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hogwartsmarvelmommy · 3 years

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The lighthouse that guided me H.H ❤️🔥

~Best friends brother

🌼🌸Masterlist🌼🌸

this is 18+ only!

word count: 9.9k

(HarryHollandXReader)

summery: Sam knew you and his brother would hit it off, so he made you promise to not fall in love with his twin... easier said than done.

Warnings: Swearing, miscarriage, blood, smut. (additional warnings under the cut)

Warnings: unprotected sex, oral (F & M receiving) fingering, some dirty talk (But like not really) protected sex.

A/N: ok... i really only planned for this to be like 2-3k words, but i just couldn't stop... hope you like it :)

It was the insistent pounding that woke you up. The first thought in your head was how you were going to kill him for interrupting a perfectly good dream. With a loud, rather dramatic groan you rolled out of bed and flung open your door. Sam looked like he was stressed beyond belief. Pushing past you, he came into the room plopping down onto your bed and groaning before burying his face in his hands. This was not a sight you were used to, usually your best friend was a happy go lucky guy, but right now he seemed to be anything but.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Suddenly all the anger from being awoken so early left you, seeing him in distress was bad enough. You closed your door and went over to him, crouching down in front of him, hoping the boy would talk to you so you could offer some sort of help.

"There coming," he groaned. Who was he talking about? Who was coming? You were about to ask when he spoke up again, "my brothers want to see where I live and go to school, there on a plane now,"

You felt all that worry dissipate instantly. Did he seriously wake you up at the ass crack of dawn because his brothers wanted to come spend some quality time with him on his free week. Why did he always have to be so dramatic?

With a roll of your eyes you let out a chuckle. "Seriously Sammy? That's what's wrong?"

"Y/n, they're going to judge all of this," you looked around your room, there was nothing out of the ordinary really, just a bed, a dresser and some random nick knacks.

"My room?" You asked, confused.

"No, our apartment," he said. You were a bit taken aback. Yes your apartment was rather small and lacked a lot of decor, but for two broke college kids it was what you could do.

“What is wrong with the apartment?” you asked him, verging on offended. You had put in a lot of effort to make the place your own. From the beer bottle wreath on the pantry door to the pong wall of champions. It wasn't much but it was home, and that's what mattered.

“I need to tell you something,” he sighed slightly looking up to you. “I come from a very well off family, and i am nowhere near broke, i just don't want to flaunt the money i have around,” you weren't sure you'd heard him right, the boy you'd lived with for three years, who you considered your closest and best friend was telling you he was in fact not broke? When there had been times you ate microwave noodles for lack of anything else in the house.

“So you have money?” you asked, your confusion was evident in your tone.

“I'm sorry,” he sighed.

“Why would you lie about that?” You wondered. You were taken aback at your best friend's confession. Confused and a little hurt were just the brink of it. Why did he think he had to lie to you? After all this time?

“It was easier. I didn't want to worry about anyone just befriending me because of money,” He explained. You rolled your eyes, not sure if that was an acceptable explanation, but for now it was what you were getting.

“Well where are your brothers staying?” You asked him.

He sighed in relief at the fact that you weren't completely ripping him a new one. “Can they take your room, and you can crash in mine?” He suggested.

“Absolutely not!” You exclaimed.

“Y/N!” he groaned out.

“You give them your room and you take the futon in the living room,” You told him, smacking his cheek lightly.

“You're the worst,” He groaned. “But I need a favor,” he muttered.

“I swear if you ask me-”

“Can you take me to pick them up at the airport?” He interrupted.

“And he asked it,” You sighed walking out of the room.

“Y/N? Is that a yes?” He called out after you.

“Fine Sam, but you owe me big!” You exclaimed before shutting the bathroom door.

You had met Sam your first day at the University, and instantly the two of you had clicked. You oftentimes would say the two of you were half-soulmates, like half of your soul was Sam’s but the other half you hadn't meant quite yet. You understood Sam, and he understood you, and it was easy. You knew he had brothers, but mostly when he'd get time off school he would fly from Scotland back to London to visit them instead of vice versa.

So despite spending most of the last four years together, you had never met them.

You got yourself showered and put together before going to find Sam, who was a mess. “You look like a train hit you,” You told him as you stood in his doorway.

“Y/N, that's not helpful,” He groaned.

“Well let's go get your brothers,” you announced, grabbing your car keys from the counter.

“Wait,” He exclaimed. You turned to look at him, waiting to hear what he had to say. “I need you to promise me something,” He muttered.

“What?”

“My brother, Harry, my twin. I need you to promise you won't fall in love with him,” He told you. You nearly doubled over laughing, you couldn't imagine falling in love with anyone, much less someone related to the Div you called your best friend.

“Yeah I'm sure that won't be a problem,” You chuckled.

“Y/N, i’m serious, the instant you guys meet you're going to click, and if you think me and you have a lot in common, i can promise you, that Harry and you will have more,” He explained. You realized he was completely serious.

“OK Sammy, i'll do my best to not fall in love with your twin brother,” You nodded at him. He took a deep breath before finally walking towards you.

“Let's do this,” He muttered.

The airport was crowded, much like you had expected, but you still found yourself trudging through the packed areas to the waiting area to wait for Sam's brothers. “When is their plane set to land?” you wondered looking up at the screen that had all the flight information.

“They just landed. Tom texted me to let me know,” He told you as he stood waiting impatiently.

“Why are you so nervous? There only your brothers Sammy,” you tried to get him to calm down.

“Look at that mane!” You heard from a group of people that had just entered the waiting area from the landing pad. You saw the color drain from your best friends face as he turned and saw a curly haired boy coming at him. Sam opened his arms as the boy crashed into him, hugging him tight and muttering things back and forth to each other.

“Did you have to leave me?” A man asked as he walked up to the three of you, glancing at you and flashing you a smile before throwing his own arms around the already hugging pair.

The three of them hugging was cute, and it made you wonder why Sam was so nervous in the first place to have them here, since he looked so happy now.

“Ok, Guys this y/n, my best friend and roommate,” Sam told them, turning the two boys' attention over to you.

"Hi," you mumbled, feeling rather shy suddenly.

"You weren't joking when you sai-" Sam smacked Harry in the back of the head before he could finish what he was saying. "I meant hi," he told you, extending his hand out to you.

You took his hand in yours, noting how attractive his hands were. His grip was tight as he shook your hand, staring into your eyes with the most breathtaking brown orbs you had ever seen. You weren't even aware you could think brown eyes were so beautiful. His curls had fallen to his forehead, giving him a boyish look, but dear God did he pull it off. No wonder Sam had asked you to not fall in love with his brother, just looking at him had your stomach in butterflies. You let go of his hand, looking away hoping your best friend wouldn't pick up on how easily you were taken aback by his brother.

The older boy 'Tom' extended his hand as well shaking yours and saying hello, before the four of you headed down to the baggage claim.

Both boys found their bags quickly and then it was off to your car. "Shotgun," Harry yelled as you unlocked the door.

"What? No!" Sam argued.

"You snooze, you lose Sammy, and it looks like you just lost," you laughed as Harry smirked triumphantly, throwing his bag into the trunk before sliding into the front seat. You knew Sam was nervous to get back to the flat. Worried that maybe his brothers would judge you based on the appearance of your place.

You parked the car and led the boys up to your place, unlocking it and slipping inside.

"Wall of champions huh?" Tom asked as he admired the drunk scribbles of the pong wall.

"Me and Sammy boy are undefeated," you announced proudly pointing to the top where your names were scribbled out.

"No," Harry laughed, shaking his head, "there is no way, Sam is awful, and has never won. Ever!"

"Board doesn't lie, red," you told him, shooting Sam a smile.

"Prove it," Harry said.

You looked at Sam who had a mischievous look plastered on his face, neither of you were ones to back down from a challenge. So you spent the early afternoon drinking and Whooping Sam's brothers asses at beer pong. Easily.

"She carries you," Tom told Sam as he dropped himself onto the futon.

"Does not!" Sam argued with a laugh.

"No she does," Harry confirmed.

"Oh piss off," Sam laughed, shoving his way in-between his brothers on the sad excuse for a couch you had. "We need a new couch," he groaned.

"Let's go shopping for one," Tom said randomly.

"We're drunk," you pointed out.

"We can Uber," Tom laughed. You rolled your eyes but reluctantly agreed.

You stood in your living room in your fuzzy pajama pants and tank top staring at the giant couch that was now taking up a majority of the room and the two sleeping boys on it.

"We actually did that?" Sam groaned, walking out of his room in only boxers. "I've never been so drunk in my life,"

"Day drinking for the win," you told him, holding your fist up for him to bump. The prior night consisted of way too much drinking and then shopping at furniture stores, before going to a pub for more drinking. If you were honest with yourself, you didn't even recall getting the sectional into the apartment.

Your head was pounding and you felt like you had been hit by a bus. So you opted to exclude yourself from any activities Sam had planned for him and his brothers, and instead spend the day catching up on your studies.

You found yourself sprawled out on the new couch with books around you as you worked on your laptop. Regardless of the fact it was a drunk purchase, you had to admit the couch was pretty comfortable.

You didn't realize you had fallen asleep until you were woken up by someone moving beside you. You sat up watching as Harry settled in. He glanced over to you and sighed.

"Sorry I was trying to avoid waking you," he said apologetically.

"S'ok, where's Sam and Tom?" You asked.

"Club," he chuckled. You rolled your eyes, before grabbing the books from next to you and setting them onto the table.

"You didn't want to go?" You asked.

"Not in the mood," he said, smiling at you. You felt a tad guilty about being happy Harry had chosen to not go, opting instead to hang out with you. Sam had been right, you and Harry had A LOT in common, so talking and joking with him came almost naturally. He radiated positivity, it was like if he was a color, it was yellow 100%

After a couple hours of talking about everything you could think of, the room fell silent. "Let's go on an adventure," Harry suggested.

"An adventure?" You wondered.

"Why not?" He laughed.

"I'm not very adventurous," you admitted coyly.

"That's ok, we'll figure something out. Let's just drive until inspiration strikes,"he said, standing up and extending his hand for you to take.

Your decision to say yes was probably where everything went wrong, but looking back.. you would do everything the same if you were given a second chance.

You parked your car on the side of the lake. Looking over at Harry with a skeptical look. "You gonna back out?" He asked.

"Harry, it's only like 68° out here," you reminded him. He nodded with a smile before opening the door and getting out of the car. Somehow both of the Holland twins had a way of convincing you to do crazy things.

You got out, feeling the chill of the air make goosebumps raise on your skin. "Harry, I'm not sure about this," you admitted walking towards where he was now standing on the dock.

"Me either, but it's not an adventure without a little hesitation," he told you.

"Who told you that?" You asked, laughing. He thought about it for a minute and shrugged.

"Ok, let's do it," he told you, giving you a nod. You sighed nodding back before slowly peeling your pants down your legs and then your shirt over your head. You took a deep breath before removing your underwear and then unclipping your bra.

You stood completely naked staring out at the ice cold water, not daring to look at the boy beside you, no matter how badly you wanted to. You felt his fingers interlace with yours. “Ready?” He asked.

“Nope. let's do it,” You told him, squeezing his hand. You followed his movements. As soon as his body lunged forward, yours followed, hitting the icy water almost instantly. It felt as if there were pins and needles poking you on every inch of your body, and when you finally came back up to the surface, you gasped trying to catch your breath, your body tensed up from the shock of the temperature.

"Adventures. Are. Dumb." You shuttered. You could see Harry's teeth catering together.

"That. That was stupid," he admitted swimming back to the dock and pulling himself out. He reached out his hand, grabbing yours and hoisting you back onto the dock.

"Remind me to never go on an adventure with you again," you laughed, before realizing something. "We don't have towels,"

Harry's eyes widened, "no we don't," you stood on the dock, completely naked trying to shield your body.

"I have a blanket in my hatch. We can turn on the heater and sit under it until we're dry," you offered.

"That sounds good," he told you before grabbing the clothes from the ground. You rushed to your car, opening the trunk and jumping in. Luckily you had left the keys in the ignition, so all it took was you leaning over the seat to crank on the car. Forgetting about your completely exposed state. Harry pulled the hatch closed as he crawled into the car, tossing the clothes into the back seat and unfolding the blanket. You plopped down beside him, pulling the corner to cover yourself, hoping the heater would warm the two of you up fast.

After a few (awkward) moments, Harry finally spoke up. "You have a nice body," he said quietly. You felt your cheeks heat up at his words.

"Harry, were you looking at my naked body?" You joked, knowing it would have been impossible for him to have not seen you.

"I mean, when I came to crawl in you were bent over the back seat. Like on full display. Would have been hard to not look," he laughed, turning away to hide the blush that was gracing his ears and cheeks. "This trunk is roomy," he said, trying to change the subject.

"Me and Sam had to sleep in here once, hence the blanket," you told him.

"So you two?" Harry wondered.

