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rowanwriting · 4 months

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— about;

hello, writeblr! my name is Rowan. I'm 32, bisexual, aro/acespec, nonbinary, transmasc (they/them), and an aspiring novelist. I'm also a part-time english undergrad and hopefully a future teacher.

I enjoy writing in quite a few genres, from contemporary romance to sci-fi to horror to fantasy, and I love trying new things in my work. my biggest challenge is actually finishing a wip, but I hope to get better at that with motivation from tumblr. I also enjoy dabbling in some fanfiction, especially when my original stories hit writer’s block.

please feel free to join me on other social media, linked below. I look forward to getting to know more people in the writeblr community!

—links;

about // wip page // twitter // instagram // wattpad // archive of our own // gaming twitter // spotify // pinterest // nanowrimo

— works in progress;

lost in death —

Cassidy Sullivan is dead.

He's been dead for five years, watching his girlfriend move on without him. He's been dead for ten years, watching his parents mourn. He's been dead for thirty years, as the world changes around him and he remains the same, in the small apartment he died in. He's been dead for fifty years, and everyone has forgotten him.

Tristan Kent is a psychic.

More of a curse than a blessing, their so-called gift has ruined their life. Unable to go to school or work, they eke out a meager existence be exploiting their abilities from a small metaphysical shop. They don't believe in most of the things they sell, neither gods nor demons nor angels, but they know that something must be real, else they wouldn't be haunted.

When a regular client of Tristan’s volunteers them for a local ghost hunting reality show on the extremely haunted Wentworth Street House, Tristan takes the job only for the money. They have no interest in proving the supernatural to be real — they already know that it is. But the presence that haunts the house is like none they’ve ever sensed before, and their not sure what to make of that, save to find out more.

As the reality show commences, the ten so-called psychics come to exorcise the house. Tristan must discover who is genuine, who is faking it, and whether to help Cassidy resist expulsion. But there is more to the Wentworth Street House than even Cassidy knows, and soon he’s the only thing between Tristan and a sinister force that has remained hidden from his sight all these years.

the kraken —

Fifteen years ago, the love of Marisolle’s young life was discovered and brutally executed by her father, the Prince-Regent, for crimes against the Crown. Hardening her heart, the princess swore never to love again.

Now queen in her own right, married, and with children of her own, Marisolle is content, if not happy. She rules well and is beloved by her people, and her country is more prosperous than ever. But there are enemies on the horizon, and Marisolle soon must seek desperate help if her rule is to survive.

Theovold left his home almost ten years ago to join the queen of Mavacia in an arranged marriage. He loves his children, and adores his wife, even as he feels the deep chasm between them, the pain of a love lost. But his attempts at wooing her may come to a stop when Mavacia is attacked, and a new man comes into her life.

Vincenze is a pirate, nothing more and nothing less. When the Queen of Mavacia offers him a Letter of Marque, permission to sail under her name and banner, in return for his aid in the coming war, he knows that he cannot run from his past any longer.

And as Marisolle, Theovold, and Vincenze come together to face their enemies, the Sea Witch watches, pieces falling into place.

the beyond —

The year is 2284. Humanity has long ago risen to the stars, joining a galactic community of ascended species. No longer alone in the universe, the Helios Accord brought the countries of Earth together into one united government, The Sol Federation.

Emelyn Kane is a washed up soldier, a mercenary working solo. Born far from Earth, she spends most of her time on her ship, going from job to job and trying not to think about how she ended up disgraced and discharged from the human military.

When her ship crash lands on an uncharted planet, Emelyn believes her life, such as it is, has ended. But the planet is life bearing, inhabited by a sentient species. And the indigenous people, the Vescai, have strange abilities — abilities that have kept their massive empire hidden from the rest of the universe.

Even when she gets used to life on the beautiful planet she is now stranded on, Emelyn knows that she is the last person who should be seen as a vanguard of humanity, let alone an ambassador for the entire ascended galaxy.

As the Vescai debate her very appearance on one of their planets, Emelyn must decide if she wished to remain with them, or allow them to wipe her memory or send her home. But her choice might be taken out of her hands, as she soon begins to develop the very abilities the Vescai treasure.

the prince of stars —

A cursed prince must find and kill the fallen star that foretold his doom before his twentieth birthday.

Prince Riavyn is born under a falling star, cursing both him and the realm he is one day meant to rule. If he is ever crowned king, he will bring war and ruin to his country. At least, so long as the star lives. Now nearing his nineteenth birthday, Riavyn is more determined to be king than ever, despite being removed from the line of succession by his mother, the queen.

His only chance to regain his standing in the royal family and redeem himself is to seek out the living star, and kill it before nightfall on his twentieth birthday, when the astromancers say the curse will become everlasting.

Along with the captain of his guard, Riavyn sets out to hunt the star down, knowing that it’s his only chance to become king. But the curse is more powerful than he knows, and breaking it might have consequences he never imagined.

A star is not meant to die, after all.

#writeblr #writeblr intro #writeblr introduction #writing community #writers of tumblr #wip intro #wip introduction #myintro #mywips #mine.

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queen-susans-revenge · 1 year

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Hello!

Thank you for your interest in the Distant Stars: Women in Star Wars Challenge! Your enthusiasm and passion will be a wonderful way to celebrate the silent and forgotten women of the Galaxy Far Far Away, and we are so thrilled you’re joining us on this adventure.

The character you will be creating for is: Frog Lady https://starwars.fandom. com/wiki/Frog_Lady

We hope you will love her and have fun showing us all how lovable she is, too!

When you have completed your work, please feel free to post it on tumblr and tag @distantstarssw, and submit it to the Distant Stars: Women in Star Wars Challenge collection on AO3. It can be found here: https://archiveofourown. org/collections/DistantStars_WomeninStarWarsChallenge_2023/profile

This challenge runs from March 1st-March 31st at 23:59 PST during Women’s History Month.

Please note: If you are unhappy with your selection and would like an alternative, just message the mods on tumblr @distantstarssw.

Got it done! It's short, but here's Frog Lady's Fishcake Recipe.

The tadpole stage is intense, everyone tells you that. You wake up ten times a night just to check that their little gills are still fluttering.

But just wait, because when they start hopping—that's when the REAL trouble starts!

I'll admit right now that I'm something of a "mamacore mama". My little one was the only to hatch from my last brood cycle—and that was a story of its own, see my recipe for "Authentic Mandalorian Pog Soup"! So of course I'm protective, but like my husband always says, children only learn by experiencing the world for themselves.

I believe in letting a child take the lead when it comes to climbing out of the kiddie pool, and that's how I'm trying to raise my own.

I also think it's important to grow up with friends of different backgrounds. My husband and I spent time on a number of worlds before we came to Trask, and I just feel that experience really helped us stay open to making connections with all kinds of people. Sometimes a stranger becomes a lifelong friend after just ten minutes—like me and Peli Motto.

You never know when someone will come into your life and change it forever.

So I've been taking the little sprog to a community pool for story hour, to hear tales from different traditions and languages, and to make friends. Well, we sure got a story the other day! The pool cleaner droid malfunctioned and started up a cycle with everyone still inside. It's a good thing I worked all those years in a droidsmithy! I was able to get to the deactivation button, although I had to use my tongue, which was a little bit embarrassing in front of everybody.

Anyway, after that the sproglet asked for fish for dinner, so I picked some up on the way home for fishcakes. The way I make mine is simple: about a one pound fillet, skin and bones removed, and coarsely chopped. Also half a cup of herby greens and another quarter cup of paleshoots. Last, a quarter cup of fresh bread crumbs, and two tablespoons of mustard. You mix all those up in a bowl, add some salt and pepper, and then divide it into four equal portions and mash them into patties.

Fry the patties on a hot skillet with a little oil, over medium heat. You'll want to cook them about five minutes on a side, and try to turn them only once because they do have a tendency to fall apart if you're not careful. But they're tasty, and kid friendly—my kid likes them, anyway!

For a side dish, I sometimes like to make a veggie relish while the fish is cooking. It's best with fresh veggies (everything's best fresh!) but you can also thaw some from frozen. You'll want about two cups of something sweet/starchy, like cob-kernels, and a couple of tangy fruits, like tomatoes. And you'll need a second skillet. Heat up a little oil and chop up an onion, your tomatoes, and a quarter cup of basil. Put the onion in the skillet first and saute it for about five minutes before you add the cob-kernels. That'll only need a couple of minutes to cook. Put the tomatoes in last, and give it just another minute to all cook together. Then add the basil off heat with some salt and pepper and your relish is ready. It goes really nicely with the fish cakes!

Notes: The recipe given here was adapted from "Shogun Salmon Cakes with Corn and Tomato Salsa," in The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market Cookbook. "Herby greens" = cilantro, "paleshoots" = scallions, "cob-kernels" = corn, and basil, onions, and tomatoes are just themselves because it got tedious translating everything into Star Wars-speak. Use salmon for the fish and olive oil for the oil.

