#I'll get your starter done when I get up I swear

[yuri-is-online]

Can I request a part 2 for when the guys leave some of their stuff in the guest room? Can it be with Azul, Jamil, and jade please? Thank you!

While cleaning the Ramshackle guest room, the prefect occasionally finds items that remind them of their guests. Sometimes that is because those items actually belong to them and need to be returned, other times it's just a happy coincidence. Either way, the item needs to be delivered, might as well invite them over again? Or just chase them down, whatever is most convenient.

notes: they/them used for Yuu, I was a bit surprised to get this request! In a nice way~ No warnings for this one, just pure fluff. The first one can be found here and more fic can be found on the Masterlist.

Antique Coin

Azul Ashengrotto is a well put together young man. His suits are pressed, his shoes are neatly polished, his rooms are always orderly and without dust.

Which is why he notes immediately when something is even mildly out of place, and completely falls apart once he's in the privacy of his own room. He knew he never should have paid attention to that stupid article Floyd had shared in their group chat, coins being symbols of good luck wouldn't make him relatable to anybody and now he's missing one of his best coins! How stupid could he have been to think that-

"Hello, this is Azul speaking." He snatches up his phone without even checking the caller ID and immediately begins sweating when he hears your familiar breathing (he swears he's not a creep, really! He's just noticed that whenever you speak on the phone, not that you do that often really just when he can work up the nerve and hey this is technically the first time you've called him! Progress he's making progre-)

"Hey there, you got a moment?" Azul can feel the heavy sweat drop on his forehead. He's done enough research to know conversation starters like this are never good.

"I'm a bit busy right now." He tries to lean casually against his desk and glares at the book that has the audacity to fall off his desk and startle you. "Is this terribly important or can it wait?"

You, laugh? Is it nervous, or is it affectionate? Does even know what that sort of laughter would sound, is it bad that he finds your voice terribly beautiful even if it's mocking, even if it's- "Um sorry, but are you missing a coin?"

"A... coin?"

"Yes! I remember you saying you collect them and this one I found in my guest room smelled a bit like the ocean so. Yeah. I thought it might be yours." He smiles.

"My dear, you know I'm just going to say 'yes' and take it from you." You laugh again, how silly that last one was nerves. This one is affection, his hearts are fit to burst with it so it must be. "I'll be there in thirty minutes. If that’s acceptable?"

"Of course! I'll be here." Perhaps that article wasn't completely wrong after all.

Red Feather Accessory

There are few things Jamil hates more than being sick. Assassins don't have sick days, or maybe they do. Maybe they have better benefits than he does. Maybe he'd make a really good assassin in some alternate universie like that one video game series from your world you told him about once, the one with the emblems and gangrene? He doesn't remember much of the conversation Kalim tricked him into having by saying he wanted to hang out in your guest room yesterday.

"But you were so happy to see them!"

Because of course, that had been Kalim's justification. And sure, he probably had been really happy to see you. He'd been running quite the fever and he can't imagine you made that temperature any better.

"Good morning, prefect." He manages it smoothly, you look properly embarrassed to see him this early, your eyes flicker to his hair and linger just a moment longer than normal. "Sleep well?"

"Mostly." You try to focus on his face, but his hair is clearly distracting. Your eyes keep darting back to it, Jamil expected to be embarrassed, but this is oddly empowering. "Is there a reason you're here so early?"

"I think you know why I'm here." You don't, he can tell that much from how you swallow. "Can I come in?"

"Sure?" You move just the bit and Jamil let's himself inside, the doors in Ramshackle always look so damn similar. Just how do you find your way around in here? "Um, Jamil?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know why you're here?" You look lovely

"Of course." He laughs. "I left a hair accessory here yesterday when Kalim decided to visit." How odd, normally you'd flinch if he worded it like that. Instead you just look sort of blurry.

"I see." You're close now, but he can't see you through this weird fog that's filling your hallways. You push back his headband and press the back of your plam to his forehead. "Oof. Well that's not good." Your arm encircles his shoulders and boosts him back up to his feet. He supposes he can afford to lean towards you, there's enough plausible deniabilty in what he's said already to keep his feelings to himself.

"C'mon." You do your best to boost him and march back towards the door. Jamil is smiling similar to how he does when he gets one over on Azul, but you doubt he's planned this. He's so feverish that his skin has gotten clammy. "I already took your hair pin back to Scarabia, ok? Let's get you back to bed."

"That's so kind of you." His hoarse voice tries to purr. "Perhaps you'd like to stay for breakfast?" Thank the seven Grim isn't awake yet. You'd never hear the end of this from either of them.

Encyclopedia of Tea

Books are expensive, you can count on one hand the ones you own unrelated to your school work scattered around your dorm. They are precious to you, signs of your life in a world you don't belong in. A way to tell something about you if someone decided to look at the little shelf you had finally put up in your guest room.

And someone had, because you know damn well this book isn't yours, the process of returning it is guaranteed to be a headache but the longer you hesitate the more ammunition the book's rightful owner will have to accuse you of stealing it. Assuming that's what Jade's goal was anyway, it seemed like something he would find funny to do. You could picture him slipping the book onto your shelf with that calm look on his face.

Jade's face isn't what you would call wildly expressive. He smiles pleasantly most of the time, seldom do you see him frown. Even now when his forehead is knit in concern there's nothing really resembling the scowl you saw during Azul’s overblot.

"Hello Jade, forgotten something?" You hold the book up and shake it slightly. His eyes widen, and his smile drops into something more nuteral. This expression is adorable, it stays as Jade speaks, allowing you to admire it longer

"Oh?" He blinks, Jade wakes easily enough so your own expression flickers to concern at how slow he seems for just long enough to give him back his confidence. "It seems the simplest solution was correct. Thank you, prefect." He reaches for the book, hands lingering near yours as his eyes focus on the title of the book. He is painfully slow in taking it back.

"Do you really take this everywhere with you?" Your hand involuntarily flexes as you retreat back into your personal space. Sometimes you wish you could read minds, it would make this heavy feeling in your heart more explainable. Let you notice the way Jade's teeth display for you and not hide inside your own insecurities, how he wishes you would keep your eyes on him.

"Of course, it helps to have some light reading on hand when things get slow." He wishes you had kept the book long enough for it to retain your scent or some of your warmth. Perhaps now that he's set this precedent, he can fake it. Leave his jacket or his scarf? But no, that wouldn't be believable. He's Jade Leech, the Vice Warden of Octavinelle. You would never believe the real reason the book ended up where it did. His dreams are his to dwell in alone.

"Perhaps as thanks I could prepare one of my favorites for you? To clear the debt so to speak." For now.

[dr5amatic]

IN THE ASHES ,

a sentence starter prompts list comprised of quotes from the novel an ember in the ashes by sabaa tahir. please be advised that this list may involve topics including, but not limited to, murder, death, and violence. change verbiage as needed.

why do keep disappearing when i need you?

i wasn't spying.

what you saw is dangerous. you can't tell anyone about it. not ever.

keep your secrets close, love.

i'm not working for them.

don't be afraid [name], i won't let anything happen to you.

what are you doing down here?

much as i hate to admit it, you're not usually wrong.

the field of battle is my temple.

the dance of death is my prayer.

the killing blow is my release.

aren't you a pretty one.

who trained you?

keep it safe for me just until i come back.

unless you're stupider than you look, even you can see how this appears.

you worked hard. you did everything right.

go, [name]. go get some air. i'll handle this.

the ghosts of our misdeeds seek vengeance, but the cost will be high.

you are an ember in the ashes, [name]. you will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. you cannot change it. you cannot stop it.

we don't abandon our own!

who do you want me to spy on?

shadows will bloom in your heart and you will become everything you hate.

so my choices are either to stay and be evil or run and be evil. wonderful.

they always underestimate me.

this isn't a mission for the fainthearted.

go away. you're not real.

you're distracted when you can ill afford to be.

if you want to win this, you need to wake up.

i've already wasted too much time cleaning up your messes.

lay low. don't risk spying until you're certain you won't get caught.

fail me again, and we're done.

these are my friends, my family. people i know. i wouldn't hurt them.

how do i make it stop? i have to make it stop.

until you conquer your fear, the dead will remain with you.

i won't kill you. i swear it. by blood and bone, i swear it.

you're going to be fine. i'm going to fix you right up.

fight, [name]. you have to fight. you have to win.

death before tyranny.

if what you say is true, then the balance is upset, and we must restore it.

you look terrible. come into the shade.

you really should run. you’re just going to die.

wait, you idiot! it might be a trap!

i won’t let you fall, i promise.

i want you to know that i think what you’re doing is brave. really brave.

it’s not a stupid idea, just dangerous. i don’t want you getting hurt.

you’re trying to sneak out.

i wouldn’t have traded this for anything.

i live with my sins everyday. i live with the guilt.

i’ve never asked you for anything. i’m asking you now.

you think i can’t defend myself? you think i need bodyguards?

i’ve been distracted worrying about you.

i’ll kill him for this.

don’t talk. just keep quiet and… let me think.

you’re in love with me! but i'm not in love with you, and you hate me for it. you’ve let that ruin our friendship.

i could never be in love with you.

you have no idea what I’ve given up for you, the deal i made. 

who did this?

look at you–look what they’ve done to you.

you don’t have to be brave.

do you have what i want?

i have something, but i need more time.

if you have nothing, then this mission is a failure.

don’t have time for that. I’ve got other things on my mind.

if i wanted to hurt you, i’d already have done it.

as long as there is life, there is hope.

either way, you’d have blamed yourself.

either way, people you cared about would have suffered.

i should have stayed, even if it meant dying.

they won’t let you have compassion or kindness. they won’t let you have a soul.

my soul’s gone. I killed it dead on that battlefield.

there are two kinds of guilt. the kind that’s a burden and the kind that gives you purpose. 

you have a soul. it’s damaged, but it’s there. don’t let them take it from you.

you don’t need to be so cat-footed. i’m not armed.

you’re surprised? you’re naïve, is what you are. you’re a fool.

you’re sick. don’t you have any regret? any remorse?

i’ll celebrate them. i’ll mourn them. but i won’t regret what i did. i did it for the empire. i did it for my people.

don’t make vows when you can’t know their cost.

i crossed a line, and i won’t cross it again.

do you know what i do to spies?

be strong. if you don’t win this, everything is lost.

i will be your blood shrike, your second-in-command, the sword that executes at your will, until death. i swear it.

in the night, your loneliness crushes you, as if the sky itself has swooped down to smother you in its cold arms.

there is nothing of me that is worth anything.

tell me, or i slit your throat here and now.

you’ll pay for this. i swear it to the skies, to the stars. you’ll pay.

just because he’s a good leader doesn’t mean he’s a good person. he lied to you.

for the first time since i can remember, i don’t feel alone. because of you.

i can’t–i can’t stop thinking about you. i’ve tried not to. i tried to push you out.

i’ll take care of everything. i promise.

the moment i knew you existed, i hated you.

if i feel regret, it’s that i wasn’t willing to die sooner.

i’d rather die than live with no mercy, no honor, no soul.

fear is only your enemy if you allow it to be.

too much fear an you’re paralyzed. too little fear and you’re arrogant.

i’ll watch your back if you watch mine. we can make it if we stick together.

