Me: Wouldn't it be fun to wait to post this in the summer so you can say happy Christmas in July for once? Also me: that's a terrible joke. Just publish the thing.
Apologies for publishing in 2 parts. I'm not trying to drag it out I'm just aware this is the length of 2 episodes, reddit will only allow me 20 pics per post, and there's just too much going on for our beloved idiot in this one, so. I'm pacing myself.
It's not Christmas in July, it's Christmas 1919 at Downton and I spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering if Mr Fellowes really wants me to believe that the Crawleys decorated the Goliath of Christmas trees themselves (they didn't, but I like that Mary was sipping her tea and offering her view on things. Queen👑 ).
Plus, the setup for this episode intro had an actual checklist:
Tree? Check
Family arriving? Check
Violet judging this year's Christmas cards and looking for the contenders for worst cards of the year (they judge them on both content, and actual card)? Check
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Anna gets a gold heart brooch from Mary and Mrs Hughes is as excited about it as she is. Also, I can see the inspo for the entire Anna/Mary tag on AO3 right here. And Mrs Hughes ships it.
Just kidding, Bates is in prison, and we're all very sad.
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Carlisle is wondering why the Crawleys are being kind to their servants by letting them have some time off at lunchtime on Christmas Day, and I'm wondering if anyone (namely, us, the viewers) is supposed to be surprised by his behaviour.
I mean, blackmailing Lavinia just because? Blackmailing Mary into an engagement with him? Trying to manipulate Anna and Carson? Being physically abusive to Mary, and trying to control her life and behaviour? Bringing Lavinia back to "sacrifice" her to a lifetime as Matthew's nurse, so Mary won't spend that much time with Matthew (not because there was something off about that, just that Carlisle didn't want her to)?
He is an asshole. He was an asshole. He will always be an asshole. Glad we're finally all on the same page.
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Matthew and Mary are exchanging presents behind Robert's head in one scene and I'm very upset by it. Please, if anyone has any ideas, submit what you think they got each other for Christmas.
If you need any inspiration, here's what people would buy each other as presents in the 1920s according to the British Newspaper Archives:
Lots of cigarette paraphernalia Cocktails Banjos PENCILS Dance Frocks Shaving Kits Vacuum Cleaners
Keep that list in mind if you're disappointed with your presents next year.
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Matthew got a telephone call telling him that Mr Swire is very ill, and he will got to London to visit him. Mary gives him some condolences and he says "I'm sorry if I'm casting a gloom". I have a feeling the poor man had been pretty depressed for quite long, probably perked up a bit for Christmas and thought he was bringing the mood down again, but Mary responds with compassion. Oh Matthew.
Carlisle saw Mary go after Matthew in the hall, to ask about Mr Swire, and literally took his newspaper with him and followed her out there because that's completely normal behaviour. Just picture the ridiculousness of it: Mary and Matthew talking about Mr Swire and Bates' trial, romantic themes that they are, and Carlisle is so annoyed by it he's standing there in the background. Reading a newspaper, just to make sure they know he's still around (who could forget, mate).
Also, Mary saying she'll attend Bates' trial to support Anna, and Matthew immediately going "Would you like me to go with you?". Because of course he wants to support Mary in all things.
And this is Matthew's first villainous act for the episode: He asks Carlisle "or will YOU do that?" as in, since you're here, will you be supporting Mary in this endeavour.
Of course he isn't. Carlisle could never understand the concept of being there as emotional support for a Servant. He can't even understand why one would give a servant a few hours off on Christmas Day.
And just like that, Matthew scores one point in showcasing that Carlisle is a waste of space.
Matthew's Villainy points so far: 1
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Btw, Matthew has a few sets of looks reserved for Carlisle: Derision, derision, and more derision.
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They're playing charades (aka The Game), Mary is mimicking falling down, Matthew has a front row seat to it, and they're not playing on the same team so she can't rely on him to guess. Which means he can sit back and have the time of his life.
Carlisle complains about not liking the game and I'm left to wonder why he wanted that life so much since he could find nothing to enjoy in it.
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Mary IS still trying with him, however. He complains again on New Years Eve about the servants having some time off, and she reasons that it only happens twice a year, and he complains again that she doesn't understand because she didn't have to work for what she has.
Fellowes finally does the work on these two. I was having a conversation with another user recently, who was wondering why Mary picked Carlisle when she could have picked someone like Evelyn Napier.
Let's forget the Pamuk Scandal for a moment. Mary clearly wanted something more other than a traditional marriage. When we meet her, she's 21. She already has a husband in her pocket, if all she wanted was a position in society and a title, she'd have already been married to Patrick in 1912. But clearly, she wanted more out of life than to be someone's wife.
She wanted love, and she wanted to have something to do, whatever that was. She would have found both in Matthew, if things hadn't gone to complete shit, so why not consider Carlisle (back when he seemed normal)?
He was a working, self-made man, so he was interesting to her. He wasn't the run-of-the-mill rich boy she'd been exposed to her entire life, and if she married him she'd have a job in establishing him in London society and helping him build his empire. She'd Work, in short. She'd be allowed to use her brain.
But they don't match. At all. He offered her a marriage of convenience, and then was upset that she loved someone else, when Carlisle never offered her love in the first place. She wanted to be able to go about her life, he wanted her under his thumb to do his bidding. She was raised to have a certain respect for other people (e.g. the servants in the house), he thought that because he had money he could do whatever the fuck he wanted.
In short, they don't work together. Not even taking into account he was blackmailing her with a scandal, and Matthew was off stage left being Villainous (according to Carlisle. Villain, Perseus, it's all a matter of perspective.)
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I love how they contrast Carlisle's ruthlessness with Matthew's compassion (and look how she looks up to him). Because Matthew is also a working man, but he's kind. And even though he didn't have any connection to mr Swire anymore, he stood by him in his hour of need, to the bitter end.
Speaking of contrasting Carlisle's assholery to Matthew:
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Rosamund's WhatsHisFace of a suitor points out there's only three women following the shoot, and they should divide their time between the men taking part in said shoot (God forbid women are not around to entertain these assholes gents). Carlisle immediately rebuffs him before Mary can get a word in, saying "Lady Mary will stand by ME". Mary is about to, very politely, put him in his place, when Matthew comes in for his second act of Villainy so far, saying "I thought you said you'd stand by me for the first shoot, isn't that what you said?"
He doesn't push her to go with him, he's just giving her an exit plan. So that Mary doesn't have to bring herself in an awkward position in front of all those people, to defend her right to an opinion. And Mary takes it. Of course she does. She can show Carlisle he doesn't get to dictate what she does, and do so in a way that doesn't create gossip.
Matthew's Villainy points so far: 2
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Look how he looks at her. He's so happy she took him up on it. Whatever else happened beyond this, they were friends. He cared for her, and she cared for him. And he has her back here, and she accepted it, so easily. And that made him happy (and so, so smug. A true Villain).
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She loves how un-selfconscious he is. She's always loved it, all those years ago at the flower show when he'd mock himself for her benefit, to make her laugh. He does it here still but now she's not surprised by it, just endlessly fond. Dozens of men spent years showing off their (probably mediocre) skills, to win her favour, and of course she'd fall for the guy who was just being honest. Mary likes honesty, she never got much of it. Her world is a show of mirrors where nothing is what it seems, and it must have been so refreshing to be with someone who was exactly what he showed the world. It's only sad that it took her so long to realise that just as she loved him for who he was, he'd do the same. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
"He does rather beg to be teased" - this asshole has been deliberately messing with Carlisle for ages, hasn't he. I've only counted 2 Villainy points, but I bet he earned himself dozens before. Whenever he'd get pissed off at something Carlisle said he'd just whisk Mary away, just to show him that he could, even if Carlisle was the fiance, Matthew was still an important person in her life, and he'd always be, and he made sure Carlisle knew that (and took great, great enjoyment in it).
Mary: The awful truth is, he’s starting to get on my nerves. Still, you’re not the person to burden with that.
Matthew: You’re still going to marry him, though.
Mary: Of course. Why wouldn’t I.
Matthew is not happy about this. He appears to not understand it, and I wish I could give him a a nice shake. Regardless of the information he doesn't have, Matthew, mate, it's not like she hasn't met other men. Like it or not, most of your lot back in the day belonged in the bin.
And Mary, as a high-society woman, didn't have a lot of options. She had to get married. And at least Carlisle wanted to buy Haxby, she'd be near her family, spend time in London. Before she'd have hoped to actually get some work done, within the capacity her marriage would allow her, but with things being as they are with Carlisle I think she's now hoping he'd be busy with his work and she could get on with her days and maybe not see much of him, as most couples of their class did. And that's not taking into account the actual reason why Mary thinks she absolutely Must marry Carlisle.
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Also, Matthew, let's not pretend you'd like any man she brought home. So either take a deep breath and confess some things, or get on with it.
Carlisle asks Mary why she and Matthew were laughing together. He asks "Am I never to be free of him?" and her answer is, of course not. Because, of course not. First of all, sorry to say Richard, but, they're a package deal.
I can't see either one of them giving up the other willingly, not after all this. But of course, the main thing is the aristocracy thing. He's the head of the family, you'll see A Lot of Matthew, if you and Mary get married. And Matthew has spent almost every minute of the episode so far making sure Richard knows this. One would say, he's trying to push him out (like a villain), through his sheer presence in Mary's life.
"I might understand if you let me think for a solitary minute that you preferred my company to his."
Here's another problem: He should know, this wasn't part of their terms. Of course, he's not an aristocrat, so he's not aware of how loveless marriages of convenience work, but since it WAS a loveless marriage of convenience he was offering, I wonder why THE FUCK, he demands her attention now.
Mary would perform her duty to him. She'd be the best hostess London ever saw. She'd be the pretty wife on his arm, and she'd charm his contacts, and she'd be the stepping stone for him to be accepted in aristocratic circles, and she'd give him children and hold his house. And yes, she'd love spending time with her family, and that included Matthew.
Richard is just being a petty, controlling, fuck. Because he wants more than she's willing to offer, and he wants more than what he'd originally asked. So he, can shove it.
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Richard: I’ve done everything I can to please you.
Mary: Do you mean you bought a large and rather vulgar house?
Richard: You cannot talk to me like that! What have I done to deserve it? What?!
Would you like a list of your crimes, Richard? I've posted it a bit further above.
Also, Mary. She was hoping he'd offer her an interesting life (before he turned out to be an asshole). But all he's offered so far is the same old bullshit she's been offered all her life: A big empty (emotionless) house.
A demanding husband. A life full of constraints and limitations, set to her by a husband who expects to dictate everything she does.
It's at this point that Matthew, clearly the villain of the story, shows up because he hears Richard yelling at Mary and that just won't do.
My beloved idiot covers for Richard here. And she does it because of something she said to Matthew before "He's starting to get on my nerves, but you're not the person to burden with that."
She doesn't want Matthew to feel like he has to come to her rescue. She heard him, when he told her they can't be together (many times) in the previous episodes. And she loves him, so she's let him be. She knows he's got his own troubles, that he's been through a lot, and that shows with how she watches him walk away with a fair bit of worry in her eyes. Plus, she doesn't want him to do anything for her out of obligation. She just wants them to be friends, and friends don't solve your marital (or, in this case, pre-marital) problems. They can provide comedic relief, and support, but that's about it.
And as we said, Matthew is clearly the villain of this story.
Speaking of which, Matthew interrupted Richard's yelling at Mary so, I guess that means - Matthew's Villainy points so far: 3
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Speaking of friends: Matthew will be there, for Mary (and Anna) at Bates' trial, and Mary asks to be there when he brings back Mr Swire's ashes, since the man wanted to be buried next to his daughter (who had to be buried at Downton, and not near her home in London, for maximum guilt-trip points I guess).
I love how those two care, and support each other in difficult times. It IS what friends do. Of course, Carlisle is not happy about that either. And listen, if he was in love with Mary, I'd be very understanding. I'd be telling him to cut his losses and run. I'd be empathising. But I'm like, you've been an absolute tool for years now mate, how am I supposed to see your POV, when you're basically worrying that if those two, at some point, get their heads out of their asses and realise they make a great couple, you'll lose your trophy wife you've trapped in a marriage, through sheer luck (on your end).
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Carlisle, after that entire day of watching Mary and Matthew having a nice time out with the family, pressures Mary to set a wedding date. Mary wants to wait, I guess she hopes for some godly intervention because she definitely doesn't see any other way out of her current situation, and he goes so far as to literally grab her, and in front of her family too.
I'm finally not the only one who wants to shoot him dead. Of course, Robert won't do anything about it because when has Robert ever done anything for Mary (so far), but Matthew looks tempted.
(I had to cut out poor Carson because there's too many people on this frame as it is, but shout out to him for also worriedly watching in the background).
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Matthew: Mary. Can I help?
Mary: After today, I won’t insult you by asking what you mean.
Matthew: You don’t have to marry him, you know. You don’t have to marry anyone. You’ll always have a home here as long as I’m alive.
First of all, I LOVE, that his reaction was to ignore Carlisle, run after Mary, and ask her if he can help. He's not offering to be a saviour. Mary doesn't need one of those (she does need to find that steel in her spine though). But he's offering to support her, and he says it in a way that implies he'd do pretty much anything she asked (Do you want to poison him? I'll help carry him to the pigs pen).
Second of all, Matthew, you absolute Idiot.
Mary supporting you in your grief, you supporting her with Bates' trial, that's normal friend behaviour.
You telling her she can LIVE with you forever, and so she doesn't have to Marry Any Man, is so, so dumb.
What is she going to live with you as, Matthew? Your cousin again? Where is the cousinl-y behaviour line drawn? Private dinners? Maybe with some candles and soft music? Holidays in Europe together?
Also, where is that imaginary limit you've put to your happiness with her for the sake of Lavinia's (very real, according to canon) ghost, mate?
You clearly seem happy enough to spend time with Mary, support her, laugh with her. Is it just the romance that's killing your mood?
Is it that that's the harshest punishment Matthew could imagine, spending his life next to Mary without actually spending his life WITH her, or is it that in spite of how much he wanted to suffer for his mistake, he just couldn't bring himself to cut ties entirely? Or is it that her happiness was more important than his self-imposed martyrdom, so he couldn't keep himself away and let her throw away her life for God knows what (her own mistake, is the answer, because they both like making themselves suffer for past sins. They've got A LOT in common).
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Mary: Didn’t the war teach you never to make promises? And anyway, you’re wrong. I do have to marry him.
Matthew: But why? Not to prove you’ve broken with me, surely? We know where we stand. We’ve no need for...gestures.
Mary: If I told you the reason, you’d despise me, and that I really couldn’t bear.
She makes me so sad. She's so certain she'll be ruined and kicked out of her house if the scandal ever came out.
And I get it. It was how she'd been raised. And all she's heard so far is how she's "a slut" and "damaged goods" and Mary's self-image is in tatters. She doesn't view herself as anyone worth fighting for, she doesn't want anyone else to fight for her, and she won't even fight for herself, and to me that's the saddest part of all.
She's entirely defeated, has been for a long time. This entire season. She's taken every blow and hasn't dodged them at all. Welcoming Lavinia, accepting Matthew as a friend and nothing more. Being by his side when he got injured, taking care of him and accepting his rejection without a peep. Listening to him announce his wedding and helping Lavinia plan it. Baring herself to Carlisle, giving him "the tools to destroy her", willingly, to salvage the family name, and to help Bates. And later letting Matthew call her, and himself "cursed", and walking away from it, somehow. Probably because she believes it.
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She told Carson, after Pamuk died, that "she knows what it means to be happy, but she knows she herself will never be happy" and she has proved to have embraced that sentiment, fully. Her despair back then is reflected here. Mary is not looking for happiness. She's just looking for cover. Some place where she can be sure she won't be hurt anymore.
She didn't believe that would be in a marriage with Matthew, and Matthew's strict morals so far, and his own self-hatred, have only further proven to her that she had been correct. She thinks that if Matthew can't excuse himself a kiss with a woman he loved, he won't ever excuse her having sex with a man she didn't love. And for all the unhappiness, all the cold comfort she sees in her future, she at least has his friendship. And how could she ever risk losing that? What would she be left with? Who else is there in the world, that supports her like he has? Her mother, who brought back Lavinia to push her away from Matthew? Her father? Who values the family above all else? Nothing. And no one. Just Matthew.
So she can bear Carlisle's cruelty, his moods and his demands. And she can bear the thought of living life on his arm to be paraded around London society for his benefit. But she can't bear the thought of Matthew thinking ill of her. Can't bear having him look at her the way her mother, or her sister did. And she's so honest here in her pain. She hasn't shown any of it, of the backloads of it, to anyone other than Anna, all season. But she can't keep it in now, after all that, in front of Matthew.
My poor broken child 💔
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She hears Cora yell her name and there's despair in her eyes. Even now she has family obligations to fulfil, so whatever emotional breakthrough she could have made, gets interrupted because heaven forbid she's not there for the Crawleys to play card games with.
Before I forget, Matthew goes after Mary, hoping to help her in her hour of need therefore, Matthew's Villainy points so far: 4
Matthew directs that accusatory look to Cora and I'm so proud of him for that. Cora's involvement in Mary's life has been nothing short of catastrophic. With her only saving grace being the fact that she wasn't actually willing to throw her daughter out of her house. I don't know how she gets to be so worried about the situation now, considering it's, largely, of her own making.
This whole season has been about pain and loss, in its various forms. And Mary's has been largely contained, because that's who she is, she keeps everything close to her heart, especially the things that hurt her. But it's all spilling out in this episode. There's so many things she can't contain, like Carlisle's jealousy, her own grief, at this point, after so many years. And for all those who look, it's the most obvious thing in the world, that Mary is suffering.
Well. Almost all.
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Robert calls Carlisle grabbing Mary in front of her family "an awkward moment", and calls Mary "tired" of Carlisle.
Yes, Robert. Of all the things Mary is feeling at the moment, tiredness is one of them. Not sure if it's the most obvious one, but with you I've learned to bring a small basket.
He also, unlike Matthew, doesn't respect Mary enough to go up to her and ask her if she needs anything from, idk, her father. Some help, some advice. He asks his wife to tell him if he's overlooked anything, and how is the answer to that not "Pretty much everything that's ever happened in this house".
And at this point, I will leave you, because we're half way through and I've already hit both my word, and my image limit. The first one is self-imposed, for the second one, send your grievances @ reddit.

