realizing it.

“Hey, Fred.” George smiles, acknowledging his twins presence, but keeping up a bit of caution as you were sitting right beside him. He wasn’t entirely sure how you felt about Fred at the moment and wouldn't hesitate to take you away from him if you were uncomfortable.

“I feel like it’s been weeks since we’ve actually talked.” Fred chuckles, grabbing himself a plate of food.

“Guess things have been going well with Angie, huh?” You ask, your heart only breaking a little.

“Really well. Merlin, she’s perfect. I actually wanted to ask you guys if you’d like to come out with her and I to hogsmeade on the trip this weekend? I’d love to have us all hangout.” He says happily, before taking a bite of his eggs.

George looks down at you as you look up at him. You can read exactly what he’s asking you; he wants to make sure your comfortable, and if you weren't, it was more than okay to say no.

You smile, nodding lightly. you missed having fred around and it was only one afternoon, you were sure you could handle it.

“Yeah, maybe we’ll catch up with you guys there. I kinda wanted to sleep in a bit this weekend.” You answer for the two of you.

Fred nods, not even noticing how you two had to check with each other. He's definitely noticed how close you two have gotten, feeling a bit upset that you were now laughing and joking with george instead of him. For years that was your guys' thing. He was the one that was able to make you break out into a big smile, or laugh until you couldn't breathe.

Then you were spending all of your time with george now on top of everything else when it used to be the three of you. Fred was a little hurt that he seemed to have been replaced, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint why it made it so upset. Maybe it was because he felt it was his fault as he was spending a lot of his time with Angie?

~.~

Saturday comes almost a little too quickly and you realize just how nervous you are to do this. Maybe you didn’t have to meet up with Fred and Angelina. You doubted that they would mind, anyway. You debate going back inside the castle when George finally meets up with you.

“Y/n? You ready to go?” George asks, giving you a smile and holding out his hand for you to take.

“Yeah, yes. I'm ready.”

George frowns as he notices how nervous you are. He had a feeling you were trying to push aside your hurt feelings a bit too quickly, but he didn't want to bring it up. If you wanted to move forward, he wasn't going to stop you.

“Y/n, you don’t have to be so nervous. We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” He reassures, grabbing hold of the hand that is picking at your slightly chapped bottom lip - a nervous habit he realized you have years ago.

“No, I’d like to go, Georgie. I just, Merlin, I don’t know if I really want to see Fred and Angelina hanging on each other all day. I feel bad not going though, you and Fred have barely hung out or talked at all lately.”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about Fred and I’s relationship. All I care about at the moment is you, and whether you are okay.” george smiles, pulling you towards him.

“I’m fine, just....”

“A little nervous?” he asks, looking at you already knowing its the truth. You nod and frown a bit, george giving you a comforting smile as he pulls you into a hug, his arms wrapping around you fully.

“Take a breath, darling. Why don't we go for now, but the second you start feeling like its too much you tell me and we'll come back. Okay?"

"Okay, georgie. Thank you for being so amazing."

"You don't have to thank me, y/n, but you're welcome." he smiles, his heart warming with adoration for you.

~.~

“George!” You gasp as he hits you in the middle of the back with a snowball. You two had been fooling around the entire way to hogsmeade, but you hadn't expected that.

you shiver as some of the snow fell into the back of your coat, melting against your neck and running down your back.

"I am so getting you back for that, weasley." you threaten, a smile still on your face as you try to glare at your best friend. he just smirks and winks at you.

"I dare you to, darling." he quips.

Fred and Angelina turn towards the commotion, momentarily pausing the conversation they were having.

Fred frowns a bit as angelina smiles at the two of you. She's glad to see you both so happy whereas fred is feeling just a bit jealous. he wishes more than anything that you would still joke with him and share playful conversations and actions, but since he and Angelina started dating he's noticed how you will barely look at him. It's like george has completely taken up your attention and fred was upset about it. You weren't friends just with george, you were also his friend whether you remember or not.

"Hey, guys! It's nice to see you!" Angelina calls out as she waves at the two of you.

Her and fred watch as you and george glance over, your smiles dropping ever so slightly. however, fred's the only one that really notices, and even then it was so slight he wasn't 100% sure if he saw it right.

You smile, waving back at the girl before looking over to george. you share a look that tells you he's not leaving you and that you will be okay.

"remember, y/n, we can leave at any time you want to, okay?" he reassures, holding out his pinky for you to promise with.

"okay, george." you smile, linking your pinky with his as he smiles at you, placing a soft kiss to your forehead before you make your way over to them.

"hey, guys. it is really nice to be hanging out with you, and to just get out of the castle for a moment." you chuckle, smiling at the red head and his girlfriend.

"oh, I completely get that, y/n. I've been so stressed over classes lately." angelina agrees, sighing as she recalls the few pieces she has to finish this weekend still.

george smiles at you, proud that your able to fake a friendly conversation, but silently reassuring you that you don't have to push yourself more than needed. the last thing he wants is to see you hurt again.

you smile up at him as he carefully slides an arm around your waist as he stands behind and to the side of you a bit.

"Well, what do you guys want to do first?" fred asks, eyeing his brother as he looks down at you for an answer.

~.~

you start to frown a bit as fred wraps an arm around angelina while you four are sitting around a table in the three broomsticks. You've been doing so well today, but now it was all starting to weigh down on you. As much as you tried to ignore it, watching your best friend love up on someone else that wasn't you hurt.

"you alright, love?" george whispers in your ear when fred and angie get up to get you all another drink along with some food.

"yeah. I'm doing great, georgie." you smile, loving the feeling of the hand he placed on your back. it's like warm was suddenly radiating through your body, trying to rid you of the chill you feel from the cold and your broken heart.

"don't lie to me, y/n. I can tell you're getting tired and worn out."

"alright, georgie. I don't know why you ask if you already know the answer." you huff, slumping onto your elbows, you head resting in your hands.

he chuckles, smiling warmly at you as he slides his arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him in the booth you two are sitting in.

"do you want to head back soon?" he asks, tucking some hair behind your ear as you look up at him.

"no," you sigh. "I actually really like out here, i'm just...tired of seeing them together."

george frowns, nodding in agreement as you both look over to fred as he kisses angie on the cheek.

"i think i've got a solution to that." he smiles.

"what's that, georgie?"

"just pretend to be my date. you can't be upset by them if you're on a date of your own now can you?"

"george, we can't -" you start by are quickly cut off.

"yes, we can. now shh. they're on their way back." he shushes, placing a quick kiss to your forehead as you shake your head at him.

he's got to be crazy, but crazy with a point. perhaps you might feel better if you were on a date of your own. it's not like you hadn't thought of going out with george before.

"we're back! with four more butterbeers and everything we ordered for food." fred smiles, setting down the tray he was carrying and angie passes out the drinks.

"Thanks, freddie. y/n here was just saying how hungry she was, weren't you, love?" george asks, his hand on your waist rubbing comforting circle into your skin.

Fred pauses a moment, confused at the use of the pet name. sure they've called you princess and sweetheart and many other names, but the way george had just said it was different. it was more loving and held differently in the air.

he doesn't show it, but hearing it made his heart stop for a second or two. He definitely felt like was being replaced with george, but watching you now, he wonders just what roles George has filled in your life.

Fred had always wondered what it would be like to be your boyfriend, but could never bring himself to find out. Then he met Angie and he pushed all his potential feelings for you away, instead focusing on the wonderful woman he's dating. For some reason, however, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of hurt in his chest at the thought of you and george dating.

"I was. I didn't eat much breakfast today and I'm starving." you say, smiling at your best friend, both of you noticing the hesitation fred showed.

"well, then, you better start eating." fred chuckles, setting your order of food in front of you.

~.~

“Hey, can we go to honeydukes, Georgie?” You ask as you spot it just down the street. After your guys' lunch, the four of you decided to look around and go shopping.

you didn't have a lot of money to spend, but you really wanted to pick up some candy, especially some chocolate as you've been craving it lately.

george smiles at you, nodding as he intertwines your hands together as you walk.

“Hey, guys, let's stop into honeydukes.” George says, already leading you over there as fred and angelina smile, following after you guys.

you spend a few minutes looking, having gone off with george and fred and angelina were somewhere else in the store.

You giggle as George pokes your sides as you reach for a chocolate cauldron up on the higher shelves, not quite able to reach it.

“Can’t reach it now can you, short stuff?”

“Shut up, Georgie. Help me get it down? please?” You pout, smiling when he finally reaches up above you to get it, successfully caging you against the wall.

"Anything for you, love." he smiles, a hand of his resting on your waist to steady himself.

you smile at him, loving how real all of this felt. maybe you liked george more than you thought all of these years?

He frowns, as you both hear fred and angelina laughing as they get closer to the two of you. George could tell how much everything still bothered you, but you were trying to be strong.

"forget about them, love. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." he smiles, running his thumb across your cheek as he cups your face.

“I’m going to do something, okay. just, let me know if it's too much.” He says, smiling at you as he glances at your lips. He's always wondered what it would feel like to kiss you. he figured what better way to find out than to kiss you right here, truly solidifying your act.

Without thinking much more about it he pulls you into him as your lips meet. you gasp a bit, but close your eyes and quickly fall into the rhythm of the kiss, your hands going up to wrap around his neck. you hadn't expected this, but it felt right in the absolute best way.

“Find something sweet, I see?” You hear Fred ask, chuckling, but when you both look at him you can see he’s more than a bit jealous, hurt flashing across his features.

you and george pull away, a light blush dusting your cheeks as you smile shyly. you had never expected that to feel so amazing.

"very sweet." george smiles, chuckling a bit as you slap his arm.

“I never would have thought you two would get together, but it actually makes a lot of sense." angelina chuckles. "and you’re really cute together. I can’t believe I would think anything else.” she smiles.

“Yeah, can’t believe you’d think anything else.” Fred agrees, looking between the two of you a little upset.

he never thought his twin would like you, you two always acted like brother and sister. granted you and he also acted like brother and sister, but he was sure he would know if george had feelings. he and george could never hide their feelings from each other.

~.~

The rest of the afternoon you guys spend shopping, George never failing to act like your boyfriend as he'd sneak kisses onto your cheeks or give you a quick peck when you two were stopped. you can’t help but enjoy it a little too much. What would it be like if you two really were to date? would it be like this?

“do you think we should get going back? it is getting kinda late in the afternoon." angelina states, looking around at all of you.

"yeah, I think we've all had a long day. It was fun, but i'm actually really tired." you admit, smiling a bit as george pulls you in his side.

"same here. i'd love to go back and take a nap before dinner." george chuckles.

angie nods, turning to her boyfriend who had been watching you and his twin. he could tell you looked tired, but he couldn't help but wonder if george had a second meaning behind saying he wanted to take a nap. he couldn't imagine you and him would be sleeping together, but at this point, he really wasn't sure about anything involving you and his twin.

“I get it. classes have been stressful and the professors have been giving out so much homework. i'm sure I could use a nap too." angie smiles.

"alright, well let's head back then. maybe we can all come back out in another weekend or two?" fred suggest to which angie agrees and you and george shrug to.

~.~

“I’ll see you later, Freddie.” Angelina smiles, giving him a kiss that you and George roll your eyes at, leaning closer together to hide your smirks and giggles.

once you all got back to the castle, you've taken residence on the couch. you and george cuddling and rolling your eyes at the couple as they chatted.

“I love you, beautiful. See you later tonight.”

George mimics his twin as your huddled together and you have to bite your lip to keep from chuckling out loud.

“That’s right, just laugh it up you two." fred huffs, crossing his arms and leaning back into the couch as his girlfriend disappears upstairs.

"you seem a bit upset, freddie. what's wrong?" george asks, not moving from underneath you or even shifting to lean towards his brother.

"when did this happen?" he asks, looking at the two of you. you were laying on your side next to george, your head resting on his shoulder as the two of you held hands and george's other hand resting on your waist.

“What are you talking about?” George asks, both of you looking at him confused.

“All this lovey dovey, relationship shit. You two aren’t really dating, are you?”

“And what makes you say we aren’t dating dear brother of mine?”

he scoffs, rolling his eyes at the two of you. there is no way he wouldn't know you two liked each other before know. he was not that oblivious.

"i've known the two of you my entire life, neither of you have ever showed any sort of feelings for each other until today. What's happened?"

you and george share a look of utter disbelief.

"godrick, you really are blind at times, aren't you freddie?" george asks, chuckling.

"what do you mean?"

"i mean, fred, that y/n here has been crushing on you for years and you never noticed. i know she wasn't trying to, but it was so obvious, mate." george says.

"what? no-"

"yeah, freddie. believe it or not your best friend was madly in love with you." you say, nonchalantly.

"watching you flirt and get together with angelina absolutely broke her, fred. i honestly can't believe you wouldn't have noticed." george sighs.

"anyway, i was helping her pick up the pieces of her heart. that's why we've been hanging out together so much. I can't trust leaving her alone in fear you're going to completely break her again."

You smile at your best friend, beyond grateful he's been here for you. you're honestly not sure how to ever thank him for being so patient with you while you were pining over his twin brother.

he smiles down at you, chewing on his lip as you snuggle closer to him, loving the warmth he was radiating.

