eliza-and-her-monsters

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

traumacore edit about my mutual in law who doesn’t follow me

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

i just got the rough sketch for my mina comm back today as well so minaliza will be next 🤭 (and cute ych with rin on its way as well so stay tuned and I WILL NOT BE STOPPING)

ladies & gentlemen, now introducing… ✨her✨

rinliza 🪐

my first little dive into self shipping and my first ever comm and i really could not have been happier with how it turned out!! i was so nervous just wondering if i was asking for too much, being too picky, etc… but this artist did such a phenomenal job i couldn’t ask for anything better!! 🥹💙

she captured every single little detail i wanted from the tree etching, the moon, all the little pieces of rin’s hair and so on and i am just so so obsessed with it! so thank you thank you @inkrrred for this beautiful piece! it was so so fun working for you and i will most definitely be back in the future! ✨💙

please do not repost or share <3

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

ladies & gentlemen, now introducing… ✨her✨

rinliza 🪐

my first little dive into self shipping and my first ever comm and i really could not have been happier with how it turned out!! i was so nervous just wondering if i was asking for too much, being too picky, etc… but this artist did such a phenomenal job i couldn’t ask for anything better!! 🥹💙

she captured every single little detail i wanted from the tree etching, the moon, all the little pieces of rin’s hair and so on and i am just so so obsessed with it! so thank you thank you @inkrrred for this beautiful piece! it was so so fun working for you and i will most definitely be back in the future! ✨💙

please do not repost or share <3

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

my wives like to be my knights in shining armor and it’s up to me to let them fulfill that role 😤

self shipping angst is sooo funny. yeah this is my favorite character and romantic partner i love them with my entire heart. im going to make sure i almost die in front of them

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

some of you care about dunking on individual zionists more than a) challenging Zionism as the violent colonial terrorism it is and b) more than supporting Palestinians. People like Trump, Gal Gadot, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Schumer, Jamie Lee Curtis, and whoever the fuck else - their Zionism isn't just an excuse to call them losers. It's a form of terrorism they're lending their social and political capital to in order to legitimise and further enact that terrorism. Moreover, calling Gal Gadot a shit actor (while incredibly true and accurate) and calling it a day isn't anti-Zionist enough. Support Palestinians, uplift Palestinians as much as you shit on Zionists otherwise what's the point. Speaking of which here is a campaign supporting over 80 Palestinian families in Gaza and the West Bank that still hasn't reached its goal. Support Palestinian art, film, academia, etc too. Read Mohammed El Kurd's latest book, Perfect Victims. In light of the testimony from survivors of the IOF's latest massacre Palestinian paramedics, remember Zionism isn't just something that gives you an excuse to call out celebrities. Zionism is terrorism. Zionism is genocide. May we see and and keep fighting for a free Palestine in our lifetimes.

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Come back, I have to tell you the plot of a fic I’ll never write and get you excited about it so we can all be disappointed with me later

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Hug Me! Bring It In!

📢 | Second years reaction to you, someone who isn't the type to physically show affection, suddenly ask for a hug out of the blue!

Jjk second years x Gn!Reader ( can be seen platonic or romantic )

˚·˚ Panda ｡˚

🎧 | Oh he'd definitely be more than happy to give a hug.

🎧 | “Ohoho! Thought you'd never ask!” He would exclaim and bombard you with a bear hug. Literally.

🎧 | Seconds later he'd realize WHO he was hugging and WHO was asking for a hug and shrieked.

🎧 | “Who are you?! What happened to yn?! Did a Cursed Spirit get to your brain?!” “The hell are you talking about?”

🎧 | He started feeling around his body for any possible holes and started laughing. He eventually reached out and ruffled your hair like some child

🎧 | “If you need a hug again just come back, aye? No one in the 2nd years gives the best hugs but me!”

˚·˚ Zenin Maki ｡˚

🎧 | The first second she heard the word ‘hug’ she instantly raised her arms and backed up

🎧 | “Back the fuck up. A hug? YOU want a hug? Never in a million years! I'd believe Megumi, but you?!” “Can't friends ask for hugs..?”

🎧 | After explaining way too many times that you JUST want a hug, she lets out a sigh and places both of her hands on her hips.

🎧 | “So you just want a hug? Point blank period?” “YES. Why is everyone so skeptical?!” “Because you hate physical touch don't fuck with me now.”

🎧 | And eventually you get a quick hug and a pat at the back. After that interaction, Maki has been on EDGE with you.

