#I might continue this essay at a later date but for now this is what you get

[wolfjackle-creates]

Please tell me that with 'Johnny and Kitty pocess Superman and Batman' That they are either on a date or go on a date after a fight? Please this needs to happen

@britcision also asked about this one!

So I was looking through what I wrote of this and...it's not that good. It's based on a prompt from back in Nov 2022 and I was still figuring things out back then and needed to rewrite everything I wrote at least once. It's less crack than you'd expect from the title, I'm afraid.

So I'm gonna do part of that rewrite. Because I'm insane and don't have self control. 🤣

Anyway, the prompt is from @zeestarfishalien and can be found here. Oddly it doesn't have half as many notes as I remember it having. Huh. Guess I thought it had more because I latched onto it so strongly.

Anyway, enjoy!

Word Count: 1.6k

-----

"Danny!" yelled Jazz from downstairs.

Danny froze for just a moment. That was Jazz's something-is-wrong voice. He dropped through the floor to get to her that much quicker. "What happened?" he demanded.

She just pointed to the TV where a news reporter was standing in a city. Behind her, Batman stood next to the open driver's side door to the batmobile while Superman floated in the air a few feet away with his arms crossed.

"Don't look at me like that, baby," said Batman.

"I will look at you however the hell I want. You forgot our date, asshole!" yelled Superman back.

The reporter grinned at the camera. "Looks like quite the lover's tiff we've stumbled upon! Who would have ever suspected Batman and Superman of being in a relationship?"

Behind her, Superman used his heat vision to shoot at Batman who cursed loudly before jumping into his car and speeding off. Superman huffed and flew in the opposite direction. Jazz muted the TV while the reporter continued making speculations about Batman and Superman's relationship. Danny stared at Jazz in horror.

"That was—"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think it was."

Danny closed his eyes and thought about the half finished essay he had upstairs and the history test he had the next day and how his parents would be home in an hour. He wanted to cry.

"I have to go to Gotham."

"I'll take care of our parents. Have you had the flu yet this year?"

Danny's laugh had a hysterical edge to it. "Tuck's been keeping track of my excuses. Ask him. I'll just…" Danny let the sentence trail as he transformed and flew out of the house without another word.

Even flying as fast as he could, he didn't arrive in Gotham until night had fallen. He tried to sense Johnny or Kitty or listen for the chaos that always followed them, but the city was so big.

After over half an hour of searching with no luck, Danny was sitting on a roof with his head buried in his knees trying not to cry. He only had so many hours before he had to be back in Amity for school. If he missed any more days, he'd get a suspension and his parents would be livid.

Just then, the clock tower chimed ten. Danny lifted his head to look at the tall building, one of the tallest in the city. He might not have any idea how to find Batman, but surely the other heroes would. Maybe he could get their attention?

In a matter of minutes, he was floating above the clock tower. With a deep breath, he shot an ectoblast up into the sky. Two minutes later, he repeated the action.

Not long after his fifth blast, two grapple hooks attached to the tower near his feet and seconds later he was facing Batman and Robin.

Danny immediately fell into a fighting stance. "Johnny, I'm not going to let you get away with this. Get out of him. Now."

But instead of calling him a do-gooder nerd, Batman pulled out a batarang and held it ready to throw. "I'm not this Johnny," he growled.

Danny relaxed and sighed in relief. "Oh thank the ancients, you got him out. I'm so, so sorry, Batman! I know you and the Justice League are relying on me to keep the ghosts from escaping Amity. Johnny and Kitty must’ve gotten past me. How'd you get Johnny out? Were you able to help Superman? Kitty is at least reasonable most of the time so I hope she didn't give you any trouble. Where are they now? I'll just collect them and bring them back to the Realms."

Robin pulled out his sword and pointed it at Danny. "What do you know of Fa— Batman's condition? Who is this 'Johnny' you speak of?"

Danny's core stuttered in his chest. The kid couldn't mean… He looked past the blade pointed at him towards Batman. "You… aren't Batman. Are you? You're covering for him while Johnny is overshadowing the real one."

Batman put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Lower the sword, Robin." To Danny, he said, "I think you owe us some explanations."

Danny buried his head in his hands and tried to bite back the tears. He was so tired. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. This is my fault. They got past me and I failed. I'm so sorry."

“Desist with your groveling and explain!” ordered Robin.

“Right, yeah. Of course. Sorry.” Danny looked up, but the stars were hidden behind smog and lights. He sighed. “I’m Phantom, of course. Responsible for monitoring the portal in Amity and keeping ghosts from coming through and causing problems on Earth. Also for stopping human hunters from hurting any ghosts. Johnny and Kitty, two ghosts, must have gotten past me. I’m careful, I swear. We set up an alarm on the portal so I know the moment someone comes through, but I missed them somehow. I…maybe they came through at the same time as someone else? I’ve had to deal with Skulker and Boxy so far this week. And Queen Dora came for a visit and one of Pandora’s people stopped by to drop something off. So if Johnny and Kitty came through at the same time… Pariah curse it, I should’ve realized. What a stupid design flaw. I’ll be working on a fix for that as soon as I get out of school tomorrow. I’d do it sooner, but I’ve a test you see. And if I miss any more class, I’ll get a suspension, and then my parents really will kill me again.”

Danny winced when he saw Robin’s fingers twitch towards his sword again. “Sorry! No more excuses. It’ll be fixed ASAP, promise. Um, Johnny is generally into motorcycles, but I think he saw the Batmobile and wanted to take it for a ride so he overshadowed Batman. From what I saw on the news, he blew off a date with Kitty to do it so she’s pissed and followed him and ended up overshadowing Superman. Probably so she could use his powers on top of her own to punish Johnny.” He trailed off and waited for the yelling to start.

But they were silent.

Danny shifted from foot to foot. “Again, I’m really sorry. I know you rely on me to keep this from happening and I swear it won’t again. But if you tell me where you think Batman is, I’ll go retrieve Johnny. Same with Superman and Kitty. I need to get this wrapped up by four, maybe four thirty, so I can get home in time for school to start.” He couldn’t hold back a yawn. He just wanted to sleep.

Batman and Robin exchanged a glance and Batman put away his weapon. “I’ve never heard of you or this Amity before. You’re a kid, who is your Justice League mentor? Why aren’t they here?”

“I… What? Justice League mentor? What are you talking about? All of my mentors are ghosts.”

Robin snorted. “Who informed you that it was your responsibility to monitor this portal that allows these ghosts to invade? Why are you the only one preventing attacks such as this?”

Danny bristled. “I’m not alone! Sam and Tucker and my sister help me!”

“Are they kids like you?” asked Batman.

“If by like me you mean ghosts, of course not. They’re fully alive. I’m the only ghost of the group.”

“No,” said Batman after a pause. “That’s not what I meant. I wanted to know if they were teenagers who still go to school like you or if they were adults you worked with.”

Danny shrugged. “Jazz is starting college next year, but yeah. They’re my friends.”

Batman let out a long breath. “Right. And why do you think the Justice League is expecting you, specifically, to monitor this portal?”

Danny threw up his hands. “Because you told me that!” He saw Batman open his mouth to say something and quickly added, “Not you specifically, but, like, the League. This guy Constantine came by a month or two after the portal opened and saw me and relaxed. Said he was glad to see I was already handling things there. Gave me a number and laughed and said if anyone could handle the situation, it’d be me, but I could call if I needed back up.” He shrugged. “And he was right. So far I have been able to handle it. This is an exception and I’ll get it fixed in a few hours tops.”

Robin ground his teeth. “That lazy magician.”

Batman also muttered something under his breath. “Thank you, Phantom. For doing so much on your own. If you tell us how to free Batman and Superman, we can handle it from here.”

“What?” Danny shook his head in confusion. “What are you talking about? You need specialized weapons that I don’t have on me and containment devices and access to a portal to the Realms to get rid of them. Seriously, I can get this taken care of. Just tell me where Batman is.”

Batman sighed again. “We don’t have much of a choice. Fine. But will you be able to get us these weapons and containment devices if we requested some of you? We’ll pay you, of course. And we’d like more details on what you’ve been dealing with. I’m afraid Constantine… did not share the details of your dealings with the rest of us.”

“Yeah, sure. The weapons are made by Drs. Jack and Maddie Fenton of FentonWorks, based out of Amity Park, Illinois. Their son Danny can help you pick out the most useful ones. Some are more torture device than anything, though, so definitely avoid those. Danny will be able to tell you the difference.”

Batman nodded once, jaw clenched. “Thank you. Now, I’ve just gotten an update on the possessed Batman’s location. Follow us.”

-----

Dick is pretending to be Batman here. If they have a "normal" batman out, then they can show the possessed batman is an imposter.

I saw some debate on the original over whether Johnny would possess Batman or Superman. To me, the answer was obvious. He'd possess Batman because he wanted to take the Batmobile for a spin.

Meanwhile, Kitty is the smart one. She'd go for Superman because then she could use his powers and her own to 1) punish Johnny and 2) prevent anyone from stopping them.

Regarding Constantine: He made an oops, but it's not (fully) his fault. Due to time missions from Clockwork, Phantom is shown to be thousands of years old and is known for fantastic feats. If Constantine had known this was some fourteen year old newly dead kid, he'd have acted differently. Instead, he thinks Danny is older than he is with millenia of experience.

This is free for anyone to continue!

[crazyk-imagine]

Kicking and Newfound Spouses

Pairing: Shawn Hunter x Female!reader

Characters: Shawn Hunter, Female!reader, Cory Matthews, Topanga Lawrence, Jack Hunter

Warnings: Fluff, Cory being a dramatic bish, Panga is our homie, Jack is clueless, Shawn just wants his lady love, Eric is not mentioned but hiding somewhere in the scene, this was fun, I wanted to write for this fandom for a while, my baby bad boy hunter for the win, shawn introducing himself is an inside joke

Word Count: 570

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You sit at the corner booth in your favorite restaurant, enjoying the quietness at your table even as the noise around you gets louder.

-

Shawn looks to his left and finds you, sitting there looking as pretty as ever.

Cory catches his gaze and realizes what, more like who, he’s looking at.

He shakes his head, “hey, Shawn.”

His friend turns to look at him.

“No.”

He pouts.

-

Topanga slips away from the two and wanders towards your table.

-

“Remember when we were ten and turned eleven?”

“Vaguely but go on.”

“She kicked you out of your chair because you called her essay messy. Are you- are you still with me here?”

“I am but I don’t see your point.”

“She will kick you out of your chair again, Shawn.”

“And I’ll lay on the floor a happy man.” He all but runs away from Cory.

-

“Hey," he slips in beside you. “Shawn hunter at your service,” he holds his hand out to you.

You glance at it and his face and can’t understand why he’s at the booth or trying to persuade you. “To what? Fail?”

He furrows his brows confused by your comment, most girls would start swooning over him by now.

He shakes his head and continues. “No, to study.”

-

Cory stands in the corner still, biting his nails. “He's lost it.”

-

“You’ve never once studied in your life, Hunter. What makes you think I’d want to study with you now?”

“It’ll be a date you won’t forget,” he tells you with one hundred percent certainty.

You take a deep breath, “I’ll admit that was a little smooth on your part, kudos to you but I can’t take that chance right now. I’m trying to get a good grade.”

“What about after?”

“After what?”

“The test. I want to go out with you.” You glance at Topanga from the corner of your eye, needing some reassurance that what he’s saying is real and not a joke.

You angle yourself to face him, “if there was ever a time where I’d say yes, which I haven’t yet, what would you be willing to do in order for that date to happen?”

He takes a deep breath, “I’ll let you kick me out of this booth.”

The corner of your lips twitch. “You two can’t let that go, huh.”

“No, Cory’s traumatized by it but for me, that was the day I knew I met someone who I’d be happy calling my wife.”

Your eyes widen and you can’t help but chuckle.

He always knew the things to say to get a response out of you.

“Deal.” You hold your hand out for him to shake.

He shakes your hand and places a soft kiss on the back of it before letting you kick him out.

“My butt might be sore later, but I’m not upset about it.”

-

Jack leans down to ask Cory, “did he just let someone kick him out of a booth?”

The younger man nods his head, “he told her to.”

“I’m afraid to ask but why?”

“They’re going on a date.”

“Oh. Oh. He does realize that’s not how you ask a girl out, right?”

“He has his methods, and you have yours.”

[simpystuff]

A little bit of a rant/essay about smg34

Okay to start, I am a huge smg34 shipper, always has been ever since I started watching during 2018/2019. I've watched most of the classic smg4 episodes, and I'm up to date in the recent ones too.

There is so much speculation as to what smg4 and smg3s relationship is, whether its platonic or romantic/sexual. Despite obvious indications, some people are firm believers that they are just best friends or brothers. So I'm here right now at 4:13am typing out an essay that proves that what they have going on is anything but platonic, and a little bit of a rant at the end too. (please do note that this essay is completely done up on the spot with no previous planning or order, so some things might not make so much sense.)

