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zafirosreverie · 2 years

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Julietafest day 1: Mirror sex

a/n: it’s been a while since the last timeI wrote smut, hope this doesn’t suck.

We all know what’s under the cut.

__________________________

"You look beautiful"

You gasped as the woman increased her pace and couldn't respond, the fog in your mind making it impossible to focus on anything other than her. What her experienced fingers were doing to you was out of this world.

"I love it when you get like this, all red, drooling, unable to speak" she continued, gently biting your shoulder blade

Julieta smiled against your skin as you moaned and squirmed further beneath her, trying to match the rhythm of her fingers. If she was honest, this wasn't how she had planned to spend her day off.

Although the family tried to create more flexible routines so that everyone could rest, her gift was still one of the most necessary, so she only had one day off per week. Usually, she would spend it with you, reading, or just cuddling with you or helping her daughters if you were busy.

Today she hadn't meant to change the plan. She just wanted to go to her room to get a book and relax in the hammock in the backyard, but you were in bed, drawing and wearing that pretty dress that she loved so much.

You were upside down and gently kicking your legs up in the air, which would have been adorable if it wasn't because it allowed her an excellent view of your calves and aroused something in her. Any idea of a relaxing afternoon reading was erased from her and only rather impure thoughts remained.

It wasn't hard for her to make you stop what you were doing to kiss her. Taking your clothes off and taking you to the vanity was even easier, after all, you were always willing to obey and she loved that about you.

"You like this don't you?" she growled softly in your ear "maybe it was just what you were waiting for...for me to find you here, alone, absolutely irresistible, and take you"

"P-perhaps," you said between gasps

"Oh? So you admit it?" she smirked and curled her fingers a bit to elicit a muffled moan from you "was this your plan?"

"T-the mirror was a s-surprise" you gasped as her pumping speed increased.

Oh, the mirror. Julieta smiled and looked ahead, enjoying the pleased faces you were making. Usually the bed was the place where she reminded you who you belonged to, but every once in a while, she liked to fuck you here, in front of the mirror. There was something incredibly sexy about it.

She loved seeing how different you two were. Your perfect and smooth skin against hers a little more mature and loose, your hair, tangling with her silver threads, your cheeks covered in a youthful and beautiful pink, against the weight of her years.

Youth and maturity. You were a beautiful combination, and she would never tire of admiring it. Especially when you fell apart under her.

"J-juli" you moaned "I-I'm going to-"

"Do it"

You cried out as a wave of pleasure hit you hard and her expert fingers helped you ride your orgasm. You saw stars behind your eyelids and it took you a moment to come back to reality.

But her fingers hadn't left you and began to pick up a steady, almost painful rhythm for your very sensitive pussy. You tried to protest, but the older woman leaned more into your back to keep you from getting up, and she used her free hand to cup your face and lift it up, forcing you to meet her gaze through the mirror. You swore you could come undone again just by looking at the lust in her beautiful brown eyes.

"Juli-"

"I'm not done yet" she cut you off "this is just the beginning. We have a couple of hours before I have to go make dinner and I'm going to fuck you all that time. I want you to not be able to walk without my help"

You bit your lip and tried not to close your eyes, you knew she wouldn't forgive you for breaking your gaze from hers. But her words were wearing you down so much faster than her fidgeting fingers. It wasn't often that your wife let her darker side out, even when it was just the two of you, but when she did, she was deliciously ruthless and you couldn't wait.

"I want you to feel sore throughout dinner, to think about how I feel inside you" she continued, picking up the pace "You'll heal with my food and we'll come back here, then I'll fuck you again"

She didn't take her eyes off you for a moment, savoring the way you reacted to her words. A part of her felt weird saying all that, not used to talking to anyone like that. But you had a special gift for awakening a wild and dominant side in her. You made her feel younger.

"I can feel you squeezing me again" she smiled "you're close"

It wasn't a question, but you still nodded. The brunette accelerated further, curling her fingers inside you to caress your sweet spot and bring you to your second climax.

"I want you to watch yourself while you cum" she ordered

You were completely red with embarrassment and excitement, but you still forced yourself to obey. Your insides twisted with excitement at the sight of your sweaty face, your drooling tongue hanging out of your mouth as she lightly squeezed your cheeks, holding you in place. You were a mess and you knew that that was just the woman's goal.

You pressed tightly around her fingers as she wrung another orgasm out of you. Her soft laughter contrasted sharply with the dark words and promises she had just made.

"See how beautiful you are?" she asked sweetly "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'll make sure you know how grateful I am to have you"

Her words would have been a beautiful message of love, if it weren't for the fact that her damn fingers hadn't left you yet. Julieta really planned to push you to your physical limit, no matter how cramped you both ended up.

You looked at the clock on the wall through the mirror and shuddered to realize that you had a few more long hours before she would let you rest.

"Fuck" you mumbled, earning you a soft laugh, a kiss on your neck and an extra finger inside.

#reader insert #x reader #julieta madrigal #julieta madrigal preference #julieta madrigal x reader #julieta x reader #julieta madrigal imagine #julietafest #Encanto #encanto preferences #encanto imagine #encanto x reader

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dream-meister-translations · 1 year

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THIS HOLY NIGHT ALEX - VOICE COLLECTION

━

"I know it's short notice, but I'm honestly glad I get to spend time with you. Let's make the most of our time together."

"I'm feeling more stares than usual, but I wonder, how am I reflected in your eyes when I'm not wearing my knight's uniform?"

"An off-mission excursion is refreshing. If there is a place you're interested in going, I'll go with you."

"Oh this sword? Even when I'm on vacation, I'm prepared to respond quickly…Just in case."

"Careless? Not a chance."

"This…Was because of my weakness."

"A welcome gift."

"Did my wish…Come true?"

"About my normal life…? Unfortunately, I don't think I've done anything special to meet your expectations."

"The more time I spend with you, the more I realize why everyone loves you."

"Not as a knight. Not as a hero. But as an individual. Because of you, I am so."

"Just as Alex. I'd like to spend this warm moment with you…"

"First you're surprised, then you're laughing…You change your expression from one moment to the next. I wonder if there is a side of you that you only show me."

"The time I spend with you…It's slowly changing something inside of me…It's odd…The snow it's not so cold anymore."

"I hope this time with you will last, because these peaceful moments with you are very special to me."

"Your smile, is a smile to protect."

"It's a pure light that cares about people. Your kindness is a little too bright for me."

"Even the weaknesses I want to keep hidden are exposed when around you. You're a real pain in the ass."

"This is the kind of hesitation a hero doesn't need. But right now, just for this moment…"

"Spread your wings with integrity and dance on the blade of mercy."

"Watch your step. The frozen road is slippery. If you don't mind, I can lend you a hand."

"Is it that late already? I'm sorry to have kept you up."

"Emilio? His unwavering swordsmanship is his strength. Of all the Knights of the Sun, he's the one with the best record."

"I can always count on him. On the battlefield and in the affairs of the office. Emilio is always there for me."

"Emilio doesn't get a lot of time off. I hope he's taking this opportunity to stretch his wings."

"Emilio is an excellent subordinate who you can entrust your back to with peace of mind. But, he's usually busier than even you."

"I sincerely hope that this holiday will be a meaningful escape for Emilio."

"What I do on a snowy day, hm? Read books on military tactics, I suppose. It's quiet on snowy days, so you can focus easier."

"It's also important to take care of your physical condition in preparation for emergencies."

"Watching the snow, perhaps? I'm sorry for my uninteresting answers."

"Is that a snow rabbit someone made? It's adorable. Would you like to make one together?"

"Harriet has fast movements and accurate shots. It has helped me many times."

"I appreciate his attitude of always sticking to his beliefs. That's an important trait for a knight."

"As you know, Harriet is quite free-spirited. If you have any trouble dealing with him, let me know."

"Harriet often comes to me to talk about the wonders of true love."

"Harriet is the only person who visits my office for purposes other than work."

"Harriet is only interested in other people. Not himself. Maybe it's in his nature.. Or maybe it's just his own way to love."

"Was it hard to hear my voice? It must be because the wind is picking up."

"Why are you so close? Because my hands are cold? You're so kind. Thank you for warming them."

"Even if this is just a vacation, I promise I'll protect you. You will be safe at my side."

"You like this new look? If you wish to walk with a pretty girl, you have to dress appropriately."

"Your fingertips are a little cold. May I warm them with my hands?"

"May the world be at peace…Hmm? You're face is all tense. Perhaps you were trying to make my wish come true."

"To be strong isn't so much a wish. It is more a commitment."

"You want to know my favorite restaurant? There's a place I like to go. A good place to get a drink. If you want, I can take you sometime."

"Would you like some coffee too? It's my favorite brand. Be careful not to get burned."

"This tomato soup is excellent. I look relaxed for once? It's a little embarrassing when you point it out."

"This is the first time I've ever seen this art form. Is it called "latte art?" Mine…Has a bear on it. Yours is a rabbit. Ha, both are adorable. But isn't this a waste of a drink?"

"If you don't mind, will you look at me a little longer? I want to cherish these moments together."

"Are you interested in me without the mask? I have a particularly uninteresting face, don't I?"

"With you, any moment seems to turn into a special memory. My heart is racing…"

"Every time it snows, I'll remember your smile from today."

"The reason I feel so warm just being close to you is because you're the one next to me."

"Let's move and warm up, you say? Does that mean you want to train? Luckily I carry a sword with me-Fufu, just kidding, I wouldn't do such a stupid thing when I'm out with a girl."

"You're the only one who has ever played with my hair…Of course, I don't mind…"

"When I deal with you, I'm unexpectedly relaxed…I'm not blaming you…I'm just confused."

"You're the only person I'd ever allow this kind of contact with."

"How long has it been since I met you?"

"To be able to share my warmth and open up to someone like this…? To be honest, I'm still shocked."

"In order to repay your kindness, I promise to work even harder in the future."

"I appreciate your feelings, but I want to keep my hands free."

"I am humbled by your concern."