I need some advice. My bf got a promotion at his job, it's in Pennsylvania, we currently reside in AZ. He's going to be making double of what I currently make. He wants me to go with him, he said I don't have to work if I don't want to. I have a daughter, he's willing to let me be a stay at home mother, he just wants me to cook and clean, and take care of the home. He's making it sound so easy and it makes me uncomfortable. I have about 4k in credit card debt, a new car I barely financed 10 months ago, it's a huge car payment. He says he can cover it all, but I don't think it's realistic. I currently have an amazing job here in az. My job has an employee discount for childcare so I'm paying for full time child care $200 a month, while others pay over $1,000. My child also has autism, which the job I work for is an autism therapy place, so she gets ABA therapy there. My benefits are better than most peoples I've noticed. My job is very flexible with me, I can work remotely sometimes but tend to be in office since my child is down the street in the main building where the school is at. My job said they can't offer me to work remotely in Pennsylvania due to some Tax regulations. It would be too much of a hassle for them to accommodate. I've been with them for 3 years, my career was born here, I know at some time I need to move on, I don't think I'm just that ready yet. My superiors tell me I should be confident and can easily get a higher paying job at another company as long as I don't stay in a nonprofit organization. My manager and coworkers are more than willing to write letter of recommendations for me, not sure if that's even looked at anymore for other jobs. I'm a good worker, I'm just not good with interviews and 1:1 talks. So getting a new job would definitely be rough in the interview process.
If I stay in AZ, I'll have to figure out my living arrangements, maybe getting stuck at my mom's place which is already full from my siblings. My sister is unbearable to live with. I really hate the heat here, I can't stand it, but I'm used to it so what's another couples years of it.
I guess comes down to, if I move to PA it would be out of 'love' for my bf and for the benefits of someone else paying bills while I just get to cook, clean, take care of my daughter until she's ready for public school. It just seems wrong to go for the benefits. I do appreciate my bf, he's a good guy, I just don't want to take advantage of him if It takes too long to find another job.
Very random but keeps me awake at night, idk if PA has a huge racist problem or not, I couldn't find much online. My bf and child are lightskin, but I am pretty brown, I can pass a native American with my browness. Ive never really experienced rude racism in AZ. AZ racist peeps tend to just give a look or ignore, but based from social media other places can be very mean. So I'm worried about that.
This is kinda all over the place. I'm very indecisive and just need advice from people who aren't in my biased family and friends circle.

