#(it's a lifelong comfort item)

[thegreatyin]

i am DELIGHTED that everyone agrees on me apparently really needing to draw more caeru. i agree too. here's more caeru.

(ask meme here)

[babydollmarauders]

SPEAK NOW — QUINN HUGHES

quinn hughes x fem!reader

part of the Speak Now Fic List

summary: in which y/n attends her ex-boyfriend, Quinn’s wedding and can’t hold her peace

notes: barely any dialogue. like i’m so serious, very little dialogue. also not proofread and i think i hate this but it’s fine because i don’t think i could do any better and i worked way too long on this.

it was the last thing i expected.

to receive the elegant white cardstock that sits in my hand. flowers of muted colors are printed across the bottom, cursive lettering across the top.

‘You Are Formally Invited to the Wedding of Quinn Hughes & Lindsay Carter’

it’s not that i didn’t think this day would come. quite on the contrary, i feared it would come sooner. i know firsthand how special Quinn is. i knew some lucky girl would lock him down. Quinn is the type of love that you never let go.

but i did.

i made the mistake of letting go of his love.

letting go of him.

and now i’ll be forced to watch as he marries another girl. one who provided comfort and a shoulder for him to cry on when i broke his heart. one who helped him glue the pieces back together after i left.

we had both known the risks. getting together despite the warnings of his brothers. and Jack was right.

“romance is not worth risking a lifelong friendship.”

because in the end, i lost both.

i lost the love of my life and my best friend since kindergarten.

now reduced to awkward tension at conjoined family events, and pity invites to major events like these. more awkward to invite me than it is to face me afterwards, knowing that i knew what was happening and was deliberately left out.

setting the invitation on the counter, i check yes on the guest list website on my phone. confirming that i’ll be in attendance.

despite the envy that weighs heavy in my heart, and the irrational feeling of betrayal that eats at me, i know i’ll feel worse missing this milestone in Quinn’s life.

**THREE MONTHS LATER**

i’ve had months to prepare for this moment. to guard my heart and get ready to watch the only man i’ve ever loved, get married to another woman.

and in spite of that, all i’ve done is the very thing i spent the last two years keeping myself from doing.

asking about Lindsay.

i never thought they would get this far. under the impression that this was a fling and wouldn’t last long. the only thing i knew for two years was that they were opposites.

Quinn is a responsible, down-to-earth guy, focusing on feelings and equality in relationships. whereas she was more materialistic; never attending Quinn’s games unless she was guaranteed a photo opportunity, using his card to buy luxury items, and according to Jack, constantly reminding Quinn how low he had felt before she came into his life.

and now, after asking around and learning everything i could, i can guarantee that Quinn doesn’t know half the things that i do.

i can guarantee he doesn’t know that she was a bully in high school, that that mean girl attitude never left. i can guarantee he doesn’t know that she brags to all her friends that she bagged a rich fiancé and she’ll never have to work to afford her luxury lifestyle, or that she has no issue in saying he isn’t attractive but his money makes up for it. and i know he doesn’t know she’s been sleeping with her personal trainer when Quinn is out of town.

and i know what i must do today, despite my nerves.

there’s still thirty minutes until the ceremony actually begins, and no matter how much i’ve steeled myself, i’ll never be ready to face the pity filled glances and the sympathetic words of Quinn and i’s families and friends. so, i wander the halls of the stuffy church, thinking about how unlike Quinn this all is.

perhaps he’s changed his mind since we had fantasizingly planned our own wedding. laid in bed, the golden sunrise lighting his face in a greek god-like way, speaking in hushed whispers, discussing our dream wedding. nothing like this one.

my feet pause on their own accord as yelling reaches my ears, and i identify the sound coming from an open door down the hall as Lindsay.

“are you stupid?” her voice drifts out of the room, carried by the empty space. “i told you to get nude heels, not cream!”

i make quick work to pass by the room, catching just a glimpse of the blonde bride, her fluffy white gown swallowing her.

heaving out a relieved sigh, i try to ignore the pounding in my chest, turning left down the hall and towards the main room. maybe it’s best for me to just get the pity and commiseration over with.

my heels click against the hardwood floor of the crowded room, and a hush falls over most of the right side. Quinn’s side.

scanning the room, i’m grateful to find Trevor and Cole. i know Quinn’s family is with him getting ready, but i at least have these two to bring me some comfort amongst the sea of strangers.

“y/n, you came!”

pop! the comfort bubble has broken. i thought i could trust Cole to treat me normally, but the gentle incredulous tone of his voice tells me otherwise. a mix of shock and sympathy.

“yeah, of course i did.” my lips quirk in a forced smile, shoving any resentment and nerves down deep inside me. “i wouldn’t miss Quinny’s big day.”

“y/n/n, you know you don’t have to act strong in front of us, right?” Trevor’s hand rubs my arm, providing the perfect grounding for me.

“yeah, no, i know that.” i nod. “but seriously, guys, i’m fine. i knew this day would come.”

“it’s not too late.” Cole jokes. “the priest does say that whole ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’ thing, right?”

i let out a genuine chuckle at the deep and ominous tone he uses to imitate the priest; the first real laugh i’ve had all day. if only he knew.

i join Trevor and Cole in finding seats, sitting in the 4th row. not quite at the front, but also not quite the middle. i perch in the seat closest to the aisle, open for a quick getaway if needed.

the guys engage me in small talk, asking me about my job and frowning when i give the generic answer of ‘it’s okay.’

but i couldn’t tell them the truth, could i? that i hated it. that i regretted ever taking it. that it wasn’t the job that was bad, but rather that i was filled to the brim with resentment that it took me away from the man i love.

i knew i had brought it upon myself. i made myself this miserable. i chose this job over him. i got the internship and thought Quinn and i could withstand the distance while i was in Boston, but i was wrong. we didn’t make it more than two months before i was forced to watch our relationship crumble before me; knowing there was nothing i could do to fix us, i had to let him go.

i knew he would live on. i knew he would be able to put our relationship in the past. but i was only more disconsolate than ever. stuck in a mournful heartbreak. unable to move on and unwilling to try.

i’m shaken from my thoughts by Cole, who points out the mother of the bride walking down the aisle, signifying that the ceremony is getting underway.

i strain my back, twisting around in my seat. my eyes are drawn to the open double doors, where Quinn makes his entrance. his parents on either side of him.

my heart races in my chest, my nerves settling low within my stomach. he looks breath taking. but i can’t help noticing the lack of spark in his eyes. the once lively eyes that used to be so full of emotion, now seem empty.

my gaze tracks his movement, following as he walks down the aisle and to the altar, coming to a stop in front of the priest. his parents take their seats as he scans the room, seemingly searching, and when our eyes meet, he seems to stiffen. his back straightening and his jaw locking.

i can only hope my eyes convey everything i’m thinking.

i’m sorry.

please don’t do this.

his brothers are quick to follow down the aisle, decked out in navy blue suits, joining him at the altar as his groomsmen.

Jack’s lips quirk up in a smirk when he sees me, and he sends me a wink, but i can’t muster anything more than a simple straight lipped expression.

the next 20 minutes go by in a blur, a haze of bridesmaids and eventually Lindsay making her entrance.

“dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore - is not by any - to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly - but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly.”

the priest begins, and i’ve been to enough weddings to know what comes next. steeling my nerves, i take a deep breath in, letting it escape back past my lips with a silent whoosh.

“should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

a silence falls over the room, the priest looking out over the seated crowd.

my hands tremble by my sides, anxiety growing deep within me, but i know this is my last chance.

i rise to my feet, slowly and shakily. i can hear whispers start from the left side of the room, and i glance around to find everyone staring at me with horrified looks. everyone but Quinn’s immediate family and friends.

Jack and Luke share a glance before letting out relieved sighs; but i’m only focused on Quinn, who stares back at me with wide eyes and parted lips.

“go on.” the priest urges me, an annoyed expression painting his face.

Lindsay’s face turns red, hands balled into fists at her sides.

“don’t say ‘yes’.” i plead of Quinn.

“y/n-” he sighs, and my heart skips a beat in my chest, the well-known effect he has on me.

“you need to hear me out.” i beg. “Quinn, i’m sorry. i’m sorry i let us go, i’m sorry i didn’t fight harder for us, and i’m sorry i ever even took that stupid internship. but even if i’m too late to win you back, you deserve better than this.

“she’s been using you for your name and your money.” i continue, but Quinn squeezes his eyes shut in disbelief. whether he’s in disbelief of Lindsay or me, i can’t be sure. “and she’s been cheating on you.”

gasps sound out across the room and his eyes snap open wide again. his gaze flickers between me and his bride, who has now turned a pale white; all color draining from her face at my accusation.

“she’s lying! she just wants you to herself! she had her chance and she lost it and now she doesn’t want you happy.” Lindsay cries out.

“i have it on good authority that she’s been sleeping with her trainer when you’re out of town. you know i wouldn’t say anything if i weren’t completely sure. if i didn’t have proof.” i tell him “and you don’t deserve that. you deserve someone who will be absolutely head over heels, purely, and loyally in love with you. and i’m not saying that i’m that person for you. this isn’t me begging for a second chance, even if i am still out of my mind in love with you. i just can’t stand idly by and watch you make a mistake. i can’t let you marry her without knowing the truth.”

i take a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. silence plagues the room, astonishment written all over the faces over every guest in attendance.

“okay, that’s all i wanted to say.” i purse my lips and nod, stepping out into the aisle. my heels click against the floor as i make my exit, not staying to see the outcome of my outburst.

***

i sit on my couch, staring at my hands fidgeting in my lap; my phone shut down entirely and sitting face down on the coffee table in front of me, not ready to face the consequences of my earlier actions.

a movie plays on my tv, but i pay no attention, only having put it on in attempt to escape my thoughts and avoid the quiet.

it’s been approximately twelve hours since i objected to my ex’s wedding. now midnight, and my anxiety has not lessened. i have no clue whether Quinn carried on with his marriage or if he took my words to hold the truth. too afraid to find out.

i’m broken out of my trance by a heavy knock sounding out on the door of my apartment, and i stand frantically. i expect that it’s Jack or one of the many other friends in attendance of the wedding this afternoon, but my heart rate picks up when i look through the peephole to find the very man i confessed my love to today.

my hand shakes as i unlock the door, opening it to reveal Quinn. he’s no longer in his tux, rather adorning sweatpants and a t-shirt, but he still looks handsome to me.

“Quinn.”

“i didn’t say my vows.” he rushes out.

“what?” i question, fearing i heard him wrong.

“i didn’t say my vows.” he repeats, pushing past me and into my entry hall. “she tried to deny what you told me, but i trust you. i held my ground, and she confessed everything. you were right.”

“Quinn, please.” i plead. “i’m happy that you’re not upset with me but i can’t-”

“i’m so glad you were there.” he cuts me off, snaking his arm around my waist and pulling me flush against him. “were you telling the truth?”

“Quinn, you just said she confessed-” i push against his chest, tears gathering in my eyes.

“about being sorry. about still being in love with me. were you telling the truth?” he clarifies, his free hand coming up to hold both of mine in his clutch, and my arms go slack.

“yes.” the tension in the air is palpable, and i’m unsure whether it’s worrisome or comforting.

“say it again.” he breathes out, a subtle smile resting on his lips.

“i love you.” a lone tear spills over my waterline, rolling down my cheek. “i am absolutely and irrevocably in love with you.”

his lips crash upon mine in a bruising kiss, finally letting go of my hands in favor of resting his right one against my cheek. i stiffen against him, seizing up in his hold, and he pulls back. his eyes scan my face, his face etched in worry.

“did i do something wrong?” a hoarse whisper, our faces still millimeters apart.

my hands raise to cup the back of his neck, pulling his lips back down to mine. my eyes flutter shut,this time it’s slow and passionate; holding my heart on my sleeve as i pour my soul out to him in the form of a kiss.

he pulls away, pressing his forehead against mine, but my eyes remain shut. we’re both silent, nothing but the sound of our mingling breaths and the tv lowly drifting in from the other room.

“i love you too.”

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook: 𝓖𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓭𝔂 (Intro)

Jewels, Money, Shiny things- stuff he's been collecting before he stumbled upon you. Now the only thing he's greedy for is you.

Tags/Warnings: Alien!Jungkook, Cat Hybrid!Reader, Major fluff!, suggestive themes & heavy flirting, Primal themes (biting, grooming aka he licks her neck lol, scenting, manhandling), size difference because come on this is my content and you know my kinks by now don't act surprised

Additional Content: none yet

Masterlist: to be added

⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰⋱⋰ ⋱

Jungkook is humming to himself in a good mood as he cuts open a cardboard box delivered, knife cutting through the tape holding everything safely together.

