#Z plays: Final Fantasy

[zylphiacrowley]

Okay so now I'm thinking about rack focus and gpose and I just want to talk about it in regards to vanilla gposing. I've never been trained in filmmaking or anything so this is not expert advice but I enjoy absorbing cinematography tips and tricks as a very passive hobby so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, rack focus is explained in this video:

or if you don't have the time/attention span to watch the video it's when you shift focus from one subject to another usually to draw attention to or emphasize a connection between the subjects your focusing between. It's used all the time in film and is an effective way to "show, not tell".

I've used it in some of my own gpose sets before like between these two shots:

These shots were used to illustrate how this character had just stepped outside to see the night sky for the first time in their lives. Could I have just used the single shot of them looking at the sky? Sure I could've and it would've been fine, but to shift focus is to allow the viewer to dwell on it just a bit longer to absorb the information and emotional intent behind the shots.

But of course, that wasn't done using vanilla gpose tools but you can achieve a similar effect with vanilla gpose tools! It's available right here:

I took these shots using vanilla gpose tools (with the exception of my gameplay shader which doesn't have any DoF settings on):

In the first one you of course see the chocobo in the foreground before switching to focusing on my character in the background. These might be good shots to set a scene. Catboy at the chocobo farm, what he gonna do next?

the settings I used for each shot:

Of course these were just really quick snaps I grabbed to try to illustrate how you can apply rack focus in gpose, so I'm sure with actual time and some messing about in your settings with various sliders and such, you could come up with something much more polished and nice than what I managed in 5 minutes. OTL

And even if you don't use it for rack focus specifically, I encourage people to play around with the Depth of Field sliders! Go nuts! You can easily take some really dynamic single shots with combinations of gpose settings and actions.

Edit to add this bit of important information from @candycryptids: If DOF is not doing anything in GPose for you, check your graphics settings under system. There’s a box at the veeeery bottom that will disable DoF for EVERYTHING. Make sure it’s ticked.

[minglana]

back in my day (2011) the way i took "screenshots" of my favorite movie (the parent trap 1961) was to pause the movie on my tv screen and pull out my nintendo ds camera and take a picture of it

[crodfoller-t-rhubarb]

I *just* realized that Gregg Berger aka Cornfed Pig from Duckman aka Jecht from Final Fantasy X aka Cutthroat Bill from Curse of Monkey Island... also worked on the widely syndicated, St. Louis-produced PBS phonics show "The Letter People," which taught me to read by the time I was three. In addition to playing several letter people himself (including Mr. V, the smoothest, suavest motherfucker in the alphabet in his Violet Velvet Vest), he also had a standout performance as the poor experimental word machine that Miss O fucking tortured by forcing it to try applying conventional short vowel logic to words like "cold" or "to" or "word" despite his literal *constant* pleas for her to stop as he belches smoke all over the laboratory. Girlboss gets the goods as usual. It's all on YouTube. Seriously, check out that Mr. V episode. Wait for his introductory song to wrap up, then listen as that velvety sum'bitch learns your ass on what the voiced labiodental fricative is all about.

[jmkitsune]

with the holidays sometimes being a time you wanna check out/have something background noise wise or whatever I offer ya the chance to just tune out the world for a few hours or whatever with whatever playlist I've uploaded as a distraction

most recently upload wise there has been

Lego Rock Raiders Remake

Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battles

Dragon Ball Z Legacy of Goku

Pokemon Fire Red

Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intermission

Lego Indiana Jones

Final Fantasy 12

Star Trek Online

and more previously uploaded stuff and quite a few upcoming in the queue for the next coming few months :D

[awkward-teabag]

You know what, I'm going to add to this after all. Ray tracing is a gimmick and infamous for how intensive it is on hardware where it updates in real time, such as in video games. Before it was considered at all feasible outside rendering CGI, there were other methods of simulating light that were far easier for hardware to handle and, honestly, the difference between them (I can't remember what the name of the algorithm is) and ray tracing is minimal.

Adding to the problem is video card manufacturers pushing it while not increasing the VRAM on cards that are now expected to handle ray tracing, NPC scripts/AI, all other graphics, and stream encoding at the same time. GPUs have not seen a meaningful increase in VRAM in years despite the push of 4k graphics and ray tracing.

Oh and handling generating in-between frames to increase FPS/hide poor optimisation and up-scaling from 1080p to 4k or 8k. Sometimes both at the same time (in addition to the rest).

Further compounding it is consoles using stripped down versions of GPUs but not allowing users to upgrade them or other hardware. At least not in an easy way that doesn't void the warranty.

There's only so much that can be off-loaded to other components and it is a Choice™ to decide not to include an option to disable features that minimally improve the graphics (I specify graphics since more than one game has been released where turning off ray tracing wasn't the first thing recommended to turn off if you wanted to hit 30+ FPS) but can and do overwhelm GPUs.

Mandatory Ray Tracing should be banned in games. Genuinely absurd to think the majority of consumers are running high performing RTX graphics cards.

[grizzlyair]

Chrono Trigger Lets Play EP .2

The adventure continues in episode 2 of my new Chrono Trigger Let's Play series! In this episode, we go back in time and search through forests, church’s, and castles to find the missing Princess. Also, I steal as much loot as possible and sell it for better weapons and armor, video game capitalism at its finest!

[g4zdtechtv]

X-Play Classic - Gradius V Review

One part review, and one part pronounciation guide.

[thirstkanaphan]

Quite a few words about Now this house ain't a home

There are certain songs that break Hongjoong's heart. Turbulence, Enough, Dreamy Day. There is nothing quite as devastating as watching Hongjoong look out at the crowd [Did many people come? People will come right? What if they don't?] and realizing that all of us are here for them. He cried again during the first two nights of their new world tour "In Your Fantasy," when Ateez performed their latest song: Now this house ain't a home.

Now this house ain't a home is a special song. I think it's one of their best songs, period. There's depth and sophistication to the music and message that elevates it above most of their b-sides and title tracks. I can't stop thinking about it, and I can't stop listening to it.

This song lacks an introduction. You're dropped right into the chorus, as if the song actually began a while ago and you're only now tuning in. There's no bridge, there's no signature final thirty seconds of noise; instead, you have: chorus, verse, chorus, verse. The repetition is key. This song could go on forever.

Now this house ain't a home is also unique for splitting Ateez into two groups: four members (Yeosang, San, Seongwha, Yunho) sing the chorus and four members (Mingi, Hongjoong, Jongho, Wooyoung) sing the verses.

For the chorus, each of the four members deliberately make their voices sound similar, aiming for a low, rich tone. On a meta-music level, the song leans into the fact that Yeosang, Seonghwa, and Yunho's voices are often mistaken for each other. The first chorus is Seonghwa-Yunho and the second chorus is San-Yeosang. Then the final chorus snakes back: Yeosang-San and Yunho-Seonghwa for that final harmony. San is the one really reaching for that deeper sound, and it's almost shocking how much he sounds like Yeosang in the trade-off of their lines.

The first verse opens with one of my new favorite Mingi line readings, having him tapping into the melodic side of his voice that we rarely get to hear (All About You, Eternal Sunshine, Tunnel) but also deeper and grittier. I actually don't think it's a sound we've heard from him before. And while Mingi doesn't bother to adjust his voice to match his verse-members, it's remarkable how Jongho modulates himself to sound like Hongjoong. In fact, the first time I listened to this song I didn't realize it was Jongho on that second verse. Jongho and Wooyoung both bring a more rap-like quality to their vocals so there's a tonal consistency to the verses, similar to the uniform sound of the chorus.

Then there are the lyrics. Like all Ateez songs, there is a surface level reading for casual listeners and then there is the "deep lore" of the song. I don't necessarily mean World A/World Z lore — I mean, there's a meta-textual element to all Ateez songs, ever since Treasure, about how this group of eight are continually battling against forces who seek to end their journey. Their whole pirate concept is predicated on the reality of operating on the fringes of the idol music industry, and having to fight for every scrap of time, attention, and respect owed to them as artists. What do you have to sacrifice to live that kind of life? What does it cost you? Can you ever go back?

I've heard a lot of compelling and valid interpretations of the lyrics, and I'll offer one of my own: Now this house ain't a home is about yearning for a home that no longer exists and realizing that you must move forward to create a new home that reflects your values (humble and kindness). It is at once a deeply personal song and, on a much broader level, about the kind of industry they want to create for their juniors: the kind of industry that never welcomed them.