My Sister's said before she thought our Mom was depressed years ago, my Mom acts like she can read everything about me. But neither one notices how much I'm struggling... if I'm such an open book you'd think they'd see...
I've been depressed my whole life... I've wished to die most of it... maybe no on notices because its too normal...
I was reading the other day how many people with crohn's disease (which I have) are at risk of depression and it can worsen symptoms of it and how they highly recommend screening patients regularly for depression. My doctor never asks, my specialist never asks... like the past year I've been admitted to hospital 3 times over my crohn's flaring up... yet no one stops to ask how my mental health is doing... my doctor barely listens when I talk... I doubt they'd listen if I even tried to talk about my depression or gender dysphoria...
I tried to get a reaction out of my family by starting to wear leggings and no one said anything... my Mom has seen that I wear girls underwear on more than one occasion in the hospital, she never says anything... I can be crying by myself and if someone comes home I can quickly dry my tears and no one will notice... my Sisters caught me before when we were young wearing one of her old bras...
If they understand me so well you'd think they'd see... I've always wished to be a girl... my Mom especially knows how hard it is for me to reach out, she knows even the smallest peep is a desperate cry... but even still no one notices...
It just feels like no one cares... no matter how bad things get no one stops to ask if I'm okay... if I'm as easy to read as they say then they know I'm not and just chose to do nothing about it... meaning they don't really care...
I don't know... I have no idea what to do anymore...

mentions of: hospital/medical, death, grief, general unwellness
25 days ago i took my mother to the hospital. in that time she nearly died and had two surgeries. no one thought to tell me and made decisions on what would be best for me i without my input, like housing the new puppy at my sisters place. During her stay and even now it has not escaped me her strange sense of needing ME SPECIFICALLY to do certain things. Maybe someone would move faster then me or something and its "no I asked HER to do it" i'm not even a her and she's denied this for a while but I digress. even yesterday my older sister told her "stop calling her for things. you have me. she has to get ready for school." I am extremely attached to my mother. Even though she has abused me all my life i've always been especially defensive of her when she's sick or otherwise not herself. Even so, it was kind of hard to see how much everyone cared about her almost dying when the same almost happened to me 8 months ago. 8 months ago I had a blood clot by/in my lungs. I caught it early, but had I listened to her I would have been dead. She faught me every step of the way when I begged to go to the hospital. "why don't you take tylenol" "drink this" "aybe it's because you" ultimately, I had to admit myself, and later then I had reported and begun to cry about the pain, because my deceased (11/17/23. 5 months ago) 13 year old sister had seizure studies for her sudden onset seizures at the time. BOTH of my parents were in the SAME hospital and that this point i'd only been 18 for like a month and was holding my insurance card for the first time in my life and as far as i can remember being admitted to the hospital for a serious thing for the first time and neither of them visited me until much later. When my mom was admitted I stayed by her side, i held her spitcup despite my rampant ocd. i held her insurance card. My dad wasnt really there because he thought she'd been in and out. I ONLY left when she told me I could to get food cause i HADNT EATEN YET. I haven't complained a lick and have gone the extra mile to clean her deep clean her spit bucket I haven't said a goddamn word that I can't bring myself to eat or drink hours after i've wiped the shit out of my disabled sisters ass (i forced myself to drink a cup of water this morning and i was just disgusted and my brain kept going "poop water there are poop particles in this water its in all the water"). I haven't made a peep about how I can't sleep. I've been on hand and knee for a woman who abused me my whole life until I made a series of reports and i've been pushing through all of my own personal ailments and mental conditions to provide her and my sister care to the best of my abilities. I am angry, I am exhausted, I am sad, I am grieving, I am a mess and i needed to let this out

25 days ago i took my mother to the hospital. in that time she nearly died and had two surgeries. no one thought to tell me and made decisions on what would be best for me i without my input, like housing the new puppy at my sisters place. During her stay and even now it has not escaped me her strange sense of needing ME SPECIFICALLY to do certain things. Maybe someone would move faster then me or something and its "no I asked HER to do it" i'm not even a her and she's denied this for a while but I digress. even yesterday my older sister told her "stop calling her for things. you have me. she has to get ready for school." I am extremely attached to my mother. Even though she has abused me all my life i've always been especially defensive of her when she's sick or otherwise not herself. Even so, it was kind of hard to see how much everyone cared about her almost dying when the same almost happened to me 8 months ago. 8 months ago I had a blood clot by/in my lungs. I caught it early, but had I listened to her I would have been dead. She faught me every step of the way when I begged to go to the hospital. "why don't you take tylenol" "drink this" "aybe it's because you" ultimately, I had to admit myself, and later then I had reported and begun to cry about the pain, because my deceased (11/17/23. 5 months ago) 13 year old sister had seizure studies for her sudden onset seizures at the time. BOTH of my parents were in the SAME hospital and that this point i'd only been 18 for like a month and was holding my insurance card for the first time in my life and as far as i can remember being admitted to the hospital for a serious thing for the first time and neither of them visited me until much later. When my mom was admitted I stayed by her side, i held her spitcup despite my rampant ocd. i held her insurance card. My dad wasnt really there because he thought she'd been in and out. I ONLY left when she told me I could to get food cause i HADNT EATEN YET. I haven't complained a lick and have gone the extra mile to clean her deep clean her spit bucket I haven't said a goddamn word that I can't bring myself to eat or drink hours after i've wiped the shit out of my disabled sisters ass (i forced myself to drink a cup of water this morning and i was just disgusted and my brain kept going "poop water there are poop particles in this water its in all the water"). I haven't made a peep about how I can't sleep. I've been on hand and knee for a woman who abused me my whole life until I made a series of reports and i've been pushing through all of my own personal ailments and mental conditions to provide her and my sister care to the best of my abilities. I am angry, I am exhausted, I am sad, I am grieving, I am a mess and i needed to let this out

Slutty Sister Has Her Brother Locked For Life (non-con, forced chastity, bondage, punishment)
Part 1
The keyholder nurse gave me instructions and explained everything after it was all over. My family had told me that I was a sex pervert and I was "being dealt with". I knew I was in trouble, but I was a young man, only 18 and I didn't understand what was going on. No one had told me anything after the hearing.
Mom drove me to an odd building, led me to a secure room and left. A young nurse told me to undress. I was totally naked. An older woman in scrubs and a man entered. They strapped my arms and legs down to a cold steel table. The nurse offered the woman a syringe, but she declined and said "No, I want this creep to feel it".
It all started a month ago. I lived with my mom and sister, dad was gone. My sister was 19, with a tight body and medium sized, perky tits. Mom was thick, curvy, with giant tits. Both recently got their naval's pierced with matching studs. Neither had boyfriends, but they were very promiscuous. We lived in a mobile home with thin walls, so I could hear them getting fucked often.
I made some mistakes. First, my sister caught me peeping on her in the shower and told mom. Then, two of her "friends" came over for sex. They took turns on her. She got very loud. After they left, I went in her room. She covered herself, but I saw her pussy and stomach first. There were small puddles of cum around her pantyline, and some more of it leaking out of her. I told her I was still a virgin and asked if I could "go next" on her. She yelled "get out" and told mom when she got home from work.
The third incident was more serious they said. Mom would sometimes drink and pass out. I'd never felt tits before and hers were so enticing. She had some drinks and went to bed. I snuck in. She was asleep, uncovered, wearing a gown. I grabbed her heaving boobs. Then I took one of my hands off her chest and pulled the gown above her waist, exposing her. I slid my hand between her legs and rubbed her pussy. She woke up and caught me. She was pissed. The next day my sister told me they had turned me in and there would be a hearing.
So I knew why I was on the metal table, but I didn't know what was next. I couldn't see, there was a drape at my waist. It started with gloves and cold metal on my genitals, then clamping, pinching, pulling, and eventually a sharp puncturing pain near my balls. I begged them to stop, but they did it 2 more times, once on my cock. Finally a metal device was brought out. I could feel it being slid on, clamped down, tightened, then locked. "All done" they said and left. The young nurse stayed behind.
She removed the drape and released the straps. I inspected the "device". My cock and balls had been fed through a steel ring that tightly encircled them at the base. It was secured to a piercing just above my taint and another at the top. My penis was locked in a tight steel "cage" with a hole at the end for pissing. The head had been pierced and a metal bar went through me as extra security. It wasn't going anywhere. The whole thing was super tight.
"What is this?" I asked.
She explained. "It's your chastity device. Your genitals have been locked up. At the hearing, your mother and sister requested that you be put in chastity. The safety council asked them how long they thought would be appropriate and both wanted you locked forever. Since the incidents involved incest, the council agreed. Your penis is locked for life. I'm your keyholder nurse. I will help with adjustments, cleanings, draining your balls, and anything else needed for chastity".
"When do I get to take off?" I said.
She answered, "You're locked forever. So you wont get to take it off. They have to keep you locked so your sister is safe and to punish you for what you did to your mom. You wont be able to have sex or force anyone. Since you can't masturbate, your balls might swell, so you will see me every other month to drain them, do a deep cleaning, and tighten your cage, if necessary.
--------------------------------XXX--------------------------------