Almost instantly you're in the room with him as well, ducking under one of his arms to catch a glimpse of what he's gotten delivered. "Hey- I've got a knife here, careful." He chuckles, gently pushing you a bit so you sit a bit further away as he pulls out the plastic wrapped item. "Oh, nice! I was worried it might be a little too small.." He mumbles more so to himself as he opens the vacuum packed item, fluffing it up as you watch with wide open eyes.

"You bought it!" You tell him, amazed, and he grins, opening another sealed back that contains a fitting pillow for the human-sized pet bed he'd bought for you. It was a little on the more expensive side for him- but to see your eyes sparkle like that, and watch you grab and drag is towards a sunny spot near his windows is enough of a reward for it.

It's something that you never really experienced prior to living with Jungkook. He's offering you more than just a home, or basic care- he offers love, a feeling of belonging, comfort and a sense of security.

His kind is, on earth, often times compared to dragons for their heavy and alligator-like tails and uniquely diamond-shaped pupils, but mostly for their behavior of collecting things. Food, money, candy- some even collect blankets or pillows or plants, there's nothing one won't attempt to hoard more of if it brings them joy or happiness. Jungkook himself is pretty tame for a Xiro- he only really hoards food and snacks at home, but has started to become rather fond of spoiling you instead of himself. He's got a whole collection of hybrid stuff- medications, supplements, snacks, collars and toys- it's all there, even emergency medical stuff, just in case, because you never know.

He's not only your owner after all, but your mate- lifelong companion, your protector and lover, and he won't ever give you a reason to complain about that fact.

He folds the cardboard box together to throw away later, before he walks over to you, playfully manhandling you around to lay in the, for him way too small, bed with you on top of him. "I might have to put it away again if you lay in it more than you want to be with me.." He chuckles, though you know there's a hint of truth in his joke.

Jungkook is awfully possessive when it comes to you and your attention.

"No, I'll always like you most." You purr quietly, and he offers a happy sounding growl before he closes his eyes, basking in the sun shining onto his body with you. "Nap time?" You ask, and he chuckles, nodding.

"Nap time."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Your favorite way of cuddling has become to sleep almost on top of Jungkook.

He's warm, like the sun, and strong enough not to be fazed at all by your added weight on top of his chest either. It also reassures you during sleep that he's still there, and that you're not alone.

Jungkook himself loves it too.

He knows it's sometimes tough to adapt your body to his nocturnal sleep schedule- but very amusingly to him, you're totally capable of sleeping anywhere he takes you as long as he's in reach. It's made it very easy for him to take you to work for example- his job being what brought him to you in the first place, though tonight he's simply offering company to his friends at the small restaurant one of them owns.

It's then that a couple of police officers walk in, clearly not there for simple food.

"Sir- can I check your papers for her please?" A more elderly guy in official uniform asks Jungkook, looking at you who's currently sleeping rolled up in a blanket-burrito on one of the nearby chairs close to Jungkook. It's common for law enforcement to check ID's of hybrids these days, since a lot of them are illegally trafficked on to his planet, cases rising rapidly for reasons no one's entirely sure of yet. It's a little sad to him how earth and humans seem to try and 'get rid' of your kind so shamelessly- but he's no politician, nor does he want to really involve himself into this mess at all.

He's got you, and that's all that matters.

"Sure." He says, used to the procedure as he moves to grab his bag to fetch his wallet. "I only got her identification card with me though, I hope that's alright." He mumbles, pulling out the card in question before he gets out his own, already aware that that's gonna be asked next.

"That should be fine. Just gotta match up the ID tattoo on her to make sure if you don't mind." The officer says, and Jungkook nods.

"Yeah sure." He offers, moving towards you to carefully run a hand over your shoulder first as to not startle you on accident. "It's right here." Jungkook shows the inside of your ear, the officer matching it up by sight with what's written on your ID card, before he nods and gives him back his items.

"Thanks. It's just a routine thing- cases have been popping up left and right these days.." The man sighs, writing something down in a booklet. "Her medical records all up to date?" He questions, and Jimin nods.

"She's scheduled for tomorrow for her yearly vaccinations. They're expiring in two months I think, but we wanna travel soon so I wanted to get it done sooner rather than later." Jungkook chats, and the officer nods.

"Very good. If only everyone was like this.." the man sighs, watching as his coworker seems to argue a bit with a young man and his own hybrid next to him. "I won't bother you any further. Have a nice night." He offers, before leaving to aid his colleague in the argument he's involved in.

You move around a little, wiggling closer to his chair as he sits down again, both Jin and Taehyung emerging from the kitchen, sitting down. "Man, humans are a struggle.." Seokjin sighs, leaning his head on his hand. "Why can't they be nocturnal? I've been working all day, no breaks!" He whines, and you wiggle out your arm to reach out and pat the older man's head. He looks at you with squinted eyes at that, an action that years prior would've scared you-

But Xiro people are gentle giants, you've come to learn.

"Hah, if Jungkook wasn't written on all the documents I'd steal you right away." He complains, and Taehyung laughs at Jungkooks playfully angry face, his tail swiping from left to right.

"You keep your grabbing claws to yourself old hag." He insults the oldest at the table, who's mouth gapes open at the audacity of the youngest.

"How could you!" He scolds. "Younglings these days, wear a sleeve full of ink and think they're free to do whatever!" He shakes his head, making you giggle.

You love the carefree banter Jungkook has with his friends.

You love hanging out with them, their friendship something not commonly seen on earth anymore since the collapse. People aren't really too warm anymore on earth, rather concerned with finding a new villain to blame for everything wrong every day it seems like. So in a way, you're glad Jungkook chose to take you with him back when he volunteered to help give Hybrids back on earth their identification tattooed. It was a form of social work, a publicity thing created to familiarize humans with the Xiro people and their planet. It worked.. mildly successful.

Though it was a win in the lottery for you.

"I should probably head home, she needs to sleep in a proper bed." Jungkook says after a moment, and Seokjin nods.

"Hah, I always forget they sleep during the night. You could just leave her here though-" He offers, though he receives a glare from the younger alien.

"Absolutely not. Get your own, old man." He scoffs playfully, getting up to put on your coat for you. It's pretty windy on his planet tonight, so he's learned to bundle you up to prevent you from getting cold.

"Pah, I just might! Stupid kid." He growls, shaking his head. "Here, take those though. Poor thing is probably living off of nothing but pre-made meals." He gives you the bag full of boxes filled with what he knows are your favorite foods.

"I cook for her, thank you." Jungkook rolls his eyes, before he properly says his goodbyes, your hand in his as you walk home in the lowering suns of his planet.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

You remember how you'd met him.

He was intimidating to say the least- ink underneath his skin swirling around slightly, eyes sharp and piercings glimmering in the lights around him. His tall statue and rather muscular physique definitely didn't help his case either- so it shouldn't have been surprising to him how you'd glare at him as if ready to strike if he'd attempt to harm you.

"You're cute, really, but you gotta show me that pretty ear of yours." He'd chuckled softly, head tilted innocently and his smile almost docile.

A careworker wants to scold you, reaches out- but the man who's name tag read 'JUNGKOOK', holds out his hand in a silent demand to let him handle it himself.

"What can I do to make you more comfortable?" He'd asked, and your ears had slowly relaxed, surprise having caught you off guard. No one's ever asked you a question like that prior to him- you didn't know what to answer to that. "Hm?" He'd pressed softly, and you'd shrugged, looking around nervously. "Thats a pretty tail you have there. My kind has them too." He'd smiled, a grin more akin to a rabbit than the dragons his kind gets compared to, heavy alligator-like tail swaying behind him as if to show it off.

"...is it heavy?" You'd asked bluntly, and He'd laughed, shaking his head.

"Not really no. I guess because I grew up with it, I never really thought about that." He'd told you, casually readying his tattooing equipment while talking to you. "But as a child, my mothers would tell me how I'd always cause trouble with it. I'd empty any table low enough for it to reach!" He'd giggled, and you'd smiled at the thought of the younger version of him knocking down items from tables and shelves, too clumsy yet to quite think about it all.

"I burned mine on a candle once." You'd meekly told him, petting your own tail in search for comfort as you remembered the memory. He must have bright and colorful memories of his childhood- while you barely have anything worth keeping in mind, you'd thought to yourself.

"Well, you better make sure you don't get it hurt again, little thing!" He'd simply offered, before his surprisingly gentle hands had rubbed some numbing cream on the inside of your ear. "Or... maybe I could?" He'd asked, and at that, your ears had fully turned towards him, and made him smile. "Ah, adorable, really!"

"You'd.. take me in?" You'd asked, and He'd shrugged.

"I wasn't planning on bringing an earth-hybrid home-" He'd smiled, before the tattoo gun had buzzed to life. "But looking at you, I feel like I've found what I didn't even search for."

And today, the tattoo on your ear isn't just a Number.

It's also a memory, forever cherished by the both of you.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

There's a low rumbling sound in his chest as he holds you close to himself, nosing along the crook of your neck.

It sounds awfully like those CGI-Dinosaurs in movies back on earth- and you know he's just as dangerous as the directors of these sci-fi movies intended their creatures to be. His heavy, snake-like tail has you wrapped securely to himself on his lap, hands free to roam over your body as if he needs to re-paint your image back into his mind using only his fingers and palms. His tongue traces over your skin, marking you, seemingly on a mission to find the perfect spot, before his teeth bite the skin, leaving his mark on yoir body amongst so many others, chuckling when you begin to squirm a little at his actions, your soft cat tail a stark contrast to his own.

You're like the prey in the python's grip- but this predator has chosen to feast on you in different ways.

"Hm.. are you happy, little thing?" He asks you, and you nod, leaning into him, your soft cat ears brushing against his cheek as you purr- a sound he's learned earth's cats make when they feel good, making him smile. "I'm glad." He offers, laying down with you as his tail curls around the both of your bodies, warm orange glow from outside his home bleeding in and bathing you both in shades of gold. It doesn't matter though how warm the suns on his planet shines-

Your favorite sunspot will always be him.

"I love you." He says, chuckles right after it. "Thays how you say it on earth, right?" He wonders, and you turn a bit, looking at him.

"Depends." You say, chin on his chest while his hand runs over your head, coming to rest on your lower back where your tail is just about to begin. "What do you wanna say?" You ask, and he hums as he thinks.

"I asked Seokjin if he knew an earth-expression for deep emotional care and longing. A word or sentence to make sure your mate knows how much you want to stay close to them, both physically and any other way." He says, and you blush, turning your head to the side on his chest.

"Hm, guess that's love, yeah." You nod. "How do you say it here?" You wonder, and he smiles, hand running up and down your back.

"I commit my life to you." He says softly, hand still before you look up at him. "Thats what we say here- and that's what I say to you." He mumbles, and you can't help but stare for a good moment.

Jungkook and you have been intimate before. You've told each other that you deeply care, that you're mates, that you're in a relationship. But it's the first time you ever talk about love, about something so meaningful as.. well, this. And hearing it from him in such honesty makes your heart race like never before.

"Dont just stare, little thing. Kiss me!" He playfully growls, pulling you up and closer to press his lips against yours, laughing along with you as you roll around in the sheets, getting lost in love and happiness together.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Humans would look at you both in absolute confusion if they saw you like this, you think to yourself.

Freshly showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, you're halfway laying on the fluffy carpet on the floor, and also somewhat in Jungkook's lap. Well- your butt is in his lap, legs and upper body not- but he's positioned you like this himself, and you've got snacks and TV, so you don't complain.

He's humming the tune of the commercial playing to himself as he brushes out your tail with gentle strokes of the specially designed hybrid brush- your eyes growing heavy with tiredness after the things you've been up to not even an hour prior. Your neck and thighs still sting a little faintly from his lovebites he leaves every time you both make love. You don't mind them though, not one bit.

"Will you be okay later?" He asks, referring to when he'll put you to bed, while he'll go to work later. Jungkook would love to have you sleep close to him at all times- but sometimes, like today, he just forgets that you're not nocturnal like he is, and while you've adjusted somewhat to that, he should've saved up his physical acts of loving you for after he's done working, considering how much be tends to tire you out with that. He teases you a lot about that, but its also another endearing thing to him.

You never complain about anything. You adapt freely to his way of living- so he's doing the best he can to make it all as easy for you as he can.

You nod at his question, yawning as if reminded of your exhaustion, and he chuckles, hand smacking your butt playfully, causing you to whine in complaint- the skin still a little tender from earlier. "Sorry." He says- but you know he's not.