🎧 | But in the end she'll definitely try to be more open-minded around you. Just in case this wasn't a prank and you did need any type of comfort.

˚·˚ Okkotsu Yuta ｡˚

🎧 | We all know he's really soft and nice so he'd give a casual side hug first to test the waters.

🎧 | “Did something happen?” He'd ask with his signature very tired yet comfortable smile.

🎧 | You're actually pleasantly surprised at how laid back he is compared to others. It was honestly a BREATH of fresh air.

🎧 | “Nah.. Not really. Just wanted a hug.” You replied back to his question. He lets out a hum and pulls you in a proper hug this time.

🎧 | “Wowie you're warm! The others are missing out on this!” Yuta exclaims with a heartwarming laugh. Literally.

🎧 | Probably after this, you'd request more hugs from the boy.

˚·˚ Inumaki Toge ｡˚

🎧 | Truthfully he can't do anything about it since he can't properly vocalize his skepticism. Though he'd utter a “Bonito Flakes.” As a way to say why or something

🎧 | You know that time where Toge stopped Yuta from following him to exorcise the Semi Grade 1 curse from the movie? 

🎧 | Yeah he did the exact same to you, brows furrowed while shaking his head. He wanted an explanation before stepping in the bear trap.

🎧 | When you briefly explained that all you wanted was a hug, Toge was so tempted to use his damned curse technique.

🎧 | “I'm serious! Just a simple hug!” “Salmon cod roe.” “Excuse me?”

🎧 | But after the whole one-sided back and forth, you eventually got a clearly reluctant hug from him.

🎧 | Though the hug was reluctant, your whole relationship with Toge definitely became lighthearted and comfortable. 

🎧 | A success, one would say.

CONCLUDED !

A/N : Would you believe me if I said I wrote the last & next 2 posts on the same day lol i love writing for jjk icl. Should I do the staff members... I will be taking this weekends off ! Will be posting on Monday, 12 noon GMT+8

MASTERLIST

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

🖤 Black History Month ❤️

💛 Queer Books by Black Authors 💚

[ List Under the Cut ]

🖤 Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ❤️ Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 💛 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💚 I'm a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 🖤 Real Life by Brandon Taylor ❤️ Ruthless Pamela Jean by Carol Denise Mitchell 💛 The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 💚 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 🖤 Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney ❤️ The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 💛 That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole 💚Work for It by Talia Hibbert

🖤 All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson ❤️ The Deep by Rivers Solomon 💛 How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters 💚 Running With Lions by Julian Winters 🖤 Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters ❤️ This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender 💛 The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum 💚 This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow 🖤 Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa ❤️ Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 💛 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 💚 The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

🖤 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ❤️ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson 💛 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole 💚 Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 🖤 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann ❤️ A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney 💛 Power & Magic by Joamette Gil 💚 The Black Veins by Ashia Monet 🖤 Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon ❤️ The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow 💛 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 💚 Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

🖤 The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ❤️ Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee 💛 A Phoenix First Must Burn (edited) by Patrice Caldwell 💚 Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 🖤 Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles ❤️ Black Boy Out of Time by Hari Ziyad 💛 Darling by K. Ancrum 💚 The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode 🖤 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ❤️ Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 💛 Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 💚 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

🖤 How to Dispatch a Human by Stephanie Andrea Allen ❤️ Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans 💛 The Essential June Jordan (edited) by Jan Heller Levi and Christoph Keller 💚 A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 🖤 A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney ❤️ Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 💛 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 💚 Punch Me Up to the Gods by Brian Broome 🖤 Masquerade by Anne Shade ❤️ One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite 💛 Soulstar by C.L. Polk 💚 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

🖤 Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender ❤️ Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby 💛 Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair 💚 The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 🖤 If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann ❤️ Sweethand by N.G. Peltier 💛 This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 💚 Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon 🖤 Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett ❤️ Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez 💛 Memorial by Bryan Washington 💚 Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

🖤 Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon ❤️ How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole 💛 Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackosn 💚 Mouths of Rain (edited) by Briona Simone Jones 🖤 Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia ❤️ Love's Divine by Ava Freeman 💛 The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr 💚 Odd One Out by Nic Stone 🖤 Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden ❤️ Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons 💚 Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

🖤 Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert ❤️ My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson 💛 Pleasure and Spice by Fiona Zedde 💚 No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull 🖤 The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus ❤️ Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor 💛 The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 💚 Peaces by Helen Oyeyem 🖤 The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk ❤️ Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh 💛 Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, Joy San 💚 The Heart Does Not Bend by Makeda Silvera

