RAMBLE ON.

@wilder2 — breakfast is the most important meal, which is why i eat it twice

[merrickwilder]

SO THE STORY GOES...

EARLY LIFE

Two weeks after his birth, the Wilders realized their son was certainly not William, and so they began calling him by his middle name: Merrick. 

Merrick is the third and youngest child of the Wilder family, Maggie Mae Lucas being his eldest sister and Bobby his (older, technically) twin brother. 

1978

Over the summer, Merrick began seeing his Low Street flatmate, Wilbert Slinkhard—which complicated things given Bobby also started dating Wendy Slinkhard, Wilbert’s brother. The relationship ended a few months later, sadly. 

1979

In January, Merrick learned he has a son named Otis with Holliday Hawkins, a longtime pal and former friend with benefits. 

Initially, Holliday kept distance between father and son to ensure Merrick was actually serious about being an active and involved parent. Merrick took this hard—very hard. Cue his Reputation Era, where he internalized Holliday’s decision, believing he wasn’t good enough for Otis. 

Eventually, he got his shit together, met his son, and found his groove. 

Merrick managed to graduate with a Herbology degree and got a job bartending at Fainty Wronski. He also started growing his own weed and selling, calling his business The Herb Life. 

He, Bobby, and Otis moved into a flat above a bakery in Puddlemere. 

After casually hooking up sporadically throughout the year, Merrick and Gawain Robards began getting serious in September. 

1980

Early in the year, Holliday’s parents filed for custody of Otis. Thankfully, they weren’t granted custody, and Merrick grew even stronger in his resolve that he’s a good father. 

Merrick fell very hard, and very deeply in love with Gawain, the pair evening vacationing together in France. 

In the autumn, Merrick and Bobby purchased the bakery under their Puddlemere flat and began fixing it up to reopen by early 1981. 

When the Statute fell in autumn, Merrick’s bartending hours were cut drastically, now having to adhere to a curfew. Given that he poured most of his savings into the bakery, he was desperate for cash. Merrick auditioned for a porn film—or, rather, what he thought was porn. For reasons still unknown to him, he managed to snag a job as the weatherman at the WBN. 

By the time winter rolled around, Merrick and Gawain were seeing less and less of one another. Soon after Christmas, the pair decided to end their relationship, feeling they’re in different places. Merrick still loves Gawain deeply, but he doesn’t feel in love with him anymore. 

KISS & TELL

1980

26 September, 1979 - 30 December / Gawain Robards / committed relationship 

1979

1 August / Gawain Robards / one night stand

23 March / Josslyn Janks / one night stand 

1 March / Marlene McKinnon / one night stand 

15 February - 13 May / Emma Vanity / frenemies with benefits 

13 February / Gawain Robards / one night stand

1978

10 September - 17 January, 1979 / Wilbert Slinkhard / committed relationship

June - August / Wilbert Slinkhard / friends with benefits 

April 1974 - September / Holliday Hawkins / friends with benefits 

[merrickwilder]

HOLLIDAY HAWKINS.

It’d been the longest stretch of work Holliday had taken since things had began to settle. With every complimentary sampler bottle of liquor she handed out between passengers in the dimmed cabin, she had to stand up straight and remind herself how valuable the money was. Quite literally, it’d be what kept a roof over her head this month in Dorset. The boys didn’t need to know how much she was struggling; financially, mentally, emotionally. Sometimes being a parent meant being honest. Other times, it meant taking every oncoming car you could if it got your bubs to safety on the other side of the road.

She scoffed, but the sound was followed by the sweetest, most familiar chime of laughter. Even when forced, it was a delightful noise. “No muffins yet then, muffin?” 

A chorus of, “Momma, momma, momma!” echoed throughout the coming together bakery as Otis shuffled away from his pile of dollies. Holliday noted how much stronger her boy felt as he wrapped two steady arms around her long legs.

Merrick brightened at the sound of a familiar voice, turning with a smile plastered across his face. His gaze bounced between Otis and Holliday, basking in the sheer warmness of the sight before him. Of the relief he felt to see his son’s mother alive, well, and arms wrapped tightly around their three and a half year old. “Not even a rubbish bran one, I’m sad to report. But I’ve got a whole bunch of paint buckets if you want to stick around for awhile. And a pie at home for later.” 

