#and the fact that my friend is celebrating getting into one of the best programs on earth is clashing with that

[theduchessofnaxos]

So, admissions didn't exactly go the way I wanted - I am excited about the offer I got, and it's a great school that my professor wouldn't have recommended if he didn't think it was a good program. But I applied to a lot of the top-tier "name brand" programs - some of which I was really excited about - and the closest I got to them was one MA admission. And that's a little bit of a hard pill to swallow when you're a privileged fuck who's had your family talking about how you'll do great things your whole life.

Fast forward to today, I'm watching a movie where the main character doesn't get into the top school she applied to and has a hard time with it. Texted my friends to joke that watching this was a bad idea. And I get back "I'm watching [some guy]'s tour of England and he stops in Cambridge. I think it's just now sinking in." Because my friend got into an MPhil at Cambridge.

I love my friend. And obviously I don't want her to suppress her joy about her amazing accomplishment. But goddamn lady, have some tact? 😂

[s-4pphics]

click! 3 (e.w.)

SYNOPSIS: you need a roommate, and you love eggplant. [college au]

WORD COUNT: 7.4k 

WARNINGS: photographer/roommate!ellie, ocs an artist with a rep and black :3, crack, light smut [masturbation], sexual tension… it’s starting, light angst, weed, brief mention of suicide, pretty cute tbh

one. two. four.

A/N: hi stinks :3 i’m obsessed with them….. taking my time with these two hope yall like it LOL bye

Butterflies are fluttering, birds are chirping, and the crops are watered when you wake. You slept through the entire night, and the beast inside you is satisfied. 

But the gorgeous scenery in your mind dies in an instant when you recall what the fuck you did last night. Maybe you are a low-down, dirty whore, just like your roomie said. She has the audacity to terrorize your subconscious enough to actually feature in one of your meat-beat sessions. Not only that, but you busted in two minutes to the thought of her demanding you to fix a window that isn’t even broken. 

You… are a hoe. How awkward. You just wanted to fight her days ago, and now your pussy’s got a crush. Not you, your pussy. You accepted that you and your cunt are two separate entities a long time ago. 

You lay in your bed, eyes melting holes into the ceiling; What the fuck is going on?

Ellie… sex… her asking for head… you asking for head from her… The math isn’t mathing. Ellie’s gay as a bitch, you know that for a fact, but why her? The math has never mathed, actually. You’re going to fail statistics, speaking of… Is statistics considered math? 

It’s still freezing in your apartment. Is Ellie still not back yet? Your shared space is never this silent or cold; A rat could be crawling around in search of cheese and you would hear it like a hounddog. 

You throw your blankets off and instantly regret it; You’re shocked snow isn’t falling from inside your fucking apartment. It has to be negative thirty in this bitch. If Ellie’s asleep, you don’t know how she survived the night. 

Your knees crack as you quietly pull your door open, light creaks from the hardwood sounding your walk to Ellie’s bedroom. You can’t imagine how crazy you look, ear pressed against her door, listening for any movement to prove that she’s alive and not a fucking block of ice. 

Either you’re hallucinating, or she’s mumbling in her sleep. Her voice is hushed and croaky, supposedly asking if Spider-man stole her fucking lunch money to pay the Pope back for stealing… something; You can’t pick up what she said from out here. Your hand flies over your mouth to hide a laugh. She must be exhausted; When did she get back last night? 

You let her sleep-talk in peace and head to the kitchen to brew your coffee. You really beat off to that bonehead. Go figure. 

For the first time since Ellie moved in, you’re gone before her. 

You’re strolling the icy streets, strutting to your heart’s content, Tina Snow vibrating your eardrums. Last night’s nut really did something incredible to your spirit; You’ve never felt lighter. One more unsuspecting gust of wind and you’re taking flight, for sure. Your brain gives subconscious Ellie knuckles. 

You burst through the coffee shop like you own it, silently celebrating when you realize there’s no line. You order and receive your dark drink in record time, taking a seat by the large window at the back of the shop. What gorgeous scenery! 

Your cup is almost empty when your phone vibrates on the table. It’s Maymay! You answer with the brightest smile. “My babyyy— “

“Bitch, cut the shit! Fuck you! Why haven’t you called?” She yells through the line. 

“Well, uh…” You almost committed arson in your building! “Just… just school stuff! You wouldn’t know about that, Ms. Celebrity!” 

