The thing about Cottagecore is that is a fetishized aesthetic of country life, divorced from labor and idealized by a primarily urban audience with a backward looking ethos of tradition. They are not prepared for the stresses of a rural life: farming; harvesting; tapping pumpkins to ensure none of them have been replaced with flesh; losing out on income by having to use one of your pigs in a blood sacrifice to paint protective sigils over your doors and windows; checking cracks and chimneys for the flesh-vines of the Pumpkin Lord; having to decide, before the Growth is complete, whether that's really your tradwife or an amassment of vines, leaves, and blood in the shape of your tradwife; ignoring their desperate pleas that "I'm me! No! No!" as you burn them alive, realizing too late you picked wrong; and the exploitative corporate nature of commercial farming in 2024. All seen through a deeply colonial lens, of course
Warnings: read this first so this makes more sense
Y/N slipped through the doors that lead to the Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower, knowing she would always find the man she was looking for here - that she would always find both of them here. It wasn’t long until she found the familiar mop of brown hair walking in her direction, a charming smile falling on his face as he noticed her. Sebastian turned to say goodbye to the Ravenclaw student he was walking with and made his way in her direction, his arm winding around her waist to pull her into a hug as she neared.
“Hey you. Done avoiding us?”
“For now.” Y/N pulled away and offered him a sheepish smile, her eyes darting over to the group of students who were sitting nearby. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”
“Depends. Will I like where this is going?”
“Sebastian.” She let out a quiet sigh and shook her head, but the smile was evident on her face.
“Alright, alright,” he chuckled and titled his head to the left, signalling she should follow him. Y/N thought he would lead her to the Undercroft but instead he led her up a flight of stairs and towards Professor Fig’s old classroom. His position teaching Magical Theory had been filled the following year, but Y/N still avoided the class as best as she could. Sebastian gently pushed her along until they were sitting in the alcove across from the classroom and glared at the figure in the portrait until he left the frame with a loud, disgruntled sigh. “You have my undivided attention.”
“I’m sorry for avoiding you both.”
“It’s fine,” he shrugged nonchalantly and leant back in his seat. “We dropped a lot on you. Anyone would need a moment to think after that.” His eyes roamed over her, taking note of how she was avoiding his gaze and instead focused on her fingers which were currently being twisted together anxiously. “You’ve picked him, haven’t you?”
“What? How - ” Y/N looked up at him in surprise before exhaling slowly. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologising, you walnut?” Sebastian chuckled and came to sit next to her, his shoulder pressed against hers for comfort. “What we said in the Undercroft stands. You’re my best friend - you both are - and you’ll both continue to be after this. I won’t let this come between us.” He reached over to squeeze her hand gently.
“You’re my best friend too. I…I won’t blame you if you need some time.”
“Don’t be daft,” he nudged her with his shoulder. “Who else is going to put up with all my shit?” Y/N laughed quietly at his words, her eyes darting to the side as a couple of students left the Magical Theory classroom. “Have you told him yet?”
“No,” Y/N watched Ominis as he walked out of the men’s bathrooms, unaware of their presence. “I thought it would be fair to speak to you first.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Sebastian rolled his eyes at her before letting out a low whistle. Ominis stopped in his tracks and turned slowly, a frown of confusion on his face. “Over here, Ominis.”
“Hello, Sebastian.” He walked in their direction, the wand guiding him towards the archway for the alcove. “I should have known it was you that whistled; only you would summon me like a dog.” Y/N laughed at his dry comment and watched as he turned in her direction, a breathtaking smile coming over his features when he realised she was there too. “Hello, love.”
“Hi.” Y/N felt her stomach flip pleasantly at the term of endearment, ignoring Sebastian as he playfully pretended to retch.
“I’ll leave you two alone, now.” Sebastian clapped Ominis on the shoulder and sent Y/N a cheeky wink as he stood up and walked away, his hands tucked into his pockets as he whistled a cheerful tune.
“Subtle.” Ominis’ lip twitched as Sebastian walked away, his heart thumping as he heard Y/N laugh quietly. “How have you been?”
“Oh, you know. Same old drama, different day.”
“Oh?” he smiled slyly and leant against the pillar for the archway and crossed his arms over his chest. “Anything good?”
“Would you believe both of my best friends admitted to having feelings for me?”
“Well, can you blame them?” Ominis played along.
“No, I suppose not,” Y/N faked a sigh, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth as she openly stared at the man in front of her. “I’m pretty remarkable.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.” They both chuckled quietly, a comfortable silence falling over them as Ominis shifted so that he sat beside her on the bench. “Have you made a decision?”
“I have.”
“I see.” He pocketed his wand and turned his head in her direction, his features void of any emotion. “And you’ve told Sebastian already?”
“It was only fair,” Y/N murmured, reaching out to brush the back of his hand. He turned it over without a thought and caught her fingers in his and tangled them together. “I didn’t want him to find out through the rumour mill that I had chosen you.”
“Me?” Ominis’ cloudy blue eyes met hers with startling precision, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “I thought…”
“You thought I’d choose Sebastian?”
“I mean…well, yes.”
“Ominis Gaunt, for someone who takes so much pride in their intelligence you can be really thick sometimes.” Y/N leant over to press a gentle kiss to his cheek, knowing very well that he did not like public displays of affection. “How could you not tell that I am completely entranced by you?”
“It’s not every day a beautiful woman would pick me over my best friend,” he said quietly, his fingers tightening around hers fractionally. Y/N felt her heart crack in her chest at how despondent he sounded and gently ran her finger over his cheekbone, tracing the beauty marks as she turned his head to face her again.
“Their loss.”
“Are you sure? Would you be able to handle…” Ominis trailed off and gestured to his face, his cheeks tinged pink.
“You better not be about to ask me if I can handle you being blind.”
“It’s not easy to deal with.”
“Maybe not,” Y/N shrugged and turned her body so that she was facing him completely. “Believe it or not, being able to see was not on my list when I made my decision.”
“You made a list?”
“Metaphorically, yes,” she rolled her eyes and let go of his hand to cup his face. “I want to be with you, Ominis. I don’t care that you can’t see.”
“Really?”
“Do you want me to shout it from the rooftops?”
“As entertaining as that would be,” Ominis paused to chuckle and raised his hand to touch Y/N’s face. He trailed his fingers down her cheek gently and traced his thumb over her lips. “Is there anyone around us?”
“No.”
“Can I kiss you?”
“Please.” Y/N felt her heart thud in her chest as he leant in and pressed his lips to hers briefly before pulling away and resting his forehead on hers.
“You have the most beautiful soul I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” he murmured before leaning in to kiss her again. Ominis decided he would speak to Sebastian later, in private, to ensure he didn’t harbour any resentment towards Y/N’s choice. The three of them had some things to discuss on how they would proceed from here, but that could all be done at a time when Y/N wasn’t running her hands through Ominis’ hair in a way that set every nerve of his alight. He reluctantly pulled away from her and took her hand in his, pulling her to her feet so he could walk her to their next class with a wide smile on his face that he couldn’t quite seem to shake.
You ever feel like something is simultaneous utterly unnecessary and completely essential at the same time? That’s how I feel about those bowls in this rendition
origamiaround
gummygunk
pixelskylines
baratheonpilled
tangentwithtanner
dededos
snowghoul
theartofmadeline
2087
germansingergirl
