#and I quickly was like no no no no you've got these vignettes for the 5+1 you'll get em to work just need more time

[imwritesometimes]

lying in bed at 2am unable to sleep for the first time in months and my brain is like "what if you took the one vignette for the 5+1 you really like & feel strongest abt and spin it into a whole chaptered fic using some of the other vignettes you feel strong abt and just scrap the 5+1 idea for now"

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Idia Shroud - Tsumsitter Vignette

"A Moment with Idiatsum I"

[Main Street]

―Idia and Vil, immediately after encountering their look-alike tsums…

Vil: Honestly, what a handful they are… Idia, we must capture those tsums.

Idia: Eeh…!? Wh-why do I have to go with you…?

Vil: Are you content with having those peanuts outfox us? Quickly, now!

Idia: Urrgh, why is this happening to me…? I shouldn't've gone outside…

[Idia and Vil start searching]

Idia: Not like we even know where the tsums ran off too…

Vil: Oh! I found a tsum! Idia, help me capture it.

Idia: Eep…! As you wish…!

Vil: Good thing we were able to capture it fairly quickly. Be good, now, peanut.

Idia: Can't believe we found it posing under a lamp light… Fuheehee, Vil-shi, your tsum's real silly～

Vil: And do you think you have any time to be prattling away, still? Hurry and find your tsum already.

Vil: I'll be heading off to the Headmage's office now.

Idia: HUH!? Why…?

Vil: Well, why not? There's no reason for me to stay here longer than I need to.

Idia: B-But…! I came in as reinforcements to capture your tsum!

Vil: All you did was follow many paces behind me. So, goodbye.

Idia: W-Wait, wait, wait a moment! We just took our eyes off the tsums for a sec and they vanished, right!?

Idia: That means their speed stats are way too OP! There's no way I can catch them with my own weak skill set…

Idia: IT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST!!!

Vil: I understand what you're trying to say, but… It would just be a waste of my time to go searching for it without any plan.

Idia: I-I think I can guess where Tsum-shi would be… And I have a strat forming.

Vil: What are you thinking?

Idia: J-Just hear me out.

[Interior Hallway]

Vil: If this tsum takes after the introverted Idia, of course it would run indoors… Makes perfect sense.

Vil: Now it comes down to whether your ace strategy will succeed…

Idia: And, here we go. Pretty good for something I just slapped together with what I had on hand.

Vil: All you did was lean a basket on a vertical stick and laid a tablet underneath it. What's "pretty good" about it?

～♪

Vil: And the tablet is just playing some weird music on loop. What an eerie noise.

Idia: Huh? You seriously doesn't get how good this BGM is? This is why I just can't with normies…

Vil: You're planning to lure the tsum here with this music, yes? We should go hide ourselves in the shadows now.

[Idia's tsum follows the sound to the tablet]

Idia: Ah…

Vil: I can't believe it actually appeared…

Idia: Perf, it's checking out the tablet. Now all I have to do is pull the string attached to the string, and…

[thunk!]

Idia: It's under the basket!

[the tsum starts running frantically]

Idia: Wait, it's trying to run away even with the basket over it! Vil-shi, help!

Vil: Fine. You owe me for this, Idia.

[the tsum continues running]

[the tsum slows and finally stops]

Vil: …Oh, it stopped running. Perhaps it's accepted defeat.

Idia: I-I bet… It's just out of energy. It's kind of unsettling to see that it lacks stamina like me, too...

Vil: Well, at least your plan worked. Now then, we should hurry on to the Headmage's office.

[Ignihyde Dorm – Idia's Room]

Idia: Whew～ …Finally got to escape. I can't deal being stuck in the Headmage's office with that many people.

Idia: But still…

Idia: Tsum-shi, you've just been trying to avoid looking at anything, huh. …I mean, I definitely get it, tho.

Idia: I'm just as uncomfortable as you, you know… Didn't think the day would come that I'd let anyone else other than Ortho in here.

Idia: I guess if you're really like me, then you won't try to go outside anytime soon, so… Just gotta chill for now.

Idia: Think I'll just jump back into grinding in my online game to get outta this funk. 'Specially since we're in the middle of a EXP UP event.

Idia: Ugh, I fell asleep in the middle of my game again… Oh, it's 4:00 already. Gotta snag my login bonuses.

Idia: Hmm, where's my tablet? …Huh? I swear I threw it on my bed when I got back to my room…

Idia: More importantly, what's with this cardboard box? It's just sitting in the middle of my room, getting in my way…

[thud…!]

Idia: EEK!? The box moved on its own!?

Idia: Oh… I think I see what's happening… But I think I'll take a peek inside just in case.

[Idiatsum is under the box playing with the tablet]

Idia: Yuup, that was a given. So, Tsum-shi, what 're you doing with my tablet…?

Idia: …You're just re-rolling tutorial banners in some game??

"A Moment with Idiatsum II"

[Ignihyde Dorm – Idia's Room]

Idia: I showed it Premo merch, and the computer I built myself… Even showed it a ton of my other prized stuff…

Idia: But after all that, it got mad over MMORPG class roles. I'm so over this Tsum-shi.

Idia: Ugggh～ I was dumb, thinkin' I could take care of it myself. I'm not gonna do anything for it anymore.

Ortho: But you have to, the Headmage gave it to you to look after.

Idia: It'll be fine on its own. Or what, you wanna look after it?

Ortho: Hmmm, I don't really mind, but… I have to get going to my Film Research Club after this.

Idia: Eh!? You're heading out!?

Ortho: It'll be alright! I'm sure you and the tsum'll patch things up! See you later!

Idia: Be safe…

[Ortho leaves]

[Idiatsum pings on the tablet…]

Idia: Ortho left… And now I'm stuck all alone with Tsum-shi, even though we're not getting along… THIS SUCKS!!!

Idia: Ughhh, I don't want to deal with it anymore, but I gotta at least get my tablet back from it…

Idia: U-Um… Think you could give my tablet back anytime soon?

Idia: Eeep!? N-Nevermind…

Idia: Wait, why am I backing off, anyway? That's my tablet, isn’t it?

[Idiatsum pings on the tablet…]

Idia: URRRGGH… THIS IS STRESSING ME OUT～～～!

Idia: At this rate, I'll lose my consecutive login streak… I have to get that tablet back somehow!

Idia: What can I do to grab its attention…? I've already shown every Premo thing I have, and my custom build computer…

Idia: What else would catch my eye…? Ah! I got it.

Idia: …Cool. Let's get it done.

[Idiatsum pings on the tablet…]

Idia: Hey, Tsum-shi～ can I bug you for a sec?

[Idiatsum gives Idia a grumpy stare]

Idia: It's still cranky, huh. Hey, come on, I'm the one that wants to be upset here… No, wait, I mean…

Idia: I made something pretty cool for you, Tsum-shi.

Idia: Think of it as a peace offering… This is for you.

[Idiatsum perks up]

Idia: Ohoo～ Do you like it? You see, this is…

[room door opens]

Ortho: I'm back! Were you two able to patch things up?

Idia: Perfect timing, Ortho～! We're just about to come to a compromise.

Ortho: What do you mean, compromise?

Idia: I built a super amazing multi-functional sofa to pull the Tsum-shi in… Or more aptly named, "Tsum-Melting Sofa"!

Ortho: You're going to… melt the tsum?

[the tsum happily hops]

Idia: Ooh. Looks like it gets just how awesome this sofa is.

Idia: Come on, Tsum-shi, sit, sit!

Idia: Time to show the features off ASAP. First... We have this!

[sofa shines brightly]

Ortho: Woah, the sofa lit up like a rainbow!

Idia: That's a must for gamers, you know. As for why it's gotta light up like that, no comment.

[the massage function is activated]

Idia: Then there's the massage function. Nerds like us tend to get tension all up in our shoulders and backs and such.

Idia: Next is this: Inside the sofa is a 7.1 surround sound system with an amp and woofer embedded with it.

～♪

[tsum hops to music]

Ortho: Nice, looks like the tsum is pretty into it!

Idia: Use this alongside the massager function and it'll sooth both your mind and body.

Idia: There's a bunch of other functions, too, like a monitor extension, unfolding footrest, easy reclining…

Idia: But that's not enough for you, right, Tsum-shi? Oh, I know.

Idia: Everything until now has just been the prologue. From here on out… We'll tackle the true face of this sofa!

"A Moment with Idiatsum III"

[Ignihyde Dorm – Idia's Room]

Idia: But that's not enough for you, right, Tsum-shi? Oh, I know.

Idia: Everything until now has just been the prologue. From here on out… We'll tackle the true face of this sofa!

Idia: Let's turn it… ON!

[whirr…]

Idia: Fhee hee hee hee! Looking at Tsum-shi's reaction, it's super effective!

Ortho: The tsum is really excited. Nii-san, what kind of function is that supposed to be?

Idia: Listen and be amazed, this sofa is integrated with MR… a Mixed Reality display!!

Ortho: Huh!? MR is that function that combines the real world with anchored virtual elements, right?

Ortho: The tsum doesn't even have a headset… You're amazing!!

Idia: I mean～ At first I thought about making it come with a headset, but I just kinda found my groove while making it.

Idia: This kind of tech is basically still in beta, but yeah, I rocked it… Oh man, that's a W for me. Heehee!

[the tsum hops happily]

Ortho: The tsum is overjoyed, too. I wonder what it's seeing.

Idia: The default setting is a live performance vide of Premo, so I bet Tsum-shi feels like its right there in the action.

Ortho: Makes sense. Hehe, it looks so happy.

Idia: Yeaaah, glad it's happy with it. Let me grab my tablet before anything else happens…

Idia: Perf, I finally got it back. Now I can keep my consecutive login streak going.

Ortho: Was that your goal here all along?

Idia: Obviously?

Ortho: Yeah, I definitely couldn't believe my eyes when it looked like you had made a real cool sofa to reconcile with the tsum, but…

Ortho: Now that I know it was for the sake of your games, it makes so much more sense!

Idia: See, you get me, Ortho～

Idia: Sides, that sofa is basically just a prototype. I adjusted a blueprint that I had made for myself down to Tsum-shi's size…

Idia: Then I just made it with whatever I had on hand, so there's a ton of functions still missing.

Idia: I'll make sure to collect as much data as possible before it heads back home.