"No, never. He's like my half-soulmate, like in a friendly way, you know?" You asked.

"Well he's my womb mate so kind of," he admitted. You couldn't help but laugh. "You know, we will probably warm up faster, if we're closer," Harry said shyly. His logic was right, but you were worried about your self control.

"Yeah, ok," you mumbled, scooting closer, until your leg was touching his.

"Can I put my arm around you?" He asked. You nodded quickly. You let out a sigh of relief at his warmth,as you let yourself snuggle into his body, being cautious not to place your hands anywhere questionable.

It was nice. It was strangely intimate as well. "Sam told us you were beautiful, but I can't believe how breathtaking you are," Harry said quietly after a few minutes. You glanced up to his face, his eyes were closed, and it seemed like he was trying to focus on his breathing.

"Are you just saying that because you have seen me naked?" You asked. He laughed, before opening his eyes and looking at you.

His eyes met yours, and it was like you were each seeing something you had been looking for for way too long. You saw his eyes shift down to your lips.

"No, Y/N, you are just breathtaking, clothes and all," he told you, brushing stray hairs from your face.

Your next movements were slow. You glanced down to his lips, and back to his eyes before slowly leaning in, giving him plenty of time to curve your movements, but he didn't. Instead he followed them.

"We shouldn't," you whispered, faces so close you could feel his breath on your lips.

"I know," he told you. You bit your bottom lip, before looking into his eyes. There was something about Harry, something that was throwing all your inhibitions out the window. All you could think about was how his lips would feel on yours. His hand reached up, rubbing his thumb across your face, you closed your eyes and leaned in, closing the distance between your lips.

The second your lips met you felt something ignite in you. He kissed you slowly, not rushing into anything. His lips were soft and warm, and made you melt into him. Turning your body more, your naked chest pressed against his as your fingers laced themselves in the curls on the base of his neck.

As he rested his hand on your waist, squeezing lightly, as he deepened the kiss.

His tongue swiped across your lower lip, looking for access, which you quickly granted. You leaned back as his lips found themselves trailing your jaw and to your neck.

"Sam will kill us," you let out, as you threw your head back giving him more access to your neck.

"Let him," he mumbled into your neck, before continuing his task. You knew you should stop him. This was the first step, in the wrong direction. Harry was someone you could easily fall in love with, and if you stopped now, you could pretend this naked, heated, makeout session had never happened. But then his hand slid down from your waist to your thigh, as he pushed you farther back onto your back.

You pulled his face back to yours, reconnecting your lips with his in a hungry kiss.

You continued the heated kissing for a while, letting yourself lose control, something that did not come easily for you.

"Harry," you moaned into his lips, making him lift his head.

"Tell me what you want darling," he told you, face red from kissing you. You pushed him up and over so he was sitting again.

"Do you want me?" You asked. He nodded quickly, grabbing your waist to pull you over to him. You threw one of your legs over his, and let him get himself situated, grabbing his hard member and lining it up to your entrance. You let yourself sink down slowly onto him, enjoying the initial feeling of him filling you up.

"Christ, y/n, you're so tight," he groaned, as he bottomed out on top of him. you leaned forward resting your head on his shoulder, getting used to the stretch he was giving you, before you started to move slowly. He kept his hands on your hips, helping you with your moviments, but never forcing them, letting you choose the speed of your thrusts.

Harry peppered your neck with kisses as you held onto him, letting little moans and whines escape your mouth as you rode him slowly.

He whispered sweet nothings to you, making you lose it, hearing you were 'perfect' and 'so beautiful,'

"M'So close," you moaned out, as your movements became more rigid.

"I've got you darling," Harry whispered as he took over, and began thrusting up into you, he let his hand slip between your body's, finding your bundle and rubbing it as he thrust into you. "Oh god," you groaned, throwing your head back.

"Let go for me darling," he said as he pressed open mouth kisses to your neck.

As soon as you felt him twitch inside of you, you felt the band in your stomach snap. You felt yourself convulsing around him as his thrusts became sloppy and slowed, having hit his peak with you.

You let your forehead rest against his, both of your breathing heavy. "Wow," you whispered.

"I think I like adventures with you," he chuckled, making you roll your eyes before kissing him again.

Your eyes opened to the light streaming through the window. At first you were confused at the amount of windows surrounding you, and then it hit you.

"Oh god," you groaned, sitting up.

"What?" Harry gasped, sitting straight up.

"We fell asleep," you told him as you rustled around you to find your clothes. "I don't know where my clothes are," you groaned. Harry placed a hand on your check, turning your face to him.

"Back seat darling," he told you, before leaning in and kissing you. He pulled away sooner than you would have liked and reached over the seat grabbing the clothes from last night.

You both dressed quickly, moving to the front of the car. The drive home wasn't a long one, and you were relieved when you arrived home to find that neither Sam or Tom were there.

"So," Harry said as you poured both of you a glass of water.

"What?" You giggled sliding it over to him.

"Last night was incredible for me, and I don't do the sleeping with random people thing," he told you.

"And you think I do?" You asked him.

"What? No!" He told you, nearly spitting out his water. You couldn't help but laugh. "I just mean, that I'd like to do it again, maybe take you out as well, get to know you more," he told you, reaching for your hand. You laced your fingers with his, blushing as a smile spread across your face.

"I'd like that," you whispered. Harry went to move around the counter, but as soon as he got off the stool the front door swung open and a very hungover Sam and an amused Tom came in. Pushing whatever moment you were having to the back burner.

"You let him get pissed?" You asked Tom as you rushed over to your best friend who looked like death.

"To be fair, I tried to stop him multiple times, but he kept telling me 'I'm in college I can handle my booze'" Tom laughed.

"Sammy," you groaned as you pushed him onto the couch.

"Sorry mom," he mumbled as his eyes fluttered shut.

You rolled your eyes at how dumb he could be.

"What did you guys do last night?" Tom asked, walking over to where Harry was in the kitchen.

"Went on a late night adventure," Harry told him, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh yeah? What did you do?" Tom repeated.

"Nothing really," Harry mumbled, trying to avoid Tom. But Tom knew Harry better than anyone.

"Harry?" Tom asked, making the boy look at him.

Tom gasped, looking from Harry over to you and then back. "Tell me you didn't Baz," Tom groaned.

"Didn't want?" You asked, confused.

"You two had sex," tom whisper yelled.

Your eyes grew wide and you could feel your cheeks heating up, "how would you gather that by just looking at him?" You demanded.

"Sex glow," Tom explained.

You snorted before rolling your eyes. "Oh whatever," you told him, not buying it.

"So you didn't then?" Tom asked, looking directly at Harry, who's cheeks immediately reddened. "Jesus you two, Sam is going to be livid," he informed you.

"We're not going to tell him," Harry said quickly, to which you agreed just as quickly.

Tom shook his head, "was it just the one shag? Or are there feelings?" Tom asked. You looked at Harry and bit your lip. He nodded before speaking back up. "Just the one shag, no feelings at all, " he lied.

You sat in the driver's seat of your car, waiting. Memories flooding your mind of that night weeks prior. You glanced down at your phone, checking the time again. You were being impatient, but to be fair you had been waiting for this for a long time, too long. Having had to accept secret calls and texts as enough for the time being. But now it was time, you somehow managed to clear up a weekend, and he happened to be free, and now you were going to sneak away, and not be a secret for just a few days, not have to hide behind a screen, or be a distant voice.

Your phone began to buzz in your lap and you looked down to see the contact name you had changed a few weeks ago “My baz <3”

“You here?” you asked, bringing it up to your ear.

“Just landed. Am I getting my bag and heading out to you?” he wondered.

“Yup. and then we will have two whole days uninterrupted, just us, in a virbo, naked, and sweaty and-” you were cut off by his laughing.

“Someone is clearly eager,” he told you.

“Fuck, i messed you sweetheart” he told you.

“Yes i am, the phone sex and sexting isn't doing it for me, I've literally had the real thing baby. Now I want it again, so hurry up so we can get out of town,” you groaned, as there was a knock on your window. You jumped, and turned to see him standing at your door, red curls crazy from a cat nap he had surly taken on the flight over, and a smile so big you could drown in it. You jumped from the car throwing yourself into his already full arms, making him drop his duffel bag, but he didn't seem to mind. He wrapped his arms around your waist lifting you up in his hug, and burying his face in your neck.

You could have sworn your heart skipped a beat.

"Let's go," you urged him, impatient for what you knew was to come later. You began the hour-long drive to the weekend rental you had gotten for the two of you. Making sure you would be alone, and able to not be bothered by anything. Or so you thought.

"Sam's calling you," Harry said as you turned another corner.

"What, why? He thinks I'm with my dad for the weekend," you told Harry. Looking down at your phone. Harry shrugged.

You answered the phone hoping it was nothing.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I uh, have a problem," Sam sounded worried.

"What?" You asked.

"I wanted to make sure it was okay that I invited Harry to stay with us for the two weeks we have off of school next month, because I already invited him.. and I totally forgot to ask," he muttered. You felt a smile grow on your lips.

"I don't know Sam, I'm not sure me and Harry got on well," you joked, peaking Harry's interest.

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I just thought he was annoying and I'm pretty sure he didn't like me at all," you told him. Harry started to shake his head and roll his eyes. "I am fine with it Sammy,"

"You sure?" Sam wondered. "Cause I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable by any means,"

"Positive," you confirmed

"How's spending time with your dad?" He asked you.

"Good, hey look we just got somewhere so I gotta go, call you back later. Love you, bye," you hung up the phone before he could continue any conversation, knowing he would keep you on the phone for an hour if you let him.

"You love him?" Harry asked.

"What?"

"You love Sam?" He repeated.

"Course I do," you smiled at him.

"He's lucky to have you, you're a good friend," he told you. Your brows furrowed as you looked over to him.

"Is that what we are? Friends?" You asked. You parked the car in front of the house and turned to look at Harry.

"Do you want to be more?" He Wondered.

"I mean, the way I feel about you, I don't feel about any of my other friends," you whispered.

"And how do you feel?" He asked.

"Well, when I see that you're calling or texting me I get this feeling in my stomach, it's like an insistent fluttering, that never goes away, as long as I'm talking to you, gets me all flustered and nervous. And when you told me you were going to be able to come this weekend, I was so excited, because it meant I could spend even a second with you alone." You smiled at him before biting your lip, "I really like you,"

"I like you too y/n, more than I think I've ever liked anyone," he told you, reaching his hand out to caress your cheek. "And because of that I've had something on my mind,"

"Oh yeah? You asked

"Yeah, I mean I know it won't make much of a difference since we'll still have to keep it a secret, but I'd really like it if you were my girlfriend," he told you, his cheeks flushed red as he watched you closely for a reaction.

You leaned in close, nearly touching his lips with your own, "I would love to be your girlfriend," you whispered before closing the space between you in a kiss.

Everything with Harry was easy, even though the situation was strange, and the secrets and lying were hard, everything felt natural. Every Time you talked to him it felt like home, and you knew you were in over your head. If you had hoped to not fall in love with him, you absolutely would have been let down by yourself. You knew you were going to hell for lying to Sam, but you couldn't change the way you felt, and although you wished you weren't hurting him, you didn't regret anything you had going on with his twin brother.

You entered the little rental house, surprised at how cute and quaint the decor was. It had a very boho chic feel to it, there was a four poster bed in the middle of the room with sheer curtains streaming down. There was a little sectional in the corner with a television in front of it, and a little kitchenette to the right of the room. The owners had left a fresh vase of roses on the little table along with a basket that had chocolates and a few other things inside.

“This is romantic,” Harry said, as he looked around the room.

“The pictures were cute, and it had good reviews, i didn't expect this though,” you admitted.

Harry walked over to the bed, pushing the drape to the side and looking towards you. “Come test it out with me?” He asked. You rolled your eyes at him, but went over, slipping off your shoes and climbing onto the bed (Which felt like a cloud)

“It's nice,” you hummed as you let your body sink into the mattress.

“Be nicer, if i wasn't so constricted by these clothes,” he told you, making you look over to see his smirking face.

“Oh yeah?” you asked, turning to face him.

“Oh yeah,” he repeated, raising his eyebrows at you. He adjusted himself to his side so he was facing you now.

“What are you thinking about?” you whispered.

“That night,” he muttered, “The way you looked, riding me, falling apart on my cock. How tight your pussy was and the way it clenched around me while I whispered sweet nothings in your ear,” your eyes widened in shock at the filth of his words.

“Harry,” you giggled.

“Come on, you know you have been thinking of it. I know I can't get the sound of your moans out of my head, the small whimpers you were letting out with every stroke of my cock on your g spot,” you felt your walls clench around nothing at his words. He knew what he was doing, and he was doing it well. “I just wish we had had more time that night, I could have had you whimpering if I had been given the chance. I would have filled you up good with my fingers, and eaten you like you were my last meal,” he whispered.

