#NOT DEAD FRIED SHRIMP PLEASE

[sheshkastudios]

Can you guys do me a favour and tag me in posts containing images of shrimp or referencing shrimp. Mainly shitpost or art. Thanks

[guillotinna]

I keep seeing these Gen z is task force 141 and I wanna join

Anytime you use a computer, you do that stupid movie hacker trope of exaggerated typing and say "I'm in"

Saying "POV" in front of sentences

In the group chat saying "1 like and I'll kms", liking your own message and then saying "damn guess I gotta"

I see a lot of these posts were Gaz and Soap would understand y/n....bffr, no those geezers would not

No one knows what the gen z kid is saying they just know it's probably not good

"You're telling me a shrimp fried this rice?"

You have a small photo you keep tucked in your chest pocket and after enough times seeing you looking lovingly at it, one of the guys asks who it is. Is it a s/o from back home? 😏😏

You say no and pull out a photo card of your fave singer and they're like ??? Really

One time during a particularly physical scuffle with the enemy, you get thrown to the ground and huff out "one hop this time" only to promptly tackle tf outta your assailant while saying "take it back now yall"

Reads everyone's zodiac charts except ghost bc he won't tell his birthday let alone the time he was born so you just make one up

Price calls a 6 am meeting to which you say "double it and give to the next person"

*Alexa, play teenagers by MCR*

If you had time describe the base, you'd say it smells like ball sweat, blood and war crimes which everyone took offense to for different reasons

Would absolutely get soaps doodles tattooed

Actually speaking of which, imagine getting caught giving yourself stick and pokes with a pen and being banned from using pens period

You'd be in a meeting with a #2 pencil

Ofc a gen z member would be absolutely feral which very little regard for their own safety much to the dismay of the others

Quoting "Oh these aren't homemade, they were made in a factory....a bomb factory......they're bombs." All the time around soap even though he has no idea what you're talking about

You don't spent too much alone time with ghost bc he likes quiet and you can't be alone with your thoughts which is why you lean more towards spending time with soap or gaz

I just like puns so I'm gonna add this but gen z love borgs (a customized gallon jug of alcohol that is usually given a name) and yours is appropriately named taskforce 1-borg-1

this is mainly for my americans but i know pretty much the whole world got beef with engl*nd: before you met Soap, you thought the entire 141 was en*lish so when you finally did meet him, you said "oh thank god" with a sigh

americans 🤝 scotts

making fun of english "people"

"Pull up in the monster, automobile gangsta With a bad bitch that came fr-" "....sergeant, comms off please"

you show Ghost WAP and he has to take a walk

*price yelling at gaz and soap*: KYLE GARRICK AND JOHN MACTAVISH GET IN HERE- Y/n: oop not the government name

Another for my US baddies: if your'e ever arguing with any of the guys, the nail in the coffin would be "and it's called soccer"

"one more like and i'll-" "enough!"

you call Price "ms. girl" and he could not be more confused

someone asks "do you serve?" and u reply "yah, serve cunt"

when asked why you decided to join the military you said something like: "well i didnt think i'd live past 18 so when I did, i ended up here".....crickets from the rest of the team

"good thing we only have showers on base because i would have already taken a toaster bath by now"

ask Gaz "no bitches?🤨" one more time see what happens

price: the enemies have taken civvies hostage and blocked off all exits and entrances to the town-" y/n: "omg tea"

Also calling price "capt. Save-a-hoe"....I wanna be saaaavvveddd ;)

If you took a shot every time you said "rest in peace to all the soldiers that died in the service, I dive in her cervix", you'd be dead lmao

When asked if they like the military they'd say "it was either this or the psych ward so yah, I'll take it"

Quoting MPGIS constantly and no one even sort of knows what that is ("Crack. Is that what you smoke? You smoke crack?")

Some detainee being interrogated is spilling some nonsense, so you hit them with "oh brother this guy stinks!" And then with the butt of your gun

"Little bad trini bitch but she mixed with China, real thick vagina, smuggle bricks to-" "SARGENT ENOUGH"

Falling asleep on team mates (minus ghost's) shoulders mostly because the most peace they get is when you're unconscious

*when y/n hears any slightly suggestive/dirty phrase*: what are we talking about 😏 (iykyk)

Same energy as: " born next to a nuclear power plant, has an IQ of 2 and was hit in the head with several Rocks as a child"

Vine quotes out the wazoo, it's just awful for the rest of the team lmao

Replying to everything with "on god?"

soap: "what are you 6?" y/n: "yah 6 inches deep in your mom".....you did not walk away from that unscathed to say the least...worth it tho

[pixeldistractions]

What are you going to do in Nevada? Not stay there, Maria would soon find out, because Jordan mentioned the wild horses in Arizona and Johanna lost her little mind over the idea. So now they were in Arizona, scouting the canyons for wild horses. Among this and many other things she never would have guessed her life could include, there was the sound of yodeling on the canyon walls. Back and forth, a booming manly echo answered by sprightly little girl song, growing closer and mixed with laughter. He taught her to yodel. Maria never would have guessed that he knew how to yodel, but so he did, and now they both did.

Long after their sound gave them away, Maria saw them emerge around the bend of the trail, carrying back their sacks full of treasure. Would it be rocks, pine cones, sticks shaped like swords?

“Did you see any horses?”

“No, we found bugs! We’re gonna eat them!” Johanna’s face was bright with the idea.

“Oh, God, no! You can’t eat a bug!”

“Jordan said we can!”

She gaped at him in horror. He shrugged with a sheepish grin. “How’s it different from eating any other animal?”

Maria was prepared for there to be bugs on this wild adventure, but she never imagined they were going to eat them!

They were serious. He was already laying out supplies on the picnic table, spices, sauces, and a bowl to gather their bounty of bugs. They weren’t all dead yet. Maria could see one still moving. The two of them moved around the table with a curious hunger in their eyes. This was an experiment, an experience, and Maria stood out of their way. Jordan lit the campfire and Johanna gathered some sticks.

“I can’t even believe this is happening,” Maria muttered. To herself, because they weren’t listening.

They were pulling the legs off the grasshoppers and popping them onto long sticks. Jordan drizzled each bug with a drop of olive oil and sprinkled them with salt. Then he held the skewer of bugs over the campfire to roast, turning slowly, evenly.

When they were done, he pulled one off and popped it in his mouth. “Mmm, tastes like fried shrimp.”

Maria’s eyes went wide.

Johanna giggled and bounced. “My turn!”

“Ask your mom,” he told her, noticing Maria’s displeasure.

“Mama, can I? Please? Please?”

“You cooked liver at work,” he said. “You cooked scallops and shrimp. You had to peel the shells and legs off.”

Maria winced. “Well, I made Drake do that.”

“These aren’t much different from shrimp.”

“But I didn’t eat them!”

They both stared at her like she was the most alien thing in the world. It was two against one and Maria was the oddball out, and that happened more often than not with these two. How could she deny them this worldly experience? “Go on, but I can’t watch.”

Johanna sniffed the bug, nibbled on the end of it—was that its head or its butt?—then chomped down on the whole thing. “Yum! Tastes like shrimp! But we need ketchup.”

“Coming right up.” Jordan dashed over to their seasonings on the picnic table and came back with a bottle of ketchup. He put a dollop on another grasshopper for her.

“Yum! Mama try it!”

“Nope, Sorry. No way. Not now, not ever!”

After they laughed for a long moment, Jordan asked, “Chicken? The bird kind?”

“You don’t have to,” Maria said.

But that was no use. He was already up, handing the skewer of cooked bugs to Johanna to nibble on. He made another skewer of cubed chicken, drizzled it with olive oil and salt, no bugs in sight, and returned to the fire. He turned this skewer with just as much care as he had done with the bugs, slowly and evenly, until it glistened oily and golden.

“Chicken for the lady,” he said. He handed her a paper plate, showcasing a perfect skewer of chicken and a tidy dollop of ketchup. A playful bow and a smile that said, Forgive me?

What could he ever do to need forgiveness for? If there was anything, this wasn’t it.

— from “boxes and squares #5.1: live the fairytale” (1/10)

footnotes: remember Maria really really hates bugs!

Next -> // index

[lipglossandsacrifice]

( !! THIS IS NOT A CALLOUT. !!)

(you don't have to heed our advice. we simply wish for you to listen.)

(probably the last post from this blog.) (hi! i'm blog mod @thegardengrows-infrozenrain - this was a joint project alongside @living-dead-rockstar's mod, Shell, who otherwise went by @shelldoodlesstuff or @shrimps-fried-rice - formerly @ask-causes-and-curses. i suppose they don't want me to do that animatic anymore, since they've rethemed what was once the main AU blog.) (we'd made these blogs on a whim, they were to run the lilac blog and i was to run the tab blog.) (unfortunately, immediately after some drama where they'd decided they no longer wished to be my friend, they've stolen tab as a kin thing. which sucks, as i, the humblr blog mod, actually have a tab fictive, which we developed shortly after starting this project.) (so if you see any other tab blogs around, specifically blogs run by them, please block them.) (do not give them any interaction on any of their blogs, incredibox related or otherwise - they're doing this to spite a system who's currently in crisis.)

[honeybeewhereartthee]

Pink KKOMAS 145

Spoiler for my stories

"YOU CRAZY LUNATIC DONT HIT THAT DETOUR--"

"SHUT UP IM THE DRIVER!!'

"I guess we die today."

...

KKOMAS

"please give kissy to blood, little blob." hallow plead to the rabbit who give him a look and give a look to the ugly pinky through have ragged type of clothing style than the other annoying pinky who prefer questionable one. He seems to be smart bunny as he look at the fried shrimp that Hallow offers to feed everyone ( totally not taken from the estate kitchen) and give it to blood with all his little paws might smack it to his face.

[ Task Complete: C. A very, very thick and fluffy cute Bunny giving you kisses.]

(( kisu/ Kiss fish: Fried shrimp. Task is fluffy bunny giving flying kiss / flying Kisu ))

"pff..." NN held his laugh.

"was... That a pun..." Hallow eyes sparkle but before he can ask more you give kisses to blob who is so smart. Taking him away from Hallow. "My baby is so smart! So smart! And so cute!" You cooed while blod give you side eyes but show sign he likes the affection, he just refuse to admit it.

"how charming." Blood rolled his eyes as he take the shrimp, he look at it for a moment. "..." The little spider went to chopstick the shrimp away, at least tried to as blood eats it. "!!!?" He seems to be mortified about it as blood seems to be nonchalant as he eats it. "It's a waste to not eat a gift." He give a smile.

"if you throw out it be more of a waste isn't it?" The angel rolled his eyes as he give a side comment which made blood to look at him. "My, are you worried about me, dear other me?" Blood tease him.

"what's wrong with shrimps? Do you not like it?" Hallow takes out his tablet and approaches blood. "How about steaks? Do you prefer that? How about beef? Maybe some crocodile??? Snakes??? Or chicken... Maybe you prefer human meat... But sadly Ghost don't cook those... Unless your Z." He seems to be checking chart as he made a list of not a favor meat or dish Blood might dislike, since he think he can thank blood by serving him food ( made by Ghost, and sadly not him. He will learn the art of cooking from his fellow dead man in the estate one day!)

He give the tablet to blood to cross out what he want and dislike.

"oh, you little curious one. You aren't scared of me, no more? To be so shameless." Blood chuckle as he answers the checkless before handling it back to Hallow who stare at it. He need Adamite to read it for him later since he can't see it.

