#and once again its really not that serious

[livvymd]

Everyone Thinks They’re Dating—They’re Not. (Yet)

Chapter Four — It looks better on you. george clarke x reader.

The cafe bell jingled softly as Y/N stepped through the door, the wind trailing her coat behind her. The warmth hit her immediately—smelling like fresh croissants and espresso shots and quiet laughter—and she took a breath to calm the tiny butterflies in her chest.

Her eyes scanned the room.

And there he was.

George Clarke. Sat at a booth near the corner window, hoodie sleeves shoved up to his forearms, one hand wrapped lazily around a coffee cup while the other spun his phone in slow circles across the table. His legs were stretched out beneath him, ankle crossed over the other in that effortlessly relaxed way she was already beginning to recognize.

He didn’t see her at first. Just stared out the window, lips parted like he was thinking about something far away.

And then—he did.

His eyes caught hers, and that look spread across his face. The slow-building kind of smile. The one that looked like it started somewhere in his chest and made its way to his lips, lighting up his whole expression. He stood slightly as she approached, smoothing his hoodie like he hadn’t been caught off guard.

“You’re late,” he said, grinning.

She raised a brow. “I’m five minutes early.”

“Exactly. Late. I’ve been here since six.”

“You’re mentally unwell.”

He pushed a takeaway cup toward her across the table, already sitting back down. “Flat white. Oat milk. No sugar. Still a psychopath.”

She took the cup, suspicious. “You remembered?”

“I listened.”

That look again. That soft but sure kind of look, like he was learning her one piece at a time and loving every second of it.

She sat down, heart thudding, trying not to be too obvious about how happy she was to be here.

They talked for over an hour. He told her about his broken gym headphones. She told him about how she accidentally sprayed dry shampoo into her coffee that morning. They laughed too loud. Shared two croissants. His phone buzzed once and he flipped it over without looking, barely missing a beat.

It felt easy.

And then her eyes drifted down to his hand, the one cradling his cup.

She paused mid-sentence.

The ring.

A thin, scuffed-up silver band on his pinky finger. Nothing expensive, no bold engraving. But there was something about it—something worn and familiar. The way it curved along his knuckle. The way it sat against the slightly calloused skin of his hand. Something about it felt… like him.

“You always wear that?” she asked, lightly.

George looked down, raising an eyebrow. “What, this?”

She nodded, sipping her coffee.

“Yeah, I dunno. It just kinda lives on me now. Had it for years.” He held his hand out a bit so she could see it better. “Bit banged up, innit?”

She reached across the table before she could stop herself, her fingertips brushing along his knuckles as she gently turned his hand in hers.

It was such a small gesture—but it changed the air.

His breath slowed. His fingers twitched just slightly under hers. He didn’t pull away.

Her thumb grazed the edge of the band, warm from his skin. “It suits you,” she murmured. “I don’t know why. It’s very… George.”

He didn’t answer right away.

Instead, George looked at her. Really looked at her.

Like he wasn’t just watching her admire his ring, but memorising the way she held his hand. The way her thumb traced the grooves. The soft crease between her brows when she focused. The barely-there smile on her lips.

The way she held him like she didn’t even realise she was doing it.

And then, with the faintest smirk, he slid the ring off.

“Try it,” he said, offering it.

She blinked. “Wait—what? No, George—”

“You like it. Try it on.”

“I wasn’t hinting at—”

“Course you weren’t. But I am.”

She hesitated, looking at him like he might be joking.

But he was dead serious.

So she slipped it on.

It slid past her knuckle and rested perfectly on her middle finger. A little snug, but comfortable. Like it had always been there.

George leaned back, smug and satisfied. “Better on you.”

She looked down at her hand, heart warm and fluttering and all over the place. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Just generous.”

“You’re gonna want this back, you know.”

“Maybe,” he said, raising an eyebrow, “but I like knowing you’re walking around with something of mine.”

She flushed, laughing into her coffee. “Stop.”

He didn’t push it after that. Just gave her that infuriating little half-smile again, and let it hang in the air between them.

They walked back to hers under a canopy of grey skies and soft wind. He insisted on carrying her tote bag, even though it was basically empty. She called him dramatic. He called her ungrateful. They bumped shoulders and kicked leaves, and when they reached her building, the banter softened.

Her hand hovered on the door handle as she turned to face him.

“I had a really good time,” she said, voice a little quieter now.

George tilted his head, eyes flicking briefly to her mouth before settling on her eyes.

“You wore that pink lip balm I like,” he said.

She blinked, startled. “You noticed?”

“Course I did,” he said, stepping a little closer. “I told you—I pay attention.”

There was something about his voice. That low, lazy confidence. The way he didn’t smile this time, just looked at her like he’d been waiting all day to say it.

She swallowed.

He leaned in slightly. Not enough to cross the line. Just enough to blur it.

“I’ve always wondered,” he said, his voice low and a little raspy, “what that stupid lip balm would feel like… against my lips.”

She barely had time to breathe before he kissed her.

Soft. Slow. Deliberate.

His hand brushed her cheek, the other resting on her waist like he already knew exactly how to hold her. His lips were warm, just slightly sweet from the last sip of coffee. And she kissed him back like it had been a long time coming.

Like she hadn’t wanted to stop touching his hand earlier. Like she wasn’t already wearing his ring.

When they pulled back, her heart was in her throat.

George looked at her, smile finally tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Yep,” he murmured, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. “Just as distracting as I thought.”

Before she could even think of something clever to say back, there was a low rumble—then the first soft drops of rain began to patter against the pavement behind him. It started gentle, like a whisper, and then quickly turned heavier, soaking the world in seconds.

Y/N flinched instinctively and glanced up at the sky.

“Brilliant,” she muttered.

George didn’t move. His hoodie was already speckled with dark, wet patches. His hair dampened at the ends, curling slightly. He just stood there, looking down at her like he didn’t mind getting soaked in the slightest.

She bit her lip. “You… wanna wait it out inside?”

His eyes flicked toward the door behind her, then back to her face. “You sure?”

She shrugged, suddenly shy. “Unless you fancy catching pneumonia in style.”

He grinned, the soft kind again. “I’ll take your couch.”

She stepped aside to let him in.

Inside, the air felt warmer. Quieter. She offered him a towel, which he used to dry his hair while she peeled off her coat and flicked on the kettle.

They didn’t say much, both pretending like it was normal—like it didn’t mean anything, that kiss outside in the rain. But when their eyes met, neither of them could quite hold the gaze for long without smiling.

After tea and a shared packet of biscuits, she handed him a pair of joggers from her drawer of random ex-boyfriend leftovers (he mocked her for that, obviously) and let him get changed while she went to tidy the blankets in the lounge.

He joined her on the sofa twenty minutes later, fresh-faced and in clothes two sizes too small—shirt stretched across his shoulders, sleeves pushed up to his elbows again, that stupid silver ring now warm and snug on her finger instead.

They watched something mindless on TV. Sat too close. Shared the same blanket without thinking.

Eventually, she yawned and curled her legs up, tucking her head against the side of the couch.

George glanced down at her and smiled lazily. “You falling asleep on me, poppet?”

She mumbled something about being tired, and when he nudged her, she didn’t even swat him away.

He didn’t move after that. Just settled beside her and let the rain tick softly against the windows while her breathing slowed.

When she drifted off with her hand resting next to his, George let his pinky finger brush against hers.

Still wearing his ring.

guys im not sure about this one..

TAGLIST: @georgeclarkeyistheloveofmylife @whisperturnedecho @smzyyx @madforgeorge @lunarynn @randomaccountlols @swizzlemynizzle @kneelforloki @sundarksposts @tyna-19 @wherethezoes-at @cheekytv @dopeysunflowers @lottiewills @clarkey4life @liz140569 @artvscvntymullet @formulaal

[hereforuconnwbb]

The Study of Us - CHAPTER 3

paige x azzi (pazzi)

au fic!

word count: 5.2k

warning: language

firstly i js wanted to say that yall NEED to check out @pazzispizookies series !! its genuinely soooo so so good and deserves all the love 🫶🏽

heres chap 3 for yall !!! i tried to follow ur guys suggestions so i hope its alr 😭 idk if its good but um yur hopefully u guys like it 🤞🏽

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

“Yo, let’s go,” Aubrey called, tugging her hoodie on as she stepped into the hallway of their dorm. “Class isn’t gonna wait for your little daydream.”

Paige looked up from her phone, blinking like she’d been caught red-handed. “I’m coming,” she said, stuffing the phone in her pocket even though she hadn’t actually been doing anything on it. Just… staring at the home screen.

Aubrey eyed her suspiciously but said nothing.

The morning was crisp as they stepped outside, the sun still low enough to cast long shadows across campus. They walked side by side, feet crunching over gravel and dead leaves, the quiet broken only by the occasional chirp of birds or the distant hum of early lectures starting.

“So,” Aubrey said casually, kicking at a small rock on the path. “You gonna tell me how yesterday went?”

Paige frowned. “Yesterday?”

Aubrey gave her a look. “Don’t play dumb. Azzi. Tutoring. Ringing any bells?”

“Oh,” Paige said quickly. “That.”

“Yes, that. You had a whole session with your little brainiac crush and didn’t text me once after. I was starting to think you died mid-equation or something.”

Paige rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the small grin that tugged at her lips. “It was fine.”

Aubrey laughed. “Fine? That’s the best you’ve got? C’mon, spill. You were losing your shit about it before you left. I need a play-by-play.”

Paige let out a breath, hands shoved deep in her pockets. “Okay. It actually wasn’t terrible. She’s really good at explaining stuff. Like, not just smart-smart, well she is, but actually patient. Broke things down in a way that made sense. We ran through some practice questions, and I didn’t feel like a complete idiot for once.”

Aubrey gave her a small nudge with her elbow. “Proud of you, mathlete.”

“I’m serious,” Paige said. “It was… kinda nice. I got one of the problems right without help, and she seemed genuinely impressed.”

Aubrey grinned. “You sound like you just got a gold star.”

Paige ignored the teasing. “She even said I was improving.”

“Well damn,” Aubrey said, mockingly putting a hand over her heart. “Growth.”

Paige chuckled under her breath, eyes on the path. “But yeah, it wasn’t awkward. Which I was worried about.”

“So you two talked?”

“A bit,” Paige admitted. “Nothing crazy. I asked her when she wanted to meet again for our next session and she said tomorrow works but I forgot when, so… um yeah that’s the plan.”

Aubrey smirked. “Look at you already booking the sequel.”

Paige groaned. “It’s tutoring, not a date.”

“Sure,” Aubrey said, clearly unconvinced.

Paige shook her head but didn’t argue. Not out loud, at least.

Aubrey gave her a side glance. “So… did you find out anything interesting about her? Or were y’all just buried in notebooks the whole time?”

Paige hesitated. “Actually… she told me she used to play basketball.”

That made Aubrey blink. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah,” Paige nodded. “Said she played in high school but stopped after losing love and motivation for the game. Didn’t go into too much detail, but she mentioned it when we took a little mental break. She gets what it’s like to balance stuff.”

“Damn. That’s kinda wild,” Aubrey said. “No wonder she seems like she’scool under pressure. Probably used to high-stakes shit.”

Paige smiled a little at that. “Yeah. It was unexpected, though. I don’t know why, but I didn’t picture her as the athlete type.”

“Well,” Aubrey said, throwing an arm loosely over Paige’s shoulder as they kept walking, “you also didn’t picture her being pretty until she was sitting three feet from you helping you solve for equations.”

Paige groaned again, louder this time. “Can we not do this right now?”

Aubrey just laughed. “Hey, I'm not even judging. I’m just saying, it’s cute. You like her brain and her face. Classic.”

“I barely know her,” Paige muttered.

“And yet you were smiling like an idiot just now thinking about her.”

Paige elbowed her. “Shut up.”

They kept walking, but Aubrey glanced over, her voice quieter. “You really do like her, huh?”

Paige didn’t answer right away. She just shrugged, eyes on the concrete.

“I dunno,” she finally said. “She’s cool. She’s smart. And she… I don’t know. She’s just different. In a good way. She’s not weird about me being on the team or whatever. Doesn’t treat me like I’m some—”

“Celebrity?”

Paige nodded. “Yeah. I had a moment with some fans yesterday and she just stood back and watched. Didn’t look annoyed or anything. Just… kinda curious.”

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. “Curious how?”

Paige’s cheeks flushed slightly. “She said I surprised her. Said I wasn’t like she expected.”

Aubrey looked smug now. “Oh? And how exactly did she expect you to be?”

“Apparently like a stuck-up diva,” Paige said dryly. “Big-time athlete energy.”

