#a little boy who is cheery and good and just wants to help people and see the stars
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bisamwilson · 1 year ago
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“This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker, forever:
The first dawn of light in your universe brings pain.
The light burns you. It will always burn you. Part of you will always lie upon black glass sand beside a lake of fire while flames chew upon your flesh.
You can hear yourself breathing. It comes hard, and harsh, and it scrapes nerves already raw, but you cannot stop it. You can never stop it. You cannot even slow it down.
You don’t even have lungs anymore. Mechanisms hardwired into your chest breathe for you. They will pump oxygen into your bloodstream forever.
Lord Vader? Lord Vader, can you hear me?”
And you can’t, not in the way you once did. Sensors in the shell that prisons your head trickle meaning directly into your brain.
You open your scorched-pale eyes; optical sensors integrate light and shadow into a hideous simulacrum of the world around you.
Or perhaps the simulacrum is perfect, and it is the world that is hideous.
Padmé? Are you here? Are you all right?
You try to say, but another voice speaks for you, out from the vocabulator that serves you for burned-away lips and tongue and throat.
Padmé? Are you here? Are you all right?
I’m very sorry, Lord Vader. I’m afraid she died. It seems in your anger, you killed her.
This burns hotter than the lava had.
No…no, it is not possible!
You love her. You have always loved her. You could never will her death.
Never.
But you remember…
You remember all of it.
You remember The Dragon that you brought Vader forth from your heart to slay. You remember the cold venom in Vader’s blood. You remember the furnace of Vader’s fury, and the black hatred of seizing her throat to silence her lying mouth…
And there is one blazing moment in which you finally understand that there was no Dragon. That there was no Vader. That there was only you. Only Anakin Skywalker.
That it was all you. Is you.
Only you.
You did it.
You killed her.
You killed her because, finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself…
It is in this blazing moment that you finally understand the trap of The Dark Side, the final cruelty of The Sith —
Because now yourself is all you will ever have.
And you rage and scream and reach through The Force to crush The Shadow who has destroyed you, but you are so far less now than what you were. You are more than half machine, you are like a painter gone blind, a composer gone deaf, you can remember where the power was but the power you can touch is only a memory, and so with all your world-destroying fury it is only droids around you that implode, and equipment, and the table on which you were strapped shatters, and in the end, you cannot touch The Shadow.
In the end, you do not even want to.
In the end, The Shadow is all you have left.
Because The Shadow understands you, the shadow forgives you, The Shadow gathers you unto itself-
And within your furnace heart, you burn in your own flame.
This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker.
Forever…
-Matthew Woodring Stover, Revenge of the Sith
Vote for whoever you think is the most tragic! The top two most voted characters will win spots in the bracket for the full competition!
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#all of them are tragic but anakin should NOT be losing#he’s THEE tragic star wars figure#like the tragic figure who made a bunch of the others end up having to also be tragic figures#a little boy who is cheery and good and just wants to help people and see the stars#born into slavery with his mother who hasn’t known freedom since she was small#has to leave her behind when he finally gets what he wants and isn’t allowed to communicate with her due to the way he’s been offered freed#freedom (the jedi) and doesn’t see her again until she’s literally dying in his arms#something he KNEW was happening due to his dreams but couldn’t do anything about#hated by most of his fellow jedi both bc he was the chosen one and bc he was an emotional boy. reckless. devoted. sometimes angry. hardheade#he was never going to fit with the jedi. no matter how hard he tried. no matter how badly he wanted that acceptance.#fell in love and having to hide it. bc being a jedi was supposed to be his destiny and he couldn’t risk leaving the only family he really#still had there. not to mention it was during the clone wars. a time where he WAS needed bc he was so damn good at fighting this war#groomed and manipulated and abused by the most powerful man in the galaxy. used his youth and his arrogance and his fears and his need for#love and acknowledgement to condemn him to a life of anger and pain and abuse by his own hand once he got what he wanted#in one of the novelizations even obi wan himself says he doesn’t think anakin could have ever been able to handle all he had been given#obi wan’s life is tragic and filled with suffering. and so was ahsoka’s. but if we have to go with MOST tragic#we need to pick the boy who was born from nothing and then told he was destined for greatness#but never knew he was ALSO destined for decades of pain and suffering and heartbreak and abuse before he could get there. a sweet loving boy#who simply could not handle all he was given. who was manipulated at every turn by a lot of the people he trusted and respected#star wars#anakin skywalker#polls
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crystallinestars · 1 month ago
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Comforting you when you're sad
Headcanons about the Genshin boys comforting you when you're feeling down for whatever reason.
I don't know what I wrote but I hope it's enjoyable nonetheless.
Characters: Venti, Lyney, Kaeya, Alhaitham, Wanderer, Kaveh
Venti
🍃 When Venti first sees the sullen expression on your face, his cheerful smile wanes into concerned curiosity as he asks what happened to make you so sad. He doesn’t want to force you to answer if you would rather not talk about it, but he can tell the sadness is weighing heavy on your heart, so he takes you home and asks one more time what happened. His words and voice are gentle, his gaze tender as he cups and strokes your cheek, hoping to make you comfortable enough to open up to him.
🍃 His gentle coaxing works to make your guard crumble and the tears you held back come streaming down your cheeks. Venti isn’t used to comforting crying people, but he hugs you, letting you cry into his shoulder while stroking your head, letting you know it’s okay to cry. He doesn’t say a word until your crying fit subsides into hiccups and sniffles, and only then does he let his voice be heard as he softly hums a lullaby he once overheard a mother sing to a crying child a long time ago.
🍃 When you’ve calmed down, Venti asks what you want to do. He'll stay with you if you would rather stay home to keep you company, however, he thinks it would do you some good to go out instead of staying cooped up in these four walls. If you agree to go outside, Venti will stroll around the city market, trying to entice you with this item or that. Do you want to check out the knickknacks at Marjorie’s? Or the new potions Timaeus is brewing? Or what about that one dish at the Good Hunter you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to? Venti would buy them all for you—his treat! He would even brave his cat allergy and stop by the Cat’s Paw so you can try one of Diona’s special concoctions. Venti acts peppy and cheery throughout the impromptu date, hoping to lift your dampened mood with his enthusiasm.
🍃 If the little date doesn’t do the trick to cheer you up, then Venti drags you outside the city walls. Leading you by the hand, Venti brings you to the open grassy plains of Windrise and beckons you to take in the world around you. Look at that beautiful blue sky and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. Feel the wind play with your hair and hear the rustling of leaves in the great oak tree. Walk along the beach with him while smelling the salty ocean breeze and splashing water at each other as if you were little children. Climb the oak tree at Windrise and watch the squirrels and birds that call it their home scurry about in the branches. Lay in the grass and watch the starry sky with him while he strums a soothing song on his lyre that he composed just for you.
🍃 It's not a guarantee his method will work, but Venti hopes this outing can help you feel free from whatever burdens you. Despite his youthful appearance and demeanor, Venti is an old soul who has seen and experienced his fair share of suffering. He is aware that sadness sticks around far longer than joy, for such is the human condition, but he also knows that it shouldn’t overshadow everything in life. Though life can beat you down and Venti may not be able to solve your problems, there is so much more to the world than the little bubble you confine yourself to.
Lyney
🎩 Lyney’s expression lights up when he sees you from afar, but the tired look in your eyes and the weak smile you give him tell the magician you’re feeling down. He looks at you in concern and gently asks if something is wrong to make you so down. He attentively listens if you want to share the reason, and lets the conversation go if you don’t want to talk about it, but either way, he wants to distract you from your negative feelings.
🎩 Lyney has the most experience dealing with Lynette’s sour moods, so out of habit he brings you to a café and lets you order anything you want from the menu, offering to pay for it. He lets you talk if you want to vent or if you want to stay quiet, he fills the silence with funny stories about people he saw in the streets of Fontaine.
🎩 Though he appears his usual chipper self, in reality, he’s worried about you. If spending time with him isn’t enough to brighten your mood, Lyney drops his cheery façade and gently takes your hands in his. With a concerned look, he persuades you to at the very least stop bottling up your emotions and depend on him. As an older brother, he feels a lot of responsibility to care for those he loves, and that responsibility also extends to you.
🎩 Once he sees that his words touched your heart and you’re on the verge of tears, he escorts you to a private alleyway where you can cry freely without the prying eyes of passersby. Lyney hugs you close and whispers words of comfort in your ear, letting you cry into his shoulder. He has a lot of experience comforting Lynette and his siblings at the orphanage, so Lyney knows what to do to support you during your most vulnerable moment. His reassurances help calm you down, and he wipes your tears away with a handkerchief. Though it saddens him to see you so upset, he’s also grateful that you opened up to him about your feelings.
🎩 Afterward, Lyney offers to take you to play with his animal assistants. He teaches you how to feed them, and watches you play with his animals, seeing you gradually relax and give a small smile as a pigeon coos and cuddles into your hand.
🎩 Alternatively, Lyney might invite you to a private magic show; one he designed for your eyes only. The magician brings you to his room in the orphanage where the two of you can be alone and he has access to his props. With a cheeky smirk and flourish of his hand, Lyney materializes a Rainbow Rose from thin air and hands it to you, telling you to keep your eyes on him. He begins his performance, narrating it like any regular show even though you’re the sole audience member. Lyney shows off all the tricks he is certain you haven’t seen before, even mixing in some new ones he hasn’t quite perfected but included anyway. He injects a dramatic and comedic flair into the performance in the hopes of making you laugh. Once you do, Lyney grins, pleased he could make you feel better. In his mind, laughter is the best cure for sadness.
Kaeya
❄️ When Kaeya catches a glimpse of you, he is instantly able to tell you’re out of sorts. Though you smile at him, it’s weak and does a poor job of masking the sorrow in your eyes. You’re clearly not as okay as you try to seem, but Kaeya is unsure of how to help you feel better. He’s not used to comforting people. His only experiences are helping crying children find their parents during crowded festivals, and clumsily bandaging Diluc’s scrapes when they were little. But you are neither a child nor his sworn brother, so he momentarily feels lost about how to help you.
❄️ Such delicate situations are not Kaeya’s forte, but as your boyfriend, he wants to help you feel better. So, he steels himself and, in his usual teasing lilt, inquires what happened to make you look so sour. Though he sounds playful, Kaeya takes your feelings seriously, so when you look like you’re about to cry, he quickly escorts you somewhere private.
❄️ When you break down, he’s at a loss for what to do since he’s never had to comfort anyone like this before. Then, a memory surfaces in his mind of when Adelinde hugged him as a crying child, so he hesitantly wraps you up in a loose embrace, mimicking her hug the best he could. It’s a foreign feeling, holding you while you cry into his shoulder. He feels helpless just standing there with your shaking body in his arms, but he also knows it’s the best he can do for you right now, so he gently rubs your back the way Adelinde did for him all those years ago and hopes it helps you the way it did him.
❄️ Kaeya stays quiet until your crying fit subsides. He’s unsure of what to say as you slowly collect yourself, but he softly asks if you want to go drinking. Perhaps some alcohol from the Angel’s Share can help you feel better? If you agree, Kaeya takes you to the tavern where you share a drink and watch a bard perform a heroic epic about an adventurer. Alternatively, if you like cats, Kaeya brings you to the Cat’s Paw to play with the cats there and get a specialty drink from Diona (his treat). He also coerces you into a few rounds of TCG and pretends to play fairly but purposely loses to give you the wins in the hopes that the little victories would brighten your mood.
❄️ If you don’t want to drink, then Kaeya invites you over to the Dawn Winery. It feels strange to bring you to his childhood home when he hasn’t lived there in years, but he’s hoping that Adelinde could help. Ever since the head maid found out that Kaeya had a lover, she had asked for details about you, but Kaeya refused to disclose much of anything. Questions about his love life from someone he saw as a mother figure made him shy, so he avoided talking about you.
❄️ As he expected, Adelinde was overjoyed to finally meet you and she welcomed you inside just as warmly as she did Kaeya. She whips up a delicious dinner for your pair and spends the evening chatting with you, asking you about yourself and sharing all of Kaeya’s childhood stories that he never told you about, especially the funny ones much to his chagrin. The homey atmosphere and fun conversation do the trick to take your mind off of whatever bothered you, and though it came at Kaeya’s expense, he was happy to see you smiling like your usual self again.
Alhaitham
🎧 Upon your arrival home, Alhaitham’s brows pinch together in concern when he sees you looking down. He doesn’t pry into what happened, preferring for you to tell him what was wrong when you were ready to talk about it. However, if you don’t share the reason behind your sadness, and your mood doesn’t improve or grows worse, the Scribe gently calls out to you and tactfully asks what happened in a calm and gentle tone.
🎧 No matter how small the reason, Alhaitham hears you out without judgment, understanding that people can have a bouquet of reactions to situations he may not perceive to be as worthy of his concern. Even if he wouldn’t feel the same as you in your situation, he still tries to understand your point of view and help you deal with your emotions. If Alhaitham finds it applicable, he will offer advice for your situation. However, he is perceptive enough to tell when mere advice won’t help resolve your current mood, and that you require comfort. 
🎧 Alhaitham’s eyes soften, and he gently pulls you into his chest with a simple comment: “Don’t hold it all in. Cry if you need to.” Sometimes, releasing pent-up emotions is what a person needs to feel better, and the Scrobe doesn’t want you to wallow in your misery all alone. He holds you to him while you cry, placing his chin atop your head and lightly stroking your back in comfort without saying a word. 
🎧 His usually calm expression turns somber and his hold on you tightens a little as a dull ache surges through his heart. Alhaitham is not one to become influenced by the emotions of others easily, but despite what some people may think, he is not immune to others’ distress. He doesn’t like seeing others suffer, and seeing you so upset is no exception. Your suffering affects him a little more because he loves you and wants you to be at your best, so he will do everything in his power to help.
🎧 Once your crying fit subsides, Alhaitham lets you choose what you want to do next. If you want some privacy to deal with your emotions, he lets you go and occasionally checks up on you to see how you’re doing. If you say you want to stay with him, Alhaitham fetches a blanket knitted by his late grandmother that she used to wrap him up in and drapes it over you. He brews you a cup of tea before inviting you to read with him on the sofa. Should you choose to join him, Alhaitham will keep an arm around you while reading a book, not interrupting your reading but letting you feel he’s here. 
🎧 If you’re not in the mood to read, then the Scribe cuddles with you on the sofa. He lets you rest your head on his chest, running a hand along your back while holding a book with the other. If you want to hear the sound of his voice, Alhaitham will read the book to you out loud. If you prefer the silence and the sound of his heartbeat, then he stays quiet and holds you until you fall asleep, kissing your forehead once you doze off.
Wanderer
☂️ As soon as Wanderer sees you, he instantly realizes you’re feeling down. Even when you smile and say you’re fine, his perceptive nature makes it easy for him to tell you’re not. As a frank person, Wanderer prefers you to be straightforward about your feelings and wants, so it’s frustrating when you keep things to yourself like this. He frowns and asks what made you act like such a wet blanket, but despite his unfriendly scowl, he remains patient and hears you out.
☂️ What he’s not prepared for is your tears. When you start crying in the middle of your explanation, Wanderer’s frown melts into surprise and then concern before quickly pulling you into a hug. He’s not used to comforting crying people, but a part of Wanderer urges him to comfort you, so he follows his instincts. Soothing words and caresses are not his forte, but Wanderer quietly murmurs for you to stop bottling everything inside and confide in him. Cry if you need to, it’s fine. He’s got you.
☂️ Wanderer’s embrace is both tight yet careful as if he were holding something precious and fragile. The way you felt in his arms was certainly fragile. Shoulders hunched and shaking, muffling your sniffles against his shirt and soaking the fabric with your tears. Something in his chest feels tight when he sees you this broken, and it sparks a desire in him to fix whatever happened to make you this upset. Even if the cause is outside of his power to fix, Wanderer at least wants you to stop crying and go back to your annoying and yet endearing self.
☂️ When you calm down, Wanderer acts more mindful around you. He chooses his words carefully and keeps his tone soft as he tells you it’s normal to be upset in this situation, but you shouldn’t lose hope so easily. Usually, he would be blunter with his words, but with you in such a precarious state, he wants to be careful. He knows his bluntness can sometimes upset people, and the last thing he wants is to make you more upset.
☂️ Wanderer lets you choose what you want to do: do you want to stay home or come with him to a secret place? If you choose to stay home, he tells you to clean yourself up while he busies himself in the kitchen. He whips up a few delicious and hearty dishes and tells you to eat and stop moping when he serves them up. When you point out that these are all your favorite foods, he scoffs and says that it’s all he could make with the ingredients on hand, but reluctantly adds that he thought your favorite foods would help you feel better. If you thank him, he grows flustered and tells you not to because he didn’t do anything special, but it makes him feel happy inside that you appreciated his efforts.
☂️ If you choose to come with him, then Wanderer takes you to a secret place of his. It’s a little vantage point he found in the Lokapala Jungle that looks especially pretty at night, and he wanted to bring you here one day but figured today was as good a day as any. He flies up there with you and lets you take in the view. Surrounding you are various bioluminescent flora that disperse the darkness with their soft glow. Fireflies softly float about your pair as you sit on the soft grass and look up at the star-filled sky. There’s an ethereal beauty to the place that distracts you from your depressing thoughts and lifts your sunken spirits. He stays here with you for as long as you want, chatting about various topics and weaving you a flower crown to remember the occasion by.
