#I even kept grasshoppers for a while when I was a kid

[kaynanarie]

JourneyTober! Day 26 - Pillar

(Tiny spoiler warning for Black Myth Wukong)

            Since arriving at Mount Huaguo, the journey had continued at breakneck speed. Jen’s head was still reeling from the countless demons that confronted them on arrival. And all the changes their defeats had made of Monkey.

            First, a gilded rhino with a glowing horn adorned him in golden armor, extravagant and regal in its craft. Next, a flying deer of ice and poisoned blood left a pair of silk boots, the first shoes Jen had ever seen Monkey wear. Then a giant grasshopper that shook the earth with every bounce yielded a crown with two long, arching feathers perched its top. Last was a tiny mantis in a fight Jen did not witness but Bajie complained loudly about while it raged in his stomach. The bug’s defeat added a pair of ornate bracers, completing the armor in all its splendor.

            There was an authority to the ensemble, a power that Monkey effortlessly carried, like he was always meant to wear it. He looked every bit as royal and intimidating as the king he was sent to find. Jen couldn’t deny the enhanced appeal it gave his already handsome features but there was an apprehension to seeing him become so different so suddenly.

            While Bajie cheered and grinned proudly at every victory, Jen found herself more and more unsettled. A creeping dread grew in her chest with every piece added, with every part of Monkey slightly changed. It was like she was watching him slip away bit by bit until he wouldn’t be recognizable anymore. She still congratulated him when he looked her way, masking the anxiety behind a forced smile. If Monkey’s confused frown was anything to go by, he wasn’t buying her act.

            The trio had followed the path to the waterfall, a weaving labyrinth of open caverns and rocky alcoves at its base. There, glittering in the sunlight, was a towering pillar of iron and ornate gold, nearly as tall as the mountain itself.

            “Ah, here it is!” Bajie laughed, glancing up where the top pierced the sky above. “I knew it. Wukong is tightfisted, even Guanyin agrees so. He kept it here so it could be passed down to another one of his kind.”

            As if sensing Monkey’s approach, the pillar rumbled and slowly started to change, shrinking itself narrower and shorter until it was the size of an average fighting staff. Even in its smaller form, the pillar still radiated a power and weight that made Jen keep her distance.

            Bajie nodded, encouraging Monkey forward. “Now it’s time for you to try it, kid.”

            Slow and hesitant, his hand hovered the staff, carved words glowing under his careful touch. Gripping the iron firmly, he took a deep breath and pulled.

            The pillar resisted at first, refusing to budge in Monkey’s grasp. Around them, the very mountain began to thunder and quake. The ground shook underfoot, stones tumbled down from the rocky ledges, leaves and fruit rained down from trembling trees. Bajie struggled to stay upright while Jen dove for cover, tucked behind a fallen log as the power struggle continued.

            Finally, in a flash of golden sparks, the staff broke free. Monkey spun his newly acquired weapon, feeling the weight and balance in his confident hands. A final tremble rocked the cave and collapsed the far wall, revealing a hidden path deeper into the mountain.

            “Once you have this, there’s no turning back,” Bajie spoke with a mix of pride and resolve. “Now…you look exactly like Wukong.”

            The words sent a cold chill through Jen’s body. Properly armed and garbed with Sun Wukong’s fineries, there was no denying her monkey companion as the Destined One. For a moment, she did not recognize him, though, lost in the visage of the legendary Monkey King.

            Bajie’s praises continued, oblivious to Jen’s inner turmoil. “You’re all set, kid. You look like a fierce warrior!” The boar demon led the way through the collapsed wall, climbing his way up the pile of rubble. “Come with me! Let’s find out what that old monkey is up to.”

            As Bajie disappeared ahead, Monkey glanced around, noticing Jen’s figure still hidden behind the log. Before he could approach, she had scrambled to her feet, beelining in Bajie’s direction.

            “Are you okay?” Monkey asked, taking in her rushed stride and nervous behavior with concern.

            She only nodded, avoiding his probing stare. “I’m fine.” As she tried to hurry past him, a hand caught her arm, the grip careful but still firm in its halting intent.

            “Jen?” Monkey’s voice was questioning, chastising, and pleading all in one. The quiet desperation in it compelled Jen to reveal her worries if only to put him at ease.

            “It…looks good,” she said quietly, getting to see the armor up close. The gold designs were carefully crafted down to the tiniest detail; true artwork fit for a king. “You look very…different.”

            The meaning in her words seem to startle Monkey, his body still as realization set in. He sighed after a moment, a hand cradling her jaw and gentling tipping her face up towards his. The same dark eyes she’d come to love stared down at her, holding the same warmth and kindness in their depths.

            “It’s still me,” he assured her, thumb caressing her cheek. “That’s not going to change.”

            “Do you promise?” Jen whispered, gaze misting and throat suddenly choked with every fear she had swallowed. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers with a soothing hum. The tender touch was enough to overflow her closed eyes, gentle fingers brushing the falling tears away.

            “I promise; I will never leave you.”

            A shaky breath passed Jen’s lips as she leaned into him, the anxiety draining away to weary relief. Monkey pulled her in a hug, warm and comforting despite the bulky armor. Underneath it all, he was still her Monkey; her companion, her friend. The one she traveled with and the one she fell in love with. Now, she could only hope he would keep his word and stay that way till the end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Got a bit behind so I had to do two in one day. Tiny spoiler for Black Myth Wukong, gonna have more of those for the last few. Thanks for reading! Should have the next one up soon.)

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Journeytober Master List

[stinkypeanutbutter]

silly headcanons pt 2‼️

here we go. . Yay

Whenever they go out, Ashlyn had to wear like a TON of sunscreen because she’s pale af (same)

Scratch what I said last time, Aiden actually likes spiders, but is scared of grasshoppers. Why? Because they keep jumping on him and towards him because they don’t mind their stupid business and are so big for no reason. Ashlyn agrees with this statement

Aiden is so scared of failing his parents, as they seem to have high expectations with him and he’s worried that whatever he does may not be good enough or doesn’t fit their criteria, even if his parents try and reassure him it’s fine to mess up something, referring to his past

Aiden and Taylor totally listen to vocaloid

Beach time? Ashlyn is hiding in the shade on her phone, occasionally going out to swim. . But goes back because the water is freakishly cold. Ben is making sand castles (with or without that little cousin I forgot her name) Logan is collecting shells and cool objects for the sand castle and observation purposes (nerd) Taylor and Tyler are splashing eachother and seeing who can swim faster (Tyler refuses to play but does anyway for her) And Aiden is catching sand crabs, swimming, and climbing the rocky areas to find creatures or lost items to show everyone else.

birthdays? Aiden buys the best gifts cause he rich and seems to know everyone the most because he’s intrusive. Ashlyn buys pretty good ones as well becuase of her hearing everything everywhere. Logan isn’t the best and struggles but pulls through well in the end. Ben makes his own birthday gifts from scratch like a pro!! Taylor and Tyler team up, and usually do well (especially with secret Santa)

Aiden never actually went trick or treating before (bozo) because of his constant traveling, so the most he could and would ever do is buy candy the night of and watch something alone. The buds got together for a day and all went trick or treating for Aidens sake and he loved it. (He scared many kids that day because he went as a clown lmao)

Aiden does graffiti art les go!!!! (Got in trouble once)

Aiden ALMOST went to jail, but it was just some old lady complaining about how he looked because he kept smiling at her and thought he was being cocky (he was)

Ben listens to metal (you just take a headphone from him and you hear screaming and a heavy instrumental 💀)

both Ashlyn and Ben also listen to orchestral music, Taylor occasionally because it appeases her mind.

Horror movies? Ben dos NOT like them, but watches for the others sake. Logan feels the same way, and covers his face anytime a jumpscare is coming up (fails each time, ends up seeing every jumpscare and screams, jumps into the arms of the nearest person) Ashlyn doesn’t get scared easily with them, but only when she can’t tell if one’s gonna happen or not. Tyler likes them, but doesn’t admit to being scared at times. Taylor and Aiden love them, actually talking about what parts they liked and what they could have done better on.

since people are doing these, here:

Bi Ashlyn, considers herself a girl, but also as nothing sometimes (idk the word)

Pan Aiden, doesn’t care who you are, just be able to tolerate him.

Tyler is a homophobic homosexual

Logan is bi, no major preferences.

Ben is a straight and ace

Taylor is ace and demi romantic

love how most people seemed to agree with Taylor and Ben being ace

Ashlyn and Taylor have girls nights sometimes, usually with Taylor taking a ton of photos and Ashlyn getting bombarded with questions from Aiden and Tyler (mostly Aiden)

TW!! SH

When it came to Aiden being a alone in his room and him moving around a lot, it was hard for him to feel anything besides loneliness, so he took to SH for a while, mostly on his upper thighs because he felt no one would see them as easily. Even now he starts it up again when he’s super upset and had really no way to get his frustration out, didn’t help with the constant mask he put up. He feels better, but every now and then his emotions slip and he starts it up again, going further without realizing. He wears a strong foundation to at least cover some of them up, but someone noticed. Who? That’s up for you to decide.

ok good bye thanks for reading!!11!! 😹🌝🤺

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Syndrome

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

In one of the earliest episodes of Psycho Analysis, I discussed the villain of Incredibles II, Evelyn Deavor. Evelyn is just a genuinely awful twist villain for not only being completely obvious, but for having a nonsensical and impersonal motive that makes her look like a vindictive idiot. And while there is so much wrong with her, things I detailed in that review (though probably not quite as well as I would now after doing this for a few years), there is one big issue that holds her back, one that no villain in her shoes could avoid: She’s standing in the shadow of a chubby ginger nerd with a Heat Miser hairdo.

Syndrome (real name Buddy Pine) is really something else when it comes to Pixar villains. While not the first to be genuinely, irredeemably evil—Hopper was already right there—he had a lot of things that the grasshopper lacked. For one, we get to see Syndrome’s backstory and how he ended up becoming the way that he is. But more importantly, Syndrome just has a much more stylish presentation that elevates him to being what I consider Pixar’s very best villain.

Motivation/Goals: Over the course of his many, many evil monologues, Syndrome paints a pretty vivid picture of why he is the way he is. It begins with his initial monologue to Bob, where he recounts the faithful night Bob cruelly rejected him and told him to fly home. Only… there’s one teensy little detail missing from the recap. A very French detail.

Yes, Buddy’s memory proves to be extremely self-serving, as he ignores Bob was at the time dealing with the terrorist and “World’s Greatest Punny Supervillain Name” winner Bomb Voyage to paint himself as a poor, innocent victim of a dismissive and cruel super. Note also how his posture in his version has him with arms wide open as Bob cruelly looks down upon him. All of this goes to show that his big desire for revenge, a core aspect of his motivation, is just completely fabricated by his warped, evil mind. I think he really was just looking for an excuse to go on a killing spree and Bob telling him to stop endangering his own life inadvertently created the world’s first super-school shooter.

Syndrome later elaborates on his evil scheme, because simple revenge isn’t all he’s about (it’s just really nice he gets to take it, that’s all). In another monologue, he details how his murderous robot was meticulously created so that he could fabricate the perfect deadly enemy for him to beat in a staged fight, thus turning himself into a beloved superhero and winning the public’s adoration and respect. With every other hero dead by his hands, he could now soak in all the attention he wanted, and then when he’s old he’d sell off all his tech creating a world where everyone is super (meaning, in his words, that “no one will be”). Syndrome’s initial scheme is very ego-driven and narcissistic, which honestly makes it perfect for a campy supervillain like him.

Of course, he ends up having one more plan when everything else goes awry: Steal Jack-Jack and raise him as his own. This is actually a nice recycling of his cameo from a deleted opening scene for the movie, where he was actually an old enemy who tried to kidnap Violet as a child and who ends up dying in a horrible explosion for trying to fuck with Bob and Helen’s kid (seems they liked that fate for him, because they kept that too). It’s pretty demented as far as a backup plan goes, but it certainly fits him.

Performance: Beloved Kevin Smith collaborator, former Scientologist, and Dave Seville actor Jason Lee is genuinely the perfect sort of guy to voice a villain who comes off as incredibly comedic, but he also gets to show off some really good range when it’s time for Buddy to drop the laughably evil schtick and dip into being a smug, sinister supervillain. All in all, he gives us the exact sort of Silver Age supervillain hamminess to keep you engaged even as he dips deeper and deeper into horrifyingly evil actions.

Final Fate: You’d think that after nearly dying from a bomb getting caught on it as a child, Syndrome would ditch the cape. You’d think that, being a former hero worshiper who absolutely had to know that Edna Mode was the hero designer, he’d be aware of her stance on capes in costume design and would ditch the cape. But no, Syndrome apparently really wanted that classic hero look, and as all truly stylish men must do, he paid the price for looking good. The price in this case is being sucked into a jet turbine where he was shredded into a fine paste before whatever was left violently exploded in a massive fireball, but hey, that's what you get for ignoring Edna's fashion advice.

Best Scene: I think his introductory scene when he fully reveals himself to Bob is, ahem, incredible, especially on repeat viewings. From the chilling moment where he makes Bob aware of his true identity to his warped self-victimizing recap of Bob rejecting him to getting caught monologuing and then tossing Bob away by accident, it takes the nerdy little fanboy from the opening and recontextualizes him as a laughably evil mad scientist who is at the same time an extremely disturbed murderer with a horrifyingly personal vendetta.

Best Quote: Syndrome has some of the best quotes in the movie this side of Edna, and he drops a good 50% of the film’s most iconic and quotable lines. But the one bit of dialogue that sticks out to me personally is the one he drops during his big (re)entrance into the film, where he makes Bob realize who he is by simply saying, “After all… I am your biggest fan.” It’s so simple and bone-chilling and really sets the mood of the film going forward.

Final Thoughts & Score: Syndrome is just really an amalgamation of everything great you could have in a villain in this particular type of movie.

On the superhero movie side, he’s obviously taking a lot of inspiration from envy-driven tech geniuses like Lex Luthor and Dr. Doom. He has a personal grudge against the hero, and is determined to use his technological prowess to outdo them and show the world he’s better than the supermen. Of course, Syndrome takes it to an entirely unhinged level by being an unrepentant serial killer, but he’s very much still in the spirit of those aforementioned supervillains. Much like them, and as previously mentioned, his version of the events that led to his rebirth as a villain are very skewed to paint him more as a victim, with his take being how he was unfairly treated by his idols rather than as some obnoxious nuisance who could have been severely hurt or killed and whose bumbling led to a disastrous chain of events. It seems very much in the same vein as the stories where Doom blames Reed for however badly his face is scarred, or Lex blaming Superman for making him bald. Syndrome just takes these classic comic book tropes and mashes them together into one fantastic package. Now if only he somehow involved super-intelligent gorillas in his plans...

Now let’s look at the James Bond side, because everything from the score to the island lair to the evil henchmen are pure Bond villain territory. Syndrome has Bond Villain Stupidity down to an art form; even when he points out being “caught monologuing,” he still does it multiple times where he otherwise has the titular family dead to rights. He had ample opportunity to kill them several times, only to end up with egg on his face because the heroes managed to use his time gloating to form a real plan of escape. And then there’s his death which, again, is caused because he felt like gloating instead of just fucking leaving. He even has a sexy henchwoman who betrays him for the incredibly sexy Chad of a hero, though Bob doesn’t need her pussy when he has it galore at home. Syndrome wouldn’t feel too out of place going up against Jimmy B, if I’m being honest; nothing Syndrome does is any sillier than Moonraker.

I think what’s truly impressive is just how they managed to balance Syndrome being utterly vile and absolutely hilarious, which is no easy task and can lead to a villain being insufferable rather than entertaining. Syndrome has some great jokes, great body language, and the voice of Jason Lee, a voice that exudes comedic energy in every syllable; he also nonchalantly orders children to be murdered, gambles his henchwoman’s life just to call Bob’s bluff, tries to kidnap a baby, and is basically what would happen if H. H. Holmes had robots. It’s such an amazing combination of traits and it all gels together into one of the best and most fun superhero movie villains ever crafted.

Yeah, that’s right. He’s one of the best superhero movie villains. This man easily clears most of Marvel and DC’s movie villains, and deserves every single point of that 10.5/10 I’m giving him. He’s Pixar’s best villain, and exactly the sort of fun, campy, yet ultimately deadly and threatening bad guy that all superhero movies deserve. Literally no part of The Incredibles is lacking, so why should the villain be any different, right? If only the sequel could have kept up even half the energy… Maybe if they’d given Evelyn Snow Miser’s hair, she’d have been a better villain.

[liviavanrouge]

Kodie: *Groans, walking after Kinich*

Kinich(9): *Laughs, running around, nearly tripping Kodie*

Leik: Kodie, what happened to you?

Kodie: My Aura works TOO WELL on this kid, what has he been through?!

Leik: *Glances at Kinich* Ah..I didn't think he'd get this childish...

Kinich: *Grins, leaping at a grasshopper, sending it hopping away* HAH!

Kodie: It's refreshing though, when I first saw the kid, he looked like a walking corpse

Kodie: If my power can help him even have a bit of childishness then I'll keep letting my Aura wave off me onto him

Kodie: *Sighs, yawning* But he has tired me out! I didn't go to sleep until midnight because he kept dropping questions on me to answer...

Kodie: He's all yours until lunch...

Leik: *Chuckles* Alright then..

Kinich: Kodie, wait! Bring out more grasshoppers!!

Kodie: Ah, I'm...a little too tired for that kid..

Leik: *Nudges him, gesturing to Kinich* Your Aura is making him ask that...it's what he's thinking about, something he normally would've have asked if your power wasn't affecting him

Kodie: The kids true thoughts eh..?

Kodie: *Sighs* Who am I to say no then...

Kinich: *Grins widely, leaping backwards*

Kodie: *Leaps forward and lands, causing the ground to shake then quickly turns in a circle, using his tail to send grasshoppers leaping through the air*

Kinich: *Laughs, chasing after them*

Leik: *Smiles slightly, watching Kinich run around with a pink aura like mist surrounding him*

Kinich: *Hops around, grinning widely*

Kodie: *Stares at Kinich then chuckles, laughing as he hopped around, chasing after grasshoppers*

Kinich: Get it, get it!!

Kodie: *Slips and falls while chasing one of the bugs, yelling in alarm*

Kinich and Leik: *Laughs, looming over Kodie*

Kodie: *Huffs and rolls over, getting to his feet* Alright, enough playing, Kinich you have training to do..

Kodie: *Yawns, walking away* I'll be back before lunch!

Kinich: *Smiles watching him go then frowns, his face falling expressionless*

Leik: Kinich...?

Kinich: Why does his Aura make me so childish when he's around me? I've seen him with other kids like me and they're less affected than I am...

Kinich: *Lifts his hands, string at them* ...I always act out of character when around Mr Kodie...

Leik: *Chuckles* That's his power kid, the more he wants to see a kid act normal, the more affect it'll have on you...that just means Kodie wants to see you act your age...

Leik: He....just wants to see you be a kid..not a kid acting like a mature adult..

Leik: But if you want, I can talk to him and tell him to stop-

Kinich: No, it's fine...

Kinich: ...Kodie's eyes seemed to light up when I asked him to make grasshoppers jump from the grass

Kinich: Besides...his power isn't all that bad..

