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yourhighness6 · 2 months

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NATLA Debrief: Episode 3 (by yours truly)

Hi again! If any of ya'll are interested here's episodes 1 and 2. Thank you to those who have been following these deranged, unorganized posts, especially @phoebester (Just an fyi this will be hella long, just like the other two)

First of all, the way they framed the opening resistence scene was genuinely so cool because I immediately thought back to the cold open for the first episode. The streets are so similar that's where my mind went RIGHT AWAY and if that is not good set design and filming I don't know what is.

The resistance scene was so powerful for so many reasons besides those small details, too. The concept of a resistance within the FN was never addressed at all within the cartoon and I can't express how glad I am that they added this. It just makes logical sense that some people would resist, especially while so many are dying in war, and it really serves to humanize the FN people in a way that's reminiscent of book 3 ATLA. Perfect way to expand on the source material and introduce core themes earlier in the show (M Nite should be taking notes).

It was also a perfect way to introduce both Ozai and Azula's characters. Ozai is this menacing figure stepping out of the shadows (quite literally), an almost larger than life villain who seems to have every move planned and everything calculated. He's brutal and efficient and we can see that. Azula is conniving and smart, the kind of girl who can fool anyone and come out on top, but is ultimately still a weapon under her father's control. You can tell from the moment Ozai mentions Zuko that she is the underdog, but she is determined that it will not stay that way, and she seems just terrifying enough to succeed. (also idc what anyone says Elizabeth Yu has mastered Azula's look and general vibe. I feel like the whole 'miscasting' debacle was a mix of fatphobia and being shown the wrong stills before the show came out. She looked sort of sweet and innocent in those but I get absolutely none of that from this scene)

Ugh the exposition was great and then they have to give us this. What the absolute hell did they do to my Katara? Like there was a whole ass episode in the cartoon devoted to her getting mad because she wasn't progressing as fast as Aang and then in this fucking adaptation the maddest she sounds is when she emotionlessly declares, "I don't get it" to convey mild frustration. I'm sorry Kiawentiio, you're acting is great but the writers clearly have no fucking idea how to put your emotional range to good use. The same problem was present in the last episode and I just don't see them being able to fix it significantly enough at this point, even if they have a desire to. Not to undermine that, but there were a couple good points in this scene: Aang mentions something about bending being "beyond thought" which gives bending a more spiritual aspect that I like, and Katara's PTSD is brought up again in an intelligent way, but still, that doesn't matter if they're going to completely butcher her character. (side note: when is Aang going to learn waterbending? they haven't shown him training at all and I'm getting worried)

This scene was fine or whatever but what in the absolute fuck is going on with Zuko and Zhao? Are they not going to do the agni kai? Like I know there's still animosity there but they were really just sitting there (semi)-calmly enjoying a cup of tea and demonstrating only mild dislike for each other. All I have to say is if they remove the agni kai altogether I'm gonna be so fucking pissed it'll bug me forever and I'll be fucking insufferable.

Also Zuko is so mean to Luitenient Jee for no reason. I know it's because his abuse makes him see any kind of comradery as weakness so it's a good detail if that's what they're going for but ngl I also find it a bit funny. Like what did he ever do to you? And Zhao taking three tries to pass his officer exam is so perfect too like what a fucking looser lmao.

Ba Sing Se looks beautiful. There's something so mystical about it, especially in the way Aang describes it as they walk up to the gate. It's this hub of culture and science and art, but it's also incredibly militaristic and so changed due to war it's almost unrecognizable to someone who was there a hundred years ago. The adaptation of cultures during times of change is something ATLA does so well and I'm glad to see that it's continuing in the LA.

AHH Katara was so awkward during this whole scene and I loved it. For one thing Sokka's commentary was absolutely hilarious but it's also this reminder that Katara has been relatively isolated from other children her age and her brain is like "cute boy flirt how" and its so fucking funny. It might not be the same Katara as the cartoon who is effortlessly comfortable wherever she goes but this is so much more realistic and if she's going to be a bit different this is probably the best thing for them to change (now keep the awkwardness and give her back her anger Netflix I'm begging you)

I am slightly concerned because it looks to me like they're trying to condense at least four episodes into one and I'm not sure if that's going to be a cohesive plotline or a complete mess or not but if handled carefully I think they might be able to pull it off.

Ooooh the explosion was super unexpected and totally cray cray thanks for keeping me on my toes. I'm assuming it was Jet that planted the bomb although I cannot for the life of me think why. Anyways Teo was adorable I'm adopting him.

Also I am so so so happy that they gave him a little more depth beyond just 'happy glider kid' and gave a bit more nuance to his character. Of COURSE kids who grew up in war are going to be desensitized to the bloodshed OF COURSE they're going to be a little vengeful and be thinking about ways to win the war OF COURSE Aang is going to be uncomfortable with that because he didn't grow up with that militaristic mindset even if he did loose everything OF COURSE that's not going to change the fact that kids grow up hearing about death and experiencing loss as extremely young children versus Aang being suddenly thrust into this responsibility and grief because he didn't grow up like that he grew up in peacetime it just makes sense. Good job Netflix this was wonderful this was perfect I loved it.

Okay don't get me wrong I love the way Aang wears his heart on his sleeve I love how their in-the-face storytelling makes a bit more sense with how open and emotional of a person he is it's just part of his character that was improved upon by the LA in my opinion but this is also just... such a misunderstanding of the group dynamic. Like why isn't Katara seeing these people and thinking "I can help with this I have to help with this" and Aang giving this speech to Sokka jumping on the bandwagon? I would even accept them seeing the destruction together and mutually deciding that they need to help the people there (this would probably be best as it allows us to see both character's compassion) or Aang saying something about it and Katara immediately being like "ur absolutely right" but of course they can't do that all we need is a lengthy speech from the protagonist while Katara stands there like robot girl. My mistake.

STOP because her mocking face is so fucking perfect I love Elizabeth Yu she's perfect. Anyway, I think that they're kind of... adjusting her trauma a bit? I mentioned earlier how I feel like she's shown as a little more scrappy and an underdog as opposed to perfectly calculating and not a hair out of place, but after this scene I feel the need to expand on that. In the cartoon, Azula's abuse from her father centers around his unattainably high expectations for her that eventually cause her ultimate breakdown and the conclusion to her devastating character arc. But in the LA, they're portraying her as less of a prodigy and more of a hard worker. She still has incredibly high expectations, but in this version, she never meets them all the time. Her brother is almost leveraged against her in a way. Even if she feels like she is the best and has the constant need to prove she is the best to her father, there's always going to be this nagging insecurity that she won't be good enough to measure up to her brother. She's not being told she's worthless like Zuko, but she's not reaching every goal like cartoon Azula, either. This also might explain why she has arrows. In the cartoon, weapons are viewed with disdain by firebenders, making Zuko using them so controversial, but Azula definetely doesn't seem to be hiding her talent for the bow and arrow and even if it was a her-sneaking-away-to-practice sort of situation that's not very in character and I don't think she would do that. I think in this version she probably has them because she's trying to find every possible way to prove herself to her father beyond just firebending, and mastering a weapon is a way to do that. I'm not sure how I feel about these changes but she is clearly a different character in this version than in the cartoon and moving forward I'm going to treat her as such. (I've noticed this a bit with all of the characters except possibly Sokka: they're different people. I think this actually might be intentional. [even so I still don't like their characterization of Katara her trauma hasn't changed very much to my knowledge she should still have the same core drives and character traits])

As well done as Azula was, there was relatively nothing in the Ty Lee and Mai department. They're just kind of existing, watching her train. Ty Lee is vaguely cheerful (and her costume is great btw) and Mai has one line about exploring the world that gives a bit of insight into her character and has a monotone voice. They're both clearly a little scared of Azula but that's basically it. Hopefully we get more on them soon.