“I-y/n. I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know.” Fred stutters, frowning as he realizes he could have had a chance with you.

"don't worry about it anymore. you've got angelina and you seem real happy with her. the last thing i want to do is make you feel bad."

"besides, george and I seem to be getting along just fine. he's surprisingly really good at putting things back together." you smile, giggling as he pokes your side.

“Surprisingly? Have I or have I not always fixed what you and Fred broke when we were younger so our parents wouldn’t yell at us?” George asks, slightly offended.

you giggle, burying your face into his chest as he kisses the top of your head. you loved laying here like this with him. for the first time in quite awhile you felt completely safe and happy.

“So you two like each other? Are you actually dating...or was this all for show?” Fred asks.

you look up at george and find him smiling at you, but there's something different about the way he's looking at you right now.

"well, we were pretending, but I'd be more than happy to make this real." george states, tucking some of your hair behind your ear as you smile at him.

"I'd be happy with that, georgie." you smile, watching as his face breaks out in a grin as he leans down to kiss you.

"so, you two are dating now...th-that's great. I...I'm really happy for you two." fred mumbles, feeling his heart break.

"freddie, I'm sorry mate. I know you liked y/n a little bit a few years ago, but i'm not going to let you keep going back and forth with her."

"no. No, I understand, george. She deserves you and you deserve her. I think I've always kinda known you like her more than a friend." fred sighs, smiling lightly at the two of you.

you give him a small smile. you'll always like him, but like george said, you can't keep going back and forth waiting on him to decide. Now, seeing george care for you this last month or so and pretending to date for a day, you realize just how much you truly love him. with fred, your affection for him was more a sort of a schoolgirl crush. with georgie, you knew this wasn't just a passing feeling.

"well, I'll catch you guys later, yeah?" fred asks to which you and george nod.

After a few minutes, george turns to look at you curled up on him as you've been thinking.

"Do you want to go talk to him?"

you shake your head. while you felt bad knowing that seeing you and george together had upset fred, you knew he would bounce back from it when he saw how happy you two were.

"no, i don't want to let go of you." you smile, looking up at him as as a grin takes over his face.

"merlin, y/n. you are absolutely adorable." he smiles, kissing your lips and then peppering kisses over your neck and face.

"georgie, stop!" you giggle as it tickles and the movement is causing cold air to hit your skin.

"can you just sit still and keep me warm, please?" you ask to which he nods, kissing you one last time before wrapping his arms around you tightly.

For going through such a rough month, you had to admit you were pretty pleased with how great it was ending.

Darkest Before The Dawn

pairing: willex, past luke/alex

summary: "your parents were never cool again after you told them you were gay.” OR an exploration into alex’s past, his family life, and his relationship with religion

essentially this is all one big angsty headcanon

authors note: basically i’ve been thinking about the gold chain alex wears around his neck and i’ve been way overanalysing what it is and i thought - what if it used to be a cross necklace that his devout parents made him wear?? also i’m so desperate for alex to have more backstory that i’m pulling it out of every nook and cranny at this point

trigger warning: homophobia, bad parenting

ao3

It starts when he’s seven. He’d invited Bobby over to his house after school to play, not knowing that his dad had come home from work early. They’re sitting at the dining table, drawing with Alex’s new 36 pack of crayons when he hears it.

“I just think letting him do all that... art stuff is gonna make him...” he hears his dad say to his mom, “...soft. Girly. We already have one daughter, we don’t need another one.”

Alex doesn’t really understand what his Dad means, but he drops the crayon he’s holding and pokes Bobby on the wrist lightly. “I’m bored,” he says quietly, though his picture remains on the table unfinished. “Can we go do somethin’ else?”

Bobby furrows his eyebrows and looks down at his paper. “But... I didn’t finish colouring my dragon.” 

Alex looks at his Dad in the kitchen. He’s still talking to his mom, both of their heads bowed. He has that look on his face that reminds Alex of the time his mom tried to convince them to go vegetarian for a week. “We can finish colouring later... maybe,” he says. “Let’s go play in my room.”

Bobby takes one last look at his drawing but nods, gently folding the piece of paper in half and tucking it into his backpack. “Okay.”

They walk up to Alex’s room together, hand-in-hand like always. They pass the kitchen on the way and Alex’s dad turns his head, scowling deeper when he looks at their hands. Suddenly Alex feels cold all over. 

“Boys,” he says, deep voice booming. “You’re getting a little old to be holding hands, aren’t you?”

Alex lets go of Bobby’s hand immediately and tucks it into his trouser pocket instead, nodding. Bobby looks like he wants to protest but Alex just nudges him and nods towards his room. 

They walk away and Alex tries to brush the experience off. He doesn’t eat much at dinner that night.

---

His dad makes him quit choir the next year. He’s up in his room practicing for the Christmas festival when he hears three quiet knocks. 

“Come in,” he says, closing his music book. His dad walks in, still in his shirt and tie from work. “Oh. Hi, Dad.”

His dad smiles stiffly. “Alex, what are you doing?” 

Alex looks between his dad and his choir book for a moment. “Practicing for the festival,” he says, a smile growing on his face. “Mrs. Carson gave me a solo for the first--”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” his dad says, pursing his lips. “Wouldn’t you be happier... playing a sport or something? What about baseball? You know when your old man was in school, I was a real killer on the pitch.”

Alex’s tongue feels dry in his mouth the longer his dad speaks. He hates baseball. “Um... I-I like choir, though.” His voice is quiet, barely above a breath. His dad sighs and shakes his head. Alex feels an overwhelming sense of anxiety rise inside his chest. He hates disappointing people.

“I’m just worried about you, son,” he says, sitting down on the edge of Alex’s bed. “Okay, maybe not baseball. How about... soccer?”

Alex shuffles around on his chair. He feels like his heart has stopped beating. “Drums,” he mumbles, looking down at his hands. His dad leans closer. 

“Speak up, Alex.”

Alex looks up, clenching his jaw. “I-I wanna learn how to play the drums,” he says. “L-like that guy from The Rolling Stones.”

His dad goes quiet, scratching his chin like he’s thinking about it, before he smiles and nods. He claps Alex on the shoulder hard enough that it makes him wince. “Drums eh? Sure, we’ll get you a kit and you can set it up in the basement.” As he turns to walk out of Alex’s room, he turns and throws him a cheeky smile. “My boy, the drummer. You know they say girls love drummers.”

Alex isn’t sure why, but that comment makes him feel sick. He stares at his closed door for too long after his dad leaves, his thoughts twisting and turning in his mind.

---

When Alex receives his first cross, he’s 12-years-old. He immediately vows never to take it off. It’s a beautiful piece of jewellery; a small gold cross on a solid gold chain. When his mom slips it around his neck, he feels... protected, somehow. Safe. 

His mom smiles at him tearily as she hooks the clasp around his neck, running her hand down the side of his face. “Congratulations, baby,” she says quietly. “You know, my mother gave me my first cross when I was exactly your age. ”

Alex just smiles and tugs on the chain lightly, feeling the cool metal against his thumb and forefinger. “Thanks, mom,” he says quietly, looking down at where it’s dangling against the soft blue of his button down. 

His sister, Andrea, comes from behind him and knocks his shoulder lightly. Her own cross is silver and smaller than his, contrasting against her light skin perfectly. He doesn’t remember when she got hers. She was four years older than him and got hers when he was just a little kid. “Congrats, Lexi,” she says.

His dad comes out of the kitchen, a bottle of champagne in one hand and two flutes in the other. He’s beaming. “This calls for a celebration!”

His mother looks at his dad and tuts quietly, though she still looks pleased. “Michael, it’s barely 9. We have to leave for church soon.”

His dad simply brushes off her worry. “My son is being confirmed, Linda. We’re celebrating.” He kisses her on the cheek and hands her a champagne flute. “It won’t take long.”

He pours himself and Alex’s mother a small amount of champagne and Alex watches, entranced as they cheers and take a sip. His mother and his father lock eyes before handing their glasses to Alex and Andrea, smiling secret smiles. 

“Just this once,” his dad says. “Just one sip.”

Andrea takes the flute immediately and takes a sip. Alex watches her for a moment before taking his dad’s flute and lifting it up to his mouth.

The bubbles fizz and pop in his mouth. The taste is unpleasant, but... the feeling of his dad’s eyes on him, proud and sparkling with happiness make the experience a million times better.

As they drive to church, Alex keeps his hand firmly clasped around his cross, smiling the entire time.

---

Alex receives his first kiss when he’s 14. It happens in his basement with Luke Patterson. He’d invited him over so they could work on a song together. Luke had discovered him playing drums in the music room one day and had instantly recruited him to join his band, alongside Bobby and Reggie Anderson.

They’d long since abandoned practicing any form of music and were lounging on the couch in Alex’s basement, playing video games on his Sega Genesis. He’s so close to beating Luke at Mortal Kombat. They’ve been playing for 45 minutes and Alex has managed to lose every round so far.

But, with a fatal blow, Alex watches his character drop to his knees as Luke’s character poses victoriously. He groans loudly and leans back against the couch, trying his best not to pout as he hears Luke’s laughter next to him. “No fair!” he exclaims, dropping his controller beside him on the couch. 

Luke smirks, boxing Alex in the shoulder lightly. “Not my fault I’m better at this game than you are,” he says. He’s leaning towards Alex, his face mere inches away from his shoulder. “I’m just naturally skilled.”

Alex blushes and shuffles away from him, leaning into the arm rest and trying to ignore his heart as it pounds away in his chest. “Naturally ugly, more like,” he mumbles. It’s not the best comeback, but he can’t really focus right now.

Luke laughs anyway, punching Alex’s arm again and turning back to face the TV. Neither of them speak for a moment but Alex can feel the air thicken with a strange tension that he’s never felt before.

His hand automatically comes up to grip his cross, the edges of the metal digging into his palm. He takes a short breath in and out, feeling the cold metal warm up in his hand. 

He feels Luke’s eyes on him and he turns. There’s a small smile on Luke’s face that Alex can’t help but return. “What?” he asks.

Luke shrugs. “Nothin’,” he says softly.

Then, he leans in closer. Alex does not pull away.

Before he even realises what’s happening, they’re kissing. It’s chaste and completely innocent; a light press of lips against lips. Alex can tell that Luke hasn’t bothered to put on chapstick in his entire 14 years of life, but he tastes vaguely of grape bubblegum and iced tea. It’s nice. 

As they kiss, he feels his grip on his cross loosen until his hand falls completely slack, landing on top of Luke’s hand where it’s resting on a cushion.

They’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps against carpeted stairs. Alex jumps out of his seat and lands on the floor in front of the couch. Luke loses his balance and falls after him, landing face first in the couch cushion where Alex had just been sitting.

The basement door opens and Andrea pokes her head through, holding two capri suns and a bowl full of chips. She sees Alex on the floor and furrows her eyebrows. “Why are you on the ground?”

Alex clears his throat and blinks down at his knees, trying to hide his shaking hands. “Um... it-it’s more comfortable down here,” he mumbles. 

Andrea shrugs and walks in, placing the bowl of chips and the drinks on the coffee table. “Mom told me to give these to you.” She looks between the TV and the two of them. “I thought you guys were practicing.”

“We were!” Luke says, standing up and walking over to where his guitar is resting on the other side of the room. “We took a quick video game break, but we’re ready to get back to work. Right, Alex?”

Alex nods, but he can’t stand back up. “Right,” he says breathlessly, giving Andrea a weak smile. “Thanks for the snacks.”

Andrea nods, but she looks suspicious. She walks out of the room and shuts the door behind her. Alex doesn’t exhale until her footsteps have retreated completely. He breathes out shakily and draws his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. 

“Hey,” Luke says, running to Alex’s side. His hand hovers above Alex’s back before resting just behind him on the couch. “You okay?”

It takes a minute, but eventually Alex nods and looks up at Luke. “Yeah,” he replies, though his hands are still balled into tight fists. “I’m good.”

Luke nods, his hand tightening and loosening its grip on the couch cushion a few times. “Was that... weird?” he asks quietly. Alex has never heard him sound this unsure before. 

He shakes his head, a small smile growing on his face. “No,” he says quietly, and he means it too. “I don’t think so, anyway.”

Luke nods again, smiling brightly at Alex. “Okay. Cool.”

“Can we not... tell anyone? About that?” He asks quietly, looking up at Luke, eyes pleading. “I-I don’t know if I’m... if that...”

“Alex, of course,” Luke says earnestly, finally reaching over and resting his hand in Alex’s shoulder. “It’ll be just between us.”

Alex nods, smiling weakly. “Cool. Thanks.”

He feels mildly comforted by Luke’s words, but he can’t help the anxiety that grows in his stomach. He stands up and walks over to his kit, sitting down at his stool and twirling his drumstick in his hand.

When he closes his eyes that night, snuggled up in his bed, all he can think about are warm lips and iced tea.

---

He comes out at 16.

It doesn’t go well.

His mom cries like he’s just told her he died... but what makes him more anxious is his dad’s reaction.

He doesn’t say anything at first. Just stares at Alex with that those hard, light eyes. He doesn’t even look angry, he just looks... disappointed.

“Dad?” he says quietly. The word gets caught in his throat.

