#(lemme know if i need to change anything btw!)

[quietlyblooms]

a possessive kiss that is meant to stake a claim .

kiss & tell | oooh @ofurizen wants chiyo soooo bad ≖‿≖

" 'm sorry i didn't listen. "

the words are tired and spoken between rasped breaths as chiyo holsters her pistols. her arms and legs feel like jello -- a side effect of nearly meeting her end at the gruesome hands of a hulking demon. but there isn't a drop of concern for herself in the pools of brown gazing at v. it's all for him. she'd watched as the creature trampled over shadow, barreling towards the man with such ferocity, and as griffon snatched v out of harm's way, chiyo fired without a second thought. her onslaught drew the demon's attention to her, as she wished, but she didn't have an avian companion to save her from being squashed.

she didn't need one. a well-placed bullet ( read: lucky shot ) sent the demon tumbling to the ground, giving nightmare enough time to manifest and v to finish the job. and thank god.

as v's hair turns from white to black again, chiyo worries she's made him angry. at the very least, she expects to be reprimanded after her reckless display. she's only human. a fragile thing like her shouldn't take risks that aren't in her favor, particularly when she was told to stay back.

green eyes finally meet her own, and chiyo shifts uncomfortably beneath the intensity of v's stare. the need to justify her actions rises in her chest, forces words out that aren't as careful as they typically might be. she cares too deeply to hide it very well anymore. " but that thing wasn't gonna give you a break. i couldn't just stand there. what if you got hurt? " the distance between them is rapidly closing with v's long strides. like she always has, chiyo stands her ground and does not move, brow furrowing and mouth twisting into a frown.

but it is not an argument that v wants. he enters her space not to intimidate her but to pull her closer, eliciting a gasp as his gloved hand grasps her jaw and arm wraps around her. he wants her. the realization winds chiyo, steals the breath from her lungs seconds before v has the chance to, and it's almost embarrassing how easily she melts and molds into his touch then, how readily she stands on her tiptoes so that he doesn't have to bend down quite so far. if he wants her, he'll have her.

his kiss is a hungry, greedy thing, and chiyo is nothing but willing to feed it. he need not tilt her head for a better angle because she does it for him, presses closer without the encouragement of a tighter embrace, though she does relish in it. he need not be insistent for she wants him, too; he must understand that when she is so eager to surrender to his touch. take what you want, her body sighs. one hand slides up tattooed skin to rest delicately at the base of v's throat while the other tangles itself in dark strands and doesn't let go. her mind grows fuzzy, unable to think clearly even as their lips part for air, and chiyo meets v's gaze with half-lidded eyes. she feels the rise and fall of his chest, wonders if his heart beats as fast as hers does.

yours. all yours, her eyes seem to say as she takes hold of the hand that held her jaw and turns her head to press a kiss to his thumb, tilt her face into his palm. a smile tugs at her mouth, bashful and teasing all at once.

" maybe i'm not so sorry. "

[theha1r]

@realmyths liked for a starter!

Steve is quiet as he thinks, the things he's wanted to ask the older, more experienced, vampire weighing on his mind. However, he's hesitant to even ask them, not necessarily because he thinks she won't have the answers - but more so he's not sure if he'll like them. It's the type of things he tries not to think about, but it feels hard to ignore them, in this moment, when he has the chance to hear from someone with the experience. "Does it ever get easy? To outlive nearly everyone you care about? To lose people? To make new connections knowing you'll lose them too someday?" He pauses for a second. "It's only been ten years for me and I've never really made any connections I cared about losing ... until a few years ago." And now he doesn't know how he's supposed to ever live without them.

[savage-rhi]

Magenta 🤬

[ladyseidr]

@nineliabilityrisk asked: ❝ " you can't intimidate me. " from the 'you can't...' prompts [but like. in a smug older brotherly teasing way. freddy is big and scary and foxy is Not] - funtime freddy, to funtime foxy (yes i know i'm late you reblogged it six days ago hush) ❞ ( "you can't. . ." prompts )

Ears sank downwards—visible disappointment as faceplates slid back into place. The height difference when standing before Freddy was significant, although Foxy had attempted to disregard that. "Not at all?" Not even to get his way—he wanted to be the star of the show just once. As though the two of them had any say in that.

Jaw shifted, brows raised. She could change her approach. "Well, of course not!" Her arms widened with a mechanical whir, booming voice taking on its show quality. "I'm not intended to be intimidating. I'm an entertainer first and foremost!" ( Mostly, if he ignored the remnant flowing beneath his shell. ) And here his ears perked back up, a new argument in place. "Which is precisely why I should get to be the leading fox at the next party. You've had your special day, now it's my turn." His eyes flickering over Freddy's face, searching. "With you on my side, I'm certain we can convince them."

[sexhaver]

definitely one of the most difficult moments of my professional career was when i was doing tech support for [REDACTED]'s automated biomed research lab and like. hang on lemme greentext this

>tell them i can fix this issue in half an hour with a remote support session (aka Teamviewer)

>"you want to... control our computers???? over the internet????? like some kind of HACKER???????"

>their IT submits my request to upper management and after two weeks they reluctantly allow me to get remote access to their systems

>by logging into a virtual machine using a 20-digit password and then using a specific program inside of that virtual machine

>while sharing my screen with someone from their IT team the entire time

>finally get remote access to the PC with the issue

>go to open log files to start troubleshooting

>ERROR: User does not have read permissions.

>what the fuck

>ask their IT guy why it's saying that

>"...because we don't want you looking at our stuff, duh?"

>take deep breath before calmly explaining that i need to open files in order to fix their problem

>IT guy submits my request to upper management

>after another week i go through the whole process again but can actually open the log file this time

>cool, it's exactly the issue i thought it was and i know exactly how to solve it

>open the relevant settings file, change a single number, hit Save

>ERROR: User does not have write permissions.

>what the FUCK

>ask IT guy how i'm supposed to fix their system if i can't change literally anything on it

>takes 20 minutes of arguing to get him to admit that maybe i need write access

>he submits the request to upper management

>a week goes by

>upper management denies it

>says i can just verbally tell the IT guy on the call what to type and he'll do it for me

>deep breaths. deep breaths.

>start third remote session

>go to open the relevant .log file in notepad, which isn't the default program it opens with for some reason

>they fucking disabled right clicking

>[REDACTED] has a $118 billion market cap btw

>manage to walk the IT guy through using the command line (which he had never seen before and was scared of) to edit the relevant file

>three weeks go by

>new support ticket in my inbox

>"why didn't your fix fix this completely unrelated issue?"

>they still won't give me write access

>VP of [REDACTED] yells at me in our weekly meeting for taking so long to fix a third unrelated issue they never submitted a ticket for and is also not actually an "issue" but an intended feature of our software that they don't like

>i went to college for this

[k4marina]

— type || s.r

synopsis: some new recruits ask you what your type is

warnings: suggestive language, some military lingo i guess, not proofread btw 🤺

inspired by rules by doja cat

simon”ghost”riley x gn!reader

the inside of the helo buzzed with excitement as it got ready for take off. you and the 141, with a few new recruits were off to a mission. it was quite simple, locate enemy base, eliminate any threats, and safely retrieve the intel.

price, gaz, and soap we’re going in a separate helo while you and ghost had to babysit the newbies in another helo.

you took a seat, shifting your rifle and your hips to get comfortable for the ride. once settled you leaned your head back, eye closed hoping to get some peace before landing at the destination.

“..what? no! you ask them!”

“bruh.. why me? i don’t even say anything about this.”

“bro, martinez, you ask them since you’re so whipped.”

the not so hushed whispering grew louder and you more annoyed. geez, would it kill for some silence?

“lieutenant, i have a question.” the voice came from across where a few new recruits had sat themselves.

with a sight you opened your eyes, tilting your head to look at him. he wore a cocky smile, eyeing the way you sat, staring a little too long. “yes?”

“i was just wondering, y’know, what your type is.” the deck got quite, all eyes on you and the soldier across from you.

“and what do you want to do with that information for?”

“well, i was thinking how about you and me go out for some drinks?”

his friends watched with a mix of awe and horror as their friend tried to hit on his superior. “seems like you’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

he smirked. “what else am i supposed to think about when you’re running around up there.”

god, how you wanted to gag.

you crossed your legs, purposefully moving you hips around, catching his attention.

you licked your lips, “i’ll need devotion.”

“lemme show how much i can give.”

gag.

you shifted forwards, letting your foot touch his leg. a glance down at his pants showed that they’d gotten significantly tighter.

“be honesty,” your voice can out sultry. “do i make you horny, baby?”

he licked his lips. “that obvious?” you huffed, moving away from him with a shit eating grin.

“too bad.”

even under the red light of the inside of the helo, you could see the heat rise up to the tips of ears. “let me give you a few tips. one, don’t talk to your superiors like that and two, you’ve gotta fake gold chain on- change that.”

a few other snickered at the two little jabs you said. martinez sat back with a “yes lieutenant, sorry.”

you groaned, leaning back again only to hear heavy boots stomping up the ramp and down towards the empty seat next to you.

“hey martinez. wanna know my type?” you tilted your head towards ghost walking to you. “that it right there.”

simon sat now next to you, glaring daggers at the recruits across from you, who now could look at anywhere but you.

you looked up at him, watching as his eyes went from them to you. he leaned down to youre ear, “you’re a cheeky little minx, ain’t ya’?”

you gave him a little shrug. “maybe you should take so long next time.”

—

was this rushed? yes.

it’s it still better than nothing? yes.

[all444miles]

can you please do 42!miles with a baddie like a Megan type vibe? SHE HAS A PINK JEEP

💗💗💗💗

— SHE A BADDIE

— pairing: e42!miles x fem!black!reader — genre: fluff — summary: what its like for 42 miles to date a reader with a "baddie like megan" vibe. — a/n : i felt like i was a lil lazy writing this, sorry ! can yall tell i got excited abt the jeep n the attitude part.. its litch what kept me writing this whole thing 😭 also, a car creeper is those lil things u slide under to fix the underside of ur car — a/n 2: changed the way i start writin a jus a lil, petition for head over heels 42 miles supremacy !! + this was so fun.. like i was writing this n i was like "lemme be this when i grow up" LMAOOO so ty for the request anonnn, mwah and enjoy !!

MILES FALLS IN LOVE with you every second. like, honestly, just do anything, he's wrapped around your finger.

maybe he'll try and hide it, but you make him fold 24/7. you dont even have to do nothing.

it's just something about your energy, the way you dont give a damn about nothing, he just loves it. y'all are like beast boy and raven.

"mama, you killin' me right now." "hm? did i do somethin'?" "i love you so, so much. i swear, you make me weak." "aww, hun, I love you more." "yeah, keep dreamin'. now, lemme love on you."

hype man, hype man, HYPE MANN

when I say if you want to do anything he's here for it, he's here for it.

you wanna get your hair done? he's at your service.

you wanna go to the mall? he's already throwing you the keys to your jeep.

you wanna get your nails done? show him your options (he always likes the french tips, esp this.)

"Y'know Miles, i think this set ain't looking too good no more.." "You wanna get new nails?" "Mhm, wanna help me pick?" "'Course I do, let's see em."

does not care what you wear, he's always gonna say you look gorgeous. plus, he can fight. but, he's always got his hands on your waist. always.

you're your own girl, he knows that. he spoils you, yes, but he'll always let you do your own thing.

he can't explain it, but when you refer to him as "my man", or your anything, really, it does something to his heart.

yk when latto goes "ty to my man"? yeah, that's you.

"My nails? Yeah, my man helped me pick 'em."

you have attitude. Miles doesn't mind, he's a "yes ma'am" kind of guy, but if it's to him, hes gonna shut you down.

a lot of the times, you won't care, and it won't end in an argument, becuase he's still shutting you down regardless.

"Miles, you lost your shit or sum." "Amor, drop that tone f'me, aight?"

you are a party animal, and Miles? He'll just be in the back, watching you do your thing with your friends. If you ask him to dance with you though, he will for sure.

Will he throw money on you? Yes, yes he will. (Not sexual btw !)

Your jeep. He has his own car, but he honestly loves yours the best.

He helped you decorate it, all pretty and pink

He will happily get in your jeep while you blast Megan or Rihanna because c'mon now, who wouldnt?

I'm insistent he's good with mechanics, so he'll tune your car whenever you need him to, bryson tiller or tory lanez playing while he does so. (i'm losing my shit rn.)

"Cariño, ¿puedes pasarme esa llave inglesa? It's to ya left." (Baby, can you pass me that wrench?)

he'd say, sliding out from the car creeper under the hood of your pink jeep, sliding back in after you passed him the tool.

and after about 15 minutes, he'd come back out, putting a dirty cloth over his shoulder, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

its a sight to see: white tank top, slightly stained with grime from fixing your car; his favorite gold chain glistened in the sun, adorned with beaded glints of sweat from his neck.

"Aight, i think she's good, you can start her up if you wanna." "Yay! thank you for fixing my car, baby, I love youu."

you'd squeal, wrapping your arms around his neck to plant a kiss on his cheek, your pink tinted lip gloss staining his face.

"Ain't no problem princesa, I love you too."

© all444miles 2023. do not plagerize, copy, or repost my work in any way shape or form, without my permission.

likes, reblogs, comments and asks are always appreciated !