You closed your eyes, trying to keep from letting off how unbelievably aroused you were. You had rushed straight to the point the last time you and Harry had been left alone, but now.. There was no rush, no time crunch, you had all night, and all weekend to give into your sexual desires. Lord knows you have already given into your emotional ones.

“Show me,” you challenged, stealing a glance at the way his mouth widened with your words. He pushed himself up onto his knees in between your legs, grabbing your ankles and pulling you down the bed and closer to him. “Harry,” you giggled.

He ran his hands up your clothed legs, and up your body, until he was leaning over you, his face close enough that you could smell his shampoo and feel his breath fanning across your lips. “Want to make you feel good,” he whispered.

“Do it then,” you groaned, arching your back up and into a kiss. His hands found your waist, sliding them under your shirt as he kissed you like his life depended on it. He slowly pushed your shirt up until it was pooled above your breasts and he then pulled the fabric of your bra down, taking your already pebbled nipple between his fingers and rolling it, which made a slight moan escape from your mouth.

“Can I take these off?” he asked. You nodded quickly, sitting slightly up so he could remove the shirt. He reached behind you to unclasp your bra, but not without a little struggle. When he finally managed to get it undone, he slid the straps down your arms tossing it to the side, before dipping his head down, and taking one of your nipples in his mouth. You let out a loud gasp at the sensation, as your hands instinctively found themselves tangled in his auburn curls. He made sure to do the same to the other breast before trailing open mouth kisses down your stomach and stopping at your waistband of your leggings. Glancing up to you for permission, which you nodded, overly eager for him. He hooked his finger in the waistband peeling your leggings and underwear down in one sweep. He could see how wet you already were for him, from the glistening sheen of your cunt.

He ran two fingers through your folds, stopping at your clit and pushing down. “Oh,” you moaned out at the unexpected pressure.

“So wet for me darling,” Harry whispered.

“I have been waiting for this,” you admitted, looking up to see him smirking at you.

“Oh you have?” He asked, pulling his fingers almost all the way out before plunging them back in. He brushed your g spot with the tip of his fingers making you moan out his name and arch your back. “Been waiting for this?” he asked as he continued to finger fuck you.

“Yes, Harry,” you moaned, as you felt a knot forming in the pit of your stomach. Harry moved his thumb, and you almost whined at the loss of stimulation, until you felt his tongue lick up from above his fingers to your nub, wrapping his lips around it as he began to suck slightly. You were done at that point, and you knew it. “So close har,” you warned, but he didn't falter in his actions in the slightest. Instead he sped them up, pushing you over the edge even faster. With a loud moan of his name, your back arched off the mattress and your toes curled, as you felt an explosion of bliss. Harry continued his movements through your orgasm, only slowing and coming to a stop when your legs quit shaking and you seemed to relax.

“Fuck, y/n. You're bloody perfect,” he mumbled, bringing his lips to yours, you could taste yourself on his lips, but you didn't even mind. All you could focus on was the fact that he was way overdressed, for the activities you wanted to partake in. you grabbed at the hem of his shirt, and he broke away from the kiss to allow you to pull the shirt over his head.

You took a second to admire his bare chest, he was muscular, but wasn't overly defined, and he, well he was perfect.

“You're breathtaking, you know?” You told him, making him turn a shade of red.

“Shut up,” he giggled, before reconnecting your lips in another kiss.

You let your nails graze the naked skin on his back making him groan, and rut his hips against yours. His clothed bulge rubbing against your naked sex. “Take em off,” you instructed. He pushed himself up onto his knees, unbuttoning his jeans, but before he could push them down you sat up grabbing his hands to stop him. “Can i?” you asked.

He smiled at you before nodding. You pushed his jeans down as much as you could, you could see the outline of his cock that was straining against his boxers. You leaned forward, placing an open mouthed kiss on the fabric. “Fuck,” harry groaned. You looked up at him through your eyelashes to see him looking down at you.

“Want me to..” you asked.

“Yes, fuck yes. If you want to, I mean,” he stuttered out. You smiled up at him, pushing the fabric of his boxers down until his cock was free of the restraint. You took his length in your hand, pumping it a few times, as you licked your lips and leaned forward, taking him in your mouth. You bobbed your head up and down as you worked what your mouth couldn't take with your hand. Harry held onto your hair loosely, watching as you sucked him off. “M’close,” he warned you. You continued what you were doing, not caring, he had done it for you, the least you could do was return the favor. You felt him begin to twitch against your tongue, as his grip on your hair tightened and his hips rutted forward, nearly making you gag before you felt him release himself the warm liquid slipping down your throat. You pulled your head back letting him out of your mouth with a pop.

Harry pushed you back onto the bed, making you giggle at his eagerness. He let his body fall to yours, lips crashing in a deep kiss. His fingers laced with yours above your head as he moved his kisses down your jaw to your throat, sucking lightly, leaving small marks that would be a reminder for days. “Harry, I need you,” You whined.

He lifted his head smiling, bringing his lips back to yours. His hand slipped between your bodies, lining himself up at your entrance before sinking slowly into you. He slowly thrust into you, setting a slow pace.

“Faster, baby, please,” you moaned out. He grabbed your thigh lifting it lightly as he began to thrust into you harder.

“You're so tight,” he groaned, as he began to quicken his movements. You reached down, rubbing your nub as he pounded into you.

“I'm close,” You told him as you neared your second orgasm.

He reached down, replacing your fingers with his, “Cum all over my cock darling,” he groaned. His fingers circled your clit, and with one particularly deep thrust, you felt yourself clench around him, as you whimpered at the relief. After a few more movements Harry's hips stilled and his body went limp, laying his head onto your chest. “That was incredible, you are incredible,” he told you as he laid there trying to catch his breath.

You smiled as your eyes fluttered closed, sleep taking over your overworked body.

The weekend passed quicker than it had even come, and before you knew it you were kissing Harry goodbye at the airport where you had picked him up two days prior.

“I wish we had more time,” you whispered as you hugged him, your face buried in the crook of his neck.

“I'll be here next month, love. Five weeks and we will be back together, promise,” He whispered into your ear, kissing the top of your head.

“I'll hold you to it,” you told him, kissing his lips one final time before he had to leave.

“I’m counting on it,” he said, before walking away. Just like that, faster than he had arrived in Scotland, he left for London.

The drive to your place was quiet, and the whole time you were fighting the urge to cry. You parked your car, and grabbed your bag, noticing a pink sleeve peeking out. You unzipped it, and saw Harry's pink hoodie, that he had probably shoved into your bag after you had practically lived in it and only it for the weekend. You couldn't help but smile to yourself. You shoved the hoodie farther into your bag, zipping it up and heading up to your flat.

As soon as you opened the door you were hit with the aroma of a home cooked meal. Sam was standing facing the stove, focused on whatever he was stirring.

“Smells good Sammy,” you said, startling him.

“Oh good, your home. Come stir this for me,” he instructed holding a spoon out to you.

"Yes chef," you said, bringing your hand up to your head and saluting him.

"You're an idiot," he groaned at you. You walked over taking the spoon and began to stir the sauce while he cut up garnish for the top. "How was your weekend with your dad?" He asked.

"Uh good, busy, but ok," you lied. Seemed like you were doing a lot of that to Sam recently.

"So you guys worked everything out from that fight?" He asked you. Your eyes grew wide, realizing you had fucked up. You and your dad had gotten into a fight about money, and afterwards he had cut you off, and told you to get your life in order. It had been months since you had spoken.

"No, but we pretended so that my gram wouldn't be upset," you lied again.

"Oh, that makes sense. I was confused when you said you were going to spend the weekend with him, I thought you might have been lying to me, glad that wasn't the case," he said as he drained the pasta.

Guilt. That was the only thing you felt. Guilty for being a bad best friend. Guilty for lying. Guilty for not sticking to a promise you had made. You were going straight to hell.

It had been a few days since yours and Harry's weekend, and he was set to be back in a little over a month. You were sitting on the couch, laptop in your lap when the pain started. At first it was a slight pinching sensation, but soon it became like a stabbing pain, and you nearly doubled over from the intensity. You tried to stand up, but let out a groan as the pain increased. Sam looked up, worried filling his face at the sight of you.

“Y/N? You're bleeding, what's going on?” He asked, as he rushed to your side. You looked down to see a line of blood down both of your legs, and immediately got dizzy.

“Sammy, I'm gonna pass out,” You warned him.

“I’m taking you to the doctor,” he told you as he practically carried your limp body down to your car and drove you to the nearby emergency clinic.

The doctors drew blood and put in an i.v to get fluids into you, all the while Sam never left your side, holding your hand tightly as he knew you hated doctors offices.

“Okay darling, we're going to run some tests and get to the bottom of why you're feeling so bad,” the nurse told you, as she left the room. Sam sat beside you as you laid in the bed, squeezing your hand lightly.

“It's alright, you're okay,” he cooed as he stroked your hair. Just then the door opened and a doctor came into the room.

“Miss, Y/L/N, i have some unfortunate news, it looks like you're experiencing a miscarriage,” your jaw dropped as you heard the words coming from his mouth. You glanced up at Sam who was looking at you with raised eyebrows.

“I- what?” you asked. Clearly not registering what you had just heard.

“The HCG levels in your blood make me think you were maybe around ten weeks pregnant, which would explain the extreme blood loss, and the feeling like you were going to faint. The unfortunate thing is that there is not much medically that we can do, so we will send you home. Try and get some rest, take it easy and if you experience any clotting bigger than a golf ball, come back in. ill have the nurse work up your discharge paperwork,” he turned to exit the room but stopped in the doorway, “I’m sorry guys, i know this must be hard news,” and then he left.

“You were pregnant?” Sam asked.

“I guess so,” you mumbled.

“Who have you slept with? What was ten weeks ago? That was like-” Sams face fell. He looked down at you, “That was our holiday week, ten weeks ago,” He told you. You winced at his insinuation, which in and of itself gave you away. “Tell me you weren't pregnant with my brother's baby y/n?” he sighed.

You weren't sure if it was being caught in a lie, the hormones coursing through your body, or the fact that you had just been told that you had lost a baby you were never even aware of, but you felt a sudden surge of emotions, as your eyes glossed over. Sam noticed this almost instantly.

“Shit y/n honey, please don't cry,” he told you, but it was too late as the tears began to spill from your eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” you nearly wailed. Sam pulled you into his arms as you cried your heart out, mumbling things about how ‘awful of a person you were’ and how you ‘didn't deserve him in your life’.

“Y/N, try and breathe, and tell me what happened,” he whispered as soon as your crying settled slightly. So you tried to explain what had happened, where you had gone wrong, and when your heart had been opened to his brother.

“Are you mad at me?” you asked as Sam tucked you into the couch with your favorite fuzzy blanket. He hadn't said a word to you since you had left the hospital.

“I am,” he sighed, sitting down beside you. “Y/n, what happens if he hurts you? If he breaks your heart into a million pieces? What happens when I'm forced to choose a side? What happens when I have to choose him over you even if I know he was in the wrong?” he asked, voice cracking, and tears prickling his eyes. “What happens if I lose you over something he does? I'd be crushed, your my best friend, the person i turn to when things are hard, the one who knows me inside and out, the one id trust with my life, but he is my brother, my twin brother, you are like a stranger compared to the way i know him,”

“Sam-”

“No, y/n. Just- I can't have this conversation right now, because i want to yell at you, tell you how betrayed i feel, but i can't because this- what your going through, is bigger than what i feel right now,” he stood up pulling his phone from his pocket and walking to the front door. “And that's why I called him,” he said before opening the door.

You felt tears form in your eyes again at the gesture. Your best friend putting his own feelings to the side to make sure you were ok. Harry stepped inside the house, offering a small smile to Sam who just nodded at him, obviously hurt. Harry went straight to you, pulling you into his arms as you started to cry again, this time it was even worse.

Harry held you for what felt like hours as you cried until you fell asleep. He placed your body down gently before walking to the kitchen where Sam was standing.

“Mate-”

“No, you don't get to start. Why her? Out of every person in the world, why her?” Sam demanded.

“It just happened,” Harry said.

“That is not a reason,” Sam argued.

“She's it Sam, I don't know,” Harry said.

“You wouldn't have known that had you left her alone,” Sam was verging on pissed at that point.

“No, Sam, you don't understand. I didn't need to know her, the second I saw her in the airport standing beside you, her hair tied up and in that old pearl jam t-shirt. Everything changed, call it a gut feeling, or me being an idiot, but I swear to god Sam, I fell in love with her before she even spoke a word to me,” Harry explained, hearing the words he said for the first time out loud.

“You're in love with her?” Sam asked.

“Desperately,” he admitted.

“I'll hurt you, if you hurt her,” Sam warned.

“I wouldn't expect anything less,”

“And if she hurts you, well, i cant hurt her but i'll give her an earful,” Sam laughed.

“I know,” Harry laughed.

