#I think the pairing is fine but there's little chemistry and seems forced just like any action films

[aitsuheart]

to add to your “why can’t they just be friends” post - why can’t kairi and sora just be friends ? the subtle clues in the storyline of KH is def leading down that path

Yeah I don't get why there always have to be a supposedly girl "love interest" character. But the phrase why can't they be friends is never stated for any straight relationships

I'm not going to pretend there wasn't something between them but after the first game, it seems Sora doesn't feel the same.

and I don't know it's not very interesting with barely any chemistry between them. In kh2 what was that reunion between them. It was awkward and their feelings have passed, but Sora being Sora didn't want to lose her and still wanted to remain her friend.

I don't think their relationship as romantic now. I think it's developed into more of a friendship. and in kh3 the paopu doesn't have to be inherently romantic but how come he felt awkward at first and only took it as a good luck charm

KH has a problem every action movie has where there always have to be a straight romantic interest when why can't they be friends and have the female character get more developed.

[magenta-embers]

My Jikook Journey

Part 2 of my intro.

From "multi-shipper" to "...wait a goddamn minute."

This will be a messy and detail-lacking overview because I could easily do an individual post on each thing I mention here and delve deeper (AMA!).

When I became an ARMY in 2018, I was excited about the treasure trove of fanfics now available to me. The ship didn't really matter, but my bias was/is Jimin (bias wrecker Tae then) so the very first fic I read was a vmin camping one (there was only one sleeping bag, gasp!). For me, shipping meant I'd read fanfics or save fanart of certain pairs together because in a fictional sense/in another universe, they make a good couple. I think this is a healthy approach, keeping that boundary between reality and fiction.

When I mentioned to my k-pop fan step-sister that I was reading vmin, she gave me a weird look. She said taekook is THE ship of BTS, which confused me because vmin seemed to be closer and have better chemistry than Tae and JK. Turns out, she was right. Searching by most kudos on ao3, you get a shit ton of taekook. I accepted it readily and just thought I must be missing something since I was a baby ARMY, so I read those super popular fics and started to enjoy taekook too. I started to focus more on them because... it felt like that was what I was supposed to do.

It's a common problem, isn't it? Baby ARMY who are open to shipping are quickly found and "guided" to taekook before they have a chance to glance in another direction. If they try, taekookers, who are the majority in the shipping sphere, will convince them that taekook is THE ship. Even if they aren't ARMY (my step-sister), they know that much. As a new fan, you just want to fit in, so you'll go along with what's most popular. Some people eventually find their own way, but many don't. Asking questions is vital, but if you do it aloud, you risk getting attacked by a small but extremely aggressive portion of the most infamous fanbase.

Even back then while just innocently reading any well-written fic I could get my hands on, I noticed that Jungkook was usually portrayed as a lot edgier and darker than he really was (manifested the 2023 JK aesthetic) and Taehyung was constantly portrayed as... Jimin. Especially in fan art. For some reason, a lot of the time, the appearance/vibe/personality of Taehyung was truer to Jimin than to himself, and that confused me. "Why not just make it Jungkook x Jimin?" I kept seeing them trying to force Taehyung into the dynamic that Jimin has with Jungkook when their own dynamic was perfectly fine.

Slipping down the pipeline, I started to watch taekook moments/analysis videos because I thought gotta be missing something, right? That's how I found out people are convinced they're dating, and it wasn't just a fun fic/art thing. The videos themselves were... something. There were just way too many red circles, too much slow-mo, and too much mind-reading going on for me to take any of it seriously. Plus, the moments that weren't exaggerated were just close friend skinship. Hell, Taejin were doing more sus shit together than taekook.

And yet people insist on taekook even when taekook do nothing to insist on themselves.

At this point, it was deep into 2019. Jikook were wilding in 2019. Even I was noticing all the... little things that made me raise an eyebrow. The touches that lingered just too long in rather intimate areas, the fond/awed looks at each other, the shameless flirting, the complete lack of physical boundaries, and the normalness of it all between them. That's telling. Even though I was mainly a taekooker with a shit ton of fanart and fics saved to my phone, if you looked at my liked YouTube videos around that time, I had jikook moments videos saved, not taekook, because their moments were just more fun/juicier to watch overall. They just interacted differently than they did with other members.

A quick example would be a video compilation of taekook holding hands. Sure, they're holding hands, maybe even interlocking fingers, but they're usually standing side by side and looking in different directions or just having a neutral expression. But if you watch a jikook one, not only is it much longer, but it's just different. I feel like I'm interrupting sometimes. Even in such a simple action like holding hands, there's a softness, an intimacy there that doesn't exist in taekook. Jikook wouldn't just be holding hands (usually for absolutely no reason), they'd be looking into each other's eyes, smiling sweetly, fully turned toward each other, attention completely captured by the other. How can I explain the look in their eyes? It just doesn't exist with vmin, yoonmin, jihope, etc.

Sidebar: All of those pairs have flirty/sus moments as most really close friendship dynamics do, but they're lighthearted to me and never invoked a true sense of.... whoa whoa whoa, hang on. If Jungkook and Jimin were my close friends IRL and I saw the way they are together, my alarms would go off. As either, "Oh my god, they're fucking," or "Oh my god, they wanna fuck each other." People always say, "Oh, Jimin's like that with everyone." No. No, he's not. Pay attention. Really pay attention to the differences in the dynamics between members. None of them have the "same" relationship. Especially pay attention to how the rest of the members react to Jikook.

Anyway,

So here I was noticing this... deeper intimacy in simple interactions with those two (because I'm a human being with eyes and life experience), and yet my Twitter timeline would just dismiss them entirely. "I love their friendship," "Wow their brotherhood is so beautiful," and "They're all so close," and normally these statements wouldn't bother me because technically they're true, but I started noticing that taekook or yoonmin would brush shoulders and everyone would be like, "Omg taekook/yoonmin married/boyfriends/real," over nothing. Their moments are cute/sweet/funny, but never more than that. The blatant hypocrisy did frustrate me a little, but ultimately I didn't overthink it; I didn't want to be delulu or look too deeply into anything because I still thought I must be missing something. Taekook is the most popular for a reason, right? Right?

But Taekook died for me when Tae told Taekookers to get out of their imagination. I respected that from him and took it at face value. It was the most aggressive shutdown of shipping we've ever had. I couldn't brush him off. It's disrespectful. He's uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, over the next couple of years, Jungkook and Jimin only got more suspicious in the minor interactions and in the big staple moments. Rosebowl. Hickeygate. Etc. Everyone was bending over backward trying to explain away the things these two did with each other, and it's always the same excuses. I was also trying extremely hard to think of any reason other than the simplest one because I didn't want to be delulu.

Because there was no way two members of a boyband were actually in a long-term relationship together. Especially in a conservative country.

Ridiculous. Unrealistic. Delulu.

I was basically telling myself in a mirror that they were just extra super duper close friends with muddy boundaries that meant sucking ears and giving neck hickeys was okay. I did allow there to be the thought that, maybe they're friends with benefits and that unavoidable intimacy now bleeds through into their regular interactions.

That opinion carried until 2023.

Isn't that funny?

2023.

The year so many jikookers gave up and bemoaned that those two weren't close anymore or had broken up is the year that finally convinced me.

What tipped me over?

Jungkook's vlives.

The way he kept watching videos of Jimin when he could just phone him. It reminded me of me watching Jimin, but I'm just a fan; I watch those videos because it's the only way I can appease my yearning to be close to and connected to Jimin, and absorb everything that he does or says or is.

Jungkook doesn't have that limitation, so why's he sitting there like a lovesick puppy with the fondest/most loving eyes when he could have Jimin over with just a call? Why's he sitting there looking like he's also yearning for something he can't have like us, the fans, when he can have it? He has Jimin's number. You don't need to watch yourself tease Jimin. You can just go do it. Just text him, bro.

It felt like he just wanted to bask in Jimin without interruption, without distraction, without having to force his attention elsewhere. Beyond being incredibly sweet, it also felt like Jungkook was making a statement, a point, because he kept doing it. Why? Is he somehow obsessed with his friend and bandmate whom he's seen almost every day for over a decade? If it was to promote him, he really didn't have to do all that? He didn't do it for the others, not to that extent.

Watching Jimin, talking about Jimin, singing Jimin's songs, fkn playing Letter on guitar. (The naked vlive flirting session? Lord, what.)

The man kept having vlives with a significant Jimin focus. He insisted on it enough times that it felt like he was trying to slap some sense into me. His insistence bothered me enough for me to finally do a deep dive into jikook.

Down the rabbit hole, I went. The more I learned, the more my jaw dropped. Where the fuck was all this info on my timeline when these motherfuckers were celebrating the most basic kpop boy interactions as if they were wedding vows? I even ended up seeing pictures/info we as fans were never meant to see at the bottom of that hole. If you know, you know.

Eventually, I ended up on this video (bless this fucking channel).

I want everyone to understand that I had zero knowledge of established relationship timeline theories. I went into this video blind, just trying to find the point in time when JK started to warm up to Jimin. That's not what I found. I found something so much better.

Especially 2013-2015 had me in awe. I think I cried. Jimin and Jungkook had a fattest, cutest mutual crush on each other. Absolutely. And because they were young, not that famous, and still rookies with media and camera training, we get a lot of insight into those two that we wouldn't get in later years when they learned how to mask and behave more "idol"-like. Jimin was especially loud, almost sadly loud. If you haven't watched the timeline of at least those early years, I implore you to. It actually blew my mind and broke/healed my heart. It's really bittersweet to see two teenage boys with little to no experience in anything romantic trying to come to terms with themselves while also coming to terms with each other. It's like watching a coming-of-age romance movie.

I saw clear shifts from when the relationship hit turning points in certain years. I proposed a timeline in my head based on that. Imagine my fucking surprise when I found out other people have also come up with timelines, and more surprising yet, they were all unbelievably similar to mine, down to what changed in what half of the year. I, who had no previous knowledge that this was even a thing. I just noticed it all on my own. We were all seeing the same thing. The same changes. No red circles, no slow-mo, no mind reading. It's all in the body language.

I panicked a little because overall it seemed too good to be true, so I reached out to a taekooker friend to send me her best evidence videos and receipts because I just had to make sure I wasn't going totally delulu here. I needed to see that the other biggest ship had interactions and moments on the same level with that same consistency, maybe even their very own relationship timeline to bring me back down to Earth. But... there's nothing. Really, there's nothing between taekook. Not one moment where I was like, oh? You'll find hours-long jikook content videos that are absolutely jam-packed with content, significant content, but that sort of depth just doesn't exist for taekook. Instead, you get conspiracy theories.

I watched most of the videos on that best of jikook channel and several other staple channels. It wasn't as if I bought into everything presented. I still rolled my eyes at many things that were blown out of proportion by some creators, and jikook isn't free from red circles and slow-mo and bullshit. And yet, I was still overwhelmed by the mountain of crisp receipts dumped on my head.

Jikook have much, much more solid evidence supporting the theory that they are together than evidence against it. I took the facts as they are, took my social experiences for what they are, took my psychology background for what it is, and concluded that they are most likely together, probability-wise. At the very least, they are the ONLY pair in BTS that have ANY legitimate possibility of being romantically involved. If jikook isn't real, then none of the other ships have any hope whatsoever, let's not kid ourselves. It's them or none of them.

They also have much, much more evidence that they are together than with any random man or woman you wanna throw at them. There needs to be valuable evidence or a total shutdown for me to tip the scale. I'm going to need Jimin or Jungkook to state, "I am not dating anyone at all," or "Get out of your imagination," or a bighit relationship announcement, or a clear video of lip-on-lip action or very intimate interaction with someone else.

Frankly, I don't give a single fuck about a grainy pic/video when it's 2023 and there's no excuse for that. I don't give a fuck who owns the same vase or cooking pots. I don't give a fuck if either of them hugged a woman. These are not evidence. These aren't even as good as the worst Jikook evidence.

At this point in time, Jikook is still the only viable option with the information we currently have available to us. This is my opinion and I stand by it.

At the end of the day, the thing I want most is for Jimin to be happy. Currently, it seems that Jungkook makes Jimin the happiest (as Jungkook says). As long as that holds true, I'll be here. If that changes at some point in time, I'd accept it.

But until that day comes, what the fuck else am I supposed to think?

E.

[sunbaekery]

Kiss and Tell: Jisung’s Story 02

Item: Entree

Server: Park Jisung

Description: Jisung is your standard awkward high school student: he plays video games till 2 a.m., cleans his room only when his mother nags him for the hundredth time, and struggles to form coherent sentences in front of the girl he's been crushing on: Kim Yeri. With the annual summer fair coming up, The Carnival, and college looming on the horizon, he finally plucked up the courage to ask her out, and to his surprise, she agreed. This should be it: he's finally getting his chance at the sappy high school romance he's been waiting for, so then why can't he stop thinking about the little mole on the lower right corner of his best friend's lips?

Allergen Warning:  Profanity, Crude Humor, Kiss, etc.

Other Specifications: oc pairing

Price: 1.3k

Sun Baekery Menu

Physucks but gurl I think we’ve got chemistry

Walking into the school cafeteria, Jisung was instantly hit by the overwhelming stench of thick, humid sweat. Nothing beats the smell of teenage perspiration and their distaste for deodorant. He grimaced but quickly forced his mind to more pressing matters: lunch. Clutching his tray to his chest like a prized possession, he hurried over to the lunch line, determined to reach the pizza before anyone else could get in his way.

“Next” called the lunch lady, her voice dull and monotonous.

 Jisung took a step forward only to be cut off by a bulky jock twice his size. Turning his attention to behind him, his eyes sizing up Jisung’s weak stature,  mischievous glint in his eye, he challenged, voice saccharine, “ you don’t mind.. Right?”

Jisung gulped nervously, eyes shifting between the intimidating man and the delicious looking pizza.

“No. Of course not. Be my guest.” The jock, satisfied with his answer, proceeded, taking the last slice of pizza, Jisung deflated.

“Next” the lunch lady called again, her tone still bored.

Jisung reluctantly stepped up the counter next to the — now empty — pizza counter.  “Good Afternoon. How are you?”

The lady gave him a bored look and proceeded to place a greyish looking piece of meat on his tray and then slap on mushy gravy at the side.

“What kind of meat is this?” Jisung asked, pointing at the dubious lump.

She shrugged, disinterested. “Beats me.”

Fantastic.

***

With his mystery lunch in hand, Jisung moved on to his next challenge: finding an empty table. His eyes scanned the cafeteria before settling on two options: one on the far side and another dangerously close to Yeri’s table. Jisung wasn’t the most suave person, but he believed he was at least moderately socially competent. He'd learned how to blend in over the years—sticking to the back of the room, nodding at jokes he didn’t get, just existing in the quiet spaces. But with Yeri, that all seemed to fly out the window; Jisung’s brain turned into literal mush and his body ran on autopilot. 

Like that one time when Yeri wished him a “Happy Birthday” and he said “You Too!” or that other time when she waved at him and he was so ecstatic that he accidently walked into a wall or when — basically, Jisung turned into the biggest dork around Kim Yeri and picking a seat near her was just an invitation to make a fool of himself…again. 

It's fine, he’ll just sit at the — The far table was now occupied by a group of students.

Fuck. 

No, it’s fine. Don’t panic. As long as he kept a low profile, he would be good. He set his tray on the table, winced slightly as the chair scraped against the floor, and settled in. Poking at the mystery meat, he grimaced as oil oozed out of it. Was it supposed to do that?

She walked by his table, her perfume trailing like smoke, and his heartbeat ticked up, each beat louder than the cafeteria buzz. Her eyes widened slightly when she noticed him. Hi, Jisung!” she called, waving brightly.

So much for keeping a low profile. Ok Jisung, you got this. Don’t make a fool of yourself. Just think before you speak. 

“Thank you”

Fuck

“Uhh I- I mean Hi Yeri” Jisung stutters out, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

She blinked, a slight giggle escaping her. And just like that, his whole world shrank to the size of that table. He was sure everyone was watching, that Yeri had to be thinking, what a weirdo. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole at that very moment. It could not get any worse than this.

But her smile stayed soft, her laughter light, and for a second, he let himself believe she didn’t mind his mess.

“Smooth~,” a distinct, honeyed voice whispered into his ear. 

Oh, how wrong he was. It definitely could get worse.

Adorning a Cheshire grin, the honey-skinned boy grabbed a seat opposite him, looking far too pleased with himself. “Haechan, don’t say it,” Jisung sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“But you’re so cute. I particularly liked the part where you turned beet red,” Hachan teased, “Ok but what were you thanking her for? Was it a thank you so much for noticing a measly peasant like me or was it a thank you for gracing my presence today.” 

Jisung felt the heat rise in his cheeks, mortified. He cast his gaze downward, wishing he could reverse time. Just then, a loud twak of a hand meeting a forehead broke his daze.

“Ow! What was that for?” Haechan cried, hand clutching his head. 

Miki dragged the chair between the boys with an exaggerated scrape. Setting her lunch on the table, she turned to Haechan and continued, her voice accusatory, “You were teasing Jisung without me again weren’t you!” 

Haechan gasped dramatically, “Without the expert?! I could never.” Throwing her an exaggerated wink, he continued, “I was just getting him warmed up for you.”

Jisung couldn’t help but groan, burying his face in his hands.

Miki rolled her eyes at Haechan. "That’ll have to wait, because guess what I got!" She slapped a stack of tickets down onto the table, her grin widening.

The boys leaned in to look. The tickets gleamed gold, dusted in glitter, with “CARNIVAL” stamped in bold red letters across the front.

Haechan's eyes went wide. “Oh. My. God. Carnival tickets?! How did you get these? I heard they sold out in five minutes this year because Bruno Mars is headlining!”

Miki shrugged, straightening her jacket collar with a smug smile. “Your girl has her ways.”

Jisung’s brow furrowed. “Wait... why are there six tickets?”

Miki’s confidence faltered, her grin turning nervous. “Okay, so... hear me out. It’s our senior year, right? Might be our last carnival together, and who knows what’ll happen next year. Maybe you guys will make new friends in college, or I’ll end up dating a trust fund baby and living on a yacht—”

“Just spit it out, Miki,” Haechan interrupted, rolling his eyes.

“Iwasthinkingwecouldbringdatesthisyear” Miki finishes quickly, words rolling out of her mouth.

Both boys stared at her blankly. Jisung muttered, “Huh?” at the same time Haechan raised an eyebrow and said, “English, Miki. English.”

Miki took a deep breath. “I was thinking we could all bring dates to the carnival this year.”

Silence hung between them for a beat too long. Jisung looked over at Haechan, who had frozen mid-bite.

“Wait, what?” Jisung finally asked, his brows drawing together. “Like… actual dates?”

Miki’s gaze flicked from Haechan to Jisung and back. “It’s senior year, you know? We’ve only got one more Carnival, and who knows where we’ll all be next year.” Her fingers fidgeted with her jacket collar. “Besides, wouldn’t it be fun to… I don’t know… make it memorable?”

