#I still have to find a place for her I need to reorganize my entire room for her

[heyitsphoenixx]

SHE’S HERE I’M GONNA CRY

@caitmayart I’m in love with this box art I opened it so carefully to save it for when I move it’s too gorgeous

SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL OH MY GOD 🥹🥹🥹

WIZARDRY

[skylaryozora]

Power of Silence: Musa's Voice Loss Arc in Season 6

While rewatching Season 6 and getting to the episodes where Musa loses her voice due to Rumpelstiltskin, following Selina's command, I couldn't help but wonder if there might be a deeper meaning to this particular arc.

It's often said that when you lose something very important to you—whether it's your health, a loved one, or your fortune—only then you're likely to gain a new perspective on life. Events like these force you to take the time to reflect, become more perceptive, and reorganize your priorities.

In Musa's case, her voice, described as powerful and rare in nature, along with her perfect pitch I imagine, is likely something she can't imagine her life without. I dare say these two complement her as a human and a fairy. When she loses her voice, she's quite devastated, and feels vulnerable. However, she still manages to conduct an orchestra and create a magic shield powerful enough to protect her school, so it's obvious she can still thrive without being able to speak.

The voice loss arc turns out to be crucial for Musa and Riven. First, let me quote what Riven said:

Riven: Musa, that was incredible! I mean it! Even without a voice, you put on the most amazing concert. You saved Alfea. I just wish I could be half as remarkable as you. I wasn't able to save your voice, and I couldn't be there for you once it was gone. You deserve better. (...) Musa, there's something I've been meaning to get off my chest. I'm supposed to be there for you every day, to support you and protect you as a Specialist and as your boyfriend. But right now, I'm just not capable of doing either one of those things. (S6, EP23)

What I'd like to emphasize is that I can imagine Musa would have interrupted Riven right away in the past, expressing her unwillingness to see him or something. However, now she can't do that, and she's somewhat compelled to listen to what he's saying. This situation forces her to pause and listen attentively, gaining a deeper understanding of Riven's sentiments. Additionally, Riven might feel it's his opportunity to speak and convey his feelings, now that he has a chance to be heard. In this moment it's his turn to fill the silence with something he has to say. And what he says is connected to how he currently feels about himself as well:

Riven to Sky: I give up. You will always be the leader of the Specialists. And I will always be runner-up. (...) It's not just this match, Sky. No matter how hard I try, or how close I get, I always come up short. If I don't change something, I'll never reach the top. (S6, EP23)

Riven to Musa: I guess I just have to figure out a way to be a hero to myself, if that makes sense. You always got me, Musa. (S6, EP23)

I must confess, I was moved when Riven mentioned that he needed to find a way to be a hero to himself. This single line serves as further evidence of his internal struggle, where his ambitions clash with the deep-seated issues of low self-esteem and an inferiority complex. It seems that witnessing his girlfriend lose something precious, and being powerless to help her, became a breaking point for him. In the private moment they share, he admits that he is far from being the person he aspires to be—not just for her but for himself as well. This revelation underscores the depth of trust he places in her. He can reveal his vulnerability when Musa's around, so there is a profound beauty in that scene.

Despite the numerous plot absurdities, with the season feeling very disconnected from S5 or S4 as if the previous seasons never happened, and acknowledging that the arc itself could have been explored more effectively (I won't delve into the entire portrayal of Rivusa in Season 6 and its issues), the core concept of Musa losing her voice was still commendable and essential in my opinion.

[junewild]

I needed to do some organizing last night, so I figured it would be a good time to run my down pillows through the laundry.

Step one: I toss them into one of the (communal) washers (30 minutes) and run upstairs to assemble a (new, larger) shoe rack and put all the shoes on it. Perfect. Emory investigates the shoe rack with interest.

Step two: I run back down to toss them into one of the (communal) dryers (60 minutes. No, they’re down and on low heat, so I’ll add some extra time—make it 90.) Back upstairs to rearrange the closet and use the (old, smaller) shoe rack to store all the camping supplies. Yay! Things are looking good! I’ll have had a productive evening and still be in bed by 10. :) Emory investigates the closet with suspicion.

Step three: I run back down to get them out of the dryer. Uh-oh… there’s two one-thirds of a pillow in there. Well, I couldn’t give them an extra spin cycle and the (communal) dryers aren’t that good. I’ll toss them back in (60 minutes. No, I don’t want to have to come down again, so I’ll add some extra time—we’ll call it 90). That’ll be pushing 11, and I’d like to be in bed before then, but it’ll be fine.

Step four: I mean, I hadn’t really planned on more organizing tonight?.. but without the pillows I can’t really sit or lie down, thanks to the chronic pain, sooo… I put together another shoe-rack?… and hang up some things in the closet, sort out a lot of trash and recycling from the previous organization efforts. Woo! More progress than I’d been expecting! Yay!(?) Emory tries to erase my memory of feeding her dinner and finds a number of places to sit where she can make Pointed Eye Contact with me.

Step five: I run back downstairs to get the pillows!… which are still halfway damp. Well. I haven’t even brought my phone with me this time, so I have to go back upstairs to put more time on the dryer. Another 60 (no, I really don’t want to have to do it again!!!—I guess I’ll go with 90.) At this point I’ve spent $7.50 just on the dryer, and I won’t be in bed until 12:30.

Step six: I… still can’t sit down. By this point, Emory is glaring at me and lashing her tail. I’m supposed to be in bed, providing a lap to weary cats. But I might as well be productive, so I’ll fill the new shoe-rack with craft supplies and ren-faire outfits, put together another little shelf, and reorganize my nightstand/shelf. Yay.

Step seven: I walk slowly downstairs. When I open the dryer, $7.50 and 4.5 hours later, the pillows are finally dry. They’ve reached maximum fluff. I have three new pieces of furniture, a completely reorganized closet and bookshelf, a lot of trash and recycling to take down in the morning, and an apartment that’s more organized than it’s been the entire time I’ve lived in it.

Step eight: I get in bed with my newly fluffy and warm pillows. Emory is in my lap within thirty seconds, purring louder than a lawnmower.

[autisticgirliesbracket]

What makes Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic the autistic girlie ever of all time? Here's what the people have to say:

Twilight-related asks/reblogs: x This post will be updated after each round!

Image ID in alt text and under the readmore.

[Image ID. White slide with a screenshot of Twilight Sparkle in the top left corner. She is surrounded by text boxes which read,

"nerd"

"Her defining character trait at the start of the show is trouble making friends and loving to read. She gets better at making friends but still loves to read and study magic. She’s very into the history of magic and geeks out over historical figures like Starswirl the Bearded. She also loves to organize things and she’s very particular about everything being in its correct place. If someone moves her stuff out of place it makes her stressed and her idea of a good time is reorganizing all of her books. Also she lived in a library and she’s a princess <3"

"This is sorta stereotypical but she's obsessed with science, order, books and list making, plus magic, but magic is normal in Equestria. Also, she was rather stringent in her scheduling. She never cared about friendship before she had friends and once she did, she had many, many, many lessons to learn! Her lessons in friendship helped me too! She also never seemed to know what was expected of her or what was right socially from wrong."

"She loves books and lives in a library and starts out not very good at making friends and not very interested in it either, but eventually she comes around on it, but she's still into being extremely nerdy and studying things like history and magic, and her organizational skill are unbelievably good. Honestly, she comes off with a touch of OCD too because she's also incredibly anxious and it's very important to her that everything is in its place, but in the Equestria Girls spin-off which takes place in an alternate reality where everyone is human instead of pony, the version of her who lives there is a STEM girlie who hides in her lab all the time, which is even more autistic of her."

"Socially awkward bookworm who is so focused on her studies that her mentor has to send her to friendship grad school so she can finally make friends. Ends up making the study of friendship her special interest and hyperfixates on it so hard that she becomes a princess through sheer magical force."

"Her Everything...hugely passionate about academics and magic but struggles with social norms but when she does find friends becomes very dedicated to them. often gets caught up in her own ideas and forgets to consult others and has to be gently reminded. more that i can't remember because i haven't watched mlp in a while but come on we all know twilight. the girl ever"

"Extremely knowledgeable on her subject of choice, has trouble understanding social cues and others feelings."

"She is obsessed with magic and science and has trouble relating to other people (er, ponies) and has few close relationships in the beginning, plus, she tends to have episodes when her schedules and routines are disrupted."

"I don't have the energy right now but her entire arc throughout the series is basically learning social cues. There's also some episodes early on that show her trying to find explanations to thing that don't have a clear answer, which I can relate to a lot. She also over prepares for things like tests and spends a LOT of time reading, which I kinda see as her special interest!"

"didn't feel a need to connect with her peers as a child and preferred reading books (relatable), sometimes takes expressions literally, has "obscure" interests, at times has difficulty "reading the room," can get lost in projects she's working on (her library goes back and forth from clear floors to many stacks of books all around depending on her current focus), is a perfectionist, plans things meticulously (has checklists for just about everything), and once had a sleepover "by the book" (followed the instructions in a book on how to have a sleepover step by step)."

"She is very smart academically, but lacking is social department (she gets better at it though as she makes friends). She likes routine, and things not going to plan is enough to send her into a stress spiral. She is passionate about magic and studying, which could be her special interests"

"Misunderstands social cues. Very studious, special interests in magic and Starswirl the Bearded. Only friends at the beginning of the series were her siblings and her teacher. Comforted by routines and organization. Link!"

"Constantly studying, to the point where at the start of the show she didn't want friends because they would get in the way of her studying. Not because she felt that she had to, but because it made her happy and it was her favorite activity. Extremely organized, she can't carry out a task if she can't make a fully-detailed list and plan. Is also abnormally talented at magic, which she has been passionate about since she was young, and more often than not she struggles to read social cues."

"she may be like the poster child for ocd and autism like just look at her. She was so bad at hanging out with people and making friends and she was such a bookworm who was obsessed with nothing but her studies of choice that her mentor had to ASSIGN HER TO MAKE FRIENDS. like the only way this girlie was gonna get along with people was if she was at risk of disappointing her mentor. Her special talent is magic and shes dedicated her life to figuring it out. So much so that when told to make friends she managed to uncover and spread the MAGIC of friendship. Like she had to include magic in it. And this lady just cannot take a hint. She never gets social cues. When one of her friends gets into a book seires that she likes the two of them bonded over it so much. Like twilight was fangirling all over the place." End ID.]

[ladyintree]

post rescue starter call [ inspired by ] ft. @suhspiria ░  in the wilderness, when shauna needed her, she never had to ask. tai could just feel it, like they were tethered together in a way that's entirely indescribable to anyone on the outside. she felt it the day she found her in the woods, embarking on something no one should have to go through alone, and it never went away sense, giving her a sense of familiarity with shauna that extended beyond the tragic events that brought them together in the first place. of all the people tai wants to forget and leave in the past now, shauna isn't one of them. she'd never be able to live with herself if she went on with her life never knowing how shauna was coping, especially knowing she was still here, in this town that tai was so desperate to move on from, desperate to get her out of too with no luck.

as she stands in the middle of shauna's bedroom, she doesn't need to ask her what happened exactly to understand. she'd never been here before — the two weren't friends before, something that seems impossible now, but she understands enough to know that this is a reaction to something. clearly, the two of them have gone about it in different ways — tai immediately cleaned up her room upon returning home, and then she cleaned it again, reorganized everything as she made a mental note of her belongings, made sure everything was in the proper place and she knew exactly where to find it. she needed the clarity, a reclamation of her own life — but as much as she and shauna have always understood each other on a deeper level, it's not surprising to her that they seem to have different reactions to their homecoming.

