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#witch the writer's preferences
witchthewriter · 8 months
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𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 | 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑶𝒏𝒆.
⤷ gender neutral, Valyrian blood (dragon rider), and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!
a/n: I was inspired by @reiignonme, and I just HAD to do this. I'm so excited to write it. Also, I do know that dragons are aggressive creatures, but to their bonded rider, they're different.
ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ
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𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐍:
・The God of Dragons, is what his title should have been
・But to you, he wasn't the intimidating beast that everyone saw him as.
・To you he was a work of art, a creation so wonderous that your breath hitched whenever you saw him.
・You show your love to him by laying beside him, treating him with respect and dignity.
・You hate leaving him on his own, but you allow him his independence.
・Never in a million years would you put him in the Dragonpit, chained and waiting for you.
・And in turn, he shows you his love by fiercely protecting you. He will fly you anywhere, and calls whenever he's beckoned.
・Only obedient to you, he doesn't listen to anyone else but you. However, it's almost as if he's level-headed and can be reasoned with.
・The other dragons fall in line and let him lead - which means you're the leader as well.
・His roar is earth-shakingly loud. And it can be heard from miles away.
・All of your subjects bow to you, knowing your power.
・Because we know, that a dragonrider has the same traits as their dragon.
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𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐗𝐄𝐒:
・Is quite the adventurous dragon; she isn't one to be paraded around like Silverwing or Dreamfyre. She rather dislikes large crowds, preferring mountainsides and flying over oceans. She doesn't like small spaces either.
・Bonding with Meraxes was like bonding with a Border Collie - always has energy and curiosity
・But unlike Quicksilver, Meraxes is less energetic in a comic sense. She's more mature; more battle-worn.
・Will protect you unrelentingly.
・Hates sudden loud noises
・But loves hearing how much you love her and how much of a good job she's done
・Her teeth are smaller than the other dragons, but more pointed/sharp and there's more of them
・Her roar is also more high pitch and of a scream
・Meraxes' scales are pearlescent and seem to move in the sunlight
・Not many people know that, because she doesn't like being approached by others.
・That's why she isn't kept in the dragonpit.
・But she isn't as aggressive as Vermithor or the Cannibal
・You can tell that she wants a mate though, and often tries to woo Balerion - but he wants none of it.
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𝐕𝐇𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐑:
・She shows her love by waiting for you to sit on her saddle before taking off.
・You have to shout out the command to fly and then, she takes off.
・You have a very special bond with Vhagar, which clicked into place because you would spend more time looking after her than making her fly.
・For example, talking to her, brushing/washing her, stroking her face.
・For those who don't think dragons understand - you're wrong because they really do. That's why some riders have a bigger bond than others.
・Some just see their dragon as an animal, as a beast. But those that see them as apart of them, that's when the true bond clicks into place.
・And you knew that being pampered is everyone's dream - or just being doted upon. So, because you put in the hours for her, she does the same for you.
・She obeys your commands without question, because she trusts you.
・But she doesn't like anyone else touching her, in fact there's a few trainers with burnt hands because of Vhagar.
・She loves laying in the sun, and will fly you to a beach to lay in the sand. Often you're chastised by your family for bringing sand into the castle.
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𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑:
・LOVES TO FLY
・She's the type of dragon to be like, "let's go faster! let's go faaaaasteeeer!"
・Isn't as aggressive as others, but would rather be away from people if able.
・Hates being paraded around
・But will do it if persuaded with food and belly rubs (although most dragons don't like to expose their stomachs as it is one of their most vulnerable body parts)
・When you introduce her to a friend or acquaintance, she does a big roar and then huffs a laugh at the person's scared response
・One of the more docile dragons like Silverwing
・Has similar colouring to Meraxes, but unlike her, Quicksilver is smaller but nimbler.
・One of the fastest
・Can beat anyone in a race
・And she LOVES to race
・Has to be ridden everyday otherwise she goes hyperactive and will lash out at the trainers
・Once when you were bedridden for a week, she flicked a whole group of trainers with her tail and then let out the biggest flame she had ever expelled.
・Tail flick = I'm irritated, Roar = I'm hungry or is trying to scare someone for a laugh, Fire = she is actually angry, Baring her teeth = scared
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐁𝐀𝐋:
・No one is allowed to approach him, hell no one is allowed to look at him.
・He's an incredibly aggressive and temperamental dragon. One that hates everyone but you.
・Completely black, he's known for eating other dragons - which makes him an outsider. No dragon, no matter how mighty, doesn't feel safe around him
・Even Balerion keeps his distance
・You weren't sure whether to keep his name or not, since you did have an emotional connection with him.
・But you guessed that he like being intimidating
・You have to feed him yourself or he will go hunting for dragons or sheep. Hasn't actually eaten a person, but has killed many.
・As he's your bonded dragon, people are a lot more intimidated by you. Since dragons and riders have somewhat similar traits.
・Although he does like showing you his den. He looks at you like, 'it's nice, isn't it. Did you see the bones I placed at the front? Yeah...it's to scare people off...'
・You see him differently than others see him. You aren't afraid of him. It's how you were able to bond with him in the first place.
・There was something in his eye that you thought was vulnerability, rather than hostility.
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𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑:
・His favourite form of physical touch is being scratched, like, really really scratched.
・Vermithor's back leg will wobble in absolute delight
・Especially when you get to those places where he cannot reach himself
・Doesn't like anyone but you doing it (or anyone but you being in the room when you do it)
・He's a very private & grumpy boi. Doesn't like being woken too early either. And likes to have an afternoon nap.
・And an angry/aggressive one too. He doesn't like being woken up early, and once you had to dodge out of his firing line. When he realised it was you, he made a really long upset face (that only you and his only other rider, Jaehaerys has seen)
・But he's incredibly loyal, and would die for you.
・What's important to you, is important to him (unless it's before 8am)
・Can sense when you're overwhelmed and will let out a huge roar so no one comes near
・Likes when you fall asleep with him. He may like his solitude, but he doesn't mind company (it depends on the company)
・Actually likes doing royal processions because he gets to show off how big and scary he is. He knows it's too remind the people of whose in charge.
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𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆:
・The least aggressive out of all the dragons (but that doesn't make her a formidable foe.)
・It's almost as if Silverwing understands that dragons keep people in line, but an approachable dragon keeps the respect and admiration of the people
・If she's patient and sociable with others, then you know damn well she has all the love, patience and affection for you.
・She shows her affection by nuzzling into your open palm, her eyes closed and you swear her lips are in the shape of a smile
・Wherever you are - standing alone, or in a crowd etc., she has her body wrapped around you; shielding you.
・And when you're alone together, she'll lay down and let you rest with her, and/or on her. Then, she'll fully wrap around you to help you warm up.
・She absolutely loves spending time with you. Funnily enough, she's a very outgoing dragon.
・She won't let you come into any harm though. Either because she herself has placated the people who could hurt you (the common people) by interacting with them calmly and gently.
・And if anyone tries to hurt you, she's the first to react. Although her temperament seems calm, she is highly protective of you and will burn someone to ash if they try to hurt you.
・When you're in King's Landing and the King demands that Silverwing be put in the Dragonpits, you sneak down to sleep with her. You have a very tight bond.
・Otherwise, she takes you somewhere else to sleep; amongst the grass, so you can fall asleep underneath the stars.
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jupitercl0uds · 1 year
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cant believe there are people out there who dislike filler.
'why cant the story progress :(' oh my god shut up the characters are 10x better than the plot
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physalian · 2 months
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What No One Tells You About Writing Fantasy
Every author has their preferred genres. I love fantasy and sci-fi, but began with historical fiction. I hated all the research that historical fiction demands and thought, if I build my own world, no research required.
Boy, was I wrong.
So to anyone dipping their toe into fantasy/sci-fi, here’s seven things I wish I knew about the genres before I committed to writing for them.
1. You still have to research. Everything.
If you want any of your fantasy battle sequences, or your space ships, or your droids and robots, or your fictional government and fictional politics to read at all believable.
In sci-fi, you research astronomy, robotics, politics, political science, history, engineering, anthropology. In fantasy, you have to research historical battle tactics, geography, real-world mythology, folklore, and fairytales, and much of it overlaps with science fiction.
I say you *have to* assuming you want your work to be original and unique and stand out from the crowd. Fanfic writers put in the research for a 30k word smut fic, you can and will have to research for your original work.
2. Naming everything gets exhausting
I hate coming up with new names, especially when I write worlds and places divorced from Earthly customs and can’t rely on Earthly naming conventions. You have to name all your characters, all your towns, villages, cities, realms, kingdoms, planets, galaxies, star systems.
You have to name your rebel faction, your imperial government, significant battles. Your spaceships, your fantasy companies and organizations, your magic system, made-up MacGuffins, androids, computer programs. The list goes on and on and on.
And you have to do it all without it sounding and reading ridiculous and unpronounceable, or racist. Your fantasy realms have to have believable naming patterns. It. Gets. Exhausting.
3. It will never read like you’re watching a movie
Do you know how fast movies can cut between scenes? Movies can balance five plotlines at once all converging with rapid edits, without losing their audience. Sometimes single lines of dialogue, or single wordless shots are all a scene gets before it cuts. If you try to replicate that by head-hopping around, you will make a mess.
It’s perfectly fine to write like you’re watching a movie, but you can’t rely on visual tricks to get your point across when all you have is text on a page – like slow mo, lens flares, epically lit cinematic shots, or the aforementioned rapid edits.
It doesn’t have to, nor should it, look like a movie. Books existed long before film, so don’t let yourself get caught up in how ~cinematic~ it may or may not look.
4. Your space opera will be compared to Star Wars and Star Trek
And your fairy epic will be compared to Tinkerbell, your vampires to Twilight, your zombies to The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z. Your wizards and witches and any whisper of a fantasy school for fantasy children will be compared to Harry Potter. Your high fantasy adventure will be compared to Lord of the Rings.
You can’t avoid it, but you can avoid doing it to yourself. When people ask about your book, let them say “oh, you mean like Star Wars” to which you then can say, kind of, except XYZ happens in my book. These IPs will never fade from the public consciousness, not while you exist to read this post, at least, but Harry Potter isn’t the only urban fantasy out there. Lord of the Rings isn’t the only high fantasy. Star Wars isn’t the only space opera.
Yours will be on the shelves right next to them, soon enough, and who knows? You might dethrone them.
5. Your world-building is an iceberg, and your book is the tip
I don’t pay for any of those programs that help you organize your book and mythos. I write exclusively on Apple Notes, MS Word, and Google Suite (and all are free to me). I have folders on Apple Notes with more words inside them than the books they’re written for.
If you try to cram an entire college textbook’s worth of content into your novel, you will have left zero room for actual story. The same goes for all the research you did, all the hours slaving away for just a few details and strings of dialogue.
There’s a balance, no matter how dense your story is. If you really want to include all those extra details, slap some appendices at the end. Commission some maps.
6. The gatekeeping for fantasy and sci-fi is still very real
Pen names and pseudonyms exist for a reason. A female author writing fantasy that isn’t just a backdrop for romance? You have a harder battle ahead of you than your male counterparts, at least in the US. And even then, your female protagonist will be scrutinized and torn apart.
She’ll either be too girly or not girly enough, too sexy, or not sexy enough. She’ll be called a Mary Sue, a radical feminist mouthpiece, some woke propaganda. Every action she takes will be criticized as unrealistic and if she has fans who are girls, they will be mocked, too.
If you have queer characters, characters of color, they won’t be good enough, they won’t please everyone, and someone will still call you a bigot. A lot of someones will still call you a bigot.
Do your due diligence and hire your army of sensitivity readers and listen to them, but you cannot please everyone, so might as well write to please yourself. You’re the one who will have to read it a thousand times until it’s published.