"You shouldn't touch me so inappropriately. Especially because you are a beautiful young woman. Some people will get the wrong idea."

━

ALEX : I wonder what everyone in Chevalier is doing right now. I hope they're spreading they're wings as much as they can. EMILIO : I'd like to show them we had a fun time on vacation too. Let's get some souvenirs when we head home.

━

ALEX : House party decorations…I'm not familiar with this kind of thing. Idio, may I ask your opinion? IDIO : Well, I don't really know, but wouldn't it be nice to have stars or something?

━

ALEX : Shall we fight side by side again? EMILIO : It's always an honor, Commander.

━

ALEX : Don't slip in the snow! IDIO : Yes, yes, I knoooow~

#yumekuro alex #Yumekuro #YMKR #Yumekuro Translations #YMKR translations #Otome #Dream Meister Translations #Otome Translations #Dream Meister And The Recollected Black Fairy #Dream Meister And The Recollected Black Fairy translations #alex #alexvoice

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just-late-roman-republic-things · 8 months

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Just finished Clodia Metelli: The Tribune's Sister by Marilyn Skinner!

Overall, it's a good read. Skinner is particularly good at distinguishing what we know about Clodia from what the men around her accused her of, and at showing how facts get distorted by stereotypes and political narratives over time. I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about Clodia, about bias in narrative, or about the lifestyles and changing social roles of aristocratic Roman women.

There was a bit about the First Triumvirate and Metellus Nepos' conflict with Cato which I disagreed with. That's typical for me, though: I prefer Morstein-Marx's interpretation, which differs from most historians. The rest of the book all seemed accurate as far as I could tell, and it's excellently researched. Not too dense for an academic book, either.

It was also interesting to see how much modern sexism has parallels with old Roman fears of autonomous women. I suspect many stereotypes and dismissals of women's interests go back to that period. The woman who's always out shopping, spending her husband's money, on frivolous things, hearkens to the Roman fear of the spendthrift heiress who can't be trusted to safeguard the wealth that "should" go to her son, and whose free expenditure raises suspicions that she freely "gives her body away" sexually, too. The Roman actress is demeaned as little better than a prostitute, just like actresses today are scrutinized and sneered at for their romantic affairs. (No offense to sex workers. I'm describing prejudices, not my own views.)

Even the Roman female poet is abjured and suspected of promiscuity in real life - and thus as worthless and immoral - just like female romance novelists today are considered immoral for writing "trashy" or "problematic" novels, and their (mostly female) readers are assumed to either have poor taste or to be hapless sponges that passively absorb and replicate all the problematic messages in books they read.

The Romans saw female horniness as a threat. It had to be stamped out, and the woman's sexuality confined to "respectable" avenues (read: what was convenient for fathers and husbands), in order for the woman to retain her value as a political bargaining chip, and to be entitled to basic decency from men. Granted, a woman might get mistreated anyway in practice, and no one ever asked her what she wanted.

I think even today, many people just haven't internalized the fact that Most Women Do Horny Shit Too. Do sexy, not just look sexy. That it doesn't make them stupid or low-class or irresponsible, that they're adults who can be trusted with their own safety, their own money, their own bodies, their own critical thinking skills when reading smut.

And that was Clodia Metelli's only "crime," as far as I can tell. To be a woman with a mind of her own, who chose political sides instead of being silent, who spoke up for herself at a trial, who managed her own money and property. And if she cheated on a man she had no choice in marrying (a dubious allegation), so what? If she wanted to have fun at parties, or see other guys after her husband died, so what? In an age of so much backstabbing and violence, a woman living her life to the fullest is honestly refreshing.

We need more Clodias in this world. Get out there and make her proud.

#jlrrt reads #clodia metelli #marilyn skinner #book rec #book review #ancient rome #sexism

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birdlungg · 2 years

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OMG please do more Jason x wife reader fics with their daughter! I feel like Jason would be an amazing dad considering he had a horrible childhood I just know he’d love her with all his heart. I can also see his little girl on his chest and her just being in awe of his unique face and touching it😭🙌🏻

YES OMG

I'm sorry this took so long, my laptop wasn't working :/// so if y'all could donate to my kofi I would appreciate it!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was a gloomy and drizzling day at Camp Crystal Lake. It's the type of weather that makes you want to curl up in front of the fireplace with Jason and Pamela and read a good book but unfortunately, groceries needed to be bought.

Jason had opted to stay in for the day, and you decided it would be the perfect time for some daddy/daughter bonding. He was still very hesitant around Pamela as he felt that he could hurt her (as if!!) so this would be excellent practice for him.

You'd given them both a kiss and a reluctant wave as you left the camp, heading toward town to get your necessities. While it didn't take long, you were just wanting to get home to your loves to spend the rest of the day with them.

The trip back felt like it took even longer than the trip into town. You had found the cutest baby shirt that looked like a little worker's plaid that happened to match one that Jason had perfectly, and you were beyond excited to show it to him.

You pull the car up just before the stairs to the cabin you and Jason had deemed "yours". It was the most put together of the bigger cabins, with a smaller secondary room that was perfect for Pamela's nursery.

You are able to do some fancy thinking and are surprisingly able to get all of the groceries in one go, leaving one hand free to unlock the door. You open it, stumbling slightly as you shuffle inside with your armload of groceries. You're halfway through the living area on your way to the kitchen when the figure on the couch catches your attention, making you stop dead in your tracks.

Jason is asleep, laying on his back with his large frame squished onto the cushions awkwardly and his head on the armrest. Pamela is sleeping on his chest soundly, with her bottom supported by Jason's right hand as his arm rests on the back of the couch. His left dangles humorously down to the floor as he snores lightly.

It's such a beautiful sight that you get choked up, watching them for a moment as tears start pooling. You never imagined that your life could be so wonderful when you first stumbled into camp all those years ago but you wouldn't give it up for anything.

After staring for a few minutes as you commit the moment to memory, you move reluctantly into the kitchen. You slowly start to unpack the bags, trying to be as quiet as possible so you don't wake your sleepers.

Once the groceries are put away, you smile down at the last thing in the brown paper bag: a pregnancy test.

#birds r us #jason vorhees imagine #jason voorhees x reader #jason voorhees #slashers #slashers x reader #friday the 13th

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acrosol · 1 year

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minatozaki sana 24 female she/her — ; where do you get your inspiration, ito yua ? you’re so intelligent , i can’t help but think of running ink on paper and dirty fingerprints on glasses when i hear your name. your friends tell me you can be dishonest sometimes . i guess it’s understandable given the circumstances . besides , i can’t even imagine how stressful physics classes must be — not to mention you’re also in seolhwayeon (captain) ! you’re a local , right ? yeah , i thought so . either way , welcome to mugunghwa !

hello everyone!! i'm may and i'm very excited to share my version of ito yua♡ i hope i'll do the canon justice ;-; psa: i haven't properly roleplayed in a little while and i am currently very confused by the new editor TT so please excuse any technical difficulties that may be happening with my posts in the future, i'm still learning how to use this abomination !

also, i actually decided to not set too much muse information in stone this time, so there can hopefully still be plenty of space to develop her character further with the help of plotting and whatnot ! so, instead i have only gathered some rather lose bullet points about her instead which you can read about below ♡

PAST

back in high school, yua's friends often used to joke about the fact that she must be the first "prodigy child" who hated being called just that. sure, to them it seemed like yua had always been exceptionally smart and thus easily excelled in most classes but it wasn't as easy as it looked like.

in contrary to popular belief, she wasn't as gifted as she seemed and had to spend absolutely all of her free time studying for upcoming tests and exams. whenever anyone asked her to hang out, she would simply claim she had a lot of extracurricular activities going on until someday people stopped asking her to hang out at all.

her classmates soon began to label her as snooty and uppish since she must have felt like she was too good for everyone else if she never had time to get to know the other people in her classes. and what started out rather harmless somehow snowballed into a bigger problem until the entire year started to avoid yua altogether.

she tried to play it off and pretend that it didn't phase her when in reality, yua's high school years turned out to be incredibly lonely. however, the lack of friends around her made it easier to drown herself in books and just like that, she still became valedictorian.

in 2021 during her second year of uni, she decided to take a break and study abroad for a while, opting for an art school. however, she quickly realised that the arts weren't exactly her cup of tea, so instead she spent most of her time there with her new girlfriend. it was the first and only time in her life where her studies weren't the most important thing to her.

PRESENT

today, yua still normally keeps to herself. there are definitely still a few people who believe her to be too full of herself to pay attention to anyone else but it seems like most people pay her no mind.

since she hardly had any friends growing up, she found comfort in seeking academic validation. it is the only thing that seems to bring her true joy, but she still whole-heartedly wishes she was more popular, even if she would never admit it.

in an attempt to find some friends to spend time with, she joined the taekwondo club. much to her surprise, it worked better than expected and she was soon asked to be the captain. it was only a small thing, but in that moment yua had never felt more popular.

yua is well aware of the fact that she is technically part of the keepers but she would never call herself a member: to her it just seems like a waste of time ... which is why she's almost never seen around the group.

something most people wouldn't know about her is the fact that even if yua looks like she isn't paying attention, she definitely still is aware of her surroundings. after all, her years spent in solitude moulded her into a perfect observer. even if she would never dare talk about the things she hears and sees ... it doesn't mean that she doesn't know about a couple of secrets here and there.

aaaaaand this is everything i have so far!! please let me know by liking this post if you would like to plot ♡ i also have discord if that's easier for some of you, so please don't hesitate to ask for my user !

