#and i would have to bring it back with me afterwards and that'd be a whole thing also...

[rapidhighway]

the horrible timing of the sxsg release date. I'm going to steal the PS5 from my house

[cheriladycl01]

Qatar Heat - Grid x Driver! Reader

Plot: Everyone has a hard time at the Qatar GP, most needed medical attention once the race finished, some drivers retired and some continued even though they threw up in their helmets. What happens when the female of the grid, who already struggles with body temperature regulation finishes the race?

It was Thursday, which was media day in Qatar which meant that right now you were walking round the paddock in shorts and your Aston Martin Team top.

"Lance, hey are you okay?" You ask your team-mate. You'd known him since last year as the reserve driver for Aston Martin, Seb wanted you to take his place after retirement.

"Yeah, its just so hot. And Henry's still making me do training" he complains.

"I know but think we got the ice bath's later!" you grin excited to have the ice bath. After a hot day of training it was like a reward. So you did your ball exercises and you did a track run for the media team. Afterwards you were about to lay down on the track ground but it was blistering when you put your hand to it.

"Tires are gonna get shredded" you complain a little out of breath to Jessie your personal trainer.

"Can we go get water and smoothies now?" You ask and Sid one of the media guys who had followed you around today nods. You guys get out of the sun before running into the garage and collecting as many people's orders from the garage as you can.

You bring everyone back what they wanted on a tray. Sid filmed you the whole time, so he could upload it to the Tik-Tok saying that the new Aston Martin waitress is pretty cool. And another one joking that you can always fall back on waitressing if F1 falls through which you found hilarious.

"Okay, Lance Y/N. Ice bath time!" Mike Krack informs you both. You go into your driver room changing into your bikini that'd you'd brought with you. You pull the Aston Martin polo back over, feeling as though it would be odd to walk out the back of the motorhome in a bikini.

You see the cameras on you and immediately smile. You go up very close to the camera.

"Hi guys, i felt awkward coming out in just my bikini so Aston Martin Representation!" you whisper before stepping back and poking your thumbs at your top to show them what you were talking about, as if it wasn't obvious.

Looking to your left, Lando, Oscar, Alex and Logan were also all doing icebaths out the back of the motorhome too.

"Looking good boys" you shout after wolf whistling in their direction, they all laugh having finished their icebaths coming over to you and Lance.

"Come on" Alex gestures you towards the ice bath. You roll your eyes pulling the top over your head and passing it to Alex, he steps back looking at the other three boys who are shamelessly staring at you.

You were the current youngest on the grid. 21 years old, so Oscar, Logan and Lando all took a liking to you, not only because of the age similarities but because of your sense of humor.

"Ready Lance, you ask your team-mate whose shirt was just pulled off and handed to Mike who was helping the social media team.

"Lets make this interesting. First to fully submerge wins"

"That's not exactly fair your from Canada...okay your on" you shout and before anyone can blink your jumping into the ice bath. Your up to your thighs before you watch as Lance starts to sink down. Not even thinking about the cold you just force your whole body down. You can feel the cold all around your hair as it floats up and you can feel the cold water on your eyelids.

You come back up with a gasped breath before looking over at all of them.

"Who won, it was me right?" you say with your eyes blown wide as Lance emerges.

"Yes, but your fucking crazy" Lando laughs looking at the smile that comes across your face.

"Hahaha Suck that Stroll! I win" you say looking over at him.

"Ohhh you know what we should do" you say looking over at the camera that was still pointed at you.

"We should do a thirst trap of me, so people can edit me on TikTok!" you exclaim and Oscar chokes, while Logan and Land laugh as your started to lean back in the bath, running your hands through you hair.

"Y/N how many times have we talked about this" Your PR manager exclaims trying to stop the admins from filming.

"Oh come on its what they want!" You exclaim.

After that night, you went out for food, a healthy meal of course that Lance payed for as the looser of the bet.

Friday First Practice was good, you'd come in 4th just behind the two Ferrari's and Max.

Qualifying was just as good, you were starting in 4th next to Lewis, with George and Max ahead of you for Sunday's race and that was locked in. It was exhausting, you were boiling but you pushed. Lance was angry with the car performance and got angry at Henry, you were shocked to see and hear what happened when you were still driving and scolded Lance, before nearly fainting from being dizzy.

Again, you did the ice bath dinner and slept.

Now to focus on Saturdays sprint. You did well in the first two sprint shoot outs. But ended up retiring the car in Q3, starting in 9th position.

You were so faint for the whole race. Today, it was hotter than all the other days. Your fireproof felt more clingy to your skin than usual and the water in the car was heating up quicker than it normally did.

At one point during the sprint race the water was so disgusting to drink you actually spat it out in your helmet on reflex.

You finished in 8th gaining 1 point for the team who congratulated you. You stayed in the car as you pulled into the garage for a minute before you stripped of in the garage down to tank top and your underwear. You sat on the cold garage floor, head in your hands as you panted, looking for breath.

A team member brought an orange juice up to you, tapping you on the shoulder to which you shake there hand and thank them for the gesture.

You sip it slowly, not wanting to gag like you had before.

"How you doing sweetheart" Mike comes up to you, everyone in the garage had reported to him, how red and beat up you look coming out the car. You look at him and nod.

"It's always been harder for me" you laugh looking up at him wiping the sweat from your forehead before it falls down into your eye.

"What do you mean?" he asks crouching down so he's at a similar level to you.

"I mean, you've probably never checked my medical papers right. And women struggle with heat more than men anyway but my body doesn't regulate its temperate that well... so I've always struggled with being hot in the car but this is next level" you sigh to him.

"Are you going to be okay to race. We can get Drugovich to fill" Mike says concern filling his face as he can tell your struggling from the speech pattern and labored breathing.

"No i promise I'll be okay and I'll bring us home points" you smile.

I'm going to go congratulate Oscar on his Sprint win. You smile before holding you hand out for help. He helps you up and you trot over to Mclaren pulling the taller male into a hug the minute you see him.

"You did amazingly Ozzie" you grin, still holding onto him.

"Hey! I did well as well" Lando interrupts and you roll you eyes before turning to look at the man baby behind you.

"Yes yes, well done on P3 Lando Norris" you grin pulling him towards you and hugging him. He hugs you back before lifting you and squeezing you making you groan at the harshly shown affection that you were used too.

"How you feeling about tomorrow starting P4?"

"I'm hoping for a podium with my boys" you grin, pulling them both in, one arm round each of them.

"With us starting P6 and P10. I doubt that" Oscar groans, knowing he stuffed up Qualifying the other day, along with his team mate.

"Never say never. Tomorrow's going to be a hard race for everyone"

Sunday was the day that everyone struggled as you'd said.

Max actually ended up crashing out, and after coming back on the track, the car didn't have the pace it had from the start of the weekend.

"Come on Y/N, win in rookie season will look amazing. Keep holding. You've got Oscar behind 2.3 seconds gaining and Lando behind him. 3 laps left" you engineer inform.

"Guys the heat's really getting to me" you voice but its barley recognizable through the radio.

"Not long left, just push until the end" the engineer says but his voice waivers, he could tell you were struggling but unlike Logan who retired early on, lap 40 and with only three laps left there was no point especially when you were this close to a win.

"I - I know" you waiver, you control the car, speeding up trying to get this done as quickly as possible.

Martin Bundle - AND IN HER ROOKIE SEASON Y/N Y/L/N IS THE WINNER OF THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX

"Guy's I need to get out this car now" you cry, tears forming in your eyes.

"Okay copy that"

"I cant move" you cry, the only thing that was able to move from your body was your hands which were shaking.

"We're sending pit crew to help" your engineer says. You see race marhsalls come up to your car, where Oscar and Land pull up alongside you. They both jump out hugging their team who were stood their waiting for them both. They turn to congratulate you thinking you'd be there next to them with the Aston Martin team but see you still sat in the car.

"Oh my god, she's shaking" Oscar says looking closer at you.

"She's in shock, from the heat" Lando says running over Oscar behind him.

"Y/N hey hey hey. Its okay its okay" Lando says flicking up your visor so he could see you. He honestly could have cried at the sight. He saw you looking so exhausted and out of it, the tears in you eyes and the sweat underneath them mixed.

"Come on baby lets get you out" Oscar voices, pulling Lando back by the shoulder and leaning down into the car, putting his arms under your knees and the other behind your back before lifting and pulling you out the car.

"Can we get a cold towel over here" Lando shouts which makes your head dizzy. Oscar sits you on the car wheel, pulling your helmet off, and then your balaclava. You were extremely red in the face but he still thought you were the prettiest girl he'd ever seen.

So did Lando, he had for a while, and he would always flirt with you when you were the reserve Aston Martin driver. But he cared for you, and seeing you like this pulled at his heart strings.

"You did so well today darling" he compliments. He pulls back your hair that was sticking to your face, doing it in a low bun so it wasn't tight but was out of your face and off your neck.

Lando unzips your race suit, pulling it down off your shoulders so your in your fireproof top before laying the cooling towel around you neck.

"Just breath" he smiles at you handing you and Oscar an icy bottle of water than was handed to him by his team. They got you to the cool down room where you sat on the floor with your back against the wall and your cheek resting on the cold marble.

"Great race guys. Said I'd have a podium with my... my boys" you smile, before you feel the urge to throw up. You get on your knees grabbing the bin before spilling the food you'd eaten before the race into the bin. Oscar sits next to you rubbing your back.

"Come on lets go get weighed" Lando sighs. Oscar goes first, the you and Lando watches the figure seeing you'd lost a whole 6 kilograms which meant that you'd lost 9 over the whole weekend. He, Oscar and Logan would all have to go out for a big meal to all put the weight back on.

The podium was amazing, first place and sharing a podium with Lando and Oscar had never felt better. It was a shorter podium as they wanted all of you to seek medical attention. You were eventually declared to have heatstroke and were forced on home rest in a nice a/c-ed room and lost of Peach Ice Tea's.

One thing for sure was you never wanted to race in Qatar as this time of the year again.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @stupidandunnecessary @clayra-g @daemyratwst @honey-belden @moonypixel @lauralarsen @vader-is-hot @ironcowboycopnickel @itsjustkhaos @the-untamed-soul @beebo86 @happylittlereader @ziejustme @lou-larcher5 @thewulf @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @chillyleclerc @chanthereader @annoyingmoonballoon @summissss @evieepepi08 @havaneseoger08 @celesteblack08 @gulphulp @fandom1ruined2me @celebstories @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhh @georgeparisole @dakotatankbig @youcannotcancelquidditch @zzonsbeek @tallbrownhairsarcastic @mellowarcadefun @ourteenagetragedy @otako5811 @countingstacksandpanicattacks @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @hopexcroc @mirrorball-6 @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @lilypadlover @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @the-fem1n1ne-urge @21stcenturytaegi @dark-night-sky-99 @spideybv28 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle

[bu-blegh-ost]

The time has finally come, @girlsonlytreehouse !!!

