#and now people are just. starting up doing it so casually again.

[mrsmangi]

Hibiscus 🌺🌺🌺

late night call - luigi mangione

♡ flower prompt: hibiscus - the realization of a friendship becoming something more - meaning: in victorian times, the gift of a hibiscus bloom meant that the giver was acknowledging the receiver’s delicate beauty. ♡ w.c.: 1k ♡ a/n: hi, love! thank you so much for your request. srry for the delay, i'm a bit backed up with requests. she's a short one, but i hope you enjoy!

♡ send me a flower & i'll write a drabble based off the prompt ! ↪ prompts that have been requested

“Do you ever think people realize just how loud their ceiling fans are?” 

His voice comes through the phone, low and scratchy, like he’s been lying on his back for too long, staring at his own ceiling. You giggle softly, shifting against the pillow propped against your back. Your own fan spins above you, a rhythmic hum filling the space between his words and yours. 

“It’s white noise,” you say, quieter than usual. “After a while, you get used to it and stop hearing it.” 

“Mm, not tonight,” Luigi sighs. “It’s like the fan’s trying to keep me awake for as long as possible.”

You laugh again, a soft, breathy sound that feels just a bit too loud in the stillness of your room. It’s past midnight–long past the time you’d planned to be asleep–but this is how many of your nights with Luigi go. What starts with casual texts morphs into a phone call, then into hours of talking about nonsense; everything and nothing.

“Maybe it’s just your thoughts,” you tease. “What are the voices yelling at you about tonight?” 

He pauses on the other end of the line, just the faint sound of his breathing audible. You know Luigi well enough by now to know he’s not actively ignoring your question; he’s only deciding how much of himself to give away. 

“Life,” he answers lamely, though the vagueness of the reply altogether makes it clear there’s more to it than that. “Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do to succeed, it’s never enough?” 

You roll onto your side, pressing the phone closer to your ear. The dim glow of your bedside lamp casts uneven shadows against the wall. 

“All the time,” you reply honestly. “It gets exhausting, though. I feel like I’m just running a race no one even cares to watch.” 

He exhales, a sound that crackles through the receiver. When he speaks again, his voice carries the kind of understanding that comes from being seen. “Yeah. I get it.” 

The two of you fall into shared silence, the steady hum of your ceiling fan whispering across the line. You let yourself picture him for a moment–probably sprawled out on his bed, one arm thrown over his eyes. His phone would be balanced in his other hand. The image feels familiar, like something you’ve seen a thousand times before, even though you haven’t. 

“Can I ask you something?” His voice breaks the quiet.

“Always.” 

He’s quiet again, but you don’t rush him.

“Do you think…” He pauses again, and you can hear the shift of his breathing. “Do you ever think it’s possible for something to change without either person realizing it? Like, to wake up one day and feel like everything’s changed, even though nothing is actually different?” 

“Maybe,” you say cautiously, voice softer now. “Sometimes things can change so slowly you don’t even notice until it’s already different. Then, you find yourself wondering how long it’s been that way.” 

“Yeah,” he agrees. “That’s exactly what I mean.” 

You stare up at the spinning fan, asking him, “What’s different, Luigi?” 

He doesn’t answer right away. His continuous pauses make you grow somewhat uneasy, stretching a distance between you. “Us,” he says. “I think we’re different.” 

You exhale slowly. “Different how?” 

“I don’t know,” he admits. “But it’s like every time we talk, it feels different. More important, somehow, like there’s something there that wasn’t before.” He stops and you can nearly hear the way he’s turning the words over rin his head. “I used to just…enjoy talking to you, but now, it feels like I catch myself waiting for it. I’m counting down to the next time I’ll hear your voice. And when we’re not talking, I’m thinking about what I want to tell you the next time I see you, or wondering what you’re doing, or–” He breaks out into nervous laughter, cutting himself off. “Um, does any of that make sense or am I just rambling?” 

It makes perfect sense. Too much sense. Your heart picks up speed, the weight of his words pressing against the thoughts you’ve tried to push to the back of your mind. You notice it too. You’ve felt a change in the way you catch yourself thinking about him at odd moments–when a song reminds you of something he’s said, or when you replay the voice messages he sends just to hear his laugh on repeat. Tonight, he speaks heavier, like he’s cracked open a door you have both been staring at for weeks, maybe longer, unsure of who will turn the handle first. 

“It does,” you whisper. 

There’s a small, nearly imperceptible breath on his end, like he’s been holding it and didn’t even realize. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” You chew on your bottom lip, letting the word sink in. “I didn’t know if I should say anything. I didn’t want to ruin what we have.” 

“Me neither,” he says, “but I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel it. I do. All the time.” 

You close your eyes, the glow of the lamp behind your lids is a soft orange hue. “So, what now?” 

“I’m not sure,” he says. There’s no pretense, no cleverness to soften the edges of his words. “But maybe we can figure it out. Together.” He says his last word carefully, almost like it’s fragile–like it may break under the weight of its meaning if he doesn’t say it the right way. 

You hear him shift, the faint sound of fabric rustling through the receiver. It’s a small thing, but it makes the moment feel so real, tangible, like he’s not just a voice in the dark. You let his words settle over you. Luigi doesn’t have the answers to all your worries and neither do you. But, it feels comforting somehow–to know that he’s with you in this journey, and you with him. 

“Okay,” you say. A small smile tugs at the corners of your lips. You know he can hear it, even if he can’t see it. Your heart is full of love for this boy as you exhale: “Together.”

[haveihitanerve]

batfamily shenanigans: The kids make up fun silly rumors to freak out the justice league about the batcave. Like this one rumor where the bats in the cave are trained to attack intruders.

Bruce hated when his kids came to the Watchtower. Make no mistake, he loved his children, and any opportunity they allowed him to spend with them was like winning the lottery. But every time they joined him with the League, they somehow always managed to create a new rumor that fueled beliefs about him/Batman, that he wasn't entirely comfortable with.

It started, as most things in Gotham did, with Dick.

"What do you mean I can't take the bats to school for show and tell?" He whined as they entered the Watchtower for about Dick's third time. Bruce sighed, so far unaware of his son's ulterior motive.

"Chum, we've covered this, the bats in the Batcave aren't pets. You can't just take them-"

"I know that they're used as security and you've trained them to kill people, but that's only at your command!" Dick interrupted, pulling out all the stops of crossing his arms and pouting, voice echoing down the hall. League activity froze.