#frog lady #fic #distant stars women in star wars challenge #@distantstarssw #the mandalorian

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plofisto · 1 year

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INACTIVE.

hello, everyone! back with a more easy format for this. my name is abbi! i am eighteen years old ( she / her pronouns ) and i have been roleplaying for about seven years. i love animation, drawing and listening to spotify playlists for fandoms and original characters! i'm looking for new long-term, 1x1 roleplays so, i am opening up a roleplay partner call. if you're interested, please message me or like this post, though i prefer the former!

what i'm looking for! —

friends outside of roleplaying!

piggybacking off my previous point, but sharing art, making spotify playlists, sharing aesthetics, etc!

as already mentioned, i am looking for a long-term 1x1 roleplay.

worldbuilding!!

activity! i’m generally a very active person and can send multiple replies throughout the day. i understand life is busy but communication is important to me while roleplaying! if i will be unavailable, i’ll do my best to tell you!

more information, specifically my preferences, tropes, fandoms, etc are below!

my preferences! —

i'm fluent in english. i write in third person and past tense with semi-literate to literate responses depending on the circumstances of the roleplay! i also use lowercase for aesthetic purposes.

be 18+ please! my limit is those above twenty five!

i roleplay only on discord, where my pen name is different! after we discuss the basics, we can exchange usernames! i also only roleplay in mini private servers, and i do not use bots.

i'm a plot oriented person, so i only participate in roleplays where both parties are willing to play multiple characters! of course, we discuss who is who, but regardless, i do not only play a love interest. i also have a few limits about characters i won’t play, especially in star wars, but we can discuss that in private!

canon / canon, oc / oc and oc / canon!! f / m, f / f, m / m, nb / nb, m / nb, f / nb!! i love variety! i won't just do one of either category, especially f / m oc / canon ships! give me all kinds of ships.

i love doing more than one roleplay at a time, especially with different fandoms! however, i won't do two roleplays just for the sake of our ocs. let's create a plot that features both of our ocs!

speaking of ocs, the more, the merrier! i love creating ocs and hearing about ocs others make! the probability of me wanting to kiss your oc on the head will most likely be extremely high.

the occasional smut is fine, though i don't like it being the focus of the roleplay.

i don't use real people as faceclaims. i use my own artistic abilities, picrews or animated faceclaims! i don't roleplay with people who steal art. i would also prefer if future roleplay partners don’t use real life faceclaims.

i use forms for my ocs occasionally! it really depends on if you do or don't, anything is fine by me!

from the bottom of my heart, i do not care about what you ship. however, i will not include incest, non-con, underage, pedophilia or anything along those lines. we can talk about other general limits/triggers in private!

inactivity. i understand everyone is busy, but communication is extremely important! if no one is talking for at least a month, i automatically delete the server or leave it. i’m a very patient person, however, so communicate and we can figure something out!

things i want to write! —

forbidden love

enemies to lovers

lovers to enemies

slow burn

fluff, action, angst!!

found family

canon / canon, oc / oc, oc / canon!! f / m, f / f, m / m, nb / nb, m / nb, f / nb!! again, variety! i am very open to ships!

fandoms, will be updating this continuously! —

star wars, aka the fixation rn: the clone wars, the bad batch, the tales of the jedi. please have seen tcw and tbb if you're interested! i also like to incorporate legends. i am quite opinionated about canon characters and i’m also jedi order neutral.

overwatch: unfortunately, i have not played the game. however, i am very familiar with the lore. and i love blackwatch era!

transformers: transformers prime and bayverse / knight ( preferably lore / select characters from all continuities ) and influences from comics!

dc animation: earth-16, dcau, dcamu and influences from comics! i love the lantern corps and justice league!

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silent-sentry · 7 months

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Hello everyone!

I am 20 years old and have been roleplaying for about five or so years at this point. My timezone is EST.

My style of roleplaying is semi-lit or lit. I love long descriptions of setting and characters, but in more dialogue heavy scenes I feel like long responses can ruin the natural flow. I prefer m/m, but will do f/m and I love platonic roleplays and some romantic elements as long as there is no smut and it isn’t romance centric. My favorite tropes involve angst/comfort on an injury base.

I am looking for a star wars (clone wars, early rebellion (TBB era), or Rebels ocxoc rp with a bazillion characters on both sides. Give me weird planets with cultures we make up and AUs left and right. Up for maybe even multiple plots / AUs going on at once so we can jump around with different characters or different dynamics. If you prefer to rp as canon characters (either canon or canon divergent) than feel free! Just be aware that I do not. I am also up for making oc versions of canon characters (ex. dynamic of Kalluzeb but with ocs).

Again I am not a big fan of romance centric plots, just not something I am comfortable writing in depth. Give me all of the friendships and made families. Romance is great as long as it is on the sidelines.

I rp solely on Discord as I love to have channels for everything under the sun. Give me your playlists and picrews and headcanons. I am usually SUPER active and would like someone that can rant with me for hours (schedules permitting) I know that won't be possible for most everyday. The important thing for me is just communication. I have gotten ghosted many a time and just would like a heads up if you are busy and unable to be active for awhile!

Like this post or DM if you are interested. ❤️

#rp partner wanted #rp #roleplay #roleplay search #oc rp #rp call #angst roleplay #angst rp #oc roleplay #star wars roleplay #star wars the clone wars #star wars oc #star wars oc roleplay #rebels rp

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findyourrp · 7 months

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Hello everyone!

I am 20 years old and have been roleplaying for about five or so years at this point. My timezone is EST.

Like this post or DM if you are interested. ❤️

#rp finder #18+ rp #fandom rp #rp #fandom roleplay #star wars rp #oc x oc rp

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findroleplay · 7 months

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Hello everyone!

I am 20 years old and have been roleplaying for about five or so years at this point. My timezone is EST.

Like this post or DM if you are interested. ❤️

#rp #roleplay #star wars rp

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andro-inherdreamworld · 10 months

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Hello there,

this is the first time I am posting something. I have many ideas that I want to write, from many fandoms

But I think I like this one the best so far:

It's a modern/university au with Star Wars characters, with a big cosplay war going on...

So... It would be a huge cosplay war between university students. With Comic Con or something like that coming up, everyone is busy making their costumes and getting their teams together. But just like within the Star Wars universe, there are problems. Everyone is trying to protect their favorite character and make the best cosplay to prove their character/team/theme is the best. Because whoever wins this bet gets the right to be the official cosplayer of the Star Wars company at these events, and the losers have to stop representing their character at events, college clubs, etc...

So it all started because of a rude bet and since then the whole community, friends and couples have been torn apart because of their views. Of course, no one wants to lose or admit they were wrong anymore.

It's affecting everyone in and around the university. But maybe that's what helps everyone realize what's really important.

They must survive university, the growing tension, sudden bursts of emotion, and win a bet while everyone is just a huge star wars nerd

But to get to the specifics:

Groups, characters:

- Anakin, Obi Wan, Ahsoka, Padme, Rex, Cody, Dooku, Ventress, Palpatine, Maul, so pretty much the Jedi Council and most of the clones.... They would be the team who live and die for the Clone Wars and the times around, prequel

- Mandalorians who follow the Way: Din, Paz, The Armorer, and those who live in the cover, foundlings, and those who later became friends of Din, e.g. Cara, IG-11, Luke, Grogu....

- And of course the Night Owls, led by Bo-Katan and the rest of the Mandalorians who served her

- Maybe from the Original and the Rebels, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Lando, Ezra, Sabine, Hera...

How it works:

There are a lot of characters and relationships that need to be developed, and of course because it's an AU, minor major shaping is needed to fit the Star Wars world into the story.

So the main change would be how they know about their characters. I imagine that there are movies and series, but since I'm mainly informed about them, comic books/video games unfortunately wont be featuring now. And since the characters will be playing their own movie/series characters, they will never be named, which explains why they're called the same name.

For example, Anakin watched the Clone Wars and decided to be the character who is the General of the 501 and a Jedi knight with his own padawan, but he will never say that "I am Anakin Skywalker from the Clone Wars!" And since everyone here takes character role-playing very seriously, everyone knows their own or rival gang's character inside out, so you never have to introduce yourself.

How are they related:

- Since I want Anakin and Padme to be in the same time as Luka/Leia, they will probably be Anakin's cousins, but they are close enough, they are not in college yet

- I love the idea of Obi Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka being adopted siblings

- Also the whole Fett clan is some sort of brother/cousin relationship, I haven't decided who with who yet, butfor sure Echo and Fives are the Chaos Twins

- The foundlings will be little cousins, or brothers in some cases

Pairs/ships:

Mainly

- Anakin and Padme, together since Anakin's first year

- Obi Wan and Cody, chill boyfriends who look after their friends/siblings

- Paz and Axe bc im the kind of person who sees two characters fighting each other and go for enemis to lovers trope

Also

- Luke and Din bc they are Grogu's dads for me

- Leia and Han

- Bly and Aayla

- Fox and Rio Chuchi (not sure)

- maybe some Boba x Cal too

I may add more, but if there is something you would like to see I look forward to your suggestions

When and how?

I have no idea, because it takes a lot of planning, because there are a lot of characters and stories, but I'm trying.

I will post it on Ao3 as soon as its ready

Warnings:

- I'm not familiar with the American university system, not even with the university, since I'm not there yet and I'm from another country, so I'll try to rely on what I know and since this is my fic, there will be some changes from reality obviously

- since I live in a completely different country than America, I won't be able to give you exact descriptions of places and things, but I'll try

- also my spelling, as it's not my first language and I often use a translator, it can be a bit weird, but feel free to correct me

- I don't think I will write any detailed smut, but anything is possible

Well, thanks for reading, I'm really curious to know what you think about all this and if you have any suggestions...

I hope to update the news soon, may the Force be with you!

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darkfeanix · 7 months

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Guess who finally boarded Deep Space Nine?

After thinking about it for a couple of years and seeing so many gifs and screencaps and discussions on here on Tumblr.com, I finally sat down and watched the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and for funsies I kept a stream-of-conscious record of my reactions while I watched.

Spoilers for the 30 year old series premiere, I guess? Anyway, begin:

Oh wow, Deep Space Nine starts with Borg Picard. Also, is that Sisko? I’m so used to seeing gifs of him with facial hair, I barely recognize him.

I’m guessing that this re-uses footage from TNG. Or did Patrick Stewart make a cameo in this series’ first episode?

