#✧ you know? in all my years of living... i've never met anybody who wasn't important before.. ( ⚘rel; will / shxkespexre )

[tearmannfoilathe]

Tag Dump !

[teapottroubles]

A Long Overdue Tag Dump ! Relationships Pt. 1!

[kjupchurch-xx]

⭐️ Perfect ⭐️

                            July 26th, 2024

                       Los Angeles, California

                Deadpool & Wolverine Premiere

Tonight was the night we'd all been waiting for, the night we've worked so hard for. Tonight was the premiere party for Deadpool & Wolverine. I'd been working with the director, Shawn Levy along with making sure Hugh and Ryan had everything they needed while on set. I developed a super close friendship with Hugh and Ryan during the long filming process. I'd also gotten close with Blake, Ryan's wife. To be quite honest, everyone on our crew is probably the only people I'd consider friends since moving to Los Angeles four years ago.

I've done several films as a director's assistant over the last three years, but this film had been the greatest project I'd been apart of. Blake and I were at my home getting ready for the premiere while Hugh and Ryan were with Shawn preparing to meet us at the premiere. Our stylist came by earlier to finish up Blake and I's hair and makeup. They had us both sporting cute up-dos with a more natural makeup look with lighter neutral colors.

"I wonder what the guys are wearing tonight." Blake said while slipping into her beautiful red dress.

I shrugged, grabbing my black dress, sliding it on, "I don't know. Shawn wouldn't say."

She chuckled, "He never does. Did your ex finally stop blowing you up? Wasn't he trying to like show up on set some of the days we were filming?"

I rolled my eyes with disgust, "Yes, and yes. It's so funny how you ignore someone when you're with them and cheat on them but once they leave you on your ass, you want their attention."

We grabbed our stuff and headed towards the door as we saw our ride pulling up the driveway, "Have you met anybody you're even interested in yet? Best way to get over someone is to get under someone else."  She smirked.

I laughed, shaking my head as we climbed into the SUV that was picking us up to shuttle us to the event, "Shut up, Blake. You're stating to sound like your husband."

She laughed, smiling at me, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

I looked at her, sarcasm dripping through my facial expression and my voice, "It is."

She took a hesitant breath, "Seriously though, someone asked me about you."

I looked at her curiously, "And who would that be?"

She smirked, "Hugh. He was at our place the other night while you and Shawn stayed behind to finish up cutting scenes."

My jaw dropped, "What did he say?"

She shrugged, "He just asked us how long you'd been single and if he seemed like your type. He said he thinks you're gorgeous."

I turned to face her, completely flabbergasted, "You are so full of shit, Lively."

She burst into laughter, "Ask Ryan!"

I widened my eyes, shaking my head, "He's more full of shit than you are!" I failed to contain my laughter at this point.

She giggled, "Just watch. Pay attention to how he looks at you at the premiere. You'll see."

I playfully rolled my eyes, "Okay, Blake."

Had Hugh actually talked to Ryan and Blake about me? He was a nice guy. We'd become friends since we met on set over a year ago. We'd done some press together and make each other laugh, but for some reason, I doubt he'd be interested in me. Not that there's anything wrong with me, he's just one of the biggest A-List celebrities in the world. He's also not even one year out of separation from his wife of 27 years. Dating is probably the last thing on this man's mind.

The rest of the ride was pretty quiet. I couldn't shake my thoughts. I think he's handsome, he's absolutely ripped and his personality is out of this world. His accent is pretty sexy, too.

As we pulled up to the premiere location, Blake and I exited our vehicle, "Let's go, girls." Blake said, channeling her inner Shania Twain causing me to smile.

"Where's the boys?" I asked as we walked down the corridor.

Blake checked her phone, "They're waiting to step onto the red carpet. Which is..." she trailed off while looking down the corridor, "Right down there on the left."

I nodded, trying to hide my nerves. I've been on other movie sets, I've worked with other stars but I've never done a red carpet event. What if I fall and bust my ass? What if my dress malfunctions? So many what-ifs. As we arrived to the end of the corridor, I see Hugh, Ryan and Shawn waiting for us. Blake walks over to Ryan and they share a quick kiss.

"Anyone else feel like a 3rd wheel?" I jokingly said towards Hugh and Shawn, causing Shawn to shake his head and laugh, "Every time I work with these two." He said.

Hugh hooked his arm around mine, "You can be my date tonight." He gave me a smile.

I blushed, looking towards Blake as she gave me a silly 'I told you' look while hooking her arm around Ryan's. "Ohhhh, Big Deb's gonna be pissed!" He spat jokingly causing us all to laugh.

Hugh shrugged, "Oh well. She's the one that wanted to end things. Time to move on. Plus, I don't want to be the nerd showing up without a date." He said with a laugh and cheeky grin.

Ryan looked at me, "Fuck you, your first time on the red carpet and you're going as Hugh Jackman's date. I had to fondle his balls just to get him on this film. You lucky, lucky girl."

I shook my head, about to ruin my 2 hour makeup job from tears hitting my eyes at this point due to laughing so hard. "Guys, I'm pretty sure we need to go out there." I chuckled pointing towards the doorway that led to the red carpet.

We all nodded in agreement and made our way out. The sound of the thousands of photographers, fans screaming and journalists on the red carpet filled my ears. I felt Hugh tighten his grip on my arm, whispering in my ear, "Don't be nervous, you're gonna do great!" Causing me to smile.

We all posed for pictures as the reporters went wild. Hugh had not been seen in public with anyone since his split last year, so this was a big deal. The movie we'd all worked our asses off on was a big deal. The shouting was unreal and unbelievably loud.

Blake and Ryan went to another spot to do solo photos, leaving Hugh and I to ourselves on the carpet. A reporter took this as his perfect moment to approach us with rapid fire questions I was bracing myself for.

"Hugh. Kaitlyn. How does it feel to be on the red carpet tonight?" He asked, shoving the microphone into our faces.

We at looked at each other, "It feels great, mate. Glad to be here." Hugh said with a smile.

"Like he said, we're honored to be here." I said with a big smile.

"Kaitlyn, this is your first time on the red carpet." The journalist said matter of factly.

I nodded in agreement, noticing Hugh has not taken his eyes off of me. "It is."

The journalist continued to pry, "First red carpet and you're on Hugh Jackman's arm, how does that feel?" He asked.

I blushed, "Ryan Reynolds paid me to be his date. Someone had to take one for the team." I smirked, causing the journalist and Hugh to laugh.

As we continued our walk down the carpet, Hugh moved his hand from my arm to around my waist. We talked with many more journalists and posed for hundreds of photos before heading off the carpet to the back of the venue. There were some artists that were due to perform for the event. Some of them included Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Jelly Roll, etc.

Hugh looked over at me, "Noldsy paid you, huh?" He joked.

I joked, "Only a few hundred."

He playfully gripped his chest, "Ouch."

I threw my hands up signaling defeat, "If it helps, I'm glad I took one for the team and you weren't stuck holding Shawn on the red carpet."

He grimaced playfully at the sight, "You're certainly the prettier one."

I snickered. "Am I?"

He nodded with a cheeky smile, "Loads, sweetheart."

I'm starting to think Blake may have not been as full of shit as I'd thought. We made our way back to Blake and Ryan catching up in the crowd to watch the musical entertainment of the night. Taylor Swift took the stage first, causing Ryan to fan girl. Ed Sheeran came on right after, all was great until he began performing his hit song 'Perfect'. All of the couples in the crowd had begun slow dancing. It was a romantic, sweet song but being single in a crowd of couples was depressing.

I felt a presence behind me as a hand made its way to my lower back, "Care to dance with me?" I heard in an Australian accent.

I looked over my shoulder to see Hugh smiling a bit nervously. I turned to face him and gave him a nod and small smile, allowing him to pull me into his arms for a slow dance. We both swayed to the song, singing along, never breaking eye contact. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping he'd kiss me. I could tell he was thinking about it as his eyes kept trailing from my eyes to my lips as he held me close, continuing to sway to the sound of Ed Sheeran serenading the crowd.

I slowly bit my lip as I noticed his eyes glance at my lips again. His face slowly coming closer. I could feel Blake and Ryan's gaze on us wondering what was about to happen. Did I even know what was about to happen? Did I want to know? Before I could process any more thoughts of my own, I felt his lips on mine. They were soft and he smelled so damn good.

I know we're standing in a room full of hundreds of thousands of people, but in this moment, it feels as if he and I were the only two people in the room. The kiss was slow and passionate.

He slowly pulled away, still swaying me and looked at me, "I'm sorry, but I've had a crush on you ever since we began working together. I've wanted to ring you so many times and tell you, but I didn't want to complicate things on set."

I smiled pulling him for another kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip before pulling away, "Ryan actually didn't pay me to be your plus one."

He chuckled, "I know."

I looked up at him, "Can we go somewhere else? Somewhere more private?"

He nodded, grabbing my hand, leading us through the massive crowd of people. As we made our way down out of the concert venue back to the corridor, we noticed Blake and Ryan already ahead of us.

"Ah Pal, gettin' lucky, huh?" Ryan smirked.

Hugh and I laughed, "We are too. It's okay. Embrace it. Embrace the amounts of great sex you're about to have." Ryan continued while nodding his head as if he were a love guru.

"Goodnight, Ryan." We both said in unison watching Blake, who was unable to control her laughter at this point.

Hugh and I made our way to the car and of course couldn't escape the sea of paparazzi. Except this time, we didn't pose for pictures and continued to the car. There were pressing matters that needed to be attended to first. Once we got into the car, we instructed the driver to take us to my house.

Hugh rested his arm around my shoulders, "How long have you known?"

I looked at him, confused, "How long have I known what?"

He looked at me seriously, "That I have a thing for you."

I shrugged, "I actually didn't. Blake mentioned it to me earlier, but I assumed she was full of shit. Kind of like the time you told Ryan to come to your Christmas party in an ugly sweater so he shows up and everyone else is in Dior."

Hugh laughed, "Love, you're anything but an ugly sweater at a party full of people wearing Dior."

I began laughing, "You get the point."

He gave me the boyish smile that had melted my heart since the first time I saw him onscreen and pushed a fallen strand of hair behind my ear, "You are the most elegant, beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on."

I blushed, "You're not so bad yourself. I've actually had more of a school girl crush on you since the first X-Men movie."

He smiled cockily, "Really?"

I nodded, "Really."

He pulled me in for another kiss, this time pulling me onto his lap, deepening the kiss. I could feel his erection growing beneath me, causing me to pull away so we didn’t cause our driver to have a wreck before we made it back to my place.