[merrickwilder]

ALICE SHAFIQ.

“Yes, but consider the alternative, and that’s turning me out into the cold. Wandering. Bored. Alone. Much better to put me to work.” Alice was quite literally never the person who would ask for anything. Sometimes company was enough.

Merrick chuckled. “You’re a brill negotiator, aren’t you?” Even so, he had every intention of offering tea and biscuits back at his flat later. 

[merrickwilder]

EMMELINE VANCE.

“Still I need to learn to look where I’m going”, Emmeline had a quick glance round, “I think it looks great. Your bakery that is.” She smiled at him, “Really? Which direction? I’m the worst for losing my way and I’ll probably end up finding it two hours later knowing my luck.” She laughed slightly at herself, “Would you mind showing me? Or do you have things you need to do?”

“Thanks,” Merrick added with a soft smile as he looked around the space once more. After setting down supplies, he wiped his hands against his trousers. “Nah, I don’t mind. I could use a beer, I reckon. Let me just grab my coat.” And then he folded into where the kitchen was being built out, fetching something warm to help make the January cold tolerable. “I’m Merrick, by the way. I reckon we’ve met, but I’m rubbish with names.” 

[merrickwilder]

EMMELINE VANCE.

“Oh no!”, Emmeline thought she had walked into some random pub and not some bakery. It was her own fault as she hadn’t been paying attention when she walked in the door, “It’s my fault. I wasn’t really looking when I walked in the door so instead of a pub, I get a bakery.”

“It’s alright.” Merrick chuckled. He certainly wouldn’t say no a beer at the present, if there wasn’t a plethora of work he needed to get done today. “If you’re looking for a good pub, Faintly Wronski’s only a few blocks from here. It’s decent. I used to work there.” 

[merrickwilder]

ALICE SHAFIQ.

“No, definitely not anxious. That was spoken by a person without any nerves whatsoever.” Alice shed her coat, and pushed up her sleeves. “Let me help. Or just, let me do something.” She liked keeping busy. Allowing her mind to wander anywhere else for long was dangerous, and if Bobby wasn’t going to show up, she’d make herself useful elsewhere.

“No, no. I can’t accept any help, not when I don’t have any baked good to give you in return.” Merrick scratched the back of his neck. “Like, I dunno if I even have tea here.” He looked around at the space still very much so under construction; he beamed at the sight, of the possibility each corner possessed. 

[merrickwilder]

ALICE SHAFIQ.

“I suppose that’s what I get for trying to hunt down Bobby.” Alice looked at Merrick expectantly. “I still can’t believe you run your own shop. Well, I can, it suits you, really.”

Merrick turned his head, peeking over his shoulder. “Not yet,” he added with a light chuckle. “There’s still ample opportunity for this place to crumble and all our dreams to die before the first croissant hits one of these containers. Not that I’m anxious, or anything.” 

[merrickwilder]

WHEN: Monday, 17 January, 1981; afternoon   WHERE: Bosworth Baking Co, Puddlemere WHO: Merrick Wilder & Alice Shafiq, Emmeline Vance, Holliday Hawkins 

“We’re not open!” Merrick called to whomever walked into the bakery, bells chiming to indicate someone opened the door. “Sorry, still closed. But we should be up and running soon,” he added, back still to the person as he finished sanding a wooden beam. 

[merrickwilder]

wait, uh. who tf is this?! 

hi, it’s me. it’s nicole. and i’d like to introduce you to gideon prewett 2.0—AKA merrick wilder. 

with a new year here, i’ve done some reflecting on the stories that i want to tell and came to the realization that when it came to gideon, i was far more interested in who he is versus any canonical milestones this role needed to reach. so i reached out to beth and rae (i’m sure they’ll have updates to share with you soon), and agreed to help me shift gideon into an original character. 

so, who the fuck is merrick wilder? 

he is, by and large, gideon prewett! minus the order stuff, and some adaptions here and there. merrick still went to puddlemere, then graduated from hogwarts as a gryffindor in the herbology cohort, class of 1979. he’s still going back to hoggy for a postgraduate degree. and he’s still working on opening a bakery with his twin brother sometime this year in addition to being the WBN’s weatherman. 