“God it had to be my best friend?” Sam asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I'm sorry, the heart wants what it wants,” Harry said.

“Who are you? Selena Gomez?” Sam asked, hitting his brother's shoulder. “I’m sorry, about the baby,”

“I didn't even know there was a baby till you called,” He told Sam.

“She didn't know until today. You guys were careful, yeah?” he asked Harry.

“Uhh,”

“Harry! You fucking div! condoms man!” Sam groaned.

“I know it was just-”

“No, no, no. I do not want to hear the specifics of you sleeping with my best friend, just- next time, CONDOMS!” Sam stressed.

“Okay, okay, that's easy enough,” Harry laughed.

“You look nervous,” Sam laughed from the passenger seat of Harry's car.

“I am,” you told him,

“You have met mum before darling,” Harry reminded you.

“Yeah, as Sam's roommate and best friend, Not as your girlfriend,” you explained. Your stomach was in knots the entire drive from the airport to the Hollands family home. This was all new territory, sure you and Harry had been together for eight months, but meeting the family was a big feat, even if you had met them all before your relationship had started.

“I promise you will be fine, love” Harry assured you.

“I'll hold you to that,” You muttered, as he pulled into the driveway of an extremely nice house. You felt your jaw drop, as you glanced around the house, unaware that they had grown up in such a nice place.

Your door opened, and Harry held out his hand for you to take, which you did. Stepping out of the car and smoothing the bottom of your dress down. “Ready?” Harry asked.

You smiled up at him, “Nope. let's do it,” you squeezed his hand lightly as he pulled you along, Sam following closely behind.

The inside of the house was just as nice, pictures of the boys lined the walls from when they were tots until now. You heard the pitter patter of paws on the hardwood and looked over to see a blue staffy running towards you. Sam dropped down hugging the dog.

“Hi Tess, hi darling, oh i missed you too,” You giggled at the sight of the dog smothering Sam in kisses.

“Just in time,” Niki sang as she rounded the corner. “Oh y/n,” she said, pulling you into her arms. “So glad you could join us for the holidays,” she told you, squeezing your shoulders.

“Mum,” Harry said.

“Oh yes, sorry please go ahead,” she giggled while backing up.

“Mum, this is Y/n, my girlfriend,” Harry said, making you shoot him a strange look.

“Oh so nice to meet you,” she gushed with a giggle.

“What-”

“He insisted he re-introduce us with your new title,” she explained. You laughed glancing up to see a blush covering his cheeks.

“You're cute,” you told him, before being whisked away to meet the rest of the Holland crew.

The night ran late, as you got to know everyone. The whole Holland family was easy to get along with, you spent most of the time laughing at embarrassing childhood stories and telling stories of Sam at school.

“Are you ready to go?” Harry whispered in your ear when he noticed you had yawned for the third time. You nodded, eyes feeling heavy from the long day. You went around saying your goodbyes to everyone, Sam opting to just head back later. So you and Harry took off to his flat which he shared with Tom and a few friends.

Once you got to his place, he grabbed your bag, leading you inside, and passed two boys who were occupied in front of a video screen. “You can meet them tomorrow,” He told you as he helped you up the stairs.

His room was nice, quite what you would expect from a boys room, plain bed, empty dresser, there was a shelf full of movies, and a large tv, but nothing extreme.

“Can i have a shirt?” You asked. “To sleep in?”

Harry smiled at you before walking over to the dresser and pulling out an old t-shirt. “This one will look nice on you,” He told you.

“Help me out of these clothes?” you asked. He leaned forward bringing his lips to you as his fingers found the zipper on the back of your dress. He unzipped it slowly, pushing it off your shoulders before it fell to your ankles, revealing the lingerie set you had bought for him.

“Oh god,” he groaned looking at the black and gold lace that lined your body.

“You like it?” You asked with a cheeky smile.

“I'm going to like it even more once it's on my floor,” he told you as he grabbed your bum, lifting you up and carrying you to his bed. He threw you down, and you landed with a giggle as he attacked your neck with kisses, trailing the patterned lace that laid over your breasts with one hand. “The things i want to do to you,” He growled in your ear.

“Do whatever you want baz, i'm all yours,” You said with a wink.

“Whatever I want huh? What if I just want to make sweet love to you all night?” He asked, catching you off guard.

You smiled and brought your thumb up to his mouth tracing his lip and the birthmark right beside it. “Make love to me then,” you whispered.

Harry bit his bottom lip, as he looked into your eyes. “I love you,” He blurted for the first time.

You felt your smile grow even wider, as you leaned up, kissing his lips softly. “I love you,” You mumbled into his lips.

You stayed tangled together, lips clashing, tension burning between you, for a while.

“Harry,” You moaned into his kiss.

“Yeah baby?” He asked.

“Make sweet love to me?” You nearly begged.

He smiled wide, jumping up and walking to his dresser, pulling out a little foil square and tossing it to you before quickly undressing himself. You took the chance to slip out of the lingerie you had on, laying naked and waiting for him.

He crawled onto the bed next to you. “Sit down,” you told him.

“Yeah?” He asked excitedly.

“Yeah,” you told him.

He sat down, back to the pillows, and legs spread open, waiting for you. You ripped open the condom, rolling it over his member slowly in a teasing manner. “Y/N” he groaned, making you laugh.

“Alright,” You laughed, climbing on top of him, and lining him up to your entrance.

“This feels familiar,” He whispered as you sank down onto him.

“Going back to the beginning,” you whispered as you began to move slowly. You wrapped your fingers in his hair as you brought your lips to his, letting all the love flow between the two of you.

“I love you,” Harry mumbled into your lips.

“I'm in love with you,” You told him. He grabbed your bum before flipping you onto your back. “Harry,” You giggled.

“I'm so glad I found you y/n. I feel like I had been lost at sea and you were the lighthouse that guided me home,” he expressed.

“Harry,” You whispered feeling your heart skip a beat.

“I love you so much,” He whispered, before connecting your lips again, and moving his hips, sinking farther and farther into you with each thrust. You continued to kiss him, fingers tangled into his curls as he grinded into you, bringing you both to your breaking points.

“Harry,” You moaned as you reached your climax.

“God Y/n, you look so beautiful falling apart because of my cock,” he groaned as his thrusts became rigid and rough.

“Cum for me, Harry,” You moaned in his ear as he reached his peak finishing into the condom.

He rolled off of you, disposing of the condom in the bin by his bed and turning back to you.

“I love you,” He whispered again.

“I like the sound of that,” You sighed, as you snuggled into his body. “And I love you too,” you whispered.

#harry holland #harry robert holland #harry holland smut #harry holland imagine #harry holland fluff #harry holland x y/n #sam holland #harry holland x you #harry holland x reader #harry holand x female reader #sam holland best friend #harry holland one shot

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lifeofkaze · 3 years

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Dylan Amari

Dylan’s first year at Hogwarts was wonderfully peaceful. His easy life at school ended when his younger sister Reva arrived and turned everything upside down. When Dylan isn’t busy keeping her out of trouble, he spends his days outside, exploring the grounds and honouring the deep connection House Hufflepuff traditionally shares with nature. Dylan shares his parents’ love for magical creatures and being outside. The only thing he doesn’t get is his family’s passion for Quidditch. Even though he knows the rules and showed great promise of becoming a great Beater, he never burned for Quidditch like his parents and sister do. This is something he has in common with Dana Parkin. Their desire to stay as far away from the Quidditch pitch as possible makes them grow even closer over the years until Dylan suddenly finds that his childhood friend suddenly seems way more attractive than she has any right to be.

Name: Dylan Andrew Amari

Nicknames: ‘Doofus’ or ‘Dumbass’ by his sister (affectionately), Dyldo by his nemesis friend Rory (still affectionately, but not received as well)

Birthday: 12th January 1999

Nationality: English

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Residence:

Montrose, Scotland (growing up)

London, England (Ministry apprenticeship)

Edinburgh, Scotland (Muggle university degree)

Grenoble, France

Fraser Hall, Scottish Highlands

Face Claim: Kit Harington

PERSONAL:

Appearance:

Measures: 173 cm, 77 kg as an adult

Build: Short for a guy, muscular, not bulky

Hair: Black, messy, worn in a longish style, curls easily at the ends

Eyes: Dark brown

Skin: Moderately pale, tans easily

Style: Comfortable, fuss-free, loves his hiking boots

Misc: Mountain range/scenery tattoo around his underarm, wears all his festival bracelets until they physically fall off

Character:

Positive Traits: Level-headed, loyal, calm, reliable, protective, sensible

Negative Traits: stubborn, stoic, insensitive, blunt, grumpy, unsociable when not with his crowd

Favourite Food: Pancakes

Favourite Drink: Craft Beer

Interests: Hiking, mountain climbing, skateboarding, snowboarding, playing the guitar, cleaning up his little sister’s mess

Boggart: His sister falling from the skies screaming in terror

Patronus: Ibex

Amortentia:

What he smells like: Gentian, pine trees, earth

What he smells: Pumpkin spice, hay, sun-warmed rock

HOGWARTS:

House: Hufflepuff

Extracurriculars: out-of-class work for the CoMC professor, creature tending, band rehearsals with his friends

Best Class: Care of Magical Creatures

Worst Class: Divination (he wanted to learn about centaurs, not tea leaves)

Third-Year Electives: CoMC, Divination, Muggle Studies

Career:

2010 - 2017: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

2017 - 2019: Magizoologist apprentice at the Ministry of Magic

2019 - 2021: Biology degree at a Muggle university

2021 - 2030: Magical ecologist, research on intersectional points between magical and Muggle influences on the environment

2030 onwards: Head of Fraser Whiskey Co.

Relationships:

Family:

Lizzie & Orion Amari: The Amaris are a harmonic (dare I say, balanced?) family, and Dylan loves both his parents dearly. He had a very close relationship with his mother growing up but tends to connect with his father’s calm ways in his teenage years and adulthood.

Reva Amari: Dylan and Reva are mostly found bickering, but both of them would die for the other in a heartbeat. Keeping his sister out of trouble was one of Dylan’s main pastimes at Hogwarts. Despite their fundamental differences, they connect over their love for being outside, skateboarding, and knowing they’re always in each other’s corner.

Charlie Weasley: Dylan couldn’t have wished for a better godfather than Charlie. Similar in nature and interest, Dylan has looked up to Charlie from the very beginning, and it was he who inspired Dylan to pursue a career in taking care of/studying both magical and regular creatures alike.

Romantic History:

Tarragon Moss: @usernoneexistent Tarragon was Dylan’s first girlfriend in their third and fourth year, respectively. When he learned that Tarra had feelings for him and was mocked for it in the process, Dylan asked her on a date out of spite. When it came to their following period of dating, he went more with the flow rather than having deep feelings for her. Their relationship ended on a more or less mutual agreement when both Dylan and Tarra realised Dylan’s growing feelings for Dana Parkin.

Danielle Parkin: Dana being the goddaughter of Dylan’s mother and close in age, the two of them were thick as thieves growing up. Neither of them being interested in pursuing their families’ Quidditch legacy, their friendship deepened until it gradually began to change. Dylan tried to deny his feelings for Dana for the longest time, but couldn’t lie to himself forever. Admitting the truth to Dana was one of the few times Dylan was actually afraid of something (and not only because Dana screamed at him during that particular conversation).

Friends:

Phil Baker, Jonathan King, Lachlan Murray: @flareshogwarts @whatwouldvalerydo @kc-and-co What Dylan loves about his friends is how all of them are their own crowd, in a way. Jonathan needs to figure himself out, the Chudley Cannons will win the Quidditch League before Lachlan remembers a name and Phil… well, Phil is Phil. With all of them being rather calm and relaxed personalities (safe for Phil on energy drinks), Dylan has found his favourite people.

Patrick Hopper-Lee, Nick Willows: @thatravenpuffwitch @that-scouse-wizard Not only do Pat and Nick share Dylan’s love for music and the little rock band they have together, but all of their second - or biggest - passions are magical creatures of all forms and sizes. These three can mostly be found outside, tending to the CoMC creatures or helping with menial tasks around the grounds.

Dante Lopez Briarwood: @the-al-chemist What Dylan loves most about Dante is how relaxed and laid-back he is. He is a person Dylan really enjoys spending his time with, may it be making music in their band, drinking together, or just everyone minding their own business without annoying the other. What Dylan likes least about Dante is his involvement with his sister, but then again, Reva really could have done worse.

Saffron Summers: @the-al-chemist Dylan didn’t choose to be friends with Saffron. If asked, he still couldn’t say how it exactly happened aside from rescuing her pet bunny Gavin from becoming a snack. In her gratitude, Saffron adopted Dylan and doesn’t get tired of supplying him with spooks when she turns up in his dorm, crystals, and vegan cakes.

Rylie Hopper-Lee: @thatravenpuffwitch Rylie is one of Dylan’s closest friends and favourite partner in class. He enjoys that she is down to Earth and fuss-free, and he was just a tiny bit star-struck when he learned who her father was. The one thing he will never understand about Rylie, however, is her very questionable taste in men.