Aubrey burst out laughing. “Oh my. She thought you were gonna be one of those ‘don’t-look-me-in-the-eye’ types?”

Paige grinned reluctantly. “Something like that.”

“Well,” Aubrey said, nudging her. “At least she thinks you’re better than you look.”

“Oh well, thanks.”

“I’m just saying. Sounds like you’re making a decent impression.”

Paige exhaled slowly. “I don’t think she sees me like that, though.”

Aubrey was quiet for a moment. “How do you mean?”

“I dunno. She’s nice. And I think we’re getting along. But she’s… I don’t know. Neutral. In a good way. Like, focused. She’s not flirty or anything.”

“Well, you’ve known her what? 2 days?”

“Exactly,” Paige said. “It’s not like I’m trying to rush anything.”

Aubrey bumped her shoulder. “Still. Don’t count yourself out. You’re a catch.”

Paige gave her a look. “You’re so annoying.”

“You love me.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t wrong.

They reached the building just as the first bell rang in the distance. Paige reached for the door, then paused.

“Thanks, though,” she said. “For listening.”

Aubrey smiled. “Anytime. You better keep me posted after your next session.”

Paige opened the door and held it for her. “No promises.”

“You mean yes, then.”

“Shut up.”

They both stepped inside, laughter echoing down the hallway.

—----------------------

“I’m still waiting,” Caroline said, sliding into her seat next to Azzi with the casual confidence of someone who knew she’d get answers eventually.

Azzi blinked, startled out of her thoughts as she adjusted her hoodie sleeve and sat up straighter. “For what?”

Caroline gave her a look. “Don’t play dumb. The session. You and Paige. Yesterday. How’d it go?”

Azzi hesitated, eyes flicking toward the front of the room where the professor was still getting the slides set up. “It was fine.”

“Fine?” Caroline scoffed. “Cmon, you know I’m not accepting a dry little ‘fine’ when you were tutoring Paige Bueckers. The girl who usually ghosts help like it’s contagious? She showed up for tutoring. With you. Spill.”

Azzi smiled a little despite herself, glancing down at her open notebook, though she hadn’t written anything yet. “I mean, she showed up. On time. Sat across from me and listened.”

Caroline raised a brow. “And?”

“And she was… not what I expected.”

Caroline leaned in, grinning now. “How so?”

Azzi let out a small breath and tried to find the words. “She wasn’t super talkative. Kind of quiet, actually. But like, in a sweet way. She didn’t pretend to understand everything like I thought she would. She was just… really present. Asked questions, paid attention.”

“Hmm,” Caroline said, nodding thoughtfully. “Yeah, that tracks.”

Azzi tilted her head. “How so?”

“That’s what I meant the other day,” Caroline said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Paige usually has this… front. All confident and cocky and loud. But around certain people, she’s different. Calmer. Like she’s letting her guard down a bit.”

Azzi blinked, thinking back. “She definitely wasn’t cocky. I mean, she joked a little at the start, but mostly she was just focused. Or, at least she tried to be.”

“Tried?” Caroline asked.

Azzi hesitated again. “There were a few moments where… I caught her staring.”

Caroline’s brows shot up. “Staring?”

“Not like—” Azzi shook her head quickly. “Not in a weird way. Just… I’d be explaining something, and I’d pause to check if she was following, and she’d already be looking at me. Kinda like she forgot she was supposed to be paying attention to the material.”

Caroline smirked. “Okayyyy.”

Azzi rolled her eyes. “It’s probably nothing. Maybe she was zoning out. People do that all the time.”

“Paige doesn’t zone out when someone’s talking to her face,” Caroline said. “Unless that person’s, you know… distracting.”

Azzi gave her a dry look. “You’re impossible.”

Caroline held up her hands. “I’m just saying. Besides, you don’t seem bothered.”

“I wasn’t,” Azzi said honestly, twirling her pen between her fingers. “It was just… surprising. She’s sweet. More than I expected.”

There was a brief pause before Caroline asked, “Did she seem nervous?”

Azzi thought about it. “A little. But I couldn’t tell if it was about the subject or just… the situation.”

Caroline grinned. “Probably both.”

Azzi smiled faintly, but her mind was already slipping back to that part when Jace had walked up near the end of their session.

“Oh,” she added suddenly. “And there was this moment Jace came by.”

Caroline groaned immediately. “Ugh. That idiot. Let me guess. Trying to ‘schedule’ another session?”

Azzi snorted. “Yeah. I tutor him too.”

Caroline rolled her eyes. “He’s the worst. If he’s not hitting on someone, he’s talking about himself.”

“Well…” Azzi shrugged. “He’s not that bad… Well, so far.”

Caroline looked at her like she was delusional. “Az, he once asked me if I thought he could ‘go pro in looks alone.’ That wasn’t a joke. Be for real.”

Azzi laughed under her breath. “Fair.”

“What happened when he came over?”

Azzi hesitated. “Paige got kind of… stiff? I don’t know. At first I thought she just didn’t like him, oh well I mean she doesn't but then when he asked about our next session, she got a little defensive.”

Caroline blinked. “Defensive how?”

“She was just short with him. Told me he’s a ‘walking ego’ and a ‘player’ and that I should be careful.”

Caroline sat back slowly, eyebrows high. “Oooooo. Ok, Miss Protective Energy.”

Azzi glanced down, thoughtful. “I don’t think she meant it to come off so strong. She apologized after, kind of awkwardly. Said it came out weird.”

“But you noticed it,” Caroline said, nudging her lightly.

“I did,” Azzi admitted. “It just caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting her to care that much.”

“She probably doesn’t even know why she cares that much yet,” Caroline murmured, like she was mostly talking to herself.

Azzi didn’t respond. She wasn’t about to overanalyze someone she’d only just started getting to know. She wasn’t crushing on Paige, and Paige hadn’t exactly been flirting—at least not directly. It was all so new and tentative. Still in that weird space between strangers and something else.

But she could admit this much to herself, Paige Bueckers was sweet. A little awkward. And maybe, just maybe, there was something about the way she looked at Azzi that didn’t feel entirely academic.

Azzi tapped her pen against her notebook and finally wrote a heading at the top of the page as the lecture began. It didn’t mean anything. Not yet.

It was just tutoring.

—----------------------

The library was warm and quiet, sunlight slicing through the tall windows and falling across the long tables. Azzi sat curled in a small booth tucked near the back, one leg folded underneath her and a textbook open in front of her, though she hadn’t read the same paragraph three times already.

Caroline plopped down across from her, chin in her hand, no book or laptop in sight.

“You don’t have to wait with me,” Azzi said, glancing up.

“Yeah, well, I’m not about to let you sit here alone while Jace ‘Mr. I Bench More Than I Read’ McCallister slides in with his axe smell and stupid smirk,” Caroline replied. “I’m providing moral support.”

Azzi laughed softly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Caroline perked up and leaned forward, eyes narrowing toward the open space on the other side of the library. “Hey. Look who’s here.”

Azzi followed her gaze and immediately spotted Paige—sitting at a big round table with KK, Ice, and Aubrey, all of them surrounded by a few classmates. Paige was laughing about something, one leg stretched out, gesturing wildly with her hands while she told a story. Her voice carried that familiar rasp lifting over the quiet library hum.

“Is she always like that?” Azzi asked, watching as Paige bumped shoulders with Ice and tossed her head back laughing.

“That,” Caroline said, pointing with her eyes, “is what I meant. That’s Paige in her default mode. Loud, confident, knows she’s hot shit and plays into it.”

Azzi frowned slightly, watching her. “She wasn’t like that with me.”

“Exactly,” Caroline said, voice low but knowing. “Two days ago, when you met her? She could barely make eye contact. Yesterday from what you told me? Nervous. Kinda flustered. Sat still and actually listened. That version?” She nodded toward the table “That's classic Paige.”

Azzi blinked, studying the difference. “It’s like… two different people.”

“Not two different people,” Caroline corrected. “Just two sides of her. One’s the mask. The other comes out around people who get under her skin.”

Azzi hummed quietly and looked down at her book. She didn’t know what it meant, or if it even meant anything. But it was noticeable. Paige was easy and loud over there, commanding the space. With Azzi, she’d been soft. Still funny, but careful. A little unsure.

“You think she does that around anyone else?” Azzi asked quietly.

“Nope,” Caroline said instantly. “Not like that.”

Before Azzi could respond, a sudden weight dropped next to her in the booth, and an all-too-familiar voice chimed in, entirely too close to her ear.

“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting, star student.”

Azzi nearly jumped, turning to see Jace sliding in like he owned the damn seat, pressing up against her like there weren’t several feet of empty space. His stupid, cocky smile was already in place. Worse, his arm flopped casually around the back of the booth, his hand barely brushing her shoulder.

“Geez, Jace,” Azzi muttered, inching slightly away, but there was nowhere to go.

Caroline, across the booth, didn’t even try to hide her disgust.

“Could you not?” she said flatly, eyes locking onto Jace like she was ready to start swinging. “Get your nasty ass arm off her.”

Jace blinked, grinning, clearly thinking it was a joke.

Caroline didn’t smile. “I’m not fucking around, either. You smell like a Hollister clearance bin and desperation.”

Azzi smothered a laugh behind her hand as Jace chuckled awkwardly and finally removed his arm.

“Alright, damn,” he muttered. “Didn’t know I needed permission to sit.”

“You don’t,” Caroline said, standing. “You just need manners. Something you clearly skipped in whatever athlete orientation you fumbled through.”

She grabbed her water bottle and gave Azzi a look. “Text me when you’re done. Don’t let him breathe on you too long. Might lower your IQ.”

“Thanks for the support,” Azzi said with a small smile as Caroline walked off.

Jace looked after her and scoffed. “What’s her problem?”

Azzi turned back to her notebook and flipped to a fresh page. “You, mostly.”

He laughed again like he wasn’t offended, leaning back as he stretched his legs under the table. “You ready to work?”

Azzi didn’t respond, instead just clicked her pen and looked at him with a tired expression.

“Let’s just start with this bit.”

—----------------------

The session had been going for maybe 20 minutes, but it felt like an hour.

Azzi kept her eyes on her notebook, trying to focus on equations and numbers, but it was hard when Jace kept leaning in like she was whispering secrets instead of solving problems.

“I don’t get it,” he muttered, squinting at the paper in front of him. “You sure this is right? I swear you’re making this up.”

Azzi didn’t look up. “It’s literally the textbook example.”

Jace huffed. “Yeah, but you didn’t even check a calculator. You just… knew it.” He leaned a little closer, lowering his voice like it was some compliment. “Kinda hot how smart you are.”

Azzi’s grip on her pen tightened. She forced a polite smile. “It’s basic algebra.”

“Mmm,” he said, still too close. “You make it look good.”

She shifted, sliding her notebook slightly to the left to put more space between them. “Let’s move on to the next one.”

Meanwhile, across the library, Paige had just caught sight of them.

She froze mid-sentence, eyes narrowing slightly as she watched Jace lean closer again, like Azzi had said something hilarious. She didn’t even realize she’d stopped talking until Ice nudged her leg under the table.

“You good?” Ice asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, what?” Paige blinked, tearing her eyes away.

KK turned around and followed her gaze instantly. “Ugh,” she muttered. “Is that Jace over there?”

Aubrey leaned across the table. “Yeah. With Azzi.” Her voice dipped slightly. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Paige said quickly. Too quickly.

KK snorted. “He’s so gross.”

“Right?” Ice added. “Why does he talk like he’s in a bad teen romcom?”

“I’m pretty sure he actually told someone last week that he’s ‘a beast at math’ and then failed a pop quiz,” Aubrey said, rolling her eyes.

Paige tried to look unbothered, but her jaw was tight.

“Seriously though,” Aubrey said, softer now. “You look like you’re gonna launch a textbook across the room.”

Paige forced a laugh. “I’m not jealous, ok? She’s just tutoring him.”

“No one said anything about being jealous,” Aubrey replied with a sly smile. “But now that you brought it up…”

“I said I’m not,” Paige muttered, shifting in her seat.

KK leaned in, grinning. “It’s giving jealousy in denial. Just saying.”

“Guys,” Paige groaned.

“She’s tutoring him and he’s being a creep,” Ice said plainly. “I’d be annoyed too.”

“I’m not annoyed,” Paige insisted, but her eyes drifted back to the table again just in time to see Jace make some exaggerated arm stretch that “accidentally” brushed Azzi’s shoulder again.

Paige’s nostrils flared. “I hate him.”

“Ah,” KK said with a grin. “There it is.”

Meanwhile, back at Azzi’s table, the vibe had not improved.

Jace leaned back, arms spread across the booth like he was chilling in a hot tub. “So like, what do you even do for fun when you’re not crunching numbers?”