You stretch and turn on his lap, and he smiles watching you, hand running over your exposed stomach, before he leans in to kiss one of his bites at your neck. "Hm I don't wanna leave you here.." he complains a little, moving around to pull you properly on his thighs, though you just hug him, head leaning against his shoulder. "And you're freshly marked up too. Won't have to worry one bit about someone trying to steal you away from me " He purrs, and you just shrug, clinging onto him. "We could take the round bed I bought with us to my studio. Hm? You could always sleep there then, when I'm working." He offers, and you nod after a moment.

He laughs, before he gets up, puts you on the sofa for a moment to get everything ready for his plan. It's a great idea- that way, you'll be comfortable just like at home, and he'll have you close and won't have to worry about you.

When he later comes to work with both you and the round pet bed in a bag, his coworker just shakes his head with a slight smile, already used to the younger alien's actions from years of experience. You easily fall asleep under blankets he places over you after setting up the bed in the corner you choose for yourself, and he already knows he feels a lot better like this, knowing he'll be able to look after you more properly this way.

When his first client comes in, Jungkook explains that you're his- that you're his mate, not just a companion or pet as humans call it, and the young man is understanding.

"I've been visiting the carecenter in the capital." The man named Jimin says, as Jungkook puts down the tracing paper on his back. "I'm worried though- online research made it seem as if Algol isn't a good environment for them.." he mumbles, and Jungkook shrugs.

"She's perfectly healthy, and has been living here for more than two full cycles. Yeah, their circadian rhythm can sometimes make things a bit tricky, but I've gotten used to handling it whenever necessary." He explains, making sure to do his work properly. "You'll have to really study what they can and can't eat though. A lot of vegetables we eat here are poisonous to them, and some of them can't digest dairy well." He offers.

Jimin sighs. "That sounds intimidating." He huffs almost disappointed, watching you roll over in your sleep, tail limp as you're out like a light. "But they seem like such good company."

"They are." Jungkook agrees. "She's probably the best fitting mate I could've ever found." The artist shrugs, beginning to tattoo.

"I mean, they did mention in research that earth-hybrids and Xiro people are surprisingly very compatible, even in genetics." He informs the younger alien. "Have you heard of the couple that recently became parents? And the child is perfectly healthy too."

"Hmhm, I've heard." He nods. "Maybe it'll help our declining birth rates, at least a little."

"Have you thought about having one with her?" Jimin asks, and Jungkook nods.

"One day, probably. We both want that. But not right now. There's no rush." He says as he follows the lines he'd prepared on the skin of the older man.

"Understandable." Jimin nods.

And Jungkook doesn't stop softly smiling as he works, and thinks about your future together.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[angelpuns]

Me: time to go back to sleep. Have a life snooze. Sure hope I don't have a nightmare about losing a lifelong friendship and my comfort items in one go

My brain: teehee

[heartfullofleeches]

RuthieLand

 Yandere Amusement Park Staff [F,M,G.N/NB] + G.N Reader

Summary: A proper intro into Ruthieland. A park full of fun and colorful characters. A few with their eyes on a certain someone.

Word Count: 2.8k

The letter in your small hands is drenched in sweat, and the sticky combination of spilled soda and melted ice cream. You were the last to get up from the picnic table, placing you right at the back of the line of antsy children waiting to pass off their papers to the teacher waiting at its front. The excitement felt throughout the day dissipates the closer you get; your eyes locked on the untied pair of shoes beside you to avoid seeing just how many students you'd be competing with. The owner of the mitch match sneakers grips the sleeve of your coat, working their bandaged fingers into its opening to hold your hand with a comforting squeeze.

“Don't worry, Y/n. I’m sure you'll win.”

“I don't know…. The whole class is trying.”

“I can always ask my dad to pick you.”

Your anxiousness dies with a giggle of disbelief; your elbow gently nudging the other child's shoulder. “No way! That’s cheating. Besides, the main reason I want to win is to spend more time with you, but you said you don't even like it here that much.”

Their hold grows tighter.

“I'll go anywhere, as long as you’re with me.”

-

Knock- Knock-

A pause.

Knock-

“Just a minute!” 

You pause the brainrot currently playing on the TV, and dust off your clothes as you walk over to the front door. The alarm you set for the occasion goes off the second you rise to your feet. Huh. Tv- Bit later than usual today. On most days, your visitor arrived five minutes before it went off, even when you adjusted the schedule to the new time. Opening the front door, a shower of confetti meets you with the same familiarity as an old friend; the colorful onslaught sending you a wave of shock no matter how many times you're blasted with it. A sharp gasp comes from behind the barrel of the popper.

“O-oh, crap- Sorry about that, Y/n. Didn’t think you'd be so close this time.”

Dressed in a stereotypical mailman outfit with a new miner changes, the figure shoves the remains in their bag and straightens their back; fixing the rim of their bunny-eared hat over their face. The shadow of a sheepish smile appears under the lid. They extend their hand, holding out a bright pink envelope. 

“Got your tickets for you, same as always.”

You take the paper, bittersweet nostalgia lingering on the tip of your tongue like your favorite food you haven't tasted in ages. Ruthieland. The talk of both children and thrill seekers across the county and beyond. It would’ve been anyone's dream to even have the chance of winning lifelong tickets to an amusement park. Imagine your unfortunate luck to be the one child to win that once in a lifetime prize.

“Thank you, Cass.”

The carrier pulls their hat down further. “It's no problem. I actually have something else for you.”

They retrieve another item from their satchel. A single red rose. You take it with addled glee. Normally you didn't get any extra gifts unless it was at the park, or for your birthday or a holiday. 

“This is.. different.” 

Cass rubs at the back of their neck. “It's from me. I thought it'd be nice to give you something myself after all the time we’ve spent together.”

You can’t help but smile, partly from the guilt racking at your nerves. Cass has been delivering your tickets personally for the better half of two years. They were a reserved individual, only opening up to you about three months ago. In the beginning, they just left your tickets at your door and ran off. You weren't even sure if Cass was their name. It was pinned on a jacket they wore in the winter, and they never argued when you called them by that name. 

“That's sweet of you.” You press your fingers over the seam of the envelope. “Would you like a ticket? I can treat you to a float if you show up one day.”

Cass raises their hands. A dark substance is caked beneath the nails of the hand placed to their neck. “N-no thank you. I’m not good with amusement parks… Too loud and not a big fan of roller coasters. I gotta go. Can't be late. See you next month, Y/n.”

Cass flees the scene, running straight down the block instead of climbing into whatever vehicle they came in. You’ve never actually seen them drive. Hopefully they had some sort of transportation. With your company gone, you open the envelope. Four tickets wait for you in the pouch, decorated with four of the park's most beloved mascots. Ruthie Hare, Farmer Crow, Serenity the Baker, and a newer addition to the crew – Bashy Fox. Four tickets for four days of the month. You figured it was the right amount of days. Anymore and you'd probably get sick of going honestly. Since you had nothing better to do, the timing for their arrival was perfect. 

-

Throwing on some casual clothing, you hop on the nearest shuttle to the park. There was a number you could call for a lift, but taking the stroll felt like a nice start to the day. You lived roughly twenty minutes from the location and the stop was only a five minute walk. Excitement peaks for fellow riders of all ages as the park's largest coaster rolls into view, screaming from its passengers clear as day through the thick glass as the carts loop through the biggest hurdle. That one most likely wasn’t in the cards for you together. Especially after you saw someone losing the horde cotton candy they'd eaten before the ride during your last visit.

Stepping off the bus puts you front and center to Ruthieland's main entrance. The park's main mascot smiles down at you and all the other guests, hand raised in a partial wave.

Ruthie Hare was a silly character, as one would expect from a character originally solely targeted towards children. A root beer loving, flute playing hare with a whole gang of friends waiting inside. The anthropomorphic creature was soft pink in color, a black diamond around his left eye and a spotted bow tie from his early days as a circus mascot. He wore brown overalls with one sleeve always pushed down and large, oversized gloves. He had a bite mark on his right ear the comics and shows based off his gang never explained.

Reading your ticket, you march up to the counter to hand it to the attendee on staff. The woman stares at the sky as she aids another customer, cinnamon sugar powered around the corners of her lips. The hat she wore was dawned with rabbit ears just like Cass', but hers was a baseball hat and the ears had been snipped to keep them out of her face.

“Thank you for visiting our fantastic park today. We hope you have a hop-tastic day, and to see you soon… Or not.”

You walk up to the counter.

“Welcome to-Fuck" The woman wipes at her mouth and fixes her cap, adjusting her collar as she leans against the back of her seat.

“Y/n. Sup. Finally gonna let me treat you to the good shit today?”

Her relaxed attitude is a complete one eighty from how she first acted towards you, and the rest of the park goers. Ell, or Dashiell as her tag read, has been manning the ticket booth since high school; when she isn’t cleaning up messes she’s partly responsible for around the park. She was apparently homeschooled which is why you never saw much of her, and hardly showed emotion except for when you were around or in the company of her favorite snacks.

Like everyone else, she thought little of you in the beginning, but when she became aware of your status she figured it wouldn't hurt to get to know you a little. Majority of her coworkers had picked up on the crush she developed over the years, while you still remained obvious. 

“If I’m still here when you get off, then sure.” You pass her your ticket. Ell wipes it through the reader and shoves it directly into her pocket rather than the bin by her post.

“Gonna hold you to it. If I catch word you bailed on me, I'll find out where you live.”

Ell plays off the threat with a pat on your shoulder. “Alright, you better get going. Don't need the head of the lap dogs biting my ass again for holding up the line.”

You heed the warning and take your chance to go on ahead. The last time Ell was able to brew up a conversion, it took nearly a half hour to find your way out. Luckily it was a slow day. Finally entering the park, your senses are overloaded by the smell of buttered popcorn and sugar, and the amplified screams and laughter of everyone else at the park. Today felt like one of those easy days. Just a couple of the more relaxed rides and maybe a look at the other types of attractions till the firework show later in the evening. Maybe it was finally time to go back to the carnival area. 

“Well. Well. Well. Look what we have here.” 

The thick southern drawn slithers up your back like the snake the shadow behind you was. You watch from the silhouettes on the ground as its arm reaches over your shoulder, the handle of a shovel keeping you from going anywhere anytime soon.

“Well I'll be- I knew I could recognize that pretty head of hair from any angle. And here I was thinkin' these weary eyes of mine were foolin’ me.”

“Hello, Farmer.”

The farmer chuckles, voice fluid as  molasses and course as gravel. They step in front of you, twirling the rubber tool before planting it in the cracked concrete for support as they lean on it. They lift their head high so they’re able to see you past the rim of their sun hat and the tip of their beak.

“Howdy, there. Ol' friend.” 

Farmer Crow was the periodic villain of the park. A foul tempered soul, who hunted after the main characters for stealing their supplies. A lot of people sympathize with the crook for this reason, though their original methods for getting rid of the crew were – quite harsh.

The farmer was mostly humanoid and leaned slightly more towards scarecrow than anything with burlap skin and straw coming from the sleeves of their flannel shirt. The upper half of their face was fashioned after a regular crow with a long beak and black feathers. The shovel they carried was once a scythe, but after an accident that resulted in a young boy losing his eye, a petition was created to have it changed. 

“I missed ya dearly. Couldn’t catch a wink of sleep without seeing that face of yours. Here. On the house. As a welcome back present” They palm the breast pocket of their shirt and extend their hand, a small pin resting in their gloved palm.

It depicts the character Serenity offering the grumpy farmer a bouquet of roses. She had always been a neutral figure in the group, baking pies and other goods for them all to enjoy. You met the character at the themed restaurant in the park, and she was as sweet as her desserts. She even snuck you an extra treat on those days when you weren't feeling like yourself.

“A special gift fer a special friend. Long as you stay away from that darned rabbit, and all the other troublemakers we can be pals.” Farmer Crow readjusts their grip on their tool. Their tone is quiet, almost hesitant as they continue. “We are pals, ain’t we?”

“Course. Thank you, Crow.”

You take the pin from them. As you do, a group of kids runs up to them for an autograph. One of the older teens bumps right into you and just keeps running ahead. Strange. Farmer Crow grumbles something under their breath, but faces the crowd; body still angled towards you. You wave. 

“I'll catch up with you later, Crow. Try not to murder anyone.”

“I'll try…” 

Continuing ahead, you barely make it ten steps before another person is running up to you.

“Hey, Y/n! Wait up!”

The male catches his breath as you stop, standing to full attention now that your focus is solely towards him. He turns slightly so you can get a good look into his good eye; his right lidded and iris milky.

“You- Whew. Dropped this.” He holds out your phone to you. You slap your hand against the pocket it was held in, unaware of its absence until then.