❝  i can help you clean. if you want. ❞ she says the words quietly, something in her tone telling shauna that she won't push, they don't have to if she prefers it this way — but if she doesn't, she's here. ❝  i got rid of a lot of things from my room. we can do that, too. or we can— ❞ she cuts herself off, the word 'talk' lingering between them, because tai has not wanted to talk about anything, with anyone, but if it's what shauna needs, she'll do it.

[the-spooky-archives]

Intros, among other things.

Cocoa Beane

Hello hello! Cocoa Beane (Any Pronouns), Head Archivist, at your service! Currently in the process of attempting to reorganize the archives while also keeping up with all the new statements that keep pouring in from Research. Scared of spiders. Just a tad.

catch me over at @the-better-archivist for daily liveblogs about the reorganization efforts, among other things. My posts here are denoted by #archivist speaks.

Vinny Seraph

Hi everyone, names Vinny Seraph, She/her. I’m yet another archival assistant here, and I also help Cocoa out with her organization efforts if I can. I like coffee, music, and more coffee. I’m not addicted, I swear. I just like the taste.

My personal blog is @magnus-coffee-shop and the tag I use for my posts here is #Vinny Coffee Talk.

Kairos

Hello. My name is Kairos, and I’m an archival assistant here at the Institute. I handle most of the tech side, because it’s abundantly obvious how much Cocoa needs it. If you need to reach me, I’ll probably ignore you. And don’t touch my plants.

But if you must ask me something, you can find me at @clock-weaver for…my own efforts in archival work. All posts written by me here will be signed off with the tag #clock’s ticking

Minty Mori

Hello Hello! My name is Minty Mori (He/him) and archival assistant. I do a lot of filing, paperwork, I handle a lot of miscellaneous tasks but really just standard paper things. I have narcolepsy and I wholly apreciate the patience of the archival staff. I'm not entirely sure what to write honestly, Hopefully this will be alright with the Cocoa.

You'll find me occasionally posting at @minty-mori-archival-assistant (gosh it's so long.) And my tag is: #Sleep talking Minty.

Michael (Angelo?)

Hi there! I'm Michael, short for a myriad of things! I go by Mikey usually. I'm an archival assistant, brought on by Elias. I used to know Gertie, my guardian used to bring me out to see her! I'm not telling what I do here, as I find it fun to keep it secret. I like to refer to myself as "Michael 2" as my guardian is also named Michael (part of why he adopted me in the first place). My blog is @a-second-smaller-door, and I post with the tag #Michael..... 2!

What is The Spooky Archives?

The Spooky Archives, aka TSA, is a TMA AU created by all the mods on this blog and a few others who haven't been introduced yet. In this AU, our own OCs/sonas take the place of the s1 archival crew (though of course they all still exist, they just aren't working in the Archives).

About the Mods

Cocoa

Names Mod Cocoa (Any pronouns). A few of my friends (who are also mods on this blog) told me I should listen to Magnus. I gave in after a few weeks and proceeded to listen to the entire podcast in two weeks, so that gives you an idea of my level of insanity.

My main blog is @ihavenohotcocoa, and I kinda just post whatever I want so like. Maybe some magnus, maybe not.

Vinny

Hi! Mod Vinny here! (She/her pronouns) I’m a bit of a newbie to the series, and pretty much still am. I started listening to TMA and then my progress grinded to a halt around 107(?) because I was too anxious for everyone. And then I just got Mod!Cocoa to tell me everything because I was tired. And honestly? I would have not survived. So please forgive me if I do things contradictory to canon because everything I got is from word of mouth.

My blog is @vinegar-on-main, but don’t expect me to post only TMA stuff. I post whatever I feel like.

Llama

HI HI HELLO my name’s Llama (she/her)!! I was one of said friends who bugged Cocoa to listen to tma and I don’t think any of us have been the same ever since, I know I haven’t :D

My main blog is @constellama, I post art and sometimes random thoughts on different fandoms I’m a part of :D Feel free to follow !!

Minty

Y O U. Hello! I'm Minty (He/him or any), and I was also bugged to listen to it!! It really spread like a plague/pos ofc. I post about a couple things?? DC and Spiderverse have me in a chokehold at the time of writing so you may see a lot of that.

My main blog is at: @hyperspix and yeah! Chilling and vibing. Always free to yell about something to me because I love hearing them! Have a lovely day <3.

Mikey

HI! My name is Mikey (He/They/It). I listened to tma back before s4 even ended. I like transformers a lot. like so much. so so so much. please someone talk to me about transformers. my main blog is @snowybookwyrm !

[pbandjesse]

I have a really intense head ache right now. I know it's because I'm very tired. I did a lot today and got really worn out but despite my best efforts I didn't actually take a nap and now I feel bad. I'll be okay but man. Ouch.

I also had trouble sleeping last night. I just wanted it to be morning. But I couldn't turn my brain off. I stayed up to say happy birthday to my brother at midnight. But then I couldn't fall asleep. I went and sat in the living room for a little while. And would play a puzzle game on my tablet. But would fall asleep around 230.

When o woke up at 830 I was pretty miserable. I tried to go back to sleep but it wasn't happening

I would just sort of lay there and scroll on my phone to slowly wake up. And that would work. And gave me enough energy to start getting stuff done.

I had done a pretty good job with getting everything away. So it was hard to decide where to start. I started slow. I stripped the bed and vacuumed. Made the bed nice. And then went to sort my large stuffed animals in the studio. I changed up their display. And the furby display a little. I put the couch squishmallows away and pulled out breadroll cat. Just a little change.

I would start in on the bathroom closet for the next few hours. This was very very overwhelming for me. I did not have fun for a while. The getting stuff out of the closet was hard. It's a very deep but very narrow closet and since it got sink water from the apartment above us it's kind of nasty.

So I got everything out. And I wiped things down. But I was hot and not entirely sure where to go.

I started cleaning the hammocks in the bathtub. This did not go great. They are disgusting. The soap bubbles were literally brown. I filled the tub twice before Will called James and said the apartment below us might be getting some water form the tub so I wouldn't do a third round. Well have to figure something else out I guess.

While the hammocks were soaking I started with piles. Hair stuff. Cleaning stuff. Soaps. First aid. Pharmacy. I would fill a whole trash bag. I found a lot ot expired stuff. I would have to take mini breaks to have a snack. I made some soda and munched on chips. James was teasing me for have apparently 6 bags of tortilla chips started. But I finished one today!! I don't have a problem!

I did a lot of combining. We had 4 first aid kits. Now we have two and one that is just bandaids. And I got all my hair stuff in my studio ottoman. Including hair dye and backup shampoo. I cleared out our medicine cabinet and filled a box with all fo James's things so they could decide where there things went. I tried to clean as I went. But around 1 I was exhausted and just couldn't climb on a ladder to put things away. I would assign the cleaning box, both the everyday and the backups, to James. As well as the extra towels box. They said they would when they got home and they did and I was thankful for the help, the teamwork.

I worked on the closet next. I put some stuff away I reorganized my hanging shelves. Since I wanted to keep all my shirts out. I also hung up a selection of sweaters in the studio with the jackets I'm keeping here. It will be nice to be able to see everything hanging up, which is my favorite way to store my clothes.

After I finished putting away some of the stuff I probably won't wear for a bit, I moved on to bags. I texted Annabelle a picture of the pile because I had told her about my bag collection. And it's bad. I did get rid of two but I still have so many. I chose a few to pull out and use the next week or so. I don't need to beat myself up. I'm not hurting anyone but I find so many ways to feel guilty.

I would also work on putting away shoes. I put all my "camp shoes" in one box and cleaned the shelf in the living room where I keep my daily rotation. I also moved my 4 pairs of heels into the closet with my snow boots. So much organizing.

I had so many little things in my bags, so I had to find places for that. But once that was done I would wash myself up before changing into a big Tshirt and laying down in the AC.

But I didn't sleep. I just watched videos. At least I was comfortable even if I couldn't sleep.

I got up and had a snack. Sat in the kitchen with sweetp. But soon returned to the AC

I would lay there for a long time. But before 4 I got dressed again and soon James was home. They found me on the couch. They would get the rest of the bathroom stuff put away. And I would paint my nails while they started sorting out nail polish collection. But soon enough it was time for us to go meet the Fulwilers for dinner.

We brought the figs I got for them. Anne seemed very excited. James and Tucker would actually find more on a fig tree in the alley so that was exciting. Though I was nervous about them hurting themselves.

And dinner was fun. Callie and Charlotte were there. Callie accidently knocked over a cup of soda and was very embarrassed but it was fine! No one was upset. We got it cleaned up and we had a nice dinner. My salad was a little weird but I enjoyed my sandwich. And James shared a little of the sauce from their Indian food with me.

I enjoyed hearing about their Ikea trip. And school and all that stuff. I was starting to not feel good. My head was starting to hurt real bad. But I tried very hard to still be present and engaged.

I was kind of glad when we were all done. Hugs all around. And then we walked back to the cars.

Anne and Tucker had saved some styrofoam for me for printmaking. So we took that. And then we went home.

My head was hurting a lot though and that was hard. I would lay down for a bit and tired to just rest. But eventually would go take an Epsom salt bath which helped my body andy head.

Now we are in bed and I am happy to hopefully fall asleep easier tonight. Tomorrow we have an IKEA adventure. I am looking forward to spending the day with my husband who I love so much.

I hope you all had a good day. And I want to made a special shout out to my brother who I love dearly and wish we talked more but I also just hope he knows how much I think about him. I am excited that you are 30!!

Goodnight everyone. Until next time!

[aestheticvoyage2024]

Day 357: Sunday December 22, 2024 - "The Best Day of My Life - come sit by my garden"

The best day of my life was brought to me by these two wonderful beautiful loving women who finally cracked my code. These two women in Tucson, where the universe brought me to be healed. I feel so incredibly loved. Its an amazing feeling. And I am so blessed and grateful to be loved and cared for by these two, even through the most bonkers messes I would find myself into, cycle after cycle, as I resisted and resisted until we found it. 6-7 weeks ago, it started as a maybe as an idea that grew to a thesis that Audrie dug a trench on and prepared for, and when I fell for my typical faults, the right cards would get played, and I would see it or not. And I saw it. One little piece at a time, it all played a part. It all did its own little bit of damage until I was free. And today, I was free. Thanks to them. Everything up to now makes complete sense. The hole was plugged. I could forgive and let it go. I could start to heal. And it would start out on my back patio at The Finca, telling about how I watched the final leaves fall.