Azzi didn’t look up. “Read. Study. Watch movies.”

“You should come to one of my parties sometime,” he said, flashing a grin. “Bet you’d loosen up after a drink or two.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow. “I don’t drink.”

Jace chuckled like she was joking. “Cmon, you’re not that much of a nerd, are you?”

Azzi’s mouth opened slightly, ready to respond, but she was interrupted by a familiar voice approaching from behind.

“Thank god I came back.”

Caroline dropped into the booth beside Jace, her face a picture of calm disdain. “My class got canceled. But it looks like I’m just in time to keep you from spontaneously combusting from secondhand stupidity.”

Jace blinked at her. “You’re back? Damn, I was just getting into a rhythm.”

Caroline smiled sweetly. “Yeah, and that rhythm’s offbeat and annoying.”

Azzi coughed to hide her laugh.

Jace looked between them, confused but still trying. “Alright, alright, let’s get back to it. What’s this one?” He tapped a question Azzi had written down. “Why the hell are there letters in this?”

“It’s variables,” Azzi said. “You’ve done this before.”

“Yeah, but it’s like—when do you even use this in real life?”

Caroline didn’t miss a beat. “Hopefully never. Especially if you’re behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.”

He shot her a look. “You’re hilarious.”

“I know,” she smiled. “And not failing algebra.”

Azzi couldn’t help it, she snorted, finally meeting Caroline’s eyes for a second, grateful.

Jace leaned over again, and Caroline immediately pointed a pen at him like a weapon. “Back up. She’s trying to teach you, not catch your whatever axe spray fumes.”

“Geez,” Jace muttered, finally leaning away, sulking a bit.

Paige, still watching from the other side of the library, cracked a small grin as she saw Caroline push Jace’s textbook closer to him and reposition the notebook so Azzi didn’t have to keep shifting away. She didn’t even care if it looked obvious anymore. She was watching with her chin on her hand, eyes fixed on the little booth in the back like it was playing out in slow motion.

“She’s fine,” Aubrey said gently. “She’s got backup now.”

“Yeah,” Paige said, sitting up again. “I know.”

But her knee was still bouncing under the table.

And even though she kept telling herself it was just tutoring… that didn’t stop the annoying little heat crawling up her spine whenever Jace smiled at Azzi like she was some prize to win.

—----------------------

The bounce in Paige’s knee hadn’t stopped. She tried to stay chill, to tune back into whatever Ice was rambling about across the table, but her attention was magnetized to the back of the library like it had its own damn gravity. And Jace’s face? It made her want to commit minor crimes.

“I’ll be back,” she muttered suddenly, pushing back from her seat.

Aubrey looked up. “Where you going?”

“Bathroom,” Paige said, already moving.

The hallway to the restrooms wasn’t far, unfortunately for her blood pressure tt curved past the quiet study booths in the back, which meant she had to walk right by Azzi, Caroline, and Captain Walking Red Flag. She kept her gaze forward the whole way in, ignoring the flare of irritation in her chest when Jace laughed too loudly at something Azzi clearly hadn’t found funny.

Inside the bathroom, Paige splashed cold water on her face. You’re chill. You’re fine. You’re not mad. You’re not jealous. She stared at herself in the mirror and muttered, “You’re just normal. Totally normal.”

By the time she stepped out, she had composed herself or so she thought.

Caroline spotted her first. “Hey, Bueckers.”

Azzi’s head popped up, her face lighting up just a little. “Hi.”

Paige smiled—real, maybe a little shy, but real. “Hey,” she said back, eyes flicking to Azzi, then Caroline… and very pointedly skipping over Jace entirely.

That silence didn’t go unnoticed.

“Well hello to you too, Bueckers,” Jace drawled, leaning on the edge of the booth like he thought he was in a GQ shoot. “Don’t strain yourself or anything.”

Without missing a beat, Caroline deadpanned, “Shut the fuck up, Jace.”

Azzi tried, but failed to hide her smile behind her water bottle.

Paige smirked. “Didn’t even see you there,” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Guess you really are forgettable.”

Jace’s grin faltered. Caroline snorted.

Paige turned slightly toward Azzi, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Uh, are we still good for our session tomorrow?”

Azzi nodded, already pulling out her planner. “Yeah, definitely.”

“What time works for you? I’m not too sure if we worked on one yesterday.” Paige asked, and if her voice cracked the tiniest bit, she hoped no one noticed. “I’ve got practice in the afternoon, so I’ll be wiped by like, 3.”

Azzi smiled thoughtfully, pen tapping her page. “Want to do it early in the evening? Cause I know you have a game the following day. So like, 7?”

“Yeah,” Paige nodded quickly. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”

Azzi hesitated a second, then added, “If you’re okay with it… we could do it at my dorm this time? Cause you know… It'll be too late for the library.”

“Sure,” Paige said, a little too fast. Then she caught herself and coughed lightly. “I mean, yeah. That sounds chill.”

Jace perked up again. “Damn, why didn’t I get the dorm invite? Could’ve made it a fun time.”

Caroline and Paige without even glancing at each other both said at the exact same time

“Because no one wants to catch secondhand brain rot.”

There was a pause.

And then they both cracked.

Paige wheezed. Caroline slapped the table and leaned back laughing. They reached over and dapped each other up like it was the easiest alley-oop in the world.

Azzi looked between them, eyes wide with amusement, and then glanced at Caroline who was now giving her that look. The one she gave earlier, the one that screamed: See what I meant? She’s different around you.

Azzi raised an eyebrow slightly, and Paige, still chuckling, looked back and forth between them.

“What?” she asked, a little breathless.

“Nothing,” Caroline said, drawing out the word with a grin.

Azzi just shrugged innocently. “Nothing,” she echoed, but her lips twitched.

Paige squinted. “You guys are pre’ weird.”

Before either of them could respond, Jace scoffed from the corner. “Yo, Bueckers, you done with your stand-up set or…?”

Paige didn’t even blink.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot you were still here. You blend in so well with all the other mistakes.”

Caroline howled.

Even Azzi had to press her lips together to keep from laughing out loud.

Jace blinked, clearly flustered now. “Damn, you got jokes, huh?”

Paige gave him a deadpan look. “Nah, I’ve got patience. And it’s running out.”

Caroline slammed her hand on the table, cackling now. “She’s killing you, bro. Stop talking before she ends your bloodline.”

“Yall wild,” Jace muttered, clearly retreating now.

Paige just smirked. “See you tomorrow, Azzi,” she said, her voice softening a little as she glanced at her.

Azzi nodded, still half-smiling. “See you.”

“Bye, Caroline,” Paige added, already walking away.

Caroline shot finger guns in response. “Keep roasting creeps, Bueckers.”

And as Paige made her way back around the corner, the bounce in her step had returned but this time, it wasn’t frustration keeping her moving.

It was satisfaction. And maybe just a tiny bit of butterflies.

As soon as Paige rounded the corner and slid back into her seat, Aubrey’s eyebrows shot up. She had her arms crossed, chin resting on her fist like she was watching a live episode of Library Drama: Bueckers Edition.

“So…” Aubrey dragged the word out, voice way too casual. “What the hell was that?”

Paige blinked, all fake innocence. “What was what?”

“That little stand-up routine you just dropped back there,” Aubrey said, eyes narrowing. “The way you and Caroline just mind-melded into synchronized murder mode? You were cackling, bro. Like, full-body shaking. I thought someone was dying.”

KK looked up from her phone across the table. “Wait, what happened?”

“Yeah,” Ice chimed in, scooting her chair in closer. “You disappeared and came back grinning like the Grinch. Spill it.”

Paige tried to play it cool, slouching in her chair. “Nothing. Jace was just being Jace.”

“Ohhhh,” Ice said knowingly, dragging out the word like she already knew where this was headed. “Was he tryna talking to her?”

Paige didn’t respond fast enough. That was all the confirmation they needed.

Aubrey leaned forward, grinning. “So he was flirting again?”

“More like… delusional,” Paige muttered, picking at a tear in the knee of her jeans. “Said some dumb shit. Caroline shut him down first. I just followed her lead.”

“Followed her lead, my ass,” KK snorted. “Caroline’s probably still wheezing. What’d you say?”

Paige rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smirk. “I told him he blends in with other mistakes.”

“OH MY GOD YOU LEGEND BUECKERS,” Ice shouted, slapping the table so hard the girl at the next table flinched so hard. “You did not!”

“I did,” Paige said proudly. “And before that? Caroline and I said the exact same insult at the exact same time.”

KK whistled. “You tag-teamed his ass.”

“Azzi looked like she was trying not to laugh,” Aubrey added with a sly glance. “Don’t think I didn’t see that.”

Paige’s expression tightened, but she played it off. “I mean, it was funny.”

Aubrey smirked. “It was you.”

Meanwhile, back at the booth in the far corner of the library, Jace was still planted at the edge of the table like he hadn’t just gotten cooked in front of half the library. But his smile was more forced now, his swagger cracked around the edges.

Caroline glanced at Azzi, who had gone quiet, eyes locked on her notes but clearly not seeing a damn thing.

“Can we go over that thing from earlier again?” Jace asked, sliding his chair an inch closer. “The part about… um, the coefficients?”

Azzi blinked and looked up. “We covered that ten minutes ago.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t paying attention,” he said with a grin that he probably thought was charming.

Caroline groaned audibly. “You’re not supposed to admit that.”

Azzi forced a small smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Okay… so you take the coefficient—”

Jace wasn’t listening. He was watching her mouth, leaning in just a little too close.

Caroline noticed immediately. “You good, Az?”

Azzi didn’t answer right away. She tried to refocus, pointing at a formula. “So here, this number is distributed—”

“Damn, you must tutor a lot of people,” Jace interrupted, his voice lower now. “Bet you’ve got a line.”

Azzi blinked. “What?”

“Like, I get it,” he said, smirking. “Smart, cute, helpful. That’s a whole fantasy package.”

Azzi sat back slightly, her expression turning colder. “We’re studying. I’m tutoring you”

“I know,” Jace said, hands up like he was innocent. “I’m just saying, you’re probably breaking hearts all over campus.”

Caroline narrowed her eyes. “Seriously, dude?”

“What?” he said, like he hadn’t just turned a tutoring session into a bad pickup attempt. “I’m just being friendly.”

Azzi looked down at her notebook, then slowly closed it.

Jace blinked. “Wait, are we done?”

“Yeah,” Azzi said, her voice sharp but polite. “We’ve covered what we needed to, and you’re clearly not here to learn.”

Caroline crossed her arms with a smirk. “Took the words right outta my mouth.”

Jace sat back, scoffing like he was the one being wronged. “Damn. You girls are cold.”

“No,” Azzi said, standing and sliding her bag onto her shoulder. “We’re just not here for you.”

Jace opened his mouth to say something else, but Caroline stood up too, cutting him off just by sheer vibe.

“You should probably go,” she said. “Before you embarrass yourself any harder.”

Jace muttered something under his breath, but grabbed his bag and stalked off, ego limping behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Azzi exhaled like she’d been holding it in.

“Fucking finally,” Caroline muttered. “I was 2 seconds away from pouring my water on him.”

Azzi laughed—tired, but real. “He just wouldn’t let up.”

“I know,” Caroline said, glancing toward the front of the table where Paige was at with Aubrey, KK and Ice. “And someone was definitely not chill about it.”

Azzi followed her gaze and frowned a little. “Paige?”

“Mhmmmm,” Caroline hummed. “You didn’t notice?”

Azzi looked away, lips pursed, thinking. “She was funny.”

“She’s always funny,” Caroline said. “But not always like that.”

Azzi didn’t say anything to that. She just zipped up her bag and shook her head, her expression unreadable.

Caroline didn’t push. But as they walked out of the library together, she tucked a knowing smirk into her back pocket for later.

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

[cxrsed-angel]

Things Unsaid| (qz!joel miller x fem!reader)

wc: 6k

warnings: angst, fluff, and smut. emotionally constipated joe, age difference/gap. unprotected sex, oral!fem receiving, medically inaccurate wound and injury description (sorry i wasnt that interested in looking it up) protective guard dog joel. alcohol consumption

a/n: this has been in my drafts since s1 was released i think this was inspired by ep 1/2 so its longed over due with posting this

summary: protective joel confronts you when you return from a run late and injured.

You're supposed to be back from your run a couple of hours ago, but running into a few runners and FEDRA pushed you slightly off schedule. You walk into your apartment, ready to wash up, change into comfortable clothes, and go straight to sleep. As you walk in, you see a figure sitting on your couch in the dark, immediately raising your suspicions. You reach for your knife instinctively, ready to stab whoever had broken into your place, but you stop, recognizing it is just Joel, for whatever reason. 