It was blood crossing out all the meat option and putting a cute doodle of him being candy and sweeterian (only eat sweet and desserts) but he probably would known it as blood left the group to get baby blue to the bathroom, he follow in worry from a far he was curious what's wrong to blood when he sense him somewhere not so far from them and stared at his direction after he remove his blindfold.

He saw blood throwing up what he just eat and baby blue seems to say something while patting his back.

He wonder if he seen it right as blood thrown up something red ..

"ah... I guess meat is not good." Hallow felt bad spying on blood as he look at the answers blood give him and went back but he look up as he sense someone familiar up in the sky as he held his blindfold gazing up. He saw the sky crack and something falling.

[walker-extended-universe]

WIP Wednesday Game

(stolen from @kedreeva)

Rules:

Post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to post!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it!

Micki Inserts bc I can

Micki checked her makeup in the rearview mirror of her truck and touched up her lipstick before stepping out onto the dirt path. She didn’t think she’d be back at the Walker ranch for Larry James’ wedding off all things, but here she was.

As she approached the barn-turned-chapel, it occurred to her that this would be the first time she saw her old coworkers face to face in over a year. Or Trey. Or anyone in the Walker family, really. She was kind of surprised she’d even received an invitation but James had insisted and Walker had double-insisted and even Trey had reached out so she couldn’t really say no. Besides, she needed a reason to wear the nice dress that had been sitting in the back of her closet for ages.

Cassie is pregnant and Kevin is dead whoops

“Can I get the large bucket of shrimp please?” Trey yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Sorry- just- Pregnancy cravings, you know?” He fumbled for his wallet.

The owner of the stall chuckled. “I’ve been there, my friend. At least your wife isn’t as expensive as mine. She always wanted steak!”

Trey should correct him. Cassie isn’t his wife, just a friend. But…. It’s not this guys’ business. And he really just needs the shrimp. “Yeah, she either wants shrimp or fries these days. I don’t mind, I just wish it was at more reasonable hours of the day, you know?”

August/Sadie

August hesitated before knocking on the door to his old family home.

“Would you- Ugh, just let me.” Sadie reached over and rang the doorbell. “It’s freezing out here,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching over and hugging her, rubbing her arms to warm her up. “I’m just a little nervous. It’s a big day.”

August got Sadie pregnant and now there's drama (co-authored with @theladywyn)

Cordell was used to waking up to a baby’s cries by now. He’d been surprisingly well tuned to that when Stella and August were growing up and, with the new baby in the house, those instincts were back. Of course, he rarely had to do anything when that happened since August usually jumped right on it, but he usually got out of bed just to check on things.

Tonight was a bit different.

He padded down the hall to August’s room, expecting to see August lifting the baby out of the crib or changing a diaper. Instead, he saw August sleeping while the baby whined for attention. His phone was lighting up with some kind of alarm.

[milkovichrules]

weekly tag wednesday friday ! 🌻

thank you sm for tagging me @iansw0rld 🥰

Let's get started!

name: river age: the number that's funnier than 24 star sign: leo ✌️ I always say having the same birthday as mickey is my life's greatest achievement first language: english second language: don't have one, I can string some sentences together in norwegian and im getting better! favorite lip product: straight up lanolin the best food dish you can make without a recipe? fried rice or mac n cheese easy if you drink tea, what kind? oooh yeah, green, peppermint, or oolong if you drink coffee, what roast do you usually get? I love coffee but I have no idea tbh... whatever's strongest favorite thing to watch on youtube right now: John Wolfe, Atomic Shrimp, Nick Crowley, Nexpo, Atrocity Guide, jacksfilms, Scary Interesting favorite thing to watch on youtube in 2012: cryaotic *crowd boos*, 1D stuff, Kelly Kpopp, Dan n Phil, Liam Kyle Sullivan, jacksfilms best boy favorite item of clothing right now: the witchy loungewear set from Drop Dead...idk what its called they don't sell it anymore favorite item of clothing in 2012: whatever I got at wet seal for a dollar

fandom

three movies you recommend: coraline, stardust, the witch your favorite concert: florence and the machine my GOD. thirty seconds into what the water gave me and I was fully sobbing have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? absolutely lmao the best tv show you watched last year: probably succession...shiv roy I am free on thursday do you have a fancasting you just can’t let go of? nah but also pls cast noel fisher in everything thank you a ship you’ve abandoned: none they're all in my heart forever!! on a scale of 1-10 how willing are you to share your ao3 history? uuuuuuuh like a 5? It's not too crazy but it is embarrassing some of the fics ive revisited 80+ times what fandom do you wish was bigger? in the flesh!!! please watch my sad gay zombie show its so good do you have a fandom tattoo? nope but there are certain Plans has a finale ever ruined a show for you? the obvious one is GOT but it was going downhill anyway... also I was part of the shameless fandom purge after s5 so lmao

have you…

swam in an ocean? uh huh been vegan/vegetarian? yup for a little while gone skinny dipping? nope gone skiing? nooooo I would be so scared

tagging nobody bc I've been gone for two months hiii everyone💕

[wishing-well-writing]

Can we have Cookie Run five legendary heroes HCs please?

!GEN ANCIENTS HCs!

Written by: 🦷

Fandom: Cookie Run Series

Character(s): Pure Vanilla Cookie, White Lily Cookie, Hollyberry Cookie, Dark Cacao Cookie, Golden Cheese Cookie

Warnings: N/A

A/N: MOD 🦷 (ME) IS STUPID AND POSTED THIS EARLY PLEASE FORGIVE THIS FUCKIN IDIOT I'M SORRY AJXHAJDJ

let’s get crackalackin boyes

gonna start off with pronouns and sexualities because why not!

pure vanilla: he/they, i can see him as panromantic/pansexual, they have a lot of love (platonic AND romantic) for everyone, mostly white lily though :)

white lily: she/they/it, demiromantic/demisexual most likely... i can definitely see her as being aro/ace who is still interested/drawn towards the idea of a romantic relationship

golden cheese: she/they, butch lesbian vibes and unlike hollyberry the actual herbo of the group while hollyberry is himbo aligned (there’s a difference <3)

hollyberry: she/her, raging bisexual that’s himbo aligned, also very much full of love

dark cacao: he/him, demiromantic/demisexual with a preference for women

both golden cheese and hollyberry are pretty much somewhere on the butch scale tbh, hollyberry being like soft butch and golden cheese is Somewhere but she’s definitely there

also like golden cheese lies in the scale of “you’re telling me a shrimp fried this rice?”

where everyone else falls is up to interpretation because they’re all stupid in their own ways

okay now to other headcanons, this is going to be a mess of things LMAO

they all definitely have lights (i.e. pure vanilla and the light of truth, hollyberry with the light of passion, etc etc) we just don’t know the others (yet)

holly has an amicable relationship with her light, cheese and cacao probably fall under the more business esque, and vanilla and lily srtraight up never tell their lights anything

post-light of truth vanilla doesn’t have a heart so to speak, just some ball of light that acts as a heart

they technically died in the prologue but they’re fine, they have the light of truth keeping em alive

and by that extent he’s somewhere along the veins of immortal, as compensation (not really) he gets cool glowing veins/cracks on his skin

also golden cheese is a whole bird lady send tweet

when princess and tiger lily were born the other ancients also gave little blessings to them (sleeping beauty style)

since hollyberry blessed them to always be together or somewhere along that vein

dark cacao blessed them to grow up strong (princess and tiger lily being absolute butch queens runs in the family but the sentiment was there LMAO)

pure vanilla and white lily are kinda fuckin' dead so they're irrelevant to this conversation WBZKBSXKJD

golden cheese's blessing was for them to be more prosperous

since we're going under the assumption that her kingdom is rather wealthy...

maybe in terms of trade... but that falls more under hollyberry kingdom considering all their boats and such

also just "Hey check out this cool shit I have!"

golden cheese kingdom 🤝 hollyberry kingdom "trading!!!"

gotta get them shineys for princess somehow

assuming that dark choco was born around the same time as princess and tiger lily, or maybe even a few years BEFORE them, they oughta know each other in the vaguest fashion

but that's a later thing (maybe)

dark cacao definitely wanted to show his friends his son

pride and joy so ya know, come meet the future heir (lol not)

the eventual fall of the dark cacao kingdom was devastating to say the least, alongside the fall of the other kingdoms (well, pure vanilla's that is, hollyberry kingdom is doing just fine and we don't know jackshit about golden cheese BEJZBDJFJD)

and to learn that it was dark cacao's own son rubbed more salt into that wound

anyways

white lily local hermit since she doesn't have a fuckin' kingdom

good for it tbh, good for it

she does well on her own anyways, and was mostly by pure vanilla's side, observing and helping and whatnot

she learned a lot from pure vanilla, they learned from each other! besties sharing ideas because they're both geniuses but also dumb shits

white lily also sorta just lived in the forest

had her own little hut, it's still there if you look around

however it is overgrown, covered in leaves, vines, and well... white lilies :]

there's also hints of the other ancients there

notably a photograph/painting of all of them, it's covered in dust and mildly yellowed

a few frames are shattered due to the newly formed dark enchantress destressing in that hut before abandoning it all together

but it seems like she couldn't destroy them outright...

they're hidden somewhere in there, under all those leaves and vines

[ancient-cats-unite]

Into The Future (Oneshot)

Seafarer, Corrupted Psychocat, and Cattelite vibe on their way to Brazil.

The trailer drove steadily to their next location. The Cat Empire finished two full visits to the future. All they needed was to unshackle Bahamut's power next.

The Cool Japan were on one wall, chatting over Madame Sumo's recent TV skit with Inspector Gabriel. Bazibon was sipping a juice box full of lighter fluid with Aphrodite. Seafarer, Psychocat, and Cattelite sat with the two Ubers.

"So, whats up with you Psychocat? You look a bit jittery today."

"I love going on trips! More portals! More fun!"

Psychocat stimmed with his paws, resisting the urge to grow a gateway to some unknown dimension. Cattelite made some beeps.

"Calm, calm. You must enter the battle like a slow stream."

Seafarer said soothingly, fishing in a murky abyss.

"I wanna make portals!"

Psychocat bounced in his seat. Cattelite bonked into them.

"Ow! Come on Cattelite. You must be a little excited after your Catseyes."

Cattelite beeped, before moving to rest with Aphrodite. She held the little robot with one hand.

"You guys are no fun! I would talk to Gabriel, but there's no room there!"

Psychocat pouted. They made glances at Gabriel and Cool Japan. Inspector Gabriel was reciting script lines much to the groups excitement. Fried Shrimp Cat tried eating eachother.

"Ah. Whats that TV show he was talking about?"

"Its about some romance thing called Cheating Heart. Sumo thinks her husband is cheating so she gets Gabriel to solve it. Love is gross."

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

Cattelite made a ringing noise. It rolled into the center of the trailer cabin to broadcast some information. It opened up to reveal a holographic battleground. Cyberpunk Cat gave some background.

"Hey guys! Brazil has a piece of those Alien crystals, but Elder Sloth is also there. LeMurr is also pretty annoying, so we need all the meathshields we can get. You got a maxed Worker Cat to help too!"

Cattelite closed up and floated back to the bench. It beeped next to Seafarer.

"Hello there!"

Cattelite opened up to reveal a new message. Its from Chill Cat!

Hihi! Can I join you guys?? -Chill

Seafarer wrote back, then deleted it. Psychocat peered over.

"Nono! Here, let me write it!"

Fuck off. -Psychocat

"That is very rude!"

"Alright, I'll fix it."

Psychocat fixed his tweet. Cattelite sent it, transmitting it back.

