#But now i feel a little pressure FOR NO REASON AT ALL

[noorpersona]

Confessions: Iwaizumi

The overhead lights buzz faintly, casting a dim yellow glow over empty desks and scattered papers. Practice ended hours ago, but you’re still here—half because you’re sorting through lineup sheets for Coach, and half because Iwaizumi never knows how to leave when Oikawa’s still in the gym pretending he’s immortal.

It’s just the two of you now. Oikawa finally gave up ten minutes ago, muttering something about stretching at home, and the silence that follows his absence is a rare kind of peace. You can hear Iwaizumi breathing again. That quiet, controlled rhythm he always slips back into once he isn’t yelling, chasing, fixing. The gym’s been quiet, too, like it’s exhaling after hours of pounding sneakers and shouting voices.

He’s sitting across from you now, chair turned backward, arms crossed over the backrest. Watching you. Probably not even trying to. He just does that—studies you like you’re part of the game plan, like your existence needs analyzing in case it ever falls out of line.

“You should go home,” you mutter without looking up, thumbing through one of the stat sheets. “You’re gonna pass out before you make it up the hill.”

“I could say the same to you,” he fires back, voice low, tired but still that familiar gravel that’s embedded itself into the fabric of your after-practice routine.

You shoot him a look, but it doesn’t have much heat. “Yeah, but I’m not the one who’s been diving face-first into the court all evening.”

He smirks. Leans his chin onto his forearm and shrugs, like the ache in his shoulder isn’t something he’s been carrying for weeks now. You wonder if he even notices the way he favors it. Probably. He just ignores it.

“You never quit,” you murmur, half to yourself.

“Neither do you.”

You don’t say anything to that. Mostly because it’s true. He sees right through you. Always has.

The silence stretches. It’s comfortable, warm in the way only Iwaizumi can make it feel. There’s no pressure to fill it. No need to perform. He’s always been like that—solid, grounded, the kind of person you could fall into without worrying if they’d catch you. And he would. Every time.

You’re not sure when you started noticing it. The way his hands lingered when he handed you a towel. The way he remembered how you liked your drinks cold, not iced. The way he always checked your clipboard before practice started, just in case you forgot something. He never made a show of it. He just… did. Like breathing.

You look up at him, and he’s already watching you.

You blink. “What?”

He shrugs again. “Nothing.”

“Creepy.”

His smirk deepens. “You’re the one talking to yourself.”

“I was talking to you.”

“Sure.”

You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling, and you hate that it’s so easy with him. So natural. Like your heart hasn’t been clenching in your chest for months now, like every little moment with him doesn’t echo louder than it should. It’s loud right now. Deafening.

You look back at the papers. “Seriously, though. You should rest. You’ve got a game this weekend, and if you overdo it now—”

“I know.”

Of course he knows. He always does. That’s part of the problem.

You press your thumb into your temple, eyes scanning over messy handwriting. Your back aches. Your stomach’s been growling since the second set ended. You know you should pack it up and go home, but there’s something sticky in the air tonight. Something that hasn’t settled.

“Here,” Iwaizumi says suddenly, and before you can react, he’s pushing something across the table.

A protein bar. Slightly squished, but still sealed.

Your brow furrows. “You brought this for me?”

He scratches at the back of his neck. “You always forget to eat after practice. Thought I’d try being useful.”

You stare at him. “You’re already useful. Like, medically essential. You’re the only reason Oikawa still has knees.”

He snorts. “I mean to you.”

The air shifts.

It’s subtle. Barely a tremor. But it leaves everything a little quieter, a little sharper.

You don’t answer. Just take the protein bar and turn it over in your hand. You trace the crinkled edges of the wrapper with your thumb like it’s a puzzle.

“Thanks,” you say finally, soft. “That’s… thoughtful.”

He shrugs like it’s nothing. But his eyes are still on you. Warmer now. He looks like he wants to say something else but doesn’t know if he should.

You try to focus on the sheets again, but your fingers don’t move. The pen in your hand feels suddenly pointless.

“You ever get tired of it?” you ask, your voice quieter now. “Doing everything for everyone else?”

He hums, leaning back. “Yeah. Sometimes.”

“Then why do you keep doing it?”

Another pause. His voice, when it comes, is soft. Almost too soft.

“Because I care.”

You glance up at him.

His eyes don’t waver. “It matters to me. That people are okay. That you’re okay.”

Your breath catches.

You open your mouth to say something, anything—but the words knot up in your throat. They don’t come.

And then, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, he says it.

“I love you.”

Just like that. No lead-up. No dramatics. Just the truth, falling out of his mouth like it’s been there the whole time. Like he’s been saying it in a hundred other ways already.

You freeze.

He freezes.

It’s only a heartbeat of silence, but it stretches. Stretches until it feels like the air might snap.

He blinks. Swallows hard. “I—shit. I didn’t mean to—I mean, I did, but I wasn’t gonna—fuck.”

You just stare at him.

He runs a hand through his hair, the picture of calm unraveling. “Forget I said that.”

“Hajime—”

“No, seriously. I didn’t want to make this weird. I just—shit, I don’t know. You were just… sitting there, and I—”

“Stop talking.”

He does. Immediately.

You reach for him without hesitation—close the space between you, one hand curling into the collar of his sweatshirt as you pull him down and press your lips to his.

It’s soft at first, like you’re testing the waters. But he responds almost instantly, his hands rising to your back, grounding you like always. Like he’s been waiting. Like he’s been holding his breath.

The kiss is short, almost clumsy, but it burns. You can feel every second of restraint he’s practiced up until this point unraveling between you.

When you finally pull away, breath shallow, he’s staring at you like he’s still trying to catch up. Like he’s not sure it really happened.

And then you smile, smug but breathless.

"Took you long enough," you whisper, your voice barely grazing the space between you before you're kissing him again—firmer this time, with all the words neither of you said until now pressed into the space where your mouths meet.

He smiles against your lips.

This time, he kisses you back like he means it.

[reddthekingg]

Turns out I don't CARE. Have my big-ass Byler post:

Mike and El were never romantic. Let me explain. (Seasons 1-4)

Big Byler-centric Mike/eleven analysis from my slightly media literate ass.

(disclaimer: this is all just my opinion!!!!! you dont have to agree with me at all, and if you have any suggestions/edits or points you think are wrong for X Y Z reasons, tell me in the comments!!!! I like hearing other peoples views on things :D also my apologies if this doesnt read well, ive been sitting on it for a couple weeks now so ive been writing in little blips every once in awhile)

Season 1

From the beginning, Mike had pressures to be with El. He never began to exhibit romantic behaviours towards her until after Lucas suggested he has feelings for her. He only kisses her after Nancy assumes he has a crush on her.

Children, especially at such a young age, are impressionable. This applies to both Mike and El.

