#also really glad i use screen capturing bc it helps a lot

[t-u-i-t-c]

1 Year Of Giffing: Gif Remakes/Comparisons

February - May 2022 │February 2023

[frostygar]

The Flash S5 Ep5 Thoughts

- If I were Nora I wouldn’t come either, you betrayed her heart and her trust.

- Nora may have almost hurt a couple BUT I love sassy Nora who rebels against her parents it’s really refreshing for someone to actually not like Iris. And she caught the bad guy so WOO NORA MY BABY IS DOING JUST FINE

- So the writers finally wrote someone to tell Iris how she acts “condescending, I know better than you” and they most certainly do not have Iris change, AND Nora ends up forgiving her? Wack. Unrealistic. Boring. Change things up smh

- “You know, Nora, I wish you would try to understand who your mom is today.” UMMM BITCH SHE’S THE SAME DIDN’T YOU JUST HEAR HER???? Also why don’t YOU try to understand your daughter’s actions under years of neglect from your step sister. (also I watch Riverdale and that show pisses me off but NOTHING has ever pissed me off this much omggggggg)

- Cisco is back! YASSS WE HAVE MISSED THE VIBES 🥺🥺🥺

- OMG PROFESSOR STEIN!!! Small crossover we love to see it, and we also love to see Cisco and Caitlin’s friendship! Even if it hurt Cisco ugh a crying atm

- UMMMMM EW. EW WHAT THE FLYING FUCK WHY IS THAT CREEPIER THAN ANY RECENT HORROR MOVIE please…….. I much prefer Elongated Man… aLSOO ALSO how did they not hear that weirdo fucking pounding his fucking hands into the glass I feel nauseous. 

- I know I wanted journalist!Iris again but like because she’s being even worse than she normally his (and Barry) I literally just want her to get the fuck off the screen. I even took a small break and watched something else and I can still feel the anger inside of my body… like I just can’t even look at Iris OR Barry. That’s just sad… the worst sibling duo since Bughead 

- Barry working with your journalist sister-wife is probably not professional but no one would ever point that out so… rip to me wanting to watch shows that down ruin everything over a disgusting

- Schrap… give us more of these cool words to use I love them. ALSO NORA AND CECILE BONDING WE LOVE TO SEE IT

- Oh Cecile not you too… if Iris doesn’t respect her own daughter she’s not owed respect back. Besides, since when the FUCK is it “disrespectful” to say that your mom nags at you… all mom’s do it. Nora is raving about her mom wanting to control her and is talking abut her nagging at her over everything and Cecile is like "this is the west household and that means that all west's are respected" like girl you have been civil and understanding to everyone and everything this whole time and suddenly its out the window??? I understand that in black households it’s a big thing to respect your parents, especially a mother who raised a child alone, but this is some pedestal bullshit and highkey right now I want basically everyone except Nora, Caitlin, Cisco, Ralph, and even Sherloque, fucking dead for the rest of the episode………. wow I never thought a show could literally make me this mad.

- That scene afterwards was really weird. Like in my family we can never really move on like that, but also how would Nora get all of that to fit together and stay for like five seconds and why wouldn’t Cecile give Nora the screws like—

- Cisco vibing the chalkboard and knowing it’ll hurt him and he’s not going to tell anyone I’m: sad.

- “Did I scare him away?” CAITLIN! 😭�� Also didn’t he MAKE Killer Frost or am I just dumb and slow lol

- This Meta is so gross yet so cool asdfghjkl EW THAT’S GONNA GIVE ME NIGHTMARES, THE META’S MASK HEAD THING BEING IN SIGHT AND THEN DISAPPEARING AFTER SAYING “FLASH” EWWW although funnily enough I’d rather watch that than Iris and Barry so um

- How is The Flash able to make the most disgusting, creepiest thing than like any horror movie

- Barry trying to force date shit with Iris is so awkward and weird and forced… I hate it a lot

- This woman not being impressed with Iris or Barry is giving me life … ARE THEY REALLY NOT REALIZING THAT IRIS IS BASICALLY THAT WOMAN IN THE FUTURE WITH NORA??? “She’s so cold, she gave her son what she thought he needed but was wrong” like… how dense are these fuckers???

- Why is Barry acting like this is his last night with Iris? Like I can wish but why is this forced domesticity that makes me want to rip out my eyes happening rn? EW I WAS LOOKING DOWN AT MY LAPTOP AND I ALMOST DIDN’T SEE THE META IN THE CORNER I’M SO DISGUSTED.

- Barry,,, she is exactly like that woman fuck off there’s a time to be supportive to both women and rn it’s not to Iris. GOD NOT IRIS ACTUALLY REALIZING IT OVER BARRY??? The fanservice and ruining Barry’s character is real and it HURTS

- Why is the meta looking at Barry and Iris as if he knows who they are… he only knows the flash

- Caitlin realizing he was hurting himself to help her I— “I could bring my value to the team” BUT YOU DID WAY BEFORE YOUR POWERS. You’re smart, you know science, you help The Flash help people. Sure the powers are a big bonus but he brought so much value even before :( If anything ever happens to Cisco and Caitlin’s friendship, ever, I will kill everyone and then myself

- I know this show is about The Flash and rn the season is about Nora but like,,, constantly talking about her and having westallen scenes is just so… overdone. They talked about it outside of the gala, then it showed Cisco and Caitlin for a few minutes and then they’re back. Give it some rest Jesus

- Every time someone says that Iris probably dampens Nora’s powers to keep her safe literally feels more like “the more I say it the more true it has to be” like… shut the fuck up can someone (Caitlin or Cisco) PLEASE slap some fucking sense into this boy??? Blindly following after your sister-wife isn’t healthy and it’s dumb as fuck. See, kids, this is why you don’t date and marry (and eventually have a kid with) your step sister

- Now Iris is being the smart one…………………. this is the weirdest, forced bullshit that I’m more used to from Riverdale.

- I’m glad there’s more cute bonding between Cecile and Nora. But what kind of kids would be mean to someone who lost their parents? That’s a tv thing yes but irl??? I’ve never heard or seen it and it just… cannot be true. Also how does Cecile know about a story from when Barry was ten?? Like how would this come up with her and Joe for him to tell her? Really that story was… westallen? And the fanservice grows… That was an awful way to show Nora that Iris sometimes can be a good person when she was in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. God why does NO ONE get that Nora was raised by an awful mom and she already has all of these bad feelings for her? Why are they trying so desperately hard to downplay Nora’s rightful feelings? Oh, right, because Iris isn’t supposed to be able to do wrong… God why do we watch the CW’s awful shows that pander to toxic/gross couples that are catered to while the better main side cast is tossed to the side?

- That was a weird (and creepy) scene with a random face call by Iris lol

- OH GOOD RALPH IS BACK BECAUSE APPARENTLY EVERYONE FORGOT ABOUT HIM LOL. HE’S FUCKING SPIDERMAN-ING HISMELF OMG??? Also why does Iris have to come along every single fucking time?? Also also how didi the meta know whoo to capture like all he saw was The Flash

- MAKE THIS META INTO AN ACTUAL HORROR MOVIE BC THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING SCARY. LIKE SOME PEOPLE SOMEHOW SAY THAT THE BABADOOK IS SCARY (when it’s boring and not scary at all smh) BUT THIS IS SO FUCKED

- YES META DUDE HURT IRIS PLEASE WE. BEG OF YOU 

- Did Iris just fucking jump… for Barry… when Ralph should be the one getting him? The pandering I—

- EW RALPH… ATE HIM?

- The way that Iris is suddenly called a badass… the fanservice isn’t even trying to be hidden

- RAGDOLL WHAT A GREAT META NAME

- Don’t tell me that after a couple of stories of Iris as a kid suddenly makes Nora forget all the times future Iris treated her like trash and thinks it’s okay because she has the ability to be nice (but never is)???

- Future Iris made her “accomplishments” off limits??? What kind of dumbassery—

- They’re gonna make the one character who actually called Iris out forgive her after five episodes??? Jesus we couldn’t have one thing, one character who doesn’t like Iris could we?

- I’ve never seen any books or movies about Nancy Drew (but I will give the new one a try because I’ve heard it’s good) but when the awful detective female leads (basically just Betty and Iris) call themselves Nancy Drew makes me automatically hate Nancy Drew. If Nancy is a selfish, annoying, whiny bitch who can’t do no wrong and butts into people’s lives then she sure is like Iris and Betty

- This family bonding is just so fucking FORCED. Poor westallens having their scenes have to shoved in and the quality ruined. I’d feel bad if I wasn’t called racist for how they write Iris (and Barry together). I already go through this shit on Riverdale I’m basically just dead inside lol

- WAIT SO AFTER ALL THIS TIME NOW YOU THINK ABOUT USING DEVOE’S SATELLITES??? WHY WOULDN’T THAT BE THE FIIRST THING AFTER SALLY WAS DESTROYED?

- Cisco understanding that Caitlin is afraid and not ready yet 🥺🥺

- So that episode was fucking AWFUL. The only good thing about it was Cisco and Caitlin’s friendship and the cool yet horrifying meta. Everything else was just… the fucking worst. I’d literally rather watch disgusting Bughead step sibling kissing scenes than people try to downplay Nora’s feelings all because “no one can hate Iris” uwu

- I’m not usually this… hateful. But something about that and (typically older) people using the “you HAVE to respect your elders!” mindset when they don’t respect the people younger than them. Like, if my older sister doesn’t respect me, why the fuck would I respect her? Respect isn’t given, it’s earned.

[sauveteen]

Imagine where your Shawn’s gf but also his photographer bc that would make my heart actually melt 😍😩

not my best work but i really wanted to post wksjs i'm Sorry

"I don’t think this was in my contract?”

“What contract are we talking here?” Shawn’s arms reach towards you, fingers ghosting your sides as he slips his hands under your top, “Shawn Mendes’ Official Tour Photographer Contract, or Shawn Mendes’ Girlfriend Contract?” He pulls you towards him, thighs parting to adjust your body between his legs. There’s an indescribable look on his face; soft, yet teasing. His cheeks are an unabashed shade of red, a result of the cold and the alcohol alike. Huddled between a horde of plushies, Shawn fits right in with his gentle demeanour and soft nature. Lips quirking into the faintest of smiles, he lifts a hand to boop your nose with his finger, singing Booooop to make sure you’re aware of his intentions.

“There’s a Shawn Mendes’ Girlfriend Contract too?” You tease, letting him warm his cold hands on your skin. You shudder at the contact, but the satisfied hum he lets out is reward enough to endure his freezing touch. He tips his head forward, resting it gently against your stomach. The hand that isn’t holding your camera tangles into his hair, softly scratching his scalp as he murmurs incoherently into your sweater.

“You didn’t know?’ He pulls back, tilting his head to the side to smile at you, “My assistant probably misplaced it.”

“Probably,” You decide to humour him, letting go of your camera, the strap pulling taut against your neck as the camera hangs down to where Shawn’s head had previously been, “And what did it entail?”

“Hmm, a lot of things,” He sneaks a hand out from underneath your sweater, reaching up to curl around the back of your head. Shawn pulls you towards him, craning his neck upwards to capture your lips in a sweet, short kiss, “Like constant kisses,” He pecks you several times, nose brushing against yours, “And letting me warm my cold reptilian body with yours,” His fingers playfully squeeze your sides, a chuckle bubbling up your throat and putting a smile on his face.

“That’s it?”

“And cuddles,” Shawn falls back onto the soft toys, pulling you with him, and groans when your camera juts into his stomach. Laughing, you roll off, cradling it with one hand and letting your boyfriend grab your other, pulling it towards his lips to press kisses against your knuckles, “Loads, and loads, and loads of cuddles.”