Back in Ba Sing Se, I noticed a bit of a parallel between Teo and Katara. The Mechanist mentions that they lost his mother due to the war, which reminded me specifically of Katara. Throughout this scene, we see that Teo remembers his mother's philosophy and adopts it into his own mindset far more than his father's. Their situation is different because while Katara is arguing for compassion Teo is arguing for fighting back, but they are both fundamentally saying the same thing. It's not enough just to accept their lot in life and try to survive or fight, it's about the big picture, and about defending the things they love. While Katara and Teo both approach this subject from a very different front, the core idea is the same. It's also telling how they are dismissed initially as idealistic for their values when they are really upholding what their mothers stood for in their eyes: for Teo, a symbol of hope in her retellings of the stories of the avatar, and for Katara, a symbol of kindness in her reminders to remain empathetic despite the horrors of war. Make of this what you will, I just thought it was a nice little parallel.

Anyway, allow me to have a few words on the whole Jet thing (in bullet points because I don't have enough brain power to do this)

I'm glad Jet got his freedom fighters outfit. I was a bit worried when I saw what he was wearing in the first scene he was in because the fit is iconic, and so are the swords

God he's so fucking dramatic "they call me Jet" while the sun glints off his swords and he turns slightly for affect it was so funny I laughed out loud

He and Kia have no on-screen chemistry I'm sorry. Like even the fight scene was so awkward and every time they speak to each other they sound so stiff. They're good actors independently but whoever was watching their chemistry check (I'm assuming they had one pre-production but judging by this crap I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't) was either asleep or it was their first day because there is NOTHING there

What the hell did they do to the Freedom Fighters? They're so cheesy and the costumes are so bad (especially Smellerbee's). Like seriously that entire fight scene was so awkward idk what the hell happened there but it was nowhere near the quality of the rest of the episode so far

Overall, I'm not a huge fan. Also where is Sokka I'm pretty sure he's supposed to be there somewhere

Okay here's Sokka finally. Are they just taking him out of the Jet shenanigans entirely? I wouldn't be surprised considering how many episodes they had to condense but still I would have liked to see that. Oh well, I guess they had to have Katara do something in this episode instead of just stand around while her brother and Aang have huge plot points. Anyway, this scene was very interesting to me. Sokka and the Mechanist bonded in the og but not to this extent, and I honestly liked that they did something a bit deeper with it considering they don't have as much screentime to establish Sokka's daddy issues (for lack of a better word). Anywho the Mechanist mentioning that there are other career paths to take besides just being a warrior was super cool and I think we can glean a lot from it about Sokka's future character arc. Maybe in this version he doesn't perfectly live up to his dad's expectations and instead finds his own way? It was nice to see Hakoda proud of him in the original but if they go down this path I definitely won't be mad. It's interesting while staying true to the character, it's just a different direction.

The scene with Aang and Teo was cute. They're both good actors who play off of each other nicely, and Teo talking about how he doesn't want to follow in his father's footsteps lends a bit of insight to the conversation the Mechanist had with Sokka. He probably mentioned Sokka's dad because he wondered if his parents were engineers too and maybe is looking for a bit of an apprentice since his son doesn't take after him as much. This is also another way Teo conflicts with the Mechanist's way of life and may be more similar to his mother.

The jetara scenes at the Freedom Fighter camp had a much better dynamic. I think the fight scene was probably just them figuring each other out as actors, it just sucks that it seeped into the final take. I confess I was a bit disappointed that the Freedom Fighters didn't live up in the trees, but I guess that would be a bit difficult to engineer. I also noticed how Jet repeated Teo's "if not us, then who?" statement, which is probably just your basic commentary on how the future generations are our hope blah blah blah. It's a major theme so I shouldn't be as disinterested as I am in it but as it stands I'm still not totally thrilled with the Jet plotline as a whole and I think that may be affecting it. I feel like Sokka should be here to add some variety and spice things up a bit it's kind of boring.

The last jetara scene was definitely the best yet. I can't get over how happy I was to hear Jet say his mother taught him to fight. So often we hear how dads or older brothers are teaching the women in their family to fight but here we have a canonically badass male character saying that an older female relative was the one who taught him. One of the major complaints I have from the cartoon was how for all its talk about women being able to fight and its supposed feminist message, there were no women of the older generation fighting at all except for Jun, who wasn't even a particularly moral character like all these older men. We do have to remember that the cartoon started production over twenty years ago so it is a product of its time, when feminist issues weren't very mainstream. Another factor that might have contributed to the lack of feminism in the original was the generational discrepancies; millennials were the first to have widely accepted equal educational opportunities in the US, and even though educational opportunities are still affected by sexism, college became the norm for both male and female students at that time. This isn't to say women older than millennials didn't go to college, but this is around the time women and men started to become relatively equal as of percentage seeking higher education. Basically, they were the first generation of women expected to have careers, and therefore the writer's minds were probably shaped alongside a similar number of female peers, but primarily by men. This could have contributed to the lack of older women, but as times changed, so to did the amount of older women in professional fields. This line is a reflection of that, and I hope we continue to see more badass older women and older warrior women and women in power as the LA continues.

Other than that, I did take my shipping goggles out during this scene at the "sunrise" bit, and it wasn't about jetara. I heard from other fans in the zutara tag that the "you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun" line was removed but I keep thinking about how Katara is legitimately drawing power from remembering the sun rising, a time when the opposite element, Zuko's element, becomes more powerful. I know I'm reaching, but while I mourn the loss of our beloved "you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun" I have to find a new version. Anyway I think we should call this sunrisegate lol

Also, the way Katara is extremely hesitant to talk about her trauma whereas Jet seems completely fine with being emotional and dumping out exactly what he was feeling may have been a device but it does remind me of something I read about how ppl with PTSD will often react very differently when sharing their trauma and the same is true for many other trauma induced disorders. It was probably unintentional but I still thought it was a nice detail.

Anyway on a less serious note Iroh and Zuko's dynamic is still top tier. I've seen a lot of people complaining about Iroh's character but I don't see anything wrong up to this point. I might be in for a shock in future episodes but I have genuinely no idea what they find so off putting. He's a great actor and the character has legitimately not changed. The line above was a bit undercut by the fact that he's standing in the middle of an enemy city with a cloth half wrapped around his face to keep part of his face from being seen, but I'm just gonna take it at face value (haha pun). I think the thing Zuko despises most is cowardice, and it affects his perception of the war in a huge way. He calls Aang a coward for escaping from prison because he was running away or whatever and I've never considered Zuko a particularly logical character but it's like... bruh he's outnumbered like fifty to one what he is gonna do? Anyway his definition of cowardice is directly tied to his honor and his perception of it in relation to his trauma and the way he held back in the agni kai and him perceiving that as cowardice maybe... Ya'll got me? This isn't fully formed because I obviously haven't seen this new rendition of the agni kai but I'm guessing the events are basically the same. Do with it what you will.

I skipped over the Azula and Zhao scene because I don't have any groundbreaking commentary except to say that I liked it. It ties Azula into the story nicely and gives Zhao something actually interesting about him (I don't hate him as much as I did in the cartoon so whenever he comes up on screen I just sort of yawn).

Anyway, it was nice to see Katara get a bit angry. I think this captured the gaang dynamic pretty well. Aang being relatively neutral/ quiet while the siblings argue and Katara gets twice as mad as Sokka. Also he may have had the last word but she had the last laugh:

Again, the sibling dynamic was really great but I didn't feel like Katara was carrying it as much as in previous episodes. Sokka actually played his part in making it interesting and realistic. I don't think this single argument is enough to redeem Katara's characterization in my eyes but at least we know now there is a little spark there.

AHH THE SCARF SCENE! Scarfgate was everything I could have asked for and more. Like why does he appear directly behind her like that unless he's trying to fight her? Why does he just let her go by like that? Why does he hold out his hand in the first place? Truly is the Watergate of our time it deserves that name. (also in the same episode as the whole sunrise thing? come on) I'm probably being baited but at least I'm enjoying it.