Rivals:

Rory McTavish: @the-al-chemist Dylan is convinced that Rory McTavish was created to make his life harder just for the sake of it. He believes Rory to be an airheaded prick, while Rory is sure that poor Dylan really only needs to let his hair down a little. In truth, these two aren’t as different from each other as they like to think, and wouldn’t make the worst of friends - something their girlfriends are intent to prove further down the line.

Darwin, the Tortoise: Dylan and Dana’s pet tortoise Darwin love the same person with all of their heart - and aren’t too fond of the other stealing her attention. Darwin bites and Dylan threatens to lock him up in a drawer for good, but secretly, they kinda like each other. A little, anyway.

Pets:

Hendrix, a Golden Retriever puppy who is Dylan’s constant companion and continuously gets his name confused by Dana

Billy, a cheeky dwarf goat Reva and Dana “found” and brought to Fraser Hall, who has adopted Dylan as her person

Alan, the ferret ghost of Fraser Hall, although Alan has been around for so long that he is considered more of an undead family member than a pet

#dylan amari #meet my ocs #hpma #harry potter magic awakened #next gen kids #magic awakened

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phanfictioncatalogue · 3 years

Text

Fics With Titles That Start With Y Masterlist

Links Last Checked: November 28th, 2021

Yard Sale - dxnhowell

Summary: Phil is throwing a yard sale to make some money after his parents cut him off from his luxury life style. Dan hears about it from his friend and meets Phil, and a friendship blossoms right before their eyes.

Yawn - sodalester

Summary: dan sleeps constantly. phil can’t sleep constantly. dan changes that

Yazi (ao3) - watergator

Summary: Dan goes to france with his family, but in this universe he has a gay sister.

Yellow - washedoutgay

Summary: Please stop picking flowers from my garden au/ Dan really likes yellow and his cat really likes Phil

Yellow Curtains (ao3) - omgdatphantho

Summary: Dan feels like an outsider looking in; an alien in his own skin. He’s starting to question his sexuality and that’s made more complicated by meeting Phil. Nothing worth having comes easy; especially love.

Yellow Roses (ao3) - DumpsterDiving101

Summary: Dan has a wife who just loves the bouquets of flowers he keeps getting for her. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know about the attractive florist who sends hidden messages with each bouquet that her husband might just be falling for.

Yes, Chef (ao3) - letspartyrightnow

Summary: Dan is really into his cooking lessons. And other things.

Yet, Like a Dog - soillbeherethen

Summary: When Dan and Phil run into Phil’s violent ex-boyfriend, Dan has a hard time being civil.

yin and yang - phangirlingforphan

Summary: a sunset beach walk after phil’s thirtieth birthday brings talk of things to come and decisions they figure they need to discuss. plus there’s this metaphor about the sunset.

You can sleep in my bed. (ao3) - clokkerfoot

Summary: Three times Dan and Phil sleep together, and one time they really sleep together.

You Can't Tackle Your Demons on Your Own (ao3) - Merrydith

Summary:

Dan is obsessed with a series of books by the amazing author, Phil Lester. He spends his time at the coffee shop he works at reading the books over and over again in the closet. When he meets a new co-worker who is also named Phil, they go on a date. Little does Dan know, he's sharing a cup of coffee with the author he's considered his best friend for years. As he gets to know Phil, he finds that Phil is housing a destructive secret. Why did Phil apply to work at The Brew Bean in the first place and what happens when Phil starts breaking away, piece by piece? Can Dan save his beloved author or is Phil going to fall slowly and hopelessly into loneliness and despair? All the while, Dan is falling in love.

You Have to Kiss Me - therewillbebeauty

Summary: Dan had a random thought. It’d be really cool if there were any telepaths in this room. Cough if anyone can hear this. Dan nearly had a heart attack as someone coughed. His head shot up. Who did that?

You Like Me Better When I Play The Jerk - howellslester

Summary: Phil’s gap year isn’t exactly turning out to be what he expected.

Your Biggest Fan (ao3) - pasteldanhowells

Summary: Phil is in the middle of a world tour with his rock band Killing Daisies. They’ve only been on tour for a couple of weeks now and it’s their first time touring in America, so they are still getting the hang of things. One night, their tour bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, someone passes by who’s willing to help them. This someone just happens to be their biggest fan.

Your Crowning Glory (ao3) - pasteldanhowells, rainbowchristy

Summary: Dan is 18 years old when the news is suddenly sprung upon him that he is next line to be the next king of Genovia, but things don’t go as smoothly as he thought, between having a suddenly busy schedule, a new lifestyle, an arranged marriage that Dan has no control over, and worst of all, Philip Lester trying to steal his crown.

Your Voice Is Music To My Ears - fluffyphantom

Summary: Moving from Manchester to London is a big change for Phil. He attends a new school, befriending what is known as the school’s ‘emos’. He finally fits in for once, with this group of talented music enthusiasts/musicians. Forced to go through the trials of love and loss, the one thing that keeps Phil grounded, is the music.

Yule Ball - oakleysfthoying

Summary: Based on the 4th Harry Potter book/movie. Dan’s name gets placed into the Goblet of Fire by someone unknown. Now he has to take part in the tournaments. But there’s also a dance coming up, The Yule Ball. Dan has to ask someone to go and so he and Joe make a deal with each other.

#phanfictioncatalogue #phanfiction #phanfic #phan #masterlists #ficsy #ficsy masterlist

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ingek73 · 3 years

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‘Royal revolutionary’ Duchess Kate’s exploitation of a murder victim was a ‘triumph’

April 05, 2021

By Kaiser

sarah everard kate

This was on everyone’s timeline over the holiday weekend and it’s just the WORST. Like, offensively bad, rage-inducing, and defying all logic. The Times of London decided to proclaim the Duchess of Cambridge “the real royal revolutionary,” because don’t you get it, Meghan was and is a feminist, a businesswoman, a self-made woman and she was torn to shreds, so now Kate wants to assume Meghan’s energy and pretend that she’s just like that, only white and therefore better. First, look at the artwork which accompanied the piece:

Absolutely offensive to actual revolutionaries, socialists, activists, advocates and basically EVERYONE. The actual article takes it to a bold new level though, suggesting that Kate’s exploitation of a murder victim (Sarah Everard) combined with her blatant Single-White-Femaling of a Black woman somehow makes Kate good, smart, keen and perfect in a sugary, gross, white supremacist way. These piece was written by Tony Allen Mills, who clearly hates women and is doing heavy drugs.

Kate’s maskless appearance at Sarah Everard’s memorial: For a moment it seemed as though the Duchess of Cambridge might become embroiled in yet another messy, polarising ruckus about pampered royals suiting themselves at the expense of the rest of us. She turned up at an unlawful gathering at Clapham Common in the middle of lockdown! She wasn’t wearing a mask! Her protection team seemed strangely unaware that earlier that Saturday morning last month, a senior police officer had warned that the vigil in south London for Sarah Everard, 33, who was abducted and murdered as she walked home at night, might be “attractive for terrorists”.

Kate was still keen to exploit: Yet somehow, the duchess still showed up, casually dressed with minimal security, with a bouquet of flowers she had picked from her palace garden. Later it was reported that she had sent a private letter of condolence to the family of the murdered woman. Hang on a minute, are we talking about the right duchess? A feminist campaigner, showing solidarity with vulnerable women, with seeming disregard for police advice and lockdown regulations?

This still doesn’t make any sense: There was an embarrassing muddle at Scotland Yard last week as senior commanders offered conflicting accounts of whether Britain’s future queen had attended the vigil legally, and whether the police had known of her attendance in advance. It emerged from an independent report into policing of the event that the senior officer in charge of the operation learnt that the duchess had been present only from a television news report after she had left. Yet Dame Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, told the BBC that “the Met did know [about the visit], absolutely”. Palace sources have described Kate’s visit as private, but Dick said she was there “in the course of her duties; she’s working”.

Exploiting a murder victim is great PR for Kate: What emerged most clearly from Kate’s modestly controversial outing was not another disaster for the House of Windsor. It has turned into something of a triumph. “I think she’s played a blinder,” says Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent and author of several books on the Windsors. Unlike some of her royal relatives, Kate, 39, has barely put a foot wrong in her public embrace of worthy causes over the past few years. “She’s widely admired now as a public figure,” says Bond, “and I think she’s demonstrating that she’s very much in touch with the mood of the country.”

Penny Junor on Kate’s exploitation of Everard: Junor describes Kate’s visit to the vigil as a “wonderful gesture”. What might have turned into a made-for-tabloid tempest instead became the story of a young woman who lived in London before marrying a prince, and may have remembered what it was like to have to walk home alone at night. After the manufactured theatrics of the Sussexes’ interview with Oprah Winfrey, Junor adds, “Kate was making a very subtle point. You don’t need to make a song and dance about things. She showed up at Clapham quietly with absolutely no fanfare. I just thought it spoke volumes.”

Kate is a free spirit, you guys: The burden of royal expectation has crushed many a free spirit. The closer Kate gets to becoming Queen, the more she may be expected to conform; to be careful with her words, to avoid spontaneous excursions in the middle of a health crisis. Can she really carry on being Kate, the increasingly daring duchess? Or must she prepare to be Catherine, our smiling but silent queen? “I think what William and Kate have demonstrated is that you can have a much greater impact if you go large on a smaller number of causes,” says Bond, who like many royal watchers believes Kate will stick to non-controversial issues such as child development and mental health. She’s naturally engaged and comes across as genuine because she is genuinely interested in the topics she has espoused,” Bond adds. “I think she’ll be wise enough to stick to issues quite specific to her personality and knowledge.”

[From The Times of London]

I don’t understand the transparent attempt to obfuscate the issue of Kate’s attendance at the Everard memorial, and how Kate tried to pretend it was a private visit, when everything about it (including the sugary, offensive PR) shows that Kate was working, that she showed up maskless to a murder victim’s memorial with her security, having alerted Sky News of her presence, and then leaving the rest of the mourners to be brutalized by cops. She then leaked the information about a letter she sent to the family, which is gross and invasive, especially since AGAIN, it was clear that this is just about “work” for her. The work of repairing her battered image of a Karen who fake-cries white woman tears and tries to copy Meghan and assume Meghan’s experiences and persona as her own. As I’ve been saying, there’s something really wrong going on with Kate psychologically. It’s not *just* stupidity and laziness. She’s actively being creepy. Kate’s communications team is actively putting all of this out there, that Kate’s exploitation of the tragic murder of a young woman was “something of a triumph.” It’s offensively tone-deaf.

#royals #kate middleton #meghan markle #duchess of cambridge #sarah everard #celebitchy #blatant pr nonsense

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rosalyn51 · 3 years

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NEW movie ‘The Colour Room’: Who are Clarice Cliff and Colley Shorter?

My edits. Images: SKY

What is ‘The Colour Room’ about?

The Colour Room (2021) follows the journey of a determined, working class woman, Clarice Cliff, as she breaks the glass ceiling and revolutionises the workplace in the 20th century. Clarice Cliff (Phoebe Dynevor) is a vivacious young factory worker in the industrial British midlands of the 1920s - Bursting at the seams with ideas for colours and shapes, Clarice takes more and more dangerous risks - but she manages to stay one step ahead of the workhouse and impress the eccentric factory owner Colley Shorter (Matthew Goode) on the way with her talent and innovation.

- SKY Press Release

Directed by Claire McCarthy, based on the award-winning play by Claire Peate. In cinemas and on SKY Cinema + Now TV later this year!

Here’s a great piece about the work of Clarice Cliff and her relationship with Colley Shorter. Will Farmer of the Antiques Roadshow is a huge fan of the ceramic artist!

**SPOILERS**

Clarice Cliff A ceramicist ahead of her time

This England Magazine Nov 4, 2020

“Applique Bird of Paradise” is a large dish-form wall plaque circa 1931 which sold for £8,000 “May Avenue”, an 18-inch charger which sold for £21,500, having been used by the previous owner to keep their milk money in! AGIFTED artist and genius businesswoman, Clarice Cliff was ahead of her time. She revolutionised ceramic design and moved from her late Victorian working-class beginnings to the highest echelons of society, becoming director of the Shorter brothers business empire (one of the dynasty names of the potteries). In a male-dominated industry and maleorientated world, Clarice completely went against the grain; her story is as unique as her legendary work.

Born on 20 January, 1899, in the pottery town of Tunstall in north-west Staffordshire, Clarice Cliff was the fourth child of Ann and Harry Cliff and one of seven siblings. Life could be harsh in late Victorian workingclass households, and the Cliff family, with the father working as a moulder in an iron foundry and the mother taking in washing, were no exception.

