#I’m excited to see what they’ll do for next season

[cawcawwitch]

Just finished dndads s2 finale and feeling very normal about all the characters

[dalamjisung]

the escape plan ❋ hwang hyunjin

word count: 3528

genre: fluff

pairing: reader x hwang hyunjin

description: you love working as a barista just because you love people watching. in this case, you end up watching hyunjin and his failed date. this is the one where you and hyunjin learn that the escape plan should've been plan A to begin with.

part of Summertime’s Special Collab with @catiuskaa | series masterlist here

It’s the way he smiles that makes chuckle from behind the counter. 

The bar is full today, but then again, it’s full most nights. During the week, you mostly see older couples, and it fills your heart with warmth to imagine a life in which you get to grow old with someone next to you. But then you mind the bar and the older creeps flock in and, suddenly, celibacy is looking pretty good. The weekend is when the youngsters, like you, flock in. 

Seeing people your age on dates is quite funny. It reminds you of why you used to like dates so much and, at the same time, hate them so much. You kind of miss it, the whole excitement of having a crush and getting ready for a date. It’s the silly dances and the makeup process and the singing with a hairbrush that makes you softer for those moments past. But you just don’t have time for that anymore, not with work getting busier by the second. For a minute, you wonder if tourist season came a couple of weeks early, judging by the new faces you see coming around… his included. 

To be fair, you think every single bartender in that place stopped what they were doing to watch him walk in. He is definitely someone you will all gossip about in the back room, and from how your co-worker keeps elbowing you every time he moves, you know she’s going to be your main source of entertainment during closing time. “Oh my god, Y/N, just look at him,” She groans, putting the cup she’s washing down in favour of leaning forward over the counter, as if she can just touch him like that. “He’s so handsome… why can’t it be me on that date?”

“Oh, I don’t think you want to be on that date,” You laugh, raising your brows while getting their drinks ready. He looks soft, gentle; kind enough to sit through what is visibly one of the worst dates you’ve seen during your shifts so far. “That smile is so fake I’m afraid it might get stuck.” 

“How do you know? It might be the best! With a guy like him, I’m sure it will be the best…”

“For her, sure,” Putting the drinks on a tray and getting out from behind the counter, you get ready to go deliver them. Their table is in your section, and if you’re honest, a little snooping never hurt anyone. “But him? Girl, he’s leaning away from her! He’s basically wincing! Don’t be so superficial– just cause he’s pretty doesn’t mean that’s all he cares about!” 

“Go find me some gossip!” She whispers with a wink and basically pushes you off. 

Being a bartender isn’t what you want to do for the rest of your life. The thought of figuring the rest of your life out, though, makes you shiver in horror. You don’t really see a point in planning the future if that means you can’t really live in the present, and so for now, for this moment, this you, this time, you love your job. You love interacting with people, you love listening to stories through the counter, you love when people ask you to make a drink you think they’ll like. Deep down, you know you won’t stay there forever, but that’s just not something you’re ready to face yet. 

“Excuse me,” You announce yourself quietly, approaching from the side so you don’t accidentally spill anything on them. 

There is an order to serving tables– first the napkins, then the cups, then a gentle smile and a small bow before walking away. Despite your words, the goal is to be a ghost, almost like the cups appeared there without a presence looming over the guests. But you move slowly, you’re gracious, polite, and definitely curious. 

“…and then like, they fired me!” Her voice is almost squeaky.“Because I told them I wouldn’t take a meeting from the hairdresser!” 

“But… it was during your work hours…” 

This is the first time you hear his voice and it shocks you. It’s lower than you expected and oh so quiet, like he regrets saying the words even before he says them. You cough a little, hiding the laughter bubbling in the back of your throat. And he must have heard you because he immediately glances up, eyes meeting yours and it’s almost like, when he notices your pursed lips, it unlocks something in him that makes his lips purse too. The speed in which you both look away is comical, but now you know he knows. The bridge between you two has been shattered and now, it’s like you can’t keep crossing. 

“Yeah, but they still should respect my personal boundaries, you know?” This is the moment she looks up at you, eyes lingering a little too long as if she’s questioning why you’re still there. “Anyways, should we get some food? Could you bring us the menu?” 

“Of course, I’ll be right back.” It takes you a minute to grab the menu and return. “Here you go, ma’am, what can I get for you?” 

She rattles off some random items and you make sure to memorise them before turning to him. “And you, sir? What can I get you?” 

“Oh don’t bother, he’ll be sharing what I’ve ordered.”

When she says this, you’re still turned to him and he’s looking right at you, and both your eyes go wide. “Could you please show me where the bathroom is?” He asks instead, and you nod while he gets up and tells his date “I’ll be right back.”

The restrooms are on the upper section of the bar, and you take him upstairs with a stupid smile on your face. He looks like he’s around your age and the long, tired sigh you hear coming from behind you is the last draw– you start laughing out loud, only looking back at him when you get to the top of the stairs. He looks like he’s amused at your reaction yet tortured because of his reality. 

“You’re laughing because it’s not you sitting across from her!” He gasps, head falling in his hands dramatically. “I don’t even need the bathroom, I just need to get out of there!”

Giggling, you nod. “It does seem like it’s not going well.”

“Oh god, even you guys noticed?!”

“To be fair to you, we see dates going all kinds of ways here, so it’s a part of the job.”

For a second, he falls silent, eyes stuck on yours like he’s trying to speak directly into your soul. “I need an escape plan,” He mumbled, head cocking to the side. “And you might just be it.”

“Sorry?” Your eyes go wide at his suggestion. “I can’t– I mean, you can just tell her, no? Just–“

“Oh come on, you’ve seen dates going all kinds of ways and you think I can just tell her?! Are you crazy?! I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t throw a drink on my face!”

“Why did you even ask her on a date? Poor girl thinks she has a really handsome guy into her and you’re planning an escape,” You asked, looking around to make sure no one is listening to your conversation. The last thing you need is a snoopy client deciding to interfere and tell the girl themselves. You’ve seen it happen and you were the one having to separate the fight. 

“I didn’t!” Whining, he stomps her foot on the ground like a child and your brows shoot up in curiosity. “My friend set me up because I haven’t really been going out lately, and it’s not like I was desperate, you know? I was just… busy! But he set me up regardless and he said he met her at a party because she’s his friend’s cousin’s best friend or something like that and I thought ‘how bad can this be?’ but as it turns out it can be really, really bad and I just want to go home and watch some TV with my dog!”

The way he is panting by the end of his rant has your heart squeezing out in sympathy for him. You’ve had had your fair share of bad dates, and it always feels more urgent than they actually are, but in the moment, while you pretend to be someone you’re not and smile at things you normally wouldn’t, all to appease someone you have no intention to see again, it’s a terrible sensation. Feels like getting lost, like you push yourself so far away that you worry if you’ll ever find your way back. And it made you feel guilty, knowing you were purposefully lying to someone who seemed to be having a good time, although by themselves. 

It’s not like you, to interfere and meddle, but he looks so upset with those plump, pouty lips that even you can’t resist it. “Fine,” You mumbled, straightening your back abruptly. “But you’re paying for her! Don’t be a dick! Just… Just follow my lead.”

“You are my saviour!” He cheered. “I’m Hyunjin, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Hyunjin,” You smile, offering him a hand to shake. “I’m Y/N. Also known as your escape plan.” 

What follows next is a really intricate plan. He will go back. He will smile. He will listen to her and give her the attention he craves because as much as he seems to be hating this date, she isn’t and you are not to make her night the worst night of her life. While he does all that, you will grab the food she ordered and you will bring it to her. In your tray, a mysterious drink will sit dangerously by the edge and as you put the food down, the weight shift will destabilise your hand and suddenly Hyunjin will be covered in liquid. He will then be very upset about it, and order the bill, which he will pay in full. Then, he gets to go home should your plan work. 

“You’re a genius,” Hyunjin whispers before returning to his table, and you can’t help but laugh at him. 

All in all, you understand why the girl looks at him like how she does, you’re pretty sure anyone around him is looking at him like that– impressed and slightly intimidated. Hyunjin is a beautiful man– he is way past handsome, at this point, and you would describe him as beautiful. His lips are full and his eyes are sharp, and his laughter, even in misery, sounds like fine tuned music. For a second, you let yourself imagine what it would be like to be the one sitting in front of him. He seems charming enough, from your brief interaction; would you have fun? Would he want to escape you, too, or would he stay? Shaking your head, you go back to the counter.

“Did I see you go upstairs with Mister Handsome or do my eyes deceive me?” Of course she was watching you. 

“Your eyes are right, but your mind deceives you,” Rolling your eyes, you can’t quite hide the slight blush tainting your cheeks at her insinuation. 

“You cannot seriously tell me you don’t think he’s cute,” She squinted, stepping closer to you with a teasing smile you ignore, you still have to load the tray and make a random drink. 

“I never said that,” You whisper, trying to keep the conversation private even though you two are in a very open space. “But I don’t know the guy. All I know is that he asked me to get him out of that date so… here I go.” 

Everything goes according to plan. Hyunjin is acting like a gentleman by the time you make it to his table, and the cup of the mysterious, too colourful concoction falls perfectly in his lap. You act the part, too, apologising repeatedly for the accident while pulling out tissues from thin air to try and help him dry off. “Sir, I am so, so sorry!” Maybe you are verging on overacting, but what do you know about that? You’re a bartender, not a Hollywood star. 

The fatal mistake, though, is when your eyes meet again. This time, you can’t help yourself and you snort, so loudly and unload like that it catches everyone by surprise. The tables around are either laughing or gasping and you can’t help the way your entire face goes red, actually embarrassed about this stupid, stupid plan. What were you even thinking when you agreed to this? “I–“ Even your hands shake, the nervousness of your sudden self-awareness getting the best of you with all those eyes burning your back. 

“It’s okay.” 

Somehow you hear him above the screeching screams of the poor girl sitting in front of him. “Y/N, it’s okay,” Hyunjin whispers, shaking his head with a hint of a smile that is not mocking nor cocky. His smile, all pretty and cute, is just as comforting as the little nod he sends your way, reaching towards the floor to pick up the tray with one hand and help you up with the other. It’s steady and large, his hands, and you can’t help but freeze a little when he touches your elbow, pushing you upwards with a smile. “There you go. Thank you, I’ll come to the counter to pay in a second.” 

That is not part of the plan, but you just nod, scurrying away as fast as you possibly can.

This feels weird. You’re not shy. Never have been, actually, which is what makes you so happy working with people; you crave the social interaction, love the conversations, smile at the compliments. It fuels you, knowing that, at some level, you’re making someone happy, even if just for a second when they get their food or their drink. It makes you feel happier, too. Well, usually it makes you feel happier too, but, now, there is nothing you want more than to disappear. “Y/N! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” 

“Can you mind the bar for a few minutes?” You mumble, already making your way to the back door. “I just need a second.” 

The back room is every barista’s safe place. It’s where everyone goes when things are getting a bit too much and they need a second. Right now, you really need a second. You need to ground yourself again, remember that the present is good enough and there is no need to project the future, especially not a crazy fantastical version of it. Sitting down on a chair, you let your head fall in your hands, eyes closed as you just enjoy the quietude of it all. It’s easy, creating a whole scenario in your head, when a guy like Hyunjin is being so kind and gentle and funny. And it’s easy to forget the consequences, too, even if you can’t stop laughing at it. 

It’s the cringeness of it all that gets to you, the way you replay that scenario in your head again and again and you shiver and shudder at the memory of you trying to clean the purposeful mess you made while everyone around stared at you. Chuckling, you shake your head. “Y/N, you are a very silly person,” You mumble to yourself, getting up with a final deep breath. Your co-worker pops her head in the room before you can even take a step towards the door. 

“Hey, your table paid and left. You can come out now, the cute guy wasn’t angry.”

Somehow, that doesn’t make you feel any better to know he just… up and left. But you nod regardless, smiling weakly at her. “Thanks,” You mumble and then it’s right back to work. 

The rest of the night is uneventful. Boring, almost, and you can’t help but feel uncomfortable. Like you had just done something you were going to regret, like… like you had just been used as a means to an end. “I got it,” You grab the keys before your colleague can. “Go home. You did great tonight, I’ll close up.” 