Fuck off please. -Psychocat

"That's still very rude! You need to apologize to him when we get back!"

Seafarer plucked him by the ear.

"I don't care! We played catch ball for a bit and he ditched me! I'm still mad."

"You sucked him up like a typhoon! It took us fifteen minutes to find him."

"Fine, DAD. Not my fault Chill Cat doesn't like me."

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

The trailer opened up to a bright festive location. The Cat Base was dead set in front of where the enemy base was. Everyone snuck in their base to discuss the battleplan.

Cattelite would stall with the help of PsychoCat and Seafarer. Once they had enough cash, the hard hitters would come next. Seafarer could survive some blows from the sloth while Psychocat slowed the LeMurrs. The reasearch machine was pumped up to send more units in less time.

The three headed out together and prepared for the war.

[cupcakemolotov]

Match My Heart to Yours

Okay, since the Exchange reveals have been pushed back until Thursday (for very, very good reasons) I have decided to post a tiny thing to hopefully tide people over. I do sort of intend to write more on this, but I have been stalled for a few months which means I need to change things up. So here is the first bit, hopefully you all like it!

You can also read it here on A03.

Synopsis: Enzo has an plan. Caroline has some serious doubts, because first all, werewolf, hot or not. Alpha, even. A political marriage to a man with his dimples seems like a terrible idea.

                                                            -

Caroline paused, chopsticks hovering over her container of fried rice. Across from her, Enzo looked relaxed, no real tension visible as he reached for another eggroll. “Excuse me?”

“Gorgeous…”

She narrowed her eyes at his placating tone. “I should have known your offer to pick up dinner two towns over was a bribe. You don’t even like Chinese food. You cannot be serious.”

Her witchy best friend would walk through fire for her, but perfect egg rolls an hour after they’d been picked up should have dinged as an obvious bribe. Though this was not nearly big enough. 

“Would I have made the drive if I wasn’t serious?” Enzo asked, sighing when her expression didn’t budge. “You know what I do. What I really do.”

Her gaze dropped to his wrist were a tattoo wound along the bones and tendons, the ink black and red, starkly visible against the olive of his skin. Usually he used the modern advances in makeup to hide what no magic could, because sometimes people were less understanding about this particular quirk of his magic than others. She’d never had a problem with it, but she was human and had no desire for his services. 

Caroline speared a piece of shrimp and narrowed her eyes in warning. “I am very aware of what you do with your magic when you aren’t perfecting fireballs and lightning strikes, Enzo. No need to be rude.”

“Care…”

She chewed carefully, giving herself a moment so she didn’t do something stupid like throw the food at him. The wood floors were brand new. “I’m human. No witchy bloodlines for ten generations or more, and definitely not a werewolf. São Paulo proved that. In spades. So, seriously, there is zero reason for your magic to like me for this.”

A faint grimace. São Paulo had not been a good time. Not for anyone. 

“You know it doesn’t always work like that,” he said patiently, dunking his egg roll repeatedly into the sweet and sour sauce, his expression wry. “Sometimes my magic has a mind of its own.”

She rolled her eyes. “Enzo, tell me something I don’t know.”

A small laugh escaped him. “True.”

“Have I ever done anything, absolutely anything, that would make you think I’d want to have a matchmaker stick their nosy magic in my life?” Caroline set her chopsticks down and started closing containers, her appetite gone. 

A sigh. “No.”

“Damn straight. Isn’t there some kind of ritual involved? Blood magic? The romance novels I read on this subject insisted consent was a factor and blood had to be given willingly, much to the displeasure of several southern mamas.”

He deliberately finished his eggroll, sauce-soggy rice paper and all, chewing methodically. “Normally. This isn’t a… usual situation.”

“Normally?” Sitting back, Caroline waved her hand. “The food buys you an explanation. So start talking.”

Enzo leaned back, chair creaking, and ran a hand through his dark hair. “Look, you’ve been in Europe the last, what? Six months?” 

“Eight, and should I be hurt you weren’t counting?”

He snorted. “You spent the last eight months chasing diamonds. Busy enough you even stopped answering texts in a timely manner, so I imagine you haven’t kept up with what’s been going on.”

“Excuse you? What text did I not respond to?”

“Emoji’s are not words, Caroline.”

Caroline pressed her chin to her palm, gaze narrowed. “Stop being old, Enzo. And let’s be clear. It’s not like I was chasing just any diamonds. These were expensive. The kind of expensive we peons can never actually afford to legally own.”

Enzo rolled his eyes. “I’ve seen your rate sheet. You do just fine.”

She grinned at him. “Thank you, I do very good work. But what does my previous job have to do with the completely ridiculous proposal you brought me?”

“Mason died.”

Caroline arched a brow. “Yeah, I saw. That was impossible to miss. International news, all those TV Pundits talking about who would take over as the US Alpha, blah blah politics. Since he had the bad taste to die outside of a challenge fight, I didn’t have time to worry about it.”

Enzo put the plastic lid back on the sweet and sour sauce, his expression unhappy. “That’s the problem. He did die in a challenge fight.”

“Huh?”

He sighed and pushed his chair back. “This is a bit of a complicated story. As nice as these chairs are, something a little more comfortable might not be adverse.”

“You’re not getting any of the beer in my fridge until I’m sure I’m not kicking you out.” She narrowed her eyes. “The odds are not in your favor.”

“Cruel, but I suppose well deserved.” His chin tipped towards his car, expression amused. “Is now a good time to mention the cheesecake in the trunk of my car?”

“Enzo!”

He laughed and sauntered into her living room, flopping his favorite squishy chair. Caroline picked the couch. She motioned for him to start talking, and he slouched a little further down.

“Look, a lot of this isn’t common knowledge, alright?” Enzo grimaced. “Though it should be and I’m not sure how much longer they are going to manage to keep a lid on how badly the Council screwed this up.”

“Cover up?”

“Among other problems.”

“Mason was their darling.” And, she knew, some factions had whispered, their pawn. She reached up and shoved her bangs back to hide her wince. “Losing a wolf so pro-witch would have been a blow. Losing the top Alpha who was also pro-witch is a political travesty.”

“Political travesty or not, Mason’s dead, and they’re going to have to deal with the new Alpha. He isn’t known for his tolerance.”

“Most werewolves are suspicious of magic,” Caroline pointed out, curling one leg underneath her. “Can’t really blame ‘em, with how they ended up as werewolves. Vengeance, magical curse. That sort of thing tends to sour peoples opinions, and then you know centuries later, they really improved things with their required silver legislation.”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong, but that’s not the kind of tolerance I am talking about.” He leaned back against the chair, and lifted his foot towards the coffee table, pausing, gaze darting towards her narrowed eyes. His foot thumped back against the floor. “The short version is that Mason was challenged, he lost, and the Witch’s Council, for lack of better words, bungled the announcement.”

“How do you bungle an announcement? Challengers have official channels they have to go through and everything.” She pointed at the TV. “They’ve even started wanting to televise the damn things, like it’s some kind of wrestling bout and not a fight to the death.”

Enzo rubbed a hand down his face. “From everything that I’ve been able to tell, Mason just… didn’t expect to lose.”

“That makes no sense. Mason wasn’t young, even by werewolf standards,” Caroline said slowly. “There have been rumors in Europe that he should have been disposed of as much as a century ago. They aren’t really sure why the packs here haven't risen up against him, particularly after the whole issue with his nephew abducting his bride after she’d been paired by the matchmakers to someone else.”

“Tyler Lockwood leads more with his dick than his brains,” Enzo agreed. “And that should have weakened Mason politically, spurring a few challenges. That it didn’t…”

“It’s only been ten years, and that isn’t that long for a werewolf,” Caroline pointed out. “It’s reasonable that the family of the disappointed groom would just now be in a position themselves to pick a fight. Hayley’s family is old blood but not particularly powerful.”

Enzo gave her a dry look. “When do werewolves ever wait to pick fights?”

“When they are going up against the top Alpha in the US and need public opinion behind them. The general public expects a dominance fight or a natural cause of death for all alphas,” she said dryly. 

He nodded in approval. “For someone so disparaging of politics earlier, you do have an excellent grasp of the situation.”

Caroline tossed a cushion at him, which he caught with a grin. “Please, my Mom was the Sheriff and Dad, well, you know Dad. Conspiracy theories and hatred of anything that so much whiffed of the unnatural. But none of that explains what actually happened?”

“We think Mason was using magic to win his challenge fights.”

Her lips parted. “But that’s… the packs would riot. Because something like that…”

“It’s something the Witch Council had to be involved in.”

She inhaled sharply. “That would be a disaster.”

“It is a disaster,” Enzo said bitterly. “There have already been two executions, and several investigations are still pending. We’ve managed to convince the new alpha to hold back the public announcement, but he’s losing patience. We need a solid infrastructure of a plan in place, because humans don’t do well with surprises of this kind, and right now we’re barely holding the alliances together.”

“And what?” Caroline asked exasperated. “The remaining Council has decided to hire a matchmaker? They think since the new Alpha is single, they must be in want of a partner? You’re going to announce the change of leadership, the challenge fight, and then announce he agreed to be matchmade?”

“Something like that.”

“Who is going to trust the Council after something like this?” She shoved her hair away from her face. “If I was the Alpha, I wouldn’t touch anything that they touch with a ten foot pole. That includes matchmaking.”

“I wasn’t hired by the Council, though a couple of my… co-workers have taken those contracts.” He seemed to consider his words and then shrugged. “I was hired by Bekah.”

“Rebekah Mikaelson?” She said, brows arching high. “Why is she involved in this? And I thought you two didn't get along. The last time you were in the same room, she lit your precious robes on fire.”

Enzo’s mouth curved into a slow smile full of male satisfaction. “She’s an odd one, but it’s not the worst way I’ve had someone flirt with me.”

“And the time she declared matchmaking the worst magical school in existence and she hoped you did the world a favor and never reproduced?”

“Charming, isn’t she? I don’t think she really likes children in general.” He looked unbothered. “The bit about my magic was just an attempt to be clever. Her insults have gotten better the more she gets to know me. I appreciate her dedication to getting my attention.”

“Yes, and that is what I am going to put on your gravestone. You finally got the attention you always wanted.” Caroline shook her head. “Insults and spells aside, why did she hire you?”

“Because the Witch Council is right, in a way. It’s going to come out that Mason lost a challenge fight and the witches tried to cover it up.” Enzo reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “A werewolf who is newly matched has more appeal than a single one, and it’s not a terrible way to divert the press.”

“Is he worried about appeal? Why are you worried about his appeal?” She threw up her hands. “He killed Mason. He is now unequivocally in charge. Why does appeal matter?”

“We need stability.” Enzo’s face went grave. “We can’t afford a year of dominance fights when we’re already struggling with sorting through Mason’s people for traitors. Announcing a match buys us time.”

Caroline froze. “You want the year truce.”

“We need that year, Gorgeous. I’m not sure we’ll survive without it. Pairing off the new alpha? It’s the only way we’re going to get it.”

“And you want me to marry him? Why?”

“Why not you? You’re smart, resourceful, and not bad on the eyes. That you're from a small town will add to your appeal. Small town girl meets werewolf Alpha, and it’s a match. People will love you.”

“I’m a Finder, Enzo. That’s not exactly the most politically correct of jobs.” Her gaze narrowed. “Am I even going to be able to keep working if I agree to this?”

“Once things stabilize, sure, why not?”

“You’re really selling this.”

Enzo shrugged. “You know that one of the true weaknesses of Mason’s was that he refused to find a mate or even attempt a match.”