[lanawinterscigarettes]

NSFW headcanons for Jennifer Check and a submissive male S/O?

Anon I love you sm for sending this request in 🥺💗

Jennifer Check with a submissive male s/o nsfw headcanons

Warnings: SMUT, (mean) femdom, submissive male reader (physical descriptions of the reader are pretty vague so this should be able to be read by either cis or trans readers. Lemme know if there's anything that needs to be added or changed)

Jennifer has a more dominant personality in general but it'd definitely be more prominent if her s/o was a guy

Hates being told what to do, but she may humor you every now and then to see just how far you'll go and just how bratty you'll get. It makes the punishment afterwards even more fun

Speaking of punishments, they tend to include spanking, edging/overstimulation, and being forced to watch her get off alone

The last one is her personal favorite. She loves fingering herself while taunting you, saying things like "I don't really need you anyway, I can get myself off just fine without you"

You're not allowed to touch yourself when this happens either :( not that she'd let you cum even if you were

She is such a power bottom!!! fight me on it lol

Listen she loves being in control but hates having to do all of the work y'know what I mean

That doesn't mean she won't tell you what to do though, she's still very bossy even on the bottom

Will flat out tell you if what you're doing isn't pleasing her/is wrong in any way. Sometimes she'll be condescendingly sweet while correcting you and other times she'll just roll her eyes as she grumbles out instructions

Obsessed with humiliation/pain kinks. She can and will step on you (specifically your crotch) if you allow her to

Makes fun of you if you cry at any point during sex but she honestly loves it so much. She just enjoys humiliating you so you'll cry even more (this feeds into her not-so-secret dacryphilia kink)

Also she will straight up abuse your cock btw, whether that be through edging/overstimulating you to the point of tears or just squeezing you a bit too tightly when jerking you off or allowing her teeth to graze your shaft while going down on you

This goes for if you have a t-dick too. Trans guys are not safe from her rough treatment lmao

Prefers receiving to giving because she loves the feeling of suffocating you between her thighs, whether that's from her laying on her back or sitting on your face

That's not to say she isn't fantastic at giving, though, she just has to be in the mood for it. And don't think that you'll get the chance to take control during this time, not when she literally has you by the balls

If you know about her being demon possessed, then believe me when I say she is fully intent on visiting you directly after her, ahem, meals because of how horny the bloodlust makes her. Oh, you don't find her all that attractive covered in sweat and the blood of her most recent victim? That's fine, you can just help her get cleaned up in the shower afterwards ;)

I think she'd be fairly good at pegging because of just how whiny and pathetic she can make you, but she hates all the work that goes into it. Getting her to be on top for an extended period of time is something that happens once in a blue moon, like as a gift for your birthday, but if you beg enough you might be able to convince her to pull out the strap-on. I just hope you like riding, because that's one of the requirements of it

She loves riding btw. Doesn't matter who's riding who, it's one of her favorite positions (and also one of the only times that she'll willingly top without any complaints)

Every session ends with you being marked up in some way, shape, or form. Hickeys, bite marks, bruises, scratches, the whole nine yards. If you want to mark her up too, then go right ahead, she fully supports it and is honestly a little disappointed if she doesn't have at least one physical reminder afterwards

If you piss her off enough but she still wants to have sex then she'll make you fuck her without being allowed to cum the entire time. Or she might finger herself and have you fuck her thighs/tits as a way to torture you

Adores any and every little sound you make. Moans, groans, whimpers, whines, etc. She wants to be able to hear you, which means you're expected to be loud enough to be heard over her own noises

She really doesn't mind fingering you or eating you out, but only if you beg enough. And then she has to hear your soft cries of pleasure while she does it, even with your face shoved into the pillows while you're on your knees with your ass up, or she'll stop. She just loves torturing you what can I say

Anything involving public sex is completely on the table. If she's feeling a bit less controlling one day she might wear a vibrator and give you the remote control to it, but if you tease her too much then your controller privileges will be taken away and you'll be forced to wear the vibrator every day for the rest of the entire week with it up to the highest setting as a punishment

Such a brat tamer. She loves to mock and belittle you while putting you back in your place for acting out, and that includes taunting you for getting aroused when she spanks you for getting an attitude with her

Even if you do behave she's still going to be a little mean unfortunately. She just can't help the way you look at her all cutely with tears in your eyes as you beg to cum (or in some cases stop cumming if you've been at it for a while)

End notes: okay I went a little crazy while writing this due to my excitement but I wanted to cover the most topics as possible (and I'm a little horny for Jen but really who can blame me)

Likes < reblogs | comments are greatly appreciated | requests are currently open

Main masterlist | Jennifer's Body masterlist | wanna be added to my taglist?

🏷 taglist: @missmewts @iloveentrapta @ghot-girl @taecube @corn3liiia @gilmore-angel @your-next-daydream @alexxavicry @noisy-dumb-piece-of-shit @lovelyy-moonlight @red1culous

[andhumanslovedstories]

Hey so your post about pain management as a bedside nurse is so important to my own nursing practice that I've considered printing it out so I can have it to hand all the time. So thanks for that. Also, how do you deal with assignments that are busy enough that pain management is harder than it should be? I'm coming up on two years as a nurse and I feel like I take it personally when I am too busy to adequately manage my patients pain. I'm also coming from a newly unionized hospital where the ratios are still horrendous (I do 1:10 on med surg) and I'm hoping once we can enforce our staffing grids it'll be better but idk I'm burning out and I love my job so much and I really respect your nursing philosophy? I guess. Sorry for the word vomit it's been a crazy shift.

I've been trying to think of how to answer this since I got it. It's just such a horrendous ratio. With ten patients a shift, that's like six minutes an hour for each in a fantasy world where there's no charting and everything is exactly where you need it to be. I feel like I don't have great insight into this because the most med surg patients I've had assigned is five. Ten patients to one nurse is just a raw deal for everyone. Like christ no wonder you feel like you're burning out! I'll give you what thoughts I have and hopefully other people can chime in if they have suggestions. But that's such a hard patient load.

When I've been super swamped, I've found that's when being really explicit about your thinking with the patient helps. Like if I have to dash into a room and then dash back out, I'll make sure the board is updated with the next medication time and that the patient knows when the medication is going to kick in. I'll also provide call light parameters. I have a lot of success telling people, "the med should be doing something by 5:30. If I haven't checked in with you by then, and the pain is unchanged or barely changed, hit your call light and we'll try the next step. Also hit your call light if you feel any sudden change, like now you're nauseated or you have a headache or the type of pain changes or something just feels very wrong. Is there anything you need before I step out of the room?"

I like to be explicit about when to call me because I think there's two directions call light usage can go wrong: someone calls all the time, or someone never calls. With someone who calls all the time, I find that telling them when I'll be back and that I want them to call me if I'm not takes away some of that anxiety that can causes some people to call frequently. Often those patients are afraid that if they aren't on the call light, they're gonna get ignored.

For the other type of patient, the one that doesn't call, I want to make explicit that it's GOOD AND NORMAL TO CALL YOUR NURSE WHEN YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS. We've all had that patient at the end of shift who goes, "btw the gnawing pain in my leg is now a 10/10" and you're like "what gnawing pain sir?? you've literally never mentioned it before now?? I don't have any meds for that lemme page super quick????" These patients can get into pain crises easily because they don't ask for help until something is unbearable. In addition to pain crisis bad, it takes a lot more time to deal with something unbearable than it does to deal with something uncomfortable.

On that note, are you spending your very limited time efficiently? To me, that actually means spend more time talking with patients, at least up front. Manage expectations, make sure people know what to expect. Having conversations with patients that are like, "You just had surgery, it's not gonna happen that we get you completely painless. We want to get you to a manageable pain level that allows you to do whatever it is you most want to do this shift." (For me on nights, that's usually sleeping at least a little, but sometimes the realistic goal you make together is that you will feel at some point better than you feel right now.) "You have this medication scheduled, and you have this one available every X hours when your pain is severe. Is there anything you know that helps you deal with pain?"

Also establish if patients want to be woken up for certain prn medications or if they're sleeping, to let them sleep. With some patients, I will advise them to get woken up for pain medication because I know that they're going to need consistent control to avoid a crisis. (Crises take so much time!)

When I'm crunched for time, I'm fond of bringing in an ice pack and being like "if it works, great, if it doesn't, just take it off, either way here it is." Sometimes I'll do the same with a warm blanket. If I know my patient needs to take pills, I'll bring a cup of water with me into the room. If there's a basic prn like melatonin or tylenol that I think they might want, I'll pull them in advance. If the patient doesn't want them, I return them next time I'm in the med room. (Obviously, don't do this with controlled substances. It's super easy to forget to return them, and not returning opioids is one of those whoopsies people get fired over.)

Decision making takes time. Walking to go get stuff takes time. I want to save the time it takes to assess if the patient needs those things and then walk off to fetch them by just having the things already. If your tightest resource is time, be liberal with resources you can spare. If you're stuck with a patient, do you have anyone you can delegate a prn med pass to? Do you know how to do the absolute minimum charting you need to? Do you have flushes and alcohol wipes and whatever other most common things you need? And since you can't hoard time, if you've got some to spare, ask yourself if there is anything you can do now that will save you time later. If you have five free minutes now and an incontinent patient, getting them up to the bathroom now can save you from taking the time for incontinence care and a bed change later on when they've also sundowned and decide they hate everything but most of all you.

So much of this answer I realize is investing as much time upfront as you can, which I realize is so hard when you are so busy. It sucks immensely that prepping takes much less time than not being prepared does when you don't always have time to prep. Plus when you invest that time to pain plan with patients and do small preventative interventions, I think it also provides some psychological comfort that helps with pain. You're letting them know you're invested and you care and you have a plan, even if you don't have all the time you'd like. That can mean better pain control, which can mean needing to spend less time in that room overall, meaning you can save six whole minutes at some point and maybe even, if we're feeling crazy, get a chance to indulge in that greatest of indulgences: just a real leisurely on-shift piss.

[cerismo]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

masterlist

PART 8 . . .

⭑.ᐟ characters . . . toxic!rafe x toxic!fem kook!olivia wilson

.ᐟ.ᐟ genre . . . angst to fluff. slowburn.

꩜ .ᐟ warnings . . . cussing. arguing

ᝰ.ᐟ mo yaps . . . damn you guys i’m so sorry for how long this is… lemme know yall opinions on rafe. ALSO i just realized it’s only 10 pics allowed bro 😔 btw school is tomorrow guys so i dont know how my uploading schedule will be i’ll try to make it like 3pm

Liv entered her house, the weight of the day pressing down on her as she climbed the stairs to her room. Her mind was still spinning from everything that had happened with Rafe. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something between them had shifted. She found herself replaying their conversation, the way he had looked at her, and the unexpected softness in his voice when he had thanked her. It was all so different from the usual back-and-forth banter and the heated arguments that had defined their friendship for so long.

As she reached her room, she collapsed onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She wasn’t sure what to make of it all. Were they really on the verge of something more, or was she just imagining things? They had been friends forever, but lately, it felt like there was something else simmering beneath the surface, something neither of them had been ready to acknowledge. She let out a long sigh, trying to push the thoughts aside. There would be time to figure things out later. Right now, she just needed to decompress.

But as she lay there, her phone buzzed on her nightstand. She reached over to check it, half-expecting another text from Rafe. Instead, it was from Sarah.

Sarah: Hey, are you okay? I heard everything. Do you want to talk?

Liv hesitated for a moment before replying.

Liv: I’m fine. Just a lot to process. Rafe is really going through it with his dad.

Sarah: I know. It sounded pretty bad. How’s he holding up?

Liv: He’s putting on a brave face, but I can tell it’s eating at him. We talked for a bit, but I don’t think anything’s going to change unless he stands up to Ward.

There was a pause before Sarah’s next message came through.

Sarah: You know, I’ve been thinking… You two have been through so much together. Maybe it’s time you both admit that there’s more to this than just friendship.

Liv’s heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t ready for this conversation, not now. But Sarah had always been perceptive, and it was hard to dismiss her words.

Liv: What are you talking about?

Sarah: You know exactly what I’m talking about. Everyone else can see it, Liv. You and Rafe are more than just friends. You always have been.

Liv stared at the screen, her mind racing. Was it really that obvious? She had always known there was something more between her and Rafe, but she had never allowed herself to fully explore it. It was too complicated, too risky. They had been friends for so long, and she was afraid of ruining that.

Liv: It’s not that simple, Sarah. We’ve always been this way. We fight, we make up, and then we move on. That’s just how we are.

Sarah: Maybe But don’t you think it’s time to break the cycle?

Liv didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to dismiss Sarah’s words, to brush them off as just another one of her friend’s attempts to play matchmaker. But deep down, she knew Sarah was right. There was something between her and Rafe, something that had always been there but had never fully surfaced. Maybe it was time to face it head-on.

Liv: I don’t know, Sarah. I need time to think.

Sarah: Take all the time you need. Just don’t let fear hold you back. You deserve to be happy, Liv. And maybe Rafe is part of that.

Liv sighed, setting her phone down. Sarah’s words lingered in her mind as she closed her eyes, trying to push the thoughts away. But they kept coming back, unbidden and relentless. Maybe it was time to stop running from whatever it was she felt for Rafe. Maybe it was time to finally confront the truth.