[calliesmemes]

IN-CHARACTER QUOTES FROM DISCORD

UNHINGED SENTENCE STARTERS FEATURING THINGS SAID BY MYSELF AND MY FRIENDS WHILE WRITING AS OUR MUSES IN A CRACK-BASED NONCANON GROUP CHAT. This post is dedicated to Em, Liz, Tanny, Nellie, Mel, Ange, and everyone else in the server who recognizes these quotes — you know who you are 😈

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

“   Have you forgotten that you should not steal someone’s property? ”

“   I could slap that smug look off his face right now! ”

“   Your ears are a lie. ”

“   Woah woah that's - that's a bad word. ”

“   I don’t know if it’s allowed and quite frankly I don’t care. Fuck the rules. ”

“   Time for gremlin activities! ”

“   I hate this man. Let's prank him. ”

“   We are all going on strike today I swear ”

“   Looks like I need to invest in a kid leash. ”

“   DONT BE COWARDS!! JOIN THE STRIKE!! ”

“   I support her saying what needs to be said! I am done with the silencing of women!!!! ”

“   I like the dramatics. ”

“   I did not ask for a second opinion. ”

“   You seem to be doing a great job at being a nuisance. ”

“   NO BITING MY EMPLOYEES! ”

“   do you want me to bring you cheese? ”

“   Next move, start chewing on the door frames ”

“   I like crumbs. They are like a little midnight snack in my bed at night. ”

“   if he wants to be a worm, LET HIM BE A WORM ”

“   the rest of you suck my toe ”

“   To be fair I am simply vibing. ”

“   I am going to commit a war crime! ”

“   I am manifesting being happy. ”

“   Am I gonna talk shit WITH you guys? because im down to talk shit about pretty much anyone ”

“   Who says? We shall revolt without question. ”

“   Let's just start burning stuff. ”

“   Did you just call me... small? ”

“   Can I convert you with my kazoo propaganda? ”

“   We were radicalised by The Little Mermaid. ”

“   Penny in the swear jar, now. ”

“   My last words are, bros before hoes. ”

“   The old men are trying to be trendy. ”

“   I can do whatever I want too! ”

“   Can we go one day without an interruption from an American? ”

“   I am so sorry. He enjoys conflict. ”

“   Why is he so tall? ”

“   For legal reasons, kids, that's a joke. ”

“   Would you like to fight the adults? ”

“   You're not meant to bite people, it's frowned upon. ”

“   He’s a fun killer, don't listen to him! ”

“   Ow! Stop kicking me! ”

“   I have quite literally begged you not to kick, hit, or bite today. ”

“   BUT I thought we were buds, pals, amigos, chums, friends. ”

“   Oh shiiiii someone’s in trouble ”

“   How much caffeine have you had in the last hour? ”

“   I'll be honest they wouldn't be so bad if they didn't speak. ”

“   Is this goof meant to be dead or what? ”

“   I am a witch. ”

“   This one reeks of self confidence when he clearly doesn't think before opening his mouth. ”

“  I call bullshit on that rule! ”

“   The point is I have a cane and I’m not afraid to use it. ”

“   If you slap me, I’ll cane you. ”

“   Yippee for women. ”

“   FUCK THE PATRIARCHY ”

“   Sorry for being British. ”

“   Oi who's playing that ominous music? ”

“   I'm strong because I eat carrots. Oh wait or is that to see in the dark.... it's for something. ”

“   I will say sorry when i'm caught, don't you worry. ”

“   AND YOU CALLED ME UP AGAIN JUST TO BREAK ME LIKE A PROMISE! ”

“   ... He's done for. Broken beyond repair. Someone play Taylor Swift. ”

“   Please refrain from punching one another. ”

“   He is becoming one with the spider I believe. ”

“   If anybody asks I will say I made you, then you will not get in trouble! ”

“   Can I be a girlboss too? I am not rude to women and I do what i like ”

“   Yippee for patriotism! ”

“   … i could make you guys rat costumes ”

“   Do you think if we started stealing bread we would lose our jobs? ”

“   why do British people ”

“   … you all need therapy. ”

“   Do you ever feel if you breathe the wrong way he will bite you? ”

“   I actively avoid whatever this is. ”

“   CARRY ME. ”

“   What if, and hear me out, they both promise not to do it again? ”

“   I wanna steal all his socks. ”

“   My socks were stolen! ”

“   Hey, watch it now. Only I'm allowed to insult me. ”

“   You couldn’t whisper to save your life. It’s pitiful. ”

“   Both of you are insufferable. ”

“   The law is overrated. ”

“   I’m afraid. Miss, you aren’t my type. ”

“   No. I swear on my life. I am being a gentleman ”

“   I support women’s wrongs. ”

“   ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE!!! ”

“   GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE RIGHT NOW ”

“   He bites? Are you .. joking? Please say you're joking. ”

“   If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain ifyou're not into yoga if you have half a brain if you like makin' love at midnight in the dunes on the cape then I'm the love that you've looked for write to me and escape 🎶🎶 ”

[astrronomemes]

THE SHINING: STARTERS

a collection of quotes, phrases, and sayings from the 1980 film, The Shining. change & alter as needed.

"Well, I'm looking for a change."

"That is quite a story."

"Obviously, some people can be put off by the idea of staying alone in a place where something like that actually happened."

"Look, I'm at [place], and I still have an awful lot to go through. I don't think I can get home before nine or ten."

"It's a beautiful place. You and [name] are gonna love it."

"This whole place is such an enormous maze, I feel like I'll have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs every time I come in."

"By five o'clock tonight, you'll never know anybody was ever here."

"You probably thought you was the only one. But there are other folks, though mostly they don't know it, or don't believe it."

"You ain't got no business going in there, anyway, so stay out! You understand? Stay out!"

"I love it. I really do. I've never been this happy or comfortable anywhere."

"I'm not being grouchy. I just want to finish my work."

"When I'm in here, that means I'm working. That means don't come in. Now, do you think you can handle that?"

"It's just like pictures in a book, [name]. It isn't real."

"I wish we could stay here forever and ever and ever."

"I love you, [name]. I love you more than anything else in the whole world, and I'd never do anything to hurt you. Never."

"I had the most terrible nightmare I've ever had. It's the most horrible dream I've ever had."

"Oh, my god! [Name], what happened to your neck?"

"God, I'd give anything for a drink — my goddamn soul, just for a glass of beer."

"I like you, [name]. I've always liked you. You were always the best of them."

"Things could be better, [name]. Things could be a whole lot better."

"I did hurt him once, okay? It was an accident! Completely unintentional! It could've happened to anybody!"

"Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"No, it's the truth, really! I swear it!"

"It is so fucking typical of you to create a problem like this when I finally have the chance to accomplish something!"

"[Name], I have let you fuck up my life so far, but I'm not going to let you fuck this up!"

"I'm the kind of man likes to know who's buying their drinks, [name]."

"Come on, hon, wake up. You just had a bad dream. Everything is okay."

"I think we should discuss what should be done with him. What should be done with him?"

"You think maybe he should be taken to a doctor?"

"Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to my future if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occurred to you? Has it?!"

"You've had your whole fucking life to think things over! What good is a few more minutes going to do you now?"

"I said I'm not going to hurt you... I'm just going to bash your brains in! I'm going to bash them right the fuck in!"

"[Name], listen. Let me out of here, and I'll forget the whole goddamn thing. It'll be just like nothing ever happened."

"No need to rub it in, [name]. I'll deal with that situation as soon as I get out of here."

"Your heart is not in this. You haven't the belly for it."

"I fear that you will have to deal with this matter in the harshest possible way, [name]. I fear that is the only thing to do."

[gemini-sensei]

Back on my angst bs

Imagine if Reader was dating Hawk when he was still in Cobra Kai. It was great at first and he always treated her right, but as he became more violent in the dojo, it started to scare her. They argued about it a bit before she finally broke up with him, struggling with his attitude and how it progressed.

She does everything to move on and get over him, but it gets hard after a few weeks when she finds out she's pregnant.

It's hard, but her friends rally around to give her support. They help her through the tough emotions and the early stages of pregnancy. She gets through it.

At school she hides any changes to her body with giant hoodies and sweatshirts. It isn't obvious at first, but as time goes on, her pudgy belly rounds out and she wants to hide it. She doesn't want Hawk or the Cobras to see. She doesn't want anyone but her close friends to know. It's hard enough as is.

But then she's struggling to get something in her locker and everything just falls to the floor. It's frustrating and it upsets her, which quickly turns into her crying over it, thanks to her hormones, as she's trying to pick everything up. She's on her hands and knees just doing her best when Kyler and a few Cobras come around and see her tears.

They start laughing and jeering at her, pointing at her and calling her pathetic. It only makes her cry harder. She's struggling and instead of helping, they're laughing. Not that they or anyone else around knows she's pregnant, as she's done literally everything to hide it.

However, next thing anyone knows, Kyler is getting slammed into a wall of lockers and Hawk is breathing in his face.

"What's so funny, dumbass? Forgot how to spell your own name again?" He throws him down and kicks him in the side, again and again, until he stops trying to get up. "Oh man, look at you on the floor. If only someone would help! You! Up!"

Each word in punctuated by another kick. Then Hawk spits on him and grabs him by the shirt, picking in up off the ground like a piece of trash. He throws him at his friends.

"Get him outta my face!" He grunts. "Fuck off!"

Everyone nearby takes the warning. Everyone but Reader, who is a little stuck.

She's sitting on the floor, unable to lift herself from the floor, never mind everything she dropped. She can only watch, tearstained cheeks hot to the touch.

Hawk turns to her and his whole face softens. "Did they hurt you?"

She shakes her head, a little embarrassed. "I can't get up."

He offers his hand and she puts both of hers out. He grabs them and pulls her up, but she loses her balance and stumbles. He catches her and she falls into him, her belly pressed up against his stomach. She looks away from him as she gets on her feet properly, but all he can do is stare.

"Reader..."

She doesn't say anything as he grabs the bottom of her hoodie. She doesn't try to stop him as he lifts it up and looks at her belly as it sits under a stretched out tee shirt. She closes her eyes as he puts his hands on her round midsection.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispers.

She starts crying again. "You beating the snot our of Kyler is a pretty good example as to why, for starters."

"He deserved it for treating you like that," he says defensively. He pulls her close and shushes her tears gently. Her cries echo down the empty hall anyway. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. If I had known-"

"I found out after we broke up," she chokes out. She hides her face in his hoodie, his familiar scent comforting. "I would have told you, but I didn't know how. Not with cobra kai still hanging around."

"I'll leave cobra kai. I swear."

"No, you won't. You love it."

"Not as much as I love you. Not as much as I miss you." He's ready to start crying as he holds her, just hoping she hears the sincerity in his voice. "You and this baby are more important to me than some dojo."

She's quiet for a moment, then looks up at him. "Babies."

"What?" he asks, dumbstruck.

"Babies," she repeats, then smiles through her tears. "It's twins."