From a very young age, Clarice’s artistic skill was recognised and, as she was required to bring money into the home, she left school at thirteen for an apprenticeship at a local factory as a free-hand paintress. Her parents were delighted – this was the highest wage you could get on the production line – but after just two years Clarice left the job.

“It was unheard of,” says 20thcentury design specialist and auctioneer Will Farmer. “At that time, your apprenticeship set your career for life . . . and when Clarice went to work at another firm as a lithographer – which was a backward step – her parents must have gone nuts at her!”

But Clarice was learning. As a teenage girl working in a huge factory, she was well known for never taking a lunch break. Instead, she would go round the factory talking to the mould makers, the modellers, the kiln firers.

“People thought she was a bit odd,” Will says. “She wasn’t, of course – she was very clever, making sure she understood every part of the process.”

A year was sufficient for her agile brain to absorb all that was required and, now fully qualified, she made her final move to A.J. Wilkinson, one of the biggest potbanks in Stoke-onTrent. Located in Burslem, it wasn’t exactly around the corner from home, but her enquiries revealed that the company had won international diplomas for its decorations and was highly regarded. More importantly, it employed designers, an aspect eagerly sought by this ambitious young lady even though it was a situation normally reserved for the men.

Two brothers were at the helm of A.J. Wilkinson’s: Guy Shorter was the production manager and his older brother Colley, a man some 17 years Clarice’s senior, was the commercial manager and her boss. The atmosphere was comfortable, the staff were pleasant and encouraging and Clarice felt fully confident that, having spent four years practising all methods of decoration, her ambitions could well mature.

Although employed there as a lithographer, Clarice kept on free painting in her lunchbreak and after hours, and was spotted painting by the paint-shop manager. Impressed, he took her up to Colley Shorter’s office who pulled Clarice off the factory floor and into the design studio where she began to work alongside leading designer Frank Butler.

“You talk about fate, fortune, luck,” Will says, “this is the trigger point in her career. She starts modelling, she starts creating and in a very short space of time she makes it incredibly clear to the management and to her colleagues that she is here to work, to be creative and to increase the fortunes of the company.”

Fast-forward to 1926 and Clarice became even more of an asset. “It was the time of the National Strike when the coal miners downed tools,” Will says, “and with no coal to fire the kilns, it was a very difficult time for the potteries.”

A.J. Wilkinson had just acquired Newport Pottery and, on a tour of the factory, Clarice noticed that the storerooms were full of factory seconds. These pots were considered

unusable, but for Clarice they were an opportunity. With one paintress, a decorating room and a couple of months, she transformed these misshapen pots with blocks of colour.

“It was the start of Bizarre Ware,” Will says. “It was all done behind closed doors in the utmost secrecy, and when it was revealed no-one had ever seen anything like it.”

For these Bizarre Ware originals, Colley called in his best salesman, Ewart Oakes. Ewart was flabbergasted at what he was being asked to sell, but agreed to take them to his best client. Usually travelling by train, Colley lent him his Rolls Royce for the task.

“When Ewart opened the boot and the head buyer from a big china retailers in Oxford saw them, she said, ‘I’ll take the lot.’ From then on it was just like a rolling stone – it gathered pace so quickly,” Will explains.

Not only was Clarice’s work introducing new ideas such as the strident use of colour, it also introduced a female signature for the first time: a massive step forward.

Further examples of Clarice’s Bizarre Ware was widely seen at the British Industries Fair in the spring of 1928. Although initially received with mixed feelings, it was still successful. The autumn of 1928 saw Clarice and three of her paintresses at Waring and Gillow’s Oxford Street store in London, demonstrating their daily work routines. It was a huge success.

It’s estimated that in her career Clarice made eight million pieces and her range of work (collectively referred to as Bizarre Ware) led the way. “Art Deco was the new mood,” Will says, “but everyone was looking at her and copying her. There are a few other factories: Carlton Ware were doing their own interpretation of Art Deco which is very different from Clarice’s. Shelley are doing theirs; very different again. Then there’s Charlotte Rhead, of course, and she’s doing her tube-lined work. But all of the factories were desperate to keep up with her and just couldn’t. Any time they came up with something close, she just handbrake-turned it and left people standing.”

By now, thoroughly modern Clarice was confident enough to buy a car. Colley’s chauffeur had taught her to drive, and the cost of buying and running a second-hand Austin Seven was within her means. There was no driving test to take and she was soon on the road. She became a novelty as the first woman in Stoke-on-Trent to buy her own car. She moved out of her parents’ house and took her own flat.

“An unmarried woman in the 1930s living on her own was a scandal,” Will notes, “but Clarice didn’t care. She actually lied about her age as she didn’t want people thinking she was born in the 19th century!”

As the 1930s approached, her instinctive enterprises rolled on at an ever-increasing pace. The decade seemed to invite colour and change and Clarice certainly kept abreast of the opportunities and trends that presented themselves.

“She was inspired by the major art movements – she was looking at artists like Mondrian, Modigliani, the major Bauhaus movement – she was completely on point,” Will reveals. “New trends that were happening in London and Paris, she transformed them into everyday domestic wares.”

Her ideas seemed inexhaustible: tea sets with matching tablecloths, dinner sets with matching ashtrays – all that she did attracted attention, and her name became a registered trademark with A.J. Wilkinson, acknowledged leaders in their field.

Colley and Clarice had long shared a close relationship. “Let’s just say it was one of the worst kept secrets in the industry,” Will laughs. “Her apartment wasn’t in the wealthiest area and very unsubtly there was often a Rolls Royce parked outside!”

It was in the autumn of 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II, that Colley’s wife, Annie, died. Propriety generally dictated a two-year delay after a spouse’s death before remarriage, but Colley and Clarice waited a year and then secretly

married in a registry office in the nearby town of Stafford. Colley was fifty-eight, Clarice forty-one and, after a 13-year relationship they were legal at last. Clarice moved into Colley’s home, “Chetwynd”. Here, she stepped away from the limelight.

“I look at Clarice’s life and think how much of it is luck, how much of it is talent and how much of it is pure drive,” Will reflects. “I think certainly in the early part of her career there was a lot of luck, but there is the saying, ‘Show me a chink of light and I’ll force the door wide open’. That was Clarice.

“Everyone says that she was a formidable character,” Will continues. “Her team of paintresses, known as the ‘Bizarre girls’, were encouraged to be individuals: wear the latest

clothes, have their hair done in marcel waves, wear bright lipstick. But they were only ever allowed to address Clarice as “Miss Cliff”. At clocking-in time she would wait and hide around the corner and if there was anyone clocking in late she’d get them: ‘You’re late; we’ll dock that off your wages.’ She was incredibly strict.”

World War II changed everything. Production was handed over to either export wares (it was no longer permitted to produce luxury goods for the home market) but also the huge manufacture of basic white wares for the military. However, even after the war, restrictions persisted and while the pottery companies regained their individuality, all discovered public tastes had changed considerably and tradition was creeping back into fashion. Clarice, now director of all three of the Shorter brothers’ companies, gave her attention to exports, particularly to America and Canada, reviving old lithographs to suit the tastes of these vast markets.

But even before the war Clarice’s work had become much more muted. “By 1936, we’re starting to get the indication that there’s trouble in Europe, there’s a lot of problems with the British monarchy – everything’s starting to change as a mood,” Will explains. “Clarice definitely realised that she’d never revisit those glory years of the early ’30s and once it gets past 1936, a lot of hard-core collectors aren’t interested, even though her career runs until 1964.”

Which begs the question, how much is a Clarice Cliff piece worth?

“The record price at auction was for a May Avenue charger which was sold at Christie’s a few years ago for about £46,000. But you can [regularly] get into the twenty thousands no problem,” Will suggests. That said, you don’t need to be flush with cash to start a Clarice collection. “You can buy something nice and iconic of Clarice’s for under £100, such as a crocus cup and saucer for £60-80.”

In 1961, Colley retired and soon after became bed-ridden. He died of throat cancer in December 1963, at the age of eighty-two. The factory’s continued existence fell to Clarice, but by 1964, overcome by trade difficulties, she sold the factory to Roy Midwinter. “Chetwynd” was not included in the deal. Despite being a very large home, she could not bear to leave it and Colley’s treasured possessions.

It wasn’t until 1969 that Clarice stepped back into the limelight. The Brighton Art Gallery opened an exhibition entitled “The Jazz Age” which inspired a gentleman, Martin Battersby, to create a retrospective of Clarice Cliff, loaning his own limited collection. It became known that there was much more to be seen – if only it could be found! – and Clarice was traced and persuaded to loan some of her own collection.

Clarice was back in the news. But then, on 23 October, 1972, her gardener found her dead in the kitchen of her home. The cause was heart failure. She was seventy-three.

“People used to be very derisive about Clarice,” Will says, who has been collecting and researching the ceramist’s work for nearly four decades. “‘Oh, it’s just cheap stuff sold in Woolworths,’ they’d say. No, it’s not. It’s really expensive and the quality, the execution, the ideas, the range and then the story as well . . . you look at her competitors and they can’t hold a candle to her.

“Even on Antiques Roadshow, after I’ve been valuing for six hours straight and I’m exhausted, if someone reaches in their bag and pulls out a piece of Clarice, it is like getting an adrenaline shot in my arm. I tend to find people know her work, too. I hear some brilliant wrong names like ‘Clarence Clift’, but there is a level of recognition there for a lot of people.”

Perhaps the last word should go to the lady herself: “Having a little fun at my work does not make me any less of an artist and people who appreciate truly beautiful and original creations in pottery are not frightened by innocent tomfoolery!” Clarice stayed true to her vision, made huge changes to both the artistic and social landscape, and refused to accept her lot . . . and all with a smile.

Fieldings Auctioneers hold two dedicated Clarice Cliff sales every year; for more information visit fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk.

#matthew goode #phoebe dynevor #a discovery of witches #bridgeton #clarice cliff #the colour room #the colour room movie

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victoriareyloficlists · 3 years

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19 March 2021 Additions to Reylo Meet-Cute

These fics have been added to the Meet-Cute list located here.

More Than a One-Night Stand by Eskayrobot, Poaxath (AO3 2018 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey's having a pretty shitty night, to be honest. From the creep at the bar to the...oh, this rescuer of hers is pretty nice. And very attractive. And maybe he smelled really good, too.) Bespoke by L_awlietxoxx (AO3 2018 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo is miserable, stumbling through his life in London without seeing much of anything. Then Christmas sneaks up on him, as does a little shop and a woman who makes custom ornaments to meet the needs of any heart. Suddenly, Ben sees everything.) Of Penmanship and Discourse by INTPSlytherin_reylove97 (AO3 2018 Rated M Complete, 35 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Rey Kenobi's professor and advisor, Luke Skywalker, refuses to give constructive criticism or facilitate workshops for his students, she decides to seek help else where. Ben Solo (or if you read his published work, Kylo Ren) is on the brink of insanity. The literary magazine he is editor for is racing off in a new direction-- and is leaving him questioning both its morals and his love for writing. To find his intellectual and creative needs met, he decides to turn to the internet. A PenPals AU no one asked for.) Degrees and Galaxies by Pawprinter (AO3 2018 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben could think of numerous other things he would rather be doing than spending an afternoon working on a paper. That all changes when he bumps into Rey. Maybe spending the day at the coffee shop isn't the worst way to spend his time.) Image Attached by thewayofthetrashcompactor (BriarLily) (AO3 2019 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: The Resistance crew is out on the town, and Poe is desperate to find a way to keep Rey from punching out creeps at the bar. Giving out a fake number is a good way to put them off, right?) Haunted Corn Maze by OptimisticBeth (AO3 2018 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey bonds with her work buddy, Ben.) In Full Bloom by deedreamer (AO3 2019 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When high school teacher Rey Kanata gets flowers with a cryptic message, she freaks out, thinking she's being hit on by one of her students. On a mission to find out who sent the flowers, she meets Ben Solo -- single dad and owner of the little florist down on Main Street. When the flowers turn out to be a delivery error, Rey knows her job's no longer at risk. But what she doesn't know is that she's about to fall head over heels for the man who keeps sending her flowers day after day because he's a goner for her, too...) From R to Kylo by SpaceWaffleHouseTM (AO3 2018 Rated E Complete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben and Rey are archaeologists who absolutely cannot stand each other. They also happen to be pen pals, but they don't know who the other is, until one night they get trapped together at a creepy excavation site, and suddenly their hatred begins to unravel.) Go And Catch A Falling Star Chapter 56 by Ayearandaday (AO3 2021 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Hungry overworked Ben accidentally ends up in McDonalds. Guess what happens next?) A Doggy Intervention by corpse_wife (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Interventions come in many different forms. Whether it's time, a place or occasionally, people, it's up to the universe to decide when two soulmates meet. In Ben Solo's case, the universe had a cruel sense of humor. For his intervention comes in the form of a German Shepard and his graceless brunette owner. Two things happened in the short span of a minute: 1.) Ben got tackled to the ground 2.) The dog had just swallowed his wedding rings) Have My Everything by MotherofScavengers (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: After months of convincing, teacher Rey is at last dragged by her friends to a strip club and gets gifted with a lap dance. When she's alone and waiting, she finally meets the dancer: Usually shy Ben, the single father of her favourite student. ) when the stars collide by roguewn (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rose and Rey are debating the latest Space Skirmish movie. Rose insists a kiss was romantic and Rey jokes that it was a thank-you-for-saving-me kiss. Rose dares her to kiss the next guy who holds the door open for her.)