Leik: *Perks up then chuckles* I see...

~~~~

???: KINICH!!

Kodie: *Walks over*

Kinich: *Perks up, a pink aura surrounding him*

Kinich: *Smiles widely, a bit of pink filling his eyes as he hurried over nearly crashing into Kodie's leg* Hi Kodie!

Kodie: How'd he do, Chief?

Leik: He did well-

Kodie: *Rams his head into Kodie's leg, laughing*

Kodie: *Smirks in amusement* You think you can take me on?

Kinich: *Leaps back, grinning* Try me!

Kodie: *Chuckles then leaps to the right, grinning as he dodged Kinich* Oh, now you've had it, you challenger!

Kinich: *Grabs Kodie, yelling in surprise when he flipped him over*

Kodie: Now look who lost! *Blows raspberries on Kinich's stomach*

Leik: *Clears his throat, struggling not to smile* Kodie...

Kodie: *Gasps, quickly composing himself* it seems....my power has been making me quite...childish....as well..

Kinich: *Hops up and rams his head into Kodie's leg, grinning as he tried to push him*

Leik: Kodie..

Kodie: *Looks at him, using one hand to keep Kinich back* Huh?

Leik: *Gestures to Kinich, listening to the laughter coming from the boy* Thank you...

Kodie: *Huffs* You know I'd use my power to do this for any child, don't thank me..

Leik: Even so, I've been watching Kinich...and...this is something he needs..

Leik: But we can stop when he's a little older..

Kodie: How does fourteen sound?

Leik: Sounds good..

Kodie: *Dodges Kinich, grinning* Race you back!

Kodie: *Runs off, Kinich chasing after him*

Leik: *Sighs, looking relieved* Fourteen Huh...Kodie you're really draining your life force to allow hurt kids a chance to be normal..

@queen-of-twisted

[karizard-ao3]

I read in your newest update you went camping. How was it?

Honestly, much more perilous than usual! My kid and I went for a hike where I seem to have had a brush with some kind of poisonous plant (based on google I'm thinking maybe wild parsnip?) and now I've got blisters and welts and a bit of a rash all over my ankles and calves. It itches like hell and it looks like I've got a bit of swelling. I'm not sure whether to let it all air out tomorrow or spare my coworkers the sight and cover it up with pants.

Then, on the same hike we accidentally disturbed a nest of wasps or hornets or something that were living in a gate we were passing through (like, inside the gate, so when we were trying to figure out the latch, it pissed them off.) Luckily just one guy came to deal with us at first while we were passing through the gate and trying to close it or I'm sure it could have been worse. We didn't even realize there were any wasps there until the one came and stung my kid in the arm. I had him move away and then while I was trying to figure out what its problem was and relatch the gate, it came and stung me right above the knee. It all happened really fast, but I had the impression of more wasps coming so I abandoned latching the gate and shouted "Run!" We booked it down the trail and got away.

Those stings hurt like a bitch!!

And! We had to go back through the gate to return to camp. We tried scouting out another way back onto the trail but there was a barbed wire fence on one side and a bunch of bushes and more fencing on the other. We couldn't see a nest so we weren't sure what to avoid to keep from disturbing them again. In the end, we waited until we couldn't see anything yellow buzzing around, then snuck up to the gate. I kicked it open, and we ran through. We stopped a safe distance away and I saw there were some of those wasps or hornets or whatever buzzing around again, so I, a moron, snuck back closer despite my kid's protests to try and scope out what we had done to incite them and saw that there were a bunch of them gathered on one of the rungs of the gate, all in a huddle, which is why I'm thinking they found a hole in the metal and made their nest inside. I think they were gathered around the entrance to guard it.

I felt bad not latching the gate, but I wasn't trying to get stung any more, so I took a couple pictures and then we went back to camp.

Since we're both fine, it was an exciting adventure and my kid was really brave about getting stung and having to go back through the gate. We made sure the rangers knew and a woman we passed on the trail, so hopefully no one else got stung after us. Normally I wouldn't interfere with where wasps or hornets or whatever build their nests but this was really not a good spot since it was hidden from sight and couldn't be avoided.

Oh, and we went scorpion hunting and saw a couple really big ones! They glow under UV light. After we got back to the campground I checked around but there weren't any near the tents, which was reassuring. We kept our shoes inside regardless.

My kid caught a frog and a grasshopper and he got to play with some other kids he met at the campground which meant I got to relax and do some reading.

Overall, it was a very eventful trip and I had a good time, even though we also forgot to pack a few things and I'm a mess of blisters now.

[smutty-ki113r]

🌐Discord🌐||

Comfort one-shot reader x creepy pastas (Slenderman, Jeff, Toby, E.J, BEN, Sally, Masky, Hoodie, Jane and L.J.)

Inspired by: The living tombstone

You woke to excessive yelling, turning over and pushing the pillow over your face groaning. The voice got louder and you felt a pair of hands shake you awake, throwing the pillow at them you found that it was Toby. He let out an abrupt gasp and continued to jump around the hotel room. You understood why he was so excited, it was the first day of your trip to Disney world after all.

I know it seems unconventional but you had managed to convince slender to let you guys go. Obviously it was on Halloween weekend, the only time they could go into the parks without being questioned for their looks. That day you would all be going to Epcot.

Masky was probably the most excited about that park even though he had an expressionless face on the ride there. He had been so against going, at least it seemed like it. But you saw him putting ciggarates in a fanny pack when getting ready to leave.

Smiling fondly at the memory you got up and dressed. After breakfast you all drove to the park, seeing the Halloween decorations in orange and black with the shapes of Mickey Mouse. You groaned at the bickering going on in the third row of seats with Jeff and E.J, who was trying to convince Jeff to leave his knife in the car.

“They’ll stop you at security” you called back to him.

“I can hide it” he protested.

“Jeff they have literal metal detectors” E.J rebutted.

“What if I put it in my pants” he said smartly.

“NO” you yelled. After a death glare and a small tug of war between him and E.J he left it. He walked at the back of the group, slumping with his hands in his hoodie pocket. At the entrance the whole crowd was met with “oohs” and compliments about your “costumes”.

There was so much to do, but Hoodie (secretly Masky too) and BEN wanted to go to Spaceship earth. They were all so amazed on how there was a ride inside of the Epcot ball.

“It’s an XXL golf ball” BEN kept saying, convinced that there was nothing inside. There wasn’t much wait but since you were all a big crowd it took a bit to get in. Slender had the hardest time getting in the cart, he had to crouch excessively to fit. You rode with BEN, who was really excited at first because he thought there was going to be a drop but it turned out bore him. He thought it was going too slow, and so he had the bright idea to tamper with the manuals. “Time to spice things up” he said rubbing his hands maliciously. At one point all the carts started spinning, he lifted his hands and “wheeed”. You could hear Sally yelling from the back with Slender holding her in the seat since there was no restraints. At the end he scolded Ben, rushing him out of there as the cast members apologized for the inexplicable inconvenience.

He came out of there with a proud grin, cackling as he pointed out the dumbfounded face E.J made in the picture and the one with Jeff with his tongue out. The smiling killer joined him, watching Toby spin from the dizziness- it was pretty funny though.

Slender admired the late October scenery until Sally pulled him into a stand and graced him with a Mickey Mouse hat. Jeff was yet another unfortunate victim of Sally’s plan, wearing the mickey ears that had a pastel veil. BEN was throwing fits of giggles at this, but you knew Jeff was fucking insecure so you put on ears along with Sally.

The first country you stopped at was Mexico, where you went inside the pyramid. Jeff traded his ears for a big Mexican hat, Ben too. They played with the maracas while Toby, Sally and Hoodie went into the glass shop. It was a recipe for disaster, but you followed regardless. Sally tried on every. Single. Princess crown while Toby looked at the glass pieces a bit too closely. He started ticking while holding one, even though the sign said not to touch them. It flew across the store and collided with a whole other shelf, all of them broke and he started apologizing furiously as Slender messed the employees’ mind to make him forget about the accident.

He had to pull Toby out of the store and drag him to the boat ride, you patted him on the back daringly as he had the guiltiest look. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea for slender to go on the boat ride, he was far too tall and had to bend his knees to look like a grasshopper while Sally smiled and sung along with the cartoon characters. When you got off you could hear Slender mumbling something about his back.

Norway didn’t have much to do but Sally begged to go on the Elsa ride, Hoodie accompanied her happily. Toby as well, but he was really enthusiastic about the songs- he knew all of them. Him and Sally harmonized during the chorus for “let it go”. Since there were a shit ton of little kids there L.J was about to combust. Surprisingly he stayed super silent with occasional grumbles, making mental notes for when he got out of the park. He had to ditch the group to shop for Candy, which he found in China.

Jane was absolutely fascinated with the Zodiac garden there, watching the beautiful plants in the morning sun. Masky tried to relax by watching the show inside the pavillion but Toby caught up to him. He really couldn’t sit still and Masky had to scold him for sitting on the rail he wasn’t supposed to sit on. After, you found E.J playing with Sally with the marionettes and BEN with a cup of Boba. He seemed to be enjoying it- a lot. It was the funniest thing to watch him suck up all the tapioca stuck in the ice, his cheeks got super red and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

Jeff was gladly giving Toby his Mickey Mouse ears. In the afternoon you moved to Italy, where L.J was getting complimented for his “stilts”. There wasn’t much to do in Germany or America so you guys went to Japan. Laughing Jack was a lost cause, going straight for the candy while Jeff was mesmerized by the samurai swords. He was looking around to see if he could steal one, but how in the world would he hide that- definitely not in his pants. You caught on quick.

“Just ONE” he pleaded with you as you pulled him away from the glass. “Don’t do this to meeee” he screeched at you like a starved man asking for food.

Trying to throw hands and hit you while you grasped onto his hoodie. You managed to bring him with you as you walked out of the store. Passing by Masky who was trying to get away from Toby- he was fanning masky with those big fans. Jeff sat sourly as you ordered food, a stressed Masky came soon after. He was glad to have some quiet from the ruckus outside, enjoying a meal with you. When he was done he went outside to have a smoke from his fanny pack.

Going back to the store with Jeff on a tight leash AWAY from the swords you found Sally playing with the plushies and L.J taking packs and packs of candy. You stood and stared at him as he loaded up on the strawberry gummies. “What?” He deadpanned as a few fell down from his pile. You just laughed and helped him hold some of them, putting them in your backpack and walking out of the store because- y’all are criminals, and you steal.

It was now late afternoon, and you only had a few countries left to complete the full round of the park. Toby got lost in France, you all spent about twenty minutes looking for him and apparently Slender too who disappeared soon after. Then out of some room came one of them.

“where where you?” Jane asked.

Slender stepped forward “at the show, there were some magnificent castles and I think I’ll have to visit. Maybe even take ideas for house redecoration” he nodded.

Then out of nowhere appeared a cast member holding the hand of one shaking Toby, whose eyes were puffy and cheeks red. “Did you lose this little boy” she asked slender, he shook his head yes and gave a sigh.

The lady was in absolute awe of the group, especially daddy dilf slender. “How IS it that you see through that mask” she mused, taking slender’s head in her hands even though he was super tall. Her mouth was open as she pulled him super close to observe his (non-existent) face. BEN was snickering and you looked back and forth to see slender pretty flustered at the lady’s proximity.

“Leave him alone” Jane smacked BEN behind his head and took him by the ear. You followed them to the U.K. She threw him in one of the phone booths and held the door so he couldn’t escape. You could hear him complain from inside “let me outttt” he said muffled. Jeff caught up and went into the one on the opposite side, playing with the buttons on the dial. When Slender came back he took out a Camera to snap pictures of BEN and Jeff. You stood to the side while he did, obviously both of them didn’t notice. They were pretty candid and when they saw what was happening they ran out of there, only to have their spaces replaced with Sally and E.J, who had to pose with her for the picture.

The sun was starting to set and you guys only had a couple things left to do, one of which Jeff almost exploded in wait for. He wanted to try test track so bad, the line was gruesome and he tapped his foot impatiently in wait. BEN kept tampering with the car parts on display, making doors open and lights flash in boredom. Toby waited outside with Slender because he had anxiety around going too fast in a car and possibly reliving trauma. Jeff, on the other hand, was so excited when it was finally time to go on. He let you sit next to him in the front with BEN in the back. The ride was entertaining sure but the best part was probably Jeff’s face at the end. The car went so fast that Jeff’s cheeks were pushed back with the wind, stretching out his carved smile and flapping as he waved his hands in the air.

Then when it ended he wanted to steal one of the cars from the display.

“I can turn it on and take the safety off” BEN tuned in cheekily.

“Yessss” Jeff said with a fist pump, “which one should we get?” He asked.

“The red one” BEN decided.

“Guys nonononon” you tried complaining but they were dedicated.

“Stop complaining” BEN said, distracting you while Jeff snuck up on you from behind. Covering your mouth with his hand and restraining your arms with another “This is for not letting me take that knife”.

Picking you up and throwing you in the backseat of the car before revving the engine. With tears of joy in your eyes you saw Slender appear in the rear mirror of the car, tendrils waving around in fury. If BEN wasn’t dead yet he would definetly be now, Jeff turned paler than usual. Thank goodness he saw what was going on. They were about to drive off in one of those Toyotas- forget about mass murder, they were about to commit grand theft auto.

Next was the Nemo ride, but BEN was absolutely petrified of being near water so he waited outside with Slender-who very much could not fit in that shell car as much as he tried. Sally really liked it, she went with Toby and you went with Jane. Masky and Hoodie went together. Needless to say all of you enjoyed it very much, and the aquarium after was great too. Jane sat where she could watch the Dolphins and you could hear Toby and Sally’s footsteps running around from tank to tank.

“Do you think Slender will let me take a shark home?” He asked Masky, who told him no. But when they were outside Toby went straight to Slender. “Can I take a pet home?” He pleaded. Slender gave him a strict no but Toby continued to beg, “how about a seahorse?”, “not even a starfish?”. He got shot down but quickly recovered when you guys went to Soarin.

All of them- they loved flying. Even through it was just a ride, it was exhilarating. Passing through the sea and waterfalls, even the castles where Slender would have smiled at (if he had a mouth). Toby yelled like a mother fucker the whole time, luckily Masky was sitting next to you and hoodie- away from earshot. Jeff got the bad end of his shouting, making a face like he was about to murder poor Toby. But the brunette was so distracted by the lights and scenery he didn’t notice. E.J was pretty fascinated too, the height scared him a bit- he was used to being on the ground. Then you all shared some food from the cafeteria and went outside to watch the light show from Canada.

It was such a nice moment, with the sun already set and a hazy glow lingering in the air. You took a deep breath in, the ambiance felt like something unreal. The Epcot ball was illuminated by purplish lights in the background and across the lake you could see all the countries monuments lined with white lights. Slender had Sally on his shoulders so she could take in the view. It made you so happy to be with all of them in an instance like this. You looked back to find L.J eating his candy. With BEN and Hoodie next to you, Masky was leaning on the railing with his elbows next to E.J. and Toby was about to fall asleep. He got pretty startled when the fireworks started, but Sally’s eyes lit up with happiness. She cheered as you watched the group, it was such a kindling time with them. You couldn’t wait for the next day of the trip.

[heyitsyn]

Keeping Up With Seijoh Ep. 7

a/n: im sorry but takeru could take my uwus like hes so adorable yall 🥺😭

anon:

-LETS BE HONESTTT WITH OURSELVES. oikawa bringing takeru to practice cuz he forgot he promised to watch him n so he asks you to watch him while he rushes off to change— and then takeru goes OFF after he hears that YOURE the person uncle tooru keeps talking about. he basically just exposes oikawa, gets on your good side w all the embarrassing blackmail material he can provide, and oikawa comes back to you grinning like a madwoman HAHAHAHAHA c,:

tumblr moot:

-‘ Omg Takeru spills to his mom and grandmother how Oikawa had a crush and how awkward he is around this girl. Which leads to them inviting her over without Oikawa knowing. He comes home one day, a lil upset because yn wasn't at practice only to hear her giggling with his mother and sister while having tea ‘

NOW THIS IS THE REAL TEAAA!!!!!!!

TAKERU IS SUCH A MOOD MY GOD IMAGINE HAVING A CRACKHEAD UNCLE LIKE OIKAWA!!!!😭😭😭😭

uwu yes i love this req so lets start

so basically

two words:

uncle oikawa

bahahaha no not really but yes really tho

anyways

this is going to basically be the scenario where takeru has accepted you as his auntie

so sit down my little grasshoppers because this is finna be a long one

it all started when oikawa forgot his promise

now,

oikawa prides himself in being a know-it-all and being ‘responsible’ or shit like that but hes,,,,, far from that

like how he was currently running towards the gym where takeru’s volleyball class was at because he forgot that his sister made him promise to pick his nephew up since she was working overtime today

oikawa tooru didnt care about his appearance and the way he huffed as he sonic nyoomed his way there since he was more scared of what his sister would do to him if she finds out he was late

the sight of the gym door has never felt so good

‘TAKERU!!’

he yelled and a head peaked out that belonged to the one and only boy

‘uncle, youre so loud’

he chided and tooru rolled his eyes before grabbing his hand

‘hey, go get your stuff. im late and y/n is going go kill me if im not there’

takeru rolled his own eyes and went at a snail’s pace as he packed up his knee pads and his water bottles

‘TAKERU HURRY UP WHAT-!’

‘hmm,, dont lie uncle. you just want to see the pretty goddess nee-chan’

OKAY TAKERU DANG

so basically,,

its been mentioned that you call the boys a lot or its them calling you and oikawa happens to be the one who calls you constantly

and takeru lives with them and he’s usually up quite late so he hears tooru downstairs while talking to you

like one time, he couldnt sleep and his mom told him to drink warm milk to help him so he was just going down the stairs when he heard tooru laugh

now, dont get him wrong

hes heard his uncle laugh before so hes seen how he laughs around girls and it was like nails on a chalkboard

but this time, it sounded very genuine and his chuckles were almost,,, shy

and he figured that tooru was talking to a girl since he kept saying a girl’s name

‘y/n-chan~ youre so cute~ dont make me come over there and kiss you~’

oikawa cooed and takeru cringed 

so he was talking to you

he was no stranger to your name as he once teased his uncle for being whipped and got an hour long rant about how beautiful you were and nice and angelic and how you were just an angel on earth

so yea he knew you

tooru’s voice became clearer as he stepped foot into the kitchen

even a child like him could tell his uncle was basically in love with you

and he doesnt even really know what love is!!

‘disgusting’

the child said and tooru, who believes in ghosts and is the biggest scaredy cat, shrieked at the sudden voice 

‘oikawa-san? what’s wrong?’

your voice could be heard through his phone but tooru quickly told you good night and ended the call before he got off the chair and crossed his arms to stand in front of takeru

‘what did you say?’

he asked and takeru looked up at him, mimicking his pose

‘i said, its disgusting, uncle’

oikawa looked offended

‘what?! how could you say that?!’

takeru shrugged then he walked over to the fridge

‘yozora-kun told me that girls have cooties and we would die if we get it’

god it was such a childish thing to say but to an actual child like takeru, it sounded perfectly valid

‘its gross and nasty and he said you get all sweaty and you get a fever and ew’

tooru shook his head in disbelief before going over to help the boy get a glass

‘its not nasty or gross or disgusting, takeru. its actually,,, really nice. you dont die from it and you get sweaty when you get nervous and you dont get a fever, you just get flustered, thats all’

takeru still didnt believe him

‘well, he also said girls become monsters and they would eat your face’

KFJDSLFJSLDKIM SCREAMING

oikawa chortled 

‘what?!’

‘you heard me. all girls are monsters and you should protect yourself, uncle’

but when he met you, my oh my, you were no monster

you were,,,,,, really really really pretty

poor takeru doesnt really know the real meaning of beautiful so he settled on you being really really really really pretty

like when oikawa dragged him in the gym, takeru stared at you 

his mind couldnt process on the fact that someone as pretty as you even existed 

but that doesnt really say much since hes only like 8

BUT STILL

oikawa was hurriedly shoving them both in the gym and he was annoyed that takeru was just standing there but he was really just watching you as you scurried around to give the team their towels

‘takeru! come on!’

tooru’s voice snapped him out of it so he finally walked forward

‘y/n-chan~!’

oikawa called out and iwaizumi was about to yell at him for being late but you already had your bad bitch face on and you were strutting over

‘oikawa tooru, do you know how late you are?!’

you scolded and pulled his ear down to your height

‘eeeehhhh~~??? y/n-chan dont be so rough! it hurts! dont hurt oikawa-san!’

he teased to ease your anger but you sucked in a sharp breath

‘ill make sure it hurts more’

oikawa turned pale and started pleading and stuttering

‘please pleaseplease y/n-chan, i had to pick up takeru and it was a total mess and-’

at the mention of takeru, you let go of him and you finally caught sight of the little boy

ohmygee he was so adorable and youre just a sucker for adorable kids so you kinda squatted to his height since the height difference wasnt that big

you gave him a big smile and waved a hand

‘hey, you must be takeru. im y/n’

the poor kid’s face turned red unknowingly and he stiffened before nodding aggressively

‘my name is oikawa takeru and i am 6 years old’

he hand out his hands to prove his age and you giggled before nodding

‘my name is l/n y/n and i am 16 years old’

you held out 10 fingers then switched to having 6 up like he did

‘waaaa youre,,,’

the boy paused to subtract with his fingers before looking up at you with wide eyes

‘youre 10 years older than me!’

you sweatdropped at the sudden thought of being old 

‘hmm i guess i am’

you tilted your head to the side and continued to talk to the boy, completely oblivious to the stares from the others

they all sported a bright red blush and red ears at the thought of you being so good with kids and what if it was their own?

kindaichi gasped and held his hands to his face to cover the burst of all shades of red that decorated his entire face

OHMYGOSH THEYRE SO WHIPPED WHAT

‘ne, nee-chan, i know you’

takeru spoke as you led him to sit down on the bleacher, away from the practicing team and from any rogue balls

‘oh? you do?’

‘eung! uncle talks about you all the time! and he calls you too! i live with him, see, and nana yells at him for being on his phone during dinner because hes talking to you’

takeru admitted and you turned red, suddenly flustered

‘he talks about me? what does he say about me, take-chan?’

the little boy paused, holding his chin to think, then he lit up

‘he calls you beautiful goddess y/n-chan!’

YALL TAKERU IS SO CUTE WHAT THE HECK

‘he does?’

you asked, wholeheartedly surprised

takeru violently nods his head

‘yes! uncle talks about you all the time! my friend yozora wants to meet you too!’

‘hah? who is that?’

takeru sheepishly scratches his cheek

‘yozora-kun told uncle that girls are gross but uncle got mad and told him you were different because you were pretty and nice and yozora wants to see if you really were’

you laughed at the childish claims of this yozora boy

‘well,,, take-chan, do you think im gross?’

you asked, making the boy flustered again

‘no,,,, nee-chan is really pretty’

he mumbled while twiddling his fingers and you squealed before hugging him

‘oh, take-chan! you should visit more often!’

takeru nodded, smiling at how warm you were

‘eung! i love nee-chan! see? i can say i love nee-chan because im not a coward like uncle!’

you pulled away just slightly with a raised eyebrow

‘what are you talking about, takeru?’

the child puffed out his chest and his lip took on a smug angle

‘uncle talks to the mirror every morning! he says hes practicing! he takes forever just saying he loves you in the mirror and he doesnt let me pee! but its okay! because uncle can keep being coward but i get the pretty nee-chan!’

