#and it'll mean a lot to me if you keep supporting me and my content in the coming months because it helps a lot!

[doumadono]

Once again, congratulations, my dear ♥ I'd like to order a mint-vanilla cone topped with M&Ms and maple syrup, please. Could I get a fantasy AU with Dragon!Kirishima and Dragon!Bakugo? Something really sweet would be perfect!

A/N: Thank you very much for all your support over the years, my dear! I hope you'll enjoy these headcanons I prepared for you ♥

MY HERO ACADEMIA

Kirishima

Kirishima lifts his head, his crimson scales shimmering in the fading light. His crimson eyes light up with affection as he sees you entering his den, and a rumble of contentment escapes his throat. "Hey, Y/N," he greets you warmly, unfurling his wings to welcome you. "I've been waiting for you."

You chuckle softly, running your fingers along his snout affectionately. "Sorry for keeping you waiting."

Kirishima's tail swishes excitedly as he leans in closer, nudging you gently with his massive head. "I was hoping you could help me with something," he says, his voice filled with anticipation. "My mane is getting a bit unruly, and my claws could use a polish. Would you mind lending me a hand?"

You grin at his request, feeling a surge of affection for the gentle giant before you. "Of course, Kirishima. I'd be happy to help you out."

He eagerly lowers his massive head, allowing you to run the bristles through his vibrant red mane. With each stroke, he emits a pleased rumble, basking in the sensation of your gentle touch. "Feels good," he purrs, his voice a deep, resonant melody that fills the cavern. As you delicately brush through the thick strands, he leans more into your touch, closing his eyes in bliss. "Your hands are like magic," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble of contentment. "Your touch always soothes me," he murmurs softly as you run your fingers through his mane, untangling any knots with gentle precision. "I'm grateful to have you by my side."

As you tenderly attend to him, Kirishima emits deep, rumbling purrs akin to a contented feline. It's his way of expressing gratitude and affection, a sign that your presence brings him immense joy. When you're finished with his mane, you move to work on his claws.

Being a dragon means relying a lot on the sharp claws. With all the activities dragons engage in, these claws are prone to damage. The best way to prevent further cracking and maintain them is by attending to them regularly. That's why dragon!Kirishima allows you to help him polish them.

Despite his formidable claws capable of tearing through stone, Kirishima allows you to polish them with the utmost gentleness, being careful to not hurt you during the process. He extends his massive paw with claws, allowing you to polish them to a dazzling shine. He watches you work with fascination, marveling at your skill and dedication. He watches with fascination as you buff away any imperfections. "You have such a delicate touch," he observes, admiration evident in his tone.

"I brought you some special polish today," you say with a smile, holding up a bottle of shimmering liquid. "It's a special oil, made of herbs that helps to strengthen nails, so I hope it'll work just fine with you. Let's make those claws shine like diamonds, shall we?"

He enjoys it when you rub herbal oils into his claws, massaging them slowly. He believes strongly it's the most comforting sensation he experiences as a dragon (aside from making love with you!)

Despite his imposing stature, Kirishima isn't above indulging in playful behavior with his human mate. He'll nuzzle you gently, nudging you with his snout to coax a laugh from your lips. "You're so adorable when you laugh," he rumbles, his eyes gleaming with warmth.

You're always amazed by the strength and power Kirishima possesses as a dragon, but you're even more enamored by his gentle and caring nature.

The act of grooming becomes a sacred ritual between dragon!Kirishima and you, a time for you to connect on a deeper level. As you tend to his mane and claws, he basks in your presence, cherishing the intimacy of your shared moments. "I feel so lucky to have you," he confesses, his eyes shining with affection.

Bakugo

Upon reaching the den, you found Bakugo resting on a bed of soft moss, his scaled form coiled comfortably. He raised his head, crimson eyes gleaming in the fading light as he greeted you with a rumbling purr. "What took you so long, idiot?" Bakugo grumbled, though the affection in his voice was evident.

"Hey there, you big brute," you chuckled, not paying attention to his wry remark, brushing a hand against his sleek scales. "Sorry, got caught up with something. How was the hunt?"

Bakugo's expression shifted, a hint of pride flickering in his eyes. "Successful, as always, woman! What were you thinking?! Brought back enough for a feast."

Your stomach twisted at the thought of the raw, blooded meat he had to bring to his den, but before you could discuss it, you noticed something that made you pause. "Bakugo, your scales," you said, furrowing your brow. "They're covered in dirt and grime. You need to clean them."

Bakugo's gaze narrowed, a growl rumbling in his throat. "I don't need to do anything. I'm fine. I bathed in the lake."

You shook your head, undeterred. "Come on, Katsuki. You know how important it is to keep your scales clean."

He scoffed, clearly not amused by your suggestion. "I can take care of myself just fine. I don't need you nagging me about it, idiot. I don't need to be pampered like some weakling," he grumbled.

You knew how to approach his offended, grumpy ass. A mischievous glint sparked in your eyes as you crossed your arms, a smirk tugging at your lips. "Oh, really? Because I seem to recall you bragging about how you're the mightiest dragon around. Surely, the mightiest dragon can handle a little cleaning."

Bakugo's jaw clenched, irritation flashing across his features. "Fine, woman. If it'll shut you up, I'll let you clean my scales. Goddammit! I can't have a quiet moment, even in my own fucking den!"

You grinned triumphantly, knowing you had won this round. "Great! Let's get started then." As you set to work with a cloth you carried in your woolen bag, gently scrubbing away the dirt and grime from Bakugo's scales, you couldn't help but notice the way his tense muscles gradually relaxed beneath your touch. You marvel at his scales texture, smooth yet with a slight roughness. You feel the dirt and grime loosen under your touch. His scales are warm to the touch, radiating heat like the sun itself. With each stroke, you're careful not to apply too much pressure, mindful of his sensitive skin beneath.

Bakugo grumbles impatiently at first, shifting restlessly as you work.

You take your time, working methodically from one section to the next, ensuring that every inch of Bakugo's scales is cleaned to perfection. As you climb him to reach his back, you encounter a particularly stubborn patch of dirt, embedded deep between the ridges of his scales. With a determined frown, you scrub harder, eliciting a growl of discomfort from Bakugo.

"Watch it, human," he warns, his voice tinged with irritation. Yet, his initial reluctance faded, replaced by a quiet contentment as he leaned into your ministrations. "You know," Bakugo grumbled, his voice softer now, his crimson eyes closed, "this isn't as awful as I thought it would be."

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, you step back to admire your handiwork. Bakugo's orange-red scales gleam like polished emeralds in the sunlight, their vibrant hues shimmering with newfound brilliance.

Bakugo snorts in approval, a rare smile gracing his snout. "Not bad, for a human, I guess," he concedes, his tone grudgingly admiring. "Well, I guess you're not completely useless." The dragon nuzzles his snout against you affectionately.

As you curl up together in the warmth of the den, surrounded by the comforting scent of the forest and the gentle rustle of leaves outside, you can't help but feel grateful for moments like these. "I love you, my Great Explosion Murder Dragon Bakugo."

A deep rumble echoes in his chest. "I love you too, my little human."

[honeytonedhottie]

honey's it girl magazine december edition⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🎀

welcome back to honeys it girl magazine, this is the december catalog. get ready for the inside scoop on data that i've collected, things i've learned/started doing, and just general info like that organized in kind of a teen-magazine inspired fashion. this months catalog has an article written by the LOVELY @osculum-frombee. i just wanna start off by saying THANK YOU all for supporting the magazine and my blog this year, this is theee it girls magazine and without further ado lets just get into it.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ;

hey everyone! recently its come to my attention that a lot of you guys are advising me to create a sub stack account and so i did. on substack there will be a paid subscription to read the it girls magazine, BUT there are some things i want to tell u guys about regarding this magazine...💬🎀

WHAT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE ON TUMBLR? ;

you will still get an amazing it-girls magazine every month on tumblr absolutely free! the only difference between the it girls magazine on tumblr and the it girls magazine on substack is that on substack the magazine will be exclusive and include the following...💬🎀

♡ early access

♡ downloadable issues

♡ subscriber shout-outs

♡ guest article opportunities if u want to write something for the magazine

♡ collaborations potentially 🙈

♡ longer articles in general so if u like the longer articles and if u wanna read more than the exclusive version is def for you

the it girls magazine on this platform will include the same content as the magazine on substack! except on substack it'll be more in depth and include perks mentioned above. its basically the magazine y'all get here, but upgraded ✨

WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT MY SUBSTACK ;

for just $5 a month, you’ll get all the extra goodies that make honeys it girls magazine even more special! think early access to issues, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and fun extras like shopping guides and downloads. plus, your support means the world to me—it helps me keep creating the content you love and dream up even more cool stuff for you. it’s like joining our little vip club where you get all the insider perks and help the magazine grow! 💕

as of right now im still working out the kinks of my magazine on substack so for todays catalog you guys will be getting the exclusive version that way u guys can know what its like! if u have any questions at all ur welcome to ask in the comments/submit an ask. i hope to see you all there but until then enjoy the experience 💻🎀

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO BE GLAMOROUS ;

for this holiday season lets set the scene with "mariah carey’s “all i want for christmas is you”, your wearing a sparkly dress and looking as beautiful as you always do ✨ looking like the ultimate holiday dream! thats the energy that we wanna emulate during this holiday season and we’ll get more into that later on in this catalog. 

no but seriously, all i want for christmas is to be more fabulous and glamorous. as i was writing my christmas wishlist with my fluffy pink pen, i even made pink hot chocolate to set the mood (recipe will be shared later on) and i came to the realization that aside from the material aspects of a hyper feminine glamorous christmas, the vibe also needed to match. 

glamour is about the way that you carry yourself. so, while we’ll definitely be purchasing our holiday wishlists, make sure that we’re keeping up with our self care rituals and in fact, pampering ourselves more because we are FABULOUS and we should treat ourselves as such. now, lets unwrap all the ways you can dominate this season like the it girl you are. 

WHAT MADE YOU AN IT GIRL THIS YEAR ;

now that we’re in december i wanna track it back and do some reflection on our year just like we talked about in the november catalog. every it girl has her moments and im sure that this year has been full of them for you so just take a second to acknowledge your moments form the year. 

for me, my biggest moments this year include making the decision to take myself more seriously because, i feel like i take myself quite seriously already but i haven’t been applying myself giving myself my all like i KNOW i can so making that choice this year to truly step into myself was def my biggest moment. 

your it girl moments also dont have to be something necessarily ground-breaking, it can be as simple as you finding your signature scent (hint: if it smells like warm vanilla gourmand, it’s the one) or as ground breaking as reaching your health goals, getting on honor-roll for your school, or making big doll dollars! 💰💖💸 whatever it is, YOU did that. reflect and celebrate yourself. 

PINK HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE ;

pink hot chocolate is the perfect winter drink! plus its super easy to make so im going to be giving the recipe here so that you can enjoy a cup of it while you continue reading the it girl magazine. put on ur hello kitty aprons and lets get straight into the recipe! you’ll need the following ; 

♡ 4 cups of milk ♡ 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips  ♡ 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract 

so what your gonna do is your gonna heat up 4 cups of milk in a pot and then add in ur white chocolate chips, mixing them together until smooth. then you’ll add the vanilla extract and the red food coloring and stir to distribute the color...💬🎀

i like to enjoy mine with whipped cream and pink and white mini marshmallows! now that you have your beverage we can continue on with the it girls magazine. 

HOLIDAY SELF CARE ROUTINE ;

one of my favorite things to do are over the top self care routines! i love to feel glamorous and girly and take good care of myself meticulously especially during winter break because its easy to just rot and fall into a lethargic haze so hopefully this holiday self care routine motivates you and gives you something to do if your bored.

use a holiday themed bath bomb from lush

use a deep conditioning hair mask, put your hair up and read a chic magazine (like this one, duh)

its all about the experience so light a yummy candle while your doing self care

use a foot scrub of brown sugar honey and lemon -> for extra glam paint ur nails

moisturize your body with a shimmery lotion so you sparkle like a holiday queen

bubble baths!!

WHAT THE IT GIRLS ARE LISTENING TO ;

one of my favorite releases this december has to be twice and megan thee stallions collar strategy! the song is so vibrant and bubbly and i absolutely loved the music video also. we can't talk about december music without talking about the queen of christmas herself miss mariah carey and her christmas album 'merry christmas' some songs from my christmas playlist are ->

♡ santa tell me - by ariana grande ♡ all i want for christmas is you - by mariah carey ♡ last christmas - by wham! ♡ doughnut - twice ♡ a nonsense christmas - sabrina carpenter ♡ december - ariana grande ♡ when christmas comes - by mariah carey and john legend

THE ADVICE COLUMN ;

Q ; “Hey, I recently bought almond oil but don’t know what to use it for. I have heard of using it for hair, skin, body, etc. but could you elaborate on it? Also if it’s ok with u could this be in your magazine which I love btw! Your the best!” 💬

A ; hi anonie! so almond oil is super duper versatile. you can use it in a hair mask for shine and hydration. you can add a couple drops to your body lotion for skin hydration. you can also mix it with sugar and make ur own homemade body scrub. from the research i did, its also great for cuticle care and soothing dry areas like elbows and knees. thanks for loving the magazine! 

