#and as such trying to handle the day to day stresses of managing those alone

[melodic-melovin]

Привет! Я тут открыла для себя творчество Меловина, и удивилась, что так мало его фан-страниц, и нашла ваш блог... Но он не обновлялся в этом году - почемууу? Надеюсь, у вас всё хорошо и вы будете продолжать 💖💖💖

Hi! I discovered Melovin's work here, and I was surprised that there were so few of his fan pages, and I found your blog… But it hasn't been updated this year - why? I hope you are doing well and you will continue 💖 💖 💖

= o = o = o = o = o = o =

И вам привет! Мне приходится пользоваться переводчиком, так как я на самом деле не говорю по-русски, поэтому извините, если слова немного не те.

(Hello to you too! I have to use a translator, as I don't actually speak Russian, so I'm sorry if the words are a little off.)

Честно говоря, последние год или два были для меня очень тяжелыми в том, что касается личных дел в реальном мире, поэтому было трудно поддерживать свои интересы и блоги. Не хочу сказать, что я не обожаю Костю и все, что с ним связано, просто мне было трудно поддерживать эту страницу в актуальном состоянии, за исключением особо важных событий. Я надеюсь обновить эту страницу в какой-то момент, когда моя жизнь, возможно, стане�� немного менее напряженной.

(Truthfully, the past year or two have been very rough for me, with regards to real world personal matters, so it's been hard to maintain my interests and blogs. Not to say that I don't adore Kostya and all things about him, it's just been hard for me to keep this page up to date for him outside of extremely major occurrences. I am hoping to update this page at some point, when my life is perhaps a little less stressful.)

Спасибо вам за добрые слова и сообщение, это очень много значит! 💙💛💙💛

(Thank you for the kind words and message though, it means a lot! 💙💛💙💛)

[dutybcrne]

Dawn Winery Head!Kae during Luc’s absence make brain go brr

[jjkarmy091]

Second Best - Jungkook (part 5)

Summary: Being friends with someone who has your heart it’s already hard, let alone when that special someone ends up falling in love with your best friend, the one you think would never make anything to hurt you . Will you be able to ignore it and move on? what will happen when everything gets too much for you to handle?

Genre: Friends to lovers; angst; body insecurities; bullying; friend betrayel;

Pairing: Jungkook x female!reader

Jungkook’s feeling down lately.

After leaving Sewoon in the club, he hopped on his motorcycle and started driving until he reached his own home. Opening the front door he looked around and was emerged by this void feelling. He didn't know what was going on and why he felt the way he did. It wasn't a normal reaction of his. His night even went okay, he was having fun with his friends and kissed the girl he was in love with. How come everything turned out to this shitty. 

Then he remembered Y/n, the way she spoke with him before leaving. Did he say something he wasn't supposed to? Was she mad because of the guy she was sad for? He picked up his phone and called her, not once, not twice but four times. In any of those tries did she pick up.

“Hey Y/n. Just wanted to let you know I’m home and safe. I’m sorry the way things went out tonight, it was a very confusing night. Are we good? We never fought before and I'm lost here. I just-- I want you to know I care about you Y/n, a lot. Never forget that”  

Five minutes later: 

“Please call or text me when you get the chance so I know you are okay and we can talk about it” 

"Don't leave me in the dark Y/n. I'm beggin you. Talk to me or else I'll lose it"

Nothing. After millions of calls and text the response was not what he was expecting and it was driving him insane. Breathing heavily he sent one last text

---------------------------------------

Sitting down on his couch waiting for a call or reply from you was being a nightmare. It's been an hour and he got nothing from you. He fucked up bad. "Shit”. Then his phone started ringing and he answered it so quickly he didn't have time to see who it was, almost dropping it midway.  

“Hello?” 

“Hi Jk.” Sewoon replied on the other side. “Did you get home already? I wanna apologize for the way I spoke earlier about Y/n. You’re right, I shouldn’t have take it so easily and said those things. Were you able to talk to her after?” 

“Ahhh Sewoon. No I didn’t. She's probably asleep. I’m sure she’s alright.” Jungkook said nervously. “she better be. She’s not home either. I went there and no response” Sewoon said and Jungkook mind stopped working. What does she mean she's not home either? Did she really went out with some guy? She was never the one to behave like this. Only if she was --

“Jk are you listening to me? Can I come over to yours? Leaving Y/n aside for a bit, I thought we could have some fun I saw how stressed you were before. I want to help you shake it off a little, like old times”

Jungkook could only laugh to himself thinking how crazy he was when he said “I’m sorry Sewoon, not today. I’m tired and wanna get some rest okay? I'm sorry. If you get any info on Y/n, please tell me yeah? Just to be sure she really is okay. Sleep thigh"

Dropping his phone next to him, he turned the tv off, went to his bedroom, laid down and tried to find a way to sleep

----- 

Y/n called her manager the next morning asking for some days off, caliming she was having some personal issues and needed some time to fix them. The manager put no restraining to that, giving her a week off since she never missed work and was a great employee. She knew that too damn well.  She spent her life that goddamn coffee shop trying to earn every penny she could .

After drinking with Lisa and clean the mess they made she tried to get some sleep. Everytime she was about to close her eyes her phone screen would light up. She would look at it. Another notification from Jungkook and one in particular from Sewoon saying “you better had some fun tonight bitch because you leaving the club with someone else ruined my night. Jungkook lost his mind thinking you were in trouble. Call me up".

Y/n couldn’t help but sigh. Was her best friend always so self centered? How come she never noticed it? She turned her phone off and rolled over, finally being able to get some rest until she wakes up with a loud bang on the door and Lisa walking in full of excitement.  

“Good morning lady. Did you pack your stuff already? Pack warm things, a book or two, some pair of boots and lots of socks. We’re going to the snow. Oh and our flight is in about 5 hours. Hurry up”  

You didn’t know if you wanted to kill Lisa or thank her for being such a light in the middle of the storm going in your head and your heart. The next few hours were a rush. Between preparing things, buying others, organizing documents and being ready in time to go to the airport and checking in. In all this time, Y/n hasn't responded to either Sewoon or Jungkook. It was better this way. It was too much on her plate. A burden she had no need to carry.

After all the stress to get there on time they finally managed to sit down in their seats and recover from all the rush. Y/n wasn't definitely used to all of this. After a bit of silence she turned to Lisa and said  

"Jungkook called and texted me several times last night. And Sewoon too. It made me question the context of her text."  

“what do you mean?” Lisa questioned. 

"Basically she blamed me for ruinning her night with Jungkook after I left the club." Y/n retorded. Lisa opened her mouth but then closed it. Y/n wishes she had said what she was going to say, but instead she questioned "Did you answered any of them?" Y/n shakes her head "Good. These days we will have our phones turned off. No Jungkook, no Sewoon and no worries. Let's just have fun and create some badass memories. Deal?”

Y/n has to make sure that after all this mess gets better, to thank Lisa for everything she's been doing for her. Not that she hasn't already. She's so glad she came back into her life at a time like this. It made her compare Lisa to Sewoon. Where was Sewoon in the most difficult moments of your life?

"Deal"

A bit of sadness hits Y/n. She holds Lisa's hand and mouths "thank you" squeezing it tightly. You are going to get through this, like you managed before but this time with someone who truly cares and you couldn't be more relieved by it

------------------------------

@esposadomd @joonlover1207 @eegyo @furrywonderlandwolf @minghaosimp @differentrunawayperson @nikkinikj @jksusawife @11thenightwemet11 @jk97bam

[punkclowngod]

I don’t think I’ve talked much about having a service dog on here, but maybe I should

Boom used to be my service dog, I got him the summer before my last year of high school bcuz I needed a nurse 24/7 to ensure I could eat/sleep/stay alive due to a recent very traumatizing event in my life and my mom came up with the service dog idea.

Getting him was hard. And expensive. No trainers were up to my standards. I, who could barely take care of myself, had to train my own dog. The problem is no matter how hard I worked, my own family or other trainers would ruin it all by messing up my commands, by letting my dog do things I had trained him not to do. It wasn’t training anymore, I ended up simply having breakdowns because everyone kept ruining my dog. People close to me thought they could be an exception to the rules I had taught my MEDICAL AID because surely my DOG would learn the difference between them and strangers.

Eventually I brought him to school. Printed papers explaining what a service dog was and how to behave around him and I plastered them all over the place.

People barked at him, petted him, tried to grab his attention.

His harness was hot pink, patches and signs on it that very clearly said “DO NOT TOUCH” and shit like that.

Someone defaced one of the papers.

Going to school was already hard, I could barely leave the house, my mom had to accompany me to the school doors every morning and then a social worker at school would greet me there and take care of me throughout the day.

I had my own locker at a floor mostly unoccupied so I wouldn’t see other people much and my dog wouldn’t be too distracted.

But it was still to much and I ended up dropping out four months before graduation.

I couldn’t leave the house. I had Boom but he wasn’t perfect yet. People kept ruining him.

But eventually I managed to leave the house. Go to a shopping mall from time to time with him to just walk and have fun.

Too many times people came up to me to tell me the gear I used was hurting my dog. Too many times people came up to me to tell me that their own dog died. Too many people came up to him and pet him without even acknowledging my presence. Too many people telling me they wished they could bring their pets anywhere. Too many people disrespecting me and my service dog.

I stopped going out. I stopped being with my dog.

All this stress and trauma drove a wedge between my dog and I. I consider him my mother’s dog now.

I had to learn to handle myself alone when I went out. It took me years to learn to go out by myself. Only last year I started doing that.

My dog doesn’t live in my room with me anymore.

Having a service dog did still save my life. But those around me ruined that. They made it about themselves. They prioritized my dog over me. My dog that LOVES working. If you tell him “do you want to go to work” chances are he’ll get so excited he will attempt to do a backflip.

We used to have a deep bond. That bond is now broken. People took that from us.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is:

Let people and their service dogs alone.

You are not an exception.

You are not special.

You are disrupting the dog’s training and distracting it.

You are endangering a human life because you can’t resist petting the cute dog.

This isn’t about you. This is about a disabled person trying to simply live their lives.

You don’t know what you’re talking about, your advice is unsolicited and lacks understanding of what the life of a working dog is.

Just leave us alone.

[haikyu-mp4]

Workplace romance

word count; 941 – f!reader, fluff

“The Schweiden Adlers ball is next weekend, I assume you know that,” you mumble to start off, already used to how Kageyama’s knee bounces repeatedly in what you could only assume was restlessness. “I just need to know who you will bring as a date. There will be paparazzi and I just want to make sure I have everything under control.” As you were speaking, you didn’t really look up at the man, simultaneously finishing off the notes from your previous meeting with Hoshiumi.

“A date?” Kageyama repeated back to you and you chuckled softly at his confusion, sparing him a glance.