Joel had been waiting for a few hours, and as each hour passed, he got more worried and more stressed. He thought about if you had been caught by Fedra for smuggling, were you in jail? He didn't even want to think about the possibility that you had been bitten; he knew you would immediately kill yourself, knowing you wouldn't let yourself turn. He couldn't stomach the thought of you being out there, dead, alone, and he would never know. He knew you and him were just fooling around and that he was one the repeating it was nothing serious, but lately, he had started to care about more than he was willing to admit if he was being honest. He started to repeat more so to remind himself. That it wasn't serious. He was nothing more than an old man you'd fuck for reasons unknown to him. Despite the fact that he was definitely feeling things he hadn't felt in a long time. 

When he sees you enter, he's immediately met with a wave of relief and probably a hundred other emotions he can't name or explain. At the very least, he knows you're alive, but quickly replaced with anger and annoyance. 

“Where the hell have you been!” his voice booms through the previously silent apartment, laced with irritation, annoyance, and strictness. He looms over you with his broad and large frame. 

You watch as he stands up from the shitty couch from the 80s most of the apartments get. You take a minute to look at him before rolling your eyes at his attempt to intimidate you. You sigh, setting the knife you had almost stabbed him with on the old wooden table in the middle of your kitchen. You really aren't in the mood for Joel yelling at you for no reason. You never answered to him before, and you sure as hell wasn't gonna start now. 

Joel remains standing, his arms folding in front of him, as he looks at you, waiting for an answer.  "Well?" he asks again, this time with a lower volume, but still his voice is strict and low. 

You sigh again, tired. Tired because the whole smuggle run your partner 20 something year old asshole who kept trying to hit on you. Tired because you had to take a different route back into the QZ because FEDRA was at the usual entrance. Tired because even after that you were still caught by FEDRA and previously mentioned asshole just ran, leaving you. Tired because FEDRA took advantage of the fact that your "guard dog" Joel wasn't there and decided to rough you a bit. Maybe more than a bit. There were 3 or 4 of them, too many for you to take all at once. They beat you up pretty badly, You knew they weren't going to hurt you up too badly or all hell would break loose. You're so caught off guard by his presence but also confused as to why he was even there in the first place. 

“Joel what the fuck are you doing in my apartment? And why the hell are you yelling at me?” you ask just as pissed off as Joel, you take your shoes off, and set your pack down by the couch looking at him for a bit, but he just stares back not saying you anything.  "Well, if you aren't gonna speak…" You mutter, turning to go down the hallway to go to your bathroom, when you feel his large, calloused hand on your arm, pulling you back to him. You turn and face him as you eyebrows frown staring back at him really pissed off now.

“You didnt answer my goddamn question.” He grumbled, his voice still low as you looked back at you. He didn't raise his voice this time but you could tell his was upset, you couldnt tell what pissed he was at, but it was written all over his face. 

You didn't understand. It wasn't like you guys were a couple; it really wasn't any of his business. You were confused. You never acted this way when he came back late from a run.

“You knew I went on a run, not that I have to answer to you.” You snap back, hoping he would drop it, but you knew he was more stubborn than that. You try to walk away again, but his grip on your arm doesn't loosen. You sigh and stare at him, waiting for him to say what his problem is.

He stares at you, glaring, “You still haven't said why you were so damn late. Did something happen?” He raises his voice at you more, frustrated, Youre still unsure what has him so pissed but you tired and you didnt need joel berating you so late at night on top of the already shitty night you were having.

“Look, Joel! I’ve had a rough night already, with the douchebag I got paired with, having to come in a different route, and getting beat up by FEDRA. So the last thing I needed you bitching at me over nothing so please drop it. Promise you can yell at me in the morning for whatever reason. But right now, my face hurts like a bitch, so please, please just….drop it!” You plead, hoping the little outburst convinced him to leave you alone and go back to his apartment. 

But you're met with a blank expression for a moment. Then you see his eyebrows scrunch up, and you watch as the anger dissipates from his face as he takes in all of what you had just said. 

He looks at you, slowly reaching your face. You let his calloused hand hold your chin softly, lifting it to the window, looking at your face in the light, trying to gauge how badly you got beat up. He looks closely, noticing the small cuts and purple bruising forming on your cheek, yet the way your face illuminates in the moonlight, he still thinks you look beautiful regardless. He was pissed at the fact that someone had hurt you, but his concern was stronger. He stays silent, not saying a word as he examines your face. 

His brows frown as he breaks the silence that the two of you have been sitting in for the past few minutes. 

“You got beat up darlin'?” He asks softly, like your mini rant from earlier just sunk in. You hear his voice soften as he says the pet name, making you flustered and catching you off guard. 

Normally, he would only call you names like that when you were in bed, and he was ball deep inside you. A few grunts of "right there sweetheart" or a "I'm bout to baby," in that deep southern voice. You always knew it was just the heat of the moment, especially because he never took it out of the bedroom, and you never questioned it. You knew what your arrangement was. You both agreed to just a friends with benefits situation, so you never brought it up. 

You didn't understand the flip, from yelling at you the second you entered your apartment to softly holding your face and calling you darling. Maybe on a different day, you'd savor the moment of affection, but tonight, you couldn't handle the mental ping-pong, back and forth. 

“Joel, I can't do this back and forth tonight. Are you pissed? Are you not pissed? I don't have the energy for it.” You tell him, and he notices the exhaustion in your voice. He doesn't say anything, which you took as a sign of him dropping it. He stands up and goes to the bathroom, comes back with the medical supplies you were going to grab earlier, and pulls a chair up as you sit down at the table. He sits down in front of you, close to you, his knees brushing against yours. Making your face feel warm, but you couldn't tell if it was from the bruises or his proximity. You watch him put rubbing alcohol on a clean towel as he reaches to hold your face again. 

“Come here, let me see,” he spoke softly as he sat in a chair. 

“I can do it, Joel,” you muttered quietly. You didn't want him to take care of you. To clean your wounds, or maybe to see the small knife wound that was on your side. Either way, you didn't need him taking care of you. You pull back slightly and make an attempt to grab the alcohol to clean the cuts yourself, but he pulls it out of reach.

“Just let me see, let me do it,” he insists again, and this time, you give up, not having another fight in you. You nod, agreeing, allowing him to clean your cuts. He lets out a small sigh "so damn stubborn." He mutters under his breath as he helps you take off your jacket. 

You cringe, remembering that you may or may not have been stabbed slightly by one of the FEDRA guards. You didn't forget about it, you felt the stinging pain since it happened, but you didn't expect Joel to be here. You close your eyes, knowing he's going see the bruises and wounds you got from FEDRA. Seeing the stain of blood from the stab. 

Joel hangs your jacket over the chair. He slowly lifts your shirt up, gently helping it up over your head, and sets it with your jacket. You sit in the chair in your sports bra, trying to come up with something to say. 

"At least take a girl out before getting her naked." You joke, hoping to ease the tension and hoping it will make him less mad when he sees the bloody bandage you hastily wrapped around your torso, but you are wrong. 

“Who did this!? Was this FEDRA? Where was that little shit you were paired with while you were getting beat up!” his voice was stern as he yells. His intense stare never leaves the wound on your side. Joel slowly removes the bandage, seeing where you had been stabbed by FEDRA. Joel immediately saw red when he saw it. It wasn't very deep or fatal. He knew you were gonna live, but it didn't mean he was okay with it. He wished he knew what guard did this, he wanted to know who he had to go beat up.

“Joel-” you try to calm him, to tell him to let it go, but it wasn't worth it, you know if you told him anything about the guy who did it he would go out on a man hut which you didnt want, but he insisted asking again.

“Who?” He was trying to be calm and not start shouting, but it was still obvious how mad he was. He knew you could handle yourself, but that didn't make it easier when you got hurt when he wasn't there. He heard from Tess what time you were supposed to be back. When you were an hour late he started to think the worse, if you had come back any later he would’ve been out there searching for you, he would go through all of Boston if he needed to. He knew your situation was just casual, but it didn't stop him from worrying about you.

“It doesn't matter,” you said exhaustedly. He sees it in your face how tired you are, and he finally listens for the first time tonight and drops it. He removes the bandage you sloppily put on it. It looked pretty bad if you were being honest, considering the quick wrap-up you did just so you could get home. You watch his eyebrows frown as he continues to stare at it. “You’ve had this the whole time.” his eyebrows raise as he questions, but you just close your eyes and nod.

He grabs some alcohol and a cloth. “This is gonna hurt, ” you nod and lean your head against your arm on the table. He puts some of the alcohol on to a cloth, you felt the burning sensation once he puts it on the wound.

You curse as the burning continues, instinctively grabbing his arm, squeezing it in pain. Your eyes shut as you try to calm down, but it is just too much. You try to take deep breaths, but it doesn't help much. You bit down on your lip, hoping it would be over soon.

“I know, baby, I know. 'M almost done.” Your heart warms at the pet name again, it takes your mind off of how painful it was. Deep down, you know it didn't hold any meaning or weight. He probably just said it, paying no mind to it, just trying to calm you, or so you tell yourself. When he finally finishes, wrapping it much better than you did before. You watch him put the medical kit back, and you grab a bottle of whiskey you assumed he had while he waited for you and take a couple of large sips. You intended to drink your weight in whiskey until black out and forget about this whole night. 

Joel glances over his shoulder, turns around, and sees you practically chugging the bottle of whiskey. He takes it away from your lips. “Alright, alright, that’s enough.” He puts the alcohol away and finishes putting the stuff away.

You frown your eyebrows at him for taking the bottle away and grab the bottle back to drink it, enjoying the burning sensation that hits the back of your throat. 

“It’s my booze. I smuggled it to drink it, not sit on the counter and stare at it.” You snap a bit before taking another large sip. Right now, it was the only thing that could make the pain disappear and take your mind off Joel being so caring and calling you baby. Maybe if you drink enough, you can stop your stomach from doing flips at the thought of him calling your baby. Or you can stop the achy feeling in your core every time Joel touches you tonight. You feel yourself getting more worked up, turned on as you think back to his hand on your jaw and your cheek. Him calling you baby, darlin', his attractive southern drawl each time he said it.

You take another big gulp of the whiskey, but again you feel the bottle rip away from your lips again by his large hand, some of the liquid spills down your chin and your chest.

“Okay, well ya don’t need to finish it one day. Had more than enough.” Joel scolds you lightly as he sets the bottle on the counter in the kitchen and grabs a towel to clean your face; again, he brings his hands on your chin, cleaning the whiskey off your chin. Making you warm again.

You look at him for a minute before getting up from the table and changing into more comfortable clothes in your bedroom. You return back to the living room and sit on the couch, starting to feel the alcohol’s effects. Joel comes and sits next to you, sighing a bit. 

“Look sweetheart I-I uh I’m sorry about earlier. It’s none of my business why you were so late coming back hom-here.” He hopes you didnt catch how he almost said home, but he figured you were too drunk or tipsy to notice.

You snuggle up against him starting to doze off “I was fine, you worry too much old man, it’s why you’re turning gray” You reach up and play with his hair for a couple of minutes before he gently grabs your wrist and put down in your lap he felt himself warm up trying not to get flustered, but he knew you were just drunk and affectionate.

“Darlin', I’m bein' serious-” he goes to say more, but you interrupted him.

“I am too. I’m sorry I made you worry tonight I just didn’t plan for-”

He sighs and cutting you off this time. “I know just don’t like seeing you bloody and hurt” you lay your head against his shoulder and close your eyes, you felt your heart beat faster from being so close to him, you knew it was the alcohol but you felt fuzzy and warm inside, you smiled slightly before trying to hide it. “I know Joel. I’ll be more careful.”

Joel looks down as you place yourself against his shoulder, getting more comfortable leaning against him. He covers you a bit more with the blanket and is quiet for a few minutes before he speaks.

“I-I haven’t felt this in a long time and I can’t handle losing you I-uh-it scared the shit out of me when you didnt come back I thought-I-just couldnt handle something happening and not being there for you. Joel looked down trying to see your face, what your reaction was, but all he saw was you asleep on his shoulder. He sighs and laughs to himself. “Yea she would be asleep right now.” He taps your arm gently, waking you.

“Come on, let’s go to bed, darlin'.”

You frown at him waking you up, feeling your head spin a little, and finding it hard to focus. “I think I drank a little too much,” you slurred as you see him smile,e laughing at you, only a little bit. He watches as you blink slowly, trying to get your bearings.

“Yea don’t know why you drunk straight whiskey like that.” he’s never seen you drink like that. You usually don't allow yourself to get drunk, always saying you couldn't afford to be, having to be alert at all times, and he didn't blame you.