So I was right about the bombings! I can't believe all those cute little kids are terrorists but I couldn't believe it in the cartoon either so I guess that checks out. Either way I find the bombing far less forgivable than trying to take out the Mechanist. Innocent civilians were hurt and even though I know there was a real possibility that civilians could have been hurt in the attempted bombing for whatever reason it just seems... more brutal somehow. Like the first one was in the center of town, you know? Anyway terrorism is wrong I hope Jet finds his way.

(I was worried about how they were going to tie all the seemingly unrelated plotlines together but I think they pulled it off. Again my main problems were all concentrated around the Jet plotline but when the Mechanist was tied in it became a lot more interesting)

When I heard this I was like "son ur about to get ur ass kicked" but the funny part is he was kind of right. Like when neither of them were bending he was winning. I guess in all fairness he is a lot bigger than Aang but I don't feel like that was an accidental detail. Anyway, I think this fight scene was the most entertaining yet and so much better than jetara against the firebenders earlier. Maybe the affects for water are just worse than air and fire (it feels slower somehow) but I'm very partial to this fight. And that's saying something because I usually fast-forward through fight scenes or just kind of tune them out or barely watch, so you know it was really good.

I think the reason I liked it so much was that it was funny, honestly, not in the same way or to the same degree the cartoon was but I laughed out loud a couple times. For instance Zuko gets hit in the face three times in the span of ten seconds, once with a plate, once with a wicker basket, and once with his own little stick thing. Aang also put a basket over his head and some random ass lady started whacking him with a fan. Kudos to whoever choreographed that it was the best.

Also I liked how Sokka and Katara saved the day together. Cute sibling bonding excersize. And it ended on a cliffhanger with the characters separated! My favorite kind of cliffhanger! It definitely left me wanting more.

Anyway, to recap, things I didn't like:

No Zuko and Zhao agni kai

Mai and Ty Lee were just sort of there

Katara's characterization is still so-so

Jetara plot line was boring and chemistry was not the best

It was kind of a lot for one episode, even if they managed to do it well

Things I did like:

Opening scene

Azula characterization

Teo

The Mechanist plotline

Teo and Katara parallel

Katara DID actually seem a little bit more firey in this episode

SCARFGATE

Zuko and Aang fight scene

Surprisingly good handling of all those loose ends

Cliffhanger

Overall, I would give it a 9/10. That's the highest score I've given an episode so far and I'm standing by it. I know others might have a very different opinion on it since it was condensed so much and differed a lot from the cartoon, but I agreed with many of the changes they made. One thing I would urge everyone to remember is that these are different characters from the cartoon. They're going to act slightly different and have slightly different journys and that's okay. I think it is worth comparing to the original, as it is an adaptation, but we need to remember that an adaptation is not an exact replica, nor should it be. That in no way means that we should make allowances for anything we found negative or mediocre, but it is going to be different and change in it of itself isn't a bad thing. Anyway thank you guys so much for sticking with me! I'll probably have the next episode's debrief up by tomorrow.

#natla debrief #emmie babbles #scarfgate #zutara #aang #sokka #katara #zuko #jet #jetara #natla episode 3 #natla analysis #natla meta

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ineffabildaddy · 4 months

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Hi sam! since the new year is approaching rapidly, i wanted to ask my favorite creators (that includes you! your fics and your posts delight me) how they look back on their 2023 tumblr year and which blogs made them happy to be here. i am very happy to follow you and hope you'll have a great 2024! 💘

hi!!! thank you so so much for this, a few months ago i couldn't even imagine being so active in the tumblr community again, let alone anyone's favourite anything!!!!

i've been very fortunate to receive the warmest of welcomes back to tumblr after a 7-year absence, and i've received so much support for my writing (and my shitposts lol) that this whole experience of finally joining the good omens fandom has genuinely given me a newfound confidence in my creative self, and in myself as a whole💙

in terms of the blogs that make me happy to be here... they are many!!! i shall put the rest of this post under the cut

@raining-stars-somewhere-else thank you for being my first go friend and now one of my closest buddies!!! i can't wait for us to finally write that fic together (lol) and for us to get up to some irl london shenanigans at some point✨ ur hilarious and kind and so correct about literally everything and i love u. literally everyone needs to read ur posts bc they're so well-thought out and unique. also your fics are really moving and human (even though they're about crowley and aziraphalekldfjgjl) and i adore them

@sad-chaos-goblin we literally just Get Each Other, same brain and all, and i absolutely love it!!! i couldn't ask for a better horny consultant bc after all it is Our Pornography™. you're also just an extremely understanding, open and lovely person, not to mention very fun and exciting to be friends with hehe. ur headcanons are so fucking interesting (and sometimes sad, how dare u do this to me) and i'm looking forward to hearing more when u eventually get round to writing all those fics you've got ideas for<3

@foolishlovers i'm really really happy we've got to know each other better over the past couple weeks!!!!! your xmas fic is one of my absolute favourite fics ever and i'm in awe with your skill and craft, i hope to write something as well-rounded and enjoyable as that someday<3 also you're one of my favourite posters, so fucking funny and u just make points left right and centre. i hope we can share our writing and our thoughts about life in general more in 2024!!!

@crowleyslvt i'm very happy i barged my way into your dms to be horny on main bc i definitely wouldn't've explored half the things i've explored in my writing if not for our discussions and your encouragement!!! i absolutely love talking writing and sexy headcanons with you, but above that i love that i'm now mates with such a talented, considerate, hilarious kiwi lad. i am honoured to be one of the little guys in ur phone who gets to hype up u as an exceedingly great porn writer but also as a legend in general

@voluptatiscausa no one understands my feralness for michael sheen like you do. i can go batshit insane in the dms over ms and dt with u and that space is important to me dlgkljdgldfjgl. i'm really glad i started reading ur writing this year bc it's very enjoyable, but it's also healing for me as a person who's [whispers] a traumatised and cripplingly shy person in terms of sex lmao. thank you for bestowing it upon ao3, and by extension, upon me!!!! also tho, you're a really nurturing and interesting friend to have, not to mention a Very Cool one so continue to be that pls and thanks

@bowtiepastabitch i've felt very honoured to hear about parts of your life as you share them with me - Knowing The Lore is so important to me and i'm humbled that you've trusted me with some of the stuff that's been happening in your world<3 on another note, your fanart may be quick but it's never shitty, it's always so expressive and fun and gets my brain Thinking Thoughts. i can't express how wonderful it was when you made a wee bit of fanart for one of my fics, and i hope i continue to see ur creativity shine✨

thank you to my favourite blogs for Existing Throughout 2023 (some of whom i know i can call friends, and the rest of whom i'd like to call friends in the future!!!) @sabotage-on-mercury @crowleys-bentley-and-plants @ineffableigh @celestialcrowley @queer-reader-07 @crowleyraejepsens @teddybearbutchh @crowleyholmes @ineffable-rohese @createserenity @quoththemaiden @procrastiel @sentientsky @genderqueer-hippie @beelzzzebub @lineffability @fellshish @greenthena @brainwormcity @opscuritas @tangerine-ginger @iammyownproblematicfave @crikey01 @crawley-fell @vroomvroomwee @bildads-shoes @shoemakerobstetrician @romansmartini @wraithee

i know i'll have forgotten people so i'll add em as i remember em hehehehe

#kinda good omens #personal #asks #ineffabildaddy

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escha-evenstar · 3 months

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Mafia AU Series

Chapter 4: Can't We At Least Try?

Pairing: Mafia!Azul x F!Reader

Word Count: 1.3K

CW: minor angst, I guess?

A/N:

Hi hi! I am back and still alive!! I'm feeling a bit sick but I'm slowly getting better! I just heal slowly 🥺 I hope you guys are faring better than me. Anyways, it's been a while since I wrote something and I'm glad I finished this! Looking forward to writing the next part because I plan to put more romance hehehe 👀

Divider by @cafekitsune

The following night came too quickly for Azul. He paced around the front of the cabin, walking back and forth incessantly, while being drowned in his thoughts.

