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LOOOK AT MY BABIESSS !!!!! OMGGG TGIS IS SO CUTEE !!!! I LOVE IT ❤️❤️❤️

YOU DREW AMARI AND LILY SO WELLLL !!!!

ALSOO !!! lily’s favorite bear is the sun bear !!! she thinks they’re so cool !! he specifically likes the gold crescent spot on their chests ! mainly because it’s golden color matches lily’s eyes

SANTAS IN TOWN!!!!

@softplushiee ... MMY SINCEREST APOLOGIES FFOR HOW SLOW I AM ASND SLSO THJAT THE BACKGROUND IIS ASS,, yuor mcs are adorable and i love them sm and i need to know what Lily's favorite bear is

[softplushiee]

yay i’m glad you like it !! i use procreate mainly !!! though i occasionally use ibis paint

doodled two girl jerks !!

xod fem designs by @unusuallysweetaki ❤️ (i hope you don’t mind the tag!)

[softplushiee]

doodled two girl jerks !!

xod fem designs by @unusuallysweetaki ❤️ (i hope you don’t mind the tag!)

[softplushiee]

anyway i'm taking this as literal canon evidence of transmasc jeremy and 🥚 transfem pran

[softplushiee]

PRAN NATION HAS BEEN FEDDD !!!!!!

i love your shya fanfic. So, i will be requesting one with Pran!! What if it was all cute, Pran becomes a bit more social with JB because he's slowly internally getting comfortable with Her, JB points it out and he gets flustered/embarassed over it and continues to ignore her for 2 days. (Do with this what you will. You're allowed to change up some things for the sake of making it in-character)

♦ Unavoidable Orbit ♦

► tags/warnings: -

► summary: Pran doesn't understand why Jb wants him.

► words: 866

► a/n: GLAD TO FEED PRAN NATION!!

► Masterlist

Pran’s world was supposed to be quiet. Predictable.

The kind of place where he could walk through the halls without catching a single glance, where no one bothered him unless absolutely necessary.

His version of peace was a delicate balance of avoidance and detachment, where he could never disappoint anyone because no one ever expected anything from him in the first place. He didn’t even offer the bare minimum.

And he’d had it.

He’d mastered it.

Then JB happened.

Jb was… Insistent, for lack of a better word.

She was utterly averse to any kind of rejection. Pran knew, from experience, that she’d much rather insist, insist and insist, push all buttons she could find, and win someone over through sheer exhaustion than simply accept a world in which someone wouldn’t want her. No matter how much he insisted on his lack of interest, how boring he made himself out to be, or how he’d perfected the art of the dead-eyed stare.

JB simply didn’t care.

It was exhausting. She was exhausting. 

And Pran wasn’t built for people like her—for JB’s sheer energy, her endless search for praise and validation, the way she preened under the spotlight. 

She was meant for people like Everett: shallow, willing to indulge her in banter and join her in making fun of other people. Or someone like Shiloh, who’d blindly follow her wherever she led, feeding her endless, meaningless praise, doing whatever he must for her amusement.

(he tries to forget about how she insisted, in a tone more serious than Pran had ever heard from her, that no matter how many books Shiloh carried for her, she was happy with Pran and wouldn’t trade him for anyone)

Pran ran from the type of attention she so eagerly sought out, but somehow, he’d ended up in her grasp anyway. Held tightly in her claws, blinded by the spotlight that followed her. Nothing seemed to be a deterrent, no matter how hard he tried to escape or how much he pushed her away.

No indifference seemed indifferent enough. His words just made her laugh. His silence didn’t faze her. Her presence became an ever-present part of his routine, as sure as Jeremy’s apathy.

So why couldn’t he hate her?

He hated everything about this. He hated that above all else he had begun to look forward to their dates, that he grew to enjoy her company, even when she was annoying and too loud. He hated how he didn’t even notice when he started answering her questions with full phrases instead of regarding them with annoyed silence.

He hated that he knew her favourite animals were bears, that he knew exactly what songs she’d pick at karaoke, and how he’d caught himself humming along to them later. He hated how he noticed that, even if she made fun of his preferences, she cared enough to respect them.

Pran gave her the bare minimum. Why was that enough?

“You’re talking to me more lately,” JB noted one day, her grin sharp and teasing as she poked his cheek. She sits close, too close, content under the cool shade of a large tree he likes to sit under. “Does this mean you’re finally realizing how charming I am?”

He’d snatched her hand away, careful not to hurt her, begging his face to remain impassive.

 “No.” 

He’d snapped, voice even, but a little too defensive. The answer is almost automatic in its frequency.

She’s unfettered, however. 

“Sure, sure…” JB said, that grin growing somehow more insufferable. “It’s okay to like your girlfriend, you know. I’m extremely likeable.”