Here's Hongjoong's rap:

Still playing in the playground instead of having a real home (Yeah) Still holding onto childhood habits, a kid who ran from home (Yeah, yeah) Slides felt cozier than beds A sin of stacking up new homes without knowing the worth of the old A silhouette shining outside the window That voice echoing down the hall Even the TV we sat around on Sunday nights I miss that place that was just a “house”

Hongjoong has writing credits, so I'll start with what he's said about his lines, translated from a live by @sunshine_1117

"It's completely my memories and I think I've just told my story. I also reminisced about the old days: in childhood, I liked playing outside more than going home...and the slide was more comfortable than the bed. Now even if I build a house...the lyrics were the same as the lyrics we used to sing when we were kids, right? It's like 'I'll give you my old house, give me a new house' (children's poem), so back then everything that was new seemed nice, but now that I think of it...I kinda miss those (old) times when I could hear my family talking in the hallway and smelled food. So now, even if I enter the form of a house, it's hard to get the feeling of 'home' from back then...so while recalling those things, I wrote those lyrics."

Hongjoong has shared how lonely it was to be the only trainee at KQ and how desperately he fought for all eight members to debut. That was only the beginning of their challenges. In his members, Hongjoong has found a new home, but he'll always mourn the childhood he burned to pursue the dream that was Ateez.

His lyrics also remind me of the introduction to Golden Hour: Part 1:

"The moments of laughter with friends / Quiet family dinners / Relaxing weekends with loved ones /Could these be the real golden hours of our lives?"

Seonghwa felt similarly about the message of NTHAAH:

"I’m living away from home right? So this song touches my heart very deeply. There are times when I feel this way, when neither the dorm nor my family home feels comfortable. The dorm after all… still feels like just a dorm and at my family home, my room is gone. And it’s been like 10 years. so there were times when i wondered “Where do i actually belong? where is the place i can return to?” But now being with the members has become my comfort. actually it’s become even more comforting than home. But in the beginning I used to have those thoughts."

credit @vnteshwa for translation

Mingi also wrote his own rap:

The darkness that blocks my view From the outside, noisy voices judge everything Shrinking back, sighing with complaints Someone else defines my beliefs and values This place feels cold to me, so cold The whole world is dizzying, dizzying We need to break free to a place Where we can fully embrace who we are Tear the curtains and head to a new home of mine

Mingi hasn't yet discussed his lyrics but they resemble his verses on Youth and Autobahn, deeply autobiographical songs:

Youth

This complex world, no, it's my heart / That has a firm grasp on me and won't let go / Don't know the answers, my head hurts

On this night, night when even the moon cries / Please find it, somewhere in my heart / Is there a place I can rest?

Autobahn

Escape the oppression that drags you down heavily

The storm is gone now / There's no more fear

For Mingi, going back to that "house" isn't an option. That place, his past, represents anxiety, doubt, judgement. To find a new home, he needs to break free from the internalized fear and shame holding him back from being himself.

As for the other verses, I do find it interesting that Jongho and Wooyoung were assigned specific verses that relate to some aspect of their personal histories:

Jongho's verse:

"Are you still there?” Growing up without balance You came to hate yourself Where exactly Is it somewhere, yeah The sea of rest I must go find it

Before Jongho came to KQ he was a trainee for three years at a company that actively sought to diminish his sense of self worth. This company critiqued his voice, his looks, his smile, everything. When he signed with KQ he was clearly traumatized, masking it as exhaustion. He even ran away from the dorms for two weeks without telling anyone. He only returned after talking to a hyung who urged him to keep going. When he sings this verse, the lyrics refer to that period of his life, in search of a place to call home.

Wooyoung's verse:

So I set off across wide fields On an endless road The anxiety that comes with night Is a bitter taste that’s hard to bear I swallow it down, tears well up A sudden rain shower blurs my vision I endure one day, then one more Hoping that someday I’ll reach that place (Yeah)

Wooyoung's greatest fear is being alone. His lyrics refer to isolation, of darkness, but also of endurance. He followed Yeosang into the unknown and struggled as the last member of Ateez to find a place in the group.

Unlike some of the other members, Wooyoung has a very well-documented and loving relationship with his family, whom he sees often. He has a "home" to go back to. Yet, Wooyoung has always been his worst enemy. "Honestly, I still don't know how exactly to receive love,” he told us in 2023. His journey has been one of recognition that the love he gives so freely is reciprocated. He's gone so far as to tattoo it onto his skin:

"There is saying that I really love and it is also on my back (as a tattoo). 'I'm never alone and I will never be.' There are ATEEZ, my brothers, ATINY beside me. I think I'm really aware of this well." (Wooyoung interview, July 24, 2024)

Finally, we have the chorus:

That piece of me that never left Has much to see, to not regret What you're to be don't have to be You never know what's around the bend Mothers to daughters Who turn sons into fathers In time, we all get taller While sometimes feeling smaller

Now this house ain't a home No, this house ain't a home

I feel like the chorus is sending a message about predetermination and cycles and how it's within our grasp to break free of both.

Parts of each member are rooted where they began, whether it be the childhood home they bid goodbye or the place of fear and doubt they ran from to escape. They each hurled themselves into the unknown and with Ateez they've grown beyond their limits and achieved their wildest dreams.

And yet while they "got taller" the members remain bound to the system that birthed them: the industry, which continually seeks to undermine and sabotage their efforts - to make them "feel smaller." The "house" was never a home for them. It would never welcome them. They had to find their home elsewhere, in each other and with ATINY.

The family metaphor resonates: Mothers to daughters / Who turn sons into fathers. What do we owe to the next generation? What do we pass down? What lessons can we teach them?

To quote Turbulence: Wherе should we be, in what form /What should we become?

Ateez already paves the way as role models for idols from smaller companies. They have become the seniors they never had: encouraging their juniors' efforts, praising their covers, inviting them to do dance challenges. They've already done so much to create a home for the next generation of idols.

Do you think Hongjoong thinks about all that, as he looks out at sold-out arenas and stadiums, so very far from home?

[dinarosie]

The Rise of Snape Hate: Marauders' Rebranding and Snape's Villainization (Part 1)

I often hear people wonder why Severus Snape has become more hated in recent years, to the extent that even Voldemort faces less criticism and vitriol from fans. In the early days of the book’s release and even long after the final Harry Potter film was screened, the "Marauders" fandom hardly existed. James Potter was seen as a background character, best known as Harry's father, and did not play an important role among fans. Sirius and Lupin were mostly regarded as Harry's mentors, and their time as Marauders during their teenage years wasn't a focal point of fan attention. In the Canon, the Marauders didn’t hold much significance either, there were few details about them. They were mentioned in just a handful of small flashbacks, mainly depicting bullying, and their friendships were portrayed as rather toxic and disappointing. Naturally, these flashbacks were not only unappealing but could also be disheartening for readers. However, a new generation of fans wanted to bring something new to the Harry Potter universe that better matched their fantasies and imaginations (especially after the failure of "The Cursed Child" and the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling). As a result, a new story emerged: "Harry Potter and the World of the Marauders," inspired by Generation Z's fantasies.

They were given the attractive looks of actors like Ben Barnes, Timothée Chalamet, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and were morally very different from their canon versions. They became a group of charming, wealthy, and popular school heroes with dynamic, platonic, and romantic relationships that captivated fans. Since there weren't many details about them in the original books, fans freely created tragic backstories and fascinating dramas (for example, the Black family using a "Cruciatus curse" on their children!!!). These factors quickly increased their popularity and caught the attention of content creators on the internet.

But what happened to Severus Snape?

These newly reimagined, charming, and beloved Marauders needed an antagonist to heighten the school drama and make their adventures more exciting. Who better to fill this role than Severus Snape—broken, lonely, and completely different from them, with none of the looks, wealth, or popularity?

"The more they improved the Marauders to make them more likable, the more they vilified and distorted Snape to make him easier to hate."

It's clear that when Snape is portrayed as a powerful, dark, and evil wizard (even at the age of 11), James Potter and Sirius Black are turned into justice-seeking heroes, making all their bullying and cruelty towards Snape seem justified and even heroic.