a disbelieving smile settled itself on your face and you absentmindedly caressed his smaller hand

‘what else does uncle do, take-chan? you see, nee-chan wants to tease him!’

takeru paused then lit up

‘oh! before i was born, mama told me uncle ate flowers because he thought his fart would smell like roses!’

‘hah?!’

your cries of shock made the boy laugh and you joined in with him

‘also! iwa-nii made me a tree house, right?! and uncle wanted to go in but he was too big so he got stuck at the front door! iwa-nii had to take the front part out and used soap to get him out!’

your cackles attracted the now ready captain and oikawa had an uneasy look

that little brat mustve told you some embarrassing stories based on how you laughed

‘oi! takeru! you shut your mouth right now, young man!’

he shouted and quickly stomped over to you at the bleachers

but you held the boy close, protecting him from the angry brunette

‘no! you stay away, oikawa-san! nee-chan will protect you, take-chan!’

you proclaimed and takeru was more than happy to snuggle closer and stick his tongue out at his uncle

you had a similar mischevious look and a wide but scary grin on your face that spelled nothing but trouble

was he,,,, being blackmailed right now?

tooru was scandalised at the thought and the act causign him to lunge over to you, tickling your sides so you could loosen your grip on the child

but you held on, giggling loudly causing takeru to also laugh when tooru’s fingers would touch his side too

‘no! stop-! ack-! tooru!’

you shouted but tooru was able to find an opening to grab takeru by under his arms and you reached over to grab him back but he was already lifted high

‘now what did you tell her, you brat?’

‘nothing!’

takeru shrieked but tooru hummed, not quite believing him

‘i dont think so’

tooru sat down on the floor and placed takeru on his lap with his fingers quickly hitting his ticklish spots

‘NOOO!!!! UNCLE!!!!’

you giggled and joined over, completely forgetting where you were and what your responsibilities are

okay can we take a second on how cute this moment is?

like despite the team practically being in love with you, they couldnt help but think of how much you guys looked like a family

iwa herded everyone to stop staring and keep practicing bc he knew that this was the first time tooru has been truly happy in a very long time

by the end of practice, you and takeru were practically best friends already

you were very sad to have to let him go home but he promised to come back soon

tooru gave him over to iwa so he could talk to you while you were packing up

you were putting on your jacket when you felt him tap your shoulder

with a smile, you turned around and he mirrored your grin

well,,, it was more like a shy and bashful grin

from behind him, you could see takeru being lifted by mattsun and his laughter echoed in the wind

tooru noticed your gaze then chuckled softly

‘thank you for,,, yanno,, keeping him busy’

you waved your hands around with a laugh

‘nonono! its okay! really! hes so adorable that i look forward to seeing him again!’

he let out a relieved sigh then placed his hands in his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet

‘y/n,, youre really good with kids’

that comment made you flustered but you waved it off

‘nah, i just connect with them more. theyre so easily entertained and the innocence is nice’

‘well,, youll be a great mother in the future’

you chuckled then ruffled his soft hair

‘youll be a great father in the future then oikawa-san’

at first, he was just going to laugh it off but then the image of you playing with a child who possessed chocolate brown locks and beautiful e/c eyes appeared

he turned red and he fumbled for a response, completely speaking gibberish with no idea of what to even say

unfortunately for him, the team was not in a far distance and they could hear oikawa sputtering nonsense so to ‘help’ him, they started shouting for you guys to hurry up

‘come on! lets go, you guys! the bakery closes in a 10 minutes!’

makki yelled and you perked up and waved to signal you were going

‘come on, oikawa-san!’

you grabbed his hand and pulled him along

takeru noticed his uncle’s red face and a cute sly smile creeped up on his face

‘hmmm,,,,’

then he started a plan

and wow god must’ve wanted him to succeed because its like the fates and the stars and the universe just aligned

takeru was walking with his mom around a supermarket when he noticed your familiar h/c hair

‘y/n nee-chan!’

he shrieked before he could even stop himself and you were startled, wildly looking around for the person who said your name

‘nee-chan!’

takeru shouted again, running away from his mom towards you

‘takeru-!’

yall what is oikawa’s sister’s name? lets name her ‘tara’

tara shouted for her son and ofc ran after him when he didnt listen

‘takeru!’

you greeted back and winced a little when the force fo the little boy crashed into your legs

‘nee-chan! momma, look its nee-chan!’

takeru said when his mother caught up to him

‘oikawa takeru! you never run in the store like that again, you hear me?’

she scolded but then smiled up at you

‘oh hello darling, you must be y/n. im tara, tooru’s older sister and takeru’s mom’

she outstretched her hand for you to shake so you awkwardly shook it

‘uh-im l/n y/n’

‘momma! shes the pretty nee-chan i told you about! and shes the one uncle talks to every night!’

you cringed a little when takeru was excitedly talking as he was attracting other people with his loud voice

tara bless her heart noticed your discomfort and told you to go and follow her to the checkout if you were done

she ended up paying for your stuff despite your protests but she excused it as ‘consider this as payment for putting up that idiot brother of mine’

takeru wanted to show off so he held your bags but you still held on to their own to help tara out

‘ne, nee-chan! why are you not with uncle? its practice today, right?’

takeru asked as you three walked down the street

‘natsu’s sick so i was picking up some porridge for him to eat. i excused today because i wanted to take care of him’

takeru lit up

‘nee-chan! you should come over! nana wants to meet you too!’

tara rolled her eyes at her son with a smile

‘no, take-kun. nee-chan needs to go home to look after-’

‘ah, its okay, oikawa-san! natsu wont be awake for a while so i can spare an hour or two’

‘yey!’

tara made small talk with you while takeru hummed in front of you

‘thank you so much for putting up with my two boys, y/n. i heard from hajime that you kept takeru company while tooru practiced’

you nodded

‘it wasnt a big deal though. i love takeru, hes a sweetheart. and oikawa-san takes good care of him’

tara chuckled

‘as much as takeru loves to poke fun at tooru, he really does appreciate him you know? without a father, i worried on who would be his male figure. but tooru lived up to his title and takeru wants to do everything he does. like say, volleyball’

you followed along and you could see the little bits of tooru even by the way takeru walked

the little skip that his uncle had seemed to copy itself on to the nephew with even the happy humming

‘oikawa-san is,,, a really great person’

you off-handedly mentioned and tara looked at you from the corner of her eye 

warmth blossomed in her chest because although she knew how much of an insecure and rash person her brother was, he deserves someone who talks about him with such love in their voice

even the look in your eyes was enough to make her think,

yep, you are the one

omg nana oikawa is ltr head-over-heels for you already

the love for y/n is an oikawa thing

when takeru opened the door, nana oikawa rushed to greet her grandson when she saw another person

a girl

‘nana! nana! this is y/n nee-chan! uncle’s pretty goddess!’

uwu nana knows who exactly you are

lets just say shes exactly like takeru and has witnessed her son lovingly talk to some y/n girl at 3 in the morning

and her son has expressed his love and admiration towards you every chance he can

so yes lets just say she knows who you are

thats why nana brightly smiled and quickly ushered you into the house

‘oh come in! come in! takeru-kun, go lead y/n-chan to the couch and make her comfortable! ill get tea!’

takeru nodded and he grabbed your hand with his small one to go to the living room

you awkwardly sat stiffly, not exactly knowing what to do as this entire family seemed to know who you are

takeru settled himself beside you and was actively talking about what they did at volleyball practice today

you were enamored in his story that you didnt notice nana walk in with a try of tea with tara trailing behind her with cookies

you moved to help her but nana shook her head with a gentle smile before sitting down at the chair beside the couch

‘here you go, dear’

you bowed slightly and held the cup of green tea

everyone was now settled and you were nervously tapping your finger against the cup

you dont even know why youre nervous

its like youre suddenly meeting your boyfriend’s family without your boyfriend actually there

‘so,’

you jumped a little at the voice of nana and she smiled at you

‘oh dear dont be so nervous! we’re not that bad! we dont bite’

‘unless you want us to’

takeru whispered and you giggled, ruffling his hair with your free hand

‘so youre the famous y/n-chan then?’

you nodded again

‘takeru told us all about his adventures at seijoh the other day and, well,, he likes to tease his uncle but,, we believe him’

tara smiled, remembering her son’s words

‘nee-chan, i told them that uncle was very weird and shy and awkward and it was so weird’

he whispered, yet still able to be heard by everyone in the room

‘oh my, when we heard that we couldnt believe a person, much less a female, could even do that to him! i worried that my son would never develop interest in any girl but it seems i was worrying for nothing!’

nana giggled and you couldnt help but smile, realizing her laugh sounded exactly like tooru’s

‘you know, y/n, tooru’s never really had a crush before. and believe me, id know but even with his last girlfriend, which was also his first, he didnt seem interested at her in that way-well, maybe he was but he wasnt exactly enamored with her like he is with you’

you knew little about tooru’s first and last girlfriend

it was the butt of mattsuhana’s jokes all the time but you never partook bc you could see how,,, sad,,, tooru looks whenever its brought up

but you turned red,hand waving at her last comment

‘oh nonono, youre wrong. uhh, how do i say this,, oikawa-san,,, he just appreciates me bc,, i,,, reject his advances,, and,,, bring him milk bread,,, and banana milk,,,, and such,,,’

you trailed off and the two older women shared a look behind their cups

heh, it was refreshing to have tooru do the chasing this time

‘you must be wondering how, we, you know, know you, right?’

you nodded at nana’s question

she chuckled then placed her tea down

‘you see, we are aware of tooru’s,,,, expiditions. and by that, we mean the interest of others in him and his returned interest. but hes our family so we know that his interest is,, actually fake’

you looked down, knowing exactly what shes talking about

‘especially with girls, we see his annoyance, his ignorance, and we’re not proud of it. but with you, when he talks about you, its as if he was talking about the,,, the love of his life!’

you were startled, not sure if you should be proud of that or confused about that

‘mom! dont say that!’

tara nagged but nana shrugged her off

‘no, i want to express my gratitude for this girl. y/n, i want you to know now that,,, my son is damaged’

‘takeru cover your ears’

tara hurried and the boy shot his mother a confused look but still did it anyways

‘tooru,,, feels that he shouldnt burden us as he’s now the man of the house after his father and i’s separation. and,,, perhaps its the past of his father’s but,,, he doesnt let anyone in, except for us and hajime’

nana oikawa’s eyes held sadness

a raw emotion that shouldnt be shown to a stranger but by how much and how often tooru talks about you, she practically knew you already

‘and he refuses to do anything that isn’t necessary. he hates doing pointless things unless they will serve him purpose in the future thats why he focuses on that damn sport so much, even giving himself injuries! i worried and worried for him but then,, you came along. all the sudden, i see the life in his eyes that was wrongly taken from him, be replaced and its all because of a girl. ive never heard tooru talk about someone else other than his team or hajime so it was quite a surprise for us that he found someone who was, what he considers, worth his time. and the way,, the way he looks when he talks,,, y/n, i believe you are what he says, an angel’

a sudden wave of tears appeared as nana oikawa looked up to meet your eyes and you let out a stiff laugh but you tightened your grip on your cup

‘you are,,, my son’s angel’

DKFLJSKDFJDSLKFJSDLKFJD MY FEELS

the conversation was quickly shifted by tara as she could see the conflict in the way your eyebrows furrowed and the rapid movement of your pupils

she knew that you were probably still at a stage that you didnt realize your captain’s real and authentic feelings for you and she didnt want you to find out this way 

tara knows how emotional her mother can get regarding her son so she switched to another topic to not get too in deep with the whole situation

next thing you knew, you were giggling and laughing at nana oikawa’s merciless onslaught of her son’s childhood events

you attempted to hide your laugh by sipping your drink but it still came out wholeheartedly

‘yes! i wondered for a whole week as to why my roses were disappearing and i never would’ve thought id find my son eating them at 6 in the morning!’

nana cackled while takeru was so laugh-tired that he slumped over to your side, completely breathless

‘oh! dont forget the mickey mouse one! you see, y/n, we spent about a week at my aunts house and tooru saw a mouse! the poor child woke everyone up at midnight, screaming about a mouse sleeping next to him! and just to top it off, we visited disneyland and, whew, we just know now to avoid mickey mouse. to this day, that child is still traumatized by that cartoon’

meanwhile at seijoh,

oikawa was sneezing nonstop and iwaizumi has bonked him many many times now

‘OI! IF YOU GET SICK RIGHT NOW I WILL HIT YOU!’

‘OH GREAT! ILL BE SICK AND HAVE A CONCUSSION AT THE SAME TIME! THANKS IWA-CHAN!’

tooru irritably snapped and iwa was even surprised at how snippy he was

‘oi, what crawled up your ass and died today’

oikawa pouted then stomped his foot like a child

‘y/n isnt here today’

‘oikawa shes taking care of her cousin! she has a life outside of us you know?’

makki teased but flinched when tooru stomped his foot harder

‘but im her life! im all she needs!’

the entire team sweatdropped at the sight of makki and mattsun holding back their bara arms vice captain from beating up their captain 

‘ill be sure to give him mickey mouse stickers next time!’

you teased and they laughed

there was still remaining giggles left when the door handle twisted and the front door opened, revealing the man of the hour himself

takeru perked up and ran to the door to greet his uncle

‘uncle! uncle!’

he exclaimed and tooru sighed before grinning at him

his ears twitched at a familiar muffled giggle but he thought nothing of it by excusing it as him missing you so much that hes now hearing you

the thought of you dampened his mood again

‘uncle is too sad to play with you, takeru’

takeru’s head tilted to the side and one eyebrow was raised

‘heh? why? iwa-nii bonk you too hard?’

tooru shook his head solemnly

‘no. my darling wasnt there today and-’

‘oikawa-san, welcome home’

you emerged into the small hallway and tooru’s jaw dropped

then he snapped out of the surprise and ran straight towards you, picking you up and twirling you around

‘Y/N-CHAN~~~~~!!!!!’

he cheered and you giggled, trying to hold on to his shoulders to stabilize yourself

‘dont be so loud, oikawa-san’

you chided but with a smile

tooru calmed down however he still held you in his arms and was looking up at you with a grin, completely missing the fact that youre even at his house

‘its so nice to have y/n-chan greet me at the door. its like i have a wife! you wanna be my wife, y/n?’

you blushed a deep red and flicked his forehead

‘oikawa-san, your mother and sister is-’

you whispered harshly but a sudden shout made you both turn

‘NO! NEE-CHAN IS MY WIFE! NOT UNCLE’S! SHES TOO PRETTY FOR A COWARD LIKE UNCLE! I WILL FIGHT FOR NEE-CHAN! SURRENDER, UNCLE!’

you and oikawa looked at each other exasperatedly but with a fond look in your eyes

‘go’

you whispered

‘avenge me, oikawa-san’

that was enough for him to drop you gently and run to tackle takeru, who was giggling and kicking the air

you returned to your spot on the couch but shrunk back at the smirks the two oikawa women were directing to you

nana oikawa wanted you to have dinner with them so you stayed and oikawa held your hand under the table

even though they could obviously see it but yanno just stay quiet

‘y/n-chan, as much as i love you being here and meeting my family, how did you get here?’

takeru proudly raised his hand and swallowed his food

‘I BROUGHT NEE-CHAN HERE! I SAW HER AT THE MARKET!’

tooru nodded and reached over to ruffle his head

‘thank you, takeru! you turned uncle’s bad day to a good one!’

you turned to him with a worried look

‘huh? did something happen while i was away?’

tooru shook his head and pouted at you with his puppy eyes

‘y/n-chan wasnt there at practice today and oikawa-san missed her very much and-’

‘oikawa-san, please refrain from speaking in third person’

‘BUT Y/N-CHAN-!’

again, the two oikawa women shared a look

yep, you are the one

oikawa naturally took it upon himself to walk you home by saying ‘y/n-chan shouldnt walk home by herself!’

but in reality, he just wanted to spend more time with you because he didnt get to do that today

he just wanted his daily fill of you

O_O

aNYwAys

you both were walking down the street, hand-in-hand

KDSFJLSDKFJ FLASHBACKS FROM THE OIKS ROUTE

‘i love your family, oikawa-san’

you said and he giggled

‘well, just wait a few years and youll be a part of it too’

you blushed and smacked him on the chest making him wince and exagerrate an ‘ow!’

‘your mom,,, really loves you. and your sister, and takeru! theyre really nice and im happy your family loves you so much’

‘what about you? do you love me?’

you hummed

‘eung! i love oikawa-san! and the boys! i love all of you!’

DKFLJSDKFJSDLKFSJD NOOOOO FLASHBACKS AGAIN TO THE KUWS EPISODE OF THEM LEAVING AND OIKAWA TELLING HER HE LOVES HER ANDFJDKFJSDKFLDKJ ACK! FEELINGS!

oikawa had a sad smile on but he didnt push any further

‘well! you met my family already so now its my turn to meet yours!’

you turned to give him a deadpan expression

‘oikawa-san, my father chased you with a broom. i dont think its safe for you to even step foot at my front porch’

oikawa scoffed and puffed out his chest smugly

‘hah! your oikawa-san is a strong man! he doesnt get scared over some broom!’

‘oh! oikawa-san! i need to get your opinion on this! i want to give iwa-san this mickey poster but-’

noticing that oikawa was no longer walking beside you, you turned around to see him staring at the spot you were previously at 

‘oikawa-san?’

he didnt answer and you giggled

‘oh? is it mickey mouse? you scared?’

you neared the phone to his face and then his eyes settled on the terrifying face of the disney character

oikawa screamed

a/n: AAAAAAAAA WE FINALLY GETTING THROUGH REQS AND IM SO HAPPY THAT MY TEACHER IS SO NICE AND OMGOMGOMG MY FRIEND GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW A BIRD GOT INTO OUR CLASSROOM AND SDKFJDSLFKJSDLKFJSDLFKJNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyways, how yall been? i know ive been gone for a hot sec but uwu hey!!! 

[bluemoonbeam15]

What If...

What if Pixar had added more bloopers into the end credits?

<><><><><><><><>

"It's a bug-eat-bug world out there, Princess," Hopper guided her to sit on the rock, resting a foot against it. "Now--" a few whistles interrupt him.

Axel nudges the grasshopper beside him, "Ooh," he grins, "Boss layin' it down!"

Hopper pinched the bridge of his nose, "Of all idiots," he mutters. "Can we get through this scene, please?"

"Cut!"

They get back in their original places. "Take two!"

Hopper leans down and guides Atta to sit again, "It's a bug-eat-bug-world out there, Princess--" snickers from the crowd distracts him. He deadpanned at the camera.

"Cut!" John scans over the colony, "Okay, ladies, let's keep this professional here, alright? Gang, don't encourage them."

Axel snickers, "Aw c'mon," he calls out to Hopper, "Show 'em your good side, Boss!"

"Oh my word," Hopper sighs and straightens, face flushing.

Atta holds back her laughter, "Maybe try not doing the foot thing," she suggests.

Hopper mocks her quietly, "'try not doing the foot thing'" He gets back into position.

"Take three!"

"It's a bug-eat-bug-world out there..." he stood awkwardly for a moment, debating on how to approach her differently. Eventually, he puts his hands on his hips and just stares down at her, "Princess-- no, this doesn't feel right."

"Cut!"

Atta can't help but burst out laughing, "Nevermind, just go back to the other way."

Axel snickers and calls out again, "That's how she likes it, Boss!"

"I'm gonna quit," Hopper shakes his head.

_______________________

While all the grasshoppers are in the anthill, Molt kickstarts his wings to shoot through the hole. Unfortunately, he bonks his head against the ceiling and drops to the ground, "Ow!"

"Cut! Molt, make sure you're standing beneath the hole first."

He stood up, holding his head, "Yeah, got it."

"Take two!"

Hopper stared the ants down, "You ants have a nice summer. Let's ride!" He crouched down and shot through the hole. Molt laughed and shut up as well, hitting the ceiling again and landing on his back.

"Dang it! Okay, okay! I can get it right this time, I swear!" Molt staggered onto his feet.

His brother peeked back down in the hole, "When I fly off, that's when you move under the hole, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Molt waved him off.

"Take three!"

"--Let's ride!"

Molt bit his lip a bit, waiting until Hopper vanished before side-stepping and starting his wings. As soon as he pushed off the ground, his foot slipped and he fell face-first on the ground.

Hopper peeked his head through the hole again, deadpanned, "Does he have to be in this movie?" he looked at the directors.

John pinched the bridge of his nose, "He's for comedic relief. Okay, let's just go with the first take and switch it up a bit."

"But I hit my head on that one!"

"It'll be fine, the audience will get a kick out of it."

Hopper sneered down at his brother, "So will the rest of us." Molt huffed.

________________

Flik watched the Circus Bugs convey to him that they were not, in fact, warriors. He gasped and flung the makeshift megaphone to the side, "Your Highness! The warriors have--Ah!" In his effort to crawl over the blade of grass, he slipped on the dewdrop.

"Flik!" Atta kneeled down beside him, "Oh my gosh are you okay?"

He laughed awkwardly, feet hanging over the blade, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Cut!" John rushed over, "You alright, kid?"

"No, no, no, I'm fine." Flik stood back up quickly and brushed himself off. "Can we clear this off before I do that scene?" he pointed a thumb to the dew and petals on the ground.

Francis was doubled over laughing, "No, no, keep it there! I wanna see that again!"

Flik crossed his arms, "Is my pain hilarious to you now?"

The ladybug pointed out one of the cameramen, "Send me that take, I gotta keep that!"

_________________

"I said, even Hopper's afraid of birds," Atta repeated.

Flik blinked before chastely kissing her on the cheek and zooming off, "Thank you!" He rushed to the infirmary and nearly made it to the leaf entrance, "Hopper's--" he fell through the leaves and face-planted the ground.

"Cut!"

Gypsy rushed to help him up, "Oh, sweetie, it's just not your day is it?" She glared at the others who were laughing -- or at the very least trying to contain their laughter.

The ant held up a hand, not moving from where he'd fallen, "Just...give me a moment," he mumbled through the dirt.

_______________

Hopper's eyes hardened at the three grasshopper's, "Well, how 'bout this?" He quickly reached over him to pull the tip of the dispenser off, grunting when it didn't budge. "What the?" He kept trying to pry it open but nothing happened. "What did you guys do to this thing?"

"Cut!" John set the megaphone down and inspected the container, "Alright," he turned to the gang, "Which one of you clowns glued the lid shut?"

Tuck and Roll slowly stepped away from outside the shot, hiding the glue bottle behind their backs.

______________

"You little termites!" The colony turned as Hopper rose into the air with the offering lifted above him. He opened his mouth for the next line but a few whistles and cat-calling stopped him.

One of his gang members shouted teasingly from the side, "You lift bro?"

Hopper pursed his lips and set the offering back down, "Okay, I'm not doing this scene."

"Cut! Hopper, it's in the script," John called.

"Then change the script!"

"Just get through the take, I promise it'll be the last time," John pleaded. He called out to the colony and gang, "And no distractions, ladies! Let's keep it professional here!"

_____________

Hopper wrapped his hands around Flik's neck, "I'll be back next season with more grasshoppers...but you won't."

The ant pretended to struggle a moment before clawing at Hopper's hands desperately, "Hop! Wa--" he coughed and Hopper quickly released him.

"Oh my gosh, was I actually choking you?" He watched Flik struggle for air as he doubled over.

Flik waved it off, "It's fine...just...can't breathe," he gasped out.

"Cut! Okay, let's work on that strength there, Hopper."

Hopper patted Flik on the back, looking a bit sheepish toward the crew, "I'm sorry! Can we change that scene or anything? Maybe I'll just pin him down or something?"

John looked over the script, "I don't know...the writers were pretty keen on choking. Just work on your technique, we went over this yesterday during choreography. The best way to not accidentally choke someone is..."

Hopper gave him a confused look, "To not...try and choke them--"

"No."

"Well, I don't know what you want me to say!" Hopper threw his hands up in defeat.

Flik straightened as he took in a deep breath, "Okay, I'm good now. Everything's great."

"Ready to try another take?" John called.

Flik hesitated, "Just give me a moment," he laughed breathlessly, "I almost died. Gotta process that," he smiled at Hopper.

"I'm sorry!" Hopper flared his arms out, "Your neck is like a toothpick. How can I not accidentally choke you?"

"We practiced it yesterday, Hopper!" John reminded him.

Hopper rounded on the director, "How about I practice it on you?"

"Okay!" Atta decided to step in now, "Why don't we all take five?"

[sorry-i-ship-drarry]

