#Or maybe some good alternatives that aren’t expensive

[lavndvrr]

I wanna get the Artix markers but a lot of the reviews I’ve read say that they dry quickly and I can’t find a video on yt that’s not sponsored :(

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

I love Joltik so much I think it's the cutest bug pokemon ever, however would they make a good pet?

[I’m back at last! Did anything big happen while I was away in the pokémon world? Hmmm… Anyway, let’s get right into it!) Joltiks are, unfortunately, a bit of a mixed bag. They are, as you said, pretty cute, and their needs are simple. Unfortunately, “simple” doesn’t always preclude “costly”. But, overall, this is a pretty solid pick for an Electric-type pet.

Starting with their size, these critters are pretty tiny. Space is absolutely not an issue with a joltik, which is a huge plus. Their habitat needs aren’t really fleshed out in the pokédex, so I think it’s safe to assume that most owners would be able to provide them with the environment they need to be comfortable. As far as their personality goes, there isn’t really any data that indicates that they’re particularly anti-social in any way, but at the same time there isn’t anything marking them as cuddly or personable. This isn’t a problem for some pet-owners, especially those who are fond of insects and like to form a special, less conventional bond with a pet. Joltik might not have the broadest appeal at face-value, but they’ve got a place in the pet landscape so far.

The problems come in when it comes to this species’ diet. Joltiks feed on electricity, which they store in a special pouch to use for energy and self-defense (White, Black2/White2, Sword). There are two primary ways that joltiks acquire this electricity, both of which come at a cost. The first is by latching on to “large-bodied” pokémon to feed on their latent static electricity (White). I’m going to go ahead and assume that humans could serve this purpose as well, since “big-bodied” is relative, and joltiks are known in some regions to feed on the electricity from pokémon as small as yampers (Shield). Now, it isn’t immediately clear if this is painful or harmful to the host. There’s every possibility that you could safely allow your joltik to feed off of your static electricity without it being an issue, but I’m not willing to say that that is broadly without health risk. The siphoning of energy may react poorly with some health conditions, and the pokémon’s own electric energy may result in paralysis, given their move set.

Let’s say you want to find an alternative way to feed your joltik, that doesn’t require feeding on other living things’ electricity. Well, you’re in luck! Wild joltiks living in cities have adapted to absorb electricity directly from power outlets (Black)! As with the other feeding method, this comes at a cost, however: in this case financially. While joltiks are small, they are capable of storing some pretty high amounts of energy, enough to allow them to use moves like Electroweb, Thunder Wave, and Electro Ball. Using a power outlet to feed your pet would definitely increase your electricity costs. If you own more than one joltik, it could really spiral out of control if you’re not careful.

That’s the thing: caring for a joltik as a pet isn’t unreadable, as long as you’re careful. Could allowing them to feed on your electricity harm you? Maybe not, so long as you are cognizant of its effect on you. Could allowing them to feed off an outlet get too expensive? Maybe if you provide them unlimited, unrestricted access. Are these pokémon dangerous? Well, considering that joltiks can’t generate electricity on their own, the power of their Electric-Type moves is really dependent on how much energy you provide them with.

While a joltik might not be everyone’s cup of tea, a conscientious owner could easily care for one, despite the potential costs. Plus, on top of all that, I bet they’re really soft. That’s a huge bonus.

[sullustangin]

Fluffy February (Catching Up) #20: Partners

SWTOR

Rating: PGish

Time: KotFE

Pairing: Theron Shan/Eva Corolastor

Words: 875

~~

“Hey, Spike.”  Eva’s voice crackled over the comm.  She suspected the shadow had been him, but she had to confirm it. 

Using the “Spy Guy” nickname from the Holochat would have been a bit obvious; using Bowie’s alternative was a better plan.

 “What’s new, darling?”

So was using a far, far less obvious nom de guerre than “EC” (which strangely still worked in a remarkable number of places). 

At the word “darling,” Eva let the corner of her lip pull up slightly but no more.  They were on a job, and Theron had just confirmed it was him, far up and away.  She refocused her attention on the safe that the old omnitool was cracking, one binary digit at a time.  “Doing a little bit of shopping.  Waiting for a store to open up.  Think the owner is on a caf break.”

“At this time of the night, you would think.”  A shift of high-tech stealth fabric, the filaments scraping on duracrete. “I was just going for a run.  Never have time anymore, what with work being as it is.”

“Don’t tell me I’m not getting your heart-rate up enough for that high-intensity thing you do…” Eva taunted him.

“You aren’t around all the time –”

“I could be if you –”

Just then the omnitool sang its note of completion and unlatched itself from the safe door. 

“Should I take it that you’re buying something nice and expensive?”

Eva opened the safe door, carefully, and used one of Theron’s gadgets to scan for surveillance, weight sensors, and laser deployments within the lead-lined safe. “We’ll see in a minute,” she muttered under her breath.  “Gotta do some viewport shopping.”

Theron cut the comm, giving her the silence she needed to do the checks properly.

Anyone who sliced their comms or intercepted their signal would assume they were just romantic partners.

Not partners in crime.

Part the business of Very Awful Things (VAT), LLC, included corporate espionage and theft of various data and prototypes.  Theron was looking for Akaavi and Risha, the other proprietors…but since they had been good smugglers who disappeared, the LLC name had been disused since the last job they’d done (a little moonlighting thing while running something for Marr, after Ziost, before Eternal Fleet).  No tax filings, no indication of the disposition of the owners.

Maybe when Eva filed taxes this year, that would perk Risha’s attention. 

Until then, Eva was going to use VAT as a contractor for Odessen’s less than benevolent business.  Although Theron had indicated he was less enthusiastic about the very not nice things VAT did, corporations weren’t people, and the acquisition of tech for the Alliance would be for the great good of the galaxy.

When Eva had asked him about payment as a subcontractor for VAT, LLC, he’d just grunted.  She was sure she’d be able to compensate him for his time. 

The checks finished, all green.  Eva carefully extended her left hand ---

And nothing happened. 

She carefully grasped the device, shaped like a dodecahedron (“a 20-point word!” crowed Corso, in her mind).  She lifted its base off the floor of the safe and paused.  Waited.  Nothing.

She withdrew her hand, not too slow.  Not too fast.

Eva’s ears rang in the silence, a sign of too many high-octane adventures.  Her eyes dropped to look at what she had retrieved.  It matched the schematics and the surveillance holos that Theron had acquired.  She gave it a slight lift.  Weight was right – the same as Dr. O’s flimsi-weight. 

Even through the tinnitus, Eva could hear something click or move outside of the room.  Could have been the building settling.  Could have been the heat turning on.  Didn’t matter.  She had to go.

Eva shoveled the device into the specially designed interior pocket of her catsuit, off to the side, right where a shoulder holster would rest if she was carrying that day.  It slotted in neatly, and then Eva was out the window. 

She planted her left hand on the outside of the transparisteel window and, using the activated webbing, swung herself around the window sill.  The second that she felt her feet secure to the side of the building (right hand unknown), Eva pushed off and the window slid shut.  With a gesture, the locks reactivated, as if she’d never been there. 

“Ready to go home?”

Eva’s head tilted up toward the voice. 

As planned, Theron waited for her exit, perched just below the window ledge, the webbing on his stealth suit activated as well.  He’d covered her with his sniper rifle from the building across the street, and as extraction grew near, he’d migrated to their departure point.

“Thanks for picking me up.  We going to my place?” she asked as she raised her right hand toward him. 

Theron reached beyond the hand to grab at her elbow and hauled her up the side of the building.  “It’s the place with the food.” 

With ease, Theron quickly climbed up and over the ledge, turning to grasp Eva’s left forearm and bring her up the rest of the way, her feet touching down on the roof neatly into front of his own.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Anyone listening in could guess how they greeted each other. 

~~

@fluffyfebruary

[daisiesonafield-blog]

Hi, how are you?? I jus want to say that I work in the events industry and you’re right but not at all at the same time. It’s true that Livenation never puts all the ticket to sell and they’re selling them weeks before the shows, but canceling a show is always the last option. Like the last. And like it’s always the last option, most Artists don’t have insurance to cover the cost of a cancellation, because let me tell you that it’s expensive. So if Louis sold less tickets that they expect, they would have postponed the shows and announced a change in the venue months before the show because it’s easier and cheaper.

Also, even if Livenation doesn’t sell all the tickets at the same time, they know how an artist is doing, they’re inverting money that they don’t want to lose, so if they see that Louis’ shows in anywhere aren’t doing as they expected, they would have said something earlier than a week before so they could have postponed or made some changes, because as I said, it’s easier and cheaper.

And the last thing if that the team, the artist, Livenation or any promotor don’t think that they’re going to sell the full venue, they do two things: book a small venue and if they realise more people want to buy, they upgrade or book a venue saying that only 50% of the venue will be open and if more people ask for tickets, open another section (as he did in South America).

As I said, I work in the events industry and have friends that work in music industry and record labels so I know about what I’m talking about. Hope this can help and hope you have a lovely day! I hope Louis can tour there maybe next year, the fans and him deserve the tour! 💖

Hi dear,

Thanks for more detailed info!

Makes a lot of sense all you explained. I think some of the issues with the Asia leg in particular was that they began sale too close to the actual show dates, so they wouldn’t have had enough time to work out downsizing and rescheduling within such a tight timeframe. Tickets went on sale in February so they had about 2 months to work everything out. And that’s between starting sales, waiting to see how it’s going, noting sales aren’t good then trying to figure out next steps. I’m not sure why they only began sales so late for Asia.

I still think think that even tho cancelling is always the last possible option, they would have considered everything else. We don’t know how well tickets were selling really. Maybe it was quite low, and had the addition of the late start that ended up hurting sales. And although they would’ve tried every other option before cancelling the leg, I still think that if they couldn’t figure it out, and it would be a most empty venue, that perhaps that loss wasn’t as great as the loss would’ve been if they went thru with the tour.

I understand these things are done well in advance and way before we ever hear about it, but with the sale for Asia starting so late, perhaps that affected things too.

Also, perhaps cancelling was the only option because he already has other things scheduled for later on, so he wouldn’t be able to fit the Asia leg at a different time. I’m thinking of the LATAM leg then LT3.

Of course I can be wrong and there is an alternate reason for the cancellation, and it’s not related to sales. Tho I hope I’m right, because I fear if not then there’s something else very serious going on.

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

HIIIIII ARIIIIII>:33333333 i am here to inquire abt sashisuri and getting married!!!!!!!!! how would all of your weddings look like????? would you even have a wedding, maybe just a reception? maybe you just wanna exchange rings and that'd be enough? TELL MEE TELLL MEEEEE PLEAAASEEE<333 and omg.. how does kenny feel about a wedding? how does laios?

and again if you (or them for that matter) aren't one for weddings and all that, is there any other way you guys show your everlasting love to each other?????

HEHEHHEEE ARIIIII I WANNA HEAR ALL ABOUT YOUR SELFSHIPSSSS PLEASEEEE you're all so cute i need to kiss your foreheads go on get in line everybody<3333 I HOPE UR HAVING A GOOD DAY AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF!!!! i know you said that you're gonna be quite busy, so i hope you're still getting your rest!!!!!! mwah mwah mwah i love you sm angel<3333 - @teddybeartoji

MICKEY ……………..

this ask….. has been Spinning in my brain since you sent it </3 we already talked about it a bit but aaaaaa sashisuri has been………… making me a little insane lately . sniffle. thank you for indulging me my love <3333 i have a feeling this will get long but that’s the arimickey standard, here’s a cup of coffee and some treats while you read :3 ☕️🧁

OK SO ……. just . generally speaking!!!! i am Not a marriage person lmao….. i’d prefer not having a wedding at all. or even getting legally married? just being engaged for the rest of my life sounds like a dream honestly…… buuut with that being said i do think some of these guys (one guy in particular😒) would want me to compromise 😭

satoru is like me i think <33 he doesn’t have any real desire to get married, and arigojo is also a mega slowburn so??? yk. it’s not exactly a standard relationship!! i also feel like he’s turned off from marriage because of how awful most clan marriages are in jjk…… he doesn’t want me legally becoming a gojo. :((((( but like we talked abt…. i think he still ends up asking me if i’d like to be with him forever 🥹 and he buys rings!! because he likes it when we match…. super expensive and custom made. maybe a sun/moon motif? the issue is that we both see each other as the sun so???? it’s . a week-long debate. buuuut yeah he just buys us the rings and everyone else is like …. did you . get married to gojo 🤨🤨 ………….. and it’s not Exactly true but we’re married in spirit yk??

anyway just to tie this back to the first point…….. even though we aren’t legally married he takes my last name :33 and gets upset when people refer to him as gojo . he’s lenient with the students but poor ijichi gets the MEANEST side eye (nobody told him 💔💔💔)

ANYWAYYY TGAT WAS. a lot of gojo. next is suguru and like we discussed <3333 i think this guy is very much the marriage type. he daydreams about it. he loves the idea of being my husband and loves the idea of me being his spouse……. silly little sappy loser. thankfully he’d prefer a small, private wedding, which is the only kind i’d be comfy with 😭 we end up reaching a compromise and only inviting the most important people (satoshoko :333) it’s cozy and intimate and we both cry LMAOOO i hate him actually take him away from me mickey….. he cries while proposing too…….

i doooooooo . also. want to mention cult leader geto…… the alternative arisugu flavour. this guy 😔😔😔😔 SIGH…… he wants a traditional japanese wedding. wants to see me in a kimono…… i don’t have a choice (i Do but he’ll pout ://) he doesn’t want any non-sorcerers around to ���sully the atmosphere✨ so it’s just us, his family and my closest friends :33 he cries a LOTTTTT. he tries so hard to keep it together but he cries when he sees me and cries while saying his vows…… cries when he’s laying next to me in bed once the festivities are over………… makes me pinkie promise not to regret my decision because he’s silly and stupid. i do it anyway because i love him :(((( stupid fox…

ok enough abt the loser men let’s talk abt the loser Women <3333 shoko is just like me fr i don’t think she’s interested in marriage at all but for some reason i do feel like we’d end up legally married??? like…… we just kinda sign the papers one day and that’s that. i propose to her with a ring pop and she’s like okay let’s do it???? and who am i to deny my wife…….. she does eventually get us proper rings and only then do the people around us realize we’re married LMAOO (gojo owes suguru 20$) she also wants to see me in a wedding dress i think… just once………..