You’re one of Schweiden Adlers’ PR managers, recently tasked with handling the three younger members, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Hoshiumi Korai and Kageyama Tobio. They are all pretty sweet and you thanked the heavens every day that you didn’t end up as PR manager for the MSBY Black Jackals. “Yes, you get a plus one. You could also bring your mom or sister, that’s always good for your image. Alternatively, there’s no problem with going alone. Although that might call forth a different genre of headlines…” you rambled, doing your job and analysing the different options without even noticing how the young man was twiddling his thumbs in his lap nervously.

Kageyama was the one you spoke with the most from the team, as he was also the newest to this business. While the two of you would talk casually outside the four walls of your borrowed office all the time, you loved your job and preferred to stay stressed and professional while doing meetings. “But I could bring a date too? Someone I like?” he asked. For some annoying reason, his words made you stop writing and an icky feeling crept into your stomach.

“Of course, I just need to know who so that I can take the necessary precautions…” you answered, biting the inside of your cheek as if to force yourself to speak.

“Will you go with me?” he asked. Finally, ran through his mind as your eyes finally stilled where he could see them, staring right into his. Kageyama smiled nervously, hoping you would answer any second now. It’s a bit like the smile you finally coaxed out of him for those commercial photos. Oddly charming.

“You want to go with me?” you asked, wondering if you heard him correctly and straightening up in your seat. Hopefully, he couldn’t see your bright red ears.

“Yes,” he answered simply. No room for misunderstanding there, you suppose.

“That’s…” you couldn’t help the giddy chuckle you left in the air as you looked back down at all your messy notes. “Very unexpected.”

“Why? I thought I made it obvious that I like you,” he said, blunt as ever. Tobio felt like this should not be a surprise at all, as he made an effort to talk to you every time he saw you and even got you a box of milk on the days he knew you would be there in advance. Was his affection not obvious?

You’re full-on grinning like a madman now, burying your face in your hands to hide the blush on your cheeks. “I would love to go with you.” you finally declared, not responding to his blunt confession because you weren’t quite sure how to yet. “But I need to talk to some of our bosses and make sure it’s approved first. We wouldn’t want any scandals to plague your name,” you said, removing your hands from your face as you went halfway into work mode again. You flipped to a new page in your notebook and wrote down what information you needed. The smile was still stuck on your face and Tobio was happy to see it.

“Okay.” he agreed. There was still a sense of childish innocence to him that you really liked. “But I don’t want to go with anyone else,” he added as if that was just stuck in his mind.

“You should go back to practice, Tobio,” you said, using your softest voice to make sure he knew you weren’t trying to be dismissive. “If you stop by before you leave today, I will let you know how it’s looking after making some calls,” you told him, smiling as he got up.

“I will see you soon, then.” He bowed, about to leave when you spoke again.

“Tobio!” you called, pursing your lips and considering your next words before they just spilt from your lips. “I like you too.”

Kageyama walked back to practice with a happy smile, making Hoshiumi frown at him as if it was the creepiest thing he had ever seen. Meanwhile, you were in your office kicking your feet and punching the air in joy before taking a deep breath to start making those calls without giggling.

He stopped by after practice, like he promised, knocking on the door and walking in with a hopeful spark in his eyes. You told him how this might play out so he would be prepared for any potential consequences, but could still happily inform him that you would be going with him to the event.

And boy were your assumptions right. The headlines questioning whether or not this was appropriate were simply unavoidable. However, it only took one press conference to quiet it down.

“She’s very sweet, I really like her. It would make me sad if we could not be together just because she also works with keeping me and my teammates out of trouble,” he said softly, making the reporters coo and the headlines turn from Volleyball manager: Inappropriate moneygrabber to Living our fantasies: Kageyama’s workplace romance.

[screamingcrows]

Hi. Don't mind me uh- this was also supposed to be a 50 word post.

Dr. Ratio x reader, soft, fluff, domestic, established relationship.

While not exactly unprecedented, you can count on one hand the number of times Veritas has left without kissing you goodbye.

But then again, he had seemed almost stressed as of late. Not that you'd been able to pry the reason from those delicately sculpted lips anyway. So here you were, alone beneath the plush covers, with nothing but the fading warmth of his presence beside you.

In lieu of better, you rolled onto his side to bury your face into his pillow and inhale the familiar scent of his favored shampoo. With your eyes closed, it was easy to imagine that the soft sheets were instead the planes of his abdomen, the weight of your blanket the press of his arms when he would pull you close and kiss the top of your head.

Perhaps it was for the better that he'd seemingly left for work early. The grey clouds looming outside the window combined with the fog in your mind from a night of less than stellar sleep - you weren't entirely certain either of you would've left the bed today if you could've gotten your way.

A smile tugged at your lips while imagining how fussy Veritas would've been at the mere thought of cancelling his classes for no good reason. With his admirable, if at times annoying, sense of responsibility in mind, you pulled yourself from the little nest.

Goosebumps spread across your skin as you stretched, curiously studying the trail of water across the bedroom floor. He truly must have been in a hurry to not dry off properly in the bathroom.

Another conundrum was waiting in the living room, proper posture thrown aside in favour of a hunched back and tense shoulders. Droplets of water glistened against his bare skin as it steadily dripped from the tips of his hair.

Wanting to continue observing, you barely managed to stifle a chuckle when he cursed under his breath, tip of the pen lifting from-

That wasn't his usual notebook?

And wasn't it past the time he would normally leave by now?

The questions stuck at the tip of your tongue when he snapped the book shut, expression tinged with panic for just a moment.

"Has no one taught you to knock?" Too much effort went into his nonchalance, leaving his usually smooth voice sounding almost strained.

You shifted against the doorframe, curiously eyeing the book peeking out from beneath his broad forearms. It was ridiculous. Even with two hands, reaching around one was a tight fit.

"You want me to knock when I enter my own living room." You made certain to grin, not at all worried about whatever he was hiding, enjoying the frustration creeping into his eyes when he realised his mistake. Moving to his study had been better if trying to keep some secret.

"Getting up quietly isn't usually your forte," he raised a brow when you knowingly remained quiet, refusing to let him grasp control, "neither is getting up early on your days off."

"Mhm, and you're being unusually sloppy."

Months of study had your eyes immediately recognising the slight clench of his jaw, how a muscle in his neck briefly shifted beneath the skin. Your choice of words had the desired effect.

"I simply have something to finish before-" his throat bobbed when you stepped closer, "before you got up."

You came to a halt, frowning slightly at the admission. Veritas sounded uncharacteristically defeated, and the way his fingers pressed against the pen certainly weren't normal either, usually one to handle his tools much as he did you, with a care that bordered on reverence.

Restraining your curiosity when the book - bound in fabric the colour of his hair, you mused - was pushed towards the edge of the dining table, proved difficult after noticing how he turned his head away, going so far as to run a hand through his damp hair.

"You mentioned wanting to go back and experience our first night after my-" butterflies fluttered in your chest, feeling laughter rise alongside tears when he continued, "declaration. Thus, I reasoned having a written account of events would be beneficial. Not to mention that experiencing it from a different perspective might also prove entertaining."

"Veritas..." Your hands were trembling a little when you opened on a random page, eyes skimming down rows of carefully penned letters. The paper was off-white as well, fitted to a preference you'd never uttered aloud. "Did you?"

"I did. Would have, at least, if someone hadn't decided to get out of bed early for once. The last page might be a little smudged given how I closed it before letting the ink fully dry-"

He went quiet when you wrapped your arms around his bare shoulders, a sigh of relief leaving his lips in time with a fond chuckle from yours.

"I love it."

The feeling of his palm sliding underneath your shirt to rub against the small of your back felt familiar enough by now that you easily relaxed, pressing your lips against the top of his head.

"I've cancelled my lectures today and would have made us breakfast in bed..."

"I don't mind going back."

It truly was amazing what time could accomplish, already now having your bodies working in tandem to press closer, his head against your chest as your cheeks began to ache from smiling. You'd take time to read his account later. Maybe have him read it out loud.

The faintest whisper accompanied by a kiss to your sternum drew your attention to your lover, "happy anniversary."

[tetsuswaifu]

ahh you know how Kuroo always looks out for others and has a confident facade pretty much always. imagine timskip kuroo breaking down after a long day and needing comfort (ToT)/~~~ only wanting to feel yn feeding him or touching us hair lol 🙈

Don't Worry, I've Got You

word count: 785-f!reader

a/n: he just does so much for others and forgets to take care of himself ｡ﾟ･（>﹏<）･ﾟ｡ i just want him to feel better and not so stressed, thank you again for the request, i hope you have a wonderful day/night love ! 🫶🏼

likes, reblogs, and replies are always appreciated, thank you for taking the time to read my work :)

Kuroo Tetsurō prided himself on his ability to handle anything that came his way. His confident demeanor acted as his suit of armor, aiding him in any situation. But sometimes, even the most unshakable façades cracked under the weight of life’s pressures.

It was late in the evening when you finally heard the front door of your shared apartment open and close softly. The sound of keys of keys being placed on the entryway table and the quiet thud of shoes being removed followed. You glanced at the clock, frowning. He had been gone from home since 6 am and now it was late evening. Kuroo’s work days had been growing longer and more stressful, and tonight was no exception. You had noticed the signs for weeks now—the longer hours, the deeper frowns, the way he would zone out even when you were talking.

He came in silent and visibly drained with his shoulders slumped and his eyes blank. He barely managed a tired smile in your direction before heading straight to the bedroom.

You followed, your heart aching for him. By the time you reached the bedroom, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. Without saying a word, you immediately sat on the bed next to him.

"Tetsuro," you said softly, your voice a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. "Come here."

You wrapped your arms around him while you laid back. One hand gently running through his hair, while the other rubbed up and down his back. His arms wrapped around you, pulling you close to his body.

"It's too much sometimes," he softly confessed, his voice muffled against your shirt. "I don't know if I can do this," his voice barely above a whisper. It was a crack in his façade, and it broke your heart to see him like this.

"You're not alone, Tetsurō," you whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "It's okay to have moments where you need support. I'm here for you. Always. The burden is not just yours to carry, let me share that burden for you."

He sighed, a long, shuddering breath, and you felt some tension leave his body. He held you tighter with his arms, not wanting to let go of his entire world. "I just... I don't want you to see me like this," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

"But I want to," you insisted softly. "I want to be here for you, in all the ways that matter. I want to see all sides of you, even the ones you try to hide. Especially those," you tilted his chin up to you, so you could look into his eyes. "Because I love you, Tetsurō. Every part of you."

His eyes looked at you with gratefulness and vulnerability. He shifted slightly, a tear slipped down his cheek. You wiped it away with your thumb, pulling him closer into your arms. He clung to you, his strong form trembling slightly as he finally allowed himself to let go. You held him close, whispering reassurances and stroking his hair.

"I'm here, my love," you repeated, over and over, until the words became a soothing mantra. "I'm here, and I love you."