Now, ask yourself: Is it easier to like the James Potter from the books—Arrogant and a bully—or the James Potter who is handsome and kind, punishing an evil villain worse than Voldemort named Severus Snape to save other students and his girlfriend? This is how the Marauders became charming and popular heroes, and Snape became a evil.

Many fans don’t even know Snape. From the moment they enter the Marauders fandom, they learn that they must hate Snape, and this trend continues. They only read the books with the intent of magnifying Snape's flaws, which is why his faults are highlighted even more than Voldemort's, and wherever Snape’s name is mentioned, they feel obligated to display their blind hatred to prove their loyalty to the ideals of their beloved Marauders.

[zylphiacrowley]

MSQ: Done Raids: Done Coffee: ungotten.

[salemrph]

Masterlist Fanfics: Sylus

Will be updated every now and then. (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) I'm absolutely happy about every interaction and comment. Constructive feedback and suggestions are welcome as well.

O N - G O I N G

The Taste of Apple and Pomegranate - Ch. 1 / Ch. 2 / Ch. 3 / Ch. 4 / Ch. 5 / Ch. 6 / Ch. 7 / Ch. 8 (coming soon) // AO3

You just wanted to survive university, not fall for either of them—let alone both. Two handsome idiots who somehow made your apartment their second home. You, Sylus, and Caleb were supposed to be just friends. So why does everything feel like their is more going on?

L O N G - S H O T S

Salt on your skin nsfw/mdni

Summary: You’ve lived your whole life in a sleepy coastal village where nothing ever changes until he arrives. Between the salt air, the mango-sweet afternoons, and his voice whispering promises you’re not ready to believe, you start to wonder: what if this forgotten place isn’t where your story ends, but where it begins?

F I N A L I Z E D ⋆.

Let the world burn: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | AO3

Summary: A night of celebration ends in chaos—you vanish without a trace. The ransom demand arrives, but Sylus knows this isn’t just about money. What should’ve been a simple rescue mission unearths secrets far more sinister than anyone ever imagined.

V E R Y - S H O R T ❀⋆. (< 2k words)

The Name I Gave the Stars

Timeless Touch

Comfort Chain

Dangerously Persuasive

Quiet Bloom

Midnight Rain

Sleepy morning with Sylus

O N E - S H O T S ❀⋆.

Beneath His Touch ("Stay with me - Part 2") nsfw/mdni

Summary: After asking Sylus to stay at your place after the date, you just wanted to spent more time with him and since he made you walk around all day, he should at least compensate you for it.

Stay with me, Sylus AO3

I just needed this moment after Magnum Opus. So this is my little fantasy of how it should have ended.

Careful, kitten AO3

Summary: Sylus is tense, quiet, and clearly off his game and you can’t help but poke at him to figure out why.

The Taste of Romance (AO3)

Summary: What was meant to be a quiet Valentine’s Day with Sylus, making chocolate together, takes a turn when a mission interrupts: chasing down Heartbreaker.

Wine, Lies, and Longing (AO3) nfsw/mdni. Based on Nightly Rendezvous.

Summary: You win a romantic vineyard getaway and you invite Sylus. Amidst wine and moonlight, playful pretending blurs into something real—could this be the love you’ve longed for?

"A Hunter's Christmas Hustle" (AO3)

Summary: With Christmas near, you’re hunting for the perfect gifts—including one for Sylus. Can the twins really help with the task? Maybe the effort is the true holiday magic.

"A Hunter's Christmas Hustle: X-Mas Morning" (AO3)

Summary: Christmas morning finds you flustered as Sylus teases about the kiss. With tension building, maybe holiday magic will guide your heart.

Show me I (AO3) nfsw/mdni

Summary: Sylus drives you wild, the heat inside you impossible to ignore. After blackjack, you're caught in his grip, where teasing blurs into desire.

Show me II (AO3) nfsw/mdni

Summary: After playing blackjack, you find yourself trapped under his control, overwhelmed by intense desire as you finally lay beneath this massive man.

On your knees (AO3) nfsw/mdni

Summary: Sylus has balls, showing up at your work as if he own the place. Still, you're glad to feel see him.

I won't admit it (AO3)

Summary: Tera notices that you have change in the past time, and she needs to address this. Are you going to admit your feeling for him?

L O N G - S T O R I E S ⋆˚✿˖°

"The truth can hurt" - Part 1/3 (AO3)

Summary: You’re done with the lies. Everyone, even Sylus, keeps you in the dark. Frustration turns to resolve—you’ll uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

Beneath the Moonlit Altar (Ep. 1)

Summary: Captain Jenna calls a meeting with new intel on Onychinus's leader—a photo and a possible weak spot. You're torn between duty and protecting him.

H E A D C A N O N S ✮⋆˙

Dessert Can't Wait

Going to a ski resort with Sylus

Baking cookies with Sylus

Overexcitement before traveling

Headcanon: Shopping with Sylus

Hot wine at the Christmas Market

Setting the Christmas tree with Sylus

Ice cream in winter

Hot chocolate and fun

The movie can wait

T H E O R Y S ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

Breaking down "Where Drakeshadows Fall"

Continuous Symphony

[thevillainswhore]

Read Between The Lines

Pairing: Modern!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Word Count: 6.6k

Summary: There shouldn’t have been anything unusual about your routine visit to the local bookstore. Your life was simple and mundane, even if you were a daydreamer at heart. But you were pleasantly surprised when this time you met a handsome stranger between the shelves.

Warnings: Pure fluff, meet cute, meddling bookstore owners, lets also pretend that walking someone home after you’ve only just met is fine 😅🤣

Author’s Note: Unbeta’d, warning graphics and dividers by @rookthorne 💜 hope you enjoy your gift my love 🥰

It was an early morning in Brooklyn as you walked down the cobblestone path — a light dusting of wind had you wrapping your coat tighter around you while a chill tingled your cheeks. 

Finally, a free day marked out in your calendar meant you had the opportunity to spend some time to yourself and of course, that had to include the cutesy, tucked away bookshop — fittingly named Hidden Treasures — found in an unplanned outing; a true secret gem you held dear to your heart. 

Weekly stops to your new bookstore soon became routine in your life. A daydreamer at heart, you were always on the hunt for a new fairytale or fantasy to delve into; best friends to lovers, soulmates bound to fall in love, a bump in with a handsome stranger — a girl could dream. 

Modern dating had proven disastrous for you when plenty of first dates arranged online had turned sour fast. That embarrassment was enough to have you swear off real romance for life. 

So, you had always kept your head in your books. Yes, your days might have been a little stale. And yes, you could have used a little more excitement in your life. But, you were more than happy to stick to your safety net of fictional men — they would never disappoint you.

The chime from the store bell rang as soon as you opened the door and stepped inside. Shimmying your coat and scarf off, you hung them on the rack and sighed happily. By the counter as always was Teddy; the sweet, old man who had greeted you with a beaming smile and an enthusiastic wave since your first visit. “Morning, darlin’!”

“Good morning, Ted.” It was impossible to contain your wide grin as you stomped the dirt off your boots onto the mat, happy to see the bookstore owner and your now good friend. “I’ll catch you when I’m finished, okay?” 

As usual, Teddy gave you the go ahead with a nudge of his head to get on with your weekly haul, already expecting you to jump into your adventure of fiction and find him after. 

The feeling of being transported into another world each time never disappeared. The floor to ceiling oak bookshelves wrapped in green vines, towered over you like castles and the bumps and ridges of variously sized books you ran your hands over reminded you of their stone walls. Fairy lights were strung between the exposed wooden beams of the roof and streams of daylight casted in through the window that brightened the shop.

All your responsibilities vanished for the time being and a blissful peace clouded the stress and anxiety of the week. It was magical.

Endless coves and hideouts hid around the shop — the amount of times you had gotten lost, even in such a small space, never failed to amuse Teddy. You would always find your way back to the counter, a stack of books overflowing in your arms with a sheepish expression. You were still finding secrets to this very day. 

After idly walking around the cozy bookshop for a while with no real goal, you eventually decided to stroll towards the romance section. You were on a mission to find the next installment of the series you were currently reading, browsing from A-Z and trailing the tip of your finger along the coffee stained, worned spines.