[tsum hops off the sofa]

Ortho: Oh hey, the tsum jumped off the sofa.

Idia: HUH!?

Idia: T-TSUM-SHI... WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T LIKE?

Ortho: It's all smiles. Maybe it's trying to thank you?

Idia: Ah, is that it…?

Idia: Fuheehee! I knew you'd get how cool all those functions were, Tsum-shi.

Ortho: It's great that you and the tsum are getting along again!

Idia: …I guess so. We might've bumped heads, but we're both nerds in the end.

Idia: Guess it's not totally a bad thing that we'll part on good terms, especially since I got to meet someone just like me…

Requested by @farfalla049.

[auteurdelabre]

Something to fight for: holiday vignette

Rating: 18+ (smattering of smut)

Summary: You and Joel return from a holiday party tipsy (and horny).

Warnings: titty sucking!

A/n: wanted to give you STFF fans a little something sweet for the holiday season! I got lots of vignettes coming your way in the new year with these two! Happy holidays y'all!

Masterlist

//////////////

"Joel shhhh!" You whisper as you both stumble into the house on Rancher Street.

"I'm bein' quiet!" Joel exclaims in a loud whisper.

"You two are both being fucking loud," Maria announces with a groan as she struggles to a stand. Tommy is at her elbow helping her over to where you and Joel drunkenly lean against one another.

"You're lucky Sarah is out like a light," Tommy smiles at you and his brother. "Think she had a sugar crash."

"Thanks to this one," Maria says elbowing Tommy lovingly. She takes one look at your bleary eyes and sighs. "I assume the neighbors Christmas party was a good one?"

"Mhmm," you nod with a dopey smile. "They had festive punch."

"Yep," Joel nods, trying to appear sober. "But she mighta overindulged," he says pressing his forehead against your temple

"Me? Who had to stop you from doing Santa baby on karaoke?"

"I woulda sounded good!"

"I know baby!" You slur, cupping his face in your hands. "It's just that you wanted to do it without pants!"

Maria and Tommy giggle, breaking you and Joel from your disagreement.

"I miss those days," Maria says patting her swollen belly. "The second this baby is out I want a fucking margarita!"

"Deal," you say exuberantly.

"Thanks for babysitting Sarah tonight so we could go to the party," Joel says giving his brother a clap on the back. "We owe ya."

"I'll remember that when this little guy arrives," Tommy warns, placing a loving hand on Maria's belly. "Night night guys."

You and Joel wave goodbye to your friends (and technically family) and stay standing braced against the island in the kitchen for a moment.

"It was a nice party," you say smiling.

"T'was," Joel agrees. "I liked those little cheese things."

"Mmmm," your say nodding.

Your eyes fall to a packaged something on the counter and you let out a small squeak.

"I wanna build a gingerbread house!"

"They musta brought it for Sarah."

"I'll get her a new one tomorrow," you promise as you open the glossy packaging. "I want her to wake up to this one!"

"That's a great idea, baby," Joel says making a move towards the bedroom. He stops when your hand snakes around his wrist.

"You gotta help me!"

Joel turns his puppy dog eyes on you. "I'm tired, honey."

"Hi Tired," you say giggling as if that's the funniest thing you've ever said. "I need your help! Please!"

Joel's sleepy smile quickly turns into something more mischievous. His voice slides down an octave as he comes to stand behind you. "And what do I get in return?"

"A happy wife?" You offer with a beam, starting to set up the supplies on the island counter.

"Uh huh," Joel murmurs, his hands going to the hem of your skirt and raising slowly. "What else you got ta' offer me, Mrs Miller?"

Joel always gets more twangy when he drinks. It makes you smile. He also gets very horny and you know exactly what he's up to.

You quickly spin out of his arms, tugging him by the hip to stand next to you.

"Look at all this kit comes with!" You say redirecting his attention to the supplies on the counter. There's the gingerbread walls and roof, a litany of colorful candies, and a bag of white icing.

"Let's get building, Miller."

Twenty minutes and you both drunkenly trying to build this gingerbread house, you admit defeat.

"It looks horrible."

"Nah," Joel says sliding his arm around your waist. "It looks great."

"Joel, the walls aren't even standing up," you pout.

"It's creative."

"The candy keeps falling off," you scowl. "Stupid icing is shit."

"Honey," Joel says nuzzling your temple with his nose. "It's great. Sarah'll love it. It's got candy."

You sigh heavily, leaning against Joel.

"Maybe she can decorate more of it tomorrow. We have some stuff leftover," you say motioning to the candy and icing at your elbow.

Joel can see the disappointment in your sleepy eyes and he gives an indulgent smile. You always get sleepy when you drink.You also look really sexy to Joel when you're sleepy.

Joel reaches to the counter and pops one of the circular peppermint balls into his mouth, sucking loudly.

"Joel!" You admonish. "Those are for S-"

The words die in your throat as Joel tugs down the front of your dress, exposing your breasts to the night air.

"All night I wanted to put my mouth on these," Joel huffs against your neck, hands coming to cup your warm tits. "Looked so fucking good at the party."

His thumbs drift over your hardened nipples, making you squirm. His tongue moves the peppermint into the pouch if his cheek, causing one side to bulge.

"Couldn't wait to get you home," Joel continues, his hips pushing yours into the island. You can feel him hard between you.

You look at your husband with deep need. He looks so fucking handsome, smells so good with his neck spritzed with cologne and his mouth of peppermint.

You watch him raise his fingers to his pouty mouth, fishing the glossy candy from between his lips. You watch in quiet fascination as Joel drags the slick peppermint against your hardened nipples.

"Joel-"

You give a small gasp of delight that turns into a groan as Joel's mouth finds each one, sucking and tasting. Your hands card through his hair as you tilt back, giving into the sensation of his full mouth on your skin, his wide hands kneading your tits, the flick of his tongue against your nipples.

"You taste so good honey," he murmurs against your throat as he pulls his mouth from your breasts.

You give a strangled moan before launching your face at his. You kiss him fiercely. You're hands on his collar as his arms wrap around your middle just before you break from him, face flushed.

"Joel take me to bed," you whimper, pressing gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Please."

"Anything you say, Mrs Miller," Joel smiles, pulling you up into his arms.

You wrap your legs around his waist, arms slung around his neck as you tug his mouth back to yours. He kisses so* well.

You're halfway to the stairs when you pull back from his kiss, eyes wide.

"Wait Joel."

"What is it honey?"

"Grab the icing."

[simplyreveries]

Can I request dorm leaders x reader whos Sam's younger sibling and its just chaotic at times with them and their partner but its sweet and adorable yet they also see a protective sam nearby or his friends on the other side watching them

You can ignore this if you don't want to or its a bother,have a lovely day/night

thats so cute what😭

riddle rosehearts

he finds how sweat you are to be endearing — it truly is what won him over with you… even though you get into trouble and chaos with ace, grim, and deuce a lot even when you're at heartslabyul to see him you find yourself attracting some sort of crazy situation to occur. nevertheless… riddle is a little bit more lenient with you and he does give you special treatment that the heartslabyul students have a love-hate relationship with because that means riddle wont exactly be Harsh on them either.

he was in the gardens with you one day showing you the pretty flamingos and cute hedgehogs that live there. he thought it was sweet to see as you held them in your hands, he watches you with a loving gaze only to be like utterly surprised when he catches a little shadow friend come and just disappear??? and you didnt even bat an eye when that happened too, just placing a hand on his arm giving him a reassuring laugh of “classic sam”... SAM??

riddle is a bit nervous to talk to your brother now whenever he comes by his mystery shop for something, but he tries his best to look and act his absolute best! sam chuckles because it's clear that he's trying to be exceptionally better in his eyes. though he does appreciate it when riddle does come up to him and ask him for advice on things that you would like as he peers around his shop looking for the perfect gift for you and such.

leona kingscholar

imagine having a good relationship with your brother, leona doesn't seem like he minds or cares much of sam or his little protective tendencies he may have over you. he'll shrug it off, thinking it’s more of annoyance when he's catches his friend finding the two of you together, like can't he see it's his time to sleep and rest on your lap right now... his ears always quirk at the faint noises of the shadow, and he huffs in irritation.

he's already used to a lot of chaotic behavior from a lot of people in this school and his own rowdy dormmates as well, so he doesn't really bat an eye when that sometimes gets yourself into trouble to which you would just playfully shrug off with a grin.

leona does think you are cute; your attitude comes to be very surprising for an all-villains school. but you've got him impressed with some of your own talents you've learned with sam, heavily within the business world- whenever you drag him into his mystery shop to say 'hi' to sam when walking through the campus. he does catch glimpse and hear your own inputs and even crazy but helpful ideas.

azul ashengrotto

it's a bit tough considering sam is basically his business rival... they have their own "battles" if you will with their businesses, like in their dorm ssr vignette where azul successful got customers back from sam by getting rights of his "mystery drink". he may or may not try to get some info out of you in terms of what ideas sam has for his store, but you just shut that down quickly haha.

azul does try to convince you that working at the mostro lounge is so much better for you. he keeps it as just a mere lighthearted suggestion - but you can tell he means it. he can't help it, i mean, your personality would be just great for customers! your chaotic energy would only just match floyds. azul would much rather have you around him more anyways.

sam wouldn't be the most trusting of azul, especially when it comes to you for more obvious reasons. so, it's going to take a while for him to start liking the idea of azul or let alone any of those untrustworthy octavinelle students, he knows what they're mostly about— he's been working at this school for a looong time. he says that like he isn't as well though….

he internally freaked out though when he notices sams shadow come and leave to just check up on you?? during one time when he was sharing a meal, small dessert and a moment with you during the calm after hours in the mostro lounge. he kept a cool and collected look, but this guy was sweating BULLETS.

kalim al-asim

he loves your energy, as kalim can always match it. he is just like you in many ways- you two are a perfect pair. he also gets along great, (at least he thinks) with sam as well. i mean, sam really doesn't worry much about kalim anyways, because its kalim. if he happens to notice sams little shadow friend on the off chance he'll happily wave and call out "hey! look who it is (name)!".

kalim straight up goes to sam all the time whenever he wants to know something like what he thinks he should get you as a gift or what kind of activities and dates would you like... but that sometimes just ends with kalim rambling about you to your own brother hehe. but hey, he also does want to be on sams good side!!