Today I shall share with you the fruits of my work. But first, allow me to take you on a journey I myself have been through while counting all of this shit down.

First things first, I decided to count the rolls in the context of the characters rather than the people playing them, simply because the luck of the actual people could not be measured accurately if I only take Riptide into consideration (and also I thought it would be more fun). The guys have several different campaigns, some that I do not have access to, so I've decided to seperate all their Riptide rolls into characters they play instead, cause then we can clearly see which character is the luckiest. But ofc if you want this to be attributed differently, the data remains unchanged, so that way you all can interpret the results however you wanted and still have all the info you need on hand.

Another issue were the advantage/disadvantage rolls. When a character rolls at advantage, they roll twice and the only roll that counts is the one that was higher, while the other is discarded and the opposite goes for disadvantage. So for example if you roll at Disadvantage and you roll a nat 20 and a 2, that nat 20 technically doesn't matter. Despite that I decided to count each adv/disadv roll anyway, because despite the fact that it does not count, it was still physically ROLLED, which means it contributes to the character's overall pool of luck. I tried to separate them at first so you guys can make your own decision whether to add them or not, but in the end I decided against it cause it was insanely hard to keep up with. There were just too many and too often, which led me to believe that it was fair enough to count everything as long as they actually rolled a dice.

Which brings me to the last complication, which is of course Gillion's Prophetic Screwup. At the beginning of the campaign Gillion was able to exchange anything that he actually rolled into a nat 20, and in return the DM can change any roll he does afterwards into a nat 1. That way there was supposed to be an equal number of wild unrolled nat 20's and nat 1's to balance Gillion out back to 0, but it didn't turn out this way. In more cases than not, Grizzly would either forget or fail to find a good place to screw Gillion over, so the ability bacame much too unbalanced. So they changed it somwhere in the middle of Edison Kingdom Arc. From then on, if Gill rolled anything from 1-10 it would automatically become a nat 1, and if he rolled from 11-20, that'd be a nat 20 instead. Either way these rolls had nothing to do with luck, as he wasn't actually rolling anything, thus I decided not to count these 'artificial' nat 20's/1's. However I did keep track of them nonetheless and I'll still give you the number of those, just separately, and from then on you guys can make your own decision on whether or not you wish to count it.

OOOFFF ALRIGHT.

Without further ado, here are the nat 20's results (up to ep106):

Gillion: 52

Chip: 58

Jay: 55

Goobleck: 8

Surprised? Yeah I was as well. First things first I never expected this to be this close. And never in my right mind could I possibly predict that it would he CHIP of all people to have the highest score here. But I've seen it with my own eyes. And tell you what. Jay had this in the bag for most of the damn series. She would consistently roll good and always when you need a good roll the most. There were times when she would have such a massive lead it was unthinkable she could loose it. But then she would just kinda...stop rolling good for a bit and allow the other two to catch up. It just wasn't as visble if you don't pay much attention, but I thought it to be cute. It's as she was waiting for them <3 But she was still mostly leading. It was only the current arc that made Chip surpass her. After his terrible luck in Feywilde, he bounced back so strongly right after, that he managed to jump in front of the luck queen herself.

And now I bet you're curious about the other side of the coin. Give it up for natural 1's!:

Gillion: 55

Chip: 53

Jay: 52

Goobleck: 1

You see, I kind of expected it to be Gill, but I need you guys to know that this wasn't the case at all times. Jay? Yes. If there is one thing that's consistent is that she had the lowest amount of natural 1s at all times almost, but the person that was suffering from nat 1 curse for a long while was Chip. In the Feywilde Arc he would be so far ahead of everyone, that I was genuinely sure that there is no way anyone catches up to him. But then he popped off in the next arc with nat 20's and Gillion? Oh my gosh, Gillion didn't disappoint. I've never seen a man fail this much let me tell you XD He ended up with the least nat 20's as well, but I thought the difference would be much higher until he didn't roll 4 fucking nat 20s in ep 100 and then this double nat 20 attack roll in the Black Sea whduihdius AND HE CAUGHT UP AS WELL, more or less.

Idunno, maybe this is just how luck works, but it truly seems that the trio shares their successes and burdens almost equally. They support each other and in return fate has their backs as well. Honestly I couldn't have hoped for better results. Also can we give shout out to Goobleck, the true MVP? He's been on the show only for a while but look at this nat1 - nat20 ratio!!! Go goop man goo!!!

So now for the additional stuff that I also counted just for fun:

*Prophethic screwup nats:

Before the rules changed Gillion replaced 8 of his rolls into natural 20s, and in return Grizzly replaced 3 of his rolls into natural 1s.

After the rules changed he only got high enough number for 4 nat 20s, and a low enough number for 7 nat 1s.

So that together makes additional 12 nat 20s and 10 nat 1s from the prophetic screwup alone. I don't think they should be added, but the numbers are there so feel free to do whatever you want with them :)

Downs and death saves:

Throughout the campaign Gillion went down 14 times and rolled 8 death saves.

Chip went down 6 times and rolled 4 death saves.

Jay went down 4 times and rolled 3 death saves.

No shocker here, Gillion dies a lot XD

Knights:

In their journey Gillion knighted 4 people: Julien Booker, Clorton, Garrieth and Duke.

Corruption score:

Thus far each character has the following amount of corruption points (Black Sea):

Gillion: 0

Chip: 2

Jay: 3

Queen: 1

Gryffon: 2 (i think, unsure abt that one, may edit later XD)

Earl: 1

That is all I have for now. I may be clinically insane :)

Good day to everyone and I hope you found this data interesting. Take care <3

[witchywithwhiskey]

Happy Saturday! 🍾

Last night you found out your boyfriend was cheating on you and after dumping that sad sack of shit you're going out, looking for a rebound.

Bartender Steve: He's seen the look in your eyes before and he instantly hates to see you sad, even if he doesn't know you. Luckily it's an easy night and he has a lot of time to talk to you. He gladly offers to get you back in the game after his shift is done.

Owner Lloyd: He sees you dancing and is mesmerized by the way you look. It's unusual for him to be on the dancefloor but he can't resist the pull of you. Together you sway on the floor and he whispers dirty and delightful promises in your ear.

Bouncer Bucky: Some random guy has trouble understanding the word no and when Bucky sees your peril he quickly grabs the dude and throws him out. Afterward he takes you in to a small back room to make sure you're okay. He offers to make sure you get home safe at the end of the night.

Who will it be that'll help you forget your ex? 🤔

ahh happy sunday!! i saw this yesterday but was too busy cleaning/unpacking to respond, but you bet i was thinking about it the whole time. so here's where i landed:

Owner Lloyd might be a fun time if i'd been single for a little while, but i'm just not the type of person who's gonna be out on the dance floor immediately after a break up 🫤 (and if i am, it's only because i'm surrounded by friends/have no interest in getting a man—but then, i could absolutely see Lloyd taking that as a challenge 😅).

Bouncer Bucky was almost my choice, but tbh, i'm not the girl that guys approach at bars—i have seriously perfected the intimidating, do-not-fucking-talk-to-me vibe. frankly, if i were actually in a situation where i'd just been cheated on, and some guy tried to hit on me without taking no for an answer, Bouncer Bucky would probably need to pull me off him before i broke his nose. (i've never actually gotten into a physical fight but, in the right circumstances, i could see it happening.) but, y'know, if Bucky has to "throw me out" and he brings me some ice water to cool down and we end up talking all night while i sit with him by the door while he works, then that'd certainly take my mind off my ex 😅

BUT that wasn't the question. as you can probably tell, i'm going with Bartender Steve, which is because he's the only one that feels kind of familiar. like maybe we don't KNOW each other, but i like to think he's the bartender at my favorite dive bar, where i go with my friends but never my ex because it was my comfort place. so Steve and I know each other in passing, but he's never seen me come in alone, or sit at the bar. so he strikes up a conversation and he ends up offering to help me get back out there. but in true romcom fashion, i end up falling for him. not right away, of course. first we become friends, and slowly begin spending all our time together and eventually we fall in love. (he'll have to make the move to take things further, though, because i will be oblivious if he tries to drop any hints.)

thank you for sending in this ask, it was so fun!!! ♡♡♡

[last-lorekeeper]

New video! Hurray!

[It's a video (see, told ya). Zinnia is sitting atop her desk, Aster next to her. As the last of the students file in, she leans backwards until she's essentially perpendicular with the floor.

Zinnia: Hello my lovely students. Welcome to the cool classroom. We do cool things here.

She laughs and sits back up, crossing her legs.

Zinnia: So, last week and the week before we talked about the tribes of Hoenn. Now, you may have noticed that despite me talking at length about them, they're not really all that present in modern day Hoenn. They're not gone by any means but they're much smaller and less widespread. The Oceanids largely stick to Pacifidlog Town and Dewford, the Gaiads largely stick to Lavaridge, and the Draconids hang out in Meteor Village. Ours is the best and coolest, obviously, which is why its the hardest to find.

She uncrosses her legs and slides off of the desk.

Zinnia: So you may be wondering "Well what happened? Why are all the tribes so small now?" The answer to that is simple:

She holds up a finger.

Zinnia: The Monarchy.

She begins pacing.

Zinnia: Yep, once again Monarchs come to ruin everything. If you've taken Raifort's class you're almost certainly intimately familiar with that fact.

She stops in front of the smart board and pulls out a pointer. A physical one.

Zinnia: So, the Hoenn Royal Family. It all starts with these motherfuckers.

Two photos of paintings appear on the smartboard. They're both of battle scarred kings with color schemes matching Groudon and Kyogre. Zinnia smacks the smartboard with her pointer.

Zinnia: These are Grodunn and Kjogur, I bet you can't guess which one is which.

A student raises their hand.

Zinnia: That was rhetorical.

The student lowers their hand.

Zinnia: These guys were brothers and the kings of Hoenn way, way, waaaaaayyyy back in the day. They sucked, which is obvious because they're kings. Now, what particularly sucked about them, was they hated each other and they decided to make it everyone else's problem. Because we can't have two kings, no that'd be too logical and reasonable. Oh, also they were the Chosens of Groudon and Kyogre respectively so that didn't help.

Aster makes a noise. Zinnia makes the classic "silly me" gesture which looks mildly unhinged on her.

Zinnia: Oh dear you're right. I completely forgot to explain what a Chosen is. How silly of me. Basically, a Chosen is a person that a Legendary decides to bless with special powers. Usually they do this for a specific purpose, such as Groudon and Kyogre, who use their Chosens to free them so they can continue their eternal war, and Rayquaza, who uses its Chosen to stop the other two.

