#literally and non-literally Harry saves Tom's life time and time again | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pilots-and-protons · 2 years

Text

I know folks talk a lot of shit about Tom never telling B'Elanna he loves her (and rightfully so - hey writers what the hell?). But I’m also fully committed to the idea that Tom simply prefers to show his love rather than say it.

Lots of Thoughts under the cut because where else am I supposed to ramble about my Tom Paris feelings except the tumblr void?

So first of all, it’s pretty easy to imagine Tom’s father wasn’t someone to regularly say that he loves his son, considering what we see of Tom's reaction to hearing his father saying that he's proud of him. There’s also the whole “crying is a sign of weakness” that Tom references from his father in Threshold (yes, Threshold), which doesn’t lend itself to the most touchy-feely household I’d imagine. Hell in the same episode, even Tom says that everyone expected “great things” from him, which certainly implies that not only was he constantly smothered in expectations, but those expectations (and therefore disappointments when he messed up), were explicitly linked to his actions, his achievements (or lack thereof). Not hard to imagine that Tom would star to equate actions to having a lot more meaning than words - and why he could often be pretty flippant with what he’d say, especially early on.

Secondly, there's also the fact that words tend to play into a lot of Tom's deflection and obfuscation of his feelings.

The first thing Tom does is save Harry from being swindled by Quark - but when he knows Harry’s heard the gory details about his past, he tells Harry to stay away from him for his own good. He's known for talking a lot, and often has many silly or witty retorts with no real substance other than they’re meant for a laugh (such as joking that they could set up a bicycle and pedal their way home). He uses indirect and sometimes teasing ways to tell B'Elanna he's interested, such as asking how she's doing with Freddy Bristow (before inviting her to go sailing - something action-based with a more direct intention), and joking that the Insurrection Alpha program should include a steamy romance between the chief conn officer and chief engineer.

And just look at the dialogue from Blood Fever - B’Elanna’s the one to say “you can’t tell me you’re not interested in me” with Tom’s response being: “You’re right, I can’t”. Not a direct admission, not actually using his words to directly tell her that he cares about her - his actions do that, his refusal to give into her advances because he knows her judgment is impaired. The closest we get to Tom really admitting just what it is he feels about B’Elanna is after she’s been trying to convince him to give in, insisting she’s seen the way he looks at her and she knows exactly why he keeps inviting her to dinner and the holodeck. Tom even briefly buckles and gives into kissing her back, but eventually pushes B’Elanna away, saying "I hope someday you'll say that to me and mean it".

He doesn't say "I love you" in that moment, but between B'Elanna's monologue and Tom's comment, it's very obviously implied that he is in love with her - that it’s not just about sex, he really cares about her and what she thinks of him.

And Tom’s actions-over-words attitude isn’t just aimed at B’Elanna. Even when you look at early episodes, Tom talks a big talk like he’s some rogue loner - but after hanging out with Harry for all of five minutes, he then spends most of the pilot episode personally trying to make sure that Harry’s ok. His relationship with Chakotay is rocky at best, with insults thrown around from both sides, but he goes back to save Chakotay in the Ocampa tunnels anyways. In Time and Again, Tom takes a bullet to protect a kid and decks the guy who hit Janeway. Even alternate-reality Tom Paris in Non Sequitor argues with Harry and talks some real shit, but then shows up to help him anyways and literally gives his life to get Harry back where he belongs, with virtually no proof Harry is even telling the truth.

So to me, Tom’s actions are far more indicative of who he really is than his words. He lets his personal piece of home, his Chez Sandrine’s program be open for the whole crew to enjoy and then does the same with Fair Haven (both programs he made himself and likely took a lot of his personal free time). He spends two weeks eating food he usually complains about to give Kes a very thoughtful birthday gift in Twisted, even though he was fully aware that any feelings he’d started having for her would not be returned. He always invites Harry to join him in his numerous holoprograms, and in The Chute a lot of his time and energy is spent distracting and calming Harry down with discussions of food and home. He risks his life, and his relationships with the crew, by spending weeks under Janeway’s orders acting out undercover to try and find Seska’s mole. Even with no memory of his real life in Workforce, it’s Tom’s actions that speak loudest. Sure he flirts with his customers - but when he realizes B’Elanna is alone and vulnerable, he takes time out of his own schedule to find other couples with babies on the way because he knows she could use some friends. He also offers to walk her home and helps protect Seven and the others when they need to hide from the authorities.

So no, Tom doesn’t say “I love you” to B’Elanna - because those words wouldn’t hold enough real weight for him. He shows her he loves her by keeping her warm and alert in Displaced, rubbing her hands and blowing on her frozen fingers. He shows her he loves her by giving her space and giving her a way out of her oxygen deprived love confession after Day of Honor, with light jokes to mask the underlying message. He shows her he loves her by trying to get her to join in the Klingon martial arts program with him (to share in her heritage, to assure her he’s not afraid or disgusted by that side of her even if she hides from it). He reassures her that he loves her by physically bringing her into his grease monkey holoprogram when he realizes he’d been pushing her away. He shows that he loves her by doing everything in his power to stop her from changing their daughter’s DNA to remove the Klingon parts. And of course, when their “talking” gets confusing and passive aggressive and they’re not really getting anywhere in Drive, he shows B’Elanna he loves her by bringing the Delta Flyer to a dead stop (in the middle of a race he was ecstatic about) so they can have a real conversation. And then he proposes to her.

Actions, actions, actions.

Basically what I’m saying is, Tom’s love languages are acts of service and gift giving and quality time, and anyone who disagrees can meet me in the nearest Denny’s parking lot for fisticuffs.

So uhhhh.... thanks for coming to my TedTalk I guess

#tom paris #b'elanna torres #p/t #star trek #voy #st: voy #I just have a lot of FEELINGS ok?#listen I'm just never going to shut up about Tom Paris #that's what this whole damn side blog is FOR #because I don't have friends to talk to about Voyager #and because there's hardly an content in the Tom Paris tag #SOMEONE has to add to it #might as well be ME

14 notes · View notes

the-second-tonks · 3 years

Note

Hii! Congratulations again for 100 followers! I already requested for the marvel life game, if it’s possible I’d like to request also for the Harry Potter one :)

General informations: My pronouns are she/her and I’m bisexual. I’m an ESFJ and a Gemini. I have green eyes and dyed cherry red hair. I dress with black clothes and I wear black eyeshadow or eyeliner. I’m the sweet mom friend of the group, always there for everyone and my friends say that I’m really good at comforting people. I’m very optimistic, I always try to see the good in everything and I often put other’s needs before my own, I would do everything for the people I care about and sometimes I’ve been told that I’m too kind for my own good. I have a sarcastic humor and I love making others laugh, people say that I should be more serious and that I shouldn’t joke around so much. I don’t like when people tell me what to do and I’m not afraid to stand up for myself or for someone else. I love listening to music and watching horror movies but it’s impossible to scare me. (I hope you don’t mind that I rewrote all the informations I already wrote in the other)

Optional informations: I’d like to have a generally happy past, everything is fine as in for the family, if it’s useful both my real parents are hufflepuffs! I’d like to be a pure-blood and I’d like to be kind of popular. I’d like to be the same age as Harry and the others and I want to be friends with the golden trio. Also, I already know my patronus, it’s like a black horse and I’m already sorted in slytherin.

Again, I hope I did everything right! Take your time and have a great day <33

Heloo ! Thank you ! Have a great day too and no I didn't mind , it's actually helpful that you wrote ? this again ! I see you as a Hufflepuff though :(

About you

Your name : Y/N Longbottom

Blood Status : Pureblood

Year : same as Harry's , you and Neville are twins

Family members : Neville Longbottom , Grandma , mother and father (don't live with you)

Your wand : Unicorn tail hair , Fir , 10" inches , fairly bendy

Your Quidditchch position : I see you in the stands lol , but If you like

Your work : I think you'd be a care taker of the magical creatures or Auror .

Your immediate friends : Hermione

Your bestfriend : Harry , Ronald and Luna

A small word from Mr.Ollivander

Ms.Longbottom , quite kind as you are , there is someone out there who needs you . Don't miss them out .

Your sorting

I'd personally sort you into Hufflepuff , but since you're already sorted ..

SLYTHERIN !!

Your patronus

As you mentioned above , black horse 🐎

Your boyfriend/girlfriend

Draco Malfoy (ex , but you still have something for him)

Reason to get together : if you'd be honest , you felt special when he didn't misbehave with you or didn't let anyone tease you

Time span : Quite much Actually

Reason to break up : Too many differences between you two caused a big fight . You both still had a feeling for each other but you both knew it wouldn't work , it wasn't enough to make you both agree with the differences .

Hermione Granger (wife)

Reason to get together : she was your emotional support throughout the time you were sinking in your thoughts about you and Draco .

Time span : Stable , patient , strong and long lived

Marriage : After you both had your carrier settled

The Professor who'd adore you

Professor Lupin , Professor Snape (yes, secretly) and Professor McGonagall

Professor Lupin would definitely see the Lily who was very kind in you . Professor Snape would also see Lily in you and thus he'd adore you . He'd also support you openly (incase of marks) because you're a Slytherin . Professor McGonagall really likes how you stand up for yourself .

Your Yule Ball look

This is so beautiful and elegant

Your date : Draco Malfoy , you began dating in the beginning of fourth year . Harry and Ron weren't happy and Hermione was a bit broken .

Your past

You had a simple past with your grandma and twin who was quite opposite to you . You always stood up for him and protected him (But his bravery in the battle of Hogwarts did suprise you) . You and him would often spend time together and visit your parents . Even though you knew the tragedy of your parents , you never cried because you were proud of them . Looking up to them , you always wished to be like them . Strong and loyal .

Your strengths and weaknesses

Your strengths are : Potions , Charms and Herbology .

Your weakness are : I feel like it would be transfiguration .

Others are neutral .

Your strongest spell type : Defensive and healing

Your weak spot : Hexes and Curses

Your popularity

You were quite popular from the beginning . But Hogwarts gave you immense popularity . You were known as the better twin(which you didn't like , ofcourse) . Many people really respected and loved you for your kind nature .

What the Golden Trio thinks about you

Harry Potter : Well , this boy loved you a lot(platonic)he considered you as his family , until you started dating Draco . From then , you and Harry had a permanent stain in your friendship , but you were best friends . Slowly but yes , he did forget what you did because he understood what love was and then , you were Harry's life . He pampers you , loves you to cover up for the years he was angry and sad on you dating his enemy .

Ron Weasely : He likes you but nothing much . He really admires how kind you are but makes sure no one takes advantage of that .

Hermione Granger : she loves you . A lot . She loves how you're her opposite . How you're kind and non-judgmental and .. well she can go on . She loves to serve you and would do anything to keep you happy. She also loves that you're ambitious and determined .

Marauders' thoughts on you

James Potter : Well , he loves you lol . He sees a mixture of him and Lily in you and would definitely adore you . He'd often invite you on holidays and spend time with you. He'll wish you and Harry to be the bestest of the friends and he also thinks that you and Harry would share a bond that he and his friends had .

Sirius Black : This man would smirk everytime you'd take stand for yourself and others . He doesn't mind you being kind , but he isn't the one to support you in that . Okay , he did judge you because you were a Slytherin , but he did warm with you later , considering you're a different Slytherin .

Remus Lupin : He sees himself in you . He really loves you and wishes he could spend a lot of time with you .

Could you master all of the deathly hallows?

Kinda yes.

I feel like you'd be able to do it , but sometimes your kindness might kick in and defeat your thirst for power (Slytherin trait lol)

A short paragraph on you going to your first year at Hogwarts

"Nev ! We absolutely don't need to hurry up , so you can walk" You spoke sarcastically , nudged Neville to run as both walked across the station . You both were late . As hell , because someone began bullying you both (due to Trevor) and you had a big fight with them . You both were quickly scurrying through the crowd , to find a way to platform 9 . "Y/N , I wont be able to make it . Go . " Neville encouraged you . He had got hurt slightly in his ankle which was a result of his slow speed . Your grandma was left behind already . "Nev , stop" you hurriedly picked up a few things from his trolley and dumped it into yours , knowing yours was already heavy . But this made Neville run faster and finally , you both ran through the wall before it could close . Happily , you both walked towards the black and red , Hogwarts express .

Your life at Hogwarts

Year 1 : You Harry Hermione and Ron were called the golden squad after what you did . You were the one with Hermione to actually catch the trap door , but you also felt quite bad for fluffy who was trapped in there . You were the one to give yourself as a bait in the chess and everyone quite appreciated your kindness .

Year 2 : You were kidnapped by Tom Riddle and lulled into sleep . Harry and Ron came to your rescue . They informed how Draco was worried . When you returned back all well, Draco engulfed you into a hug (in private lol) . Neville was all terrified and kinda made you promise not to end up like this anytime .

Year 3 : You didn't like how Draco teased the others(especially your friends and Neville) but the growing feelings couldn't be suppressed . You kept going with Harry throughout the time , till knowing who Sirius Black actually was .

Year 4 : you finally felt the happiness when Draco proposed you , but the feeling of being disloyal accompanied . Draco literally pleaded you to be in relationship with him and so , there were you . You were quite upset that Harry had to participate in the tournament and you were his emotional support then . Hermione found out that you were going to the Yule ball with Draco and hated it . They tried to convince you to not date him , but you were torn completely . Ending up , though you were with Harry while he cried on your shoulder about Cedric's death , you could feel Harry's cold behaviour and feelings towards you . It hurted you a lot and the frequent fights with draco weren't helping too .

Year 5 : Finally , you had had enough of Draco . You broke up with him , when he needed you the most . But you couldn't help . Your life was all upside down . Your friends , only friends weren't good with you , your fights with draco hurted your heart and Neville too , even though didn't say it loud , did disagree with you dating Draco . You participated in the Dumbledore's army which you got to know through Luna Lovegood and Neville , who had become your good friend while your best friends were upset with you . It hurt you again that Harry Hermione and Ron didn't trust you with this , but you kept going . Draco saving you from the punishment made your relationship with your friends worse . But in the end , you were there with Harry again , while he faced another death . He realised that you meant a lot to him , but his anger and sadness were still there and he couldn't forgive you for betraying him and dating Draco. He thought you leaked the army thing to umbrigde and Draco .

Year 6 : You didn't want to return Hogwarts , but Neville came into your view as an angel and gave you hopes . You went back to Hogwarts , again hurt over the fact that they didn't ask you to meet up in the building they were . You kept sticking up with them (as Neville kept encouraging you too) and soon , you were with Harry , who was now in quite good terms . But your relationship with Hermione was quite different . Strange glances passed between you two and it wasn't platonic . You both knew it . Still , you all kept on . Ron and lavender were irritating , but it caused you Harry and Hermione to come closer than you'd ever thought you would be able to . They did treat you as a bestfriend , but now , there were more things . Hugging Harry a good bye , you saw him go away in search of horcruxes . You saw Ginny with Harry besides Dumbledore's dead body and smiled sadly , that the boy finally found someone who wouldn't break his trust like you did .

Year 7 : you were worried about Neville because you were not going to see him in classes everyday now . Harry and you were in better terms , but Harry was being more interactive with you , and ngl you felt good about it . You and Hermione got together in this year and kept supporting Harry through the thick and thin , for which he was grateful . You all finally fought the war and won . Harry ended up giving you a big after you had almost died . He realised how much he would've regretted and been sad about if you had died and you both became closer than a family would be !

You and Hermione worked on your relationship and finally fell for each other for life .

Your adventures

You were a great addition to the trio and they always missed on things you caught. Your cunningness was good addition too . Other things are summed up

That's it ! I'll take your leave !

I hope you like it !

#harry potter ships #harry potter requests #harry ron hermione

8 notes · View notes

kalimagik · 4 years

Text

Trouble in Paradise

(Pt. 1)

Tom Holland x reader x Harrison Osterfield

Word Count: ~3k

Warnings: Some Language

A/N: So here is part 1 of my Tom Holland mini series for my 100 followers celebration weekend! I wrote this a while ago and wasn’t too sure about it, but I hope you like it! If you enjoy reading, like, reblog, comment, or even follow! Happy Reading <3<3<3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Y/N looked at the beautiful ocean that laid before her as she soaked in the sun and the sound of the waves. She loved the smell of the Hawaiian air. She really could not believe that she was in this beautiful place right now. Maybe taking her best friend up on his offer to her to go with his family and some friends on a Hawaiian vacation as a break wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Y/N! Y/N!” Paddy called to her as he ran across the sand, “Come quick! Tom said that he has a surprise for us! But, will you help me find Harrison first?”

Y/N smiled at the young red head, who was about the same age as her little brother, “Of course! What do you think he’s got for us?” She stood up from the sand and reached for the young boy’s hand.

“I don’t know…but, it’s Tom and we’re on vacation, so it should be a good one, right?”

Y/N laughed along as they trekked down the beach to find Y/N’s other best friend, Harrison. They didn’t have to go far, he was in and out of the water with his boogie board, catching the waves that he could.

“HAZ! Come on out! Paddy says that Tom has a surprise for us all!” Y/N called out, hands cupped to her mouth.

As she watched her friend swim towards shore, Y/N’s mind wandered to what Tom’s surprise could possibly be. He had already surprised everyone with this wonderful trip, put together an entire itinerary, and reserved the most beautiful resort house that Y/N had ever seen. A few years prior, she could not have ever imagined going on a trip like this, but after befriending Tom and Harrison during her study abroad in England, life was a whirlwind.

“Here’s your towel, you water monkey,” Y/N giggled as she threw Harrison his towel.

“Thanks, kid!” Harrison beamed.

“Oh, knock it off! I’m literally less than a year younger than you! Don’t give me that!” Since she’d met the two boys, the majority of the jokes were about how she was a year younger than them and couldn’t even drink when she went home after her study abroad year.

Since their house was on the beach, the walk inside was not long at all, but Y/N already missed being on the beach.

“Tom! Why did you make me leave the cute girls I was talking to?” Harry asked as he sat on the couch, grumpily.

“Well guys…I was super excited to share this trip with everyone closest to me…”

Y/N’s heart leapt a little in her chest. As cliché as it is, she had fallen for the curly haired, brown eyed boy over their years of friendship. It was really his fault though. The moment she went back to the U.S. for school, he was checking up on her every day. He would text her good morning (even though he was hours ahead), he would facetime her when she was super stressed about her exams and papers, and he had even surprised her at school a few times. It was as if he was begging for her to fall in love.

Waiting for Tom’s big announcement, Y/N sat down next to Harry while Harrison flopped on the other side.

“…sooo, I decided to convince someone else special to me to join us!”

“Could it be Zendaya joining us?” Y/N hoped.

“Babe, come on out!”