“Sounds pretty okay,” You grin, tilting your head to catch his eyes staring at you, all the stars in the universe pooling in his hazel eyes. If there was one thing that you used to hate, it was being cheesy; and if there’s one thing that Shawn’s got you to fall in love with, it’s being cheesy, because there simply is no other way of describing what the two of you have. The way he makes you feel. Like you’re the most important person in the world, and nothing matters more than your happiness. Like your laugh is his medicine and his yours. Your fingers unconsciously tighten around his at the thought.

“Okay?” He echoes, feigning offence, “Sounds okay?” And then his fingers are poking into your sides, clawed hands sneaking under your top to relentlessly tickle your bare skin. You squirm, laughing, your head thrown back in mirth. Shawn simply sees it as an opportunity to dance his fingers under your chin, causing you to squeeze your eyes shut and try pushing his hands away.

“I lied!” You exclaim between bouts of laughter, leaning away from your childish boyfriend, “The contract sounds amazing.”

“That's what I thought,” He sounds smug, and you tip your head up to see him smirking down at you. Pursing your lips together, you swat his chest, muttering, “Ass.”

“Dick, ass, heart,” His arm over your shoulders, he pulls you into himself, “All yours, baby.”

You smile to yourself, shaking your head, and bring your camera to your face. Switching it on, you feel your grin start to grow as you click through the pictures, a sudden warmth spreading through the inside of your chest.

“Babe, look,” You say, holding your camera a little higher so he can see. You giggle, zooming in on Shawn's face. Tangled between hotel sheets, hair tousled, eyes droopy, he's midway through a yawn, slack jaw pulled tight with the movement, “You look adorable.”

“I don't think sneaking pictures like that was in your photography contact?”

“No,” You smirk, shifting to press a kiss against his chest, “But it was in my girlfriend contact.”

So the two of you lay there, flipping through the images on your camera, reminiscing on the fond memories the two of you had made together. At one point Shawn's eyes avert from the tiny screen to spare you a glance, your head tucked under his chin, chest rising and falling in sync with his breath. You're zooming in on random faces in the photos, laughing to yourself, and he's never been more in love with you. The reminder that this tour is drawing to a close, that you'll probably pack your bags and head home and so will he, has something sour burning in his mouth. He's grown so accustomed to having you around, so used to hearing your evil laugh every time you catch him doing something stupid on camera. The sound of your shutter clicking is registered in his brain now, and he perks up every time he hears it in the distance. He never knew he'd be as gone for you as he is right now, but as long as you're smiling, he's okay with whatever the future holds.

“You looked amazing that day,” Shawn comments, combing a hand through your hair, curling the tresses around his fingers. The picture on the screen is of the day of his album release, when all of his friends and staff had gathered in his condo and drunk their weight in alcohol. Shawn doesn't remember much from that night — his head feels like a woozy, dizzy mess, but he remembers you. You in your band tee and weird pants, red lipstick staining your lips, camera cradled in your hands. You a stark contrast against the dolled up beauties, you a beacon of light in the otherwise dark thoughts that he was trying to drink away. The way you had combed his hair away from his face as he had bent over the toilet seat, the way your reassuring words had fought to replace the doubts in his bloodstream.

“You’ve done amazing, Shawn, they're going to love the album,” You had muttered, helping him to a glass of water as you rubbed circles into his back, camera long forgotten on a kitchen counter. Shawn didn't know a lot about you, but he'd never seen you without a camera, and he knew you wouldn't take it off without good reason. For a reason he still can't put into words, that simple gesture had warmed his heart beyond words.

“What if they don't? What if I peaked when I was sixteen and it's only downhill from here?”

“Shawn, come on,” Your voice was calming, and although gentle, it floated atop the loud trap music, “The album is beautiful. Take it from me. It's fucking flawless, okay? It's your best work yet.”

“You have to say that,” Shawn had turned away, gulping the water in his glass and slamming it back on the counter, “You work for me. I'd probably fire you if you said it was shit.”

He remembers you wincing, him immediately regretting his words, and then expecting you to walk away. You didn't. You stayed, although silent, but a gentle reminder that he wasn't alone in this. That no matter how deep he fell into the inevitable pit that is self-doubt, there was someone to help him coax him right out. And he had never been more glad.

Now he's staring at his own face on the screen, hair a little tamer and cheeks flushed just as red, wishing someone had taken a photo of you. He'd like to frame it, signing it in bold letters, The Day I Started Falling for Her.

“I looked like a bum, Shawn.”

“Well, that you always do,” The corner of his mouth quirks up in a smirk, “But that doesn't make you any less amazing.”

“I'd be offended if I didn't love you.”

“I'd be offended if you didn't love me, honestly.”

“Shut up,” While your words indicate annoyance, your smile gives you away. Pushing yourself up, you uncap your lens, “Let's get this over with.”

“Nooo,” Shawn whines at the loss of contact, reaching out towards you with grabby hands, “I don’ wanna anymore! Come back and cuddle me.”

You place a hand on his chest, leaning down to quickly peck him, pulling away just as fast, “We've rented this entire room out for a day. We have to do this photoshoot now, though I still don't know what for.”

“Who cares?” Shawn grabs a random giraffe toy from the lot, cradling the plushie to his chest, “I can think of other things to do in this room.”

“We're not doing anything with seven thousand glass eyes staring at us, Shawn.”

“Really? Always pegged you for an exhibitionist, if I'm honest.”

You pluck a toy from the lot, playfully hurling it at your boyfriend. Hearing his laughter reverberate through the room, followed by a determined, “Okay, Ms. Official Photographer, let's do this.”

big shoutout to @shawnsmoose for helping me find this gif lmao ily

taglist: @muffinmendussy @fuckneymar @heavenly---holland @sammyrhm @sinceweremutual @fiftyshadesofeveryfandom (just ask to be added!) 

send me blurb requests!

[crossnecklace]

hi hi hi! so i feel like a lot of my most favorite fics dont get talked about much, therefore i wanted to create a proper fic rec masterpost to spread the love!! this is going to be a looooong list, so hopefully theres something for everyone (though i do firmly believe u should read every single one of these before u die)

in no particular order, but a * indicates my absolute faves that i reread monthly:

hats off to my distant hope by navigator (21k) *

Harry is in White Eskimo. Louis is in London.

AU loosely inspired by the song “505” by Arctic Monkeys.

-kicking this off with one of my very favorites. i think my favorite trope is when hl have this angsty “we’re not dating but definitely fucking and also doing everything couples do also i’m irrevocably in love with you why aren’t we dating?” sort of moment. its painful in the sweetest way, and this fic captures that perfectly. there will be quite a few of those on this list, i’ll bet

up the long delirious burning blue by orphan_account (6k)

harry is a swimmer & louis is the writer who somehow manages to make him come up for air. 

-this one is quite sad. so poetic and painful and lovely and unf (warning for mentions of suicide and depression, and the ending is quite ambiguous but there is no MCD)

we wreak havoc with out hearts by flimsy (9k)

Harry finds that he can’t keep things separate; neither can Louis.

Harry tousles his hair, smoothes it back, shrugging. 

“Alright,” he says. “I’m, you know, outside if you need anything.” 

“Yeah,” Louis replies. “Sure.” 

He doesn’t look like he’ll be needing Harry, and Harry tells himself that that’s okay. They’ve both got their moods sometimes or maybe the timing isn’t good, and if it’s not then that’s alright as well. Harry can respect that. And it’s not like this is their first tour; Harry knows that Louis will come around. He always does.

-another one of those w that trope i talked about. im gonna call it the RFWB trope (romantic friends w benefits). this one is so hot and good

rather this than live without you by mediaville (10k) *

Harry decides to give it all up. Louis refuses to be left behind.

-RFWB pt. 3. i ADORE this fic. just the setting and the angst and the smut ugh it all has me on the floor

one day to believe in you by mediaville (7k) 

A mysterious force compels Louis to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even when it’s really inconvenient.

Harry blinks and has the nerve to look surprised. 

“You think about me when you get off?”

“Yes,” Louis says. He wonders how hard he’d need to punch himself in the face to knock himself out.

“Often?”

“Yes, Christ, Harry,” Louis groans. “Probably eight times a week for going on six years now. On average, you know. More when we were touring, less when I’ve been visiting family. Anything else you’d like to know?”

- :-)))))))

all my love was down in a frozen ground by navigator (16k)

Louis goes to the woods. 

AU very loosely inspired by the creation of Bon Iver’s first record.

-i’ll be honest i dont even remember what this fic is about but its in my bookmarks and its by navigator so i know that its good

boys of summer by sharktoothedfawnskinned (49k) *

What he wants is for this to be a forever thing, not someplace Harry spent the summer once.  What he wants is for this to be more than a memory.

(New Jersey beach town AU.) 

- I SCREAM EVERY TIME READ THIS RIGHT NOW 

we should get jerseys by orphan_account (12k) *

There’s a lot surrounding Harry, and Louis knows, in his heart of hearts, that there always will be. He just doesn’t know if he’ll manage to equate into the ‘always’ of it.

(Harry is a hockey player, and Louis is his slightly melodramatic boyfriend.)

- another old favorite!!! pretty much anything that involves harry being good at sports has me on my knees bc it paves way for automatic angst, louis being jealous of a puck/ball/net/what have you, and uhhh various other *athletic* activities

the finish line (is a good place for us to start) by @loaded-gunn (122k)

Louis Tomlinson, one-time Formula 1 World Champion, is looking forward to the 2013 season. He’s got Zayn in his garage and Liam in his ear, he’s got Cowell Racing backing him despite former indiscretions, he’s got experience and the best race car out there. Not to mention he’s the only racer they have, after Oliver dropped out late last year.

It hasn’t occurred to him that Oliver would have to be replaced by February. That is, until he finds himself at a party celebrating Harry Styles leaving Ferrari for Cowell. Harry hotshot Styles, who broke a record last year and is probably looking to make a big splash. Harry Styles, who is talented and somewhat intimidating. Harry Styles, who left Ferrari for reasons unknown and seems kind of lonely and harmless in person. Lonely, harmless, hot as fuck. Whatever.

The first thing Louis does is take him under his wing. From there it’s nine months of slow-burning romance, the past catching up to them, turning into the human puppy pile that is OT5 and a lot of feelings until, of course, reaching the finish line.

-one of the first 1d fics i remember reading. i havent touched it in a long time but it used to be my #1 fave and it has a special place in my heart. so much pining, only not really in a frustrating way bc theres abundant flirting and they kiss in like, the second scene. its basically louis trying to keep his shit together and failing miserably. AND its stuffed with fandom meta which is quite entertaining if youve been here for awhile. anyway give this a read, i truly love it so much

so keep my candle bright by whisperdlullaby (78k) *

louis returns to his hometown after four years to find that the reverend’s son has done some growing up of his own.

-god. the characterization in this one is just gorgeous. the way louis helps harry accept/explore his sexuality is so beautiful and i think about it every day. a must read!!! (warning for homophobia and religious themes)

no one like you by @myownsparknow (20k)

Dear Niall,

I was glad to have the chance to talk with you again at the AHA conference. Your idea that the Musee D’Orsay Tomlinson painting is in fact not a self-portrait is an intriguing one, and I may have discovered something that will have a bearing on that theory.

Some background: as you may remember, I’ve been researching for a book I’m writing about Harry Styles. I’ve been in communication with Styles’ last living descendant, who is in possession of a trunk that her family believed to have belonged to Styles himself. It held some personal items she presumes to be his, including two unmounted paintings and a small collection of letters.

Upon spending the last few days in Provins studying these items, I believe there to be a connection between Tomlinson and Styles, and I would very much like your opinion.

Are you up for a trip to France?

Sincerely, Liam Payne

Where Liam and Niall are art historians discovering the truth about two nineteenth century painters on opposite sides of an artistic divide.