“So what do we do now?” I asked casually, looking at him.

He shrugged, getting close to my ear, whispering “We’re going back to your place first, then I’m going to fuck you into the middle of next week. After that, we’ll cuddle. I’ll make you pancakes in the morning and after that, you’ll never want to leave.”

I chuckled pulling him into another kiss.

[ceasarslegion]

Uncle story?

Oh boy!

So the first thing i need to say about my uncle is that he is an idiot. Terminally stupid and also the most self-righteous bastard I've ever met. Truly deadly combo.

I must also start by clarifying that this is not the same openly gay uncle who is a Scottish lord and ran for mayor of a small Saskatchewan town because he was bored and won and then showed up to all the official things in a top hat. That is technically my great uncle and on my dad's side. We must not smear that uncle's name due to confusing him with my mom's brother who is too stupid to realize how stupid he is and thinks the fact that no one can understand what the fuck he's ever talking about is a sign of intelligence.

So my uncle is openly gay. And he lives in the UK as a dual dutch-canadian citizen. He is engaged to an Israeli man (do not discourse on this post. I mention his nationality to highlight something else I will mention. Just some guy who doesn't even live there is not responsible for a certain conflict going on). He also grew up in Dubai but family went back to Canada for a spell around when he entered high school. He works as a travel agent last time I checked, but he can never hold down a job for more than a few months without getting fired so who knows at this point.

You're with me, yes? Gay, immigrant, fiance from another country, grew up in the gulf?

This motherfucker. Said he would vote for Trump if he were american and that brexit was a good idea. And is anti-immigration. And thinks feminism is cancer. And once tried to convince my mom that men across the UK were being arrested for "stare-rape" which is apparently when you just look at a woman in public and she can then claim you raped her with your eyes. And thinks pride is pedophilic. And thinks bisexuality is just people who want to be special and can't pick a side. And the only person he's still on speaking terms with in my immediate family is my grandma who is just as toxic as he is stupid.

My dad once said, word for word, while a few drags into a blunt: "if I ever see [uncle] again, I'm going to beat the shit out of him for what he said about my son." I don't know what exactly happened to get him kicked out of my parents apartment when they cut ties with him during a visit, but I know it was a screaming match over something to do with me. I had long moved out at that point so I wasn't there to see it. And this is coming from the mouth of the same guy from my red bull and snickers post, my dad is not a violent or scary guy and I've never seen him lay a hand on anybody.

My uncle and I used to be really close when I was a kid because he's a very artistic person, and I was too. We were the two creatives in the family. Also as a queer kid who didn't know he was trans yet I was naturally drawn to queer masculine influences. This fell apart pretty quickly when I started like, growing into my own person instead of a carbon copy of the people around me. He was steadily becoming dumber and dumber to me but it really came to a head in 2016

So trump wins the US election. I am still living in Abu Dhabi at this point and I had just graduated high school in June of that year. My boss is American. She is devastated and says she's going home early that day because she needs a few hours to process what's gonna happen now. At my desk I make a Facebook post saying that if any of the americans I knew refused to vote over your own self-righteous bs that I don't want to talk to you again because you clearly cared more about having the moral high ground than sucking it up for the people who trump will go on to hurt. This post is a big hit among my Arab majority peers.

This goes on without incident. 3 months later my uncle comments a big essay on it sucking trumps dick and saying some pseudo-qanon shit about Hillary Clinton. I respond citing actual sources and hit him where it hurts: Mike pence's then-plan to divert AIDS research funding into conversion therapy.

I go back to work (I am at work when the response happens too). About an hour later my phone buzzes on my desk. I open it to an essay twice the size in my messenger DMs from him crytyping about how I've changed and turned into such a whiny SJW, how I'm no longer the same person i was when I was 11 (damn I hope so), how I'm such a bully now (YOU CAME ONTO *MY* POST 3 MONTHS LATER???), and uh, no word of a lie, that he can't be racist because he dated a black man in high school. I. I never mentioned race in the post or my response to him. He brought that up on his own.

I ended up calling him out on it by replying to his public comment with "hey if you're gonna cry about how you're not racist in my inbox for pages and pages on end like that because someone said you were being stupid at least do it in the same place you were flaunting your idiocy, damn."

We didn't talk for a good couple years after that. And then something came up and we talked again for a bit, I don't remember exactly what anymore but we had to interact in person for it. I was willing to be civil, he started by doing the equivalent of crossing his arms and pouting until I said sorry for how mean I was to such a sensitive little muffin on the internet. Very mature guy I'm related to here isn't he. Insane how he's the uncle and I'm the nephew huh

This lasted for a good 2 weeks. Because the pokemon sun and moon leaks happened and I showed him the character models for red and blue and joked that they looked like a newlywed couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii. Pokemon was one of the few things we could still agree on at this point, so i was trying to bridge a gap with a family member with it. Thinking that he would appreciate the joke as a gay man.

He exploded at me. Like full on screaming exploded at me over that. He yelled about how homophobic I was, that i had no right to call myself queer because I hadn't been sexually assaulted or threatened to be murdered (HE HASNT EITHER??? LIKE HE VERY MUCH HASNT 😭😭😭 also you are making a LOT of assumptions about the life of someone you made NO effort to be a part of despite him giving you every olive branch you could possibly grab), that it was insulting to every gay person in the world to say that the best representation we deserved was pokemon (THATS NOT WHAT I SAID??? Also what's wrong with a gay pokemon character 😭 how is that insulting 😭😭) and that I had no idea what it was like to suffer for my identity. He said this while I was living in a place where queer people got executed for being moral degenerates btw.

Something in me snapped that day and I responded with "oh tell me more about how hard your life was in your dubai villa with an in-ground pool and a hired nanny. I'll truly never suffer as much as you have. Tell me more about how you threw the first brick at stonewall."

My parents had to stop themselves from laughing at that response and steered me out before my uncle could explode even more, and I never talked to him again.

[tmnt-tychou]

All Hallows Eve

Meant to be Bayverse, but you could probably imagine its any of them.

Female Reader x All Four Turtles (Slightly Mikey x Reader)

All Hallows Eve

She was dressed as an angel, standing on a street corner looking lost. The white feathered wings with matching boots seemed to glow with a light all their own in the dark, tin-foil halo glittering above her head. She caught Michelangelo's attention with her costume, but he had no plan to approach her at first.

Halloween was the one day a year where he and his brothers could walk the streets in the open without people screaming for their lives. But it still came with its own caveats. They only went out at night and stayed away from any bright lights that could give people a clear look at their forms. And they could never stay in one place for too long. People would compliment their “costumes” in passing, but if they lingered, people would realize they were too big, too real to be costumes.

So even though they were out among the humans, they continued to live in the shadows like ninja, but enjoying the fanfare of a New York Halloween. It was the closest any of them could get to feeling like part of society and Michelangelo milked it for all he could. He kept moving through the neighborhood block parties, enjoying the costumes and partaking of the street food.

That was when Michelangelo saw her. She seemed to be looking for something, or she was lost. But he wasn't sure if he should approach. Not until she looked his way; looked right at him. Her eyes were big, haunting. And they drew him in like she needed him. He found himself walking out of the crowd toward her.

“Hey there, Angel,” he said, referring to her costume. “You okay?” He knew he was big, even for someone pretending to be in a costume. He tried to hunch, make himself smaller. Non-threatening to a woman being approached by a stranger.

She didn't seem to be bothered by his looks or his size. She almost seemed relieved someone had asked about her. “I...I think I'm a bit lost. I was trying to get to a party, but I don't know the city very well and...” she looked at her empty hands, “I've misplaced my phone so I don't have the address.”

“Well that's no good,” Michelangelo replied. “Can I help you find it? Do you remember the address?”

She shrugged helplessly. “I only moved to the city a few weeks ago. I don't know where anything is. I met some people who invited me to this party.” She paused for a moment, as if trying to stop herself from getting emotional. “I just wanted to make some friends here.”

Michelangelo knew better, but he spoke anyway. “I'll be your friend. My name's Mike. My brothers and I are just out enjoying the vibe. Do you want to hang with us for a bit? Then I can make sure you get home when you're ready. Uh...that is if you're okay kicking it with some strangers for a while.”

She smiled, grateful. “That sounds like a lot of fun. Are your brothers giant turtles, too?”

He laughed. “Yeah, we all decided to wear the same thing. Like a group costume.”

He didn't notice she mentioned nothing about costumes.

***********

“What I'm saying is the whole shtick of The Addams Family is that they're weirdos,” Donatello said as he chewed on a caramel apple slice. “They're different than anybody else. But when you put her in a boarding school where everyone is weirdos—supernatural creatures—you're throwing the whole gimmick of the franchise out the window. The story would have worked better if the school was full of normal people. And she would have been the only one able to solve the murder mystery because only she would have suspected a supernatural killer.”

Raphael picked up his forth taco of the night. For a mutant his size, they were hardly a mouthful. But damn, they were so good. “I dunno about any of that, Don. But if you didn't like 'Wednesday', you don't have to keep watching it.”

“Yo, broooos!” Michelangelo called from below. “Come meet our new friend.”

The three other turtles looked down from where they sat on various levels of a metal fire escape. Each had been enjoying the food they collected from the street party, but had ultimately decided to eat in private and watch the people from the alley where they hid.

Leonardo, who was perched just a little higher than Raphael, leaned down so his face was more to his level. “Does Mike have a human with him?”

Raphael sighed. “Looks like. He's always been a sucker for a pretty face. Especially one that will say two words to him. Any two words. Even if it's 'fuck off.'”

Leonardo smirked and then gripped the railing. “Well, let's go meet Mike's new friend and hopefully that will be that.” But he wasn't thinking. He just hopped over the rail and landed two stories down like it was nothing.

Even Michelangelo was silently motioning for him to cut it on the ninja stuff as the two remaining brothers climbed down like normal people.

“So these are my brothers: Don, Raph, and Leo,” Michelangelo introduced. “And this beautiful angel is uh...” He looked helplessly to the human woman.

“Angel works,” she smiled back. “Hi.”

They all smiled back at her, a little awkward and a little clueless on what to do with her.

“Angel got lost trying to get to a party,” Michelangelo continued. “She's new in town and doesn't know the city too well. I thought we could hang out with her for a while and then make sure she gets home safe. What do you guys think?”

The brothers looked at each other and wordlessly agreed. How could they turn down anyone needing a safe chaperon for the night?

“You hungry, Angel?” Raphael asked.