The rustic smell you could only find between the pages of written stories were deeply breathed in as you hummed along to the calm jazz song that played from the speakers. You scoured through the endless selection until you reached exactly what you were looking for. Finger coming to a stop, you were about to carefully pluck the book from the shelf. 

Now, you believed you were a cautious person — a healthy amount of awareness of your surroundings never hurt to keep you safe. However, instinct seemed to fail you when a figure brushed your back. They were directly behind you, light on their feet and quiet. 

The tiny hairs on your arms stood up, alert with the presence close by and before you could have spun around, a thick arm stretched over the top of your head and into your vision.  

The feel of ringed fingers gently brushed against yours as they landed on the book you planned to take. You looked at both of your hands, transfixed at the difference in size between you. The staccato of your heart was sent into overdrive, thumping wildly against your chest. 

You watched in real time as the cold silver against your warm skin thrummed all the way through your body, a bolt of electricity tingling your nerves — never had you felt more alive.   

Following a path from the stranger's hands all the way up his arms, the pattern of colourful tattoos screamed out at you. Beautiful, intricate designs with immaculate detailing bursted over his olive skin and decorated his frame perfectly. 

There was no doubt this stranger heard the small gasp you let loose. But you couldn’t have helped it. Those arms taunted you — the devil on your shoulder poked its sharp tail against you and whispered delightful sins into your ear. 

Down girl. You didn't even know him yet.

“Oh!” The stranger exclaimed. “My apologies, Doll. Looks like we were reaching for the same book.” The deep voice that rumbled above caused a shiver to run down your spine — pure heaven in your ears. 

You gained the courage to turn around and look up at his face, and you were utterly mesmerised at the ocean blues staring straight into your soul, reaching into the deep valleys of guarded secrets you kept close to your heart. Everything you wanted to keep hidden started to unravel in one look. You were unsure whether you loved it or hated it.  

Your mouth fell agape as this tattooed stranger with a dreamy gaze smirked, watching you take his appearance in. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you racked your head for something to say as your eyes darted over his features — desperate to take in his beauty. 

However, you failed to realise this man had also been basking in your beauty too, obsessing over every detail of your face. You watched him slowly lick his lips, flitting his eyes up and down your figure before he summarised, “Huh — I guess you do look the type for a good romance.” 

As much as you tried to remain composed, your mind apparently had decided that was the time to throw your filter out the window. “I can’t say the same for you.” 

Your mouth instantly fell open in shock, mortified at your audacity. The embarrassment of your own awkward nature forced you to slap your hand over your mouth. 

Quick to want to rectify your mistake, you stuttered, falling over your own words as you attempted to say your apologies. “Oh my god. I didn’t— I didn’t mean it like that, I swear! Just— just with the tattoos and— and the— the um…” your words trailed off as you gawked at his nose ring in awe.

You were too busy lost in this man’s invisible spell to notice the laugh he tried to keep in. All you paid attention to was his teeth biting into his plump bottom lip. 

However, it was the sudden realisation of the position the two of you hadn’t moved from that shook you out of your haze — now hyper aware of the proximity against each of your chests. The way this walking, tatted sin on legs, plucked straight from your dreams held eye contact astounded you. Your legs were almost forced to cross over each other, to stop the flutter between them as his breath tickled your neck and the scent of mint and leather permeated your senses. 

Outwardly shaking your head to snap out of your brain fog, you stepped back to lean against the bookshelf, out of this unusual hold of a stranger so you could actually think properly. 

You undoubtedly expected him to bid you farewell, for him to take offense to your quip (rightfully so)  and never see him again — your chance flushed down the drain already due to your own inability to socialise like a human being. 

The world would be that cruel to you, you figured. To dangle the most gorgeous man you had ever seen in front of you only to rip him away because of your lack of grace. Why not after your so called luck with dating? 

So it was to your pleasant surprise that instead, this stranger wasn’t repelled by you and in fact took a step closer towards you, eyes homed onto yours intensely with a glint of mischief. “While my looks may be deceiving,” he rested his hand on the shelf beside you and leaned down to your height. “I sure don’t mind the element of surprise if it captures the attention of a pretty girl.”

The charm and the charisma that seeped from his pores had you releasing a giggle. And the delight of being the cause of that twinkle in his cerulean eyes was unlike anything else.

Testing the waters, you teased him, praying you didnt mess up the second chance you had been graciously gifted. “Do you normally pick up girls in bookstores?”

The bewitching stranger didn’t let up on his allure though. “This is actually my first time, is it obvious how bad I am at this?”

“You’re not doing so bad.” You shrugged, a smile edging its way into your face. 

“Well, thank god for that.” He dramatically clasped his hand to his heart, blowing out a breath. “I was hoping that would work because I had no more pick up lines to win you over.”

Your laughter filled the aisle. His endearing nature — just the right balance of wit and appeal — attracted you even more. 

A calm broke over the two of you as your joint amusement naturally settled. You both continued to gaze at the other before your companion introduced himself. “I’m Bucky.”

Bucky. You finally had the stranger’s name and it suited him, you figured. Hearing it gave you a warm feeling in your chest and an itch to test it on your tongue. 

“Can I have the pleasure of knowing your name too?” he asked smoothly.

The subtle cock of his head and that damned sparkle in his eye, finished off with a tongue in cheek smile almost had you giving in. Bucky was patient as the tension brewed in the air and he looked at you as though all of his problems would have been answered if he knew what to call you. 

However, a sudden defiant nature within you wanted to test him. Make him work for something so personal. “I think I’ll stick with keeping it to myself for now,” you granted him instead.

Bucky was visibly surprised with your comeback, eyes widening the slightest as he stood tall and slid his hands into his jean pockets, but the glint in his eyes told you he liked your sass — a mystery stood in front of him that he was desperate to unravel. 

“Elusive, I like it.” He cocked his hip and grinned, giving you an appreciative once over before he declared, “Doll it is then, sweetheart.” 

Your heart swooped. Like you were on a rollercoaster, about to drop from the highest point. The rush you experienced from one small interaction was addictive and you wanted more. 

“So,” Bucky said. “What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he squeezed his eyes shut and winced as a flush crept up his neck. 

Discreetly, you covered your mouth with your hand to hide the laughter lodged in your throat. You actually thought his dorkiness was adorable, but you wanted to let him suffer for a little longer. “Is that really what you’re going with?” You sniggered. “I knew you said you were out of pick up lines, big guy, but you’re scraping the barrel with that one.”  

Bucky squinted his eyes open and sighed. “I know — I know — that one was awful.” Surprisingly, he managed to pull you back in with his dreamy smile. “I swear I got better game than that.” 

“Oh really?” You challenged, crossing your arms over each other. “I don’t believe it.”

But as quick as a whistle, he retorted. “Go out with me and you’ll soon know how I could win you over.”

It was your turn to stifle the heat rising to your cheeks. There was a hopefulness in his gaze, desperately pulling you in. The hopeless romantic in you could have fallen in love with him right there and then, but you knew that wasn’t at all reasonable or realistic. 

“Okay, I’ll give you that one,” you laughed. Turning on your heels to pluck the very book that had been the cause of your bump in with your beautiful stranger, you waved the book over your shoulder, “But I think I better go pay for this.” 

“Ah, you beat me to it, Doll.” He clicked his tongue, a bout of sadness to his tone. “Would you mind if I walked with you? I’ve already got everything I hoped for.” Bucky’s eyes never left yours as he reached over the top of your head, once again trapping you, and taking a book from the shelf. 

Had your mind been any less fuzzy, you would have noticed he hadn’t even looked at which book he was reaching for, picking one at random to gently wave in the air between you, too.

You cleared your throat. “Y—yeah, of course! Not a problem whatsoever.” 

After Bucky had stepped back, he gestured for you to go first and the two of you silently walked over to the counter. You tried to discreetly glance over your shoulder, unable to resist looking at him. But your cheeks heated up when he met your gaze and winked. 

Once you reached the counter, you offered a bright smile to Teddy, who was already grinning back at you. Placing your chosen book on the wood between you for him to scan, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Just the one for you today, little one?” 

“Just the one this time, Ted.” You confirmed. 

“That’s unlike you.” Teddy hummed in thought. “Didn’t find anything else you like back there?” 

You mumbled under your breath, quiet enough that Teddy struggled to hear, “You could say that.”