At this point, you just feel like being alone. What started as a good day has quickly gone off the rails, and you don’t particularly regret anything, but you need some time to process everything that happened in the past few hours. And that’s okay– all you need is time, nothing else, nothing less.

Ironically, it seems like time is all you don’t have. 

“Y/N.”

You almost trip on your foot, mountain of cups in your arms about to go down had it not been for his reflexes, hands catching you at the very last minute. “Jesus Christ! Hyunjin! What are you doing here?!” It’s like he has some kind of weird power over you, face immediately on fire at the feel of his hands on your arms. 

“I came to thank you!” His hands go up in defence and you laugh. “You disappeared after the whole escape plan and I couldn’t thank you properly!”

“So you thought that sneaking in at almost three in the morning when I’m alone in an empty bar was the best way to thank me?” You whisper, eyes wide like a kid who’s afraid to get in trouble. You can’t stop the incredulous smile playing on your lips, though, and you snort a laughter out. “I just met you and this is kind of creepy…”

This time around, he’s the one that looks startled. “I’m not creepy!” He is so dramatic with his gasp and his hand over his heart. “I came here to say thank you and–“ Hyunjin pauses, face a bit blushed. “And you know, I owe you one. You were so nice to help out and you embarrassed yourself–“

“I wouldn’t say I embarrassed myself–“ You cut off quickly, face falling on your hands in a clear contradiction to your words.

“Y/N, don’t kid yourself, that was embarrassing,” Hyunjin snorted. The tension, the one that floated in the air for the first seconds of this interaction and the one on your shoulders whenever you thought about the burning sensation of people staring at you, is gone, and left behind is just this– the giggling, the stepping around each other, the getting to know more. You like this… and it feels too natural for something that looks so misplaced. This kind of interaction, this kind of back and forth, the joking and the banter– this is what makes a good first date, in your opinion. 

But this can’t be a date… right?

Y/N, stop daydreaming, you think to yourself. 

“But it was hilarious. And it was a favour,” He continues, finally taking one, then two steps towards you. “And I want to repay you.”

“You don’t have to–“

“I really want to,” He says, wincing a little at how desperate he sounds. “Okay, I see how I’m coming off as creepy. But! In my defence! I don’t know your number and I don’t know your schedule!”

You just raise your brows at him. 

“At this point there is no escaping my fate,” Hyunjin chuckles, but before he can say or do anything else, he looks at the counter. There are some cups, pens, and notepads you still have to put away. “May I?”

You just nod, eyeing him curiously. “What are you doing?” 

“This,” Hyunjin says, ripping a piece of paper he scribbled on and giving it to you. “Is my number. Text me tomorrow? I really want to pay you back…” 

“And how will you pay me back? Unfortunately, I don’t think there will be an opportunity for you to trip and spill a drink over me any time soon.”

“I mean, come out to get a drink with me and I’m sure I can arrange that.” 

You stutter, eyes wide when he just shrugs. “W-What?”

“Or a coffee!” He quickly says, nodding excitedly. “Anything. Dinner, lunch, coffee, drinks– whatever sounds less creepy right now, cause I’m really nervous I’m coming across like a stalker and I don’t want to scare you off or–“

“Or I might be the one needing an escape plan?” You joke, grabbing your phone from your pocket and typing in the number he has just given you. 

With quick fingers, you quickly send him a message: hey :) drinks sound good.

Hyunjin frowns at the buzzing coming from his phone at such an early hour. But the smile on his face when he reads your text is just breath-taking, and yes, maybe you’re being superficial, or maybe you’re not, but the way your heart picks up a little is not superficial at all.

“Drinks it is,” Hyunjin nods, trying to hide a smile. “I know just the place.”

“I swear to god if you say here I will–“

“Great service, great food– it makes sense!”

“Go home you creep.”

There is a pause before he turns around to leave. You can hear the smile in his voice when he calls your name. “And Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s a date.”

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

Wohooooo Hyunjin's is out >.< I'm loving writing for this series!!! as always, make sure to go to @catiuskaa profile to go check out her incredible pieces for this series and her general masterlist!

[cupidbedsy]

𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 ; 𝘤𝘣98 ୨୧

➪ summary: two things on connor's checklist: one. to get his girl to see a game of his, and two. to get an overtime goal. lucky for him, he gets both in one night

➪ warnings: none

➪ word count: 0.7k

➪ file type: blurb - reupload

➪ sunny's notes: a little connor blurb for the first thing today! i think a nico fic will be out later today but yeah. this takes place after the winnipeg game when connor scored the overtime goal

© cupidbedsy (sunflower-lilac42) ; do not copy, repost, or translate my work and designs on any other website or here

cb98 masterlist || nhl masterlist || taglist

Y/n sat anxiously in her seat, biting her nails and her leg bouncing as she watched the game. This wasn’t the first overtime that Connor had been a part of, it also wasn’t the second. The Hawks had been to overtime 4 times, including tonight, in the whole season, losing only one. Yet, this was the first time she was present for one, well actually any game.

Being at school it was hard to form and support her boyfriend but with the break being here she finally came to watch him. He didn’t know, which made this all the more exciting for her.

Janelle sat next to her, just as anxious as the girl, as Milana cheered for her dad. They watched and moved their eyes simultaneously for three minutes until they stopped in the Hawks’ zone. 

Tito skated to center ice before swinging back around and passing the puck to Lukas. Lukas waited patiently until his teammate was near and swiftly passed it to Connor.

Y/n prayed silently as he took the puck, easily skating through guys down the ice, getting close enough on the Jets’ side, shooting it, and making it into the goal. 

Janelle and y/n stood up cheering, the younger of the two naturally being more excited. She clapped as everyone surrounded the rookie and she held a smile on her face.

Watching his interview she couldn’t help but tear up a little because just earlier Connor had called her and talked about how he felt he wasn’t contributing much to the team. They had known each other for so long and she always stood by him so being here, knowing that he just proved his own words wrong, felt great to her.

Janelle took her daughter and y/n outside as the girl felt she was suffocating from the number of people that were still in the UC. They waited for their partners to come out, making small talk about how school was going.

They could hear the slight chatter from behind them, turning around to see the team slowly start to file out of the arena. Tito walked out with Murphy and Seth, noticing the two standing there, “They’ll be out soon.”

They both nodded and expressed their gratitude watching them walk off. It wasn’t long before Nick was walking out with Connor, talking about something that was probably hockey-related. Nick looked up and saw his wife and y/n standing there, stopping and nudging the boy, “Hey.”

Connor looked up from his phone looking at his teammate, “What?” 

He gestured to his right and Connor looked that way, “Oh my-”

He wasted no time in dropping his bag and running to his girlfriend, easily picking her up and swinging her around. She let out a loud laugh, wrapping her arms around him, hitting him so she could be put down, “Put me down, psycho.”

Connor placed her down and leaned his forehead against her own, “I can’t believe you’re here.”

Nick took his family off to the side to let the two teenagers have their moment. Y/n placed her hands on Connor’s cheek, holding his face, “I’m so proud of you.”

Connor blushed and stayed silently, not knowing what to say. She gave him a look, “Connor, come on. Be proud of yourself.”

He nodded, “I am. But I’m also still in shock that you’re here.” She kissed him and he kissed back, “Best believe it Con because I’m here and I’m coming on your roadie with you.”

“No fucking way.”

“Yes way, school is closed for another week so, my family and I decided to fly down to Dallas and then I think my friends and I will go out East with you.” Connor couldn’t stop bouncing on his feet, even pulling away to jump.

Nick and Janelle walked over, Milana following excitedly behind them, “You guys want to go out to celebrate.” Y/n nodded her head enthusiastically and the five of them headed off to go out for dinner.

𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗚𝗢 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗛𝗔𝗪𝗞𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 ୨୧

@toasttt11 @chiblackhawks @pucks-goals-penalties @dancerbailey3

© cupidbedsy (sunflower-lilac42) ; do not copy, repost, or translate my work and designs on any other website or here

[hwangverse]

skz when you need a break from studying.

pairing: stray kids (ot8) x female reader

genre: fluff, comfort

warning: none

BANG CHAN - stops whatever he’s doing.

As Chan wrapped up for the day, he stretched his tired limbs, sore from hours hunched over his laptop, fully absorbed in finishing a new song for their upcoming album. Glancing at his phone, he scrolled through his notifications, sensing something unusual. You hadn’t sent him a single message all day—a surprise, given how you often text him any random thought just to check in. He loved that about you, knowing it was just your way of showing you cared.

Curious, he sent you a quick message, asking how your day was going. Minutes ticked by with no reply. Knowing your schedule by heart (and even saved in his phone), he remembered you didn't have classes today. Concerned, he dialed your number, listening to the rings before you finally picked up.

"Hey, Mr. Loverman. What’s up?" you greeted him, trying to sound lively, though he immediately caught the tiredness in your voice.

“Oh, I don’t know? Maybe my girlfriend hasn’t sent me a single message all day because she’s probably glued to her laptop screen, her poor butt sore from sitting there nonstop?” he teased.

You chuckled softly, unable to deny it, and he laughed before adding, "Well, don't you worry, Y/N's cute little butt—I’m on my way to rescue you from that uncomfortable chair!" His words made you laugh.

"You’re not going anywhere! Comeback season’s around the corner, and you still have songs to finish" you protested, setting aside your iPad to focus on him.

“I can do the rest tomorrow. I got through most of my to-do list today” he insisted. “I’ll see you at your dorm in fifteen minutes.”

“Do I get any say in this?” you asked playfully. “Only to get ready for lots of hugs and kisses” he replied, excitement sparking in his tone.

“Bring some food, too!” you said. “Are my hugs and kisses not enough?” he asked dramatically.

“They’ll be enough once I’m full. I’m starving, Channie” “Alright, my love. Pizza, pasta, kisses, and hugs—on their way to you!”

LEE KNOW - scolds you (lovingly), but cuddles you afterwards.

In the quiet solitude of the university library, you’re battling a wave of sleepiness that’s been creeping up on you for minutes. The combination of no enough sleep, the library’s cozy atmosphere, and the silence of being alone makes staying awake even harder. Your friends just left to attend their next class, leaving you to focus on your looming term paper deadline.

But no matter how much you try, your mind feels like a blank page, and your eyelids are getting heavier by the second. You decide to rest your eyes just for a moment, convincing yourself that it’s only for a short time. With your head still facing your laptop, you lose track of time, drifting somewhere between wakefulness and sleep.

Suddenly, you feel yourself tilting forward, on the verge of hitting your laptop—only to feel a gentle hand press against your forehead. A familiar voice, warm with concern and a hint of exasperation, breaks the silence. “Geez, Y/N, be careful. What are you doing?” Minho whispers in a low, scolding tone.

Your eyes open, and you’re met with his worried gaze, his hand still resting on your forehead. You can’t help but chuckle at the situation, earning a sigh from him. “You’re really laughing?” he mutters, his tone serious enough to stop your laughter.

His brows knit in concern, and you pout in response. “It’s not fair; you know that pout of yours weakens me. Stop that, Y/N,” he sighs, removing his hand from your forehead and settling into the chair next to you.

“Then stop scolding me,” you retort with a playful frown. Minho’s expression softens as he gently smooths your hair, his voice dropping to a murmur.

“I’m just worried. You’re pushing yourself too hard, resisting sleep,” he says before pulling you closer, guiding your head to rest on his shoulder. You lean into him without protest, melting into his warmth and wrapping your arms around him in return.

“Did you finish class early?” you ask, looking up to find his affectionate gaze already on you. “Yeah. Our professor assigned an activity, and I finished early. I was on my way to your building when I ran into your friends, who told me you were here, working on your paper. Glad I came in time to stop you from hurting yourself—or your laptop,” he adds with a wry grin, a hint of scolding still in his tone.

You glare at him in mock annoyance, but he just raises an eyebrow and kisses your forehead, dissolving any defense you had left.

“I was just resting my eyes…” you mumble, sitting up to meet his gaze and prove your point, but he’s faster, pulling you back into his embrace. “Shh, rest,” he whispers. And this time, you do.