28. I'll catch you

Prompt used- Feeling for each other in the dark | domestic | fluff | harry and draco spend a black out together|

" I still think you should get the white paint, it'd be a nice contrast " harry said as he carried draco's shopping bags with him

" and I've told you, white is not my colour. Besides it gets dirty easily " draco replied as he hustled with bags behind harry. Harry looked over his shoulder to see if Draco was fine, giving him a firm nod harry turned around to realise they've reached his door.

" I'm sorry I didn't know you had to play with mud in your living room " harry rolled his eyes

" very funny potter " Draco rolled his eyes and got ahead of harry to unlock the door. He struggled with getting keys out of his pocket.

" where is it ?" Harry huffed

Draco blinked at harry before he pushed his waist towards harry to let him take out keys. Harry propped all the bags in one hand before reaching down draco's pockets, wriggling his fingers to find the keys.

" can you wear any more tight pants " harry rolled his eyes as he finally grasped the keys

" it's called fashion potter but then again you obviously don't understand fashion at all, coming from your baggy clothes" draco rolled his eyes as he got behind harry to let him open up the door.

" I have fashion sense for your information malfoy, I just happen to wear what I'm comfortable in " harry answered as he pushes the door open and just as they entered his flat the lights went off.

" Merlin's sake- I'll get the lights " draco huffed as he left all the things on the kitchen isle and walked away. Harry too kept the things on the isle and locked the door.

" Malfoy, are you sure you're not creating light ?" Harry sarcastically called as he looked through the bags for his wand.

" you do realise you're quite funny potter " draco called out from some room. Harry smiled at the thought of how draco always wanted to give harry a come back but could never find anything good enough for it, so he always struck with the funny line.

" well the lights are out. I'm gonna go check with the neighbors- potter- where are you ?" Draco said as he walked into the kitchen himself but because of no light he couldn't see anything.

" fuck " harry hissed as he stubbed his toe against the bottom of the isle.

" found you " draco said as he blindly tried to reach for harry.

" lumos " finally draco heard and soon saw Harry's wand in his hands.

" I'm gonna go check with the neighbour " draco said as he searched for his wands in the bags

" well you do that, I'll go downstairs and try to check the power supply box and probably stop by my flat to see if I have any torches or candles down there " harry said as he crossed the kitchen, retrieving his keys from the pocket and walking out of the door.

" don't take too long " draco said almost worried. Harry turned around to see Draco with a little Curious frown before he nodded and left.

Once draco realised that the whole block was out because of the transformer problem from the power supply unit, he decided to tell Harry once he returned but he seemed to be taking too long and he simply couldn't wait for harry all alone in the dark especially when he couldn't find his wand. So he walked downstairs towards the power supply unit of the building. He pushed open the door without a creek and searched for harry. He followed the sound coming from the other side and cautiously made his way towards the sound.

" fuck " draco exasperated when he felt something brush against his leg. He looked down to see it was only his other leg.

" stupid potter " draco hissed under his breath and walked further inside.

And suddenly draco crashed with something and fell down, only to realise he had collided with someone and now they were on top of him. He recognised by the smell of the person that it was harry.

" potter" draco whispered not making a move to push him over from above him.

" you scared the fucking shit out of me " he hissed

" well if I wasn't sure until now, I'm sure it's you now " draco rolled his eyes and pushed harry off him.

Harry stood up and brushed off his clothes, offering a hand to draco, who subtly rejected.

" wheres your wand ?" Harry asked as he looked down over the ground for his own.

" I couldn't find it " draco answered as he brushed off his own clothes " where's yours ?"

" I lost it when you crashed into me, I can't find it without a light source and it's bloody dark down here " harry replied.

" yeah I asked the whole block's out. Some problem at the main power unit " draco informed.

" well, if that's the case. We should go back up and look for candles at my place, I'm sure you don't have any " harry said still looking down for his wand.

" what about your wand ?" Draco asked but his voice sounded distant. Harry waved his hand in the air to reach for him but couldn't get a grasp of him.

" let's go find candles first and then come back here to look for it " harry finally decided" where the hell even are you ?" He added

" right next to you, you idiot " he still sounded distant.

" Malfoy, step forward, you aren't around me" harry told him as he stepped forward to reach for him. He heard some footsteps coming towards him.

" where the hell are you !" Draco hissed as he tried reaching for harry until he finally did.

" I'm never losing you in the dark " harry sarcastically said

" and why's that ?" Draco asked still holding onto Harry's shirt

" because you're a baby- let's go up now " harry said as he reached for draco's hands and pulled him forward to walk.

" I can walk on my own " draco scowled as he walked along with harry

" I am sure. It's for not losing you or you'll wind up getting lost and crying yourself to sleep down here " harry replied as he pushed open the door blindly and walked past it with draco still holding his hands.

" do you always have to be so sarcastic or its your inbuilt ability to Always annoy people " draco rolled his eyes

" a bit of both " harry chuckled.

They finally reached the stairs and carefully going up, harry made sure draco wasn't falling. It was a simple gesture of showing he cared.

When they finally reached Harry's floor, they struggled getting inside since he couldn't find the key hole.

" I miss my wand " draco huffed as harry still jingled with his keys.

" no wonder you screwed up your muggle studies practicals " harry rolled his eyes " aha" harry excitedly said as he finally pushed open the door.

" I did not screw up my muggle studies practicals. It's just muggle have to do everything the hard way. Like right now if we had a wand, we could've simple said alohomora and the door would've been open" draco explained feeling for harry in the dark realising harry had dropped his hands as soon as they had walked into his flat, a small amount of disappointment washing over him.

" I'll get the candles and lighters " harry said as he walked into the kitchen and started looking carefully for candles and lighters in the drawer.

" harry, can you hurry up " draco finally said after a few minutes in silence. Harry stopped dead in his movements, he knew Draco only uses his first name when he was actually troubled and now was one of the moments.

" I'm trying to find, don't worry " harry replied and began looking for it again until he finally found the candles and the lighter both and finally lit it up.

" Merlin, finally " draco sighed as he jumped down from the counter and reached for harry until he realised what he was doing and created a distance, a strange awkwardness washing over them.

" well " harry raised his eyebrows " lets go and look for my wand then and then we'll go back to your place "

Draco nodded and walked Behind harry.

" or you could simply go upstairs and wait for me while I go-"

" I'll come with you " draco interjected quickly.

Harry looked at Draco a bit concerned " I didn't know you were afraid of the dark "

" I'm not " draco protested. But harry knew better, so he nodded and dropped the matter. Once they had finally collected Harry's wand from the power house and walked back to draco flat and light bunch of other candles and set them over every other table to keep the light burning since the electricity wasn't returning for long as they were aware of.

"and since they collected grains all summer for winters they weren't short of food " harry recited as he chewed on his minimalistic sandwich

" but then what happened of the grasshopper? Did he die ?" Draco asked Curiously, his legs tucked beneath Harry's thighs as he was leaned against the window pane

" no, because the ants shared their food with him. That's the thing about the fable, grasshopper was stupid not to store anything saying that won't need it possibly and ants worked hard enough all Summer yet they cared for him and they didn't wanted him to die so they shared " harry told him.

" that's interesting " draco frowned as he looked out of the window pondering about the fable harry had just recited

" it's all about sharing and Caring. That's basically what it's established upon " harry told him looking at Draco fondly

" I wish someone read these things to me when I was a kid " draco's tone suddenly changed to a melancholic voice. Harry stared at Draco Long enough to understand what was running inside his head. Sure they hadn't been friends for long but they understood each other much more than any other of their friends did, which was surprisingly nice.

" I know what you mean " harry calmly said as he looked outside watching over the dim lights blinking from far away.

" you do ?" Draco asked his head whipping in Harry's direction.

Harry turned and smiled at Draco "when I was a kid I didn't know how my parents had actually died. I spend days wondering how would it feel like to be with them. The world can read all these things to you but when someone who cares for you, reads them for you, it feels different. Almost as if it's not a fable you know, like you're living it, you're actually there. It's just-"

" better " draco finished off Harry's sentence smiling. Harry smiled at him then nodded, this was exactly what he wanted to say.

They stared at each other long enough, just smiling in silence. It felt nice, it felt too nice for either of them.

" you know, now I think I won't be so worried about losing you in the dark " harry smirked

" and why is that ?" Draco asked sliding back further into the window pane.

" because of your hair. It shines too bright in the moon. Like moon dancing on your head- hey it's like a song lyric " harry chuckled.

" I - I can't even with you- you know what harry, you aren't even that funny " draco rolled his eyes, restraining himself to give him a smile.

" come on, it was funny " harry scrunched his nose smiling

" no it wasn't " draco bit the inside of his lip to keep himself from smiling but harry wasn't having it, he kept poking draco lightly on his sides repeating that it was funny.

" it wasn't " but draco had broken into a smile and as if to cover it up he picked up a pillow and threw it in Harry's face

" you- you are dead Malfoy " harry gasped. Draco pressed his lips in a thin line over Harry's empty threats, which seemed empty until harry too threw a pillow at Draco's face.

" Merlin- harry stop " draco exasperated laughing. Harry gave one last throw before draco almost fell down until harry caught him.

" look what you did, I could've fallen down " Draco gasped

" as if. The most you Would've fallen would be on the floor " harry rolled his eyes

" besides I caught you" harry added. Draco's expression softened until he started laughing at what had just happened, harry soon laughing along. It was a sweet memory to enclose in their hearts, to lock it away, laughing away in the dark with no one but them. They probably still kept smiling at each other until the last candle died out and draco immediately grasped Harry's hands.

" it's all fine " harry reassured as he picked up his wand and casted a lumos.

They sat there holding hands, staring at each other in the dark, something had changed in the air, it wasn't so heavy before or it didn't feel as Warm before. There was something different in the way they stared at each other, something that made them want to extinguish the distance between each other, something that wanted them to pull each other close, something that wanted them to feel each other in the dark until the lights came back and broke them from their moment.

Clearing his throat harry stood up from the window sill and looked down to avoid Draco's eyes, who himself was assessing what had happened and looked anywhere but harry.

" oh - it's almost 10, I think I should- go " harry said awkwardly as he clapped his hands together only once and tip toed in his feets.

Draco abruptly stood up, being as awkward as harry " yeah- you're probably right" draco said in a strange whiny voice.

" yeah- so I- should go then " harry finally looked at Draco, who nodded at harry and they walked off to the door.

" I'll see you- well soon " draco said as he scratched the back of his neck nervously

" yeah- soon " harry pressed his lips in a thin line, not Making a move to go, just standing there staring at Draco again, who himself was staring until they heard the keys from Harry's hands drop on the ground, which surprisingly none of them knew he had in hands.

" I should go now " harry repeated and this time finally after clenching a smile he walked out of the door. Draco shut the door behind him and pressed his back against him sighing, his hands running over his face in exhaustion from something he didn't know. He remained there thinking of the awkward goodbye until he stopped thinking and turned around and almost opened the door until he decided not to and walked away.

10 seconds later draco returned and opened the door to find Harry's hand raised as if he was about to knock.

" you forgot something ?" Draco asked pushing one of his hands down into his pocket.

" uh yeah- I think- I left my wallet" harry hesitated

" oh- we'll look for it " draco said as he pulled the door further open to let harry in.

" Where'd you see it last ?" Draco asked as he shut the door and walked Behind harry into the living room.

"Yeah- I think- fuck- I have my wallet- I just- I couldn't stop thinking about doing this " and with that harry pressed his lips against draco. He immediately welcomed Harry's lips over his as if it was an Invitation he had been waiting for to be answered. Pushing his hands in Harry's hair, he pulled him further into him, almost hitting the back wall but Harry's hand had kept him from colliding into anything else. It wasn't a rushed kiss, but it was something they both found a relief in as if it was something it was something they both had been waiting for long to happen but didn't know of it.

Once they separated for air, draco pressed his head against harry's and breathed in deeply " yo- wow- I think I'll fall again "

Harry smiled whispering " don't worry, I'll catch you" and with that he kissed him again.

Requests open

Day 27- Harry's dance partner | Day 29- sweet, sexy and practically fainting

[stronghours]

SUNSHINE IN THE SKY REPRISE

And it came to pass, a few weeks after she and Jules made a bad decision on his thrifted futon, that they met again during 4th of July merrymaking. 

Lux toddled in grey lake water among Ava, Claire, and Archie (Celeste down and out with summer flu). Lux couldn’t swim, a fact disclosed in private to Ava, which Ava hadn’t kept to herself, and the group formed a stooped, anxious ring around her doggy-paddling. She was forced, among the smell of hot dogs in the safe green grass hundreds of yards beyond and the ominous cloud cover above, to make sure only her ass whomped her protectors’ knees when the waves tried to boil her body up and away. She’d made a mistake, and her only wardrobe protection beyond her suit itself and her spandex underthing was a hastily added solid color sarong, which while dry didn’t match, and while wet, just looked lousy and modest. But she couldn’t be parted with it and had made up a past bout of minor skin cancer, a pin-mole insidiously located on her protected inner thigh, the paranoia of which haunted her still. Even Ava dropped her chin for the C-word.

Now she suggested Lux float on her back and allow her perception of the water to form fingers in the magic slot located on her lower back, and soon she’d be floating like crazy among the wacky kids and her hot workmates and her boss and all their invisible pubes. A wave slapped dirty fingers up Lux’s nose.

“It’s kind of like learning a language,” Archie contributed. “Got to learn it when you’re young. Looks like your parents fucking doomed you.”

“My pap pap slam-dunked me in our above-ground when I was five,” said Claire, who floated tummy-down in frog position by exerting no effort Lux could observe. “I bobbed right back up, but like, what if I hadn’t?”

Lux, six feet tall, decided to use it to her advantage and planted her knees in the sandbar. She could just about do it and keep her eyes and forehead in periscope position.

“Reuben and I are thinking of installing an above-ground,” said Ava, and seeing Lux shrink, rose to her feet and splashed water across her dewy collarbone. Lux pushed every single one of them out of her mind and stared between the chops out into the open sea to make-believe Michigan somewhere on the other side. A rhythmic slap approached from the left and the white bow of a lifeguard’s canoe sailed past their collected heads.

“Hey now,” scolded the familiar voice behind the sunglasses, “only three hot bitches are allowed in the water at a time. Think of the community.”

Ava sloshed around at the familiarity, but everybody else had already noticed it was, absurdly, Jules, and sent up a bunch of soggy greetings, all except Lux who rose into a semi-crouch in the drifting seabed out of surprise, and Ava, who let them all perform verbal recognition on her behalf and only spared a nod.

Jules looked very high school, very lanky on the bobbing bench, with the oars braced under his tanned arms and his cute red tank top cinched under his fanny pack. He rode the up-down of the surf the same way he did most things, with enough bored grace to suggest he’d learned quite enough and had more interesting things to do. Lux had recently learned this conceit of his could be bypassed, and she was glad he kept the sunglasses on when he looked her over.

“What’s up Cathy,” he said, with the same Sophomore carelessness, and she plunged her head under an oncoming wave, the pressure preferable to the dawning knowledge that now, he had information he could disclose, and he’d had it for weeks.

She rose again, squinting. She couldn’t tell if he had caught on.

“What?” he asked. “What did I do?”

“You got another job, Jules?” Ava surged forward, displaced Lux. “Roscoe doesn’t give you enough to do, on top of commissions?”

“Give me another commission and you’ll find out.” He drew the left oar’s pole hard under his titty to keep the nose of the canoe from slicing into their crescent. The mechanism bucked like a horse and the wind snatched the ugly white hat off his head and toward an oblivion of preteens due north. Claire yelped and threw herself into the water, rippled away to go fetch it. “You ever been in the cellar underneath Rawhide, Ava? That’s like, thrice-darkness. I was gonna kill myself.”

“I’ve never been in a situation that required me to be in the cellar underneath Rawhide.” Prim Ava glanced pityingly at Lux, who allowed wave after wave to pummel her head in her effort to stay low. “Poor baby. She can’t swim.”

“Throw her off the pier,” Jules suggested.

“It worked for Claire’s pap pap,” Archie said, and braced an annoying hand on the back of Lux’s neck. “Sorry babe, looks like you’re going down.”

Lux threw herself underwater before Archie could push her into the drink. Beneath the top swell she had enough time to touch her palms to the sand and try to dig her hands where she’d braced her knees, but she was blind, and the divots were washed away and the grains were swept off and replaced swept off and replaced, and she panicked when the water tugged the sarong’s knot. She resurfaced from the green and grey, coughing and yanking the weedy fabric around her legs. Ava, shining and petite against the sky, so securely tucked to smoothness, had finished with Jules herself and was high stepping back to shore.

“…I’m just saying, you should definitely try it out –” Archie had spoken in the interim. Jules was nodding. He’d shoved the sunglasses up and over his curly head and while his gaze was trained forward to take in the gamboling bathers, Lux could feel him keeping her in the corner of his eye.

 -

She remembered being in good if overenergetic spirits. She recalled a hot yellow sun. She wore her lavender halter with the powder-blue culottes, her hair freshly hennaed from the night before and trustily bunned. She traveled from a three-hour duo with Ava regarding some mind-numbing bouts of predicament ropework that left her guiltily bored of the client and his ballerina snobbishness, but pleased with her improving knots, and with the fact she could at least trick Ava into thinking she was a viable rope top. She’d exited the bus prematurely and entered the sidewalk throng to burn through her constipated spirits, past a raucous patio partition of a dippy sport’s bar and collided with Jules himself, exiting.

It was like striking a human-size grasshopper. He recoiled, elbows up, and almost upset a busboy’s tray. She reared at his excess, ready to dive into the full indulgence of her insult. In the past year after the Annelise Petro incident she’d only seen him at a distance. Their last words, exchanged in close quarters within Jules’s car more than twelve months ago, had not been civil. He was much tanner than she remembered of him in previous summers. He’d filled out in the chest and shoulders. For a second, she could glimpse he’d gained some weird physical vitality – but as she observed, the color drained from his face. His shoulders slumped. He looked sick as a dog. She’d thought he was drunk.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and steered his head away from her. “Do not,” she ordered, “Do not fucking puke on me.”

He pulled himself straight but didn’t dislodge from her grip. “Don’t say anything,” he hissed, dirt-sober, and before she could make him clarify, a middle-aged couple loomed over his shoulders. The woman, a full six inches shorter than both Lux and Jules (it was just then Lux realized she and Jules were precisely the same height) sparkled nervously, trussed in Cubs blues.

“Oh Jules,” she said, “Who’s this?”

She was blond and ferrety, but in the man, Lux could see a sour and fleshy shadow of Jules’s own face and bearing. He looked at her with the same stern contemplation Jules had leveled on her in the past, and Jules presently, dead in the eyes, curled in on himself like a shrimp.

She’d inexplicably exited her rancorous ditch and stumbled over Jules in the no-man’s land of Blood Relatives. She wanted to, against all rational thought, shove him behind her back and put her arms out.

Instead, she reached a hand to the man (dad? Oh boy, what fun) and chirped, “Hi, I’m Catherine!”

And to the woman (mother? God in heaven), “don’t we just all love Jules!”

The woman shriveled with feeling that hardly looked like relief. The man gravely shook Lux’s hand, and she was pleased with his grip’s condescending pressure. Her body moved far ahead of her brain. She could see herself at distance, popping one toe behind her planted heel, one hip cocked, tits pushed out, but no further than her glowing smile. “And how do you two know each other,” the man said, said, explicitly did not ask. Neither man nor woman introduced themselves.

Jules, white-lipped, opened his mouth but Lux flowed over him. “2007,” she answered, “Leidermeister Playhouse, down in, uh, are you from around here? No? Well, Tinley-ish. Way down there. Spring musical. I was on playbill. And Jules was doing costumes for Pippin.”

For the first time, Jules treated her to the sweet sight of his smug, sick face struck totally dumb.

“Theater!” The woman bubbled. She put her hand on her companion’s meaty forearm, placating.

But the man was not letting her go without a fight. “Theater,” he said. “And what part did you play.”

She treated him to her glowing smile first (cracking, a little). If Jules had learned his own abysmal manners from these creeps, then he’d somehow made improvements on his own time.

“The Mother,” she improvised. “Of course.”

“Stepmother,” Jules piped up, at last.

It was all yadda-yadda to Lux, but the man finally checked the neon dial of his watch, gripped the woman by the elbow, said they would have to start taking pains for a cab if they wanted to catch the game in time. “Sure,” Jules said, though his permission hadn’t been asked, his advice unsought. “You’re not far away.”

“You call her and say you saw us, sir,” the man said. “She’ll expect it.”

Jules was too busy accepting limp patty-pats from the woman, who shot Lux a tragic grin before she scampered up the sidewalk, followed by the broad back of her presumed husband. No proper hug, no I-Love-You, no masculine head smacks or back whacks or take-care-of-yourself-you-hear pronouncements. They just walked away. Her own parents would be appalled.

The life was coming back to Jules’s face, but he was still doubled over, as if from a cramp. “Jiminy Christmas,” he uttered, and she wanted, in a surge, nothing more than to pinch his cheeks and trap his head in her armpit and noogie him to death and bust his fluff. Instead, she assisted him away from the crowd, and before long they strolled down a quiet residential street, arm in arm. She decided to give him five whole minutes to recover from the encounter, but he did it in two.

“Ledermeister,” he said to her, appalled.

“Leider,” she corrected.

“You nutty bitch,” he dared, but there was no gas behind it.

“It’s like you think I’m some kind of pervert or something,” she said, and before she could help it, she started to nag. “What did you think I was going to say? Jules makes rubber sex suits with built-in condoms? I saw him in street clothes in a high-etiquette dungeon fingering my boss’s twenty-one-year-old latex bottom?” She felt him up a little in her haste, accidentally, and he squeaked. “Who actually has something to lose here?” She asked. “Who’s the fucking dominatrix here?”

“You don’t like me,” Jules said, coolly. “I had no idea what you would say.”

He sounded terribly calm. The sidewalk was dappled in shadows of maple leaves and, boxed in by reasonable townhouses on both sides, she was inclined to stay calm as well, and in her calm, she found a strange truth.

“I like you just fine,” she said.

“Oh.”  

She liked him just fine. She liked him more than she liked Ava.

They walked.

“God, it’s fucking hot,” she said. It would be more comfortable not to have their arms around the other, but she didn’t unlatch.

“I moved to this neighborhood a couple weeks ago,” he said. “We’re not too far. I’ve got a window unit.”