Zinnia flops down into her chair and spins around.

Zinnia: Anyways, the two started a massive, bloody Civil War in Hoenn. Seriously, these guys make the Aqua and Magma conflict look like a civil disagreement. What's worse, eventually they did manage to release Groudon and Kyogre as one would expect from the Cycle. But luckily, Sir Aaron, Aura Guardian and Chosen of Rayquaza, was there to stop them.

The smartboard changes to an image of the Sir Aaron and Lucario portrait from Cameran Palace.

Zinnia: Together with Coriander, Draconid Lorekeeper, and Sir Galahad, fellow Aura Guardian, they sealed away Kyogre and Groudon's power within the Blue and Red Orbs alongside the spirits of Grodunn and Kjogur, once again bringing peace to the land.

She shrugs.

Zinnia: A lot of that is considered hearsay, though. We don't actually know if its really true. But I have a primary source known as the Ghost of Sir Aaron backing me up on this so...

She shrugs again.

Zinnia: At the very least, Grodunn and Kjogur were real guys and the Civil War for sure happened. Afterwards, the entire Royal Family decided that they'd offended the gods and the only way to fix that was to name every male Norman. No, that is not a joke.

She leaps up from the chair.

Zinnia: Speaking of Normans, lets talk about a personal least favorite of mine, Norman the Mad.

A painting of Norman the Mad and an image of a Spiritomb appear on the board. Zinnia smacks the painting.

Zinnia: This is what he looked like when he was alive.

She smacks the Spiritomb picture.

Zinnia: This is what he looks like now. Well, not actually, this is just a random Spiritomb. Nobody's going down into the Hoenn Royal Tombs to take pictures of this bastard.

She takes a deep breath.

Zinnia: So... what's his deal? Well, basically, he was insane. Apparently Groudon and Kyogre made the mistake of Choosing the same guy and when you're Chosen by two Legendaries at once, especially two who are constantly in conflict with eachother, it tends to drive you a bit, well, Mad. His exploits were kind of funny, looking back on them, but at the time a lot of people got killed because of him. In the end, his soul was sealed within a Spiritomb and locked away in the Hoenn Royal Tombs. That one's also considered heresy but I have a Primary Source for it too. I've met Norman the Mad the Spiritomb and he's an asshole and I hate him.

She takes another deep breath.

Zinnia: Final one and then we're done. Time for one I hate more than Norman the Mad because she hits very close to home. And yes, I did say she. We're getting a queen this time. Byrd the First. Why is she the First? Cause Byrd the Second is currently tearing up the Contest Circuit somewhere. Good for her. Should have called her (Byrd the First not Byrd the Second, Byrd the Second's fine) Byrd the Terrible though cause she was Terrible. She basically exiled and/or killed everyone she didn't like. Draconids, Oeanids, Gaiads, psychics, non-Trifectists. Pretty much everybody, honestly. She's why all of Hoenn's tribes are so small and scattered. Worst part is, she claimed to be doing this in the name of Lord Rayquaza. The only ostensibly "good" thing she ever did was establish the modern routes we use today but that's a matter of opinion and also wasn't worth everything else.

She flops back down into the chair.

Zinnia: And we're done. The Royal Family's still around these days but they have basically no power despite pretending they do. Only one who really matters is Norman the... 16th? 17th? Eh, I don't care, Gym Leader of Petalburd City and step-father to my girlfriend. The end.

The bell rings.

Zinnia: Thanks for coming, guys. Have a good one. We'll be having a quiz on this next week so I don't have to actually do work. Don't worry, it'll be pretty straightforward and simple! Bye!

The video ends]

//Hoenn Royal Family Lore by @darlingvirus

[steeltraptrainer]

They can feel the time grow longer. They've been in the Dream for longer now. They're advancing though. And have been in this stupid ass village for ages.

"Momo, if I see one more dog with knives strapped to their jowls, I will scream."

"Same hat. But we're almost done here. Only that area over there left." Ferro turns his head slightly into Giacomo's direction at the other's words, smiling a little. His teeth seem sharper.

"Yeah. I hope getting whatever is waiting for us there will let us wake up at last." He exhales, then rubs at his eyes. They've been itching, and he hasn't had his glasses with him in Yharnam.

"Only one way to find out. Let's go."

---

The inside of the house is... eerie. And they feel watched. Ferro's eyes flit around, focus on the shape manifesting from the ground. Shadow. Ferro extends the burial blade, swings it wide. The siderite sings as it tears through the shadows, buries itself in an actual human's hide. Next to him, Giacomo revs up the whirligig.

---

It's two witches. And they are unfortunately obsessed with eyeballs. Ferro narrowly escapes the Mad Ones, swings the scythe wildly. One of the witches is hot on his tail, and he is not looking forward to seeing what they'd do if they get their hands on him. He has seen that rusty thing in their hands, and the eyeballs on their cloaks don't inspire confidence either.

Giacomo is doing pretty decent, all things considered. That saw is doing god's work, fast and terrible. And one of the witches goes down in a spray of blood he barely even notices anymore. What was a terror for him a month ago is just... work now. Blood is a fact of life for a hunter. Something to wash off afterwards. He turns, just in time to see Ferro entrapped by light. And the witch moving in. Sparks fly. A scream, two screams. And Ferro on the floor, holding a hand over one of his eyes.

"Ferro, are you alright?" Neither of them even notices the Insight accumulating. A glassy eye focuses on Giacomo, its owner woozy.

"I... I don't feel okay. My right... I don't think that eye's left." He doesn't move his hand from the wound. "Why's it always my fucking eyes? Isn't it enough I'm Deaf already?"

"Beats me. Let's light the lamp and see what's down in the basement. Or do you want to go back to the Dream already?"

"I... yeah, I think I will. Don't get hurt, Momo."

---

The blood disappears under his hands as the Dream envelops Ferro. The pain... does not. Not fully. He grits his teeth and stumbles over to the Doll, slides down on the ground near her.

"Hey Miss Doll..." He looks up at her weakly. "I think I don't like Hemwick very much." She gently moves his hand away when he looks at her, and freezes for a moment at the sight.

"Oh, good Hunter..." Her thumb lingers at the edge of Ferro's eye socket. "Yes, I can see why you would not. I cannot help you with recovering it in full. What I can do is help you bandage it until the Dream mends it. Until the Insight compensates." The Doll sounds so gentle.

"That... that'd be nice. Is it bad?"

"No more than any other wound you have received. This too shall pass. Allow me to help. You are not the first hunter to lose an eye."

"Let's hope he stays the last for a while..." Giacomo mutters, having manifested into the Dream in full just before the Doll had spoken. "Sorry for not being fast enough, Ferro."

"Ah, you did what you could. Just glad I didn't die. I don't like the feeling of that."

"No shit. Just... I hope we can get out and home for a bit."

"You two would deserve it." The Doll looks up at them both, carefully finishing her work. "Might I ask something of you two? Would you be so kind to bring me more books, should you return to your home?"

"Of course!" Ferro smiles at her, the thing crooked and uneven. "No problem at all. I'm glad you like the books so far." They could absolutely do that when

T h e y

w a k e

u p -

[fanmoose12]

ill never forget your fic about erwin, hange and levi love triangle during their training days. it’s so cute and idk.

"Have you heard that?" Hange plops down on a sofa, unceremoniously and quite unfortunately for Levi, draping herself all over his lap. "Erwin got himself a date!"

Not taking the eyes off his book, Levi mumbles something incoherent. He hopes that'd be the end of it, that Hange would take the hint and leave him alone, that she'd forget about this topic all together and find something more light-hearted, less sensitive for them to talk about. But it's a foolish hope, a naive one - for Hange to just forget about something? For her to stop tormenting him? The notion is as ludicrous as it is impossible.

He chances a glance at Hange, peeking at her over the book, holding it as if it is a shield, and finds Hange staring back at him with that intent, chilly look she usually reserves for her test subjects.

The force of it somewhat dulls, when Hange apparently finds what she was looking for, reading him as easily as Levi does his book. She pursues her lips, begins to pout, and Levi feels an unexplainable urge to begin apologizing.

"You have heard about it," Hange says in a quiet, wounded voice, "haven't you?"

Yes, he has. He has heard about it, it was very hard not to, not when the news of uptight and upright star cadet Erwin Smith finally finding a girl perfect enough to ask on a date is the talk of the whole male half of the barracks. He tried to tune all these blubbering idiots out, but when the rumor is so juicy that it makes the whole room buzz like a nest of bees, even Levi's infamous ability to ignore people becomes useless.

Besides, Erwin himself spoke about it, albeit indifferently, in passing, as though his first real date is of no consequence, a daily occurrence instead of a once in a lifetime event.

So yeah, Levi did hear about that. He knows, more than he honestly wished to. And were it any other thing, were it about anyone else but Erwin, he'd tell Hange about it, he'd judge and snicker with her until sun goes down, but it is about Erwin of all people, about Erwin going on a date, so naturally Levi was quite reluctant and more than a bit unwilling to share the news.

Hange continues pouting, even raises a hand to smack his biceps. "Why didn't you tell me about it then?"

Putting his book down, Levi rolls his eyes. Why didn't he indeed. The nature of Hange's feelings for Erwin is not a secret to anyone, least of all to Levi, who spends his days and nights by their sides. Erwin must have noticed it too, he's too sharp and observant not to, but he is either too uncomfortable to face the truth, or simply doesn't care enough to. Levi knows that he knows though. Hange is not exactly subtle in her affections after all.

"He's my friend too, you know," Hange mumbles. "I deserved to know."

Accepting his fate and the fact that his heart won't survive this conversation, Levi shakes his head. "He's not just your friend though, is he?"

The pout disappears and Hange averts her eyes instantly, her cheeks catch fire, as she clumsily adjusts her glasses. "Erwin is a bit more, I admit that, but…"

Levi sighs. Unfortunately, Hange is a bit more than just a friend to him too, and while most of the time he does a stellar job of hiding and ignoring that ache deep within his heart, right now it's becoming very hard to. He feels a sudden urge to both gather Hange in his arms and cradle her to his chest, make her forget all about Erwin, and go find that handsome bastard, yell at him until he realizes just how much pain he brings to their friend and maybe punch that pretty face of his afterwards.

Levi doesn't know what's going on inside Erwin's genius head, he doubts that anyone truly does, but he knows that it's not simple indifference or cruelty that compels him to treat Hange like that. There must be another reason, a deeper one, Levi knows that just as surely as he knows that that girl he's going out with doesn't really mean much to Erwin.

Erwin's got big plans in that big head of his, some of them he shares with Hange and Levi, but he doesn't tell them everything, doesn't reveal just what he's willing to sacrifice to make sure that those grand plans come true.

Levi suspects, however, that his heart will be the first one to be slaughtered.