CHANGBIN - bring you your favorite show and food.

A notification chimes from your phone. You ignore it at first, focused on your work, but then you catch a glimpse of the sender: Changbin.

Instantly, you unlock your screen and see his message, “The plot twist of this episode?!” followed by a snapshot from your favorite K-drama.

Your jaw drops as you hurriedly type back, “How dare you watch that without me! I told you a million times—we’re supposed to watch it together, traitor!”

Almost immediately, you see the "typing..." indicator pop up on your screen. Changbin replies, “But you said you were busy studying. I didn’t want to distract you.” You scoff, knowing full well he’s teasing.

“Fine, enjoy it without me,” you shoot back, turning off your phone and attempting to refocus on your work. Moments later, another notification interrupts. It’s him again, this time with a photo of himself grinning over a mouthwatering slice of pizza from your favorite shop.

“This new flavor is sooo good!” he writes. You roll your eyes, replying, “I hate you.” He quickly texts back, “Want some?” You type, “Nope. I’m studying. Don’t reply anymore.”

Determined, you switch your phone to Do Not Disturb and dive back into your books. Time passes smoothly until you hear your mom calling from downstairs, saying that Changbin is here.

You stop typing mid-sentence and rush to see if it’s true. Sure enough, there he stands in your doorway, balancing pizza boxes with a sheepish grin. “You told me not to text back, so I came over instead,” he says, making you burst into laughter at his antics.

You pull him into a hug, grinning. “You’re so clingy! Couldn’t go a night without talking to me?” you tease. “Of course not!” he beams, making you laugh even harder.

“I thought you were enjoying that pizza all by yourself,” you quip. “Yeah, but then I thought of my poor girlfriend missing out and felt bad,” he replies, his tone teasing as he studies your mock-annoyed expression.

“But then again, she’s so busy studying, and I wouldn’t want to distract her…” “Get upstairs—quickly, before I change my mind!” you say, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward your room, secretly thrilled he’s here.

HYUNJIN - joins you in quiet companionship. him painting while you review your notes.

Even though you're tired and tempted to close your notebook, a gentle energy fills you, thanks to your boyfriend's presence beside you.

Hyunjin insisted on joining your study session, and now you both find yourselves nestled in a cozy café near campus. After persistent begging and multiple reassurances that he’s free for the day, you finally relented, allowing him to be by your side.

You made him promise to keep himself busy, knowing he wouldn’t get much conversation out of you, and he simply agreed, understanding without complaint. Now, you’re both wrapped in your own worlds—yours full of lecture notes, while Hyunjin is absorbed in his sketchbook.

It warms you to see him lose himself in his painting, a passion that lets him escape the pressures of his idol life. Without realizing it, you start to frown in concentration, a habit you’ve developed over time.

Hyunjin notices and reaches out, gently pinching the furrow between your brows. The touch makes you pause, looking up to meet his soft smile “Someone’s a little too focused,” he teases, his gaze warm and adoring.

You can’t help but smile back, leaning into your seat as you set down your pen and stretch your fingers, instinctively popping your knuckles. Hyunjin quickly takes hold of your hands, capturing them in his larger ones, a slight frown on his face.

“No more of that,” he murmurs, massaging your fingers gently. “Your hands need a break too, just look—they’re turning red.” “I won’t do it anymore, but I still need my hands to finish writing,” you say, laughing as you attempt to pull free, but he doesn’t let go.

His eyes are full of quiet affection as he looks at you, keeping your hands warmly cocooned in his. “Let’s rest for a bit,” he whispers, his thumb tracing soothing circles on your hand.

Glancing at his side of the table, your eyes catch a glimpse of his latest drawing—a woman bent over her notebook, absorbed in her work. “Is that…me?” you ask, surprised.

Hyunjin nods with a smile. “Pretty, isn’t it?” he says, giving you a quick kiss. In that moment, you feel grateful you let him join you. Maybe this will be the first of many study dates together, where even the quiet brings you closer.

HAN - adorably pesters you with playful whining.

Jisung decided to turn your usual Saturday date into a cozy evening in his room. This time, midterms had almost derailed your plans—your schedule was packed, and the stress was wearing you down.

But Jisung wouldn’t let that keep you apart. After nearly a week without seeing each other due to the distance, he thought up a way to be together that still let you study.

His plan? A stayover at his house, complete with dinner at the local fine dining spot you’d both been eyeing for ages. You agreed after he promised you’d still get to study, though his intentions might have shifted now that the quiet room is filled with his relentless whining, trying to pull you from your books.

“Come on, baby,” he murmurs, nudging you away from your notes. “This assignment’s due in two weeks. Aren’t you overworking yourself a bit?”

“Yeah, but if I get this done, I can focus on next week’s pile,” you argue, glancing at him over your laptop. He sighs, clearly not convinced.

“Alright, if you’re set on finishing it, at least take a break for a while? You’ll still have time to finish later.” He gives you a pleading look, though you shake your head.

“If I stop now, I’ll lose my momentum.” You stifle a yawn, rubbing your tired eyes. Before you know it, he’s gently pulling your hands from your face, planting a soft kiss on each eye.

“Your body’s saying otherwise, baby,” he whispers. “Just rest, please? Please, please?” His whining escalates, his pout deepening as he shakes your shoulder, and as much as you try to resist, you can’t help but smile at his ridiculous, adorable persistence.

“Y/N-ie ~ my baby, love of my life, my sun in the middle of my cold, lonely sky—come lie down with me,” he insists, sweeping you into his arms. With a huff, you let him settle you onto the bed.

“You’re insufferable,” you grumble, yet the smile still tugs at your lips. “And that’s why you love me,” he says, pressing a soft kiss to your lips before wrapping you in his arms. It’s the start of a long night filled with warmth and quiet, endless cuddles.

FELIX - shares the latest update of the game you both play.

“Here he comes again," Felix's sister mutters as the two of you hear footsteps approaching. You’re currently tucked away in her room, safely distant from the noise of the party outside.

It’s the perfect spot for studying, away from the chaos, and both of you need the peace to focus on a major test coming up.

Today is Felix’s mom’s birthday—a special occasion you couldn’t miss, especially for someone so dear to you. Still, knowing you needed to study, you’d asked Felix and his family if you could join the party briefly before returning to study.

They were more than understanding, even encouraging you to focus on your studies, but you assured them you wanted to be there, at least for a while.

But even tucked away from the noise, you’re not entirely safe from Felix’s playful interruptions. He’s been back and forth to his sister’s room so many times you’ve lost count, popping in just to check on you both.

"What do you need now?" his sister groans, sounding thoroughly exasperated, while you can’t help but chuckle at his antics. “Aren't you two tired from studying? They just bought ice cream! Come on, let's go get some!” he announces with a grin.

“Oh, nice! I’ll probably grab some later, still full from lunch.” You give him a soft smile, though his face falls, disappointed not to have swayed you.

“I’ll just hang here for now,” he sighs, dropping dramatically beside you. “I’m exhausted from playing with our nieces and nephews—those kids are unstoppable.”

“Ugh, do you have to do this right in front of me? Gross,” his sister complains, but Felix only sticks his tongue out at her, making faces.

A few moments pass in peaceful silence until a familiar sound cuts in—Felix’s phone chirps with the opening notes of a game you both love to play. He grins, noticing you sneaking a glance at his screen.

“There’s a new skin for your character,” he teases, holding up his phone. “And it’s in your favorite color too.” You can’t resist.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! It’s gorgeous!” Without thinking, you take his phone, admiring the new look.

“Y/N, focus! We’re not done studying yet,” his sister chides, rolling her eyes.

“A quick break won’t hurt,” Felix adds, nudging you with a knowing look. You hesitate but finally give in, and Felix cheers, sticking his tongue out at his sister, triumphant.

SEUNGMIN - closes your laptop and notebooks, then lifts you to bed.

With your headphones on, set to just the right volume, music from a playlist you share with Seungmin flows through your ears. A warm cup of tea, lovingly prepared by him, sits beside you, and the room is filled with the cozy scent of a candle you just bought. The ambiance fuels your motivation as you dive deep into studying and creating review notes, testing yourself.

Suddenly, a light touch on your back makes you jolt. Turning around, you’re surprised to see Seungmin standing there. “Babe? Seungmin? What are you doing here?” you ask, confused. His expression mirrors yours, but with a bit more playfulness.

“What do you mean? I've been here since early afternoon. It’s dark outside now,” he laughs. “I even asked if I could come over to bring you the food you've been craving all week, and you said yes. You also insisted I stay a while because you wanted to spend time with me. And that tea you're drinking? I made it,” he says, feigning hurt.

“Oh no, is my baby hurt?” you coo, cupping his face and teasingly baby-talking to him. He playfully rolls his eyes, and you give him a quick kiss before turning back to your laptop.

But Seungmin isn’t about to let you slip back into study mode just yet. He gently pulls you to face him again, surprising you. “What’s up?” you ask, laughing at his persistence.

“It’s Seungmin’s time,” he declares, a smirk playing on his lips. “You’ve been glued to your reviewers for too long. Your eyes are practically glowing with radiation. If you were looking at me, they’d be glowing with love instead.”

You let out a burst of laughter, half in shock and half in disbelief. “Babe, what was that?” you say, barely able to catch your breath. His laughter joins yours, both of you laughing at his cheesy line.

“Oh, you’re so in love with me, aren’t you?” you tease, wiping away the tears from laughing so hard. He gently wipes away the remaining tears with a warm smile, looking at you with that familiar, fond expression.

“Just give me a little more time, and I’m all yours,” you say, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek before turning back to your studies.

But it’s not long before he notices you rubbing your temples and squinting at the screen, the strain of too much screen time taking its toll.

“That’s it,” he says firmly, reaching over to close your laptop. “You need to rest your eyes. Are you getting a headache?”

“A bit…” you admit. “Then no more screen time for now,” he says, guiding you to lie down on the bed.

“Just relax. I’ll take care of everything,” he murmurs, his hands reaching to massage soothing circles against your temples. With your eyes closed, savoring the calm, you smile.

“When did you get so cheesy? The guys would never let you live this down if they found out.” “For you? I don’t care,” he says, pulling you close. "Anything for my girl."

I.N - helps you review, then pulls you into a warm embrace when you get tired.

The usual pre-exam study group you and your friends rely on didn’t come together this time; they all had prior commitments, leaving you to tackle the mountain of material alone.

You understood, of course, but the absence of their familiar company left a quiet void, a shift that made focus harder to grasp. So, determined to shake things up, you headed to the small diner near your house, hoping a change in scenery might do the trick.

But as you flipped through page after page, it quickly became clear that studying solo wasn't working. Every term seemed to slip right through your mind without someone there to quiz you, and with a frustrated grunt, you pressed your palms to your eyes, trying to force the information to stick.

“Easy there, miss pretty”

The familiar, soft voice brought an instant smile to your face. You looked up to see Jeongin’s warm grin, his presence like a balm to your fraying nerves.

“Tough day, love?” he asked, sliding into the seat beside you. “How did you know I was here?” you asked, still smiling.

“Saw your friend’s story. I was surprised she wasn’t with you, so I asked where you guys were. She mentioned you might be here, but I didn’t expect you’d be on your own. You could’ve called me, you know,” he said, gently rubbing small, comforting circles on the back of your hand.

“It’s okay, love. I didn’t want to bother you,” you replied, grateful for his presence. “I thought you were out with the guys. How was that, by the way?”

“It was fun,” he said, his smile stretching wider. “Chan hyung treated us to a meal after losing a game.” His expression was so infectious that you couldn’t help but smile back.

“But hey, are you good? Need any help?” he asked, brushing a few strands of hair from your face. You let out a small sigh.

“I’m struggling to quiz myself. Could you help me?” “Of course, baby. Hand over the flashcards,” he said, taking them from you and shuffling through.

He started quizzing you, his encouraging presence lifting some of the pressure as you worked through each answer. Yet, the growing pile of topics left to study loomed large, and you felt your frustration creeping back.

By the time you missed the last answer, a frustrated huff escaped your lips as you fought back the sting of tears.