Your best friend giggles, “Shut up! I’m a D-lister at most!” You shake your head in denial; That internship program doesn’t understand the blessing that Amaya holds. Her ear is godsend and she comprehends sound like no other. 

��How’s the roomie thing going? I haven’t heard much!” 

Oh, fuck. “… Fine.” 

She’s silent for a second, “The fuck does that mean?” 

Your fingernail snaps between your teeth. “I mean it’s fine, just like I said.” 

Amaya hums, clearly suspicious, “… Whatever you say, then.” 

“Yup.” 

She snorts. “Anyway… what’re you doing for Chri— “

“Ellie made me bust with her telepathy.” This is not the conversation you should be having in a coffee shop, but if people heard you, fuck it. 

“… Bitch… What?” 

“I didn’t wanna tell you, okay? I didn't! Incel made her way into my fucking brain and I busted! Sue me!” 

Silence passes, and then there’s laughter from the other line. “Are you high right now?” 

“No, it’s fucking nine in the morning— “

“Ain’t nothing wrong with a lil’ wake-and-bake— “

“I just told you I mentally fucked my roomie and that’s what you say?” 

She sighs, “I mean… I saw the picture you sent me. She's not ugly. Doesn’t seem like your type, though.” 

“She’s not my type! I thought about her for two seconds on accident and I came! Abby couldn’t even get me there and she—” 

“Woah, woah, pause… Abby couldn’t get you where?” 

“Not a location, bitch. I couldn’t bust!” A sharp gasp from her. Your brows furrow, “What?” 

“Oh, bitch…”

“What, Maya?” 

You hear the smile in her tone, “You gotta crush?” 

You gag, “Fuck no! Have you lost your mind! My…” You pause and check to see if anyone’s near. Nobody. You whisper-shout into the speaker, “My pussy’s crushing!” 

Amaya sucks her teeth in annoyance, “Girl…”

“It’s true! You know she gotta mind of her own! I can’t do anything about that!” 

Your bestie’s snickering to herself, “Whatever you say, mama. But for someone that thinks with her clit… you might wanna have a conversation with her. You know her better than anybody.” 

You’re stunned to say the least. You love Amaya to death, but she’s batshit crazy to suggest that you’re crushing on someone like Ellie. She called you a worthless tramp in broad daylight, for fucks sake. She wasn’t entirely wrong, but it still stung a little. 

You sip your coffee, “I love you… I gotta go.” 

“Mhm…” You hate how sure she sounds. “Love you, too.” 

You nervously twiddle your fingers until your first class, the day dragging even more than usual. Mainly due to the fact that you’re wondering if Amaya was right. Your lectures feel like a blur; All you can think about is Ellie. The spot-covered hermit. Squash-loving loser with a decent nose… and decent hands… and decently toned arms. 

Your pussy squeezes in the middle of class when you briefly envision them wrapped around you, and it sends a shockwave to your brain. 

Oh, shit. 

Raja was sweet enough to cover your shift for you; You can’t focus on credit card sales today. 

The second you enter your freezing apartment, you hear quiet sobs. Ellie sits at the small table as she scrolls through her phone, forms scattered all over the glass. She’s sniffling and wiping her face with her hoodie sleeve, and your brows crease. 

You shut the door behind you before making your way over to her. Not too close, though. 

“Uhh… you good?” 

“Yeah.” Her voice breaks, and something shifts in you. Somewhere in your chest. Why’re her cheeks so red?

“… You sure?” You cringe. 

“I said yeah.” 

She clearly doesn’t want to chat. Whatever’s going on, she can handle on her own. She doesn’t need coddling, especially from you. Why’re you still standing here?

“I, uh… I found a Snicker’s.” You slip. 

Ellie finally faces you, clearly confused. Why can’t you just shut the hell up for once? Another shift from your chest at her teary eyes. 

“What?” 

“I mean, uh, I bought a Snicker’s. Like, candy.” You pull said bar from your puffer pocket. You did buy it for Abby for when you see her to study, but it looks like your roomie needs it more. 

“… Okay?” 

You pull out and hand the wrapped chocolate out to her, “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” 

Her eyes switch between your face and the candy bar; She doesn’t look impressed. Maybe she’s allergic to nuts! You knew you should’ve got the fucking Sour Straws—

“Thanks.” 