His dad breathes in slowly and stands up. He walks out of the living room shaking his head. Alex watches him go until he’s completely out of sight. All he can hear are his mothers sobs. All he can feel is the weight of his guilt pressing down on him.

His cross feels like it’s burning his skin through the fabric of his t-shirt. Suddenly it feels like he’s wearing a ten pound weight around his neck. It’s hard to swallow.

He wants to comfort his mom, but he doesn’t even know what he would say. What could he say that wouldn’t make everything worse?

So, he stands up and takes one last look at his mom before walking down the hall. He passes Andrea on the way to the basement. She looks at him and then toward the living room where they can both hear their mother’s sobs. 

“What’s wrong with mom?” she asks, placing a hand on his elbow. The touch burns. 

Alex opens his mouth to speak but the words he wants to say get stuck in his throat. He brushes past her, ignoring her questions and running down the stairs to the basement and shutting the door behind him.

He sits down behind his drums and raises his hand to clasp his necklace, holding it so tightly his hand begins to hurt. He can’t cry. He thinks if he could, then maybe he’d feel better, but... the tears won’t come.

So, he lets go of his cross and picks up his sticks instead, twirling the left one in his hand a few times before hitting his high tom once, hard. It feels good, but the feeling doesn’t last long.

Eventually, he loses himself in the rhythm, hitting each drum harder than the last. He forgets for a moment; forgets about the disaster that had happened just minutes ago upstairs. He pauses for a minute to catch his breath but finds his mind wandering; is his mother still crying? Why hadn’t his dad said anything?

He shakes the thought free before pounding on his drums again. He’s not even beating out a rhythm now; he’s just trying to fill the space with noise to keep his thoughts out.

He’s interrupted when the door opens. It's his dad, holding an empty duffel bag, a somber expression on his face. Alex raises his eyebrows and takes his earplugs out of his ears. “Dad?”

His dad winces when Alex speaks, throwing the empty duffel bag onto the floor. “Pack your things.”

All the blood drains from Alex’s face and he stands up on shaky legs. He’s gripping his drumsticks so tightly, it’s a miracle that the wood doesn’t fuse with his skin. “Wh-where’re we goin’?” he asks, though he has a suspicion. 

“We aren’t going anywhere, son,” his dad says. His eyes are on the carpet. He can’t even look at Alex. “Your mother and I... we can’t have you staying in this house.”

“What?!”

“If you’re going to choose to live with your... affliction,” he spits out the word like it’s poison; and in his dad’s mind, perhaps it is, “then it won’t do to have you living here, corrupting us with your ungodly temptations.”

“Dad--”

His father holds up a hand. “I’ll give you 15 minutes to get your things and leave.” He turns to leave the basement but Alex calls him back.

“Where am I supposed to go?” he asks, voice cracking as he tries to fight the tears that threaten to run down his cheeks. He knows crying will only make him more upset. His father doesn’t turn around.

“You can figure that out on your own.” Then, he walks out. Alex is alone. After a few moments, he walks out from behind his drums and picks up the. empty bag with weak hands and walks up to his room. 

He’s working on autopilot as he shoves clothes and shoes and random items (when will he ever need his model robot?) into the bag until it’s almost full to bursting. He drops the bag on his bed and stares at it. He can’t hear anything; all the sounds around him are dull, muted almost. 

He turns around and catches a glimpse of his reflection in his bedroom mirror. He still looks the same as he had that morning when he’d gotten dressed for school. There are still drawings on the back of his hand in blue and black ink from third period when Bobby and Luke decided to draw on him in lieu of paying attention to what Mr. Peters was saying.

Remarkably, he looks the same... but he couldn’t be more different. 

Alex’s eyes drop to the necklace around his neck. It almost hurts to look at now. He’d done well by his vow; hadn’t ever taken it off, even when Jeremy Matthews teased him about it (and received a firm smack on the head from Reggie).

Shakily, he lifts his hands and unclasps the necklace, holding onto the chain so tight that the links begin to make grooves in his skin. He takes hold of the cross and swallows thickly, looking at his warped reflection in the surface of it. 

He slowly slides the cross off of the chain and places it on his nightstand. The chain, though, he keeps though he doesn’t really know why. He puts the chain back around his neck. It feels bare without the cross on it weighing it down, but... Alex finds he kind of likes it. 

With that, he picks up his duffel bag and walks out of his room. He can hear the quiet sound of scraping cutlery against ceramic and he winces. They’d started dinner without him. 

As he walks towards the front door, he passes the dining table. When she hears his footsteps, Andrea looks up from her untouched plate of food and stands up. Alex shakes his head silently at her, gripping his bag strap tighter.

His parents don’t even look up. He gives Andrea a half-hearted smile and a wave before walking out the front door. He doesn’t bother taking his keys with him; he knows he won’t need to use them again.

The cold, night air smacks him right in the face as soon as he closes the door behind him. Then, without a second glance, he leaves and begins the short trek to Bobby’s house.

---

“So, I was wondering...” 

Willie turns to Alex and smiles at him, squeezing his hand gently. “Yeah?”

They’ve been walking down the pier together in comfortable silence for almost 15 minutes, but the question bubbles up in Alex’s chest before he can control himself.

Alex looks down at their interlaced fingers before gesturing towards the necklace around Willie’s neck. “What’s that key around your neck for?”

At the mention of his necklace, Willie wraps his hand around the key and gives it a light tug with his free hand. If Alex notices how Willie’s slowed their walking pace slightly, he doesn’t say anything. 

“It’s my house key,” he says softly. Alex parts his lips in surprise. “When I was a kid, I... I was pretty irresponsible. I was always losing things in random places. My mom used to tell me I’d lose my arms if they weren’t attached to my shoulders.” The smile on his face makes Alex want to cry. “When my folks gave me my first house key, it felt like I was finally growing up. I was so scared I would lose it, so I bought a chain. I’ve worn it around my neck ever since.”

“Even after...” Alex doesn’t continue his train of thought but Willie understands regardless. He nods.

“When I woke up after the accident, it was actually the first thing I reached for,” Willie says quietly, gripping Alex’s hand like a lifeline. “Force of habit, I guess.” 

“Have you ever tried to visit your place?” Alex asks quietly, steering Willie towards the edge of the pier so they can sit by the water. Willie nods.

“A couple times. After I died, I didn’t visit for months. It hurt too much.” He pauses, looking out over the water as he scoots closer to Alex until their shoulders are pressed together. “I visited them for the first time a year after I’d died. I couldn’t go in. I was too scared, so I just watched from the windows like a total creeper.” There’s a chuckle in Willie’s voice that astounds Alex. He doesn’t know how he can be so cheerful even while talking about something so heartbreaking. “My family moved sometime around ‘89. I haven’t tried to find them since.”

Alex nods, listening to the sound of the crashing waves and seagulls as they fly overhead. He doesn’t feel pressured to comfort Willie at all. He thinks that telling him his story might’ve upset Alex more than it upset him. Instead, he rubs his knuckles with his thumb slowly, his finger savouring the feel of every dip and crevice. 

“What about you?” Willie asks suddenly, turning to Alex. There’s a smile in his eye that Alex never wants to look away from. “Is that gold chain around your neck a remnant from your gangster rap phase, or...?”

Alex laughs brightly, throwing his head back. He can feel Willie laughing too, his shoulders bouncing up and down with every giggle. He stops and breathes out quietly, looking down at his chain and hooking his finger through it. 

“Um... there used to be a cross hanging from it,” he says. “My parents got it for me for my confirmation when I was 12. I basically didn’t take it off for five years.” 

Willie pauses, shuffles closer; almost as if he can tell what’s coming next. He doesn’t say anything, though, and somehow that makes it easier for Alex to keep going.

“When I came out, my parents um... they weren’t very cool about it,” he says, tugging a little harder on the chain. “My dad kicked me out.” Willie’s grip on his hand tightens and Alex lets out a breath. “When I was leaving, I took the cross off. It didn’t seem right to keep it after...” he clears his throat. “I kept the chain. I’m still not really sure why... I’ve been thinking about it ever since I left home. I think it’s just... a reminder of why I left and what I have now.”

Willie smiles, bumping their shoulders together. “What do you have now?”

He looks at Willie and find that he can’t control the smile that’s growing on his face either. Under the setting sun, Willie looks so beautiful; his tanned skin practically glowing and long dark hair moving with the breeze. He leans in and brushes a gentle kiss against the side of his lips. He feels Willie’s hand come up to cup his cheek and he leans into the touch. 

They pull away from each other after a few seconds and Alex smiles again, resting their foreheads together. 

“Freedom.”

since I love your headcanons/meta (if you're up to it) can I have your thoughts on the guard + fashion

andy

Andy probably has a pretty complicated relationship with fashion, like i think she does with most things in the modern world given the fact that it’s only a tiny spec of her lifetime

She’s spent her life watching thousands upon thousands of fashion trends come and go and was alive during the creation of many fabrics themselves

She’s been a warrior her entire life, we may not know the manner of her first death (or at least not from the movies) but we know she’s spent most of her life as an immortal fighting, both before and after she met quynh

Fashion for her was always at the very least comfortable and flexible, something she could travel and fight in without a moment’s notice

But to some extent how she looks, her image is a very important aspect of her, especially in the earlier part of her life

She was a famed fighter for so long, earning her name “fighter of man”, there were probably stories told of her and quynh, warrior women who no one can defeat, her clothing at that time at least semi reflected that, she wanted to be seen as “unbreakable” as she says in the movie

She had probably minimal armor, after all she doesn’t need it technically and would only prefer it to have less healing time if she took on less damage, but her clothing showed exactly who she was, every bit the warrior

As practical as she is, who she appears to be is still probably very much still tied to her identity, she may not be known anymore and doesn’t even want to be for the sake of their safety but her clothes are not just strictly practical, rather than be the warrior of myth she has now become a warrior of the modern age, a warrior of the shadows

Her clothes still reflect her younger self, the famed warrior, just scaled back and modernized. She wears calf-high boots, arm braces and fitted clothing in all black  she cuts quite and imposing figure and that’s what i think she wants. She doesn’t necessarily use it to intimidate others, as her younger self may have done, this time her clothing is now to make her still feel powerful, a reflection of who she is now: skilled and deadly, ready at a moments notice to protect those she loves

While jeans and a tank top is a perfectly normal outfit, with the boots and braces you’d do a double take, wondering who she was, but it’s meant to blend in just enough but if you look closely enough at how tight the boots are laced and her posture, tank top carefully tucked in you’d start to wonder

I think she does actually like fashion, she’s seen so much of it and she probably sees things that remind her of something she saw hundreds of years ago, like seeing trends pop up again and it fills her with nostalgia. It reminds her of when she was in love with humanity, loved seeing what people created and invented and when she truly believed in their cause

But things definitely changed after quynh was thrown in the ocean, just had a less of desire and the clothes probably reminded her of quynh, what’d she’d wear and what she’d get for andy to wear and as modern times came around she stuck to stuff that was more practical, still a little fashionable, but stuff that could be worn doing anything from sleeping to fighting

I think her clothing in the movie, mostly black, reflects who she is as this time: a powerful and strong warrior who’s also afraid, she’s afraid that she spent her life fighting for something that doesn’t matter but also (pre-nile) afraid of what she’s going to do now that she said the world could burn - what does a 6,000+ immortal warrior do then?

booker

Booker is not unfashionable, and while his relatively apathetic and cynical nature might make you think fashion isn’t something he would care about, i think he does

He isn’t like joe who would go the extra step to make an outfit more aesthetically pleasing, but also he isn’t as super practical as nicky (he keeps his gun in his pants for fuck’s sake)

Booker is tired and wants to feel normal, to feel his humanity that he feels is slipping away from him even though it’s already been 200 years - he’s still adjusting and that’s because he never wanted this and still doesn’t completely accept this is his life now (hence at least a partial reason for his betrayal)

But i don’t booker is one to make too much of a fuss about what he’s wearing, he wants simple clothing that won’t make him look out of place, especially since he was the one who met with copley for that previous mission maybe he is the one who scouts missions as their seemingly resident computer person

So he goes for what a lot of people do: classic pieces of clothing in selection of relatively neutral colors that all work together. In their life it’s important to have clothes at the ready, both in their bags and at their safehouses and i’d bet at least most of his stuff would work together with no issues

Aside from the tac outfit of course, he mainly wears an assortment of jeans, boots, button downs and leather jackets in mostly blacks and grays with a couple faded blues and greens - any of these can be thrown on without an issue, it looks like a complete outfit and nothing about how he’s dressed is any way going to attrract attention

Plus this man doesn’t care enough about himself to make him look good rather than just being fine with what he has, he wants to die and doesn’t allow himself to feel the love he has from his family, dressing up to him isn’t going to add anything or make anything better

So in the sequel i’d love to see him deal with his pain and his betrayal head on and who knows maybe joe will buy him some zipper pants too and maybe booker will actually like them

nicky

Nicky is the other more practical one other than andy, but he lacks her attempt at keeping at appearances/empowerment

The majority of movies he’s wearing plain t-shirts and regular jeans with dad jackets, the only slightly impractical fashion choice being his hoodie from the tac outfit, which it does cover him up completely and allows him to cover his face more if needed but also it’s hot (i also like that post comparing the hoodie to the crusader’s chainmail helmet)