“Hey, hey. Let’s take a break, okay?” he murmured, his thumb soothing over your knuckles. “You’re doing great. You just need to breathe.” “No,” you insisted, shaking your head.

“Let’s go through them again, from the start. I can get it right.” You handed the flashcards back to him with determination. Jeongin looked ready to protest, but then—right on cue—your stomach growled, loud and insistent.

The two of you froze, then burst into laughter, the tension breaking in an instant.“See?” he chuckled, shaking his head fondly. “You’re just hungry. Let’s get you some food. I’ll buy you anything you want.”

“I’m so lucky to have you,” you said, eyes misting with emotion.“We’re both lucky,” he replied softly, gently wiping away a stray tear before pressing a warm kiss to your cheek.

[wanderingblindly]

genuinely what is landoscar nation supposed to if mclaren fucks their relationship????

I’m reading this from an rpf lens based on ship name use, sorry if I misunderstood!

I mean, honestly, tensions are gonna exist in a team with two capable, competent drivers. And those tensions will, in all likelihood, ebb and flow over the course of seasons and contracts.

You can see it in pretty much every ship on the grid — they all have moments where they’re vile or pedantic or bitchy towards each other. But they can’t escape each other, they’re all so painfully intertwined that a few explosive moments can’t end it all; their relationships have to continue on, constantly changing and growing, because they’re always together.

So there will probably never be a formal end to the landoscar nation, you know?

The landoscar dynamic will change over time, as all dynamics do. They’ll probably move past the starry-eyed, honeymoon phase we have right now, and it’s exciting to think about what’ll come next! But remember that it’ll always be underpinned by their personalities, like Oscar’s steady hand and Lando’s sensitive disposition.

You’ll always see the old in the new, even if McLaren fucks it.

Edit: all to say, they’re growing pains. Such is having a baby ship. Have fun!! Revel in the narrative!!

[charmac]

Any other cool little bits from your coversation with Charlie? It is so awesome you got to meet all the guys!!!

There was so much stuff and I’m not sure how much I have shared/a lot is jumbled now bc it was a long day, drinking, and a loud bar, lol, but a few things:

Charlie was bragging to the guys next to us at the bar that Sunny is the wordiest show on television :,)

A woman demanded Charlie make her a cocktail, she returned it and made him fix it, he did, and then he said, “they don’t even let me bartend on the fictional show!” Which killed me.

He reiterated to us that they wanted to go with ‘my idea’ (😭) of Mac and Dennis still having inflatable furniture

This convo is kinda fuzzy but I remember he said they write episodes with the intent of surprising the audience, and if they get into the writers room and they find they’re just repeating something or not saying anything new, they either won’t move forward or they’ll go look for a way to catch the audience off guard (S16 has A LOT of this, which is I think what he was talking about)

My friend told him we miss when they used to do legit promotional stuff and photos, and he said he doesn’t really see (not involved in) what they do with that and merch nowadays

Again, he took so much time to talk to us and really truly just talked to us like we were kind of on the same level. I can’t stop thinking about how little opportunity he probably gets to do that with Sunny outside of the creative team. And it seems like he and Glenn did talk a lot/their minds were really on Season 17 this past weekend :)

(Also, I overheard a guy ask Glenn about S17 ‘this year’ and he told him due to the Writers Strikes pushing their schedules back, they wouldn’t be getting out a new season until next year. We knew this based on other things being said, but wanted to reiterate!)

It’s very cool I’ve met them all now and what’s like... Idk more insane?.. is that I appreciate them all even more now. They’re all just very real people, that are creating something they love and care about, and are genuinely excited and happy to get to talk about it whenever they can. Idk, I feel like we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I hope they do more stuff in other states so more people can get to meet them and share their love for the show too! They love talking about their little show!!

[vodika-vibes]

Congratulations on your new follower milestone!! You're amazing and deserve all the love. <3

For my request:

Gemstone: My birthstone, Topaz (affectionate love)

Clone: Gonna have to be my #1 fella, Hunter, because I'm nothing if not a Hunter simp of the highest order. (I know you've said you're not comfy with Hunter, but you've always nailed it before!)

Season: Autumn

I honestly have no ideas at all as to where I would want this to go, so I'd love it if you would just use your magic brain to write what you feel (and don't feel pressure to come up with something out of the ordinary if that's not where you're led, anything with Hunter will make me happy, guaranteed.)

Thanks so much for always being so willing to fill requests. <3

Carol (@clonethirstingisreal)

Fall Into Love

Summary: Hunter’s relatively new to relationships, but he’s trying his hardest to make you happy. So when you invite him to go apple picking with you, he’s happy to go along…even if he doesn’t quite understand it.

Pairing: TBB Hunter x F!Reader

Prompt: Topaz - Affectionate Love

Word Count: 745

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: I hope this is affectionate enough! Your request made me remember all of those long autumn days in Massachusetts when my mom and aunt would drag the kids apple picking, and we'd climb trees and eat apples. It was fun, even if I wasn't allowed to eat any of the apples, due to my allergy.

“You seem excited?” Hunter hesitantly offers as he watches you pull your hair into a tail, and then pull a sweatshirt over the thin tank top you’re wearing.

You flash a blinding smile at the man sitting on your bed, “I am excited! It’s fall!”

The smile he graces you with is soft and adoring. It’s how he’s always smiled at you, but it never fails to make you giggle. Your tough, strong man turns into such a sap when he sees you happy.

“I’m glad that you’re happy,” Hunter says quietly, “But I’m not sure I understand what we’re doing today.” He lifts the pamphlet and eyes it, “Apple picking? Isn’t that just us paying to do work?”

You laugh, your head tilting back before you drop to the bed next to him, “Not quite. We each get a bag, and we get to keep anything that we pick.”

“...and do what with them?” He asks, bewildered.

“Well, I’ll make some pies, and some tarts, and some jam and jelly and cider-” You list off your fingers, “More importantly, there’s more there than just the apple picking.”

You hop to your feet and take his hand in yours, pulling him to his feet.

“I suppose the others would like a pie.” Hunter admits as he allows you to pull him through the apartment and to the front door. And then he offers you support as you pull your boots on.

“I make amazing pies.” You brag, before you spin on your toes, as best as you can while wearing your boots, and you drop a quick kiss to his lips, “And, if you have fun, we can bring Omega there next weekend.”

He grins at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners, “Well then, I suppose we’d better find out if I like it.” Hunter teases as he offers you your thin windbreaker, and then opens the door for you.

Half an hour later, he pulls your speeder up in front of the Orchard, looking genuinely surprised at the sheer number of people here. “Uh…babe-?”

“It’s a large orchard, and it’s a popular autumn activity,” You explain as he pulls the speeder into an open spot, and parks.

“And you’re sure they’ll let me in?”

“I’m positive.” You fling open the door and climb out of the speeder, and then wait for Hunter to join you. “Here,” You pass him a hair tie, “Picking apples requires some tree climbing.”

“Ah, you think of everything, don’t you?” Hunter asks as he pulls his hair into a much shorter tail than yours. And then he laughs as you take his hand and tug him, impatiently, towards the small booth that accepts payment and gives out bags.

The girl working the counter glances at Hunter, boredly, and then passes him a pair of bags after you pay. “Here,” She says as she focuses her attention back to her comm, “A map of the orchard, and a list of all of the events. Please avoid the areas that are roped off since those trees aren’t mature yet.”

And then she waves the pair of you away, and you lightly tug Hunter to the side, to glance at the map. “Mm…here, let’s go to this part of the orchard,” You say motioning to a part of the orchard near a lake. 

“Alright.” Hunter glances at the map over your shoulder, “Mm…this way, I think.” He folds the map and slides it into his pocket, and you, quite happily, take his hand in yours and thread your fingers with his.

Hunter pauses, lightly reaching out with his free hand to brush his fingers against your cheek, “Thank you,” He breathes out.

“For what?” You ask as you reach up and press your hand over his, gently squeezing his fingers.

“For inviting me into your life,” Hunter replies.

You blink at him, and laugh softly, “Oh, you goof.” You focus a loving smile at him, “You say that as if it’s a hardship to invite you into my life. As if I’ve ever done anything other than love you.”

Hunter brings your joined hands to his lips, and he presses a feather light kiss to your knuckles. You know that the words are hard for him, but you don’t mind. He shows you that he loves you with every touch and with every look. 

And so you beam at him, “I love you, Hunter. Thank you for being in my life.”

[lopez-richter-fangirl]

Are you excited to see Starkid Innit in London in May? Yeah me too!

But what if I told you you had another chance to see members of Starkid in London?

Joey, Lauren and Brian will be appearing for a Spies are Forever concert screening in London in September!

And maybe you’re thinking “it’s always London, I can’t travel that far”. But guess what? They’re going to Edinburgh too

They’ll be performing Solve it Squad at the Edinburgh Fringe in August and they’ll be there for the whole month so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to catch the show

And if you’re thinking “that’s great for the UK but I’m Australian and they’re never going to come here”, I have good news!

They’re taking their brand new comedy musical Gross Prophets to the Adelaide Fringe in February 2025

These are all part of the season of events Tin Can Bros have planned to celebrate their 10 year anniversary. If you can’t make it to any of these places, these and the other projects they have planned over the next year will have digital tickets so you can watch from anywhere in the world

BUT producing shows and travelling is expensive, so they can only do it with our help!

Check out the Kickstarter for more info and back any amount you can, big or small, to help make this happen and give more people the chance to see Starkid/TCB live! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tincanbros/tinlightenment-world-tour

[confirmeddead]

My thoughts on the SDCC season 3 Vampire Lestat teaser 🩸

Really excited about the format! I knew they’d switch it up from what we saw in Dubai and this is literally what I was hoping it would be. I think I mentioned it in my season 3 greenlit post that I wanted it to be Daniel interviewing him in various cities as he toured. Lestat is too unpredictable to want to sit and recount his story in such a stale way ala Louis in Dubai.

I *think* this is just a teaser that gives the vibes on what we can expect, I don’t think these are actual clips from the season. This had to have been filmed recently given Sam’s fresh balayage 😂 (I KNEW he’d done it for a reason…) and I DO think filming will begin this year and go into next year.

Daniel being part of the interview was, of course, expected. He was so excited to write a sequel, release vamp sex toys, etc. Of course he said yes to Lestat (I think Lestat went to him because TVL was Lestat wanting to tell his story- so this is all agreed to and on his terms).

The dynamic between Daniel and Lestat will be so fun. Sam said somewhere that of course they’d fight but they’d also get along. Daniel is a wise-cracking, experienced person. He’s been through a lot and I’m sure Lestat will like going back and forth with him.

So no cast reveals! I can’t think when they’ll reveal the big three (Gabrielle, Marius, and Akasha) but I’m hoping it’s not just a press release. These are MAJOR vampire chronicles characters, I need them to be revealed in front of fans! New York Comic Con is in October 2024. While I’d like for them to be filming by then, maybe this could happen right before filming begins? Idk

I won’t pretend to have any idea what they’ll do with Louis 😭 it won’t be anything from the books, of course, because he was barely in TVL.

With how much a fanboy Rolin is for TVL (like, totally valid), I don’t expect a lot of present-day Armand. Of course we will see him in the 18th century! Okay idk why I made this into a theory post but I’ll cut it out.

This teaser was really, really good. TVL was when I started loving Lestat as a character and everything about him (his past, his family) made him make a lot of sense to me. He’s so chaotic and Sam is gonna kill it. If this becomes a Vampire Lestat stan account, don’t say I didn’t warn you (but Armand/Assad will always be my #1 🩷)

[gourjenous]

Pretend Proposal || j.jaehyun

The holiday season was always a magical time for you. The twinkling lights, the scent of pine trees, and the warmth of family gatherings filled your heart with joy. This year, however, your holiday spirit was about to take an unexpected turn.

You had been friends with Jaehyun from NCT for years, a friendship forged through shared laughter and countless late-night conversations. But as the holiday season approached, Jaehyun confided in you about something that had been weighing heavily on his mind.