sam gave his approval though when kalim came in worriedly during near closing hours of the shop and literally bought anything and everything treat, chocolate, jewelry— things he thought you’d like and what. when sam was asking him what's this all for he’ll exclaim something is wrong with you and that you're clearly upset about something! (you only hugged him twice that day).

vil schoenheit

he thinks your relationship with your brother is endearing… he always been an only child so he wouldn't completely understand but he does value family a lot, which in his case, his father who he has a good relationship with

he believed he had a pretty solid relationship with sam, he does work there as a part timer during the new year's event. so, surely sam does have a good idea on the kind of person vil seems to be and believes he's a diligent person. not to mention he does have a popular and famous rep so surely; he's heard people talking about vil.

vil lowkey takes it personally when he notices sams shadow friends…. like theres no way he doesnt trust him?! he’ll have his brows furrowed, his hands on his hips and huff, and like riddle he’ll put on the best and most charismatic side of him to gain that brother of yours trust. like he did with the mostro lounge drink once, he’ll do the same for sam and promote a something new in his shop on his magicam-! plus you’ll like that too so it's easily a win-win for him.

idia shroud

he and sam have an interesting relationship considering they've once made some secret deal so idia could lowkey cheat in the beanfest event. so, they're both kind of chill together- well, sam was definitely a little... unsure when you happily came up to him you were dating idia.

besides that, one instance he hardly sees idia unless it's during the night to buy instant meals and recently released manga. but even then, it's the quickest in and out interaction with him. sam will always tell you finds that boy so strange, but then again everyone is here at this school, he’ll shrug it off… for the most part.

idia probably gets more nervous around him too though knowing he's an older sibling, as idia is older sibling himself he knows how overly protective they can be. he does like your relationship together as he likes that you two have something to relate with by having siblinhs. but he nearly freaks out when he catches glimpse of one of sams shadow friends. his eyes go wide and you're just like “oh…! my brother is so silly” and he's so confused?? as you just brush it off used to your brother??

malleus draconia

sam would be a little surprised needless to say when you happily come to him one day and excitedly tell him that you've been confessed to, confessed to by the malleus draconia…! he is quite used to hearing other students from various dorms gossip and nasty rumors, talking mostly ill about him, but he doesn't feel as if there’s a real threat or anything with him even when it comes to you… like anyone can see from a mile away that he is the epitome of a “gentle giant” with you.

like during the off chance that sam did send out his shadow… merely out of slight concern once it was literally when you were just making malleus a flower crown and placing it on his head and gently around his horns… literally nothing to worry about.

whenever malleus catches your more mischievous side come out when with your brother, he thinks it is quite amusing. you seem to take a lot from him,,, and not to mention he finds your relationship with him to be sweet. he in fact appreciates sams watchful eye over you, because it just means you're extra safe, you know?

[ghostlykeyes]

hi!! can you do college au aki sfw + nsfw headcanons/vignettes? i love ur writing!!

Thank you! 🖤🖤 NSFW under the cut.

Aki

After the deaths of his family, Aki (understandably) never looked far enough in his future to think about college. What was the point? For years, he coasted through school and didn't engage much with the world around him. Fortunately, though, student-council president Makima tasked Aki with looking after the struggling transfer students Denji and Power. The two quickly injected a spark back into his life, and his newfound little siblings became his everything (even if they annoy the shit out of him). Determined to help others like Denji and Power, Aki decides to enroll in college and gain a bachelor's degree in social work. The system is unkind to kids like the three of them, and in whatever way he can, he wants to correct that.

Even though his heart wasn't in school for a long time, Aki still gets his choice of universities due to his soccer skills. He's one of the best strikers around, and several colleges are willing to offer significant scholarships if he'll play for their team.

Aki meets you in a study group and is immediately smitten. He asks to borrow your notebook and when he returns it the next day, you find his phone number and an invitation for coffee scribbled in the margins. He brings you to a coffee shop near campus and buys a chunk of pumpkin loaf for the two of you to split. While you chat and walk through a nearby park together, licking the sweetness of crumbs from the corner of your lips, everything just feels right. Before long the two of you are officially dating.

With Aki's demanding schedule, the two of you don't have much time for anything other than study dates. He still does his best to make those feel special, though. He always brings your favorite drink and sits thigh-to-thigh with you, hand lightly resting on yours as you trudge your way through textbooks. Once your brains are too fried to absorb any more information, he takes you out for dinner and walk you back to your dorm.

Aki doesn't live on campus. He insists that it's better for him to be home in order to look after Denji and Power. The commute to campus isn't fun, but dear god, he doesn't even want to think about the trouble those two would get into if he wasn't around.

Since he has access to his own kitchen, Aki stubbornly refuses to fall into the college trap of surviving off pizza and ramen. Even with his demanding schedule, he makes time to cook. The best part? He always makes enough so that you've got leftovers to eat. "I don't want you to have to eat like crap, baby," he tells you as he pushes a stuffed-full lunch bag into your hands. Inside is food for the next few days and a sticky note scribbled with heat-up instructions and hearts.

Aki isn't known to start fights, but if you're at a frat party and he sees some douche trying to slip something in a girl's drink, he always steps in. He's way too good at punching the shit out of people, and if someone's laid out with a bloody nose on the front lawn, there's a chance that Aki saw them crossing some lines and decided to do something about it.

Finals season is absolute hell but the two of you push through it together. He helps you look over flashcards and proofreads your final papers, while you give him test-taking tips and quiz him on vocab. It's grueling, and neither of you get much sleep, he's always right next to you with an energy drink and sweet words of encouragement.

Aki's school supplies are plain as plan can be. He's got a black backpack, navy notebooks, ink pens stuffed in an unpatterened pencil case. You try to brighten them up a bit by pasting a few stickers here-and-there. He rolls his eyes, but you can't help noticing that he dutifully presses them back on whenever they begin to peel.

He's a diligent student, but Aki needs a break sometimes. When he's feeling stressed, Aki loves to ditch his morning classes and sneak into your dorm. The two of you spend the day cuddling and watching movies, snuggled in your university-logo blankets and letting your brains rest.

NSFW

Yes, the commute to campus sucks, but one of the best parts of Aki having his own place? You two have a private place to have sex. No waiting for roommates to leave, no silent two-a.m. lovemaking sessions trying desperately not to rock the flimsy bunkbed. As long as Denji and Power aren't home, you can be as loud as you want, and you definitely take advantage. Aki likes to see how loud he can make you moan his name while he's pounding into you, bringing you to the edge over and over.

Aki doesn't try to hide the way his back is scratched to shit whenever he's changing in the locker room. Most of his teammates have noticed the way he looks like he got in a fight with a raccoon, and lightly tease him for it. He just shrugs smugly and continues getting ready for practice. Aki loves when you mark him up, make him yours--why be embarrassed about it?

Seeing you wear his college-logo sweatshirt drives Aki wild. Saunter out of the bathroom freshly showered (because of course you use his shower, his lovely, beautiful, private shower), wearing nothing but his oversized sweatshirt and a tiny pair of underwear. It takes him only thirty seconds to have you under him, his palms flat against your chest underneath the sweater and his mouth fused with yours.

Aki's not one for house parties, but if you want to go to one, he'll definitely tag along. He's always extra-handsy at these events, an arm wrapped around your waist as if telling all the crowds of drunk, horny college students that you've already got a man. He tends to get much bolder after downing enough of whatever god-awful alcoholic mix they're filling the red solo cups with. Don't be surprised if Aki, flush-face and desperate, pulls you into a dark corner away from the pounding music and spilling drinks to make a trail of open-mouthed kisses down your neck. More than once, the two of you have had to hunt down an upstairs bedroom with a lock.

[flameswallower]

Briar's Favorite First Time Reads of 2023!

I read sixty or so books (start to finish) for the first time this year, which is pretty average for me. I liked most of them pretty well, since if I dislike a book I usually won't finish it. But there were some stand outs, which I'm going to list here.

First up: NOVELS!

Pseudotooth, by Verity Holloway (2017) is the first portal fantasy coming of age novel I've read in a long, long time that I found genuinely charming. It has a very dark Gothic edge to it, with shades of Gormenghast and Edward Gorey making for a uniquely unsettling and bleak fantasy world. The novel also deals frankly and seriously with themes of ableism, eugenics, medical abuse, xenophobia, socio-economic class, rape/sexual abuse, and the psychic fallout of rape/sexual abuse. But it's got a lot of whimsical absurdist humor to it, too, and a deep humanist compassion for its characters. The three young adults at the center of the story are all quite likeable, and though they are involved in a kind of love triangle, I found the particulars of it refreshingly queer, strange, and not the primary focus of the story.

The Marigold, by Andrew F. Sullivan (2023) is a pitch-dark, stone cold bummer that is also frequently hilarious and emotionally moving in tender ways that took me by surprise. In this dystopian satire, a bunch of down-and-out relatable characters and one horrible rich guy struggle to survive as near-future Toronto is engulfed by "the Wet"-- a sapient mold-based hive mind accidentally created by the depravity and greed of big business. The residents of the titular condominium/apartment complex feature in short vignettes that demonstrate the despair and alienation people suffer under late stage capitalism, and the way the Wet calls to these people, lures them in, hunts them.

The Open Curtain, by Brian Evenson (2006) is a harrowing nightmare about madness, violence, possession, Mormonism, and the destabilization of one's known reality (well, see also "madness"). It's a type of story that could easily feel shlocky and exploitative of people with certain mental disorders, or just predictable (there are some plot twists you'll guess very quickly if you've ever like...read books or seen movies before...), but Evenson's unornamented yet masterful prose, his meticulous attention to detail, and his non-condescending empathy for both victims of violence and people struggling with delusions, violent impulses, etc. make it rise above those potential problems. At least in my opinion! This one's very disturbing, will definitely leave you feeling like shit.

Hummingbird Salamander, by Jeff VanderMeer (2021) is very emotionally moving and a suspenseful, well-plotted eco-noir page turner! Also a bummer, but leaves one feeling awe and hope and determination as well as mourning the devastating loss of life that climate change has wrought. The protagonist is great, a truly unusual and unlikely detective. I loved her voice-- like any good noir hero, she can throw off a legitimately funny sarcastic quip with the best of them, but she's also prone to astute social observations and flights of breathtaking lyricism.