Mike is being told by multiple people in his life to pursue a romantic relationship with a girl he met only a week or so prior. A girl, mind you, he only wants to keep around when she proves herself useful to him when searching for Will. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Mike calls her a machine at one point. Doesn't exactly seem like the basis for a crush, does it?

As for El, she's just escaped the lab she was raised in and has met the first people ever outside of that environment (excluding Benny, of course). I don't like comparing El to an animal, but she's reminiscent of a baby duck. Baby ducks imprint on the first people they see. For her, it's Mike. El does not have the same pressures from everyone else to be romantic with Mike, in fact she's quite ready to be his sister, as she so states. The only pressure of romance she gets is from Mike himself with the kiss.

There is one whole scene before they kiss that implies a bit of romance where there in a bathroom together and Mike says she's still pretty without hair + makeup. However, neither party really seems interested in it.

(Little thing to note about this scene! The use of the word pretty. It can be argued that Mike meant it romantically, but I'd say otherwise. In Stranger Things, specific words have meaning and we're told that they do. Think about the word crazy. Through lines in the show and posts from people who have worked on it, we know that crazy = love. Where am I going with this?

El calls Billy's mother pretty. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the word pretty hasn't been used anywhere else other than here and with El and Mike. We can safely assume El doesn't have feelings for Billy's mother, so if the assumption that crazy = love, can we assume that pretty does not have romantic connotations? Maybe it's a reach but I thought it was worth pointing out.)

All of this to say, in Season 1, their "relationship", and I use that word sparingly, is built off of pressures from Nancy and Lucas on Mike's side, and El assuming that's just what happens since it's what's happening to her. This is on top of the trauma bond El and Mike have.

Season 2

I think what solidified their decision was El going into the Upside Down. If all was well and El didn't have to leave the group and Season 1 was the whole story, I think their relationship would have played out very differently. Think about "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and all that bollocks. I think that because of the year apart and how much they missed one another, they became closer for it and mistook it for a romantic longing. That leads to their reunion in Season 2.

However, think about it. Typically with romantic couples in media and all it's different forms, when reunited after a long time being apart, they normally share a kiss? Or... at least just seem romantic?

Look, maybe it's just me, but this doesn't read as romantic.

Obviously, the two are bonded together, so the scene is emotional. I don't like when a lot of Bylers imply that Mike doesn't care about El at all, because he clearly does. The two have an incredibly strong bond due to trauma and just trusting one another. Doesn't mean it's romantic.

Then the Snow Ball. Not much to say on the matter because, yeah, I definitely think there is analysis to be done on it, but personally, this is a scene I don't have an explanation for. Other than Mike pining yearning and longing for Will.

(Very quick and not important thing to note. I started reading Darkness on the Edge of Town, Hopper's book, and it's set right after the Snow Ball, after Christmas, and I noticed something.

''You manage to raise Mike yet?'' El sighed ... He watched as she headed back to the couch and picked up the hefty rectangle of her new walkie-talkie, holding it out to him, like he could somehow conjure up her friends out of thin air.

Just thought it was interesting how Hopper mentioned Mike and then went on to say El's friends, considering this was after the Snow Ball and after their kiss.)

Fast forward to:

Season 3

In terms of El, this is where my view point of her romantic feelings becomes more disprovable, but I'm going to push forward anyway.

In the story now, everything is normal. No more monsters, the gate is closed, all is well and our kids can go back to being normal kids. Enter Mike Wheeler and El Hopper making out. Actually the most uncomfortable scenes to watch in the whole show. Let me talk about why it's happening.

Mike and Eleven, up until now, have not had your usual relationship. They've been seperate, battling monsters and have not had a moments peace since meeting. My opinion on why they're so close at the start of this season is because it's expected, same as most things about their relationship.

I know I sound like a broken record using that excuse for the majority of aspects about their relationship, but I'm doing it because the majority of aspects about their relationship can be explained with that reasoning.

For Mike, his attempt at living up to the expectations set for him is a lot easier to think about in terms of why he's doing it.

He was raised in your typical nuclear household, a mother and a father and 2 sisters. Think about the time period. The AIDs crisis was at a peak, there was a massive stigma around it all. I've spoken to my mum before about it all (she would've been the same age as the main 4 ST kids during that time) and she explained that there was this huge fear around AIDs. Being openly queer was not the norm, nor was it socially acceptable, nearly completely frowned upon. Films, TV and books portrayed romances about men and women and nothing else. Think about a young boy who has even the inkling that he might be gay. Everything at the time presented to this hypothetical boy tells him that he is wrong. Think about Will, his own father calling him slurs because he's not like every other boy.

Taking the assumption that Mike is in fact gay rather than bi or straight and placing him in the position of said hypothetical boy, what do you think the outcome would be? Because despite what some Milevens will say, it is not that Mike would accept himself fully and never would have dated El in the first place. It leaves us with a boy who is forced into a life of lying to himself and others, making moves to conceal his true identity in hopes of fooling other people and most importantly, fooling himself.

I am a firm believer that Mike suffers from compulsory heterosexuality, or comphet.

''Compulsory heterosexuality, often shortened to comphet, is the theory that heterosexuality is assumed and enforced upon people by a patriarchal, allonormative, and heteronormative society.''

I completely disagree when people say Mike used El as his beard (a person who is used, knowingly or unknowingly, as a date, romantic partner [boyfriend or girlfriend], or spouse either to conceal infidelity or to conceal one's sexual orientation) from day one. I believe that, while it may not be true, both parties did believe they shared romantic feelings for the other, because it was expected of them that they did. Mike, his whole life, saw his parents, kids at school, people in shows, games, everywhere, be a boy and a girl in love. And he met a girl. So, logically, he should like her. Right? But he doesn't. And because he's never had any past experiences, he can't tell the difference between romantic and platonic attraction. All he knows is what he's ''supposed to do.''

El is a bit easier to explain.

Think about the baby duck analogy from earlier. Mike is the first (technically second after Benny but shhhh) person out-with the lab to show her kindness. She has bonded to him, and Mike initiated a kiss between them. Romance is, obviously, not something she's ever dealt with in her life. It is a concept entirely foreign to her and it continues to be after her and Mike separate. So think, once she gets to Hopper's in Season 2, what is the only thing she has to entertain herself?

Television.

It can be pretty safely assumed she watched her fair share of trashy teen romcom movies as well as dramatic romance movies, all pieces of media that showed her the ''traditional'' route that a girl and a boy will take in their romantic journey. At this point, her and Mike have kissed, so in watching these movies, they teach her brain what are the ''natural next steps'' for her and Mike.

I don't think I'm explaining my point well, so if you need further clarification, let me know. It's difficult to explain but it's generally the same logic I applied to Mike (assuming he is, in fact, gay). His whole childhood, he see's boys and girls being in love and assumes thats what he should be doing. It's similar for El. She sees couples in love and being happy and assumes thats what her and Mike should be doing.