I'm starting off by analysing smg4 and smg3s characters as a whole and their dynamic. Smg3s character is Tsundere (by definition, "Tsundere meaning is an adjective for a person or character who is usually cold or harsh but sometimes shows a warm or kind side, especially to a love interest") and leading by definition, Smg3 is usually cold hearted, but does occasionally act nice and worries or cares about his friends and particularly smg4. This type of character tends to call their love interest "Baka", which is an insult that can mean "stupid" or other variations that depend. Smg3 calls Smg4 this in many cases, starting around the genesis arc, and continues up to even now. Smg4 is clearly Smg3's love interest, and as that character role, Smg4 teases Smg3 about his behaviour, even calling him a "tsundere" at some point in the internet graveyard.

Related to the subject, Smg3's behaviour is extremely flamboyant, and in the fandom wiki, he is described "he is gay in a stereotypical manner" - and in the Hobo Bros video where Luke and Kevin look at smg3 on the smg4 fandom wiki, neither of them seem to objectify to this statement. (We will also get to the creators views and words later on.) Even though "gay" has many stereotypes and doesn't usually abide by the few we have, the statement is quite frankly true without needing explanation. Like I previously mentioned, in many instances where Smg4 teases Smg3 about his behaviour, Smg3 blushes. That's right, he blushes. Like a Tsundere character would, he blushes, denies, turns away and calls Smg4 a "baka". He does this a lot, even if he doesn't include the "baka" in there, he definitely blushes.

Leading through their history, Smg3 and Smg4 have had a rivalry since Smg3 came around. People at this point were probably already shipping them together from the start, since a rivals to lovers trope is wildly loved and especially in the smg4 fandom. In most of the early smg4 days when smg4 came around, there wasn't much to speculate on - At that point they were rivals and nothing much else. But also mentioning the sm64 blooper "Snow Trapped", this obviously changes with the events that take place. What's good to note as well, is the fact that it's been brought up in WOTFI 2023 in the quiz trivia mission that asked "What happened at exactly 6:50 of the classic smg4 episode: Snow Trapped?" - to of which, the option "let's find out" was most voted for, and we had an audio clip of what had happened (which was them "making love")

Also going a little more into Snow Trapped, some people claimed that they weren't in fact doing the boombayah - and I think that's a load of bollocks /nm. With smg3 and smg4s n64 characters crouching and un-crouching behind and in front of each other and the audio clip that was placed on top, I don't think it was very hard to mistake for something else. And even more proof with that fact that before this clip, Smg4 said that they could forgive each other and "make some love before we die." That's clear indications as to what happened and it's not that hard to understand.

Like I mentioned before, the creators Luke and Kevin, and even James Bailey (the voice actor of smg3) had some words and whatnot about smg3 and smg4's sexuality and/or relationship. When reading the fandom wiki's about smg3 and smg4's sexuality, Luke didn't objectify against anything said - when the wiki had said that Smg4 may be hinted to be gay or bisexual, and when it says that smg3 could also be gay, even saying "I don't know" which could mean that it's indicated or could be speculated their exact sexuality. And with the fact that Kevin wrote Snow Trapped, I think there's a lot of indication that neither of them are straight. James Bailey, during a stream on his twitch, had a question about smg3 and how he'd describe him, to which he replied "imagine Shadow The Hedgehog but Gay." Later in the stream, he received a question asking if Smg3 was gay and he replied "He's not straight, I'll tell you what."

The problem the fandom usually has is the fans who claim they are "classic" smg4 fans but have no knowledge whatsoever on smg3 and smg4's relationship. The biggest they know is that they are rivals, and then claim that they are brothers when they clearly aren't - and assuming they were around for the release of Snow Trapped or had at least seen it, they'd know that isn't the case anyway. Even funnier the fact they claim that smg34 "ruined" smg4, even though that ship has been around probably since the start of their rivalry (I'll speculate on this because I know a lot of people do like a rivals to lovers trope)

That's the end of my essay people, leave a like or comment if there's anything else you'd like me to write smg4 related essays about and I'll give my opinions on it. If you've read up to this point, I love you, hope you have a good day or night.

[guardian-of-fun-times]

Ahh, Rise of the Guardians... Happy Birthday! I cannot begin to fathom my life without the books and/or the movie...besides a constant feeling of emptiness. I have no doubt in my mind that I would succumb to the fear of adulthood and not having an efficient way of preserving and expressing my childlike (not childish) nature. After seeing RotG in August of 2013, I found the closest character I have ever connected with. Distant but passionate...daring yet humble...intense but at the same time playful...He somehow manages to balance it all. When I first read "The Guardians of Childhood" novel series- I said to myself, "Y'know...if I were to connect with any other character on a spiritual level, it'd probably be Nightlight."

This was a couple years before William Joyce announced that [SPOILER] Nightlight later became Jack Frost...and then, from that moment, I realized that my connection with this character was MUCH deeper than I could ever imagine. Nightlight and Jack have this distant/ever-watchful dynamic in their personality...something I've always found myself doing. I love people-watching- it is very intriguing to me. Now this might have to do with my love of psychology/sociology and understanding how people work, but it is something I've always noticed about myself. In the movie, Jack is not the center of attention all the time...he is usually off to the side, trying to understand what is going on around him before he commits to anything. Of course I could write an entire essay regarding all my personal connections with Jack and how I can see life through his eyes...but perhaps that story shall be shared at a later date. In time I will share my story... The movie and the books have changed my life for the better. Thank you William Joyce, I grew up with you through "Rollie Pollie Ollie" and continued to admire your work without even realizing it was you this whole time.. .I'm inspired to go back and read all those books and watch all the movies. I'm sure I'll have a deeper connection the second time around.

I'm also inspired to read the books that inspired you! I don't recall you ever mentioning "The Little Prince", but I'm sure you've read it...especially by how much Nightlight reminds me of The Little Prince.

Your eye for the imagination and impossible is right up my alley. In an obtuse mindset, there was a time I felt my creativity and imagination fading- but I then realized it was pushed to the secondary tier of importance. Adulthood got in the way...not becoming an adult, but letting the fears of adulthood and the world fill my head with desensitized nonsense.

I have always believed that children know the secrets of the universe. They understand the secret writings of the "In Between"... the two lines of the theoretical and the fantastical! This knowledge, however, seems to fade slowly with time. The more a child is in the world- the more darkness is influenced. This is not a loss for hope! As long as we preserve this knowledge (like history), we will not forget who we are, where we came from, and what our individual purpose is.

Love, Light and Purpose has been my end goal to this channel. To reflect and remind other's of The Great Light- just as the moon does with the sun's light. To remind people that they DO MATTER, that they ARE LOVED, and have enormous amounts of POTENTIAL!

A handful of years ago, I promised myself that after the new Jack Frost novel came out, I would start directing my focus to The Guardians of Childhood tier of this fandom. More people must be made aware, for the whole story has yet to be shared! This is exactly why I'm building my Viking AU cosplay- to practice my skills with Worlba before I tackle cosplaying as Nightlight.

Getting back on track, I thank you, not only to William Joyce, but to all of you who, despite the common ridicule and doubt by others, continued to believe. That, my friends, is the most humbling truth...and is the driving force in my entire being. I will never cease to share these stories...I will be sure to tell the importance until MY memories are like twilight.

[cassiopeialake]

ok. gonna get some thoughts about CXG out here

spoilers for 4x16 and 4x17

I said something about this in tags but I wanted to expound on it more clearly. Basically I really love the paradoxical nature of 4x16 and how it simultaneously plays into rom-com tropes while also skewering them. So. We have our three dates. The dates Rebecca goes on with Josh and Nathaniel are traditionally romantic; the key uniting factor being grand romantic gestures that show how much each guy cares for her. They’re respectively really sweet, heartwarming, check all the boxes — essentially 2 versions of the same date.

And then we have Greg, who by the grace of the narrative, gets a little extra weight to his story as he’s featured throughout the episode fretting about his big romantic gesture. The Grebecca “date”, when it ends up happening, matches them perfectly: casual, unplanned, falling into a familiar partnership dynamic. We as the audience see that and think, “Oh those dates before were just stereotypical romantic moments, but this? now THIS is real love.” But the key thing is that their date is equally as “stereotypical” as the other two. The non-date date, the casual confession of love, the slow push out lingering on their non sequitir conversation - it’s a cinematic language we’re immediately trained to notice as romantic after seeing it in dozens of movies and shows. So as a viewer you’re led to think one guy is ‘in the lead’ which the episode plays into with Love’s Not a Game, but really all 3 dates (and guys) are equally romantic and tropey - we’re just trained to believe that one kind is ‘more romantic’ than the other. (So tbh if you think any one guy is The One after this episode i think it mostly comes down to your personal opinion)

This sort of continues into 4x17, with the dream ghosts showing her 3 equally viable futures with the 3 men (in reverse order which I feel like is significant? Greg is first bc he’s fresh on our mind), but in all of them she’s sad and unfulfilled.

So, that’s the ending, right? Rebecca learns to love herself and pursue what makes her happy without the pressures of a romantic relationship weighing her down, and now, a year later, she might finally be ready for the other kind of relationship, and it could be with anyone.

(Tangent time: I Really love how they showed Rebecca’s year with songwriting. Like, they didn’t make it this incredible hidden talent she’s had all along, in fact we know she’s not a good singer and hasn’t played piano before. So I really loved how that montage showed her struggling, not just coasting through, but really challenging herself and living in the uncomfortable reality of learning a new skill - and it makes her happy. I just love how it shows how loving yourself is a skill, and it’s something that needs to be practiced.)

…except I’d argue that the show Does take a side here, since Greg is the only one whose story isn’t updated in the year since Valentine’s day, she reserves her speech for him till the end, and the show makes a point to note he’s still single. Sure, he said to Rebecca that he won’t wait for her…but honestly I think that was more of a way of showing his personal growth. Yes, Nathaniel was also not shown to have a partner but it’s significant that he made a big life change just like Josh - moving away and working at a zoo - while we don’t see any evidence of Greg doing the same. so what was he doing that whole year?? waiting??? bitch please. ok this essay is getting off the rails i’m gonna stop while i’m ahead. but yeah i think the finale strongly hints they’ll end up together and in my delulu shipper brain that’s what i’m choosing to believe

anyways CXG really said “find out what you do to make sense of the world and pursue that seriously” and i will always love it for that

[twoidiotwriters1]

Almighty (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I would kill for this family -Danny Words: 2,176 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Lifeline' -by Joshua Bassett

VI: God Gave Us ADHD Because He Knew We'd Overthrow Him

"Dollface! You're back!" Leo comes down from the catwalk and straight to my arms, where I welcome him with a hug. He kisses my face effusively. "Come see the ship!"

"I doubt it's changed much since last—holy shit! Are those the ballista?"

Leo smirks proudly. "Tyson's top-tier work paid off. Take a closer look."

He gives me a tour of the almost-finished ship. I'm excited about sailing in this thing, but at the same time, it makes me nervous in a panic-attack kind of way. Leo rambles about the updates with a big smile, his hair sticking to his forehead and his face smeared with an unidentified dark stain. He notices my staring and a smug, crooked grin appears on his face. "Can't deal with how hot I am, sunshine?"

I kiss his cheek. "I'm so proud of you..."

Leo wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. "Well, that's cool, because I'm mostly doing this for you, so you being proud of me it's all that matters."

"I thought you were doing this to save the world?" I tease him. "Since there is a big prophecy with your name on it and everything..."

"Well, that's a tiny part of it," Leo grins. "But it's mostly for you. The sooner I'm done with this, the sooner you can reunite with your brother, and I'll finally see you being all smiles and zero pouting."

It's scary, how he cares more about my feelings and interests than the overall goal of the trip, which is to ally with the Romans. I brush his curls back lovingly. "It's not your job to make sure I'm happy."

Leo rolls his eyes dramatically. "Doll, that is literally my main job. You're my girl, shut up and let me pamper you." He leans down and peppers my face with kisses, making me laugh.

"Fine, fine!" I exclaim. "I yield!"

He holds my face, planting an effusive kiss on my lips. His gaze softens as he scans my expression like he can't believe we're dating. "Whatever happens once we sail," he says, his tone sober enough to sound serious. "I feel so much better knowing you'll come with us."

I rub his arms affectionately. "You might get sick of me after a week," I warn him playfully.

"As if!" He rubs my cheeks with his thumbs, leaning down to brush his lips on mine. "I'm not going anywhere..."

"What happened on Olympus?" Annabeth asks. "I didn't get to hear about it."

"Oh, you didn't go either?"

"No, because you two love to see me struggle," Percy quibbles.

"And I had classes," Annabeth gives him a look.

"It wasn't too bad," he responds, trying to play it down. "I got Ganymede the chalice just in time. He gave me my letter." The girls wait to hear more, but Percy glances at them with a brief smile that they've learned means 'Let's talk later'.

"So..." Paul continues. "What does a godly recommendation letter look like?"

"I'll show you after dinner," her brother sighs. "Probably best if we don't get spaghetti sauce on it."