Bruce himself was frozen, unsure he had just heard his ward right, so shocked that Dick used the opportunity to plow ahead.

"I promise not to use the kill word! I swear!" He begged, and oh no, now the tears were coming.

Bruce glanced around frantically, but all of the League members nearby were staring at him weirdly, shifting away.

"He has murder bats?" Green Lantern hissed.

Bruce sent his son a look, dragging him back to the Zeta Tubes. His son smirked, only for a fraction of a second, before the waterworks returned. "You're never coming here again." Bruce muttered. Dick just laughed.

~

Apparently, the "tradition" was passed on. Bruce had hoped and prayed it wouldn't, that Jason, the sweetheart that he was, wouldn't adopt his gremlin older brothers activities, but Jason adored Dick. It was only a matter of time.

"Here ya go Batman!" Robin chirped cheerily, entering the meeting room with a cup. "You forgot to hydrate. Don't want ya passing out from lack of nutrition!"

Bruce glanced up from his work, frowning at his son. The thought was... kind, of course, but there was no need for him to announce it so loudly. Right when he entered the room. With eight other Leaguers present. And Batman was sitting on the other side. But oh well, he was being cute.

That was until Jason reached him. Bruce had noted the reaction as his son had walked past the other League members, the subtle glances they threw at the cup to peek at what was inside, then the paling of their faces as they stepped away.

His eyes narrowed, but Jason smiled, and some of his suspicion melted. Some. Not all. Jason was an angel from above, but he had fallen nevertheless.

So it came at no great shock when Jason handed him his cup, and it was filled to the brim with dark, ruby red punch. "Bin." Bruce growled, low in his throat. Low enough that only the few super hearing metas could hear.

"What Batman?" Jason chirped back, only one octave louder. "Is today's serving not to your liking? This one was very compliant. You like it to be willing, don't you?"

Bruce gritted his teeth. Jason's smile grew. "Night sent you didn't he." He grumbled, less an accusation, more resignation. Jason shrugged.

"He might've slipped me the idea that you need some company." But I came up with the rest was apparent enough. Good to know both his children were now demons. Bruce sighed and grabbed the cup.

~

Timothy, sweet, sweet, Timothy Drake would never do anything to hurt Bruce. Never. And yet here they were.

"You checked up on the guy from last night, by the way?" Tim asked casually, standing next to him by the Watchtower windows.

Bruce raised an eyebrow, glancing at his newest Robin. "Guy from last night?"

Tim nodded, pulling out his phone. That was when Bruce discovered his third was the worst of the worst. Because he had "proof".

"The dude you shot in the dick yesterday?" Tim asked, as though confused why Bruce wasn't getting it. "Come on, it's your favorite tactic to get information." The screen itself was blank, but Bruce knew that if he was pushed, Tim could pull up very real photos, and maybe even a video of Batman shooting someone in the penis. On multiple occasions.

Bruce gritted his teeth. "Is he okay?" He muttered, as League members around them shifted away, some of the men holding a protective hand around their genitals. Tim's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, he's doing fine now. Probably missing some things, but well." He shrugged. "What can you do?"

Bruce nodded his agreement, glancing at the Leaguers nearby. "Indeed."

~

Stephanie was the worst of them all. Because she was open about it. Because she came up with four in one day. Because he never invited her to the Watchtower for that specific reason, but she always came along anyway.

"Why didn't you tell me you steal people's eyes and keep them as trophies?" She gasped, smacking his arm in faux outrage.

Bruce almost broke down right there. Barry ran into the wall, Hal nearly fainted, and Oliver let out a real life gasp. Steph grinned.

"And you stabbed someone through the side with a table????" She exclaimed even more dramatically. "How is that even possible?"

Bruce shrugged. "Well its all about the balance of weight y'know?"

Steph ducked her head to cover her grin. "Wait so that means the rumors about you absorbing villains strength is true?" She false whispered.

Bruce nodded seriously. "Don't tell anyone."

Steph shook her head, tsking quietly. "How do you even do it?"

"It requires a ritual." Bruce revealed quietly, glancing around. "I can teach you, but it requires you to bind your soul-" He straightened as new Leaguers came around the corner, eyes already wide. "I'll tell you later." He mumbled.

Steph almost ruptured a lung in her effort not to laugh, burying herself under his arm and against his side. "Okay Batman." The laugh was audible to him in her words. "Later."

~

"Shaytan, I demand you return Father to me." Bruce blinked at the strange way in which his son was speaking to him.

"What?" He stuttered out, only years of rigorous Batman training keeping him from revealing any more confusion. Damian sighed impatiently, tapping his foot.

"I know that you are in control of the body right now." He muttered. "Shaytan, really. If you wanted to be Batman you could have just said something, but it is Father's turn to have control of the body."

Bruce blinked at his son. This was... creative. Truth be told, he quite honestly wasn't sure if this was Damian's own idea, or if maybe the others had convinced him that it was true. That Bruce was possessed by a demon who periodically took control of his body and mind.

"I assure you Robin, it is me." Bruce answered, trying his best to deepen his voice, make it slightly raspy, shoulders curving slightly to cramp his back. Damian's eyes glinted.

"Oh, of course." He returned sarcastically, and yep, Damian was in on the joke. "Come Shaytan, you know Father does not need sleep, and you dozed off moments ago. Additionally, you keep leering at the humans. It is not feeding time yet. Pull yourself together."

Bruce had to admit, it was funny seeing all his co-workers losing their minds over these what-the-fuck-does-that-mean rumors. And Damian was a damn good actor. It provided him some enjoyment in these dull hours.

Bruce shook himself, straightening, and blinked down at his son a few times. "Ah. Robin. Shaytan took over a moment ago. Thank you." Damian nodded back, crisp and sure.

"Of course Father. We do not want a repeat of last fall do we?" Bruce noted Hal, mouthing "last fall?" in horror to Barry, who shrugged helplessly. He smiled faintly, tousling his sons hair.

"No Robin, we do not."

[rintarosluvr]

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊

• Sylus × Reader

Topics: Y/n being dense, unresolved romantic tension and flirting, Y/n teasing sylus, Zayne, Xavier and Rafayel mentioned!