“I could eat.” Her shrug made her cute little wings flap slightly and all four turtles went a little soft for her. She was a woman their age and she looked at them without fear. Like they were her peers. Like they were normal. How could they not go a little soft for that?

As the bottomless pits they were, the turtles didn't mind buying more food for themselves as well. They were happy to purchase anything Angel wanted while they were at it. At first, they wanted to make it quick. They knew lingering out among the humans for too long would give them away. But this time, something amazing happened.

Angel happened. All it took was one person to be with them. To talk with them like they were normal people and that strange bridge between human and mutant was built. With Angel near them, no matter how much their size crept into the uncanny valley for the masses, they were normal. Other people partying on the street didn't stare at them and quickly walk away anymore. A few people even stopped to compliment them on their costumes or even ask how they were made.

Raphael usually answered with random comments like “animatronics and rubber suits” or “it's CGI” and people would walk off confused. But not scared, and that was the important part.

As Leonardo ordered a basket of fries at a food truck to share with their new friend, he heard her talking to Donatello.

“Right?” she was saying. “This boarding school wasn't even really Addams Family core either. It was like...slightly spookier Hogwarts. Slightly. Fucking Harry Potter. Now everything has to be at a school.”

“I see you both have some strong feelings about a TV show,” Leonardo joked as he approached them. He offered Angel the warm fries in his hand. He thought she would take the whole basket, it was mostly meant for her. But she only took a few.

“For the most part, I was pretty on board with the whole show,” she continued. “But when Wednesday was stabbed, that was...jarring. Usually the family is portrayed as either liking pain, or they are somewhat impervious to injury. Maybe a bit of both. You never really know for sure. There's almost an immortal feel to them. There's just too many stories today that should have been original projects, but they keep being tacked onto existing franchises, but they don't have any respect for the lore.”

“Exactly!” Donatello agreed. He also grabbed a few fries and put them in his mouth. “The show and the story weren't bad per se, but it's not really an Addams Family story, so it wasn't as satisfying for fans as it could have been with a few tweaks.”

“God, are you still dragging that show?” Michelangelo sighed. “Angel, come dance with me. Let's enjoy this party while we can.”

He grabbed her hand, so small and delicate in his. She allowed him to lead her out into the thick of the crowd. The Monster Mash was playing over the speakers, a DJ at the stage in the front. The two found themselves a space to boogie and went about shaking their asses, just another normal pair in the sea of costumed party-goers.

“So what made you move to New York?” Michelangelo asked.

“Just trying some place new,” Angel replied. “Got tired of the little podunk town I came from. Not a lot of work there. Was hoping to find more opportunities out here. Maybe get some schooling in. What about you? How long have you been in the NYC?”

“All my life. Was born here. Might even die here. Big fan of the Big Apple.”

“Oh yeah? What do you do with yourself here?”

“Uh...” He paused for a bit, brain trying to come up with a reasonable response. No one had ever asked him his occupation before. “I work with the city in kind of a...crime watch capacity. Trying to clean the crime off the streets, make neighborhoods safer. That kind of thing.”

“Oh, like with the police?”

“I mean...we work with the police sometimes but what we do is more like...a neighborhood watch situation but on a larger scale.”

“Does that pay anything?”

“Uh, not really. It's more of a non-profit type organization. Donnie's the one that makes all the money. He's into tech and sells patents and stuff. He sort of bankrolls us so we can keep going.”

“Oh wow, that's a really noble goal. Though how to do watch the neighborhood on nights that aren't Halloween? With you guys being big turtles and all?”

At first, Michelangelo thought she was joking. “Heh, what?”

“You know, you guys are big turtles. How do you get around the other days of the week if you look after the neighborhoods? You can't convince people these are costumes forever.”

It was such a jarring revelation that Michelangelo's brain shut down, and then immediately went into panic mode. He picked her up under his arm like she was a plank of wood and fled the open area. He slipped through the crowds of people with an uncanny ease for his size and then continued to run past where his brothers were standing.

“Mike!” Raphael called after him.

When that didn't even slow his brother down, the three followed after him into a small, dead-end alley that was poorly-lit and would have very little visibility from the street.

“What?” Leonardo asked as they caught up with him. “What happened?”

By then, Michelangelo had set Angel back on her feet and then chewed nervously on his nail. “She knows!” he hissed, as if he were trying to keep it a secret from those who may be nearby.

“She...knows?” Raphael parroted, confused.

“That we're turtles.”

“Yeah, of course you're turtles,” she replied. She touched Michelangelo's arm and he visibly stiffened at her contact. “Clearly, these aren't costumes. I just think it's cool that you come out one night a year to hang out with people like this.”

“Uh...we actually come out a lot...just not...you know, street level,” Michelangelo replied.

“You mean you...” she pointed to the rooftops. “Is that where you live?”

“No, but it's how we usually get around.”

“Oooh! Like Batman!”

“Right! Yes! Like Batman!” Raphael agreed with excitement.

“Okay, okay, lets calm down,” Leonardo said. “This is a lot to take in all at once. You realized we weren't in costume and you didn't really say anything?”

Angel shrugged. “Hey, you guys were nice to me and you weren't trying to like get me alone in a dark alley or anything. Uh...except for right now. But you guys seem safe. What do I care what you look like? There's not many nice people in this city.

“I thought I would at least be meeting some fun strangers for a night and have the best Halloween. And maybe I would see you guys again, or maybe you were something magical that only happened on All Hallows Eve. Either way, it would be a good memory.”

She looked at the brothers who all had various bewildered looks on their faces. This person, she was someone special. Someone interesting. Someone who rolled with the weird and uncanny. Someone they could possibly make friends with. It had been years since they had dared to bring a new person into their world.

“So...what do you want to do now?” Donatello asked.

“I liked what we were doing,” Angel replied. “Let's keep hanging out. Eat good food, dance to music, talk to each other. And maybe I'll see you again after this?”

The brothers all looked at each other and smiled.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Raphael agreed while Michelangelo nodded excitedly.

“If you're okay with the turtle thing, we're definitely hanging out again.” Michelangelo offered his arm and she took it.

They went back to the block party. They danced and joked. They enjoyed the music, the food, the costumes. The turtles were brighter now. Not so guarded, not so careful or suspicious of the people around them. It had been a long time since anyone new had appeared into their close circle of people they trusted. This was the first one who was their own age. She had seen them and accepted them on sight. This knowledge came with a bit of a happy high for the turtles. A burst of hope and joy at being discovered and immediately accepted without even a demand for an explanation.

And they wanted her to know. They wanted her to see their world. After this night of costumes, they planned to see her again, to show her and share what they were with her. It had been a good Halloween night.

“It's getting late and it's getting cold,” Leonardo eventually announced. “Angel, can we help you get home?”

“If you could walk me to my car?” she replied. “I parked a few blocks away.”

She nodded in the direction they needed to go and Leonardo hovered a hand over the small of her back to guide her.

“It's our pleasure.”

“You think your phone is in the car somewhere?” Michelangelo asked. “If you find it, we can trade numbers.”

“You guys have phones? Like normal phones?” she laughed.

“Of course,” Donatello said in a pragmatic tone. “Why wouldn't we?”

“Oh uh...I guess you could get phones if you really wanted them. Sorry, my bad. I guess you guys feel more magical than practical to me. Like you'll just poof away at the stroke of midnight. Knowing you have phones makes you feel a little more real.”

“Oh, we're real, Angel,” Raphael said with a flirty smile.

“And we'll be your friends if you want us to be,” Leonardo said softly. “We don't have many of those.”

“Neither do I,” Angel replied with the same soft tone. “I would really like that a lot.” They walked a few more feet and she pointed to the last building on the block. “My car is just around this corner.”

As they turned the corner, the turtles jumped back at the sudden red and blue flashing lights. Several police cars and one ambulance were clustered around the accident site of a two-car collision.

“Shit, Angel, I don't think we can walk you all the way to your car. But you should be hella safe with all the—” Michelangelo turned to the woman who had been standing right next to her. But in a blink, she was no longer there. “Angel?” He looked around, then looked at his brothers. “Dude, where'd she go?”

“She was...just right there,” Donatello said in confusion.

Leonardo peered around the corner to see if she had gone on ahead while Raphael looked behind them.

“I don't think she bailed. Where is she?”

Pressed to the side of the building, Leonardo audibly gasped. “I think...I see her.”

The others huddled around him to see what he was looking at. Out of one of the smoking cars, paramedics carried a female body dressed all in white, complete with halo and feathery white wings. White that was marred with smatterings of dark red blood. The body was set on a stretcher where the entire form was covered in a white sheet. No further first aid was administered to costumed angel as she was wheeled to the ambulance. That could only mean one thing.

“What? That...no, that can't...” Michelangelo struggled. “She was here with us all night. I touched her. I fucking picked her up in my arms!”

In his ear, he heard Donatello's ragged breathing, as if he were about to have a panic attack.

“Hey!” A police officer caught their shadows peering around the corner and they quickly ducked out of sight. When the human started toward their location, they quickly took to the rooftops in hopes of getting a better view. But by then, the body was already loaded into the ambulance to be taken away and Angel was nowhere else to be found.

***************

Her death didn't even make the news. What was one collision with a drunk driver with all the other crazy stuff that happened in New York on Halloween? And the turtles were never quite sure what happened that night; what they truly witnessed.

Only a few days into November, they all stopped talking about it. Tried to pretend it didn't happen. And it worked for most of the year. But then...October rolled around again. And as Halloween drew closer, the brothers didn't generate their usual excitement for their one holiday a year when they could go out on the street among the citizens. They still didn't talk about it. And when the night came, there was a certain unspoken trepidation in the air.

“You're not going out tonight?” Splinter asked them as they all brooded in the living room.

“Thinking about it, but...” Raphael trailed off.

“It just feels...weird,” Michelangelo added.

The other two brothers didn't say anything, but they seemed to agree with the sentiment.

“It is a shame your friend passed away after you had only known her for a while,” Splinter said. “But I don't think she would have liked that her memory tainted this holiday for you. You should be thankful you were able to have that time with her before she was gone.”

There was an uncomfortable silence from the turtles. As much as they tried to explain, Splinter never quite understood what they experienced. In his mind, they had met their friend during the party and then she had died in an accident on the way home after. All attempts to explain to the contrary resulted in failure.

“What if you went out just for a while to pay your respects? Perhaps find some closure,” Splinter then offered.

The brothers perked up a little and looked at each other. Something about that felt right.