Part 2

The room was cold. My keyholder nurse was a cute twenty-something. A name tag with "Beverly" was pinned above her perky boobs. Her scrub top was tight around her chest. I could see the shape of her breasts and her hard nipples pressing againt the fabric. I stared and my cage got tighter. She noticed and grinned slightly.
I got back to business, "Can I appeal or get parole or something? What happens next?"
She answered, "Sorry, no appeals for chastity. There is parole, but not for incest cases. What you did is considered extremely disgusting, so they deemed you a "most extreme pervert". Incest offenders get more severe penalties and no parole. I'm not supposed to be judgemental, but you're my first incest case and it sounded really awful at your hearing. It's hard to believe creeps as bad as you even exist, who rubs their own mom's pussy? This case is really bad, so I'm gonna go harder on you than my other guys. I hope it was worth it. So here's what's next...your mother and sister are entitled to a final inspection of your genitals, then you'll go directly to prison to be processed and locked up in the chastity unit."
I was confused and responded with frustration, "I can't believe this is happening to me. I just got too horny seeing the girls dressed like sluts and listening to them getting fucked all the time. After seeing my sisters cum-filled pussy, I lost control and slipped up. If she just gave me sloppy seconds, I wouldn't have done all that to mom....What do you mean prison?!?!"
She responded, bursting with excitement, "Dont worry, you'll learn your lesson! OH! I see they didn't tell you about prison yet, since you were a rush case. Chastity is just an add-on to your prison sentence as an extra penalty and to keep everyone safe. Let me look at your file to see how much time you'll serve."
Looking at her tablet, she smiled big and replied, "I've never gotten to do this before! Most guys hear about their sentence before they get to me...Ok, so they actually got you taken care of pretty good here. It got split up into multiple counts, so fortunately, they were able to put you away for a long time."
She continued, "Your sister had you convicted on two charges, one for the shower incident and one for the bedroom incident. You got two more for mom, one for groping her tits and another for going between her legs. I'll read them off...
Count 1, Incestual peeping, sentence: 1 year special confinement
Count 2, Incestual peeping with propositioning, sentence: 1.5 years special confinement
Count 3, 2nd Degree Incestual Sexual Battery, 2 years special confinement
Ok and here's the big one! For touching mom's pussy...
Count 4, 1st Dregee Incestual Sexual Battery, 4.5 years RIGOROUS confinement in the SCU-I, (Special Chastity Unit, Incest wing), with intensive perversion correction."
So you'll do nine years total, with the first four-and-a-half in the incest wing."
I was completely shocked, "Nine years!? Are you serious? What's special confinement? Am I going to regular prison or what?
Beverely explained, "Special confinement means you'll be put in the chastity unit. It's a separate level for inmates that have their genitals locked, like rapists and other perverts. It's a little different. The cells are super small, you don't get any privileges like TV, and you stay locked in your cell for 23 hours a day. But don't worry. Most of my guys are in the chastity unit. They all want out really bad, but they're fine. Some eventually leave for regular population if their sentence allows, but you'll actually just be finishing up in the main chasity unit after you're done with rigororous confinement for the first four-and-a-half. You'll start off in the incest wing".
"What is all that? I asked
Beverly explained further, "It's a big deal. That's why I got so excited when I read your sentence on count 4. It wasn't just the amount of time you got, but what'll be happening to you that makes it a heavy one. I've heard it's very extreme. Since you're my first incest case, I'm not as familiar with it, but I've heard you're basically caged up 24/7 and pretty much treated like an animal. I'm not sure if you even get a toilet or a bed. You only leave your cage once every two weeks for perversion correction, which I might get to assist with, and you'll get another device I've heard about, called the "silver bullet". I think it's an anal device? You'll learn more about that when you get there. Oh! Looks like it's time to get you ready for inspection."
The door opened as she left and two female guards entered. One had a tazer. They led me to another table. This one had wheels. I sat on the edge. One grabbed my ankles and another tried to push me on my back. I resisted, trying to spin off the table. I was immediately tazed, then sedated, imobilizing me. "This will be easier for if you just comply" she said. I was on my back again. My ankles were lifted toward my head, folding my legs over me. Thick zip ties were placed around my ankles and calfs. My hands and forearms were looped through both, then "zzzzzzzztttt", it was all cinched down tight, securing my arms to my legs. A bar was secured between my knees, keeping me exposed. Beverly came back in. One of the guards said "He's all yours hon" as they left.
"Let's get you cleaned up" Beverly said. "Your mom and sister are on their way and they're excited to see your private parts all locked up for good.
She put gloves on, then approached the table, placing one hand over my nose. I opened my mouth and she shoved a gag in and secured it around my head. "This is just a temporary gag. Your sister didn't want you talking during inspection. I believe you'll get more securely gagged and muzzled when you get to processing. I've heard the guys don't get solid food in the incest wing, you get fed a liquid diet, like that soylent stuff, that you'll take through a drinking tube in your gag. It's really amazing how good they have you incest perverts locked up over there. I can't wait to see you like that.
She started the cleaning by soaping and lathering around my crotch, exposed parts were shaved. She walked away, coming back with a tube and a bag full of fluid that she hung from a pole. The label read "Enema". Beverly explained, "Gotta clean you inside and out. First I'll get you lubed up". She grabbed a metal syring, inserted the tip in my ass, and injected me with lube. At the end of enema tube, there was a detachable nozzle with two inflatable bulbs. One was forced in my ass and both were inflated, locking it in place. I could see the tube going from the bag to inside me. I felt like I was being treated like an animal already. She turned a valve, the fluid began flowing and filled me up. She set a timer for 35 minutes, and sat on her stool, reading cosmo. After an agonizing wait, she removed the nozzle plug, allowing me to release. Finally, thank goodness. I was soaped up again and rinsed. She cleaned up the enema nozzle plug, added more lube, and shoved it back1 inside me. "Putting this back in so we dont have any potential leaks" she said, as she inflated it. She disconnected the outside end of the inflatable nozzle where it attached to the longer enema tube, clamped it off, and let go of it. I felt it bounce around as it settled. "You're all set" she exclaimed.
I was wheeled on the cart-like table through a long, busy hallway to a different room for inspection. I could feel the protruding nozzle plug in my ass flop around as the cart moved. The other employees stared as I went by, a few smiled with satisfaction. How humiliating I thought. I heard murmuring. "Bitchtied pervert getting what he deserves!" one girl said angrily.
Finally in the inspection room, I waited. The door opened, Beverly entered with two blondes behind her, my mom and my sister. The two gorgeous sluts were dressed similar. My mom was wearing tight, denim, high waisted shorts that displayed her ass and curvy hips, they were pulled-up high in a way that you could see the denim tight against her twat. My sister came dressed in super short spandex yoga shorts, tight ones that lifted her already firm butt into perfection. Both wore crop tops with their stomachs and matching naval piercings exposed. Images of my sister's sloppy pussy flashed in my head, my cock and balls both swelled. I stared at their bodies and let out a loud, desperate moan as my cage grew excruciatingly tight.
Part 3 to follow...

Uncle’s In-Depth Yves Missi Scouting Report
Who's Yves Missi?
Yves Missi might just be one of the most intriguing center prospects this year. Hailing from Baylor, this 19-year-old Belgium-Cameroonian has a sports lineage that’s hard to ignore—with both parents having played for the Cameroonian national basketball team. Like Pascal Siakam, another late basketball bloomer, Missi started off playing soccer, which really shows in his fluid athleticism. Oh, and he’s also got a sister at Harvard, so you know brains run in the family.
Strengths:

• Extremely fluid
• Very Long - Reports suggest a wingspan between 7’3” and 7’5”
• Good frame should fill out; has potential to handle modern NBA centers
• Immediately one of the top athletes among big men in the league
• Pogo stick jumper; sky's the limit
• Quick first step—blazingly fast for a center
• Natural lob threat from day one
• Exceptional hands; catches almost everything thrown his way
• Intriguing off-the-dribble game; has shown crossovers, off-the-dribble drop steps, and even spin moves
• Flashes of touch around the rim shows real scoring potential
• Free throw shooting improved significantly over the season and could be a future indicator of shooting potential
• Can make basic reads as a connective playmaker
• Shows flashes of vision and passing ability, especially low post to cutters
• Ball handling good enough for trust handling the rock above the break
• Defensive length and athleticism are disruptive forces
• Great timing on blocks—future rim protector
• Potential All-Defensive team material if he adapts quickly and bulks up
• Exceptional lateral quickness; can guard guards in pinch situations
• High motor, plays with lots of emotion—clearly cares and competes hard
• Humble, smart, hardworking

Areas of Improvement:

• Needs more lower body and core strength; struggles against stronger bigs
• Vulnerable to NBA giants like Embiid and Jokic in the paint
• Tendency to bring the ball down, leading to blocks
• Concentration and timing issues; misses easy shots, causes turnovers
• Can lose control on drives; needs to polish finishing skills
• Relies on athleticism for rebounds; needs to improve boxing out
• Screening technique could use some work

NBA Comparison:
Missi's got shades of Pascal Siakam in how he moves and handles the ball, sans the shooting prowess. Defensively, he brings reminders of Clint Capela with his ability to protect the rim and switch onto smaller players.
Extra Scoop:
Peep his thoughts on catching up to basketball so late and his dreams for the NBA in this cool interview with Prospective Insight.
Check Him Out:
Game tape used to scout him: scouting video
Let's talk about this guy! What do you all think?

Who's Yves Missi?
Yves Missi might just be one of the most intriguing center prospects this year. Hailing from Baylor, this 19-year-old Belgium-Cameroonian has a sports lineage that’s hard to ignore—with both parents having played for the Cameroonian national basketball team. Like Pascal Siakam, another late basketball bloomer, Missi started off playing soccer, which really shows in his fluid athleticism. Oh, and he’s also got a sister at Harvard, so you know brains run in the family.
Strengths:

• Extremely fluid
• Very Long - Reports suggest a wingspan between 7’3” and 7’5”
• Good frame should fill out; has potential to handle modern NBA centers
• Immediately one of the top athletes among big men in the league
• Pogo stick jumper; sky's the limit
• Quick first step—blazingly fast for a center
• Natural lob threat from day one
• Exceptional hands; catches almost everything thrown his way
• Intriguing off-the-dribble game; has shown crossovers, off-the-dribble drop steps, and even spin moves
• Flashes of touch around the rim shows real scoring potential
• Free throw shooting improved significantly over the season and could be a future indicator of shooting potential
• Can make basic reads as a connective playmaker
• Shows flashes of vision and passing ability, especially low post to cutters
• Ball handling good enough for trust handling the rock above the break
• Defensive length and athleticism are disruptive forces
• Great timing on blocks—future rim protector
• Potential All-Defensive team material if he adapts quickly and bulks up
• Exceptional lateral quickness; can guard guards in pinch situations
• High motor, plays with lots of emotion—clearly cares and competes hard
• Humble, smart, hardworking

Areas of Improvement:

• Needs more lower body and core strength; struggles against stronger bigs
• Vulnerable to NBA giants like Embiid and Jokic in the paint
• Tendency to bring the ball down, leading to blocks
• Concentration and timing issues; misses easy shots, causes turnovers
• Can lose control on drives; needs to polish finishing skills
• Relies on athleticism for rebounds; needs to improve boxing out
• Screening technique could use some work

NBA Comparison:
Missi's got shades of Pascal Siakam in how he moves and handles the ball, sans the shooting prowess. Defensively, he brings reminders of Clint Capela with his ability to protect the rim and switch onto smaller players.
Extra Scoop:
Peep his thoughts on catching up to basketball so late and his dreams for the NBA in this cool interview with Prospective Insight.
Check Him Out:
Game tape used to scout him: scouting video
Let's talk about this guy! What do you all think?

