#( funny enough i forgot about this sitting in my inbox and my brain is not very happy rn )

[miraitrunks]

If you receive this, you make somebody happy! Go on and send this to ten of your followers who make you happy or somebody you think needs cheering up. If you get one back, even better! ✨ (U dont have to answer this ! just wanted to send ur way !)

[beck-a-leck]

Hello, what are your headcanon ages for the 3ot characters?😊

Oh my gosh, Nonny, this ask has been sitting in my inbox since January, and I completely forgot about it! it must have come in shortly after I answered a similar ask about the RF4 characters ages and then just fell through one of the swiss cheese holes in my brain. 😓 Sorry about that!

Funny coincidence, I've recently gotten back into playing 3oT, so all of the characters are fresh in my mind. So I guess I was cleaning out my inbox at just the opportune moment.

3oT has a ton of characters, so I'm assuming you're asking about the Marriage Candidates as opposed to Every Single Character. And I don't have any real solid numbers, just more like general age-ranges for the characters. So here goes!

Holly/Henry - They're young adults. Young enough to still be living at home with their parents (which for an American-coded family is not something that typically happens past the earliest of your 20s in fiction), and not yet have settled into a career. I know in Earth and Rebirth, I wrote Holly as being 21 (20 when the story starts), and I based that strongly off the vibes I got from the game. When you start the game your parents seem ready and accepting that the player character wants to set off on their own because you are of that age, the only push back comes when the PC says they want to be a farmer. So yeah, I really seem them as being a very young adult, no older than a recent college graduate, so in the 18-23 age range.

Lisette - She's in her mid-20s, I think. She says once that she took over the flower shop from her parents after she finished horticulture school, which I imagine was like a college program or some equivalent. So her years from 18-22 were likely spent in school. And I also believe she mentioned having run the shop for a few years by the time the game starts, so I've always placed her around 24-27ish. She could easily be read as older, she doesn't get specific about her age, and since this game does better than most with regards to characters close to 30 complaining about their age.

Wayne - He's a mid to late 20s guy. I think he mentions having lived in Westown for several years by the beginning of the game after getting assigned there as the postman. He doesn't talk about other previous assignments, but that doesn't mean he didn't have any. I believe he did mention doing the "normal schooling" before he became a postman, so it's possible he went to college as well and didn't start working until he was in his early 20s. But even getting "several" years into his 20s that can still put him at 23-25 at the young end. But I can easily see Wayne being anywhere from 25-30.

Ford - He's definitely in his 30s. I'd have to say somewhere in his mid-30s if I needed to be specific. He's a doctor, and assuming he didn't fast track himself through college and med school and graduate med school at an early age, then he would have been about 26 at the end of med school. There's mention of Ford having been Westown's doctor for the better part of a decade, so following that logic he's probably somewhere from 34-37. He's definitely the oldest of the marriage candidates (not counting the supernatural ones)

Komari - She's a tricky one to place. Her general energy and mannerisms can definitely skew her to the younger end of the 20s. But at the same time, that could just make her appear younger than she really is. I don't remember much of her later events (and haven't seen them since I started my replay) but I remember her seeming to be caught between needing to figure out what to do/how to grow up and be taken seriously. But in her early dialogue she very quickly seems to take the PC under her wing keeping an eye on them like an older sibling might. I think given the mix, I tend to read her in her early to mid-20s. Grown up, but maybe not fully matured, and not yet seen as full grown in her father's eyes. So 22-25ish.

Kasumi - I think she's younger than Komari, not by much, maybe a year or two difference, but I think she is the younger of the two. If I recall correctly, she's still a relatively new teacher when you're introduced to her. So if she's finished her own schooling and just in the first couple years of being a teacher, she's probably somewhere from 21-24 years old.

Hinata - Like Holly/Henry, I think he's a young one. Probably the youngest marriage candidate. He's been in Tsuyukusa for a while when you meet him, I believe he came here to work for Moriya when he was 13, but he still hasn't been working there for as long as Shizu and Ittetsu. So probably less than 10 years. And given he's still seems to be in the early stages of his acting training when he mentions it, it points to him being younger. I've personally headcanoned him as the same age as the PC, but really he could be anywhere from 18-23 years old.

Yuzuki - He's another tricky one to place. Given his life experiences with his illness in his youth, and his continuing fight with chronic illness, it could very easily account towards "aging" him prematurely, so he looks older than he really is, not to mention forcing him to mature much faster than he otherwise might have. However, I think Komari mentions growing up with Yuzuki and being friends, and Hinata and him became friends shortly after Hinata moved into town. So I think their ages are pretty close, within a few years of each other. So I could happily put him around 23-26ish. But honestly, an argument could be made to put Yuzuki in his late-20s. Having been sick for so long could also just mean he made friends with whatever kids he could keep up with, and that would have been the ones younger than him.

Iluka and Siluka - being twins, obviously they're going to be the same age. I generally place them in their early to mid20s. Somewhere from 23-27 I think given their experiences as children they all matured a lot faster than they would have otherwise. And given their town's culture, once they were able to do real work, they started working. So they probably started their training as priestesses in their teens and have been at it for a while now. So even if they're young, they've still probably got a decade of experience under their belts. Arguments could be made for them to be older, but I think if they were closer to their 30s or in their 30s, they probably would be more like friends with Zahau and Caolila, but when they talk about those two, it's more like they were babysitters for the kids, as opposed to cool older friends.

Ludus - I've always headcanoned him as around the same age as the twins. Older, but within a year or two. So he's also mid20s. Same arguments for why he's not older as for the twins. Their experiences had them maturing faster, he was probably beginning his jack-of-all-trades work when he was still in his teens, though probably didn't start the heavy construction projects until he was older and more experienced. (and ya'know, despite the game's suggestion he can't be the only person building houses. there has to be a team of carpenters/construction workers who help him with the jobs) So like the twins, he's 23-27.

Now for the Special Candidates!

Stephanie - I could see her being in her late20s to early30s. She's clearly been at her MC career for a while by the time she settles down in Westown. She mentions having traveled and lived lots of places, but this is the first place she feels like wanting to settle in for the long term. So I can happily place her around the 26-32 age range.

Woofio - mild spoilers for his back story, but he's gotta be decades, if not over a century old. I don't remember if he specified how old he really is, but I know he's MUCH older than anybody else in the game (deities excluded). However, if I wanted to assign an age range to the way he acts, I think like Stephanie he's mid20s to early 30s. Old enough to have gotten lots of experience with animals, learning to care for them, and judge them, and build a career on the festival circuit. So 26-32 for him as well.

Inari - They're hard to pin down. Being a deity, I'm pretty sure they're several hundred years old, if not over 1000. They do mention something like for them aging one year is equivalent to humans aging 10 years. They also look very young. but they do insist to the PC that even if they might look childish, they are much much older and more mature than they look. However, given the way they act and behave, even if they're mature enough to be an adult, they're a very Young adult. Having never spoken to a human before, since mortals can't see them, they're very naive about a lot of things, particularly when it comes to relationships and such. if I had to stick an age on them, it's gonna be Babey Adult range, 17-19.

That's all a lot of text so the tl;dr version:

Holly/Henry: 18-23

Lisette: 24-27

Wayne: 25-30

Ford: 34-37

Komari: 22-25

Kasumi: 21-24

Hinata: 18-23

Yuzuki: 23-26

Iluka: 23-27

Siluka: 23-27

Ludus: 23-27

Stephanie: 26-32

Woofio: 26-32

Inari: 17-19

[hello-there]

Communities are a new way to connect with the people on Tumblr who care about the things you care about! Browse Communities to find the perfect one for your interests or create a new one and invite your friends and mutuals!

[datsderbunnyblog]

I've just read one of your posts where you listed Discworld’s Best Autistic Power Moves and at the end you mentioned that you also wanted to do an ADHD edition. Not sure if you ever did one, if so I haven't found it - but my first thought was, Moist von Lipwig could make it into that list. I don't know that much about neurodiversity though so I can't say for sure if he might have ADHD. But I was recently thinking about Moist, can't even say anymore what exactly it was that I thought of aside of that the phrase "him and his ADHD brain" appeared in it and I found that phrasing quite funny first but it also started to sound really fitting.

The ADHD power moves post never materialised because I have ADHD and I forgot lmao. But yes you're absolutely right, Moist is definitely a candidate, I also have a very long anon ask sitting in my inbox about how Juliet Stollop has ADHD that I haven't reblogged yet purely because I STILL haven't finished Unseen Academicals (I know, it's been like a year now, it's ridiculous).

But if anyone wants to drop suggestions in my inbox please do so, I have my own ideas of course but my weak point here is that my memory of some of the books just isn't good enough so help would certainly be appreciated!

[harryskalechips]

Illicit affairs

A/N Hellooooo! I haven’t written in a while but enjoy this little sad piece inspired by Taylor Swift! Thank you for all the love! I hope you guys are doing well! Feel free to leave a kind message in my inbox ❤️

Y/N was a new intern at Colombia records when she met Harry Styles. Their relationship takes a turn however, when they start an affair.

Tw: Cheating

Thank you @harrysleftchelseaboot for letting me participate in your writing challenge! For any writers out there who want to give it a go make sure to check it out! I would love to read some new work. 

Prompts:

“Be a good girl and spread your legs for me.”

“I’d punch you, but that would ruin that pretty little face of yours.”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Leave.”

Note: I do not condone cheating whatsoever! Please mind that this story is fictional! As much as it makes me sad to paint Harry as a cheater, it’s part of this storyline I thought of as I listened to Taylor’s album, Folklore.

Word count: 5k / Masterlist

Y/N never knew she was going to be in this type of predicament. Falling asleep every night in a man’s arms, only to wake up alone in her cold sheets at dawn. For some odd reason, his vanilla scent smothered her atmosphere every time, leaving her in a subspace-like condition. She found her thoughts easily shifting to him or feeling the need to touch him. She’s whipped but sadly also clingy. 

Does she have an excuse to feel this way? She was only 21 when she began working as an intern at this man’s record label. He was her first serious relationship and although he was married -there always seemed to be a weird tension between them.

It all started when she was assigned to follow Rob Stringer through his meetings in 2017...nonetheless she met Mr. Harry Styles. One of the members of the biggest boy band, One Direction. She knew exactly who he was, especially since he was sexualized by the media too often at an early stage of his career. She knew his first solo album was a hit and that in her job description, she had to be present at every interview he had. She also knew that the ring on his finger was a symbol of love for his wife that he married a year ago. 

Months on end, she barely spoke to him. She was shy -feeling as if her personality would bore Mr.Styles. One night however as the team went out to celebrate his last show for live on tour, he himself invited her. 

They were at a club in New York -A very private one to be exact when Harry found himself too interested in the quiet intern. To be honest, his life at home (when he was there) wasn’t what he planned for. His wife was too busy, only fighting him whenever he stepped foot inside. She barely had any more interests in his music or his life -and suddenly, it felt like two strangers living in that mansion. It wasn’t an excuse for him to keep glancing at the girl as she danced with her co-workers nor was it an excuse for him to buy her a drink. Funny enough, he always thought of himself as a hopeless romantic since he was waiting for that particular someone to love him back once again and save his marriage. But before he could stop himself, he was already walking towards the girls dancing on the floor and getting to know them.

After that night at the club, Y/N felt different towards Mr. Styles. Of course, she was still intimidated but she now knew him on a more personal level, leading her to call him Harry instead. That night as they sat in one the booth upstairs, she listened to his jokes and stories and it made her start to have a little crush on him. But hey, he was married and she would never want to ruin a relationship. 

As her days became busier at Columbia -sorting papers and running for Coffee, She always glanced at the elevator hoping Harry Styles would come out and was in need of a conversation with Rob in person. She knew he probably called her boss though the phone but her brain was rummaging for ideas why he would start appearing in her life once again. That was until one day she heard Gina and Louise in the staff room during break talking about Harry coming in tomorrow. Boy, did her heart began to beat fast. Maybe, it was manifestation but she was a bit too excited to see him again as it’s been a couple of months since she last saw him. 

~

“Y/N,” Rob calls out for her as he plays with a pen in his hand. “Meet me in the main conference room in five minutes. I need you to note down my meeting today.” He gives her a small smile and quickly walks off. She knew full well that this meeting was about Harry Styles. 

As she sat beside Rob at the long table, she realized that the whole table was filled with people from publicity and other departments. Right in front of her was the man she’s been thinking of, beside him was his manager. It’s not like she was deeply infatuated with him but she did love thinking about his pretty eyes. 

Matter of fact, as she first glanced at him, her eyes already met his. He was smiling and staying quiet as the meeting immediately began but his fingers played with his pen as he watched her. She was too focused on the shittier details of what they were discussing. He wanted to tell her so badly that she didn’t need to write some things down but he was having fun watching her bite her lip in stress. He wasn’t smooth though. Since she was already feeling his gaze burning through her. 

As the meeting went on, Harry became a bit more serious about why he came into the office. They were in the talks of his new second album and now, they had to plan publicity and tour. Some of the staff even asked how his trip to Japan was and although he was so excited to share his fantastic experiences, it was sad to mention how his wife didn’t even bother coming along. 

“Are you not going to say hi to me?” Harry teases Y/N as they’re the last ones to leave the conference room after their long meeting. She had to clean up the table while he chose to sit in his chair, pretending to do important things on his phone. When he waved bye to everyone as they left the room, he pointed at his phone, explaining he needed a few minutes to send “important emails” -he just wanted to catch up with his new friend, Y/N.

“Hi.” She tries her best to act normal and unaffected by his presence. “Sorry, I couldn’t say hi earlier. When Rob said five minutes, I didn’t know the meeting was already taking place.” Harry laughs at her apology since he wasn’t petty at all for her lack of greeting today. 

“I was just teasing. How are you?”

“I’ve been good.” She smiles back at him as she tosses the last remainder of paper cups in the bin. “I think the last time I saw you was last year. Where have you been?”

“Why did you miss me?” He raises his brow as he spins his chair a bit. He gives her a smirk as he watches her lean herself on the table. 

“Just a bit. I loved watching your interviews.” She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms against her chest. “At first I wanted to sleep through them but now I rather go through those back and forth instead of, filling random sheets out for Rob.”

“Heyy, I think I’m pretty interesting during interviews.”

“Oh no! Don’t get me wrong you are! It’s just you have such a raspy voice and you talk so slow! You can literally put me to bed anytime.”

“Am I talking slowly right now?”

“Just a bit. I haven’t seen you in a while. I kind of forgot!” She laughs. “ What else did you do other than Japan? Spent some time with your wife?” Y/N wasn’t going to lie… bringing up his wife kind of made her uncomfortable but she knew this was a good way to get to know him in a friendly way. 

Harry couldn’t help but give out a humourless scoff as he rests his head back on the chair. His eyes, however, meet her’s again. She couldn’t help but watch his adam’s apple bob up and down. 