🖤 King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender ❤️ By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery 💛 Busy Ain't the Half of It by Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar Cruz 💚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 🖤 Sin Against the Race by Gar McVey-Russell ❤️ Trumpet by Jackie Kay 💛 Remembrance by Rita Woods 💚 Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo 🖤 You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour ❤️ The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters 💛 Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi 💚 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyem

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

hi eliza!! here for a little selfship chaos:

would rin ever agree to get a couples' tattoo with you? if so, what kind of tattoo are you guys getting?

hope you have a good day! 💜

fallon!!!! hiiiii!!

i love this question so much because it’s like you’ve already peeked at all of the headcanons that i haven’t posted yet! 🙈

so rin is actually obsessed with tattoos… and she even has a few secret ones herself 🤭

she always says the reason why she isn’t covered in them is because japan is still kind of not entirely accepting of them just yet (they’re getting there though!). i am also pretty decently tattooed as it is which makes things a little bit difficult at times but she’s mega protective so if anyone even remotely looks at me the wrong way she’s not afraid to step in (my scary dog privilege for real).

yapping aside though she would actually be wayyyy more down for this than me! 😅 at this point though i’d probably be down too! 🤷‍♀️

it’d have to be something that could stand on its own also, so probably something that’s really important to us both and naturally my mind is going to music. so i feel like we’d both love to have our own little unique variations of these record players with each of our favorite flowers! you wouldn’t be able to tell but rin is actually obsessed with flowers, she loves getting them, she loves giving them even more, and we have a trillion dried ones all over the house as well because she hates throwing them away (she’s way softer than she’ll ever admit) 🥹

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

how do you play love and deepspace if you’re a lesbian? do you just pretend they’re butch lesbians too? is there a mod?? (this isn’t a shit post like i genuinely want to know 😭)

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

guys… i just got my first comm back 🤭🥹😭

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Here's a website where Palestine GoFundMes are vetted and shared that you can send out to people. The url is gazafunds.com

Easy to use and simple. Just share the site whenever someone asks for GFMs for Palestine.

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

tw // literally everything so please feel free to ignore <3

i talk a lot of shit on here. i’ve talked about my own mental health and issues subtly a little bit but try and patch them up with humor and memes and mostly save a lot of the intense shit to write into my stories. but mainly i try to portray myself as someone who’s confident, sure of herself, and doesn’t take shit from anybody (<< the last part is true online at least). because of this i don’t even think i really know how to talk about my problems or my feelings anymore. i’m going to try though, at least for now, because i feel like i’m absolutely just falling apart at the seams and i don’t know what to do with myself anymore.

one of the things that’s always been the best attack to use against me is one you can only do if you know me personally. compare me to an abuser. whether it’s my family’s abuser. my abuser. my best friend’s abuser. compare me to either one of them, and then whatever fight you had me in or whatever- you win. if your goal is to make me wish i wasn’t alive anymore then you win. if your goal is to make me break a streak of over five years of being clean then you win. if your goal is to have me get into my car and drive home and pray to crash in a fatal accident then you win.

i’ll probably survive through it in the end because ultimately some of us are just too hard to kill and i’m one of them. maybe it’ll work so well i’ll even find some way to get motivated and you’ll go on thinking you did a good thing. so you’ll save it in your arsenal of weapons to use for later. and each time you use it i’ll remember it more clearly. telling me how much worse they had it than me. telling me how much the world had to destroy them in order for them to end up that way. but as for me, i was so blessed. we moved every year but they were nice places. all my grandparents were still alive and they loved me so so much. you always made sure i had everything… and yeah, i guess you did. i had a lot of great things. i got to experience a lot of great things. i was blessed. but here i am, still like this. still with the same issues just more adult ones. more fatal ones. more to lose. so it must mean i’m worse. worse than any abuser who ever had it rough.

if there was ever an attack i can’t forget it’s that one.

not long ago i was sick. and as i was adding various medications to my cart i was crying because i realized that while you made sure i had everything, i was still alone. and i’ve been taking care of myself my entire life. i’ve never ever had somebody to take care of me. nobody has ever rescued me. and all of the help i’ve gotten from psychiatrists, and therapists, and medications has all been because i was the one who did the research, who sought them out, who made my own appointments even though i struggle to even send a text message to my own fucking family. i’ve done every single little thing on my own. being alone is all i’ve ever known.

but for fuck’s sake i really would just like to be rescued for once.

so i’m going to continue to stay in my own little world of self ships and f/os, and i’m going to continue to write my silly little stories and fanfictions and pay artists to draw pretty pictures of me and the fictional pixels who make me feel like, at least in those worlds, i have someone to rescue me.

if anyone actually read this all the way through then i apologize, and i don’t want you to be worried about me. i’ll be okay i think. i’m not right now but i think i at least will be. because i don’t think i have any other choice.