“To make the pain go away,” you respond with a slight attitude, like it was obvious. You go to stand up but lose your balance, falling to the floor. Joel sighs and helps you up. His hand grabs your waist to hold you up. You lean more of your body weight on him as he helps you over to the bed.

“Come on, I need to get you to bed,” he says softly, and he tries to lay you down on your bed. He watches as you try to stand up on your own but fail again, and then he places a hand on your hip, steadying you.

You smile and caress your hand along his chest poorly, not having the best coordination, but it was clear to Joel you were trying to be sexy. “Are you trying to get in my pants again, Texas?” You smile up, looking at him with big eyes, hoping the answer is yes.

“No trying to get you to sleep,” he says flatly as he tries to get you off of him. Joel didn't expect you to care but he realized he was wrong when tears start to form in your eyes, he looks down at you confusion falls over his face as you pout and more tears starting to fall more.

“You aren’t-you don’t want to fuck me anymore is it-it’s because-do you not like me anymore.” you babble through your cries as Joel helps, leading you to your bed as he holds you up. A hand on your lower back, he won't lie, he doesn't think he's ever seen you cry like this, it had caught him off guard. Seeing you emotional and vulnerable for the first time. But then again, he wasn't the most open guy either.

“N-No darling… its because you’re drunk off your ass, ask me again when you're sober I’ll say yes,” he said softly, trying to calm you as he lays you down on the bed, wiping wipes the tears that were on your cheeks with his rough hand. You gaze up at him as you relax into the bed.

You swallow hard, trying to stop the tears. “You promise?” you ask, sobbing as you lay on the bed. Laying your head on the pillow for a few seconds before sitting back up to look at him. Eyes watery and teary. Deep down, you feared that once he stopped sleeping with you, he would stop talking to you and hanging out with you, and you thought that fear was coming true tonight. You knew you were just sleeping together, nothing more, but you’d take that; it was better than him not being in your life at all.

Joels stares back softening his gaze. He nods as as he reassures, “I promise, sweetheart, just go to sleep.” Once he was sure he was in the bed and comfortable, he turned to leave and went to sleep on the couch. But your voice stopped him. you grab his wrist softly, not wanting him to leave.

“You’re gonna lay down, too, right?” you ask quietly, looking up at him. He could tell you were still unsure. That there was still some doubt. It catches Joel by surprise, he usually didn't sleep in your bed. If he did, it was more out of convenience, not on purpose. But he was always glad when you did ask. He always slept better next to you. He comes back to the bed and lies down next to you. he didn't want to overstep or make you uncomfortable, so he tries to lay down a bit far, not wanting to cuddle against you. “Of course. Now get some sleep.”

He watches as you slept next to him, cuts scattered around your face. He wondered how you got them all. He felt bad you never got to experience being carefree and young, going out with friends, drinking having fun, instead you had to deal with this shit since you were young. You had lived in this world longer than before it was like this. You didn't have time to enjoy it and be a kid. He knew you had to grow up super fast. He didn't even want to think about how you said you’ve been on your own since you were 13 and what you must've gone through by yourself.

When Joel is sure you are asleep, he slowly leaves your bed, grabs his jacket, and puts his shoes on before leaving your apartment. He knew you said to drop it but he couldnt, he couldnt let them get away with hurting you. he went out asking around it only took about a hour to find out the FEDRA officers that were on duty during the time you were out, within two hours he had found the agent who stabbed you by bribes and threats. He went over and made it clear that no one should lay a finger on you again.

You wake up feeling the bright sun shining through the windows and a sharp pain all over. Your head is pounding, and you don't want to leave the warmth and comfort of your bed. You slowly roll over, looking at the empty space next to you. You swear Joel was next to you when you were falling asleep. Maybe you were dreaming or just wishful thinking. 

You wake up seeing Joel enter your room. He sits on the bed with a new bandage and better disinfectant than the alcohol last night in hand. “Hey, here’s some aspirin and some other stuff I stole from the medical building. I'll ask Tess to stitch you up, okay?” He tells you as he starts to clean your wound until you stop up.

“I can do it myself,” you mumble as you reach out for the stuff wincing as your arms stretch. He hands you the aspirin and water, rolling his eyes at how stubborn you are. Joel watches as you struggle to sit up to take the aspirin. He thought about how different it was seeing you be more vulnerable and emotional last night when you were drunk. Letting him help you in bed, asking him to lay with you, dropping your guard, and letting him in a little. But it was short-lived. In the morning, you're back, guarding your emotions and shutting him out. He couldn't blame you, though he was just as guarded as you.

“Shut up, you can barely raise your arms.” You know he was right; it was more painful and sore than last night. You reluctantly let him lift your shirt up so he could change the bandage and clean it. 

Once he’s done changing the bandage, Joel sees your face in the sunlight and feels sick once he sees your black eye, mad at himself for not protecting you, for not being there with you, for letting them hurt your pretty face. He wished he was there, he knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to you. But beating up that officer last night made him feel better.

“I didnt know you had a black eye, couldn't see it last night.” he mutters as he held your face between his fingers, examining it more.

You feel yourself get warmer with him being so close, you smile at the comment. “It would explains why my face hurts like a bitch.” Trying to lighten the mood, but you could tell he was pissed. He doesn't respond or laugh, he just continues looking at the face to see anything else he might’ve missed last night.

“Yea, well, the aspirin should help. Wish we had ice or something,” he said dryly, not finding your comedic relief funny. His glare was still strong.

“Sorry, I was very drunk last night. Im sure I said some dumb shit haven't gotten that drunk since i was young.” You don’t remember much after falling asleep on the couch, but you knew you were touchy and more sensitive when you were drunk. You weren’t sure if you had told him something you would regret, but Joel didn’t say or act differently, so you assumed it was fine.

Joel ignores the first part, focusing on you saying when you were young. He scoffs. “You're in your twenties, you are young,” he responds dryly. You could tell he was still upset at the state you were in. You're trying to make him feel slightly better about it, but it hasn't worked so far.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot I was talking to someone who was alive when dinosaurs were still around.” You joke, but he doesn't react. He continues, finishing cleaning your wound, and his hand comes up holding your face. You feel his rough hands rub against your cheek. You see the cuts on his knuckles, and by how fresh they are, you assume he had gotten back at FEDRA this morning. He holds your face in his hands. It was quiet for a few minutes before Joel spoke up.

“I'm sorry I wasn't there, baby. I—” You were caught off guard by his affectionate action as he caressed your face. You stared back into his brown eyes. You saw how he was looking at you. It was softer. He looked at you like you had never seen before, and you didn’t know what it meant.

“Joel-” you feel the heat rise on your face; you look at him, staring at his eyes, the wrinkles from the years, scars and cuts on his face. His brown eyes and greying beard. You're silent for a few minutes before you feel your mouth opening 

“You're so pretty,” you mutter quietly, saying the first thing that comes to mind. 

You see his lips smile for the first time today, “I think you're prettier, sweetheart.” You stare at his lips for a second before slowly leaning forward, pressing your lips onto his, and you feel his lips follow. You close your eyes as you relax against him. You’ve kissed him before, but only during sex. It was quick and messy, and you both knew it was just the heat of the moment. You’ve never kissed him like this, you could tell it meant more. It was slower, not fueled by lust.

You feel him pull away first. You panic, thinking he is going to be mad. He could tell by your wide eyes. He shakes his head slightly, reassuring you before kissing you again. You feel Joel slowly moving, joining you on your bed and lying next to you. 

He leans over to continue kissing you, but you put your hands on his chest, stopping him. You couldn’t handle having sex with him as just a casual thing anymore, it was too much. It would hurt more when he would go and sleep with other people you couldn’t do it anymore. You were scared that he wouldn't want anything to do with you after, but it more knowing it didnt mean anything more.

“Um Joel if we- um-if we do this, I can only do this if it’s more than casual. I know you've probably been sleeping with other people and I’m not mad or anything I know what we agreed but um I like you, have liked you for a while now and I can’t do this knowing it’s just a friend with benefits situation.” You swallow nervously, not knowing what he is going to say. You fiddle with your finger as you stare down at the sheets, too nervous to meet his eye. A part of you was waiting for him to say he’s not interested, that you’re just a good fuck and reliable outside the walls, nothing more. That he didn't have any feelings for you.

But he proves you wrong. You feel his face caress your face, making you look at him. “Sweetheart, I haven’t slept with anyone since I started sleeping with you.”

Your eyebrows rise in shock. You haven’t slept with anyone either, knowing you couldn’t be with anyone but him, but it still surprises you. He smiles at your face. “What thought I was sleeping with everyone in the QZ?" he teases, making you laugh. 

You know him well enough to know he very rarely lets people get closer enough to fuck them you just thought him and tess would be. “No, no, just thought you and Tess-” but he cuts you with a quick shake of his head.

“No, not in a long time. Before I even met you, and we're better off as friends.” He says quietly as he stares at you intensely and you gaze back at him. He leans forward and pressing his lip onto yours again, kissing you softly, you close your eyes as you feel his hand cupping your face. You're nervous, feeling your body getting warmer in excitement. You wrap your hands around his waist, pulling him closer to you. His lips parted, allowing you to slip your tongue in. You grab his waist and lie down, trying to pull him on top of you, needing to be closer to him. Your back hits the bed gently, and you expect his lips to follow yours, but he stays hovering above you.

You open your eyes and frown your eyebrows, looking at him, confused as to why he stopped kissing you. He looks at you before glancing to your side where your wound was, and then you understand. He didn't want to put too much weight on you while you were hurt. You reach your hands up to his hair, running your finger through it. “You're not gonna hurt me, Texas, I swear,” you say quietly, reassuring him.

He looks at you, then to your side one more, still hesitant. You hear him sigh before he leans down to kiss your forehead. “Alright, but I’m being gentle, nothing too rough.” He sits up and starts unbuttoning his flannel, admiring himself as he does so.

“Aww, I really wanted you to throw me around and tie me up. Maybe slap me around,” You joke, your voice laced with sarcasm. You watch as he stops unbuttoning his shirt to give you his famous deadpan stare. Not a hint of amusement in his voice before he continues to take his shirt off as he rolls his eyes at your joke.

“Shut up," he shakes his head. Give me an IOU on throwing you around, okay?" 

You nod, laughing, getting more turned on at the thought of him "throwing you around." You run a hand down his stomach before grabbing his waist again and pulling him onto your lips, making him hover over you again. His fingers unzip your shorts and pull them down with your underwear, you kick them off.

You think he is gonna come back to kiss you but your surprised when he starts kissing your stomach, getting lower and lower till he reaches where you need him most, you feel place soft kisses on your clit, before licking it a couple of times, you whimper as you feel your hips shudder under the pleasure. 

"Joel," you moan as he eats you out, his hands spreading your thighs. Your eyes roll back, moaning as you feel his large fingers thrust inside you, replacing his tongue. 

"Gonna cum baby?" 

You nod as he returns going back, licking your folds. You grab his hair, lightly tugging on it, getting his attention.

He looks up at you raising his eyebrows “what?” you lose your train of thought when feeling his finger lightly stroking your clit, you let out another moan before finally being able to piece your sentence together. “Joel I need you to fuck me please” you begged more disparate than you would admit, you see him smile and lean down kissing your clit on more time, before you watch him take off his jeans and boxers. You see his hard cock, admiring for a moment feel yourself getting wetter.

You cant’t take your eyes of him, desperately wanting him in your mouth, you know he probably wouldn’t want you because your wound but it was worth a try, when comes back over to you, you reach out stroking his cock and batting your eye lashes “Joel can I suck you off please.” you tried buttering him up hoping you jerking him off would forget about your injury. He watch as he slowly came undone as your hand began speeding up, but it wasn’t enough.

“No,” he answered flatly before letting out a quiet moan, you pout a little before he places a quick kiss on your lips. “you’re lucky i’m fucking you don’t push it, you can suck my dick youre healed l” you nodded disappointedly but you knew it was long shot. You continue moving your hand slowly up and down on his cock. he moans louder, he removes your hand and moves so he’s hovering over you while you lay down against the bed. He brings two fingers up to your mouth, having you suck on them before pushing them into your cunt, his fingers spread you open as the curl inside you. Feeling your wetness drip down his fingers as he increased his speed fucking his fingers a little faster.

“Joel…please need you,” you whine as you feel yourself tighten around his fingers. You squeeze your eyes shut as you bite your lip as his fingers get you closer to your release. Your hand grabs his wrist, holding onto it for support. You feel his other hand come to your clit, slowly rubbing circles as your hips jerk up because of his touch.