When you apply all this to Season 3, things become a little bit clearer in why they're so (uncomfortably) close. Their whole ''relationship'' was taken up with saving the world or saving each other and other people, this is the first time things are normal and they're expected to be, well... normal.

This really applies to the whole season. There are only 2 more key Mileven moments I want to touch on from this season which means I'll be excluding the rain fight. I'm doing this because while obviously the scene offers a huge insight into Mike's character, the focus this post is specifically around his and El's feelings about each other, so I want to focus on scenes in which they're together.

Now:

Oh boy! I'd like to point out 2 major points here.

One, just because Mike loves El, which I do not doubt at all, no where does he or the show specify that in this scene he meant it romantically.

Two, who are the only other couple that said the L-word?

Yeah.

Not only were Stancy the only other couple to say ''I love you'' to one another, they're the only other couple to use said ''I love you'' as a driving force in their relationship ark. And that driving force drove their relationship... into the ground!

We have multiple canonical couples in the show that have never uttered the L-word to each other but we have scenes between those pairs that leave no room for doubt about how they feel.

Just saying, it's interesting that arguably the biggest couple of the show are paralleled to one of the weakest and worst couples in the show. Meanwhile Mike and Will have parallels with Jonathan and Nancy, a couple which value one another and work better than Stancy could have ever hoped.

My last analysis about Season 3 is one of my favourite in terms of Mike.

El tells mike she loves him, and kisses him.

I'm sure every Byler has heard this scene been picked to pieces about Mike, so I'll keep it brief.

Mike has his eyes open, and as another user pointed out (I can't remember who, sorry!!), seems to be pulling away from the kiss, he is very clearly not kissing her back, and just seems... confused and disinterested. All great signs that he absolutely loves his girlfriend back, right? ...right?

As for El, cast your minds back to what I said before about her watching cheesy romcom movies. What is the most common trope in almost all romance movies? The big love confession. El knows Mike loves her (romantically or not is to be debated, I made my side clear) and her primary source of knowledge of what happens in relationships is through what she sees in movies and television, which in my mind is what lead her to give Mike this grand declaration of love (well, not grand, but you get the gist). In her mind, it is what's expected.

El is creating a relationship out of idealistic movies and (saying this very bluntly) has not stopped to consider if it's something she actually wants rather than what she thinks she wants. Obviously, I'm assuming a lot with that statement, but the evidence to back it up does exist.

Max is a wonderful influence on El during Season 3, teaching her to think for herself and be someone that she wants to be. And what is one of the first big decisions El makes during this journey? To break up with Mike. I'll concede in the fact that, yes, the breakup was influenced by Max's advice, but it's a decision El made herself, even if she ended up going back on it.

Time for Mike's gayest season of all!

Season 4

(I'm going to concede slightly here, I don't really know how to explain most of El's feelings here. So, this section is going to be centred around Mike's feelings towards El. Please drop some El analysis in my asks/DMs/comments to include and I'll make sure to credit you in the post!)

The season begins with a letter from El to Mike and we see him reading it. When called upon by Nancy, Mike crumples up El's letter and throws it to the ground. Compare this to all the letters Mike has sent El, kept away in a box. He's careless with her love, as it were. There's definitely more to be said here, but I'm more knowledgable with the rest of the season, so I'll focus on that.

Let's fast forward a bit to the airport scene.

We see Mike in unusual attire. Colours his character has never worn before in a style he's never been dressed in. Red flag number one. The two share the only kiss they have for the whole season and embrace, with Mike holding a bundle of flowers for El. She looks at the tag attached to said flowers, see's Mike writes from rather than love, and the camera focuses on her face while she falters.

There's a couple things to analyse here, so let's start with Mike's outfit.

One of El's primary colours in the show is purple, confirmed later on by Mike when he mentions he picked purple flowers since it's her favourite colour. This shows us the colour of Mike's shirt is intentionally supposed to reflect El, especially since he has never worn this colour before. Interesting to note that it's a t-shirt he's wearing, since Mike's wardrobe is composed of button downs, sweaters and polo shirt primarily. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first time we've seen him in anything other than that.

Argyle points out later in the scene that Mike's shirt is a ''shitty knock-off.''

In a GQ interview with Stranger Thing's costume designer, we're told the following about Mike's costume in Season 4:

''So Mike Wheeler's outfit was written into the script that way... So we knew we'd wanted something that felt like an outfit maybe he would've bought at the airport before he got there... It's not a colour Mike normally wears.. We had made two colourways. We made orange and teal, and he's worn teal before, so it felt orange was the best colour that was different that felt he was trying to make it work in California.''

This is really interesting! There's another interview moment which ties in with this which I can't find at the moment so I can't quote it word for word, but I believe Finn says something along the lines of Mike acting unlike himself this season.

The costume choices in this scene are meant to reflect Mike's feelings.

When in California, more specifically when in this outfit, Mike is not acting like himself. He is trying to make things work by changing himself to be more attuned to what El wants, and more importantly, putting on a persona, arguably a heterosexual persona. Mike, of course, is not alone in the fact he's acting like someone else, because El is doing the same.

By choosing to omit the bullying and struggles she experiencing in Lenora, going so far as to outright lie to Mike by telling him Angela and Stacy are her friends, El is trying to act like the ''perfect girlfriend'' for Mike. She is presenting herself as happy, that her life is wonderful in all it's facets, in the hopes that Mike will finally begin expressing his love to her if she's good enough (I know that analysis does diminish El a bit, but it is my personal opinion on why she's acting the way she is.), as well as wanting to be the picture-perfect couple she wants them to be perceived as.

Of course, this vision shatters at Rink-O-Mania when El shmacks Angela in the face with a roller-skate. It's from this point on that their relationship falls downhill over the course of the whole season.

After they get home and everyone is eating dinner, Jonathan and Argyle speak about how Angela will be fine. Mike's reply is ''She didn't look fine'', and El storms off from the table. This scene is a parallel to one between Karen and Ted in Season 1(?) in which Karen storms off and Ted takes a sip of his drink, and Mike and El do the exact same.

Curious to parallel the shows ''leading couple'' with a failing marriage.

Then, we have Mike and El's big fight.

The fight starts on the basis of Mike mentioning the night before with Angela.

Mike knows that El has been lying to him for a long time about her life in Lenora and has seen first hand how she's been treated. He's upset and confused and El is shutting him off.

And... that's all I got done. I'll probably revisit this post in the future when I have time, but dear god, I have a lot of coursework right now, so now is not the time.