DECEMBER TRENDS ;

i first wanna talk about the FASHION trends for december 2024 because it’s caught my eye. according to harpersbazzar “this season is all about daytime party clothes, o blood office attire, and updated english country classics.”

reoccurring themes in december fashion are all about finding ways to indulge in warmth and texture during the dark winter days. a texture that i’ve seen used a lot in december fashion is velvet and im going to talk about this a lot because it’s so super glamorous to me and resonates with me more as opposed to other textures that are trending like suede and corduroy.

velvet is so rich and perfect for december because of the cold weather. velvet to me just SCREAMS chic and luxurious. another texture i’ve always loved for the colder seasons is furs! miu mius first look from the fall 2024 fashion show set the stage for how popular chocolate browns are this month. chocolate brown is the chicest shade of cocoa ✨

december fashion also incorporates lots of layering because of the weather, but to master this you must layer FASHIONABLY. layering is so fun because we can really play with textures and colors. some tips to do this are as follows…💬🎀

mix textures to add dimension and interest

play around with proportions (for example big fur coat + tiny silky dress. or puffer jackets with a fashionable pair of jeans)

statement outerwear pieces!!

moving away from the fashion point of view on december trends, i wanna talk about the “can’t pay the mortgage” trend of december. so essentially you’d tell your significant other that you can’t pay the rent/mortgage, all while knowing that they have never payed for the mortgage. 

so naturally, the husbands after hearing this they’re confused and some even offended that their wife would even have to think about paying the mortgage. i think that this trend is really cute, and its a harmless prank and its really beautiful to see women in equitable relationships where they’re being taken care of and happy. I LOVE TO SEE WOMEN WINNN. 

HUNNY I CANT PAY THE MORTGAGE (BY THE LOVELY @osculum-frombee) ;

For December trends let’s go out with some advice that could better you in 2025, relationships. Let’s talk about love and expectations we all experience.

The perfect trend for this is the recent “Can’t pay the mortgage trend” where wives or partners tell their husbands they can’t pay the mortgage and see their reactions. This trend was originally done by 100% couples where the man paid all the bills in the household, or couples where the man paid half the bills (like the mortgage and perhaps something else) while the wife paid other bills but then 50/50 couples started participating in the trend and the differences in reaction was… shocking to say the least?

Reactions ;

The reactions betweeen the 50/50 men and the 100% men were obviously very different, but the question is just how different?...💬🎀

The men who paid most or all of the bills in the household almost immediately laughed or joked about their wife and how she doesn’t pay the bills anyway, some were confused and looked at their wife like “Babe..what?🤨” while some played along and pretend like they had no idea what they were going to do but reassured their wife they would handle it (my personal faves) 

While the 50/50 men would have a DRASTICALLY different reaction these men would either blank out or rage out at the idea their wife or girlfriend couldn’t handle it, the guys who blanked out asking their wife is she could take overtime or saying they didn’t know what to do while the ones who raged out went to cursing or degrading their wives. 

These reactions show perfectly what you do and DONT want in a relationship. The way your partner reacts and treats you is everything and there’s a difference between the way a provider would react and a stingy man would.

The trend isn’t about saying you should date a man who pays 100% of the bills if you don’t want to, or that all 50/50 men are trash. Like all things this requires PERSPECTIVE and knowing what  YOU personally WANT 

In times like this with the economy there are people out there who can’t do it with just one income alone, and that doesn’t mean you or your partner is a peice of crap for having to split the bills to make it...💬🎀

A provider man ;

You want to- no NEED to ensure that regardless of how much money your partner or you make, that whoever your dating is a provider man, who is more focused on taking care of you then you taking care of him, a problem solver who can save money for a rainy day, there are men out there who do 50/50 but ensure they take care of their partners, worship the ground they walk on and PROVIDE, do their best to take the stress off their partners shoulders while also taking care of household issues, men who put effort in emotionally and understand that relationships are a 2 way street, aren’t stingy about spending on their loved ones and treat their partners like the rare gemstone they are. THATS the type of man you want, whether  he be filthy rich with generational wealth or a man who gives it his all either way.

There are 50/50 men out there who save money and if their partner ever said they couldn’t do their part of the bills this month he would move mountains to ensure his partners stressed was alleviated and create a solution to the problem,  that could  be him working overtime or taking money out of the savings or covering that months expenses himself if he can, he wouldn’t yell or argue, or curse profanities , he would help and ensure they were taken care of. 

Emotional matters ;

There are men who may seem like the better choice, men who are rich and perfect on paper, but it’s not about how much money your partner has it’s how they react to the things they cannot buy. If you’re partner throws money and expensive bags at you without a second thought but when it comes to getting to know you and understand you, gaining your trust, talking through emotional issues and you trying to communicate to them they shun you out, get mad or dismissive then this isn’t the partner for you, wether you be man or women. You may think someone can buy things like your trust, effort, energy and genuine love but those are things that can’t ever be bought these things take experience, time spent with that person, arguments and makeups, it takes learning and growing to  trust that person to love them.  having a partner who doesn’t put effort in emotionally or mentally  isn’t having a partner at all it’s simply being occupied or “busied” by someone else who won’t put forth a real connection with you. 

What you want vs what you’re told to ;

I saw a video of a women saying her and her husband go 50/50 they use 1 salary for bills and expenses and use the other for savings, she said she likes it this way, she has her bachelors and her masters degree and chose not to quit working after becoming pregnant she listed points that were SO important

She mentioned how she liked having the fridge stocked, how she like vacationing whenever she wanted, she liked buying what she wanted and not struggling. The point I’m making is that it’s all about what you want and what feels right for you, but also about how your partner treats you. If you decide to  go 50/50 on the financial labor and are  with a man who doesn’t care about you or is very “dusty” you’re going to be unhappy and unfulfilled but its also the same if you’re dating a man who pays 100% yet still ignores every other need in a relationship like mental and emotional, youll be unfulfilled and unhappy. 

If you’re going 50/50 make sure you're dating a man who’s clean and willing and likes to help around the house, who can clean or cook and will put effort into all aspects of this relationship. If you want to work but be 100% taken care of and save the money you make or spend it freely it’s your life, if you want to be a stay at home mom or parent or just want to stay at home and be 100% taken care of it’s your life, if you want to have your fantasy “the way of the househusband” life where you work and pay all the bills and your husband stays at home, cooks and cleans and takes care of everything else than babygirl it’s your life and honestly rock it? 

It’s your life and it shouldn’t be curated to anyone else’s wants or expectations as long as you’re happy fulfilled, with a provider/ problem solver who will move mountains for you be happy. You’re not a roommate for going 50/50 when you’re truly loved and respected in your relationship and your partner  isn’t stingy. Whichever way you want your relationship to go make sure you find a partner who is on the same page and can give you that, don’t try to force a clown to be a king because then the entire kingdom will end up a circus, don’t chase or fight with a man who doesn’t want to give you what you want or doesn’t view you as worth it or cannot afford to, find a partner who is aligned in your ideas and values and is entirely pleased to provide you what it is you wish. 

The beauty of the trend ;

While some people do scrutinize women who are in a healthy 50/50 relationship or women who want to go to work and still be provided for. It’s not about that this trend is about showing women what’s possible, that providing 100% for a man will always lead to you being depleted and drained in every way possible, that the better and healthier relationship is out there and that there are men who would do anything to be with you and keep you and let their actions show as such not just financially but emotionally. Women have said that this trend has shown them their husbands or partners aren’t worth it and that it’s opened them up to a better way of living and has shown them their better off single than with a man who depletes them. 

This is about empowering women and I notice this trend goes hand in hand or is the sister to the “women in male fields trend” a trend that showcased women acting like men and talking about what they’d experienced with them, that trend was women saying they were done with that treatment and this trend is about showing women they can do better. 

Conclusion ;  

Going into 2025, focus on yourself- find out what it is you want.  

And if there’s anything you take away from this segment let it be that: 

It’s about what you want 

50/50 doesn’t make either of you bad

Better is always out there

You are the love of your life 

Thank you for reading my first ever segment in the It girls magazine💕💖

WHICH HOLIDAY IT GIRL AM I? ; 

are y'all ready to discover what type of it girl you are this holiday season? take this quiz to figure out which festive vibe suits your personality. lets see how ur sleighing this season…💬🎀

1. your ideal holiday party look is:

a) a sparkling, gold sequin-covered dress that’s sure to steal the spotlight 

b) a chic velvet jumpsuit with fluffy details and elegant accessories 

c) a fluffy sweater with a touch of holiday glam — think sparkly headbands and cute socks 

d) a glamorous satin gown in red or emerald green, paired with glamorous makeup and red bottoms

2. what’s your go-to holiday drink?

a) sparkling champagne or a festive glittery mocktail 

b) a warm, spiced apple cider 

c) pink hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, topped with whipped cream 

d) a luxurious holiday latte with hints of peppermint or caramel 

3. your favorite way to spend christmas eve is:

a) attending lavish holiday parties, and kissing under mistletoes 

b) enjoying a candlelit dinner with close friends or family, and watching cozy christmas movies 

c) baking holiday cookies and wrapping gifts while sipping on hot chocolate

d) getting all glammed up for a special dinner and exchanging glamorous gifts with ur girls

4. when decorating for the holidays, you:

a) i go ALL out with sparkly lights, glittery ornaments and a chic color scheme for pinkmas 

b) elegant neutral decor with touches of greenery, its classic duh

c) a cozy vibe with diy ornaments, fairy lights, and plaid everything 

d) love classic red, green, and white with vintage-style baubles for a traditional yet glamorous feel 

5. what's your holiday music playlist vibe?

a) mariah carey’s “all i want for christmas is you” on repeat 

b) classic jazz and soft holiday tunes 

c) cozy acoustic christmas songs and christmas movie soundtracks 

d) holiday hits that make you want to dance like wham and micheal bublé 

6. what's your holiday beauty look?

a) bold red lips, highlighter that shines like snow, and glittery eyeshadow 

b) soft, glowing skin with a natural glam look — think minimal but chic 

c) a cozy but cute look with a bright red lip and simple, glowing skin 

d) smokey eyes, dramatic lashes, think holiday bimbo

7. your dream holiday getaway is:

a) a glamorous snowy cabin retreat with hot cocoa and a warm fire, and complete with an evening of glitzy christmas parties

b) a cozy winter escape in the mountains with scenic views and a fireplace 

c) a festive city escape, with christmas markets, hot chocolate, and cozy cafes 

d) a luxurious tropical resort, giving beachside holiday vibe

results:

mostly a’s: the sparkling diva ✨ you’re all about the glam and sparkle this holiday season! from dazzling sequins to luxurious accessories, you know how to shine brighter than the christmas lights. you love the glitz and glamour of the season and aren’t afraid to make a statement — just like the holiday parties you attend!

mostly b’s: the elegant sophisticate 🥂 you bring class and sophistication to everything you do this holiday season. whether it’s a cozy dinner or a quiet night by the fire, you exude an effortless elegance. this holiday season, you’ll be enjoying luxurious simplicity — think velvet, classic red lips, and timeless decor.

mostly c’s: the cozy glam girl 💖 you’re all about warmth, coziness, and making the season special in your own way. whether it’s baking cookies, wrapping gifts, or cuddling up with your favorite holiday movies, you embrace all things festive and chic. this holiday, it’s about combining comfort and glamour for the perfect holiday vibe!

mostly d’s: the classic glamazon 💅🏼 you’re the definition of classic holiday glamour! whether you’re rocking a satin gown or glamming up your beauty look, you always bring sophistication and style to the season. for you, it’s all about elegant traditions, bold accessories, and a glamorous holiday look that can’t be ignored.