7. Your “original” idea has been done before, and that’s okay
Stories have been told since before language evolved. The sum of the parts of your novel may be original, but even then, it’s colored by the media you’ve consumed. And that’s okay!
How many Cinderella stories are there? How many high fantasies? How many books about werewolves and witches and vampires? Gods and goddesses and celestial beings? Fairies and dragons and trolls? Aliens, robots, alien robots? Romeo and Juliette? Superheroes and mutants?
Zombies may be the avenue through which you tell your story, but it’s not *just* about zombies, is it? It’s about the characters who battle them, the endurance of the human spirit, or the end of an era, the death of a nation. So don’t get discouraged, everyone before you and everyone after will have written someone on the backs of what came before and it still feels new.
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fraugwinska · 10 days
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A very incomplete list of Hazbin Hotel Fanfiction Authors/Geniuses
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I cannot believe the awsome, talented, absolute magnificent people I've met through this fandom. Writing FF for Hazbin Hotel has become one of my greatest joys in life, and reading the stories and creations of my fellow friends and idols is something that can brighten my whole week - and we don't gatekeep. So, if you're in search for a good read, here are a few of the SUPER AWSOME people I stalk (and I want to stress - this list is never going to be complete, but I'll try to edit it as there are just SO MANY GODDANG MASTERS out there!) @bapple117 If you love #RadioStatic, you have to read 'Bluest Monday' (completed) and the follow-up 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' (WIP) She'll break your heart in the most beautiful way. If you don't fancy that but Alastor is your go-to, then you will want to dive in head-first into "If You Can't Say Somethin' Nice, Don't Say Nothin' At All" (complete). But as before, be ready for a rollercoaster of emotional moments and extremely spicy shenanigans.
@hazelfoureyes Goddess of the smut, Hottest writer in Hell - If you're horny, Hazel has got you covered. Especially her 'The safeword is Radioapple'-Mini-series will make you sweat like a Zumba-Instructor on crack. Be prepared to blush, tremble, die and immediately ressurrect, because yes. She is THAT good.
Clover/corruptedteacups on AO3 With whooping 75 chapters and 300k+ hits, her Fanfic 'The Red means I Love you' is one of the best, most detailed slow-burn-pining-angsty-smutty-will-they-wont-they Masterpieces I've read so far. Alastor is magnificent and I guarantee you'll fall in love with Clover, the bunny who captures the heart of you deerest red demon.
@melodyonthewireless Highly underappreciated (imho), her fic "A Match made in Hell" (WIP) follows her OC Sybil down to hell, into the Hazbin Hotel and consecutively the arms of Alastor - but don't you dare underestimate the pink, harmless looking doe. Sybil's witch powers and her sassy, witty personality is quite the match to the established readio overlord. It's such a read, and the wait between chapters the sweetest agony!
@macabr3-barbi3 She delivers every. single. TIME. Her Short stories and One-Shots are like Pringles - Once you pop, you can't stop. I'm deeply in love with 'Dream a little Dream' (WIP), 'Nothing I can't Handle' (WIP) makes me run for a cold shower and did I mention the countless one-shot-candies that make you mouth water and your toes curl?
@slutforalastor/InconspicuousBosch on AO3 Whether it's the One-Shots on tumblr (omg the PRIEST ALASTOR BIT *fans face*) or the incredible Choose-your-Path-Fic "Say it with a smile" (completed) - you will be both amazed at the artistry of the wording and storybuilding and blushing at the sheer craft of the smut and sexual tension.
@impale-me-radio-daddy Founder of the kink #antlerplay, his series of 'The Lookalike' is steamy, outrageous, utterly magnificent and filthy down to the bones. Be prepared for some serious questioning of your own preferences, because you WILL get some epiphanies. And that's a PROMISE.
@hurthermore Listen. LISTEN. Bimbo is the mini-series that had me on a friggin CHOKEHOLD. It takes a special talent to make one so invested in THE radio demon, gentleman a la carte Alastor believably pining after and pounding a lovable, dumb airhead sinner with a fable for skimpy dresses and leave you at the end wanting for seconds and thirds!
As I said, this is a highly incomplete list, and I'll absolutely edit this list as I go. But I needed to put this out in the world. To all of the above, and all of those which I didn't include YET but most certainly will -
I ADORE YOU, I PRAY AT YOUR FEET, YOU ARE AMAZING BEINGS AND I LOVE YOU.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
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A Suletta Mercury/Miorine Rembrandt Submission Note:
They're a new take on Utena and Anthy, the founding mothers of sapphic representation. gwitch is by the writer of the Utena light novels. miorine and suletta are actual fiancés...
A Red/Blue (Pokemon) Submission Note:
They went on a honeymoon together in alola these idiots are in love I know green/blue is quantum blue gay but he should count even if I personally prefer calling him green
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pamsimmer · 3 months
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LUNAR PHASES CHALLENGE
My very first challenge and I'm excited? haha
When I was looking for occults challenge to play I found a lot of witches and vampire type of things, but I don't quite remember seeing a werewolf one.
These three occults are my favorites (unfortunately I kind of ignore the others because you know... meh, not as fun to play with them. But maybe one day I'll try to make a mermaid challenge)
Down here you're gonna find the rules and guidelines for each gen. You don't have to follow strictly the rules if you don't want to, I know it can be annoying sometimes. And also I made it short for those who prefer shorter challenges (like me).
I just hope you have fun!
[edit: a friend made the graphic rules and it looks amazing. if you prefer it like this: HERE]
Rules:
You must reside only in the occults’s worlds, but preferably in Moonwood Mill (You can always kick your family out and pretend you’re living in another place hehe)
Start as YA, any gender
You can use cheats if you want.
Heir must be a werewolf
Normal or Long Lifespan
You don’t have to max all these skills, but it would be nice if you at least worked on them all your sims lives
When I put ( / ) is because you can choose what you prefer or if you don’t have said pack you can choose the base game one.
Requirements: Werewolves, Snowy Scape, Get Together, Get To Work
GENERATION 1: Waxing Crescent
You grew up close to the Moonwood Collective, they are basically your family and you learned how to be a good sim and not hurt others. You prefer to lock yourself up than to behave like an animal in front of others. You always loved art/writing and your hobby is to play piano. You don’t like the spotlight because of your werewolf tendencies, so you chose a more “reclusive” career.
Traits: Proper/Snob, Bookworm, Good
Aspiration: The Emissary of the Collective
Skills: Charisma, Piano/Painting, Writing
Career: Painter or Writer (It can be the freelance career if you prefer)
Volunteer with family (or alone) at least once a week
Your partner can be any gender, can be human or even another type of occult, as long as the heir is a werewof.
Get married to your partner and never divorce. You two were made for each other
GENERATION 2: Waning Gibbous
Your parents wanted you to be as perfect as they are, but you’re not them. You have your own personality and your own desires. You’re a rebel. You love being a werewolf and you feel powerful when you show others who you are. The only thing you got from your parent was the love for music, but you are more of a guitar type of sim. And you want to be the leader of your own pack.
Traits: Mean, Active, Kleptomaniac
Aspiration: Wildfang Renegade
Skills: Mischief, Fitness, Guitar
Career: Criminal or perform only odd jobs and have a part time job
Meet your friends at the bar every weekend
Have a “fight club” club
Get pregnant/get your girlfriend pregnant as a teen (if your sim is a boy: don’t assume the responsability / if your sim is a girl: give the baby to someone else. you can keep the child close to you if you want to play with them later, in case it’s a werewolf)
Get married as a Young Adult and divorce before become an Adult. You can find love again, but if you don’t, that’s okay. (preferably die alone :)
One day your sims is gonna teach their teen kid (the heir) how to fight. You’re take them to Greg and let them fight Greg… alone.
GENERATION 3: Full Moon
You never got along with your parent. You actually hate them. You prefer to be alone, you’re like a hurt puppy that attacks others who tries to come closer to you. But you’re very sweet on the inside. And finally one day you find the love of your life and you have a beautiful family together.
Traits: Loner, Gloomy, Hot-Headed
Aspiration: Lone Wolf
Skills: Gardening, Handiness, Fishing
Career: Gardner or Fisherman (and perform odd jobs)
If you chose gardner: go fishing every weekend, if you chose fisherman: have a garden
Live off the grid, at least until you get married (after that you can go back to society again if you want to. But it’s not mandatory)
Have at least two kids
GENERATION 4: New Moon
You grew up in a loving family. You have so many plans for your life, but you don’t want to be a werewolf forever. You spent your teenager years reading werewolf books and you got the Lunar Epiphany and learned how to make the cure. Maybe you’re the one who breaks the family’s curse, right? and you want to be a super parent because your own parent inspired you.
Traits: Genius, Family-Oriented, Loyal
Aspiration: Cure Seeker
Skills: Logic, Parenting, Baking/Gourmet Cooking
Career: Doctor/Astrounaut
Find love when you are already a human and be the best parent you can be!
Go out on dates at least once a week with your partner, and when you have a child go out at least once a week with your family.
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jamilelucato · 8 months
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possibility - fred weasley
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pairing: fred weasley x slytherin!reader
(it can be read as a one-shot) (part 02 here!)
summary: Amidst the boredom, an unexpected connection sparks between (Y/N) and the charismatic mischief-maker, Fred Weasley.
note: They are in their last year at Hogwarts, so, for purposes, they are 18; besides, the whole canon of the book (it would've been Order of the Phoenix) is mostly nonexistent here.
the reader: can be interpreted as someone with ADHD; she loves literature and she has no friends.
words: 7580
Enjoy!
The lesson trudged on, dripping with tedium.
In truth, (y/n) quite liked Professor Flitwick. She had, in fact, eagerly accepted his invitation to become his assistant whenever the First Years graced his class. Being an assistant delighted her to no end. Yet, being a student, well, that was a different cauldron of bubbling potion altogether.
Today, Flitwick's lecture on Spellcasting and its perils was dragging on and on. As a sixth-year student, the curriculum seemed more intent on delving into existing knowledge than offering exciting novelties. While these topics might hold allure for a future Auror or the like, they were a one-way ticket to Boredomville for her.
Ever since (y/n) had decided upon her career path – a decision that seemed to have been brewed in the deepest recesses of her being – most of her classes had metamorphosed into a soporific ordeal. Hogwarts wasn't particularly renowned for its prowess in teaching language and literature, but that was precisely where her ambitions lay. A writer, a wordsmith, perhaps even an editor or a high school pedagogue. Anything that would let her commune with the magic of words, not the sort that burst from wands.
Now, she wasn't a woeful spell caster by any means. Professor Flitwick wouldn't have sought her assistance if she weren't a smart witch. But, her heart preferred the dance of ink on parchment over the intricacies of wand-waving, often rendering her classroom hours relatively inconsequential.
Seeking refuge from this stifling monotony, (y/n) allowed her gaze to wander. And in this sea of faces, her eyes collided with Fred Weasley – the school's most notorious ginger-haired mischief-maker. He was already watching her, a mask of effortless nonchalance draped over his face. He raised his brows at her, noticing she was staring back, and he did not look away. And so, they locked eyes, neither relinquishing the connection. It was not a duel of gazes; it was more like a shared secret, a silent agreement over how tedious the class was.
A minute passed in this silent communion until Fred graced her with a faint smile. The spell was broken, and her attention returned to her empty parchment. A quiet sigh fluttered like a long-forgotten page being turned, but it vanished into the air, unheard by all but her.
With pen in hand, she felt an almost magical compulsion to transcribe Flitwick's words onto her parchment. His voice, though droning before, now seemed less boring. 