-this is one of the only recent fics on this list bc i like to stew in the past and pretend all my favorite writers havent left the fandom. i read it when it first came out and man oh man, its like poetry. so gorgeously written, and hl’s relationship is so deeply rooted and beautiful. i love

our little corner of the world by brownheadedstranger (30k)

AU. Louis is stuck in his mom’s diner for the summer. Harry is the line cook with a pickup truck.

-so good!! i’d die for americanized fics which doesnt even make sense bc i hate america but. what can u do 

i could dream all night by @fondleeds (73k) *

As the sun kisses the horizon, one last flash of light before the stars and the moon take over, his phone will brighten in his grasp, Louis’ name appearing on screen, come over or wanna see you or miss your mouth. Harry always lingers on those messages, elbows bruising on the cool metal of the railing by the lookout, watching the water as he thumbs at the side of his phone, lips bitten into his mouth, trying to will away the bubbling in his stomach, the heat that flushes to his neck at the thought of being thought of.

At the thought of Louis thinking of him.

AU. Harry spends his summer away from the city.

-lordt. where the fuck do i begin. first of all, lysha, if ur reading this, i’d die for u even tho u already killed me with this fic. second, what the fuck???? this is so good??? the imagery is exquisite, everything is so soft and hazy and warm, but just be warned that its a tRick. this fics wraps u in like a warm hug and then stabs u 7 times in the back so be prepared :-))) (warning for ambiguous ending)

another hazy may by deLILAh (41k) *

louis is a terrible poet and harry lives in the now and they have six weeks to fall in love but, really, it only takes six seconds. bookshop meets military meets summer romance au ft. marlboros, the backstreet boys, and underrated literary devices.

-i dnot even wanna talk about it. i swear to god the first time i read this i stayed up all night and cried through literally like the last three quarters of it. its so poetic and gorgeous and now every time i think or hear about the literary present i wanna die so thanks for scarring me forever 

like a bastard on the burning sea by vashtaneradas (22k) *

au; harry breaks louis, louis breaks everything.

- listen i know im not supposed to like this but yknow what?? iconic. its absolutely a guilty pleasure and the only cheating fic ill ever give the time of day bc it just hurts so good 

take me to the church (series) by @kingsoftheimpossible (14k/6k/4k)

Harry and Louis are Horsemen of the Apocalypse- War and Conquest- but that’s not really important. They just like to fuck things up.

these r freaky but so so good. theres nothin i love more than boyfriends wreaking havoc on..everything. (the main warnings i’d say are for slight gore/violence and blasphemy. other than that i’d read the tags before you dive in)

if you love me, come clean by @victoryjacket​ (121k) *

AU in which Louis works at a recording studio where Harry’s ‘up and coming’ and ‘exciting’, soon-to-be famous indie band has just signed a deal to record their debut album at, and Louis’ never even heard of them for Christ’s sakes, but that doesn’t stop him from repeatedly catching the eye of the raven-haired, eyeliner-wearing and slightly dangerous-looking frontman (but he’s not interested, he isn’t.)

-everyone read my love’s fic right now. she writes tortured rockstar!harry beautifully and its just so good :-))))) ft. the slowest, sweetest burn 

a runaway american dream by dangerbears (15k)

AU. they take route 66 with only each other and their secrets.

-iconic. plus the whole thing is just hl trying and failing to be just bro pals and platonically share a bed

from the love to the lightning by orphan_account (22k) *

“i didn’t realize it would sometimes be more than whole, that the wholeness was a rather luxurious idea. because it’s the halves that halve you in half.”

 a like crazy au where harry and louis fall in america, but have to try to make it work when problems arise that force louis to stay in london.

-definitely in my top 10. first things first, the line that fucked me up forever: “Three thousand, four hundred and seventy one. There are 3471 miles and an entire ocean between them, but Harry doesn’t even have to get out of bed to find bone-crushing heartache.” AH. i think this might actually be the only long distance au ive ever read and its angsty as fuck but oh so worth it. like literally idek what to say except read this right now (warning for harry/ofc relationship that is pretty detailed, but i grew kinda fond of her? and anyway its mainly just a plot point to emphasize harrys pining for his tru love,,,,yk who) 

we can take the long way home by @eleadore (27k) *

“Fertile,” Louis says, and then laughs because it sounds stupid to say out loud. He hasn’t ever really thought of himself in those terms. Baby-making terms. It’s just one of those things his body can do, like exercise, or go without tea. Doesn’t mean he will.

or, The band takes a break. Harry and Louis come together.

-listen, i REALLY REALLY love this fic. its probably literally my favorite one shot, like, its really just so sweet and hot and its again one of those good ol RFWB tropes. loveeee

red brick heart by hazmesentir (99k) *

Harry has only had his room for thirty-two minutes when it stops being his.

Uni AU. Harry had turned up at the halls of residence expecting fun, new friends, and maybe a life experience or two. What he doesn’t expect is a surprise roommate who’s loud and dramatic and obsessed with tea and is maybe, actually, all he’s ever wanted.

-this is one of the few fandom faves i can get behind. i know its got that early era cliche of commitment phobe!louis but i really love hl’s relationship in this, and how harry comes to terms w his sexuality via making out w louis tomlinson like 500 times. plus the scene in the club where louis, uh, helps harry out just…GETS me, yknow? 

some things take root by navigator/quitter (50k) *

AU. Louis’ ex doesn’t get jealous of anyone besides Harry. Harry helps Louis use that to his advantage.

-pleasepleplalspelplseease. literally navigator can end me. this is THE fake relationship au yall, like, any fanart of hl making out near a bar gives me flashbacks to this fic. read it

keep yourself warm by navigator (20k)

AU. Harry sleeps around.

-this fic is really nice and oddly comforting, like, i just love the pining and the angst. its so !!!! 

with love comes strange currencies by mediaville (16k) *

One day One Direction will be over and Louis won’t be around Harry every waking moment. He’ll be able to finally get some space, let their bond dissipate as it’s bound to do, if they don’t mess up again. He can move to Costa Rica and forget that Harry Styles popped his first knot inside him. Until then, he’s going to have to deal with this.

or, They’re Accidentally Mated and Dealing With It Rather Badly.

-i con ic. listen, i have nothing against abo but im just .. not rly into it. however, THIS is the first abo fic i read and the only one i ever loved. like just the whole accidental mating and how it draws them to each other even tho its quite inconvenient, and how h takes cares of l when hes sick, i just..gotta go 

covered in lines (series) by mentalistecbm (24k)

He likes to imagine that he’s always aware of Harry’s eyes on him, but the spark that flashes across his body at how often Harry licks his lips while looking at his throat doesn’t feel like something he’s explicitly and consciously acknowledged before, but it feels familiar. Usual. Right.

(Louis is human, and Harry is lucky enough to be his vampire boyfriend.)

-noah fence but this is,,,, essentially twilight in au form, minus love triangles and werewolves. actually its completely different lmao, who am i, but the overall atmosphere and the vampire dynamics rly reminded me of it. i mean it in the best way!!! its so good, and anything involving dr*nking has me on the floor

weird honey by orphan_account (5k)

~staying up all night, talking blasphemous ash, weird honey~ 

(PWP where Harry is not 100% at home in his body and he and Louis use a sex toy to help work through the problem)

-this fic is soft and nice and makes me feel warm inside so highly recommend

who painted the moon black by throughthedark (95k) *

“People died,” Harry whispers so quietly Louis strains to hear. “People died, and I killed some of them. How does life just go on after something like that?”

Louis shakes his head. “I don’t know. It just does.”

Hunger Games AU where Louis Tomlinson is district six’s victor from the 69th Hunger Games and Harry Styles is district seven’s victor from the 72nd Hunger Games.

-listen. i do NOT want to talk about it. (ps harry throwing axes on the bbc literally  took me out by the knees bc of this fic)

one more for the stars by imsosorry (16k)

It’s different, and Louis knows that, because Harry’s got so much riding on this - a career and a future and his whole life. There’s talk of him going first overall in the draft, of entering the NFL after only two years in college, of going to New York or Seattle or Green Bay, and Louis wants to be there for him, wants to support him and help him make decisions, but he also kind of wants to pin him to the bed and cry and scream, What about me what about me what about me?

(au. Harry’s the star quarterback and Louis is about to graduate. It’s a heartbreak waiting to happen.)

-i think i mentioned before that sports au have me on the floor and this is no excpetion 

you and me were kings by ithacas (28k) *

harry plays football in a small town in west texas. louis might be the only person that doesn’t give a damn. au.

-another football au, this one with the added beauty of being set in southern us. im such a sucker for southern aus, mannnn, and this one is so soft and beautiful

hold onto your stars by vashtaneradas (16k) *

au; harry’s in the army, louis’ back home, and ninety days is a lifetime.

-are u srs????? this is another hazy may except…….Worse. like, im still working out the science of it but im pretty sure this killed me and brought me back to life just so i could suffer the pain of it forever. (nobody dies tho)

makes perfect by checkthemargins (8k)

“What if you practiced on like, a mannequin?” Louis presses. “Or one of those blow up sex dolls? Or even just like, I don’t know, a pillow or something. Whatever it’d fit around.”

Harry tilts his head thoughtfully, curls catching the light so entrancingly that Louis finds himself reaching up to push his fingers through them. “It’s different, though, innit? When it’s a real person. A pillow won’t snog me.”

“Why should it?” says Louis. “You can’t even take its bra off.”

hmmmm. hmmmmmmmm. im jus gonna leave this here,,,,,,,,,

all the diamonds you have here by vashtaneradas (21k) 

it hits louis now, how fucking close to the precipice they’re standing. 

or, an au feat. investment banking and children.

-its #confirmed that anything by vashtaneradas is guaranteed to be painful as hell. who said there cant be soul crushing angst in marriage/kid fics too ! 

wild and unruly by @100percentsassy/gloria_andrews (123k) *

Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

-ending this with a classic. i trust that everyone has read this masterpiece already and that i dont have to say anything about it other than w o w 

______________________________________________________________

tis all for now! happy reading and pleaseee feel free to yell @ me about these fics if you liked them as much as i did!! 