You barely register her taking the bar, her cold fingers brushing against yours. Another zap in your brain. She rips it open and eats it in silence. An awkward chuckle from you, “Is it yummy?” You expect her to tell you to fuck off, but she doesn’t. She just nods and chews. 

Your nosiness gets the best of you, discreetly inspecting the forms on the table. A bunch of random names are crossed out in her notebook, a couple of signed forms crumpled up and raggedy. You don’t know what any of this means. 

“You’re not slick.” Ellie talks with her mouth full.

“Hm?” 

“You’re really gonna read my shit like that?” 

You take a seat next to her, “… I didn’t.” 

“Okay,” She mumbles. “Remember…” She scratches at her ear, “Remember that booking that got canceled because of the storm?” You nod. She swallows the last bits of her candy. “I was supposed to take pictures of this couple before their wedding, but…” 

“They, uh… They don’t wanna reschedule. Said it’s too hectic because of the holidays and there’s not enough time.” 

You hum, “Okay… So, what does that mean?” 

“I can’t submit my portfolio without those pictures. And it fucked my money up.” 

“Damn… how much were they paying?” 

She scoffs, “A lot. I don’t even wanna think about how much I lost trying to get the setup right.” 

You ponder for a second, “I mean, I’m sure there’s other people who want nice pics. You’ve been hustling this whole time— “

She interrupts, “I don’t wanna hustle anymore. I’m… I’m tired. It’s fucking exhausting doing promotions by yourself.” 

You hear the stress in her voice, and you feel for her. Being a full-time creative can be pretty shitty at times. Most times. The amount of attempts you’ve had in commissioning in your lifetime is astronomical; Some pick-ups, lots of disappointment. 

“What was the shoot about? Like… the scene, I guess.” 

Ellie nibbles at her lip, “Romance.” 

“Boooring,” You joke. Ellie doesn’t laugh, so you cough awkwardly. “You gotta come up with a new plan, I guess. It’s all about the grind mentality.” 

“You sound like a misogynist with a podcast.” 

You chuckle and she continues, “There’s no new plan. The portfolio I’m submitting is based on emotion. It’s not… complete if love isn’t somewhere in there. That’s how I see it.” 

“Speaking of see, can I?” You arch your brow, “Your portfolio, I mean.” 

“No.” She says plainly. 

“Wha— why not? You saw my paintings!” 

“They’re on the wall… in the living room. There’s no other choice but to look at them.” 

“Bro, what the fuck. You’re not the only visualist in this house! I might have some pointers you could use!” 

“I don’t need pointers from you.” Aggravation clouds her pupils. You try not to take offense to that, but it doesn’t work. 

“Why the fuck not?” You glare. 

Her tone gets louder, “Because you wouldn’t understand it! Why do you wanna help so badly, anyway!”

“I’m—“ But you don’t know what to say. Why do you want to help? Ellie squints, awaiting your answer, but nothing comes out. You’re uncomfortable; It’s suddenly not that cold in here. 

“Whatever. Forget I asked!” You rise and march to your room. Another slammed door, another pending noise complaint. 

Ellie hasn’t talked to you in days, and you’re not sure why it’s bothering you. You’ve been sending her looks throughout the entire stats lecture, but she hasn’t acknowledged you once. She’s just scribbling and tapping her ballpoint on her notebook. Her notetaking seems very intense from where you sit, her eyes scanning the board. 

Does Ellie like math? Or logistics? Or whatever statistics is considered? Curiosity pokes at you; You don’t know much about your roommate. You’ve been living together for nearly a month, and you haven’t had one valuable conversation yet. What about photography interests Ellie so much? Why does she enjoy disgusting vegetables? When did she get her tattoo? Is she actually gay or are you a dickhead for assuming? 

Your venturing thoughts makes class fly by; Another successful day of not taking useful notes! 

Ellie’s packing her run-down backpack and you watch. She’s meticulously placing her books on top of each, at least from what you can see from the big hole on the side. Her headphones are thrown on, and in one swift motion, her bag is on her shoulder and she’s heading towards the door, holding it open for everyone leaving. 

You swiftly pack and walk towards the exit. Ellie’s too distracted by her phone to notice you turn the corner to watch her. All the students vacant the room, and she lets the door shut. You follow from a distance as she moves towards the staircase, down the steps, out into the quad and onto the open field. She pauses, so you do too. 