Aware that Bucky was literally right behind you, you swiftly changed the subject. “How’s that husband of yours getting on anyway?”

George, said husband of Teddy, had been away for a trip overseas to collect rare editions of books on his wish list (along with a few surprise items for Teddy that you knew of) and as much as Teddy loved to keep up his beloved, bubbly personality alive in the shop, you knew he missed him deep down. The pair of them were two peas in a pod — incomplete without the other. 

So, you were shocked to see a grin crawl on his face as he scanned your book. “You can ask him yourself.”

You were confused until another figure popped their head around the doorway of the back room with a flourish. You gasped and ran towards him, throwing your arms around his neck for a hug. “George! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!”

George rocked you side to side with a big squeeze before he held you at arms length with fondness to check you over. Your face scrunched up when he booped the tip of your nose. “Yeah well, you can’t keep me away for too long, sweetheart.” Playfully side eyeing Teddy, he brought you closer and whispered loud enough for his husband to hear him say, “Besides, someone has to keep this troublemaker in check, don’t they?” 

“Haven't got the slightest idea what you could mean, Georgie.” Teddy overheard and put on his most innocent face. You giggled into George, amused by his husband’s antics. “I’m an angel.”

Their love encompassed everything you wanted from a life partner. You longed for their banter and their care and the passionate fire that was still raging all these years later between them. 

Looking over to Bucky, you were caught off guard to find him gazing at you already, a smile on his face that slightly scrunched up his nose. 

You stepped back to the counter, heated under the spotlight just as Teddy rang you up with a price. Though, you didn’t miss the seemingly casual glance he made behind you. “Mornin’, Buck. Got any nice plans for today?” 

You frowned, surprised that they were familiar with each other. Bucky cleared his throat before he spoke from behind you, “Just a small visit here today I’m afraid, Ted.”

Teddy still continued to speak over your shoulder as he took a suspiciously long time to bag up your book. “Right,” he murmured. “No plans for the rest of the day then?” 

“Nah.” Bucky's voice rumbled at your back, as if he had taken a step closer to you. “Nothing else, unfortunately. Can’t go anywhere without a pretty date now, can I, Teds?”

Almost immediately, Teddy looked at you, a glint in his eye of excitement before he innocently offered, “I may know someone.” 

You choked, causing all three men to look at you; Teddy had a shit eating grin on his face, while George tried to hide his laughter in his hand — unsuccessfully. You could even feel Bucky’s stare locked in on you from behind. 

“Don’t you dare,” you muttered under your breath to Teddy. 

But you knew by his wicked smile your threat wouldn’t stop him from meddling. “Why don’t you walk little one home after this? Get to know each other,” he said to Bucky. 

Amazed by the man’s audacity, you scolded him. “Teddy!”

“Nonsense, girl,” Teddy rounded the counter to you and slid his arm around your shoulders, turning you towards Bucky before he continued. “Besides, you heard the boy. He needs some company and I know for a fact you’ve got no plans apart from locking yourself at home.” Teddy looked proud of himself as he shrugged. “Problem solved.” 

He wasn’t lying. Although you were a little embarrassed he would out you like that, you in fact did not have any other plans. Traitor. 

“As lovely as Bucky seems, I don’t know him, Ted.” Quickly you glanced at Bucky and shyly uttered, “I mean no offense by that.”

“Don’t worry, dollface,” he said and you just knew by the grin on his face he was about to tease you. “I think I’m used to it by now.” 

Bucky snorted at your mouth falling open in shock.  Cheeky bastard. 

“Oh, dating back in my day was so easy.” Teddy sighed. “You liked the look of someone? You speak to them. You want to get to know them? Great! Ask them out.”

You shook your head in exasperation. The complexities of modern dating weren't as simple as Teddy’s reasoning. Respectful, charming men didn’t just fall from the sky, unfortunately, and fairytales didn’t just happen. 

Looking at Bucky, you gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about him.” You threw a lighthearted glare at Teddy while you admonished him. “Someone doesn’t know how to keep their mouth shut.”

Bucky waited until you looked at him and shrugged with a lopsided smile. “Eh, I don’t mind the old man so much.” Scratching the back of his head, he admitted, “Especially when he sets me up with pretty girls in bookstores.” 

Okay, maybe a few charming men fell from the sky. 

You clasped your hands together tightly, repressing the urge to squeak from giddiness.

Bucky stepped forward and placed his single book onto the counter before he offered his arm to you. “What do you say, Doll? Fancy humoring me?” 

While Bucky was still technically a stranger, Teddy knew him and one thing you were sure of was that he would never let any harm or danger come to you — you would be safe. 

Sighing lightheartedly, you stepped out of Teddy’s hold and stood before Bucky. You observed the slight bob of his Adam’s apple, taking pleasure in the small victory of his nerves and decided to put him out of his misery. “I guess you wouldn’t be the worst company on my way home.” 

Hooking your arm through Bucky’s, the glee that overtook his adorable face was worth your decision alone. He looked over to Teddy and gave him a single nod. “I'll take good care of her, Ted.”

“You better boy, because now I’m in trouble.” 

You grabbed your book from Teddy, already bagged and paid for. “Me and you will talk next time,” you warned. 

Teddy tightened his lips, hiding his laughter as he saluted you. “Yes, ma’am.” 

Rolling your eyes, you looked to Bucky, “You’re sure you don’t mind? Please don’t feel as though you have to do this.” 

But he just smiled earnestly, subtly pulling you closer towards him. “Believe me when I say I absolutely want to do this.”

Your cheeks warmed, flustered beyond belief. You were relieved as he started to usher you towards the coat rack, helping you pull your coat over your shoulders and wrapping your scarf around you.  

With a departing wave, you said goodbye to both George and Teddy as you began to exit the store. Teddy’s shout of, “Have fun kids, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” was the last thing you both heard before the door closed.

George rounded the counter, having witnessed the whole exchange and curled up to his husbands side. He squinted his eyes in suspicion. “What are you up to, mister?”

Teddy continued to watch the two of you walk into the distance out the window, both jittery, arm in arm and a joint hidden excitement to be together. He just smiled as he shrugged. “Oh, nothing much, dear.”

“Little one, huh? Very cute.”

“Oh, god,” you groaned, ducking your head in embarrassment.  

Bucky wasn’t deterred by your timidness, however as he gently nudged your shoulder and playfully whispered, “Almost suits you as much as Doll, sweetheart.” 

Your huff of breath froze over in the cold air and you looked up at him with a shy smirk before shaking your head. “You’re good, you know. The women must love this — you stealing them from their daily life and whisking them away on dates.”

Bucky just laughed before he brought you closer to him, slinging an arm over your shoulder as he said, “Oh, so you're admitting this is a date, Doll?” 

You couldn’t help gazing into his stormy blue eyes that lit up in the sunrise above you. He was carved by angels, you swore by it. 

Walking forward, you detached yourself from Bucky’s hold, letting his arm drop, and spoke over your shoulder, “Play your cards right, handsome and we’ll see what this is by the end of the walk.”

You caught the redness creeping up Bucky’s face before you turned your head forward, though you did miss his goofy fist pump in the air. 

The thud of his heavy footsteps neared as he caught up to you and you decided to play dumb when he sneakily snaked his arm through yours. 

“So, Bucky,” you began. “Since we’re still practically strangers, let’s get to know each other.” 

He quickly recovered and nodded in agreement, “Great idea, Doll. What do you wanna know?”

“Tell me what you do for work,” you said. 

Bucky cheekily smiled before asking, “Any guesses before I tell you? No offense will be taken.” 

“Wow,” you laughed. “You’re really making me work for forgiveness aren’t you?” You hummed in thought before saying aloud, “Okay, I have something.” 

He raised his eyebrow. “Hit me with it, Doll.” 

You hesitated a second before you muttered, “A drummer.”

“What?!” Bucky laughed in shock and stared at you, eyes wide. “A drummer?”

Giggling, you held your defense. “Oh, come on! You can’t blame me with the tattoos and the jewelry.” You gestured to his form before shrugging. “You just have this classic rockstar look to you — nothing wrong with that of course.” 

Bucky held his free bare hand out, red from the cold and decorated with black ink. With a smirk, he leaned over to whisper in your ear, “The tattoos doin’ it for ya, Doll?” 