BUT, there are some updates that i want to put on your radar—

you can peep all the changes in his backstory here, but some important things that i want to note are: 

merrick is not affiliated with the order of the phoenix, nor was he ever recruited by dumbledore 

he has a son named otis, who will be 4 this year, with NPC mum (who’s very close with merrick!) 

merrick and gawain robards started dating in 1979, but began drifting from each other in late 1980. they mutually decided to call it quits at the end of december last year. so, merrick is single. 

merrick’s faceclaim is logan lerman. 

i know, i know. why so much change, nicole?? i get it. after some self reflection, i wanted to be honest with myself that my interest in harry potter is pretty low these days. not vanished, but it’s not where it used to be. the things i love most about writing gideon are things that i’ve created in collaboration with you, and not hp specific. so i wanted to take this character that i love writing and figure out how to make him my oc. i love writing with y’all, i love telling stories in this space, so i wanted to figure out a way to do that while honoring this new chapter for me. so here we are! 

so are you going to change your other characters, too?? at this time, no. i like where they’re at, i don’t feel moved to adapt them. but never say never, idk!! 

if you have questions, concerns, desperately need clarification, please reach out to me. unlike simply changing a.j.’s name, this is a massive adaptation and i know i’ve probably missed details. don’t be a stranger, ask me whatever is on your mind. 

thank you so much for being patient with me, and helping to create a space i really, truly love writing in. 🤍

xo, nicole

[totaldowner]

bisexuals are our friends . our brothers . our drug dealers and dare i say ..... our lovers

[merrickwilder]

[merrickwilder]

WHEN: Saturday, 25 December, 1980; around 9 o’clock WHERE: The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole WHO: Gideon Prewett & Molly Weasley ( @missmollybwease​ )

As a child, Gideon proudly told friends how his family celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas—a product of his parents feeling lukewarm about religion in general but wanting to raise their children with some tradition. He explained to anyone who would listen how he got presents practically all month long, and smile with pride when his classmates would express their envy. Gideon could see his own son realizing this special fact, and imagined that maybe by next year, Freddie would brag to his daycare friends. Like father, like son, he supposed. 

A smile grew across his face, spreading like sunlight, as he looked lovingly at a sleepy Freddie, paper crown still on his head. Gently, he picked up the boy and carried him upstairs, placing him in a makeshift bed in Bill’s room. Gideon wasn’t quite ready to head home yet. Actually, judging by the amount of mulled wine he consumed, maybe it was best not to apparate home. Side-Along charged surge-pricing on holidays, he figured.

As he walked down the stairs, he checked his iFlown. Nearly nine o’clock. Gideon wilted, realizing the likelihood of Gawain coming to Christmas dinner was—well—slim. Especially given that desserts were served hours ago. He wasn’t angry; Gawain had a life outside of him, and Gideon strived to be as accommodating and supportive as possible. But a part of him was beginning to wonder if the pair was growing in different directions. That the relationship they forged well over a year ago was vastly different than the one they attempted to hold onto today. Two paths, unfolding in different directions. Would there always be a bridge linking the pair? 

He swung by the kitchen, grabbing an entire tin of pie. Just for a few bites. Some time later though, he blinked, realizing he had zoned out, mulling over countless thoughts. Only when his gaze flickered downward, did he realize that he had consumed the entire pie. “Fuck me.” Gideon looked up, his sister coming into view. 

“What happens when you eat it all, Molls?”  

[ rip ]

[merrickwilder]

MARLENE MCKINNON.

The mention of Freddie sent her nosediving into panic. Marlene looked around the room, at the entry, at the already torn up room across the way. Wide-eyed, she looked, and she realized just how manic her urge to start tearing apart and rebuilding the house was. Would she still want this when the wallpaper wrinkled and the banister was in shambles? When the roof was leaking and her thumb was bandaged from learning all the tools for the first and second and third time? It would have been one thing to give up on the floor halfway through and hire a professional to finish the job, but the entire cottage?

“I don’t really know what I’m doing,” Marlene confessed. “I’ve never replaced a floor before. I’ll have to look up how to do it properly, but—” She shrugged. “I start things I can’t finish all the time. I don’t think I want this to be one of them, but—” But. She knew herself well enough to leave room for anything and everything to go wrong. Maybe Gideon deserved a warning.