You follow her line of vision, right at the sky. It’s pretty today: the sun’s peeking out, just barely, from underneath the dark gray clouds, rays of light highlighting various sections of the quad. 

Ellie unzips and digs in her bag, retrieving the olive-green polaroid before setting her bag down on the frosted grass. She maneuvers around the grass, trying to avoid obstruction from the trees, adjusting her stance, picking the best angle before holding her camera up. One quick flash, and she’s holding a photo of the sky. 

She shakes the picture a bit before squatting to search through her bag, pulling out a large binder and placing the photo in a laminated encasing. You can’t see any of the pictures in detail, but there must be a lot in there. That binder is thick as fuck. 

And just like that, she’s off into the cold. 

You wonder what else is in that binder. 

You’re starving. The second you get that direct deposit, you’re whipping up something fierce. Shrimp and eggplant have been calling your name for weeks; You’re ravenous for it. 

You run up to the apartment to snag a granola bar, Ellie already in the kitchen, propped against the counter eating Kraft mac and cheese. 

You shut the door behind you, “Wonderful weather we’re having, isn’t it?” 

Ellie stops chewing, eyes large and soft cheeks filled with creamy noodles. “Hm?” 

You walk to the cupboards, mouthwatering for Nature Valley, “It’s just beautiful outside! The trees, the sky! Almost pretty enough to paint, ain’t it!” 

More chewing. She just shrugs, but you’re not having it, “I wish I gotta picture!” 

“… Go take one.” 

“Oh, my fucking god,” you mutter to yourself, “Can I see the picture you took earlier?” 

“… How’d you know— “

“The details aren’t important! I was thinkiiing,” you rip open the wrapping, “if I can’t see your portfolio, I can see that giant photo book you have!” 

She glances around awkwardly, “Were you watching me earlier?” 

“… Well, yes— “

“What the fu— why?” 

“I like seeing people do shit they enjoy.” You shrug and bite your bar. Ellie isn’t looking at you, but her cheeks tint, and it makes you grin. Interesting. 

You chew and swallow, “Especially talented people.” You inch closer, just barely. “You should show me some pictures sometime… I’ll show you some of my secret creations, too. A little exchange, if you will.” 

Her fingers clench around her plastic spoon, and her breathing changes, cheeks even brighter. Her hands are very nice… They look so soft. 

“Think about it,” you say, quieter, just between the two of you, “Call it… roommate bonding.” You crunch and adjust your bag before walking towards the door. “I think it’s overdue!” You throw over your shoulder before shutting the door behind you. 

You’re not sure if Ellie likes or hates compliments. 

Closing was so hectic; you don’t make it home until one in the morning. Training rookies is probably the worst part about working in hardware; They never know where shit goes. 

You don’t feel tired, though. The drive back home is usually when your exhaustion takes over, but this ride was smooth. Sleep is going to be difficult to come by tonight. 

You unlock your front door and… push. And push. And push again. What the fuck. Something’s blocking the door. You fight with the wood until the crack is wide enough to slip through. The smell in the air is very telling as to why there’s a pile of hoodies blocking the slim opening at the bottom of the door. 

Your mouth gapes at the sight of Ellie on the couch with no pants on, blunt in her hand… blowing O’s. Her eyes are glistening and lazy when she opens them. You quickly shut the door and kick the hoodies in their original position before the scent escapes. 

“Hey,” she mutters. Goosebumps rise on your arms at her voice. 

“… Why the fuck are you chiefing in this no smoke building.” 

She stares like you’re stupid. “De-stressing.”

“Deez-fucking nuts! Ellie, we’re not gonna have a place to sleep if we get caught. Bitch ass Carol doesn’t play that shit.” You hate your landlord with every fiber of your being. The second anyone accidentally breaks a rule, she’s on their ass like grass. You can’t imagine how she’s going to react if she sees Ellie being disobedient on purpose. You’ll both be living out of your car. Fucking hag. 

Your roommate sighs and crosses her legs, boxer shorts riding up her taut thighs. Alright, okay. She pats the empty cushion next to her. 

“I'm bored.” 

“Okay, what about it.” 

She taps the cushion again. Your heartbeat spikes for some reason. “Roommate bonding.” 

You gawk. Ellie’s never been this relaxed in your presence. Her posture is incredibly comfortable, leaning back against the propped pillows, manspreading. Why is it attractive?