“Go away.” 

He’d muttered, and she only laughed in response. When had she ever listened to him?

“Aww, look at you, all embarrassed!” She’d leaned in, and he’d known, he’d known, she’d read him like an open book “I’m winning, Pran.”

He’d ignored her. Completely. For two whole days.

At first, he felt relief. His world had returned to quiet predictability. 

No interruptions. No poking at his patience.

It was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it?

By the second day, that quiet began to feel too loud. He’d catch himself glancing down the hall, expecting her voice to cut through the noise of students passing by. She’d been there so often, it felt unnatural for her to be gone. He’d check his phone more than usual, not that he’d admit why, but the silence stretched on.

And on the third day, he’d opened his phone to find a single text from her.

> are you done being dramatic yet? i’m bored.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard. He stared at the screen for far too long. She didn’t send anything else. No follow-ups, no obnoxious selfies, no string of emojis. Just the single message, waiting for him to find it.

He hated how that made his chest feel tight.

He hated it even more when he found himself typing back.

> I’m still ignoring you.

Her reply came in seconds as if she was sitting by her phone, just waiting for his inevitable response.

> lol sure. meet me after class, panda

His head hit the desk. He didn’t delete the message.

He’d never tell her, but he’d already planned to.

[softplushiee]

doodled some randomized mcs !!

[softplushiee]

a quick doodle i made for pran’s birthday today !!!

[softplushiee]

HIIII @prince-silver-lining i’m your secret santa o(^▽^)o i hope you like this ,,

thanks to @olnfsecretsanta2024 for running the event 🫶🏽

[softplushiee]

there’s like a super big gap ,, oopsie

https://tiermaker.com/create/our-life-universe-characters-1211348

Made a gbpatchverse tierlisttt guysss who's surprisedddd

[softplushiee]

btw if you have anymore questions about my mcs feel free to ask meee !!

ALSO FROM SANTA MB

your favorite pairings includes Whitney but not your mcs!! im guessing this is because you wanted something for Lily and Amari, but i could do something for Whitney if you want!! i just need info :)))

actually i was originally gonna add whitney to the secret santa thing but i had changed my mind ,, i must’ve forgotten to get rid of that mb ^^’

[softplushiee]

my sweet babies that i don’t really give any attention to

more info about them below:

daniel:

- wannabe genius 🫶 he tries his best to seem mature but he fails miserably.. he can’t help but be whimsical

- neodivergent in some shape or form (i haven’t decided yet)

- has a lisp

- enjoys reading, looking at bugs, and spending time with his pals

- in the future, he dyes the tips of his hair cranberry to match his mama !!

—

martha:

- transgender girl !! she’s nervous about telling this to people in fear of judgment </3

- has social anxiety.

- TALLLLLLLL (hates her height. it makes it hard to hide behind tammy for protection >:()

- is pretty soft spoken

- nothing is wrong with her left eye, it’s just covered for aesthetic purposes

- likes riding her bike, drawing, and star gazing

[softplushiee]

ALSO FROM SANTA MB

your favorite pairings includes Whitney but not your mcs!! im guessing this is because you wanted something for Lily and Amari, but i could do something for Whitney if you want!! i just need info :)))

actually i was originally gonna add whitney to the secret santa thing but i had changed my mind ,, i must’ve forgotten to get rid of that mb ^^’

[softplushiee]

its santa open up

HELLO!!! here to ask if lily and amari can exist at the same time.. like, if not ill do a piece for each, but if they do then ill do one big one with both

THANKS!! :D

hiii santa !!!

yes they cann !!!!

[softplushiee]

[softplushiee]

it’s meeeeeeeee i’m shiloh enjoyer #3!!!! revolving him around in my brain every day like it’s a microwave 😭😭 i know you’re busy with a lot of other asks at the moment but i’m eagerly awaiting the lizzie post!! and all of your other writing ofc <33 you brighten my day :D

HELLO TO THE MYSTERIOUS SHILOH ENJOYER #3! I think we're all here now haha I'm glad you enjoy my analysis posts! NOW BUCKLE UP, BUCKAROOS! THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE LOWKEY SAD: Elizabeth is perhaps the most complex and defining relationship in Shiloh's life.

First of all, it's one of the few we see glimpses of throughout several steps in his life-- we see how he idolises her as a child, how he acts towards her when they reconnect in his teenage years and glimpses of how the different versions of him act with her in adulthood. It's likely the oldest relationship he maintains that isn't familial, and I think that's incredibly significant when we take into consideration what I believe to be one of the paradoxical cores of Shiloh's character: Connections and relationships are disposable to him, but Shiloh is only Shiloh as long as there’s someone there. He still feels lonely.