There had seemingly been a good reason for that. Werewolves were blessed with supernatural strength, a lifespan that more than tripled a normal human’s, and were highly territorial. Most of the time, those instincts could be driven towards their pack and maintaining the careful balance that the world existed in. A werewolf in love was a dangerous creature. Werewolves fighting over their lovers more so.

It was why Enzo’s magic existed. 

“Uh huh,” Caroline drawled, unconvinced. “You're really going to tell an Alpha he can’t claim what’s his unless he agrees to a match, the very thing the last alpha decried as unnecessary. How’s that going? I bet not well.”

“The sooner you say yes, the better, then.”

She glowered at him, but he looked unrepentant.

“Seriously Enzo, matchmaking magic or not, this cannot be your best plan. I cannot be the absolute best idea you have for this.”

“Why not?” He leaned back. “From where I’m sitting, it’s a fantastic plan.”

Caroline’s jaw dropped and she stared at him. He was serious. She knew that set of his jaw, the glint behind his eyes. Matchmaking wasn’t a science, it was magic. A fail safe, a terrible and beautiful promise: that somewhere out there, somewhere, maybe, a soulmate existed. And if you were lucky enough, maybe magic would find them for you.

“Enzo, seriously this time. Why even ask me? You know I’ve never been interested in matchmaking with a werewolf or witch. I like my life.” She spread her arms to include the house. “What you're asking me to do, asking of me, it changes everything. Why?”

He was quiet for several moments, his gaze unfocused. When he spoke, his voice was strangely serious. “My magic likes the match.”

She considered that, shifting to hug her knees to her chest. She’d been friends with Enzo since she was seventeen years old and she’d dragged his half unconscious body out of a car wreck that should have killed him. In turn, he’d been there for her when her mom died and her dad disappeared. He’d helped her get established in her career of choice, even though he’d been disapproving of the reasons why she’d chosen to go into it. 

She trusted him. 

Enzo liked to hide what he could do because he was so good at what he did, and she’d seen him drunk more than once post-match. His magic was not… unkind, but it wasn’t easy, what it demanded of him. To put two people together, with the intention that they’d make a relationship work for possibly hundreds of years. The weight of success and the pain of failure were both so heavy. 

Enzo did not match lightly. 

His magic liked the match. 

Her stomach flipped as she really considered what that meant. No such thing as soul mates, Enzo always insisted, just the endless probabilities of human lives narrowed to a single red thread between two people. And here, he said, was her chance to see if this probability would work for her. 

She couldn’t decide what that made her feel.

“You swear this isn’t about Dad?”

A tip of his head. “While I have no compunction about putting a few hundred werewolves between you and whatever mess he left behind, it’s not about him. You were right. My magic should never have considered you for this. You’ve never wanted to find a match, and honestly, I’ve always liked that about you. And nothing about this is going to be easy. But when Rebekah brought me his blood, all my magic could see was you and the potential you two had together. I could no more deny you the chance to say yes than breathe.”

She groaned under her breath. “This could be a disaster. You know I hate politics, and I’m an only child. I’m terrible at sharing. He’s alpha. Nothing he does is his alone.”

“I know. The circumstances are unusual, so they’ve been willing to negotiate generous terms if things don’t work.” Enzo grinned. “No one wants to trap either of you, not when all parties know that magic isn’t infallible.”

She eyed him. “I don’t like it when you think you’ve got it all figured out.”

A laugh. “Come with me to New York. Give it two years. A year for the truce, a year to fortify whatever weaknesses his enemies attempt to manipulate. At the end, if you want out, no one will stop you. I’ll dissolve the marriage myself. No loopholes.”

Enzo never dissolved marriages. That, more than anything, told her how serious he was about giving her an out. How badly they needed to truce. 

“I guess you really do have this all figured out.” 

“I wish I did, but we both know that’s impossible with something like this. I can only read the magic, and tell you what I see. But I’ll do everything I can to help you.” He smiled ruefully. “We’ve gotten good at hiding bodies, what’s a few more?”

Caroline wasn’t sure she should have found that comforting, but she did. “And just who am I agreeing to consider marrying?”

Enzo suddenly coughed and stood, a familiar hint of devilment twisting his lips. “Klaus Mikaelson.”

She spluttered. “Klaus Mikaelson? You want me to marry Klaus? He killed Mason?”

His smile widened. “Yes.”

Caroline gawked at him. Before she’d gone to Europe, Klaus Mikaelson had been the third most powerful Alpha. Young, handsome, devastatingly charming, he made people forget just how terrifying he could be with a pair of dimples that raised the blood pressure of every woman past puberty. 

He was also Rebekah Mikaelson’s half brother. 

Enzo had been entertaining her for years about the Mikaelson sibling dynamic. Klaus had not been spared in those stories, and while she’d never met him, she knew two very important things: he was built on lines that had always, always snagged her attention, and the sharp temper of his wolf, the brutality of his temper, hid a clever, agile mind that made him dangerous to underestimate.

“Enzo!” She protested. “Klaus?”

Sliding his hands in his pockets, he spun towards her door. “Yup.”

“Just where do you think you are going?”

Enzo tossed her a grin over his shoulder. “To get your cheesecake. You didn’t think I lied about that, did you? And you might as well fetch me that beer. We both know I’m not going anywhere until tomorrow, at the earliest.”

Caroline stared at his back as the door clanged behind him, heart hammering in her throat for a hundred reasons she couldn’t explain.

[huskeddevotee]

Snack preference hcs because I'm bored and love the characters in this stupid game

Amara: Fresh, bright, healthy snacks. Fruit, jello cups, Popsicles - anything cold and refreshing, especially if it's fruity. Loves froyo on her cheat days. Gets strawberry yogurt with cake, more strawberries, and chocolate sauce as her regular.

Ava: Tortilla chips. Could live off of Tortilla chips and some dips. Favorite is Onion dip with hot sauce. Makes a dessert dip of chocolate and caramel that is...controversial to say the least.

Axton: If it's at night, likes a salmon dip with whole wheat crackers. Daytime? Jerky with gravy. Makes his own gravy, family recipe. It's absolutely addicting, everyone tells him he needs to cut the Vault Hunting and bottle that sh*t for market.

Brick: BEEF. BURGER. PATTY. COLD. (It's actually a protein wrap chock full of vitamins but that doesn't work for his reputation)

Maya: Makes killer soup. She makes a huge batch, puts it in the fridge, and pours a cup and puts that into the microwave for a quick bite. Really likes veggie based soups, or soups with seafood.

Moze: Something easy to throw together. It's usually great hang over food. Quesadillas, grilled cheese melts, microwave mac-n-cheese - something filling, savory, and comforting. And yeah, fond of cheese. Also likes peanut butter cookies with black coffee.

Moxxi: Candy. Grandma candy, specifically. Those strawberry things? Is the biggest buyer for them. Licorice is also a favorite. Anything spicy with cinnamon, as well.

Lilith: Gummy candies, cucumbers with tuna or chicken, or some unholy sandwich creation that makes you think she's high. Her tastebuds are f*cked from Phasewalk, now likes peanut butter and jelly with ham and provolone cheese. Her arguement is that peanut butter is savory like ham, and grape jelly is 'pretty much wine' and wine is good with cheese. It's horrible.

Mordecai: Dried meat. What the meat is, no idea. Could be skag, could be human. It's meat, it's impossible to chew, it has no flavor. The popular theory is that it's for Talon and he's softening it in his mouth. As for what he actually eats, likely part plant and feeds off of sunlight. God only knows.

Tina: Rock candy. Loves sour watermelon rock candy. Oh, and also spicy sweet potato chips. And cookies with tea, of course. Likes Chamomile tea and chai.

Zer0: Legends say you can find candy wrappers in their room. They just like cool wrappers. Collect limited edition foodstuffs just for the wrapper or can. Has a wall lined with soda cans with unique patterns.

Zane: Heathen man. Pours spices onto his hand and licks it. Likes stale gummy candy. Licks the salt off of crackers and gives the defiled things to Mr. Chew. Puts cheese and pineapple in shrimp ramen with oregano. Vile, vile, vile.

Krieg: His roasts are to die for, and he eats it cold from the fridge when he's peckish. Uses Pandoran ingredients like cactus honey, salty hail found in glaciers in the tundra, skag bone broth for marinating, and a blend of local herbs and spices. They put Axton's gravy on it one time and had a collective transcendent awakening. The combo is now banned, for anyone who tries it will never enjoy other food again.

Gaige: Girl stalks the clearance section of the bakery in supermarkets for cheap baked goods. Lives off of expired cupcakes.

Tannis: Doesn't snack, but enjoys a cup of tea in between meals. After breakfast, has a green tea. After lunch, chai, and after dinner, chamomile and lavender for bed. Sometimes has a shortbread cookie with it.

Troy: Depends on the week, position of the stars, his horoscope for his moon sign, and the tide. His taste in food cannot be tracked. Goes from eating something bizarrely plain to so complex you think you're having a stroke when you look at it. His inner circle have a game called "What The F*ck Is The God King Eating Now". His personal chefs say they black out when cooking for him. Whatever it is, he doesn't eat anything pre-prepared or from a wrapper. The one time he ate something identifiable, there was a conspiracy he had been replaced by a clone.

Tyreen: One time while she was eating, Troy asked her what she was eating, and she responded, "Your mom" without thinking about it. They didn't speak for a week after the incident and never mentioned it again. Still gets embarrassed about it.

Lorelai: Has not consumed anything but burgers and coffee for months. Please stop her. Her colon is about to pop out of her stomach and strangle her itself.

Hammerlock: Dark rye with tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, and a tall glass of lemonade. It's a snack he's had since he was a boy and it hasn't lost its simple comfort.

Wainright: Fried tomatoes with a coleslaw and peach iced tea. Fried vegetables in general are underrated in his book, despite his father's attempts of trying to get him to accept meat superiority.

Clay: Moonpies and scotch. Time of day doesn't matter. This is bad because its a shot for every pie. And he can put away an absurd amount of them. However, there are only so many shots he can drink before he's pretty much dead to the world.

Fl4k: 101 recipes for birdseed, skag treats, and 'humanfeed' as they call it. Once tried making pancakes for Zane and Moze while they were both sick, gave them food poisoning with nutrient supplements meant for spiderants. The supplements was to boost immune system - hence why it was added - and, unfortunately, venom production. Ergo, making it toxic for humans who do not produce venom. Zane was paler than snow and Moze was beyond delirious. Fl4k felt horrible for months.

Salvador: Makes croquetas in bulk and has a handful when he needs a pick-me-up. Filling varies, but likes them with fish and potato. As for drinks, cannot survive without his grandmother's horchata recipe. Makes it for the whole team whenever it gets cold. Also likes lime soda with pickled vegetables.

Marcus: probably other passengers on the ship

[atsuminthe]

Chef’s special

—Atsumu is sick of his brother making him his lab rat and having him test all of his dishes, so he invites you over to have some lunch with them.

atsumu version here!

note: i'm having so much fun with these i swear <3

taglist: @nakizumie;

"It needs. More. Salt," Atsumu grumbles, punctuating every word with a sharp stab of his chopsticks into the bowl of rice next to him. "A told ya, season it properly! What did ya even put in this?! It tastes like a wet cardboard box!"

"Shut it, ya can't even make a sandwich without lighting the entire kitchen on fire! A ain't takin' complaints from ya of all people!" Osamu retorts, turning around at the counter and continuing to mix the ground meat with the multitude of spices he's put in it. It has a nice color, the texture feels good, the meatballs might just be perfect this time. His brother's grumbles reach his ears and he throws a spoon at him, grinning victoriously when the blond groans.