I had an afternoon session today and even after we made plans for Krishna to come to the Finca for lunch and some in person processing of all that I had figured out and SEEN this week and especially the weekend, I continued to have revelations. I had went to bed last night wondering what we call "this" - other than the truth - does it have a name? What does it mean now? Audrie tried to get me to wait but my natural curiosity had me zeroing in by the time the lamps went out. Id figured out all the music, and Into the Wild. I had figured out that I had always been this way my entire life. Id been introduced to splitting. There was nothing to resist because I was the one that could see it. But What role did Hemingway play in it? After just 3 hours of sleep, on my last leg of pneumonia, I wake up with the answer to another piece. My favorite Hemingway is the one about Hemingway. I see my battle in him. - It wasn't just the playbook that I was copying, it was the battle that I was relating. I dared to google what I started to discover might have been true. I knew its name. It wasn't black-ass, the original name that I had stolen from Papa. It was time to call it by its right name. I reached over to my phone. William and Audrie still slept. I typed it. "Hemingway Borderline Personality Disorder." And I let it confirm what I knew was true. I was there. I had my answer. Audrie had used the word in suggestion a couple times on Saturday night to leave one more last mustard seed for me to find. And before she even woke up, Id found it. I wasn't shocked, I wasn't surprised. I was relieved. It was the first time in my life waking up knowing who I am. Soon Id also find that I was not alone. But for now, before 8am, this was all I needed to know. It was true. Today would be the first day of the rest of my life. Hem was there this morning to welcome me in.

It was instant relief. Amazing. Transformative. Electric. Before Krishna pulled in, I told Audrie, its so funny - I dont feel any shame at all ... I just feel pride. It feels like a celebration. This was amazing. It was the first time I was seeing that I not only saw different, I now right away felt different. I was free. I had the proof I needed. I knew what was wrong with me. I felt loved. Krishna came into our house, and I showed her my Christmas Tree, and William showed off any cool toy he could find. I had told him before she got here how special she was and how much she loved us. He was comfortable with her immediately, stepping right out to the curb to greet her. For at least an hour I tried to reorganize and remember how it all came to be and how it all snapped into place. With excitement and enthusiasm relating the fruits of our work and her premonition. Finally towards the end, I asked her when exactly she figured it out. And she told me. And I was relieved. I was seen. She helped Audrie to see. Who helped me to see. All through lunch the revelations just kept coming but I just reveled in how wonderful it was to actually feel joy and to have these two here with me to experience it and share it with. Its only real when shared I thought. And it was real. I felt it. I felt so loved. It made sense and I had the proof I needed. As Krishna experienced our house, she saw a picture of AC in a mustard dress and we joked about the allergy to mustard and there it was. A mantra of the hardness that didnt win. Small Beginnings. A Mantra Of surrender that triumphed over resistance. The Mustard Seed was the meaning- The icon of my life. The smallest things that were trying to help me be a living breathing thing, finally. It was the smallest things that were most significant. Where the answers were hidden. Of course I was afraid of the mustard. I wasnt ready to see it yet. After all these years, it has a name, a color, a reason. It all connected. On the best day of my life. I finally could see me. Before we hugged Krishna goodbye she challenged me to get a mustard seed and hold that tiny seed between my thumb and finger and be present with it. She was giving me the symbolism I needed to tie up that loose wire that we all celebrated having identified. I could now carry IT. We snapped a picture in our backyard, where we had watched the leaves fall over the last week. And when I looked back at them, now hugging each other, I felt so loved. These two humans had created this for me. Finally. The greatest gift Ive ever been given. My life's story had brought me to Tucson to the desert to find these two wonderful women, who saved me from that ole Weighty Ghost. They loved me enough to change my story. They loved me long enough to change my story. To lead me to healing. It feels like it all makes sense now and we three smiled together under the lemon tree in the afternoon sun, in fellowship of that great realization - photo of the day. Absolutely the piece I was most grateful of, on that day I hoped Someday would come.

Song: Trevor Hall and The Great In-Between - watching the leaves fall

Emory Hall - come sit by my garden

Quote: “Every conflict, no matter how hard, comes back to bless the protagonist if he will face his fate with courage. There is no conflict man can endure that will not produce a blessing. And I smiled. I'm not saying I was happy, but for some reason I smiled. It hurts now, but I'll love this memory, I thought to myself. And I do.” ― Donald Miller

[finsterhund]

The issue I'm having is that my entire life is condensed into this tiny room. That includes my plants. This is not ideal. Any time I take up space in the living room I tend to get an earful though and get pressured to rectify the issue immediately regardless of what I'm doing which is extremely stressful so I just don't bother.

Trying to find room to put the Cazza shrine when all the suitable places are where I need to consider putting the Spot shrine is where my current main issue stems from. Nevermind the fact that I have not one but two beloved dogs who passed in such traumatizing ways that I have shrines to them now. Which is obviously a sign of larger things going on in this broken shitty little brain. But what do you want me to do about it? Truly?

Each consists of a small pet bed with which the Cuddle Clone and a little assortment of toys and trinkets is placed. Cazza's is her actual smaller bed that she had in her tent and Spot's is a wicker bed that is bulky and takes up a lot of room. But mind you I didn't account on Cazza dying of terminal cancer. Ideally she would still be here, sleeping in her bed in a normal spot. Not dead.

Again, I feel having a nightstand rather than just a laptop riser stacked on top of boxes would probably fix some level of issues. Gotta find one secondhand though.

Currently the Cazza shrine is where the Spot shrine used to be and the Spot shrine is on top of a laptop riser on top of my computer desk and it's too high. I hate this. I feel like everything is going to fall over.

This also would be easier if we could actual mount real shelves in this unit. But we're not allowed. My roommate apparently did it anyway but I'm not coordinated enough to do it properly so idk.

Having an actual bedframe would probably alleviate some cramping on account of monster nesting space also being prime real estate to stash pretty much anything. But bedframes are expensive.

Ideally a good spot for the Spot shrine would be on top of my TV, where currently my clean clothes are because my roommate doesn't want me buying a dresser. A dresser that on top of would also be a good spot to place things. It's easier to put things on top of a solid flat foundation rather than on top of other things.

My plants are taking up a massive amount of space comparatively though. Removing from the window sill because it is cold has fucked over some shit. I could probably arrange them better though. The gardening supplies I could for sure be arranging better.

Though maximizing the space in my bookshelves I could get more to work with too.

It's all very demanding though when I'm at the point where the increasingly rarer phenomenon of finding a little unvacumed bundle of white fur sends me into a downward spiral.

Eventually I'll have the strength to just rearrange everything. Another issue is that even if I'm just doing it to have more space to reorganize things before putting them back bringing things from my bedroom into the living room will also earn me an earful so everything must be done within the tiny room even if it would be helpful if I could bring things out and put them back in.

One day I hope I will have a home. A place where I will put my collections or my dog mementos into a living room. With solid wood furniture and an actual bed. Not now though. Not yet.

Another thing that takes up a massive amount of space is spare bedding. Where do you even store that normally? Currently I fold it under my clothes on top of my TV. A bedframe with a linen drawer would be ideal.

[sixeyesgojo]

kiss it better

Summary: You had a shitty day at the store. Gojo is here to comfort you <3

Characters: Gojo x Reader

Word count: 1100

A/N: The past few weeks have been super rough - personal matters and on top of that, natural disasters + "I could lose my closest friends thanks to this" type of rough - so I wrote this pretty self-indulgently because I seriously need to be comforted lol. But that doesn't mean you can't imagine yourself in it!! The fanart is fem reader but I don't think I indicated any gender in the fic. Shoutout to the folks who work with customers, you guys are doing an amazing job! Thank you.

This entire fic was inspired by the art by the amazing @yuusagi-chii that I commissioned; check out her blog and leave a reblog on her artworks!! ♥ - posted with permission from the artist

There had been nothing to do. The whole time, Satoru was just lazing on the couch, legs stretched out on the entire thing, and waiting for you to come home as the television showed nothing but garbage.

As soon as they perceived the sound of your dangling keys in front of the door, Satoru’s ears perked up. He had been so bored all day, not knowing what to do on his free day; he was used to being busy all day, every day, around the clock. The lethargy got to the extent where he cleaned every nook and cranny in your shared home, did all the laundry for the week, reorganized the cupboard where his treasures were stored and even took a nap. Originally, he had planned to kidnap you to go on a date with him but unfortunately, your workplace said otherwise, wrecking his not-so-planned-out plan. Admittedly, it did piss him off a little but there was nothing to be done. Satoru just missed you incredibly much since he was usually gone for most days.

Your heavy footsteps that came from the entrance hall, the way your keys seemed to make louder noise than usual and the soft sigh he could hear all indicated that you had a shitty day so far. It really wasn’t rocket science for Satoru to notice little things about you. Probably entitled customers again, he thought. Satoru was well aware that working in a customer-oriented branch had to be unrewarding, draining even. Still, he wanted to tantalize you a bit, to lighten the mood and ease his boredom a little – he would do that on normal days.

However, ‘normal’ was quickly discarded when he saw your face: a hefty scowl and… were those teary eyes? His previous demeanor immediately dropped and a serious one took over. This was definitely not okay.

Satoru had noticed the last few weeks had been a little rough on you. On normal days, teasing you was his favorite thing to do and quite frankly, it was enjoyable to you as well as it lifted your mood after a stressful shift… but today must have been the tipping point and he knew better than to tease you in times like these. The last thing he wanted to be was the cause of your tears.

“Had a rough day?” Satoru asked as he met you in the hallway, wasting no time to slip his arms around your body. Crushing into his chest, you simply nodded without looking at him. You feared that if you did, tears would fall and you would no longer be in control of your emotions. The entire time you spent at work had been filled with some particularly grumpy customers you had to tend to. You had to deal with utterly disrespectful behavior towards you. Yet, you had to stay friendly and polite when, throughout the day, there had been several instances that made you want to quit your job right then and there.

Today had been terrible, so being in the amenity of your home felt uncommonly relieving. In addition to that, being in the comforting space of Satoru’s gentle hug washed off your exhaustion. It was fine to bask in the solace of his embrace for a moment, wasn’t it? Was it okay for you to give in a little and enjoy the moment for all its worth?

“Do you want to talk about it?” “Just the usual trouble but way worse for some reason,” you mumbled into his chest, just loud enough for him to hear. “Tell me about it, baby. It’s better if you get it off of your chest as soon as possible.”

You breathed out, the emotional dam you’ve built today finally breaking, “It’s just… people suck… They s-snap at me for the smallest things… and I know some of those incidents are just part of the job – I really get it a-and I try so hard to stay polite but… it’s just… very hard.”

Throughout your ramblings – how a customer had yelled at you for a minor mistake, how another one treated you like something lesser because of something that was not your mistake, how people would insist on being right and more – he listened intently to each and every word… All the while, Satoru had gently stroked your back with his palm to calm you down. “Say, Toru…there must be something wrong with me for them… to treat me like this, isn’t there?” you finally asked. “No, honey. You are perfectly fine,” he said, suppressing how pissed he actually was at the people who dared treating you badly. “Their attitude just sucks and they don’t deserve being served by someone beautiful like you. Maybe I should give them a piece of my mind some day…” “I just— I don’t even know. People are so mean… and for w-what? Is kindness in this world really that hard to find?” you lamented, choking back a sob as you buried your face deeper into him.

“Can I help you feel better in any way? Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?” Satoru asked sweetly but the frown on his face made his worry very evident. He didn’t like it at all whenever you came back emotionally drained like this. All Satoru wanted to do was to go and ‘teach them a well-deserved lesson’ but he knew well that it would be against your wishes, so he had no choice but to sit back and be there for you when you needed him the most.