But nicky in essence is practical, he’s the protector of the group, always watching and always on the edges, he doesn’t care much i think for what he wears as long as it allows him to do his job

Yes of course he participated in fashions over the years, and will wear things joe picks out for him and occasionally what he picks out for himself, but that stuff is not for when there is a mission, not when people need help

But i think he usually gravitates towards simple like andy, something to run and fight in but he lacks andy’s past of fame, reverence, and notoriety (at least in the way she had it - he did fight in the crusades after all) so his clothing isn’t to do anything for him but to act as clothing, it holds no mental power over him, he has no image to project - he’s done so much that he wants to help people and protect his family and that’s it

I don’t think growing up in genoa before the crusades lent itself to that many fashion opportunities and while we aren’t sure of his exact status, i don’t think any of the guard were particularly wealthy (except possibly yusuf as the son of merchants) and being a priest at the time i’m sure didn’t make him wealthy in his adulthood either

And while he’s lived 900+ years, the way you grew up doesn’t just leave you, he was at least catholic, and i still think he holds his faith close, just in a different way now

Plus look at his tac outfit, the most comfortable looking (it is a hoodie after all) and he has half a dozen guns strapped to himself along with sword, he wants the ability to carry his things comfortably without impeding him in any way, he wants to be totally and completely prepared and is very much the typical dad in this sense, everything must be on hand so he can protect those he loves

Also you know this man owns cargo pants much to joe’s dismay

joe

we all know joe is the fashionable male among the guard, i mean the backwards baseball cap and the zipper pants? yeah

in his tac outfit, the hat really adds nothing to it besides aesthetic, it’s not shielding his eyes from the sun because he’s wearing sunglasses and it doesn’t aid him in any way during a fight unless he had decided to pull a booker and do “whatever works” and just like hit someone with it - it’s a purely aesthetic choice

but joe was the child of merchants and lived in an area with a rich history of colorful and beautiful fashion, the region was known for the lightweight fabrics and light silks that during the crusades, many were brought back to europe and astounded the europeans

i think that has stayed with joe, that complete appreciation and awe at the craft of making clothing and using clothing to show yourself and personality 

joe is also a man of the arts, there was so much poetry and arts in the maghreb region, and while that existed in italy as well, nicky was a priest and probably wasn’t exposed to it much outside a religious context

joe is also an artist himself, he has such a grand appreciation for aesthetics and while clothing purely for aesthetics isn’t practical for the life they live unless they are on a break, he manages to infuse his clothing with his personality nonetheless

the backwards hat was fun, unnecessary but it also didn’t get in the way of his fighting. he probably just enjoyed the look (and i know we all did too) and the leather jacket with the hoodie and zippered pants at the end scene was just such an effortless cool look that was still practical but had a lot more personality and an attempted look™ than say nicky and his dad jacket

nile

most of what nile is wearing in the movie isn’t her choice of clothing, not that i don’t think she’d absolutely pick out that green bomber jacket but in the movie she wasn’t the one who picked it, it was packed for her

but the outfit she wears in the end is just like her, trendy and young and refreshing given that the rest of the guard sticks to their own styles they’ve been in the whole movie

but nile is the one who is most likely to branch out, she’s only in her late 20s and by her last scene in the movie it’s only been maybe a week or so since she became immortal, she hasn’t evolved a ‘be ready to fight’ kind of fashion and doesn’t have the hundreds of years of experience telling her to buy things that she can fight in as well as sleep in - now she was in the marines so to some extent but not with her own personal clothing choices

despite her chaotic introduction to being immortal, it won’t set in for a while that their lives are running from one danger to the next, taking breaks when they can, especially with andy’s renewed commitment to the job she and the others set out to accomplish, her clothing style will probably change as she settles into this new life

but we can see in her last scene, she is wearing comfortable clothing, a fitted shirt with a stylish yet somewhat more loose fitting jacket and looser pants (they look like joggers and i can’t completely remember if they are or not)

so while her clothes are comfortable, they are more fashionable than any of the others, and while this probably has lots to do with her age i think it’s very important to her current state of mind

she’s had the most insane weeks of her life, found out she’s not going to die for a very long time, found out there are others like her, and had to say goodbye to her family without seeing them again because she’s decided to stick with her new life

and this is a massive change for her, after being in the military for quite a few years, assuming she joined when she around 18-20 which i think she did enlist then especially given the fact that her dad passed when she was younger

life in the military is very controlled, so her having this sudden new gift but also this vast wide open future is probably terrifying to her, so much has changed so quickly, she hasn’t had the time to properly sort through how she’s feeling and truly realizing what this life means

her clothes are a reflection of one thing in her life she can currently control because she can’t control what’s going to happen in the world and where copley will find them a job or where they will be at any one time but she has control over herself so she dresses herself how she wants, how she’d dress if she was home

it’s some semblance of normality, some piece of herself that hasn’t changed and that she wants to express

quynh

while we don’t see quynh much besides in flashbacks and then in the final scene i think fashion is going to be something important to her

she spent 500 years drowning, unable to do anything, unable to save herself

nile said she was feeling insane and angry, quynh spent 500 years without an ounce of control over what was happening to her and regaining her life is something she is not going to take for granted

she’s going to live her life to the fullest, which includes wearing whatever she likes and wearing the colors she loves and the clothing that makes her feel beautiful and badass and powerful - a little like andy and a little like nile

it’s a huge part of her life she’s regained, clothing is something the whole world sees and part of how we perceive people and in a world that she doesn’t know at all she’ll want to craft herself an image because clothing is still one thing she can understand - the styles are all different but i have no doubts it’s something she took to quite quickly, having something she can control completely

Interview with Eve Golden Woods!

Many of you know who is Eve is. She's a writer and artist, a part of Dreamfeel studios whose beautiful game If Found won Best LGBTQ Narrative and Best LGBTQ Indie game at the first ever Gayming Awards presented by EA games. I am really excited I had the chance to ask Eve some questions about herself, her time at Lovestruck and her creative process.

Congratulations on the two Gayming Awards (Best LGBTQ Narrative, Best LGBTQ Indie Game) for "If Found" from your game studio, Dreamfeel. What was the inspiration behind making the game?

If Found... was a game that emerged out of a collaboration between Llaura McGee, the founder of Dreamfeel, and artist Liadh Young. Liadh's background is as a comic artist, and so when they started working together Llaura had the idea of showing off Liadh's art by making a diary game, and using an erasing mechanic she had previously developed to let the player move through the diary in a fun way. By the time I came on board at the start of 2019, the game had already been in development for a while, so in some ways my work on that game was similar to the work I did for Voltage, because it was taking existing characters and concepts and writing a lot of scripts for them. Unlike Voltage, though, my work for Dreamfeel was a lot more collaborative and I had a lot more creative input. I really enjoy taking something and helping to make it the best version of itself that it can possibly be, but I was also really happy that I got to reflect a lot of my own experiences in If Found. Llaura and I both grew up on the west coast of Ireland, and although If Found... isn't autobiographical for either of us, it was definitely really meaningful to be able to tell a story that reflected our own experiences of growing up as queer teens in a similar kind of environment. Since the game came out we've had fans reach out to us and tell us that they also connected to the experiences of the main characters, and as far as I'm concerned, that makes me feel like I achieved everything I wanted to.

You are a writer and a visual artist. Does one come easier to you than the other?

I used to think of art and writing as talents, and I always felt like my art was at a very mediocre level (that's probably still true, lol). So when I was younger I focused a lot more on writing. It was only later that I started genuinely trying to improve as an artist, but when I did, I think I had a much healthier mindset, and approached it as a skill I could learn with patience and effort. Because of that, even though I still have a lot more confidence in my writing, I find art more fun and relaxing, and I don't stress about it as much.

Did you always know you would follow a creative path?

Kind of? Both my parents are artists, and I grew up surrounded by artists and writers, so it was something that was always very familiar and accessible to me. On the other hand, I didn't exactly have a clear idea of how to make it into a career, or what kind of work would be involved. But there's never been a point in my life where I wasn't doing something creative, even if it was only writing fanfiction.

What did your path to working professionally as a writer/artist look like?

I did a creative writing masters in college, but after that I spent years teaching English as a second language. That was really fun and I got to live abroad, but it was so busy and tiring that I didn't have time to do any writing outside of the occasional fanfic. I only started to take art seriously again when I became interested in games and comics as ways of telling stories. I did some critical writing, which led me to speak at a few local events and get involved in zine fairs. That was how I met Llaura, the director and lead of the Dreamfeel studio, and it's also what gave me the confidence to start applying for actual writing jobs.

Is there any work of art, visual or written, that you look to for inspiration?

So many! I try to read and watch as widely as I can, although there are touchstones I always return to, like the works of Ursula Le Guin and Terry Pratchett. Right now I feel very passionate about the actual play podcast Friends at the Table, which manages to combine really thoughtful worldbuilding and storytelling with cool, fun characters and great action scenes. I'm also reading a book called The Memory Police by Youko Ogawa, which has extremely beautiful prose.

Do you have a favorite piece of your own art, whether it is something you’ve drawn, a screenshot of something you’ve written or something else?

My favourite piece of art is usually whatever I finished most recently (I think that's true for a lot of people). Especially with visual art, once a bit of time has gone by you look back on it and start to notice all your mistakes, which is very annoying. But actually I do still really like the first piece of Fiona fanart I did last year. I managed to use some effects to give it a kind of nineties anime quality that I find really fun, and I think it conveys an emotion pretty effectively. That's always one of the hardest things to predict with visual art, whether the different parts will come together to create the exact mood you're looking for.

I also really like the compass I did for Bycatch. Krissy (@xekstrin) was the one who suggested filling it with fingernails, which was such a good, gross idea! As soon as I heard that I knew it was perfect and that I had to try and draw it.

Many people who read this blog know you as a writer for Lovestruck. When you look back on your time there, what stands out in your mind?

Lovestruck was very important to me when I first started because it was my first ongoing, regular, paid writing work. It gave me a lot of confidence and helped me to get into the habit of writing consistently and rapidly, which is a really useful skill to have. I know I was right to leave when I did, though, because I am just brimming with energy to work on my own projects, and channeling that power into something that you can't control will always end up disappointing you. Also, I made a ton of incredible friends, through Lovestruck itself but then even more so through VOW (@vowtogether), and that is more than worth all the difficult parts.

Is there any character that you would have liked a crack at writing?

Oh gosh, what a fun question! There are so many, but one I do sometimes think about is Axia, just because I know there are a bunch of fans who want her route, and because I had fun writing her as a villain in Zain's route. I can see in my head the shadow of a storyline that takes place after Zain's route is over, where she's in prison and trying to understand how she lost the battle with Zain and MC. I think there's, like, a gap there, where you could see her downfall forcing her to reconsider her assumptions about power, and that could build into a very interesting redemption story. But maybe it's for the best I never got to do that, because I would have wanted full creative control over it, and also I think the story in my head is very different to the sexy, in control, menacing version of Axia that her fans enjoy.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can talk about?

Most of my current work is under NDA, but I will say that I'm doing something very exciting with other VOW members that we should be able to talk about soon(ish). Maybe I can even give a little teaser... It's not a game, but it is something you can read, and my part involves cakes, swamps, and a museum.

Do you have a favorite quote or song lyric?

It's a big long, but there's a section from The Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin that has stayed with me ever since I read it:

"For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead kings, and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger. Have we not eaten while another starved? Will you punish us for that? Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate? No man earns punishment, no man earns reward. Free your mind of the idea of deserving, the idea of earning, and you will begin to be able to think."

It's such a profoundly radical way of imagining the world, so different to everything I was raised with, but whenever I think about it I feel like I can see something very beautiful and powerful that I hope to come closer to understanding some day.

And of course, "Solidarity forever, the union makes us strong."

I was a big fan of the show Inside the Actor’s Studio. Host James Lipton asked every single guest the same 10 concluding questions. I’ve picked 3 of them:

-What is your favorite word?

My favourite word: for sound, I like words you can really roll around on your tongue. Chthonic, alabaster, insinuation. For meaning, I think simple words that encapsulate big concepts have a kind of power to them. We use them so often we forget how big they are, how much weight they really have, but they give us the space to imagine new possibilities. Love. Freedom. Revolution.

-What is your least favorite word?

I've heard that "moist" is a lot of people's least favourite word but it doesn't actually bother me. My least favourite word is probably one where I feel like the sound doesn't match the meaning. One of the Irish words for rain is báisteach, which I feel has a much weightier and more onomatopoeic sound than rain. Rain is just very flat and uninteresting.

-What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Oh, so many! I love history, and I think being a historian/archaeologist would be fascinating. Or something that had a physical component to it, like being a potter or a carpenter. I don't think I'd be any good, but I'd love to take the time to learn.

What would be your advice to anyone who wants to pursue a creative career?

All the work you do matters. Even the failed experiments, the things you hate when they're finished. It all helps to make you better. Also, creative career paths are often really unexpected, so chase any opportunity that seems remotely interesting. Don't work for free for anyone who can afford to pay, but work for yourself and put it somewhere. On a blog, twitter, whatever. You'd be amazed how many people get noticed and get offered opportunities because of something they made in their spare time. You'll probably have to work another job for a long time, so don't be hard on yourself if you're too tired to devote much energy to creative work. Try to make art consistently, but don't feel like that has to mean every day. Don't chase after celebrities. Make friends with your peers.