He takes her face into his hands and looks her in the eyes. "I'm never going back to cobra kai, okay? Never. My place is right beside you, you and our babies."

She smiles and cries some more, but he wipes her tears away with his thumbs before kissing her. All this time he's wanted her back, wanted her by his side. He's missed her something terrible, but never knew what to do to win her back. But now that he has he back, he's not going to screw it up. He can't afford to.

[queerprayers]

hello, i've recently come across more accounts similar to yours and they have really helped me feel closer to God. so for starters i appreciate you and everything you have to say is very insightful. i am new to Christianity (looking into Catholicism) but i have struggled with my relationship with God for a few years as i am queer. Anyway, all of that is not entirely related to my question. as i wasn't raised religious, i have done some things that i am not proud of that i hope won't ruin God's love for me. for example, i have said stuff that could be considered "taking the Lord's name in vain" such as saying "oh my god", "jesus christ", etc. do you think that is actually taking his name in vain? truthfully, i have been trying to cut down regardless as i love God and mean no offense but it's hard as i have said words carelessly in the past. i apologize for the longer text!!

Welcome, beloved, I'm so glad you're here!

This is always such an interesting topic and I'm sure I won't do it justice, but I'll try to answer your question. The third commandment has been oversimplified for a lot of Christians, and I do think we should take it seriously—but when we caught up with people saying "omg" casually, we miss a lot.

"Taking the Lord's name in vain" can encompass quite a bit: cursing God, swearing on God falsely (in the sense of making promises you don't keep), treating sacred things with disrespect, using God for your own gain, using God to justify evil actions, claiming God's name for harmful theologies—really anything that profanes/using hollowly/for profit the name/essence/qualities of God. "Name" is more than language—it's a presence. So is the third commandment addressing casualness with religious language? I don't think that's what it's specifically interested in, and because the Ten Commandments functioned communally/legally more than personally I'm inclined to say it's concerned more with the promise type of swearing and temple rituals, but I do think the philosophies behind these large things can be brought down to the personal language level, especially for those of us who aren't ancient Israelites.

An old anecdote from my church is that for years they had a plain wooden cross in the sanctuary, but my childhood pastor had a crucifix put up. (This was before I was born, and I'm so thankful I got to grow up with a full, embodied cross rather than an empty one.) An old lady stopped in her tracks that morning, staring up above the altar, and said "Oh my god." The pastor said, "That's right, he is." Besides being used to poke fun at this lady (who had probably never encountered traditional art of the crucifixion in her rural Protestant life) and as a justification for having a crucifix (to more fully confront God), it was also used by my mother to explain why we weren't allowed to say "oh my god" unless the situation necessitated it.

This has made me rethink some of the things I say—and I think there are lines here that we all have to draw. Many exclamations/curses are religious in nature (like damn or hell), and should we only say those when we mean the full essence of the thing? My mother thinks so, and I've gone back and forth. I think what we say matters, and carelessness should never be our framework. I also know that I don't get offended when people say things like "oh my god"—and I've definitely said it before, in way less necessary situations than confronting him bleeding.

When we look at all the things the third commandment can encompass, exclamatory swearing is surely at the bottom of the list in terms of what matters interpersonally and religiously. The megachurch pastor who uses God to sell things and the abuser who uses religion as an excuse are much more relevant to me. This is about your attitude toward your faith, how you want your language to reflect that, and how seriously you take words that are really only translations of a human approximation of a theological truth.

A line I draw is "Jesus" vs. "God"—one is the personal name of my god, and one is more of a title. I don't swear using Jesus's name, but I've dropped an "oh my god." I'm also more likely to use religious exclamations in the face of things I genuinely care about—I'll say "oh my god" to something beautiful but am more likely to say "shit" when I drop something. Is this all arbitrary? Of course! But the language we treasure and the language we're less careful with always is.

I won't tell you where to draw your lines, but I will say the best way to approach any of it is to notice these things—which you definitely are! Whether or not we end up changing something, it's always good to be aware of what we say and how it could affect us. So ask those questions, think through it all. Don't let casualness make you forget the enormity of what we're talking about when we say "God," but also, turn to God with every emotion and in every situation. Don't bring religion into everything because you're being careless—do it because it's where you and the universe touch.

To answer another (and in my opinion more important) question you've asked, no, God's love for you isn't ruined. I don't care what you've said, what you haven't cared about, what you've done—God's love is incapable of being ruined. This would imply weakness or unfaithfulness, which our faith does not characterize God with. And Christianity is firm that it is never too late to repent—meaning, to turn around and dedicate yourself to not going back. (God's love reaches the unrepentant as well, of course—it is a matter of whether we can see it and move through it, not whether it's there.) Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand—as in, it's always been here, it's happening now within you and your communities, and it will arrive.

Whatever changes you make and journeys you begin, God's love goes with you—it's not something we work toward having, but something we work toward honoring. It is hard to change habits—it's hard to change anything, and your dedication to thinking about this new part of your life is admirable.

I want to say don't get caught up in the smallest possible meanings of the commandments as you continue into Christianity, but I love that you are and that's not really the advice I want to give. What I mean is more, don't let this be a barrier. Every tiny thing is part of our lives, which means they can trip us up, be things to obsess over, be things we focus on to avoid other things, be areas we become perfectionist when that energy could be used more usefully. I am contributing to harm in countless ways that don't include swearing, and to be an imperfect human in this world, you are too. I give you permission to not let this be the hill you die on. Christianity calls us to be willing to die on so many hills, y'know? The enormity of our dedication can be overwhelming, but we move forward knowing the love of God is on our side.

The sacred Name has only ever been put into human words in the form of Jesus, and meeting him in both the sacred and ordinary is how I honor the Word. As I navigate the countless ways I exist and affect and am in relationship with the world, I come back to that. That true holiness can never be profaned, so I must not act as if it can be. When I find myself acting as if God could be hollow, I know I must turn back. I may embody this idea differently than you and others—we cannot all pay attention to everything at once. But I honor your commitment to the small things, and I pray that you live confident in the knowledge that nothing you have done or will do can stop God from entering into communion with you.

<3 Johanna

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: gekko x male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: gekko hopes its a simple crush, one that'll pass, but he hasn't had one since the first light, so his expectations for how this will go are skewed. slightly.

ʀᴇ𝐐: no ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 4761

reader knows spanish but doesn't look like he does

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: swearing

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: guess whos back baby

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"You might want to keep your little friends in check." Reyna remarks. She leads a steady pace as she guides Gekko through the halls of what will be his new home away from home, yet the new recruit still has to fight to keep up. "There are quite a few rule-enforcers here."

His eyes wander everywhere, from the mundane tiled floors through which he could see his own reflection to the interesting sign declaring the firing range. He rushes forward to catch up with Reyna, "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, she only nods her head towards one of his buddies. Wingman. "Hey! Dude, put that down!" Then there were "Mosh, Dizzy that is not how you play baseball! And not where you should, either." and finally "Thrash! You little monster, get back here!"

"That is what I mean." Reyna smirks, and Gekko could do nothing but laugh nervously.

"I promise they won't go wandering off, at least not without me."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

At first, he didn't know why Reyna would be so apprehensive; then, when his friends snuck out of his room without permission and caused havoc in the living quarters that led to Brimstone scolding him with a passive-aggressiveness he's never quite witnessed before, he understood. But it wasn't so bad—he kept them under control afterwards, and even then, there was only so much they could do in terms of destruction. He hadn't thought about what else they could do, at least not until he met you.

"Dizzy?"

Where was she? She couldn't have gone far. Well, she could fly, but she did it slowly. How could she have gotten past him so easily?

She's done it before, actually, usually in the mornings, but it was the afternoon now. She usually made her own way back to him too, but it had been to long and Gekko was starting to worry.

"Dizzy!" Gekko opens a door and calls obnoxiously, for he wasn't expecting what he saw before him.

He saw you, and her; and you were sleeping, the both of you. Dizzy slept often when there wasn't much action, and he guesses that you do too, although his loud call disturbs you from your sleep.

You stretch your limbs above your head and roll over to face him, unfortunately knocking Dizzy off the couch.

"Shit, sorry for waking you."

He swoops down to pick Dizzy off her back but you do it before he can. The little critter snuggles into your chest and Gekko swear she can feel the gesture himself as his chest warms.

"Mm, 's all good." You reply, words slurred like you're too lazy or tired to put in the effort to speak.

"You sleep a lot." Why did he say that?

"Do I?" You yawn, "Sometimes the couch is more comfortable than my bed could ever be."

"Maybe it's the feeling that it's different." Gekko suggests. He wonders if he should sit, but where would he? You take up the length of the couch and anywhere would be intrusive. He didn't want to be intrusive but... he also wanted to sit with you. He settles for an arm rest.

"You mean, like novelty?"

"What?"

You snicker, and he feels a warmth spread up to his cheeks, whether shame or something else, he doesn't know. "Nevermind."

Maybe he shouldn't have stuck around in the first place. Gekko sweeps Dizzy from your embrace, missing the disappointment on your face in his haste, and moves to make his quick escape with a swift excuse, "I think that was Reyna calling my name. Right? Yeah, I think so. I'll, uh, see you later."

He's out the door before he can even hear your own goodbye.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Reyna, I need you to make up an excuse for me."

The conversation starter certainly gets Reyna interested. "Harbor needed you?"

"No, I mean, an excuse for why you would call me." At that, she raises an eyebrow. She also glances at Dizzy, who remains in Gekko's arms and not in his bag.

But first came making up an excuse, she cared for him, after all. "Gun training." It's only then that he notices the gun in her hands. Reyna raises a smirk and turns back to the targets, "Why?"

"Well, I..." Gekko grabs a rifle from the rack and decides to shoot along with her, maybe to keep his mind off things. "I don't know, really."

Reyna doesn't prod. Instead, she fixes his stance and continues to shoot.

He tries to focus, to recall everything Reyna's told him before on shooting. He's good at it, maybe not better than Reyna but certainly better than Neon; she relied more on her finger guns, after all, but today he was worse. Thoughts ran rampant through his mind without limit, and it felt like they would spill out from his ears.

He shoots and he misses and he shoots again and he misses again.

"¿Que paso, cariño?" (What happened, dear?)

"No sé." (I don't know.)

He takes a deep breath and steadies his gun on the target's head. You sleep a lot. Why did he say that, instead of anything else?

He shoots and he misses.

"Steady your gun, steel yourself–"

"I know." Gekko interrupts her, "You've said it a million times." He's too frustrated, lost in his mind that he doesn't watch his tone.

"Well, you're not following it today." Reyna's voice is like a dagger. It cuts his thoughts and brings him back to reality.

"Sorry."

She shakes her head, "You're off your game. Do you know why?"

"I'm acting before thinking."

"But now you're thinking too much."

Gekko can only offer a shrug. He only had one possible explanation, and that was it. Reyna sighs, "¿Supongo que es algo sobre tus sentimientos?" How could she tell? Gekko's face becomes the answer, and Reyna can read him easy. "A crush." (I'm guessing it's something about your feelings?)

Gekko's had his fair share of crushes. He knows the telltale signs, he knows the heat on his skin, the sweat, the feeling he can't quite name, how his mouth can't catch up with his thoughts and his face won't seem to cooperate.