“Let me pamper and spoil my angel for today, hm?” he whispered affectionately, pressing kisses to the top of your head. Finally, you raised your head to look at him. The teary stains on your cheeks and sad expression broke his heart and he swore you could hear it cracking in his ribcage. “I just want you to hold me right now, wanna feel you close to me and nothing more,” you admitted and slung your arms around him tightly.

Promptly taking the chance, Satoru placed a sweet and loving kiss on your forehead. The sensation of his lips on your skin eased a big part of your discomfort away, making you sigh in comfort for the first time in what felt like decades. The effect this man had on you was inexplicable; the way he had the power to make you feel better by simply being there was truly magical. It made your heart flutter in a thousand ways and more.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to kiss it better.”

Taglist (open): @satosuguslut @assbuttbaek @melonnbar @delammi @silversatoru @princesatoru

[lalaangeldust]

𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬

[ 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ] : none :)

[ 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 ] : kaminari denki // bakugo katsuki // sero hanta

𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐢

ah yes, the bakusquad's resident pretty boy

he would definitely be the most obvious about his crush

two words: shitty flirting

horrible pick-up lines and just overall bad flirting

he pulls through sometimes though ( with sero's advice ) and his ego inflates through the roof if he can get you flustered and blushing

but if you give him the same energy, he will immediately combust

all function out the window

congratulations, you broke denki

none of your possessions are safe when denki is within the vicinity

shirts, hoodies, skirts, hats, jewelry, hair accessories

if he can grab it, he will have it

he has worn / stolen everything in your closet at least once, if not it is most definitely his goal

it does not matter if he fits it or not, he will make it work

he has no shame

but one time he stretched out one of your favorite skirts and it tore a bit and he felt soooo bad

"it not my fault i have a fat ass, y/n"

but he brought you to the mall on a date with him to get a new one, so it's all works out ;)

denki honestly just lives to make you laugh

every time he's the reason you're laughing, it makes his chest puff up so big

DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON MF TICKLING

if you two are close, he will without a doubt start a mock wrestling match and it always turns into a tickling fit with you pinned underneath him and wailing

but do NOT under any circumstances tickle him

he with shriek like a girl and accidentally activate his quirk

you nearly died

HE FELT BAD FOR THAT TOO

he's also just so infatuated with like- everything you do????

it doesn't matter how mundane you think it might be, as long as you're doing it, denki is so enthralled watching whatever it is you're doing

it's rather endearing

in all honesty, he'd probably blurt out he likes you outta no where while in the middle of a convo

he lights up every time your name is so much as mentioned

or- or

he'd be day dreaming, completely lost in his own world and someone would come up to him and ask him what he's thinking ab cus he looks basically dead to the world

still in a daze from being abruptly brought back to reality he'd just dreamily sigh, "y/n~" without even realizing

mans was SO embarrassed afterwards

face was beet red

*frantically looks around to see if you heard him or not*

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

bonus: love languages!!

physical touch // giving

words of affirmation // receiving

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

𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐠𝐨 𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐢

he's so emotionally constipated

that's not to say we wouldn't know he'd have feelings for you

he's actually pretty emotionally intelligent, and would be very perceptive of your emotions contrary to popular belief, he's just oblivious to his own feelings and emotions

he'd just ignore them

try his best to ignore you

key word try

but he always gives in and he'd make up dumb reasons to come bother you like-

he'd barge into your dorm while you're studying and he'd be like

"y/n i need a pen,"

"oh? uh ok, here you can have this one," you hand him a pen that you happened to have tucked behind your ear

"no not that one,"

...????

"can't you go to momo and ask her to make the pen you want..?"

bakugo starts to get grumpy at this point lmao

"no, she doesn't know how to make it,"

"well, what pen do you want..??"

bakugo hesitates cus he doesn't wanna admit that he doesn't actually want a pen, he wants to be with you

"that one," he lamely points at a beat up tinkerbell pen that you've had since you were like twelve

"really?? out of all the pens you choose that one?"

"shut up and just get it"

"... you can grab it,"

he goes and grabs it and goes to walk out the door without a word and right before he leaves he leans back and looks at you

"i need a pencil"

"OH MY GOD BAKUGO"

he kept the tinkerbell pen btw

like denki, bakugo would steal things from your dorm and not just anything, things that are actually inconvenient to misplace

he'd take your bobby pin container or your favorite brush so you'd come to him to ask where it went, he'd give it back ofc but not without a fight

he'd act totally clueless and he'd wait till you actually start to get pissed to tell you where he actually put your thing

so back to how he'd actually be very aware of your emotions

he'd notice the smallest changes and can always tell when you're upset but he wouldn't exactly know how to help you

so instead of using words, he'd use actions

you had a really bad day and he walked you to your dorm and when he came in he's like

"shit, your dorm is a fucking disaster, how do you live like this," you scowl at bakugo cus like- wtf i'm rlly emotional here you're not helping

he scoffs and bends down to start picking up your shit

"seriously, i have no idea how you find anything in here, nothing is organized" and he'd just keeps grumbling like an old man while completely cleaning and reorganizing your room

dont you dare try and help him though, he will yell at you

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

bonus: love languages!!

acts of service // giving

quality time // receiving

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

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE

sero SCREAMS besfriends to lovers troupe

like- you two are already practically dating without even realizing it

the romantic tension

you guys banter and flirt with eachother so often, you both have no idea whether you're serious when you jokingly call the other sexy or not

the oblivious idiots troupe

sero makes everything a competition

not nearly to extent as bakugo would, but still goes a bit over the top

he'd use anything as an excuse to show off for you

one time, like the spiderman fanboy he is, he challenged you to see who can hang upside down the longest without passing out ( literally the stupidest idea, sero, you're going to loose braincells )

sero won, obviously and he takes full advantage of bragging rights

everyone says how denki's the flirt and whatever but NO

sero is the biggest mf flirt and denki got his game from him

so with that being said, you are not safe

HE IS A BULLY

he respects boundaries of course but that doesn't mean he's not gonna try and test his limits a bit and mess with you

he's always trying to get you flustered

god forbid you're shorter than him because he will tease the shit outta you for it

when you two train together, mf goes on overdrive ESPECIALLY if you two happen to be sparring together

he'd hover over you and lean his face in ever so slightly while your talking to him just to get a rise outta you

TILT YOUR HEAD UP WITH ONE FINGER

"could you repeat that? i'm having a hard time hearing,"

SHEEEEEEEE

but you also make fun of him for being tall, so it checks out

whenever he says some slick shit you're just like-

"I'm sorry, what? That's funny coming from someone who's above the national average height. you're disgusting, tall man; shrink perhaps" ( if anyone knows what tiktok audio i'm referencing, i'm in love with you )

hope you have your casket ready because sero's gonna slaughter your ass for that shit

ok but one time while you two were partnered up for hero training, you got on his nerves and he tied you up and left you hanging and the mf just left

maaaan were you livid

15 minutes

15 minutes you were left up there while sero was doing god knows what

you gave him the silent treatment for the rest of the day and sero was genuinely distressed cus he didn't mean to make you so mad

but lucky for him, he always knows how to get you to smile no matter how sad or are or how angry you are with him

he shoots you a piece of tape with his handwriting on it

he made up some stupid, horribly written poem asking for your forgiveness and he's just looking at you the entire time you're reading it with an exaggerated pout

how can you say mad at him?

on the topic of him sending you notes on his tape

he'd totally leave pieces of his tape in really obscure places in your dorm or even under your desk

they'd be really stupid messages too like-

"you stink"

or a really random inside joke you two have that makes literally no sense but even just the thought of it makes you laugh to tears

he'd also leave little origami figures he made with his tape in random places for you to find too

or he'd just give them to you

you have a shelf specifically dedicated for the things sero has made for you ( and he's really touched you actually keep all his shitty arts and crafts projects )

in conclusion, sero is the best and he is my favorite and i'd die for him

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

bonus: love languages!!

gift giving // giving

physical touch // giving and recieving

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

If you guys want, i can elaborate on their love languages in another post! <3

𝒇𝒊𝒏 . ✩

[bratkook]

eleven months. (m) myg. one.

masterlist.

pairing: min yoongi x reader genre: fluff, slow burn!!!, eventual smut, warnings: none this chapter. word count: 2.8k author’s note: this chapter is on the shorter side, just diving into them meeting and giving you all a small glimpse into them as individuals! im really excited for this story so let me know what you think, feel free to scream about anything in my inbox bye ily lmao summary: it’s been years of yoongi living his routine life, accustomed to his pace of living, going with the flow and simply existing. until you come along. yoongi absolutely can not see the logic in the way you live, but he weirdly craves it. craves the feeling of not being afraid of not knowing what’s coming, being able to just let the cards fall wherever they land. and maybe you can help with that.

Yoongi loves the rain, really he does. The way the clouds gloom over the city, encompassing it in this darkness that reminds him of underexposed film. He wishes he could always see the world through this filter, always smell the scent of wet soil and tarmac as he makes his way through the streets. Something about hearing the soft patter hitting the sidewalk, bouncing off the rooftops and dripping from the gutters calms him. A soft smile spreads across his face as he exhales the smoke in his lungs, letting the stick hang loosely off his lips while his hands clutch onto his umbrella.

When he stomps his foot into a wide puddle, the cold water splashes up onto his ankle and he grimaces. He hates being caught in the middle of rain. It didn’t matter if he had his umbrella or not, or if he managed to bundle enough for the downpour, he hates stepping into puddles and getting his socks wet. Hates how some of the raindrops that slipped under his umbrella—since it was now raining sideways—have managed to make his cigarette slightly soggy.

Pulling the cigarette out of his mouth this time, he holds it in front of his face with a frown. It was halfway done but no longer burning properly due to how wet it had become. 

What a waste.

As he passes a trash can, he stubs it out fully and tosses it inside, a small pout on his face at the loss of something to fidget with. But then he sees the glowing sign inching closer, the bright neon yellow standing out in the grim weather. The illuminated Rkive360 in the distance stops him from slipping out another smoke, choosing to stuff his unoccupied hand into the pocket of his jeans, moving his legs a little faster to get to his destination.

The bell at the top of the door jingles as he stumbles in, his foot tripping over the small lip of the mat by the door. That was a safety hazard he’d playfully bitch to Namjoon about later. 

“Yoongi, hey!” When he balances out, closing his umbrella and giving it a good shake by the door, he looks up and grins at Taehyung. He spots him standing by a flat spread of clothes a few feet away, folding out some new items as he stares at Yoongi with a genuine smile. His curls flop over his eyes and Yoongi chuckles to himself as he wonders how a guy like him was here folding shirts when he should probably be the face of Gucci or something. 

Well, that’s life. 

“Hey man,” Yoongi mumbles out, his eyes catching the plastic bin beside the door that’s labeled ‘umbrellas here’ in a messy scribble he can only attribute to Taehyung. Not needing to be told twice, he sticks his dripping umbrella upside down into it and shuffles inside the shop, taking a minute to look around like he always did. 

Record stores have always been his safe space, even as a teenager. The amount of time spent in one after school, loitering inside with his friends as he sorted through the racks of CDs and vinyl, exiting with his bag of new goodies that left him excited to get home and play them. It was god sent that his best friend decided to open up his own place years ago, keeping it fully stocked with anything he could imagine. Maybe Yoongi was a little biased, but this was definitely the best shop in the country. 