Reader’s Corner: Carole & Tuesday, Rascal Does Not Dream of Siscon Idol, and The Rampage of Haruhi Suzumiya

Rascal Does Not Dream of Siscon Idol (Rascal, Vol. 4)

My most consistent complaint about the Rascal series, which I otherwise find charming, is that the stories are too full of contrivances. with plots points and character actions often making little sense. Though these developments are often small, such as an explanation that the sisters at the center of this volume aren’t apologizing to each other after a fight because neither would accept such apologies, when that hardly seems true, the way they impact character development and the plot by changing both for the sake of reaching certain resolutions and mile markers in the text, rather than letting the characters and their situations play out naturally, is frequent and significant. The same issue continues, though thankfully at a lesser extent, with Siscon, the fourth volume of the Rascal series, which introduces Mai’s half-sister, Nodoka, an idol in her own right but one far less famous than her actress sister. Both are impacted by Adolescent Syndrome in this volume, switching bodies and being forced to act as one another in different realms and levels of show business. The dialogue between Sakuta and Nadoka is almost as delightful as between him and Mai, and features frequently throughout the text in this fun and warm read which continues the series’ delightful balance between playful adolescence and development of authentic relationships between characters, in whom I’m now fully invested. ~ Twwk

Rascal Does Not Dream of Siscon Idol is published by Yen Press.*

Yokohama Station SF

Not every robot overlord is like Skynet, intent on killing all humanity, with android enforcers that are nigh impossible to kill. Sometimes, the enforcers are turnstiles that not only keep the ticketless out of the station but eject rules violaters to unoccupied spaces to meet their deaths by starvation, and sometimes the master computer is just railroad infrastructure consuming the entire island of Honshu via slow, automated urban renewal. This unique and immensely absorbing post-apocalyptic novel begins long after the “Winter War” devastated Earth, and Yokohama Station, a concrete and metal structure growing seemingly without end, has covered almost all of Honshu and threatens the neighboring islands. Hiroto, lives on a sliver of land just outside the behemoth structure on a tiny beach community until an “Insider,” ejected from within the station, gives him a chance to explore the vast unit for five days, also charging him with finding a resistance leader, while he brings in a personal quest of his own. From the description, you may sense both Terminator and Ready Player One vibes, though its more similar in tone and eventually story to the latter, though cutting out that work’s affection for nerd culture and replacing it with efficient writing. Yokohama Station SF features a clever and well-crafted but familiar world, interesting artificial intelligence units—always a plus for me—and believable science fiction, having been written by an actual scientist, Yuba Isukari. Yokohama Station SF is his first novel, and as a compelling piece of sci-fi with anime sensibilities, it is a significant achievement. Paraphrasing another overlord of a sci-fi franchise, I shall be watching Mr. Isukari’s career with great interest. ~ Twwk

Yokohama Station SF is published by Yen Press.*

Love of Kill, Vol. 1

The quiet, beautiful Chateau Dankworth is a bounty hunter, working for an organization that contracts with mafia families to eliminate targets. Ryan-Ha Song is also an assassin, but an especially notorious one, skilled and feared for his prowess. When these two become entangled, it’s not in a deathmatch—it’s because the enigmatic Song wants to date Chateau! Volume one of Love of Kill features plenty of action and establishes the deadly world in which the protagonists work, but otherwise gives very little information about the two. Structurally and thematically, the opening volume is engaging, functioning through leaps back and forth in time and filled with grisly episodes of violence. It’s quite jarring, most particularly when the volume mixes in a romantic interlude between the leads that feels as awkward to readers as it does to Chateau, and for the same reason: Song appears to be entirely psychotic. That also makes it hard to root for the killer, while younger assassin displays so little personality that she’s also difficult to care for. With such coldness, it’s hard to imagine why this manga, which in its initial version was published through the Japanese art site, Pixiv, necessitated a fuller release. Perhaps future volumes will reveal that answer, but for now, the tale of Pixiv to published is the most engaging part of this manga. ~ Twwk

Love of Kill is published by Yen Press.*

Eniale & Dewiela, Vol. 2

This second volume of this very silly series continues within the same framework of gags from volume one. In one story, Eniale causes havoc to the world by using supernatural noises to create sonar in an attempt to find Dewiela’s earring, which she’s lost. This humorous storyline and other chapters also provide a view into the interesting cosmos of this version of the world. While Eniale and Dewiela represent the Lord and Satan, respectively, from a Christian framework, this world setting has other deities and belief structures both existing and being true concurrently. Eniale and Dewiela are trying to reap souls for their respective afterlife locales, while local deities they encounter are pushing back, saying that the local souls belong to them. The duo face especially harsh pusbback by local deities when they enter Japan. The most interesting story comes from the tale of a Catholic priest who, according to Heaven, may become an angel one day to battle during Armageddon. However, something changed in his life and Eniale is sent to investigate. This bittersweet tale ends, as usual, on a gag, reflecting how fun this series is overall, even if it’s theology is just wildly inconsistent. ~ MDMRN

Eniale & Dewiela Vol. 2 is published by Yen Press.*

Carole & Tuesday Vol. 2

Volume two of Carole & Tuesday has the titular girls experiencing new challenges on their way to recognition and success in the music business, but it opens with a focus on a third girl. Angela, a child prodigy famous for modeling, wants to try something different and to become a singer. The manga shares some of her backstory and how she teams up with Tao, a man of mystery who creates popular songs using A.I. He riles up Angela throughout the manga, pushing her (rudely) to try harder. Meanwhile, Carole and Tuesday are try to get DJ Ertegun to listen to their song, which he refuses. Later, they struggle to find harmony on a new song, and take a little break outside on their own, considering their journey up to that point. When they return to their apartment, their slovenly manager, Gus, convinces them to enter the Mars Brightest competition. It’s like American Idol, but on Mars! Angela also enters in the test that will show how skilled these three girls really are as singers. I’ve seen the anime so I knew what to expect, but the manga still entertained me, particularly with its fantastic artwork. The panels pop out and feature intricate detail, connecting more with the characters through the facial expressions, dialogue, and the challenges they face. ~ Samuru

Carole & Tuesday Vol. 2 is published by Yen Press.

The Rampage of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi Suzumiya, Vol. 5)

Having watched the episodes, but never having read the novel from which they were adapted, I expected the “Endless Eight” story to be much like the anime version: repetitive, dull, and overly long. It is in fact none of these things, taking up just 1/4 of The Rampage of Haruhi Suzumiya, the fifth light novel in the Haruhi Suzumiya series. While I still admire KyoAni’s decision to spend eight episodes on almost identical material to reflect the time loop aspect of the story (this despite the disastrous reaction it received), the much shorter chapter in Rampage doesn’t need the repetition to convey the peril and anxiety of the situation. It’s an excellent story, joining the funnier material in “The Day of Sagittarius” and “Snowy Mountain Syndrome,” the longest story in the series so far, which initially feels like material already covered but in a winter setting, though it later reveals itself to be a story that not only reminds us of how Nagaru Tanigawa excels as a science fiction writer, introducing further elements of the genre into his work, but also one that conveys serious heart. The last story provides another one of Haruhi’s sincere explanations of her behavior to Kyon and heavily features character development of Nagato, as subtle as it is, which is equal parts uplifting and mysterious. ~ Twwk

The Rampage of Haruhi Suzumiya is published by Yen Press.*

Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition, Vol. 3

Some forty years after it was first published, these chapters from volume three of Maison Ikkokku Collector’s Edition show precisely why this romantic comedy is so beloved, displaying the full retinue of humor and charm that are pervasive throughout the series. This volume continues to demonstrate Rumiko Takahashi’s talent at using misunderstandings to develop strong comedic content, which then gives way to reveal her character’s personalities and hearts. With Godai now knowing Kyoko quite well, but still miserably immature in his outlook on romance, he struggles to “make the leap” into a relationship with her, but each chapter shows that despite the obstacles that get in their way—some significant and others more figmental—the two are more and more making connections between their hearts. And as laugh out loud funny as many of the panels are, it’s these moments of caring, which increasingly find their way into the lives of Godai, Kyoko, and the rest of the Maison Ikkoku residents, that make the series memorable, driving it closer and closer toward fulfillment while keeping us just far enough away to crank the angst up to 11.  ~ Twwk

Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition is published by Viz.*

The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat, Vol. 1

The world’s best assassin has run out of time—or has he? On the verge of retirement, he is tricked and killed during his last mission. But upon his death, the assassin appears before a goddess (what a surprise!) who needs him to do her a favor: Kill the hero of the world she’s in charge of before the hero causes trouble in the future for her and the world he is in. She chose the assassin because of his skill and allows him to be reborn whilst choosing his own skills. Much like Rudeus in Mushoku Tensei, this protagonist is reborn literally, as a baby, but retains his previous memories. As he grows up among a wealthy family of assassins in a world of magic and knights, he trains to become better and to prepare to face the hero. Along the way, he meets a girl named Dai who becomes his magic teacher and Tarte, whom he rescues from poverty (she eventually becomes his assistant/servant of sorts). Although it’s rather rushed and features fanservice moments I felt were unnecessary, I enjoyed volume one. It’s a good selection for fans of isekai, though not without some flaws. ~ Samuru

The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat Vol 1. is published by Yen Press.

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Reader’s Corner is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works their reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works and older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.

*Thank you to Yen Press and Viz Media for providing review copies.

Hello! Can I request a headcanon where the queen of hearts (1951), Maleficent, Cruella, Shang yu and Yzma (separated) take care of a lost (orphaned) little girl (like 5-6) and adopted her as their own. Thank!