"And how was cheer practice, Birdy?" Annabeth grins.

"I'm popular now," Ara says like she can't believe it. "Especially with boys, but then I tell them my dad's our English teacher and they back up fast."

Paul smiles. "My work is done."

Ara lowers her voice and talks to her mother. "He thinks they're intimidated, but I think they don't want the guy with the crazy ties as father-in-law."

Sally chuckles. "Well, Leo will be grateful either way, hm?"

Ara can't help but think Leo would like nothing more than to make fun of those boys at lunch with her parents. She holds back a sigh and focuses on finishing her meal, not noticing Percy's knowing look.

"It's blank."

"Lovely paper, though," Paul scans the material carefully.

"If you got an essay on this paper," Percy questions, "would you just give it an A-plus without reading it?"

"I would probably write 'Nice try with the lovely paper, but you still need to provide examples that prove your thesis.'" Paul grins.

"Well, there goes that idea," her brother mutters grumpily.

"Is it written in some sort of invisible ink?" Sally picks it up to examine it.

"I have to do it myself. Ganymede said I can put whatever I can come up with and in the end his signature will appear."

Paul hesitates. "That seems a bit..." 

"Too trusting?" Annabeth offers.

"I was going to say lazy on Ganymede's part. Though I hope that doesn't get me zapped with a lightning bolt."

"Nah. The gods would take that as a compliment. They raise lazy to an art form," Percy says nonchalantly.

"Nice work if you can get it," Paul hums.

"How does it know when to start writing?" Sally places the paper down.

"Dunno. Maybe I just say 'Dear Admissions Office—" He yelps when the words appear on the paper. "Well, crap—No! Delete!" Ara laughs. "This isn't funny," Percy scowls at her and Annabeth. "Delete, delete. I didn't know it would start. Delete, delete."

"That is amazing paper," Sally says in awe. "What's it made out of?"

"Maybe we should help Percy get it written now," Paul suggests kindly, "so he doesn't have to worry about it."

"Spoken like a true English teacher," Annabeth hums. "It can't be that hard, right? How about, 'I highly recommend Percy Jackson for New Rome University. He is adorable and has nice eyes.'"

"I am not saying that. Delete, delete," he huffs, but the first line stays.

"'And his mother is very proud of him,'" Sally continues humorously, "'though college would be a wonderful experience, as it might teach him to do his own laundry.'"

"'Make sure he sleeps in a dorm with cement walls'," Ara adds tauntingly. "'He has a tendency to slam skateboards against them and wake his sister up from her afternoon nap'."

"You're all terrible people," Percy groans. "Delete, delete."

Paul is the only one who is a bit helpful. "'I, Ganymede, cupbearer to the gods, have found Percy Jackson to be an excellent hero—brave, kind, and fantastic at chopping vegetables.'"

Ara laughs louder. Percy's family continues to tease him, only adding a few useful sentences here and there, until her brother's face is flushed, and the girls have both fallen from their seats laughing too hard.

"Let's see how the letter came out..." Sally says, reading the whole thing to the group.

"How do you get his signature to appear, though?" Annabeth stands up with Ara's help.

 "'Thank you for your time. Yours sincerely, Ganymede.'" Percy concludes. "You think it's done?" He waits to see if the letter keeps writing things, but it doesn't happen. "Thank gods."

"You have to get two more recommendation letters?" Their mother smiles. "Sounds like fun!"

"Yeah, and if those are do-it-yourself letters, too, I think I'll do them by myself."

"But you're never alone, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth kisses his cheek. "We'll always be here to help you."

"Yeah, Nemo, don't be such a buzzkill," Ara smirks.

"To Percy!" Paul toasts. "Our eldest family hero!"

Percy enters the room and plops down on her bed. The girl pulls her Spanish book from under his butt and lightly hits his hip. "What happened in Olympus?"

Percy takes a moment before replying. "Ganymede... is he always treated like that?"

Ara knows what he means, she's seen it in every solstice. "Not a nice view, right? The way Thunder Boy treats him, like an accessory of sorts—To think he was kidnapped!" Ara shakes her head. "Things like that make it hard for me to love my job."

Percy sits up. "You meant what you said, when Gary threatened to hide the chalice forever?"

"A little bit. It would help me sleep at night, knowing I won't ever take orders from new gods thirty years from now." Ara frowns. "And also knowing that I could never be turned into an immortal. A daughter of Olympus is as high as I'll be climbing."

She sits down facing Percy. He turns to close the door before matching her posture, this conversation is about to get real. "Here is what I don't get," Percy scratches above his eyebrow. "You keep saying you weren't expecting things to turn out like this. What were you expecting, then?"

Ara shrugs. "Two, perhaps three blessings throughout my life, and go down in history as the first daughter of Olympus."

"But your fatal flaw—"

"Ambition, yes. But not that way," Percy tends to freak out about everything when it comes to her, but she thinks it's time they have it out. "When you went missing, my title started to matter to others outside myself, and that's when..." The girl fidgets with the hair tie Leo made for her, and Percy watches her intently. "I wanted to be someone who meant safety and unity, but the day I spoke to Heracles... he said children of Olympus are killers."

"That's not—"

"He's right," she admits. "I helped Frank kill those creatures in Venice, and I didn't hesitate to kick that son of Poseidon off a cliff when he threatened to take our stuff... gods, I smashed a giant's skull over and over until he died—with a freaking club! And that's not the worst part, I..." her voice quivers. "I killed Octavian."

"What are you talking about?" Percy frowns. "Nico said it was his own fault, that the jewelry he was wearing got pulled and—"

"No," she shakes her head, too ashamed to meet his eyes. "That happened, yes, but I stuck his cloak inside the mechanism. I made sure it would take his life if he decided to use it."

"Gods, Ara," Percy stares at her like he can't quite recognize her. "But Nico said you tried to negotiate..."

"I asked him to back down, I warned him... that doesn't mean I wanted him to listen. We both know I could've used charmspeak," she laughs bitterly. "And I'm not even sorry."

He rubs the back of his neck, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "When people ask me about you, I have this mental image of you as our little Birdy. That chatty kiddo you used to be, loud and clumsy. I don't think of you as serious and broody even though that's the way you are most days now... Can't help but feel like I pushed you to prove your worth like this. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," her voice quivers. "I'm the one who should say sorry, and that's just the thing, that's where my fatal flaw comes in. I'm incapable of feeling sorry for getting the things I want, even when I know it's damaging others... and myself. But I owe you everything, Percy. The adventures, my home... my name! I'm difficult and argumentative, I like proving you wrong, and I have little regard for your concerns... I'll never be what you want, and I'm sorry."

Percy's gaze softens. "I knew who you were since day one, Ara. You had just exploded a washing machine when we first met, remember?" He lets out a small, boyish laughter. "There were no expectations when we adopted you. Just a lot of love to give. You're one in a million. No matter what I ask of you, the answer is always yes. You're a giver, and my mom and I just had this impulse to protect you so the world wouldn't run you dry. I'm sorry if that sounds condescending..."

"No. The fates handed me to you because I needed you, that much is clear," Ara sniffs. "I wanted to meet my father, to be loved by him—I thought he would grow to like me... but when I met you and you welcomed me in, it was as easy as breathing. I couldn't wrap my head around it, but you guys have done everything to make me believe it. And I feel so unworthy of it, but Hestia forgive me, I'm so glad you stuck around."

She hugs her brother fiercely, and Percy wraps his arms around her, rubbing her back with soothing, although trembling hands. He's too affected to speak.

"Eros said love was hard work," she buries her face on his shoulder. "I thought that meant it hurt, but hard work can be satisfying, like callouses from climbing the lava wall, it makes me feel alive and capable..."

Percy's voice comes out a little shaky when he responds. "Every time you think about how things don't go as planned, remember that. Don't let the doubt in. You have us, and we love you. Leo will come back, and he'll tell you the same."

"I know," she cries softly. "Olympus is my responsibility, but you guys... you're home. I'm sorry I doubted it."

"S'alright," he eases her, still rubbing her back in gentle circles. "The gods kept you busy and away because they know we're dangerous together."

She laughs weakly. "We're their boogeyman—'Now kids, don't make me call the Jacksons!', Maybe I should bring you along to all of my quests."

"You can always count on me, Birdy. No matter what, I'll always be your brother. Just make sure you help a poor guy out by reviewing his Algebra homework."

Ara sniffs and giggles, moving away to clean her nose. "Deal."

"And one more thing," he holds her by the shoulders. "I know you love him, but I'm totally punching Leo once I see him for making you worry."

"Just avoid the face, please."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

[percahliaweek]

Day 7: Free / Random Prompt

It's really hard to believe that this is already over.

I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I'm in awe of the creativity and passion of this community. As of writing this I can see 80+ fics in our AO3 collection and 40+ incredible pieces of artwork (of which I need to go back and tag more from day 1)! And with more to come - from people completing their WIPs past this date, to fics inspired by art and vici-versa, this blog will continue to be active as needed.

So... now what?

If you're looking for a last-minute prompt for today, we can recommend plenty of ways to get some (random) inspiration! Random page of the Encyclopedia Exandria / Random word generator / OTP prompt generator / AU generator / @ghostofwhitestone 's Spell prompts [roll 2d20?] / Wild Magic Surge table / Life events table

Comment, comment, comment! Gush in the tags of your favorite artwork, leave an essay or a massive keysmash on your favorite fics! Give back a little of the love all these creators have shown, especially the little ones that might be overlooked.

Speaking of: starting tomorrow, we'll be reblogging some pieces again to get more eyes on them!

Given the success of this celebration, we hope to give Perc'ahlia Week another shot next year! It will likely be from Monday the 23rd to Sunday the 29th, with the 29th keeping Yours / Later given it's the anniversary of Passed Through Fire. As for the rest of the prompts... well, it's a bit too early to start planning yet, but I can say there are plenty of excellent ideas for prompts going forward and we hope to make a poll to iron out the final list. Wayyyy down the line (as well as any other preferences for the event going forward: announcement date, anything to make it easier to participate, etc.).

I'd like to give a huge shoutout to all the participants: you've blown us away with your skill and creativity, and I really hope you got as much out of this experience as you put in. Thank you so, so much, you make this fandom a wonderful place to be in.

To those on the sidelines: your enjoyment of everything these creators share is half the fun! Thank you for joining us for the ride, and for letting your delight shine through. Hopefully you can join us next year!

And a final thank you to all the mods who helped this run smoothly: @essayofthoughts, @rightpastnowhere and @crithaus, it was a pleasure keeping this ship (hah! get it?) on course with y'all while also watching you offer your own contributions to Perc'ahlia Week. @burr-ell, my co-admin, thank you so much for helming this with me, your insight was always astute and your work dearly appreciated (im sorry for changing your nickname to butt-ell </3). Also thanks me @blorbologist i guess.

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (16-22 Oct 2022)

ᵛᵃᶜᵃᵗᶦᵒⁿ ʷᵉᵉᵏ ʷʰᵉᵉᵉᵉᵉ

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

😍Dishonor On Your Cow (mandarou) - 111K, shrunkyclunks - this fic is just fucking hilarious and so, so good - I had forgotten just all the great moments AFTER the initial meet-ugly, like bucky (sort of) becoming a cat and a multiverse Steve and repeated guest appearances by deadpool

🙂👂‍Curtain (Hercule Poirot #44) (Agatha Christie, author; Hugh Fraser, narrator) - though published last, it was written right after WW2 which made it interesting to read after later written novels. I've always thought this was a solid end to HP though.

🥰👂‍A Thief in the Night (Gentle Art World) (KJ Charles, author; James Joseph & Ryan Laughton, narrator) - delightful - KJC is an autobuy and never disappoints

🥰👂‍The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (Gentle Art World) (KJ Charles, author; Cornell Collins, narrator) - reading Toby's story (A Thief In The Night) made me want to revisit Robin & Hart - I forgot just how GOOD this was in terms of exploring different power differences and communication styles and how everyone is always bringing their own baggage/interpretations to what one thinks is a straightforward communication - fascinating and complex

🥰Whatever here that's left of me is yours (rainbow_nerds) - 41K, stucky AU - I'm a sucker for a ghost romance with a happy ending (esp if it gives me ghost sex first!)

😊Okay, so he can play… (pretty's got nothing to do with it) (darter_blue) - 50K, stucky college hockey AU (mildly a Check Please AU)

😍World Enough And Time (laiqualaurelote) - 51K, brilliantly done MFMM/Doctor Who AU

🥰👂‍The Spare Man (Mary Robinette Kowal, author & narrator) - MRK's self-stated mission was 'The Thin Man but in space' and she succeeded brilliantly. Loved ALL the characters and the plotty sometimes tortuous plot (very reminiscent of all the AC I've been reading). Gimlet (space Asta) is of course the biggest star. [There were one or two places where i had a flash of annoyance? irritation? at the plot/characters but I actually think this might have been because of the audiobook format? Like, if I had been textually reading i would have maybe rolled my eyes but it would have moved on more quickly. It was DEFINITELY a me thing, not truly a book thing.]