So, it makes sense, kinda, in a really twisted way, that Erwin's reluctant to become something more than a friend to Hange and to let Hange to become something more to him. It'd be easier, when shit starts hitting the fan, to separate love and duty.

Love is the death of duty, after all, or so Erwin told Levi himself. And while Levi agrees with that, wholly understands the sentiment, he's not as smart or strong-willed as Erwin to keep his heart enclosed.

"I didn't want you to be sad," Levi murmurs, finding that it's much easier to speak, when Hange's eyes are not in his direct line of sight. "Offending you was not my intention."

"I'm not offended," Hange notes softly, her fingers skipping to Levi's sleeve, playing absentmindedly with it. "I'm a bit sad, I admit, but... well, that was bound to happen one day, right? Erwin was bound to find someone special for him, just like everyone else. Someone pretty, and kind, and elegant, and all these things that..."

That I'm not hangs in the air. Heavily. Levi will definitely punch Erwin for that.

But before that, he has Hange to focus on. His anger can wait, will have to wait, until that sad expression is wiped from her face.

"I bet she's boring," he says. "Prim and proper just like Erwin. They'll spend the whole evening discussing politics, weather, or whatever it is that normal people talk about. Perhaps, right as we speak, she is dragging Erwin to one of those plays from Cult of Wallists."

His ruse works, and splendidly - gone is the downturn of Hange's lips. A mischievous smile, one that Levi loves so much, takes its place instead.

"What if she takes him to a church?" she snickers. "Can you imagine Erwin's face?"

"It's not a laughing matter," Levi deadpans. "What if he spontaneously combusts in there?"

Hiding her face in his chest, Hange starts laughing, tickling Levi's skin with her warm breath. Causing warmth to spread to his chest and butterflies inside his heart to spread their wings.

"Or he'll get into an argument with a priest, and get banned from entering the church forever. Erwin will have to declare holy war on them all in retaliation. And drag us to fight his battles."

Hange laughs even harder at that, starts hiccupping, she is so loud that other soldiers present in the lounge room give them both judgemental looks, accustomed but still annoyed by Hange's obnoxious nature. Levi glares at them in return, prompting them to avert their eyes and mind their own business.

"Thank you," Hange says, when her laughing fit subdues. "I don't know what I would have done if not for you. I hope you won't go running with some religious girl too. Well, at least tell me before you do. Give me a heads up, okay?"

Levi clicks his tongue. Hange is obvious with her affections, but, unfortunately, she's also utterly oblivious to the affections of the others. It's a part of her charm, Levi guesses, but sometimes... that trait of hers is really annoying.

"You don't have to worry about that."

"You can't know that," Hange remarks with a silly grin. "I didn't worry about Erwin too, but look where that got me."

"Hange," he says firmer, without a trace of humor. "You don't have to worry."

"And why is that?"

In that moment, Levi feels too much. So much so that he stops thinking, stops being rational and indifferent and blurts out, "Because you are the one, who makes me sad."

Hange's reaction to his words is priceless, and were it any other occasion, Levi would find her wide eyes and open mouth hysterically comical. But as it is, he can only sigh and do his best not to choke on his broken heart.

"Levi... what do you mean?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Hange falters, opens and closes her mouth several times, until, at last, "I... don't know."

Levi thought so. After all, it's much easier to turn a blind eye than face the uncomfortable truth.

"Good," he says, his voice too hollow, too broken even for his own ears. "Because I don't want to tell you."

What's the point of it anyway? Hange made it clear that she's not interested, and he already revealed way too much, already cast a shadow on their friendship.

But he didn't say the whole truth, Levi consoles himself, their friendship isn't yet destroyed, not to its core. Hopefully, Hange will forget about it, and will continue to ignore his stupid feelings. As for him, Levi knows there is no salvation for him. Hange is too important, too precious, she's taken such deep roots in his heart that no religious girl or anyone else will be able to take her out of it. She carved a place here for herself, it's in the shape of her and no one else can fill it.

Gently, Levi pushes Hange off him. He stands up before she can find her voice, do or say something they will both regret.

"See you, four-eyes," is all he says, before he leaves.

Hange doesn't answer, remains silent as he goes away. But her gaze stays on him, puzzled and flustered, it is intent enough to feel like it's burning, leaving scorching marks onto his skin. It is persistent too, it follows him until he disappears behind the door.

Breathing comes a little easier, with Hange a room away from him.

But even with her out of his sight, Levi can't get her out of his mind.

[george-weasleys-girl]

💗WINNER OF GWG'S ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CONTEST 💗

@who-actually-cares-anymore here you go! I tossed in a bit of humor and whimsy. I hope you enjoy it!

George Weasley x Fem!Reader

Warnings: mentions of death (non-major characters) and grief

Summary: George and Destiny's wedding day. Personalized fic.

~•~

Something old. Destiny wore the dress her mother had worn when she walked down the aisle. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It was almost as if her mum was standing right there with her.

Something new. Hidden beneath her dress, a sexy bit of lingerie to spice up the wedding night. She couldn't wait to see the look on George's face.

Something borrowed. Molly's heirloom earrings. Simple pearls passed down through seven generations. The honor had brought tears to her eyes.

Something blue. Around her neck, the aquamarine pendant that her father had gifted her on her sixteenth birthday. "Aquamarine is the 'good luck' stone," he'd said. "It will bring you love, happiness, and peace." Nothing could've been more perfect for this day.

~•~

Today, she was marrying her best friend, her soulmate, and her partner in crime, George Weasley.

It was a day that almost didn't happen. Not the marriage, of course, that would've happened come hell or high water. But the ceremony. After Destiny's parents died in the war, she couldn't bear to go through with the wedding they'd planned.

"Let's just elope, Georgie," she'd begged. "I want to marry you more than anything, but I don't think I could do a big wedding day without mum there or dad to walk me down the aisle."

George's eyes softened, and he took Destiny's hands in his. "My love, as much as I'd love to whisk you away and marry you right now, I'm worried you may regret it."

"Regret it?" Destiny's eyebrows scrunched together. "I would never regret marrying you."

"Nor I you," he continued. "But, before we make a hasty decision, I want you to think back to the night we announced our engagement. Afterward, you and your mum and all the Weasley women sat at the kitchen table, laughing like crazy and planning our wedding. You all had the whole thing figured out by the end of the night."

Destiny nodded. "Mum was so excited she could barely contain herself."

George smiled at the memory. "I know how much it meant to your mum and you to plan the ceremony together. If we don't go through with those plans, I worry you'll regret it. And, I don't want that to happen." He reached up and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I knew the moment I met you that you were the woman I was going to marry. There's no one else on earth I want as my wife or as the mother of my children," he said, bringing a small smile to her face. "I'm not going anywhere, love. We'll wait until you're ready. Ok?"

Destiny sniffled and nodded. "Ok."

And wait, he did.

Now, almost two years later, that long awaited day had finally arrived.

~•~

"Ready, dear?" Arthur offered his arm.

Not for the first time that day, tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. It was a bittersweet moment as the memory of her dad's excitement at giving her away flashed through her mind.

Arthur patted her hand. "He's walking with us, you know. Your dad wouldn't have missed this day for world."

Destiny nodded and closed her eyes. The wind picked up, the warm breeze carrying the faint hint of her father's cologne.

Yes. He was here.

Of course he was. And so was her mum. Even if she couldn't see them, their strength and love enveloped her. The heaviness that'd weighed her down for so long lifted, leaving her with a strange feeling of weightlessness. Almost as if she was floating on clouds.

"Ok, let's do this," Destiny smiled at Arthur, blinking away her tears. She refused to let anything obscure her vision. She wanted to see George's face as she walked toward him. To take in his smile, his joy. Her tears could come later.

The wedding march began, and the realization that she was about to marry the love of her life hit her head-on.

OH MY GOD, THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING! The sudden urge to run down the aisle and into George's arms overwhelmed her. After so much loss and heartbreak, the thought of waiting a second longer to embrace their bright and shining future together seemed far too long. She unconsciously picked up the pace, bringing a silent chuckle to Arthur's lips.

As they drew closer, Destiny looked up at her husband-to-be. George was smiling so wide, she thought his face might crack. Her smile widened to match his. As she moved closer, she saw his eyes glistening with tears and his chin quivering beneath his irrepressible smile.

Oh no, Destiny took a deep breath. If he starts crying, I'm gonna start crying, and I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

Not yet.

Ok, hold it together, she told herself.

Slow, deep breaths.

In. Out. In. Out.

Wait...

Why does my leg feel weird?

Oh shit, my garter is sliding down!

She tried frantically to magic it back up, but the effort was pointless without her wand.

If anything, it was picking up speed.

ABORT! ABORT! GARTER IS BELOW THE KNEE!

Well damn, now it's at my ankle. Probably best to just kick it off.

She shook her leg out to the side and heard someone giggle.

Okayyy... not my best idea. I just looked like a dog shaking its leg after a pee.

Destiny looked up at George, whose shoulders now shook uncontrollably, his eyes bright with mirth. The moment their gazes met, they both burst out laughing, followed by merriment ringing out all around them as everyone else joined in.

She and Arthur took the last few steps, and he placed her hands into those of her soon to be husband. George gazed down at her, laughter still on his lips and his eyes filled with so much love it took her breath away.

This is perfect, Destiny thought. This is as it should be. What better way to begin my future as George Weasley's wife, than with silliness and laughter?

~•~

George and Destiny had danced many times before. They'd danced before they'd even kissed, waltzing down the path from Hogsmede after their first date, reveling in the warm glow of belonging with someone, of belonging to someone. A promise of forever, like an invisible string that held them together through the darkest of times.

And yet today, as they danced together for the first time as husband and wife, lost in one another's eyes, the glow of that promise radiated so bright that even the onlookers were wrapped up in its warmth.

"Mrs. Destiny Weasley," George let the words roll off his tongue. "It has such a nice ring to it. I think I'll say it again. Mrs. Destiny Weasley."

Destiny giggled, and he twirled her out and then back into his arms. "Should I say it again?" He asked.

This time, she laughed out loud. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I think that's the millionth time you've said it since we were pronounced husband and wife, like 30 minutes ago," Destiny teased.

"Nonsense," George retorted. "It's only the eleventy-hundredth."

Before she could respond, he twirled her out and back into a dramatic dip, much to the applause and delight of the enraptured guests.

~•~

"Hey! The husband is supposed to actually dance with his wife on their wedding day, you know." George complained as Fred whisked Destiny away from Arthur after the father-daughter dance.

"You've already danced with her," Fred pointed out. "And besides, you can dance with her every day for the rest of your life. So there."

Destiny laughed. "You have me for the rest of the night, my love!" She yelled as Fred pulled into the melée.