“Y/N, you have to help me,” he said one evening, his expression serious. He paced around the small living room of his apartment, his hands running through his dark hair, a sign of his growing anxiety. “My family is throwing a big holiday gathering this weekend, and they keep asking me about my love life. They want to know when I’m going to bring home a girlfriend.”

You raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smile. “So, what do you want me to do? Play matchmaker for you?”

“No, no! I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for the weekend,” he blurted out, looking at you earnestly. “If I can show them I’m with someone, they’ll stop asking. Please, Y/N. It’ll just be for a couple of days. I promise I’ll owe you one.”

You were taken aback by the sudden request. Playing Jaehyun's boyfriend? You had never considered it before. However, after a moment of contemplation, you agreed. “Fine, I’ll help you out. But only if you promise to treat me to dinner afterward.”

“Deal!” he grinned, relief washing over his face.

As the weekend approached, you found yourself excited yet nervous. You and Jaehyun had always shared a platonic bond, but the thought of pretending to be his boyfriend stirred a flutter of anticipation in your chest. The idea of holding his hand, leaning close to him, and interacting with his family made your heart race in a way you hadn’t anticipated.

On the day of the gathering, you arrived at Jaehyun’s family home, which was beautifully decorated for the holidays. The aroma of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of pine from the massive Christmas tree in the living room. Jaehyun’s family welcomed you with open arms, showering you with warmth and affection that made you feel instantly at home.

“Y/N, it’s so good to see you!” Jaehyun’s mother exclaimed, pulling you into a tight hug. “Jaehyun talks about you all the time. I’m so glad he finally brought you home!”

You exchanged a glance with Jaehyun, who wore an amused expression. “Yeah, we’re pretty serious,” he replied, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, drawing you close.

The day unfolded with various activities—decorating the tree, baking cookies, and engaging in friendly games. Jaehyun’s family was lively, full of laughter and love, making it easy for you to slip into your role as his boyfriend. Yet, amidst the fun, you couldn’t help but notice how naturally you and Jaehyun interacted. The way he smiled at you, the little touches, and the laughter you shared felt almost real.

As the evening approached, the family gathered around the dinner table, the warmth of the candles flickering in the dim light. Jaehyun’s father raised a glass to toast, and you felt a sense of belonging wash over you.

“To family,” he began, “and to love, in all its forms.”

You glanced at Jaehyun, who met your gaze with a soft smile. The ambiance felt magical, and you found yourself lost in the moment, almost forgetting that this was all an act.

As dinner progressed, the conversation flowed freely, and you felt increasingly comfortable around Jaehyun’s family. They asked you questions about your life, interests, and how you and Jaehyun met. You exchanged glances with Jaehyun, who played along effortlessly, weaving in stories of your friendship while maintaining the illusion of a romantic relationship.

After dinner, the family moved to the living room for dessert and gift exchanges. You found yourself sitting next to Jaehyun on the couch, the warmth of his body sending delightful shivers down your spine. You both engaged in playful banter, teasing each other about the stories being shared, and as the night wore on, the line between friendship and something more began to blur.

However, just as the atmosphere reached its peak of warmth, the doorbell rang, cutting through the laughter. Jaehyun’s younger sister rushed to answer it, and moments later, she returned with a surprise guest—Jaehyun’s ex-girlfriend, Soojin.

“Hey, everyone! I heard there was a holiday party!” Soojin announced with a bright smile, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Jaehyun. A hint of tension hung in the air as she approached him, her presence casting a shadow over your previously lighthearted evening.

“Jaehyun, it’s been a while!” she said, leaning in for a hug, her smile widening as she took note of your intertwined hands. “And who’s this?”

You felt a pang of insecurity as you realized that you were, in fact, a prop in this situation. “I’m Y/N, Jaehyun’s boyfriend,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

Soojin’s eyebrows raised, but she quickly masked her surprise with a friendly smile. “Oh, nice to meet you! Jaehyun has always had great taste.” Her words were light, but you could sense an underlying challenge.

Jaehyun’s expression shifted slightly, and you could see the discomfort in his eyes. “Yeah, Y/N is really important to me,” he replied, his voice firm.

As the evening continued, Soojin attempted to engage Jaehyun in conversation, reminiscing about their past and trying to reignite the spark that once was. You felt increasingly out of place, the warmth of the family gathering dissipating as you became aware of the lingering connection between them.

You excused yourself to the kitchen, needing a moment to breathe. The familiar clatter of plates and laughter faded into the background as you leaned against the counter, trying to collect your thoughts. What were you even doing here? This was all a ruse, yet your heart ached as you considered the possibility that Jaehyun might still have feelings for her.

Moments later, Jaehyun entered the kitchen, his expression serious. “Y/N,” he said softly, approaching you. “I’m sorry about that. She didn’t tell me she was coming.”

“It’s fine, really,” you replied, forcing a smile. “You two have history. It’s understandable.”

Jaehyun sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “But I’m not interested in her anymore. I care about you, Y/N. This weekend… it’s made me realize that.”

You looked up, surprised. “What do you mean?”

He stepped closer, his eyes searching yours. “This whole thing was supposed to be an act, but somewhere along the line, it felt real. I’ve always liked you, but I was scared to ruin our friendship. Seeing her again made me realize that I want something more.”

Your heart raced at his confession. Could it be true? Did he really have feelings for you? “Jaehyun, I… I didn’t know.”

“Can we just forget about Soojin and enjoy the rest of the evening?” he asked, taking your hand gently. “I want to focus on us.”

You nodded, your heart swelling with a mix of relief and excitement. “I’d like that.”

As you rejoined the gathering, the atmosphere felt lighter. Jaehyun’s family continued to share stories, and you both engaged in the fun, stealing glances and playful touches that felt genuine. You felt a renewed connection with him, the tension from earlier dissipating as you settled into your newfound reality.

Later that evening, after everyone had exchanged gifts, Jaehyun’s family gathered for one last toast. “To love and new beginnings!” his father declared, raising his glass.

You and Jaehyun exchanged knowing smiles, the warmth of the moment wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. As the celebration wound down, you found yourself alone with Jaehyun by the fireplace, the soft glow illuminating his features.

“I’m really glad you came today,” he said, his voice low. “You made this whole experience worth it.”

You smiled, your heart fluttering. “Me too, Jaehyun. I had a great time.”

He hesitated for a moment before leaning closer, his gaze locking onto yours. “Can I… kiss you?”

The question hung in the air, filled with anticipation. You nodded, and he closed the distance between you, capturing your lips in a soft, tentative kiss. It felt electric, a culmination of the feelings that had been building between you.

As you pulled away, breathless, you both shared a laugh, the weight of the world lifting off your shoulders. “I think I like this new dynamic,” Jaehyun said with a playful grin.

“Yeah, me too,” you replied, your heart racing at the thought of what lay ahead.

As the night came to a close, you realized that what started as a simple act had turned into something beautiful—a new beginning that neither of you had expected, but both were excited to explore together.

[walkingintheheartbreaksatellite]

Sky High(1)

(Harry Styles x Fem!Reader)

Summary: You take Harry to do something he never would have thought he’d do.

A/N: In honor of Balloon Fiesta season(aka my fav time of year) ITS TIME FOR BALLOONRRY! This has literally been spinning around in my brain since last December so yeah… enjoy.

Warnings: Judgmental family member, mentions of body shaming(only once), fear of heights, mentions of traumatic childhood and abusive parent (not in detail), Mentioned aged gap but not specified.

>>>————————————->

London, Wednesday

Harry smiles as he shuffles around the house, throwing things in his suitcase.

“Hey Harry, don’t pack your puffer-.”

“Y/N, you said it was gonna be cold and that I should expect snow!”

“Yes but- your puffer is cotton. Which can catch on fire. And we’ll be operating a propane burner. And don’t pack your wool gloves either-. You know what, finish packing your clothes and then we’ll go get you everything else. I need new gloves anyways.”

He rolls his eyes and kisses my forehead before turning back to our dresser.

This year, Harry is joining me for a hot air balloon rally that I crew for with some of my family every year. I have never seen him more excited for something so boring.

After he finishes, he drags me out the door immediately and we head down to the shops.

“We need to go to Workwear. They should have everything.”

He nods and grips my hand as we walk down the chilly streets. Harry grabs the door and we head inside. Harry bites his lip, a bit reluctant at his unfamiliar atmosphere.

“Come on, dork. Let’s go find you a jacket.”

I manage to find a nylon and polyester jacket that he’s satisfied with, though he complains that he’d rather his puffer.

“I know- you can pack it but you can’t wear it when we’re crewing or Bob will never let us hear the end of it.”

I grab a few pairs of nylon gloves before dragging him over to the shoes.

“Boots, love? Really?”

I snort and nod my head.

“We’re carrying heavy equipment. Your Vans won’t work. You could drop something and seriously hurt your foot. Hence the steel-toed boots. And they’ll keep you warm. Trust me.”

He nods and we head to the checkout, excitement rushing through us at our week ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday

As soon as we land in Albuquerque, we quickly pick up our bags and our rental car before getting on the road. We get settled on the highway and Harry turns on cruise control, taking my hand in his while driving with the other. My hands start to shake more and I sigh.

“You’re shaking Y/N. Why are you shaking?”

I let out another sigh and I look at him.

“My father might be there… And my brother and sister. You haven’t met them… And honestly I don’t really talk to them. So I guess I’m just nervous. And you’ve never met my granny or her husband- And since you’re helping crew for Andrew… I don’t know… Just a lot going on.”

He lifts my hand up and kisses the back of it before he squeezes it. His eyes remain on the road but his words make me tear up.

“I know you’re not particularly looking forward to all of that- But I’m here. I’m always here. And your mum. You know she won’t let him do anything to you. I will be the perfect Angel that I always am-.”

I snort and he gives me a playful side eye.

“As I was saying- everything will be just fine. Okay? So let’s have fun. I’m definitely excited. And happy to see your mum again.”

He smiles and squeezes my hand again before turning his attention back to the road. After about 2 hours, Harry gets off at the exit and it only takes us a minute to get to our hotel. He parks next to my mom’s car and we get out. She gets out of her car and rushes over to Harry, pulling him into a hug as he laughs and smiles.

“Oh my god, Harry! I’ve missed you! Look at you! You look great!”

He laughs and hugs my mom back for a minute before they pull away.

“I’m great, Kelly. How are you?”

She nods and gives him a smile before she pulls me into a hug as well.

“Hi my babies.”

I smile and hug her, rolling my eyes at Harry as he laughs.

“Hi mama.”

She pulls away and shoves her hands in her pockets.

“You both doing okay? Taking care of each other? You look good but you know I worry.”

I smile and nod.

“We’re fine. Harry is very excited.”

Harry nods and wraps an arm around my waist, his smile clear as day. We stand by the car, talking to my mom for a few minutes when my grandmother pulls up. Her husband gets out of the truck and gets her walker out, setting it up as she gets out. Not ready to face her, I drag Harry inside to check in and get our room keys.

We collect our keys and walk up the stairs to our room.

“Love, I really don’t think you need to avoid her-.”

“You know how frustrating she is! The woman flat out told me when I was 16 that it was my fault that my mother was depressed! Because somehow I could control who she slept with to create me!”

He wraps his arms around me and kisses my head.

“I know love, I know. But you know your mum won’t let her do anything. Did you pack your meds?”

I huff and just shrug. He holds me for a minute, rubbing my back before he decides we need to go downstairs and get our bags. He drags me down the stairs and out to the car where, surprise surprise, my grandmother is. I elect to ignore her, opening the back to start grabbing bags. My mom pulls us over to them as I huff in frustration.

“Mom, this is Harry, Y/N’s boyfriend. Harry, this is my mom, May and her husband Andrew. You’ll meet Bob later. He’ll be crewing with us.”

Harry shakes my granny’s hand as well as Andrew’s when my grandmother adverts her gaze to me.

“Sweetie, what did I say about all that eating you do? It’s not good for your figure. I mean look at you-. And did you get that job I sent you the link to?”

I sigh and shake my head, squeezing Harry’s hand to calm me down before answering her.

“Granny, that job was in Arizona. I live in London, remember? And I have a job. I work at a publishing firm, remember? And I like it.”