His Brooklyn drawl caused a shiver to run down your spine and you lightly gasped. He chuckled, overly satisfied to have made you flustered while you attempted to keep your dignity in tact. 

You bumped his hip with yours, ignoring his laughter. Brushing his flirtations off to try and keep your composure, you asked, “What is it you do then?”

A proud smile on his face, he answered, “I’m the owner of a vintage bike shop.” 

You turned to look at him, taking in his appearance for the umpteenth time and cocked your head. “Hm… I can see that actually. You got the whole biker aesthetic going for you.” 

You were pleased to see a small dust of red coat his cheeks. “Thanks, Dolly. Got anything else for me?” he asked, squeezing your hand. 

“Do you have any family?” you asked tentatively, worried it may be a sensitive topic. 

But Bucky’s face lit up at the mention and he turned to you, resembling an excited puppy. “I have the best family, Doll. My mom—Winnie, she raised me and my sister, Becca. They’re both amazing women and—“ 

As he went on, you stared at him and admired the way he spoke about the two most important women in his life — so full of love and awe for them that you felt like you knew them yourself. Your own mother had always taught you to take notice of a way a man speaks about other women in order for you to know how he would treat you. You were happy that Bucky did not disappoint. 

Along your walk, you had learnt how Bucky had a secret passion for pottery, something that allowed him to create beauty and art from his calloused and worn hands that years of oil and mechanical work had damaged. You were also over the moon to hear he was an avid reader. Of course you knew he must have a knack for reading if you met him at a bookstore. But, his detailing of certain stories he enjoyed and quotes that had stuck with him from authors he loved had your heart melting even more. 

The two of you continued to ask questions back and forth, learning more about the other as you walked together.  

“So,” Bucky started. “Hypothetically speaking of course, since this isn’t our first date, what would your perfect one look like?” 

You looked at him from the corner of your eye, watching as his eyes suspiciously darted around — whether he was digging for key information or not was a mystery to you. But you decided to answer the question anyway. 

“I think,” you began. “I think I’d enjoy an active date — maybe like a trip to Coney Island? You know the one with the—“

“The cyclone!” Bucky said enthusiastically. “Oh man, I haven’t been there since me and Stevie were kids.” 

“A good friend I take it?” You smiled, secretly enthralled by the way his eyes lit up. 

“The best,” he nodded. “Sorry, Doll. I got a little carried away there.” Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that was free. “Carry on.” 

“Don’t worry about it, it was cute.” you assured, before quickly clearing your throat once he started to smirk. “Anyway —  after a couple of rides and games where my date wins me a stuffed bear, a romantic little trip on the ferris wheel would be next and he would pay to stop at the top so we can see the whole of Brooklyn.” 

You feel Bucky’s stare on you as he said, “And then?” 

“Then he would walk me home and kiss me goodnight.” You finished quietly. 

“Interesting,” he mumbled. You didn’t miss the tone of his voice, one that made you skeptical of his antics. “So, kinda like I’m doing now?” 

Smartass, you thought internally. 

“Don’t be getting any ideas, Bucky,” you scolded lightheartedly. “This isn’t a first date, remember? You’re just walking me home.” 

He thinned his lips, trying to contain his smirk. “Of course, of course.” A moment passed in peaceful silence before he muttered, “There’s still time though, right?” 

Bucky ran away and out of your reach before you could land a playful whack to his arm. 

“Come on, Doll — I’m a dateless man!” he shouted. “Are you really gonna leave a poor man high and dry?” 

You scoffed, unable to contain the growing smile on your lips. “In your dreams, Bucky!” 

In hindsight, you should have known his retort wasn’t going to be anything other than cheeky — especially, with his sinful grin that made butterflies flutter in your stomach. “That you will be, Doll.” 

Beams of light from the sun, breaking through the clouds of the cold day, casted down over Bucky, creating the most heavenly glow over his features. Those ocean blue eyes that starstruck you from the very first look shone bright as ever and his piercings and rings that glistened had you entranced, wondering how they would feel against your body. 

The walk home, while not long, had given you a fair insight to this man you had met not only an hour ago. Bucky was unlike anyone you had met before — sweet but mischievous and the biggest flirt you had ever known. 

Not that you were complaining. 

The two of you were shortening the distance to your apartment. Admittedly, you felt a small ache in your chest, disappointed that the walk had to end so soon. However, the steps to your apartment that you reached signified the end of your time with him. 

Your hands twitched in anticipation. Was it inappropriate to want to see him again? Would you look desperate if you asked for a real date with him? An array of thoughts rushed through your mind until Bucky spoke over the scrambled mess in your head. “Okay. I have a confession to make.” 

You looked up, frowning to witness him twirling the rings around his fingers, dare you say looking as nervous as you felt.  

He had been making you stumble over yourself since your first bump in with his shameless flirtations and smooth moves. But now he was reduced to a man on edge. 

Intrigued, you wished for him to keep talking, curious to know the cause of his unease. “Go on,” you urged, softly.

Bucky nodded and took a deep breath. “I may have seen you. In that same bookstore. A couple of weeks ago.” He ran a hand through his hair, wincing at his inability to formulate his sentences coherently. “I um—found it after wandering around one day. I was in the far corner when I saw you walk in for the first time.” 

Your mouth fell agape, and your eyes widened while you listened intently. Though the shock of his confession rendered you speechless, you were rooted to the spot, hanging onto every word he said. 

Then, he gazed straight into your eyes, stepping closer and you gulped. “I swear I had never seen someone so beautiful in my life. I couldn’t take my eyes off you, Doll.” He shook his head and laughed earnestly. “You’ve had me in a chokehold for the longest time.” 

“But— But earlier?” You tried to get the words out to explain your confusion regarding the way he acted as though you met for the first time. 

Bucky closed the distance between you, tentatively closing his hands over yours. “I’ve seen you every week, walking into that store with your bright eyes, taking in everything like it’s the first time all over again. And every week I found myself in that far corner, obsessing over you and falling for you a little more each time.” He sighed before finishing, “I’d been building up the courage to come up to you until I finally did — Today.”

You could only imagine how you must have looked — a deer in headlights most likely, about to run away. Honestly, you were floored and you weren’t quite sure your mind had caught up yet. 

Attempting to settle your nerves, you cleared your throat. “You’re telling me,” you paused. “You’re telling me you planned on reaching for the same book as me? How did you even know which one I was going for?”

Bucky looked ultimately relieved that you hadn’t slapped him across the face just yet. His fingers twitched against yours while he laughed apprehensively. “Actually, I may have had a tiny bit of help with that one.” 

The cogs turned in your head and after a while the realisation struck you from his suspicious antics this morning. “Teddy!” you gasped. 

“Guilty as charged.” Bucky sheepishly smiled. “I asked him if he thought I had a chance with you the first time I saw you and he gave me some pointers.” 

You couldn’t help the huff of laughter that spilled from your lips. The whole situation was incredulous, something that would never happen to you. 

The tension slipped from Bucky’s shoulders, but his eyes still held on to some hope. Easing his worries, you grinned. “That was brave of you.”

Confidence visibly returned to him as he cockily shrugged, lips curving into his familiar smirk. “It was a risky move to take.”

Placing your hands on his chest, over his black leather jacket, you gave Bucky a run for his money as you caught his shudder with your eagle eye and decided to play him at his own game. “Some might even say creepy.”

“Oh yeah?” Bucky licked his lips and smoothed his hands over your hips. “Is that why you’re grinning like you’ve just found your future husband, Doll?”

This man, you thought to yourself. “You’re cheeky,” you replied aloud while you gripped his jacket. 

“And you like it.” He squeezed your hips.

There was hardly any distance between you; eyes glued to the others like neither of you could bear to look away. 

His eyes hooded as he joked playfully, “You gonna invite me up?” 

You smacked his chest, watching the crows feet by his eyes crinkle with amusement in the sweetest way. “I don’t put out on the first date,” you batted back. 

You weren’t prepared for the sudden shiver that rippled down your spine as he whispered, “Clever girl.” 

The charged air heightened your senses, you could feel every minute movement his fingers made, the way his thumb rubbed back and forth over your waist. 

“Can I have your name now?” Bucky disrupted the silence between you as his gaze flicked between your eyes. 