How do I tell her? Should I beat around the bush? Or just tell her directly? What would she say? How will she react? Will she.. will she still see me as the same?

He suddenly stopped pacing around. A sigh escaped his lips as he feared that his nightly escapades with you would cease, and that he wouldn't see you anymore.

Azul was completely lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice you have already arrived. You noticed how still he stood, an arm crossed across his chest and his chin with between his fingers. His serious expression showed how deep he was in his thoughts. You gave him a few pokes on his shoulder and he jumped at the sudden contact.

"Ah!" Azul yelped.

You giggled at his surprised face. "Hehe~ You seem to be thinking about something pretty hard. What is it?"

"Oh. Uhm- Y/N, I.." he trailed off.

Azul considered himself to be a smooth talker, yet currently the words were caught in his throat. He couldn't even speak a single sentence.

"Oh wait! Before I forget," you trailed off as you showed him a small bag. "There are cookies inside! I wanted to share it with you and the twins, though I haven't seen them around yet. Are they busy? Let's go take a seat!"

You grabbed his hand and led him to the bench on the porch. The two of you took a seat beside each other and you placed the bag of cookies on your lap, opening it.

"Jade and Floyd are currently.. occupied with something. So they're not here today. Also, you know I'm still doing my diet, right?"

"Of course I do! But a little snack won't hurt you. Please? I'd feel lonely if I have to eat by myself," you pleaded with a pout.

Ah. Why do you have to look so cute?

"...fine. Maybe just a little," Azul sighed, giving in to you.

You cheered happily as you each grabbed a cookie and ate together.

"So, what was it you were thinking about earlier?" You asked while munching on the cookie, looking at him curiously.

Azul swallowed the chewed piece of baked dessert as his blue eyes stared at the lake in front.

"Y/N, what do you think of me?" He asked.

"Hm? Why do you ask?" You said while your eyes blinked in confusion.

"Just because. So?" He shifted his gaze to look at you.

"Well, uhm, I think you're very... sweet," you said bashfully. A pink blush dusted your cheeks and your eyes darted to and away from his eyes.

"Sweet? Me?" He was stunned. Azul could describe himself a lot of things. Smart. Cunning. Dangerous. But sweet? Really?

"Mhm!" You hummed and giggled at his astounded look. "You're always here for me. You listen to me, take care of me, and as you said before, you make exceptions for me. You're a very sweet person Azul, and I feel very happy because of you, so thank you!"

Azul saw your pretty smile and he instantly found himself blushing from your honest words and lovely expression as his heart pounded faster. He averted his eyes and quickly moved his hand to his face, partially covering the pinkish hue on his cheeks.

"I see." He wasn't sure how to respond to such genuine praises and compliments, especially coming from you. You made him a flustered mess inside.

You were so kind and pure. Honest and sweet. A bundle of joy and sunshine in his dark and cold world. Suddenly, the more Azul thought about you, the more he grew afraid. Thoughts that being with him would cause you hurt and pain in the future. It was dangerous to be with someone like him. He didn't like the idea, but maybe...

Maybe I should just let you go.

Azul shifted his position as he hunched his back, elbows rested against his thighs and hands clasped together by his mouth. "Y/N. What if there was more to me than just this.. sweet person you know?"

"What do you mean?" You said, confused by his question and sudden seriousness.

"What if I'm not who you think I am?" He continued to ask you questions that didn't make any sense to you.

You tilted your head to the side, growing even more befuddled. "I don't understand. What are you saying, Zul?"

Azul sighed deeply before slowly turning his head to look at you. "Y/N, I'm part of the Mafia."

Silence filled the air of the night. You tried to say something. Anything! But your mouth couldn't utter a single word. Lips parted to try and speak, only to close again when no words came out. You were completely taken aback by his words as your e/c eyes continued to stare back at his own blue ones. A few more seconds passed before you were able to say something.

"..okay," you said slowly, though the bewildered look in your eyes was still present.

"Okay? Y/N. I'm being completely serious here. I'm with the Mafia, and that's a fact we can't change." He sighed once more as he casted his gaze downward to the floor. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"What..?" You said in disbelief as his words pierced right through your heart.

"I said that we should stop seeing each other. This was a mistake, Y/N. I never should have gotten you involved with me. I—"

"Don't say that!" You shouted. "You.. you don't mean that. I- I don't care if you're part of the Mafia. But don't say that this was a mistake!"

Tears flowed down the corner of your eyes and it hurt Azul to see you like that.

I'm sorry, but I'm doing this for your own good.

"Y/N, please—"

You immediately wrapped your arms around his waist and buried your face on his chest. The cookies previously sitting on your lap now lay on the floorboard, but you couldn't care less.

"Please don't say goodbye. Please don't say you'll leave me," you cried.

You're breaking up my walls. Stop this.

"You might get hurt because of me. There are dozens of people out there for you to meet. I'm sure your mother isn't going to forever keep you in your house and—"

"I don't want to if I'm not seeing you anymore. I don't care about meeting new people. I don't care if I can't see the outside world. I don't want to let you go."

No. Don't say that. Stop.

"You're acting like a spoiled child. I'm doing this for you."

"I don't care if I'm spoiled. You can call me selfish but I'm not letting you go." To put emphasis on your words, you hugged him even tighter.

"Y/N. Let. Go." Azul was getting frustrated as he tried to push you away. Unfortunately for him, you wouldn't budge.

"No." You only buried yourself deeper in his chest as you continued to cry.

Why must you be so difficult?

"I said. Let. Go."

"NO!!"

"Why are you being so stubborn?!"

"I'm not stubborn! You are!!"

Azul let out an exasperated sigh. He was getting nowhere with you. It's not like he wanted this either.

"Why are you being like this? I don't like this either, you know?"

"Then let's stay together." You lifted yourself from his chest and looked at him through teary eyes. "Don't let go. We'll.. figure something out."

If you keep being like this, I might just get selfish with you.

"I- I don't know exactly what you do, but I believe you're not as bad as you think you are. And, if ever we come to a dangerous situation, then we'll protect each other. We can do that, right?"

"It's not as easy as it sounds."

"I know that, but.. can't we at least try?" Your voice quavered and your eyes were puffy from shedding so much tears.

And just like that, Azul was done for. His walls crumbled and crashed down, and he immediately wrapped his arms around you. Tightly. Not wanting to let go.

I guess I just can't let you go after all.

Did you like my work? If you did, you can check out my blog for more! ^^

Masterlist here!

Thank you for reading! 🩷💜

Taglist: @lucid-stories @triforce-holder

#escha writes🩷#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto x reader

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pommunist · 15 days

Note

Hello!

I've been nervously hovering around your blog as you've always been a level source of info.

As of late it seems as though many people don't seem to quite grasp how different US laws can be for POC. The laws weren't made with us in mind, in fact its extremely common for laws to be thrown at us or twisted against us at all fronts when the other effected party is Anglo.

It's very easy to look at laws and assume the country they preside over would respect them entirely. But for POC that's not the case. This place isn't safe for us. It's corrupt In many ways so it's extremely important for us to be extremely careful with every step. Or we are killed. There is no other way to express the type of danger we face simply for being POC.

I am Mexican, I know that it looks bad that Q has been very silent on many fronts. But speaking even an apology could lead to the entirety of this case being blamed on him. All of it. When the people who caused the damages were on the team and not Q himself. What's worse is that if the people who did cause the damage in the first place are Anglo and have gotten their own Lawyers... they can also be let off the hook from their crimes if Q makes apology statements.

I know its awful.

But even if he contacts those effected personally and apologized personally, there is nothing stopping those individuals from speaking online about his apologies and that being used against him. It would make everyone feel better if he genuinely could apologize without risk of letting those bad actors off the hook. But here in the states it's stacked against those who bend at the knee first. Kindness will get you killed. We as POC cannot exist here safely. We just can't.