[astrxealis]

okay !! thoughts neath the cut, SPOILERS for p5 (vanilla) ending bits ?!?!? like. 12/24.

just small thoughts yeah anyways that was so goddamn amazing and epic and emotional and nice

tbh the whole mementos fusion w reality reminded me of a certain ff ?? no spoilers but that rlly helped w the emotional aspect tbh considering that ff made me so goddamn HDHAJDJKS AND IT STILL MAKES ME YEAH ... but yeah w the falling red rain and the weird af sky and disappearing. esp the disappearing (but diff stories)

okay i teared up w akechi but tbh morgana was the one that actually made me cry ?? like damn i was alrdy tearing up b4 bcs this is so heart warming like. power of friendship !! they've gone so far my poor lil lovely babies i love them so much :(( but morgana (fuck ppl who hate him btw /lh) i love him a lot ? esp bcs i understand his character tbh n he just. undeserved hate (same w mishima) tho both make sense w yeah (moreso mishima bcs mona only w that one bit tho, but not rlly either bcs like ?? it was just bad writing tbh mona doesnt deserve hate. mishima too but its more understandable in general) and DAMNEKJRKWJD THAT MADE ME SO SAD ... even if i have a feeling still that wont be the last time we see him (in the royal version, at least) bcs 1 i wont allow it to happen 2 ... idk but yes LMAO

satanael was so fucking cool that was SO EPIC AND THE MUSIC WAS SO GREATYFUDHKENDKS I LOVE THE CONFIDANTS I LOVE THE PHANTOM THIEVES SMMMMMMMMMM

tbh just feel free to watch my stream for like my reactions to stuff like w being surprised (laughing) at igor's. new (actual) higher pitched voice /lh HELPFPJWJDJW AND LAVENZAAAA THAT WAS SO SMART W THE BUTTERFLY !! also thank god that time i didnt get the credits LMAO i got the credits w the interrogation room bcs i sold out my friends :(( i dont like being dishonest okay WHEEZE I LEARNED MY LESSON THO !! FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC <3

honestly i rlly enjoyed all that tho even if the battle took so long (phew ... got it first try tho LETS GO GAYMERS) and yeah damn . that was such a great experience persona 5 is great man

but if it makes sense yeah still not complete ?? to me at least. mostly bcs ik theres still royal stuff. tbh i cld probably still stream if i want to but i rlly dont think i will instead anymore so i can enjoy it super thoroughly and moreso at a proper my pace? im /nm w streaming vanilla p5 tho hehe i rlly enjoyed doing so no lie <3 i cld use the ps play thing to uhhh share to my mac's screen but ion have an ethernet cable so it won't be as high qual ... and i dont have a capture card either :") idrm !! but yeah i wna keep track of how my gameplay is n take screenshots (bs that i cant even take screenshots on ps4 ffs) but yeah i wont like actually stream it anymore >< aaa so fun tho i rlly enjoyed it all TvT p5 is great but until i finish royal it still feels a bit empty for me KABWIWBDJS

i didnt date any of the girls yet bcs i like sumi WHAHAHDHAJ AND I DONT WANT TO GET LIKE ... more than 1 girl for valentines LMFAO bcs that shit like does stuff yeah ?? WHEEZE

i dont know how the normal ending is like but bruh akechi just up and appeared and im so glad hes not dead but im wondering and rlly excited nervous for royal content. aahsgehdhshdbsjsn <3

normal ending i will probably watch on yt !! hehe <3

but yeah that was a really great ending :( but yeah like i said like twice alrdy at this point. feels empty still bcs i know i have royal content to go thru n havent gone thru that yet LMFAOOWWJDJJS p5 def one of my fave games tho <3

okay thats it from my thoughts ... !! rlly looking forward to how the royal parts will go thru. scared but vv much looking forward to it

hello i finished the vanilla parts of p5 now

onto royal exclusive content now >:)))

[crowned-ladybug]

Sunshine Spots

I didn’t get to work on requests today (probably for the better bc my current condition is no good for writing), so I just wrote this re: ideas me and @sunkistjello have been talking about. I missed these two

Characters: Bing, Chase

Word count: 2k

Warnings: bit of self-hate/self-esteem issues. Bingaverage.

"Dude, you know what I just noticed, like...yesterday?"

"No, what?" Chase shoots back without looking away from the screen. He's busy editing, but Bing knows he's not being a bother by hanging out with him while he does. While Chase is still very unsure about ever making videos again, he likes helping Seán out with editing every once in a while.

Bing spins around in his chair one last time (he's absolutely the reason Chase has two and not only one spinny chair in his office) before pushing himself closer to Chase. "My skin is all clear and stuff. Like, there aren't even birthmarks or anything, not a single one!"

"That is because," Chase rolls his eyes fondly, nudging away the hand Bing had stuck out a little too close to his face. "you're very lucky. Also because you're an android."

Bing sighs and stares at his hand. He hates being artificial. But then something else clicks for him and he looks at Chase again. "What do you mean I'm lucky?"

"Because you don't have a bunch of ugly blotches on your skin?" Chase finally looks at him, raising an eyebrow like he’s just stated the obvious. "I don't know dude, I think that's pretty lucky."

Bing shakes his head and stares at his boyfriend for another moment, but Chase ignores it and goes back to editing. Chase is, simply said, pretty much covered in freckles and he hates them with a passion. He finds them ugly and ridiculous, and he never listens when Bing tells him he thinks they're wonderful.

"Chase..."

"No, there's no need for that," Chase shakes his head. Bing is giving him that sad, gentle look again, he knows without having to look, and he doesn't know how to deal. "My stupid blotches aren't the topic right now."

"But I think they're really pretty," he scoots a little closer, as close as his chair will let him go without knocking over Chase's. "You are really pretty."

Chase laughs fondly and shakes his head again. He decides to abandon his work for a moment and grant Bing his full attention. "You're sweet, but-"

"But you still hate them, I know," oh how he wishes that wasn't the case. He just wants Chase to love himself like he deserves to. "But I'll keep saying you're pretty until you actually believe me, man. You know I don't give up easily."

"More like you're a stubborn bastard, but yeah, I know," Chase smiles with just a little cheekiness to it, but then he adjusts his posture and it's gone again. "Thank you though. I might not believe it, but...it still means a lot, you know."

"Of course I know," he leans in closer and presses a small kiss to Chase's lips. At least that successfully makes him smile again. "And I think you're beautiful like this, but if there was a way I'd totally take them from you. Because I wanna have at least some spots and stuff and you don't, so...win, win?"

Chase laughs, loud and genuine, and Bing is proud as ever to have accomplished that. He also really wants to kiss him again, because he really is beautiful.

"Get yourself a marker or something," Chase jokes, and chuckles at the idea. "Draw yourself ugly spots if you want them so much."

"You know what?" Bing hums and Chase gives him a warning look. The marker was in no way an actually serious idea. "I think I might just do that. Except I'll draw myself pretty spots instead, like yours."

"Stop being so sweet, I don't know how to handle it," laughing again, Chase throws his head back and stares at the ceiling in defeat, trying to be as dramatic as possible. As long as he can keep the conversation away from his self-esteem issues by cracking jokes, he's going to be fine.

"Never!" Bing exclaims, leaning in closer and making Chase laugh again. He always gets so giddy when Bing pokes him enough. Bing waits until he stops laughing, then pulls him into a proper kiss. "As long as it keeps making you happy, I won't stop calling you pretty," he hums after he pulls away.

"I hate you," Chase mumbles, but the laugh in his voice says otherwise. "You're not even trying, are you?"

"Not really," Bing shrugs, and grins widely when Chase presses their noses together. To be honest, if he did try he would end up a stuttering mess instead. "I guess I'm just this good."

"Wow, way to ruin it," Chase rolls his eyes teasingly. "Go get yourself a damn marker or something. Shoo."

Bing does just that, though not immediately, because bothering (read: joking around with and kissing) Chase is still higher on his list of priorities. But eventually he gets his hands on a brown permanent marker. It's not perfect, but it should work, and hopefully it will actually be permanent on his skin too. But even if it isn't, he'd love to have freckles and whatnot even for just a day.

"Dude!" he cheers excitedly as he stumbles into the living room in search of Chase two days after the conversation in the office.

Chase is sitting on the couch in the company of his phone and an empty mug, and he looks up at Bing with a small smile. He puts both the mug and his phone down and is about to greet him, ask him what's got him so excited, when the words get caught in his throat.

Bing is standing in front of him in his favourite tank top, grinning like crazy and covered in freckles. His face, his shoulders, and the full length of his arms is covered in a myriad of tiny, brown dots that melt together into bigger patches, not unlike how they look on Chase's own skin. They look completely natural, like they've always been there, and they look absolutely amazing.

"What do you think?" Bing is still smiling like his new freckles are the greatest thing in the world, and maybe to him they really are right now.

Chase is still speechless, but he takes a breath and tries to get ahold of his voice. The first two words that come to his mind are "holy shit", but he doesn’t say them. When he finally speaks, his voice is full of joy and adoration.

"You look adorable!"

Bing's eyes widen and he covers his mouth like he's just been told the best news. "Really? I do?"

"Hell yeah you do," Chase can't stop grinning himself. He scoots back on the couch a little and motions for Bing to sit down next to him. "Holy shit, you look amazing."

Bing is generally a very happy person, but Chase isn't sure when the last time he's seen him this happy had been. It's the sort of overwhelming happiness that fills you with energy and makes you feel like you could run a marathon and not get tired, and it's the happiness Bing feels every time Chase tells him that he's the farthest from a robot he can get or when he gets to do something that's very, very human.

Slowly, Chase pulls Bing closer to himself and takes his face into his hands. He runs his thumbs over the freckles, carefully at first, his touch barely there. The paint doesn't smudge under his hand, and even from up close they look so real. He wonders if it's not actually markers, but he doesn't care to ask right now. He just sits and marvels in how perfect and amazing Bing looks with his new freckles.

"You're so pretty," he breathes without thinking, and Bing grins in response, because he's usually the one saying that to Chase about his freckles, and now it's the other way around.

"I tried to mimic your freckles," Bing starts proudly, and his eyes shine bright with his joy. Sometimes Chase wonders if it's just because of their light colour, or if they're actually glowing, but he's yet to test it. "I think it worked."

"I...I don't know how much they're like mine, but...gosh, you look adorable," he runs his thumb over Bing's cheek again and he presses into his touch a little. "I think I'm gonna be staring at you non-stop for the next two days or however long these will last, because I can't get enough of how pretty you look."

Bing doesn't exactly know how to respond to that, all he knows is that he's really, really happy. He leans forward more and captures Chase lips in a short kiss, just enough so that it's there.

"You do realise I used you as an example, right? So if you think my freckles are so amazing, then that means yours are too. Even more so probably, because I'm not a good artist," Bing laughs. Though he originally just really wanted something on his skin because that's a human thing, and because Chase's freckles are gorgeous, he also really hoped he could end up showing Chase just how lovely his freckles really look, even if on Bing's skin and not on his.

"No, shut up," Chase shakes his head, but he can't help but smile. He knows he's blushing, he blushes way too easily. He laughs a little when Bing listens and doesn't say anything and kisses his nose instead. "How long are they going to last? Is it even markers? It doesn’t look like it."

"Not sure," Bing hums and leans back a little. Chase pulls his hands back as he watches Bing tuck one of his legs under himself and get more comfortable. "It's paint I got from the Googles, not sure why they even have stuff like this. But it's not permanent."

Chase nods. He's not sure if he's glad or not. He already loves the way Bing looks with freckles way too much, he’s gorgeous and he just can’t get enough of him. But he also wouldn't want him to just permanently stain his skin on a whim. He looks amazing, sure, but Chase would be worried Bing would wind up hating the freckles eventually, and he knows all too well how that feels. He wouldn't want Bing to ever experience that.

"I'll wait until they come off completely, but so far I really like having them," Bing looks one of his arms over as he talks, then looks back to Chase with a wide smile. "Oliver said they could give me permanent freckles that don't come off. Well, maybe they could still get them off later if I wanted them to because, you know, all the augmentation they know how to do, but they wouldn't fade or anything."

Chase doesn't want to say that he wishes his were like that too, just gone when he wanted them to because hell does he want them gone, but he doesn't want to burst Bing's bubble by being all angsty again. So instead he smiles. "That's cool! Permanent or not, I'm really glad you like having them."

Too bad Bing reads between the lines (Chase's ones at least) so well. But he lets it slide for now, knowing he will surely come back to it later. He'll do as he had said – he won't stop telling Chase how pretty he is as long as it will make him happy. But for now he wants to celebrate his own freckles.

"I love them! Dude, I look so pretty now!" Bing beams again, because his excitement is still very much present and bubbling. He stares at his own arms again, grin wide as ever, because he just can't get used to how great those dots look on him. He only looks up when he hears Chase laugh fondly at him.

"Yeah, you really do."

[blookmallow]

bowser’s castle is A Struggle but on the bright side i think im finally getting good at this game (even tho im not As Good/dont like it as much as thousand year door i finally got the hang of it) (and again im. playing it on an emulator so ive got weird visual glitches to deal with/a very, very bizarre keyboard setup bc i dont have a controller so its been. an adventure, but) 

------

i went back to flower fields to see if i missed anything and FINALLY defeated the amayzee dayzee and then.... my spell went off..... this is so many star points,

back to Glitch Mountain

i mean. shooting star summit. or w/e it was called 

this doesn’t capture it all that well but this screen is glitchy as SHIT every time i go here 

oooooooooooo

HOLY SHIT !!!!!! ME ?? this place is 100% my soul aesthetic im gonna cry

I HIT THE TREE AND IT RAINED SPARKLES!!!!!!!