Before she can say respond, Andrew interrupts her.

“How about we all get settled in our rooms? We’ll meet back here in the parking lot at 6:30 to go check in?”

We all nod and head inside. Before we enter our room, my mom puts her hand on my shoulder, and I turn to face her.

“You two go ahead and have to time with each other for the night. We don’t all need to go to check in and I know you’re not exactly ready to see him. I’ll text you what time we need to meet in the morning.”

Harry smiles and hugs my mom and I let out a heavy sigh.

“Thank you, Kelly. I’ll take care of our girl. She’ll be fine.”

My mom kisses my forehead and squeezes my shoulder before she heads into her room and disappears behind the door. Harry pulls me into our room and pulls me into a tight hug as soon as the door closes. He rubs my back and I let out a sigh.

“How about we go on a walk after we get settled in love? Think that would help? Or are you in the stuff your face with sweets until you pass out kind of mood?”

I shake my head as I hang up my jacket.

“I’m actually in the take a hot shower and then cuddle with my hot boyfriend until I fall asleep kind of mood.”

Harry flashes me a bright smile and hugs me as he hangs up his jacket.

“You take your shower. I’ll run to the vending machines and get some sweets. When you’re done, we can head to bed.”

He kisses my forehead and leaves the room. I grab some sweats and a soft top before heading into the shower.

By the time I’m done, my hair in a wet braid and teeth brushed as I walk out in my soft clothes, Harry is already in bed, scrolling on his phone. He looks up and smiles, pecking my lips softly when I get into bed.

“Your sweets are in the fridge, let me brush my teeth and I’ll turn the light out.”

I nod and curl up into bed as I wait for him. Not 5 minutes, he’s back in bed, pulling me close before he turns out the light.

“Are you gonna be okay, love? You’ve been tense since we got here.”

I sigh and bury my head in his chest.

“I’m nervous… And honestly I haven’t been feeling that well lately so maybe that’s just not helping. And with the stress of seeing him, and of course my granny, I guess I’ve just been a little off. But I’m really glad you’re here… I’m excited for you to meet my sister. She’s a-.”

“A pain in the ass, you’ve mentioned.”

“But you’ll like her! We fought a lot when we were kids of course but we got closer in high school. You’ll love her!”

He laughs and squeezes me tight.

“I could never love anyone as much as I love you. But I’m sure she’s great. Just keep thinking of all the positives, remember? You love this town, you love this time of year, don’t let them take that excitement from you. And I am very excited to experience this with you. Now let’s get some sleep, okay?”

I smile and curl up into his arms before slowly falling asleep.

Friday 05:30

So put your best face on everybody

Pretend you know this song everybody

Come hang (Come hang)

Let's go out with a bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!-

I wake up to my alarm going off as I feel butterfly kisses on my cheeks. I wake up to see Harry, planting soft kisses all over my face before he smiles when he sees I’m awake.

“Time to get up, love. We have to be downstairs in 30 minutes.”

I groan and wrap my arms around his neck as I sigh.

“Can you just tell them I died or something? Or better yet we both did? I don’t want to go into the cold… I wanna stay here and cuddle.”

He laughs and shakes his head, pecking my lips before he pulls me up.

“Well, your mum is bringing coffee in like 10 minutes so you have to be alive if you want some of that. Because I do.”

I laugh and shake my head as I get up from the bed, pulling clothes out of my bag before I start to change. Harry and I are quickly dressed by the time my mom knocks on the door and Harry happily accepts the coffee.

The second I smell it, I get nauseous and I run to the toilet, throwing up. I hear Harry sigh and he comes into the bathroom, throwing my hair up in a clip before he starts to rub my back. I throw up a few minutes before I flush, slowly standing up so I can rinse and brush my teeth.

From the corner of my eye, I see my mom with a worried expression on her face.

“How long has that been going on, Y/N/N?”

I shrug and wipe my mouth, turning out the bathroom light before fixing my hair quickly.

“A couple weeks I guess. I’m never running a temp so I figured they were just random waves of nausea.”

She sighs and shakes her head.

“I think you should take a test.”

My eyes widen and I look at her.

“You think I could be-.”

Harry and I share a look, one filled with anxiety.

My mom only nods and rubs my back in comfort.

“When we come back after breakfast, I’ll go get you a few tests and you can take them and we’ll go from there, okay? Just try not to stress about it.”

We only nod and she leaves only a minute after. Harry lays back down and holds his arms open to me and I immediately lay in his arms, holding back tears.

“What are we-.”

“Shhh. Everything will be just fine, love. No matter what. If you’re pregnant, we’ll handle it. And if not… maybe it’s just not the right time. Either way, I’m not going anywhere. We will figure this out. Together.”

He kisses my head and rubs my back as we lay there for a few more minutes before we finally head out to the parking lot. We all hop into the van, the vehicle filled with silence as we make the small journey to the lift off field. After about 10 minutes, Andrew parks the van and gets out, meeting Bob outside so the can attend the pilot’s meeting. Harry squeezes my hand and gives me an anxious look.

“So… we just wait? I thought we would all be getting out and that’s when the hard work starts.”

My mom and I laugh and I shake my head before I peck his cheek.

“No, there’s always. Just a little waiting. They have about a 30 minute pilot meeting to determine whether or not we can fly. Based on the wind, I don’t think that’s gonna happen. Right now, if we flew, we’d flop around and lose control.”

He laughs and nods. As expected, when they come back from the meeting, we aren’t able to fly. Andrew makes the decision to head to breakfast rather than still inflating like most were doing, even though we couldn’t fly. We pull into the parking lot of an almost empty diner and finally get out of the van. We eat breakfast, Harry and I sharing a plate since I really wasn’t in the mood to eat much.

The minute we get back to the hotel, my mom runs to her car and takes off, no doubt to go buy me tests. After about 20 minutes, she comes back with a knock on our door. She hands me the bag and I let out a shaky sigh.

“I’m sure you know how to use these… I’ll give you two some space. Call me if you need me sweet girl.”

She kisses my forehead and squeezes Harry’s shoulder before leaving the room. We’re quiet for a few minutes before Harry sits next to me on the bed, taking my hand in his, squeezing it before he raises our joint hands to his lips, softly kissing the back of my hand.

“I meant what I said, Y/N. No matter what the results are… we’re gonna be okay.”

I sigh and start to tear up.

“Are we even ready for this-.”

He sighs and puts a finger on my lips, silencing me.

“We’ll figure it out love. Just like we have with everything else. Alright? Now go take those tests. We can cuddle when you finish and we’ll wait for the results.”

I sigh and stand up, taking the tests into the bathroom. I take all 4 and place them on the counter, letting out a shaky sigh. I wash my hands and take a quiet minute to myself before opening the door and flinging myself on the bed and into Harry’s arms, causing him to laugh. Harry sets a timer on his phone before he puts it back on the nightstand and cuddles close to me, kissing my head.

“Are you hoping for certain results…?”

Harry is quiet for a minute before he turns to me with a small smile.

“Well… If you are pregnant… I would be extremely happy. I mean we’ve been together for 3 years and we live together. And besides… I want a little you… I’ve thought about it on and off… And maybe that can happen now. If you’re not… I don’t know… Maybe it’s something we could talk about? I mean… obviously I’m not getting younger despite how hot and young the girl next to me is…”

I laugh and nudge him playfully as he laughs and hugs me. He pecks little kisses all over my face before he starts to tickle me. He towers over me, determined to tickle more, but is interrupted by the timer on his phone going off. My face pales and we both sit up. He turns off the timer and we sit quietly for a minute before Harry speaks up.

“We’ll do it together…”

He takes my hand and pulls me up before he walks to the bathroom. We share a look and nod in agreement before looking at the tests. Positive. All positive. I turn to him, tears in my eyes, as are his as he quickly pulls me into his arms and hold me tight. After a minute, he pulls away and kisses me passionately as he holds me close. When we pull away for air, we share a small laugh and he hugs me once again.

“God I just- We’re having a baby! I love you! We need to call mum! And Gem! We need-!”

I laugh and shake my head.

“Let’s try to find some onesies here… Maybe we can surprise them. But we should go tell my mom since- of course she knows and she’s probably dying to know.”

He laughs and nods. We leave our hotel room and head over to my mom’s room, softly knocking on the door. She opens it and immediately lets us in.

“We’ll…?!”

We laugh and she glares at me.

“Okay okay… I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

She tears up and hugs the both of us tightly.

“I’m gonna be a grandma again!!!”

I shush her and put my finger on her lips to shut her up.

“Hush! There’s people here we don’t want knowing!”

She nods and I remove my finger. Her phone pings and she picks it up, reading it before she looks up at us.

“Your grandmother wants to go shopping and Andrew wants to know if you guys are going to dinner tonight.”

Harry and I share a look and I sigh, falling back into his arms with a groan.

“Tell them we’re still jet lagged. I don’t want to deal with her tonight.”

She laughs and nods, hugging the both of us before she leaves our room. For the rest of the night, we cuddle and talk a little about the baby until I finally fall asleep, drifting into my dreams of hoping for a bright beginning.

And in the back of my head, I knew that this weekend was going to be a whirlwind.

>>>—————————————->

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[alientater]

I have so much to say about s3 of bridgerton so I’m dumping it all into one post. Take my dumbass opinions as a writer for what you will 😂

- first foremost thank you my QUEEN Nicola for your confidence and courage (I am no better than a man 👀). I feel like this whole season was a reminder for me, through both Pen and Colin that bodies that look like my own (Pens) deserve love. I can’t even begin to tell yall how much watching people swoon over her body specifically has made me 🥹 blush because my own looks so much like hers.

- I absolutely adored how devoted Colin was to Pen. Watching him realize his love for her in all her forms, with all her flaws was absolutely adorable and wonderful and beautiful, and it, in its own way, comforted me that the more masculine side of my self can be the romantic, the devoted, the loving person that I am as well. Both his little speech in the carriage and his love confession at the end are now living rent free in my brain.

- I know many people think they should have cut some of Benedict’s scenes but I’m against that opinion. I ADORED his character development this season, and I think it served well as a break in the tension of the plot. you will NEVER catch me unhappy to see a bisexual king living his best and horniest life.

- I’m so glad Pen got to keep her Column. The books end with Colin revealing her identity and I’m so glad they changed that. So much from the book was changed to give her more agency and I’m so so so happy about that.

- Genuinely, I’m so excited to see what happens in Scotland with Francesca and Eloise and Michaela and John!! I have a suspicion they’re going to make it another spinoff show like Queen Charlotte, and then we’ll get Benedict’s season (which 👀💕 I have no clue what they’ll do with it but WHATEVER it is I will be parked in front of that TV the SECOND it drops). Whatever it is they have planned I have a sneaking suspicion we’re finally going to get some sapphic romance 👀 so.

- I absolutely cannot stand the hate this season is getting online. I really think it was well done, and I enjoyed every second of it.

- I do wish they’d shown a *few* more spicy Polin scenes (or maybe made the end one a bit longer bc HOOOO boy 👀 I needed about another full 5-10 minutes of her riding him lord GOD almighty I need a glass of WATER). BUT they really didn’t get any more spice than Kate and Anthony did last season (in fact they had quite a bit more I’d say), and I know we’ll see more of it next season hehe 😈 so 😏.

- John dying is literally actually physically going to break my heart when we get to Francesca’s storyline. ALSO I think I really…. I want her to fall in love with him wholly and completely too. I think she has in some ways. I hope in her story, they explore the very real love between them, mostly because I adore his beautiful lil autistic ass.

- I really wish they’d brought back Daphne and the duke a bit more to help violet and Fran a bit. I think Daphne specifically would have really helped soothe that relationship.

- can we get an Eloise Benedict swing scene every season?? Plz? For me? I adore their queer sibling bond so so so much.