“Marriage is hard you know. If I’m being honest with you, I haven’t spoken to her in a week. She’s been on vacation, travelling in Europe I think with her best friends.”

“She’s a model, right? She must have a lot of free time. I’m sure she can make space for you.” Harry slaps his knee in sarcastic humour as he shakes his head at Y/N’s innocent idea of who his wife truly is now. “I’m sorry. I guess it’s more complex than I thought. I haven’t really been in a relationship at least a long term one.”

“Are you free tonight?” Harry asks her out of the blue.

“Yes.” 

“Can I come over? We don’t need to do anything but I would love to hang out with you and I don’t know... forget I have all these responsibilities.”

“Sure.” What Y/N didn’t know that this night would forever change her relationship with Harry.

~

It was late in the night as Harry sat on Y/N’s couch talking to her about everything. His life, his career, his marriage. Usually, it wasn’t easy for him to open up so quickly to a stranger but for some odd feeling, his gut was telling him that he could trust this pretty girl beside him. It’s like he knew she was trustworthy and non-judgemental. 

Ever since he first noticed her during his meetings, he found himself involuntarily glancing at her. That was until he grew some balls and invited her to his after-party. Maybe, He did find her pretty and a bit too hot but even if his marriage is going through the rocks, he did not want to cheat. He didn’t want to be that type of guy. Yet during his time in Japan, he found himself thinking of what would happen if he was single right now? Would he actually make a move on her?

“What are you thinking of?” The same woman calls him out as she takes a swing of the wine bottle into her mouth. 

Yes, the found themselves enjoying Harry’s expensive red wine so now they’re passing the bottle. 

“You.” He was a bit tipsy and so was she but they were still sober enough to choose their words properly. 

“Me? Why me? Why not that hot model you call your wife.”

“She left my mind before I even met you.”

“Yet you’re still with her. Why?”

“I don’t know.” He looks at her as he takes a sip of wine. 

“Okay, so why are you thinking of me? Are you happy you have a new friend?” Her cheeks were very red at his confession but she was trying to make herself believe it was because of the alcohol. 

“I’m happy that I finally got to know the girl who sat quietly in the corner during my interviews.” He smirks at her as he watches her try to hide a smile. 

“I was intimidated by you!” 

“Why was that, love?” Y/N was not expecting him to call her that. She places the almost empty wine bottle on her coffee table and sits back in her same position as she’s wrapped in the same blanket Harry is.  

“You’re Harry Styles. Every woman is head over heels for you and Every man wants to be you.”

“Are you head over heels for me?” Harry squints his eyes as he says the first thing that comes out of his mouth. It wasn’t his intention to flirt with her but they both knew they had overpowering chemistry. The only thing holding them back is well… Harry’s marriage. 

“No.” She bluffs. He continues to look at her. “Fine, a bit but you’re married so I know how to control myself.” 

“What happens If I can’t?” his tone drops as he mumbles to himself. “I’m sorry what?” Y/N chokes as she looks at him. 

“I know I’m married fuck.” He sits up and rubs his face in frustration. “It’s just I never wanted a girl so bad after my marriage. I shouldn’t! I should be happily married but for some shit reason, I can’t get my mind off of you.”

“Harry, there’s consequences about what we’re talking about right now.” Y/N sits up as well as she watches him. Does it still count as cheating if his wife is barely in his life anymore? 

“I know. I’m sorry. I know you aren’t that type of girl. I would never disrespect you like this. I should leave.” He begins to stand up immediately. Y/N says nothing as she follows him to the front door of her apartment. 

“Thank you for coming, Harry.” She opens the door to let him out. He simply nods as he walks past her through the door. As she watches him walk down her hallway, she closes the door. How was she feeling? Well, she was trying her best to not feel regret but instead relief. She leans her body on the wooden surface, trying to make herself feel happy that nothing happened between them -Yet her heart was beating too fast for a guy she had just met.

The loud pounding on her door, however, makes her head shut up. She immediately opens it to find no one other than the curly-haired man who had just left her apartment a minute ago.

He immediately grasps her face into his hands as he kisses her eagerly, making her shut the door behind him. His body quickly pushing her’s against the wall, as his lips attack her jaw down to her neck. Her hands resting on his shoulders as she leans her head back to give him more area to leave his soft licks and kisses. 

“Shit Y/N. You’re making me go crazy.” 

“Harry.” She moans as he rubs himself against her centre. He whispers a command to her, making her jump and wrap her legs around his waist and he carries her to the first surface in his line of sight, which is her dining table. It was a dark wood wooden table that was meant only for eating purposes.

He helps her take off the sweater she was wearing as she throws it behind it her without a care. With her hand, she guides his mouth back to hers, making them both moan as this sexual tension is finally being relieved. Her nipples became hard in an instant as they felt the cold temperature. 

“Where’s your bedroom?” He pulls away as he’s unbuttoning his shirt. His mouth was open a little bit from their heated makeout and his lips were juicy pink after kissing her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. 

“You want to fuck me right here?” Y/N blurts. She wasn’t the type to have sex with a new partner for the first time on her dining table but her room was a mess and she was a bit shy letting him in there. 

“Are you that eager baby?” A smirk plays on his lips as he tosses his shirt. “Well If you’re that needy, why won’t you take off my pants?” Y/N’s cheeks turn red as she reaches forward to unbuckle his jeans. “You know, how fucking long I’ve been jerking off with my right hand?” Harry asks as his hand runs through her soft hair, letting his thumb rub against her pink plump lips. 

“For a long time, Daddy?” She murmurs against the pad of his thumb as she lets his thumb enter her wet mouth. 

“Look at you, you’re a little devil.” Harry pushes his pants off until they reach mid-thigh. He quickly helps her out of her tights, pulling them off her almost instantly that she had to hold onto him. “Should I get a condom?” He pants as his hands involuntarily run themselves against her soft thighs.

“I’m on the pill and I’m clean.”

“I’m clean too.” He looks down at her closed legs as he pumps himself a bit. “I promise.” Y/N nods as her hands guide his body back closer towards her.

 “Be a good girl and spread your legs for me.” He whispers as he watches her show him her wet needy sex. “Fuck, you look so good right now.” He leans in to kiss her more. His mouth going south as they reach her breast. His mouth sucks on her nipple as the other grabs and rolls her the other one.

“Fuck stop teasing me. I need you.”

“Beg for me, Y/N. I know you want to.”

“Harry please!” She feels his hand directing his wet cock to her centre. Teasing her and playfully slapping her entrance. “Daddy!” His eyes immediately stop looking down as he grabs her hair, making her look at him. 

“You okay with this love? Do you like it rough?” Y/N nods her head as she stares into his eyes. 

“I need you to use your words, baby.”

“Yes, I want it rough.” 

“What did you call me earlier?” A cheeky smile forms on his face as he watches this little girl about to crumble in his hand. 

“Daddy.”

“You’re going to keep calling me that or what?”

“Only if you want me-” Harry inserts himself in her, making her choke on her sentence. 

“What do you call me?” He leans a bit further downs so their bodies rub against each other as his arm supports her back while the other hand chokes her neck. 

“Daddy! Fuck, I call you daddy!” 

“I know I’ve been deprived of some good sex but you feel so fucking tight! Do guys not know how to fuck you?”

“Only you can.” Harry pulls his hand away from her neck and instead grasps her face so she can watch their centres connecting. 

“You like that view? Is it turning you on? You’re fucking clenching me, baby!”

“Harder, daddy.” Her arm wraps around his shoulder as he pulls away and turns around, making her bend on the table.

“You want it harder baby? I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’ll never be able to sit at this table without remembering how I fucked you so good.”

~ The day after their first time sleeping with each other scared Y/N. As much as she tried to avoid letting Harry see her messy room, they ended up in there anyway. They participated in a couple more rounds and a deep conversation too until they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. 

What Y/N was scared of was how Harry would react when he woke up in her sheets. Of course, they weren’t too drunk last night but the alcohol did give them a confidence boost. Now it’s the day time and they have to deal with this new boundary they had just crossed. 

“Good morning.” A raspy voice speaks up as she sets her head on her hand. Her elbow putting all its pressure on her pillow while she watches the man who’s laying on his stomach smile at her.

“Hi.” She gives a soft smile back. Harry immediately notices the hickeys on her neck, making him not guilty but a bit more proud.

“I marked you.” Y/N’s eyes widen as she sits up and wraps her hands around her neck. “Why you don’t like them?” Harry fixes his position too so he can rest his back against the headrest. He rubs his eyes for a few seconds before helping her straddle his waist. “What’s wrong, Baby?”

“You’re married.” Her finger mindlessly traces one of the sparrows on his chest. 

“I know.”

“You think she’ll get mad?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think she cares.”

~ Y/N and Harry’s affair went on for months that they even reached his tour and new album reveal. Although they never said the three most important words, Y/N already knew it was there.

What she loved the most these past months with Harry was their privacy.  The secret hookups in changing rooms, the knowing glances in a room full of strangers, and their affectionate touches when they had to pass things to one another in front of her boss. 

She knows he’s married and there was no doubt, they fought about his relationship status. But Harry explained that divorces in Hollywood were more complex than for a regular couple. And while Y/N pretended to understand, she truly didn’t. She didn’t understand why he had to keep up this act of being in a happy relationship when he can simply leave his wife -not for her benefit but for his own happiness. Still, every time this fight occurred, they chose to sweep it under the rug. Maybe it was because she wasn’t ready to lose him. He had always been so persistent on his reasoning why he’s been delaying that action. She was scared that he would leave her during another fight only to run back to his wife. What she didn’t know was that she may be a bit too right, after all, he wasn’t ready to admit that his marriage was over. 

“Hi, Baby!” Y/N opens her door to find her “boyfriend” with a bouquet of flowers. 

“Hi!” She wraps her arms around him in a hug as she lets him enter her apartment that they know too well. If she had to be truly honest... despite having so much alone time with Harry, she’s never been on a date with him but you know -that’s something she had to let go when she decided to get involved with a famous married man. Yet it still didn’t stop her heart from feeling envious when she would be in the restaurant with her friends watching a random couple have dinner together.

Harry takes his hood off and hands her the flowers. “I’m sorry I couldn’t text you this past couple of days. You know that woman who lives with me.” He sighs and gives her a kiss on the lips before continuing on, “We were having lunch together and she noticed I wasn’t wearing my ring anymore so we fought.”

“So you’re wearing it.” Y/N places the flowers on the table and crosses her arms.

“I have too.”

“No, you don’t Harry. She’s only wearing her’s for show. You’ve been cheating on her for seven months!” Y/N snaps at him. She hated it when he wore his ring. It was just a real sign that maybe he was lying to her during the times, he said he was over their marriage and he was going to leave her when things become less complicated.

“Baby, hey stop yelling.” He walks towards her so he can wrap his arms around her. “I’m sorry. You know I care so much about you. Please don’t cry.”

“I can’t stand that you’re married to another woman. Please leave her Harry.” Y/N pulls away as she holds onto his shoulders, begging him. “Please.”

“I’ll try.” He breathes out.

“You’ll try?” She pulls away immediately looking at him. “What do you mean? Have you not been trying to do that these past few months!” He rubs his face in frustration. 

“It’s hard Y/N. I told you countless times.” “I know it’s hard but what’s stopping you from doing it! You told me that you don’t want to lose me but for some odd reason, it seems like you don’t want to lose her!”

“She was my first love Goddammit!” He finally yells back at her. 

And that's the thing about illicit affairs

And clandestine meetings and stolen stares

They show their truth one single time

But they lie and they lie and they lie

A million little times

 They both found themselves caught off guard as the silence screamed in their ears. How could this safe space where they spent their nights rolling in the sheets feel so… indifferent? “Harry please be 100 percent honest with me.” Y/N backs away slowly as she reaches a few feet apart from Harry. “Do you want to leave her?” 

Silence.

“You told me you did? Did you change your mind?” Her eyes widen as she watches the man in front of her absolutely speechless. “I’d punch you, but that would ruin that pretty little face of yours.” She lets out a sarcastic laugh. 

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”  He stares at the ground with his hands in his jeans. “Of course, I want to leave her! It’s just-”

“Leave.”

“What Baby no!” He quickly looks up and tries to make his way towards her. 

“Harry, stop. What we have is over! I’m not going to let you use me until your stupid sick marriage fixes itself!”

“Y/N that wasn’t my intention I swear! You know what marriage means to me! I can’t simply-”

“Fuck what you think of marriage! You don’t want to leave her but you rather continuously hide me while you go to awards with her -While you go on fucking dates with her!”

“It’s for publicity-”

“I don’t care!” She screams. “I realized that this isn’t working out and we should stop!” The pressure in her chest was making her hyperventilate. “We should have stopped months ago!”

“Fuck I don’t want to lose you, please. You’re the only thing that’s been making me so happy.” He reaches out to take her hands but she simply pulls away.

“Harry! Listen to yourself! You’re married! I’m starting to think you have a fear of having a failed marriage like your mom and dad! But please for the love of God, don’t drag me around because I won’t let you!” Harry’s faces change into anger as he gives her a cold look.

 “Well don’t drag my parents’ marriage into this! I told you that because I trusted you not so you can use it against me!”

“That’s not what I was trying to do!” Y/N pleads. “You won’t lever her Harry! You won’t!” 

“How do you think people will react!” He gestures with his hands. “ After three years of marriage, Harry Styles is getting divorced!” He mimics a random news reporter.

“So-” “I’m not going to let myself be categorized under Hollywood’s failed marriages!” “It was already failing before you met me! Can’t you see I just want you to be happy!”

“I am happy when you’re with me!”

“Well, I’m not!”

“You don’t mean that.” Harry scoffs as he runs his hand through his hair in frustration. 

“How can I not? I’m hearing stories every day about your fights at home. This isn’t even a relationship Harry! It’s an affair! An illicit one! And I-I’m a secret!”

“I don’t want to share you with the public! They will judge us and they’re going to ruin you as they ruined me!” He rambles on. “I’ve been stalked and judged for things I didn’t know matter!” 

“I would rather go through that with you -than to watch you from far away and only have you with me when we’re here inside this apartment.” She points at the floor. 

“I can’t Y/N. I can’t let that happen and I won’t.”

“Then this is over then.” She quickly wipes her tears as she notices Harry doing the same. The yelling seemed to die down as they finally realized that this problem they tried to ignore wasn’t going anywhere.

“You know… for some reason, you taught me a lot of things.” Harry clears his throat as he wipes his wet palms on his pants. “Despite only letting you have one half of me. You somehow took over my whole mind. God, I would love to fight for you Y/N.” He looks at her as he feels tears forming in his again. “I do - I truly would.” A pause happens before he continues, “ For you, I ‘d ruin myself a million times but I would never let you do the same.” He emphasizes to her. “ I don’t want to let you go but I know I should because even if I go get that divorce, I’d still want to keep you as my secret -and that’s not what you want.” 