He's just not so sure he has one on you. What did he see in you? You were pretty, you were smart, you've saved his ass more than once in missions, you were handsome—could he go on? Yes, yes he could. Okay, he saw it.

Reyna breaks him out of his thoughts, "This is not something I can help you with."

"Why not?" She only raises an eyebrow in return and Gekko remembers who he's talking to. "Yeah, okay."

Normally she would fire back with sass but now she just laughs, "Sage would be better help."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Gekko didn't seek out Sage's help. He didn't need it. This was just a simple crush. It would pass, just like most others. He was just crushing on you because of the–how did you put it?–novelty of it all. You were a new person in his life, a person much cooler than him. He was just adjusting to getting new friends so suddenly.

Now Thrash was gone. For a creature so loud, she made no sound when she snuck out of his bag and or his room.

"Thrash?" She could only have so much energy. Either he'd find her or her globule.

But then—a sound.

"You can't be sneaky anymore," He calls out as he walks, slower now in order to not startle her immediately, "I can hear you~"

As he rounds the corner, he spots her trying to hide behind a plant pot. He could see the top of her head behind the leaves. He walks even slower, makes his footsteps even quieter, and shuts his mouth. He would catch her soon, but only if he was careful. If he wasn't...

...she would run. "No, Thrash, don't go!"

And suddenly there was a chase. Thrash rounded sharp corners swiftly and Gekko followed behind much more sloppily. He held onto the wall's edge to swing himself around it and gain momentum, but she just kept going faster. "You have nowhere to go!"

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Watching the agents in the simulated training room was always good entertainment. Especially since the team took out the fierce nanobomb collab bot together, as now the agents wanted to try facing them on their own again. Doing it together proved it was defeatable; doing it alone would prove they were skilled.

On your end, you would rather save yourself the trouble... and also bet with Yoru along the way, which, really, was a scam.

"Why do I keep betting for the agents if we both know the bot will win?"

Yoru shrugs, "That's a problem for you and your wallet."

You scoff, "You little sl–"

Suddenly, a huge creature falls into your arms. You recognize her immediately as Thrash by the slimy feeling of her underside. You also recognize that she's knocked your mug out of your hands. What a detain! The problem is that mug was not yours, and instead, it was Commander Brim's huge dad mug. Oh, you were in so much trouble.

You brace yourself for the shattering of the porcelain but it never comes. Instead, you find Gekko again. He stands quickly with the mug in his hands and flashes you an apologetic smile.

Begging for attention, Thrash turns over on her back, placing her rough back against your hands instead and chirps as if to plead, and you know just what for. You scratch, scratch, scratch behind her ear, below her chin, and on her slimy stomach. She seems so pleased that she disappears into a globule right in your hands and takes her sticky residue with her.

"I'm so sorry." Gekko takes her immediately and places her in his bag.

"It's okay."

His eyes drag down and he gasps dramatically, "Oh no! I got a huge stain on you!"

You only laugh and reply "It's okay." again. "Although, I do wonder why your little critters are seeking me out."

"I don't know neither..." Gekko admits himself. He scratches the back of his neck, pondering for a second, and you can't help but find it cute.

Your attention is ripped away by the blue edgy man behind you, "It looks like you pissed yourself."

"Oh shut up." You roll your eyes.

Gekko takes the opportunity to leave, but as soon as he steps out the door, as soon as he can't see you anymore, his thoughts decide to be rational, or irrational, as they are only about you. He was down bad.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The main meeting was over. Gekko was set to join the next mission in Norway, and you were to stay in HQ. Maybe he was a little disappointed that you weren't coming with, but at least you wouldn't be in any danger. He was glad about that, if anything.

Groups divided to talk, really, about anything. That was one of the main things Gekko was surprised about. Everyone talked so freely. The atmosphere felt like one of his big family reunions.

But he wasn't talking to anyone. He was only looking.

You really were so cool. Everyone here was cool but he always seemed to be especially entranced with you. He could stare at you like a painting on the wall, except that was the problem. He could never approach you on his own.

His buddies, however, seemed to have no problem with it. "Dizzy, wait!" He whisper-shouts.

Dizzy ignores him and curls into a ball and rolls your way, a new technique Gekko'd never seen before from her, knocking at your feet until you pick her up. You continue your conversation like it's nothing and mindlessly pet at the critter in your arms. Gekko can do nothing but watch.

He was jealous of his own buddies for being able to approach you so easily, but it was also heartwarming to see you regard them so fondly.

Reyna leans on the wall next to Gekko, letting her heels announce her presence. "Te ves estupido." (You look stupid.)

Gekko's eyebrows scrunch up, "What the fuck, Reyna?"

She only laughs, "Es la verdad." (It's true.)

He scoffs and turns back away from her, and it's only natural his eyes fall on you. "Is it Dizzy you're looking at, or him?"

"Him?"

Reyna continues to read him like an open book. It's the way it says it–him, so softly, like speaking is the first thing on his mind and like staring at you is his only priority–that answers her question.

"For your sake, let's say both."

"Reyna?" Gekko perks up, all shy and timid.

It was interesting to her. "Hm..?"

"Do you know why they stick around him so much?"

Reyna knew what he was talking about, who "they" was and especially who "he" was. It was endearing how he trusted her with these things. But she had already told him before. She wasn't good help with these sorts of things. "You're the critter handler."

"Right..."

"But," She still had a hypothesis, "las mascotas hacen lo que sus dueños les muestran." She sends a wink somewhere ahead and Gekko takes a look, only to find you offering the two of them a smile. He almost melts. Thank God you don't know Spanish. (Pets do what their owners show them.)

"Reyna...¡para de echarle leña al fuego!" He whines. (Stop adding fuel to the fire!)

"Aww," Reyna coos, almost like she's going to pull his cheeks, "no huyas de las oportunidades, cariño." (Don't run from opportunities, dear.)

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Pets do what their owners show them. What did that mean? Dizzy liked to sleep, he supposes so does he. Sometimes Wingman tries to sneak a drink from his boba. The whole bunch of them have a lot of energy, and he knows others see that in him. But why would she bring that up now? I do wonder why they always seek me out... Oh no. They liked you too, which really did confirm he had a crush.

"Ay, diosito, cómo te he provocado..?" Gekko groans, sinking his head further into his pillow. A knock to his door. Thinking it's just Neon, or maybe even Phoenix, he shouts "Come in!" from the bed.

However, instead of an electrically charged or pyrokinetic agent, it's you. "Hi, Gekko."

"Oh!" He straightens up on the bed.

Either his surprise woke them or they sensed your presence; whatever the case, his little buddies wake from their slumber in his discarded globule bag. They pounce on you harmlessly. Thrash climbs up to your shoulder, Dizzy flies atop your head and Wingman hugs your legs. Mosh obediently stays a globule on the table, but he threatens to roll off the edge. You catch him before he can create a pit.

"Hey guys. How are ya?" You push Wingman onto just one of your legs so you can wobble towards his bed, which is of course still quite the task, but you finish it all the same.

You plop yourself down next to him on the bed and, he doesn't notice it but, he scoots closer. "Reyna wanted me to check up on you. Said she was worried."

"..why?" He had a feeling he knew why, but he asks anyway.

"It's almost eleven."

Gekko glances at the alarm clock on his table. "Oh."

"I'll admit," You begin with a small laugh to mask your evident anxiousness, "I was quite worried too."

"I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize all the time, you know." Your growing smile lights one up on his face as well. "Well, let's see, do you have a fever? Did you not get enough sleep last night?"

"No, I–"

Despite him denying it, you press a hand to his cheek, then his forehead. "My, you're burning up."

He pushes your hand away, "It's not what you think."

"Really?" But you bring it back up to monitor the heat on his cheeks.

"I assure you, I'm fine." He nods, taking your hand in his so that you don't continue to raise the temperature on his cheeks in a way you don't even notice. He's never seen you so worried before. Usually, you were so laid back and chill. This was a new side of you he didn't expect, and a part of him felt warmed by the thought that you cared for him so dearly.

"Do I need to tell Brim to take you out of the upcoming mission?" You stress, fighting his hold that keeps you away.

"Really! I'm all good!" He squeezes your hand to reassure you. "You don't have to worry about me."

You huff but nod, "Okay, fine. But if you are bedridden tomorrow, don't say I didn't try."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

He's glad, for once, that one of his buddies doesn't lead him to you. Instead, he finds his way to you on his own, whether for good or for worse. It was just a crush that he wanted to end. But he was prolonging it when he was with you, alone; although, he couldn't just avoid you. He really did want to be around you. It's a dilemma.

"What are you doing here?" It was mid-afternoon. Lunch was over two hours ago and he was sure he saw you there, and not only because his gaze always drifted towards you like a magnet.

"Oh, hey Gekko." Your voice is cheerful as you greet him. "It was meant to be a surprise, but I'm baking cookies... or cupcakes. Can't decide."

"For who?" He curiously asks.

"Celebration for after the mission, so everyone, but I guess... you."

His face quickly lights up with surprise, "Oh." Then a grin makes itself present on his lips. He's trying to hide it, but he can't and you spot it.

You chuckle, and a little shame climbs up his cheeks and surely paints them pink. "You're welcome to help, if you're not actually sick. "

"I told you, I'm not," He shakes his head with a laugh, "and I'd like that."

"What do you like?" You move to maneuver the cabinets much more familiar to you, grabbing flour from the top ones and eggs from the fridge and milk and all. "Between cupcakes and cookies, I mean."

In his growing anxiousness, Wingman sneaks out of his bag. His eyes remain on you, watching your every move. He could definitely mess this up if he wasn't careful. "Cupcakes. More toppings that way."

"You're right."

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Wingman hopping and trying to grab the flour off the counter. "Hey, Wingman..." He warns sternly, "no te atrevas." (don't you dare.)

You push the flour out of the little man's reach and play along, "You mess things up, I'll mess you up!"

Gekko follows your lead. He hasn't really baked anything before, except for the cake boxes at the grocery store. He was... out of his field of expertise. Wingman, too, tries to help, and he has half the mind to put him back in the globule pack but you seemed to be enjoying his presence. It could be worse. Wingman was his only buddy that had actual appendages.

Everything you called for, he reached for. Cinnamon? Vanilla extract? Whatever it was, he looked for it, even if he didn't always know where it was; unless Wingman beats him to it.

Sometimes neither of them could find it, though, which meant you had to go for it yourself. The space between the counters was limiting, hardly enough comfortable space for one person. Maneuvering around each other should've been hard, but you had a simple solution.

You take his hips in your warm hold and pull him gently to the side, then walk past him. It only takes a few seconds. Usually he wouldn't allow himself to be so malleable, nor would he let this pass; but you were you. It got him quite confused but also so enamored. Your touch absolutely brought tingles up his side. It was driving him crazy.

"Three trays." You announce as you close the oven. "Good enough, yeah?"

"..yeah." His eyes trace your figure as you stand up proudly, hands on your hips. You were beautiful. Your smile shined brightly, your eyes crinkled with the same joy, and he couldn't keep his eyes away.