So, you drop your bag and unzip your puffer before plopping down next to her. She says nothing, just extends the lit herb to you. You look between her and the big B. “That’s a fat doinker.” 

“… Right.” Ellie puffs once more before attempting to share. 

You push her cold hand back softly, “I don’t smoke.” 

“Okay.” One last long pull from her, and she’s putting out the grass on the ashtray. “Do you wanna play checkers?” She exhales around smoke clouds, cold air blowing in from the barely cracked window. 

“… What.” 

“I said do you wanna play checke— “ 

“Are you a lesbian?” 

Your eyes widen at your own question. Interrogation? Fuck. Ellie’s looking around the warm space blankly as if she’s trying to register what the fuck you just said. You’re a fucking asshole. 

“E-Ellie, I’m sorry, I dunno why I asked— “

“Can you not tell.” 

“Well, yeah.” You stutter, “… But I thought it was like… fucked up to assume based on uh, appearances, or whatever. I don’t have good gay-dar, so.” 

“I’ve been called a carpet muncher since I was eight.” 

“… Fuck, really?” She nods, face flat. Your fist extends, silently asking for knuckles, “Me too! That’s what’s up.” 

“I almost killed myself.”

Your fist drops with your expression. “Oh… uh, damn… Sorry… I’m glad you didn’t, though, real shit.” 

“What does love feel like?” 

This conversation is giving you whiplash. “Are you one of those fake-deep potheads? Like, you believe in flat earth and all that other bullshit?” 

Ellie blinks dumbly, “Uhh… I don’t think so…” 

“Why do you ask?” 

Ellie points at the wall, at one of your paintings. Two women laying on a bed of grass, completely at peace, surrounded by colorful flowers and butterflies. A small smile spreads across your face, recalling how excited you were to show your first girlfriend what you made for her birthday. 

“Love feels like you're getting shot… but not in a bad way.” You ramble. “It’s like… like, fuck I’m really gonna die without this person next to me type shit.” You think back to when you made the painting on the wall, the memories of your younger self so deeply infatuated with another person for the first time. It felt eternal back then, souls interconnected. 

But then your eyes travel to the next painting, right below the latter. Complete void, no color, no life, just darkness, and your expression falls. The faceless girl trapped in the center of madness is calm, though, accepting her doom with grace. 

“That makes it worse, though…” You think of Dina and how you fought. How nasty it got. How disgusted she seemed with your presence. You almost want to cry as you relive it. “When they leave… something inside you really does die. That space never really gets filled again. You’re just kinda… stuck with a hole until you croak over.” 

“What if they don’t leave?” 

They all leave. “… I’m not sure yet.” 

Ellie hums and it goes quiet for a moment. You wonder what she’s thinking about. 

“Are you a lesbian?” Your roommate throws back at you. You laugh, “Are you asking if I eat coochie?” 

Ellie nods with a giggle. You stiffen; This is the first time you’ve heard her laugh. The hairs on your arms stand upright at the sound. 

“As a matter of fact, I do!” Ellie laughs harder, head resting against the back of the couch. You watch the apple of her cheeks heighten. But then the wind blows harder than normal and they drop. She's blank again. “The heater…” 

“What about it?” 

“It’s broken…” 

Fuck. “Did you put in a maintenance request?” Her head shakes. 

“Uh… why not?” 

“Because I heard you masturbating and forgot.” 

Your heart, stomach, pride is at your feet, “… What did you just say.” 

Ellie finally looks at you, eyes doe-like, guilt swimming in them. “I’m… I’m sorry! I was sleeping and I woke up to pee but I couldn’t because you were— “

“Ellie— “

“It kept… buzzing, and I couldn’t move! I kept asking

myself how is her stamina this fucking good! It didn’t turn off until like… an hour later! I almost pissed in my bed— “

Your body heats at her confession; She thought about your stamina? You place a hand on her shoulder to ease her, and she stops. “It’s okay. I just… Yeah, this is awkward… We gotta submit that request before that next blizzard or we’re fucked.” 

Ellie mutters in agreement, but she’s not listening. She’s eyeing your fingers, the ones resting on her shirt. If you move your thumb an inch, you’ll touch her collarbone. 