- I’m so glad Pen and Eloise are on good terms again. Their friendship breaking just really…

- also, on Eloise, I adore the character growth I saw her go through this season. I think she’s really learning how to see and love the people around her for who they are and it’s so beautiful. I think people were right about her self absorption to a certain degree but… every character has flaws. No one is really infallible. And I think I went through a similar growth, learning how to check and weild my priveledge, and it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in some of the mistakes I made

- I have so many feelings about Cressida Cowper. I know she’s a bully, and I disliked her originally, but something about this season made me…. Sort of like her. First of all, she’s so cunty and I absolutely LOVE that for her. Her outfits are 😮‍💨 every single time. The SLEEVES on those dresses. Like. I really hope she has character growth of her own. Also. You can’t convince me that woman isn’t a femme lesbian. I want to see her set up a nice little estate and live happily ever after with a woman she loves, honestly. I feel like it was really realistic and fascinating to see her schism with her family. I hope she doesn’t take her mother’s advice to heart. That she breaks the generational curse and learns to be both kind AND cunty 😂. I hope Eloise and her make up somewhat too. I just. I don’t want her to be the villain. The pressures of society are their own villain.

- Bring back Edwina Sharma and her Prince can we start a FUCKING petition bro.

- two people in on that show that no matter what they are being paid, are not being paid enough 1) the COSTUME designer and 2) the intimacy coordinator. Every five seconds I found myself saying “god that dress” or “oh man, I need that waistcoat”

- I love that the writers chose to make the featherington sisters more than just… jokes? Philippa especially. She really had some of the best breakout lines of the season “insert himself where” GIRL “Farley, now! the bugs!!” SHES SO CUTE and Mr Finch baby boy so are you and your love for her 🥹 it’s just so wholesome. I love that Shonda really has showed through this show that even with our eccentricities, we all deserve to be loved, appreciated, cherished.

- we stand by Portia featherington. She really made the best of some SHITTY as situations, and we love her for that. It’s so important to me that she’s not the villain either. That she and pen worked things through, learned how to support each other, and that Portia apologized. I think she’s definitely…. Let’s say morally gray but how morally grey really is robbing the aristocracy? 🤫. I honestly? Kind of hope she finds a love match, or finds happiness in her singleness without having to rely on a man. That she learns to live in her power.

- Did I mention how devoted Colin is to Pen? Can we return to that? My FAVORITE moments of this season were the ones where he is so absolutely down bad for her that he can barely speak bc ME TOO baby boy. ME TOO. and that it’s pen. This season was for the girlies who never get noticed, who never had boys crush on them. Who have to make do living vicariously through others, who have to learn to love themselves, because the world does not seem to.

- can we bring back lord debbling? Lowkey…. I kinda liked him. I need him to be Cressida’s beard for real 🤫

- the mirror scene THE MIRROR SCENE 🫠😮‍💨😰🤤 I…. I have so many feelings. I keep hearing people being like “it was so cringe” but? I think I loved it because it felt so…. Realistic? I found myself loving it because it was so… slow and sweet and intentional and it was in every way an extension of Colin’s feelings for pen. He loves her enough that he treats her with only the most kind, most slow and soft touches. He considers her pleasure before his own (which, god is that dreamy I wanna be this man SO BAD). He talks her through. he appreciates in every way she SHOULD be appreciated. I’m just. I’m never going to be over how fantastically luke played him. How fantastic Luke and Nicola’s chemistry was. Can we appreciate the shots angles looking down on Penelope too bc oh man. Oh boy. Jesus Christ she would be walking ME like a dog to if she looked at me like that Holy Fuck. Also the THIGHS the TITTIES (👀 respectfully 👀 RESPECTFULLY). The little sneaky views of Colin’s butt hehe, the way Pen GULPS when she sees Colin (girl SAME). It reminded me so vividly of my own first time. it made me miss being that young and… idk. I feel like sex scenes often feel fake or unrealistic and the ones in this just felt SO real.

- on that topic can we all just appreciate how much Kate sharma is getting her cookie ate bc 😂 lord only knows she deserves it. ALSO. Petition for next season: I ABSOLUTELY need to see Colin on his knees doing the same for Pen ���👀 bc you KNow that man is a service top, and she deserves it.

- genuinely genuinely. I’m so afraid of the show now getting canceled because it has openly queer characters 🥺. I’ve fallen in love with it and it’s like there’s this dread, in the pit of my stomach, that it’s all going to end prematurely because people are already acting so shitty.

- I need violet to have her own spinoff with Marcus 👀 and CONTROVERSIAL OPINION (not controversial) I need their sex scenes bc 😳 LORD . I am not. ahem. I am sinning looking at lady bridgerton like this 😂

- I loved lady Danbury and pens exchange at the end of the season and they’re great friends in the books! I hope it develops more!

- how does Jonathan Bailey so convincingly play a man utterly in love/ lust with his wife as a gay man 😂. Also. Anthony’s little “LILACS”? Still thinking about that lol.

- I’m so glad Eloise didn’t tell Colin about pen being whistledown.

- really wish we’d had a wedding night sex scene 😅

- pen wearing a full set of acrylics and riding that man’s dick is….. god. I have been given a gift.

- Need Need NEED more of the Mondriches, just being happy and finding their place. Their ball this season was fucking fantastic.

- the end camera shot of Colin and pen kissing in front of the window she always watched him from 🫠🥹💕 I’m actually sick it’s SO PERFECT

- I knew Penelope was going to have the only boy 👀😏 called it hehe

- I think one of the things I love most about the show is just… seeing women support and uplift each other and work through things. Talk about the hard things. That’s how we grow as people.

In conclusion, I know many people disliked a lot of things about s3 but I, personally, adored it. And I also know why the writers cut what they did, and did what they did. I honestly think if they’d just added a few small things it would have been perfect. There was so much happening this season it felt overwhelming almost, and I think if I were to say if there’s anything to learn from this, it’s that they need to slow down. Focus on and give each plot its share. I wish I could give Bridgerton an infinite budget for infinite episodes to do whatever they wanted bc I know it would be good. ALSO if I have to endure a month wait like that again I’m actually fucking rioting. I liked the anticipation but it felt too long and just…. Idk. I think an episode a week would be a better way to stretch it if they wanted to keep that ploy. Anyways. If anyone’s actually read this far, I’m so sorry 😂. And to all the people griping… get a grip. It’s a beautiful show and the writing was honestly fantastic. just enjoy the media for what it is im actually begging you. If this show gets canceled because of something as trivial as not enough Polin sex scenes and having actual queer representation in fucking coming for ALL OF YOU.

Peace and light

Annika

[gaybananabread]

TickleTober Day 1 - Anticipation

Welcome to October! I’m really excited to have these posting, and I’m hyped to see how everyone that requested likes their fics! They’ll be posting day-by-day, so if you requested #29, it’ll be posted on October 29th! Figured I’d start out with something i haven’t done yet, so here’s some Steven Universe Future! (definitely not projecting on steven whaaaat)  I hope you all have an amazing spooky season, Enjoy!!

Lee: Future!Steven

Ler: Amethyst 

Summary: Steven hasn’t been doing the best mentally, especially on the bad days. Amethyst has the perfect way to help, but being herself, adds a playful edge to it.

Warnings: Possible SUF spoilers maybe? A spot angsty at the start. This is a tickle fic, so if you don’t like that, scroll away!

The past few months had been…they’d been interesting. Steven finally started getting the help he needed, and the gems had been supporting him however they could. The therapist was nice, she helped him through some of his most traumatic moments. Topics on his mom…they were still touchy, but he was getting there. He had a name for one of his problems now. “Abandonment Issues…” 

There’s still days where he feels lousy. He couldn’t remember the official term, but he liked to call them “spew days.” Days where his emotions just got the better of him. Days like today.

Steven was sprawled out on the couch, staring blankly up at the ceiling. He…he felt like poop. Not as bad as he did with Connie’s “not yet,” but definitely crummy. The teen didn’t even notice when Amethyst came through the door until she flopped down next to him. 

“Hey dude! Oh…Steven, what’s wrong?” He grunted, shrugging. It wasn’t a lie either, at least not completely. A combination of things was wrong, though he couldn’t pinpoint what they all were. He just…wasn’t okay.

“Steven, c’mon. Remember the whole “we talk about our feelings” deal we made?” The purple-hued gem’s expression softened, giving him a little nudge. They had all agreed that whenever something was wrong, they would do their best to communicate the problem. Steven sighed, knowing it would probably help. 

“I just…feel crummy. It’s a bunch of things. Sorry…” Amethyst immediately shut that down. “Hey, hey. No. You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. Your feelings are valid, no matter how confusing they are. If you can’t say it, that’s okay.” Gosh, why are his friends so awesome? He held out his arms, silently asking for a hug. His friend was more than happy to oblige.

“C’mere bud.” She wrapped her arms around the 16 year old, hugging him tight. He felt a bit of the gross feeling go away, melting into the touch. He needed this. Ever since the monster incident…hugs have been his everything. “Thanks Amethyst…”

His voice was a bit too deep and airy for her liking. He needed a cheer up session, pronto. Lucky for him, she had the perfect idea. “Ya know Steven… you could use some fun. How about we play some Steven Tag, with a twist?” 

A twist? Why was she smiling like tha-…oh. Oh. He pulled away from the hug, a smile tugging at his lips. “Amehe- Amethyst no!” The purple gem crossed her arms, smirking. Amethyst shifted into the present version of Steven, snickering. “You got ten seconds. You get tagged, you get tickled…better run.” 

Crap…crap! He got up off the couch, backing away from his friend. She couldn’t be serious, right? “Amethyst, c’mon! You- you’re joking right? Right?” She just smirked, holding up ten fingers. She was not joking. She slowly lowered one finger, then another, then another, dragging out each word with a teasing tone. “Ten, nine, eight…”

Time to run! He took off in the opposite direction, running into the warp area. The door opened for him, his pink and cloudy room offering a nice place to hide. Steven zipped inside, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. The room, sensing his needs, quickly made a few hiding spaces. Cabinets, closets, doors, tables with cloths, a bunch of hiding spot’s any kid would think of. All of which are horrible for actual hiding. It would have to do… He ducked into the most boring closet he saw, finding a pile of blankets inside. He burrowed under them, tried his best to make sure nothing was poking out, and hid. 

Amethyst finished her countdown, chuckling as she walked over to the door. It opened to her room, but that was just a minor inconvenience. She knew her way around those rooms like the back of her gem. Running over to her stack of couch cushions and rubber ducks, she shoved them out of the way, revealing the secret path to Steven’s room. Can never be too prepared for mischief. She jumped through the hole, feeling gravity shift as she landed on the soft, pillowy clouds of Steven’s room. Time for some fun…

“Oh Steven~! Where are ya, bud? I just wanna play~!” When she saw the silly hiding spots, she snickered. Just like old times… Amethyst began opening the cabinets, trying to find the teen. “You know you can’t hide from me, man. I’m gonna find ya, and when I do, you’re gonna get it~” 

Steven clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to muffle his anticipatory giggles. He had forgotten how evil Amethyst was when it came to these games… The butterflies in his stomach were going wild, swarming and sending a blush to his cheeks. He hadn’t been tickled in a good while. That somehow made the fluttery, bubbling feeling worse. 

Turns out he sucked at being quiet. Amethyst easily heard his poorly muffled giggles, the cloudy walls of the closet almost paper-thin. Guess some things never change. “Steven, Steven, Steven. Still a gigglebug through and through.”

She slowly walked towards the closet, stomping her feet to make as much noise as possible. She wanted him to know how screwed he was. Knowing he was already caught, he removed his hand from his mouth, letting the giggles fly free as he leaned against the door. No way was he gonna go down without a small fight.

Amethyst jiggled the doorknob, pushing against it. You’d think that it would be easy, it being made of clouds and all. But no. The manifestations were linked to Steven’s conscious and subconscious thoughts, and right then, they wanted that door solid and stable. He only forgot one thing; a towel for under the door. Shape-shifting to an ant, the crystal gem easily slipped under the door. She scurried behind Steven before shifting back, growing to a purple-hued version of him. “Peek-a-boo~” 

Now, he handled his surprise very maturely. He definitely didn’t shriek and run into the door. Definitely not. His best friend snorted, snatching him up in her arms. “Tag! Ya know what that means…” Shifting back to her regular form, the gem wiggled her fingers into his sides, not releasing him from the reverse hug. He yelped, squirming around and digging his heels into the carpeted floor. 