Jisung’s chest tightened. The carnival was their thing, just the three of them. He tried to imagine someone else standing there, laughing at Haechan’s lame jokes, someone else sitting on his favorite ride, the one he and Miki had ridden every year since middle school. It was a symbol of their friendship, and he felt a pang of loss at the thought of it changing.

He opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by Haechan. “I think that’s a great idea! We’re seniors; it’s time to live a little and make some teenage memories. Honestly, I’m tired of having my head stuck up your asses—I’d much rather have it in someone else’s!” Haechan laughed at his own joke.

“Gross!” Miki exclaimed, playfully smacking his shoulder.

Jisung glanced at Miki and Haechan, their eyes wide with expectation, silently urging him to agree.

“It’s fine with me too,” he chuckled, forcing a grin. “Good luck finding an ass, Haechan!” But the smile stretched across his face felt a little too forced, a thin veneer hiding the uncertainty swirling inside him.

[moonchildreads]

small town

Chapter 1 - The Wild Boys

IN THIS CHAPTER: The world doesn't end during Spring break, a basketball ruins lunch, and Eddie threatens the freshmen [1.7k]

WARNINGS: very mild bullying, this is just an intro to the story so it's short and sweet, english is not my first language so i'm sorry if something sounds strange

masterlist - prev - next | playlist

The wild boys are calling On their way back from the fire

Monday, March 31st - 1986

Spring break had come and gone in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana and, surprisingly enough, the world hadn’t ended. Yet, thought Dustin Henderson as he parked his bike outside Hawkins High School. He knew something had happened between Mike and El during his friend’s visit to California (and between Mike and Will too for that matter), but if their phone calls were to be trusted, everything had been smoothed out without the need for his intervention. For once, Dustin was glad he didn’t have to be the group’s self-appointed mediator; he already had enough with the guilt he felt for causing Suzie to lose her computer, he didn’t need extra problems on his shoulders. And he deserved a normal school year for once, goddamnit. Those hadn’t been common for any of them in a long time.

As he hurried to get to his classroom, he crossed paths with Lucas Sinclair and his Championship-winning friends proudly wearing their basketball team jackets over their regular clothes. If the newly popular boy had seen him walk by, he hadn’t given any indications as to it, not one look, not one wave. Dustin wasn’t entirely sure why anyone would enjoy hiding themselves behind a Tigers uniform but he sincerely hoped that once Jason, the captain of the team and current King of Hawkins High, graduated in mid June, Lucas would return to them from the dark side. For now though it seemed that he was perfectly content in his jock cult, and Dustin wasn’t about to give his new buddies a chance to throw him into a dumpster by walking into their huddle near the water fountains just to say hello to his (now former?) best friend.

The morning went by rather quickly for his tastes, and he could feel Mike’s anxious leg bounces next to him during Geography as lunch approached without any regard for their heart rates. Both teens had opened their lockers to find a folded black handmade card announcing the start of their next D&D adventure and they were painfully aware that a very uncomfortable conversation was about to unfold at the cafeteria. Their beloved Dungeon Master, for all his enthusiasm and kind-hearted nature, wasn’t very troubled by his social status as the school’s pariah and Mike’s suspicions that he hadn’t immediately considered Lucas a goner following recent events had been confirmed when he saw the subject in question throw his own black card into a bin at the start of their shared Chemistry class. His worst fear had also been confirmed when Lucas chose to sit at a different table than normal, forcing him to pair up with a rather dull girl with wild hair who was clearly not as interested in lab safety as she should have been. Her lab coat sleeve had caught on fire twice by the time the bell rang.

“I say we run,” Dustin proposed, clutching at his hard plastic food tray like it was a shield.

“Dustin. I am not having lunch in the bathroom again,” Mike countered, remembering their middle school days and having to hide from bullies.

“You know, it’s great that you mention that because I don’t think we are ever gonna be able to eat again after we tell Eddie Lucas is officially gone.”

“Come on, he’s not stupid, he knows how things work in Hawkins. I’m sure he was expecting him to leave anyway,” said Mike, completely unconvinced.

“Mike, this club is his baby and Lucas just spit in its face. In his baby’s face,” he said dramatically.

“We’ll be fine. We have Erica now. He’s not gonna care if we already have a replacement.”

“Great, we’re trading big Sinclair for little Sinclair. Fan-fucking-tastic.”

The curly haired boy trailed behind his taller friend on the way to their usual table where their fellow club members were already sitting, picking at their sad school provided lunches. Jeff said something to make Donny snort and choke on his can of Coke; a group of girls walking past them eyed him with disgust while Gareth cackled with glee.

“Hello, boys,” said Eddie, sitting at his usual spot: the head of the table. He looked up at them from behind his book. “Have a nice Spring break? Did you get enough smooches to last until summer, Wheeler?”

“It was alright,” Mike answered, wiping his palms on his jeans. He knew Eddie meant no harm, but his relationship would never be his favorite topic to talk about with the other guys of the Hellfire Club. He didn’t think anyone at the table except Dustin would understand him dating a literal human experiment with superpowers that had saved the world multiple times.

“You know, I’m starting to think your girlfriend isn’t real,” Jeff teased.

“Yeah, you never talk about her, we don’t even know her name. Are you sure you didn’t imagine her?” Gareth narrowed his eyes, a light smile never leaving his face.

“Her name is El- Jane. Her name is Jane,” he quickly corrected himself. “She’s totally real, Dustin knows her.”

“Yeah, Jane is… awesome! She’s great,” he nodded, backing his friend up. “Total babe.”

“Dude!” Mike slapped his shoulder.

“What? I think Suzie is a babe. You don’t think your own girlfriend is a babe?”

“O-of course I do, what are you talking abou-”

“Children, children,” Eddie lifted a hand to stop the fight unfolding in front of him. “If Wheeler says she is real, she is real, alright?” he turned to look at Gareth, Jeff and Donny sitting to his right with matching grins on their faces. “It’s not like any of you three are swimming in ladies, so y’know, don’t throw stones if you live in glass houses.”

There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence where everyone refused to look at each other and Eddie went back to his book: a very battered paperback with a lost cover that was probably hiding somewhere under the mess that was its owner’s bed. He was holding it with one hand, his other hand occasionally bringing a forkful of high school cafeteria mac and cheese to his mouth. It was clear to both Mike and Dustin that he was heavily invested in what he was reading; if they didn’t know him any better, they would have never guessed that under all that unruly hair and leather there was an excellent storyteller and magnificent Dungeon Master. For all everyone knew, he was reading something for his English class but the Hellfire Club boys could tell by now that whenever Eddie had a book around, he was planning something terrible for their characters to go through during their weekly session.

Dustin was trying very hard to focus on his peas and ignore Mike elbowing his side violently when a basketball bounced right in the middle of their table, startling everyone and sending soda cans flying, liquid spilling everywhere. There was loud laughter as one of the Tigers retrieved the ball that was stuck to Gareth’s mac and cheese; Jason, the captain, high-fived whoever was standing next to him as if he had just witnessed the biggest prank of the year. When he turned around, Lucas, sitting at the jocks’ table, sent them a half-assed apologetic glance and went back to his new friends. Wordlessly, Eddie pushed his tray in front of Gareth, who stopped trying to dry the table with the few napkins he had and went back to eating from his new lunch with burning red ears. As the elder leaned forward to steal back his unopened cup of pudding from the tray, he noticed a pair of eyes following him from a nearby table.

He didn’t recognize who it was, but the girl was staring at their table with a furrowed brow, something resembling sadness crystal clear on her face. She turned around to look at the basketball team’s table, shook her head, adjusted her headphones and went back to the textbook in front of her like nothing had happened. It wasn’t often that someone looked at their table like they didn’t deserve the disrespect they got. Making up his mind, Eddie put his book down and crossed his fingers, his rings clinking against each other.

“I think it goes without saying that Lucas Sinclair is no longer welcome in The Hellfire Club,” he said, resolute. “Guess that means you two will have to find someone to replace him. I’ll give you until Friday.”

“But we already have Erica!” Mike said, flinching at the shoe that kicked his shin from under the table.

“While I like the kid and she has more nerve than any of you combined, my newest campaign requires seven players. I’m not gonna rework it because Big Time Sinclair can’t grow a backbone.”

“Eddie, man,” Dustin started, trying to flatter him. “Six players is already too much to handle. Let us make this easier for you. We don’t need a seventh, right, guys?” he looked at Gareth across the table searching for support.

“Uh,” the teen glanced at his friend and leader, words dying in his throat as Eddie tilted his head towards him, sharp eyed and tense.

“Can’t you just ask the redhead you’re always hanging around to join?”

“We’ve asked, she’s not interested,” Mike deflated visibly.

“She has a lot going on,” Dustin said quickly, protecting Max’s honor. “Her brother died last year, she’s still processing.”

“Hargrove, right?” Donny said. “Man, that guy was a piece of trash but at least he kept Jason busy and away from us for a while.”

“I’m sure you two will find someone suitable to replace your little friend if you wanna keep playing with us. And no more middle schoolers. We aren’t running a daycare here,” Eddie smiled in a way that told everyone the conversation was done. “Now if you’ll excuse me, little lambs, I have business transactions waiting to happen.”

With that, the long haired leader disappeared from the cafeteria carrying the metal lunchbox where he kept his, ahem, products in one hand, the book he had been reading still open and the untouched pudding cup in the other one. The other members of the club scattered as they finished their lunch and went back to their routines, leaving Mike and Dustin at the table, heads in their hands, forgotten mac and cheese now sticky and cold.

“We are so screwed,” Dustin said, and Mike couldn’t help but agree.

[ploppythespaceship]

Arrowverse Review - Year 4 (2015-2016)

I figure no one reads these, but I enjoy writing them, so here I am. I have finished another year of the Arrowverse! With a whole lot more going on this time.

This post will cover:

Vixen - Season 1

Arrow - Season 4

The Flash - Season 2

Crossover Event - Heroes Join Forces

Legends of Tomorrow - Season 1

Supergirl - Season 1

I also briefly hopped back to try out Constantine, since he showed up on Arrow with very little context. But that series turned out to be very much not my thing. I'm not into horror or spooky supernatural, so this did not appeal. I tapped out five episodes in. But I got the impression none of the plot points were really relevant to the wider Arrowverse, so I feel fine doing that.

Vixen - Season 1

If your first question is, "Wait... what the hell is Vixen?" I can't really blame you. This is an animated web series featuring Mari McCabe, AKA Vixen, as she discovers her magical powers to channel the abilities of animals and uses them to become a superhero. Mari does later feature in an episode of Arrow, that would probably not make any sense if you didn't watch this.

Anyway, this is fine. Mari herself seems pretty cool, her powers are interesting enough -- and definitely lend themselves better to animation than live-action -- and this is a solid introduction to her as a character.

Unfortunately, the Arrowverse elements are the weakest part of the story. Barry and Oliver are very shoehorned into the story, and mess with the pacing big-time. Frankly, this would have been stronger as a standalone series. Also, as a short film instead of six mini episodes.

Arrow - Season 4

This season is... eh? It's definitely better than Season 3. But I think the show just has fundamental flaws that aren't ever going to be addressed. All the characters feel same-y, and largely uninteresting. There's a severe tonal mismatch between the dark and gritty drama the writers want and the comic book silliness that's actually happening.

I will say, Damien Darhk is a fairly fun villain. The actor has a good presence, and he feels like a consistent threat for the duration of the season.

I also really enjoyed Oliver and Felicity's relationship. Firstly, it's wonderful to finally not have any sort of love triangle. Second, Oliver and Felicity have excellent chemistry, and seeing their committed relationship allows for so many great moments between the pair of them. Their breakup is also well done -- I've complained before how frustrating it is when the characters on this show keep secrets from each other for stupid reasons, but this is an instance of doing that well. It's understandable why Oliver made the decision he did, and equally understandable why Felicity would be upset. It's all solid stuff.

In fact, this is probably Oliver's strongest season, character-wise. He gets a lot of good stuff here.

Curtis is okay. Honestly, I'd probably like him more if he wasn't the fourth or fifth Arrowverse character introduced with the exact same "quirky nerd" personality. That archetype has really worn thin.

Laurel is, as usual, the actual worst. At the start of the season she resolves to bring Sara back to life, despite literally everyone telling her it's a terrible idea. And when that backfires, she acts like she did nothing wrong. When she isn't being completely asinine, she still doesn't bring anything to the show. Her character does not work, has never worked, and I was genuinely glad to see her get killed off. Which was not the response I was meant to have.

I think it's time to write Malcolm Merlyn out of the show. He's worn out his welcome. And the League of Assassins could be retired for a while, as well. Every time they show up, they feel considerably less cool.

The flashbacks this season are also really boring. Oliver's trying to find this magic idol and stop a military group with some Russian slaves, and every time an episode cut back to that I wanted to go to sleep. The idol does tie back in with Darhk, but the story line felt so pointless and inconsequential.

The ending was also pretty anti-climactic. It should have worked on paper, everyone in Star City standing up to Darhk, but something just never quite clicked. But I did like the ending, with John and Thea both independently taking a break from Team Arrow. Both choices felt well-earned and it let things end on a suitably somber note.

I feel like I just complained the whole time, but this season really wasn't that bad. Just not very good either. Definitely the weakest season out of this year.

The Flash - Season 2

Many of the strengths of Season 1 continue here. The characters and cast are all still great. The simple and cozy formula works wonders. This show just has the right vibes.

We have several new characters, and they're great. Patty is unexpectedly excellent as a new love interest for Barry, and it was a shame to see her written out so soon. Wally is a fun new addition to the West family, and only gets better as the season progresses. And I did not expect Earth-2 Wells to work at all, but it absolutely did -- he has a unique dynamic with Team Flash, completely distinct from Earth-1 Wells of last season.

In fact, all the multiverse stuff is just fun. Dumb fun, but that's literally all I want these shows to be. Give me a parallel universe where Barry is a helpless nerd, Iris is a badass cop, and Caitlin is a supervillain. Why the hell not?

Another thing I appreciate is, again, the lack of love triangles. And I appreciate that both the writers and characters respect that Iris is mourning Eddie. They actually let her grieve.

If there's one thing about this season that doesn't work, it's ironically the two characters who turn out to be one and the same. Jay Garrick is bland as hell and doesn't add much to the team, while Zoom has no real presence or personality. Things improve slightly when they reveal that Jay is Zoom, and the villain can finally have a face, but it's too little too late. I think they wanted to repeat the twist of Season 1, but it just didn't land in quite the same way.

Still, everything works well enough, and I had a good time with it. No real complaints.

Crossover Event - Heroes Join Forces

As always, the crossover event is a good time. But I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the previous year's.

This event revolves around the introduction of Hawkgirl, Hawkman, and Vandal Savage... all of whom are boring and feel weirdly miscast. It's really just setup for Legends of Tomorrow, where they also don't really work.

It's ultimately the character interactions and dynamics that carry this one. Barry and Oliver pair so well together that it's a shame to only do it once or twice a year. And I think the Arrow cast just works better when they're paired with The Flash's ensemble.

Legends of Tomorrow - Season 1

This show definitely has its issues. It took a while to grow on me. But honestly... I'm coming around to it. Admittedly, I've always had a soft spot for time travel stories, so I am biased in its favor.

The main issue I have with this season is the core plot. Vandal Savage feels woefully miscast, not really having the malicious presence needed for the part (and his inconsistent accent is incredibly distracting).

Then so much of the show revolves around Kendra and Carter, who are so boring. They're meant to be star-crossed lovers, but they cast two actors with zero chemistry, and wrote that romance as though fate is forcing Kendra to be with this man against her will. It adds an uncomfortable undercurrent to their romance, and I could not figure out what they were going for.

And of course, we have another badly written romance! Kendra and Ray have no chemistry. It's like they pull two names out of a hat to decide who should date. And managing to make it a love triangle with Carter, despite him being dead for most of the season, is truly impressive.

Apart from that, though, the season really did grow on me as it went. The characters feel so random and mismatched at the start, but that actually worked in the show's favor -- seeing them become a more cohesive team felt well-earned. And all these interesting dynamics start to emerge that you wouldn't expect -- Snart and Sara, Rory and Ray, etc. And leading them all is Rip Hunter, who grew on me a lot as we learned more and more about him. (And yes, having Arthur Darvill basically playing a Time Lord is extremely fun.)

The twist of Rory being Chronos worked very well. Snart and Rory felt like the two characters that had no reason to be there, and that single twist tied them into events so cohesively. Snart's ultimate sacrifice was also very well done. (Snart and Rory were totally in love. I am not accepting other arguments.)

Overall, the setup was very fun, and it was just the main plot that didn't work. I'm hopeful that Season 2 will pick up in that respect -- especially since it looks like Kendra and Carter aren't in it.

Supergirl - Season 1

Full confession -- I have already seen this show in its entirety. And rewatching this season honestly felt like coming home. This is my TV comfort food. It has such an atmosphere of hope and love and overall good vibes. I could genuinely rewatch this season any time.

The cast is all excellent, but Melissa Benoist as Kara is on another level. This role requires a lot of things that can be contradictory at times -- gentleness and strength in equal measure -- and Benoist just nails it every time. The role is wonderfully well-written, as well. I'm definitely biased here as a Superman fan, but I do think Kara is the strongest of all these show's leads.

Calista Flockhart also steals every scene that she's in as Cat Grant. It would be so easy for her to be detestable, but her acerbic nature is always tempered by her genuine compassion. Winn is wonderful as Kara's best friend. J'onn becomes this excellent father figure to both Kara and Alex as the season progresses. I think the only weak member of the cast here is James -- he's not bad, but he is sort of bland compared to everyone else.

The single best thing this show did was give Kara an adopted sister. Kara and Alex's relationship is everything to me. It's the driving force of the entire show, and I simply adore that.

Unfortunately, like a lot of these shows, this season has a pretty annoying romance. We have not just a love triangle, but a love quartet! In the form of Kara/James/Winn/Lucy. Winn's portion of this isn't too bad -- he really just has a crush which is eventually dealt with -- but everything with Lucy is mildly agonizing. There's a lot of melodrama for the sake of melodrama, and the endgame couple of Kara/James isn't even that interesting. They very much feel like they're together for the sake of having a romance, not because they have actual chemistry.

But that truly is my only complaint. Everything else about this season works beautifully.

The crossover episode with The Flash is super cute. Barry and Oliver pair well because they're so different, but Barry and Kara pair well because they're so similar. It's just a good time all around.

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: Damned If I Duke by Anna Bradley

3.75/5. Releases 3/26/2024.

Heat Index: 5.5/10.