These were sooooo fun to think of, omg XD I feel all warm inside, thanks for the request! I hope you like it as much as I do ^^

~~~

Cruella DeVille (You can imagine either animated, OUAT or live action Cruella, but I liked this gif ^^):

·         Cruella, is more of a… fun, rich aunt. You know, when you can post the child back to its parents any time you like with a sugar high and new Xbox?

·         But, as the capable entrepreneur and businesswoman that she is, she rises to the challenge of ‘parenting’, when the stinky orphaned girl living on the streets (You, obviously) show potential in the fashion industry.

·         She takes you right to the adoption agency, picks you up and plops you on the counter like a pair of shoes and asks how much you cost. You just smile sweetly, like the most adorable munchkin ever despite the off way your new caregiver handles you, and the agent has some reservations, of course, but Cruella’s able to speed up the adoption process with her connections and her money.

·         Your relationship at first is similar to Oswald Cobblepot and Martin’s. And if you haven’t watched Gotham, I’ll explain; Sort of distant, but the adult is trying at least. They’re just not used to having a pre-teen around. And, somehow, they’re making the child feel more understood and taken care of then anyone else ever has, despite both parties’ reservations.

·         Slowly you bond (Over fashion, obviously) and Cruella turns into, honestly, a pretty good mum (For a villain who wants to kidnap puppies from her friend and make a coat for herself out of them, anyway). She learns to not gag when your shows are on the telly, she takes more time off work to take care of you and turn up to your school things (Like parent-teacher interviews, concerts, art exhibitions, and assemblies if you’re going to get an award- she even makes artful collages out of your work on the fridge), and you two even learn how to cook some easy dinners together.

·         (Cruella can cook, I think, but I can imagine they’re more fancy stuff that a kid really isn’t interested in)

·         You’re a two-person team kind of family.

·         She doesn’t like you to be around Jasper and Horace because their stupidity and lack of fashion sense could be contagious.

·         For the longest time, you just call her Cruella… until one day she says she loves you (Which is visibly difficult for her. Not because the words aren’t true, but because she’s not sentimental) and you finally call her ‘Mum’.

Maleficent:

·         You start following her around, lost and having decide the scary green lady with a cute bird pet is the one to go to for help. She tries to scare you off, but of course you’re already scared anyway! But not of her- of being left alone.

·         So you keep following her through the forest, until you reach her castle and Diablo has become attached to you and is sitting on your shoulder instead of hers, nuzzling your little face.

·         She leaves out some food for you for dinner and lays a clean blanket down on an abandoned bed in a random room down a dark hallway. It’s a spooky night, in that creepy castle… but the blanket smells like grass and you find that if you close your eyes and smoosh your face into it, you don’t think about the things that could be hidden in the dark. Also, Diablo comes in and keeps you company.

·         Mal is sure that you’ll be gone the next day. That’s why she was so kind. She was sure you were just a determined straggler and if she offered you a home for a night, then you would be the fickle little child that you are leave without so much as a thank you the next day.

·         But you don’t leave.

·         And you do say thank you, and even make her a mud pie outside the castle.

·         She gives you a bit of a smile (Not soft, because Mal is still an evil fairy, but it’s a refreshing look on a face that had been pinched the whole time), resigning to you. You’re all alone like her. Maybe it won’t hurt so much to let you stay.

·         Okay, as a parent, Mal isn’t so bad. She settles into the pace easier than Cruella or Yzma, at least, and her lifestyle allows for a far stabler childhood for you then Shan Yu’s. Plus, she’s outwardly very calm, which is a huge improvement from if you were living under the Red Queens roof.

·         Distracts you with magic when she’s busy or just when she wants to watch the awe in your face as you watch sparkles dance around the room like real life stars.

·         Keeps you away from all her villainy- you don’t need to be messed up in all that. Basically no one except her crow knows you exist and she’d like to keep it that way.

Shan Yu:

·         Shan Yu finds you after he pillages your village (And you’re the only survivor) and you followed along behind his men for a while until they noticed you. Which didn’t take long, of course, they’re a group of highly skilled Huns in the ways of hunting and warfare.

·         He uses his noggin (A very good noggin. Much cleverness) and identifies the favourable factors to having a little girl with them. You’re unassuming, for one, and can be trained (And moulded) to be used as a diversion for them in the kind of situations in which brute force do not apply and wouldn’t be helpful.

·         He also acknowledges the need to train the next generation into their image to continue the Huns control over China even after he passes away. So, off on the quest to take over China you go, with them.

·         He is so big, that you can perch on his wide shoulder and he’ll be fine still marching along.

·         He gets a bit soft when interacting with you. At least, he certainly doesn’t treat you like an adult because you of course aren’t one. He encourages your childish wonder and your playing around. He’ll even play eye spy with you as you travel, or play a little tug of war if you get a piece of fabric or rope (Yes, like a puppy) and he’s just sitting down chilling somewhere on a rest break or at camp, pretending that the game is actually a contest until he smirks and tugs just a tiny bit harder and you fall forward onto your face XD (He only uses one hand the entire time)

·         He’s a really chill dad, really, despite the whole… killing everyone in your village… First impressions, amiright? XD

·         The rest of his men either hate you with every fibre of their huge beings or love you even more, and that’s the tea. One of them once rolled you up in a blanket and strapped you to a horse so you would stop annoying them by running around in front of the mules. You decide whether this was one who hated you or loved you. (Another came along and put a roll of bread in your mouth so you could eat, but didn’t release you)

·         You’ve also been tied (Safely and comfortably, yes but still tied with your feet off the ground) to a tree as a time out and dropped in lakes (Once they knew you could swim) to calm your shit when you got hyper.

·         You sleep in Shan Yu’s tent until you’re like 14 and declares that you’re able to defend yourself and can kill a man, so he can keep you safe.

Queen of Hearts:

·         Goodness, who let this woman adopt? (Well, I mean, no-one could stop her) Even Hades would be better, and he tried to have a baby assassinated.

·         This woman would be unintentionally manipulative towards this child (Like Norma and Norman Bates. Jesus christ). Whenever the kid doesn’t do anything that she wants them to, she’ll get p i s s e d, and that might legitimately mess with the kids psyche. She won’t behead the lil girl, of course, which I guess is bit of a saving grace (she isn’t that cruel) here? But it’s definitely a good thing the gentle King of Hearts is around, to settle the flames and calm down his wife and new daughter when games go awry.

·         (And ya’ll play lots of games. Some of the time, living with her and her husband as your parental figures is a dream for a little girl like you)

·         She does try her very hardest to be kind and not to lose her temper, and it is made so much easier by the fact that you’re an innocent little girl (Younger than Alice was), and she’s very fond of you. So, in a way, adopting you is helping her with her issues, and by extension, helping the rest of Wonderland.

·         You get a big fancy throne-like highchair at the royal dinner table.

·         Your little family is a bit or very messy, but you are never not loved. You always know that you’re loved.

Yzma:

·         When Yzma takes you in, its because Kronk discovered your little form sleeping in an alleyway and ran with you in his hands back to her, and BEGGED her. This sweetheart (Kronk, not Yzma) could not handle the knowledge that a little baby girl was abandoned and all alone on the streets. And Yzma’s the most well-off, influential person he knows! Of course he’s going to go to her for help.

·         When she finally gives in, its because you called her pretty. She’s just like… pause… “Seems like an intelligent enough… eugh… child... Kronk come! We have to disinfect it.”

·         Kronk rushes after Yzma, still holding you and clarifies for you: “She means a bath.”

·         So, now, you have your protective, psycho, affection-challenged mother and your sweet, dumb, beloved… uncle. Yeah, uncle. We’ll go with uncle.

·         Yzma takes a while to get used to you, and she’s very defiant against getting called ‘Mum’ or ‘Mother’ (Mama or Mummy have a more youthful feel, according to Yzma.), but she’s pretty immature due to her psychosis so she tends to blend well with your child personality.

·         You laugh so much, with her. Most of the things she says are hilarious, especially when she’s exasperated and mutters about Kronk.

·         She doesn’t want you to grow up without a brain like him (Or to mix with other children- she will not be dealing with chicken pox or nits. If you did get either of those things, she would be living in a full-on hazmat suit and spray everything you touch, and you. Kronk would end up getting the sickness because he gives you lots of hugs and takes care of you while you’re sick or you have the nits) so she gets you a home school teacher.

·         On your birthday (They do the day Kronk found you if you don’t know it), Kronk wakes Yzma up at the buttcrack of dawn drags her along to set up the day for you. Including a treasure hunt, where its clear that Yzma wrote the clues because its very translucent through the sentences she wrote that she didn’t have coffee before writing them. Very bitter.

·         She does want to make you happy though and buys you literally the best present for a child of that time. I don’t know what it is, but it’s the equivalent for them of a little car or coloured TV (Like the Barbie or Hot Wheel ones) for us. She’s so smug about it, too, like ‘Shove that up your 4 layer cake with different flavours, Kronk.’.

Helena Bonham Carter’s Interview with ‘The Sunday Times’ | 20 December 2020

“I have always found that clowns seemed sad,” Helena Bonham Carter tells me over a patchy Zoom call. “That’s why they have to paint their smile on.” She pauses thoughtfully. “I often dress in clown-like things — baggy trousers, braces, white face . . . I love a white face. I don’t know where that comes from. I like any mask, to be honest. Anything that stops me from being me.” Bonham Carter has been feeling the tears of a clown a lot this year. She has seen her industry struggle and worries for younger performers. She has been mourning one of her beloved friends — Nell Gifford, the founder of Giffords Circus — and she has just finished narrating Channel 4’s animated version of Clown, Quentin Blake’s wordless book about a toy who is determined to escape the dustbin he has been thrown into and to build a new life for his fellow binned playthings. “The clown has been discarded on Christmas night, rejected and forgotten, and the story is about how he’s found again and how, through being loved, he comes to life,” she says. “It’s very poetic and touching. The pathos of the clown.” In recording it she found herself thinking a lot about Nell, who died a year ago. They met years ago when Gifford’s traditional circus — vintage tents, old-school performances and artful storylines, written and directed by the mighty Cal McCrystal — was just making its reputation. “We had similar backgrounds,” Bonham Carter says. “Both of us had a parent who had a traumatic brain injury, and our response was similar — an instinct to create our own worlds. She ran off to the circus. And when my amazing father’s brain tumour operation went wrong, I found an agent to help me live as other people. Our lives went through similar things — children, divorce — and we helped each other jump on to the next step. When she died it was very sudden. She had cancer, but I thought she would defy everything.” The film of Quentin Blake’s book, published in 1995 and told entirely in pictures, is the first offering from Eagle Eye Drama, the production company launched by the team behind the TV drama brand Walter Presents. Walter Iuzzolino, its founder, recalls his route into showbiz began when, as a six-year-old in Italy, he watched the Disney Silly Symphony Santa’s Workshop on television. “It was a symphony of movement as the elves worked to create the toys and paint the sleigh,” he says. “It was a hand-drawn piece of 1930s modernist art. I asked my grandparents who did this, and they explained what a producer was. At that point I knew what I wanted to be.” The animation itself was Covid-induced. Eagle Eye had a drama ready to go into production when lockdown closed things down. Iuzzolino realised a replacement project could be created by animators working at home. The team had always loved Quentin Blake and was delighted to find the option on Clown was available. “With Quentin’s drawings being so beautiful, we immediately discarded the CGI PlayStation animation that’s everywhere today — and I hate it,” he says. “We went back to the roots of the craft. I wanted to create my own Silly Symphony. We found artists and animators in the UK, Italy and around the world, and had to produce 30,000 frames, working around the clock while recording the score one instrument at a time. “And then we met Helena — her voice is like the finest Belgian chocolate melted on a Viennese cake. At our first meeting she talked about Giulietta Masina, Mrs Fellini, in La Strada, and I knew she understood the tinge of nostalgia, sadness and melancholy about the clown.” Bonham Carter is flattered, but slightly unsure. “I’m narrating, although I think the cartoon might have been better without me,” she says modestly. “For the genuine children watching, it may help to have my voice guiding them through the story. It has no words as a book, so I’m not doing any characters. I am just the voice-of-God narrator.” She pauses and thinks that through approvingly. “Voice of God. I like that. I’ll try that on my children — ‘I am the voice of God today!’” She remembers the conversation about Masina. It was her husband’s film La Strada — about a brutish circus strongman, played by Anthony Quinn, and his little clown assistant, played by Masina — that began Bonham Carter’s loving relationship with clowns and circus. “I always found the mainstream Zippo-style circus too loud and brash and in-your-face, although I suppose I was always drawn to clowns,” she says. “Why else would I dress like them?” Does that mask thing work? Does it protect her? “Of course it doesn’t,” she says, sighing. “It’s more likely to reveal the internal you. I get excited about acting because it holds the promise that you could become someone else. Then you see yourself and go, ‘Dang, again I didn’t do it. Again I’m revealing myself.’” She bursts out laughing, a full throaty chuckle. “When will I get the message?” she says. She’s 54. “I’m always doing too much. Early on in my career I was told by a director I have an expressive face, and I’ve been trying to keep it in check ever since. And words! I use far too many words. Even my name has too many words in it. The bane of my flipping life. Can I have your autograph? Ugh. It has 18 letters. Brad Pitt only has eight.” And she chuckles again. Having fallen for Masina, she found herself drawn to the circus in the most unexpected ways. “I love the circus family that goes back for years — handing the skills down to the next generation,” she explains. “So the only showbiz thing I forced Billy and Nell, my children, to do was tap dance. It’s not circus, but it felt connected. I tortured the hell out of them by dragging them along every Saturday morning — it’s the only vicarious ambition I’m ever going to force on them.” Has she never considered clowning herself? “I can’t run away and join the circus, I have responsibilities,” she chides. “Nell and I did have serious chats about an act, but we never got around to details. At one point I was going to descend on a moon singing a song, possibly going commando.” She sniggers. “I think one day I will get into the ring somehow.” For the photoshoot she seems to have gone halfway towards the big top. Her look is based on Masina’s little clown — a bowler hat and big boots. “Doing the photoshoot was very cathartic, and I’m afraid I did rather take it to the limit . . .” Her laugh bubbles up again. “I’m a Covid-starved actress, I haven’t had a part for a year, so give me a costume and I will go for it. My children are 17 and 13, so they are no longer prepared to dance with me — photoshoots are my chance to dance by myself. I had the music on and was throwing myself around.” I have the same problem, I confess. My daughters used to dance with me in the kitchen, but now find the idea of Dad dancing a crippling embarrassment. She is outraged. “We don’t have to say goodbye to their childhood just because they have,” she exclaims. “Have you read The Velveteen Rabbit?” I have, I say, but I can’t these days. It breaks my ageing parental heart. “But think about what the story says,” she urges. “It’s like Clown. These toys are the classic result of children growing up. They are discarded, and it’s an emblem of age. The rabbit is losing its ears, but that’s because it’s been so loved. You and me, our faces can sag and our bits can fall off, but that’s because we are being loved.” I give a small gasp. She gives a determined nod. “You remember that this Christmas, Stephen. You hold on to your children’s childhood. Don’t let them take it away. Carry on dancing. Spread the word! Parents and teen-agers: carry on dancing!”