“Crap. When did that happen? Thank you so much, Atlas.” You return your phone where it belonged. What would you do without this man? A newer hire, but one of the most helpful park employees you had met to date. He helped you out on those scarily frequent occasions you lost your phone or your keys, sometimes driving you home when the shuttle didn’t show. It was honestly no surprise really that he became head of security in such a short time.

Atlas waves off the praise. “It's nothing, Y/n. Just helping out a friend is all. Everything else okay? Need a chaperone around the park? Someone to take you home later?”

“Nah, I'll be fine. I think I’ve been coming to the park long enough to know my way around.”

Atlas looks a little down, but quickly picks himself back up. “I understand. If you need anything, you got my number and I'll be in the back checking the cameras for your every move.”

Realizing his error, the guard backtracks. “N-not that I’m watching you specifically! I meant it like I'll be watching out for everyone, but you especially. Cause I care about you and all.”

Atlas fakes a laugh. “I probably said too much, huh? I'll get out of your way for now. Talk to you another time.” 

The guard politely excuses himself; retracing his steps just to make sure you have his contact information including an email and back up phone. He leaves you to your business and with no further interruptions you go about your day. Getting on your rides of choice, exploring the on-plot museum and trying out some of the seasonal treats. You even meet back up with Ell at one point to fulfill her previous requests. You wonder about blissfully unaware to all the eyes that follow you; a mix of human, faux, and from behind the lens of a camera. 

As the day draws to an end, you finish your trip by sitting on the ledge of the fountain in the middle of the park and watching the fireworks. It was the central hub of the area, giving attendees easy access to all the different junctions. Small droplets of water sprinkle the back of your shirt as the fountain recycles its stream, but you don't mind. Vibrant flashes of color bead across the sky, blinding you momentarily from their brightness and the sheer wonder of it all. If there was one thing you could never get tired of – it was this. With the fireworks soon coming to an end, you stand up. Where did everyone go?

A sharp whistle pierces through the loud booms.

 You look around.

There’s a short breath, before another whistle. The sound stops for a solid five seconds, and then another.

It continues longer this time. You’re able to trail it back to your left, towards the circus themed corner of the park. Your breath quickens. 

Standing right beneath the sign was an all too familiar, buck toothed face. He waves his arm in your direction, drooping ears swaying with the motion. They looked longer than the poster's pictured them to be – every part of him did. 

“Ruthie?”

The hare nods, beckoning you towards him with a finger. You haven’t seen him in ages. While his face was still plastered everywhere, the mascot himself had been retired from walking about for reasons even you didn't know. He points over to the large circus tent at the back of the park, forming a heart with his thin fingers. 

“I can't come with you. The park is going to close soon.”

His arms fall to their sides. He stomps his foot before pointing again. Seeing you won't budge, he steps forward. He moves as though an unseen weight is dragging his body to the ground, dragging the left side of his body forward. Paralyzed by fear, you remain glued to your spot as he nears. The fur around his mouth glistens with a dark substance. As he stands over you, you shut your eyes, fearing the worst. It's only when you hear the mascot shuffling away that you open them.

In your lap is a napkin with two, mug shaped candies nestled in it. Ruthie's favorite. Beneath the sweets are three words.

Some-bunny likes you.

[20dollarlolita]

Definitely not the most coherent or coordinated coord, but I made that skirt in 2014 or 2015 out of things found at an estate sale. Total cost was $1.25. It's got a very special place in my budget lolita heart. I also love that I have handmade items that are approaching 10 years old now and that I still can wear.

If I wasn't absolutely exhausted, I'd probably wear a blouse instead of a cutsew, but I wanted the comfort and the ability to move freely. I also just watched Kamikaze Girls, and was inspired by Momoko's white headbow. Didn't work out quite right, but I can assure you that no one at the mall food court seemed to care.

There's a weird element of being both physically disabled and having a lifelong chronic mental illness that I didn't understand until recently. It's very easy for me to make exceptions for one, and not give the other the care that it deserves. Some days are like cotton, comfortable and easy to breathe, but care is needed to get the wrinkles out and make it look good. And some days are like polyester, where wrinkles aren't an issue but you might feel like you're crushed and in a trash bag.

Friend is FrilledCriminal on instagram.

[lonelywhalien22]

trust me

pairing: bang chan x reader

rating/genre: comfort, fluff, sprinkle of angst

summary: you're having a bad day and your boyfriend chan is there to try and make you feel better.

warnings: reader is low key hella sad in this (take care of yourselves yall <3) + a steamy kiss (very self indulgent ik i'm sorry)

word count: 2.7k

song(s) to listen to while reading: steamroller by phoebe bridgers (reader is hella sad so are we surprised lol), renee's song by bazzi, fall by chloe x halle

note: while i try to tame some bigger fic ideas into submission i'll occasionally polish up + share some of my more decent smaller pieces from years past. pretty sure i wrote this one in the throws of the p*ndemic while struggling with college and feeling hella touch starved...so yeah...enjoy lol <3

————

It was one of those days - one where that funny feeling had bubbled up inside of you, seemingly out of nowhere. You knew it all too well by now, knew its signs and its symptoms. One moment you’d be fine, and then it would happen - a dreaded phone call for an appointment that you could no longer put off, a tedious task at work, a much needed item that you’d misplaced and couldn’t find - sometimes it was all of these things in one day and more, and suddenly you weren’t ok. And as much as you’d try to not let all the frustrations of life get to you, as much as you’d try to hold on to the good, to the light, sometimes bit by bit it would still slip from your grasp until you were tired of trying and there was nothing left inside of you but a dull gray.

You hated when you got in these sorts of moods - used to think there'd be some stage in life, some milestone you could reach, thing you could achieve that would make them go away forever, but you’d survived enough of them by now to know that it was a lifelong battle. There were highs and lows, and today just happened to be one of the lows.

Today also just happened to be one where your boyfriend Bang Chan was supposed to be coming over. His presence was one that so often brought light into your life - fun and laughter and a smile to every situation, but despite having accepted that you were in a sour mood, the thought of him seeing you this way made you feel worse instead of better - like a recluse undeserving of such sweet affection. As if he could hear your thoughts from afar, your cellphone began ringing on the kitchen table, temporarily snapping you right out of your self pity.

“Am I still good to stop by in an hour?" You could practically hear the excitement in his voice, imagining his charming smile immediately, but the warmth in your chest only lasted for a second before you just felt even more upset with yourself. You didn’t wanna burden him with your feelings - tramp all over his joy with your frustration.

"Hey Chan. I'm sorry, but I'm kind of feeling like trash right now." You thought maybe that would be the end of it, hoped that he would read between the lines, but he was completely oblivious, a caring tone seeping into his words as he tried to help you instead.

"Are you sick? I can pick up something for you and bring it by if you want.”

"No, that's not exactly it," you began, struggling to find the words. There was a long pause on the line, and you could hear Chan shifting, as if he was sitting up. You cursed in your head. There was no way he was gonna let this go now - not when you were being so distant. 

“Babe, you know you can tell me anything right?” His use of the nickname made your heart flutter again, gently coaxing you to open up to him - to be honest.

“I know.” 

“Then talk to me.”

“I just…I don’t know, it’s stupid.”

“Nothing you say is stupid,” Chan said immediately. “Tell me what’s going on.”

You let out a sigh before nervously continuing. “It’s just…sometimes I’ll get in this really weird headspace and it makes me feel like crap and...I'm just annoyed with myself. I'm sorry if that doesn't make any sense...I think maybe I just need to be alone right now," you tried to get the last words out but began to break down a little as you really thought about what you’d said. Something about hearing it out loud made it feel all the more real, your eyes beginning to water and throat beginning to dry up.

“It sounds like you're upset. You sure you don't want me to come over?” 

You took a big breath, trying to calm yourself before speaking again, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t find it in you to say anything else. It felt paralyzing - being stuck between the part of you that just wanted him to be with you and the part that was afraid you’d scare him away forever with your feelings. The more you thought about it the more emotional you got, and you felt a tear run down your cheek before you started to sob silently into the phone.

"Babe? Y/n?” Chan asked, voice becoming laced with concern. 

"Yeah?" It was all you could manage to sob out.

"I'm coming over right now," he said quickly, making the decision for you. You could already hear shuffling sounds in the background as he presumably scrambled to grab his things.

"Give me like twenty minutes ok? And just stay on the line with me please? Can you do that for me?" 

"Yeah. I'm sorry." 

“There's nothing to be sorry for," Chan said softly.

————

In less than twenty minutes you heard a hurried knock on your door. Hanging up on your phone, you pulled yourself off of the couch and shuffled over to the entrance of your apartment, unlocking and pulling open the door to reveal your boyfriend's slightly panicked face.

“Hey…” he whispered gently when he saw you. You moved out of the way and he quickly stepped inside, setting down a bunch of bags before he turned back around and immediately enveloped you in his arms. The warmth of his body pressed against yours easily disarmed you, walls falling down so that all you could think about was his sturdy embrace. 

"I'm sorry,” you mumbled into his chest, trying to look at him. “I didn't mean to worry y-" 

"Hmm. Shush. No apologizing. Just let me hold you for a minute, yeah?" 

You nodded your head against him, silent as you slowly relaxed all the muscles in your body and let yourself really feel his warmth, feel all of the love radiating from his body into yours. He smelled like his shower gel, a hint of spearmint seeping into your lungs as your breathing began to slow and your eyes closed, whizzing thoughts in your head beginning to dissipate one by one. Your fingers curled into the fabric of his black sweater, holding on as if you never wanted to let go, and he let you - staying wrapped around you for an entire minute, just like he said. One of his hands stayed firmly wrapped around your waist while the other went up to start rubbing all the way from your head to the middle of your back, repeating the motion leisurely. You released a sigh of content as he did this, feeling yourself start to calm down, heart rate beginning to slow. Eventually he loosened his arms just enough to pull back a little and look at your tear-stained face.

"Let's sit down and I'll get you some food to eat hmm?" he said quietly, thumb wiping across your wet cheeks. You nodded, feeling a bit like a child as he lead you to your couch and wrapped a blanket around you before getting you some food from one of the bags he brought. When he came back you noticed his hair was a bit wet, presumably still drying from a shower he must have taken right before calling you, strands curling from the dampness. And as you looked down at the container of food he’d placed in your hands you realized it was your favorite meal from your favorite place. He even remembered how you always asked for extra sauce. 

Chan stayed silent as you slowly picked up your fork and began to eat, still sniffling a little. He easily found the remote to your tv, switching it on in a practiced familiarity, and put on one of your favorite movies, letting it play softly in the background before digging in to his own food.

When you’d both finished eating, he silently patted his lap, and you knew without any explanation that he was asking you to lean yourself back into his embrace. You did so shyly, Chan grabbing the blanket and draping it around the two of you before he wrapped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you even closer. Finally you relaxed, leaning your head into the crook of his neck and turning slightly so that you could shamelessly wrap your arms around his middle, no longer even focusing on the tv at all. It felt so comforting to be in his arms that your eyes immediately began to close, his embrace luring you to sleep.

————

When you woke up it was dark outside. You blinked a couple times, shifting slightly before realizing that you were still completely wrapped up in Chan’s arms. To your embarrassment, you caught him peeking at you with the softest look on his face, your heart beating a little faster because you’d never been this close to him for so long before. 

“Better?” he asked you simply, thumb moving to rub against your elbow gently.

You opened your eyes a bit wider, immediately beginning to shift up on the couch.

“I’m sorry, I didn't realize how late it was," you said quickly instead of answering his question, feeling guilty as you shifted a little from his embrace. You’d essentially used him as your own personal pillow for who knows how many hours. “I didn’t mean to keep you here like that for so long,” you continued to ramble, but Chan only shook his head in response.

“Y/n. Hey - look at me,” Chan said with a soothing tone. You stopped your shuffling and did as he asked.

“Do you feel better?” he repeated his question from earlier, and you finally nodded a little before picking at the blanket on your lap.

“Yeah. I’m just sorry I wasted your time because of some dumb mood I was in," you responded, annoyed with yourself as you pushed your hair out of your face roughly.

“You know it’s not a crime to feel sad, right?” Chan started gently after a couple beats of silence, clearly trying to find the right words as his thumb continued to lightly rub against your skin. “Even if there isn’t a clear reason - that doesn’t make how you’re feeling any less real.”

“I guess.” You dismissed his words easily, clearly not taking them to heart.

"Why do you always do that?" he asked lightly.

"What do you mean?”

"Talk yourself down. Dismiss how you're feeling,” he elaborated, a little concern in his voice once again. “It makes me worry about you.” 

Your eyes widened in surprise before you looked off to the side. 

“I don’t know, I guess it’s just out of habit.”

Chan tapped your elbow, silently asking you to look at him again. 

"Can I tell you something?” he whispered into the quiet. You nodded curiously.