Vibes: ballroom historical, snarky sniping, SCANDALOUS EARRINGS, and head over heels heroes who don't want to admit it

Prudence Thorne isn't happy with the rakish Duke of Montford, Jasper Vincent. Not because he's done her wrong personally--but because he won a sum from her father at cards, so massive that Prue is now forced to look for a husband to save them from ruin. A boring, staid husband. In an attempt to avoid her fate, she tries blackmailing Jasper--but when it backfires, there's the added complication of his grandfather deciding that she's EXACTLY the woman the duke needs. And pushing them inexorably towards a marriage they say they don't want.

Anna Bradley is good at writing chemistry, and you definitely feel the spark between Prue and Jasper from the start. They can't help getting their little digs in, even as their attraction to each other is very apparent. She doesn't reinvent the wheel here; it's kind of a classic ballroom historical, all about the snarking and the virgin-heroine-ing and the marriage-of-convenience-ing. However, the humor (I found several elements of this one QUITE funny) and Jasper falling pathetically in love made it entertaining, even if it didn't quite blow me away. It's definitely one for the traditional historical romance girlies.

Quick Takes:

--As I said above, a high point for me was the humor in this one. Jasper happens to have a pair of earrings he just secured from his former mistress (and I did like that he was an actual rake who'd kept actual mistresses, even if I wasn't in love with how this particular mistress was presented) which is what Prue gets a hold of for her blackmail scheme. And those earrings. Are not... normal earrings. They are earrings which teach Prue a thing or two, unintentionally. Visually.

Which leads to one of my favorite moments in this book, which is "Prue learns about things further while talking to her friend, the heroine of the previous book, who Is A Woman Now". I really wish that we had more historicals in which heroines learn about ~the marriage bed~ from previous heroines. It reminds you that, oh yeah, that last romance happened, and everyone is still AT IT. Plus, it's just a nice, authentic friendship beat for the girls.

--The physical comedy in general is really good here. Prue shoots Jasper by accident (and like, the location she shoots him in is probably one of the better locations to be shot in from a health perspective, but THE SHAME!!!). In general, you get the sense that Jasper is kind of a disaster, and he's just sort of fumbling his way through love while growing both increasingly besotted and increasingly infuriated with with her.

--I'm actually surprisingly fond of an "older person meddles in the love lives of the younger people" thing in certain historicals, and I don't think I realized this until I read this book...? Jasper's grandfather is right, and he knows he's right, and though I honestly wasn't 100% sure about how he had the clout to force Jasper to marry Prue, it worked. It's fine.

--That does lead to my critique of this one, though. The fluff and the chemistry and the romance is all good, but the plot kind of lacks? There isn't a lot of one, and that's FINE, but when you do have elements like the grandfather forcing the marriage, or Prue getting confused about her wedding night in a way that has actual ramifications... I just kind of feel like they weren't solidly tracked? Like, it sort of seemed thrown together, which is not how I felt about the previous book in the series.

However, I still had fun and I still very much want to read the next installment. So it doesn't derail the read, but it does keep it from being as strong as it could have been. I kind of felt like Prue and Jasper just sort of stumbled into love, versus falling in a way that I as the reader could track.

The Sex:

There are 2-3 sex scenes in this book, depending on how you define them (for me, it was three). I could have used one more, or more DETAIL in general. The first one in particular felt weirdly bare, as we get this pretty delightful lead up to the wedding night from Jasper's perspective. And he actually has a lot of anxiety about it, and it's charming, and I just wanted more follow-through after that.

This is a sweet romcom, which I do think could've hit harder, but was nevertheless pleasing. I think it will work very well for the Bridgerton crowd.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zebra for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[clay-cuttlefish]

Back to this. I got sidetracked jumping around the spreadsheet and adding some random stuff, but hopefully I should hit the first Renee appearances tomorrow. I also have to track down a version of Death in the Family that has the foreword - it's by Tot and mentions Vic, and was mentioned in the letter column for 28, so it should fit somewhere in this chunk of issues on the spreadsheet.

Question #18

Here he is! I love Ollie and Vic's dynamic. They are so fascinating and so annoying.

You know you've fucked up when Ollie's calling you a dumbass.

I like how much breathing room this issue has. They get a lot of space to talk and highlight each other, which is a great foundation for the later GA crossovers.

Of the unsubtle 80s anti-gun GA stuff I've read (which isn't a lot but it's more than 0) this is one of the less interesting bits. At least it's short.

The panel composition on this issue is really well done. Making two guys talking in a truck into a pair of pages that make me pause to take them in is impressive.

#19

Vic choosing to get the doll fixed is a really strong moment.

Overall, the way Augie is treated is surprisingly good? It's definitely played for creepiness at first, but he's just a guy living a surprisingly decent life for Hub City, Vic tries to actually help him and doesn't judge him for being delusional, and he ends up totally fine.

The parallel between Vic's mask and Myra's makeup, and her choice to discard it, is just. Waugh. She's just as dedicated to trying to figure out the right thing as he is, but she's not hiding any of it!

Myra kissing Maurice is still a very weird moment.

Detective Comics - Fables part 1

Spectacularly terrible opening, 0/10.

It's so weird to see the Penguin after this long of a stretch without supervillains. Yeah Talia shows up first but she's way less gimmicky and the page is pretty calm. He's here in full force with the monocle and bird jokes.

Shiva <333

I don't believe for a fucking second that asking Vic is the best way Shiva can think of to find Batman. I really like it, don't get me wrong. Vic's hacker exposition about making a post on the internet is hilarious, calling Batman Pointy-Ears is hilarious, "Matins" is such a Catholicism Moment, it's good stuff. I just think this is way less likely to work than going to Gotham and punching cops until Batman shows up.

Oh my god this is such a stupid villain plot. What do you mean it doesn't affect people with high testosterone. What do you mean Bruce already knows what it is. Why does Ra's have that. Why would that be the effect you choose for this story.

I'm sure this Bruce and Talia plot is better when read in context but it's still some excellent drama. Love them.

...gender?

Green Arrow - Fables part 2

The overarching plot of Fables isn't good, the O-Sensei is a boring Orientalist stereotype, but all of the subplots are very strong examples of why I care about each series. Scrap the whole O-Sensei thing in the first two issues and just have it be Shiva picking fights and finding people to help someone she knows and it'd be better.

Dinahollie <3

I love getting to see Shiva doing her thing. She's so chill, it's fun to see her in her element :)

Dinahshiva <3

Shiva loves to put some weird little freak in a situation and see if it makes them better or worse, and it sucks she doesn't get to do that anymore.

Question - Fables part 3

All of these issues have great looks for Shiva. Style icon.

Hey, Vic's terrible secret identity came back to bite him!

"Van der Waal's equation" isn't complete technobabble - the Van der Waal's force is a decent explanation for a multi-use adhesive, at least by comic book standards, and would explain why the mask never seems "sticky" and why the chemistry on getting it to stay is so finicky.

It's interesting that Vic doesn't even try to get Shiva to not kill people. He might be self-sacrificing, but he's not that dumb.

Oh my god Bruce you are such a dramatic bitch.

I kinda see what they were going for with the O-Sensei here, at least. Still think it'd be better if he wasn't a ridiculous legendary fighter.

Drowning motif! Shiva's perspective is so interesting - she's able to do anything she puts the effort into, and she expects that to be true of everyone else.

#20

The cover layout is unique this issue, which is a neat touch.

I always like that characters get to say stuff that's sort of dumb. Vic no-selling Myra's joke about boomerang rocks is a nice reminder that they do really like and feel comfortable around each other, even when things are rough.

Honestly not a ton to say about this issue. It makes its point well, I like it.

In the letter pages: the return of Hair Discourse.

#21

This plotline's back!

He just like me fr (misreading signals on a date, resisting the urge to deck his high school classmates)

Seriously though, it's nice to get a look into Vic's very normal problems. Not everything wrong with him is related to being the Question.

This is one of my favourite single issues. I can't quite put words on why - everything about it just works, and there's nothing about it that I want to pick at.

#22

Election Day is the best arc in the run.

The opening spread is full of excellent expressions - Wesley's really lean into the more distorted and exaggerated end of Cowan's art, while Myra's are all subtle, exhausted frustration. I appreciate that she's consistently drawn with sunken cheeks and eye bags.

Maurice getting to be serious is a strong moment. He's been a good source of banter for Myra before this, so having him get invested and take the consequences seriously is a good way to ground the stakes, and to give Myra someone who's genuinely on her side without having to rely on Vic.

It's interesting that Shiva pays close enough attention to what Vic's up to on a regular basis that she'd know who to send. Even when she's not around, she still gets to drive the story.

#23

This issue got me the first time I read it. The history flashback is a weird choice, but it sets the tone perfectly, and the time constantly being shown is a throwback to the first issue that makes it feel super tense. So much of the series has long time skips, waiting to heal or get phone calls or for anything to happen, but now every minute counts. The news reports punctuating it work so well.

Vic dropping everything when he reads Tot's name is so...

Myra goes off, and she damn well deserves it. The difference in how her expressions feel between this and the opening of #22 is a testament to Cowan's work.

The quoting of a line from five pages ago is maybe a little unnecessary. These panels would stand perfectly well on their own.

#24

It's hard to make a deus ex machina feel "earned", but if anything does, it's this.

Kind of a dumb thing but who tells this story with a beaver? I'm not losing it, right, it's the Scorpion and the Frog?

The historical flashback turning out in Myra's favor is a fantastic bit of subversion. When I first read this, I was certain that Wesley was going to shoot Myra during the blackout, and Dinsmore dying and Myra talking about how bad winning felt made me lower my guard and think he might kill himself publicly instead. Funny how that works.

I didn't catch what he meant until the next issue on my first read (in my defence, I'm not American) but wow Wesley's not subtle about his assassination plans to anyone. I mean, I caught that much, but he's really not subtle.

Myra and Vic's relationship makes me want to explode. I just want them to be happy together! Aaaaa!

#25

Everything happens so much. The pace just does not let up.

Vic falls into bad habits, again, but he does a better job staying focused and not letting the anger take over - it's good development.

Wesley's death is everything the shitty racist cop issue fails to be. He's a sad, awful little man with a broken moral compass and a lot of enablers, and he dies refusing to recognize it.

The letters column: a woman wrote in a while back about how male comic fans are creeps and Vic still has some personal growth to do when it comes to being less sexist, and some men are being freaks about it. These fuckers haven't changed in thirty years.

#26

If I ignore the part of my brain that hates this as a Riddler story and pretend he's an OC, it's a fine breather issue. Unfortunately I am bad at doing that.

Some very caricature-y guest art this issue. It's a neat look in some panels, and sometimes it's more subtle, but a lot of it is scrungled enough that I can't take what's happening seriously.

this is Vic and Tot in the car, to me

Love that Tot takes stopping Vic from self-destructing into his own hands, and that Vic bitches but doesn't do anything stupid to try and stop him.

The idea of Vic chewing out the Riddler with more difficult questions is an interesting idea, but I don't love the effect of him monologuing about a bunch of pretty standard ~deep~ questions and well known koans, and the Riddler just going "yeah i'm afraid of those" is dumb.

I dunno - it feels like a bit of a waste for the one time Vic faces an established villain to be so meh. I like Sphinx, at least, and the reappearance of the drowning motif is cool.

#27

The weirdest issue, I think.

I really like all the Vic sections, and I'm not opposed to meta shit, but this is pretty jarring. Tot's weird cousin and his racist magic is not helping the tone of the Ditko callback.

I like that Tot has a weird cousin who was a bad comic artist. He has connections outside of Vic, they're just also weird as hell.

The Ditko callback is great. "You gotta pull me up." "Why?", and then the slow drop before Vic grabs him? Mwah. Perfect. I'm a sucker for this shit. Even when he's falling into bad habits, he's still a better person than he used to be!

#28

Shiva :)

Vic responding to Tot telling him not to lie to himself by suddenly gaining sunglasses kills the mood a bit, but it's also very good. What is wrong with him.

Myra wakes up from a coma, ditches the hospital, and immediately makes a very risky plan. Good for her.

Everyone's in top form this issue, it's great.

[basingstokemercury]

Zarabattleaxe is best ship

Or, why I am totally normal about them and they are the best couple in canon

I doubt anyone with more than a cursory understanding of G&S thinks there are many truly healthy romantic relationships in the canon.

At best, there are couples about whose relationship the narrative doesn't make snide jokes - putting aside delivery, most have little chemistry besides "we're in love".

And that's fine, because these are comedies, many of which poke fun at romanticism and the way excessive focus on love and marriage can harm (can you tell I'm typing this while Patience is paused in the next window).

But then, we have Utopia, Limited. With a certain soprano, and a certain tenor.

Who might be insecure about his singing, but has no reasons to be so about his engagement.

We'll start with the reasons I like Fitzbattleaxe - Zara is wonderful, intelligent, and the driving force behind the entire narrative, but it's him I really want to shine a light on because of how his character is portrayed.

The military character with a tender-hearted, sentimental nature is nothing new to the canon - see the policemen, the dragoons, perhaps even the crew of the Pinafore to an extent. The difference?

Those are treated humourously.

The "brave" policemen who quake at the thought of battle, the soldiers who wear a uniform to attract girls and are shocked when their type of masculinity is rejected...

And here the second act opens with this valiant warrior distressed because his singing voice is out of sorts (which is a comic song, but is responded to with serious reassurance in-universe), and perhaps the most tender and beautiful romantic duet in the canon.

And if that weren't enough, he's quick-thinking and intelligent (Rival Admirers' Clauses Consolidation Act), and... but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's go to why they work as a couple.

Of course, we have the personality traits I described in both, that work perfectly together; romantic affection is a given in most G&S tenor/soprano pairings, but somehow even the standard pieces seem to work better than usual for these two. Could just be my bias though.

While the aforementioned ploy is Fitzbattleaxe's idea, Zara is quick to catch on and support it - she has only one line in the affair, but the couple's verses in the following song show she knows exactly what her partner is driving at.

The true clincher for me, though? Perhaps the most underrated love song in the canon?

"Oh, Admirable Art!". Verse 2 onwards.

The second verse and most of the third seem like a standard duet in the slightly wry Gilbertian vein ("Were You Not To Ko-Ko Plighted" is close) - but then it's subverted, and not in the way Gilbert usually subverts such things.

We don't have a ludicrous remark that makes sense to the characters ("In 1940 I Of Age Shall Be"), or a sudden attack of sensibility breaking a romantic moment ("If We're Weak Enough To Tarry"). This is the characters themselves, genuinely in love, being playful with each other.

it's Zara making a joke, and Fitzbattleaxe following it up.

I wouldn't say they're "teasing" each other because that term seems to have weird connotations in romantic contexts sometimes, but it's something close to that if softer and more mutual. And I love it.

In conclusion:

Some years from the opera's ending (hopefully not too few because I am fond of good old Parry too), Queen Zara and Prince-Consort Arthur will bring Utopia into an era of prosperity unmatched even by the glorious Government By Party era, bolstered by their enduring love and mutual brilliance.

[changbinsboobs]

also do u think astrology comes into play with how some members get along better than others other members might be jealous of xyz dynamic and so on?

i notice it with ateez too hwa always want to join woosan even though hwa have pairing with joong, i do think even ateez have struggled with finding some members not wanting to be in pairings (jongho) and it shouldnt be forced on them if they arent into that sort of stuff either. i do think kpop groups are almost expected to have such pairings from the get go without really considering who might not want it. it kinda detracts from the main point of these groups being about music and more abt forming "ships". it sounds kinda unhealthy bc as u say bangchan for example seems overly attached to his members and doesnt seem to do well in his own company compared to some of the other members where they seem fine in their own spaces as well.

i do think tho pairings should be natural and not forced nor pre planned and if some members dont vibe with each other its fine bc its not really abt pairings its abt what they want to achieve as a team but again kpop kinda takes certain attributes of these groups as being too literal.

Yeah definitely, to me astrology is a science, even if todays world doesn't recognize it as such. Of course each members have their own energetic imprint and energy has different groups and subgroups and if those aren't compatiable and crash, its very likely those members will clash too. That being said astrology is not absolute and its not there to feed peoples victim mentality and lack of self recognition and responsibility even more - its there as a guidance. Its a cheat sheet. A gift! Not an excuse for people to act shitty and stay toxic. I've had many friends with whom our charts just couldn't get any more incompatiable. And we love each other and have a long nog yeared friendship. Of course such friendships and connections take more work than others, but thats why your have your chart to help you out with that. So yeah i had my little rant here😅

But yeah back to the topic - i believe astrology plays a huge role in the groups and members dynamic and also in lots of other aspects of their lives.

About the ships - i def agree that they should not be forced upon the idols and should be 100% authentic and natural! If people want to watch fake chemistry and actor's play they should put on a movie!

[yanderes-galore]

G-1 and Z-3 for Spy? Any color is fine

Was originally going to be RED Spy but I swapped it to BLU as he seemed more delusional.

Prompts Found Here!

Yandere! BLU! Spy Prompts G-1 + Z-3

G-1: "Here kitty, kitty."

Z-3: "No matter the world, we are fated. Through time and space we will always find each other."

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Stalking, Drugging, Kidnapping, Breaking and entering, Touching in sleep, Manipulation, Deception, Forced relationship, Delusional behavior, Forced affection.

"The date was nice... but I do not think we should meet up like this again." You say sadly, looking towards your date.

"Why not? I thought our chemistry was perfect."

"I'm just not ready for such a huge commitment..."

"Come on, mon minou! Don't just leave me here!"

Your date reaches out to you, a frown across his face. You push him away, shaking your head.

"I'm sorry, please, let's just part ways." You say softly, heading towards your car. Luckily he doesn't follow you, just lets you leave.

"... that's not as easy as you think, dear-"

---

You felt as though you were being stalked. You could not see anyone but you heard footsteps that were not your own. Your anxiety only ever rose the more you looked around.

This had been going on for months. Months of feeling like you were watched. Months of someone following you closely.

You tried calling the police but they found no one. Whoever was doing this was skilled. Much to your dismay...

You'd do whatever you could to deter whoever was watching you, but it was never enough. You locked everything, closed your curtains even. Yet the feeling never went away.

It was as though someone was in your home.

There was no way someone can be invisible, right? That's absurd! From what you know there was no technology that could to that-

Ghosts were definitely not a possibility, either. Even if you wanted to say ghosts were the reason you felt odd touches in your sleep, it was too unreal. You felt like you were going crazy-

That's what everyone thinks, at least. That you're just insane. There is no stalker, even if there was most of this must just be paranoia.

Just when you thought you'd believe everyone else and say you're indeed crazy, you found answers. You were strolling through a park and... bumped someone.

Someone that wasn't entirely there.

You saw their figure for just a moment. Then they disappeared again. It was enough to freak you out-

Before you could run, arms grab you and pull you aside. Right before your eyes a man comes into view, an odd watch on his arm. He smiles at you sheepishly. He looks familiar....

"Oh, mon minou... I was hoping you'd get the hint."

You pull away, eyes wide in fear.

"Get away from me, just who do you think you are-"

"To keep it simple, a secret admirer."