Eventually, the tension in his body began to ease. The weight of the day, and the pressure began to lift. In your arms, he found the comfort and solace he desperately needed. For a while, neither of you spoke. The quiet of the room was filled only with the soft sounds of your breathing, the steady rhythm providing a sense of calm.

"Thank you," he murmured against your shoulder, his voice hoarse but filled with gratitude. He moved his head to look up at you, "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," you promised with a soft kiss to his lips. "We're in this together, Tetsurō. No matter what." A moment of silence passed, "I'm so tired," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I know," you replied, your voice tender. "You can rest, love. I've got you."

He nodded slightly, and within moments, you felt his breathing even out as he drifted into a much-needed sleep. You continued to hold him, your heart swelling with love and a fierce determination to be his safe haven.

As you lay there, comforting the man who always seemed so unbreakable, you realized that this moment of vulnerability only made your bond stronger. Kuroo Tetsurō might be the pillar of strength for so many, but here, in your arms, he could find his own refuge. And you would always be there, ready to catch him whenever he fell.

[mirage-aera]

•°. *࿐ Sick days || JH86

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Love Lost - Mac Miller, The Temper Trap

Synopsis: Sick days usually aren’t fun. Especially for Jack. He hates them. But you somehow always make it better.

Word count: 1.401

Masterlist

Am I watching the canucks game while writing this? Yes, and stressing over it

When they said that men are always the most dramatic when they catch the common cold, you didn’t believe them. You thought it was an exaggeration. But the way Jack has been acting the past three days? Yeah, it’s not an exaggeration. You’re both curing his cold while nursing your own headache. One that’s been a product of his whining. This man is acting as if he’s on his deathbed, a damsel in distress, a whiny little-. You love him, but you wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of sedating him for a day so that you could get some peace and quiet. You would like to know how Ellen handled him whenever he got sick. It’s almost unbearable.

“Babyyy?”

“Am I dying? It feels like I’m dying.”

“Everything hurts…”

“More medicine? I don’t need it. It’s disgusting.”

“Can you please get me a painkiller? I do need it…”

The need to hit him with a pan to knock him out for a few hours is concerningly high. You’re trying to be patient with him. He’s not feeling well, and not being active, those are things that he hates and you know that. You’re really trying to be patient with him. However, he makes it very hard to when he’s whining every other minute.

You hide yourself in the kitchen to make sure Jack will leave you alone for a minute. You absentmindedly stir canned chicken soup in a small pan. When it starts smoking you take it off the heat and grab a bowl. You pour the soup into the bowl and grab a spoon. You carefully walk to your bedroom with the bowl, a bottle of water, and a pill. You open the door a little wider and walk up to him. He sniffles but manages to crack out a small smile. “There you are. I missed you.” He says softly, making your heart melt. Sick as ever and he still manages to make butterflies flutter. “I was only gone for a minute.” You say gently as you place the bottle and pill on his nightstand. You hold out the bowl of soup. He grimaces at the sight of it. You give him a stern look. “You need to eat something. Otherwise, you won’t get better. And make sure you take a pill after or while you eat.” You can’t help but fuss over him a bit.

He groans in response but takes the bowl from you. He starts eating at a slow pace. You sit by his bedside and watch him eat. Pale, sweaty face, hair pointing in all sorts of directions, and yet he still is so handsome to you. He notices that you’re staring and glances at you. He lets out a raspy chuckle. “There’s nothing noteworthy to stare at right now.” You smile and move his hair out of his face. It’s starting to become a little long again. “There’s plenty to stare at. You’ll always be pretty in my eyes.” His eyes shine at your comment. “Pretty?” He asks with amusement in his voice. You roll your eyes but can’t help but let a grin creep up your face. “Sorry. Handsome.” He smiles triumphantly. “That’s what I thought.”

He soon finishes his bowl of soup. You take it from him and set it aside. You hand him the bottle of water and the small white pill. He takes it from you. You notice how clammy his hands are. You frown as you watch him down the pill followed by big gulps of water. You place the back of your hand against his forehead. Your frown deepens when you feel how warm he still is. He knows better than to fight you back so he lets you do your thing. “Your fever is not letting up. You should get some more rest. That might help.” You say softly. He nods and slides underneath the blankets. He pulls it up to his chin. You gently run a hand through his hair. “I’ll be in the living room. Just holler if you need me.” You say softly. Although, you’re secretly hoping he’ll sleep for a couple of hours. For both of your sakes. “Alright.” He croaks before shutting his eyes. You watch over him until you’re sure he’s fallen asleep. You get up carefully and make your way to the living room.

***

Time passes by quickly when you’re finally able to relax. You check the time on your phone only to realize Jack has been sleeping for a while now. You get up from the couch and quietly walk back towards your bedroom. You peek your head in only to see Jack snoring away without a care in the world. You smile at the sight, happy that he’s getting some rest. You realize that the blanket has slipped down a little. You carefully walk up to him and tuck him back in. You tuck the sides underneath him. Tightly wrapping him up in the blanket. He looks like a burrito. A 5’11 burrito.

You step back and take in the sight. You let out a quiet snicker. You pull out your phone and take a picture. Saving that for later. You look at him one more time before leaving the room and going back to the couch. You throw yourself down onto the couch and look at the picture you’ve taken. You snort. Jack’s going to kill you for sure once he finds out. You send it to the Hughes brothers group chat that Jack has ever so kindly thrown you into.

Another hour passes as you’re peacefully watching something on the television. You laugh at the conversation going on in the group chat. You hear some rustling from the bedroom. You’re about to get up when you hear a hoarse holler. “Baby!” You chuckle, “yeah bub?” He lets out a loud groan. “You did not send that picture in the group chat!” You let out a laugh and make your way towards him. You snicker when you see his phone in his hand. The group chat is still open. “I did. It was way too hilarious to pass up. You were like a burrito. Or should I say a Jackrito? One of a kind.” He pouts at you. “Really? A Jackrito? Was that necessary?” He asks, almost offended by your shenanigans. You snicker. “Yes. It’s funny.” He crosses his arms and huffs. “I don’t find you very amusing right now.” He retorts before he gets into a coughing fit. You pat his back, helping him through it. “You’ll find it amusing when you get better.” He glares at you and shakes his head. He stops coughing. “You’re still in trouble. Don’t forget that, because I certainly won’t.” You let out a snort. “Whatever you say bub.” You look at him affectionately. You suddenly get a great idea. “I should send the picture to your mom.” His eyes widen at what you said. “No!” He exclaims. You burst out into laughter. He huffs and pulls the blanket over him. “I’m glad you are having fun while I’m dying.” You roll your eyes. “Now you’re being dramatic again. For the millionth time, you are not dying Jack. You simply have the common cold.” He lets out a raspy chuckle. He lifts the blanket slightly and pulls you into him. He covers you both with the blanket. “It feels like I’m dying, especially when you aren’t around.” You can’t help but smile at that, despite his theatrics. You can feel yourself getting tired. Even though it isn’t that late yet. The warmth he’s emitting is so comforting. You let yourself fall asleep in his arms.

***

A week later he’s back on his feet. But he transferred his germs to you. You’re as sick as a dog. He walks into your bedroom with a bowl of soup in his hands. “This will make you feel better.” You glare at him. He laughs, “are you still mad at me for getting you sick?” You nod, “what do you think?” He snickers and sets the bowl aside. He sits by your side and rubs your arm tenderly. “I said sorry baby. But…” he trails off. He shows you a cheeky grin. “It’s only the common cold. Don’t be so dramatic. You still want to hit him with a pan. “I hate you.” He rolls his eyes before planting a kiss on your forehead. “I love you too. Get better soon, okay?”

[nickeverdeen]

Homecoming Comfort | Viktor Hargreeves x fem!reader

Pairings: Viktor Hargreeves x fem!reader (romantic)

Type of fic: Romance, Smut, (Light) Hurt/Comfort

Summary: After long months away from you, Viktor finally comes home and you help him relax

Warnings: Eating out, unprotected sex, top!reader, bottom!Viktor

————————

Viktor Hargreeves had been away for what felt like an eternity. It was just a few months, but the weight of those days stretched endlessly between you two. He had been called away to handle some urgent matters, something he wouldn’t—or couldn’t—share much about, but you could tell it had taken its toll on him. He sounded worn-out during the few calls you managed to have, his voice edged with fatigue and something deeper, something that made your heart ache with worry.

So, when Viktor finally walked through the door, you couldn’t hold back the rush of emotions. Relief, joy, and a sharp pang of longing all hit you at once. Viktor looked as exhausted as you had feared, his usually neat hair a little disheveled, dark circles under his eyes, and his posture sagging as if the weight of the world had been on his shoulders.

“Viktor,” you breathed out, rushing toward him, your arms instinctively reaching out to him.

His eyes softened when they met yours, and a tired smile tugged at his lips. “I’m home,” he murmured, his voice hoarse and weary but filled with warmth.

You didn’t need to say anything else. You simply wrapped your arms around him, pulling him close as if you could somehow make up for all the lost time in that single embrace. Viktor let out a long breath, his body melting into yours as if he’d been holding himself together by sheer willpower alone.

For a few moments, neither of you moved. You just stood there, holding each other, letting the comfort of your closeness wash away the lingering stress. Viktor’s arms tightened around you, his hands smoothing over your back in a familiar, soothing pattern.

“I missed you so much,” he whispered against your hair, his breath warm on your scalp.

“I missed you too,” you replied, your voice muffled as you buried your face in his chest. His scent—familiar and comforting—made your heart squeeze with affection.

Viktor pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes scanning your face as if committing every detail to memory. He lifted a hand to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin with a tenderness that made your heart ache. “I can’t believe I’m finally here,” he said softly, almost as if he were afraid you might disappear if he let go.

“You’re home now,” you assured him, placing your hand over his. “And you don’t have to go anywhere else tonight, right?.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “No, I don’t,” he agreed, his voice filled with a mix of relief and something deeper that he didn’t need to put into words.

But then his gaze shifted, a flicker of something more intense passing through his eyes as he leaned in to capture your lips in a kiss. It was soft at first, almost tentative, but it quickly grew more insistent, more desperate as if he were trying to pour all the longing and frustration of the past few months into that single connection.

You responded in kind, your hands moving to tangle in his hair, pulling him closer as your lips moved against his with increasing fervor. Viktor’s hands roamed your back, sliding under your shirt to touch the warm skin beneath, his touch sending shivers down your spine.

When you finally pulled back for air, you were both breathing heavily, your foreheads resting together as you tried to catch your breath. Viktor’s eyes were dark with desire, his pupils blown wide as he looked at you with an intensity that made your heart race.

“I need you,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with a raw, unspoken need.

You could see the exhaustion in his eyes, but there was also something else—an urgency that told you he needed this just as much as he needed rest. But you weren’t about to let him take the lead tonight. You could see how tired he was, how much he had been through, and you wanted to be the one to take care of him for a change.

“Let me take care of you,” you whispered, your hands sliding down to rest on his chest.