As it turned out, she was mistaken. After Fred, Bill stepped in. Then Ron. And then Charlie. And finally, Percy.

George stood on the side lines, beside Ginny, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "At least you haven't tried to steal her away from me tonight," he joked to his sister.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Oh my god, you're right!" She said and ran off through the crowd.

"Hey, wait! Ginny!" George took off behind her. "That wasn't a challenge!"

~•~

"What the f - " Percy muttered. He was escorting Destiny off the dance floor when they spied George and Ginny racing toward them.

Destiny took an instinctive step back. As much as she loved them both, she had to admit, watching her 6'2" husband and his warrior sister running full tilt toward her was just a little intimidating.

The next thing she knew, Ginny was grabbing her by the waist. "C'mon! I haven't had my dance with the bride yet!" Destiny looked up to see George red-faced and doubled over in laughter, while a bewildered Percy stood next to him, taking in the two women who were both now in hysterics, as they danced to a rousing version of "Celebration."

~•~

One year later

Afternoon faded into evening, it's symphony of color and the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing along the shoreline were the only music they needed as they waltzed along the beach.

"One year as husband and wife," George grinned. "And I'm the only one who gets to dance with you tonight."

Destiny laughed out loud at that. It'd become a long-running joke between them that George barely got to dance with her at their wedding reception. "You know, you did get to dance with me that night," she teased.

"Yeah, after everyone else on the planet took a turn," he joked. "I'm pretty certain there were some random people who snuck in just to have a dance with my beautiful bride."

Destiny's cheeks tinged pink in spite of herself. "After all this time, you can still make me blush. You are quite the marvel of a man."

"And you, my dear," he dipped her low, giving her a brief, gentle kiss. "Are my Destiny. "

~•~

@milivanili99 @fancy-pantaloons @turvi @zvummyummy @xmjthewitchx @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @georgie-weasley @samberriejams @nighttimemoonlover @jsjcue @wzrd-wheezes @mrsgweasley @hufflepuffie @morally-grey-obsessed @fredweasleyyyyy @anvaaryn @lastwandastan @samshifts @asuperconfusedgirl @hmisa11 @superduckmilkshake @mysticsheepsoul @gemofthenight @1lellykins @junerprsh @sierraluvz @wolfkill16 @kaysau2510 @qmylovexoxo @planetkt @costheticbabe @drama-queen-fromthevault @thatonepersonwhocantwrite @smallsweetvanillabean @themaraudersslut @hanne-montana @greenapplegrass @el-de-phi @lizzytrees @scooby-doo1995 @phant0mkitsune

[dootznbootz]

hehehee that writing ask: 3, 5, 6 and 7!

HEHEHE indeed!!! >:D Thank you, Niko!!!

3.) What loves do you tend to write about? (You knew which question I was DYING to answer >:))

Honestly? All of them! I do tend to write romance as the center but I think it's really important to show different "loves" going on even with the same characters. Honestly, for the romance, I like showing multiple as, for example, you should definitely consider your lover a friend xD can be kind of obsessed with them and "still get butterflies" in a way. (not necessarily nervous. as with "long time love" you shouldn't be nervous around your love anymore, but you can be GIDDY >:D ) I have a LOT of thoughts on how love and showing it :P I'm a very affectionate person so it's nice that it usually kind of comes easily to me :D It's funny because even though I was excited for this question once I tried to answer it, it was kind of hard to. As there is just... SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT IT!!! I love people caring about each other!!! I love having "shitty moments" still being met with love as that's what matters! Loving people at their worst!!! TRUSTING that you CAN be not at your best and still knowing they'll be there for you? That you have them no matter what??? And this can be for ANY love too!! I just am a sucker for romance in particular for whatever reason :P Honestly I think what's most important in a way is the smaller moments. She looks between seashells to figure out which one will be "the middle pendant" and have him look at her so she can see which ones match his eyes best. They tell each other about each other's day and he's so excited to tell her that family friend's puppies have finally opened their eyes. SMALL MOMENTS OF "Hey! I care about you and I wish to share something with you/have a lil something of you" I love the little things!!!

5.) Would you rather write a happy or a sad ending?

Honestly, I'm a sucker for both depending on the context. I usually try to end on a "hopeful note" or at least let it be known that "It's bad now but it'll be fine soon." I mean...take the Telegony for example, that's a sad ending and I hate it. there's nothing really happy or hopeful about it. A "sad ending" I plan for a fic would probably be that "after the Palladium stolen" incident where Menelaus and Odysseus have a good cry about things. It's sad, they're not necessarily happy with where they're at right now...but they're both at least HOPEFUL and determined to GET that happy ending. That'll just be a moment of...bad. :D

6.) What POV do you like writing in?

I actually love switching from character to character >:D There's not many instances where I don't do that. (probably if one character is "secretive to the other" that'd be the only reason why but even then I'd probably write a snippet of the other POV as a "bonus" afterward :D I love having characters react to each other and have introspection about what's going on!!! :D

7.) Favorite description in WIP >:)

This is probably so far :D Yeah, she was just sick earlier so it's a happy moment!

He placed a few soft kisses on the once sweaty and pale forehead that he would push her hair away from. He cupped her other cheek, pulling her face closer to his own to continue his affection. The kisses only stopped momentarily as he could not hold back his grin as he squished his nose into her cheekbone, no longer red from fever but from joy. Her sharp teeth glinted as she giggled and squirmed. Her body was sore and moving so much hurt her ribs but she couldn’t bring herself to push him away. She leaned away from him, as his hair was tickling her; it only left her neck vulnerable. He nuzzled himself on the pulse point, the same spot he desperately felt during the past week. Her laughter, although still hoarse, was his goal; she truly meant it when she said she was feeling better.

That one's shorter. :D I have a lot of little bits here and there that I love but they're...LONGER and also probably a bit much :P as you know I like showing "love despite unpleasant moments". And she's stubborn and sick. I LOVE LIL SILLY AFFECTIONSDFK sj

[toesmoke]

sharing music with them

though wireless headphones are more convenient, they don't compare to the romantic gesture of sharing corded headphones with your crush or partner. how do you share your music with them (or vice versa)?

characters: venti, kazuha, thoma

warnings: none

notes: gn reader (you/yours). modern/college au. drabble/short writing format.

venti

Venti would call you over when he sees you across the walkway, propping himself up just enough to be able to wave in your direction. You thank your lucky stars that you don't have a class anytime soon, and you try to be as nonchalant as possible while you make your way over.

By the time you reach him, Venti is already lying back down, sprawled out in the grass. You gingerly sit down beside him and tuck your knees in towards your chest.

"Just the person I was hoping to see," he chirps up at you, eyes practically twinkling with excitement. "You know how I've been stuck on composing this next piece?"

"Yeah, I remember you mentioning that," you respond. "Did you finally make a breakthrough?"

"We-ell, not quite yet~. But I did have an idea!" As if he wasn't half-asleep in the grass mere seconds ago, he sits up and shoves his phone in your face. "I made a playlist for inspiration!"

Huh. That's actually a pretty good idea. "So what kind of music is on there?"

Venti giggles, and you wonder if any of the music he's picked out comes close to being so beautiful. "I could give you the artists, or... you could give it a listen!" It's then that you see the headphones lying in the grass, and he picks up one end of them and dangles it in front of you. "Whaddya say?"

kazuha

You spot Kazuha in the corner of the coffeeshop, absorbed in whatever he is typing on his laptop. So absorbed, in fact, that he startles a bit when you plop down next to him on the couch.

"Sorry," you chuckle, putting a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. He visibly relaxes at that, and he greets you with a gentle smile. "How long have you been here?"

"Let's see..." He blinks in mild surprise as he checks the time on his computer. "...5 hours?"

"Kazuha," you sigh, leaning over him to save the document before closing his laptop. "Midterms aren't for another week."

"That is true, but--"

"No buts. At least give your eyes a break from the screen, okay?"

He nods, but still seems anxious to get back to work. Instinctually, you pull out your phone and open your music app, bringing up one of your quieter indie playlists.

"Here." You hand him one half of your earbuds, and he looks like he's... amused? "I know, I know, I'm old school, just-- I thought you might like to listen with me."

"Why, my muse-- it'd be my honor."

thoma

When you walk into your shared living room, Thoma is sitting on the carpet. He has his phone in front of him, along with a page of handwritten notes. He's still aware enough to notice you walk in, though, and he smiles warmly at you as you sit beside him.

When you ask him what he's working on, he seems almost embarrassed. "You know that animal shelter I volunteer at? They're thinking of starting to play music for the dogs and cats for extra enrichment... so I volunteered to put together a playlist. Except... I'm having trouble deciding between some of these songs."

You have no idea how Thoma can be embarrassed-- and you are once again convinced that he is the perfect man. "Can I help? Not that I know for sure what animals like to listen to, but..."

Thoma perks up a bit at that, looking eternally grateful. "That'd be wonderful! Maybe we can test them out on Mochi afterwards."

"That cat sleeps so much, I doubt he'd hate anything we pick out." You shift closer until you're leaning against him, and he offers you one end of the headphones. "Anyways, let's hear what you have so far."

[meownotgood]

Heyy, how are you doing :)) I’m sorry that you’re shadowbanned I hope you get out of it soon! What do you think of reader that loves to bake stuff for aki 👀 since the poor sweetheart is always cooking for others. How would he feel when he gets baked goods and sweets instead.. He’d probably be really grateful for having someone care so much that they took their time to specially bake/cook for him and feed him <33 Aki seriously deserves sm love and care :(

hey, I'm doing well!! thanks for asking!! I hope so too T_T

omg that'd be so cute!! aki is so used to cooking things for himself or for other people, so he'd be so surprised if you like to make things for him... he'd probably be really embarrassed but flattered, he wouldn't be able to turn down anything you bring him. he'd be blushing every time you hand him something new, or when he sees you left a new basket of homemade sweets on his desk at work. he's always so excited to go home and try everything; I can imagine him making a big affair out of it, like brewing coffee or pouring a glass of milk just to go with the cookies you made him.

he'd insist on eating everything (of course he gives some to denji and power, too) so nothing you've made will ever go to waste. there's something so special about it, something that makes his heart flutter every time he eats something you've made just for him. he always feels like anything you make tastes better than usual. even the most basic things, like chocolate chip cookies, or blue berry muffins — when you're the one who's made them, aki is sure they're the best he's ever tasted.

he makes sure to carefully wash whatever containers you gave him before he gives them back to you, and the next day, he always tells you how he liked it afterwards.

"thank you for the strawberry cake you brought over the other day. it was delicious. did you use fresh strawberries? you'll have to bake some more for me, or show me how to make it sometime. denji and power are already begging for more of it."

[intothewickedwood]

1, 3, 7, 11, 19, 20, 21, 23 for Kathryn!