"Fine, fine! A'll shut up!" Atsumu whines, when his phone dings, signaling a message from you. He taps the screen absentmindedly, lips puckered in an exaggerated pout. His brother snorts. "Waitin' for a kiss, Frog Prince?"

"Mind yer own business, Alaskan bull worm," the blond snaps, frowning. Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he scrolls past a particular message then quickly returning to it. A lightbulb goes off over his head, and he thanks whatever deity is up there for this amazing opportunity of leaving the "taste tester" spot vacant.

The message?

"I'm hungry".

You knock a few times at the door of the Miya household, arranging the straps of your very comfortable overalls. Atsumu invited you over to grab a bite with him and Osamu, since, in his words, "Samu's cooking and he's been force-feeding me for hours now". You laughed at the way he put it—a lab rat is the exact term he used for himself—but decided to come over nonetheless.

The door swings open and Atsumu absolutely, positively beams as he screams when his eyes land on you. He glomps you into a quick hug, letting you inside after a little idle chatting.

"So what's cooking?" your voice echoes down the hall, and Osamu freezes for a few seconds. You're here, he realizes—that's why that bastard kept smirking like an idiot. He'll get him later. Your voices get closer and closer, and his hand tightens on the spatula as he fries something in a pan.

"Oh! That smells great, Samu!" you beam, going to sit behind him, placing your small hands on his broad shoulders to raise yourself a bit so you can see what he's doing. "Is that fried shrimp?" He nods, trying to not burn anything from the storm of emotions that hit him. He can feel his twin's smirk burning through the back of his head—Atsumu's so, so dead after you leave.

Your voice takes him out of his trance when you ask, "Can I get some, please?" in that cute tone that makes him melt. He turns his head, smiling—ears tinted red and eyes glinting—and nods. He freezes again when you rest your head on his shoulder, but relaxes after a few seconds.

He could get used to this.

It's just you and him in the kitchen, the blond long gone after he threw a shrimp at his brother—and was therefore banished from entering it until you left. You laugh at the antics of your friends, munching happily on an onigiri Osamu made for you with the leftover rice he had. Whatever he says about his cooking—good or bad—everything he makes is delicious.

"Hey, Samu," you say, resting your chin on the table as he hums, letting you know he heard you, "what's your secret?"

"Ma secret?" he repeats, unsure of what you meant with that phrasing.

"Yeah, like—when you're cooking!" you continue, cheerfully. "There has to be an ingredient that makes all the food you cook delicious. A secret ingredient—a chef's special!" He laughs at your enthusiasm, but corrects you nonetheless.

"A chef's special is usually a dish, not an ingredient."

"You get the point, now tell me!"

Your impatience makes you resemble a child, and it's endearing to see you so invested in something he likes to do. Then again, you've put your heart and soul in anything he liked—from his favorite subject in school, to volleyball and now to this. He ponders for a bit, searching through his mind for an appropriate answer, placing the fried shrimp on a plate and turning off the stove.

"A guess," he starts, voice just a little shaky, and your ears perk up, "a guess it's love." Your head tilts, confused at the answer, but he shushes you so he can continue. He doesn't really realise the words that leave his lips—just lets them flow. "It's—a suppose it's not just the love for something. It's the other types, as well. Ya know... Ma general love for food, for ma family—for ya. A always think of ya when a'm mixing something, or chopping vegetables, or molding onigiris. Would ya like this one? Should a put more of this particular thing since a know it's among yer favorites? How would ya decorate this cake?" He laughs, quietly. "A guess ma love for ya is a major factor in this."

He realizes what he's said after he stops, and a crimson blush explodes on his face. Shame courses through him as he tries to avoid your gaze—but your soft hand grasps his, and holds it tight.

Your face is the same shade as his, but you don't look embarrassed. Quite the contrary—your smile is so wide and warm that it blinds him for a few seconds. You beckon him to lower his face, and when he complies, you press your lips on his in a sweet peck.

"I love you too, Samu," you whisper as you circle your arms around his neck. His hands land on your hips and he bends down to kiss your forehead.

For the first time in a while, he feels content. Maybe Atsumu's idea wasn't so bad, after all.

[adorethedistance]

Chapter 10: Normalize Cuddling the Homies! - JJ Maybank x Reader

Photo cred: I made the aesthetic but if you own any of these images I will take them down per your request.

Warnings: swearing (a recurring theme), if I missed anything potentially triggering PLEASE let me know.

Words: 1069

Previously in part 9: After Sarah and John B kept bickering about the inevitable double date they wanted to share with you and JJ, Pope and Kie have hopped on the bandwagon since he asked her to winter formal. The concept of all your friends having relationships leaves you feeling alienated and lonely, until you remember JJ is right there next to you on the sidelines… That is… if the sidelines entails sunrise breakfast dates and romantic evenings to ‘sell the act’.

A/N: This chapter is SUPER short and I’m sorry it took forever. I’m back in school so my time is not as free, but I promise I’m pushing through for y’all!

MESSAGES

Kie: I’m here

I flop my phone onto the couch hastily and jog over to the front door, swinging it open in excitement. I’m greeted by an equally elated Kie who’s holding two plastic bags full of takeout food. The smell of the bags isn’t strong enough for me to gauge if it’s a good or bad one.

“You didn’t have to bring anything.”

“We had tons of leftovers from the lunch rush since people kept leaving after they had ordered,” she approaches my kitchen counter and sets the bags down to search for plates.

“As long as it wasn’t any trouble… what did you bring us?” I give into my excitement to eat restaurant food. Kie begins showing me the boxed meals that are much fresher than I’d anticipated. Popcorn shrimp, steak fries, dinner rolls, a personal margherita pizza, chicken tenders, and more fries. Her being the first one here, and the fact that I’m the one hosting gives us first pick of all the food, and we are grateful.

“Sarah says she and John B are heading up now,” Kie says with a mouthful of fries.

“If dating means always commuting together, where’s Pope?” I tease.

“Hell if I know, he’s been sporadically answering my texts, so he must be busy with something.”

A light knock indicates Sarah behind the door and I jog out of the kitchen to answer. She barely greets me before launching into a rant about how women’s pockets don’t exist. John B looks as if he’s heard this rant a million times, but not in an asshole kind of way. He pushes past the two of us once he smells the food, and greets Kie with a geeky handshake. I tune Sarah out unintentionally as I watch him hop up to sit on the counter. John B palms an entire handful of fries, and eats them like a horse before Kie smacks his arm with a towel and tells him to wash his hands.

“And if men can fit an entire circus in their pockets, we shouldn’t have to worry about our phones falling out! I’ve cracked my phone twice!”

“Yeah, for sure-” Then, Kie interrupts me. “Y/n! Napkins?”

“Uh, right behind you.”

“Speaking of circus, where’s JJ?” John B pointedly asks me from behind a bounty paper towel. What happened to the napkins?

“He had Saturday school, but where he is now I have no idea.”

“What are we watching?” Sarah steals a popcorn shrimp before settling on my couch.

“Well, we have options. I was thinking John Wick or Hereditary, but we could also do Fast & Furious 7.”

“RIP Paul-” John B is interrupted by the front door slamming open, revealing a breathless Pope. JJ is standing behind him suppressing a small fit of laughter. After their grand entry, I shoot JJ a secret look of amused confusion.

“You good, Pope?” JJ snorts from behind him before ushering the two of them through the threshold. Pope’s trance is broken and he shuffles into my kitchen. Kie offers to fix him a plate since he’s still roughly out of it.

Watching the events of Pope’s awkwardness transpire, I didn’t notice JJ until he was standing directly in front of me.

“Come here,” he breathes into the casual chatter of the room. JJ moves to stand behind me before leaning all of his dead weight onto my shoulders.

“Did you enjoy spending quality time with your boyfriend?” I whisper-laugh as I rest my hands on his, which are draped over my shoulders.

“Shut up.” “Where were y’all?” “Mind your business, Y/n.”

“Yikes, hostile.” Pressing his nose into the bottom of my hairline, he lowers his volume.

“He’s actually proposing an itinerary for formal.”

“Oh? Is that something to be so nervous about?”

“Attention pogues!” Pope calls, perfectly timed to answer my question.

“Since we’re all doing this formal thing together but not really, and we’re all broke, I propose we have dinner at Ozzy’s beforehand-”

“Duh-” he ignores me.

“After that we’ll go straight to the school and once the dance is over, we can go walk to the boardwalk under the moonlight.”

“That actually sounds like a lot of fun. Good idea Pope,” John B affirms and they begin to discuss hard details for all of us. Meanwhile, JJ and I are lost in our own conversation.

“He looks like he’s gonna throw up.”

“He’s definitely nauseous. Look at him.”

“What did you say to him that’s got him this jittery?”

“Nothing, I just gave him the rest of my redbull at lunch.” Then, John B interjects.

“Yo, we’re trying to figure out our plans over here.”

“Well, figure it out faster!” I push back. “Can I get you anything?”

“Do you have those Snapple things?” JJ asks as he lifts himself from resting on my shorter frame.

“Snapple? I have one left.”

“We still haven’t decided which movie!” Kie yells at me as I enter the kitchen.

“Get everyone to vote then. Hereditary, John Wick, or Fast & Furious 7?”

“I haven’t even seen the first one,” Pope says, to which John B responds,

“Don’t worry about it, they’re all the same.”  

“Sit with me. Girlfriend,” JJ beckons me as I return to the tv area. I join him, but not without making fun of him first.

“You can still use my name. You know that, right?” Settling into the space between JJ and the arm of the couch, I try to get comfortable but my hips are just too wide for the area.

“JJ, move over, I can’t fit here,” I half laugh with the Snapple in my right hand. Instead of moving over, JJ hugs his arms around my torso and pulls me down to lay my back against his chest. My opinion on which movie we watch dissolves into nothingness as I think about the way it feels to have him holding onto me so tight. His head is rested on my shoulder, completely framing my body with the outline of his. Why have we never done this before? Normalize cuddling the homies!

I’m pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Sarah’s smug laughter. JJ and I both tense a little bit.

“...What?” I ask, not sure if I want the actual answer, and afraid it’ll ruin the comfort I’d felt moments before. Turns out what she’s about to say is absolutely worth the interruption.

“JJ are you going to ask Y/n to formal?”

“Yes JJ. Are you going to ask me to formal?” I tease, turning my head to the side and using my peripheral to see his nervous expression.

“I asked you this morning…?” He says as more of a question than a statement. Naturally, this caught me off guard.

“That was you asking?” I test the waters.

“...No it was not…”

***

Link here for the next part.

A/N: I’m sorry this part is mega short but it’s heading towards JUICY content and I’m excited for what’s to come y’all aren’t even ready for this one!

Taglist: @jellyfishbeansontoast @swervavery @wh0reforharry​ @merismind @danicarosaline @o-b-x @beautyandthebleh @harrysbaby @sexualparkour @tomfreakinghollandneedsaoscar @sovuckie @obxmxybxnk @lovelymaybankk @rockyyc77 @obxlife@cece-lives-here @obx-beach @ilymarkchan @yeehaw87@lopineapples  @sspidermanss @poguestyleskye @jj-maybank-stan @socialwriter @pao-styles-blog @amberritonicole @orangutangua @baby-pogue @drewswannabegirl @hufflepuff-always-and-forever

[glassworkspiderlilies]

ragnarok

Genshin Impact | Twin Travelers & Ensemble Cast | AO3 Summary: Blame your Heavenly Sustainer. Notes: Finished this up late last night and threw it on ao3 in a flurry and went to bed LOL. was/am kind of taking a break from writing but instead of not working on my projects, i just wrote this terrible thing instead (that’s what taking a break is, right??)  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

.

