#I CAN'T HANDLE THE TENSION AND DIVORCE

[aquavierra]

The way they stared at each other lovingly and Charles laughing at Carlos' joke like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard... *sobbing*

[rinniereads123]

One-Shots

SOME OF THESE STORIES ARE MATURE! READ THE WARNINGS AND TAGS BEFORE YOU READ!

Last updated 01/06/2025

★ - personal favorites | masterlist | other recs

scary? my god, you're divine - @sinner-as-saint

Your marriage to Bucky Barnes was crucial in stopping the rivalry that had been getting rather violent recently between the two families. You agreed to it. But there was one little problem. Although people knew of Bucky as being a ruthless, fiercely loyal, and feared hitman, no one had ever seen his face. In the rare occasions when he’d been seen out during assignments, it was rumoured that he always wore some sort of mask which covered most of his face. So you ended up marrying a man, and had no idea what he looked like. But surely that wouldn���t be an issue. It’s not like his one touch would get you addicted. Who cared what he looked like? It’s not like you could grow to love someone like him anyway… right?

yours to hurt, yours to love - @purple-babygirl

They had a deal. She would surrender her control; he would take it. Love had no place in such a relationship, did it?

Come Find Me - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

You get left behind on a mission, and Bucky goes to save you.

★blurred lines - @ellemj

When choosing a female agent to send back in time to gain young Sergeant Barnes's trust, everyone's in agreement that it should be Sharon. Until Bucky, the man that you barely get along with, speaks up and lets everyone know that it could only be you.

Shared desires - @veltana

You and Bucky decide to explore something new with Steve.

The Push and the Pull - @delaber

There’s nothing Bucky wants more than to be with you - and for that reason alone, he has to break both your hearts.

Little Bookworm - @heytheredelulu

Your boyfriend can’t think of anything more adorable than watching you read. One night while you’re in the shower he picks up the book you left on the nightstand: “Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton” and thumbs through it, very quickly realizing just what kind of books his sweet little bookworm is really into.

Anywhere Away With You - @thevillainswhore

Old ghosts from your past threaten to disturb the peace you’ve made with your new life. Will temptation steer you away?

★The Ties That Bind Us - @thevillainswhore

Even though Bucky is your ex-husband, you still have to see him often because of your shared son. But the heated tension, the spark that is still very much alive after your divorce, finally reaches its peak when you come home from your date.

Warrior/Worrier - @delaber

After a mission gone awry, Bucky finds himself on your doorstep in the middle of the night.

Pink in the Night - @d0wnb4df0rf1cm3n

Some interesting rumours have been circling around about Bucky. Little do you know, it's kinda your fault.

Love Hurts - @urdepressedslut

You and Bucky get into a heated argument, things are said and done and now he won’t speak to you. You don’t think you can handle him ignoring your existence.

in losing grip, on sinking ships (you showed up just in time) - @mellowsaturns

When the Avengers pick up unusual activity, they realize that not all of Hydra was destroyed. One unidentifiable face sends the team into a frenzy but Bucky knows it. He could recognize those eyes anywhere.

I Hate You - @ellemj

After ending up on SHIELD's radar, you're moved into the tower against your will. Of course, you can't stand the one man that you have the most in common with.

One More Night - @marvelouslizzie

You and Bucky Barnes are fuck buddies for a while. The problem is you have feelings for him but you don't think he reciprocates and it just makes it impossible to continue your relationship. Little did you know how much he wants you and how hard he's trying to keep it casual.

The Things We Carry With Us - @pellucid-constellations

You were injured on a mission and didn’t tell anyone, leaving your already rocky relationship with Bucky crumbling. Was it really hate he harbored for you, or was it something else? 

Control - @bucky-bucket-barnes

John Walker makes the dire mistake of messing with Bucky’s girl. This misstep causes a major fight to break out between the two, ending in nothing but blood and rage.

I Can Save You This Time - @pellucid-constellations

It’s the 4th of July and you’ve never been more sick. Turns out you aren’t the only one in the compound that stayed home from the celebration.

Shaken Up - @jamesbuchananxsteviegrant

Steve and Bucky find their girl passed out.

Under Pressure - @banditthewriter

Y/N hides a nasty injury from the team until they know everybody is safe, and then they collapse. Bucky worries about Y/N.

Injuries - @flowinglocksofbuck

you get injured on a mission and Bucky freaks out

Wicked - @str-spangled-banner

You were injured during a mission two weeks ago and put to much pressure on your healing wounds, doing more damage than you thought possible. Bucky fears he will lose you.

Necessary Evil - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

Y/N gets seriously injured and Bucky takes care of her.

fingers fantasy fulfilled - @purple-babygirl

If Bucky's doll wanted his metal fingers then that was exactly what she was going to get.

Lavender - @wkemeup

Not every nightmare is the same and Bucky doesn’t always wake up as the man you know. 

Give Me A Sign - @lostgirlmuseum

Bucky asks the universe for a reason to live. The universe delivers you.

Fulfilled Fantasy - @sergeantbarnessdoll

Y/N admits to Bucky that she wants to have a threesome so he has Natasha help fulfill her fantasy.

Hottest Night of Your Life - @bossbtch1

Bucky and Steve joined you for a night out at the club, but things took a dark turn when a stranger spiked your drink. Bucky and Steve were more than willing to "take care" of you.

Sharing is Caring - @sad-not-glad

Soft Dom! Steve x Sub! Bucky x Dom! reader

My Queen - @adrinktostopyourthirst

The post-battle energy rush needs a release. Suddenly, there's a willing soldier at your disposal.

all the apple cider and no more haunted houses - @witchywithwhiskey

you and bucky barnes have a love-hate relationship—you love him and you believe he hates you—but when your friends insist on going to the scariest haunted house attraction in the area, the experience ends up forcing your real feelings for each other out into light

my everything - @mrsbarnesblog

The last thing that Bucky ever expected to see was the love of his life from the past trapped in one of the Hydra bunkers in the cryofreeze chamber. Yet here he was almost two days later, staring at your still unconscious body through the window at the medical wing, imagining the horror and disgust on your face when you found out that he was no longer the innocent and happy boy you knew before.

you were mine just yesterday - @notafunkiller

It's been a while since your break up with Bucky happened, but you're still not over him. You try to move on, go out, and have fun with your friend, Steve, but you end up in the same bar you two went to often. It also just happens that Bucky is there too, with Natasha by his side. It doesn't take long for you two to end up getting into old habits.

[colourstreakgryffin]

Hi I was the one who requested the Furina-like reader and i wanted to clear up that:

Alastor and Vox are still archenemies they just have something new to fight over (basically just like petty divorced exes fighting over custody)

Since I just realized that sinners can't have kids in hell i'll make that reader was a teenager who died young

Also I'm so sorry my req was alot for you I tend to get away with asks sometimes 😭

Haha! All good, hun! Tbh. I really do like this idea. They are like petty divorced exes most of the time and now, they’ll be petty divorced exes that love their precious daughter so much, that they won’t let one another become the favourite parent and actively sabotage. I only chose female since Furina’s female. Hope that’s okay!

Alastor and Vox- Climbing the Ladder

The Overlord of Technology and the Overlord of Radio are genuine archenemies, rivals, they cannot stand one another and their mutual hatred even extends to their personal relationships… but when their love becomes targeted on the same person, this situation gets all the more dangerous

You, a cute hydro-sea animal-styled young teenage sinner, didn’t just catch the fatherly love of just Alastor but of Vox as well… somehow and now. They begin fighting on sight and arguing and berating one another nonstop to try knock each other down so you don’t like one over the other

Yes. Alastor and Vox openly tug on you and argue loudly but eventually, Charlie makes them agree on a… ‘co-parenting’ deal. Alastor has you in the Hotel one week then Vox has you in the Vees Tower the next week. They are basically like fathers with joint custody and they hate it

Because they hate each other far too much to be civil and everytime they have to meet up to share you. Both are holding back the desire to murder each other. Otherwise, the tension inbetween them is so thick, you can cut it with a butcher knife

Both of them are the type of surrogate father to shower and pamper their daughter so she’ll like them over the other. Vox showers you in gifts and gives you specific technological devices so he can keep his eyes on you, whilst Alastor showers you in affection and keeps your attention on him with all his cool tricks and nicknacks

Alastor tries to make you dislike technology but Vox tries to make you rely on technology, and their contrasting efforts to have you love them like your one true father makes their already tense relationship even worse

Both Alastor and Vox can recognise your love for the theatre so Alastor uses his own theatre speciality to teach you to dance and sing and perform whilst Vox arranges a whole drama class for you to learn from the professionals. They both attend any drama performances you happen to atten. Vox is recording it to treasure as Alastor can’t take his eyes off his precious babygirl

Will these two ever not fight with each other? The only time they willingly get along is when you’re ever being threatened or being harassed or being bullied. Then, they shove aside their differences and their deep disdain for each other to protect you

Alastor and Vox do not like the whole ‘co-parenting arrangement’ they agreed on. They don’t want to share you at all, they both want you as their own surrogate daughter. Vox is pissed since he is worried he may seem like the lesser father and Alastor is annoyed that some flat-faced freak is trying to take his daughter away from him

Your kind, laid-back, down-to-earth, chill girl demeanour is kinda hard to get around for both Overlords. Alastor is dapper, sophisticated whilst Vox is a bit prickly and arrogant. Neither are good with handling you yet both are equally supportive and listen to you

Alastor and Vox are both equally protective over you. You’re so selfless and self-sacrificing towards your friends that you’re willing to jump into danger for their sake. Luckily, you have two very powerful Overlords as backup. Both willing to tear apart your enemies to make sure you’re safe

Your dads, Alastor and Vox are both working to shake out your very assuming and judgmental mannerisms. Those are unfitting for a lady like you. Alastor teaches you to be a prim proper classy lady and Vox teaches you to be a ‘bad bitch of high class’

At the end of the day, both of them love like you are their biological daughter so they’ll always consider you as and they’ll do anything for you, even try their best to get along and tolerate one another. If it means you’ll be happy and you’ll get to stay in their afterlives, that’s all that really matters here

“My dear. As much as I love you, this flamboyance and imprudence is below you. You’re a beautiful lady of the highest class, you must show that. Come with me now. May we go to the mall together, a day out to work on yourself, princess”

“Leitora, I get it! The bravado and dramatic flare is definitely unique but I wish for you to drop now. You’re becoming bratty and no daughter of mine is a diva, I’ll show you what I mean. Let’s go for a walk around the tower, honeypot”

[rustedleopard]

I'll ask! Would Cerojin get divorced? They are both very stubborn people. I can see them trying to work it out somehow (even if only for Kanako's sake).