Kaveh
🍷 When Kaveh sees your sullen demeanor, he immediately realizes you’re feeling down. He knows what it’s like to suffer from sadness and depression all alone, and he doesn’t want you to deal with such feelings on your own. Though it’s hypocritical of him, the architect wishes that you would confide in him, so gently prompts you to share what happened. Even if you tell him you’re fine, Kaveh won’t buy it but won’t pressure you to tell him.
🍷 However, he worries deeply about your mental well-being, and if he sees no improvements or even a worsening of your mental state, he takes your hand and leads you to the sofa. Kaveh cups your cheek and pleads with you to confide in him. Tell him what’s wrong because he wants to help you feel better so badly, and it frustrates him that he can’t.
🍷 His efforts pay off in making you give in and tell him what happened to make you feel this way. Even if there’s no particular reason for your sadness, Kaveh takes your feelings seriously. He wraps his arms around you in a gentle yet firm hug when you start crying, his expression solemn because seeing you in pain like this makes his heart ache. Kaveh holds you close until you let out all your sadness, whispering reassurances and kissing the top of your head. He strokes your back to comfort you, not caring that you’re soaking his shirt with tears and snot. Your well-being is far more important to him than his clothes.
🍷 Once you calm down, Kaveh dotes on you. He gets you tissues, some water, a blanket—you name it, he’ll bring it. With a gentle smile, Kaveh asks if you want to go out and do something to get your mind off whatever made you sad. If you want to stay home to recuperate from your crying fit, then Kaveh will spend the evening cuddling you and making sure you’re okay.
🍷 If you accept, Kaveh will take you out to Lambad’s Tavern. When life beat him down, he turned to heavy drinking to forget his troubles, and though he doesn’t want you to get plastered the way he did (because it’s bad for your health! He says) he offers to buy you a drink, hoping a light buzz could take the edge off your grief. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, Kaveh buys you a non-alcoholic drink and keeps you company. From his personal experience, sometimes a drink and good company are all you need to feel better, so he chats about various topics and gives advice if you need it. He also listens if you want to vent, offering a sympathetic ear and supportive words.
🍷 If you don’t want to drink, Kaveh takes you out on a stroll around Sumeru city. He surmises that a change of scenery can help take your mind off things, so he takes your hand and walks along the streets, showing you all the spots with pretty views. He comments how each location looks especially beautiful during sunset or at night when the stars are shining in the sky and offers to bring you here later if you want to see that breathtaking view. Afterward, he takes you out for a delicious meal at his expense. Kaveh is more than willing to spend his meager savings on you if it means making you happy. He won’t be able to rest easy unless you feel better, so he pulls out all the stops to try and cheer you up if only a little.
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stylesloveclub · 1 year ago
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sunshine (part 1)
In which Harry's a dick and y/n is a virgin who cries a lot.
˙· .° 。  ˚ 。  ° . · ˚ ˙ · . ° 。 ˚ 。  ° . · ˙ · .° 。 ˚ 。 °.  · ˙ ‧̍̊  
Y/n wonders if she thinks too highly of herself.
She thinks she’s pretty. Not in an obnoxious, self-obsessed way! She knows she’s not a supermodel, and she definitely has a lot of days where she looks and feels totally dead – but at the end of the day, she’s not hideous. She splurges on pretty makeup products, does her hair in the mornings, spends a decent amount of time planning out cute outfits… you know, little things to make herself feel pretty!
She brushes her teeth twice a day, showers regularly, flosses. Wears pretty perfumes that smell like flowers and lip gloss that tastes like strawberries. There’s a stash of gum in her bag that she’s always chewing on, so she knows she doesn’t have bad breath; and she carries an extra deodorant in her backpack too, so you can’t tell her she’s repulsive or anything like that. 
She’s kind. She smiles at strangers and always laughs at people’s jokes (even if they aren’t funny)— holds the elevator door open and says a polite “good morning” or “hello!” with her happy, cheery voice. And even though she’s a bit shy, she tries her best to spread love and kindness in the world. It just makes her happy to make other people happy!
Plus, being nice means that everyone else is nicer to you. So even if she’s in a bad mood, she’ll fake a smile and pretend like she’s happy y/n.
But, she wonders... if she has all of these amazing qualities– if she really is as pretty and kind and wonderful as she makes herself out to be– then why hasn’t she been kissed yet?
She loves her friends, of course she does! But how is she so different from them? Why do all of her friends get asked out on dates and have amazing boyfriends while she’s still a lonely virgin who hasn’t even been kissed yet? 
It’s not like she’s this super virginal person who gets grossed out by boys! She wants to be kissed, she wants to get fucked! She’s toyed around with the idea of just downloading tinder and losing it all to some stranger in one night stand, but her romantic heart just can’t stand the thought of it. 
Yes, she’s desperate… but she’s also romantic. Love is on her mind 24/7. It’s what she thinks about before she falls asleep, what she daydreams about whenever she gets bored. She could spend hours with a romance novel, hyper fixating on the little things that most people wouldn’t blink an eye at. The way the boy’s hand cupped the girl’s jaw while they kissed, or how their fingers brushed as they walked down the street. Little things like forehead kisses and prolonged glances across a room. 
She craves it for herself, desperately aches for the affection that she reads of. She wants to rest her head on someone’s chest and listen to their heartbeat as she falls asleep, feel their fingers playing with her hair, or their lips skimming her cheek. Wants to laugh under the covers and share secrets and be vulnerable and in love. She wants it more than anything in the world! 
And yet, she hasn’t even been kissed! 
Everyone else seems to do it so easily – find a nice guy, go out on a date, and fall in love. So why is it so hard for her? Her friends tell her that she's the prettiest and sweetest girl out there, and that the right guy simply hasn’t come around yet… but y/n can’t help but think, is any of it true?
Is she even that pretty? Is she actually likable?
What’s wrong with her?
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Harry hates these stupid college parties.
They’re loud and stuffy, with way too many people crammed into one room for his liking. The alcohol is cheap, the music is annoying. The entire apartment smells like weed, and there’s not even a secluded corner for him to mope around in without some group of drunk girls completely invading his personal space. Everything about these parties sucks.
If he could, he’d leave. But he’s meant to give a ride home to his roomie Blake, and Blake’s currently hooking up with the host of this party. 
So Harry’s stuck here. Great. 
He checks his phone, and it’s nearly midnight. Blake should be done soon, right? The blonde girl who’s been talking to him for the past 20 minutes is getting awfully close, her hand trailing on his biceps and migrating towards his chest, and she’s blinking up at him with fluttery bambi eyes. 
Any other night and Harry might be into whatever this girl is hinting at, but he’s 100% sober and 100% not in the mood to hook up with a girl who’s taken one too many shots. He grabs the girl's hands and peels them off of his chest gently, muttering something about needing to use the restroom (he doesn’t even need to use the bathroom, he just needs a minute away from the pounding music). 
He sends her off in the direction of her friends, who are giggling to each other in a corner across the room and not-so-inconspicuously checking to see if their friend has managed to successfully get with Harry. He’s sure they’ve realized that he rejected her when they all glare at him. Sorry to disappoint, he thinks to himself. 
He’s nearly positive that any bathrooms in this shitty college apartment will probably be occupied, either with someone throwing up all the drinks they’ve had or with a couple hooking up. But no harm in trying anyway. 
The first door that he tries to open is locked. The second door opens up to reveal a coat closet. 
The third door however, opens up to a bedroom. 
The walls are decorated with posters and pictures, fairy lights hanging from the ceiling, and tiny pots of succulents placed all over the room… but the one thing that stands out the most is the overwhelming number of books scattered all over the room. There’s a bookshelf on each wall, cluttered with books of all colors and sizes. Stacks of books lie on the nightstand by the bed, a stray book sits on top of a dresser, and a pile of new, untouched books sits pristinely in the far right corner of the room. 
Books, books, and more books all over the room. And, a book in the hands of a girl sitting quietly in her bed, staring at Harry. 
Dressed in a hoodie and some fuzzy pj pants, the book that she’d once held up closely to her face now rests on her lap as she blinks up at this strange intruder. She sits upright, closing the book but sticking her finger between the pages so that she doesn’t lose her place. “Um… hi?” she says quietly. 
He steps into the room, and looks at her blankly. “Hi.” She blinks at him. “S’this room taken?” he asks.
“Um. Well,” she looks at him curiously. “No, I guess not.” 
“Okay, good,” he responds, quickly closing the door behind him. He sits on a spinny chair that he pulls out from under a desk and leans his head back, letting out a deep sigh of relief. 
The girl, with her finger still lodged between her book, stares at him confused. Who is this guy? 
He’s cute, and she’s mildly embarrassed that he’s come into her room when she’s looking so… sleepy. But he also seems kinda grumpy and is obviously not in the mood to talk. He’s leaning back in her chair and closing his eyes, gently rubbing his temples as if he’s meditating. 
She observes him with wide eyes. Then after a minute of silence she awkwardly picks her book back up and tries to resume reading. 
Kinda hard to do with some random guy sitting in her bedroom, though. 
In this secluded bedroom, the sound of the music has decreased dramatically. Harry’s pounding headache starts to fade away, and he feels himself start to relax for the first time since he arrived at this stupid party. He looks around the room that he so luckily stumbled into. 
The desk in front of him is, to no surprise, cluttered with more books. A laptop is plugged in in front of him, and there’s a cup full of colorful pens and markers sitting against the wall. Hanging on the wall is a string of pictures starring the same girl with different groups of people. 
He looks at the pictures hanging from the walls. Then he looks back at the girl laying in the bed. 
“S’this your room?” he asks, finally connecting the dots.
She looks up from the book again and nods. 
“Oh,” he hums, surprised. He supposes he should’ve realized it as soon as he walked in. Girl in a room full of books, reading a book. Face clean of all makeup, snuggled up in a blanket, nice and comfy as though she’s just about ready for bed. It’s a bit silly that he only made the connection once he saw her pictures up on the walls. “Why aren’t you out there partying?” 
“Um… not really my scene,” she says, closing the book and looking at Harry properly. Her nose scrunches up, “And it smells really bad in there.”
“Jesus, tell me about it,” he groans. “Could hardly breathe in there. In fact–” he says, already standing up, “d’ya mind if we open up a window? Still feels stuffy in here.” 
She shows no resistance as he slides the window open, accepting the fact that she’d be sharing her room with this stranger until the party was over. Harry sticks his head out and takes a deep breath of the cool, fresh air. Much better than the sweaty, smoky, sickly smell going on inside the apartment. 
When he turns back around, the girl has rearranged herself. She sits criss-crossed on her bed and looks up at Harry, fidgeting nervously with her lip bitten between her teeth. 
She’s kind of cute. 
Harry breaks the silence again. “I think your roommate is hooking up with my roommate right now.” 
“Oh.” She blinks. “Is your roommate Blake?” 
He nods.
“Yeah, Maddie’s been saying that she, um… you know,” she looks down at her hands as they play with a loose thread on the hem of her pants. “Wants to hook up with him or whatever.” 
He nods his head, leaning back against her wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest. As refreshing as the air is, the night time breeze is cold. 
“No offense,” he says, “But you don’t seem like you’d be friends with Maddie.” Maddie (y/n’s roommate) has jet black hair, wears heavy eyeliner and black lipstick everyday, and is at least a little bit high 90% of the time. Y/n, in comparison, has flowery bed sheets, a stuffed bunny tucked in next to her, and is hiding in her bedroom while a party being thrown in her own apartment. 
She just smiles softly. “Yeah, we met online. But she’s really nice.” 
He raises his eyebrow. “She seems like a bitch.” 
She defends her roommate immediately. “She’s not a bitch!” But then she thinks about it for a second. Maddie can definitely come off a bit… harsh at times. “Well… she’s usually really nice to me, at least.” 
That makes sense. It would be very hard to be mean to this girl, he imagines. She’s too nice. It would be like being mean to a puppy or something. 
Good thing Harry isn’t mean. He’s just… a bit of a grump. 
She taps her fingers against the cover of her book awkwardly, staring at Harry as he looks up to her ceiling and closes his eyes. He just wants to be in his bed right now. 
After a few more minutes of silence, Harry pushes himself off the wall. “I think Blake should be done,” he says, checking the time on his phone. “I’m going to leave now.” 
“Okay,” says the girl quietly. She watches as he leaves with a nod of his head, and shuts the door behind him. 
That was weird, she thinks. 
Whatever, though. She opens her book and forgets about it. 
+++
Don’t people say that drowsy driving is just as bad as drunk driving? What constitutes drowsy driving? Should y/n even be out on the road right now?
She doesn’t know. All she knows is that Maddie woke her up with a phone call at 2 AM, asking if y/n would come pick her up from Blake’s apartment cause she was too high to get back on her own and she doesn’t want to stay the night there. 
Y/n, being the sweetheart that she is, obviously wants her roommate to get back safe. So she’s in her car, at 2 AM, yawning every three seconds as she drives to the location Maddie sent her.
She texts Maddie from the car, but Maddie doesn’t respond. She calls her, then sends another text, but still no answer. After 10 minutes of no response, she goes up to the door and knocks. 
Maddie doesn’t answer. Instead, it’s Harry.
His eyebrows furrow as recognizes the girl from that party he’d been at two weeks ago. She looks just as comfortable as she did then, in a big pink hoodie and a pair of sweats. “What are you doing here?” he asks, his voice confused and his eyes doubting. Not many people come knocking at his door at 2 AM.
Unlike y/n, who looks like she just rolled out of bed and drove here (that is exactly what she did), Harry looks like he’s been up all night (he’s been playing COD). He’s not wearing a shirt and has a pair of sweats slung low on his hips, showing off a chiseled abdomen that acts as a canvas for a multitude of pretty tattoos. Y/n finds herself staring at the swallows that lie under his collarbones, the butterfly painted above his stomach, and the ferns lining a yummy pair of v-lines that point downwards… she swallows thickly and forces herself to look away. 
“Um,” she covers her mouth as she yawns, hiding her cold fingers with the sleeves of her hoodie, “Maddie needed me to drive her home.” She blinks sleepily, and can’t even bring herself to be embarrassed that she looks so dead.
“It’s 2 in the morning,” he scoffs. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
She blinks sleepily again. “I was.” 
Harry rolls his eyes. If it were him, he would not have gotten up and driven all the way over here. Someone else’s problems are not enough to get him out of bed. But, this girl… she’s too nice. 
He leaves her at the door and goes to Blake’s room, pounding on the door rudely. “Hey!” he yells, irritation evident in his tone, “your roommate’s here.” 
He hears a bit of shuffling, before Maddie stumbles out of Blake’s room, makeup askew and clothing only half on. She giggles up at Harry and apologizes playfully, but he just glares at her. Her eyes are glazed over and the whites of her eyes bloodshot, very obviously high if the way she couldn’t walk straight wasn’t enough of an indication. 
He feels bad for the stupid girl who drove all the way over here in the middle of the night because her roommate wanted to get high.
Maddie trips over her own feet and falls into y/n, who uses all of her strength to keep her roommate upright and walks her slowly down to the car. “Are you feeling okay?” Harry hears her ask quietly. He scoffs to himself.
He doesn’t get it. How the fuck has this girl not lost her shit? Her irresponsible roommate woke her up at 2 am and made her drive all the way to some stranger’s house, and yet she still manages to be so… gentle. So kind, to someone who barely even deserves it. So caring, to someone who seems to care so little. 
As y/n helps Maddie get into the car, she looks back up to the apartment and sees Harry watching them from the doorstep. They make eye contact for a few seconds, his eyebrows furrowed as he leans against the doorframe. His gaze makes her heart stutter, a chill running down her spine. He looks… upset. Almost like he’s mad at her.
It makes her frown. She wants to say something to him, apologize for ruining his night… but then Maddie sticks her head out of the car and vomits. 
Harry shakes his head and turns away. 
That girl is too nice for her own good. 
+++
“Hey.” Blake pokes his head into Harry’s room, where Harry’s busy playing a round on his computer, “Do you mind if Maddie and her friend come over?”
“Don’t care,” Harry mumbles, uninterested, not looking away from his game. 
“Sick,” he turns around to go back into his own room, but stops when Harry suddenly pauses his game and calls out to him.
“Who’s the friend?” Harry asks, turning around. 
“Y/n,” Blake answers. Harry stares at him, his brows furrowed. The name doesn’t ring a bell. “Her roommate.” 
“That quiet girl?” Harry clarifies.
“Yeah, that one.” 
Oh. So her name was y/n. 
Good to know. 
+++
It’s dark out when Harry finally turns off his game, sliding his headset off and stretching his back. He lets out a long groan as he feels his spine crack, a delicious feeling after being hunched over his controller for three hours straight. 
Standing up, he scratches at his stomach lazily, throwing his headset onto his chair. His arms feel a bit sore, having been to the gym earlier that day, and his hair is still wet from when he showered. He puts on a sweatshirt, finding his apartment too cold to be roaming around shirtless, and heads to the kitchen to find something to eat. 