OHHH AND AND AND if we’re talking abt sashisuri as a polyship then i think we do get married :33 um. we might have to legally get married in pairs though…. not sure if polyamorous marriage is a thing in either of our countries……… no idea who marries who but it doesn’t really matter because we’re All married, y’know?? it’s either a full-on wedding with lots of our shared friends or just the four of us lol, no inbetween <333 it feels more like a cozy party than anything!!!!!

KENJAKU ……. well 💀 . hmmmm. arikenny is a very unorthodox relationship mickey i’d call it a lifetime companionship more than anything??? if that makes sense???? 😭 kenny never actually says we’re dating so i think it’s safe to say marriage is never brought up . BUT they do verbalize the sentiment at some point!! either in a really casual way (”we have a whole lifetime to figure it out,” or something else that implies they want me around forever) or something more akin to a proposal…… ”wouldn’t it be nice to do this forever? what do you say?” or maybe just ”you’ll be by my side until the moment you die.” which . sounds pretty awful right?? they mean it in a romantic way though. idk mickey they’re severely ill idk what to do with them

this is already long so i’ll keep laios short hehe :3 but i don’t really think he’s much of a marriage guy either!!! though i can see him proposing…. kinda casually…… he doesn’t even realize it’s a proposal (meanwhile i’m 0.3 seconds away from exploding)…… if we had a wedding it’d for sure be monster themed <3333 i just want him to be happy!!!!! he buys me . a kitten. as a wedding gift…. and we have a tiny little cozy get-together with the other guys in our party :333

OKAY THAT’S ALL LMAO selfships will have u spilling your hypothetical life story like it’s nothing……. I LOVE YOU MICKEY MY DEAREST!!!!! thank you for being so sweet hehe, i’d love to hear abt your own selfship marriage thoughts too!! 🥺 though i already know abt some of them….. what abtttt misu and mikuna? :333 obsessed with you three btw…… kissing your noses one by one pls protect me from sukuna’s cleave ok???

[marsdeathdefiances]

What clothes would alcibiades wear in the vampire au?

Gonna apologize in advance cause this is going to be a multi-part thing because I have so many ideas on vampire!alcibiades’ wardrobe as well as vampire-hunter!socrates’ wardrobe. (And because tumblr only allows a certain numbers of pics per post but y’know)

But to preface everything I haven’t settled on like a specific time period that this takes place in so if I ever decide on one then I’ll tweak it to that time period to make it somewhat historically accurate, but for now it’s just…it can be whenever you want it to be.

However I’m keeping it a little bit true to Alcibiades as in he has a knack for the finer things, is a bit flamboyant and out there, and also maybe kind of playing a bit fast and loose with gender in regards to clothing. But leaning a bit more into that last part because hey he’s a vampire what’s anyone going to do to him? Nothing. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks or says he’s been alive for way too long to give a shit about what some random mortal might say or think about him.

Anyways, getting into it. He definitely falls into like the stereotypical vampire look. Like it’s one of those ‘you aren’t beating the stereotypes but the stereotypes are beating you’ situations. However, he’d definitely have more color in his wardrobe than most folks tend to associate with vampires. He’d like deep rich colors like a royal purple, a deep navy blue, etc. just think more deep earth tones. He’d also very much like the colors black, white, grey, dark red, silver, and gold and would incorporate those into his wardrobe as well.

He would spare absolutely no expense when it comes to his clothing. He’s very particular about his presentation (I know that kind of contradicts what I said earlier but stick with me) and likes to show off his wealth and appear very sophisticated and extravagant. He’d get his clothes custom tailored, and dry cleaned. And he’d only buy the finest and most expensive fabrics out there.

His style is essentially: sophisticatedly simple, if that makes sense.

First of all, he absolutely loves all things ruffles.

He also prefers looser fitting things most of the time. He thinks it makes him look…elegant. He alternates between high collars and low cut collars, it really depends on his mood. These types of tops are usually his go-to day to day look, he knows it makes him stand out but he doesn’t really care.

Secondly, he’d like both sheer fabrics and clothing with some fine details on it, like this:

He usually reserved these tops for parties and for going out with any of his lovers. Though sometimes if the mood strikes him he’ll wear one just because he can. Again- who can stop him? Nobody. That’s who.

As far as bottoms go, he alternates between skirts and pants:

Again, usually looser fitting for his day-to-day look but for parties and outings with his lovers he may opt for something a bit more snug or a bit fancier. (His skirts can also be a bit fancier but I wasn’t really finding anything that really fit)

As far as shoes go, he has a pretty wide variety of shoes. But his two go-to types of shoes for day to day life are these:

Combat boots or somewhat nicer dress shoes. He’s also very meticulous about his shoes and always custom orders them and cleans them religiously. Almost all of his shoes are black as they go with everything effortlessly and look good with everything.

He has a huge wardrobe but he’s never shy to ‘repeat’ outfits or reuse things several times. He’s a proud outfit repeater cause something’s are just timeless and will never not look good and cause heads to turn. He dresses for himself for the most part, but he does like getting a (good) reaction from people. Alcibiades is one of those where you can learn a lot about him just based off of what he wears, he knows clothes can make a lasting impression so he takes his wardrobe very seriously.

Again, sorry for the ramble and the fact that there’s going to be more posts about this but this is such a niche hyper fixation of mine. I love crafting silly little wardrobes.

[thebigtooth]

Why Does Your Dentist Feel So Pushy? Unpacking the Pressure

Have you ever left the dentist’s office feeling like you’ve been sold a car you didn’t need?

Maybe they suggested extra cleanings, pricey procedures, or even pushed treatments that left you scratching your head.

You’re not alone! This experience is more common than you might think, and there’s a mix of reasons behind it.

Whether you’re visiting a kids dentist Saskatoon for your little one’s checkup or booking your own appointment, understanding why your dentist might come off as pushy can help you feel more in control.

Let’s break it down together in a way that feels like a chat with a friend—informative, approachable, and packed with real insights.

The Money Factor: Dentistry Is a Business Too

Dentists aren’t just tooth heroes; they’re running a business with bills to pay. Overhead costs—like rent, staff salaries, and fancy equipment—can stack up fast.

For example, setting up a dental practice can cost upwards of $200,000, and monthly expenses might hit $10,000 to $15,000. That’s a lot of pressure to keep the cash flowing!

Here’s the kicker: 

Some dentists boost their income by recommending treatments that aren’t strictly necessary.

A 2019 study on dental costs found huge price gaps for the same services.

Take teeth whitening: an in-office session might cost you $500, while drugstore strips do the job for $50—no real difference in results.

So why the push? Profit.

Procedures like quadrant scaling (a deep cleaning along the gums) can rake in $800 to $1,200 per visit, compared to $100 for a basic cleaning.

What this means for you: If your dentist insists on a pricier option without explaining why it’s better, they might be eyeing their bottom line. Ask questions—why this treatment? Any cheaper alternatives? You’ve got the power to decide.

Corporate Pressure: When Big Business Runs the Show

Ever notice how small dental offices are disappearing? Over the past 20 years, many have been swallowed up by corporations or private-equity groups.

These big players often care more about profits than patient smiles. Dentists working under them might face quotas—think of it like a chef pushing the daily special at a restaurant.

Dr. David Silber, a dentist from Texas, shared a wild story. Back in 1993, he got fired from a clinic for refusing to do an unnecessary crown.

The patient’s tooth was fine, but the clinic wanted the cash. Silber said, “The executive at the top tells dentists what to push. Refuse, and you’re out the door.”

Sound familiar? If your dentist seems scripted or overly insistent, they might be dancing to a corporate tune.

Real-world tip: Look for independent practices or ask your dentist how decisions are made. A good one will explain options, not just pitch the most expensive fix.

Insurance Games: Maximizing the Payout

Here’s a sneaky one: insurance reimbursement rates can drive pushy behavior.

Some dentists feel they don’t get enough from private insurance or Medicaid, so they get creative. Ever heard of “creative diagnosis”?

It’s when a dentist stretches the truth to justify a procedure that pays better.

A Washington dentist called this out in a 2013 American Dental Association piece, and it’s still a thing today.

Take this example:

A patient needed a $100 filling, but the dentist convinced her to get two crowns—costing $2,400—because insurance covered it. That’s a hefty jump for no real benefit.

The COVID-19 pandemic made this worse, cutting patient visits and leaving dentists scrambling to make up lost income.

Your move: If a treatment feels off, get a second opinion. It’s your mouth, your money, and your call.

The Ethics Line: Most Dentists Want to Help

Before you swear off dentists forever, here’s some good news: most are ethical and genuinely want to keep your teeth healthy.

The pushiness might come from a desire to catch problems early—like tiny cavities or gum issues—before they balloon into emergencies.

For a kids dentist, this might mean suggesting sealants to protect young teeth, which is solid advice backed by data showing sealants cut cavity risk by 80%.

But sometimes, good intentions get tangled up in bad habits. Dr. Michael Weinman warns about red flags: dentists who script their pitches or won’t discuss cheaper options might be prioritizing profit over care.

“A good dentist explains all your choices,” he says, “even the less lucrative ones.”

Key takeaway: Trust your gut. If they’re dodging questions or rushing you, they’re not earning your trust.

Horror Stories: When Pushy Turns Predatory

Some dentists take it too far. In 2021, Massachusetts orthodontist Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah got sued for keeping patients in braces longer than needed—purely to milk Medicaid.

He even bought cheap mouthguards from a discount store, billed them at $75 to $85 each, and pocketed over $1 million. That’s not pushy; that’s fraud.

Closer to home, a Saskatoon dentist made headlines in 2023 for threatening legal action against patients who left bad reviews.

He hired a marketing firm to pressure them into silence—sketchy stuff! These cases are rare, but they show how far the push can go.

Protect yourself: Check reviews, ask for references, and don’t sign anything fishy. Your dental care should feel like a partnership, not a shakedown.

Why Kids’ Dentists Might Push Harder

When it comes to a kids dentist, the stakes feel higher. Parents want the best for their kids, and dentists know it.

They might push fluoride treatments, sealants, or frequent checkups—sometimes more than needed.

Data backs some of this: the American Dental Association says kids with sealants are 50% less likely to need fillings.

But if they’re suggesting sedation for a calm kid or deep cleanings for healthy gums, that’s a red flag.

Parent hack: Ask, “Is this urgent, or can we wait?” A straight answer builds trust; a sales pitch doesn’t.

How to Handle a Pushy Dentist

So, what do you do if your dentist feels like a used-car salesman? Here’s your game plan:

Ask Why: “Why do I need this? What happens if I skip it?” Make them explain in plain English.

Get Options: Demand alternatives—there’s often a cheaper fix that works just as well.

Second Opinion: Another dentist can confirm if the plan’s legit. It’s your right!

Say No: You’re the boss. If it doesn’t feel right, walk away.

Quick story: A friend’s dentist pushed a $1,200 deep cleaning. She asked for proof of gum disease—none existed. She stuck with a $100 cleaning and her teeth are still shining. You’ve got that power too!

Wrapping It Up: Knowledge Is Your Shield

Your dentist might seem pushy because of money pressures, corporate rules, or even good intentions gone overboard.

Most aren’t out to scam you—dentistry’s $136 billion industry has its share of honest pros. But armed with facts, you can spot the difference between care and a cash grab.

Next time you’re in the chair, whether at a kids dentist Saskatoon or your own spot, ask questions, weigh options, and trust yourself. Your smile’s worth it, and so is your peace of mind.

What’s your take? Ever felt pushed at the dentist? Drop your story below—I’d love to hear it!

[alarrytale]

People need to realize that Louis travels to places most artists don’t. He did that for his European tour & latam. Places that aren’t in the best economic standing and most artists don’t feel it’s worth going to. Even though Louis keeps his prices reasonable compared to other artists, Louies were still sponsoring other Louies to go to latam dates so fans would get a chance to go if they can’t afford it. It’s clear when he performs in places like Mexico, he can sell tickets. 73k tickets were sold for that one show and no that doesn’t include the charity livestream for WarChildUK. That was purely in person tickets sold.

People need to leave their bubble and understand not every country is going to be in the same situation economically or have the same type of venues but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to have shows in their countries and see their fave artists. Louis and the Louies that sponsored people made that happen for those fans.

For a singer who isn’t played on the radio, he still pulled some good audiences and fans had fun.

Why does he even bother booking into a stadium of 55k size if he's only going to put 20k up for sale? Just so he can say he's played a stadium? I don't get it. All those empty sections looked awful.

Maybe because it’s not possible to get an arena with a capacity of 20k, most arenas is max 15k and often only 10k. Therefore rather book a stadium where you can make arrangements to fit the demand. Rather empty seats than disappoint fans who can’t get a ticket if they choose a 10k arena.

I remember them changing the venue in one country because of high demand and the fans were furious because of that, therefore I think they want to avoid such an issue again and chooses a large capacity venue from the start.

Alternatively he should have several dates in the same city, but with a world tour like his it would be almost impossible because of the amount of dates he already had

I'm guessing it's because there isn't an alternative option when he's due there that fits his demand? And he's not sure of the demand and would rather overbook and let everyone who wants to come see him, rather than book a 10K venue and have to turn down 10k people? //

There are plenty of 20k venues in Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. These are enormous cities. I think Louis thought about what 1d and Harry sold and thought he could sell similar as he's really popular but maybe people didn't have much money to spare this year.

Hi, anons!

I think all of you make great points. Louis does put up shows in countries, and in places that usually don't have many big artist visit. He's playing "Festningen" in Trondheim like lol? He does keep his ticket prices reasonable, or as low as possible. We don’t know how many venues are available to him at the date he's visiting. It may not be possible to book three nights at a 5k venue, if the demand is 15k, and there are no 15k venues free. Arenas are usually fully booked, because they're so versatile. Dog shows, car shows, concerts, ballroom dancing, stand up shows you name it. Stadiums are usually for sporting events or concerts, and are easier to book, with less demand. If it's less demand, prices are lower if it's outside of sporting season. If it was expensive to book, ticket prices would need to be much higher. They aren’t.