As a girl Y/N had never seen before stepped out of the hallway, Y/N felt herself sink into the couch cushions even more. Even though she had never told Tom about her feelings, she had always hoped that he felt the same way. Hell, when she was drunk at 1 AM U.S.A. time, Tom would still answer her texts and facetimes, she kinda thought that he would’ve figured it out by this point.

Y/N felt Harrison glance over at her, he wasn’t as blind as Tom was.

“Hi everyone,” the girl smiled.

“Oh, hi Jamie!” Paddy exclaimed, breaking the silence.

“Hi Paddy! Hi Sam and Harry,” she said. Her high pitched voice getting higher with each hello. It made Y/N nauseous.

Apparently everyone else had heard of Jamie before, but Y/N guessed that this is what she gets for not living in London still.

“Y/N,” Tom said, snapping her out of her head, “this is Jamie, my girlfriend. Jamie, this is Y/N, one of my best friends!”

“It’s nice to meet you, Y/N,” Jamie smiled holding out her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you too!” Y/N said, quickly putting on a smile and taking the girl’s hand as nicely as possible, but as soon as the attention was off her, she managed to sink back into the background.

Nikki and Dom came out to greet Tom’s girlfriend as well, that gave Y/N the chance to sneak back off to the beach.

“Hey! Y/N! Wait up!” Harrison called.

Y/N didn’t want to slow down at the moment, she didn’t know what she was feeling and knew that if Haz talked to her, she would let all of the things that she didn’t want to feel out.

“Y/N/N! Common!”

Y/N could feel the tears building up and was not ready to let them shed. Luckily, she had her bathing suit on, so she just ripped off her cover-up and ran into the water. Not until she was through the wave breaking point did Y/N realize that Harrison was still calling after her. But once she turned around, she then realized that Haz was actually swimming after her.

“Haz, go back inside. You’re going to cause a scene running after me!”

“Don’t be silly, darling. They are too wrapped up in each other to notice that the two non-family members are missing,” he said trying to diffuse the situation. “Now, wipe those tears off of your face.”

“What tears? This is just the salt water!” Y/N lied, giggling a little bit in the process.

“Well do you wanna talk about the water streaming down your face?”

“No,” Y/N said stubbornly.

“Want me to say the reasons I think there is water on your face and why you ran out of there while you just nod your head because I am right?”

“Yes…”

“Then, I think that you have water on your face, water that isn’t tears, because you felt blindsided by Tom bringing a girl to Hawaii after we’ve already been here for a few days, especially since you didn’t even know that there was a girl to begin with. Not to mention that you still have feelings for him even though you’ve told me time and time again that you don’t and that even if you did, you were over them by now?”

Y/N didn’t want to admit that her other best friend was spot on, so she just ducked under water, her safe haven.

“Y/N! Common love. I’ll be here with you for the rest of the time. We can avoid them as much as possible too!”

“Don’t you think everyone will find that suspicious?” Y/N tilted her head.

“Well, I think us sitting here in the water while I hold you is looking even more suspicious. Hello everybody!” Harrison lifted his arm up to wave to those on the shore.

Y/N could feel the blush coming up to her face as she timidly waved. Following Harrison towards the Holland family and, well, Jamie, felt even more embarrassing.

“What are you two doing out there?” Sam laughed as the sand reappeared under Y/N’s feet.

“I had dared Y/N earlier that she couldn’t go further than me in the water, but when she started to struggle, I had to obviously save her…”

“HEY!” Y/N protested, “I do not have issues swimming in the water!”

“You two were looking pretty cozy,” Nikki winked, “Haz, I’ve always wanted for you to find a nice girl and I liked Y/N from the day I met her.”

“Oh, no, no, no, Mrs. Holland, that’s not what was happening!” Y/N protested.

“What? Am I that repulsive?” Harrison jokingly scoffed.

“No. It’s not that either. Uhh, ummm, yeah. I just couldn’t stay out of the water for too long! That’s why we’re here right?” Y/N tried to buy herself some time.

“That’s a great point!” Tom brought up, obviously oblivious to the entire situation. “Jamie? Is your swimsuit nearby? As you can see, everyone has been in the ocean already this morning! Let’s go, babe!”

Y/N watched as Tom led Jamie back towards the beach house, Dom and Nikki following behind, leaving just Y/N, Harrison, the twins, and Paddy on the beach.

“So, is there something that you two really want to tell us?” Harry teased.

“No! Really guys!” Y/N tried to interject, but that wasn’t before she heard Paddy say a little something.

“Harrison, I’ve always seen the way you look at Y/N, but I didn’t know she liked you back!”

“Pads, who said anything about me liking Y/N? Huh?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “I feel like I hear whispers about it all the time, but everyone stops talking whenever I come into the room and ask if she’s coming to visit and that’s why you’re all talking about her!”

Y/N had nothing to say to that, but just looked over at Harrison, who moved quickly to put a hand over Paddy’s mouth.

“Paddy…shut it!” Sam tried to mumble, but Y/N could obviously hear him.

“Y/N? Can I talk to you for a minute again?”

“Uh, huh…” Y/N managed to get out as Harrison took her hand and led her away from the other Holland boys.

“Haz? What was that about?” Y/N asked as Haz sat down beneath a palm tree.

“I can explain. I think… Paddy doesn’t really know what he’s talking out. He’s just a kid. Ya know?”

“Haz?” Y/N asked giving him her wide, E/C eyes.

“Okay, okay, okay. Maybe while you’ve been pining over Tom, I sort of started pining over you…but I realized a while ago that I’d much rather be your friend and be supportive of you completely instead of making myself crazy over the fact that you like Tom more than me…”

“I am so sorry, Haz! I must’ve been so insensitive to you. I feel horribly…”

“No, don’t. It’s really okay! I couldn’t tell you how I felt, so I decided to get over it instead of holding onto it…” Haz trailed off.

Y/N followed his eye line to see Tom and Jamie walking hand-in-hand over to them. She sat back further into the crook of the palm tree as if that would keep the couple from coming over.

“Hey guys! What are you doing over here?”

“Paddy was just talking about stuff that he didn’t actually know, so I had to explain it. I’ll tell you later,” Haz said, waving it off. He did manage to look at Y/N, who sent him an apologetic yet thankful simile back.

“Okay! Well, Jamie and I were just wondering if you wanted to play some two-on-two volleyball! And let me tell you a secret, Jamie is an EXCELLENT player!”

“Great! Now it’s going to be ‘us’ and ‘we’ and ‘the two of us’ for the rest of the trip!” Y/N thought to herself. “Sure!” she found herself saying and then regretting instantly. However, as she stood up, she felt a competitive fire start up inside her and was ready to show her athletic ability off, well hopefully…

“Oh my god! Tom! I am soooo sorry!” Y/N continuously said as the four entered the beach house to get ice for Tom’s split lip.

Y/N had spiked a ball, heading right for Jamie, that Tom got in front of and let’s just say, the ball definitely won.

“It’s really okay, Y/N! Honestly, I didn’t know that you could put that much power behind a ball! It was awesome!” Tom laughed, holding the cloth covered ice to his lip.

“Yeah Y/N/N, who knew someone so short and young was able to hit that hard!” Haz joked, narrowing his eyes at Y/N, knowing of the internal fire that she had.

“Babe, are you okay? Let me take a look at it,” Jamie tried to reach down to fuss over Tom’s busted lip.

“No, no, no. I’m fine! I can handle a busted lip. Plus, I’ll have to come up with a great story. Can’t have people thinking that I am able to get beaten up by a girl!” Tom laughed, still holding the ice to his lip. “It’s a good thing that I blocked that, this could’ve been you, Jamie!”

Y/N bit her lip thinking about how bad that would’ve looked. She wasn’t purposefully trying to hit anyone…The ball just somehow took all of her competitiveness after her and Harrison almost started to fall behind. Not to mention, anytime they would score a point, Tom and Jamie would hang all over each other and even start kissing, so who can really blame Y/N for getting a tad bit angry? That’s gross to look at all the time.

“Why don’t you two head off and I can stay here and take care of this baby,” Jamie cooed as she went to pull Tom up towards his and Harrison’s shared room.

“Oh, Y/N! By the way, is it okay if Jamie shares your room? Since the rest are boys and I already have Haz as my roommate, I figured she could just crash with you!”

“Oh, umm, yeah. That’s fine. I don’t mind,” Y/N said, feeling a little caught off guard.

“We’ll leave you two now,” Haz quickly jumped in, pulling Y/N away before she could say anything she would regret. “Let’s go swimming for a bit, maybe boogie boarding?”

Haz led Y/N back out to the warm sand. They walked past the rest of the Holland family and towards the activities counter of the resort.

“You going to be okay?” Haz asked softly. “We can go learn how to hula, swim with dolphins, or even learn to surf! I could even offer to Tom to let Jamie stay in with him and I’ll stay with you. We’ve all had sleepovers before…Primarily in your super tiny dorm room, so it wouldn’t be weird.”

“Haz,” Y/N said sternly, “You don’t have to do anything for me. I will be fine. I can handle myself. You don’t have to protect me.” With that, Y/N tried to walk away from Haz while holding her composure.

“Y/N! Common!”

She did not want to listen. She wanted to be as far away from that resort house as she possibly could be. She did not want to stop for the boy running after. She did not want to hear anymore cutsie giggling from Tom and Jamie. And most of all, she did NOT want to feel her heart break into a million pieces, so she had to get away from there.

“Hello, I’d like to take a boat tour around the island. When we got here, they said that those were offered?” Y/N asked the concierge, holding the tears back.

“Yes, ma’am. We have one leaving in the next 15 minutes. Does that work for you?” the lady at the desk asked.

“That is perfect. Thank you. How many other people are on this tour?”

“There are about 8 others signed-up now. After you, we only have one more spot.”

“I’ll take that spot!” Harrison said slapping his hands onto the counter.

“Alright, sir. You have been added. The both of you can head through those doors, to the left, and down the path. Enjoy your boat tour,” the lady smiled as she handed Harrison and Y/N their tickets to get on the boat.

Y/N took one ticket and quickly went in the direction the lady pointed out. Harrison quickly grabbed the other ticket and went to catch up to the girl that didn’t want him around.

“Y/N! Wait up!”

“Haz! I told you not to bother!”

Harrison finally had Y/N in his reach and turned her around to face him. He could see the tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. “Love, why are you trying to hide this all from me. You know that I know and can tell exactly what you are feeling. Just let me help. Please?”

Harrison stood there and prayed that the girl he knew he would never stop loving would just let him in. He knew she would never return his feelings, but he couldn’t bear seeing her so sad.

“Haz. Have you ever watched someone that has been so important to you for what seems like most of your life just not even look at you the way that you look at them, but never wanted to feel to begin with?”

Y/N at that moment had completely forgotten about Haz saying he used to have feelings for her and was really just rambling what had been going on in her mind.

“Haz, I figured that by going on this trip, I would be spending so much time with him and I’d finally have the courage to tell him how I feel…how I’ve been feeling…”

She couldn’t hold them back anymore. The tears just started to silently roll down her cheeks.

“Common Haz. We are going to miss this boat.”

Y/N pulled out of Harrison’s grip, wiped her tears, and started walking again. Harrison on the other hand had to stand for a minute as he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. Why couldn’t she move on from this boy? How could Haz let him have this kind of power over her?

“Haz? Are you coming?” Y/N called softly. As much as she had begged him to leave her alone, she really was happy that he was still being a best friend and being there for her.

“Yeah, I’m coming, love,” Harrison said as he jogged to close the gap.

#tom holland x reader #tom holland #tom holland fan fic #harrison osterfield #harrison osterfield x reader #tom holland x y/n #harrison osterfield fan fic #tom holland x reader x harrison osterfield #kalimagik #new fic #mini series #trouble in paradise

105 notes · View notes

writingchalamet · 4 years

Text

We’ll Be Alright

Timothée Imagine based on the Fine Line by Harry Styles. A couple at college struggling through their beautiful but hard relationship together, within the walls of the small apartment they share.

A/N: There’s a lot of angst, some smut and swearing so if you’re not into it then please don’t read. There’s also a bit of tom Holland thrown in there as a bestfriend / potential lover read to find out...

“Put a price on emotion, I’m looking for something to buy”

The dimly lit apartment had already set the ambience for what felt like their hundredth argument that day. The only light coming from the amber fairy lights that hung in between books on the shelf above the bed, and from the lamp post that stood tall outside the window. The dull colour in the room only adding to that same dragging energy they had both felt all day. She looked at him, with her heavy eyelids and subtle tears cascading down her cheeks. Not enough for him to notice in this light and at the distance they stood away from each other.

The solemn expression that dawned his face hadn’t left since they got out of bed this morning. He was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it. If the constant feeling of numbness and anger towards each other was all they were ever going to feel. It didn’t always feel like this. There were times when they were happy. When that little apartment was filled with joy, music, dancing, laughter, love. Emotion. So many emotions had flown in and out of that apartment in the three years they had lived there together. Had they used it all up.

“Are you gonna say something Timothée?” you practically whispered from your cracked dry lips. Hardly looking in his direction at all, you couldn’t even remember what you were quarrelling over anymore.

“What’ s left to be said. I’m so sick of feeling like this y/n! I just want to feel something real with you. What fucking happened to us huh! We used to be so good and now I just feel like we’re on autopilot and we’re gonna crash and I don’t want that- I really don’t fucking want that-” He breathed the words out beginning to sob striding closer to you with every word.

“-I know, I don’t want that either baby, I just don’t know what we’re supposed to do, I feel like I’ve run out love to give and I hate that because you deserve everything and so much more” you say shamefully looking at the floor, Timmy grabs your face with both his hands and draws your heads together your lips meet, a slight metallic taste from the split in your cracked lips. One on Timmy’s hands left your cheek and wrapped itself around your waist closing the only space left between you. Your own hands twiddling their way into his messy but perfectly kept curls, occasionally stroking the side of his face. Tim pulled away short of breath, looking down at your smaller frame, carefully placing his forehead against yours, closing his eyes with a hint of a smile on his face.

“Tell me you don’t love me” Timothée stated boldly, looking at you dead in the eye. Your mouth dropped ajar unsure of how to respond.

“I can’t do that, why would you say that?” you questioned clearly rattled by his words.

“Then how can you say you have nothing more to give, if you love me, we can work through anything, right, we’re a team aren’t we?” He spoke passionately like he always does. One of the many traits you loved about him.

You nodded to him reassuringly, staring into those deep green eyes, you felt everything, you felt safe, you felt home, but most of all you felt love.

“You got my devotion, but man I can hate you sometimes”

Some weeks had past since you had both reconciled that night, but already things were beginning to look rocky again. Some days were great but other days you felt like throwing books at each other and sleeping at friends houses just to stay away from each other.

This morning Timothée had woken up in an incredibly foul mood, something you just didn’t have the time for. Strolling into the kitchen you noticed the dishes still in the sink from the night before, which had been Timmy’s turn to do the cleaning up. You decide against saying anything to save yourself the aggravation of another petty argument.

Lifting your foot up onto the small oak two person dining table to tie your shoelace, Timmy saunters into the kitchen with a towel hanging around his waist, droplets of water falling from his hair and down his chest. He looked beautiful until he opened his mouth. “Get your fucking foot off the table we have to eat off there” with a pissed off expression he trudged towards you leaving wet feet marks on the stone floor, and knocks your leg down, you lose your balance slightly but gain it back by grabbing hold of the table.

“what the fuck, T, first, they’re new so they’re clean and second, what is your problem?” Looking back at him with wide eyes shaking your head, adjusting the waistband of your sweatpants that had slightly ridden up. You look at him desperately searching for an answer but nothing, his face stuck with the same hard glaring expressing he’s been wearing all morning.

“Whatever, I’ve gotta get to school”, putting a slice of toast in your mouth and pulling your Columbia University lanyard over your neck you head towards the door.

“Why aren’t you coming on the bus with me?” You suddenly hear murmured behind you, you turn to look at him, his gaze has softened slightly, shoulders slumped. You look back at the dishes and the puddle beginning to form under his feet where he stand and begin to become more irritated at the fact he had the audacity to shout at you this morning for something so minor.

“I don’ t feel like being suffocated by your shitty energy this morning, so I’d rather walk” and with that you left the confinements of your apartment and hit the streets of New York.

You weren’t that far away from the campus probably about a 30 minute walk, but you were often too tired to walk and had too many books to carry, plus the bus stop is literally right outside your apartment building so why wouldn’t you. You texted your friend Tom who lived close by on the off chance he might walk in with you so didn’t feel as lonely. New York was great place to live, you’d always wanted to move to NY but as soon as you moved there you realised how lonely you were. Over 19 million people in one city and you’d never felt lonelier. Then you met Timothée, a fellow New Yorker, lived there his whole life, you were thankful you’d met him, he showed you around. All the best places to eat, drink, hang out with friends and then your relationship just blossomed. You wish you could just get back to how it was then. When things were easy. When he didn’t have to nit-pick at every single thing you do. You loved him so much, but hated him at the same time and it wasn’t healthy.

Your phone dinged and sure enough Tom was ready and waiting by his door just a few houses down from where you were now. You greeted him with a large Cheshire like grin and embraced him in a hug. “Hi” you both breathed out into the hug. “How are you” pulling away his British charm radiating off of him.

“I’m okay, thanks, a bit tired, Timmy woke up on the wrong side of the bed so I’m still a bit frazzled” he looked at sympathetically placing a hand on your back for comfort.

“Breakfast?” He then changed the subject quickly smiling at you his eyes almost resembling a puppies with their pleading manner.

“Of course, lead the way” you smile back laughing your response, your mood changing completely. He offers you his arm to link with his which you graciously take placing your head on his shoulder for just a second, thanking him for his kind gesture, lifting your spirits. It put a thought into your head, you remembered when Timothée used to be like this, and now he hardly even wants to hold your hand when you walk down the street. Or be near you on the couch at home, you were so devoted to him, but it felt non reciprocated at this point.

Timmy had thrown on some clothes quickly, leaving his hair wet, he chased after her out of the apartment. Following the usual route he caught up to her relatively swiftly. He had noticed her stopping to get her phone out, maybe she was going to call him. He didn’t want to seem like he was following her. He stared at her for a while a few paces behind. He took notice of the way she would look around at all the houses, staring longest at the ones she seemed to take a fancy to. How she would touch every lamppost she past, or pet every dog. She was a very caring person.

He felt bad for snapping at her this morning, he just couldn’t help it, the words came out before he had time to control what was happening. Tim realised it had been a while since she had got her phone out and there still hadn’t been a ‘ding’ on his own. He then realised the familiar house she was pottering towards. Tom’s. He hated Tom, well he didn’t hate Tom, he just envied the relationship he had with His girlfriend. Tom had asked Y/n out before Timmy did but she turned him down and went with Timmy instead. They however decided to stay friends, close friends, which Timmy hated. He watched in a frozen state as Y/n embraced Tom for what felt like the longest time. Then as they smiled at one another with a glimmer in their eyes. Tim felt deflated and broken. He knew that he was slowly pushing them closer together and the more he acted out he would eventually have to watch Tom replace him, and he hated it.