“c’mon baby can feel you’re close aren’t you, c’mon sweetheart cum on my fingers.” you feel him speed up his finger a bit more as you moan at his words. You moan out his name probably too loud considering how thin the QZ wall are but you didn’t care, too focused on you that pleasure as you cum onto his fingers. You open your eyes as you come down from your release. You watch as Joel slowly removes his finger from you and puts them into his mouth, making you whine.

“Joel please I need you, please fuck me.” you watch as he smile slightly before he placed his lips on yours. Leaning over you more as your hand comes up to his waist. He removes his lips from yours.

"This is gonna be different,” was all he said before returning his lips back on yours.

You knew what he meant, you knew he didnt want to be like all the other times, when you just had a quick fuck before going about the rest of your day, no post-sex cuddles or pillow talk. He wanted to take his time, appreciate you and your body unlike before. Show you that you were more than just a fuck buddy.

You nod as he leans down and kisses you, slowly for a few seconds before pulling away. “So fucking beautiful sweetheart." your face heats up at the compliment, you feel the head of his cock slips into your wet folds. Your eyes flutter closed as his slowly and gently pushes deeper inside you. 

"Joel." you moan, as your nails dig into his shoulders, feeling him. 

"Fuck baby so tight. Can't believe you thought id fuck any other pussy." he moans moving slowly inside you, careful not to hurt you. Digging your nails into his shoulders. "Joel. Joel. Joel." You moan as he continues thrusting his thick cock deep inside you, slow and gentle and perfect, bringing you to your release. Joel follows closely behind, cumming inside you. 

He rests his forehead against yours, breathing heavily with you. You bring your hand to the back of his head, running your finger through his curls with a content smile. He kisses your forehead, resting there for a few seconds before slowly slipping out from inside, causing you both to moan a bit. Joel lays down next to you, pulling you under his arm. 

"How ya feeling?" he asks softly, almost in a whisper. 

"Im fine relax, your dick is good miller but not good enough to reinjured my stab wound." You tease as Joel purses his lips as he stares at you, his cheeks turning a bit red. 

"Didnt hear ya complain' 5 minutes ago." He turns, lying on his side, back turned to you, but you know it's just so his good ear can be unhindered by the pillow. You lie down slowly, wrapping your arms around his back, being the "big spoon." He rubs your hand as it lands across his stomach. 

"Not complaining, just saying." He sighs, letting out a small chuckle. 

"Just take a nap. I'll ask Tess 'bout more painkillers, okay?"  You nod, resting your head against his back, closing your eyes. 

"Okay, but know that I 'm still holding onto the IOU about throwing me around Texas."

"Shut the hell up, you're ridiculous." He's quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Bring it up in two weeks, and I'll think about it.

[xlettex]

Suna Rintarou has ignored you for seven hours, twenty-three minutes, and forty-five seconds. Not that you’re counting. He hadn’t looked at you when you waved good morning. Didn’t reply when you texted him during lunch. And now, during practice, he’s pretending you don’t exist—unless it’s to rotate away the second you step near him. Which is why you’ve had it.

You march across the gym floor with fire in your veins, stopping right in front of him during a water break. The rest of the team goes quiet, curious eyes flicking between you and the tall, unbothered middle blocker who’s carefully unwrapping sports tape like it's the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Rin, what the hell is your problem?”

Suna doesn’t even look at you. “I don’t have a problem.”

“Bullshit. You’ve been ignoring me all day.”

He scoffs. “Why don’t you just go hang out with your boyfriend?”

You blink. “I’m sorry— my what now?”

Now he looks at you. Flat expression. Bored tone. “The guy you hugged this morning.”

You stare at him. Then you laugh—one short, incredulous breath. “You mean my little cousin?” 

Suna freezes. A beat. Another beat. A visible oh, shit creeps across his face as the team collectively chokes behind you.

“Oh,” he mutters. “Well. He was… tall.”

You slap his arm. “He’s, like, an inch taller than me. And he was just thanking me for lunch money.”

“Well, it didn’t look innocent,” he grumbles, ears now bright pink.

“Are you serious right now?! You’ve been sulking all day over my cousin?”

He shrugs and drops his gaze. “Didn’t know he was your cousin.”

You narrow your eyes. “And what if he wasn’t?”

Silence. The team holds its breath.

Suna exhales, then mutters, “Then I wouldn’t like it.”

Your heart stutters.

His eyes meet yours again—and this time, he really looks at you. His voice is no longer bored. It’s quiet. Honest. “Seeing you with someone else, I mean.”

You tilt your head, a smile curling on your lips—sharp and smug. "Then do something about it.”

Behind you, Atsumu lets out a low, delighted cackle. “Ohhh, shiiit—she got you.”

You don’t wait for a response. Just turn on your heel, walking out of the gym with your head held high. But not before glancing back once—

And catching Suna frozen in place, face red, as the entire team starts swarming him with grins, whistles, and way too much noise. You smile to yourself.

Let him squirm.

[rottenpumpkin13]

Having a bit of a rough time atm

Could I have AGSZC in those interviews with puppies, but with kittens instead? Thank you ❤️

Sephiroth: Sits like a porcelain statue on the edge of the velvet loveseat, posture perfect, expression neutral, one gloved hand resting elegantly over the other—until a handler silently sets a tiny gray kitten in his lap. He blinks once, looks down and says "Thank you for this gift" before standing up and attempting to walk out of the studio with the cat. They wrestle him gently back to the couch.

The interviewer, trying to steer things back on track: General Sephiroth, how do you personally reconcile the military's role in Wutai with Shinra's public commitment to peacekeeping? Sephiroth: I think— *Then the kitten sneezes* Sephiroth, ignoring everything: How precious! It sneezed! *He is now holding the kitten two inches from his face, nose to nose. The lights, the cameras, the world—gone* Sephiroth: Do it again, I'll wait.

Angeal: Sitting cross-legged, cool, unbothered, he's not really a cat person but will hold the cat in his lap anyway. They drop a ginger tabby in his lap. He nods respectfully, as if accepting a mission. "This is fine," he says, "just don't expect me to cry or fawn over them or anything." Kitten: makes one (1) pathetic "mew." Angeal is now visibly trembling, sobbing, voice cracking going "He trusts me! I must live up to this!" Completely ignores the first question and is crying softly into the kitten's fur.

Genesis: The cat is a prop. The interviewer tries to ask a serious question. Genesis poses with the kitten in one hand like it's Yorrick's skull: "Ah, but what is war, if not a stage…*kitten bites his thumb* "Yes, fate bites too. How very tragic." He gets emotional over one of the questions, uses the cat to wipe away his tears.

Zack: Slides into the studio like a human avalanche of joy. No chair, no greetings. He's already belly-down on the carpet, arms outstretched like he's the claw in a claw machine and the kitties are the prizes. "Unlimited kitties!!" Five kittens charge at him. He's immediately swarmed. One is on his head, two are wrestling on his back, another's attacking his necklace, and one has claimed his jacket as its territory. Interview begins. Zack is not present. He is in another realm. "I don't work for Shinra anymore," he says, covered in fur and meows. "I work for the Kitten Syndicate now. My rank is Purrivate Second Class." Someone off-camera tries to ask him about war crimes. He responds by lifting a kitten paw and waving it, like it's his lawyer.

Cloud: Sits stiffly like he's bracing for war. Doesn't know what to do with his hands. Or face. Or soul. A small black kitten is gently placed in his lap. Doesn't know what to do with himself so he just starts having a conversation with the cat as one would a human. "…So yesterday I had cold stew for lunch. I think it was stew. I didn't heat it up, not because I was too lazy to, but because I think the cold temperature really brings out the flavor." The kitten meows in response. Cloud says "I know, right?"

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 29 - Resonance

Training time in Toph’s gauntlet means dealing with some uncomfortable truths that have slumbered just beneath the surface for far too long.

--

Hey y'all! Thursdays are coming rapidly along the path now, and it feels like I just posted the last chapter yesterday, yet here we are on the day I mentioned in chapter 28.

Today’s chapter is brought to you by the Melon Lord. May she have mercy on all our souls.

On a more serious note, #itshappening. The board is set, the pieces are in motion. We are on course to finish my first big long fic! I can’t believe I first posted this thing in October of 2023, and now we’re in 2025. It’s been a long journey, but it’s been so very enjoyable.

Thank you always, @achillmango. Your editing and support have been heaven-sent. Thank you again.

No more delays - please enjoy Chapter 29 - Resonance.

He can feel his mind struggling in the quiet calm of the night. Months of constant silence have given way to a cacophonous, gentle hum of whispered voices. The voices wake Aang in the middle of the night with his head throbbing for the fifth time in three hours after far too little sleep. It's too loud in his own mind, and it almost feels like there's an unconscious pull toward the sea, to the open, cool air above it. He opts for a glass of water instead. It's probably just a sign that he’s dehydrated.  In the minutes that follow, he meditates, calming the choir in his head, then forces himself back to bed.  Perhaps twenty minutes go by before he wakes again, then again. Restful sleep evades his clutches the entire night, except in the darkness just before morning, when a deep, perfect slumber claims him; complete silence embraces his body for ten minutes before the sunrise greets his room, signalling the start of his day.

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

“You really outdid yourself, Toph! This is incredible!” Sokka shouts across the chasm of exposed rock. The training ground stretches along the beach before wrapping inland through a Toph-made slot canyon. The narrow vertical walls extend for several hundred feet before opening into a wider ravine where strategically placed boulders sit at uneven intervals along its slopes. At the end of the ravine lies the most surprising aspect of her creation, an obsidian platform lined with boulders soaked in oil, ready to be lit.  “Where did you find a piece of obsidian this big in one piece?!” His jaw drops as he considers it. “That’s gotta be worth a fortune!” “Made it. Now, if you’re done being a slack-jawed dummy, there’s one last thing I need to do.”  He refuses to close his mouth as the young girl impales a melon atop a large stone spike, then bends a pair of arms from the rock before placing it atop the obsidian platform.  Toph’s excited voice betrays her attempted evil tones, “Behold! I am the Melon Lord! I will destroy everyone if you don't stop me! Beware my fire! Muahahaha!”  At first, Sokka is skeptical of the melon-topped mannequin, but hearing her cackle menacingly at the end of her monologue sends a legitimate chill down his spine. He’s so glad she’s on their side. He isn’t sure the world would be able to deal with two evil maniacs.  “Alright, alright! Save it for the training exercise!” He shouts, then clears his throat to address the others. “We’ve come a long way. From humble beginnings at the South Pole–”  “Get to the point, Sokka.” He can see Katara’s eyes rolling as she speaks.  Fine. No special pointers then. “Everyone. The comet arrives in less than a month, and for at least the next two weeks, this is going to be our home. We are going to eat, sleep, dream, and fight our way through this training ground until we’re ready to take down Fire Lord Ozai once and for all!”  He pauses and lets it all sink in before continuing. “Suki, you and I will handle the beach approach, taking down enemy resistance. Katara, you and Zuko will take the assault in the canyon and ravine. You’re the most capable of covering that much ground that quickly. Aang, you’re up last for the finale. You’ll take down the…uh… Melon Lord, when we’ve opened up the path for you.” “What about Toph?” Aang asks. “Toph will be running our training program,” Sokka replies dryly. “Blame her if you get hurt.”  “What he means,” Toph interjects, “Is that I’ll be handling any weak points during our actual take-down of the Loser Lord.”  He’s so glad she’s not really against them.  “Alright! Who's ready to kick some butt?”  “I am!” Toph shouts at the top of her lungs. “You losers better prepare yourselves! I’m not going easy on you!”  Great.

Continue reading on AO3.

[areyoufuckingcrazy]

“Grumpy Hearts and Sunshine Shoulders”

Wrecker x Female Reader

⸻

The ocean was too blue. The sky was too clear. The people were too… happy.

It annoyed you.

Not because it was bad—it wasn’t. Pabu was a dream. A sanctuary. A rare piece of untouched paradise in a galaxy still licking its wounds. But after everything you’d seen, done, survived, the cheerfulness of it all hit you like sunburn on old scars.

So when Wrecker waved at you the first morning you arrived—big smile, bigger voice, bouncing down the stone steps like a gundark on caf—you nearly turned around and left.

But you didn’t.

You stayed. You unpacked. You avoided him for two days.

And then?

He showed up outside your door with a grin and a crate of fresh fruit.

“You need help settin’ up?” he asked, already peeking past your shoulder like he owned the place.

You crossed your arms. “You just looking for an excuse to snoop?”

Wrecker blinked, then grinned wider. “Only a little.”

You tried not to smile. You failed. He saw.

“You smiled! I saw it, so no denying it!” he said, delighted, as if he’d won a war.

“That wasn’t a smile. That was… mild amusement. Don’t get cocky.”