I love how people are starting to see me as the Cerojin divorce guy, lol

For the most part, I see Ceroba's and Chujin's relationship going out in such a spectacular fashion that there's no way for them to try to salvage it. I'm talking "months/years of poor communication and the stresses of life and having to provide for the family practically singlehandedly" putting cracks in the dam that is Ceroba's idolization of Chujin that holds back anything... unsavory that she might feel about him. And then, one day, the dam breaks and Ceroba goes from "Chujin is so wonderful and perfect" to "Chujin is awful. He's done nothing but bum around while I've had to do everything for the family!!! I hate him!!!" And then their relationship goes out in a full-on "flinging magic and words you can't take back (and maybe a chair)" messy explosion. (Okay, well, it wouldn't be immediate, there would be signs that Ceroba's getting frustrated with him, but she's too busy trying to bury/ignore those feelings, so you'd only really see her temper flare up occasionally before she tries to steady herself by saying "My husband is a wonderful person, I'm doing what I can to help him. I shouldn't be acting like this" and Chujin's too busy focusing on what he wants to do that he's not paying attention to how his wife feels. They CANNOT communicate properly for the life of them :'). The relationship still peters out pretty quickly once Ceroba stops feeling the love, though.)

Buuuuuut, let's say that they're able to communicate well enough that they can tell each other "We NEED to make this work. We can't get a divorce. We can't have our marriage fail." Well... It would be a nightmare. To say the least. They'd both only try to force the relationship and make it work for their own egos without any of the groundwork that makes a relationship work, so at best it'd be a public performance of what a happy couple should look like instead of what it would be like. A happy and healthy marriage needs more than just love to work. It needs trust. It needs shared responsibilities. It needs proper communication. And these are areas where Ceroba and Chujin fail each other. Sure, maybe they might be able to act like they tolerate each other when they're out in public (i.e. not yelling at each other, though there's still some weird tension between them that some people would be aware of). But behind closed doors, I can't see this facade holding up well. Conversations would be so insanely passive-aggressive, that you'd have to call them "passive-aggressive-aggressive." They would probably develop a routine like this every day:

Ceroba: "You're home late. How was work?" (<- Said with a smile tight enough that she could put teeth marks into steel)

Chujin: "Fine." (<- Chujin got his ear chewed off about not contributing financially around the house so he got the first job that he could to prove her wrong. He hates it and his negative feelings about his job rebound onto Ceroba because he feels like she forced him into it.)

Ceroba: "Oh, that's wonderful to hear! Well, dinner's on the table for you. Kanako and I already ate, so you'll have to have it alone."

Chujin: "... It's cold."

Ceroba: "Oh, well. That's what happens when you stay late at work without telling me. Microwave's in the kitchen, you can handle it yourself." (<- she is already thinking about the bottle)

And on and on and on. They'd be the sorts of people that everybody else around them wants them to get divorced because they're sick of all the arguing and stress and anger. Starlo in this situation, brave man that he is, tries to recommend that Ceroba gets a divorce and ends up getting yelled at because "How dare you suggest that we can't make things work!!" Martlet doesn't seem as privy to Chujin's home life as Starlo is with Ceroba, so all she knows is that things are rough at home, but she tries to invite him out bowling or to relax in Honeydew's hot spring to get some of the stress out. Both of them are trying their best to help their friends, but this isn't something that they can handle because their friends are just.... astronomically stubborn and stupid.

(And this isn't even getting into how a monster's health is heavily tied to their emotional state. A monster can literally be put into a near-death state from grieving too hard. Can you imagine how rough things would be with all that stress? Humans already experience a myriad of health problems when put under stress for an extended period of time, so you can just imagine how bad things would be healthwise for a monster. Food for thought...)

And as for Kanako? Oh my god. Out of everybody in this situation, she is the one I sympathize with/pity the most. Ceroba and Chujin have a choice in their relationship and how it's going/turns out, but Kanako doesn't. She's just a kid. Like I said earlier, on paper they might say that they're trying to make this marriage work, perhaps "for Kanako's sake," but that's their egos speaking because if they were actually paying attention to what their daughter wants, they'd realize that she'd be happier if they weren't fighting all the time, even if that means a divorce. I can see her feeling responsible for how terribly things are going because they keep saying "We're trying to stay together for your sake." Maybe she tries intervening in arguments to stop Mommy and Daddy from fighting each other, but over time gets burnt out on doing that because she's not stopping them from fighting, she's only delaying the inevitable. Most likely, she'd avoid being at home/around her parents as much as possible because there's so much tension at home and she never knows when tempers are gonna flare, so it's better to sleep over at friends or spend the day at the Wild East/the Sunnyside farm/at the playground/Cafe Dune/somewhere else. Over time, her parents' constant quarreling could even burn her out/make her jaded and irritated with her mom and dad as well as depressed because she feels like it's her fault they're like that. She never asked for her mom and dad to try to maintain their relationship for her sake; she just wants to be happy, whatever shape that happiness may take.

Tl;dr Divorce is a mercy in this situation.

[m0rkl]

"Their break up causes some tension between Mabel and Dipper because Mabel is siding with Fiddleford and Dipper is siding with Ford. The twin’s aren’t entirely looking at the situation as black and white, but they do pick sides." - Now I'm curious to know the reasons that led Mabel to side with Fiddleford over Ford, since in canon she sides with Stan. I think Dipper siding with Ford makes sense, because you can't just erase the pain, that wouldn't be honest.

Yes! Okay, so the major reason Mabel sides with Fiddleford is simply that she just gets along with him better. She likes Ford and loves her grunkle, but her chaotic energy and love of sparkles matches more with Fiddleford. Stanford can be a little coarse with her, not out of malice, just his bluntness and Fiddleford is a little more emotionally sensitive in a way Mabel responds to better.

And then there's her obsession with 'love' and match making. She knows that erasing Ford's memory was wrong and Fiddleford shouldn't have lied, but she understand why he did it. Mabel sees that Fiddleford loves Ford desparately and would do anything to protect him and their relationship. She's also grown accustom to Fidds and Stanford being her grunkles together and if they break up everything changes. And if she can't save their relationship or handle their split, she thinks she's certainly not going to be able to handle her parents immpending divorce. Just like she's afraid of summer ending, she's afraid of her little family in Gravity Falls breaking apart and even though she knows Fiddleford was wrong, she can't bear the thought of everything changing.

Dipper, on the other hand, thinks about the whole situation a little more straightford and sees Fiddleford's erasure of Ford's memories as a blatant betrayal. Plus, he likes Fiddleford, but views him as out of control and reckless(despite Ford being more or less the same way). Plus, in his mind their parents divorce is already set in stone. He's anxious and upset about it, but sees their parents relationship as already over. He figures Standord and Fiddleford will be the same.

Both Mabel and Dipper see that the whole situation is complicated, but they take side because they're kids and its just easier to latch on to an adult who seem like they might be able to give them more guidance on the whole situation that dealing with it alone.

[storiesofoblivion]

hello tags! It's been a little while since I've been on here, but I'm ready to dive back into the writing scene and looking for some new writing partners on Discord! ♡ please only interact with me if you are 21 + only, also just a small fyi my activity can be a bit unpredictable depending on life stuff, but I’m always around to chat, plot, and create if I’m not writing!!! 