Dead wife in the first five minutes? Not even any speaking lines? *heavy sigh* Ah, that classic storytelling.

Oh wow, three year time jump.

Aw, Sisko’s son is adorable.

Ah, those early 2000s visual effects. *deep breath* I’m fine, it’s fine, everything’ fine. I’m not watching this for the visual effects, I’m watching it for the characters.

Ooh, Quark. I’ve heard so much about him but know so little of him. Also, cool that Armin Shimmerman is in a starring role. Only ever seen him as a guest star in other series.

Oh wow, Deep Space Nine sure is a… umm… fixer-upper.

Oooh, there is a Picard cameo. Although I still wonder if the Borg stuff was reused footage. It kind of had the feel of it. But that’s neither here nor there now.

Stuck at 32 C, indoors, in those uniforms. Oof.

I already like Major Kira.

Quark looks like a mob boss and I love that for him. Also, “scheduled to depart tomorrow”? Interesting, that’s not what I’ve heard from Tumblr.

Hi Sir Patrick- I mean, Captain Picard.

Oooh, Sisko doesn’t want to the job? Interesting. I can already tell I’m going to like him, he clearly knows how to be diplomatic when the situation calls for it; I never would have guessed from his interactions with the residents of DS9 that he didn’t want to be there.

Sisko’s little smile when the hologram over the stairs is lifted and Kai Opaka begins walking down them is so cute.

This vision/flashback with Sisko and Jennifer is so sweet, but also bittersweet.

Yup, and that reaction when the vision ended is why it was so bittersweet.

A sacred mission in the first episode. Wow. But is it something that’ll be resolved in the first episode, or is it a season long arc? I guess back on the days of DS9, things were a bit more episodic so I’m guessing it’s just a season opener plot.

Wow, Quark wastes no time at all getting things back up and running.

Hello Dr. Bashir. I’ve heard about you from Tumblr. I already understand. Socially awkward, fancy boy accent, a chronic case of foot-in-the-mouth syndrome. I love him already.

Oh, I adore the dynamic between Sisko and Dax.

GIANT MAGIC SPACE PORTAL! WE’VE GOT A GIANT MAGIC- oh wait, those are just called wormholes in science fiction, aren’t they?

I appreciate that Star Trek has its own kinds of space magic. Can’t let Star Wars have all the fun.

“We should have a smoother ride this time.” … Weird, I thought it looked smoother the first time. I must not have been paying close enough attention.

Oooh! They see different things. Interesting!

Dax’s statement is hilarious considering what Sisko is seeing. Beautiful indeed.

Oh, that wasn’t a very nice thing to do to your guests.

No Sisko, don’t go into the light!

Oooh, so the hourglass holograms are… containers? Or something far more complex?

I love scenes like this, where a person’s memories are used to communicate with them. Especially when it cuts between memories of different characters.

-- “It would take two months.”

“It needs to be tomorrow.” – HAHAHAHA! Oh Major Kira, I love you.

I wonder if all the actors recorded the same lines and then the editors cut between the memory scenes, or if each actor only had the lines shown in the episode.

I’ve forgotten the transporter guy’s name, but the scene with him moving all of Deep Space Nine was really well performed.

“Well, they’ve got to listen to reason, haven’t they?” Oh Bashir, you sweet summer child.

Odo is now on the list of characters I adore.

“Perhaps they will be less hostile to Cardassians than to Humans.” Ha! Hahahaha! They already want to kill Sisko. If Dukat goes in there they’re all gonna die.

Oooh, I love the notion of “part of your existence”. I don’t think they’re going in that direction, as Sisko is trying hard to explain linear existence to them, but I like the idea that all experiences are a part of one’s existence, no matter how far in the past.

Not this non-corporeal being trying to understand physical intimacy. Adorable.

“Then why do you exist here?” Ooooh! What a way to embody what it’s like to experience trauma.

Oooh, so the very act of travelling through the portal is disrupting these beings. Reminds me of the Stargate Atlantis episode where the Stargate was powered by the beings made from the fog, and every time the Stargate powered up, more of those beings would die.

Hahahaha, explaining baseball to non-corporeal beings.

“You value your ignorance of what is to come?” Loved the delivery of this line.

Bashir is incredibly pretty.

Ah, O’Brien. I did know that name.

“What shields?” Oh noooo.

“We cannot give you what you deny yourself.” Again, what a fascinating way of exploring the impact of trauma on someone.

“I never left this ship.” Literal tears in my eyes. Wow.

Avery Brooks absolutely killing it in this scene. What a great performance; so much emotion!

“So if you want a war… I’ll give you one.” Major Kira is… my favourite character? I love her? (But also, speaking of trauma… How many of the people on this show are in need to serious counselling?)

Well, this is quite the season opener.

Bashir with his sleeves rolled up. *heart eyes*

“There’s your wormhole.” Petition to let Major Kira say fuck. I could almost hear the “fucking” in that exclamation.

Sisko is so relieved that there are no casualties. I can feel it coming off the screen.

A handshake with Jean-Luc Picard!

Major Kira/Quark? :O Is that a ship? There… there seems like there might be a teensy bit of chemistry there.

Overall, an excellent first episode. This is the third time I’ve watched an Old Trek series opener: Voyager’s was alright, but didn’t make a huge impression on me and took two attempts to complete; I never even finished TNG’s and haven’t gone back to the series since. But Deep Space Nine? I’m already invested.

#feanix watches deep space nine

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roleplay-today · 7 months

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Hello everyone!

I am 20 years old and have been roleplaying for about five or so years at this point. My timezone is EST.

Like this post or DM if you are interested. ❤️

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the-dragongirl · 3 years

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Hello tumblr. I have returned from a long period of inactivity, because I must bring the good word to the corner of the Star Wars fandom that used to be my main fannish home: there is a new era of Star Wars canon that was made just for our taste. It is called the High Republic.

WHAT IS THE HIGH REPUBLIC?

The High Republic is an giant multi-media project being carried out by the Lucasfilm story group to create a brand new era of Star Wars canon. It is set a few hundred years before the prequel era (so, a long time after the Old Republic era), in a period of peace and stability within the Republic. It currently includes several English language adult novels, a YA novel, two serialized comics, a manga, some short stories, and some short video blurbs published on facebook and youtube. A TV show for Disney+ has also been announced, but is a few years off. This project is unique in Star Wars, in that all of the different parts are being written together by one writing team, and are coordinated to tell a cohesive story. Also, what has been announced is just the beginning – they have stated that there will be three different sections of the High Republic, and everything we have had announced so far is just part one. As a note: this is an era for which there was NO pre-existing canon in Legends, so it is totally new territory.

OKAY, THAT’S NICE, BUT WHY SHOULD I BOTHER TO CHECK IT OUT?

There are SO many reasons why the High Republic is worth your time to explore. I will try to outline some of them here below the cut (without any significant spoilers).

IT IS A LOVE LETTER TO THE JEDI

This is the era for everyone who loves the Jedi and wants to understand how they got to the point they did in the prequel era. It shows Jedi at their best: saving people, working together, being completely in tune with the Force (in so many beautiful and original ways), demonstrating creativity and flexibility and being rewarded for it, actually thinking through the ethics of things like the mind trick, and DEALING with their emotions rather than repressing them. It shows us how the rigid Jedi culture was saw in the prequels was a corruption of something that was originally healthy and uplifting. Jedi in this era are allowed to be flawed, and to grow, and have a community that supports them in doing so. This is the Jedi culture so many of us created as fix it fic for the prequel era, but made canon.

IT IS AN ERA OF HOPE

There are some serious problems in the High Republic Era. Without spoilers, the era opens with a terrible humanitarian crisis, laid over the Republic equivalent of the New Deal from US history. We see a lot of examples of people doing their best to be good to each other, and working for a more just and kind galaxy. They acknowledge that things are not perfect, but people from many different backgrounds (Jedi, politicians, farmers, pilots, business people) work together to try and make things better. I don’t know about you all, but with the darkness we see in the world today, I NEED some of that optimism in my escapist media. The High Republic provides that.

IT WILL GIVE YOU FEELINGS

The existing material so far is structured to really let you emotionally invest in the characters and their struggles. Unlike with many eras of Star Wars canon, characterization is not sacrificed for the sake of plot (though never fear, there is PLENTY of plot). That means there is huge scope for empathy. I’m not going to lie; I cried within the first three chapters of Light of the Jedi, as did several other people I know. It is POIGNANT in a way that feels truly genuine.

IT IS FUN

The writing team understands that, in the end, Star Wars is space fantasy. If your space fantasy is nothing but serious, gritty grimdark, it becomes pretentious and unbearable. So, for all that there is some heavy content in the High Republic (VERY heavy content – the Nihil should really have their own content warning), it has many moments of levity that keep it from taking itself too seriously. For example, the High Republic made Jedi bodice rippers canon. Also, characters like Geode exist (yes, that rock there is a CHARACTER). The result is something which honors the spirit of Star Wars, and keeps you engaged without being tedious or ridiculously depressing.

THE WRITING TEAM HAS DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

The main writing team consists of five people: Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Charles Soule, Daniel José Older, and Cavan Scott. You will note that includes two people of color, two women, and one out Queer person (in fact, one of the writers is all three of those things). This is a far cry from the white-cis-straight-man-dominated writing teams we have seen in the past. And when they bring in other people to the project, they make a point of looking for perspectives that aren’t represented on their team – for example, the manga is being co-written between Justina Ireland and Japanese writer Shima Shinya, and Ireland has stated in interviews that Shinya is taking the lead on the writing.