Note: Probably slow updates because classes started again

Word count: 3k

Chap.2

Chap.3

"I've been thinking a lot lately" you say

"About what?" Davina asks, glancing up from her phone as she scrolls through details about the trip your class and some other classes were going on for a project

"You guys might be right" you admit, sighing as you close the suitcase

"Finally!" Leanne exclaims "Took you long enough. So when are you going to confess?"

"What? No!" you shake your head "I'm not even sure he has feelings for me. I'm just going to figure it out during the trip"

"And if he does have feelings, you'll confess?" Leanne presses

"I never said I have feelings for him" you point out, raising an eyebrow

"Is she making sense to you guys?" Leanne asks turning to your friends

"She does" Vanessa says, nodding in agreement

"Yeah, totally" Kaori chuckles, leaning back

"So how are we gonna room?" Davina asks, reading out loud from the trip details "It says four people per apartment but there's ten of us"

"I'm not rooming with Amari, I still remember his snores" Kaori says dramatically, clearly haunted by the memory

"Yeah, I'll pass on rooming with Eydis or him. Knowing them, they'll be out all night and come back drunk" you add

"Fair point" Vanessa agrees with a nod "Maybe we should call them in case they've already picked their roommates"

"Smart" Leanne says

"Y/n, call Sylus" Davina says, suddenly

You raise an eyebrow "Why him specifically?"

"He always picks up when you call. The other guys have their phones on do not disturb all the time" Kaori explains

"Fine" You roll your eyes picking up your phone and call Sylus, within a second, he answers

"You called?"

You immediately frown "Why are you acting like I'm interrupting something?"

He chuckles "What's your question?"

"Do any of you already have roommates for the trip? We're trying to figure out who's with who" you explain

"From what we know, Mar and Roy paired up with Xavier and Zayne" Eydis says, leaning over the back of the couch next to Sylus

"So, who are you guys rooming with?" you ask, already sensing trouble

"The two of us are obviously a duo" Eydis replies casually

"Continue" Leanne prompts

"Also" Eydis says, grinning mischievously "I already submitted who we wanted to room with"

"You did what?!" Davina exclaims

"Uh yeah" Eydis continues "Y/n and Vanessa are rooming with us"

"What the fuck?" Vanessa mutters under her breath as you abruptly hang up

"That just pissed me off" you groan, tossing your phone aside

"I was really hoping we'd all room together" Leanne sighs, clearly just as annoyed

"That probably wouldn't have worked anyway since there's five of us" Davina points out

"Doesn't make it less frustrating" Vanessa says, crossing her arms

"Right" you mumble

Kaori sighs "Well, at least we're in the same building. We'll just have to spend most of the time hanging out in one place"

"So are you excited about rooming with Sylus?" Davina asks

"Please don't remind me" you groan, sinking back into the couch "Wait, if he has a crush on me, why hasn't he confessed? He's such a direct guy?"

"Maybe he's waiting to see if it's mutual?" Vanessa suggests, shrugging

"That would make sense" you mumble, the idea settling uncomfortably in your mind

"Or maybe he's just enjoying messing with you" Kaori teases

"Very helpful Ri, I already know that" you deadpan

"Hey, I'm just saying. Sylus is definitely not the type to make a move without knowing he has a shot" she adds with a knowing look

You sigh grabbing a pillow and tossing it at her "I don't need this kind of analysis right now"

"Too late" Leanne chimes in "You brought this on yourself the moment you started overthinking"

[The Next Day]

"You really not speaking to us?" Eydis asks, leaning over to catch your gaze as you turn your face away, arms crossed, you don't respond still pointedly ignoring him as everyone lounges at the airport, killing time before the flight

"You guys really fucked us up" Vanessa says glaring at Eydis and Sylus "Why us tho?"

"Yeah" Davina chimes in, equally annoyed "You could've added Kazu and asked Rafayel to join you or something"

Sylus shrugs, unbothered "Wouldn't one of you still be forced to room with three random people? There are five of you?"

"We would've figured something out" Kaori says "But now Kazu is stuck rooming with us"

Kazuo shrugs "I've done it before. Don't mind it"

"Yeah, because last time we didn't want to room with strangers" Leanne points out

"You should be mad at them" you mumble, still refusing to look at Sylus or Eydis

Kazuo laughs and casually throws an arm over your shoulder, squeezing your cheek affectionately "We'll both survive. Don't worry"

You groan "You wanna switch? Please say yes"

He chuckles shaking his head. "Nah, I'm good. Rooming with them is hell"

You let out a dramatic sigh, tilting your head to the side until it rests against his chest "You could save me, but instead, you're just letting me drown"

"It's all love" he teases, patting your you head

"Liar" you mutter, tossing Kazuo's arm off of you as you make your way over to Amari and Leroy

"So when we get there, we're gonna find something to smoke" Amari says, grinning as you take a seat next to him

"For sure" Leroy nods, turning to you."You joining us?"

"Why not" you shrug

"You smoke?" Sylus's voice cuts in as he sits down nearby

"Yeah" you say, like it's common knowledge "Here and there"

"Since when?" he asks, his brows furrowed

You shrug again "Don't know, like a few years now"

Before Sylus can respond, Leroy stands up "We're gonna hit the store. You guys want anything?"

"Yeah, grab me a drink, whichever is fine" you say

"I'm good, thanks" Sylus adds

Both guys nod before heading off, leaving you and Sylus alone

"So why'd you agree with Eydis's stupid plan?" you ask, turning to Sylus even though there's a seat between you two, eyeing him suspiciously

"I didn't really have a choice" he shrugs "He went ahead and did it himself"

"But you didn't stop him" you point out, narrowing your eyes

He smirks leaning back in the seat "Why would I? I don't mind rooming with you"

"Oh, how generous of you" you say, rolling your eyes "Did you ever think that maybe I mind?"

"Nope" he replied "You get to spend quality time with me. Sounds like a win"

"Quality time?" you scoff "Please, I'd rather room with Mar and Roy"

"Sure you do" he teases "You wouldn't last five minutes before begging to switch back"

"You wish" you fire back, narrowing your eyes at him "You'll be the one regretting it when I cockblock you whenever I can"

Sylus raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips "Oh, really? You're that dedicated?"