[melanchoire]

stepdaughter chaewon who acts innocent with her stepmom but in reality she is a perv and somehow a dom with her mommy? like she comes back home bc of uni vacations and it’s fascinated by the woman, of course she gets her way with the older woman with the excuse “nobody has to know” or “i just want to make you feel good” while she push down her on the couch to eat her out until she squirts on her pretty face :((, her dad has always been a careless man so he tends to leave both unattended for days so when you both are a whole weekend alone bc he left for some business trip, chaewon would sneak into her mommy’s bedroom and wake her up with sweet kisses on her face and lips and saying “i don’t like mommy being alone” just for the kiss to go down her neck, tits and pussy and of course both end up having a heated night fucking (plsss add scissoring and 69 pose if you can, of course with chaewon on top)

cw: dubcon, scissoring, titsucking.

chaewon returns home from a short college vacation with her friends and finds that her father has started dating a new woman?? after his parents’ divorce a couple of years ago, his father never dared to try to have something with a woman again after being devastated when his ex-lover cheated on him with another man and leave him after a short time, but apparently, he was giving love a new chance and deciding to start a new life from scratch. but of course, chaewon didn’t expect her father to be dating a woman who looked young and like a complete milf...

at first, she was surprised to learn your age because you didn't look like someone in their early thirties. there was obviously some maturity in your features, which looked somewhat marked and serious. but she would never have guessed you were that age! also, chaewon gets a little annoyed at her dad for dating someone and having a certain age difference, i mean, he was in his early forties and you were in your early thirties, but chaewon was a bit of a hypocrite because she was in her early twenties and wouldn't mind dating you despite the age difference of around ten years! after all, who wouldn't want to go out with a hot older woman?

chaewon is playing the role of a sweet and good girl, pretending to be interested in her stepmother just so you will tell her things about your private life so she can get to know you better… she even has the nerve to ask you about your youth, getting you to show her pictures of when you used to be in your twenties, and you hadn’t changed at all! although you didn’t have the same soft, adolescent features and now you looked more mature and like a real woman, her head was spinning just seeing that as time went by you were getting hotter and hotter

she also blackmails you when her father leaves the house for business trips, always being super touchy with you and trying to convince you to let her calm your needs because her father was “too old” to be able to take care of pleasing you as you deserve :( chaewon knows how to fake it very well because at some point you’re considering her proposal no matter how crazy it seems! but you always try to reason with her when chaewon starts wanting to keep her words, trying to convince her that it’s a bad idea and she is just confusing her feelings and thoughts, but she refuses to listen to you! insisting more and more to the point of practically pressuring you to accept her proposal

chaewon sneaking into your room at night, almost drooling at the beautiful silk nightgown you were sleeping in… she would climb into bed, lying down next to you and shamelessly sliding her hands over your body while kissing your lips and starting to leave a trail of kisses all over your neck 😵‍💫 being sleepy at first, you give in to his touch because you think it’s your husband waking you up to let you know he is coming home, but no! you open your eyes to find chaewon on top of you, looking straight into your eyes as she slides her hands under her nightgown and cups your tits 😳

TITSUCKING i’m sorry but chaewon has longed ever since she first saw you to be able to get a real glimpse of your tits because no matter if she was wearing a t-shirt or something more covering like a sweater the curve of your breasts was present in the clothing 🫣 chaewon would always blatantly stare at your chest at every opportunity she could, for example when you were making dinner and putting the dishes on the table; her saying a soft “thank you” as you serve the food on her plate and leave it in front of her, but the moment you lean over to give her the plate, she immediately lowers her gaze to your cleavage because she can see your tits through the neck of your shirt?? it’s a shame that it’s a moment that passes in less than five seconds :(

chaewon degrading you and making you humiliate yourself while she is on top of you fucking you 😩 saying shit like “can daddy fuck you as good as i do?” while she grinds her pussy against yours in a way that has your clit constantly rubbing against hers in a way that makes you writhe on the mattress 😵‍💫 she grins like a maniac when she sees you nodding desperately, your hair scattered on the pillow and your face completely flushed and tears of pleasure running down your cheeks :( she was enjoying having you around like a silly little toy when you were always super sweet to her, treating her like a princess and behaving much better than her mother could in the short time she was present in her life, but she had another vision of you! feeling her panties get soaked every time you called her “sweetheart” or “dear” when they were just sweet terms to address your stepdaughter or someone young you care about! and she was enjoying how the loving and affectionate nicknames came out of your lips every time you begged her to please go faster and stop teasing you

and the moment her father comes home she is helping you prepare dinner! your lover smiling warmly at the loving moment between step mother and step daughter, enjoying how you two have a nice relationship and don’t seem to have a rivalry like other mothers and daughters would have 🥰 giving you a kiss on the lips and announcing that he would go take a shower to relax, only for the moment he left the room, chaewon pushed you against the kitchen counter, getting on her knees and announcing with her eyes that she was “hungry” and she wanted a delicious pre-dinner dish 🤗

[biancadoes1]

Hi Bianca. I hope all is well with you. My name is Gracie and I know I'm anon atm but for personal reasons, I can't reveal my account name here on Tumblr. For starters, I have to warn you that this might be long, and I will apologize for that but I hope you find this worth reading.

I know nothing of Bridgerton, Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan. Although I am familiar that they all are actors. I heard the names before. I know nothing of the lore, the fandom nor the shipping. But my close friend does. This morning, she came to my office on the verge of tears and I tried to comfort her. We had this series of conversation, hence I ended up here. She showed me an IG story of Nicola, and I noticed it was a reposted story of user JakeLDunn congratulating her on BAFTA nomination(CONGRATULATIONS!!) and I looked at her with questioning look, so I told her that, "Well that's sweet of him. A friend congratulating a friend on achieving such feat on her career." And then here what's started everything. My friend looked at me like I just said something life changing and then she seemed relief for some reason so we had a chat. "So it looks that way to GA huh. Gosh."

My friend told me that she admittedly shipped Nicola and Luke. And she also said she is so confused about Nicola and Jake because they are reportedly dating but a lot of you here felt differently so she asked me to offer my thoughts objectively as a outsider so I said sure. And my friend specifically told me that I can understand Nicola and Jake lore personally and I can understand now why.

To give you a little bit of info about me, I have a bestie (guy) that I met through a common friend. We have a huge age gap and we have a dating rumour amongst our friend group, even to outsiders. I thought about that way too at first, but then this bestie of mine started exhibiting odd behaviours that I only noticed. I saw the way he looked at our coworker (guy). His gaze lingered on our coworker and waaaaay too many signs that led me to conclude that he may be gay. So one day I asked him directly, because if he was really gay as I thought him to be, then the rumours of romance between us might cause some sort of rift and I want to correct that so I sat down with him, and clarified everything. And yes, he is gay. He said it himself. And he is also aware about the rumours of us dating and he did apologize for that. He felt like he used me as a cover up about his sexual orientation and he felt guilty do so, but his trauma about him coming out has led him to remain silent. But he also said it didn't stop him from slowly coming out, hence the signs that I saw. The one point where I truly believe he was gay is that I saw on his personal profile that he is following this painter in our city which is known for its nude paintings of men so yeah that pretty much summarizes it.