He stops in his tracks when he finds y/n sitting in his living room all alone. 
She’s got a book in her hands, a thick, worn-out novel that looks older than herself. She’s sitting comfortably on their couch with her legs tucked underneath her butt, so engulfed in whatever she’s reading that she doesn’t even realize that she’s not alone anymore. 
It’s the first time he’s ever seen her outside of her sleep attire. She’s wearing a pair of loose, comfy looking corduroy pants, and a tight top that cuts off just below her ribs. Her chest rises and falls steadily, eyes skimming across the pages of her book so quickly that he wonders if she’s actually absorbing any of the words or not. She chews on her lip as she reads, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. 
When Harry finally speaks, it makes her jump in her place. “Where are Blake and Maddie?”
Her book nearly falls out of her hands as she whips her head around. When she sees it’s him, she relaxes. “Oh. Um,”  she sits upright, closing her book, “They’re in his room.”
He nods slowly, squinting his eyes. There’s no nice way to ask his next question, so he just spits it out bluntly. “Why’d you come over if you’re just sitting out here while they hook up?” 
She tucks her hair behind her ear nervously, feeling a little shy under his intimidating gaze. “Maddie was my ride to campus today. And she wanted to stop by here before we went home.” She shrugs quietly, “So I kinda had no choice.”
He huffs. Of course. 
Y/n says that Maddie’s nice, but Harry really doesn’t like her. How weird is it to drag your friend somewhere just to have them sit alone while you go hook up with someone? 
“How long have you guys been here?” he asks.
“Like, an hour.”
“So you’ve been sitting around doing nothing for an hour?”
She pouts. “I had my book.”
He blinks. She just sat here reading for an hour, while her roommate abandoned her to go hookup with Blake… and she’s okay with it? 
She is too nice for her own good. 
“Do y’want some pizza?” he asks, already opening the freezer.
Normally, y/n would say no. She’s kind of an unwelcome guest and she doesn’t want to be a burden on Harry. But… she hasn’t had anything since breakfast. And Maddie still hasn’t come out. She’s kind of starving.
“What kind?” she asks politely.
“Umm… cheese or pepperoni.” 
“I don’t like pepperoni,” she confesses shyly. “But also I could just pick it off if you want pepperoni. Whatever you want.” 
He rolls his eyes, shoving the pepperoni pizza back into the freezer. He wants to scream at her to stop being so nice! Stop being so considerate and just say what you want!
He puts it in the oven to bake, setting a timer for 15 minutes, then takes a moment to contemplate his next move. He could either go back into his room, where he could lie in bed and nap until the pizza was ready… or he could stay in here and sit awkwardly on the couch so that y/n wouldn’t be all alone. 
99% of him wants to just go back into his room where he can be grumpy and alone in peace… but then he looks over at y/n, who’s sitting on the couch all by herself. She looks so uncomfortable and out of place, tracing her thumb over the raised up font on the hardcover in her hands.
The 1% of him that feels bad for her wins. He sits down next to her on the couch. 
He nods his head towards the worn out book, which looks thicker than anything he’s ever read. “Are you reading the fuckin’ bible?” 
“No,” she shakes her head, laughing to herself quietly. She runs her fingers over the grooves of the title, a feeling so familiar that it comforts her when she’s feeling so out of place. “It’s Wuthering Heights.” 
He furrows his brow. “Never heard of it.” 
“It’s good,” she says. “Kinda dense, but I’ve already read it a few times. It’s one of my favorites.” 
He nods again, tapping his fingers on his thighs as silence overtakes the apartment once more. He looks around the living room, trying to find something else to say. 
Y/n’s heart pitter patters in her chest nervously. She can’t help but feel a bit nervous around Harry. She’s pretty shy in general, and Harry’s stoic demeanor certainly doesn’t help her relax. Her voice is quiet as she asks, “Um… what’s your major?” A feeble attempt on her end at a conversation. 
“Math.” 
“Just math?” she parrots.
“Mhm,” he cracks his knuckles. “Pure math.” 
She huffs out a quiet breath, a pout on her lips. “I’m in a math class right now.” Her fingers pick at a piece of fuzz that’s stuck on the couch. “Calc 1. It’s really hard.”
“Mm, yeah.” Harry hums, “Took that during my first year.” 
She looks at him with wide eyes, “Did you pass?” 
He holds back a smile. It’s amusing, how earnestly she’s asking him – a math major – if he passed Calculus 1. That class was generally easy for him, mostly just beginner stuff compared to the math he does now that he’s in his third year. But he doesn’t say that. “Yeah, I did,” he says simply, not wanting to make her feel bad.
She nods, looking back down at her book. “I’m kinda scared. Our first midterm was really hard.” 
He hums sympathetically. Even though it was easy for him, he knows that calc class is infamously hard for others – especially for those who aren’t math inclined like himself. “How about you? What’s your major?” 
His legs are spread apart so that he takes up nearly half the couch, whereas y/n sits curled up on the other corner, trying to take up as little space as possible. “Bio,” she readjusts herself so that she’s sitting crisscrossed, her book still clutched to her chest protectively. “With a concentration in ecology.” 
Ew. He hates biology. Actually… he hates everything except math. Math is easy for him. 
The oven beeps. A rush of relief fills his chest, finally free from this awkward conversation, and he eagerly abandons y/n on the couch to get the pizza out. He’s hungry, starving, and doesn’t bother with a plate or anything before grabbing a slice and shoving it in his mouth. 
“Come have some,” he mumbles, mouth full.
She timidly walks over to the kitchen counter that he’s standing at, wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, and takes a slice as well. Blowing on it, she takes a much smaller bite than Harry did since it’s still so hot. She doesn’t know how he managed to already finish a whole slice. 
Now that they can focus on eating their food, there’s no need for any more small talk. They eat comfortably in silence, only acknowledging each other when y/n asks for a napkin. He nods towards one of the drawers, asking her to grab him one too, and then they’re back to eating in silence. 
Blake and Maddie burst out of his room a few minutes later.
“Harry made dinner!” exclaims Blake, coming over and reaching for a slice of pizza. 
Harry yanks the tray out of his reach. “Get your own pizza,” he mumbles, putting the pizza back down in front of y/n. He looks at her, and nods his head towards the pizza, inviting her to take another slice. 
Maddie stops her before she can reach for a second slice. “Ready to go?” she asks. 
Y/n nods, wiping her hands on a napkin. “Thanks for the pizza,” she whispers to Harry, quiet enough so that only he hears. 
“Yeah,” is all he says. He barely looks at her, too busy scarfing down his third (maybe fourth) slice. 
She grabs her stuff and follows Maddie out of the boys apartment. 
+++
“Hey!” Maddie pushes her way through the stuffed apartment, reaching her hand out towards y/n. “Listen, I’m gonna go home with Blake.”
“W-What?” Y/n’s head is foggy, her brain a little clouded from the few drinks that she’s had. Y/n doesn’t normally drink, so the little bit of alcohol in her system has had its intended effect and gone a bit further as well – her cheeks are warm, and she feels the world sway a little bit as she looks up at Maddie with a pout. “But– but what about me?”
Normally, y/n stays home whenever Maddie wants to go out and party. She prefers the comfort of her own bed and hates the anxiety she feels when she’s drunk and wobbly and surrounded by a bunch of strangers. But Maddie had assured her that they’d be together all night, that she’d take care of her if she got drunk, and that she’d drive them home whenever y/n wanted to leave.
She’s broken all three of those promises. 
When they got to the party, Maddie abandoned her as soon as she saw Blake across the room. Luckily, y/n saw some of her own friends that she was able to hang out with, some girls from her ecology class who gave her a yummy strawberry smirnoff. They talked and laughed and y/n was having a good time, slowly but surely getting a little bit tipsy. The drink was so yummy, and Maddie wasn’t there to keep an eye on her, so she didn’t realize that she’d gone a bit over her tolerance. 
She’s a bit tipsier than she’d like to be in a public setting, surrounded with people she doesn’t know, and it’s too dark outside for her to get home safely on her own. And now… Maddie wants to abandon her? For Blake? 
“Don’t worry!” Maddie exclaims, completely disregarding the worry flickering in y/n’s glazed eyes. “I’ll order you an uber home!” 
Y/n bites her lip nervously. An uber? At this time of night, when she’s all drunk and stumbling around like a sad little baby deer?
“Um… can’t you take me home before you go with Blake?” 
Maddie rolls her eyes, “come on, really? I’ll pay for the uber. It'll be fine.” 
Y/n’s heart beats loudly in her chest, “I-I’m scared of going by myself, Maddie. I think I had too much to drink, I don’t feel safe.”
Her roommate purses her lips in a firm line, as if she’s annoyed. She looks around the apartment, tapping her foot impatiently, then she lights up with an idea. “Stay here,” she tells y/n. 
“Harry!” Maddie calls out, making her way back to the other side of the apartment. “Hey, Harry!” 
He’s sitting on a couch, next to a pretty girl in a tight black dress who has her legs splayed across his lap comfortably. There’s a furrow in his brow that makes him look pissed off, but his hand rests very comfortably on this girl's thigh and he makes no objections as she plays with the collar of his shirt. His head whips over to Maddie as she tramples her way over to him.
“What is it?” he snaps, voice closed off and irritated. 
“Can you drive y/n home?” 
He blinks. “Huh?” 
“Can you drive y/n home??” she says again, frustrated.
“Why?” 
“Cause I’m going over to your apartment with Blake and she needs a ride home.” 
He stares at Maddie unbelievingly, and peers over at y/n, who’s sitting all alone on the other side of the apartment. Her lips are pouted sadly, staring down at the floor with a far off look in her eyes. 
“Why can’t you take her home?” he grumbles, looking up at Maddie with a glare in his eye.
She huffs, impatiently stomping her foot. “Cause I’m going home with Blake right now! Come on Harry, it’s not that far! Please?” 
He shakes his head. “Fuckin’ unbelieveable,” he mutters under his breath, pushing the girl off of him as he stands up. 
“Thank you,” she sighs, dragging him behind her. “Y/n,” Maddie says, stopping in front of her. “Harry’s gonna drive you home.” 
She looks up, eyes wide and round. “H-Harry?”
“Yes,” she says harshly, “you guys are friends, aren’t you?”
“Um…” y/n doesn’t know what to say. She wouldn’t necessarily consider them friends just because they shared a pizza. 
Her night out with Maddie was meant to be fun, but right now, she just feels abandoned and kinda scared. And Harry doesn’t seem too happy about this either, which makes her feel even worse.
“Lets go,” he snaps, jaw clenching tightly as he swings his car keys around his index finger. She flinches at his tone and digs her nails into her palms nervously. 
She’s trapped. It’s either Harry takes her home, or she takes an uber all by herself. And she’s too scared to get home alone right now. 
With a final look towards Maddie, who stares back at her dismissively and shoos her towards Harry, she stands up shakily and follows Harry out of the crowded apartment. 
The air outside is much colder than the apartment, goosebumps immediately rising on y/n’s skin and making her shiver. Harry doesn’t acknowledge the way she stumbles over her feet, walking ahead of her briskly. She’s forced to keep herself composed, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm and nearly jogging to keep up with Harry’s long strides. 
He unlocks his car doors and gets into the driver’s seat. Y/n opens the passenger’s side door for herself and takes a seat, buckling herself in quietly.
Turning on the car, he notices the way her arms are tightly crossed in front of her chest. He turns up the heat, and pulls out of the parking lot. 
They play no music and say nothing, driving in silence.
“Sorry you have to drive me home,” she says faintly after a few minutes. 
His turn signal blinks softly. “Can’t believe your roommate just left you,” he mutters irritatedly. 
She says nothing in response. She stares out the window, a lump in her throat as the drive past the streets of college houses and apartments. The red light they stop at and the name of the streets go blurry from the tears gathering at her waterline. She sniffles softly.
Harry whips his head to her. “Why are you crying?”
Her lower lip wobbles as the first tear falls from her lashes. She wipes it away quickly. “I don’t know,” is all she says with a watery voice.
He stares at her befuddled, brows furrowed and eyes a piercing green, but she refuses to meet his gaze. She just looks outside the window in a melancholy haze, lost in thought, eyes unfocused as tears drip down her face silently. 
He sighs deeply and taps his fingers against the steering wheel, praying for the red light to turn green so that he can get this girl home as soon as possible. 
+++
When they arrive at her place, he sits in his car and watches as she stumbles up the steps of her apartment. She mumbled out a soft thank you through her tears and managed to climb out of his car smoothly, but the way she wobbles on her feet makes Harry worry that he shouldn’t leave until he’s sure she got in.
She stands in front of her door for a solid two minutes, trying to find her keys, and Harry taps his fingers against his thigh impatiently. When she finally finds them, she struggles to fit the key in the lock, hands shaky and her vision still blurred from the tears. Aaaand then she drops them. 
Harry sighs and puts the car in park. By the time she’s picked the keys back up, Harry’s already gotten out of his car and reached the top step. He takes the keys from her and easily unlocks her door. “In,” he mutters, ushering her into her apartment impatiently. 
He follows her into her bathroom and turns the light on for her. Their eyes meet in the mirror as he asks, “can you get yourself ready for bed?”
She nods, looking down at the ground sheepishly as he leaves her to take off her makeup and brush her teeth. She opts to skip her skincare routine and doesn’t even bother with putting her jewelry back in her jewelry box, simply just leaving her earrings on her bathroom counter to deal with tomorrow. 
Harry’s probably gone back down to his car by now, she thinks. It’s so embarrassing, how he had to drive her home and guide her into her bathroom. He seemed annoyed with her. He probably thought she was so messy – an annoying, overdramatic girl who started crying in his car for no reason. 
More tears bubble in her tears as the hot wave of embarrassment washes over her. She was such a mess, of course she’s never been in a relationship. Nobody would want to date someone like her. 
She takes off her clothes and whips off her bra, sniffling to herself sadly. Slipping on her favorite sweatshirt, a huge pink one that goes down to her mid thighs and covers her hands, she uses the sleeves to wipe away the excess tears in her eyes. She stumbles over herself a bit and bangs her foot against her dresser as she reaches for a pair of sleep shorts and it only makes her want to cry even harder. Drunk y/n is extra emotional, and every little thing is sending over the edge. 
As she’s stepping into her pair of sleep shorts, her bedroom door opens, Harry walking in with a glass of water in one hand and a pill bottle in the other. She trips over herself as she tries to pull her clothes on as soon as possible, but it just makes her lose balance and stumble to the side. His eyes widen and he turns around quickly, muttering a quick fuck to himself. 
“Sorry,” he mutters. “Are you decent?”
Y/n regains her composure, cheeks burning as she pulls her shorts over her hips. This night could not be going any worse. “Yeah,” she says quietly. She hopes it’s dark enough in the room so that he doesn’t see her flaming cheeks and puffy eyes. 
He turns around and hands her the water, which she immediately starts chugging down. She didn’t realize how thirsty she’d been until she’d seen the glass in Harry’s large, tattooed hand. 
“Slow down,” he grunts. He pops open the pill bottle and takes out one Advil for her. “Take this.” 
She grabs the pill from him obediently and swallows it down with the rest of her water. Then she looks up at him, as if waiting for his next instructions. 
“Bed,” he says, nodding his head towards her daisy printed sheets. She goes to climb in but trips over her shoe that she’d messily discarded on the floor. Harry grabs her waist before she can fall to the floor though. 
“Jesus,” he murmurs. This was like the seventh time she’s almost fallen over tonight. Is she always this clumsy or was it the drinks? 
He grabs her hand and physically guides her into her bed, making sure she lays down properly and lifting the sheets for her to climb under. Grabbing her ankle, he literally has to guide her under the blanket, then lets the duvet fall over her gracefully. 
“All good?” he asks, once she’s tucked nicely into her bed, teeth brushed and medicine taken so that she wouldn’t wake up feeling gross tomorrow. 
She looks up at him, eyes no longer tear filled but still clearly sad. “Yeah..” she says quietly, however her eyes flicker around her room as if she’s searching for something. 
He furrows his brows, and glances in the direction her eyes have landed. A stuffed bunny lies on the floor next to the shoe that she tripped over. He bends over and picks it up, handing it to her questioningly. She takes the bunny and snuggles it into her neck, eyes fluttering as if she can finally relax. “Thanks,” she whispers. 
Harry nods curtly and heads for the door. When he turns around one final, y/n is watching him with sleepy eyes. “Bye, Harry,” she squeaks out. 
He stares at her for a second. “Bye.” Then he closes the door behind himself.
+++
Y/n wakes up with a pounding headache and an upset tummy.
That was mortifying. 
She’s never gonna be able to face Harry again. He was so annoyed with her, she just knows it! The way she dragged him away from that party, cried in his car, and tripped over herself like a stupid goat with clanky legs… oh, he probably thinks she’s the worst! 
She wishes she had more control over her emotions, that she could’ve held in the tears until she was alone in her bed… but she just felt so miserable last night. She had wanted to start crying literally when Maddie first yelled at her at the party, but she tried to stay strong. Kept herself together so that she at least didn’t start crying in the middle of a party.