"Absolutely" you say with confidence

Sylus leans forward, practically daring you to keep going "You'll just end up cockblocking yourself"

You blink in confusion, still processing his words "Wait, what? You can't just say stuff like that and walk away"

Sylus flashes a grin, clearly amused by the reaction he's gotten "Sure I can" He picks up his phone and steps a few feet away, clearly intent on ignoring you now but you can still feel your body heat up from his teasing

"You're so annoying" you mutter under your breath

But it doesn't stop you from wondering what he meant and part of you hated how easily he managed to get under your skin

"What did he say?" Davina asks siting down, her eyes narrowed in curiosity as she watches you

"What?" you ask still processing the conversation you just had

"You were shocked, why?" She presses

You let out a deep breath "I told him l'd cockblock him for rooming with me and he said that l'd end up cockblocking myself"

Davina's eyes widen and she leans in, lowering her voice "He wants to fuck you" "I thought he meant he-"

"Nope, you thought wrong" she interrupts, You roll your eyes, clearly not in the mood for her teasing "Why do you look so happy about it?"

She places her hand on your shoulder, giving you a knowing smile "Because he wants you, Y/n. Stop acting so dense and accept it"

You scoff, shaking your head "Never"

Davina leans in closer "You lowkey want him too"

“Believe what you want”

"You've been staring" Vanessa says, glancing at you with a small smile

"I'm not" you reply quickly, not wanting to admit it

"So you haven't been staring at his thighs?" she adds, raising an eyebrow

You let out a dramatic sigh throwing your head back in frustration "I hate Davina"

Vanessa chuckles "She was right" "Yeah, I figured" you mumble, feeling your body heat up

"We're ready! You guys ready to explore the city?" You hear Eydis call from across the room, snapping you out of your flustered state

"We've been ready for the past thirty minutes" Vanessa says, crossing her arms and looking at the guys "But guess you pretty boys have to take all the time to get ready, huh?"

You chuckle standing up and grab your small bag "Right"

"So you're admitting I'm good looking?" Sylus says, joining you as you walk toward the door

"You're sounding delusional. Never said that" you say, pulling out your lip gloss and knocking on the door next door

"You did agree with Vanessa, so you do think we're pretty boys" Eydis states, throwing an arm over Sylus's shoulder as you apply your lip gloss

You roll your eyes "Living in a world with delusional men is exhausting"

Eydis grins while Sylus just watches you, his gaze lingering on your lips as you finish applying the gloss and put it back in your bag

"Get out!" Kaori mutters as she opens the door, trying to push Leroy out of their room

"I didn't do anything!" Leroy protests

"Farting is something" she snaps, glaring at him

You frown "You guys ready?"

They both stop, mid action. Kaori was still pushing Leroy out while he clung to the door knob

"Your first mistake was letting them in" Vanessa says, glancing at the three other girls approaching you.

"We came to ask if we're going to the karaoke building we saw" Amari says, giving you a hopeful look.

"Should be fun. Why not?" Eydis grins

"Be aware, there are some people that are tone deaf, so your ears might start bleeding" you warn, glancing at Sylus

"That was aimed at Sylus" Leanne adds with a chuckle

"It's that bad?" Davina asks

"Terrible, actually" you mumble meeting Sylus's eyes

He gives you a small smile, clearly enjoying your teasing "Glad you're paying attention" he says

"Sure you do" you reply and follow Vanessa, who's already being pulled along by Davina

You feel an arm slip over your shoulder "This trip is gonna be funny, isn't it?" Eydis says, pulling you closer as he wraps his other arm around Sylus's shoulder

"Don't forget about the project we have to make while we're here" you remind him

"Such a buzzkill you are" Sylus mutters, You roll your eyes at him

[5:54PM]

"I'm honestly disappointed. I wanted to hear Sylus sing" Davina says, finally putting her phone down

Amari shakes his head "You guys didn't even give us a chance to sing. Mic hogs, the lot of you"

"I thought they were great" Leroy cuts in as he leans forward "You girls should seriously consider being a girl group. You've got the vocals and the moves"

"Yeah, I agree" Kazuo adds, finishing off his drink "Especially considering how you all used to dance back in the day. You've got the talent, it wouldn't be bad at all"

Vanessa shrugs, sipping her soda "Doesn't sound like a terrible idea"

"If you're serious, I know some people who could help you out" Sylus says casually

Kaori nods "We'll keep that in mind. Could be worth exploring"

You reach across the table to snag a few of Sylus's fries without asking, a habit you've had since high school

He doesn't even flinch, letting you grab as many as you want

Leanne, catching your quiet amusement, turns to you "What about you? What do you think?"

You pause, mid reach for another fry, blinking as all eyes turn to you "Uh... sounds fun" you say, shrugging "I mean, younger me always wanted to be famous. Maybe it's something I've always lowkey dreamed of"

"Same" Davina agrees "It's giving childhood dreams, for sure"

"Us all being in a girl group? Absolute chaos. But honestly, it'd be amazing. You can't tell me we wouldn't crush it" Vanessa says

You feel the brush of Sylus's legs against yours, making you stop mid motion, narrowing your eyes as you glance up at him

Without saying a word, you pull the tray in front of him toward you, raising an eyebrow in question

His expression doesn't falter, unreadable as ever "What?" he asks, his voice calm but there's a flicker of amusement in his eyes

You don't respond, instead slowly sliding the tray closer to yourself as if daring him to make a move, His legs stay where they are, practically caging yours under the table

He leans back in his seat, resting an arm lazily on the chair next to him "Don't look at me like that. You're the one stealing my fries"

"And you're the one being invasive" you shoot back, though you don't move your legs either

He smirks "You're not moving them, though"

You roll your eyes grabbing another fry off the tray to avoid addressing his comment. Sylus just chuckles, leaning forward to steal a fry from the tray you just claimed

"Touché" he murmurs, his smirk widening when you glare at him

You slide your feet out of your sandals under the table, brushing them lightly against Sylus's bare legs

The sudden contact makes him pause, his eyebrow arches, an amused challenge flickering in his eyes

In response, you flash him a sweet almost innocent fake smile, as if daring him to call you out

"Oh, so we're doing that now?" he asks, his tone low enough that the others at the table don't notice

"Doing what?" you reply, feigning ignorance as your foot trails higher against his calf

His smirk deepens, but he doesn't move away "You've got some nerve, stealing my fries and starting something you can't finish"

"Who says I can't finish?" you counter, still maintaining your mock innocent demeanor as you grab another fry from his tray

Sylus leans forward, lowering his voice so only you can hear "Careful, Y/n. I might just call your bluff"

The heat rising to your face betrays you "Try me"

The tension lingers for a beat too long before Sylus shifts slightly, his hand brushing under the table