I’d love to brainstorm some MUMUs (small town, big big city, holiday resort, band, reality tv show, open for the options), but also happy to keep it small with a singular plot! i just want to get into musings, making some fun pinterest boards, playlists etc! i want all the angst, fluff, pain and smut. 

a few plots and tropes which I am begging for and some fcs are below, but i'm open to anything and everything!!! if you're interested, give this a like and i'll reach out or message me! ♡

yearning plot, I just watched the Industry and it gave me the need for a pair who love each other, they completely yearn for each other but they can't be together. if you want your heart to break, listen to the last goodbye by the kills. I have quite a few different thoughts for this, they meet when they're young and they yearn for each other, but life gets in the way and ultimately they don't end up together, they love each other but one of them choses the path which is right for them. We can have them go through the break up and then meet again years across the line where it’s a mix of vulnerability and guardedness as both muses confront their past, knowing that the connection they once had slipped through their fingers. There could be moments of warmth and nostalgia mixed with painful realisations about how much has changed. I just need the angst!!!!

the affair, they’re both trapped in unhappy relationships, finding solace in each other’s arms. But as the passion between them grows, so does the guilt and the looming sense that their affair will only lead to heartbreak—for everyone involved.

trapped in a marriage of convenience, they were never supposed to fall in love. Bound by a loveless marriage for political or financial reasons, one of them has secretly harboured feelings all along. Now, as tension rises and secrets unravel, those buried emotions threaten to tear them both apart.

divorced couple, they are always in each others lives, their is fighting, they can't escape, let's add kids to the mix for the coparenting 

the one who got away, this is slightly different to yearning because this couple aren't the same vibe it's a different font okay. They were madly in love in their early 20s, but life and ambition pulled them in different directions. Years later, they reconnect—both scarred from past relationships. There’s undeniable chemistry, but the fear of repeating history keeps them at a distance. Can they let go of their past mistakes and take a risk on love again, or are they doomed to drift apart once more?

the cost of fame, he’s an up-and-coming actor/musician etc, skyrocketing to fame, while she’s still living an ordinary life. They were high school sweethearts, but as his career takes off, the pressure of his public image and constant media attention start to tear their relationship apart. Will their love survive the world of flashing cameras and false rumours, or will fame turn him into someone she no longer recognises??? where will the angst take us??

fighter plot, after re-watching the creed I need a boxer plot so maybe something like in creed where is fighting his way to the top, but his girl can’t handle the fear of losing him to the sport etc 

a coffee shop meet-cute, or any meet-cute where it can be something like she's the regular at his coffee shop, always rushing in with a complicated order and a smile that lights up the place. He’s the barista who secretly gives her an extra shot of espresso to brighten her day. After months of shy glances and friendly small talk, a chance encounter outside of the café leads to a series of adorable, awkward dates full of laughs, misunderstandings, and the beginning of something real.

a classic holiday fake dating, one of them desperately needs a date for the family’s holiday reunion to avoid endless questions about their love life, so they convinces their co-worker (or best friend) to pretend to be their partner for the week. Cue romantic holiday moments, cute banter, and the unexpected realisation that maybe they’re not just pretending after all.

I just need anything that is enemies to lovers, anything that is friends to lovers, anything that is forbidden lovers, anything that is exes to lovers to exes again, give me the slowburn, just any of these tropes on repeat

i also do have a wanted plots tag which is here - this has not been updated in a while but i will always want these plots! 

some fcs i’ve been wanting to play or have has opposites are below, i'm not limited to them and open to any other options too!!! 

drew starkey

oliver jackson cohen 

paul mescal

harris dickinson 

milo ventimiglia

tom hardy

fabien frankel 

theo james

callum turner

dev patel 

josh o'connor

alexander skarsgard

boyd holbrook 

grace van patten

hannah dodd

phoebe dynevor

adria arjona

bruna marquezine 

aslihan malbora 

alisha boe

pinar deniz

taylor russell

greta onieogou 

lucy boynton

[eomayas]

fantasy • bbh

pairing: idol!baekhyun x f!reader

synopsis: 'she gon' get divorced off of it / cause she in the crowd screaming, getting hoarse off of it' lyrics from 'Warsaw' by Jack Harlow. OR, in which the reader is a big fan of baekhyuns, and her boyfriend can't handle it

genre: idol x fan au, fluff

warnings: readers boyfriend is mean and a big baby, reader is morally gray i guess.

a/n: doing everything but writing stories i've promised lmaoooo. this was stupid and i was gonna include smut, but decided against it. enjoy some bbh x fan tension and flirting

your voice is nearly gone from screaming his lyrics back to him, but you don’t even care. it’ll all be worth it in the end.

baekhyuns music, to you, is everything. you’ve been a fan the moment you heard his first single, and it’s been history ever since. you’ve been to many shows, always trying to go whenever you can, and they always end with you the same way: hoarse. your voice is always nearly gone before the show is even close to being over. again, it’s all worth it.

you scream when the song comes to a close, baekhyun standing at the mic and catching his breath. you feel like you’re put in a daze watching him under the bright lights, looking angelic while being covered in sweat as his chest heaves up and down. several thoughts filter through your mind as you stare at him, pupils dilating as he toys with the crowd by unbuttoning another button on his shirt.

you can’t help but scream like you’re one of the teenage girls in the crowd, though you’re a grown 23. a hand on the small of your back pulls you out of your head and daze, and you turn to your boyfriend who looks extremely displeased with your behavior. you shoot him an apologetic look and kiss him on the cheek before turning your attention back to the man of the hour.

it’s safe to say you’ve been babysitting all night. your boyfriend, josh, knew that you liked baekhyun well before you officially started dating. josh can deal with it, but even if he won’t admit it, he does get jealous when you talk about baekhyun in any capacity. it’s silly to you, because he’s just your celebrity crush, and you love josh.

but tonight, he’s being especially sensitive, arms folded over his chest, staring daggers at you and baekhyun. every time you scream, you can feel josh rolling his eyes and have to console him nearly every time.

you whoop as baekhyun pats himself dry with a towel, and you swear that he looks over at you—at least your section—and smiles. your heart drops to your ass, and you pray somebody behind you has their phone out to record, because if this is how you die… then you won’t be mad.

baekhyuns eyes linger on you, but he slides them over the audience just as quick. your brain flops around inside of your skull, you can barely think or breathe. you don’t know how you’ll survive meeting him after the show if you can’t deal with a smile from 50 feet away.

“is everybody having a good time?” he asks, looking about the arena. everybody screams—except for josh—and you force your voice to carry itself through the sea of high pitched wails. baekhyun giggles into the mic and mocks the screams from the audience, only making everybody scream louder. “ah, i’m glad you’re having fun—i am too.” baekhyun looks at your section again, and you swear he looks directly into your eyes again. you can only beam at him, whether you are imagining things, or they’re really happening.

beside you, josh shakes his head and refolds his arms over his chest. you glance at him and uncross them, letting them drop to his sides. josh, childishly, recrosses them and you scoff, rolling your eyes at his attitude. you told him you’d give his ticket to a friend if he couldn’t handle how you knew you were going to act. josh claimed he could handle it, didn’t mind it as long as you were happy. clearly, there were some blurred lines.

“for this next song, if you’re here with someone special, hold onto them real tight,” you look up st the stage just as the words leave baekhyuns lips, and again—you’re sure you’re not imagining things—he’s looking right at you and josh, eyes narrowed and all. you face flushes as a few people in your section turn around to look at you with confused expressions.

you don’t have time to even properly react until the opening chords of ‘stay up’ begin, and you’re transported right back into being a fan. josh doesn’t hold onto you like baekhyun told everybody in the audience to, and you don’t find room to care. you’re too entranced with baekhyun and his voice, the way he stands angelically at the mic.

tell me how you want it

tell me how you need it

a shiver runs down your spine as your eyes reconnect with baekhyuns as the suggestive lyrics slip through his sinful lips. he even has the nerve to wink at you, which sends your section into a frenzy and makes butterflies erupt in your stomach. josh is far lost on you, and you watch the rest of the performance in a haze.

the rest of the concert goes by in a blur once you remember that you’re going to get to meet him after the show. your voice is gone, and you try to save it by mouthing the words to his songs instead, but it’s hard to resist the urge to tell the lyrics with him.

josh pouts beside you the whole time, but you don’t let him spoil your mood, not even when he doesn’t share your excitement while you wait in line to meet baekhyun. you want him to be excited with you, and maybe you’d be like him if the roles were reversed, but you’d like him to at least act supportive.

the girls in front of you are lead through the curtain that takes them to the meet and greet room. you hear them squeal and start bouncing up and down on your toes, hands feeling shaky with excitement and overall nerves. “oh my god, i’m so nervous,” you say to josh. he glares down at you and your face falls, wishing he’d just be tiniest bit happy for you. “stop looking at me like that.”

“then stop freaking out!” he says, raising his voice a bit. you frown at him, crossing your arms over your chest and flaring your nostrils. “and i can’t believe you’re dressed like this—he’s not your boyfriend, i am.” josh spits and you open your mouth, ready to fire something back but it dies in your throat. you knew you should’ve just given the ticket to your friend.

turning away from him, you bite the inside of your cheek and cross your arms over your exposed midriff, feeling extremely exposed. you once felt cute and sexy in your miniskirt, but now you feel stupid and like a try hard.

the curtain gets pulled back, and a security guard waves you through. you sigh, your stomach flipping for reasons that have nothing to do with baekhyun, and start walking forward. joshs footsteps echo behind you, and you wish he’d just stay outside and wait for you.

baekhyun waits in front of the backdrop, a smile on his face when you step through. your frown cracks, and you can’t help but beam back at him. “hi,” you say with a shy wave.

“hey! welcome,” he says, opening his arms for you to walk into. you expect to give him a side hug, but he pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. your heart hammers against your chest and you miss him when he pulls back. “how are you?” he asks, peering down at you with soft eyes.

“good! really good,” you reply quickly. he glances behind you and you turn, having forgotten that josh followed you in.

“that your boyfriend?” he asks, grabbing a cd and signing his name on it.

“err, yeah,” you say. baekhyun looks up from the cd at you quizzically, a playful glint in his eye.

“you think he wants a picture?”

“no.”

“me neither—he doesn’t look to happy,” baekhyun admits. you glance back at josh again to see him looking up at the ceiling with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “what’s your name, beautiful?” he asks, hand hovering in midair over the cd.

your voice gets lost in your throat and you full body blush, your hands getting clammy. “y-y/n,” you stutter, blushing even deeper when he smiles at you.

“pretty name for a pretty girl. spell it for me?” he asks, eyes never leaving yours. you’re definitely not imagining it now, and you wonder if he flirts with everybody like this. you hope not.

you spell your name for him and he sets it on the side table. “the show was incredible, by the way,” you manage. baekhyun thanks you, a humble smile on his lips.