But then… getting in the car with Harry. God. The deafening silence, the irritation radiating off of him… it made her feel terrible. She felt like a nuisance, like an annoyance and a burden. 
And she completely humiliated herself in front of Harry! The cute guy that she maybe sort of had started to have a tiny little crush on, simply because he was cute and mildly nice to her and she has a habit of romanticizing small interactions.  
There was no chance he’d ever want to be in a room with her after this. He probably wants nothing to do with her. 
She stumbles out of her bed and plants her feet on the ground, her head spinning a little bit as she squints her eyes. Her little stuffed bunny has fallen onto the floor again, and she picks it up and places it onto the bed next to herself. She remembers how Harry had picked the bunny up and given it to her before she fell asleep last night, like she was some little kid that he was stuck babysitting. 
Ugh. She’s never going to talk to him again. 
+++
Harry stands outside of his lecture hall, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed angrily. His eyebrows are furrowed in classic Grumpy Harry fashion and his lips are pursed in a disgruntled frown. 
He’s annoyed. 
He stares at y/n, who’s sitting on a bench not too far away. Her tote bag sits on the floor next to her feet and there’s a book in her hand, her finger in between the pages as a temporary bookmark to not lose the page she’s on. 
There’s something about her that just… annoys him so much. He can’t quite explain it.
The way her cheeks dimple as she smiles up at the guy talking to her, tucking her hair behind her ear gently when it falls into her face… it makes his jaw clench angrily as he watches her from a distance. She’s so nice. Too nice. 
She laughs at something the guy she’s talking to says and it makes his stomach feel sour. He doesn’t like it.
Blake’s hand snaps in front of Harry’s face. “Bro. Stop staring.” 
Harry forces his eyes to look away, brows still furrowed grumpily. “Wasn’t staring,” he mumbles, pushing himself off the wall and going into the lecture hall. 
“You were,” he responds, following closely behind. “She’s really nice… I dunno why you hate her.”
“Who says I hate her?” Harry scoffs. “I never talk to her.” Especially as of late, she’s quiet as a mouse around him. He was over at her apartment to pick Blake up the other day and she’d only said a quiet “hi” before scurrying back into her room, like a scared little bunny in the presence of a snake or something. 
“Well… I mean, you could be nicer.”
Harry furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”
Blake hesitates. “Like… I dunno. Maddie says you made her cry.” 
“Huh?” He thinks back to that night… “How was that my fault?” All he’d done was driven her home and tucked her into bed? She just started crying on her own!
“She’s just kind of sensitive,” says Blake. “I know you probably weren’t trying to mean, but you’re definitely not sunshine and rainbows. You’re scary, did y’know that?”
Harry rolls his eyes. Everyone seems to have this preconceived notion that Harry's this huge dick who never smiles… and though it’s true that he rarely smiles in the presence of strangers, he’s not an asshole! He just doesn’t feel like wasting his energy in pretending to like people he doesn’t actually like. Or smile when it’s much more comfortable to furrow his brows and pout grumpily. 
And he finds that usually his grumpy demeanor works in his favor – people stay out of his way, and he gets to avoid the headache that comes with interacting with people. But now this girl… this sunshine girl who always has her nose in a little book and always says please and thank you and is nice to everyone and stumbles over herself like a little puppy who's learning how to walk… she’s gone on and made him feel bad about it. 
How annoying is that? To have the nicest person on the planet think you’re scary?  
“I wasn’t trying to make her cry,” he mutters, irritated. “I didn’t even say anything to her.”
“Well maybe that’s the problem. Like… just try. I think you’ll like her.”
He doesn’t think so. She’s too nice. They probably wouldn’t get along. 
+++
There are three things y/n does a lot.
The first is studying. Her grades come first, always. She’ll be at the library for hours at a time, snuggled up in a booth with an iced coffee and her color coded notes, studying until she can barely keep her eyes open. It’s unhealthy, and she really should take breaks more often… but she just gets really nervous about her grades! 
She’s used to being at the top of her class, and has always been a straight A student.  But recently, she’s been struggling. She’s doing fine in her chemistry class, and absolutely thriving in biology. But calculus… calculus is her worst enemy.
The second thing she does a lot is reading. She’s been a bookworm for as long as she can remember. Her most frequent genre is romance (obviously!), but she’ll dabble a little bit in the popular fantasy series, maybe pick up a thriller every once in a while. And if she’s feeling sophisticated, she’ll try to read one of the classics… something philosophical, like Camus, or maybe something a little heavier, like War and Peace. But those situations are rare. She prefers her little world of romance.
The third thing that y/n does a lot… is cry. 
She’ll cry if she watches a sad movie, she’ll cry over a sad book. She cried when Finnick died in The Hunger Games, and she cried when she finished Of Mice and Men. She cries every single time she watches Pride and Prejudice (2005), sobs her eyes out when Mr. Darcy says, “You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love- I love- I love you.”
She cries if someone yells at her, and she cries if she thinks someone doesn’t like her. She cries almost every time she’s drunk (example: when Harry drove her home), and she cries in the middle of the night when she’s feeling homesick. She cries for no reason when she’s getting close to her period… and sometimes, she cries because she’s just lonely.
Now, you might be thinking… y/n sounds super annoying. But please don’t think that! That would also probably make her cry.
She’s just a tad bit sensitive! She has so many emotions in her little heart, and she’s trying so hard to be responsible and manage life as a young adult but at the end of the day she’s just a girl!!! She’s just a girl, and she’s tired and stressed out and lonely and touch deprived, and sometimes she has a hard time keeping everything together so she just… cries.
If she could control it, she would! Do you really think she wants to be crying in the library? Of course, not! It’s embarrassing, and she’s trying really hard to keep her sniffles quiet and to suck the tears back into her eyeballs… but when she’s sad, she can’t stop the tears.
So now she’s crying in the library. And it’s all because of Issac Newton.
Why did he have to invent calculus? Like, what was even the point? Why did she, as a girl studying ecology, have to take this stupid class?
She buries her face in her arms, the tears unstoppable at this point, and just hopes that anyone walking past will think she’s napping and not crying her eyes out. 
She’d studied really hard for that last midterm. Like– she’d literally been in the library for a week straight, just doing calculus problems over and over again. She went to office hours to get help on all the questions she was stuck on, and was watching the Organic Chemistry Tutor’s videos religiously. She did so much math that she was literally having dreams about doing calculus. 
And yet, even with all of her studying, she still managed to fail the midterm. Like… she seriously failed it. As in, if she doesn’t get an A on the final, she will literally have to retake the class.
She’s so sad. She’s never gotten a grade this low, ever in her life. And she’d tried so hard!!! The morning of the midterm, she’d actually felt confident! She thought she had it in the bag!
She was so, so wrong. 
She feels stupid – not just because she failed the midterm, but because she’s literally having a breakdown about it in the library. 
This is stupid. Everything is stupid. School is stupid, Issac Newton is stupid, calculus is stupid–
“Y/n?” 
Uh oh. She tries to wipe away her tears discreetly, licking her lips and clearing her throat and desperately hoping that it’s not obvious that she’s been crying. 
When she lifts her head, she finds Harry standing in front of her. “Why’re you crying?” he asks bluntly, looking down at her with his brows furrowed.
Ok. So it is obvious.
“Um,” she sniffles, “Hi Harry.” She hopes that maybe if she pretends like everything is fine, then he won’t pry any further. 
It doesn’t work.
“Why are you crying?” he asks again. There’s not much compassion or comfort in his voice. Same old grumpy Harry, so blank and impassive. 
She shrugs her shoulders, feeling small and embarrassed. “I– it’s silly,” she stammers, looking down at her fingers. 
Harry doesn’t say anything, staring at her and waiting for her to continue. 
She swallows thickly. “I failed my midterm,” she whispers, her voice catching as a new lump grows in her throat. 
“How bad?”
One lone tear falls down her face as she shakes her head disappointedly, which she wipes away quickly. “Really bad,” she whimpers. Her cheeks burn hot as she realizes that she can’t hold back the tears any longer. She quickly averts her eyes from him, staring into her lap and hoping that he can’t see her face.
This is the second time he’s seen her cry, which is two times more than she would like. He probably thinks she’s some silly, over emotional girl… probably thinks she’s so annoying. She just wants to curl up in a ball, hide in a dark hole and cry by herself. She can’t handle Harry’s judgment on top of her shitty midterm grade.  
He stands there silently for a moment. Her lower lip has pouted out cutely and he can hear her sniffling quietly. “Was it math?” he asks. 
“Yeah,” she grumbles sadly. Stupid math. 
He hums. After another tense moment he asks, “Do you want help?”
“Help with what?” She stares down at her fingers, her tone dejected. The happy glimmer that usually sparkles in her eye is gone. 
“With math,” he clarifies. “I can help you.”
She looks up at him curiously, still pouting. “You’d help me with math?”
He nods, pulling out the chair next to her. “Let me see your midterm,” he says, nodding his head towards the packet of math problems she’d just been sobbing over. Embarrassingly, the front page is stained with a few tears, but she hands it over nonetheless. 
He scans over the first page quickly, reading the question and seeing how she answered it. “Do you know why you got this one wrong?” 
She sniffles and shrugs. She hadn’t even tried to look over the questions, too mentally exhausted to even try and understand what mistakes she’d made. 
“Look. You tried to cancel out the tan3x, which would make sense in any other case… but since it’s to the power of 4 you could really easily have used integration by parts.”
“Wish I knew that before I took the fucking midterm,” she huffs.
“Hey,” he tsks. “Learn from your mistakes so that you don’t make them again. You need to know this stuff to do integral tests later.”
She shakes her head. “I tried so hard, Harry,” she barely whispers, her voice exhausted. “Like I studied so much, and I really really tried to make it all make sense. But it’s just so hard for me.” She sniffles and wipes away more tears, taking a shaky breath and looking away from Harry. 
She doesn’t want to try anymore. She just wants to give up.
He purses his lips, brows furrowed. There’s something about seeing y/n upset that just feels so wrong. She usually brings so much… light into a room. Seeing her cry makes it seem like the entire universe has gotten a little sadder. 
“You’ve got the right idea when you’re solving these…” he tries to comfort her (though he’s never really been good at comforting people), “It’s just little things that you’re doing wrong. And it’s probably because you’ve got a shit professor who just has you copy down problems.”
“That’s literally all we do!” she whines, not even caring if she sounds like a baby. “He does the problems so fast and then I have to go home and try and figure out how he did it all by myself!” She sniffles and puts her head in her hands, more tears dropping from her eyelashes. She’s exhausted, her head starting to hurt as she exhales a shuddery breath. 
He lets her cry a little bit. “Listen,” he says gently, turning to face her. The normal furrow in his brow is gone, his gaze a little bit softer. “Next time you come over with Maddie, bring your notes and we can go over them together, okay?”
She sniffles. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” 
“Like actually?”
“Yes,” he says again exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. He stands up from the table and puts her midterm back down in front of her. “Lighten up, sunshine. One bad score is not the end of the world.” 
She feels a bit silly now that Harry’s witnessed her having another breakdown in the library. But, despite how little he said… he actually helped her calm down. This was not the end of the world. 
“Okay,” she whispers, “thanks, Harry.” 
He nods and walks away. 
Maybe he doesn’t hate her, she thinks to herself. 
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“I’m going out,” Maddie says as she walks into the kitchen, discarding her half full coffee mug on the counter as she grabs her car keys from the hook in front of the door. 
“Your mug!” y/n tuts like a mother. Maddie rolls her eyes as she pours the last of her coffee down the sink and puts the mug in the dishwasher. Y/n ignores the dramatic eye roll, knowing that Maddie’s just playing around, and asks, “Where are you going?”
“Over to Blake’s,” she responds with a wink. She’s been telling y/n about how she’s been waiting for Blake to text her all week because she doesn’t want to be the one texting first all the time… weird situation-ship stuff that y/n’s never experienced before. Seems like he finally texted her, with how excited Maddie is to be going over. 
Just as Maddie is about to step out the door, y/n remembers Harry’s offer. He’d been serious, right? He hadn’t just said that because she was crying… right? She really hopes not, because she really could use his help. She’d been up for hours last night, trying to do the homework, but ultimately giving up because she got too frustrated with herself. Maybe… maybe he’d be able to help her?
“Wait!” y/n calls out, “Um… can I come with you?”
Maddie raises an eyebrow, “Why do you want to come over to Blake’s apartment?”
Y/n turns a bit shy, “Harry… he’s, um, helping me with math.”
“Harry?” Maddie’s eyes glimmer curiously. “He’s literally such a dick. He’s helping you?”
“He’s not that bad…” y/n mumbles, remembering the ounce of kindness he’d shown to her in the library the other day. He’s just a little bit… reserved, she’s started to realize.
“Please. He literally never smiles. I dunno how you got him to talk to you, he always ignores me when I’m over.” 
(Honestly, she doesn’t blame Harry for not talking to Maddie… she sometimes ignores Maddie in her own apartment too…)
“You have two minutes to meet me in the car or I’m leaving without you!”
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With her schoolbag in hand, y/n taps lightly on Harry’s door. Blake had told her to just go in, but she feels like that’s rude, so she stands in front of his door nervously and waits patiently for him to open. 
“What?” he grunts, opening his bedroom door. “Oh.” The furrow in his brow softens the slightest bit when he sees it’s y/n. He’d thought it was Blake bugging him about something. Y/n is a much… nicer surprise. 
“Hi,” she says, chewing on the inside of her lip nervously. “I was wondering if… um, you could help me out with my calc stuff?” 
He stares at her for a second, then says, “yeah.” 
He opens the door wider and she follows him in. His room is messy, but not gross. The bed is unmade, three half full water bottles on his nightstand, and there’s a pair of sweatpants on the floor… but at least it doesn’t stink!
His computer screen is paused mid-game, and she realizes that he’d still been holding his controller when he’d opened up the door for her. He throws a jacket that had been thrown on the back of his chair onto the bed, and motions for her to sit. Then he pulls up another chair that was sitting in the corner of his room to sit next to her. 
“Let’s see it,” he says, shutting down his computer. 
“So…” she takes her laptop out of her bag, setting it down on his desk and turning it on so that she can open up her homework assignment. While it loads, she unlocks her ipad to the scratch work she’d done last night. “I was trying to do the homework last night, and I think I’m supposed to be doing integration by parts but honestly I’m not even sure how to do that… so I’m kind of lost.” 
Harry leans over her ipad and looks at the work she’d done. It’s… wrong. 
“Can I see your notes for integration by parts?” He asks, trying to figure out how she ended up with 1 as her answer when it should be a much larger, much more complicated mix of trig and integrals. She scrolls up until she lands on a page titled Chapter 7, and points to the second example on the problem. Her notes are cute, written in pink with girlish, bubbly handwriting. However, it’s clear that she’d been struggling to keep up with the lecture, some of her work completely scribbled out and replaced with messy numbers and formulas. Next to one of the big portions of scribbled out math, she's written “WHAT???” along with a sad face doodled underneath it.
Clearly she’s a bit confused. 
“Okay…” he scrolls down to a new page in her digital notebook and copies down the example problem that had confused her. “Let me show you how you do integration by parts first, and then we’ll look at the homework problem, okay?”
“M’kay,” she hums compliantly, crossing her legs and hiding her hands in her sleeves. She feels a bit… nervous. She doesn’t want Harry to think she’s stupid. But she’d rather have her ego a little bruised than fail the next midterm too. 
“So… you do integration by parts when you can’t just do normal integration… usually if there’s e^x in there or a natural log then you know that you have to do integration by parts.” 
She nods, following along quietly. 
“In this one… you have x times e^x dx… you have to break it up into two parts, U and dV. And then you take the derivative of U and find the integral of dV. And you plug that into the formula. Do you know the formula?”
She blinks at him. “Um…” she shuffles through her notes and finds it. “It’s this.” 
“Good… so what you do is you assign x to either U or dV and then e^x(dx) to the other… and then you find dU and V based off of that. Should we make x be U or dV?”
She purses her lips, “Make x=U?”
“Yes…” he nods. “Do you know why?” 
She shrugs. “I guessed.” 
His lip quirks up in the first smile y/n’s ever seen from him, a slight dimple popping up in his cheek. “S’cos we have to either find the derivative of U, or find the integral of dV. It’s way easier to use the derivative of x, cause it’s just one. If we made x equal to dV… then we’d add a fraction and a power of two to our equation and it’ll just make things ugly.”
“Oh.” She stares at his hands as he writes down what he just said in math terms, scribbling in his boyish handwriting that U=x and dU=1. “Okay.”
“So if U=x, then dV is equal to….”
“e^x?” she answers. 
“Good,” he says gently. “And what is V?”
She stays silent for a moment, searching the paper as if it’ll give her an answer. He senses her confusion and helps her out, saying, “IF V is the integral of dV, and dV is e^x…” 
“Well Isn’t the integral of e^x still e^x?” Her voice is unconfident, looking up at Harry with wide, round eyes.
“You’re right,” he says encouragingly, a soft smile on his face. “Stop doubting yourself so much.”
A reciprocating smile spreads on her face, feeling a little more confident with Harry’s praise. 
“All you do now is put your numbers into the formula. Can you do it?”