“To its nature, we shall survive it, but the opponent targetted... not so much,” the professor intoned, the words finally finding their mark within her consciousness. Cruel nature, indeed. “Well,” she mused, her back moulding into her chair as her quill danced across the parchment, “Every spell I remember does possess a hint of danger.”
At long last, her notes held substance, and her enthusiasm, while subdued, had been rekindled. Her gaze again drifted sideways to where Fred Weasley was, only to find he had shifted his focus – to his twin, George.  
They sat side by side, mirror images of naughtiness. (y/n) sometimes forgot that they were identical twins because she was so used to having them around that they started to look apart. George's height had a mere smidgen of variance, while Fred's nose was a tad more prominent. Freckles played a symphony across their faces, arranging themselves differently – Fred’s were more concentrated around his forehead. Yet, at that moment, as (y/n) blinked through her confusion, she wondered if she'd mixed up their features. Had she glimpsed George's grin instead?
But then, as if choreographed by fate, Fred resumed his original posture and caught her looking. His lips curled into an unmistakable smirk. “It's certainly Fred, then,” she thought, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, unwanted.  She redirected her attention back to the good Professor Flitwick and his lesson, and weirdly enough, after all that gazing, she had regained her focus and was more ready to be a satisfactory student.
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Amidst her studies, (y/n) was ensconced within the library's embrace.
This day bestowed upon the library an uncommon hush, a tranquillity that seemed to defy the norm. The librarian always managed to get the kids quiet, but she couldn't stop them from coming all at once when frenzied by the looming spectre of approaching exams.
However, an anomaly unfolded on that Friday afternoon, bestowing upon (y/n) the most unexpected gift – the library, in all its boundless expanse, was hers to claim. A rarity that, peculiarly, she found herself not enjoying. Amidst the solitude, her focus waned like a candle in a draft, flickering and unstable. Concentration eluded her, much like the fleeting caress of a dream upon waking. Reading, that intimate act of solitary exploration, seemed to have metamorphosed into a daunting endeavour. It was one thing to lose oneself in tales of princesses or the adventures of chiselled, sun-kissed heroes, but an entirely different ordeal to grapple with the intricate world of potion brewing.
For (y/n), the allure of fantasy books or any literary work was nothing short of enchanting, capable of whisking her away on wings of imagination. These volumes, she devoured with unbridled speed. Yet, a profound disinterest surged within her when it came to the theoretical tomes packed with knowledge mirroring the lectures she endured. If she were to be entirely frank, she might even admit a smidgen of disdain for these volumes.
So she would never take them to the dorms with her — she would much rather read them in the library, filled with other students. The presence of others functioned as a gentle but firm tether, binding her to the task at hand – reading, absorbing, and taking notes. The collective energy of focused minds bolstered her resolve.
Alas, a rather desolate air hung over the library's expanse on this day.
Thrice (y/n) had shifted her position, seeking companionship in proximity, only for her hopes to be dashed within thirty minutes. A sigh, tinged with resignation, escaped her lips, and in that crestfallen moment, a shock of crimson manifested in her field of vision. A pair of vibrant red-headed twins strode in. Nestled at the tables near the corridor's entrance, she watched them meander, their steps unhurried, eyes wandering. “Searching," her inner voice concluded. Certainly, the twins held a more potent allure than the secrets of cauldron cleaning or its ilk, a fact her current book seemed intent on imparting.
Though (y/n) watched from her vantage point, removed yet intrigued, the twins' presence would've caught anyone's attention had there been any other student around. As their gaze swept the expanse, (y/n)'s musings dipped into the realm of speculation, imagining the myriad thoughts dancing behind those crimson veils.
In a place where solitude was typically her archenemy, she now sat pondering the enigma of the Weasley twins, the allure of their presence momentarily overshadowing the dusty tomes that lay before her.
Fred and George stood at a distance, too far for (y/n) to gain a comprehensive view. Instead, they ambulated the space with a purpose that eluded onlookers – a relentless quest for something unbeknownst to her. As they wandered, their forms flickered in and out of her view, now one visible, then none, then both, and once more only one boy.
Fixated on the one nearer her, she strained her vision to discern. Could it be Fred? A question played a merry dance in her mind, teasing but refusing to commit to a definitive answer. His profile was turned towards the shelves, a curtain of red hair obscuring details. Besides, distinguishing the twins remained a daunting task without a survey of their noses.
Abruptly, a voice infiltrated her thoughts, causing her to startle in her seat, “You know we saw you, right?”
She swivelled around, only to be met by the missing twin positioned just behind her. Leaning over her chair's backrest, he inclined his head inquisitively, a solitary auburn eyebrow arching with playful curiosity. Witnessing her wide-eyed astonishment, the Weasley released a soft, subdued chuckle, a mischievous symphony woven into the sound. “If you want my brother's number, you can just ask,” he added.
So the one talking to her was Fred. She quickly glanced at his nose bridge, trying to see the intricated details left by a Quidditch match gone wrong, yet his voice functioned as the telltale sign. He audacity to issue such a provocative remark to a girl with whom they held only the most tenuous of connections – that could only be Fred's doing. Moreover, his tone carried a specific timbre distinct from George's. It was, for lack of a better word, smoother to her auditory senses. Not that George's voice was anything less than agreeable, but his was a quieter, more reserved resonance. She mused that her lack of familiarity with George's vocal cadence stemmed from his status as the quieter half of the duo, while Fred's unending stream of chatter had made his vocal imprint indelible in her ears.
A manufactured laugh escaped her lips, a tinkling facade, "Haha, Weasley. I don't want no one's number."
Fred inclined his head, a bemused glint in his eyes as if coaxing her to reveal more.
Nestled more comfortably in her chair, she raised her chin a fraction, a silent assertion that she was unreservedly facing the boy. This small shift seemed to foster a sense of openness between them.
"Studying is boring, so you guys looked like a distraction," she declared with a nonchalant shrug.
His voice dripped with theatrical incredulity, “We? A distraction?” Fred's lips curled into a playful smile, his head tilting as he leaned slightly away. He stood tall, towering over most, a fact he seemingly embraced with ease. Though his height wasn't sufficient to overshadow Ron (a surprise, really), it cast a considerable shadow over (y/n), particularly in her seated state. The disparity in stature unfolded in a tableau that her neck found almost physically taxing to endure.
With the book held closer to her chest, (y/n) drew a deep breath, her response tinged with a touch of exasperation, “Honestly, anything is a preferable pursuit than deciphering 'how to brew... a potion.'” Her fingers clutched the book, the page title a weighty secret she held close, refusing to vocalise it aloud.
An unexpected shift occurred as Fred commandeered the neighbouring chair, situating it with a proximity that nudged their personal space. “And weirdly enough," he said. Lowering himself into the seat, he offered a sly grin, his gaze steady upon her, “You always get good grades at Snape's classes.” A movement almost imperceptible – a twitch of the head, a hint of satisfaction – played upon his features.
(y/n) registered the proximity with an awareness that tickled her senses. The book, her veiled treasure, lay nestled in her grasp, poised for closure to deter prying eyes.
She shrugged, expecting him to forget what she held close, “I'm Slytherin, after all.”
“Ah,” Fred snapped his tongue in the roof of his mouth, a sound almost as if he had drunk something and was now satisfied. 
Shifting her gaze quickly at George, she hoped he would come to her rescue and take his twin away.
“Not so fast,” Fred interjected, his large hand sweeping down to rest atop the book's cover. “What secrets are you hiding there?”
Her gaze flitted from his eyes to his hand, a growing wariness churning within her. Her fingers tensed around the book, futilely attempting to shield its contents. But deftly, the book was relinquished from her hold and into his.
His melodious voice breathed life into the words etched on the page, “Let's unravel this mystery... 'How to Brew a Love Potion,'” he read aloud, his playful and teasing tone. Amusement twinkled in his eyes as they danced up to meet hers. “Wow, (y/n), I'd never take you for one who needed a love potion.”
To match his wit, (y/n) maintained her playful gaze, a smirk curving her lips as her retort unfurled, “Oh, I don't know, Fred. Perhaps that's my secret to acing Snape's classes.”
Not even the weight of dark humour could ruffle Fred Weasley's composure. His smirk swelled, infused with a brew of mischief that danced in his eyes. “If that's the case, you're terrible at it. I distinctly recall a certain incident involving Snape's homework, and if memory serves, it nearly rendered you floundering.”
She averted her gaze, her attention shifting to the captured book still cradled within his hands, the prospect of regaining it receding into the distance.
“Thanks for the recall, top-tier student,” she quipped, a playful glint in her eyes. “Now, are you willing to tell me your secrets? What are you doing here, in the library?”
Fred's laughter danced like a secret melody, an intimate note that lingered in the air, his eyes shimmering with a clandestine glimmer. “What's life without a little mystery?” he joked, his voice a velvety caress.
She mirrored his stance, a symmetrical lean that brought them closer, the gap between their faces now an invitation. Their proximity wove a delicate tapestry between their banter and a realm of deeper connection. “Is that so?” she inquired, her words drawn out in a languid purr, the air heavy with a mingling of intrigue and allure.
He matched her pace without the need to ask. The dance of their words had woven a tapestry of amusement, their shared enjoyment eclipsing the pursuit of concrete answers. After all, Fred barely had learned a secret. He was smart enough to know (y/n)'s book had been opened on a random page.
“If I tell you why I'm here,” he mused; his gaze, which had been steadfastly locked onto her eyes, dared trace a path to her lips, “what will you give me in return?”
(y/n) thought herself very wicked when her answer came quickly, “A love potion?” she playfully suggested.
His smile faltered, his breathing taking on a deeper rhythm, a transformation she couldn't help but notice.
“I don't need that,” he purred, voice dipping lower, “however, you...”
An eye-roll framed her response, though she didn't retreat from his proximity.
“Weasley...” her voice began, her tone laden with a mix of exasperation and uncertainty, an attempt to convey a sentiment she was grappling to articulate.
“Fred,” he interjected, the word a soft murmur, his eyes holding hers earnestly. Noticing her bemusement, he continued with a gentle lilt, “Call me Fred.”
She processed his words, pondering the significance of calling him by his name instead of his surname – a departure from the collective label that often accompanied the Weasley clan around Hogwarts.
A nervous throat clearing preceded her tentative utterance, “Fred." She tested the name as if savouring the syllables as if she did not know it before.
Flirting was an uncharted territory for (y/n), a realm she now tiptoed into, fueled by trepidation and exhilaration.
“Lucian Flewchief's book.”
The words hung suspended, (y/n)'s brow furrowing as she sought to decipher their meaning. Was that Fred’s way of flirting back? Suggesting a book? (y/n) was puzzled. That was a new way of flirting she never knew of, but she hoped the book was some young adult fae fantasy.
Fred's perception of her confusion prompted him to lean back slightly, dissipating the cosy bubble they'd woven. He clarified, “That's our objective here – locating Lucian Flewchief's book."
Her understanding unfurled with an "oh" of realisation, the pieces clicking into place.
“We're also the reason behind the library's current solitude,” he continued, an impish glint in his eyes. “George and I orchestrated a bit of a distraction to ensure we could slip away without drawing any undue attention, Godric forbid, with a book in tow!”
So that explained why she was the only one lingering at the library. Though it made sense, it stirred a tinge of melancholy within her.
Curiosity nudged her to question further, her tone now coloured with intrigue. “Who is this guy? Flewchief? And why the necessity for secrecy around his book?” Her queries were genuine and earnest, though sadness crept into her voice as their playful exchange segued into a more sober dialogue.
Fred swayed his head before replying, “He's a master at pranks.”
An eyebrow arched in response, (y/n)'s curiosity unabated. While she may not have been an expert in the art of pranking, one would expect to have heard of such a renowned figure, right?
Observing her perplexity, Fred inhaled deeply before disclosing, his voice lowered almost to a whisper, “He's a muggle author.”