IT VALUES MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION

That diverse writing team means a cast that looks WAY more like the real world than any other era of Star Wars we’ve seen, in terms of representation. There are multiple characters of color, who are both heroes and central to the story. There are at least five canonical queer characters to date (a MLM couple, an Ace character, and two NB character). [EDIT: Thank you @legok9 for letting me know about the NB characters]. Among binary gendered characters, there is a very even balance of men and women. The writing team has also stated that they will be incorporating more representation of disability in the works to come. And the story is so much better for it – representation is included here BECAUSE it makes for more creative, believable, and original storytelling.

IT IS ACCESSIBLE

Because of the multiple formats, and the fact that it doesn’t rely on you knowing any prior lore, the High Republic offers many avenues to engage for people with all kinds of needs. Know nothing about Star Wars canon and feel intimidated about catching up? The canon is all new in this era anyway, so you’re fine. Can’t handle flashing lights? No problem – the little bit of video content that exists is totally free from the strobing effects that caused seizure and sensory issues. Need purely audio content? You can still have a full experience of the High Republic with the gorgeously sound-scaped audiobooks. Don’t have the attention span for books or long movies? Then the comics are your friend.

THERE IS SOMETHING FOR ALL

Between the books aimed towards adults and teens (and their respective audiobooks), the kids books, the comics, the manga, the short stories, AND the eventual TV show on Disney+, there is going to be content in the High Republic that suits most audiences. And that is just what has been announced so far – there is still more to come for phases II and III. This isn’t Star Wars written towards one group or demographic – it is Star Wars for everyone.

DID I MENTION THE FANCY JEDI UNIFORMS?

Because cosplayers and fanartists? This is the era for you. We are getting Jedi in silks with elaborate gold embroidery. Jedi with jewelry other decorative elements. Even the practical field uniforms have tooled and embossed leather. If you want to draw or make Jedi that have some of that that sweet LoTR-esque high fantasy aesthetic, the High Republic has your back. (Not going to lie – I am ALREADY imagining the time travel AUs. Put Obi-Wan in fancy clothes!)

OKAY, YOU’VE SOLD ME. WHERE SHOULD I START?

I strongly recommend everyone looking to get into the High Republic (who is old enough to be on Tumblr) start with Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule. I alternated between the physical book and the audio book, and found it delightful in both formats. After that, you have a lot of options. You can read or listen to the audio book of the YA novel A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland. You can check out the currently running Star Wars: The High Republic comic from Marvel, or the Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic from IDW. Or you can skip straight to Into the Dark by Claudia Gray. Honestly, there is no wrong order to try out most of the High Republic.

IN CONLUSION

The High Republic is Star Wars written for people who DON’T want Star Wars to be a good ‘ol boys club for salty white dudes who don’t want to see anything but more of Luke Skywalker. It offers broad representation, and optimistic narrative, and whole bunch of awesome Jedi content. If you are someone who fell in love with Jedi in the prequel era, the High Republic will give you more of what you loved. And if you are totally new to Star Wars? The High Republic is here for you too.

So, go check it. And then go write fic for it (please, there are only, like, 14 fics on AO3, I am dying).

#star wars #the high republic #jedi #long post #recs #book recs #representation #seriously I cannot recommend this highly enough #everything about the high republic is so very tailored to what I love about star wars in general and Jedi specifically #also...sorry I had been absent here #I swear I still love you all #I just have limited interaction spoons these days and spend most of them on costuming stuff

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laurenmm62017 · 3 years

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Codywan Week Day 2~

The prompt I chose was AU.

I've been meaning to write an Aikido AU at some point in my writing career, and it's finally time!

Aikido (合気道) is a traditional Japanese martial primarily focused on protecting yourself as well as your opponent. It is defensive, non-competitive, and focuses a lot more on spirituality, depending on your dojo (school).

Something about the way both Aikido and Soresu are both defensive really sits right with me lol

I've done aikido for 13 years and recently received my 3rd degree black belt certification (sandan 参段), so this AU really means a lot to me and truly hope you enjoy it! If you have any questions, feel free to DM me or whatever~

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32849761

@codywanweek

Summary: Obi-wan loved practicing aikido. Something about the way that he is able to subdue opponents much larger while also being able to protect that person from harm was very attractive to him. While training with visitors from New Zealand, he meets one of the most interesting and attractive people he has ever met.

Obi-wan took a deep breath in, extending his energy from his fingers reaching up down his arms, to his center, then exhaled and brought his hands down his body to his toes. He repeated this motion three times along with the rest of the class.

“Alright, class, line up!” The lead instructor, Mace Windu, called out.

The younger and less experienced students lined up in the back, while the higher ranked students, like 4th black belt Obi-wan, lined up at the front. Everyone settled into a kneeling position, and looked forward to the picture of O-Sensei, founder of their martial art, then bowed to Mace.

“I have a small announcement before we close class. Next class, we will be having a few aikido practitioners from New Zealand to practice with us. They are from a dojo that practices a different style, and may do certain techniques differently than we do, so please pay attention to what they do, and be careful when you train with them. Sometimes they have… a more aggressive approach. But, just remember that your style of aikido is different from theirs as well. This will help you both learn communication and cooperation. Any questions?”

No one raised their hand, so Mace dismissed class. Obi-wan led the closing bows and then allowed the children to exit the mat while those wearing hakama began to take them off, while others began to clean up the dojo around them. One of the younger students, Zatt, ran over to him and began asking him the usual round of questions.

“Who are the new students, do you think Obi-wan?”

“I have no idea, Zatt. We will find out on Friday, hm?”

“But that’s two days away! How long do you think they will be here?”

“Well, most people stay to practice for at least a few classes, so I would say we will see them at least a few more times.”

“Wizard! What do you think they’ll be like?”

“I haven’t the faintest, my dear. Hopefully there will be someone your age to practice with.”

Obi-wan smiled as Zatt jumped up and down in excitement, then ran off to get changed and go home.

“Obi-wan.” Mace called from his office near the back of the dojo. Obi-wan finished folding his hakama, then entered Mace’s office and closed the sliding door.

“Yes, Sensei?”

“The sensei of the group that is coming is a very close friend of my master, but I’ll be a bit busy while they are here, so if you are able to, I’d like for you to take them around the city the day after practice.”

“Of course, Mace. It’s the weekend, so I won’t have anything scheduled.”

“I appreciate it, Obi-wan. I’ll see you in a couple days.”

“Have a good night, Mace.”

The next lesson, Obi-wan arrived 20 minutes early to the dojo, hoping to get to know the visiting practitioners before actually practicing with them.

After he bowed at the entrance of the dojo, he straightened up and spotted two of the visitors. They were already dressed in their gi and hakama, warming up a little bit near the edge of the practice mat. They were both fairly tall, had short black hair, and sharp features. As soon as he entered the dojo, they paused and stood up straight.

“Hello there! You must be part of the visiting dojo!”

“Yeah, that’s right!” They seemed a little nervous?

“Pleasure to meet you! I’m Obi-wan Kenobi, part-time instructor here at the dojo.” He introduced himself and gave a short bow.

“I’m Wyatt Fett, and this is my twin, Baron. Our dad and older brothers are talking with Windu-Sensei right now. We’re, ah, just warming up before class. They take care of the “ambassadoring”, we’re just here to practice aikido.” Wyatt grinned and they both gave short bows to him.

“Understandable. I’ll speak with Mace in a bit. It was nice to meet you two. I’ll be right back.” Obi-wan bowed, and then walked over towards the changing rooms, listening to the two of them bicker. Something about being a type?

He placed his duffel bag on one of the higher shelves to leave room for the children. Just as he turned his phone to silent, the men’s bathroom door banged open, making him jump and almost drop his phone. He whipped around to see who made such a racket, but he only caught the sight of his back and a green belt around his waist.

“Hm… must be one of the visiting students. The teacher’s son?” He thought, before checking his phone one last time.

He finished up and exited the changing rooms to join Mace with the visiting teacher, a stern, older looking man, and two younger men. The older man was slightly taller than Obi-wan, still in street clothes. His face was stern, but he had smile lines around his eyes that softened his face, and dark hair with a few white hairs barely visible.

The younger looking of the boys… men? Had blonde hair, a little bit of baby fat stubbornly clinging to his cheeks, and was already dressed in his gi and hakama.

However, Obi-wan’s eyes were drawn to the older looking one. His hair was longer on top than the sides, pulled back in a small ponytail. His face was sharp, but somehow kind, and he had a wicked scar that curled around his left eye, and bright gold eyes that he shared with the other two men. But this man’s eyes seemed to bore right into his soul, making him a bit flustered.

“Ah, Obi-wan. Good to see you. I’d like you to meet Jango Fett, head instructor of the Aikido of New Zealand, Auckland branch, along with his assistant instructors, and his eldest sons.”

“I’m Cody, and this is my younger brother, Rex.” The slightly taller one, Cody, gave a short bow and a sheepish smile.

“We’ll be in your care during our trip. I hear you’ll be showing us around tomorrow?” Jango asked.

“Yes, that’s right. After class, could we all exchange numbers and arrange a time and place to meet?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Jango glanced at the clock and his eyes widened. “We should get ready for class.”

“Of course. Right this way.” Mace escorted Jango towards the changing rooms, leaving Obi-wan with Rex and Cody.

“So, have you gentlemen gotten used to the time difference yet?” Nice, Kenobi, thrilling conversation.

“We’ve only been here about a day so far? We don’t actually travel outside of New Zealand often, still getting used to waking up in the past.” Cody joked, making all three of them laugh.

“I can imagine. Well, I hope you will gain a bit of energy in the ten minutes we have before class starts.” Obi-wan smiled, and exited the office, onto a much more crowded mat than it was five minutes ago.