(and because i have to rely on music to say everything else i don’t know how to, here’s this.)

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

real talk for a second not to be that person or anything BUT ELLIE IS NOT THAT FUCKING SHORT OKAY?!! SHE IS 5’5 SHE IS AVERAGE!!

now julien is short… she is actually really short- BUT IF YOU THINK 5’5 IS SHORT WHAT DO YOU THINK 5’0 IS??

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Noticing how teenagers are constantly being the purity police in fandom is is wild because they're not even good at it. They're like "that ship is problematic" and then their ship is worse

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

if you ever come at me and say i’m mischaracterizing someone i’m going to go out of my way to mischaracterize them even more

unless they specifically asked, you don’t get to tell a fanfic writer you think they mischaracterized the character by the way. because the second someone writes a fanfic about a character, that character becomes the writer’s own version of the character. canon is only a suggestion, but whether or not an author will follow it / how much of canon an author will take is entirely up to them. you don’t get to stick your nose in their world and tell them “hey this is not to my liking therefore I think you’re doing it wrong” when you can simply leave quietly and move on to something else you may enjoy

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Limerance

🌸 Characters: Rin Shinonome x reader

🌸 Summary: rin shinonome was never known to get flustered or shy around pretty girls. essentially running a joint coffee shop and record store with her best friend tae it had always been easy for her. that is until she meets you… a regular who’s been coming in since the fall, that she has yet to have the courage to ask out.

🌸 Contains: kn8 au, rin having an adoptive little sister that’s intended to be kikoru <3 maybe some light liiiiiight angst (because you know me 😞) but mainly just your usual tooth rotting fluff 💕

🌸 WC: 4.2k

🌸written for @pixelcafe-network’s challenge friday!!🌸

On the vast majority of her work days, Rin tended to keep her eyes on the clock. Though unlike most people it wasn’t because she wanted to go home. In fact she actually didn’t mind her job, a record store mixed in with a coffee shop. A dream gig for her even though she didn’t really care for coffee. They could even be rare sights, definitely getting their fair share of tourism throughout the popular seasons (they’d probably start to be swamped in the next coming weeks).

What she was looking for though was not a rare sight. In fact it was the most supremely stunning yet common sight in the entire world. The same short girl who never went anywhere without her headphones, backpack, and clad in whatever sweater she had decided to wear that day who trailed in at the same time a few days a week. Always following the same path along the courtyard park outside, but lingering just a little bit longer during the spring time. You hadn’t been coming long enough for Rin to have seen you during cherry blossom season in the past years. However she couldn’t help but feel like the sight of you trailing amongst them was the most beautiful and natural thing she had seen in a while.

“Okay, seriously… she’s been coming here since the fall. If you don’t ask her out soon I’m going to start telling her she has a stalker.” Her pink-haired coworker, Tae, teased from next to her as she leaned her elbows against the counter with a smirk tugging on her lips.

“I’m not stalking, I’m just- people watching.” Rin murmured as she twirled a short piece of hair around her finger, catching an anxious bottom lip in between her teeth.

To be entirely fair, Rin didn’t exactly know what was wrong with her. On all levels she never acted like this, she never had to. Whether she was behind the counter at work or tossing back shots at her usual gay bar that she frequented on the weekends, people had no problems with throwing themselves at her. She could turn mascs into flushing schoolboys and leave femmes giggling at a joke that was on all accounts supremely mid with their hands resting right on her tattooed forearm, tracing the shapes of the inked cherry blossoms. The only person she wanted tracing those darkened flowers now though was the girl that was slowly getting closer towards the shop by the minute.

It wasn’t like you didn’t know each other, you had came to the shop enough that you were virtually acquaintances at that point. You knew each other’s names, Rin just didn’t always prefer to call you by your name. You had each other’s social media, which absolutely could’ve been her way in a long time ago. But she was trying to be a gentleman, but also mostly because she was a chicken shit.