“I don’t want to fight you”

You wandered the halls of the university aimlessly, anything to keep you from going back home. As awful as it sounded, you’d rather stay the night in a 24 hour café working on your essays than fighting with him. However you soon happened upon your favourite room in the building, the library. You stepped in and smiled, striding towards your favourite corner of the overly large room. ‘Feminist Literature’ all the greats stood tall and proudly in their corner, you glanced upon the likes of Plath, Atwood and the Bronte sisters. Deciding on your next read, before noticing you had been joined by someone.

He focused on you in awe, watching the amazement and excitement light up in your eyes. Stretching yourself to reach a book on the top shelf, Timmy’s breathe hitched in his throat as your top rose, exposing the soft skin usually hidden from the world, the lace from your bralette peaking out revealing the slightest amount of under boob. He took two strong steps towards you and delicately placed his arms around you.

You jumped at the sudden contact, but soon realised it was him, recognising his very noticeable scent and mop of curls. You managed to turn slightly so your bodies would fit better together, and draped your arms around his neck and take in an inhale of his homely smell. “I miss you” you mumble, tucking your head into his neck leaving a kiss at the base of his neck.

“I miss you too, baby. I’m sorry for being an ass” He sighs into the hug pulling you closer, his hands laying flat on your sides, almost covering the whole of your ribcage, his hands travel underneath your crop top, one arm stretching to your opposite shoulder blade the other hugging tightly around your waist, as if he never wanted to let go.

“I don’t want to fight with you, anymore, I’m so tired of us going in circles and making each other feel like shit” You express pulling back slightly just to look him in the eye, making sure to keep your tones hushed to not disturb the other readers.

“Neither do I, shall we go home, and we can order takeout and snuggle on the couch and watch some movies?” He looks at you with a glint of hope in his eyes, a look you haven’t seen in weeks. He tilts his head to the side the first signs of a smile adorning his face, which appeared to ignite a little flicker between the two of you once again.

“sounds amazing” you lean in and touch your lips softly against his at first only to deepen it a few moments later. You hadn’t really touched each other in a few weeks, tension building rather fast. You slid your tongue half way into his mouth, gliding it along his, knowing how much he loves it. Granted you received a soft moan in return, his hands moving around your back to rest on your hips. He pushed you lightly into the cabinet causing a few books to knock off the shelves. You gasp eyes widening, and begin to laugh as a couple of books hit you both on the head. You pull away short of breath and excited. You bite your lip and look at each other and giggle again.

The moment is cut short by an ill tempered librarian storming down the isle. “What is going on here! Tidy this up, and get out. Quietly!” She gives the two of you a stern look before trudging away. You both look at each other and burst out laughing before tidying the books away and running off the campus hand in hand. It was the most fun you’d had with each other in a long while. And the most you’ve laughed in weeks. For once things felt good.

“We’ll get the drinks in, So I’ll to thinking of her”

It was Winter break, and you and Timmy had decided to throw a little gathering at your humble apartment. Only twenty or so people had been invited so it wouldn’t be a huge event, but still the thought of lots of people in your home stressed you out. You had spent the majority of the morning hiding vases and anything fragile in cupboards and putting up your modest Christmas decorations.

Timothée plodded around the apartment with his sweatpants hanging low on his hips, and a graphic t-shirt of some kind, you looked over at him and wondered how he always looked so effortlessly good. He placed red solo cups on the countertops next to the bottles of drink and mixers, and gathered snacks, putting them in different bowls.

“T! Can you help me put the topper on the tree?” you call out, standing on your tipping toes you were still just out of reach of those top branches. Not a second later Timmy was at your side launching you in the air and onto his shoulders, you screamed, and grabbed onto his head for support your legs tangling themselves around his neck. “I meant you do it you psycho!” you squawked at him from above, occasionally wobbling attempting to stay balanced.

“No, I always put it up, It’ s your turn” he laughs back, and steps a bit closer to the tree. You lift the angel up and carefully place her on the top branch twisting it a couple of times, ensuring it wouldn’t fall off.

Timmy then proceeds towards the couch and leans forwards letting you step down. You look downwards at him and smile, pulling him by his shoulders towards you again, his head landing in between your breasts his hands find your bum. You sigh jokingly as he gives it a little grope and a smack “Timmy” you warn, he laughs into you and raises his hands... Slightly. “I love you so fuckin much you know that” he breathes out with ease looking up at his adoring girlfriend. You smile and lean down, placing a simple kiss on his lips. You tease him as you pull away, licking him lips. He groans and rocks his head back looking back at you in frustration.

You step down off the couch and saunter towards the bedroom, to which he gives you hopeful stare. “I’m going to get ready, I’ll see you in a bit babe” you uttered with a teasing smile on your face and shut the door. All you could hear was a loud “Fuck!” from the other room.

~ Later that evening ~

With the party in full swing and many drinks later, you thank yourself for deciding to host, all the stress was completely worth it, after many compliments on your ‘beautiful home’ and ‘oh my god I love your decorations’ and ‘your tree is perfect’ you felt so relived. Timmy was hanging with his friends dancing like idiots, and you, well were trashed. After far too many rosé wines and pink gins you should have been put to bed an hour ago, but here you are, life and soul of the party.

You were taking with your friends Daya and Maggie on the sofa about absolutely nothing when Tom walked past. “Tom! Tom, help me up!” you hollered at him, he laughed and quickly came to your aid, you sent a quick wave the girls’ way as Tom pulled you off the couch. “What’s up?” he queried once he’d got you standing.

“I don’t know I just wanted to see you.” you giggle placing an arm on his shoulder and leaning your head into him. “oh god I think I’m gonna throw up” a sudden feeling of dizziness had overcome you, darting to the bathroom, dragging Tom along behind you.

Timothée noticed and a jealous rage washed over him. Why was his girlfriend who only hours before had been teasing him, hauling another man into the bathroom with her. Timmy couldn’t help the worried look that spread across his face as he saw Tom closing the door behind him. “-and then Finch kicked me out of the seminar” his group of friends erupted into laughter but Timmy kept his face straight. “Timmy” his friend hollered “huh” drawing his attention back to the group. “What’s up bud?” his friend Finn asked looking at in with genuine concern in his eyes. “Uh, I just need to go check on Y/n and make sure she’s doing okay, I’ll see you guys in a bit” he gives Finn a one armed hug and pats him on the back before he strides towards the bathroom. He didn’t like the sound of what was going on behind that door, but he couldn’t bring himself to open it. Leaning there in the hallway with his head pressed against the oak wood door, he heard something he wished he never heard. “Because I love you Y/n, and if you’re too stupid to still pick him over me then I don’t know what I’m still doing here.”

As you slid your bare feet along the stone floors practically carrying Tom on top of you to the bathroom you could feel the vomit moving up your chest. As soon as you reached the bathroom you hit the grey marbled floor and lurched your way to the toilet and let everything out. You heard Tom closing the door behind you, moving towards you to comfort you, he pulled your hair back, away from your face and stroked your back. You tiresomely reached up and flushed the toilet, using some toilet paper to wide your mouth. Tom helps you off pulling both your arms up and holding you still while you wobble a little bit. “Better?” Tom laughs lightly trying to lighten the mood in the brightly lit room.

“yes, thanks but I need to brush my teeth” you uttered stumbling a little, the alcohol having obvious affect on you. You pushed yourself up onto the counter next to the sink, while Tom prepared your toothbrush for you. The t-shirt dress you were wearing had ridden up exposing the tops of your legs, and you being in your inebriated state sat with your legs slightly open and comfortable, your underwear showing. Tom had noticed but tried hard not to look. He gave you your toothbrush and watched you brush your teeth in a child like manner, after spitting he gave you a glass of water for you to gargle and watched you carefully spit your toothe-pastey water to the side and into the sink with expertise.

You sigh feeling a sense of relief. and Pull Tom into you for a hug, he sits comfortably in between your legs and his arms wrap around your mid-drift. “thank you” You whispered with your eyes closed. You lean your head back pulling away from the hug but Tom, gives you a strange look, one you’ve never noticed on him before. He’s looking at you the same way Timmy looks at you. Right before you can say or do anything, one of his hands slips behind your neck and the other holds the top of your leg, and he pulls you into a kiss. His lips meet yours only for a few moments, moving rapidly encouraging you to kiss him back, but he soon stops when you push him away.

“What the fuck, why would you do that?” Jumping down off the counter putting some space between the two of you. “Because I love you Y/n, and if you’re too stupid to still pick him over me then I don’t know what I’m still doing here.” You stood there shocked not quite able to read the expression that lie on his face. “I don’t understand what’s going on Tom” You immediately felt very sober, searching his eyes for something, anything as to why he would try and ruin your relationship like that.

“He’s such a loser Y/n, and he doesn’t care for you half as much as I do, name me a time I’ve ever made you cry or pushed you around, or made you want to run away from me, huh” Tom questions stepping towards you and grabbing your shoulders speaking intensely. You slapped his hands away from you and backed yourself towards the door. All the things Tom said only angered and confused you.

“Just shut up Tom” You snapped “He might not be perfect but neither am I, do you think I make it easy for him, no I can be bitch I bite back, how dare you disrespect me like that. I love Timothée with every fibre of my being, I’m sorry if that makes you upset but that’s just how I feel. I thought I made it clear when I said no the first time, I’m sorry Tom, I really am” you emoted you felt heartbroken, like a piece of you had left, Tom had been one of your closest friends for years and now it felt as if your entire relationship had imploded.

“I just don’t get it you flirt with me-” “Flirt with you, what are you talking about” you interjected his lude conspiracy “You’re always running to me whenever he does something wrong, you’re always hugging me and snuggling up to me whenever he does something wrong but you throw me to the side as soon as he apologises, it’s fucking ridiculous Y/n” you stand there baffled shaking your head “I hug you all the time because you’re my best friend Tom, like I hug Daya or Mags, you comfort me I can’t help if I just seem overly friendly to you but that's just the way I am” Tom looked at you with a pleading look in eyes. “Tom I think you need to leave” “Y/n please don’t do this, I love-” “Tom! Just go please, before you ruin any chance of us being friends again.”

Tom steps past you and grabs a hold of the door handle. He jerks the door towards him to find a very deflated Timothée standing outside the door. Toms eyes widen at the sight of his best friends boyfriend, who had clearly heard him confess his love to, and opened his mouth to apologise.

“Save it, she told you to leave so get out.” Timmy spoke sharply, his face only inches away from Tom. You had never seen him this angry before, you were slightly scared to know what exactly he had heard. Tom scoffed and pushed his way past Timmy shaking his head. With everything that had gone on the past ten minutes you had completely forgotten that there was a party going on. The sudden blare of the music had hit you all too suddenly. You looked up at Timmy as he stepped into the bathroom and you prepared yourself for your second round of heartbreak of the evening.

Only to find his arms wrap around you in an instant. You reciprocated the affection and drew he closer to you “I love you” he whimpered into your hair peppering kisses onto your head. “I love you Timothée, how much of that did you hear” you say your words muffled by the closeness of his body. “Enough.” he sighed. “I’d choose you every time Timothée I want you to know that, even when we fight and I go and vent to Tom, you’re all that's on my mind, constantly, I love you” You pull back raising you hands to hold both sides of his face and caress his cheeks. He leans into your touch lips curling into a smile. “ I Love you. c’mon, enough commotion lets go enjoy our night.” Pressing a kiss onto your lips and pulling you towards the door. You smile with a sigh of relief and head back out to join the party.

“You sunshine, you temptress, my hands at risk, I fold”

The Christmas lights twinkled in the apartment. You had the thermostat turned right up at the sight of snow glistening outside your second floor window. Snuggled in blankets you persisted on writing the essay you had been assigned over the winter break, but you had been stuck with the same paragraph staring you in the face for the past hour and a half. Timothée had gone out to run some errands and to see his sister but of course due to the snow he ended up taking a lot longer than he planned.

You run your fingers through your hair, knotted from the amount of times you’d pulled it up into a pony tail, out of a pony tail, into a bun, let it down and pulled it around again. You sigh saving your work before slamming your laptop closed. You head towards the kitchen grabbing a bowl of cereal to tide you over until dinner later. You hear the door slam and a very soggy Timothée slumps through the door, shaking off his snow ridden coat onto the nearest radiator to dry off. He slips out of his shoes and falls down onto the couch letting out a deep breath.

He looks towards you and smiles lifting his arms gesturing you towards him. “where’s my girl” he smiles, you put the half empty bowl of cereal down and move towards him. As you reach him, his hands weave themselves around you pulling you down towards him. You straddle his hips shuddering when his icy hands reach up to hold your bare legs. “Timmy, you’re freezing!” You squeak as he nuzzles his head into your neck. He kisses your neck his hot breath a large contrast to his icy skin. “Well I guess you should warm me up then” You gasp at the brazenness of his statement but lean in pulling his head towards yours.

His lips meet you in the middle, smashing against yours passionately, in a mix of tangled limbs and soft moans you soon found yourselves heating up. Timmy glides his tongue against your bottom lip requesting access which you happily grant. Your tongues slide along side each other creating a harmonious rhythm, you both enjoy. You shift yourself closer to Timmy earning a soft moan to fall from his lips as your almost bare groin grazes over his sweatpants clad crotch. His hands slid up the bottom of your loosely fitted dress and his hands danced over your ass, grabbing and smacking playfully. “Y/n” Timmy eagerly encourages in between the animalistic kisses. “uh huh” you reply in short already knowing what the response is probably going to be. “Bedroom” he huffs, standing up bringing you to your feet. You continue to roughly make out on your journey to the bedroom, bumping into things and stomping to kiss against walls. You finally make it to the door which Timmy kicks open with his foot and pulls you inside.

You manoeuvre to the bed lit up by the fairy lights on the book shelf, and Timmy pushes your body down onto the bed throwing the show cushions down onto the floor, you give him a quick glare as he knows how much you hate that and he shakes his smiles and kiss you. Kneeling over you his hands go to the bottom of your dress which he begins to lift up, your hips rise, then you sit up watching your dress get disregarded onto the floor along with the pillows. Tim takes a short breath at the sight of you braless under your clothes with just a simple black silk underwear, he leans down and places a kiss at your navel a hand greedily reaching up to fondle your breast. You reach your hand to his face and pull him up so he’s eye level with you. “Please Timothée, I want you”

With a nod he slips out of his clothes and joins you back on the bed, lips smacking together and bodies becoming sheer with a layer of thin sweat his excitement was prominent his member poking you in the groin every now and then. His fingers trail down to your underwear, tugging at the sides of them until they are far enough the way down for you to kick off. He lies there in between your legs and just stares at you for a moment. “I love you so much” Your hand glides along his cheek, into his curls and you pull him in for a loving kiss, Your other hand reaches down and grasps his member, he gasps, head lulling back. You guide his member inside your walls breathing eradicated at the feeling. He moves his hips slowly picking up the pace as he goes along, you let out a high pitched moan as he thrusts inside you with a harder force.

Burying his face in your neck he lifts up one of your legs to sit on his shoulder deepening the position and lets out a gluttonous moan. Your head rolls backs, back arching and toes curling, gasping for air, he continues to slide in and out of you at a fast hard pace, your nails scrape up his back leaving harsh lines making him moan your name. His pelvis swirling into yours sending shivers down your spine, you can feel him everywhere, and it’s beautiful his head turns towards you and bangs your lips together once more. You moan into his mouth causing him to jerk his hips into you harder and harder only increasing your pleasure. “Fuck” you mutter quietly eyes rolling to the back of your head. “I love you” You whisper breathlessly. Timothée rolled his hips over repeatedly the friction building up to your climax which he could feel by your walls tightening and your eyes screwing shut. “Good girl” he whispers in your ear as you feel yourself fall apart beneath him. His smile soon dropped back into concentration as he picked back up his pace and in a matter of pumps was grunting back into the crook of your neck.

A lazy smile adorned his face as he pulled himself out and slumped down pulling you into his side. You turn your head to him, he looked so beautiful in this dim amber lighting the glow softly cascading over his pale features.

“I love you so much Timothée Chalemet, you are truly the best thing that ever happened to me, I’m so lucky to have met you and to know you” you whisper, your fingers tracing the soft skin of his chest. He presses a hard kiss onto the side of your head.

“I love you, and I know we’ve been through a lot shit the past few months but I think we’ll be alright. You are the kindest most beautiful person I know, I love you” adorning another kiss onto your head. He pulls the covers up over the both of you and you watch the snow fall outside the window on top of the lamppost, watching it gather in tiny formations. He whispers again gently playing with her hair “We’ll be alright”

#timothée chalamet icons #timothee fanfic #timothee x reader #timothée imagine #timothée x reader #timothée x you #tom holland #tom holland imagine #imagines #little women #cmbyn #timothée chalamet imagines #fanfic #timothée fanfic #fanfiction #smut #timothée smut #timothée #timothée chalamet

412 notes · View notes

oh-great-authoress · 3 years

Note

19 for Fandom Asks! :)

Do you have any idea how hard your ask was, Welsh?

This drove me up the wall.

Okay, if I could be a part of any story, which story would I want to tag along in?

Well, it all depends.

Are we talking unadulterated canon stories, or fanfic—but then again, those things are not mutually exclusive.

So, here are the unadulterated canon stories I would love to be in, either to change outcomes myself, or to just enjoy the ride.

1. The Rise of Skywalker. I can save Ben and Armitage. I know I can. I’m a Slytherclaw. I can manage that.

2. Revenge of the Sith. I’m sure I can find a subtle way to convince Anakin that no, Padmè is not going to die in childbirth, yes, Palpatine is totally skeevy, and no, Obi-Wan’s not going to kill you for having a wife. He might be momentarily shocked and maybe a little bit upset, but he’s not going to kill you.

3. Harry Potter. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’d be right there, trying to convince Draco Malfoy to defect, and that I’d be right there at the Shrieking Shack/Boathouse with a bezoar to shove down Severus Snape’s throat, and a wand to intone Vulnera Sanentur three times. (Yes, I like Snape and Malfoy, I’m sorry, sue me, tumblr)

4. Lord of the Rings, but in particular, The Return of the King.

5. It’s not even been released yet, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, because Anson Mount’s Captain Pike was awesome, and so were Ethan Peck as Spock, and Rebecca Romijn as Number One, and this show’s definitely going to be awesome.

6. Again, another thing that hasn’t even been released yet, but The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. These two have some of the biggest dumbass energy I’ve ever seen, and I just want to eat popcorn while following Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.

7. Basically all of the Star Trek Alternate Original Series, but in particular, Star Trek: Into Darkness. If I can’t save the original timeline’s Captain Pike, because his fate is one that is unavoidable, you’re definitely going to find me pulling the the Kelvin Timeline’s Admiral Pike out of the way of that phaser blast. Jim Kirk lost one father, he doesn’t need to lose another.