“Obi-wan! Obi-wan! I made a new friend!” Zatt shouted gleefully, dragging the young boy that he saw in the changing room behind him. “This is Boba! He’s from New Zealand!”

Obi-wan looked down at Boba who looked away from him and pouted.

“Hello, Boba. Welcome to our dojo. I hope you have fun with Zatt and the other students today.”

“Thanks.” Boba mumbled and then promptly pulled away to be introduced to others at their dojo.

Cody came up next to him with his hands on his hips. “I’m glad Boba is making friends.”

“Yes, the children have been very excited to meet you all.” Obi-wan chuckled.

“And you?”

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow, and turned to look at Cody, who simply smiled and waited for a reply.

“We’ll, I’m certainly looking forward to it.”

Mace opened their class with an introduction of their visitors and then moved onto warm up exercises. Obi-wan tried his best to pay attention, but he has done these exercises a thousand times and he was easily distracted today.

Like most men, Cody didn’t wear a shirt under his gi, so every so often, Obi-wan caught a glimpse of what was underneath.

On accident! Obviously.

Warmups ended and they all paired up for the rest of the class.

“If one person from our dojo and one person from New Zealand can practice together, please do that. If not, try to partner with someone close to your height.” Mace called out to the class.

Obi-wan glanced around and immediately spotted Cody glancing at. He smiled and walked over to him.

“Care to practice together? I’ll have to help out with demonstrating with Mace, but I’d love to practice with you.” Obi-wan smiled, and bowed his head, which Cody eagerly returned.

Practicing with Cody was exhilarating. They matched speeds perfectly, every attack and deflection was completely in sync. The rest of the dojo fell away and focused solely on the two of them and their space. The feeling of Cody’s hands and body on his wrists, his neck, holding him down, during pinning techniques was the best feeling he’s felt in a long time. Every time he executed a technique against Cody, he literally flew through the air and hit the mat with a thud that echoed through his entire body. And whenever it was Cody's turn, Obi-wan’s skin burned wherever he made contact; he felt like he could see an outline of his hands on himself, but maybe he was just tired. He never wanted this class to end.

Of course, right as he was thinking that, Mace clapped his hands twice and called out, “Line up!”

Cody and Obi-wan reluctantly bowed to each other, then separated. Obi-wan went to the front of the mat, and Cody went to line up with the rest of his dojo.

“I want to thank our visitors for practicing with us. They will hopefully be able to attend a couple more classes next week, but in the meantime, everyone please thank them for joining us.”

“ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!” All of the children screamed, and the adults of the class followed it with a more calm version.

Class ended and various students began shuffling off the mat to grab a variety of cleaning supplies to tidy up the dojo. Obi-wan grabbed a rag and began to clean the shomen, where O-Sensei’s picture hung. Their guests from New Zealand tried to grab things to help, but were told off by the children that they were guests and “It’s our responsibility!”

Obi-wan snickered and smiled at Cody, who shrugged helplessly and began taking off his hakama alongside his brothers and began to get ready to leave.

Once the dojo was clean, Obi-wan finally took off his own hakama and gathered his belongings.

Cody and Rex were waiting right outside the dojo for him.

“Excited for tomorrow, gentlemen?” Obi-wan asked.

“Yes, very much so.” Cody smiled, pulling out his phone.

The three of them exchanged numbers with Obi-wan promising to meet them in front of the dojo at 9am the next morning.

“Tomorrow will be a great day, I’m sure of it.” Rex butted in and patted Cody on the back.

“Excellent! I will see you all tomorrow, then.” Obi-wan smiled.

A good day, indeed.

#codywanweek2021 #codywan #commander cody #obi wan kenobi #Day 2 AU #aikido

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prettycynicist · 3 years

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Hello! This is an intro post. I very much should have done this about five years ago but at least I’m doing it now.

Personal Stuff: I go by Becca or Marx online. I’m 24 (Taurus Sun, Cancer Rising, Aquarius Moon.) I’m sapphic/bi/generally super queer. I use she/they pronouns. I’m a Jewish leftist. I won’t give you my laundry list of mental disorders but basically I’m neurodivergent and I’ve got some other stuff going on (is anyone neurotypical on this site even????)

I have a graduate degree in Ancient Greek and Latin. Now I’m once again in grad school but this time for an MFA. I’m also an aspiring SFF writer and a poet. I write fanfic but mostly for myself.

Warning: I used to reblog th*nspo and various related ED tumblr bullshit from the age of 18 to 20. So around 2018 to 2019. I’ve been trying to go through and delete all of it (I regret it so very much, I was in a horrible place. I vent about it sometimes. If you want to shoot me an ask or a message, I can explain further if necessary.) I’m in recovery and I will never go back to that place. If you decide to follow, I promise you won’t find any new th*nspo reblogged here <3

DNI: The list of usual suspects. Radfems and TERFs go to hell especially. Also Reylos, for your own peace of mind, you’re probably going to want to stay away.

What I post: My personal tag is #thevoidspeaks and I occasionally post quotes from what I’m reading. You can find those under #litblr. The #quote tag is just a collection of quotes I’ve found on here.

I reblog aesthetics. Various aesthetic collections are categorized by tag. Some personal favorites of my collection are #darkacademia , #cottagecore , #haunted , and #vampirecore

I have an #art tag and a #sculpture tag where I curate a kind of private museum in cyberspace. I do the same thing with my #artifact tag. I like to imagine that I own a big old mansion and fill it with absolutely ridiculous things.

I trigger tag: gore, blood, food, ED (eating disorders), guns, and cigarettes (I’ve got a nic addiction, I know how hard it is seeing constant pics of cigs. i figured I’d tag it so that if you’re trying to quit you can block the tag.)

Interests: Ohhhh boy, this is going to be a lot. These are some of the constants but my interests are constantly changing. I have ADHD and I tend to have brief but intense hyperfixations. The BPD also doesn’t exactly help matters on this front either...

*Anime: Cowboy Bebop, Sailor Moon, Ouran High School Host Club, Panty and Stocking With Garterbelt

* TV: Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful, BTVS, Wandavision, Veep, The Thick of It, Adventure Time, Fleabag, Law and Order (mainly SVU and OC. Yes I know it’s Copoganda. Trust me there is no context where I think this franchise represents the actual US justice system.) American Horror Story, Peaky Blinders, ATLA, What We Do In The Shadows, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Seinfeld, Ratched, Downton Abbey, Gentleman Jack, Community, Russian Doll, Steven Universe, Breaking Bad, House of The Dragon, Stranger Things (more of a casual interest than much of this list) Wednesday

*Movies: Crimson Peak, Coraline, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland (all versions), Carol (2015), The Graduate, Star Wars, Gone Girl, Jennifer’s Body, Labyrinth, Heathers , Ocean’s 8

*Musicals: She Loves Me, Wicked, Legally Blonde, If/Then, Rent, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, Chicago, A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, Hadestown, Heathers, Six!

*Celebrities: Sarah Paulson, Idina Menzel, Florence Welch, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jessica Chastain, Alex Kingston, Mariska Hargitay, Stephanie March, Suranne Jones, Alex Kingston, Kathryn Hahn, Laura Benanti, and many others

*Music: Florence + The Machine, Mitski, Cocteau Twins, The Clash, Phoebe Bridgers, Amy Winehouse, MUNA, BANKS, Taylor Swift, Tori Amos

*Misc.: Homestuck (God...I know its embarrassing) Virginia Woolf, LOTR, Skyrim, The Secret History, UNHhh, Game of Thrones (mainly the books,). Ancient Greek and Roman History and language, linguistics generally, ED recovery, Witchcraft, Fanfiction, Jewish History and culture, and Leftism . Basically, I contain multitudes

Ahhh I think that’s everything! I’ve probably forgotten things. If I think of anything I’ll edit this

#intro post #the void speaks

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paradisetemporarilymisplaced · 3 years

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Book recs: Similar to but less sad than TSOA

Hello everyone! @lordeteams requested some book recommendations that are not as sad as The Song of Achilles so here we go. I read a lot of books and since 2019 I've kept a running list of what I've read so honestly I'll take any excuse to subject people to my interests🤗 List is below the cut, not in any particular order (except from the first entry which is my current favorite), and includes NA, YA, and adult fiction. If you're curious about the distinction I'll refer you to this (sadly, now-deleted) tweet from Maggie Stiefvater:

One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston, NA): This one is brand new and instantly became a favorite. F/F romance in which August Landry, newly transplanted to Brooklyn, meets Jane Su on her morning commute. Turns out, Jane is stuck on the train and has been since the 70s, but has no memory of how it happened or of her old life. Part romance, part time-travel mystery, but entirely a love letter to queer communities everywhere. Found family trope abounds with August's roommates and coworkers, which include drag queens, people of every flavor of queer, and a real life psychic, all of whom are ready and willing to help solve the mystery of why Jane is on the train and how to fix it. In the process, August learns things about her own family, as well as events in American queer history that few people remember today. I really cannot express enough how much I love this book. Please read it.

Red, White, and Royal Blue (Casey McQuiston, NA): Odds are, if you've heard of Casey McQuiston, it was because of her first book (this one). M/M romance about Alex, son of the first female US President, and Henry, prince of England. Enemies to friends to lovers, featuring queer self-discovery, coming out, PR/corporate closeting (hello, larries!) and just a delight. This is a very different queer story from OLS - OLS is a romance, but more plot-heavy and the romance isn't the entire focus. In RWRB, the romance is the plot and it reads like fanfiction which is very fun.