“I-” Y/N stops herself. She wanted to tell him that she loves him but she knew it wouldn’t help them at all. “I’ll still see you for a while. After my internship though, I’ll be gone.”

“Do you think we’ll stay in touch.”

“I don’t think we should.” She blurts it out as her eyes glance at the fresh bouquet sitting on her table. 

“Alright. I guess that’s it.” Harry sniffles a bit before walking to the door. “I’ll see you.”

“Goodbye.”

And Y/N thought she wouldn’t have to see him again after her internship. Although her heart was broken, she found herself counting the days until she can find a new job. After their unexpected ending, she no longer found herself lonely in the mornings but during the nights too. 

The days he came by the office were more difficult than she thought. She would still feel his gaze on her during their meetings but he no longer greeted her nor gave her any attention. He would walk right past her desk when he visited the office but he would act as if he never knew her in the first place - Not a glance or a wave. 

And that was fine with Y/N, at least she tried her best to think it was. Until her meeting with Rob a week before Harry’s album release. 

~

“Y/N, I would love to offer you a job here at the company. I  will give you a position in Marketing for Harry Styles.” Rob hands her a manila folder across the table. “ You know a few months ago, he spoke about your hard work and how much potential you have and he’s right. This would look great on your resume and the pay will be better here than if you were to start off at another company.” 

Days of thinking and non-stop anxiety flooded Y/N’s mind. She knew her plan was to cut all ties with the pop star but the career that had just been handed to her had so much potential. Potentiality can help her with her student loans and give her a more comfortable life. She would be stupid if she passed the offer because of him. So with no more hesitation, she took her phone and called Rob.

“I’ll take the job offer.”

Part two here!!

[goldenretriever-nicknelson]

🎄 This may be a little (read: a lot) cliche, but could you do a blurb on where you don’t think Tom is going to make it home for Christmas but he surprises you by knocking on the door? Thank you lovely!!!

Request 2: Tom with “I won’t make it home for Christmas” for your sleepover. I love some angst, tho maybe a fluffy ending?

A/n: The first day of blurbmas! This one is coming early because I couldn’t schedule it. These requests have been sitting in my inbox for a year so again I’m really sorry it’s late. I also got a little carried away with this and I was in the mood for dad!Tom so... 

WC: 1.8k 

Warnings: Some mild angst but other than that cuteness overload

12 days of Blurbmas! 

Christmas was your favourite time of the year and had been since you were little. It just felt so magical, like anything could happen. 

When you were younger you used to wish for things like a new bike or that new CD of the artist you really liked but you had never felt like you wanted anything more than your wish this year. It was something you knew Santa could never bring you and this close to Christmas you would think it near impossible but still you hoped. That was until you got a phone call a few days before Christmas. 

You were just wrapping some last minute presents when your phone rang. You smiled at the picture that flashed onto your phone and answered the call. 

“Hi darling.” Even just the sound of his voice as tired as it was could lift your spirits and make you smile.

“Hi Tommy. How’s filming going?” 

Your fiancé had been gone for 2 months now filming his next movie and whilst you missed him like crazy there was no doubt how proud of him you were. Tom hated being away for so long especially since Emma had been born but you reassured him you were both fine and sent updates about your little girl everyday.

“It’s going great.” Tom’s voice sounded strained, feeding more into your doubt that something was wrong. 

“Baby what’s wrong?” 

He sighed through the phone and you could tell he was running his hand through his messy curls and probably tapping his foot. You waited patiently for his answer but your worry grew more by the second. 

“I-I don’t think I’m gonna make it home in time for Christmas. I’m so sorry my love.” 

Your whole heart sank to the pits of your stomach, tears threatening to spill from your eyes as you looked at the present you had just wrapped for him. You took a deep breath and tried to hide all emotion from your voice as you spoke to Tom. 

“Oh baby, that’s okay.” 

“No it isn’t.” He knew you too well. He could pick up on the smallest change in your voice or expression, he knew that his news would make you feel disappointed and upset. “I want to be home with you and Emma but there’s no flights going in or out anytime soon.”

You bit your lip and nodded mostly to yourself. You had heard about the snowstorm in Atlanta but you’d hoped it would die down before Christmas. Wishful thinking, you thought.

“I can still facetime you on Christmas day. I know it won’t be the same but-” 

“Tommy, it’s okay.” You couldn’t stop the sniffle that escaped you as you tried to hold back your tears. “We can just celebrate when you get back.” 

“O-okay.” Tom was doing his best to sound okay too and you were both thankful you weren’t facetiming right now. Just as you were about to try and change the subject, a loud sound went off in the distance from the other end of the phone. “I have to go back to set, I love you darling.” 

“I love you too baby.” 

As soon as the call ended, you let the tears fall and took a shaky breath. Usually you could deal with Tom being home later than usual or even missing your birthday but Christmas was your favourite time of year and you’ve always spent it together. 

You were just fiddling with the ring on your finger when you heard the door creak open. You quickly wiped your eyes and put the presents out of sight. 

“Mummy?” 

You turned to see your 3 year old daughter walking into your room in her unicorn pajamas, holding her spider-man plushie that Tom had gotten her close to her chest. 

“You should be asleep, little miss.” You whispered but held your arms open anyway. Emma smiled and cuddled into your arms as you picked her up. She caught a stray tear falling down your cheek and frowned. 

“Why are you crying Mummy?” 

You looked at your daughter’s little pout and smiled at how much it reminded you of Tom as well as her messy brunette curls. You cuddled her close and kissed her head, choosing not to tell her until morning otherwise she’d never sleep. 

“It’s nothing.” 

Emma gave you a look before seeming to accept your answer and cuddled into bed with you. She looked so small on Tom’s side of the bed as she snuggled down which made you smile. She gave a small yawn as she closed her eyes, muttering the one question you wished you hadn’t asked.

“When’s daddy coming home?” 

You sighed and ran your fingers through her curls, humming softly. “Not soon enough.” You let out a watery giggle and Emma smiled before quickly falling asleep next to you. 

When you did eventually tell Emma that Tom wouldn’t be home in time for Christmas, her little eyes filled up with tears so quickly that it broke your heart. She didn’t stop fussing and crying the entire day, kicking her legs and refusing to do much that you asked. It wasn’t until you went to bed that you let yourself really feel your emotions and cry, making one last wish that Tom would come home. 

Despite the emptiness of Tom’s presence you still tried to make the most of Christmas eve. You made your famous hot chocolate, put on Emma’s favourite christmas movie and made sure to bake extra cookies so you could have some as well as Santa. 

Tom facetimed you from his hotel room and it almost felt like he was really there except for his warm arms around you and kisses he would try to steal whenever he could. Emma loved talking to Tom on facetime because they would always pull funny faces at each other and talk nonsense for the most part. 

Emma ended up falling asleep on your lap after the film finished and you got to spend some time with Tom. You both tried not to talk about the obvious or how much you missed each other, trying to keep it lighthearted since it was Christmas eve. 

“Oh I got Emma this amazing present. Just wait until you see her-”

Tom and you both looked down and sighed. 

“Sorry, I-i forgot for a minute.” You apologised, fidgeting once again with your ring which is something you did whenever you missed Tom. He noticed the behaviour and bit his lip, wanting so desperately to be there with you. 

“It’s okay. I’ll try and be home as soon as I can.” 

You nodded and put on a smile, both of you knowing there wasn’t a lot he could do in the middle of a snowstorm. You could see it still flurrying past his window. 

After the phone call ended with your usual “I love you’s” you carefully picked Emma up and put her to bed. You kissed her forehead and said goodnight, making sure she was really asleep before going down to set up for christmas. You ate the cookies, drank the milk and put the presents under the tree so that it was all ready for the morning before going to bed. You wore Tom’s hoodie and snuggled close to his pillow as you fell asleep that night. 

You woke up the next morning to a loud knocking sound from downstairs. Before you could even register what day it was let alone the time there was another knock, louder this time and more persistent. 

“Jeez I’m coming.” 

You sighed as you looked at your alarm clock and got out of bed, yawning sleepily as you walked downstairs. The floor was too cold for your feet and you were ready to have a go at whoever was on the other side of the door for making you wake up this early.

“You do know it’s 6am on Christmas morn-” You mumbled grumpily as you opened the door, your eyes not quite catching up with your brain as you expected it to be a neighbour or the mailman. 

“Hi darling.” 

Your eyes shot open as you looked up, your heart thumping loudly in your chest as it started to race. There standing in your doorway as Tom. His hair was mess under his beanie which was covered in snow like the rest of him. He looked tired and cold but the smile on his face couldn’t be clearer. 

Before you could decide whether it was a dream or not you wrapped your arms tightly around Tom. His arms wrapped around you and held you tight. Neither of you needed to say a word as you held each other, the snow falling down around you in a perfect flurry. 

When you finally pulled away, both of you smiled at each other. You shook your head and held him close as a million questions rushed around your brain. “H-how?” 

“I have my ways and I couldn’t miss Christmas with my girls.” Tom smiled and cupped your face with his gloved hands. He rubbed his thumb over your cheek before planting a sweet kiss on your lips. You smiled and kissed him back, your fingers tangling in his curls.

You wanted nothing more than for this moment to last forever but soon enough you heard little footsteps coming down the stairs followed by a loud scream.

“Daddy!” 

You pulled away and giggled as Emma ran over to Tom. He picked her up into his arms and cuddled his daughter close, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. 

“Hey princess.” 

You smiled at the sight before Tom pulled you into the hug, kissing both of your heads. “Merry Christmas my loves.” 

You stayed like that for a moment before the cold began to sink into your skin and you pulled Tom inside. He took off his cold clothes and changed into his christmas pajamas as per tradition. Meanwhile, Emma finally spotted all the presents and started jumping excitedly. 

Once you were all downstairs, warm and most importantly together you told Emma she could open her gifts. Tom wrapped his arms around you and kissed your head as he watched and opened his own gifts too. 

He also gave you and Emma the presents he had brought whilst filming and you smiled at him in surprise. 

“You didn’t have to baby.”

“I wanted to. Open it.” 

He stole a kiss and held you close as you opened the box. You gasped softly as you saw the stunning silver necklace with a small H on it. 

“It’s a H for Holland.” He smiled, a small blush painting his cheeks as he put it on you. 

“I love it.” You smiled wide and kissed over his face, holding him close. Emma was already fascinated with the singing Elsa doll that Tom had given her which made you both laugh. 

The truth was you didn’t need all the presents under the tree because you’d gotten your Christmas wish that year and your family was all you needed.

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Tom Holland - @teen--marvel @musicalkeys @fancyxparker

[tossawary]

Chapter 24: “Seeing is Believing” of “pride is not the word I’m looking for” random favorite lines and commentary. Not a full list or full commentary, but longer commentary than usual to talk about quest construction. 

-

AN: This was... a weird chapter to write. When I started outlining, I had... the conversation with Shen Qingqiu planned... the conversation with Shen Yuan planned... the fact that SQH, SY, LQG, and LFL was the quest party... and the fact that they get the Eye at the end of it. That was everything. 

The entire rest of this chapter came together FRIDAY LAST WEEK. 

Huan Hua Palace wasn’t going to be there. The Weeper didn’t exist. The Eye or its previous owner wasn’t at all connected to the Garden Master. The Shadow Cave Wolf Spiders didn’t exist. The murder plant didn’t exist. The mysterious monster showing up at the end wasn’t originally planned either. 

I mean, I had a lot of pre-existing plot threads to tie in and weave with, but ohhh boy! Picture someone lying facedown on a floor like, “I forgot to plan the contents of the super important quest...” 

I was originally going to have the Eye quest a lot simpler, but given the weight “Death of the Author” had when I finally reached this part of the story, that wasn’t really going to do! It had to be bigger than that! It needed oomph! This also felt like a good opportunity to really establish the new SQH-SY dynamic. To explore SY fumbling to find a place in this world without strict character role, especially in relation to settled and well-supported SQH. 

- 

“One attempts to remain dignified,” Shen Qingqiu agrees. “As there is little point in kicking and screaming about how such ignobility isn’t fair.”

“Ha! Is there ever?”

“Not in my experience.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely not cute when I do it,” Shang Qinghua jokes.

Shen Qingqiu’s lips actually twitch at that.

Success?!

- 

AN: I wasn’t going into this fic with the intention of writing any Shang Qinghua and Original Shen Qingqiu almost friendship! But it started developing and it seemed a shame not to explore Shang Qinghua developing a real relationship with Shen Qingqiu (though not a particularly close one) when the man is suppose to be the scum villain (and the readers know that the man might get replaced by Shen Yuan). 

I can see myself writing more Shang Qinghua and Original Shen Qingqiu content in the future. Someone dropped a particularly nice prompt for them in my inbox that I’m looking forward to exploring at some point. 

(I mean, not to say that Shang Qinghua has a type, but Shang Qinghua has a type and it’s handsome, deadly, intimidating, frosty men with a villainous character design and trust/abandonment and communication issues. I could make it work.)

- 

“Ah, well, two ‘ideal’ situations come to mind: severing the personal relationship for good… or, ah, talking about how to do better and trying that. You don’t have to forget or even forgive if you don’t want to! But, ah… there’s got to be a difference between totally swallowing your anger and cutting ties forever, right?” Shang Qinghua says awkwardly. “If there’s… ever going to be anything good afterwards…”

Shen Qingqiu stares at him for a sweat-inducing length of time.

 “Ah, fuck,” Shang Qinghua thinks.

“Sorry,” he says. “Ahhh, I’m just… thinking about something someone told me… in… in regards to some of my own problems. Never mind! Never mind!”

- 

AN: Luo Jiahui really is out here making Moshang and Qijiu get their fucking act together just by setting a better example. 

- 

“Shizun, my apologies for the interruption, but I came to ask Shizun if he would be willing to join our music lesson today? The disciples have missed his playing and are eager to present their improvements.”

“...Very well, unless anyone here would disagree…?” Shen Qingqiu looks directly at the Qian Cao Peak cultivator, as though daring her to object and die.

“It’s an excellent suggestion!” the Qian Cao Peak cultivator says quickly.

The young woman smiles. “And perhaps Shizun could sit in on the calligraphy lesson afterwards? In order to offer his opinion on my progress as a teacher?”

“Fishing for compliments is unbecoming,” Shen Qingqiu says dryly.

“Wait, what?” Shang Qinghua thinks.

- 

AN: So, this has all been happening in the background, but Shen Qingqiu accepted this House of Rejuvenation woman onto his Peak about... 6-ish years ago now? This is kind of meant to parallel Shang Qinghua’s once-secret relationship with Luo Jiahui. 

Shang Qinghua was out here trying to be a better person and Shen Qingqiu noticed; now Shen Qingqiu has his own positive (platonic) relationship with a nameless background character who was meant to die for plot reasons. What a thing, huh? If the story was saved because Shang Qinghua started a domino effect of saving random people who went on to change things? 