It’s a welcoming place, pops of color in every corner, tall standing sculptures mixed in with displays of music, autographed albums and posters framed onto the wall behind the counter. It’s the full embodiment of his best friend, down to the tiny KAWS figurines perched beside the register and the music playing through the speakers. The small melody in the background fills his ears once the door is shut, recognizing the song playing as Dang! by Mac Miller and he bobs along as he approaches Taehyung.

“Quick question,” he starts, his hands coming up to shake at his gray hair that was slightly damp from the rain. Taehyung sets the shirt down, resting both of his palms on the table as he leans towards Yoongi with interest. “Any chance you guys miraculously got Seventeen Seconds in your stock this week?”

Taehyung hums in thought, his brows furrowing together as he tries to mentally sort through the massive boxes of new vinyl Namjoon had brought in a few days ago. New shipment comes once a week but every now and then Namjoon goes out of his way to find specific records, never missing with his selection. 

A small flash of blurry trees crosses his mind and then he's smiling at him. “Yeah, we actually got it the other day. Pretty sure Namjoon hunted it down for you since you’ve been asking. It should be in the back.” His thumb points behind him, towards the display tables that held all the LP’s available at the store, a very familiar spot. 

Yoongi mumbles out a thanks as he makes his way over, eyes already locked onto the bin that he knew would hold his prized possession. It’s not until he gets a few feet closer that he sees your crouched frame over a box, figure slightly hidden by a giant CD rack. You’re rummaging through the records, almost making him flinch when you quickly stand back up and find their proper spot in the display. You don’t notice him approaching until he’s right beside you, eyes once again glued to the bins lined in alphabetical order once the initial shock of another person subsided.

That’s when you give him a glance, sending him a soft smile as you slip the record in its rightful spot, crouching back down to grab the next bunch. His hand pauses on the edge of the bin at the glimpse of something familiar, momentarily distracted by your shirt. When you stand back up, feeling him staring at you, you slowly turn to face him once more with your eyebrows raised up in question.

He takes note of the tag clipped to your shirt, it reads Sana but he’s used to dealing with Sana and you are definitely not her. You’re new.

The smile remains on your lips as you rest your hip against the edge of the table holding up the record bins, preparing to put your best customer service voice to use. His eyes glance at the writing on your shirt again, cracking a grin when he confirms it's a New Order shirt tucked into your black jeans. “You like New Order?”

Your smile falters slightly, your arms crossing in front of you as you narrow your eyes at him in defense, not entirely sure how to take his tone. “If you’re about to ask me to name five of their songs I’ll have to walk away to avoid getting fired.”

His smile widens at that, soft and gummy, breaking his cold appearance as his arms raise up in front of him in surrender. “No, just an observation.”

Your demeanor softens again, your arms sagging back down to your sides and smiling once more. “Good, it's my first day on the job and I’d really like to keep it.”

Yoongi chuckles softly, going back to his searching for his precious album, leaning over the third bin dedicated to bands starting with the letter C. His nimble fingers flip through the LPs until he gets to the Cure, sorting through Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, passing Pornography until he reaches Wish and his brows furrow, flicking back and forth as if the album he wanted would magically appear.

“Need help finding something?” You speak up again when you take note of him sorting through the same chunk of vinyl. He grunts lightly, letting the stack slant back in a heap as he purses his lips.

“Yeah actually, Taehyung said you guys got the album Seventeen Seconds but I don’t see it.

You step back from reorganizing the bin labeled S, trying to remember if you had brought the record out or if it was still sitting in the second box ready to be unpacked. Your brain was already overwhelmed from all of the information you had been given on your first day, trying to unscramble the entire backroom and it’s countless boxes—most of which were unlabeled because Taehyung said it’s not necessary since he knows where everything is. 

Much like Taehyung, you recall seeing a flash of the album cover when you sorted through the new box of records, knowing exactly where it was tucked away since you had been the one to store it. You were under strict orders to not put it out on the floor, because according to Namjoon, if someone else took this album you’d be attending his funeral. 

“Oh, uh gimme a sec.” You shuffle away, leaving him behind as you approach Taehyung, still folding away. “Hey, Tae?”

He hums in question, turning to stare at you with a small smile. “Whats up?”

“That guy is asking for Seventeen Seconds but Namjoon told me he’d be murdered if I gave this out to anyone.”

Taehyung starts laughing instantly, setting the shirt down as he stares at a confused looking Yoongi still standing by the LP’s. “Yeah, he was saving it for him specifically.”

“Got it, okay. Thanks.” You make a beeline back to the tables at the back, passing Yoongi with a polite smile. “Be right back!” you exclaim, wagging your finger at him as you make your way towards the back room, clearly on a mission.

Yoongi just stands there as you enter the employee stock room, not trying to cross any professional lines and follow you since you have no idea who he is. It's only a few feet away and you left the door propped open so when a few minutes pass and he hears rustling, followed by a heavy sounding thud and some curse words, he can’t help but wander over and peak his head in.

“You okay?” he asks, leaning against the door frame with a smirk on his face when he sees the way you’re frozen, one foot on the ledge of the shelf and the other on a not so sturdy looking stool, caught in the act of a poorly made decision. Below you lay two brown boxes that carry shirts you’re meant to unpack later, definitely the cause of the loud thud he had heard.

“Yep,” you confirm as you pluck out the record you need, shoving the box back into its safe spot and hopping down haphazardly. “Here you go.”

Grabbing the record carefully, he flips it over to skim the track list and smiles widely when he looks back up at you. That familiar warmth fills his chest as he holds the new item, making him feel the same way he had as a teenager when he bought his first LP. He had been searching for this vinyl for months now. It wasn’t as if it was no longer in production, he just couldn’t seem to find it in stock anywhere he looked and buying it internationally was the last resort he would take since the shipping fees were downright illegal. “Thanks.”

You’re already hunched down on the floor as you open up one of the boxes that had fallen in your haste to scale the shelves, deciding to just unpack in now since you were here. 

“Yeah, no problem. Tae can ring you up at the front.” Sending him off with a smile and a wave, he takes that as his cue to exit, making his way to the front again. 

When he leaves the backroom you flop onto your butt with a huff, your legs sprawling out with the second box in between them. You were hoping your words didn’t come across as rude to him but you couldn’t take the way his sharp eyes stared at you. Had he lingered any longer you would have embarrassed yourself, it was a miracle your footing hadn’t slipped on your way down from the shelves. You can’t imagine your ego being able to recover from a tumble like that. 

Taehyung spots Yoongi leaning against the front counter, setting the final shirt down and going to stand behind it with a smile. “Did you find everything okay?” he asks automatically, the general phrases they had to use coming out without a thought and Yoongi scoffs, sliding the record across the counter and nodding.

“Of course I did, you let Namjoon know that I said your customer service is unmatched.” His finger gently rubs against the first black KAWS figurine, smiling at the remaining four as he remembers how Namjoon had excitedly told him that this was their friend group, representing them all perfectly. 

Taehyung grins with a roll of his eyes, scanning the album and slipping it into the brown paper bag they provided. “Wonderful. Your total is 40,000 won.”

“Wow, your customer service voice is phenomenal.”

Taehyung laughs now, his nose crinkling up at Yoongi's sarcastic tone, watching how Yoongi grins back at him, succeeding in getting him to crack. “Fuck you, man.”

“Ah, there he is.” Yoongi hums with a chuckle as he pulls out his wallet, sorting through his bills and handing them to Taehyung. “Who’s New Order girl?”

Tae raises his brows as he enters the amount into the POS, the drawer popping open against his hips. “Oh, Y/N?” Yoongi only shrugs, you had Sana’s name tag on so how the hell should he know.

Taehyung stuffs the money into the drawer and slams it shut, ripping off the receipt from the machine and slipping it into the bag. “She just started today, can’t remember where she moved from, some place far though.” He shrugs as he hands the bag over to Yoongi.

The older boy ruffles his damp hair up, accepting the bag with his right hand. “Oh, cool. Well thanks, I’ll see you guys later then?” Taehyung just waves him off with a smile, similar to the way you did and he laughs to himself when he realizes Taehyung must be the one in charge of training you.

As he approaches the front door he pulls out his pack of cigarettes once more, sliding one out and slipping it between his lips. He finds himself looking towards the back of the shop again, seeing you resuming your organization, but your head lifts up as you feel him staring at you from his spot at the door. The spark of his lighter flashes across his face when he lights up his smoke, opening his umbrella once more now that he's partially outside. When your eyes meet, he smiles around the stick, giving you a nod before turning and walking back out into the rain.

You watch as his figure disappears down the street, his dark silhouette blending in with the rest of the people roaming the city, and when you can no longer see him through the store window you turn towards Taehyung. He’s stood at the POS, fidgeting with the screen, but when you call his name he glances up at you. “Is he a regular?”

He nods in response, eyes going back to stare at the screen as he begins to print out a sheet to fulfill the online orders the store received. “Yeah, he comes in at least once a week. Buys strictly vinyl. I think Namjoon mentioned he’s a music producer, or maybe it was a DJ, I can’t remember.”

Taehyung evidently doesn’t have the best memory, that much had been made clear in the short span you’ve known him. He had forgotten your name twice during your interview, Namjoon having to subtly repeat it for him, he had also asked you three times where you were from and at first you thought he was joking but when his face remained serious you realized he had really forgotten already.

“Hey, where’d you move from again?” he asks one more, genuinely curious as if you hadn’t told him a handful of times already. 

“I told you, Iceland.” It’s a lie, but when he hums in thought—pretending to suddenly remember—you chuckle at the newfound way to mess with him. 

He’s quick to start questioning you about Iceland, nodding along to the lies you spill while you both go back to your tasks of sorting albums and folding shirts. It makes your first full shift eventful, passing jokes back and forth as the sky grows gloomier. As distracting as your conversations get, you can’t help but glance up through the windows whenever a dark clad figure walks by, the thought of the sharp eyed stranger lingering in your mind. 

[ask-the-clergy-bc]

what did our ghoulies do for the clergy before they became band ghouls and why were they picked out?

Ooooooh, love this!! Love getting to explore different clergy roles! I love getting to play with the origins of Era IV!

Since I also make a LOT of references to my ideas of leader ghouls, I'm gonna go ahead and link that headcanon here to avoid confusion! --> [Link]

Era IV Jobs Before the Ghost Project

Aether: Aether was summoned when the ministry decided to start training successor ghouls to the current ghoul leaders. Air had finally stepped down as Beta ghoul, and the ministry was afraid others would do the same. Ather was summoned specially to become the next Omega ghoul. While Aether has his own powers of healing that took over as his main duties, he mainly shadowed the head quintessence ghoul. This included a lot of traveling, learning about Earth and human culture, and working with many different types of ghouls. There was also a lot of personal assistance to the Emeritus line, as aether ghoul healing is more effective for demon blood than normal human medicine.

When Omega was on his tours, Aether took care of his business in his stead to test how close he was to being ready. Aether was never originally meant to take part in the Ghost project until a few albums ahead. But with Omega’s sudden departure and being needed back in the Clergy, Aether was once again tested by being a band substitute. Luckily, he was a natural and has been proving himself as the next head ghoul! Handling both responsibilities and the pressure of being the Omega Ghoul.