Without warning, he stops your foot from going even higher on his thighs, his fingers wrapping lightly around your ankle

You tilt your head, a sly smile spreading across your lips "I win" you say simply, your tone dripping with confidence

He raises an eyebrow, his thumb grazing your ankle in a way that sends a chill up your spine "You think so?" he asks

"I know so" you counter, leaning back, satisfied with your small victory

Sylus smirks, leaning closer across the table as if to close the distance between you "Games like this can backfire" he says, his grip loosening just enough to let your foot slip free

You shrug slipping your foot back into your sandal with deliberate slowness "Only if you're not good at them"

Taking a long sip of your drink, you try to ignore the flutter in your stomach, the way the tension still hangs between you like a taut wire

Sylus eyes never leave yours. The corner of his mouth quirks up in that maddeningly smug expression that makes your heart race and your irritation flare in equal measure

This wasn't over and you both knew it

"Alright, let's head back. We gotta start with the project" Kazuo says, standing up and stretching

"Yeah, I agree" you say, your tone breezy as you finally break eye contact with Sylus, sliding your bag onto your shoulder

"I still haven't read the email the professor sent" Amari admits, rubbing the back of his neck

"Which isn't shocking" Davina chimes in, You chuckle shaking your head "You're always unprepared"

"Hey, I like to keep things exciting" Amari grins

Chap.4>

[richarlotte]

Do you have any Instagram tips for on campus?

Instagram is the main form of social media used on my campus and on the campuses surrounding me. Snapchat, VSCO, Discord, YikYak, and a few smaller social media apps are popular on my campus, but Insta is the king of kings, and I find it to be the most useful when it comes to creating connections, getting to know people, and actually getting asked out to things.

I’d recommend starting fresh; either delete your old account or get to removing followers. Not everyone in the world needs to follow you; you don’t need to open your world to prying eyes, and it looks better to start small and slowly build instead of following and being followed by thousands of people. If you’re going to buy followers, don’t start with 20,000 or anything close to it; slowly buy followers and increase your following naturally and make sure that your following-to-followed-by ratio looks natural. 

Along with that, turn off your likes and comments if you’re going to make a habit of buying likes. I don’t think it looks weird, and if you have 6,500 likes on a picture, no comments, and no sign of real (not bot) interaction, people will know. I have a friend who is very popular on campus, has tons of engagement, and keeps her likes/comments off because of an eating disorder, and no one thinks of it. If you’re building your world up artificially, don’t be afraid to look for inspiration on other accounts (don’t copy and cover your tracks), keep your head on straight, and start now so that you have time. 

You don’t need to post a million selfies, and I’d recommend against it. There’s been a push to make Instagram more casual again, and so the attractiveness of your profile is very important. You can also go with the bit and have a funny IG, but no matter what you do, be sure to post pics of your surroundings, the things you notice, and slowly build your profile up. I personally have only a few photos of myself/my body, plenty from my travels, highlights of food/friends/events/everyday life, and plenty of casual snaps. You do not need to post frequently if you’re not interested in growing a following. 

Your bio can be whatever you want it to be; you don’t have to add your snap to it (and I’d honestly recommend against it). Follow campus organizations and make an effort to follow the people who you meet and want to follow you, and use Instagram as a tool to stay in the know. When I first moved out of my home and started making it on my own, Instagram was my lifeline and my way to get to know people, and it continued to be just that when I moved to school. 

Remember that you can remove people from your following and do so frequently. I had a bunch of club promoters following me and offering to get me in free; I took them off my list, removed the minor influencers, and kept it moving. I’d also like to stress the importance of using Instagram as a way to connect with people, not just as a social media app. I have no shame in saying that most of my professional sports connections and so many of my lasting friendships happened because I was willing to slide into the DMs and start conversations. 

This is all over the place, but most of my points are there, and you can come into my messages if you have any questions or want examples. I can also post my tips for introducing yourself in the DMs and meeting people, what to post if you want to catch someone’s eye, and how to move if you want to get into events or be invited out. It’s not a hard game to learn, but you have to be willing to learn and play it so that you win. 

[citystain]

an/cw: self sabotaging behavior? idk this is a weird vent-y hurt comfort piece Read At Ur Own Risk although it really isnt that bad, uuuhh per usual i dont want to know if you notice any grammatical errors n enjoy

wc: 742

there's not a single thing more terrifying than love. no monster, no prophecy, no clash of swords could ever match the primal fear it instilled in you.

percy is... something. he's been romancing you for the past few weeks and you've been letting him. it was fun. the banter, the feigned ignorance of what was happening between the two of you—it was all shiny and new and most importantly, your brain hadn't caught up to it yet.

before, anyway. now, it had its destructive hands all over it. the thought of percy no longer gave you butterflies but an unsettling feeling in your gut. the kind a deer got before running. now, he felt more like a wound you couldn't stitch up rather than a boy.

you hadn't seen him in a week (officially, now— you'd been counting.) and no, it wasn't avoidance. you were just... busy. the life of a demigod is a very hard one. you didn't have time for romance—not now, at least.

up until the fifth day, it had been bearable. now, you can hardly sleep without him haunting you in the quiet of the night. the memories of the two of you were painful to think about in any context: how he used to cradle your name so gently on his tongue, how every time you thought of him, you used the past tense, how you were currently ruining any sort of bond the two of you might have had.

when you're alone, loving him is horrific. it's choking on something too big to swallow.

percy was always too observant when it came to you. he noticed all your little pieces, ones you didn't even know existed. the smaller things, like how you took bigger breaths in the cold (so he could drape his sweater over your shoulders), and the bigger ones, like how you were throwing yourself into any activity to keep yourself away from him.

...

"are you avoiding me?" his voice startles you out of your daze. you hadn't even noticed him walk up, but he's there, standing in front of you, and it makes you want to bolt.

"i've been busy." you lie, not meeting his eyes.

"with what?"

you hate the way his voice still holds the warmth it always has with you. how he hasn't started hating you for your blatant disregard for his feelings with your behavior.

"stuff." you try to sound irritated, but it comes out flat.

there's silence. you glance at him finally, and know it's a mistake the second you do. his gaze is steady, unwavering, and so full of something you can't (or rather, won't) name that it makes your throat tighten. he's foolish to think, of all people, he could love you.