**********

They went to the site of the crash, a year ago that day. They thought maybe anyone else might be there. Someone who missed her. Someone who felt the loss of her. Humans left flowers at sites like these on an anniversary like this, right? But there was nothing there. A year later, no evidence that the incident ever happened. The only proof that a life was lost here was that several of the road's street lights had been fixed. The collision had been largely blamed on most of the street lights being in disrepair at the time, even though one of the drivers had been drunk.

The turtles stood beside the street, out of the direct glow of the repaired street lights.

“So...do we say something or...?” Donatello asked softly.

“I dunno, we hardly knew her,” Raphael responded.

“Say something if you feel like it,” Leonardo offered.

They were all quiet for a moment, then Michelangelo spoke. “Well, Dudette, you seemed to be a super awesome chick. Too bad we didn't get a chance to see how awesome you really were.”

“A true tragedy,” Donatello agreed.

They stood for a while more and then turned to leave. The music and noise from the block party near by reached them before they could remove the nearest manhole cover.

“You guys wanna pick up some food before we head home?” Michelangelo suggested. “Grab something for Splinter too? See a few costumes, listen to some music before we go?”

The season called to them. It always did. The one festival a year about darkness and masked faces. Spooky fun and all sorts of delicious food. They had to be a part of it, just for a while.

The brothers split up, aiming for their favorite vendors. It wasn't like the year before, where they had a human friend hanging out with them, making them look normal. Now it was back to sticking to the shadows. Darting in and out to get what they were after and then sneaking back to the allies so no one stared at them for too long, lest they be figured out.

Michelangelo meant to grab some caramel apples for himself and one for Splinter, but the music and the atmosphere of the party caught his attention. He still wished to be in the middle of it. Talking with people, laughing, feeling like one of them. Even on this day of magic, he could only exist on the outskirts.

And then...something caught his eye. A woman dressed all in white. A little glittery halo and white, feathery wings. His breath caught in his chest. She turned, as if sensing his eyes on her. Angel looked right at him and smiled.

Happy Halloween

Tag List: @thelaundrybitch @leosgirl82 @dilucsflame33 @akesdraws-blog @happymoonangel @fluffytriceratops @beautifulfunanchor @asultrysiren @thepinkpanther83 @yorshie @yamanekomono @androidships007 @raphsmuneca @igotlostinthesewers @silversunskyless

[snonkerdoodlewritesstuff]

Hey.

I'm not gonna ask how you are, because I know how you are. At least, I think I do. I don't know if I want myself to be true.

When you...left...I'm not sure whether left is the right word, actually. The horror of what happened...the horror of what you did to me...is something that can't be described with words. My soul was ripped apart. My heart shattered into a million pieces. My soul was wounded. My life ended when you went away from me.

And...even after all of that...I hope you're okay, my love. I really do. You...I don't think you could help it. If only we talked to each other. If only we worked things out before IT happened...maybe this wouldn't've been such a bad thing.

At any rate, I want to tell you something. Something that I never told you before, and now definitely won't ever get the chance to.

I loved you. When you would smile the way you did in the sun and we would sneak off together to do things we should'nt've been doing, I loved you. When you would marvel at little things like flowers and hummingbirds and nightingales, I loved you. I've always loved you, from the moment I met you.

I love you. I love you, even now that you're gone, even now that I'm nothing but a pile of broken pieces and memories. I love you, even though they all dragged you away from me, so that I could never embrace you again, and never have the chance to call you mind. Even after all that, I still love you.

I will always love you. Even though I'll never see you again--not for a long while, at the least--I will always love you. There doesn't seem to be anybody else for me, because my heart was yours the moment I set eyes on you. It's always you, my love. Always you...

And lastly, I will miss you. I will miss the way you were a fucking diva all the time. I'll miss the way you were so rude to anyone who crossed you. I'll miss your smiles, the way you saw the world, the way...the way you looked when you were happy, or sad, or anything really. You're fucking beautiful, sweetheart.

This letter can be read from 3 perspectives:

Crowley to Aziraphale after Good Omens season 2.

John Watson to Sherlock Holmes after Sherlock season 2. 🧐

Blade Ranger to Nick Loopin' Lopez after the crash.

There are 3 more lines to add as well for each:

He let out a sigh laden with a thousand years' worth of exhaustion and

took a look around the bookshop--his bookshop now, that Aziraphale had found it in him to abandon it. He didn't know why he stayed, given the pain it caused him, but leaving would somehow make it worse. Sinking low into the cushions of the couch, he took a swig from his bottle.

sank back into the chair, facing the other one that should've been filled with a lanky man and his stupid curly hair and stupid angelic face. His vision blurred in and out of focus from the lack of sleep--he knew that if he gave in now he would only wake up to the words, "Goodbye, John" ringing in his ears.

sank low onto his landing gear, staring at the picture of his one-- and it seemed only--love. It didn't matter how many years it had been since the accident; a part Blade was and would always belong to Nick. Looking around at the scene of the base, he headed back to his cliff, parking a little ways from the edge to keep watch over the park for lightning storms. He fought fires now. He saved lives for real. After all, that's all he could do at this point, wasn't it?

So sorry if the ending seems rushed on any of them but constructive criticism would be appreciated! Thank you for reading this!

[halimpark7]

If there was nothing wrong with my life. &

I got everything Ive ever wanted...

I still wouldn't want to leave my bed,

put on clothes,

be a productive member of society.

No matter what I did, it will still be a struggle.

'Ok, it's going to be a fun day (visualization of the one thing that makes the day worth it)

*internal energetic heave, as I swing my legs and tighten my abdomen, as I throw my body in a sitting position*

'get your fat ass up....'

Does that make me a brat? Maybe.

If I don't wake in the stillness of your arms, your gentle quiet 'I'm still sleeping' breathing, your beard scratching some part of my body, your skin comfortably or even saran wrapped uncomfortablely to mine.

The smell of you in the mornings. Your essence. The smell of you being comfortable on your pillows. The way you sleep.

Without you.

I don't want to function. I don't want to "get up". Bc I didn't really get to rest. You weren't next to me, I wasn't next to you.

That's probably bratty. But it's how I feel.

I've always been this way.

Since grade school.

A book cuddled next to me, a queen size bed bought on discount, blood stains on my favorite thick comforter. One that's slightly cool to the touch. Never wanting to wake up and leave the warm spot my body heat generated.

And now.

Gravity, consciousness, alertness. Human doing. Money. Anxiety.

Without you, deadly sin Sloth was my only comfort. No one's beating me anymore. Physically forcing my adrenaline to rise, blood to pump. So I don't want to get up. I don't feel like it.

I don't want life without you. I don't want to wake up without you. Even when I'm struggling in a van next to a perfectly fine person, the struggle is the resistance I need to not be a lazy piece of shit. I have excuses. I can't be a productive member of society, I live in a van, my roommate needs a fully functioning person. I need to handle my problems without avoidance, today/now! so that my life moves.

Vanlife / My life is hard/ my depression is heavy.

~ blah blah blah. ~

But even if my life was perfect .

If there was nothing wrong with my life. & I got everything Ive ever wanted...

I still wouldn't want to leave my bed,

put on my clothes,

be a productive member of society....

And it's all your fault.

You are what I've been missing.

Where I've been visiting during the hours of 4-6am, when I go to sleep around 3:30a or even 7p.

You are my rest, my battery, my dopamine. My missing piece/ (peace).

And this is why I love you. You exist. You're everything. All the good parts of everybody whose abused me. All the sweet guy parts I initially fell in love with in every relationship. But I don't want to abuse you. Just annoy you to love me more. Be the only girl you fantasize about. Tell me that you drool with the idea of me. Smelling me, tasting me. Living life beside me.

I'm no good without you. I'm half a machine.

Just another zombie, minutes away from consuming, chewing, using, and abusing anybody for my emotional needs of the moment.

I'm a monster without you. Id rather be a nothing, than a something destined for hell. This way I atleast struggled through purgatory. Felt the feelings. Lived the full range of emotions. Waited for inspiration. Begged for you to love me. Paid back in suffering how much I've stolen self worth, confidence, kindness of those poor fools who loved fucking me.

I never understood my dad. After the years of using me, touching my body, squeezing my nipples, cupping my ass, fighting with me physically and verbally. He told me he never loved me....

And I think after Holly I understand. He was getting his emotional needs met.

Feeling someone else through me.

Jealous that I loved God more and that God loved me. He copied all the things I did in my performances. Years after I did it.

So I was Holly then, I am my father now....

You always cannibalize the person you're stealing from. And you never know it in the moment. The dangers of being a "leader". Cannibals.

Hillary should have been an actor. Her dramatic need for vengeance and theatrics would have been better received. . .

People would be less crazy if they weren't so scared of being 100% honest and vulnerable. It's way easier than having Holly scream at you where you suck, years before you can understand it.

[cartoonrival]

I've been on T for 3 years, and I've been indecisive all my life. I went in a whole lot of circles for months trying to make up my mind about whether I wanted to or not.

The process I went through was basically: I came out around Nov. 2020. thought that I would probably eventually want to start T based on watching other people's progress videos and started doing research about the effects. saw a therapist to try and be sure starting T was the right thing for me (therapist ended up being really shitty and thought that going on T would make me binary + not asexual, spoiler alert it did not). put it off another 5-6 months longer than I had intended to be sure shitty therapist wasn't influencing my decision. made up my mind not to start, because I was sure my extended family would cut me off. My thought process at the time was like, if could just be stuck on a desert island I would do it, if I could just live in isolation forever, then I would do it, but I couldn't handle the idea of explaining to anybody why I needed to. started breaking down crying a couple times a week at the idea of never getting to go on T. met a guy at a party who had just started T and I was so consumed with envy that I couldn't think about anything else the entire time. made an appointment with my informed consent clinic 1 month out to make sure I was sure, and then told my parents. They freaked out a little because they were convinced that going on T would make me bald and also dead (neither of those things has happened yet), and then they got over it, and the rest of my family ended up being fine. Finally started T in May 2021. One minor health issue since then (too many red blood cells), but zero regrets.