Recognition flashed across (y/n)'s face, though she remained silent. Yet, subtle shifts in her posture – a subtle sag of her shoulders, a slight tightening of her lips – betrayed a sentiment that did not escape Fred's notice. He understood the Slytherin disposition all too well; prejudices were not uncommon.
She unravelled a piece of herself with an unexpected candour, her words confounding Fred's expectations. Instead of disparaging comments or dismissing glances, she offered something else entirely. 
“I want to be a writer for muggles,” she confessed, her voice tinged with vulnerability. “I like to write fantasy, you know. But that's not a genre for wizards; our reality often rivals the most fantastical of fiction. So, my focus turns toward the muggle readers.”
Though caught off guard by the revelation, Fred remained silent, feeling a surge of admiration for her. He hadn't anticipated such a response.
“I can help you find Flewchief's book,” she offered, swiftly transitioning past the exposure of her own secret, determined not to let her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “I know this library well, particularly the section reserved for muggle authors. I presume you and George have little familiarity with the place.”
A crooked smile curled upon his lips in response. “Indeed,” he admitted with a chuckle, “you could even say 'no familiarity'; it's quite fitting.”
While (y/n) couldn't quite fathom how any student or individual could navigate life without venturing into the depths of a library, she empathized with their unfamiliarity. The muggle literature section was cloaked in segregation as if Hogwarts itself was disconcerted by such volumes.
Rising from her seat, she gathered her assortment of potion books. Truth be told, she harboured no illusions about accomplishing any meaningful research that afternoon. She left only one book behind – the one currently cradled in Fred's grasp.
“Are you coming or…?" Her voice hung in the air, a hint of playful theatricality accompanying her question.
Promptly, Fred sprang from his chair, the solitary book still in his possession. With (y/n) as his guide, they embarked on a journey through the library's labyrinthine aisles. Initially, they returned her stack of books to Madam Irma Pince, whose sole acknowledgement was a fleeting glance, her eyes flitting over the pile as it landed on her counter. Her gaze flickered momentarily as if recognition finally settled in at the sight of the redheaded companion beside (y/n).
“A Weasley," Madam Irma Pince declared, her observation stating the obvious. Fred, however, found himself grappling with an appropriate response. Ultimately, he opted for a shrug, his head tilting in acquiescence.
“I’m Fred,” he offered, his voice laced with a touch of formality. “But, you are absolutely correct, I am a Weasley."
It was abundantly clear that the librarian was well aware of which Weasley he was. 
“Don’t tear my books apart,” she cautioned, her voice edged with warning. “And don’t you dare burn this place down.”
Fred's lips pressed into a tight line, his nostrils flaring ever so slightly. He responded with a curt, “Noted."
(y/n) glanced up at Fred and then to the side, studying his expression. His tone left her somewhat perplexed – she couldn't discern if he was indulging in sarcastic provocation or if he held genuine offence at Madam Irma Pince's admonitions. She reflected that the torrent of criticisms from every adult figure must have been tiring. Yet, the twins hadn't acquired their notoriety by chance; their reputation as school pranksters was well-earned.
The three exchanged furtive glances before Madam Irma Pince averted her gaze to her counter. Her intentions, on the other side, remained veiled to (y/n). Fred possessed the capability to peek, but (y/n) held doubts about him exercising that prerogative.
Clearing her throat, (y/n) eased away from the librarian, and Fred followed suit.
“Take me to George,” she requested. Detecting Fred's immediate confusion, she elaborated, “So both of you can scour the shelves for the books. I can assist, but I'm not quite tall enough to reach all of the shelves.”
“Again," Fred inclined his head toward her, and at that moment, a subtle shift occurred, the playful dance of flirtation vanishing as swiftly as it had emerged, “Thank you for the assistance”. His expression was appreciative, genuine, a quiet acknowledgement of her assistance.
With a soft smile, she replied, “Don't mention it," her voice bearing a hushed quality, her gaze evading direct eye contact. “You’ll just own me one.”
He chuckled, “Uh, the unspoken possibilities.”
Indeed, Fred. Indeed.
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It was a rather cold day. 
But it was Saturday and Hogsmeade trip day, so (y/n) put on her thickest coat and decided to face the snow.
Her fellow housemates buzzed with excitement, eagerly anticipating the visit. Yet, for (y/n), this outing held a more sombre purpose – a pilgrimage to Honeydukes. While her friends were pursuing quills and ingredients, (y/n) sought only solace in candy. These past few days had been trying, and the kitchen house elves had quietly declared her persona non grata, etching “no longer welcomed" onto their secret walls. So she’d have to buy her own sweets from now on.
“Feeling hot today?” a voice chimed from behind (y/n).
She clutched herself, attempting to stave off the relentless cold. Hogsmeade always exuded a chill, but it seemed that nature was intent on pushing the mercury even lower today. Not even her trusty coat could entirely repel the biting wind.
The voice was familiar; she recognised it as belonging to Fred Weasley.
“Where’s your other half?” she asked, noticing George wasn’t around.
“At the school,” Fred replied, bridging the distance with a few long strides. Given the frigid weather, (y/n) moved slowly, rivalling the old ladies of Diagon Alley. “He's caught the flu.”
A chuckle escaped (y/n), though her amusement was laced with empathy. “After today, I might end up just as sick.”
Fred mirrored her laughter, his eyes gleaming with a twinkle. Then, shifting his gaze towards their right, his expression became more earnest. “Come on, let’s get you something warm. Tea?”
True to his suggestion, Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop loomed just a few steps away.
(y/n) scanned her surroundings, from Fred to the inviting facade of the shop, and for a fleeting moment, the idea appealed to her. But then, a mental alarm sounded – this place was renowned for romantic trysts, a haven for couples from their year. For a time, (y/n) had considered herself above such traditions. But as her sixteenth birthday came and went, and she remained unattached, she longed for the experience of a boy inviting her to tea. Now, at eighteen, it seemed more a fanciful dream than a tangible possibility.
So Fred was definitely not suggesting it as a date.
“I actually have to head to Honeydukes,” she replied, her features arranged in a grimace, and she gestured with her body towards the store at the far end of the bustling Hogsmeade street. “That's the only reason I'm still here.”
Fred bit his lip in thought. “How about we grab a tea to go, then?” he proposed, his determination unwavering. He peered down at her, shivering in the cold, taking in her petite frame. “In less than fifteen minutes, you'll be on your way back to Hogwarts.”
The notion of sipping on something piping hot was increasingly appealing.
“Promise?” she asked, her tone a touch childlike.
Fred extended his pinky finger, encased in a slightly faded red glove – likely a Weasley hand-me-down. Not that (y/n) considered herself entitled or wealthy, but it was common knowledge that the Weasleys weren't the richest in monetary terms. Yet, they were undeniably wealthy in children.
Her own pinky fingers remained nestled deep within her pockets, safe from the cold. Fred glanced down and chuckled.
“Come on.”
She sighed, “Fine, Weasley. But you're footing the bill,” and when she noticed he was about to playfully protest, she added, “You were the one who insisted, after all.”
They walked together, resembling a pair of penguins navigating the icy terrain. (y/n)’s hands, nestled within her coat pockets, were shielded from the biting cold, yet their elbows still grazed one another now and then as they strolled leisurely.
Fred gallantly held the door open, allowing her to enter the cosy shop, and she expressed her gratitude in a soft murmur. While he proceeded to the counter to place their order (when queried, (y/n) simply requested, “Any tea will do, as long as it's the hottest available"), she contemplated the peculiar friendship that had taken root between them.
She'd never been an opponent of Fred, or the Weasleys, or anyone within Gryffindor, as one might have assumed. However, their closeness was a relatively recent development. When confronted with one of the twins' pranks, (y/n) was often the first to laugh, captivated by the sheer audacity of their exploits. She believed magic should be harnessed for amusement, not as a weapon; consequently, she found their approach to their magical talents endearing.
Because of her laughter, Fred and George had never targeted her with their pranks. Their mischief was generally directed at Malfoy and his ilk. Occasionally, she'd return to her common room and find something amiss, but she understood it was their way of rebelling against the entirety of Slytherin and its values rather than a personal affront.
By her fifth year, (y/n) considered Fred and George her acquaintances. They exchanged nods in the classrooms and other shared spaces. Being in the same year, she had grown accustomed to their voices and learned to differentiate between them.
Moreover, the Weasley twins had a certain charisma that she couldn't deny. She had met Fred’s older brothers before, so their good looks were no surprise. She realised this charm extended to Fred as he approached with two cups of steaming tea.
His freckles had always been a distinctive feature she admired. Yet now, she also noticed the appeal of his height, his shoulders broad and strong, typical of a Beater. His hair appeared soft and straight, inviting her fingers to run through its fiery strands, although she knew better than to entertain such notions.
Strangely, it was his nose that intrigued her the most. It was the distinguishing feature that allowed her to differentiate between Fred and George. She found it more masculine and captivating than the rest of his features. Not to mention his chest, which had once tantalisingly revealed his abs through a sweaty Quidditch shirt during a match. The sport certainly worked wonders on bodies.
“Thank you,” she said before taking a sip. She freed her hands from her pockets only with the prospect of holding something scolding hot.
Fred observed her closely as she tasted the tea, noticing how her eyes momentarily closed in bliss and how her body seemed to uncoil, the tension in her shoulders dissipating.
“All right, off to Honeydukes I go," she declared, pivoting towards the Tea Shop's exit.
Fred followed her, hastening to hold the door open once more. A subtle blush dusted her cheeks, and she was relieved that the shop was still relatively empty. A couple occupied a dimly lit corner but seemed too concentrated on each other to notice Fred Weasley being nice to a Slytherin girl. So that’s saying a lot about how entertained that random teenage couple was.
As they stepped back into the brisk Hogsmeade air, (y/n) noticed that Fred was still at her side. She didn't voice any complaint, though. Ever since the day he had sought her help at the library, she had resigned herself to the idea that she might never get the opportunity to converse with Fred alone again. George was always around, and if not him, then someone else. And even though, if she tried, (y/n) could engage in conversation with the other twin or with a Gryffindor student, she would rather not. 
In fact, it was rare to find someone she would like to engage in conversation with.
Fred was a… welcoming surprise.
“Uh," Fred's voice cut through the silence, which had settled between them as they enjoyed their tea, “can we make a quick stop here?"
They were passing by Zonko's Joke Shop, renowned for its extensive collection of prankster essentials. Of course, the shop would undoubtedly be on Fred's daily checklist. However, his request to pause at the store intrigued (y/n), given that she had never envisioned walking with him that day. Sure, he had treated her to tea, but that hardly counted as an expense, and she had mentioned her eagerness to return to Hogwarts promptly.
“It won't take long, I promise," he assured her, taking note of her delayed response. “Just add five more minutes to your wait. I'll escort you back, no worries."
(y/n) hesitated for a moment. “You really don't have to do that," she replied, taken aback by his gentlemanly offer.
“As if I'd let you make the journey alone."
She gazed at him in the wake of his response. “I'm a witch," she pointed out the obvious. “It's not like I can't handle a few dangers."
Fred cocked his head, a teasing remark on the tip of his tongue. “Can you defend yourself against the cold?"
She didn't respond; her answer would have been a resounding ‘no.'
“That's what I thought," he declared, a knowing smile dancing on his lips.
She arched an eyebrow, her free hand resting on her hip, her other still cradling her tea. “And what can you do to protect me from the cold?" she challenged Fred.
His smile grew, and he knew he had the perfect response. “Keep you from slipping on the icy ground."
Annoyed by his accuracy, she sighed loudly as they entered the joke shop.