8. 1995 Sense and Sensibility. Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. Enough said.

9. Pride and Prejudice. Again, enough said.

10. Game of Thrones. While I believe that Jaime Lannister went back to King’s Landing to save his sister, not his lover, (since that’s the only way I can wrap my head around that) I’d only be there to set a trap on the Kingsroad, knock his ass out cold, and drag him back to Winterfell.

Now, regarding fanfiction, that’s more difficult. But here are the fanfics I’d like to tag along in, in no particular order, because these are all amazing works. I’m naming non-pairing centric fics, because if I did, this list would be literal miles long, even longer than it already is.

1. When Darkness Seems to Hide This Place by IllyanaA. This fifty chapter epic is a wild ride, but this story kept me so entertained, I barely noticed the chapter count.

2. The whole Lord Vader’s Limpet Saga by frodogenic. This entire AU is just an amazing combo of laughs, feels, and drama. One of my favorite tropes is Admiral Piett is Done With Life, and the story in this AU, Meet the Skywalkers, which chronologically, is the first story in this wonderful AU, is from his point of view, and boy, let me tell you, it really, really delivered with Admiral Piett is Done With Life. I cannot recommend this whole AU more.

3. You Shall Become (Me) by Jedipati. This story was great, and the premise is all too plausible.

4. The Sanctuary AU by Sheankelor. As a Catholic, I loved this story; it was very well-written and the details were dead on, especially when you consider the author does not seem to be Catholic nor Christian.

5. A Riddled Universe by hazeldragon. I love the idea that there’s a universe where Tom Riddle is a good guy.

6. The Thrice Defied Series by Rae Kelly. This was so good, I ate this whole series up in two days.

7. The On The Flip Side series by MusicMelis. This. I am such a sucker for mentor!Severus & Harry fics, and these are good ones.

8. A Second Chance by keyphoenix. See the above.

9. Anakin and the Darkness Within by SsgtC. This is really, really good, with drama, laughs, and details I never thought I needed.

10. Legend of the Lost by Rosaria Marie. I was kinda torn about putting this, because I always cry whenever I read this, but it’s too good not to include.

11. Bonus: A Wolf Amongst Lions by @kallypsowrites . The pairing here is very unusual, (don’t worry, it happens after Arya’s of age) in that it is Arya/Jaime, and at first I wasn’t sold on that, but the story isn’t really centric on that pairing, its main focus is its Arya & Tywin dynamic, which is what really sucked me in, and along the way, to my not-unpleasant surprise, I found myself not minding the Jaime/Arya. I was blown away by how amazingly this story was written, that I faithfully followed whenever the author would upload a chapter. Honestly, it was a highlight of my Thursday, that’s how much liked this fic.

#asks #ask game #ask games #ask nadia

1 note · View note

coinelot · 5 years

Photo

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to actually collect fic recs from all guests during the convention, but a bunch of them sent in fic recs to us via email afterwards, and we’d like to share the results with everyone. All in one post, that’s going to be long, but you’ll have them all in one place :).

Angst & Hurt/Comfort

Home Like Here

by @pendragoff, 3,594 words, Teen+

Sometimes at night Arthur pretends Merlin's laying in the bed beside him, fast asleep.

Such Fractured Shadows

by i_claudia, 24,625 words, Explicit

Lionel is the first, approaching Merlin one late summer afternoon as the sun slants through the dust in the stables and turns the air into heavy fire.

Guard and Keep You

by youfeelallthat, 7,426 words, Explicit

A nasty storm rolls in and Merlin takes Arthur, his company's sweet, simple custodian, home with him. They end up finding much more than shelter.

Forming the Lines

by alcove-words, Teen+

Merlin takes ill and is conflicted over Arthur, Arthur is conflicted over Merlin and hates considerate replacement servants, and the knights are helpful, thoughtful fellows.

With podfic by alcove-words.

Saving Merlin

by @arthur-the-cute, 22,794 words, Explicit

A prompt given to me via my ask box on Tumblr: Season one, The Poisoned Chalice. Arthur is in the room when he thinks Merlin has died and instead of Gwen kissing Merlin, Arthur does.

Challenge accepted.

Fluff

To Dance With the One You Love

by emrys_mk, 1,042 words, Teen+

Arthur asks his father why he made Merlin his manservant.

of blowjobs and candy rings

by coffeeandparchment, 6,221 words, Teen+

"No."

"What? I didn't even say anything yet."

"You didn't have to. It's all in your beady little eyes. You want me to give you a piggyback to the club." Arthur said.

"My feet hurt," Merlin said, as if that was a good enough reason for a piggy back. At Arthur's silence, Merlin pouted. Gods, maybe he was a little more than tipsy.

Arthur slowed down as Merlin walked past. "What are you doing now? For someone who is all about doing these quickly you sure ar—” Merlin cut off as he turned to see Arthur stopped and crouching down. "What are you doing?"

Arthur huffed in annoyance. "What does it look like, Merlin? Are you going to get on or just leave me crouching here like an idiot all night?"

Concert Air

by Saturning, 9,303 words

Arthur and Morgana were having the times of their lifes at this rock festival. Then a drunk Merlin almost ran Arthur over and his excuse took Arthur's breath away, quite literally.

Mint Editions (84 Charing Cross Road)

by @wanderlust48, 10,049 words, Teen+

A London bookseller and an aspiring New York writer strike up an easy friendship over correspondences about books, and food parcels. Arthur and Merlin finally meet in person in London.

Screen control your mother(board)

by furloughday, 10,890 words, Gen

Arthur is Merlin's tech support at work.

With podfic by @momotastic27

Canon, Canon AU & Reincarnation

The Curse and the Coffee Shop

by merlinsivan, 21,860 words, Teen+, WIP

OUAT/ Coffee Shop AU. When Morgana casts a curse that will bring the gang back to our world with no recollection of who they are, will true love’s kiss be able to break the curse? Featuring dragons turned baristas, clueless warlocks and kings that may realise magic isn't such a bad thing after all.

Writers Block

by Kalee60sAlterEgo, 45,808 words, Mature

Merlin, a travel writer for a well-known paper went to his local bar to forget the worst day in history – he didn't expect to sit down at a table and free-write a story starring the god-like barman, Arthur. And he 'really' didn't expect to be drawn back there again and again to write – each story more outlandish than the next.

King for a Day

by @guessimaclotpole, 26,592 words

King Uther has had a rough week, and so he drunkenly decides to take a 2 day holiday. Arthur is thrilled at his opportunity to temporarily become King. That is until Uther announces that Merlin will have to act as King too.

In which two idiots are in love, and learn about what it takes to be a noble and honest leader.

The Long Lost Prince of Camelot

by Phoenixfire513, 31,036 words, Teen+

What if Uther had not banned magic? What if Ygraine had given birth to twins and one had magic? What will the king and his twin brother Balinor do when the Prince who had magic is threatened?

Now I Will Unsettle the Ground Beneath You

by nu_breed, 42,323 words, Explicit

Merlin's dreams have always fuelled his art, but they've always been abstract and removed from reality. Soon after he meets Gwaine, he starts to see vivid images of a past full of death and magic and love for a King who was ripped from him. Things only escalate further when he spends a weekend in the country with Gwaine and meets his group of friends, which includes aristocrat and It Boy, Arthur Pendragon. Merlin soon realises that no matter how hard you try, one thing is certain, you can't fuck with destiny.

With podfic by fluffyllama

Three Castles

by @rageprufrock, 4,538 words, Teen+

It’s a perfectly wretched day in Camelot when Uther Pendragon announces Arthur’s betrothal.

With podfic by EosRose

With podfic by paraka

With podfic by dodificus

The Knights Have a Thousand Eyes

by Stakeaclaim, 74,232 words, Teen

In which Arthur is teaching his knights and Merlin is about to get roped into a lesson.

With podfic by Beccaleelee

Route to Advancement

by magog_83, 30,350 words, Gen

New Knight hopeful, Percy, has been at Court four months, but it might be another four years before Prince Arthur stops calling him Perrin. That's where Merlin comes in.

With podfic by kalakirya

Fidelity

by @schweetheart, 70,249 words, Explicit

Arthur and Gwen have been married for a little under a year when Arthur discovers Merlin's magic, and suddenly everything changes. In a desperate attempt to regain the King's trust, Merlin offers to do the only thing he can think of: to voluntarily bind his power, and with it sacrifice all hope for a united Albion. But as with all things magical, such a concession comes with a price, and with an assassin in their midst and a vital political alliance hanging in the balance, Merlin is not the only one who will find his loyalty tested.

Awake

by Cori_Lannam, with art by @phoenix-acid, 50,711 words, Explicit

King Arthur sleeps in Avalon, waiting to return at the hour of Albion's greatest need. But once a year he awakes and spends a single day with Merlin, who will never, ever leave him.

Crossovers & Fusions

In Front of the Whole World

by Trillsabells, 1,492 words, Gen

She was meant to be showering away the sweat, changing into her Team GB sweatsuit and sorting out her hair to look presentable at the presentation. Instead she was sat on the bench, staring at the wall and wondering what she was thinking and what the hell she was going to do now.

All because of one kiss.

Fast Girls crossover

Broken

by Clea2011, 2,697 words, Teen+

“I’m not Leo Elster,” Merlin snarled. “I don’t even know who he is.”

The synth, or whatever they had all become now, just shook his head sadly. “You don’t remember.”

Merlin remembered. Merlin remembered more than he ever wanted to.

Humans crossover

Note to Idiot

by @tinylilemrys, 9,762 words, Teen+

Arthur and Merlin are members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad who work different shifts and share the same office. Arthur, who works the day shift, can't stand the rain. Merlin, who works the night shift, can't concentrate without it.

When they both get tired of changing the weather in the magical window in their underground office, is there a more British way to settle their differences than with a few passive-aggressive memos?

Harry Potter crossover

Two Weeks Notice

by ras_elased, 39,884 words, Explicit

Arthur is a prattish Executive VP of the Pendragon Corporation with a disturbingly non-ironic love of Demotivational posters. Merlin is a tree-hugging barista with a "magic" tongue. Morgana's a peeping Tom and her breasts have superpowers. Gwen and Lancelot get married. Owain is the company bicycle. Arthur attempts to steal Merlin's affections from Will through epic DDR combat. Merlin gets drunk a lot. There is a pillow fight, and a helicopter ride, and rooftop confessions, and Arthur decides Merlin really is his destiny, whether he likes it or not.

Two Weeks Notice fusion

With podfic by jennacorinth

The King of Mars

by @ivaleelovesmerlin, 34,304 words, Teen+

As children, the Pendragon siblings were obsessed with the space program. They dreamt of becoming astronauts and one day walking on another planet. Their dream leads them to NASA where the revelation of magic suddenly brings Mars within our reach. The Camelot 1 crew, including both Pendragons and powerful sorcerer, Merlin Emrys, land on Mars, and the world celebrates -- until a Martian storm cuts the mission short and tragedy strikes. Arthur is killed, and Morgana makes the difficult decision to leave her brother's body behind on Mars. His crewmates and the world mourn his loss, until Gwen Smith, a clever engineer at NASA, makes a shocking discovery: Arthur is alive.

His ingenuity and determination will get him far, but will Arthur be able to survive alone on Mars until help arrives?

The Martian fusion

Arthur Pendragon and the Quest With a Capital Q

by rubberglue, based on art by @akikotree, 8,164 words, Gen

There's a Holy Grail out there and Arthur Pendragon wants to find it, if only to prove to his father that he is a hero. He gathers his reluctant, suffering manservant and best knights (sort of - some of them are unavailable) and sets off on a quest for the Holy Grail. Gwen never wanted to go on any quest but her mistress, Morgana, thinks the young prince is in danger and requires their aid. And so, the two motley groups make their way through the wilds of Camelot in search of their trophy, encountering overly-stubborn knights, knights with bad dress sense and guards with an unusual interest in ornithology (to name a few) before their final encounter with the big bad - a very fluffy big bad.

As it turns out, the quest is less epic than this summary.

Monty Python fusion

With podfic by @akikotree.

Winter & Christmas

Christmas Memories

by @ivaleelovesmerlin, 4,337 words, Teen+

Merlin and Arthur spend a cozy Christmas Eve snuggled before the fire, reminiscing about past Christmases.

What Nonsense!

by @momotastic27, 8,735 words, Gen

In which Uther Pendragon is Ebenezer Scrooge.

It’s That Time of the Year

by @rotrude, 20,819 words, Explicit

Merlin is a personal shopper at a high-end department store. He's tasked with helping Arthur, who's helpless when it comes to gift ideas for his demanding friends and family. Arthur soon finds that going shopping isn't that tremendous an ordeal.

The Good Times Are Killing Me

by minor_hue, Explicit

In which the boys pretend to still be together for Christmas (and there is more than one kind of charade).

With podfic by @misssnowfoxx

Merlin’s Yule Gift

by rotrude, 15,465 words, Explicit

It's the first Yule after Uther's death and in spite of some initial doubts as to the propriety of holding revels, Arthur decides to celebrate the festival all the same. The populace deserves a time for merry-making and so do his friends and loved ones. Now present exchanges are a Camelot Yuletide tradition, a long established convention. And that's where Arthur's plans falter just a little. While he knows what to give his friends and followers, he has no idea how to reward Merlin. Right, Merlin...

High School & University AU

Best You Ever Had

by neuroticnick (now orphaned), 36,305 words, Explicit

Arthur has been with just about every girl in the sixth form. Merlin pines from afar, knowing he doesn't have a chance. Then Merlin gets an invitation, and realises he has a chance after all. Apparently Arthur is bored and wants to try something new. Merlin knows it's meaningless sex, but he might just be okay with that. Even if the butterflies in his stomach say otherwise.

With podfic by @merlins-earmuffs

The Pope, A Singing Nun, and Arthur Walk Into a Library

by @gigi-gigi, 4,210 words, Teen+

Merlin is a librarian, Arthur is in search of a book. Of course this entire transaction results in true love. There might also be a professor asleep in the Ancient Egypt section.

With podfic by striped_bowties

Best Friends & Flatmates

Little Hours

by orphan_account, 3,640 words, Teen+

Arthur is sleep deprived and Merlin just bought so many snacks.

Time Forward

by @kianspo, 23,180 words, Teen+

While still at uni, Arthur Pendragon meets two people who become his best friends. He falls in love with one of them... but marries the other. This isn't his story to tell; it's Merlin's. And Merlin will always remember that he met Arthur first.

With podfic by @sugaredwhimsey

Something Unpredictable

by alby_mangroves, with art by @softershadows, 38,957 words, Explicit

Arthur’s treehouse was the same as Merlin remembered it, all of it was. Maybe a little smaller, but then everything was, now.

And then there was Arthur himself; and it wasn't so much that a lot had changed about him, not really, it was only that everything had lengthened and broadened and become more.

Enemies to Lovers & Friends to Lovers

When You're Busy Making Other Plans

by helloearthlings, 3,339 words, Teen+

Merlin and The Plan were two irreconcilable parts of Arthur's life.

He wasn't ready to let go of either of them.

Rule Number Four

by orphan_account, 47,732 words, Explicit

Pendragon Enterprise is the world's leading computer security company and ruthless when it comes to taking down malicious programmers. It's the perfect place for a skilled hacker like Merlin Ambrosius (codename: Emrys) to work undercover and gain a tactical advantage. But being the personal assistant for vice-CEO Arthur Pendragon is more complicated than Merlin expects. The female Pendragon threatens castration, Arthur apparently sleeps with all his PAs, and it only gets more complicated when the Kilgharrah virus causes a panic. Merlin might just have a solution though, because Anonymous...Anonymous is legion.

In Spite of Everything, the Stars

by @thepolomonkey with art by @mushroomtale-fanart, 82,243 words, Explicit

London. 2015. The government is set to vote on ending the microchipping of magic users, and Arthur Pendragon has been tasked with kidnapping prominent Magical activist Merlin Emrys to influence the outcome.

Locked away in a house on the North York Moors, tensions rise and confrontation ensues as Arthur is forced to re-evaluate everything he’s been taught about magic, and Merlin finds himself in a struggle for his life. And the fact that they’re falling for each other doesn’t help…

With Podfic by @momotastic27

Love, Toast, and Post-It Notes

by themadlurker, 6,704 words, Teen+

It was love at first sight, and Merlin knew it — when it came to the flat, that was. Merlin wasn't anything like as clear about the man he was going to have to live with.

With podfic by @tipsyxkitty

But It’s a Good Refrain

by @theladyragnell, 23,090 words, Teen

Arthur doesn't care much about the popular radio program Dragon's Lonely Hearts until his ex-girlfriend calls in to slag him off and get advice. When he calls in and has an on-air argument with the host, it starts off more than he expected, including meddling friends, overinvolved fans, and maybe love.

With podfic by striped_bowties

At Our Best When It’s From the Hips

by @derryere, 12,781 words, Explicit

Merlin goes to a brothel to get rid of that virginity thing and runs into Arthur. From there on, it's all madness.

Fake Dating & Fake Marriage

A Date for Dinner

by the5leggedcricket, 10,002 words, Mature

This time Uther has gone too far. With the help of Morgana and a ridiculous advertisement, Arthur finds the perfect revenge: a pretend boyfriend.

#weddingweekend

by sweetiejelly, 5,335 words, Mature

Being with Arthur has never been a chore. Being with Arthur is a breeze, a real breeze, especially in the convertible with the top down.

(Or, Arthur pretends to be Merlin's boyfriend for a wedding weekend. Kilgharrah 'Killy' possibly ships Merlin with Arthur or possibly just wants some chicken.)

An Exchange of Favours (aka The One Where Arthur Gets his Dick Stuck in a Door)

by SPowell, 9,030 words, Explicit

When Merlin gets a stranger out of a jam, he asks him to pretend to be his boyfriend for the night in order to make his ex jealous.

Maybe We Were Coming All Along

by @sassafrasx, 22,181 words, Explicit

In retrospect, the "Prince on the Lam in Wales" Christmas headline was not what Arthur had intended.

Of Coffee Shops and Terrifying Sisters

by Ellenoel117, 4,626 words, Gen

In a sleepy haze Arthur stumbles into a random coffee shop, not expecting much, just coffee. Enter Merlin, shy, dorky and impossibly cute. Add in a rushed explanation, Morgana being Morgana and you've got something cooking.

The Practice Boyfriend

by giselleslash, 24,495 words, Mature

Merlin’s been in love with Lance for years, but he hasn’t had much experience dating and he wants to figure out the ins and outs of dating before Lance comes back into his life. Cue Arthur and his manwhoring ways, ready and willing to show Merlin the ropes.