"listen.. i know we've been fooling around or whatever, but i know his ends, and it's not good, so consider this a favor." this is how it always goes. someone is naïve enough to keep trying with you, not knowing you crush all hope of love between your fingers with vengeance, and everyone gets hurt in the end.

despite the cold, fake-casual mood you've set, he sits next to you. "we haven't even got to the start and you're already talking about the end?" hes good at casual. certainly better than you.

"well- i'm just warning you." you look away, hugging your knees to your chest.

he nods, looking at you with a stupidly sweet smile. "alright, duly noted. now will you stop being dramatic and start talking to me again?"

your chest aches at how willing he is to fall into normalcy with you again, after the way you've been acting. you frown, though it's half-hearted. "i'm serious. i don't want to hurt you."

he laughs, and it aggravates you in a way that makes the pit in your stomach ease up a bit. he holds eye contact as he pulls your hand into his. "you won't hurt me. i promise."

you stare at him, eyebrows pulled together seriously. "you don't know—"

"how could i? how could i know anything when you keep running away before i can find out." he says with his signature, stupid, stupid, boyish charming laugh. you're too caught up in your own head and next rebuttal to put up a fight when he pulls you into his side. "please, will you at least try before you throw in the towel?"

you don't have the heart to deny him.

[neatalchemist]

how i would react to the characters if i had to talk to them/be around them irl but im avoidant

kuras: i would not speak a word for a Long while. id stay a couple feet away too, intimidated asfuck and also hes so pretty i wouldnt be able to say anything, id definitely look up to him and see him as someone to behave more like

leander: would still stay a few feet away because id be attracted to him and i cant be around people im attracted to. would talk to him but probably remain mostly quiet, so hell have to lead the talk. but wed definitely be friends because hes friends with Everyone

vere: i wouldnt be around him LAWLLLL id probably. text. or email. Fuck it send a pigeon, but if it had to be verbal id probably keep it short and shoot down any of his stabs at me(physical and verbal) and id probably(i know fs) hate him. ENEMIES

ais: same as vere. but his vibe is quieter so id probably be distanced physically talking and have a normal conversation he seems sane enough ignore the dev post. we could be acquaintances?

mhin: i dont think any of us would talk, like with the rest id talk because Theyd maybe talk to me, this here nope. wed be sitting at different sides of the rooftop and not even look at eachother because Again i cant be close to people i like because if i had to talk to them face to face id constantly be red and constantly bully them. but id absolutely start talking if we hung out more and then theyd beg me to leave them alone(never)

ren(14dwy): i would be sorta reluctant to talk to ren because of his soft aesthetic, but id probably do anyway, it would be a lot easier to talk to him, and again, stay at a distance and like. talk about anime? wed be friends :3

sol(tkatb): same as with mhin, i dont think wed talk Or be around eachother unless there was a reason to. id definitely be Scared but also Turned on mysteriously(as i am now) and be envious of his fucking OUTFIT AND HAIR, but if wwe kept hanging out cuz im sure id get along w hyugo, then we could for sure be friends

crowe(tkatb): probably be acquaintances, the type of "what hw did we have/do we have class" and thats as far as the talks go, but i believe id physically stand closer to him

mychael(mushroom oasis): now it gets tricky because id be stuck with him in a forest and i feel in my element in a forest so id probably be easy going and so so laid back (and ignore how he looks because its not the scariest thing ive seen) definitely id be like on guard but id keep a casual convo and stay closer physically, definitely just like acquaintances

john doe: id move countries. the stench.

jack(swwsdj): id consider going to a psychiatrist Fr/stay as far away as possible

casper(adwd): casper i would not want to be around you im so sorry. wed probably get along Great with talking though, id definitely bully him(with love) so texting Yes being around him No because well. my boaner. i think we could be like Best Friends. Yes Yes I know

[knightwhoisni]

-

...do we really need to go over how telling people to kill themselves is a fucking horrid thing to do again? i don't fucking care who you're telling to do it, just use one of the ten billion other goddamn ways to tell someone to fuck off!

[chainsawl]

[ ID: A tumblr post by @/fox-guardian reading "he's a sweetheart he's a bitch he's just a little guy he's so very powerful he's the kindest of souls he's SO rude he means everything to me". Below it there is a transparent png of bmo adventure time with multiple red arrows pointing at them. End ID ]

[calamitydaze]

long tag ramble below u have been warned

[stairset]

I realize this could get me crucified in certain circles but as good as Andor was I really do think its fans can be truly insufferable.

[widevibratobitch]

aaaaaaand it's starting. mom's bestie just texted me asking to come over this weekend cause it's Bad and it's probably the last chance to talk and maybe say goodbye to my mom's husband and i need to take care of her. god. i wont get through this weekend unless im high or drunk istg.

[goblin-enjoyer]

oh by the corpses I just seen someone on twitter point to when they added first added hats as when tf2s artstyle died. Calling tf2s artstyle beforehand "restrained 50s cold war art direction" as if it wasn't silly day one. "people rightfully shit on cod for breaking its art style but tf2 has been a mess for longer that nobody questions it" as if the game didn't have cartoony gore effects, funny voice lines and general golden comic era stupidity from as soon as it released. Im sorry but that idea of tf2 died 2 years in, even sooner if you actually look at any of the meet the team videos. and at the end of their little "thing was actually much better back in the day" speal they had the gall to go tell people to play tf2 classic. I'm sorry to people who play "classic" versions of games but why is it that whenever a bad take with someone saying that "oh the tone has been RUINED from its original light" or whatever, it's always a git who hasn't played the main game in over 10 years and stopped 2 years in. Like mate, you barely played the game! This period of time you talk about is less than a third of the games lifespan, less than even "the golden years" that the game was like in its prime. Why is the complaint with the yeti taunt glitch that a yeti is in the game as a taunt and not that the glitch exists? ugh, i need a drink. sorry for bringing twitter discourse filth here, just needed to quickly vent a little steam out me.

[itsalwaysdark]

whining hours . sry

[jewishvitya]

A pro-Palestine Jew on tiktok asked those of us who were raised pro-Israel, what got us to change our minds on Palestine. I made a video to answer (with my voice, not my face), and a few people watched it and found some value in it. I'm putting this here too. I communicate through text better than voice.

So I feel repetitive for saying this at this point, but I grew up in the West Bank settlements. I wrote this post to give an example of the extent to which Palestinians are dehumanized there.