“thank you—i can tell you had fun,” he says, referring to your barely there voice. “you knew every word.” he notes, and okay, you simply can’t believe it. he was definitely not just looking at your section, but at you.

you giggle nervously and nod. “of course. i’ve been a fan for years,” you admit. baekhyun raises his eyebrows in surprise and thanks you again for supporting him. “i’m so glad you performed stay up—ive been waiting.” you add and he smirks at you.

“consider it a special gift, then,” he says and you feel your knees getting weak. “ready for our picture?” he asks, snapping you out of your thoughts. you nod, and position yourself next to him in front of the backdrop.

baekhyun slings an arm over your shoulder easily, like it’s something he does often. you wrap yours around his middle and lean into him, smiling when the picture gets taken. “you want one more?” he asks, looking down at you. your heart skips a beat, seeing him this close.

“s-sure,” you say, and you wonder if he can feel the slight tremble in your body. he lets you choose the next pose, and you stand in front of him and wrap one of his arms over the front of you. baekhyun takes it upon himself to lean down and wrap his other arm around your middle, his cheek nearly pressed against your own.

the picture is taken and you’re nearly blinded from the flash and the fact that you think you may pass out because of the way he’s treating you and holding you. “thank you, y/n,” he says kindly, giving you another hug.

“no, thank you,” you say and he smiles.

“any time.”

the ride home, josh goes on and on about how your attitude was disrespectful towards him, how it’s not fair how you acted around baekhyun in front of him. you ask him if it would have been better if it was in private, and he yells again how you don’t care about him, or his feelings.

you can only roll your eyes and ignore him, flipping between the two photos that you took with baekhyun. the second one gives you butterflies because you two look very much like a couple. you decide to post that one on your instagram story, typing out ‘loml’ and tagging him before ignoring josh for the rest of the ride.

his yelling doesn’t stop, not even after you get back to your shared apartment and brush past him to your room. “y/n, i’m talking to you!”

“oh my god, please leave me alone, josh!” you shout back, wishing he’d gone in a different room. “like i get it, okay? i’m disrespectful and a whore—i get it.” josh sighs heavily through his nose and starts to open his mouth, but you shut the door quickly because you don’t want to hear whatever it is he’s going to complain about next.

he knocks a few times and you ignore it, sitting on your bed to take off your tall boots and give your feet a break. josh goes away after a couple of minutes and you sigh, flopping onto your back. you had a wonderful night that is souring because of your boyfriend. you don’t understand how one can be so insecure over somebody famous, but you take it as a partial compliment that he thinks you could pull baekhyun.

pulling your phone from your purse, your eyebrows shoot up when you see the amount of notifications you’re receiving from instagram. you quickly log into your phone and go to the app, nearly choking on your own saliva when you see that baekhyun shared your post to his story. there’s no text, other than a simple red heart emoji that makes your own, real, heart beat at a million miles a minute.

you sit up and notice that you have a dm notification, and you’re afraid that your heart may be too weak to handle it when you see baekhyuns account at the very top. your fingers shake as you click on the message.

byunbaekhyun: it was nice meeting you! 😘

y_n: oh my god y_n: it was nice meeting you too! oh my god!!

byunbaekhyun: lol! byunbaekhyun: i really dont do this often, but there’s an after party at a club downtown. you’re welcome to come if you want :)

your jaw falls open, nothing coming out. you didn’t expect him to answer you, and you really didn’t expect this. you’ve only ever dreamed about something like this happening, but now you can’t believe that is really is.

y_n: is this a joke?

nervously, you chew on your thumbnail, feeling theres cameras surrounding you and somebody is going to pop out of nowhere and tell you that you're being pranked.

byunbaekhyun: haha no! byunbaekhyun: feel free to bring your boyfriend.

at the mention of josh, you sober. if he wants to be upset about something, then maybe you'll really give him something to be upset about. this isn't something that happens everyday.

y_n: ill be there

twenty minutes later, you're shakily stepping out of an uber and nervously walking up to the bouncer like baekhyun told you to. he said he put your name on a list, and that all you have to do is tell him who you're here for, and you'll get in.

"excuse me, ma'am, back of the line," he says, without as much as a second glance your way.

"oh, um, i'm actually on the list—i'm here with baekhyun," you say, telling him your name quickly after. he gives you a look and flips over the VIP list. upon finding your name, he snorts and shakes his head, unclipping the rope and nodding at you to go inside. you thank him quietly and step inside the noisy club, ducking out of passing peoples way. you look around, not really sure where to go until you see a set of stairs with another bouncer standing in front of them. he's much nicer when you tell him your name, and walk up on shaky legs.

baekhyun stands near the railing that over looks the club, with a few of his friends and a drink in his hand. you glance around, feeling extremely out of place and in the need of a drink. you spot a waitress walking around with a tray of shots, and steal one from her and down it in seconds. liquid courage.

you decide to walk up to baekhyun, feeling the tiniest bit better after a shot of liquor, but still nervous nonetheless. you tap him on the shoulder and he turns around, a surprised smile on his face when he sees you. "you came!" he says, a smile forming on his lips. you nod, grateful for the dark club lighting so he cant see you blush again. "no boyfriend?" he asks.

"nope," baekhyun nods and looks away as a satisfied smile crosses his lips.

"bummer."

you shrug, not believing him for one second. "he would've thrown a fit, so," you add. baekhyun raises an eyebrow and you shrug again.

"i take it he's not a fan."

"not at all."

baekhyun smirks again and steps closer to you, making you swallow a newly formed lump in your throat. "he doesn't know you're here, huh?" you shake your head again, no real thoughts going through. baekhyun suggests doing something that'll piss josh off more, like taking more photos; ones where he is kissing your cheek and wrapping his arms around you. and of course you nod, because its baekhyun, and josh is probably going to break up with you, so you might as well make it worth it.

[saiintvalentiine]

saiiiii hi i. okay bit of a weird question but i am trying to write uu fic rn (actually its me trying to make rau into a coherent fic but whatever) and. what the fuck do you think parrot and wifies do in their downtime. between their Big Quests (games) that the videos are about. bcs surely they dont happen back-to-back (except for the obvious ones). and i cannot think of what the fuck theyd be doing in their downtime

like sure, building. wifies built his base (which only appeared in that one video, huh), and was shown continuing to work on it when parrot was flying in at one point. and whenever theyre not doing anth theyre just bouncing around and talking but. SURELY THEY DO SOMETHING ELSE?? and i cant think of anth. so. if this makes any sense at all, i am asking what your thoughts are

what are their hobbies, do you think......

hiiiiiiiii !!! I think they play boardgames and get loud about it. like really loud. it think they have a several week long game of Catan they keep in stasis bc both are too stubborn to just give up after a certain point. Nobody else likes to play those kinds of frustrating boardgames with them bc you lose if you play against them but if they play each other it's like watching a divorce trial every single time. I also think they both read but not that often and completely different genres so their shared library is shockingly diverse.

individually I have a really stupid and baseless headcanon that Wifies really likes to work with fabric and dye. I haven't put it anywhere really but I imagine it's a unique experience for him to express himself that he got really attached to bc it lets him change his clothes whenever. I also think that for someone who does a lot of high-stakes intellectual work, something like fabric work can be really simple and satisfying— immediate visual feedback, immediate satisfaction of finishing. I have literally zero basis for this hc but I like it and I'm offering it to you. I also think he's surprisingly good with magic and enchantments and learns galactic to better work it. he likes the process of making things that will protect people he loves.

Parrot likes to fish. women fear him fish want him type beat. he's the fisherrrrrrrr. you leave that man near a body of water and he will find a way to make a rod and fish. he's every middle aged dad ever. it's very meditative but it has enough suspense/tension to keep him from feeling bored. he also really likes weapon maintenance. in htff I wrote him as sharpening swords at his introduction bc I genuinely think he'd find the process interesting, soothing, and reassuring. he's very used to violence, and even in his downtime he finds that he can't always leave the urge behind, so making sure all the blades are sharp and handles aren't splintering and everything is oiled became a fun experience for him while also reassuring him that they're ready.

I hope these r helpful and I hope rau writing (rauting?) goes well !!!

[bestworstcase]

It's going to be interesting to see how RWBY lands the messiness of Ruby and Yang's childhood and also the parents of the family.

Summer (aka "Evil Stepmother") I won't even try to guess how it lands. We just don't have enough information. But the getting across the information to the audience - Summer working with Salem out the "Evil" in there and the fact that Yang seemingly takes strongly from Summer in at least some aspects of her personality and her legitimately being an excellent mother to Yang gets across it's not that simple.

Her relationship with her daughters at the end of everything - very up in the air. But RWBY is a hopeful series, and acknowledgement of harm done, a true atonement in not doing it again... You can't change the past but a better tomorrow is possible. (See the Schnees as messy and scarred as that family is. And actually Yang and Ruby's conversation about Yang having messed up, resolving to do better in the future and the two moving on)

Raven- okay she's the one that I think I have the best read on. There's a lot of tension in Raven and her fear. Something that may have to be handled slightly carefully as separate from her issues with Oz as she was proven right about him lying and keeping secrets. And there's still the unfired untested "Only One Save" rule.

Same as Summer - acknowledgement of harm done + sincere work into making amends and not repeating the same behavior can equal new starts in relationships and the narrative has already did Yang tearing into Raven. A bit more details into what happened with Summer but...

Look at least with Yang the problem with Raven appears to be primarily that she's an emotional coward. It gets complicated with the other stuff - but the setup is there for her to finally beat that. Whether Yang wants a new start would be in the air but Raven taking the plunge, that I'm confident in.