“Man, I don’t get this.” Tae huffed with a roll of her eyes as she stalked over towards one of the espresso machines. “You don’t act like this over girls, Rin, you’re a fucking lady killer. A heartbreaker. And now you meet one sweet femme that makes your heart beat just a little bit faster and you suddenly forget how to talk?”

“You would understand too if you finally exited your hoe phase!” Rin exclaimed as she sent a sharp elbow into her ribs, just in time to hear the bell above the front door ringing.

“Incoming.” Tae spoke in a quiet sing song voice just as a small chuckle sounded from behind her causing Rin to whip around with bright red cheeks.

“Oh? Should I come back later so you guys can make up and make out?” You questioned with another snicker as you removed the earbuds just in time to catch in to the conversation.

“Oh! Hey, sprout! Not at all… in fact, I was just about to go on my break so you guys can talk all the shit you want.” Tae exclaimed with that same mischievous grin, almost wanting to shoot her taller coworker a wink before making her way around the counter with a skip in her step.

“But that’s not-” Rin almost pleaded as she darted her head in Tae’s direction with widened eyes.

But she was only greeted with the chime of the bell above the door once more as she echoed a quick, “Bye!”

“I’m ummm, I-I’m so sorry for my idiot of a best friend.” Rin felt the heat on her cheeks as she cleared her throat almost anxiously. “So… your hot or cold usual?”

“I think I’ll go with cold today actually, cherry chai for cherry blossoms.” You grinned as you brandished one of the pink flowers in between your two fingers. Rin’s breath immediately hitched in her throat the moment she felt you slipping it into the side pocket of her t-shirt. Completely unable to keep her cheeks from turning the same shade of the tiny flower.

“You breaking the law just to bring me flowers?” Rin caught herself chuckling, this time turning her into the flushing schoolgirl as she whirled around to start preparing the drink. A little smirk spread on her face however as she watched you bring a finger up to your lips to shush her.

“You’ve turned me into a delinquent.” You chuckled before reaching for the crossbody purse slung around your shoulder.

“Hey, unless you’re pulling out more flowers then you better put that away. Your money’s no good here, you know that.” Rin lightly scolded causing your eyes to roll almost playfully as you trailed along the counter as if to follow her.

“You’ve gotta stop doing that or else Narumi’s gonna end up getting on your ass.” You giggled, clasping your hands behind your back as you let your eyes scan the wall of records like you always did. Even if you rarely bought any, it was like you were looking almost longingly.

“Please- Narumi barely knows what’s going on anyways… feels like Tae and I basically run this place.” Rin explained with a little shrug as she briefly let her eyes sweep over towards your shorter figure as you curiously let your fingers run across the top edges of the vinyl, before picking up one of the somewhat newer albums that had came out last year. Rin’s hands were practically shaking as she felt her heart rate pick up just at the slightest movements, the simple notion of you two having another talking point. And maybe even getting slightly closer to Rin asking you what she probably should’ve a long time ago. “Ummm, d-did you like that album by the way? I-I mean I’m assuming you did because you picked it up but- sorry.” She flushed in pure embarrassment with a shake of her head at her own awkwardness. “I’m mega socially inept so… y-you can just ignore me. I-I won’t bother you if you don’t want me to.”

She made it towards the other side of the counter, almost cursing herself for being so self deprecating. Because she wasn’t like this. She wasn’t awkward, or socially inept… but whenever it came down to you that all went out the window. “No, I like hearing you talk.” You murmured with a softened expression as you placed a soft hand against her forearm the moment Rin passed the drink across the counter. “I’ve been, well, looking for an excuse to get to talk to you.”

“R-Really?” Rin nearly choked at the feeling of your warm hand on her skin, the gentle back and forth of your thumb running along her wrist. All the while praying you couldn’t feel the way her pulse had picked up or the trail of goosebumps that only followed the moment you pulled it away. “I- fuck, I probably looked like a supreme asshole.” She added with a nervous laugh as she tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, and even wondering what it would feel like if your hands were the one in her hair instead.

“I-I mean, honestly I was just starting to think you didn’t like me.” The heat finally crept up into your face, hoping the probably overblown laughs would cover up a vast majority of her own anxiety.

“No! Oh my gosh… no no no no no! I- I really like you. Honestly I do- th-that was probably truthfully the reason why I was so scared to talk to you.” God, Rin’s cheeks were probably matching the shade of the cherry syrup in the chai latte she had just made.