.

.

It goes like this:

Their fingers graze when the sister reaches out for her brother in his red prison, and it is enough. His fingers close around hers and she pulls, pulls him out and away—they know that freedom is only for a second, but if they must go, they will go together.

The red god’s fingers close into a fist, the action already in motion when the sister had gone for her brother, and though the result is not her intention it is too late to stop, outliers as they are.

Red and black closes around both siblings in time with the red god’s hand, and two stars plummet to earth, the sky blazing red and white and gold, the air smelling of scorched ozone. 

.

They awaken.

There is fierce joy in their success at staying together-whole; they know it was a near thing. But they sense what has been lost, and are furious.

They lift their face to the sky and scream, and though their voices are small in comparison to the cliffs and ocean that surrounds them, it reaches the places that matter. Even now they still hold power.

The heavens shudder. The gods lift their heads. The blessed ones stand alert.

Meanwhile, the poor fool mortals know nothing at all.  

.

There is a storm with their coming, a wailing wind that whips around the windmills with abandon, so sharp it could shred leaves from their branches.

Turn back! Turn back! it shrieks, but the twins do not listen. They advance unapologetically, and even when the blue-green dragon rises from its slumber, roaring Danger! Danger!, the mortals do not understand.

But the Acting Grandmaster and her entourage are no fools, their Visions glow bright with warning and even if they know not what they will encounter, they move. In the end, all the Vision-wielders in the city of Mondstadt follow her to the city gates, where a pair of twins are just strolling through the entrance.

“Hail, Travelers,” The Acting Grandmaster greets, tone amicable from the top of the stairs. “Welcome to Mondstadt, despite this poor weather.”

The twins looks at her, molten gold eyes ablaze, and her heart beats faster, nerves thrumming with adrenaline.

“Where?”

It is the brother that speaks first; his voice is harsh and grating and the tongue is not the common language, but it is understood nonetheless. His sister speaks next, no less violent to the ear, and as they alternate their voices form a strange, lilting cacophony.

“Where?”

“Where?”

“Where is the god that has caged us?”

“Where is the god that has stolen from us?”

“I do not know, fair ones,” the Acting Grandmaster says cautiously, trying not to wince with every syllable of the twins’ speech, “Please, if you would—calm down, if only for a moment, we could perhaps—listen and aid you in your—your troubles—”

The air goes still, so suddenly flat and stagnant that it steals the breath from their lungs; they choke on the deadness before the wind circulates again. In that brief moment, the twins have surged up the stairs, circling the Acting Grandmaster once before they are halted; the eyepatched Cavalry Captain has a hoarfrost sword pointed at the brother, while the red-haired Uncrowned King bars the sister’s path with a flaming claymore.

But the twins pay no attention, hovering even closer to the blades, heedless of potential burning.

“Calm?” they ask, hauntingly discordant. “Calm? Calm? You—“

Their hands flash out and the Uncrowned King and Cavalry Captain lurch forward as the Visions hanging from their belts are wrenched, the elements on their weapons winking out.

“Will you stay calm when your own is stolen?” the sister hisses, her fingers tightening on the King’s red gift.

“Will you stay calm when it is you who is powerless?” the brother seethes, eyes cold as the pale turquoise orb in his hand.

The Acting Grandmaster’s eyes widen.

“No, please, don’t—!”

The scent of ozone, and rust, the pure sound of cracking—

“Halt!”

The sky goes seafoam-green, and feathers float gently down from the sky.

A boy descends, winged and clad in white, lyre in hand with its string thrumming. His descent is idyllic, serene, and the people know him for who he is—their errant god, who has apparently wandered their streets as a simple bard.

“Cease,” Barbatos says, his dragon-companion circling the air above, “They have nothing to do with what you seek.”

The twins loose their holds, and the two men stumble back, eyes shaken and warier.

“A god,” the brother spits, looking up with narrowed eyes.

The Anemo Archon tilts his head curiously, scrutinizing the twins as he drops a little lower, a barrier between his blessed ones and the twins.

“Hail,” he says, though his tone is too neutral to be welcoming, “I would thank you not to harm the citizens. City of freedom this might be, but some things should still be avoided, wouldn’t you agree?”

A silence, then the twins bare their teeth, sneering.

“Freedom?”

“Freedom?”

“What is freedom when your wings have been torn from your very back?”

“What is freedom when you merely exist in a gilded cage?”

The Archon raises his brows, drawing his fingers across the lyre.

“Who has done this to you?” he asks cautiously, “Your song is harsh and bitter, your rage sends the birds atwitter. You are not mortals nor Vision-blessed nor Archon…and yet those who hold power like yours…I can think of none.”

The twins listen to his lilting words with some interest, and for a moment it seems that they do calm. But then the sister smiles again, wintry and sharp.

“You are beautiful, God of Wind,” she says, “But that will not help you.”

“Outlanders, outliers, call us what you wish,” the brother says, “But to whom? Centuries we wandered without interruption. We, too, are part of the natural order of this world. So…”

“Just whose arrogance needs to end?”

“And who will pay the price for it?”

Despite whatever they have lost, they are fast. The lyre drops from the Archon’s hands as the sister plunges her hand into his chest and twists; he cries out, the notes high and crystalline.

“Who…” the Archon gasps, unable to manage more.

The sister does not answer the question he means to ask, but gives him an answer nonetheless.

“Blame your Heavenly Sustainer,” she hisses.

The Acting Grandmaster and her entourage do not even have time to move as the Archon’s form glows green, then wavers and dissipates like wisps of wind. When the sister opens her hand, there is a little green vial-like thing in her palm; she reaches for her brother, and in another moment the vial is gone, and the twins’ eyes glow green just for a moment as it does.

“Wh…at….” The Acting Grandmaster finally gasps, shaking and horrified, “What did you do?!”

The brother looks at her with disinterest.

“What is freedom when demanded of you by a god?” he asks, and both the Uncrowned King and Cavalry Captain’s eyes widen.

“What is freedom when the god of such things is gone?” the sister follows.

She waves her hand, a strong gust of wind whipping through the square. The mortals close their eyes and throw up their hands at the strength of it, but they hear the dragon scream, his sorrow and rage shaking them to their core.

When they open their eyes again, the twins are gone and the dragon is on the ground, limp but breathing. Desperate whines escape him as he shudders, and the Acting Grandmaster collapses by his side, eyes still wide with shock.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, laying a hand on his side. “Oh, Dvalin, I’m sorry.”

The dragon lets out a high-pitched sound, but she cannot understand him. The city is abuzz, and the Vision-wielders look at each other uneasily, for the twins spoke true—

How did they define their own freedom, and now that the so-named God of Freedom was presumably gone…what did that mean for them, and the city?

.

Outside the city, deep in the forests, the wolves and the wolf-raised one raise their heads and scent the air. It smells different; they know something is amiss.

They howl. The air is flat, stale. What does it mean that the wind no longer sings?

Yet the wind still blows. The howls still carry.

But the wind is only the wind. The howls are only howls.

There is nothing to be understood beyond that.

.

The Geo Archon masquerading as a simple funeral consultant sighs when he feels trouble step over into his domain and sets down his teacup. The Eleventh Harbinger looks at him curiously as he reaches for a piece of fried shrimp with his chopsticks.

“It seems our time may be cut short,” the Geo Archon says, and the young Harbinger raises an eyebrow.

“That’s ominous,” he says, successfully relocating the shrimp onto his plate, “Coming from you.”

The Geo Archon does not answer. He frowns, then walks over to the window and throws it open.

He goes still. 

“Ominous, indeed,” he murmurs.

The Harbinger blinks as he chews, then lays down his chopsticks and leans back in his seat.

“What,” he says slowly, trying to decipher the other man’s body language and failing, “Exactly did you mean?”

The Geo Archon turns and stares at him, his gold and amber eyes unreadable, yet more somber than usual.

“You may not wish to depart Liyue,” he finally says, “But you will soon, to bear news to the Tsaritsa. If you will be able to leave by then.”

The Harbinger sneers, half-laughing.

“Is that a threat?” he grins, baring his teeth, but the Archon shakes his head.

“Merely a fact. You will leave, whether you like it or not. And the same is true of me.”

He sits back down and resumes eating. The Harbinger stares, baffled.

“Ah, already they come,” the Archon says, with a sigh, though his does not hurry his pace.

The Harbinger does not understand, but as he looks out the window, the panes rattle in their frames as a storm arrives in Liyue.

.

In the end, the Geo Archon goes peacefully. He is the oldest of the current Seven; there is a chance that could overpower these two strange twins, who have consumed the second-oldest Archon.

But he is tired, and the battle could devastate Liyue. He meets them outside the city, and their exchange is almost pleasant, even if he knows there is something vicious underneath their human veneer.

“But I will not…cannot break a contract forged by my own hand,” he posits, and the twins smile at him.

“How fortuitous that you do not need to,” the brother says, his tone a fine line between mocking and kind, “Is it a relief, to not have control over something, Purveyor of Endurance?”

The Archon does not answer, which is answer enough. The sister peers up at him, reaching to trace the scarlet paint lining his eyes.

He does not wince when she presses her nails into the tender skin under his lashes and grins.

“If you are so tired of stagnancy, then change,” she says.

“Change.”

“Change!”

The twins say the word with delight, twining around him like snakes.

“Even bedrock can be turned to dust,” the Archon says, closing his eyes, “I submit to your will.”

He opens his eyes when the twins each take one of his hands. They are smiling when they press close, almost like children huddling around him for a story.

It feels like mercy when they plunge their hands in and rip his core out of him.

.

In the jade city of Liyue, nothing changes. The harbor bustles, the merchants advertise their wares, officials continue their endless administration. Money continues to flow.  

The city stands strong, with its ancient history and Archon’s blessings, and the years of human hands shaping its status quo.

Rex Lapis rests easy—or would, if he could see them.

.

The Eleventh Harbinger steadies his shaking hands by gripping the railing of the ship on its way back to Snezhnaya. Not everything makes sense; there is much he did not know about his own mission here in Liyue—the mission that is now over, with the disappearance of the Geo Archon that he was after.

He watched when the twins tore into the funeral consultant’s body with ease and extracted the glowing yellow crystal. Some things had made sense then, and some didn’t.

They had seen him, when he stepped back. He could not afford to die here; there was still duty to perform, and family to protect—

Both of them had grinned, all teeth and contempt, and blown him a mocking kiss before he retreated.

He doesn’t know if his shaking is fear or excitement or arousal, or perhaps a combination of all of them.

He also doesn’t know if by the time the ship docks in his homeland there will be a Tsaritsa to report to at all.

.

The other Archons notice, after both Barbatos and Rex Lapis are gone. The air and the earth, wordless—they would be fools if they thought nothing remiss.

And anyway—the twins waste no time.

Inazuma’s blockade is not meant to keep out beings such as they. There is another storm upon their arrival, of greater magnitude than before and far more vicious. The sky streaks white and purple; lightning splits the sky and the following thunder is deafening.

“You dare,” the Electro Archon hisses, when they corner her, “You dare lay your filthy hands on the noblest and most eminent body in all this world?”

The twins laugh.

They laugh and they laugh and they laugh, disdainful and dismissive, not even deigning a further reply.