The audience is all onboard for Raven having messed up - getting across when she hasn't probably is a tougher sell.

Taiyang - Okay, he's the character that I personally think needs an obvious clue by four to the audience that he messed up because man, the information we're getting hasn't been cutting it. He's not a monster like Jaques but that makes it more difficult to get across it seems. And the character has to be aware of the problem to l fix it (Or refuse to fix it. Or refuse to acknowledge the problem but I don't think Tai is set up got either of those two)

If Summer is the one that is uncertain as whether she done sorry for the actions she took, or not sorry she took them but sorry that they harmed her girls, while Raven is the one most solidly in "Yeah I fucked up" at this point, Tai is the one that i don't know if he's realized he has. And I'm honestly curious as to how RWBY as a show would have that hit.

Though I am not discounting Summer versus Taiyang with a very messy divorce fight. (Look I really like the idea of Summer as Yang's mother being reminded like that because while the characters draw Raven -> Yang and Summer -> Ruby comparisons the show has displayed a pointedly strong resemblance between Summer and Yang.)

mmm. i think the Dead Mom / Neglectful Father / Evil Stepmother paradigm is an interesting angle to consider the possible outcomes for raven / tai / summer from because all of these archetypes have loose archetypal endings; the heroine prevails through the dead mom’s aid, the evil stepmother is often punished, the neglectful father is…there. 

rwby is pointedly not a punitive narrative, and it’s also pointedly not a narrative where male and female characters are handled any differently in terms of complexity/development/seriousness. but: the “dead” mom is in vacuo now, lending her aid to the desperate last stand.

with summer there’s the additional complication of her being the evil stepmother in the rose xiao long family narrative and also the good stepmother in cinder’s narrative, wherein the madame functions as a dead mom whose cruelty haunts cinder rather than helping her and rhodes as a neglectful father. whether rwby’s archetypal stepmother is “evil” or “good” is therefore a matter of perspective; unlike the fairytale stepmother she isn’t abusive, only on the opposite side of a war from her own children, and one of the clever ways rwby subverts the archetype is that the stepmother chooses the child who is not her own. i.e., cinder. 

thus the immediate narrative challenge posed to summer—and tai as well, if i’m on the mark about what he’s been up to—is that cinder killed yang and ruby, or at least claims she couldn’t stop neopolitan from doing so. 

and that’s interesting because summer has been with salem for fourteen years now and had all that time to really think about what she’s doing and why and what it may cost her; her part in RLR2 is so anguished precisely because she is self-aware that she has left her daughters behind to face the storm she and salem intend to unleash. she has known, for a long time, that they might be killed by this war—salem does what she can to spare them, but things happen. 

so summer made a conscious decision to accept that risk, out of strong moral conviction that the divine plan for the world must be ended and salem must be set free. but tai?

say tai discovered the truth about summer shortly before or very soon after the fall of beacon. he’s spent the last twelve or thirteen years grieving for her, and his natural inclination based on what he knows about salem from ozpin will be to assume that summer is badly misguided—that salem has deceived or threatened or otherwise done something to her to force her to obey. thus the idea of ‘saving’ her and his reason for keeping his mouth shut: he doesn’t dare breathe a word to anyone lest salem find out that summer has been compromised / decide she is no longer useful and dispense with her.

of course to summer whatever liaisons she may be having with tai are both a comfort—her only other social interaction during this time are periodic and perfunctory seer calls with salem—and an opportunity to gather information. the reality is that salem will be either indifferent or pleased depending upon how useful tai proves as an unwitting informant. 

but prior to salem+cinder’s arrival at beacon it would be easy for tai to construct this alternative story wherein summer is really a victim of salem’s machinations who must be protected until she can be rescued; she is, after all, not doing anything much but holding the fort at beacon whilst searching for the vault, and we have seen that summer can slip on masks to hide her true self when she needs to. she’s lied to him before for the sake of doing what she felt was right; she can do it again.

the intuitive breaking point here is for salem and cinder to deliver the news that yang and ruby are dead, or fallen out of remnant depending on how much more detail salem may have coaxed out of cinder in the interim; for summer to sit in her private grief for a moment and then choose, as she has chosen every day for the last fourteen years, to press on; and for tai to see that. to be confronted in some undeniable way with the reality that summer is here because she believes down to her soul that salem is right.

(coughs in fractal ozlem. summer is the ozma who—literally—chose to take salem’s hand; tai, the salem who refused to leave the tower.)

like—does he stay, even then? if his daughters are already gone when the truth clobbers him upside the head, then it’s too late to make things right by changing course; is tai the kind of person with the backbone to walk away from the love for whom he rationalized abandoning his kids after circumstances force him to see clearly the choice he made, or does he hold onto her all the harder for having nothing else left to lose. 

and how does summer feel about that? if the foundation of who she is is her ironclad conviction, and tai’s is that he would sacrifice anything to stay with her, how does she truly see him? 

this is really the fundamental contrast between ozlem and tai/summer and why i’m certain that ozlem are on a path toward romantic reconciliation but skeptical that the same is true for tai and summer: ozlem broke apart because both of them are driven by profound moral conviction and came to blows over an intractable ideological disagreement about what the right thing to do is. they are, in every respect, equals. whereas the fundamental conflict between tai and summer—presuming that i’m on the mark as to why she joined salem—is that she has all the conviction and he has none. 

if he does stay even through the razing of vale then he can no longer act under the illusion that he isn’taligning himself with salem’s side of this war, which is an interesting thing to put him through that must surely lead to some serious soul-searching; and then the next obvious point of inflection is learning that team rwby returned from the ever after and are alive and well in vacuo. what then?

altogether it does set up a number of interesting paths forward for tai by playing him off of summer and utilizing that relationship to surface the good-vs-right / wrong-vs-evil quandary that the two sides of this war represent. summer herself is also sort of an ideal character to take him to task for neglecting their daughters, because her choice to leave them behind was predicated on an assumption that tai would take good care of them.

(i have to assume that a woman willing to set the world on fire for the sake of wrestling the keys to eschaton away from the divine chosen one is also a mother willing to kidnap her own children if she knew their father was letting the five-year-old “pick up the pieces.” although the thought of what yang and ruby would be like if summer and salem had raised them is both hysterical and terrifying.)

i do think the endgame as far as the rose-xiao long-branwen family is everyone at least on cordial terms; the inevitable peace negotiation offers ample opportunity for smaller interpersonal reconciliations and reevaluation of individual relationships. the brokenness of this family cannot be extricated from the war that tore it apart. 

but reconciliation with tai and summer in particular may require a deliberate step away from parent-child toward building new relationships as allies or friends or family in the more metaphorical sense. that’s true to an extent for raven as well simply because yang is an adult, but with raven being the one who showed up in vacuo i think it will be easier for her and yang to build a parent-adult child relationship from scratch. if yang wants that, which i think she probably does, behind the fear of abandonment. 

[clovenoko]

Nyallo! I want to ask for C, B, and D for Alev XD

thanks for the asking!! a lot of text 💬💬

TWST OC ALPHABET

C - clubs:

What clubs are they in? Did they perhaps form their own club?

no matter how dangerous it is, Alev is a member of the science club! he's trying to get better and chose this club to gain experience (and also because there's such a kind Trey-senpai from his dorm, lol) Alev has one feature — the super-attentiveness mode. at the moment of supreme interest, he becomes very focused and absolutely does not make any mistakes! those who know about it are waiting for this moment and sometimes it happens in the club. but in general, failures also happen, so there is tension, lol (but probably Rook is even glad when Alev comes)

B - bonds:

Who they get along with the best? Is there someone they can't stand? What are their relationship with their family?

Alev's best friend is Shishio (@oya-oya-okay 's OC) they have been roommates for two years now and are used to each other's characters. If Shishio hadn't been around, Alev would have felt pretty lonely, which would have surprised him.

Alev is generally friendly with everyone, but from the dorm he is closer to Trey, and in class with Ruggie and he likes Jade.

he has a difficult relationship with Vil, they are both tense, but calm, as they are both not in the mood for conflict. they get along and don't get along at the same time.

Alev also finds it difficult to communicate with Leona and Lilia, because he does not know how to behave with those who behave more mature (he feels silly lol)

ABOUT ALEVTIN EUCHRE'S FAMILY

as a child, Alev's parents divorced, so now he lives with his own mother, stepfather, older stepbrother and younger sister (who was born after the marriage of his mother and stepfather). despite the divorce, Alev has a very trusting and warm relationship with his own father, when things are more tense with his mother. when his mother remarried, she took a new surname, so Alev was the only one left Euchre (which made him feel superfluous.).

at first it was hard for him to get used to his new family, but now they have a better relationship. Alev is close to his stepbrother and loves his little sister. his relationship with his mother is still a little strained, and he considers his stepfather just a good man.

D - dream:

What does their happy dream from book 7 look like? Do they need help in order to wake up or realise that something is off by themselves?

Alev's happy dream, no matter how obvious it may be, is eternal luck!

he is lucky in any business that he will not take up, everyone loves, respects and adores him. no one will find him awkward and useless, everyone will call Alev for help, because only he can cope with anything! he is always cheerful and absolutely confident in himself.

I think if they try to convince him that this is all a dream, and that he is actually in danger, Alev will just be

"huh? I can't be in danger. I can handle anything and I can save myself! don't worry about me."

"but the real you are actually very unlucky and clumsy!"

"you have a good sense of humor. but it just can't be, look around!"

at first, Alev would not have been able to believe that everything around him was just a sweet dream, but then he would have doubted and thought. It is unlikely that he could have realized everything on his own, but something in him would still have told him "everything was wrong."