Viktor frowned slightly, clearly taken aback by your words. “But I—”

You silenced him with a soft kiss. “You’ve done so much, Viktor. Let me help you relax, okay?”

He hesitated for a moment, clearly not used to giving up control, but the sincerity in your eyes eventually broke through his defenses. He nodded slowly, allowing you to take the lead.

You gently guided him to the bed, your hands moving to undo the buttons of his shirt, your fingers grazing over his skin as you pushed the fabric off his shoulders. Viktor watched you with a mix of anticipation and curiosity, his breath hitching as your hands roamed over his chest, your touch light but purposeful.

“Just let go,” you murmured as you kissed a path down his chest, your lips brushing over the scars and imperfections that marked his skin. You wanted him to know that you loved every part of him, that you wanted to take away some of the burden he’d been carrying.

Viktor’s breath caught in his throat as you continued to undress him, your hands working efficiently to remove the rest of his clothes until he was completely bare before you. His body was already reacting to your touch, his arousal evident as he watched you with dark, hungry eyes.

You didn’t waste any time. Leaning in, you pressed a kiss to the inside of his thigh, feeling the muscle tense under your touch. Viktor’s breath hitched as your lips moved closer to his center, the anticipation building as you teased him with soft kisses and gentle strokes of your hands.

But you didn’t tease for long. You wanted to give him exactly what he needed, to help him forget about the stress and the exhaustion that had been weighing him down. You took him into your mouth, your tongue swirling around the tip before sliding down to take him deeper.

Viktor let out a low moan, his head falling back as he gave in to the sensation. His hands tangled in your hair, his grip tight as he tried to ground himself in the overwhelming pleasure that washed over him.

You set a steady pace, your mouth and hands working in perfect harmony as you focused on bringing him as much pleasure as possible. Viktor’s breathing grew more ragged, his body trembling with need as you took him closer to the edge.

“Y/N…” he gasped, his voice strained as he tried to hold back. But you didn’t let up, your mouth moving faster, your hands squeezing just enough to push him over the edge.

With a choked moan, Viktor came undone, his release filling your mouth as his body convulsed with the force of his orgasm. You swallowed everything he gave you, your hands gently stroking his thighs as he came down from his high, his chest heaving with exertion.

When he finally relaxed, you pulled back, pressing a soft kiss to his hip before sitting up to meet his gaze. Viktor’s eyes were glazed over, his body still trembling slightly as he tried to catch his breath.

“Come here,” Viktor murmured, his voice hoarse as he reached out for you.

You obliged, crawling up the bed to straddle his hips, your hands resting on his chest as you leaned down to kiss him. The kiss was slow and deep, filled with all the love and affection you felt for him. Viktor’s hands roamed your back, his touch gentle but firm as he pulled you closer, not wanting to let go.

But you weren’t done yet. You could feel his arousal growing again, his body responding to yours as you rocked your hips against him, teasing him with the friction. Viktor let out a low groan, his hands moving to cup your breasts as he looked up at you with a mix of desire and need.

“Y/N,” he murmured, his voice filled with longing.

You smiled down at him, your eyes dark with desire as you reached between you to guide him back inside you. The sensation of him filling you made you both moan, your bodies moving together in perfect harmony as you set a slow, steady rhythm.

Viktor’s hands gripped your hips, his fingers digging into your skin as he met your movements with thrusts of his own. The pleasure built slowly, the tension coiling in your belly as you rode him, your bodies moving together in a dance that felt both familiar and new.

“God, you feel so good,” Viktor murmured, his voice breathless as he looked up at you, his eyes filled with awe and desire.

“Good,” you replied, your own voice shaky with the effort of holding back. You leaned down to capture his lips in a searing kiss, your hands tangling in his hair as you deepened the connection.

The pace quickened, your movements becoming more frantic as the need to reach your release took over. Viktor’s breathing grew heavier, his moans louder as he got closer, his body trembling with the effort to hold on.

“Let go, come on,” you urged him, your voice breathy as you rode him harder, your body moving in sync with his as the pleasure built to a breaking point.

With a strangled moan, Viktor came again, his release triggering your own as you followed him over the edge. Your body shuddered with the force of your orgasm, your walls clenching around him as you both rode out the waves of pleasure.

When it was over, you collapsed onto Viktor’s chest, your breathing heavy as you basked in the afterglow. Viktor wrapped his arms around you, holding you close as he pressed soft kisses to your forehead, your cheeks, your lips, as if he couldn’t get enough of you.

You both lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of being close again. Viktor’s hand gently stroked your hair, his touch soothing and filled with affection as he held you close.

“Thank you,” Viktor murmured after a while, his voice soft and filled with emotion. “I didn’t realize how much I needed that.”

“I did,” you replied with a small smile, your fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest. “You’ve been so strong for so long, Viktor. Let me take care of you sometimes.”

But despite how tired he was, Viktor stayed awake, his hand never stopping its soothing motion as he watched over you. He knew you sometimes had trouble sleeping, especially after everything that had happened, and he wanted to be there for you, to make sure you were safe and comfortable.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” you mumbled sleepily, your voice thick with drowsiness.

“I’m fine,” Viktor whispered back, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Just go to sleep. I’ll be right here.”

You let out a content sigh, your body finally relaxing completely as you drifted off to sleep in his arms. Viktor watched you for a while longer, his heart swelling with love as he held you close. Only when he was certain you were deeply asleep did he finally allow himself to close his eyes, the comfort of your presence lulling him into a peaceful slumber.

[hyenafu]

I know this might seem like a bit of a random question, but what are some criticisms of Slightly Damned you can't stand, and what are some you think are at least somewhat valid? I only ask because I do have a few problems with the comic (not really gonna go into here because I don't want to come off as too critical obviously) but I feel like some of the more noteworthy ones have been too long established to just change it altogether, and the best one can do is make something better from its foundation (which I must say, you've done a really good job at ^^)

The complaints that I think are the most unfair are by bigots who think my comic is only getting more inclusive because I'm pandering to wokeness or whatever. These people are also the most likely to misgender me and have no idea what they're talking about. They just can't stand the bare minimum of gay and are often hypocritical, using fallacies as the basis of their arguments. It's tempting to want to argue back, but when has that ever worked on the internet? I think the most valid complaint is that the pacing of the comic is too slow. Sure. Not much I can do about that one. My comic alone doesn't pay all my bills. If I focus exclusively on work, I get depressed, so I have to goof off sometimes. I'm just one person. I don't have a team. I'm doing the best I can already. Another valid complaint is that people don't like my blend of humor and drama. Sometimes readers find it inappropriate or jarring. It's valid because I recognize it as a difference of opinion and understand why they feel that way. But I don't care. I like my weird mix of goofy faces and drama. I sometimes make jokes during periods of great stress in real life. I love all the wacky faces and over-the-top cartoon action among dire circumstances in comics like One Piece and Usagi Yojimbo. Like, it's just my style, man I don't seek out unsolicited advice about my comic. Some people may think that's snobbish of me, but the truth is, very little of what you find that way is actually valuable.

"And as to those critics, she said that she’s managed to do something that might make us all better off- she doesn’t read the comment sections. In perhaps the most roundabout poignant part of the talk, she likened receiving feedback about her work as being like consuming food. She would take a pie from someone she knew and trusted but compared taking unsolicited barbs from strangers as “licking a handle on the subway.” She used to pay very close attention to that kind of critique because she felt that it somehow would make her a better creator but ultimately decided that it was only toxic." - I HAVE SEEN OLIVIA JAIMES, THE CARTOONIST BEHIND THE NEW NANCY, by Rocko Jerome (2018)

Besides the outright hateful sentiments, a lot of unsolicited criticism can be categorized as "I don't like this story because it didn't do what I wanted it to do." Which is fine. I do the same thing when I try to process stories and talk to my friends about them.

But I don't get in the author's face to tell them I think they did a bad job. At the end of the day, no matter how crap I think someone's story might be, I'm not psychic. I don't really know if they did exactly what they set out to do. For example, people have never stopped giving me crap about the death of certain characters. But their whining has only made my convictions stronger. I don't like when other stories don't take deaths seriously, with a real sense of permanence and grief that is not easily solved. To someone else, seeing that character be alive might have solved all sorts of problems they had-- but that's not my story. I've had someone tell me that the focus on Buwaro and Kieri's mushy romance is too distracting to the main story. I don't think that person knew that a large part of why I started making this comic in the first place was as a vehicle for my OTP. I also want to make said vehicle entertaining and worthwhile. If I didn't succeed for that person, that's fine. But don't tell me that half the reason I made the comic is distracting from it. What do they know about what I want? What do you really know about what the author wanted to achieve? That isn't to say that my comic is immune to scrutiny. Of course it has problems; every story has problems, depending on your perspective and the basis by which it's getting judged. I've solicited and received thoughtful criticism and helpful advice from teachers, my advisor, my friends, and from reading/watching tutorials. Some I agreed with, others I chose to ignore. Sometimes it just took a while for me to come around. I hope I never stop learning and improving. Like you said, I have to keep working with the foundation I already set. But I don't feel trapped by it; my creativity is being challenged in new ways. I have a lot of playing pieces and now I get to see what kinds of connections I can make between them with my older, more experienced (both good and bad) mind. Since Slightly Damned is a story serialized over a long period of time, a certain amount of it is made up as I go along. I do have plans and goals, of course, but I'm also discovering this world alongside my readers.

[losing-it-lately]

Getting the Job

wc: 0.6k

rockstar!eddie munson x assistant!reader

the start to a series of blurbs that i will write. this is just world building- your job, steve harrington, there's nothing with eddie yet

You actually hate him. You can't stand that man at all. His stupid hair and his stupid eyes and his stupid smirk. Eddie is everywhere, and he has to be, taking care of him is your job. But it’s so fucking tiring. This was meant to be preliminary- just practice before you got moved somewhere else, but somehow this stupid position became your stupid job.

In a way, you can't complain; Steve Harrington had picked you up from lowly ranks of coffee runs and shut mouths after seeing your due diligence to the Creele agency. It was quicker and easier than you had anticipated. For years, you assumed that you would work your way up at Creele’s and then eventually get to sign on talent of your own to take care of, but it didn't work that way, at least not if your father wasn't directly in cahoots with Henry Creele himself.

It was such a busy day that morning, and you had been back and forth ordering and buying and collecting coffee for God knows who. Unbeknownst to you, the manager of Corroded Coffin had walked in looking to hire a new manager to take care of the four band members.

It’s difficult, not only are the pay, promotions and benefits of working at Creele basically nonexistent, but the building is shared between multiple agencies. The competition is wild, if you can't find someone to fulfill your needs at Creele, there will be someone on the floor above you who can for a cheaper price. The constant stress of being in such a fast paced and torturous environment would take a toll on anyone, especially a glorified UberEats driver; the back and forth for coffee and lunch runs were beginning to wreck you.