A window unit meant he’d accumulated an actual window; a net gain from what she remembered of the dismal basement unit she’d ducked inside three times over their three year acquaintance, along with a damp cement strip notating the kitchen and two hoary pipes jutting six inches from the ceiling where tawny water dripped into provided buckets and Jules himself, barefoot, crisscross applesauce on a carpet square stringing the hundredth of ten-thousand waiting bugle beads with one or two local drag queens, staring open mouthed at a small, shit television propped up on a pile of clean laundry encased in a garbage bag, and onscreen a shoulder-padded daytime soap actress made lines like “there’s nothing to worry about Blake – do you really think I’d expose the Nazi treasure to outsiders?”

“Yeah, let’s,” she said.

He’d found a squat, orangey building with collapsed flower beds out front and only the faintest smell of weed in the halls. She noted, vain, that he opened the doors for her and motioned her up the stairs first and it wasn’t until she’d reached the top landing of the third floor, and he was sorting out keys that she felt the pluck of that old sexy situation, which was Going Inside a Boy’s Apartment, something she hadn’t done since college, and even at that time, something that usually happened under the close watch of protective friends. She couldn’t eye him either, to see which way his intentions were shifting – he was already eying her – but then he let her inside and the feeling was wiped out by absurd, maternal relief.

“Oh, thank God,” she blurted out. “This is so much better.”

The place still smelled like paint and floor wax, and she walked about at her leisure, touching the walls, and flapping her arms, knowing she wasn’t going to crash into a spiderweb or trod on mummified centipedes. The only furniture yet was a pulled-out futon (he was a bedmaker, who knew) and the walls had been built out to delineate a kitchen. She lifted the back of her shirt to the air conditioner.

“I thought you were an idiot for accepting that place, before,” she told him, regarding the old basement. “Or you’d picked it to antagonize people on purpose.”

“Give me a break! I was broke. I was nineteen.”

He shed one flip-flop on his way to the kitchen. She watched it prone on the floor while she calculated.

“No, no,” she reminded him. “When we first met, Ava said you were twenty. We were in a bar. She made you duck under the table when the bouncer made rounds. You were illegal.”

“Nuh-uh,” he said, unevenly thwap-thwapping back to her. He handed her a beer. “I was here a whole year before you showed up. I came before you.”

He sat on the edge of the futon, and she considered that perspective as he scratched the back of his shin with his bare foot. He had long, narrow feet, and when he was looking at things that weren’t people looking back at him, his eyes tended to glaze over. He was looking at the blank wall.

“Hold up,” she said. “How old are you now?”

“Old enough for you to sit next to me,” he replied.

It didn’t mean anything, coming from him. She left her beer on the windowsill and sat next to him. He’d have to get a nicer bed at some point, she thought, bouncing up and down a little, and wondered if, all along, his manners and his living situation pissed her off so much not because, as she initially believed, they were representations of his obnoxious personality, but because she had been frightened that he was going to get hurt and clearly no one else around was going to warn him otherwise.

“You must have left your parents pretty quick,” she said.

“That was my aunt and uncle, just now.”

“Were they more fun when you were growing up?”

“My grandma raised me,” he said. “For eight years. Then we swapped.”

She unfastened her sandal straps and tried to dream up a guess about him that could possibly be correct, but she had the feeling if she said raised in a house? He’d go no, in Mr. Toad’s canary-colored caravan, and the woodland squirrels taught me how to sew, and I lost my virginity to Morlocks. She wondered if she was the first girl he’d ever brought up here. She wondered if his aunt and uncle already knew he was gay. She wondered if he was gay. And in her wonderings, she missed, at first, his growing impatience beside her. He touched her hand; she accidentally flipped her right sandal underneath the futon.

“Crap,” she said.

He rolled his eyes and slid to the floor, slipped between her legs, and with one cheek pressed to her thigh he rooted one armed underneath the springs and came out with the sandal, which he deliberately tossed several feet away. He came up on his knees, face lifted to hers, and she had to spread her own knees to accommodate him. His stern little expression was very cute, and she was warm with pleasant condescension, something sorely missing from her and Ava’s ropework that afternoon. She was tired of art, she decided, ignoring Jules’ cold hands creeping up the back her shirt, and she was tired of fantasy and she was sick of endurance feats physical and mental, and she was tired of her own cowardly communication, so much so the tiny bubble of unearned pride she felt for Jules’s ability to maneuver himself into the positions he required ballooned, out of control, into an old familiar cocoon where she couldn’t hurt him and he couldn’t hurt her.

“Nobody knows,” he told her, perhaps feeling it too. “But I can be a good boy.”

Jiminy Christmas, indeed. But he couldn’t have her for cheap, and he clawed her spine too confidently. She put her palm to his left cheek, let her thumbnail scrape over a pale divot where it looked like the nap of a paint scraper had teased out a pill of his flesh, years ago.

“Listen,” she asked, and squeezed his ribs with her knees. “If you had met me while I was with relatives, and I looked scared about it, what would you have done?”

His fixed gaze skittered to the side, over the wall, across the floor, and while he didn’t retreat, he only spoke up when his face reached a zenith of clumsy guilt. “I would have fucked around with you first,” he admitted. “Only a little.”

“I thought so,” she said, and smacked him a nasty one across the face.

With no furniture around, the crack resonated. Jules took it open-eyed. He didn’t whine or argue and only clenched his jaw a couple seconds after, when the real pain hit. He faced her again, glowing and pink, his left eye watering. She couldn’t help it. She grabbed his head and squeezed and clawed and palpated, yanked his lamby hair, perfect for yanking, and beat his butt with her heels. His head thrashed and his hands flapped around behind her back. She seized one and forced it down on the blanket and let the other undo her halter knot while she bridled him with her free thumb. His back molars rose on the edges in sharp ridges, and she whirled her wrist under his chin until she could see him swallow from the inside. The whites of his eyes showed.

“Good boy my ass,” she said, to herself, but he heard and appeared wounded. “Okay, okay,” she conceded. She wiped her thumb on his face, forgave him silently, and even her playful meanness disintegrated. He crawled over her lap and rubbed his red-hot face in her shoulder, gnawed painlessly on her clavicle. His shorts stuck out in front.

She knew a hundred ways of positioning and a hundred more roleplay scenarios he’d probably accept without suspecting she used them not to her pleasure, but to protect her modesty. She was sick of it all, hadn’t fucked or been fucked properly since she’d been his age, and was horny enough to maim. She took him again by the shorthairs along the nape of his toasted neck, and when he sighed down her back, she pressed his hand to her groin.

“Feel,” she ordered.

He felt dopily, paused, and resumed. Squeezed. Offered no comment.

“Tell me what that is,” she said.

He had delicate ways when he had enough patience to reveal them. Without asking permission he slipped a hand down her waistband, far between her legs, far too quickly for her to chase him off, and by the time she felt him properly, he held her so the head nestled in the heel of his hand, wedged against the meat of his thumb. He felt her up against the underside vein of his silky wrist.

“That’s the cock that’s gonna fuck me,” he answered, correctly.

 -

She had condoms in her purse. He had Vaseline in a bric-a-brac moving tub besides the futon. He rolled onto his narrow tummy, and she flipped him onto his back again so fast he nearly rolled off the mattress. She wished, as she watched him raise a knee and finger himself, that she’d brought her toolkit with her from the club where she kept her nitrile gloves and her fancy salves and her more mobile toys. Jules laid himself out on the futon like somebody else would on a beach, languid and comfortable and she pressed one of his nipples with impatience. She suspected he’d be chatty, but he didn’t speak at all during the preliminaries. He had more body hair than she would have expected, but not enough to grab, and a severe bathing suit tan line that reminded her of Ava’s jabs about the minor gossip between him and Roscoe. She wondered if some queen paid him to lay out on a patio somewhere, if that kind of arrangement still happened, and she wondered if he could let go of the sniping and the attitude long enough to show that hypothetical crowd what he was showing her now – that he was, actually, a very good boy.

When he was ready for her, the very good boy reached out with his arms (and made gimme-gimme clutches with his hands). She obligingly sank on top of him, then, quicker than she intended, into him, guided by his hooked shin and a decisive hand on her ass. She clawed his scalp and arched, involuntarily driving herself forward. A telltale sensation like he’d dumped a bucket of his own blood over her head soaked her from head to toe, and for a hot second she thought it was too late – then he jerked one her nipples until she shrieked and came back to him, stunned. 

You’ve got more than that in you, she heard him say, through the haze in her brain, and in between two blinks he swapped out the sadist faunlet for, once again, being her very good boy, and he undid her bun with one hand and guided her head so he could kiss her mouth and calm her down. She saw from above his legs lock around the small of her back. She was shocked she could get hard enough to effectively penetrate, a shock that blissfully vaporized as she rocked inside him.

His own cock, which they mutually ignored, was restrained by her soft stomach. Her breasts ached, pressed against his chest, and she had to break free from his clasp to prop herself on her forearms. He followed her, licked her lips until she gave up and sank back down. The tip of his nose was cold against her cheek. She could feel his lashes and the curve of his eyeball roam around in the socket. He was a ferocious and intent kisser, not nearly so languid now, and every goosebump outside his skin and strand of muscle beneath rose to her, encased her in his prickles. His focus made her quite aware of a separation between her hips (melted, as far as she was concerned) and her brain, electric-bright now, entertaining Jules by turns as a barbed, poisonous plant, as a nuzzling, brainless creature, as a mean bottom slut who clawed her bottom and held her hair in a knot in his fist, who maybe needed to be exercised as a handler would a spirited pony, in order to nurture his kindness, improve his manners, and keep his juices fresh – and she giggled involuntarily, a tight muscle in her back relaxed, and she came inside a boy for the first time.

She either made an unacceptable noise, or a had been making noises all along. A downstairs neighbor ratta-tat-tatted their ceiling, Jules’s floor. Practical as a fillet knife, Jules pushed her out of his ass, swung one leg wide, slammed his heel rudely against the floorboards, uttered “fuck off, asshole” then rolled back to her again and rubbed his face between her breasts. She cuddled him a couple tender seconds, which he tolerated, before scuttling backward and regarding her from a lucid distance as she disposed the condom.

“Come back here, she said. He looked like a praying mantis.

First, he stuck his legs off the thin mattress and with one judicious sweep of his torso, seemed to crack every bone in his body. Then he crawled over and allowed himself to be held.

“Oh,” she noticed. “You didn’t come.” His dick was still hard, and when he laid his back flat against her hip, it bobbed due west of his belly button.

“Relax, it doesn’t always happen for me.”

She ignored him and let her ego propel her forward. He reclined on her like she was a chaise and breathed through his nose.

“You know what Ava calls you?” She asked, jerking him onward and upward, hopefully.

“I’m a community opportunist,” he answered smugly. “Plus, Roscoe’s houseboy.”

Two out of two, verbatim. She drew her nails up and down his stomach and he twitched, fought against curling up. “Houseboy,” he repeated, hissed. “The last houseboy passed away in the fucking nineties. They peeled him down with the wallpaper.” She felt, through his spine, how he tried and failed to work up a temper. “Then they tatted his chalk outline above some burlesque artist’s John Willie tramp stamp. Mistress Avalon sure is concerned with faggot business.”

“Your boys don’t make you come?” She asked, a hill over him now, and above arguing. He sparred solely with himself.

“What boys? These guys – big guys –”

She went back for more Vaseline, not great for this kind of thing, but she was getting the idea Jules had a sensible nursery spirit and rarely abused himself. He didn’t appear to know much about his body and froze like a striker frame when she rolled the tip of him in her palm for more than fifteen seconds.

“– They think your asshole is your only sex organ,” he continued. “They hate themselves for loving twinks. And then they give you the reach around and if you aren’t wet like pussy then oh-h-h-h my god, it’s like the fucking sky is falling –”

She sat up, and his feet paddled the blanket to stay in contact. He reached behind her and grabbed her hair again but didn’t pull. He turned his face into her neck, and he shook all over.

“Being a slut is really hard,” he said, woefully, failing to hide, for a millisecond, the ghost of what might have been a sweet kid. Or it was her imagination. Either way, she made him come all over himself. It didn’t seem to register to him until the drops hit his chest. He looked down at his sad, wet dick and then back up at her, so testily she laughed in his face. He was smudged pink all over from her lipstick, and she pinched his springy cheeks.

“I’m a cradle-robber,” she declared.

“Okay, Methuselah,” he said, unimpressed, and darted away into the dirty ivory bathroom before she could slap his ass.

He recovered rapidly. In the sunny room things took a slumber party turn. He fetched her abandoned beer, dug out makeup wipes he inexplicably possessed, and repaired the damage to her makeup. He berated her when she couldn’t stop giggling.

“I was kind of wondering…” he began.

He paused. Sex had made him tactful.

“Go on,” she allowed.

“I was wondering if I’d ever figure out why you bothered being a dominatrix.” He used the point of his little finger to clear wet black scuzz from the corner of her eye. She hardly felt it. “Ava’s got her thing about being top dog. Claire’s a sadist. And somebody needs to get around to neutering Archie before he starts spraying the furniture. You, a mystery.”

“You think about me!” She preened and wiggled.

“You go on.”

“I like,” she confided, “to strap muscle hunks to the pommel horse and tickle them until they scream.”

“Gee whiz.”

“I like straitjackets, but I don’t like rope,” she continued. “And I like floggers, but not single-tail whips. And I like human furniture, but not human ashtrays.”

“The Marquis de Lux over here.”

He’d reached around and started French-braiding her hair. She put her ear to his chest and found his mousey heart.

“My mom and dad were angels,” she continued. “And my sisters were angels and my aunts and uncles and my grandparents. They were angels from the start. So was I. I liked it. Doctors like it too. When a kid is angelic, and very, very, very, very good, and says the right things, and rolls over. They give you what you need.” She thought that over. “They decide to give you what you need,” she clarified. “I was rolling over constantly. I didn’t know how to stop. It freaked me out.”

Jules’s heart answered wug-wug-wug. He sat in her lap and tried to get her braid to stay fixed in a twist. “See, I’m the opposite,” he said. “I’m a huge cunt, but I’m always looking for an excuse to be nice.”

Her hair unwound down her back. He clamped her bobby pins between his teeth, to deliberately make the job harder, then, looking down in their laps, spit them on the floor. And as quickly as she decided she needed to find her clothes and depart, having revealed too much, she stayed the entire night.

 -

On the lifeguard pavilions, the green flags were lowered, and yellow flags were handed up.

“Archie,” said Jules, from the safety of the canoe, “Head on back to dry land. No! no,” he called when Archie took Lux’s elbow. “Cathy and I need to talk really quick.”

“It’s not safe,” Archie said.

“I’m Red Cross certified,” Jules said, arms outspread up the oars as far as they could go. “I’m a beautiful heroine, waiting to happen. Also, I’m in fucking charge.”

“Go away, Archie,” Lux agreed, and Archie slopped to the shore, his broad back damp red in the sun’s undergrowth. Dark clouds approached from the west.

“Actually, that’s my boss.” Jules pointed to the sand straight ahead, where a bronzed ingenue, her thigh muscles sticking out like bread loaves, appeared to be watching the duo intently.

“You’ll get in trouble,” Lux cautioned.

“She wants to ride me hard and put me away wet, I think I can get away with it. I feel like you must have,” he added, pointedly. “She’s nineteen.”

It was hard to glare when wet, and it was hard to talk with Jules high and dry. Lux was clammy and clingy, and she couldn’t understand why he sniped at her. Then he crouched down, chest to knees, under pretext of scraping the oars straight down his gunwales and snapped, with pure, guileless annoyance: “Why are you pissed off? I’m the one who should be mad.”

That was too much to bear. “Jules –”

“I showed you my hole and said call me.” He straightened, the little snot, sincerity evaporated. “And you didn’t call me. Now I feel cheap.”

“Jules,” she said, sticking to her own path. “They don’t know.”

“Of course, they don’t know!” He said, clueless, if technically correct. “I didn’t think you’d spread it around to that crowd.”

“Shut up, Jules,” she tried again, and when his mouth opened automatically, she really blew. “Shut the fuck up!”

He shut the fuck up.

“They don’t know. They don’t know.”

She refused to say anymore. She wasn’t in the mood to roll over. Funny, how fucking a guy in the ass could spackle over a few of the gaping holes in her dignity. Patiently, she watched Jules rock to-and-fro, his face oscillating between his premature certainty and the vanishing tail of what she was trying to explain. Then he exclaimed, “huh!” and raised his face to the heavens.

Whistles sounded north and south, and one of his canoe companions raced twenty yards past, churning the creaming waves to reach the point to disembark. Jules ignored it all.

“Oh.” He started, blank-faced. “There’s bossola.”

He waved to the girl on the beach, who was really putting her back into her whistle. “Jesus, baby,” he said just as abruptly to Lux, who had been forced to retreat a few feet to find higher ground. “Now I’m really starting to worry.”

It was either of their guesses, as to what situation he was talking about. Lux wasn’t sure herself, and doubted he knew. His confusion reminded her less of him now, more of him the morning after, when she’d woken up, found him sitting bolt upright, staring at the walls of his clean, sunny studio. He’d turned to her bleary face, and with no confidence whatsoever, asked, Is it really so much better? 

“You want to climb up?” He asked now. “I’ll tell boss you have a cramp.”

“No, I can make it by myself.” She strolled backwards, ass out of the water, and twisted the sarong in front.

“I told Roscoe I fucked a girl for the first time,” he called to her, his eyes cast demurely downward. “You should have seen the sweat roll down his back.”

“I’ll call you,” she promised.

“Yeah, you better,” he advised, and shielded his face against the bursting spray. “Before someone else does. Ladies love the canoe.”

One perky heave-ho, and he displaced bow and stern, fixed his little craft perpendicular to the beach, and cast off toward the pier.

On the beach, Archie and Claire scuttled in the sand, packing their bags, and shaking out their towels. Claire held Jules’s rogue, soaked hat. “I was going to swim back over, but she yanked me out,” she explained, and pointed out Jules’s bossola, who had, watching Lux emerge from the dirty waters, eyed her face, eyed her cleavage, and continued stalking down the shore. She had an ass that needed to be seen to be believed. Lux hoped Jules wouldn’t tease her too much. She might call him sooner, to demand that exclusively. Possibilities, vistas, scenarios, she thought of all these and wrapped her towel around her waist, and she faced the dreary city skyline and she dreamed, and the full force of her imagination asserted itself.

“I’ll give it to him when I see him next.” 

Domme Lux took property of the hat.

Ava, ever watchful, caressed their folded umbrella. “I thought you and Jules didn’t get along,” she said. Deliberately did not ask. Lux, in that moment, didn’t care. It wasn’t her job to teach Ava manners.

“I like him just fine,” she said.

[lgbtyrus]

TJ’s Playlist (Final Ep Anniversary Bonus)

So it's been a year since I cried to the finale because tyrus was canon, and I wanted to travel back in time to some of the happiest memories I had because of this show. I had a thing in Macaroni's POV, but it was a little lame and didn't want to finish it so I went this route instead. It's also always bothered me that this story ended on 19 chapters, and I thought this was the perfect chance to even it out with a perfect 20. If you're reading this, I love you very much and thank you for coming back (or getting here for the first time). Goodbye to TJ's Playlist for real now <3 

Ao3 Link | Wattpad Link

-

TJ ran down the hall, pushing by students who couldn’t get out of his way fast enough. It was the last day of middle school, and everyone was lingering behind to say goodbye to their friends who might go to a different high school. TJ had been doing the same before remembering he had promised Cyrus he would meet him up front.

Cyrus was standing with Buffy and Marty, laughing at something one of them said when TJ caught up. “Hi,” TJ told him, bending over to catch his breath. “Sorry I’m late. I forgot how fast time can go.”

“It’s fine.” Cyrus smiled. “I wasn’t going to leave without you.” Cyrus reached over to hold TJ’s hand, making him smile.

Buffy said to Cyrus with a grin, “So yard sale?” Cyrus’s neighborhood had a large yard sale once a year, and they chose the last day of school to do it. Cyrus’ parents invited all of them to take their things to sell.

“Yes! Come by with anything you want to get rid of,” Cyrus replied. “I’m so excited. It feels like a cleanse and the first step into high school.”

“Can’t wait,” Buffy said. “I’m going to stop by home first for my stuff, pick up Andi, and meet you guys there.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cyrus said and gave her a thumbs up. They said bye to Marty and Buffy who walked off holding hands, leaving TJ with his boyfriend. Cyrus turned to look at him and asked, “So. Did you think about it?”

TJ bit at the inside of his cheek for a moment. “I did.”

“And?”

“I think I’m going to sell them.”

Cyrus jumped up. “Yes? Really?”

“Just the repeats!” TJ smiled, taking a step back to avoid getting stepped on.

“Yes, that’s amazing. That’s perfect. The people in the neighborhood are going to love you,” Cyrus said. “We’ll look up the value of every single one before we set them out.”

“Already did that. That’s actually the reason why I decided to sell them.”

“Are they worth a lot?”

“Not as much as the cameras would be, but it’s a decent amount of money to pay for basketball camp.” TJ and Cyrus started walking away from their now former middle school, not looking back.

“How long would you be gone for?” Cyrus asked him.

“Three weeks. We can handle that, right?” TJ asked him, squeezing his hand. The coach at Grant High School recommended he go to basketball camp to secure a spot on the varsity team the next year, but it was a little pricey even with both of his parents working at the time.

“Of course.” Cyrus squeezed his hands back, smiling at him. “Let’s go get your things.” After going through his GG’s stuff for the first time, TJ realized there was a lot of valuable items that included comic books and vinyls. He was letting go of all the comic books because he wasn’t interested in that, but he didn’t have the desire to let go of any music. There was more vinyl’s in the attic than he realized and even though he didn’t have a player, he wanted them for the day he did have one.

Cyrus was talking to TJ about his last day of dance and how he wasn’t looking forward to regular PE at all as they headed to the Kippen’s house. “I need to have PE with Buffy at all costs next year. If not, I’ll definitely get picked last for every team.”

“You’re already stressed out for PE next year?” TJ snickered. He knew Cyrus well enough at this point to know his fear of public humiliation in PE was insurmountable “You need to relax a little. It’s summer break.”

“I know, but I tend to plan every minute of my future and PE is an inevitable part of it.”

“Let’s make a deal. You put off thinking about PE until a month before school, and I’ll let you be there when I get my report card in the mail.” TJ liked to open his report card alone considering he has done really bad in math in the past, but Cyrus really wanted to see how much TJ had improved now that he had a proper tutor.

Cyrus hummed to himself before saying, “Deal. But only because I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you see how well you did.”

“My C average does bring out my best smile.”

“All of your smiles are your best smiles.”

“You literally told me my dancing to old music is my best smile.”

“It’s a little biased because you dance with me.”

“It does make me smile when you slow dance with me,” TJ admitted to him. Cyrus smiled, blushing at the comment and making TJ’s heart skip a beat. There hadn’t been a single day where TJ doubted his feelings for him.

-

They got to the Kippen’s empty house, Macaroni the cat waiting in the yard. He was jumping after a grasshopper before he saw Cyrus and TJ come up. He ran to Cyrus and meowed, making him grin. “Hello, friend,” Cyrus said as he bent over to pick him up.

“Needy,” TJ muttered to Macaroni as he roughly petted his ears. Macaroni swatted at TJ who pulled his hand away on time.

Cyrus held Macaroni closer and said, “You have to be gentle with him. He’s old.”

“He’s okay,” TJ said, sticking his tongue out at the cat. He went to go unlock the door while Cyrus asked Macaroni about his day. The cat simply purred in his arms.