A Prophecy of Dragons

by Skitz_phenom, 65,185 words, Explicit

Named the Last Dragonlord as his birthright, Merlin knows he must be responsible to his fellow druids and honor the tenets of the prophecy. That doesn't mean he's entirely happy about it and of course, trudging through yet another year of ritual with yet another potential consort, Merlin's perhaps grown a bit too blasé about the whole thing. So when Arthur Pendragon shows up in the Valley of the Fallen Kings, and they're both swept up in the auspices of said prophecy, he's not entirely sure how to feel about it all (or about the handsome, arrogant prince).

Domesticity (in est. relationship) & Parent AU

Oh Baby!

by ReneeLaRoux, 7,862 words, Gen

A witch's hex turns Arthur and Merlin into infants. The Knights of the Round Table are tasked with babysitting the miniature King and his Warlock.

The mysterious creature that struck at the heart of Camelot in the wake of the Festival of Ostara

by @prue84, 5,341 words, Gen

As the Festival of Ostara approaches, a mysterious creature threatens Camelot’s crown. Will King Arthur survive the attack or will the creature succeed in deposing the head of the Pendragon’s nest?

Pole Dancing AU

by Bevinkathryn, 47,916 words, Explicit

Arthur's secretary is hell bent on getting him a life. He never expected that life to involve her pole dancing friend, Merlin.

With podfic by @momotastic27

One Day at a Time

by @sara-bocchan

Arthur had returned a couple of weeks ago and Merlin and him are slowly but surely settling into their new routine of adjusting Arthur to the modern world, preparing for the impending threat to Albion, and making the best out of this second chance. This is a story about one of these normal, calm days in their new lives.

Fostered

by @rageprufrock, 6,511 words, Teen+

Obviously, it was not just any sort of egg.

With podfic by dodificus

Keep the Magic Secret

by orphan_account, 73,580 words, Explicit

For the prompt: Someone tells Arthur about the legends of Emrys, an all-powerful warlock whose destiny is to protect Arthur and his kingdom and help bring about an age of peace. He is told that Emrys is someone close to him, and has hidden his identity and trials over the years to protect himself and make sure he can continue on at Arthur's side. When Arthur asks who it is, the person turns to Arthur and shrewdly asks: "Arthur, who do you want it to be?" ... Arthur's mind automatically goes to Merlin.

Cis Swap, Genderbending & Sexuality and Gender Minorities

Dude Looks Like a Lady

by Uniquely_Queer67, 4,941 words, Teen+

In this au, Arthur returned from Avalon a few weeks before he reunites with Merlin in this fic, and had to figure out the world by himself during that time (once he found Google he was pretty much set). But apparently he doesn't know enough when he falls for a gorgeous young woman performing in a club; or so he thinks...

Here and Nowhere Else

by @pendragoff, with art by @eviko, 41,882 words, Explicit

"We've grown into what our fathers had planned for us to be and that makes it even more impossible."

Forced into friendship for publicity at a young age, Merlin finds herself drawn to Arthur despite the fear of dishonoring her own father's memory. Arthur, the daughter of an unkind ruler, has her own issues to work through; seeing as the object of her affections has magic, the one thing her father hates above all else.

Remember, Remember, the Fift of November

by @angelqueen04, 3,351 words, Mature

Secrets destroy, one way or another.

With podfic by Hebecious

Smut

Someone Special

by teprometo, 3,882 words, Explicit

Merlin’s best mate’s older brother is really hot. It’s sort of a problem.

With podfic by sophinisba

Moments Like This

by dreamdustmama, 3,078 words, Explicit

In which Arthur is definitely not drunk, Merlin's secret is no longer a secret (at least from Arthur) and so-not-the-first-time sex happens.

Favourite Epic Length (100k+)

Evil Overlord, Inc.

by @insanewordcount, with art by @mushroomtale-fanart, 137,922 words, Mature

Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.

Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.

One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.

(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)

Favourite Short Story (under 5k)

Play Me Something

by Caledonia, 2,100 words

Merlin is a classical pianist who habitually gets notes of complaint from his neighbours, and habitually gets evicted by landlords unwilling to keep the peace. Until one note turns out quite differently than the others.

The Tulip Thief

by @thepolomonkey, 3,182 words, Gen

'Sometimes I steal flowers from your garden on my way to the cemetery, but today you’ve caught me and have demanded to come with me to make sure the “girl is pretty enough to warrant flower theft” and I’m trying to figure out how to break it to you that we’re on our way to a graveyard'

Damsel in a Phone Booth

by @blackwidina 3,053 words, Teen+

I was on Tumbler and found this AU prompt:

“it’s the middle of the night and i’m walking home alone in the dark and there’s this guy following me and he’s starting to gain on me and i found this phone booth with a lock on the door and i tried to call my best friend but my hands were shaking so badly i accidentally dialed the wrong number and i don’t even know you but help me” au

And this was born. Enjoy!

Stranger Things Than Strangers

@fractionallyfoxtrot, 995 words, Gen

Arthur calls Leon to complain about a horrible meeting with his father. At least, he thought he called Leon.

One Day

by @thepolomonkey, 2,018 words, Teen+

Arthur meets Merlin outside a support group.

how not to propose

by @merlinwyllt, 100 words, Gen

“What would you do if I put a crown on your head?”

Favourite Fic

Ace of Hearts

by beccadearie, 32,285 words, Mature

One night when out with friends, Merlin meets Arthur and quickly realizes that they have something in common: they are both asexual and trying to make their way through life and love in a sexual world without going crazy. What starts as hanging out between friends evolves into something more, and Merlin and Arthur decide to plunge headfirst into this tenuous relationship of give and take between the two of them.

Missed Connections (Glory, Glory Holelelujah)

by tourdefierce, 51,218 words, Explicit

Glory-Hole Romantic Comedy. 'NUFF SAID PEOPLE.

You bring the music to my silent world

by Balthamos, 49,818 words, Mature

Arthur and Merlin are thrown together as children when Merlin’s mother moves into the Pendragon Manor as the new housekeeper, bringing her deaf son Merlin with her. Arthur is a loud and obnoxious child, whereas Merlin is quiet but not as shy as everyone thinks. The two children become fast friends, but as they grow up together things begin to change, due to the pressure of wanting to be normal, and the growing lack of communication between the pair. Growing up is never easy and the graceful friendship they had as children gets lost as they reach their teenage years, but through their difficulties they develop a deeper, stronger relationship, one far more permanent.

Sitter!verse

by orphan_account, 32,476 words, Teen+

In which Mordred is Morgana’s 7 year-old son, Merlin is her (terribly cute) housekeeper/babysitter, and Arthur is over all the time because he’s hopelessly in love with him.

Jerusalem

by Magnolia822, 28,859 words, Explicit

Prince Arthur has spent his eighteenth year in a drunken haze of public debauchery, and after the latest round of incriminating photographs, King Uther is fed up. Though magic is outlawed and Magic Users are generally distrusted, Uther secretly hires a young sorcerer to keep Arthur in line, much to Arthur's chagrin. But what starts out as an antagonistic relationship becomes much more as Arthur, increasingly drawn to his secretive young warden, begins to suspect there is something rotten in the state of Great Britain.

And like the cycle of the year, we begin again

by katherynfromphilly, 209,983 words, Mature

For many long years Merlin waited.

For the other part of his soul, for the other half of his life. He was born to serve Arthur. So that meant he was also born to wait. Even if it took a thousand years. Even if the wait seemed never to end.

Until one day, suddenly, it did.

--------------

Set after the Merlin Series 5 Finale "Diamond of the Day". Canon Compliant. In Character. Arthur Pendragon Returns

When Arthur stumbles from the Lake of Avalon 1,500 years after his death, he finds a world unlike the one he knew. Faced with the loss of everyone he loved, and the threat of impending prophecy, Arthur must quickly learn what it means to be not just a king, but the Once and Future King. Merlin does all he can to guide him in this journey, even as he struggles to hide his love for his king, and to conquer his fear of losing him again.

Story includes sass, banter, horseplay, and True Love.

Creators of COiNELOT

Distant Echoes

by @sara-bocchan, with art by @lao-pendragon, 33,678 words, Teen+

Arthur grows up in a small town and into an overall great and normal life. Except, he keeps having these strange, recurring dreams. Once a year he dreams of a man, watches whatever he is up to at the moment, and sees places he could have never imagined. Arthur was sure he had never met him, so why did he seem so familiar?

Getting older, Arthur becomes determined to find out more about his dreams and the mysterious man. He starts to travel to places he had seen in his dreams and does all the research he can possibly do – but to no avail. Over the years he almost gives up, when suddenly he starts to remember a lifetime many centuries ago – the man from his dreams always at his side...

You Swiped Right

by @momotastic27, 22,038 words, Explicit

Pendragon Books is to London's bookselling industry what Sauron is to Middle-Earth: Bad fucking news.

Merlin could also compare them to Voldemort and the magical world in Britain, or maybe the White Witch and Narnia, but no matter what analogy he picks, the point remains the same: Wherever Pendragon Books pops up with a new shop, existing businesses die a painful death, robbing their city of more and more personality and character. Therefore it comes as a bit of a shock when they're settling in right across the street from Merlin's bookshop, and Merlin finds out that Arthur Pendragon himself is gorgeous and unreasonably easy to talk to, and - worst of all - a bit of a nerd.

However, not only is Merlin most definitely not fraternising with the enemy, he's also already sort of dating someone. So what if it started on Grindr, and is only through text messages?

Bad Behaviour (gets you the Pendragon Treatment)

by @tayathestrange, 24,258 words, Explicit, WIP

After his attack on the Pendragon Inc. servers backfired Merlin finds himself in some unpleasent situation. Maybe he shouldn't have taken the job after all...

My Once and Future Love

by @tracionn, manip, Mature

Naked cuddling :)

Choices and Tourneys

by @elveatas, 13,879 words, Explicit

Every year, right before mating season, Camelot holds a great tournament in which the alphas will compete with each other in order to show their strength to the omegas who’ll be looking to choose the perfect mate. After all, it’s not the alpha who chooses the omega, but the omega who chooses the alpha, and Arthur really, really wants Merlin to choose him.

Perfectly Imperfect

by @little-dhampir-1508, 4,867 words, Teen+

Arthur takes care of Merlin after some bullies got to him.

Times Change

by @elirwen, 7,427 words, Explicit

After witnessing Uther's breakdown and finding out some of the horrible things he did during the Purge, Arthur's general stance on magic shifts radically much to Morgana and Merlin's surprise.

What’s a Soulmate?

by @misssnowfoxx, 2:26 min, fanvid

I've been wanting to vid this quote for way too long! And I'm sure you'll all agree no couple in the history of the world has every deserved this quote more than these two stupid assholes in love. I had a very emotional time making this video and I hope I got across what I wanted to.

Creswell Crags

by @gwylliondream, 5,747 words, Teen+

When Arthur takes ill, he finds himself in a strange environment that echoes his past and gives him hope for the future.

What were you the god of again?

by @brolinskeep, manips, on tumblr

a reluctant heir to the throne who's rather out on quests to keep his people and others save than sitting at home in his palace, an army of the dead, a very special sword, golden eyes of magic and a dragon, a prophecy that needs to be defied and 'oh yeah by the way, you have an older sister i never told you about who's pretty powerful and wants your throne. you got this son. dad out.'

sound familiar?

Diplomatic Immunity

by @archaeologistd, 86,952 words, Explicit

Merlin has come to Camelot to act as an envoy between the magic users and the new High King, Arthur Pendragon. Four years ago, Nimueh had twisted the truth, making Arthur think Merlin was in league with her. That Arthur is unhappy to see him again is an understatement.

My Magical Manservant

by @lao-pendragon, art, Gen

The »My magical Manservant Series« is a collection of many little stories about Arthur Pendragon who is deeply in love with his very magical manservant Merlin. While several secrets, whether magic or love, are no secrets anymore, they have to deal with disobedient dragons, cheeky knights, a whole kingdom and their own feelings for each other. Keep their magic secret!

#bbc merlin #merthur #merthur fanfic #merthur fanfiction #merlin fanfiction #coinelot reincarnated #c2: activities

202 notes · View notes

kurojiri · 5 years

Text

On the road to redemption

Fandom: Harry Potter Pairing: Tom Riddle/ Luna Lovegood (pre-relationship) Summary: Tom was told he couldn’t take over the world at age fifth-teen. So, as a means to lessen his sentence and be eligible for parole for a reincarnation rehabilitation cleanse cycle after this lifetime as Tom Riddle, he will be accompanied by his new guardian angel named Luna to see that he fills his quota for good deeds. Wonderful. A/N: for @tunavibes Word Count: 3,750 Read on: ao3 | ffnt

He hadn’t really bothered to consider what actually happened after someone died.

That had been one of the main purposes of him spending so many hours and years into making the horcruxes as he wanted to create and hide away the whole concept of dying; to defy death essentially. Magic had occupied his own belief system too, when he considered his life after Hogwarts. He, who was a half-blood with half his history coming from an old ancestry family and awe, and another that was dirty and unknown (for the wizarding world and himself). Tom Riddle, of course only focused on what he had deemed had been important to remember. Yet, that had been a mistake. He could admit that now quietly.

Not that it could save him, he had done enough damage to damn his soul.

Demons were real. Angels too. So really, Tom couldn’t help but sigh and want to scream from the echoes from Mrs. Cole’s old warnings about naughty children going to hell. And all those other people calling him a devil’s spawn. They weren’t right; but neither were they wrong all together. Heaven and Hell did exist; and in Tom’s case he really made his name famous in both their circles. At age fifteen no less.

Apparently, since Tom had always been a troubled boy, who had gone through many guardian angels from the past and now many refused to work with Tom, he had been given a very small list of angels that would probably work with him. It had come from a somewhat new program that heaven wanted to try before the souls were fully judged upon their death. A format that helped troubled souls into early redemption. He didn’t fancy a trip to eternal damnation without parole, so there he was. In the middle of talking to a consultant, who was then promptly made to be the case worker that had his case number.

That hadn’t been how he wanted his Wednesday to go, but he had little rights at the moment. He was now stuck there, having to drink tea that had been too bitter and lukewarm, and with biscuits that had been provided being too sweet for his liking. The office cubicle had been a narrow spot, and messy with many folders stacked impossibly high. From what he had been able to see, his consultant had a horrid scrawny writing, and ink spots on his trousers. He must have been new since he had a terrible posture as he kept checking over his work. Tom could have used him, but with his magic being temporarily taken away from him during his appointment he couldn’t really afford any more tallies for bad behavior. Too bad, it could have been interesting to have an informative inside heaven.

The morning had been stuffy with numerous angels roaming, working and settling with recently deceased souls. Tom had been somewhat grateful that the deceased were cleaned up. There had not been any hints of what got them, if Tom blinked and forget what he was doing, he could have assumed that he was still back on earth. Where his soul was not in jeopardy. And that he had not been stopped mid-work.

Myrtle's ghost had been the last straw for his last guardian angel, he had called in headquarters about Tom’s evil scheme. Had paused the ritual for him creating his first horcrux, and had called in Death right away. (Tom still couldn’t really believe that he had met the actual figure, Death.) It hadn’t been one of his greatest moments. His magic had been mostly drained from the ritual, and whatever he had left had been buried deeper inside his core when they coaxed Myrtle’s ghost closer for an interview. His clothes had been dirty from the water that had been leaking from the bathroom and the Chamber of Secrets. Hence, why his hair was limping too from the sweat dripping from his brow.

The basilisk had been freed too in the midst when he thought he could take on a glowing bloke with wings. He blamed it on the low blood pressure when he still had his wand then. Tom had pointed the wand to his guardian angel (which he didn’t know was a thing then) and had cursed him. It didn’t hit him; it flew past the body and when Death came forward Tom’s magic just knew who he was. Yes, the black menacing cloak and skeleton body said it all, but it had been the very essence of pure magic that radiated from him, that made his knees buckle down. The showdown didn’t last at all.

(And it couldn’t have been called one either because it had been a rather pathetic show of a mortal trying to fight the literal manifestation of death and an angel that had sneaked behind him as he bound Tom's magic away for that misunderstanding—quarrel, depending on whom you asked to cease as they went along with protocol to judge his mortal sins and ultimately give him a sentence for his crimes against humanity.)

Tom could only remember how scared he had been. That the glowing man, who could have been a veela (if men were capable of carrying that gene), and a dementor god had caged him so quickly. They subdued his magic, had made Tom want for his body to melt from its foundations. He had been a mess. And it had been the first steps for Tom to understand that he was a weak mortal. Even with magic, he couldn’t go against certain things, and beings; such as Death and his cosmic intervention of life and death.

Hence: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.

Tom Riddle’s own life now rested on the angel that had been making calls, writing thousands of letters and codes since his arrival. It had been nerve-wracking. With half his cuppa down, he wanted to open his mouth. But with another chain of angels coming and leaving, their wings had brushed to the back of his chair. Their own magic had been too pure. Too powerful that it had suffocated him on few occasions. It almost seemed like their magic knew instinctively of Tom’s corrupted soul, because each time they came closer to brush his back, it burned him. Some were kinder about it with their apologies.

Others, they had irritated Tom that they could brush off his shivers.

He had been about to comment about the lack of space when his case worker finally put down his ink pen (muggle looking, oddly enough). “Tom Marvolo Riddle. Born on the 31st of December in 1926, to the parents of Tom Riddle Sr, a non-magical mortal and Merope Riddle née Gaunt, a child of magic.�� Tom nodded, as the angel continued (but he had made sure to remember about finally learning the name of his father). “You were temporarily detained after being caught performing an illegal dark ritual that is punishable to a sentence of eternal damnation without parole for an emergency reincarnation rehabilitation cleanse cycle.”

Tom had momentarily looked small. He did his best to still his body from the way the man looked at him coolly. It seemed like he was getting the hang of his career as he took in Tom’s visible cracked soul.

“Is that correct?”

His lips pursed. “Yes, it is correct.”

His case worker sighed as he put down the folder, he had fiddled with. He took off his glasses before refilling his cuppa. “Now, I understand that your assigned guardian angel had quit their position right after he had taken you to the lower level of Purgatory. Usually when someone like you,” he poked at Tom's file, “and of your background of losing a certain number of guardian angels and has committed a major taboo it would be an easy swipe to hell. However, the head chief had expressed some leniency and wishes to try out a relatively new program for people (like you) that could be redeemed.”

He took a big sip from his cuppa. “Personally, I don’t care about mortals with their constant wars, issues etc.; but I would like to have a simple case once in a while. They don’t warn any of us new guys how hectic the office life can be. So, hear me out Tommy-boy. Please think about what led you here today at my cubicle. And repent. Get a new hobby. And repent some more because honestly lad, your limbo status isn’t that great to be in. I have already called some people that were interested in helping you on your journey to redemption. So, let’s go to the interviewing rooms and get started before lunch break preferably. Although, if you want something to eat, just telling you it's Taco Tuesday.”

“It's Wednesday.”