Yay, Kathryn! Thank you, Maria! <3

My first impression of them

I can't 100 percent remember. I think I was a little confused about who she was and thought she was David's demanding sister, or something. I thought they kinda looked alike. I don't think I warmed up to her until I saw her as Kathryn. But when she showed up in the hospital scene, I was so touched by how much she cared about David and how kind and sweet she seemed. I think I was questioning whether Henry's book was real but was also kinda wary in case she was a Regina minion. But I didn't wanna believe it because she seemed so nice.

Her bringing a basket of muffins was the cutest gosh darn thing I've ever seen in my entire life and I was fully sold by then. But I also loved that she stood up for herself and knew she deserved to seek and find her heart's desires- all while being incredibly generous and forgiving in Storybrooke and the EF.

3. A song that reminds me of them

I know she doesn't have hazel eyes, haha, but I came across this fan vid. and I just love it so much. It's on my favourite fan vid playlist (which I listen to, like, every other weekend). It's 'Behind These Hazel Eyes'.

7. A quote of them that you remember

"No, you're not. A friend wouldn't do this. A friend wouldn't lie. Everyone is lying to me!" - It just tears my heart out. Poor woman got caught in the middle of a mess that had little to do with her, and it almost ruined what she thought was her whole life. She must have felt so alone and like she could trust no one. My heart really went out to her. She deserved so much better. But the way she chose to look at things from a different perspective for her own sake, and tried to pursue real happiness, was so admirable. It's a shame she got drugged and locked in a basement afterwards! That'd must have been really horrible and terrifying. Poor Kathryn couldn't catch a break!

11. What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character?

I get the warm fuzzies. Season 1 nostalgia to the max! My favourite season is not my favourite season without Kathryn. It just wouldn't be the same. She has a very special place in my heart and I just want her to have all the happiness and I cry and I am baking her cranberry muffins as we speak, even though I really freaking hate cranberries. That's how awesome I think she is! I am willing to touch dried fruit with my human hands just for her!

19. The most random ship you've seen people have with them

I tried to look for a blog I thought I saw a rare Kathryn pair on a while back that I couldn't remember, but found Kathryn x Ingrid on another blog instead. I feel like I kinda get it, as to me they have similar vibes a.k.a they're both pretty regal. I gotta read it! It's here if anyone's interested!

20. A weird headcanon

One thing I've always thought deep down is that, despite essentially psychologically torturing her, Gold tried to be nice about it, if that makes sense. I think he maybe got her nice food, maybe sat with her, and tried to calm her – not that she knew what was going on. Don't get me wrong, Gold can be very cruel, but that cruelty is usually directed at people who have wronged him or those who made a deal with him without reading their contract properly, like poor Anna. Kathryn was completely innocent and likely made no deals, so I don't think he would hit her with his cane or anything (at least, I hope not!). He could have killed her like Regina wanted him to, but he didn't. Whether that was to ensure things would work in his favor, an act of mercy, or something in between, I suppose is a bit of a mystery. Nevertheless, what he did was still terrible.

21. When do you think they were at their happiest?

I think with Frederick pre or post curse. She seemed to have very fond memories of her time with him before he turned to gold, so probably then. But I like to think she'd find even more happiness after the curse, whether she ended up with him or not. Now I think about it, I wonder if she tried to cross Lake Nostos to save Frederick. I can't remember if she said she did. Did the siren seduce her too?? Where's that scene at?!

23. Future headcanon

I don't mind a happy ending where Regina doesn't end up with a love interest, although goodness knows I would have loved to see her end up with Facilier. But since canon won't let us have him back (not without more time travel, at least!), I think it would be nice if Kathryn and Regina reestablished a relationship and it maybe developed into something more. Maybe things didn't work out with Freddie (sorry, Freddie!) and things end up coming full circle, where they both end up at some sort of celebration party together. Maybe they're both feeling a little lonely, and Kathryn sits next to Regina, and they just talk and reconnect. Oh snap, this was more of a wish than a headcanon before I wrote it out, but I'm totally adopting it as an official headcanon now!

I like to think she is good friends with the Charmings too!

[alacarhelsng]

A New Lease on Life

His hands felt like a collection of cramping muscles by the time he stepped away from the keyboard. The pain radiating up his arm as he did his best to massage the aching muscles did absolutely nothing to help his rising temper. Why was he even helping this piss-poor collection of mid and high-bloods. It would have been easier to watch the fallout and make deals with the carrion feeders that would inevitably show up afterwards. Of course then he wouldn't have the best life broker in his pocket, which he was willing to do almost anything for. Even risk the chance of the sun rising while he traveled just so he can be there before the "not a rainbow drinker" returned. Today was already off to a wonderful start.

6 hours later and he found himself sitting against a stone wall, hiding from the blistering death of the sun in shade that was hardly habitable. Harvey had come to check on him when he first arrived, having sprinted a good distance to avoid incineration and left a heaving panting mess because of it. He was offered something cool to drink and never addressed again which was more than fine by Alucar, even if all it left him to talk to was a dead girl. The body of said girl being held somewhere nearby presumably but her wrecked carcass was of little concern to him. What peaked his interest was the spirit that was gliding about leaving behind threads of ethereal force that he could and would pull on when the time came. To most people she would register as maybe a draft at most. Some would be able to see her as the wraith she was but he was different. What he saw was her, wraith and the threads of life that held her in this world. Threads of many colors clung to her and drifted away into ephemeral wisps of glitter. Most of the strands that clung to her where pitch and scarlet leaving him to believe that bringing her back would be a terrible mistake. Though on the off chance that he was making an unfair assumption....

"You know, your quads are going through a lot for you. They are even willing to make a deal with the devil all for your sake, isn't that heartwarming?" The way she focused on him was somewhat surprising, it was almost as if she had knew he could see her this whole time.

"I only have one quad and he's not here. What are you talking about, deal with the devil? What are you doing?"

"OH? Vladir is a drunken mess, Harvey is barely keeping up with niceties and Bea is killing someone just for you. I must have made an assumption."

"Oh Vladdy...Poor man's lost without me. Killing for me isn't new, though it's new that it'd be Harv's moirail. Why?"

"That has to do with the first question you asked, you see they made a deal with the Devil. And I am that devil."

"Devil this, devil that. You've got a big ego don't you, little man?"

"When you come from nothing and Ego is a lot to have, though I suppose you know a lot about egos. Seeing as yours put you here in the first place."

"My ego isn't what put me here, that'd be a bullet. At least pretend to know the story, dick."

"Oh dear, I seem to have upset the dead assassin, tell me. How did you fuck up that badly?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, little red?"

"Not at all little miss botched, I was simply being polite to the dead."

"If that's your polite, I fear for any of your quads."

"I suppose you would know how to treat your quads with the only one being a drunken mess because of you? A token role model you must be."

"Must be nice to think you can control your quads even after death."

"Must be nice to hide behind your failure by being dead."

"Everyone dies eventually. That's how life works."

"Then you have a poor grasp of life."

"Oh good you're insane. You could have saved us both this conversation if you started with that."

"I may be insane but you'll soon understand what I meant and I hope you don't condemn your friends for their actions."

"Yeah I'm not talking to you anymore." Which was fine by him, she was beginning to get under his skin. His first instinct about bringing back the bratty assassin was probably correct and he was gonna regret it, but he was gonna to make her suffer on the way back just as much.

Fittingly he began here the heavy footfalls of the beast that kept Bea's company. And just like that his body had been delivered to him.

"Here's your body, you better follow through."

"I will I will." He dismissed her with a wave of the hand and made his way over to the body that was still warm from being outside, or having been recently alive. It didn't matter as much as the rapidly degrading strands of life that were melting away from this woman's body. If it had none the transfer would be risky at best and final at worst. This was acceptable, even if it wouldn't hurt as much as he would have like still....

His hand snapped out and grasped ahold of seemingly nothing. To his eyes though, now a full burning red that engulfed them from tip to tip, he was grasping onto the phantom threads connected to the aggravating specter. She cried out first in shock and then rage and violence as he began to drag her towards the corpse. The shriek, as he began cutting into her very soul with her own thread of life, intensified until even Bea and Harvey could hear the unholy sound reverbing throughout the cave. The threads ate into Alucar's hands causing gashes and cuts to appear as if on their own and the pain that shot through him wasn't much better. Though the smile on his face was, as the ghost had so nicely described, insane while he dragged the struggling spirit closing and closing bit by bit until finally the cave was silent.

"Congratulations!" Alucar spoke in a much too cheery tone, typing a phantom bow onto her chest. "Welcome to your new lease on life."

@knavestrolls

[angstyaches]

ahh, i didn’t even realize! i saw it while i was finishing up my break at work and didn’t think to check if it was still there. i’m glad you’re not opposed though!

for felix and elliott: what would you do (or not do) if you had an entire weekend to yourselves?

for shayne and charlie separately: if you were planning a surprise date for your partner (they know it’s a date, just not the exact plan), what would it look like?

For some reason, I feel like I've given them all the most mundane answers ever, so I'm sorry if that's the case!!

Felix and Elliott

Felix claps his hands together. "So, we're starting it off right with a nice Saturday morning lie-in..."

"Saturday morning run at sunrise," Elliott interjects.

"Elli, I presume you don't need to hunt at all during this weekend."

Elliott nods. "I would still appreciate the running aspect."

Felix rolls his eyes but doesn't argue. "Well, I would get up around... ten."

"I'd wake you up at ten with a kiss."

Felix smiles. "Take a shower..."

"Together?"

Felix's smile deepens and bites his lip. "Mmhmm."

"Alright, and then after...?"

"After, we'd... we'd go downstairs in our dressing gowns and slowly make brunch. French toast and bacon and mimosas - we can make mimosas with blood for you, right?"

Elliott shrugs. "We can certainly try."

"And then watch TV and just be together for the afternoon... perhaps we'll go out to see a show in the evening."

Elliott puts an arm around Felix and runs his fingers against his shoulder. "Sounds nice. Maybe we get some drinks at a fancy bar afterwards."

"Yes."

"And pick up some sushi for my boo on the way home?"

Felix's eyes light up as he looks up at Elliott. "Aw. Thank you. Maybe I'll join you for a stroll in the park on the Sunday morning."

Elliott shakes his head. "There won't be a park visit on the Sunday morning, because I'm driving us to the beach to watch the -"

"Sunrise?" Felix sighs.

"Sunrise," Elliott says. "We'll bring coffee in flasks and take a walk across the sand as the sky and the sea change colour and the world is starting to wake up."

"Gosh, that actually sounds nice."

"And we wait for the funfair to open on the strand..."

"Oh, gosh, I do love a funfair," Felix whispers.

"I know you do. So we'll spend a few hours there, then drive home, and we can order in whatever you want for dinner, and then we can just cuddle and watch movies in bed until we don't feel like watching movies anymore."