THESE STARS ARE SO CUTE !!!! 

THEY GOT THE CHEAPEST LIFE SHROOMS I HAVE EVER SEEN !!

lays down n cries

i love this place im never leaving 

aw shit

goombario’s continued enthusiasm for architecture and interior design is......so cute.............

bless

HERE I COME U GIANT EDGELORD TURTLE

very nice, i dig bowser’s aesthetic as well, 

bloooaaahhhhhhhh to you too 

👍  thanks mate theres a heal block and some toad friends down here so really you’re doing me a favor 

:’) my lil cloud friend seems to be having a hard time with the lava 

whats the deal w/ lakitu clouds anyway is it like. an extension of the lakitu themselves or is the cloud a separate, sentient being that just. never talks or is addressed or anything 

im guessing they’re probably semisentient like pets or something but i have no idea 

hhhooo boy

that is a Lot of lava 

i rly like how this level is designed though even if it is massive and confusing, like. you have to use all your partners to get around and i feel like they hadn’t really been doing a great job of making all the partners equally helpful thus far?? like you’d need them around the immediate area where you found them but then not really very many other places and now i legit need everyone’s help to make it through and i like that a lot 

i havent felt nearly as strong of a connection w/ my partners in this game as i did in thousand year door but this level, as much suffering as it has been, is still like. a really nice balance between “this is creative and challenging”/”but not so frustrating i want to die/not so difficult it ceases to be fun anymore” 

:’) i feel rly bad for these guys tbh

they r doing their best 

whoops

i ruined all the lava im sorry :’ ) 

alright this is WAY MORE DEAD ENDS than necessary B( 

sighs

i hate this too bc i can’t tell if it’s legitimately just a dead end or if there’s still something hidden here that i couldn’t figure out 

like it looks like it was just here to trick you (theres a bowser statue thing by the entrance to this room and if u move it back the other way it turns out theres ANOTHER hidden entrance and that one leads to a thing so this one’s probably just. nothing, but) 

:’) goombario is losing patience 

OK FUCK THIS PUZZLE THO 

i have genuinely no idea how i managed to get this many right 

THIS IIIS THE CASTLE THAT NEVER ENDS 

IT JUST GOES ON AND ON MY FRIENDS

i m gonna die in here and nobody’s going to be able to find my body for the next 58 years. this is taking forever :’ ) 

i also misread this as “hells” at first, which. yea

HOWEVER i have like four life shrooms and have as of yet not used any of them, ive leveled up like 3 times just in this castle alone. im managing pretty damn well. its just. it is so much :’ ) 

BUT i am glad that its so much. bc like. shiver city was loads of fun but it didnt feel very End Game to me and this feels like a proper Final Challenge type deal

bless these sweet toads they r doing their best......... i lov them

i  m laughing one of bowser’s goons is just

selling all his shit 

[satyr-syd]

Sero isn’t bothered when Kayama-sensei assigns Bakugou as his partner for a project. Actually, he’s kind of glad. Bakugou is one of his friends, and it doesn’t hurt that in terms of academics, Bakugou is third in their class - definitely the kind of person he wants on his team.

Bakugou doesn’t seem the feel the same. In fact, Sero’s pretty sure he hates group projects. The way he furiously muttered, “I hate group projects,” when Kayama-sensei announced the project kind of gave it away.

They had met at the library after school to talk about the project. Sero already had ideas for topics - the project was a five minute presentation on the societal changes between the second and third quirk generations - but Bakugou shut him down before he could offer a suggestion.

“I’ll have this done by the deadline,” Bakugou says. “So you can leave now.”

Sero pauses from pulling his notebook out of his backpack. “Wait. What?”

Bakugou rolls his eyes. “What the fuck do you think? I’m going to do it myself, obviously.”

Sero is suddenly having second thoughts about having Bakugou as a partner. He knows Bakugou doesn't work well with others, but this seems excessive. “Dude. Hero work is all about collaboration.”

“This isn’t fucking hero work, is it? I can do this better all myself,” Bakugou says. “I’ll put together the presentation. And present it. You can stand there and...change the slides or something.”

Sero isn’t one to get in the way. When the top students like Bakugou or Todoroki or Midoriya went head on in a fight, Sero was more than happy to let them take the lead. He couldn't do anything when villains attacked during the school trip. He hadn't done anything to help Bakugou when he was captured. Even at the sports festival, Sero had let Bakugou make all their decisions, only chipping in when he was needed to pull Bakugou back onto their shoulders.

But in the end, everything had worked itself out, without Sero's active participation. He wasn't needed.

Hero work was one thing - unpredictable, dangerous, and best left to the strongest players. But this was classwork. And Sero felt guilty putting this whole project on Bakugou.

“I can’t just do nothing, man, I want to contribute something,” he says.

Bakugou slams his hands on the table. “I told you, I’ll do it.”

Sero doesn’t even flinch. He’s not intimidated by Bakugou’s aggressive tendencies. “I feel kind of useless, though,” he complains.

“I don’t give a shit,” Bakugou says. “I will do this and I will get us a perfect score, can’t you be satisfied with that?”

Sero bets this was how group projects were for Bakugou in middle school. He would be the super bossy one who took control of the project, and the everyone else would just be happy they could slack off. And hey, Sero was man enough to admit he was sometimes that guy. But that was before - now he’s at U.A. He has to get serious and earn his own grades. “Not if I don’t deserve it,” Sero tells him.

Bakugou groans, reaching into his backpack. “If I give you something to do, will you shut up?”

Sero smirks. “For 8000 dollars, I will stop.”

“The shit does that mean?”

“Just...give me something to do.”

He waits patiently while Bakugou pulls a paper out and shoves it at him. It’s the list of sample topics Kayama gave them. “Pick one.”

Sero glances at the list. Most of the topics seemed pretty boring, and Sero doesn’t even know what most of them are. But he notices that some of them are circled - maybe the ones Bakugou was considering? He picks the most interesting one of those. “How about Quirk Marriages?”

“Fine.” Bakugou snatches the paper back, and starts packing it into his bag. “There. You contributed.”

Just like that, his satisfaction disappears. Poof. Like Thirteen sucked it up and it disappeared into nothing. “Wait - that’s it?”

“Duh, that’s it,” Bakugou says, throwing on his backpack. “I can handle the rest, Soy Sauce Face.”

Sero rolls his eyes at the nickname. “Look, I know you think I’m stupid - and hey, I might be, in comparison to you - but that doesn’t mean I can’t be useful.” Even as the words leave Sero's mouth, he doesn't quite believe them. Was he useful during the end of term exam? Was he useful during the USJ attack?

“How many times do I have to say it to get it through your thick fucking skull?” Bakugou says at a near shout. “I. Don’t. Need. Your. Help!”

By the time the librarian comes to quiet them down with her voice silencing quirk, Bakugou’s long gone, leaving Sero alone, no closer to being useful than before.

To group: bakugou’s harem

snape (snail tape) do u guys ever feel useless

reeeeeed riot. *yum* Yes Wait bro are you feeling useless Because even though youre entitled to your feelings And I get how easy it is to feel like that

its always wednesday did someone call you useless????

reeeeeed riot. *yum* But i think youre really valuable!!!

its always wednesday tell me who ill fite them

reeeeeed riot. *yum* Ashido why must we resort to violence

lightnin mcmeme bro ur lyin if u thikn u wouldnt fight an army for seros honor

reeeeeed riot. *yum* … True

snape (snail tape) i have...the graetest frends

lightnin mcmeme we kno

its always wednesday obvi

reeeeeed riot. *yum* But hey bro are you doing okay?

snape (snail tape) yeah its just u guys have done so much cool shit this year and i have not and i kinda feel like guilty about it? but also like...whatever bc u all can do anything w/o me  

lightnin mcmeme mkay 1st thing: u couldve sent that as 1 text

snape (snail tape) why? does this annoy you?

lightnin mcmeme bruh

reeeeeed riot. *yum* Sero Hanta listen to me right now you are a very valuable human and a great asset to this class. Just because you havent had the chance shown your strengths like everyone else doesnt mean you dont have them or arent useful

its always wednesday what he said! u did amaaaaaazing in the sports festival!

lightnin mcmeme and u passed the hero license exam which even splodey didnt pass

its always wednesday and ur definitely the best at mobility we wouldnt have stood a chance in the cavalry battle w/o u!

reeeeeed riot. *yum* Youre like the tape that holds us together

lightnin mcmeme ur *literaly* the tape that holds us together

its always wednesday plus u came up w all our screen names !! which are cool af!!!!

snape (snail tape) thenks guys that means a lot im feeling a lot better now

reeeeeed riot. *yum* Yay!

its always wednesday yay!!!!!!

lightnin mcmeme glad ur feelin better dude!! but also y did u write thanks like that

snape (snail tape) why did u just double text like that

lightnin mcmeme ....touche

Sero is used to taking the sidelines, but this time will be different. Energized by the support from his friends, Sero vows to prove to Bakugou - and himself - that he’s useful.

He tries to do a bit of research for the project on his own. There’s an article on some online magazine that gives a general history of quirk marriages, from the first quirk marriage to the protests against them. Proud of his find, and much more informed than before, Sero pulls out his phone.

snape (snail tape) hey. found a cool article bout qrk marriage [link]

The Boy Who Cussed I read that shit already

Shit. Of course he had. It was practically the first thing that popped up when he searched  “quirk marriage.”

Sero tries to think of something to say back that won’t make him seem stupid when he sees that Bakugou’s typing something else.

The Boy Who Cussed But if you actually want to be useful Find out the causes leading up to the first quirk marriage protest

Never before has Sero been so excited to do school work. (He probably never would be again.) But getting Bakugou to trust part of their workload to him feels like a victory.

snape (snail tape) yeah np!

When Sero explains to their friends how their project is coming, Ashido claps him on the back. “You like, out-stubborned Bakuboy, which is basically unheard of,” she says. “You’re a force to be reckoned with, Cellophane!”

Sero preens at her praise. He didn’t think of himself as a stubborn guy, but he was persistent when he needed to be.

That wasn’t entirely true, though. Ever since he told his friends how he was feeling on the group chat, he’d been thinking about his place at U.A. Mostly, how he wasn’t persistent about pursuing a spot in the spotlight next to U.A.’s strongest. He had shrugged off his loss at the sports festival. He was the only one who failed the end of term test whose team had beat their hero opponent. He was content to sit back while his friends stormed on ahead of him, blaming his poor results on his less-powerful quirk rather than his relaxed attitude.

That wasn’t any different than sitting back and letting Bakugou do all this work on their project. Ashido called him stubborn, but a truly stubborn person wouldn’t be content with second place. Sure, he felt useless, but he wasn’t doing anything about it. If he really wanted to do better for himself, he’d have to make a bigger effort. Ashido called him stubborn, but a truly stubborn person wouldn’t be content with second place.

snape (snail tape) dude u should come to my dorm we can work on the project together

From The Boy Who Cussed no

snape (snail tape) come on man itll be fun

The Boy Who Cussed This isn’t supposed to be fun, assfuck

snape (snail tape) we can MAKE it fun

The Boy Who Cussed NO

snape (snail tape) what do you have against fun bakugou do u even know what fun is

The Boy Who Cussed OF COURSE I KNOW WHAT FUN IS FUCKTRUCK STOP TEXTING ME IM WORKING

snape (snail tape) r u allergic to fun ill stop if u come over

Bakugou doesn’t reply. Sero hears stomping. Suddenly his door slams open.

Bakugou is absolutely fuming. Smoke is literally coming from his palms. Sero silently counts this as another victory.