"You're... you're my stalker-"

You back away, upsetting the man.

"Stalker is such a harsh term, dear...."

"No, sir. I feel stalker fits. Get away or I'll call the police-"

"I'm sure there's no need, I just wish to talk-!"

"NO-"

You then run off, noticing the man makes no attempt to follow. The commotion from your yelling was enough to allow you to get away.

You make a quick call to the authorities before allowing yourself to have a breather. Although you knew you could not break long. Based on this man's... abilities?

"Hey?" Someone calls towards you, noticing your harsh breathing. "You alright?"

You look up hesitantly, noticing someone looking at you concerned.

"No... I'm in danger."

"Danger? How?"

"Someone's following me-"

They give you a fearful look before continuing.

"What are you doing alone, then?"

"I... don't know who to turn to-"

"You called for help, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. I'll watch you until then, alright?"

You nod slowly, leaning against a wall. Adrenaline made your heart beat fast. You think you're finally able to relax for just a little while when...

"Sorry, but you're making me desperate."

You're tossed into an alley, rolling along the ground before you hit a wall. You groan, pain pulsing through you. Your heart stops when you see the person who helped you morph into the exact man you were running from.

"I did not wait months to get caught now. Not when I have you this close to me-"

You scramble up right, cornered by the approaching man.

"Please, no-"

The man only grins, holding his arms out.

"Here kitty, kitty."

His tone feels demeaning. You shake your head and try to defend yourself.

"I'm not a cat! I'm certainly not yours, either-!"

"Dear, there's no need for that."

You're forced against a brick wall, knife to your back. He was done playing a nice act. He had been waiting too long to have this moment.

"No matter the world, we are fated. Through time and space we will always find each other."

He kisses the shell of your ear, causing you to struggle.

"I feel as though I've known you forever. You're so cute... so mine-"

"The police are coming! Let me go!"

"Not if they can't find us, dear."

"What-"

It's then you feel a cloth pressed to your nose, killing your struggling slowly. The drug on the cloth seeps into your senses before lulling you into darkness.

"With me, you're in good hands, I promise, mon minou."

[itsmaddienotmaddy]

Whom else survived the lightning delay and finished up this weird ass game??

Anyways.

USWNT V COLOMBIA (Tuesday edition)

I love Alyssa Naeher. She’s the best. That save 😍

The backup back line with Huerta, Sonnett, Girma, and Pickett was really solid.

Huerta with the CROSSES, the forced own goal. She’s settling into her place comfortably and I love that for her.

And then Kelley coming in to just continue the right back goal supremacy for the game. Good shit.

Pickett with her first cap!! She did great and her crosses were excellent as to be expected from her.

I… really liked Sonnett and Girma together. Girma was this calm, Becky-esque final defender which I think relaxes the whole line. Sonnett’s passing into the midfield was extremely precise and it seemed like she was asked to play this CB/6 flex position. She was challenging the 50/50 balls in the middle and had a lot of success stopping any play from starting. A v classic, look how a player does when they play their preferred position.

Rose and Sanchez are very very very fun together and I’d love more lineups where we can figure out how to get them together. However, I do think the pair lacks a physical presence. They obviously have the foot skills so it’s not a huge problem, but it’s a factor. Sanchez had a quieter game. I think consistency is going to be v important for her. And feisty Rose with a card.

Lindsey… let’s say, if I had a professional coaching license and was in charge, she would not be playing. Her knee is clearly not okay. It’s held together with bubble gum and paper clips. Her running speed is slowed down and she’s clearly backing out of tackles. It’s a self preservation play that’s so unnecessary when she could instead be resting and rehabbing. Thankfully, Colombia wasn’t pressuring to a point where she was allowed to play make without people crashing into her.

and all this 6 nonsense. We don’t have one. Julie is pregnant and Andi isn’t healthy enough. Why we are not trying other formations is BEYOND me. 4-3-3 is not the end all be all. And to be honest, between club, high school, and college, I never even played in that formation. We don’t need double CB’s. Put Alana or Sonnett or fucking Becky at a stopper. Play North Carolina Courages weird ass box midfield. Stop trying to make fetch happen.

Kristie was about to fucking fight at the end of the game and lololol. The fact that Sonnett sprinted in to pull her away is even funnier. About her actual play? She’s also not a 6. Though she did serve the best diagonal long balls.

Hatch also. Starting fights!! Go Mormon go! Hometown brawl!

Alex should have been involved in more national team camps earlier in the year. She’s on fire right now in club. There’s no explanation for her play other than a lack of chemistry. And having Pinoe barely counts because 2022 Pinoe and Alex are NOT the same as 2019 Pinoe and Alex.

Midge was fine. She had very bright spots and other moments where it made sense why she came off at half.

Mal was the best player driving into the box, hands down. Finishing? Could use a little tightening up. But hey, she didn’t shove a photographer today. Proud of her!

Trin had great energy. She’s going to be a PROBLEM for international defenses in the future.

Korn sure was out there being tall!! She had trouble settling in, which is fine. She’s on cap 2, she came in late and there was a delay.

The team disconnect down both sides came down to chemistry. Crystal Sam Lindsey Pinoe Tobin Press Kelley. Those lineups had this innate connection. The chemistry was so obvious. Pickett Sanchez and Pinoe and the opposite side of Huerta Rose and Midge simply did not have the vibes.

I’m not a coaching expert but we gotta click some more pieces into place before I could be confident we’d win a major tournament with this squad. BUT TRULY, with everyone out with bébés and extremely rude injuries, it’s not the full squad yet.

Big whatever though. I still love these players and will still scream at my TV at midnight!

[atheliasnotebook]

YOOO!

REQUESTING SOME MODERN AU! GOROU X READER<3

kazuha teases gorou so much about his crush on the reader that gorou ends up flirting with her and once he gets home he realizes what he did and aagehebej im sure u can do the rest <3

sometimes he…

pairing: gorou x reader both of you are students at an academy set between the districts of liyue, mondstadt, and inazuma named the "teyvat district academy

tags: (minor) angst (to) fluff, confession, teyvat metro au

sometimes he just stares at your back in the middle of class. he can’t help it—he was forced to sit behind you. but it’s fine—even if you were taller than him, he… didn’t really mind.

sometimes he passed by you in the halls, where he would be walking with Kokomi and Kazuha, and he would see you carrying an unreasonable stack of papers back to the teacher’s lounge—and he says to both of his best friends that he promised to help out a friend. the two of them watch him run off, his tail wagging helplessly and knowing that he’s head over heels infatuated with you.

and Gorou, who knows that you used to be interested in the men (whether it be the retainer or the head) of the Kamisato family. he knows that he didn’t stand a chance.

but little did he know that Kazuha, voted as one of the “Most Likely to Become a Poet” in your school’s yearbook—was actually trying to set both you and him up. albeit, he gave up on trying to confess to you a long time ago—but Kazu believes that if love is love, boundaries shan’t stop a person. and so, you adored and loved one of the cutest and all-time favorite students in school, while he abandoned and forgotten the idea of loving you, and thought of you as a great friend instead.

and he made himself believe that it was only friendship as well. but… his actions tell everyone otherwise. you see—people are curious if the vice president has a crush on anyone. everyone can tell how well Bennett and Fischl’s chemistry is, along with the relationship between the two men of the Kamisato family (of whom, to you—seem to have much more going on then what is actually displayed). but Gorou? he’s so busy—does he ever have time?

nonetheless, as he continues to help you when he has the chance, and spend both before and after school with you—he manages to fall weak to your charms and end up happily wagging his tail and perking up his ears—along with a sweet smile painted over his face with a dusting of pink on his cheeks. Kazu thinks that you both are adorable, however—one fact stands: he is god awfully oblivious to both you, and most of all… himself.

so, there’s this one time after the last class before the weekend in the winter where he’s wrapped himself up in a scarf that you made him for the holidays (in his favorite colors). he puts it away during classes, so when he took it out—the first one to take notice other than Kokomi, was none other than Kazuha himself. Kazu and Gorou had the same class, while you and Kokomi were in separate classes. you packed up your things hastily, walking down the hallway and up the stairs to walk home with Gorou—who also happens to be your neighbor.

“general!” Kazuha calls out his nickname for his friend just as he’s packing up and taking out his scarf. you were there with the boy of your dreams as the reknown poet called forth his compatriot.

“ah, yes kazuha? is there something you need help with?” Gorou asks as he takes out the scarf and wraps it around his neck.

“nothing,” Kazu smirks. “I just noticed your scarf… who is it from?”

“it’s from (y/n)! they actually made it themselves!”

“oh, is that so~?” kazu grins and chuckles to himself. “it’s such a pleasant surprise to find you wearing such a present from your lover.” and kazu is fully aware how much he’s teasing gorou—along with you, who’s blushing so much watching from the classroom doors.

“kazuhaaa! you know they don’t—“ he says, being interrupted by the other.

“winter is almost over—and with the falling snow that dances upon the gently-iced flowerbeds, your chances dwindle just as much as the days approach toward spring do—“

“kazuha, what do you—“

“picture this image, general—you are walking along the gardens in both the Inazuma and Liyue districts of Teyvat, specifically the Ritou Botanical Gardens—invited by the person made for you, bound to you by the strings of fate… (y/n)—“

“k-kazuha!” the dog-boy is visibly blushing. “i-it’s not like that, i…” and you’re blushing too, smiling and deciding in that moment to let gorou’s suffering end.

“gorou!” you call, a smile on your face as your cheeks are slightly pink.

“a-ah! (y-y/n), we were just—“

“talking about the weather, how lovely it would be for indoor studying,” kazu interrupts, winking and turning around to retrieve his own bag.

“(y/n), let’s just go—!” gorou drags you along by the hand, clearly flustered and embarrassed.

“gorou—is something the matter?” you’re playing dumb. hilariously dumb, hoping the flustered puppy doesn’t catch on.

“nothing at all! don’t worry about a thing, kazuha is just musing and rambling again…”

“well, i ramble just as much as he does, if i’m going to be honest…”

“yeah, but the difference between you and him is that i’m really happy when you ramble. you talking makes me smile and—“ gorou realizes what he just said.

“and i think you make me really happy. happier than i normally am.”

sometimes he’s angry—and that’s when someone decides to bring harm to you or Kazuha. and sometimes he’s flustered, thanks to you and Kazuha. and sometimes he regrets things that he says, but… this time, just like how his poetic companion spoke of the dancing snowflakes on the winter landscape—he wishes to dance with you throughout the snow, and maybe even the rest of the seasons.

he blushes, keeps stammering in his sentences before he inhales in, walking out of the building with you and nervously taking your hand in his, shaking and trembling with anxiety and yet, a smile on his face.

“(y/n)? w-would you be interested in… g-going out to the Ritou Botanical Gardens with me…?” he asks, and you smile and nod excitedly. man, he really owes the poet a favor for this one.

[vampiregirl1797]

The Elements Bought Me to You

GIF not mine.

Word Count: roughly 9.5k

Warnings: smut, near death experiences, panic attacks… if there are any I’ve forgot to mention, let me know!

Summary: you get caught in an unnaturally formed twister that gives you influence over the elements. Here follows a collection of snapshots of your growing relationship with Spider-Man helping you control your newfound powers.

Click here for masterlist.

I didn’t understand what the hell was happening to me. The last thing I remembered was walking home from school. I’d still been thinking about the science project I needed to finish for chemistry over Christmas break. It was supposed to be a partnered assignment, but I’d been paired with Flash, and well let’s just say he saw schoolwork as something that required minimal effort. Which was fine for him, but not for me, because my dream was to make it into Columbia, so I needed the grades.

I remembered that I was just thinking of a way to demonstrate the chemical explanation as to why substances are more soluble in hot water than cold water, when it happened. I was blown off my feet—quite literally—and swept into a freak twister. The air took my breath away, the water, earth, and fire swirling around me made me feel breathless, hot, cold, wet and like I’d been slapped in the face with a wind storm of gravel. But what I remembered most was the blind panic that engulfed me.

I was sure I was going to die, and all I could think about was that I hadn’t done anything. I hadn’t had a boyfriend. I hadn’t had the guts to tell Peter that I’d had a crush on him for years. I hadn’t had a first kiss. I hadn’t gotten to go to the collage I’d been dreaming about since I was five years old. I hadn’t lived and now I wasn’t going to be able to.

Was this really the end? Was this it?

Everything went dark as the last breath of oxygen was expelled from my lungs.

//

The next thing I remembered was waking up in the Atlantic Ocean, floating on the surface and feeling completely… content. For about three seconds. Realising where I was, and remembering what had happened made my panic resurface. With it a giant wave formed, and it only grew bigger and bigger with my panic. The wind seemed to grow stronger as well; it bit into my face and made the tears running down my skin burn ice cold against my cheeks.

What was happening to me?

I should be dead.

Though, the impending tsunami that was heading in my direction was sure to take care of that, and New York City with it—

I gasped as I was suddenly torn from the water by something that attached itself to my abdomen. I soared through the air, my scream of surprise getting stuck in my throat as I was aligned with a warm, hard body. I shivered, the warmth making me realise how cold I really was.

‘Hey, hey look at me.’ A calm voice murmured, sounding soft and reassuring.

I blinked, my eyes fluttering open when I realised they’d fallen shut at some point. As my eyes focused on the red, blue and black I realised I was staring into the mask of a very familiar superhero.

‘I-I don’t- I don’t know.’ I forced myself to take a breath, recognising the beginning signs of an impending panic attack. I didn’t see it, but I could feel the tsunami that was now behind us growing in strength.

‘Listen to me, you’re okay.’ He gently lowered us onto the very top of the Manhattan Bridge, his hands softly gripping my forearms.

‘I think- I think I’m doing this.’ I sobbed, my fingers digging into his shoulders.

‘That’s cool.’ He murmured, sounding like we were discussing what to get for dinner, rather than an impending unnatural disaster, ‘look at me, okay?’

I jumped a little when his right hand released my arm to move to my right cheek, drawing my gaze away from the water and back to him.

‘I’m guessing by this situation that you’re new to this, am I right?’ He continued when I nodded, his gloved thumb wiping away a tear that slid down my cheek, ‘it’s okay, we all gotta learn control somewhere, right?’

‘Control? How can I learn to control that?’ I asked, trying to hold back my panic.

‘I’ve noticed, the more you freak out, the bigger and faster that thing gets.’ He said, his other hand moving to cup the other side of my face as well.

‘So I just need to calm down?’ I realised. I could do that. I had done my fair share of bringing myself back from the brink of panic attacks. I could do it now. I had to do it now. I couldn’t be responsible for hurting all of these people.

‘Okay, you seem to have a handle on the calming down part,’ he sounded both impressed and empathetic, ‘can I help?’

‘Just keep holding me like you are, please.’ I murmured, knowing human contact helped me faster than having to do it alone.

I felt his thumbs move back and forth across my cheeks in a soothing motion, and felt my fingers instinctively dig a little deeper into his shoulders in appreciation. I took a deep breath, and slowly released it, then another, then released it. I did it again and again until my heart was no longer bursting through my chest. When I felt normal, when I felt calm again, I opened my eyes and felt suddenly woozy.

‘Woah,’ Spider-Man gasped, his hands moving to my waist to steady me as my knees buckled. When it was clear I didn’t have the strength to right myself he scooped me up bridal style, ‘I got you. You’re fine.’

‘Where are you taking me?’ I whispered my face settling into the curve of his neck as I tried to take shallow breaths to fight the dizziness.

‘Somewhere safe.’ He murmured, and he sounded so sincere, so sure, that I couldn’t not believe him. So I surrendered to the darkness and hoped that everything would work itself out.

//

Experts are assuring us that the twister and tsunami that occurred yesterday evening was due to a malfunction in equipment Oscorp were using to replicate natural disasters with the hope of discovering how to stop them upon occurrence. CEO, Harry Osborne commented on the…

I followed the noise and found myself in a living room that I didn’t recognise. The T.V. switched off just as I stepped through the doorway, and I couldn’t help but blink in surprise as I tried to shake off the feeling of dreaming from seeing Spider-Man just casually sitting on the couch.

‘Hey,’ he murmured, giving an awkward wave. He seemed to falter, as if realising he was acting strangely, and lowered his hand to his thigh.

His awkward behaviour made me smile and relax a little, enough to make me comfortable enough to make my way further into the room.

‘Hey,’ I replied, taking a seat next to him on the sofa. My eyes fell to my lap, making me realise that I wasn’t wearing my own clothes anymore. My fingers pinched the fabric of the sweats and white t-shirt that covered me, my brow pinching in confusion.

‘I changed you into some spare clothes. You were soaked through from being in the water, I swear I didn’t look or anything.’ I looked up to see him running an anxious hand over his head, ‘I put you under covers and—‘

He stopped talking when I placed my hand over his, preventing the action of him wringing them together.

‘I get it. Thank you for looking after me, and keeping me safe.’ I said giving him a genuine smile of gratitude, ‘I just—I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I don’t understand what is happening to me! I mean yesterday my biggest issue was having to work with Flash on my chemistry project and now, what? I apparently have the ability to create tsunami’s and—‘

‘Hey, take a breath for me, okay?’ how did he always manage to make his voice sound so soothing? His hands entwined with mine and held them in a gentle but firm grip.

I blinked at the sight of water surrounding us like a bubble.

‘Wh-how?’ the water rippled.

‘Hey we’re breathing, remember? Don’t look there, look at me.’ His hands moved to my face again and he breathed with me until the water had returned back to… wherever the hell it came from.

My head fell into my hands as I tried to hold back tears of panic and frustration.

‘Listen, we’re going to figure this out. So far, you have control over water and it seems to happen whenever you panic.’ He said, being sure to inject as much calmness into his voice as possible, ‘can you tell me what happened to you?’

I nodded, ‘I was walking home, thinking about my chemistry project and then I was inside a tunnel of wind? I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s like I was inside a twister, and I could feel the water, the air, the fire and the earth all around me and I couldn’t breathe, and I remember thinking I was going to die without having done anything and that my crush was never going to know I liked him, and then everything was… black.’

His hand moved to my lower back, rubbing in soothing circles that actually helped centre me and keep my breathing under control.

‘It sounds like you could have control over the elements,’ he said softly, ‘how do you feel about us testing it?’

‘Testing it? Is that a good idea?’ I asked hesitantly.

‘Absolutely. If you don’t test it, you won’t be able to control it, if you don’t learn to control it then your power will control you.’

‘You think I can?’ I wondered, my eyes falling to our still entwined hands and squeezing him when he moved to pull away, ‘control it?’

‘If I can, you can.’ I couldn’t tell beyond the mask, but somehow I knew he was smiling.

‘Thank you.’ I smiled back, finally releasing his hands and properly glancing around the room, ‘where are we by the way?’

‘Oh, we’re at—‘ he faltered for a moment and took a breath of his own before admitting, ‘you know what, you deserve honesty, we’re in this together, right?’ He chuckled and my heart skipped a beat when he reached to the back of his head to pull off his mask, revealing soft brown eyes and a goofy smile I knew all too well.