[hexpea]

Ch. 19 - Execution

The four of you sat quietly, awkwardly, on the bullet train ride home. Gojo happily munched on his kikufuku with his legs stretched and feet crossed in what was almost your entire foot space across from him. You held your arms tight to your chest and stared out the window as Megumi sat next to you. The boy, you learned was Itadori Yuji, was still unconscious in the seat next to Gojo. He would remain so for your safety where Ieiri could take a better look at him. The light on the train was bright and uncomfortable against the dark sky, the air back to being stale and almost bringing back your churning stomach. You wedged your feet beneath your seat as you tried to keep your thoughts clear. 

You hadn't noticed it while looking outside that Megumi had a thoughtful expression, having barely taken his eyes off of you since you boarded the train. It had been two whole years since the 'divorce' and this mission forced what looked to be an uncomfortable reunion between you and his teacher. 

Megumi cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had settled and causing your attention to snap in his direction. "It's kinda' awkward, isn't it?" He finally said, his voice laced with his usual stoicism. 

Your eyes shot a sidelong glance at Gojo, whose nonchalant expression hadn't wavered. Though, you could tell that he was staring at you from behind his blindfold. It was, honestly, off-putting. He then licked his lips that were coated in powder from the kikufuku and gave you a small, sly smile. "That's an understatement," you muttered under your breath.

Megumi continued, "I mean, I knew this mission might be a little tense, but I didn't expect the two of you to show up together. Especially after...everything."

You sighed softly, now avoiding eye contact with either of them. "Yeah, well, life's full of surprises, isn't it?" You grumbled and stared back out the window. 

Gojo shifted in his seat, making himself even more comfortable at your expense. It was clear he knew exactly what he was doing, trying to get under your skin on purpose.  "C'mon, Megumi, it's just a little family reunion, right?" He grinned, seemingly unbothered by the situation. 

Megumi's expression remained serious. "You guys have a strange definition of 'family reunion.'"

Gojo's grin faltered for a moment before he chuckled, not quite meeting Megumi's lazy gaze. "Well, we can't always choose our family, right?" He clearly teased, a bit of tension in the air. 

As you listened to their exchange, you couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. It was true that you'd gone your separate ways after the 'divorce.' You expected to see neither of them again, but the circumstances had brought you together and then some, though Megumi didn't know about your dirty, little secret. 

"Just remember, Satoru," you turned to your ex-husband, gaze piercing his blindfold, "this is a serious mission. We're dealing with a curse that could become a real problem if we don't handle it correctly." You made sure to glance at Megumi, whose choice it was to spare Itadori's life. While you understood where Megumi was coming from, little things like letting your emotions get the best of you was dangerous in this line of work. Itadori had to be executed, even as much as it displeased you.

Gojo nodded, his playful attitude giving way to seriousness. "Right, right. We'll do what we have to do." He tone seemed like some kind of indicator. He had quite a pattern of getting his way around the higher-ups. If only that had happened with your arranged marriage.

The train sped along the tracks, taking you all back to Tokyo. It was an unexpected turn of events, but you were a professional, and you had to put aside differences for the sake of the mission. The past may have shaped your relationships, but the present required your full attention and cooperation. 

When you arrived back at the school, Satoru took Itadori to the infirmary where he could be babysat by Ieiri. She wanted to do a full look over to see if there were any abnormal physical changes after consuming such a powerful object. Megumi went about his own business, likely slinking back to his dorm room to do whatever it was Megumi did those days. Though you were close during your marriage, it was clear Megumi was left feeling a little hurt regarding the divorce. You felt bad for having to put him through that strife, suddenly being absent in his life and left to deal with his immature teacher.

Meanwhile, you had an execution room to prepare. The higher-ups hadn't approved of Itadori's stay of execution, the boy set to be killed later that evening as soon as you finished preparing the talismans that would help you amplify your technique to seal the room. 

Satoru sat backward on one of the wooden chairs in the room, resting his chin on his forearms across the back of it. He watched as you pasted your handwritten talismans on the wall. The room was dimly lit from the lanterns you had scattered about on the floor. 

Your heart felt heavy. Death was never an easy thing, let alone the death of someone who had to be taken so young. It immediately brought you back to the thought of what, of who, was growing within you and the potential future you faced. You swallowed hard at the thought, closing your eyes and hesitating with the current talisman you were hanging. The secrets you kept were taking quite a toll on your mind.

You continued to paste the talismans on the wall, your thoughts a jumbled mess as you prepared for the somber task ahead. As you focused on your work, you failed to notice Satoru's blindfolded, contemplative gaze on you. 

After a while, he finally spoke, his voice low and gentle. "You seem troubled, Y/N." He was referencing your pause just a moment ago when you were briefly lost in thought.

You turned to look at him. You had hoped you were putting on a successful facade, but instead you had to feign innocence. "Well, Satoru, it's not every day you prepare for an execution, is it?"

His gaze up at you through his blindfold was unwavering, and he leaned forward on the chair, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. "That's true, but there's something else, isn't there? Something that's been bothering you more than the other current events."

You bit your lip and decided to play it cool. You hated how right he was. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

His eyes bore into yours despite the fabric separating his direct gaze. You were still intimidated despite not seeing his full expression. "I think you know exactly what I mean. I went into the bathroom this morning when you went to eat, I found what made you panic."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you could feel the color drain from your face. There was no use denying it any longer. "What...are you talking about?" You continued pasting talismans, your hands now visibly shaking as you did so.

Satoru's expression remained calm, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that you couldn't see. "The pregnancy test, Y/N."

Your stomach churned with anxiety as you fumbled with the stack of talismans you held, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with him and almost dropping them to the floor. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He sighed, his tone still gentle but tinged with a trace of sorrow. "Y/N, you don't have to hide it. It's Seiko's kid, isn't it?"

You finally met his gaze, your brow furrowed when you realized he didn't get the full picture. You held your pause for a few seconds, feeling a knot form in your throat. Your voice trembled, squeaking out of you, as you admitted the truth. "It's not Seiko's child, Satoru. It couldn't be..."

He sat up a bit straighter and you noticed his own brow furrowed from beneath his blindfold. Curiosity, confusion, and concern were etched across his features. "Then whose child is it?"

You stared at him for a moment, holding your expression but thinking to yourself 'Whose else could it be?!' You took a deep breath, your voice barely above a whisper as you held your worried expression. "Yours." 

Your heart beat in your chest relentlessly as fear washed over your body and mind. You were terrified of his reaction, watching his expression shift like a deer in headlights. You breathed heavily, steadily to keep yourself in the moment. Satoru's eyes widened behind his blindfold in shock as your words hung in the air, the room seemingly growing still. Then, his initial surprise transformed into a mix of emotions. He grinned with a hint of his usual cockiness and a touch of genuine warmth. "Well, I must say, that's quite the surprise Y/N."

His nonchalant response caught you off guard. You blinked in disbelief, stuttering slightly. "You're...not...angry?"

Satoru chuckled, standing up from his chair and approaching you. He placed his hands gently on your waist, the distance between you a bit more intimate than it should be. Your hands rested delicately on his chest as you looked up at him. 

"Angry? No, not at all," he breathed out and pulled down his blindfold so you could properly see his facial expression, a genuine smile on his lips. His brow was upturned with a bit of sympathy when his soft, affectionate gaze locked onto yours. "In fact, I'm...thrilled, I think." He gave a light chuckle. "Y/N, we're going to have a baby."

You stared at him closely, your mind swirling with many different thoughts and emotions. The reaction was not what you were expecting and you were almost instantly charmed. His words sent shivers down your spine, not only from the news but from the way that he said it back to you. It was, as if, in that moment, he was expressing the feelings that he had kept hidden for so long. You found yourself drawn to him, your lips inching closer to his only to halt when you caught wind of your unconscious movement.

"I was so scared to tell you, Satoru," you felt a knot forming in your throat, your voice a hushed tone as your breath mingled with his. "I didn't know how you'd react...considering the circumstances."

He tilted his head, his fingers gently lifting your chin to meet his gaze better. "Y/N, no matter what's happened between us, we'll face this together." His voice was softer, and he moved even closer, his lips hovering just a breath away from yours. "I promise I'll be there for you, and our child, every step of the way. I may be childish, but I'm not a child." 

With that, he closed the remaining distance, sealing his promise with a tender, passionate kiss that left no doubt in your mind regarding your feelings for him. In that intimate moment, it became clear that your feelings had never truly faded, despite the years that had passed. Your secret had brought you back together, and now, you had only one secret left to tell...to Seiko.

As the two of you parted, deeply looking into one another's eyes, a knock on the steel door startled you. Without being addressed, Ieiri walked in with Itadori trailing, staying just outside the door to watch with a look of curious wonder at all of the slips of paper you had pasted to the wall.

"Hey," she twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, "sorry if I'm...interrupting something," she noted the proximity between you both which caused you to quickly take a step back from Gojo, his hands quickly letting go of your waist. "Kid's awake, time to do your duty, Satoru," she used her head to motion toward Itadori.

You looked up at Gojo with a worried expression as if to signal to make sure he did the right thing. You followed Ieiri out. Gojo quickly followed behind and tapped two fingers to Itadori's forehead and he quickly passed out into Gojo's arms. Gojo smoothly placed Itadori in one of the two chairs in the room, his body slinking down into the seat. 

"Can't be too safe," Gojo winked at you while pulling up his blindfold with one hand as you watched with an appalled look on your face.