"I care about you - so much that it scares me sometimes,” he said earnestly, raking a hand through his hair. "You're so thoughtful, so kind, such an amazing listener - you make it so easy for me to be honest about how I'm feeling, and I've never felt more comfortable talking to anyone else,” he continued, looking down a little as he said that last part.

His words made you feel shy all over again, not expecting him to be so open with you. You willed yourself to keep looking at him.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that…I wanna make you feel safe too - safe to share how you’re feeling with me, the good and the bad. Because that’s how you make me feel.” 

“Chan…” you said, lightly smacking his arm in jest as you looked away from him, tears flooding your eyes for a different reason. But he just leaned forward and kissed your temple, pulling you back into his arms gently before continuing.

“Trust me, ok?” Chan asked as you nodded into his chest. “I want you to know that you can always share how you’re feeling with me - even if it’s sad or you don’t think it makes any sense - even if I can’t fix it for you - I’ll always at least be here to listen, I promise. Just don’t hide from me, yeah?”

Tears were falling from your eyes now - not because you were sad, but because Chan’s care for you felt so unconditional, so devoid of judgement - and you’d never known care like that from a partner before. You didn’t have any words to respond in that moment - all you knew was that you wished the two of you could stay on your couch, just like this, forever. 

"I didn't mean to make you cry again," Chan said, a little worried as he saw your expression. "Let me get you some t -”

But you leaned up and kissed him gently, cutting off his words. This wasn't your first kiss, but it was definitely the first that you had initiated. Usually you would just stare at his lips longingly or give the tiniest of hints until he finally caught on to what you wanted, but this time you couldn't hold yourself back. You just felt this boost of confidence, an unrelenting need to express a feeling that words couldn't define. 

Chan was shocked at first, but he quickly fell into it, closing his eyes and immediately wrapping his hands around your waist oh so gently as his lips began to move against yours slowly, lightly, with the utmost care. You each tilted your heads instinctively to opposite sides, still not coming up for any air as you maneuvered yourself back into his lap and brought a hand up to caress the side of his face before combing your fingers through his hair instead, a tiny noise of contentment leaving you in that moment. 

“Y/n…” he groaned softly against your smiling lips. 

"Hmmm?" you responded, still in a feeling of utter bliss. Your other hand was rubbing across his upper chest and shoulder soothingly, and you leaned in and kissed him again before he could even muster enough sense to respond, unable to stop yourself. Chan’s lips began moving against yours again, and he started to lean forward until your back was against a pillow on the couch and he was hovering over you completely. It felt as if he was trying to reach your heart with just the movements his warm, pillowy lips made against yours.

His thumbs started rubbing soothing circles into your waist and you felt like you were floating on a cloud, mind becoming hazy as your head became filled with thoughts of him and only him. He left three final pecks on your lips, finally mustering enough self control to pull back before things got even more heated. His hands slid from your waist all the way up to your cheeks, caressing them softly. 

You were smiling softly but genuinely, in complete bliss as he leaned in and kissed your forehead sweetly before finally saying, “I love you, you know?"

“I love you too,” you whispered quietly, just enough for him to hear. 

He rubbed his thumb near the corner of your lips, eyes crawling all over your face before he said a little regretfully, "I hate for this to end but I don't wanna keep you up any later than it already is."

“Then just stay over for the night. Please?" you begged a little bit and put a pout on your face. He immediately kissed it off of you and you couldn’t help but laugh a little.

"Are you sure?"

Neither of you had ever spent the night at each other's place, so it was completely new territory and you could tell he didn’t want to seem like he was taking advantage of the entire situation. You shifted up a little to kiss his forehead back.

“Chan, I want you to. I promise. Please?”

You meant every word. You wanted nothing more than to hold him all night long.

"Ok," he said quietly, grin growing on his face until you saw that cheeky smile you loved so dearly.

————

That night was one of the most peaceful you’d ever had in recent memory. Buried deep under your sheets, nestled under the stars, you curled yourself into his arms - so close that you could feel his heartbeat against your cheek, slow and steady. And you fell asleep just like that - sweet dreams eventually melting away into the morning sun.

[antiadvil]

ok i'm trying to figure out exactly what is going on in my head bc i don't really find the wad hat thing particularly cute like it's funny and i'll joke about it but it inspires no shippy feelings in me.

and i think like. part of it is that migraines can be so scary and difficult to control and i don't find "oh this one specific hat helps with migraines even though no others do" to be like... a comforting or reassuring narrative. if that happened to me like yeah i'd be happy that it helped but it's really scary to have so little control over your disease! what happens if i lose that hat? if i don't know why it's working i can't replicate it. it's scary to rely so much on one specific item that can't be replaced.

i also don't want people to actually think that the hat is a cure lmao. i know i literally called it a cure in probably more than one post and like it's fine to joke about but blah blah blah migraine is a lifelong uncurable neurological condition that can only be managed with preventative and abortive medications. people casually call things "cures" for migraine all the time and like the colloquial use of the word cure is super different than the medical use so i can't really say people are using it wrong, but for something to be a medical cure it needs to get rid of a condition and stop it from coming back. there are no migraine medications that do this: even if botox stops me from getting a migraine ever again, it's not a cure because it wears off and i need to keep getting it every 3 months for it to keep working. i know that people say "cure" all the time when they really mean "medication that works really well at managing symptoms" and i'm not going to demand people stop that entirely but i do also want to point out that phil only said it helped with migraines he got from looking at his phone (I'm sure he gets migraines from many other sources) and he didn't say how well it works. and i'm sure he's using a fuckton of other preventative tools. which doesn't mean the hat isn't helping! phil hasn't spoken much about the details of his migraine management (which is completely his choice and i support it, tbh if i had a major platform like his i would be really worried that i might accidentally influence people in the wrong way, like i would never want someone to make their migraine management decisions based on what worked well for me) so i don't want people to think that like avoiding chocolate + wearing the wad hat are the pillars of his migraine management plan just bc that's all he's shared.

i'm also maybe a little scared that people are going to start unironically suggesting that i get the hat for my migraines lmao bc ppl give me stupid migraine hacks ALL the time like... i'm not going to drink half a liter of purple gatorade in 60 seconds and then do weird breathing exercises for half an hour i'm glad it seems to be helping you but i don't have time to try every stupid migraine hack someone recommends. and some of them have very real risks involved, like SO many people have suggested i get a daith piercing (which is not an easy piercing to care for!) and i might have to kill the next person who tells me i should get one, i don't mind explaining why i haven't gotten one but it's crazy to just confidently tell me i should get one. and okay yeah i do mind a little! when it's like the tenth time i've had to explain it and the people i'm talking to don't really care! if you genuinely are curious about migraine treatment options and want to know why i haven't gotten a daith piercing i could talk about that for ages but it really comes down to "there is basically no evidence this will work" and i'm tired of having to justify myself every time people present me with "treatment ideas" that are stupid and won't work! i'm tired of having to pretend like these are good ideas just to be polite. i understand that sometimes really weird random things help with migraines, but if they worked regularly for large groups of people, they wouldn't be weird migraine hacks, they would be actual medically advised migraine management techniques. human bodies are weird! something working for one guy absolutely does not mean it will work for everyone else. if the wad hat was universally helpful for migraines i think people other than phil would have noticed by now. like i said, i find pressure on my head to generally be pretty painful so i find the concept of something snug on your head helping migraines to be incredibly weird, but i'm glad it somehow helps phil lmao. like, i haven't seen any posts even remotely genuinely suggesting people with migraines should have gotten the wad hat. i'm just preemptively defensive about it because it just seems like the kind of genre of post that could feasibly pop up i guess? hopefully i'm preemptively being defensive about nothing.

idk i don't wanna be a killjoy like it really is a bullshit fanfiction scenario and i think a lot of the jokes are funny i just don't want people to like genuinely believe/spread migraine misinformation bc of the wad hat? which is like a crazy sentence to say i know idk how i got here either. and i'm more interested in this fact from a migraine perspective than a phan perspective. like idk i'd be more impressed from a phan perspective if dan designed the hats that way on purpose or something lmao. the functionality of the hat presumably has nothing to do with the wad design part so like eh? i do think it's kind of cute the way he Always has it with him like idk the same way i hope that my little hat and glasses and massive bag of rattling pill bottles and inability to properly frown and someday, probably my weird lack of forehead wrinkles, are all endearing to my friends and family. like not TOO endearing you know. but a little bit endearing.

[fandomsoda]

Omg...Tell me everything about your objectum Ink headcanon..(only if you want it ofc..)

ok well- I never put a ton of thought into it necessarily, but I think I can detail a few things

Obviously I’d imagine he sees Broomie as his lifelong partner, that’s his weapon and comfort item for crying out loud! I’d imagine Broomie has some supernatural properties as well simply because we see it move on its own in some official art, and I think when Ink talks to it, it can talk back. Only Ink can hear though.

Ink’s obviously a bit more fond of and oriented towards art supplies and art itself, definitely kissed a few paintings lol. He’s also probably fond of weapons, especially extravagant ones, as those too are technically works of art in many different ways.

idk much else I just like the idea of Ink being a silly object kisser

[winterchimez]

Redemption of Love - Chapter 3

SUMMARY: Choi Chanhee—better known as the Phantom of the Opera, has dominated the Paris Opera House with his lifelong partner, Christine Daae, for years. Until one fateful day, an incident forces them to be separated and never to be reunited again.

Decades later, you have begun your journey here at the famous opera house with the help of your fiancé, Lee Sangyeon. After several performances, it was then that you would come face-to-face with the renowned phantom himself, and he is determined to never let you go again, convinced that you were his long-lost partner whom he has not seen in many years.

It is now your choice to make. To give your heart to the once-forgotten phantom? Or to stand firm and marry the love of your life.

PAIRING: phantom of the opera Chanhee x singer f!reader x fiancé Sangyeon

GENRE & WARNINGS: phantom of the opera au, angst, supernatural, thriller, crime, fluff, time travel, reincarnation, major & minor character deaths, otome, pg-13

WORD COUNT: 2,036

The darkness that surrounded you was clearly haunting and eerie. 

It all felt as if it was all a dream, hearing the voice calling out to you for the past few weeks, only for its owner to finally appear in person in front of your mirror in the dressing room. 

To be fair, any average person would be frightened if they had witnessed the figure slowly emerging from the mirror, but for some reason, you were not—you felt calm. You wanted to do all you could to get to know the person behind the voice you have heard. 

Hence, you were slowly descending into the underground, and the light from above began to diminish. There was this mysterious ambience that just took over your situation, causing you to wonder what exactly was below you and, of course, who exactly was this person right in front of you. 

When you slowly walked further down, you eventually ended up in a candlelit passageway. It was long, and it would take quite a bit to fully reach the other end of the tunnel. 

Thanks to having some vision now, you could distinguish the person holding your hands gently as he guided you through the passageway. His hair was a bright crimson red and parted to the sides. He wore a tailored black suit that fully complemented his tall, slender figure. A black cape was draped upon his back, swaying from side to side with each step he took. 

But the most prominent item that made him stand out was his white mask. It wasn’t a full-faced mask; it only covered half of his face, making you wonder what exactly he was hiding beneath the barrier between the mask and his face. 

As much as you wanted to question his motives for bringing you down here and even his appearance (especially that mask he wore), something in your gut just told you that it wasn’t the right moment to do so. Thus, you kept your mouth shut and continued with your journey, letting only the sounds of your footsteps and the crackling sounds of the fire from the candlelights upon the walls fill your eardrums for now. 

As you made your way towards the end of the tunnel, the man in front of you seemingly grabbed one of the candlelights on the wall as he shone into the dark path before you. To your surprise, you have noticed how it was a maze of passageways in front of you now. Anyone who wasn’t familiar with this place would get lost, and it would take them days to be able to find their way out. 

But the man seemed unfazed as he immediately illuminated one of the passageways with the candlelight and guided you in. As you both continued walking for what appeared to be as long as twenty minutes, you finally arrived at an underground lake with only a single wooden boat that floated upon the waters.

“Hop on in," the male instructed as he slowly guided you to get onto the boat. You lifted your dress slightly, making sure not to lose your steps, before eventually getting in and finally sitting down and making yourself comfortable. 

Once you were ready, the man hopped on the boat and took out an oar that was situated beneath it. He then began paddling as you moved forward. 

As you both paddle forward, you begin to feel the air becoming much cooler and damp, making your skin crawl slightly. At the same time, you swear you had heard distant whispers coming from different parts of the underground lake. You still have no idea where you are headed, and it seems the man navigating the boat won’t speak anytime soon. 