The rebellious nature from earlier had only come back tenfold. Coming within a hair's breadth away from his lips, you daringly muttered, “I’ll give it to you on our next date.”

His eyes lit up, like a kid on Christmas. “Next date?”

Pushing him away with a smirk, you held your hand out while he dazed at you longingly. “Phone,” you said confidently. 

You held in your laughter as Bucky quickly fumbled over himself, patting each of his pockets to find his mobile. Once located, he quickly slid it out of his leather jacket and into the palm of your hand. 

The glow of his screen lit up your face while Bucky tried sneaking a peek. But you shoo’d him away and carried on typing into his phone. 

Finally, you were finished and handed the phone back to him. With eagerness he grabbed it and instantly smiled with joy once he saw the screen. “Your number?” 

“Use it wisely, handsome,” you purred. Leaving him staring at you in his own haze, you walked up the steps to your apartment, a sway to your hips. You couldn’t be completely sure whether you heard Bucky stifle a choke from behind you, but you ignored it for the sake of his ego. 

Reaching the door to the lobby, you spun around on your feet and raised an eyebrow in question. “See you soon?” 

Bucky grinned from ear to ear. “Absolutely, Doll.” 

With that, you waved him goodbye and swung the door open, missing his besotted stare following you until you were out of sight. 

You raced up the stairs, holding in your excitement while you entered your apartment. As soon as your apartment door was shut behind you, you released the squeal that had been trapped in your throat while you danced on the spot. 

And at midnight, as you laid in bed thinking about Bucky, your phone chimed and you instantly grabbed with haste. The bright screen stung your eyes but once you saw who had texted you, they shot open — a thrill causing you to bite your lip and squeak.

Unknown Number: I was supposed to be asleep by 12 but you’re still on my mind. 

A few weeks later…

Teddy and his husband, George were readying the shop to open again after closing because of maintenance. The early morning was quiet yet peaceful; the only thing to be heard were the birds singing their song as the sun rose and shone into the shop windows. 

George leaned his elbow on the counter and sighed with nostalgia as he reminisced back to the beginning of their relationship. “Do you remember our first date, honey?”

Teddy spun around from his task of shelving the newly released books and smiled lovingly. “How could I forget?” 

The two gazed over the space between them, lost in their own bubble of harmony when the chime of the bell above the door snapped them out of their reverie. They both knew it was the usual time you would visit the shop, precise to a fault. 

With bright smiles, the pair looked towards the door, ready to greet you as was routine. But George gasped loudly when they found something a little extra glued to your side. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Teddy, however, kept quiet — no vocal response to be heard, only the visible large grin on his face once he caught you looking at him with a sheepish smile. 

“Well, good mornin’, little one,” he said teasingly.

You hid behind the tall frame next to you, embarrassed from being the center of attention. “Hi, Teds. Hi George,” your mousy voice spoke up. 

Easing the attention of you, Teddy glanced to your side and raised his eyebrow with a smirk. “Bucky.”

Your new boyfriend smiled and nodded his head in greeting to both men. “Good to see you, fellas.” Gently, Bucky grabbed your hand and pulled you with him as he began to lead you away. “Catch up with you shortly.”

Giggles and laughter echoed through the shop as you followed him down the closest aisle of books and away from prying eyes. 

George rounded the counter and came to his husband’s side, looking at him with a sneaking suspicion. “You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that would you, honey?”

Teddy thinned his lips, hiding his smile as he glimpsed at the two of you disappearing from his sight before getting back to shelving the books in his hand. He spoke over his shoulder, with all the innocence he could muster. “Me? Not at all, George — That’s nothing but a little bit of magic from Cupid.”

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - Part 20

Masterlist

In Your Fantasy MV (Z-World/Dreamscape)

Timeline-wise, we pick up where Crazy Form left off - or more specifically where the Epilogue left off: with Sopro floating above one of their workroom desks.

This MV is where we get to see what was previously only described in the Golden Hour Pt.2 Diary Entries: how Strictland was set free with the help of Sopro.

We open on a shot of the black boots we saw in the trunk at the end of Lemon Drop. Whoever is wearing them has been invited here as is made clear by the envelope now getting dropped on the ground - an envelope bearing a red wax seal very reminiscent of the ones we saw in Birthday on the letters sent to the Halazia crew.

From here, it'll be essential to pay attention to lighting and details in order to figure out what's going on and who is involved in this music video, so let's continue.

The guest walks up to the door and is greeted by Yunho who sits down at the bar inside the building and immediately whips out a lighter to play around with the flame.

Seonghwa walks in next and immediately burns a random piece of paper, before we switch to Yeosang whose birthmark is openly on display (as we'll also see more clearly later on in the video).

So what does this tell us? It tells us these are all members of the Halazia crew. And they were invited here by the Black Pirates to help free Strictland. Timeline-wise, this would place them around the time Birthday took place.

We move on to Wooyoung who's on a black motorcycle reminiscent of the ones they were driving in Bouncy, meaning this is likely Z-World's Wooyoung. The lighting outside the window here is blue - we'll put a pin in that.

Before leaving the room, this Wooyoung grabs a mask - we shall also keep that in mind for later.

As we continue, we get flashes of the members, including this Hongjoong who is shown holding a lighter before we switch to him in a hallway where he proceeds to rip off his Captain's armband.

I've speculated before that Halazia's Hongjoong isn't actually his crew's captain, but merely pretends to be for strategic reasons while Yunho is actually in charge. This might just prove it.

Alternatively, this could also be him ditching his title - perhaps permanently - since this will be his final performance as a Black Pirate before the rebellion will become obsolete (if all goes according to plan).

It should also be noted that his giggle at the start of his verse is so subtle, it can almost be overheard.

Mingi meanwhile blasts in with a booming FIX ON and also to noticeably blue lighting. Additionally, he also takes a seat in the audience, meaning he is likely also a member of Z-World's Ateez, much like Wooyoung from earlier.

The same goes for this Jongho we saw seated all by his lonesome on the center balcony, who will later also be holding a mask, like all the audience members.

We've now reached the most important part in the entire MV - the moment Z-World's Wooyoung brings out Sopro to synchronize the emotions of everyone in Strictland through this shared Dreamscape they've invited everyone into.

Here, we also get a shot of Z-World's Ateez up on the balcony while the Halazia crew is on stage. It's truly meaningful that this final performance, this climax of the rebellion, was given to the ones who failed to save their own world and later sacrificed themselves to create Sopro (or in the Halazia crew's timeline - will soon sacrifice themselves for it, in order to close this time loop).

The people of Strictland now gather in the rows upon rows of seats while the members of Halazia's crew walk up on stage (precisely at midnight) to finally set everyone free with one final performance. They will now metaphorically unlock the cage everyone has been trapped in for far too long - hence the lock with them being the key.

During the performance, golden sparks rain down as they enchant the audience who all begin to shed their masks, finally showing their true faces, their true emotions. At long last, they finally get to be who they really are.

We end in the empty hall, masks scattered everywhere, but no one is here anymore. They're all out in the real world where much work is still to be done as Z is finally overthrown and A-World's Ateez is sent back home with Sopro and the shattered remains of a Cromer.

[junkdrawerfan]

Robin is coming to Fortnite and I know it’s going to be Dick. But it would be really really funny for it to be Damian. Just… he’s the right age group. He’s played Fortnite and Roblox. He canonically is obsessed with a game called Cheese Night which might be his world’s version of Fortnite for all we know!

He’s the one Gen Z Robin who would truly appreciate the cameo!

(Also as a Tim fan let’s be honest, Tim is not a hardcore gamer. Tim played arcade games and fighters. He probably plays multiplayer games and MMORPGs like Final Fantasy Online to hang out with his friends. He’s a DM who hosts his world’s version of DnD. He is a social gamer. He is not here to win.

Damian grinds for 15 hours straight in Destiny 2 and ignores the ways his eyes burn when he blinks. He is the person people ask for help from to defeat Malenia in Elden Ring.

The only solo game Tim Drake has ever played is Animal Crossing. I will die on this hill.)

[letsgetrowdy43]

A long time coming—

Request: Luke has been in love with jacks best friend since childhood, but the reader never lets anything happen out of respect for Jack but eventually the two have a moment and she can’t hide her feelings for Luke anymore, and I think Jack would be supportive of his two favourite people

I changed the prompt a bit cause I read it wrong, so sorry abt that!!