Sorry this is long. I think probably a lot of the indecision I went through might have been unnecessary, but the process of sorting through my own doubts about it was still really important. I don't know the situation you're in, but for me the most important thing to figure out was whether I was avoiding doing it because I didn't want the effects, or because I was worried about what other people would think. Also idk if i can include links but check out this piece by Daniel Lavery, it just perfectly captures the kind of justifications I was running through trying to talk myself out of starting https://thenewinquiry.com/the-stages-of-not-going-on-t/ I think indecision must be incredibly common and normal, if not universal.

thank you very much for this. i think i personally have a very hard time imagining myself in situations i’m not in or in a hypothetical future so like. i have no fucking idea what i would do if i started growing facial hair. there is genuinely no way for me to know if i want facial hair until i see myself irl with facial hair, for example. that’s i think where the core of my indecision comes from is i’m so wildly guessing about a future that does not exist yet and i cannot fathom what it would be like until i’m there. a lot of my transition has been like that but this is obviously the most significant decision i’ve confronted so far so the fact that i cant visualize it stresses me out more than usual. so like asking myself hypothetical questions doesn’t work because i truly don’t know, beyond the fact that i want a deeper voice. but what if i dont!!!!!! but at THAT point i’m definitely in the deserted island scenario where if i wasn’t around other people i would want it deeper. and that’s really the only outwardly obvious change that’s also permanent. so maybe i shouldn’t die wondering. cuz i was daydreaming abt it constantly for months then the day came to start and i got so scared suddenly and now for the past month it’s been causing me endless grief abt this thing that i want to do but also don’t want to do. but i can’t figure out what the reason for not wanting to is. if it’s fear or not wanting to. i’m rambling! thank you for answering <3

[internetgiraffekid1673]

Hey giraffe! Saw you reblogged the post about random asks to get to know you better, so I thought I’d ask ☺️ (if it’s too personal, I won’t be offended if you don’t want to answer): When did you realize you were ace/aro, and do you identify with any micro labels?

Thanks for asking! Not offensive at all!

First off, yeah, I do use microlabels. I'm sex-repulsed or apothisexual and romance-indifferent or icularomantic. That basically means I want absolutely nothing to do with sex and wouldn't touch it with a 39 and a half foot pole, but I'm chill with romance. I don't actively seek out a romantic relationship or anything, but I'm not upset or weirded out by the idea of being in a romantic relationship.

I realized I was ace and that I was aro sort of separately, and I don't think I really had a single "AHA!" moment for either.

The first time my orientation really even crossed my mind was my sophomore year of high school when a girl in my orchestra class pulled me aside randomly one day and asked what my sexuality was. I had never had a crush or any sort of feelings for anybody before, but I kind of just assumed it would come at some point. Before that moment, I would have just said I was straight, but something about how she asked the question made me pause and think about it. I eventually told her, "I don't know. I've never felt that way about anyone before."

It kind of went to the back of my mind until my junior year when I started watching Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube. One of the main content creators there, Red, is openly asexual. That was the first time I had ever heard the term or heard of someone else who'd never had those feelings, and I found I related to a lot of her experiences. I think, over the course of that year, I slowly started applying the "maybe I'm ace" mindset, and it really did fit. It felt right, and by my senior year, I was just like "yeah, I'm asexual."

The thing is, it wasn't really important enough for me at the time to go digging on everything that meant. I had a word to explain how I felt, and I didn't really feel the need for anything else at the time. It didn't help that my religion is queerphobic (I'm not. Most individuals I know are not, but the policies as a whole are, and it's a thing that drives us all crazy. You can find more information about it on the queerstake or tumblrstake tags). I lived in a very small rural town that was pretty much all that religion too, so between those two things, nobody really learned about queer stuff unless they were queer and went looking or had queer friends who talked about it. And since I wasn't super close with any other queer people at that point and didn't know much about the queer community in general, I wasn't really aware that aromanticism and asexuality were two separate things.

It wasn't until sometime in the summer after I graduated that I was made aware of the distinction. I didn't feel the outright repulsion to romance as I did sex, but I had also never felt romantic attraction and had no desire for a romantic relationship, so I wasn't really sure where I was with that. Like, I knew for sure I was ace, but I didn't know enough about the arospec to really know how I felt about identifying that way. So I adopted "grayromantic" for that period of time.

When I went to college, I suddenly met a LOT of queer people, and was online a lot more. This meant I had the opportunity to be in a community of aspecs for the first time, and I ended out finding a YouTube video that went over the intricacies over the arospec and some of it's microlabels. But I also wasn't out to anybody yet, so I felt like I could take my time coming up with a label that fit me better.

Finally, I got a roommate second semester who was bisexual and who I talked to a lot. Eventually, I had a conversation with her about my aromanticism, and she was like, "Honey, you've never had a fictional crush. You ARE aromantic." And I was like, "Huh. I guess you're right."

So I've been actively identifying as fully aroace for about 5 months now, which is also coincidentally when I started using Tumblr, but I actually just found my microlabels 10 days ago! I made a long rambling post (like I do) about how I experience love, and was given some suggestions by the lovely @aroacemagicstar! So all the thanks to them!

Again, thanks for asking me!

[br1ghtestlight]

Trick or treat! 👻🍭😈

"After all that, they STILL wouldn't give my dad a refund. Anyway, that's how my family ended up living on a fishing boat for three months in the Atlantic Ocean. It wasn't all bad, though. I still keep in touch with that fisherman," Teddy rambled to Bob as he wiped down the counter. Linda was out running errands and his kids were at school, so he didn't have anybody to help him escape from Teddy's non-stop conversation and stories. Bob loved his friend, but that handyman LOVED to talk. It was exhausting for somebody who was as introverted as Bob. Social interaction was hard for him, even with his close friends and family.

"Huh. Teddy, I don't think you've ever told me about your dad before," Bob said. "I've heard hundreds of stories about your mom, uh, but I've never heard you talk about your dad."

"Oh, well… He's dead, so—You know how it is," Teddy said awkwardly. "Don't want to tell people stories about a dead person. Brings the whole mood down."

Bob shrugged and focused his attention on Teddy. He knew what it felt like to lose a parent, and how uncomfortable talking about that could be with people who didn't understand. He ignored that and questioned Teddy further. "How old were you when he died? I was, uh, twelve when my mom died."

Teddy took a second to count out the years on his fingers before he answered. "I was thirty six years old, I think. Maybe thirty seven. He had a heart attack and was in the hospital for a few days… I didn't visit him, because we hadn't really talked for a few years. Didn't even know what happened until he was already dead. He and my mom were divorced, and I didn't keep up with his side of the family. I still don't."

"I'm sorry, Teddy," Bob said genuinely. Losing his mother was the hardest thing that he'd ever gone through, but he couldn't imagine how he would have coped if it happened so suddenly and when they weren't on good terms. Teddy's relationship with his father was obviously a lot more complicated than Bob's relationship with his mother, but losing a parent was never easy.

"Eh. It's alright. I didn't really get along with him, anyway. I mean, I WANTED to get along with him, but he didn't really seem to… like me," Teddy's expression darkened for a moment before he continued, as if he was remembering something from his childhood that he'd long forgotten. "I don't really think about him all that often, especially 'cause he's been dead for such a long time. He's more like a weird uncle from my childhood than, like, my actual dad. Does that make sense?"

Bob grunted in response and Teddy continued talking.

"I don't really miss him, I don't think. I mean, he was my dad and I'll always love 'em, but… He was so mean, Bobby. He was an alcoholic, y'know, and he treated my mom like crap. Me and Dana, too. It's hard to think about him without thinkin' about all the bad things that happened when I was a kid. Most of them were his fault. My therapist says that it's normal to feel resentful of my parents for what happened when I was a kid and how they treated us, but I don't know. Daddy issues. We all got 'em, right?"

Bob nodded. "My relationship with my dad is, uh, complicated. He's… a lot to be around, but he was also pretty much all of my childhood. At least you still have your mom around, and you have your sister."

"Dana is amazing, Bob. I should introduce you to her at some point. She's going back to college and studying to be a dental hygienist. Can you believe that? First person in our family to go college," Teddy perked up at the mention of his sister.

Bob had never met Dana, but he knew from the stories that Teddy told about her that he was very proud of everything his younger sister had accomplished in her life. Bob occasionally wondered what it would be like if he had a brother or sister, especially after seeing how close his own children were to each other. His father told him that they'd never planned on having another child after Bob was born, but he couldn't help but wonder if their decision had been influenced by his mother's worsening health.

"Yeah, it would be great to meet your sister," Bob agreed. "And, uh, if you ever feel like talking to me about your dad or telling stories about him—that's not a problem. I don't mind. I mean, I know what it's like to lose a parent."

*

"Yeah, but they're my only family. I gotta love 'em," Teddy sighed.

"I mean, that's not entirely true."

"Whaddya mean, Bobby?"

"We're kind of like your family too, aren't we? Me, Linda, the kids… You've always been a part of our family. You've been with us from the start."

*

"Hey! We could try setting our parents up on a date. Then we'd be best friends AND brothers! What do you say, Bobby?"

Bob grimaced. Ignoring the fact that Big Bob hadn't gone on a date since Lily died nor had he shown any interest in doing so, and Teddy's mother's obvious preference for dating younger men, he really didn't think he would want to be Teddy's brother. He was a good friend, but he was not sure about being related to him for the rest of his life. That didn't sound fun. "I don't know about that, Teddy."

"Yeah, you're probably right. You'd probably be a really annoying brother," Teddy agreed. "And I already HAVE a younger sibling! Don't need another of those."

[soypeople]

here for my montly Singular Post. this time its a thing i just submitted for a creative writing challenge. if my english teacher likes it enough she'll put it in a county-wide challenge and i might get to go to an awards ceremony 4 it which is kinda cool

hopefully i get picked because i want at least one win. i keep taking Ls this year istg

i dont know how to write romance (because i dont understand it) so bear with me

it is literally just a big metaphor for loving someone despite their flaws. do not flame me

ARACHNOPHORIA

I've had feelings for the girl in my grade, Penelope, for a while. She was a short, stocky girl with messy dark brown hair. She wasn't someone that the average person would find totally irresistible, but she was beautiful to me.

I always admired her artistry from afar. She was a quiet, but talented girl who seemed to hold kindness for everything she met. No matter if it was human, animal, or bug. I once saw her cry over stepping on a spider.

The other kids at school seemed to be creeped out by her, but I never was. I never understood everyone's disdain for her when she didn't seem to have any bad qualities.

We had become friends only a short while ago, though I felt closer to her than I had to anybody else. I hadn't known she felt the same way, but that was about to change.

"I… I think I like you… A lot." She told me as we sat outside together; it was during our lunch period. She was sipping a smoothie while I ate my pizza.

"I've been wanting to tell you the same thing for a while… I never knew how to say it." I said, surprised that she shared the feelings. I had always thought of myself as an average nobody, someone that girls wouldn't care for. Maybe I was wrong, or maybe Penelope just had really low standards?