- 

After all, as Shang Qinghua said to the kid, besides Peerless Cucumber’s apparent talent for cultivation, he knows that his fellow transmigrator has three very important skills that will serve him well on An Ding Peak! 1) An encyclopedia knowledge for even seemingly pointless bullshit (which is kind of flattering, honestly). 2) The willingness to fight total strangers over seemingly pointless bullshit. And 3) a sharp enough tongue to win.

Peerless Cucumber didn’t find these points as funny as Shang Qinghua did.

- 

AN: Shen Yuan was always going to end up on An Ding Peak. I thought about sending him to Qing Jing or Qian Cao or Qiong Ding... or any other Peak... but that would take him too far away from Shang Qinghua to really explore their relationship and to move him around conveniently in the story. And SY sticking to An Ding seemed to best illustrate the fact that SY is lost and doesn’t know what to do except cling to SQH. 

- 

“It’s not much, sure, but it’s yours,” Shang Qinghua says finally. “You’ll be joining the talisman classes soon, so don’t try anything from a book and then need to request some home repairs.”

Peerless Cucumber nods and puts his stack of manuals down on the table.

“How’s your tutorial mission going?”

“Fine,” the kid says shortly. “Have you found anything for the other one yet?”

“Ah, not yet.”

- 

AN: “Are you winning, son?” meme energy here. 

- 

Ah, now Shang Qinghua recognizes his fellow transmigrator’s expression! That’s the same stunned expression one of his Huan Hua not-disciples, Yu Chaonan, made upon meeting the Bai Zhan Peak War God for the first time. Shang Qinghua assumes that Peerless Cucumber was expecting a man who looked more like a musclebound giant and less like a pop idol (if one with amazingly muscular arms), which is a super common and never-not-funny misconception people have about Liu Qingge.  

“Brother of one of the most beautiful women in this world, bro,” Shang Qinghua reminds his fellow transmigrator, amused. Aha! Now Peerless Cucumber’s vehement disinterest in the harem stuff is making even more sense than before!

Shang Qinghua’s assumption gets 100% confirmed when it comes time for Peerless Cucumber to fly with Liu Qingge for the next leg of the journey. The other transmigrator is so embarrassed and awkward about it that Shang Qinghua’s super direct brother-in-law asks if the young man is alright.

- 

AN: This was so fun to write. Shang Qinghua really can use the Liu siblings to gauge people’s sexual/romantic orientation. 

- 

The map (or rather, the copy Shang Qinghua made of the delicate original map) takes them to a green and grey landscape of leafy trees crawling over a wide network of tall cliffs and deep gorges. Gurgling rivers cut through twisting rock formations. Shang Qinghua can’t see any of these rivers on the map. Or these deathly drop ravines. From the outside, the whole thing looks like a natural maze (holy shit, there could be so many monsters and death-traps in there!), and Shang Qinghua would know those golden robes flying low over the hanging trees anywhere.

“Huan Hua,” Liu Qingge mutters.

“Do you think they’re looking for what we’re looking for?” Luo Fanli asks.

“That’s usually how it goes,” Peerless Cucumber says, before Shang Qinghua can.

- 

AN: I came up with the skeleton idea first. Then I was like... “I should give it three eyes.” And then I was like... “But who IS this dead author? A god? A spirit? What grander implications am I spinning here?” 

And THEN I remembered that I had some ambiguous powerful being force the Garden Master into exile due to a flood. This was because, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the immortal man Gilgamesh meets in the abyss is the survivor of a great flood. So I was like, “Reduce! Re-use! Recycle! There’s my skeleton!” 

So I wanted to relate the skeleton to water because of the flood angle. Water as a symbol of cleansing/reincarnation is a big thing throughout many cultures. I can’t remember exactly how the crying aspect came up, but I knew there was going to be water in the temple now, so at some point my brain like was, “Bro, this skeleton should totally be crying because mythology vibes.” 

So I built the surrounding land off the idea that there was water flowing from or around this temple. At this point, I had decided that Huan Hua Palace should also be looking for this artifact, so I had to come up with a way to hide the temple, yet have a way for SQH’s party to track it down. 

- 

The damage to the doors is worse: someone once upon a time collapsed a part of the cliff face around the entrance, essentially leaving only the top fourth of the utterly smashed stone doors visible. It’s a wall now and has been for ages. It looks like it would take days to dig through the rubble. Someone has even super helpfully carved, “These doors will never open again,” just above the wreck.

“Guess we’ll have to go in as intruders rather than guests!” Luo Fanli says.

“What would be welcoming us inside a lost temple exactly?” Shang Qinghua asks vaguely, inwardly cursing the fact that explosive mining techniques will definitely attract the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators’ attention and also probably collapse the whole cliff on them.

“We only have to clear a passage for us, not the whole door,” Peerless Cucumber says optimistically. “Is there a special technique for this kind of thing?”

“Aha, not really.”

“Oh.”

“Why don’t we just keep following the water?” Luo Fanli says.

“...How so?” Shang Qinghua asks.

“Some of those waterfalls could be passages inside,” Liu Qingge explains, because he and the little sister-in-law apparently share the same brain. He’s already eyeing the waterfall wearing down the giant statue on the left.

- 

AN: Temples in quests need to have traps and obstacles and monsters! Well, not ALL of the did, but this one did. I based the obstacles they faced as much as I could around the whole “Death of the Author” theme, while using this whole quest to explore Shen Yuan, Shen Yuan and Shang Qinghua, Shang Qinghua and Liu Qingge and Luo Fanli, and so on. 

The idea here with the door is that the “author” is not going to let them inside the temple to take the interpretation of the narrative (the Eye) for themselves. The story is over (the temple is closed for business)! The author is dead! If they want to get inside, they have to break inside or slip inside as intruders. 

This also creates a convenient obstacle to hold up the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators so that our party can be nearly caught later! And shows off Shang Qinghua, Liu Qingge, and Luo Fanli’s twisty lines of thinking. 

- 

Luo Fanli is holding the light and Shang Qinghua passes the other transmigrator to her, while accepting Liu Qingge’s hand for help getting out of the water.

“Ahhh, that was fun,” Shang Qinghua mutters.

Then he notices that Liu Qingge has the Cheng Luan sword out and ready. Shang Qinghua looks through the surrounding darkness, but all he can see are columns and water. For a moment, he thinks he sees something, a prowling shadow at the other end of the cavernous room, but he wipes the water out of his eyes and it’s gone.

- 

AN: The water in Shang Qinghua’s eyes briefly lets him see a flash of the invisible monsters who show up later! It helps up the tension. 

- 

Another low growl rips through the darkness and Peerless Cucumber shuffles a little closer to Shang Qinghua. Because that sounded really fucking close and yet Shang Qinghua still can’t see the thing that’s making that sound.

He doesn’t see Liu Qingge lunge at him either. He only feels his brother-in-law shove him into Peerless Cucumber, knocking them into the water, out of the way of something that howls when Liu Qingge slashes at it with his sword. Shang Qinghua rolls off Peerless Cucumber and looks up just in time to see dark blood splatter across the watery floor. Liu Qingge pursues the attacker with a second slash, but only seems to meet thin air this time.

“It’s invisible!” Luo Fanli cries. “Fuck!”

“Behind you!” Liu Qingge snaps, and spins to slash at the thin air beside him. Dark droplets of blood hit the water again and something hisses at him.

Luo Fanli whirls and slashes, searching for an opponent.

“They’re reflected in the water!” Liu Qingge yells at her, standing guard over Shang Qinghua as he gets to his feet again. “Listen for their footsteps and vocalizations! Feel the demonic energy and air displacement!”

- 

AN: I got this from a list of Dungeons and Dragons puzzles. The idea is that there’s some puzzle that must be solved, but the truth of the room can only be seen in the reflection of the nearby water (or mirror or whatever). 

Which felt fitting for a “Death of the Author” quest! Whatever an author’s intentions, the story is what they actually wrote, so the audience interprets a text without the context of the author’s insight. The truth (of the story) is in the reflection (audience interpretation)! It felt like a fun idea. 

It also allows Shen Yuan to actually contribute to the quest via monster lore and bring up his impaired vision problem. And to confront Shen Yuan with the reality of this world. And to show off Luo Fanli’s fighting skills. And to show off LIU QINGGE’S legendary fighting skills, instincts as a warrior who fights many dangerous beasts, and the fact that he’s clever and observant! 

Liu Qingge is good at what he does! And this is what he does! 

- 

Someone has… angrily… or desperately… carved a lopsided message into the wall.

 “‘If I go blind, so does the world,’” Peerless Cucumber reads.

“...That’s probably not good,” Shang Qinghua says.

“Nooo…” Fanli agrees.

The messages continue as they climb, carved into the walls, the ceilings, the floors. Most of it is illegible. Some of it is just nonsense. Some of it looks like the same kind of historical records carved into the broken tablets. Some of it looks like someone attacked the walls after reading what was written there. There are deep gouges in the walls and cracked marks that would match a giant’s hands.

 “‘The water cleans the lies,’” Peerless Cucumber reads. “‘I am the only one who can see.’ ‘Lies everywhere, lies everywhere, lies everywhere.’ ‘The water cleans the evil.’ ‘I do not have enough tears.’ ‘Everything is nothing now. Everything in vain.’”

“You really don’t need to read them!” Shang Qinghua tells the kid. “It’s fine. It's totally fine.”

- 

AN: This is mostly here to up the tension, but it’s also here to try and give insight into this being and relate them more to the “Death of the Author” and the “Seeing is Believing” themes. 

I also saw the phrase “If I go blind, so does the world” while I was browsing a list of riddles for D&D campaigns and I was like, “THAT’S SICK, I’M USING THAT.” Really brings the “an eye for an eye” and vengeance vibes. (The riddle was longer than that one phrase, but the answer was “the sun”.) 

- 

The top of the temple reveals one massive room that looks like someone was alternatively scratching their insanity into the walls and tearing chunks out of the interior design with their bare hands. Overtop of the rubble is that eerie overgrowth. There’s a fine layer of water over the floor. At the center of it all is an incredibly enormous desk, cracked in half, with a robed skeleton sitting behind it, slumped over the top. It’s a little too large to be an ordinary human.

Plus, its skull is a little too long, probably to accommodate the third eye socket in the forehead. There’s something gleaming softly yellow in the third eye socket.

“Is… there water dripping from its eyes?” Luo Fanli whispers.

“It looks like it…” Peerless Cucumber whispers back. “Like it's crying…?”

“Still…? Is it dead or not?”

 “Holy shit,” Shang Qinghua thinks, slightly nauseated. “System, bro, the worst bro I’ve ever known, tell me that we have not been swimming in a three-eyed skeleton’s magical undead tears or something this whole time.”

The shitty, no-good System stays unsurprisingly silent. 

- 

AN: Okay, so the idea here is that this being was someone who recorded history and shared their knowledge freely. This being had the ability to discern the truth of a person - they were extremely perceptive. (The Weeper is either female or doesn’t have a gender, by the way.) 

The Weeper met the Garden Master at some point. The Garden Master was an asshole, a liar, arrogant, etc.. The Weeper and the Garden Master clashed badly, until the Weeper sent the cleansing flood that nearly destroyed the sect and the Garden Master essentially had to flee to a personal abyss. 

The Garden Master sent the plant as a final “fuck you” to the Weeper. The plant caused the Weeper to slowly go mad. The smashed tablets and destroyed temple are the Weeper’s work. The Weeper (not in a great state of mind) had the temple closed themselves once they realized they and their work had been corrupted. This was a “you destroy my (embellished) reputation, I destroy yours (and your entire life)” plot by the Garden Master. 

The idea behind the tears is the whole “water is cleansing” thing. The Weeper tried to clean away the madness using their magical water-related abilities... and it actually worked for a long time. But eventually the madness began to overpower the effects of the magical water. The Weeper’s tears are from frustration and helplessness at losing control. 

The water inside the temple combats the plant’s physical effects. Also stabbing the root killed the plant and essentially broke its mental/spiritual powers. 

- 

Unfortunately, to get the fuck out of here, they have to go back through the temple. But hey! That’s still a lot better than an extended hike through an underground, haunted desert in darkness! The battle with the now-dead plant caused its growth to writhe around the temple. The vines need to be hacked through sometimes as they travel down through the rooms of broken shelves and shattered tablets.

“So much history lost…” Peerless Cucumber murmurs.

 “He still thinks of himself as a reader - an observer, a visitor, separate from the flow of fate.”

- 

AN: This is... absolutely based on the Heart from the Dishonored franchise. But this sort of item didn’t originate with Dishonored and I need it! It’s a surprise/mystery tool that will help us later! 

The Eye isn’t exactly a mind-reading object. I mean, it kind of is, but it works in a very specific way that I’m looking forward to getting into. 

- 

From there, their path back out of the natural maze is even more careful and stressful than before, now that the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators are actively looking for them rather than the temple. It’s slow-going and stressful and silent, except for when the Weeper’s Eye presses too close against his chest.

 “He is afraid that if he starts screaming, he will never stop,” it tells him, when he’s looking at a pale-faced Peerless Cucumber, as they fly over a particularly deathly-looking drop.

 “Oh, me too, bro!” Shang Qinghua thinks. “Seriously! Tell me something I don’t know!”

- 

AN: Having Shang Qinghua be totally unimpressed by an object like this was very funny to me. He’s the author! He’s a transmigrator! He knows these people well! He already has insight into their situations. 

- 

Shang Qinghua groans, but supposes that Peerless Cucumber would have at least been disguising Liu Qingge from the back. “You tell them that you were tracking thieves who stole something from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect,” he says quickly. “Rule of embarrassment! Admitting something that makes us look bad to a rival makes it sound true. Don’t tell them what was stolen and act really offended if they try to poke into Cang Qiong business. I’ll come back as soon as I get these two out!”

Liu Qingge nods and launches forward into the fight.

“We’re just leaving him?” Peerless Cucumber says, as they do exactly that.

“I’ll get changed and come back ‘looking for him for urgent sect business’ as soon as I’ve dropped you two off in the last town,” Shang Qinghua says. “I’m really good at acting stressed and confused, and at desperately needing an unstoppable wandering Liu Qingge back at Cang Qiong Mountain Sect immediately. Now let’s go! Let’s go! Mission isn’t over yet!”

- 

AN: Shang Qinghua is, at heart, a liar. I love him. 