#mguintro #so excited to be here<3

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96ymh · 1 year

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hihi everyone it's kira and i'm here to bring you mr yoo "idk i just work here" minhyuk aka the university librarian!! under the cut are a few bullet points abt his past and personality but generally, his mind tends to be a little bit here and there for personal reasons (aka he's deluded himself into thinking he's content with his life) but he's v diligent with his work so chances are you've probably run into him at the library and he's refused to write off your one day late library book :^) i'm super excited to meet you all get the ball rolling so pls feel free to dm me or like this post and i'll dm u <3

background - only son to the yoos, a family of extremely wealthy lawyers and mugunghwa natives (though he personally does not act like it) so you'd expect him to be doted on but

was neglected heavily by his parents until he showed signs of childhood pyromania around the age of five/six, after which they stuck him in every counselling service possible. not really the epitome of familial love

although the fires he started didn't hurt anyone except himself and they were kept a secret within the family, word leaked out to the yoos' extended family (including the nams) and he was essentially ostracised by his aunts and uncles, being the subject of conversation every family event he dared to turn up to

his parents unsurprisingly lost any semblance of fondness they had for him, particularly when he showed no signs of academic excellence and instead preferred to spend his day painting, not really having an aim in life like the rest of his cousins. his parents often reminded him that he wasn't as talented as his great great grandmother, which unsurprisingly did little to affect him

(tw parental death) just sort of got used to being there like an unwanted addition, the classic black sheep of the family trudging his way through high school with absolutely no dreams or aspirations until his parents abruptly die when he's seventeen in a car accident

at this point, his pyromania had been cured long ago but his extended family members used it as an excuse to get disinherit him from the lineage like they wanted to all along, leaving him with only his family home and 0 time to grieve

barely managed to graduate high school tbh and worked odd jobs around the town before living in the house alone finally got too much and he packed up to move to seoul, where he continued to be a busybody

busybody meaning he rented out some tiny one bedroom apartment with windows that didn't close properly and picked up every part time job possible, living paycheck to paycheck, painting with shitty 10,000 won paintbrushes in his spare time

decided to move back to mugunghwa a couple of years ago and picked up a job as the full-time (🎉🎉🎉) librarian at the uni! currently living at his family home which he really really hates but when he's not working, spends the day doodling on every surface of his house

sort of regrets letting his family kick him out that easily and he wishes he would've made more of an effort because life for the past nine years has been almost unbearably hard, though he'll never admit it. can't really afford to go back into education but thinks being able to read books for free all day is close enough so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

that's pretty much it up until the fire which he was honestly the luckiest victim of (sorry jisoo 😵‍💫 and gws mina 😵‍💫) didn't know jisoo too well so he isn't affected on a personal level but definitely shaken by the events and the resurgence of fire in his life has left him feeling more antsy than usual. if you ask him about that night, 9/10 chances he'll lie and tell you he doesn't remember anything. the remaining 1/10 is when he ignores your question and tells you your book is overdue

personality wise - someone who's given up is the easiest way to describe him. think early morning cigarettes, the faintest traces of paint smudged across his fingers, a heavily read book with cracks down its spine and yellowing pages, keeping the windows open even when it's raining, the sound of waves crashing against the shore, feeling your hands go numb from the cold

pessimistic beyond words, though that stems more from the events of his life than something innate in him. withdrawn because he's sort of been alone for almost a decade and communicating with others is still new to him though human interaction is something he craves, aloof in the sense that he never seems to be quite here. seems constantly lost in his thoughts but is perceptive and picks up on things melting away into the background, including the group of students who just tried to sneak tteokkbokki into the quiet study room

most of his work hours are spent reading books at the counter or putting returned books back into their places on bookshelves. rarely starts a conversation first. sits on campus during his lunch break and has developed a habit of watching the students live their lives with a vague sense of jealousy, particularly towards the red and green club

sort of just feels stuck in his life. there's nothing propelling him forwards or backwards but instead of admitting that he's hopeless, he tells himself that he should be content with what he has

has probably also eaten every brand of ramen and triangle gimbap so if you want suggestions he's the guy

if you recognise him from high school he will do a terrible job of pretending he's a different yoo minhyuk

#mguintro #sorry this was so long T__T #making it longer by saying i also have a discord if thts easier for people to plot on :^)

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fictionadventurer · 2 years

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Literary World Tour: Weeks 2 through, like, 4?

I've had a lot less time to read, between life getting busy and me spending more of what free time I have writing, but I feel like I should talk about the few books I've read with this project.

Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys (Germany): I actually already had this one on audiobook from the library (since I'd loved Between Shades of Gray), and had been considering returning it to focus on the world tour, because the ocean isn't any country. Then someone recommended it as taking place in Prussia, so I counted it toward the project. Fascinating look at WWII from an angle it's rarely covered from in American literature. I loved how it managed to convey that these people in this mostly-forgotten disaster all matter, even if it didn't end well for most of them. The four first-person narrators was weird, and I had trouble sinking into the narrative because of it. The readers were excellent, but having the stylized prose spoken aloud does make some passages sound more stilted. From what I saw in reviews, I think the audiobook may have made the German soldier seem more nuanced--everyone was talking about how over-the-top evil he was, but the narrator gave him a Mr. Collins type of pathetic-ness that made him seem ridiculous, so the evil-ness kind of emerged as chilling underlayers. Not nearly as good as Between Shades of Gray, but still very glad to have read it.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Russia): I don't intend to talk about books I don't finish, but I loved this one so, so much before I abandoned it (at 60%) that I'll make an exception. What a delight of a book. Would have been one of my all-time favorites if content (I get picky about sexual content and the Lord's name in vain) hadn't forced me to abandon it. Count Alexander Rostov is a Russian version of Peter Wimsey and I (mostly) loved him. The sanguine-phlegmatic cultured gentleman both trapped in horrific circumstances while living in relative sheltered luxury. (I want to know what idiot of a cover designer was responsible for making him look like the most boring man in the world). Loved the hotel setting, loved all his friends, loved the conversations about the shifting world and what makes a gentleman, loved the child characters. Pity that I couldn't finish it.

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (India): Middle-grade book about a thirteen-year-old girl left a widow after her husband's death a couple of weeks into their marriage. Read this in one sitting. It felt rather underwritten--huge scenes were glossed over in a sentence or two, telling us most things rather than showing us anything. But it was still a fascinating story about a very different culture, and I've explained the plot to at least two different people since reading it because I found it so interesting.

Norah of Billabong by Mary Grant Bruce (Australia): Third book in the series that starts with The Little Bush Maid; already had it on my Kindle. I have such a strange relationship to these books. The setting (early 1900s Outback Australia) is so interesting, and the characters are likable overall, but the story can be so boring, until it has a few absolutely thrilling chapters that get me just engaged enough to contemplate continuing the series.

There is a shocking lack of tension in this story. Things go wrong, but they wind up just turning out alright with little action from anybody, or the characters just kind of shrug and move on and you don't get the sense that anyone's emotionally affected by anything. I think part of it is a massive overuse of passive voice. And then the characters! I like them, but it's sickening to read about how the Lintons are the absolute ideal at outback life and always good at everything and everyone loves them. My favorite characters were Brownie and Jean because they weren't good at everything; they had insecurities or flaws. Jean especially was satisfying to follow, because she wasn't sure how well she'd do at this life, so her accomplishments felt meaningful.

(I'm not usually one to get too worked up over outdated ideas in classic fiction, but oh my goodness, if anyone tries to say that Little House on the Prairie is racist, they have clearly not read these books. Little House may have some racist characters, but it has the general worldview that the Native Americans have a valid culture and what happened to them was sad (or at least acknowledges that there are multiple views of them). Here, any mention of any brown person, but especially the Aborigines, is ruthless in telling us that they're primitive, dirty, lazy thieves, and while it's an accurate depiction of a settler's POV back then, it was kind of brutal to read.)

But anyway, the chapters with the fire were great, and it was interesting to learn about this time period, and there was just a shade of compassion shown toward the Aborigines at the end, so it's just possible I may cave and read something else in the series, but I'm not sure it'll be worth it.

#literary world tour

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aboatwithlegs · 5 months

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An Objectively Correct Rewrite of The Arthur Finale

'Sup nerds and nerdinos, I have a problem with Arthur.

No, not Arthur Koestler (though no one with CBE after their name escapes my wrath on principle alone). I'm talking about Arthur Read, the autistic aardvark who dresses like an 8 year old Mr. Rogers and somehow still has more friends than you.

But my problem isn't with the twerp's fashion sence, it's with Season 25, Episode 4b: All Grown Up, aka Arthur's final episode. The very moment it released in 2022 the ground quaked, the oceans roared, the angels wept as the sky tore asunder and God Themself¹ decended to personsally task me with rewriting it. I said I'd get around to it.

Babies and mentlegen, that day is today because I have nothing better to do.

TW: SA, drugs, death, TERFs, student loans

The Correct Futures

The only thing you need to know about the old version is that they got old, cuz we're scrapping all of it aside from that. The adult versions of each characters was so far removed from the actual futures of these characters that I am personally insulted and have filed with my lawyer to see everyone responsible for it given a restraining order. So we gotta fix that. This episode here is gonna be a feature-length anthology film. Every character gets a 5-10 minute sequence where we see how the next 20 years of their life unfold. I'm gonna put them in alphabetical order because the only one who can tell me what to do is my talking cat. Oh, and remember: Habrá Examen, Langosta Perezosa! ***~~~*** ***~~~***

Alan "Brain" Powers: Goes to MIT and finds that, after being "The Brain" for so many years, he is suddenly just average. It's such a shock to his ego that he begins to instinctively lash out at everything he finds unfamiliar, eventually dropping out and becoming a moderately successful right-wing podcaster and youtuber.

Arthur Read: Our boy grows up to be a perpetual grad student (English major, of course). He pays the rent as a TA and is so terrified of the world outside of academia that he finds comfort spending quiet evenings in, grading papers from the comfort of his dingy bachelor apartment. He lives off instant ramen and spends most of his free time escaping into his books. He sometimes daydreams of getting a "real job", owning a house, and raising a family like his parents did, but dismisses it as too idealistic.

Buster Baxter: Eventually gets Diagnosed with ADHD and an Adderall prescription changes his life. He starts excelling in school and fixates on a dream of becoming an indie film director. At age 14 he is diagnosed with a brain tumor, and a few weeks after his 17th birthday his dying wish is fulfilled when his ashes are sent to space². Every year that passes his friends take a little longer to remember his name.