‘P-peter?’ I stuttered, a breath of relief leaving me as I realised I hadn’t revealed the name of my crush earlier.

‘Yeah, you know my name?’ his expression reflected his surprise.

‘Of course I do,’ I frowned, ‘how could I not know you?’

His eyes softened at my words, and I felt a blush creep across my cheeks as I registered our proximity. I’d never been so close to him before, and in that moment I was close enough to catch a waft of detergent, tea tree and something almost… woodsy. It was surprisingly intoxicating and I had to remind myself to stay put and not lean closer.

‘So… where do we start?’ I asked.

He blinked and then shook his head as if to clear it, an almost disbelieving smile forming on his face.

‘What?’ I frowned, confused.

‘I’ve not told many people about who I really am… but that was without a doubt the most calm reaction I’ve ever seen.’ His smile grew, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

‘Sorry, but a lot’s happened in the past twenty four hours, I don’t have enough energy in me for a bigger reaction, sorry.’ I teased and felt my heart flutter when he chuckled, but my good mood dissipated and I looked back down to my hands, ‘besides you’re not the one nearly erasing New York with an unnaturally formed disaster.’

‘Maybe not that way specifically, but I had an adjustment period, just like you will. Difference is, you’ll have me to help you.’ He promised. He stood from the sofa, slid his mask on and then offered me a hand, ‘let’s get started, shall we?’

//

Six months later

‘Peter!’ I turned to see the brown eyed boy’s expression light up as Gwen Stacy, the ex girlfriend he still seemed positively head over heels in love with, approached him at his locker.

I took a deep breath and forced my gaze away from the obvious chemistry they still shared, even if they were officially “just friends.” I reached into my locker, which was located five doors away from his, and pulled out my lunch and chemistry book. I had a feeling Peter wouldn’t be sitting with me at lunch like he usually did, which was confirmed when the blonde haired beauty and resident Spider-Man made their way past me without a second glance. I sighed and slammed my door a little harder than necessary. Typical.

I made my way to the science labs; it was the only corridor that remained dead throughout lunch, making it unlikely that a teacher would catch me.

In the past six months, Peter and I had grown closer than ever as he helped me learn how to control my powers. Given my lack of a parental figure, I was often around his house for days at a time, or on the rare instances I wasn’t, he made the trip to stay with me. My parents passed at the beginning of senior year in a freak car accident, and given that I was eighteen, legally everything passed to me, including the apartment that we had been living in at the time. But it was rarer for Pete to be able to stay with me for more than a few days without his Aunt May starting to worry. Thankfully, she seemed to like me and had no problem with my recurrent presence at her house.

As well as us being practically joined at the hip, I’d also gained complete control over the elements that I could now wield. I’d learned to not let my powers flare up every time I felt a strong emotion, so that I could still feel and process things without worrying about hurting anyone. It also meant that I could channel my emotions into controlling my powers when necessary. I hadn’t helped Pete yet with monitoring the crime in New York, not because I didn’t want to, but because I hadn’t quite felt ready until recently. My “costume” to hide my identity was finally finished, and I knew I could control my powers properly and safely.

Thankfully, things had been fairly quiet on the crime front, nothing more than human criminals and petty jobs, which Peter had handled alone. The quietness had eased my guilt a little, but I still felt bad every time Pete swung out of the window and returned in the early hours to pass out from exhaustion. I was there every time, to use antiseptic on any minor cuts and bandage them over—more often than not they were well on their way to healing by morning, and it amused Peter that I was always so insistent about tending to every cut and scrape no matter how minor, but he never stopped me. Honestly, I think he liked having someone take care of him.

Some might consider it weird that we literally slept in the same bed every night, and spent almost every moment outside of school together, only to be nothing more than friends. And honestly, it didn’t surprise me that his Aunt May thought we were dating, no matter how many times we told her we weren’t, I would probably think the same from her perspective. But the truth is, Peter saw me as a best friend, and I did too, but I also saw him as something… more. My original crush had grown and blossomed into romantic love so quickly given our proximity over the past six months. How could I not fall in love with the brown haired, brown-eyed boy with the goofy smile, quick-witted sense of humour, with the biggest heart I’d ever seen? It wasn’t possible, so I’d fell, hard. Too bad he loved someone else.

‘Hey, I wondered where you went.’ Peter’s soft voice caused me to flinch in surprise. I’d been staring off to the front of the room; my hand paused in my bag of chips, which would have fallen to the floor as I’d jumped if not for Peter’s spidey reflexes.

He handed them over to me with a smile, his eyes twinkling with mirth and another soft emotion that I couldn’t identify.

‘Thanks.’ I smiled; offering him a few and when he helped himself my smile became more genuine.

‘So what are you doing in here?’ he asked, softly closing my chemistry book, probably knowing that I wasn’t really reading it anyway.

‘Eating lunch.’ I smirked when he shook his head fondly.

‘I thought we were eating together?’ he said lightly shoving my shoulder.

‘We were, but then I saw you walking off with Gwen, so I figured you’d made other plans.’ My gaze fell to my chemistry book and I gently traced over the letters with my pinkie finger.

‘Hey, Ellie, I wouldn’t ditch you.’ Despite the sting of rejection I felt in my heart, the nickname made me smile a little. While making my costume, we’d also brainstormed “superhero” name ideas. We’d settled on “Elemental”, which I liked because it summed up what I could do nicely, and ever since he’d taken to calling me Ellie as our inside joke.

He gently lifted my chin up so that my eyes would meet his, ‘Gwen needed help lifting some stuff into her car. I didn’t catch you on the way out because I thought I’d be right back, but there were more than I thought. I’m sorry I should have told you before I left.’

I saw the sincerity in his eyes, it was impossible not to; Peter couldn’t tell a lie to save his life, which was ironic given his ability to do so depended on his anonymity.

I blew out a breath and felt my shoulders relax, ‘I believe you. I’m sorry for going off like that. But next time, please tell me, okay? I know it’s difficult with your history with Gwen, but next time just—‘

‘Woah, woah, woah, what do you mean by that?’ he frowned, his hand seeming to entwine with mine without thought.

‘I mean, I know you’re still in love with her, and I get that you still want to be around her because of it, but next time just—‘

‘Okay, I’m gonna stop you there.’ His free hand covered my mouth and dropped when I made no effort to continue with my words, ‘I’m not still in love with Gwen. I get that’s what most people think, but the truth is we decided to split because we realised we were better as friends. It’s as simple as that. Neither of us are still carrying a torch for one another, that I can assure you.’

‘Oh.’ I felt my heart lift, being freed from the belief of Peter still being in love with Gwen made it feel weightless, ‘wow I was way off base there. I’m sorry.’

His smile was soft and his eyes sparkled with fondness as he said, ‘what are you sorry for? There’s nothing to be sorry for. Now, what do you want for dinner tonight?’

I was grateful for the change of topic, but the domesticity of the new topic did nothing to calm my racing heartbeat. I hoped he couldn’t hear it.

‘Homemade pizza?’ I suggested, laughing as his expression lit up with childish glee. I liked cooking, working with my hands helped keep me calm and centre me, so more often than not I cooked for us both, and was sure to make extra for Aunt May.

‘Sounds perfect. Do we need ingredients?’ he pulled out his notebook in preparation and I took it from him with a small grin.

I noted a few things down, and was sure to account for the milk and eggs May had asked him for this morning. When I was done, I ripped the page out and slid it into the front compartment of my backpack.

‘I’ll go. We both know you’ll be on patrol after school and won’t be back until late, so this way you don’t have to worry about it, and I can have food for me and May, and I can make sure there’s some for you too.’ I reached up to ruffle his hair, missing the soft expression he was wearing, but my heart skipped a beat when he reached up to entwine that hand with his, lifting it to his lips and kissing the back of it.

‘You’re a godsend, Ellie.’ I barely registered his words; almost every ounce of my awareness was zoomed in on the contact between his soft, warm lips and the back of my hand, ‘thank you.’

I missed the way he bit his lip to hide his amusement as it took me a minute to snap out of the daze he’d effortlessly bought me to, ‘it’s no problem.’ The bell rang to signal the end of lunch and inevitably breaking the moment, ‘no problem at all.’ I murmured to myself, following him out of the lab to head to my next class.

//

Cooking at two in the morning had become the normal for me. I cooked earlier on to feed May and I; we usually ate around seven, when she got back from her shift at the hospital. We would talk about our days while we ate, and it was time I treasured, because my time around Peter had me getting close to May too, and she had become important. I didn’t know if she saw me as more than Peter’s friend, but she was like family to me. When she was finished, she was usually dead on her feet, so she would head up to bed and I would clean up any dishes, any mess I’d made and I’d make packed lunches for the next day for the three of us. If it needed to be done, I’d clean around the house, do laundry and then I’d start on my homework.

At some point I’d end up falling asleep in Pete’s bed with a movie on in the background, which was why I had an alarm set for 2am, knowing he usually got in around 3. This gave me time to cook him something and assure he got properly ready for bed rather than just yanking off his mask and falling into bed with his suit on.

It was around 2:45am by the time I’d sliced up his freshly cooked pizza and poured him a glass of milk. I took both up to his room after triple checking everything else was packed away, and I’d just set both on his desk when his window opened and he climbed into the room. He gently slid the windowpane closed and yanked off his mask. I felt my shoulders relax when I noted the absence of any scrapes, bruises and pain on his face. His brown eyes fell to the plate of pizza and I could practically see him salivating.

‘No,’ I stepped in front of him, my hands falling to his shoulders, ‘change first, mister. You don’t want to wake up with your suit covered in grease and milk again.’

He sighed, but his eyes were soft as he grabbed the sweats I’d already laid out for him and headed to the bathroom to change. He was back in less than sixty seconds, and after shoving his suit into his backpack he sat on his desk chair to scarf down his food.

We’d fallen into a routine by now. I knew when he got in, he preferred to have time to decompress, to think through how the night had gone, to reflect on weather he should have done anything differently. Not to mention he was usually exhausted and barely had the energy to change, eat and then fall into bed. So I refrained from initiating conversation, and just let him be. I knew he appreciated it, because after he finished his food, he fell into bed with me after shutting off the light. His head rested on my chest and his hands held me tightly around the waist. I’d learned, and actually grown to appreciate, Peter’s need for human contact, and so had no problem with the nightly cuddles. My hand often fell to his hair, and moved through the thick strands in a comforting motion that never failed to lull him to sleep. I checked my alarm first, but it didn’t take long for me to follow him into slumber.

//

It was chaos. Complete and utter chaos. A man had surfaced, someone who could wield electricity with no limits, and he seemed just as confused as I had when I’d come into my powers. Peter and I had arrived with him catching a cop car and preventing a man from being crushed, and me sending a blast of air to throw another car away from slaughtering a group of tourists.

‘Yo, sparkles!’ Peter yelled, as I silently stood by his side, letting him lead the conversation, ‘hey, how ya doing’?’

‘It’s you?’ the glowing man murmured, taking a hesitant step in our direction.

‘Yeah I know it’s me, who are you?’ Peter retorted, his hand discreetly moving me an inch behind him. I rolled my eyes and batted him away, my eyes widening at the electricity that seemed to travel towards us as the glowing man’s foot brushed the metal grate.

‘You don’t remember me?’

‘No, should I?’ I could tell Pete was distracted as our gaze followed where the current would travel if he kept moving towards us.

I took a breath and focused on quietly and calmly channelling the air to coat the metal railings, so should anyone try and touch them, they would only meet air.

‘I walked into the street, the car almost hit me, you swooped me up. You saved me, you said you needed me.’ The man explained, seeming desperate for Pete to know him.

‘They guy, the guy with the blue prints!’ Pete recalled, snapping his fingers together.

‘Yes. Blue prints.’ The man confirmed.

‘Yes! Of course I remember you!’ Pete leaned back into the cop car behind him, adjusting his demeanour to appear casual, and crossed one leg over the other. He threw an arm around my shoulders and said, ‘you see, Elemental, this guy is my eyes and ears!’ His arm fell from my shoulders and he took a step towards him, ‘uh, what’s your name again?’

‘How could you forget me?’ I felt my heart skip a beat at the level of insult I could hear in the man’s reply.

‘’No, I do I know it,’ his hands came up to each side of his head as he thought, spinning around, ‘no, wait don’t tell me…’

‘It’s Max.’

‘Is it Max?’ Pete said, pointing towards him.

‘Yes.’ He said, seeming pleased despite the fact he had to supply the information.

‘Sorry, I didn’t recognise you with the… you look a little different.’ Peter explained.

‘I don’t know what’s going on with me.’ Max said and I felt my heart squeeze in empathy.

‘See, I-I believe you.’ He glanced in my direction, ‘Elemental didn’t either, but we can help you, we can figure this out together.’

‘It’s strange.’ He looked down at his hands, which were sparking with power, ‘how I feel, I’ve got so much anger.’

‘I can see you don’t wanna be here, you’re scared and you don’t know what’s happening, I can see you don’t wanna hurt anybody. It’s gonna be alright.’ Peter assured him.

‘I don’t want them to shoot at me.’ He said, turning to note the officers who had their guns trained on him.

‘They’re not gonna shoot at you.’ Spidey assured and raised his voice to address the police behind Max, ‘you guys, this is my buddy Max! I told you about Max! No one shoots at Max!’ he lowered his voice again and took another step forward, ‘this is just you and me talking.’

We both took a step back when Max moved towards us, Peter was quick to ask him to stay back, ‘woah, woah just stay right there, just stay right there, just be careful of the grate because the electricity just…’

Max moved his foot back, noting the sparks that connected him to the grate when he moved it towards the metal, ‘I just… wanted everyone to see me.’

His eyes took in his appearance on every screen in Times Square, seeming awed and overwhelmed.

‘How about you come with me?’ Pete suggested softly, ‘we’ll go somewhere; we’ll talk away from all these people okay?’

‘Yeah it’s—‘ he took a step back, inadvertently generating a surge of electricity through his body. The officers must have taken that as him making a move and a shot rang through the air.

‘No!’ Pete and I yelled in unison, but it was too late.

Max yelled out in rage, channelling the electricity in the direction of the gunshot and causing a screen to explode. Without dropping the air force field I had on the metal handlebars behind me, I sent a blast of hair to redirect the glass away from the pedestrians it was heading for. Pete went to shoot a web at Max’s hands and I grabbed his wrist to stop him.

‘What—‘ he was cut off with a grunt as I tossed him to the floor and covered his body with mine. The car we’d been standing in front off was lifted from the floor and thrown towards the group of people standing on the stairs. I rolled off Pete and channelled water, coating the car with it and redirecting it in Max’s direction.

‘If you shoot at him, your webs will be fried.’ I told Peter, ‘I think I can stop him.’

‘Okay. You do you, and I’ll get as many people as I can out of here.’ He squeezed my shoulder and darted off.

My gaze fell to the fire hydrant to my left, and I focused on it, pulling out the water and controlling it well enough to envelop Max. He screamed, and I fought to keep my concentration, falling to my knees at how much energy this was taking out of me. In theory, the water would conduct his electricity back to him, and once he was out of power, it would stop. When his screams subsided, and his body was no longer pulsing with electricity, I channelled the water back in through where it came from, and felt my last drip of energy go with it.

I vaguely registered people cheering, but my vision was turning black and my ears were ringing. I felt the wet concrete as I fell to my knees, the movement startling a vibration through me. Before I fell sideways, hands were under my arms, swooping me up bridal style.

‘Elemental and I are out, goodnight!’ Pete yelled, swinging us away.

I felt myself on the precipice of being awake and falling asleep as we swung back to his apartment. I moaned a little when he gently placed me onto his bed, slightly startled, as I hadn’t felt us come in through the window.

‘You’re okay, Ellie.’ He murmured, his voice no longer obscured now he’d removed his mask, ‘are you in pain?’

‘No.’ I assured him, blindly reaching for his hand and tugging when he entwined our fingers together. I sighed sleepily when he fell into bed next to me, ‘exhausted.’

‘Okay,’ he sounded relieved, shifting so I was on his chest, his hand moved through my hair rhythmically and I hummed in appreciation, ‘we should get out of our gear though.’

I groaned, logically I knew he was right; the spandex would leave us sweaty and uncomfortable come morning, but I was too comfortable.

‘Can you get it off me without moving me?’ I asked, managing to find the energy to lift my head and look into his eyes. I noticed the slight blush on his cheeks, and found my hands moving without my consent to trace over it. The warmth was comforting, and I realised that the colour darkened as my hands gently caressed his face.

‘I- I could get it off you, but I would have to move you to put you in other clothes.’ He stuttered, his hands falling to my waist.

‘Okay.’ I sighed my face falling to the crook of his neck as he rolled me onto my back, I groaned at the loss of warmth when he moved off me, and missed the fond shake of his head as he grabbed his sweats and left the room.

I sighed, pulling the blankets up to my chin and trying to fight the exhaustion that wanted to claim me. I jumped when Pete’s hand gently touched my shoulder.

‘Sorry honey,’ my heart skipped a beat at the nickname, but he didn’t seem to notice he’d said it, ‘I’ll pull your suit off under the blankets and then help you into one of my shirts, okay?’

I hummed in agreement, refusing to be embarrassed about how I lacked the strength to lift my own arms in that moment. I knew Pete didn’t mind taking care of me, just as I didn’t mind when he needed me to look after him. He gently rolled me to my side to reveal the zipper that ran along my spine, when it was undone he rolled me onto my back and pulled the dark purple latex down until my body was bare, aside from my underwear. He placed it to the floor, along with my mask, and slid one of his shirts over my head. I would have been embarrassed at the happy hum that left my lips as his scent became stronger around me, had I not already been on the verge of sleep.

I heard some more rustling before Pete lifted the blanket and slid in behind me, turning me onto my side and holding my back close to his front with a hand on my stomach. His other hand stretched out underneath the pillow and I reached up to entwine my hand with his, needing an extra point of contact as I finally gave into my exhaustion.

I missed the way Pete gently kissed my hair after my breathing had evened out, and the way he pulled me closer to him despite the fact that there was already no space between us. I missed how he fell asleep counting each heartbeat to assure himself that I was there with him, that I was fine, that I was alive.

//

‘What are you doing? Are you texting? Now?’ Peter’s voice was incredulous as he swung us through the city. I was holding onto him with one arm and texting with the other.

‘Yeah, just telling May that there’s some chilli for her to heat up in the freezer for her dinner.’ I explained, missing the soft, appreciative expression that crossed his face because of the mask.

‘You don’t have to do that you know.’ He murmured a few minutes later, after I’d stashed my phone into a hidden pocket and buried my face into the crook of his neck to avoid the nausea that usually accompanied this activity.

‘Yes I do, if I don’t I’ll throw up.’ I muttered, smiling when I heard him chuckle.