"Gekko?"

You were just lovely.

"Mateo?"

At the use of his actual name, Gekko shakes his trance off. "Yeah?" His voice breaks and he fights the urge to shrink in on himself. He clears his throat, "What did you say?"

"They'll be ready in about twenty minutes, so we've got time for a break."

He nods his head slowly, "Okay. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, I–oh no." Your face drops suddenly.

He follows your petrified gaze down, down at himself. "What? Oh." His waist was absolutely covered in flour the shape of your handprints that stood out stark white against his lilac tee.

"I am so sorry, Mateo." You place a hand over your mouth, "I–"

He pulls it down before you can cover your lips with inedible flour, "It's okay. Just like that stain on your pants a few days ago, right?"

You laugh, comforted by how quickly he got to consoling you. "Yeah, alright." But you lift your hand to show him one last thing, his fingers stained in flour from holding yours. "Oopsie."

Gekko bursts out laughing, and you laugh along with him.

Wingman hops up and down–for a little guy he jumps real high–to catch your attention. Much to Gekko's dismay, you give it to him.

"Who's such a good little helper? You are, Wingman, right? You are~"

He doesn't know whether to be jealous or happy.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Mateo, hey!"

He loves the way his names roll off your tongue. It feels sweet, like the cupcakes you'd made together, even if he'd promised to hold off and eat them after the mission. You said so perfectly, too, without even the slight hint of an English accent. He loves the smile you send his way too and how cute you look waving at him for attention; but you hadn't gotten his attention, after all. He wasn't listening, too focused on your face.

"Mateo?" You call again.

He clears his throat, right, yeah, you were saying something, "What's up?"

"Good luck." You nod encouragingly. "Not that you'll need it."

"Well, I still appreciate it." He offers a grin, "Thank you. I'll make sure to come back in one piece," He doesn't know where the sudden courage comes from, but he winks and says, "just for you, of course."

You shake your head with a laugh, "You better."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

It was the most beautiful, no, one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen in his life.

The mission went successfully, so there was some extra time for perusing an actually inhabited and not evacuated part of Norway. He had no idea this would be here, this tulip field. Huge rows of different colored flowers shined under the golden hour of the setting sun. The ship was coming soon and he'd have to leave soon, and normally he wouldn't even want to leave, but now he only wished you were here to see this with him.

He snaps a pic and turns around, but not before a thought occurs to him. There were so many... thousands of them. Surely a single pink tulip wouldn't be missed?

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Dios, te amo... te amo tanto." The cupcakes taste so good! They made him want to kiss you right now, so badly, but he knew he couldn't, even with his mind half-drunk off sweetness. (God, I love you. I love you so much.)

You raise a brow and Gekko is so glad you don't know Spanish because it almost looked like you knew what he said. "What does that mean?"

But he's still petrified, "Don't worry about it..."

"It means the cupcakes are great, sort of." Reyna places a hand on Gekko's shoulder as she settles down next to him, a cupcake in her other hand. It's decorated with dark chocolate, which is certainly fitting. "Cuidate, Mateo."

"Right..." Gekko shakes her off.

"How was the mission?" You ask.

"Oh, it went great," He perks up in his seat, "everyone did so well. Harbor's water powers were cool as always and Skye didn't flash anybody! Wingman even got to plant the spike."

"Mateo did a significantly good job." Reyna states, patting his head in an attempt to ruffle his hair up, "He deserves some praise... but he also made some funny mistakes."

"Really? What'd he do?"

Gekko can only sit there and listen to Reyna make fun of him endearingly while you listened to her every word. He chimes in with his own jokes about the situation as a way to lighten his own shame.

"Nuh-uh, Reyna, you know I–"

"Almost tumbled down the steps?" She smirks, "You could've squashed Mosh into a pit."

He groans and hides his face with his hands. His mistakes were bound to run out soon enough, right? No more of listening to this anymore. Except they aren't over yet when Gekko perks back up.

You wrap a comforting arm around Gekko's shoulders and it causes him to stiffen up. You, on the other hand, seem so nonchalant; but he can tell with the way you glance at him that you're nervous too, maybe over him. It's reassuring.

It also means the jokes come piling in, now that he's comfortable.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The tulip in his hand is red, a deep pigmented red. If he'd have thought about it–or maybe he didn't even know about the language of flowers–he would've googled its meaning. Red tulips are a sign of confession and love, much like roses, but, to him, roses would've been way too romantic. It was just a little crush, after all.

Your friendship was blossoming. He was finally becoming more comfortable around you. What if it went wrong? What if this would mess everything up?

"Mateo?"

It was just a little crush. It could still pass; but Reyna had told him not to let opportunities go to waste, and she always had objective suggestions for him.

He turns to you with a jump, placing the tulip on the hallway table behind him and hiding it with his body. "Hey."

But he didn't have it in him.

"Something wrong?"

"No." He shakes his head, "Everything's fine."

Gekko's buddies had a deep love for you, and, unlike Gekko, they didn't have shame. Wingman pops out of his pack without even alerting him. He made sure to be sneaky and quiet, but Gekko's attention was entirely on you, so he didn't have much to worry about.

Wingman snatches the tulip from the table with a little hop, and the "plop" sound of his feet making contact with the ground again alerts Gekko, but by the time he looks down he's already at your feet.

"Bloop." Wingman holds the flower high.

"Hey, little guy, this for me?" You bring him up with one arm, taking the tulip with the other. "Don't think you got this all on your own. This yours, Mateo?"

"Yeah." He admits.

"Thank you." He watches you attentively, waiting to see a big, drastic reaction. "A red tulip..."

"Listen, I–" He clears his throat, preparing himself only briefly in his mind. "Te quiero, tanto y no tengo ni la primera idea como decirtelo, pero sí puedo decir que tu eres increible y tan, tan bonito. Soy tan estupido que te lo estoy diciendo en español y tu no sabes lo que estoy diciendo y sera muy dificil decirtelo otra vez en ingles. Mierda." The words fall out his mouth like tumbling dominos. (I like you, so much, and I have no idea how to tell you, but I can tell you that you are incredible and so so beautiful. I am so stupid that I'm telling you this in Spanish and you don't know what I'm saying and it'll be so hard to tell you in English. Shit.)

"Increible, ha?" You snicker, shaking your head, "Quiero que sepas que te encuentro muy bonito tambien." (Incredible, huh? I want you to know that I find you very beautiful too.)

What? "Tu sabes español?!" (You know Spanish?!)

"Sí, amor." (Yes, love.)

"Dios santisimo..." Gekko could melt into a puddle right then and there. He covers his face with his hand and breathes out a sigh, but it's one of relief. (God...)

"Ah, y," You begin, placing Wingman down and cupping his cheek, in the process moving his hand away from his beautiful face. "te quiero tambien." (Oh, and, I like you too.)

Maybe he rushes, but he can't hold back with the warmth your hand brings to his face. He kisses you, and even if it was rushing, you kiss him back. It's nothing and everything like he's imagined at the same time and he can't have enough.

Thank you, Wingman.

[targaryenofrph]

Short N Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter Sentence Starters

Some of these will be NSFW. Change the pronouns and tense as needed for your verses.

I leave quite an impression, five feet to be exact

Every time you breathe his air, just know I was already there

You can have him if you like, I've been there, done that once or twice

I know I have good judgment

I know I have good taste

It's funny and it's ironic that only I feel that way

I promise them that you're different and everyone makes mistakes

I heard that you're an actor, so act like a stand-up guy

Whatever devil's inside you, don't let him out tonight

Please, please, please don't prove I'm right

Please, please, please don't bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice

Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another

I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker

Well, I have a fun idea, babe, maybe just stay inside

I know you're craving some fresh air, but the ceiling fan is so nice

We could live so happily if no one knows that you're with me

Don't mistake my nice for naive

You should stay in my good graces

No one's more amazing at turning loving into hatred

I won't give a fuck about you

I know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed

Left me with a lot of shit to second-guess

If that was casual, then I'm an idiot

I'm looking for an answer in-between the lines

You're lying to yourself if you think we're fine

You're confused and I'm upset, but we never talk about it

You found God at your ex's house

Seems like overnight, I'm just the bitch you hate now

We never talk it through how you guilt-tripped me to open up to you

Without her even being here, she's back in your life

Last week, you didn't have any doubts. This week, you're holding space for her tongue in your mouth

Your car drove itself from L.A. to her thighs

Damn it, she looks kinda like the girl you outgrew

Who's the cute boy with the white jacket and the thick accent?

I can't relate to desperation

My 'give a fucks' are on vacation

Too bad your ex don't do it for ya

I'm working late 'cause I'm a singer

He looks so cute wrapped around my finger

You're so dumb and poetic

It's just what I fall for, I like the aesthetic

Every self-help book, you've already read it

Cherry-pick lines like they're words you invented

Just 'cause you talk like one doesn't make you a man

Fuck with my head like it's some kind of fetish

Guess I'll end this life alone

I am not dramatic, these are just the thoughts that pass right through me

This boy doesn't even know the difference between "there", "their", and "they are"

Don't have to tell your hot ass a thing, you just get it

You make me wanna make you fall in love

Wanna try out my fuzzy pink handcuffs?

I know you want my touch for life

If you love me right, then who knows?

One of me is cute, but two, though?

You make me wanna make you fall in love

I showed my friends, then we high-fived

Sorry if you feel objectified

Give me more than just some butterflies

Wanna try out some freaky positions?

Have you ever tried this one?

There's no need to pretend

I've never seen an ugly truth that I can't bend

I'm stupid, but I'm clever

Yeah, I can make a shitshow look a whole lot like forever and ever

We love to read the cold, hard facts and swear they're incorrect

We love to mistake butterflies for cardiac arrest

Don't smile because it happened, cry because it's over

You think it's happy hour, for me it's not

I want you to miss me

Try working on you

I promise you'll be much happier if you do

[riottsrph]

below the cut you will find twenty nine ( 29 ) dialogue /  starters based off BETRAYAL. !! all gathered by riottsrph. please reblog / like if you use. <33

you should've walked away.. when you had the chance.

none of it was real, was it?

you realise, i'm telling them everything right?

and from the day we met, i knew you'd hurt me..

but.. why? tell me why.

i trusted you with every fibre of my being.

I knew it! everyone told me not to trust you.

is this some kind of sick joke?

I can explain.. just give me the chance.

they forced me to do it .. i swear !

how long? tell me.

i'll never be able to trust you again!

this doesn't make sense.. why?

take this opportunity to leave. i won't be as forgiving this time.

i really thought they might've cared about me.. i guess i was wrong.

was it your plan the whole time? to destroy them?

i feel so lost. what am i going to do to?

i have no one now. you ruined that for me.

you're cruel. you never cared. not even once.

you didn't have to do this. ever.

you could've just told me, i'd have helped!

i thought we were friends?

it was too easy.. you're too naive.

sweet little name, you're too sweet for this world.

you lied to me, after everything i've done for you!

what did you get out of this? stabbing me in the back the way you did? was it worth it?

it's about time you confessed.. i knew it all along.

you gave up on us long before you did this.. admit it.

they are my best friend, of course i'm telling them.

tell me .. did you really think you could get away with it?