I talked a little before about Shiloh's childhood. How the social dynamics he established as a kid ended up influencing his behaviour as a teenager: He sees Lizzie as the obvious leader, since she's older and more assertive than him and MC, and follows her around and obeys her every whim because of it. Whether he genuinely likes her or not is up for debate, but I don’t think it matters to Shiloh. What she means to him is something that can far supersede any simple likes or dislikes that he might feel at that age:

She provides stability and purpose. She’s his anchor against the mean kids, the teasing, the isolation. All he has to do is stay in her favour. Lizzie is his first encounter with a power dynamic he can rely on and emulate as he grows, and therefore she becomes someone he idolises.

Shiloh doesn’t need to be honest, or even be himself, as long as he’s useful and needed. He understands social hierarchies all too well, knowing what happens to people at the bottom. It’s why he insists he isn’t “different” and loses it when Cove calls him “weird.”

He was probably one of the kids who got picked on, so he’s always scrambling to stay just above water and not sink to the bottom with the rest of the “outcasts.” MC doesn’t mean much to him, but in Lizzie’s absence, he sticks to them just as obediently, as they’re the next best thing. Cove, on the other hand, is mostly just a mild annoyance but does give Shiloh a bit of relief because, for once, he’s not the one at the bottom. And it’s not like Cove was ever going to be Lizzie’s favourite anyway.

Whenever Shiloh gets ignored, he panics and tries to wedge himself back into the conversation however he can. And as soon as Lizzie shows up again, he immediately runs back to the safety of their old dynamic.

I think that while most of him admires her at that age, there's a little part of him that resents not being like her. Not being able to be a leader and being relegated to a follower, feeling aimless when she isn't around. As a kid, he's more prone to lashing out when angered, unlike older Shiloh who acts with fake cheeriness and this strange, eery coldness when annoyed. And that's why he pulls her down with him into the water in Step 1.

If he isn't willing to voice these things because he doesn't want to rock the boat and cause issues, he expresses it more subtly.

Shiloh’s just scared—a scared little kid who figured out a way to fit in. And because that method kept working for him, through moving out of state and getting through life without Lizzie, he never really had a reason to change, even if it did a number on his very sense of self.

He got better at these tactics over time, making sure he’d always have a way to fit in, but it cost him a real personality and genuine social skills beyond the manipulation tactics he fine-tuned throughout the years. Eventually, he started taking control in small but crucial ways: He’s the one who walks away from relationships, now. Removing himself from them becomes a choice. It’s not only about leaving when people cease being useful to him but about imposing a sense of control that he felt like he lacked in childhood since he moved schools and states a few times and was likely used to being the “new kid” in different places.

He learned to hide his feelings better, so he wouldn’t blow up the way he did when he was seven. That’s why his relationship with Elizabeth—and the times he had to start fresh somewhere new—were so essential to shaping who he is: Lizzie set the standard for the kinds of relationships he’d chase, and moving around gave him fresh slates and new people to practice on.

That brings us to the serendipity moment in Our life and what we know from him in Xoxo droplets. Now, I know a lot of people haven’t actually played XOD and only have a cursory knowledge of it and the fact that a few characters from it cameo in the Our Life series! But did you know that Liz is mentioned by name in Shiloh’s route?!?

Yes! Back in 2017 we actually had Shiloh mention the events of Serendipity, which I think is a crucial scene to understand Shiloh’s character.

But before we talk about that, Let's talk Serendipity!

After Jeremy brings up “Shiloh’s famous memory” and Liz realizes he lied about not remembering her in the Step 3 prologue, Shiloh actually goes ahead and explains why he is the way he is. His explanation lines up with what we know about him from XOXO Droplets and how he acts in Step 1.

I don’t think he’s lying. Not about all of it, at least. Some of the only concrete information we have on Shiloh’s character and how he functions comes from his childhood, and I think that what he’s saying is a natural progression of that information. He only does things for his own benefit, he’s afraid of being left out and he asserts his sense of control through his relationships with others. But it’s really important to remember that Shiloh doesn’t do things without it benefiting him. While I believe in the core of what he’s saying, the fact that he’s divulging this information at all (how he’s going about it, by putting Liz and her feelings on the matter first, and framing his choices as being mistakes he made out of care for an old friend and by reiterating that they’re too good and putting himself down for pity points) instead of trying to dodge the conversation again, he’s employing a few of his known manipulation tactics: the real me strategy.

Shiloh knows that this new information is hurtful to Liz, and like in Step 1, her opinion is really the one that matters to him. He knows that there’s a limit to how much he can play dumb before they snap, and by Jeremy revealing part of his MO, there isn’t a lot he can do to smooth things over, so the least destructive path is to do exactly what Shiloh does to JB during his route in Xoxo droplets: He feeds Liz little bits of truth because he knows he’ll damage their relationship if he doesn’t. He gives her enough so she feels like she knows him better, like she’s got some new, special insight into the “real” Shiloh that nobody else has, which keeps her around. He pretends to drop his manipulative schtick because by telling her this, she has “figured him out” and there isn’t a point in trying anymore. That itself is a manipulation tactic.