Its very easy to look at this whole case from an outside view, especially if you've never faced the American legal system. It's even harder to fathom how a country could have laws so clearly lined and yet disregard them simply based on your race. But it's very common here. I've had relatives lose homes, land, businesses, livelihoods, and lives over the laws out here not being kind to us. All it takes is for one Anglo voice and we are once again reminded how we are nothing. Our hands built these buildings, our sweat is in nearly every structures walls and floors. We clean, we cook, we are still regarded as rabble. Our native tongue isn't even seen as something respectable. It's dirty. It recieves glares and snide remarks.

I digress.

I know you can't quite understand how strong your voice is alone in this. Even now I must hide under this anonymous guise because I can't be Mexican in public. I can't speak my truth... so I am reaching out to you, to perhaps held shed some light on all of this.

Your voice is worth more than mine.

Thank you for all the work that you do. Truly.

Hello anon ! First of all I wanna say I’m sorry that I’ll going to write such a short answer when your ask was long and heartfelt. But as I’m neither Mexican nor from the US I don’t have much to add to what you just said. Though I am aware, at least to a certain extent how bad the xenophobia against mexicans can be over there, and I don’t wish for Quackity or anyone else to suffers the consequences of it.

Also don’t even worry about coming here as an anon, I don’t mind and your safety comes first anyway. My voice isn’t worth any more than yours is, I’m just glad if I can help share your thoughts on this situation.

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smalltimidbean · 2 months

Note

hi again! So I have a lot I wanna say following the anatomy post, as I'll be calling it, because even though it's fresh I read the whole thing and I'm glad we know more about the clones :D and also I assume now would be a good time to ask about because of how fresh it is. ANYWAYS let's get to it!

So I wanted to ask about these specific parts, and what I could tell from them:

To summarize, a clone bearing a toothy grin is threatening, and a clone sticking its tongue out/drooling/licking it lips is not threatening. This is the premise I worked under when I made this:

(In like, 2 minutes. I wonder if anyone can tell!)

As you can see, I added a few facial expressions that weren't mentioned l, and that I wonder their meaning in relation to what has already been stated. I think I can confidently predict what the first two mean, thanks to the fact that clones have made those facial expressions before. Though anyone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong!

Closed-mouth and open-mouth smiles are not threats, unlike the toothy "smiles" which are. The quotation mark around "smile" in the original post(as well as a part of pep's toyhouse page(which didn't appear in the Tumblr post from several months past)) also indicate that the threatening smiles are not genuine, and so smiles without teeth are genuine expressions of joy.

The other one, though, seems to send somewhat mixed messages. That expression is saying both that "I am a threat" and "I am not a threat, " which when a applied to the only clone we ever see donning this face, Pep, is true. Though, whenever he smiles like that, it is genuine and not an attempt to threaten anyone. Is this because he's smiling at something or someone other than a fellow clone, and he knows that, in order to communicate the same emotion he has to make a different facial expression depending on if he's making it at clones on non-clones?

But uhh yeah :D hope this wasn't too long winded and that I made any sort of sense lol!

Yaya! I have a ton of clone info I wanna post, but I have been trying to figure out how/where to do that, so I might just unload it all here in chunks kjlfdkfg

Asking questions about clone stuff is alright, and it helps me figure out stuff, or point out if I have contradicted myself - which happens more than I would like kjfgkjfg

Although for these points, perhaps I spoke too broadly as this post was supposed to be on anatomy and not behaviour, but I guess I can't help myself kjdfgk - it is also why I did not mention other types of smile

But for clones there are genuine smiles, and there are threat 'smiles', like this;

Threat smiles are not expressions of joy, they are meant to convey 'I have teeth, and I will use them if you continue to upset me' or simply 'you are bothering me' if they are not showing teeth - whereas genuine smiles are just that, they are happy

If you add a tongue to a threat 'smile', it is still considered a threat due to other aspects like the eyes and stance etc, but more along the lines of either a submissive threat ('I am scared, please leave, or I will attack') or the clone is hungry ('I will eat you if approached, so back off for your own good') - but honestly it depends on the situation, sometimes clones already have their tongues out before threat 'smiling' and it ends up hanging out regardless dhfsdh

And yes, most of Pep's smiles have been genuine - there has been at least two with a threat 'smile' (both directed at or implied to be directed at Peppino) - but most of the time he is genuinely happy

It can be a bit confusing since clones are kinda animal, kinda people, so they get both that 'smiling is a threat' (animal side) and 'smiling is friendly' (people side) lfglgfd

When I make a post(s) on clone behaviours, I will be sure to make this more clear! But I still appreciate the questions!

#bean talks too much #Bean's PT AU Lore Tag #still need clone lore tag but ppfpttp tired #also hey the threat smile looks like someone #gee I sure wonder why (silly)

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emometalhead · 4 months

Text

Happy 2024!! 🎉 I wanted to take a minute to spread some love to my mutuals to start off the year. (Thank you to Alessia for reminding me to do this!!)

I'm going to do this in alphabetical order by url, because that's easiest for me.

@americanrecord - Kelsey!!!! Hiiii. I love you so much, and I hope this year brings you everything you deserve. You are so brilliant, hardworking, and kind. You're one of my best friends, and I am so grateful to have you in my life. Forever proud of you and forever cheering you on. Here's to another year of friendship, daily check ins, and conversations about anything + everything. 🩷

@arnold-layne - Arnold!!! Hello my dear! I'm so proud of you for your recent accomplishments with school and work!!!! You are such a talented writer, and I know you're going to go far. I hope this year is productive for you and your passions. I'm excited to see you flourish, and I'm sending hugs!!!! I hope you have a year of love and light. 🫶🌞

@awrestlinggirlwholoves80sbands - Hi Alessia!!!! You are one of the absolute sweetest people I've ever met. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for checking up on me and always bringing some light into my day. Last year was rough, but you made it better. I want to be more intentional about reaching out this year, and I'm grateful to have your friendship along the way. Ilysm. Wishing you a year that is as kind as you are. 💕💕

@a-queen-of-the-clouds Jori your url is so fitting, because you're absolutely a queen. I'm not sure when you'll see this, but you deserve good vibes year round. I love when you grace Tumblr with your presence. I miss you a ton when you're not here, and I hope you're doing so well irl!!! Sending hugs 🥰.

@born-to-lose - Hi Mel!! I'm so proud. I know this year threw some curveballs at you, but I also know you're going into this year stronger. You're an absolute girlboss is the best and least ironic way. 😎 You're a talented writer, and I love how you share your creativity. I'm so glad to know you. I'm obsessed with you, and I know you'll keep slaying in the new year. Wishing you all the best!!!! Love you!

@day-trippin-dreamer - Tina!!!! 🩷🩷 What can I say? You're one of the best friends I could've ever wished for. I am eternally grateful for you. Thank you for your kindness. I live for our daily conversations. You're part of my routine, and you always make any bad day become a good one. I love you so much. You're so much fun, and you have the best opinions+judgement. I can't say enough good things about you.

@doctorqueensanatomy - Sheamus, I have no clue if or when you'll see this. On the chance you will though, I want you to have something nice to read. I'm so grateful for our friendship! It has grown a lot in the last couple years, and I hope we'll grow even closer this year. I love your passion for your interests, and I love how much you care about the people in your life. Our conversations are always so fun or so heartwarming. I hope this year treats you kindly. You are so genuine and wonderful. Also you have a fun accent lol. Love you!! 🥰

@idontwanttospoiltheparty - Hi Fiona!! 😁 In the best way, you fascinate me. I love seeing how your brain works. I appreciate the time you put into expressing your thoughts and opinions. I may not always agree with your music opinions, but I respect them fiercely. You are the most dedicated Swiftles person I know, and I love that for you. I want to make more of an effort to reach out to people this year, so I hope we are able to interact a little more in 2024. I hope you have a wonderful year! 🩷

@inquisitiveheretic - I feel like every time I write out things for multiple people, I feel compelled to write yours last. You're really good at making me want to slow down and really think about what I want to say. I often feel in a rush for no good reason, so I appreciate that something about you gives off an effect of calm. I think you're one of the coolest people I've had the privilege of meeting here, and I'm grateful for our little chats. We are very different people, and I enjoy that you help me broaden my horizons. I hope you have a lovely year full of good things and good times. Thanks for being here 🖤.