————

The next morning, Liv woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly. She groggily reached for it, expecting more texts from Sarah. But when she saw Rafe’s name on the screen, she sat up, her heart racing.

“Hello?” she answered, trying to sound more awake than she felt.

“Hey,” Rafe’s voice came through, sounding tired but relieved. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“It’s fine,” Liv said quickly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “What’s up?”

“I… I stayed the night in my car,” Rafe admitted, his voice tinged with embarrassment. “I just couldn’t go back home after what happened with my dad.”

Liv’s heart ached for him. “You should have come back. You know you’re always welcome here.”

“I didn’t want to impose,” Rafe said, but there was a softness in his tone that told Liv he was grateful for her offer.

“Rafe, you’re never imposing,” Liv said firmly. “You’re family.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Liv could almost picture Rafe’s conflicted expression.

“Thanks, Liv. I needed to hear that,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Why don’t you come over now?” Liv suggested, trying to lighten the mood. “We can grab some breakfast or something.”

“Yeah,” Rafe said after a moment. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll be there in a bit.”

————

By the time Rafe arrived, Liv had made coffee and was idly scrolling through her phone, trying to keep her nerves in check. When the doorbell rang, she jumped up, nearly spilling her coffee in the process. She set the cup down and hurried to the door, opening it to find Rafe standing there, looking a little worse for wear but managing a small smile.

“Hey,” she greeted, stepping aside to let him in.

“Hey,” Rafe replied, stepping inside and glancing around as if expecting to see her mother lurking somewhere nearby.

“She’s out, on a business trip,” Liv said, reading his thoughts. “It’s just us.”

“Good,” Rafe said, visibly relaxing. “I don’t think I could handle the mom interrogation right now.”

Liv chuckled, leading him to the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Please,” Rafe said, sinking into a chair at the table.

She poured him a cup and handed it to him, sitting down across from him. They sipped their coffee in silence for a few moments, the tension from the previous night still hanging between them.

“So,” Liv finally said, setting her cup down. “How are you feeling?”

Rafe sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Like crap, honestly. I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore, Liv. I feel like I’m just… stuck.”

Liv nodded, understanding all too well. “Maybe you need to take a step back, Rafe. Stop trying to live up to your dad’s expectations and start figuring out what you want.”

“I don’t even know what I want,” Rafe admitted, his voice full of frustration. “I’ve spent so long trying to please him that I’ve lost sight of everything else.”

Liv reached across the table, placing her hand on his. “Then maybe it’s time to find yourself again. To figure out what makes you happy.”

Rafe looked at her, his eyes searching hers as if trying to find the answers he needed. “What if I don’t know where to start?”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” Liv said softly. “I’ll be here, every step of the way.”

For a moment, they just sat there, their hands still clasped together, the air between them charged with something unspoken. Liv’s heart was pounding, her mind racing with thoughts she had tried so hard to suppress. But as she looked at Rafe, she realized she couldn’t deny it any longer.

“Rafe,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Rafe’s eyes flickered with curiosity, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. “What is it?”

Liv took a deep breath, her heart in her throat. “I… I think I’ve been lying to myself. About us. About how I feel.”

Rafe’s expression shifted, a mix of surprise and confusion crossing his features. “What do you mean?”

The tension between them was palpable as they stood in the kitchen, their hands still clasped together. Liv's heart raced as she confessed her feelings, her voice trembling slightly. “I think I’ve always felt something more for you. But I was too scared to admit it, even to myself.”

Rafe’s eyes widened with shock, his grip on her hand loosening. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, the silence between them stretching on uncomfortably. Liv’s heart sank, fearing the worst, but she held her breath, waiting for his response.

“I’ve felt it too,” Rafe finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked away, as if gathering his thoughts, before adding, “But we can’t do this, Liv.”

Liv’s brow furrowed in confusion, her breath catching in her throat. “What do you mean?”

Rafe let out a shaky breath, his expression hardening. “I mean, this—whatever it is you’re feeling—it’s not real. We’re just caught up in the moment. It’s probably just some leftover feelings from when we were kids, but it doesn’t mean anything.”

Liv’s eyes widened, hurt flashing across her face. “Rafe, don’t do this. You know it’s more than that.”

But Rafe shook his head, forcing himself to stay firm. “No, it’s not. You’re just confused, Liv. And honestly, I’m not interested in making things more complicated than they already are. We’ve been friends forever, but that’s all we are. That’s all we can ever be.”

His words were like a slap in the face, leaving Liv reeling. She stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears as she tried to process what he was saying. “You don’t mean that.”

Rafe forced himself to look her in the eye, even though it hurt more than he could ever admit. “I do. This… whatever this is, it’s not going to happen. We’re not right for each other, Liv. You need to move on.”

Liv’s heart shattered at his words, the rejection cutting deeper than she’d ever imagined. She felt a surge of anger and pain, and before she knew it, she was pushing him away, her voice shaking with fury. “Get out.”

Rafe hesitated, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him, but he knew he couldn’t stay. Not after what he’d just said. “Liv…”

“Get out!” Liv repeated, her voice cracking. “I don’t want to see you right now. Just go.”

Rafe’s face tightened with regret, but he forced himself to turn away and leave. He didn’t want her to see how much it hurt him to do this. As the door closed behind him, Liv stood there, the silence of the house pressing down on her.

Tears streamed down her face as she reached for her phone, her hands shaking as she dialed Sarah’s number. She needed to talk to someone, someone who would understand.

Sarah picked up after the first ring, her voice bright and cheerful. “Hey, Liv! What’s up?”

Liv tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat, a sob escaping instead.

“Liv? What happened?” Sarah’s tone instantly shifted to concern, and Liv could hear the worry in her voice.

“Sarah,” Liv managed to choke out, her voice trembling. “I need you.”

“Okay, I’m coming over,” Sarah said quickly. “Just hang tight, Liv. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Liv nodded, even though Sarah couldn’t see her, and hung up the phone. She sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as the tears continued to fall. She had always known her feelings for Rafe were complicated, but she had never expected him to shut her down so harshly. It felt like her heart had been ripped out, leaving a gaping hole where their friendship used to be.

She didn’t know how she was going to face him again, how she could ever go back to the way things were. But for now, all she could do was wait for Sarah, the one person she knew she could count on, the one person who would understand just how much this hurt.

————

Liv sat on the floor of her bedroom, her back against the bed as she hugged her knees to her chest. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her body shook with the aftermath of sobs. The room felt unbearably quiet and cold, and the only sound was her ragged breathing.

The door creaked open, and Liv looked up to see Sarah stepping inside. Sarah’s expression softened with concern when she saw the state Liv was in. Without a word, she crossed the room and sat down beside her best friend, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

“Liv, I’m here,” Sarah whispered, pulling Liv closer. “What happened? Talk to me.”

Liv leaned into Sarah’s embrace, her body trembling with a fresh wave of tears. She tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat, coming out in broken, choked sobs.

“Sarah, I—” Liv’s voice cracked, and she buried her face in Sarah’s shoulder, her tears soaking the fabric of Sarah’s shirt. “I was so wrong. I thought… I thought Rafe felt the same way, but… he doesn’t. He told me it wasn’t real, that it’s all in my head.”

Sarah’s heart ached for her friend as she gently stroked Liv’s hair, trying to soothe her. “Oh, Liv. I’m so sorry. He really said that?”

Liv nodded, her tears falling faster now. “Yeah. He said… he said it was just leftover feelings from when we were kids and that we’re not right for each other. He made it sound like… like I’m crazy for even thinking there could be something between us.”

Sarah’s jaw clenched in anger at Rafe’s words. She knew her brother could be stubborn and difficult, but she hadn’t expected him to be so harsh with Liv, especially when she knew deep down that Rafe did care for her. But this wasn’t the time to voice that; Liv was already hurting enough.

“Liv, you’re not crazy,” Sarah said firmly, holding Liv a little tighter. “You’re not imagining things. You’ve known Rafe for forever; you know how he is. He’s always been afraid of his feelings, and he probably panicked because he didn’t know how to handle what he was feeling.”

Liv shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, Sarah, he was really clear. He told me we’re just friends and that’s all we’ll ever be. I thought… I thought there was something more, but I was wrong. I’ve been fooling myself this whole time.”

Sarah pulled back slightly to look at Liv, her eyes filled with empathy. “Liv, I know this hurts, and I’m so sorry he made you feel this way. But don’t let what he said make you doubt yourself. You’re not wrong for having feelings. You’re not wrong for wanting more.”

Liv’s breath hitched as she wiped at her eyes, her voice breaking. “But what if he’s right? What if I just imagined it all? Maybe I was just desperate for something that was never really there. I feel so stupid, Sarah. I should’ve known better.”

Sarah shook her head, gently cupping Liv’s face in her hands. “No, Liv, you’re not stupid. You’re one of the smartest, strongest people I know. It’s okay to want love, and it’s okay to be vulnerable. But you didn’t imagine anything. Rafe’s just too scared to admit his own feelings, and instead of facing them, he pushed you away. That’s on him, not you.”

Liv’s lip quivered as she tried to hold back another sob, but it was no use. She broke down again, crying into Sarah’s shoulder. “It just hurts so much. I feel like I’ve lost him, Sarah. Not just whatever we could’ve been, but our friendship too.”

Sarah’s own eyes welled up with tears as she held Liv tighter, her voice thick with emotion. “I know, Liv. I know it hurts. But I’m here for you, okay? No matter what happens with Rafe, I’m always going to be here. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Liv clung to Sarah, her sobs gradually subsiding as she drew strength from her friend’s comforting presence. “Thank you, Sarah,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll never have to find out,” Sarah replied softly, brushing a stray tear from Liv’s cheek. “We’ll get through this together. And whatever happens with Rafe, you’ll be okay. You’re stronger than you think, Liv.”

Liv nodded weakly, her heart still aching but slightly less heavy knowing she wasn’t alone. As she sat there with Sarah, she realized that, while her feelings for Rafe were undeniable, she couldn’t let this crush her completely. She had to find a way to move forward, even if it meant doing it without him.

For now, though, she was content to stay right where she was, wrapped in the warmth of her best friend’s embrace, letting the pain slowly start to heal.

————

The past two weeks had been agonizing for Liv. Every time she passed Rafe, she couldn’t help but glance his way, hoping for even the slightest acknowledgment. But he never looked at her, not once. It was as if she didn’t exist to him anymore, and that hurt more than anything. The cold shoulder from someone she’d been close to for years left her feeling lost and abandoned.

Rafe, on the other hand, had thrown himself into work, trying to make the best of the opportunity his dad had finally given him at Cameron Development. Ward had extended a tentative olive branch, and Rafe knew he couldn’t afford to mess this up. But no matter how hard he tried to focus, Liv’s face kept creeping into his thoughts. Every time he passed her and forced himself to look away, it felt like a tiny piece of him was crumbling inside.

Liv had tried everything to get over him. She’d spent hours pacing her room, talking herself into and out of the idea that she was better off without him. Sarah and the Pogues had been her constant companions, trying to cheer her up and convince her to move on. But the weight of Rafe’s rejection lingered in her chest, making it hard to breathe, let alone forget.

The invitation to the party had been the last thing she wanted to accept, but Sarah and the others had been relentless, hounding her for days until she finally caved. Maybe, she thought, if she tried hard enough, she could make Rafe see what he was missing—or at least convince herself that she could move on.

————

The night of the party, Liv stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. She’d spent extra time on her makeup, making sure she looked perfect. If Rafe was going to see her tonight, she wanted to make sure he couldn’t ignore her. She wanted to prove to him—and herself—that she could move on, that she didn’t need him.

She had a plan, one that had been forming in her mind since she’d agreed to come to the party. JJ had always been a close friend, and if anyone could help her distract herself from the pain, it was him. Maybe if she made a move on JJ, Rafe would finally feel something—anything—other than indifference.

The party was already in full swing when Liv arrived with Sarah and the Pogues. The music was loud, the house packed with people dancing and laughing. Liv could feel the nervous energy in her stomach, but she pushed it down, plastering a smile on her face as she greeted her friends.

JJ, ever the charmer, was quick to offer her a drink and keep her laughing. He had no idea what Liv had planned, but he was more than happy to keep her company, making sure she was having a good time.

As the night went on, Liv started to feel a little more relaxed, a little more like herself. She caught glimpses of Rafe across the room, talking to a few of his friends. He looked good—too good—and her heart twisted every time she saw him. But he never once looked her way, never acknowledged her presence.

Finally, Liv decided it was time. She was done waiting for Rafe to notice her. She turned to JJ, her heart pounding, and leaned in close. “Hey,” she said softly, her voice almost drowned out by the music. “You wanna dance?”

JJ grinned, clearly pleased by the attention. “Of course,” he replied, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.

They moved to the music, their bodies close, and Liv tried to lose herself in the rhythm. She could feel JJ’s hands on her waist, his breath on her neck as they danced, but all she could think about was whether Rafe was watching.

And he was. From across the room, Rafe had spotted them, and the sight of JJ’s hands on Liv’s body sent a surge of jealousy crashing through him. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check, but the anger was building, bubbling up inside him until he couldn’t contain it anymore.

He pushed his way through the crowd, his eyes locked on Liv and JJ, and before he knew it, he was right in front of them. The music seemed to fade as Rafe grabbed JJ by the shoulder, yanking him away from Liv with a force that made everyone around them stop and stare.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rafe spat, his voice low and dangerous.