“You?? Afraid to talk to me? If anything I think it should be the other way around.” You snickered, swearing you could almost feel your hand subconsciously reaching for Rin’s. But maybe you were pushing, you weren’t exactly sure what was too fast or what wasn’t enough.

“I’m not that scary.” Rin murmured with a playful eye roll, and finally for a moment she felt like she was getting the smooth side of herself back. Cautiously she lifted a hand to gently brush back a strand of your hair until it was tucked securely behind your ear. “You don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, do you, sprout?” She spoke, tracing a delicate thumb under a cheek that was still very much flushed.

“I mean, if I did do you think I’d be standing here very… subtly trying to flirt with you?” Your breath almost ran out at the statement, even though you were starting to feel like you were able to act relatively chill around her at this point. Her cyan eyes didn’t feel nearly as piercing, her voice didn’t feel like it was trying to ingrain itself into your brain, the briefest brush of your fingers as she passed off your usual order didn’t feel as heart shuddering as it did the first few times. Yet still, even as you let your own fingers trail along the length of her forearm, you could almost catch a faint tremor in your hand.

“Doesn’t hurt to check, I certainly don’t wanna step on any toes.” Rin chuckled a bit before she could catch your teasing hand in her own, drawing the lightest brush of her thumb along your knuckles. “Listen I…” Her cheeks glowed as she caught herself slipping into the same nervous state she was before, all the while trying to stabilize her voice the best she could. “I get off at 5:30… i-if you maybe wanted to meet me in the park- right across from the shop, with the cherry blossoms. And we could maybe do something that doesn’t just involve me making your coffee? I-It’s okay if you’re busy but I just thought that maybe we could-”

“No… n-no- I- I mean, no as in I’m not busy.” The words flew out of your mouth much too fast leaving you to stammer out your actual answer. “And- I-I would love to. Even if your coffee is pretty bomb.” You chuckled before finally scooping up the iced cherry chai and bringing it to your lips.

“Well, I never said I was gonna stop making your coffee, baby, I just said I was gonna stop making you pay for it.” She teased with a light wink that nearly had your heart skidding to a stop. Yep, suave Rin was back, hopefully to stay.

🌸🌸🌸🌸

You ended up finding yourself back at the same bench just along the edge of the park standing adjacent to the coffee shop a solid 20 minutes early. You wrung her hands in your lap as you watched the rapid bounce of your knee, and for a moment you nearly considered the possibility that you had hallucinated the entire interaction. There was no possibility whatsoever that your dream person had actually finally asked you out on a… something?? Was it a date? Or was she just simply looking for someone to hang out with? Either one couldn’t be bad, right?

Even despite how early you had shown up, a single nervous part of you almost considered the possibility that she wouldn’t even show up.

However, Rin ended up being early. At 5:20 her taller figure was making its way down the pathway towards the park bench, a tiny smile tugging on her face the moment her eyes landed on you. “You didn’t stand me up.” You remarked through a chuckle as you shoved yourself up to your feet with that same incessant pink flush from before blooming on your cheeks.

“You thought I was gonna stand you up?” Rin snickered a bit to herself, as she lifted a brow in mock offense. “Damn, who do you take me for? A fuckboy?”

Your breath hitched right in your throat the moment you finally felt her warm hands sliding around your waist. And it felt like the first official touch in so many different ways. The first touch without there being a frustrating counter between the two (even though that wasn’t entirely true, you had definitely ran into her stocking the record shelves and what not before), but it was the most intimate one if anything, and Rin wasn’t wasting any time with pulling you close.

“Is this okay?” She murmured the moment she felt your shaking hands pressing against either side of her chest, not knowing if it was your way of pushing away or getting closer. For a split second, just on instinct, you weren’t even sure either. Touch-adverse, touch-starved, whatever people wanted to call it you were it. Rin had always felt like a safe person though, somehow, you didn’t have an explanation just yet but she had been.

“Yeah… this is- great actually.” You spoke through a heavy sigh of relief as you let her arms fully pull you in. Her body pressing to yours just as your hands trailed up towards her shoulders and you lifted yourself onto your tiptoes to wrap your arms around her neck. “I finally get to hug you.” You chuckled in a voice muffled somewhere in the crook of Rin’s neck.

“Wait… hold on.” She spoke causing your eyebrows to furrow as she gently grasped onto either side of your waist and carefully pulled you back down to your normal height, just before you could frown though she was already pulling you in once more, right into her chest. “There, that’s better.”