While i think Louis and his team were unsure of the demand in certain places (they miscalculated big time in Asia), i don't think they aimed for 1D or Harry numbers. They know how his streams are faring, measure his engagement and know how many watched aotv. They have a good read on the numbers. They don't do things without making a profit.

The venue change you talk about was a downgrade, not an upgrade. He played for 2.5k in Indonesia after changing the venue. Again, miscalculating big time in Asia. This was also after the Asia leg cancellation, in which he managed to piss of most of his fanbase by poor handling and communication. So... He did pull 73k i Mexico, and like i've mentioned many times now, he can easily pull 20k in major cities like NY, LA and London.

I think he's doing decent numbers, while trying to visit as much of the world as he can.

[ukvapeworld1]

Geek Bar, Area 51, E-Device, and now iBreathe disposable pods. Nowadays it seems like people just can’t get enough of these new ‘innovative’ vape devices. Today, I will be answering all your disposable pod-related questions and finally answer the question Why are disposable Pods so popular?

A New Generation Of Vapers

This may come as a shock to some of you even though it is common knowledge that both millennials and Gen Z vape, but most of the vaping population is concentrated with millennials, those who have tried their luck with Smoking but come to realise it does more harm than good and so chose to vape as a healthier alternative.

However, in these past couple of months, we have seen an explosion of Gen Z Vapers in the UK, more than there were seen in the past 5 years. This new generation has found vaping through convenient and accessible arms of the disposable vape in the UK, similar to the Juul Epidemic in America last year.

These young carefree vapers don’t care about how much the cost of these disposable vapes would rack up in the long term, they are just looking for a quick hit they can get whenever and wherever they want. They don’t want to get in the hassle of replacing coils, tanks, batteries; they don't have time for all that.

It’s the One Night Stand Of Vaping

It’s true, many of us have commitment problems, you wouldn’t want to bog down to just one vape device for the rest of your life. It’s a big and expensive decision. Nowadays you have a lot of things to consider when choosing a vape device.

Is it an MTL or DL device?

Mod or Pod?

What is the Tank and Battery Capacity?

What E-liquid options are available?

How much would maintenance cost?

It just seems like too much of a hassle to go through for a bit of fun, so people nowadays automatically opt-in for the cheap disposable vapes

Perfect For Beginners

Meet John, He is 38 and recently quit smoking, he doesn't know much about vaping or how it works, he has a full-time job and mouths to feed and doesn’t want to waste his Saturday learning about every little detail about how coils work or which mix of e-liquid would be the best for him.

The modern vaper does not have time to weigh the pros and cons of every vape device all he needs right now is a healthier way of getting his daily dose of Nicotine. So what does John do?

That’s right John buys a disposable device, it seems familiar to his Cigarette, it is compact, it doesn't have batteries, he can use it when he wants then throw it away, and it’s healthy. Or is it?

Are Disposable Vapes Safe?

With such increasing popularity, these new pods are bound to have some talk going amongst the population. You must have heard from a friend or your local vape shop owner who just ran out of stock of the Geek Bar, that these disposable devices aren’t safe. That they can explode in your face. Let me be really clear here. NO, THEY WILL NOT EXPLODE IN YOUR FACE IF YOU USE THEM PROPERLY.

Notice how I said if you use it properly, obviously if someone is dumb enough to expose the battery and then use a pin to poke holes in it, then this kind of electronic cigarette or any electronic device isn't for you my friend. Maybe you just stick to the books.

The Take-Away

In conclusion, disposable vape pods have officially become a trend, there is no telling at this point where it could go, it is abundantly clear that it is more popular with the youth as it is easily accessible, perfect for beginners, and available in many flavours. And that these devices should be safe as long as you have not disposed of your brain.

[mr880fan]

10 of the Best States for Off Grid Living

  Are you thinking about going off-grid? One of the most significant decisions you’ll make is where to live. While the off-grid movement has become more mainstream, many places still aren’t friendly towards off-grid living. So, we decided to make a list of the best states for off-grid living in America.

How Did We Decide Which States Are Best for Off-Grid?

There are a lot of things you should consider when deciding where to live, but for off-grid living, these are the main parameters to consider: Laws You may be surprised that off-grid living isn’t completely legal in some states. For example, you might find it challenging to get a “certificate of occupancy” if your home doesn’t have electricity. Likewise, some states have stricter permitting and building code requirements than others. This can make it difficult to legally use certain off-grid systems, such as greywater recycling or wind turbines. For more info, read: Is Living Off Grid Legal? The Laws of Every State in America Ability to Live Off the Land For many people, living off-grid and homesteading go hand-in-hand. This means you’ll need to live somewhere with natural resources like fertile soil and enough water for farming. Even if you don’t want to live off the land, you will need natural resources like sunlight or wind to produce your own electricity. For more info, read:  Which States Are Best for Homesteading? Natural Disasters Some states are great for off-grid living but often get struck by severe disasters. This is one reason that Texas, Oklahoma, and Montana didn’t make the list of best off-grid states. Droughts in many states also make it harder to live off the land. Cost Unfortunately, going off-grid usually isn’t cheap. In addition to the cost of land, you’ll also have expenses like building permits. Installing alternative systems legally – especially if the state has strict building codes – can also be pricier than using traditional grid-connected methods. Long term, there are costs like property taxes, sales taxes, and cost of living to consider. Luckily, some states encourage self-sufficient living by giving tax breaks for homesteads. Community and Culture Some states have thriving off-grid communities. These communities can be a great resource and support you as you figure out your self-sufficient lifestyle. Community and culture are important even if you want to live an isolated, off-grid lifestyle. For example, states with a culture of agriculture or strong Amish communities tend to be more accepting of the off-grid lifestyle. You won’t have as much interference from local government or neighbors.

Best States for Off-Grid Living

1. Vermont

Laws Vermont has stringent building laws, and you’ll need a permit for just about everything. However, this is a good thing. Here’s why: In many other states, the laws don’t mention composting toilets or alternative building methods (think straw bale). This puts them in a legal gray area: you won’t know if the system is legal, and it is basically up to the whim of the local inspectors to approve or deny the system. By contrast, Vermont’s laws are very clear. For example, Vermont is one of the only states that clearly outlines alternative waste disposal systems rules. You’ll still need a permit and maybe even a licensed engineer to design the system, but at least you know it will pass inspection. For more info, read: Off-Grid Laws of Vermont Living off the Land Nearly 80% of the state is covered by forests, and the land is lush and arable. The state is well known for dairy, maple syrup, apples, and cheese – but many crops will also excel in the fertile land. There is ample water but only approximately 167 sunny days per year, so producing your own electricity from solar year-round can be a challenge. On the downside, Vermont winters come early and are harsh. The time between the last and first frost is only about 155 days, but the growing season can be extended by building a greenhouse. Disasters When it comes to natural disasters, Vermont is one of the safest states in the country. There are flooding and winter storms, but the state doesn’t have a significant risk of wildfires, drought, heat waves, hurricanes, or earthquakes. For more info, read: Natural Disasters in Vermont Cost The cost of land in Vermont is not cheap. However, unlike in many states, most counties don’t have strict “minimum plot size” zoning rules. This means buying a small piece of land for your off-grid home is possible. Costs are also high when it comes to taxes. Vermont has one of the country’s highest property tax rates and high sales taxes. Community and Culture Vermont is famous for its thriving homesteading culture, and there are numerous off-grid communities. Just note that a lot of this culture is because of how many hippies went to the state during the 1960s and 1970s in a “back to the land” movement. If you are liberal, you will feel at home here, but not so much if you are conservative. 2. Maine

Laws When it comes to laws, Maine is one of the best states for off-grid living. As a water-rich state, you are legally allowed to use the water on your property and do things like digging retention ponds. Zoning laws are surprisingly friendly towards tiny homes and mobile home living. State laws even allow for alternative sewage systems, such as outhouses, in many cases. Like with Vermont, you’ll need permits for almost everything in Maine. However, the laws are clear about what’s allowed, so there’s no legal gray area. For more info, read: Off-Grid Laws of Maine Living Off the Land Maine is very similar to Vermont when it comes to living off the land. It also has a 155-day time between the last and first frost. However, Maine is a bit colder and snowier. The main agricultural items in Maine are dairy, potatoes, and chicken eggs. Because of the short growing season, greenhouse and aquaculture are also popular. Disasters Maine is one of the states that is least at risk when it comes to natural disasters. If you manage to find land outside of a flood zone and learn to prepare for the harsh winters, you can rest at ease. For more info, read: Natural Disasters in Maine Cost Farmland is quite expensive in Maine. Expect to pay at least $5,350 per acre. Finding small plots of land in Maine can be difficult because of minimum plot size zoning rules. The cost of living in Maine is lower than any other state in New England. However, the costs are still higher than in most of the country. Property taxes and sales taxes are higher than the national average. Community and Culture Maine’s motto is “Live and Let Live.” This mentality is very favorable for off-grid living and you’ll find a supportive culture in the state. There are lots of farmer’s markets and a strong homesteading community. 3. Wisconsin

Laws Wisconsin is mostly great when it comes to laws about off-grid living. There are still many places without zoning laws, so you can use your property how you wish in these areas. You must meet the state building codes, but there are exceptions for “primitive cabins” if you don’t live there full-time. The state even allows outhouses and is friendly to tiny homes. However, living in an RV is usually illegal. As a water-rich state, Wisconsin has very relaxed laws about using water on or next to your property for domestic use. You don’t even need a permit to drill a well in many cases. For more info, read: Off-Grid Laws of Wisconsin Living Off the Land Wisconsin’s soil is good for both crops and livestock. However, the growing season is very short, with just 110 days between the last and first frost. There is an average of 188 sunny days per year, so year-round solar power will be a challenge. While Wisconsin does have a good supply of water, the state does have occasional problems with drought. Droughts are expected to worsen over the next decades. Disasters Compared to the rest of the country, Wisconsin is relatively safe from natural disasters. The biggest risk is winter storms and blizzards. Some parts of the state average 3 to 5 blizzards per season. For more info, read: Natural Disasters in Wisconsin Cost The cost of land in Wisconsin is very high and is only getting more expensive. Expect to pay $5,700 per acre of farmland. Cropland is even more expensive. Property taxes in Wisconsin are the 8th most expensive in the country. On the plus side, the cost of living in Wisconsin is lower than in most other states. The Community and Culture There are about 17,000 Amish living in Wisconsin and the state as a whole has a very favorable attitude towards living off the land and self-reliance. Many parts of the state are very rural though. So, if you were hoping to connect to other people living off-grid or need assistance with some of your systems, you may struggle. 4. West Virginia

Laws If you want to build your own off-grid home or live in an alternative structure, West Virginia is one of the best states to do it. That’s because, while West Virginia has a state building code, it does not require communities to adopt or enforce it. As a result, many unincorporated areas in West Virginia have no building codes. About 40% of West Virginia is unincorporated, so there’s a good chance of finding land in an area without building codes. Also read: States without Building Codes Regardless of where you live, you must meet the state’s sewage laws. In most cases, you will be required to have septic, though outhouses are still legal in WV in certain situations. As a water-rich state, West Virginia has very relaxed rules about water rights. In general, you’ll be able to use the water on your property without restrictions. For more info, read: Off-Grid Laws of West Virginia Living Off the Land West Virginia is a very water-rich state and has lots of forests. However, the natural resources mostly stop there. The state has shallow, acidic clay soil. There are only 150 days between the last and first frost, so West Virginia is not great for farming. It is better suited for livestock. There are only about 160 sunny days per year in West Virginia, so providing your own solar power year-round can be a challenge. However, you may be able to utilize hydropower because of the state’s many waterways. Disasters When it comes to natural disasters, West Virginia is at lower risk than the rest of the country. However, the state does regularly experience devastating floods, heavy snowfall, freezing rains, droughts, and heat waves. For more info, read: Natural Disasters in West Virginia Cost West Virginia has one of the lowest costs of living in the country. There are also low property taxes and state taxes are moderate. Farmland is still moderately expensive, though, with costs averaging $3,600 per acre. Community and Culture West Virginia has numerous thriving off-grid communities – and the state is becoming even more popular with people who want to live a self-reliant lifestyle. Overall, the state has a low violent crime rate, though there are problems associated with the state’s high poverty levels. 5. Minnesota

Going off-grid in Minnesota could be difficult from the legal aspect. There are many rules and regulations, especially around waterways and tourist destinations, which might make it illegal to live the type of lifestyle you want. One of the most frustrating obstacles is that the state highly regulates water use. You’ll need to apply for a permit to use water, even if it’s on your own property. Surprisingly, composting toilets and outhouses are legal in Minnesota. Though there are regulations you need to follow about these too. In some places, you will be required to hook up to the local sewage system if it’s located nearby. For more info, read: Off-Grid Laws of Minnesota Living Off the Land Minnesota really shines when it comes to living off the land. The state has ample water with a low risk of drought. Soil quality is also good throughout most of the state, so farming is strong. The state ranks #5 in the USA for agriculture, so you should be able to grow your own food. Providing your own electricity could be a challenge, though, since the state has 195 sunny days per year (slightly below the average of 205 days). Disasters Compared to the rest of the country, Minnesota is at low risk for natural disasters. The state does regularly have harsh winters and freeze events, which you will need to be prepared for. For more info, read: Natural Disasters in Minnesota Cost Farmland in Minnesota is very expensive at over $6,000 per acre. The cost of living is moderate, as are the state’s property and sales taxes. Don’t expect it to be cheap to go off-grid in Minnesota! Community Minnesota doesn’t have a strong off-grid community. However, they do have a very strong farming culture. Almost 3% of all land in the state is farmland. The residents are known for their courteous and reserved manners. 6. Kentucky

Laws Kentucky is very relaxed when it comes to off-grid laws. Approximately half of the state is rural, and the zoning laws in these areas also tend to be very relaxed. The state allows alternative sewage systems (though outhouses are illegal). Kentucky is one of the only states where you can legally recycle graywater without needing a septic system for it. Despite having a high risk of drought, Kentucky still has relaxed laws regarding water rights and usage. You can generally use the water on your property without any restrictions or permit requirements. For more info, read: Read the full article