Unbeknownst to you, waiting in the lobby was your ticket out of here; Steve could watch everyone rush by, but as his eyes wandered over the varying staff members and celebrities, a myriad of cold and hot liquids drenched his side profile.

“Oh my god,” you whispered, shocked and startled. He bumped into you. You know he bumped into you, and now you could lose the job you worked so hard for. If this handsome man was anything like the multitude of divas that walked into Creele agency or one of the Creeles, you were about to be fired on the spot. The fancy, crisp suit and perfect coiffed hair was a surefire sign that you were basically dead.

Dead but not dishonoured; if you were going to leave, you would leave on your terms. Just the thought of being away from the Creeles was like a metaphorical weight lifted off your shoulder. And Steve could see it; he heard the sigh you let out and as you reached behind to the receptionist’s desk and asked for tissues. As you passed him the napkins, you turned back to retrieve a new set of coffees, if this wasn't going to get you fired, you were going to do it yourself through ruining the orders or some other stupid, petty crap.

The confidence you possessed as you left Steve alone with those napkins was exactly what he was looking for. Being Corroded Coffin’s manager was difficult and taking care of the group was near impossible with Steve balancing his job, his friendships and his new dream of a marketing agency. He was in his stride working for Corroded Coffin and while it mostly was fun, it was also too much for him to handle, and any new assistants were basically laughed away thanks to Eddie’s relentless nature. He needed to get someone in his position quick so that he could start trying something new, and Steve has always believed in fate; maybe this was the perfect chance.

Leaving the coffee spill and the soggy napkins, Steve yelled for you, “Let me offer you a job. Please,” and then it hit you, you were finally going up in the world. At least, that's what you thought three months ago, before you began working with Eddie Munson.

[thequietkid-moonie]

Finding their child sleeping near the front door

[ SCENARIO ] [ Shuichi, Kaede, Hero, Mari ]

[ Danganronpa V3 Killing Harmony ] [ Omori ]

× The characters are aged up!

I don't remember how I get this idea but omfg is so cuuuuute and wholesome 😭❤️❤️❤️ I been wanting to write this for a long time

We are just going to ignore Mari's canon event 💀 (at least on her part)

Shuichi Saihara

Over the years Shuichi has grown more confident of himself, he still feels anxious sometimes but he trust himself more and more, as well he trust more in others. However becoming a father is something that almost make him returt to his young self, at least at first, is just that being a father means having someone else's life in your hands, is a big responsability but when the moment it comes he is sure that this is what he wants

Shuichi always works hard to be able to provide his family, even if he isn't the only one handling it he can't help but always want to do his best, he may sometimes get really stressed for work but for him his family is completely worthy of such efforts

Whenever Shuichi has a particular difficult case to solve and he knows he will be working until pretty late he wants to know before hand so he will be prepare and let everything ready for his family, for example in case he has to call a babysitter or even ask one of his friends to please take care of his child while he is out, Shuichi really hates having to leave you alone, even if you already aren't too young. However there are sometimes he has to stay until late night unforeseen and even in those moments he do everything in his power to make sure you won't be alone

It could be either that he didn't manage to contact someone to look for you or that person goes away since is pretty late and you were already sleep, or maybe even the person taking care of you fall sleep, in either case you were awake and you wanted your father, so you decided to stay close to the front door to be there when he gets home, but while waiting tiredness got the better of you and you fall sleep

When Shuichi gets home he tries to be as silent as posible and still he notice you sleeping in the floor almost immediatly, gasping out of suprise but quickly covering his mouth not wanting to wake you up. Shuichi is immediatly worried about you, why you were sleeping there? You could catch a cold or hurt your back for sleeping in the floor!

Shuichi take you from the floor as careful as posible and walks towards your room while thinking on what could be the reason of this, and guilty quickly fullfil Shuichi when he think that y probably you were wanting for him, maybe you wanted to see him, maybe you were feeling lonely, maybe something has scared you or maybe you had a nightmare, he doesn't know and yet all the posibilities just make Shuichi feel worst, holding you closer to him but still gently while trying to hold back his tears

At the end he bring you to his own room to sleep by your side, Shuichi feels terrible for leaving you alone (specially when is so dark outside) and he wants to make it up for you so the next day he will make sure to accommodate his schedule to make some space to be able to spend more time with you, maybe taking a free day to be with you, as well the next day he will ask you about what happened last night (but he wil be a little hesitant while asking you and will definitely apologize for leaving you alone during the night)

Even if it was just because something sweet and silly like wanting to greet him when he comes home he won't stop feeling so bad about it, but will ask you to please don't do it again (or at least wait in the sofa and not in the floor)

Kaede Akamatsu

Kaede has always been optimistic and caring towards everyone, always having a smile to offer and as the time pass she never lost that optimism but learns to be a little more confident on herself

The moment she decides to become a mother she is quickly excited by the idea and start to plan everything, although, as excited she can be about the idea Kaede takes a while to think about it in a more serious manner, having a child isn't just nothing and needs to know that she will take that responsability, even when she is determinated she may be a little insecure and has worries but quickly brush them off saying to herself that she will do her best for her beloved child

Kaede wants to have everything planned because she wants to spend as much time she can with her little baby (specially on the early years) so even when she has work to do or have recitals to attend she tries her best to always have time for you and to always put attention to your needs

Kaede isn't fond of the idea of having to leave you alone (even when you aren't a baby anymore she still feel a little uneasy by it), even when Kaede organize her agenda to stay away the shortest possible time and ask in her work to let her bring you with her there are moments when inevitably she has to leave you, she feels really bad for doing it but quickly try to contact someone that could help her (asking her friends or directly hire a babysitter)

Before leaving you Kaede makes sure to reasure you that she will come back soon and ask you to please behaive, however as the night came and she didn't came yet you decided to wait for her near the front door, either by ignoring the babysitters ask to don't do it or even sneaking behind them

When Kaede is finally home she just sighs in relief, she was planning to pay you a visit on you room, where you're supposed to be, before finally being able to go to her room to rest, however it just take her a moment to notice you sleeping on the floor, and she is imediatly surprised for what she sees before being between finding it kinda cute and funny and to be worried about you

Kaede carefuly takes you from the floor while asking what are you doing there (not really expecting an answer), she make her way towards your room while apologizing for getting so late, in her way towards the room she relice that probably you were missing her or even get scare, holding you closer she apologize once again before giving you a kiss on the forehead, once on your room Kaede carefuly put you on the bed and cover you with the blankets, she just stays there with you, watching you sleep peacefuly and gently stroking your hair, like reasuring her that you are okay, she stays there with you for a moment before going to her own room

The next day, in the morning she tells you about how she found you on the floor the last night, she tries to joke a little saying that you looked cute but also tells you to don't do it again because you could get hurt or sick, after a moment Kaede finally apologize for letting you alone, saying that you probably were scare or worried without her so late at night (and she looks really sad for it), if it was actually that she will still feel a little bad and will hug you tightly, but if it was because you missed her she will just laugh at it and promise to make it up for you

Hero

As Hero grow up he slowly heal his wounds and makes peace with his past, growing to be able to look forward to the future

Hero is used to take care of his friends when he was younger, along with his two little siblings so he won't have any problem with taking care of his child, however he doubts a little about actually having one, he feels a little insecure not feeling complety sure about being a good father for his child, but when he does take his decision he promise to do his best

It isn't much problem to get ready for the moment when he can finally have his child with him, he knows what he needs and what he has to do, but he is nervous, he tend to doubt himself from time to time, still he keeps trying his best with everything

Hero tries to be with you as long as possible, however for his work he can't stay with you all the time, that doesn't mean he isn't there for you, he does tries to stay present and to be there for anything important and pay attention to all your needs and every little improvent that you have

Since he had a demanding work he is already used to hire someone to take care of you (sometimes he ask his brother or one of his friends to take care of you while he is out but not frecuently since he understand they have their own things to do), he doesn't like much leaving you alone to don't take risk of you having an accident or even feeling lonely, so even when you start to be self-sufficient he still hires someone

Sometimes he has to work until late or even has some emergency and he has to either stay a little longer or go to his workplace to atent it, in any case he tries to ask someone to take care of you (he won't be comfortable knowing that you are all alone in the house) and notify you about it, assuring you that he will try to come back soon and asking you to behaive with a cheerful voice

As the night came and he didn't come back it could be that you grew worried or wanted to see him, the person who is taking care of you insisted that Hero will come back soon, you should go back to sleep and that he wil be here once you wake up again, although that doesn't stoped you from deciding to wait for him beside the front door, wanting to see him just as he arrive home, but slowly you grow more and more tired and end up falling sleep on the floor

As Hero arrives home he had so much on his mind that it take him a moment to realice you were laying on the floor and another to react about it, and yet he is quickly to hold you in his arms, moving you away from the cold floor, he looks at you a little confused like trying to decipher what crossed your mind to think that sleeping there was a good idea

Sighing a little tired, Hero makes his way towards your room while thinking on it, a lot of posibilities cross his mind, from silly reasons (like you falling sleep while playing) to more serious reasons (such as you waiting for him), although Hero doesn't want to asume and prefer to wait until the next day to talk about it with you (still feeling a little bad about all of this)

The next day Hero will take a moment to ask you why did you do it, if it was because you were scare or because you missed him he will feel a little bad and apologize for leave you alone for so long, if it was for another silly reason he will scold you (but nor harshly), in any case Hero apologize and ask you to please don't do it again since sleeping on the floor can bring you problem and hurt you (he is just worried about you)

Mari

Mari has always been really cheerful and caring, and as she grows up she just learns more about life, changing for the best but continue being the cheerful girl she is

Mari has always been really close to his little brother and to all her friends when she was young, even having the opportunity to see them grow up too, making it pretty obvious that she is fond of the idea of forming a family on her own, having present the memories of her youth, and when she feels ready to become a mother she start to plan everything

When the moment it came Mari is really happy and promised to herself (and to you) to do her best for her beloved child, wanting to provide you and that you never lack anything

Mari has already a lot of experience with taking care of someone and is always really caring so it doesn't take her long to get used to it, still she tries to spend all the time she can with you as you grow up (she doesn't want to lose the opportunity to see you as you start doing things on your own)

Mari enjoys a lot all the time she spends with you, and for how caring she is she tries to always put a lot of attention to you (trying to be patient and caring, learning from the past), she tries to always have time for you and don't focus only on her work and the piano, however there are unforeseen moments where she has to leave you

Even if you weren't a toddler anymore Mari doesn't want to leave you alone so she tries to either contact one of her friends to aks the favor to take care of you while she is out or directly hire a babysitter (she isn't goint to be calm if she has to leave you all by your own, even if you insist that you will be alright)

She promised that it won't take her long and she actually tries to do her work quickly and don't waste much time, specially when the night cames. As the night falls and she doesn't came home yet you decided to wait for her near the front door, really wanting to see her, but, soon or later, tiredness start to win you and you end up falling sleep on the floor

When she finally cames home she quickly gets in, a little lost on her thoughts but not enough to don't notice you, she does almost immediatly, Mari takes a moment before kneeling in front of you and asking you what you were doing there while strocking your hair gently, she can't help but take a moment to admire the scenario, thinking that you were probably missing her, with a soft laugh she carefuly takes you from the floor, holding you close while making her way towards her room

Mari doesn't think further on it and prefer to just keep you close, like trying to comfort you and saying that she is home before tucking you in bed with her and hold you close, wishing you good night with a soft kiss before falling sleep too

The next day she will bring up the topic by first saying teasingly that the floor isn't the best place to sleep on, laughing a little before explaining that she found you on the floor last night, she ask you why did you do it, if it was because you were scare or troubled she hugs you tightly and apologize with a smile, trying to comfort you and ask you what was troubling you, if it was because you missed her she apologize in a more carefree way and promise to make it up to you. She promise to try to don't come back so late at night again if you promise to don't sleep on the floor again

[rogueonestan]

eyelids

summary: joel has never been the one for relationships, but all of that changes when he meets you.

word count: 3.2k

content warning: mentions of sexual relationship (not explicit), some language

a/n: this fic was inspired by this song

masterlist | ao3 

Joel has never been the type for relationships. Relationships require vulnerability and complete trust in the other person. Relationships require compromise and talking about the future, and none of that is Joel’s forte.