D.W. Read: Develops symptoms of BPD and a coke addiction. At age 16 she uses a fake I.D. to get a job as a stripper until her cousin Ryder recognises her mid-lap dance. She spends a year in juvie and drops out of high school. She drops by the Read household every few months to ask for money, but the rest of the time no one knows where she is.

Fern & George Walters: Fern and George marry when they are both 18, he takes her last name. She is a stay-at-home mother raising their two young children, writing BDSM-fueled erotic fiction while the kids are at school. George keeps the bills paid with a steady office job as a software engineer and maintains a healthy work-life balance to ensure he's present for his family. They've never left Elwood and wouldn't have it any other way.

Frank Frensky: Frank (still going by "Francine") goes through an extended period of identifying as a butch lesbian before finally coming out as trans-masc. When he finally transitions it involves cutting off his family and moving out of state to start fresh. He plays drums in an underground queercore collective and self-publishes a zine featuring semi-biographical comics about a young boy growing up in Elwood.

Jenna Morgan: Disappears under mysterious circumstances. No one notices for 7 years, which then sparks a city-wide furvor as everyone tries to investigate the disappearance at once. Later found to have not actually gone anywhere.

Muffy Crosswire: Dates Frank ("Francine") for most of high school. Muffy ends the relationship when Frank comes out as trans and gets deep into TERF circles. After graduating Yale and getting her LLM in constitutional law she enters state-level politics as an openly queer Republican. She uses LGBTQ+ and Feminist talking points to advance a far-right cryptofascist agenda and is generally considered to be "one of the good ones" by both parties.

Prunella Deegan: A naturopathic wellness-coach with extensive collections of both healing crystals and cats. Her entire segment is an extended anti-vax rant with hippy aphorisms sprinkled throughout. Enthusiastically voted for Muffy.

Shelley "Binky" Barnes: His mother begins an extended affair with Pickles the Clown, leading the already-distant Mr. Barnes to file for divorce. Binky is left in his mother's care, but she soon finds him too much to handle, especially with how little he seems to respect his new step-father. He is passed around various aunts and uncles for most of his adolescent life and begins to act out at school as a result, earning him a reputation as a troublemaker. When he's sixteen he attends a house party and finds Sue Ellen alone in a room with the dead body of a boy from their class. She frantically explains that he was trying to assault her and hit his head on something after she pushed him off. Binky opts to take the fall for her, stating to police that he punched the boy in jealousy. He is sentenced to 10 years in prison for aggravated assault and 3rd degree murder. Even while in prison he maintains a close friendship - bordering on romance - with Sue Ellen, but he insists that she not wait for him because he wants her to be happy and loved. A week after his release he is arrested for armed robbery. Officers report that the suspect seemed relieved when they arrived, and said something to the effect of "I'm going home".

Sue Ellen Armstrong: Sue Ellen becomes an ardent activist in middle school and is a regular face at demonstrations and community support orgs alike all throughout high school. When she's 16 a boy tries to force himself on her at a house party and she fights him off, accidentally snapping his neck and killing him instantly. Binky perjurs himself in order to take the fall for her. As the years pass, Sue Ellen gets burned out as an activist and instead works as a graphic designer for NPOs. She continues to visit Binky in prison and considers him her one true love, though he insists they can never be because she deserves someone who can be there for her. Sue Ellen never commits to a serious relationship, but does occasionally entertain casual encounters with older, often married, men. Occasionally speedruns Virtual Goose: Unleashed on Twitch.

Third Grade Male Rat #1: Killed in an altercation after sexually assaulting Sue Ellen. Is mourned by no one.

No one.

So yeah, I think that's pretty much it. Make it hand-drawn, black-and-white, and have it on my desk in an hour kthxbi

#¹The Catholic God is three persons in one and therefore canonically uses They/Them pronouns when referred to in totality #²The ~$5000 cost is raised via a fundraiser held by the school and Bitzi Baxter selling Buster's film gear #arthur read #writeblr #unintelligible goblin noises

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i-read-shitty-comics · 2 years

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Doki Doki Literature Club

Genres:

Horror, Psychological

Average Rating: 95% positiv on Steam

Synopsis:

Hi, Monika here!

Welcome to the Literature Club! It's always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now thatcyou're a club member, you help me make my dream come true in this cute game!

Everyday is full of chit-chat and fun activities with my adorable club members:

Sayori, the youthful bundle of sunshine who values happiness the most.

Natsuki, the deceivingly cute girl who packs an assertive punch.

Yuri, the timid and mysterious one who finds comfort in the world of books.

... And, of course, Monika, the leader of the club! That's me!

I'm super exited for you tovmake friends with everyone and help the literature club become a more intimate place for all of my members. But I can tell already that you're a sweetheart - will you promise to spend the most time with me? ❤️

My Rating: 7

My Opinion:

So I got this because therapy isn't an option at the moment. Running away from my mental health problems really didn't seem to work all that well for the past ... whole life? Maybe? I dunno. So I wanted to try and tackle them head on and oh look at that there is a character that is basically me in this game ... and she hangs herself ... ok maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Surprisingly this didn't have a huge effect on my mental state when I was feeling fine. It was actually quiet freeing in a way seeing mental health just be portayed and talked about. I should probably start seeking out more comics that adress mental health issues since this did help me with being able to talk about my problems. This will probably surprise you if you have read my blogs in the past but I actually never talk about my problems to anyone ever because I'm scared that I'll burden them and that will make them leave me. I know that what I'm thinking is not true but those thoughts still play into so many decisions I make.

It was really freeing seeing a character who has almost the exact same struggles I have and just talk about them.

But enough of that we want to get to the game, right?

Despite me not being a big fan, I can see why this game went viral. It's quite a different horror experience that uses it's gimmick extremely well. However, I do have some issues with it. The main one being that act one can feel like a bit of a sloug to get through. I have (of course) 100%ed the game and if I wouldn't be able to skip the dialogue I wouldn't have been able to get through it. I do love boring slice of life shit but what makes it so great is the character writing that really needs excell when there is nothing else to support the story. The character writing in act one isn't bad by any means but it's not enough to support the full run time of act one on it's own. My second big problem is that you don't get a lot of insight into Natsuki and Yuri. Monika and Sayori are a lot more deeply explored than those two and while I like them, giving them a quiet moment where they just talk about their inner lifes, how they handle their problems and just be vulnerable would have made all the horrible thing in act two even more horrifying and even heartbreaking to an extend.

My third is that there is very little replayability for this game. That wouldn't be an issue if the game would at least be longer but you can easily clear it in 7 hours or less, that is not counting the side stories, which ad around five hours of extra play time. I'm just saying having act two be very different depending on wether you decide to persue Natsuki or Yuri would be really nice.

Also one small thing: As an artist ... I was so thrown off by how the blazers are drawn in this. I know it's to mimic actual dating sims but are the blazers vacuum sealed to their boobs or something?

Look at this:

I'm sorry but this is something I see so often in japanese media it's a huge pet peeve of mine but like ... that's not how clothes work! I dunno about you, but even super skin tight clothing doesn't hug my chest as much as this blazer is doing. Are these anti gravity blazers or something?

Look at this cosplay photo:

Even when the fabric hugs the skin it doesn't completely contort to the form. And you know why that is? Becaue gravity pulls it down. The fabric does not crawl into the space between boob and the mid torse. Anime doesn't seem to get that for some reason and it just makes me really angry somehow.

Recommended to:

Teens who want to read some horror. This is honestly just really good for teens and young adults who want horror that's different from what they have seen so far. Though, considering that this game is R18 better just young adults.

#visual novel #ddlc plus #doki doki plus #doki doki literature club

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umichenginabroad · 2 years

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Engineering Laboratory Experience at TUB S22

Hello there! This is the first post of my blog series on the Engineering Abroad Laboratory Experience at the Technische Universität Berlin. Takeoff to Germany is still a couple days away, so I am going to use this post for a brief introduction and to discuss what I plan for the structure of my future posts.

First, a little about me. I’m an aerospace sophomore for now, although I am planning on a double major in Aerospace and Astronomy. Depending on how much blood is in my caffeinestream, I generally range from geeky introverted nerd to force of engineering chaos. I have frankly too many interests, including building stuff, un-building stuff, reading, running, astronomy, and botany - just to name a few. I ended up adding language-learning to that endless bucket of interesting things sometime in middle school, and picked German as the language I would like to become fluent in. Several years, two colleges, and a global pandemic later, I seized this engineering experience as a well-timed opportunity to further that goal while gaining some career-essential intercultural and research experience.

It was a last-minute decision – I confirmed my place in the program within hours of the deadline to do so – and it has been a bit of a blur since. Neither I nor anyone in my family has flown oversees before, so naturally I booked myself a non-refundable ticket to one of the largest planes from one of the largest US airports (Oh, not smart you say? Yeah, probably not. Hey, at least I'll gain some experience though). I packed my things Sunday – a personal item bag and a light carry-on with room for trophies, speedran the Duolingo German tree Monday, and uploaded my required documents for my departing flight yesterday. I expect I’ll spend my remaining time bingeing German YouTube to oil my extremely rusty language skills and watching videos on flight, Berlin, and vehicle mechanics. No such thing as being too prepared, amiright?

So what will I be doing exactly? Well, I don’t know just yet. What I do know is that I’ve been assigned to a project titled “Experimental Road Vehicle Aerodynamics”, which sounds pretty sweet, and that I am going to be living in a cute little apartment in Berlin. Although this program is principally a research experience, it will count toward 6 credits, an intermediate level German class (level based on placement) and ENGR 350, which counts toward an International Minor in Engineering. I got my schedule recently – or at least a broad overview of it - and I’ve been scheduled with plenty of free time to explore and immerse myself, and I’ve been building up an Excel sheet of places to drop by when I get there.

Before I sign of, a quick note about this series: I am going to try to keep it as informative as I can without being dull and post takeaways about the area, culture, and program as I experience it. This can also be a guide to the cafes of Berlin – I drink coffee like fire drinks gasoline and will keep this blog posted on the best places to get some joe from. Until next time!