[thedisneychef]

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles Recipe: A Delicious and Easy Meal

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles is a dish that combines the zesty flavor of lemon, the rich taste of garlic, and the succulent texture of shrimp, all served over a bed of spoodles - a tasty combination of spaghetti and zucchini noodles. This dish is not only delicious, but it's also easy to prepare, making it an excellent option for a quick and satisfying meal. Whether you're an experienced cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles recipe is sure to impress your taste buds and leave you feeling satisfied. More Delicious Recipes You Will Love: - Lasagna Al Forno – Tutto Italia Ristorante - Kona Cafe’s Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes: Recipe with Sauce - Mac And Cheese With Red Wine Sauce – Jiko Lately, I’m craving seafood. Especially shrimp.  All the time. I blame it completely on the fact that I just got back from a 7 day stay at the Polynesian (which was gorgeous, stunning, amazing) and that you can’t be in a place so beautiful and so tropical without craving something that’s kind of exotic too. Ok, so maybe shrimp isn’t the most exotic thing in the world… But in my mainly chicken/beef/pork cooking routine, shrimp is something unusual and special. Plus, seeing as I’m in New Hampshire and it’s February, my exotic and unusual selections at the grocery store are pretty limited.  So… Do what you can with what you can find, right? I’m actually pretty excited to say that today’s recipe comes from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. This last trip was the first time I got a really, really good look at the Boardwalk Resort, and I have to say, it’s utterly gorgeous. Gorgeous in that, if I won the lottery and it wasn’t enough to afford a house in Golden Oaks (sigh), I’d DVC in Boardwalk.  And since they’re getting ready to do some extensive refurb there, I can only imagine that it’s going to get nothing but more stunning. A waterside resort in walking distance to my favorite park (EPCOT)?  Sign me up. This recipe is simply stunning. Seriously, one of my best Disney recipe discoveries. Light, flavorful, easy to make, one of those dishes that comes together like lightning and tastes like heaven, so everybody you serve it to thinks that you’re a culinary genius. Even if you don’t like shrimp, the sauce works with chicken, pork, scallops, or as an amazing dressing to pasta and rice with no protein at all. I served this over De Cecco’s riso pasta, which is a noodle shaped like a rice. It’s finer than orzo, not as touchy to cook as rissoto, and actually it may be my new favorite pasta since it’s easier and faster to make then rice, my known nemesis, and it’s uniqueness adds a classy element to dishes when substituted for rice. When I do this recipe over again, I think I will use less butter and a little more garlic, but really, it’s all personal preference. This recipe is heaven as is. The big change I did was to not butterfly the shrimp… I accidentally bought pre-cooked shrimp, so it didn’t hold up to the butterflying that well and because it was pre-cooked it didn’t have the cooking time issues that it would have if it’d been uncooked and whole. Honestly, for those who want to use large cooked shrimp, don’t butterfly it and just really watch the cooking times. It needs to be warmed, not cooked.  Also, I used dried parsley because, again, mid-February in New Hampshire… Fresh bunches of parsley just aren’t available that aren’t overly expensive or look like death, much to my chagrin. Conclusion In conclusion, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles is a fantastic dish that's perfect for a variety of occasions. Whether you're looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a special meal to serve to guests, this recipe is sure to satisfy. The combination of lemon, garlic, and shrimp creates a savory and refreshing taste that will leave you wanting more. The addition of spoodles not only adds a unique texture but also makes this dish a healthier alternative to traditional pasta. With its blend of flavors and ease of preparation, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles is a must-try recipe that will quickly become a favorite in your household. In addition to the delicious food and recipes, Disney World is also known for its unique dining experiences, such as character dining and themed restaurants. Whether you want to have breakfast with Mickey Mouse, dine in a replica of a sci-fi drive-in theater at Hollywood Studios, or enjoy a meal with an ocean view at the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot, there's something for everyone. And with the help of Recipes Today and the How to Make category, you can even recreate some of these magical dining experiences in your own home. So why not start planning your next Disney-inspired meal or dining experience today? Read the full article

[sleepyivoryrose]

Back!

Was at the doctor- heart’s great, bloods great. Everything works like an well-oiled machine ewe nice

The only thing is, that I got an abysmal results in vitamin D. I have to double the supplement dosage, which is already pretty high...I reaaaally should go out more. Maybe this spring. Summer...let’s not talk about summer. He’s the black sheep of the seasonal family. 

Later I went grocery shopping! I did myself something good and bought the fancy strawberries (which I ate on the way back home...I really am a gourmand), bought some nice sushi for tonight, so that I don’t have to cook (and aren’t tempted to buy fast food again, sushi is def the healthier, if more expensive alternative) annd I bought yoghurt. 

Because, you know...when you gotta go...you gotta go. And if it doesn’t flow...it doesn’t go. And if it doesn’t go...

LET IT GO LET IT GOOOOOO

[citrusfield]

“yeah, well… i guess i don’t see much of a point in panicking right now — not outwardly, anyway. you already have a tough enough job to do without having to calm someone down in the process.” and really, what good would it even do? they would still be stuck in this exact same position, still finding their way out of what might as well be a labyrinth to cindy while a potential threat lurks around the corner. starting to freak out or cry would only distract (not to mention annoy) matthew and he needs to be focused on the task at hand or they’ll both be in trouble. so yes, she holds it back; tries to settle their racing heart and follow whatever instructions he gives them because no matter how clever they may think they are, they aren’t the expert here. “sounds like you’re in the right line of work then. it’s impressive. not that you need my approval, but… i was already nervous about coming here today and all i had to do was maybe ask a question or two and scribble a bunch of shit in a notebook. i can’t imagine doing what you do; staying vigilant, protecting people… dealing with journalists who don’t know when to shut up.” she laughs then, quietly and at her own expense. she’s self-aware enough to know when she’s being too pushy or difficult, but that doesn’t mean she’s always capable of stopping it. now should really be the time to work on that. “i wouldn’t write anything that wasn't the truth. if i thought you were an asshole or that your business was awful at its job, i would say so… maybe in a slightly nicer way than that, but still, i won’t be forced into putting something out there that i don’t agree with. so if you ever happen to read something of mine and it paints you in a good light, it’s because i believe it.” usually, the more dramatic the story, the better, but they personally would love to end up writing some boring article that focuses on the positives of today. it may not sell quite as well, but it’s a better alternative than things taking a turn for the worse. “um, i wouldn’t say i’m fond of them? but it’s fine, i’m fine.” neither being shot or falling from a building sounds like a great way to go out, but they can’t exactly afford to be picky. tearing her gaze away from the door, cindy looks up to him with a slight frown. “how about we don’t say any of that ‘if i don’t make it’ stuff though? not a huge fan of that.”

"I must admit, you're quite possibly the most calmest person I've ever come across during a rescue. Your cooperation is definitely appreciated." Was Matthew being polite? Quite possibly. But that did not mean that he had not been relieved by howv cooperative they had been, especially when he had told them to remain calm, and trust him. Not only was Cindy remaining calm, but she had also trusted him. That certainly made his job a whole lot easier. Matt did not mind having a conversation with them while they tried to find a way out of the building, if it meant that it would help them remain as calm and cooperative as they had been thus far. Besides, it was not everyday he got to rescue someone who asked so many questions, especially with such genuine interest. Perhaps that was the perk of rescuing a journalist, but Matt had always possessed the ability to multi-task, which allowed him to keep up with their conversation while also remaining focused on bringing her to safety. "I wouldn't say that I get worried, but I guess I feel... some sort of awareness, I guess? I'm aware that there is a threat, and how severe it is. I'm aware that there are lives at risk, and that it's my job to protect those lives. When you're aware of the responsibility that you have on your shoulders, that there are so many lives that depend on you... there's no time for worry. You have to stay calm." He shrugged, glancing around the hallway before he continued to lead them towards the fire escape. "It's just the reality of the world we live in, unfortunately." There was another soft chuckle that escaped his lips upon hearing the sarcasm in her words. "But I still like to believe that there's some good in this world, people like you... who continue to bring the truth to those who need to hear it. As much as I appreciate the offer, I'm not looking for a glowing review, Cindy. Would that do my business a favour? Most certainly, but it's not necessary. Just the truth, regardless of how this thing turns out." Matthew knew that they had to get out first if they were ever going to write that article, and while he could not be certain about how this might turn out, he would make sure that she had made it out, even if he did not. His grip of their wrist was tight as they headed towards the fire exit, and he came to a stop just short of it upon hearing her question. "Uh... we're on the third floor. Please don't tell me that you're afraid of heights? Not that it would make that much of a difference. I'm getting you out of here no matter what, even if I don't make it."

[flyingraijin]

sunshine | part I

Summary: Hanta just wants to marry you. In hindsight, it's been a long time coming.

Pairing: Hanta Sero x fem!reader

Warnings: Alternate timelines, friends to lovers/established relationship, swearing, blood and injury, awkward conversations

Word Count: 10 616

Part 1 of 4 | Masterlist

Note: Have I edited this properly? No. Do I care? Not really. Hope everyone enjoys :)

23 years old

Hanta is panicking. 

He shouldn’t be. In fact, he has almost every reason to be the opposite of panicking. What he’s doing is supposed to be a monumental moment, a happy moment.

But he is. 

The store looks massive.

He’s been in this place before. Maybe ten, maybe fifteen times. He’s bought things from here before, for himself and for others. He’s even recommended this place to other people, as a shop with great selection and prices that aren’t too insane. 

How he never realised it before now, he honestly doesn’t know. But he finally understands as he stares in the entrance of the shop, staring through the doorway and into its interior, that this place truly is terrifying. 

Terrifying, horrifying, nightmare fuel, and an absolute no-no. 

Hanta begins to turn around. “You know what, I don’t think -” he’s already starting with his perfectly valid excuse for not wanting to step foot in there. However, Denki, who’s standing almost right behind him, catches him before he can even make a step in the opposite direction. 

Too quickly - as if Denki knew Hanta was going to back out. Traitor. 

“No, no, absolutely not,” Denki says as he spins Hanta back again and points him back in the direction of the store front door. “We’ve talked about this. You’re going to do it.” 

“Yeah, but I mean, it would hurt to talk a little more -” Hanta tries again but Denki’s already got him by his upper arms, forcing him to stay put as he is. 

“No, more talking would hurt,” Denki says, with no room for any kind of argument. “You said you wanted to do it on your anniversary, right? Well, you’re kind of running out of time. Also, isn’t it better to get this kind of stuff done sooner than later, so if you screw something up then you have time to fix it?” 

Hanta’s heart sinks like a brick through water and he turns to give Denki a panicked look. “You think I’m gonna screw something up?” 

“I- No ,” Denki says immediately with a roll of his eyes. “I said ‘ if’ , okay. If . Not when.” 

“But there is still a chance?” Hanta says. He starts to shake his head. “Yeah, no, I don’t wanna do this anymore, dude. Let’s just go -” 

But with some ungodly strength that Hanta honestly never thought Denki could possess, his best friend begins to march him towards the door even as he tries to turn tail and run. 

“You promised,” Denki says, as he shoulders open the glass door and practically drags Hanta through, ”that you would do it today. You promised. And you can’t break your promises, okay?” 

“Well, technically -”

“No,” Denki cuts him off, deadpan, as the pair of them finally step inside the cool interior of the shop. “Breaking promises isn’t manly, bro. And you need all the manliness you can get right now.” 

It’s good advice. It really is - even if he’s heard it from Kirishima about a million times before - but Hanta is certainly disinclined to listen to it right now.

The shop seems just as big on the inside as it does from the outside. Huge glass windows peer back at him from two of the four walls and almost every available space is lined with rows of glass casing. Things glitter from inside the casings, catching the bright light that shines throughout the shop. Shiny things. Expensive things. Things like necklaces and bracelets and watches and earrings and rings -

Hanta just about faints when he sees a whole cabinet full of the last ones. No, he really does not think being here is a good idea in the slightest. 

Very unfortunately for him, his best friend either can’t or refuses to pick up on his social cues (Hanta has a feeling is more likely the latter) and instead of letting him turn around and run away like he wants, the blond pushes him in the direction of a very enthusiastic sales advisor. 

“Hi, how can I help you today?” she asks when she reaches them. And because Hanta genuinely believes his tongue has turned to lead at the sight of all the shiny things, it’s Denki who answers. 

“Hello,” he says, giving the woman a very charming, very Denki-like smile. “We’re actually here looking for, uh, engagement rings. This guy ”- he jabs Hanta very sharply in the ribs with his elbow -“ is looking to, uh, pop the question .” He shares a wink and a knowing look with her. “Could you help him out?” 

The woman smiles at him, giggling a little at his cheeky tone. And then she turns to look at Hanta and he swears he sees a look of sympathy pass across her face. But it’s gone before he can fully pinpoint it, leaving nothing but polite professionalism. 

“Of course,” she says, speaking more to Denki than Hanta himself. “Please follow me.” 

And then Denki practically hauls Hanta’s ass after her as she begins to lead the pair of them in the direction of the engagement rings. Hanta makes sure to drag his feet as much as possible, equal parts petty and still terrified. He also makes sure to shoot Denki as many dirty looks as he can while he’s at it. 

Traitor , he thinks again. 

13 years old

“If you had to choose any of the boys in our class to marry, who would you choose? Like, and you have to stay with them for the rest of your life?” 

You frown absently as you set your chopsticks down beside your food, raising your head so you can look at Suzuki in the eye. You’re sure she’s posed this question to the group before, it seems generic enough. But you still take a moment to think seriously about your answer. 

“Do I have to love them?” you ask, cocking your head a little to the side. Suzuki nods her own head immediately, and the rest of the girls in the group join in. 

“Yes. And you can’t cheat on them or anything. They’re the only person you’ll ever have for the whole rest of your life.” 

You scrunch up your nose as you think about it. “And they have to be in our class?”

“Yes,” comes the answer. You sigh inwardly. That doesn’t leave you with many options. Your middle school is dry of quality men, and your own year even more so. Most of the male population of your class is either violently misogynistic or lacking in basic personal hygiene, or both, and if you’re totally honest with yourself, the idea of spending the rest of your life with any one of them turns your stomach just a little bit. Already, any hope you might have had at the start of your second year of middle school of finding yourself a boyfriend has long since fizzled out, and you've resigned yourself to the fact that your dating life is going to remain decidedly uninteresting until high school. 