How to Get Over the End Of the World, by Hal Schrieve (2023) is a TRAGICALLY under-promoted and underrated punk rock magical realist YA masterpiece about trans high schoolers, and their dysfunctional adult mentors, putting on a rock opera to save their community center. This one, unlike most of what I read, is NOT EVEN KIND OF A BUMMER. It's delightful and hilarious from start to finish, though it's definitely not saccharine-sweet or afraid of conflict. In fact, it deals quite bluntly and refreshingly with topics ranging from the relationship one character has with his violent, abusive father, to sexual relationships between teenagers, to the ever-looming awareness of climate change. Every major character is trans! Every single one!! This is kind of a spoiler, but, like, not really lol

Sudden Glory, by Hal Johnson (2023) just goes to show that guys named Hal can really write comic novels. This book has perhaps the highest joke-to-paragraph ratio of anything I’ve ever read, and also probably the most varied types of joke: a person whose sense of humor runs to preposterous situation comedy, slapstick, and lowbrow sexual humor will find a lot to like here, and so will someone whose sense of humor runs to moderately esoteric literary/historical references, social satire, five-layer wordplay, and Wildean bon mots. Since it’s set in the New York City of 2003, there’s even room for a few 9/11 jokes, which could not have appeared without controversy in a book actually published in 2003. This slightly "politically incorrect" edge comes off as good-natured and in keeping with Johnson's commitment to absurdism-- there's never a "laughing at" vibe, more one of "laughing with" human folly, futility, pretensions, etc. At base, this is a story about a person who feels he can't tell the truth or be himself for fear of social rejection, and all the trouble that gets him into.

Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke (2020) is fucking gorgeous, probably one of my favorite books of all time now, this hole was made for me, etc. I can't reasonably expect that most others will have as intense a response to it as I did-- I felt it perfectly conveyed some very important and difficult to articulate things about, like, my personal experience of consciousness, and my experience as a person with certain types of neurological/cognitive/developmental disability navigating the world, through a kind of fabulist prism. But it got great reviews, so, you know, give it a shot! I think it's better not to know anything about it going in, but let me just say, if you're into weird, massive labyrinthine buildings, this hole might also have been made for you.

Devil House, by John Darnielle (2022) is exactly the novel you'd expect "the Mountain Goats guy" to write, in all the best possible ways. It's a story that elevates the inner lives of neurodivergent outsider teens to the mythic heights they deserve. It's a story that brutally critiques the true crime industry. It's a story about the problems of defining people exclusively by their victimhood, or exclusively by the worst thing they ever did. It's a story about the importance of having a little space to oneself, a shelter from the demands and threats of an often cruel world, and the lengths to which a person will go to defend such a shelter if it's broached. Also, there's a long, nauseating section about how it's actually really difficult and gross to chop up a human corpse for disposal.

[sugarmouchie]

౨ৎ cw. platonic. venti x reader. you are traveller but not lumine/aether. i used a website that summarizes the entire mond archon quest because i completely forget what happened LMFAOO. spoilers to fontaine archon quest, lmk if i missed anything <3

౨ৎ summary. you met venti by getting stuck into the mysterious world called teyvat. the only downside is that you were going to potentially leave everything behind if you wanted to leave this place so desperately.

౨ৎ wc. 1,689

after you, [name], the so-called fearless adventurer, got trapped within an odd situation with your now best friend venti, you never thought things would be the same.

...well, to start off, yes, you have gone through many adventures and met countless people, but this time, you found someone you believed was worthy of your time.

when you first got to teyvat, you've tried many different scenarios and thoughts rummaging through your mind but you couldn't fathom the idea that you were practically stuck here forever.

before you met venti, you met your side companion, paimon.

...

after the tragic run-through with that... lady, who somewhat reminded you of the small companion next to you, you couldn't help but stare at venti in agony.

quickly, he sensed something was off, and turned his head towards you, meeting your sorrowful eyes.

"...yes?"

"it's..." you begin to speak, "it's just that, i've been wondering where you have been all my life."

"awh! don't get all sappy on me now," venti loudly exclaims, his light-teal orbs widening and getting so up close to you for what ever reason.

you ran through hills, ran over hills, more plains than hills, honestly.

but you still couldn't fathom that the boy next to you has grown so fond of you...

...

outside the knights' headquarters, you found yourself with your small companion next to you while exploring the plains of the area you found yourself in.

quickly, you caught a glimpse of the green male who was currently running from you even though you told him you both weren't racing anymore.

furthermore, after about what seemed like thirty minutes or so, you noticed him running in front of the goth grand hotel.

"venti, seriously," you exclaimed, turning your head up a little to emphasize your annoyance even more.

“take this, please?” you sigh, handing him an envelope that sealed your heart’s content for your travel through this… world.

…

jeez, you got sleep paralysis again.

here you were, your mind not functioning probably after having just defeated one of the first harbingers so far.

you’ve experienced much less than this.

you’ve fought cicin mages, basically a nightmare.

never again.

however, just as you were waking up, your vision faded into a vignette.

you tried to get up, you can’t even fathom how the jade chamber already broke.

what made it even worse is that ningguang allowed you to stay in her jade chamber for a certain period of time because you had practically no where to stay for the time being throughout your trip of liyue.

however, after hours of convincing, you finally got keqing to allow you to stay with her and ganyu until then.

…well, until then, you’d already had been able to call liyue your home.

your weary mind still wasn’t functioning.

…

after months and almost years, you were finally in fontaine.

you were so out of breath from running to the latest trial to attend with neuvillette for a couple of days.

“according to the oratrice mecanique d’analyse cardinale,” neuvillette spoke, “laurence is…” he pauses once more, “…guilty.”

you noticed how his breath was shaky.

you also knew he was the type of judge to absolutely despise performing trials that led into executions.

however, you couldn’t help but think back to your era in mondstadt.

basically, if venti found someone committing a terrible crime, he would barely even do anything about it then run over to you to tell you all about what he saw.

“so… did you do anything about it?” you asked, raising a brow.

“well…” he pauses, “yes, but i couldn’t catch up to them.”

“…”

“…you have the ability to glide faster than anyone, what do you mean you couldn’t catch up to them?”

“uhm.”

“right.”

…

back to the present however, neuvillette was saying your name multiple times, trying to get you to activate the oratrice.

all of a sudden, you felt something nudge at your leg, which appeared to be his unnecessarily very loud cane.

“wha-!?” you yelped.

“sorry, yeah,” you sighed, finally activating the oratrice after neuvillette tried to get your attention for the past thirty minutes.

…

finally, the evening time.

you were resting in your dorm in the fortress, writing incoherent words onto the sheet in front of you because of how tired you were.

…

“it’s been over 100 years now,” you wrote onto the sheet of paper, trying to get your handwriting to be readable.

you were a traveler who defeated many bosses and enemies.

however, what always wandered through your mind was the day when rosalyne was defeated.

you still think back to the time you witnessed your green bard best friend getting knocked to the ground by her.

you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

…and also the time when venti couldn’t control his dragon.

"one day, i'll come back," you continue writing, your hand softly drifting across the paper, some of the ink getting onto the side of your palm.

...

little did you know is that venti thought you already passed mortal life.

however, he was moving through and trying to get over you.

...

a decade later.

"the water here is quite... different," mona spoke out to you, her head turned down, her reflection right in front of her.

"what do you mean?" you turn to her, raising a brow.

"what i mean is that... you know the prophecy, yes?" she asked, her hand on her hip. "what... prophecy?"

"well, according to my scryglass and the people of fontaine's predictions, i feel as if you will not be able to make it out alive," mona speaks, her voice quieting down a little to not alert the other people where you two were standing, "unless you come back to mondstadt with me, that is," she whispered.

that's when your heart skipped a beat.

your mind drifted back to the time you once entered teyvat to be dragged towards mondstadt, your home town, practically.

not only that, but the most important part about mondstadt for you was... what was his name again?

fontaine...

fontaine was now your home town.

you could barely remember anything that happened back in the nation of anemo.

"are you not from fontaine, mona?" you suddenly blurt out, to which she has gotten caught off guard from.

"well, yes, i am, but..." she pauses, "this place is dangerous, to say the least," she continues, "wriothesley had already told you about the primordial sea water, yes?"

"but... furina..." you sigh.

"she'll be okay," mona quickly replies.

"how do you know?"

mona rolls her eyes at you.

...

after the prophecy was claimed false, you couldn't help but sigh again.

but why were you sighing?

"did you want to leave this place so bad, huh?" mona crosses her arms.

"wha- no!" you widen your eyes at her.

she giggles, "well, you have not seen that one guy in more than a century."

"who?" you asked.

"wait for me here," she smirks at you.

...

after a couple minutes, mona was right in front of you once more.

her overly enlarged scryglass made a 'thump' sound when she placed it front of your dormitory's bed.

"i will predict the past."

...

after a while, you suddenly heard mona let out a small gasp.

"what happened now?" you tease.

"a lot of people think you're..."

"...not here anymore."

...

"not... here anymore?" you ask in confusion, the abrupt silence for a couple minutes making you more worried than you were supposed to be, "mona..."

"well, in other words, your bard has not been receiving your little messages."

"what messa-"

"the messages you wrote ten years ago." she interrupts you.

"...didn't even let me finish."

"that's your concern, [name]?" she purses her lips, "seriously?" she rummages through your dormitory for a couple minutes before coming to a halt. "[name]," she finally speaks, "let me give you a hint."

"yes?"

"would you like to visit your once beloved nation once more?" she turns to you.

"well... teyvat is practically my home now, so i don't think so, no," you reply, not completely knowing what she means.

sigh.

"when are you going to realize?"

...

"today's the day of your release," wriothesley begins.

"you are aware that i was just doing this for an investigation, right?" you reply, trying not to laugh.

"i know, i'm just letting you know," he smirks.

that's when a plan popped up into mona's head.

you could practically see the lightbulb forming on her head like the cartoon shows, her eyes lighting up, widening.

"what is it now?" you stood up, standing in front of mona who still had her scryglass in front of her.

to say she was obsessed with it was an understatement.