My point is, we got close, like real close and I don't mind holding hands with him. Hugging him, taking personal pics of each other without this gender norms. It seemed intimate to outsiders but we know the real deal between us. We are besties. And I secretly helped him with his love of his life, on how to pursue him while on the outside, and its the perfect cover up to be honest. Like I am being pressured to date somebody and I hate that, and now my parents don't bug me that much about dating because of my bestie and they are trying to respect our relationship (no we are not dating) but our age gap is making them feel odd but they are trying to respect that. I feel bad about lying but I don't want anybody really poking about my business, especially my love life and I suspect that something really similar is happening to Nicola.

If Jake Dunn suddenly came into picture without any warning, and if he is also rumoured to be part of LGBTQ+, you guys have the right to be suspicious. Because that's how I deflected any other romances with other people without being obvious and not to mention, its the perfect cover up. He is part of my friend group, my bestie and I am comfortable with him, but our relationship is mostly sister/brother that. If you guys felt like Nicola at some point tried to deny the narrative about her and Jake Dunn dating, you would've seen signs. Maybe personally or in social media where all their moves are being monitored. And then suddenly, you guys felt like the narrative is being pushed onto you guys, that's where you have to suspect something behind the scenes is going on. Because that's exactly how it happened to me, about my career and my family. Not to get detailed about it but all I did was I made sure the me and my gay bestie are kinda like in a romantic relationship to ensure the safety of our real relationship. He needed me to cover up his relationship with his bf (now fiancee) because of career issues and mine too. It was mutually consented and beneficial.

Ah, sorry that this have been long, but if you want to know my thoughts about Nicola and Jake Dunn is that, no, I don't believe they ever dated. Because I can see myself in Nicola. That's how I acted around my gay bestie. But you don't have to take this seriously tho, but its just a personal opinion of mine. And an outsiders point of view.

And my friend brought up a timeline, it made me suspicious because I think something happened last year that made Jake came into the picture. I don't have the complete lore yet but the way she told me about the events, I feel like I am missing something completely big.

And thank you miss Bianca! My friend told me if I wanted to share my thoughts about N&J situation so I said why not.

This is such an interesting perspective!!

I really enjoy hearing from people outside of this and what they think is going on based off what they see and having all the lore.

Thank you for sharing ❤️

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

Their little sunshine p.2

Heyy guys, I hope you enjoy this Alex x reader x Lily, here's part 1 I hope you enjoy it :)

If you want to read more stories of mine here's my masterlist.

China had a strange energy that weekend. The Williams motorhome, usually buzzing with last-minute preparations and lively conversations, felt heavier—tense. Maybe it was the unpredictable weather, maybe it was the pressure of another race weekend, but whatever it was, the atmosphere was stiff.

And, well, that just would not do.

Determined to lighten the mood, you swayed on your feet, humming an upbeat tune as you handed out small packets of electrolyte drinks to the crew.

"Happy body equals happy mind!" you chirped, pressing one into a mechanic’s palm.

No one laughed, but you caught a few tired smiles, which was something.

Spotting Alex leaning against the counter, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone, you made your way toward him, thinking maybe a little joke or a gentle shoulder squeeze could cheer him up. But just as you were about to reach him—

Your foot caught on absolutely nothing, and suddenly, gravity wasn’t your friend anymore.

"Oh—!"

Before you could even brace for impact, a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist, steadying you just in time.

"Woah there, sunshine," Alex chuckled, holding you upright. "If you wanted attention, you could’ve just asked."

You pouted playfully, patting his chest as you straightened yourself. "You wish I was that dramatic."

"Mm, do I?" he teased, stepping back with an amused smirk. "Because from where I’m standing, that was pretty dramatic."

You gasped, clutching your heart. "Betrayal."

Alex just laughed, shaking his head. "Seriously though, you good?"

"Perfectly fine, thanks to my knight in shining fireproofs," you joked, before tilting your head. "But enough about me. How are you feeling? The race, your birthday coming up… any existential dread yet?"

Alex groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Ugh, don’t remind me. I feel old."

You gasped again, but this time it was sincere. "Excuse me? Old? Alex, you’re literally in peak physical shape and thriving. That is not ‘old.’"

He raised an eyebrow. "Tell that to my back. I swear I woke up this morning and something just hurt for no reason."

You beamed, wiggling your fingers. "Sounds like you need to schedule a session with me. I guarantee my magic hands will fix everything."

Alex snorted. "Magic hands, huh?"

"Don’t act like you don’t love them," you teased, poking his shoulder.

He sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. You win. I’ll book a session. Save me, oh great and powerful physio."

Just as you were about to make another joke, a familiar voice cut in.

"There’s my favorite ray of sunshine!"

Before you could turn, a pair of arms wrapped around you from behind, and you instantly recognized the warm, floral scent of Lily.

"Lily!" You spun around in her hug, squeezing her tightly. "Oh my God, you look amazing!"

She pulled back with a bright grin. "You’re so sweet! I was literally about to say the same thing about you!"

You twirled dramatically, showing off your outfit. "You like?"

"Love," she confirmed. Then, with a mischievous smile, she leaned in. "But you have to see Charles’ girlfriend, Alex. She went all out today."

Your eyes widened with interest. "Ooooh, really? Okay, I’m definitely checking it out on my break."

Lily clasped her hands together. "You know what? Let’s make a morning out of it. Breakfast together?"

You gasped happily. "Yes! A hundred times yes."

Alex groaned. "Great. Now I have to hear both of you hype each other up for an entire meal."

Lily patted his cheek. "Aw, babe. It’s okay to admit you love it."

He just sighed in defeat, shaking his head with a small, amused smile as the two of you giggled, already planning your breakfast date.

Even in the tension of a race weekend, with the weight of competition and expectations looming overhead, moments like these made everything lighter.

And you wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Just as you were about to slip away with Lily to find the infamous outfit of the day, a voice called from across the motorhome.

"¡Oye! Sunshine, get over here!"

Carlos.

You turned to see him stretching his arms over his head, already dressed in his team gear, waiting for you near the physio area with a raised brow.

"Your royal highness calls," you joked to Lily, earning a laugh before you made your way over to Carlos.

As always, your sessions with him were a mix of professionalism and chaos. Carlos was stubborn, sometimes too aware of his own body and reluctant to let you fix things that obviously needed fixing. But you knew how to handle him—distraction, humor, and a little tough love.

"Relax your shoulders," you reminded as you worked on a tight knot in his upper back.

"They are relaxed."

You scoffed. "Carlos, your shoulders are up to your ears right now."

He huffed but finally let them drop. "Fine."