#reylo #reylo fanfic

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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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Star, January 11

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover Story: Hollywood’s Best and Worst Bosses

Page 1: Shia LaBeouf currently accused of relentless abuse and sexual battery by his ex FKA Twigs was snapped making out with Margaret Qualley after she arrived at LAX for a solid 10 minutes and holding up traffic -- the PDA session was the first time Shia and Margaret who is the daughter of Andie MacDowell were spotted out in public together but the two got well-acquainted a few months ago rolling around naked for a NSFW music video for a song by the actress’ sister Rainey Qualley a.k.a. Rainsford -- Shia went out of his way to charm Margaret as soon as they met and he wooed her with compliments and gifts and flowers and texts and spur-of-the-moment dates where he’d just show up at her house but her friends are concerned because Twigs’ lawsuit against Shia alleges multiple incidents of abuse including choking her in her sleep and knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease -- Shia said many of those allegations are not true and he is in a 12-step program and therapy for PTSD and alcoholism

Page 2: Contents, Prince William and Duchess Kate with kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for a Christmas card

Page 3: Candice Swanepoel in a bathing suit in Miami, Jennifer Garner stepped out to run errands in a mask and an expressive sweater in L.A., Ryan Reynolds cuddled up with a puppy to encourage his Instagram followers to donate to the SickKids Foundation

Page 4: Friends of Johnny Depp are keeping their distance as he gears up for another ugly defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard -- after losing the case against a U.K. newspaper that called him a wife beater and a scathing feature in The Hollywood Reporter that dubbed the star radioactive and his career all but dead, former pals want nothing to do with him -- the likes of Jude Law, Leonardo DiCaprio and Channing Tatum have been backpeddling on Johnny and it’s making him furious but to be fair Johnny had already alienated Leo and Channing by calling them Pumpkin Head and Potato Head and accusing them of having affairs with Amber -- Jude’s indifference cuts the deepest because for a time he and Johnny were brothers-in-arms as they filmed the second Fantastic Beasts movie and from Johnny’s perspective Jude hasn’t lifted a finger to defend him

Page 5: Mossimo Giannulli’s son is speaking out claiming the fashion designer is being treated harshly at California’s Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc and Gianni Giannulli took to social media to complain that because of the pandemic his dad has been locked in solitary confinement for one full month and is only let out every three days for a few moments to shower and Gianni, Mossimo’s son from an earlier relationship, is irate that his father is being mistreated and he feels sorry for his dad and doesn’t want to see him languishing in prison however his half sisters Bela and Olivia Jade don’t seem too bothered by it

* At age 74 Susan Sarandon has had it with men -- she said she hasn’t really had a large dating career and in fact hasn’t had a guy in five years and it’s not that she can’t get a man, it’s just that the men she attracts are losers or sub-par in some way -- she is happy hanging out in her NYC apartment but still friends can’t help trying to fix her up because she’s attractive and in phenomenal shape but the problem is she scares guys away; she’s a force they can’t handle

* Two years after sharing her shock diagnosis with multiple sclerosis Selma Blair is struggling with pain and fear -- she was recently spotted getting emotional outside a West Hollywood cannabis shop and she has turned to medical marijuana to soothe symptoms of the chronic immune-system disorder which can include fatigue, spasticity, walking issues, numbness, weakness, vision issues and pain -- on some days she can’t even get out of bed but she’s trying to stay strong for her son Arthur and smile more for him but it’s been hard

Page 6: Julianne Hough appears to be sweetness and light but she’s a heartbreaker according to her ex Chuck Wicks who split from Julianne in 2009 -- in a revealing podcast Chuck blasted Julianne saying they were both loving life then out of nowhere you find out that they are not the person you thought they were and you break up -- Chuck admitted that he and Julianne agreed to say their split was amicable but it wasn’t fine and it wasn’t his fault

* After holing up at his Oklahoma spread Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are having a blast decorating their 13,000-square-foot $13.2 million new home in the Encino area of California’s San Fernando Valley -- the home sits on 1.6 ultra-private acres behind double gates and extensive walls and features a pool and fabulous views -- inside the engaged pair give each other space: Gwen wants a dance studio and Blake gets his own man-cave with a big screen and high-tech surround sound

* Star Spots the Stars -- Nicky Hilton, Katharine McPhee Foster, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt making dairy-free and plant-based holiday appetizers, Jenna Dewan, Natalia Dyer

Page 8: Big Losers -- these stars shed pounds and got healthy in 2020 -- Jessica Simpson, Rebel Wilson, Kelly Osbourne

Page 10: Star Shots -- Gwen Stefani on the way to the recording studio in Santa Monica, Jerry O’Connell started his morning off with a fresh mimosa and a kiss from one of his dogs, Jodie Turner-Smith is the first Black actress to play Henry VIII’s ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn in a major U.K. TV series in Emley, UK

Page 11: Nick Cannon pitched in to help distribute 2000 free meal boxes to the Hollywood Food Coalition

Page 12: Demi Moore in a yellow bow for a selfie thanking readers for checking out her memoir, Paris Hilton kicked back for a Coach campaign reintroducing the early-2000s ubiquitous Swinger bag

Page 13: Derek Hough and his dogs Romie and Luna, Irina Shayk striking a pose

Page 14: Sofia Vergara during a photoshoot, Real Housewives of New York City alum Kristen Taekman is taking advantage of the California winter weather in a bikini in Malibu, Wells Adams takes out the trash in L.A.

Page 16: Carrie Underwood showed off her comfy at-home style, Vanessa Hudgens and her favorite condiment, Katherine Schwarzenegger celebrates her dog’s birthday

Page 17: Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval picked up a holiday-themed centerpiece ahead of Christmas in L.A., Katie Holmes slung a guitar over her shoulder in NYC, Dame Joan Collins dropped by The Jonathan Ross Show in London

Page 18: Normal or Not? Hailey Baldwin shares a glimpse into her beauty routine -- normal, Tiger Woods’ son Charlie showed off his skills ahead of the PNC Championship -- normal

Page 19: Pete Wentz playing tennis in L.A. -- normal, Pete Davidson hurt himself a few times while making a scarf -- not normal

Page 20: Fashion -- stars charm in romantic ruffles -- Keke Palmer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lupita Nyong’o

Page 21: Kirsten Dunst, Halsey

Page 24: Ariana Grande announced her engagement to realtor Dalton Gomez with some celebratory shots and she’s telling everyone how she never thought it was possible to be this happy -- the couple began dating in early 2020 when Dalton helped Ariana find a home in L.A. and things hit the fast track amid the health pandemic which saw the two enjoying quality time together in lockdown and realizing they were a perfect fit because they never fight and are totally in sync about how they look at life -- Ariana went straight into wedding mode already deciding on an intimate outdoor setting in mid-2021

Page 25: Jon Hamm stepped out in L.A. recently with girlfriend Anna Osceola and she was showing off a noticeably rounder midsection and there’s a good chance the two are pregnant because they’ve been actively trying to get into the family way -- though Jon admitted in 2016 that having children isn’t necessarily an imperative Jon may have changed his tune after his year-long relationship with Anna and hitting the big 5-0 in March has him reassessing his life and now having a child has become important to him

* Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher will be camping in style now that they’ve purchased a $140K Mercedes Benz Sprinter and they’re preparing to embark on an adventure -- with sleeping accommodations for four and a kitchen the spacious luxury vehicle is perfect for the couple and their two kids -- other stars can spend their vacations in five-star resorts but Mila and Ashton prefer to keep things alfresco and it’s a tradition they’ve kept all these years; this is their idea of a perfectly fun vacation

Page 26: Cover Story -- Hollywood’s Best and Worst Bosses -- who’s great to work for and who makes employees’ lives a misery -- Jennifer Hudson -- best

Page 27: Jennifer Lopez -- worst, Rihanna -- best, Kenny Chesney -- best, Mariah Carey -- worst, Gwyneth Paltrow -- worst

Page 28: Keanu Reeves -- best, Sandra Bullock -- best, Emma Watson -- worst

Page 29: George Clooney -- best, Ellen DeGeneres -- worst, Guess the Bad Boss

Page 30: Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell: Man on a Mission -- amid all the tension on the set of Mission: Impossible 7 Tom has been pursuing his costar Hayley to be his next girlfriend and it seems to be working -- Tom has become very active with the U.K. Scientology Branch and is very taken with English women like Hayley and he’d like to make the U.K. his home base -- handcuffed to each other for several scenes in M:I7 Hayley and Tom were also spotted holding hands when the cameras weren’t rolling

Page 32: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s very L.A. Christmas -- the prince spends the holidays 5000 miles away from the royal family but Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland was on hand for the festivities -- the couple were intending to call Queen Elizabeth on Christmas morning otherwise they were happy to celebrate a low-key holiday

Page 38: Entertainment

Page 48: Parting Shot -- Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas suited up to hit the slopes stopping by a local store to pick up goodies before changing into warmer gear in Mammoth Lakes in California -- the couple are familiar faces in the ski town and looking forward they will be able to plan even more snowy getaways now that they’ve listed their NYC apartment for $5.9 million and moved full-time to Encino

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welllpthisishappening · 3 years

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Welllp These Are Books: the January 2021 Edition

Tumblr’s gif search leaves a lot to be desired, so there’s no actual gif of her slamming the book shut, which is—y’know, disappointing. Still, the continued ability of the public library system to send books to my Kindle ensures that I continue to read every romantic comedy and fantasy story I can find. Of which I have plenty of thoughts and opinions. But, like, what’s the point of having thoughts and opinions if you’re not putting them on the internet? There isn’t one, obviously. Books and links and feelings and more ridiculous headlines all under the cut.

BEST BOOK AWARD WINNER OF A VERY WEIRD JANUARY THAT HELPED DISTRACT FROM A VERY WEIRD JANUARY

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

This was so good?!?! I finished the first book and them immediately started the sequel, like no break whatsoever?!! I wish they weren’t teenagers?!! But seriously I wish they hadn’t been teenagers. Like, I get it. It’s YA. That probably sells better, something about markets that I don’t understand. I don’t care. It was weird that they were teenagers. Also, some of the plot points just kind of...happened? And I’m not entirely sure they were ever resolved. (Although there are a bunch of short stories, so. Maybe I just haven’t gotten there yet.) Despite that, the writing was gorgeous, I remain as prone to swooning over sad boys patent pending as I was when I was sixteen and Shahrzad was a fantastic heroine. Nine out of ten (would have been ten if they weren’t teenagers) and have already put holds on other books Ahdieh has written.

OBLIGATORY RAGE-INDUCING ROM-COM

Head Over Heads by Hannah Orenstein The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri. Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she's surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine.

I stopped reading it. Honestly. I got, like, 46% of the way through, kept complaining to Justin about how goddamn annoying Avery was and how no one had any personality and I wanted them all to fall off the beam and he was like—stop reading it, then? And I was like—I can do that? And then I did! Also, I understand it needed conflict, but the “shocking scandal” in the description is a sexual assault that was not only NOT my cup of tea, but felt like a massive attempt to be topical by using what happened at Michigan State without actually saying it was about Michigan state.

PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW SPORTS WRITE SPORTS AND DO IT OK

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them. Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future. When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.

I am admittedly a sports snob. Writing about sports is my thing and I’m super particular about reading about it. But this sounded good and for the most part it was good. Emotional, too. Like, “jeepers, that was intense” kind of emotional. But also some of the things Dean talked about were just...not how sports work and that drives me nuts. Also another story that was, as mentioned, super emotional only to get tied up in this nice little bow. Which, cool, but also...not? Just felt rushed at the end.

IN WHICH SHIPPING IS QUESTIONED AND I JUST LIKE BEN BARNES

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed. Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country's magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation. Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

I wanted to like this so much. So, so much. And sometimes I did. Sometimes I did not. At all. World building is my weakness and this has got it in spades, but the characters are kind of—boring? I couldn’t really bring myself to care about Alina and I wanted to kick Mal in the shins sometimes. The only interesting one was The Darkling who’s like the embodiment of all evil and I am not here to ship-shame anyone, but it’s kinda weird to ship him and Alina. I pictured Ben Barnes the entire time. I’m still excited for the show. I’ll read the sequel at some point, probably.