[musinghotline]

THE BLACK PARADE : Sentence Starters

Sentence starters from the My Chemical Romance album The Black Parade. Change as needed.

THE END.

"Come one, come all, to this tragic affair."

"You might wake up and notice you're someone you're not."

"I'd encourage your smiles, I'll expect you won't cry."

"When I grow up, I want to be nothing at all."

"Save me!"

"Get me the hell out of here!"

"Too young to die, my dear."

"If you can hear me, just walk away."

"You can't save me!"

DEAD!

"Did you get what you deserve?"

"I'll be here waiting, babe."

"Have you heard the news that you're dead?"

"No one ever had much nice to say."

"I think they never liked you anyway."

"Wouldn't it be great if we were dead?"

"Is this the most the both of you can give?"

"If life ain't just a joke, then why are we laughing?"

THIS IS HOW I DISAPPEAR.

"Drain all the blood and give the kids a show."

"There's things that I have done you never should ever know."

"Without you is how I disappear."

"Tell me if it's so- that all the good girls go to heaven."

"Can you hear me cry out to you?"

"I'm just a ghost."

"I can't hurt you anymore."

"You wanna see how far down I can sink?"

THE SHARPEST LIVES.

"If I crash on the couch can I sleep in my clothes?"

"I'm drunk, I suppose."

"If it looks like I'm laughing, I'm really just asking to leave."

"You're the one that I need, I'm the one that you loathe."

"You can watch me corrode like a beast in repose."

"I've really been on a bender and it shows."

"Why don't you blow me a kiss before she goes?"

"Give me a shot to remember!"

"You can take all the pain away from me."

"Your kiss, and I will surrender."

"The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead."

"Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands."

WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE.

"Would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"

"Will you defeat them, your demons? And all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?"

"One day, I'll leave you- a phantom."

"Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me."

"Though you're dead and gone believe me, your memory will carry on."

"We'll carry on."

"Your misery and hate will kill us all."

"Take a look at me, 'cause I could not care at all!"

"Do or die, you'll never make me!"

"The world will never take my heart."

"Go and try, you'll never break me!"

"I won't explain or say I'm sorry."

"I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar."

"I'm just a man, I'm not a hero."

I DON'T LOVE YOU.

"Don't ever think I'll make you try to stay."

"I'll be off to find another way."

"You're still a good-for-nothing."

"Better get out while you can."

"I don't love you like I did yesterday."

"Sometimes I cry so hard from pleading."

"So sick and tired of all the needless beating."

"Baby, when they knock you down and out, it's where you ought to stay."

"Another dollar's just another blow."

"Fix your eyes and get up."

"When you go, would you have the guts to say 'I don't love you like I loved you yesterday'?"

HOUSE OF WOLVES.

"I know a thing about contrition because I've got enough to spare."

"You haven't got a prayer."

"Come on, sing the praise."

"We've got innocence for days."

"Well, I think I'm gonna burn in hell!"

"Tell me I'm an angel."

"Tell me I'm a bad man, kick me like a stray."

"It's a compliment, I swear."

"You better run like the devil, 'cause they're never gonna leave you alone."

"You better hide up in the alley, 'cause they're never gonna find you a home."

"I've been a bad motherfucker."

"Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man."

CANCER.

"Turn away..."

"If you could, get me a drink of water."

"Bury me in all my favorite colors."

"I will not kiss you, 'cause the hardest part of this is leaving you."

"Turn away, 'cause I'm awful just to see."

"Know that I will never marry."

"We're counting down the days to go."

"It just ain't living."

"If you say goodbye today, I'd ask you to be true."

"The hardest part of this is leaving you."

MAMA.

"We all go to hell."

"We're all gonna die."

"Stop asking me questions, I'd hate to see you cry."

"When we go, don't blame us."

"We'll never let you go."

"When you go, don't return to me, my love."

"We're all full of lies."

"We're meant for the flies."

"Right now, they're building a coffin your size."

"You should've raised a baby girl, I should have been a better son!"

"If you could coddle the infection, they can amputate at once."

"You ain't no son of mine."

"For what you've done, they're gonna find a place for you."

"Just you mind your manners when you go."

"It's really quite pleasant, except for the smell."

"If you could call me a sweetheart, I'd maybe then sing you a song."

"There's shit that I've done with this fuck of a gun."

"You would cry out your eyes all along."

"We're damned after all."

"Raise your glass high, for tomorrow, we die!"

SLEEP.

"They're- they're these terrors. And it feels as if somebody was gripping my throat, squeezing."

"Don't you breathe for me."

"I'm undeserving of your sympathy."

"There ain't no way that I'm sorry for what I did."

"How could you cry for me? 'Cause I don't feel bad about it."

"Shut your eyes, kiss me goodbye, and sleep."

"The hardest part is letting go of your dreams."

"A drink, for the horror that I'm in."

"Three cheers for tyranny, unapologetic apathy."

"There ain't no way that I'm coming back again."

"The hardest part's the awful things that I've seen."

"Sometimes, I see flames, and sometimes I see people that I love dying."

"Just sleep."

"I can't ever wake up."

TEENAGERS.

"They're gonna clean up your looks, with all the lies in the books."

"The drugs never work."

"They got methods of keeping you clean."

"They're gonna rip up your heads, your aspirations to shreds."

"Another cog in the murder machine."

"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me!"

"They could care less as long as someone will bleed."

"Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me."

"You're never gonna fit in much, kid."

"We'll make them pay for the things that they did."

DISENCHANTED.

"I hate the ending myself, but it started with an alright scene."

"It was the roar of the crowd that gave me heartache to sing."

"It was a lie when they smiled, and said you won't feel a thing."

"If I'm so wrong, how can you listen all night long?"

"Will it matter after I'm gone?"

"You never learned a goddamn thing."

"You're just a sad song with nothing to say."

"If you think that I'm wrong, this never meant nothing to you."

"I spent my high school career spit on and shoved to agree."

"Bring out the old guillotine, we'll show 'em what we all mean."

"Just go, run away."

"Where did you run to?"

"Go find another way."

FAMOUS LAST WORDS.

"I know that I can't make you stay."

"Where's your heart?"

"There's nothing I can say to change that part."

"Is it hard understanding I'm incomplete?"

"A life that's so demanding, I get so weak."

"I am not afraid to keep on living."

"I am not afraid to walk this world alone."

"Honey, if you stay, I'll be forgiven."

"Nothing you can say can stop me going home."

"I'm so weak."

"There bright lights have always blinded me."

BLOOD.

"I can't control myself because I don't know how."

"They love me for it!"

"Honestly, I'll be here for a while."

"Give them blood, blood, gallons of the stuff."

"Give them all that they can drink, and it will never be enough."

"They can fix me proper with a bit of luck."

"The doctors and the nurses, they adore me so."

"It's really quite alarming, 'cause I'm such an awful fuck!"

"I'm the kind of human wreckage that you love."

[artemivsa]

𝐆𝐔𝐓𝐒 (𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐎) 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒.

sentence starters taken from olivia rodrigo's new album guts (2023). change pronouns as you see fit. 

all-american bitch.

❛ i am light as a feather. ❜

❛ i'm as stiff as a board. ❜

❛ i pay attention to things that most people ignore. ❜

❛ i'm alright with the movies that make jokes 'bout senseless cruelty, that's for sure. ❜

❛ i feel for your every little issue, i know just what you mean. ❜

❛ i make light of the darkness. ❜

❛ i forgive and forget. ❜

❛ i know my age and i act like it. ❜

❛ got what you can't resist. ❜

❛ i got class and integrity just like a goddamn kennedy, i swear. ❜

❛ i'm a perfect all-american bitch. ❜

❛ i know my place and this is it. ❜

❛ i don't get angry when i'm pissed. ❜

❛ i'm an eternal optimist. ❜

❛ i'm grateful all the time. ❜

❛ i'm sexy and i'm kind. ❜

❛ i'm pretty when i cry. ❜

bad idea, right?

❛ haven't heard from you in a couple of months. ❜

❛ i'm out right now and i'm all fucked up. ❜

❛ you're calling my phone and you're all alone, i'm sensing some undertone. ❜

❛ i know we're done, i know we're through, but god, when i look at you. ❜

❛ i cannot hear my thoughts. ❜

❛ seeing you tonight, it's a bad idea, right? ❜

❛ fuck it, it's fine. ❜

❛ yes i know that he's my ex, but can't two people reconnect? ❜

❛ i only see him as a friend. ❜

❛ the biggest lie i ever said. ❜

❛ i just tripped and fell into his bed. ❜

❛ i know i should stop, but i can't. ❜

❛ i told my friends i was sleep but i never said where or in whose sheets. ❜

❛ i'm sure i've seen much hotter men, but i really can't remember when. ❜

vampire.

❛ hate to give the satisfaction asking how you're doing now. ❜

❛ how's the castle built on people you pretend to care about? ❜

❛ just what you wanted. look at you, cool guy, you got it. ❜

❛ i loved you truly, you gotta laugh at the stupidity. ❜

❛ i've made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine. ❜

❛ i should've known it was strange you only come out at night. ❜

❛ i used to think i was smart but you made me look so naive. ❜

❛ every girl i ever talked to told me you were bad, bad news. ❜

❛ you're so convincing, how do you lie without flinching? ❜

❛ you said it was true love, but wouldn't that be hard? you can't love anyone 'cause that would mean you had a heart. ❜

❛ i tried to help you out, now i know that i can't, 'cause how you think's the kind of thing i'll never understand. ❜

lacy.

❛ aren't you the sweetest thing on this side of hell? ❜

❛ did i ever tell you that i'm not doing well? ❜

❛ i linger all the time, watching, hidden in plain sight. ❜

❛ i see you everywhere, the sweetest torture one could bear. ❜

❛ i'm losing it lately. ❜

❛ i feel your compliments like bullets on skin. ❜

❛ well, aren't you the greatest thing to ever exist? ❜

❛ my stomach's all in knots. ❜

❛ you got the one thing that i want. ❜

❛ it's like you're made of angel dust. ❜

❛ you poison every little thing that i do. ❜

❛ i despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you. ❜

❛ i despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you. ❜

ballad of a homeschooled girl.

❛ cat got my tongue. ❜

❛ i don't think i get along with anyone. ❜

❛ i'm on the outside of the greatest inside joke. ❜

❛ i guess i should go, the party's done and i'm no fun, i know. ❜

❛ i told secrets i shouldn't tell. ❜

❛ i stumbled all over my words, i made it weird, i made it worse. ❜

❛ each time i step outside, it's social suicide. ❜

❛ it's social suicide. ❜

❛ searching 'how to start a conversation?' on a website. ❜

❛ i talked to this hot guy, swore i was his type. ❜

❛ everything i do is tragic. ❜

❛ oh god, what did i say? ❜

❛ don't let me out at night. ❜

making the bed.