"Do you wanna come to my place later? To hang out? I've never had a boyfriend over… Or friends… We could play that video game you like, the one with the aliens. I have it on my computer." She said quickly, stumbling over her words while actively avoiding my gaze. She took another sip of her smoothie as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"Sure," I answered.

Later that day, I walked down to her house. She didn't live that far away, only a mile or so from my own home. I had brought a gift for her, a necklace I had bought but never got to wear. I was sure she'd like it more than I did.

I got to the door and knocked. I was smiling like an idiot, still on a high that I had been asked out by my crush; it was every teenage boy's dream.

I tried to contain myself as Penelope opened the door. Her hair was wet, she must have showered before I got there. She had an unreadable expression on her face but gave me a small smile when she saw me standing there.

"C'mon, I have the game set up…" She said as she took my hand, leading me up the stairs and to her bedroom. The door was covered in many worn stickers, ones that had to have been there for years. 

Penelope sighed as I stepped into her room. All the blinds were shut, her curtains preventing light from entering the small space. She turned on the light before walking to stand in front of me, taking my hands in hers.

I briefly glanced at her computer on her desk, seeing the menu screen of my favorite game. I then looked back at her.

"Well… Now that you're kinda my boyfriend… need to show you something, because I want you to know who I really am…" Penelope said before backing up, letting go of my hands.

She started to change, morphing and transforming right in front of me. It was something I’d never seen before. Or maybe all girls were like this, I wasn’t fully sure.

Her face suddenly deformed, her rosy cheeks melting down into two large, clamping jaws. Fangs jutted out from the ends.

I backed up as this change occurred, surprised by it. My curiosity got the best of me despite my slight urge to run away. 

It wasn't only curiosity, but the fact I had to stay for her. This was who she was, apparently, I couldn't leave her. I loved her.

Her skin seemed to harden, layers of chitin forming over her body. Hair started to sprout from the chitin, covering her in coarse, dark brown fur. Her limbs started to become segmented, I counted eight segments in total on each limb.

Four extra, claw-ended limbs unfolded from her back, they were covered in chitin and fur just like the rest of her.

Lastly, six more eyes blinked open on her face. They were jet black and devoid of any pupils.

I stared in disbelief at the creature before me. I wasn't disgusted, and I wasn't terrified. This was a situation neither of us had expected.

"You aren't scared?" She asked. Her large, eight-iridescent eyes stared at me. I could see her fangs quivering, and her extra legs twitching and fidgeting as she awaited my answer.

"When I told you I liked Spiderman, this isn't what I had in mind." I joked, trying to ease both of our worries.

Penelope suddenly burst into tears, the tears starting to soak the coarse hairs that covered her face. I rushed to take her claws into my hands. "I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm sorry. Let me… Um…" I stammered, fumbling for the box of tissues on her desk. I offered her a tissue.

I took the pair of claws back into my hands as she grabbed the tissue with one of her extra limbs. Instead of using it, she discarded it on the floor.

"No, no… You're fine… I'm just so happy that you… That you don't think I'm gross… I thought maybe you'd run away like my last boyfriend… He even moved schools and everything. I-I was so scared that you wouldn't like me anymore…" She sniffled.

"Why would I ever think that? I don't care if you're a spider-girl-thing, I don't care what you are at all. I like you. I know it's corny, but it's what's inside that matters to me." I said, getting closer to her.

She took the hand holding one step further, throwing all six of her free arms around me. They coiled around my body tightly as she cried into my chest. I hugged her back, smiling. We stayed like that for a while, quietly intertwined.

Her deep, black eyes still held the same beauty as before, her razor-sharp claws could still be as gentle as her soft hands had been.

I now knew what she was, but nothing had changed.

[bisexualdawnsummers]

I saw somewhere that one of the reasons why people hated Michael is because he's too whiny and rude towards Justin. But imagine being in his shoes, tho. As someone who has a best friend I'm willing to ride or die for, I also think anyone will never be good for my best friend and I'm always suspicious towards anybody lol. Because I knew how hard they've worked, how much they suffered and how long of a journey it was for them to get this level of somewhat peace in their life. If anyone is ever trying to give them more stress in any way, I'm suddenly so pissed lol. For people who doesnt get it, Michael could definetely could come across as "posessive" & "overthinking" (the whole narrative of "He wanna fuck Brian so bad its pathetic" doesnt help either, which makes me roll eyes so bad because from time to time, it's mostly Brian that inniciate their physical contacts first so) but you can't help but always looking out for this particular one person that makes your life worth living, when you know they can be reckless like Brian especially. Especially with how escalated Justin's family life situation is after he met Brian. Through Michael's lense, Justin is a stranger with baggages that he doesn't want Brian to carry since he knew and understand Brian already has a lot in his plate. Guaranteed, I can't all justify every thing that Michael said and did in regards to Justin and I'm ok with that (part of liking Michael is to accept that he just makes human mistakes as a grumpy 30 years old gay Italian man lol), but the hatred that he receive literally degrade his existence into just "Another pathetic best friend that's in love with the main character" is just sad to see.

Yeah, I've always thought the idea of Michael being a big old meanie to poor little Justin as a bit overblown. Could Michael be snippy with him? Sure. And he occasionally went too far with some of his words, but his tendency to speak before thinking is one of his character flaws, and should hardly detract from his better qualities.

What a lot of people like to overlook/ignore is the fact that Michael was actually one of the first characters that tried to look out for Justin in a way. I think it's like ep. 2 where Justin comes looking for Brian again and when Brian ducks out on him, Ted and Emmett say that Justin is Brian's problem not theirs. Michael is the only one to act like a responsible adult and not let this teenage kid wander around on his own. He takes him to the diner and makes sure he has a ride home. Of course, it doesn't end very well when Michael tries to warn Justin off Brian. Justin is bratty to Michael in that moment. And Michael does come off jealous and a bit whiny, but I think in some way he was trying to look out for Justin. I don't think he was entirely selfishly motivated. He's probably witnessed Brian break countless hearts over the years, and was trying to save Justin a bit of grief by telling him the truth. He wasn't lying when he told Justin he wasn't Brian's boyfriend. Brian doesn't do boyfriends, he barely does repeats.

Also, I can see how Michael, or anyone in his situation would be annoyed by Justin's sudden and inescapable presence. Imagine being someone close to 30, and one of your friends sleeps with a teenager, and then that teenager shows up at your mother's house. The kid is not only stalking your friend but everyone in his life in hopes of getting closer to him. Anyone would feel a bit overprotective, and a lot frustrated.

And yeah, a lot of people like to downplay Michael's importance in Brian's life, reducing him to the guy with the hopelessly unrequited crush on his friend. But their relationship is so much deeper and more important than that (whether romantic or platonic). imo, if someone doesn't understand Michael's place in Brian's heart, then they just don't understand Brian.

[teapottroubles]

⌛ for nymh

from ' trip down memory lane '

September 26th, 1572.

" oh you sweet boy... Come here you.. " Nymh scooped up a young boy who had fallen asleep curled up against a moss covered stone and began her walk back to his home. She had gotten very used to finding her way inside without alerting any of the other members of the house, and this time was no different. Very gently the boy was set in his bed, and covered with his blanket. Nymh brushed hair from his face and let her hand linger against his cheek for just a moment longer than usual.

"  It's funny. I thought if you could hear me, I could hang on somehow. Silly me. Silly old Nymh... " The woman took a breath and placed her hand back in her lap.

" When you wake up, you'll have your entire life ahead of you, and you won't even remember me... Well, you'll remember me a little. I'll be a story in your head. But that's okay! We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, hm? Because it was, you know. It was the best. The daft old woman who indulged in your every question, no matter how strange. Did I ever tell you just how much I enjoyed that? I always planned on telling you the entire world! Oh, and what a big big world. Will, you'll dream about that world. It'll never leave you. Big and little at the same time. Brand new and ancient, and the most wonderful collection of colours ever. And the times we had, would have had. Never had. In your dreams, they'll still be there. The Old Lady in the woods and William Shakespeare, and the days that never came. "

A kiss was planted on the boy's forehead before Nymh stood and watched over him. She stayed still and simply watched him breath for a moment, taking in every aspect as if it was the last time she'd ever see him... Which, it was.

" They're coming for things like me. I'll never be able to protect you if they find me. I don't belong here any more. I think... I'll skip the rest of the rewind. I hate repeats. Live well. Love your siblings. Bye bye, my sweet little Will. "

[nakachuchu]

Fictional Love | Park Ilpyo

SYNOPSIS: He knew he was a fictional character, but he fell in love with you anyways.

READER: gender neutral

WORDS: 1.1k

WRITTEN: 03/15/2023

NOTE: Thank you @sonicfangirl123 for requesting! I will be doing your other requests before the month ends :) Sorry this one didn't end with any tail cuddling!

Park Ilpyo was aware that he was a fictional creation made for the amusement of readers and viewers everywhere. He struggled to come to grips with the knowledge, which left him feeling empty and lost. He had always been proud of his tenacity and resolve, but now he questioned the purpose of it all.

Ilpyo had a responsibility to fulfill despite his difficulties. What he wanted didn't matter. He was an important person that would help determine the future of the entire planet, so he couldn't allow his sadness to get in the way of his work. So, he set aside his emotions and carried out his tasks, using all of his strength to battle the forces of evil.

He first encountered you in one of the conflicts. He had never met anyone quite like you. Even though he had never expressed his sentiments to anybody before, you seemed to understand him.

Ilpyo found himself attracted to you as you battled side by side. He was inspired by your fortitude and tenacity and felt more alive than he had in a long time.

Yet he couldn't quite put his finger on something else about you. It appeared as though he was powerless against whatever influence you had over him. It wasn't until later, when they were alone together, that you revealed the truth.

"I know who you are," you said. "I know that you're a fictional character, and I know that you're struggling. I can help you," you said. "I have the power to bring you into the real world, where you can be free from the constraints of your story. Are you interested?"

He didn't hesitate. He knew that this was his chance to escape the fictional world that had been weighing him down for so long. He took your hand and stepped into a portal, leaving behind his world.

The moment he stepped into the real world, the weight of his burden became clear. He had spent years fighting against those who wanted to take over the world. Now he had to face the reality of his life, without the safety net of his fiction. But, he liked that. He liked knowing that he was free.

You took him to a beautiful place, where the trees were so tall that the sky seemed to be the limit. There were flowers of every color and type, as well as birds of every feather and bird.