She lasts a while, the Electro Archon, but she is not so eternal as she thinks.

The brother streaks past her defenses and traps all of her limbs with his own, the Archon’s neck twisted at such an angle it could snap like a mere mortal’s. The Archon screams, all rage and disbelief, and the sister takes her sweet time burying her hand into the Archon’s being, making sure she feels each finger trapping her crystal heart, that she sweats as the cage of finality closes on her.

“Pathetic,” the siblings murmur, and the skies in Inazuma clear.

.

The Hydro Archon puts up a fight, but she does not stand a chance against such bitter vengeance. Still, she imparts with her last words that the twins will be judged in the end, by the divine if no one else. Even in her final moments she has a transcendental assurance in herself, as if dying at the peak of her own purity and magnificence is not so bad after all.

The twins say nothing to her, knowing it will not matter to her own blind faith, but they make sure the last thing she sees is their double and unalloyed disgust.

They are satisfied when the fanatic light in her eyes dim before she turns to nothing.

.

The Pyro Archon is the most formidable, god of war as she is. Fire rages throughout the land, bright and searing, but the twins are undisturbed. It is almost enjoyable, to exert a little more of themselves when they crush the fire into embers and ash.

The Archon takes her loss gracefully, if bitterly.

“Does it please you?” she gasps. “To turn everything to cinders?”

Matching frowns and pitying looks are cast down at her.

“What does it mean,” the brother says, “To do things for pleasure?”

“We do things we must do,” the sister adds, pressing her heel into the Archon’s hand so that she winces.

“If all you have done is for pleasure…”

“Then how disappointing it is, that merely this is its strength.”

The brother shoves his hand deeper and twists, making sure she cries out before they grind her to dust.

.

The Tsaritsa greets them with incredulous laughter when they stroll into her frozen palace, throwing her Fatui aside like rag dolls.

Her resistance is mostly for show. With her Harbingers either dead or unconscious, she puts her pale hands in theirs.

“We are not yours to command,” the brother warns, but he is almost kind when he tells her this.

“We are not here to meet your expectations.” the sister adds, with a raised brow.

The Cryo Archon merely smiles, inclining her head.

“The end result is the same. If it is no longer my grievance, if you will burn away the old world…I offer you my love, and go whole heartedly.”

The twins frown, but they listen.

“We are not here to fulfill your wishes. We are here to take back what is ours.”

The Tsaritsa’s next smile is sharp, bright and wretched.

“The end result is the same,” she repeats, and the twins shrug.

They lean forward, kiss her cheeks.

When her final gasp escapes her, she sinks into the twins in surrender, and all of it is almost tender.

.

They do not find the Dendro Archon. He is wise, to hide as he does, and so well.

They let him go.

.

There is—something else, too, somewhere, watching them. Waiting. Expectant.

They let that go, too.  

.

The Sustainer never shows her face, but the twins no longer care.

 “Your first mistake was trapping us here,” they shout into the air, at the end of it all. They pulsate with the power they have garnered; they tear into the fabric of the world, they take back what is theirs. “If we could not destroy the cage, we would destroy everything within it until the cage collapsed in on itself.”

Everything goes bright, bright; the air smells so startlingly crisp, as if it were divine air—

“You have only yourself to blame,” the twins hiss, and then—

There is only light.

.

The twins depart, their mouths tasting of sweet rust and lips gold-bright, leaving naught but ashes behind them, remorseless.

.

.

.

Time passes, and the heavens are graveyard-quiet.

[trashcankitty12]

Timmy Headcanons

(Sorry for the wait, life, am I right?)

Timmy Somerville. Cute nerd, badass strategist, and most likely one of the smartest dudes you’ll ever meet.

Poor dude doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves, so here it is. I hope.

(Also, I took the name for his hometown/home city from the comics.)

(Also, these headcanons are mostly for my main verses. “Left” and “The New Company of Light”.)

-Timmy is from Zenith, more specifically, the City of Titania, Zenith’s Capitol.

-It’s just him and his mom and dad, and their robo-cat, Chester. (Timmy named him after a character from his favorite game series.)

-Timmy doesn’t have many family members, as both his parents are also only children and both sets of grandparents live in the warmer climates of Zenith. (There are like… Two or three warm cities/villages in Zenith.)

-But his parents do have lots of friends that are sort of like his ‘aunts and uncles’. (And they spoiled him like they were his family.)

-Honestly Timmy is a bit spoiled as far as family love goes. They have always been supportive of his projects and are just so proud of him.

-He tends to be closer to his dad than to his mom. His dad was more of a stay-at-home dad (he ran his business from home, which was game designing), and his mom worked as a hotshot lawyer on Zenith. (Mostly for copyright claiming and patenting.)

-His dad always let him playtest his games (assuming they weren’t for more mature audiences, Timmy was a bit of a sheltered child about those subjects). And Timmy… Well it started Timmy’s love of them.

-As he got older and more into the mechanics of game design, mechanic-ing in general, his parents let him start using his room as a workshop.

-He used to take everything apart he could get his hands on, and then would put it all back together, good as new. (And sometimes, better.)

-His parents used to suspect he may have some techno-magic because of how the machines responded to him, but they never could prove it.

-(To this day, even the others in his squad question if Timmy has some latent-magical abilities. He tries to laugh it off, but he has found himself wondering too… Even to the point of trying to summon his magic. So far, nothing.)

-His vision started going bad around the time he turned 12. He was averse to getting glasses at first, but his run-in with contacts didn’t go so well… So glasses. (Which sucks when you wear helmets, but he’s come up with specialized helmets for people like him with poor vision. It just took some time to create. And for his mother to help with the copyright and patents.)

-Timmy had braces for a short time after an incident in elementary school messed his mouth up.

-(Dodgeball at Titania Prep was cut-throat. Cut. Throat.)

-Timmy also has an allergy to seafood. Which sucks, because he likes the smell of fried fish and the sauces that come with shrimp… But if he eats it, he can’t breathe and he’d just rather not deal with that.

-He was actually a pretty popular guy at his elementary and middle schools. He was the guy who had access to first-rate games before anyone else did, and he got to have the latest in technology. (And could explain it without it being boring.)

-So how did little Timmy decide to go to Red Fountain?

-His middle school hosted one of those fairs that shows off different high schools that someone could go to. There was Zenithian Prep, which was connected to the main college of Zenith, Zeni Tech. The Eraklyon Institute. The Callistian Artistry School for the Aspiring Youth (what a mouthful). Coventry Academy for Witches and Wizards. And Red Fountain.

-Timmy had been wanting to go to the prep school, just as was expected of him. But Red Fountain just… Spoke to him. He wanted to be different. He wanted to be more than just ‘the smart Zenith kid’. He wanted to standout somewhere. And he kind of liked the idea of the adventures Red Fountain offered.

-So he started his training for the entrance exams. Thankfully, Chester could easily be programmed to be an exercising partner and couldn’t be easily swayed to deviate from the course.

-Granted, the physical part of the exam was hard, but Codatorta saw something in him and personally vouched for him to join the program.

-Timmy’s parents were shocked at first, but since Timmy got in and had expressed such a want to go, they approved and signed the necessary papers. (With the promise that Timmy would bail if it became too much for him. No shame in realizing something wasn’t for you.)

-Not gonna lie, adjusting to Red Fountain life was a bit hard at first, but once he got into the routine, it was second nature.

-Granted, he was never as physically fit as Riven or Sky or Brandon, but he could hold his own in a fight.

-Hand-to-hand fighting isn’t his strong suite, but he is tenacious about it and isn’t afraid to exploit weaknesses his opponent has.

-Thanks to his hand-eye coordination skills from playing video games, he’s actually really good at aiming blasters and performing with a bow and arrows.

-Piloting is his favorite though. He loves getting to ‘play with the ships’ and getting to work on them and fly them around. It’s just… He loves it so much. You guys just don’t understand.

-Please don’t ask him to fight with swords or shields or spears… He does his best and he could hold his own… But it’s just not for him. (He doesn’t have the upper-body strength to really fight and hold up the weapons too. At least, not for long periods. He does well enough just to get passing marks.)

-Strategy is another strong suite of Timmy’s. He loves plotting and looking over maps and creating the battle strategies. (Maybe, just maybe, it makes him think of the Magical Dimension’s version of DnD, but he won’t say that outloud to anyone but Tecna.)

-He also sort of liked the war game drills Red Fountain ran. And the off-world training exercises.

-And okay, he wasn’t a complete fan of the camping trips, but he did have his favorite camping moments. Like bonding with his squad-mates and getting to know more about the people around him.

-(And getting to learn more about people other than Zenithians. Despite being the tech giants of the Magical Dimension, Zenith doesn’t really communicate much with the rest of the realms. So this was a great experience for Timmy and he got to share his adventures with his family who also loved hearing about them.)

-The Sky/Brandon thing did hurt him though. Like he found out early-on who they really were because they weren’t as discreet as they should have been at Red Fountain. But the fact that they didn’t just come to him and admit to him who they were kind of stung. Especially since he was supposed to rely on these guys to be his ‘brothers-in-arms’.

-His crush on Tecna happened early-on too. When he first met her, she made him so nervous and he just couldn’t believe that he was talking to that Tecna Mode, daughter of the owners of Mode Inc., and he just… Almost lost his cool. (Okay he did lose it, but she laughed and joked and that made it so much more bearable.)

-(And the fact that after they started dating, his parents fell in love with her too, just sealed the deal for him.)

-He does tend to go to Helia and Brandon for romantic advice. He knows Tecna loves him as is, but he wants to continue being able to make her feel special and keep the warm-fuzziness going.

-When she was thought to be dead in Omega, Timmy had a full-on meltdown. He went to her memorial at Alfea and he cried like a baby to her parents. He apologized at least half a dozen times to them. But he swore to them he’d bring her back. Alive. Somehow. He swore it.

-It didn’t matter that everyone thought he was crazy or delusional. Tecna was alive and he could feel it. And so could Digit. And if anyone would know if Tecna was really dead, it’d be the damn pixie she was bonded to. So she had to be alive.

-And damn, when he did see her again, when they finally made it back to the ship in one piece… He almost couldn’t bear to let her go. He basically let Helia fly the ship back so he could spend the entire flight holding her. (And she let him, despite not usually being one for PDA.)

-After that, he texted her nearly non-stop for a month, just be sure she was still there. That it wasn’t a dream he’d had. Thankfully, it was all true. She was safe and back at Alfea.

-Timmy has a poor sleep schedule, despite having been training for early morning drills at RF since he was 14. When he’s working on a project though, nothing will stop him from finishing it. (Unless the others literally pull him away.)

-(Which has happened before. Riven will literally just scoop up Timmy and take him to his room and plop him down and be like ‘sleep or I’ll knock you out’.)

-Timmy has a small case of tinnitus due to blaster use and working on the RF ships.

-Timmy also runs mostly on caffeine. Coffee, energy drinks, soda. You name it. (Helia and Nabu have been subtly trying to remove the caffeine over the years, but Tecna keeps enabling him… Or rather, enabling them both since she also runs on caffeine.)

-Timmy has tried his hands at poetry. It’s not the best, but it makes him feel great to work on writing and Tecna absolutely loves the poems he writes for her.

-Stella and Timmy have secretly been working on uniforms for soldiers/cadets in training. She wants them to be a little more stylish and he has some ideas on how to better protect the person wearing them. (And maybe add in some heat/air condition stuff. Those things are super temperamental.)