😊Murder on Board (Miss Underhay #10) (Helena Dixon) - Kitty & Co continue to be quick, light, cozy mystery fun. I do absolutely love the absurdly high body count this series is accumulating in such a short time.

🥰Clean Slated State (Justkeeptrekkin) - 42K, BlackBonnet AU with newly divorced/dating Stede & bartender Ed - fantastic characterizations, so enjoyable

😍by the moonlight side (wearing_tearing) - 92K, Steddie, werewolf!Steve - stayed up way, way too late for my old woman body reading this! SO. GOOD. Full of found family pack feels and wolfy goodness, tender and hot and emotional.

💖💖 +102K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

How we rolled up the carpet so we could dance (rohkeutta, SulaSafeRoom) - MCU: Stucky, 7K - featuring Cap!Bucky and the tag "Tired Old Men In Need Of A Break"

Feeling I'll Forget, I'm In Love Now (smithsonianstucky (thelarenttrap)) - MCU: Stucky, 8K - great WS recovery fic - Bucky's touch starved but also traumatized so they get a cat

Apes Debemus Imitari (We Should Imitate the Bees) (buckysbees) - MCU: Stucky, 15K - semi-annual reread of this wonderful The Little Shop Around the Corner AU set in a farmers' market with beekeeper!Bucky. I love this fic so much. Basically any time someone mentions it I immediately have to reread it.

✨✨ also this absolutely marvelous essay ✨✨

‘Family Means No One Gets Left Behind’: An oral history of Lilo & Stitch, the Disney movie that almost brought hand-drawn animation back

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Ghosts (US) - s1, e15-18; s2, e1-3

Columbo - s1, e6-7

ParaNorman

The Forgotten Disaster of the SS Eastland

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Ologies with Alie Ward - FIELD TRIP: I Go France and Learn Weird French Stuff

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Louie Mattar’s Fabulous Car

Switched on Pop - Steve Lacy brings bedroom pop to the Billboard top

Shedunnit Book Club - The Kidnap of Elizabeth Canning

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Meramec Caverns

99% Invisible #512 - Walk of Fame

Vibe Check - It's the Gayest Candy

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - A Thousand Words

Song Exploder - Santigold "Ushers of the New World"

Into It - A Portrait of the Artist as Taylor Swift

Ologies with Alie Ward - Metropolitan Tombology (PARIS CATACOMBS) with Erin-Marie Legacey

One Year - 1942: The Most Hated Man in America

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Times Square Hum

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster - Ep 155: Taron Egerton - where you will learn that Taron loooooooves mayonnaise and does occasionally like to just...spread it over a slice of pizza 'like a crumpet'. [if i have to have that knowledge you do too]

Strong Songs - "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

'80s Rock

Journey

Presenting Iron Maiden

Presenting Joni Mitchell

Presenting Taylor Swift

The Loneliest Time [Carly Rae Jepsen]

Presenting Carly Rae Jepsen

[moconut]

Whatever It Takes: A Degrassi Season 10 Retrospective (You Don't Know My Name, Pt. 1)

When I first started this review series, I talked about the Degrassi reboot and how I wasn't excited. Not because I don't love the show, but because to me it was an inevitability. Now that we've heard the reboot is off, my feelings are largely the same. No real outrage--just a certainty that it'll be back.

So in the spirit of things that die off and eventually drag themselves back out of the grave, here's the next episode: You Don't Know My Name (Part 1).

We open with Alli needling Drew with the "what are we" conversation, suggesting that people might think they're a couple since they walk around holding each other, pin each other against lockers, and play awkwardly charged games of Never Have I Ever. Drew says labels just cause problems; the problem in this case is Drew is a dog who wants all the fun parts of making out with girls and none of the boring stuff, such as conversations that don't revolve around his abs.

Meanwhile, Holly J's been sleeping off her break-up with Declan at school. Fiona finds her on the student council couch and asks whether Holly J and Declan truly broke up or were just "on a break." Holly J feels like crap either way, but luckily Fiona has a solution to her new pimple: the Zeno. If you didn't watch TeenNick in the 2010's, you probably have no idea what this is. It's some dubious acne removal thing that was advertised during every single commercial break, and I'm forever convinced there's some nefarious product placement at work here.

Alli tries to convince KC and Jenna that Drew is basically her boyfriend because he makes out with her, walks her to class, and calls her cute. I like that those are Alli's sole standards. Jenna and KC gush over each other, much to Alli's disgust. Careful, you two! You might get pregnant!

Remember that plot about Dave being terrible at singing and even worse at not having a huge ego about it? Well, that whole thing was pointless because the band slam the Three Tenners entered has been cancelled to make room for other plots. Sav forcefully ejects Dave into the C plot before commiserating with Holly J. She suggests holding a dance instead, because nothing ever goes wrong at Degrassi dances.

The Three Tenners are in Media Immersion class, where Connor is struggling to wake up from his late night of gaming. Wesley and Dave express their concerns, which is weird to me because isn't staying up all night to game like the most normal thing a teen boy could do?

Because no major character is allowed to be single on this show, Sav shows up to flirt with Holly J while Fiona looks on in relatable distaste. Remember a few episodes ago when Holly J made Sav think Anya was pregnant with his baby in order to sabotage his bid for presidency? Apparently he doesn't.

Alli gets crowned Queen of Worst Taste in Guys when she interrupts history class to ask Drew to the Harvest Hoedown (haha!). Drew brushes her off, saying he needs to study and getting a little nasty with her when she doesn't get the hint. Strange, you'd think Drew would jump at the chance to attend something with "hoe" in the title.

We're introduced to Realm of Doom, the totally-not-World-of-Warcraft game Connor's been spending all his time in lately. He even has a waifu: LoveQueen16, who says their game is nothing like the reality of her life. I would hope so, because they literally just exploded a building.

Alli continues to willfully misinterpret Drew's shitty signals by saying she understands he's under a lot of pressure and presenting a solution: she'll write his essay for him. Drew is understandably insulted and presumably astounded at how clueless Alli is being, brushing off her offer.

Holly J and Sav happily continue to plan their Hoedown (haha!). Holly J's zit is even gone! "Fiona's never getting her Zeno back," she vows, which probably earned the show another several thousand dollars in product placement cash. Also Sav asks Holly J on a date. This pairing came out of nowhere and is dumb.

Later that evening, Sav comes to Holly J's job to steal pretzels and stare at her as she serves tables. Her boss mistakes them as a couple as he serves them disappointing-looking nachos, and the two awkwardly giggle about how crazy that would be. Them, dating? No way that's where this plot is going!

Alli defies Drew and also common sense by submitting a flawless paper for him. Mr. Perino questions the essay's legitimacy, guilting Alli into confessing what she did. She's sent to the office and Drew is docked a letter grade, which is actually fair because I doubt he would have actually submitted his real paper on time anyway. Meanwhile, an NPC looks off impassively in the background.

Sav and Holly J are having inflation issues: they need to manually fill each helium balloon before the dance. They have fun inhaling chemicals (from the same balloon, no less! Scandalous) and it's actually pretty charming. Until, that is, Sav suddenly kisses her. Holly J immediately makes an excuse about needing to go see Fiona while Sav's balloon, metaphorically and literally, deflates in his hands.

Alli approaches Drew in the hallway, STILL not getting how badly she fucked up by joking about getting off with very little consequence. Drew rounds on her, saying Alli failed his "trial period" for being his girlfriend. After basically calling Alli dumb, he stalks off. These two make each other worse in every way.

That's it for now. We'll see whether it takes one day or six months for me to do the next one. Thanks!

[tamerjustine]

Get ready this is another long post.

Yo so im stepping in from my daily lurking to 1 say hello, i officially graduated from HS earlier this month (June 10th) and am finally free from school and likely going to be more active than in past until i figure out college

And 2 just say i am considering.

POUNDAGE OF SALT ON THAT “considering”

— bringing back my RP blogs.

Shocker. Dare say rocker. A Bonkers statement if you will, I KNOW I REALLY KNOW IVE DONE THIS SAME LOOP A MILLION TIMES BUT NOW THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SHI-

So… although i might leave @council-of-cxnts inactive a while longer just so i can test the waters of my activity, im going through my Pokemon obsession phase again (a Metagross line phase again) You wanna know what that implies?

Metang OC is coming back!!! And just as an art dump and kinda a “SQUIRREL” moment, i have a species of them to railway this off to real quick and ill continue my thought…

BEHOLD, MY ORRE-IAN METAGROSS LINE!!

Now you maybe saying to yourself “they look exactly tfing same” AND TO THAT I SAY i know. I like em that way.

Ill expound upon them on a later date if its intriguing, but for now back to the topic at hand.

So, with my pokemon phase coming back Im considering putting back up my metang oc to rp with. And for those who did RP with Isane back when I was new to tumblr if you are still alive and well, i promise only a little bit, i will NOT pester your inbox./j But for realsies, I understand alot of those i rp’d with were very busy with their own thing and i was a rule breaker since uhhh…

I was maybe 14 when i was going around, likely lying about my age to hangout with the Cool People™️. (Do not worry though, i am a legal adult now being 18 and going to be 19 in september)

I know this is another essay of a post. But the Whole TLDR is Im alive, graduated, and an adult now and am really considering rebooting and overhauling my old metang OC rp blog under a new design & personality.

Ill look into it more, and if i feel the same for maybe a month ill bump my oc back up.

Thank you for reading

— Tamer

[cummingforkylo]

Kylo Ren is Not Nice-A thesis by Tumblr user CummingForKylo

Kylo Ren is a deeply disturbed and haunted individual who in canon repeatedly disregards the bodily autonomy,  as well as the physical and mental wellbeing of many, many individuals; he would struggle to do anything we might consider ‘nice’ or ‘loving’ in any relationship he was in. Kylo Ren is not nice. And oh, do we love him for that. Part of Kylo’s draw is that he is the ultimate bad boy, he’ll choke you and not flinch away as you struggle. Writing and reading smut or fantasy is about exploring things you can’t explore in real life because they are dangerous, unrealistic, or completely imaginary. Don’t dilute or water down bad characters into something that is easier to excuse, or easier for you to love. Pretend that Kylo would be gentle, pretend he’d want to ‘make love’ or kiss you, or provide you aftercare, sure, but don’t say that’s canon. It is simply not canon and never will be and lots of individuals fell in love with Kylo as he was written in canon: mean, aggressive, hot headed, possessive, with a host of behavioral issues because, say it with me: fiction is a place to explore those things safely.

Kylo Ren slaughtered his whole Jedi school, Kylo ordered an entire village of innocent people murdered, he destroys people and property on a whim. Kylo is unrestrained, violent, and angry. Not to mention his has no emotional intelligence. He is incapable of understanding that love could help his anger, he pushes away any attempt to use love to bring him back from he dark side. When his father reaches out to be gentle with him, to offer him love within the safe space of his family, Kylo kills him instead. Kylo doesn’t want to face the pain that has caused his anger, and accepting love would mean he would have to look in the eye of his trauma and his pain so, like so many real life individuals, he chooses to reject love and remain angry. This is why he struggles so much and is being “torn apart” because he doesn’t want to be vulnerable, he doesn’t want to feel things and yet…humans can’t help but feel things so this turns to rage. So the idea that he would suddenly be kind, warm, and affectionate to Reader or even to Rey is laughable.

If you enjoy Kylo’s character, the struggle he goes through and the darkness in him then you have to accept the fact that he’s not someone that would be emotionally available, even in a relationship. Kylo Ren would not be a good real life boyfriend. In fact, in real life, Kylo would be an abusive boyfriend, teetering on murderous.  It’s questionable whether or not he’d even be able to call himself a boyfriend to anyone. In fiction, we can decide that slowly Kylo would allow room for someone in his life but would he suddenly be consistently nice to them? No. Would he call himself their partner? No. Would he wrap his arms around them and whisper that he wanted to have a baby with them? Definitely not. It would take a redemption arc, his return to Ben Solo, and then years of painful therapy and self reflection, forgiveness etc to get Ben Solo to that point. For me, one of the most fun aspects of writing Kylo in some kind of relationship is figuring out how he would show tiny amounts of affection for the Reader, what would he feel like he could do without compromising his strength? Spoiler alert: its not much. But that makes those tiny things feel heart-poundingly huge. The hesitation before leaving the room, the unexpected kiss, the gentle hand on the back, all things we take for granted in real life because they’re expected(as they should be) become enormous and diary-entry level exciting with Kylo Ren. (Dear Diary, he didn’t slap me when I asked for a kiss today. I’ve never felt more in tune with him). So why do people need to get up in arms about writers writing Kylo as he really is?