That, and Tom didn’t even know what the arse was a taco. Or why they had them on Tuesdays.

His case worker shrugged his shoulders. “It’s always Taco Tuesday when Carl from Department of Angel Resources makes them.”

They didn’t say much after that as he was pulled into a futuristic elevator; where once again he was burned by the feathers that tickled his arms and back. It hadn’t been that thrilling making his way towards the interview hallway. The walls were pale white with few portraits. That, and the coffee was all gone. Not that he trusted the angel that had been in charge of it.

Inside the interview room it had the same dull walls with a wooden table. The chairs were metallic and uncomfortable. Too bare and quiet that it had been awkward for him to sit down with a clock ticking while his case worker had his clipboard and other files ready. The first one that came had been haughty; an arse-kisser. He didn’t last long with the prepared questions and Tom’s own reluctance to speak to him. The second was quieter, with a penchant for small animals; she didn’t like how he killed a couple of furry creatures when he was younger.

By number seven, his case worker wanted to pull his hair out. Not that it would help them. The other six had all ranged from cocky, bizarre and unwilling to understand. They could be fine with other humans, but when it came to Tom, none of them could mesh with him. Could not see something that Death saw him by giving him a second chance. Tom never had cared about what others thought about him, but when these beings that had some pull at someone’s destiny to the afterlife, he had become somewhat uneasy that he would be stuck with the wrong company.

Did Tom really want to redeem himself? Not really, but he also didn’t want to end up in hell. And that had been enough motivation for anyone.

As number seven came in, Tom’s own heart soared.

She was lovely, odd, and for some reason, dangerous. Her silver eyes had been a little cloudy, but he couldn’t stop analyzing in the way she glided into the room; she had been breathtaking. And then she opened her mouth.

She was completely unorthodox. The way she politely answered the questions left him baffled, and he had been sure his case worker had been too as he jotted some of her answers. For all the beauty she had, she was a loony girl. (He had to make sure he didn’t outwardly gap at her when she looked at him.) He was half convinced that she had been created to ruin him. She had to have been when at the end of the interview he said yes to her.

His case worker had been speechless, but rapidly worked on approving the contract and other required paperwork. They only had thirty minutes before Carl would ring up the tacos, and he wanted Tom and Luna, his new guardian angel to wait in line for him, so they could get him some tacos. As he had been left to Luna’s care Tom had been uncharacteristically hushed. It all felt rushed. By finding out the afterlife, and having been sentenced into community service until further notice.

He still couldn’t forget how she gave him a silver and blue bracelet with hidden runes inscribed on it. Her magic had been contained to it, but strangely hers didn’t' burn him. It instead felt like a cool mist softly fanning his skin.

When he asked about it, she had smiled at him. “It’s a way to talk to me when we go back to earth. Most of the time we angels don’t actively interact with mortals.”

“So, then, as long as anyone has it on, they can see and communicate with you?”

Luna’s smile twitched to a more amused chuckle. “Not exactly.” Her hands wrapped around his arm where the bracelet was placed. “This had been made for only you and myself to communicate with. So, while you can talk to me, nobody else can see or interact with me.”

They made a left turn and got inside the elevator again. He did his best to ignore the stares that they both received, while Luna smiled and waved at a few. He couldn’t blame them for gawking at them.

They looked so unconventional when they stood side by side. With her loose garments, tangled wavy hair and wings, and Tom in his dull colored trousers and collared shirt without any wrinkles. (He had been grateful that when he entered the afterlife that his clothes had been cleaned up.) Neither looked like they could belong to the same group of associates. By then they stood, with Luna humming to herself, and Tom counting the seconds before the doors would open to the cafeteria.

It truly had been the strangest Wednesdays he had ever had; but at least he learned and tasted what tacos were. They hadn't been terrible, but too greasy for his likes.

Back on earth, Tom’s life had quietened down considerably. Dumbledore still didn’t trust him, Myrtle’s ghost now semi haunted him whenever she felt like it; which had been obnoxiously frequent after his classes when he did his best to maintain his grades. (ex-Dark Lord or not, Tom Riddle expected his grades to always be top tier.) And now with his head lowered most Slytherin's left his side, not that he had been hurt or shocked from their actions. He would have done so too if another poor bloke had fucked shite up. His Hogwarts career really became slower. And that had been due to Luna’s insistence of working with his community service.

She had been his daily reminder of where his life strayed off to. With pressed robes still being a thing, he maintained and grades that shined brighter than the other purebloods that used to follow him. The only difference was now, his façade came with the chains of his fate based on his actions of good deeds. For example, Luna loved the idea of him becoming a professor. He did too when she looked at his file the other day ago. It had included a very small list of interests and goals he had made up years ago. There had been some that had been impossible to achieve as a mortal and others he had forgotten he made when he had been younger and delusional. But being a professor at Hogwarts; Tom had loved it.

He always had loved Hogwarts and its complicated world. It had been the first tale and home for Tom as it brought him magic, even if it had been Dumbledore that had been that catalyst back then. But now, as he was in a new crossing road, Tom still wanted Hogwarts to be a part of his life in some fashion.

If he couldn’t take over the world, he could at least reshape it. Tom figured that if he could teach the future magical children on how to be adequate casters and problem solvers then it would overall benefit all humanity for the better. Heaven above, would appreciate that with the amount of magical folks that died too early from not being informed enough during their training. (There had been numerous, very chatty angels that had whined about that issue in the elevators for him to remember that bit during his brief time in the afterlife.)

But before that, he needed to figure what he was willing to do with his life. Meaning, if Tom wanted to stay in Hogwarts, or leave to America for a scholarship and temporary transfer program that they had where he could be made an apprentice and gain a reputable name and work before trying his luck back on graduation back in Europe. It almost seemed like a hard decision. In the end of his fifth year, he had enough professors that wrote outstanding recommendations and approval to enter the program. He gained a temporary residence with a family that would host his stay for his last two remaining years for Ilvermorny, and that had been it. His new road to take with Luna’s light guiding him when he packed up for the last time in the Slytherin dorm room.

It oddly felt right.

International portkeys were expensive; but they had been opted to do the job as Tom’s summer had been flagged to end quickly. With a different location, time zone and cycle of when classes started, he had little time to accumulate in Wools or to the people. He had paperwork to finish that included his muggle side affairs to tweak his background during his stay there with a temporary resident status.

(It had been a relief that he wouldn’t have to worry about Mrs. Cole or the latter staff and children again once he was ready to leave the orphanage for good.)

With the time constrict it had enabled for Tom to get used to having Luna around him. There had been moments when he just knew when she was close, and others when he had to channel his magic to call her. He tested it out when he walked back and forth his appointments to gain a muggle passport and other documents, he needed for his trip. Since apparently across the pond they wanted Tom to be somewhat well-versed with muggle affairs and teachings to blend with their non-magical sections if he ever ventured out and needed to act without suspicion. Although he still couldn’t really talk to them muggles since the states were more reclusive with muggles with their Rappaport’s Law going on that kept the magical community segregated with the non-magical kind.

But at least, Tom had been finding their customs and school curriculum to be less dull than he feared. Their extra studies and clubs had been interesting too, as he had shuffled with the pamphlets and booklets that they had given him in the list of supplies that he would need shortly before he would head off to school. Those short days had lifted his mood since it reminded him of the first summer after he learned about his magic and Hogwarts.

As if, Tom could really begin anew.

It had helped that it worked when they talked to each other too, it had made Tom’s new goals much easier to accommodate and swallow since his revelations. From her own smiles Tom had acquired a peculiar emotion of satisfaction when he had gathered his remaining items before leaving altogether from his room.

With the bracelet on he had been able to see her facial expressions when they talked. They had been sharp as they had been fluid like the clouds that roamed in the skies as of late. He didn’t know her well enough, but Tom had studied enough people to get a brief understanding that Luna had comprehended what made Tom click before, and sometimes still did as they walked around the limited orphanage. Old habits, after all, had always been hard to quit right away; but he had been learning to curb some intents with her so close. It had been outstanding for him to see his control he still relented with Luna’s own magic being woven to the bracelet he wore and monitored their connection, he could feel her own intentions, her feelings, and empathy that he did not fully possess or understood yet.

It all been alien for him. But in a good way, Tom had wanted a challenge. A mindless puzzle to foster room for him to improve himself indulgently.

“Are you ready?”

He closed his trunk with a soft grunt. Then, lifted it off his bed to smooth over the thin sheet. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

The first portkey he had used had been very tight, strong and lasted longer than he liked. The trip landed him closer to the edge of where water and land connected. Where the salt in the air touched his skin and Tom almost wanted to crouch from the chilly air that invaded his lungs. It had been a couple of years since that incident, and with Luna’s figure fading from his line of vision he had to make due with by walking dutifully to the port where the ship would take him to America. In six weeks, Tom would have a new life officially. With a temporary home in the summers and winters and in two years' time, Tom Riddle would be an adult.

Someone that could (and will have to) make a difference in the world; and preferably, from his case worker, Death and Luna’s expenses, with only good deeds.

As he walked towards the ship Tom allowed himself to be sentimental. Once he had made it to the main deck and found a good place to stand without getting in the way, he took one last glance back at the land. He didn’t have anyone to wave goodbye, but that had been fine for him. And when the image of the land had been long gone, Tom simply went to his assigned room and prepared a small journal entry about the day before getting started on the few materials of homework that he had while he swayed with the waves and idle chatter by the crew and other passengers.

It would end up alright. He may not know how it truly felt to bleed onto faith alone for any new journeys, but that had been why Luna existed. Why they had been paired together.

They would make it work.

He just had a good feeling about it.

#tuna #tom riddle x luna lovegood #hprarepairnet #Tom Riddle #Luna Lovegood #fic: 1-5k #supernatural #angels and demons #canon divergence #guardian angel au #Otrtr: On the road to redemption

11 notes · View notes

o-holynight · 5 years

Text

Tagged by @totallynerdstuff !! ♥ (apparently @jds-suspended-liscence too but I must’ve missed the notification!)

nicknames: Mic, M, Penks, Mickey

zodiac sign: Taurus

height: 5′6″

hogwarts house: Slytherin (though I could just as easily be Hufflepuff, it’s really a tossup. but Slytherin was my first assignment so we’re committed to it.)

last thing i googled: SO random-- the “This is where I would put my ___ ... IF I HAD ONE” meme

fave musicians: frick. you gonna do me like that? fav musician? probably Troye Sivan. favorite bands? Boston, Chicago, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, The Four Seasons, Journey, Kansas, Queen, Styx, Van Halen...I know I’m missing something but I can’t think what.

song stuck in your head: totally random and unwanted--You Better You Bet by The Who

following: 4,587 (most of these are DEAD blogs from old fandoms...I’ve had the same url/account for eons)

followers: 1,234 (not even kidding)

do you get asks: I literally...DONT waht’s wrong with you people... 🥺

amount of sleep: like.. 5 on a good day, and I work 6 days a week. I’m so tired yall...so mf exhausted

lucky number: 3, 23

what are you wearing: grey sweatpants and my “Mind The Gap” tshirt!!!

dream job: Prop designer? I dunno, like, doing the graphic design and/or prop work for TV shows and movies. That just literally sounds like the dream. Heard about it in a podcast, and cemented my intrigue after seeing the hallway of graphic design at the Harry Potter Studio Tour.

dream trip: I would love to go back to London/Rome. I went to England and Italy after graduation with my family and we mostly did the like, touristy things...but I would love to do the non touristy things, and just experience it.

instruments: I played piano as a child, and I played percussion in middle school band. I own a guitar (and can pluck out a few things), and I was in advanced choirs all my life. IM GONNA MF START MY OWN LITTLE ONE MAN BAND.

languages: ._. just english lol I know enough Spanish to understand what people are saying/asking for, but not well enough to tell them the answer to their questions. (Cue lots of pointing and gesturing the answers while I worked at Disney)

favorite songs: gonna do me like that again huh...I’m just gonna list my top tier godly songs (and a couple honorable mentions)...because it would be a cop out if I just put all queen songs...

Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry All Time Low - Jon Bellion Sanctuary - Paradise Fears Kyrie - Mr. Mister Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band Somewhere Under Heaven - Tom Petty Talk Me Down - Troye Sivan Ease - Troye Sivan Love You Long Time - Pentatonix Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton Let’s Get Lost - Beck & Bat for Lashes Be Alright - Dean Lewis Drowse - Queen ‘39 - Queen Liar - Queen Somebody to Love - Queen Seven Seas of Rhye - Queen Sleeping on the Sidewalk - Queen Save Me - Queen

random fact: well since I already mentioned it once, I’ll mention it again; I worked at Disney World...at the Emporium...the busiest mf store at the busiest mf park...DURING the holiday season...🙃

aesthetic: black and red, christmas lights, piles of blankets, tea--hot or iced, stacks upon stacks of records, sunflowers, velvet, hawaiian shirts, bird feathers, grainy pictures, a fresh brand new x-acto blade, long nails, hot rain

#I don't really know who else to tag man #thanks though this was fun!#tagged #me

9 notes · View notes

pinkletterday · 5 years

Text

Okay so the Flash tag was very misleading. This wasn't the best 100th episode they could have done but it was the sweetest.

Don't get me wrong, none of that painfully contrived plot made a lick of sense, starting with being so blasé about going back in time when its pretty much the golden rule for them to not do that anymore (and er. Did Hunter Solomon just get Time Wraithed five episodes too early? What?) Nora not knowing Eobard killed her grandmother what in fuck and the whole thing about popping up the same day S2 Barry did (I know it was supposed to be all tense and menacing but I was giggling so hard. Someone should write a fic about various Barry Allens interrupting Thawne's work day to heckle him into fixing more and more shit. "Hi. My name is Barry Allen. You killed my mother. How do I fix the plumbing in STAR Labs? Bitch.")

AND FOR GOD'S SAKE WHY DID THEY KEEP VOLUNTEERING THAWNE INFORMATION.

After all that, the plan didn't even work.

BUT OH MY GOD I LOVED KILLER FROST. She is the most badass bitch and I can tell DP has a blast playing her. Train her up and send her against Cicada for real, cause that fight I would watch.

I loved seeing Eowells with Cisco and Caitlin, I loved revisiting all those milestone moments through Nora's eyes, and my God this episode was 75 % the tour de force that is Tom Cavanaugh. He nailled every scene - the suave menace of pre-series Eowells, the barely contained malice of S1 Eowells, the frenetic single-minded, almost callous version of Harry we first met and (sigh) Sherloque. Who somehow managed to be so distinct from the other personas that I didn't even think to compare his absurdity to the groundedness of Harry and Eowells. Cavanaugh's direction was also beautiful and seamless, even with all the recycled shots.

I didn't even mind missing Iris as much as I would have - she was always there somehow, maybe because of Nora. Mama Flash trying her hardest not to be the closed off woman who holds her daughter back, encouraging her husband to do the same. And then stepping back and letting them do their thing, trusting them to come back home to her.

Seeing her shooting Savitar to save Barry, seeing her be the one to hold and comfort him before they were ever together and then watching them so young and innocent waiting in the crowd during the pilot really encapsulated their journey together (thank god Eddie wasn't in this. Nothing against the character, I just hate that he existed at all). Iris has always been Barry's secret hope through his whole life. During the Zoom episode they were still tentatively trying to find a new footing between feelings that could not yet be spoken and the entirety of S3 was spent in terror that fate would still rip her away. Now they're rock solid and their daughter is right there next to Barry, the promise and realization of everything he had ever hoped for him and Iris.

I love Iris and Westallen, but The Flash has always been Barry Allen's story first. Taking his daughter through the journey of all his mistakes and defeats instead of his victories was such an aching, vulnerable choice. I'm not perfect, I've never been the man you think I was, I have made so many mistakes and been hurt so badly and all I have learned from it is how much I cannot change, no matter how powerful I become, no matter how much I love. It was the moment when he went from "father" to "Barry Allen" in Nora's eyes; when she started to see him as a person first. I understand and I still want to know you. Still love you. It was the most heartaching moment. And such a shock for Nora to realize that they both know the trauma of losing a parent, such a terrible connection to share.

Nora visiting her grandparents killed me. The Allens so young and happy and whole, not knowing their lives are about to be ripped apart in moments. Barry simply turning up at her side, almost casually, guessing she'd go there because he does the same thing. The quiet, sad resignation in his eyes when he says "every day." He has had to experience and accept Nora's own nightmare, that nothing she does will change her family's fate. How many times has he time travelled just to see his parents like this, knowing he could change it but also knowing the price of doing so is too great? His family in front of him, flesh and blood and alive, but still only ghosts he can never touch nor save?

But then Nora's there, again the living reminder of all that he stands to gain, all that of himself and his loves that will continue. Nora carries Barry's mother and father in her blood, Iris and Joe, and the legacy of his own life. And she's there, smiling at him, pulling him out of the past into the future.

Barry is still young, but he's aged beyond his years. The non-linear confusion of his life doesn't help him advance in stages. He's twenty-five and shaped by a vendetta ten years into the future, he's twenty seven and faced with himself a thousand years old and warped, he's watched every timeline unfold in the Speed Force till his mind broke apart, and now he's the father of a young woman he's never yet held as a baby and still loves with all his heart because she is his. It's such a surreal dissonance of age and identity when Nora calls him "old man". For a moment, he remembers that he's still young, and young enough to be hilariously offended by it.

I'm not going to touch on the Nora-working-with-Thawne "reveal" because we've seen that coming from the first. Instead I want to gush about Jessica Parker Kennedy. You guys, this woman is incredible. She was the sweetest, most precious thing this episode, the perfect audience surrogate. She has killed every scene she's in so far this season, so much so that her calling Barry and Iris "Mom and Dad" has never seemed weird, her love and connection to them has never seemed untrue, keeping her character so emotionally balanced right where she needs to sell it that we don't think overmuch about her bizarre age situation (2049? Really?). I don't know why this fandom doesn't appreciate her more, especially the Westallen fandom. Nora is literally the legacy of the show and of Barry and Iris's love. I cannot imagine anyone other than Jessica doing it so much justice.

Special notes:

- I wish we had more Golden Trio moments. Barry, Cait and Cisco's friendship was the lynchpin of the first two seasons and its disintegration in the third season is something that still hasn't been healed. SHOW ME BARRY'S CARE AND LOVE FOR CAITLIN SNOW. SHOW ME BARRY'S LOVE FOR CISCO.

- I am always torn between appreciating what this show wants to tell me and frustration of how badly it's usually told. Nora seeing Iris being Barry's comfort and support during one of his worst moments before they were ever together should have been heartwarming. But instead of showing a sweet, silent moment where Barry is allowed to curl up in her lap while she holds him in the aftermath of a traumatic experience, we see her pushing him to get up again before he even changes out of his suit. It made the scene seem so forced and contrived. Sometimes it's like the writers only know the theory of how humans work.