The shop was bubbling with people: it was a living organism. (y/n) struggled to recall the last time she had set foot in this place. She had certainly visited the joke shop before, back in her third year when students were first allowed to venture into the village. Like her peers, she had eagerly explored every store without exception. However, as time passed, most of the shops had become familiar and somewhat ordinary to her. She only made the trip to Hogsmeade with a purpose now. Coming just for butterbeer seemed pointless, especially when she lacked the company of friends to sit with and share laughter.
So, following Fred Weasley as he browsed around the shop put her in a silent trance of observation and gaping. He moved confidently, searching for items and locating them quickly, with the same precision she'd demonstrated when she'd guided him through the library the other day. (y/n) followed at his heels, like a child following its guardian. In less than three minutes, they were already in line to pay.
“How do you know where everything is?" she asked, enjoying the moment of calm the checkout line offered. “I don't think gathering all that took you more than five minutes."
And it was indeed quite a haul. Fred's two hands cradled dozens of boxes and items like precious cargo in his lap. The teacup he had been carrying was now held securely by (y/n), ensuring that her hands were occupied with warm objects to fend off the cold.
Fred responded with a casual shrug to her question. “How do you know where all the books are in the library?" he countered.
“I don't know," she replied, her response unfiltered. “I guess I've just memorised it over time."
“Me too," he said, his eyes fixed on the shop as if watching his beloved. “Not to give reason to my fame at Hogwarts, but of course, my favourite shop has to be Zonko’s."
The line at the checkout stretched long, leaving (y/n) and Fred standing in contemplative silence, pondering the curious connection that seemed to be budding between them. Amid it all, (y/n)'s thoughts swelled like a bubbling potion. Were they friends now? Could she consider adding him to her list of friends for Christmas shopping? These questions lingered, but she found herself without a clear answer. It felt odd to directly ask such a thing; friends didn’t ask if they were friends. They either were or weren’t, organically becoming over time.
But despite the comfort she felt around Fred, she couldn't quite label it friendship. The issue, she concluded, was her own. She had a deficit of friends and now understood why: she wasn't wired for it. Friendship wasn't part of her programming. Fred, on the other hand, was a different breed. Friendship was his natural state, woven into his very essence. He exuded a friendly aura, even if many Slytherins would vehemently disagree.
She didn't need to wonder whether he considered her a friend. He most likely did. He never targeted her with pranks; he exchanged glances with her in class often and was currently offering to escort her back to school. Fred saw her as a friend.
But did she want that?
“What are you thinking?” he inquired, pulling her out of her contemplative reverie.
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie,” he said, relaxing his shoulders. “I can see the smoke coming out of your ears like a cauldron.”
She had no clever reply, so she was content with wrinkling her forehead and lying. “I’m thinking about how quickly I will be able to get all the candy I want. Definitely not as quick as you, here.”
He frowned, puzzled. “Why?”
“I love candy and definitely know where everything is at the shop,” she explained, tilting her head unconsciously as she spoke. She explained, unconsciously tilting her head while talking. “But I have to gather enough to last until our next trip to Hogsmeade, and I'm not certain I can calculate that. I love chocolate, so one would assume I'd need to buy a lot to make it last. However, if I get too much, I'll eat more than I should. And trust me, I will eat everything I buy," she concluded with a hint of warning in her tone, as if she were issuing a threat rather than sharing a piece of information.
Fred swallowed hard, trying to wrap his head around her unique thought process. “Are you stockpiling sweets?"
She nodded, feeling a twinge of embarrassment.
“Well, if you do end up eating it all, I'll show you where to get more, you know, from the kitchen with the house elves," he said, the corner of his mouth quirking up as if he were secretly pleased with himself for sharing this tidbit.
“Oh, Weasley," she shook her head, dramatically feigning pitifulness. “I already know the secret passage to the kitchen. That's precisely why I have to stockpile chocolate in the first place. I've been painted as a criminal there for how many sweets I've pilfered."
He couldn't help but chuckle, though he kept it discreet.
“I can't believe it," Fred said with mock disbelief, then paused as if pondering again. “Well, actually, I can."
With the two cups of tea-to-go in her hands, she raised her shoulders in a half-shrug while raising her hands in tandem.
“So yeah," she concluded, “I have to stock up until the Professors allow us to come here again."
Staring at him, (y/n) couldn't help but think that Fred was on the verge of saying something. However, something must have caused him to change his mind, and he remained uncharacteristically silent. A few seconds later, he was called to the cashier to settle the bill for his items. (y/n) patiently waited behind him, casually sipping her tea.
When Fred returned to her side, the numerous small boxes he'd been clutching had been consolidated into just two cardboard bags, which he effortlessly carried in one hand. The two of them exited the joke shop, savouring the last remnants of their teas. By the time they reached Honeydukes, the cups had already been discreetly disposed of in the nearest bin.
“Have fun," he wished her warmly, courteously holding the door of the candy shop open for her to enter. (y/n) returned his friendly sentiment with a smile—precisely the sort of well-wishing one would expect before embarking on a shopping spree in a candy store.
Fred lingered in a quiet corner of the shop, surreptitiously observing as she gleefully navigated the aisles, carefully selecting her candies and placing them into a plastic basket a diligent store employee offered. She appeared far more animated here than he had ever seen her before—back in the library, she had come across as somewhat bored, and the same was true in their shared classes. While she undeniably held the status of a top student with excellent grades, Fred couldn't help but wonder why she seemed to lack the enthusiasm and focus he might have expected from someone of her academic calibre.
However, gathering her desired assortment of sweets took considerably longer than the five minutes Fred had initially anticipated. When he finally met up with her at the cashier, the man behind the counter handed over not one, not two, but three full bags of assorted candies and confections.
Fred couldn't help but jest, “Wow, someone's clearly outdone me."
“Mine's supposed to last longer," she retorted with a wry smile, determined to maintain her composure. 
Fred's grin only broadened. "Will it, though?"
There was no malice behind his teasing; his natural inclination was to engage in playful banter, a habit he would have indulged with George, Ginny, or anyone else. If anything, he found himself enjoying the camaraderie that was forming between them, appreciating the quick-witted exchanges that characterised their interactions. And (y/n)'s response was predictable by now—a blend of half-anger and half-challenge that had come to define her expressions.
They left the candy store, their playful back-and-forth continuing as they walked, with Fred progressively leaning in closer with each exchange.
Fred's next question unintentionally left (y/n) feeling mortified as they approached the Three Broomsticks. 
“Are you sure you don’t want a good, old butterbeer?” he asked. “It’s alright if you do. I won’t linger at your friends’ table; I’ll just drop you there and find Oliver Wood or someone else.” He said, using Oliver as an example, for he was the one name he remembered to have seen around the village.
It was weird, now that Fred had come to think of it, how he did not recall seeing one person from Hogwarts around Hogsmeade, even though he knew it was a crowded day there.
She had no friends to meet there or anywhere else. She cleared her throat, avoiding eye contact, “I don't have friends in there."
The proximity to the inn allowed them a clear view through the frosty windows, revealing the familiar faces of fellow students enjoying butterbeer.
“Why? Haven't they come to Hogsmeade?" Fred asked in surprise, momentarily distracted by the scene inside. “I swear that's Carmen Highland if my eyes aren't deceiving me," he remarked, gazing at the occupants within.
Lost in the sight of her former friends, Fred hadn't noticed that (y/n) was gradually distancing herself from him. She knew Carmen and recognised the other kids at her table — Andrea, Miniu, and Shenny. But they weren't friends anymore. 
At least, not anymore.
“It is Carmen,” she reassured him, in case Fred would start considering he was indeed blind. “We’re just not friends, though.”
Fred finally snapped out of gazing through the cold glass window and returned his gaze to her.
“I distinctly remember all of you being quite lively at dinners and walking around classes," he said, furrowing his brows. “Unless Carmen has look-alikes I'm unaware of, I'm certain it's her. I've seen her during my Quidditch practices, competing for the pitch." 
A smile tinged with embarrassment danced on (y/n)'s lips. She smiled not because she was pleased with the memories but because she was trying to conceal her inner gloom.  “I used to walk with Carmen, and Miniu, and Andrea and Shenny. But that was way before.”
“No, I…”
“It was, Freddie,” she interrupted before he made her remember another memory. It was only because of her use of his nickname that he understood she wasn’t alright. “We were friends in the first year. Us and a bunch of other kids, so tight together because we were Slytherin, and we had to stick together because then we’d be victims of bullying from other houses.” Fred opened his mouth, but she continued, “Don’t deny it.”
Fred sighed and nodded.
“In our second year, the group started to shrink, and it ended up being just me and that table," she explained, her gaze distant, as if the memories were playing out before her eyes. "But I began to feel like I was there because I forced myself to be. I was being pushy. So when I stopped going, they didn't chase after me. That's when it became clear to me what our relationship was."
“What was it?" Fred inquired, genuinely perplexed, prompting (y/n) to wonder if he had ever experienced the abrupt end of a friendship.
“They weren't my friends," (y/n) stated matter-of-factly. “We didn't have a falling out or anything. I still greet them, and occasionally, we help each other with homework in the common room. But that's about it."
Fred pursed his lips thoughtfully, pondering the right words to respond with.
“Alright," he finally conceded. “I won't pry further," he said, his expression more serious now. “I can't quite fathom how a friendship could simply unravel like that, but it's clear it's not a cheerful matter. However, that doesn't mean you can't be with your other friends."
She rolled her eyes with exasperation and turned away from Fred and the entrance of the Three Broomsticks, her boots crunching softly in the freshly fallen snow.
“I don't have friends," she sighed, her breath visible in the crisp, wintry air. She could hear his footsteps, somehow always close behind.
Fred waited until he was walking right alongside her before he replied; his tone was soft and comforting. “You have me," he said, then hastily cleared his throat. “I mean, you have us. Me and George. I still owe you one from our library escapade."
“Consider it settled," she responded, her voice edged with a hint of exhaustion and her gaze averted. “You gave me a cup of tea, after all."
“That was just courtesy," Fred explained, his lips curving into a friendly smile, thinking their usual playful banter had resumed.
But (y/n) was weary, and it showed in her demeanour.
“Well, you're accompanying me back to the school," she tried again, her tone tinged with finality. “So consider that debt paid."
“Nah," he waved his free hand dismissively. “That's just me being a proper gentleman."
She rolled her eyes once more, a flicker of irritation crossing her features. “Fred..."
“We're friends, alright," he insisted, his tone gentle yet resolute, raising his voice slightly. “You have a friend... in me."
Without warning, (y/n) halted in her tracks, pivoting to face him fully, her expression a mixture of astonishment, incredulity, and a hint of amusement.
“Did you just quote a Muggle movie at me?" she asked, her voice showing disbelief.
“I’m sorry?”
“‘You have a friend in me’,” she repeated his words, this time adding a melody to her tone. “Did you quote the Toy Story song?”
“A toy story? Where is it?” he was genuinely confused, which led (y/n) to drop the subject since it was evident he had no idea what she was talking about.
“Never mind," she sighed, resuming her pace. “It's from a Muggle movie."
“And you've seen it?" Fred's stride matched hers again, his curiosity piqued.
“Unfortunately," she replied, her lips twisting in mild distaste. “I didn't quite enjoy it."
“Oh, why not?" Fred inquired with interest.
“It was... about friendship," she said, taking a moment to complete her sentence.
“I see," Fred mused, nodding thoughtfully as they walked towards the school, the snow beneath their feet offering a soft, comforting crunch with every step. “Perhaps I should watch it.”
“Yeah, why not,” she replied, not really wanting to participate in the conversation.
Fred knew when to shut up when he should, so they remained silent until the school entrance was visible.
“Uh, thank you,” (y/n) told him as they stopped in the middle of Hogwarts’ entrance corridor. It was a relatively empty hallway.