Cumulus: Cumulus has been around for a few decades and has served enthusiastically. Her first decade was as an assistant to Papa I- her summoner. Namely as his ritual assistant and with his paperwork. She has always had a good eye for detail and organization, with a queenly air of authority about her. But Papa believes in letting his ghouls flourish to their strong suits. Until Copia’s ascension, Cumulus has been the lively and loyal personal ghoul to Sister Imperator. Serving as everything from bodyguard, personal confidant, and even enforcer to the Mother Superior. Cumulus was the very first selected for the job of band ghoul when it was Copia’s turn to head the Ghost project.

Imperator wanted a ghoul who was smart, capable, and with a good grasp of leadership to help supervise the other ghouls. Cumulus was also vouched for by Air. Her and Cirrus were both personally trained by the older ghoul when he was looking for a successor for the Beta ghoul position. While neither were chosen for that particular duty, Cumulus is happy to be a part of the band. She still keeps in touch with Imperator and sometimes acts as though she is Copia’s manager. If something goes wrong or needs to be done, Cumulus is the first to know.

Cirrus: Cirrus has gone back and forth between two duties. Serving the current Imperator and studying under the former Beta ghoul, Air. Cirrus is a tough cookie and has been a ghoulish enforcer for many abbies. Essentially keeping ghouls and siblings in line when it comes to fights or rule breaking. There are always ghouls who make sure the will of the clergy is followed and those who commit crimes are punished. This was her preferred job, rather than work with Air. Who tended to find stuffy, traditional research more important. Cirrus, as calm as she is, prefers hands on work. She’s also worked security detail for all of the Papas but most importantly, Grand Papa Nihil. Cirrus is a long time bodyguard (and baby sitter) for the Grandpapa and Sister Imperator.

Cirrus was recommended by both Cumulus and Air- since they were both practically raised by Air to be potential leader ghouls. Nihil was particularly sad to see Cirrus disappear from his entourage, but agreed she would be a wonderful fit. Also Nihil and Imperator can agreed that Cirrus keeps Copia in line by her sheer intimidating presence and powerful aura. Cirrus would be lying if she said she didn’t also enjoy the chance to do something more fun and get away from the clergy for a bit!

Mountain: Although Mountain was summoned by Papa II, he was never strictly a ghoul for the Emeritus. Personally summoned ghouls tend to be bodyguards or close entourage for their Papal summoners. For a couple of decades Mountain was an effective and reliable body guard for Papa II. But Papa eventually realized his ghoul’s talents were being wasted. Stone ghouls have been shown to have natural strength beyond most ghouls and a good eye for architecture. Mountain has been responsible for helping build new cathedrals, quarters, and even clearing land. His level headedness and bluntness have also been excellent when working with Papa II, who has supervised many of these new buildings.

Mountain being assigned to go with Copia was actually a sort of ‘good faith loan’ from Papa II. Don’t get me wrong, Papa II does NOT like Copia. He finds him opportunistic and a usurping leech… However, Copia IS chosen by Lucifer. Papa II cares about his ministry MORE than he hates Copia. Since he hasn’t had Mountain as a bodyguard for years he decides to recommend him. After all, it also looks good on him for being generous enough to support the newest singer of the band. The Ministry was happy, mainly to let the Cardinal practice working with ghouls of different types and skill sets to delegate. On tour he was accepted and chosen for both his natural talents but to help balance out all of the incredibly strong personalities of the current ghouls.

Rain: Rain was a very behind the scenes ghoul, and rarely worked in the public congregation. He was the archivist assistant to the current head water ghoul, Delta. Delta is one of the oldest serving ghouls who now takes care of the Ministry’s protected collections of records. Rain has happily kept a quiet existence processing old and new registrations for the entire ministry. At one point Rain had studied directly under Delta with Water and Mist- all powerful water ghouls who are being trained for greater works. Rain loved playing music but never considered himself one to be ever picked for anything but reorganizing entire archives and dusting off old books.

Rain was recommended by Mist after her short stint with the Ghost project and Papa III. While she wanted to go on tour, she was needed elsewhere to train. She could vouch for Rain’s hard work and need to open up and embrace his potential. Copia was happy to take the water ghoul, as was shown to have indelible talent and an agreeable personality. The touring has definitely made Rain want to be more active in the ministry and with his fellow ghouls.

Swiss: Swiss was actually pretty high ranked before he became a band ghoul! While not part of the leader ghouls for the entire ministry, Swiss was the top ghoul in one of the main cathedrals outside of the head abbey. This meant he directed, advocated, and watched over all of the ghouls a part of the cathedral. Making sure all duties were done and all ghouls were taken care of. Swiss is a pretty strong ghoul in his own right. While he is fire he was born from two mixed ghouls of different elements. So he is well versed in different elemental energies and knowledge. His easy going nature and quick wit makes him a favorite among siblings and ghouls alike. Higher Clergy also worked with him to make accommodations and holidays for the ghouls.

Swiss was hand picked by Copia who worked with him pre Ghost project. Copia has always valued Swiss’s hard work and ability to get along with everyone he met. Swiss was agreed by Imperator and the ministry to be a great ghoul. Not just in vocals but bringing everyone together and interacting with the fans and staff. Swiss accepted the position with glee. He loves doing ceremonies at his home abbey, and a Ritual is nothing different- just bigger! Plus, Swiss will never turn down a chance to sing.

Ember: Ember has been strong but an entire pain in the ass of the Ministry for a LONG time. There have been many times he was almost sent back to Hell because he was difficult to control. Ember has calmed down in recent years, but he can still be a bit of a thorn in everyone's side. But he has so much potential within the Ministry, he’s too valuable of an asset. At first he was summoned as the potential candidate to be the next Alpha ghoul, for when Alpha eventually steps down. But to help him adjust to the responsibilities he had been shipped to many places with many duties. He’s been everything from a guard, to ritual assistant, to attack dog.

Eventually he found a spot with Papa III right before he went on tour as his bodyguard. Their energies actually worked very well together and he was one of the few before Copia who was able to give him the right outlets he needed. Ember was hand chosen to be a bassist by Papa III when Alpha had to return with Omega to the Ministry. Ember had originally asked to be guitarist, but the Ministry was interested in testing Ifrit to be the next Alpha ghoul. Ember was just happy to play but was absolutely thrilled when Copia asked for him to play head guitar.

[fictitious-little-stitious]

Denim Pedro credit: @/din-djarins-riduur // Cattle image credit: photograph by A. Nielson // Collage made on Canva (graphic design is my passion)

Hotcakes and Holding Hands: Thursday

Jack “Whiskey” Daniels x GN!Reader

Read on AO3

Writer Wednesday 8-25-2021 — I’m late, but go check out this week’s master list! 🤩

@clydesducktape and @autumnleaves1991-blog

Summary: Reader is home on their family’s ranch for Spring Break and is getting to know Jack, a college student working on the ranch. Despite the wintry cold on the prairie, Jack warms Reader’s heart with a sweet surprise. This snippet takes place early early on Thursday.

Word Count: ~1400

Rating: G (the overall story will be PG or PG-13)

Warnings: Food and eating mentions. Working with animals. I can’t think of others, but I will update accordingly if it’s pointed out or I notice something. Mostly just silly fluffy fluff!

A/N: Probably the most self indulgent fic I will ever write. This is either going to be part of a longer oneshot or a set of drabbles, I’ll decide in the car. I’m just going to bask in the miracle that is finishing a fic only 2 days later than I intended to. 😂 You can read a teaser from earlier in the story to see how they met. 🥰 I understand this is pretty niche, but I’m happy to share all the same. Also I’m more than happy to visit about ranch stuff. I included a couple definitions just in case.

~≈~≈~

Thursday

The annoying screech of your alarm put an abrupt halt to what little sleep you did get. As much as you wanted to hit “snooze”, you couldn’t. Jack had been on watch since before midnight. Thankfully the first calf heifers weren’t having many complications this year, but it still required close attention during odd hours in the cold. Some nights would pass without incident while everything and anything could go wrong the next. Such was the nature of this season. Bundled up and flashlight in hand, you set out into the dark. Ignoring your footsteps, you looked up. The moon shone, rendering your flashlight redundant for the short trek to the barn. Countless stars dotted the sky and you banked this memory for when you inevitably returned to the light pollution of your college city. You still had a couple more days of break to enjoy, so you shook that thought away and hurried to Jack.

The tack shed was a base of sorts since your dad fitted it with a space heater and a coffee pot. To him, that was all the creature comforts one could need. Hearing your approach, Sheila perked up from her spot in the snow drift and wagged her stubby tail happily which shook her entire hind end. You figured out early on that wherever Sheila was, Jack would be close. She was your dog, but took to Jack like a shadow. He must have let her out so she could cool down since the tack shed could get pretty toasty. You opened the door the same time Jack was reaching for it from the inside. The two of you exchanged pleasantries and he updated you on what he had done, which pairs bonded okay, and which heifers to check on. As Jack passed, he patted your shoulder in silent gratitude, sleepiness settled his features. It made sense that he was so tired. He had been working these hours for a week before you got home. Sheila had enough alertness for the three of you anyway. She trotted alongside him as he walked back to his bunkhouse for some much needed rest.

You passed the time walking through the manger pens and calving barn. Moving was essential to keep you awake and warm as well as keep a watchful eye on the heifers and new calves. Another task that kept you busy in the down time was reorganizing the tack shed. Old feed bags, bits of twine, and spilled feed littered the floor, making it difficult to find other supplies and tack.

You had just come back in from your first round when suddenly the pitchy whine of a metal gate opening broke your attention and raised the hair up on your neck. You couldn’t see outside for the bright tack shed lights you were under but there was Jack with Sheila hot on his heels, not even gone an hour. He called out your name as he stepped into the shed.

“Jack! I about jumped out of my skin!”

“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to scare ya,” he replied sheepishly.

“What are you doing down here? Nothing’s happened since you left, but I can handle things. Besides, you need some sleep.”

“This was my best chance for the element of surprise. You would’ve wisened up to me later in the day.” Sheila looked up at you both. It seemed she was in on whatever Jack was alluding to.

Not sure what he was on about, you teased. “I should’ve wisened up to you a few days ago. But what would I have wisened up to today?”

“This.” From behind his back, he produced a covered cake pan then overturned a bucket as a makeshift chair.

“Wait here a second,” he guided you by your shoulder to take a seat before placing the pan in your lap, “but don’t open it.” He jogged to the edge of the shed to grab another bucket for his seat. There was not an ounce of tiredness in him, replaced by a refreshed giddiness at this ungodly hour.

Sheila sat beside you and you both watched with intrigue as Jack opened the lid, letting out a ghosting steam into the crisp air. You leaned over to shut the door Jack missed in his excitement. Before it disappeared, you caught a whiff of vanilla. In the pan lay an array of small pancakes, some had a little more griddle time than others. But they were warm and looked delicious.

“Happy birthday,” he whispered, his breath whisping by like smoke as it took the last of the chill with it, the heater began to rewarm the shed.

You gasped softly. You had forgotten your own birthday. But Jack, the cowboy you knew for less than a week somehow not only knew, but planned and delivered a birthday surprise. Just for you.

A light thud on the floor drew your attention to a red cooler beside Jack. You didn’t even see him bring it in. He proudly gestured to the syrups, butter, and thermos. Jack was basking in your surprise and delight. A quiet whine from Sheila reminded him that there was a hungry party guest waiting on him.

“First things first, candles. Hardly a birthday without ‘em.” He removed his gloves and leaned back so he could unzip his heavy coat. From the chest pocket of his coveralls he pulled out a baggie filled with birthday candles, a lighter, and two forks.