Mrs Appleton was a vision.
I heard my father say that once. Mum thumped his arm, branding him with a territorial stamp of disapproval. And then she surveyed our lounging neighbour with a squint, sealing her lips into a thin, firm line. I was only eleven years old, but I could tell that my mum agreed with my dad. That was why she reacted so ferociously. I hadn’t experienced much of the world, but even I understood that Mrs Appleton was unusually alluring.
“I wouldn’t risk wetting your hose over there,” Mum said, rolling her eyes. “Not if you want to keep it.”
My father snorted, and I stared blankly. I had no idea what my mother meant.
“I don’t think she’d look twice at me,” Dad chuckled.
“Oh, so you’re settling for me? Someone more attainable?” Mum asked.
My father awkwardly searched for a ladder out of a self-dug hole.
“I, er, meant that she’s… too young,” He coughed.
“Right. Well, she’s an exhibitionist,” My mum scowled. “I mean… Look at the time! It’s nine o’clock in the evening. Our children are about to go to bed. Meanwhile, she’s posing on her front lawn in a skimpy swimsuit. Showcasing herself like a spring sale at H&M.”
“She must be getting cold out there,” Dad said.
“Aw, do you think so? Go and warm her up, sweetie,” My mum pouted, leaving the room.
Dad sighed, turning his attention to me with a despairing grin. He placed a hand on my shoulder and patted it lightly.
“Be wiser with your mouth than me, son,” He said. “That’s the only piece of advice this moron has to give.”
It was a piece of advice that would save me from a horror I still don’t understand.
I remember the first time Mrs Appleton saw me. Saw me seeing her. I was peeping out of my bedroom window. Must’ve been around midnight. I told myself that I was simply curious about how long my neighbour would stay on her front lawn. But the truth was that I simply felt unable to peel my eyes away. I’d never felt such a bewildering mixture of lust and fear.
The latter emotion only strengthened when the spectacular woman looked up at me and smiled.
It was not a slow, measured motion. It was a snap of unnatural speed. A movement that led my neighbour’s eyes to lock onto mine with such precision that I knew she’d been aware of my gaze for a long time. She smiled, begging me to do something. Pleading with her eyes. I internally shrieked, drew the curtains, and leapt into bed.
In spite of that awful moment, I didn't understand my mother’s resentment towards the new neighbour. At the time, I didn’t mind Mrs Appleton.
That's too non-committal. I loved her — loved how popular she made me. When my best pal, Jason, noticed Mrs Appleton on her front lawn during a sleepover, word soon spread around school. I had friends before the young woman moved to our street, but I certainly gained friends.
Before long, hormonal boys made pilgrimages to my house. They were desperate to see the half-nude woman on the street, and I was desperate for an elevated social status. When their parents arrived to pick them up, however, the sun would still be hanging in the sky, and Mrs Appleton would not have emerged. My new friends would begrudgingly go home, and I’d feel my credibility slipping away.
So, after relentless pestering, I agreed to let a couple of boys join Jason and me at one of our monthly sleepovers.
“This has been a revolving door of visitors recently,” My mum frowned, standing in the doorway to my bedroom with suspicious hands on her hips.
My older sister, Gemma grinned over her shoulder. “What do you think, Mum? Do you reckon Dean has suddenly become super popular?”
I narrowed my eyes at Gemma, willing her not to tell our mother why so many boys were so interested in spending the night at our house. When Mum disappeared to make dinner, I let my sister have it.
“Stop being such a donkey,” I growled.
“Don’t you kids know about porn?” Gemma snorted. “How embarrassing. Enjoy your evening of creeping, losers.”
My sister ducked, dodging an airborne plushie I launched at her head, and she muttered something about counting the days until university. We all breathed a sigh of relief when she shut the door behind her.
“Y’know, Dean… Your sister’s pretty hot too,” Bowen said.
“Don’t be gross, man,” I replied. “We’re here for the sexy night lady.”
“Night lady? I think my dad likes those. That’s why Mum and him aren’t together anymore, apparently,” Isaac said.
“I’ve never seen a girl do this!” Bowen gasped, pressing a pair of binoculars against the window pane. “She’s just come outside, guys!”
“You brought binoculars?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, bro,” Jason apologised on Bowen’s behalf. “I shouldn’t have told ‘em.”
I shrugged. “S’all right. I get it. She’s fit.”
“She’s really fit,” Bowen qualified. “But what is she… doing?”
Isaac squinted out of the window. “Yeah, this is kind of weird. I didn’t really think about it when Jason told us.”
“Think about what?” I asked.
Bowen laughed. “Why she’s sunbathing at night.”
“She’s moonbathing,” I replied.
That elicited a round of laughter, and my mind bathed in a sudden surge of dopamine. A sensory overload of hormones is a dangerous state for a pre-teen. The sort of imbalance which unearths dumb, dangerous ideas.
“Why don’t we go over?” I suggested.
Jason raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Yes, Dean! Knew you were cool!” Bowen laughed. “What an idea.”
“Sounds kind of silly, mate,” Jason frowned. “Your mum and dad will see us.”
“No, they won’t, you baby!” Bowen scoffed. “Y’never crept out of your house before?”
“I just think Dean and I won’t be allowed to do sleepovers anymore,” Jason sulked.
I smiled at him. “We won’t get caught, man. Promise.”
I’d never done anything so mischievous before, but I believed that our mission would succeed. My parents were creatures of habit. They both went to bed at eleven o’clock, and my dad’s snoring betrayed them ten minutes later. We assumed they were asleep. There was a slight chance, I suppose, that my mother might’ve still been awake.
After all of these years, I wish she had been. She would’ve stopped us.
After tiptoeing downstairs, we slipped into the back garden. The front door would’ve been too creaky, and the back door stood at the other end of the house — farther from my parents’ upstairs bedroom than the main door, so less chance of being heard.
The night felt light. It felt too light, as if we might float away. It lacked any temperature, and it hung in stasis. There was not a breeze to be felt, but somehow the air did not cling to my skin. And the moon above, a perfect crescent, shone dimly in the clear sky. That was odd, given it was not concealed by clouds.
“We’re not actually gonna talk to Mrs Appleton, are we?” Jason asked.
“Course not, dimwit!” Bowen laughed. “We don’t want her to tell. We’ll just spy on her.”
“Don’t be mean, Bowen,” I snapped as we skulked around the side of my home.
The boy rolled his eyes in response, but said nothing as we trudged onwards.
“I hope she still looks hot when we get closer,” Isaac whispered.
I inched the garden gate open, wincing as it uttered a meek groan. It was too quiet for my parents to hear, but I suddenly realised we had to think about other neighbours who might spot us. There were so many variables I hadn’t considered. Some variables are so terrible that I wouldn’t have ever considered them.
The four of us formed a line behind the tall hedge at the edge of my parents’ property, and then we peeked over the top. I would’ve used my head if I were a little older, a little wiser, and a little less besotted. I would’ve recalled the horror I felt when Mrs Appleton had spotted me a couple of months earlier. The inexplicable dread of her eyes upon my face.
However, like my friends, I simply gawped at the captivating neighbour. The blonde beauty on a folding, metal sun lounger. Donning a blue, floral, two-piece swimsuit and limply splaying her arms outwards, draping them over the edges of the lounger like loose garments.
“Did you see that?” Jason suddenly croaked.
Momentarily pulling myself out of Mrs Appleton’s hypnotic aura, I looked at my frightened friend.
“See what?” I asked.
But then I froze, mind catching up to my eyes. I was processing events in a delayed manner, backlogged by the flurry of perplexing and exhilarating thoughts filling my pre-adolescent brain.
Mrs Appleton was glowing.
Not in the figurative sense. Her flesh pulsated with a shimmering glow, as though her entire body were coated in layers of cooking oil — or a cloudy sheet of plastic wrap.
“She’s amazing…” Isaac whispered.
“Definitely hotter than Jennifer Aniston,” Bowen added.
“Are you two not seeing what Jason means?” I whispered fearfully.
“I’m seeing a sexy night lady, Dean,” Bowen giggled. “You’re so cool for telling us about this.”
I started to suggest something reasonable. “I think we should–”
Crackles interrupted me, and terror followed.
As streams of silvery mist rose from Mrs Appleton’s bare flesh, Isaac and Bowen finally fell silent. Finally wore the same whitened looks as Jason and me. But perhaps we would've been able to explain that. Perhaps, if the evening had ended there, I would’ve healed. Years down the line, I would’ve recounted that day and laughed at my childish imagination.
I’ve never been able to deny what happened next.
The woman, basking in the moonlight that drew something horrid from her skin, began to open her mouth. And once it started opening, it didn’t stop in a hurry. Her jaw dropped lower and lower, extending her black gullet far beyond the foot of her chin. A void engulfing the glow of white light from the sky above.
Isaac whimpered, and everything else happened in a couple of seconds.
Mrs Appleton’s eyes shot sharply in his direction, and the boy released a wheeze. An understanding wheeze. And when we cast our eyes in his direction, a unified line of terrified faces, our friend had vanished. Slipped out of reality entirely. With one near-silent utterance, Isaac had simply ceased to exist.
And then we cast our eyes back to my neighbour’s front lawn.
Mrs Appleton’s mouth had returned to normal. Her skin had lost its shimmer. And she was not smiling. In that moment, my lust for the woman vanished. All of the excitement and passion fled my body. In its place, only coldness remained. Only the realisation that Mrs Appleton, unnaturally beautiful, had always simply been unnatural. And I was very glad that I listened to my father. I knew when to keep my mouth closed.
Worst of all, the neighbour was staring at us. Simply standing and staring, with a sullen expression, at the three remaining boys. Three haunted boys.
We backed slowly towards my garden gate, and Mrs Appleton soundlessly watched as we did. Then, we crept back to bed, and I took one final look out of the window.
The woman was still on her front lawn. Standing and watching. Looking up at me as I closed the curtains. Her gaze refused to falter, and I rapidly drew the drapes. But that did nothing to still my mind. I knew that she was still watching.
And I believe that she could still see us.
Jason, Bowen, and I sleeplessly shivered until my mother came into the room eight hours later.
“Pulled an all-nighter, eh?” She chuckled. “You all look tired, and it serves you right. Silly boys. I’m always telling you, Dean… I… Wait, where’s Isaac?”
We never knew how to explain what happened. After all, we didn’t understand it. Still don't.
The three of us told people that we woke up to find that Isaac's sleeping bag was empty. That was it. That was all we knew.
Isaac’s father relentlessly hounded my parents for many weeks. Accused me of being a liar. I didn’t have the stomach to face him because he was right. I was lying. But he wouldn’t have believed the truth. I didn't believe it.
You might expect that Mrs Appleton would’ve moved away shortly afterwards, but she didn’t. Admittedly, fleeing might have made her a suspect in the disappearance of Isaac Longton. But that isn’t why she stayed. She isn’t a human with rational thoughts like you or me. She stayed because she knew that I knew something.
If I were to open my mouth, audibly acknowledging her true nature, then I would make the same mistake as Isaac.
And I would also disappear.

Douda minion not Nuk the other one bugging rn. I might be thinking to much but peep, Douda already complained when he said he gave shorty 30k (Bakari Sister) then she asked for more. On top of that he just gave Jake like 10-15k to invest in the clothing brand. (Mind you Douda don't fw Trig Jake is Trig's brother ik they got history but Douda cold blooded) Douda put the nigga in the baby boy Chokehold he already doesn't trust him, i feel like when he gets wind of him investing in the opps he's not gonna kill Jake cus the history but he will take his clothing brand and leave him helpless. If y'all ever seen Power it's gon be like how Ghost died mad different people having a reason to kill him and tryna execute at the same time. ( im high )

Mother’s Day. I went to sacrament meeting because I knew my wife would appreciate my company. The last speaker was on the high council. His talk was all about his mom, grandma, wife, grandma's sister...basically a thick pour of the saccharine sweetness that critics call the pedestalization of women. He compared the recent aurora borealis to the beauty and majesty of women.
My wife woke me up of a deep “church sleep” and asked if I wanted to leave during the talk. We stayed until after the prayer at my suggestion because she would get a Mother's Day gift. Closing prayer ended, we sat there another 20 seconds, got up, looked around, and slowly walked to the exit. No hint of a flower or chocolate or anything for the mothers. I don’t know if they were just late or utterly thoughtless, but this did not sit well with either of us.
The other thing that didn’t set well with me was the ward bulletin. It featured a large picture of Russell M. Nelson then not a peep about Jesus until the very bottom of the program when it mentioned the name of the Church. Jesus is the afterthought. Russell is the prize.