He hands the pen over to her, their fingers brushing. Her hair falls in front of her face as she leans over the page to write down her answer, and Harry watches softly as she tucks it back behind her ear. He notices how long and delicate her eyelashes are as he stares at her side profile.
“Is that right?” she asks quietly, trying hard to be confident but still so nervous that she’s done it wrong.
He tears his eyes away from her face. “Almost,” he says, leaning forward. Their arms brush against each other, the space that they initially had set between their chairs having shrunk as they worked on the problem together. She can feel his breath as he quietly murmurs next to her ear, “You just need to add +C at the end.” 
She furrows her eyebrows and turns her head towards him, and feels her heart stutter as she realizes how close their faces actually are. “What does the +C mean?”
“It’s just like… it’s supposed to represent any constants that we couldn’t find. Because when you take the derivative of a constant it just ends up being zero, so when you’re given an integral and doing the anti-differential process… you don’t know if there was actually a constant there or what it was. So the +C is just representing any constant value that could’ve been in the answer, even though you don’t know what the number is.”
She blinks at him. “Um… okay. I’ll just pretend like that made sense.”
He chuckles, the first time she’s probably ever heard him laugh. “It’s honestly not that important to get it. Just remember to add +C every time you take an integral.”
“Got it…” she says, adding the +C. 
“Think you can do the next one on your own?” 
+++
“Harry,” y/n pouts. “It says I’m wrong but I dunno why.” 
He pauses his game and slides out of his seat, going over to y/n. She’d relocated to his bed after they did a couple more problems together and felt confident enough to do the rest by herself. His chest brushing against her back softly as he leans over her shoulder, going over her work. “What’s the integral of sin(x)?”
“Cos(x),” she says confidently.
“Not quite…”
She sits there for a second, brows furrowed. “Oh!” she adds a negative in front of the cos(x).
“There you go,” he grins down at her. 
She lays down on his bed, her hair splaying out behind her as she throws her ipad on his bed, relieved. “Harry. You’re a genius.” 
He laughs, a quiet huff of air that passes out of his nose with an amused smile on his face. “So it makes sense?”
“I think you should be teaching our class. You’re so good. Thank you for helping me.”
He hums, giving her a satisfied smirk, and goes back to his game while she finishes her homework. It's a strange setup, sitting in his bed and doing her homework while he plays, but she doesn’t mind it. 
In fact, it’s kind of nice.
Harry’s kind of nice.
She kind of likes Harry.
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hope u guys loved it!!!!!! part 2 is up on my patreon already, and will come to tumblr next saturday (july 29) pleeeeaaaase lmk what u rhink and give her a rb and a comment i love u guys so so much!!!
sunshine - part 2 (already posted on patreon!) : In which Harry's a little bit nicer, and y/n is very excited to possibly, hopefully, maybe be kissed.
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chaoticpuff17 · 5 months ago
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When The Chips Are down
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part 28
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After the disaster that the wedding had been, Namjoon had rushed Y/N and Nara home where he proceeded to put the entire mansion on lock down. No one was to come in or go out that Namjoon had not explicitly approved to do so. He had become slightly paranoid, not that Y/N could blame him for that. She was a little paranoid herself after everything that had happened, and even if she had been one of the people approved to leave the estate, she didn’t think that she would have wanted to. She much preferred to be safe and sound behind the high walls of her cage where nothing could hurt her or her baby. Namjoon for all his faults was at least very good at making sure that nothing could touch them within the heart of his own territory.
While she’d managed to slip away from him before in the past, Namjoon had very much improved the security of his home after her multiple escape attempts and her several successes. He wasn’t taking any chances with the security of his family. The wedding had only hardened that resolve. Nothing was slipping past him this time.
His paranoia and drive to find out who exactly had sabotaged Hoseok and Iyla’s wedding kept him out of Y/N’s hair for the most part. He was a busy man to begin with, but with this he was like a dog with a bone. The staff of the estate likened it to when he was searching for her during what Miss In very politely referred to as her long absence only this time the goal wasn’t retrieval but retribution.
He knew full well that the Lee family had something to do with it all, but Y/N didn’t think he’d yet put together Mark’s involvement, and that was a piece of information that she was keeping closely guarded. While his willingness to put herself and her family in danger had been heartbreaking, she wasn’t willing to turn him over to Namjoon for it. She didn’t want him dead, and she knew that was exactly what Namjoon would do if he were to find out about him involvement. Y/N very much doubted that Hoseok would have a less severe reaction either. It was his wedding that had been ruined and his bride that had been put in danger.
Thankfully Iyla hadn’t been injured during the debacle. Hoseok has very quickly gotten her to safety before rejoining the fray. While deeply shaken by the incident, Iyla was physically unharmed by it. She and Hoseok had even gone on their honeymoon despite it all. The rest of the boys had insisted that they would take care of everything while Hoseok enjoyed the time away with his new wife though the thought of it didn’t sit well with Y/N. Nothing about the marriage had though, and she didn’t get a say when it came to whether or not they would stay or go.
Namjoon assured her that Iyla would be perfectly safe in Hoseok’s care, and Y/N didn’t doubt that there wouldn’t be another incident. It wasn’t Hoseok that had been the target at the wedding, but the idea of her baby sister on a honeymoon with a man she despised left a bitter taste in Y/N’s mouth even if she was grateful that it was Hoseok that had kept her sister safe during the shootout. She still wasn’t fond of him though. There was too much darkness that lingered behind the cheery persona. It also didn’t help his case that he was the reason that Iyla would never be free of Namjoon and his world.
Part of her held onto fantasy that if Hoseok had never taken a liking to her sister she would have been able to strike a deal with Namjoon for her freedom. She knew that she couldn’t broker such a deal for herself or her daughter, but Namjoon held no such attachment to her sister. Iyla was a convenient threat to hang over her head, but if her freedom could be used as a bargaining chip to get her to comply, Y/N had no doubt Namjoon would have taken full advantage of it if not for Hoseok’s involvement in it all. She was also certain that he would have demanded something just as substantial in exchange.
Unfortunately, that was not how anything had played out. Hoseok had taken a keen interest in her sister, and Namjoon was all too happy to approve the match. It had all be decided before she’d even been present to try to fight for her sister’s freedom. She could understand that in some ways Hoseok’s marriage to her protected Iyla from Namjoon. There was nothing extreme that he could do to her in an effort to control or punish Y/N while she was married to a man that he considered a brother. It would go against the great respect and affection that the seven men held for each other. As twisted as they were, they were a family in their own rights, and they protected each other and their own like family.
While there was nothing she could do to help her sister, there was plenty to keep her occupied within the confines of her own home though she was still loath to refer to the estate as such. Nara took up a good portion of her time, and Miss In had begun to explain a little more of the inner workings of how the house was run.
While Y/N didn’t manage any of it directly most things were still brought to her for approval. One of the maids had been proposed to by her fiancee and was leaving her position, and Y/N needed to look over the candidates for the opening all of which had already been strictly screened by Miss In. Did they want to add any new flowers and plants to the garden in the spring or would they be ordering the same annuals they always did? She looked over weekly menus provided by the chef. It all gave her a small sense of control even if it was an illusion. Miss In was still very much the one in charge of the household, but she was a kind woman who respected that this was technically Y/N’s home even if she didn’t want it to be, and a woman should have some say in the running of her own home.
Slowly the estate was beginning to feel more and more like her domain, not in its entirety but little pockets that she could call her own. They helped to keep her sane in the life that Namjoon had crafted for her. It also helped that everyone who worked within the estate, except for perhaps Namjoon’s goons who acted as security, didn’t treat her as a prisoner. She was treated respectfully and kindly as the lady of the house. It was a small mercy that helped to make her feel slightly more normal despite the abnormality of her situation.
This and many other thoughts ran through her head as she spent her afternoon in the kitchen. Nara was down for a nap, and her fingers had been itching to do something, and she had a craving cinnamon rolls. She didn’t often get cravings, but a couple times a year, the idea of a certain food would take hold, and eventually she would cave and make it. Cinnamon rolls had just happened to be the one to take hold this time, and they were easy enough to make and to share. She wouldn’t really want more than one, but there were plenty of people who came in and out of the house on a regular basis who could enjoy them.
She was just beginning to knead the dough when she felt an arm circle around her waist, her husband pressing himself up against her back and peering over her shoulder. No one else would have been so bold as to touch her like this.
“What are you making, jagiya?” He asked, looking curiously as the lump of dough on the counter, the staff choosing to ignore the pair knowing that Y/N wouldn’t let him get himself into too much trouble.
Namjoon rarely if ever ventured into the kitchen. She’d been informed by the staff there that once Namjoon had gone into the kitchen after the normal work day was done in the late hours of the night and attempted to fix himself some coffee and something to eat and had managed to set something on fire. Oak Soon, the woman in charge of the kitchen, had been terrified of allowing him any leeway in her kitchen ever since and someone was always on call in the late hours in case Namjoon or any other member of the family should need something. Because Namjoon’s presence was unwelcome there and hers was not, Y/N found herself spending little pockets of her free time there. Oak Soon was not opposed to her cooking and baking things for herself so long as she didn’t set anything on fire or injure herself, and after hearing of Namjoon’s kitchen disaster, she wasn’t too keen on letting him get into anything either.
“Cinnamon rolls.”
Namjoon hummed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Any particular reason?”
Y/N shrugged, reaching for the flower to sprinkle a little more over the sticky dough. “I had a craving.”
Namjoon chuckled a little at that. “You realize the staff would have happily made those for you.”
She shrugged again. “I know, but I wanted to do it myself. You’re back early.” Namjoon’s pursuit of the culprits of the wedding disaster had kept him out of the house more than not in recent days.
“I can’t miss my wife?”
“No.”
The word came out flat as she continued with her task, acting as though Namjoon weren’t hanging off her asking for her attention.
Namjoon sighed, releasing her and moving to stand beside her at the counter. “Taehyung kicked me out of the office.”
Y/N paused, looking at him incredulously from the corner of her eye. “He kicked you out? Of your own office?”
“He said I was getting on his nerves.”
“Ah.” She nodded, understanding perfectly why the younger man had sent him packing. “You’ve been micromanaging.”
Namjoon made a noise of protest. “I have not!”
“Then why did Taehyung kick you out?”
Namjoon stayed silent for a moment, pouting at being called out for his behavior. “I may have been micromanaging.” He admitted as she went back to kneading the dough. “It just doesn’t make sense. Lee had no reason to disrupt the wedding like that. He may not like us very much, but even he knows how stupid of a decision that was. Someone else had to have been involved for him to get himself entrenched in this. He wouldn’t have the spine otherwise.”
Y/N froze, hands resting on top of the log of dough. “Do you know who he was working with?” She asked softly, her breath caught in her throat as she waited to hear if Mark had been found out or not.
“Not yet, but we will.” Namjoon promised, a dark glint in his eye. She let out a shaky breath, causing Namjoon’s attention to snap back to her. “It’s alright, jagiya. We’ll find out who did this. Nothing is going to happen to you or Nara.” He promised, gently turning her to face him and completely misinterpreting the cause of her unease.
“I know. I know you won’t.” she agreed, refusing to meet his eye. He was always so perceptive, and she worried that he’d somehow figure out Mark’s involvement just by looking at her.
It was a ridiculous thought. There was no way that he would be able to tell just by looking at her, and if he had his suspicions she knew well enough that he wouldn’t be above asking her directly just as he had all that time ago when Jackson had been poking around and causing headaches for him as he’d been searching for her. She could only pray that Taehyung wouldn’t notice Mark on the CCTV footage from the venue, and that Mark was smart enough not to attend the ceremony itself and get himself caught in the video of the ceremony.
“You should let Mrs. Park finish this.” Namjoon fussed, already half convinced that she should go and rest. He’d been particularly mother hen-like since Nara’s birth, her own near death having scared him more than he would like to admit.
“I’m fine, Namjoon. I can make a batch of cinnamon rolls.” She huffed, brushing him off and returning to kneading. “Besides, these need to be set out to rise anyway and the first proving takes a while. The dough will need to sit. I’ll be done in a minute.”
“Jagi…” He began, using that infuriating placating tone that he used when he was trying to convince her to do things his way when she was set against it. “You’ve had a shock, a trauma.”
“Every day with you is traumatic.”
“Jagi.”
She bristled. “I don’t see what that has to do with cinnamon rolls, Namjoon.”
“You shouldn’t strain yourself.”
With an indignant little croak, she whirled back around to face him. “And what about the shock and trauma you went through? I don’t see anyone treating you as though you’re made of glass.”
“Jagiya,” He began again, his tone losing the placating tone and turning into something softer and more genuine. “Only one of us is used to that kind of violence.”
“ That’s a convenient excuse.”
“It’s my job to make sure that you’re both safe. It’s my job to make sure that no one moves against us.”
Y/N rolled her eyes with a huff noting that the staff who had been in the kitchen had all made a discreet exit to leave the pair to quarrel in peace.
“Jagi.” He growled out in warning, less than pleased by her flippant attitude.
“I’m not made of glass, Namjoon.” she turned back to her dough choosing to take her frustrations out on it rather than him. “I don’t need you to treat me like I am. Yes, what happened what traumatizing, but I don’t need you to save me from the strain of making cinnamon rolls. It’s a little excessive.”
“I… I know. I’m sorry, jagi.” The apology was unexpected, and she paused. “I-I’ve come too close to losing you too many times this year. I know you’re not made of glass. Your strength is one of the things I was so drawn to.” She stared at him blankly, unamused by his arguments. “I- I’m a little on edge after the past year. Please, jagi.”
“Stop being so overbearing and then we’ll talk.” she sniffed, placing the dough back in the bowl and covering it so that it could sit to rise.
“Overbearing!” He spluttered.
“Overbearing.” She repeated with a small nod. “Why do you think Taehyung kicked you out?”
“This is slander.”
“This is you being annoying.” She shot back as she moved to the sink to wash off the dough and flour sticking to her hands.
“You wound me, my love.”
“Stop being so traumatizing then. Just think of all the therapy we all need!” She called over her shoulder as she made her way out of the kitchen. “It’s going to cost you a fortune. We might even bankrupt you.”
“It’s safe to go in now.” She told Oak Soon who was nervously lingering outside of her kitchen much to the other woman’s relief. “Thank you again for letting me borrow some space in the kitchen.”
“Of course, buin.” Oak Soon nodded, watching with narrowed eyes as Namjoon followed his wife out of the kitchen. “You’re always welcome.”
Y/N gave her another smile and continued on into the house with Namjoon remaining close on her heels.
She’d only made it a few feet away from the kitchen before Namjoon caught her by the wrist, pulling her back to him.
“I would happily let you bankrupt me.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Namjoon. You never know. I might actually do it.”
He smiled roguishly at her, happy that she was herself enough to be joking with him.
“Everything I have is yours, and you are welcome to use it as you wish.”
Y/N gave him a quick once over, clearly skeptical about the truth of those words, and wrinkled her nose when she found him to be completely serious in his declaration.
“If you plan to keep your criminal empire intact, you might not want to be quite so generous.”
“Only for you, jagi.”
She hummed, smiling slightly though the expression was tight and a little strained. “That is your mistake to make, Namjoon.”
“What will you do while you wait for your cinnamon rolls to rise?”
The question startled her a little. She hadn’t been expecting for Namjoon to continue the conversation. He never really took an interest in her baking on the odd occasion that she did it.
“I suppose I’ll go read for a while. Nara was napping last I checked.”
Namjoon hummed in understanding. “Shall we read together, jagiya?”
Y/N’s brows scrunched together in disgruntlement. “If you want to. It’s your house, and no one is stopping you.”
“I know that, jagi.” he laughed. “I just want to know that if I want to spend time with you that you won’t disappear on me.”
“And if I don’t wan to spend time with you?” She asked, crossing her arms under her chest.
“Then that’s your decision, jagi. I gave you the piano room as a sanctuary for a reason, but I would like- I hope that you’d like to spend time with me to.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Namjoon-”
“I’m not asking for the world, jagiya. I just want to spend some time with my wife.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, marveling at how long it had gotten since he’d brought her home. The ends of it now hung a bit above her shoulders, and Namjoon was very pleased to see it getting longer again. The short hair had been cute in its own way, but he much preferred it with some length to it. He liked the feel of it running through his fingers. He liked the ability to tug on it when he had her in the throes of passion.
Namjoon had to shake the thought out of his head. She hadn’t wanted to be intimate in some time, not since before Nara’s birth, and even then it had been only a handful of times since her return to Korea. She’d shown no interest in giving into such passion anytime soon either. Besides, the doctor hadn’t given them the green light for such activities yet either, and Namjoon would simply have to wait until they got the go ahead from the doctor to start seducing his wife in ernest.
“I don’t think that’s too much to ask.” He added softly.
Y/N cleared her throat awkwardly, taking a step back. “I have to grab my book from the piano room.”
Namjoon smiled softly, stepping forward to close the distance between them again, greatly enjoying the way that her breath caught in her throat. “I’ll meet you in our room, jagiya.”
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silverflqmes · 1 year ago
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໒⦂ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐈 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊.
synopsis. dan heng, a person of very few words, has been meaning to confess his love, and even more so now as he prays you are not in love with someone else.
genre. fluff
for @diorlumx <3
dan heng x gn!reader.