As you finished up with Carlos, rolling your shoulders after working out the knots in his back, he let out a satisfied sigh.

"Okay, okay," he admitted, stretching his arms. "You are magic."

You grinned, hands on your hips. "Thank you! See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?"

Carlos smirked. "Debatable."

You gasped in mock offense. "Carlos!"

He laughed, standing up from the physio table. "You’re too easy to tease, Sunshine."

Shaking your head, you gathered your things and slung your bag over your shoulder. "Well, this ray of sunshine has places to be. Some people actually appreciate my magic hands."

"Tell Albono I said hi," Carlos called after you as you walked away.

You just flashed him a grin over your shoulder.

The paddock café was already buzzing with energy when you arrived, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixing with the chatter of engineers, team personnel, and drivers grabbing a bite before the day truly got hectic.

Near the window, you spotted Alex and Lily sitting together, their table filled with fruit, croissants, and steaming mugs of coffee.

"Hey, there’s our sunshine," Alex greeted as you approached.

Without hesitation, you leaned down and wrapped both of them in a warm hug. Lily giggled, squeezing your waist in return, while Alex groaned dramatically.

"You guys started without me!" you pouted as you plopped down beside Lily.

"Technically, you were working," Alex pointed out, taking a sip of his coffee.

Lily leaned in conspiratorially. "We were just talking about his birthday."

You gasped, turning to Alex with wide eyes. "Oh? Big plans?"

Alex groaned, setting his mug down with exaggerated exhaustion. "No. No big plans. No plans at all, actually."

You clutched your heart dramatically. "No plans? Alex, that’s a crime!"

Lily huffed beside you, nudging him. "Right? I keep telling him he should at least do something, but he insists on ignoring his birthday." She suddenly turned to you, clasping your hands in hers. "He never listens to me, but he always listens to you. Please, Sunshine, work your magic!"

You blinked, looking between the two of them. Alex raised an eyebrow at you, as if daring you to try. Oh, this was a challenge now.

With a slow, deliberate breath, you turned your most dazzling smile on Alex. "You only turn 29 once," you started, your voice sweet but firm. "And the people who love you want to celebrate you. But…" you softened, watching the way his fingers traced the rim of his coffee cup. "I get that it can be overwhelming."

Alex’s eyes met yours for a moment before he exhaled. A small, appreciative smile tugged at his lips as he reached over and gave your hand a small squeeze.

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "But only something small. Just close friends."

Lily gasped in delight. "Oh my God, thank you!"

She didn’t hesitate to kiss Alex on the mouth, then turned to you and placed a quick, affectionate kiss on your cheek.

"Okay, we need plans," she declared, already pulling out her phone.

Alex groaned. "I just agreed, and you’re already planning?"

You and Lily exchanged glances before responding in perfect unison.

"Yes."

Alex sighed, rubbing his temple like he regretted his decision. But the small smile on his face betrayed him.

[stray-cat-with-internet-access]

Nighttime visitor

simon "ghost" riley x reader tags: fem reader, medical/wounds descriptions, brief mention of period, burns, he´s scary but nice, fluff kinda, english is not my first language

this is inspired by a personal experience in one of my many stays in hospitals, enjoy

For the tenth time, you check your phone.

12:15am, is not that late.

Sleep is determined to elude you, the plastic covers over the thin mattress scratch the skin on your back and the distant beeps are about to make you lose what little sanity you have left. There´s no TV to not disturb the rest of the patients so that isn´t an option either.

“This is stupid”

Kicking off the covers, you stuffed your feet into your Crocs and grabbed your hoodie from the corner of the bed, almost knocking over the IV pole and pausing for a few seconds to mutter a curse.

This is so stupid

You spent a day and a half in observation, “perks” of being admitted on a weekend. Yes, you fainted at work, no, it's no big deal, you just burned yourself out as usual, but combined with the lack of sleep and the surprise arrival of your period, your brain decided that it had enough of your shit and just turned off the lights in the middle of your office.

Is this a cry for help from your body? Maybe, you've decided that's a conversation for another time, right now you're sick of this damn hospital.

You leave your room as casually as possible. The nurse at the end of the corridor hasn't seen you, or has simply decided to ignore you.

Right now there is only one place in your mind: the open space with a view of greenery in the middle of the visitors' area.

However, as soon as you walk down the stairs to the second wing of the hospitalization area, something catches your attention.

Is that music?

The area seems deserted, so a room with a soft glow coming from the gap between double doors and the big NO VISITORS sign stands out.

Curiosity won and you changed course to take a peek. There was a man in bed. One of his legs was propped up by some sort of medical pillow, and bandages covered some parts of his body. There was a laptop on the overbed table, and there seemed to be a film playing.

You were so engrossed in trying to figure him out that you almost jumped out of your skin when his voice reached you.

"You're not staff"

His voice is a deep baritone. He sounds relaxed and not at all scared of your presence. His eyes are sharp even in the dim light and the room feels small for him.

"Ah shit, I'm sorry!" You try to talk in a low voice, poking your head through the door. "No no, I'm from the third wing, I'm just stretching my legs, sorry to bother you"

Pausing whatever he is seeing in the laptop he assessed at you for a moment.

"Come closer"

Despite being in such a vulnerable position, his voice is commanding and it feels that the only reason he is asking you to come is because he can't do it himself in his state.

An accent colours his words. British?

You entered the room with measured steps, the smell of alcohol and cleaning products is particulary strong. Stopping at the end of his bed you can get a better look at him: huge, menacing, like a wounded lion, no matter how battered it still send chills down your spine. One of his arms is in a sling, there´s some cuts and abrasions in almost every part of his body and his good arm, covered in tattoos, is wrapped with the IV and the blood pressure cuff. But his leg is the worst. The wound is extensive, the skin is angry red and swollen at the edges.

He notices your staring immediately.

"It's burned. Needs to be kept raw for it to heal and isolated to avoid infection"

His tone sounds bored and unimpressed while he shifts on his pillows, trying to get some comfort in his seated position.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I heard your laptop... I thought we couldn't keep stuff like that here"

There´s a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"They don't like to confine me with other patients, I make them nervous, so they let me have some privileges"

“How…?”

He suddenly extended his good arm to loudly drag closer a chair, interrupting your question and making you flinch at the sound.

"You can stay if you keep silent"

He pressed play on his laptop, repositioned himself in bed and his eyes glued to the screen again, as if you weren't there at all.

The hairs in the back of your neck stands up in alert, but something in his voice tells you that comply with him will always be the best option, so you moved closer to him and sat down next to his bed, tucking your legs.

The first minutes passed with you stiff in the chair, but time went on sliding in a comfortable silence, actually enjoying some of the movie.

By the time you started to doze off it was almost 2am, his cold fingers on your neck what woke you up, making you gasp softly.