I get countless asks from people wanting me to write Kylo as a sweet boyfriend who is gentle with them. I’ve also had the question about aftercare come up a lot. Then when I say I won’t write Kylo like this because it’s not like him, I tend to get an amount of pushback. Which is kind of what sparked this essay. First and foremost, Kylo wouldn’t even understand what aftercare is. The idea of taking care of someone after you fuck them isn’t something that he’d understand because of the aforementioned lack of emotional intelligence. Second, Kylo wouldn’t be in a typical BDSM relationship with someone where there are agreed upon limits. He is not a Nice Guy. He is not someone you would want to do these things with you from a place of mutual respect because he is not capable of mutual respect. Kylo Ren does not respect, unless it is someone who is an accomplished dark side of the Force user(Vader, Palpatine…kinda and Snoke but thats questionable near the end too). I don’t know about other people, but my  sexual fantasies do not revolve around contracts, safe words, and gentle aftercare. They revolve around a world where my deepest fantasies can come true as if they’re a real life horrible situation, not a BDSM scene with rules and regulations. I don’t fantasize about Kylo Ren being a realistic and good Dominant. No, I fantasize about what BDSM scenes only simulate. I’m sure there are people that are different from me, and want the contracts, consent, safe words and aftercare. But that means Canon!Kylo might not be for them.

I don’t want to gatekeep the Kylo Ren character at all that is not my intent. If you have a fantasy of him caring for you, being your boo, snuggling you etc thats wonderful! You’re allowed to have those fantasies but please, please don’t argue with me about my want to portray his character as accurately as I can. Don’t tell me that he’s soft, or that he ‘needs love’ or anything. No, Kylo Ren is Not Nice. He is incapable of accepting love. I am honestly taking great creative license when I choose to have him not  kill Reader after he fucks her. There are things I write that aren’t the most realistic, there are aspects of him that I think are fun to explore even though they aren’t totally in character—but generally speaking I like to keep his characteristics as canon as they can be. That is that he is a mass murdering, hot tempered, sarcastic, damaged, rage-filled, aggressive dark side user and I still want to suck his dick.

[bella-studyblr]

Task Management:

Creating + Maintaining a Schoolwork Schedule

Key elements

Your schedule suits your individual time/task management preferences.

It is flexible enough to accommodate sudden changes, plus fluctuating energy levels, states of concentration, symptoms and moods.

Daily tasks are not over-whelming; they are small enough that they are achievable.

You do not get “burned out.”

It allows you to be consistent.

Steps to create your schedule

Decide if you want your planner to be paper or digital

Find an “order” that’s logical and achievable for you (more on this later)

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all the assignments, tests and other events taking place that week/month (and their due-dates).

Then break these down, assigning tasks to each day of the week (more on this later).

Break down your tasks even further (more on this later).

Decide if you want to follow a simple daily to-do list or a timed schedule (more on this later).

Find your “order(s)”

Mandatory: Schedule assignments around other commitments (work, social, hobbies, etc.).

Do the hardest task first to get it out of the way (so that the rest of your tasks are less daunting, and because your smaller tasks require less energy therefore can be done even after completing the hard task).

Do the easiest task first to build momentum (give yourself a feeling of accomplishment which will motivate you to continue, and boost your self-confidence early in the day to establish a positive mindset for the rest of the day).

Do the task that’s due first to minimize deadline stress, and so your assignments don’t fall through the cracks (causing you to get discouraged and lose momentum).

Plan according to your energy level throughout the day and week: Do you have Pilates once a week? Maybe you can reserve that day for easier assignments. If you know you’re going to be tired for whatever reason, account for that in your planning.

Consider your state of concentration: If you know you’re too groggy or spaced out for the first hour of your day, you can either schedule easy tasks in that time, or none at all. If you take a medication in the afternoon/evening that makes you tired, schedule easier tasks or none, and get harder tasks done earlier/later in the day. If you have ADHD and crowded places mess with your concentration, but you like studying at a café, go when it’s not busy.

Be mindful of your emotions and symptoms: If you have depression, or are prone to depressive episodes, you’ll need to consider that when scheduling. You might have to rework your entire schedule when you get into a depressive episode (like adding lots of breaks). If suddenly you’re going through a big life event (like a breakup), you need to account for that when scheduling. For instance, if you can’t stand to be alone, maybe you can go out instead of staying in, and if your motivation is low, you may need to up your reward-system or break down your tasks even more.

Break down this week/month’s tasks

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all your due dates for the time period you’re scheduling for.

Based on due dates, outside commitments, predictions of energy/mood/symptoms, assign assignments to the days of the week/month that make most sense for you.

Break down daily tasks into sub-tasks

You can do this (in advance) for your full week/month’s assignments, or do it every morning/evening.

Generally, your assignments will follow a variation of this formula: brainstorm, create an outline, research, write rough draft, edit and revise. Test/exam prep will look something like: check to see what the test is based on, pinpoint important sections, review to see how well you know the material, create a list of items to study, rewrite select notes, make flash cards, study topic 1, study topic 2, etc.

What are the individual components of these steps? Here are some examples. Brainstorm: what should my topic be, what should my thesis be, what points can support my thesis, what do I need to research, what questions do I need to ask my prof? Outline: topic, thesis, points, conclusion. Research: write down all the important parts from each source (separately), then sift through to sort into Supporting Point 1, Supporting Point 2, etc. Rough draft: opening statement(s), intro, point 1, point 2, etc., conclusion, closing statement(s). Edit/revise: read and check for grammar only, then read again and check for spelling only, read again and check for cohesiveness only, etc. Topic 1: Part A, Part B, etc.

Each of these small components can be individual items on your to-do list. Big tasks like, “write essay” are too big for most people. Even “write rough draft” is daunting. If you start with something specific and small like brainstorming, and work your way up, it’s a lot easier to approach. Plus, being able to check off tasks more often and more easily will boost your confidence and your sense of competence, thus building momentum.

Here is a sample to-do list: Research X for Point 1 of Literary Essay, create outline for History Essay, Edit/Revise Assignment 1, study Topic 1 and Topic 2 for Test 1.

To-do list or time-based schedule?

To do list: Write down all your assignments for the day. Put them in the order you want to do them, or go through them intuitively (based on what you feel like doing, or what’s most practical at the time/place you’re at).

Timed-based: Write down all your assignments, then write down the time you’re going to do each of them. You could set reminders or alarms if you want, or simply refer to the list. There’s an awesome app I recommend if this is your thing. It’s called Structured (iOS only).

Curate your study environment for maximum focus

Eliminate distractions such as uncomfortable clothing, sounds (or silence), phone and computer notifications, clutter in the room and on your desk, people who may try to talk to you (shut your door and/or inform them that you’re busy).

Designate a space to doing homework only and avoid spaces that you associate with other things (do not study in bed, as you will want to relax or sleep, and/or you will mess with your sleep by weakening the bed’s association with sleep).

Build associations: Incorporate other events and items into your study/homework routine that you only use while doing that, so that you associate those things with studying/homework (examples: specific playlists, pencils/pens, cups/bottles, scents, rituals, decor, etc.).

Ensure good lighting (preferably including daylight).

Get dressed in clothes that make you feel good about yourself. They don’t have to be “professional” and they should definitely be comfortable. Do not stay in your pyjamas. Believe me, I know this can be hard, and I love PJ’s. But they are not good for productivity.

Don’t “multi-task.” It may feel like you’re getting more done this way, but by splitting your focus, not only do tasks take longer, they also diminish in quality. Commit to the task you’re doing.

Meditate: You can even meditate for just 1-5 mins right before studying, homework and/or classes.

Practice self care (daily!)

Sleep (enough, well, and regularly).

Daylight: Get outside, work by windows, use a light therapy box. These can help regulate your sleep, improve and maintain mental health, and boost energy.

Fresh air: Getting outside even for a couple minutes can help you refresh and reset, and feel good about yourself and your life. Fresh oxygen can help you wake up and is great for your health. Even just opening your window can do a lot for your mood, energy and motivation.

Movement: Try to move at least once per day. The benefits of exercise are numerous and immense.

Healthy and consistent eating: Avoid spikes in insulin levels by eating regularly so you don’t have extreme dips in your energy level. Also, brain power uses calories too, so make sure you’re eating consistently, and try to eat healthy. There are so many other reasons eating consistently is good for your health (and by extension, your productivity).

Relaxation and leisure: Make time for fun and socializing, as well as intentional relaxation. Hobbies, movies/tv, time with friends/family, meditation, baths, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.

Therapy: Your therapy sessions are not daily, but you can do 5 minutes of inner-work per day based on what you and your therapist are currently working on. Working with a therapist is a great way to stay on track with your goals, and develop the skills and positive mindset required for success in school.

Reward yourself

Track progress: Reflect on all the assignments you’ve completed and your grades to remind yourself that you’re capable!

Completing to-do lists daily maintains a sense of accomplishment which keeps your momentum going. Check those items off! Or give yourself gold stars! ⭐️

Treat yourself with non-food rewards: Tie completed school work with fun tasks like video games, or take yourself out for coffee, or some other small (non-food) outing. What I’m trying to do right now is not do my leisure activities until my daily tasks are done.

Develop a positive mindset

Take promises you make to yourself seriously. The more you break promises to yourself, the easier it will get to continue breaking promises. You will lose respect for yourself which lowers motivation, and you will lose trust in yourself which can become debilitating as well. The more you keep promises, the easier it will get, the more motivated you’ll become, and the more you’ll trust and respect yourself. Your confidence will improve, and you’ll feel better about yourself. Productivity is choosing yourself. Discipline is choosing what’s best for you instead of what you feel like doing in the moment. Discipline is a muscle, and like any muscle, it can be strengthened, and it can atrophy.

Remember your “why.” What is the end goal of being in school? What’s your career path, and why did you choose it? What will your life be like when you have that career? What would your life be like if you gave up and didn’t make it to your goal? Aiming for your dream while running from your nightmare is a great strategy for maintaining motivation. Lighting a fire under your *** can be a huge motivator.

Remember how good you feel when you get schoolwork done, and let this motivate you to stay consistent. You can also remember how you feel when you don’t get work done, but definitely focus more on the positive!

Go to therapy and/or hire a coach. There are SO many benefits to therapy and I’d honestly need a whole other post to get into it. You don’t need to be depressed or mentally ill at all in order to benefit from talking to a therapist. They can even help you with time management, procrastination, motivation and more! If you can afford it, please do it. It’s such a worthwhile investment.

Be consistent

No “zero days.” Do at least a bit of homework or studying every day so you don’t slip into vacation mode. Make schoolwork a daily part of your life, so it just becomes the norm.

Build productivity momentum (track progress, check items off your to-do list daily, treat yourself, keep promises to yourself, remember your “why,” remember how success feels).

Stay on top of projects. Your assignments are made up of smaller tasks you assign yourself across time. “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier

Avoid burnout (more on this later).

Keep it interesting (more on this later).

Avoid burnout

Self-care: shower and/or bathe regularly, maintain proper sleep habits, stay hydrated, take care of your skin, do relaxation activities like meditation and reading, do fun activities, pamper yourself every now and then with face masks or foot baths, take your meds as prescribed, eat well and regularly, get outside often, move daily, etc.

Break up study/homework sessions into small, manageable chunks of time, with constructive (refreshing) breaks in between.

Break assignments down into even smaller tasks so that you aren’t over-working yourself during the course of a day, and so that you don’t overwhelm yourself (the stress can lead to burnout).

School-life balance: Keep up with your social life as best as you can, make time for your hobbies, maintain self-care, say no to things that don’t serve you, etc. Try to follow through with scheduled schoolwork 100% of the time, but know that you won’t. Sometimes you’ll need to prioritize mental health over schoolwork (be careful though, this is a very fine line, and a slippery slope). Sometimes things will come up and it’ll be out of your control. But more than anything else, there will be times when you just decide to prioritize something else like fun and socializing over schoolwork. This is why your schedule needs to be flexible: to accommodate sudden invites to hang out and random decisions to skip a homework/study session, but more importantly, flexibility will reduce the odds that you’ll skip in the first place. If your schedule includes hobbies and socializing, and anything else that’s important to you, then you won’t feel deprived. If you have school-life balance, you’ll have more of yourself to devote to schoolwork when it’s time to.

Keep it interesting

Romanticize your life by putting effort into making all of your daily tasks a special occasion.

Make meals and drinks special by using your favourite dinnerware and cutlery. Perhaps even incorporate extra elements such as: a beautiful tablecloth, napkins, candles and/or dim lighting, music, wearing your favourite clothing, etc.

Pretend you’re the main character in a movie about a successful, productive student (because you are the main character in your life).

Make games out of studying if this is something that interests you (the Forest app comes to mind).

Use lots of colours in your notes and buy colourful stationary! 🌈

Vary your approach/methods if needed to avoid boredom.

Study with friends (online or in person).

Reward yourself often.

Remember your “why.”

[emsylcatac]

hi I'm gonna talk about post-reveal pre-relationship (because I can) and in this totally disorganised essay I will list reasons why it is important that we get post-reveal pre-relationship in the show and why it makes sense (to me and my personal needs but consider this list has everyone's best interests at heart and not just my own)

1. post-reveal pre-relationship in Ephemeral was brilliant so imagine getting all of this but it lasts more than like 5minutes. like imagine we really take the time to see them reconciling the other's identity in more than one episode

2. once the reveal happen, we get to look forward to them getting together and imagine tons of different scenarios (we already do that but you get what I mean right): it's like once your birthday has passed there's still christmas to look forward to, you know?