Felix is smiling uncontrollably.

"Sorry," Elliott murmurs. "I hijiacked Sunday a little."

"No, no, it was perfect. I just... I thought your ideal weekend would involve more travelling."

"That's true, but the question was about our ideal weekend. I would want to spend it with you, taking it easy. Not watching you pull your hair out while trying to figure out some European city's underground train system."

Felix jabs Elliott in the side and then hugs him.

___

Charlie

"Oh. Well, it'd be hard to plan something without giving in to the urge to check in with him, to see what he thinks, to see how he's feeling, but... Shayne has never really travelled before, so I think I'd like to take him on a day trip, somewhere he's never been before. Maybe a lake or a mountain where we could have a picnic. Nowhere too crowded. And we'd come back before it gets too dark, because being outside at night can be kind of stressful for him... Yeah."

Shayne

"It'd be less romantic because I'd have to make him drive us there," he mumbles, "but I know he'd love a trip to the natural history museum in the city. I'd just let him talk at me about whatever stuff he's the most interested in. Oh, and he's always going on about these seasonal hot drinks he can't get outside of the city, so I'd take him to one of those places where he can get a ginger spiced... whatever. Oh - and if I could take him somewhere up high, with a night-time view of the city, that'd be perfect. Is that - is that enough, do you think?"

[welcometogrouchland]

The tma TV adaptation essay(?) I promised:

GOD Trying to organize my thoughts on a tma adaptation has been crazy because like.

It could genuinely be so good to look at!!! You could do so much with the costuming of characters, the SFX (sit here with me and imagine practical effects Jarod hopworth and Jane Prentiss. Doesn't that make you go crazy insane??? Doesn't it???), the idea of using pixilation or stop motion and compositing to make Nikola, putting intentional continuity errors in scenes with the distortion, never using closeups in scenes about the lonely so you feel distant, never getting wider than a midshot in scenes about the buried so you feel claustrophobic, using rotoscoping and weird filming techniques and on and on- this is stuff that could not only look cool but could actively elevate the written text through visuals... y'know. LIKE A GOOD VISUAL ADAPTATION IS MEANT TO DO!!!

But as good as it could look, like with a lot of people, it begins to all fall apart at story and structure for me. Because how would they deal with the shows nature as an anthology?? Would it lean into it, or remove it?

Give it hour long episodes (as opposed to 20 ish minutes) that can fit multiple, more plot relevant statements in, with scenes of the characters interacting used to break up the statements and weave the meta narrative in more from the start? Well that's certainly an option and the main one I've been pondering. Giving two statements per episode cuts the 20 episode runtime down almost by half which would fit neater into an average series of television these days. (you could probably finagle the multipart finales into single episodes but idk if that'd be the wisest idea structure and pacing wise) but that format could still be A) unfamiliar to long time podcast listeners who want the show to be formatted like the podcast and B) hard to market to casual audiences?? it takes the podcasts method of gradually blurring the lines between statement and meta plot over the course of the show and instead starts off with them already muddy. That doesn't even solve the problem of how you'd go about filming statements, let alone what the hell you'd do when it came time for season 5.

But you can't remove the statements, they're important to the plot. If you do, you change the show so drastically that you're going to chase away original fans of the podcast, who'd likely male up the first core wave of fans who support your show before it takes off (at least. That's what I'm guessing???) So, back to square one, re: tma is formatted in a way that is built around it's own strengths and limitations as an independent podcast, which would clash badly with current models of TV production.

And in all honesty? TV doesn't usually get the luxury (or budget) for experimentation to the same capacity film (or hell, an independently produced passion project audio drama) does. Any of the more experimental ideas I mentioned would probably be left on the cutting room. It sucks but it's my best guess as to what'd happen (grain of salt: I don't work in film and TV and my knowledge is second hand! All I know is that coming to studios with an idea that's a) hard to film and b) doesn't have big names that guarantee a return on the money put into the series is. Generally considered unwise)

Sigh. It's like. I've tried to make this post at least 3 times now, and every time I struggle to accurately convey how much I think tma could flourish in a visual adaptation!!! and so how much I think the best things about it would hinder it in a TV setting. I get why people want it! tma is (as admitted by Jonny), a first draft, and a really good first draft afterwards. We want to bring our favourite podcast to it's full potential, and I think it has so much potential visually...but I've already made all my points for why I'm not sure I'd want it to be adapted to a visual medium, on a purely technical level. It sucks to be pessimistic about it, because I do love TV as a medium, but fundamentally I think they'd have a very hard time pleasing both new and old fans trying to tell the same story as what we got in the podcast.

So what should they do instead?? I'm not sure, but if you told me to make a tma TV adaptation, gun to my head, this is what I'd do:

Have the show take place Somewhere Else

Not as in, have the show be about Jon and Martin post series. I mean, "somewhere else is an alternate universe where things are Slightly Different, as a meta explanation for the changes made to the story to suit TV". and at the end of the series have the big twist be that not only are they passing the fears on, this isn't even the first time they've done it (BIG cosmic horror potential here). Maybe have Annabelle explain this in universe, have Jon find this out, have Jonny Sims appear at the end like fucking rod sterling, whatever!! Just pay tribute to the original podcast by directing people to the first iteration of this story, to compare and contrast and revel in the tragedy that across universes, our heroes were always doomed, if in slightly different ways.

"We're just going to pass it on" takes on a whole new meaning now, doesn't it?

[bangtanpromptsfics]

pyxis.

dialogue prompt #9: “Cheer up it's Christmas Eve, sweetheart”

pairing: jimin x reader

genre: christmas au, brother's best friend au, fluff, childhood friends to lovers

word count: 3,412 (oh no)

warnings: reader is a lil sad but nothing angsty tho

summary: christmas was always an eager wait. less for the tree decorations, family dinner and the fuss of toddlers. more for your childhood best friend who you kissed under a mistletoe years back.

a/n: ahhh!!! I'm not completely satisfied with how this turned out to be. the inspiration was from a few christmas themed fics I read here and the movie ‘It's Christmas, Eve’. anyway this was my attempt though it's nowhere near christmas time. one of my personal goals is to celebrate a christmas like the west, the snow, the fuss and the commotion ;-;. Also I lost sense of time and space and this turned out to be 3k ;-;

masterlist

“Cheer up it's christmas eve, sweetheart”, your mother chimes as she pours brown batter into little cupcake moulds.

You simply smile at her, the festive mood not really getting to you because of exhaustion. Uni was tough, and enjoying this Christmas when you know you have tons of essays due in a few days was hammering inside your brain every now and then.

“Is that chocolate?”, you ask, leaning your tired body on the counter where she is at work.

“And orange”, she smiles, turning around to preheat the oven.

“Where's Jin”. Though you hated the routinely flicks against your forehead, the absence of your big brother felt weird.

“He went with Jimin to get the Christmas tree”.

The mention of Jimin brings a smile to your face. His soft features and captivating grin filling your head. If there was one of the few things you enjoyed coming back to your hometown for holidays, it's chocolate cupcakes your mom bakes and Jimin.

His family are friends with yours after all. You, Jin and Jimin attended the same school until college and other priorities in life drift you apart. Though the bond must have rusted a bit, you can't deny the fact that you still have that crush which started somewhere in middle school, on a chritmas eve like this when he kissed your cheeks shyly under the mistletoe. Your friends and family, and even Jimin himself must have seen it nothing more than platonic, but you still find yourself relieving the moment in your head however crazy it may sound.

Standing up straight, you decide to fix your bed hair and complete the skincare routine before the said duo drops.

“Mrs. Y/L/n...”, Jimin softly kicks the back door. He is carrying one end of a huge fir, and your brother on the other end, grunting from the freezing snow outside.

“Oh dear place it right there”, you mother is quick to her feet helping the boys and doing her usual commentary on how well the tree looked.

Jimin looks more handsome than ever, especially with his nose and cheeks dusted in scarlet from the cold. He looks really huggable in his fluffy sweaters and red beanie. Jin is busy commanding around so you choose to sit back, a very typical sibling energy and the size of decoration boxes and the tree itself not really appetizing to your will to find any strength.

“Hey Y/n!”, Jimin stares back at your eyes in a split moment which has your lashes fluttering suddenly. You probably look like you are carrying a disease and right now you become very hyper aware of that.

“You alright? You look tired”, he comments. You feel his eyes carefully studying the black under your eyes and worrying his mind because that's what he is like. He cares about everyone and everything, has a heart so soft it hurts to even think about it.

“Jet lag...”, you say, “I'll be fine”. You shoot a little thumbs up on his way to reassure.

“Why didn't Jin get the tree earlier? It's Christmas in a few hours”, you dodge the focus around you and walk near in an attempt to closely examine the tree for no reason other than feeling Jimin’s eyes a little too long on you.

Your brother gets visibly annoyed seeing you start a very unnecessary talk. So he is completely obliged to shoot back with, “Because you were in charge of Christmas decorations this year but your lazy ass flew down here only yesterday”.

“You know I was busy with Uni!”

“Whatever”, he shrugs, getting back to the box of tree decorations. You feel a little bad seeing yourself not being helpful during a festive season. It felt like you were procrastinating on your responsibilities as always.

“Um...is there any way I can help?”, you ask softly, earning a mischievous grin from Jin and your mom fills in the answer.

“We need more baubles. Also I missed out gifts for Aerum and June, so maybe you can get them”. Now this was already tiring and you were not lying earlier either, the jet lag was still choking you alive. You wonder if the huge pile of stars and glitters beside your foot aren't enough but then maybe it's true because this is the largest fir you ever saw for Christmas in your house. And speaking of the five year old notorious duo, your cousins-- Aerum and June, you have no other option than to step out into the butt numbing cold and get something for the sake of not getting your brains eaten.

While you stand there doing these calculations, Jimin puts a two and two and immediately suggests to tag along with you.

“That'd be great! Thanks sweetie”, your mom chimes, her fine lines of face gathering around her eyes while she does so and you catch her throwing a wink to your side and you pretend you never saw that.

“Thank you Jimin”, you smile in all honesty while he reciprocates the same.

“No problem. I'll get my car. Will you be ready in an hour? I think you just woke up”

“Uh...yeah”, you fake a laugh, “Yes I'll be ready in an hour”

Jimin still lives here in your hometown, attends a community college nearby and his house is just a few steps away from your own. You remember how you had the same analogy in your mind as well. You like living here. You like Jimin’s company. The lake Park and the annual ice skating competition in December and the bookstores and coffee shops at the outskirts of the town. And you can't seem to clearly remember when and where that feeling started to become foreign. Maybe it was a teenage quirk to explore the world that you are now a three hour flight away from all of this. It wasn't a deep regret, but seeing Jimin, it almost felt like it. It felt like you betrayed him. Because he seemed to be keeping his word to this day.