He storms into Sero’s room, slamming the door behind him and dropping his stuff on the ground. “I hope you’re fucking happy,” he growls.

“I’m positively joyous.”

Sero looks over the back of his chair, watching Bakugou work.

“So. How’s it coming?” Sero asks. “Were the sources I found useful?”

Without looking up, Bakugou lists off his evaluation. “The first source wasn’t credible. You can’t just cite some rando’s blog.” Sero’s heart plummets. “The second one would have been good - but it was the wrong time period. The third was beyond biased.” He pauses before continuing on. “The last one was...suitable.”

Sero gulps. Next to his past few victories, this is definitely a loss. He’s only proven Bakugou right by giving him these shitty sources.

This is why he usually let the others take the spotlight - they knew what they were doing. They were smart, they were reliable. Maybe Bakugou was right. Maybe he could do this better alone. Maybe Sero really was useless.

“Why the fuck do you want to help so bad anyway?” Bakugou speaks so quietly, Sero almost doesn’t hear him. He’s not even sure if he was supposed to hear him.

Sero decides to answer his question anyway.

“I don’t want to mooch off your work. I want to earn my own grade - it’s not fair to either of us if I don’t do any work,” he explains. “It’s like when you’re fighting, and someone doesn’t even try to fight against you. Even if you win, it doesn’t feel like a win, you know?”

Bakugou looks back at him with a near unreadable expression on his face. Sero isn’t sure whether he’s hit a nerve or struck a chord in him. Maybe both.

Suddenly Bakugou gets up and shoves his papers into his bag. Sero leans back in his chair and holds back a sigh. Fuck. I went to far. Now he’d be back at square one.

“I’m going to send you a list of sources.”

Sero looks up. Bakugou’s still standing by the open door.

“Take notes on them, then give them to me,” he demands.

Sero lights up. “Yeah, sure!”

Bakugou leaves, but Sero’s feeling more confident than before. He just needs to be stubborn like Bakugou. He’ll kept trying until he gets this right.

They meet in the library next week.

Bakugou is, to put it lightly, frustrated.

Sero thought the project was going well. Bakugou actually read over his notes and constructed a summary from it. They had the slides planned out and everything - but Bakugou still wasn’t satisfied.

“This isn’t good enough!” Bakugou says, throwing down his notes. “This is just generic, dumb facts. If we want to beat everyone else we need to do more.”

“I don’t think this is about beating the others.” Sero didn’t miss how he said “we” this time, instead of “I.” Another victory.

Bakugou ignores him. “We need to make a claim. Show how quirk marriage had a lasting effect.”

“It’s not like quirk marriage is dead,” Sero comments. Bakugou looks at him weird, so he tries to explain himself. “You say it like it’s a thing of the past, but people still do it, even if it’s not super common. My neighbor is the result of a quirk marriage. And she’s not even like, thirty.”

Bakugou’s eyes go wide, and his lips twitch. “That’s perfect,” Bakugou says, nearly jumping out of his seat. “Get an interview with her. We can put a video on the slides.”

Sero grins. “I can ask, sure!”

Bakugou leans back in his chair, kicking his legs up on the desk. “Top that, Ponytail girl.”

snape (snail tape) is this u? [link]

The Boy Who Cussed THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOESD TO MEAN FUCKFACE??!!!

A few days later, they sit in front of Bakugou’s laptop, looking at the draft of their final presentation.

At the moment, the slides have a black backdrop with bright orange text in some hardcore font that’s incredibly hard to read. Sero notes that the colors match his costume. Each slide looks the same - blocks of information in bullet points, too hard to read.  

“Hey, Bakugou do you take constructive criticism?” Sero asks.

"No."

"It fucking sucks."

Bakugou swivels around in his seat, snarling. “The fuck do mean? It looks fucking cool.”

Considering Bakugou’s parents worked in the fashion industry, Sero would have thought Bakugou would have an eye for design. These slides proved that assumption wrong. “Yeah, maybe, but like...could we make it readable?”

Bakugou narrows his eyes. “You don’t think it’s readable?” he asks accusingly.

Sero throws up his arms. “I’m just calling it as I see it, dude.” Knowing that this is an area where Bakugou falls short, Sero makes this an opportunity for himself. He’s not an artist by any means, but he’s sure he can do better than this. “How about you can write the presentation, and I’ll design the slides.”

Bakugou glares at him for a moment, no doubt questioning whether he can trust Sero with this task.

“Relax. It’ll be fine,” Sero reassures him. “I promise I’ll put a lot of effort into it - and you can look over it when I’m done, so you can make sure it’s up to your standards.”

“Fucking fine,” Bakugou relents.

Sero is more than satisfied with the end result. One - because it was a bombass presentation, two - because Bakugou couldn’t have done this without Sero’s help, and three - because they got full marks from Kayama-sensei. She even complimented them on the sleek design of their presentation.

“Put it here, Bakugou!” Sero holds up his hand.

With a grin closer to a smirk, Bakugou slams his palm against Sero’s. His high five is just as explosive as his...well, explosions. That’s going to leave a mark.

Shaking out his wrist, Sero says, “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Bakugou rolls his eyes. But Sero's silently proud of Bakugou for giving up some of his agency. He knows Bakugou likes to do things himself, and he bets Bakugou had just as hard a time sharing group work as Sero had trying to feel useful.

“You should have shown what you’re capable of earlier, Soy Sauce Face,” Bakugou says. “What the fuck have you been holding back for?”

Sero can hear Kirishima’s voice in his head saying So manly!

Bakugou’s words hit Sero like a punch. In middle school, Sero was described as plain. Plain face, plain clothes, plain personality. He thought going to U.A. would change all of that, and it did, at first. But Sero saw himself quickly falling behind ever since the sports festival. Against Bakugou and Kaminari’s flashy quirks or Ashido’s magnetic personality or Kirishima’s sheer resilience, Sero was once again the plain person in the pack. The useless one.

Sero is beginning to realize that this is his own fault. He can see how hard his classmates work - he just needs to up his game.

Bakugou’s right - what is he holding back for? He’s capable of so much more if he doesn’t play follower to the leaders of the pack. Sero can keep up with them - this project proved it.

“I’m not holding back,” Sero tells him. “I’m just warming up!”

Bakugou smirks. “Better catch up quick.”

“Trust me, I’m just getting started.”

ao3 | based on this hc | more like this

pst there’s a tiny deleted scene on ao3 in the notes if youre interested

[swearronchanel]

4.03 to kill some time

I’m so stressed *no surprise* and I’m very much over this semester even though there’s 6 more weeks lol but I’m going to do what I do best before I go to my last class: avoid my problems and responsibilities & watch call the midwife  (4.03 won the episode roulette) and post my trash commentary™..

How many series has Fred been in charge of these volunteer whatever’s and I still don’t know the proper name/title??

LOL @ the shrieks but I feel, rats are nasty af. There’s so many in the train stations in nyc it’s gross

Phyllis !! back when I didn’t really like her omg I was a fool

Sister MJ so pure lol, she doesn’t wanna poison the rats

fuck that tho kill em all

Here comes Trixie 😍 my bby & her fabulous pyjamas. I want them 😭

Ivy from downton abbey out here, I forgot she was Mrs Amos

Imagine if someone actually relevant from downton guest starred on ctm? That’d be lit

Hey Pats

“Baby at the surgery?” LOL Phyllis was such a bitch to my bby Shelagh in the beginning tbh 😂😂 it’s fine all is forgiven, i love her now. BESIDES THEY HUGGED & SHELAGH CALLED HER A FRIEND & IT WAS SO SWEET

Angela is so precious w/ her ears that stick out lol

Dysentery yikes

Phyllis gets shit done though. I love it

Noted: Patsy says “garage” funny & Patrick says “recourses” funny. Idk if it’s just the accent and I’m a childish American or if they just say it weird?? prob the former

I hate watching this online because there are no subtitles 😭😭

like I know this random bitch in the clinic just said something rude about the Irish family but it’s not clear !

my bby shelagh so precious even explaining how to properly wash your hands

but I hope they burned that blue dress though. She’s too pretty to wear ugly clothes !! 😭😍

Shelagh’s so nice & patient 😂like if I was her I would’ve told Phyllis to keep it pushing and that I got it covered

Helen George slays every hair style, I freaking wish

Oh shit I forgot Tom & Trixie were engaged here haha

I’m slightly uncomfortable 😂

I forgot about this storyline, I feel so sad for the Mcavoys

Patsy’s outfit 😍 I love it

sister MJ out here trying to capture the rats to set them free 😂

I still don’t really get what the Rose Queen thing is/how it works

this poor Irish family can’t catch a break

Oh shit wait this is when Tony gets set up right, well it seemed like a set up.

damn though Tony was really about to get it with this guy in a public bathroom?? hm  never mind

But it was so suspicious that the guy didn’t immediately break away & then didn’t even say anything, just blew that damn whistle?? no coñfio

I swear it was a set up but anyways

I knew you could be arrested for being gay at the time in the uk but it’s still wild to me when I watched this episode. Like how fucked up? To be deemed a criminal for wanting to be with someone of the same sex. I’m pretty sure it’s still like that in some countries too. Insane

But still fucked up of Tony, like you’re married. Can’t defend cheating

See Trixie agrees, we don’t like cheaters

“No dark secrets girls, not if you value your life”

Marie’s dad said “garage” the same way, maybe it’s the accent

Aw my bbys are back on screen

“Surely with nurse crane on the warpath, dysentery doesn’t stand a chance”  hell yea, Phyllis👏🏼can👏🏼take👏🏼on👏🏼 anything

But I’m glad Shelagh solves the mystery because it was rather dull when she wasn’t doing much & she’s too good for that!

“I thought I might assist you in a manner of a Dr Watson” SHE’S SO CUTE 💖

yea okay lady you tell yourself it’s a decent street bc there’s no Irish

prejudice boils my blood

“..I’m always very careful, especially with an accent” lol um you all have accents ???

I forgot for a second that they prob don’t consider anyone to have accents because they live there lol, same way I swear I don’t have an accent until someone that’s not from nyc calls it out😭 But Shelagh’s accent is obviously different too ?? Besides I think the Irish family is easier to understand than some of the local people ?? Hmm. I’m not even going to bother figuring it out, whatever. The woman lied and you’re still perfect Shelagh

But I approve of the navy blue suit. Her lighter blue dress wasn’t a look  

Babs was kind of irrelevant here tbh lol

Tom whispering “I’m in love with you” to Trixie like same, who isn’t. Beatrix is a dream

“Who knows what undesirable will be purged next?”  *clenches fist* aghh, I wish it was the nasty stale cheeto running my country

Lol omg Fred’s small glasses

Aw sister Julienne, she hasn’t been in this episode much 😭

Jenny Agutter is so great and I’m still not over the fact that she loves rap & especially Eminem. Like I need a video of her singing “shake that ass for me”😂😂 I’d die.

poor Mr Amos 💔

More dinner table scenes in series 7, I love when the majority of the cast is together

Omg how awful/ sacrilegious of me is it to ask that someone make an edit of the the last supper with the Call the midwife cast 😭😭

Eh I’ve said/done worse, god forgive me lol *does the cross, en el nombre del padre, y del hijo y espiritu santo*

Agreed Babs, Mr Amos is so good looking 😭😉

“Don’t make that your criteria for men. My mother always said find a plain man, he’ll be eternally grateful and never stray” LMAOO PHYLLIS I LOVE YOU

my mother tells me “find a rich man because you’re high maintenance and can’t afford it” 😂😂 .. still working on that

“I always thought the essence of crime is that some harm is done to someone” right SIster MJ!?😭

Okay sister W, the Bible says it’s a sin but the Bible condemns a lot of things.  Like the doesn’t the Bible even say don’t mix clothing fabrics lol

“Well quite frankly, I thought we fought a war of fascism. And that’s exactly what this is, telling people who they can and can not love”  yes Trixie👏🏼 that’s my bby

Patsy sitting there so uncomfortable aww

I don’t think the show has touched on homosexuality since this episode?? are we thinking someone else with find out about Patsy and Delia in series 7??  so curious

Netflix cut this Turner scene, just like they cut most of their cute scenes like how dare they

“Patrick, you’ll think me naive..” she’s so innocent

“I supposed it’s how we made things..There isn’t much room for a different way”

SHELAGH’S REACTION WHEN PATRICK SAYS KINSYS REPORT STATES A “GOOD DEAL OF MEN HAVE HAD HOMOSEXUAL THOUGHTS” KILLS ME EVERY.TIME😂😂

Once again Laura Main proving she’s the queen of facial expressions

“We should live and let live” Patrick’s not here to judge & I’m glad

Do judges or whatever they’re called in the U.K. still wear those wigs?