You shook your head at him as he turned to tie Itadori's hands. Ieiri shut the door to the execution chamber and you began to recite the enchantment as she walked away. 

You held your right hand up perpendicular to your body, fingers spread wide. You began to speak, "contain from chaos, bound by stillness, imprison that which seeks to devour," as you spoke, your left hand came up to make a circular motion around your right, as if drawing a barrier around it. This enchantment, your technique...only your power had the ability to contain curses in such a way. The curtains that other sorcerers cast were a simple maneuver that your family was able to teach others through each era; it became a standard in the present practices.

As you spoke, the talismans on the outside of the door began to glow a malevolent red. Gojo and Itadori were sealed alone in the room and it was up to Gojo to decide Itadori's fate. You had no idea what you'd open the door to once all was said and done.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not breaking up a friendship?

Hi. So me (27F) and my partner (36M) have been together for over 3 years now. Relationship is great and I love him so much, and he loves me back. We start to actually make a living together.

But recently there has been a little conflict. I have a friend (30M, let's call him V) who I have known since I was 13 and him 16, so that's half of my life, and vast majority of my "conscious" life. And my relationship with him is.. well. I know, it will look and sound badly and I don't blame my boyfriend for feeling insecure but also I am not willing to cut V out of my life entirely.

Like I said we've known each other for so long I can't imagine my life without him. We've been saving each other from depression and SA. He used to have problem with d*ugs, I've been there for him and help him get clean and he's free of addiction for almost a decade now. And whenever I had my mental breakdowns he was also always there for me, he knows ways to calm me down when I have panic attacks. We've seen each other at our lowest and pulled ourselves up. We can almost read each other's minds at this point.

V has lived through all of my relationships too, he himself having his own. But our dynamic wasn't fully platonic, we did get close to each other inbetween the relationships and even thought and tried to be together. But we both have very explosive temperaments and felt like it wouldn't work cuz we would eventually hurt each other being this close so we decided not to be together in the awe of it ruining our friendship forever. Nevertheless we do have a history of going back and forth.

For the past couple of years V has lived in Canada, I live in Europe (I'd like not to disclose where exactly). He is also married to a man. (He's bi and so am I so that was one of the things that brought us close) So we rarely actually see each other in person, he does come to visit his son from previous relationship who lives with his mom, once or more a year. V does music for living so that allows him to be more mobile. And everytime he visits it's like no time has passed. We could not see e/o for a full year and then it's like he never left.

Like I mentioned, there has always been some mutual attraction between us, I admit he is a very handsome man but the thought of being with him gives me an ick. I just couldn't handle some of his lifestyle decisions and my current partner with his calmness, caring and purest heart is a true blessing for me. For the first time of my life I feel life this is "it". And V has quite different personality, he's not a bad person or anything but his dynamic is just not what I need from a life partner.

Couple of years back when he was abroad I was in a relationship that turned out to be abusive. I was with this crazy jelaous, controlling, toxic person and we fought almost daily to the point where I wouldn't leave my bed for hours because of anxiety and depressive states. One time the ex went too far with his hands and the tension between us was over the top. We lived together at the time. When I told V what happened he came over once ex was off to work, helped me pack my bags and leave the house and then he stayed with me in his family house for couple of weeks making sure I was ok. He even almost beat up that guy.

My partner was aware of this friendship and even met V once. My past with V wasn't the preffered subject at the dinner table so we didn't speak much about it but he never told me directly I should cut V off or that he doesn't want me to meet him. I'd say he was rather cool, as in cold, about the whole thing.

But recently V told me he is coming back to Europe for longer, claiming he wants to spend more time with his son and try to be a more present dad. I also know that him and his husband have been going through a crisis lately, but V hasn't said anything about separation or divorce.

When I told my partner about V staying in the country for some indefinite amount of time we had an argument. He said he doesn't feel comfortable when V is around me, that he has a very good reason to be mad and that he's hurt I didn't come up with the idea of limiting the friendship. I admit, I got a little carried away and angry. I said he is not the one to decide who can be in my life and who cannot and that I will not allow anyone to control my friendships. As in the mentioned abusive ex-relationship, that was very much the case and I developed some sort of PTSD. My ex was jelaous of me meeting with my family or beeing in the uni classroom and doing project with male friends and wanted me to not have anyone in my life beside him.

My partner then said he feels like he's some sort of a backup in case the relationship fails and that he fears we will end up together either way and that to move forward he needs to be sure he is the number one for me. I love him with all my heart and regarding the thing he said of me and V getting together... I wouldn't want it that way, V and I were very clear about it and talk about it if needed. But I understand my partner feels... abandoned in a way. I love him so much, he means the world to me but I also don't want to lose a friendship so dear and long whom I've been through almost everything together. I've known V for 14 years, my partner and I are together for over 3 and I have had a relationship longer than that already.

Am I the asshole for not pushing V away when my partner asked me to? Would it be the right thing to do?

What are these acronyms?

[noa-de-cajou]

The stadium rented for the meeting of the People’s Party is well-filled today. Clearly not what it used to be in its glory days, but good enough. Even though we’re entering winter, the sky is clear and the sun shines high, meaning I'm in good dispositions. I'll need it.

“Comrades, welcome! It makes me quite happy to be here on this fine day. Seeing people from all corners of our city, young and old, gathered here for the same ideal fills my heart with hope.”

There it goes. This man, Anthony Marques, is one of the rising stars of the Party, and chairman of today’s meeting, aiming for Parliament. His clothes are plain but smart, his smile blinding, his words even more so.

He’s also a mage. Like most important people in this party are.

This isn’t a battlefield worth fighting on, Taiven. This party’s controlled by the mages. They’ll make the guiding line so it serves their own interests.

He’s right, obviously. But I’ve been here for a few years now. I made my place, slowly but surely, I fought tooth and nails for it. I couldn’t change the roots of the problem, of course. But if we leave this to the mages too, then it means we’ve given up, and everyone in my life knows damn well I'm not a quitter.

Anthony’s wife, Janelle, isn't with him behind the microphone. Instead, she sits a few seats to my left. Most of the people seated in this area are women. The poorest are here with their family or husbands, the richest often alone. They have time to be here, since they usually don't work.

Well. They’re not paid, more like. Domestic labour still isn’t regarded as actual work, but I'd love to see any working husbands keep their houses clean, the kids fed, the meals prepped, just for a day. But after all, their wives get the money, isn’t it the least they could do? They know damn well they can't divorce without losing everything.

If Janelle thinks I haven’t noticed the bruise under all that make-up, she’s sorely mistaken. Everyone knows.

Everyone knows and I've been trying to gather evidence for months. But it's harder when the case targets an important man, who’s a mage, and the victim is his wife, who’s not. It’s harder when you’re just a woman yourself and you don’t have half the budget that the Bureau has to investigate. It’s harder when you're not a mage yourself and your law degree has been gathering dust somewhere in a drawer.

Everyone always knows. Who cares what happens to non-mages? A few people. Who cares what happens to non-mages women? A few of those few people.

Needless to say, I've gotten good at handling my frustration.

“... I know tensions have been rising around a few… polemics. Please pay it no mind. As the opposition, it is important we remain united, and that we not let a few dissidents ruin what we’ve built on the ruins left by the War.”

Some people cheer, others start to boo. Janelle looks like she wants to sink into her seat.

This is going to be long and I know I need to wait for him to finish. So I light up a cig and listen.

“... We ask you for patience. Everything can’t change at once. Everything shouldn’t change at once.”

Of course. Those most opposed to change are those who benefit most from the status quo, after all.

“... The Party will not be downed by pressure from extremist movements or unwarranted cliques…”

Like you’ve never plotted in a dark room with said extremists or cliques. Like you've never bribed or been bribed.

“... We hear you. We hear all of you, all of your despair and anger...”

Maybe you hear, but I know who you chose to listen to.

I know who they listened to, back then, and it wasn't me.

He remained unscathed. Unbothered.

Just like you.

Everyone always knows.

Everyone always hears.

But you play deaf.

“... We’ll always, always come out stronger! No matter who tries to make us fall! We’ll carry the legacy of those who came before us! We will always…”

I’d love to see an asshole who beats his wife speak to my grandfather who moved here under the Nepheli presidency about legacy.

He’d be so appalled. By you, by all your lies.

My cigarette has burnt out.

“... Thank you, comrades. I’ll now leave the stand to anyone who wishes to speak.”

Perfect timing. I squash the butt of my cig under my shoe. On the seat to my right, another Gaikamshigthai girl looks at me nervously as I stand up. Sixteen, seventeen maybe. My age when I became an adherent. I smile confidently.

I’m doing this for her. For us.

“Comrade Marques, permission to take the stand?”

I don’t have a microphone, but my voice echoes through the stadium. As soon as they recognize it, I hear groans and hushed whispers from the bleachers, but I don't mind. My greatest satisfaction is seeing Marques’ eyelid twitch in annoyance when he sees my face. That's right, my dude. Me again.

If I can't get him down in front of a court of law, at least I'll give him someone to beat that isn’t his wife.

Janelle, looking at me with anger in her eyes, gestures at me to sit down. I don't blame her. It doesn't matter how she feels about me or how I feel about her. I'm doing this for everyone, even people who hate me.

“Certainly you can wait a little,” Anthony says with a laughter. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who’d like to –”

“You said anyone who wishes to speak,” I cut him off. “I wish to speak. Isn't it weird how it’s always ladies first, until we're in the stadium?”

Some women cheer, there’s laughter echoing, even from the men, and not always mocking. Anthony's face reddens slightly. Oooooh, he’s pissed. But I don't intend on letting him get a word in just yet.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Would you rather I… What was it you said to me after my first public speech? Use my pretty little mouth for other things than spouting nonsense?”