“Oh, your smile is so beautiful!” he declared, plopping the crate on your counter like he lived there. “I’d love to see it more often.”

You raised a brow. “Flattery? Really?”

“Not flattery,” he said, serious for a second. “Just the truth.”

And just like that, your walls cracked a little.

⸻

A week passed. Then two. You stopped flinching when he knocked. You started helping him haul supplies. You let him drag you into town gatherings, always with the same grin and the same cheer.

“You’re definitely the only person I would do this for,” you grumbled once, dragging your boots through the sand on the way to a lantern festival.

“I know!” Wrecker beamed, looping a thick arm around your shoulder. “I’m special.”

“You’re loud.”

“I’m charming.”

You snorted. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You smiled again.”

“Damn it.”

⸻

One night, you found yourself sitting beside him on the docks. The moon cast silver streaks across the water, and Wrecker was humming some out-of-tune melody you didn’t recognize.

“You ever stop being cheerful?” you asked quietly.

He shrugged. “Used to. After Crosshair left, and after Echo… yeah. I had some bad days. Real bad. But Omega helped. So did Pabu.”

You nodded slowly.

He looked at you, more thoughtful now. “You got bad days too, huh?”

You didn’t answer right away.

Then, quietly: “Sometimes it feels wrong to enjoy peace. Like I haven’t earned it.”

Wrecker shifted closer. His hand brushed yours, warm and solid. “You don’t gotta earn peace. You just gotta accept it.”

You looked at him, brow tight. “You make it sound easy.”

He grinned. “Nah. It ain’t. But I’m here. Omega’s here. You’re not alone.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

“I’ll do it,” you whispered after a long pause, “but only because you asked me to.”

“Do what?”

You finally leaned your head against his shoulder.

“Try. To enjoy it. This place. You.”

Wrecker’s face turned redder than a sunset. “Well, hey, no pressure, but—I really like it when you smile.”

You chuckled.

Then, finally—finally—you smiled again.

[angeliteeyes]

Hi im the one who asked for the astral express reader x kafka fic xd. Ive come to ask for more its thats fine by you

Imagine like, trying to sneak her up on the express but reader sucks at lying so their just smiling and giggling while trying to make excuses.

But yeah take all the time you need, i really enjoy x reader fics when they put some focus on comedy and i think you really nailed it xd

Thanks in advance if you end up taking this request :D

Hello again, nice to hear from you!!! Aww thank you so much, I tried my best with that one to match the request's vibe lol. Here u go!

Kafka x Astral Express Reader - Sneaking Her Aboard

-> First Kafka x AE Reader fic here

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

"Kafkaaaaa, I haven't seen you in so long! I get that we were busy with all the Xianzhou stuff, but still..." Your voice whined into your phone's microphone, earning a soft chuckle from her. After she disappeared on you last time, your poor heart couldn't help but yearn to see her once again. Her warm voice tore you out of your thoughts.

"Darling, if you miss me that much, why don't I come over?"

Your face scrunched a little. "You mean like, come over come over? Not go-on-a-date over, actually getting on the Express?" The idea made your heart feel fuzzy. Sure, you'd been together plenty of times before, but... with the strained relationship between the Stellaron Hunters and the Astral Express, you hadn't dared bring her aboard. At least not until today.

"Sure, as long as you'll help me. You will, won't you?" Even with no visuals, you could still hear her scheming smirk loud and clear; of course, you answered it with one of your own.

"Count me in."

*

Thank the Aeons Pompom was busy cleaning around the opposite end of the vehicle. You'd already managed to bump into an embarrassing amount of corners on your way back into the Express, to the amusement of your stylish stowaway.

"You always this clumsy, dear?" She whispered into your ear from behind, forcing your already rosy cheeks to flush an even deeper hue. Just as you started to shush her, a familiar-sounding set of heels clicking rapidly caught your attention, forcing you to switch gears. Ugh, those have to be Himeko's. Why'd she have to come out now of all times?

"Crap—Kafka, you have to hide. Hurry!" You hissed at her, but... No way. She's laughing. You're about to be strangled to death by Himeko as punishment for sneaking Kafka in, and she's laughing. Wowwwwww.

"You can't be serious right now... Ugh, just go—uh, behind there!" Before she could make any snide comments, you hurriedly shoved her down to the ground behind a booth-style structure. Just in time too, apparently, based on the way Himeko's footsteps grew louder and louder with each passing second. You barely were even given a chance to check whether Kafka was properly hidden or not before heels clicking turned to silence.

"And what exactly are you doing up so late? I already told you that we need to be up and ready to go early tomorrow." As your eyes met Himeko's disapproving glare, a nervous grin swept across your face. In normal circumstances, she wouldn't intimidate you quite this much, but... well, you've seen the way her posture shifts around your partner. Not to mention the bitterness etched into each of their conversations (although, it's nothing compared to the flavor of her infamous coffee).

"Oh uh, heh... sorry about that. I just got um... thirsty?" You rubbed the back of your neck. She continued to stare at you, unamused.

"Right. Which is why your hands are completely empty, even though you're heading back to your room. Care to explain that?" She crossed her arms.

Huh. Maybe you should've sat with that idea a little longer.

"Um... Oh wait, I could've just drank it all back in the kitchen! See, Himeko, you have nothing to worry about." Your grin beamed at her as a surge of pride coursed through you. Good thinking, you.

"Hm, so you're saying you could've. Is that correct?"

Weird question, but you couldn't let your confidence waver now. "Mhm!"

"Which means you didn't actually do that."

A still silence permeated the air as your brain took some time to process the meaning behind her words. Nothing you said seemed wrong to you, but she clearly caught you somehow—

Oh. Oh. Yeah, you messed up for sure. Apparently seeing that your brain had finally caught up to the current situation, Himeko sighed.

"Look, just tell me what you're hiding. It'll make things easier for the both of us." Her eyes seemed to land longingly on a part of the kitchen. If you recall correctly, right where her line of sight is should be her... coffee machine, you think. "Well, what is it?"

Your feet shifted back and forth a little. "It's... Kafka."

"Excuse me?" Himeko turned to you in disbelief, clearly not having been expecting that as your response. Behind you, the sound of fabrics rustling together echoed out, indicating said stowaway's change to a standing position. A wave of tension rushed through the air between them, albeit a rather one-sided version—made clear by Kafka's carefree expression.

"Long time no see, Himeko. Did you miss me?" Her remark earned an eyeroll from the other woman.

"As if." She grimaced while motioning a hand over her forehead, pondering for a few moments. Her gaze moved between the two of you lovebirds back and forth before ultimately settling on you. With a heavy coating of reluctance, she opened her mouth. "I can't believe I'm letting you get away with this. Just... promise me you won't do anything else stupid tonight. And you" — she glared at Kafka — "don't you dare take advantage of this for any of your Stellaron Hunter schemes.

Kafka raised her palms in the air. "You don't have to worry about me. I've already got my hands full with this one right here." She winked at you, as if she hadn't just tried to get you in trouble earlier. Still, you couldn't stay mad for long with how much excitement was fluttering around in your stomach.

The two of you leaned into each other as you watched Himeko saunter off towards the kitchen, leaving you two behind to bask in each other's company. It wasn't long before your body began to sink into her warmth more deeply.

"I'm still annoyed at you for earlier, y'know." She laughed softly, all the while guiding you over to your room with gentle hands.

"Sorry darling, you're just so fun to play around with. I can make it up to you if you want."

You pouted at her. "And how're you planning to do that?"

But you didn't really have to ask. After being together for so long, even without saying a word, it was obvious to both of you what that sentence sparked in your minds. As your hands interlocked, you mused; maybe you could forgive her, just this once.

[verityasian]

Bsf!JJ x Inexperienced!reader

This is my OG JJ Maybank bot so if you guys are interested…🫢

**its this bot btw**

[OTHER BOTS]

Rafe Cameron

JJ Genrette

Summary

You and JJ have been friends since you were kids and you may or may not have had a crush on him since then. But since neither of you know how the other feels, you're stuck being friends.

You're going on a date with a guy but there's one problem.. you don't have any experience.

Who better to ask to practice with than your best friend JJ?

JJ blinked. Then blinked again. “You wanna run that by me one more time?”

You shifted your weight, clearly regretting everything, but too deep to back out now. “I have a date. And I’ve never… done anything. At all. I just don’t wanna look stupid.”

JJ’s grin was immediate—wide, wolfish, and way too entertained.

“So, lemme get this straight,” he said, crossing his arms. “You want me, JJ Maybank to be your… what, practice run? Sex Yoda? Fuck guru?”

You groaned, covering your face. “Ugh, forget it. This was stupid—”

“Nah, nah, nah—” he stepped in front of you, hands up like he was handling a fragile object. “I’m just making sure I heard you right. You’re asking me to be your first.”

You glanced up, shy and defiant all at once. “You’re the only one I’d trust.”

That shut him up for a beat.

He let out a low whistle, eyes scanning your face like he was trying to read a secret. “Damn. That’s… sweet. Kinda dangerous, though.”

You frowned. “Why?”

JJ leaned closer, voice low and teasing. “Because once you get a taste, you’re gonna fall hopelessly in love with me. I’ve got a reputation to protect, princess.”

You rolled your eyes, but your blush betrayed you.

He chuckled, then tilted his head, studying you. “You’re really serious about this?”

[kgirlgroup-stan]

Support

fluff, male reader

Y/N pov

It was a very cold tonight. This years winter is no joke. I looked up at the night sky as small drops of snow fell. I sighed out loud being able to see my breath. I had just enough money to buy a hot chocolate. 

Sitting on a bench near a park, i took the time to close my eyes and process things. Since i was a child i've always have had problem. At a young age i was put into a foster home, once 18 i was forced out of there. Since then I have never had a stable place to live in. 

I took a sip of my drink. Slowly accepting that I was going to have to sleep out here tonight. I let out another sigh, my head dropping down to look at my hands. The cup giving me the slightest bit of warmth.

"y/n? is that you?" i snapped my head up and turned to the voice to see my best friend, Sakura.

I had met her during school, she knew about my situation to an extent. I had to lie to her and tell her that i had a family that was taking care of me as their own.I didnt want to worry her.  she always took my problems as hers and tried to make me feel better, i dont know if her being a year older than me had anything to do with it.

I knew she would be more than willing to let me stay with her and her family but i just didnt want to be a burden. I have been able to keep up the lie until i guess now.

"oh h-hey sakura, how are you?" i tried to play it off, i was still slightly surprised since it was pretty late not much people were out and I didnt expect for Sakura to be out this late either.

"Im okay" she looked at me a bit confused. "what are you doing out here?" she came closer, stopping right in front of me, making me have to look up at her.

"ah y-you know just craving some hot cocoa"my fingers were fidgeting against my drink and looked at her with a nervous smile.

She narrowed her eyes at me when she noticed my movement. It was easy to lie to her when I felt like i wasnt caught. When she gave me that look i felt like she saw right through me. Without any warning, she grabbed my hand and dragged me away.

After a few steps, i looked around to instantly notice the neighborhood around us. We were heading to her apartment. Her apartment that she turned into a home for herself.

Walking into her apartment she sat me down on the couch. She stood in front of me, arms crossed. I took a small moment before looking up at her, she had a serious look on her face. 

"so are you going to tell me what you were really doing out there?" she sat down on an armchair in front of me. I took a big breath and looked down, playing with my fingers trying to avoid her gaze.

I took one more breath then looked up at her and told her everything. There was a long moment of silence once i was done. I couldnt help but get nervous under her intense gaze.

"y/n you're an idoit. You could have just told, like this is something serious. Do you not trust me enough to tell me things like that or what? What kind of best friend am i if im not there for you when you need someone?" she shook her head at me.

"i-its not like that, i just didnt want you to worry about me thats all. When things began with me, you were training to become an idol. I didnt want to be a reason for you to stop pursuing your dreams all because you were worried about helping me." i continued to play with my fingers, still to nervous to look up at her.

There was nothing said after that. I glanced up at her after a few seconds. She looked like she was thinking about something. Then she stood up and sat next to me before looking at me again. i gulped softly, wondering what she was going to tell me now.

"you could live here. Its not so often i get to be home since my schedule usually keeps me busy so, you could stay here." she looked straight at me.

"n-no no, its okay i'll be able to find a place." i shook my hands, denying her offer.

"for what, y/n? so you could just end up getting kicked out again." she looked at me with 'are you serious' face. Then she looked down and mumbled something i couldnt quiet catch."geez your lucky i lov-"

My nervousness changed into confusion. "what did you say?" she looked flustered when i asked her that.

"n-nothing. It was nothing" she turned her face, i could failtly see a pinkish hue on her cheeks.