Where I live now, I meet Palestinians in day to day life. Israeli Arab citizens living their lives. In the West Bank, it was nothing like that. Over there, I only saw them through the electric fence, and the hostility between us and Palestinians was tangible.

When you're a child being brought into the situation, you don't experience the context, you don't experience the history, you don't know why they're hostile to you. You just feel "these people hate me, they don't want me to exist." And that bubble was my reality. So when I was taught in school that everything we did was in self defense, that our military is special and uniquely ethical because it's the only defensive military in the world - that made sense to me. It slotted neatly into the reality I knew.

One of the first things to burst the bubble for me was when I spoke to an old Israeli man and he was talking about his trauma from battle. I don't remember what he said, but it hit me wrong. It conflicted with the history as I understood it. So I was a bit desperate to make it make sense again, and I said, "But everything we did was in self defense, right?"

He kinda looked at me, couldn't understand at all why I was upset, and he went, "We destroyed whole villages. Of course we did. It was war, that's what you do."

And that casual "of course" stuck with me. I had to look into it more.

I couldn't look at more accurate history, and not at accounts by Palestinians, I was too primed against these sources to trust them. The community I grew up in had an anti-intellectual element to it where scholars weren't trusted about things like this.

So what really solidified this for me, was seeing Palestinian culture.

Because part of the story that Israel tells us to justify everything, is that Palestinians are not a distinct group of people, they're just Arabs. They belong to the nations around us. They insist on being here because they want to deny us a homeland. The Palestinian identity exists to hurt us. This, because the idea of displacing them and taking over their lands doesn't sound like stealing, if this was never theirs and they're only pretending because they want to deprive us.

But then foods, dances, clothing, embroidery, the Palestinian dialect. These things are history. They don't pop into existence just because you hate Jews and they're trying to move here. How gorgeous is the Palestinian thobe? How stunning is tatreez in general? And when I saw specific patterns belonging to different regions of Palestine?

All of these painted for me a rich shared life of a group of people, and countered the narrative that the Palestininian identity was fabricated to hurt us. It taught me that, whatever we call them, whatever they call themselves, they have a history in this land, they have a right to it, they have a connection to it that we can't override with our own.

I started having conversations with leftist friends. Confronting the fact that the borders of the occupied territories are arbitrary and every Israeli city was taken from them. In one of those conversations, I was encouraged to rethink how I imagine peace.

This also goes back to schooling. Because they drilled into us, we're the ones who want peace, they're the ones who keep fighting, they're just so dedicated to death and killing and they won't leave us alone.

In high school, we had a stadium event with a speaker who was telling us about a person who defected from Hamas, converted to Christianity and became a Shin Bet agent. Pretty sure you can read this in the book "Son of Hamas." A lot of my friends read the book, I didn't read it, I only know what I was told in that lecture. I guess they couldn't risk us missing out on the indoctrination if we chose not to read it.

One of the things they told us was how he thought, we've been fighting with them for so long, Israelis must have a culture around the glorification of violence. And he looked for that in music. He looked for songs about war. And for a while he just couldn't find any, but when he did, he translated it more fully, and he found out the song was about an end to wars. And this, according to the story as I was told it, was one of the things that convinced him. If you know know the current trending Israeli "war anthem," you know this flimsy reasoning doesn't work.

Back then, my friend encouraged me to think more critically about how we as Israelis envision peace, as the absence of resistance. And how self-centered it is. They can be suffering under our occupation, but as long as it doesn't reach us, that's called peace. So of course we want it and they don't.

Unless we're willing to work to change the situation entirely, our calls for peace are just "please stop fighting back against the harm we cause you."

In this video, Shlomo Yitzchak shares how he changed his mind. His story is much more interesting than mine, and he's much more eloquent telling it. He mentions how he was taught to fear Palestinians. An automatic thought, "If I go with you, you'll kill me." I was taught this too. I was taught that, if I'm in a taxi, I should be looking at the driver's name. And if that name is Arab, I should watch the road and the route he's taking, to be prepared in case he wants to take me somewhere to kill me. Just a random person trying to work. For years it stayed a habit, I'd automatically look at the driver's name. Even after knowing that I want to align myself with liberation, justice, and equality. It was a process of unlearning.

On October, not long after the current escalation of violence, I had to take a taxi again. A Jewish driver stopped and told me he'll take me, "so an Arab doesn't get you." Israeli Jews are so comfortable saying things like this to each other. My neighbors discussed a Palestinian employee, with one saying "We should tell him not to come anymore, that we want to hire a Jew." The second answered, "No, he'll say it's discrimination," like it would be so ridiculous of him. And the first just shrugged, "So we don't have to tell him why." They didn't go through with it, but they were so casual about this conversation.

In the Torah, we're told to treat those who are foreign to us well, because we know what it's like to be the foreigner. Fighting back against oppression is the natural human thing to do. We know it because we lived it. And as soon as I looked at things from this angle, it wasn't really a choice of what to support.

[lordofdestructionm]

Did anyone else feel like Jax was trying to reach out more to the others in this episode?

Before Gangle freaks him out a little with the threat of a punishment he is his usual jerk self

Then he tries to have a very casual and relaxed conversation with Zooble about the situation. No sarcasm and no mean comments.

He tries to downplay the earlier threat, and seems to want them to agree with him that Caine wouldn't actually do anything that bad

Of course Zooble out of everyone in the group has the least patience for Jax so he doesn't get any reassurance from them

Then just before Gangle send him off for his employee training/Clockwork orange torture session, he responds to Gangle's manic behaviour with the comment "I like you better when your sad"

That could just be him being mean and saying that he likes it better when she's like that because its easier to pick on her and stops her standing up to him

But considering he always goes out of his way to break the Comedy Mask at every opportunity, it could be that he simply prefers when she is her authentic self, and not putting on some fake act (a lesson gangle herself seems to learn at the end when she rips off the new mask and smiles despite wearing the Tragedy mask)

Plus look at his face when he's saying it. He isn't grinning or making any other mocking expression, he just looks tired

Then when has encounters drunk Ragatha he asks her if she can move, despite the fact that he could easily walk over her with those long legs, and he does exactly that a moment later. Was he being polite? Or was he asking her literally if she could still move her body in the state she was in?

Either way he get another little blow when the nicest person in the group says outright she hates him

Then he tries to do with Pomni what he attempted with Zooble earlier, have a relaxed casual conversation about things without any signs of sarcasm of mean teasing.