There's gasps. Angry whispers from the women. Janelle might be contracting an ulcer.

Everyone knows that I’m telling the truth.

Everyone always knows.

Someone just has to say it.

Anthony’s hands would probably already be around my throat if we weren’t in public.

“Taiven, this is highly diffamatory –”

“If you want me to talk about actual issues, then you’re going to leave this stand and let me take it. Isn’t it my right as adherent, Anthony?”

There's some shouting. Shut your mouth, let her speak, sit back down, we won't take this disrespect, someone get Marques out of here, let her speak, let him speak, let her speak.

“You will address me as comrade –”

“Not before you do the same. The year 200 is just around the corner, Anthony, maybe it’s time to be a little progressive. I thought that was what this Party was all about.”

I calmly make my way down to the stand, under boos and cheers that barely reach me anymore. What does is the expectant stare of all those women and men that have known me since I was a teenager hunched over in my seat.

I stop and stand right next to Marques. He's seething. I smirk. Oh, if this gets to their ears, I'm in for an earful, but I don't give much of a shit right now.

“Why so reluctant? You will have a right to answer and debate each and every one of my claims. Who will not be about you, even if there’s a lot to say.”

The mic detects my voice, amplifies it. Marques is cornered. Cornered by the masses he wishes to seduce and by the twenty-eight years old bitch he always tried to undermine. He looks at the crowd. Steps back, slowly.

“Fine. The floor is yours, comrade Kellermann.”

Hah! Nice try using that name, fucker, but that won't work on me. You know my real name. Everyone knows it. You'll see that it won’t matter.

I am the ruins from the War that you didn't rebuild.

I am the thorn in your side that you try to ignore.

I am the ant that stings the giant’s foot.

I am the them to your us.

I take my place behind the stand, head held high, and pull out my notes.

I won't shut up until justice is served.

“Hi! Sorry for this little scene, that was quite embarassing. I know you've waited a while, so let me speak of matters that won't wait.”

I see some teeth grit and eyes narrow in anger.

I laugh in their face.

Bring it, fuckers. We’re done shutting up.

[nitrateglow]

Thoughts on Five Miles to Midnight (1962)

Movies like this are why I don't take critics seriously. I really enjoyed this one so much more than I expected. It's not a perfect movie-- I found myself wishing Hitchcock had directed it instead-- but it's a deliciously dark psychological thriller.

Sophia Loren and Anthony Perkins are Lisa and Bob, a married couple living in Paris. Bob is a possessive, emotionally unstable jerk. Lisa can't handle the abuse anymore and wants a divorce, but Bob refuses. When Bob takes a flight to Casablanca, the plane crashes midway, reportedly leaving no survivors.

Before Lisa can feel liberated, Bob returns to their apartment days later, bloodied and bruised. Turns out he survived, but he doesn't want her to tell anyone because his life insurance policy will make the two of them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Lisa just wants Bob out of her life, so the two make a deal: Lisa will hide Bob in her apartment while going through the process of collecting the money and then Bob will start a new life elsewhere, never darkening her doorstep again.

Several factors complicate this simple plan: a nosy kid peeking into the apartment from across the street, a sleazy neighbor hoping to put the moves on the now available Lisa, Bob's aggressive sexual jealousy towards his repulsed wife, and Lisa being at her wits' end as her husband tries to convince her to stay with him despite everything.

I was fascinated by the two main characters in this movie. Bob is a narcissist of the highest order and Lisa is vulnerable but manipulative in her own way (we learn she mainly married Bob to escape a bad situation, a truth which makes Bob bitter). Their messy marital drama blended well with the crime element, giving the film the grim vibe of noir.

My only issue is that some of the suspense scenes could have used a surer hand and more tension. I really think Hitchcock would have done a great job with this story. However, as it is, the performances are good and the story kept my interest. I don't get why it's considered such a dud. Maybe it's because none of the characters are super sympathetic? I don't care-- they were INTERESTING and Lisa was sympathetic enough for all her faults, so I was invested.

Also, I love Perkins' sunglasses and leather gloves look. What an aesthetic!

[psychicreadsgirl]

reading on exo chen’s marriage?

I sense a lot of guilt from Chen towards his spouse, Mihee. Chen got a lot of hate, backlash, and sort of a pause in his career due to this marriage. This was not what he expected. He knew there'd be some backlash but didn't anticipate it to be so severe. Also the pregnancy was not what he had planned for at the time. The pregnancy triggered the couple to marry (even if he says otherwise in public). The 2nd child also came unexpectedly. He had wanted to have children at a later time in life like at least a few years after marriage.

Chen is very stressed and frustrated these days. With 2 young children, he feels very overwhelmed. He wasn't ready for fatherhood and I sense that Mihee is quite needy and dependent on him. She forces him to do a lot of the work and handle a lot of things because she feels like she already gave birth and he needs to do his share. She also feels like he owes her a lot because of all the hate she got. I do sense she may be suffering from postpartum depression. She often feels very depressed and easily angered. She needs Chen to do a lot of the work like if deliveries are coming then Chen needs to be there because she can't handle delivered by herself.

Mihee had wanted Chen to marry her for a while now and he kept waiting and waiting. It was only after she get pregnant did he finally decide to marry her. She felt very aggrieved throughout the relationship like she felt like she waited for him for a while, sacrificed a lot, looked over many things in the relationship, etc. Even after getting married and having children, she still feels rather unhappy. She felt Chen didn't handle releasing the news about their marriage and her pregnancy very well. He told her that he'd take care of it, but she still got so much hate.

Overall there's a lot of tension between Chen and his spouse. Chen feels very fatigued and overworked. He can't really do much work with his spouse's constant demands. He also feels kind of upset that his colleagues or friends seem to be doing better than he is career wise.

Chen may have to use his spouse and his kids to give his career another boost. For example, he participates in those variety shows where celebrities show what their family lives are like. I think this will just make things more tense between Chen and his spouse.

The wedding they recently had was also to try to make his spouse happy and to generate some talk in the media.

This marriage has a 60% chance of ending in divorce. They will both have to put in a lot of effort to sustain the marriage. Both have to learn to compromise and also she will need to let go of feeling aggrieved and accept the situation as is. There's only so much someone can do to try to appease her. He also needs to communicate his thoughts to her more directly; he has a tendency to avoid things and run away or procrastinate. He didn't provide her with much security before the marriage and he did do some hurtful things to her, making it really hard for her to trust him fully and to be secure in this relationship. I feel like she stayed in this relationship for quite a while and this has led her to feel like she has to get a "result" from it, like get married etc. She felt like she invested too much time in Chen so she can't afford to give up on the relationship.

Mihee still loves Chen a lot but wants him to make it up to her. (I feel she loves him more than he loves her.) Chen feels more responsible and sorry towards his spouse, rather than feeling that he loves her a lot.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Hello! Any recs for great one night stand romances?

Yes!

Paradise by Judith McNaught—be aware, this was published in the early 90s, so not everything has aged perfectly. The hero (working class) and the heroine (department store heiress) have a one night stand during which he discovers she's a surprise virgin... And a few weeks later she finds him because oops, she's pregnant. They get married, then tragedy and Secrets strike, and they get divorced. Eleven years later, she's running the store and engaged and he's a self made super success, only for them to re-encounter each other... and discover the divorce wasn't quite handled correctly...

This is a gorgeously written book, and it is pretty long, which means you get the entire ONS and backstory and DAMN. You FEEL the love. It's SO much.

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy. So admittedly, you do not get the ONS in the book, but the authors have it available on their Instas for free right now, and you can DL it and read it before or after the book. The hero is a former boy bander who's been miserable ever since his wife (the only person he's ever had sex with!) died. He ends up having a ONS with a couple of porn stars (a man and a woman; per Sierra Simone, everyone is bi) and he experiences a crazy connection with the heroine. A few months later, they run into each other, have ANOTHER hookup, and he discovers she needs some place to stay. So why doesn't she join him in his Christmas mansion? Platonically, of course. I read this way before Christmas, and it still hit, so.... If you're down....

Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young. The hero and heroine meet at a Halloween party and have a ONS, and oops, she gets pregnant. She decides to keep the baby, he's on board (this was handled pretty well for me; abortion is offered as an alternative) and they move in together as friends... But the tension is RIDIC.

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan. A college sports romance. He's the star quarterback and has a huge crush on her, she can't stand him, and they basically bang it out at a party before eventually deciding to have a sex only relationship. Which I'm sure will go great for them!

Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield. A woman and her much older boss have an accidental ONS (it's dark, she thinks he's someone else, he thinks SHE KNOWS it's him) during which she calls him daddy... Which makes them realize they share a kink, leading to a no strings roleplay based (stepdaughter/stepfather, mostly) situationship. Which again, I'm sure will go great!

Glitterland by Alexis Hall. A bipolar writer ends up having a ONS with a sparkly club kid, and when they randomly meet up again they end up hooking up again... And somehow they fall into a relationship? I adore this novel, so emotional, just a huge hit.

The Duke Redemption by Grace Callaway. A historical ONS in which the hero and heroine meet up at a masked sex party (she wants to lose her virginity) and hook up on a desk, only for him to then realize a) she was a virgin b) she's the woman who he's trying to pressure into selling her land. And she hates his ass.

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe. Another historical, in which the hero and heroine also end up in a masked sex party, but HERE they don't realize at the time that they know each other—he just informed her that the engagement their fathers arranged is bullshit and he won't be honoring it. So. She haaaates his ass again lol