The boat moved forward until it reached a specific part of the lake lit by candlelight, which was quite beautiful. But given your situation, you couldn’t fully enjoy the whole boat ride. It would’ve been romantic if Sangyeon was paddling the boat with you; you were with a stranger, after all. 

After minutes of paddling, you both eventually reach the end of the passageway, and beyond you is a vast grey metal door. The mysterious man got off first before extending his hand to you again to help you slowly got out from the boat. 

He slowly brought you towards the door and gently pushed it open to reveal a huge underground lair hidden away from the opera house. You slowly took in the sight beyond you; never in a million years would you have thought such a place like this would exist beneath the famous Paris Opera House. 

Even though it was hidden from the outside world, the place was filled with luxurious decor, such as red fabrics and furniture that would cost a fortune. The countless candlelights scattered throughout the lair primarily illuminated the entire place. A line of mirrors filled the walls, causing you to be able to see your reflection no matter what direction you turned to look. A few mannequins were also placed randomly across the place, all of them dressed up with theatrical props in their hands. 

However, the most intriguing part of the lair was the massive organ that was situated towards the wall. 

You have heard the faint sound of this particular instrument up in the Opera House countless times, but you never questioned it since there is no organ up there, and you wouldn’t want people to give you weird looks; hence, you’ve always brushed it off, thinking that your brain is playing tricks on you.

But after witnessing the instrument right before your eyes, and hell, even having the voice that you have heard for months suddenly emerge from your dressing room’s mirror and take you down here to an undiscovered hidden lair, now you know that those weren’t just hallucinations nor dreams after all. 

The mysterious man returned right in front of you as he took both of your hands into his, giving you a smile that somehow seemed bittersweet before finally speaking up.

“How long have I waited for this day to come. We’re finally reunited, Christine.” 

It was that name again.

You were still genuinely confused with everything, especially when this strange man kept addressing you with that particular name. You needed to know the answers, so you mustered up the courage to confront the man despite feeling all anxious and weirded out. 

“I…umm…I’m not who you think I am.” 

It turns out you have given the wrong answer as the bittersweet smile quickly faded and was replaced with a frown, clearly showing that the man was upset.

“You can’t be serious, Christine. I’m not here to play games. It’s me, remember?” He half-chuckled while having this desperate look in his eyes. 

But you just had to speak up the truth. “N-no. I’m not Christine.” 

In an instant, the grip on your hand tightened slightly as the man took a few steps towards you, causing you to back away. The intensity in the air slowly began to get to you.

You couldn’t pinpoint the exact emotions in his eyes—teardrops were slowly starting to form, and there was this sad yet disappointed look as if he had been entirely heartbroken. 

“There’s no way you’re saying this to me, Christine. We dominated the entire Opera House and were known as the best couple in the facility’s history.” He huffed.

You were terrified. “Pl-please…stop.”

But he doesn’t. “Don’t you remember? You and I performed the famous The Magic Flute by Mozart.”

“N-no…stop…”

At this point, he raised his voice ever so slightly. “And there was literally a fire that burnt down the Opera House! We both helped evacuate the entire audience and cast members from the building, leaving us both behind.” 

A fire? But that happened like 40 years ago…

Suddenly, you felt your back hit against the wall and realised that you were now cornered. The mysterious man was now just inches apart from you, still fuming, and you figured that he would not stop anytime soon. 

Releasing his grips from your hands, he pins both of his hands onto the wall, trapping you to ensure that you wouldn’t have any escape, nor would you have anywhere to turn to but to face him only. 

“Christine. We promised each other we would be reunited, and now it’s finally the time. So, why are you being like this to me? What happened when we were both separated?” 

This time, tears began to well up in your eyes as your anxiety got the best out of you. The only thing that was in your mind at this moment was your fiancé. You wanted to just run into his arms so badly right now.

“S-sangyeon….help me…” You mumbled. 

A few seconds later, you started to feel that your head was becoming heavy, and your legs were just about to give themselves up. Sure enough, you eventually dropped to the ground, your eyes slowly closing shut before you ultimately blacked out. 

You have no idea how long you have been out, but you know it was long enough to get rid of the headache you felt during the encounter you remembered with the mysterious man.

Oh right, the strange man! 

You quickly shoot up to find yourself lying on a luxurious bed draped with red velvet fabric. The man must have carried you here after you passed out. 

Instantly, you heard the soft, faint sound of the organ being played in the other side of the room. You figured it was the man keeping himself occupied while you were asleep. You tip-toed towards the door and slowly opened it to peek through the room. As expected, the male was playing the organ and did not notice the little squeak coming from the door, which made you give yourself a little deep breath to calm yourself down. 

You slowly walked toward the male, keeping your fingers crossed and praying he wouldn’t turn to look back in your direction. You were planning to escape there and then, but that was when you noticed his mask. 

You have always been intrigued by it when you first met the male but never dared to ask him about it. Given your previous experience with the man himself, you figured there was no point in asking him about it, and you wouldn’t want to risk yourself fainting again from his tedious interrogation.

Hence, you slowly turned back towards the organ, creeping up on the male while he played the instrument. When you finally reached his back, you contemplated whether it was now or never.

In a swift motion, you quickly grabbed his mask from behind and took it off instantly, causing the male to turn back towards you immediately. 

And that was when you realised that you had made a fatal mistake. 

Half of his face was disfigured, which was why he covered it with the mask. It looked terrifying and too much for you to stomach it all up. Adding salt to injury, the man began fuming again, his face red as he rolled his fists up, slowly approaching you. 

You slowly backed away, which triggered the alarm in your brain to go off. 

You needed to get out of here. Immediately.

In a flash, you quickly dashed towards the front door, not even glancing back as you were terrified that he would be chasing after you. You did the same thing as how you had gotten here in the first place, going back onto the boat and then back through the countless passageways, hoping that your memory was still fresh and that you would eventually see the light again.

Back in the lair, the mysterious man stood in the middle of the room, kicking over a box filled with props to release his anger. 

He slowly made his way towards one of the mirrors on the wall, looking straight at himself and at his disfigured face before he pointed directly at himself in the mirror. 

“I’ll be sure to make you fall in love with me again, Christine, just like you did all those years ago.”

A/N: how are we feeling about the story so far folks 👀

series masterlist

masterlist

taglist: @deoboyznet @kflixnet @k-films @flwoie @zzoguri @kyusqult @atinycafe @hanniluvi @tinkerbell460 @cheonsafics @sulkygyu @jaerisdiction @heemingyu @lngwayup @ilovechanhee @piripurora (join my permanent taglist here!)

[merakiui]

If you are thinking about Hedgehog Riddle, we'd love to hear about it!

:D hedgehog boy Riddle has lived most of his life alone, so when he’s introduced to you he’s incredibly wary. It also doesn’t help that his mother had quite the negative influence on him and so his social skills are somewhat lacking and he struggles immensely to connect with you at first. He’s much too polite and awkward when he does spare you the time for conversation, but it’s often terse. Riddle has never had a real friend in his life, so you’re someone he must get used to slowly over time. Patience is key.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so Riddle often rests during the day and is wide-awake at night (somnophilia opportunities hehe), poking through your selection of books or perusing the items in your pantry and fridge. He had no idea sweets could be so flavorful! His cute, little ears twitch at every sound he picks up; it’s the most adorable thing, but he huffs and turns bright red if you comment on it. He’s also incredibly shameful if you catch him exploring your house at night. He’s just curious, so he can’t help it. Please forgive him for being nosy.

Since hedgehogs can hibernate, I like to imagine this applies to Riddle! He’s just more sleepier than normal during the winter, and he tends to rest longer hours, foregoing schedules in favor of saving his energy. He made a nest once in your bedroom, but when you caught him in the act he insisted it was nothing and hastily made the bed properly. Since then, he’s resisted the urge to make a nest out of sheer embarrassment. :(

Hedgehogs don’t form lifelong bonds with their mates, but Riddle wants a long-lasting relationship. He’s gotten comfortable in your presence and enjoys spending time with you. Everything you do makes him so happy. He’s thoroughly lovestruck. Come May and June, he’s especially interested in you, more so than normal. Since those are peak hedgehog courting months, you’ll find Riddle’s a lot more hyper-aware of you. Hedgehog courtship is usually comprised of circling the potential mate and making puffing or snorting sounds. It’s something of a dance. Since Riddle isn’t fully a hedgehog, I imagine he might still walk circles around you, but then I also imagine dancing is something intimate for him, especially if it’s like ballroom dancing! If you accept his dance offer, it’s essentially you accepting his courtship proposal, right? You want to be his mate, don’t you? Please say you love him, too. Without you, he’d be so lonely. >_<

[ahamkara-apologist]

3, 4, and 10 for Marcie and Aeris on the character asks?

The siblings!!! Love my sun and moon siblings

3. What is your OC's financial status? Are they just scraping by, making enough to live comfortably, or wealthy? Has there ever been a drastic change in their status? If so, what happened?

-Well, since Aeris and Marcie both share a glimmer bank and have the same weakness to going moneyblind when something they really want becomes available...the answer is 'it depends', but usually not a lot. Both of them really really want to save up as much glimmer as they can, but then a new gun comes up at Xur, or a pretty ship or ghost shell, and then ooo, there it goes again...

Amusingly, they're the two that you'd expect to have all the money, since Marcie is a Crucible champion and Aeris is the literal Young Wolf, but between Aeris's paranoia/FOMO and Marcie's love for fun ornaments, ships, and ghost shells- well. Let's just say that there's a reason why Aeris is so fucking sick of spicy ramen, and it's not because he abused that lifelong ticket of his willingly XD

4. Does your OC have a failed friendship or relationship they still think about? What happened? Is it an unresolved regret or is there a chance for reconciliation?

-Apart from the incident with exposing Petrichor to their memories in the Deep Stone Crypt, Aeris just has the typical woes of being autistic and fitting into society about as well as a square peg in a round hole, but Marcie's would be Cayde and Amanda. For Cayde, it's more that she never really got to say goodbye + was so stricken with grief that she had to send Aeris to hunt Uldren down (something that she still feels guilty/weak about), but for Amanda, it's entirely because of the whole debacle over Crow. Marcie may be a spitfire, but she understood that Crow =/= Uldren from the get-go, as well as the fact that Cayde never would have wanted Crow to take the blame for a dead man, so she was one of the first to vouch for him after Aeris brought him home from the Tangled Shore. Unfortunately, when Amanda found out who Crow used to be, she'd gotten pretty fond of the fucker, so it led to a huge blowout fight between the two of them. Neither of them were on speaking terms when Amanda got herself blown up because both were too stubborn/prideful to admit they were wrong, and it's something that Marcie regrets deeply

10. Is your OC sentimental or pragmatic? Do they keep mementos or only what they need to survive? Have they always been this way or did something happen to make them change?

-Aeris is very pragmatic, and really only keeps his work items: aka, armour, weapons, and a couple of sparrows/jumpships. He has a few items that he's very attached to, but they're pretty much just his bows or a couple of knives- him buying new guns is more of a nervous habit than actually wanting them, and he'll turn around and dismantle them just as quick. Marcie is the much more sentimental one, and the differences between their apartments is honestly pretty staggering. As for whether or not that's in their nature: for Marcie, it's most certainly an inherent trait, whereas Aeris's is more of a holdover from his time with his father pre-rezzing that became such a habit that it carried over even after his memories got wiped. Yusef used to be very fond of reminding him that he only survived because he was generous and kind enough to take him in and care for him, so to spite his father, Aeris used to just...not keep anything. It kept Yusef from having another means of controlling him by reminding him that everything he owned technically belonged to his father, which eventually just manifested into Aeris only growing attached to either bare essentials that he could justify needing via his work, or small things that he could easily hide in his clothes/gear

Send me OC asks!

[imsparky2002]

Batraculous

Inspired by Artzy's DC Science Kids, I present the Akuma Class (+ Kagami, Luka, and Marc) in a world where Ladybug never existed. They are lifelong friends and in some cases lovers who decided to become caped crusaders and the heores of Paris. Despite being teenagers, they can kick major ass. This was used from assistance by ChatGPT.

Marinette (Ladybug Bat): Using her incredible agility and quick thinking, Marinette patrols the city's rooftops, intercepting thieves and rescuing people in danger. Her Ladybug Bat suit allows her to swiftly swing from buildings and use her sewing kit to make temporary repairs to infrastructure damage caused by criminals.

Adrien (Cat Bat): Adrien focuses on apprehending high-profile criminals. His Cat Bat suit enables him to traverse the city with ease, using his bolas to disarm and immobilize adversaries. He often works closely with Marinette, coordinating their efforts.

Nino (Sonic Bat): Nino uses his sound-based gadgets to create distractions and incapacitate wrongdoers. His Sonic Bat suit's silent movements allow him to sneak up on criminals and disable them using non-lethal sound-based weaponry.