Zodiac Mom Headcanons: Momiji’s Mom

Slowly but surely I am making my way through these mom posts. This time let’s talk about someone whose worst moments as a mother were put on blast for the audience to see. 

Rat & Snake Mom | Ox Mom | Tiger Mom | Rabbit Mom | Dragon Mom

Momiji’s mother is an only child born in Berlin. 

Her father, a handsome and charismatic man, is a renowned photographer. Her mother, beautiful and alluring, is a dancer. They’re drawn to each other immediately when they meet on a photoshoot that features her mother’s dance troupe. 

Their romance is as short-lived as it is passionate, and the affair comes to an abrupt end when her mother becomes pregnant. 

The responsibility of a child falls almost completely on her mother’s shoulders, essentially ending her dance career (something she had left her family to pursue), and the beginnings of a cruel resentment begin to take form.

Her father has the spirit of an artist -- not wanting to be tied down to one woman, and not very suited for a traditional family lifestyle. That being said, he doesn’t abandon mother and child completely. 

As Momiji’s mother grows up, her father will pop in and out of her life as he pleases. She thinks her mother can be too strict, too mean, and becomes a difficult child to handle as a result. But when her father comes to visit, she is over the moon and perfectly behaved. He’ll take her to museums, show her the photographs hanging in his studio, give her a stepping stool so she can help in his dark room, and (unlike her mother) will never ever scream at her even when clumsy, childish hands accidentally spill things or knock things over. 

Her father never sticks around for very long, and as wonderful as it is to see him, it hurts tenfold when he leaves. And so, she grows up with her mother’s snappish impatience, and her father’s casual and conditional affection. 

Going into her teenage years, Momiji’s mom begins to come into her own as an artist -- admiring and following the path of her father. She loves painting and ceramics, but she begins to grow into an undeniable beauty and it’s not long that she’s discovered as a model.

Her mother does not approve of this choice. For her, it’s bad enough that she has to watch her daughter openly prefer her father’s company to her own (despite everything she’s given up to raise her, while he can barely spare to send a postcard on their daughter’s birthday), but now her daughter is adding insult to injury by pursuing her father’s lifestyle. A lifestyle her mother was forced to give up to have a child. 

It also doesn’t help that Momiji’s mom finds almost instant success as a model. 

Where her mother was simply impatient before, now she becomes cruel. 

She begins to undermine her daughter’s beauty, nitpicking at every little thing about her appearance. Momiji’s mother is now being constantly told that her photos are drab, ugly, unprofessional. That her beauty is fleeting, that the world around her will discover one day how little talent she has, and that her artistic abilities are worthless and boring. All this while she’s still only a teenager. 

Momiji’s mom acts out in different ways, but mostly by taking on more modeling work (that exhausts her) and bringing home boyfriends her mother would never approve of (for good reason).

Her first serious boyfriend is a man six years her senior who is possessive and jealous, and rips to shreds the last bits of self-esteem she had left. 

By the end of their four year relationship, Momiji’s mother has come to believe that something inside her is deeply, truly ugly. She has an overflowing anxiety that others will see her for what she truly is. Something that is wholly incompatible with her inability to be alone -- whether romantically, or via the need to surround herself constantly with people. 

It’s at this time, at 20 years old and in her second year of university, that she meets Momiji’s father at a campus mixer.

At first, she’s intimidated by him (thought that doesn’t stop her from making conversation). She finds he’s not just studying abroad here, but attends the university full-time. He’s fluent in Japanese, German, and English, and seems so much smarter than she believes herself to be. In addition, he has a cold, distant demeanor to him that makes him seem unattainable. 

Momiji’s father on the other hand, is taken immediately by this woman. He’s awkward and nervous in large social gatherings, but has been told from an early age never to outwardly show his discomfort. But she talks so passionately, so freely, that he can’t help but be drawn to her. When he fumbles over his words at the end of the night to ask her out for dinner, she realizes that she’d mistaken his shyness for apathy, and it immediately enamors him to her. 

After two dates, they become inseparable. 

She’s taken in by his kindness and gentility. He listens to her as if everything she says matters. He isn’t at all like the arrogant personalities she’s dated in the past, and if anything has an aversion to talking about himself. He never once makes her feel stupid, puts her down, or makes her feel worthless.

She’s prone to terrible mood swings and bouts of manic self-loathing that will leave her a sobbing mess. But where this has driven away boyfriends in the past, it only serves to make him more devoted to her. He holds her in his arms, and never once gets upset with her for being so much to handle.

Momiji’s father is an only child from a high-ranking Sohma family, and has had the entirety of his life mapped out for him since birth. He works to inherit his father’s business, and to maintain their standing in the family. Insurmountable pressure had been put on his shoulders from a young age, one that isolated him from making true friends in favor of focusing solely on his studies. He was never allowed to be overwhelmed, to not be good enough, nor to be disobedient. 

But Momiji’s mother is like a walking piece of art -- chaotic and beautiful. He finds her endlessly interesting. He’s never met anyone who talks so openly about the things they love, the things they hate, or their own fears and insecurities. He likes feeling as though he can take care of her. He likes being someone reliable for her. And, eventually, he finds her to be the only person in the world that he can be vulnerable with. He has only ever cried in front of her. 

For the last two years of college they spend all their free time together. He uses his cushy Sohma allowance to take them on trips and long weekends around Europe. And when the time comes for him to return to Japan after graduation, he can’t picture even a moment of his future without her. 

He proposes, she says yes, and she agrees to leave her life in Berlin behind to move to Japan. 

It’s a difficult transition. Though she had started learning Japanese when they first started dating, she’s far from fluent. It makes forming friendships and new connections within the Sohma family all the harder. 

It’s also clear that her mother-in-law does not take too much of a liking to her. Momiji’s father bends over backwards making sure that their new home has space for her to continue her artistic pursuits, which comes off as frivolous to her new family. She also has limited housekeeping skills which reflects poorly on her ability to be a proper wife. 

It’s an isolating experience, especially with her husband working long, late hours nearly every night. The loneliness begins to eat at her, resurfacing the shattered self-esteem that her new husband had spent the past two years healing. She seriously considers moving back to Germany on more than one occasion, but then she gets pregnant. 

She’s not ready for a child. It’s too soon, and the thought of taking care of a whole other person is terrifying when she can barely stand to get out of bed most days now. But her husband assures her this will be a good thing, that maybe it will help the aching loneliness she feels. 

Before she has a chance to get excited, they’re summoned by a young Akito. 

Momiji’s mother doesn’t really process what she’s being told. Her husband has to translate what the little six year old is saying to her, and when he does his face is pinched and anxious. 

A curse, he says. Her child is cursed. Somehow it makes sense, what with everything that dwells inside herself, but it’s hard for her to grasp this whole thing beyond that.

The pregnancy is a difficult one, filled with complications and scares that leaves her health completely depleted. When Momiji is born two months premature, her nerves are completely frayed. 

True understanding of her child’s situation doesn’t really hit her until she holds a small rabbit in her arms, swaddled like a baby. 

She vomits when it first happens. The transformation leaves her completely shaken, and she can’t understand why no one else around her seems to find this as horrific as it obviously is. 

She does her best for the first few years. Honestly, she does. But the child makes her nervous. The supernatural nature of it all terrifies her, and she shakes every time she tries to hold her child and finds a little rabbit there instead. 

As he grows older, she finds herself snapping at him over the smallest things, just as her mother did to her. A guilt builds inside her steadily that somehow she is at fault for this, that her hidden, disgusting nature warped and mutated their child. The thought of it puts her in hysterics at times, and she finds she can never relax in her own home.

Her husband urges her to keep herself together. There’s a desperation in his voice when he talks to her now. He reminds her, again and again, that above everything else Momiji is their child. Theirs, and no one else’s. He is their son that they have created, and he is still a symbol of the love they have for each other. Once she adjusts to the situation, she’ll learn to love him the way he knows she can. She just needs more time.

During this period, other zodiac mothers make an attempt to reach out, and her Japanese is finally at a level that she can have pleasant conversation with them. Haru and Yuki’s mothers invite her to lunch often enough. Shigure’s mother is also very hospitable. She also takes a real liking to Kureno’s mother, though the woman is clearly disliked by many of the other women in the family. 

It helps, but it’s still difficult to talk to these women about her issues with the curse and with her son. Their eyes are judgmental, and she worries if she falls apart in front of them it would not be met with the same warmth as her husband (though he’s hardly ever around anymore). 

Stress and guilt and shame and fear slowly build inside her for the next four years. Then, one day, she sits down to paint and realizes she can’t. She’s too locked up -- the reality of her situation has become too overwhelming, and she can’t even release it through her art.

She finally decides to tell someone about what’s going on. Her husband had been very clear with her that this curse is to remain completely secret, but it’s not as if she wants to do a news interview. All she wants is to talk to her mom. 

Her mother is still the same harsh, critical woman she’s always been, but they’ve grown closer in the past few years. Becoming a mother herself has made her appreciate her own mother more, and the distance has softened both of them to each other considerably. 

She tells her mother the whole story, with her listening surprisingly sympathetically throughout. By the end of the conversation, Momiji’s mother feels more comforted and loved by her mother than she has in years. 

It’s Momiji’s father that gets the call from his livid mother-in-law demanding to know what’s happened to her daughter, and if he’s doing anything about the fact that she’s having a complete nervous breakdown that features wild delusions regarding their child.

Momiji’s father comes home that night, and for the first time he becomes truly angry at her. He scolds her for telling her mother anything about their situation, which only serves to make her just as angry since she was only seeking a bit of support. 

But it all gets much much worse when he says how lucky they are that her mother thought she was deranged. 

The whole world drops from below her feet when he admits that he let her mother continue to think that she was clinically insane. The man who had always defended her, understood her, cared for her -- the man she had left everything for -- had created a lie so egregious and spouted it back to her own mother. 

She demands to know why he would do such a thing, and when he sputters out his thoughtless obedience to this strange family -- the one with the child treated like a king, and with all these dark secrets. After so long of telling her that she was his light when his family treated him like nothing, after telling her that she was his most important family now -- it’s a betrayal that she’d never expected from the man she loves.

The reality of her isolation comes down all at once. There is no one left she can talk to, there is no place she can go, and this child now represents something completely foreign to her. The only thing that was keeping her together was her husband’s assurances that the child was completely theirs -- but it’s not. This child belongs to the Sohmas, to some curse that her body housed and nurtured. The disgust that’s been building inside her body breaks like a dam and completely washes over Momiji. 

She becomes inconsolable. She refuses to look at her son, and her husband becomes subject to fits of rage and anguish. He feels as though he’s completely lost her, and with the love of his life so indisposed, he feels just as alone. 

Momiji’s father is the one who tells her about the option to wipe her memory. Not just in hopes of reeling back her sanity, but because he wants her to forget the lie he told. If she forgets that, maybe their marriage can go back to how it was. If she forgets that deep cut of betrayal, maybe she won’t look at him like he’s some misshapen stranger. 

She agrees as quickly as she had when he proposed. Together they decide that forgetting Momiji will ultimately be for the best.

At first when she recovers, things seem to return back to normal. But there’s always a piece missing as the years go on. There’s always something not quite right. Momiji’s father is paranoid and nervous -- the presence of his wife is no longer a comfort, but a stressor. And sometimes, for the briefest moment, he’ll catch her staring at him. Her eyes far off and distant, like she’s completely lost in thought, and the expression that rests on her face will be one of fear. When she comes back to herself, it’s as if she hadn’t even noticed. 

The zodiac mothers are told not to speak to her after her memory is erased, which suits most of them just fine (Haru’s mother took particular offense to the decision). Below is the relationship chart for pre-memory wipe: 

Friends with: Kureno’s mom, Haru’s mom, Shigure’s mom, Ritsu’s mom

Doesn’t like: Yuki’s mom, Hatori’s mom

Destiel Trope Collection 2020 Day 6: College AU

Kisses | @peanutbutterjelly-pie

Rating: General Word Count: 1227 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe, College AU, Fluff Summary: Some Hershey's Kisses, a misunderstanding and a very flustered Dean.

Where the Skies Are Blue | @deservetobesaved

Rating: General Word Count: 1361 Main Tags/Warnings: meet-cute, fluff, mutual pining Summary: Dean is mesmerized by a boy in class, but he doesn't show up again, much to Dean's dismay. (Spoiler Alert: Yes, he sees him again.)

The Dare On Your Lips | @envydean

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 1540 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - College/University, Truth or Dare, Drinking, Alcohol, Oblivious!Dean, bad flirt!Cas, Dean has the biggest crush, Kissing, Minor Misunderstandings, Fluff Summary: Dean Winchester has had the biggest crush on Castiel, but believes that Castiel isn't interested. Then on one drunken night, Dean is dared to kiss Castiel.

Raspberry Jelly | @envydean

Rating: Mature Word Count: 1729 Main Tags/Warnings: brief Dean/Cassie, No Sex, Angst, Fluff, Getting Together, unexpected bi, College AU, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, accidental (brief) voyeurism, Dean in Panties Summary: After Castiel walks in on Dean wearing a pair of panties and grinding against Cassie Robinson, an awkward (tired-brained) conversation happens that almost ruins their friendship - until it doesn't.

Everything to Me | @suckerfordeansfreckles