‘No, I mean, you don’t have to cook for us every night.’ He said, holding me tighter as he prepared us to swing over traffic, ‘we appreciate it, of course, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to do it.’

‘I don’t feel like I have to, well not anymore at least. I used to at the beginning, it was a way for me to make myself useful so that May didn’t have a problem with me being around so much, but now…’ I took a breath, ‘now I do it because I want to. I want to make sure you both eat proper meals every night, I want to make sure May doesn’t have to feel bad that she hasn’t had time to cook after doing back to back shifts. I want to make sure you eat after spending however long protecting the city. I do it because I care, Pete, and I don’t mind.’

He was silent for what felt like a long time but in reality was only a few minutes, ‘thank you, y/n.’

‘It’s no problem.’ I held him a little tighter and felt him reciprocate.

‘Aunt May is going away next week, to visit some friends in Florida.’ He murmured, gently setting my feet on the ground as we landed on top of the Empire State Building, but he didn’t step away from me; his hands lingered on my waist and mine stayed on his shoulders, ‘how would you feel about us going out somewhere? For lunch maybe?’

I felt my heartbeat pick up and couldn’t help but ask, before my imagination ran away from me, ‘would it be a date?’

He took a breath, seeming to muster the courage to say, ‘yes. It would be a date, but only if you wanted it to be. It could also be a lunch between friends, if you preferred that.’

‘I’d love to go on a date with you Pete.’ I murmured softly, smiling because even though I couldn’t see it, I swore I could sense the grin on his face.

‘Awesome. Cool.’ He nodded, awkwardness seeming to take over him for a moment before he shook his head and rested his forehead against mine, ‘I look forward to it.’

‘Me too.’ I smiled.

//

Our first date happened at Central Park; Pete had put together a picnic and found us a relatively quiet patch of grass underneath a tree to shield from the midday sun shining down on us. I realised pretty quickly that this may have been our official first date, there was no awkwardness, or uncomfortable silences between us as the afternoon passed. We were already completely comfortable around each other, and aside for my heartbeat picking up when he kissed some chocolate sauce off my cheek, or when he’d told me I looked beautiful, the atmosphere between us was completely comfortable, but with a new edge of excitement.

‘Do you want the last strawberry?’ Pete asked, and I hummed in agreement, smiling when he lifted it to my lips so I wouldn’t have to open my eyes to reach for it.

At some point during the date, Pete’s had pulled me in between his legs, my back to his chest, and that was where I ate the last strawberry, humming in appreciation at the sweet taste.

‘Good?’ Pete chuckled, kissing my hair and making a blush form on my cheeks in delight.

‘Delicious.’ I told him; entwining my fingers with his once he’d discarded the remnants of the fruit into a trash bag he’d bought along, ‘this has been perfect Peter, thank you.’

‘It’s my pleasure.’ He assured me, lifting the back of my hand to his lips and kissing the back of it; ‘you deserve nothing less than perfect.’

I blushed again, squeezing his hand in gratitude as words failed me. I didn’t deserve him, he was beyond wonderful, thoughtful, sweet, considerate, funny and he made me feel safer than I’d felt in a long time.

‘Do you ever think about the future?’ Peter asked, sounding wistful.

‘I used to. Before everything happened, my main goal was getting into Columbia, but now while I still want that, it doesn’t mean absolutely everything to me anymore.’ I told him shifting to sit beside him so I could see his expression. His arm moved around my shoulders and pulled me as close to him as possible; he smiled when I entwined our hands again.

‘What about you? Do you ever think about the future?’ I wondered, curious, as he was the one who’d bought the topic up.

‘I’m the opposite.’ He admitted, staring off in front of us, towards the city that surrounded the park, ‘I never used to think about the future, but now, it’s all I think about. Risking my life put things into perspective for me.’

‘In what way?’ I asked, my voice soft with emotion.

‘It made me realise that while I’m passionate about keeping the city, keeping people safe, I want something for me. I want a home waiting for me, a person I love, and maybe some kids eventually. I want someone who can take care of me, and someone who I can take care of. I want the family meals, the movie nights, the wedding and the white picket fence.’ He glanced down at me, his expression softer than I’d ever seen it, ‘sorry, pretty lame I know.’

I shook my head, trying to swallow around the emotion that had built in my throat, ‘no. It’s not lame at all, Peter, it sounds… perfect.’

His hand came up to caress my cheek, ‘I’m glad you think so.’

My eyes fell to his lips, wondering if they would feel as soft and as warm against mine as I’d always imagined, but I forced myself to focus enough to ask, ‘why? Why are you glad I think so?’

I managed to look up into his warm brown eyes, alight with adoration and fondness as he said, ‘because, you’re the only person I want that future with.’ And then he sealed his lips over mine.

//

‘Spidey! Look out!’ I yelled, channelling air to push him out of the way of Max’s electric blast.

‘I designed this power grid, now I’m gonna take back what is rightfully mine!’ Max yelled as we ducked behind some concrete, ‘I will control everything, and I will be like a God to them.’

‘I’m gonna distract him, you detain him and when you do, I’ll reset the system.’ Pete said, his hand caressing the side of my face.

‘That should overload him enough that he explodes.’ I nodded in agreement, ‘this might be the worst possible moment to say this, but I love you Peter Parker.’

‘This is definitely the worst time to say that, but it’s the perfect moment for us.’ He lifted off the lower half of his mask, ‘I love you too. Now lets get this guy and we can still make it back in time for a movie marathon like we were planning.’ He grinned when I laughed, and leaned forward to catch my lips in a hurried but passionate kiss.

‘See you.’ I said, squeezing his hand before releasing him.

‘See you, beautiful.’ He ducked out of our hiding spot and immediately began with the taunting, ‘I don’t know about you, man, but I can’t see everyone supporting a God named Sparkles!’

Max screamed in a rage and I moved from my hiding spot to jump down to the hydro pumps below, once I was there I concentrated and pulled out the water in a controlled manner. Peter must have noticed because he made sure Max’s back was to me, and that he was far enough away to not be caught in the crossfire. I engulfed Max into the water and yelled out for Peter to go and reset the system. He darted off and I focused on controlling my breathing; holding him was becoming more difficult because for him to max out his power like last time, I would have to hold him for a lot longer due to the amount of power he was channelling. I’d barely managed the last time, and I knew if I stopped him that way this time, it would kill me. I wasn’t strong enough yet.

‘Let him go in…’ Peter’s voice offered me relief, just a little longer… ‘3, 2,1!’ I released the hold I had on him and fell to my knees, as the effort I was exerting was suddenly gone. Peter swung down to me and we watched as Max shivered with the power that was moving through him, before he exploded as the he reached the capacity of what he could channel.

‘We did it, he’s toast.’ Peter reassured the both of us, holding me tighter as I trembled a little in his arms, ‘let’s get you home.’

I nodded, but noted that Pete suddenly stiffened, something he only did when his Spidey senses were tingling. I gasped when he suddenly yanked me behind a concrete pillar as Harry Osborn appeared on a floating metal surfboard.

‘Harry?’ Peter called out, disbelief in his voice as his friend looked… possessed, ‘what happened to you?’

‘Turned out I didn’t need your blood after all, Spider-Man, I found some of the venom on my own and used it myself.’ He hissed, his teeth appearing to be coated in green.

‘You’re not looking so good, man.’ He sounded worried, and I didn’t blame him. I was there when he found the video message from his dad. The venom hadn’t killed Peter because his dad’s DNA had been combined with it, meaning it accepted him when he was bitten. Clearly, the same could not be said for Harry.

‘I wouldn’t have had to resort to this if you’d just helped me.’ He snarled, his eyes appeared a luminous green and they shifted over to me, his head tilting curiously.

‘What are you doing here, Harry?’ Peter asked, deliberately drawing his attention back to him.

‘You took away my hope, Spider-Man.’ He hissed, ‘I’m here to take away yours.’

I felt Peter gently lower me to the ground, sitting me up so my back was resting against the concrete wall behind me. I lifted my head to watch Pete fling himself through the air towards Harry, but he turned to the side at the last moment, and Spidey just kept going. I couldn’t get my eyes to focus long enough to see where he went, but I didn’t hear any crashing so I took that as a good sign.

I heard the whooshing sound of an engine, and groaned when I felt two hands lift me rather harshly from the ground. I blinked and realised Harry was the one who had me, and we were flying through the air over the clock tower.

‘Harry! Let her go! This has nothing to do with her, this is between you and me!’ Peter yelled, sounding panicked and desperate.

I looked down, noting the fire his board was emitting. I was already so drained, but I couldn’t just do nothing. I held my hand towards the jets at the back of his board and focused until I could sense the energy of the element, then I increased the power until…

‘No!’ I heard Peter yell, but I didn’t know why, I felt strange, like I was floating, the sounds of the world were dimmed as if I was underwater.

I knew I should have been panicking, but I couldn’t remember why. I was so tired, so exhausted, I just wanted to close my eyes and regain my energy, but I couldn’t. There was something I had to do, someone that needed me.

Peter needed me.

I gasped, my eyes springing open to make me realise I was falling, broken glass and pieces of metal falling with me. Harry appeared to be webbed up near the top of the tower, and Pete was free falling towards me, his hand raised to shoot a web in my direction. I had no idea how close I was to the ground, but I couldn’t just do nothing, not when this was my fault to begin with. If Pete lost me like this he would never forgive himself, and I would never forgive myself.

I bought my hands out to my sides, my palms facing the ground that was getting closer each second. I took a breath, keeping my eyes on Peter to remind myself why I was doing this, he gave me the jolt of energy I needed to focus on air, to propel enough momentum towards the ground to even out the gravitational pull that was causing me to fall so quickly. As I started to slow, I got closer to Peter. He pulled me into his arms and shot a web above us to lower us both gently to the ground.

My knees buckled and instead of righting me, he fell with me, pulling off his mask and revealing a panicked expression that made my heart clench painfully in my chest.

‘You’re okay, you’re okay.’ He sobbed, his hand coming to the side of my throat and more tears falling when he found a pulse, ‘stay with me. We’re gonna go home and you’re gonna get some rest.’

‘Pete.’ I managed, so soft and lower than a whisper, but he heard me, ‘lets go home.’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ he shifted his grip on me and kissed my forehead, ‘lets go home Ellie.’

//

‘I can’t believe we have our own apartment.’ I commented, the smile on my face was so huge I was sure some would find it scary.

‘Me neither.’ Pete chuckled, his grin just as big as mine, his hands settled on my waist and held me close, his forehead falling against mine, ‘we officially live together.’

‘We basically lived together anyway.’ I commented, my hands falling to his shoulders as he lifted me onto the countertop in our kitchen.

‘That’s true.’ He leaned forward, placing a brief kiss on my lips that had me moving forward to chase him as he pulled back. He chuckled, stepping closer and lowering his lips to kiss behind my ear, ‘but we couldn’t do this in the kitchen when we lived with Aunt May.’

‘That- that is a very good point.’ My legs tightened involuntarily around his waist as his kisses moved lower, down my neck to nip at my collarbone.

‘I’m glad you agree.’ His hands slipped underneath my skirt, his thumbs rubbing small circles as his touch moved higher, higher until he reached my underwear.

His index finger moved over the material between my legs, and when he found the material already damp and warm, he made a noise of appreciation that had my hands moving to his hair and tugging. He chuckled, his finger rubbing small circles over my clit, and his other hand holding my hips still when I involuntarily moved with him.

‘Such a good girl.’ I felt him grin against my collarbone when I shuddered at his words, ‘always so wet, so ready for me.’

I moaned in answer, tugging at his hair when his fingers moved beneath the fabric, allowing him to move against my clit without restriction. His fingers dipped lower, and he easily slid two inside of me, causing my hips to tilt up to meet the intrusion.

‘Easy, easy.’ He kissed my forehead, his hand on my waist was tight, but his thumb was rubbing soothing circles into my skin, ‘I got you.’

He curled his fingers inside of me, his thumb moving against my clit at the same time and drawing sounds of pleasure out of me with each thrust he instigated. I could feel myself getting close; I could feel the coil inside of me winding tighter, and tighter, getting ready to snap—

‘Pete, I-‘ I tried to warn, but he seemed to already know as I started to clench around his fingers.

His lips found mine, swallowing the sounds of my ecstasy as I came around his fingers. My nails dug into his shoulders as my back arched and my vision went white.

I have no idea how long it took for me to come around, but when I did I realised I wasn’t on the countertop anymore, but on the bed in our new room. Pete was above me, giving me the soft smile that he reserved solely for me, and it never failed to make my heart skip a beat. I knew he knew it too, because his smile always grew just the slightest bit when it happened.

My hands moved from his shoulders to his hair, gently tugging his lips to mine, knowing he was waiting for my consent to go any further. He always did. I tugged at his hoodie, then his shirt, then and his jeans until they were all on piles on the floor. He’d foregone underwear as we had both been running late this morning, having overslept and waking up to the moving truck at the door. I was grateful for it in that moment, as I reached and gripped his length, stroking from base to tip, my thumb swirling the bead of pre-cum around the tip. I felt my toes curl as he moaned, his forehead falling to my collarbone.

I opened my legs wider, moving the tip of him across my clit and down to my entrance. He caught me off guard and thrust his hips forward, burying himself inside of me to the hilt, and managing to have both my hands pinned beneath his above my head all in the same second.

‘Always so good.’ He murmured, his hips grinding against mine, his pubic bone grazing my clit as his cock circled inside me, ‘you always feel so good, princess.’

I moaned, my hands entwining with his as he drew back slowly, to enter me at the same speed.

‘Please.’ I whimpered.

‘Please what?’ he asked, his tone casual but I could see the effort it was taking to restrain himself from going any faster.

‘Faster, Pete, harder.’ I begged.

I gasped when his speed and force changed as soon as the words left my lips.

‘Is this what you want, princess?’ he murmured, his lips so close that they brushed mine as he spoke.

‘Yes, yes, Pete.’ I moaned, ‘feels good. You feel good.’

He groaned, his hand leaving my left hand to pin my thigh to my chest, changing the angle, making him feel deeper and allowing him to continually brush up against that spot inside of me. I couldn’t concentrate on any one thing that was happening. I was overwhelmed with the touches, one hand on my thigh, the other entwined with my right hand, his lips brushing mine as we both breathed erratically, his skin moving against mine as he thrust inside of me, my foot resting on his lower calf, the feeling of his heart beat against my chest, the feeling of him inside me. It was all too much in the absolute best way possible. I was so close to him, so close—

‘You’re close, princess, I can feel it; you’re trembling around me.’ His breath ghosted over my face as he spoke, his lips brushing mine almost teasing, ‘I want you to come before me, baby, can you do that? Can you be my good girl and come for me?’

I moaned and nodded, feeling myself clench tighter around him at his words. He groaned, his hand realising mine to reach in to the limited space between us. When his fingers touched my clit, to rub it in firm but gentle strokes, I was done. I snapped harder than I had before. I thought I screamed from the pleasure of coming around him, but I wasn’t certain because I was completely overcome by it, swept away by him.

‘Fuck, fuck.’ He groaned, I felt him thrust into me a few more times before he stilled, hot spurts of his come filling me up and adding to my pleasure.

His face fell to the crook of my neck, and he held me close before rolling over so that I was splayed across his chest, him still inside me. Both of us realised when we moved onto this stage of our relationship, that we liked how close, how connected we felt during sex. Not that we didn’t feel this way before we introduced the physical aspect of intercourse, but the intimacy of the act seemed to shed away any and all barriers that interfered with closeness, no matter how small. And so when we’d both reached our climaxes we never rushed around after. We took a few moments, enjoying the feeling of attachment before reality intervened. That meant that he stayed inside of me while we held each other close and savoured the moment in comfortable silence.

After a while I rested my chin on my hands to look up at him. I could feel the soft smile on my face, and I reached out to trace the blush that formed on his cheeks.

‘What is it?’ he murmured, taking my hand from his cheeks to kiss my palm and entwine our fingers together.

‘I was just thinking…’ I kissed the back of his hand and released him, my index finger gently tracing over his lower lip. His blush deepened, but he didn’t reach up to move me away, ‘it hasn’t even been a year since I got caught in that twister, since I was just a girl trying to get into Columbia who had an insane crush on the guy in most of her classes.’

He grinned, puckering his lips to kiss my fingers before they moved to trace his jaw, ‘I’m so grateful that happened to me, because without that, I wouldn’t have you. I wouldn’t have this life with you. You’re my person, Peter Parker. I love you so much.’

A soft expression overtook his face, his brown eyes shining with warmth; adoration and love as he lifted me up to capture my lips in a passionate kiss. When we pulled apart, his forehead fell against mine, ‘I love you too, y/n. You have to know how grateful I am to have you in my life, without you… there wouldn’t be anywhere near enough light to guide me. You’re my sunshine, and my world completely revolves around you.’

I laughed, my heart squeezing happily when he joined in, ‘that may have been incredibly cheesy…’ he trailed off, pinching my hip lightly when I giggled, a smile tugging at his lips, ‘but I meant it.’

My expression softened with adoration as my amusement faded away. I lifted my hand to the side of his face, my thumb moving back and forth across his cheekbone, ‘I know you did, Pete.’

‘Good.’ He grinned, pulling me closer and once again sealing his mouth over mine.

A/N: Whew, this was another big one! 9k+! I’ve been on an Andrew Garfield kick recently, which I’m sure a lot of you can relate to after seeing No Way Home (what a film, honestly I’m still processing, it was SO GOOD!) So I had to get this out of my system, because, to be frank I can’t stop thinking about his Spider-Man. I hope you liked this!

[britishassistant]

What happens if a new villain comes to town and starts tearing shit up? Like a new rival shows up, falls in love with yuu, and kidnaps them before enacting a huge take over the city scheme, will the NRC and RSA finally come together for the same goal? Or would it lead to chaotic in-fighting in their individual attempts to rescue the reporter and save the city/stop this jerk face from showing them up only for yuu to break out just so they can knock them all upside the head?

Thank you for the ask, dear anon!

“It’s so simple, love.” The villain coos, one hand cupping Yuu’s chin gently to tilt their face up, “Just accept my proposal, and we won’t need to have any nasty accidents where you and the tarmac down there have a...terminal disagreement.”

Yuu glances down at the drop from where they’ve been “tied” to the top of the skyscraper by the metal beams that the supervillain bent around their body like they were rubber. They think they can see a flock of pigeons flapping by below them. “That’s your idea of a threat? Really? Because I’ve heard worse over breakfast. Sorry, but I really don’t think we have the right chemistry to accept marriage to the likes of you.”

The villain pouts, leaning against the tip of the building as if they were a pair of people chatting on the streets far below, and not one hapless captive tied to an antenna and their captor floating with nary a second thought in midair. “Oh c’mon now love. Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be—you know that I could do far better with your Daddy’s little league than any of those second-rate bozos crowding around you.”