Inside, Cyrus put him down and followed TJ without asking upstairs to his room, little footprints tapping against the wood floors. Cyrus felt like the Kippen’s gothic house was his second home. It was Halloween themed according to his parents, but he liked the charm it gave off. TJ’s parents were younger than his after all and when the air was clear, it was fun to be there.

TJ had two boxes on the floor ready to go. “Can you take the vinyl one? It’s lighter,” TJ asked Cyrus as he picked up a box.

“For sure,” Cyrus said. He got the box and looked around the room that seemed to be more crowded as TJ dug out things from the attic. It made Cyrus smile every time TJ called him with a new discovery. A new photo album from the 70s. More polaroid photos he took of TJ and Amber when they were little. A random trinket TJ thought was cool. One time he didn’t find anything of his GG’s. He found a bunch of new t-shirts from his dad’s old band and a few CD’s TJ couldn’t stop laughing at for an hour. His dad was in makeup that really did make him look like a vampire.

Cyrus said goodbye to Macaroni who rubbed against his leg before walking out with TJ and walking down to his house. Around the block, people already had their yard sales open and people from all over Shadyside were visiting there. Even though TJ lived so close to him, his neighborhood seemed to be a completely different world from his. TJ didn’t know his next door neighbors, and he had just found out a month ago that Marty had lived across the street from him practically his entire life.

They got to Cyrus’ house where his parents had set out tables. Cyrus’ old toys and clothes were out and ready to go to new homes. He gave up most of his children’s books, but he kept a few favorites just in case he ever had kids to read them to one day. “You’re selling all your Pokemon cards?” TJ asked him as he set his box on an empty table.

“There will be someone who appreciates them more.” Cyrus then added, “They’re also fake.”

“Dollar store packets?” TJ smiled knowingly.

“Yes!” Cyrus laughed. “I always wondered why the ones at Kmart were more expensive and now I know why.”

“They were still fun to play with, though.”

“I honestly never learned how to play with them,” Cyrus admitted. “I just liked looking at them.”

“That’s me with my vinyl records right now,” TJ said. “I opened every single one of them because some had notes and receipts from GG. Some silly stuff like saying to pick up my grandma from school or just lists of other singers.” Cyrus stared at TJ as he set out the records, wondering if now was the time to give him what he just bought him. He wanted to hold out for his birthday but watching TJ talk about the vinyl’s made him realize how much listening to that music meant to him.

“There’s actually something I want to give you,” Cyrus said.

“Now?” TJ raised an eyebrow.

“Think of it as the first part of your birthday present.”

“First part? Of my birthday present? My birthday that’s in July?”

“Yes. Yes. Yes,” Cyrus nodded. “So, do you want it or not?”

“Can it be the only gift you give me?” TJ asked him.

“Of course not. The other thing is on its way already.”

“Oh god, Cyrus. You really didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Says the guy that gave me a present everyday of the week leading up to my birthday.” TJ smiled, Cyrus knowing that he finally got him to give in.

“Fine. Surprise me.”

Cyrus took TJ’s hand. “Come on! I can’t wait for you to see it.” Cyrus led TJ inside his house where they walked past his parents, TJ barely able to say a full hello to them. They went into his room where Cyrus let go of his hand and dug through his t-shirt drawer where he pulled out a wrapped present.

“You already wrapped it?” TJ asked, smiling as Cyrus handed him the box.

“Had to be ready just in case you ever found it.”

“You’re the one that snoops through my things, not me,” TJ reminded him.

“Just open in,” Cyrus said impatiently. TJ put the present on the bed and started ripping the wrapper. With a single tear down the middle, TJ knew what it was and gasped.

“Cyrus,” he whispered. “You really shouldn’t have.”

“I wanted to. Really badly.” TJ finished unwrapping the green record player and held out the box in his hands, staring at it in awe. “Now you can listen to everything your GG left you.”

“Yeah,” TJ said with a smile. “I really can.” He put the box down and went over to face Cyrus. “Thank you so much.” TJ bent down and kissed him, both smiling into the kiss.

“You are very welcome.”

TJ held onto Cyrus’ hand and told him, “Let’s go play some music.”

[babe-of-swoles]

This post is a dream I had (last night) that I've organized into making sense. So here is the dream as a short story.

The Dream:

There's a hole in my yard. It's not big, maybe the size of a largish pumpkin, or a very ambitious watermelon. But, it's deep.

How deep does it go?

Most of the time, I hardly notice it there. I've planted some trees around it, alder, and birch. Aspen too. I don't want anyone wandering into it.

But I always know it's there. Like a whisper.

Like a game of hide and seek, when you're hidden, and your friend is searching nearby. They walk out of sight, but you feel them.

It's so hot today. It's cooler near the hole...

There's a mist around it. Sometimes. Sometimes not, just dappled.sunshine. so inviting. So benign.

How deep is it?

I piled up the compost around the hole, like an anthill. The shit gets scattered again each night, so it's clear. The grass grows a little taller, a little greener, so you think maybe there's a spring.

Can you hear the water?

It's been years since I found it. I hardly remember how I got the house, not from someone, an auction maybe, or an easement.

But I found the hole on a summer day when the grass was dry and yellow like hay, with a sweet smell in the air of all the nectar the bees were too full to drink, with the saltiness of grasshopper tobacco overlaid.

The first time I looked in,

Look at it

it was cool inside, no mist, lined with dark rocks like the basalt that formed the cliffs against the sea near home. There were spiderwebs in the corner, and lush moss, and something dawn where the sun hardly reached that might have been a key.

I've always loved keys.

I almost climbed down. I thought about it, scurrying down the rocks like I'd done as a kid back home, but I was a hey from gardening, and wearing the wrong shoes, and it probably wasn't a key always, and what would it even unlock.

And when I looked again, it wasn't at all like that. It was dark, and swirling, and sod-sided.

You should have climbed in.

I tried covering it over, like you do with an old well. The corrugated tin must have blown away in a storm. I piled stones like a cairn, and they scattered by night.

So the trees, and the compost.

I began planting flowers around it. Not pretty enough to be plucked, just, enough so people would feel guilty trampling them. Pansies. Low growing phlox and clover. Roses.

They grew so well near the hole.

Imagine how well they would grow inside.

I was afraid to eat the strawberries I'd planted. Afraid to taste the honey from the bees that nested in a tree I couldn't remember planting, too old to be mine, but it was there, old like the house, though there was a time it hadn't been.

I used to have neighbors. Not close, but sometimes I'd see them, walking the dogs, or the children riding bikes down the old road. The pavement was pale gray, and cracked all over.

I used to warn them. "Watch out for the hole" I'd say, "it's real deep you could break something."

But the kids would come at night and dare each other to throw rocks in, or bottles, and then they'd kneel around the edges, listening for the sound of it hitting the bottom.

Can you see the bottom?

And then they'd shine a light down, and lean in and in and in and in, until up became down.

Sometimes no one came out. Sometimes, what came out looked like them, but wasn't. They moved wrong. Their skin wasn't quite the same color. Their hair was longer, much longer, and their teeth were sharp and spaced apart, like a shark, or a mole.

When things came out, they hungered for blood. They rooted through the compost for bugs and worms and shoved them by the fistful into their mouths, or climbed the stone face of the house to eat the eggs and baby pigeons from their nests.

They called to the neighborhood dogs, with voices like frightened rabbits, and bit through their ribs while they howled in silence.

I used to warn people. But that made them curious.

I built hives for the bees, and planted more flowers. Their hum kept people away, mostly.

One day, I dropped a plank across the hole. It unbalanced, tipped in, and when I pulled it out, the end has grown roots, pale, shining white.

I planted it, and it grew, so quickly.

There are other miracles here.

I began bringing things, dead branches, plants and leaves, and settling them around the edges, so they'd have roots in the mornings. Turning my garden into a grove, into a forest.

They couldn't wander in if they couldn't walk.

But sometimes the trees moved. Some days they were thinner, sparser. A stand of saplings spaced wide apart. Others they were old and gnarled, with brush grown high between them, vines snaking up their trunks, and deer tracks, narrow and winding, paths so thin you could only walk them placing one foot directly in front of the other, arms up and bracing you against the trees so you wouldn't lose your balance and fall into the brambles, the blackberries, the roses so old their vines were like wood.

But you could walk them.

One year there were so many butterflies. Not monarchs, but orange. Smaller ones, I've forgotten their name. They flew like a flock, like a swarm, landed along the branches of the maples, and weighed so heavy on the flowers that the stems broke.

I think it moved sometimes, the hole. It was always in my garden, always where you could see the stone face of the house, always just past where the shadow of the peak of the roof could reach at it's longest, but... Not always in the same place.

I'd forget where it was, exactly, but just know the feeling of being close, and then suddenly it was there but a little to the side of where I expected.

"Your garden is really pretty." The girl was young, a teen. Or maybe twenty? Not more than thirty. "I'm sorry it's so overgrown. Do you need help with it?"

My voice sounded so much older when I said hello, as if I'd lived here years and years, but it couldn't have been more than a few days.

She started by pulling weeds. The dandelions. The Goatheads. The vines that choked out my old trees so long ago. Or was it yesterday?

She brought lemonade some days, or watermelon slices. Sometimes we didn't even work in the garden, just sat on the largest of the old cairnstones, and talked about the birds that flitted through, her classes at the community college, the shapes of the clouds, and the men she could almost fall for, but not quite.

But all good things come to an end. And one day she found the hole.

"please," I whispered.

Her green eyes stared into the depths, and light flickered and rippled over her face, as if reflected on waves. "It's beautiful." She breathed.

"I know it is." My bones ached, "but you can't go in."

"only for a moment," she stepped down, and her foot stopped as if on a stair. Down again, and again.

You could come too.

I went into the house, where all my things were dusty and faded. I hadn't opened that closet in years, where I kept it, but the axe inside was sharp, and shining.

My trees looked so young through the windows, and I felt young and strong. I waited through the witching hours, and just before dawn she came, crawling in all fours like a wild thing, scurrying sideways and catching squirrels in her teeth to eat.

I sighed with a heaviness in my heart beyond measure. It was time.

[fleckcmscott]

Bittersweet

Summary: After a little prompting, Arthur tells Y/N about his first kiss.

Warnings: Angst, Past self-harm (Don’t worry - there’s love, too!)

Words: 2,652

A/N: This was an anonymous request! Whoever you are, thank you for sending it to me. Writing this was a joy. A hearty thanks to Karen for beta-ing!

If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask. Requests for Arthur and WWH are open!

If you’ve sent me a request and I haven’t responded, it’s because I am working on it and will answer once it’s posted!

Edit: I apologize for forgetting to thank @sweet-nothings04​ for the title! Love you, girl!

As Arthur felt the first periods of genuine satisfaction within his own skin, he discovered which activities he enjoyed the most. Performing for children, seeing their small faces beam in reaction to his magic tricks. When he was doing a comedy set somewhere and his laughter didn't occur. Working on material or listening to music. And every second with Y/N at his side.

Weaving himself completely with another person hadn't been something he'd believed possible. But during the past eleven months, his assumptions had changed. Y/N knew about the difficulty he often had interpreting people, about his illnesses, about each time he'd been remanded to Arkham. Instead of recoiling as he'd feared, she reminded him to take his medication on the rare occasion he would forget. The calendar that hung by the kitchen entrance had both his appointments or gigs and her court dates written in his scrawl. She delved into his interests by watching old comedies he rented or shows he picked out. He'd explored hers by paying extra attention to Action News and asking about the cases she was working on. And they'd gotten in the habit of watching Gotham Tonight before heading to bed. It was the repetitive mundanities of normal life, the routines and rhythms they'd fallen into, that he found most intimate.

Yet, she still had the ability to flummox him.

They were walking in Sheldon Park after dropping off their groceries and his three prescription refills at the apartment. It was a lovely evening, the temperatures balmy even though dusk was approaching. The place was more crowded than expected for a Tuesday. A group of kids were riding their bikes through the winding paths. On a nearby bench, an older man smoked a cigar while the woman he was with chattered about the day. And there were quite a few teenage couples, strolling with arms entwined or their lips locked.

Y/N must have noticed them, too, because she nudged him when they passed a pair making out on a knoll near the duck pond. "If we'd met back then, would we have been doing the same thing? All over each other without caring who saw?"

A light laugh caught in his throat. He gave her side-eye, taking a drag off his cigarette. "You already don't care who hears."

She was chuckling when she asked her follow-up, like it was the most normal question in the world. "When was your first kiss?" He halted, mouth agape as she continued on. The answer made him feel self-conscious before even giving it. It had been embarrassingly late, considering what he remembered hearing around school as a teenager.

Y/N put a quarter in the duck pellet machine and turned the crank. "I was fifteen. My ex-husband. We were at a drive-in, watching some terrible movie - Attack of the Grasshoppers or Ants or whatever." Arthur stepped towards her and put out his smoke in the nearby ashtray as she held out her hand. "I knew he liked me, but I was surprised." After splitting the feed with him, carefully pouring it into his upturned palm, she sat on the grass, legs crossed in front of her at the ankles, and tossed some in the water. "He leaned over and kissed me as hard as he could. I pushed him away, then pulled him back again."

The birds swam hurriedly in their direction, a couple of the braver ones daring to come ashore. Arthur crouched down next to her and threw some of the pellets himself. But he stayed quiet. A few minutes later, she leaned towards him. "You don't have to tell me. I know I'm your first serious relationship." Shrugging, she continued. "I just thought there might have been a high school sweetheart. Then we could share embarrassing tales."

He shook his head, throwing the rest of the food and sitting next to her, one knee up with his arm rested on it. "No," he said. "You're my only sweetheart." Normally she wasn't fond of pet names, but she let out a soft sound and scooted closer. Her arm looped through his, a kiss planted on his temple. As his lips pressed together, he wondered what she expected. She'd been surprised by his inexperience when they'd started sleeping together, seemingly unable to comprehend how he'd been single. If she'd been anyone else, he would have assumed she just wanted to make fun of him. But she'd been open about her history, and hadn't laughed at him once so far. "I was twenty-two."

"What were you like back then? Just as beautiful, I'm sure."

A short giggle escaped him, his forehead rested on the heel of his hand. While he'd never been outgoing, never been half as bold as Y/N, he hadn't yet shrunken in on himself. Though he'd had his condition, his mental illnesses had only partially presented themselves. He hadn't already been committed. Life had had its challenges, having taken care of his mother seven years by then. But he'd still been naive enough to hope it could be different. That Penny might get better. That he could meet his special person.

That was too much for this conversation. She'd asked a lighthearted question and deserved a lighthearted answer. So he gave one that encompassed it all. "Younger." It had been awhile since he'd reflected on the circumstances surrounding his first kiss. His brows drew together as he tried to remember all the details. "Her name was Helen. We were coworkers in Gotham Park. At a summer carnival."

The bit of exaggeration was unintentional. He'd been hired to work as a clown. It had been new for him, but given his natural aptitude for dancing and interacting with kids, it'd come easier than expected. The boss had told him to roam the entire grounds. And he'd tried to. But it had become impossible after seeing her.

Arthur's eyelids fluttered at Y/N tracing the veins on the back of his hand. "What did she do to win your heart?"

Not a lot. They hadn't exchanged more than a couple of words, mostly pleasantries and the odd complaint about the weather. But she could have done anything, frankly. He'd been fantasizing about dating for years. What had originally been an innocent desire for attention and friendship had, as he'd grown-up, become a near constant craving for love and connection.

Helen had worked at one of the games, though he couldn't recall exactly which one. The radiance of her skin was nearly as bright as the smile she met customers with. She always wore cute, short sleeved sweater sets, ones that revealed a sliver of her mid-riff. She was kind. Whenever she talked with anyone, she'd laugh easily and be attentive. She seemed smart, too; he'd noticed the textbooks she took notes in. The moment he'd passed by her and she'd glanced up at him with her deep, brown eyes, he'd thought he'd sensed an affinity between them. It had sparked his imagination. "She was nice. And pretty. We didn't get to talk much."

"How was it?" Y/N asked playfully, her caresses flirty as they traveled to the inside of his wrist, a spot they'd learned made his breath catch.

The carnival had normally stayed open until nine. But high winds and heavy rain had forced it to close early. He'd been sprinting by Helen's booth, when she called out to him. The front closure was stuck, she'd explained. Could he help her with it? After a minute or two of trying to fix it, she'd invited him into the back. It had taken a couple seconds to decide to go for it - he'd hoped his hesitancy hadn't been too weird. Once the rope was untangled from the hook it'd been stuck on, he'd rolled down the tarp and secured it shut. Then he'd turned to her.

They'd been drenched. Probably half his clown-makeup had been washed off, leaving his pale skin exposed. Her sweater had clung to her, the silhouette of her hardened nipples visible through the cream fabric. He'd fought to keep his eyes averted. The pitter-patter of the pelting rain had surrounded them, slightly muffled by the tall trees above and the orange canvas of the tent. It had felt pleasantly hazy. She'd looked up at him and said, in the sweetest voice, "Thank you. I owe you one."

"Yeah," he'd replied lamely, when what he'd meant to say was, "I think I love you. You're beautiful. Let's go on a date." His heart had been pounding, open, plain to see, and he'd thought he'd understood her smile correctly. It was rare they were directed his way - surely it must have meant something. When she'd offered her hand for a shake, adrenaline had driven him to take it, step forward, and press his mouth to hers.

After all this time, only vague impressions remained. Her lips had been pliant, warm, and wet. How he'd imagined a ripe plum would feel if he could ever afford one. There'd been enthusiasm on his part. And he was sure he'd been trembling. He hadn't paid attention to her reactions, having been too caught up in his own nervousness and excitement. Finally, he'd been brave enough to kiss a girl. He'd been proud of himself for not laughing.

He'd attempted to snake an arm around her waist, pull her flush against his skinny frame to feel the realness of her, the softness of her breasts, the dip of her waist. But she'd backed off, pushing against his chest as their lips parted. He'd released her instantly but kept her hand. He'd tried to hold it loosely enough to hide his desperation as he felt his heart break.

She'd cleared her throat before starting in. "You're sweet, Arthur. But... This is going to be my senior year. I have to concentrate on school." White noise had filled his ears. "I think you're a little old for me. And I'm seeing someone. And..."

Halfway through her litany of explanations, he'd tuned out and slowly dropped her fingers. His palm automatically went to his abdomen, willing his diaphragm to not betray him. "I'm- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" He'd squeezed his eyes shut as he broke off, self-disgust filling him. "Why would you like me? I-"

The reassurances she'd given him hadn't mattered much back then. They'd actually made it worse. They'd meant that in lieu of hating him, she simply didn't want him. "I'm not mad." There'd been pity in her half-smile. "It was a nice kiss."

His anguish as he'd gotten ready for work the next morning was overwhelming and unwanted. But his brain wouldn't stop going to Helen. Seeing her again would crush him. The tightness in his chest, the tension in his arms were acute - he didn't know what to do. And anger was welling in him, at himself and what he'd never have. He'd attempted to find distraction in the radio, tobacco, the nearly scalding hot water during his shower. None of it worked. Instead, as he stood in the corner of the living room by his clothes, he banged his head, smashing it into the mirror hanging on the wall.

It was the cracking of the glass that got him to stop, got him to notice what he was doing. The compulsion he'd felt and given into to hurt himself was new. Frightening. And cemented his abnormality. He'd lifted his fingers to his forehead - there'd been no blood, at least. Then he'd squinted at the mirror and groaned, annoyed he'd have to replace it. Quickly, he took it down and threw it in the trash can, not wanting his mother to see what he'd done.

He didn't return to work that day. Or the day after that. He'd stayed at home, calling out sick and missing a week's pay.

Penny had noticed his lack of absence first. Then his failure to do anything besides smoke and get off the couch to use the bathroom. She'd asked if he was okay for the first time in months. And he'd confessed, rasping softly, "No, mom. I need someone." The humiliation he felt at yearning for such simplicities grew as he went through his list. "I want to take her to the movies. To light her cigarette. To hold her." He'd exhaled sharply and flinched. "I want her to laugh at my jokes."

"Oh, Happy," she'd said, patting his arm. In his fragile state, the nickname's familiarity had both calmed and hurt. "Just smile and put on a happy face. You can't feel bad, then." She'd turned back to the television, maternal instincts quickly forgotten. At least around her, he listened and tried to paste a grin on.

Eventually, he had dragged himself back to the carnival - the bills had to be paid somehow. He'd done his best to avoid Helen. She had spotted him once, though, and given a small, friendly wave from across the way. After briefly freezing, he'd chosen to nod back at her, giving her the acknowledgment he would have wanted had their positions been reversed.

He hadn't seen her again. But he'd clung to the memory of that kiss for ages. Reminisced when he'd ached for another life and wanted to believe it might be possible. And for less chaste longings. It had stopped being a placeholder years ago, when he'd realized he'd always live with Penny. Not alone, but lonely, until he was lucky enough to check out forever.

Until he and Y/N had stumbled into each other. Repeatedly. In this harsh city.

"Kissing you is nicer," Arthur said, slinging an arm around Y/N, meeting her gaze.

She giggled. "Oh?" Her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip, only inches from his own. "And why's that?"

"You love me. And you want me." The touch of his fingertips went to her upper arm, guiding her to recline on the grass. "All the time," he scolded mockingly, rasp barely above a whisper. His lips tickled her, just under her ear, and he delighted in the way she squirmed and batted at his shoulder.

She locked her hands at the nape of his neck and smiled up at him, like he was the only man in the world. Eagerness sparked as her fingers slid under his sweater. "I do," she replied, low and throaty. "I won't pretend I don't." Cradling the back of her head, he bent and sealed their mouths together. She was demanding, as though she sought to capture a piece of him and hold it deep within her. He sighed as he brought his hand to the hem of her blouse, not hesitating before going in for another kiss.

Neither of them heard the hooves of the approaching horse. "Sir? Ma'am?" Arthur turned up towards the mounted police officer shining her flashlight in their faces. "Aren't you two a little old for this?"

Wide-eyed, Arthur's head snapped back to look at Y/N, nearly colliding with her as she held her hand in front of her eyes. Thank god she answered straightaway. "Sorry, officer." She sat up, pushing Arthur off her. The blush currently spreading across her cheeks made him snort. "It's such a beautiful night and, well..." she gestured in his direction. Christ, would she never find it inappropriate to brag about him? He turned away and hid behind his palm.

Y/N stood and brushed off her clothing. "We'll behave, madam. I promise." The cop shook her head and rode off. Y/N covered her mouth as she burst into laughter. "I guess this means we wouldn't have cared who saw." Arthur stood up beside her, pulling up his pants and fixing his hair. "Thanks for sharing that with me," she said.

As she reached to remove a leaf from his jacket, he stepped to her and cupped her face, melding their lips once more. "I'll share anything with you."