❛ want it, so i got. did it, so it's done. ❜

❛ another conversation with nothing good to say. ❜

❛ i thought it, so i said it. ❜

❛ another day pretending i'm older than i am. ❜

❛ sometimes i feel like i don't wanna be where i am. ❜

❛ push away all the people who know me the best. ❜

❛ it's me who's been making the bed. ❜

❛ every good thing has turned into something i dread. ❜

❛ i'm playing the victim so well in my head. ❜

❛ they tell me that they love me like i'm some tourist attraction. ❜

❛ i got the things i wanted, it's just not what i imagined. ❜

logical.

❛ god, you're so good at what you do. ❜

❛ i'd put myself through hell for you. ❜

❛ hear all the rumors lately, that you always denied. ❜

❛ you convinced me, baby, it was all in my mind. ❜

❛ now you got me thinking two plus two equals five, and i'm the love of your life. ❜

❛ love is never logical. ❜

❛ you built a giant castle with walls so high i couldn't see. ❜

❛ i'm sure that girl is really your friend. ❜

❛ said i was too young, i was too soft. ❜

❛ i know i'm half responsible and that makes me feel horrible. ❜

❛ i could've stopped it all. god, why didn't i stop it all? ❜

get him back!

❛ i met a guy in the summer and i left him in the spring. ❜

❛ he said he's 6'2 and i'm like, dude, nice try. ❜

❛ i miss him some nights. ❜

❛ do i love him? do i hate him? i guess it's up and down. ❜

❛ i wanna get him back, i wanna make him real jealous, wanna make him feel bad. ❜

❛ i really miss him and it makes me real sad. ❜

❛ i want sweet revenge and i want him again. ❜

❛ i miss the way he kisses and the way he made me laugh. ❜

❛ i wanna kiss his face with an uppercut. ❜

❛ i wanna meet his mom just to tell her her son sucks. ❜

❛ i'm gonna get him so good, he's not even gonna know what hit him. ❜

love is embarrassing.

❛ i told my friends you were the one after i'd known you, like, a month. ❜

❛ god, love's fucking embarrassing. ❜

❛ i consoled you while you cried over you ex-girlfriend's new guy. ❜

❛ my god, how could i be so stupid? ❜

❛ i give up everything. ❜

❛ i placed my bets and it's not worth anything. ❜

❛ i'm planning out my wedding with some guy i'm never marrying. ❜

the grudge.

❛ one phone call from you and my entire world was changed. ❜

❛ took everything i loved and crushed it in between your fingers. ❜

❛ i doubt you ever think about the damage that you did, but i hold on to every detail like my life depends on it. ❜

❛ my undying love, now, i hold it like a grudge. ❜

❛ i hear your voice every time i think i'm not enough. ❜

❛ i try to be tough, but i wanna scream. ❜

❛ how could anyone do the things you did so easily? ❜

❛ it takes strength to forgive, but i don't feel strong. ❜

❛ i try to understand why you would do this all to me. ❜

❛ do you think i deserved it all? ❜

❛ you built me up to watch me fall. ❜

❛ you have everything and you still want more. ❜

[gatorprompts]

THE RISE AND FALL OF A MIDWEST PRINCESS SENTENCE STARTERS.

from the album by chappell roan. swearing & nsfw content present. please amend wording to your needs !

FEMINONOMENON.

same old story time again

got so close but then you lost it

should've listened to your friends

i'm so sick of online love

um , can you play a song with a fucking beat ?

make a bitch go on and on

you're lying to your friends about how he's such a goddamned good lover

got what you wanted so stop feeling sorry

you know what i mean

you know what you need

what we really need is a femininomenon

RED WINE SUPERNOVA.

she showed me things i didn't know

she did it right there out on the deck

put her canine teeth in the side of my neck

i just want you to make a move

i just wanna get to know ya

guess i didn't quite think it through

fell in love with the thought of you

baby , why don't you come over ?

i like what you like

long hair , it's my type

AFTER MIDNIGHT.

nothing good happens when it's late and you're dancing alone

it's not attractive , wearing that dress and red lipstick

this is what i wanted

this is what i like

i've been a good , good girl for a long time

but baby , i like flirting

can't be a good , good girl even if i tried

i kinda wanna kiss your girlfriend if you don't mind

i love a little drama

let's start a bar fight

everything good happens after midnight

i kinda wanna kiss your boyfriend if you don't mind

let's watch the sunrise

i really want your hands on my body

COFFEE.

can't meet you for dinner at the italian place

i'd suggest the jazz bar on maryann street , but you'd buy me a drink and we know where that leads

i'll meet you for coffee 'cause if we have wine , you'll say that you want me and i know that's a lie

if i didn't love you , it would be fine

meet you for coffee , only for coffee

nowhere else is safe

every place leads back to your place

here come the excuses that fuel the illusions

i'd rather feel something than nothing at all

i'll meet you for coffee 'cause if we have wine , you'll say that you're sorry and i know that's a lie

if i didn't trust you , it would be fine

we've done this before and i don't need it anymore

let's not even try

it's better we leave it

it's never just coffee

CASUAL.

my friends call me a loser 'cause i'm still hanging around

i've heard so many rumours that i'm just a girl that you bang on your couch

i thought you thought of me better

now when we kiss i have anger issues

baby , no attachment

is it casual now ?

i know what you tell your friends

dumb love , i love being stupid

it's hard being casual

i try to be the chill girl that holds her tongue and gives you space

i try to be the chill girl , but honestly i'm not

i hate that i let this drag on so long , now i hate myself

you can go to hell

SUPER GRAPHIC ULTRA MODERN GIRL.

never waste a friday night on a first date

this man wouldn't dance. he didn't ask a single question

he was wearing these fugly jeans

he doesn't have what it takes to be with a girl like me

not overdramatic. i know what i want

we're leaving the planet and you can't come

i need a super graphic ultra modern girl like me

well look at her moving baby , she's the one

at every party we're the party

get up off your feet

get up on that bar

you're a star

HOT TO GO!

i could be the one or your new addiction

it's all in my head but i want non fiction

i don't want the world , but i'll take this city

who can blame a girl ?

call me hot , not pretty

baby , do you like this beat ?

i made it so you'd dance with me

it's like a hundred ninety-nine degrees when you're doing it with me

dance it out , you're hot to go

you can take me hot to go

i woke up alone staring at my ceiling

i try not to care , but it hurts my feelings

you don't have to stare

no one's touched me there in a damn hot minute

what's it take to get your number ?

what's it take to bring you home ?

MY KINK IS KARMA.

we broke up on a tuesday

ruined my credit , stole my cute aesthetic

who knew that we'd let it get this bad when it ended

it's comical , bridges you burn

karma's real , hope it's your turn

i heard from katie you're losing it lately

it's hot when you have a meltdown

it's howt when you're drinking downtown and you're getting called out 'cause you're runing your mouth

it's coming around

people say i'm jealous , but my kink is watching you ruin your life

people say i'm jealous , but my kink is karma

wishing you the best in the worst way

using your distress as foreplay

no need to be hateful in your fake guicci sweater

it's hot when you're going through hell and you're hating yourself

PICTURE YOU.

it's ritualistic , counting lipstick stains where you should be

oh , i need you around

do you picture me like i picture you ?

am i in the frame from your point of view ?

do you feel the same ?

i'm too scared to say half of the things i do when i picture you

am i doing research in a mini-skirt ?

KALEIDOSCOPE.

here we go again

everything is fine

i guess we could pretend we didn't cross a line

ever since that day , everything has changed

if you really wanna leave , i'll never make you stay

love is a kaleidoscope , how it works i'll never know

even upside down , it's beautiful somehow

if you ever find someone who could write a better song for you , well i'd like to see them try

there's no one else who could

the only one is you

it'll just take time to go back to being friends

PINK PONY CLUB.

i know you wanted me to stay

i can't ignore these crazy visions of me in la

i heard that there's a special place

i'm having wicked dreams

oh , santa monica. i swear it's calling me

won't make my mama proud

it's gonna cause a scene

i know she's gonna scream

what have you done ?

you're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club

i'm just having fun

it's where i belong

i'm up and jaws are on the floor

every night's another reason why i left it all

don't think i've left you all behind

i'm gonna keep on dancing

NAKED IN MANHATTAN.

i know you're probably busy , but i would love to see you

the rush of slumber party kissing

don't touch , i'll never cross the line

i pushed you down a million times

i'd love if you knew you were on my mind

boys suck and girls i've never tried

we both know we're getting drunk tonight

touch me baby , put your lips on mine

could go to hell , but we'll probably be fine

i know you want it

baby , you can have it

when i sing that lana song , it makes you cry

we both have a crush on regina george

if i don't try , then it's my loss

an inch away from more than just friends

CALIFORNIA.

i was never told that i wasn't gonna get the things i want the most

people always say if it hasn't happened yet , then maybe you should go

i'd make you proud

i let you down

too hard to find reasons to stay

come get me out

GUILTY PLEASURE.

learned it on the internet

think back to what you said

i turn red , i'm turning red

sometimes i scare myself

i can't help what i can't help

some good girls do bad things too

i want this like a cigarette

can we drag it out and never quit ?

oh my god , you are heaven sent

you give me guilty , guilty pleasure

[perspectivestarters]

Perspective's Sentence Starters; The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan (Part II)

MY KINK IS KARMA

We broke up on a Tuesday.

Who knew that we'd let it get this bad when it ended.

Karma's real.

Hope it's your turn.

I heard from *Name*, you're losing it lately.

It's hot when you have a meltdown.

It's hot when you're drinking downtown.

You're getting called out 'cause you're running your mouth.

It's coming around.

People say I'm jealous but my kink is watching you ruining your life.

People say I'm jealous but my kink is karma.

Wishing you the best, in the worst way.

Using your distress as foreplay.

Six months since April and I'm doing better.

No need to be hateful in your fake Gucci sweater.

It's hot when you're going through hell.

I'm feeling myself.

It's hot when you know that you're caught and you're getting pissed off.

It's getting me off.

PICTURE YOU

Draw the blinds.

Slip off my pretty dress down my chest.

It's ritualistic.

Counting lipstick stains where you should be.

I need you around.

I'm getting close now.

Do you picture me like I picture you?

Am I in the frame from your point of view?

Do you feel the same?

I'm too scared to say half of the things I do when I picture you.

So, tell me now all your perversions.

KALEIDOSCOPE

Here we go again.

Everything is fine.

I guess we could pretend we didn't cross a line.

Ever since that day, everything has changed.

The way I write your name

If you really wanna leave, I'll never make you stay.

Whatever you decide, I will understand.

It will all be fine.

Love is a kaleidoscope.

How it works, I'll never know.

It's somehow all the same

It's beautiful somehow.

It's never just a shape alone.

Well, I'd love to see them try.

There's no one else who could.

The only one is you.

If you change your mind, I will understand.

It'll just take time to go back to being friends.

Don't be afraid to hold it close.

PINK PONY CLUB

I know you wanted me to stay.

I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in *Place*.

I heard that there's a special place where boys and girls can all be queens every single day.

I'm having wicked dreams of leaving.

I swear it's calling me.

Won't make my mama proud.

It's gonna cause a scene.

I know she's gonna scream.

God, what have you done?

I'm just having fun.

It's where I belong.

I'm gonna keep on dancing.