[leashybebes]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

tommy must live in a perpetual state of confusion over buck

do you think the longer buck allies the more tommy realises that "oh, he really is like this but he's definitely some flavor of queer"? because i see tommy maybe gently testing buck's jealousy to see what it'll take to make him break

oooookay once again this is not a snippet (sorryyyyy) but is more me attempting to understand wtf is going on in tommy's head throughout all this that he keeps "sure, okay"-ing himself into ridiculous situations with buck, so apologies for just unloading the contents of my brain on you

there are a few things i've been chewing on in terms of figuring out how tommy reacts to the buck of it all, which i hope will make it make sense that i actually don't think tommy pushing or testing for jealousy is on the cards in this fic (although i do love the idea!)

so first of all, this is a younger tommy than we've seen interact with buck in canon (of course), so whatever happened to make him Like That in the breakup hasn't happened yet (and won't, because i am a slut for a HEA). he's newly out and in my experience, a lot of newly out people, particularly people who are a bit older have something of a second adolescence. so yeah while this means he's incredibly horny (horny enough to let a self-proclaimed straight guy give him the absolute best sex of his life) it also means he just wants to have fun!! and buck is SO. MUCH. FUN. he's spent so long so tightly controlled that he's trying really hard to just go with the flow.

second, when i say newly out tommy, i mean newly out. like, it's one thing to "stop lying about who i am" - to me, there's a non-zero chance that just means "stop making up girlfriends" rather than "actually grapple with the life-long process of coming out (again and again and again)". so in my head (and it might come up in the fic, idk yet) the scene early on where he tells buck he doesn't want the cute girl's number because he's gay is probably one of the first times he actually said the words out loud. which ties into...

third, we know tommy was work friends with sal (at least and again, don't know that it'll come up in the fic but for the record, he 100% had a monstrous crush on him, like it made him ILL how much he wanted sal, i will hear no arguments), and that he developed good - again, work-based - friendships with hen and chim, but i feel like for a deeply closeted guy under dadt with a shitty childhood buck might be his first actual friend who knows all of him and likes him. spends time with him. doesn't care that he's gay. actively supports his gayness. doesn't recoil and in fact actively encourages tommy to talk about it. so i think tommy is just...deeply, deeply grateful for this confusing train wreck of a man

fourth, while i think there are definitely times that tommy thinks "he...he's flirting with me, right? is something gonna happen here?" this is a guy who has spent his entire adult life not looking at that kinda thing. not letting himself wonder if a guy (particularly a friend) is into him. or really, even if he's into them. he's really, really good at compartmentalising, and buck's pretty insistent that he's straight, so tommy's taking that at face value. hey, buck makes compelling arguments ("tommy, straight men have prostates too!")

aaaaand there we have the contents of my brain as it relates to one tommy kinard. even in my own incredibly stupid AUs, i am frankly obsessed. i want to gnaw on him. i'll settle for having buck do it instead.

[kaledya]

HOWDY!!🌟🌟 I haven't been active on Tumblr for a long time, to be honest I haven't been active on any platform until recently.

I think it would be right to make a small update and let my followers know what's on my mind.

(And a little note, I am writing this article from a translation. If there is a mistake in any sentence or if it sounds rude, I sincerely apologize.)

First of all, I would like to talk about why I am  less active than before.

I don't want to go into too much detail about it, so I'll keep it short, and it'll be easier for you too!

I have a disease that worsens with stress, and I can say that this disease has leveled up because I have been stressed a lot lately due to some events.Now, for no reason or if I put too much pressure on that arm area my joints and arm start to ache. This means I can't draw for 2-3 days.In general, it means that I try not to use my arm too much.

But don't worry, thanks to my doctor I'm getting better quickly and I don't have as much ache anymore, much less! Almost gone now!!🌟🌟🌟🎉

And besides these, I was trying to get accepted to the university, but I learned that my drawing skills were not enough for the animation university!( I knew this actually, my anatomy is really bad but I wanted to try my luck) It's a little sad, but I'm not discouraged!🫡

 (I think my only regret was that my arm started to hurt in the middle of the exam after I had come such a long way. Why on earth would anyone make two one and a half hour art exams back to back??) Show some mercy to the students!!)😭😭

༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽

I just need to focus on more art skills  and I will do that!! From now on, I will focus only on improving myself and my arts! YIPPE!!

About  HH SS AU or My's OC development

It saddens me to say this, but even though I've been drawing in the HazbinHotel fandom for months, I've lost my inspiration at the moment.I probably won't be able to share any content about HazbinHotel until I regain my inspiration because I can't think of an idea or get excited about series anymore.But of course this is a temporary thing, my fandom had faded before but then it blossomed again!!

This is valid for SSAU as well, I don't have any inspiration to develop AU or draw for AU right now. 

And thank you very much to my followers who have liked and supported my HazbinHotel content so far!!!

Same goes for my OCs, I'm putting my OCs like Constantine and Serenity and the archangels on the shelf for now.Of course I will use them again in the future when I get inspired about them again, I love my babies!

About SSAU inspired fanfics Thank you again for loving this AU and for being inspired to write your own fanfic!!!

It makes me really happy to see you having fun And it makes me proud to see that I inspire people!! 

But from now on I don't prefer to use my HH OCs to write Fanfics,There are a few reasons for this but the main one is that I can't give you much feedback anymore and I wanted you to know that and I really don't want to upset or disappoint anyone when it comes to feedback.

Of course the fics about SSAU that have been written so far can continue, I have no problems with them, have fun!! I just want you to know I won't be able to give feedback  to you, or it will take a long time 

 This is of course temporary, I will let you know when I return to this fandom or change my mind about this!!

Some people ask about YouTube, I don't plan on posting any content on YouTube anytime soon.

Thank you in advance for respecting my opinions!

In short, yes, these are what I was going to say. It can be said that I have switched to the Gravity Falls fandom at the moment and I am sort of making my childhood dream come true by giving fanart to this fandom.And this is something that makes me very happy. 

Good morning, and in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

[scoonsalicious]

7.4 Bucky*

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Lily McIntyre, trainer for new SHIELD recruits at the Avengers Tower, has been in love with her best friend, Bucky Barnes, from the moment she met him. She's been content with her role of the #1 girl in Bucky's life, even if it means she has to sabotage a romantic relationship or two. It'll be worth it when he realizes that they're meant for each other, right? There's just one small problem: Lily McIntire never expected Bucky Barnes to fall for You.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, Explicit Sexual Content Minors: GTFO; I don’t serve your kind here (hand stuff(f receiving))

Word Count: 1.3k

Previously On...: You got it on. In the woods.

A/N: Ugh, my beautiful long weekend is over. No more days off from work until Junteenth.

If you ever feel so inclined to support my work, hop on over to buy me a coffee; it's much appreciated! <3

NOTE! The tag list is a fickle bitch, so I'm not really going to be dealing with it anymore. If you want to be notified when new story parts drop, please follow @scoonsaliciousupdates

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

“I’m gonna end up falling in love with you,” she had said to him, and Bucky could barely believe his ears. He made love to her again, under the stars, assuring her with every thrust, every kiss, every caress, that he felt the same. 

After he’d taken her apart once more, he’d grabbed his discarded shirt and dipped it into the stream. Wringing out the excess water, he brought the wet cloth back and used it to gently clean her folds. He’d made such a mess of her, but the sight of his seed oozing from her core was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. It was all he could do to keep himself from bending down and using his fingers to push it all back inside of her, where it belonged, where he wanted it to always belong, from now on. 

But there would be time for that, later. 

For now, he helped her dress, and using the combined lights of the flashlights on their phones, they managed to collect the rest of the picnic gear and made their way out of the clearing, hand in hand, and back to the parking lot, Major leaning against his arm and occasionally letting out a contented sigh that filled Bucky’s heart.

When they reached their cars, Bucky was surprised to see Major had arrived in a pickup truck. “Not sure what kind of car I was expecting for you, sugar,” he said with a laugh, “but a pickup wasn’t it.”

With a smile, Major lovingly patted the truck’s hood. “Yeah, wasn’t my first choice, honestly, but when I  started my business, I needed something that could transport shit to The WarZone from our suppliers. It’s grown on me, though. Speaking of,” she added, her face falling a little, “I should probably head home; it’s already nine o’clock, and I have to work tomorrow.”

Bucky felt his heart sink. The last thing he wanted to do was say goodnight to her. “Spend the night at the Compound with me,” he offered again, bringing his hands to her waist. “It’s closer than your place, and I don’t want to say goodbye to you just yet.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and offered his most pleading puppy dog look. “I can bring you back to your truck in the morning.”

Major sighed in feigned reluctance. “I suppose I could be a little late tomorrow,” she admitted. “I think my boss will understand. I happen to know for a fact that she’s quite fond of your dick, so she might make an exception if I tell her I was out late riding it all night.”

Bucky laughed and pulled her to his chest. God, he loved the feeling of her as she wrapped her arms around him, the way she seemed to fit perfectly into the dips and curves of his body. 

“To hell with it,” he heard her mumble into his chest. “I’m gonna take the day off tomorrow.” 

Bucky pulled back and looked down at her, trying hard to stifle the grin that was threatening to spread across his face. “Are you sure, sugar?” he asked her. “I don’t want you putting your business in any kind of jeopardy because I’m trying to be a bad influence.”

Major shook her head and smiled at him. “Honestly, things over there run so smoothly now, I don’t need to be as involved as I am. I just like keeping an eye on things because, well, the business is my baby, you know?” Bucky nodded, he did understand; she’d devoted so much of her life to making it a success. “So, I can afford to take a day off here and there to spend time with you,” she said. 

Bucky grinned and pulled her in for a kiss. “Since you’re playing hooky and don’t need to worry about being home early,” he said, “how ‘bout we finally eat dinner? You’ve got to be starving.”

Major let out a low groan. “God, yes, please. Don’t get me wrong, I fully enjoyed our alternative activities, but damn, boy– you had me working up an appetite.”

“Gimme one minute,” Bucky said. He hauled the picnic basket into the back of Major’s truck and spread the blankets along the bed. He grasped Major by the hips and gently lifted her over the tailgate before hopping in, himself. He propped up some pillows against the back of the cab, and sat down against them, spreading his legs and motioning for Major to sit between them, with her back to his bare chest. He then rummaged through the basket and retrieved their forgotten sub sandwiches and lemonades. 

While they ate, Bucky pointed out constellations to Major, telling her the stories behind the figures in the night sky. He loved how much more could be seen out here than back in the city. He’d always loved space, and Major listened to him with rapt attention, asking thoughtful and poignant questions, letting him know that she was both paying close attention to everything he said, and that she admired his interest. 

“You’d make an excellent astronomer,” Major commented, after Bucky had pointed out the tiny dot that was Neptune, far off in the unfathomable distance.

“When I was a kid, that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up,” he confessed with a nostalgic smile. He’d never told anyone that before– not even Stevie. When you were a kid from Brooklyn, growing up during what would become known as The Great Depression, the idea of making a career out of looking at stars seemed so fanciful as to be almost insulting. Bucky had known there was no future in the cosmos for him, only a life of hard, manual labor, doing what he needed to do to put food on the table for his family.

Only, that never even came to fruition, either. One measly letter from Uncle Sam had ripped away all his dreams, and his reality.

“Well, it’s never too late for a career change,” Major said, her tone only half teasing. “I mean, you’re only in your early hundreds. You’ve got time.”

And now, here was Major, simultaneously both reality and dream, and when she said he could be an astronomer, she had Bucky believing it.

Once their food was finished, though, Bucky couldn’t resist sliding a hand down the waistband of Major’s jean shorts, seeking out the warmth and wetness of her folds.

“Bucky!” Major sucked in a breath as she arched her back into his chest. “Fuck!” He slid two of his flesh fingers inside of her, working them in and out at a leisurely pace with one hand, while his vibranium hand pointed out the stars of one of the smallest constellations, Delphinius.

“That’s the Dolphin,” Bucky told her as she grasped onto his forearm to support herself. “The stars aren’t very bright, but the myth is that Poseidon– doll, how can you pay attention if you keep squirming like that?” He knew she couldn’t see him, so he had no need to hide the mischievous smirk that covered his face.

“Bucky,” Major whined, and god, how Bucky loved the sound of it. He brought his lips to the crux of her neck and shoulder.

“I’m trying to teach you about the stars, doll, and your mind’s completely elsewhere,” he teased. He brought his vibranium arm down to join his flesh hand, and used it to work her clit, until Major was a crying, shaking mess in his arms.

“I’ve got you, sweet girl,” he assured her as she came down from her high. He made sure to hold her close to him, loving how her whole body shook with the aftershocks of her pleasure. Pleasure that he had coaxed from her. 

“You are a bad boy, Bucky Barnes,” Major said with a laugh once she’d found her voice again. “And you definitely do not play fair.”

“If you think I’m bad now,” he offered with a grin as he kissed the top of her head, “just wait until you see how bad I’m going to be when I get you back to the Compound.”

<- Previous Part / Next Part ->

[llitchilitchi]

blog update? vent? what I wanna do going forward? this is long and ranty

I am not going anywhere, please remain calm :)

so this has been on my mind for the better part of a year now, if not longer. I don't think it's a secret or a shock to anyone that I am barely engaging in mcyt-related fandoms, even more so when it comes to creators. the community has for a large part transformed into something that I don't want to necessarily be a part of.