A view from my hometown, a pretty - albeit rather boring and insignificant - rural area in Michigan

Another shot of my parents' home. Although the area is pretty deserted as far as people and places go, there are some pretty nice forests and brilliant starry nights

Catching one last coffee before I'm off to Berlin. It's gonna be a mad ride, but I know I'd regret not going far more than I'll regret whatever mayhem this chapter of life brings.

To Be Continued...

Raven St. Clair

Department of Engineering/Aerospace

Engineering Laboratory Experience at TUB, Germany

#UmichEnginAbroad #RavenStClair #IPESummer2022 #IPEBerlin

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holified · 3 years

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oh, how I missed being here <3

#heyoo #things keep getting hard and busy that's why I vanished #and I'm reading an excellent book so the little time I get free I spend reading hahaha #but I missed my Kikyo and my dash <3 #┈ ┊ Out of shrine || ( ooc ).

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johnsamericano · 3 years

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𝔖𝔲𝔤𝔞𝔯 ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔥 𝔧.𝔧.𝔥 •2•

Hi hi! I'm back with another chapter. This one might not be as good(?, it's a really fluffy chapter so bear with me.

warnings: sugar daddy jae, he's a big baby, tooth rotting, kinda long.

sugar rush m.list.

taglist: @thoreeo @trustmahluv @sunny-nyu @nanascupid @silent-potato

“Sir, there’s a girl asking to see you.”

“Hey, I’m not a girl!” He chuckled as his finger pressed the button to communicate with his secretary.

“Let her in.”

Only a few seconds later, your head was peeking through his door.

“I brought you coffee.” You extended your hand out, showing him the carton containing two iced drinks. “Are you busy?”

“Not at all, come in.” You sat on the elegant, individual sofa in front of him, his desk serving as a separation. “Are you here to spy on me? Don't you trust me with your father's case?” He pouted, typing something in his keyboard while your palms started sweating.

How could you not trust the man with the highest case winning index in the whole country?

Briefly, after your encounter with the other lawyer, you'd googled him as well as his company. Because of his incredibly high fees, he didn't have many clients, but those few who had enough money to cost him were almost assured to be on the winning side. So then, why hadn't an excellent lawyer like him popped up when you'd first looked for popular firms? Simple, he wasn't popular.

Just like a hidden gem, only a few had the pleasure to know Yoonoh, and you felt beyond grateful for paying that stupid membership weeks ago.

“No, no!” You were quick to defend yourself, frantically shaking your hands to support your previous statement. “Just wanted to be of help.”

Truth to be told, after receiving your first weekly allowance, an unsettling feeling had been squeezing your heart ever since. Call it guilt or whatever, but it didn't set right to be receiving si much help from him when you hadn't had the chance to do anything in return. The least you could do was trying to be polite.

“You shouldn't be spending your money on me. I'm the one supposed to spoil you, remember?” He grabbed the plastic container by the lid, sipping the bitter liquid with an amused smile. “But thank you.”

“I paid my rent yesterday.” You blurted out, trying to avoid the uncomfortable silence threatening to settle between the two of you. “And I still have money left to save for my father's hospital bills, maybe even buy a present for my aunt.”

He admired how noble you were, making sure those around you had enough before even thinking to do something for yourself.

“I have a party this Friday, would you like to attend with me?” Your presence wasn't required as it wasn't a big event, but by the look in your eyes, he knew you were itching to do something in return for his kindness.

“Yes, of course!” Your orbs sparkled with excitement, finally feeling yourself useful.

“If you don't mind waiting, we can go buy something for you to wear right after I finish with this.” For what seemed like the tenth time in less than ten minutes, small beads of sweat rolled down the back of your neck. Thank God he wasn't able to see them. “Oh, come on, don't give me that look!”

“You’ve already done so much for me. I can buy the clothes myself, don't worry.” With a deep sigh, Yoonoh rose from his chair, taking long strides to surround the desk separating you. “W-what are you doing?” Now kneeling on the floor beneath you, his face was dangerously close to yours, coffee breath crashing against your nose.

“Using mind control to convince you to let me take you out.” He stared at you for a couple more seconds before saying: “Is it working?”

“I think your mind control is broken.” You whisper, unable to hold back the small giggles bubbling at the back of your throat.

“How about now?” He batted his eyelashes, trying to act cute despite his bold features. You shook your head.

Just as you thought it was over, his hand went up to cup your jaw, his thumb drawing uneven figures on the ticklish skin.

“How about now?” He repeated. You stammered, unsure of what to say. “Sorry, that was inappropriate.” Aware of your awkwardness and the rising heat in your cheeks, he stood up, walking back to his chair. “But I do want to get you something, would you let me?”

With your mind busy and your guard low, you nodded, unaware of the silly smile on his face.

“I have a few novels on my shelf in case you want something to kill time.”

“Thank you.” You moved to the huge bookshelf facing his desk, grateful your face wasn't visible anymore.

The books were ordered by genre and size, starting from the biggest law-related textbooks to pocket-sized novels, ending with the smallest one he had. The little prince.

Your eyes widened in disbelief. Yoonoh didn't seem to be the type to read that kind of heartbreaking yet beautiful book. Nonetheless, as many said, you can't judge a book by its cover.

An hour or two later, you were halfway into the first book of flowers in the attic, immersed in the small world the author had created. Yoonoh had finished his work a few minutes before, but distracting you when you were reading so vividly, seemed like a crime. He enjoyed the way your eyebrows would knit together every time something shocking happened, clearly too immersed in the novel to notice his intense gaze.

“Y/n...” He whispered once he noticed you were starting a new chapter. You blinked twice, hands clutching the book tightly as you noticed he had finished his work. “You can take it home, don't worry.”

“Sure?” He flashed his pretty dimples as his eyes turned into half-moons.

“You can come back for the rest of the saga when you finish this one. Take as many books as you please, I’ve already read them all.”

“Thank you.” Another act of kindness you had no way of returning. His favors just seemed to be piling up before you could even return any. “Would you like to have dinner with me today? I'm a great cook, or so did my father said.” You blurted out quickly, twisting your hands nervously as you waited for an answer.

“I’d love to. But I might have to attend some work calls if you don't mind.”

“I don't, maybe I'll even have time to bake a cake while you're at it.” God, how bad he wanted to take a picture of that adorably nervous smile.

“Great, so it's settled. Dinner at your place after we go shopping.” He had already put his blazer on, offering his arm to guide you out. With shaky fingers and sweaty armpits, you grabbed it, walking by his side with his secretary’s gazed glued on you. So much for a girl, huh?

Once seated in his car, with the book resting on your lap, you allowed yourself to relax. Yoonoh wasn't a bad person, on the contrary, he was very kind, so there was no use in keeping your guard up when he was around.

“Ready to roll?” You cringed at his use of slang, making him drop his head back to laugh. “What? Isn't it a thing you cool young adults say?”

“Maybe twenty years ago, Yoonoh.” It was the very first time you used his name so informally, and, oh how good it felt to hear you saying it?

“Fine, I won't use it anymore.” He poked your arm like a little child, and for a moment, you wondered if he was actually more than a decade older.

Several bad jokes, two dresses, and a quick stop at the grocery store later, you arrived at your apartment. Yoonoh held everything while you entered the passcode, struggling not to drop a can of vegetables that was starting to bend the edge of the paper bag.

“Ready, hand me something.” You both entered with your hands packed with different things. You went to your room to leave the new dresses while Yoonoh set the paper bags down on the kitchen counter.

“So...” He clapped loudly. “What are we cooking?”

“I bought the ingredients for lasagna. Is that okay with you?” He nodded, lips pressed and dimples in display. “Alright, let's do this.”

It would've been of great help if Yoonoh had told you he didn't know how to cook. But of course, part of the fault was yours for not noticing when he tried to add ketchup to the recipe.

“I burnt it.” He looked at the semi-carbonized pasta with disgust, feeling ashamed of having ruined your dish. “Let’s just throw it away and order something.” He was about to touch the hot container until your grip on his wrist halted his movements.

“We just pulled it out of the oven.” You shook your head in disbelief at the man standing in front of you.

“Sorry.”

Despite Yoonoh’s endless complaining, you ate the lasagna. The flavor wasn't that bad when you scratched off the burnt parts, especially when accompanied by a cold glass of wine.

“It’s not that bad.” You repeated over and over again. A phone call interrupted him from self-pitying any further. “Go on, take it.” You continued eating while he spoke in the living room.

It wasn't until a couple of minutes later that you realized he was whisper yelling at whoever was on the other line. It was your first time seeing him angry, and you didn't like it one bit. The way his face turned completely stoic, his eyes cold as his hand rested on his hip. Sweet, caring, Yoonoh was gone.

“I told you I needed it for today.” He said through gritted teeth. “You better get it before I arrive back at the office, or you can find yourself another job.” Even after he hung up, Yoonoh stood in the middle of the shared area, clutching his phone so tightly, it seemed like it would break any minute.

You wanted to ask if everything was alright, if he needed any help, but most importantly, if the things he needed were related to your father's case, but all the words stuck to your throat like insects in a spider web.

“I need to go.” He simply said, not even bothering to fake a smile. “Thank you for dinner, I'll see you on Friday.” With his free hand, he grabbed the coat hanging from his chair and left, slamming the door on his way out.

Was that the real Yoonoh?

A shiver ran down your spine. What had you gotten into? From what you'd seen, it was only about time he would show his true self to you as well.

All the trust you'd built up during the day, had crumbled down in a matter of seconds. The worst part? You didn't even feel entitled to be scared, not after all he'd done for you.

‘Just keep your distance.’ You repeated like a mantra as you got ready for bed, leaving the book you'd borrowed right where he'd left it, afraid it would burn your fingertips even with the slightest touch.

(...)

The week wasn't nearly as long as you'd wanted it to be, and soon enough, you were struggling to zip the dress you'd bought days ago. Your makeup was done, and Yoonoh had texted you he was on his way, yet, you'd been fighting with the zipper for at least ten minutes. Your fingers were cramping, and the clock was ticking.