[wordsfromthesol]

Character Model

Author: @wordsfromthesol Pairing: Jason Todd x Reader Summary: You may or may not have been following Jason Todd around a bookstore so you could model one of your story characters after him. He may or may not have noticed. Warnings: Language? Word Count: 2k A/N: Just a story from my drafts folder. Sorry I haven’t been able to write any of the wonderful requests I have sitting in my inbox...work has been running me ragged. But they are coming! Love you all 💛

You had no idea where this man came from, but he was perfect. Exactly what you envisioned the assassin prince in your newest story to look like, and he just waltzed into the bookstore. First, you tried to ignore him…after all it would be kind of creepy to stare at this man while sketching him and jotting down little details about the way he walks, talks, runs his fingers through his hair. The more you thought about it, the more you couldn’t get him out of your mind. As you watched his mannerisms, he just became more perfect. Fuck it. You got up from your seat and moved closer to him, pretending to look at the books on the shelf. It wasn’t a very good cover story, as it was quite obvious you were drawing him. I will never see this man again, who cares.

You were never the best artist, but the image got the message across. Once it was complete, you continued following him awkwardly around the store jotting down notes. His interest in certain books, the way he seemed to survey the bookstore…Maybe he is an assassin prince? Those didn’t actually exist right? You ignored those thoughts as you commented on his gait. Wrapped up in your descriptions, you didn’t realize he was now watching you. That is until you looked up again and saw his steel blue eyes staring into yours.

“What are you profiling me for, doll?”

You spun around, hoping he wasn’t talking to you. No such luck. “Oh, uhm, I wasn’t?”

“Hmm, sure does look like it. Can I see that sketch?”

“Heh, you saw that?” He raised his eyebrows. Of course he saw it, Y/N, you are being creepy. “Okay, I swear I’m not stalking you! I just…gosh this is going to sound so stupid…you look exactly like how I envisioned this character in my head…for a story.”

“You’re a writer?”

“Some people would beg to differ, but I guess technically.”

“So what’s the character then?”

Okay now he’s going to be offended. “Uhm…an assassin? But he’s also like prince to the guild thing. It’s kind of complicated.”

“So I look like an assassin?”

“Kind of…?” To your surprise the man chuckled.

“Not gunna lie, I’ve been called so much worse.”

Why are you so awkward? “Well sorry for being creepy…” You turned to leave and didn’t notice the man following you until you nearly slammed the front door in his face.

“I think I deserve to see that sketch after you followed me around for an hour AND tried to knock me out with a door.”

“Oh my go – I’m so sorry, I figured I’d thoroughly…embarrassed myself, so I left…why are you following me?”

“Thought I’d return the favor?” You gave him a nervous smile, the thought of this very large strange man walking you home, at night, in Gotham, did not provide you with much peace. “Relax, you look just like a character I imagined…” He quipped, trying to ease your obvious discomfort.

“Not funny.”

“Really though, it’s dark and getting late and this is Gotham.” You eyed him suspiciously, this still probably wasn’t the smartest move on your part, but you relented and motioned for him to follow.

“Don’t make fun of it, I’m a writer not an artist. This is purely for research.” You commented as you passed him the sheet of notebook paper.

“It looks good, I especially like all the little notes about me. Ruggedly handsome? Piercing steel blue eyes?”

Shit. I forgot about those. “Uhm, yeah.” You tried to snatch the paper back, but he could easily keep it from you. “It was research!” Huffing, you remember some of the descriptions were not very complimentary. Watching his eyes scan the page, you tried to explain. “Some of them are just for the character, don’t take it…”

“No, they are all…pretty spot on I’d say.” His voice turned solemn, almost sad, as he passed the paper back to you.

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah,” he waved it off, picking back up his nonchalant timbre.

The two of you mindless chatted about your favorite books until you arrived at your apartment building.

“Well, this is me. Thanks again…” You had just realized the two of you never exchanged names. “My name’s Y/N, by the way.”

“Jason. I’ll see you around. Try not to stalk anyone else.”

“No promises!” You called out as you entered the apartment.

**

It had been nearly a week, and honestly you didn’t expect to see the stranger again. After all, how would you? No numbers or last names were exchanged. Yet there he was, sitting across from you at the coffee shop, face buried in a book. This man is actually reading in a coffee shop. He looked so out of place compared to all the usual suspects. It would be creepy if I remembered him, right? I’m just going to ignore him. Your plan didn’t last long, as Jason soon came up and sat beside you.

“Stalking anyone new today?”

“Oh, I uhm…no. Writing about you actually…the character! The character not you.” God, you’re so smooth. You thought as you brought your hand up to cover your face.

“So how is assassin me doing today?”

“Honestly? You’re kind of being a bitch. Like how am I supposed to know how you will react if you are refusing to tell me?”

“Uhm…isn’t that the part you’re supposed to make up?”

“No, I made up you…the assassin…now you’re…they’re supposed to tell me what they want to do.”

“Uh huh. Right. You know they aren’t real right? Like I’m not actually a killer prince.”

“Heh, yeah I know. Wouldn’t that be cool though?”

“I just think you’d be assassinated.”

“Ohh, harsh. Though, sadly, I would just be murdered.”

“No, I had it right.” Jason gave you a smirk as he got up from the table and walked out the door.

Did that actually just happen? You quickly gathered your things and threw them into your computer bag, racing after him. “WAIT!” You noticed he had stopped just outside the door and well before you called after him.

“Walking home?”

“Uhm, yeah. Can I ask you some questions first?”

“How about you can ask me questions until we get to your apartment building?”

“Deal.”

It was a short ten-minute walk, but you picked his brain. Giving him situations to see how he would react. This was way easier than you rewriting the scene, or going back and forth for hours before giving up and not writing anything at all. In fact, his reactions were eerily similar to that of your murderous character. You weren’t accidentally copying his life, right?

**

The next time you saw him, you were out with friends at some random bar. He sat there stoically on the bar stool, staring into space. This was so…like if your character had just murdered someone. No, he couldn’t have. Probably just a bad day. You excused yourself from the group of friends and slide in to the stool besides Jason.

“So, Jason, bad day?”

“Oh, Y/N. I didn’t…you’re here.”

“Yeah, I try to have a life sometimes. Albeit very rarely.”

“Hm, well, don’t let me keep you.”

“That’s alright, they are content without me.” You pointed towards a group of people. “And plus, you look like you need some company.”

“…”

“Man, riveting stuff. So, what are you drinking?”

“Whiskey.”

“Just…straight? Alright, spill. Remember I know you.”

“I…just had a bad day at work. I’ll get over it.”

“I’m sure whatever happened wasn’t your fault. Some situations are inevitable.”

“I guess.”

“So what do you do, exactly?”

A sad, solemn smile laced his lips as he got up from the bar. “Another time. Get home safe, Y/N.”

“That wasn’t an answer…” you mumbled as you made your way back to your friends.

**

Just the next day, you were mindless going aisle by aisle in the grocery store, when you feel someone slightly bump into you. You whipped your head around to see the culprit, when what you saw was Jason with a big grin on his face.

“I’m starting to think you never stopped stalking me.”

“If anything, you’re stalking me. This is the closest grocery to my apartment…which you know the address of. I have no clue where you live.”

“Fair enough.” He looked down at the assorted items in your cart, “got a plan for those?”

“Honestly, my version of cooking is throwing some things in a pan and hoping for the best.”

“Hm, well, I could come over and show you some things?”

“Jason, I don’t know your middle or last name, are you offering to cook for me?”

“Peter Todd, and yes, Y/N  Y/M/N  Y/L/N, I am.”

You looked at him with surprise, “See, now who’s stalking who.”

He started to trail off with a smirk, “I’ll be at yours at 6!”

Did that seriously just happen? How did he know my name? Once you were done you raced home to clean. You were so not prepared for guests, with your scratch paper and sticky notes strewn about the apartment. As soon as the clock struck 6, you heard a knock at the door.

**

Jason tried to show you what he’s doing in the kitchen, but you couldn’t care less. You sat on the counter, pretending to listen to the instructions, while sipping on the wine in your hand.

“You’re not retaining any of this, are you?”

“Hmm, not really. But I’m quite enjoying watching you do it.” You motioned for him to continue preparing the meal.

“Are you just trying to get a free meal?”

“Well, technically I paid for the food, I’m just after the free chef…that was…I meant like after the preparation of the food…not after you…” Shut up Y/N, you are making it worse.

“That’s alright, I’m just after the free writer.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at you before returning to the stove.

“Does cooking always take this long? It’s nearly 7!” You were trying to quickly change the subject and forget the embarrassment you had just endured.

“Calm down, doll, it’s nearly ready. Grab some plates.” You hopped off the counter and took two plates down from the cabinet, placing them next to the stove before sitting at your kitchen island patiently waiting to be served food.

**

“Okay, this is amazing. MAYBE worth the hour wait.”

“Oh well MAYBE I’ll take it back then.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Though both of your plates had been empty for hours, and the mess in the kitchen was staring you in the face, neither of you could seem to move. You found anything and everything to talk about, well almost everything. For some reason he still wouldn’t tell you what he did for a living. Which annoyed you because whatever it was clearly took its toll.

“Okay, fine! Don’t tell me, some big ole secret. I’m beginning to think you actually are an assassin prince and your consciousness just went into mine…so now you’re a character in my book.”

“I guess I’ll just have to read it and let you know.”

You side-eyed him, “You can read it when I find out what you do?” You knew at this point there was no hope in getting an answer.

“Tempting. Perhaps you can tempt me further Wednesday night.” Jason rose from the stool and traipsed over to the door. You quickly followed him, mainly out of sheer confusion.

“What’s Wednesday night?”

“Well, I figure those leftovers will last about two days. Can’t leave you without your free chef.” At this point his face was inches from yours. “I’ll be here at 6.” He whispered as he quickly spun on his heel and left.

[wafflesandkruge]

zoyalai Hogwarts au where everyone's shipping them even the teachers tho they didn't know if they're really dating or just bickering but then one time Zoya stormed into the great hall really tired and didn't notice that people were staring at her wearing Nikolai's quidditch jersey and irdk where I'm going with this but I'm imagining it to be cute n fluffy

Omg I have these gems sitting in my inbox that I forgot about rip I haven’t answered a request in 84 years I’m so sorry

(oh wait also jkr sucks)

---

“Zoya!” Nikolai’s shout echoed from somewhere below her as she practically sprinted up the stairs towards the Great Hall. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep in Nikolai’s room (thank Merlin he had his own prefect’s room and wasn’t in a communal dormitory anymore) after they had a joint practice, but she’d been so tired and his bed was so soft-

She ignored him repeatedly yelling her name. She was supposed to eat breakfast with her team this morning and go over a new formation she wanted to try, but if the sunlight streaming through the corridor’s windows were any indication, she’d be lucky to have just enough time to grab a bite to eat. She furiously tried to smooth her wild hair as she hit the floor landing. 

“Don’t walk in with me!” she shouted. His head of tousled curls was nowhere to be seen, but she could hear the sharp taps of his shoes against the stone stairs. 

“Wait, damnit-” 

Zoya smoothed down her clothes and tilted her head up before walking into the Hall. Breakfast was nearly over, judging from the level of chatter and the absence of clinking silverware. She strode quickly down the Slytherin table, trying to make it to her team who was waving to her, then... puzzled looks crossed their faces. The Hall slowly fell silent. Heads swiveled towards her.

Zoya slowed. What the hell was happening? She glared at some Hufflepuff girl who quickly looked away, giggling. 

“What’s so funny?” she demanded. Her friends all giggled or averted their eyes. Harshaw, bless his soul, opened his mouth to speak, but right before he could, Zoya felt a familiar presence at her back. Nikolai draped something heavy across her shoulders and pulled it tightly together in the front, his arms wrapping around her in a near embrace. She fought the urge to lean into him as she often did when they were alone.

“Wouldn’t want to have points taken away for a uniform violation,” he said with a rather forced wink. 

She nodded her thanks and his arms pulled away much too quickly before he headed off to his own table, where he was met with several wolf whistles and back thumping hugs from his teammates. Were the Slytherins always such a rowdy bunch?

She took a seat at the table. With a few pointed kicks under the table, her teammates stopped gawking at her and resumed conversation. The rest of the Hall soon followed suit. 

“Had a good time last night, didn’t you? You and Lantsov...work out your differences?” Genya teased as she dropped a few pastries on Zoya’s plate.

“What are you talking about?” Zoya grouched as she liberally poured sugar into her coffee. She wasn’t in the mood for such cryptic behavior from everyone. “Why were you all staring at me?”

“Better check what you’re wearing,” Kwei muttered as he half-heartedly stabbed a roll on his plate. “Traitor.”

Zoya looked down with a frown. Her robes looked the same as usual, if not a little mussed from their night on Nikolai’s floor. Or wherever he’d tossed them. Maybe they were talking about her quidditch jersey and jeans, a far cry from the usual sweater and skirt combo she wore to keep up appearances as a Prefect. “I fell asleep in my practice clothes yesterday,” she lied.

Harshaw snorted. “Last I checked, sleep doesn’t make your clothes change color. Or put your boyfriend’s name on them, but hey, what do I know.”

The color drained from Zoya’s face as what Harshaw was implying registered in her brain. She pulled her robes aside a bit, and to her horror, the jersey underneath wasn’t red and gold, but green. Horrible, damning green. With his stupid name emblazoned across both the front and back. It had been dark in his room when she’d woken up in a state of panic about being late, she’d grabbed the first thing on the floor and had assumed it was her jersey because of the material, but it must have been-

She whirled around to where Nikolai was sitting across the room and fixed a glare at him. He shrugged and mouthed something. I told you to wait. 

[notfairestwriting]

I'm bursting out with ship prompts right now, and I just wanted to drop by and suggest something. I hope you don't mind it!

Imagine a certain huntsman whom I won't name, teaching Ray how to do archery(?). In return, Ray teaching him how to sew something :)

oh i am ALWAYS up for some rookray. this was sitting in my inbox and then my drafts for so long bc i forgot to check it while i was away sobs

---

You see, they didn’t look heavy. And now Ray realizes how stupid he’d been in thinking they wouldn’t be, considering how easily Rook could lift things up -- And lift people up, but that really wasn’t something he needed to be thinking about now, not when Rook was standing this close to him.

...and his arms shake like two miserable little toothpicks.

“...you see, you hold it like this, and you stand like this...”

Rook’s explanation is lost on him, the target in front of them, one of those wood circles painted in red and white, doesn’t look like much more than a blur. He already had difficulty making out how far off things were as it was, but like this, going along with this stupid idea--

Suddenly, Rook stops talking, and smiles strangely, his eyes a bit narrowed.

“Ah, let me show you just how you do it.”

Rook takes in most of the weight of the bow, taking a step so his chest is pressed against Ray’s back, he holds... something? A specific spot of the bow? Ray’s brain goes into overdrive, he can barely process it with how his heart rate just spikes, he really should have said no when Rook offered to teach him to do this, but-- but--

They don’t even move, he just stays there, frozen and shaking like a leaf, did they have to be so close? He was trying so hard to ignore those stupid feelings, when things were like this he just couldn’t--

Behind him, he hears Rook chuckle.