The Raven Cycle (series, Maggie Stiefvater, YA): This series is a character-driven, coming-of-age, found family story about a bunch of weird-ass teenagers (affectionate), magic, prophecy, and Welsh kings. This is the rare story in which every single main character plays a critical role in the plot and grows and changes with the story. You will fall in love with all of them and their relationships with one another. Plus, the worldbuilding is incredible and has such an intricate mythology that you'll want to reread just to get the details. Followed by the Dreamer Trilogy, of which two books have been published, but I've only read the first one so far.

All for the Game (series, Nora Sakavic, YA): This is the series that got me back into reading for fun five years ago and as such it holds a special place in my heart. The plot is wacky and convoluted - college athletics, a made-up sport, a kid on the run from his mob boss father - but don't let that discourage you. Hella found family. (Are you seeing a pattern?) I will warn you, this deals with some pretty heavy stuff, including torture, abuse, addiction, sexual violence, and more. Here's a comprehensive list of trigger warnings, with detailed descriptions at the bottom. It's intense, but the friendships and romances make it worth the read imo.

Grishaverse (series, Leigh Bardugo, YA): This is actually three series: the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology (which I haven't yet read). If you've seen Shadow and Bone, the S&B trilogy covers the Alina storyline, while SOC covers Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, and Matthias. S&B is a chosen one/coming of age story, while SOC is found family committing heists. It's great.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Saenz, YA): Coming of age M/M romance. Set in the 1980s in El Paso, it describes the friends to lovers journey of Ari and Dante over several years, as well as Ari's journey of self-discovery. It is the most beautiful book and one of my comfort reads. There's some themes of homophobia and violence, but with a happy ending.

Carry On (Rainbow Rowell, YA): This is basically Harry Potter fanfiction, but better because (a) it doesn't take itself too seriously and (b) the author is not a violent transphobe. Seriously, this book is so fun. It's a twist on the chosen one trope because Simon, said Chosen One, is just spectacularly bad at what he is supposedly destined to be. Plus you have an enemies to lovers storyline, which is my personal favorite trope. Followed by Wayward Son, which is literally a road trip AU, and Any Way the Wind Blows, which will be released next month.

The Queen's Thief (series, Megan Whalen Turner, YA): Fantasy series centered on Eugenides, who is very proud of being a great thief but also wants to be famous, two goals which are not really compatible. This series is interesting because every novel is told from a different character's point of view in an increasingly zoomed-out lens such that you're seeing how Eugenides' influence grows over time and space. The setting is vaguely based on the ancient Mediterranean region, but with a mythology all its own.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid, adult): This is a frame story in which aged Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, famously tight-lipped about her personal life, hand selects a young journalist, Monique Grant, to finally tell her story. Evelyn tells Monique all about her life - how she became an actress in the mid-twentieth century, how she got involved (and uninvolved) with all seven of her former husbands, and who was the true love of her life. There are some sad moments for sure, as it's a retrospective on the very long and very full life of an actress at what she knows is the end of hers. But it's such a good story and worth the bittersweet tones.

This Is How You Lose the Time War (Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone, adult): Sci-fi novel told by Red and Blue's letters to one another across time and space. They are on opposing sides of the Time War and as they perform their respective missions, they leave letters for the other to find. Their letters start out as "I'm coming for you, you better run" but then eventually turn to friendship and then love. Ultimate enemies to lovers. It's a short novel but you'll read it again and again to pick up more details. It's so good.

The House in the Cerulean Sea (TJ Klune, NA): This book feels like a warm hug. Linus Baker is essentially a child protective services worker, overseeing the orphanages housing magical children. He is then assigned to the most remote orphanage in the system, in which six dangerous children reside, to determine whether any or all of these children are capable of bringing about the end of the world. Once more, with feeling: FOUND FAMILY. Also nice because it's a metaphor for queerness that also features canon queer characters.

#book recs #queer lit #lordeteams #look if you don't know by now that i am incapable of writing anything short then i don't know how to help you #these are similar to tsoa in that they are all queer and/or coming of age and/or chosen one stories #but they are not tragedies #some are kind of sad at times but all have happy endings #here's hoping i've regained your trust lmao #also if anyone out there reads anything on this list and like it you have to come back and tell me #both for the validation and so that i have someone to scream about it with #my recs

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youvebeenlivingfictional · 3 years

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I’m Always Curious Part Twenty Seven

Previous Part | Next Part | Masterlist Notes: I hope everyone’s having a good week 💕

Sooo..... How are we doing................ Also for this week, new character incoming, the person I was picturing when I wrote Eli Durling is Michael Ealy, in case y’all want someone to picture

Warnings: ….Angst again I know my bad again

Also cursing and mentions of canon-typical violence Summary: I took the hands that were offered to me in introduction and did my damnedest to keep contact.

“Jett Reno, engineering.” Engineering, how was it I always wound up rooming with someone from engineering?

The problem was, with my separation from the Enterprise and the wounds of Somonia still fresh, I found myself desperate for connection where my life had been voided of it.

Jett, Tilly-- I took the hands that were offered to me in introduction and did my damnedest to keep contact.

-- “What brought you to Starfleet?” I could tell by the strained way Jett was asking that she didn’t do small talk for fun the way Tilly did. I’d been on the Hiawatha for a couple of days and we’d hardly talked when we’d been in our quarters together. Neither of us had pushed to fill the silence. But now, Jett was making the effort to… Chat. Maybe it was an attempt to stop my harried pacing in the cramped craft, but I could hardly keep still. My first official mission was set to begin in just a few minutes-- I was piloting a new federation attack fighter with an experimental cloaking device into Klingon airspace for the purposes of picking up subspace chatter. The Hiawatha would be in range as it ferried the first few war-wounded to Starbase 515. As soon as I collected what transmissions I could, I was to return to the ship, and then we’d jump to maximum warp -- barring any complications. “... My dad was an attaché to the Federation when I was growing up. I was brought to a lot of planets when he had custody. And when I was home there were a lot of different languages around me. I was just... curious.” Jett grunted. “What about you?” I asked. “I was always taking shit apart when I was a kid,” Jett leaned away from the control panel, “I had a teacher at school that steered me to circuit analysis. Kicked off from there.” She pulled off her gloves, turning back to me. “Good thing she jumped in when she did, I was electrocuting myself like, once a week. My mom was a doctor, said electrocuting yourself is frowned upon.” I smiled a little bit, “You know, I’ve heard that.” “Apparently everyone but me had.” “When you joined Starfleet...You ever think you’d be doing something like this?” “Helping a language nerd fly into enemy space? Can’t say it was in my top five. Did you think you’d be a pilot?” I shook my head, shoving my hands into my pockets, “No. I always liked flight sims, but steering was the furthest thing from my mind. I had this...Grand idea of going to new planets, building bridges between cultures… Not getting my ass bounced from ship to ship to ship and keeping my head down in the hopes I don’t wind up on Admiral Cornwell’s bad side…” I sighed, shrugging, “But we put our dreams away.” Jett’s brows were furrowed, and I could see the question she wanted to ask, but instead asked: “You got a plan after this?” “After the mission?” “After the war.” I was quiet for a moment, turning to survey the control panel. “... I think I’d rather focus on what I’m gonna do after the mission, not get too far ahead of myself.” Jett pursed her lips, nodding a little bit, looking around. “You oughta get off of this vessel if you don’t wanna join me for its maiden voyage,” I warned. Jett grunted, picking up her toolkit and heading for the ramp. “Try not to get blown up out there,” She said over her shoulder, “I did good work on this ship.” “I’ll do my damnedest,” I called back.

It became routine for Jett and I to chat before missions - occasionally making plans for what we would do once I got back. My missions tended to vacillate between two types: either a transmission intercept, or a mission type that protocol labeled a 22-9-14. 22-9-14 operations consisted of approaching a Klingon craft, deploying a tracking and transmission device, and piloting the hell out of there before any Warbirds could catch wise. It didn’t always work of course -- which was why Eli and I started calling 22-9-14s ‘Tag and Runs’. Lieutenant Commander Eli Durling was a security officer stationed on the Hiawatha for the purpose of handling Communications-based missions. I’d known of him while I was at the Academy. He had been a couple of years ahead of me, and we had a few mutual friends, but as we'd been focused in different course tracks, I'd never had occasion to really interact with him until now. He’d graduated top of his class, and had been stationed on a ship in the Mempa sector until the war had broken out.

Durling reminded me of Pike, a little. When he wasn’t focused on the mission at hand, he was fairly easygoing, lighthearted, and made it a point to follow orders - when those orders were the right course of action in a given situation. Eli wasn’t above changing course mid-mission when something took a bad turn, and he wasn’t afraid to go to bat for me with command for doing the same, either. He covered my back, and I covered his.

“You should see the job Durling did to his phaser canons,” Jett half-yelled, half-grumbled from under the control panel. I eyed where her legs were in view, just beside my pilot’s seat. “Something tells me the job was done by a Klingon Warbird and not by Eli himself.” “Well if he hadn’t gotten spotted by a Warbird, they wouldn’t have chased him, fired at him, and fucked up his phaser canons.” “...You might have a point there.” “I’m wounded, lieutenant,” I heard from just behind me, and I turned to see Eli ducking his head to step onto the craft. “I really hope you mean emotionally," I teased. Eli’s lips twitched into a smile, and I returned it. It was moments like this that his attractiveness was...Really not lost on me. He was handsome, with golden, copper brown skin and gentle blue eyes. His smile, which was turned at me now, was typically kind -- a kind smile that could turn flirtatious or teasing at the drop of a hat. “I’m broken up inside,” Eli reassured me. “Mm, mhm,” I nodded, “What’s going on?” “I’ve got some news.” “Is it that you learned how to fix your phaser canons yourself?” Jett asked, sitting up from under the console. “Sadly, no.” “Sadly? That’s not sadly no, that’s morbidly depressingly no,” Jett grumbled as she took my hand to help her up, “You have any idea how long it’s gonna take me to fix those when you inevitably fuck them up again?” “Well, not long at all. The lieutenant and I are being transferred.” Jett and I let that sink in in silence as the three of us stood in silence. It felt like a punch - but Reno recovered faster than I did. “...Well, godspeed to whoever takes you over, Durling. You’re an engineer’s worst nightmare.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Reno,” Eli chuckled before turning to me, “We’ll be shipping out once you get back, as long as everything is status quo.” “Got it.” “Be careful out there.” “Yessir.”