But why bother? He’d be gone again by the end of the afternoon regardless of her forgiveness or not.

It comes back to what I mentioned earlier: Shiloh is the one who exerts control over his relationships. He is the one who decides when they start, and when they end, and by Liz being upset and deciding she doesn’t want to be around him, not only does he lose the control he craves, but Shiloh loses it with the person he based all of his subsequent relationships on.

In the few hours that he spent in Sunset Bird, they all fell back into their old dynamics even though it had been so long since Shiloh stepped foot in that town. He still remembers that she prefers popsicles over ice-cream sandwiches, and even though he’s better at including MC and Cove, Shiloh in a lot of ways fell back into their old routine, looking back to Liz as his leader and following into step as her sidekick. It doesn’t matter if Liz isn’t an active part of his life any longer, what would it mean to him to have those memories tainted? For that perfect template to be ruined?

But Liz stays. 

And because of that choice, we get to see the ultimate consequences of it. Shiloh isn’t a good person. As pitiful and as tragic as he might be, he simply isn’t one. And I think that can be encapsulated perfectly in how he frames his interaction with Liz to his girlfriend in Xoxo Droplets.

He glosses over what he did wrong, he casually exploits that event to garner points with his girlfriend. He ultimately doesn’t care if she takes his and Liz’s relationship the wrong way and frames it as being romantic, even if that’s far from the truth. Even with Elizabeth being miles away and already hurt by him, he still finds ways to use people and spin narratives to his advantage. 

I do believe he holds Liz in higher esteem than most (and arguments can be made that JB, the main character in XOXO droplets and his love interest, and Elizabeth share similarities in both appearance and their strong-willed, confident personalities), since she was his “idol” by his own admittance, but this is a tiny way in which he asserts his control over the situation. It doesn’t matter if Liz believes she holds the reins. If she’s older, admirable and if he still follows her around like an obedient puppy when she’s around.

By choosing to stay, she tipped the scales in his favour. He is the one in control once again, and he's able to continue his interminable cycle of holding people at arm's length while playing the part of a devoted companion.

[softplushiee]

Soon to be Wedded | Jeremy King x Reader

Short-ish fic inspired by me wishing Jeremy could’ve brought JB as his date at Cove and MC’s wedding (I know it probably would’ve been too difficult, but still)

SPOILER WARNING FOR THE WEDDING DLC!!!

“Oooh, I can’t believe we’re really here. Look at this place!” You squeal in awe, admiring the wedding decorations combined with redwood trees. Jeremy follows closely behind you, his shoulder scrunched in show of his discomfort. “Mm, it’s nice…I guess.” He sighs, he glares at you when you nudge him with your elbow. “Ha! Wow, you’re actually giving out a compliment? Huh, you must like these guys a lot. I can’t wait to meet ‘em.” You tease.

Jeremy rolls his eyes and instinctively shoos your arm away from him with a groan. “…Why did I bring you along again?” He sighs “Becaaaaause, you’d be unable to handle a social setting as big as a wedding without me.” You state. “More like you were acting like us being apart for a weekend was the end of the world.” Jeremy scoffs, one side of his mouth turning upward into a smirk. You let out a soft hum in response, “But it is the end of the world!” You gasp.

“No it isn’t.” Jeremy says bluntly “It is! How can I be happy without my precious Jerebear somewhere nearby? You are my world!” You whine truthfully. Jeremy cringes, his pale cheeks burning red. “…Gross.” He groans, you only grin at his reaction as you approach the wedding planner. “Ah! You must be Jeremy. And is this your plus one?” Baxter asks with a polite smile, taking in the two of you.

“Yep.” Jeremy says dryly “I’m his girlfriend.” You add confidently. “You didn’t need to tell him that.” Jeremy sighs, staring at the ground. “After how hard I worked to keep this relationship going? I should make us wear T-shirts. Or, who knows, this wedding might be the push I need to get the ball rolling for our future wedding.” You snort, Jeremy just glares at you in annoyance. Baxter watches the two of you, his smile unwavering. “Well, if you ever need a wedding planner I’m available.” He tell you, “Please. Don’t encourage her,” Jeremy sighs, shifting uncomfortably with a blush “Can we take our seats now?” “Yes, of course. You two are seating over there, second row.” Baxter says, not wanting to make Jeremy more uncomfortable.