"you're going to be able to see your friend real soon," she speaks, "and it's all because of me, so thank me later!"

she was more enthusiastic than usual, you have barely ever seen a time where mona was not as sassy as she was.

"but didn't you say he thinks that i'm not in teyvat anymore?" you asked, your mind forming into confusion.

"yes, but that's the surprise for you."

...

today was the day.

mona was... dazzling you up to say the least.

after having gotten out of your disgusting prison uniform, you felt rejuvenated.

in other words, mona was more excited than you were!

...

ah, here you were.

your... home.

you have never felt so nervous but excited at the same time.

it's been centuries since you have seen this smug bastard.

the one that- oh!

venti screamed.

your downturned head looked up quickly, to see the little guy right over the line of your personal space, to which he was inspecting you very closely as if you were something he has never seen before.

"uhm?" you clear your throat, backing up a little before venti smirked and embraced you into a hug.

...

after a few minutes- well, twenty minutes i should say, venti finally spoke.

"hi," he smirked once more.

...he was still the same little bastard like he was centuries ago.

@sugarmouchie do not copy/translate/repost my works on other platforms pleek <3

[gorogues]

belphegor1982 replied to your text post: Is it bad that my first thought was "oh you've been kind to Lisa, you could have included Sam and JJ and Hartley and Digger and then she'd have had a nightmare on her hands" :D But this is so nice, to have her her do her best despite how bloody weird it is. And somehow I'm not surprised that the 8 yo version of Len and Roscoe are more reasonable than their adult versions XD

The story was originally going to be pure comedy and have a whole pack of kid Rogues (the others are being looked after by Hartley), but bad family news happened as I sat down to write and it became more melancholy. Maybe I'll pick up the concept again and go with a more comedic vignette as originally intended, which would probably be fun. I'm glad you liked it!

Their kid selves absolutely are more reasonable and easier to handle, so you've got to wonder how that happened :>

tricksterrune replied to your text post: Break the cycle of generational trauma! Be the mom you needed….even if you're weirded out and it's the fault of wannabe Houdini. The little versions love her and it shows

Lisa's being too hard on herself, as she's actually not terrible at it even though she's only been recently thrown into the job. But yeah, it'd be nice if this experience actually heals a bit of her trauma and shows that maybe she's not doomed to repeat the past. In the long run it might even be good for her, at least if the two troublemakers return to normal relatively quickly :>

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-10-09

Somehow bionicle is in this one

Listening: I looked at the date on my oven yesterday and it was 08-10 and I was like hey isn't that Bionicle Day. The answer is no, because it's Americans and Bionicle Day was the tenth of August. Anyway turns out that this year some fans got the original voice of Vakama to do a tribute video? And also Cryoshell dropped a new song.

Cryoshell is one of the funniest bands I know. They had little success until they got contracted in by an ad agency to do music for Bionicle, they did Creeping in My Soul for the Voya Nui arc in 2007 and ended up getting contracted in basically every year after that to whip up some music for Bionicle. They remain to this day extremely closely associated with the Bionicle fandom, like, you know, releasing their latest track on Bionicle day.

They are, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, and with all the love in my heart, the Evanescence we have at home. Bionicle had just saved Lego less than a decade earlier and the media effort around Bionicle was very well designed, which included making the perfect AMV soundtrack for 13 year olds to set their stop motion Bionicle fight scenes to. Of course I don't know anything about using a webcam and extremely dubious stop motion software to produce extensive Bionicle fanvideos. What are you talking about.

I am going to leave it here but there is so much to say about Cryoshell. Seriously just go look it up. Their music is actually very good if you like that particular symphonic metal alt rock style that was so emblematic of the 2000's.

Reading: Ended up on a research dive about small towns, because I now live in a country with a lot of small towns. Attempting to do and find a comparative anatomy of how small towns are administered around the world and what drives their success or failure. There is a lot of stuff from the Trump years when he apparently made some gestures towards the idea that people should just move out of doomed towns.

As always in the USA, housing affects everything, both in that homeownership ties people to their towns and that moving to a new city requires paying often prohibitively expensive rents. There are a lot of conservative blogs taking on this question and doing some dubious interpretations of mostly good data.

I am teasing at the thread of "limits of local government in small towns" which seems to be leading somewhere but it's still not well supported. There's a lot of factors.

Watching: the Loading Ready Run 20th Anniversary Subathon is on until this Friday. Since I was mostly watching during American night I caught primarily their watchalong of old videos, which is cute but not exactly that novel. I do like LRR.

Making: More 3D printing, trying to get the hang of modelling off a photo to make a nozzle adapter for my vacuum cleaner. Also made a little stand for my temperature and humidity sensor so I can see it when I'm sitting down or standing up more easily.

Playing: Beat Breath of the Wild finally. It was so long.

The final fight was kind of anticlimactic, between the assists you get from the divine beasts and all your power-ups I feel like I didn't have to puzzle it out as much as I did for some of the blight Ganon fights. I have kind of accepted that I just don't like the endings of most video games.

I did first go around and do the Champions' Ballad DLC quest because I stumbled into it, it's a nice set of little challenges plus some vignettes of the champions to help characterize them some more. I kind of wish you could walk around the world post-endgame and like, talk to some of the people you've met and see what they have to say. Eh.

Tools and Equipment: I have been storing my butter at room temperature the past few weeks, because it makes it much easier to spread. Modern butter is both very high fat and pasteurized so it won't go off for well over a week even if you just left it out, but the main concern is rancidity, which can happen quite quickly.

My Pro Tip is that you don't have to store the whole damn block. Euro butter is 250g blocks and I cut that into four ~60g cubes that I keep in a sealed plastic container in the cupboard one at a time. Just top it up as you go. I think American sticks are like 100g so you could cut it in half. South African butter usually comes in 500g so you'd have to cut that in like eighths.

[where-the-poppies-blow]

It Begins!

After much back and forth and some support from friends on Discord, I have finally decided to start posting my writing here on Tumblr.

This particular blog will be focused on what started off as a world building exercise (and quickly evolved into a full story).

Where the Poppies Blow is a tale set in a world where The Great War does not with an armistice in November, instead ends similarly to as it began, the last throes of Summer, shattered by the guns of August and the end of all things.

In early 1918 the Trench Flu spread faster than anyone could have imagined, mankind was ravaged to near extinction and scattered bands of diverse survivors carve out a meagre existence among the ruins of the old Western Front, the battered remnants of a dozen Armies.

This Wasteland, known as the Great Scar, is a lawless frontier, infested with Bandits, Outlaws and Pirates, a savage place, and yet the goodness of everyday folk endures.

In this series, I hope to tell a series of vignettes in a semi-regular, serialised format, chapter by chapter. The first of these will follow a down-on-her-luck bounty hunter experiencing the highs and lows of life as a hired gun in the Wasteland.

Finally, some quick housekeeping, this is purely a hobby, I will be the first to admit that I am an amateur writer, you may find my prose and writing style to be painfully pedestrian.

I'm happy to take constructive criticism but if you've got nothing nice to say, I wont hesitate to block you.

Feel free to make suggestions in DMs or Asks.

If you are looking for a story that focuses on the minutia of militaria, weapons and war machines, your mileage may vary.

(This story will feature "the gays" ™️, don't like, don't read, simple)

My aim is to tell a compelling story first and foremost, with a lived in world and interesting characters.

The first chapter will be up shortly, so hold tight!

(~Gassed by John Singer Sargent)

[charles-rxwlands]

lay all your love on me

okay!! so this is my fic for @magpiencrow's 1.2k writing challenge.

this is based off of the song lay all your love on me, slowed, by putin

pairing: nikolai/reader

rating: general

tags: gn!reader w/ gn pronouns, fluff

summary: falling in love with nikolai lantsov told through several vignettes

or: mindless nikolai/reader fluff with a alina and ivan being little shits

warnings: right off the bat there's a nightmare about drowning in the ocean, and there's one (1) swear word at the end, but other than that, there's nothing

word count: 4.1k

read on ao3

constructive criticism, feedback, and reblogs are greatly appreciated !

I haven't written anything in a while, so i may be a bit rusty, but please enjoy :)

You were drowning, and also pretty damn sure you were going to die out here. Your lungs were on fire, screaming for air, but you couldn't emerge from the ocean for long enough to suck in a breath. Sure, your hand or head breached the surface every now and then, but a wave would come crashing down on you immediately after, destroying all your progress.

      The undulating waves threw you around like a football - a very pathetic one, at that. As hard as you tried to fight the current, it still insisted on moving against you (stubborn bastard), so really you weren't going anywhere. Just pathetically bobbing around in the same pathetic place. You couldn't feel your limbs - the only thing you could feel was the agonising ache in your chest. It was as if your arms and legs had frozen over along with your will to live.

      How easy it would be to just... 

...let the ocean take you...

      Suddenly, someone grabbed you by the wrist. You screamed, which was a mistake; immediately, salty seawater filled your mouth, making you gag and choke. Nevertheless, you valiantly tried to release yourself from whoever - whatever? - had their hold on you. 

      "Y/n, Y/n! Relax, darling, relax," a voice said, sounding out of breath. "It's me."

      You whirled your head around. Sagging with relief, you gasped out the name of your saviour. "Nikolai."

      "Yes. Yes, Y/n, my love, it's me. It's Nikolai," he soothed, running his hands over your wet hair.

      "Nikolai," you breathed. "Nikola-" - a wave reared up on its hind legs, ready to come crashing down onto your friend, ready to take him away - "no, no, Nikolai, NO-!"

   

You startled, eyes flying open. You were shaking like a leaf. Were you cold, or was it just the adrenaline from the nightmare still making its course? You shook your head as if to rid your mind of the dream. It wasn't real. Nikolai had saved you that night. It was fine. It wasn't real.

      But it could very well have been real, a traitorous voice in your mind whispered. Scowling, you cursed your pessimistic side. Even if a wave had separated you two, Nikolai would have fought tooth and nail to get to you again. You would have done the same. After all, you were childhood friends, and you knew better than anyone that Nikolai didn't let go of his loved ones so easily.

      He hadn't wanted you to accompany him on his journey overseas as Sturmhond. You insisted otherwise, channeling some of Nikolai's stubbornness that had rubbed off on you. ("You're not getting rid of me that easily, idiot. So let me come, unless you want me to steal your kneecaps."). 