You took off your coat and gloves and looked over the items he brought. “And plates are… where?”

Jack rolled his eyes at himself, “I knew I would forget somethin’, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” He made to stand up, but you reached to his knee to still him where he sat. Even through the thick layers of his coveralls, Jack felt your touch as if there were no barriers.

“We can share, I don’t mind,” you reassured him as you balanced the pan on his lap, a poor replacement for your touch. You stepped outside and soon returned dragging in a small square bale and putting it between the bucket seats. His brown eyes shone at you with youthful adoration, causing your cheeks to warm. With a hum, Jack resumed his preparations by sticking candles all over the pancake stack. Intending to speed things along, you reached across to him for some candles but he insisted he had it covered.

Twenty-two thoughtfully placed candles later, it was time to light them up. Mercifully he didn’t insist on singing to you as he lit the candles. It took him a couple tries to get traction on the lighter, but much to his relief you didn’t seem to care. You silently wished the shed lights weren’t so bright. The thought of the soft glow flickering over his features was picturesque.

Jack and Sheila watched in anticipation as you shut your eyes, quickly communicating your wish to whoever or whatever forces were at play, then blew out all candles in one go, save for a stubborn one you got on the second pass. The candles were gathered up and the two of you dug in, making sure to reward Sheila for her polite patience.

You knew your way around pancakes, or hotcakes as your dad called them. And Jack clearly knew his way around a kitchenette. You couldn’t resist humming in satisfaction at the fluffy texture. It wasn’t too much and not too thin.

“Where did you learn to cook so good?” you asked around another mouthful.

“Le Cordon Bleu, since you asked so eloquently. Ranch work is just pocket change during my gap year,” he replied matter of factly.

He made the mistake of meeting your gaze. A beat of silence later and you both erupted into a fit of laughter. Thankfully you had finished your bite, because the snort you unleashed could’ve been so much worse. At that, Jack howled and his cheeks sheened from tears since he was laughing so hard. Sheila yipped at the silly commotion.

When calm resumed, a silent pause settled over as well. You couldn’t tell if he was leaning or you were or both of you were. Volitional or automatic, it didn’t matter, because in a blink your lips were pressed together. His kiss was syrupy sweet, almost as sweet as the grin plastered on his face when you parted. You knew so, because you wore the same look.

When you pulled a hair further back from each other, you saw his cheeks were even rosier. It definitely wasn’t from the cold.

Wish granted.

~≈~

Definitions:

Heifer: a young female cow who hasn’t had her first calf yet

Ranch hand: someone who works on a ranch taking care of livestock and other maintenance chores (e.g. fencing, watering, etc.)

Tag List: let me know if you would like to be added or removed! 🥰

@acrossthesestars

@hnt-escape

@horton-hears-a-honk

@mesmorales

@oonajaeadira

@sharkbait77

@songsformonkeys

Line divider credit @ firefly-graphics

Banner created by @ acrossthesestars 💚

[em-neko]

FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM (KBTBB HEADCANON)

how i think mc would’ve met + fallen in love with the bidders if she hadn’t been put up for auction.

oh and i added a song to go along with each scenario, enjoy!

a/n: the auctions don’t exist in this universe, so the bidders don’t know each other (assuming soryu, eisuke and luke didn’t stay in contact after high school). however, shuichi and hikaru are friends.

EISUKE

when mc worked at the tres spade, they’d often run into each other

she’d always catch his eye, but he wasn’t sure why

she was just like any other maid, after all

but to him, she seemed different somehow

one day, his curiosity got the best of him and he promoted her to the penthouse

at first, she was really shy and wouldn’t even look him in the eye

he’d try chatting her up (in his own way)

but she wouldn’t open up (understandably)

so one day, he asked her to make him coffee

their first conversation was about how eisuke liked his coffee

somehow, he managed to make her laugh

and slowly, she began warming up to him

since then, whenever she’d go up to the penthouse to clean, they’d end up just talking the entire time

mc got in trouble for it (and by trouble i mean, erika and tweedledee and tweedledum bullied her about it) but eisuke always defended her

if eisuke was too busy in his office to talk to her, he’d leave her a small present on the coffee table for her to find

things like jewelry, clothes, beauty products and sweets

in exchange, mc left notes and doodles for eisuke to find

once she even left a short comic that she’d written and illustrated for him to read

he saved them all

soon, their relationship turned flirty

eisuke would tease her constantly

sometimes, he’d jokingly pin mc down on the couch

or he’d give her little surprise kisses while she’d be cleaning

mc would always blush and get super flustered

in typical eisuke fashion, he’d play it off as a joke

but it was obvious he really liked her

soon, eisuke offered her to move into the penthouse

he blamed it on boredom and pulled them “it’s for work” card, but mc saw right through it

and she agreed

SORYU

i genuinely don’t think they would’ve ever met if it weren’t for the auctions

however, i could see them potentially meeting in a bookstore

it was that cliche, looking over the shelf, eyes meeting type of thing

soryu didn’t pay any mind to her at first, but he’d remember her face

he found himself thinking about her a lot

she was scared of him at first, but she found him really attractive

so they’d both go to the bookstore every few days, hoping they run into one another

they wouldn’t speak to each other though

but that doesn’t mean the staff of the bookstore didn’t take notice of their occasional glances

they were kinda suspicious because mc and soryu would always be in the store at the same time

so one day, after closing, the staff reorganized the shelves so that the romance section (mc’s favorite section) would be right besides the crime novel section (soryu’s favorite section)

hoping they’d talk to each other

and it worked!

when mc and soryu returned to the bookstore the next day, they realized that things had been move around

and found themselves shoulder to shoulder

mc eventually gathered up the courage to ask him what he was reading

and he offered to buy her a book he liked

in exchange, she bought him a book she liked

every few days, they’d purchase books for each other, and talk about the last books

mc began to leave notes in soryu’s books

and he left notes in hers too

notes turned to letters

and soon, a phone number was left on the bottom of one of the letters

OTA

they met at a museum

ota was there to look for inspiration

while mc was just wardering around on her lunch break

ota caught mc’s eye immediately, he’s the angelic artist after all

but she didn’t want to bother him, nor did she have the courage to talk to him in the first place

so she just pretended like she didn’t see him

when the paparazzi and ota’s fangirls catch wind that he’s at the museum, they all swarmed the place

ota frantically tried to find a place for hide

and luckily for him, mc found a way to sneak into the security guard’s office

she ushered him in and told him to hide under the desk

while waiting for the chaos to cool down, they joked around and laughed together

ota told mc she looked like his old dog and called her koro as a joke

she rolled her eyes, before bursting out laughing

he started treating her like a dog (asking her to sit, give paw, jump etc.) and she played along

they both laughed together hysterically at the end

when the chaos cooled down, ota left his hiding spot

but, not before asking her if he can “take her on a walk sometime”

she’d bark happily

i made mc a whiling participant to ota’s shenanigans because a big reason why i didn’t like ota’s main story was because i felt so bad for mc

MITSUNARI

they met after baba had stolen a painting at an gallery, owned by a child predator

ayame was chasing him down the street

with no where to go, baba ran into a random building

(that happened to be mc’s apartment complexe)

he entered a random apartment on the second floor

(which also happened to be mc’s apartment)

and hid inside her bathtub

when mc got home and found him inside her bathtub, she freaked out (obviously)

she yelled at him and beat him with a broomstick

somehow baba managed to talk her out of calling the cops by explaining the situation to her

after she calmed down, they drank some tea together and chit chatted

mostly about their jobs

baba teased her a lot about being a maid, while she simply blushed, too shy to tease back

but she couldn’t hide the fact that she found good looking

minutes turned to hours

and the next morning, mc woke up in her own bed

turns out, baba had carried her to her bedroom after she’d fallen asleep while they were talking

and sat at the foot of her bed until the crack of dawn

just to make sure she didn’t have any nightmares after the scare he gave her

to thank her for “the unforgettable night” she gave him, he left her a note with his phone number on it

and at the bottom, it was written to call him if she ever needed help

and he’d be there

mc didn’t think she’d ever use it, after all she wasn’t stupid, she knew a womanizer when she saw one

but when she got invited to a party a few days later, she realized that she needed a date

and who better was to call than the flirty thief she’d just met?

MAMORU

they met on the bus

mc was on her way to meet a friend

while she was sitting on the bus, reading her book, mamoru came stumbling in

mc noted that he looked sleepy

when he came towards her, she made sure to move her back out of the way so he could sit down

mere seconds after the bus began moving again, mamoru fell asleep

on mc’s shoulder

mc didn’t want to wake him up and ask him to move because he seemed so exhausted

so she let him sleep on her

she didn’t mind too much, besides she was only getting off at the last stop

and she thought he was pretty cute, but she’d never admit that

but then, the last stop came

and mamoru was still sleeping on her shoulder

mc wondered if he’d missed his stop or if he was getting off on the last stop too

she gently nudged him, calling out to him to wake up

when he woke up, he realized he’d missed his stop and started freaking out

he blamed mc for not waking him up at his stop

mc retorted that she didn’t know which stop was his

and they walked off the bus bickering

they continued arguing on the street too

until mamoru realized how stupid he sounded and somewhat apologized

mc was understandably annoyed that this man had wasted her time and stomped away

but before she could get far enough away from him, he called out to her

he asked her if he could apologize to her with some dinner

he expected her to say no

but instead, she told him she’d only go if he took her to the best ramen place in town

and he agreed

LUKE

like soryu, i can’t imagine them ever meeting if it wasn’t for mc being sold at the auctions

however, there is a possibility that they’d run into each other at the hotel

mc had just gotten transferred to the tres spade dubai

and luke had a meeting there with potential patient

while luke waited for the patient in the lobby, all of the female staff members were checking him out

of course, he is very handsome after all

mc didn’t pay too much mind, she admitted he was good looking, but this was the tres spade

handsome men came through those doors every day

so she simply walked by and continued her work

and luke and his patient eventually went to his suite

a few hours later, mc was asked to bring some refreshments to room 145

turns out, it was luke’s patient’s suite

she smiled politely at luke and his patient and placed the bottles of whiskey on the table in front of them

eyes wide like he was in a trance, he reached his fingertips towards her chest

panicked, mc was about to push his hands away and apologize, thinking he was reaching for her breast

but he wasn’t

instead, he began caressing her collarbones, while praising their beauty

mc and the patient stared at each other with big eyes, confused as to what to do

“uh.. dr foster, are you okay?”