“Great. Come on.” Jeremy says “Go on, without me. I need to get Mr. Wedding Planner’s number-” Jeremy grabs you by the hand and drag you away from Baxter without another word. He knows you’ll put up less of a fight because him touching—let alone holding your hand is super rare.

……

“—Cove…thank you for always being there. I want to thank you for…everything.”

Jeremy watches the scene with a blank expression, only reacting when he hears a sniff beside him. He looks at you knowingly, “…Seriously? You don’t even know these people.” He sighs with a quiet voice as he turns his attention to you “I know. But they just seem so pure. It’s adorable.” You whisper back, tears pricking your eyes. Jeremy stares at you with a dumbfounded frown, but eventually force himself to return his gaze to the actual focus of the wedding.

…

Jeremy sips his drink, quietly listening to you ramble on about how nice the wedding was and how groovy it is to have the reception in an aquarium of all places. “I hope you’re taking notes, Jerebear. I’m hoping we have our wedding at the archery range.” You state, Jeremy frowns at the thought, “That’s awful…” He groans “You’re not gonna ask why?” You huff.

“I don’t need to know the reason. I already know it’s gonna be stupid, cheesy, and pointless…” Jeremy grumbles, but that doesn’t stop you from telling him anyway, “It’s because the archery range was where you first said you lov-” “Ugggggh.” Jeremy groans, dropping his head into his arm. “I should’ve left you at home…” He sighs, “Love you too, Jerebear~” You snicker, making the poor boy’s eyes widen even more than before. He sighs with a blush spreading all over his face.

Out the corner of his eye, he sees Cove and MC approaching. Jeremy sits up with an exaggerated sigh, eyeing the couple awkwardly, secretly hoping they didn’t hear any of this conversation. The pair greet the two of you with matching smiles of admiration and curiosity. Jeremy awkwardly stands to be closer to the couple and further from your flirting. Cove speaks first, “You came!” He says happily, his blue eyes lighting up. Jeremy’s tired pout remains, “Happy wedding, you insane people. Why did you invite me to this?” He asks.

You watch in amusement as MC smiles kindly, “Because we wanted you here. Thank you for coming. And thank you for actually bringing a plus one. We were hoping to either meet your girlfriend or Pran.” They chuckle. Jeremy shifts uncomfortably before MC pulls Jeremy into a hug. His shoulders tense and his eyes are wider than ever, “Let me go.” He hisses out, his cheeks becoming an intense red. MC smiles apologetically, “I’m sorry. Are you ok?” They asks. Once he calms down, Jeremy only sulks more, “Whateveeeer…” He sighs. Cove smiles, the two of you make eye contact. Suddenly his familiar smile drops into one of curiosity and amazement “O-oh! You’re Jeremy’s girlfriend, right?” He asks. “That’s right. I’m Jeremy’s other half,” You say with a toothy grin that Jeremy knows far too well “Glad to know he talks about me.”

“Yep, still forcing him to be happy?” MC asks jokingly, “Pfft! Yeah, it’s my favorite past time.” You laugh. Jeremy rolls his eyes, opting to pay attention to anything other than you and MC’s conversation. Cove turns to him joyfully, “Thanks so much for coming. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.” He states. Jeremy scoffs, “True. It would’ve been better.” “Well, it’s nice of you to want to come and share the suffering.” Cove chuckles, earning a smirk from Jeremy.

“Misery loves company.” He teases dryly, Jeremy raises an eyebrow at the sight of MC giving you a number. He sighs knowingly and shakes his head. Jeremy gazes over the wedding once again, taking in the reception. Cove soon joins you and MC in the rambling about your lives and relationships. “I guess this is one of the better functions I’ve been too.” Jeremy sighs. Despite his quiet voice, he catches everyone’s attention. “Better than our prom?” You ask, Jeremy rolls his eyes “Anything is better than that.” He smirks. “Scum. Heartless scum.” You huff.

Meanwhile, MC and Cove look at Jeremy in shock, “You’re saying something nice about our wedding?!” Cove squeaks out in surprise, the noise almost makes you laugh. “It’s not earth shattering.” Jeremy says “Pfft! Yeah, right. If I look outside, will pigs be flying.” You joke, Jeremy shoots an annoyed look your way. “I appreciate that, Jeremy.” MC says sweetly, Jeremy looks away in discomfort. A sharp gasp is heard a distance away.

“You guys are here too?! That’s so cool!”

You look over your shoulder to spot Shiloh approaching, Jeremy does the same—he frowns in pure disgust. “Shiloh? What the hell are you doing here?” You ask once he’s close enough, “Ah, right. Jeremy wouldn’t have told you. The three of us are childhood friends.” Shiloh says happily, he gestures to Cove and MC. “Huh, small world.” You say, Jeremy glares silently at Shiloh.