Just when you'd finally started to drag the small piece of metal, the doorbell startled you, causing you to let go of it.

“Fuck!” Have you ever felt so desperate that tears start pricking your eyes? Well, that was the exact case happening at the moment.

You opened the door with the salty water collecting at the corner of your eyes, surprising Yoonoh, who was wearing his best dimply smile.

“What’s wrong?” He had a bouquet poorly hidden behind his back, probably to apologize for the night he abruptly left and almost knocked down your door.

“I-I can't zip up my dress.” Your voice came out shaky, giving away the emotions burning your gut. Thankfully, Yoonoh didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he didn't mention it.

“I’ll help you.” He, not-so-discretely, put down the bouquet, gently turning you around to your discomfort. His cold hands touched your back as he dragged the zip up, noticing how tense you were but deciding not to comment on it. “Oh! You haven't moved the book from where I left it.”

“I haven't had time to read.” He hummed, crouching to reach for the bouquet and hand it to you. “Thank you.”

“It’s my way of apologizing for the fit I threw a couple of days ago.” A fit? That was one way to call it.

“It’s okay.” You lied as you pushed the corners of your lips to form a credible smile. “Let’s get going.”

The flowers were left on the kitchen counter before you left. The ride in the elevator was awfully quiet, and Yoonoh had no idea what had happened. You were so chatty the last time he saw you, so of course, he was taken aback by the sudden change.

“It’s not going to take long, so we can head out for some drinks later if you'd like...” You nodded, for you knew speaking would only expose your discomfort. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah! Just nervous about the party, that's all.”

You stood by Yoonoh’s side for the rest of the evening, smiling and nodding at his acquaintances’ comments. At one point in the evening, a man, not much older than you, approached you both with a wide smile.

“Dude, I hadn't seen you in ages. Stop sending your workers and come see me yourself.” They hugged. Why were they hugging?

“Y/n, this is my brother, Sungchan.” The man with puppy-like eyes embraced you tightly, almost as if welcoming you to his family. “Sungchan, this is y/n, my girlfriend.” He said it so naturally, it’d take a detective to figure out the truth about your relationship.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I'm sorry for your father. But don't worry, we'll take those bastards down.”

“I’m not following...” You blinked repeatedly, eyes going back and forth between Yoonoh and his brother.

“Sungchan is a doctor. I asked him to look at your father's case for further evidence. My assistant was supposed to pick up the report the day we had dinner, but she forgot to drop by. Now we’re a day behind schedule.” The dark cloud surrounding him seemed to be slowly dissipating as you heard his explanation. “This is an important case, and I want to be as meticulous as possible.”

Thank you didn't seem the right thing to say at the moment, at least not with Sungchan standing there, so you simply grabbed his hand, squeezing it to let him know how grateful you were.

To your surprise, he didn't even flinch as he locked your hands together, causing a small giggle from Sungchan.

“Okay, love birds, I'll get going.” He waved you goodbye, making his way to another table where his friend waited for him.

“Can we talk?” You whispered in his ear, afraid one of the numerous attendants would hear you.

“Sure.” Without letting go of your hand, he drove you to a small, private garden just outside the ballroom. “Are you gonna tell me what's wrong now?” His thumb caressed your knuckles with gentle strokes.

“I’m so sorry.”

“What for?”

“I pushed you away at the minimum trouble when you were only helping me.” He hummed as if he already knew about it. “And it will probably happen again, so please, be patient with me. I'm going through-” Your face collided against his chest as his arms draped over your shoulders, squeezing you tightly.

“Call me reckless, but I've wanted to do this for a while.” Your hands hung at the sides of your torso, unsure what to do next. “You can push me away, I'll understand...”

Instead, your palm found its place in his back, rubbing up and down the designer jacket. Your hair started turning messy from the night breeze, some strands striking Yoonoh’s chin as his embrace only grew tighter.

“Let’s get out of here.” He mumbled, crawling the back of your head with his hand. “Sungchan can deal with my father's friends.”

“Are you sure?” His hum vibrated through his chest, making you giggle at the odd feeling.

Once seated in his car, his hand found yours like a magnet, the warmth emanating from it comfortably enveloping your skin.

The calmness of the atmosphere was interrupted by a call from his brother, who seemed to be anxiously explaining something through the phone.

“Just tell him I had a work emergency.” With that said, he hung up, placing his hand back again on top of yours. “Sorry, he said it was urgent.”

“It’s okay.” An unsettling feeling pinched your stomach, but you decided to dismiss it, immersed in the chilly weather of the dark streets.

You arrived at the river, where Yoonoh asked you to wait for him while he bought a couple of beers. It was a sight to see, both of you clad in fancy clothes, barefoot and chugging down can after can.

“I think I like being with you.” You declared, mind fuzzy from the alcohol intake.

“I think I like it too.” The tips of his ears were rosy, revealing he was as intoxicated as you, maybe even more.

“Would you like to visit my father with me tomorrow?” The words flew out of your mouth before you could even realize. Afraid you'd killed the mood, you tried to excuse yourself, only to be interrupted by his lips grazing your ear, placing a timid kiss on your lobe.

“I’d love to.” It was the sweetest peck, no ulterior motives behind it, just pure affection.

“Are we going too fast?” In your drunken state, what you had felt like a real relationship, not a simple agreement. And this sure felt like a first date.

“We’re moving at our own pace, I believe.” He dropped his head on your shoulder, pressing against it to relieve the dizziness clouding his mind. “Are you okay with that? Maybe you don't want to be with an old creep like me, and I'd totally get it. Just don't let me get my hopes up if that's the case.”

“You might be old, but definitely not a creep.” Your fingers combed through his abundant hair as your mind wandered into the future, grateful for the fact that he wouldn't become bald soon. “Or are you?”

“I don't think so.” Anyone who walked by would've seen a couple of goofs, too intoxicated to talk without slurring the words, but you were living in your own, comfy bubble. “I should get you home before it gets too late. Come on, I'll call a driver.” He tried getting on his feet to no avail, stumbling back a little before falling back on his ass.

“My apartment is nearby. You can stay for the night.” You grabbed both pairs of shoes as his arm surrounded your shoulder for assistance. “If you keep supporting your whole weight on me, we're both gonna fall.” People on the street shot you a couple of funny looks, which was understandable since it wasn't usual to see two drunk idiots walking barefoot in the middle of the night.

“How long till-” Hiccup. “-we get there?” His stare seemed to worsen with every step. “God, I think I might throw up.”

“Stop acting like a teenager, we're almost there.”

As soon as you arrived at the small apartment, you sat him down on the little step where you changed your shoes. You left both pairs on the rack, proceeding to put on slippers to enter the house.

“Don’t leave me here!” He whined, stomping his feet like a little kid.

“Just wait for a second!” His attitude was starting to get on your nerves to the point where you couldn't feel the effects of the beer anymore.

You grabbed a rag from the kitchen cabinet and dampened it under the sink. Yoonoh was half asleep when you walked back to him.

“My head hurts.” He mumbled as you sat in front of him, placing his left foot on your lap. “What are you doing?”

“I don't have any slippers that will fit you, and I don't want your dirty feet making my house dirty.” With utmost delicacy, you wiped away the dirt from his toes, noticing the small scratches caused by the gravel he walked on.

He touched your hair while you finished with his other foot, tangling the strands with fascination.

“Done, get up.”

He followed your indications as you guided him to your room, where you laid him down on his side in case he threw up.

“Are we visiting your father tomorrow?” He asked while snuggling under the covers.

“Sure.” You cleared his forehead from the strands falling in it, grazing the soft skin of his forehead. “Sweet dreams, gigantic baby.”

#nct au #nct imagines #nct ot21 #nct smut #nct x reader #nct #nct scenarios #nct 127 #nct angst #nct fluff #nct jaehyun #nct jung yoonoh

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mrslunasnape · 2 years

Text

The Prince Fought The Moon

The Potions Master

Chapter 1 - SFW

The heavy double doors to the Hogwarts castle let out a low creak as Luna pushed them open and stepped inside. The patter of her footsteps echoed in the empty grand entrance hall. She stood gazing at the sunlit stained glass window on the wall opposite her at the top of the grand marble staircase. Memories of her school years flowed back to her. It was quiet now, but she knew that very soon the hallways would be alive with the sound of eager students.

"Welcome back Luna. I'm glad to see you've had a safe trip." A warm voice said from behind her.

Luna quickly turned to find Albus Dumbledore standing behind her, his face lit with a charming smile.

"Professor Dumbledore! I didn't see you there, sir. Thank you."

Dumbledore chuckled as his fingers ran through his flowing grey beard. "Please, call me Albus. You're not a student anymore."

"Of course... Albus" Luna said, practically forcing his name out of her mouth. It felt so strange to call him by his first name, as if they were equals.

Albus beamed before gesturing his hand to a nearby corridor. "I have no doubt that you still remember where the Dungeons are? You surely spent enough time studying there as a student."

Luna chuckled. "Yes, I think I can manage to find my way."

"Excellent. If you go just a little further down the Dungeon corridor you'll find the potion mater dormitories. There should be two rooms. Yours is on the left. I'll leave you to it. I'm sure you need time to get adjusted before students start arriving."

"Thank you Albus." She responded before turning to face her trunk. "Locomoto trunk" She said with a flick of her wand, and her trunk began to float.

As she strode down the Dungeon corridor, Luna allowed her hand to run along the wall. Her fingertips danced along the cold stone walls. It was hard to believe that she hadn't stepped foot in the castle in six years. Although Hogwarts was a place that was in general hard to forget, she found that this part of the school was particularly clear in her memory. She had a knack for potions and had spent a lot of her free time in the Dungeons perfecting her craft. Obviously time well spent.

When she reached the end of the end of the corridor, she entered the door on the left. She shut and latched the door behind her, and when she did her trunk fell to the ground with a bellowing thud. Her whole life was packed in that trunk.