Mother’s Day. I went to sacrament meeting because I knew my wife would appreciate my company. The last speaker was on the high council. His talk was all about his mom, grandma, wife, grandma's sister...basically a thick pour of the saccharine sweetness that critics call the pedestalization of women. He compared the recent aurora borealis to the beauty and majesty of women.
My wife woke me up of a deep “church sleep” and asked if I wanted to leave during the talk. We stayed until after the prayer at my suggestion because she would get a Mother's Day gift. Closing prayer ended, we sat there another 20 seconds, got up, looked around, and slowly walked to the exit. No hint of a flower or chocolate or anything for the mothers. I don’t know if they were just late or utterly thoughtless, but this did not sit well with either of us.
The other thing that didn’t set well with me was the ward bulletin. It featured a large picture of Russell M. Nelson then not a peep about Jesus until the very bottom of the program when it mentioned the name of the Church. Jesus is the afterthought. Russell is the prize.
Edit: I learned that the Young Women handed out something at the entrance of the R.S. room. Apparently, this was designed to get women to commit to staying for the second hour.
Ward Bulletin of Russel v Jesus

I've always been fascinated by the supernatural and I loved reading books about anything to do with it. One day, I was at a store and I saw a book called 'teen witch', it was wrapped in plastic so I can only read the back. I read it and figured it only talked about what Wicca is, history behind it and whatnot, so I bought it. I was 14 or 15 at this time, very naive still, when I opened the book I realized not only did it talk history but it also had spells in it. I read thru the introduction and up until the spells, only a couple of pages. It explains you have to create a sacred place to do your magic and cast a protection circle, well at that time I wasn't allowed to have candles in my room so I decided, 'I don't need to do that, it'll be fine'. I was skeptical that the spells were even real, some of them just sounded outright stupid. I didn't try anything until about a week or so later. I was saving coins so I could buy a chocolate from the store, I finally saved enough and was so happy, started going downstairs when of course I dropped everything. I found the majority of it but I was missing a quarter. I looked up and down the stairs 3 times and couldn't find it, I was pissed but then I remembered there was a spell to find something that was lost. I went and got the book and read thru the spell. "Little bo peep to find lost objects" it says I would catch a fairy and it will help me find the object. I laughed and thought, yeah right. I searched the stairs one last time and decided I'm going to try the spell. I did it and searched the stairs again and it just turned up, it wasn't even hard to find, it was sitting right on the edge of one of the steps. I laughed it off and figured I just missed it the 4 times I searched and went about my business. I couldn't stop thinking about it though and decided it was pure coincidence and I needed to try another one to prove if it's real or not. I was bullied a lot in school, bothered me a little but I didn't care, I had this one friend that was cool with me until her friend came around and her attitude would change a little. (Her friend didn't like me and was somewhat of a bully and my friend wouldn't really say anything about it, just kinda went with it but since I was slightly desperate for friends so I never cared.) I decided to change that with a spelled called, 'bully frog banishing spell". I did it and the next time I saw her she was super nice to me. I was shocked. After that I tried a few more spells completely ignoring the cleansing and sacred space rules (couldn't use candles). Enough back story, here's where the real shit starts happening. One night I was awakened by my bed shaking violently, I'm a super heavy sleeper and it still woke me up. I was terrified, I started crying and texted a friend about it. I was scared to even get up. It lasted a few minutes, on and off. Like, it would shake, stop for a little, and then shake again. Once it finally stopped I was terrified and couldn't go back to sleep. Happened a few more nights over a span of a week and then I started hearing scratching from inside my closet. (My parents decided I couldn't have a closet so they had it walled over. Drywall screwed in to cover it then painted like my room but I knew the sound was coming from there. That made me happy, at least nothing was coming out of the door) Now, the scratching wasn't small little ones, oh no, it was from the top to bottom, nails running from the entirety of the door. I decided to finally tell my parents, being scared shitless at this point. They said the bed shaking was from trucks passing and the scratches are just mice. No. I knew what a truck passing felt like, the whole house shook and not just my bed, and I doubt mice would sound like nails running down a whole freaking door. I talked to a few of my friends and luckily, and I didn't even know until this point, one of my friends is a wiccan. Like, her whole family practices it and knows everything about it. She and her sister came over to my house and they cleansed my room. She also decided to check me and placed a bracelet on my arm and I swear it burned. (All her stuff is blessed in holy water) They took my hands forming a circle and chanted some stuff. I passed out and after that the bracelet didn't burn anymore. They explained to me that every spell I cast is linked to a demon or something like that and the more I cast the more powerful it can become. After the cleansing, the shaking bed stopped and there was no more scratching from the closet. You best believe I got rid of the book and never tried casting anything again but now I know for certainty that spells are real and they open dimensions into another realm. If you ever want to try anything it's fine, just don't ignore the importance of creating your sacred place and casting your protective circle. I didn't do that and that's what allowed the entity into my life, I'm just glad I had an amazing friend that knew how to help me. Who knows what would of happened if I left it be, obviously I was already slightly possessed. That bracelet burned my skin and that's something I will never forget.

Hewwo Peeps, I'm here with another version of the demo for Pride of my Heart. The process was slow and weary, but I'm happy with what I made and am letting the community see what I made. Version 2 of the Demo contains revised scripts of the original while adding another days worth of chapter 1. Although it's just another demo for you to try, the people's critique was heard and I hopefully made a great impression. I am but an solo writer and coder, so pls be nice :3. I should also start giving content disclaimer as this does and will from here on out contain sensitive subjects such as parental abuse, depression, suicide, and neglect. On the flip side this story still contains the two bubbly sisters enjoying themselves.
The download for POHM Demo V2 is here:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/vvzkm4403b6p3lv/POMH%2528beta2%2529.zip/file
I hope y'all enjoy this new demo and tell me what y'all think.
With love~,
HazelFlakes

I have two 18.5 sisters we are moving in3 weeks and I was hoping to get settled in another city to find a new vet. Peeps was on clavamox for uti and it has now reoccured. Anyone have extra ? I just paid 1500 5 months ago before I new I had to move to a new vet. I did call her she would not give me a rx without another visit. I know she has a UTi it re occurs. Between single me paying for new apartment and moving. I don't want to go back there. I will pay. Sorry if this is wrong. Tha k you ..Swtjolee@yahoo.com

Hello I’m 26M from delhi, I’m self employed and currently making on an avg 25k pm, i have so much free time in a day to overthink about my future. Now my question is how can i start generating second income in my free time Any business idea that you peeps would like to share that are feasible in the future, also my sister marriage is about to happen in March of 2025 so my current savings are going to use in the shaadi. Currently i can invest 50k and can go upto 75k if the idea looks great. Area for office/storage/working/stocking is not a problem as i have own house in delhi. Pls help your brother out

I am 17f. My parents let me go. I'm not sure if it counts as kicking me out, but they were "worried" about me and told me to pack some stuff because my friend (60f) was on her way to pick me up. And I haven't been home since. They just kind of got rid of me.
My mom is emotionally unhinged, in my opinion. I've never had a connection with her, not even as a little kid, I've never ever felt loved by her... I'm just there. I've realized as I've gotten older that I don't feel any sort of love for my parents and never have. This has affected me. It has caused a lot of distress, it makes me feel horrible, and I question myself a lot. But I know that my mom doesnt love me either and never has. She doesn't hate me, but I think she feels some sort of resentment towards me. A story for another time.
My relationship with my mother is a long story that I want to tell someone and have them hear me, I want to hear thoughts and opinions because I'm so confused, and I'm not sure what to think. However, I'm not sure there is anywhere that I can post it.
My little sister keeps me updated from time to time. A few days after I left the house, I got a text from my sister that said, "mom said she's waiting for you to give her the greenlight to start moving out your stuff. You have to say yes. " That is what my mother said openly to my sister, but I know she's not waiting for a "greenlight" from me, I don't really have a choice. They explained that they are going to pack up my room and put it in storage. I asked her how things are at the house after she told me that. She told me that I shouldn't come back home and that I'm lucky I don't have to live there anymore. My parents are very irate. Quoting some of her messages, "Mom keeps screaming and crying at everyone and dad keeps beating us up", "Mom said she's out of coping skills because of you. And she said what happened with you is why. And the amount of times she threatens to leave is crazy."
This is normal, this is how it's been even before I left. And I would like to say, I don't see myself as necessarily being a bad kid and/or emotionally draining. I don't think so, at least. My mom has already caused enough damage that I'm walking on eggshells around her. I don't drink, smoke, do drugs. I don't sneak out. I do my school, I don't ask for much at all - in fact I don't want to ask for anything at all. I am quiet, I do what I'm told- when I'm told, and I avoid her by staying in my room or outside. My mom causes so much constant stress, that it has very much made my mental health worse and it has effected me so badly.
As a teenager, I have, of course, been tempted to go out with friends and do stuff, and I have been invited. Nothing too horrible, just fun. But I would never dare. My brother did stupid teenage stuff, and she eventually knew about it but didn't really care. However, that would be the opposite for me. Not because she cares about my future, not because she cares about what Im up to, but because I have disobeyed and will need to face the consequences. I can not imagine what she'd do to me if I did anything of the sort. Even just going out with friends without asking first. She puts so much fear into me that I would never attempt anything that could possibly get me in trouble with her, to the point im constantly worrying I might get in trouble for no particular reason. It's always been that way.
What happened with me is that my deepest, darkest secret came to light. My struggle with depression and anxiety, and some other mental things. I have been struggling so much for years and never said a peep. The one time I decided to tell someone, I was tattled on, and let's just say it did not turn out good for me that night. A couple months ago I tried to end my life again. It's one of a few times, but the only one anyone found out about it. A story I'm not going to get into, but I've since been diagnosed with a couple things (MDD, anxiety, stuff like that) and I have to go to therapy and my parents dont have a choice (luckily), otherwise they just wouldn't take me.
Back to the current times. I am 17 years old, I'll be 18 later this year. I haven't lived at home for almost two months now. I am living at a friend's farm where I do a lot of work to earn my keep. My dad gives her some money to feed me. I was homeschooled most of my life. My education majorly suffered. Not because of the curriculum, but because I was left to my own devices by my mom, and I had to figure it out on my own. She never checked or graded my work. Eventually, I just started doing a few pages each quarter for my mom to turn in as work samples. And yes, I had to cheat most of the time. I've since realized that I should have also spent time doing SPED classes because I have trouble learning and understanding certain things when they are being taught in certain formats. I am not developmentally delayed. My brain just works and comprehends things differently. In my opinion, she homeschooled us, not because she wanted to, but because she didn't want to spend the time getting her kids ready for school, making sure lunches were packed, dealing with homework, grades, and teachers. I just finished school forever on April 24th, and my graduation ceremony is next Thursday. I am graduating with about 300 other students I've never seen or met any of them before in my life. My parents are going to be handing me my diploma, which just feels so icky to me. And in short, because my education suffered so much, I will never be able to go to college even if I wanted to.
I do not know how to drive, my parents have refused to teach me for 3 years now. They kept promising to take me to get my permit, so I kept studying, and that never happened. But both of them stated that they will not teach me, and my mom likes to get that point across by angerly screaming her refusal in my face. They also told me that I cannot learn to drive in their trucks... which are the only vehicles they own. We don't have a lot of transportation type things like taxis and Uber. They are basically nonexistent here. And I live so far out from town it's going to be so hard to try and have one of my older friends teach me. My mom also refused to let me work in the summer for the past three years as well, even though I desperately wanted a job. I wanted to get out of the house, and I wanted to start saving money so I'll have a little for my pets and myself when I would eventually move out. I feel like I'm being failed. My transition into adulthood is suffering. My parents are setting me up for failure. And there is nothing I can really do. Some of this stuff I can't just do on my own. Otherwise, I would have already. I don't know what to do. I don't know of any resources or anything, so as far as I'm aware, I'm on my own. I have asked for help so many times to so many people.
tl;dr - I am 17, going to be 18 this year. I think my mom is setting me up for failure. She had me move out after my struggle with depression came out. My education has majorly suffered due to her negligent but I'm still set to graduate. So here I am, almost an adult who can't pursue a higher education, doesn't know how to drive, doesn't have a permanent place to live, doesnt have a job, and I have $3.02 to my name.