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a pair of cerulean hues eyed you as a laugh escaped your lips at another joke jing yuan made.
dan heng wasn’t one to get jealous, at least he considered himself not to be. but right now, watching you as you as he was, the vidyadhara couldn’t help the envy that crawled into the deepest layers of his skin.
“there was no reason to be bitter,” he’d told himself not too long ago, forcing himself to forget the way serval held you so closely to her. the blonde was naturally warm and physical with her affection, anyway.
but even if you likes one of them or someone else, it was something heng had anticipated from the very start. something he’d expected.
of course you would want someone with less emotional baggage, who wasn’t running away from their past. you’d most certainly favor a lover that made you laugh, smile and feel true happiness with.
anyone would want someone that wasn’t dan heng. an introvert, closed off individual; even a coward to some. whatever characteristics or titles he’d received throughout his travels. nobody wanted someone like that, and he accepted that.
and so, he told himself not to care so much if someday you did turn up at the express, hand in hand with somebody you deeply loved.
after all, it was your life to live and your choice, always. he would never ( ever ) take that away from you or chain you down to him.
however, the thought of you being in love with someone else.. without the knowledge of his feelings for you, stung him a little more than it should have.
with that in mind, the onyx haired boy did the last thing he would have ever caught himself doing.
with tentative steps towards you, he willed his lead filled legs to move, the beat of his heart thundering — echoing your name through his pointed ears.
dan heng wasn’t sure what came over him, let alone compelled him to muster the courage to grab you by the hand as he pulled you away from the albino haired general.
confusion replaced your initial cheeriness before turning into concern as you watched the male lead you elsewhere.
ever since his secret had been spilled for all eyes to see on the xianzhou luofu, he’d been acting off. which to you, was well, completely understandable. although it didn’t stop your worries as you slid your eyes to him. “dan heng?”
silence was his response as he looked ahead of him, thundering heart in his throat. what was he supposed to say? what was he meant to answer with that didn’t sound weird or out of character to say?
you took his lack of words as a sign to be quiet; patient. dan heng, you realized, required a bit of patience. if he didn’t want to say something, he would say it when he was ready. same with the appearance he hid all this time.
as you got a better look at him, you couldn’t help the warmth you felt on your cheeks despite the ocean breeze. he was beautiful. and he was forced into hiding all of his beauty, not that his norm wasn’t alluring to begin with.
when he reached a far enough- a safe enough spot, the aquamarine eyed male slowed his tracks, turning to face you properly. “i have,” he paused, taking in a breath before loosing it softly. “something i have been meaning to tell you for a long time now.”
your thoughts immediately went to the recent events — was he planning to stay on the luofu, now that he had been accepted among his people once more? no, you couldn’t jump to conclusions. “is it something bad?”
dan heng wasn’t certain. was it good? was it really just bad? it all depended on how you would see it. and if you thought it to be bad, the shame would probably haunt him until his dying days.
but he had to speak, now.
“i’m hoping it isn’t.” he answered finally, meeting your gaze again. it was now or never. “y/n, you are the light in the darkness i have lived in so long. the dreams that drive out my nightmares — and i have been afraid, so afraid of telling you.” the male began, steadying himself from fumbling with his words.
this was it. “that i have liked you for quite a long time now — and i just, wanted to tell you..” he paused, grasping his clothing. “before it was too late for me to say.”
as you processed his words, you were reminded of what jing yuan had said that made you laugh as you did. “i think there is more to what dan heng feels for you than what he leads on.” it was a joke, it had to be one. this was your stoic comrade you were talking about. he wasn’t one for romances and affection.
but as you weighed his confession, as it repeated in your head.. you realized more and more, that it wasn’t a joke. dan heng had his sarcastic comments, yes. but this, this wasn’t one of them.
this was him pulling the heart out of his throat and putting it in his hands, vulnerable and true, for you to see.
and now, it was your turn.
“well.. you’re just in time — you will always be on time.” you finally willed yourself to answer, reaching for his hands as you took a step towards him. “because it’s you — dan heng, that i’ll choose. no matter how long i have to wait- if i have to spend forever wondering.”
your hand slid to his cheek, bringing his eyes to yours. “in every life you might live or be reborn in — i will be there to say yes, and return the feelings i share with you.”
notes. this is so enchanted ( taylor’s version ) coded, it just felt fitting tbh.. such an iconic song like fellas ain’t nobody pouring their hearts out in music these days like my girlie taylor does. anyway, i hope you enjoyed luma! i apologize if it was short, i wrote this in several sittings since i’ve been on trip.. so i’m hoping it’s what you were looking for and that you enjoyed reading it!
↳ return to main masterlist . request rules . send an ask
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imagine-silk · 11 months ago
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I wanna wish my fallout 4 boys for a merry christmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I LOVE YOU!!! (happy christler to u too iff u celebrate)
》And I love you random citizen. I did have a good Christmas, thank you... but I got sick immediately after. Happy holidays!
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[Codsworth] "Sir/Mum, I've hope you like the decor. It's not perfect but as long as we're with loved ones we'll love. Isn't that right?"
Under his cheery attitude he is grieving the loss of the world. It's his first Christmas with you back and he wants the rest of the family. Nate/Nora and young Shaun, along with brothers and sisters, and uncles and cousins. But he forces himself to stay positive. Not focus on 'what was' and focus on 'what is'.
[Danse] "Say the word and I'll be there. Whatever you need."
He's more concerned with helping. Having a huge party was something he's never done. Back in the Brotherhood all holiday affairs were kept under wraps. So in all the new excitement he doesn't really care about the day itself, more like being involved.
[Deacon] "Tell me, [Name], have you been a good boy/girl?"
You will not see him outside any sort of costume the entire night. And he has several lined up. Santa, Rudolph, an elf, scrooge pj's. He's also seen with a drink always in his hand. Whether or not it's the same drink, no one knows.
[Hancock] "I'm probably already on the naughty list so let's just have fun."
The entire town of Good Neighbor is partying like the Santa's actually gonna join them. There's a stupid amount of milk and cookies considering the fact none of them are chemed or spiked. They also have a giant white elephant with all the presents.
[MacCready] "What the hell is Christmas?"
In Little Lamp Light they didn't have the tradition and after leaving he never let himself indulge in it so he never learn what exactly it was. To him it's just a gift exchange. Explaining it to him isn't easy either. A big old man, who wears red, flies all over the world in one night in a sleigh with reindeer delivering presents to all the children. What is a reindeer? How? Why?
[Nick] "Merry Christmas, pal/doll. You deserve a break."
No matter what relationship you have with him, he's going to catch you under the mistletoe to tease you. Especially if he's a sort of mentor to you. He thinks it's cute. Besides that, he makes sure you're relaxing and not worried about anything so you can have a break.
[Preston] "I'm glad we did this. It's nice to see everyone warm."
For him, Christmas is the most stressful holiday, given that it's the coldest and people tend to fight over gifts. But it's still a holiday so it's nice. He's also almost immediately buried in gifts by settlers.
[X6] "Happy holidays."
He doesn't care in any meaningful capacity other than you celebrating, he has enough decency to keep it to himself though. You know he wasn't going to give you a gift so he doesn't. If you get him anything he'll take it and tell you why he likes it as an effort to be nice.
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aritsukemo · 2 months ago
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So, I started watching Hell's Paradise..
IT'S. SO. FREAKING. GOOD!!! ( Ramble under the cut! Spoilers and possible grammar mistakes ahead!!! )
I'm only on, like, episode seven, but I'm really enjoying myself!!!
Starting off with my boy, my man, my loverboy nonchalant Gabimaru!! His design immediately drew me in the first episode and I find his writing very good so far. A man, who was grown and groomed into being this emotionless killing machine only to dream of going completely against that all because of his love for his wife? SIGN ME UP!! I love how conflicted he is and how much those conflictions are weighing on him. How, because of how he was raised and what has happened to him, he's been treading this line and constantly tipping over the edge of "I'm a heartless, empty killer who's only purpose is to kill" and "I want to live a peaceful, normal life with the one I love/I don't want to kill anymore". The symbolism, how his character's portrayed, those small moments of vulnerability that shows how he differs from your typical cold killer and is actually just this morally broken guy who was raised/influenced by an actual monster; the head chief. ( Who, by the way, is literal nightmare fuel. I don't usually get creeped out easily by stuff in anime's, but the way Mappa went about drawing him is just..terrifying.. )
OH, AND HIS FIGHTING IS MMMM SO ADDICTING TO WATCH!! >.<
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Next up is Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, or Sagiri for short. I want to first off get it out of the way by say that she's drop dead gorgeous. Imean, look at her!! No seriously, look-
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As someone who absolutely adores strong female characters, it was no surprise that I fell in love with her! She reminds me a lot of Yona as she goes against what the norm was at the time and decided to become a swordsman despite everyone telling her she's better suited as a wife and mother simply because of the fact that she's a woman. ( Which irked me every. single. time. it was brought up btw ) I love how the author is going about her and how she struggles because she feels guilt for even the most evil of people simply because she's an empath--something that is often considered a womanly trait in the eyes of the people, especially men, of that time--but doesn't go too far with it and make her seem weak and useless because of those struggles. I like that, even though she hesitates and sometimes gets help from others ( mostly from Gabi from what I've seen so far ), she gets the job done and doesn't sit there and call for help like some damsel in distress and actually uses her strength!!
My love for her was explained pretty simply in episode six when Genji pointed out how she has the talent to be able to flip flop between being dominant and powerful like a man, but still holds the sense of gentleness and care one would only find in the heart of a woman. I love that quality about her in the same sense I love Mitsuri Kanroji's quality of being able to be cheery, feminine, and delicate despite being involved in such a 'manly' and grizzly job that being a demon slayer is.. AHHH IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN IT ANY FURTHER, I JUST HOPE YOU GET WHAT I MEAN!!
Next up is the vixen, Yuzuriha of Keishu. I haven't seen much of her yet, but I love her design and overall appeal. Although, she puts up this front of being this carefree, seductive airhead, you can tell there's just so much more to her and can't wait to see it. ( Although I feel like when she does show her true colors, it'll be when she finally betrays Gabimaru and Sagiri like she implied she would.. )
( Also this little stunt she pulled in this clip had me in a chokehold for a hot minute. Like MMMMM LOVE IT WHEN HOT WOMEN DO HOT WOMEN THINGS!! )
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Toma and Chōbei are next up! When I first saw Chōbei, of course my mind immediately went to, "Oh shit, it's bakugo!" lmao- His fighting style is cool and his backstory is heartbreaking. Past that though, I'm undecided whether I like him or not..
Like, his backstory was tragic and had me feeling bad as a sad backstory would. It was also amazing in the sense that it gave me more understanding on why he became the way he did and how his mentality was shaped because of it. I find it cool that he has a knack of adapting to any situation too! ..And that's also why I'm so conflicted when it comes to him..
That leads me to bring up Toma, who I immediately fell in love with as soon as I saw his character design. ( I have a thing for men/boys with long hair, mkay? Don't judge me.. ) I haven't really wrapped my head around his character yet ( like his brother ) but it's obviously that he sorta idolizes Chōbei, so much to the point that he didn't hold any gripes towards him when he thought he was going to leave him for dead--which is my main dislike about Chōbei right now.
But yeah, if I had the chance, I'd still date them no questions asked- *smack*
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I find Gantetsusai and Fuchi funny and cute together and overall find a good so far. I especially like Fuchi. He's a quirky little guy 😚
( And this height difference kills me. Like LOOK AT HOW LITTLE FUCHI ISSS )
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And finally, we have Nurugai and Tenza, who is ranking up to be my 2nd favorite pair in this entire show! Putting aside that Nurugai literally evokes my gender envy, I love her and Tenza both individually and together! I love Tenza's kind soul, how he scouted out Nurugai because he wanted to help her after finding out why she was sentenced to death row! I find it such a highlight of his character and it makes me love the contrast between his brighter self when compared to Nurugai, who's more gloomy and has been traumatized into adapting this matured mindset.
Bonus points for being the only two to not immediately get into it with each other when on the island as well! It really was a breath of fresh air! Oh, an extra points for making me smile like an idiot- 🥰
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So far I'm in love with this show! Idk yet where it falls on my anime rankings, but it's definitely high enough up there to spur me to write a drabble or five about this show! Can't wait to watch more in my spar time!!
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nixie-writes · 3 months ago
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Could I please get huskerdust (together) adopting an ftm trans fallen angel child? (Gender neutral is fine too)
I love this idea!!
-Sera considered you one of her own. She loved you, took care of you and taught you the ways of Heaven. You were no more than a teenager yourself, having been born in Heaven.
-you confessed to Emily that you were envious of male angels because you wanted to be a male angel. Your fragile mind didn't comprehend why, you just did. She promised to keep it a secret, and would use your preferred name and pronouns in private.
-one day you and Sera got into it. You were screaming and crying that you didn't receive any of the respect you showed other angels. She tried to calmly explain that it was because you were a teenager and you needed to earn respect, but you felt you'd already done so. "At least Emily respects me!" you screamed in Sera's face. "She respects that I'm trans!" You shot at Sera before you could think of the repercussions. Emily gasped and you stumbled back, fear in your eyes.
-"Sera, I didn't - I mean..." Words failed you as you stammered for an excuse. Sera pushed her hair away from her face to calm herself down. "[Y/N], you have shown complete and utter disrespect to your elders and to divinity. I have no choice." Your eyes widened as realization dawned on you. Lightning cracked through your body and you felt consciousness slip into nothing.
-"...Where am I?" You inquired as you stood up, looking around. There was fire, screaming and fighting all around you. You glanced around in alarm. Had you become fallen...? You shook off your initial shock. Treading lightly you examined Hell and its people.
-it wasn't long before you found yourself approaching the hotel Adam had promised to target before being killed. You never much liked the guy anyway.
-you lightly tapped on the door and within a few moments Lucifer's daughter opened the door with a cheery grin, announcing you had arrived at the 'Hazbin Hotel'. When she got a good look at you her face fell. Your wings, your eyes, your skin...it all pointed to you being a fallen angel. She ushered you in, offering you comforting words. She sent you to the bartender to be watched while she went to find her girlfriend, Vaggie. You'd heard about her falling but that was when you were young.
-"So, what do they call ya?" The bartender asked between chugs of his alcohol. You sat down on the stool, a little too tall for you. "I used to go by my old name, but now I go by [Y/N]." You replied. The bartender, a feline character with wings, slid you a box of apple juice. "You a boy or a girl? I can't tell," the bartender inquired. You sat up as tall in your chair as you could and replied, "I was born a girl but I want to be a boy." The bartender nodded. "Nice to meet ya kid, name's Husk." He offered a clawed hand and you took it, shaking it gently.
-Lucifer's daughter, named Charlie judging by her name tag, arrived back with Vaggie. You stiffened. You'd only heard tales about her since learning about the exterminations. She took one look at you and sympathy filled her remaining eye. "Dios mio...you were right, Charlie. She's definitely a fallen angel." You almost wanted to yell your pronouns at her but Husk stepped in first. "[Y/N] prefers male pronouns," he corrected calmly. You settled back into your seat. Vaggie nodded.
-"Well, seeing as you're part of the LGBTQ group, you're among friends. We're all in the spectrum." She assured you, offering a cautious smile.
-the door to the hotel flung open and a tall, skinny demon with four arms walked in, their hands on their spine. "Ugh, Val had me working 8 hours without a - who's this? They look kinda like Vaggie," they inquired.
-Charlie jumped in front of the extra limbed demon and introduced you. "Angel, this is [Y/N], a fallen angel who's come to us for help. [Y/N], this is Angel. He's a guest here." Angel flashed a grin at you. "You got a boyish look to ya, kiddo!" He exclaimed. You beamed with pride. You were finally beginning to pass as a male!
-Vaggie took a step closer to you, placing an arm on your shoulder. "Angel, [Y/N] is a fallen angel and a trans boy. Respect him." She narrowed her remaining eye at him and Angel nodded. "Of course! Ya know Husky-poo, we've been talking about taking care of a kid together." Angel hinted as he sat beside you, ruffling your hair. "Yeah, what about it?" He quirked an eyebrow. Angel rolled his heterochromatic eyes. "Well duh! Let's take care of [Y/N]! I'm sure he'd love parents like us." He suggested.
-Vaggie placed a hand on your shoulder. "Would you be willing to give them a try? You don't have to do this, you know." You were done following the rules of heaven. If two men wanted to take care of you, you wouldn't turn down the offer.
-"Of course they can take care of me."
(Soooo sorry the ending is a little rushed, it's nearly 11 my time and my phone is low on battery, but I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!)
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hw4-l1z · 7 months ago
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Hello! I was wondering if I could request something with Jun Han!
Just fluff/smut Jun Han x reader who’s kinda really intimidating and scary (also bigger than Jun 🫣), but at heart he’s super sweet and energetic, but also rlly caring for Jun whenever they’re alone..
Please and thank you! I rlly like your work!