~~~~~

Tag list (Let me know if you want to be added!): @harmonioussolve​ @howdylilflower​ @sweet-nothings04​ @stephieraptorr​ @rommies​ @fallenstarsabyss​ @gruffle1​ @octopus-plasma​ @tsukiakarinobara​ @arthur-flecks-lovely-smile​ @another-day-in-chuckletown​

[alloftheimagines]

billy hargrove | heaven-sent | part three

masterlist | series masterlist | part two

words: 2.6k+

warnings: drinking, Jonathan being kind of an asshole, hints towards death, swearing and spoilers

disclaimer: i in no way support the actions of billy. i just find his character interesting and want to explore it more with my oc. takes place from season 2. OC is hopper’s daughter. this chapter takes place at the halloween party from st2 but some stuff probably isn’t accurate because i haven’t watched it in a few months.

summary:  she’s an angel. he may as well be the devil. one would not exist without the other.

The cul-de-sacs are bustling with groups of trick-or-treaters as Jonathan parks outside the house. Frances sits beside him, touching up her makeup simply to busy her hands so that she wouldn't have to acknowledge the awkwardness between the two of them. Her father had decided to lift her grounding on account of it being Halloween, though he thought that she and Jonathan were taking Will trick or treating, not rocking up at a house party full of drunken teens.

Even from the car she can see the party already in full swing, with familiar faces loitering in the front yard, drinking from kegs upside down and vomiting in the bushes. Reluctantly, she pulls her camera from her neck, knowing it would only get damaged otherwise. "You mind if I leave this in here?"

"No, of course not," Jonathan says, hands still gripping the steering wheel despite the fact they were no longer moving.

"You sure you don't wanna stay with Will?" she asks, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "I don't mind, honestly. I know this stuff isn't usually your thing."

"Didn't used to be yours, either." There is no venom in his voice, though he says it under his breath as though it's something he's trying to suppress.

Frances takes a deep breath, focusing her attention on the waning moon above them. Despite the laughter and music outside, the car felt too quiet. "If you have something to say, Jonathan, you should say it."

"You don't think things have been weird between us lately?" he says, finally loosening his grip from the steering wheel and turning in his seat to face her. "You seem distant. We barely talk. I don't even know if we're ..."

"If we're what?" She blinks, though she knows what he wants to say. Together.

"I don't know, Frannie," he sighs, pressing his back to the seat and looking up as though maybe God could help him spit it out. "Are we okay?"

She pauses, knowing that if she says yes it would be a lie. "Look, it's no secret that things have changed between us. I just have stuff going on, okay?"

"Like what?"

"Just stuff. Nothing you need to worry about."

"You used to tell me everything," he mumbled. It's true and Frances knows it: Eleven hiding out in her father's cabin is the first secret she's ever kept from him in their ten years of friendship and two years of romance.

Something else catches his eye, drawing his attention away from the car and what's happening inside of it. That Something is Nancy Wheeler, walking hand in hand with Steve Harrington across the lawn. They stop to greet a few of their friends before disappearing into the orange glow of the hallway. Only when they're out of sight does Jonathan focus on Frances again.

"If you want an out, take it," Frances says passive-aggressively, placing her hand on the door so that she can make a quick escape if necessary. "If you don't want this anymore—"

He frowns. "Who said I didn't want this?"

"Do you?"

"Do you? You're the one pulling away from me."

Frances scoffs. "Don't put this all on me, Jonathan. You just spent a solid minute watching Nancy walk into a house while I was sitting right next to you."

You see his muscles twitch with tension and he straightens up. "We're gonna do this again?"

"No," she rolls her eyes, opening the door, "we're not."

Without another word, she steps out, slamming the car door behind her. Jonathan is motioning to her in frustration, but she ignores him, marching into the party and getting pulled into a current of bodies. The bitter stench of beer lingers on sweaty clothes as she pushes through them, waving at a few people who are sober enough to recognise her.

She heads straight for the punch bowl, grabbing herself a plastic cup and pouring it carefully. Halloween music is blasting through the speakers in the corner and she sees Steve and Nancy bobbing along to it, though Nancy's expression is tense as always. A year ago, Frances would have been dancing with them. A year ago, Barb would have been there, too. Now that she was gone and Jonathan was constantly ogling Nancy when he thought she wasn't looking, they had no reason to stay friends.

"Look at that," a voice shouts from behind Frances. "Our little grasshopper made it to the party. It's been a long time since I've seen you at one 'a these things."