“This isn’t funny, you...” Ray grits out, his face feeling way too warm.

And the bastard had the gall to laugh about it and everything, he has the worst taste possible.

“Of course, of course, I was merely caught up in your beauty, so I’ve gotten distracted.” He says, still amid laughs, which Ray sputters at, but doesn’t scandalize him as much as just the entire rest of the situation. “Let me lead the way, oui? I promise that with my guidance you’ll be able to shoot this arrow right in the middle of the target.”

---

“You’re doing it wrong.”

Rook’s stitching stops, he looks up at Ray with a blink and an idle smile. Ray doesn’t meet any of it, staring at the atrocity he’d been comitting to that poor piece of fabric instead.

“Here. I’ll show you.” He says, sitting on the floor cross-legged, right in front of him. He doesn’t quite calculate distance, surely this was fine, wasn’t it? It’s just sewing. He takes the poor fabric scrap from Rook’s hands. “You need to hold the needle gently but firmly, and you can’t always hold it the same way, depending on what sort of stitch you’ll do. Since you’re just starting out, you should do something more simple, like...”

He stops halfway through. Rook stares at him with that face -- A narrow-eyed smile like he’d come across the most interesting sort of research subject. Ray glares.

“Are you going to pay attention?” He asks, making a conscious decision to not squeeze at the fabric in his hands too hard. Rook chuckles, and he almost forgets about that entirely.

“Oh, but I am paying attention.” The hunter says, mischievous. “How couldn’t I, when I have such a dependable teacher right in front of me? Do go ahead, Monsieur Voyant.”

“L-Liar.” He stutters, averting his gaze. “You’re just staring at me.”

“If I do that, I can’t help it.” He says, leaning his face against his hand, smile widening. “Your dedication to your craft is just nothing short of captivating. A personification of Ignihyde’s diligence itself, isn’t it?”

“Shut up.” He hurries to say before Rook can speak any more. “F-Fine, I’ve heard enough. Now, just let me show you how you...”

It’s only when he gets back to his dorm that he realizes surely Vil must have taught him how to sew.

Really, out of all people he could have crushed on.

[turning-dreams-into-chaos]

Cute

*Not My Gif*

Requested: Nope!

Paring: Remus Lupin X Reader (Marauders Era)

Word Count: 1,542

Post Date: 5-4-19

A/N: Hey Guys! So sorry I haven’t posted, I kind of explained that and also if you didn’t read it, I’ll just put some info here. 😂 I want to start a series based off of the 100 that’s kind of Bellamy Blake X Reader, but mainly the 100 X Reader, and I want to know if you guys are interested in that or not. So let me know by commenting on this post or sending me a message in my inbox or something to let me know! Thanks loves! Also I need some more requests! So if you would like me to write for anyone please just ask and I’ll get right on it! Request list is down below! Hope you liked this!

- Ria

~Master List~

~Open Requests~

It’s been a long day. Your roommates decided it would be a great idea to stay up all night playing various games of Truth or Dare, Never have I ever, and some other dumb games you’ve never heard of. But you knew you needed sleep, you tried to block out the sound of their laughter and little taunts to each other with your pillow. Being extremely tired, you managed to somehow forget you’re a freaking witch, you could’ve casted a damn silencing charm, but having spent the entire past week studying for the upcoming O.W.L.S your brain was fried. Which is exactly what led you to be currently falling asleep in your charms class. Your head pressed against the front of your book you hadn’t even bothered to open, drool not yet leaving your mouth, but something that would probably happen soon enough at this rate. You’ve never really liked Charms, but you weren’t bad at it, and today’s class wasn’t anything new, so it’s not quite important. Enjoying your found comfort upon your book, you begin to shift around in your seat as a small sharp pain comes in contact with your side.

“Oi! Y/N!” You hear a hushed whisper obviously inches from your ear.

“Y/N! Wake up before Flitwick sees!” The voice a little louder while the poking in your side becomes more intense. Your hand goes out to grab the arm of your “attacker” twisting it not enough to hurt him or gain anyone’s attention, but just to make him stop.

“Oh sod off Lupin...” you mumble as you pick up your head and rub your eyes. You haven’t looked at him yet because you know as soon as you do, he’ll make sure you won’t go back to sleep again.

“Well good morning to you too.” He says and you can almost hear his smirk. Remus and you have been best friends since first year. You basically have became the honorary fifth marauder, and of course you know all about Remus being a werewolf and the other boys being animagus and you love the fact that the boys did that for him. You know the boys all love you, but you’re much closer to Remus than any of them and they know it.

You turn to look at the boy as you fix the hair falling in your face. You give him the most obviously fake smile you can earning a chuckle from him as he knows what’s about to happen.

“Good Morning Rem! Isn’t today just amazing?! I mean first I slept for about 2 whole hours because my stupid roommates decided that my sleep wasn’t important for them. Then I left my wand on my dresser this morning after I was late to Potions, meaning I had to go back and grab it becoming even more late, which leads us to The professor taking 50 points from Gryffindor for being so incompetent at being on time! 50 points! Can you believe that?! Then I get into this class where I can finally sleep a little and then you come and poke me in my ribs, waking me from the sleep I so bloody need! So I say once again Lupin. Sod off!” You finish, earning the attention of a few students around you but thankfully not the professor. After looking around and making foul faces at others foul faces, you look at Remus, who is trying really hard not to burst out laughing at your situation. You frown at him as you put your head back down on your book, you still haven’t opened. Just as you finally start to fall asleep again, you could feel Remus shift closer to you and his breath tickling your neck.

“Love, why didn’t you cast a bloody silencing charm?” You pick you head back up one last time to glare at his cockiness.

“Because!” You whine, “Because I forgot I was a bloody witch, okay! Merlin’s Beard Remy, LET ME SLEEP!” You finished as you threw your head back in defeat, looking up at the rooms ceiling, refusing to meet his gaze.

“You know, you’re cute when you’re tired.” Now this got your attention, your cheeks start to redden as you snap your eyes back to his.

“I-I uh… I- You think I’m cute?” You barely stammer out, your last words practically a whisper. A look of confusion crossed his face for a second until his eyes grew wide and he understood what had happened.

“I- You he- I SAID THAT OUT LOUD?” His yelling had caught the attention of the same students who heard you before. You gently nod your head, you heart seeming to speed up a little. Sure you had a crush on Remus, what’s not to like, he’s literally perfect. He’s smart, kind, always helping people., he’s funny, he always smells amazing, and lastly you think he’s super cute. But you never thought he had the same feelings for you, but you never complained. You always loved being his Best Friend, just as long as he was in your life.

Your brain starts rationalizing what is happening, maybe he’s just saying your cute like you look good, friends say that. Or maybe he’s making fun of you because you were just sleeping. Or Remus Lupin has a crush on you. Either way, he called you cute and you were gonna just sit there if it really was because of the last reason.

“Well, I didn’t mean for it to happen like this, but Y/N, I think your really cute and I might have a small crush,” he rubs the back of his neck as he closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath, then opening them again, “ok… huge crush… the biggest crush I think I’ve ever had actually, on you. I think… I think I’m in love with you and I-I know that it would change our friendship so much, and that comes first, our friendship, before anything, but I was wondering if maybe there was any chance, or like a small possibility that you happen to feel the same?” His chuckles a bit at the fact he had just spilled all his thoughts to you, who’s mouth in hung open and now just staring at the brunette. You can’t say anything, too overwhelmed with the happiness inside you. You want to hug him and kiss him and tell him you felt the same, but you can’t right now, only staring like an idiot over the fact that the guy you might also be in love with just told you that very thing.

“Uh, Y/N? Could you… do you think… can you say something? Anything really?” You close your mouth and stop the staring when you see the look of hurt and confusion happen upon his features. Quickly grabbing his chin and pushing it up so he’s looking at you instead of the desk.

“Remus, I- why didn’t you tell me you liked me? it would’ve saved us a bloody lot of time too! I’ve loved you since first year, and you know what Remy, it does change our friendship. Now that we kind of know we are in love with each other… I think we’re kind of… maybe…. more than friends?” You whisper, pulling his face a little closer to yours, his hands somehow finding their way to your waist and pulling you slightly into him.

“More than friends? Yeah, I think I can do that.” He says pressing his forehead into yours, his eyes staring into your (e/c) ones. You both stay like that for a minute, so afraid of breaking the little bubble of protection surrounding you two.

“OH, JUST KISS HER MOONY!” Sirius bellows from the back of the room, James, Peter, and him cackling after having watched the whole exchange between the two of you. At this point, you both have managed to capture the eyes of everyone in the room, even Professor Flitwick had stopped what he was doing at Sirius’s comment. After you gave the three boys a death glare, you turn back to Remus, who had been staring at the side of your face for the past few minutes while you glared at the other marauders,, a small smile plastered across his face.

“Well, who am I not to follow rules?” He whispers as he pulled your lips into his. There were no fireworks, no clear moment that made the kiss perfect, nothing. Yet, it was everything. It was warmth, it was home, it was everything you’ve could’ve asked for. It was Remus. Your Remus. And that was everything.

As you to pull apart you hear the cheers and loud clapping of the boys, as well as a couple people who honestly seemed to be confused as to what happened in the room. Your foreheads rest on each other once more, and your lips curl into a smile, swollen and feeling loved from the kiss, and your eyes hold Remus loving gaze until the noise around you returns to normal.

“You know, for the record Lupin, I think you’re cute as well.” You whisper, winking as you pull your foreheads apart, grinning as you finally open your book and start reading, constantly returning Remus’ not-so-subtle glances.

[patton-croc-agenda]

Completely Unrelated Ch.2

A/N: AhHH so if you asked to be tagged privately via my inbox and I replied to you privately, then I lost your name and can’t find it I’m soRRy.  I’m thinking about maybe doing ships but who fuckin knows I didn’t outline this. What do you guys want?

Also, Chapter 2? More like exposition dump.

First: Chapter 1 | Next: Chapter 3 | Previous: Chapter 1

Warnings: None Pairings: None (yet?) technically

Patton was the first one to finish freaking out about the situation, and apparently it was only because Logan had turned his head to slam it into the lockers again. He felt Patton grab his wrist and yank him out of the way, before casually shifting to lean against the lockers. His message was clear, Logan would not be doing any more bashing his brains out via locker. Drat. Roman was running his hands through his hair, eyes blown wide, as his tiny brain tried to process what he just saw. Virgil was rubbing his arms and looking from the door, to Patton, to Logan, to the lockers- over and over.

“Alright kiddos let’s just...calm down for a second,” Patton said. His voice was soft, trustworthy. That was Patton for you. It helped Logan calm down a little, as he realized how illogical he was being. Logan nodded to himself, then walked over to stand beside Patton.

“Patton is correct. We can not change the situation, best we just go in and face figuratively face our fates,” he said. Patton beamed, slinging an arm over Logan’s shoulders and nearly knocking him over.

“See? Lolo’s got the right id-” Patton was cut off as Roman snorted.

“Lolo?” he teased, looking more relaxed. Logan scowled.

“New nickname, isn’t it great?” Patton asked.

“I hate it.” Logan deadpanned. That sent Virgil into a fit of giggles, getting the most anxious member of their group to finally break out of the cycle of terror he was about to spin himself into. Logan heard Patton let out a quiet, almost silent sigh of relief. Odd. He didn’t have time to dwell on that, though, as Patton opened the door and made an over dramatic bowing motion. Roman, always one for theatrics, laughed and strode forward.

“Thank you, kind citizen,” Roman said, using his ‘prince’ voice. Patton giggled, and Virgil rolled his eyes before trotting into the room after Roman. Patton looked over at Logan.

“You ready?” Logan sighed.

“As I’ll ever be…”

Normally, if they were on time, people didn’t really spare them a second glance. However, today they looked at the group, then at the new teacher, then at the group again. The teacher, Mr.Sanders, apparently, didn’t even glance up from his phone. Logan noticed Virgil shrinking back at the attention, and Logan carefully shuffled to stand in front of Virgil, blocking him from view.

“Thanks…,” Virgil whispered

“Don’t mention it,” Logan whispered back, motioning to a quiet place in the back of the room to sit. Normally, Logan liked to sit in the front. As did Roman, who liked being the center of attention. However, in history it was an unspoken agreement to sit with Virgil in the back. Sometimes, one or two of them would sit a row ahead so they could block Virgil from any prying eyes. Today, though, they all sat in a row. Roman, Virgil, Patton, Logan, a Sanders line. Logan’s brain smacked him, that wasn’t even a pun. He needed to stop spending so much time with Patton. Roman and Patton were whispering to each other as Virgil pulled his headphones off and subtly put an earbud in one ear instead. Logan pulled out his textbook and started to review what they had learned last week, when a voice interrupted the peace.

“Hello class, I’m Mr.Sanders!” the man said, gesturing to his name on the board. A few eyes glanced back at them, and a few giggles burst out. Logan glanced over at Virgil, who flipped his hood up. The giggles died as Roman gave what was, apparently, a very threatening glare. Mr.Sanders frowned.

“I dunno what’s so funny, but anyway! I don’t know anyone’s names yet, so when I call your name just raise your hand or say here, alrighty?” Mr.Sanders said, fumbling on his desk for a piece of paper.

Logan looked over and made eye contact with Roman, who proceeded to have an eye-conversation with him. Something about Mr.Sanders getting to their names, probably. Logan couldn’t actually read peoples’ eyes, so every time one of the others tried to communicate via eyeball Logan was totally lost and just widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows in a pattern that usually fooled the other person into believing he knew that they were saying. Except once, where he must’ve said something inappropriate because Patton had shrieked and thrown an apple at his face.

“Oh! Isn’t this fun?” Mr.Sanders exclaimed. ‘Here it comes’, Logan steeled himself.

“Logan Sanders. We have the same last name,” Mr.Sanders laughed. Logan rolled his eyes and raised his hand. Mr.Sanders eyes lit up.

“Perfect! Next we have…,” there was the confusion, “...another Sanders! Patton,” Patton waved enthusiastically.

“Awesome! Next is...Roman Sanders?” Mr.Sanders was frowning now.

“The one and only!” Roman announced, standing up and posing dramatically. Patton clapped enthusiastically. Mr.Sanders gave a slight smile at that.

“Alright, then. Virgil...Sanders,” Mr.Sander’s voice dropped off as if someone had just shoved him off the cliff of realization. Okay, bad metaphor, Logan really did need to spend less time around Patton.

“Well! Sanders is a common last name,” Mr.Sanders grinned. Logan blinked in surprise and looked over at Roman. This once he could understand what Roman was trying to say through his eyes perfectly. ‘He’s not going to ask if we’re related?’