Alya (Reporter Bat): Alya gathers critical information from the field, broadcasting real-time updates to the Bat-team and the public. Her Reporter Bat suit is equipped with advanced recording equipment and a holographic projector for creating news reports.

Chloe (Charisma Bat): Chloe's charisma and confidence help her defuse tense situations and persuade villains to surrender. Her Charisma Bat suit is reinforced with lightweight armor, and she uses smoke pellets for dramatic entrances to distract and intimidate criminals.

Sabrina (Support Bat): Sabrina provides essential first aid and support to civilians and team members. Her Support Bat suit contains medical supplies and blankets, and she often assists in calming down traumatized victims.

Ivan (Strength Bat): Ivan deals with physically demanding tasks, such as rescuing people trapped in rubble. His Strength Bat suit is equipped with heavy-duty tools, and his superior strength allows him to move debris and clear pathways to safety.

Mylene (Empathy Bat): Mylene provides emotional support to frightened or distressed individuals, especially children. Her Empathy Bat suit is equipped with comforting items, and her calming presence reassures those in need.

Juleka (Stealth Bat): Juleka excels at covert operations and infiltrating criminal hideouts. Her Stealth Bat suit can blend into the shadows, and her cape changes colors to match her surroundings, making her virtually invisible.

Nathaniel (Artist Bat): Nathaniel creates intricate plans and strategies for the team. His Artist Bat suit contains a mini-computer, and his cape can transform into a set of wings for quick communication and mobility.

Rose (Love Bat): Rose spreads love and positivity during crises, calming chaotic situations and inspiring hope. Her Love Bat suit emits a soothing floral scent, and she often uses her flower seeds to beautify damaged areas.

Kim (Power Bat): Kim's incredible physical strength makes him a formidable force against powerful villains. His Power Bat suit is reinforced to withstand powerful impacts, and he specializes in taking down superhuman adversaries.

Max (Tech Bat): Max handles technology-related tasks and creates innovative gadgets. His Tech Bat suit contains an array of gadgets, and he often uses his computer skills to hack into criminal databases.

Alix (Speed Bat): Alix is the fastest member of the team, responding quickly to emergencies. Her Speed Bat suit includes retractable rollerblades and a rocket boost, allowing her to chase down fleeing criminals.

Kagami (Precision Bat): Kagami uses her fencing skills to disarm and subdue adversaries with precision strikes. Her Precision Bat suit has a retractable katana, and her cape can transform into a shield for defense.

Luka (Music Bat): Luka uses his music to calm tensions and inspire hope. His Music Bat suit contains musical instruments and sound-based gadgets, which he uses to create soothing melodies during crises.

Marc (Writer Bat): Marc employs his creativity to solve complex problems and create distractions. His Writer Bat suit contains sharpened pencils and paper, and his cape can transform into various shapes and objects to confound villains.

Marinette's Batsuit: Marinette's suit is sleek and stylish, featuring a red and black color scheme with a distinctive ladybug emblem on her chest. Her utility belt is filled with mini sewing kits, allowing her to repair any damage on the fly. Her cape, adorned with ladybug spots, can transform into a parachute when needed.

Adrien's Batsuit: Adrien's suit is all about agility. His suit is dark gray with a black bat emblem, and his utility belt is equipped with a set of bolas for capturing villains. His cape is reinforced with a lightweight armor that provides extra protection while allowing for maximum movement.

Nino's Batsuit: Nino's suit focuses on sound and communication. His suit has a striking deep blue color with a silver bat emblem, and his utility belt contains advanced communication devices, including microphones and speakers. His cape is soundproof, allowing him to move silently and avoid detection.

Alya's Batsuit: Alya's suit emphasizes information gathering. Her suit is a vibrant purple with a sleek bat emblem, and her utility belt is equipped with a high-tech camera and recording equipment. Her cape has a holographic projector that can create illusions for distraction.

Chloe's Batsuit: Chloe's suit exudes confidence and charisma. Her suit is a bold yellow with a golden bat emblem, and her utility belt is filled with smoke pellets for dramatic entrances and exits. Her cape is reinforced with a lightweight armor for added protection.

Sabrina's Batsuit: Sabrina's suit is all about support. Her suit is a calming lavender with a silver bat emblem, and her utility belt contains medical supplies and first aid equipment. Her cape has a built-in harness system for rescuing civilians in danger.

Ivan's Batsuit: Ivan's suit showcases his strength and durability. His suit is a deep green with a black bat emblem, and his utility belt contains heavy-duty tools for breaking through obstacles. His cape is reinforced with Kevlar for added toughness.

Mylene's Batsuit: Mylene's suit emphasizes empathy and compassion. Her suit is a warm pink with a heart-shaped bat emblem, and her utility belt is stocked with blankets and comforting items for children in distress. Her cape can transform into a large, soft blanket for comforting young victims.

Juleka's Batsuit: Juleka's suit is all about stealth and camouflage. Her suit is a dark indigo with a silver bat emblem, and her utility belt has a variety of gadgets for blending into her surroundings. Her cape can change colors to match her environment, making her virtually invisible.

Nathaniel's Batsuit: Nathaniel's suit is a work of art. His suit is a deep crimson with a bat emblem resembling a brushstroke, and his utility belt contains sketchbooks and art supplies. His cape can transform into a set of wings for gliding through the city.

Rose's Batsuit: Rose's suit is all about spreading love and positivity. Her suit is a vibrant rose pink with a heart-shaped bat emblem, and her utility belt is filled with flower seeds and gardening tools. Her cape is adorned with flowers, and it releases a calming floral scent.

Kim's Batsuit: Kim's suit is all about raw power. His suit is a bold orange with a muscular bat emblem, and his utility belt contains grappling hooks and heavy-duty equipment. His cape is reinforced to withstand powerful impacts.

Max's Batsuit: Max's suit incorporates his love for technology. His suit is a high-tech silver with a circuitry-inspired bat emblem, and his utility belt is filled with gadgets, including a mini-computer. His cape has built-in wings for short-distance flight.

Alix's Batsuit: Alix's suit showcases her love for speed and adventure. Her suit is a futuristic silver with a futuristic bat emblem, and her utility belt contains a set of retractable rollerblades. Her cape has a rocket boost for rapid acceleration.

Kagami's Batsuit: Kagami's suit is all about precision and fencing skills. Her suit is a deep navy blue with a katana-inspired bat emblem, and her utility belt has throwing stars and a retractable katana. Her cape can transform into a shield for defense.

Luka's Batsuit: Luka's suit combines his love for music and serenity. His suit is a calming teal with a musical note-shaped bat emblem, and his utility belt contains musical instruments and sound-based gadgets. His cape can produce soothing melodies to calm chaotic situations.

Marc's Batsuit: Marc's suit reflects his artistic soul. His suit is a soft pastel purple with a brushstroke-style bat emblem, and his utility belt has a typewriter theme going on. His cape can transform into various shapes and objects, allowing him to create material on the fly.

The Bat-Heroes use Adrien's mansion as their home base, since he's basically the Bruce Wayne of the group. All it takes is a specific key on the piano to enter their batcave.

1. The Main Control Room: The heart of the Batcave, equipped with a massive touchscreen display, where Marinette, as team leader, coordinates their operations. A holographic table displays a 3D map of Paris, tracking criminal activity and emergencies.

2. The Bat-Garage: A massive, underground garage filled with sleek and customized Bat-vehicles. There's a Batcycle for quick maneuvers, a Batmobile designed for group missions, and even a Bat-boat for emergencies along the Seine River.

3. The Bat-Lab: A state-of-the-art laboratory where Max and Nathaniel work together on creating and modifying gadgets. Advanced computers, 3D printers, and chemistry sets fill the room, allowing them to craft innovative crime-fighting tools.

4. The Bat-Armory: Chloe and Ivan maintain this room, filled with an impressive arsenal of non-lethal weapons and tools. Batarangs, grappling guns, and sonic devices are carefully organized on display racks.

5. The Bat-Training Room: A spacious area where Kim, Kagami, and Luka hone their combat skills. It's equipped with high-tech holographic training simulations and a martial arts dojo.

6. The Bat-Library: A quiet sanctuary where Sabrina and Marc research the history of Paris, its villains, and potential threats. The shelves are lined with books, and large screens display live news feeds.

7. The Bat-Archives: Adjacent to the library, this room stores information on the city's most notorious criminals and cold cases. It's a hub for solving long-standing mysteries.

8. The Bat-Infirmary: Mylene and Rose oversee a medical bay equipped with cutting-edge technology and healing supplies. It's here that injured team members receive prompt medical attention.

9. The Bat-Lounge: A comfortable space for the heroes to relax, complete with a kitchenette and holographic entertainment. Here, they unwind, discuss strategies, and enjoy their camaraderie.

10. The Bat-Signal: On the roof of Marinette's building, the Bat-Signal, modified to resemble Ladybug, shines brightly into the night sky. It's their symbol of hope for the people of Paris, a call for help when danger arises.

11. The Bat-Training Grounds: Adjacent to the Batcave, an underground area simulates various urban environments. Our heroes use this space to practice teamwork and simulate real-world scenarios.

Here are the vehicles they use.

1. The Batcycle: A sleek and agile motorcycle designed for quick maneuvers through the city. It's Marinette's go-to vehicle for patrolling the rooftops and responding to emergencies swiftly. The Batcycle is equipped with a grappling hook for scaling buildings and a sidecar for transporting captured criminals.

2. The Batmobile: A powerful, armored vehicle designed for group missions and transportation of the Bat-heroes. Adrien often takes the wheel, using the Batmobile's advanced navigation system and speed to reach crime scenes quickly. It's equipped with non-lethal weaponry for apprehending criminals.

3. The Bat-Boat: A high-speed boat that allows the Bat-heroes to respond to emergencies along the Seine River or in cases involving waterborne criminals. Nino operates the Bat-Boat with precision, using its sonar equipment to locate submerged threats.

4. The Bat-Glider: A compact, glider-style vehicle designed for stealthy reconnaissance and surveillance. It's Alya's favorite mode of transportation, and it can silently hover above the city while she gathers crucial information.

5. The Bat-Jet: A versatile aircraft that the Bat-heroes use for longer-distance missions. Chloe pilots the Bat-Jet, utilizing its speed and range to reach different parts of Paris quickly or assist in Gotham when needed. It's equipped with advanced communication systems and radar.

6. The Bat-Quad: A rugged, off-road vehicle used for traversing challenging terrain. Ivan operates the Bat-Quad, which can handle rough urban environments and provide backup for ground operations.

7. The Bat-Skates: A pair of retractable rollerblades worn by Alix, designed for speed and agility. They allow her to chase down criminals on crowded streets and provide rapid response to emergencies.

8. The Bat-Scooter: A compact, electric scooter used by Max for quick reconnaissance and to navigate through traffic. It's equipped with communication devices for on-the-go coordination.

9. The Bat-Board: A hoverboard-style vehicle that Luka uses, designed for silent travel and quick maneuverability. It allows him to reach emergencies in the city with ease, all while providing a calming ambiance through its built-in speakers.

10. The Bat-Bike: A bicycle equipped with advanced tech, used by Nathaniel and Marc for eco-friendly patrols. It has a built-in tablet for real-time research and communication while on the move.

11. The Bat-Rollerblades: Kagami's choice for urban mobility, these high-tech rollerblades can retract when not in use. They allow her to glide through the city with speed and precision, making her an effective crimefighter.

12. The Bat-Skateboard: A customized skateboard Max and Kim use for patrols and surveillance. It's equipped with sensors and cameras to capture evidence and monitor criminal activity.

And here's a look at what each Bat-Hero did on a night in Paris.

Marinette (Ladybug Bat) perches on a rooftop overlooking a bustling marketplace. She uses her keen eyes to spot a pickpocket attempting to steal from a vendor's stall. In a swift and graceful move, she swoops down on her Batcycle, capturing the thief with her grappling hook and returning the stolen goods.

Adrien (Cat Bat) prowls the city's upscale district, where art galleries and museums are prominent. He uses his Cat Bat senses to detect suspicious activity at a museum entrance. With a stealthy approach, he thwarts a group of art thieves trying to make off with priceless paintings.

Nino (Sonic Bat) speeds through the city streets on his Bat-Board, honing in on a disturbance near a nightclub. He uses his sonic gadgets to disorient a group of rowdy club-goers and ensures that the situation is diffused peacefully.

Alya (Reporter Bat) captures live footage of a traffic accident using her Bat-Glider's built-in camera. She reports on the scene to keep the public informed while coordinating with emergency services.