“See you around,” he nodded, and she bit her lip, turning her heels towards her House. “Friend,” Fred added a second later, only to see her turn her gaze over her shoulder.
“Bye, Weasley,” she said with a heavy breath out of resignation.
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mrghostrat · 2 months
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Hello and good morning/day/night :]
I was wondering, in BNF, we’ve gotten tiny little bits of information about the ‘Nice and Accurate Prophecies’ (not sure if that’s the correct title, sorry) book and TV series, if there was anything else you could tell us about it?
Character names, storylines, plots, any fun details you may have made up or otherwise, etc, etc.
I just think it’s sweet how interested both Aziraphale and Crowley are in the series, and if you might be as interested, if not more, in it too.
Thank you, and have a lovely Sunday. 🫶
this is it, my leash has snapped, i'm wild in the streets, thank u for asking; i'm gonna go be insufferable now
(hi @neil-gaiman if you see this, i think it's safe to read, but it does border on being fan fic. i'm writing a fic where crowley and aziraphale are an artist + writer in an online fandom, much like we are for good omens, and this is the fake story i've made for them to be fans of 💛)
The Nice and Accurate Prophecy
info dump of the fake 5 book series by Agnes Nutter (1985-1992) and its fake fandom:
The Nice and Accurate Prophecy
The Strange and Improbable Prophecy
The Vague and Perfidious Prophecy
The Tense and Harrowing Prophecy
The Faint and Ineffable Prophecy
a dramatic, layered story with a bizarre and unexpectedly lovable cast of characters, humour that hits you out of nowhere, and a lot of attitude from the narrator. a la Good Omens, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
fantasy/historical fantasy and mildly action & romance
a la good omens, a witch and a witchfinder become friends and help each other throughout history, despite being on opposite sides. they get closer as they fight against the immoral plays from their prospective sides (the witchfinder army and a demonic cult the witch was born into) that each lose sight of their core values in a bid to hold more power over the world.
the story is set primarily in a medieval fantasy era, but suddenly jumps to the present in the later books, catching everyone off guard and giving a whole new context to enjoy the story. the challenges they face parallel the earlier story but in a modern take with modern technological twists. the modern era is the late 80s, since that's when it was written.
the witch reincarnates, similar to doctor who, due to a high class black magic ritual they performed in their arrogant youth (which they were NOT supposed to have access to). they've had long lifetimes where they die of old age, and others where they've barely managed to live a year. their reincarnations aren't entirely random; they will reincarnate according to their growth and preferences as a person (a la Magical Boy's magical outfit generations), which includes fluctuation in gender identity. their pronouns fluctuate depending on each "face" they wear, but have canonically been a "they" before. the good side of the fandom (crowley & aziraphale) default to they/them as an overall rule. they do have a name, but they like to change that too, so the fandom almost exclusively calls them witch, or witchy.
the witchfinder also has a name, but the fandom have taken to calling him witchfinder to match the fact that witchy is called by their role. it also helps that a lot of the witchfinder narration refers to him by role instead of name. he is human, 30ish in appearance, but at the end of the first book, the witch fears to lose him and curses him with immortality against his knowledge to try and keep him safe.
witch is crowley-coded, witchfinder is aziraphale-coded. my to-do list includes an illustration of the two of them played by michael and david :') but i picture them being kind of like newt and anathema for the most part.
ship names include witch/finder, witchwitch, w² or witch², and witchfound.
at the start of the first book, they meet and become friends without knowing each other is a witch & finder. the witchfinder is a bit bumbly, like newt, and the witch is cool and suave but neurotic and insecure like many human au variations of crowley (major overcompensation vibes). witch is male at the start of the first book. their friendship is secure when witch finds out he's a witchfinder, so there's less "oh my god i'm friends with the enemy, is he going to kill me in my sleep?" and more "ah fuck, Lets Drink About This"
there's battles, horseback riding, camping out in dark woods, disappearing and losing each other for months at a time, and many missed connections as they try to work together against two common enemies, whilst keeping up the facade that they're on their respective team's sides.
there's charged chemistry in the first book, but it's more plot heavy. there's hints of shippy moments in the 2nd book that fall in between the plot. there's a Moment of almost confession in the 3rd book, and a non romantic kiss towards the end (we gotta, for neil). they're pretty much married in the 4th book, securely at each other's side, but never actually talk about it until the end, and there's a more explicitly stated shippy connection in the 5th book.
agnes herself is a total recluse who drops books out of nowhere then goes back to existing somewhere in the english countryside (people presume). she's happy to supply signed copies to fundraisers and conventions, and sometimes random bookshops across the country will be vandalised with genuine autographs on the inside covers. she's notoriously pedantic about being involved with adaptions behind the scenes, but she has no social media and isn't ~around~. she once did a talk when she was presented with an honorary doctorate, and did a single book signing when the first Prophecy book came out, but beyond that she keeps to herself.
there are a small handful of quotes from her in behind-the-scenes footage talking vaguely about character intensions and clarifying world building, but she likes to leave things up to interpretation like neil does. it's in these few snippets of interaction we've seen from her that she's steadfastly supportive of intersectionality and lgbt rights, like staring dead-eyed at an interviewer when they ask her a ridiculously heteronormative question about the characters (like "have you read my books?")
adaptions include:
(most adaptions start like the book, with a male witch at the beginning that turns into a female witch when they first regenerate. the early ones usually change the pacing by switching to a female actor by the time they realise witchfinder is a witchfinder, unlike in the book where he's male for this scene, and there's way less Charged™ chemistry between the m/m witch/finder.)
Feature Film: late 90s, kind of cheesy, but good spirited fantasy (a la Indiana Jones). focuses on the first book alone, with hints to a sequel that never happened.
Abandoned TV Pilot: early 2000s, a little too dramatic but still a good time (a la the Dungeons and Dragons 2000, ASOUE 2004). good source of gifs and Moments™ but the fandom is generally Fine with it being abandoned.
Stage Performance: late 2000s-early 2010s, a stellar stage adaption of the first book with elements of the 90s movie. f/m witch/finder the whole way through. one cast used m/m actors but it was a short run and only a handful of fans were lucky enough to catch or remember it. crowley would give his left arm (or someone's, anyway) to have experienced it, so a fan sent him some flip phone camera footage of it that he keeps on a harddrive in his safe.
HBO Streaming Series: late 2010s-present, high quality, highly revered, resurged the fandom's popularity and spread the series further overseas. made in america, but doesn't try to americanise the series. extremely respectful to the books, with easter eggs to the film, and is working its way through the entire book series (a la The Witcher netflix series). f/m witch/finder, but has had one episode that included some flash backs/montages of different witch faces. probably like 15 minutes total screentime of a male witch played by a ncuti gatwa level/style of actor, which the fandom has giffed, edited, and screencapped to oblivion.
Several bonus books: Agnes has written a few extra books (a la The Unauthorized Autobiography of Lemony Snicket and The Beatrice Letters), as well as curated some anthologies from other authors (a la A Study In Sherlock). there are a total of 3 anthologies so far, in which other authors have written stories about the characters in their own tellings. basically like canonised, published fan fiction, curated and authorised by agnes herself. There's also an unfinished graphic novel that retells the book series (a la The Adventure Zone comic), but has been WIP/unheard of since the 3rd book.
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muffinrecord · 7 days
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Rewatching the Nagisa event, and something that struck me is that Yuu's list of bad guys (we now know who writes the list-- it's Xii/Shii) isn't "wrong." As in, it'd be easy to make it so that Yuu was killing a list of bad people who weren't actually bad at all, but just put down there for the interest of the writer. Like, "kill this person because I don't like them" (and then lie to Yuu that the person is bad).
But the people that we see Yuu go after are Nagisa's mother (who is abusing her) and Sho, who is abusing Inui. It's possible that there are other people on the list that aren't bad, but for now those are the two prominent examples that we see.
What makes it interesting though is that the two victims of those bad guys don't want them to die. In fact, both of the victims' lives get worse once their respective person dies. Both girls (Inui and Nagisa) turn into witches right after.
I just thought that was pretty interesting. Obviously we know very little about Shii/Xii at the moment, so it's unclear if this list is to only punish bad people or if it's purpose is to try and help the victims. If it's just punishing the "bad guys" then it's doing it's job I guess-- but if it's to help the victims, it's made everything so much worse for them.
I really like that. It's easy to get caught up in outrage and punishment and to avoid actually helping people, even if that's the emotion you initially start out with. I don't know why humanity is this way, but we tend to prefer hurting "the bad guy" over helping the victim.
That's not to say that bad people don't deserve punishment, but that if you're doing something with the intention to help someone, you should lead with that instead. Helping people isn't easy, especially when they don't know they need it or don't want that help right away-- but it's what we should all strive for, unless we become just another monster whose foot steps on them.
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helsensm · 1 month
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hate to break it to you, but liu kang and kung lao are actually cousins. i enjoy your art a lot and scrolling through your blog, so seeing you and your friends support liulao makes me concerned. i hope you understand and are mindful about what you ship going forward <:(
I sense some condescension, anon, but since text messaging cannot accurately convey tone, I’ll take this as a genuine warning. Thank you for your concern, but do not worry, I’m old enough to be mindful about my ships and I do my research, since I have no interest in shipping relatives in any media, and it CAN be tricky with the universe as complex and lore heavy as mk.
With that being said, here’s where you are wrong, anon. Liu Kang and Kung Lao are canonically NOT related – at least the versions of them that people ship.
Just a week ago, lovely user rasta-bot covered the “cousins issue”, you can check this post or I’ll just repeat the main idea here. They were only made cousins in the original 1995 movie because this specific universe (and by extension MK Conquests universe since it's a prequel to the movies) has Liu Kang as the Great Kung Lao's descendant as well. However, this is what the mk co-creator and Lore God™ John Tobias said about this change:
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In no other game Liu Kang was the descendant of GKL or Lao’s relative. In the original (and prev) timeline he was an orphan, raised by Shaolin monks.
And if you are referring to the 2021 movie, alas, you’d be wrong again. In the movie Liu Kang has no family, he tells Cole about his past, but people love to refer to the scene with a translation error. The mistake was pointed out by several native speakers online, but everyone can easily check it by themselves, even if they are not familiar with the language, just by doing a quick google search. This took me 2 minutes:
1. Turn on the Chinese subtitles.
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2. Look at the first results of “師兄 meaning” goggle search.
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source: wiktionary.org
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source: chinese.yabla.com
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source: hinative.com
It is totally fine if you don’t feel like shipping these two, you have all the right - everybody has different preferences. I also don’t like certain ship dynamics even if they are “legal” in any way. 😁 But I never encountered liulao shippers who would endorse inсеst, and it’s sad to see how this confusion nearly becomes a witch hunt, scaring and demotivating artists and writers.
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WRITER ASK GAME - Fantasy
PIRATE - Pick one! Pirates or Royals?
KINGDOM - How many named places are there in your WIP? How much have you developed them?
PHOENIX - Have you invented any fantasy creatures?
PRINCESS - Urban fantasy or high fantasy?
WIZARD - Who is your favourite character in this WIP? Describe them!
SHIP - How many pages of planning documents do you have, if any?
KING - How long have you been working on this WIP and its world?
KNIGHT - Pick one! Forbidden Love or Enemies-to-Lovers?
HERO - What makes someone a hero in this world?
VILLAIN - Do you prefer creating heroes or villains?
TREASURE - What is the best thing about the world of your WIP?
MAGIC - What is your magic system?
QUEEN - What is the earliest planned historical event in your WIP?
UNICORN - What makes your WIP and your writing stand out?
ISLAND - Have you created a language for your world?
POTION - If potions exist in your WIP, give me a potion recipe!