JJ stumbled back, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. “Chill, man. We’re just dancing.”

Rafe’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. “You think you can just put your hands on her like that?”

Liv stepped in between them, her heart pounding. “Rafe, stop,” she demanded, her voice sharp. “What are you doing?”

Rafe ignored her, his gaze still fixed on JJ. “You know damn well she’s not yours to touch.”

JJ’s expression hardened. “And who the hell are you to say that? You made it pretty clear you didn’t want her.”

The words hit Rafe like a punch to the gut, but he didn’t back down. He took a step closer to JJ, his eyes blazing with anger. “Back off, JJ. I’m warning you.”

But before things could escalate further, Liv shoved Rafe back, her own anger flaring. “What the hell is wrong with you, Rafe?” she snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. “You literally turned me down and told me to move on, but when I try to, you just get all fucking jealous? Why is that?”

Rafe was stunned into silence, the weight of her words crashing down on him. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He didn’t have an answer, not one that he was willing to admit, even to himself.

Liv shook her head, tears of frustration and hurt welling in her eyes. “You don’t get to do this, Rafe. You don’t get to push me away and then act like you care. If you didn’t want me, then why are you here now, trying to mess this up for me?”

Rafe’s chest tightened, his mind racing as he searched for something—anything—to say. But all he could do was stand there, his emotions a tangled mess inside him.

Liv took a step back, her voice quieter now, but no less filled with pain. “Just go, Rafe. I’m done. You made your choice, and I’m making mine. Leave us alone.”

JJ stepped forward, his gaze still wary, but his hand reached out to take Liv’s. Rafe watched as Liv allowed herself to be led away, his heart shattering with every step she took. He wanted to stop her, to say something that would make this right, but the words wouldn’t come.

As Liv walked away, Rafe felt the full weight of what he’d lost—and what he might never get back. He had pushed her away, thinking it was for the best, but now all he could feel was the gaping void she’d left behind.

Liv, meanwhile, forced herself to keep walking, her hand gripping JJ’s tightly. But as soon as they were out of Rafe’s sight, she let go, the tears she’d been holding back finally spilling over. She turned away, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

“Liv…” JJ began, unsure of what to do, but Liv shook her head.

“Just… take me home,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

JJ didn’t argue. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her out of the party and into the night. As they walked, Liv’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, regret. But beneath it all was the deep, unshakeable pain of knowing that Rafe didn’t feel the same way she did, and that maybe he never would.

Back inside, Rafe stood alone on the dance floor, the echoes of their confrontation still ringing in his ears. He had thought he was doing the right thing by letting Liv go, but now, as he watched her leave with someone else, he wasn’t so sure. The jealousy, the anger—it was all too much, too confusing. But one thing was clear: he couldn’t get Liv out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

And now, he might have lost her for good.

————

The next day dawned with a gray sky, the overcast weather mirroring the heavy mood that had settled over both Rafe and Liv. Liv had barely slept, her mind replaying the events of the night before on a relentless loop. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Rafe’s face—his anger, his jealousy, the way he’d looked at her when she confronted him.

She had woken up feeling like she’d been hit by a truck, her eyes swollen and puffy from crying herself to sleep. She didn’t want to get out of bed, didn’t want to face the world and the reality that Rafe Cameron didn’t care about her the way she’d thought—hoped—he might.

But the world moved on, even when you felt like it shouldn’t. Liv eventually forced herself up, took a shower, and threw on a pair of sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. She needed comfort, and the idea of trying to look put together felt impossible.

Downstairs, Sarah was waiting with two cups of coffee, her expression a mixture of concern and determination. “You’re coming with me today,” she announced, handing Liv one of the cups.

Liv groaned, slumping into a chair at the kitchen table. “Sarah, I can’t. I just want to stay in bed and forget about everything.”

Sarah shook her head, sliding into the chair across from her. “Nope. I’m not letting you do that. You need to get out of your own head for a bit. Besides, I have errands to run, and you’re coming with me. We’re going to distract you with some much-needed retail therapy.”

Liv sighed, taking a sip of the coffee. She didn’t have the energy to argue. Sarah was relentless when she had her mind set on something, and Liv knew there was no getting out of this. Maybe it would help, she thought, if she could just stop thinking about Rafe for a few hours.

Meanwhile, across town, Rafe was having a morning of his own. He had barely slept either, his mind plagued by the memory of Liv walking away from him at the party. The gnawing feeling in his chest wouldn’t go away, and he couldn’t shake the image of her with JJ from his mind. The jealousy had taken him by surprise, and it scared him. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to care this much.

But he did care, more than he was willing to admit, even to himself.

Ward had noticed his son’s distant demeanor over breakfast, but he hadn’t pressed the issue. Rafe’s relationship with his father was still tense, even after their tentative truce. Ward had given him the opportunity at Cameron Development, but the pressure to perform—and not screw up—was ever-present.

“Got a meeting with the contractors at noon,” Ward reminded Rafe as he stood by the door, ready to head out. “Don’t be late.”

Rafe nodded, barely registering the words. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

Ward hesitated for a moment, eyeing his son. “Rafe, you’ve been distracted. Is there something going on?”

Rafe shook his head, forcing himself to meet his father’s gaze. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine.”

Ward didn’t seem convinced, but he let it go. “Good. Just make sure you’re focused. This deal is important, and I’m counting on you.”

As his father left, Rafe sank into the couch, rubbing his hands over his face. He knew he needed to get his head in the game, but every time he tried, his thoughts drifted back to Liv. He kept replaying their argument, hearing her voice accusing him of jealousy, and he couldn’t deny that she was right.

But what was he supposed to do about it? He’d already pushed her away, convinced himself it was for the best. He didn’t deserve her, didn’t deserve the mess of feelings he had for her. But seeing her with JJ had stirred something in him that he couldn’t ignore. And now, all he could think about was how he’d lost her.

————

Later that afternoon, Liv and Sarah were out at the mall, wandering through the stores. Sarah chatted away, trying to keep Liv’s mind occupied, but Liv was only half-listening, her thoughts still stuck on Rafe. Every now and then, she would catch herself scanning the crowd, almost hoping she might see him, even though she knew how ridiculous that was.

“Liv, come on,” Sarah nudged her, holding up a dress she’d found. “This would look amazing on you. What do you think?”

Liv blinked, pulling herself out of her daze. “Huh? Oh, yeah, it’s cute,” she said absently, though she didn’t really care.

Sarah frowned, dropping the dress and turning to face her. “Okay, enough of this. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Liv sighed, leaning against a rack of clothes. “I’m just… I don’t know, Sarah. I’m trying to move on, I really am. But every time I think I’m getting somewhere, I just… I can’t stop thinking about him.”

Sarah’s expression softened. “Liv, I know it sucks. But you can’t let Rafe get to you like this. He’s not worth all this pain you’re putting yourself through.”

Liv bit her lip, tears threatening to spill over. “But what if I was wrong, Sarah? What if I just imagined everything? Maybe he never felt the same way, and I was just deluding myself.”

Sarah shook her head, pulling Liv into a tight hug. “You weren’t wrong, Liv. I’ve seen the way Rafe looks at you. He’s just too damn scared to admit how he feels. He’s an idiot, but that doesn’t mean you’re crazy.”

Liv clung to her friend, the tears finally breaking free. “He told me it wasn’t real, Sarah. He said I should just move on, but I can’t. It hurts so much.”

Sarah held her tighter, letting her cry it out. “I know, I know. But you’re stronger than this, Liv. You’ll get through it, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”

Liv pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “I just… I wish things could go back to how they were. Before all of this.”

Sarah smiled sadly. “I know. But sometimes, we can’t go back. We just have to keep moving forward.”

Liv nodded, though it didn’t feel like much of a comfort. She knew Sarah was right, but it didn’t make it any easier. She wasn’t sure how to move forward when every step felt like it was leading her further away from Rafe—and the life they used to have.

————

As the days passed, Liv tried to take Sarah’s advice to heart, but it was easier said than done. Every time she saw Rafe around town or passed him in the hallways, her heart would ache, and she’d find herself sinking back into the same spiral of confusion and hurt. The distance between them was unbearable, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to bridge it.

Rafe, on the other hand, was struggling just as much, though he refused to let it show. He threw himself into his work at Cameron Development, determined to prove to his father—and maybe even to himself—that he could handle the pressure. But no matter how hard he worked or how many deals he closed, he couldn’t shake the gnawing sense of emptiness that had settled in his chest.

Two weeks after the party, the tension between them was palpable, a thick fog that neither of them could see through. It was as if they were both waiting for the other to make the first move, but neither was brave enough to take that step.

On a particularly gray morning, Liv woke up with a knot in her stomach. The weight of everything that had happened in the last few weeks felt heavier than ever. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Rafe in days, and the silence was driving her mad. She couldn’t keep living like this, trapped in a limbo where nothing made sense.

She spent the morning pacing her room, trying to decide what to do. Should she call him? Should she just let it go? Every option seemed fraught with the possibility of more pain, and she wasn’t sure she could handle that. But doing nothing felt even worse.

Meanwhile, Rafe was sitting in his office at Cameron Development, staring blankly at the stack of paperwork in front of him. He’d been doing his best to focus on his work, but today, it felt impossible. His mind kept drifting back to Liv—her face, her voice, the way she’d looked at him the night of the party. He couldn’t escape the feeling that he’d made a huge mistake.

By noon, Liv couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she found Rafe’s number. Her finger hovered over the call button, her heart pounding in her chest. What if he didn’t want to talk to her? What if he just ignored her? The thought was terrifying, but she couldn’t keep living in uncertainty.

Before she could change her mind, she hit the call button and held her breath, listening to the dial tone. It rang once, twice, and then—

“Hello?”

Rafe’s voice on the other end made her heart skip a beat. For a moment, she was too stunned to speak, but then she forced herself to respond. “Rafe… it’s me, Liv.”

There was a brief pause, and Liv could almost hear him trying to decide how to react. “Hey, Liv,” he finally said, his tone guarded. “What’s up?”

Liv took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Can we talk? I… I can’t keep doing this, Rafe. We need to figure this out.”

Another pause, and this time, she could hear the tension in his voice when he replied. “Yeah, okay. Where do you want to meet?”

Liv glanced at the clock. “The beach? In an hour?”

“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll see you there.”

When she hung up, Liv felt a mixture of relief and dread. She had no idea what she was going to say, but at least they were finally going to talk. It was a step forward, even if it felt like she was walking into the unknown.

————

An hour later, Liv stood on the beach, the wind whipping her hair around her face as she stared out at the ocean. The waves crashed against the shore, and for a moment, she let the sound of the water calm her nerves. She had always loved the beach, and even now, it was the one place where she felt like she could breathe.

Rafe arrived a few minutes later, his hands shoved into his pockets as he approached her. He looked different—tired, maybe, or just worn down by everything that had happened. But then again, she probably looked the same.

“Hey,” he said, stopping a few feet away from her.

“Hey,” she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

They stood there in awkward silence, both of them unsure of where to start. Finally, Liv took a step closer, her eyes searching his for any sign of what he was thinking.

“Rafe,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t know how we got here, but I hate it. I hate that we’re not talking, that we’re avoiding each other like we’re strangers. I miss you. I miss us.”

Rafe’s expression softened, and for a moment, Liv thought she saw a flicker of the old Rafe, the one who had been her best friend for so many years. But just as quickly, his guard was back up, and he looked away, his jaw clenched.

“I miss you too, Liv,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I don’t know how to fix this. I… I don’t want to hurt you again.”

Liv took another step closer, reaching out to touch his arm. “You’re not going to hurt me, Rafe. We’ve both made mistakes, but that doesn’t mean we have to keep hurting each other. We’ve been through too much together to just… let it all go.”

Rafe looked down at her hand on his arm, and for a moment, Liv thought he might pull away. But instead, he reached up and placed his hand over hers, his touch warm and familiar.

“I don’t want to lose you, Liv,” he said quietly. “But I don’t know if we can go back to how things were.”

“Maybe we don’t have to,” Liv said, her voice soft but determined. “Maybe we can figure out something new. Something better.”

Rafe looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. “Do you really think we can do that?”

Liv nodded, squeezing his arm gently. “I do. But we have to be honest with each other. No more games, no more pushing each other away.”

Rafe hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Okay. No more games.”

They stood there for a moment longer, the tension between them finally starting to ease. It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was a start—a fragile truce that they would have to work hard to maintain. But for the first time in weeks, Liv felt like they might actually be okay.

They walked along the beach for a while, talking about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other’s company. It felt almost like old times, and for the first time in a long time, Liv felt a glimmer of hope that maybe they could find their way back to each other.

But the next day, reality came crashing back down on them.

Rafe had to return to Cameron Development, where the pressure from his father was ever-present. Ward wasn’t satisfied with Rafe’s progress, and every day felt like a battle to prove himself. And then there was the tension with Liv, still simmering beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to boil over again.

Liv, on the other hand, was struggling with her own demons. Despite the tentative peace she and Rafe had found, the uncertainty of their future weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still unresolved between them, something that needed to be addressed before they could truly move forward.