mc was beginning to get flustered at how close luke was

so she gently placed her hands on his and pushed them off of her

she apologized and told him she had to go, and to call the front desk if he needed anything else

but before she could leave, luke called out to her

he asked her if she’d come to his clinic sometimes

he wanted to get x-ray’s of her collarbones

and as weirded out as mc was, she agreed

SHUICHI

they met while shuichi was staying at the tres spade japan on a business trip

mc had just finished cleaning the third floor

so she stepped on the elevator to make her way to the twentieth floor, where she’d end her shift

shuichi was already inside

she bowed to him, greeting him politely

he simply nodded his head

after pressing her floor button, she stepped back and stood besides shuichi

they rode in silence

until the elevator suddenly came to a harsh stop

mc began freaking out

and shuichi got frustrated

he tried mc calming down in his own way

she got pissed at him

but hey, at least she wasn’t panicking anymore

shuichi clicked the help button and they waited

and waited

after a while, while they sat on the floor, mc apologized to shuichi for the inconvenience

he assured her that it wasn’t her fault

after a brief moment of silence, she asked him why he was staying at the tres spade

and they began talking about work

soon, the conversation turned political

mc was a unsure because of how stiff shuichi was

she thought he was annoyed at her

but he wasn’t

in fact, shuichi was impressed by how educated mc was on the subject

and he loved how casually she spoke about it too

once help finally arrived, he couldn’t help but feel sad that the conversation had to come to an end

he genuinely loved talking to her

she was laid back, but intelligent, a combination he found very attractive

so he asked her she’d be his date that night to his business dinner

and she said yes

HIKARU

they met at work, of course

hikaru was always super friendly towards mc

he’d always help her when he had free time

sometimes he’d buy her food at the cafeteria

or bring her coffee from the local coffee shop

soon, mc began developing a little crush on him

at least, that was until he lured her to into a secluded area at the hotel and threatened her with a knife

turns out, he was going after the wrong person

his target’s wife coincidentally had the same first and last name as mc

hence why hikaru confused them

he apologized

but now that she knew who he really was, he couldn’t just let her go

so he told the manager that they were dating and he wanted mc to move in with him

unfortunately for mc, the manager said yes

and they moved in together

at first, mc was (understandably) afraid of hikaru

but soon, she warmed up to him

in fact, she actually began liking his sassy attitude better than his good guy persona

and there was no denying he was into her too

they played house together

they cooked together, cleaned together, watched shows together, built ikea furniture together

hell, they even argued about which type of cheese to buy at the grocery store

when hikaru had nightmares, they’d cuddle and mc would listen to him talk about his demons all night

hikaru was terrified she’d leave him one day

but she never did

RHION

they met at an antique store

rhion was looking for a new unique trinket to add to his collection

while mc was simply aimlessly wandering around the shop

when their eyes suddenly met

it was love at first sight

however, they were both too shy to come up to each other

so they just creeped on each other until the store closed

when it was time to go home, rhion instantly regretted not talking to her

he was upset, there was his chance to not be alone anymore, yet he blew it

he felt like a coward

but the next day, rhion got a knock at the door

and it was mc!

turns out, he had dropped his id while paying for his things at the antique store

and mc was there to return it

he told her that he’d “found his alice”

and invited her in for some tea

they talked until the early hours of the morning

she spent the night

then the week

then the month

and that’s when rhion realized, she wasn’t leaving

and he didn’t complain one bit

[softomi]

The Alternatives

prompts: When we feel like we aren’t in control, we’ll reorganize ourselves; we’ll think of other solutions; but in the end, we’ll always find ourselves where we began. 

My dream may not have begun with you, but it sure as hell will end with you.

pairing: oikawa x reader

Your keys twirled on your finger, they jingled against each other as you entered the gym. The ball smacks against the floor during the two men’s argument. The quarrel created tension in the bare gym, the two boys at each other’s necks.

“Will it be worth it?!” Iwaizumi was gripping Oikawa by the material of his shirt, “When you finally injure yourself enough to be forced to quit, will you finally be satisfied?”

“Maybe!” Oikawa pushed his arm away, hands reaching down to grab one of the fallen volleyballs. The ball in his hand slips from his grip when he spots you through the net. He attempts to cool the high rising of his chest, “Y/n.” He whispers your name.

“Tooru.” You wave at him.

Oikawa’s head tilts at the way Iwaizumi knocks him with his fist, “Stupid.” Iwaizumi states as he leaves to gather his things.

You sit on the bench, legs swaying, you bid farewell to Iwaizumi as he leaves. The male simply pats your head, a habit he developed from when you were the small freshman in high school. You hear him faintly whisper under his breath, asking you to tame the beast on the court.

Oikawa’s eyes linger on the way Iwaizumi touches your hair, waiting for him to leave the gym before he walks to you. You flash him a smile, one he hopes you only give him, as he approaches you. His shoulders slump when he takes a seat next to you, eyes glued to the volleyball he’s placed between his feet.

“Are you here to yell at me too?” His voice is soft compared to the roar he gave his friend.

You sway slightly, just enough for your shoulders to bounce off of his, your lips hum, “No.” You see the way his lips pout but yet his eyes are shaking, “I can already tell you’re doing it to yourself.”

That’s what he liked about you, no; it was what he loved about you. You were like water, fizzling the flame coursing his veins, providing life to his wounds.

“Do you think I should quit volleyball?”

Your swaying ceased, you noticed the way his eyes were no longer shaking, they were still as they stared deep into the ball. He was serious, just like he always was when this thought passed his mind; for someone who breathed for the sport, some days he gets the wind knocked out of him.

“Okay.” The way his eyes shot to look at you, it almost made you jolt, “Well.” You say, “What’s plan B then?” You bring your gaze to stare at the net, “Let’s strategize. Plan A is professional volleyball, what’s plan B?”

He takes the ball into his hands, “Plan B.” The words roll off his tongue, “I could teach volleyball.”

Your lips pull into a grin. Of course. You think, “Okay. Plan C?”

“Definitely a model.”

Your head nods, “Definitely. Plan D?”

Oikawa purses his lips, “Oh! I could be a referee for volleyball games.”

“I feel like you would be very biased.” You counter.

He lets out a flabbergasted gasp, “I would never.”

“Says the person who refereed a checkers game between me and Iwaizumi. You definitely saw me cheat.”

The ball is abandoned on the ground as Oikawa turns to you, “I saw nothing. You won fair and square.”

You cackle at his comment, “Okay. Then, plan E?”

You waited as he stared at you. He gave you one of those looks, one that you just couldn’t entirely pinpoint where his thoughts were leading him. Most times you could read him like the back of your hand, but then he gives you this look; as if those other times he was letting you read him.

“I marry you.” You froze yet he was so nonchalant, “Then we get a big house and have lots and lots of kids. Enough to make a volleyball team.” A smile graces your lips, you let him ramble. He names your children, plans where they’d go to school, plans the ages of each child, “And then when our last child gets married and moves out of the house, we’ll move to the country side where I’ll teach the neighborhood kids how to play the greatest sport ever, volleyball.”

The excitement in his voice dwindles, his eyes staring at the net. You perk your head to him, viewing his still expression; the longingness in his eyes, “Plan A sounds like the most pleasing doesn’t it.”

Oikawa meets your gaze, “It’s my dream.” His voice falls to a whisper, “I worked so hard to get here, I can’t just stop.”

“I know.” Your voice is flat, “I’m so proud of you, how far you’ve come, everything you’ve achieved.” Your shoulders brush against his, your head falling onto his shoulder, “You worked so hard.”

Oikawa was someone you wondered would he ever be satisfied. When he tasted victory, would it fulfill him or would it make him hungrier? Even on days when he was designated as being off from volleyball, his mind still raced to get ahead; it was what you loved about him. Every second he grew passionate and failure made him starved.

“Shall we go home?” He asks after moments of silence, “Tomorrow’s Monday.”

You ponder his statement for a minute, “I don’t think it would be fair to leave without showing me some of what you were practicing.”

The way his lips contort into a grin, he turns to you, placing a kiss onto the top of your head, “Since you asked.”

He’s eager to grasp the ball, back facing you as he runs to the court. You automatically pull out your phone, opening the camera app to switch to video mode. You stand to your feet, making your way to the opposite side of the net.

“If it looks like it’s coming too close.” He calls out.

“I know I know.” You wave him off, “Duck, run, just basically get out of the way.” You pull the phone down to look at him, “You act like I haven’t gotten hit by one of your serves before.”

“You act like it didn’t give you a concussion.” Oikawa sticks out a tongue to you.

“Yeah well,” You stomp, “Just go.”

It falls silent. His footsteps are ghostly mute, the ball is tossed in the air, he jumps; his palm slapping against the ball. It lands strikingly in front of you, just centimeters in front of your position before bouncing off the floor and over to the side. A chill danced on your spine and you couldn’t help the astonished gasp coming from your mouth.

“Was it too close?” Oikawa moves closer to the net, a slight jog in his step.

“No.” You choke out, “it was perfect. Let’s get a few more.”

His second serve was just as perfect, it landed slightly closer but enough for it to not hit you. As he jumped in the air for a third time, your eyes remained locked on the ball; unconsciously you moved forward a centimeter, you could hear your name come from his mouth as the ball knocked against your shoulder; you fell back, your cell flew from your hands and instinctively you held your pained shoulder.

“Hey.” Oikawa was in your line of vision but his expression blurred in and out. The pain was almost unbearable, “Just wait a second okay.”

You were shouting obscenities, it helped to dull the pain. Perhaps if you were a volleyball player, you’d be able to bounce back from this quicker, but being an average fan who loved to watch instead of play; the pain was much worse than it ever looks on professional players.

Oikawa was pressing a cold pack onto your shoulder. You were finally able to sit up, your shoulder completely sore and numb from the cold. After a few minutes, Oikawa insisted on seeing your shoulder. His looks softened into concern when you lifted your shirt to expose the patch of skin. He tried not to apply pressure as he grazed the portion of skin already starting to purple from the deep impact. He can only image how much darker it would turn out the next day.

“I told you if it got too close.”

“I know.” You state.

“No.” Oikawa’s eyes are sharp, holding back the shakiness that he feels, “What if something happened? It could have hit you right in the face, you’d have another concussion. Tomorrow we’re taking you to the doctor.”

“Tooru, I’m fine.” You try to play it off by moving his hand but his fingers graze against the forming bruise with pressure and you wince.

He helps you stand up, a frown on his lips, “We’re going, who knows, I probably took out your shoulder. Gosh, your mom is going to kill me. She already hates me because I gave you a concussion.”

“If you keep bringing it up, of course she’s going to hate you.” His hand holds yours, his eyes staring at your throbbing shoulder. Your hand brushes against his cheek, “I’m fine.” You attempt to reassure him.

He lowers himself, pulling the neck of your shirt to reveal the spot of skin. He presses a kiss onto the tender spot, a kiss on your neck, a peck on your chin, lips on your cheek, and he draws a breath from your lips.

The flush of your cheeks distracts you from the pain. Your hand instinctively lifts to pull him down for another kiss, but a hiss escapes your mouth as you forget about your shoulder. Oikawa is practically grinning with glee.

“Was my kiss just that good, you need more?” Oikawa leans down, a cocky grin on his lips.

“Never mind.” You push away his puckering lips, walking to your things sitting on the bench.

“Aw, wait for me.”

You sit idly, watching him clean up his mess of volleyballs. You throw instructions at him periodically and he gladly tries to comply. He’s adamant on carrying your bag for you, leaving you to intertwine your fingers with his as you two exit the gym.

“Can we not tell your mom I ruined your shoulder.”

You laugh, “Okay, we’ll just tell her Iwaizumi did it. She’d never get mad at him. She still thinks I could have a shot at marrying him.”

He lets out an audible gasp, “Don’t even joke about that.” Oikawa twirls a strand of your hair when you two stop at the front doors, “If you do, I’ll just skip to plan F.”

“Plan F?”

Oikawa uses his fingers to aim at you, his tongue pokes out teasingly, he lets out a pop from his lips, “Shot-gun wedding.”

“That’s it, I’m leaving you for Hajime.”