Oh shit he was a constable I didn’t remember that

Trixie and Phyllis is the dynamic I am here™ for

right after Trixie & Shelagh but I’ll leave that be for now, you know my feelings

3 series of Phyllis’s barley sugar mentions & I still don’t know what the hell they are

And considering my phone is on me just about all the time you’d think I would’ve googled it by now ??

Poor Patrick trying to speak and being shut up

I don’t like his hair gelled down though. But he’s stopped that thankfully

remembering people really think you can “cure homosexuality” again, wild

omg ew what kind of bug was that *cringes*

Lol that baby does not look like a new born

they’re giving Tony estrogen wtf

Phyllis is right yikes that hostile belongs in the past

How is Patrick comfortable eating in there

Phyllis has been scolding Patrick on his eating habits since 1960😂

Phyllis and Trixie sharing a room and both have towels wrapped around their heads 😂😭 I love it

Omg Trixie is helping Phyllis with her Spanish I forgot

“I have a great desire to go to Spain one day..” LET PHYLLIS GO TO SPAIN 2k18/1963 !!

Phyllis calling out Trixie’s drinking..

She notices everything

Trixie taking the new rose queens glasses off lol, just like she lowkey wanted Shelagh to take her glasses off during the wedding

Who does this lady think she is banishing people from the community centre??

“Small mindedness has no place here” yes Pats

Ok Fred’s group is called the CDC, but what does that stand for

“A man can be too clean” wait why does she think there’s a correlation between cleanliness and being gay??

Poor Mrs Amos 😭 I feel bad for them both though

“Am I the only one who doesn’t despise them?” Aww Patsy

“Of course not, I just don’t think it’s our battle to fight” .. “who will then?” !!!!!! Thisssss. Still relevant today. Can’t stay silent

Trixie in another pair of fabulous pyjamas. I want them!

Ok but for real when is Trixie going to find out about Patsy and Delia ??

Sister J is so cute lol & her suggesting Phyllis to go with Patrick like hell yes

Another duo I’m here for 😂

I need Phyllis in my life, she’d set me straight and would give advice when I need it

Honestly I need her voice on a recording to play back whenever I make bad decisions 😂😂

Oh shit they graffitied The Amos’ door

Mr Amos is trying to take his life while his wife is bringing another life into the world ..

aw I’m tearing. Marie’s dad stopping Tony & telling him he has a daughter

“Best advice I ever received. When in the path of an unstoppable force it’s always best to surrender” PHYLLIS FU*KING CRANE LADIES & GENTLEMEN, A HERO AND ACTUAL GEM

And my bby Shelagh solving the mystery of the dysentery outbreak! She’s Also a gem 💕

“Elementary” “My dear Watson”😭😭😍❤️ bbys!

Patrick and Phyllis celebrating their victory omg so golden

“..And if anyone doesn’t like it then they can go home and stew in their own mean spiritedness..” yes Trixie that’s my bby!

Cue Vanessa “..We can protect all that we have”

Sister MJ yelling at the little boys aww 😭😂 “we are all gods creatures” ..“some are easier to love than others” ..“it’s the others that need us most!”

I just need Sister MJ protected at every cost, please!!

“But that place which we call home must be the place in which we are ourselves with no facade, no foundations weak, below us. Only then can we face outwards with our heads held high, claim the roles assigned to us, with open, honest hearts.. ”

Maybe I should google the rose queen too, is this a real thing?

Patsy holding Tony’s hand 😭

Everyone ended up clapping ugh my heart 😢

why does ctm always make me so emotional ? literally gold in television form. & it has ruined tv for me because there will never be a show greater than this

I want to watch another episode, but I have class in 10 mins ughh. ok bye guys. I dont have time to check my spelling and shit so bear with me and excuse it all 

[tobiologist]

it’s lonely on jupiter, final chapter

“It isn’t often that someone comes along and surprises Iwaizumi. He’s not easily caught off guard, not at all. Or at least that’s what he likes to think. So, when Oikawa Tooru shows up, a living, breathing oxymoron strutting about on two solid legs, he must admit that he’s a little impressed.”

or: oikawa’s always loved aliens but never thought he’d actually fall in love with one

CHAPTER SUMMARY:  In which the Supervisor has secrets and Iwaizumi makes an offer.

~a week later, aboard the BC Ambition~

The tablet is cool to the touch underneath the Supervisor’s fingers. Metallic and smooth, he brushes his fingers anxiously along the edges, lingering on the rounded corners. Four faces stare back, almost accusingly, from the screen. Two human and two all too familiar.

Harec, that’s the name he adopted for himself. His original name, the one provided at birth, was far too terran for his liking. Anything terran in origin made his skin crawl. The list presented thousands, millions, of names to choose from, and Harec was immediately drawn to the Vulominian section, a culture known for simple yet noble names.

But some people would never know his true name.

>> READ THE REST ON AO3 <<

He’s known for a while now. Longer than he would like to admit. The information is top secret for a reason. If any of the files leaked to the civilian population, riots may break out, chaos, anarchy. Supervisors and other officials are warned from day one about the consequences of leaking anything from the ship’s personal records.  

Harec certainly wasn’t supposed to have glimpsed the files, let alone share the information with anyone. Not that it would be the first government secret he had uncovered over the course of his professional life.

To him, though, it felt like the most important piece of information he’d ever stumbled across.

There are numerous reasons why their people aren’t permitted to know the identity of their parents. Primarily, the familial ties are believed to interfere with work, with the exploration of the universe and expansion of their society. It was decided long before Harec’s birth that the concept of the “family” would die.

Regardless of the process, the true identities of each individual’s biological parents are held in the ship’s records. Only Medics are permitted to access these records, considering their duty to maximize the lifespans of citizens- specifically those with important roles, such as Researchers.

And Harec… he really hadn’t meant to see it.

He’d brought a criminal down to the medical bay for cognitive reformation. Every available Medic was preoccupied at the moment and could care less about Harec’s presence. One of the many screens was used for surveying a patient’s medical records. And it had captured Harec’s attention.

The files were unlocked, open, free to wandering eyes. Names filled the screen, bold black letters practically demanding his focus. Harec couldn’t look away. The damage was already done.

Iwaizumi Hajime was, biologically, his child.

It took every ounce of self-control to drag his eyes away from the screen. Staring didn’t change anything, and neither did averting his gaze, when he finally managed to do so. Harec probably had other children, but Iwaizumi was the only he knew of. And that made a considerable difference.

He’d never been tempted to break the law up until then. The very embodiment of an upstanding Supervisor, Harec was far too influential to let the news affect him. It didn’t stop the slew of ideas, though, that flooded his mind. Of families he’d met on other planets, images from Earth, and each hurt more than the last. If things were different…

Harec quickly shook these thoughts and acted as he should: like nothing had changed. Iwaizumi Hajime would be alright on his own. He had a normal Mentor, and, as he grew older, big aspirations and the sort of drive that would surely shape him into an upstanding citizen.

Then, everything went wrong.

Daichi Sawamura was more corrupt than anyone could have ever imagined. And he dragged poor Iwaizumi down with him

Once Harec heard of Daichi’s past shortcomings and the controversy surrounding his relationship with Ikejiri Hayato, he made a decision. He and Daichi would never get along. However, Harec wouldn’t allow emotions to cloud his better judgment and worked to convince everyone his distaste for Daichi stemmed from past mishaps rather than his own jealousy and rage.

Harec also made another decision. It wasn’t easy, but it would save Iwaizumi a great deal of trouble in the long run. Harec had always preferred an… aesthetically pleasing form. He enjoyed looking in the mirror, peering into round, bright eyes, fingers smoothing over soft skin and a sharp jawline akin to that of a terran “movie star.”

Iwaizumi would never care about Harec.

Harec would always despise Daichi for having Iwaizumi so close and choosing to ruin him. And, with the way Iwaizumi watched Daichi with starry-eyed admiration, it was impossible to imagine him liking anyone who wronged his beloved Mentor.

The realization sunk like a lead weight to the bottom of Harec’s gut. From that day forward, he chose a different form specifically for interactions with Daichi and Iwaizumi. The Nameerans were not known for their beauty. Many species found them to be unsightly, including Harec. With scaly skin, clinging to nearly visible bone, and thin pupils, grotesque rows of fangs, they were notorious for intimidating other species throughout the universe. Which was exactly what Harec wanted.

Iwaizumi grew to hate him nearly as much as Harec hated Daichi.

And then, just like that, Iwaizumi’s life was at stake. For the sake of a human, of all things. Harec wouldn’t have it. Iwaizumi may have made poor decisions, but he was Harec’s child. Emotions that had long lied dormant inside his chest came bursting to the surface.

Harec wouldn’t let Iwaizumi die.

“Harec Erusha,” a voice recites, from the opposite end of the room. The sharp tone drags Harec from his musings. “Supervisor #1222. Tasked with the reprimanding of Iwaizumi Hajime and Mentor, Daichi Sawamura.”

“Present. And, yes, the details provided are correct,” Harec mumbles. Golden strands of hair brush his forehead, and Harec flinches. It’s been ages; he isn’t used to this form anymore.

“It seems as if their chips have been disconnected from the mainframe.” A faint scratching sound fills the room as the Supervisor slides into the seat across from Harec. “We no longer have access to their location, health... “

“The chips were disengaged,” Harec answers bluntly.

His fellow Supervisor smirks. The tips of her pointed ears twitch ever so slightly, nearly translucent blue eyes focusing on Harec. “Disengaged?”

“I believe you know what I mean.” The words burn, almost as much as the thought of never seeing Iwaizumi again. Harec moves his hands from the tablet to his lap, fingers clenching into the spotless fabric of his pants.

“You dispatched of them completely. Yes?”

Harec swallows down the sudden lump in his throat. He can do this. For Iwaizumi, he will do this.

“Of course.”

“Good,” the Supervisor replies. They adjust the tablet on their side of the table, scrolling through what can only be Iwaizumi and Daichi’s mission logs. “Based on their crimes, both would have been hung once returned to the ship.”

Iwaizumi, presented before a crowd of professionals, crimes rattled off as the gathered officials proved their “point.” Iwaizumi, lying cold and unresponsive on a white, floating stretcher following the hanging. The mental picture makes Harec flinch.

“Most certainly,” Harec reaffirms. “Crimes of that severity need to be punished. And-” Harec nearly chokes on the rest of his statement- “handled publically.”

The Supervisor nods, lime green wisps of hair falling in front of her eyes. Purples flicker around her irises. “I am glad you understand, Harec. An official of your standing knows how to handle these cases- I trust that.”

“And I am honored you do.”

Distaste colors his words, as much as he tries to hide it, but the Supervisor simply grins.

“You will be rewarded greatly for your work, Harec Erusha.”

--

 “Unbelievable,” Kuroo grumbles, glaring at the globs of chocolate on his jeans.