But for now, they both tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the fragile connection they were trying to rebuild. They weren’t quite there yet, but they were trying—and maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.

tagged: @flouvela, @monroesturnns, @pankowblues, @venusxsturnio

[voidsteffy]

Anand (S/O Satyamurthy) x fem!OC

A/N: Um so hi 🧍🏽‍♀️Please read this and lemme know how you like it in the comments. This man is my pookie bear, and also this movie plays on the tv whenever I ask for it to ok? This is My Movie. And also @mahi-wayy asks and I deliver again, what can I say🤗 btw, timeline may be skewed ignore that, it fit that way. No trigger warnings except the mention of death. Not proofread.

Word count: 2.2k words

More than grief, grief of a person who they know dying an untimely death, everyone’s face he saw outside his house that day had a glimmer of joy. Joy of his family’s downfall, which would mean they had something to gain from it.

Coming out of that room, having written off all the assets to save his father’s honour, it was the first time Anand had felt truly alone. There was a family depending on his every step now. His mother who saw her husband die ; his brother wasn’t himself after the death and his sister-in-law who was truly herself at the moment - strong and stern ; his little niece, the innocent girl who still couldn’t understand why her grandpa hadn’t come home for dinner.

“Amma…” he sat his mother down. She didn’t have any interest nor want of grandeur, but what he did was going to all but drag them onto the streets.  “I had to sign away all the properties. They asked me to claim bankruptcy but I couldn’t drag his name through mud.”

She nodded, suddenly older than he’d remembered leaving her, and held his shaking hands.

“Nandu, your father was Satyamurthy.” (dignified man who tells the truth)

He didn’t have it in him to smile, but years later, he’d look back to that moment and find some courage to smile. “Was. And always will be.”

He planned to sit there until someone called him, until someone needed more from him than his signature. But from the bustle in the house, one voice suddenly stood out.

“How dare you manipulate my client into this trap?! Don’t you realise we can move the court for untimely misrepresentation of information? Just because you’re benefiting from—”

“Listen here, Mrs. Lawyer. If you think I’m standing here in this house by my own free will, think again. I stood no benefit from the shitshow that just took place in that room. I simply gave him his options and—”

“And who are you to give him options? Don’t you think I’m unaware of your motives here Mr. Sambasiva Rao. Henceforth, whatever communication you’re to have with my client, will be through me. I’d suggest you leave these premises unless you want me to drag you and your friends here for their claims of bankruptcy in the past.”

It was a confusing day for Anand, but for a moment he could think of something other than death, debt and his future.

“And it’s Miss Lawyer to you sir! Get out of my sight!”

The owner of the angry voice rounded the corner of the living room, and walked straight into Anand.

“Swapna?”

What was she doing here, fighting battles in the hallways?

She’d changed, from when he last saw her. Her brows were furrowed, nostrils flared from the argument, and her eyes outlined generously by kajal that gave her a divine resemblance. Hair almost falling out from her unkempt bun and files and papers held close to her chest, Swapna re-entered Anand’s life in his favourite dark teal sari.

“Nandu.” she froze.

Maybe she was unnerved by the stoicism on his face or the cluelessness when he asked “What are you doing here?”, that she beckoned him to sit immediately.

“Hey… How are you?”

“I could be better.”

“But you didn’t choose to be better, did you?”

Her accusation, he realised quite quickly, was gentle. He sighed, “What are you doing here, Swapna? Really…”

“I’m the family lawyer, I need to execute the will before anything can be surrendered as debt paid off.”

Anand looked up, imagining his father’s all-knowing smile.

What have you planned, Nanna?

-

Swapna was the first and last friend he remembered making. Every other friend in his life just came and went, but Swapna… he couldn’t forget her if he tried. Her father, despite being too young to be a father and as much of a successful businessman as he was— shared a faint friendship and acquaintance with Anand’s father. With both her young parents working during school years, Swapna stayed back at Anand’s house more often than not. She was more of a favourite in his house than he himself was. She always had the depth of oceans in her heart when she spoke, the world on her shoulders. Always a serious and loyal daughter, law student, friend and as time went on, his girlfriend.

They didn’t specifically share it with anyone, and no one suspected anything intimate going on with them, nothing different from the normal familiarity. They were each other’s warm embraces and without realising the gravity of his plans, a young Anand already had a diamond ring hidden deep in his cupboard meant for the love of his life.

She had been fidgety and moody after graduating, but Anand chalked it up to fear of the future, and anxiety about revealing their relationship to their parents.

Until the week after her graduation from law school, she was invited to Anand’s home along with her parents for something important. 

His parents wanted Swapna to be married to his brother.

Anand hadn’t known about the proposal until it was staring him in the face as a wedding invitation card in the middle of his living room.

Instead of a yes, the entire house sunk in silence, Swapna standing at the centre of it with a guarded ashen face.

“Forgive us if we were too forward amma,” his father smiled sheepishly. “We’ve always thought of you as a part of our family, and became eager at the thought of you being the daughter of this house.”

It was true. Anand saw the emotion behind his father’s statement. But he also saw his brother’s refusal of this proposal. He loved someone. Anand knew this because he had met that sweet, stoic someone just a day ago when she had proposed marriage to his brother.

Swapna had tears in her eyes, shaking hands wiping it away fervently before she shook her head.

“I’m sorry uncle, but I don’t belong in this house.”

She’d looked right at Anand after she’d said it, and she walked away from years of friendship. Years of being with each other, from this house she felt like she didn’t belong in.

Behind her, her parents apologised and left him to pick the pieces of his mother’s and father’s broken hearts.

The day after that, Swapna had flown to Australia for her post-graduation and left Anand behind. With the ring still back somewhere in his cupboard, buried beneath years of friendship and excuses for her.

-

“Hello!”

“Hello?” his sister-in-law’s stoic voice clicked him out of his anger. All that rage that had been boiling within him melted his bones and his legs felt like jelly.

Anand crumpled into the nearest chair. “Ah, hello. Vadina…”

“How are you, all okay? You sound like you’re stressed,”

He snapped his fingers at Param, gesturing him back out from all the earlier plans of leaving. Life had a way of reminding his purpose lately, and it always seemed to squash him more than humble him.

“Nothing like that vadina! How are amma and sweetie?”

“We’re doing okay—”

“The wedding will be done in a few days. We’ll pay the school fee the minute I come back.”

“I didn’t call for that mister.”

She didn’t sound wounded. Three lakhs was not a small amount to have not stressed about. Instead, in her serious reply, a tinge of concern touched him. Seemed like a part of his father lived on in her. She wasn’t infinitely kind like him, or perennially smiling, but till this day he felt like he left his mother at home with his father. Nothing would happen to anybody because vadina had his back.

“But that’s what I came here for.”

After a few instructions on keeping his health from deteriorating any further, his sister-in-law bid goodbye. He was left to accept green flowers and a lot of stupid nonsense from the old man parading around the mandap. But Anand would do it. For his family.

-

After the party with the groom and Pallavi’s social friends, he sat there at the half-built mandap in the dark after hours, ID card twisted around his wrist like a tourniquet, a reminder of why he was doing this job.

Anand didn’t need a reminder of what whirlwind life had been lately, but bringing Sambasiva Rao to the same wedding he was incharge of was fate’s cruel game.

“Nandu…”

For the past few days, ever since he had called Swapna to look over his contract with Bhadra after realising it was Pallavi’s wedding, she hadn’t left the venue. He behaved like he didn’t see it, but Param and Sameera were somehow always near her to chauffeur her or check on her necessities. If she noticed the special treatment, she didn’t say anything. They began to get closer, bridging the silence of all the years she was away with a conversation here and there while she helped him with stuff way above her paygrade. She didn’t mind, she said, not if it gave her an excuse to talk to Anand.

So that evening, when she approached him like he was a panicked deer, he couldn’t help but give a small smile.

“Hi.”

In seconds, there was a cup of warm coffee in his hands.

“For the hangover. I got it when it was hot actually. But I couldn’t find you that easily.”

“Really? Where did you look?”

“The edge of a cliff for starters.”

A laugh bubbled out of him, which made her crack a smile too. She never could bear it if Anand was moody. She took the change in his demeanour as encouragement and continued with a dramatic sigh.

“And then the bar, and then under some classless businessman’s classless booted foot.”

“So that’s where you found me.”

“Nope, no luck there either,” Swapna’s skirt swirled as she turned about and sat down beside him, “Because you got out from under it.”

It took Anand but a second to remember that for a long time, they had depleted their woes just being there for each other.

No one had been there for him in a while.

“Sameera told me what happened, she feels bad.”

“If I had a buck for everytime someone felt bad that something embarrassing happened to me, I’d have enough money to pay my bills.”

“She’s not someone though,” Swapna offered, “She’s Sambasiva Rao’s daughter.”

“Oh great, now the one friend I’ve made over here is cruel by blood.”

There was no rebuttal from Swapna. It was almost 3 in the morning and the nearest light was a blinking lightbulb somewhere far near the welcome carpet. It was just them, shoulder to shoulder, but Anand felt Swapna slip away like he hated to see all those years ago.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

She shook her head, “No, no you didn’t… I’ve just been wanting to tell you something about Sambasiva Rao.”

“Okay?”

“And everytime I try to pluck up the courage and tell you, it just ends up feeling like the wrong time and then I don’t end up telling you which brings us back to the same—”

“Swapna…” his fingers shushed her lips, rough and calloused just like they were back then. He was closer now, and he whispered like he was okay with her panic. “The time is right now, it’s ok, tell me.”

“Nannu maa parents dattata theeskunnaru,” (“I was adopted by my parents.”)

His brows furrowed.

Swapna rolled her eyes, “Oh my god, speeches you can make, but where’s your mind when it comes to connecting information? Nandu!” she whisper-yelled to continue their conversation. “I was adopted as a kid!” she looked at him like he had to make a comment about it, he assumed.

“Oh my God I’m so sorry,” he hit his temples like he was begging his mind to work, “Sorry! When did you know?”

“The day I graduated…”

He paused. Wait, that meant—

“That was why I rejected the proposal that day… Anand, all those years ago, when I said I didn’t belong with your family, that was because I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere.”

Anand wrapped his arm around her, and like it was muscle memory, her head rested in the nook of his arm.

“So you didn’t hate my family?”

“No! When you weren’t picking up my calls, I called your parents and told them about everything in detail. Aunty said she’d tried to make you talk to me many times, but you hadn’t agreed.”

That was right, and Anand felt his muscles clench at how close he had been to getting her back. If he had just thought about his mother’s requests, then he would have talked to Swapna and gotten the love of his life back. He wouldn’t have been away on his bachelor trip when his father died.

He hesitated, taking in the information when something clicked.

“Wait, what does that have to do with Paida?”

“Because he’s my birth father.”

The world all but gave way under his feet, and Anand wished he could blame it on the alcohol. Swapna didn’t make a big note of him being still quiet, assuming he was just processing what to say.

“So, you singular friend - Sameera is my sister, and by that connection… We’re both cruel by blood if you look at it that way.”

Anand looked up at the stars.

What is this Nanna?

A/N: So.... tada? There can be a part two of this if y'all don't shoo me out of this site after reading this. Also, notice how only his mother and Swapna call him Nandu.

[wyrm-town]

Btw, since it apparently needs to be said, here some tips on how to actually support someone dealing with a delusion/psychosis. This is from my personal experience as well as advice found online, so might not be perfect, but it should hopefully serve as a decent guideline.

CW: Brief examples of delusions that may trigger unreality.

Do NOT insist that said person is delusional/psychotic if they are not open to the idea. A small “do you think this could be a delusion?” may be okay. What is not okay is being pushy about it if they’ve rejected the idea. This will only make them trust you less.

DO be sympathetic. For example if someone were to say “I know I’m being watched.” You should say something along the lines of “I’m sorry you’re going through that, that sounds really scary. Is there anything I can do to help?” You have to understand that in the moment their delusion is reality to them, whether they recognize it’s a delusion or not. Treat it with as much sympathy and kindness as you would for something thats real to you.

DO avoid indulging in the delusion. Although you typically shouldn’t outright deny the delusion, feeding into it usually isn’t helpful either. Here’s an example: someone says “I know the world is going to end soon.” You SHOULDN’T say “Thats terrible! Is there a way we can stop it, or is there anything you wanna do before it ends?” You SHOULD say “That’s terrible! I can’t imagine how stressful it must be carrying that weight. Is there anything fun you wanna do to distract yourself?”

DO use distraction techniques. Changing the subject of conversation and finding fun things to do with this person is a great help in taking their mind off the delusion. My psychosis is most manageable when I’m with my friends or engaging with something entertaining like a show or game. You can find a lot of distraction techniques online or by talking to a psychologist!

Okay lastly, this is not universal. Everyone is different and therefore will have different needs and experiences. If you have a loved one with psychosis the best thing you can do is ask them what they need from you when they’re struggling with a delusion. If any changes need to made please lemme know as I want this to be helpful!

All the love to everyone with psychosis, all the systems, and especially all the psychotic systems out there!!

[goldenempyrean]

sick!reader x yelena with the prompts: “Relax, its just a cold.” and "You know we own tissues for a reason, right?" where nat and wanda invite them over to a game night. reader sneezes and sniffles the whole time. when the girls realize their friend is feverish, they team up to take care of her (I hope you don’t mind doing yelena)

Game Night

〚 Notes - Wow! We’re back to getting to normal requests now, its been a long time! Hopefully you enjoy ;) Also, what are we thinking about this new post layout? Lemme know, I need outside opinions. Btw this fic is totally unedited as well ;) 〛

〚 Summary - You didn’t feel great. That was true. But you’d never admit that, especially not during game night. But what happens when your girlfriend finds out?〛

〚 Wordcount - 1300 〛

〘 Check Out My Masterlist! 〙

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“Hey guys, come on in!” Wanda smiled as she stood aside to let yourself and Yelena into her apartment.