The reporter’s gaze sharpens, the corner of their mouth curling up in a snarl. “Don’t. Refer to them. Like that. They’re each seven times the supervillain you are, at least. Besides, I’d rather be turned into pancake mix on the pavement than do anything that could advance that man’s little projects.”

The villain tuts, coiffed hair ruffled by the breeze as he leans in far closer than Yuu is comfortable with. “Don’t play hard to get, love. So you’ve got Daddy issues, who doesn’t? It’s no reason to get in the way of progress. Maybe you’ll change your mind if I show you exactly what I can offer...”

Yuu recoils as the villain’s tongue forces its way into their mouth when their lips collide with all the force of a car crash, an invasive writhing thing that makes them gag at how far it pushes in as the villain hums greedily at their taste.

And one that the reporter swiftly brings their teeth down on.

Hard.

“FUCK! Ugh—you foul little bitch!!”

The backhand jars the reporter’s skull even as they brace for it, cutting the inside of their mouth and leaving them worried that if they try spitting out the blood gathering there, they’ll lose a tooth along with it.

The villain huffs, one hand carding through his ruffled hair. His tongue is already whole and unblemished, the last indents of their teeth healing as the reporter watches. “I didn’t want to do this, you know. I would’ve gladly taken you to the altar, and had you screaming in our wedding bed. I could’ve made you happy, if you’d just do what you’re told.”

Yuu sneers. “Frankly, I can’t imagine anything more boring.”

They take cold comfort in the fury that burns in the supervillain’s eyes at that.

“Fine. Fine.” The villain floats away, his eyes glowing that same bright red that melted through the wall to Yuu’s bedroom when they were first taken. “I was prepared to do this the nice way. I wanted to do this the nice way. But if you’re going to be such a little bitch about it, then I can always rely on the old fashioned method of succession.”

The laser beams swipe through the block of abandoned offices four stories below where the reporter is tied up.

The top of the building wavers, then begins to crumble forwards.

The villain says something else, probably something mocking and challenging them to get out of this mess because that’s the kind of cliche line that’s always used here, but Yuu can’t hear him over the whistle of the wind in their ears and the scream torn from their throat as they plummet.

They try frantically tug their arms free as their legs are pulled upwards by gravity, try their damndest to squirm free, but it’s no use, they’re not The Prefect right now, don’t even have the fedora on them, they’re Yuu, just Yuu, just helpless reporter Yuu, who can’t break steel beams with their pathetic powerless normal person strength, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, they’re going to die, oh Great Seven, they’re going to die—!

“KING'S ROAR!!!”

There’s a discombobulating moment of freefall as the metal and concrete around them disintegrates into sand.

Then a strong, wiry arm loops around their waist and they’re pinned to a carpet as their rapid descent gradually slows to a stop in midair.

“Need a lift?” They can’t see Snake Charmer’s eyebrows through the mask, but they get the feeling one of them is raised in a wry fashion as he smirks at them.

The reporter lets out a hysterical, shaky laugh that only narrowly escapes becoming a sob, trembling hands seizing onto the two supervillains like they’re lifelines. “Wh-what took y-you so long? Did you ge-get held up in traffic?”

King grumbles, flicking their temple gently as Water Boy laughs gleefully from where he’s steering the carpet. “You could show a little more gratitude, herbivore. Do you know how hard it was to evade all the goody-two-shoes on the way here to save your ass?”

Yuu’s about to reply, when they catch a movement above them out of the corner of their eye.

“INCOMING!!”

Water Boy jerks the flying carpet to the side just in time for the villain to plunge past them fist-first, close enough to see his teeth bared in a furious snarl.

“DRIVE!!” Snake Charmer screams at his lieutenant above the rushing wind as the villain rises back up to try his luck again. Water Boy presses the corners of the carpet forwards and they go into a rollercoaster dive that makes the reporter’s stomach roil in protest.

King unleashes his powers on the two buildings behind them, disintegrating the foundations in hopes that the tonnes of concrete and rebar would be enough to slow the flying brick chasing them. The villain just bursts through the obstacles with nary a broken sweat, and speeds up to the point where Water Boy has to turn the carpet upside down so they don’t get knocked out of the sky.

“Where the fuck is that computer junkie?!?” King yells at Snake Charmer as they draw dangerously close to the road below. “He was supposed to be here hours ago!!”

“How am I supposed to know?!” They can hear Snake Charmer’s heartbeat hammer in his chest from where he’s pinning them to the vehicle in the absence of a seatbelt. “It was the conman who was meant to give him the si—”

Yuu can barely scream a warning in time as the villain looms behind Leona’s head, eyes glowing red and ready.

A rush of flying metal harpies collide with the bastard’s face, effectively pinning him in midair as he struggles to destroy the thousands-strong swarm that obstructs his path to them.

“OPEN FIRE!!” Comes Hermes’ high-pitched cry as a blue beam shoots past them at the center of the robotic maelstrom.

A pair of red lasers rocket out to meet it, almost seeming as though it could push Ortho’s assault back—!

A white-hot streak of lightening descends from the formerly clear sky to where the villain was pinned, disrupting the red eye lasers and allowing Hermes’ beam to make contact.

There’s a hideous scream and the stench of burnt meat.

“We’re coming in too fast!!” Water Boy yells, tugging on the carpet’s tassels until they’re almost vertical. “Ja—I, I don’t know if we’ll slow down in time!!”

Yuu barely hears the curses the other two occupants spit, lunging to try and cover as much of them as they can with their body. Even if they crash, if Yuu can just absorb most of the shock of the landing—!

Small pinpricks of pain latch onto their scalp, their pajamas, the carpet and supervillains beneath them, hundreds of small beating appendages smacking them all in the face as the carpet’s rapid descent slows incrementally.

“Oh boys~?”

Four sets of strong hands seize the front of the carpet, their owners grunting as they attempt to force the carpet’s stop through sheer force. Of course, the continued existence of Newton’s Third Law combined with the reporter’s precarious shielding position means that though the carpet experiences sudden stop, Yuu keeps going at the same high speed that will ensure serious injury once they hit the tarmac.

Or it would do, if they didn’t collide with a solid chest and waiting pair of arms first.

The reporter finds themselves cradled in a nearly crushing grip, their catcher muttering “child of man, child of man,” into the top of their head and a warm thumb swipes over the rapidly darkening bruise on their cheek. The wind picks up around them alarmingly, whipping into a gale.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’m okay.” Yuu reaches up to pat Tsunotaro’s head soothingly. “See? Just a few scrapes and a little scare. Give me an ice pack and a shower and I’ll be right as rain.”

Tsunotaro doesn’t look very convinced, but at least the wind drops to more of a strong breeze.

“Oi, let ‘em down, you dumb lizard.” King growls behind the reporter, the rings on his tail clattering as it swishes irritably. “We did all the work of saving them, you don’t get to take the rewards.”

Tsunotaro clutches them closer, getting that stubborn look in his eyes that makes Yuu want to groan in exasperation. “No.”

“Why you—!”

“Now, now children, the world works in mysterious ways.” Batman beams. “I’ve always found destiny draws those it finds most suitable together.”

The reporter rolls their eyes as King snarls in response to that remark and Snake Charmer mutters, “I didn’t know ‘destiny’ was what you called interfering old fools.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” Snake Charmer climbs off the carpet and straightens his headscarf. “What’s next?”

There’s a crash as the mass of robots pinning the singed villain about three blocks down the street begins to shift, however unwillingly.

“‘Kay, the ‘save the princess’ team barely cleared the parameters for their part of the mission.” Charon’s floating tablet drifts forward, the sounds of frantic tapping on a keyboard almost drowning out his voice. “Now it’s time for the ‘aggro’ and ‘debuff’ teams to move in, Tsuntaro-sshi, Royal-sshi.”

“Understood. I’ll leave the coordinating of the others to you, Charon.” Royal Flush looks up and raises an unimpressed eyebrow at the tall fae. “Well? Are you coming?”

Yuu could almost swear they hear a small grumble as Tsunotaro finally lets them down out of his grasp. He runs his thumb over their injured cheek one last time. “Sebek, Silver. Defend the reporter as you would me.”

“Yes, Tsunotaro-sama!” The two of them chorus.

Royal Flush shakes his head, then reaches out and squeezes Yuu’s hand once. “If anything happens, Three of Clovers and Howl-san will get you somewhere safe. But this shouldn’t take long.”

“Oi, don’t presume to give orders to my minion, Flush.” King growls, inserting himself bodily between the two of them. His mouth curls up in a smirk as he places a proprietary hand on top of their head. “Besides, I’ll be here, won’t I?”

Royal Flush and Tsunotaro narrow their eyes at him, but their attention is claimed by the sound of metal crashing down the street as the villain shrugs off the rubble, the burns on his arms and face healing rapidly as they watch. His eyes flicker over their motley group, before settling on Yuu with laser-precision.

It’s only the arrow that flies into his shoulder, combined with a second lightening bolt striking him from the blue that keeps that metaphor from becoming literal.

Yuu chokes a little at the pressure on their pajama shirt collar as they’re dragged out of the line of fire. From where they’re crouched behind a car, they can see Tsunotaro and Hermes throwing almost everything he’s got as the bastard, while Royal tries to close the distance without ending up attacked himself. They also catch a glimpse of who they think is Leviathan silently gliding closer through the alleys on the far side of the street.

But the villain just won’t stop getting back up. Despite the fact that anyone sane would’ve given up the moment the green flames were broken out, he keeps coming, no matter how many times he gets thrown back.

And he’s clearly getting closer to the reporter he so desperately wants to kill.

“Now what?” Yuu asks, barely able to hear themselves think over the worried growl rumbling from Jack’s chest.

Charon’s muttering to himself as more of his robots fly by overhead. “Need to pin down the rate of regen, if we can get that and surpass it so the ‘debuff’ team can do their thing before the second wave gets here, but what is it?”

The reporter blinks. Well, taking into account the insult, and the backhand...

“He was able to heal his tongue about...four, maybe five seconds after I’d bitten through it? That’s only a rough estimate though, it may’ve been shorter.” They murmur.

The area around them goes very quiet.

“B-bitten through...?” Water Boy asks, hand coming up to his own mouth with a wince.

Yuu scowls. “That creep put it in my mouth when I did not ask him to. Ugh, I would’ve gone for his balls too, but the metal didn’t let me lift my legs that far.”

They huff for a moment at the unfairness of it. Then, “King, stop grinning at me like that.”

“Like what herbivore?” His tone is the picture of innocence, even if the way he’s eying them is most decidedly not.

Snake Charmer ‘accidentally’ kicks him in the shin as the sound of frantic typing erupts from the tablet again. “Setting the Erinyes to follow up on Ortho’s and Tsunotaro-sshi’s attacks within a three point five second time frame...fwe he he he, let’s see how that mob likes this!”

With the clack of what sounds like an enter key, the robots above them begin divebombing the villain in sequence, deliberately targeting the parts of him injured by Tsunotaro and Hermes’ blows.

One of them sacrifices itself in a kamikaze dive that leaves a bleeding scratch on his arm.

The villain roars, the force of his fury almost knocking them over even with how far away their little group is crouched, turning the lasers on every robot within his line of sight.

Of course, this means he stops paying attention to the three supervillains who have been steadily making their way towards him.

“FAIREST ONE OF ALL!”

“IT’S A DEAL!”

“OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”

The powers hit the villain one after another, his lasers sputtering out with a pained scream. The scratch on his arm doesn’t start healing. Neither does the gash he gets across his face when Poison Queen roundhouse kicks him away with those stilettos of his.

“Was that it?” Leviathan says, his careless facade somewhat ruined by the fact that he wobbles as he begins to levitate. “I must confess I don’t understand what all the tr-trouble was.”

A low whistle by their ear makes Yuu jump. “The bosses can be scary when they wanna be. Remind me never to piss off those three at once.”

The reporter look up to see Ace and Floyd standing behind them. “Ace, wha—where have you been?!”

Floyd giggles and Ace shoots them an evil grin as they chorus, “Sending out party invites~”

Yuu blinks and tries to puzzle out this cryptic phrase, but their attention is swiftly drawn back to the scene of the battle at the sound of manic, unhinged laughter.

“You think you’ve won? You think something like this will stop me?!” The villain cackles, eyes wild and beginning to grow red again despite the way his body tenses and the collar around his neck starts to buckle. “You think that second-rate half-hearted hacks like you can stop someone like me?!? I am your superior!! You all will bend the knee once I snap that ungrateful little bitch’s neck and take my rightful place as head of the League!!! I’ll decimate every last one of those pathetic, moronic heroes who pollute this city like a fungus!! And then, oh , and then I’ll make every last one of you who thought they could get away with this pitiable attempt to stop me—”

“Us? Here to stop you?” Poison Queen tilts his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re supervillains.”

“Stopping the likes of you.” Leviathan proclaims triumphantly, “Is their job.”

The villain stops.

The villain turns.

Over half the top heroes of the Royal Sword Association lead here by the minions meet his gaze.

“Hello.” Niko Niko Neko says with a wide grin.

Yuu isn’t close enough to hear if the villain whimpers, but they almost wish they were.

Almost.

[leviiattacks]

Hi, you're a very talented writer and your works are very beautiful. Can I request one where Levi's fem s/o does the ignore your boyfriend prank? Thank you so much and take care of yourself ❤️

author note :: thank youuu i’m glad you think that anon !! this isn’t good at all bc i’m just very sick and yeah,,, i’m sorry if this doesn’t live up to your expectations but i needed something to do and ended up finishing this. hmmm what is this is it fluff?? idk it’s captain levi and survey corps member reader though :-) requests are open so feel free to drop by if you’d like :D word count :: 3.4k 

you should NOT be bothering levi as much as you are because he understands you need your own space to relax sometimes

but come on... you’ve been ignoring him for an unreasonable amount of time now??

and he’s not talking about groggy ignoring, it’s not the type you do when you’ve just awoken from a restless night’s sleep

no. you’re talking to everyone apart from him.

and it’s driving him up a literal wall

did he do something wrong???

has he made a mistake so large that you’re too scared to bring it up???

are you finally sick of him??

will you break up with him?

levi winces when thinking of that specific question

but he’s the type to silently keep his worries to himself as soon as he sees any indication of a bad omen

currently, he’s mentally preparing himself for you to break the news to him any day now

but little does he know you’ve just pulled a prank hoping for him to whine and complain a little

the point of this all is to elicit an out of character reaction

;-)

the idea came from historia at first

her playing such a foul trick on ymir didn’t go unnoticed and little by little ymir’s resolve crumbled away throughout the day

she went quite literally ballistic trying to get historia’s attention

and watching it all play out made you want to try it out with levi

you’d be a FOOL not to

WELL!!!! the fun part about this is that you’re a bit actually, no. a lot, more stubborn than historia!!!

and instead of committing to the prank for a day you’ve chosen to see how far you can stretch this out

if you have to drag it out for two days so be it

you have good reason to

levi isn’t the most affectionate man, your relationship is kept a total secret from all of the cadets

meaning pda never happens

and,,, listen you would love to kiss him before expeditions without having to drag him behind your horse for cover

to be frank the back of a horse does smell rather unpleasant and it’s not as romantic as you’d like for it to be

honestly you’d rather have everyone stare and gawk in awe watching the two of you make out

seeing them put two and two together realizing what it is that’s going on between you and the captain would be hilarious

especially since reiner said last week he could never picture levi dating anyone

AND!! he even had the audacity to say he thinks someone like him would never date someone on the team

is it really not that obvious to them?

do you and levi lack chemistry?

silently fuming you walk away and even then none of the cadets get the hint

but you do think mikasa has known for a while. her senses are sharp and whenever she sees you and levi together she makes a u-turn heading in the opposite direction away from the both of you

but even if she does she isn’t going to tell anyone about it unless she’s directly asked so it’s not like the cat will be out of the bag any time soon

it’s silly getting worked up over reiner’s comments but it’s kinda disheartening having the relationship be kept a secret

and you thought even if it was there would be at least a hint of a rumour, like it should be decently obvious it’s been months since the two of you began to see each other

ESSENTIALLY, this is your plan to “accidentally” let the cadets figure it out

eventually levi will have to get restless enough to do something bold

that’s what you think will happen

but then the reality of the situation hits you at the end of the first day

he seems to be dealing with it just fine ?????

after giving him the cold shoulder he shows no signs of returning at all

...

WHY IS IT NOT WORKING???

mayday mayday mayday....?!??

red alert....?!??

you are about to bang your head against a wall he’s the one who’s meant to be suffering over this not you

but again, you’re stubborn and won’t give in easily

by the end of day one levi has approached you two times

two...

each time you’ve given him completely blunt responses

it’s frustrating you that he’s just dealing with it as it comes

and when he does speak to you it’s not to ask what’s wrong

the first time he approaches you is to ask if you’ve seen petra around which makes your blood boil a little because everyone knows petra has a big, fat, MASSIVE crush on him

you know he won’t ever reciprocate or anything for a number of reasons but you can’t help but feel annoyed

the second time he speaks to you is to ask if you’re willing to help hange out with some paperwork

??????

he doesn’t even look interested in asking you what’s wrong

honestly you would drop this plan but you’re in too deep now

may as well keep it up.

the second day rolls around and it’s not your best day

you burn breakfast

trip over a broom and hit your leg rather hard against the dining table

spill an ENTIRE cup of tea over hange’s important documents

and you haven’t slept a wink after overthinking your relationship status for hours on end

maybe this prank wasn’t a great idea

you’re hunched over the documents close to tears not knowing how you can save them now

there’s nothing you can do and even though you know hange will be okay with it, (they’ve never cared much for paperwork) you just don’t want to inconvenience them with this mess

“y/n?”

looking up you see eren standing by the doorway of the kitchen watching with a humored expression as you place paper towels over the disaster you’ve created

“captain’s looking for you.”

perking up a little internally you make sure to remain as disinterested as possible on the surface

“what does he need?”

“i don’t know he didn’t say.”