Iwaizumi huffs out a little laugh and watches, amused, as Kenma quietly grabs a napkin and wipes the mess away. Bokuto, at his other side, is laughing so hard that tears are streaming down his face. Akaashi rolls his eyes and grudgingly offers Kuroo his stick, mostly charred marshmallow still clinging to the tip.

It’s been about two weeks since the Supervisor offered his ultimatum and, for some strange reason, let them live.

Once Iwaizumi recovered from his injuries, he returned to volleyball practice- even if Oikawa was the only one who considered Iwaizumi “injured.” It was difficult, to say the least, with the season swiftly approaching. Takeda refused to cut any corners; he was there to win. Even if that meant working Iwaizumi to the bone. He and Oikawa were at the gym most nights, practicing extra, to account for the time Iwaizumi lost while away.

Fun times, really.

Having Oikawa there with him along the way, however, made the situation a lot more tolerable. For every minute of training, for every hour of laboring through new homework assignments, there was another spent at Oikawa’s side. Whether it be curled up in in bed watching a movie or eating questionable food at the cafeteria, Iwaizumi was more than happy to carry on as long as he had Oikawa.

In the midst of Iwaizumi’s readjustment, Daichi helped Sugawara through his recovery. He thankfully hadn’t had to stay in the hospital for long. Once he was released, Sugawara returned to his apartment. Daichi begged to visit more often to keep an eye on him, to make sure he didn’t push himself too hard.

For the most part, Sugawara followed the doctor’s orders. Iwaizumi overheard several phone conversations between the two, though, and could tell Daichi was driving Sugawara up a wall.  Typical Daichi. He used to be the same way about Iwaizumi whenever he got sick or injured himself in a sparring match.

Of course, Daichi insists he’ll give Sugawara space after the first couple weeks he’s home; Iwaizumi isn’t so sure it’ll turn out that way.

Earlier today, Kuroo had called Iwaizumi and asked if he and Oikawa wanted to join the team for a campfire. Roasting marshmallows was apparently a favorite of… well, basically everyone. The team hadn’t had much free time lately, what with trying to reacquaint Iwaizumi with volleyball.

Plus, Iwaizumi worries about Kuroo. Alien kidnappings certainly aren’t common occurrences. It isn’t every day that a human gets taken by another galactic species. And no, the handful of legitimate “probing” cases don’t count. Worse still, the Supervisor had actually struck Kuroo. The cuts even warranted a few stitches, once Kuroo finally visited the doctor at Oikawa’s demand.

“Really, I’m fine,” Kuroo urged. “You’ve asked me, like, a million times already. Sure, it was rough, but it could’ve been worse, you know? Besides, people dig scars. If I’m lucky enough to have any.”

Well, he was right about that much. Not the scars part, of course. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes when Kuroo made that comment.

Iwaizumi hadn’t pushed the matter any further after that. He agreed to grab Oikawa and meet the rest of the team at the park later that evening. But then the call got a bit... weird.

“Also,” Kuroo cut in, moments before ending the call, “You should bring your… well, whatever he is to you. The other-” he lowered his voice- “alien dude that was with you? The normal one. What was his name?”

Iwaizumi balked. “Daichi…?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m sure he’s been having a rough time lately with all that crazy bullshit that went down. He can come, too. If he wants.”

It was a strange request, but Kuroo probably had a good point. Daichi had been constantly on edge and needed something to help return at least some semblance of normalcy to his life. To Iwaizumi’s relief, Daichi agreed to come along, with Sugawara in tow. Initially, he was just as confused as Iwaizumi had been when Kuroo offered. But once he mentioned “s’mores” and “campfires,” Daichi’s curiosity got the better of him.

And that’s how they found themselves here, sitting under the stars, gathered around the flickering flames of a campfire.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa singsongs. “Do you want another marshmallow?” He scoots closer on their blanket, the same navy blue one from their nights of “UFO hunting.” Decked out in an oversized NASA sweatshirt and jeans, eyes framed by dark-rimmed glasses, Oikawa looks… dammit, why does he have to be so cute? Iwaizumi curses his flushed cheeks.

“I- um…”

“Quick, before Mori-chan finishes off the rest of the bag.” Oikawa takes the stick from Iwaizumi’s hands and spears a sizable marshmallow on the opposite end. Yaku flashes a dangerous smirk at Iwaizumi through the haze of smoke. “That’s the face of evil. Kind of demonic. Look, he’s over there plotting!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Yaku scoffs. He lifts the stick to his mouth and slides two marshmallows off, cramming them between a couple graham crackers and- wow, that’s a lot of chocolate. “I’m just over here trying to enjoy myself.”

“Leave some for the rest of us,” Bokuto butts in, pointing an accusing finger in Yaku’s direction. “And don’t waste the chocolate like that, holy shit. You really are hiding a black hole in that stomach of yours.”

“Yaku-san knows what he’s doing.” Lev crams a graham cracker in his mouth, chewing around his words. “Just let him be.”

“Yeah, I mean, he has the right idea,” Hinata chimes in. He draws his stick away from the flames, squinting at the now black, charred globs at the tip.

“Idiot.” Kageyama reaches over and carefully removes both globs. He motions for Hinata to come closer, popping one in Hinata’s mouth before eating the other. Wide grins split their faces as they savor the sugary flavor.

“Speak for yourself.” Kuroo gestures at Kageyama and Hinata, happily chewing away. “You two don’t even make s’mores! You just burn the marshmallows to crisps and inhale them like a couple of heathens!”

“Heathens? Alright, old man,” Bokuto guffaws and, surprisingly enough, Akaashi lowers his head, body shuddering with quiet laughter.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what he means,” Kenma mumbles. It’s the first time Iwaizumi has seen Kenma really smile. And, of course, it’s when he’s roasting his dork of a boyfriend.

“Why are you all like this?” Kuroo’s lips purse into a pout, and he jams his stick into the ground at his feet. “I’m a cool dude. I don’t deserve this kind of treatment.”

The rest of the team joins in the argument- if it can even be called that. Takeda scoffs loudly and shakes his head. But there’s an unmistakable fondness in his gaze. Daichi and Sugawara can’t help but laugh along with him, and the sight gives Iwaizumi the strongest urge to sidle over and hug them both. Stop that.

“They seem happy,” Oikawa whispers, as if he just read Iwaizumi’s mind.

“Yeah…” Iwaizumi feels a smile play at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, they really do. I haven’t seen Daichi make faces like that in a while.”

“I’m sure he’s happy when he’s with you, too, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi nods. “True, but that’s… that’s different. Sugawara is different.”

“Like you?”

Iwaizumi startles, caught off guard by the sudden weight against his side. Oikawa curls closer, as if he belongs there, as if he were made to fit in exactly that spot. Together with Iwaizumi.

“What do you mean?” Iwaizumi asks, a little confused.

“I mean,” Oikawa sighs, “that Daichi sees Sugawara like I see you.”

“Like you see-” Iwaizumi tenses, words caught in his throat. Oh.

“For an alien genius, you sure can be dense sometimes, Iwa-chan.”

Oikawa wriggles closer, if at all possible, and Iwaizumi instinctively secures an arm around his middle, holding him in place. It’s not like he’s going anywhere, Iwaizumi notes, a bit deliriously. It’s still hard to wrap his head around the fact Oikawa is there, very much alive, and safe. For the foreseeable future, at least.

“He loves him,” Oikawa continues, resting his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “All you have to do is watch for a couple minutes and it becomes pretty clear how he feels. How both of them feel, really.”

��It’s nice to see.”

“Mhm.”

Silence falls over the two. As they watch, Sugawara leans over to whisper in Daichi’s ear. A faint red dusts his cheeks, and Iwaizumi barely stifles a laugh as Daichi awkwardly stammers around a response Iwaizumi can’t hear from this distance. The two calmly climb to their feet, a movement that goes unnoticed by the rest of the group, and shuffle off together, out of sight. Ah, Daichi…

For a second, Iwaizumi closes his eyes, savoring the tranquility of their current situation. There’s no imminent danger or worry of being separated. There are no Supervisors waiting on the sidelines, eager to ruin the relationship Oikawa and Iwaizumi have started to build together. There are no chances of his teammates- his friends, if they can be considered that now- getting hurt.

“You know,” Oikawa mumbles, tone gone soft, “I was worried about you, too.”

“Me? I was fine. I knew what I was getting myself into when I went against the officials. Bunch of jackasses...”

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. I wasn’t worried that they would kill you or anything. Iwa-chan is tough and very very-” he punctuates the second “very” with a light jab to Iwaizumi’s thigh- “smart. I was worried… they would take you. Would keep you on that ship and I’d- I’d never be able to see you again.”

Iwaizumi’s heart clenches at the mere mention of being permanently separated from Oikawa. “I never would’ve-”

“I know that now, but, back then, when I didn’t know what had happened to you-” Oikawa takes a stuttering breath. “I wasn’t so sure. We didn’t even exchange proper goodbyes.”

“Well, you never have to worry like that again. I’m staying here with you,” Iwaizumi persists, And, panicking, tacks on a rushed “dumbass” at the end. Smooth, real smooth.

“You better,” Oikawa teases. “Or I’ll have to run to the arms of another subpar Iwa-chan wannabe.”

“Another alien?”

“Of course.” A breeze trickles through, and Oikawa nuzzles against Iwaizumi’s jacket. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m practically an alien magnet.”

Iwaizumi wishes he could dispute that fact. No one would pass up the opportunity to study a star trapped in a human being’s body. Iwaizumi knows from firsthand experience. Then, a thought strikes him.

“All jokes aside, would you like to meet other aliens?”

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“Well, here’s the thing,” Iwaizumi says, unable to keep the excitement from creeping into his voice. “Daichi has a ship stationed on Ganymede. Technically, it’s mine, too, because most Mentor-Researcher pairs- anyway, whatever, the details don’t matter. Transportation chambers are more popular so it’s pretty easy to slip under the radar, undetected, if we travel by ship.”

“Ganymede… that’s one of Jupiter’s moons.” Oikawa narrows his eyes. “How do you plan to get us there?”

“The transportation chamber center there is deserted most of the time. Those assholes don’t care much about Earth. They hardly monitor teleportation traffic in this solar system, especially since every center has to stay hidden.”

“Iwa-chan…”

“Yeah, I know it’s a lot to process but- think about it. Just the four of us. Daichi, Sugawara, you, me,” Iwaizumi insists, “You would love it. There are so many places I want to take you. You wouldn’t believe some of the shit that’s out there. The ice volcanoes on Slyke, the walking trees on Peclade, the-”

Suddenly, there are fingers buried in Iwaizumi’s hair, impatient, and a set of warm lips pressing insistently against his own. Oikawa kisses Iwaizumi like he wants to swallow him whole, like he can’t believe he’s found someone capable of showing him the universe he’s always wanted to see. Which, really, is answer enough.

Even before meeting OIkawa, Iwaizumi had enjoyed exploring the universe. It went with the Researcher job description. But there had always been something… missing. Most missions didn’t include Daichi. And, considering Iwaizumi couldn’t seem to make friends, it was just him hitching rides on passing transport ships or travelling through teleportation chambers.

Adventures that should have felt extraordinary felt dry, stale… lonely.

He glances around the fire at every person he’s met since setting foot on Earth. Smiles illuminate their faces, dancing flames painting the group in brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. The heat of the fire permeates Iwaizumi’s jacket in the most pleasant way, a comfortable warmth, and the tastes of chocolate and marshmallow linger on his tongue. Oikawa settles against Iwaizumi’s chest, rambling about the sort of aliens they may encounter on their journey, about the planets and stars they’ll hopefully see from the inside of the ship.

It’s everything.

Regardless of what he’s been through, Iwaizumi has no regrets. He isn’t lonely anymore.