@losers-yurio Hi Rylie!! 💛 I hope you know I think about you daily. You are a ray of sunshine, and I will never be able to say enough how glad I am to know you. You have had such a profound impact on my life. I love you so much, and I hope you're doing well. You're amazing, and I'm so excited for you heading into college!! The world is a better place for having people like you in it.

@morska--vila - Hi Andi!! I have no clue when you'll see this, but I want you to have something pleasant to see next time you're here! 🥰 I think about you all the time, and I miss you!!! I hope you're doing well. I'm always rooting for you. You have the best sense of humor, and I'm so happy to know you. As much as I love your presence here, I hope you're thriving irl.

@nocturnal-light - Lynne!! My dude you impress me so much. You're an incredible artist, and your talent as a skater is so cool! Seriously you're one of the coolest people I know. We don't talk a ton, but our interactions are always sweet! I appreciate your presence on my dash, and I hope you have a wonderful year!!!! 💜

@no-fxn-club - Frankie, you are one of my favorite people. I love the passion and joy you bring into the world. I have so much fun every time I talk to you, and I love the splices of life you share with me. I'm sorry I fell out of communication last year. I really want to mend that this year. I miss our daily conversations!! I love you a ton!! You're so damn cool, and you're my favorite southerner by a longshot 😂. Here's to another year of kindly making fun of each other!

@nuttmeg13 - Hi Megan!! 💜 I have to commend you for sticking through so many phases of this blog. I'm grateful to go into another year with you as a mutual! I'm wishing you the best, always. Here's to another crazy + exciting year as Swifties 🎉. Btw you're still the Swiftie with the most valid opinions lol.

@ramblinguitar - Hi Alexa! You're the best grunge blog around, and I think you're iconic. I love that you have such a deep love and respect for music, and I think it's great that you share so much music on your blog. I love receiving personal song recommendations from you, and it's always so cool when you post about new stuff I haven't heard about. Your jewelry is so cool, and you have such a creative soul. You're awesome, and I hope you have a great year!! 🖤🤘

@rebelrollerqueen - Renae!!!! I don't think I can ever say it enough, so I'm going to say it again: I am so proud of you!! I'm so proud of you. You are smart, creative, kind, and talented. I am so glad to know you, and so grateful to have been bestowed the Internet Mom title ❤️. I love hearing your covers, and I'm forever impressed with your hair+makeup+fashion. You are leaps and bounds cooler than I'll ever be, and I know you're going to achieve great things. ILY!

@rosyfingereddawnn - Hi Syd! You have such good vibes. You are such a caring person, and everyone should consider themselves lucky to be in your life. I appreciate your check ins so much. You deserve the best, and I hope life is treating you well!! 🩷 It's so fun seeing your post threads when you're listening to music. You radiate love and joy!!!! Ily 🌞

@smokeandmirrorz - Hi Jeordie!!!! I know you're spending more time away from this blog, and though I miss you I'm glad you're taking time for yourself! I hope you're doing well, and I know you'll make this year into something wonderful! Happy belated birthday, dude. You rock. 🖤

@therockywhorerpictureshow - Ella!!!!! You have such lovely vibes. You are so kind, and I love seeing you on my dash. Thank you for sharing pieces of your life. It is wonderful to see your dogs and baking!!!! Your blog makes me feel cozy and warm. I'm so happy to know you 😁🥰. Happy New Year!!! May this year bring you peace and joy!!!!

@xx-key-xx - Key, you are my 2000s fashion icon. I'm literally so obsessed with you. I know we don't talk much, but you're killing it and I'm always here to support you!!!! Keep slaying and live it up like it's 2004 ✨️🖤.

#happy new year everyone!!#sorry about the hiccup earlier #lots of love 🥰🩷#ashley rambles #mutuals

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hufflepuff-16 · 11 months

Text

Always There ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+

Tom Riddle x g!n reader (platonic) ( ≧∀≦)ノ

Summary: Tom has joined you for the summer in your home for his apprenticeship. You learn more about Tom and the secrets he keeps, as you become closer.

Warnings: tiny angst, mostly fluff and a slight ooc Tom

A/n: Boy, this took a long time to make. Let me know what you think of it. Should I make a part 3? What would happen in it, and would you and Tom live happily, or would it all go wrong.

Or should I keep ending like this ( I have no idea what I would write)

Link to my masterlist, which has part 1 and other fics

It was the summer now, and you were helping Tom to unpack his things and put them in your guest bedroom.

"This doesn't feel real." He looks around the room as if to remind himself that he's finally free from the orphanage. He looks at you with a mixture of excitement and disbelief on his face. "I honestly... I never thought this day would come." His eyes are brimming with tears, and his voice is breaking, but an overwhelming sense of joy washes over him, and you're glad he feels this way. "Thank you... thank you so much..." His green eyes are locked on yours for a few seconds before he suddenly wraps you in a tight hug again.

you laugh at seeing Tom so affectionate, "Darling. You don't have to keep thanking me, you know, but I do appreciate the hugs!" You said, giving him a squeeze.

Despite the tears still streaming down his face, he laughs with you a little bit and smiles before he lets go. He wipes the tears off his face with an embarrassed look. "Sorry... I know I've been saying that a lot lately. But I really do mean it. You're... you're a great person for doing this for me. Not many people would... or even could do something this big. I... I just can't express how grateful I am..." His words sound genuine, and you can see the genuine emotion in his eyes. It's clear you have impacted his life.

ﾟ.+: ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+ ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+ ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+ ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+ ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ.+ ﾟﾟ.

"What would you like to eat for dinner, Tom?" You ask.

Both of you are now sitting in the kitchen. You had been teaching Tom about more advanced non-verbal spells.

He seems to take a moment to collect himself, then he takes a deep breath and looks up at you. "Hmm... how about a... some spaghetti bolognese?" He answers with a small smile. "Do wizards still eat regular muggle foods, even though you guys can just magic it out of thin air?" He chuckles and gives you a side eye. "Sorry, I had to ask." He's trying to make light of the emotional conversation you had earlier.

you giggle, "unfortunately, food that we conjure out of thin air has no taste and has no nutritional value. So we do have to still make food as muggles do."

"That seems like a bad design flaw, honestly." He says with a chuckle. "So you're telling me I have to actually learn how to cook? Now that's a tough assignment." He looks over at you, his emerald eyes shining with a hint of mischief. "Luckily, I have you to help me." He flashes you a grin. "Are you a decent cook? Please tell me you're a decent cook." He leans back in his chair and folds his arms again. "I'll be the judge of that."

You chuckle, "Whatever will I do the great and powerful tom Marvolo Riddle," you say dramatically, bowing down to Tom.

"What's with these bows and all these dramatic reactions?" He gives you a playful look. "It's strange, I kinda like it, though." He chuckles gently. "I guess I must be more powerful than I thought. I will gladly accept that." He leans back in his chair once again, still giving you a friendly smile. "What're you making us for dinner?" His voice is calm and friendly again, and all signs of the tears he shed earlier have now completely disappeared. He seems to have forgotten about his past for the moment. "You better not make anything too disgusting."

"I'll make bolognese as you said Tom."

You had made the spaghetti, and Tom really enjoyed it he even asked for seconds. You were now both sitting on your couch in your sitting room.

"Mmm. You are definitely a good cook. Not too many people can manage to make spaghetti that tastes this good. But of course you would be good at it." He smirks. "Where's my dessert then?" His eyes are playful, and he gives you a smirk again, clearly joking around. "You can't just feed me all this delicious food and not have a dessert waiting. I'm not just some dog who can be pleased with a piece of meat, you know." He laughs and makes a mock look of disappointment. "Come on. Give me something sweet!"

you gasped jokingly and teased him. "You rude, little boy!"