Atleast once a month, you and your girlfriend Yelena always made time to head over to Natasha and Wanda’s apartment to spend a fun night catching up, watching movies and playing board games. It was a great way to catch up, and it allowed for the four of you to establish a pretty close bond which always came in handy during missions.

Only tonight was a little different, truth be told you didn’t exactly feel great. Your throat was uncomfortably scratchy and there had been that dull ache lingering in your head. If you were being honest, you would’ve preferred to stay home, curl up and try to sleep off whatever bug you’d caught before it hit you in full force but you couldn’t do that to Yelena. While you both loved these get-togethers, it was her who benefited the most. It was a chance for to spend time her sister and there was no way you’d cancel on that.

So you opted to stay silent. Sitting down in the living room, you were greeted by Natasha had who laid out a selection on board games.

“Which one do you wanna play first?” She asked, kissing Wanda’s cheek as she came to sit down beside her.

“I don’t mind.” You said but your voice ended with a rasp, sending you into a small coughing fit, “Sorry! Something just caught on my throat there.” You lied seeing Yelena glance towards you, a worried look behind her eyes.

“Let me get you some water” Nat offered, giving your shoulder a comforting squeeze as she stood up, “You lot should pick a game in the meantime.”

By the time Natasha returned with your water, the group had settled on playing Monopoly. Everything was great for the first half an hour, and everything had been going smoothly. That was until the pressure in your sinuses had gotten painful, giving you a rather unpleasant headache which you’d been your best to ignore but Yelena had caught you massaging your temples one too many times.

She waited until both Natasha and Wanda had left the room to grab snacks before turning to you, cupping your cheek as she looked over you, “Are you alright? You’ve been rather quiet today.”

“Im fine ‘Lena.” You tried to assure her, even adding a forced smile for good measure, “Just a little tired, that’s all, don’t worry.”

“Are you-“ She began but stopped seeing that Nat and Wanda had returned with food.

“Everything okay?” Wanda asked as she set down a bag of Doritos onto the coffee table, noticing the slight change in atmosphere.

“Yep, everything’s fine, me and Y/N were just-“

“Hh’tshoo!”

“Bless you.” The room chirped, but you couldn’t help but feel the anxious eyes of Yelena scanning over you once again.

“Im fine.”

“I didn’t say anything.” She smirked.

Over the next few hours, all you could do was sniffle. Nothing seemed to stop the constant running at the back of your nose, not to mention the headache which had felt like it amplified tenfold. But this time it wasn’t just Yelena who’d picked up on it, both Natasha and Wanda had noticed too. But you were desperate to see the night through, you had too.

Thankfully your sniffles seemed to die down for a little bit, well, that was until you’d felt that knowing tingle at the bridge of your nose and whilst you tried to tight against it, there was nothing you could do to stop it.

“Eiiishiew! Hh’ttshoo! Hh-hih’iiishiew!”

“Oh goodness, bless you!” Yelena cooed, rubbing her hand down your back as Wanda used her powers to levitate a box of tissues towards you.

“You feeling okay Y/N?” Natasha asked, exchanging uneasy glances with everyone, sharing her sister’s concern.

“Im fine, I swear, it’s probably just-“ You paused to yawn, unable to stop yourself from sniffling damply afterwards, “Im okay.”

The anxious faces of the three women met your own and your shoulders dropped seeing their concern, the concern which only grew seeing you break off into a series of deep chesty-sounding coughs moments later.

“You don’t sound very well.” Wanda said, being the first the voice the collective thoughts of the room.

At Wanda’s statement Yelena reached over and pressed her hand over your forehead, sighing deeply feeling your overly-warm skin, “I think you’re feverish sweetie, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Relax ‘Lena.” You sniffled, running your sleeve beneath your nose, grimacing as the rough texture irritated it, “Its just a cold, I’ll be fine.”

Nat and Wanda gave each other a knowing look and excused themselves from the room, letting the two of you talk privately.

“You know theres tissues here for a reason, right?” She sighed, pressing a bundle into your hand, “You been feeling icky all day?”

Taking the tissues, you blew your nose, before nodding. Not resisting when Yelena sighed again as she pulled you into a hug, “What are we going to do with you, ey? You’ll be okay sweetie.”

“I know but I didn’t want to spoil your night. I know you love it when we get together with Nat and Wanda, its really fun and I didn’t want either of us to miss out.” You sniffled before sneezing down into your tissue bundle, earning yourself a sympathetic noise from Yelena.

“You haven’t spoilt anything, I just hate to think you’ve been sat here not feeling well the whole time. I’d even say we could take you home right now but look.” Yelena paused, turning your attention to the window. Harsh rain had begun to pour from the skies outside, “Its pouring down. And theres no way I want us to walk back home in that weather, not with you already being ill.”

“We might have a solution for that.” Natasha smiled as she re-entered the room, followed closely behind by Wanda who was holding two small bottles.

“We thought maybe you’d both like to stay the night? Especially with the weather taking a turn for the worst outside.” Wanda offered before holding out the two bottles of medicine towards you, “This should help a little bit dear.”

“Thanks Wanda.” You gave her a small smile, setting the bottles next to you.

“I think sleeping over is a great idea though.” Yelena agreed, giving the two women a thankful nod, “Should we take your guest room?”

Natasha pursed her lips, “Actually, we’re currently doing up that room, the beds are in pieces at the moment but Wanda and I already agreed that Y/N should take our bed for the night, sleeping on the sofa isn’t going to help them feel any better.”

“I cant take your bed!” You tried to exclaim however the roughness of your throat caused you to break off into a fit of harsh coughing.

Yelena sighed again whilst cupping your cheek, “You definitely have a fever sweetie.” She affirmed, “You feel warmer then earlier.”

“We should get them to bed then.” Nat added, “You’ll feel better, cmon.”

With that said, Yelena helped you stand and you both followed Natasha and Wanda to their bedroom. Following their instructions as they guided you to lie down in their bed and it really wasn’t long before you were asleep. You really did need it afterall.

“They’ll be okay, they’ve probably just caught some kind of bug.” Natasha whispered to her sister as Wanda laid another blanket over you before coming to side beside her girlfriend.

“Thanks for taking care of them. It means a lot.” Yelena smiled, leaning down to press a tender kiss to your forehead before quietly leaving the room, letting you rest peacefully, “Hopefully they feel better in the morning.”

“Im sure they will.”

[faulty-writes]

Hey faulty, it’s currently 4am and I’m feeling really sick rn aha. Could you maybe do a oneshot of Iida x fem reader where she gets sick at night? Like they’re on a camping trip with the class 1A and they end up having to share a bed? (Cliché ik but I love this trope sue me) and she gets sick at night. I’m talking fever keeping her up until 3am then going to the restroom in the bedroom to puke. She doesn’t want to wake up iida and tries to just deal with it alone.. but she ends up waking iida up anyway when she goes to the restroom. She got so hot that she had to take off her t shirt but left the sweats on. She’s in a white tank top btw. (For plot you’ll see) Iida knocks on the door bc like he’s worried ya know? She says it’s open and then a few min later after talking, she asks him to bring her a black tank top from her luggage bc the one she has on is kinda see through. She’s red from the fever btw. Iida brings it and she turns her back and just slips it off to replace it with the black one. Normally shy but friendly reader would feel embarrassed in changing in front of him (and even being in a tank top) , but at this point, she feels like dog water so she doesn’t care. When she quickly slipped the white tank over her head, iida gets flustered (you know naturally bc u know girl he likes). He’s gonna turn around (or act how iida acts) but he sees some scars on her back for just 2 seconds. This leads to late night caring and reader opening up about trauma from rich parents. (Think like Killua from hxh just for the abuse he went through- parents wanted to make reader really strong and we’re obsessed over it-she’s in a better home now tho with a relative)

iida and fem reader are in the “I kinda like you a lot but I’m not going to do anything bc I love our friendship rn phase.”

Could you make it cute and fluffish and domestic? (I think that’s how u use that word lol) Reader and iida grow closer through it too. I’m sorry this ask is so specific lol, I have a vision in mind. I also think sweet shy fem reader x iida is really cute. (This is not self indulgent at all aha😂)

It’s ok if ur not up to it.. tho I would be really happy if u did write it up. I love ur fanfics!! Been a fan for like 3 years even before I had tumblr!(❁´◡`❁) just lemme know if ur busy rn or don’t wanna write it! No pressure. :)

Thank you!

[ Alright! Sorry this took a bit, but I hope you're feeling better and I hope I did this story justice. It was kind of fun to write, I like the whole "I like you but need to stay friends" trope because it can always grow into something more. Anyways, I tried to make Tenya flustered just enough in this fic. I love embarrassing him. ]

“Are you most certain you’re correct?” Tenya urged, and Izuku held up a piece of paper muttering under his breath. “That’s w-what I counted,” he replied before yelping when Katsuki grabbed the back of his head. “Shut the hell up already!” he snapped before glaring at Tenya.

“Who the hell cares if two of us have to share a damn bed!? It’s your fault for not accounting for this, four-eyes,” he growled, making Tenya frown in response. “I am afraid that I did not anticipate the weather causing our pre-scheduled camping trip to be postponed,” he explained, slightly annoyed by Katsuki’s behavior.

He wanted to make graduation special and insisted that Class A take a camping trip. However, due to the rainy weather and the persistence of his female classmates, the choice to pull over and book hotel rooms for the night was made.

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Katsuki responded, releasing his hold on Izuku. “Come on you spikey-haired idiot!” he growled at Eijirou who nervously chuckled. “Well, I guess that means Bakugou and I are taking the first room,” he said.

“Best of luck figuring out who shares the one-bedroom suite for the night!” With that, he waved goodbye and chased after Katsuki. “Mineta and I can share a room!” Kaminari announced. “Yes, and Jirou and I can share a room,” Momo said.

“Mm, very well,” Tenya replied, looking at Izuku and Shoto. “I assume you two wish to share a room,” he said. “Oh w-well uh…” Izuku tried to reply but Tenya ignored him. You were sitting on one of the provided chairs in the lobby of the hotel, remaining quiet as you watched the scene unfold.

You coughed and cleared your throat a few seconds later. “Are you okay Y/n?” Tsuyu questioned laying her hand on your back. You nodded. “Uh, yeah just a bit of a sore throat,” you replied, rubbing it to ease the discomfort.

“Everyone please, pair up in groups of two and take a room key!” Tenya announced, and you looked at Tsuyu. “Go ahead,” you said, waving her away. “I don’t care who I spend the night with,” you soon regretted those words when only Tenya and you were left.

“Forgive me,” he said, unlocking the hotel room and turning on the light. “I hope this accommodation does not cause discomfort for you,” he said, gesturing you into the room. He could hear a steady stream of rain hitting the window and vicious thunder rumbling outside.

“I guess this camping trip turned out...s-sour, huh Iida?” you tried to joke, but he didn’t seem to find any humor in your words. Your smile faded and you folded your hands in front of you, focusing on the floor. ‘Well, that didn’t turn out the way I wanted’ you thought with rosy cheeks.

You moved out of the way when Tenya walked into the room, placing the bags on the floor by the bed. He insisted on carrying yours, and it didn’t come as a surprise considering he was a gentleman. “Are you feeling well?” he asked, noticing your reddened cheeks.

“Uh…w-what?” you replied, snapping your head up and trembling when he glared at you. “Are you feeling well?” he repeated. “Um, I uh, y-yeah I’m f-fine,” you choked out, thinking that your sore throat was nothing more than the rain irritating your allergies.

“I see,” he walked over to the bed and asked, “Do you prefer sleeping on the left or right side?” You knitted your eyebrows, unsure what he meant. “Uh, w-whichever side is fine,” you replied but knew your answer wouldn't satisfy him, so you thought of a diversion.

“I wanna take a...a shower!” you exclaimed, trying to ignore his now suspicious glance. The worst part was that you could barely stand looking at his gorgeous eyes. “Very well, you are welcome to freshen up in the shower. I trust you have the appropriate slumber wear, yes?” he asked, adjusting his glasses.

“Uh, y-yes,” you said. Maybe taking a relaxing shower would alleviate your throat soreness. “I’ll um, just g-get them from my s-suitcase,” you said, pointing to it. “Um, t-thanks for carrying it for me, uh, b-by the way,” Tenya nodded.

“I do not believe it would be appropriate to expect a lady to carry her luggage,” he explained, watching you open the suitcase and look through it for your sleeping clothes. Once you gathered everything, you scurried to the bathroom and shut the door behind you.

“What is wrong with me!?” you hissed, walking to the large tub, and turning on the water. You stripped your clothes off and carefully climbed inside, sighing in contentment as the water eased your body’s muscles. You lay there for what felt like hours before carefully climbing back out.

Droplets of water fell from your body, creating a rhythmic pattern as they hit the floor. You drained the tub before walking to the sink. You placed your hands on the counter and looked at your reflection in the mirror. You felt a bit odd and wondered if you had spent a little too much time in the tub.