The air was so pure that he could smell the cleanness of the earth after a good rain. The birds were so full of life that he felt they could fly away at any moment and never look back. He wanted to run through the meadows and chase after the birds, but he knew that he had to settle for gazing at them from afar.

"Welcome to my world, Ilypo," you said.

He smiled at you. You were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said.

"You're welcome. I've watched over your story for years now. You weren't supposed to find out, but because you were blessed by the gods in your story, you ended up finding out.

He was grateful that you had taken care of him. He looked around. You had created a beautiful garden, complete with flowers, trees, and even a lake. Everything was in perfect harmony.

"I have no other purpose in this world than to create beauty and watch over stories," you explained.

He understood. You were a goddess, and you had a purpose. Your purpose was to create stories and watch them unfold. Much like him, you were a slave to the world.

"I'm a goddess, and it's what I do. I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble, but I had to do it, you know, for the good of the world,” you said with a hesitant smile and a shrug.

"I got to live out my story and you got to watch it happen. It's just the way things happened. It was a win-win situation,” he replied.

He had to see the better half of things or he'd fall into a bottomless pit that he would never get out of.

You smiled at him. His story had been one of the best written. You had been so happy to have been the one to bring it to life.

He was so grateful that you had chosen him to be the hero of his story.

"Are you hungry? I can conjure up a restaurant."

You waved your hand and a cloud of dust wafted up, signifying that a building had appeared out of thin air. Ilypo's eyes widened, impressed. You smiled at his reaction, liking the attention from him.

“I do like ramen,” he said.

You laughed. “Enjoy yourself. I have a book that needs finishing, I'll be a bit busy but help yourself to this world because it's our world now.”

‘Our world.’ He liked the sound of that.

"I'll be back for you, my love," you said.

Then, you disappeared into the air and left him alone in the beautiful, bright meadow.

Ilypo smiled to himself before grabbing a book from the plant-made bookcase in the middle of the meadow.

He sat under a tree to read the first book from your world. The book was about a young boy who was given a destiny at his birth. He had to hold the entire world up with his soft hands and innocence, but the burden was too high.

He couldn't live up to the expectations of his people. They needed a savior, not a child. Ilypo understood.

Despite everything, he enjoyed reading the book. It gave him a sense of peace and control. Even though there wasn't much going on in his own life, being able to transport himself to another world was all he had to ease the pain.

Ilypo closed the book and put it back on the shelf in the meadow. He looked up at the blue sky. The sun was shining through a gap in the clouds, warming the air and creating a rainbow of colors in the grass. It was a sight to behold.

He closed his eyes and let his mind wander as he read. The more he read, the more he believed that this was the world he belonged in. He was enjoying the new world, but he missed you.

"Thinking about me?" you questioned.

He opened his eyes and smiled. You were leaning over him, casting a shadow over his face.

"How did you know?"

"Easy guess," you replied. "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"Well, let's eat because I'm starving."

[purplesurveys]

1801

Has anyone ever made fun of your taste in music? Not to my face but I'm familiar with the sensation. Society at large had historically made fun of girls who liked One Direction, and we're getting a repeat treatment for the most part with BTS.

What’s your favorite season of the year? We don't have seasons so I've never been able to relate with your four.

Do you have pop-tarts in your house right now? No – the markups for those get so expensive so we only occasionally get them. Like they taste okay, but definitely not worth how much they'd usually cost.

Is anyone’s birthday coming up? It's my dad's birthday in a little over a week.

Does someone owe you over twenty dollars? Yep my sister's been paying me in installments for the tickets I got her to both Seventeen and the upcoming Manila run of Miss Saigon.

Do you remember who you liked in grade eight? That's equivalent to freshman year, right? I wasn't into anyone then.

When was the last time you burned any part of your body? It fortunately didn't leave a mark but a couple of months ago I touched a freshly-cooked mozzarella stick, but my instinct wasn't quick enough so I unintentionally let it linger in my hand even though it was scorching hot. Anyway, it obviously hurt a lot lol and the affected fingers were throbbing for a few moments before subsiding.

Have you ever overflown a bathtub? Nope.

Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? It's only January and very early to tell.

Have you ever called somebody dollface? I don't think so.

If I gave you ten dollars, what would you spend it on? Immediately put it in savings.

Have you ever thrown food at a stranger in a movie theater? Wow, no?

What are you most excited about right now? Well there's the Rumble happening this weekend and I have a hunch AJ will be making a teeny weeny appearance, so I've been hyping myself over that for the last couple of months now haha.

Does / did either of your parents serve in the military? They never did.

Are you somewhat of a perfectionist? To a fault.

Do you like sour candy? No I quite dislike anything sour actually.

Where would you like to go on your honeymoon? I've never really thought about it. Somewhere secluded in like Spain would be nice.

Do you have Verizon? We don't have that.

What do you do to stay awake when you’re tired? I just drink coffee. Maximizing the brightness on my phone also helps.

Are all nighters something you have grown used to? I'm not 'used' to it, it's just something I like doing.

Do you usually wear sunglasses when you’re driving? I never do that.

Do you wear your shoes around the house? I'm Asian. We take our shoes off no matter what.

Is there ever a time that you enjoy cold showers?

Yeah, when it's really hot and I've been at work outdoors.

What clothes are you most comfortable in? Sligihtly oversized tops, denim jeans, sneakers. Jackets/cardigans that are one size larger are also nice.

Is there anybody you’re not ashamed to tell anything to? Angela would be the closest.

What has changed most about you in the past year? I've been a lot more generous to myself in setting boundaries.

Are you good at painting nails? Not at all. I can't even do mine neatly.

Smoothies or slushies? Slushies.

Are you good at filling silence in awkward situations? It depends. Sometimes I know so little about a person (maybe we've only met, maybe we're worlds apart when it comes to our interests) that it's just impossible for me to keep a conversation going; it'slso harder when they also don't make the effort.

Ignoring nutrition, could you live off veggies for the rest of your life? No, I need my meat.

Elaborate on a way you have volunteered? I've never volunteered but I've shown support in other ways. I donate to crowdfunding efforts for injured stray dogs at least once a month, and there's a rescue community that I have a subscription to – the monthly fees go to maintaining their shelter.

Do you use a full length mirror daily? Yep, just to check how I'm looking and if I need to fix my hair or whatever.

Can you walk in heels, or do you feel awkward in them? I used to love wearing heels and owned several pairs, so if you asked me put a pair on now I'll be just fine.

Any TV shows you sit down weekly to watch? I'll watch at least one Friends episode once a week but that's it.

Does anybody know about your sex life other than your partners? Sure.

Even if you don’t like politics, do you still have opinions on the issues? Yes.

Are you one to sneak food into movie theaters? We don't 'sneak' food because we don't have to do it, lol. Bringing outside food works just fine here, and there's a mutual understanding among Filipinos that the one line we draw is just with smelly food. People will bring sushi or fries or hotdogs or pizza but you'll never see anything that's like, flooding in garlic or vinegar or whatever.

Will you tell someone if there’s something in their teeth? Yes, 100%.

Do you ever actually make your bed? Yup, I need to otherwise I wouldn't be in the proper headspace to work.

Do you make an effort to eat healthy? Just whenever I can but it's really not a practice of mine. I love spoiling myself with all my food faves lol.

How are things between the person you like / love / are with?

Where did you sleep last night? Below my loft bed, which is where I sleep on weekdays. My actual bed is only reserved for weekends.

The last time you kissed someone, what color of shirt were they wearing? Idk.

What year do / did you graduate? I graduated college in 2020.

What kind of booze did you last take shots of? Soju.

What’s something you want to purchase next time you’re at the mall? An inhaler because I recently lost mine :(

Has someone of the opposite sex ever told you that you were sexy? I don't think so.

If you could see any musician live, front row, who would you choose? BTS or Beyoncé.

If you had to choose between a million dollars or to be able to change a regret? The money.

Are you taller than your mom? No. She's short, but I'm still shorter :( Hahaha.

Have you ever been around someone who was high? I have, back in college.

Do you prefer to take your showers at night or in the morning? I used to be such a major evening shower-er but lately it's been in the mornings. I need to get my showers in as soon as I wake up because I find it helps SO much with calming me down and making me feel relaxed just before I start work.

Think back to June. Were you in a relationship? I have not been for the last 3 Junes.

What’s so special about what you’re wearing? I got this top from my extreme last-minute outfit shopping for Kim Seonho's fanmeet last year. Basically I went to the arena with an outfit I pre-decided on, come to discover that there was apparently a color code (his fandom color is blue). I had zero blue on so I rushed to the nearest H&M and bagged the first blue top I could find, lol.

Do you have any ‘naughty’ photos on your phone? Nopes.

Could you handle living with a male roommate? It'd be quite unique but I'm not closed off from that situation.

What were you doing at 10:00 this morning? In a virtual meeting.

Why aren’t you texting the last person you kissed? We haven't talked in over three years.

Do you think anyone has feelings for you? No.

What do you miss the most about your past? Not feeling like I am stuck.

When is the next time you will kiss someone? I don't know. Never? Hahahaha.

Has anyone taken their shirt off in front of you? Yes.

Plan on getting drunk or high tonight? Nah.

In the past week, have you cried hysterically? Yeah, I cried like Monday to Wednesday over work. And it wasn't just your light sobs; I was struggling to catch my breath and everything I said came out shakily and I was crying from pure anguish.

Do you think you’ll actually live a happy life with somebody? No. I'm okay on my own.

Are you on birth control? Nope.

Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night? Nah.

Last time you were really happy? Seeing Seventeen last week, hehe.

Do you tend to fall for players? No.

Why aren’t you in ‘love’ with your last ex? We're estranged now.

Have you ever asked a boy for advice? Yes, I've asked plenty of advice from Hans before.

Are you wrapped in a blanket? Nopes.

Did you get a full 8 hours of sleep last night? Yes I did, actually. I fell asleep earlier than usual – around 10:30 AM – so that helped a lot.

Have you spoken to your mother today? Father? Mom yes, dad no.

[lovelychoso]

There Are Whispers Behind My Smile

(Getou × psycho!reader)

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Hey all!

I haven't written fanfiction in a while but that Geto mf has been driving me crazy and the fantasies have been running wild

I decided that because psycho Y/n barely happens, I would like to give writing her a try. I live in Canada so any descriptions I give of high school will be from my personal experience.

I will do my absolute best to not specify any of Y/n's physical features so that this fic doesn't exclude anybody <3

Clothing might be specified here and there, but I'll try to avoid that as well when I'm given the chance

Tags will be added as the story progresses! I haven't figured out all the details so I'm only tagging what I know will eventually happen.