3. we get to see them fall in love a second (or third 😏) time

4. it really is upping the clowning to the next level honestly and what is this show if not a clowns show

5. we saw pictures of Adrien as Chat Noir in ephemeral thanks to the Marinette Freak Out Vision, but now I also need to see pictures of Chat Noir as Adrien too so if the next Marinette Freak Out Vision could give us that it would be neat (ladyblog pictures of Chat Noir's acrobatics from Rocketear I'm counting on you)

6. In the same idea and logic, we never got to see the Adrien Simp Vision of switching pictures of Marinette and Ladybug and really I think we should see it too for our personal simp reasons

7. the shenanigans and doubts of "has he moved on? does he still love me even though I rejected him before? shit he's not flirting why did I tell him to stop, I take it baaack" and "who is buttercup I really really really need to know, yes you can practice your confession for him on me my lady doesn't hurt one bit haha ha"

8. if you think the pining pre-reveal is bad, imagine the pining in a prpr situation. it'd be a nightmare but a nightmare we're willing to have

9. the classmates obliviously discussing Ladybug & Chat Noir's romantic endeavours right in front of Adrien & Marinette who have to just stand here and listen knowing it's exactly themselves they're talking about

10. Even better, they ask Marinette her opinion on Ladybug and Chat Noir's romantic feelings when Adrien is right here

11. Marinette putting up pictures of Chat Noir in her room

12. Adrien hiding pictures of Marinette in his room

13. every or so episode we get to be like "this is it. this is the one. it's gonna happen" and last second they chicken out but we got an awfully sweet moment we will scream about (in both frustration and happiness)

14. the end of ship wars within the same ship as we all scream towards the same goal: get together for the love of cheese

15. them going on a date-what date-this is not a date many many times

anyway I need to go to bed but who knows I just might continue this list later

[taechaos]

Social Media

from Textbook Love drabbles

pairing: bully!Jungkook x nerdy!fem!Reader

genre: drabble(?), smut, college au

synopsis: “She’s too sweet,” Taehyung begins, “too kind, too nice, everything you’re not. You wouldn’t be trying to keep me away from her if you didn’t know that. Are you afraid she’ll like me better?”

warnings: slight angst, arguing, dubcon, mild violence

word count: 4.7k

a/n: ima need yall to submit jk gifs cuz it is taking me TOO long to find a good one 👺 not proofread.

The weekend is fun: students’ two days of temporary rest and catching up on their assignments. Jungkook doesn’t concern himself with the latter, but he does enjoy waking up later in the day and lying down on the grass with his arms crossed under his head, bathing in the sun without any worries. It’s peaceful, thinking thoughts of you with dimmed eyes while the breeze gently wafts past him.

But of course, Taehyung wouldn’t let him just enjoy his day without a hint of irritation. Good things never last anyway. He’s sitting in the middle of the field, a hot spot for relaxation, and feels the soil under his palms while observing his surroundings. Yoongi is with them, munching on a few snacks while scrolling through his phone as it quietly plays music.

“The girl at the party,” Taehyung begins before glancing at Jungkook through his sunglasses, “she was alone when I came back. You weren’t around either; did you cum too soon or something? I saw you two kiss.”

“I left,” Jungkook mumbles without opening his eyes.

“Why?”

“I was bored.”

“And where did you go?” he pries.

“None of your business.”

Taehyung scoffs at his dismissal before averting his gaze elsewhere. “I do have a guess.”

“Don’t start,” Yoongi warns him without looking up. The two best friends usually get into arguments in a matter of seconds daily, and Yoongi just wants to spend his day without having to break up a fight. Just this once, he hopes… but hope doesn’t save him.

“I’m just wondering if you actually went all the way back to campus to fuck another girl, who coincidentally also does your homework.” His tone is cool and collected, but it borders on mocking that usually goes unnoticed. He’s been around these two too long for them to miss, however. Yoongi sighs, dreading the response already.

Jungkook sits up on his elbows with a glare directed towards Taehyung. “How’s your ex holding up, Tae? You think she cheated on another guy yet?”

Neither of the two friends have a filter around them, no consideration for their words as they apathetically insult one another; but Jungkook can go too far, especially by bringing up old wounds. 

Taehyung was in a toxic relationship with his first girlfriend of two years, which took a huge toll on his mindset. Constant infidelity, endless forgiving, make up sex and catching her with another man after: a cycle that went on for over 24 months. The concept of love became tainted in his eyes, no longer interacting with the opposite gender if not to get laid, and Jungkook’s commensalistic - rather parasitic - relationship doesn’t disprove his hateful ideology. Love only consists of two people: a host who provides, and the parasite that selfishly takes it all. 

But he isn’t over the pain that lasted a year after the break up, which was shamelessly executed by the parasite: his former girlfriend. It took a lot of trust to open up about it to his friends, and it lifted a heavy weight off of his chest. Only this year did he stop thinking about her, until Jungkook asked about her so casually. It stings his heart only for a second, and he scoffs as Yoongi intervenes, “Both of you need to shut the fuck up.”

“If you guys want to talk about my relationships, then don’t get all whiny when I talk about yours.”

Taehyung swallows his pride and confidently answers, “I don’t know, Jungkook. I hear she’s doing well, but no information on her boyfriends. Your turn: what’s going on with that nerd?”

“Elaborate.”

“Are you two dating?” Yoongi asks exhaustedly. They just keep taking every opportunity to annoy each other, and it’s even overwhelming him at this point. 

Rolling his neck side to side in thought, Jungkook takes a moment to answer, “No.”

“Bullshit,” Taehyung spits. “You know what? Let’s just move on. I’m sure I could get proper answers from someone else.”

“If you have a death wish, that is,” he warns with a slight seethe before lying back down.

He doesn’t respond and hides a smirk, a couple having a romantic picnic ahead of him from a distance. He watches them for a few seconds before muttering to himself, “It’s not going to be my death.”

Yoongi and Jungkook chill on their own after Taehyung leaves. He’s roaming the campus in hopes of finding that one girl who is always wearing some school skirt and working 24/7 to find out what is so special about her. Jungkook might think he doesn’t notice them interacting, but behind that airhead facade, he’s observant. It’s not that big of a fucking secret either, they’re not deliberately hiding their strangely beneficial friendship or whatever. You stick out like a sore thumb in the yard, though there’s not many people to tell you apart from anyway.

He approaches you rather slowly, inspecting your figure first before meeting you. Your posture is straight and composed, fingers quickly typing away on your keyboard without even looking at them. You look so serious to him, a contrast to the radiant butterflies flying past you in such a bright environment. He wonders if you ever procrastinate or take breaks, and most importantly, how someone that appears so smart has fallen into such an obvious trap set by his best friend of all people. 

His hands are in his pockets as he speaks his first words to you. “Hi, I’m Taehyung.”

Your reaction is instant: a quick look at him and you’re already frowning. “I’m Jungkook’s best friend,” he adds in case you’ve seen him around before. 

“I don’t know you.” And with that distant reply, you return to your essay. If meeting Jimin has taught you anything, it’s that you can’t trust anyone who claims to know your lover. They are just using it against you… 

“Well, shit,” he laughs, “I didn’t realize you were so cold.” Your eyes don’t waver from your screen, so he tries another approach: “Are you the girl Jungkook left the party a few days back for?”

Your ears perk up in his direction, but you don’t show it. But he notices the pause in your taps before you continue typing, and he holds that against you. He takes a seat across from you, and your laptop covers your face from him. “I just wanted to meet the person that’s got him whipped enough to get high and run off to them.” You bite down on a smile and prolong your silence. “I guess I’ll talk to you when you’re not busy.” 

He stands up just as you tell him, “Wait, no, I’m not busy.” You close your laptop mid-way before hesitating, but slam it shut nonetheless. “Sorry.”

“You’re good.” He sits back down and clasps his hands on the table. “So what’s going on between you and him? He refuses to tell me, as if you’re his little secret.”

You shyly look down at your flats and twiddle your fingers on your lap. “We’re together… but he is very mysterious.”

It’s a good thing you don’t glance at him to hide your blush, because he’s a little skeptical. He puckers his lips and furrows his brows but controls his expression when you look up. He mentally curses for taking longer than a few seconds to respond; it’s suspicious. “I know right? I don’t know why he’s so reluctant to talk about you. You’re a total sweetheart.”

Approval from Jungkook’s friend: check. Will he like you more if you get along with his friends? The thought excites you, because at least this is someone he likes, unlike Jimin. “Thank you,” you shy a smile. “Um…”

You’re awkward: not Jungkook’s type, Taehyung notes. You’re obviously the host... “So is this a fling, or are you two serious?”

“We’re serious!” you immediately answer. “I love him, and he recently told me he loves me too. He used to kiss me for doing his homework, but now he does it out of nowhere.”

Wow… romantic. He suppresses a chuckle because he doesn’t want to laugh in your face, not when you’re so cute when you talk about him. Your eyes light up with a gleam, a lovesick smile gracing your face and now desperate to befriend him. You look like him when he was supposedly in love. You’re serious about Jungkook, but for how long? Especially when the other side of the relationship is not so committed. It should be mutual: with two hosts.

“Yeah?” he acts interested and raises his sunglasses up to his hair. “How does he act around you?”

“Well,” you start gushing, “he is a little closed off with his emotions.” True. “He doesn’t like me talking to other guys.” Ooh, interesting. “He can’t stand being ignored,” you chuckle. Can he now? “And… he is so cute when he’s jealous. He has this glare whenever I don’t give him enough attention, but he would never admit it. He likes being intimate with me, likes it when I reassure him. He never says it out loud though, I can just tell by looking at him. I’ve never felt this way for anyone, never fell in love with someone until I met Jungkook. I just want to make him happy because he used to look so sad when I watched him from afar.” A hopeless romantic.

Maybe if you didn’t sound so genuine and innocent, he would’ve made fun of you. But he just feels pity for someone who is so giving to someone who gives back so little. You don’t deserve it; don’t deserve to stay up working on so many assignments; don’t deserve to not have any hobbies; don’t deserve to be so unloved. You are pathetic, but it doesn’t turn him off.

Taehyung is a host too.

He clears his throat at the unexpected stirring emotions in his heart, “What do you love about him? Do you like being treated like shit or something?”

“He doesn’t treat me badly! He is like a light switch, you know? He doesn’t know how to act, sometimes sweet and sometimes… a little mean. I love him for his pure heart, and I believe that we are similar in a lot of ways.”

Taehyung can’t contain his snort. Similar? You are opposites. You are similar to him, not Jungkook. He feels… jealous. The pairing is just so ridiculous and flawed, but you’re neither of the two; you are just good. Taehyung can be good too. “So, what’s your Instagram user?”

The lack of commentary and escalation of the topic catches you off guard. It’s a distraction. “I don’t have an account,” you reply in confusion.

“Wow, I’d expect you to cyberstalk Jungkook on there,” he jokes with a laugh.

“He has an Instagram?”

He purses his lips, his grin faltering as he nods. He takes out his phone from his pocket to show you the account, and holds it in your face. Your lips part as you gently take it from him, curiously inspecting the collage of images. 

“He plays the guitar?” you ask in awe. You click on each picture to zoom in on them, and your heart jumps upon seeing his selfies while Taehyung hums. He is gorgeous in your eyes, and you want to keep up with his posts in hopes of seeing another selfie. These are hidden gems that Taehyung had the courtesy of providing to you.

“He’s learning,” Taehyung says, “you should sign up and post some pictures as well. You’re really cute.” His cheeky compliment makes you happy; he is basically giving you his blessing! 

“Thank you, and you’re right,” you chirp, “I will make an account after I finish this essay. Want to take a picture with me?”

It’s safe to assume that Jungkook wouldn’t mind you talking to his best friend, so why not expand your social circle? You’ll be more involved with his life this way. Taehyung stammers slightly before agreeing. He switches benches to sit next to you while you rummage through your backpack to find your phone. He finds it strangely endearing how you hold it, using your index finger to swipe between apps to find the camera. It almost stings his heart that you’re so old-schooled in a cute way. Once you angle it above you with your arm stretched out to your left, Taehyung appears to be behind you as he lowers his glasses. You smile brightly into the lens while he cutely puckers his lips. 

Click.

“Are you wearing perfume?” he asks before he can stop himself. Your scent tickles his nostrils sweetly, and he doesn’t know why he’s noticing so much about you or holding a conversation with a woman without being naked. It’s been a hot minute since Taehyung’s had such a platonic interaction, and it shouldn’t feel this nice. He shouldn’t want to continue it through social media either.