Your laugh was quiet, eyes fluttering shut as the soft smile remained on your lips. Your ear now pressed right against her chest, right over top of her heart where you could feel the softest thump underneath. It was an odd feeling, going so long without human touch and then suddenly feeling like you were experiencing the most intimate one in your entire life. It was an overwhelming feeling too. One that had a million different thoughts and emotions swirling up to the surface as you could only feel your fingers curling tighter into her shirt.

You weren’t even sure how far you were willing to get into it, if at all. The reason why one simple hug was causing your eyes to suddenly well up, and the most accurate reason you decided to run to the same coffee shop nearly every day for comfort. Rin didn’t push it though. Even whenever she felt your breathing growing shaky or your grip tightening around her. She just simply slid her fingers through your hair and held you to her chest as long as you needed to stay there.

“You still with me, baby?” She murmured after a while, pulling away though still keeping her hands against both of your cheeks. Her eyes almost looked like light sapphires with the way they peered down at you, hopeful and soft.

“Yeah.” You finally spoke after a moment to catch your breath, “I’m okay.”

“Good.” Rin let the corners of her lips upturn in a small smile before extending out an elbow immediately causing your cheeks to flare with heat. “May I? I know a place.”

“Such a gentleman.” You chuckled as you curled your arm into the crook of her elbow where she offered.

“You’ll never meet a bigger gentleman than a lesbian.” She teased with a chuckle as she started off down the pathway, loose cherry blossoms raining down on the two of you almost giving everything a cinematic feel. “Have you eaten yet?” She wondered as she stole a look down at your shorter figure.

“Oh, not yet… but it’s okay if you have, you don’t have to-”

“Actually- I usually use the kitchen of the shop to make myself dinner before I leave and today… well, what do you know? I ended up making double.” She began with a little smirk and glanced at the small backpack strapped to her back.

“Oh? No way, you wouldn’t have done that on purpose or anything, would you?” You chuckled with a little grin of your own as you let your other hand slide around her bicep, all the while trying not to think of how the muscle felt underneath it either.

“What? No way, I just like to be prepared in case I run into a pretty girl that hasn’t eaten yet and I can maybe rescue her.” She teased, pulling you in closer with the smallest tug to brush her lips over top of your head, and if there was ever a time you wanted to hide your face from the growing flush it was now. “You’re not vegan, are you?”

“What would you do if I was?”

“Cry and start cussing probably.” She said casually with a shrug just before you could give her a playful swat.

“Well, don’t worry because I’m not vegan, or too picky whenever a pretty girl is cooking for me either.” It was a subtle flirt, one you weren’t exactly used to doing either but Rin’s little smile seemed to prove it did its job.

It was a comfortable walk, exchanging different questions and bantering while you held onto Rin’s arm the entire time- and she let you too. She lead the both of you towards the small river that stretched along the back of the park, one you knew was there but had never really gone out of your way to seek out. The small stone steps now decorated in pink petals leading down towards the swinging bench that seemed to be a hidden gem. Empty, just private enough, and while you were sure it had housed a ton of couples before you couldn’t help but feel like it was there specifically for the two of you.

“Rin, this is- h-how did you-?” You stammered once more, eyes widening as she offered a hand to lead you down the stairs. It almost seemed stereotypical to say it looked like something out of a fairytale or a romance movie. But it really did. It was hard not to feel that way.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t find it because I took someone else on a date here or anything. I mean it’s hardly sacred but… it could be, if you wanted it to.” Her fingers slid between your own as she peered out at the reflections within the water, only interrupted by the little flowing pieces of pink flowers floating downwards.

“I wouldn’t exactly mind, I could probably use a sacred place for once. Not that it’s always this pretty and pink but… still.”

“I can assure you, it’s pretty all year round.” Rin chuckled as she slid a cautious arm around your waist to lead you towards the bench, all the while she was still so careful to keep her hands at bay, careful to not cross any boundaries even if secretly you wouldn’t minded if she did. The two of you could always do that later though, for now things were nice like this.

The two of you took your seats on the swing, already feeling it start to naturally rock back and forth slowly as Rin pulled out the to-go container holding her concoction, two expertly rolled wraps with a side of kettle cooked chips for the both of them. “The chicken is spicy, fyi, if you can’t handle spice though then that might actually be a dealbreaker.”

“Uhhh, I can handle spice, have a little faith in me.” You shot back in mock offense as she passed one of the wraps over.