      A half-smile appeared on your face as you thought back to the memory. Slowly, you got up from your bed. Your blanket was draped over your shoulders. You slipped out of your cabin quietly, walking down the hallway until you found yourself in front of Nikolai's room. He stirred in his sleep when you entered. The door creaked slightly, but it didn't seem like his distress was because of the noise.

      You sat on the edge of his bed. Nikolai, previously facing away, turned over to face you. His eyes were still screwed shut, eyebrows knitted together and an unhappy expression on his face. You frowned. 

      "Nikolai." you nudged him gently. "Wake up. You're okay, just wake up. It's just a dream."

      He opened his eyes, blinking at you. "Y/n?"

      "Hi," you said. A lock of golden hair fell over his forehead, and upon instinct, you reached to brush it away. He let you, not uttering any of his usual complaints. 

      "You were gone," he mumbled, undoubtedly referencing his nightmare. "I- I couldn't save you, and you were gone." 

      You shifted into a more comfortable position - your whole body was on the bed now, with your back against the headboard. He leaned his head against your chest, and you ran your fingers through his hair. "It wasn't real. It's okay. You saved me - I'm not going anywhere, 'Lai."

      "Me either," he agreed, wrapping his arms around your middle. A beat of silence. Then, "Thank you."

      You were more than content to fall asleep like this. Even if it meant waking up with an ache in your neck. Judging from the way he was curled up, practically drinking in your presence, Nikolai felt the same way.

      What a feeling it was to have found solace in Nikolai Lantsov, and to know he had found solace in you, too.

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

Nikolai's pov

Nikolai watched from the corner of the ballroom as you laughed at one of Ivan's jokes. One would say that he was scowling, but the Prince of Ravka didn't scowl. No - he was simply observing your conversation with the Heartrender with visible distaste. He was not scowling. And he was not jealous.

      You and Ivan were smiling at each other, standing by the refreshments table, mouths moving quickly, the both of you obviously interested in whatever you were talking about. You threw your head back in a laugh. You looked gorgeous. Nikolai wanted to make you laugh like that - more than he wanted to admit.

      The last straw was when Ivan lay a hand on your shoulder, and then snaked his arm around you. You didn't seem perturbed by his touch - no, actually, you leaned into it. He bent down to whisper something in your ear that made you duck your head in embarrassment and lightly hit his chest. 

      Nikolai's glare deepened, if that were even possible. Okay, fine, maybe he was jealous. Did he even have the right to be jealous, though? It wasn't as if he was dating you, as much as he'd like to be.

And oh boy, he'd like to be. 

      Suddenly, Alina appeared at his side, seemingly out of thin air. He flinched. "Alina." 

      The girl in question had a mischievous look in her eye. Her hands were clasped in front of her, the long, flowy sleeves of her dress falling just past her wrists. The bottom half of her gown was a sparkly gold, whereas the top half was a dark blue. The two colours faded into each other at the middle, creating a gradient effect. It was a beautiful dress. You had helped Alina pick it out yourself, if he remembered correctly.

      "Hello, loverboy." she poked him in the side, grinning knowingly. "How's your crush on Y/n going for you?"

      "I don't have a crush on them, Alina, for Saint's sake."

      "Oh, is that so? You do seem... ah, what was the word... utterly whipped for them, contrary to what you just said," she said, tilting her head to the side, feigning innocence.

      "Am not," he argued. "I-," Nikolai paused, taking notice of you and Ivan walking past a couple metres away. Unfortunately, you were too engrossed in your current conversation to notice him. His eyes lingered on you. He only looked away when you disappeared back into the throng of people. 

      Alina let out a triumphant 'ha!'. 

      He directed his attention back to her and glared. "Alina, I swear-,"

      "Utterly. Whipped," she mouthed.

      "I will behead you," he threatened.

      She laughed. "In all seriousness, I really don't think Y/n and Ivan like each other like that," Alina said.

      "Well, of course not," he agreed. "Y/n very clearly has eyes for me. I can't say I blame them - who could resist all this? Everyone's all over me, as I'm sure you've noticed." 

      Alina stared at him pointedly.

      "Ah, except for you, of course. You seem to be the only one immune to my charm and charisma. An odd one, you are."

       She rolled her eyes. "Why do I even bother," she groaned. "Just swear to me that you'll tell Y/n you like them soon. Within a week. Swear on... your dignity."

      "My dignity?" Nikolai drawled.

      "Yes, your dignity, because if you don't fess up soon, I'll have to tell Y/n about your crush on them myself," she grinned smugly, and darted off before Nikolai could retort. 

      He sighed. As he saw it, he had three options:

      1. Blackmail Alina (because of course she wouldn't give in to simple bribery)

      2. Get on his knees and beg Alina to not tell you of his massive crush (there! he admitted it; he had a massive crush on you! One that he'd been harbouring for just over a year now, too)

      3. Listen to Alina, and confess on his own terms

      All three were mortifying, and things he absolutely didn't want to do. However, the last was considerably easier to do, and came with the most benefits and the least consequences. You had already seen him through his most embarrassing moments (and he through yours) so even if you rejected him, the humiliation would be minimal. 

      And maybe he wanted to confess. And maybe there was hope that you liked him back. Nikolai wasn't stupid - he knew when people fancied him. He suspected you liked him back, but then again, that could've been wishful thinking, or maybe he was misreading the entire thing.

      He didn't even understand why he was so jealous of the way Ivan and you had interacted. Before he had fallen heads over heels in love with you, his childhood best friend, people flirting with you hadn't been a problem. He'd encouraged it, even. But now, bitterness flared up inside of him every time he saw someone getting a bit too cozy with you. 

      In short, his feelings for you had completely destroyed his facade of smooth, suave, sexy Prince of Ravka. And it kind of terrified him how poorly he hid it.

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

Nikolai had been acting strange lately, and it was bothering you. You feared the worst - had he finally caught on to your crush? You thought you'd been subtle until Ivan had approached you at the most recent party. Apparently, the scowl on your face as you watched Nikolai flirt with the guests had been fierce enough to kill.

      Ivan had given you (unsolicited) advice, telling you to be straightforward and direct. That was what he'd done with Fedyor, after all, and that had worked out well.

      You were pacing around your room. Ivan was perched on your bed, watching you have a borderline nervous breakdown like one would watch the view. 

      "You're enjoying this, aren't you, Ivan?" you demanded. "I'm about to make a life or death decision, and you're enjoying it."

      He chuckled. "I wouldn't call this a life or death decision, Y/n. If Nikolai rejects you, he rejects you, and it's his loss. If he reciprocates, good, and you'll be free to frolic in the meadows with him, all fine and dandy."

      You stared at him, your expression communicating, "Did you really just say that?", very clearly.

      "Okay, okay, fine, I'll be serious." Ivan relented. "Just tell him, Y/n. What's the worst that could happen?" 

      Just as you were about to respond - "Well, I don't know, what if he rejects me, things become eternally awkward between us, and our 10 year long friendship is ruined because I couldn't keep my mouth shut?" - someone knocked at the door. You opened it to find Nikolai waiting. His hair was perfectly styled, as always. He wore a dark turquoise suit jacket, and a simple white dress shirt underneath. The ghost of a smile appeared on your face; you had chosen the colour for him.

      "Hi, Nikolai," you greeted. 

      "Hello," he said. "Come on a walk with me. It's a lovely day outside, and both of us have been dreadfully busy lately - we may not get another chance to spend time together, I'm afraid."

      "Oh! Of course, just let me grab more suitable shoes- I'll be out in a minute- Ivan, move." You rummaged around your room in search of the sandals Nikolai had gifted you for your most recent birthday. Ivan flashed you a grin.

      "Tell him!" he whispered as you ducked out the door.

      You hoped you didn't seem too jittery as you took Nikolai's arm, even if your insides were filled with butterflies. He seemed deep in thought for the first few minutes of your walk. It wasn't until you were both outside that he finally spoke.

      "I hope you don't mind me asking, Y/n, but what was Ivan doing in your room?" he asked. 

      The question caught you off guard. Why was he so concerned about you and Ivan? It wasn't as if-

      Oh.

      Oh.

      "Nikolai, don't tell me- are you jealous?" you exclaimed.

      "Just answer the question, Y/n," he grumbled, which was enough of an answer for you.

      You laughed, only feeling a bit bad that you were so amused. Nikolai Lantsov, jealous. You found that incredibly funny. "Oh, I'm sorry for laughing," you apologised, even as another giggle escaped your mouth. "You don't have to worry, Ivan and I are strictly friends."

      He didn't seem convinced. "But the two of you at the party a few days ago-,"

      You cut him off. "Nikolai. I promise that there is nothing romantic going on with Ivan and I. And besides, I don't think I'm anywhere near his type."

      "Ivan likes men, Nikolai," you supplied, sensing his confusion. "Honestly, you need to keep up with gossip - he and Fedyor have been going strong for nearly three months now."

      "Oh," Nikolai said.

      "Yeah, oh."

      "And, uh, do you? Like men, I mean?" 

      You bit back another laugh. "Yes, I do. One man in particular, actually." 

      "Is that so? Care to clue me in on who this man is?"

      "You." 

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

Nikolai's pov

"You."

      As soon as that single word came out of your mouth, Nikolai's brain short-circuited, and several alarms blared in his mind. ALERT! ALERT! THE PERSON YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH LIKES YOU BACK! 

      He was too stunned to speak, which was definitely a first. So, naturally, he didn't speak, but instead leaned in to kiss you. His lips brushed chastely against yours. A pause. 

      "I- I'm really sorry, Y/n, I should have asked beforehand-,"

      "Nikolai." you took his face in your hands. "Shut up." 

      And then you kissed him, and if his brain had been short-circuiting before, this was a full blown system failure. Sparks flew inside of him, and he was acutely aware of you and you only. It was a wonderful feeling, one that he immediately missed when you pulled away.

      "Wow," you said. 

      He grinned. "I'm that good of a kisser, huh?"

      When usually you would come up with a witty response, you just smiled. It was a smile Nikolai was pretty sure he'd die to see again. 

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

Falling in love with Nikolai had been a long process. Your simple crush developed into something deeper like a leaky faucet dripping - slowly, but steadily. And then the realisation that you were in love with him hit you like a tidal wave. Drowning you, consuming every inch of your being, but not necessarily in a bad way.