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2607 Main Tags/Warnings: jealous Cas, insecure Cas, established relationship, love confession, college AU Summary: Dean pulls back from their kiss eventually, leaving Cas feeling way more than just a little horny, and also honestly very empty. Dean looks gorgeous with those stupid rainbow lights casting colorful streaks on his cheeks in the dark room. He looks gorgeous all the time, actually, and Cas is allowed to tell him now, so he does. “You’re so goddamn beautiful,” he says, against the loud music and noise around them, and Dean’s giddy-wide smile makes him even prettier. “So are you,” Dean calls back over the music with a twinkle in his eyes, and then he leans in for another short little kiss. “I’ll grab us some drinks, be back in a minute.” And then he turns around and saunters across the room towards where Charlie turned her cabinet and lunch table into a bar. If Cas wasn’t sure that Dean’s shaking his ass on purpose just by watching him walk away, the wink Dean sends him when he looks back over his shoulder is enough to convince him. For a little while, he just stands there and watches as Dean orders them drinks from the barkeeper Charlie rented for the party. Cas can’t help but consider how he looks, tall, huge muscles, wild dark hair and a blinding smile — just Dean’s type.

Extra Credit | @tobythewise

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2837 Main Tags/Warnings: Professor Castiel, College Student Dean, Bottom Cas, Top Dean, Rimming, Dom/Sub Undertones Summary: After Dean turns in a less than perfect paper, his professor, Mr. Novak, allows him an opportunity for extra credit. Dean REALLY wants that A.

Stargazing Has A Noble History | @jemariel

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3058 Main Tags/Warnings: College AU, college party, casual sex, recreational drug use, frottage, photographer!Cas, business student!Dean, sculptor!Dean Summary: “Dean, shut up. You’re good. Have you seen yourself? You have an eye for dynamic lines and -- look, you’re obviously talented. Why aren’t you taking advantage of that?” The night air is growing cooler but Dean’s face feels like a red hot poker. “That’s what Ellen keeps telling me.” “Ellen? Ellen Harvelle? How do you know Ellen?” “She teaches my sculpting class. I had to take an elective, so.” He shrugs. “And how are you enjoying it?” Dean shakes his head. “I love it."" A first.

I Saw You | @kitmistry

Rating: General Word Count: 5899 Main Tags/Warnings: Secret Admirer, Mutual Pining, Fluff Summary: ISawYou: The newspaper column that has made every student on campus look each other in the eyes. Dean has never paid any attention to the messages posted on the newspaper, but everything changes when Charlie finds one that she insists just has to be about him. Or the one where Dean has a secret admirer.

La Vie A Plus | @thebloggerbloggerfun

Rating: General Word Count: 6260 Main Tags/Warnings: Asexual!Castiel, Artist!Castiel, Pining Summary: Dean Winchester is hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with his best friend and roommate, Castiel. Castiel - with his blue hair, and his tattoos, and his artwork, and his perfect everything. Dean never stood a chance, really. It only sucks because, as far as Dean can tell, Castiel is definitely not interested. But love, much like art, has a way of being unpredictable. Even if you think you know where you're going with it.

Hue Burn | @thebloggerbloggerfun

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 7594 Main Tags/Warnings: Synesthesia, Radio Host!Castiel, Artist!Dean, Summary: Castiel lives in a world of colour and sound, endlessly intertwined like two parts of a whole. As a radio broadcasting student, he runs a small segment on their campus radio program in the evening - and with help from his synaesthesia - tries to make the program more interesting by bringing in a little bit of colour. Castiel views his synaesthesia as both a gift and a curse, but after a chance encounter with a mysterious, stunning, golden-green voice, he's starting to think that it's more of the former.

Dear Virgo | @thebloggerbloggerfun

Rating: General Word Count: 9970 Main Tags/Warnings: Asexual Castiel, Soccer Player Castiel, Journalist Dean, Summary: Dean Winchester is a journalism major planning to coast his last year by mostly just sticking to writing the campus newspaper's daily horoscopes, and he almost succeeds. Enter Castiel Novak, captain of the soccer team, and his next interview appointment. It's obvious from the start that there's something between them, but things don't quite go as Dean first hopes, and he ends up learning a lot more about Castiel than he ever planned on - luckily for him.

Honesty Is All About The Timing | @navajolovesdestiel

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 12017 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe Alternate Universe - College/University Childhood Friends Misunderstandings Bisexual Dean Winchester Gay Castiel (Supernatural) Drunk Blow Jobs Slow Burn Happy Ending Summary: Cas Novak and Dean Winchester were inseparable best friends since grade school, but Dean's father moves Dean away when they get to high school. They connect again in college, but neither of them have been exactly honest about their sexual orientation. Not using their words leads to misunderstandings, then problems, then...?

A Study in Motion | @thebloggerbloggerfun

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 24094 Main Tags/Warnings: Photographer!Castiel, Ice Skater!Dean, College AU Summary: Castiel Novak’s one true passion is photography, though he’s still considered just an amateur with dreams of something more. When one of his professors gives the class the assignment of effortlessly capturing the idea of motion in a photograph, Castiel finds himself without a muse until his study partner, one Sam Winchester, volunteers his brother - a professional figure skater with dreams of his own and a past that held him back.

The Stars, They Shine | kradarua (AO3)

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 52953 Main Tags/Warnings: Theatre, Homophobia, Misappropriated Christianity, Astronomer!Castiel, Accidental Actor!Dean, Gay Panic, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, First Time, Minor Lisa Braeden/Dean Winchester, Minor Castiel/Meg Masters, Top Dean/Bottom Castiel Summary: Engineer-in-training Dean Winchester just wants to work on cars. Astronomer Castiel Novak spends his time holed up in the school’s observatory looking at the stars and trying to piece together his dissertation. They’ve never had any reason to cross paths. Not until they get roped into participating in the college theatre group, anyway. When Lisa invites Dean to join her at the mass meeting, he can’t say no to a pretty face. But the joke is on Dean when he accidentally lands the male lead and has to come to terms with memorizing lines and trying not to make a fool of himself on stage. Moreover, despite his best attempts to stay interested in Lisa, there’s no denying the strange gravitational pull he feels around Castiel. Castiel is just here to prove to Charlie that he’s capable of doing something besides research; it should be easy, except he finds himself becoming interested in Dean in a way he really did not expect. Dean is trying to navigate being way outside his skill set; Castiel just wants to hold onto his scholarship without pissing off the religious organization that gave it to him. It’s going to be a long semester, especially if Dean keeps forgetting his goddamn lines. The show must go on!

Evangelist | @valleydean

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 334403 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - College/UniversityCollege, Drinking, Underage Drinking, Drug Use, Minor Character Death, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Demisexual Castiel (Supernatural), Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, Top Castiel (Supernatural), Bottom Dean Winchester, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Break Up, Rich Castiel (Supernatural), Castiel's Family is Rich (Supernatural), Corporate Espionage, down with capitalism tbh, Near Death Experiences, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), References to Drugs, References to Abuse, References to Depression, Frat Parties, Poker, Roman Catholicism, Homophobia, Fire, Gambling, Drunkenness, Drunken Flirting, Drunken Kissing, Slow Dancing, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Bartender Dean Winchester, College | University Student Castiel (Supernatural), Student Castiel (Supernatural), Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jealous Dean Winchester, Jealous Castiel (Supernatural), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, a frankly ridiculous amount of references to abraham lincoln vampire hunter, Secret Relationship, ALSO!! the megstiel is not explicit! Summary: In Lawrence, the Novak family owns more than god. Castiel is expected to graduate with a business degree, become a community leader, meet a nice girl, and one day help run the family business, Evangelist, Inc. Then he meets Dean Winchester, who vehemently opposes everything Evangelist stands for. When Dean’s need for cash to pay the bills leads him down a risky path, both he and Castiel learn there may be more to Evangelist than philanthropy and good will.

Shōnen Anime Through The Feminist Lens

During quarantine, there has been a significant rise in the popularity of Anime; this wave of new fans brought back memories of when I first started exploring anime and how I came to love this media. Anime is a confusing word: In the western world, anime a separate genre of animated shows and movies from the typical western cartoons (ie. SpongeBob, Tom and Jerry, etc.) while in Japan, it refers to any animation in general. But for the sake of simplicity, I will refer to anime as a type of animated show or movie that uses signature aspects of Japanese-style animation.

Usually, a person is recommended mainstream shows from the shōnen genre when introduced to anime. Shōnen anime and manga are marketed towards boys between the ages of 12-18, but a lot of people outside of that demographic enjoy this genre as well. I find myself watching and recommending shōnen shows because of how exceptionally written the plot, the character development, and worldbuilding are. However, problems with female representation stem from the misconception that shōnen is only for boys or that girls don’t enjoy these types of stories. It is frustrating to see how little action and development female characters are given compared to their male counterparts and how often they are sexualized for the sake of comedic relief or fan service. 

NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN

The Naruto series follows the journey of Naruto Uzumaki as he achieves his dreams to be acknowledged by the village he lives in and become the Hokage (the leader of the village). It’s a story about saving the world, protecting your loved ones, and believing in yourself.

Almost every person who has watched more than 3 years of anime has seen Naruto; those who haven’t still can recognize characters, references, and general plot points. Yes, it is THAT popular. I knew about the show but, I put off this anime for so long because of the silly reason that Naruto was an annoying brat at the beginning of the series. It took me a few months to build up my courage to pick up the series again— and wow! I was glad I did! I restarted my journey about two months ago and, as of today, I have less than 50 episodes left to watch to finish the series (keep in mind that the complete series has about 700 episodes). I got attached to the characters for their development and their compelling stories. I saw Naruto grow from being a troublemaker to a dependable hero, watched Sasuke go down a dark path for the sake of revenge, and learned about Kakashi and Itachi’s heartbreaking childhoods. But the girls? Where are the girls?

As well written as the story is, girls in Naruto are viewed as support-type characters for the boys; their stories aren’t touched upon and remain the same throughout the series. The lack of development of the girls is best highlighted by Sakura— the main female character and the most hated person from the series, and dare I say, all of anime. At the beginning of the series, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura train together to become ninjas with their teacher, Kakashi. Sasuke was a prodigy and excelled in every task, Sakura was known for her intelligence and chakra control, and Naruto lacked skill yet impulsively charged headfirst towards his enemies. As the show went on, Naruto and Sasuke’s skills have grown on par as they continuously try to learn new powers to one-up the other. But Sakura stayed the same. Even though she gained super strength and trained to become a medical ninja under the Fifth Hokage, her abilities and progress are constantly shadowed by her teammates' flashy powers (look at the picture above). This gap is even more prominent after the time skip in Shippuden where she becomes a “damsel in distress” which annoyed a lot of fans. She had so much potential to become a great character. Even if she was not the strongest ninja, the show could have taken steps to make her valuable in some way even if all they did was make her an efficient support character to Naruto and Sasuke instead of making her seem like she is always in their way. The unbalance caused by the lack of active female roles in Naruto leaves the female audience unrepresented. The female characters' underdevelopment implied that the girls are incompetent and therefore don’t get to make an impact in the story.  

ONE PIECE

I can talk about this show for hours. With 950+ anime episodes and 1000+ manga chapters, One Piece is synonymous with art; it follows the story of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, on an adventure to find One Piece. Unlike other shōnen stories, One Piece immerses the audience into a mysterious world that is complex, dynamic, and feels real. Every single character is well developed— each of them have insanely detailed backstories, memorable personalities, and compelling motivations making them feel human. The story also tackles unconventional topics such as slavery, racism, the justice system, and classism. I could go on and on listing reasons as to why I love One Piece or why it is worth catching up to the 950 episodes, but I feel like you should let One Piece in and find that out for yourself. 

Unlike Naruto, women take on significant roles in One Piece and are often admired as role models. However, the lack of body diversity and the over-sexualization of the female characters leave a rather unpleasant aftertaste. 

As seen above, they all suffer the same-body syndrome— large breasts, impossibly tiny waists, and skimpy clothing. I get that these are common types of fanservice but, there are plenty of questionable design choices whenever fanservice is prioritized over logic (ie. the top-left girl is supposed to be a gladiator but her outfit does the very opposite of protecting her as it leaves her vital areas exposed). Another issue I have is with Sanji and his behaviour around women. He is the prime example of what the internet would call a ‘simp’ where his perverse tendencies and chivalry clash whenever he is near a female character. I feel like his overprotectiveness toward women and his willingness to die for them is counterintuitive to the powerful portrayal of women in the story. I understand that fanservice isn't going anywhere but the girls’ unrealistic designs and their treatment dilute their complex characterization to mere pretty and delicate objects.

CONCLUSION

From a feminist point of view, Naruto and One Piece have their own shortcomings when it comes to the inclusion and depiction of girls. I particularly chose to talk about them because they are the central faces of the shōnen genre, both of them depict common issues with female representation in most shōnen stories. It is understandable to a certain extent as to why the authors chose to draw/develop their characters, however, the lack of active female characters in shōnen stories fuels the ” shōnen is for boys, therefore, don’t expect female representation” narrative. It would do no harm to write stronger and more complex female characters in these stories, in fact, it would make the stories much more interesting as there is variation in perspectives and experiences— especially now because of the strong societal push toward feminism and the growing female audience consuming anime media. The fact that shounen does target boys is perhaps the most important reason to feature complex, active female characters in these stories—not only as supportive figures or dream girls, but as someone they can relate to and look up to as well.

EXTRA: NEW GENERATION SHŌNEN!

Naruto and One Piece have been in the anime scene for decades, but as societal values shift, many New Generation Shōnen are trying to tackle the inclusion of feminism in their stories. Here are some:

Boku no Hero Academia, one of the primary faces of New Gen Shōnen: A superheroes story where superpowers or quirks rule the world.  Physical advantages male characters may have during fights is insignificant as the winner is decided by their ability to use their power at its full potential and their compatibility with the opponent’s quirk. Women are shown to have different body types, breaking the skinny hourglass stereotype with healthy and muscular bodies. Read more on how BNHA is breaking the moulds here: https://www.animefeminist.com/feature-hero-academia-confronts-shonen-sexism/ 

Mob Psycho 100: A supernatural shōnen where the main character, Mob, struggles with masculinity, battles for self-improvement, and desires to just be an amiable and helpful person. His story breaks the typical toxic masculinity tropes in shonen stories and instead focuses on Mob’s emotional journey to being comfortable with who he is. Read more about this here: https://www.animefeminist.com/anime-feminists-top-25-anime-of-the-decade/

Demon Slayer, another progressive main face of the New Gen Shōnen: A historical supernatural story where women are given major roles and are never looked down upon by their male counterparts. As demon slayers, their attire is unique to each individual yet fit for their job and is not compromised for the sake of fanservice.

- Leanne.