Pomni herself is even taken aback and doesn't know what to make of it, suspecting probably that he is trying to trick her in some way. Again Jax's previous mean behaviour is now a barrier stopping him from connecting with the others even when he actually wants to

He makes one last effort to pretend everything is normal and get back to his usual persona, but the second he is out the door and out of sight of everyone, the frustration and despair are clear

When Gooseworx said that people who want to see Jax "get worse" will "enjoy what they have planned", maybe they didn't mean he would get more evil, maybe they meant his mental health would start sinking as the bully/prankster persona he hides behind starts to break down

Maybe he is starting to realize how isolated he is making himself

[deathbxnny]

Arcane characters when someone flirts with you. | Viktor, Jayce, Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Sevika x Gn!Reader

I am the brain rot. The brain rot is me.✨️

Content: pre season 2 Viktor/Jayce!, Jealousy, pitfighter Vi, established romantic relationships, angst, threats of violence/death threats, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns.

((Not proofread))

》VIKTOR

He always struggled with self-esteem issues, mainly due to his sickness and disability that made it difficult for him to do much. A part of him forever will believe that you could easily do better than him, yet that doesn't stop him from getting terribly jealous anytime someone gets too friendly with you. Especially when they can see him standing next to you clearly being your partner as well.

But despite his insecurities, he doesn't allow anyone to harass you either on his watch. He lets you defend yourself for the most part until he has enough and lets his more sassy side handle the flirtatious person for you. He may not be able to do anything in a physical way, something he very much would rather avoid. But his tongue is sharp, and it takes little to make them quickly scurry away with a nervous apology for the disturbance.

He'll never admit to being jealous, however, and denies any teasing accusations you send his way. But he'll secretly ask for reassurance as he starts feeling embarrassed over his insecurities rather quickly after. A couple of hugs and kisses from your side will fix that right up, though.

》JAYCE

He has a reputation to keep up. And so, technically, he should always handle things professionally no matter what. People are watching him after all, and his public image can not be tarnished under any circumstance... or so he says. Things change in his mind when they are about you. In general, people know who you are and who you belong to since he rarely shuts up about it.

But every now and then, someone who is somehow unfamiliar with this concept will come up to you and attempt to woo you right in front of his very eyes. Now, Jayce tries to let you handle yourself, but doesn't hesitate to step in either if the person doesn't get the hint. His rather intimidating frame and position as a councilor help him out Immensely with this. He chases them away with a tight smile and a kiss to your head, as he casually asks how he can oh so graciously help them.

Once they leave, he'll pretend not to hear you, of you teasingly asking him if he was jealous. Him? Jealous? Hah! Impossible... okay, maybe a little. But don't tell anyone that.

》VI

As a pitfighter, Vi doesn't hesitate to get violent with anyone who comes close to the only good thing she has left in her life, which happens to be you. She's extremely protective and makes sure everyone gets the hint regarding who you belong to. But alas, there are always the couple strays that refuse to comprehend that fact and therefore attempt to "steal" you away from her. Something that never ends well for anyone.

Her temper is shorter than it used to be, and that becomes quite clear when she's quick to loom over the person that was pestering you. She knows that you can handle yourself just fine, too. But that doesn't stop her from grabbing their shoulder and asking them if she can help them out instead. Or maybe they want to talk it out in the pit? All the same to her, but the message is clear. She'll win if it comes to you every time, and that's enough to make the person scurry away in terror.

You'll definitely have to calm her down and reassure that you had everything handled. She's just looking out for you, though, and doesn't want you to get hurt, too, like everyone else in her life. The last thing she wants is to mess up again, so her overprotective tendencies will probably never lessen. Not that you kind anyways.

》CAITLYN

Your role as her partner is crystal clear to absolutely everyone in Piltover, especially after she takes over the troops as their new ruler. She's much more cutthroat and cold than she used to be before her mothers death, which made her extremely overprotective of you and your safety. She may even be suffocating at times with her security measures, but she finds it absolutely necessary. This also means, however, that those who try becoming a bit too friendly with you are always at risk of facing her wrath.

She doesn't hold back with her dismay and is quick to stand before you with a dark, stern glare directed at whoever was flirting with you beforehand. Caitlyn doesn't care if you can take care of yourself or not either. She'll take full advantage of her new position and power too, not hesitating to give the person that was pestering you a professionally worded threat that leaves them as pale as a ghost.

Admittedly, it's hard to tell if she's jealous or just worried in her own way. Before her mother's death, it may very well just be her being a bit jealous... but with her current position, she may also just be afraid to lose you too deep down. And she couldn't handle that.

》JINX

After Silco's death, Jinx's temper is milder than before due to her deteriorating mental health (if there was anything left of it to begin with). She's a lot calmer when handling situations and seeming more calculated than before, but that certainly doesn't quell the extreme abandonment issues in her at any rate. If anything, they've become much worse than before. This means that she'll cling to you and snap at anyone who nears you. No one is allowed to steal your attention away from her. No one can take you away from her. She just won't allow it when you're all she has left.

And so, she won't hesitate to use her gun on anyone who is pestering you. A death threat or two usually gets the point across anyway. Jinx will also let you handle yourself first, however though, knowing you can easily do that. But if things do get out of hand, she will step right to scare them away at best. She'd never kill anyone infront of you after all. She doesn't want to scare you away.

You'll have to reassure her of your loyalty a lot afterward, however, as her insecurities and issues can make her spiral fairly easily. Giving her a lot of attention and love makes everything go away, though, luckily.

》SEVIKA

She's very secure in your relationship and trusts you perfectly fine, which is why she rarely ever gets jealous. Why should she, anyway, when you'll always come back to her at the end of the day? Besides, people in the lanes know who you are and who you belong to, and most importantly, what will happen to their faces once she bashes them in if they ever harass you too much.

With that said, though, she typically lets you do your own thing and chase the person away yourself first before bothering to step in. If things get out of hand, then she'll suddenly be right behind you and tower over whoever it is that's not getting the hint. Blowing smoke right into their faces, she'll ask them if they have a problem, and if yes, then they should take it up with her outside. Although everyone knows she's the only one back afterwards. This usually does the trick.

Don't expect her to ever say that she is jealous, though, and hopes you know better, too. She knows you're loyal, as she certainly is for life and therefore doesn't worry about a thing regarding the strength of your relationship.

No one is better than her anyway.