He’s always been the type to be alone. Every time he’s tried to be with someone in that way, it’s never ended well- he tried with Tess but that didn’t work out, he tried with his ex and he ended up raising his daughter on his own. Being in relationships just isn’t his thing.

But it’s different with you.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. There wasn’t supposed to be any kind of attachment, just a physical relationship. One where you both can get any frustrations from the day out of your systems. ‘A way to alleviate the stress’ Joel had proposed to you.

At first, it wasn’t hard. It was simply having sex and then going on about your days. There was hardly said anything after it happened. There weren’t any mushy feelings or anything like that. It was… simple. 

Then Joel had to develop feelings for you. 

Why did he have to develop feelings for you? 

The feeling of your arms wrapped around his frame and your breath fanning across the pulse of his neck brought a string of feelings he hasn’t felt in a long time, or has allowed himself to feel. The combination of your soft skin pressed up against his, the scent of you filling his senses, and light beginning to enter the room was enough to lure him to sleep in your bed.

The moment he allows himself to do so, to allow himself to finally cave into these feelings, it’ll all happen the moment he closes his eyes.

Maybe if you had met at a different time, under different circumstances, then maybe, just maybe, he could cave into these feelings he’s been ignoring for weeks now. He somehow always manages to find a way to lose those closest to him, so he shoves those feelings down as far as he can.

‘It’s for the best.’ He tells himself.

It’s safer. He tries to convince himself. The closer he is to someone, the more it will hurt when they’re gone. He’s nearly lost everyone in his life and can’t handle another loss. So, he forces himself to get up. 

The moment he does so, your eyes open, slowly adjusting to the new light source scattered across your small apartment. Your arms softly hit the mattress where Joel was lying just seconds ago. 

As soon as your eyes adjust to the lighting in the room, all you wanted to do was shove your face back in your pillow and drift off to sleep for another hour or so. You know that when you allow yourself to do that, he’ll be gone. That’s how it always goes- you usually wake up early in the morning and that’s the only time you actually get to see Joel before he gets the chance to leave. 

It wasn’t hard at first. The relationship you have with Joel was simply supposed to be just physical. Nothing more, nothing less than that. It wasn’t hard to accept that when you heard the soft click of the door opening and closing well before 8 o’clock in the morning, or the sound of water running in your sink as Joel quickly freshened himself up before he began his day.

Things were easy in the beginning. All you had was the physical contact of another person, something you’ve missed dearly over the years, but then the familiarity of his touch over time also ignited something else you haven’t felt in years- you developed romantic feelings for Joel, not that you would ever admit that to him. You know as soon as you do, it will end up with the two of you cutting ties with one another. Joel made that very clear in the beginning. 

So, you stay quiet and shove those feelings down. You shove them as far as they’ll go, close your eyes, and try to go back to sleep. You can deal with this later, all of these confusing feelings that have been keeping you up at night lately. 

The feeling of the sun beginning to burn onto your eyelids is impossible to ignore when you close your eyes shut. It’s a feeling you’ve gotten used to recently. Waking up before the sun rises has become a norm for you. It’s become a habit, really. Maybe it’s because Joel has been staying over more recently and it’s your one chance to see him before he leaves. You’ve been able to catch glimpses of him in the morning before he leaves.

Sometimes he’ll start a pot of coffee in the morning (if you have any) or he’ll press a gentle kiss on your hairline before he leaves, just like he’s done this morning. His side of the bed has now grown cold since he’s left your side but is replaced with the warmth beginning to enter the room thanks to the coffee starting to brew in your extremely small, almost nonexistent, kitchen. 

The smell of coffee early in the morning always seemed to put you in a better mood, well before the outbreak began, and the familiar feeling of that made home in your bones as the aroma of the coffee beans began to travel across the apartment. A ghost of a smile forms on your lips as you close your eyes, trying to capture all of the warm feelings you have in your belly.

Shutting your eyes amplifies what you’re currently feeling. Normally you wouldn't allow yourself to feel such feelings. Having attachments with someone usually almost guarantees losing them in some way, so you detached yourself from the world for years, until you met Joel. You don’t know why it’s different with him, it just is. You can’t seem to ignore the feelings you’ve developed for him during these past few weeks, not that you would want to anyway but you know Joel doesn't share the same sentiment. He would either tell you to forget what you’re feeling (that what you have is nothing more than physical) or he would outright break off any connection you have and ignore you if you ever came face-to-face in town.

You’re successful in shoving these thoughts aside for the time being, at least you think you are until the feeling of warm lips grazes your forehead. You don’t dare to open your eyes. If you do, then words you might regret will leave your lips. 

You’re used to Joel leaving early. He usually has a routine: putting his clothes back on, washing himself up in your bathroom, perhaps making you a pot of coffee before he gives you a goodbye kiss, then leaves. All of that happened this morning, but before he gently closes the door so that he doesn’t wake you, a few words leave your mouth before he’s able to do so. 

“What are we?” You ask him.

The sound of your name leaves his lips in a whisper. “You’re awake.” He says.

When he sees you slowly beginning to sit up in your bed, he quickly comes to your side and gently pushes your head back towards the comfortable feeling of your pillows.

“Go back to sleep.” Joel encourages you, insisting that you’re simply tired and are in need of more sleep, but the question still lingers on your tongue.

“What are we?” You repeat. 

“What do you mean?” Joel asks you. 

“I mean… we fuck, we talk afterwards, and that’s it?”

“You knew what this was from the beginning.” He harshly tells you. “I told you not to get attached.”

“You really think I chose to? It’s not like I woke up one morning and chose to fall in love with you. It just happened.”

Joel says nothing in response. The only thing they could be heard are the breaths that leave both of your lips. 

“Could you say something, please?” You ask. 

“What do you want me to say? What we have is physical, nothing else.” He tells you. 

“That’s it? Nothing beyond that?”

“Nothing beyond that.” He says, more so trying to convince himself that than you. 

“Then why…” A scoff leaves your lips. “What are you saying about us?”

“There is no ‘us.’ We’re just friends.”

“We are not ‘just friends’ and you know it.”

“That’s all we ever will be.” He tells you. 

“Get out. If I mean that little to you, get out! Just leave!” You demand.

He simply nods as he slams the apartment door shut. The echoing of the door being the only sound for the next minute. Once the realization occurs to you, that you possibly may have wrecked one of the good things in your life, a curse falls from your lips as your fingers run through your hair.

He’s gone. 

He’s really gone. Before today, you tried everything within you to not allow your feelings for Joel to surface, not to verbalize themselves, but you couldn’t help it today. Your lips moved faster than your brain, and now you may have messed things up with the one person you couldn’t lose.

Today changed everything. Everything has changed for the worst, and as much as you hate to admit it, the only thing that lingered on your mind for the rest of the day was the man you chased away. 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

It’s been weeks since you last saw Joel. The last time you saw him was when you had the spat with him in your apartment. The only other time you saw him was when you decided to head into town. You would see Joel for a brief moment but when his eyes would land on you, he would quickly turn around and head in the opposite direction. 

There would be moments where you gained enough confidence to confront him, but every time you approached him, the only words that managed to leave your lips was a simple ‘hello.’ Neither of you knew what to say to the other. You just wanted things to go back to normal, but that wouldn’t be possible since you admitted your feelings for Joel.

Since he left your apartment that day, the only thing that’s lingered on your mind was the conversation the two of you had that morning. You wondered how things would be different if you had kept your mouth shut. If you hadn’t said anything, none of this would have had happened. Everything would be normal.

It wasn’t often you left your apartment, not that you had the mental capacity to do so anyway. You only did if it was absolutely needed to. Like now, you were about to make yourself something to eat when you realized you didn’t have enough food to prepare anything. You quickly made your way into town as a way to avoid Joel. All you wanted to do was to cook some dinner and go to sleep for the night as a way to avoid the non stop nagging thoughts that have been on your mind for weeks now, but fate would have other plans for you.

As soon as you step foot in the long hallway where your apartment is, you saw him. You saw Joel currently resting against your apartment door, presumably waiting for you to return home. A soft kick to his foot quickly wakes him up. 

“What are you doing here?” You ask him when his eyes glances up at you. Even though it’s only been a handful of weeks since you have been in close proximity with him, minus the time or two you exchanged ‘hellos’ in town, you almost forgot the fuzzy feeling that would appear in your stomach once you locked eyes with him.

“I wanted to check up on you.” He tells you.

“Really?” A hint of amusement can be found in your voice. 

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yes.”

A soft grunt leaves Joel’s lips when he begins to stand up, but the silent hand you offer him gives you both the physical contact for the first time you both have felt in weeks. The familiarity of his touching yours once again ignites the warm fire roaming throughout your body. 

Little did you know, your touch had the same effect on Joel as his touch had on you. The grasp he has on you lasts for a few moments longer than necessary, not that either of you cared. If it were up to you, you would capture this moment, put it in a bottle, and relive it over and over again. Your free hand fishes for your apartment keys in your pocket so that you and Joel can have the conversation you have longed, yet also dreaded, for a while now. You lead him inside of your apartment as you gently close the door behind you. 

“Why are you here?” You ask as you place your shopping bag onto the nearby table. 

“I needed to talk to you about something.” When your only response is your right brow raising in question, he continues. “I wanted to talk to you about us.”

“I thought there was no ‘us.’” You respond, using his exact words he said to you that morning.

“I was… I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why did you then?”

“I… I don’t know. I was scared, I guess.”

“Scared of what?”

“Of losing you.” Before you could open your mouth to ask him what he meant by that, he explains himself. “When I saw- when I saw you in his grasp, my heart nearly stopped. I couldn’t stand the idea of losing you, so I…” He says, referring to the last job the two of you did together, which was a few months ago.