The class continued on without a hitch after that, no comments on them looking like their teacher, no comments on the names. Just a casual history lesson. The bell rang for their next class, and Logan shuffled after his friends and shot Mr.Sanders a suspicious look as he did so. His new teacher only smiled back.

~~~~

Logan didn’t have anything after school that day, however, Patton had a student council meeting, and Logan was Patton’s only ride home. Since the meeting would be about an hour, Logan could technically go home and come pick up his friend later, but considering how much time and gas that would waste, Logan instead opted to stay. He had chatted with Virgil for about 20 minutes before his friend had to leave, something about helping his dad clean the house for a date. After that, Logan sat in the auditorium for approximately 10 minutes, watching Roman and his theatre friends practicing for some musical or other they were going to perform. Logan got bored quickly, however. Not that he’d ever tell Roman that, but he wasn’t exactly fond of acting or stage-performances.

Which was how Logan now found himself wandering around the halls, glancing into windows on the doors occasionally. Suddenly, a voice called out, “LOGAN!”

Logan turned to the right, only to see Mr.Sanders waving at him from inside his classroom. Logan gave a surprised frown. Lucky guess, he supposed.

“Yes, Mr.Sanders?” he asked, stepping into the classroom. Mr.Sanders held up a history textbook.

“You forgot this! I’m surprised you’re still here, honestly. School got out half an hour ago.”

“37 minutes ago, actually,” Logan corrected, taking the book and deciding to sit in a chair facing Mr.Sanders desk. Mr.Sanders laughed.

“But, yes. I’m staying late due to Patton, who has a student council meeting. We’re neighbors, so I drive him to and from school.”

“Well that’s awfully nice of you, Logan” Mr.Sanders smiled, leaning down to pull at his desk drawer, “do you play chess, by chance?” Logan’s lips curled up the slightest bit at that.

“I do,” he said as Mr.Sanders gently placed a board in front of them and unfolded it.

“Great! Here, want to play?” he asked, setting up the pieces. Logan nodded and helped his teacher set up the board. They began the game in silence at first, but slowly they began to make small conversation.

“So, Logan,” he took one of Logan’s pawns, “I think it’s interesting you and the other Sanders’ in this school are friends. I often find when kids share names, they either hate, or love each other.” Logan snorted, moving a knight.

“Well, I suppose we’re in the ‘love’ category. Though, sometimes I want to strangle them,” Logan took one of Mr.Sander’s bishops. Mr.Sanders laughed.

“Along with that, it does get irritating when people assume we’re related. In fact, I’m surprised you didn’t ask us,” Logan sat back as Mr.Sanders stared at the board, eyebrows furrowed.

“Really? You don’t even look that similar,” another one of Logan’s pawns gone, “actually, I got asked if I had any kids that went to this school today. I would’ve brushed it off, if I wasn’t asked multiple times by both students and faculty.”

“Ah, they assume we’re related then? Well, unless you gave away any children about 16 years ago, I don’t think you are,” Logan took a pawn this time.

“Oh? Not to pry but...are you adopted then?” Mr.Sanders asked, gently, as if he was worried he was going to offend Logan somehow. Logan just shrugged and nodded.

“Me and Roman are both adopted. Not by the same people, of course, but I figured before the DNA test that if any of us were related, it’d be him and me,” Mr.Sanders lost a knight.

“You all actually took DNA tests?” Mr.Sanders laughed. Logan looked at him and smirked.

“I have the papers, if you want them,” Mr.Sanders probably would’ve done a spit-take if he had been drinking something.

“Noooo thanks, I’m good,” he grinned. Logan chuckled.

“So, yes, it’s just been me and my father. I’m glad he’s not married, nor will he ever be, because we have enough Sanders running around as is,” Logan said, moving forward one of his knights. He saw a question forming on Mr.Sander’s tongue and quickly answered it before it was asked.

“No tragic backstory, he’s just aroace,” he stated. Mr.Sander’s question turned to a, “Ah, I see.”

Logan managed to take Mr.Sander’s queen. Mr.Sanders frowned and moved forward a pawn.

“So, how often are you four mixed up? I just want to know how much I’ll be questioned about being your father.” Logan sighed.

“About once a day, if not more. You’d think people in the school would get used to it by now, but apparently not. It doesn’t help that we’re always hanging around each other, I suppose. Check, by the way,” Logan said, pulling his hand away from the board.

“Does anyone ever find that weird?” Mr.Sanders joked. Logan snorted.

“Occasionally, as they think we’re all brothers and think we should have other friends. I sometimes imagine how weirded out they’d be if they knew I had feelings for-” Logan froze, hand reaching out towards the pieces again.

“Feelings for...who now?” Mr.Sanders grinned. Logan felt his face heat up as he moved a piece.

“Checkmate. I think I should go, Patton’s meeting will be over by now,” he said, standing and hurrying away.

“Oh, alright, but Logan,” Mr.Sanders said. Logan turned to see the man’s soft smile.

“I won’t pry, it’s your life. I just think you shouldn’t let the fact you look a little bit like your friends change how you interact with them. Too much, at least,” he started to sweep the chess pieces off the desk. Logan sighed and let a small smile curl onto his lips again.

“Thank you, Mr.Sanders,” Logan said. Mr.Sander’s smiled back,

“We’re not in class, buddy, you can just call me Thomas.”

“Thank you, Thomas.”

Taglist: @patton-is-gay @fangirlfiles1 @leave-dont-disappear @considerablelogicality @allierox15 @give-me-a-minute-to-think @nienna14 @nye275 @winged-outlaw @sanspie122 @magical-awesome-kid

[taeliciousdaelicious]

Blankets and Bubble Teas || osh

Genre: Fluff, sass all the way and everywhere and anywhere

Pairing/s: YouxSehun

Description: When Sehun, for some reason, wanted you to try a new hobby to “spice up your boring life”. But really, that’s just him trying to get you out of the house.

Note/s: So this was supposed to be a Valentine’s Day drabble... And there’s a lot of swearing here.

Word Count: 1, 423

You looked at him, incredulity clear on your face as he shot you his signature resting bitch face. He barged into your apartment a few minutes ago, uninvited. He found you sitting in your bedroom, huddled under your blankets while watching reruns of How To Get Away With Murder. A weird look was directed at you before he suddenly declared, “You need to find a hobby, Y/N. Your life is so plain and boring.”

And thus, here you were now, gaping at him like a fish out of the water. You weren’t sure how long the staring match lasted but it was probably long enough for him to sigh in exasperation and actually give you an annoyed look. “Do I have to dumb it down for you? Why are you even my friend? I swear, this conversation must have killed at least half of my brain cells.”

“Oh Sehun, are you fucking trying to rile me up just because you’re bored with your own life? If so, kindly leave because I’m three seconds away from punching your face” you retorted, feeling you blood staring to boil at his words.You knew he wasn’t that bad but sometimes, his words could be as tactless as bringing a rhinoceros in an establishment with a “No Pets Allowed” policy.

“That’s partially the reason why I’m still friends with you. You’re always fun to rile up” he cheerfully said. Before you could say anything, he cut you off by raising a hand and adding, “However, I’m also here because I am starting to get seriously concerned with your lack of social life.”

“I have a lot of online friends!” you defended yourself. “And you haven’t seen the amount of people I regularly chat to in guilds or during raids. They’re awesome and cool. By the way, have you answered Ryke’s guild meeting invitation?”

“Ryke’s guild mee— Wait, seriously? He sent one?” he asked in surprise. You rolled your eyes and pointedly looked at him. “Yeah, I know. I don’t check my in-game inbox. In my defense, I’m too busy finishing missions and defending myself against boss monsters to actually bother. I’ll answer later. Right now, I’m still not done talking with you, woman.”

You groaned, your tactic to distract him clearly not working. His lips twitched, signaling how amused he was. You childishly huffed, glaring as you grumbled, “Stop, it’s not funny! I am perfectly fine with staying here, thank you very much.”

“Really? You’re fine with staying here?” You nodded in confirmation. “All day?” You nodded again. “So, that means you don’t need to have your daily dose of bubble tea.”

At the mention of the drink, your eyes widened. Vehemently, you threw the blankets off of you and knelt on the bed to make yourself taller. You pointed your index finger at him and cried indignantly, “That a low blow! You know bubble tea is my weakness!”

He smiled smugly, crossing his arms while standing with his feet wide apart. “Well, that’s not my fault. I mean, I am checking if my friend has completely converted out of the bubble tea society.”

You growled and, without thinking, lunged at him. He let out a surprised yelp before you both crashed to the floor. Viola Davis continued her monologue on-screen while the two of you were busy cursing at how painful the fall was.

“Why is your bed so tall, anyways?” Sehun complained. “Do you have a fetish for tall men?”

“What the actual heck, Sehun?” you said, shell-shocked by his words as you looked down at him. Then, remembering your position, you took the opportunity to rain down punches on his chest and slaps on his face. This prompted to curse loudly and hold his arms up to shield himself. “A fetish for tall men? Why in the nine circles of hell did you—“

“Oh, come on. I know you have the hots for me. And I clearly remember that the bed ends right at my crotch if I stand next to it. Or am I mistaken, Y/N?” he countered at you in amusement. It only made the blush rise to your cheeks as you renewed your efforts, cursing at him. Because truth be told, you may or may not be attracted to your friend. However, said friend didn’t need more ego boost. His head — the upper, metaphorical head — is already big enough as it is.

“Shut the fuck up, idiot. Oh my gosh, my poor brain cells died just from this conversation alone” you complained dramatically, trying to get yourself off of him. However, he held on tight, grinning up at you mischievously.

“Why are you even alone on Valentine’s Day, Y/N? It’s the day of love! Time to go out there and discover some new lover or something” he said, chuckling. You huffed and stopped squirming for a moment, acutely aware of your movements so suddenly.

“I don’t need to love someone or have someone love me. Self-love is a thing, dude” you sarcastically replied. “I don’t need a man—or a woman, for that matter —to make me feel good about myself, thank you very much.”

“Fine. Let me just take you out on a date then.” You blinked at him stupidly, wondering what kind of food did he ingest this time to blurt out such an asinine statement. When you realized he wasn’t making any moves to take it back, your jaw started unhinging.

“Oh my fucking— Don’t tell me this is some cliché, twisted curveball in life that is supposed to make me go gooey on you, Oh Sehun” you said threateningly at him. He shot you a look before pushing himself up to a sitting position, making you straddle his lap.

“Excuse you, woman, but I did tell you I have feelings for you way back then, right? Guess who forgot about all that?” he said, narrowing his eyes in accusation. You frowned in confusion before jogging your memory back. Then, you realized which instance he was referring to.

There was this one time he got tipsy enough to make him loose-lipped. The club music was loud but not loud enough to drown out the words spilling out of his mouth. “You know, I really like you, Y/N” he confessed. “Like, like like. And one of this days, I’m going to gain the balls to actually ask you out on a realass date. Or wait for one of our friends to match us up on a blind date out of frustration. Or let fate interfere. Whatever. All I know is that I’m going to be yours and you’re going to be mine whether you like it or not, dumbass.”

You were snapped out of your reverie when he waved a hand in front of your face. “Hello? Earth to Y/N? I know I’m handsome but please, try not to get too distracted. We have more pressing matters at hand here.”

“I can’t believe you had the nerve to insult me while you confessed when you were shitfaced” you blurted out. His cheeks colored and it made amusement shoot up in your system as he sputtered out a response.

“Hey! I was drunk! In my defense, I was as blunt as tactless as the number zero! Wait, does that even make sense? Whatever. But yeah. I like you. Is that clearer now?”

You stared at him for a few seconds, trying to gauge his true feelings at that moment. Then, slowly, you asked, “So... this is not a friendly date like those other times you asked me out to a date?”

“No, it isn’t” he quickly replied.

“And... if I say yes, we’re giving this a try, right?” you clarified. It took him longer to react but you were satisfied with the nod he gave you. “Okay. So, where are we going?”

“Of course!” His excited exclamation had you anticipating, too. “We’re going out to get bubble tea!”

You froze for a moment before raising an eyebrow at him. “Really? You’re asking me out and you can’t think of anything better than that?” you shot at him.

“You didn’t let me finish!” he said indignantly. “I was asking you to come with me to this newly-opened bubble tea shop. Do you remember the store that got rave reviews?”

Your eyes widened at his words. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Dress up and go. Chop chop, princess” he said in a mock prim voice, tapping your thigh cheekily. Rolling your eyes, you got up.

“Alright, out. Be back in fifteen” you told him, turning on your back and opening your closet. You heard him snicker behind you, no doubt already standing up and making his way out of the room.

“Make that ten and I’ll get you cookies.”

You turned around to meet his grinning face and smugly said, “Five and you get me nachos.”

“I highly doubt that, Y/N” he spoke, disbelief evident on his face. You merely smirked at him.

“Watch me, Oh Sehun.”

[notthetoothfairy]

He’s Got You High

For @a-simple-rainbow. ♥♥♥

She wanted something based on this post: Kurt sends an email to his TA while high on pain meds after a wisdom teeth extraction.

read on AO3

Blaine is in the middle of his theatre history class when his phone signals a new email in his inbox. Discreetly hiding the phone from his instructor’s view by keeping his hands behind a stack of textbooks on his desk, he goes to his email folder and checks the sender.

It reads, Kurt Hummel.

He has to bite his tongue to stop the smile forming on his lips. Kurt is a sophomore, only a year behind Blaine, and takes improv and stage combat class with Blaine. He’s also a student in one of Mme Tibideaux’s more advanced voice studio classes that Blaine miraculously got to be the TA for this year.

To say that Kurt is Blaine’s favorite student would be an understatement – in fact, hopelessly crushing on him is probably more accurate.

It’s not like Blaine is planning to do anything about it, at least not while he’s Kurt’s TA. It would be inappropriate, unprofessional, and probably also really awkward, especially if Kurt isn’t interested.

So, he’s not fooling himself into thinking that Kurt’s email will be anything out of the ordinary. Probably a note of absence or questions about the final exam… though, as Blaine notices with a frown, the subject reads “Paper Eggstension”. Autocorrect maybe? There’s no way Kurt’s spelling is that bad, Blaine has read and graded most of his MUS105 papers.

Glancing at the teacher to ensure he’s still unobserved, Blaine opens the email, intrigued and a bit concerned now. He scans the first few lines and – oh, wow.

Everyone at NYADA knows Kurt is full of surprises and he’s certainly made an impression on Blaine more than once but this…? This has Blaine blushing, giggling under his breath, shaking his head fondly and wanting to check up on Kurt all at once.

To: Blaine Anderson

From: Kurt Hummel

Subject: Paper Eggstension

---

Dear Mr. Blaine,