“Alright, I’ll trust you for now then. Let me know if I passed the cooking test though whenever you take a bite.” She remarked, catching a bottom lip in between her teeth with a slightly nervous yet hopeful expression as you unrolled the paper wrapping.

With one bite though a little close-lipped smile tugged on your lips in response. She had had no idea what kind of food you even preferred, whether you were a picky eater or not or anything like that, yet she had nailed it all the same. “You definitely passed.” You remarked with a chuckle as you nodded.

“Hell yeah, Rin! You still got it!” She exclaimed with praise to herself as she held up her own hand to give herself a high-five causing you to burst into giggles through a playful little eye roll.

“See, this is one of the reasons why I think I’m attracted to you, I feel like you’re secretly a dork.” You teased before settling back in the swing, still sat as close to her as you possibly could be.

“What’re the other reasons?” Rin smirked in curiosity.

“I don’t know, are there other reasons?” You wondered, sitting forward with a lifted eyebrow, and this time it was Rin’s turn to be offended as she dropped her jaw in response.

“Excuse you? Do you want me to take that wrap away? And then never give you one of my wraps again?”

“No! No no, I’m sorry, I was just playing!” You exclaimed as you quickly wrapped your legs around Rin’s as if to pull yourself closer even though you were just short of being on her lap. All the while you let your eyes widen and stuck your bottom lip out the slightest bit in a pout. Classic puppy dog eyes.

“That’s what I thought.” She said matter-of-factly as she gave your nose a little poke. “That’s not gonna work on me, by the way. I have an adoptive little sister who’s very good at that but I’m immune.”

You didn’t even say anything, you didn’t need to as you furrowed your eyebrows just the slightest bit more before propping your chin up on her shoulder. “Still not working…” She added in a sing song voice, all you did was push closer though, snuggling into her shoulder and slipping your arms around her bicep which only caused her to roll her eyes and scoff.

“Alright, I’ll play. I can make you weak too.” Rin remarked before suddenly sliding her hand towards your waist to slip around the curve of your back. Immediately your breath hitched in your throat as she pulled you right into her with ease, quickly grabbing the food to sit aside so the two of you wouldn’t knock it over.

“R-Rin-” You stammered, sudden nerves creeping up the back of your neck as you placed a shaking hand balled up against her chest. And just in time you felt her finger brushing underneath your chin and tilting it upwards.

“Darling?” She seemed to whisper in a slightly lower voice, smooth enough to nearly have a sea of goosebumps blooming along your skin once more. Her eyes were so icy, but you had barely noticed the level of softness they seemed to have, the tinge of green that surrounded the irises. All enough to make you shiver.

Rin seemed to catch on to your shift however, the amusement in your gaze deflating to appear almost like you were in a trance. All the while your own eyes flickered subconsciously towards her lips. “Do you-” she flushed with a clear of her throat, trying to keep her words stable. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

“Do… Do you wanna kiss me?” You murmured, hand still unraveling as you kept it pressed against her chest, like you wanted to track every breath, every heartbeat.

“Yeah.” The answer seemed to come out in a heavy gust of air as she was out of breath. “Yeah, I really fucking do.”

The both of you seemed to move at the same time, closing the gap between your lips with gasps freezing in your throats. Rin’s breathing was heavy as she practically wanted to hoist you right on top of her but was refraining, at least for now. Your movements still felt so desperate though, hand nearly clawing its way up to her shoulder as your body seemed to curve right into hers.

The tiniest moan caught in your throat the moment you felt her arm squeezing around your waist, letting the kiss deepen, slowly but hungry all at the same time. Her tongue only slightly mixing in with your own causing you to practically collapse at the sensations spreading through your body all at once. Oh Gods, if this is what you had been waiting over six months for it was so so worth it.

Your breathing was heavy by the time the two of you finally came up for air, even though you wouldn’t have minded being suffocated by her. Her forehead pressed to yours as she cracked the smallest smirk. “You still with me, sprout?” She questioned almost breathlessly as she gently pushed your hair out of your face.

You gulped a heavy lump down your throat with a nod as you let a shaky hand slide around the width of her shoulders. “Yeah… but I- I’m gonna need you to do that again though. And… often actually. I-If that’s okay.”

Rin let out another chuckle underneath her breath before letting her fingers curl into your hair ever so slightly, “Yeah baby, I think that’s more than okay.”

🌸 Credits: cherry blossom dividers by @saradika-graphics and image from pinterest 💕

🌸 ty to sam so much for this prompt!! i had so much fun writing it and challenging myself! 😊 🌸