I hope this isn't a turn off for anybody (lol) but Toji and Mamaguro are our parents for this fic, Megumi is our half brother. I thought having Toji as a dad (and Megumi as our little brother) would be quite fitting in some places. Plus, I just want those three to be a family (is that too much to ask gege?)

I hope my writing style isn't super wonky! It's been years since I've written for entertainment so my flow might not be strong in the first few chapters.

That's all I can think of to say right now. So without further ado, Enjoy?

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Every year the school put together a year-end camping trip for the grade 12 (senior) students. They're always planned to take place over the weekend and consist of three days and two nights. They went to the same cabin camp ground every year that was an hour outside of the city. The camp ground was on the opposite side of a lake that you and your family went to every year, so you were semi familiar.

Despite this, you were still reluctant to go. You didn't really like the other students in your grade - save for a handful of kids who actually had a form of sense - and you thought you deserved better than to waste a precious weekend with the stupid bastards you attended school with. You didn't mind staying at home with your family. Your parents - mainly your step mom - liked to plan enjoyable things for the weekend anyways so it wasn't like you were going to miss out on a good time.

When you told them about your decision to veto the camping trip, they didn't push too much for answers. They of course inquired as to why this was your decision because they thought it odd. Normally kids at the age of 17 would jump at the opportunity to spend a weekend away from home. They even pointed out how the lake was one they frequented as a family. You simply told them it wasn't something you thought you'd enjoy.

"besides, my classmates are unbearable at times. I'd rather stay here than go to the middle of nowhere with people I dislike."

Nonetheless, their hearts couldn't help but warm at the fact that their ‘little’ girl would rather stay with them. Your dad, Toji, raised you after all, and in terms of personality, you took on after him quite much. They, especially he, were familiar with the fact that you weren't super outgoing when it came to things like the camping trip. And even though the fact delighted her, your stepmother couldn't stop the concern from seeping into her chest when you reminded her of your reluctance to be social.

Your tendency to be antisocial reminded her of your dad. When she met you both seven years ago, she wanted nothing more than to help him out with the issues that stemmed from the traumas he faced as a kid. And even though you and him were in a much better place now, she could never guarantee that – outside of the home – you would be safe from the issues that once plagued your father.

You were 10 years old when your father introduced her to you for the first time and she immediately noticed that you weren't like the other kids she had seen of your age. For one, you were quiet. You weren't shy, no, you just didn't want to speak to her.. or anyone who wasn't your dad for that matter. It was like you needed to trust her first.

You were a carbon copy of your father.

You were careful and calculated. You weren't a hasty child and you always thought about your actions. Deep down, she knew that this behaviour was a product of you and your dad's previous living conditions. And it made her feel terrible because she thought the irrational and carefree portion of your youth had been stripped away. It took time, but eventually you started coming around. You stopped hiding from her. And although you were still hesitant to speak to her directly, you slowly let yourself become curious around the new woman that seemed to have captured your dad's heart. When you needed to know something about her, you would whisper your curiosity into your dad's ear and he would smile at your progress.

She felt proud of herself for what she was able to accomplish. But there was always a nagging feeling that there was more she could do for you personally. So although your dad had dropped the issue of the camping trip, she made it clear that should you ever change your mind, you had their support.

You were content with this, feeling like the matter had been disposed of and you could move on with your life.

Besides, it's not like you knew that you would have a sudden change of heart...

________

You had gone to school the next day feeling awfully bored and displeased. Just an hour ago you were sitting at the table with your darling little brother, Megumi, watching him eat his breakfast. You never had an appetite for food in the morning, it made you feel a little ill when you ate in the early hours. Instead you talked with him about odd topics – or whatever you could muster up with a 5 year old kid. How much you wished to go back home..

You sat in first period and waited for class to start, still another 10 minutes. Your assigned spot was in the back of the class. Ir was something you particularly enjoyed because it meant your watchful eyes could see everything. Or...

Everyone...

And that 'everyone' included him.

Suguru Geto.

Geto had been the apple of your eye the moment you first saw him. It was the first day of high school almost three years ago and you remembered the moment like it happened yesterday. Though how could you not? It replayed in your head only a million times a day:

The first day of school and you were already late. Great. Sometime during the night, your charger unplugged from the wall and your phone battery drained down to 0%. You missed your alarms and slept in which automatically set your schedule back 30 minutes. And because getting ready in 5 was out of the question, that meant you were to miss the first bus. Taking the next one was no problem, but when you finally arrived at school it caused you to be 10 minutes late for your first class.

You hastily finished at your locker and moved to speed walk to where you thought you had to go. Luckily for you, orientation happened a week ago and your brain was still a little fresh on how to maneuver through the halls of this maze of a high school. But through it all, you were amused that you weren't the only student still roaming around. Here and there, you would find other first year students still finding their way through the school, consulting the roaming staff and teachers for directions to their classes.

'Just around this corner..' you recalled to yourself, no longer paying mind to the others around you.

And although you were semi acquainted with the route, your mental frazzle posed as a distraction so big that you didn't see the body you collided with until it was too late.

"Oof—"

You had crashed into someone's chest and stammered backwards, holding your nose that unfortunately took the brunt of the impact. In the back of your daze you heard a clutter of something hitting the floor. It was probably your phone, ugh.

"Oh crap.. I'm so sorry!"

You rushed to apologize, still pressing around the surface of your nose. You hadn't looked up at the person yet. You felt increasingly displeased, stressed, and embarrassed about what just happened - not to mention the minutes were continuing to add up, making you more late for class. Your glare at the floor was interrupted by the sight of your phone being.. held out to you.

"You're good, don't worry."

Said a male's voice. Sultry, you noticed. Whoever it was sounded humourous and his amusement at the situation could be heard through his tone.

‘Damn you..’

You couldn’t help but think to yourself. But all in all, at least he wasn’t mad at you for crashing into him, right? A win is a win..

You only nodded at the reassurance he responded with, letting go of your nose to take your phone from him. You thought it was time to be decent and look up at the person you just inconvenienced. And when you did, you couldn't stop the breath that hitched in your throat..

... Woah.

The moment you tilted your head up you found that siren eyes were already looking down at you. His pale skin and black hair complimented each other in a fascinating manner. You had never seen a boy your age be comfortable enough to wear their hair the way that he did. His black hair - silky, you noticed - was pulled back into a messy bun of volume and loose strands. The bang that framed the right side of his face only added to his striking charm. You couldn't stop your eyes from trailing down to his lips. They looked soft and unblemished. The corners were raised ever so slightly, solidifying the amusement that was surely spreading through him. The difference in your heights caused him to stare down at you. His dark, cold-cutting eyes were keeping you locked in a trance. You couldn’t move or look away from him.. Do something, you unresponsive idiot!

Surely this man had to have been carved by God himself, yes? A canvas in which no single brush stroke left space for error.

“S-sorry again.. I was distracted.”

You said with the intention to diffuse the situation, hoping it would help your case. In all of this, a particular heat had rushed to your face and you forced yourself to look away from his captivating eyes. There was no way he hadn't noticed the nerves had taken over your body. Your theory was confirmed when you heard the chuckle that make his chest and shoulders shake, a sound that reminded you of soft leather had sent heat to your stomach.

Oak and sandalwood surrounded you and your eyes trailed from where they looked off to the side of the hall to the pale expanse of his neck... you desperately itched to get closer to where you knew you'd find something akin to heaven.

You knew it was rude, but you didn't want to stay any longer. It was getting harder to control your desires and and you still had a class to attend. Drooling over some boy – who was still observing you with anticipation – wasn't going to make this odd day any better for you

"Anyways I need to go, thank you."

You said and moved to step around him, simultaneously gesturing to your phone he picked up for you. Although your words were hasty, theh came out smoother and you gave him a small smile to show you were sincere.

"You're welcome."

It took everything in you to not falter in your steps while you walked away from him. More heat pooled within your body and when you were far enough down the hall, you released a breath you didn't know you were holding. Your heart was beating rapidly and you could feel your face was still warm.

'What the hell was that?..'

You turned around to look at where you were moments ago, feeling a mixture of relief and disappointment when you found there was nobody there..

For the rest of that day, you could think of nothing but entrancing eyes and a sultry voice.

After that day, you two hardly spoke again in the three years you attended high school together. Maybe once or twice in short commentary but nothing that stood out for anyone as divine as him to remember. You soon found out his name when you overheard him talking to his friend with the white hair.. someone you soon came to despise. Why? Because he was always around Geto; a position you ached to fill.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, Geto and his friends rose into a popularity that soaked up the attention of the many people at their school. Girls wanted a taste of their charms and the guys wanted their validation and acceptance... You knew for a fact that you would never have to force yourself to appeal to him, it would certainly come to him naturally. Everybody wore a fake personality when they were around Geto or his friends, that included their damned smiles.

... It made you infuriatingly sick.

Those bastards weren't worthy of Geto or his attention. Everyday you came to school and watched him look and interact with people who didn't deserve it. It didn't matter the time or place, there was always someone who had his attention. Bitterness was a common emotion you felt at school because his charisma and smile should have belonged to you only.

So why couldn't he see you too? Didn't he see how much better than the others you were?

Your reminisce was interrupted by the ringing bell, signaling the start of first period. Students started to pile in the room and they moved to sit in their seats. Chatter replaced the silence as they got into their spots. And although your head was turned away to look out the window, you kept your ears peeled. Brainless conversations were heard from all corners of the room, further solidifying your lack of care for these people so dull-witted.

But you had no choice. There was still one person you were waiting for.

'Come on come on come on come on… —'

A cackle could be heard outside the room and you grit your teeth in displeasure. You fought not to turn your head because you knew that wherever Satoru Gojo was – the white haired idiot who couldn't keep his mouth shut – Geto was always there to follow. Soon enough, they too entered the class. You watched Geto's reflection through the window with an intense, obsessive stare. Your ears automatically tuned into their conversation..

"Suguru.. come on. She's hot! Go on the camping trip and who knows what'll happen between you two. I'll even pretend to sleep while you two sneak out of the cabins to make out after midnight.. " Gojo teased Geto like something was fucking funny and the latter had the audacity to not deny a thing.

You on the other hand, let your eyes widen in shock.

'Geto…? With another girl…?'

'Again...?'

Your eyes slowly narrowed, glowering at him through the window.

'No fucking way.'

Wasting no time, you pulled out your phone and texted your dad.

You: Hey dad, changed my mind. I feel

like going on the camping trip if

that's okay

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

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