I watched Eli go before I lowered my eyes, making a careful study of my shoes. I’d been on the Hiawatha for two months now. It was only just starting to feel… Not like the Enterprise, but like a safe space again. “Well,” I said after a moment, “Least you’ll be getting your room back to yourself.” “Looks like it,” Jett agreed, “Don’t get all mushy on me, huh?” I shook my head, pushing back my upset and flattening my expression before meeting her eye: “I was about to ask the same of you.” Jett nodded. “Would’ve been nice if we could’ve seen this through together.” “Would’ve,” I agreed quietly. “But we put our dreams away,” Jett reached out, slapping me on the shoulder before picking up her toolkit, “Don’t get blown up at the last minute. It would be a hell of an anti-climax.”

I scrolled through the contacts on my PADD stilling over Sidhu, Thira for a moment. The little status bubble beside her name read ‘Active’. Despite the fact that Eli and I were stationed together on the USS Pinnacle, and had been for months, I was antsy for news of the Enterprise. I’d reached out to Cornwell for an update on the crew, but I had yet to get an answer from her. I couldn’t blame her. She was entrenched in strategy, but I was desperate for news -- especially after the news of the Hiawatha’s loss had reached us nearly a week after Eli and I had been re-stationed.

I scrolled further down on the contacts list, tapping on the contact name for Tilly, Sylvia. I eyed the ‘Active’ bubble beside her name before tapping on the small video icon. I lifted the PADD up to my face, grinning when Tilly came into view. “Hi!” She greeted, waving. “Hey there. How are you?” I asked, shifting back on my bed. “Oh…” I watched Tilly glance at her surroundings before she answered, “Lorca’s on the warpath.” “The literal warpath or the metaphorical one?” Tilly laughed before sighing, “Both.” I winched, “Sorry, Tills.” “It’s not all awful,” She shrugged, “I have a roommate again, actually. Michael Burnham.” My brows rose. I knew of Michael Burnham - her name was splashed across briefings in relation to the war and the Battle of the Binary Stars. But I’d known of her, first and foremost, through Spock. He’d never spoken of her in honeyed tones, mind, but I knew that he regarded her highly. What was all of this doing to Spock? I couldn’t imagine him having to reason himself through this with limited intel from the Federation at such a distance-- “Hello? Hel-- Hello? Did I cut out? Am I frozen? Are you frozen?” I was jolted from my reverie at Tilly’s waterfall of questions. “I’m sorry,” I smiled, “Got distracted-- How’s the roomie situation?” “Well she frowned about as much as you did when you got on board.” “I warmed up.” “So did she,” Tilly smiled, and I relaxed a little, folding my legs up under myself. “Glad to hear it.” I looked away from my PADD as the doors to my room opened. “Hey, Eli,” I greeted. I saw Tilly’s eyes widen, and I glanced down to see her smoothing her hair down hurriedly. “Eli, you remember Tilly,” I added as he crossed to my bed - I’d introduced them on a previous call. “Course I do,” He smiled, sitting down beside me and giving the screen a wave, “Nice to see you again, Sylvia.” I grinned as a flush as red as her hair well up on Tilly’s cheeks. “Hi,” She answered, matching Eli’s wave. Her gaze was directed away from the screen as an announcement that I couldn’t make out crackled on her end. “Ahh-- I have to go,” She said hurriedly, turning back to the screen, “I’m sorry!” “No, don’t worry about it,” I shook my head, “Be careful.” “You guys, too!” Tilly chirped before hanging up. I looked down at the screen as it winked off. I eyed the contact for Sidhu, Thira, one more time before swiping away from my contacts. Eli leaned back against the wall, shifting further back on my bed. “If you put your shoes on my bed, Durling--” “I know the rules, kid,” He chuckled. I rolled my eyes. He’d taken to calling me that weeks ago, and I couldn't get him to shake it. “What’s got you in here, anyway?” I asked, “New mission?” “Can’t sleep.” I frowned, glancing over at Eli before I turned back to my messages. I had a new message, but where the hell was it? It wasn’t from Cornwell, I’d already checked. “Something wrong?” I pressed. “Just one of those nights. Ever have one?” “Oh, all the--” I froze, damn near dropping my PADD at the sight of the unopened message. It was recent - minutes old. And it was from Una. “...You okay, kid?” Eli’s knee nudged mine, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the words ‘You’re on the Pinnacle?’.

“I-- I um… Yes. I have those nights all the time. Think I’m gonna have another one of those nights tonight.” Eli crowded closer, peering over my shoulder. “Bad news?” “I don’t know yet… Can you gimme a minute?”

It had started with Paledore, apparently. He’d been looking for something I’d sent him a while ago, some verb conjugation that I'd worked on, and he’d noticed that my status was active. He’d figured that it had to be a fluke, and he’d gone about his business. But it had happened again and again, and he’d brought it up to Thaleh, who had brought it up to Spock. Spock had done some digging, located me in Starfleet's medical database at the Academy, and then in the ship’s records for the Pinnacle. He had brought that information to Una. Una, who was now staring at me through a video feed. Her face was carefully blank. I’d seen that look before -- I knew that she was making a concentrated effort to not give anything away. Una could be hard to read in the first place, but I may as well have been looking at a statue. My heart was thudding low in my chest, beating out a panicked, jittery tattoo that usually only accompanied the running of a 22-9-14 and a Klingon Warbird on my tail. “...So,” I started, “How’s the Pergamum?” “You’re alive.” I gave a small nod. “Yeah, they’re not trucking a corpse around on the Pinnacle for the sake of filling the new communications specialist minimum.” “You’ve been alive this entire time and you’re making jokes?” Una seethed. It chilled me through the screen and I lowered my eyes, swallowing thickly. “I know you’re upset--” “Upset?” She repeated with a scorning little laugh, “I have spent the last year watching the repercussions that your loss has had on this crew, on Pike-- and you’re making jokes.” Guilt spun through me and wobbled like a top. “Can I explain?” “I wish you would.”

I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves before I told Una what had happened - all I could remember. Soivo, Somonia, Cornwell, my time on the Discovery and the Hiawatha. Una’s face remained unmoved throughout. My only indication that the screen hadn’t frozen was Una’s occasional shift in her seat. Once I’d finished my explanation, Una gave a small nod. “Well… That certainly lines up with the timeline that Spock put together.” I couldn’t help but smile a little at that, even as I ached at the mention. “Of course he put a timeline together,” I muttered, scrubbing my hand over my eyes. I sighed, quiet for a few moments. “How are you all?” I asked, “Will you tell me that?” “You don’t deserve that answer.” I clenched my jaw, hot tears prickling at my eyes as I felt my entire being want to fold in on itself. “Una, please understand--” The video feed cut, the message on the screen indicating that the call had been terminated from Una’s side. My fingers curled around the device, my chest racking with sobs as I curled forward.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I heard behind me, “What did that punching bag say to you?” I raised my hands to stop the bag from swinging back and hitting me before I turned back to see Eli. After Una’s abrupt end to our call, I had cried until I couldn’t anymore - until my sobs had been dry and my breathing had been hiccups. And then, when the hurt had still ebbed through me, when I saw that there were no transmissions waiting for translation or missions for me to run, I went to work the rest of my hurt out on a punching bag. “I’m not in the mood, Durling,” I cautioned quietly. My voice was hoarse from its rough use earlier, and my body and nerves were rung raw from the war, from losing Jett -- from my call with Una, and from the news that had hard followed - the Discovery had been destroyed. My last call with Tilly had been our last call. Eli took a couple of cautious steps closer to me, looking me over. “I can see that. Came to offer my assistance.” I arched a brow. “Assistance?” I repeated, “The bag over here offered the same thing and look where it’s wound up.” Eli smiled a little. “You’re gonna run yourself ragged like this,” he warned. I shook my head a bit, biting the inside of my cheek to staunch a fresh wave of tears. “I already have, Eli, I can’t--” I took in a deep, shuddering breath, “I can’t rest my head right now. That’s just a fact.” “Neither can I. Maybe we can help each other out with that.” “I’m not gonna ask you to help me.” “Why not?” “You see the mood I’m in?” I nodded toward the bag, “At least one of us needs to be in a condition to fly.” “I think I can handle you.” I arched a brow. “Eli,” I warned softly. He took a step closer, warm blue eyes and kind smile pointed at me with all softness and sincerity. “Kid,” he murmured, “You don’t have to worry about being gentle with me.” Tag list: @angels-pie ; @fantasticcopeaglepasta ; @mylittlelonelyappreciationtoo ; @how-am-i-serpose-to-know ; @onlyhereforthefandomandgiggles ; @inmyowncorner ; @tardis-23 ; @2manyfandoms-solittletime ; @paintballkid711 ; @katrynec ; @hypnobananaangelfish

#I'm Always Curious #captain pike x reader #Captain Pike/Reader #Captain Pike Imagine #Captain Pike x You #Captain Pike/You #christopher pike x reader #christopher pike/reader #Christopher Pike x You #christopher pike imagine #Christopher Pike/You

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drarrymybeloved · 3 years

Text

a gift for @isamijoo as part of the Wheel of Drarry Mini Exchange🥰💞thank you to @curlyy-hair-dont-care for the beta!

wc: 1.7k | rating: G

Not All Heroes Wear Capes, But Mine Sure Does

Draco Malfoy, Editor in Chief of Witch Weekly Magazine, eyes his watch and then the stack of paperwork on his desk. He knows he should stay and get through at least half the pile before lunch, but there is also a photoshoot going on in Studio B right this very second that he wouldn’t mind overseeing. Only because the photoshoot is such an important project for the magazine. Not because of the presence of a certain someone at said photoshoot, not at all.