I am saddened at what has become of the CCs that I liked and found comfort in back during lockdown. I don't want to delve into any of the things that have happened over the last few weeks, much less months and years - I made it a rule for myself to not keep up with "drama" (I genuinely hate the word. a lot of it is pointless bickering and people being stupid and vile over small things that could have been solved privately, or people attacking others for no reason, and those that do not fit under the "people are stupid" umbrella are matters far too serious to be labelled as drama or discourse) and I try to not comment on it much. I can't help the two posts from time to time but the truth is, seeing discourse on my dash for days on end is wearing me down. and it often feels like that is all there is going on anymore.

as of, this is not me denouncing my love for dream and the dream team, or their friends and supporters, much less the fan community around them. there are many kind people who I cherish and I am grateful that they welcomed me in and shared my art and talked to me about it. these comments and conversations mean more to me than you could ever imagine. I've forged friendships here that I never could have dreamed of. I've never felt so comfortable in a fandom before and I don't think I will ever fully leave it behind.

that being said, I also doubt that I will be posting too much about anything mcyt-related. I haven't really been doing anything for the fandom anyways, not really. I enjoy the fan projects, and I am very grateful that I managed to get on the c!Dream zine as an artist, and I am looking forward to sharing that piece with you guys! it's one of my favourites that I've ever done, so look forward to that, and go support the project if you can! but to post only when it's related to projects feels a little insincere.

I am mostly writing this because there were a couple more projects that popped up, and I hesitate to join. not only because my involvement with the fandom is miniscule, but also because I feel a little worn and tired and gross about everything that has gone down. and I dread that by the time I get to actually work on a piece, the exhaustion and resignation will turn into distaste and unwillingness to do anything.

I still want to support artists and writers in the fandom. I will continue reblogging stuff, maybe even post some of my own (I have been itching to do a small illustration for monarchy again, but I've been incredibly busy, so don't get excited), but for the most part I think I'll be slowly turning towards other fandoms and original content. oh yeah, I there are OCs incoming.

I miss this fandom, and the community, and every good thing that came with it, but it does not feel sincere to keep engaging too much. I will likely stick to DSMP for the most part, if I will stay in the fandom at all. the real people around it just make me sad.

I don't have a conclusion to offer. no tl;dr. I wanted to get this off my chest. my feelings about everything going on are complicated at best. there's a yearning to come back and a revulsion at what many of the CCs are doing that keeps me away. a yearning for the excitement and love I felt once. maybe it'll come back. for now I just want things to calm down and if that isn't possible here, I will be minding my own business. so if you see me posting about Things at Inappropriate Times, do know that I simply do not wish to engage in the bad anymore.

[emj4yart]

Calling all Oncelings! I need your help!

Greetings, Onceler fandom! Tis I, MJ, just a little guy who wants your help on a big project I'm planning!

Here's the rundown: I want to do a deep-dive video on the Lorax, from its origins to its adaptations, to the cultural phenomenon that it has become, including a HUGE dedicated section to the fandom and its history! And I need your help with it! Keep reading if this interests you :D Rough outline of topics that I'm plannning on addressing:

THE CONTENT:

The Original 1971 Book

The 1972 Short

The 2012 Illumination Movie (And what went WRONG, the cut content, analysis)

The 2015 Musical

THE IMPACT:

The Onceler Fandom's Beginnings and Early Years (2012)

Shipping (Oncest, Normaler, the like)

Onceler OCs and aus! (Possibly an OC feature from those in the fandom!)

The Lorax in Meme Culture

The Resurgances of the Fandom (2015, 2021, 2023 Tiktok Boom)

Where's the fandom at now?

It's a huge project and that's why I want you all to help me with it! What do I want your help with? At the moment this is my list!

Research and Fact Checking on the "Content" Section, especially on lesser known topics like the musical or the cut content! (Pspspsps calling the five of you who actually know what the musical is)

RESEARCH AND FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES OF THE ONCELER FANDOM'S EARLY DAYS!! I joined this place in 2023 so I don't know much about the early days of the fandom, and I want to know SO much more than I do! I want to know the scope, everything from the in-jokes to the aus to the deoncelerization. If you've been in this fandom since 2012 I would LOVE to hear from you!

Last but not least, I want the end of this video to be a love letter to this community, sharing firsthand experiences of what the Onceler as a character and the fandom means to you! I want to conduct interviews with people over discord (which is going to be a lot less fancy than it sounds so dw, it's not going to be an interrogation LMAO)

Specifics are subject to change but one thing will stay, I want to end the video to be made out of raw Love and Appreciation for this fandom, showcasing the side of this little corner of the internet that people who brush it off as mindless cringe don't see. All I've seen from this community is love and support and I want to be the video essayist who shows it for what it is!

At the moment I don't really have much of a plan (I'm not a very good planner lol), but if enough interets garners I know it'll help me streamline my motivation and come up with a game plan!

Feel free to leave me suggestions for where to go from here, maybe give out my discord? Make a Discord Server? Maybe there's something I can do solely on tumblr? I don't know! I don't know at all how Tumblr works! Help Me! Am just a little guy!

Alright that's all from me for now gamers, if this project interests you all in any capacity or you want to help out, please reblog/reply/message/ask/howeveranythingworksonthissite to let me know! Feel free to ask me questions or whatever as well! Peace out for now ✌️

[50shadesofoctarine]

@goodomensafterdark and other people in the GO fandom,

Hey! I make free good omens content because I love sharing with you all, but I am trying to manage my finances as a 19 year old who was kicked out by their mum. I am safe, with a roof over my head, don't fret! But a little extra cash goes a long way. (At the end of this post I will show you how far.)

These are some examples of my art that you might recognise me from:

Anyway, if you're in a financial position to support me:

My commissions are open!! And my Patreon has paid tiers for $2, $5, and $7.

And if you aren't:

My Patreon has a free tier with lots of cool rewards and bonuses.

Plus, Reblogging this post is super helpful even if you can't directly donate. Maybe someone who follows you is in a position to support me.

How far does your money actually go?

Here are a few of my expenses:

Just $2 buys me a whole bag of expired bread at a local bakery. It's enough bread to keep me fed for a whole week!

My commute to work (I'm a pay-what-you-can tutor because I want to eliminate socioeconomic barriers to education. I have to take public transportation to my students' houses) costs me $10 every trip.

My internet bill is $39 a month.

$20 buys me 50 pages of the sketchbook paper I use.

Now, I am in a position where I don't need your support to pay for any part of my lifestyle. But holy fuck is it helpful. It means that I can start paying off my student loans, and that I can actually add to my savings account. (Btw, none of this is your responsibility. Don't feel obligated to maintain my financial decisions. I'm fine, I'm just giving you some insight into my life for the sake of transparency.)

Currently I make $28.75 a month from Patreon alone. I am so grateful for that. It is such a relief to have a bit of extra cash on the side, doing something I love.

If you want to know what my short term savings goal is, I want to buy a drawing tablet so that I can make comics more easily. Those can cost anywhere from 300-1000 dollars, so it'll be a while before I can afford it. Long term, I'm saving up for a deposit on a house. Is that a pipe-dream? Probably. But I'm nothing if not delusional.

Commission prices.

Patreon Link.

[felineverdure]

do u think the canon jean loves floch & riener? (not talking romanticly only, just generally. just basically what does the word "love" mean? the meaning doesn't always have to be romantic)

if "yes" for both, who do u think he loves more?

also idk if i said this to u before BUT i love ur content on all ur socials. i'm rly happy i'm not the only flojean passionate lover and there's other ppl like me and u. but UNFORTUNATELY i srsly fear on the flojean community from extinction from 2 things, the hate and not being a lot for the flojean shippers to enjoy arts or takes or fics or fanmade mangas etc. that's why i always say to flojean shippers who feel like they wanna quite for those reasons to see it from other flojean shippers perspective too. like u know, let's pretend i make flojean art plus fics etc but i don't see a lot of ppl who support the ship and i also get hate so that made me wanna quite BUT i see one die-hard flojean stan who also wanna quite bc his fav flojean accs are now gonna quite which means EVEN LESS flojean content than it ALREADY is; and since this one die-hard flojean stan wanna quite too, the flojeans fans of this acc wanna quite as well cause one of their fav flojean stan acc is now quitting too AND SO ON...until extinction (hopefully it won't happen)

sry for the rant but the point i'm trying to make is PLS DON'T QUITE bc ur art, takes, the sharing of other flojean posts, ur whole acc is a HOPE for new flojeans to exist and is a REASON for current flojeans to KEEP existing, so this way our beloved community is going to grow instead of dying.

LMFAO ik u might think i'm being sarcastic or being dramatic but i'm not, and for the delivery of words "ur whole acc is a ✨HoPe✨ for new flojeans to exist and is a ✨ReAsOn✨ for current flojeans to ✨KeEp existing✨" PLS i sound like my life depends on this ship LMFAO.

i didn't kno how to get the idea across other than this LOL also English isn't my first language. also ik u might wander why am i saying this to u because u might never have the thought of quiting BUT i just think u might feel like quitting in the future bc i KNOW all flojean accounts have came across these 2 things, the hate, the idea of quitting bc the flojean community is small. that's why i said all these things to u out of nowhere. also it'll be a good idea if u show this to other flojean shippers so they feel more motivated to continue. it'll be even better if u make one similar to this bc u have better choosing of words than me o b v LOL

anyways who jean likes more floch or riener? LOL

Awww thank you ♥️ It does get pretty lonely sometimes when the community is small, I wouldn't say it's the sole reason to get demotivated by that fact. I'll still draw or yap about FJ whenever I want, shamelessly too. 😂 I don't particularly care that it spawns hate or makes people uncomfortable. I get quitting as AoT has long finished so it's natural that the fandom fizzle out especially so if its for ships/characters that are less popular. I also encourage people to actively interact with each other! Go talk to people @ bsky/X. Make silly headcanon posts, polls, anything to make the fandom alive! As for the haters part, unfortunately it can be a strong deterrent from encouraging ppl to make content. I don't blame them for leaving tbh. It is mentally exhausting and especially so if you're in small communities which means having to deal with it alone.

Ok to answer the first part of your question: Canon Jean never actually says who he loves more, so I don’t think anyone can ever give a definite answer in regards to canon. Just a bite sized explanation on what I think of RJ and FJ:

Jean admired Reiner a lot during their cadet days, like most of the 104th. Reiner was that strong, dependable guy who everyone looked up to. So when the betrayal happened, Jean was completely appalled and it probably hit him even harder when he found out the full details later. In Shiganshina, like Connie and Sasha, he was struggling to accept that they have to end Reiner but ultimately learn that he has to. But by Reiner's luck, they failed. When presented with the opportunity to argue for Reiner's life, Jean took his chance. You could argue he was arguing for science and stuff. I chose to see it as that AND Jean trying to save his ex comrade life despite feeling betrayed.

Still, after everything, Jean managed to push those feelings aside to stop the Rumbling. He even saved Reiner multiple times. People argued that it’s just because they couldn’t afford to lose Reiner, which is fair, but Jean didn’t have to give him that pep talk mid-battle, risking his own life. Then there’s that banter between them near the end. Some people see it as joking around and getting comfortable with each other again. I have seen others taking it as serious insults. Personally, I think it shows they’ve reached a point where they can move past the betrayal and just be themselves again.

Now with Floch, he and Jean started out in pretty similar places, but then they were hit by their own traumatic event except they took completely opposite paths. Floch went full extremist, while Jean tried to stick to his morals. Jean was the only person we saw in canon who actually “comforted” Floch or is friendly with him judging by how Floch stuck to him during pre ceremony. Most of their interactions later on is of Floch leaving Jean speechless with his arguments because, as radical as they were, there was some logic to them and that spoke to Jean the practical guy. Jean understood Floch and how he came to be what he is.

I’m sure Jean was super disappointed and disgusted with what Floch did during the Rumbling, but he never wanted him to die! (People need to stop saying that!!) And it says a lot that Jean stayed by Floch’s side as he died, something none of the other Paradis alliances (except Hange) did. In the og manga, he was also seen stopping Floch from bleeding out. I also just realized that Jean showed sadness and was not shocked upon realizing it was Floch who was shot. That shows that Jean still cared about Floch, despite it all.

So, who did Jean love more?

Honestly, I don’t think it’s a matter of “more.” It’s about the different ways he cared for both of them. He forgave Reiner and respected him as a comrade again. With Floch, it was more about empathy and understanding, even if they ended up on opposite sides.

Jean trusted Reiner again.

Jean understood Floch.

Both mattered to him, just in different ways.