This was such a wholesome concept oml🥲
Sub!junhan x softdom!m!reader
Cw: not much tbh it's super fluffy// smut but super soft and fluffy hehe// mentions of junhans exs being major red flags
°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°
SFW
He remembers the first time he met you, you were tall, sharp eyes, black hair, wearing all black. He was very intimidated but soon learned the closer you got to eachother that you had a heart of gold, you treated him so nicely and you took great care of him. You'd always message him with a cheery good morning, reminded him to eat and drink plenty, to not work too late and get plenty of sleep, to not stress himself over the little things. He grew so fond of you and how much you genuinely cared for him, he's never had anyone be so sweet and generous. Your bubbly personality charmed him aswell, the way your face lit up whenever you saw him, you'd greet him with a quick hug and ask him how his day was. Overtime he couldn't help but fall for you...how could he not, you're such a gentleman and you spoil him rotten. The day you asked him out he was so happy he couldn't stop smiling and blushing as you told him how you really felt about him.
You've been dating for a year now and everything couldn't be better. Although he's realised through the years...the way you treat others is not quite the same as you treat him. You're sometimes quite cold towards some, almost as if they're invisible to you but only with newer people your not so keen on. With the rest of the boys you're sweet and caring but not nearly as much as you are for junhan, he can’t help but feel so special knowing only he gets all this kind treatment. He has questioned you on it wondering why even when you only just met him you were being really soft and caring towards him. You simply just told him that when you saw him for the first time he looked like the cutest little shy thing ever, you had almost an instinct to protect and nurture him. Of course to that he got very flustered so you took his face in your hands and squeezed his cheeks together cooing at him as he whines for you to stop.
Usually when he's away at band practice you swing by to give him some food since alot of the time he forgets to, being so caught up in practise. Of course you didn't want to leave the other boys hungry so you bought them food too but you spent your time there sitting on the floor with junhan, giggling away with eachother in the corner like highschool girls. He always thanks you for taking care of him and his band mates but tells you there's no need to spend so much money on food for you and everyone and for the future to invite them out for food and they can pay their own. You agree to that only for the reason that...it does cost alot for that much food.
Something he adores about you is when you get a random burst of energy and start zooming about like a cat with the zoomies. It's why he calls you a black cat, you're intimidating and mysterious on the outside but on the inside you're either chill and laid back or you're running around absolutely mental. He'll just be chilling on the couch when you go zooming by, circling the couch like a little kid before practically pouncing on him and attacking him with kisses and maybe a sneaky little lick before giggling evily and sprinting off. Funny thing is...you only do that around him, you're only comfortable enough around him to show that chaotic side of you.
NSFW
He's very sensitive so he need to be taken care of alot during sex and you do. You're the only person who's actually had the patience to lead him through it slowly. Past partners would be rude or complain about him being so whiny but when he's with you, you take it soooo slow with him. Making sure he's always comfortable, kissing him so gently, easing your cock into him as slow as you can so you don't hurt him. One hand resting on his hip and softly stroking his side with your thumb to help him relax as your other hand is rubbing his thigh, finally bottoming out inside him with his eyes brows furrowed trying so hard to relax and stay calm. Placing your hand that's on his thigh now onto his other hip you begin to very slowly pull out and in, easing him until he's ready for more. Little whines escape his throat as he feels your cock stretching him so wide, it doesn't hurt him it just feels very intense for him, not being used to having such a big dick inside him. You lay another soft kiss to his lips and then his forehead, continuing your slow thrusts in and out, grinding your hips down into his he let's out a little gasp at the feeling of your reaching deeper. "You okay sweetheart, how does it feel? Want me to go slower" you say in a soft quiet voice, "it's...it's good, can you go a little faster please" he says letting out a little whimper after.
You place both your hand besides his hips, leaning a little more forward putting the weight on your hands as you move you hips a little faster, stroking inside of him deeper. "Mmm...ah...ah...Y/N" he moans out, gripping onto your shoulders "feeling okay? If you need a little more lube I can do that for you" you ask. "It feels so good, no more lube...it's fine" he pants out, he begins bitting his lips as you pick up your pace going at a fairly faster speed but not making the thrust too harsh instead grinding down so it doesn't feel too intense for him. "Ah, Y/N...I'm gonna cum" he whines out, feeling as his walls clench around you almost sucking you in more. You begin to stroke his cock with one hand earning a pretty little moan from his moan, his face and chest are bright red, his mouth opening slightly as a loud drawn out moan comes out. His orgasm washes over him so blissfully, his eyes rolling back as he spills his cum out into your hand and his stomach. Not too long after you finish inside the condom with a breathy moan, his right hand interlinked with yours as he watches your head tip back as you ride out your orgasm.
Finally you pull out of him, taking off the condom and tying it up before disposing it into the bin next to the bed. Leaning over Jun you give him and soft smile as he returns it, brushing the strands of hair that stuck to his sweaty face you lean down and kiss him. Your kiss is full of so much love, you link your hands with his again before pulling away from him "you good?" You ask, he answers nodding his head with a little smile "m'good". After making sure he's okay you then lay down next you him as he rolls onto his side and wraps his arm around your torso and his legs lays on top of yours. Sleep takes over him as he completely relaxes in the quiet room listening to your heartbeat before he drifts off to sleep.
°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°☆°
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nyaboshi · 5 months ago
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❤️‍🩹,😎,🥰
Ooo
❤️‍🩹 Oh my gosh, that is 100% The World Ends With You. God used that game to shape my understanding of the world, I am so sure of it. That game truly helped me to come out of the shell I had locked myself into! There are so many morals in that game that just.. spoke so my to my 13-year-old self. It's the #1 reason why it will always and forever be my favorite game! I don't know if this counts toward a fandom in particular that helped me, but I'm saying it does.
😎 My favorite part is always the friends I make. I've made so many friends just because I've been part of a fandom, and I think that's beautiful. I met these people because we have one thing in common, but now I'm talking to some of them almost daily and consider them some of my closest friends!
🥰 GRAH RAAAAA APBJEOAOEWJA
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THESE TWO!! Neku Sakuraba and Shiki Misaki from The World Ends With You. These two– Oh GOSH these two. They have my heart, for real man. They're just so perfect for one another, and like– They both went through so much character development BECAUSE of each other, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT FORMING RELATIONSHIPS IS SUPPOSED TO DO! And I'm not just talking about romantic relationships! This game is so good because the main focus is about forming relationships with people so that you clash with them and ricochet to become a better person because of the relationships you formed and GRAAHHHHH
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Anyways– Neku and Shiki are a perfect example of this particular moral of the game because they build off of each other's personality traits and become SUCH better people! At the start of the game, Neku is – for lack of a better, family-friendly descriptor – a complete and total douchebag. He's super self centered and outright rude with how he treats other people. Wants nothing to do with them and just wants to shut them all out. But underneath it all, he's actually just a boy who's very much hurting from trauma (they imply that in the past he very abruptly lost his best friend and he hasn't gotten over it) and is using his walls as a defense mechanism. On the other hand, Shiki is super cheery and peppy (at first) and tends to bend over backwards for people. But when you get past all of that, she's an incredibly insecure girl who has almost zero confidence in herself. Put them together and what do you get? They hate each other. :D Or, to put it more accurately, their surface personalities hate each other. But once they start to get to know each other a little more, they realize, "Oh hey. They're actually not that bad..." Neku helps Shiki with her confidence via administering some tough love, and Shiki acts as the catalyst that pushes Neku to break down his walls and actually interact and bond with people for a change!
This post by @altorav (my favorite artist to scroll through for NeShiki brainrot, btw) pretty much sums it up. XD Although Neku and Shiki aren't technically canon, they are so heavily implied, man... They have so much chemistry, and there's literally a scene in the game where a guy mistakes them for lovers and they both FREAK. I love them so much.
A close second OTP would be Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri from Danganronpa.
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But I'll save you from another long ramble about these two, because I have a lot to say about them as well. XD Just know that they are the epitome of Black Cat GF and Golden Retriever BF. :3 And they are also another couple that isn't directly stated to be canon, but is heavily implied AND IT PAINS ME TO NO END, GRAAAAHHHHHH
Thanks for the ask, May! <3
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idkifimawake · 2 months ago
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beneficial
fyodor x fem!reader
Canon au , probably before s3
Warnings:Murder , mentions of shots fired and death., blood.
Not proof read
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It was another boring day at the school , near the outskirts of Yokohama , school was very boring , you were too high level for all of them , your ability- Order of the Phoenix (where my harry Potter fans at) was much too strong for them , it let you remember all your past life's, being reincarnated each time , and to be able to have an observant view of everything you needed , along with your IQ, and being able to turn into a small fire phoenix and control, you were practically unstoppable. You were well over 500 years old and this was your 5th body? Everything had gotten more boring ,it was more fun in the past , there were so many rules nowadays it was infuriating.
The class bell rang , everyone was in, you sat at the back observing everyone, you barely had any friends, everyone was just so boring, the only person you really would talk to was the old librarian who reminded you of your mother , the teacher's incoherent rambling started , the students listened, it was just an endless loop with no stop until you graduate, but today a boy sat next to you.
He was cheery and blonde. "Hello. Can I sit next to you?" , he had already sat down , what was the point of him asking. Not replying he yammered on. "You've never really talked to anyone yeah? So let's become friends." He said giggling. What was his name? You didn't remember, you sighed as he continued. A few days passed , you could say you would've gotten closer but it was more like he yapped whilst u listen.
But one day. "I need to tell you a secret. I have an ability, it's called the White Nights , it let's me manipulate ice." He said softly. You were taken aback , should you tell him? What if he was lying? Taking a deep breath you started
"I-i have an ability as well , it's called the Goblet of fire , I can force people in a seperate dimension where people have to fight for freedom." It was a lie , you couldn't trust this boy. Naive little you.
The next day the school went on lockdown , apparently terrorists had came to the school and the headteacher had informed the police and they were coming soon. That boy, what was his name? You didn't remember , for the first time in a while you had forgotten something , very ironic. He had disappeared completely. Shots were fired , screams were heard , everyone was gunned down, apart from you.
A tall young man walked in , his white clothes now stained crimson in his blood , who was he and why had he spared you and why did he look so familiar???
"I know you're here, Мой Феникс , just come out and I won't hurt you." His voice had a thick Russian accent, more importantly, how did he know your ability? You stood up hands up in sign of vulnerability, there were three men surrounding him , guns in hand , they were all masked up.
"What do you want?" Breath was stiff , you had never been so scared in your entire life.
"Мой Феникс , do you truly not remember me?" His voice laced with honey , that thick Russian accent was a tune to your ears. "Perhaps this'll make you remember?" A small golden feather fell out his hand , was that yours? He couldn't have known you , you remembered everything , your heart beat quickened , sweat drops were forming and flushing down your face. Were you having a anxiety attack? Not good , you haven't had one in years , the last time you had one was when....
Shots were fired, a shot through your brain and leg , his devious smirk was staring straight at you, the feather still in his hand. You fell back, memories were flushing through you.
"I killed her boss , is that all you needed?" The man's voice was gruff. "Could you let my family go?" He said in a more quiet voice. The Russian man stared at him with a disapproving look.
There was a complete silence , then...
"BOSS , I DID WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO, HELP ME , PLEASE." a man shrieked , he was burning , fire everywhere , burning everything except for the Russian.
Your wounds were healing , you had been reborn yet again, but this time you looked like you were back into your prime. You stood up , full height , to small marks where you had been shot.
"Why did you do this?" You asked quietly, gazing at the feather in his palm.
"Because you are Beneficial to me , now Мой Феникс , let us leave before the Armed Detective agency will arrive." His voice lingering in your ears
Мой Феникс - My Phoenix
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dwaynes-leather-jacket · 2 years ago
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{Prologue} Misty Boardwalks And Vampires, Oh My!
Dwayne x Fem!Reader
[A/N] Just a note, I use the fill in the blank method instead of Y/n, and reader is 18-19.
Word count: 1k
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I sighed as my youngest brother dragged me through the crowded pier and onto the carousel that we'd been waiting in line for.
I didn't exactly want to be there, but it was yet again my turn to watch my siblings while my parents went out. I normally wouldn't complain, but it's a Friday night and the third time this week they've gone out, so I was at my wit's end and did the last thing I'd ever said I'd do.
"Please? Come on, it'll be fun!" My brother spoke, insisting I sat on a horse with him.
"I think I'll pass, but come on. Let's get you up." I replied and helped him get on a horse.
I couldn't entirely blame him, he was only eight.
I'm sure the other two are running around somewhere as well, but they're 16 and 13 so I'm trusting they won't go too far.
"Yay!" He smiled happily and adjusted himself on the horse.
The ride had just begun when a group pushed their way through whatever people were already on the carousel.
I kept a close eye on my brother, Silas as the group walked passed us, smirking and glaring at everyone.
Maybe the boardwalk wasn't such a good idea…
All was well until one of them stopped and turned to me, offering a soft smile and was about to speak when the others in his group started a fight and he hurried to see what was going on.
I'd be lying if I didn't admit he was handsome with his long dark hair and leather jacket. He actually stood out from his group, who were all blondes and rather loud at that.
Silas must've noticed my jaw dropped because he let out a chuckle and said, "It's not polite to stare, ____."
"Oh hush." I snapped out of my trance and smiled a little as the ride stopped to let the group off.
Apparently they caused problems often because the guard was on a first name basis with the one that was in front.
When the ride began again, I'd kept a grip on Silas and was beginning to unwind from a stressful week and enjoying the fresh air, only to pass the boy from earlier.
I thought surely I'd been seeing things until I saw him again as he seemed to have been watching us intently with a smirk.
When the ride ended, my heart was pounding. Something was off and I wanted nothing more than to grab the kids and go home, watching and glancing everywhere for whoever that boy was and wanting to avoid him and his group at all costs.
"Let's go find Jasper and Maxim." I suggested in a cheery voice, trying not to panic or alarm Silas of something wrong.
"Aww already? Can't we look at one more store?" He asked with sad eyes.
I looked at him and smiled a little. "Maybe one more while we look for the others, okay?"
"Okay!" He replied and I held his hand to keep him from getting lost.
"This is going to be a long night." I sighed to myself as we looked around for our brothers frantically.
"Are you lost?" I heard someone speak but chose to ignore it and keep walking, seeing as how we are in the murder capital of the world.
I walked a little further with Silas until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"I was asking you a question, miss." The voice spoke again and I glanced to see the group from earlier. Only this time, I'm assuming it was their leader that was speaking with a sly smirk.
"Oh, sorry. Um, no I'm not lost." I replied a little shaky and gripping my brother's hand tighter.
"That's not what it looks like. Are you looking for someone? We'd be more than happy to help." He continued.
"No thanks. I'm good." I replied coldly and continued walking.
The man followed and this time slung an arm around my shoulder causing me to shove him away and guard Silas from him.
"Leave me alone, you creep! I don't even know you!" I exclaimed defensively and staying between Silas and the man.
"Woah, hey. Calm down, I just thought you needed help. The name's David, by the way." He introduced himself and raised his hands to show he was harmless as the others walked towards him.
I didn't believe him and was about to speak when the boy from earlier whispered something to David.
"How rude of me. You're new here right? This is Dwayne." He introduced the boy and slapped him on the back, shoving him towards us a little.
Dwayne smiled a little an glared at David.
"I'm Paul and this is Marko." The other two blonds introduced each other with a wave of the hand.
"Nice to meet you all, but I really have to go." I replied and turned to leave, picking up Silas in the process.
"Oh? But we didn't even catch your name." David spoke as he followed me.
"I didn't throw it." I retorted and continued on my way.
He nodded his head, getting the picture and walked back to his group.
After a little while, I found Jasper and Maxim.
"There you guys are!" I let out an exasperated sigh. "Time to go." I commented.
Jasper nodded and grabbed Maxim by the collar. "Time to go, dude."
"Aw man!"
"Sorry boys, but it's getting late." I played it off and kept them close as we went to the parking lot and got in the car. I quickly locked the doors and let out a sigh of relief.
"You good?" Jasper asked worriedly.
"Yeah. Just some guys by the carousel made me a little jumpy." I explained in a whisper so Silas wouldn't hear.
Jasper nodded and we kept silent until I pulled out of the parking lot, unfortunately locking eyes with Dwayne as we left and I nearly crashed into a sign, no thanks to the mist that had rolled in.
I parked again and checked on my brothers to make sure they were okay and carefully made my way home.
Once we were home and I'd showered, I laid in bed but it only made things worse. I saw Dwayne's gaze everytime I close my eyes that night and though I was scared of them, I couldn't help but want to go back. Maybe I'd been wrong about them?