Shiloh stands in between you and Jeremy, “Hi.” He greets, now that he’s fully apart of the mini reunion, “Hello hello, Shiloh. Glad to see you’re still a suck up. How that’s working how for you now?” You hum. Jeremy responds before Shiloh does, “Couldn’t this have waited until that terrible ‘group reunion’ I’m certain we’re gonna have to go in six years or whatever?” Jeremy sighs. “What?!” You and Shiloh share disapproving shrieks, MC and Cove watch the scene with matching smiles.

“Come one! Once group mates, always group mates.” You whine “She’s right.” Shiloh unsurprisingly agrees with you, “We shouldn’t hold off for that. If there’s a chance to hang out, we’ve gotta take it!” He urges. Jeremy groans, “Of course that’s your perspective on things. Life is an endless series of disappointments.” He sighs through grit teeth. Cove smile drops into a look of concern, you wrap an arm around Jeremy’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about Jerebear. He’s always like this. This is your wedding, focus on that happiness and ignore Mr. Grumpy.” You tell Cove confidently. Shiloh nods, “Yeah! And at least there’s free cake. That’ll be something, right?” He adds. Jeremy’s annoyance turns into shock, the two of you stare at Shiloh in surprise. He only chuckles and turns to Cove and MC, “Jeremy has a soft spot for baked goods. He’s probably excited about it.” He tells them. “Really?! I feel the same way!” Cove says happily.

You grin and raise a confused eyebrow, “How’d you figure that out?” You ask curiously. But again, Jeremy doesn’t give him a chance to answer, “Why do you remember that? We haven’t spoken in years. Shouldn’t you focus your efforts on remembering dumb things about her?” He groans gesturing to you. Shiloh giggles, “I’d never forget anything about either of you, Jeremy.” He states. Jeremy cringes and you laugh, “Yep. You’re definitely still Shiloh.” You say “Of course! Who else would I be?” Shiloh asks with a bright smile.

“Someone better maybe? Or at least someone less grating about how unpleasant they are.” Jeremy sighs, Shiloh’s chipper mood doesn’t fade, “Nope. I’m just me. The three of us should catch up! Let’s get drinks.” He says. Jeremy finally realizes your arm’s still around him and he shrugs you off. You pout, “That sounds like a terrible idea.” Jeremy sighs, he grabs your hand and nods goodbye to Cove and MC before he pulls you to the bar with Shiloh trailing eagerly behind. “Bye! Congratulations!” Shiloh shouts to the couple. The couple shouts goodbyes back.

…

You rest your head on your palm, watching Baxter announce the bouquet toss. “Oooh, Jeremy! You should join.” You giggle, elbowing him gently. Jeremy nudges you away from him “Uh, why would I do something as pointless as that?” He asks. “Because it’s fuuuuun! And you gotta get that bouquet! Fight for our future wedding!” You squeal. Jeremy cringes, “That’s a terrible reason…” He groans “Besides, it’s not even guaranteed I’ll catch it.”

You shake Jeremy and whine, “Just try! I’m just gonna keep bugging you until you do!” Jeremy glares at you, but ends up standing up. He stands on the outskirts of the already forming group, Jeremy ignores your cheers of support and begrudgingly holds his arms out. “Excellent. The bouquet toss begins—now!” Baxter announces. Everyone watches MC closely. MC fires a quick trick shot towards the crowd, many scramble to try to catch the bouquet of poppies, but the only person who remained still was the one to catch them.

Jeremy frowns miserably when the bouquet perfectly lands in his arms. He does his best to keep the bouquet as far as he can from his body. Jeremy looks over his shoulder to lock eyes with you, a wide grin is on your face. “Don’t you even start.” He says in disgust, you blow him a kiss and Jeremy cringes more..

“Stunning work from our winner: Jeremy!” Baxter chuckles into a mic. “Congratulations on your future wedding!” MC giggles, Jeremy glares at them while you enthusiastically shout back a “Thanks!” The other guest laugh and let out chuckles of their own. Jeremy miserably huffs and returns to his seat. “Pfft! I can’t wait to tell your parents the good news.” You tease, Jeremy rolls his eyes “I’m sure they won’t be happy to hear that I dumped you at someone else’s wedding.” He scoffs. You stick your tongue out at him and giggle.

…

Jeremy silently places the bouquet on the hotel’s dresser. He glances at you as you work to blow up the air mattress, it was the only way Jeremy was going to sleep in a hotel and he wasn’t going to change his mind. At least you were able to convince him to spring for a king size air mattress the two of you could share.