Chloe (Charisma Bat) walks through a park, engaging with a group of troubled youths. Her natural charisma and genuine concern help her de-escalate a potential confrontation and guide the young people toward a more positive path.

Sabrina (Support Bat) is at the scene of a car crash, providing comfort and first aid to the injured. She uses her Support Bat suit's supplies to stabilize victims until paramedics arrive.

Ivan (Strength Bat) helps city workers clear a fallen tree blocking a busy road. His immense strength and the Bat-Quad's equipment make the task look effortless.

Mylene (Empathy Bat) visits a local school, where she interacts with children affected by a recent fire. Her calming presence and comforting items from her utility belt help ease their trauma.

Juleka (Stealth Bat) blends into the shadows in an alley, observing a group of graffiti artists who are creating unauthorized street art. She approaches them peacefully, encouraging them to channel their creativity into approved projects.

Nathaniel (Artist Bat) is on a rooftop, sketching a suspect in a purse-snatching incident as he communicates the details to the police. His keen artistic eye captures every detail.

Rose (Love Bat) spreads love and positivity by handing out flowers to passersby. Her actions brighten the mood of those she encounters, creating a more harmonious atmosphere in the city.

Kim (Power Bat) patrols a rough neighborhood, intervening in a brawl between two rival gangs. His physical prowess and powerful presence convince the combatants to disperse.

Max (Tech Bat) uses his Bat-Scooter to investigate a series of cybercrimes, tracking the source of a hacking attempt on a local business and securing their data.

Alix (Speed Bat) swiftly covers a vast area of the city on her Bat-Skates, responding to reports of a runaway pet and safely reuniting it with its owner.

Kagami (Precision Bat) keeps watch over a crowded subway station, using her katana-inspired gadgets to disarm a would-be purse-snatcher, preventing a potential disaster in the busy transit hub.

Luka (Music Bat) plays a calming melody on his Bat-Guitar near a protest, helping to diffuse tension between demonstrators and police, turning a potentially volatile situation into a peaceful one.

Marc (Writer Bat) sets up an impromptu poetry session in a park, inviting children to express their feelings through poems. This therapeutic activity helps children cope with difficult experiences.

And finally, a look at a training regiment.

Combat Training: Kim, Kagami, and Nathaniel engage in martial arts sparring sessions, refining their combat skills and practicing their teamwork.

Obstacle Course: Max and Alix navigate a high-tech obstacle course designed to test their agility and problem-solving abilities.

Communication Drills: Alya and Marc work together to improve their communication skills, ensuring that information flows smoothly between them and the rest of the team.

Stealth Training: Juleka and Luka practice moving silently through a darkened room, perfecting their stealthy approaches to situations.

First Aid Simulation: Mylene and Rose participate in a first aid simulation, assessing and treating various injuries that might occur in the field.

Holographic Combat: Ivan and Chloe engage in a holographic combat simulation, battling virtual enemies with their respective strengths and tactics.

Tech Challenges: Max and Nathaniel collaborate to solve complex technical challenges, such as hacking into encrypted systems and analyzing data.

Team Strategy Session: Marinette and Adrien lead a team strategy discussion, reviewing past missions and planning for future ones.

Ooh and here's who's dating.

Marinette/Adrien

Alya/Nino

Ivan/Mylene

Juleka/Rose

Marc/Nathaniel

I had a blast making this, and I hope you enjoyed it Artzy! If people liked this, make sure to reblog, reply, post and ask about it. @artzychic27 @msweebyness

[scribble-dee-vee]

Dale 💄🎈🧣

Hey nonny!! Ty for the ask <3

(Based on these questions, I have a sneaking suspicion that you're someone with more than a passing knowledge of this character,,,, in which case I am v flattered. If you DON'T know my terrible lil guy, then you may just be a bit psychic. hehe)

For anyone curious, the full prompt list is over here!

Answers below cut because you got me YAPPING and they're LONG. Pls note that I have listed a few content warnings in the tags.

💄 (lipstick) - What does your oc think of their face? Do they have a positive or negative opinion? Do they wear makeup? Do they have a skincare routine? What traits do they like most about their face?

So, here's the thing: Dale is hot and he knows it. He likes to express this fact LOUDLY and OBNOXIOUSLY. A lot of this grandstanding comes from a genuine self-obsession, but he also has a complicated relationship with his body and how other people perceive him. The connection between a person's self and their body is actually a pretty major theme in Lost Letters; Dale is hyperaware of his own embodiment, and it drives a lot of his actions. At best, he can turn this awareness towards personal confidence and interpersonal gains (actively via manipulation and seduction, but also passively through social biases). At worst, he feels trapped, exploited, and overstimulated. He's constantly paranoid that people are watching him. He is extremely sensitive to texture and temperature, especially when he's upset. He's constantly bothered by how people see him and how he presents. We could talk about his relationship with blood, as a jilted descendant of the Queen who does a little violence now and then. We could also talk about his experiences with exploitative sexual relationships and assassination attempts, both of which have altered how he views his own body! But I feel these are tangents to the question at hand. In terms of his face, Dale likes his green eyes. In fact, his eyes are the ONLY part of his face that he ever tells the reader about in draft one! We learn more about how he looks through other characters' perspectives, but he's not usually looking at his face when he's looking in a mirror. He's thinking about the impact of his overall presentation and how he might alter it. In terms of makeup and skincare, Dale lives in a pseudo-Victorian dystopian fantasy hellscape with rigid gender roles – do with that what you will. (It IS really fun to think about skincare in the Diamond City, though!! I have no doubt that Dale keeps up with a meticulous standard of hygiene for his context, and certain other characters would LOVE Sephora in a modern AU.)

🎈 (balloon) - What does your character do at parties? Are they a wallflower or a party animal? Do they go with friends or alone?

Dale goes to a LOT of parties in Lost Letters, so I've gotten to explore this in some depth! Dale is neutral to the common party activities of A.) hooking up with people and B.) consuming various substances – he generally does both if it will help his social or political standing within a given group. He's part of the Goldenheart aristocracy, so parties are a natural background setting in his life. He tends to go with friends, or frenemies. He pretends to have fun, but he usually doesn't. In Lost Letters, Dale is a college student and member of the Rosehip Club, which is essentially a co-ed fraternity for rich kids. He's lifelong friends with Rosalind Lake, the Club's ringleader, and Jamie Fenway, another important member. At the beginning of the book, he meets Charles at a Rosehip Club party! (Thus kicking off the main plot :)

🧣(scarf) - What comforts your oc? Is it an item? An action? A person? Whatever it is, how any why does it comfort them?

Charles <3 For real, though, mutual comfort is a key factor in their relationship. Charles makes Dale feel protected and safe. It's superficially because Charles is an elite soldier who's always around him. On a deeper level, it's because Charles DOESN'T judge him based on political importance or appearance or history. He just kinda takes Dale at face value and listens to him???? Um the bar is in HELL but Dale has never really experienced this before. Charles provides a nice respite from his usual stressors. They spend a lot of their scenes together A.) cuddling, B.) arguing for fun about irrelevant stuff, and C.) doing tourist activities in various City locations. Lol. They would kill it at Disney World in a modern AU. Dale also likes to journal, in somewhat sinister and extremely plot-relevant ways. I GUESS that's comforting for him, lmao. I won't say much more because spoilers, tee hee.

If you read all the way to the bottom of this post, I love you sm!!!! And now you know All That about this morally deplorable blorbo. Please don't get too attached. I promise you, it's for your own good 😅

[crunchybeansprouts]

bliss

[102723] it's been a long while since i've written anything on here, but i'm back! (even if only temporarily.) i've made countless lasting memories during my hiatus; i finished junior year, went home for the summer, had a kdrama-worthy four weeks, went into my senior year, and started the dreaded college apps. but all of these pale in comparison to the last item in the file folder of my life thus far.

i think i've found happiness. not the superficial, shallow type of happiness that is fleeting and faint like an october morning fog. but the type of happiness that is constant and effervescent like an open ocean buoy, never failing to resurface even after facing the ceaseless wrath of cold, clipped waves. yes, i still feel sometimes left out by and at odds with my "plastic flower sister" friends. yes, college apps are still sending me reeling from a fear of failure and threatening to push me over the edge and into the cesspools of imposter syndrome, overthinking, and insecurities. yes, my broken family's outwardly-perfect façade is still being chipped away, piece by piece. but even on the worst of days, i always let go of my negativity and grasp onto my buoy of happiness once again. if i could go back in time and tell sophomore-year bean about her senior year, she would be so, so proud. i used to think my high school experience would just be memories of homesickness and heartbreak, but in a strange, unpredictable way, it has lived up to the fairytale fantasies i've always had about these four defining years of my teens. despite our strained, distant relationship during my childhood, i've closed the gap and become the bestest, lifelong friends with my mom. although i used to see nothing but fake personas and selfishness within my peers, i've made a friend who is my alter ego and a (boy) friend who never fails to make me smile - and i love both of them so, so much. in this world of unfamiliarities and unknowns that used to desperately haunt me, i've managed to find a place to call home.

so this is it, isn't it? bliss. a blanket of comforting warmth like scattered rays of spring sunshine; the homey, cozy smell of freshly-baked bread wafting out of the warm kitchen; everything i've been reaching after, running towards, wanting for myself. to the people that have been there since day one, thank you.

[mandana-the-service-pup]

We have the car back and just got home from Mandanas aquapuncture appointment. She did well. Her back is still tender so at one point she wanted to stop, so we let her. When I asked if she wanted to try again she enthusiastically agreed and held still for the rest of the injections.

I discussed her back problem with the vet and here’s what we know. Mandana has arthritis in her spine (spondylosis). It’s only in one spot which indicates it was most likely her spine trying to stabilize itself after an injury. It was on her 2 year X-rays that the other vet missed, so it had to have happened when she was a puppy or adolescent because it takes some time for the calcification to develop. When I picked her up the breeder said she had her with an adolescent Malinois but had to separate them because the bigger dog was too rough with her. The vet said it’s possible the older dog was playing and came down on her back causing the injury which later developed arthritis.

This video was taken a few days after we brought her home. You can see how arched and tight her back is. I had her evaluated by a vet and asked about some of her behaviors that seemed off. I told him that she has been running and then falling over forward an unusual amount. More than I’ve seen other puppies do, but he assured me she was fine and was a normal healthy puppy.

Besides the breeder reported incident, there are a few possibilities of when it could have happened.

As a puppy, she jumped off some playground equipment as I was walking with her down the stairs. I watched her land shoulder first into the loose mulch and kept a close eye on her but she never showed any limping or soreness after that.

As an older puppy, her longline got caught on the tree when she got the zoomies and when she reached the end it was a hard stop. She was wearing a well fitted harness and didn’t show signs of injury afterwards.

As an adolescent we were playing in the snow and she unexpectedly jumped into the air. When she landed her feet came out from under her. She did seem sore after that. If I asked her to trot she had a barely noticeable limp on one side. It was gone within a day and that was just a couple of months before her X-ray.

All of those things make me cringe. Despite my best efforts, accidents happened. I always tried to follow up with the best care possible and I learned how to better predict her behavior and prevent stuff like that from happening. I would hate to think this lifelong injury is from something I did wrong but in truth it could have been.

The good thing is that the vet doesn’t think she has the progressive genetic version of this Although it’s still possible she could be genetically predisposed to developing it after injury. Most likely she won’t get worse until she starts to age and at that point it’s normal for most dogs to develop arthritis. Surgery is not an option. The only thing we can do is what we’ve been doing:

Rehab her back.

Build up the muscles in her top line through gradual conditioning exercises.

Choose activities she enjoys and if she shows signs of soreness lessen the intensity until she is comfortable.

Watch for any changes that might indicate the arthritis is progressing.

She will never do heavy mobility. She can pick up items for me and maybe on good days she can close doors and turn off lights but I will never ask her to brace and I will never ask her to do forward momentum. Those are two tasks I really needed but it was always a possibility she wouldn’t be able to do heavy mobility work and that’s ok. She is an amazing medical alert service dog (she even did a heart rate alert while she was getting aquapuncture done this morning!) My main concern right now is that she is comfortable traveling and doing public access outings.

I also want to make sure she is stable enough to exercise so we can build up her muscles and keep weight off. I don’t think she will ever be able to do joring but maybe running tandem with me on a bike is something we could work towards. She certainly has the leash skills for it and it’s something she seems to enjoy. In the future we will probably trade in her carpetmill for a slatmill so she can exercise without the added resistance. If she’s comfortable traveling I could take her to the lake for swimming during week days.

There are so many things we can do together. Her lifespan is short. I want to make her time with me enjoyable. Adventures without pain afterwards. And who knows, maybe when things are all said and done we’ll have a little prospect puppy tagging along and learning how awesome it is to be a service dog.