This year, it's a few degrees lower than what it usually is and you find yourself chattering your teeth together as you walk to Jimin’s house.

His footsteps rush to get the door as soon as you ring the doorbell and he greets with the same wide grin as if he hasn't just saw you an hour ago.

“Let's go?”, he asks immediately, getting house keys from his coat pocket and locking the front door before stepping out making you confused.

“There's no one home? Where are your parents?”

“Oh well didn't Mrs. Y/L/n tell you?”, he studies your features and gets his response so he continues “They went to New York this year for Christmas. It's some elder people thing I think...so I'll be spending Christmas this year with your family”

“Really!?”, you chime, and then immediately notice a very childish jump you did with tiny fists and all, feeling a little embarrassed at yourself, “Ah... uh I mean that's great”.

“Yeah”, he giggles, sounding like a twelve year old who is still waiting for his growth spurt, “Get in the car it's freezing in here”.

Since it's been six odd months you've spoken to Jimin, you figured it would would be strange and awkward to be with him, but his demeanor states otherwise. He could effortlessly begin conversations and build momentum with you and by the time you are at a thrift store, he is aware of the little gist of student life and the dramatically exaggerated history research paper still due.

“What are you getting for the twins?”, he asks, seeing you checking out the kids toys section with absolutely no idea and that's exactly what you reply to him.

“How about this puzzle?”, he brings a big jigsaw to your glance and you figure it's a great thing to have their little brains engaged and give yourself time to breathe.

“It's perfect!”, you add, immediately placing it your cart with a few decors you picked up from earlier aisles.

Jimin places an extra pack of Christmas candies in the cart, and you send him a questionable look knowing it's his way of bribing the kids coming this evening. He puts too much effort into people's happiness, something you wish you were capable of as well.

The shopping went smooth. It was therapeutic to get hot chocolate with extra marshmallows afterwards like he insisted followed by that very cliche movie scene where one of them develops a creme moustache and the other notices and dabs it off.

You want this moment to linger a little longer, but your whole family arrives in less than two hours and the decorations were due. If Jin doesn't have you in the next thirty minutes he might as well eat all the cupcakes your mom is baking as revenge.

“I had a great time”, Jimin states as he stops the car in front of your house, stealing the words from your mouth and warmth hugs your cheeks immediately.

“Me too. It's been long since we spent time with each other”

You hear a lone sigh with white fogs coming out of his plump lips while he does so, as if he were suddenly sad when you mentioned that.

“Are you okay?”

His grips tightens around the steering, “I've missed you”, he says, eyes meeting slowly. And as if he was suddenly pulled back to earth he conjures another sentence to not sound so vulnerable.

“I uh... It's just--”

“I've missed you too”

Even with the gear box painstakingly blocking the way, you throw your upper half towards his body anyways and you find him hugging you back. His hugs still feel the same from years back; safe and warm and filled with love.

If it wasn't for the constant reminder that your brother is probably plotting a murder against you, you would've stayed much longer in his embrace. Maybe the hug was a big straightforward for a bond still gradually blooming, but it didn't feel weird at all and when you pull back he is smiling down at you.

“I thought you two lovebirds flew off”, a very annoyed Jin states from above you. He is balancing himself on a chair to attach the mistletoe to the ceiling.

“Sorry hyung”, Jimin says. And somehow now you are getting super aware of the way your family is low key shipping you both. Not that it's an irritating thing of course though you seem to act like it. But you have no idea what's going on with Jimin, what if he said he missed you as your childhood friend? It's a lot difficult to segregate his priority of giving affection. He seems to be giving justice in terms of care for every living being he knows.

“The circus is on its way so I hope you both hurry with putting up everything together”, the voice above states, now lowering himself to ground after putting up the twig.

Three of you giggle at the mention of your family as a circus. Well in a way it definitely was. You have a bunch if uncles who crack awful jokes, a trait Jin himself as picked up from a tender age of ten. Then their wives and kids who share certainly the same braincells in comprehending things. You bet they'll ask you again about your major and your dating history once they walk in through that door amidst clearly stating everytime that you are a history major and yes still very single.

In the hallway there is a half decorated tree. A thread of fairly lights wrapped around the green and very few baubles hanging here and there.

“I'll put up the star and join you”, Jimin says, digging out a golden star from the carton. Though now he doesn't know why it was a good idea for him to announce that when both of you were almost the same height. He is just a few centimeters taller than you and the top of the fir is still very much way above your heads.

So with a chuckle you both figure Jin has to do it.

“This is your final year right?”, Jimin asks stepping closer to you. He seemed nervous about something. Or was it anxious?

“Yeah...you?”

“Yeah...”, his sweet tone was drawn almost like a whisper and you sense you should ask him further about what's wrong. But before you had to deal with a starter he continues,

“Are you planning to work in Chicago as well?”

“Sweetheart help me clean up the kitchen please”, your hear your mom's voice overpowering through the house. Which is good. Because you don't know what you are supposed to answer. It was as if he was almost hopeful that you'll choose your hometown all over again. But you aren't sure. So you take the opportunity to step away from the situation excusing yourself.

And while you are clearing the blobs of batter stuck on the counter, your mind is a haywire. What are you going to do? Though you know your whole family wants you to stay, it's still a foggy place to be in. Four years apart in another city as a college student has not provided much, except caffeine addiction and sleepless nights. Things were not even as fun as everyone told you.

A few steps away Jimin silently prays that you stay, because he had truly missed you. Even though you have outgrown from the eighteen year old shell as he had known, he finds himself actively choosing to be with you. Even when other things in life occupies his mind, there's an element of it which goes back to you.

“They are here!”. You groan silently, while your parents are throwing their hands in air, giggles and chatter fills in as your uncles and aunts and the taunting toddlers welcome themselves in.

“Y/n! You have grown so much!”, the older aunt comments, and you supply a manufactured smile to tag along. Other comments follow by soon, about how tired you are, gasps about not having a partner and future plans, all of which are not completely answerable at the moment but you manage to get through them all and finally excusing yourself back to the garage convincing there are more decor supplies in there.

Families are nice. They make festivals brighter and lives less lonely. But yours was just hard sometimes. Not that you completely loathed the people now fueling themselves off the cup cakes your mom bakes, you were just merely lost, still yet to come up with an answer to what your stance is after graduation.

“Hey...”. Jimin has joined you now which you notice feeling a warmth against your shoulder when he sits, with an extra scraf knowing the garage is still comparatively chilly than the house, “you okay?”.

“Yeah...I was just...thinking”

“Is this about earlier? I'm sorry if I made you anxious”, he quickly adds.

“No!...I mean yeah but, it's high time I find a ground with this. What are your plans?”

“I was thinking about teaching at Jefferson High”, he shifts rather uncomfortably. He is talking of the school in your town, your school, where you have lots of memories with Jimin, “You know...like we said during Junior year in high school?”

“I'm sorry Jimin”, you feel the guilt inside you growing, “I never kept my promises”.

“Hey...that's okay! Everyone changes. I just want you to be happy. I...I hope you are happy Y/n”, he reassures, taking your hand from your side and squeezing it between his soft palms.

“I don't know about that either...”

As much as you hated showcasing vulnerability to another person, you know Jimin is an exception. You had cried to him about everything during school days and he had never invalidated a single thing, even when you were visibly dramatic over a downpour during a family picnic when you were five.

Jimin is frozen on his seat as if he can't find the words. He was never good with words so instead he hugs you, a little longer than the last time till he is sure you have calmed down. Grateful for not ending up crying, you smile up at him and remind yourselves to get back inside to avoid suspicion, especially from the kids who take humiliating people as an important milestone to achieve.

When you enter back inside and get immediately surrounded by a million questions and chores thrown at you, you find your answer. Maybe your heart belongs back to everything your younger self had blabbered about. Not to mention, this fairly good reunion with your crush feels nice, though, he might still see it as platonic. Maybe he makes things less daunting.

By the way Jimin was owning everyone's heart in the house, it felt like he was family. Well in a way he is. But to put more clarity, he bought things together and his actions bought so much peace and love within everyone. Even the notorious twins listen carefully to him and help the uncles and aunts in the kitchen.

He is again by your side, two cupcakes rests on his palms and you take it with a silent ‘thanks’.

Seeing no signs of him beginning a talk now, you think of coming up with something. Maybe a memoir from today? Or about how absolutely handsome he looks right now? Wait.

“They are under the kissing twig!”, Aerum screams like the house caught in fire, her sibling joining by the side to provoke the habit even more.

“It's called a mistletoe Aerum”, your aunt corrects before pasting a smug across her lips.

Nothing changed. They are the same people. Hyping you and Jimin to kiss just like when you were thirteen. If the factor of time is removed, this is the exact night. Both of you cemented to the flooring as if you forgot to exist.

Both of your necks snap together to the mistletoe Jin had attached to the ceiling earlier. And when you lower your gaze back, face gawks at each other eye to eye. It's the same. He has that blush, the shyness from years ago. It's going to be platonic. Yet again. And this moment will only ever be romantic and flowery in your head.

June was the first to squeak, and Aerum shuts her eyes the moment Jimin is leaning his mouth towards your lips. It was difficult to relax under the stares of many, but when he ghosts his mouth over your again and leans in for a second kiss, you are fixated on him. Hands holding each other, the plump of his lips so soft it felt like you were biting into a fluff of cloud.

Maybe he'll have an explanation to your family for this. Not like anyone in the audience was disappointed. Your mother was almost in tears? And Jin looked hardly surprised with any of this. As if it was all swell according to his plans.

“You both are so cute”, one of the aunts awes and your mother is quick by her side, completely agreeing to it.

“Jimin...”, you return your gaze to the equally flustered man who just kissed you and he sounded almost breathless,

“I'm sorry if this was wrong it ju--”

“I like you”, you immediately snap in and his face is a void for an instant. Fully processing the words, his eyes disappear when he grins, “I like you too...a lot”.

“Are you two dating?”, the twins haven't dropped the case yet, running to your feet to help their curious brains.

“Yes...”, Jimin responds, looking up at you for a reassurance, which you quickly supply with a nod, “Yes we are dating”.

When the kids are satisfied they go away snickering to themselves.

“I decided to stay”, you say.

“Really!?”, his disbelief was comical, yet wholesome considering how much he wished for this, “I'm...I'm so happy!”.

Giggling at him, this time you lean forward and peck the corner of his lips.

“You lovebirds better get a room”, Jin announces and thankfully not loud enough to catch everyone else's attention.

Usually Jin expects a punch to his arms from his sister, but he sees how grateful you are for his mistletoe decor. He leaves the couple, satisfied that there won't be any more ranting about how much Jimin likes you.

Thank you so much for reading!! ♡♡

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