“…I’m glad I got to meet your other friends, Jerebear. It makes me happy to know there are other people who know how much of a treasure you are.” You coo, “Stop hanging out with my mom.” Jeremy sighs. “Never. She’s basically my future mother in law.” You snicker, you gently poke the air mattress, “It’s done.” You announce. You stretch your arms, “Who gets the shower first?” You ask, there’s only a brief moment of silence before you quickly add “Ooh, we should take one tog-” “No!” Jeremy said firmly.

“Come on! It’s not like it’d be the first time.” You huff, Jeremy removes his shoes and leaves them by his suit case. “It’s hard enough I have to use a dirty hotel shower. Having you join would definitely kill me.” He sighs, pulling out the blankets he brought, “I’m sure the showering together wouldn’t be the only hard part.” You joke, wiggling your eyebrows, Jeremy throws the blanket over your head. “You’re just mad I’m funny!” You laugh, Jeremy walks to the bathroom with a disgusted look. He shuts the door, the last thing he hears is your growing laughter.

“Together for life, Jerebear! In sickness in health! Ooh, that reminds me. I gotta text Pran the great news~”

[softplushiee]

DAY 2: FLOWERS (COVE HOLDEN/MARLEE LAST (MC))

a/n: brief use of marlee’s deadname, lots of yearning, and derek and liz make a cameo ,,

——

the white line poppy; a symbol of grace and purity

sunflowers; these flowers represent all sorts of things like strength, loyalty, and admiration.

-

white line poppies were cove’s favorite flowers. he had decided that when he was young, though he didn’t know the name of the flower until a certain kid came along.

they met when they were both just little boys, at the age of eight.

it was dark out, cove was sitting on top of a hill, almost completely hidden because of the tall grass. he had his head buried in his knees, staring into nothing.

the boy stared at cove for a while, admiring his features. he was immediately fond of his green hair since they matched his green eyes, though his eyes were of a darker shade.

the boy slowly approached the green-haired fellow, step by step. cove finally gave the stranger a glance, his blue eyes locking with the boy’s green ones.

suddenly feeling a heavy amount of nervousness, the stranger shyly mustered up a hello.

he also introduced himself as ‘oliver’, but it was obvious that the boy didn’t like how that name rolled off of his tongue.

-

a few days passed, now they were sitting on that same very hill they met on and were chatting.

“mm, i like sunflowers..” cove heard oliver say in response to him telling the other what his favorite flower was. cove nodded, approving of his friend’s favorite flower choice. “yeah. those are nice too. they’re bright and awesome. you match with them.” the boy beside him perked up, “..i’m awesome?”

cove’s cheeks flushed, “oh, uh, yeah.” feeling too shy, he ended the conversation there.

oliver stretched and laid back into the grass and cove joined him. oliver admired the clouds in the darkening sky. he smiled to himself when he saw a cloud resembling a dolphin, reminding him of the balloon animal cove had bought him.

he nudged cove and pointed at the cloud, “look! a dolphin!”

“yeah, i see it.”

“really?”

“no, but i like dolphins.” cove’s response made oliver pout, but, hey, at least he learned another thing that cove liked.

cove chuckled at his reaction.

-

five years have gone by in a flash. summer has returned.

‘oliver’ has since bloomed into a young girl named marlee.

she liked the way the name rolls off her tongue.

cove had changed too, in different ways.

he had gotten his cast taken off.

he grew tall; him and marlee were almost the same height. the latter was only slightly shorter. she felt comfort in that, in some odd way.

he grew more extroverted and he became interested in sports.

marlee couldn’t relate to the sports part, she’d much rather collect seashells and other valuables (you should see her collection, it’s rather impressive).

and there cove was, one fateful morning, standing at her doorway. all in his flustered glory while marlee was still fighting off sleep.

cove looked really nervous, marlee managed to register. he was holding something in his hands, it looked like a bouquet.

a bouquet of fruit to be exact.

the pineapple in it was cut into the shape of a flower, there were skewers that held four juicy grapes, the strawberries looked bright red, and there were melons that were shaped into stars.

cove smiled at the sight of her, “hey, marlee.” her heart skipping a beat, marlee smiled back. it was strange, she has heard cove say her name a thousands of times but she couldn’t help feeling giddy hearing him say it.

maybe it was because he was saying her true name, not the name she once went by.

Though, he had always had this effect on her, ever since they were little kids. there was just something about him that made her feel so special to have him in her life.

cove broke eye contact, settling on staring at the ground beneath him.

“hey. it’s nice to see you.” marlee finally replied. “yeah… i mean, it’s nice to see you too. not that it's nice for you to see me.”

they both share a laugh and the day continues on.

-

after a rough encounter with a bowl-cut kid, marlee decided it would be best to just eat the fruit. yeah, it was supposed to be shared with her and her family, but it wouldn’t hurt to indulge, right?

derek and cove are technically family, so it’s perfectly fine.

marlee’s first choice was the flower shaped pineapple, it immediately grabbed her eye when she first saw it.

the sweet and tart taste filled her mouth. derek was right, it did make her feel better.

after finishing eating the fruit, marlee chatted away with cove and derek.