Also, I want to point out that even though I used canon events to explain my thoughts, it’s still not canon! Different people interpret these moments differently. In the end, it’s all a figment of our minds. 🙂

[honeyhotteoks]

I'm reading your ask game, and loving all your answers and how deep and thoughtful you can get to them! In general, your advice posts have been really helpful for me, too. I used to write a lot--like, a lot lot. I've won contests, been published (non-paying minor things only) and written tens of thousands of words for both fanfic and original stuff, but several years ago, I just...stopped. It's been so hard to pick it up again but for some reason, your posts and advice have been really helpful. Coupled with how much I really do love the way you write and the stories you're telling, I'm so excited to tell you that I've started writing again! (For a completely different fandom and concept.) Who knows if it'll ever see the light of day, or even get finished, but who cares? The important part is that I'm writing again and I'm so happy about it! I wanted to share and hopefully pass on some of my joy to you, since you played a part in creating it. Thank you for being so open and thoughtful and sharing that with us! And for the ask...18 and 29?

🍑

oh my goodness this was the kindest ask to receive but also i am so so happy for you!! i know exactly what you mean, years ago i was a really active writer in other fandoms but i was struggling to finish work, and then all of a sudden i lost it. i didn’t write for years and then ateez brought it all back, so i totally know how hard that is and then how exciting it is to be inspired again 🩷

for the ask game, thanks for sending these in!!

18: if you keep them, share a deleted scene or a paragraph from a published fic:

oh my goodness i actually have a lot of these but my favorite is that i actually have a whole chapter and almost arc for aurora 2 that i decided wasn’t actually right for the characters and so that’s just fully on the cutting room floor. i have pulled dialogue lines and beats into other stories and the new arc of aurora, so i don’t want to actually post it and spoil that, but the plot is below if people find this interesting!

basically in aurora 2 i wanted (and still want) a big moment of conflict where reader is running herself into the ground working too hard and the boys make her take a step back for her health- very much like… they’ve learned from their own mistakes and won’t let her make them. in my first draft of this i was really playing with a couple of tropes that don’t fit but i particularly love writing and reading. so in the old version, she’s stressed and sick enough that she misses a period and is convinced she’s pregnant, and the panic of what that would actually mean kind of tailspins her. there’s a lot of very soft yunho and san content here when she confesses her fears, into all eight of them kind of gathering around her and being good partners while she takes a test and finds out it’s negative. hongjoong gives her a very tender lecture on working too hard and caring for herself, and actually in this scene i wrote in kind of hongjoong saying “you know we all love you” as a throw away line that just kind of rocks her. and the scene ends with her unable to sleep after lots of ot8 comfort moments, and going to yunho and san’s bedroom for comfort. they’re up too, minds racing, and they have kind of teary, emotional sex. she finally confesses she’s in love with them, and they realize… while they all want this and love each other… they can’t have a traditional relationship. it’s honestly a pain train of a scene.

it was fun to write, and like i said there’s story beats or lines i am keeping, but overall it’s too melodramatic and didn’t really work for aurora. i think i realized after writing it that the high tension moment of her being sick and the high tension moment of love confessions don’t have to be tied together like that, and the complicated feelings nine people would have over a potential pregnancy wouldn’t be as clean as everyone being supportive.

i can tell you i am pulling parts of that plot into a different work because i love a good babyfic, but i actively try to keep those things in epilogues / separate one-shots etc., because i know for many readers those plot lines are either triggering or give them the ick. it really doesn’t belong in aurora, but it was a fun writing exercise that ended up pushing me to write other stuff.

29: how easy is it for you to come up with titles

it depends on the work honestly? while i’m writing the work usually sits as “untitled {insert trope} {insert member} fic” until i’m ready to start posting and then i have to figure it out.

sometimes it’s something i’m pulling out of the fic itself like with his sweet girl, or sometimes i’m trying to make an ateez reference with something like into the aurora or across stardust. for those i usually have a keyword that i want and then i play around with it in phrases or paired words until it clicks. and then sometimes i’ll fully just reference a song or movie or whatever. the ghostface fic title, an innocent man doesn’t stand a chance, is actually a modified quote from scream so i kind of liked that subtle reference for people if they like that movie.

so i guess it’s “easy” in the sense that i just say shit out loud until something hits lmao

[dokidokitsuna]

...I just remembered I wanted to make my own statement on the AI thing. ^^;

So you've probably heard, but in case you haven't: Tumblr just sold out everyone's data to the AI trash compactors, they probably did it long before they gave us the option to opt out, and even if you do opt out they're probably still taking and using your work anyway (telling people to opt out instead of actually asking for their permission is already scummy business practice, but when it comes to AI it's functionally meaningless. :/ It's always "well, we're telling them not to use these people's data and we're hoping they'll be nice and go along with it" with no regulations or consequences if they decide to just steal everything indiscriminately...)

Despite that, I am not leaving Tumblr anytime soon. I'm looking into other sites*, but at this moment in time, I have nowhere else to go. ^^; Besides, I still like it here. When I left DeviantArt I was already getting sick of the place, having my art stolen regularly by "fans" and paradoxically getting less and less interest in my work over time. By the time the devs turned the website into eye-blinding slop with Eclipse, I was more than ready to move on.

But I still enjoy using Tumblr. I like writing long text posts that no one would bother to read anywhere else, I like answering asks, and I like the unique sense of humor and style among the users here. ^^ It would take a lot to force me out.

Also, I can take a little solace in the fact that AI-bros do not value "low-quality" art like mine. ^^; If messy cel-shaded sketches with visible pixels ever become popular, then I'll worry, but for now I think it's highly unlikely that anyone will want to wholesale regurgitate my art. If anything, I think prioritizing it in their datasets would only make them worse...and on that note, if you do have "high quality" detailed/painterly/semi-realistic art that would be targeted, I'd recommend 'poisoning' it with Nightshade/Glaze. Although I heard a rumor a while back that AI is "building immunity" to Nightshade and already learning to work around it, but I'm really hoping that was just a wishful lie from the trash compactors themselves. I haven't heard it repeated since then, so I think it's still worth a shot. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So anyway, like the post I reblogged said, I think the best thing we can do now is to make it clear that WE DON'T WANT AI ART. We don't care how easy it'll be to instantly generate thousands of hours of mindless 'content' to look at; we don't want it. Since regulation is lagging so far behind (wanna know why Disney's copyright hounds didn't shut this down on sight? Most likely, they're hoping to profit from it down the line) the only way to fight this right now is with individual litigation and consumer demand.

Don't support projects made with AI**; don't hate-watch them or spotlight them. Focus your energy on the millions of human artists who are still here, and need your support now more than ever.

*I've heard people mention moving to Twitter and/or Artstation: fam, you're jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. ^^;;; IIRC, Arstation was one of the FIRST art sites to start flirting with AI, and Twitter has been selling off its users' data for several months already. Go there if you must, but don't go under the impression that it's "safer".

**Please keep a cool head when discussing AI art, and keep in mind that it used to mean something other than "mass theft". Artists have and still do create AI tools that are built on limited data sets with permission/compensation, that are used to aid them in their work and encourage human artistry (Vocaloids and DAW's, for instance) rather than stamp it out. Until a specific word evolves into popular use for exploitative AI, we're kinda stuck with this confusion, so remember to get the facts before you speak out.

P.S. Praying every night that this is a dumb fad that will soon die and go to the same hell as NFTs. >_< Praying every morning that the influx of AI art into its own datasets will eventually corrupt itself and make it useless. >_< >_< Praying every afternoon for both at once! >_< >_< >_< Like to charge, reblog to cast, all that

[the-bloody-sadist]

#we don't support peer preasure in this house

Love your hashtag above.

Can I ask how do you deal with hurtful comments on your fanfics from someone you consider a friend? Like I know if some stranger send hurtful comments it felt bad but damn when someone you know said the same thing it felt worse. Early this year I was kicked out and blocked from an animanga lover group when they find out that I wrote mlm fanfics from major shounen series (naruto,bnha, aot, jjk). This what they said :

“I'm convinced you must have never had friends before because all of these relationships are perfect depictions of what PLATONIC friendship is. If you want a gay story support ACTUAL gay couples like in BL & GL manga. Do you know how frustrating it is to see people move mountains for a non canon ship that’ll never happen then ignore actual gay manga’s and anime’s in BL & GL anime/manga...."

What do you think? Even until now, I'm still feeling a bit guilty for liking non canon mlm and wlw ships from shounen series. But when I found your blog and read your posts, I felt way better. Especially that answer of yours to anon who asked is it weird to love mlm& wlw more than wlm. Thanks for sharing your hard work (analysis, fanfics, arts, reviews).

Sorry for my rants and for my weird feelings.....

Ohhhh this is so precious please don't apologize for sending me this ask, I love feelings and hearing about other peoples' experiences with them and how my art/accounts have somehow been relatable because of that.

The peer pressure in fandoms is absolutely insane and convinces me that the social aspect works the same as any high school full of bullies. There WILL be mean girls, there WILL be cliques, and if you're a creator like me, you're going to be a MAGNET for like ten different types of them.

As for how I deal with hurtful comments, I was raised in an environment that constantly shamed me. I was controlled from all sides on what I could draw, write, and consume, so I'm used to being shunned by those who "love" me because of what I'm interested in! Because of this, the hate comments were what I EXPECTED going in and the positive comments were actually the things that threw me for loops. Hurtful comments only had the power to nag at me when I didn't have an audience (or friends) to bounce them off of so they wouldn't keep popping up as a "do I actually do this, though?" "am I actually bad for this?". But now they don't bother me; they give me the chance to either make a troll reply or spice up my friends' group chat for the day.

As far as a FRIEND leaving a hurtful comment??? I have so much sympathy for you. I am SO sorry they treated you that way.

When I make friends, I tell them openly what I do and to what extent. This way, I gather the type of people I want and push away those who don't. If they think it's not okay, they're silly.

Those friends who kicked you out of their little club? SILLY. They think they're so pure and moral for gatekeeping what can and can't be done with creativity and passion. They won't ever know what it feels like to live as freely as you do. In the end, their opinion is an opinion that is largely not shared by the logical, rational public. Any professional in the art/film/writing industry can tell you that much. How else are we supposed to make stories? Have a little IMAGINATION!! DAMN!

I'm saying a lot of this because it's the best thing to tell yourself when you read things that are clearly meant to make you feel shame when you haven't done a single thing wrong. Since this is Tumblr and I can ramble to my heart's content, maybe it'll help you if I also point out the specific tools that have been used in that message they sent you. Sometimes a good breakdown of tactics is all it takes to remind yourself you're not in the wrong.

"I'm convinced you must have never had friends before" AKA "you're so ignorant" - invalidating your experiences to crumble any foundation you might've had to stand on if you wanted to argue back. Starting off with this helps them cut you down so your self-esteem is lowered.

"these relationships are perfect depictions of what PLATONIC friendship is" - their opinion is being stated here as a fact, as if the entire world agrees with them and there's no other way to see it. First of all, this means NOTHING to the shipping world, since it exists largely to turn friendships into romances. Idk what they wanted to do with that one.

"If you want a gay story support ACTUAL gay couples like in BL & GL manga" - I'm not sure what kind of burn that is. SUPPORT ACTUAL GAY COUPLES LIKE THE REST OF US!! Okay snuffledumpkins. Guess nobody taught them how to MULTITASK!!! GUESS WHAT? I CAN SUPPORT ACTUAL GAY COUPLES *AND* NON-CANON GAY COUPLES, FREAK! WHAT NOW, HUH??? Being serious though, this is an attempt to define for YOU what ''''''true gay couples'''''' are (ACCORDING TO THEM), when this is an entirely fluid meaning and can be applied to whomever you'd like in fiction. This is THE PURPOSE OF FANFICTION.

"Do you know how frustrating it is to see people move mountains for a non canon ship that’ll never happen then ignore actual gay manga’s and anime’s in BL & GL anime/manga...." AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA! (inhales) AAAAAAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAH imagine being so stupid that you don't know how much better LGBT representation can be in fanfiction and non-canon works than in actual BL/GL works. Imagine thinking that the only way you are allowed to enjoy BL/GL relationships is through canon couples, otherwise you're not helping the cause. Here's the biggest thing to remember: they don't give a fuck about the cause. They are using that language as a way to shame you. Oh you think these friends are in love??? You must not support LGBT people in real life. You must not support ACTUAL stories about ACTUAL gay people.

The logic jump is LAUGHABLE.