HEY FELLERS I just wanted to make a positive tour discussion post, there's been a lot of goss about the lineup and while I understand peeps have their own reservations, I for one am EFFIN PSYCHED.
I am so beyond pumped for this tour, namely because back in 2014 my sister and I attended The Black Mass tour, which consisted of BVB and FIR headlining with Set It Off & Drama Club supporting. This was our first concert ever and our cousin Joe had to drive us because I was still just getting my driver's permit (SHOUTOUT TO JOE)!
Here we are a whole ten years later, now I can totally operate a vehicle (by myself even), and not only are BVB and FIR back at it again, but with DGD supporting, a band my sister and I ADORE (and got to see during JJ tour!!). We've had a lot of love for a lot of bands over the years, but Dance Gavin Dance has just ultimately won my heart. They're the only thing I can put on anymore at any given time and still jam. EAR CANDY.
To top it off, recently my sister found out she is pregnant, and I will be a first-time aunt!! This tour is such a bittersweet signal of the passage of time, and how things just get better with age. That change doesn't have to be scary, it can be something worth welcoming. I remember losing my MIND that we were in the same room as Ronnie and Andy, and then ofc losing it again over being in the same room as DGD, and now for all of them to be there? I'm just so in awe already. Also effing love the addition of Gobby they better have him there >:DDD LOLZ
Love all these guys and I'm just so happy to be alive during a time where I have the opportunity to see them play together. SO excited for new tunes from DGD too, I shall ascend when the album drops.
There's an ungobby amount of naysaying but if you're considering going and aren't sure just DO IT IT'LL BE AWESOME. We can have regrets when we're dead, ok!

I can not even believe at 50+ I have to deal with these things.
I’ll try to explain as best I can without being too long. When I was born, my mother and father had already split, she was 24, he was 19. She already had two kids by the time they met (sisters are 1.5/3 years older than myself). When I was born, my father left my mother (she lied to him and said she was pregnant and I wasn’t born until 11 months after they got married). At 9 months old, my mother literally left me on my aunt and uncle’s doorstep. My oldest sister was sent to her dad, my middle sister ended up in foster care(no one knows who her actually father is). None of us met again until I was 16. Both of my sisters were contacted at various points (one when she turned 18, the other when she graduated HS). I turned 18 and graduated I didn’t hear a peep. So I asked my dad to see if he could find her, so I could put a face with her name. Turns out, she lived roughly a half mile from me. I met her in a public place with my dad, spent maybe a half an hour together. Over the next couple of years she sent me a couple of letters which I chose to ignore ( I was a very angry young man, and honestly wanted to hurt her like she hurt me). As I aged, I began to feel bad for the way I treated her after meeting. So as my fiancé and I were planning our wedding, I emailed my mother to let her know, just trying to move past everything. The message I got blew my mind, she had moved across the country at that point. She emailed me back saying congratulations, hey can you do me a favor. Can you ask your dad for a divorce for me, I met a wonderful man and I want to marry him and help him raise his boys. I lost it, I responded in a very snarky and sarcastic way. Basically asking her how she could want to raise someone else’s kids when she couldn’t raise her own (again, not the best way to handle it, but I was pissed at her audacity) . That was the last I heard from her for 10 years, until one day I opened up Facebook and there was a request from her, stupidly I accepted it. The only interaction with her was game requests.
Kind of put her out of my mind until a couple of years ago, my father asked if I could contact her, since now he wanted a divorce. Took a few months but I finally got her his number. They talked, about two weeks later as my grandmother (dad’s mom) is dying, my father texts me to tell me he and her are getting back together (WTF). I told him it’s his life, I think he’s making a mistake but I won’t do anything to try to stop him (to be 100% honest, I didn’t really believe any of this would come to fruition). So they do actually get back together she moves back across the country to move in with my father. My mother then starts to message me daily, apologizing and asking for forgiveness. So as we are chatting, I’m asking her questions and every answer is an excuse and her trying to shift blame to everyone else. So at that point I checked out, she hasn’t changed st all, nothing is her fault. So last Christmas, I sent my dad a Christmas card, when he received it all he had to say was thank you, but you could have included your mother in the card. I tried as tactfully as I could to tell him, just because he can forgive her and move on, I was under no obligation to do so.
Fast forward a month or two, my mother starts sending me all kinds of memes and posts on Facebook about parents and fixing things before it’s too late, then she started with religious things, I politely asked her not to send me religious stuff as I am not a believer. She continued to send me those things, so I unfriended her. Not even 24 hours later my dad sends me a text message saying I was an asshole for unfriending her and i can just delete him now too because he is sick of my shit. I told him I wouldn’t unfriend him, but he was free to unfriend me. Now I am dreading what is going to happen, as his B-day is the day before Mother’s Day, I sent him a card, but have zero plans to do anything for her for Mother’s Day.
I have a sinking feeling we will soon be no contact with either of them. I refuse to let her in my life if she can not/will not accept responsibility for her own actions.

Part six is here! I hope you’re as excited as I am!
If you missed the last five parts, you can catch the original post here, part two here, part three here, part four here, and part five here
As stated in the original post, these are for the people like me who have been here long enough to read the classics but not long enough to have read all the underrated/less popular fics. Because while the classics are amazing, we need some of those hidden gems! Feel free to rec some more I may have missed down below :)
Alright then, here we go!
When the remembering is done by Sassy3

“–and we’ll make sure that you can stay at home as long as possible before it will be too hard to manage,” Potter finished.
Draco could only blink, trying to make sense of the words he had heard before and after he zoned out. He cleared his throat before speaking. “I’m sorry, Potter. Why wouldn’t she be able to live at home?”
Draco Malfoy leads a quiet life. Sure, he doesn’t really like his job, and he never imagined he’d have to move back in with his parents at the manor, but at least he has his lovely son Scorpius to dote on. The only problem is that it gets… a bit lonely. But when his mother starts behaving strange and forgetful, he finds himself in need of help from the one person he never reconciled with after the war.

A Day Unlike Any Other by HerLoyalShipper

Harry is left broken after the war and finds that maybe the only things that can save him is the very boy who despised him. Draco is more so and finds he needs Harry's strength to guide him from the darkness.

A Ferret Tale by meandminniemcg

Who are you when all your ability to impress is taken from you? How do you cope if you are adopted by Potter as a pet ferret? And worst of all: if he is the Auror on the case of your disappearance.
And the other side of the coin: You fall in love with your former arch-nemesis, but can't find a trace of him in the present. And your posh ferret is a constant reminder of Malfoy's absence.

The Lion's Scales by Soliblomst

When Harry Potter gets resorted into Slytherin in the middle of his fifth year, all doubts vanish: the Ministry is corrupt, and Voldemort is pulling the strings. Between unfriendly roommates, Umbridge's sadistic detentions and disturbing Occlumency lessons, Harry's life gradually becomes a nightmare in which loneliness seems to be his only companion.
Meanwhile, Draco unexpectedly finds himself caught up in a task he did not ask for, forcing him to face strenuous choices between love and hate—between life and death.

Passing Stranger by lettersbyelise

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Way Home by dragontara

Sometimes life takes surprising turns before you find the way home.
Based on the prompt: "Harry doesn't give up magic, but he moves to a muggle area where nobody knows his past and he's not famous. A few weeks before Christmas he starts volunteering at a muggle homeless shelter. One day a haggard looking Draco Malfoy walks in."

As The Catboy Purrs by Byaghro

Draco has a little secret. Harry discovers it. The question is, what will he do with his newfound knowledge?

A Portrait of Recovery by moonstruckwytch

Since he was attacked and nearly drowned in the tub, Draco’s been struggling. He can hardly be in a bathroom or take a shower, never mind a bath. It feels like his life has fallen apart. Harry’s there to help though, and he’s not going anywhere, no matter how long it takes.
A story about love and healing.

Too Pretty for Durmstrang by IWillBeYourPet

Viktor Krum takes an interest in Draco, whether or not the blonde wants it. Maybe especially if he doesn't.
Harry Potter isn't pleased.

Walk in the Sun (Veritaserum Prompt Fic) by drarrily-we-row-along (fearfully_beautifully_made)

Draco Malfoy disappeared shortly after the war and Harry hadn't thought much about it.
Until six months ago, when he learned that Malfoy was being kept locked up in the Department of Mysteries. Breaking him out is actually the easy part; figuring out how to clear his name is much more difficult. A story about falling in love and forgiveness.

What Goes Around by IWillBeYourPet

Everything happens exactly as it's meant to, even when it's hard to see, even when everything seems out of control
For Draco, things are not looking up. Prophecies, half truths and a war. As far as Harry is concerned, it's business as usual.

Heart Of SilveHeart Of Gold by lettersbyelise

Draco Malfoy, a young demon specialising in school bullying, has lived hundreds of uneventful lives. Until his world is turned upside down by his newest assignment a few days before Christmas: to get rid of 8th year classmate Harry Potter, Defeater of Dark Lords and thorn in the side of all things evil.
Trouble is, Draco’s world has been upside down for a while… ever since he started having very human feelings for a certain bespectacled Gryffindor.

You’ll Love (To Let Go) by LowerEastSide

Every good home needs a pet.

Harry Potter and the Draco Malfoy Problem by Lion_Star

Things take a weird turn when Harry forgets his vault key at the Dursley’s. Things get weirder when he runs into Malfoy at Fortescue's. Then again when Malfoy asks for a rat, wears a queen shirt, and seems to be a Seer. Not to mention, Sirius Black is running about.

Privileges by dysonrules

Harry is a false knight given the charge of a royal prince. Neither of them are happy with the arrangement and only time will tell if Harry's duplicity will be discovered.

Waiting For A Song by korlaena

After a couple years spent avoiding Draco in the Auror Department, Harry gets assigned to one of Draco’s strange cases. They investigate the mysterious disappearances of a witch and wizard, but in their search for the missing persons they find a lot more than they were looking for.

The Voldemort Manor by kedavranox

The Malfoy Manor is a state run museum, renamed The Voldemort Manor by the Ministry for Magic. As part of his probation, Draco is assigned as sole caretaker. When the Manor hosts a series of high class events celebrating the Wizarding World’s fourth Yuletide season Post War, it brings with it a swathe of people Draco hasn’t seen in years; including one, Harry Potter.

Kept Man by QueenyMidas

A downtrodden Harry Potter in a serious dry spell is looking to be a kept man, and a lonely Draco Malfoy responds to his anonymous ad. A perfect storm of lust, scandal, and maybe even love. A Daddy Kink Magnum Opus.

Partners of the Four-Legged Variety by carpemermaid

“Training starts in the home, Potter, so your new Crup and I will need to stay with you for a few weeks while I show you how to properly train and bond with him.”
The Auror Department is instating a K9 Crup Unit, and Harry is the first to sign up. Turns out the professional trainer is Draco Malfoy, and he has to live with Harry as part of the Crup training programme.