Well, maybe you’d feel better when you lay down. Once you had dried off, you slipped on a white tank top, a short sleeve shirt, and a pair of sweatpants. “The b-bathroom is free,” you said, walking past the bed. “Hm?” Tenya was sitting on the right side of it reading a book.

“Oh, I see. Thank you,” he replied, closing his book, and placing it on the nightstand near the bed. You closed your eyes, feeling an overwhelming urge to lie down. You pulled back the blanket and sat, pressing one hand against the mattress to feel its firmness.

You looked up when Tenya stood, although he didn’t say anything when he gathered his sleeping clothes and headed to the bathroom. You took a deep breath, coughing softly when you laid your head down and pulled the blanket back over you.

The sound of running water accompanied by the rain and thunder that still bellowed outside helped you drift off to sleep, but a few hours later you woke up sweating. “Ah…” you blinked, feeling exhausted, and reached up to touch your forehead. ‘Why am I so hot?’ you thought, wiping your face dry.

Hearing soft snoring, you turned your head. Tenya was lying beside you in blue pajamas and a matching sleeping cap. His face looked content and part of you wondered what he was dreaming about if he was dreaming about anything at all.

‘Maybe this fever will go down if I keep resting’ you thought as you closed your eyes and tried to relax your body. Unfortunately, you found yourself restless and your fever grew more severe, making you whimper on occasion. This combined with the nauseating feeling growing in your stomach finally made you sit up.

“I’m gonna barf…” you muttered, turning to look at Tenya to ensure he was still asleep. The last thing you wanted was to wake him up, especially after all the planning he had put into this camping trip. Besides, maybe it was better you dealt with this by yourself as you never wanted to burden others. You winced, holding your stomach as you stood.

You swallowed hard, tasting acid on your tongue. You turned to look at Tenya one last time before scurrying to the bathroom quietly. Your breathing was heavy and sweat dripped from your skin so profusely that your clothing stuck to your skin making movement uncomfortable.

As you swallowed again, you slowly pulled your arms inside your shirt. You intended to take it off despite being hunched over the toilet. You sighed in relief when the cool air hit your skin, somewhat thankful you made the choice to wear a tank top underneath said shirt.

At the moment, it didn't matter to you that it was white and see-through. You closed your eyes and wiped the sweat from your brow, your mouth salivated so much it dripped down your chin. You dry heaved, feeling your stomach twist until its contents splashed into the toilet.

When you coughed, Tenya's eyes fluttered open and he turned his head, noticing you absent from the bed. He sat up slowly and grabbed his glasses. He was more than certain the noise that had woken him was you.

It was natural that he wanted to check you were okay, so he stood up and walked to the bathroom, noticing that the door was closed. He pressed his ear against it growing more concerned when he heard heavy breathing, followed by sniffles. He frowned and paused before knocking three times.

You snapped your head up, eyes wide but vision blurry as you looked at the bathroom door. “Y/n, do you require assistance?” he asked, and you latched onto your lip to suppress the gag threatening to come. The inside of your mouth tasted sour, and your throat burned.

You shifted your eyes back and forth, knowing if you didn’t answer soon, he’d likely do something drastic. “I…” Your voice was weak, but you tried to push through it. “I…I don’t know,” you replied, before wiping your eyes with the back of your hand.

Your answer alarmed Tenya, and seconds later he heard a toilet flush followed by running water. “What is the matter? Are you feeling ill? Are you injured?” he questioned, feeling ridiculous for talking to you through a door. You took a deep breath, resting your hand on your stomach.

You looked at your reflection in the mirror, noticing your hair was disheveled and your cheeks red. Your eyes looked swollen and irritated, in other words, you were a mess. “I…just…” Maybe it would be better if he saw for himself.

“Um, t-the door is open,” you said reluctantly. “Very well, may I enter now?” came his reply. “…yeah,” the door squeaked, and you wrapped your arms around yourself before turning to face him. His eyes widened upon seeing you, noting your irritated-looking eyes and reddened face.

He didn’t want to assume anything, but you certainly looked ill. “Forgive me, but you look rather...ill and I do not believe I have a thermometer so I cannot take an accurate measure to confirm or deny any possible fever,” he replied, tapping his chin. “I…I’m not running a fever,” you lied.

He narrowed his eyes and reached out. “Pardon my touch,” he said, pressing his hand against your forehead. Yes, it was a rather outdated method to use, but it would allow him to feel your temperature regardless. “Hm,” he raised his eyebrows and lowered his hand.

“Your forehead is rather warm,” he noted. “May I check your pulse?” You blinked in response, hissing softly when you noticed how dry your eyes felt. “Um…okay?” you replied and gasped when he took your wrist, pressing his thumb against it.

The seconds ticked by awkwardly as you clenched your bottom lip. “Your pulse appears slightly elevated, suggesting possible sickness,” he said, lowering your wrist. “Oh um…” you wrapped your arms around yourself again, suddenly anxious, and self-aware of your see-through tank top.

“Hey Iida,” you said, glancing away shyly. “Yes?” he replied. “Uh…c-could you…get me another tank top? The black one from my luggage?” you asked sweetly, nervously rubbing your upper arms. Tenya knitted his eyebrows together, uncertain why you asked for a tank top when you already had one on.

However, out of curiosity, he glanced down, and his eyes widened. He covered his mouth when he noticed that the fabric of your current tank top was rather…well perhaps it was rude to continue to stare at someone's exposed body.

“Y-yes!” he suddenly shouted, immediately looking away from you. His cheeks glowed a furious red color which was accompanied by a feeling of shame. He knew he should not look at a young lady in such a disrespectful manner. It was improper!

After all, he did not mean to look at you that way, but it seems his mistake caused him a bit of embarrassment. “I would be honored to…” He cleared his throat, trying to ignore the unfamiliar heat that ran through his cheeks.

“I would be honored to assist you, please give me a moment,” he said, promptly turning around and scurrying out of the bathroom. He took deep breaths as he opened your suitcase, searching for the black tank top you requested.

Despite his concern about his fast-paced heartbeat, he believed it to be a natural reaction given his feelings toward you. Of course, he didn't want to ruin your friendship by acting on said feelings. “Here we are,” he said, neatly folding the article of clothing before returning to the bathroom.

“I do hope this is the correct item,” he said, hesitantly holding it out. “Yeah,” you replied, taking it. Unless you were in a relationship or classified yourself as a free spirit there was a certain level of modesty when it came to changing in front of the opposite or even the same sex.

However, given how horrible you felt now you didn’t think twice about turning your back on him and removing your current tank top. Tenya’s eyes widened when he realized what you were doing. His cheeks flushed, and he immediately raised his hand, intent on scolding you, but no words came out.

Despite not anticipating activating his engines, his nervous state made them spark to life and a soft rumbling echoed through the air. “P-pardon!” he stuttered and turned to face the door, feeling his heart accelerate again. “Hm?” You paused and briefly looked over your shoulder at him.

‘Weird…’ you thought, before dropping the white tank top to the floor. A groan escaped your lips as you slipped the black tank top over your head. While he knew it was rude to look at you when you were topless or changing, your groan concerned him enough to make him turn his head.

That's when he noticed the scars on your back, and instead of flushing yet again or feeling embarrassed, he grew concerned. Although your scars looked old and healed, he wanted to know what caused them. It is natural for heroes to receive injuries which then created long-lasting scars.

But yours almost looked…well perhaps it was more appropriate he didn't assume where they came from. He turned his head back, feeling the slightest amount of sweat drip down his face and he almost regretted not having brought a handkerchief to bed.

He cleared his throat, tugging at the collar of his pajama top, and was tempted to undo the first few buttons to cool himself. His cheeks were a deep rosy color, and his engines continued to rumble softly although he hoped they were not too audible.

Just as you finished putting your new tank top on, you heard Tenya clear his throat. “Huh?” you raised an eyebrow when you turned only to stare at his back. “Um...” you stepped closer to him, hesitantly reaching out to touch him.

You stumbled back when he trembled in response and turned to face you, his eyes wide and his face red. You blinked, unsure if you had scared him or if he was beginning to feel sick as well. “Um…a-are you okay?” you asked, your heart pounding in your chest.

“I…” he glanced away. His mind filled with images of those scars, and he lowered his eyebrows in thought. Frankly, he wished to address what he had seen but did not want to appear strange or alarming. Furthermore, he did not wish to force information out of you or make you feel uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat once more and raised his hand, chopping it through the air as he said, “P-perhaps it would be best if we retired to the bed to further address your question.” You knit your eyebrows, not fully understanding him. Then again, did anyone understand Tenya?

Maybe his closest friends, but even they seem baffled by his antics sometimes. You placed your hand on your stomach, somewhat relieved you were feeling better. You shrugged. “Okay?” you replied, following him out of the bathroom. Your fever was still high, and you wiped your brow.

For a split second, you debated running to the ice machine. However, the thought of walking down an empty hotel hallway made you feel uneasy. Come to think of it, you didn’t know how late or early it was, not that it mattered because who knows how long Tenya could take to answer your question.

“Please sit,” he said politely gesturing to the bed. You looked between him and the bed before sitting down as requested. The bed gave a soft squeak when he sat down next to you. The two of you exchanged glances before he cleared his throat.

“I…do not wish for you to think I am being disrespectful when I ask this as I understand personal matters are quite difficult to speak about with those you are not close with,” as painful as it was to admit, despite the many challenges Class A went through together, there was still distance between all of you.

Yes, a few classmates had admitted their personal matters and remorse over certain things or times in their lives. However, he noticed that you tended to keep to yourself. While you were kind and compassionate, there was a shy nature about you, and he had noticed you struggle in social situations before.

“W-what do you mean?” you asked, your voice trembling and your anxiety rising. He was silent for a moment, and you noticed his shoulders were stiff. He shifted his legs almost as though he were uncomfortable, but you swear you heard a soft rumbling.

Was his quirk acting up? You quickly glanced at his face, his eyebrows were lowered and there was an uncertain glance in his eyes. His cheeks were slightly reddened, and his hands were in his lap, but you noticed his fingers were interlocked.

“Forgive me, I believe it would be beneficial if I were to explain more clearly. I…” he took a deep breath, laying his hands flat on his thighs. He cleared his throat again and reached up, tugging at the collar of his pajama top.

“I noticed that there were…rather severe-looking scars on your back.” A chill ran down your spine and you leaned away from him. Your eyes were wide, and he expected you to be angry, but instead a look of hurt and dread spread across your face.

You fisted your hand into your chest and the other into the blanket, keeping silent. Tenya frowned. “I…apologize,” he said, carefully placing his hand over yours but immediately jerked back when you gasped. “I…pardon I did not intend for my touch to-” You shook your head.

“N-no, it’s f-fine Iida,” you replied, despite your heart racing in your chest. “It’s just…” you glanced away, “no...n-no one has asked that b-before.” Then again you weren’t exactly the type to flaunt your body and usually changed in the locker room stall.

You latched onto your lip, the thought of your parents made your stomach twist, and you suppressed a dry heave. “Are you well?” Tenya asked, slightly alarmed, and though you nodded, he wasn’t fully convinced. “Forgive me,” he said, standing up from the bed.

“Perhaps I should not have inquired. I did not wish to make you uncomfortable,” he said, turning with the intent of walking to his side of the bed. “N-no!” you cried out, grabbing his arm. He stumbled back and looked at you bewildered.

“Uh…” You blinked, and your cheeks grew red. You felt so hot you were liable to faint, but you shook your head trying to fight through your anxiety. “S-sorry!” you said, quickly letting go of his arm. You swallowed hard, groaning out of embarrassment.

“Um…I…the s-scars are…” you looked away, rubbing the back of your neck. You felt the bed dip when Tenya sat down again. He wanted nothing more than to comfort you and once again extended his hand, placing it on your shoulder.

Your head shot back, looking at him with wide eyes and parted lips. “Please do not be afraid,” he said, his voice hushed and full of concern. Oddly enough, you smiled and nodded. “Right, s-sorry,” you said, glancing at your lap.

Your throat felt tight, but you forced yourself to speak. “The scars…are from the training m-my parents put me through,” you explained, refusing to lift your head to look at Tenya's expression. You expected him to be worried and maybe even feel sorry for you.

Instead, you gasped when he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around you. He knew it was irrational, and he did not know how you would respond. Although he could not confess the feelings he had for you deep down, he would not stop trying to physically prove it to you.

A part of you wanted to push him away because you weren't used to this type of affection, and because you didn't want him to catch whatever you had. But you couldn't help but melt into his touch. He was aware of the training that was deemed necessary in order to become a worthy and true hero.

However, there were other, unethical training methods such as the ones that Shoto went through that proved to leave long-lasting emotional and physical scars. He could not fathom why certain families pushed their children so hard during training.

Yes, a villain would not be easy on a hero, this much was certain. But to inflict such pain that it left physical scars was unacceptable, and it made righteous anger burn deep within him. However, he took a deep breath, calming himself.

“Forgive me,” he said, pulling away. “I…I do not believe I could help myself,” he stated, bringing his hands to his lap. He knew very well that he let his emotions get the better of him and at this moment, he needed to remain focused.

“Would you favor continuing our conversation?” he asked. “Um…well, my p-parents aren’t heroes but…t-they’re rich and w-when my quirk manifested they...” you paused and curled your fingers inward, ignoring how your nails dug into your palms.