She quickly went to work hanging her clothes in the wardrobe, filling the once empty bookshelf in the corner of the room with books that were nearly falling apart from use, and arranging her cauldron and crystal vials on her desk.

When she finally turned and faced her bed, she noticed a letter that had been carefully placed on her pillow.

She lifted the letter off her black satin sheets and cracked the wax seal open.

Dear Luna,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I've heard that you'll be joining the staff this year, and I have to say that I'm excited to have another bright woman join our ranks.

I wanted to let you know that Pomona and I have tea every Wednesday in the little garden near her greenhouse. We would be delighted if you would join us in this little weekly get together of ours. Us women have to stick together after all. (Please don't tell Sybill, she spends the entire time trying to read about our deaths in the tea leaves and is in general no fun).

Let me know if you need help settling in.

Regards,

Minerva

Luna couldn't help but let out a giggle as she placed the letter on her nightstand. Tea with the girls sounded wonderful. She had been worried that many of the professors at Hogwarts would still view her as a student, and she was pleasantly surprised so far at how welcoming everyone was.

After she had finished settling in, Luna left her quarters to go to the potions storage room. She knew it would be a matter of days before students arrived and she wanted to get a full inventory of everything the stock room had to offer before then.

As she opened the storage room door, she was greeted by a figure dressed entirely in black bent over examining one of the shelves. Upon hearing the door open, the figure spun around.

"Ah, Miss Lightfoot. Albus informed me that you would be joining me." Snape said coolly.

"Please, we're colleagues now, you can call me Luna." Luna said cheerily.

"You know, I heard that you were doing important research for the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers. I wonder, Miss Lightfoot, what would make someone give up such an honorable position to come be an associate potion master?" Snape made sure to put extra emphasis on her last name.

Luna ignored this obvious attempt to ruffle her. She had of course survived four years of school with him as her potions professor, so she was used to his prickly demeanor.

"Well, Albus reached out to me himself and requested that I take the position. As I'm sure you're well aware, when Dumbledore asks you for something directly, he usually has his reasons, and it's best to oblige."

Snape paused for a moment before uttering, "You know, I've read some of your work. You're rather good."

"I learned from the best."

Luna thought she had caught a small smile at this statement, but it quickly vanished.

"Am I to assume that your work at the Society was not just writing scrolls of magical ingredient properties and actually involved direct work with potions?" He said.

"Of course, I-" Luna started, but she was quickly cut off.

"Good. Glad to know you aren't going to be rusty then. There will be lots to attend to. I expect there to always be an up to date inventory of available ingredients. Madame Pomfrey will need a constant stock of remedies for a multitude of ailments. Several creatures under the groundskeeper's care require multiple tonics to keep them under control. There is also a particular security matter that your expertise will be needed in. Not to mention there will be plenty to do with the students. As an assistant potion master, I'll of course be expecting you to do most of the grunt work." He said rather authoritatively.

"I would dream of nothing less, Severus." She said, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Professor Snape" he retorted.

"You'll call me by my first name one of these days." She said as she pulled out a quill and parchment and began to take inventory.

Snape let out a huff and left the room in silence.

#MrsLunaSnape #ThePrinceFoughtTheMoon

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batmanisagatewaydrug · 2 years

Text

last reading update of 2021

... and fresh off hitting my goal of finishing 69 books :)

so, for the final time this year, what have I been reading?

Fireheart Tiger (Aliette de Bodard, 2021) - a neatly executed political fantasy novella that cuts straight to the (fire)heart of danger than arises when a princess mixes intimacy with imperialism.

Milk Fed (Rachel Broder, 2021) - listen, you've all already seen my screaming my praises of this book on my list of favorite books of the year. a story of hunger, appetite, repression, and desire tied up in developing attraction between two Jewish women, rendered in viscerally tender and unflinching detail. cannot recommend hard enough.

Velvet was the Night (Silva Moreno-Garcia, 2021) - I'm gonna be real, gang - this was probably my least favorite of the Moreno-Garcia novels I've read. one of our protagonists, the bored and somewhat mean-spirited secretary Maite, makes for a compelling POV, but ultimately the story of political paranoia in 1970s Mexico fell a little flat for me and I far prefer Moreno-Garcia's ventures into the romantic and fantastical.

Iron Widow (Xiran Jay Zhao, 2021) - another late entry onto my list of favorite books of the year, after Iron Widow beat the odds and managed to live up to the hype. I've seen a lot of things compared to Iron Widow, none of them inaccurate, but tonally I found it a lot like my old darling Six of Crows - a YA fantasy that dives headlong into a world built on magic and pivots hard into the darkest underbelly of that system, balancing moments of humor and levity with moments of startling viciousness from our protagonists and their enemies alike. I sincerely cannot wait for more.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Becky Chambers, 2021) - oh, Becky Chambers - can you write anything that doesn't feel like a warm mug of hot chocolate and a supportive hug? even if you can, please don't. this soft and soulful buddy road trip between a depressed monk and a curious robot was a kind little breath of fresh air, and while I'm still fondly remembering the Wayfarers series I'm eagerly anticipating the rest of this series.

Batman: The Black Mirror (Scott Snyder, illus. Jock and Francesco Francavilla, 2011) - a decade-old tale from Dick Grayson's tensure as Batman, following Dick and Commissioner Gordon as they grapple with some of the grisliest cases Gotham can throw at them. a pitch black detective story, it made for excellent company on a lengthy flight. I'm ending this year remembering that I like the episodic, overwrought nature of comics quite a lot, and I'm hoping to spend a lot more time with them in 2022.

Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos (Wizard RPG Team, 2021) - that's right, babey, TTRPG sourcebooks absolutely count towards my numbers! as I said in my liveblog (which you can find here along with a link to read the book for free lmao) I don't often fuck with the official premade D&D modules, being a hardcore homebrewer who far prefers to write plots specifically calibrated for my players, but the fun of a full-fledged magic college was hard to pass up. it's a fun read with a lot of neat locations and NPCs, and while I find it a little stifling and concluded that it would probably need a lot of remodeling to mesh well with how my parties play, it's a neat module and I think first-time players would have a great time running it.

My Heart is a Chainsaw (Stephen Graham Jones, 2021) - Jones' novel The Only Good Indians was one of my most memorable reads of 2020, and I was really looking forward to reading another novel of his. I didn't like this book nearly as much as I hoped I would, and yet it still made me want to read of his work, which is a huge testament to his storytelling skill. there's a compelling core to My Heart is a Chainsaw, following a traumatized Blackfeet teen who's obsessed with slasher movies and absolutely certain that a real life slasher is about to hit her small community. it comes out a little dense and for me, feeling like it gets a bit too caught up in itself, but I'm compelled by the sympathy with which Jones writes his teenage heroines.

Jonny Appleseed (Joshua Whitehead, 2018) - a novel that starts with a young two-spirit sex worker trying to get home for his step-dad's funeral, spinning out into a quiet meditation on family, queerness, and the complicated pains and joys of going back to the place that made you when it can't quite love you back. it hit a little hard, seeing as I read it while staying with my mom/on the plane going back to my own extremely queer adult life.

I may very well still polish off another book or two, since I'm tying this from an airport and have hours to go before I'm done, but that's where we're going to call it for 2021. not to shamelessly self-promote, but starting tomorrow I'll be embarking on a quest to fill out my own 2022 reading bingo and if anyone else wants to download a sheet and hop onboard I would love to be tagged to see your progress and get some hot new book recs!

#bookblr #reading updates

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enchantedblackrose · 3 years

Text

All the Pieces Pt 3

Gif not mine. Full credit to the owner. Taken from Google Images

All the Pieces

Sirius Black/Fem Reader

Warnings: unedited, mild language, alcohol consumption, brief mentions of underage drinking, small mention of bullying. Lengthy author's notes at the end. Also this was a huge PIA to write so hopefully it doesn't read too disconnected

Part 1|| Part 2|| Part 4|| Part 5

Part 3 of ?

When you touch me gently I remember how you know And the sun shines rings around your smile And I'm here laughing like a child -Pieces, Dan Powell

If it was any other person on your doorstep, you'd probably berate them for inducing that almost heart attack you just experienced. Instead you grab the familiar face by the sleeve of his worn jacket, pulling him into your living room.

"I could deck you, Remus John Lupin. I thought someone came for him. Ugh. Come here." Your arms wrap around him for a tight hug, which he returns. "He's here, Remus. He's safe." You feel Remus let out a deep sigh of relief. Pulling away, you look at him with gentle scrutiny, knowing what a toll last night took on him. "You look awful. Did you walk far? You should've told me you were coming. I could have met you."

Remus shakes his head. "I caught a train and apparated most of the way."

"Stop fussing over him, y/n. Let the poor man get past the door." Sirius's teasing voice calls out from behind you; no doubt his canine ears allowed him to hear the familiar voice even through the closed bedroom door and knew it was safe to come down.

The two men embrace; this encounter being much more relaxed than their last. No Peter, no warranted need for revenge, no threat of execution.

As you all stand in your living room, a haunting thought hits you: you three are it, the last of your true friends. Peter is the traitor. You suppress a shudder, swearing to make the most of this moment.

"You know," you say with a grin, "I happen to have a large bottle of firewhisky. Fancy a drink, boys?" Sirius's grin mirrors your own. Remus has a small tentative smile, but it's all the encouragement you need to send you to the kitchen to fetch the bottle.

The small, quaint kitchen appears even smaller with the disregarded dishes from breakfast still sitting out on your table. The sight causes a small frown to appear on your face. All the rest of the morning and most of your afternoon had been lost to the unplanned nap with Sirius. You fill your sink with soap and hot water. A few flicks of your wand and your dirty dishes are submerged in the water, scrubbed, and rinsed. The process begins again as now clean plates make their way to the drying rack, which is concerning because you dont believe you cast a spell for that. Confused, you turn to see Remus in the kitchen. He winks and wordlessly reaches your top cabinet without so much of a stretch to retrieve the bottle of firewhisky. You follow him back to the livingroom, toting three glasses.

"Cheers to freedom," you say once everyone has a full glass, "and to being reunited with old friends."