Of course, there are a select few boys who do reach your bare minimum standards, and so as you’re forced to make this impossible decision, you turn your focus to them. It takes a few moments to cycle through each of them in your head, weighing up their pros and cons in comparison to what you would like to picture your married life to look like. Then you look up to meet Susuki’s gaze once again. 

“I think maybe Nanase? I feel like we’d get on pretty well and I could probably tolerate him for the rest of my life.”

Suzuki’s eyes narrow. At the same time, Hinata says, “Just tolerate? So you don’t like him now or anything?”

“No,” you shake your head firmly. Definitely not. Shinji Nanase is a nice kid who sits in front of you in class. You’ve worked with him on a number of projects and the pair of you seem to get on at least enough to work together. So you reckon it wouldn’t be so horrible being married to him. 

Although… your expression drops as, with a start, you suddenly remember another possible option. 

“Or Sero,” you add quickly. “He’d probably be alright as well.” 

“Sero?” Shizuku asks. “You mean that kid with the weird haircut?” 

“Yeah,” you nod in confirmation. “Yeah, him.” 

The rest of your friends all give you odd looks, something which you’re just the slightest bit offended by. It’s not like you’ve ever actually spoken to Hanta Sero - he’s more so just existed in the periphery of your life, the guy who’ll nod and give you an awkward smile whenever you make eye contact. But he seems nice. Or nice enough. You haven’t seen him make any derogatory comments about anyone from the back of the classroom, and the few times you’ve been close enough to tell, he hasn't reeked of sweat and AXE the way some of his friends do. Plus, there was that one time in art club when the lead of your pencil had snapped when it fell off the desk and when you’d asked Sero if you could borrow his sharpening knife, he’d just traded pencils with you instead. 

Your cheeks warm a little at the memory, your eyes widening just the slightest bit. Really, it’s not as if you like him or anything, but… well, he has been nice to you during the few times you’ve interacted with him. And that’s better than most of the other boys in your class.

“Oooh,” Shizuku suddenly pipes up, staring with slightly narrowed eyes at your face. “Are you… Ooooooh, you’re blushing!” 

“Wha-?” you begin, sitting up a little straighter. “No, I’m not!” 

“You are!” Shizuku squeals and this time Susuki joins in. She points at your face, her eyes sharp. 

“You so are! So, do you like him or something?”

“N-no,” you stammer out, your cheeks burning even more. Truth be told, you don’t know why you’re so flustered. You really don’t like Sero, at least not in the way all your friends are implying. You don’t know him enough to like him, not in the slightest. And yet, for some reason the more you think of him, the more embarrassed you get. 

“So that’s your final answer?” Suzuki asks, with a raised eyebrow. “Out of all the boys in our class, you’d choose Sero?”

“W-well, I guess.”

“Yes or no?”

Your face scrunches a little in discomfort. But you decide not to back down, even under the fierce gaze of your friends. “Yes.”

And then, out of pure coincidence, your eyes shift upwards just a little, past the girls you’re sitting with. And your gaze is met by a pair of dark eyes on the other side of the classroom. You blink in surprise, realising suddenly that a few of the boys have come back inside in anticipation of the next class starting. 

Sero gives you a tentative smile from where he stands, leaning his back against the wall with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He shifts a little awkwardly, probably not expecting anything back from you. And you don’t really expect anything from yourself either. 

But, to both of your surprise, you hold his gaze. And then, instead of the usual awkward head duck you give whenever you’ve caught his eyes in the past, and then the adamant refusal to look anywhere in his direction for at least ten minutes, you take the first step. 

You smile back at him.

23 years old

Despite it all, Hanta buys a ring. 

He’s very reluctant about it, considering how every time he looks at such a piece of jewellery, he honestly thinks he might hurl. And the nerves and terror twisting in knots in his abdomen don’t diminish even the slightest bit over the hour-and-who-knows-how-many-minutes he spends with Denki and the cheery sales advisor (who he learns is called Shizuku) breathing down his neck. 

He can’t help it though, when he sees The Ring. The One. The One Ring. Despite it all, despite his nerves, despite his anxiety, despite that little voice in the back of his head saying it’s too soon, it’s so fast, you’ll get rejected, you’ll lose her, despite fucking everything, when he sees the ring, he knows. He knows this isn’t a mistake. 

Because despite it all, despite his nerves, despite his anxiety, despite that stupid little voice, despite fucking everything, in that moment Hanta remembers that he knows you. He’s been with you for a long time and he’s known you for longer still. He knows what it is you want in life, and what he wants lines up with that. And while it doesn’t make his terror and his nerves and his anxiety go away, it does remind him of something. Of you. And it helps him make a decision as he raises a shaky finger to single out one of the rings from the line behind the thick wall of the glass casing. 

“That one.”

Denki gives him a little bit of an odd look when he says it because, well, why that one? But he doesn’t say anything, which Hanta is glad for, as he’s allowed to examine the ring once its been removed from within its cage by the sales advisor. 

He knows it's perfect even as he holds it gingerly, he knows. He’s had the conversation before, the “what would your perfect engagement ring look like?” conversation. He’s got the image of it in his head, the image of the ideal ring. And this is…

Well, it’s about as close to perfect as anyone could ever get. 

“It’s a gorgeous ring,” the sales advisor pipes up as Hanta gets just a little starry-eyed. “Quite unique in the design. Notice the placement of the smaller crystals around the outside.” She indicates them with her finger and draws both Hanta and Denki’s eyes. “While it is in the upper range of what we hold here, it is no doubt a worthy purchase. I’m sure your special someone will love it!” 

It’s a marketing trick, obviously. Hanta sees right through it, however all it does is make him smile. He doesn’t need the persuading the sales advisor is trying to give him, his mind is made up. The ring is perfect, is exactly what he wants, and he’s ready to purchase it on the spot, no extra assurance needed. 

As he stares down at it in his hand, he takes a moment to picture it in action. How it would fit, how it would look. How a wedding band would sit snuggly beside it. Something swoops in his stomach at the thought of the last one, and for the first time since arriving in the store, a smile graces his lips. Yes, he decides, this is the one he wants. 

“I’ll take it.” 

The sales advisor beams - no doubt this shop works on commission and she’ll get a lovely percentage of the purchase - and nods once. “Lovely! If you’ll follow me then -” and she begins to walk towards the counter. Hanta follows, still holding the ring and a little dazed as he continues to do his best to avoid looking at anything else. The shop remains as overwhelming as it was when he arrived and his stomach is still churning - he wants nothing more than to get this shit done so he can go home and hide the ring somewhere it’ll (hopefully) never be discovered. 

Denki peeks over his shoulder as he walks, eyebrows furrowing a little bit as he too makes his judgments of the piece of jewellery. “That’s the one you want?” he asks, sounding almost a little unsure. “It’s pretty expensive, man. You don’t have to make a decision today, we can keep looking.” 

But Hanta shakes his head. He doesn’t need to keep looking - this is what he knows is right. And the price isn’t an issue - the salary of the number 7 hero isn’t anything to sneeze at and Hanta has been sure to save up for this. He’s saved up far more than he could ever actually need, just so he can buy whatever it is that he wants. Plus… he honestly doesn’t think he can walk into another jewellery store. Not with his shattered nerves. 

“I’m sure,” is what he tells Denki as he lets the sales advisor take the ring to settle it in its velvet-lined box. “This is the one I want.” 

There’s something in his voice that Denki seems to understand because the blond doesn’t press any further. Instead, he gives Hanta a half smile and claps him heartily on the back. 

“That’s my man! Look at you go, tape boy is growing up!” 

Hanta manages a shaky smile as he pays and then takes the little bag with the box in it. Despite his nerves, he can already feel his own excitement beginning to grow. The worst is over for now, and he's got the ring. All he really needs to do from here on out is do the damn thing - get everything arranged and organised, rehearse his heartfelt speech a few times in the mirror and then ask the big question. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice reminds him that nothing is certain and he could still be turned down. But he pushes it away as he and Denki turn to leave the shop, too scared of the heartbreak that just the idea brings to him. 

Once they step outside and back into the warmth of the late-morning sun, Denki turns to Hanta and announces that he has a few groceries of his own to buy, and he'll see Hanta later at their weekly boys night later that evening. Hanta doesn't mind too much - his mind is already returning home, back to his recently-bought shared apartment where he knows an absolutely mouth-watering lunch will be ready for him. You've been in a little bit of a cooking frenzy recently, trying out new recipes whenever you can. Your time has been freed up a lot since your support-item manufacturing company finally got off the ground and, amazing food aside, seeing you light up with a new passion brings a special kind of joy to Hanta's heart. 

He hurries home with a small smile on his face - making sure to hide the little bag with the ring in it deep within his workout bag, which he knows you refuse to touch - and eases his car into his parking spot at exactly the right time to cross paths with his elderly neighbour, who's making his way out of the building. The older man smiles when he sees Hanta dropping from his car door and raises his hand in greeting. 

"Hello, youngin’," he says - as he always does - making Hanta grin in response. "How ya doin' today?"

"I'm doing just great!" Hanta replies and it's true. "And yourself, Mr. Utahime?" 

The old man grumbles a little, scowling, and slaps at his leg irritably. "Oh you know," he says lightly. "The old bones are creaking and the old wife is nagging. What's new?" He looks suspiciously between Hanta and his car. "You not out with the missus?" 

"Ah, no," Hanya chuckles and pats his workout bag, which he's slung across his shoulder. "Been doing some big boy errands by myself." 

"Boy boy errands!" Mr Utahime huffs out a rusty laugh. "I tell you what, son, you ain't a big boy yet. You and that girly, yer both still infants in my books. Still got ya whole life ahead of yer." 

Hanta's grin widens just a little. "Right you are, Mr. Utahime!" 

"’Course I am," Mr Utahime sniffs. He points a gnarled finger at Hanta as he walks past. "You've still got loads of time to fuck with, boy. And you'd better hold onto that girl of yers f'all of it, understand." 

"I'll try, Mr Utahime." 

"Ain't no one gonna love you like she does, " he declares. "Not with that ugly mug." .

Hanta snorts. "I know, Mr Utahime," he assures, already used to the elderly man's antics. "You have a good day now." 

Mr Utahime grunts something unintelligible and gives a final wave over his shoulder as he turns to unlock his own car. Hanta too spins to put the parking lot at his back, as he takes the stairs that lead up to the ground floor two at a time. His mood has already considerably brightened, as it always does after even the shortest exchange with his old neighbour. He'd met Mr Utahime when he and you had first moved into your apartment, a little under a month ago; Mrs Utahime had been kind enough to invite the both of you around for hot pot on your first night there, accurately anticipating the fact that your fridge would be startlingly empty once everything was unpacked in the apartment. Since then the Utahimes had become regular dinner guests and remained as your and Hanta's closest friends within your apartment complex. 

As Hanta reaches the ground floor and steps into the elevator, he makes a mental note to have a chat with Mr Utahime about the plans for his proposal - the guy might be cranky but he's been married to his wife for 60+ years and they're happier than most other couples Hanta’s ever seen. 

He jingles his keys merrily in his hand as the elevator pings in announcement of his arrival at the fourth floor. The doors slide open, giving way to the natural light of the wide hallway. Your and Hanta's apartment isn't too far down - only the second one on the right - and it takes him barely any time to saunter over to the front door. As he swipes his key card, he hums some silly tune under his breath, his heartbeat picking up just a little in excitement of getting home. 

Music greets him when he swings the door open, a soft beat of a song that he recognises to be one of your recent favourites. He can also hear you singing along, very quietly, and it makes him smile enough more as he shoulders the door closed behind him and then goes to toe off his shoes. The open plan layout of the apartment gives him a full view of most everything in it - excluding the bedrooms, bathrooms and both of your office spaces - and it doesn't take him any time to spot you, standing with your back to him at the kitchen island. You're chopping something - presumably cucumber - and your head is bobbing just the slightest bit in time with the beat of the song. 

You don't look up even as the door clicks shut, although Hanta has a feeling that you know he’s there. It makes him smile, your search for his attention despite the fact that you've been together for over seven years, so he humours you as he sets his key in the bowl by the door and his bag on the floor. His footsteps against the wooden floor are quiet, a reminder of the stealth hero that he is, and he thinks he almost makes you jump when he slips round behind you to slide his long arms around your hips. 

"Hello, my gorgeous girlfriend," he purrs in your ear, nuzzling his nose into the hair at your temple. He feels you giggles, your shoulders shaking just a little as the movement of the knife in your hand stops. 

"Hello, my beautiful boyfriend," you reply in a soft, sultry tone. "Have you had a good morning?" 

Hanta’s brain short circuits for a brief moment, the way it always goes when you talk to him like that, and all he can do is nod and hum in reply as he buries his nose in your shoulder. You laugh again, raising one of your hands to caress his own which is still grabbing at your hip. 

"You get everything you need to get?" 

Hanta nods again, remembering how he'd told you about his trip to the mall under the guise of getting a new pair of training shows. He had bought them - they're stuffed inside his workout bag much like the ring. Only, unlike the ring, he has plans to actually show them to you. 

"I'm glad," you say softly and then spin in his arms. Hanta’s eyes slide shut as you press a contented kiss to his cheek. "Lunch is ready by the way. You wanna eat?" 

Hanta takes a peak over your shoulder and almost moans at the sight of the shrimp and avocado salad you've made. " Fuck yes," he mumbles in delight before leaning down to peck you happily on the lips. "Thanks, lovebug, it looks incredible." 

You give him a sweet smile and go to ruffle his already messy dark hair. "Of course, baby. Set the table for me?" 

"Yes ma'am," he mumbles and then ducks away with a final kiss to your forehead. His heart is singing as he moves to grab a couple of bowls from the drawer, and the giddy smile won't leave his face. God , he thinks, feeling exactly like a stupid teenager in love. My life really is the fucking best . 

Because it really is. 