“hey, marlee.” she heard cove say, “thanks for what you said back then… it’s nice not everybody thinks like that guy.” he had a soft smile on his face.

that kid with the bowl cut they had encountered earlier had made a rude comment about cove’s eyebrows and marlee had defended him, stating that they looked cool.

they do look cool, marlee thought, they look like green caterpillars.

“oh. it’s okay. he was just being a jerk.” it’s too bad, marlee was hoping to make a new friend, even if he did have a horrendous haircut. derek chimed in. “don’t listen to it, cove. he’s the problem. people shouldn’t say those kinds of things.”

the conversation trailed off from there and derek changed the subject, “so! are you both ready for summer break?”

“yeah.” more time to spend with cove and less time worrying about grades.

wait, she still has schoolwork to do over the summer. fuck.

“cool on you. wish i could say the same. it feels like there’s a lot to plan for.” derek replied, “and what about you, cove? are you ready?” he turned his attention to cove.

“mm. i think that depends.” before cove had a chance to elaborate on that, a certain someone appeared and shattered the light atmosphere.

elizabeth last.

marlee’s dear older sister.

“hey! marlee!”

she didn’t look pleased, she looked quite the opposite. she asked where the gift was and marlee grew nervous. the bouquet was still in her hands with only skewers populating it.

elizabeth’s mouth dropped open and she began to get onto her little sister, which quickly turned to elizabeth teasing her about the fact cove gives her special priority.

both cove’s and marlee’s cheeks started to flush, but they didn’t deny it.

“sorry, elizabeth…” marlee meekly apologized. elizabeth narrowed her eyes, not accepting the apology.

they were backed into a corner.

until.

“uuh… oh no. i think i hear the mean kid coming back. we better get out of here!” derek didn’t bother explaining before he ran off. cove hopped up too, taking the opportunity to flee the scene but not before giving marlee a final glance.

her eyes glanced back at elizabeth before she decided to follow her friends’ trail and book it.

oh, marlee was so getting in trouble later.

-

another five years have gone by.

marlee started to truly feel comfortable in her body. she gained a bit of weight due to her hormone pills but she can’t help to think she looks even more gorgeous now.

marlee and cove finally gotten together after a good ten years of pining after each other.

summer was coming to a close.

and here they were, once again. laying on that same poppy hill where they had met all those years ago.

the sun was slowly peeking out of the horizon. it had been dark out when marlee came to see cove but time went by quick. they were really up late at night.

marlee was snuggled against cove’s side and had an arm wrapped over his chest.

even with the sun coming up, marlee still wanted to get some sleep in. after whispering goodnight to her boyfriend, she made herself comfortable and closed her eyes.

“goodnight, marlee.”

and with that marlee drifted off.

-

marlee groggily opened her eyes, wincing at the sudden brightness of the blue sky. it wasn’t the best idea to fall asleep on the ground beneath her..

she sat up, sighing to herself.

marlee heard a familiar voice call out her name and she turnt to face him.

cove holden. the man she had loved for so many years. and recently, he became hers and she became his.

he was lying on his stomach with a flower in hand.

a white linen poppy.

you know, over the years, marlee grew fonder and fonder of the flower. of course, sunflowers would always be her favorite but those poppies come in at a close second.

“good morning.”

marlee hummed, “good morning to you, too.”

“told you i’d see you tomorrow.” cove grinned. she huffed, “pretty safe bet. we see each other nearly every day.”

“so?” cove simply responded. marlee relented, letting cove have his victory.

“looks like it’s gonna be a nice day. we’ll have to come up with something to do to make the most of it…” he returned his gaze back to the flower, “someday, when we’re even older than we are now, i wonder what we’ll remember this moment for?”

he continued on, “i can’t see what the future is gonna look like again, but… i think that’s alright.” marlee smiled, “i don't know, but i’m looking forward to finding out.” cove nodded in agreement.

-

a delicate bouquet of sunflowers was handed over to marlee.

after five years of dating, cove popped the question. marlee said yes, of course. why would she currently be in a white wedding gown and have her light brown hair in a bun if she wasn’t getting married?

marlee took hold of the base of the bouquet and held it tight.

the perfume of the bouquet only slightly lightened her nerves.

she had chosen these flowers not because they were her favorite, but because of what they represented.

sunflowers symbolize adoration and loyalty. and how marlee admired cove.

once she finally heard her cue, she took a deep breath and began to make her way down the aisle.

when she reached her desistation, her gaze fell onto her soon-to-be husband. cove holden.

soon, that last name would be hers as well.