“So you pushed me away.” You finish his sentence for him.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“It just happened. I know, I’ve heard it before.” You say, referring to the last relationship you had before the outbreak began. In a vulnerable moment after being intimate together, you told Joel about how your ex eventually pushed away after falling out of love with you.

Hearing those same words come from Joel’s lips as they came from your ex’s, same tone and everything, only added salt to the wound after how you and Joel left things the last time you saw each other.

“That’s not what I meant.” Joel tells you.

“What did you mean then?” 

“I’ve nearly lost everyone in life and I can’t handle another loss, not you.” He admits, saying how he did the one thing he knew what to do in these kinds of situations, pushing those close to him away. Not on purpose, out of habit, really. He takes a seat on the nearby couch to collect himself after his confession. 

“You really think you’re going to lose me?”

“I’ve already lost everyone else in my life.” 

“Youre not going to lose me.” You reassure him as you kneel directly in front of him. Your eyes connect with his as you continue. “Besides, I know nothing will happen to me because I have you by my side. I know you wouldn’t put me in any danger.”

“Where does that leave us?” Joel asks you, his voice no louder than a whisper. He glances down and notices your fingers are now enclasped with his. He didn’t notice it the moment it happened, when you confessed your full trust in him. The grasp his fingers have on yours only tightens as his thumb venting grazes your skin. The feeling itself gives him the feeling of comfort he so desperately needed at this very moment. 

Joel is not the kind of man that’s in relationships. He’s been on his own for so long that it became normal for him. The only kind of relationship he gotten used to were physical ones, or the one he had with Tess years ago but it didn’t work out. What he has with you is different, Joel can’t explain it but it just is. He doesn’t want to lose you but the thought of having that level of commitment to another person terrifies him to his core. It’s not the commitment that scares him, it’s the thought of losing you that does.

So, Joel tells you this. He tells you that he can’t stand the thought of losing you or that he’s not ready for that kind of commitment just yet, so you reassure him you feel the same exact way.

“I’m not expecting you to take me out on dates or flowers and chocolates, Joel. I just wanted something that’s more than just sleeping together. Having you in my life is enough for me.”

“Really?”

“Being in a relationship like that would feel… weird? It wouldn’t feel right, I think.”

“I feel the same exact way.” He tells you.

“Whatever you’re comfortable with is good enough for me.”

Silence fills the air as Joel reflects on your words. The only thing he can focus on at the moment is the feeling of your hand in his and the familiarity of it, how your fingers seem to perfectly mold with his as his thumb mindlessly draws shapes on the backside of your hand. The simple act reminds him of the countless early mornings and late evenings you have spent in each other’s beds, how the simple act of holding each other’s hands felt normal. There were so many times where he grabbed your hand of instinct, whether it was during/after the act of being physical together or it was when you both were in a dangerous situation and he grabbed your hand as an act of protection so that his figure could shield yours from harm. Joel never realized how the simplicity of holding your hand made him feel such a strong way inside.

He doesn’t know exactly what kind of a relationship he wants with you. It’s been such a long time since he’s harbored these kinds of feelings for another person. He doesn’t want to mess it up with you, so he takes his time to think of his next words. He’s not ready for a full-blown relationship with you just yet, but he does want you in his life, possibly even to have some sort of future with you. As he reflects on all of this, you patiently wait for his answer. He doesn’t deserve someone like you in his life.

“We’ll take it slow?” He asks softly after a few minutes of silence.

You nod your head. “We’ll take it slow.” You reassure him.

His arms suddenly wrap themselves around your frame as he fits his head in the crook of your neck. His eyes close shut as he inhales the familiar scent of you. Joel allows himself to finally allows the deep feelings he has for you to enter his system, allowing the things he loves most about you to roam in his mind. 

He doesn’t have to figure it out all now, he has all the time in the future to figure that out. All he has had to do right now is to focus on the soft breaths from you that fan across the side of his face. He finally allows himself to feel for the first time in years.

“I love you.” He tells you.

[bleucaesura]

STOLITZØ - THIRTY EIGHT

Loona had waited outside Blitzø’s room, trying to give Stolas some privacy. She really didn’t know how to handle a dad crying. She didn’t know how to handle anyone crying.

Now he was gone. Some skeevy shark lawyer had interrupted and ushered Stolas off to hospital parts unknown.

With everyone else eating or home showering or getting a change of clothes, this was her first real chance to be alone with Blitzø.

Now she paced the room. She felt like her skin was on fire and she was ready to climb the walls; crazy.

She hated being here. Hospitals. Needles. Everything. It felt like death was lurking around every corner and she was on constant alert. She couldn’t relax. She had to protect him.

She wanted to do something. Needed to do something; needed to fix this. But there was nothing she COULD do. She felt useless. Trapped. Caged…

She’d tried to keep her temper in check with everyone. She knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault. She knew an attitude would only make things more stressful for everyone. But this was who she was. This was how she protected herself. This was how she survived all those years before…

Before Blitzø.

Before, Dad…

She looked over at him in bed. She wanted to smash something. Scream. Punt a fucking baby. Anything. Anything but see Blitzø like this.

Loona crossed the room and stood at his bedside looking down at him.

“I’m a f*cking garbage daughter. Aren’t I?”

Tears stung her eyes.

“All you f*cking wanted was a kid who would be cool with your weird-a** displays of affection.”

She crouched and lay her head on her crossed arms at the edge of the bed. She looked at Blitzø.

“A kid who needed you and wanted you around and would call you dad and tell you they loved you…”

Loona reached out and touched Blitzø’s hand. Tears began to fall.

“Instead… You got ME.”

Loona looked at Blitzø through teary eyes. She sniffled and sighed, letting herself wallow for a few moments before wiping away her tears and standing.

Loona took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Except… I DO need you.” Loona’s voice shook. “I DO want you around.”

Loona truly started to cry.

“You saved my life the day you adopted me,” Loona climbed onto the bed beside Blitzø. “I’m awful at showing it, but I appreciate you and all that you do… Even your over-eager displays of affection.”

Loona curled up beside Blitzø. She felt like an abandoned puppy. Alone. Afraid.

“Dad?” She looked at him through tear covered lashes. “I love you… Please wake up… I promise I’ll be a better daughter.”

***

“Oh my sweet, precious, baby girl! I’ve got to go to her, mom. How do I make this portal thing work?”

Blitzø hopped up and down on the view of his hospital room, but the image just rippled in the liquid at his feet.

He fell to his knees, growling and started to scratch at the image frantically.

“Sweetheart,” Blitzø’s mother stopped his hands. “It doesn’t work that way. You’ll only go back when your body is ready.”

Tears streamed down Blitzø’s face.

“But Loona needs me NOW!” His eyes grew two sizes and rippled with tears.

“Don’t make those puppy-dog eyes at me!” His mother smiled apologetically, and laughed lightly. “Loona is a strong, intelligent woman. She’ll manage without you for a little while longer.”

Blitzø pouted, looking up at her, tears streaming, snot bubbles popping… It was quite a sight to behold.

His mother snort-laughed, shook her head and splashed him playfully before standing to leave him to his pout.

“You’re an amazing father, Blitzo,” she said as she stood. “You’ve raised her well. Just let her grow a little on her own. The girl needs space to grow.”

*****

[selfhelpforstudents]

Any tips on how to create a proper schedule? I struggle a lot with time management.

Mastering Time Management: How to Create a Schedule That Works for You

Time management can be a tricky thing to master, but the good news is that with a little planning and a few smart strategies, you can create a schedule that keeps you on track and reduces your stress levels. If you’ve been struggling to get a handle on your time, don’t worry—you’re definitely not alone. Here’s how to create a proper schedule that works for you.

1. Start by Setting Clear Goals

Before you even think about scheduling, take a moment to define what you’re trying to achieve. Whether it’s finishing an assignment, studying for exams, or balancing school with extracurricular activities, knowing your goals will help you prioritize your time. Break these goals down into smaller, actionable tasks that you can tackle day by day.

2. Understand Your Natural Rhythm

Everyone has different times of day when they’re most productive. Some people are morning people, while others hit their stride later in the day. Pay attention to when you feel most alert and focused, and try to schedule your most challenging tasks during those times. Use less productive times for easier or routine tasks.

3. Use a Planner or Digital Calendar

Having a physical planner or using a digital calendar (like Google Calendar) is essential for keeping track of your time. Start by blocking out your fixed commitments like classes, work, or meetings. Then, fill in study sessions, homework time, and any other tasks. Don’t forget to include breaks and time for relaxation—these are crucial for avoiding burnout.

4. Prioritize Your Tasks

Not all tasks are created equal. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize your tasks into four groups:

Urgent and Important: Do these first.

Important but Not Urgent: Schedule these.

Urgent but Not Important: Delegate if possible.

Not Urgent and Not Important: These can be minimized or eliminated.

By prioritizing your tasks this way, you ensure that you’re focusing on what really matters.

5. Break Tasks into Manageable Chunks

Large tasks can be overwhelming, leading to procrastination. Break them down into smaller, manageable pieces that you can tackle bit by bit. For example, instead of blocking out an entire day to “study biology,” break it down into specific chapters or topics to study in shorter sessions. This makes the task less daunting and helps maintain focus.

6. Set Realistic Time Blocks

When scheduling your tasks, be realistic about how long each one will take. It’s better to overestimate and have extra time left over than to underestimate and feel rushed. Start by tracking how long it actually takes you to complete different tasks, then use this data to plan your schedule more accurately.

7. Use the Pomodoro Technique

If you struggle with staying focused, try the Pomodoro Technique. This method involves working for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer break (15-30 minutes). This technique helps maintain focus and prevents burnout, especially during long study sessions.

8. Review and Adjust Your Schedule Regularly

Your schedule isn’t set in stone. Life happens, and things change, so it’s important to review and adjust your schedule regularly. At the end of each day or week, take a few minutes to assess what worked and what didn’t. If you find that certain tasks took longer than expected or that your priorities have shifted, make adjustments accordingly.

9. Build in Flexibility

While it’s important to stick to your schedule as much as possible, it’s also crucial to build in some flexibility. Allow for buffer time between tasks in case something takes longer than planned or if something unexpected comes up. Flexibility prevents you from feeling overwhelmed when things don’t go exactly as planned.

10. Stay Consistent, But Be Kind to Yourself

Consistency is key when it comes to following a schedule, but it’s also important to be kind to yourself. If you have an off day or something doesn’t go as planned, don’t beat yourself up. Simply adjust your schedule and keep moving forward. Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection.

11. Use Apps and Tools to Help

There are plenty of apps and tools designed to help with time management. Apps like Todoist, Trello, or Notion can help you organize your tasks and keep track of deadlines. Experiment with a few and find what works best for you.