- It stood out to me again how embedded Cisco is in the emotional narrative of this show. It's Barry's story but Cisco's universe, his presence is vital, ubiquitous, pervasive. Seeing him innocent and sweet and vulnerable with Eowells, craving his approval, and then seeing him face down Cicada as a confident full-fledged superhero (are my baby's hands healed now?) was so satisfying. His character arc has been so amazing and consistent through four seasons of shoddy and uneven writing. He is literally the Samwise to Barry's Frodo and the fact that we havent heard stories of Uncle Cisco from Nora is a farce.

- I know fandom jumped on "at least you still have one" as a reference to Donovan's existence but I'm wondering if it's a reference to Thawne's own daughter Melonie. Did she still marry Don in his future or was she erased?

- I like that Eowells touched on the fact that Savitar was actually Barry. It gets persistently glossed over, that while Barry can't be held responsible for his future self, it was very much still him. I hate that Savitar was our Barry because the fact that any version of him could ever kill Iris is such a fundamental betrayal of his character, but jeez, if you're going to put it out there at least explore the ramfications of that concept in full.

- I missed Jesse L. Martin so much. I had really hoped we could have at least gotten five minutes of recycled footage of him.

- Also missed my cinnabun Cecile, and I want to see Iris interacting with her new sister! I need her to hold Jenna trying to imagine what Nora will feel like in her arms. I want Wally to be delighted at having a sibling he can watch grow up. GIVE ME MY WEST FAMILY DAMN IT.

- I still want my vow renewal (will literally kill someone for it at this point, preferably Guggy. No one will miss him) but that last iconic porch scene with the Allens is a compromise I can live with.

All in all, not the best 100th episode we could have gotten but very far from the worst.

#the flash 100th episode #the flash spoilers #recap #review #commentary #barry allen #iris west-allen #nora west-allen #cisco ramon #jessica parker kennedy #carlos valdez #tom cavanaugh #harrison wells #eobard thawne #caitlin snow #danielle panabaker #westallen

25 notes · View notes

yeoni-k-art · 6 years

Text

Why Credence wasn’t admitted into Ilvermorny...maybe

It’s probably already too late for this, but spoilers...obviously.

I was watching a couple of Harry Potter fan theories, and came across the following comment-question that peaked my curiosity and got me thinking.

TammyLouise7921 month ago HUGE UNANSWERED QUESTION YOU MISSED!! Why the hell wasn't Credence collected to go to Illvermorny?!?! Dumbledore went to go get Tom Riddle and Hermione had a representative come and tell her. You don't just get a letter to tell you to show up at hogwarts. There's clearly a process for entering these individuals coming from non-magical homes into the wizarding world. Leaves the question why didn't anyone come for Credence?!? Does MACUSA have weird policies around muggle-born wizards/un-registered magical babies because it's hinted Crendences mother was possibly a witch. So WTF. I can see that MACUSA would have hang ups about muggle borns because of their statute of secrecy stuff but it seems incredibly irresponsible and directly against that statute to not keep tabs on all magical kids regardless of parentage. THIS TO ME IS A HUGE HOLE NO ONE SEEMS TO TALK ABOUT!!! PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO.

Very interesting question. Here's my take on the matter.

The comment about MACUSA vs his blood status could possibly be a reason, and for the reason given - to keep witches and wizards hidden. Newt even says they have “backwards laws about relations with muggles”.

There could be a few other reasons for Credence not being admitted into Ilvermorny, however, and those are the ones I want to talk about here. Let’s get started.

So, first of all, we don't know all that much about Ilvermorny, which means that I'll be drawing comparisons with what we do know - Hogwarts. I’m sure there will be differences between the two schools, but seeing as the desire to keep the existence of magic a secret is a common factor here, I think it’s safe to assume there would be some common ground between the two schools too.

According to Pottermore, the admittance of students to Hogwarts is done via an enchanted quill and book combination known as The Quill of Acceptance and The Book of Admittance, which was set up by the four founders of Hogwarts. (source)

(This is what Hagrid was referencing in his remark about Harry having had "his name down ever since he was born"). This article also goes on to inform us that Neville Longbottom very nearly never got his admittance to Hogwarts at all due to the delay in confirmation of his magical aptitude - he was already 8 years old when his name was finally written down.

Yet another thing is that not all 11 year old witches and wizards in the UK are chosen to attend Hogwarts. Dumbledore even says in the article that "it saves the staff tedious explanations to parents who are furious that their children have not been selected for Hogwarts" - meaning some kids born into a magical family, who do possess magical abilities, do not get accepted into Hogwarts. Hogwarts is claimed to be “The best school of witchcraft and wizardry”, it never says it is the only one, and with the introduction of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang in the fourth Harry Potter book, we know it certainly isn’t. As for it being the only school in the UK: witches and wizards not being admitted to Hogwarts actually implies that there is at least one other school. How do these children rejected from Hogwarts learn magic otherwise? Do they have to be home-schooled? What about those subject their parents are unable to teach them? I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be kicked to the curb like “Sorry kid. The magical quill-book combo didn’t write your name down so you can’t learn magic. Like ever. Have a great life now~”. And what about those children into muggle homes? One word: obscurials. The article also says that the book in particular is extremely picky about the names it allows the quill to write into it, and because of this Hogwarts has never admitted a student who does not possess magical abilities. Keep this in mind for a point I will get to a little bit later on.

It's entirely plausible therefore that Ilvermorny would have a way of identifying potential students just like Hogwarts does. Isolt wanted to create a place young witches and wizards could learn magic freely - like the Hogwarts she so wished she could have attended, but I think it would be rather cruel to allow just anyone into this school. Imagine being surrounded by all this mystery and wonder but not being able to partake in it because you are born with no magical abilities. In fact, Isolt’s own daughter eventually cut off the magical world for this very reason (Source). Also, MACUSA would certainly keep tight reigns on the school and its students, and it has been a fair amount of time since Isolt's time at Ilvermorny, so it’s plausible that admittance policies had changed if they had been lax before.

Back to my earlier point about Hogwarts never having admitted a student who does not possess magical abilities. Credence could very possibly fit into the description of someone not being admitted into a magic school. We are not sure how old he was when he was adopted (correct me if I'm wrong), but if he was still very young, living under the strict oppression of Mary Lou Barebone would certainly have a huge negative impact on his magical capabilities. He was cruelly and continuously punished for something he had no control over, and as a result started to internalize what made him different - his magic.

As everyone knows, this is how an Obscurus is formed. It seems almost like an unstated fact now, that Albus Dumbledore's sister -Ariana- was an Obscurial. (source) If this is true, she was already 6 years old before she started repressing her magic. Children born with no magical abilities are known to show signs of magic at first which are like a sort of aftereffect or echo of their parents’ magic, but this eventually wears off. This gives Credence plenty of leeway to be misread as a squib for years under the abuse of his foster mother – especially if he started showing signs of magic at a young age, which he would start repressing due to the abuse he was subjected to.

The people around the Dumblesdores actually thought Ariana was a squib because she never attended Hogwarts (source) her absence from the school acting as further proof that not everyone born with magical abilities is admitted into Hogwarts, and also serving to provide the possibility of her reluctance and later on, inability, to produce consistent and stable magic being misread as her having no magical abilities at all.

This is what happens with Credence. Even Grindelwald himself doesn’t pick up on the fact that Credence actually does have very dangerous magical abilities. In Fantastic Beasts, Graves even tells Credence that he “can smell squib" on him...coincidence? Maybe. Regardless, the point here is that Credence was still able to keep his real magical ability hidden from the greatest dark wizard of that time - while he was literally right under Grindelwald's nose - over and over and over again. The relationship they share serves as proof that they had DEFINITELY been meeting regularly, and for a while. Skills right there.

Another possible reason for him not being admitted into Ilvermorny: He never gets the letter sent to him. We’re not all too sure how admittance to Ilvermorny works for those who are Muggle-born or half-blood. Coming from an all magical family, it’s plausible no one would have come to fetch Credence because his mother and father would have grown up aware of the magical world. There would be no need, because Credence would already have known about it.

In the case of Credence having one muggle parent (there is absolutely no reason for him to NOT be a Pure Blood Wizard by the way - especially because of how against relationships between Witches/Wizards and Muggles/NoMajs the MACUSA is!!!) MACUSA would definitely be keeping an eye on him; especially being aware that Credence was adopted (it wouldn’t make sense for MACUSA not to know this because of their secrecy policies).

**Side note: It’s recently been revealed that Credence seems to be related to the Le Strange family, but could he also be related to Isolt, and therefore to Salazar Slytherin too? Isolt, as we know is a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. She is also a descendant of a powerful witch called Morrigan, whose Animagus form is known to have been a crow. (Source) In a clip from the new Fantastic Beasts trailer, we see the Le Strange family tree, which informs us that Credence is a descendant of this lineage. However, under the head of the Le Strange family tree, Corvus (which means Raven by the way) Le Strange - in a little bubble of its own, we see an animal; specifically, a bird. Could this be a reference to a connection to the witch Morrigan? Could this mean that the Le Strange family are descendants of Morrigan? Whose family is married into the Slytherin lineage? This would mean Bellatrix, the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Le Stranges, and therefore Credence are all related (by extension - some more distantly than others) to Lord Voldemort!** But I digress.

However, a child born to two wizard parents, who is orphaned but shows no magical abilities would not be a reason for any concern for the MACUSA. We also need to keep in mind that Tina was demoted because she attacked Mary-Lou Barebone. How and why did Tina get to be involved with Mary-Lou?

In Harry Potter, Dumbledore goes to deliver Tom Riddle’s letter only because he has already been admitted into Hogwarts. The same is true for Hermione Granger. As stated before, students admitted to Hogwarts are actually selected, which makes them special. It therefore makes sense that someone would physically go out to deliver their letters to the selected students who are from mixed or non-magical homes.

Who’s to say this didn’t also happen with Credence? If he was orphaned as a young child, it wouldn’t matter what his blood status is - someone would still need to go out and deliver his letter to him. The children born into these circumstances (having no connections to the magical world) receive a visit from a witch/wizard whose job it is to fill them in.

Mary Lou Barebone is Credence’s adoptive mother and as such she would be the person any message-bearer from Ilvermorny would have to first meet with in order to be able to meet with Credence. This makes it possible that Credence’s acceptance letter, if he did have one, never even reached him.

Dumbledore first meets with the person running the orphanage when he was delivering the letter to Tom Riddle, and then he meets with Tom. Remember, the people around Tom Riddle in the orphanage were unaware of the existence of magic. They just knew that strange things happened when he was around. Mary Lou Barebone, however is fully aware of it. How? Why? Was she aware of it before being most likely deservedly attacked by Tina?

I think she would have no trouble in recognizing magic at all, and she also seems to be the kind of person who would keep a visit about an admittance to a magic school a secret from Credence, and I can definitely see her destroying his letter as well. It would furthermore only serve to fuel her hatred for him, and give her reason to single him out like she does in the Fantastic Beasts movie.

“Ah-huh! But what about the Dursleys being hounded when they tried to prevent Harry from getting his letter?!” I hear you cry. Well, honestly, this thought has occurred to me too, and I think I know what the difference is.

The Dursleys were plagued for trying to hide Harry's letter when he was accepted into Hogwarts, I think, for one simple reason. Dumbledore had an invested interest in Harry. Yes, it is Hagrid who is hounding the Dursleys for preventing Harry from getting his letter, but remember it is Dumbledore who sent Hagrid to fetch Harry in the first place.

He is there to personally drop Harry off on the doorstep of the Dursleys when Harry was a baby and even left a hand-written note for them to read, he has sent at least one other communication to the Dursleys after they had taken Harry in - presumably more (The ”Remember my last” howler Petunia receives in the books implying this), and had a personal connection to Harry's parents through the order of the Phoenix. He even goes so far as ensuring Harry will be kept safe until he comes of age (which is why he has to stay with the Dursleys), and guides Harry (at least some of the time...okay so it’s more like he sort of vaguely suggests it) in what he needs to do or learn to defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore is also personally connected to Neville Longbottom’s parents through the Order of the Phoenix, but he doesn’t do any of this for their son even though Neville could literally have been the Chosen One. This is because Harry is special, an exception. Credence, unlike Harry, doesn’t seem to have anyone like this for him.

So far, we have no reason to think Dumbledore (or anyone else for that matter) would even know about Credence because his birth and childhood have been unmarked by anything out of the ordinary - as far as we are currently aware (such as surviving the killing curse), and being born to a witch/wizard means that at best he is a potential wizard – at worst; a squib. So no one really has any reason to pay any extra attention to him…at least prior to his identity as the Obscurial being revealed.

Grindelwald being interested in an Obscurus would certainly get Dumbledore's attention (even more so if Ariana really was an Obscurial herself) and would bring Credence onto Dumbledore’s radar. Up until the events of the first movie, we have no reason to think that Dumbledore is even aware of Credence’s existence at all. This will most likely change since both characters have been cast in the second movie.

The sad fate that meets Credence (or does it?) could also very well be a part of what drives Dumbledore to get involved in Harry's safe-keeping – preventing what happened with Credence from happening again with Harry.

This seems to create a plot hole: The Dursleys literally mistreat Harry for years but he doesn’t develop an Obscurus. Why? The key difference between Credence’s case and Harry’s case I think, was stated by Ben of The Super Carlin Brothers in their video about why Harry isn’t an Obscurial. “Check it out if you haven’t already.” (source)

My next possibility for Credence not being admitted into Ilvermorny is that Credence himself could be just as likely to decide against going to Ilvermorny; especially because he is a mistreated, impressionable maybe-11 year old at the time who is living with a magic-hating fanatic. It’s possible, with the constant indoctrination from his adoptive mother, that his own abilities could have scared and/or even embarrassed him or felt like a failing, fault or short-coming he has. This would make sense for and give him even more reason to repress his magic – especially since he gets beaten every time he produces anything remotely magical.

The Credence we are introduced to in the movies is much older, and very bitter-hurt-angry. He would have had time to come to realise what type of person Mary Lou Barebone truly is, and freed himself of her conditioning, and this would have been helped along by Grindelwald - he is all for putting Muggles in their rightful place...The Greater Good, and all that.

It is also possible that Credence could hold Mary Lou responsible for him being unable to perform magic, and he could even resent her for it. Add to this the fact that Grindelwald has been visiting Credence in secret which gives him plenty of time to manipulate Credence, and that Credence also secretly longs to be part of the magical world. (source)

He also seems to be able to control or dictate tasks to his Obscurus - at least for short amounts of time (the attacks on senator Shaw, and Mary Lou Barebone), which means he’s obviously found a way to co-exist with it, even if only temporarily. This co-existence is very likely to be part of the reason for his extremely rare long life. I don’t think he’s actually fully aware of how he is able to do this, if he is even aware of it at all - at least by the end of the first movie, because he literally asks for help. Things look to be different in the trailer for the second movie though. (source)

If he is able to control the obscurus, it wouldn’t have been accomplished through magic in the traditional sense since MACUSA do not get involved with Credence (we all know how hung-up they are on the secrecy thing - they would definitely have got involved with a magic kid harbouring an Obscurus being raised by a NoMaj who is not a biological parent), which leads me to believe they were not aware of his magical ability. Graves’ comment about smelling the squib on Credence and being unable to detect the boy’s abilities even though he’d spent who-knows how long together with him, also serves to reinforce this idea of Credence learning to use an unknown of type of magic to coexist with his obscurus, to me.

Obscurus-Obscurial co-habitations are still largely a mystery and there is potentially a ton that is not yet understood about the phenomenon because it is quite simply not yet known. It’s therefore possible that there is no way for Magical ministries to keep tabs on “Obscurus magic”.

After all, leaving a ticking time-bomb that threatens to reveal everything you’re working so hard to keep hidden, unsupervised and primed to go off at any moment seems more than just a tad negligent.

TL;DR: 1. Credence was simply not selected to attend Ilvermorny. 2. Credence was misread as being a squib - something he is certainly misread as being later on in his life, and was therefore not selected to attend Ilvermorny. 3. Credence was selected to attend Ilvermorny, but never received his letter. 4. Credence received his letter, but chose not to attend Ilvermorny.

What do you think? I'd love to know.

#harry potter theory #credence #ilvermorny #mine #harry potter #credence in magic school is a very interesting idea for me #fan theory #credence barebone #jk rowlings wizarding world #fantastic beasts #and where to find them #magic schools #wizard school #why was credence not admitted to ilvermorny #is credence related to lord voldemort?#family tree #le strange #isolt sayre

3 notes · View notes

peruses · 7 years

Text

How to tell a true war story: Kyuu reviews Dunkirk

(idk why is this so damn long)

Now onto the review (spoilers ahead):

If there’s anything that gives Dunkirk away as a Nolan film, it’s the non-linear narrative structure. And for once, I’m not a huge fan of it. I’m not sure if I find it off-putting or not -- as someone who also has purposefully written complex (intentionally actively confusing) non-linear narratives as a stylistic choice, it would be hypocritical of me to say it’s not something to do.

Dunkirk’s narrative structure is less than confusing than that of Inception or Memento, but more off-putting in the sense that I don’t think it’s fundamentally clever or adds anything to the story. I understand that it’s become Nolan’s thing in that it invites (ie, requires) viewers to watch his films at least twice, but that isn’t reason enough do it. Even with the understanding that the three narratives all converge at the end in terms of timeline -- which is why he’s chosen to structure it the way he has -- I wish he’d either made it a little more obvious upfront that there was manipulation of time. It was jarring as an experience to gradually realize one-third of the way into the film that the narratives weren’t on the same timeline when a night scene transitioned directly into a daylight scene in another narrative.

I realized retrospectively that the time note on the narrative name card was made to indicate the amount of time the story is told over, but a more obvious way to help clarify that would also be including a timestamp on that when each narrative began. This is a mostly petty grievance of mine, but also a comment on the fact that I don’t like to see things done for the sake of appearing to be clever rather than actually being clever. But it is quite minor and petty.

All the actors were unquestionably fantastic and each of their performances had weight. [On a tangential meta note, watching the press junket around this film has been absolutely fascinating and cringeworthy. Pairing Harry with Fionn Whitehead was a great choice to get Fionn the exposure he deserves for this role. Fionn -- who’s never done press before -- and Harry -- who’s probably done more press than everyone else in this movie combined. However, something about Harry’s presence just really seems to invite the absolute worst in media. Even disregarding this cringeworthy segments about asking him (multiple times) and the cast their thoughts on Harry having to cut his hair, there was an actual interview where the interviewer outright “joked” that Fionn should go wash dishes to stay humble. I’ve never seen a film press junket be as much of a circus sideshow, and no wonder his fanbase is so up in arms and protective of him. (This really seems to be an issue that follows him everywhere.) Considering the serious nature of the film, it’s not just disrespectful to him or Fionn or his costars, it’s really disrespectful to veterans as well.]