“That’s a yes, by the way. If you can think you can hold me to really doing it.”

Gideon grinned triumphantly. Despite the fact that he made the pie for Marlene, he grabbed it and began walking toward the living room, sneaking in bites as he let his gaze wander. "Why don't you show me around, tell me what your vision is."

Vision made him sound like a professional, Gideon believed. Like a real contractor and not someone who cobbled his way through learning a new skillset within the recent months. It did come to him somewhat naturally, though. Gideon Prewett wasn't a visionary nor particularly brilliant, but he was a self-described jack of all trades. And he liked giving his hands work to do.

"I could build you a proper garden, too. Raised beds and everything,” Gideon added in a dreamy voice, mind running fast with ideas. Maybe too fast. He was excited, though, as he wandered throughout the cottage, gaze roaming the cozy space. 

[ fin ]

[merrickwilder]

HOLLIE HOPKIRK.

“I had never bothered checking in with the divorce lawyer between everything. I figured things would be processed when they could be processed. Whatever cost the least, you know? I – Um, hm, that would be something to look into now, wouldn’t it?”

Hollie’s sureness once again turned to doubt, a nervous laugh releasing itself into the air between the two friends. Friends. That’s what she’d never properly strived for with Fabian and maybe that’d be best to do now. “I don’t know that he’s been avoiding me. If he has, I’ve been too busy dealing with a mountain of things to completely realize it. I just, I love Fabian, but I don’t know that I’d ever choose this for us. We aren’t as close as you and I are. I want to be. I want Fabian and I to be very best friends, but there’s this awkwardness, and now a baby. I don’t know that it will solve it, but I hope to God it doesn’t cripple anything.”

Her emotions were a rollercoaster, and it was not only pregnancy sending her on this route. The road to recovery was often bumpy, even hour by hour.

Outside of the flower shop, she came to stop, “I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t know what he would want because I don’t know him enough. That’s what I’ve got to let him know first.” It was decided, as she threaded fingers through Gideon’s hand to hold.

Gideon leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple. Then, he let his fingers be threaded with her. “Babe, we haven’t always been this close. Even when we were shagging, it wasn’t like this. It’s Freds, you know? He’s the most important thing to both of us, and we kept getting closer because of that. Because we both put him first.” He squeezed Hollie’s hand. “You and Fab can get there. You’ve got to tell him first—” And Gideon would ready himself for the conversation between brothers that would surely follow. “And it may take awhile, but he does care for you. And Freddie. You’re family. Always will be.” 

The predicament was strange; Gideon wouldn’t deny it. But, it also felt right. Serendipitous, even. “It’ll work out, Hol. Just be patient, and when you’re getting in your head about it, then call me so we can get chips or something.” He turned, giving her a warm smile, her hand another gentle squeeze. 

“Speaking of.” Gideon nodded his head toward a chippy. “On me, and my fancy weatherman salary.” 

[ fin ]

[merrickwilder]

CARADOC DEARBORN.

“You’re being very rude after I did you the great service of inspecting your dick.” Doc batted Gideon away. “I might’ve missed a few steps. Listening to instructions can be blood boring.” But he was always willing to learn. It was one of his finer attributes, the ability to change. For some, that sounded like an impossible feat. For Doc, it’s what he did every single day. He found a way to become new again.

“Now, let’s make that pie.”

[ fin ]

[merrickwilder]

CARADOC DEARBORN.

“Oi, excuse you. I baked with Molly not too long ago. She taught me everything i know.” Which mostly meant that Doc was, once more, easily distracted by the tiny children running around the kitchen. More so than the actual instructions being offered up by his generous friend.

“Molls taught you fuck all if this is what you’re baking.” 

[merrickwilder]

GAWAIN ROBARDS.

Gawain laughed. “Of course I’ll watch you. I’ll be more attentive to the weather report than I’ve ever been in my life. How’d this happen, anyway?”

Gideon grinned, then tapped his boyfriend on the arse. “It’s a long, long story.” And then he launched into the tale, not sparing one detail. 

[ fin ]