“Amehethyst! Qu-quihihihit it!” Even though he was currently taller than the other gem, he couldn’t escape the ticklish hold. The closet was small, not allowing much room for squirming or thrashing. Lucky for him, Steven’s subconscious threw him a bone. The closet poofed out of existence, momentarily startling Amethyst. She pulled him closer, hugging him tightly before she realized what happened. 

“Ooooh, I get it. Someone’s a bit too ticklish for their own good, huh?” The wiggling fingers quickly resumed their tickly pattern on his sides, pulling sweet giggles from the teen. He gripped her wrists, trying to pry her hands off. That did next to nothing; the crystal gem was having way too much fun. She had completely forgotten about her Steven Tag excuse, just wanting to tickle her friend. He needed a good laugh anyways.

She knew exactly where to go to get him really laughing, his younger years giving her plenty of time to learn his best spots. Amethyst moved her tickling to his belly, slowly getting closer to his gem. Steven knew what she was doing; it was the same pattern as when he was young. Sides, belly, gem, and if he was still breathing, underarms. Normally, he’d be embarrassed of the tickling. But right now? It was actually a fun distraction from his thoughts. “Nohoho! Dohon’t you dahare!”

A little teasing wouldn’t hurt. She slowly circled her fingers around the edge of his gem, sending ticklish little shocks to his belly. Frantic giggles bubble out of him, his anticipation building as she toyed with the edge of his gem. “A-Ahamethyst! Thihis is mehehean!”

“Uh, no duy. That’s why I’m doin’ it!” She chuckled and scritched a little faster, trying to get a squeak or two out of him. And, as expected, his giggles turned squeakier than a rusty door hinge. The feeling of her fingers so close to his worst spot was killer. No amount of squirming or wiggling was helping, the butterflies in his stomach going nuts. 

He caved within thirty seconds, patting her arm and speaking with a whiny tone. “Ahamethyhyst! Juhust- just dohoho ihit ahahalreheady!” That almost got her. Almost. Rolling her eyes, the teasing ended, making way for the main event.

Following her pattern, Amethyst’s playful scribbling moved to his gem, sending the crazy ticklish sensations across his whole midsection. He was constantly changing and growing, but his sensitivity didn’t seem to get the message. He squealed, kicking as his knees gave out. “COHOHOME OHON! NOHOT FAHAIR, LEHEMME GOHOHO!” 

It was kinda adorable, in a dorky way. Steven had always liked being tickled, even if he never voiced that opinion. It was pretty obvious when he was younger. Recently, however, he had been drifting away, closing up, avoiding anything “childish” or “immature” to him. They now knew why, and were working towards improving his self-image and communication skills. Still, progress was slow. Seeing him laugh again…it was nice. 

Amethyst was so engrossed in her thoughts that she barely noticed when Steven was tiring out. He hadn’t had much energy to start the day, and quickly wore out from the tickling. He slumped against his best friend, leaning into her as the tickling wore him down. 

“AHAHA-AHAHAMETHYHYST! IHIHI- AHAHAHA!” Her smile softened when she regained focus. The scribbles on his gem slowly came to an end, her hands switching to rub the ticklish areas. He practically melted into her touch. The soft happiness from the tickling paired with her gentle attention had him on cloud nine. “Thahahanks…”

Okay, that warmed her gem. She shifted to a bear, carrying him up to his bed. It wasn’t the first time she’d done it, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. The contented drowsiness was a major improvement from his earlier gloom. Lumbering up the stairs, she laid him down, shifting back to her regular form. It wasn’t late, but one little nap wouldn't hurt his sleep schedule. Right as she turned to leave, a soft hand tugged her back. “Hey…stay?” 

The warm smile on her face somehow got even softer, pitchy chuckles shaking her shoulders. “‘Course, bud. Gimme a sec.” She shifted shape once again, now a fluffy, lavender cat. Pawing at the blankets, she curled up beside Steven, pressing her soft fur against the star on his shirt. The bouncy-haired teen draped an arm over his now-feline friend. He was completely spent and ready for a nap. 

A low purr rumbled in her chest at the soft gesture. Steven always found new ways to surprise them, either with kindness or some new ideal. The other gems would have likely been home soon, but she didn’t really care. Garnet and Pearl could tease all they want if it meant she could spend some quality time with Steven. 

Amethyst didn’t need sleep, but it was always nice to get some; especially in moments like those. The teen was out in seconds, his friend soon joining. The day had taken a turn for the better, all thanks to a bit of playful mischief and care. Moments like those are what makes being a crystal gem all the more worth it…

[heliza24]

Ok, so I really love how this episode set us up for a huge climax happening in Dubai in the final episode.

It’s clear that Armand’s manipulation of Lestat before and during the trial needs to be revealed. And I think Daniel and Louis are going to work together to expose Armand’s lies.

For a long time I struggled to think of a way Dubai could end where it wouldn’t feel unbalanced between the three characters there. But this is how they do it, I think.

Daniel helps Louis realize how he’s been manipulated by Armand. That’s the pay off of the Daniel/Louis friendship, of Daniel paying back the way that Louis’s words supported him through a lifetime of reporting and writing. He uses those skills in return to help free Louis. And Louis is able to use that to reclaim agency over his life.

I really loved that we saw Dreamstat in Dubai in this episode, and that the version of Lestat we got there was the most loving, the most accepting of Louis and Claudia we’ve yet seen. I think it opens the door perfectly for Louis and Lestat to reunite in 2022. I would love for Louis to be single for a while, to work on himself and reach an inner peace. But I would also love for him to reunite with Lestat. Louis is more powerful now, both because he’s aged as a vampire and acquired more gifts, but also because he has finally processed what has happened to him. And Lestat I think understands his wrongdoing, and could do better this time. If Louis were to get back with Lestat at this point, they could go into it with open eyes as equals. I’m sure they will still have conflict in some ways which the show will continue to explore. But it could be a more sustainable kind of conflict. There could be some happiness there. And i think their reunification is what the story needs. To make good on the promise and the premise of the pilot, of Lestat sending his love to Louis and Louis sending it back to Lestat.

Daniel will be motivated in the finale by his hatred of Armand, and his desire to get to the bottom of this guy who has fucked with his life so severely. And Daniel is the only person who has ever really seen through Armand. He’s the only one who has been able to recover his memories from him (Louis would not have gotten there without his help), he’s the only one can get Armand to spill parts of his story (I loved that interview with Assad where he says that Armand telling Daniel his 18th century history in episode 3 is Armand thinking he’s controlling the narrative, but in reality he’s exposing himself to Daniel). And he’s the only one that Armand really fears being seen by (��why should I show YOU my shame”). There’s a thin line between love and hate, and there’s even a thinner line between the person you most fear being seen by and the person you most want to be vulnerable with. If episode 8 ends with Daniel metaphorically pinning Armand against a wall… well that sets us up perfectly for them to explore that love/hate dynamic in season 3, including figuring out where that dynamic first started back in the 1970s/80s, which at this point I am convinced did happen.

@bluedalahorse and I have talked constantly about how we’re most excited to see Armand’s mask finally slip all the way off, and I think we will get there next week between the loss of Louis and the perception of Daniel.

I’m not exactly sure how they’ll set up the segue into season 3, but I love love love that they are sending Armand, Louis, and Daniel into the finale with so much on the line. I am really excited to see how it plays out.

[theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction]

Scarecrow Cave

Characters: Reader, Scarecrow, Jason Todd

Warnings: Language, violence

Inspiration: Season 3

Summary: Captured by a psychopath, you walked a dangerous line to stay alive and bring back Jason.

Crane stood so close that you could practically smell the blood from his open wounds. He grinned like the classic psychopath that he was.

“Batman kept his trophies. Time for me to keep my own.”

“Wow.” You gasped with no excitement whatsoever. “You’re on that next level bullshit.”

Crane winced at your words and, in retrospect, you should have been more careful and attentive to the sharp object in his hands. A blur of silver flashed by your face and embedded itself in your thigh. The cry of surprise that escaped made Jason flinch and coil back for a second.

“Fuck!” Crane shouted to himself and pulled away. He swiped his mouth with the back of his weapon-wielding hand. “See what you made me do with that attitude?“

The madman snapped his fingers to where Jason was watching, visibly shaken. “Jay, my boy. My trophy has a scratch, patch it up will you - I need to take a walk.”

Crane chuckled to himself and then slowly sauntered off towards the exit. He hummed a silly little tune and waved the bloodied blade around like it was a dancing prop.

You felt the pain in your thigh worsening and hoped that the man hadn’t severed a vein in the process. Deep in thought, you hadn’t noticed Jason grabbing the first aid box from the Batcave console and walking up to you.

“Are you insane? Talking to Crane like that, it’s going to get you killed.” Jason chastised angrily. He pulled out the gauze and antiseptic liquid and anything else he could think of that would help not have you bleeding out.

You gave a small musing sigh. “It’s a shitty situation. I’m going to make the best of it.”

“I don’t want you to die, Y/n.” Jason confessed.

Despite all this talk about him being Red Hood and leaving Jason Todd behind, the boy that you knew the longest wasn’t beyond help. If you were being honest, it was the most hope you’d had in a long time. Jason poured the antiseptic fluid over the wound and you turned away instantly to take a deep breath. You then heard him prepare the stitching needle for a few minutes before feeling the prick against your torn skin.

Once you were sewn back up, it was like Crane had timed his entrance.

“Jay, how’d we go?” His voiced echoed before he showed up.

Packing the kit back up, Jason stepped back and nodded. “They’ll live.”

Crane stopped before his captive and looked at your features. He gave a curt nod.

“Good.” He said and then pulled out a gun that was pointed to your head.

Jason jumped forward in a panic. “What the fuck man?! I just stopped them from bleeding out.”

Crane held your gaze before they creased as he smiled and he retracted the weapon. “Only kidding.” He teased and then looked at the young boy. “Lighten up, Jay. They’re all the same. They just let you down.”

You rolled your eyes at the back of the villains head. You’d call bullshit but he’d likely gouge out an eye in a wild retaliation. 

The best way out of this was to stay alive long enough for the Titans to make a move or wait until the cave empire to launch an escape. But judging from the way Crane casually sat back on the chair in front of the large monitor, it was going to be a while.

Masterlist here

[sunskate]

Soooooo many thoughts. Yes we may be looking a F/G Olympic and world medalists but they also need to get better material. This FD is imo in the same genre of Gaga (I know that halo is maybe the stretch piece here) which was better and less original than Rocky. I’m not sure what they’ll do for their Olympic year free dance but if Lajoie and Lagha push them…CPom too…idk it seems like in a year where placements should be solidifying in ice dance they are just not. That said the more I’ve watched Sound of Silence the more I’m disappointed there aren’t some more original lifts or pieces of choreography and I wish there was more time spent in hold. I thought the pre Olympic year would really make teams bring it. So I’m kind of disappointed. Programs of the quad for me remain CPom’s last year.

what i'm noticing so far is that F/G have competed a bunch and been very successful but that they're getting a signal that judges don't consider them at the same level as C/B and G/P

about placements solidifying, we're not done with Grand Prix events, and the top teams haven't gone head to head yet. i don't think anything's solid til GPF, US Nationals (Canada maybe for F/A vs L/LeG), and Euros (4CC to a much lesser degree) and finally Worlds. we can see some stories being written, but it's too early to know if they'll stick

LaLa have only competed once, while F/G have competed 5 times. Marjo and Zak said they have specific goals for their skating this season - they want to be so trained in their elements that they can go ever deeper into the performance. i think they're also going to be pushing for speed and power. so i feel like this is just the beginning with that program. if they're healthy and stay that way, there's a specific vision for this that has to do with emotion and flow and sweep. i'm excited for it

they historically take a long time to learn new lifts. it's been this way for years. thinking back to Hubbell/Donohue's overhead lift for Beijing which they trained for a year and a half before debuting it, to Hannah and Ye's somersault entry into their SlLi which also took a year and a half - i could be wrong, but i wouldn't be surprised if LaLa have ideas and are training a statement lift now for next season. either that or injuries interrupted plans to debut new lifts for this season, so they're using what they know