You laughed again, "Truthfully, Tom, I was thinking about making dessert, but at hogwarts, you never seemed to like to eat dessert, so I just assumed you didn't like it."

He giggles. "Hey, hey... I was only kidding. I'm not really rude... I think..." He chuckles and looks over at you, his eyes glinting with mischief again. "You could have at least made some ice cream or something. Ice cream never hurt anyone.... I think." He smiles again. "I'm just playing, though. No dessert is required. I was just messing with you." He gives you a small wink and a teasing smile.

You smile. "I actually have a gift for you, Tom,"

you hand over a rare copy of a book on different forms of magic. Which even included dark magic.

His eyes light up when you give him the book. "Oh my goodness, I could kiss you right now. Where on earth did you get this?" He looks up at you in amazement, and he can barely hide his excitement. "This is... this is amazing. How did you know it was on my wishlist?" He looks back at the book again and opens it up, immediately beginning to read. "Is there a special occasion as to why I'm the lucky receiver of this book, or are you just being nice? Because it was probably not cheap."

"Hmm, consider it a gift for being a great student."

You both sat in silence Tom intently reading. You had been thinking about the way Tom acted when you found him in the hallway during the school year. His cold and predatory stare haunts you at night. He seems fine now.

"Tom.....why....can I ask you what you were doing in the hallway that day I found you.....you were acting very strange almost predatory."

He freezes and immediately goes red. It's hard to tell what emotions are racing through him at this moment, but it almost seems like... fear. He closes the book quickly and looks up at you, as if trying to get a sense of what you now think of him. You see him debating with himself what to say before he finally responds. It takes him a few moments to collect himself before he begins to talk. "What... what do you mean?" He speaks in a slow, deliberate way, his eyes still locked on you as he carefully watches your reaction.

"Tom, you know exactly what I mean!" Your voice firm. You realise you may be scaring him.

"I'm not mad, I just want the truth." Your voice was soft again.

The look of fear in his eyes has now been replaced with that same predatory gleam from before. His tone turns cold, and his eyes narrow in suspicion as he leans forward. "I'm not quite sure what you're talking about..." he replies evenly. "What is it that you think I did wrong?" A slight quiver passes through his voice. He's clearly getting agitated by the conversation. He knows what you're talking about, but he's still refusing to admit it. He seems to be getting nervous because he doesn't fully know what you're thinking or where this is going.

you give him a small smile, "nothing Tom, I just don't want you hurting yourself. I care a lot about you," you said, gently snuggling close to him.

His face seems to soften again as you say this. He sighs deeply and stares at the floor for a moment before he reaches forward and takes your hand. He squeezes your hand gently before he brings it to his mouth and gives you a soft little kiss on your knuckles. "Thank you." He says quietly with a small smile. "That means a lot to me, especially coming from you. I care a lot about you too, in case you couldn't tell." He smiles again, though you can tell this smile is a bit more genuine than the last, and a slight blush graces his cheeks.

"I....."You look at him with love. "You need to tell me, Tom...... I don't want you going to......."You press a kiss to his forehead, not wanting to finish your sentence.

He seems to think about it for a moment. "Well..." he starts slowly. "I don't know if you're ready to hear the truth..." He closes his eyes. "But if you really want to know..." He takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, his emerald stare piercing into you as he speaks. This is the truth he's been hiding from you, and you get the feeling there's something very dark and sinister on his mind. "You're right... I do have a dark side..."

You have a look of worry on your face, but gently stroke his cheek, "and what is this dark side, Tom?"

His face hardens, and his eyes narrow again. You can tell he's uncomfortable talking about this, but he wants to tell you so you can understand him better. He hesitates for a moment before speaking, and he's almost hesitant in his response. "Have you ever had thoughts... dark thoughts... ones that you know you shouldn't think?" His voice is soft, but his stare is piercing, as if he's staring into the very depths of your soul. "Things you know you should never do... and yet you want to do them?" He gives you another slight squeeze of your hand.

"Like violence?" You said casually.

"I had those thoughts when I was in the orphanage, and I was relentlessly bullied."

He squeezes your hand again and nods in acknowledgement. "Yes, like violence. Like violence... and worse, if that's even possible." An intense rage passes over his face for a moment, and his eyes narrow. "There is a darkness inside me, a darkness that wants to unleash itself upon the world. It's like... when I think these things... a great rage inside of me awakens, and that darkness wants out. It calls to me." He pauses once again and looks at the floor, and you can sense his intense emotions.

"Yes....I know," You lift him onto your lap and cuddle him. "We are going to make these thoughts go away, my darling!"

He leans his head back on your shoulder and closes his eyes, a small smile on his lips as your arms wrap around him. "What if I'm too far gone?" He asks, his voice soft and almost gentle again. "How do you know the darkness won't one day take me over?" He whispers the next part. "I... I haven't done anything bad yet, but what if one day... what if I can't stop myself and I hurt someone?" He looks at you anxiously, trying to gauge how you'll react to the heavy truth he just confessed.

You don't respond and just press a kiss to his forehead.

His face softens. "Please tell me..." he says quietly. "Please be honest with me and tell me that you think I'm not a monster. I am... terrified of myself. I want to be loved, and I want to love, but not like this..." he says, almost in tears. It's rare to see him show such a vulnerable side of himself. "Is there... can we beat this darkness? Can I be someone I'm proud of? Someone that you could... love still?" His voice breaks at the last part.

"We will beat this darkness, Tom, and I will always look out for you. Im more than just your professor and mentor. I'm your guardian."

A wave of relief instantly washes over him. He sighs deeply and closes his eyes, pressing his face into your shoulder. "Thank you..." he whispers before he reaches up and gently takes your face into his hands, brushing your cheek with his thumb. "I can't even express how much that means to me." His voice is sincere, and he looks at you seriously. "You don't know how much I need that... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hopefully, you never have to worry about that. I think it's getting quite late, Tom. I think you should head up to bed."

He nods and stands up before quickly bending down and giving you a small kiss on the cheek. "Thank you once again." He smiles softly, and you feel yourself blushing a little despite yourself. "But I think you're right... it is getting a bit late. I guess I shall be off to bed then. Are you sure you're alright... that you don't want anything? Would you like me to walk you back to your quarters by any chance?" He gives you one last, genuine smile. "It was nice talking to you tonight."

"No darling, you go to sleep. It's been quite an emotional day for you, Tom."

His face softens once again. "Yeah... you're right, it was." He looks at you for a moment before he starts walking away. He pauses near the door and turns around with that same small smile on his face. He gives you one last wink, and then he turns around and walks out the door, waving behind him as he goes. "Good night."

It had been a few weeks into summer. Tom was excelling in your apprenticeship, and you even introduced him to the minister of magic. You and Tom had become really close. You saw him as a son.

He has truly become a great wizard over the past few weeks, and he's really impressed the minister with his skill and knowledge. You've become his personal mentor and guardian, and you feel a strong bond growing between both of you. You've been teaching him more than school lessons... you've also been teaching him life lessons, the ones that can't be taught in books. You feel good about the role you play in his life, and you think that you're beginning to gain something else from this... love.

You had managed to convince Dumbeldore with the force of the ministry to allow you to adopt Tom and become his parent, you had the adoption certificate and wanted to give it to him after the ice cream you bought for dessert.

He walks into the kitchen and smiles as you give him his adoption certificate. His eyes seem to light up as he reads it. "Wow..." He says after taking a moment to look at the certificate, then he looks at you and smiles. "You really... adopted me?" He seems speechless, almost tearing up. "I- I don't even know what to say... I can't explain how happy I am right now." He walks over and hugs you tightly, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Thank you so much. I... I really can't even express how much this means to me."

"I love you, Tom. I want you to become my son!"