Every night's another reason why I left it all.

I thank my wicked dreams.

You've been too good to me.

Don't think I've left you all behind.

You're always on my mind.

I can hear your southern drawl a thousand miles away.

NAKED IN MANHATTAN

I know you just landed.

I know you're probably busy but I would love to see you.

Call me when you can.

I'll never cross the line.

I pushed you down a million times.

I'd love if you knew you were on my mind.

Boys suck and girls I've never tried.

We both know we're getting drunk tonight.

Touch me, baby.

Put your lips on mine

Could go to hell but we'll probably be fine.

I know you want it.

You can have it.

I've never done it.

Let's make it cinematic

I wanna know, baby, what is it like?

An inch away from more than just friends.

If I don't try, then it's my loss.

Won't you fucking touch me?

I just want to touch you.

I want all of your love.

CALIFORNIA

I stretched myself across four states.

I trade amber clay roads for the sea foam and the endless sun rays.

I was never told that I wasn't gonna get the things I want the most.

If it hasn't happened yet, then maybe you should go.

Come get me out.

Thought I'd be cool in here.

I'd make you proud

To think I almost had it going, but I let you down.

Too hard to find reasons to stay.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Learned it on the internet.

Wild thoughts that make me melt.

Sometimes I scare myself.

I can't help what I can't help.

So shame on me, and shame on you.

I fantasize what we would do.

How would it taste?

Some good girls do bad things too.

I want this like a cigarette.

Can we drag it out and never quit?

Oh my god, you are heaven sent.

You give me guilty plеasure.

You're a pothead.

You're a cinephile.

It's been awhile since you turned up the dial.

[calliesmemes]

SUFFS: THE MUSICAL

ASSORTED SENTENCE STARTERS pulled from the Tony award winning production SUFFS, a new Broadway musical about the decades-long Suffrage movement and the fight to secure women’s’ rights to vote amidst the turbulence of the First World War.

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

CONTENT WARNINGS include misogyny and swearing.

ACT ONE

❛ Welcome, gentlemen! ❜

❛ God bless the land of freedom we hold dear. ❜

❛ We'll tidy up our politics until they are pristine. ❜

❛ Don't we deserve a little prize? ❜

❛ Don't worry, it's all right. ❜

❛ Just hold your fury in. ❜

❛ That’s the only way we can win. ❜

❛ Don't get so defensive; don't be so aggressive. ❜

❛ I don't wanna be a meek little one in games they play. ❜

❛ I wanna march in the streets. ❜

❛ Should I try to take the lead alone? ❜

❛ My ideas just dwindle and die. ❜

❛ Will I truly be able to change the world? ❜

❛ I’ll be there on the day when we finally finish the fight. ❜

❛ What's the emergency? ❜

❛ How will we do it when it's never been done? ❜

❛ How will we find the way where there isn't one? ❜

❛ That was a great speech. ❜

❛ When we take on a tyrant, we burn him down. ❜

❛ That’s not leadership; it’s cowardice. ❜

❛ I'm so sick of rhetoric with no action to back it. ❜

❛ When we show up, we show up for all of us. ❜

❛ I’ve never felt so alive before. ❜

❛ I feel a part of something bigger than me. ❜

❛ I feel my word about to change. ❜

❛ I'm a great American bitch. ❜

❛ I'd rather be right than rich. ❜

❛ I seduce whoever I please. ❜

❛ Come on, we'll do it together, get up.. ❜

❛ I must honor the promises of my campaign. ❜

❛ Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. ❜

❛ We'll be glad to educate you. ❜

❛ Will I feel like a failure no matter what choice I make? ❜

❛ If I don't give my all to my calling, I'll never be able to forgive myself. ❜

❛ If we were married, I promise to cherish you just as a gentleman should. ❜

❛ You've got to admire the ease with which men can squeeze us into such a rigid role. Daughters are taught to aspire to a system expressly designed to keep them under control. ❜

❛ Don't let her get to your head, focus on your speech instead. ❜

❛ What was I thinking enabling her? ❜

❛ What if she ruins what I’ve been mounting for years? ❜

❛ You just publicly implied I'm a disloyal disgrace. ❜

❛ If you have something to say, say it to my face. ❜

❛ Why are you fighting me? I am not the enemy. ❜

❛ I want us to meet someone. ❜

❛ You really put the rage in suffrage. ❜

❛ I’ve got a surprise; close your eyes. ❜

❛ It feels like we’re right back at the start. ❜

❛ Too bad for them, they're up against a queen with a spine of steel. ❜

❛ You are the bravest person I've ever met. ❜

❛ Don't you wanna face the villain down and demolish him? ❜

❛ They ought to be frightened of you and me. ❜

❛ Dammit! Why are you the only person I can never turn down? ❜

❛ We'll hold a rally first thing. ❜

❛ Don't you think we've waited long enough? ❜

❛ I need to plan a memorial fit for a queen. ❜

❛ I used to wish I could be in her shoes. ❜

ACT TWO

❛ We rose up in defiance, yes we chose to risk it all. ❜

❛ The old way always dies. ❜

❛ I may not be a great man, but I am a man who upholds his vows. ❜

❛ You will sit down, shut up, and eat your food. ❜

❛ Hold it together; see it through. ❜

❛ Don't let despair get the best of you. ❜

❛ What a coward you’ve become. ❜

❛ Fight your own war. ❜

❛ You promised me we would burn him down. ❜

❛ What have they done to you?! ❜

❛ Decades of defiance take their toll. ❜

❛ God, I wish I had her courage. ❜

❛ All rumors in the press are entirely false. ❜

❛ You're deep in pain, you feel insane, and no one can talk you off the ledge. But that's exactly how those crooked kings want you to feel. ❜

❛ I know I’m intense — It's just how I cope in a world that's gone crazy. ❜

❛ All I've ever wanted is to change things for the better. ❜

❛ Is it so insane to want my own choice? ❜

❛ it's time we burn him down. ❜

❛ Thank you for finally sharing a cup of tea with me. ❜

❛ Who cares who gets the credit or the blame? What matters is the work gets done. ❜

❛ I know you think I'm this arrogant kid, but I've just always known it's my calling to see this movement through. ❜

❛ I feel like a parent made to reprimand my child. ❜

❛ I'm so tired of fighting. ❜

❛ God, how I wish we could really be wed. ❜

❛ I'm proud of you. ❜

❛ Even when you drove me to my wits end, the best thing I've ever been is your friend. ❜

❛ I won’t live to see the future that I fight for. ❜

❛ Progress is possible, not guaranteed. ❜

❛ You’ll rarely agree with whoever’s in charge. ❜

❛ The future demands that we fight for it now. ❜

[midnightblvc]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐏𝐓. 3.

sentence starters taken from chappell roan's album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). change pronouns as you see fit. 

you know what they say "never waste a friday night on a first date"

this man wouldn't dance, he didn't ask single question and he was wearing these fugly jeans ew

it doesn't matter though

he doesn't have what it takes to be with a girl like me

I know what i want

I'm through with all these hyper mega bummer boys like you

we're hot

we're drunk

look at her moving

at every party we're the party

get up off your feet

you're a star

I could be the one or your new addiction

who can blame a girl?

call me hot, not pretty

snap and clap and touch your toes

you can take me hot to go

I woke up alone staring at my ceiling

I try not to care but it hurts my feelings

you don't have to stare

it's like a hundred ninety-nine degrees

what's it take to get your number?

what's it take to bring you home?

hurry up, it's time for supper

hurry up, it's getting cold

whew, it's hot in here

you coming home with me?

I'll call the cab

my friends call me a loser

I've heard so many rumors

I thought you thought of me better

you said "we are not together"

is it casual now?

two weeks and your mom invites me to her house

I know what you tell your friends

i love being stupid

maybe we'd have an apartment and you show me off to your friends

it's hard being casual

it's hard being casual when i'm on the phone talking down your sister

I try to be the chill girl but honestly I'm not

you wonder why I'm bitter

I hate to tell the truth but I'm sorry dude you didn't

I hate that I let this drag on so long, now I hate myself

you can go to hell

I know you wanted me to stay

I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in [insert place]

I'm having wicked dreams of leaving

I swear it's calling me

I know she's gonna scream

God, what have you done?

I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels

I'm gonna keep dancing

lovers in the bathroom and a line outside the door

you've been too good to me

it won't make my mama proud

it's gonna cause a scene

don't think I've left you all behind

still love you

you're always on my mind

I was never told that I wasn't gonna get the things I want the most

if it hasn't happened yet then maybe you should go

I'd make you proud

to think I almost had it going but I let you down

too hard to find reasons to stay

[astrronomemes]

ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS: STARTERS

a collection of quotes, phrases, and sayings from the 2019 Ocean Vuong novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. change & alter as needed.

"Grab your coat. I'll get you McDonald's."

"You have to get bigger and stronger, okay?"

"The human eye is God's loneliest creation. How so much of the world passes through the pupil, and still, it holds nothing."

"A survivor is the last one to come home."

"To be a monster is to be a hybrid signal, a lighthouse: both shelter and warning at once."

"You're a monster. But so am I — which is why I can't turn away from you."

"They say that trauma affects not only the brain, but the body, too — its musculature, joints, and posture."

"Stop crying! You're always crying!"

"Whether we want to or not, we are traveling in a spiral. We are creating something new from what is gone."

"Theories are for people with too much time and not enough determination."

"I don't know if you're happy, [name]. I never asked."

"It is a beautiful country, depending on where you look."

"It is a beautiful country, because you are still breathing."

"It is a beautiful country, because you are still in it."

"There are no animals here but us."

"Everything good is somewhere else, baby, I'm telling you. Everything."

"The most useful thing one can do with empty hands is hold on."

"I'm not scared of dying anymore."

"I fucking hate my dad."

"This is my superpower — to make a dark even darker than what's around me."

"What do you call the animal that, finding the hunter, offers itself to be eaten?"

"Sometimes, being offered tenderness feels like the very proof that you've been ruined."

"Do you remember the happiest day of your life? What about the saddest?"

"Do you think we'll still hang out when we're a hundred?"

"I don't like girls."

"I can leave, [name]. If you don't want me, I can go. I won't be a problem, and nobody has to know."

"For the first time in a long time, I'm trying to believe in heaven. In a place we can be together after all this blows over."

"They say every snowflake is different. But the blizzard, it covers us all the same."

"I don't celebrate my birthday anymore."

"They say nothing lasts forever, but they're just scared it will last longer than they can love it."

"I think I just deep-throated an invisible cock."

"I miss you more than I remember you."

"Too much joy, I swear, is lost in our desperation to keep it."

"If there's a heaven, I think it looks like this."

"Maybe in the next life, we'll meet each other for the first time — believing in everything but the harm we're capable of."

"Don't cry on me again. Don't you cry on me now."

"What have we become to each other if not what we've done to each other?"

"What are we if not what the light says we are?"

"All this time, I told myself we were born from war. But I was wrong, [name]. We were born from beauty."

"They say if you want something bad enough, you'll end up making a god out of it."

"I know you believe in reincarnation. I don't know if I do, but I hope it's real. Because then maybe you'll come back here next time around."