Ughhhh, what a long rant from me. But your last paragraph absolutely WARMED my heart, minus the part about feeling guilty. Let me just...[shines spotlight down on you][metal screech][picks up megaphone] YOU ARE NOT IN THE WRONG FOR WANTING FICTIONAL FRIENDS TO FICTIONALLY FUCK EACH OTHERS' BRAINS OUT!!! YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS MATTER, HOWEVER, ARE VERY UNDERSTANDABLE AND SHOULD NOT BE INVALIDATED, BECAUSE BULLYING IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DEAL WITH AND CAUSES VERY COMPLICATED FEELINGS REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG. YOU ARE A WONDERFUL PERSON AND YOUR FICTIONAL PREFERENCES DO NOT DEFINE YOU. BE FREE, LITTLE BIRDIE! SHIP THE MASSES OF BOYS AND GIRLS IN RELATIONSHIPS THAT ANIME LOVES TO TEASE ON PURPOSE WITHOUT ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH A ROMANCE SUBPLOT BECAUSE THEY'RE COWARDS!!!! THEY CAN BE ACTUAL GAY COUPLES TOO! BECAUSE YOU SAID SO! AND THAT'S OKAY!!!!

[puts the megaphone down][coughs]

I hope that helps. :D Thank you for the ask, and much love to you! It means a lot that you appreciate my work and my analyses and my opinions enough to ask me about such a painful subject.🖤

You are, in fact, quite normal for your opinion, and my entire audience would agree.

[im-akira]

Joel Miller x F!Reader | 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 | 🌿

Chapter 5 : Here with me | Chapter 6 | Summary

Series Summary : Joel Miller is no longer the same man after losing his entire family, except his little brother. A few months later, after saving Ellie from the Fireflies. He now lives in a community of survivors with Ellie and her younger brother, Tommy.

He has only one goal, to ensure his own survival and that of those he loves. Until the day he crossed paths with a young woman and her son in the community. The young woman’s face was particularly familiar.

Are you and Joel strangers or are you a lot more than that ?

Warnings : Mature content angst, smut, romance, blood, violence...

Do not : Claim, Repost, Copy, or Translate my stories anywhere else.

Notes : The gif I chose will allow you to imagine the dance scene between Joel and Y/N, he grabs her hands and looks at her with an angel look. I won’t say any more, sorry !✨

I apologize in advance but English is not my mother tongue. 💙

~*.♪。★*・゜・＊♪*.♪。★*・゜・＊♪*.♪°~

It's the weekend, and every Saturday there's a party in Jackson. Tommy and Ellie had this idea together, it was validated a few weeks ago. Despite the fact that Joel is not the first to want to participate in this kind of event like this, he had promised Ellie and Tommy that he would be there.

Ellie wasn't mad at Joel anymore, of course some of her anger was still deep inside her. But that party, that night, was the kind of time she could be just a teenager enjoying a village fete. In addition, she was surrounded by people who were important to her.

She didn't want to waste the occasion.

But there was one person in particular that made her nervous, Dina. It had only been a few weeks since she had met her at a group activity in Jackson, she was the one who made the first move. Dina was someone who understood Ellie, sometimes they didn't need to communicate with words, the look was enough to say things, emotions or feelings.

That evening, the world is there. Tommy and his wife, Maria, are already here to greet the people of Jackson. There are also Ellie, Jesse and Dina and other teenagers who have joined the party. Joel also joined his brother later that evening. He moved to a corner of the room with his guitar by his side. The hours pass and it is around the Green family to enter the party.

- James stays close to his mother and looks her up and down. Y/N made a little effort to dress up for this party. Generally she did not like to be the attention of all the eyes of a place, only that of her son was enough for her. « You look beautiful, mom, tonight. »

- « What do you mean by 'tonight'? Does that mean it's not the case the rest of the time ? » Y/N smiled at the expression on his son's face. He placed his arm just behind her back to support her.

- « You know exactly what I meant. » James could feel the gaze of some men on him and his mother on the way to the party. He didn't like it, he was like his father, a great protector. Y/N was an adult, she would have handled the situation perfectly if it had gotten out of hand. Yet James still keeps an eye on her.

- « It'll be fine, James, don't worry, and let's enjoy the evening, okay ? » Y/N clings more to her son's embrace to make him understand that she is not far from him, that she will always be there. « Jackson is not the outside world, there are no infected, no bandits. I know, you will tell me, danger is everywhere, but this time please me, for me, enjoy and have fun. »

- « Okay okay, I'm going to give in and listen to you in order to enjoy this party. »

The family goes to the entrance of the reception hall. The doors are already wide open. It's quite special. James is not used to this kind of place, he didn't really have time to enjoy it when he was young. Conversely, his mother likes to be with others, the world does not bother her. Much more comfortable with company than alone.

- After entering and greeting a few people, Y/N sees Ellie in a group of teenagers further down the room. Turning to her son, she stares at him. « Why don't you go join Ellie there ? You can meet new people, there are also some members of our group. »

- James looks away from his mother, turning slightly to Ellie and the other young adults. Putting her hand on her hip, a sigh blows from her mouth. « I guess I don't have a choice anyway. I just hope I don't regret it there. » When he finished his words, his mother gave him a dark look that made it clear he had to go, it was non-negotiable.

- He raised his hands in front of him, gesturing to his mother to tell her that he apologized for his words. « I was joking, of course. » James slowly walks away from his mother to join Ellie and the others at the corner of the room. Ellie is the first to see him, she beckons him to join them in the discussion.

- A glass of whiskey in hand, Tommy talking with his wife about everything and nothing at the same time. He sees Y/N who has just arrived, she was not accompanied by her son. « Maria, would you like to join me in introducing my friend over there ? » He points in the direction with his hand holding his whiskey glass.

- « Yeah, why not. But finish that drink before you talk to your friend, honey. » Maria smiles at her husband and moves first towards Y/N.

- « Good. » Tommy quickly finishes his drink with a sip and walks right behind his wife. He stands by her side and approaches the young mother. « Y/N ! This way ! »

- Once she made sure her son had joined the others and Ellie, she had the desire to go for a drink. Nothing bad, especially if she had to stay up all night. But before she headed for the bar, a familiar voice called her name, it was Tommy. « Oh ? Tommy ! And you are ? »

- Maria reached out to the young mother with a smile on her face. She was happy to meet another woman.« I introduce myself, Maria. I’m the wife of this man you know, Tommy. He told me you already know each other. » Maria introduced herself to Y/N in a friendly way, Tommy had not yet revealed to her who Y/N really was.

- Y/N grabs Maria's hand and leaves a smile on her face too. « Delighted Maria. My name is Y/N Green. And yes, that's right, I know your husband. In fact, he was the one who agreed to our group joining Jackson. I would say he saved our lives. » - « Don’t repeat that, or he’ll become pretentious. » Tommy lets out a beating in the throat, which makes both young women laugh at his reaction. « But if not, have you come alone tonight ? »

- « I came with my son, he is with the other young people of the evening. And you, I imagine you came together ? »

- Tommy speaks after Y/N. « That's right. The idea for this party came from me and Ellie. Maria wanted to join us to finish the preparations and Joel arrived a bit later to help us with the more complicated things to set up. »

- « I see, Joel can’t join the party ? » Asked the young mother. At first glance, she didn’t see him in the room. Inside, a little sensation, she wanted him to be there tonight. She had not seen him since the last time she was stuck in bed by illness. Since then, Joel has become a ghost.

- Tommy notices the young mother's interest in his question, it's as if she needs to talk to him. « Of course. He's right over there. » Tommy shows Y/N where Joel is, he was alone in a corner of the room with his guitar next to him.

- Y/N turned his body in the direction indicated by Tommy. « Why is he left alone ? »

- Tommy lets out a light laugh. « My brother’s been like that since he was a kid. You can’t change someone’s character, unfortunately. Maybe you should ask him to dance, and maybe you can get him out of his corner and join the party. »

- Hearing Tommy confirm that Joel was her brother, gave the young mother a slight kick in the stomach. Another confirmation of the truth that she had been trying to avoid since meeting Joel. « I have no objection to offering it to him, but are you sure he will accept ? »

- « Try it and see for yourself. We're going to dance with Maria, I'm sure you'll be able to get him on stage with you. » Tommy concludes and moves away from Y/N to move towards the center of the room.

- « See you soon and be brave, Y/N. I know my husband will be right and you will succeed. » Maria moves away from the young mother to join her husband near the stage, a smile on her face.

- Joel was quietly sitting in his corner, lost in thought, cleaning the wood of his guitar with an old rag. « Thank God you're here. » Caressing the strings with his fingertips, he closes his eyes for a moment.

Joel was sitting quietly in his corner, lost in thought, cleaning the wood of his guitar with an old rag. Thank God you’re here." He was always talking to his guitar, like she was talking to him back. By squeezing the strings with his fingertips, he closes his eyes for a while.

Y/N approaches Joel. He seems… asleep ? Seeing him with her eyes closed, she hesitates to disturb him. Knowing that her husband was only a few steps away and that she could at any time break that distance and hold him for the rest of the evening… But instead, she did nothing, she looked at him.

- Joel feels a presence near him. After rubbing his eyes, he sees Y/N facing him. A surprised look is on his face having recognized the young mother. « Y/N ? What are you doing here ? »

- « Good evening, Joel. Ellie and Tommy invited me and James to this little party. » His hands were particularly sweaty, and the rhythm of his breathing was also slightly disturbed. Joel was no stranger to her and yet she still managed to feel everything about him.

- « They did well. » Joel seems to understand by her attitude that she is trying to ask him something. « You seem to have something to ask me, don't you ? » He pulls his guitar away from his legs and sets it up in the spot right next to him, near the wall of the building. Strangely, Joel was particularly calm, which surprised even him.

To tell the truth, Y/N did not want to prolong what she had to ask him. Tommy was right to push her towards him, deep down she could tell he understood something about her. Was he aware of this game between her and Joel ?

- « Would you like to come with me to dance tonight ? » She went straight to the point of her thoughts and desires. It was after a few moments of hesitation felt deep inside her that Y/N managed to make her invitation. Doubt sinks deep inside her in a fraction of a second after her request. Will he agree to come with her ?

- Joel was not expecting it at all, Y/N offered him an invitation to dance. Why was he hesitating, she was his wife after all, wasn't she? But he had been putting up barriers ever since he met her. His choice was made after a few seconds of thinking in his head. « Y/N, it's not against you. But I'm not really the best dancer to accompany you. I think it's better for you to dance with someone other than me. » He concludes by devaluing himself with his last words. Again, Joel was trying to run away so as not to hurt her and to protect her.

- Y/N doesn't want to hear another word, that night she had a wish to put this game on hold between them, at least for tonight. This distance they inflict on each other was much more heartbreaking than being locked up in hell. She takes his hand and pulls Joel to the center of the room. « Now stop saying crazy things and get into position, Joel. »

Joel's gaze was on Y/N's hands. He didn't say anything, but his body and his eyes said a lot more than he wanted to show. He hesitates and grabs the hands of the young mother and with that he then offers her one of his most beautiful smiles. Y/N immersed himself in Joel's touch, his body had not forgotten his warmth and his touch.

You could almost say he had tears in his eyes. This look they shared, she was the only woman on this earth who was lucky enough to see it and have it. Y/N got that look on their wedding day, a moment she never erased from her memory.

Joel had understood the intentions of the young mother for this evening without her even saying anything. She wanted to be able to enjoy this evening with him and no one else. Even if it wasn't for long, it was better than nothing. So he was going to do the same thing, enjoy this moment, with her. - « Joel, relax your shoulders. » Y/N keeps her hands with Joel's, laughing lightly when she sees him let go and lets out a laugh. His hands were large, rough and warm. The young mother felt all her stress through the sweat on her hands. She slowly steps closer to his ear to whisper something that only he could hear. « It's just you and me, no one else. Okay ? » His eyes never leave hers.

The room and the dance floor were full of people, so what? That night, Y/N wanted to put aside his barriers with Joel. She knows she shouldn't, he knew it too but this distance has become more and more painful every day.

He was her man, her husband, her world, her heart. And from the first day they met at Joel’s, things were so different the next days. Everyone had the same intentions, protecting each other, but love and truth seem more powerful than all their lies.

The use of words was a second option, their bodies simply came naturally and calmly. Joel tightened the grip he had with the size of Y/N a little more, just enough to bring it closer to him. - Joel will also come to the young mother’s ear to blow her answer. His tone reflects gentleness and sincerity. « No matter how long it takes, if we have to stay here all night, that’s fine with me, and as long as I’m with you, I have a smile on my face. »

Y/N did not respond, but was more than satisfied with the response. She then let herself be carried away by the rhythm of the dance, it is neither too fast nor too slow. Joel who earlier demeans himself by saying that he was bad at dancing, it's quite the opposite. Gently letting her head rest against Joel's chest, the young mother lets herself be guided.

Joel lets Y/N relax against him, his presence against his body does not bother him, it was the opposite, almost a blessing. Even after years, having him against him could only help him to be appeased. Y/N is not just a stranger, she was his wife and mother of his children. She manages to bring out sensations that Joel had long abandoned.

Even Tess couldn’t get all her feelings out of him. Joel left no door open for her or anyone else. He didn’t want to get attached to anyone.