       You came to your epiphany while laying awake in bed one night after a whole day spent with the esteemed King of Ravka. It was a wonder that you'd managed to spend a whole 10 hours or so in his company without getting fed up, Tamar had teased. He did annoy you - and had today - but you bullied him back plenty enough. It was easy being with him. Easier than you were used to. 

       You loved the way his eyes sparkled after correcting someone on their use of the word 'impossible'. Loved how he devoted himself to his country so selflessly. Loved how he smiled at you so genuinely and lovingly, even when you didn't have the energy to show your love in return after a bad day. Saints, you loved him so, so much, and you were so in love with him, too, and-

       Holy shit. You were in love with Nikolai.

       You were in love. With Nikolai.

       A childish giggle bubbled up inside of you, and you sighed happily. What a feeling it was to be in love with the King of Ravka, even if he didn't know it yet. 

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

You twirled a small flower around in your hands as you walked side by side with Nikolai, your shoulders brushing occasionally. The taller blades of grass tickled your ankles, and a gentle breeze weaved through your hair. The sun peeked out from behind a few clouds, warming your face.

     Nikolai intertwined your fingers, sighing in content. He craned back his neck to meet the sunshine, eyes fluttering shut. He looked stunning, just standing there with his almost otherworldly beauty as light spilled over his fine features, highlighting every detail.

     "I'm in love with you," you blurted suddenly. "I love you, and I'm also in love with you, so. Yeah. I'm in love with you, Nikolai Lantsov."

     You gave yourself a mental round of applause for your eloquence and tact.

      He blinked. "Oh." The ghost of a smile appeared on his face, turning into a full-fledged grin when he finally processed your words. "Oh. I'm... I'm in love with you, too, Y/n L/n."

      You beamed back at him, and cupped his face in your hands. You gently ran your fingers against his cheeks, tracing a line down to the base of his chest. The fabric of his shirt was thin and soft, unlike the suffocating material his suits were made of. Lovingly, he wrapped his arms around your waist, and pulled you close. Your heart fluttered. Saints, you adored Nikolai. More than you could put into words. 

      "I love you," you whispered. "I love you so much, so intensely that it consumes me, and I'm drowning in it. But instead of it being hard to breathe, it makes breathing easier. It makes everything easier." 

      You interrupted your little speech by kissing him, just because it felt appropriate, and continued. "I was so lost without you, Nikolai. I didn't realise it, because as I've proved time and time again, I'm more than capable of holding my own-" you smirked as he rolled his eyes at the jab to his overprotectiveness "-but I was. I was a boat lost at sea, floating around in the waves, with no destination and no goal except surviving. Then you came along, and gave me solace. You were my salvation. You and your endearingly stupid jokes and your wild yet grounded behaviour. You're my anchor, Nikolai." 

      He laughed, but not in the mean way. In the happy way. 

      "I would pay you back with a monologue of my own," he said. "but all I can think of right now is how perfect you are, and how much I want to kiss you."

      Your smile widened, if that were even possible. You met him midway, lips connecting almost desperately. The only coherent thought running through your brain was 'Nikolai, Nikolai, Nikolai.'

      Nikolai.

· · ─── ·𖥸· ─── · ·

"That one looks like a dragon," you said, pointing out a lumpy cloud in the sky.

      Nikolai tilted his head to the left. It was rather cute - he looked like a puppy, trying to figure out what its owner was saying. His right eyebrow curved in an upward arch (you still had no idea how he managed to raise a single eyebrow at a time), and he pouted slightly. Adorable.

      "I don't see it," he deadpanned.

      You sighed and shook your head, dismissing the cute puppy ideology. "Nevermind," you huffed. As hard as you tried to pretend you were upset with him, a smile teased at the corners of your mouth, anyway.

      "I'm sorry, darling, but I really don't!" he exclaimed, flopping back into the picnic blanket you two had laid out. Really, it wasn't even a picnic blanket. It was just a blanket. The two of you hadn't had time to find a proper one before embarking on your impromptu picnic. Nikolai, ever the improviser, had then brandished a quilt from Saints knew where. You suspected it came from Vasily's room, because who else would be pompous enough to own a red velvet blanket the size of China?

      You dramatically exhaled again. "I already said nevermind. Not all of us can be blessed with a creative vision such as mine, after all."

      Nikolai laughed. And Saints, the sound was downright melodic. You didn't even want to begin thinking about all the things you'd do to hear it one more time.

      A comfortable silence settled between the two of you. Eventually, he began stroking your palm with his callouses fingers. You bit back a smile, and linked your pinkies together. A gathering of clouds mostly covered the sun - enough to allow only a bit of warm, gold light to seep out. You wondered briefly how Nikolai looked right now, basking underneath the faint sunshine. 

      The answer came to you easily, even without looking at him: fucking beautiful. 

      However, you wouldn't give him the satisfaction of staring at him. The last time he had caught you gaping at him like a lovesick fool, he had teased you endlessly. It was ridiculous. It wasn't as if he didn't stare at you. No, actually. He stared at you all the time. In fact, he was doing it right now.

      You bit back a grin when you felt his eyes on you. But before you could tease him for it, he got up suddenly, offering you a hand.

      "Come on," he urged. "Follow me."

      "Where to?" you questioned curiously.

      He smirked. Tugged on your hand. Winked. "You'll see." 

      "Right, that's not cryptic at all," you muttered. 

      Eventually, after a minute or so of walking (and plenty of you trying to weasel more information out of him) the two of you had seemed to reach your destination. A huge tree hung above you, offering its shade. You plopped down, but Nikolai remained standing.

      Strangely, he was looking rather nervous. Repeatedly tugging at the collar of his beige button-up shirt, and kicking at the grass. 

      "Y/n, darling, don't just sit there, you're making me nervous," he whined. 

      You giggled, but stood up anyway. "I could say the same about you. What's on your mind, dear?"

      He took a deep breath, and looked you dead in the eyes. "I love you, Y/n. I love you, and I'm in love with you. I always have, and always have been. It's just- you're wonderful. And intelligent. And charming. And I am so, so glad you are my partner - in the romantic sense, and the platonic sense. If I'm being honest, I'm quite sure I'd be tearing at the seams without you to sew me back together every time I do something particularly foolish. 

      And I hope you'll always be there to ground me. Because I will always be there for you. Th-there's no other way to say this, my darling, but I'd quite like to spend the rest of my life with you, so..."

      He brandished a dark blue box from his back pocket (this probably wasn't the time, but you had to mention that you could never fit something that large in your pocket. Why did men's clothing always have bigger pockets?) and got down on one knee. 

      "Will you do me the honour of marrying me, Y/n?" he finished.

      Holy fuck. Holy mother of Saints. Holy everything. Was this real? Saints. This really was real, wasn't it? Nikolai Lantsov was proposing to you.

      A sob escaped from your throat, and you nodded frantically, not wanting him to think you were upset. "Yes," you said. "Saints, Nikolai, yes."

      He smiled. You knew that he smiled a lot, but this smile was different. Usually, he just grinned or smirked in a devilish way - this was more of a beam. He looked so genuinely happy (genuinely happy, because of you!) that it made your heart soar, and you were pretty sure you fell in love with him all over again for the second time. You'd never get tired of it, though. Not when it came to Nikolai (Nikolai, your husband-to-be!). Never when it came to Nikolai.

      You soon found yourself enveloped in a hug. He spun you around, both of you laughing (and crying). When he set you down, you could have sworn you saw his eyes welling up.

      "Now, my love, those better be happy tears," he tutted.

      "Of course they're happy tears, you stupid puppy dog!" you sniffed. "I love you."

      He beamed into your hair. "I love you, too, Y/n."

      What a feeling it was to be in love with Nikolai Lantsov, and to know that he was in love with you, too.

[mercurygray]

Sudden idea after my partner talked about how I cut his hair myself early quarantine and how intimate it was: a vignette of Doris doing haircuts between skirmishes and drops - maybe with perfect hair boi Speirs?

Nonnie, this was a delightful idea. 

Since he'd arrived in Easy, Ron Speirs seemed to have made scaring people a habit.

It didn't help that the CO moved like a cat, but he had the darnedest way of staring  - and the combination of the two, that uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere with murder in his eyes, was enough to make even the seasoned veterans jump - just like Doris had done now when she'd heard her name. "Russo." He looked like he had something heavy on his mind. "Heard you've got a pair of scissors and can cut hair."

Doris tried not to stare. "That's, um, that's right, sir. From time to time. Not, you know, professionally or anything, sir," she hastened to add, in case someone had given him the wrong idea about her skills. "Just my brothers and sisters at home. If you need a haircut, sir, Liebgott -"

"Liebgott's busy," Speirs said quickly.

 "I've got a meeting tomorrow and this needs a trim." He ran a hand through his hair, brushing it out of his face a little as he did so. It was long, and terribly unsoldierly - but then, they were all looking a little untrimmed after Bastogne. Everyone had showered and shaved, but the haircuts were going to be a longer time coming, and so they were just going to have to suffer a little while longer - though Doris had caught Niamh giving Babe's ginger head a ruffle, and there was something almost boyish to the way Winters was now combing his - though that might also have been the way his eyes were following Joan.

And, too, there was the small problem of the discussions that had been tendered in the women's barracks over the subject of hair, and running ones hands through, and pulling it, and ...so on. And Speirs had featured heavily - mostly from Billie, who showed her hand a bit talking about that one, but even Marj (sainted Marj, who'd never said a word edgewise about anyone) had admitted to having a thing for men with an air of mystery.

But there wasn't ever a lot of space for arguments with Speirs, and backdoor discussions on sexual preferences weren't exactly a tenable excuse. So Doris nodded, and fumbled in her pockets for the prized pair of scissors - just recently sharpened, too, courtesy of Bull and a slow night in. "Brought a towel," Speirs offered, sitting down on a crate and draping it around his shoulders.  Of course you did, Doris thought to herself, standing back a moment and surveying the scene, taking a step forward and realizing with a jolt that between Speirs' height and hers, that her chest was going to be right smack dab in front of his line of sight. Something in her midsection gave a faint wobble.

Oh, Lord, give me strength.

[mysteryshoptls]

SR Riddle Rosehearts - Lab Coat Vignette

"This is my 'intuition.'"