I’m the Editor in Chief of the damn magazine and I can go wherever I like, he decides. He nods his head as if confirming his own thoughts and exits his office to head towards the studio.

Draco had begun working at the offices of Witch Weekly soon after he finished his community service sentence. Starting as a lowly clerk, his ability to charm and enamour as needed, had him slowly but surely climbing the ranks.

Now, at twenty-five, Draco is the youngest Editor in Chief in the history of Witch Weekly. Soon after his promotion, he had recruited Pansy as a columnist and Blaise as a photographer, both of whom are involved in today’s shoot.

And what a shoot it is, Draco thinks with more than a little satisfaction. Featuring the Golden Trio, the rest of the Weasley clan minus Percy who was “just too busy to make it”, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, the Patil twins, and Lavender Brown, it’s going to be printed as a special edition with all proceeds going to the War Orphan’s Trust. Incidentally, it’s also one of the most— if not the most— star-studded spread in the magazine’s history. Blaise will photograph all the volunteers in various costumes and get-ups, while Pansy will interview them on the side.

When the idea was first proposed, Draco had been sceptical. While the others were less recalcitrant, Potter was well-known for his dislike of modelling of any kind. He hated being in front of a camera, and everybody in the press corps knew it. Without Potter, the venture wouldn’t necessarily fail, but it would definitely not generate as much profit. Draco had meant to ask formally, perhaps through an official letter bearing the magazine’s seal. Instead, he found himself asking Potter at the weekly inter-house pub night, a tradition started in eighth year that— inexplicably— continued well past Hogwarts. Surprisingly, Potter had agreed with minimal fuss. He wasn’t happy about it, but he had agreed nonetheless.

Reaching the studio door, Draco takes a moment to brush non-existent dirt off his suit jacket and straighten his already straight tie, before pushing open the door. There are a fair amount of people milling around, talking and laughing. He can see Weasley, Finnegan and Thomas near the refreshments table. Charlie Weasley is talking animatedly with Luna while Longbottom listens with a bemused expression. Ginerva and George are slowly turning singular strands of Hermione’s hair purple as she talks passionately with Lavender. The Patil twins are having their makeup done, and Bill Weasley is being interviewed by Pansy.

Draco takes all this in with a cursory glance, his attention instantly drawn towards the man currently posing for the camera, like a compass finding true north.

Harry Potter stands in front of the camera, wearing a gladiator’s skirt cinched with a belt adorned with a golden lion, a red cape adorning his broad shoulders. A sheathed sword hangs at his waist. On his feet are black leather sandals, the straps of which rope around his muscular calves. Without his trademark glasses, his eyes look impossibly brighter. His bronze skin practically gleams under the lights. Presumably, someone had applied oil on him at some point. Draco hastily pushes away all thoughts of hands and oil and Potter out of his mind. Potter’s hair looks artfully tousled instead of its usual mess— a near-miraculous feat if you ask Draco. He makes a mental note to jot down the name of the hair stylist for future photoshoots. The thought is there and then gone because just then, Potter draws the sword hanging at his waist, and Merlin and Morgana, Draco was not prepared to see Harry bloody Potter looking like a hero out of a Greek legend.

Draco lets out an involuntary whimper.

“Hello, Draco.”

Draco quickly snaps his gaze away from Potter to find Hermione looking at him with an amused expression. The purple streaks are gone from her hair— she’d probably known what Ginerva and George were up to the whole time. Meanwhile, Draco had been so busy ogling Potter, he hadn’t even seen Hermione approach him. He flushes faintly and attempts to sound like the Editor in Chief of a major publication rather than what he actually feels like— a schoolboy with a pash. “Hello, Hermione. I hope everything is going smoothly?”

Hermione grins. “Yes, it’s all been rather fun actually. Reminds me a bit of Sunday lunch at the Burrow, what with so many people around.”

“Good, that’s good to hear,” Draco says distractedly, attention already straying back to Potter.

“Harry’s looking rather good, isn’t he?” Hermione asks nonchalantly, following Draco’s gaze.

“What? Oh, yes, yes of course. Now that you mention it, he is. That is, I mean, the stylists did a brilliant job. Especially with his hair, it usually looks like a bird's nest,” Draco lets out a strained chuckle, his cheeks burning. He never should have come down here. Merlin.

Hermione presses her lips together, her eyes bright with amusement. “You should tell him that yourself, he’ll like it,” she gestures behind Draco.

Draco turns, and sure enough, Potter’s coming off the set towards them. He doesn’t even stop to change into regular clothes, for fucks sake. How is one supposed to hold a conversation with him looking like that?

“I’ll leave you two to it then, got some catching up to do with Parvati,” Hermione says, grinning wickedly. Before Draco can say another word, she’s already gone.

Cursing internally, he turns to face Potter, determined to keep his attention on Potter’s face and his face only. Not that that’s not distracting enough. Pushing the unhelpful thought away, Draco opens his mouth to greet Potter. What comes out is, “That’s quite a get-up you’ve got going on.”

Oh joy, already off to an excellent start. Draco cringes internally but forces himself to smile in what he hopes is a pleasant manner.

Potter laughs sheepishly. “Yeah, I do feel pretty ridiculous in all this. They’ve even strapped a bloody sword on me. I barely know how to handle it.”

“Looked like you were doing alright, actually,” Draco says before his mind can catch up with his mouth.

“Oh, er, thanks Draco,” Potter smiles bashfully, bringing his hand up to ruffle his hair. Draco’s eyes helplessly follow the flex of his bicep.

Snapping back to attention, he grasps for something other than Potter’s sword-wielding skills to talk about.

"I have to say though, I was quite surprised when you agreed to this. It's no secret you dislike photoshoots immensely," is what he lands on. It’s something he’s been wondering about and he wouldn’t mind knowing what made Potter agree to do this.

“Yeah, I don’t much like being treated as if I’m some celebrity and I’ve never been good in front of a camera. I would have said no but well…” he trails off, looking at Draco intently. “You’re the one who asked, so,” Potter shrugs as if that clears everything up.

Draco blinks. In a dazzling display of eloquence, he says, "What?"

Potter flushes, but he looks determined. "I agreed to do this because I know this photoshoot is important to you. Not just this shoot, the magazine as a whole. I know that you’ve worked hard to make it into something much more than just another gossip rag. So, um, you know, I did it for you,” he rubs the back of his neck, his face flushed crimson. “It also helps that it’s for charity,” he adds, chuckling awkwardly.

Draco gapes. “But...why?” he manages, bewildered.

“Draco,” Potter huffs. “Because I care about you. As in, I have feelings for you. I thought you would have guessed by now, it’s not like I’m great at subtlety. Pretty much everyone else knows,” he smiles nervously.

Oh. Oh.

“You have feelings for— wait, everyone knows?” Draco demands. “And no one thought to tell me?” He hates his friends, really truly despises them all.

Potter’s eyes crinkle with the force of his smile. “Wait so, what are you saying?”

Draco rolls his eyes, attempting to sound cool and collected even though he feels practically giddy. “I’m saying, Potter, that I have had “feelings for you” as you put it, for an embarrassingly long time. And everyone knows,” he says, cheeks pinking. “Well, everyone except you, apparently,” he amends.

Potter laughs delightedly. “To be fair, you didn’t catch on to my feelings for you either.”

“We’re rather ridiculous, aren’t we?” Draco says, laughing ruefully.

“Well, we’re both in the know now, so how about we go for a celebratory dinner?” Potter asks, eyes bright.

“Good idea,” Draco says, attempting— and failing— to keep a straight face.

“Potter!” Pansy’s voice cuts across the room.

“Time for your interview it seems,” Draco says.

“Yeah, although I do have some questions for her myself,” Potter says, squinting at Pansy.

“Oh, I will absolutely be having words with her. And Hermione,” Draco huffs.

Potter smiles at him, and it’s such a wide, unrestrained thing, Draco’s heart misses a beat. “I’ll see you after, then?” he asks.

Draco nods, smile softening. “Pick me up at seven, you already know the address.”

Potter flashes him one last smile before walking towards Pansy’s corner.

Draco watches him go with what is most definitely a besotted smile on his face before turning around to leave. His steps falter when he sees all of their friends staring at him, expressions torn between unbridled glee and despair. He frowns— until he catches sight of Ron glumly handing over a handful of Galleons to a triumphant George.

“You absolute pillocks, did you place bets on Harry and me?” he asks in disbelief.

“It’s a lucrative business,” George winks.

“Sorry Draco,” Lavender says, not looking sorry at all as she pockets the coins Padma grudgingly hands her.

“I hate you all,” Draco informs them cheerfully as he heads towards the hallway, professionalism be damned. He hears them laughing as he steps into the hallway, but he’s too elated to be properly pissed off at their machinations. He’ll get back at all of them soon enough, but for now he has a stack of paperwork to finish— he can’t be late for his date after all.

read on ao3

#am i posting this solely bc i got excited about making a banner?#yes. yes i am #drarry #drarry fic #wheel of drarry mini exchange #fluff and humor #ty to the microfic discord for enabling me😌

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