He laughs hoarsely, definitely enjoying every time he can get a scare out of you “Movie´s over birdie, go to your room”

You blink the sleep off, getting up abruptly and remembering that you willingly secluded yourself with a stranger in the middle of the night just because you were bored.

“Yes, you must be tired, I´ll go” You grab the chair to returned it to its previous position when his hand closes tightly around your wrist.

“Ask for Riley”

“What?”

“From now on, at visiting hours ask for Riley, they´ll bring you to me”

He doesn't let go, he waits for your answer and your mouth dries up with fear, you don't know this man, he's scary, hell, you'll be fired soon. But once again something urges you to say yes.

“I though you didn´t want visitors”

“I changed my mind”

THANK YOU FOR READING dividers are from @thecutestgrotto

[lindsaylemons29]

8x12 reactions/out of context

Jee my beloved

Ok so for reference Maddie had pretty short hair during the kidnapping but was pregnant, and she now has hair that's AT LEAST 4 inches longer and its been 5 weeks?!?!???

EW TEXAS GET OUT OF THERE DIAZ

Damn what the hell is that fire station

"like home" stfu bitch

"you don't have to worry about that sir" HA WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT

JOSH "four of us got listeria...I still go"

"queen of the pressure cooker"

Maddie i think ur stubborn and oblivious like your brother

HE CALLED HIM RAVI FIRST TRY 👏👏👏

Damn not the vocal cords

(unrelated)FUCK OFF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING INTERRUPTION

*back to our regularly scheduled programming*

Helena Diaz 🍅🍅🍅🍅

ok Eddie I love you but please make wise financial decisions

Helena he knows about his son

Eddie needs some 1 on 1 time with his son and I have a feeling he's not getting that *glares at helena*

GET ALL THE THERAPY

that is an impressive level of shiny eyes maddie

I have a feeling jee is gonna be the way it comes back

Ah, hiring freezes *cries*

And this is why you didn't need to buy a house eddie

Cute little apron buck

Also I love how buck is at the station and just taking video calls while cooking

The fuck is this judge Judy shit

Bro you know these hearings have to be recorded your ass is cooked

"open sesame" buck u little dork

"weasel's going down with the ship" I don't think that's it goes

LMFAO may you rest in peace 727-L-30 vehicle

FIRST THE LOFT NOW THE FIGHT CLUB CAR!?!?!

A PRIUS!!!!

Aw baby Chris pics

Eddie please not the "I forgot how hot Texas can be"

Also that is a safety hazard edmundo please cockblock them

It took 4 rides for him to mention firefighter I'm impressed

EDDIE CMON SAFETY FIRST

eddie is going thru it rn

Damn c'mon people he's not 1 star no tip across the board...

"your son wants to do this" HIS SON CAN TALK FOR HIMSELF

Lady you have headphones if you don't want to listen put them on (also Eddie kindly please hush)

I take that back lady we love you

Ok I don't trust that 5 hour energy knockoff(I guess they got the GMC and Toyota brand deals but 5 hour was too far)

Eddie is that a designated Uber driving hoodie

Please do not give yourself a heart attack eddie

oh dear

hey at least he took down the baby photo chris

Buck he does not have to *call* him, texts exist for a reason

Eddie if you are still outside the friend's place please leave

MAY MENTIONED 🎉🎉🎉

honestly jlh is having a great 8B first the kidnapping and now the lost voice

I WAS RIGHT IT WAS JEE

ok cool you talked but have you talked about the kim of it all

ok I missed buck this episode but I guess last week was pretty buck heavy so I'll begrudgingly allow it

[twst-kumi]

Weeping Maiden [Act II]

(this chapter will be shorter from usual)

[ACT II] CHAPTER 5

Yuu couldn't help but feel giddy. He was rearranging his hair for the fourth time now. He was so happy to see her. Even if she changed so much and seemed to have grown up, he could recognize her.

He didn't have any phone so he was grateful to Vil for acting like an intermediary. He was playing with his cups as his eyes darted back and forth to the door and his watch.

“_ Vil-senpai, brother, am I late?”

[Name] arrived right on time. She wore a royal blue top with high-waist black pants. Yuu felt a shiver going down his back. She loved light colors; it made her look cheerful and approachable. His sister had always chosen her outfit depending on how she wanted to appear, and the color depending on her mood. Even her hair, usually carefully styled, was tied in a simple bun.

Even Vil seemed taken aback too. It wasn't her usual style or color scheme. She looked somber, maybe a little bit upset. The chat seemed going well as they talked about their situation and childhood memories (the positive one). In summary, Yuu experienced everything like the game Yuu.

“_Anyway, do you still have this? You are still 16, so it must be a recent memory for you.

_Yes… well…”

That was the reason she was angry, Yuu knew it. Even her smile looked ominous. The boy shifted in his seat a bit. There was suddenly a strong pressure on his shoulder.

“_I… I lost it…

_You, what?

_I lost it…”

Yuu shrinked in his seat. He lost it, and someone sold it. He wondered how he should tell her or at least explain. He lowered his head in shame feeling like it was his fault.

[Name] frowned at his silence before slamming the necklace on the table. She looked really hurt, tears gathered in her eyes, her lips pursed in a thin line as she looked at him.

“_You could have just said that you hated it. That way I wouldn't have attached that much importance to it.”

She said before bolting out of the coffee shop. Yuu didn't think twice and ran after her. He was panicking, the idea of hurting his sister again, or worse disappointing her was a nightmare to him. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself.

“_ [Name]… [Name]!”

Vil ran after Yuu who was looking for his sister like a madman. He didn't expect what was supposed to be a heartwarming reunion to sour like that.

Five minutes later, they found her at the park. She was throwing pebbles in the water when Yuu sat next to her silent.

“_[Name]…”

The young girl didn't look up, still throwing pebbles. She didn't seem angry anymore but she also didn't utter a word. In a way it reassured Yuu, she was still his spoiled sister. His little princess who would always sulk when she didn't get what she wanted.

With a soft smile he patted her head. This instantly seemed to break something in both of them as she leaned in his arms and started to cry. Yuu cried with her as they hugged each other. She acted all grown up but she was still his baby sister. His little treasure.

“_About the pendant…

_It’s okay brother… I'm not angry or anything. I just missed you.”

Yuu’s heart hurts at her words. He missed her too.

“_I’m sorry, I just wanted to get you your favorite cake.

_I don’t like cake anymore… I hate it.

_That is not true, you love cake. In particular lemon tart, and strawberry mousse cake. You always eat the topping and then eat your cake layer by layer…”

[Name] sobbed softly. Only Yuu knew this type of details. Her one and only beloved brother.

Once she was calmer and [Name] had a great time with them. She did go on a small shopping spree, mostly to get Yuu some clothes that are not school uniform. For now, four pairs of shirts, three pairs of pants and some needed underwear.