"You hear that, Remus? She thinks we're old." You roll your eyes good naturedly. Remus rests a hand on Sirius's shoulder, giving it a brotherly pat. "We are old," he says simply, before all three of you raise your glasses to your lips, sipping at the burning liquid. You each settle comfortably in your living room. Remus sits in the armchair, leaving the overstuffed couch for Sirius and you. You sit at an end, while he opts for the middle seat, but in a respectable distance of your space. The bottle of alcohol sits in arms reached on the coffee table.

"I thought you swore off this stuff y/n." Remus says with a twinkle in his eye as he takes another drink from his glass. "You know, considering your history with it.." You groan and Sirius throws his head back in laughter.

"I almost forgot," Sirius says breathlessly from laughing. "Was that seventh year?"

"Sixth. Just before we got together. I suppose I was trying to impress you," you tell him.

"You matched me drink for drink that night."

"Which was mad seeing how I never had a drink before. I spent all next morning and afternoon in bed, throwing up. It was awful."

"You're forgetting the best part," Remus interjects.

"Dancing on top of that old table in the Shrieking Shack, singing the chorus of "Rock and Roll all Nite" at the top of my lungs was far from the best part. I only wish I could forget it."

"That wasn't singing, love. More like cats dying," Sirius quips while he and Remus laugh. You say nothing, well aware how accurate the description fits. You take a long drink from your glass.

"Yes, well as, uh, entertaining as that moment was, I wasn't referring to it," says Remus. You look at him questioningly. "Have you forgotten sneaking into the Slytherin boys' dorm, stealing all their robes, turning them hot pink, changing the crest to a mountain troll, and then returning them to the dorm?"

"Oh, Merlin. That was the same night wasn't it? James had never been so keen on lending me his invisibility cloak until I concocted that plan!" The two men laugh and you join in.

"You know most of my other friends thought I was strange for being into muggle music." You say as the laughter dies down.

"Lily shouldn't have?" Sirius asks after he swallows his drink.

"No. You're forgetting Lily and I weren't friends first. We didn't really talk or hang out until she and James started dating."

"That's right. I forgot. I remember the two of you constantly together."

"Because we bonded over you two idiots. Prior to that, she never came out and said it, but I think she thought I was daft hanging around you lot most of the time. The other girls were more forgiving, but they had crushes on you all." You give a careless shrug. It was no secret how sought after the boys had been in their schooldays.

"I never quite understood how you became friends with us," Remus says.

"It was easy with you. You were so nice, calm, dependable, and not obnoxious. Peter…" you pause, choosing words carefully, not wanting present feelings to influence memories. "He was quiet and lonely. Pretty much agreeable. Again, easy. James and Sirius? I was determined to never speak to either after that boat ride our first night."

"We saved your life that night!" Sirius interjects.

"You two were the reason it needed saving! Standing up in a fucking boat because you two saw whatever in the lake. James knocking me overboard in the process."

"It was a giant squid and we rescued you."

You roll your eyes. "I was drenched, freezing and completely mortified. And as apologetic as James was, he kept calling me the wrong name." You all laugh.

"It wasn't until second year that I thought they might be okay. We had already become friends," you say looking at Remus. "I missed about a week of classes due to acute bronchitis. You spent time with me afterwards, helping me catch up. When you missed later that month, I was ready to return the favor."

Remus nods, remembering the time fondly. "You were an excellent note taker. Much better than the other three."

"Did you even take notes?" You ask with a playful glance to Sirius.

"In second year? Probably not." He grins ever so cheekily. You shake your head, but are smiling.

"So we became friends and you befriended James and Sirius by default?" Remus muses.

Sirius feigns hurt. "Are you implying we were some sort of consolation prize?"

"Actually," you interject, "They saved me once again. A group of four older boys were harassing me, just dumb taunts and knocking my books out from my hands. They came right over, not caring about being outnumbered. Got the gits to leave me alone. James finally learned my name and I realized Potter and Black weren't so awful after all."

"Those guys were jerks. It didn't sit well with us to see anyone bullied like that."

"Unless of course it was Snape," you counter.

"That was different," Sirius's free hand clenches into a fist as he takes a hard drink.

Remus is quick to change the subject. "Do you still have that remembrall?"

"The one we enchanted to go red only for James? Mhm! It's at my flat in the city."

"Do you mean our flat?" Sirius asks.

Your smile falters. "No. Sirius. I got a different place. After…everything. It was too hard."

A deafening silence falls. Each of you taking long sips from your glasses.

"Oh!" You jump up suddenly, which given your somewhat inebriated state is not the brightest idea. You stumble slightly, but Sirius steadies you, grabbing you by your hips. His fingers linger and your eyes meet. You lose yourself; for a moment you're sixteen again and his touch is more intoxicating than the alcohol. His gaze tells you he feels the same.

Remus clears his throat loudly before taking a drink from his glass.

"Thanks," you mumble, setting your glass on the table.

Sirius releases you from his grasp, though you still feel the ghost of his touch. "'Tis no trouble, darling." You sense his eyes on you as you disappear from the room, heading upstairs. Your head is buzzing, but you blame that on the alcohol…

You return downstairs to the living room, the fetched item tucked securely out of sight under your arm, and find the boys, men talking with easy smiles. It makes you so happy to witness and spend this time together. Your presence has their full attention.

"Follow me, please." You fill your glass with more firewhisky. Sirius mimics the gesture and offers Remus a refill, but he just shakes his head no and silently indicates to the liquid still in his glass. You grab your wand and lead your little group outside to the backyard. The sun sits low in the west, the sky becoming more plum and black than pink and gold. Buckbeak sits on the ground near your shed, one wing tucked over its head.

You hand Sirius your wand and then produce his prisoner robes. He laughs and even Remus looks as if he approves. Sirius waves your wand and the dingy, tattered garment is set ablaze.

After a while, you all make your way back inside. You prepare a light dinner and the eating and drinking continue with more laughs and shared memories. Hours pass. The contents of the bottle nearly drained signal the night coming to an end.

"I'm one drink away from dancing on tabletops and singing, or, screeching some A-ha, or something equally as embarrassing." you laugh. "I'm going to bed. Remus, I offered Sirius your room, but you're welcome to the couch. There are blankets and pillows in the hall closet."

"Thank you, y/n. But I should be going."

"What? No. Stay. I insist. I need to see your bemused face sipping tea when I come downstairs with a bloody hangover and you're just fine."

Remus grins. "I hate depriving you both of such a moment, but I have an appointment tomorrow morning. I've already rented a room." You frown but don't press the issue any more. "Though if you don't mind, I thought I'd travel by floo."

"Of course. Help yourself. Powder is on the mantle." You hug him close and kiss his cheek. You excuse yourself, giving the other two time to say goodbye.

As you head for the bathroom, you pause hearing their low voices.

"I'm so sorry, old friend, for believing you... betrayed them. I should have known better. I-"

"There's nothing to forgive. I doubted you, too. The war made us all fear the worst.."

Mentally, you chastise yourself for eavesdropping and begin washing your face.

Sirius has made his way upstairs. In passing his room, you say goodnight. You're about to close the door to your bedroom when he calls your name and you turn to see him stepping towards you. Without warning his lips crash down on yours. Your fingers intertwine in his dark curls at the nape of his neck as you let the kiss deepen. His hands grip your waist and he hoists you up off your feet with little effort just as he did many times all those years ago. Your legs wrap themselves around his waist as he carries you to your bed. He drops you gently and only breaks the kiss to look at you. Still hovering over you, his gray eyes search your face for the answer to an unasked question. You nod in response, but he continues to gaze at you longing to hear you say it.

"I want you."

A slow breath of relief leaves him and his mouth finds its way back to yours.

The night ends with two former lovers once again completely losing themselves in a perfect moment.

There's an unspoken understanding that the night you and Sirius shared together was more than a drunken hookup after a long night of reminiscing. But you don't repeat the night, though you share your bed with him. Nights are hard for him. Sleep doesn't always come easy and he often wakes in the middle of the night screaming, or panicked with sweat pouring off his body. But your presence brings him a comfort he can't otherwise achieve. And so, you spend your night together in your bed. Sleeping.

As days turn into weeks, a comfortable routine has set. Remus visits about once a week. Surprisingly, Sirius has taken to caring for your garden. You go into town as needed and you and Sirius cook dinner together most nights. Buckbeak, now known as Witherwings per a letter from Hagrid that reached Sirius, roams your yard freely, occasionally taking flight in the safety of the countryside night skies, always returning by daybreak. As precautions for the hippogriff and Sirius you casted Protego totalum over the cottage and yards.

During this time together, Sirius learns how you took over your parents' shop*, how you've taken on a promising young woman who mostly looks after it, leaving you to spend more time here at the cottage, which also belonged to your parents. With tears in your eyes, you told him how they died months apart just over two years ago. He comforted you, remembering them both fondly and told you they'd be proud of you.

The day is still young when you tell him you have to go to the shop to take inventory. Before you leave you call out to him.

"Since it looks like rain, can you please go through some of your things in the attic?"

"Yes, dear," he uses the term mockingly and you playfully glare back at him.

"Try not to burn the place down while I'm gone." With that, you close the door behind you.

It's late afternoon when you return home. Sirius is waiting for you. A midnight blue box in his hand.

"Will you marry me, y/n?"

*a/n: I kept this vague so you can imagine a shop that fits your personality/likes/whatever. I'll only specify this later if needed for storylines. I wanted something where you could be allotted time off easily. Personally I imagine maybe an apothecary? Or maybe an antique shop. What about you?

2: I'm thinking of writing a prequel? More like blurbs, highlighting moments between you and Sirius. But I need to know what you want to read. First engagement? First kiss? When Sirius realizes he's in love? Time at Hogwarts? Post Hogwarts but pre Azkaban?

Taglist <3: @oingo233 @marimorena06 @medalloway-blog

#sirius x y/n #sirius x you #sirius black x reader #adult sirius #harry potter fanfic #sirius black fanfiction

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