James, Ellie and the rest of her group have moved to a corner of the reception hall so as not to disturb those dancing on stage. Some talk about everything and nothing while others watch people dance.

Arms crossed, James meditates in his corner trying to clear his mind. A light clap on his arm ends his meditation. Opening his eyes, he sees Ellie who makes him look further on stage.

- « Tell me, don't James, Joel and your mother dance over there ? »

- James lowers his arms and straightens up slightly to get a closer look at where Ellie says. He's not dreaming, they're both dancing. James is able to decipher the emotion projected on his mother's face, she is happy. « Yes, they are. »

James only observed them for a brief moment, he didn't suspect anything. He did as his mother asked him, enjoy this evening and leave worries aside. Drinking a few drinks didn’t really manage to get your head straight. Nevertheless, he again directed his attention to his group and Ellie.

- Y/N does not take off for a moment from Joel’s chest. She feels so good when she is near him, her presence reassures her. Y/N just feels safe by his side. « Thanks, Joel. »

- Joel puts his chin just above the head of Y/N, a sigh escapes. Leaving a slight silence to settle between them, Joel’s gaze is lost on the other couples present on the dance floor. « Y/N I… I am no longer the man you married that day. You’re not safe with me. » He didn’t want to break that moment, but he’s worried about it. For him, he was not a good man, he had done unforgivable things, forgiveness was not for him.

- Y/N pulled her face away from her chest in a rather quick move, hearing her say her words made her snap out of her thoughts. If she could take his face in her hands and kiss him without a word, she would but she couldn't, not here, not now. Instead, she came to place her hands on his large chest, with one of her hands placed just above his heart. All that remained was his gaze. « And me ? I could tell you the same thing, Joel. If you think you're a bad person, so am I. I am no longer the woman you married, and yet I stand before you. »

- Joel's hands pressed against Y/N's back, he didn't speak, but his gestures were enough to tell that he was listening to what she had to say. « I don't have all the details of his last years, but this world made us all what we didn't want to be, but above all, it was survival. Listen to my words, I am not afraid of the man you have become. Your son would tell you the same thing. »

- Joel continued to guide the Y/N body through the music playing in the background. « I could say all I want, put myself down as many times as I want. I couldn't change your point of view, it's always been like that between us, isn't it ? »

- « Wherever I go, I'll be home, if you're by my side, Joel. »

His reasoned words in his head, his lip trembled, he didn't want to show himself broken in front of her and the others. Joel wondered if this was reality or a bad dream. Nothing was fake, everything was real, like the love they had for each other.

This distance wanted to break things between them, the many years played a lot. Whatever it was, it turned Joel and Y/N into a version of themselves they didn't think they knew. Could he make up for lost time with Y/N ​​and James ? Would he be able to protect them despite the danger of this world ?

A few minutes later..

Here they are in the middle of the dance, due to fatigue, his legs no longer had the same strength as before and Joel stumbles unintentionally on the floor of the reception hall. Y/N tilts backwards, so he no longer controls his balance. Joel barely manages to put his foot properly on the ground. He quickly grabs Y/N by the waist and manages to regain his balance. Involuntarily, out of fear.

The young mother grabbed Joel's neck to avoid falling, she closed her eyes. What they haven't noticed at the moment is that their faces, their lips seem much closer. Y/N is so close to Joel, she can almost feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. Joel's gaze became one with that of the young mother, she could no longer leave him or even let go of his gaze.

- Y/N gently pulls her arms away from Joel's neck and steps away. « Excuse me, Joel. » Joel's arms only let go of his body when it was completely stable on the dance floor.

- Joel straightens up after giving Y/N time to remove his arms from his neck and slowly regain his balance. « It's alright Y/N, it's me who should apologize. My legs aren't as strong as they were a few years ago. »

- Y/N closes his eyes for a moment and tries to reflect on the current situation. An idea comes to mind, a smile on the face appears. « To make up for this fall, an idea came to mind. » She could see the misunderstanding on Joel’s face, it amused her.

- « I know that look and that smile too well, am I going to regret it ? »

- « You'll have to play me a song, of course, I'll let you choose the one you want. »

- « Okay, I guess I can't refuse. » Joel doesn't say a word and goes back to his corner where he was sitting earlier to retrieve his guitar. With guitar in hand, he returns to Y/N to pass her, move forward and exit the room.

Y/N understood by the outside movement, that Joel wanted to do it quietly away from others. Before she followed him to join him outside, she still wanted to warn her son of her short absence.

Her gaze quickly wandered around the room, then she found her. He was dancing with members of their group, and next door Ellie was with a young girl. Impossible for the young mother to put a name to this face.

For the first time in months, Y/N had been allowed to see a smile on James' face.

With everything that’s happened, with their band, the ups and downs, he hasn’t really been allowed to have a well-deserved break. He was always watching Y/N or the group members, his health was going on and it was normal for him because it had become a habit.

Y/N then decided to let him enjoy the evening quietly, if she wouldn't see him tomorrow morning, because he will have drunk, perhaps too much, or he will simply be sleeping at someone's house. . Whatever the reason, it didn't matter to her, because for Y/N, seeing her son flourish would only be a little bit, could only make her happy.

- « Tommy ! » She had spotted him just before she found James around the corner. The young mother had also noticed that his wife was with other people, in the center of the dance floor.

- « Y/N ? A problem ? » Tommy was sitting on chairs at the bar, Maria had gone dancing with friends of hers, leaving him alone with his whiskey in hand.

- « No, no, don't worry. But I would like you to do me a little favor. »

- « I'm listening to you ? » Tommy put his glass right next to him, adjusting his posture and his arms to place them against his chest, he was ready to listen.

- « I'm going for a walk outside with Joel. If James is looking for me, can you tell him why I'm not here? If you say no, I won't blame you, don't wor-… »

- Tommy smiled slightly at the young mother's request and slowly cut her off. Knowing that his brother was doing more than sticking around was more than enough. Besides, he wonders if Joel was going to try to do something with her. Will he tell her the truth or will he once again shirk his responsibilities ? « Go for it. It's a feat to get my brother out of his corner, so don't worry about your son, he'll get the information. »

- « Thank you so much Tommy, I owe you a debt ! » Y/N did not give her time to reply that she had already left for the exit of the building. She had picked up her coat at the reception and gone straight out hoping to find Joel quickly.

Tommy returns his gaze to the center of the room, more precisely to Maria. At the same time, she looks at him and gives him a nice smile, Tommy smiles back. He was hoping deep down that things would work out with his brother and Y/N.

It was not yet time to reveal to Joel the little secret between him and Maria, Joel was not yet ready to hear this revelation.

A few minutes later…

- The young mother is now outside, the air is rather balmy this evening. Looking to her left, she sees Joel sitting on a bench, his guitar against him. « So, did you make a choice ? »

- Joel puts his fingers on the strings of the guitar, a sweet sound comes out. « Yeah, the song is called 'Wayfaring Stranger.' »

Y/N is also sitting on the bench next to Joel. She closes her jacket, she puts her hands in the pockets of her jacket to counter the cold. The young mother is well seated and ready to listen.

Joel would play him a lot of songs over time, whenever he or she made a mistake. The arrangement between them was a song.

There were plenty of other solutions to fix the relationship issues, but Joel and Y/N decided on this together. Sometimes it didn't solve all the problems, but it was better than nothing.

Joel settles down correctly on the wooden bench, his fingers against the ropes, his breathing remaining suitably steady. He inhales a breath and lets his voice and his fingers play. The cold to give her cheeks a rather rosy tint.

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger Traveling through this world below There is no sickness, no toil, nor danger

Y/N is completely spellbound by Joel's song. He perfectly coordinated his body with his guitar. Even over time, he hadn't lost the experience in that. He looked so peaceful and happy to be able to play her a song again.

I'm just going over home

I know dark clouds will gather 'round me 

I know my way is hard and steep 

- A few minutes later, Joel finishes his song. He gently caresses the wood of his guitar, he is proud of himself. Joel looked up at the young mother. He couldn't describe how he felt at that moment, Y/N was filled with happiness. « I hope it was beyond your expectations. »

- Y/N is going to take one of his hands out of his jacket and put it on Joel's, specifically the one that was on the guitar. « It was beautiful, thank you Joel. You still have a very beautiful voice, know that. »

- « Glad to hear it has you more. And not I- » Faced with Y/N teasing, Joel lets out a light chuckle. He gently puts his guitar against the leg of the bench and walks away to rest his back against the back of the bench. Arms against his chest, Joel stared down at the sunrise.

- Y/N could see Joel’s lost gaze at the beauty of sunrise. He seemed lost in thought. « How are you, Joel ? »

- « I can’t describe how I feel, but I wish I could relive all the memories of the good old days, good and bad. Look at us, how we both age. » The pressure of his hands against the fabric of his jacket was stronger than before. Joel didn’t want to cross Y/N’s eyes, not until he finished saying what was on his heart.

- « All I wish now is not to let you go, to watch this sunrise together until the end of our lives without leaving this bench. » Right now, Joel was fighting. He had so much to tell her, to ask her. But instead, he chose not to think about that distance and go for it. Like Ellie and Tommy told him, if the chance comes he can't miss this opportunity to fix things.

Y/N listened to every word he said to her. It seemed so profound, that it touched the young mother deeply. Tears are added to the edge of his eyes, a few centimeters from the flow.

But she didn't say anything, instead she grabbed and pulled Joel's arms. She had a little trouble taking them off, he was getting very tense. But her body let go when Joel saw her doing her move, Y/N had something in mind.

She quietly rests her head on his shoulder without a word, bringing Joel's arm around her waist. The young mother wanted to enjoy this sunrise with him, even if it was not for eternity but just a few minutes, that was enough for her. As long as she had him by her side.

Joel let her, he was more than happy with what she had just done. He was not afraid of being surprised by anyone because they were very far from the party venue. It was just him and his wife, Joel had no words to describe how he felt right now. His arm, which was placed around her waist, tightens further, allowing him to have her a little closer to him.

It only lasted a few minutes, but for them it was as if time had stopped and they were in their own world.A world of peace, far from any danger and fear or what might await them in the days to come.

Twenty years of fighting hard to survive in this broken world, that both of them had forgotten what it was like to have someone close like that and to have this kind of moment like this.

- Then, Joel takes the floor to ask Y/N a question, breaking the silence. « Would you like to come with me on the next patrols ? »

Joel knew very well that what he was proposing was risky. This distance that he and Y/N had managed to put on throughout his last weeks was starting to gradually diminish. Whether it was him or her, they had set foot on a new path.

What they didn't know was that their choices would soon fall on them. No one will be able to stop or guess whatand arrive.

~*.♪。★*・゜・＊♪*.♪。★*・゜・＊♪*.♪°~ If you want to be marked on my future stories, let me know in the comments. Thank you again for reading ! 😊

[dragonmasterhiccup]

She felt soothed by the sound of his laughter, the worry that had been clouding her thoughts beginning to diminish as she curled up next to him. "Y'know, you're just making this worse for yourself… Well, better for me, actually.." Humming, Freya pretended to be in deep consideration. "So far you've got the nicknames of Dragon Master, I remember dragon dork… Dork, and O Great Defrosting One!" Snorting quietly to herself, she finished: "Tell me, what's life like for you, O Great Defrosting One..?"

Sighing in contentment, she decided to add a playful remark, "Yeah… Hey, maybe you should get colder more often. It'll give me an excuse to hug you longer." She suppressed her muffled snickers, hiding her face in the blankets and onto his shoulder.

Nodding lightly, her lips pulled into a loving smile, leaning her head on his chest as she replied. "Thank you…that means a lot to me…I wanna get better at…speaking up and not..keeping things inside, especially with you."

"And you're incredible. I'm extra lucky to have you." She glanced towards the Night Fury as he 'voiced' his complaint, narrowing her eyes in his direction. "Toothless! Are you trying to steal all of the attention?"

"Yes. But Hiccup, there's a difference between that and almost dying because of the cold." Freya said dryly, nearly daring him to retort back.

Seeing him pout in such a way made her falter in the slightest on the inside. Not that she would let him perform any tasks, no, but because it was so cute. She hardly ever watched him make an expression like it, and she was internally resisting the urge to kiss his cheeks.

'Don't stare at me like that..!' Her face probably became a bit red, but she couldn't exactly fight against it. Thor, he even made it difficult to scold him!

"You always can."

"Mhm!" Ayla tilted her head in pure confusion, Hiccup's comment of 'feeling useless' making no sense to her whatsoever. "What do you mean?… You're the Chief, Hiccup! Of course you're not…useless! And you're my brother, Fey's boyfriend, and you're our leader!" The young girl was genuinely puzzled as to why he said that.