sry, I forgot your last name because Rachel calls you Mr. Dreamboat! And y would I use your last name anyway? You told us to call you Blaine. Thats a nice name. Blaiiiine.

You said other stuff too. Like that we could send you our MUS105 paper before we send it to Mme Tibidibideaux (I wish she let us call her Blaine too) but only if we dont miss the deadline. Now I gotta tell you: No can-do. But I have an excuse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you don’t believe. But you should. Cuz Blaine, u see – I got my teeth removed. The smarty ones. The wisdom teat. Anyway. I got them out. It was brutality. So much pain, worse than when I watched you unfairly lose Midmight Madnesssss against that senior douche, whatever the fuck his name is again. You should have won Blaine. You were better. I think Rachel bribe the judge bc she went out with senior douche… what is hid name? Bobby? Barney?

But PLEASE could I get a few more days, could you ask Mme T.…??? I really wanna do well bc… you see, Mme T., she scares the hell out of me. Ha that rhymes, triple! Cuz I’m awesome. Yes, I am. You can just accept that as fact or you can also go out wih me and see how awesome I am for yourself, your choice (but pick the latter!). But anyway please please pls pls pls can I hand it the paper a bit later? I really cant submit something bad -- and Im afraid they pulled out my brain with the teeth!!!!!!!! I can’t write a well paper without a brain!

My doctor says Ill regret writing emails while Im hai (thats German for shark, funny fact) so I’m gonna stop and hope that you will say yes! Please bro? Oh! Brody. Brodouche. Midnight Madman. Destroy him next time! (He broke up with Rach, he deserves it.)

Thank you, Mr. Blaineboat. I really like you.

Kurt xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Blaine reads the email three times before deciding that he should wait until after class to type out a response. In the state he’s in right now, he’ll probably do something stupid and just write back, Yes to all.

He wants to, of course. He’d give Kurt an extension on his paper and say yes to a date with him in a heartbeat but… he knows he’ll have to convince Mme Tibideaux, sort out his personal TA-student dating policy (and maybe ask around if NYADA has an official take on it) and make sure Kurt really meant to type this and didn’t just do so in the spur of the painkiller-induced moment.

The class can’t end fast enough but as soon as it’s over and Blaine finds a quiet corner in the library to think of what to respond, he blanks, drafting several replies but ending up deleting all of them.

“Goddammit,” he mutters to himself. “Just write something.”

In the end, “something” doesn’t really compare to Shakespeare but Blaine figures that at least he won’t risk his job over it, either.

And maybe, just maybe, Kurt will catch the ambiguity in his words.

-

“What are you working on?” Rachel asks when she comes back to the loft, arms full of grocery bags that Kurt hopes are filled with veggies for him to make soup with. He seriously craves eating something that isn’t liquid but mushy veggies drowning in hot water really is the maximum of cheating when it comes to his pained cheeks. He knew it was a bad idea to get both upper wisdom teeth out the same day. But it’s too late to complain. At least he has a best friend who brings him soup.

Kurt sighs at the laptop in front of him.

“My paper for Mme Tibideaux,” he responds. “You know I love Sondheim but interpreting his work while physically injured makes me want to kill him.”

“He’s in his mid-eighties, Kurt,” Rachel tells him. “Let an old man be.”

“Ugh.” Kurt rubs his eyes. “The meds are making me tired, though.”

“Why do you even bother writing the paper when you got an extension from Mr. Dreamboat?”

Kurt frowns at Rachel. “Extension? When would I have gotten that?”

“In your email?” Rachel frowns back. “Come on, don’t tell me you chickened out just because you’re in love with him. He’s still our TA, he could probably do something about that deadline, so-”

“I don’t remember writing an email.” Kurt goes to student email and punches in his username and password. “Or getting one back, for that matter. Like, wouldn’t I rem-” He blinks in surprise, catching Blaine’s name in his inbox – twice, even. How high was he, exactly? “Wait, what did I…?” Clicking on the email, bits and pieces come back to him, and he suddenly grabs the couch cushion next to him, holding onto it for dear life. “Oh my god, no.”

“What?”

“Rachel.” Kurt feels the blood draining from his face. “Oh, Jesus, please tell me I didn’t write that…”

He scrolls through the quoted email below Blaine’s short responses (Dear Kurt, thank you for telling me! And yes, of course! I’ll talk to Mme Tibideaux, and get back to you once I know more. Get well soon! All the best, Blaine, and the more recent Dear Kurt, I got a yes from Mme Tibideaux, you’re getting one more week! Best, Blaine) and cringes when he reads the first line.

“I did. Fuuuuuck. Oh god, now I wish Sondheim could kill me.”

“Again, the guy’s, like, 85…” Rachel says slowly. “And why would you- whoa, is that your email to Blaine?”

Kurt doesn’t answer, instead opting to hide his face in his hands.

“You did not tell him we call him Mr. Dreamboat.”

Kurt whimpers.

“You did not ask him out!” Rachel squeals.

Kurt lets out a miserable whine.

“Oh my god, Kurt, you did not tell him you like him and signed the email with a dozen kissing faces!!!”

“WHAT?!” Kurt’s hands fly back to his laptop. He didn’t re-read that part. “Oh my god! I ju- Rachel, I can never go back to that school. I’m such a failure at life, Jesus Christ.”

“You’re very religious all of a sudden.”

“Don’t just sit there mocking me,” Kurt begs. “Tell me it was all just a bad dream.”

Rachel gives him a look of deep, genuine pity. “I really wish I could but I doubt my eyes can never unsee that email. Also, I know you wrote that while you were high on pain meds but I am a bit upset you never told me you didn’t like Brody. Might have saved me some trouble.”

Kurt rolls his eyes at her. “You honestly believe I never brought it up? What do you think we were we having that flea-market chair argument for? And don’t even pretend like you would have called it off with him just because I said something.” Rachel opens her mouth to speak but Kurt shakes his head violently. “It doesn’t matter, anyway – what am I going to do about this?!”

Rachel shrugs. “Kurt, it’s out there. All you can do now is roll with it.”

“In my grave, you mean?”

“In class. To which we’re going tomorrow since you’re so much better already,” Rachel tells him sternly. “Judging by Mr. Dreamb-”

“We can’t call him that anymore,” Kurt says quickly.

“Fine.” She sighs. “Judging by Blaine’s reply, he’s not bothered by it. Who knows, maybe he’s flattered. Or happy about it. It’s not every day you get an email from a cute guy confessing he’s crushing on you.”

“Yeah, right,” Kurt mumbles into the sleeve of his sweater. “As if I stand a chance with him.”

“No time like the present to find out,” Rachel says with finality. “Now, I’m making you soup, and you’re going to put on some Sondheim so you can work on your paper with some fresh insights and maximum concentration.”

It’s a nice thought – but Kurt doesn’t get anything done that night.

-

Blaine carefully keeps his eyes on his notebook when Rachel and Kurt walk into his class.

He was expecting Kurt to come back today (and no, he did not google how long it takes for people to recover from wisdom teeth extraction – he just asked Sam, who had gotten it done right before moving to New York), and he might have put a little extra effort into looking good today. He never got a response from Kurt, so he figures the guy has either silently acknowledged the paper extension, avoided Blaine for a number of possible reasons or forgotten about the exchange entirely.

Whatever the motivation behind it, Blaine will not despair over it. He’s Kurt’s TA, and as such won’t try anything anyway. NYADA doesn’t seem to have any policy against TAs dating students but nevertheless, he doesn’t want to put either them in an awkward position.

Which doesn’t even take into account the fact that he still doesn’t know whether Kurt remembers asking him out, whether he actually meant it, or whether he intends to ask again.

He might want to wait until Blaine’s no longer his TA as well. That’s alright with Blaine. After all, there’s a month left to this semester, so he can wait. He totally can.

He looks up from his notebook with a smile.

“Hi everyone,” he greets the class. “How are you doing? So, the deadline for your papers is Friday so I hope you’ve all sent me your drafts in case you want me to read them.” He can’t help but let his eyes wander to where Kurt is sitting. “Unless there were any reasons to hand them in late.”

Kurt blinks really quickly at the sudden eye contact, and lets out a nervous laugh.

And Blaine realizes he really totally cannot wait a whole month to get answers to his questions.

Before he can stop himself, he adds, “Everyone with extensions on their papers, please come see me after class.”

Of course, that’s just Kurt, but the class won’t know. Okay, Rachel might know, seeing as she elbows Kurt so hard it almost sends him flying off his seat. Kurt almost doesn’t seem to notice it as he’s busy staring at Blaine with a bit of a twitch in his eye.

Blaine suppresses a groan. This isn’t the plan. What is he doing?

-

“Blaine, I am so sorry!” Kurt exclaims in misery when the rest of the students slip away after class is over.

He’s beyond glad that Blaine didn’t make him sing any of his pieces today because apart from already being nervous whenever Blaine does ask him to do that, today his anxiety probably would have been the final straw. He might have run off or broken out into tears in front of everyone.

Blaine looks at him with a small smile. “You’ve got nothing to apologize.”

“Uh, yes, I do,” Kurt says stubbornly. He’s beyond mortified; the least Blaine can do is let him apologize properly. “I really didn’t mean to-”

“Oh.” Blaine looks down on the pile of sheet music he was stacking. “Yeah, right. Uhm, seriously though, I know how bad pain killers can be, I don’t blame you for-”

“Oh thank god, you know it was the pain meds,” Kurt breathes out in relief. “I was afraid you’d think-”

“No worries,” Blaine cuts him off. “It’s alright if you didn’t mean any of it.”

Kurt hesitates for a second, and gulps as he takes in Blaine’s slightly shaky hand movement as he stuffs the sheet music into his messenger bag.

“If…?” he asks quietly.

“I mean that,” Blaine says, eyebrows furrowing slightly. “Sorry, that, of course.”

Kurt’s at a loss. He’s getting mixed signals, and just judging by the last bit of the exchange – if that was the only thing that had happened, his stupid email and the fact that Blaine is his freaking TA forgotten – he might even be encouraged to inquire further.

But he can’t just admit to meaning all of it, right?

He settles for the safer topic. “So you wanted to speak to me about my paper?” he asks.

“Uh, yes.” Blaine smiles, though he still looks distracted. “I just wanted to ask you whether you had any questions about the material since you couldn’t join us for the last two sessions.”

“I…” Kurt shakes his head. “No, I think I’ve got it covered. Rachel caught me up.”

“Alright. Well, if you have any questions, you can send me an email.”

“Or not,” Kurt says quickly. “I think I’m swearing off emails for a while.”

Blaine laughs, the sound warm and pleasant in Kurt’s ear.

“Right,” he says. “I know this is a bit awkward but… it could have been worse. You could have written that to Mme Tibideaux or Miss July.”

Kurt is so relieved that Blaine is able to joke about it that he replies with a mindless, “Yeah, except I wouldn’t have told them I liked them, so…”

Blaine gapes at him, and Kurt realizes a second to late what he’s implying yet again.

“Oh,” Blaine says. “I, uh-”

“I’ve got to go,” Kurt cuts in, ears burning. “Can I go?”

“Uh, uhm, well, yeah, of course,” Blaine stutters.

As Kurt turns around and gathers his stuff, he can hear Blaine mutter something to himself. Kurt’s almost out the door, when Blaine calls out, “Kurt?”

Kurt turns around gingerly. “Yeah?”

“I really didn’t mind.”

“Okay...”

“Like, really really.”

Kurt wants to scream, But what does that mean?! Instead, he takes a deep breath, collects his thoughts, and says, “Okay… see you in improv, I guess?”

Blaine nods quickly. “Yeah. Later, Kurt.”

“Later, Blaine.”

-

Blaine is early to improv class, even though it’s all the way across campus. But he didn’t stop for his usual coffee, grabbed a salad to-go instead of lunch with his friends from his dorm, and also maybe, possibly hurried to get to class because Kurt is usually early to everything.

Blaine is the first to arrive, though, so he grabs his usual seat and gets out his salad. He’s about to slice the egg when he hears Kurt’s voice from outside the classroom.

“Talk to you later, Rachel.”

“Okay. And, Kurt, remember to ask-”

“Bye now!”

As soon as Kurt’s through the door, his eyes land on Blaine and he freezes.

“Uh, hi,” he says. His cheeks are slightly red, probably from the cold weather outside. “You’re – uhm, early.”

“Yeah.” Blaine looks down briefly, willing himself to just go for it this time. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Again?” Kurt bites his lip. “I thought-”

“Kurt, when I said yes in the email, I meant yes to both.”

“Both?” Kurt frowns. “I don’t-”

“Both questions. Or requests, I guess.”

Kurt’s eyes widen. “You mean…”

“Yeah, I mean,” Blaine says with as much conviction as possible. “At first, I didn’t want to say anything because, you know, TA and all, but… seeing you in class, knowing, or well, hoping that you meant it, and… I don’t know, I couldn’t wait those four weeks until the semester is over. So I asked you to stay after class but then that felt super shady, too, so… I don’t even really know what I’m doing right now.”

“Do you know what you’re saying, though?” Kurt asks breathlessly.

“Well…” Blaine can’t suppress a grin. “Unlike some people, I’m not on pain meds right now, so, yeah, I’m pretty sure I have full control over my words.”

Kurt glares at him but it’s mostly façade, especially considering he’s still looking like Christmas came a bit early this year, and Blaine… well, Blaine is floored at the thought of being the one to actually make him look like that.

“Well, apparently those pain meds at least made me confess something neither of us could admit to sober, so…”

“Hey, for the record,” Blaine says, getting up to stand in front of Kurt, “I fully intended to ask you out once the semester was over.”

Kurt’s eyes are locked on Blaine with sheer intensity, and Blaine isn’t proud to admit it makes his knees a bit weak.

“Really?” Kurt asks, clearly intrigued, then sighs. “So my email was completely unnecessary.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Blaine says. “I got so many laughs out of it.”

“Oh god, shut up.”

“No, I mean, it – eggstension?” Blaine chuckles. “Wisdom teat? There were some good ones there.”

“What part of shut up-”

Waiting really isn’t Blaine’s strong suit, he realizes, as he leans in to kiss Kurt, four weeks too early to be completely professional, yet about half a year too late considering how long he’s had his eye on him.

Kurt’s protest is muffled against Blaine’s lips, and dies down completely once they press closer together to get better access. They part for air briefly, and Kurt whispers, “When I got up this morning, I would have sworn this would be the last thing I’d ever say, but I’m pretty proud of myself for writing that email now.”

Blaine licks his bottom lip, chasing the faint taste of Kurt there. “I’m glad you wrote it, too.” This whole thing between them has lasted about a minute but he wants more so badly he feels like he’s physically incapable from drawing Kurt back in and kissing him again.

They keep at it until other students start to trickle into the room, and even then they share meaningful glances and press their ankles together between their chairs.

Between all the talking and kissing, Blaine didn’t get to eat his salad, so about halfway through the lecture, his stomach starts growling.

Kurt turns to him with a grin. “Forgot to eat?”

“I guess I was distracted.”

“Hm, by what, I wonder?” Kurt asks cheekily.

Blaine eyes his untouched salad in amusement. “I guess I got pretty egg-sited over this boy I like.”

It’s totally worth all the frustrated elbowing he gets in response.