13 years old

You're the only one out of your friend group to stay late after school that day. Because of your middle school's policy of every student needing to do at least one after school club activity, you'd been wrangled into joining the art club by yourself at the start of your second year, and you now have to attend lessons for an hour and 45 minutes every Thursday afternoon. 

You don't mind too much though. While art isn't a huge passion of yours, it ties into your dreams of becoming a support item manufacturer quite nicely. Since the teacher, in all honesty, couldn't give two fucks about actually teaching, you usually get to spend the entire session sketching whatever new design you've got bouncing around your head. 

Another reason why you actually enjoy the art club is because it's the one and only time you get to interact with him. 

Keji Yuuta. UA hopeful. The most talented guy in the art club. And your current unrequited crush. 

Sure, when you'd said you'd resigned yourself to a boring life of romance until high school begins, you had excluded crushes specifically for this reason. Because Yuuta is - 

To be frank, he is the finest man you've ever seen in all your thirteen years of life. With soft golden hair and eyes the colour of the sea, it's like he's born of sunshine itself. Not only that but he's actually a nice person, who wants to become a pro-hero so he can help people. You don't think you've ever come across anything sexier.  

Of course, you've never actually spoken to Yuuta past a casual greeting. You're not even entirely sure that he knows your name. However the smile he always sends you when you take your first step into the art room once the end-of-day bell rings on Thursday afternoons makes it worth it. Every time. 

Today is especially great in particular because you've managed to score the seat right behind Yuuta. Your sketchbook is spread open in front of you on the desk but you haven't touched pencil to paper for at least five minutes, far too preoccupied with staring at the incredibly soft-looking curls at the back of Yuuta's head. 

Seriously, how on earth does he look so flawless all the time? 

There's soft music playing in the background of the class - just that "delta waves study music" crap off YouTube that's totally instrumental - that adds the perfect ambience to your gazing, and as you lean your chin on your hand, you can't help but let out a happy sigh. Life's good , you think a little dazedly as you watch Yuuta’s head tilt a little. Life is real good. 

That is, until your eyes flicker to the side for just the briefest of seconds and all of a sudden you're meeting the nervous gaze of someone who's sitting by one of the large windows and has been, presumably, staring right at you. 

Hanta Sero jumps violently when he realises you've caught him, and immediately blushes a deep, rich pink. He swivels away from you before you even have time to raise an eyebrow in his direction and ducks his head down in a very obvious attempt to continue on with his art. He has your attention now though, out of pure curiosity and from then on your focus becomes divided between glancing over at him and staring at Yuuta. You're not entirely sure if you want to catch him looking at you again or not. 

Either way, you don't snd class progresses onward as it would normally have down. You manage to get a grand total of one rough sketch down in the entire lesson - a small, pathetic thing detailing a new helmet design you'd thought up last night. It’s childish at best, not more than a few jagged lines and awkward shading, but you don't mind too much. It served as evidence of yet another idea that you'll be able to bring into reality once you enter UA's support course. 

When the teacher stands to announce the end of club time, you snap your sketchbook shut hastily and get to your feet. It's been a productive class, you think happily as you lean over to grab your bag from the floor. Very productive indeed - now all you need to do is complete your homework at home and you should be done for the day. 

The loud voice of your teacher stops you, however, and you turn along with the rest of the class to look up at him as he stands in the front of the classroom. "As usual," he begins, watching all of you with a bored look on his face. "Two of you must stay to put the chairs up. And I think it's only fair for it to be the two who did the least work today." 

You feel your heart sink a little as he raises his hand to point right at your face. "You. Stay behind to clean up. And you. Sero. You'll also stay." 

Your breath hitches a little and you can't help but glance over at your now-companion in clean up duty. He is staring up at the teacher with wide eyes and you almost think he's gone a little pale. Which is dumb because its just clean up duty - it's not like he's being asked to marry you or anything. 

That thought very suddenly takes you back to the conversation you'd been having with your friends during break. Your own eyes widen a little and, involuntarily, your cheeks flush. Which is also dumb because it's not like he knows about the conversation you'd been having….right? 

Oh God - your heart sinks. What if he does know? What if he’d heard you, back when you were talking about him? He was in the room at the time, after all, although you’d been sure to keep your voice down the entire time. Then again, he had looked at you, when you were talking back then. Like, at you, at you, so there was no chance he hadn’t noticed you. Meaning… shit , meaning he could have heard everything you said. 

You grimace, staring down at your desk. It’d make sense with his weird behaviour - the way he was staring at you now and his reaction to being told to stay behind. He’s probably feeling super awkward about the whole situation, you suppose, holding back a wince. He probably doesn’t want to be around you at all. 

There’s a sudden scraping of chairs and you realise that in your worry, you’ve completely missed the teacher dismissing the rest of the class. Around you, the other members of the art club are getting to their feet, some chatting idly as they begin to trickle out of the classroom for the day. You watch them go, a little longingly - especially once you catch sight of Yuuta, who’s laughing happily with one of his friends. Then a cough breaks the air behind you and you turn to see your teacher holding the wooden handle of a broom out to you. 

“Put the chairs up and sweep before you go,” he instructs lazily, as his eyes flicker briefly between you and Sero, who has taken a couple steps closer. “And lock up the room when you’re finished. The key is on my desk.” 

You open your mouth, almost ready to protest. However, a quirk of your teacher's eyebrow makes you backtrack real quick. “Yes, sir,” is all you get out as your eyes jump momentarily to Sero and then away again. “We’ll do that.” 

“Good,” he chirps in reply and turns away, briefcase in hand. “In that case, I’ll see you both next week.” And that's it before he slides the classroom door closed, leaving you in possibly one of the most awkward situations of your life so far. 

Neither of you say anything for a long moment, as you glance awkwardly at each other, then away, then at each other again. You shuffle your weight from foot to foot and fiddle with the hem of your school cardigan, trying to figure out a way to breathe in the stifling silence of the room; you want him to say something first, anything to get the job started. But as he coughs and avoids your gaze, tugging at the jagged cut of his dark hair, you come to the conclusion that he is less likely to intiate anything than you are. 

Fuck it - fine!

“So, um,” you say, fiddling with you fingers, “I guess we should, uh, clean up.” 

It’s so awkward, and for a reason you don’t even understand. But you attempt to push through it because, as you reason with yourself, the faster you get it done, the sooner you’ll be able to leave. 

Sero coughs and nods. “Y-yeah,” he says, and you don’t miss the way his cheeks flame up when you catch his eye. “U-um, I could start at the front of the class and … put the chairs up. And you could go from the back?”

It’s not like this kind of operation needs any kind of strategic planning - it really is just cleaning the classroom. But you nod along to what he suggests anyway because it’s efficient. 

You lean the handle of the broom you’re still holding against your own desk. And then you begin to move towards the back without another word. You can feel Hanta’s eyes on you for the shortest moment as you go, before, with a squeak of his shoes, he too begins the task of putting the chairs up. 

The class isn’t too big. Your middle school in general isn't too big; based as it is in a small neighbourhood outside the main hub of Musutafu, and surrounded by much larger, much more prestigious institutions like Sohmei Private Academy, not a lot of students attend your school. It's mostly kids who simply don't have anywhere else to go - no one attends this place because they want to. You yourself only settled for it because it was the only school within a reasonable distance that offered any kind of quirk-development guidance. And even then, it’s basic at best, a simple packet that you receive at the start of every term which details daily exercises to help you develop your own quirk. You take it because it gives you a better chance at getting into UA (although at this point you doubt you’d be any worse off without it) 

Even so, compared to the country-wide average, the number of students per class at your middle school is small. And so it doesn’t take you or Sero all that long to raise all the chairs and set them neatly atop the desks. The pair of you meet in the middle, both going for the same chair at the same time. And when you realise this, you both stare at each other with wide eyes and cheeks that are flaming up. 

“U-um,” Sero starts, scratching the back of his head. “I- I can get it.” 

You step back and let him, because there’s really no use arguing politely over something as dumb as a stupid chair. You do watch him though, when he drops his gaze and goes to raise the chair off the ground - not in the creepy way, and definitely not in the “if i had to marry anyone in our class, it’d be you” way. You just observe quietly for a few seconds, as you slowly come to the realisation that, aside from quick glances out of the corner of your eye, you’ve never really…well, looked at Sero.

He’s scrawnier than what you’d thought. Or maybe ‘lankier’ is a better word. He’s very lanky, pretty tall for a middle schooler too, and his clothes seem too baggy on his body. His hair too, is at an awkward scruffy length, cut jaggedly around the base of his head so that only a few strands tickle the back of his neck and around his ears. You have to think for a second about what his quirk is and still you come up short - the idea of tape comes to mine but as you scan an eye up and down his form, you don’t notice anything that might warrant it and so you push it aside. 

The chair settles into place atop the desk with a small thunk! and immediately you jump backwards. Sero looks back at you for a brief moment, pausing for just a second as he must realise you’ve been staring at him. It’s your turn to look away now, your cheeks burning as you curl your fists into the hem of your cardigan. “I’ll sweep,” you tell him, tilting your head so that you’re shielded by a curtain of your own hair. “You - you wipe down the blackboard?” 

You don’t expect much of an answer from him, and you’re already moving off to grab the broom before the words are even fully out of your mouth. However, you catch the short nod he gives in your peripheral, as well as the small reply of, “Okay.” 

For some reason, the softness of his voice twists something in your chest. 

The rest of the work is done in silence. You sweep the floor of the classroom, sure to keep your head down the entire time, while Sero moves up to the blackboard at the front to wipe it clean. Neither of you try to make conversation, thank god , and as you reach the last corner of the room, you almost start to think you might actually have gotten through the whole awkward encounter without it being too awkward. 

As it turns out, you’re too quick to judge. 

It’s as you’re heading towards the back of the classroom to put the broom away in the cupboard there, that you hear the grinding of the classroom door sliding open. At first you think it's Sero, leaving, and that makes you spin on your heel, a little indignant. After all, it’s only fair that you should leave only once the both of you are finished with your tasks, right? 

But then you see Sero, still standing by the blackboard and looking at the door curiously, and you realise that it’s someone else. Only, when you do finally get to see who that someone is… your heart sinks in your chest. 

“Ah, sorry,” Keji Yuuta says apologetically, scratching at the back of his head as he stands in the open doorway. “I, uh, left something. In the cupboard.” 

Your grip tightens on the broom handle, your face immediately growing warm as he meets your eyes directly. (It’s a very different kind of warm to when you’d met Sero’s eyes a few minutes before and you’re very much aware of this) 

“O-oh, Yuuta,” you say - or rather, squeak. “Yes, o-of course. We haven’t touched anything in the cupboards.” 

Yuuta nods and steps inside, sliding the door shut behind him. “Thanks you two. Sorry, if I’m interrupting.” 

“Oh no,” you tell him, shaking your head as you grip the broom handle tight enough for your knuckles to go white. “We’re just finishing up, you’re not interrupting at all.” 

Yuuta nods again and flashes you a dazzling smile. You swear your heart stops for a second. “That’s good,” he says as he steps over to the cupboard. “I don’t want to hold you up or anything.” 

You shake your head again, blushing even harder. He’s so considerate , you want to gush to yourself as you watch him open the cupboard door and begin to rifle through it. He’s so nice and sweet, and I swear he’s the best boy in this whole stupid middle school -!  

“Ah!” Yuuta exclaims and then steps back with what looks to be a sketchbook in his hand. “Here it is!” 

He closes the cupboard, smiles at you again and then begins to make his way back to the door once again. Only this time, his pathway through the patterns of desks is different. Your insides twist into knots when you realise he’s coming towards you -

“Sorry again, for bothering you guys,” Yuuta says, running a hand through his curls. He waves the sketchbook in the air absentmindedly. “I just didn’t want to go home without this.” 

You take a few steps backwards as he comes closer, still smiling. His steps are easy, casual, and yet he’s staring right into your face, right into your eyes . Like he - Well, like he’s noticing you . 

You shuffle backwards again and feel what must be the edge of the table behind you. But you can’t focus on it because Yuuta is still approaching and still smiling. Is he going to stop? You can’t help but think about it, about what it’d be like if he did stop, right in front of you. Would he ask your name? Or maybe he already knows it. Maybe he knows it and maybe he’s noticed you like you’ve noticed him. Maybe he likes - 

But all your maybes are cut right off when he reaches you and on instinct you start backwards again - only to crash right into the table behind you. 

The spindly legs of the table skid across the floor - it’s not strong enough to withstand the weight of you as you bump into it. You trip a little, overbalancing when you don’t expect to find resistance to your step. Your stomach drops, your arm reaches to steady yourself on the table but it’s been pushed too far. Yuuta looks over his shoulder, meets your eyes, and all you can think is Shit, this is so embarrassing! You’re gonna fall, on your ass, in front of your crush and the kid you might’ve scared off for the rest of your middle school career. 

And so you shut your eyes and prepare for impact, hoping to god that the chair doesn’t fall off the top of the table and hit you too. 

Only… it doesn’t happen.

Instead of the cold floor, you collide with something warm and solid. It supports your body-weight enough to slow your fall a little, taking the brunt of it as you feel an arm (an arm ?) wrap around your waist. Something crashes over your head as you continue to fall and then suddenly you’re on the floor - or no, not the floor. On someone’s lap , is more accurate. At the same time, a chair lands a little off to your right, hitting another table as it goes but, thankfully, not knocking it over. You sit, stunned and breathing hard, as your heart pounds against your ribs. You’re still in the arms of… who? You almost want to say Yuuta because that’d make the most sense - he’s a UA hopeful, after all. To grab you like that, mid-fall, would take some pretty insane reflexes, not to mention coordination. The kind that with a future pro-hero. 

Only… Yuuta’s still in front of you. Having not made a single move to help and just standing, looking curiously over his shoulder with his steps towards the doorway, having merely paused. It’s not him who’d broken your fall. Which means it could only be - 

Your eyes widen and you whirl around to see Sero sitting under you, rubbing gingerly at his forearm. He’s wincing, his expression twisted a little in discomfort. However, when he realises you’re looking at him, his face softens and his eyes widen just a little. He says your name, quietly, (in a way you don't think you’ve ever heard anyone else say your name before) and reaches out gently to put his hand on your back. 