Huffing dramatically, she nodded reassuringly. "Oh, Freya is definitely okay. She got all--" Her facial expression morphed into an 'angry' one, brows furrowing as she pointed, "You better listen here! And then after that, she started telling people what to do, helping them and things like that…I'm pretty sure Snotlout even lent a hand…Oh, and she stabbed a table with her dagger.."

Ayla shrugged. "She had to do it to make them stop yelling. Anyways, I'm fine. I'm happy you're doing better now, too!" She hugged her Sand Wraith toy closer, scooting towards Hiccup as she giggled. "You look like you're under a cave of fur!"

She gasped, a sudden idea coming to mind while she repeatedly poked his shoulder. "Hey, hey, hey! I just thought of something! What if we build snow dragons outside when the storm is gone?"

Blaze sneezed for the second time, accidentally chewing the prosthetic a little too hard. He glanced towards the younger Leif as she chuckled, an offended spark in his eyes. "Ew, why does Blaze have…your leg..?" The Sand Wraith in question grumbled, slowly leaning his head down and abruptly nibbling it again.

"Fey put the Chief in time out?!" She erupted into a storm of laughter, clutching her stomach as tears of joy threatened to spill over.

While Ayla's fit of giggles continued, Freya started to trek towards their spot, finally accomplishing her work. Hearing her younger sister, she squinted and peered through the remaining Vikings in her way. Her heart swelled in love at the sight of her being so..carefree around Hiccup.

About to walk up to them, she yelped as a kid suddenly darted right past her, the young boy nearly tripping on his feet. "Woah, woah, woah! Hey, are you alright?" She asked, skimming him over to make sure he wasn't hurt. The boy gratefully used her arms to support himself, straightening his posture as he stood.

Once he was able to get a better look at her, he merely gaped, causing Freya to feel nervous. "Uhm…you okay..?" They both blinked, unresponsive. "…"

After an eternity, he slowly nodded, dragging his feet away, all the while still staring at her, before he hurriedly ran off once more.

She snapped out of her daze when Ayla called for her, "Fey! Are you okay? Can't handle being around a kid that isn't me?"

Freya immediately looked at her, unamused. "Haha. So funny." She muttered, sighing as she sat down beside the Chief. "Did I miss anything?"

"Am I? What, I, I can't have a sense of humor about all this?" Holding back a laugh, he pursed his lips as if in deep thought. "Chilly." His eyes focusing on hers, he gave a lopsided grin, "...but, it's warming up."

Wrapping his arms around her, he questioned, "Since when did you need an excuse? I mean, I guess you might've before...before we got together, I mean--but, now? You don't need an excuse, just go for it. I'm sure you'll extend the same courtesy to one such as myself..."

Taking a breath, he said quietly, "That's something we'll have to work on together, then. Because I have the same issue, though I think you already knew that..."

Toothless grumbled a little more, waggling his head. "Toothless! You don't need to be jealous," Hiccup told the dragon, "You know I love you and Freya, just in different ways, is all..."

The Night Fury shot Hiccup a look of betrayal.

"Wh--Toothless! You're, you're my best friend! Of course I love you, but Freya is my girlfriend...the love I have for her is more of a romantic love than a friendship love..."

The dragon huffed, ruffling Hiccup's hair.

"You're my best bud, Toothless. That's a category all in of itself!'

Thinking for a moment, Toothless decided it was a suitable answer, giving a grunt before laying his head back down. Grinning, Hiccup gave Freya an apologetic look, settling back in with her against Toothless' side.

Getting quiet for a moment, he averted his gaze, "Y-yeah, I uh, I guess you do have a bit of a point there..." Looking into her eyes to show how serious he was, he added, "but the moment I don't need these blankets, we'll distribute them, deal?"

Tilting his head, he didn't understand what she meant, "Like what?"

---

Gesturing down at himself, he explained, "I'm...I'm out of commission at the moment. I can't do what Chiefs or brothers or boyfriends are supposed to do right now. Instead, I'm stuck under blankets until I've fully recovered. Granted, these blankets are soft and comfortable, but I have a responsibility to look after you, and Freya...the whole tribe. And, right now? I can't..."

Sighing, he said, "Thankfully it's only temporary. I'll be back on my feet soon enough, at least I hope I will..."

He chuckled lightly at Ayla's impression of her sister, finding it to be quite accurate. At the mention of her stabbing a table, his eyes widened briefly in surprise.

"I must've slept through all of that, I didn't hear a thing...well, thanks for the update!" Nodding, he agreed, "I'm glad to be doing better, too. I've finally stopped shivering...for the most part."

Glancing down at the blankets surrounding him, he let out a light laugh, "Hey, you're right! I guess I do! You're not cold, are you? I'm more than happy to give you one or two of these blankets if you are..."

Smiling, he nodded, "That's a great idea! And a good way to help the tribe, they probably feel a bit cooped up in here... and if they aren't, they probably will by morning."

Leaning in as if sharing a secret, he asked, "Do you think Freya would build one with us?"

If she even lets me back outside, he thought to himself, though after today, I have no desire to go back out there...but, I'd do it for Ayla, if it made her happy...

His face fell, a little embarrassed, "Oh, uh...Freya took it away, so I wouldn't try anything before I recovered fully."

Spotting his girlfriend approaching, his expression softened, becoming affectionate as he gazed at her.

He did witness the strange interaction she had with the boy, though he couldn't place exactly who he was for some reason.

Wrapping his arm and a blanket around Freya, he answered, "Not too much. Ayla and I were just talking about building some snowdragons after the storm...and you? Is the tribe doing alright, everyone has everything they need?"

Lowering his voice, he asked, "What happened with that boy just now?"

[collegetennisoriginstory]

OK. UM. first of all, hiiii! <3 ok lemme just gush a lil bit:

1. I LOVE UR FIC OHMYGOD HOLY SHIIIIIIIT

2. god, i don't even have the slightest idea of how tennis works, but this is just so????? like?????? you know. and i kinda get how the play goes?? YOU'RE AN AMAZING WRITER GOSH.

3. i actually remembered most of the characters?? considering there's a lot of em, this is practically a miracle. again, you're goddamn amazing. i dont know how. maybe the pace is great, but definitely THE CHARAS ALL HAVE PERSONALITY/DEPTH??? like, i actually even remembered the side charas!!! mike, thalia, diego, felix, that cool ass girl in that shooting game, etc. umh just perfecto.

4. THE TENNIS MATCHES ALL FEEL SO SATISFYING!!! <3333333 omg. i feel like WUOOOOOH u know. i feel so cool playing a cool talented mc omg im loving it (i play a i-win-everything type of mc becuz im a perfectionist with a fear of failure) the matches me on edge in my seat oh gosh <3 and when u win it somehow just go WOOOOOOOH again!!! AAAAAA<3

5. aw, and of course, my beloved rivals to lovers rayyan <3333 *sigh* the slowburn.... (hes actually my first & only one. i go: ohhh tension!?!? and make a run for it. um, if it's ok to ask, is there a lot of content in the romance area as of now or in the future? like, replayability in terms of romance? im sorry if this is rude, i didnt mean to, i suck at words & i wont ask that again.)

6. FOUND FAMILY YAY! FOUND FAMILY YAY! <33333 (we genuinely lack those in the if community pls.) soulmates w/ sam. ride or die diego. very reluctant ride or die G (imma be honest, his name is just so hard so my head for some reason just go Guacamole 😭). aww tobin u very big cinammon roll ill protect u. shenanigans. & others too many to name honestly.

7. help this is just so good i had to force myself to sleep at 3am for a 7am lecture and i sat in the front rows and i put my head on the table and the fricking professor called me out ohmygod- BUT IT WAS WORTH IT GODDAMN!! ILL DO IT AGAIN IF I HAVE TO! HA! i cant wait for the next update- i'm gonna have this fic in my head for the next week oh pls noooooo. (no pressure tho. u do u author! take ur time!!! ill be here to support u, whoo!)

8.ALL IN ALL, I LOVE IT I LOVE THIS I LOVE EVERYONE I LOVE YOU AUTHOR *runs over & hug you w/ consent* <333333333333

ok. um. that's not it but if i continue it's literally gonna be an essay so i'll stop.

author. i will die for this fic. ahaahahahah. if i may ask, what's ur fav IFs? (i really, really love this one so im kinda hoping maybe u have similar taste in IFs eheh. again, im sorry if this comes as rude or insensitive.) oh uh & if my long rambles bother u, i won't send it again sorry.

<333 okok. take care of urself, dont forget to eat healthy, drink water & good sleep. have a nice day :D

Wait. I think I might have missed replying to this I am so sorry!!! It gave me so so much joy. Maybe I subconsciously did not want it to leave my inbox haha.

1. And 2 -> THANK YOU!

3. Gosh this is such a great thing to hear. There are a looot of characters, and I definitely worry sometimes that it gets to be too much, but I think the IF is getting long enough for me to give enough-ish screentime to each character... though it takes me a while to cycle back to different side characters. I cant believe you remembered the cool ass girl in laser tag! :)

4. AWESOME to hear! 🥰

5. Yup, being a character driven IF, there will be a lot of romance (or friendship) beats / moments in the IF (which is already true now). The next couple of chapters will follow the same mix of sports, school and romance / hanging out, so you should already have a sense of how much romance there'll be (it'll just keep unfolding / developing for each of the RO routes!)

6. Hehe found family is my fave trope to insert in stories as well.

7. Hahaha aww oh no fictional college life is catching up to your real college life!!

8. HUG YOU BACK (with consent)!!🤗🤗

[queers-gambit]

hiiii, if u have time can you do billy and reader running away back to california together after high school, maybe the reader decides to go to college there?? reader isn’t from there but they both just want to escape to somewhere

hi, hey, hello, i've been sitting on this one for a bit.

i hated every "imagine" or "one shot" i was writing, so, i decided to simplify it for me, hope it's satisfying enough. all my love 🖤

but the repeating themes i keep coming towards?

reader decided to go to college out in California, and maybe Billy's maternal grandparents have a condo out there that they let reader and Billy have. they feel really bad for what Neil did, they didn't know the true extent - so, when you two come around, he tells them the truth, and out of guilt, they offer the only thing they can. it's already paid for, so, like, they're cool letting y'all pay for utilities and whatever - no rent. "least we can do," they tell Billy.

wouldn't that be nice? no rent? sheesh.

anyways, it's a cute lil apartment / condo thing, and while Billy hates accepting help, his grandparents insist it'll go to him in their will anyways so he might as well take the keys now. so, fuck it, you know?

reader goes to school full time while Billy works, maybe at the local mechanics shop? just imagine that - Billy... mullet and all... overalls, grease-stained white wife beater... oh, yeah, that's a good mental image for me. yum, you know? and maybe he even gets you a part time gig as the receptionist for you to work between classes.

it would mean you two see more of one another and reader would often see Billy working. gets reader goin', yah know? vroom vroom.

anyways, reader def doesn't stay at the receptionist job 'cause of the college degree, yah know? internships and shit. so, Billy doesn't mind picking up extra shifts, he's content to support reader's dreams and aspirations, and you know what? reader turns him into a house husband eventually! he still has his mechanic job, but it's mostly part time after reader graduates and gets their first big-time job.

that money upgrade? lord, have mercy! and no rent? all there is to do is SAVE money! oh, it must be nice!

anyways, wife him up, yah hear me? reader is the breadwinner, but that's only 'cause Billy held it the fuck down during reader's schooling. no matter how long it took, he was happy to see his lover working hard. and sure, yeah, there's years of turmoil and fighting and disagreements, but life gets really good after that 'cause all Billy needs is consistency.

anything outside of that isn't really okay with him. Billy's used to things being so shitty that when reader's busy with school, it makes him uneasy. part of the reason he got you the receptionist job, you see? he likes physically seeing you, it comforts and assures him, but it also was a routine for him. he knew your work schedule and just had to adjust to your school schedules. poor boy loses his shit after the first semester because classes change in the spring and fall and he *just* got used to the first semester schedule.

however, being in Cali really helps. it's his neck of the woods, it's where he's confident, so, eventually, he learns that while you're in school, he has to make the effort in the relationship. it takes a lot of work on his end, and Billy's not used to that, so he has a difficult time adjusting but for his lover? he'll make do. y'all establish a life there, a routine, a home - and eventually, you move out of the condo for a "starter home" because now? that you've graduated? yeah, Billy's ready for marriage.

never thought he would, but after he realized you had given up your entire life in Hawkins to move with him back to Cali? the boy is considering something long-term. something committing. something permanent. so, literally only 3 months after you start your new job, Billy's posing the question - just to get a feel for the feelings surrounding marriage. he likes where things are, doesn't really wanna shake things up, but when reader's like "yeah, i'm down," he's getting a ring and running to the courthouse.

it's simple, it's official. it's the way things are supposed to play out.