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

A Game for Fools by TextBookDreams

Harry finds out about Draco's secret obsession with him, and is set on teasing the Slytherin to hell and back about it. But he doesn't know just how much it really hurts Draco knowing that the only one he's ever loved doesn't return his affections. But then, Harry makes yet another discovery about himself. He's not really human!

One Thousand Bars by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill)

And I will hold on hope / And I won't let you choke / On the noose around your neck / And I'll find strength in pain / And I will change my ways / I'll know my name as it's called again

Now My Neck Is Open Wide (begging for a fist around it) by LadySlytherin

Six months post-war, Harry meets Grayson Wenke, a famous Quidditch player. Harry believes he's found the love of his life, and a Happily Ever After ending suitable for the storybooks. When Grayson slowly goes from Prince Charming to a monster behind closed doors, Harry finds himself trapped, and alone, and fearing for his life. When Harry realizes he's pregnant, the opportunity for escape - and a real Happily Ever After - presents itself as none other than Draco Malfoy. The only question is if Harry is brave enough to take a chance, and strong enough to heal.

Unhook the Stars by jad

For HP Sexstars 2012. - "Love is like a Rubix Cube: there are countless wrong twists and turns, but once you get it right, it's perfect no matter how you look at it." Seventy-thousand words of pornographic discourse between two boys-turned-men that still haven't learned how to communicate like normal people – with words. Guest appearances by Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, Teddy Lupin, Gregory Goyle, the Weird Sisters, ex-wives, several Weasleys, a Boggart, and a Honey Badger.

Harry Potter and the Great Cat Caper by Kbrick

Harry's lonely in the aftermath of his divorce. Except for the weekends that he has the kids, Harry's cooking gourmet meals for one in his big, empty farmhouse, with only his seven cats for company.
Until, that is, Harry finds Al and Lily playing with Scorpius Malfoy in the front yard, and learns that Draco Malfoy is his closest wizarding neighbor. Oh, and also, Harry's favorite cat is stolen (multiple times!) by someone who had the audacity to put a sparkly pink collar on her, with a nametag that reads "Plumeria Seraphin Snugglybug". These things (Malfoy and the cat-snatching) may or may not be related.
Featuring: a cat-loving Harry who loves to cook, has playdates with Pansy Parkinson, and tends to rap when he's wasted, and good-dad Draco Malfoy who's still a prat, albeit an irritatingly attractive and charming one.
Also featuring: a slew of adorable children, a stolen cat named Stormy, copious amounts of sexual tension, divorce betting pools, amoral yet charismatic Slytherins, peeping-tom Harry, foot massages given while under the influence, Harry's first time with a bloke, and did I mention cats?

Part six is here! I hope you’re as excited as I am!
If you missed the last five parts, you can catch the original post here, part two here, part three here, part four here, and part five here
As stated in the original post, these are for the people like me who have been here long enough to read the classics but not long enough to have read all the underrated/less popular fics. Because while the classics are amazing, we need some of those hidden gems! Feel free to rec some more I may have missed down below :)
Alright then, here we go!
When the remembering is done by Sassy3

“–and we’ll make sure that you can stay at home as long as possible before it will be too hard to manage,” Potter finished.
Draco could only blink, trying to make sense of the words he had heard before and after he zoned out. He cleared his throat before speaking. “I’m sorry, Potter. Why wouldn’t she be able to live at home?”
Draco Malfoy leads a quiet life. Sure, he doesn’t really like his job, and he never imagined he’d have to move back in with his parents at the manor, but at least he has his lovely son Scorpius to dote on. The only problem is that it gets… a bit lonely. But when his mother starts behaving strange and forgetful, he finds himself in need of help from the one person he never reconciled with after the war.

A Day Unlike Any Other by HerLoyalShipper

Harry is left broken after the war and finds that maybe the only things that can save him is the very boy who despised him. Draco is more so and finds he needs Harry's strength to guide him from the darkness.

A Ferret Tale by meandminniemcg

Who are you when all your ability to impress is taken from you? How do you cope if you are adopted by Potter as a pet ferret? And worst of all: if he is the Auror on the case of your disappearance.
And the other side of the coin: You fall in love with your former arch-nemesis, but can't find a trace of him in the present. And your posh ferret is a constant reminder of Malfoy's absence.

The Lion's Scales by Soliblomst

When Harry Potter gets resorted into Slytherin in the middle of his fifth year, all doubts vanish: the Ministry is corrupt, and Voldemort is pulling the strings. Between unfriendly roommates, Umbridge's sadistic detentions and disturbing Occlumency lessons, Harry's life gradually becomes a nightmare in which loneliness seems to be his only companion.
Meanwhile, Draco unexpectedly finds himself caught up in a task he did not ask for, forcing him to face strenuous choices between love and hate—between life and death.

Passing Stranger by lettersbyelise

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Way Home by dragontara

Sometimes life takes surprising turns before you find the way home.
Based on the prompt: "Harry doesn't give up magic, but he moves to a muggle area where nobody knows his past and he's not famous. A few weeks before Christmas he starts volunteering at a muggle homeless shelter. One day a haggard looking Draco Malfoy walks in."

As The Catboy Purrs by Byaghro

Draco has a little secret. Harry discovers it. The question is, what will he do with his newfound knowledge?

A Portrait of Recovery by moonstruckwytch

Since he was attacked and nearly drowned in the tub, Draco’s been struggling. He can hardly be in a bathroom or take a shower, never mind a bath. It feels like his life has fallen apart. Harry’s there to help though, and he’s not going anywhere, no matter how long it takes.
A story about love and healing.

Too Pretty for Durmstrang by IWillBeYourPet

Viktor Krum takes an interest in Draco, whether or not the blonde wants it. Maybe especially if he doesn't.
Harry Potter isn't pleased.

Walk in the Sun (Veritaserum Prompt Fic) by drarrily-we-row-along (fearfully_beautifully_made)

Draco Malfoy disappeared shortly after the war and Harry hadn't thought much about it.
Until six months ago, when he learned that Malfoy was being kept locked up in the Department of Mysteries. Breaking him out is actually the easy part; figuring out how to clear his name is much more difficult. A story about falling in love and forgiveness.

What Goes Around by IWillBeYourPet

Everything happens exactly as it's meant to, even when it's hard to see, even when everything seems out of control
For Draco, things are not looking up. Prophecies, half truths and a war. As far as Harry is concerned, it's business as usual.

Heart Of SilveHeart Of Gold by lettersbyelise

Draco Malfoy, a young demon specialising in school bullying, has lived hundreds of uneventful lives. Until his world is turned upside down by his newest assignment a few days before Christmas: to get rid of 8th year classmate Harry Potter, Defeater of Dark Lords and thorn in the side of all things evil.
Trouble is, Draco’s world has been upside down for a while… ever since he started having very human feelings for a certain bespectacled Gryffindor.

You’ll Love (To Let Go) by LowerEastSide

Every good home needs a pet.

Harry Potter and the Draco Malfoy Problem by Lion_Star

Things take a weird turn when Harry forgets his vault key at the Dursley’s. Things get weirder when he runs into Malfoy at Fortescue's. Then again when Malfoy asks for a rat, wears a queen shirt, and seems to be a Seer. Not to mention, Sirius Black is running about.

Privileges by dysonrules

Harry is a false knight given the charge of a royal prince. Neither of them are happy with the arrangement and only time will tell if Harry's duplicity will be discovered.

Waiting For A Song by korlaena

After a couple years spent avoiding Draco in the Auror Department, Harry gets assigned to one of Draco’s strange cases. They investigate the mysterious disappearances of a witch and wizard, but in their search for the missing persons they find a lot more than they were looking for.

The Voldemort Manor by kedavranox

The Malfoy Manor is a state run museum, renamed The Voldemort Manor by the Ministry for Magic. As part of his probation, Draco is assigned as sole caretaker. When the Manor hosts a series of high class events celebrating the Wizarding World’s fourth Yuletide season Post War, it brings with it a swathe of people Draco hasn’t seen in years; including one, Harry Potter.

Kept Man by QueenyMidas

A downtrodden Harry Potter in a serious dry spell is looking to be a kept man, and a lonely Draco Malfoy responds to his anonymous ad. A perfect storm of lust, scandal, and maybe even love. A Daddy Kink Magnum Opus.

Partners of the Four-Legged Variety by carpemermaid

“Training starts in the home, Potter, so your new Crup and I will need to stay with you for a few weeks while I show you how to properly train and bond with him.”
The Auror Department is instating a K9 Crup Unit, and Harry is the first to sign up. Turns out the professional trainer is Draco Malfoy, and he has to live with Harry as part of the Crup training programme.

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

A Game for Fools by TextBookDreams

Harry finds out about Draco's secret obsession with him, and is set on teasing the Slytherin to hell and back about it. But he doesn't know just how much it really hurts Draco knowing that the only one he's ever loved doesn't return his affections. But then, Harry makes yet another discovery about himself. He's not really human!

One Thousand Bars by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill)

And I will hold on hope / And I won't let you choke / On the noose around your neck / And I'll find strength in pain / And I will change my ways / I'll know my name as it's called again

Now My Neck Is Open Wide (begging for a fist around it) by LadySlytherin

Six months post-war, Harry meets Grayson Wenke, a famous Quidditch player. Harry believes he's found the love of his life, and a Happily Ever After ending suitable for the storybooks. When Grayson slowly goes from Prince Charming to a monster behind closed doors, Harry finds himself trapped, and alone, and fearing for his life. When Harry realizes he's pregnant, the opportunity for escape - and a real Happily Ever After - presents itself as none other than Draco Malfoy. The only question is if Harry is brave enough to take a chance, and strong enough to heal.

Unhook the Stars by jad

For HP Sexstars 2012. - "Love is like a Rubix Cube: there are countless wrong twists and turns, but once you get it right, it's perfect no matter how you look at it." Seventy-thousand words of pornographic discourse between two boys-turned-men that still haven't learned how to communicate like normal people – with words. Guest appearances by Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, Teddy Lupin, Gregory Goyle, the Weird Sisters, ex-wives, several Weasleys, a Boggart, and a Honey Badger.

Harry Potter and the Great Cat Caper by Kbrick

Harry's lonely in the aftermath of his divorce. Except for the weekends that he has the kids, Harry's cooking gourmet meals for one in his big, empty farmhouse, with only his seven cats for company.
Until, that is, Harry finds Al and Lily playing with Scorpius Malfoy in the front yard, and learns that Draco Malfoy is his closest wizarding neighbor. Oh, and also, Harry's favorite cat is stolen (multiple times!) by someone who had the audacity to put a sparkly pink collar on her, with a nametag that reads "Plumeria Seraphin Snugglybug". These things (Malfoy and the cat-snatching) may or may not be related.
Featuring: a cat-loving Harry who loves to cook, has playdates with Pansy Parkinson, and tends to rap when he's wasted, and good-dad Draco Malfoy who's still a prat, albeit an irritatingly attractive and charming one.
Also featuring: a slew of adorable children, a stolen cat named Stormy, copious amounts of sexual tension, divorce betting pools, amoral yet charismatic Slytherins, peeping-tom Harry, foot massages given while under the influence, Harry's first time with a bloke, and did I mention cats?