Unsurprisingly, my favorite performance of the bunch was of course Tom’s. As always, his presence in film always has such gravitas to it, which is why he’s such a joy to watch. Of all the characters, he had the least interaction with anyone in the film as he’s aboard his plane the entire time. I, once again, literally could not understand a single word he mumbled into his mouthpiece the entire film. And yet -- and yet, while the film was unquestionably about an act of collective heroism, Farrier’s singular act and decision to keep going was paramount to saving the lives of so many people who were grounded. Though he said so little about it -- the way that they edited those scenes, the weight and hesitance in his decision-making, was utterly brutal and gut-wrenching. I won’t lie -- my heart stuttered every scene he was in, desperately hoping he would make it. When he saw that last Luftwaffe plane, made his decision to stay up in the air even though he was out of fuel, my eyes started watering. If there was a singular act of heroism to be highlighted, it was Farrier’s decision to stay the course.

Finally, like all good Nolan films, the ending was unsettling. As it should be. War stories shouldn’t end soppy, heroic, triumphant. The sentimentality of Spielberg’s filmmaking in terms of narrative -- especially those about war or the Cold War -- is always what I find off-putting about his work. There’s nothing to celebrate about war.

I love war literature, and I always love the candidness of the writing. My favorite book ever is a semi-autobiographical novel called The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien, a Vietnam veteran. And my favorite quote from it is from a chapter called “How to tell a true war story”.

–It wasn’t a war story. It was a love story.

But you can’t say that. All you can do is tell it one more time, patiently, adding and subtracting, making up a few things to get to the real truth… You can tell a true war story if you just keep on telling it.

At the end, of course, a true war story is never about war. It’s about sunlight. It’s about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do. It’s about love and memory. It’s about sorrow. It’s about sisters who never write back and people who never listen.

The stories in Dunkirk are just stories, they aren’t real people, and yet it’s because they’re not real that the storytelling achieves its level of truth. There’s nothing triumphant about the guilt Alex will carry with him all his life over “Gibson”’s death or his self-perception of cowardice; there’s nothing happily ever after about Tommy or Cillian Murphy’s character’s haunted eyes, about George, so sweet and 17, getting his wish to end up in the papers. But there’s also nothing quite as ephemeral as the way Farrier’s plane glided to a landing, free in the sky, across the beautiful shoreline in sunlight. The way that his plane burned bright, as Farrier let himself be captured by the German troops. It hurt. It was the end, but it wasn’t closure and never could be. War stories don’t get closure.

Dunkirk was a brilliant film. It was beautifully shot, acted, produced; subtly scored. But its emotional resonance isn’t in the fact that it’s a good film, but rather in its authenticity as a war story.

Part 1: Chris Nol: Serious Director Part 2: How to tell a true war story: Kyuu reviews Dunkirk Part 3: I need 500 fics about RAF Ace Pilot Tom Hardy (coming soon)

#dunkirk #dunkirk spoilers #review #dunkirk review #dunkirk hype #meta

22 notes · View notes

superman86to99 · 7 years

Photo

Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)

OVERSIZED ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Featuring the return of Superman! And Superman! And Superman, and also, Superman! But first: The Badass Adventures of Pa Kent in Hell. The last time we saw ol’ Pa, he’d just had a heart attack and seen a ghostly vision of his dead son (that’s Superman, for those joining us), who grabbed his hand and pulled Pa towards him. Now Ghost Superman is like, “Whelp, nice seeing you dad, gotta go.”

Superman is taken “into the light” by a couple of demons disguised as robed Kryptonian ladies. However, Pa refuses to give up on his son and follows them, only to find himself in a battlefield covered with corpses -- those of his Korean War buddies. Pa is (understandably) confused and thinks he’s back in the war, carrying out a mission to rescue some captured “airman”. Private Pa then comes across a farm littered with more dead people, including one that reminds him of his brother Harry... mainly because that’s exactly who it is.

In case you hadn’t noticed, something fishy is going on here. A demonic-looking enemy soldier tries to kick Pa out of wherever the hell this is (get it? hell?), but Pa just punches him into oblivion and soldiers on. Sometimes you just gotta punch some Nazis, folks.

Next up, Pa runs into Lady Blaze, the satanic mistress/recurring Superman baddie. Blaze generously offers to help Pa find his son in exchange for one million do-- I mean, his soul. Pa apparently thinks “eh, I don’t love him that much” and prefers to jump into the void beneath him.

At this point, Pa is saved from pinballing from sad memory to sad memory for all eternity by Kismet, the nice cosmic entity Superman met a while back (“our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape”, as Don Sparrow puts it). With Kismet’s guidance, Pa finally finds Superman, but he’s in the middle of some sort of weird funeral procession carried out by more demons disguised as Kryptonians (and Superman’s old furry friend, the Cleric).

Superman has completely fallen for the show these guys put on, and is prepared to let them take him to the “Kryptonian afterlife”, but Pa eventually breaks the spell with his hollering. More punching ensues!

Superman gets rid of the demons, but he still thinks that Pa should go back to the land of living without him. He’s been gone for too long, and it’s not his place to deny death. Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El suddenly shows up to reinforce this notion, telling Superman to join him and his biological mother, Lara, in the afterlife. It is the natural way of things.

Naturally, Pa Kent ain’t having any of that.

Pa practically carries Superman through the portal in front of them. Cut to: Pa waking up in a hospital bed in Smallville, whispering “Clark is back” to a freaked out Ma Kent and Lois Lane.

Suddenly, Superman sightings are reported all over Metropolis -- it’s like he’s in four places at once! Lois refuses to give herself any false hopes, but just to make double-sure her fiancee is still dead, she decides to take a peek inside his tomb. Inspector Henderson opens the casket for her, and it’s... empty?!

TO BE CONTINUED! But first...

Epilogue 1: Two rival gangs are fighting over turf when one pulls out some futuristic super-weapons that literally blow the other guys to pieces. As the cops roll in, out of the rubble emerges a hulking figure saying “DOOMSDAY! GOTTA STOP DOOMSDAY!” Holy shit, it’s Superman! He’s back! Also, black!

Epilogue 2: As an evildoer tries to carjack an innocent citizen, a caped figure flies to the rescue... and blasts the absolute crap out of the would-be thief with some energy blasts, throwing him off the roof of a building. The familiar figure explains that he’s “risen from the dead” and been changed by “the fire and darkness” -- OK, that has to be Superman. There’s no other explanation.

Epilogue 3: There’s an emergency at Project Cadmus, the genetic experimentation facility that recently held Superman’s corpse: some type of secret cloning experiment has broken out before it/he was ready. We see this brash young clone being led to the outside world by the Newsboy Legion, and upon hearing the way they refer to him, he exclaims: “DON’T EVER CALL ME SUPERBOY!” Because he’s actually Superman! Oh my God!

Epilogue 4: A tourist family stops in front of the Daily Planet and reflects solemnly on the plaque marking the spot where Superman died... until a man in blue tights lands from the sky, rips out the plaque, and burns it with his heat vision. We then see that he’s got robot parts all over his body; you know, as if he’d been brought back to life after being pummelled to death by a monster. Whelp, that’s it. That’s Superman, right there.

Character-Watch:

First appearance of these four mysterious Supermen: Black Superman, Blind Superman, Brat Superman, and Beep-Bop-I’m-a-Robot Superman. Or is it?!

Creator-Watch:

This is a suitably epic finale for Jerry Ordway’s original Superman run, which started way back in 1987. Ordway went from artist to co-plotter to writer/artist to just writer, along the way pioneering the house style that all Superman series will use throughout the ‘90s. This is often called the “Byrne” and/or “Jurgens” era, but I’d argue that Ordway was the single most influential creator involved in this period, and although what comes directly after his departure is cool as hell, we’ll definitely miss the heart, humor and realism he brought to even the most obscure background characters.

Speaking of which, this wouldn’t be an Ordway comic without a shit-ton of subplots, so here we go...

Plotline-Watch:

One detail I never caught as a kid: one of the “Superman sightings” at the end of the issue is clearly a drunken Bibbo in a Superman shirt.

The Final Misadventure of Jose Degaldo: He’s been beaten, burned, broken (literally), had buildings dropped on him, and dumped by both Lois Lane and Cat Grant, but Jose “Gangbuster” Delgado has finally had enough -- he’s ditching Metropolis. A regular crime-punching adventure goes wrong when Jose accidentally beats up an undercover cop posing as a drug dealer. Upon learning there’s a warrant for his ass and getting shot by another cop, Jose decides to call it quits and leave town (using the bus ticket Inspector Henderson recently gave him). He’s actually going to Fawcett City along with his creator -- he’ll show up again in Jerry Ordway’s Power of Shazam, but that’s it for Jose in these pages! Goodbye, Suicide Slum’s rose.

Incidentally, Cat Grant is feeling rather down since she split with Jose, and her boss Vinnie Edge uses the opportunity to invite her to dinner. She agrees, even though A) her relationship with Vinnie’s son did not end well, and B) he’s a disgusting perv who just grabbed her butt. Don Sparrow says: “The interplay between Cat Grant and Vinnie Edge hasn’t aged well -- though in some ways it seems timelier than ever.”

The “favor” Vinnie mentions above is not what you might think: he wants Cat to talk to Jimmy Olsen, who has neglected his duties as star of the hit Turtle Boy TV series ever since a certain pal of Jimmy’s was violently killed. Jimmy isn’t in the mood for light-hearted TMNT copyright infringement, though, so the series is currently on reruns.

Those Turtle Boy reruns are watched by the cellmate of Oswald Loomis -- aka Superman’s least intimidating rogue, The Prankster. Loomis, once a children’s entertainer himself, doesn’t appreciate ‘90s television and tries to electrocute said cellmate (who, in my memory, was Vinnie’s son Morgan Edge, making this scene slightly less random).

Pa Kent smashing the ghostly Jor-El with a shovel that materializes out of nowhere is, of course, a shout out to John Byrne’s classic Man of Steel #6, when he does the same thing. I want a full series about Pa dispatching Kryptonian ghosts the same way. His maligned brother Harry was also mentioned in a Byrne comic, World of Smallville #1.

As usual, I’m forgetting or lazily leaving out plenty of important details, so check out Don Sparrow’s section after the jump for way more!

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):

Even more than Superman #75, it’s this issue (and the storyline that follows) that most define this, my most beloved era of Superman comics for me. Perhaps it’s because I was actually opposed to Superman’s death, rather than excited about it, whereas with this issue, I was only completely excited, and totally curious about how they’d bring Superman back.

Still more nerdy background: as we’ve mentioned in previous blogposts, I live in the same city as Super-teamster Tom Grummett, so the fact that he drew this comic was big, big deal in my hometown. Our local comic store (which sat below Tom Grummett’s art studio upstairs) had Tom in on the day it was released to sign copies, so it was a major event. Though I was only a lad of 13 at the time, both that day, and in the years since, I bought enough copies of Adventures of Superman #500 to insulate my house with them (and so did the rest of the world, making the resale value not quite what Superman #75 was). How big of a deal was Superman’s return in my hometown? Well, we made the evening news…

youtube

The direct market edition cover features a stunner of a painting by the great Jerry Ordway, of a ghostly Superman reaching out to Pa Kent from beyond the void. It was billed as being a removable translucent screen, but I don’t know anyone who was successfully able to remove the vellum without ruining their cover, but the softening of the add-on is very effective. The newsstand edition (remember when comics could be purchased on newsstands?) has a decidedly story-driven cover, which must have perplexed the many non-regular Superman readers who came out in droves for this big issue. It features Superman and Pa Kent floating over a background of enemies (including the demonic Blaze, which, to the uninitiated, must have been pretty spooky) with Pa Kent inexplicably in a Challengers of the Unknown looking jumpsuit. Confusion aside, it’s still a great cover, and a nice hint at all the zip-a-tone goodness we’ll find inside.

Throughout the issue, the real world and the afterlife are given very distinct visual styles, with the ‘real’ world being inked and coloured normally, and the spirit world with lots of zip-a-tone shadows and gleaming bright colours. It’s such an effective way to delineate the storylines, and man, I love how the extra shading looks on the afterlife pages. It’ll be hard to single out only a few pages, because, honestly, this is one of the best drawn comics of the era.

In the first few pages, I was struck that, despite seeing Superman in full uniform at the end of Superman #77, the Superman Jonathan Kent sees on the ‘other’ side is Clark Kent, which is a telling note about how he sees his identity. The image of Pa stripping away his Clark garb is a great one, with the mist and swirling clouds establishing we are indeed, not in Kansas anymore.

The direct market edition also has some differences within the book, in addition to the difference in cover—it has a number of full page splashes inserted into the storyline, which are missing from the newsstand edition, and each one is a stunner. The first one is Gangbuster descending a fire escape on page 6, having ignored the warnings he got from Inspector Henderson in the Superman specials that preceded this issue.

The most interesting thing about these splashes, aside from how just about every one of them would have made for some killer poster art, is how seamlessly Jerry Ordway matches the scripts. Many of the splashes contain dialogue, but if those sentences are removed (as they are in the newsstand edition) the story still makes sense, which must have been a real challenge. [Max: Oddly enough, the one flaw I’ve found in my giant Death and Return of Superman omnibus so far is that some of the dialogue from these pages is duplicated, presumably from combining pages from both editions.]

Page 9 features another great Gangbuster image, and the fight choreography in the pages that follow has a real sense of place and pace.

As we return to Pa Kent’s near death experience, the visuals go a good job of selling the story’s dreamlike conceit—“reality” is pretty flexible where he is, so as Jonathan spends time there, his thoughts get muddled in with memory, and he can lose his purpose. It really feels like a dream in that way. Also, having heard about Jonathan’s brother previously, I thought he’d look a lot worse. There’s a strange cutaway to the Prankster in these pages, and while it’s a funny little scene, it has no bearing on the story, and Prankster doesn’t pop up again in these pages for a very long time---if memory serves, until the ill-fitting reboot of his look some 80 issues later. [Max: We saw him during the Dominus storyline, but I’m not sure if that counts.]

I also love how Grummett seems to draw Prankster as looking like UK comedian Terry Thomas, which is a great fit. It’s always tricky to translate such goofy-looking characters into real people, and here, perhaps for the first time, Prankster looks like a human being and not a doughier Alfred E Neuman. (Do prisoners really get their own portable TVs? Surely this scene demonstrates the danger of such a luxury!)

The scenes of Pa Kent falling into a pit and being pulled out by Blaze are chilling, but, like the rest of the issue, doesn’t it just make you fall in love with tough, no nonsense Jonathan Kent? It’s a mini-Godwatch when he pulls a Luke Skywalker and choose oblivion over joining forces with Blaze. (Extra points for Jonathan asking the question on the minds of a lot of Superman readers—is Blaze the devil or what?)

Next up is an appearance by what would seem to be Blaze’s opposite number, Kismet, our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape. Both sides of the two-page splash are pretty stunning here.

The ersatz Kryptonian funeral is pretty interesting too. Here, Grummett walks a fine line, having the Kryptonian stuff accurate enough that we know what it’s supposed to be, but just off enough that we know something strange is going on.

Once Clark figures out that the wraiths mean him harm (has there ever been a nice wraith?) it’s so, so great to see him back in action after all these months without him. Major kudos to the colourist, here especially, but throughout the book, for the unique colours which look great here on Superman’s uniform. Plus, I always like the times when Superman loses his cape.

The visual effect of the portal back to reality is just amazing, and from their perspective, probably pretty accurate. Next to the blinding light of the afterlife, earthly life would probably seem pretty dark. That last image from the direct edition, of Superman flying through the void with Pa Kent is just such a stunner. And from a story standpoint, this is just so definitive of the Super-team. That a story about bringing back Superman is told in the most personal, meaningful way, with a chubby, balding old farmer as more or less the lead character. It’s a total rejection of the grit teeth and substance-less Image comics trend of the era in its’ wholesomeness. And I love this is how they chose to bring him back. My very favourite detail, that I came back to again and again was that the heartbeat that returns to Pa Kent’s monitor goes across his panel, into the panel of Superman’s tomb. So subtle, and so, so awesome.

The four page previews kicking off the Reign storyline are almost an issue unto themselves, but I love how all the eye-witness accounts from page 45 are later seen within issues, and give clues to very different Supermen.

If you’ll allow me just a little more nerdiness, DC sent comic shops some previews of this issue to create excitement, and these pages included scans of the end section with the new Supermen. The only catch was, on these previews the figures were totally whited out, so you couldn’t see what he looked like. So having read those short previews, I thought they were all referring to ONE new Superman, who I assumed had been changed by his experience with Doomsday. It wasn’t until I got the issue home that I realized they were launching four different storylines.

The art on these is pretty interesting. This is really the point where Jon Bogdanove shifts into a really loose, less constrained style, which honestly works quite well for the larger than life character of John Henry Irons. And that first look at him—you can definitely see why they thought that Shaquille O’Neal would work for this character.

Next is a spooky look at the Last Son of Krypton, who I 100% believed was the real Superman, mainly because of his appearance. The panel of Superman lowering to finish off the thug is a great, eerie look, and I dig the Gandalf the White style dialogue here, too.

I love everything about the “Metropolis Kid” section, because it’s all built-in, and even gives us hints of this character’s “tactile telekinesis” with the grating not being damaged from his blow. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but man, it’s a great costume too.

Lastly, the Man of Tomorrow segment, which is such great, great storytelling, as, until the very last second, you don’t realize anything is amiss, in spite of the facial expressions of the tourists. [Max: This guy freaked me out even before I saw his full face, and I just realized why: the panel of him turning to face the family reminds me the end of this traumatizing BTAS episode.]

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

It’s interesting to me that this issue establishes that Jonathan Kent fought in the Korean conflict, and not, as was established in the World of Smallville mini-series, World War II. It’s amazing that enough time had passed by this point, that they had to move the timeline up. I suppose if Pa Kent were still in modern stories, he’d have been a Vietnam veteran by now. I’ll admit being surprised watching Smallville that Jonathan Kent had never been in any war—I thought for sure they’d have made him a Gulf War veteran or something.

Even completely in shock and grief and confusion, Lois Lane really rocks those stretchpants.

GODWATCH: This is the big one, where, as hinted to in past issues, the belief system that the Kents raised Clark within is made explicit. First on page 22, in a moment of despair, Lois admits she wishes her faith were stronger, and Martha relates that their beliefs included Heaven, and that Clark himself, to her knowledge, subscribed to those beliefs. Finally, when Pa stabilizes, Ma Kent thanks the Lord, on page 42. [Max: I also find Pa’s theory that Clark only ended up in this limbo because he’d been raised as a mortal pretty interesting.]

“Sure—have some of my hootch, why don’tcha?” A very funny exchange. [Max: I forgot to mention High Pocket’s essential contribution to this issue, when he fishes Jose out of the river, gives him booze, and tries to recruit him for some larceny! Shame on me.]

21 notes · View notes