Frances grimaces at the nickname, turning around to find Tommy standing so close that she has to press herself to the kitchen counter to avoid his hot breath hitting her face.

"Byers taken you off your leash?" Carol chimes in from behind, an arrogant smirk playing on her lips.

Behind them stands a beer-stained Billy Hargrove, his torso bare beneath his leather jacket. He gives Frances the once over, his tongue swiping across his lips the way it always does before he takes a swig of his drink.

"Don't you ever get bored of yourselves?" Frances questions monotonously, gulping down her own drink quickly.

"Come on, Frannie, we're kidding," Tommy laughs, pulling Frances into the living room where the music is deafening, but not as deafening as the laughter and shouting. "You gonna dance with us or what?"

"Don't be stupid, Tommy," Carol shouts over the music, looking smug. "Her boyfriend is lurking over there in the corner."

Frances follows her point and finds that she's right: he is standing in the corner, but he isn't looking at her. He's looking past her at Nancy, who's pouring herself a drink in the kitchen. "I don't think he's gonna be my boyfriend for much longer," she says without thinking.

Her view of them is intercepted by Billy, who is skillfully juggling four cups in his hands. He holds one out for Frances and she takes it gratefully, chugging it down and wincing at the burn it leaves in her throat. "Trouble in paradise, angel?"

"No paradise," she retorts. "Just trouble."

"You need to let go. Enjoy yourself," he smirks. "Or is 'fun' not in your vocabulary?"

"It is," she hits back, finishing her drink before Tommy and Carol have even started theirs. "My definition is probably just a little different than yours."

"Come on," Tommy urges. The song changes as he's speaking, Duran Duran earning a cheer from the crowd surrounding them. Carol throws her arms around Tommy, her drink spilling from her cup. Tommy doesn't notice the stain it leaves. "It's a party. Dance."

"Yeah, Hopper," Billy repeats, grinning as he laces his fingers, clad with leather, finger-less gloves, through Frances's. "The world won't end if you dance. Promise. No one has to know you actually had fun at a party."

She glowers but, after one last glance to find that Jonathan is no longer standing in his earlier position, lets Billy tug her about. Laughter spills from her as he twirls her under his arm and throws her into a less than graceful dip. Dizziness causes her to stumble as the alcohol makes her feel suddenly light. She falls into his bare chest, her hands brushing against his hot skin, sticky where the beer had dried.

"Look at that," he says, grinning at her as they begin to sway. "She laughs."

"Don't flatter yourself," Frances responds, smiling despite herself. "It's the spiked punch. Has an adverse effect on me."

"Then I'd better get you some more. I'll be right back."

Frances nods, taking a seat to catch her breath. Tommy and Carol are no longer in sight, and she searches again to see if Jonathan has noticed her dancing with Billy. Instead, she sees Steve marching through the crowd, his face pale. He walks straight out of the door, but not before his shoulder collides with Jonathan's, who she now sees standing against the wall, looking lost. His eyes follow Steve's retreating figure, and in a moment, he's walking the other way.

Frances searches the room again to see if Nancy is anywhere around. She isn't, and even in her drunken state, Frances thinks the likelihood is that she's the reason for whatever just happened—which means she is the person that Jonathan is looking for.

Without expecting it, Frances is pulled from the couch by two forceful hands, and she finds it difficult to get her bearings as she's spun around through the crowd. The hands belong to Will, one of Tommy's friends and someone she sometimes talks to in class. He looks more wasted than her, yet is somehow steadier on his feet. Feeling numb, she let's herself be dragged around like a rag-doll and nods as though she can hear what he's saying as he leans into her ear to whisper something. Her eyes are still on the kitchen, though, waiting for Jonathan's return. She hasn't even noticed that Billy is dancing without someone else now, their drinks long forgotten.

"Stop," she whispers as nausea begins to crawl in the pit of her stomach, pulling herself away from Will and away from the crowds. Her forehead is damp with sweat, her chest tight. She's about to head into the kitchen for some space to breathe when Jonathan appears from the hallway, propping an intoxicated Nancy up. He walks her out of the back door without so much as looking in Frances's direction. She follows them slowly, stumbling to the window so that she can watch them leave. When they get onto the lawn, Jonathan picks Nancy up, carrying her to his car bridle style. He's never done that for Frances, not even when they were nothing more than friends. He despises her drunken self too much, despises how stupid and sloppy it makes her - and yet clearly it works in Nancy's favour.

Her heart sinks as he drives away, realising that not only is her boyfriend in love with someone else, but he's left her with no way of getting home, either.

A voice in her ear causes her to jump. "I haven't forgotten about our drinks. Just got distracted."

Billy is holding two cups, wearing a stupid smirk that makes her scowl. She knows it's weak, though, when she realises that her cheeks are damp. His smile falters when he sees, too.

"Woah, what's wrong?"

Nothing," she mutters. "Forget the drinks. I need to go."

"Go where?" He puts the drinks down on the counter, following as she dodges a few drunken people crowding around the punch bowl. The cold October air hits her all at once as she steps out, and she shivers, her ears beginning to throb in the sudden quiet of the night. "Hopper?"

"Don't call me that," she spits, crossing her arms over her chest to keep warm as she trips across the lawn. "Everyone calls my dad Hopper, not me. My name is Frances."

"Alright, Frances." His fingers wrap around her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "You wanna tell me what's going on?"

"No," she replies bluntly, pulling her arm from Billy's grasp and looking around disconcertedly. Only now does she realise that she has no way of getting home. "Just leave me alone, Hargrove."

"That's not gonna happen. You're drunk."

"Everyone's drunk," she spits back. "It's a fucking party. That's what you wanted, isn't it? For me to loosen up, have fun? Am I having enough fucking fun now, Billy?"

Billy frowns, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He doesn't seem cold despite his exposed chest. "Jesus, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem," Frances says, her voice quietening as she realises how crazy she must seem to everyone else. If she wasn't still buzzed, she knows would have been embarrassed and blushing by now. "I just need to go home."

"Okay, fine, he nods, his blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight as he focuses on Frances. "Is your boyfriend drivin' you home?"

The mention of him causes tears to sting her eyes again and she looks away sadly. "Not my boyfriend anymore."

"Jesus Christ, how long was I gone?"

"He took Nancy Wheeler home. He ... he left me. We're over." Saying it out loud, her breath visible against the cold, makes it feel real. "That means we're over, right?"

"He left you stranded and drunk at a party to take home some other chick." He shoves his hands in his pockets, tightening his jacket across his torso. "Doesn't sound promising."

She nods, inhaling shakily. "It's been over for a while. I just thought he cared about me more than this." Realising her own vulnerability, she straightens up, wiping her cheeks quickly. "Not your problem, though. Sorry."

"I can give you a ride. I haven't drank anything for a while. I'm sober enough."

"No—"

"C'mon," he points at his blue Camaro behind you, "my cars right there. The party's shit anyway. I don't plan on stickin' around."

"You don't have to do that, Hargrove."

"I'm not gonna leave you here. I'm not a complete dick."

Frances purses her lips at the jab, but follows him to the car anyway. "Could'a fooled me."

He's about to unlock the passenger side door when he pauses. "You wanna walk?"

A shadow of a smile graces her lips and he shakes his head, holding the door open for her to slide in. "Just don't puke."

Frances is surprised by how well-kept the inside of the car is, though the smell of cigarette smoke clings to leather seats and causes a tickle in the back of her throat. Billy slides into the driver's seat, turning on the radio. Danger Zone blasts through the speakers, and he turns down the volume until it's nothing more than a low hum before slipping the key into the ignition.

Despite the company, Frances relaxes into her seat as she puts her seat-belt on and the car groans into motion beneath her. It's warmer in here than the party, and her numb hands begin to tingle with feeling again.

"Where do you live?"

"The trailer by the lake," she replies tiredly, pressing her head against the cold window pane. "You know it?"

"Yeah, I know it."

She watches as his restless, ringed fingers tap against the steering wheel. There isn't much else to say between them for a few moments, and a silence falls between them, concealed only by the music. It isn't uncomfortable, though Frances can't help but feel weary of Hawkin's newest wannabe bad boy—maybe because the alcohol-induced buzz is now more of a distant hum in her veins, weighing her down rather than making her feel light.

"No camera tonight," Billy points out when the road thins and the trees thicken, signalling that they were almost home.

"Shit," Frances curses, holding a hand to her head. "I left it in his car."

"There goes a clean break, huh?"

"That was never gonna happen, anyway," she sighs. "I don't even think he knows it's over yet."

"What do you see in him anyway? Isn't he kind of a loser?"

"Let's just ... not have this conversation."

"Alright," he agrees, parking up as they reach the trailer. The lights are off, but that isn't surprising. It's barely lived in now, only used so that nobody gets suspicious and finds out about El. "Your dad home?"

"No. He's working," she lies, unfastening her seat-belt. "Listen, thanks for this."

"You still think I'm insufferable?"

"Depends," she responds, laughter glistening in her eyes. "Did you do this just so I'd take it back?"

He shrugs. "Guess you'll never know for sure. You good from here?"

"Yeah, I'm good." She opens the door, stepping out unsteadily. "Thanks, Hargrove."

He gives her a wave of dismissal, winding down her window to call her back. "For the record, angel, I think you can do way better than Jonathan Byers."

She turns back, rooting through her purse for her keys. "Yes."

"Yes?" he repeats, looking up at her through his eyelashes as she gets further away.

"Yes," she says. "I still think you're insufferable."

If Billy replies, this time, she doesn't hear it.

part four

[soaringsearingphoenix]

Top 5 bugs!

Bugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Uhhhhhhgdhagfkfh ALL of them? I really love bugs but, okay, gotta say most of my favorites are gonna be hymenoptera, so like, bees, wasps, ants. Here's a handful that I like

1. Blue carpenter bee, xylocopa caerulea. I mean, it's my icon on this account right now. Honestly there is not a lot of research on this guy, or not that's available, but it's native to southeast Asia and its BLUE. So cool.

2. Hunt's bumblebee, bombus huntii. I met some of these friends when i was in Arizona, very pretty, very opinionated. One of the first bees i learned about and THEN identified in the wild. I walked up to a flowering tree, fragrant in the warm sunlight of early evening, where they and some other bumblebees were landing and just observed them for a while. They would occasionally decide i was getting too close (and i mean, i was right up against the tree) and zip past my face, wavering there sometimes, clearly telling me to back off. So i did... and then gently approached again, slower. I got some good pictures but i've gotten a new phone since then and didn't transfer them all over.

2.5 Side note, just assume all bees are up here. And also that i appreciate honeybees in a different way than I appreciate native and generally solitary bees.

3. Ants that grow fungus, and really any ants with a sense of agriculture, like the ones that herd aphids. Also ants that create "Devil's Gardens" in the Amazon, those little monoculture patches of forest that are like the ants' version of a big city. I don't know all their names by heart but i get so excited about ant technology and culture, the sort of ideal demonstration of emergent behaviors that they represent. I could spend a whole hours-long road trip just talking about ants, mostly parroting from youtube videos (and i have spent parts of drives talking about them but my mom's attention span for a fascinating-topic-but-not-her-field-of-interest is about the length of a ted talk or podcast episode, which is to say, significantly less than an hour.) I am just so proud of ants. They've accomplished so much.

4. Wasps have really grown on me in the past year. I don't know what species it is that I have been pulling out of my birdbath, but they have really helped me get over my fear and prejudice for wasps. I've only ever been stung by a wasp once in my life and it was because i'd accidentally carried it on my shirt into a math classroom where i was going to talk to the teacher because i thought i had failed the class so that was neither of our best moment. Anyways, specifically the two most prevalent species in my backyard take this slot, but like the ants this is as much a category as a specification. I also have a soft spot for tiny specialized parisitic wasps, as their recent discovery is part of the reason scientists now think hymenoptera species may rival or even outnumber beetle species so like. Go team?

5. Orchid mantises. Mantises are such chill dudes a lot of the time. Everyone wants to talk about the cannibalism, and it's like, calm down, a lot of species do that. Octopodes, lots of species of spiders, it's pretty common for more solitary species. I mean if you want someone to carry your kids the least you can do is give them a meal, it takes a lot of energy to bring new life into being. Anyways I love orchid mantises specifically because they are bright pink and they stand like they mean business. They're like the ballerinas of the insect world. They're poised, they're ornate, and they WILL kick your ass without breaking a sweat. Which is honestly goals. If i am observed and considered beautiful, I want it to be in an intimidating and vaguely unsettling way.

Honorable mentions:

-hoverflies. These little guys look like bees kind of if you don't know what you're looking for, and they tend to hang out in the same spots, and i respect their contribution to pollinating. Underappreciated friends.

-dragonflies also. Y'all test my patience, being fast and hard to photograph. Like your friend who brags about being hard to take candid photos of. Their flight control is a marvel of physics. I know little else about dragonflies

-butterflies and specifically painted lady butterflies because they migrate through here, so the first butterfly migration i ever saw was right over my elementary school

-ladybugs. There are so many kinds. We had a book on them when i was little, which had these transparent pages that would like overlay the pictures on the pages on either side, it was really cool. I used to catch them on the playground, just to hold them. They have a really distinct smell and when i tell people that it feels like no one knows what im talking about. Their larvae kept crawling on me in the park recently i do not know why but they were incredibly persistent about it

-crickets and grasshoppers. There were a lot of these guys in arizona too. Sorry i was such a menace. I didnt mean to startle you i swear

-stick bugs. Once again, saw these in Arizona, for the first time in the wild in person. I held one and it was absolutely magical.

Ok now i am just listing bugs i know. But i love them all!!! Anyways this list is constantly changing but that's it for now!

[muzeeeeeeeee]

OUTWARD BOUND SINGAPORE. Gonna be a lengthy one. I did it. I completed my 9 days SCC OBS course. I knew this was going to be tough but I wasn’t expecting it to be REALLY REALLY tough. It was draining me both mentally and physically.

LAND EXPEDITION. We were activated to trek around Pulau Ubin for a 4 days 3 night. This was definitely the worst part of the camp for me. We would start our days at 7am and continuesly trek for hours to complete ‘missions’ which I felt was completely unrealistic and useless! A lot of the scenarios they gave us had nothing to do with improving our leadership qualities. What made it worse was that we had to trek with a bag load of 25kg which really drained all of our energy and kept straining our backs, legs and shoulders. Ontop of that we weren’t allowed to bath for the entire 4 days. Since we were only allowed to trek in our uniform, it was really masam HAHAH. Our sweat combined with mud and sand and dust just kept making me feel really dirty. We couldn’t even dry our clothes overnight because of the morning dew hence whenver we start off our day, we had to wear back the same smelly uniform that was wet. YUCK! Our sleeping conditions were also terrible omg we slept in a basha and whenver we had to pitch it, so many grasshoppers will keep bothering us. We had to sleep in the jungle and it wasn’t peaceful at all HAHAHA because everyone is just trying to keep the bugs out and sleep. The jungles were PITCCCCCH black and we couldn’t see at all without the use of a torch light. Insects such as a HORNED BEETLE, a wasp, spiders and ofc my dear grasshopppers kept visiting me at night. We also had to be wary of wild boars coming to steal our rations. We failed a lot of missions because we couldn’t make it in time but we tried our best though. A lot of us just couldn’t take it because we felt like it was all pointless uh. Many of my group mates had blisters and abrasions (kinda thankful I didn’t have it) which made them even more annoyed and angry whenever we had to trek further. One funny incident that occurred was when we had to fight monkeys during lunch HAHA because they kept trying to take our food. The only fun missions were abseiling and building a floatable raft. Other than that, hated almost every part of the trek :/

SEA EXPEDITION. Thought it was all over after our 4 days trek. Made it back to base camp, got to shower in peace and happy to sleep on a clean concrete ground when suddenly we were activated AGAIN ALAMAK FOR A 2 DAYS SEA EX. Everyone began to panic and started packing again for another trip GREATTTT. For day 1, we had to paddle on boats around Pulau Ubin which was around 24km and continue paddling to Punggol Jetty where we will end our journey. I was abit dumb ah I ate rice in the morning so when I got on the boat, I vomited HAHAH. We paddled and paddled and it was fun at first cos yay no more trekking just out at sea. Eventually it didn’t become fun but rather painful. Our arms started to sore from constant paddling and our energy levels were really low. After paddling around ubin, we finally saw the final stretch to Punggol Jetty but a storm hit all of a sudden. IM NOT KIDDING THIS WAS LIKE A MOVIE ALL OF A SUDDEN. The waves were rocking our boats like crazy and the wind was soooo powerful that our boats were being pushed towards the shore. A white out appeared which means the rain was SOOOOOOO HEAVY to the point we couldn’t even see 5m ahead of us. Yes, i’m not exaggerating either we really couldn’t see our surroundings. All the boats had to stay close and we were fighting against the current and wind. I paddled like mad HAHAHH everyone was shouting “ 1, 2, PUSH, 1, 2, PUSH!!”. SO KECOH AHAHAH ALL PANIC ALL SCREAMING ALL PUSHING ON TO NOT HIT SHORE HAHAHAH the weather was INSANEEEE. The rain drops felt like needles and there was lightning and thunder all around us. Eventually the instructors had no choice but to step in and save us. They were so professional and quickly tied our boats to their motorboat and quickly made our way to punggol jetty. Everyone was in a rush and had to move fast. Upon reaching the shore, we quickly had to pull the boats out of the water and carry it. There were so many public eye there watching us HAHAH. They got to see SCDF boys in action fuh. They were even taking vids of us lifting the boats and stuff HAHAH then some of my friends nak step garang all. What a day. We rested at night in the cold and I was appointed as the navigator IC for the next day. Turns out it’s not the end. On day 2, WE HAD TO TRAVEL EVEN FURTHER OMGGGG 32KM🤯. When we embarked for our second day, everyone was really at their lowest so me and the other leaders really had to motivate everyone. It was my first time navigating in open waters in an area I wasn’t familiar with. Had to lead the fleet from punggol all the way to Sembawang then back to Ubin. Shag. Despite how tired we are, we surprisingly did better in terms of how fast we were paddling because we kept motivating each other and had mini races that really boosted our morals. After rowing for quite some time, it started to storm again and everyone was lowkey happy HAHHAH because the instructors had to end the journey and pull us back to camp THANK GOODNESS. On our way back halfway, the storm cleared up ALAMAK SO KENE PADDLE AGAIN because the instructors let us go. So we paddled and paddled and everyone was super lathargic. I was so tired to the point I slept while rowing and I fell off the boat HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA SUDDENLY MY CREW SHOUTED “MAN OVERBOARD MAN OVERBOARD”😂😂so funny but ya I climbed back onto the boat je. Eventually we could see ubin and we were so happy we’re gonna make it back. OUT OF NOWHERE ANOTHER STORM HIT US WHAT IN THE WORLD. We started paddling like crazy again and everyone just kept pushing and pushing but the weather was just against us. It was even worse and we were all in the blind. Our instructors received info that a giant vessel was heading in our direction also. What was supposed to be a fun ocean joy ride turned out to be a real life emergency. Again the instructors hooked us onto thier motorboat and they pulled all of us aside. Guess what happened next, a loud horn could be heard and this HUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE SILHOUETTE OF A SHIP appeared omg.

We watched as the ship went pass us. Imagined if we had continued paddling in that kind of weather, we would have all capsized. We reached OBS camp and again everything was so kecoh. The rain was pouring and everyone helped to pull the boats up to shore. What a day. Eventually everything will come to and end and so did my OBS camp. It was kinda sad not gonna lie because yes 90% of us hated the camp but it definitely did have lots of memorable and enjoyable incidents. I know I complained a lot at the top but we did have a lot of self thinking and reflective moments too. We would have daily night sessions with our instructors where they would tell us what we did well and what we didn’t. How could we have done things better and what are the things a leader should do. I really learnt a lot from the trip on how to be a better leader and how I would like to lead my men. Alhamdullilah I survived OBS. I skipped out on a lot of things but if I were to type them all down then nobody would be reading this hahaa. If you’ve come this far, thank you for reading. I’m back at HQ now gonna sleep. Feels good to be back on a bed heh good night!