He smiles softly at you. "I love you too, and I... I want nothing more than... to be your son." His smile grows. "I can't believe I actually have a family now. This is... it's like a dream come true." He wraps his arms around you again and presses a soft kiss to your cheek. "I can't thank you enough. What... what does this mean? Are we all official now? Is it official?" His smile is almost contagious now.

You giggle. "Well, I need you to sign your name on the certificate!"

He giggles too and signs the adoption certificate. "There we go... It's all official now. That makes me very happy." he says, his smile growing even more. "I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life, to be honest." he looks into your eyes. "I'm just so thankful for what you did for me. You've changed my life... and I intend to make you proud for being my parent."

The End

#tom riddle headcanon #tom riddle angst #tom riddle #tom riddle x you #tom riddle x oc #harry potter x reader #tom riddle x reader #tom riddle x y/n #good tom riddle

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matan4il · 6 months

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Finally, someone sane on this website about the Israeli/Hamas war! The amount of people I have had to unfollow who have reblogged posts about how “Israel is committing genocide” has made me sick to my stomach. And of course, they’re silent about how Hamas is massacring Israelis. I imagine most of them are just ignorant instead of anti-Semitic, but of course that is no excuse for spreading the lies perpetrated by people who want there to be a second Holocaust. I genuinely don’t understand—Hamas isn’t keeping it a secret that they want to kill Jews. It’s in their founding charter!

In any case, I am very thankful for your blog!

Hi Nonnie! I'm so thankful to YOU! I'm really glad my blog can help, and appreciate that you told me it does! *hugs*

I have no doubt that there are a lot of sane people out there. There's a lot of people horrified by what Hamas has done. They're just not vocal about it, because they feel like expressing themselves in regards to the Israeli-Arab conflict is like stepping into the firing line. The issue is... why don't people spewing hate against Israel feel that way? That's the problem, that their hate-driven narrative has become common enough on this site to seem acceptable, when it absolutely is not. There is NO justification for massacre. Full stop.

Then there's some really wonderful people, mostly Jews, and a couple of Israelis, who do post regularly about this. If you follow the reblog chain, you can find a lot of excellent posts. They're just sadly not being widely circulated, so these voices get drowned out.

And then there are also some amazing allies, some really incredible people, who have been there for their Jewish friends. They reach out, they try to help, they reblog whenever they can. They deserve a lot of love, especially on a toxic site like this.

As for those spreading the hateful posts justifying the massacre of over 1,400 innocent people... I'm sure at least some of them truly are uninformed. The issue is... how informed do you need to be to understand that killing babies and raping teenage girls is wrong!? That nothing can make it morally acceptable? But even before Oct 7, I would say that the test for these people is whether they're willing to listen. When Jews point out that we're actually native to Israel, are they willing to hear us out? Take the time to look up our history? Are they willing to learn about the persecution of Jews before the establishment of Israel? Or do they double down on a narrative that frames Palestinians as victims, and only victims, and Israelis as villains, and only villains, without any room for complexity?

To me, that's what separates the uninformed from the antisemitic. Because if you're not antisemitic, then you should care about Jews enough to listen to us, as we point out lies and distortions being told about us. If you don't have the resources to study the history of the conflict in depth? Fair enough, but then don't actively participate in spreading lies that harm Jews. If you can't do either one of these...

Sorry for the length, lovely! I hope you're okay, and taking care of yourself. And that this blog continues to help you! xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

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danpuff-ao3 · 8 months

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Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💙

Oooh, thanks for passing this to me, Lizzy! 😄 Let's see....100 fics, how to choose 5? 🤔 Well all know #1 already, don't we? 😂 So I'll take a leaf out of Lizzy's book and do a countdown to 1!

5.) A Matter of Time

Harry/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 3,686. Written for Snarry Adopt-a-Prompt 2022. Features reverse chronology and alternating POVs! Also: ambiguous/open ending (my love!) It feels like the Snarry of my youth, that angsty and spicy student/teacher, and some good old fashioned tragedy! I really feel like I pulled the thing off with this one! (What is said "thing"? Who knows.) Also, not to pat myself on the back but...that final line? Ouch.

4.) Cruel Summer

Harry/Sirius. Rated: E. Words: 5,445. Minor Harry/Severus. Written for HP Chan Fest 2022-2023. Features gorgeous art by @mrviran. It's a fic I've had floating around my noggin' for a few years but finally felt the call to write for Chan Fest! Our two beloved, troubled boys (Harry and Sirius) live together post PoA, and sees them through plenty of dysfunction, manipulation, and other problematic content 🤭 They have a very complicated (and angsty!) connection and I am so so pleased with how it came out! It's very bit as spicy, sad, and twisted as I'd hoped!

3.) The Curse of Anteros

Harry/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 52,566. Written for Snarry Bang 2023. Inspired by an episode of Charmed called "Magic Hour" (which itself was inspired by a movie called Ladyhawke). This is another idea I've long wanted to write, but never knew how to write it until now. Curses, fairytales, magical animals, true love!! Begins with student/teacher and carries on through time to old men Snarry!!!! This fic really grew way out of control and I'm so glad it did. It feels like...a "proper" story, if that makes sense? Actual plot! Novel length! Who am I even???? Anyway I'm stupidly proud of this one. Also: ART BY MRVILLAIN AGAIN, MY BELOVED TEAMMATE, I'M OBSESSED. Like...idk I'm blown away. Which sounds bad cuz this is my story, but I don't care. This is genuinely a story that not only was I so pumped to create, but one that I'd have LOVED to read as a reader! Had someone else written this I'd have lost my mind reading it. I hate saying that, it sounds so arrogant, but I don't care, I'm losing my mind over this one. I wrote it in like 2 weeks!!!! This fic POURED out of me! And I love it!

2.) Collateral Damage

Draco/Ron. Rated: E. Words: 16,071. Written for Ron-Draco Fest 2021. The first draft of this got to like 10k before I had to scrap it and start totally over. Somehow the original opening kept winding down the wrong path. So finally after fighting with it for way too long (and only 2 weeks to go until it was due), I gave it up and tried again. Decided: "hey, let's open with porn and see what happens." Well...That worked. That did it. All I needed was to open with a BJ for magic to happen, who knew? I ended up with a story I was super jazzed about, and to my great surprise (and pleasure!) others loved it, too!!

1.) Contempt | Devotion

Harry/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 20,400 | 25,843. Written for Snarry-a-Thon 2022 and 2023. This one's cheating a bit since it's technically 2 fics, but it's also the same story in different POVs so...it kinda counts, right? Also I know people have told me they liked Devotion more but I can't help but admit that Contempt itself still holds the top spot in my heart! And while I think say The Curse of Anteros is a better overall story, I don't think any fic ever will top Contempt. I mean, never say never, but Contempt is the story of dreams. It's my heart and soul. It's the Snarry I've always wanted to write. The story, the dynamic, the characterizations, everything. It's everything I've wanted in a Snarry since I first began reading Snarry 20 years ago. Like...I have no words to express just how meaningful this work is to me. This is literally the culmination of all of my Snarry feels. I dragged this story out of my gut. I pulled it out of my skin and wrote it in my blood. That's how connected I am to this work. (Wow that sounds really dramatic but also...true.)

Genuinely I was so cared people would hate it, but I wrote it anyway because I needed it and I loved it. I'm very glad to say that plenty of others love it with me! And this is another one @mrviran offered love to in the form of a podfic! (Plus cover art!) I'm fully obsessed with the podfic (AND ART!) and I get all teary eyed when I think about it, that my dear friend worked so hard to bring more life to my baby. 🥹

Kinda funny how my favorite works (and what i consider some of my best works) were all for fests. Fests really do inspire me, even if they make me want to pull my hair out. 😂

Also is it cheating to give honorary mentions to Lover Boy at Play, In My Veins (In My Blood), Orange Blossoms, Teardrop in Your Palm, and Black Skies? 👀

#self recs #snarry #dron #sirry #favorites #top 5 #self love #positivity post

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