He leaned closer with a serious expression on his face. You closed your eyes, sighing. “They…saw promise in it and…wanted to u-use me as a tool. If their daughter c-could be a hero…then it would boost my family‘s name and...r-reputation.” That spark of anger ignited again, but he held himself back from speaking.

You frowned and opened your eyes. “T-they forced me to train...every day. P-pushed me to my limits, and t-that's why I have...scars on my back. They always t-told me heroes don't feel...pain, they just do whatever it takes to gain f-fame.” Your eyes watered over, but you quickly wiped them.

“The...the m-more pain you can withstand, the more l-love you will receive,” you said, continuing to wipe away the tears on your cheeks. “I-I'm sorry,” Tenya frowned, uncertain how to comfort you. “Please do not apologize,” he said, reaching over to gently grab your wrists in order to pull them away from your face.

“You are likely to irritate your eyes further if you continuously rub them,” he explained before cupping your hands in his own. “I am quite honored that you have shared such memories with me, but are you physically and mentally well?” You glanced down, nodding.

“Yeah…” you replied, tightening your grip on his hands. “I live with a r-relative now….” and you hoped it would remain that way. He leaned closer, making you stiffen out of shyness. “Uh…” you dared to look back up and your face flushed when you locked eyes with him.

“I am…grateful to hear you are safe. Please know that I would never allow anyone, not even the fiercest villain to subject you to such injuries or pain.” While you assumed he was lying, the heroic and loving look in his eyes said otherwise.

And the way he embraced you further convinced you. His arm was tightly around your waist, and when he pulled you close, his opposite hand tangled itself in your hair. Whether it was the fever talking or the fact you were a little touch starved, you wrapped your arms around him in return.

His eyes widened and his heart accelerated. Being this close to you was something he always desired, but knew he could not have. At least not now, but there was always hope for the future. After taking a deep breath, he reluctantly pulled back.

His cheeks burned pink, and he cleared his throat, lifting his hand into the air. “Perhaps it would be best if we retired to sleep,” he suggested, and you turned away shyly. “Oh, uh…” How many hours passed anyway? What time was it? You were tempted to look at your phone but decided against it.

“Please allow me,” he said before standing and walking over to your side of the bed. He pulled back the blanket and shifted the pillows. “Hm,” you looked at him with a blank expression but walked over and sat down.

“Place your legs under the blanket,” he instructed and for a moment, you felt like a young child being tucked in but knew you shouldn’t take it that way. Tenya was just trying to be kind and after everything that happened tonight, it felt comforting to be taken care of by someone.

Once your legs were underneath, Tenya pulled the blanket over you and ensured you were comfortable before walking over to his side. Your face was glowing, and you closed your eyes, wishing your fever to go away. When you felt the bed dip, you mumbled and turned on your side so your back faced Tenya.

He glanced at you but said nothing and removed his glasses, placing them on the nightstand by the bed. Then he lay down with his arms by his sides. His attention was focused on the ceiling for a few minutes, allowing silence and your breathing to ease him to sleep.

Morning came too quickly, and the blinds didn’t stop the sunshine from leaking in. You groaned, fluttering your eyes open. Your head ached softly, and sweat droplets trailed down your forehead. You reached up, intent on wiping it but noticed your arms were stuck.

“Huh?” You looked down, and heat rushed over your face when you noticed a pair of arms wrapped around your waist. Your eyes widened and you turned your head, seeing Tenya’s sleeping face, and realized how heavy his body felt against yours.

You snapped your head back and panicked as you thought of the ways you could get out of this situation. You also thought of how to wake him up without making this awkward. Then again, maybe there was no way you couldn’t make this awkward.

You moved your body and wiggled your arms to jolt him awake. “Iida, Iida!” you hissed out, and he moved his head with a soft mumble in response. A deep breath sounded before he slowly opened his eyes. “Are you…a-awake?” you asked nervously, and he nodded.

“Yes…” he replied, lowering his eyelids. “What is the matter?” You shivered at the sound of his raspy voice. “Uh…y-you um…” How could you explain that his arms were wrapped around you? Sucking a breath in, you tapped his arm with your fingers.

“Hm?” He glanced down, and upon seeing the rather inappropriate position you were in, he immediately pulled his arms back. He stumbled out of the bed, and you jolted up when he hit the wall. “Iida!” you cried out, your eyes wide with concern and your hand extended in his direction.

“P-please accept my most humble apologies!” he frantically pleaded, placing his hands on his thighs, and bowing. His sleeping cap slipped off his head and fell to the floor. However, he resisted the urge to pick it up until you responded.

You blinked, and slowly pulled your hand back only to fist it into your hair. Your forehead still felt hot, but somehow you felt better than last night. Your cheeks burned red, and you glanced away, unsure how to respond to Tenya’s frantic exclamation.

“I-it’s fine,” you said softly before pulling the blanket back and hanging your legs over the side of the bed. “Um…t-thanks,” you said as Tenya leaned back up. “Hm?” he responded, looking at you despite your back facing him.

“F-for last night um…” you rubbed the back of your head, “I t-think it helped,” as talking things out usually did. He looked taken aback but smiled, “I am very honored to have assisted you in such a way and I do hope to be of more assistance in the future,” yes, he wanted you to run to him whenever you had an issue.

But he supposed only time would tell whether that type of trust strengthened between the two of you and despite no longer being the class president, he still wanted to be your closest friend. You turned to look at him, slightly surprised before looking at the floor. “Oh um…s-sure, maybe?” you replied, standing up and stretching.

“I suggest we change our outfits and relocate to the lobby as breakfast is served promptly from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Then perhaps we can depart and resume this scheduled camping trip,” he said, reaching for his glasses and slipping them onto his face.

“R-right,” you replied, walking over to your suitcase, and laying it flat on the floor before opening it. You tapped your lips, deciding what outfit you wanted, unlike Tenya who more than likely already had something picked out.

As the two of you walked to the lobby, there was an awkward silence. Part of you wondered if it was your fault, and your anxious thoughts began. What does he think of you now? Is he going to look at you differently? You clenched your jaw, squeezing your eyes shut.

It was almost like something was about to burst out of you but then you heard a familiar voice. “Y/n!” Ashido called, running up to you. “Excuse me Iida!” she said, looping her arm through yours and dragging you away before you could say anything.

Out of instinct or panic, you held your hand out to Iida. However, due to his past experiences with Ashido, he thought it best not to interrupt whatever conversation she wanted with you. “Hey, Iida!” Uraraka called, she was currently sitting at one of the tables available in the lobby with Izuku.

He smiled and looked at you one last time before walking over. “How was your night with Y/n?” she asked when he approached. He paused, recalling last night's events, and cleared his throat. Uraraka tilted her head, noticing the flush on Tenya’s cheeks.

Izuku noticed this as well and they both exchanged a glance before Uraraka smiled. “What happened between you and Y/n last night?!” she questioned excitedly, and Tenya stiffened. “I…I believe I will gather my breakfast,” he stated, quickly walking away from the table and toward the breakfast area.

“Mm…” Uraraka pouted and scanned the room, easily spotting you and Ashido. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Izuku before walking away. “Your flushed face says everything! So, spill it!” Ashido shouted, raising her arms above her head. “Iida was flushing too!” Uraraka said, approaching your table.

You shivered when she turned to you and smiled. “Is everything okay between you two?” she asked suspiciously, and you shook your head. “N-no, I m-mean yes, I...I mean...” you groaned out of embarrassment. You took a breath, trying to gather your composure.

“I was just a-about to tell Mina t-that nothing happened just…” you rubbed the back of your head, glancing at your lap. “We just h-had a talk,” the girls leaned forward, eager to hear more. “A-and well…” you nervously chuckled. “I’m g-glad that he’s my f-friend.” Ashido sighed. “Seriously!?” she cried out, clearly disappointed.

Uraraka frowned and leaned closer to you. “Nothing happened between you two?” she asked, pouting. You nodded and shrugged, “Sorry?” you said before turning your head to look at Tenya who had gathered a plate of food, and happiness washed over you. ‘Yeah...just a friend’ you thought with a bright smile.

[slothpower-central]

Rolling out the Red Carpet for the Cinema branch!!

Hello,hi, it's me that one person who makes the funny videos and thinks she can draw(she cannot) Inspiration hit me in the middle of my film studies course while watching Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock and I thought "what if I made my own LCB branch where every sinner is based on a movie I've watched in my film class (and just general classic Hollywood cinema) and so I did it! The branch is currently VERY unfinished,as I add a new sinner each week for every film we watch in the class,so lemme introduce you to the guys that I've at least doodled so far(awful art incoming lol)

First up,we need a manager,or should I say,director(get it, because it's based on movies?) anyway here's Dorothy! If it wasn't obvious, she's based on the Wizard of Oz,She may or may not have come from the Outskirts and now she's running around with these sinners,and her little dog too! Oh and her red slippers(boots now,IG lol)? Those have a use, clicking her heels 3 times allows her to bring her sinners back to life!

Our guide is Glinda! Also based on Wizard of Oz,I have....not drawn her yet! But she is ultra hands off,she mainly communicates by sending Dorothy letters in bubbles,oh and did I mention she's a color fixer? ...yea I probably should have started with that

Now onto our actual sinners, don't ask me about major plot details about them,I haven't worked it out yet,

Sinner #1,This is Chaplin! Based on Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin,this guy is more of a fusion of the two main characters of the movie since uhm...neither of them have names and frankly their stories are both so intertwined that You could easily mix them together so here we are. They are the most comical of the sinners,I have described them as having a lot of cat like behaviors to a degree, and they are selectively mute(silent film lol) They have a white board they write on like it's Lethal Company and they have Heelys(mainly for the funny)

I haven't uhm.....finished sinner #2 yet because everytime I try to draw him my art style makes him look like the Pringles mascot lol but it's Kane! Kane is based on Charles Foster Kane from Citizen Kane by Orson Welles! Right now currently he's like "god I'm in a company of all women...AND CHAPLIN" He's rich like....richer than Hong Lu rich,he does seem to offhandedly mention something Rosebud and it seems almost like he's searching for it...wonder what that could be?(Btw go watch Citizen Kane, I'm not telling you what Rosebud is)

Finally out last Sinner at the moment: Sinner #3 Judy based on Judy from Vertigo! Yessir this is the reason for the branch, her source got my imagination spinning (she may or may not be mine and Amia's favorite atm of the branch) I would have made Scottie a sinner but......I hate his ass and need him exploded and not in the cute way(JUDYYYYYY YOU DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER GIRLLL) Judy is also 20x more fun as a character than Mr. "I'm gonna stare at women for 70% of my screentime" Honestly I could gush so much about her but I won't to keep this brief... essentially by the end of Vertigo Scottie convinces her to change everything about herself to turn her into his lost love/obsession Madeleine (ai know there's more too it but uhm....Go watch Vertigo, I'm not spoiling the movie)[PS, Ignore the doodle in the corner, that was from an idea that Amia's OC Tessie and Judy would get along well]

Tomorrow we'll actually have Sinner #4 who's gonna be based on someone from the movie Sunset Boulevard ( I don't pre watch these bc my attention span actually increases so much when I analyze movies for Limbus)

Anyway I'll keep updating you on the Cinema branch their tag is "LCB Cinema Branch" if you want everything in one place oh! And feel free to draw my lil guys if u want,just @ me or tag me or something. uhm don't ask about their weapons or colors or anything I haven't thought that far ahead yet lol

[laprimera]

2024 rules update! these will go across my blogs, but lemme drop the changed stuff here the rest has p much stayed the same.

thanks for following em btw or asking questions when needed, helps a lot!

. Selective, crossover/oc friendly, mutuals only etc etc. I only interact with mutuals and wait to be followed first before following back if I can see our characters and writing meshing well. This is just so I can have an active dashboard that I can freely interact with. please let me know if you have a side you'd want me to engage and follow if its not prominent somewhere.

. You do not need a verse to interact with my muse. If anything I prefer general crossover to see how they interact in their various worlds.

. While open to shipping and discussing possible connections with my muses I will not insta-ship and please dont assume they are even if we’ve talked about it a bit. It’ll have to be chemistry and interaction based with buildup and note the blog is not ship-focused. The blog’s central plot focuses solely on themselves and their themes unless heavily plotted otherwise.

. Note I don’t do mains or exclusives in any way. While I do have close mutuals I’ll interact with a lot because of comfort there are no central characters or plots otherwise besides my own. If a muse wants to get involved in some exclusive way please come by me to see if we can plot something out.

. I’m not interested in poly-shipping. Nothing wrong with it ofcourse but Im only really comfortable shipping with friends or mutuals I know and on the same space as I’m in. I’d ask for a single-verse for my muse or we can go through a platonic route if your muse is exclusively poly, but as with anything please come talk to me for anything.

. You dont have to ask to reply to an ask. Please do! If anything I ask if possible to follow through on a meme or ask you’ve sent be turned into an interaction unless the point is moot or its a drabble. Not required of course, it just helps start and build interactions!

. Note the plot is centralized to my characters and canons put under the v. main tag. Dash events, rpc happenings and the whathavs unless I say so otherwise are not canon and often put under the crack tag or untagged. Please dont assume anything from my muse or expect them to engage either as sadly I have to step away from the dash often and cant catch up. I prefer to have control over my narrative and if you want something outside included please plot with me!