“Hey, are you alright? That coulda been pretty bad.” 

You blink, open your mouth, close it. He’s looking at you so sincerely, as if he hadn’t just jumped between you and the hard linoleum floor. As if he hadn’t just taken the brunt of it all, as well as, it seems, knocking the chair that was about to fall on your head away with his bare arm. As if he hadn’t just saved you. 

“S-Sero,” you can barely mange to stutter out, the adrenaline rush making your whole body tremble. There’s a pounding in your ears, the rush of blood that’s making you a little dizzy. And it’s all you can do to reach out and gently touch his arm, your mouth slightly open as you stare at him in awe. 

“You… you just… Are you okay?” 

Sero blinks at you. And then, slowly, as if he’s just realising what’s just happened, his cheeks turn pink, then red. He drops you gaze with a stutter. 

“O-oh, yeah, it’s… I’m.. I’m fine, n-no need to worry, I just…” 

“How-” you swallow, your eyes flickering from where he’d been standing to where he is now. It’s two metres distance, at the very least , and your eyes practically pop out of your head as you realise he’s moved that much in less than a second. “How did you do that?” 

Sero follows your gaze, blushes more, and rubs awkwardly at the back of his head. “Oh,” he says, avoiding looking at your face. “I - I have good reflexes.” 

“Good reflexes,” you repeat weakly as you look back at him again. “I - “ 

But you cut yourself off again when you notice his arm. His sleeve has come up a little, probably from when he’d thrown his arm up, and you can see a flash of red against his naturally olive-toned skin. Without even thinking, you make a grab for his wrist and, ignoring the way he winces, pull it towards you to you can examine his forearm better. 

What you find makes your stomach drop a little. 

“Sero… did you just get this? From the chair?” 

He mumbles and shrugs, not giving you a definitive answer. But you can tell by his purposeful vagueness that it’s a yes, he did just get it. From the chair. 

It’s a long scratch up his forearm, a pink and red mar against his otherwise smooth skin. One edge of it is just starting to bleed while the other side is only glowing a bright pink. You assume it’s from the sharp edge of one of the screws on the chair, or maybe one of the exposed edges of the metal pieces that hold the thing together. Either way, it’s deep enough to concern you, and forces guilt to well up your throat as you look between the scratch and his eyes. He’s trying to play it off as not mattering but you can see the sting in his eyes - shit, it must hurt . `

“I’m so sorry,” you begin, dropping his wrist to twist your fingers together. “I- I should’ve been more careful and you - you got hurt - I - I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine,” Sero says, awkward as ever. He rubs at the back of his head, swallows, then offers you an attempt as a small smile. “I’m okay, don’t worry. It’s - it’s not that bad. You shouldn’t-”

But his voice trails off at the sound of a quick, loud cough. 

You blink, caught off guard. And then your face slowly begins to fill with heat as you realise in horror that Yuuta is still there. Not just there but facing you now, staring down at you as you sit in Sero’s lap , of all places, with one golden eyebrow raised in a soft arch. 

You scramble, stumble, your hands shaking a little as you try desperately to pull yourself off Sero and back onto your own two feet. Sero too seems to sense your urgency as he looks between you and Yuuta. A flash of realisation passes through his eyes before something in his face shutters and closes. Then he grasps your waist with both hands and, with a strength you didn’t know he had in him, he lifts you, pushing you to your feet. You wobble for a second, hand stretching out as you struggle to find something to grab onto. And then your hand meets another and then you’re being steadied by a hand on your hip. 

You blink and now it’s Yuuta holding you, looking down at you with that charming smile he always has, and a pair of sparkling green eyes. 

And just like that you completely forget about Sero and the fact that he’d ever caught you in the first place. 

“Thanks,” you say softly, offering Yuuta your brightest smile. 

“Of course,” he replies smoothly. “I’m a future hero, after all.” 

You can’t help but giggle, a little giddy, despite the fact that nothing is funny. He’s looking right into your eyes now and you can feel your throat seizing up just a little as you stare back in awe. Up close, he’s even more stunning than you’d ever realised, and his hand is so warm. It has tingles rushing up and down your spine, along with a thumping in your chest as your heart rate picks up for what feels like the hundredth time today.

Behind you, Sero is climbing gingerly to his feet. You don’t turn to look at him, but you do hear the shortest intake of breath. Yuuta glances over your shoulder at the sound, his eyebrows furrowing just a little as he seems to look at Sero. Then he says, “You should probably get that check at the nurses office.” 

You do look around then, and your heart sinks a little at the sight of Sero gingerly examining his arm. It’s bleeding properly right now, a trail of deep red drawing down towards his wrist by a trickle of blood. At Yuuta’s words he looks up, meeting your eyes before those of the older boy beside you. There’s still pain in his eyes but he’s hiding it well - too well, although you don’t care to ask. 

“It’s fine,” he starts, his voice somehow even quieter and more wobbly beside the confidence of Yuuta’s tone. “The nurse will have gone home by now anyway. I can just clean it at home.” 

Yuuta frowns, his eyebrows furrowing a little. “You’re right,” he starts, still looking concerned. Then his gaze shifts back to you and he offers you a half-smile. “You should take him then. The nurse’s room should still be open. Help him clean it and cover it up.” 

You blink, surprises at his request. And, if you admit to yourself, a little disappointed. Even in the few seconds he’d looked at you, your head had already filled with fantasies of the two of you walking home together. But… 

You look back at Sero and purse your lips. The scratch really doesn’t look great and even you don’t think it’s a good idea for him to go home like that. And, after all, it is sort of your fault he’s injured in the first place. 

“Yeah, okay,” you say eventually. “I’ll take him.” 

Yuuta’s smile returns and his hand - which you realise with a violent internal shriek, is still on your hip - gives a little squeeze. “Great,” he says happily. “Thanks.” 

And then he lets go of you and steps backwards, folding his sketchbook back under his arm as he goes. 

“I’ve gotta get going then. I’ve got some studying to do for the UA entrance exam.” He flashes a sunny smile again, his eyes sliding between you and Sero. “Have a good afternoon, you two. And make sure to get that cleaned properly.” 

And then, with a final wave over his shoulder, he’s sauntering back towards the door and stepping out of it, disappearing down the hallway outside before you really know what to think. 

For a moment you both stand in complete silence, staring after him. Your heart is still racing, even as the smell of his cologne lingers in your nose. And then, with a shaky breath, you do your best to pull yourself together and turn back around to look at Sero once again. 

There’s a short awkward pause, as neither of you really know where to go from here. Then you rub your hands down the material of your school skirt and give him your best attempt as a friendly smile. 

“I’ll, uh, pick this stuff up and then we can go to the nurse’s office.” 

“I - okay.” 

He can barely look at you and you have to bite your tongue and you reach for the fallen chair, preventing the soft sigh of disappointment from escaping. 

So much for your awkward afternoon being over. 

23 years old

“I got the Save The Dates from Bakugou this morning.” 

Hanta almost chokes on a piece of avocado. “Seriously?” he asks, one eyebrow quirking upwards. The pair of you are sitting on the outside terrace table, lunch spread out before you, as you each go through your respective mornings. Below, the streets of Musutafu are crowded and noisy, however Hanta hardly pays attention to even the grating bustle of the city life as he shoves a piece of chopped cucumber into his mouth. "I thought it'd never happen," he says through his mouthful of food, raising an eyebrow. "He proposed - what, two years ago now?" 

You nod absently and pick up your glass of orange juice. "It is a little surprising. I was honestly starting to think they were gonna turn into one of those couples that's engaged for like ten years and then only gets married as an afterthought." 

"Same," Hanta agrees. He stares hard at his salad, thinking about his friend. "Bakugou's … not exactly what you'd call ideal husband material." 

He can see you hiding your smirk and it makes the grin on his own face widen. 

"Yeah," you mumble. Then you shrug. "Either way, good on them. Guess we've got a wedding to look forward to now." You give him a bright smile and Hanta feels his chest swell a little. 

"Yeah,” he agrees slowly, studying your expression as discreetly as possible. "Guess we do." 

Silence falls for a moment as you stare out over the city view and Hanta in turn stares at you. As his eyes track the curve of your nose and the way your lips part just slightly as you let the cool breeze wash over your face, he can't help but think back to when he'd first met you. Way before you even become friends, on the very first day of middle school when he’d stepped into his new classroom only to meet you head on as you were walking out. You'd had the same expression back then, one of quiet contentment as you listened to something one of your friends was saying. Hanta remembers how your eyes had met his, just briefly, before you stepped past and out into the hallways. He doubts you’d even noted it as anything in particular but he can recall the feeling that had been churning in his own stomach exactly - right then, he'd known, it was the beginning of the end for him. 

Your eyes widen suddenly and you jump a little, turning to look back at him. "Oh that reminds me!" you start and there's a bright expression in your eyes that for a moment Hanta is completely stunned. "Did you see the announcement this morning? On the group chat?" 

Hanta shakes himself for his daze and his eyes furrow a little. "I didn't. Did something happen?" 

"Yeah!"  You giggle."Don't worry, it's nothing bad!" 

You pick your phone up from where it's sitting face done on the table beside your plate. After tapping in your password, you hand it over to Hanta. He takes it from you, curiosity getting the better of him as his eyes flick first over your own pleased expression and then down to the phone in his hand. Bringing it closer, he takes in the already open group chat, the one that was set up once he and the rest of his class graduated from UA, and has since been populated by various alumni. His attention is immediately grabbed by one of the most recent texts, which includes a photo and a very long chunk of writing. As he reads his way through it, a slow smile begins to grow over his face.

"No way…" 

You laugh aloud, sounding just as giddy as he feels. "Yes way!" 

"Dude, this is - I can't- holy shit !" 

"Yeah!" You agreed, raising a hand to point back at the screen. "Read the whole thing!" 

Hanta does and it makes him smile even wider. There's a warmth in his chest as his eyes pass over the word, happiness swelling in his gut for his best friend. Because the message open on your phone is one from Kirishima - a message announcing the birth of his first daughter. 

As Hanta reads what his friend has written - mostly gushing about how adorable the newborn is - he's taken back to when Kirishima and his partner had first found out about the pregnancy. It'd been an accident, absolutely not planned despite the fact that Kirishima had been with his partner for almost four years, and Hanta remembers there was actually a brief period when Katsuki had had to talk eijirou out of living completely. That'd been a pretty tense moment for everyone involved and Hanta can honestly say he's never seen Eijirou falter like that, before or since. However, it seems to have passed now and Hanta’s heart swells more and more as he continues to read everything his red-headed friend has written in the message. 

"Damn," he mumbles as he comes to the end of the anecdote. When he looks up at you once again, his joy is mirrored in your face. "That's… wow!" 

"They're parents," you mumble out. "They have a kid now." 

Hanta branches a little at the thought. Turning back to the phone, he slides his finger up the screen to look at the photograph that Kirishima has attached again. It shows the baby, curled up in a fire-truck red blanket as it slumbers peacefully with one tiny hand gripping onto the soft fabric. She looks just like Kirishima, Hanta notices it immediately; the single curl of black hair is the exact colour that now is showing at Eijrou's roots, and the shape of her nose is also an exact match. With the baby's eyes closed, it is impossible to see her eye colour. But Hanta would honestly be surprised if when he does eventually get to see it, the baby's irises are not the exact shades of vermillion as her father's. 

A sudden thought leaps into his mind, of what colour his child's eyes would be; his or yours? His eyes widen a little and he almost chokes again, hastily pressing the power button on your phone and handing it back to you. Thankfully you don't seem to notice his stumble as you place your phone down again and take a sip of your juice, looking dreamy. 

"I wonder what her name will be," you say, softly. "And what she'll be like. They're both still pretty young but now that someone in our class had had kids, I wonder if anyone else…?" You trail off but the question remains in the air between you. Hanta shifts, a little uncomfortably as the atmosphere changes. 

You've never discussed it before. Sure, marriage has come up but never with the extension of kids. Despite the fact that Hanta knows irrefutably that you're the one he wants to spend his entire life with, thinking of children isn't something he allows himself to do often. He's too busy now, as are you, and he's happy in his little bubbled life with you and his work. A kid would disrupt the whole order of life and he's not sure if he wants that at all. But - 

The question from earlier slips back into the forefront of his thoughts, about what colour eyes a kid with you would have. And then it extends, branches out to the rest of the baby's appearance; would it have his quirk? Or your hair? What about the nose shape? He didn't much like his own, so it'd probably be better if the baby got yours… 

Hanta starts when he finally notices you staring at him, his eyes widening a little and he realises very suddenly that his cheeks have gone bright red. 

"What?" he asks, self consciously. A smile stretches across your face. 

"Nothing," you tell him casually, although he doesn't miss the glint in your eye. "Just seems like… Well, we need to catch up a bit." 

"C-catch up?" 

You shrug. "Bakugou is getting married, Kirishima has got a baby. And I really doubt it's gonna be too long before Midoriya proposes either. It just kind of feels like everyone else is moving on with their lives, you know?"

"I guess," Hanta mumbles, raising a hand to scratch at the back of his head. In truth, he doesn't fully understand. But then again, he knows about the little box that is now nestled so deep into the dark confines of the filing cabinet in his office, and you don't. Obviously, his perspective of the future is a little warped. 

It wouldn’t hurt to ask though… 

"Do you…" Hanta begins tentatively, trying not to give anything away as he studies your face for a reaction. "Do you want to move on too?" 

You shrug one shoulder, your gaze fixed on the smooth curve of the glass of water in front of you. "I suppose," you say slowly, reaching out to wipe a drop of condensation from the rim as you speak. Your eyes flicker upwards. "It's not like… well, it's not like I don 't want to. What about you?" 

"I…" Hanta starts, suddenly nervous. He runs a hand through his fringe, fiddles a little with the messy half-bun he's done with his hair in to keep it out of his face. "Yeah, I mean… yeah." 

There's no more said on the subject as a strange awkwardness falls over the both of you, and the topic of conversation switches drastically until the both of you are completely finished eating. You clear away the table together and then Hanta departs from you, into your shared dressing room to begin getting ready for the start of his afternoon patrol. It's only then that a long exhale of relief escapes him, taking the tension in his shoulders with it. 