“Yes! Do you smell strawberries? I noticed Jungkook eating them before, so I use just about anything strawberry scented. Lotion, shampoo, shower gel…”

He tunes you out as you gush and focuses on the smooth movement of your lips. You’re too good, and Taehyung knows he isn’t the best person but at least he’s not as bad as Jungkook. I shouldn’t think like this… but am I wrong? He will break your heart. What if it’s the right time to intervene to save you from that misery, and be a friend to both of you? He doesn’t want you to fall apart and be completely crushed right in front of his eyes, not when he just witnessed how childishly happy and naive you are. It wouldn’t be fair to you, nor to the life lesson he was taught years ago.

And he then notices that you're wearing strawberry lip balm. 

“Jungkook kis-” -sed someone else before coming to you. You hum and tilt your head at his interruption, waiting for him to finish his sentence. “Jungkook… does love strawberries.”

Though your work ethics are questionable for how exhausting they are, it gets the job done sooner. The moment you’re assigned a task, you do it, regardless of if it’s yours or Jungkook's. Saturday evening and Sunday are free for you, so you spend your time outside after leaving your backpack in your dorm. You think you look silly, taking pictures of anything you find interesting to post on Instagram. You made an account, but it appears like a bot with its empty feed. Jungkook enjoys doing this, so you want to try it as well. 

You don’t stray far from campus because you’d easily get lost, and your gallery looks boring to you. The only decent photo you have is with Taehyung, but you want to post a picture with Jungkook before anyone else. You grumble under your breath while walking back to the dormitory building. You look through Jungkook’s posts again as you do so with a smile. 

A heavy arm slings over your shoulder and hitches your breath just as the culprit says, “What’s the rush?” He doesn’t even look at you, and you wonder if he recognized you from your clothes after coming up from behind you. 

“Jungkookie!” you cheer excitedly. He glances at you and quirks a brow at the nickname. His eyes then trail to your lit up phone and snatches it from you, which you don’t fight against.

“You’re stalking me?” He scrolls through his profile from your phone and smirks before stating, “I didn’t know you had an Insta.” The both of you enter the building with his arm still wrapped around you, which flutters your heart.

“I made one today, since you use it.” He exits his profile to look at yours. You’re in the elevator as you inform, “Taehyung told me.”

A pause, then a click. Jungkook snapped a photo of you when you pressed the button of your floor. “Pretty,” he comments while looking at your candid shot. You’re flattered and also happy that he’s joining your trip to your dorm. He hasn’t said a word of protest and takes the lead in going to your room. “What else?”

“Hm?”

“What else did he tell you?”

You rack your brain to remember anything significant to tell him. It was a long conversation: getting to know each other and more about Jungkook. “He told me you have an Instagram, then asked for my perfume, and then we talked about your love for strawberries-”

“Your perfume? Why was Instagram even brought up?” he presses, stopping in front of your door. 

You take out your keycard and shrug while swiping, “He asked for mine.”

The dorm is empty when you enter and sit on the edge of your bed. It’s very hard to not grin when you’re around Jungkook, but he doesn’t seem to care as he looks through your gallery. “Can we take a picture together?” you peep hopefully. 

“Of course,” he murmurs absentmindedly, intently staring at your phone. “We’ll take many pictures,” he looks up at you before leveling with the camera, “pose.”

You aren’t very educated on the art of posing per se, so you imitate the peace sign you saw him do with a wide smile and a hand on the bed. He is neutral when he snaps a picture with a shutter. 

“I want you to be in it.”

He drags his eyes away from the screen and his blank expression intimidates you. “Whose idea was it for you to make an account?”

“Um… Taehyung, why?” You lay your hands on your lap at the growing tension.

Taehyung went to this extent to get a reaction out of him? Is it possible that he’s this obnoxious? Or perhaps another motive…?

“I-Is he not your friend?”

Jungkook breaks his silence of thoughts with a scoff, “Oh, only the best.” You sigh in relief, though he says it with menace. Taehyung was curious about his relationship, not about your social media. He forcefully pushes you down on the bed and you hold back a gasp as he wraps his finger around your neck in a light chokehold with a thumb on your nether lip. Click. He then lowers his hand to your thigh, hiding half of it under your skirt with a gentle grap. Click.

Your cheeks flush at the compromising photos he’s taking and you nervously ask, “A-Am I going to post these?”

“Shut up.”

You seal your lips shut and he flips you on your stomach, palming your covered ass with your side profile in the frame, and another shutter resounds in the room. “Sit up.” You follow his command and turn around to face him. He pushes your hair to your back and his mouth latches onto your neck. He’s biting you while sucking on your flesh, and you release a breathy moan at the feeling of his tongue swirling on the sensitive skin. It hurts, but you don’t complain and try to make sense of the growing arousal in your lower region. He only pulls away after half a minute and you’re confused by the satisfied smirk on his face while eyeing the result. He angles your jaw to expose your neck better and snaps another photo. “These are all going on your account.”

At your nod of submission, he starts unbuttoning your shirt. “You’re prettier with a mark. My mark.” Your body tingles at the compliment and you help him undress yourself by unbuttoning the ends. “Take off your skirt,” he demands as he slips off his shirt with ease. All of your clothes go off one by one as he does the same, and you don’t have the time to feel shy as his lips collide so roughly with yours that you’re pressed down against the mattress again. You still haven’t gotten the hang of making out, but it doesn’t matter with Jungkook because although it flows naturally, he also takes complete control over you. He’s not gentle, not with the way his teeth clash against yours and tongue leaving trails of saliva all over your mouth. Your toes curl with desire and anticipation, and you tug at his briefs that outline his erection. The feeling of his warm breath on you silences all your thoughts and you can only react on primal instincts. 

His crotch brushes against your bare folds, slick with your leaking wetness. Kissing him this passionately always leaves you feeling needy, and it embarrasses you that you get turned on so easily. But you don’t realize that is his intention as he glides his fingers all over your labia, making sure you’re ready to take all of him. 

Kissing you this passionately always leaves him feeling horny, and it’s apparent with his cock begging to be taken out of the restraints of his underwear. You don’t know how long you’ve been kissing, but your lips are numb when he pulls away to position himself in your entrance. He doesn’t prepare you, but he doesn’t rush himself either as he painfully slowly enters you. You hold your breath and gawn on your swollen lip, moans catching in your throat and leaving as high-pitched hums. He sighs at the feeling of your pulsating walls. “God… always so tight. Don’t you ever touch yourself?”

He bottoms out and you whimper shakily at how full you are. The fact that he fits you like a puzzle piece convinces you that he’s your forever, your meant to be. Even with your lack of experience with other men, you believe no one can make you feel this dreamy. And to think he’s all yours now… “I-I don’t. I only want to do it with you.”

The atmosphere is so fragile, so romantic. It’s not your delusion this time, because he feels it too and it makes his heartbeat sync with yours: unsteady and rapid. And in the heat of the moment, he reveals, “I think I’m in love with you.”

A whine leaves you, so loud that it can’t be achieved with touch but with his words. It’s the utmost pleasure, and when he realizes what he said, he sets a rushed pace to distract himself from the embarrassment of pouring his feelings. You don’t allow him to forget as you echo, “I’m in love with you too.”

“No, no,” he denies with a shake of his head and it emits more love confessions out of you in a chain of ‘I love you’s, and he grunts, “Stop. Shut up!” He pins your forearms on either side of your head in a bruisening grip and thrusts into you harder. You have no choice but to scream in pleasure, unable to form coherent words when he’s practically fucking your brains out. 

His feelings of humiliation translate to his actions: he pushes himself down to the hilt, throbbing with lust but doesn’t chase his high. He doesn’t want you to talk, not when he’s blushing for more than one reason, so he ignores the contraction of his muscles and just fucks you until he can’t anymore, hypnotized by the bounce of your tits.

Maybe it’s a good thing that he’s so desperate, hitting your most sensitive spot with every thrust and making your eyes screw back. Neither of you can think, so loud and reckless until you reach your climax. It’s core shaking, as you cry out his name and tremble with stimulation. He’s never seen this expression on your face, one so twisted in pleasure and looking so erotic. It comes as a surprise and in the form of a punch in the gut as he savours your appearance before cumming inside you with a groan. A slip-up, a mistake, but he doesn’t care as he paints your walls in white, his load filling you up.

And he can’t regret it when he pulls out, because the drizzle of his cum spilling out of your pussy easily becomes his favorite sight. “Shit,” he whispers as more and more drips while you twitch and spasm from your orgasm. You don’t even realize what he’s done, and that makes his chest swell with pride; the most level-headed woman he knows is leaking with his release and stupidly doesn’t spare it a thought. And with that hickey on your neck? “You look fucking gorgeous,” he exhales. A bashful smile stretches across your face with eyes still tightly shut, and you don’t notice him grab your phone on the other side of the bed to take a picture of your stained pussy. 

“This one is for me,” he mutters to himself. Click.

After posting the softcore photos on your account and tagging himself in them, as well as a note of a pharmacy’s address across campus with a label written for you to get two separate contraceptives as an emergency and for your next creampie, he leaves your dorm. You fell asleep on him, and though he had wanted to join you, he decided to collect his scrambled thoughts and go to Taehyung’s dorm first. He isn’t livid, but he has a few questions to ask.

He’s playing cards with Yoongi, Taehyung’s roommate, as he patiently waits for his arrival. “What’s wrong about asking for her Instagram, though?” Yoongi asks before drawing out a card of ace. “Isn’t she our friend by association anyway?”

“It’s suspicious,” Jungkook murmurs while inspecting his deck. “Have you ever seen Taehyung with a girl before? As friends? He’s clearly trying to fuck her.”

Yoongi stifles a laugh, “That’s a reach. Besides, you two have shared a girl before. Are you actually dating her?”

Shuffling is heard behind the door until it swings open as Taehyung enters. “Kookie! What are you doing here?” He throws his keycard on his bed before hopping on Yoongi’s to watch their game.

It’s strained, Jungkook notices. His excitement is forced; why? “I came here for you,” he states bluntly. “A little birdie told me you’ve been talking to someone who belongs to me.”

“I didn’t realize she was your diary,” he tries to lighten the mood with a joke. “What’s the deal anyway? You said you weren’t dating her.”

Yoongi collects the deck of cards after Jungkook drops them, and shuffles them while eavesdropping. He’s sitting cross-legged across from Jungkook, and Taehyung is sitting on the edge of the bed next to him with his body turned sideways.

“I also said that unless you have a death wish, don’t talk to her,” he grits. “And asking for her social media? Are you into her now?”

Taehyung merely shrugs. “I thought she was pretty chill. I don’t know why you’re so mad.”

“She obviously means something to him, so I think you should just respect that, Taehyung,” Yoongi voices his thoughts while leafing the cards. Jungkook looks to the side and pokes the inner cheek of his mouth with his tongue but doesn’t argue.

“I think he’s just using her.” Jungkook’s reaction is instant as Taehyung’s nose instantly starts to bleed from the impact of his fist. Yoongi doesn’t look up. He holds a hand over his injury with a hiss and continues, “Really, Kook? A little too much, don’t you think?”

“Less than enough,” Jungkook fumes, “I like her, and she likes me. Just fucking leave it at that.”

“Couple of the year,” Taehyung chuckles mockingly, “I give it two days.” He stands up before Jungkook can hit him again. “Can’t wait to console her after your break-up, maybe she’ll fall in love with me next.”

Jungkook starts chasing him around the room as Taehyung runs without stopping his provocation. “Why so upset Jungkook? Do you see it happening too? I’m already imagining how tight-”

“You should leave, Jungkook.” Neither of them listen to Yoongi, so he yells, “Jungkook, leave!”

A moment of deafening silence passes as both of them pause to catch their breaths. “She’s too sweet,” Taehyung begins, “too kind, too nice, everything you’re not. You wouldn’t be trying to keep me away from her if you didn’t know that. Are you afraid she’ll like me better?”

“Go fuck yourself,” Jungkook spits with a heaving chest. “She’s loyal to me, but I’m sure you’re not familiar with that concept. No wonder your relationships only last one night.” With a final glare, he leaves as told to return to you. The only thing he needs right now is one more ‘I love you’ from you, as much as he hates it. Maybe he’s cruel, but he doesn’t know anyone who isn’t aside from you. 

Maybe Taehyung is just as cruel, fantasizing about all the ways he could be better for you before drifting off to sleep with a bandage over his wounded nose. He can just be a friend to both of you… he can be good too… 

[sweetiesicheng]

doyoung- “from home”

word count : 650

-

as you were typing an essay that was due in a few days, your phone started ringing. you saw that your boyfriend was trying to facetime you.

you connected your headphones to your phone and answered the call.

"hello?" you spoke, trying to see if your headphones were connected.

"hi baby," doyoung said, smiling at you and confirming that your headphones were connected.

"hey," you smiled. "are you on your way to the hotel?" you asked.

"mhm, we just left the airport," he replied, "what are you doing? working on your powerpoint?" he asked.

you sighed, "finished that and turned it in along with my discussion posts. i'm working on my paper for my writing class." you put your head down on the table, "i'm so tired."

"you're doing great, baby," doyoung said and you looked back up.

"do you have a schedule today? or do you get to explore the city?" you asked him.

"we get today and tomorrow off. do you want anything while i'm here?" he asked.