BEING A JERK IS NOT ROMANCE, YOU’RE JUST A JERK

Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters It's Evie Summers's job to find out. Because if she can't convince her film agency's biggest client, Ezra Chester, to write the romantic-comedy screenplay he owes producers, her career will be over. The catch? Arrogant Ezra thinks rom-coms are unrealistic—and he'll only put pen to paper if Evie proves to him that it's possible to meet a man in real life the way it happens on the big screen. Cynical Evie might not believe in happily ever after, but she'll do what it takes to save the job that's been her lifeline . . . even if it means reenacting iconic rom-com scenes in public. Spilling orange juice on a cute stranger? No problem. Leaving her number in books all over London to see who calls? Done. With a little help from her well-meaning friends and the adorable father-daughter duo who keep witnessing her humiliations, Evie is determined to show Ezra she can meet a man the way Sally met Harry. But can a workaholic who's given up on love find a meet-cute of her very own?

I love cliches. Love ‘em. Want to read about ‘em, want to write about ‘em. Here for happily ever after. Much less here for the overused and antiquated cliche of dude doesn’t believe in love like girl does, dude ridicules girl’s belief, dude was secretly in love with her the whole time. It’s super dumb. And we should stop writing it. Also really done with rom com girl can’t figure out her life! she’s overworked! she doesn’t have time for her friends! Super duper dumb. I don’t know guys, this book happened.

FAST-PACED ROMANCE ISN’T AS WEIRD WHEN IT’S WELL WRITTEN AND THERE’S A MOOSE INVOLVED

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler He had a strict "no tourists" policy...until she broke all of his rules. When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless parade of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way...

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the grumpy local than meets the eye...and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

This story of Alaska marries together all the things you didn't realize you needed: a whirlwind vacation, a friendly moose, a grumpy diner owner, a quirky tourist, plenty of restaurant humor, and a happy ending that'll take you away from it all.

I’m not one for slow burn, but I also have a hard time believing romances that happen in, like, a blink. Not the case here! It was so goddamn cute! There was a moose! Graham kept calling Zoey darlin’ and it made my heart try to explode in my chest! Stars Hollow-levels of small town with lots of side characters and a good plot and a restaurant that everyone always went to! You guys know I’m trash for everyone always going to hang out in the same restaurant! I’m reading the sequel now, so that’s how much I enjoyed it.

AMAZON BOOKS THAT CONTINUE TO BE WAY BETTER THAN THEY SHOULD BE

Elodie of the Sea by Shari L. Tapscott (part of the Eldentimber Series) Eight years have passed since the marriage tournament that decided the fate of Princess Pippa of Lauramore and strengthened alliances between the kingdoms of Elden. The competitors have moved on with their lives. Some have found adventure; some have found love. Prince Bran of Triblue, however, has put his life on hold, preparing for his father's crown. Two days before Bran's winter coronation, just when the prince cannot afford distractions, a girl washes onto the Triblue shore. She has no memory of her past life, no clue who she is or where she belongs—nothing but a ring on her finger and a peculiar marking on her cheek. And the newly crowned king has more than a mysterious girl to worry about. The sea has become unpredictable. Storms claim ships in the dead of night, and sailors return with horrifying stories of monsters from the deep. It soon becomes clear the girl and the bizarre events are connected. The girl came from the sea... and the sea wants her back. But Bran isn't willing to give her or his kingdom up without a fight, even if it means he must request help from every corner of Elden.

Listen, sometimes you have to read about a mermaid who lost her memory and the soon-to-be-king who’s, like, immediately in love with her. I mentioned Tapscott’s books in the 2020 post and the sentiment remains the same. You ever read a book that reads like fic? Lots of banter, some romance, steady pacing. That’s what her books are like. There are five in the Eldentimber series, all about a different princess in a different kingdom, but they all connect so characters pop up again and again and then they kiss. It’s real good.

#book reviews #the wrath and the dawn #laura reads books #i'm making my way through some of the recs you guys sent last time around too #but don't hesitate to send more #seriously i am down to read anything #welllp these are books

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newstfionline · 3 years

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Sunday, June 13, 2021

Rash of mass shootings stirs US fears heading into summer (AP) Two people were killed and at least 30 others wounded in mass shootings overnight in three states, authorities said Saturday, stoking concerns that a spike in U.S. gun violence could continue into summer as coronavirus restrictions ease and more people are free to socialize. The attacks took place late Friday or early Saturday in the Texas capital of Austin, Chicago and Savannah, Georgia. In Austin, authorities said they arrested one of two male suspects and were searching for the other after a shooting early Saturday on a crowded pedestrian-only street packed with bars and restaurants. Fourteen people were wounded, including two critically, in the gunfire, which the city’s interim police chief said is believed to have started as a dispute between two parties. In Chicago, a woman was killed and nine other people were wounded when two men opened fire on a group standing on a sidewalk in the Chatham neighborhood on the city’s South Side. In the south Georgia city of Savannah, police said one man was killed and seven other people were wounded in a mass shooting Friday evening.

Summer camps return but with fewer campers and counselors (AP) Overnight summer camps will be allowed in all 50 states this season, but COVID-19 rules and a pandemic labor crunch mean that many fewer young campers will attend, and those who do will have to observe coronavirus precautions for the second consecutive year. “Camp might look a little different, but camp is going to look a lot better in 2021 than it did in 2020, when it didn’t happen,” said Matt Norman of Atlanta, who is getting ready to send his 12-year-old daughter to camp. Even though most camps will be open, reduced capacity necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions and the labor shortage will keep numbers well below a normal threshold of about 26 million summer campers, said Tom Rosenberg of the American Camp Association.

Mexico says COVID-19 has affected a fourth of its population (Reuters) About a quarter of Mexico’s 126 million people are estimated to have been infected with the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, far more than the country’s confirmed infections. The 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) showed that about 31.1 million people have had the virus, the ministry said in a statement, citing Tonatiuh Barrientos, an official at the National Institute of Public Health. According to Barrientos, not all of the people in the survey’s estimate necessarily showed symptoms. The survey was based on interviews with people at 13,910 households between Aug. 17 and Nov. 14 last year, and confirmed preliminary results released in December.

Peru on edge as electoral board reviews result of disputed presidential election (Guardian) Peru was on a knife-edge on Friday as its electoral board reviewed ballots cast in the presidential election, after a challenge to the tally by the losing candidate Keiko Fujimori. The final tally gave the leftist teacher Pedro Castillo a razor-thin 50.17% to 49.83% advantage over his rightwing rival Fujimori, which amounts to about 60,000 votes. However, the country’s electoral authority has yet to confirm the win, and Fujimori, the scion of a controversial political dynasty, has refused to concede. She alleges fraud, even though national and international observers said the vote was clean, and has called for up to 500,000 votes to be nullified or reexamined, forcing the electoral board to conduct a review of ballots.

For Cornwall, G7 summit brings disruption (AP) Towering steel fences, masses of police, protests on the beach: The Cornish seaside’s turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are looking decidedly less idyllic this week as leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies descend for a summit. U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are arriving for three days of talks starting Friday at the tiny village of Carbis Bay, near St. Ives in Cornwall. The region is a popular holiday destination in the southwestern tip of England. Locals may be used to crowds and traffic jams during the peak summer tourist season, but the disruptions caused by the summit are on another level. A naval frigate dominates the coastline, armed soldiers guard the main sites and some 5,000 extra police officers have been deployed to the area. Authorities have even hired a cruise ship with a capacity of 3,000, moored offshore, to accommodate some of the extra officers. A main road is closed for the whole week, and local train lines and bus services have been shut down. A 3-meter (10-foot) tall metal fence nicknamed the “ring of steel” has been erected around Treganna Castle in Carbis Bay, where world leaders will stay. Security is also tight in the nearby town of Falmouth, the main base for international media covering the summit.

World leaders are in England, but beautiful British beaches have stolen the show (Washington Post) When President Biden shared a photo to Twitter on Thursday of him standing alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and gazing out onto an unspoiled, sandy white beach from the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, the post was supposed to be a tribute to the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States. But to many, it was the image of the picturesque coast that stood out. It looked somewhat suspicious. Too good to be true. Others questioned the authenticity of the scene, wondering whether it was photoshopped. Although it is true that some of Britain’s beaches have a reputation for pebbles, angry seagulls that steal food from unsuspecting tourists and diapers that float in murky waters, the county of Cornwall boasts some of the country’s best seaside destinations—complete with calm, clear waters that are perfect for swimming in and long stretches of soft sand that attract families from around the world. Carbis Bay is one of several beaches that make up St. Ives Bay, which, according to the Cornwall tourist board, is considered by the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World” organization to be one of the world’s best. The bay is described as being “surrounded by sub-tropical plants and lapped by turquoise waters.”

Ransomware’s suspected Russian roots point to a long detente between the Kremlin and hackers (Washington Post) The ransomware hackers suspected of targeting Colonial Pipeline and other businesses around the world have a strict set of rules. First and foremost: Don’t target Russia or friendly states. It’s even hard-wired into the malware, including coding to prevent hacks on Moscow’s ally Syria, according to cybersecurity experts who have analyzed the malware’s digital fingerprints. They say the reasons appear clear. “In the West you say, ‘Don’t . . . where you eat,’ ” said Dmitry Smilyanets, a former Russia-based hacker who is now an intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, a cybersecurity company with offices in Washington and other cities around the world. “It’s a red line.” Targeting Russia could mean a knock on the door from state security agents, he said. But attacking Western enterprises is unlikely to trigger a crackdown. The relationship between the Russian government and ransomware criminals allegedly operating from within the country is expected to be a point of tension between President Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their planned summit in Geneva on Wednesday. The United States has accused Russia of acting as a haven for hackers by tolerating their activities—as long as they are directed outside the country.

Pandemic relapse spells trouble for India’s middle class (AP) India’s economy was on the cusp of recovery from the first pandemic shock when a new wave of infections swept the country, infecting millions, killing hundreds of thousands and forcing many people to stay home. Cases are now tapering off, but prospects for many Indians are drastically worse as salaried jobs vanish, incomes shrink and inequality is rising. Decades of progress in alleviating poverty are imperiled, experts say, and getting growth back on track hinges on the fate of the country’s sprawling middle class. It’s a powerful and diverse group ranging from salaried employees to small business owners: many millions of people struggling to hold onto their hard-earned gains. The outbreak of the pandemic triggered the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s and as it gradually ebbs, many economies are bouncing back. India’s economy contracted 7.3% in the fiscal year that ended in March, worsening from a slump that slashed growth to 4% from 8% in the two years before the pandemic hit. Economists fear there will be no rebound similar to the ones seen in the U.S. and other major economies.

‘Xi Jinping is my spiritual leader’: China’s education drive in Tibet (Reuters) Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders. China is broadening a political education campaign as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet. Civilians and religious figures who the government arranged to be interviewed on the five-day trip pledged loyalty to the Communist Party and Xi. Asked who his spiritual leader was, a monk at Lhasa’s historic Jokhang temple named Xi. “I’m not drunk ... I speak freely to you,” said the monk named Lhakpa, speaking from a courtyard overlooked by security cameras and government observers. “The posters [of Xi] coincide with a massive political education programme which is called ‘feeling gratitude to the party’ education,” said Robert Barnett, a Tibetan studies veteran scholar at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

Long overlooked, Israel’s Arab citizens are increasingly asserting their Palestinian identity (Washington Post) Growing up in an Arab village in northern Israel in the 1990s, Mahmoud Abo Arisheh was sure of at least two things: He was Israeli, and he was not allowed to talk politics. “Be careful, or the Shin Bet will get you,” his parents told him, referring to Israel’s domestic security service. Decades later, much has changed: Abo Arisheh is a lawyer, a poet and a theater director in Jaffa. He attends protests and talks politics freely—in Arabic, Hebrew and English. And while his citizenship may remain Israeli, the identity most dear to him is that of a Palestinian. “I didn’t know anything about being Palestinian,” said the 32-year-old, “but then I opened my eyes.” And now, it seems, so are many others. In just the past month, Palestinian citizens of Israel—also known as Israeli Arabs—have risen up in mass, nationwide demonstrations to protest Israeli evictions and police raids. They have been arrested by the hundreds following some of the worst communal violence between Arabs and Jews in Israel’s post-independence history. For a community that is often overlooked despite numbering nearly 2 million people—or about 20 percent of the Israeli population—these are momentous days indeed.

Nigerian police fire tear gas to break up protests over rising insecurity (Reuters) Police fired tear gas and detained several demonstrators in the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja on Saturday during protests over the country’s worsening security situation, Reuters witnesses said. Anger over mass kidnappings-for-ransom, a decade-long Islamist insurgency and a crackdown on protesters in Lagos last October has fueled demands for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to do more to tackle violence and insecurity. Reuters witnesses in Lagos and Abuja saw police shooting their guns into the air and firing tear gas into the crowds to disperse the demonstrators, who held placards and chanted “Buhari must go”. Officers were also seen smashing mobile phones confiscated from protesters, who also denounced the country’s 33.3% unemployment rate.

#headlines #news

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