CAULDRON - Give me a fantasy food!
WITCH - What sparked the idea for this world?
DRAGON - Do you write about dragons?
GOD - Does your world have a religion? Is it, in this world, right?
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witchthewriter · 14 days
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Y/N: Don’t worry, I have a few knives up my sleeve. Gaz: I think you mean cards. *Y/N, pulling knives out of their sleeves* Y/N: No, I do not.
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devildomwriter · 6 days
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*TW*- i*cest, r*pe, g*re, p*dophilia, some general discourse
Ok so I am trying to ask this in the most respectful way because I don't wanna snowball this into a huge discourse; but I wonder if you've been seeing the Dark Content Discourse here on Tumblr?
It basically entails that despite your personal preferences, attacking/ demeaning other ppl who create/ consume dark content is a big no no because it's their safe space to be able to explore these topics. This includes all sort of stuff like i*cest, r*pe, g*re and even p*dophilia. Now you may not agree with any of these things, most ppl don't, and they might disgust you; which is totally fine. But there is a huge leap b/w something that is fictional and something that is real.
Fictional characters are literal lines on a paper. Doing anything with a fictional child does not mean you are harming a REAL child. This might still disgust you and that's fine too. You can block that person so you don't have to look at it again but to call everyone like this and start a campaign against them is well...
I just want you to know that I am not defending that person. I didn't even know them at all before this...Neither I am advocating for anything they are saying or confirming/claiming that they are good irl. I don't know them.
I just want you look at this from a different perspective and know your thoughts about this ordeal. Like for one moment step away from your pre-existing feelings and bias and look at this objectively. Everyone likes something that's even a lil problematic, so if we went on these campaigns every time, literally no one will be left in fandom. I don't agree with p*dophilia but I don't agree with this either...AGAIN THIS IS NOT MEANT TO CONDONE ANY OF THIS BEHAVIOUR! But to paint someone as a bad person for things they do in fiction in their safe space no matter how problematic, is somewhat disconcerting.
I again wanna say that this is not any hate against you or anyone else. I don't want to cause any discourse myself . I think you are an amazing writer and a valuable member in our fandom. Which is why it's important to me to hear your stance on this. But if you'd rather not answer this at all that's fine too! :>
I appreciate your perspective and I sometimes enjoy certain dark content as long as they warn others but pedophilia— fictional or not— should never be written/glorified/accepted. If it’s written as a horrible incident or traumatic backstory (like Lolita) then I understand why it’s written but glorifying or romanticizing it in any way is unacceptable.
If no one is left in the fandom after going on these “witch hunts” then the fandom is toxic, preditory, and unsafe.
As for the huge leap between fiction and reality, everything starts as a thought or fantasy. The more you think about it the more likely you are to commit or watch such an act.
Tumblr should under no circumstances be a safe place for pedophiles.
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thereaperisabitch · 4 months
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My Joel Miller's fics recs from 2023
I’ve planned to do this since before Christmas, but life caught me up, so that's why I'm here rushing to finishing this before the reveillon party. 2023 was a very tough year for me, in different ways, and this stories were my refuge and my balm during good times and bad times, so this was the way I found to honor all these incredible authors who made my life better this year.
To the authors: you guys are the most amazing and sweet people ever, I know that I'm not active as other readers and I don't reblog your works enough - and I'm sorry for that, I wish I could shower you with the praises you guys deserve.
Hope this will make up for all the comments and reblogs that I haven't give.
And to the readers who find this recs: most of these stories are series and most of them has age gap and are Joel Miller x fem/afab!reader. I won't put warnings from each fic because it would be a too long post, so click the link and read the author's warnings in each before you start to read - I'm afraid to get into fandoms because of people who give shit to authors, so please, don't be this kind of person.
Someday I'll make a part 2 of other stories that caught me up this year.
That all being said, thank you @morning-star-joy @hier--soir @frannyzooey @joelsgreys @fuckyeahdindjarin @the-ginger-hedge-witch @eupheme @bageldaddy @covetyou @theidiotwhowritesthings @atinylittlepain @imtryingmybeskar @ezrasbirdie
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A stranger's heart without a home (complete)
Summary: A one night stand that later becomes a secret affair – or masterpiece of literature – all the poets and great writers ran so Doni could walk.
This is my favorite fic of all times, forever! I read and re-read it so much that I can’t even count how many times I’ve had read it, it’s my 100% comfort fic. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and the way @morning-star-joy developed here it’s perfection in the most pure way.
It’s Joel on his Jackson era and it’s a perfect character development from both sides, how to people who prefer to deal things on their own learn to rely on someone else.
I also highly recommend But you know the killer doesn't understand, which it’s on-going Joel x fem! Reader also post-Outbreak in Jackson, but it’s different and addicting as ASHWAH.
A Lover’s Pinch (on-going)
Summary: a one night stand (do I have a pattern?) at the bar turns to be so much more when you discover that your fling it’s your professor at university.
The professor x student trope might be cliché for some, and by the very brief summary that I wrote above may sound like Pretty Little Liars, but @hier--soir works with those elements and creates something beyond amazing, it is like contemplate a work of art at a museum, but much better.
I’m very much obsessed with this story, that’s why I reread it with more and more frequency.
Can’t even mention the references in this story – it’s truly enriching, it makes all better, truly.
Plus: the playlist it’s amazing!!!!
Short Days, Long Nights (on-going)
Summary: Remnants of a band travelers, you and Joel find a cabin in the woods - what would be the problem with staying?
I’m crazy about this one, it’s my true love and it had 3 or 4 chapters when I started and now we’re heading to chapter 17, blessed be @frannyzooey for sustaining us with this preciosity for so long.
I'm a sucker for when there's one character (Joel) reluctant for his feelings, and if the story was only about this, I would be perfectly glad too with, too. BUT Kelli it's a genius, an amazing writer, giving me all that I didn't even knew I wanted.
It's fluff, with smut from the highest quality - with some tense moments, wich turns everything more addicting.
A Safe Haven (on-going)
Summary: Joel's quickly drawn to the vet of Jackson - even knowing she's married. Will this affair thrive? Or there's more underneath of the vet's story? (Jesus Christ, I’m so sorry for this lame summary, but I refuse to copy from your masterlist and I’m also rushing to finishing this rec today).
I was bought on the infidelity trope and the drama that comes with it. It would still be a nice story, but @joelsgreys it’s so much fucking talented that she wrote the most beautiful thing ever!
It has tooth roting fluff, drenching panties smut and heartstopping angst! All perfectly written and balanced.
I also love how Ellie it's also a crucial character for the couple's history and I really adore how she's attached to Peach.
Special mention to Fall Into Temptation and Strawberry, that lived rent free in my mind since I've read those.
Seams (on-going)
Summary: Joel pays visit to Jackson's seamstress after a trouble with his too-tight jeans – and it's only heaven from that on, won't say more.
Now I call @fuckyeahdindjarin ✨Queen of the Build Up✨ and that's because the way Cee builds up the sexual tension between characters it's undescribable.
Cee is such an excellent writer, not only in Seams but on other stories too she's gives a rich description of details that makes the reading flow better, it's like knowing you looking at gem stone.
Breakout (complete)
Summary: Boxer!Joel AU when he has to train a fuckboy who happens to date a sweet little thing.
Well I'm a fan from @the-ginger-hedge-witch for a while, she wrote one of the best Javier Peña fics ever (which turned into a book and that's fucking A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!) and other amazing stories, but this one got me hooked so bad.
Clearly I have a pattern because I LOVE when there is an obstacle for the characters to stay together, in this case, a relationship (I already spoiled that her boyfriend sucks, but I don't think it's spoils the story development) and Ren just atests she's a wonderful writer - now book writer, blessed be her 🙏🏻
And the idea of Joel using his fists it's already apealing, am I right?
I also recommend Friendly Fire, that I love just for knowing that in this, Ren envisioned an Aries character for reader - but also the premise of the story is great, too.
In The Woods Somewhere (complete)
Summary: living alone in a cabin at the apocalypse gets less dull when a teenager appears with a handsome injured man.
I've read this since a while, but it marked me. @eupheme created such tenderness between the characters - they know he and Ellie can't stay, which makes the affair even more apealling.
I’ll know It when I see it (on-going)
Summary: Joel as a porn star in its golden era who meets Lucky, a rising star in porn - chemestry goes beyond the cameras.
@bageldaddy deserves all the shout out forever because this here it's golden. They're both are porn stars and I could be hot just for this, but of course there's feelings involved - and the way they struggle to fight against these it's what makes this story even more perfect. Shout out to the one shot Sundown, as well, it’s completely wonderful.
Something wretched about this (complete)
Summary: Joel Miller it's a self appointed pharmacist in the QZ, and fucks you when you don't have how to pay for your father's medicine
Whoring yourself for meds sounds bad? In this story it's hot af! It's filthy, each chapter explores different sexual practices and it's THE. BEST. THING. IN. THE. WORLD!!!
@covetyou it's the most blessed being for writing a perfection like this, seriously. I loved every single chapter of this, loved Joel being an asshole and a slut. I can't tell enough how much joy this story has brought me. And lo it's better than Santa, because she provides christmas gifts for the nice and naughty, with Freeze-thaw (smut with fluff) and Baubles (smut with FILTH) - I can't die before I try the balldo, I didn't even knew this, didn't think that this could be possible - but happily it is, and this one shot it's perfect in every aspect.
Take Care of You (on-going)
Summary: Joel it's a sugar daddy in this AU and appears in your life to make all better 👀 He doesn't charges for the sexual part of the arrangement, but he's irresistible - so what will you do?
The ideia of a sugar daddy it's extremely appealing to me because that's all I wanted, you know? Some rich hot guy telling me I don't need to work and paying everything to me - that's living! Okay jk, but I started reading this when things caught up badly at work, so it was a sweet refuge.
@theidiotwhowritesthings it's the perfect writer! It's the perfect slow burn that makes you thirst for more and more!
Apothecary (complete)
Summary: Summary: Joel falls in love with the "witch" from Jackson and it has its perks and struggles.
I LOVE Practical Magic, it's one of my favorites witch movies so to read something inspired on that it's great -but @atinylittlepain it's such a wonderful, talented, amazing writer - so we were all blessed with this masterpiece.
It has fluff, angst, smut - stupid people being scared about what they don't understand and etc. It's very sweet, Joel also doesn't understands about her, but can't help being drawn. And Ellie it's a natural, their relationship here, how they grow to be a family ... it's utterly sweet. Special mention to Only Lovers Left Alive (another movie that I LOVE),  The Heyloft and the masterpiece Down to The Ankles (it's perfection and it's inspired in Bones and All, other film that I truly love).
Come home (on-going)
Summary: when you've lost everything and everyone, you reach to Jackson - and meets a ruggedly handsome who you can't help being drawn to.
I've read this for a while, as well, but I still think about this story often. It's a slow burn - which I love (in case you haven't noticed from the stories listed above) - and it's so sweet, the blossom of a friendship that turns to more, their relationship with Ellie ... It's been a while since it was uptaded and I hope @imtryingmybeskar it's okay, because this story it's lovely and I really wish to see and ending for them.
Catalyst
I'm gonna just summarize that it's a threesome with Joel and Frankie Morales from Triple Frontier, that's it - if that ain't reason enough for you to read, idk man.
I didn't even knew that I wanted it, that I needed it - until I read it. I find threesomes hot af, but I don't tend to enjoy when it's with characters that I love too deeply - don't ask me why - but in THIS ONE, GOD FUCKING DAAAAAMN!
It has filth, of course, but there's also fluff - which I find inevitable when it's about Frankie. In the chapter Here, especially, @ezrasbirdie builds perfectly of the struggles that I imagine for a threeway relationship, reading it was sad, hot and lovely.