12. Balance Work and Rest

Finally, remember that a good schedule isn’t just about getting work done—it’s also about ensuring you have time to rest and recharge. Make sure to schedule in downtime, hobbies, and social activities. A balanced schedule will keep you motivated and prevent burnout.

By implementing these tips, you’ll be well on your way to mastering time management and creating a schedule that supports your goals. It might take some trial and error to find what works best for you, but with persistence and a bit of flexibility, you’ll get there. Good luck, and happy scheduling!

Love,

Sophia

[musings-of-a-rose]

Falling Slowly - Chapter 1

Pairing: Tommy Miller x f!reader

Word Count: 2000+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes:This started as a simple idea for Tommy. He had different ideas and I can’t say no to those freckles and smile. Thanks to @mermaidxatxheart for helping me get unstuck. You always have such great ideas!

And a big thanks to @wyn-n-tonic for helping me form thoughts and give this a little shape. I hope I can be a quarter as talented as you one day!

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

❤If you enjoy the fic, please consider giving me a warm beverage! (It is not required in any way!)

**Reader is not described. Divider made by @benkeibear

Main Masterlist

Falling Slowly Masterlist

Tommy Miller Masterlist

It’s crowded in here tonight. Not quite theme park during season full, but close enough. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t seriously need a drink after the day I had at work. And this bar was the closest place to home that was still open.

Or maybe I just pulled into the first place I found.

I somehow manage to score a seat at the crowded bar, sliding quickly onto the stool that’s still warm from its previous occupant. I raise my hand to the bartender and she nods, taking another 2 orders before taking mine.

“Rum and Coke. Less Coke.”

She smiles, tossing me a wink before she walks off to make the drinks. I have to admit I’m mildly impressed by her memory, as she had taken at least 10 drink orders before mine and memorized them all. No wonder she has an overflowing tip jar.

It probably helps that she has giant tits too.

I take a few sips, letting the warmth of the rum spread through me, loosening my muscles before setting the glass down. The music playing is stupid loud, but the people seem to like it, jamming their sweaty bodies together in a tight group in the middle of the dance floor. 

I’ll admit, this isn’t typically my scene. But the patients today were really on their game of trying to piss me off and I decided I earned a drink. I just wish I’d known how loud it would be. Thankfully, I'm not on call tomorrow.

“Hello, gorgeous.”

A man sits next to me, shifting his body so he’s facing me. When I don’t respond, he repeats himself, a little louder.

“I’m ok, thanks.” I try to let him down easy, but turning down a man who’s tipsy and looking to get laid is not an easy thing to do.

“Not yet you aren’t. We haven’t even spoken yet.” 

Sighing, I turn my head to look at him. He’s all blue eyes and light hair, a slight tan on his face but one from hanging out at the pool and not from manual labor. I’d be surprised if this guy had to work for anything.

“I’m flattered, really, but I just want to drink in peace.”

“Oh, come on now, gorgeous. A little conversation won’t hurt.”

“Really, I’m good.” I turn my head back to my drink, removing my hand from the top of it to take a sip. 

“You look stressed. I can help with that.” 

His hand finds its way to my thigh, squeezing me slightly. But before I can do anything, a different, larger hand removes it for me. 

“She said she was done talkin’.”

This new guy is gorgeous. Broad shoulders, a barrel chest, arms that could totally lift me, coupled with beautiful black curls, freckles speckled across his olive skin, accentuating his eyes, which I'm sure are normally kind when they aren't staring down an asshole. 

The man who was talking to me yanks his hand away and stands up, the bar stool scraping across the floor. 

"Fuck off, friend."

"Not until you leave the lady alone."

The man puffs up his chest, sticking his pointer finger out, jabbing at the man with the curls that I'd love to touch. 

"Why don't you fuck off so you don't get hurt, hhmm? Me and the lady were getting along just fine."

The man with the curls looks at me and I shake my head, both to say I'm never going anywhere with this man and please don't get yourself hurt.

"Doesn't look like she wants to go with you."

The man glances over at me and I fix my face into what I hope is confidence. 

"No way. I'm not going anywhere with you."

The man narrows his eyes. "I bought you a drink. The least you could do is come home with me."

Curls laughs and oh, I would love to hear that sound again. "Imagine being such a dick that you think forcing a drink upon a woman entitles you to sleep with her."

The man draws his fist back and quickly releases, punching Curls straight in the nose, his head flying backwards. He stumbles but doesn't go down, his hand swiping at his nose to see its already bleeding. The man tries to grab for me but Curls stops him, landing several good punches of his own. 

"Stop! He's not worth it!" I try to step in but it's pointless. I can't get close enough to stop anything. 

A minute or so later it doesn't matter because the cops show up, separating the men and loading them both into the back of cop cars, Curls meeting my eyes and giving me a small smile before he's pushed into the cab. 

"Excuse me," I stop one of the cops. "Which jail is he going to?" 

"Travis County. The one on 10th."

"Thanks."

The men load up and take off as I turn to walk to my car and head to the police station. When I arrive, the desk officer tells me I'll have to wait a while for them to be processed, but that they will both make bail.

So I wait. 

Several hours later, the kind desk officer rouses me awake and let's me know I can post bail. I do and they ask me to wait in the lobby while they bring him to the front. When he comes around the corner, he's talking to the officer that's escorting him.

"Yes sir, but can you tell me who posted my bail?" 

The officer nods in my direction while extending his arm out, indicating that the man should proceed without him. Curls turns in the direction the officer pointed him and locks eyes with me as I stand, folding my jacket over my arm. He smiles as we walk towards each other, making my cheeks feel warm under his gaze. 

"You bailed me out?"

"I had to. You saved me."

God his smile is like sunshine. "Oh, you didn't owe me anything, darlin'." 

"I definitely did. That guy was a creep and who knows what else he could've done?"

"Well at least let me pay you back the bail?"

I wave my hand at him. "No way."

"There must be some way for me to pay you back?"

I gesture at his face. "How about you let me take care of that?"

He touches his nose and looks at his hand, seeing some dried blood. "Oh, no that's ok. I'll just go clean up-"

I step closer to him, hand stretching towards his face. "I can't believe they didn't get you checked out."

"Ah I'll be alright."

"Stop arguing and come with me."

He looks at me, all brown eyes and tiny freckles, a small smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. "Yes ma'am."

Oh I am so fucked. 

He follows me to my car and gets in the passenger side. As I turn the key on the ignition, I realize I don't even know his name. 

"I'm Tommy by the way." 

I tell him my name. "But my friends call me Daisy."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Daisy."

We make it back to my place, as his truck had been impounded and so unavailable until morning. Tommy tries to decline my offer of a place to stay while he waits for his truck, until I ask if I'm so offensive looking that he wouldn't want to come up to my apartment. 

"No way, ma'am. Quite the opposite."

He follows me upstairs, kicking off his boots when I kick off my shoes. He looks around nervously and I see him scanning all the windows and doors. 

"You serve?" I ask. 

He looks at me, eyebrows raised. "Yeah. Desert Storm. How'd you know?"

"My dad always scans a place when he enters it. I'm assuming you'll want your back to a wall too? Exits visible?"

"I…yeah. That would be preferable."

I gesture to my couch, which is against the wall. "Have a seat. Let me get my first aid kit."

I grab my kit and some ice in a bag and sit next to Tommy, who turns his broad chest towards me when he sits up. His eyes glance behind me at my bookshelf.

"That shelf looks like it's on its last leg."

I chuckle. "Probably is. I've had it forever and it wasn't high quality to begin with. Just some Ikea shit."

He groans, like I’ve just offended his entire ancestor line. "No, not Ikea! I could make you some new ones."

"What, are you a carpenter or something?"

"Similiar. Contractor. But I do know my way around wood."

"So do I."

Tommy shifts his legs at my implication and I smirk, dabbing at the now dried blood on his face, cradling his chin with my other hand. 

His eyes are on me, so close I can feel his breath puffing out against my skin and I feel heat starting to pool between my thighs.

"Pride and Prejudice?" He asks. 

"What?"

"On your shelf."

"Oh. Yeah. Haven't read it in a while but I was obsessed when I was little. Wait - have you read it?"

He smirks. "Are you surprised?"

"A little."

"My niece needed help with her book report. So I read it to be able to help her."

"You read an entire book to help your niece with a paper?"

"Yeah."

"That's really sweet. Not many people would do that."

"Oh I'm not many people."

"That's for sure.. hey Tommy, are you hungry? I have some pizza left over."

His eyes flick between mine, a soft smile appearing on his face.

"I love pizza."

"Great!" I move to the kitchen and start getting out the pizza, putting some slices on my pizza stone and turning on the oven to preheat it. 

"I rented the new X-Men movie from Blockbuster. Have you seen it?" I ask as the oven bings and I slide the pizza in it. 

"You managed to snag a copy?"

"I bribed the cashier."

He chuckles. "I haven't seen it yet."

"Ok cool. I'll put that on for us."

The pizza finishes reheating and I divvy it up, offering Tommy a beer. We sit on the couch, plates on the coffee table as I get out the DVD. Tommy whistles. 

"You got a DVD player?"

"Yeah. It was my one splurge on myself when I moved here. Well that and a new mattress."

I fast forward through the commercials, cursing the makers for not adding a "skip ad" button. 

"Is your boyfriend gonna be alright with us hanging out?"

“Yeah, no. I don’t have one of those.”

Tommy sits up a little straighter. “Oh? Why not?”

I shrug. “I just moved to a whole new city and wanted to settle in. I don’t like long distance because it just never works out. Plus I can’t deal with all the-” I twist my wrist in a circle “- neediness?”

Tommy chuckles. “Neediness?”

“Yeah. My job takes a lot out of me and honestly, I don’t have the mental space for a boyfriend right now. That’s why I like you.”

Tommy points to himself, eyebrows raised in question. “Me?”

“Yeah. I’ve only known you a few hours but you’ve already saved my ass and don’t act all high and mighty. Plus you have great taste in books and movies.”

Tommy and I finish watching the movie and I drive him back to the impound lot now that it’s open. We exchange numbers and promise to hang out again, both of us missing the glances in the other’s direction. Although I’m pretty sure he caught me staring at his ass when he was standing at the checkout counter. 

“So you’re just….friends?”

Tommy nods, taking another sip of his beer. “That’s what I said, Joel.”

Joel studies his brother, his eyes narrowing. “She pretty?”

“So pretty she’d make a man plow through a stump.”

The corner’s of Joel mouth tick up for a second before he fixes a stern look on his face. “Be careful, Tommy. It’s hard for men and women to be friends if they’re attracted to each other. Someone’s bound to get hurt.”

“That would mean she’s attracted to me, big brother, and there’s no way. She ain’t lookin’.”

“Mmmhmm.”

“‘Sides, don’t you want a good example set for Sarah? That boys and girls can just be friends?”

Joel shakes his head, pointing at Tommy. “I don’t want her near any boys for any reason for her entire life.”

>>Chapter 2>>

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