~~~
Next
Masterlist
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ofmermaidstories · 5 months ago
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we're cooked. we're so boned. looking forward to it though ✨
you know how sometimes you get an idea that’s like, mostly formed but still has some vague spots and you could, theoretically, hammer them out but then realise you don’t want to? that’s how i feel about the stardew valley AU LMAO. like i can picture everything: Reader opening the worn little letter at work (at Todoroki Corp), and then the stunned astonishment at realising you’re holding a literal deed to a farm you’ve never even heard of before. the ease of which you make your choice, despite the questions (what the fuck, grandpa?) and the doubt (what do you know about farming??). the horror when you rock up to a tiny cabin amidst land that’s unusable, covered in rocks and weeds and untilled land. the realisation that maybe the little farmer’s alamac you’ve brought with them isn’t going to be enough of a guide—that you’re gonna need help. and while the farmer (tall and gangly, younger than your grandpa was, with a shock of blond hair and very bashful) is friendly, and his green-haired apprentice—or son? something—is also overly friendly, and eager to help, there are other people in this tiny, close knit community who openly scoff at your presence. 💀 what do you know about getting a farm running? animal husbandry? and maybe, just maybe you’re a little cowed—everyone’s right, you think in despair while you’re sitting at a tiny old table with just a candle for light—until you realise half the townspeople are also city transplants. 💀💀 maybe they moved to the valley after the war. the mayor says something about a couple of the “kids”—the cheery redhead, an unimpressed blond, his own boy, the green-haired midoriya, you learn—having gone through a trial by fire in their teen years. hell, it seems everyone near your age in this place had been apart of the offensive against the Gotoro Empire: yaoyorozu, the carpenter who helps you with some of your new farm’s infrastructure. The tired looking guy with the wild purple hair that comes down from the mountain pathway, with a fresh pack of smokes. The town’s doctor, who’s friendly and bound in a wheelchair from wounds he got during the conflict; his younger brother who towers over you and him, too serious for his own good.
i think this would be a daunting place to try and set up a new life lmao. but i think slowly and surely you’d get a rough idea of what you’re doing: midoriya gifts you a pair of the softest rabbits you’ve ever touched. his distrustful, flinty-eyed friend—the unimpressed blond—sells you an old dirt bike so you don’t have to walk everywhere. yaoyorozu builds you a coop for them, and some chickens that you buy. your farm butts onto a beach, and even in town you can hear the ocean, their beach proper just beyond the shrubbery. and idk!!! i think it would just be a slow crawl to establishing yourself. to uncovering the secrets about your grandpa’s farm—your farm—and the valley itself. like, what is that moaning you sometimes hear when the day is dark and rainy? sometimes when you walk into town, or bike, you see the hint of a stone tower over the trees. and there’s an old abandoned community centre here—why is it, when you squint inside through the murky glass that you think you can see the faint, tiny glow of something moving?
idk idk idk. i like amusing myself by imaging the set up and some of the answers lmao.
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tomtenadia · 1 year ago
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Detours to you - ch 10.
Happy Monday everyone...
Your truly is heading to Canada tomorrow so I decided to leave you a pre holiday chapter. I hope you will love this one.... there's very little angst and a bit of a happy moment.
Enjoy.
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A couple of weeks had elapsed and December arrived with all its solstice celebrations in full swing.
Aelin and Rowan were still barely talking but had at least created a sort of routine to share Maya. They would do a weekend each and then some nights she would stay at Rowan’s.
What worried Aelin was that her daughter was getting crankier and recently she had been less cheery than her usual. She feared that the situation was causing her distress. The teachers at school had warned her that she seemed disinterested and her mum had warned her too.
Her worst fear became reality one afternoon when she was called at school. Maya apparently had punched a kid. According to the head teacher the boy had made some nasty comments and Maya had reacted. Her heart ached. What was happening to her little girl?
The meeting with the head teacher had been long enough to make Aelin deeply sad. The boy had called Maya a loser for not having a dad and said that he left because she was horrible and he did not want to be with her. Aelin was aware that some mums had started talking at the sudden apparition of Rowan and he had confirmed that some women had approached him wondering who he was to pick up Maya. Gossip had started to spread and although she had a word with them, eventually her daughter got caught in the crossfire.
A teacher took Aelin to the class where Maya  was waiting and as soon as she saw her, her daughter ran to her in desperate need for a hug, her sobs hard. Aelin kneeled and tried to console her daughter.
“Shh… I know, my love.”
“I am not bad,” she shouted while still crying.
Aelin cradled Maya’s face in her hands “You are not.”
Maya kept sobbing and anger rose in her. She had tried to protect Maya as much as possible but had not taken into account school and horrible parents gossiping on other people’s lives. She was furious. 
While holding her crying daughter she realised that had waited too long. It was time for the truth to come out.
Aelin kissed her “Can you stay here a moment? I need to make a call.”
Maya nodded while still sobbing quietly.
Aelin quickly went just outside the door and called Rowan.
“Hi.”
“Rowan are you free?”
At Aelin’s urgency he started to worry.
“I am on my way back from a factory inspection. What’s wrong?”
A sob broke Aelin’s lips “It’s time.”
“Are you going home?”
“Yes.”
“I will meet you there.”
Aelin agreed and hung up running back to Maya “Shall we go home?”
“No.” Her arms folded at her chest.
“Maya, please.”
“No. I want a dad too!!” She screamed “I am not horrible.” When the tears started again Aelin wanted to get out and throttle all the mothers who spread horrible gossip about her family.
“Shall we go home and then I will tell you about your dad?”
Maya looked at her and seemed to calm down “Ok.”
“Good.” Another kiss and then she helped put her jacket and together they walked out of the school.
At the end of the corridor she saw the mother of the awful kid. Remelle La Fleur was known for her penchant for gossiping. She changed husbands as much as a normal person changed socks, but husband number three left her with a kid as a parting gift. A boy spoiled and with no respect for anything. Brought up without knowing the meaning of the word no and an inkling at being at cruel. He was known to the teachers  and that’s why Maya was not getting into trouble.
“You!!” Aelin marched to Remelle “Stop telling lies about my family. Go and get a job to keep you occupied but you stay away from my daughter and my own business.”
The woman gave her a snide smile “My son just said the truth. The silver haired fox who has been picking up Maya must have hated you both so much to disappear for so long.”
Aelin was about to punch the woman but she wanted to lead by example and restrained herself.
“Leave Rowan alone.” A deep growl left her and a second later she was walking away with Maya on hand.
When she arrived at her block of flats Aelin spotted the red pickup of the TFD and noticed that Maya brightened up all of a sudden.
“Is Rowan here?“ she asked hopefully.
“Shall we go and find out?”
“Yes.”
When the lift doors pinged open Aelin spotted Rowan’s towering figure leaning against the wall near her door. Gods he looked just as upset as she was.
His finger pointed to the flickering emergency light “This is not safe.”
“I know, we have reported it a lot of times but the building manager keeps ignoring us.”
A wicked smile “I guess the manager will not be able to deny the visit of the fire chief.”
“Thank you, this building has gone downhill since management changed.” She was about to open the door when Rowan stopped her “What do you mean?”
“The lift keeps breaking, the emergency lights are not working properly and I have a feeling the fire alarm is not up to code.”
Rowan’s face turned harsh “You are coming to my place tonight. You are not staying here.”
“I can’t.”
“Aelin, I am not kidding, I will get an inspection sorted tomorrow but tonight you two are not staying here.”
“Are we going to Rowan?”
He kneeled “Yes baby, you are coming home with me.”
The three of them went inside and Rowan helped Maya to pack some of her stuff “You left your shark at my house.”
“I know, he loves the big house, but Elf comes with me.” Rowan internally smiled at that statement. He had gifted her the elf and she would take it anywhere. It was a small consolation but he’d take it.
When all the bags were packed to Rowan’s satisfaction they left the house. Rowan climbed in his pickup and Maya and Aelin in the other.
It took them a good forty minutes to reach his house and as soon as the door was open Maya ran inside to the sofa where her toy was.
“He missed you too.”
“Aelin, I have a spare bedroom upstairs next door to hers. You can use that.”
“Thanks.”
“Maya, take your mum upstairs while I make dinner, do you want dinosaur nuggets?”
“Yes!!”
“Can I have them too?”
He smiled “As if I can stop you.”
Twenty minutes later they were all down in the living room with Maya in-between them while eating. 
Aelin looked at Rowan and nodded. When Maya was finished she pulled her daughter closer “Remember at school when I promised I would tell you about your dad?”
“Yes.”
Aelin pulled her daughter on her knees and turned her towards Rowan “Your dad had to leave before you were born,” she started explaining “His dad had died and he had to go home to look after his mum who was ill too.”
Aelin extended her hand to Rowan “He was really sad and did not know about you.”
Maya hugged her mother “His mum is okay?”
“Yes baby, she is fine and your dad could come back to us.”
Her daughter’s green eyes lit up in happiness “I want to meet him.”
Rowan extended his hand “Hi, my love.”
“Dada?”
Rowan nodded and Maya climbed to him and hugged him koala style.
Aelin sobbed in joy at the scene and her hand joined Rowan’s on Maya’s back.
Rowan basked in the feeling in silence, swaying lightly side to side.
“Do you want me to be your dad, Maya?”
She looked up at him “Yes.”
“I love you.” He kissed her silver hair and she just nested her face in the crook of his neck. Aelin leaned against Rowan’s shoulder and the three remained in silence for a minute. Maya then wiggled out of her father “Mama we need to live here with dad, he has woods!”
“Maya, it’s just for a few days until he checks our house, then we are going back.”
Maya folded her arms at her chest and her face scrunched up in an expression that was totally Rowan when he was upset “No. I want to stay here. I hate the city centre.”
“Maya, your mum and I have to sort out a few things first.”
The girl huffed, grabbed her toys and climbed down from the sofa and went to sat on the carpet giving them her back “Adults are annoying.”
Both Aelin and Rowan looked at each other in surprise “She definitely has your fire,” commented Rowan quietly.
After Maya finally went to bed Aelin and Rowan remained on the sofa trying to deal with what was coming next “You know that you can both stay here? This house is big enough for all of us and I’d love the chaos.”
“I know,” she left out in a puff of breath “I love this house too. It’s basically my dream home.”
“Then what is the issue?”
“Us, Rowan.”
He looked at her puzzled.
“Are we going to live here like roommates? Isn’t that going to confuse the hell out of her? She accepted you as her dad far too easily and I am scared that this will mess her up.”
He nodded “but maybe being under the same roof will help feeling a bit more stability? These past few weeks she has been grumpy. Aelin, she punched a kid.”
She snorted “The little bastard deserved it.”
“I am not arguing that.” His hand covered hers on her thigh “Stay here, please, I am worried about your house. I am not having my girls live in a death trap.”
“Look at your, mr fire Chief.”
“Aelin, I do not joke about these things,” he added seriously “Even regular firefighter me would have begged you to stay away. I am the chief, I can help.”
Aelin eventually nodded “Ok, let us go back for a couple of day to get our stuff sorted and then we can start move here. I just hope you are ready for madness.”
On instinct Rowan pulled Aelin to him “This house needs a bit of chaos.” A gentle kiss on her head  and Aelin melted in his arms at the old familiar feeling.
*
The following morning Aelin and Maya had gone back to their house and Rowan was in his office pouring over a pile of documents related to their block of flat. It all had been perfect until three years prior when Hamel group took over and the sloppiness had started. He searched for records of accidents and found far too many callouts for problems, a lift cable snapped and an electric fire in the basement where all the meters were and the main electric frames.
That place was a disaster waiting to happen. When he saw that it was his old house to attend the fire he knew what to do.
Rowan left the office in a hurry and drove to station 15.
When he arrived he parked at the front and got inside where his old team greeted him cheerfully “Chief! Coming for a ride with us?”
Rowan smiled at Brullo one of his lieutenant.
“No, is Lorcan in the office?”
“Aye, pouring over reports.“
“Thanks.”
He made his way to his old office and knocked, waiting to be allowed in.
“Rowan? I will give you those reports from yesterday, we have been quite busy.”
“It’s fine,” he dismissed him and threw a folder on his desk “This incident here.”
“Lorcan grabbed the folder and his face morphed as soon as he realised which one it was “Nasty one. Luckily we contained it quickly, but it could have been a fucking disaster.”
Rowan sat down “that building is not up to code.”
A deep sigh from Lorcan “We know, the TFD knows.”
“So why nothing has been done?” Anger lining his words.
“The old chief got very friendly with Hamel group. It’s the reason why he got the boot. It was a huge scandal, he took bribes to falsify inspections.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Lorcan shook his head.
“People live in that building. Families.” He shouted, leaving out the hidden meaning my family.
“Hamel got cleared and the bastard owns two office buildings in the financial district and a fabric in the south that is getting very acquainted with Hazmat recently.”
Rowan stood in anger “Well, there is a new chief in town.”
He thanked his friend and left the building on a mission.
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prairieparadox · 19 days ago
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when you get this, list 5 songs you like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to the last 10 people in your notifs (positivity is cool!!) :)
hi M please list more than 5 for me giggle we have similar enough music taste that any I don't know I wanna listen to and add to playlists 🙏
oh boy songs i like? well there's a lot but I'll avoid the obvious ones like tnc and bug hunter
-find love (stepdad) - really good song that reminds me of doing psychedelics. weird vibes but in a wholesome way. fun stuff
-good luck babe or pink pony club (chappell roan) - im hooked on the queen lately and she was on loop all day yesterday for me
-rainforest (noname) - she's probably my favorite rapper. brilliant lyricist whose singing is as smooth as butter but as impactful as any rockstar. this is my favorite of hers
-plastic death (glass beach) - this is cheating cause it's an album but, while its not my favorite of theirs, its a brilliant album that plays with the post punk genre while adding in cool trans vibes and messing with expectations for what their band should do
Change Your Mind (GOCK) - very obscure transfem artist who makes beautiful music and goes underappreciated. Change Your Mind is their epic, and is just so powerful
Give the Anarchist a Cigarette (Chumbawumba) - chumbawumba is a good classic anarchist band. you might know them for the "get knocked down but I get up again" song but they've produced works way better than that and this one is no exception. fun song that helps vindicate anti state vibes and give in to a bit of leftist edge. also recommend their rendition of Bella Ciao, specifically the full one with background music
Trans Girls Need Guns (Flummox) - another amazing obscure transfem artist, this one more punk. very fun little song
First Rate Town (Goodkid) - a fun song that has a lot of meaning to it and can be especially meaningful if you've ever left a place behind to go somewhere else. i also recommend their remix second rate town.
Somewhere City (origami angel) - another really cool album, my favorite of this band. very cheery and tbh i get transmasc vibes from it which is fun, although i think the lead singers a cis guy
Cocaine Jesus (rainbow kitten surprise) - fun relaxing but also bright and colorful but also kinda chill song that just has interesting vibes
Money Game Pt. 3 (ren) - ren is a really good anticapitalist rapper, and this song is very powerful for that. tw suicide I will say for this, but only to an evil capitalist politician multimillionaire character.
okay I think I've given enough recs that have good variety, if u want anymore lmk!!!
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...what's wrong with being spunky? o.O
Nothin whatsoever! "Spunky teen girl" just one of those tropes that's firmly in my own NOPE zone, mostly because I grew up in the late 90s and early 00s. While that decade had some feminist stories (Buffy! Protector of the Small! Animorphs!), it was — many history writers agree — overall quite regressive with regard to feminism.
Many times this pervasive antifeminism came out in efforts to write Strong Female Characters™. Batman & Robin (1997) spends forever convincing us that Babs deserves to be Batgirl despite her gender, stopping the plot to establish that she can "keep up with" the boys. Captain America (2011) introduces Peggy as Agent 13 through having her punch a junior soldier hard enough to knock him over because he joked about the U.K. Wanted (2008) desperately wants us to believe in Fox, mostly so that her male protégé can surpass her. It's not as direct as women in refrigerators, but it's still condescending.
Even progressive female heroes still got treated in that era as harmless by default. And that's where "spunk" came in. Because women's anger is treated as silly and harmless, and women themselves are treated as inherently benevolent. "Spunky" means mostly cheery, just a little bit snappish. Grown men are never "spunky" — the label pretty much always refers to people of low power, especially children, especially girls. Nancy Drew is always "spunky" in her book blurbs, even though she's first and foremost a noir detective. When Felicity (Felicity Saves the Day, 1996) risks death to ride to war and help her brother, she's marketed as "spunky." When Rogue (X-Men: Evolution, 2003) sucks a friend's soul out through their skin and eats it, she's "spunky." Those are all really cool and/or scary heroes, but they got reduced to a label also used for disobedient puppies. Not as direct as "isn't it funny/silly/ harmless, this lady being violent?" in your Batgirls and your Agent 13s, but kneecapping real female heroes all the same.
Anyway, Loren from Animorphs doesn't get treated anywhere near as condescendingly as Agent 13 or Batgirl. But she's never appealed to me as much as other Animorphs characters, because she spends a lot of time proving herself, and not a ton of time doing stuff. Eva is also snarky and smart, but Eva scares everyone (Edriss, Marco, Jake) who knows her well enough. Michelle is also primarily a nurturer, but Michelle contributes to almost every plot she appears in, whether for good (saving Jake's life in #22) or for ill (shooting at Tobias in #27). Estrid also spends a ton of time proving herself, but she ends up being a serious threat that is taken seriously by everyone else in #38. Loren has several moments of proving herself (saving Chapman from the skrit na, understanding multiverse theory alongside Elfangor, hitting Visser Three with a rock, protecting Tobias) but none of that dramatically changes any of the plots she's in — Chapman would've been rescued by the andalites anyway, Elfangor already knew black holes, Visser Three takes no damage, Tobias is hard to kill. None of this is to say that I dislike her, just that she reminds me of some tropes that I do dislike and I'll never enjoy her much for that reason.
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