It's not like you’d said you didn't want to marry him, right ? 

He leaves the apartment that afternoon after giving you another short kiss of farewell, with the weight of the little ring box suddenly just that much lighter on his mind. 

[phoenixyfriend]

Anakin Assists the Jedi Council While On Medical Leave

AU brainstormed primarily by @atagotiak, @gelpenss, and myself.

Basically, a fix-it based in Anakin getting a peek into the daily life on the Council early, and accidentally Figuring Some Shit Out along the way, mostly because Palps Fucks Up.

So, Anakin gets injured in a way that limits him to Coruscant for a few weeks. He can still walk and talk, but he can't fight. The specific injury doesn't matter, just this:

Anakin runs errands on behalf of the council and sits in on meetings to take minutes as a "you're on medical leave but we need all hands on deck, congrats you get to be the secretary until we can send you on stabbing missions again" thing.

Also, there just aren't a whole lot of people with Anakin's clearance level. They had to send out Stass Allie to handle the mission that was originally next on Anakin's roster, and Anakin's the most convenient person to substitute into her position.

He's not super happy about this but he can more or less understand the point of it. Given that he gets antsy about needing to fight almost immediately, he can acknowledge the worth of having something useful to do, if only as the person who's writing down who says what and making sure everyone has the right file on hand.

(Besides, Obi-Wan jokes in a way that Anakin thinks might be encouraging, this is good practice if Anakin ever wants to be on the High Council himself!)

(This is a very helpful conversation.)

BASICALLY, Anakin is resigned to this but agrees because "Usually we have Master Allie handle this but we need her running that mission that was originally set for the 501st, so you get to fill in for her until you can switch back. Think of it as training for eventual mastery or admin or--listen, we're just really stretched thin."

Here's the key thing, though: Anakin isn't supposed to leave the Temple, for medical reasons, so Palpatine doesn't know Anakin is sitting in on Council meetings. They haven't met up since Anakin's last surgery, and because [muffled hand-wave reason] he didn't find out another way, like Anakin comming him or the Council giving him the heads-up about the change in attendance.

It's fine. He's just taking notes and doing preparatory research, he has the clearance, the Chancellor likes him anyway. Hell, they'd have had someone's Padawan doing this, before the war increased the necessary clearance levels. They'll toss in a quick message in the brief they send to Palps that he never reads anyway, and that's really all they need to do. Skywalker's getting some rounded experience and this way the medics won't be freaking out about him stressing his heart after getting electrocuted by trying to spar too early.

Palpatine doesn't talk directly to the Council, he just sends a recording the first time Anakin is there. It's a bit weird, but nothing goes wrong. Anakin's off-screen from whatever device they use to send a response, since he's not technically a member, just assisting for a bit on the part of Master Allie's duties that he's actually allowed to touch (and not the bits that are getting added to Mace, Plo, and Shaak's stuff).

The first four or so meetings are like that. Anakin starts having a bit of sympathy for the Council as he sees how many things they want to do that are hampered by the need for Senatorial approval, things that he would also want to do and didn't think required this much red tape.

About a week in, still mostly recordings with Anakin just sitting on the side playing paralegal, the wheel of fortune turns a few pegs.

Palpatine hands over a an order on the range of injury that a soldier should be treated for, "to ensure that republic resources aren't being wasted on clones that, while expensive, would actually be cheaper to replace than repair."

Oh, he dresses it up in prettier language than that. Anakin doesn't process it as such first.

The Chancellor manages to couch his phrasing in "prioritizing resources for taxpaying republic citizens and employees of the GAR," which... well.

The natborn commissioned officers pay taxes. The Jedi are employees. The clones are neither, because they're slaves.

Probably he frames it as the employees thing, very much the kinda language that sounds halfway ok unless you’re fluent in political bullshit.

And Anakin is really confused at first about why the council is upset by the order because, okay, he would PREFER to be able to use medical supplies on refugees when possible, but he understands prioritizing the soldiers?

He just looks up, totally lost, when someone groans and goes, "That's the third time this year, is he trying to get us all killed?"

And it vibes as such a genuine, aggrieved, sad reaction that Anakin is completely blindsided because it's not the sarcastic, petty resentment he kind of expected? It's just... desperate depression.

And someone gently has to explain that this is the third time they've had resources restricted to only GAR employees and that it's a polite way of saying "prioritize natborn officers, stop wasting resources on clones, we can replace them easier."

Or maybe he doesn't ask, because he's just there to take notes, not argue, and he can see the masters drawing up a response that amounts to "We would like to remind you that our soldiers do not fall into that classification, and to limit their access to our medical supplies is liable to cause a loss of life that we find unreasonably high. Please see the annotations attached to adjust wording so that the clones may receive the same level of care."

Anakin's internally just like "Yeah, that's phrased nice and addresses the main problem, Palpatine will obviously agree and change it!"

And then he comes in the next day and the response comes in and it's just dripping condescension about considering the clones actual people.

"This is why we can't use the bacta tanks on clones anymore, just the patches. We could use them at first, we had a few of the CCs get through fatal injuries with them, but they cut that off and said we could only use the tanks on Jedi and non-clone officers a few months ago. The Banking Clans keep tightening their belts on the army, and the Chancellor insists we put citizens first, and the clones aren't citizens. We've been arguing back as much as we can, but he keeps going on about the economy and we can't... we just can't, Skywalker. We're trying to save as many of our men as we can, but..."

Something like "Allocation of resources reiterated, the Kaminoans have assured the senate that the Jedi are far from exhausting the resources ordered."

And Anakin's like. He can't blame the council for lying about Palpatine's past or future actions. He just saw Palpatine's actions. Those actions were to order people under his control to throw away lives he saw as replaceable commodities.

These are his friends' lives.

His soldiers are being thrown away by a man in a tower that he trusted.

And then that man has the gall to suggest it's the council's fault.

Palpatine is good at what he does, especially in public, he dresses it up in flowery language and everything, but Anakin's just like "Those are my FRIENDS and also this is??? How slavers talked about their property on Tatooine???? FRIENDPATINE, WHAT THE FUCK."

Anakin can be passive aggressive sometimes as well as outright aggressive. So if he brings up the guidelines and why they make him upset in general terms, and Palpatine says something about how he’s sad the council doesn’t care about the clones...

Anakin, internally, having just watched the council scramble to save as many clones as possible within the guidelines that Palps handed down: Uh-huh.

(Anakin is just the gay horror teeth gif from queer eye.)

Just. “Yeah, funny you say that, Palpatine! Because as I remember, you told the council not to waste more resources than necessary while Mace Windu was arguing to expand the treatment range!”

Palps doesn't even have time to salvage the situation or attack Anakin because Anakin just bulldoze rants for fifteen minutes and then storms out.

Anakin... maybe does a little treason and gets a copy of the orders so he can ask Padme "Hey, can you explain the politics of this?" and doesn't tell her who wrote it so she isn't biased (he tells her that this is why he's not sharing the author's/speaker's name), and just lets Padme pick apart all the 'this is a nice way of saying they don't view the clones as people' details.

Alternately, someone on the Council sees Anakin dithering and manages to get him to admit that he's not great at political language and wants to ask someone to help him understand the full implications. The person--Mace? let's go with Mace--is aware that Anakin is on good terms with Senator Amidala, if not necessarily aware of the depth of said relationship. Mace points out that he's probably going to be seeing her soon just because he usually does and, as a Senator, she can get easy access to these sessions since they're not about specific missions, just allocation of resources, etc. It's not an optimal solution, but she's got a bit more free time than anyone else Anakin knows with the clearance levels, like Order members that are actively involved in the war effort.

Anakin dithers and panics and Mace, trying to be helpful, tells him that plenty of Jedi have made friends among the Senate over the years, didn't you know Qui-Gon Jinn was a personal friend of Former Chancellor Valorum?

At any rate, Anakin goes to Padme and asks her to explain it to him, because she knows how to phrase things so he gets it.

Anakin has to have her pause and he goes outside and destroys some things halfway through.

(Anakin maybe thinks back to the times Padmé or Obi-Wan were really obviously frustrated and when he asked, they said stuff like “I can’t stand Palpatine rn, sorry Anakin I know he’s important to you and you don’t want to talk about politics, let’s just talk about something else.”)

(Obi-Wan: I don’t trust Palpatine Anakin: you just don’t like politicians in general Obi-Wan: yes that is also true)

(Obi-Wan does like Bail and Padme but he does also talk a bit about how politicians generally aren’t to be trusted.)

[dinogoose]

i wake in the night (i pace like a ghost)

This is extremely weird and he needs to get out of here. He can’t just have a pity party on Eddie’s front steps. Or fall asleep here which is getting closer and closer to happening.

Just one more minute and then Buck will leave-

“Buck?”

Of course. If he doesn’t turn around, maybe Eddie won’t see him. He could pretend he’s a sleep hallucination. Or a ghost.

(or, buck has insomnia and runs to eddie, literally. eddie welcomes him with open arms)

His muscles relax, breaths evening out, eyes moving behind closed lids, his body finally giving in… and… nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Hours spent tossing and turning, trying to find the perfect angle, the correct side, letting the right amount of leg out from under his blanket to feel the cool air, and nothing.

There were no outside barriers keeping Buck from sleep. Everything was good. Buck felt good.

Well not good- He doesn’t feel ‘good’ unless he’s with- that’s besides the point. He was fine.

His loft was quiet, peaceful. Some may even say tranquil.

Buck wouldn’t.

No matter how silent his loft was, his brain still just wouldn’t let him rest. He would get close, just as he did every night, then would jerk awake. Terrified and on edge.

‘Fuck this’ he thinks, swinging his legs over the bed. They land with a hard thunk, but Buck pays no attention to that, as he quickly rises.

He walks over to his dresser, grabbing sweats and a hoodie, (that might have the words ‘DIAZ’ printed on the back) pulling them on.

Even though it’s far too late to go for a run, Buck doesn’t care. His need to remove the thrumming in his bones- outweighs social norms.

He’s out his door within a blink of an eye. He’s barely sure he shut his door before he’s in the street running.

His feet slap the pavement, the sound of his shoes echoing through his mind with each step. He speeds up.

The wind stings at his face, burning him, and he welcomes the feeling. This was always his favorite part of running. The pain.

How his lungs gasp for air they won’t get, how his good leg aches just as much as the bad one, how his eyes gather tears that won’t ever fall.

He loves it.

When he runs, his mind gives him a break completely occupied with the task at hand. His sleep is plagued with nightmares, so running is his peaceful alternative.

Although he doubts his therapist would agree, considering the ‘peace’ he gets comes at the expense of his own body being pushed to exertion.

But oh well, Buck’s never been one for healthy coping mechanisms.

Buck is entirely unaware of where he is going. He isn’t even sure how long he’s been running.

Until suddenly he’s sprinting through a familiar neighborhood.

Eddie’s neighborhood to be specific.

Shit.

It’s almost as if his unconscious mind led him here. To the one place that has ever been home.

To the people he loves most in the world. His family.

Buck had grown up feeling unsafe, unloved, a burden to everyone he was around.

All of that changed though, when he met Eddie and Christopher Diaz.

Buck shakes his head, ridding those thoughts. The Diaz’ boys are not his family. They aren’t his to keep and it’s selfish to think that way.

Buck however, can’t help but climb up the steps of Eddie’s porch, just standing there. The glow of the moon illuminating him slightly.

He heaves for air, his lungs thanking him, and slumps to the ground. His body lands harder than he would’ve liked, the sound ricocheting into the dark.

This is extremely weird and he needs to get out of here. He can’t just have a pity party on Eddie’s front steps. Or fall asleep here which is getting closer and closer to happening.

Just one more minute and then Buck will leave-

“Buck?”

Of course. If he doesn’t turn around, maybe Eddie won’t see him. He could pretend he’s a sleep hallucination. Or a ghost.

“Buck? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Eddie has now stepped forward, resting his arm on Buck’s shoulder. There goes the ghost plan.

“Uh nothing- it’s late I should go.” His voice sounds worse than he thought he would’ve. Raspy, and strangled, as if he’s swallowed dust.

Buck still hasn’t turned around, his guilt not allowing himself the joy of seeing Eddie’s face.

He doesn’t need to turn, because suddenly Eddie is crouched in front of him.

His face is scrunched with worry, and he reaches out to hold Buck’s knees so gently he could cry. There’s a chance he is already crying.

“Buck. What’s wrong?” It’s dark, but Buck can still read every emotion in Eddie’s deep honey eyes. God- he’s the prettiest person Buck has ever seen.

“This is so stupid- I just… couldn’t sleep.” He confessed the last part, letting the words dissipate through the air.

“So you ran all the way here?” Buck just looks down and nods, embarrassed. He’s thankful Eddie can’t see how red he’s gone.

“I didn’t even mean to. It was like instinct.” He rubs his own neck, this conversation turning from weird to downright humiliating.

Eddie uses his thumbs to rub circles into Buck’s legs.

“Okay. Well, it’s very late.” Buck has an apology on the tip of his tongue when Eddie barrels on, “So how about we go to bed, then we can talk in the morning.”

“Yeah, alright.” Eddie smiles, his sleep rumpled face lighting up. He stands- knees popping- and outstretches a hand to Buck.

Buck takes it, allowing Eddie to haul him up. When Eddie doesn’t let go, instead tugging him into the house, Buck is just a little confused.

They walk straight past the couch, Eddie still gripping his hand. Buck makes a noise of confusion but Eddie tsks and walks into his room.

He silently offers Buck a shirt and sleep pants to wear, his old clothes a little sweaty from his earlier run.

Buck takes them, turning around to change.

Yes they’ve seen each other get dressed many times. However this is different. This is intimate. Buck shivers, pulling off his shirt.

He can feel Eddie’s eyes on him and it’s making this simple task extremely difficult.

Once he’s finished Eddie tugs him to bed.

The older man on the side closest to the door, Buck on the other.

Before Buck can even say anything, possibly apologize, Eddie wraps him in his eyes. Essentially spooning him.

“Sleep Evan.” The words tickle down Buck’s spine and into his heart.

He’d do anything Eddie asked him to. So, he sleeps.

(whumptober day 3: insomnia.)