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Hope all the links work, 'cause I don't have time to check now 🙃
Sorry if my comments felt weird, if I forgot to mention something, as I've said above, I intend to make a part 2 of recs someday soon (hopefully).
I wish everyone a happy new year 🎆🥂🎇
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inannasdream · 14 days
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i think the reason why i gravitate towards belos on a deeper level a lot more than any of the other characters in toh is bc my preference in characters and stories is in how they are affected by institutions and the messiness that results from understandable character flaws exacerbated by those institutions, whether they are the oppressed or are enabled to become the oppressor. belos is a mix of both in a way that i like — it's possible to read him as nd & left handed (both heavily stigmatized in his day and society) yet both are possible to hide. in the demon realm he yet again had a trait that made him a possible outcast, as he was a lowly human, yet he transformed himself into a magic user through painful mutilation of his skin all so that he could conform to that society, even when it was one he couldn't stand. his conformity in the demon realm supports the idea of him having to conform in the human realm. but because he was enabled for being a white man in the human realm and could reasonably hide anything that made him a nail to be hammered down, he clung to that power and dominion over others that it gave him for the rest of his life like a security blanket, represented literally with him lording his magical prowess over other witches and demons. it's a lot of layers that i think are very fun and i'm 90% sure are unintentional when put together into this cohesive of a picture for reasons i will state later.
compare that against almost every other character in toh (w maybe the exception of darius??) — every good guy has flaws that can reasonably be blamed on other people as a freudian excuse or that are downplayed by the narrative (eg. amity going from an active bully in her debut to a passive enabler of bullying in understanding willow). there's a dire lack of messiness in them all, from their appearance (all the witch kids could easily be mistaken for humans, fairly good looking ones at that, if it weren't for the ears), to how they deal with pain, etc. it gave me the impression that they really wanted only the villain to be allowed to be messy and ugly because those are traits for villains, when i think it's a lot nicer to see stigmatized traits (ugliness, childishness, hallucinations, mental illness, etc) in everyone. i really wanted the heroes to get in on that kind of action too.
another thing that drew me away from connecting with and trying to deeply understand most of the characters in toh is the lack of meaningful bigotry on the isles. i'm not criticizing the race-, queer-, and gender-blindness of the demon realm on an objective level bc the writers wanted to accomplish a v specific thing w that bit of world building and that's ok and it's a wonderful aspiration for usamerica. it's ok if it's not for Me and the world can't have a million yasuda sayos (i say with difficulty through tears). but because there is a lack of bigotry in what's supposed to be an oppressive society and there's no highlighted underclass in its place (covenless witches should theoretically be the underclass, but the show tends to undermine this aspect of its society, eg. letting wild witches like eda and luz roam perfectly free and having the government-funded school allow witches to study multiple covens without pushback from said government funding them), it becomes just another part of the show that makes it so much more squeaky clean and made me disinterested in a lot of the characters — i connect so much better with characters when i feel their pain and struggle against a world that can't find it in itself to care about them, witnessing all the ways they try to fight for their right to be happy frantically and imperfectly, and that is what makes their happiness so meaningful to me and makes me care abt them deeply.
contrast that w belos: i really love that he came from a society infamous for its conservatism and religious extremism grounded in the real world, and it's so thought provoking for me to think abt the layers of that society and how he interacted with it. which parts he rejected, conformed to, wanted to conform to, etc. that's a challenging character to understand (and then, after having fully understood them, condemn with so much more feeling) and i adore the idea of that being intentional if it wasn't for the fact that almost every other character in toh is boringly easy to understand because they lack enough material in the layers that can make them feel like real, messy people to challenge the viewer in a meaningful way. (side note: a lot of the layers created simply by belos being from colonial connecticut also disappear if you're solely looking at his background based on the text in the show, bc you're expected to fill in the gaps with, like, wikipedia basically lol. similar thing w luz where they show very little of her being bullied/outcasted bc of her adhd and you're mostly supposed to fill that in w your own experience & irl knowledge of adhd.) it results in the show being weirdly liberal about the bigotry/lack of bigotry certain characters have and only being able to halfheartedly say "idk some people are just evil i guess", instead of examining the material conditions that shape people to act the way they do. Bigot Phil vs Weirdgirl Luz could've been "these characters are shaped by their circumstances and have been encouraged to respectively become their worst/best selves through ideals instilled in them" but instead it's "some people are bad and we won't attempt to look at what made them 'bad' in the first place" and then pretending this is a groundbreaking message and not the laziest takeaway they could've possibly written.
basically i like my characters messy with hearts that you have to go out of your way to understand and sympathize with who come from understandable circumstances and i think all girls should be allowed to kill freely. i hope you can understand my position.
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thequietkid-moonie · 2 months
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Request: Usagi, Makoto, and Minako with an S/O that is from the world of Madoka Magica, and has become jaded on the idea of Magical Girls ever having a happy ending, saying they've seen to many die to think it's possible. (Reader has no powers. They just worked with a lot of Magical Girls) (Hope this fits what want)
Reader is surprised by the Sailor Scouts
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[ CROSSOVER - reader comes from Puella Magi Madoka Magica ]
[ Minako, Makoto ]
[ Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon / Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon ]
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As much as I totally loved this prompt I have now a writers block and I had to left Usagi, sorry, I hope you like what I wrote
Also, i just rewatched Madoka Magica and I just remembered why I love so much that anime waaaaaahhhh
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This wasn't your world, it looked like it but you were sure this wasn't your world, you have wandered the streets of your world thousands of time, following your friend when searching for the witches, just hoping to don't be a burden
Walking around for a bit try to search anything of help, anything that could help you out, your friends, Kubey, even a witch, at least that would explain where you are or what is happening
But no matter what you do you don't find nothing you know, just a calm and peaceful city that you didn't knew if you could trust
Even when you end up involved in an attack and get saved by magical girls, this was far from what you had ever saw before, there was no witch, no labyrinth, even the magical girls were far diferent from the ones you know, their fighting style is something you had never seen before and they were even working together
You didn't know if it was a dream, an hallucination or maybe just another trick of the witches or even Kubey, wanting to trick you into become a magical girl again, whatever it was it is strange, but also fascinsting
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Minako Aino
Minako is really focused on the fighting and her surroundings when she is on duty as the leader of the Sailor Scouts, so when she noticed that you were being the victim of one of the enemies she tries to be quick while trying to avoid putting you in more danger that you already were, once the threaten is over she imediatly came to your side to make sure you were alright
Minako imediatly notice how shocked you seem, but asume that is just because of what happened, trying to come up with an excuse to don't involve a civil on her problems as a magical girl, although she doesn't come with a too good excuse (specially if you seem anxious or even scare)
Minako may have a weird feeling about you but for your shocked state decide to ignore it and try to just help you. Honestly, Minako wanted to just make sure you are alright and go away as far as posible, not wanting to put you at any other risk but is more likely that you are the one asking her what were happening, even if she was far diferent from the ones you know she still was a magical girl, she may be able to help
At the end she probably just take you with the other Sailor Scouts in hopes to find out what were happening to you, but even with the others she feels more responsible of you, not only she was the one who found you but also she is the leader of the sailor scouts, she should be capable to handle the problems (and if you decide to stay close to her that will just make her feel closer to you and lead her to actually take care of you)
It won't be too dificult to get to know you are from another world, what make Minako just feel even more responsible of you, so from that moment until all of you are able to find a way to send you back she will be the one to take care of you, and honestly she will grow to care for you and start to treat you as an little sibling (but will wait until you feel more comfortable)
Minako tries to ask you about your world since the start in hopes that would help you feel more comfortable or let you cope with everything that is happening, but if you prefer to don't say anything then is alright too, she will undestand by your expression that you aren't comfortable with it, so instead she start to talk about you and treat you as a friend
Knowing that there are magical girls in your world too would be surprising for her, the sailor scouts are warriors that fight for her princess and own planets, so at first she will assumed you are talking about the magical girls that fight as representatives and warriors of your planet, but the moment you feel comfortable to open up to her about the whole problem with the magical girls and witches of your planet she is shocked and devastated, the magic of your planet isn't used to protect for love but to manipulate, this isn't something she want at all (and is actually what she is fighting, most of her enemies uses magic to manipulate others, but is definetly not the same)
Minako feel like she should say something to try to comfort you, but she can't thing in anything, she just doesn't know how to react, so she will just let you continue talking as much as you need, assuring you that now you have her and the rest of the sailor scouts by your side, even if you come back to your world they will be always cheering for your happiness and safety
The Sailor Scouts fight together, they fight for love and not for survival as you were used to, it would be normal for you to see it as strange, and for that Minako will open up too and say that not everything is fun as it seems, maybe you think is easy for what you had been throught but the reality is that they had fight with their lifes, have lost a lot in the past and now are fighting to don't lose it again, maybe your stories have diferent developments but she does understand you, and she makes sure to let you know that you aren't alone, as well as how brave you are for enduring all of that
When getting to know Kubey's trick and how you still haven't get a contracts with him Minako will actually feel relieved that you don't have to deal with it, at least for a while, and she makes sure you know you don't have the pressure of having to be stronge or become a magical girl, while you are here they will be the ones protecting you
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Makoto Kino
Makoto has always been a protective person, if you get involved in the battlefield there is no doubt that she will imediatly get to you side and try to protect you, even may even shield you before taking care of the enermy, claiming that there is no need to involve civilians or how unfair it is to bring troubles to innocent people
Makoto wants to make sure you are alright once the fight is over but seeing you shocked or even scare will make her even more worried, she tries to help you calm down and concentrate (in hopes to make her focus too) before even trying to explain what have just happened, she doesn't has much troubles with explaining that she is a sailor scout but only if it would be helpful, and will try to don't give more details of the necesary, not wanting to bring you any kind of troubles
Is probably that her own honesty is what lead you to say that you know some magical girls too, but ones that are far different from her or her friends, explaining the whole thing with the magical girls of your world and kubey is your choise, in any case Makoto won't be pushy with you telling her all the details imediatly, even when she think it would be the best she won't force you when she can tell for your expression that this isn't easy for you
Makoto will decide to trust you and take you with the other sailor scouts to search for a way to try and help you find a way back to your world, or at least undestand their world since it seems that you aren't used to their world. If you want (or even prefer it) she can stay by your side at all the times, being the one taking care of you, in that case she will end up taking it rather seriously, giving you a room on her house and taking care of you as well as making sure you adapt to all of this and always asking you if you have any question or need another explanation to the things that are new for you
Makoto is really caring towards you but tries to don't treat you like a kid, she treats you more like a friend (but actually waits until you feel comfortable and trust her before getting closer)
The moment you finally open up to her and start to tell her about your world and the trick that being a magical girl is for you, it doesn't matter if you decide to tell only her or to all the sailor scouts, doesn't even matter if you decided to tell her everything at once or go slowly, she will respect your rythm, still she will feel totally heart broken for what you tell her, she and her friends fight for love and see each other as family, Makoto felt lost for so long until she found her friends, so the idea of the magical girls having to fight no just with witches but also against each other in order to survive makes her mad (not at the magical girls but to the one who is the culprit)
Makoto won't be able to hold back her tears and express how horrible this situation this is, but, also, it won't take her much time before she tries to comfort you, assuring you that this situation is completely unfair and that the fact that you had to go throught all of that doesn't mean you don't deserve some peace, your friends had been tricked by someone evil and egoist, all of you deserve a better treatment and a happy ending, and she say it with so much confidence and determinantion that is almost flatering
From that day Makoto doesn't treat you too diferent but is obvious how much she want to include you in simple things, her friends doesn't have it easier but at least have some times to just be teenagers, and Makoto is always inviting you over in those times
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