“tell him i’m busy.”

and that’s all that occurs during day two

you pass by levi and occasionally his gaze flicks to you but he doesn’t take any action to address you in public or in private

you end up going to bed even more disappointed than you were the first night

the prank definitely isn’t going the way you want and instead of it leading to levi cornering you in front of everyone and dipping you into a dreamy swoon worthy kiss it’s led to you developing doubts.

many doubts.

but you aren’t giving up any time soon, now more than ever you want to be reassured levi even wants this relationship because he’s not acting like it

it’s admittedly a bitch move on your part for pulling this prank in the first place but you expected him to ask how you were doing it has been forty-eight hours after all

if the roles were reversed you’d force him into a room until he would tell you

so you can’t explain his weird behaviour at all

maybe he doesn’t like you as much as you think

that thought makes your eyes sting at the corners

he’s always been reserved and a little lost when it comes to opening up but you’re beginning to lose hope if he finds it this hard to ask if you’re okay

drifting off to sleep before you can wallow in your thoughts any more you wish tomorrow is better

it’s the third day and to say you’re exhausted is an understatement

midday and you’re training in the sweltering heat

the lack of sleep you’ve had recently paired with your stress isn’t doing you any good

a little dizzy you attempt to hold onto a nearby tree for stability but end up somehow missing the mark by a MILE??

tumbling to the floor painfully you hiss at the collision and rub the back of your head which is now sore

footsteps approach you in a hurry and for the first time in days you’re face to face with levi

“you okay?” concern is very much evident in his voice and that eases your nerves

without you even responding he’s turning you around just to check in case

nodding wordlessly you try to get to your feet when you feel a shift.

your ankle without warning gives out on you and you’re sent crashing back down to the ground

closing your eyes and bracing for impact you’re pleasantly surprised when levi catches you by the waist

your weight is leaning onto him and you’re looking down to the floor

hange is yelling from across the courtyard telling levi to drop you off at the infirmary but he doesn’t need to be told that

his instincts do the talking for him and he’s already slung you over his shoulder and begins carrying you towards the base

“levi. put. me. down. this position’s embarrassing.”

he doesn’t respond and you can hear sasha and connie cackling at the compromising situation

swatting his back you’re huffing and puffing yet he’s still ignoring you

you’re being given the silent treatment but you suppose you do deserve it

sighing you deal with the stares you receive on the way there

this is levi and at this point nothing is seen as abnormal when he does it

you can’t really look behind you to see levi’s expression either but when a cadet walks past and mouths “y/n, what the hell did you do??” you know you’re in for it

eventually he reaches the infirmary and without even letting you get a word in he plops you onto the bed albeit a little rough

“what’s with the cold shoulder?” he places both his arms by your sides leaving you trapped

“i-”

“if you want to break up you can just say that instead of beating around the bush.”

you’re stunned by the harsh tone of his voice, he doesn’t have his usual soft timbre and your eyes glaze over in defense

“you want to break up?” your question hangs in the air

chewing at your lip anxiously you know if you bite any harder you’ll draw blood

“i don’t care. if that’s what you want, sure.”

oh.

oh no.

this isn’t going how you planned

nails digging into the flesh of your palms you hang your head low

he doesn’t care at all

if that’s what you want????? really???? that’s his response??? he won’t even fight for you???

it’s silent as he bandages your ankle and you’re burning in a mix of embarrassment and fury.

“i was just pull-” choking up in the middle of your sentence you feel yourself automatically frown

“i was just pulling a prank on you. you know how historia did with ym-“

really you’ve always been terrible at holding back your tears and a few spill over the edge and you sob

why are you like this why why why why why?????

yeah,, you get why everyone calls you overly emotional from time to time but really you swear you feel your heart shatter a little at how levi’s acting

shielding your eyes with your sleeve you cower away from him

lord have mercy.

levi wants to curl up into a ball and die from the wave of embarrassment that hits him

a prank.

a trick.

and he didn’t catch on.

and now you’re crying.

because he thought acting tough and cold in case you wanted to break up with him made perfectly logical sense???

spoiler : it didn’t make any sense...

but now it’s made him look like he hates you??

but he doesn’t hate you

no, no, no. not at all.

he could never hate you.

you’re always willing to help anyone out, you’re genuine, always say sorry even when you don’t need to, unapologetically yourself at any moment, you’re fearful yet push it all aside to be courageous and most of all he loves your little hobbies because who in their right mind actually enjoys gardening??

he’s convinced people who say they like gardening are looking for something unique to make themselves stand out but really you enjoy it and it’s quite cute

ok, ok no more getting side tracked whilst talking about your love for plants

he could name so much more he admires about you but he’d be here all day

“i tried to talk to you yesterday but after you refused i thought you hated me and wanted to break up. that’s why i was acting like that just now.” he slowly tries to explain his point to you

“i know i’m hard to love so when you began to ignore me out of the blue i figured you didn’t want to-”

cutting him off without giving him the option of finishing his sentence you’re wide eyed in horror. he was NOT meant to interpret the prank this way.

“levi?? for as long as i’m alive i’ll never get tired of you. i promise.” his heart rate shoots and the intense magnetism between the two of you becomes stronger by the second

you pause for a second gathering yourself.

“and i’m sorry i should’ve thought about how you’d feel. the reason i did it was stupid.”

levi kneels by the bed and takes your hand in his, he graciously lifts the sleeve of your uniform and ducks down to press a soft kiss onto your wrist.

your heart flutters seeing him be so careful and gentle with you and bashfully you look away

guilt overwhelms you at that moment because you really are horrible for putting him through all of that.

levi cares for you he does

he may be silent about it and not the best at being public with it but you know how he feels.

you feel it in the way he looks at you

you feel it when he helps you mount your horse

you feel it when he double checks your harnesses before expeditions

you feel it when he tends to your injuries

and, you definitely feel it right now when it sinks in that he was acting like he hated you just so you wouldn’t feel bad if you really did want to break up with him.

he’s always been bad at picking up on hints and cues so you now understand why he interpreted it as you wanting nothing to do with him

of course he wouldn’t ask how you were if it looked like you wanted to skin him alive

“what was the reason for the prank?” he inquisitively asks genuinely wanting to know what it is he can do for you

“i...” you’re wandering off and suddenly don’t want to tell him

“i wanted you to kiss me.” you whisper in a rush

he cocks an eyebrow up even more lost. “i kiss you all the time?”

“i mean, in front of everyone else.”

he blinks and his mouth forms into an “O” shape

it’s a little awkward now

he doesn’t bring it up again so you assume he doesn’t like the idea of letting everyone know just yet

and that’s okay!! you respect that!!

after all, you can’t get mad at him for it, it’s the best choice.

you don’t want people to accuse him of having bias towards you and it’ll probably upset petra and hinder her performance if her crush just suddenly starts dating out of nowhere

your gaze is back on levi and he’s now double checking the bandage on your ankle after tending to it

“you can’t walk for a few weeks.” he tsks

“be careful next time.” he’s always been blunt when he does show he cares and you warmly smile after not talking to him in days.

you feel the need to apologize again

“to make it clear i really am sorry, i should have thought more about you.”

he scoffs and rolls his eyes

“i’m overjoyed that my beautiful girlfriend doesn’t want to break up with me. now, stop moping around about it i’m over it.”

he scoops you up effortlessly and you wrap your arms around his neck.

“y/n, for the record, i’ll work on not jumping to the worst case scenario first.”

you love this aspect of your relationship

being able to understand how your flaws impact the other and choosing to make changes or adjustments

it’s sweet and you must be smiling like an idiot when thinking of it because levi blows a puff of air onto your forehead knocking you out of your daydream

feeling a little less light headed than before you notice he’s walking back out towards the courtyard

why is he doing that...?

“you’re walking in the wrong direction?”

“no i’m not.” he replies with a smug grin

oh my god

no he isn’t

oh my god

is he???

you’re bright pink in the face as you turn to look at him panicking when you hear hange’s group returning

eren can be heard arguing with jean as per usual and now you’re smacking levi’s chest even harder

“you don’t have to do this no, no, no. it’s okay really.” it’s funny how you’re begging him not to do what you’ve been waiting on for three days

but you really don’t want him to feel like he has to do this

as if he’s read your mind he replies. “i’m doing this with my own free will.”

he gives you one last grin and pushes you up against the wall, your back is against the cold yet solid surface and you tense up

oh god. it’s happening he’s diving down and it’s as if everything is moving in slow motion.

gradually you feel the familiar feeling of your heart jumping out of your chest

both of your lips mould together, he’s hoisting you up again preventing you from slipping away. hungry hands grip at your thighs and a knowing smile twitches across his mouth.

nipping at his bottom lip he groans and you nearly forget why it is he’s kissing you

that is until you hear a SCREAM from your right

“eren what the fuck are you yelling at?” jean’s voice can be heard scowling in the distance but you’re too distracted by levi’s mouth to care

eren must be speechless because nothing is heard until jean reaches the scene

“OH. MY. GOD.”

“WHERE IS REINER??? HE’S NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS.”

“you’re both overreacting.” mikasa makes her appearance and you’re not sure if she’s seen you and levi yet because your eyes fluttered shut long ago

“Y/N AND THE CAPTAIN????? WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE MIKASA??” eren’s voice sounds so distressed you guess you’re right for assuming he may have had a crush on you at some point

“it was obvious, i don’t know how no one else knew.”

finally levi pulls away and you’re panting practically gasping for any traces of air

“what you looking at brats?” levi snaps in their direction and mikasa nonchalantly shrugs and walks away

jean and eren however, dash away at LIGHTENING speed probably on their way to let everyone else know of the shocking new development

levi pecks your forehead and you nudge your nose against his.

since that day you and levi have been able to get away with a lot more pda

you can hold his hand and stare at how pretty your hands look laced together

you can nuzzle your face into his neck without any questions 

you can loop arms with him and even if he acts like he doesn’t enjoy it he genuinely does like walking around with you latching onto his bicep

although he still prefers the privacy of his office he’s more than happy to give in once in a while

and at the end of the day you’re ecstatic because there’s no more kissing behind your horse!!!

GONE ARE THOSE DAYS

wooHOO

honestly, you’re over the moon about it 

and so is levi

:-)

[i-just-like-goats]

Miya Atsumu x Female Reader

Warnings: none

Summary: The Inarizaki team have all placed bets on when you and your longtime best friend Atsumu will finally get together. Kita is close to losing the bet, time for him to step in.

It is known to all students at Inarizaki High that Atsumu was a lady’s man. Sure he wasn’t a womaniser or a player, but that didn’t stop him from breaking hearts everywhere he went. His mere dismissal of a girl would lead that girl to burst into tears, straight up rejections even worse. His casual flirtatious comments did not at all help with his reputation, leading oblivious girls to believe he actually held interest in them. How wrong they were.

Whereas you. You deemed yourself nothing special. Nothing too flashy, unlike a certain someone. You didn’t stand out in a crowd, and most certainly never attempted to shine or take the spotlight. You left that to your best friend.

Miya Atsumu.

“Hey could you-“

“No.”

“Will you please put in a good-“

“No.”

The first two girls had left, their hopes crushed, you felt relieved they had gone to class until another girl replaced them and effectively disrupted your short lived peace.

“Y/N!” She said, her voice oozed with fake sweetness.

“Do I know you?” You asked bluntly.

“We sit next to each other in chemistry, silly. Don’t you remember?”

“And?”

“So I was wondering if I could ask you a favour?”

“If it’s homework we had none. If it’s class work I’ll send you my notes. If it’s anything else; leave me alone.”

“I just need you to give this little gift to At-“

“Not interested.”

With that you swiftly walked away, which left the unnamed girl open mouthed with shock. This was the daily routine you had to put up with. Reject all of Atsumu’s fan girls who approached you in order to reach him. Truth be told it was extremely tedious, but you couldn’t really complain - after all you were the one who befriended him. It was a small price to pay for being friends with him.

“Hey I was wondering if you could set me up with Atsumu?” A different girl asked.

Scratch that it wasn’t small. At all. It was a big price to pay. Very tedious. Very irritating. Very time consuming. By the time you reached your first class - English - you were already exhausted and plopped yourself into your seat.

“Don’t you look wonderful?”

“Well you wouldn’t look so hot either if you had to fight off Atsumu’s admirers in the space of one morning.”

Osamu noticed your sharp tone and held his hands up in mock surrender. You shook your head at him and started writing down what your teacher was saying.

Lunch came around and you made your way to your usual table next to your best friend.

“There’s my favourite best friend!”

All eyes were on you as you made your way to Atsumu. Some looked with contempt. Some with envy. Others with anger. All harboured ill feelings towards you. He had that certain look in his eye when you walked over to him, like you were the greatest thing in the world. His smile widened once you took the seat across from him, Atsumu’s eyes sparkled with joy as though it was his first time seeing your face again. Suna scoffed at his expression, not before taking a sneaky picture of proof about how much Miya Atsumu was whipped for Y/N L/N.

“Where were you all morning! I missed you so much,”

“I was dying,”

Silence. Atsumu tilted his head in confusion. Next to him, his twin stifled a laugh.

“Bro, your girlfriend here was busy fending off the wild animals that make up your fan club. She had no time to see your stupid face, and the last time you saw her was yesterday,”

Everyone in proximity of your table tensed up at Osamu’s words. From the table next to yours, Atsumu’s fan girls glared daggers at you.

“Yesterday was ages ago,” Atsumu whined.

“That’s what you focus on?” You ask incredulously.

Instantly Atsumu’s demeanour changed and he glanced to his left.

“Way to go Osamu, now Y/N’s on their hit list,” Atsumu said dryly.

“Well if you didn’t flirt back none of us would be in this mess,” Kita kindly passive aggressively informed his teammate.

Ever since Atsumu’s first official match, girls had been flocking to Atsumu like a swarm of bees to their queen. Every day the Inarizaki volleyball team had to deal with squealing fan girls gushing over Atsumu’s talent for volleyball, essentially distracting the players and disrupting practice. At first Atsumu shamelessly flirted back, basking in the attention, now he, as well as the others were fed up. In short, Kita was tired. Tired of the fan girls. And most importantly tired of the fact that you and Atsumu weren’t dating yet. At this rate Kita would lose the bet that Osamu and Suna had coerced him to take part in. He had bet that you and Atsumu would be dating by the end of the month, which was this Saturday, and the way things were going between you two, he’d probably have to ask you out himself for Atsumu in order to win the bet. On the other hand, Osamu bet that Atsumu would ask in their third year, Aran bet that you would actually ask instead of Atsumu and Suna bet that Atsumu would ask at the end of next month. It was decided that the losers would do what the winner wanted for a day, with no complaining whatsoever. A whole day of getting the team to do what he wants without complaints. A dream come true for Kita.

“It’s the end of the month on Saturday. Two days,” Osamu sing songed.

“So?” You asked.

“Oh, nothing,”

You dropped it and shrugged. Opposite you, Kita sent a saccharine smile towards Osamu, while the latter playfully smirked back. Kita had a plan.

Two day passed as usual, nothing significant happened; that is until the end of the second day. As usual, you made your way out of Physics with Atsumu; your best friend filled in the silence with his cheerful chatter. Unusually, Kita stood there at the end of the corridor.

“Hey cap! What brings you here?” Atsumu inquired.

Kita seemed to snap out of whatever was bothering him, for his face returned from his previous scrunched expression to his more neutral expression.

“Hm? Oh I came here to speak with Y/N. If that’s alright with the two of you?”

You nodded, though intrigued as to what Kita wanted to talk to you about, Atsumu on the other hand stayed silent. Before you left with Kita, he crushed you with a hug and sent puppy eyes at your retreating figure, walking next to his captain.

During the walk out of school grounds, Kita mentally prepared himself to convince you to ask Atsumu out, allowing both his and Aran’s plan to work, so that the pair won the bet - Kita was too engrossed in his thoughts. A while passed before you and Kita spoke; you were already halfway home before you confronted Kita.

“Kita?”

“You have feelings for Atsumu, don’t you?”

Kita panicked at your sudden dialogue and spoke the words that first came to his mind. His panic was not conveyed through his steady tone of voice. Truth be told, it was more of a statement than a question, it certainly caught you off guard. The latter half of the sentence seemed to be added hastily as though to soften the bluntness.

“What makes you say that?” You answered evenly, and turned your face away from him, a small blush settled firmly on your cheeks.

“Answering my question with a question I see,” he teased, “Everyone knows, the both of you don’t hide your feelings very well, it surprises me that you two aren’t dating yet,”

“I know he has feelings for me, I’m not an idiot, I see the way he looks differently at me and I see how he’s more clingy towards me than the others. I’m not an idiot,” you repeated.

“Then what’s stopping you?”

“I don’t know,”

“I think you do know. Idiot,”

You pouted and let out a huff.

“Fine. Fine,” you finally conceded, “I’m not an idiot but I am a coward. I guess - as cliché as it sounds - I don’t want to ruin our friendship. What if it doesn’t work out and we end on bad terms? Years of friendship would be wasted and gone in an instant. I just. I just don’t want to risk that happening,”

“What’s life without a little risk,”

At Kita’s attempt at lightening the mood, you scoffed and shook your head.

“Sorry, that was unlike me. What I meant to say was you won’t know until you try. Sure there is that possibility that the relationship may end badly and the precious friendship between you and Atsumu would probably be lost, but there is also a chance that this relationship will end happily, with no heartbreak. I can’t guarantee that everything will be peachy; obviously there’s going to be some problems along the way but knowing your stubborn personality I am confident that you will fight for you and Atsumu, because I know you care way too much for him to let him go,”

Kita’s speech surprised you, this was the most encouraging thing he had said to you. Ever. You smiled.

“Thanks Kita. I really needed that,” you said as you finally reached your house.

Kita made his way to his house, waving as he walked down the steeet. He left you with a lot to think about.

Later that evening you called Kita again, and talked until he decided that it was time to go to sleep.

That morning you walked to school with Kita in a comfortable silence. Once you reached school you spoke.

“Ok I’m going to do it,”

“Yes you will,” Kita encouraged.

Confidently you walked up to your long time best friend, then suddenly turned the other direction.

“I can’t do it,” you cried out.

Exasperatedly, Kita shook his head and forced a strained smile.

“Y/N do you want to do this or not?”

“I do,”

“Then go get him,”

“I’ll do it while we walk home,”

Anyway, the school day passed, honestly you couldn’t remember what happened, it was all a blur.

“Atsumu?” you called.

“Yup?”

“Do you want to walk home together?”

“Yes! I’m still kinda annoyed you walked with Kita, Kita of all people instead of me,”

“Sorry about that ‘Tsumu,” you replied bashfully.

With that you both made your way out of school. Little did you know Kita, Osamu, Suna and Aran followed you both from a distance. Osamu and Suna because they just wanted to go home. Kita and Aran to make sure you confessed.

“Get ready to do what we want for a day,” Kita stated.

“What do you mean ‘we’?” Suna questioned.

“Kita and I formulated a plan,” Aran answered cryptically.

“Guys shut up Y/N stopped walking,” Osamu whisper shouted.

You had indeed stopped walking, leaving Atsumu to carry on walking and talking. You had been quiet the whole walk, which wasn’t unusual, as you normally let Atsumu talk, while you listened. You were just too lost in your thoughts.

“Y/N?”

Atsumu had finally noticed that you were no longer by his side.

“Hellooo. Earth to Y/N,”

“I like you,”

Atsumu was taken aback. That was not a reply he was expecting.

“I just really like your smile, your personality even though you can be quite big headed at times, I like your laugh, I just like you for you, not in the way that those girls like you for your looks and skills. I like everything about you even your flaws,”

“Whoa, for real?”

You glanced at his expression and burst out laughing.

“You look like surprised Pikachu!” you wheezed out.

Atsumu joined in with your laughter. The two of you continued laughing for several minutes.

“I like you too,” Atsumu said once both your laughter finally died down.

You turned your gaze towards his eyes. His beautiful eyes that held all the stars in the galaxy.

“That’s a relief,”