***

It was late in the night. Yuu was at Savannah Claw. He glared at the student he just punched. That student was the bastard who robbed him and tried to sell his necklace. Leona just leaned on the couch watching everything unfold. He just smirked as Yuu was beating the little thief black and blue. Looks like the herbivore had some fire in him after all.

“_She cried today. Because of you, she cried so I'm going to beat you for it.”

Yuu growled as he grabbed the students and started to punch him again. He didn't stop even when the students begged him

<previous next>

Tag:

@cocomollo @owodi @illytian @mmysticc-ev0let @oreolover1

[dh1k]

Song for you

A little bit angst. Sukuna here is not canon.

Summary: your friend dragged you to a concert, where the singer is your ex Sukuna.

English is not my first language, sorry if some mistakes can be here.

Sukuna scrutinizes the crowd carefully, not giving up hope of finding a familiar head. Though in the back of his mind he realizes that it's unlikely you'd come to his concert after everything that's happened. He tries to put all these thoughts aside, so that the fans don't notice any uncertainty in his voice, and starts singing the chorus of the song. It was his new song, drenched in love and a touch of sadness, written in a burst of emotion after a breakup. If you were here, you would have realized that the song was dedicated to you, but no matter how much Sukuna looked, he couldn't find you.

After the concert ended, Sukuna approached the area where he was supposed to sign autographs, but after signing literally a couple of posters, he turned around and walked away, leaving fans puzzled. He was pressured by the thought of recent events and the fact that you didn't come to his concert, but understood perfectly well that you had the right to do so.

With scant hope he looked around the hall once more, what was his surprise to see you among the few remaining people. You were standing next to your friend who was praising the concert very vehemently. Sukana immediately noticed that you didn't particularly like her monologue. He thought for a long time whether to approach you or not, but still, not with his usual uncertainty, he approached you, putting his hand on your shoulder.

“What the” you start to resent him, but as soon as you turn around you see him.

You stare at him, not understanding why or why not he came up to you.

You wanted to leave, because everything you wanted to say, you have already said, and listen to what he will say was not desirable. You wanted to turn to your friend and tell her to leave, but she was gone. She skipped off with some guy to drink cocktails behind the bar.

“Traitor” ran through your head. Looks like Sukuna's dialog with you was unavoidable.

“What do you want?” You asked, trying to be as calm as possible.

“I... I need to talk to you” he said, as if afraid of your refusal.

You cringed a little, but nodded and followed him into the dressing room.

“It was very unexpected to see you here, I didn't think you'd come” Sukuna said, either relieved or saddened.

You didn't like this long foreplay, especially from him.

“I'd like to talk about us.”

You looked at him questioningly, because in your opinion, you had already decided everything and there was no "us" anymore.

“I miss you, and I wish I could take it all back, but I realize I look stupid for saying this right now. But for some reason, it's important to me that you know that.”

Deep down, you miss him too, the sweet moments together, the trips to concerts together. But just the mere memory that after another tour you didn't go on with him because of your plans, he cheated on you with your manager makes you cringe and come to your senses, no matter how much you love and miss him. There was no scandals or yelling, you made a mutual decision to separate so you wouldn't torture each other.

“You don't have to answer, I know how you feel about it. But I wanted you to hear” Sukuna looked completely broken. You could see how hard this was for him.

“Look, we both still have some feelings for each other, but we also both know that getting back together would be a bad decision” your answer radiated some coldness, maybe it was fake, maybe not.

Sukuna got goosebumps at the answer, hell yes, he knows that getting back together would be the worst decision you could make, but for some reason those words were weighing on him. He didn't answer. Looking probably for the last time so close to you, he tried to memorize your beautiful image.

Exhaling quietly, you smiled at him and turned around, leaving the dressing room. Maybe you'll keep going to his concerts, maybe not, you don't know. But you do know that there will be more than one song dedicated to you. After all, music is his life, and nowhere will he describe his feelings as sincerely and emotionally as in a song.

[the-rainbow-overflow]

"Discretion is always assuring." The presumed red blood answers as she perused. A place that keeps quiet about merchandise acquisition is certainly a place she could keep in mind. She seemed to be in no particular hurry as she drifts from display to display, taking in her surroundings.

"I assume many ... "Haunting" items, as you put it, make their way to a place like this. I'd reckon it feels like home to them." She stops to observe some of the smaller knick knacks, grouped together.

"Collecting such things never has been much of a priority of mine. They have a rather..." She pauses to consider her words a moment. Gaze meeting the inanimate stares of glass eyes and porcelain faces And holding there for several moments. And the longer she stared, the more the room felt... Heavy. Like the air pressed down on the rooms inhabitants. It gave off a bad vibe. Anxious and tense. All the while, her expression and posture remained unchanged. "Contentious relationship with a close companion of mine." As she turns away, that pressure seems to dissipate all at once. Reduced to a hazy memory once her attention moved to the next thing. "Still, it's hard not to find fascination with them when they do pop up unannounced. A little glimpse into the world's odd and unexplainable does wonders to break up the monotony of the mundane. That being said-"

She approaches the counter proper now, resting her neatly manicured hands atop its surface. "The reason I'm here. I have something I'm looking to part with. Something that requires more knowledgeable hands to look after it."

Come get judged by the antiques, oddities, and curiosities shop owner! Bonus if you'd like, buy or sell something at her shop.

[yampishna]

I think the shimmer version of the arms dealer would be cool if he had white hair instead of blonde, so I drew him like that (as well as the zoologist)

I don't usually talk about my vision of the game, but I have a headcanon that the arms dealer kills mobs for money. This headcanon doesn't go anywhere, but at least it gave me a reason to make cool art

[icewindandboringhorror]

sometimes looking at like Self Help Strategies lists for the symptoms I'm having is always just like:

thing that I already do

thing I have tried 10 times

thing I already do

thing that I don't have the money to do

thing I already do

thing I've been doing since I was 10yrs old to no avail

thing that is impossible given my situation

thing that doesn't apply to me

thing that I already do

thing I have already tried

hrmm, oh wait, maybe finally- OH, yeah.. okay. thing that I already do but it was just phrased slightly differently

thing I have already done

[nabaath-areng]

A vague OC concept I had a few years ago but never developed has been coming back to haunt me in full force recently and I don't know how random that really is given how shit has been lately

[snapbackslide]

if anyone got tips pls share with the group 🫶🫶🫶🫶

[waywardsalt]

there is undeniable opportunity to make bellum x linebeck fucked up but i dont have it in me. im a sucker for it just being fine with a side of like. light nautical crimes against nature but i cant make it toxic or w/e after a certain point. theyre chilling

[gregmarriage]

i’m back temporarily, bc it’s my birthday in an hour and a half, and i’m having a mini breakdown, hehe x