"you."

doyoung only chuckled, "i'll see what i can do about that, missy."

doyoung arrived at his hotel while you continued typing your essay.

"woah, babe, look at this view!" doyoung spoke after awhile. you looked at your phone screen and saw a beautiful city skyline that doyoung could see from his hotel room.

"that's so pretty," you commented.

he chuckled and changed the camera to face him, "like me?" he asked.

"whatever."

"hey! baby, you're so mean to me," doyoung pouts and you see him making puppy eyes at you. "i miss you, y/n."

"i miss you too," you replied. you closed your laptop, knowing that you wouldn't get anymore work done until the call ended between you two. doyoung unpacked some of his stuff and changed into a different shirt. "when we shine bright, i'm alive in the ct 날노래해," you suddenly sang, missing doyoung even more since he wasn't there.

"이 조명 아래 서로를 바라보면, 나도 몰래 읏게 돼 다 지게 돼 yeah," doyoung sang after you. he continued singing for a bit and returned to his phone, so you could finally see him again. "you really love that song," he commented.

"cause it's a really good song, it makes me think of you," you replied, "wish it was somehow longer."

"is a three to four minute song not good enough for you?" he asked, chuckling.

"considering you have a five minute one and i also wish that was longer, no, it isn't good enough for me," you answered. "when are you coming back again?" you asked, even though you knew the answer; six days.

"soon enough, baby," he replied, "remember, i'll bring you back something!" he mentioned. then, you heard a door open on his end.

"i just want you," you responded, "i'm desperate for cuddles right now," you said, almost in a whine.

he chuckled, "baby, you might want to change the conversation 'cause i'm not alone anymore, and i think taeil would appreciate it if he didn't hear our "lovey-dovey" talks as haechan calls them," he mentioned.

"i don't care. i miss you way too much and just want cuddles from you right now," you said to him.

"you two have been like this since like the second you two started dating. i'm used to it," you heard taeil speak. "anyways, we're going to eat, so let's go," he said to doyoung.

"okay, i'll be out in a minute," doyoung said to the eldest member, and you heard the door close. "well, you heard him. i gotta go," he said, "call you later."

"okay, but if i don't call back, i'm probably working on my paper," you said to him.

he nodded, "got it. make sure to eat! don't go starving just because i'm not there," he said to you.

"i won't," you replied.

"i love you, baby."

"i love you, doyoung."

[matbaerzal]

Like This Pt.1 | T. Jost

Summary: Tyson is the best roommate you could ask for, you can't imagine ever living with someone else... no- no not like that, your relationship is purely platonic! > (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) A/N: First fic of the year hafsjkhf.... The reader studies Special Education, which will play a small part throughout this fic. Warnings: A short mention of sexual dreams Reader pronouns: she/her Words: 2,4K Tagging: @konecny-s @vitekvanecek @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69 @ricohenrique @notaccurateornice @tysojost @justjosty ... lmk if you want to be tagged ❤️

As you reach the door to your apartment you shift your second grocery bag into your left hand before fishing your keys out of your pocket. You hurry to turn the key in your lock as your arms are tired from the heavy weight of the amount of food you’d bought. You huff out as you open the door, absent-mindedly throwing the keys on the side table as you set the groceries down on the floor.

“I’m sorry, can you give me a minute?” you hear Tyson speak as you take off your coat and shoes. In the corner of your eye, you see him put his phone down before pushing his chair back, standing up, and walking over.

“Hey, how was work?”

You huff out a breath in reply, and when you see him grab the groceries you almost try to object, but relief washes over you before you can. You follow him to the kitchen with the intent to sort the food so he can get back to what he was doing, but he brushes you away.

“Go sit down - relax” he gives you a pointed look.

“Thanks” you smile, hesitantly making your way to the couch.

“You hungry?” he speaks over his shoulder as you sit down.

“Very” your stomach grumbles as if on cue.

“I made some dinner earlier, want me to heat it up for you?”

“Don’t you have an interview” you shout back.

“Eh, they can wait” he shrugs

Without waiting for you to reply he takes out the tupperware from the fridge before putting it in the microwave. Once it’s heated up he brings it over to you, along with a glass of water before he gets back to his interview, apologizing profusely to the journalist on the other end of the call for keeping them waiting.

Living with Tyson had its ups and downs, but all in all the two of you fit together well as roommates. You’d met him during his first year in Colorado, back then you were living on campus. You’d planned to move in with a friend of yours, but after she graduated she got a job offer in another state and decided to move, leaving you practically homeless as there was no way you’d be able to afford to live on your own at the time - and there was no chance that you were ever moving in with your dorm room roommate again. Tyson offered for you to stay with him for at least a little bit until you figured things out. Then he realized he really liked having you around. You’d hesitated, thinking he was just trying to be nice, before he practically begged you to stay.

Hundreds of comments from friends asking if you’re dating or having sex later, you’re still living with him - not dating, not having sex, never even having kissed, and neither of you wanted to cross that line. With the way you and Tyson clicked, there were a lot of people who had trouble believing you were just friends, but at this point, you felt like you knew each other too well. All your dirty laundry had been aired out between the two of you - both literally and figuratively. The smell of his week-old workout sweat in the laundry room was enough to put you off. It wouldn’t be fair to say it hadn’t crossed your mind though. Objectively he is very attractive - you can’t deny that - perhaps, maybe your mind traveled places as he walked out of the bathroom after a shower with only a towel wrapped around him. You knew for a fact that he’d thought about you too, having drunkenly admitted to you that he had a dream about you once - which explained that one morning where he wouldn’t meet your eye and couldn’t have gotten out of the door quicker.

But neither of you ever acted on your attraction, it was pushed into the back of your minds - ignored completely. Because that’s all it was, an attraction, and nothing more.

You watch him as he continues his interview, zoning out as you eat your food. You hear every tone of his voice, completely focused on him but at the same time not registering a single thing he’s saying. It’s only when he looks over at you that you’re shaken out of it.

“Is it alright?” he whispers, covering the microphone.

You shake your head as you're brought back to the real world, it takes your brain a few seconds to catch what he said and your cheeks feel warm as he chuckles - “Hm?”

“The food? Is it alright?”

“Mm, yeah” you take another bite, resting the fork in the food container as you reach for the TV remote to distract yourself.

You’d been swamped with work lately, between your studies and your part-time job as a teaching assistant, you barely had time to take a breather. Your third year studying Special Education at the University of Denver was hectic, any time not spent at work or on campus or studying at home was spent either eating or sleeping in your bed. Tyson could see how tired you were whenever you came home, he always cooked a little extra for his dinner so you wouldn’t go to bed without eating first. His mediocre pasta meals always tasted like heaven after the long days you had.

By the time Tyson plops down on the couch you’re finished eating and zoned out on an episode of New Girl.

“Do you have any plans on Sunday?” he asks and you shake your head - “just studying, writing”.

“Wanna come to the game? I completely get it if you just want to stay in-”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to” you perk up, you hadn’t been to a game in who knows how long and you’d put aside your assignments at least for a little while if Tyson ever asked you to. He never had to ask before, you’d come whenever you had time, but it’d been seven weeks now - Tyson kept count.

“You sure?”

“Yes, Tys, really” you pat his thigh - keeping your hand there a touch longer before removing it when you meet his soft eyes.

--

You wake up late on Sunday, head stuck to the pillow, body hesitant to leave the bed. You’d already woken up once and decided to sleep longer so you force yourself out of bed, put some clothes on and go to the kitchen to grab a bowl of cereal. Just as you get the milk from the fridge your apartment door opens, signaling that Tyson’s home from his morning skate.

“Good morning” he smirks at you, his eyes running over your thrown-together outfit and noting the remnant of sleep in your eyes.

You nod, trying to speak through the mouthful you just took, making Tyson squint his eyes in a laugh. He waits patiently for you to finish so you can repeat your question to him - “how was the skate?”

“It was alright, easily gonna have a nap after I eat though”

“Want some cereal?” you arch your brow. He stops and thinks for a second, contemplating if he should say yes, or make his usual scrambled eggs - “you know what? Yeah” he decides. You raise your brows at him, about to make a comment but he interrupts you. “Yeah, yeah pour me a bowl before I change my mind”.

You hold your hands up - “wasn’t gonna say anything” you try, but he doesn’t look convinced. You rush to get him a bowl and a spoon, setting them down for him, pouring in some cereal as he comes over to sit next to you on your kitchen island. He pours the milk himself before lifting the bowl to clink against yours, muttering “cheers” before taking a spoonful into his mouth.

You sit in comfortable silence as you eat your food, moving around each other as you put the bowls in the sink to worry about later. You walk to the couch and open your laptop to get some work done before you have to get ready for the game.

“Do you ever take a break?” Tyson yawns, laying down on the couch next to you, his head landing on a pillow close by your thighs.

You figure his questions rhetorical, but his eyes stay on you as you start typing away on your essay. “I’m taking a break later, y’know, at the game”

“No, I mean like a real break, like flat out on the couch, books closed-”

“You’re funny”

“I’m serious”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have time for breaks Tys”

He goes quiet after that, a thoughtful look on his face as he settles into the couch, your eyes linger on him for a moment before you go back to writing your essay. It doesn’t take long for his breath to get heavy, the small snores escaping him making you smile. As you skim through an article you might use for your essay your free hand finds his hair - his curls too soft to resist running your hand through. His snoring stops as your hand first makes contact making you freeze, but he’s nuzzling into the pillow and snoring again before you know it.

Even after you’ve read the article your hand stays in his hair and you do your best to type with one hand, only opting to use your right hand when absolutely necessary. You were in tweaking stages so luckily you could keep one hand planted in his hair most of the time. You’re checking the clock here and there, knowing he didn’t set an alarm and that he didn’t like napping too long on game days, but just as you’re about to wake him he leans into your touch, eyes slowly blinking open as he hums, absentmindedly you brush his hair away from his forehead - “sleep well?”

“Like a baby” he smiles, “what time is it?”

“uh, two-thirty” you glance over at the little clock on your computer.

He leans into your hand one more time as if to savor the feel before he starts to get up, once on his feet he stretches his arms above his head, you can’t help but look as his t-shirt lifts to reveal his stomach, but you avert your eyes quickly and hope he doesn’t notice. If he did, he doesn’t comment, “want me to make dinner for you too?” he throws the words your way over his shoulder as he makes his way to the kitchen. “What’s on the menu?” you tease, fully well knowing the answer, even saying it with him once he replies - “chicken and pasta”.

You turn your head to look at him, and he can’t bring himself to be annoyed at you when you smirk at him.

“Yeah, yeah” he brushes you off - “do you want some or no?”

“Yes, please” you smile.

He quickly makes the food, the recipe burned into his brain from making it time after time. He puts a little extra cheese on your plate, coming over to the couch with both plates once he’s done. You close your computer, place it to the side, and take the plate he hands to you with ease. Once your plates are scraped it’s time for Tyson to get ready, change into his suit and leave for the arena.

He walks out of his room wearing one of his three-piece suits and if you didn’t have the restraint you’d built up over the time you’d lived with him you’re sure you would’ve drooled at the sight. You’d think he was doing it on purpose, but you’d never let your weakness for the vest-jacket pairing slip, and he looks oblivious as he meets your eyes. The little spin he does for you does nothing to help and you have to give yourself credit for being so collected when he raises his brows as if to ask: “Is this alright?”.

“Looking good, Tys. I’ll see you after the game” you get off the couch as you speak and give him a quick hug, his phone pinging with a message signaling that JT is waiting for him downstairs as you break away.

“See you later,” he says.

“Kick some Dallas butt.”

He laughs as he walks through the door leaving you to yourself. You don’t wait long until you start getting ready yourself, not being able to focus on your writing with the anticipation of the game in the back of your mind. You put your lucky Avalance hoodie on, grabbing your coat before leaving with more than enough time to catch the warm-ups. There’s a couple of familiar faces there when you arrive. You’d met the players’ girlfriends a few times, mostly in this exact setting and you fell right back into the group again. You felt for them, having to watch their boyfriends play such an unpredictable sport. You guess you could imagine how it felt at least a little, living with Tyson and all, but the energy they brought to every game was admirable.

The game was tight, the boys fell behind in the first period but in the second and third they were no doubt the better team, but the puck just wouldn’t go in the net. With ten minutes left they manage to tie it and with 5 minutes left Tyson takes a tripping penalty. They killed the penalty and scored not long after to secure the win, but you could see Tyson beating himself up over the penalty that could’ve cost them the game. The look on his face as he sat in the penalty box is something you keep in the back of your mind as you leave with the girls to meet him.

He’s one of the first ones to come out of the locker rooms, head hanging low. Gabe pats him on the shoulder before he greets his wife, Tyson throws a forced smile towards his captain that seems genuine to anyone that doesn’t know him the way you do. The smile reaches his eyes once he sees you though and he drapes his arm over your shoulder when he reaches you, leading you towards the garage - “Let’s go home”

To be continued...

---- Copyright © @matbaerzal (2021)