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Riddle's Room]

[knock, knock]

Riddle: Please, come in.

Trey: Excuse me. Riddle, have you finished filling in all of the paperwork for the Housewarden meeting?

Riddle: I've long been finished. Here you go.

Trey: Oh, wow… That's a lot. This all goes to the Headmage, right?

Riddle: That's right. There are still other documents I need to finish tidying up, so I'll be counting on you.

Trey: Got it, I'll bring it to him right away. Make sure you don't push yourself too hard.

Trey: I'll be off then.

Riddle: Goodness… Trey has always been a bit of a worrier.

Riddle: Although, if I rest now, I won't be able to get everything done according to my schedule. I'll try to finish this up quickly.

Riddle: Hmm, all that is left now is… the registration forms for the Inter-Dorm Magical Shift Tournament.

Riddle: …I see, since Azul prepared these, there are an abundance of regulations to go through. It will be quite a lot just to read through it.

[rain starts to fall]

Riddle: Hm, is that rain…? I was so focused on checking the documents that I didn't even notice.

Riddle: It's coming down pretty hard. The forecast hadn't even given any warning for this.

Riddle: I wonder if Trey brought an umbrella with him when he left...

[Cafeteria]

―The next day

Trey: Achoo!

Riddle: !

Trey: Whew… Sorry for sneezing over the food.

Cater: Trey-kun, you sick?

Riddle: Really, now… This is why I told you to stay warm and sleep early yesterday.

Trey: Haha, that's my bad. I wanted to finish all my assignments, so I ended up staying up later than I meant to.

Trey: So it's just a self-management issue. Riddle, it's not your fault.

Riddle: Humph…

Cater: Hey, wait! Why's Trey-kun apologizing when he's the one who's sick and Riddle-kun is perfectly fine?

Cater: Obviously, there's something going on here that I don't know! Tell mee, let me in on it～

Trey: I mean, it's not really anything important…

Riddle: Yesterday, it started raining while he was out running an errand for me.

Cater: Ahh～ yeah, I guess I remember it raining. That was super unlucky, huh, Trey-kun?

Trey: Yeah… Achoo!

Riddle: Trey, do you have a fever?

Trey: I took my temperature this morning, but… I think it's looking good for now.

Riddle: Once you finish dinner, you should check your temperature once more. It doesn't seem like you have much of an appetite, either…

Cater: He's right, you haven't eaten anything. Why don't you go to the infirmary later?

Trey: Both of you are overreacting. I'm fine. I'm just a little lethargic, is all.

Cater: Then at the very least, you should have some soup, or something else good for you like that. Want me to go buy some for ya?

Trey: Like I said, you're blowing this way out of proportion. You don't have to do anything that… Achoo!

Trey: Urgh…

Cater: Uh-huh, see, like I said. Hey, Riddle-kun… I'm going to go take Trey-kun back to the dorm.

Riddle: …

[Library]

Riddle: Trey's cold has completely taken a turn for the worse. At this rate, my own ability to care for my own dorm residents will be called into question.

Riddle: Let's find a home cooking recipe book… Here it is. Hm, the soups listed here that would be good to help warm up someone with a cold are…

Riddle: Spicy curry soup, tomato and chili soup, leek and pork habanero soup…

Riddle: These all seem like they would warm anyone up, but they don't seem very gentle on the stomach…

Lilia: You there, boy, is something troubling you?

Riddle: Oh! You are Lilia-senpai from Diasomnia… Whenever did you get behind me…?

Lilia: Your nose was really dug into that book. What're you looking for?

Lilia: …Oh, you've got a recipe book there in your hands, I see.

Riddle: Ah, no, this is…!

Lilia: So, are you trying to cook something? I thought that was your Vice Housewarden's job.

Riddle: …Ordinarily, it would be, yes.

Lilia: Haha, I see. Looks like Trey really got hit hard by his cold despite his protesting.

Riddle: Eh? How did you know of that?

Lilia: We're in the same class, after all. He'd been sneezing all morning, so anyone'd notice.

Lilia: Which means, I guess you're in here searching for a light soup that would be gentle on his stomach to make for him?

Riddle: …He came down with that cold because of me.

Lilia: Hmm, seeing you so distraught and out of your comfort zone brings back memories.

Lilia: It takes me back, how old was Silver back then, again…?

Riddle: I believe it would be a major over-exaggeration to say I am distraught. …I will be fine once I find the right recipe.

Lilia: I bet you won't find it.

Riddle: Wh-Why would you say that?

Lilia: Kufufu. Because I've searched for one before, too.

Lilia: A mild soup to chase away a cold is much too easy to be found in recipe books.

Lilia: You can just feel the arrogance of those professional chefs.

Riddle: No… Well then, I'll simply have to think of another dish.

Lilia: Wait, wait, no need to rush off. How about I help teach you something you can make instead of soup.

Riddle: Eh!?

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Kitchen]

Riddle: I never realized how cold the kitchens get at night…

Lilia: Well, yeah, there's a lot of things that use fire here. Obviously, it'll be colder when there's no one else around.

Lilia: Anyway, let's get down to business. We need to finish making the soup before Trey goes to sleep.

Riddle: Right. Let me think, first… Should I retrieve the pot?

Lilia: Mhm. And you'll also need water and the seasonings.

Riddle: How much water should I use? …And please don't just say "use your intuition."

Lilia: You can just measure out how much you want him to drink in a cup and add that. As for seasonings, that'll be based on how much flavor you want to give it.

Riddle: How much I want him to drink… Would three cups be enough?

Lilia: Oho, jumping right in. Well, that should be fine. As they always say, "go big or go home."

Lilia: Next, you'll want to add a few spoonfuls of consommé for each cup of water… How many spoonfuls was it again? Eh, probably about 4.

Riddle: I understand. Then that would be a total of 12 spoonfuls.

Lilia: Now all that's left is to season it and let it simmer, but now comes the hard part. Everything from here will be gut feeling.

Riddle: Urgh… That is what I was hoping to avoid… Can one really create a delicious dish while relying on instinct…?

Riddle: So then, what would my intuition say to put in the soup? Should I start with salt?

Lilia: Hm. Salt is a fundamental ingredient, but the best ingredient is putting in what you want to. For example… What is your favorite food?

Riddle: That would be a strawberry tart for me. However, that cannot be added to a soup.

Lilia: You think? I think it would increase your appetite if it's made with something that you truly like.

Lilia: Choose ingredients chock full of nutrients to also add to the soup. Like ginger, eggs, garlic…

Lilia: Oh yes, bananas and yoghurt were common ingredients in my home.

Riddle: You'd really put those in as well…?

Riddle: Although, it is important to consume the proper nutrition efficiently, so you may have a point… How much should I put in?

Lilia: That's where your intuition comes into play!! The more nutrition you put in, the faster he'll get better.

Riddle: Is that so… Then, I'll add more…

Lilia: Back when I made this, I remember I added chili peppers.

Lilia: With one bite, Silver jumped out of bed as if whatever curse he was under had been lifted.

Riddle: W-Wouldn't a stimulant like that be detrimental here? …Alright, I think that's enough seasoning now.

Lilia: Oh, you're not going to add anything else?

Riddle: That's right. I pictured Trey and what I thought he'd like… This is my "intuition".

Lilia: I see, then. Well, all that's left is to bring it to a boil and it'll be done.

Riddle: I understand. Is medium heat alright…? …For some reason, I feel like the smell its giving off is… too intense…

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Trey's Room]

Trey: …Achoo!

[knock, knock]

Trey: Hm…? Who's knocking at this hour?

[door opens]

Trey: …Ah.

Riddle: That's my line. You shouldn't still be up "at this hour."

Trey: I had been sleeping ever since I got back to the dorm, I just woke up. I felt a little bit better, so I was just finishing up some homework.

Trey: But never mind that, what do you have there in your hands…?

Riddle: …It's soup. This is the first time I've made anything like this, so I can't vouch for the taste…

Riddle: If you don't want to eat it, you don't have to. I can eat it for breakfast tomorrow.

Trey: No, I'll take it. Thanks for making it for me.

Riddle: Right. Well then, goodnight…

Trey: …[slurp]

Riddle: W-Wait, why are you eating it right now!? Go relax and eat it after I'm gone!

Trey: [slurp… cough, cough] Well, you went through the trouble of making it for me, so I thought I'd tell you how it came out.

Trey: It's not bad for your first time. Thanks.

Riddle: …There's no way… Achoo!

Trey: Riddle?

Riddle: Urgh… Your room is a little cold, Trey. It'll be hard to get better when it's like this.

Riddle: You should raise the temperature and go to sleep quickly.

Trey: Right, you too, Riddle. It looks like it'll be pretty cold tonight.

Riddle: Even now, you're still… It's fine, you need to worry more about yourself than me, Trey.

[School Infirmary]

―The next day

Riddle: …Achoo! Urgh… I feel so cold…

Jade: Riddle-san, please take care. I shall return to the classroom, now.

Riddle: Right, thank you for bringing me to the infirmary during class… Achoo!

Riddle: It doesn't look like the nurse is in, but there are beds available. I can probably take care of myself from here…

Riddle: Whew… First, I need to check my temperature… And get an ice pack…

Riddle: How negligent could I be? I never thought I would catch a cold as well…

Riddle: Ah, I forgot… to change out of my lab coat…

Riddle: But it's… too much work… to take off…

Riddle: …Zzz… Zzz…

Riddle: …Hm?

Riddle: Ah! Oh no, what time is it!?

Trey: School has already ended for the day, Riddle.

Riddle: Trey… Why are you here?

Trey: I heard that you were resting here in the infirmary, so I came to check up on you. How are you feeling?

Riddle: I'm feeling much better now… Achoo!

Trey: It looks like its not gone yet. You should take the rest of today to sleep. We can head back to the dorm once you're doing better.

Riddle: Hah… Looks like we've completely swapped positions from yesterday…

Trey: Haha, guess you're right.

Trey: Thanks for the soup. I drank it all.

Riddle: …You're a fool.

Trey: Hm?

Riddle: Nothing. I can walk with no issue now, so I'll return back to the dorm to rest.

Trey: Do you need someone to hold on to?

Riddle: I don't ne… Achoo!

Requested by Anonymous.