“Luke we can’t,” she said in between kisses, her hands that had once been tangled in his curls now lightly pushed him away from her, “we can’t do this to him,” she mumbled as Luke shook his head in denial. “He doesn’t care, he’s understanding, and he’ll get over it,” his lips travelled down her neck as she groaned into his shoulder, his fingers digging into the soft skin of her torso as she let out shallow breaths.

The little voice in the back of her head kept repeating the same words to her, whispers about Jack being disappointed in her decisions made her tense and finally take a step away from the Hughes boy whose hands sat comfortably on her hips.

“I can’t,” she whispered. "Wait Y/n/n," he said as her hand went for the doorknob, "let's just talk about it," she shook her head and looked at him once more as the tears started and she left the quiet of the locked bathroom and ventured back into the party to find her friends to take her home.

That had been four months ago at a St Patrick’s Day party, it was now the end of June and Y/n and Luke had yet to talk about what happened.

Luke left for Jersey, and Y/n stayed in Ann Arbor to finish out her third year at Umich, so life got busy. They made it through playoff runs, final exams, injuries, and so many other bumps in the road, and finally, it was the Hughes brothers and company’s favourite time of the year.

Summer at the lake house.

Summers with the Hughes’ were always like an escape from reality, days on the lake, sun tans, sand, and beer, it was always so chalked full of life. Four months of being with the best people, at the greatest time of the year.

But she was dreading this particular summer.

“You seem down Missy,” Ellen hugged the girl as Y/n placed the last bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. The girl shrugged, “just tired, that’s all” the girl said as Ellen rubbed her back and nodded. “Well I’m sure the boys wouldn’t mind if you napped for a bit,” she ushered out to Jack, Luke, Trevor, and Alex who were playing ping pong in the backyard.

Y/n nodded with a sad smile and headed up to her room, flopping down on the soft mattress as she let the weight lift off of her shoulders for a second.

A light knock on the door woke her up from her nap, she groggily sat up and looked at Luke who was smiling at her, leaning up against her door frame, “Did you know you snore?” She stared at him with not a trace of amusement, “No I don’t.” “No you don’t,” he confessed as the girl stretched her tired limbs, “Mom told me to tell you that dinner is ready whenever you are,” he said with a nod and then headed back downstairs to get a plate without another word.

She got down to the bottom of the stairs to be whisked off into a conversation with Z, loud laughter erupting from Jim as Trevor poked fun at Luke for something. The girl sat in between Quinn and Josh who both picked at her for her bedhead, too which gained each of them a smack followed by no more pestering as she ate her burger and salad in peace.

Her eyes travelled over to Luke who was already staring at her, then to Jack who was watching the tension unfold. His brow quirked at her gaze immediately stared down at her plate.

To Y/n the idea of loving Luke, romantically, was something she never seemed to be able to shake. Nothing had ever erupted between the two of them except for that one kiss months ago in a random bathroom that smelled like beer and sex. Thinking back now, everything about that moment felt perfect to her. She would give up pretty much anything to go back to that night and live out her fantasy of finally giving in to the overwhelming urge, maybe even the need, to love Luke.

She’d give up anything, anything but Jack.

She stood in the kitchen, hands buried in the warm soapy water, as she scrubbed the dinner plates that the boys had so graciously dropped off at the sink for her to clean.

Jack walked in with a grin on his face, "You need to stop moping, you're making me depressed Missy," he grinned as she looked at him unamused by the nickname, even more, displeased by the poking he did to her side as he taunted her mood.

"Y'know a little birdy told me something about a kiss, and I think that's why you might be a little tense," she looked at Jack wide-eyed, her lips parted. "I'm so sorry Jack, it was once, and it was a mistake that never should've happened," she began to ramble as the boy smugly grinned at her. He placed his hand over her mouth to shut her up, "a mistake that you wanna do again?" he grinned as her cheeks heated up.

"I never wanted to upset you or break your trust, it was only once," she continued her rant as Jack laughed dryly at her panic. "I don't care Y/n/n, Lu's been crazy about me since we were kids, and I'd much rather you date him than the other douchebags you normally go after," he smiled as her face dropped. "I do not have bad taste in men," she gawked as he looked at her unconvinced.

Jack grinned one last time, "All I'm saying is that it's a win-win situation for me and you, you get the boy, and I'd get to see you more often in Jersey," he leaned against the counter as she stared at him, unable to tell if he was being serious or playing some sick joke on her. "I get the boy?" "You can have the boy," he nods, "but if he hurts you, you tell me and I'll set him straight," he said leaning forward to pull her into a hug and pressing a kiss to her temple as she smiled into his shirt.

"You're sure it's okay?" she said, her words muffled into his shirt as he nodded. He pulled away with a smile, "I approve," she grinned back as he headed back to the rec room where the rest of the boys were playing pool.

Luke walked in shortly after, quietly with a soft smile on his face as he picked up the dry cloth to help take a little bit of the workload off of her.

"You okay Y/n?" he asked as she looked at him with an unsure look, her hands still in the sink trying to finish the still never-ending pile of dishes. "You told your brother?" she whispered and looked at him her attention falling on a strand of hair that had fallen out from its place behind her ear and into her eye. Luke reached forward to brush the hair out of her face as he smiled sweetly, "I did," he said almost sweetly as he held her face in his hands.

"What did he say to you sweets?" he asked with a grin as she looked at him with something resembling love. She blushed at the nickname as chills ran up her spine due to the soothing feeling of his thumb running over her cheek, "well he said that he was okay with this," she motioned between the two of them as he grinned even wider. "I told you he would be understanding," he lowered himself down to capture her lips in a slow kiss, the hands that were previously in the soapy water were now gripping at the cotton material of his sweater as he pulled her closer.

She was the first to pull away, as a smile took over her face while recalling another thing that Jack had said during their conversation, "Jack said another thing that caught me off guard." A short hum left the boy's mouth as he chased her lips, pecking her once before noticing the pleased grin on her face, "what did he say?"

The boy's brows furrowed as she let out a short laugh, "he might've dropped that you've been 'crazy about me since we were little'" she quoted as Luke's face broke out into a bright shade of pink. "I might've been," he mused as she grinned and stood on her tiptoes while her arms looped around his neck. "Good, 'cause I might been a little crazy about you too," she whispered before smashing her lips back onto his, the dishes long forgotten as they stood in the lake house kitchen surrounded by love.

Both of them realizing that this romance had been a long time coming

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It's not edited, so if it has bad grammar I'm sorry

[toriwritesstories]

First day back on adhd meds after they were on back order for 2.5 weeks and here are the results

1. wow I can get out of bed on time and write an agenda for a meeting and speak with coherence and competence in all my work meetings

2. heads down work time for almost 3 solid hours in the afternoon during which I got so much done (even when I did get interrupted once)

3. did the chore that needed doing after work

4. cooked myself dinner!

5. played tears of the kingdom while watching fantasy high and did not get bored or feel guilty for the fact that I was not writing!

6. finally finished part of my dnd character’s backstory I’ve been procrastinating for 2 weeks

guys I feel unstoppable lmao

nowww unfortunately since I have to adjust to being on the meds again the downsides are:

1. My lunch was apple sauce and a cliff kids z-bar…. Pretty much wasn’t hungry at all until dinner lol oops.

2. Can’t sleep 🙃 but on the bright side - my thoughts aren’t anxious. I thought of more stuff for my dnd character, better solutions to a problem at work, and am having art and fanfic ideas! So it could be much worse lol!

All in all: fuck the government for putting stupid manufacturing limitations on adhd stimulant medication. The last two weeks I have been putting in double the mental energy to do my job, to do the bare minimum of taking care of myself and my body, been losing dopamine so fast that even my favorite activities were getting boring and I was switching between them like every 30 minutes. My thoughts have been all over the place and my anxiety has been worse and I’ve just be sooooo tired.

I still functioned, so part of me was like “maybe I’m okay without the meds” and sure yeah I’m okay without them. But I was supplementing with caffeine (neuromints, specifically) and still when getting back on my meds, suddenly functioning like a normal person is almost (almost) easy again.

Now just to adjust back to the sleep and appetite changes lol..