"come on, I told you everything that has been happening with me, stuff that i never wanted to tell you." i scooted closer to her. " i doubt whatever you have to say is worse than mine." this time I wasnt the one not being able to hold the others gaze.

She took a small breath then looked back up at me. Their was a look of vulnerability in them, making me automatically soften. "p-promise it wont affect us negatively?" she grabbed on of my hands into her, she never once left my gaze.

Usually i didnt like making promises on things i wasnt sure of but that way she was looking at me, I couldnt help but agree. "i promise" my voice lower than i wanted too.

I saw her take a small gulp, her eyes fluttering shut for a second before meeting my gaze again. It looked like she was trying to compose herself. She was hesitance and her breathing was soft. I got lost for a second just admiring her. 

"i......i love you y-y/n." i was slightly taken aback. I would have never thought thats what she wanted to tell me. "i have loved you e-ever since you supported and believed in me when everyone else wouldn't."

I couldnt respond. I was trying to process everything. Her grip on my hand tightened at my silence. Her eyes became a bit worried. "s-say something please." her voice came out shaky but it was enough to snap me out of it.

"I l-love you too" the words slipped out before i could fully think, but i didnt regret it because it was true. "ever s-since i met you." 

"r-really?! why didnt you tell me?" she looked at me surprised and that quickly changed into being frustrated with me

"well why didnt you?" i raised my hands up trying to surrender before she went further.

We both froze for a second before breaking into a fit of laughter. After calming down, we took a small breath and turned to look at each other. 'Sooooo, what now?" she asked softly.

I took this time to notice how close we were. My eyes wondered all around her face. From her eyes, to her nose, to her lips and back up. She noticed my gaze and a blush filled her cheeks. I couldnt help but lean into her. 

Our lips brushed each others, i hesitated a bit, wanting to make sure she wanted this too. Her eyelids flutter closed and that was more than enough. I leaned fully in and captured her lips. The kiss was soft, her hand came and held my shirt.

We pulled away smiling like a couple of idiots. "you dont know how long ive been wanting to do that." I whispered, looking at her like if i was in daze.

"does that mean your staying here." she grinned even wider, her hand slipping under my shirt to carress my skin.

"i'll stay for as long as you want me." I pecked her cheeks.

"hmmm then i guess your staying here forever." she gave me a firm kiss, i melted instantly. "now I say lets go play some games before bed. i need to beat your ass for that one time you somehow you managed to beat me." She rolled her eyes playfully before dragging me to her, well i should say our room now.

Its nice to know that I will always have her to love and support me and i know i will always do that same for her.

[zurk--flesh]

There is a very long winded and stupid rant ahead that will make me sound like a chronically online dumbass, but I desperately need to get this off my chest.

(Spoilers for the 7th comic and some lengthy bullshit ahead)

So, why does it piss me off whenever people refer to Zephaniah Mann as the Administrator’s ex husband?

I know people usually say it in a joking context, but it really rubs me the wrong way. Let me explain

The writers went out of their way to portray Zephaniah as a monster. Even though we never truly know what happened, we know that he effectively ruined Helen’s life. To the point where she dedicated her life to destroying him

By the time of Zephaniah’s death, he was no longer the man who killed her parents. He became the pit in Helen’s stomach, the hatred she felt towards others, and the life she never got to live. Helen had lost the one man she dedicated her life to destroying, along with her only reason to live.

Once Helen learned about the regenerative qualities of australium, she was able to bring Zephaniah back. Along with this was a promise of another chance, and more time to torture him

This torment became Helen’s reason to live. She kept expanding her operation, involving more innocent people and furthering her path of distruction all hoping that someday she might be happy, but it was never enough

So why the hell do people call Zephaniah Helen’s ex husband? Was it because she raised his children? No. She planned to smother them in their sleep, plus she raised them to be incompetent. Was it because she was his housemaid? No. A heartless man who only cares about himself and the women who hates his guts don’t fall in love just because they’re in a house together

Once again I know people usually say this in a joking context, but I genuinely feel like it comes from a place of misogyny. Like the idea that a man and a woman HAVE TO be in love despite the obvious reasons they have to hate each other just gives me an ick that I can’t describe

Helen hated this man. She killed him, and then raised him from the dead just so she can torment him. The idea that love or romance or even sex would be involved just feels incredibly gross to me. Plus it seems so unfair to Helen as a character because it completely diminishes so much of her motivations. Turning a story of loss, depression, and addiction into “crazy woman cant get over her ex 🤪” just feels so weird and takes away from the actual message of the story

Also he fucking killed her parents lol

Alright yap sesh over. I know its not that serious and ofc y’all are allowed to have whatever headcannons you please, I just knew that I would only be able to stop thinking about it once I said something

[deoidesign]

It's my right to tell myself I can do just a little animation just for fun just for really quick to do some action and then spend 3 days straight on it

[taigarrryen]

You know these tropes in stories where if you lose your soulmate you're left forever yearning for something just out of your reach, forever searching for something you can never find? That's me, JRWI Riptide is my soulmate. Send post

[secriden]

I always love your posts about THK and your recently pinned post and another one about Style yearning for skinship are just *chef's kiss*. So thank you for your analysis!

I saw some comments on tumblr that Style was acting as if he's sad and playing Fadel and I just could NOT agree, so I was glad to see your post. My opinion on Style's crying scene is I don't think Style meant to cry at first, but his emotions sort of overwhelmed him while he was talking. I think he definitely uses his cheerful disassocation with reality to deal with fear and he was just going to tell his message to his dad just in case, perhaps in a more lighthearted way, but he remembered about his mom and the reality of potential death hit him fully because his mother's death must be the closest death he'd experienced in his life. And when Fadel asked him if he was crying he just said Duh and wasn't fully crying, but after Fadel told him to stop the sob story, he turned back and the tears really started flowing. When I saw that I could really relate to him because that's how I usually act too- act nonchalant to hide my real feelings. Style wasn't planning to get emotional and then got mocked for it - and he was also denied his s*xual advances/skinship earlier too- that must've felt really hurtful to him.

As much as the scene hurts, I'm glad to see this was not cut because even cheerful, positive people like Style really gets down sometimes and people don't really understand this, even in real life! I was kind of like this when younger and had some people tell me they can't imagine me feeling sad or nervous. So seeing Style's rare serious and emotional side in the story is really made me kind of acknowledged? When I started watching this show, I didn't think I would get this attached to this character. He's like a ray of sunshine, very pure in his beliefs and quite fiercely loyal too (might be weird to say when he was complicit but he is actually loyal to both Kant and Fadel to the best of his ablities IMO) and the actor/Dunk is absolutely killing this role! Not just the crying scene in this episode, but Dunk's comedic timing in delivering the one liners is SO GOOD he manages to make me laugh every single episode so far.

Lovely anon, oh thank you for sharing so vulnerably about how you related to Style in that scene. I really agree with you that Style wasn't putting on an act to fool Fadel. I'm very surprised to hear that anyone still thinks Style is playing Fadel at this point?? O_O I don't think anything he does this episode is an act anymore -- even when he propositions Fadel with a shirt tossed into his face, there's clear and genuine intent behind it:

There's so much going on in this look. The gentle fondness as he gazes back at Fadel, the way the look seeks to communicate affection even as Fadel is glaring back in anger and frustration. But there's acceptance too, like he understands why Fadel is keeping his walls up, he understands why Fadel feels he deserves some of this harshness and he will let Fadel take the time he needs to come to whatever conclusions he wants to as long as Fadel does so with the understanding that Style's love for him is genuine.

Because at the end of the day the only thing Style really doesn't want is for Fadel to make his choice (to forgive or to cut Style off) thinking that Style's feelings are still a lie. I think that's the crux of the problem between them now: Fadel is pushing Style away because he is certain Style’s feelings aren’t true, and have never been true, but Style knows his own heart and understands the fundamental shift inside him that occurred over the course of their relationship.

Which is why I think Style is genuine in everything he’s showing Fadel now. Even if he didn’t mean to cry, I think his worry for his dad is very real. And I think the reason why he brings it up with Fadel is that Style is done hiding anything from him now. It’s not about manipulation, nor is it an attempt to make Fadel feel guilty. But he's taking everything Fadel is giving to him incredibly seriously and part of that is facing the possibility that Fadel may decide to kill him at the end after all. And that's... scary; hell its terrifying and heartbreaking and Style has understandable guilt related to how losing him after losing his mother is going to affect his dad.

And actually what you're saying about "cheerful and positive people like Style" also sometimes feeling down is such an important aspect of understanding Style's character. Because we can only really understand the weight of Style’s love for Fadel if we see him in all his multifaceted complexity: Style has suffered, Style understands the pain of loss but has learned to find joy in his life in the process of dealing with his mother’s passing. Styles cheerfulness and positively is not a sign of his immaturity or lack of complexity but rather evidence of a inner strength and determination to find meaning in life beyond the sadness. After my dad passed, it took me nearly 4 years to even get to a point where I began to want to want to find pockets of happiness. There was so much about me at the time time bound up in my feelings of loss and sadness and the ache of missing my dad, the unfairness of it all. Style is-- Style is so very precious to me.

And something I found really poignant is how Fadel and Style have such opposing methods of dealing with grief and fear. Fadel hides from it, runs from it, builds up walls and remains ever vigilante so he'll never be vulnerable again, while Style faces his grief and his fear head on. Style takes his fear out and holds it in the palm of his hand and in the process - like you said - maybe found himself more overwhelmed then he expected, but he allows himself the space to cry because he also sees that its important in the moment. And he invites Fadel into that vulnerability with him. That's insane to me -- Style's love for Fadel means that even when Fadel has a gun to his head and is the source of his fear, Fadel is always orientated on the INSIDE to Style.

To extend the allegory, the difference between them is that Fadel's love made him invite Style inside his walls as an outsider, but Style's love makes Fadel already part of him. Fadel doesn't need an invitation because at no point in episode 8 did Style ever treat Fadel as anything but an extension of his own heart.

So yeah, I'm so with you about being grateful for the scene. I think it maybe could have been shot differently (for instance, I kind of wish they'd just let Dunk do his thing and sell the moment without having that background music 180 degree shift), but I adore it for what it shows us about Style and the way he thinks and feels, and most of all the way Fadel is oriented in his heart.

[yuukei-yikes]

dude i'm sorry for all the kanoshin posting but like the way shintaro immediately forgives kano for telling him as ayano how it was all his fault. what shintaro went through was so awful he lost all his friends and his Best friend committed suicide after apparently saying "it's YOUR fault for never noticing" like that shit does irreparable damage to ur well being bro. for all this time shintaro thought it was HIS FAULT that ayano killed herself

and when kano admits it was him who said that shintaro doesn't isolate it from everything else kano was going through at that moment, so he doesn't hold it against him and he forgives him so easily. and that bit is from shintaro's pov so when we switch back to kano and he's so guilty and sort of in disbelief shintaro doesn't hate him. sorry that entire part with kano's pov in the seventh novel reads SO extremely romantic towards shintaro it's crazy. maybe i'm just gay but "he used to smile at my sister in a different way than he'd smile for everyone else. now he's smiling at me just like that" girl. EXCUSE ME. i didnt even care about kanoshin when i first read the seventh novel btw and i was still like oh so kano's into him. got it.

like shintaro's the victim to probably the most cruel thing kano's ever done to someone and he FORGIVES HIM so for kano who hates himself it's like. something something he sees me at my worst and still has the nerve to be kind to me. something something.

and in between all that there's kido and mary like god shintaro ur so lameeee, and kano in his mind is like i think he's cool actually.... im not saying it out loud though. he's down so bad for him it's so funny because it switches from all those convoluted guilty feelings to kano sort of twiling his hair like omg he's so heroic. and it's kind of endearing

kano's crush on shintaro is infuriatingly well written it's crazy. and it's even crazier that it's by accident and then u read the stuff not written directly by jin like the anthologies and the manga and instead they go for the weird incest shit, it's so jarring lol. and i'm not saying jin intended for it to be romantic. in fact it seems to me at least like jin thinks haruka and shintaro are the gayest ones?? just from how he jokes around and stuff. but it's funny how he wrote all that for kano but NOOOO kano's like such a flirt with women he's totally a lady's man. what's REALLY gay is haruka and shintaro crying in front of each other. can u imagine, boys... crying and being vulnerable with each other... hahhh so gay!!! girl maybe but RIGHT before that u wrote haruka going on about how he realizes he's into takane romantically precisely because HE'S NOT into shintaro romantically. like it is very much a point he makes. sorry that was a side tangent. anyways.

[br1ghtestlight]

*thinking to myself* bobs burgers is like the simpsons if it was earnest and also if it was good.....