-And Layla has been helping Timmy stay in shape since they all graduated and moved to Earth. (Well, temporarily relocated to Earth.) She knows he’s slacked a bit on training since he hasn’t been at RF, and he needs to keep on his toes.

-He likes Earth okay, but he has to fight his need to fix everything to be on par with the rest of the Magical Dimension. (Please Bloom? Just one car? Or maybe a computer? Please? Please?)

-Timmy loves when they have game-night at the loft. Even if it tends to end in screaming matches between Stella, Riven, Musa, and Tecna. (So many super-competitive people in one place.)

-He has discovered that he makes the ‘best sweet tea’. At least, according to Bloom. (He doesn’t understand her or what this ‘sweet tea’ is… He’s honestly just pretty sure he ruined a thing of tea… But hey… Earth is weird.)

-Timmy hopes that after all of this ‘saving the magical dimension’ stuff is over, he and Tecna will get to live a quiet life. Or at least one where their inventions and games blow-up and they get to bring joy to others’ lives.

-(But first, the Magical Dimension needs to stop needing to be saved. And like hell that’ll happen.)

[mae-gi-writes]

Deobi Playlist (EP 2) | The Boyz Imagine

The Boyz x Hospital Playlist inspired drabble series.

Episode 2: in which Hyunjae is a drama queen.

Genre: fluff, friendship, slice of life

EP 1 | EP 2 | EP 3 | EP 4 | EP 5 | EP 6 | EP 7 | EP 8 | EP 9 | EP 10 | EP 11

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Hyunjae is in the middle of playing a battle game when the sound of someone busting the door open causes him to yelp, fingers slipping over the keyboard as he watches his character die in front of his very eyes. 

He swivels around in his seat, glowering with anger, “KEVIN!” 

“Oops,” the said man slides in, totally unfazed by the glare that would’ve killed anyone else off, before looking around at the empty office that is stacked with piles of paperwork, most of them probably belonging to Hyunjae since he had always been messy. 

“Where’s everyone?” Kevin frowns while checking his watch, “I thought we were having dinner tonight.” 

“Too slow, romeo,” a voice chimes from behind. The pair turn around to see Mae holding up three takeaway bags. Kevin squeals in delight, rushing over to throw his arms around her in a hug.

“You are the best,” Kevin singsongs before grabbing one of the bags. Mae tuts at him, “woah wait a minute Kev, that’s not--” 

Too late, for Kevin’s hands have already opened up the box. He stares at the multitudes of shrimp on a bed of fried noodles, and a grimace falls over his face, “ew no, that’s not mine--”

Mae proceeds to snatch it away, “that’s why I told you to wait,” she huffs, handing him his rightful dish; fried pork and vegetables with rice. 

“Wouldn’t mind having him choke on some shrimp,” Hyunjae mutters gloomily, still sulking in his desk chair like a five year old child being denied cookies. Mae’s brow quirks up in curious amusement, before they flicker towards Kevin. 

The latter, already stuffing his face in like he hasn’t eaten for days, mumbles out through a mouthful of rice and meat, “he’s mad ‘cause I distracted him and his character died. The usual.” 

“You always lose, anyway Hyunjae. It wouldn’t have made a difference,” Mae opens up her own takeaway, a Chinese Korean dish named Jajangmyeon. She motions him over, “come on.” 

But Hyunjae’s pout only deepens. He slides into his seat, unwavering.

“You sure you don’t want it?” she taunts him, “I ordered it specially for you.” 

Still, the caramel-haired man twists his head away adamantly. Mae huffs, turning back to roll her eyes at Kevin, “fine then, suit yourself. I’ll just--” 

Hyunjae’s out of his seat in mere milliseconds, grab his dish, and sits down onto the shared couch with crossed legs and face looking as though he’s going to murder anyone who even tries to get within touching distance. 

“By the way, you remember the patient I was telling you guys about?” Kevin says, chewing on a mouthful of food, “the one that had a weird extra bone in her foot?” 

“The one who kept asking you to marry her?” Mae confirms. 

“She mustn't have high standards,” comes Hyunjae’s mumble, causing Kevin to cluck his tongue at him in disapproval before answering, “yeah, we had to shave it off cause she’s a rising ballet star. Her mother was livid when she heard that she wouldn’t be able to dance for a good six months.” 

“Sunji, was it?” Mae asks. 

“She came to see me today,” Kevin beamed, warmth practically alighting over his face, “gave me flowers and a box of chocolate.” 

“Did she give you a ring too?” Hyunjae adds mockingly.

“At least she likes me,” Kevin retorts while sticking out his tongue.

“Please! It’s not like she had a choice. You’re the only doctor she sees.” 

"Just a game, Hyunjae," Kevin reminds him, gesturing towards the computer with a roll of his eyes since he knows exactly why the older man is being salty at this particular moment. 

“Do you know how much time and effort I took into staying alive all that time?!” Hyunjae shoots back, leaning forward in his seat, “It was my fifteenth time!” 

“It. Is. Just. A. Game,” Kevin’s words punch through like staccato notes.

“I care about that game, like it or not!” Hyunjae moans, “now my life is over!” 

“Shakespeare needs to see this,” Mae mumbles behind her bowl of noodles, “he would’ve loved to write a story about you.” 

“I think that’s the greatest compliment you’ve ever given me,” Hyunjae smirks.

“It’s...not a compliment.” 

“I hate you. I hate you both,” Hyunjae sniffs before pouting and looking away, once again the very picture of a spoiled brat. The pair meet each other’s eyes before Kevin throws Mae a shrug. 

“Don’t look at me, I didn’t raise him.” 

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The week, it seems, keeps getting worse for the titled drama queen, who proclaims that the heavens must be against him this week and that his astrological must be definitely off balance. Hyunjae’s shifts seem longer, tougher to handle this week, while the line of patients have suddenly multiplied by a tenfold the moment he thought that he could use a bit of a break. A few nurses have taken some time off for some last-minute vacation, meaning that he’s had to scramble around for help with no assistant by his side to jot down his every day needs. 

Most of all, he still hasn’t been able to finish that damn game, and he has no one else to blame but dear Kevin for that. 

“You look like shit,” is the first thing that pops out of Juyeon’s mouth the moment he stumbles into their shared office. He’s looking particularly dapper, with his freshly cut bangs and his usually hooded eyes alight with a sparkle that can only mean one thing:

“Did you guys kiss or something?” 

Colour blossoms across Juyeon’s cheeks, hooded eyes widening in alarm, “What?” 

Seemingly undisturbed by lack of sensitivity, Hyunjae proceeds to shrug off his beige coat as he opens his locker, “you look like freshly snogged material." 

“I--That’s--That’s not--” Hyunjae can’t help but smirk at the flustered expression on the younger man’s usually bland face. One of his favourite pastimes is to make fun of Juyeon, mainly because he seems so much younger than what he appears to be, for they are only a few months apart in age. Not to forget the fact that he's so innocent, despite his mature, bedroom eyes and the lazy, sensual smile he gives to women. It's, as Hyunjae had once stated, incredibly misleading.

"Want to shadow my surgery?" Hyunjae asks, picking up his clipboard to scan the patient's profile. The younger man stretches out in his seat and yawned, "what kind?" 

"Brain tumor I believe."

"Hm, I might shadow noona--"

"Oh right, loverboy's got a girlfriend now," Hyunjae rolls his eyes and lets out a soft sigh, "ah well, I'll just get one of the newbies on board. I love teasing them."

"They're all scared of you, you know," Juyeon can't help but point out.

"Oh really?" Hyunjae flashes a wicked grin.

Juyeon proceeds to roll his eyes, "that is not a compliment."

"You know, Mae said the exact same thing."

"No surprise there."

A few hours and a long trail of patients later, Hyunjae lets out a loud, noisy sigh when he finally allows his body to flop in his office chair, his feet aching from constantly running back and forth between wards. Mondays are always especially tiring, but he's quite satisfied that most of his patients seem on the track to recovery. 

His hand quickly darts towards his mouse, when his phone suddenly rings. 

Pressing the device to his ear, he murmurs out a quiet, "hello?"

"Son," his mother's terse soprano echoes through the receiver, "how are you?"

"Are you stressed, Ma?" Is the first thing that pops into his mind. There's only two reasons why his mother would call; either 1) she wants to give him food or 2) she has fought with his father yet again. 

It is no secret that Mr. And Mrs. Lee have been living apart for more than seven years now. The scar that Hyunjae still bears is now covered by nonchalance, and the fact that his two parents have kept an amiable relationship has helped balance out his upbringing. He has to admit that for a child with divorced parents, they handled him pretty well.

"Can't I call to ask about my son?!" Mrs.Lee retorts back. 

"Ma."

"Alright alright," she huffs, "I might have made some extra Kimchi stew and--"

"Ma, I told you not to cook so much," Hyunjae groans, one of his hands going up to ruffle his hair, "can't you just freeze it?"

"Freeze Kimchi Stew? Are you insane? I would never! Anyway, I already let the leftovers with--"

Knock knock!

Hyunjae glances back just in time to spot Mae standing in the doorway,  holding out a cooler towards him. 

"Ah," Hyunjae gestures for her to come in, "you met Mae?"

"Right right! Such a wonderful girl that one! Are you sure you've never had anything for her?" 

"Ma--"

"No no, if you're going to tell me that you're just friends, I don't want to hear it."

"Listen Ma, she's--"

"I can't believe you didn't even try it out with her--"

"Hey Ma, I got a surgery soon," Hyunjae hurriedly says while watching Mae stuff the cooler inside the fridge he shares with Juyeon and two other doctors. He holds out a finger for her to wait, "I'll talk to you soon  okay? Okay. Bye."

Cutting off the call right before she's about to keep on insisting how amazing Mae would be as a wife, Hyunjae lets out another trepid sigh before shaking his head at the said woman, who's gazing at him with raised eyebrows. 

"My mother really wants me to go out with you," Hyunjae rubs a hand over his face, clipboard in hand, before following her out into the corridor.

"Yeah I know, she told me the exact same thing when I bumped into her in the lobby," Mae shoves her hands in her pockets, smiling slightly. 

"I mean, if you weren't so much into Kevin, maybe--"

He doesn't get to say anything more because of Mae's hand slamming down atop his mouth. He groans in part pain and part protest, "that hurts!"

"I should've sewn your lips shut when I still had the chance," Mae hissed under her breath, careful to drop her hand and smile as they pass by a group of older doctors. 

"You guys are like turtles. By the time you ask him out, you'll both be dead," Hyunjae mutters loud enough for Mae to hear. 

She scowls back, "last I checked, I was the only one who decided what I could and could not do with my love life."

"You're doing a terrible job of it."

"I am not!"

"Okay, then where are the four children you said you wanted!? That's all you could talk about in college!"

"I was young and stupid, as were you."

"Ah, to be young and in love again--"

"Hyunjae?" 

The pair turn instinctively towards the sound only to fall upon a familiar face, a face that Hyunjae remembers almost instantly as one of the girls who had pined after him for years' on end. He briefly recalls breaking her heart once and for all when she'd decided to give him a box of chocolates during their second year Valentines. 

"Oh," Mae seems to be thinking the same thing as he does, for she doesn't waste time to smile up at him, clap him on the back and say, "see you then!" 

 And she's off, running down the hallway and leaving him to deal with the awkward aftermath of a rejected confession. 

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I honestly just love Hyunjae because he's so loud and annoying and straight up transparent. Surprisingly, I wasn't attracted to his physique as much as I was to his natural genuine personality.

Hope you enjoyed this one! Next Ep will be out on Monday!

Episode 3: in which Juyeon has a complicated relationship with food.