“We, um… We can send it in the morning…” She whispers okay, and your fingers curl around the fabric. A sharp inhale from her, and you sigh. Her warm breath is hitting your wrist and you’re trying not to squirm. You watch her chest rise and fall at a steady pace, eyes flicking between yours and your hand. 

You watch her and she watches you, hand inching up until you’re tracing the warm skin under her tee. Your nail scratches her collarbone, just barely, and the muscles in her thigh jerk. Nope. Not happening. You pull away and stand. 

“This was… you’re funny.” You stare at your feet; You never took your shoes off. “Uh… bye.” 

“Bye.” Her voice is flat. Fuck, fuck, fuck, you fucked up. 

Your shoes go flying and you rush to your room. You’re not sure if you slammed the door or not; The pounding in your ears is too loud. 

Ellie fucked up. She knows she did. 

I heard you masturbating and forgot? You left over an hour ago, and she’s still replaying that moment in her mind. What the fuck was she thinking? She wants to peel her skin off and her stomach is in knots. The ghost of your hand is still on her. She was freezing before you came home, and now she’s overheating. 

Ellie thinks she’s done a good job of acting normally around you after that night. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about it. All the time. 

She hates how, every night since it happened, she listens for you. When you come home in the wee hours of the night, the devil convinces her that you’re aching and desperate, dripping and ready to get yourself to the peak you crave. You’ve been working so hard; You deserve to wind down. 

It’s sick, she knows. She masks it well, but every time you're home, she’s hot. Roommate bonding, you’d said. Why did you say it like that, though? You sounded so alluring, like a siren preparing for a kill. 

Maybe she’s reading into it too much. You're a flirt and you’re good at it… 

It’s either hot or cold with you. Compliments, or cursing. Admiration or judgment. There’s no middle ground, and it’s driving her crazy. 

Why did you have to touch her? You could’ve kept your distance like you’ve been doing, like you did in the kitchen. You gave her a chance to run at arm's length. 

Ellie’s thoughts are racing; She needs to smoke again, but she’s too distracted to spark. That ache between her thighs is overpowering. 

Her eyes travel over the painting that captured her attention a few weeks ago. A small self portrait of you. She commends your attention to detail, but still, you’re so gorgeous in person; There’s no comparison. 

Two deep breaths, and her hand is shoved in her boxers, fingers slippery in seconds. She keeps her eyes glued to the painting as she rubs her clit in quick circles, the bud increasing her sensitivity. 

It’s like the painting moves with every squeeze of her walls: she can almost see your animated eyes rolling into your skull, your pink tongue out, drool dripping down your chin. And your voice… It’s tantalizing when you want something. She can almost hear you now: it’s so good, right there, I love when you touch me like that. 

Fuck, she wants your hands on her. Everywhere. Anywhere you want. She’s breathing so loud; She hopes you dozed off by now, even in your noticeably restless state. 

But what if you’re not? What if you forgot something in the living room, or need a drink of water before bed, and you walk in and see the mess you make her? Her hand moves faster at the thought of you angry, disappointed that she couldn’t keep her hands to herself. She’ll never say, but something wicked happens in her underwear when you're fuming. She likes how expressive your eyes are. 

Her free hand flies over her mouth as her stomach tightens, the beats in her clit and heart synced. She's so close. A few seconds, and she groans into her hand, the walls melting around her when it finally crashes. Tears jerk in her eyes as she rubs herself through it, riding it out for as long as she can. 

The hand on her mouth slides under her shirt, cold fingers prodding her nipple as her orgasm descends. She gasps into the cold air, trying to catch her breath. She palms her clit and her walls twitch. She tiredly plops onto the couch, hand still in her underwear, eyes glued to your portrait, scaling the wall until she revisits the depiction of you and your first girlfriend. 

The idea Ellie’s been sitting on for the last few days crashes down on her again. You’re soft, despite what others may say. You seem like a lover. 

It’s Friday. Rent is due. Fuck. 

You just got paid, and now more than half of your earnings is in your landlord's pocket. You haven’t even been grocery shopping yet. 

Ellie has, apparently. It smells so good in the kitchen. You take back whatever you said about her and her cheffing skills. That soup was delicious; You secretly hope she cooks more. She can get down… a little bit. 

You wipe the tired from your eyes and make way to the kitchen, and your jaw drops, stunned in your spot by the fridge. Empty grocery bags are stacked on the counter, and Ellie’s frying shrimp and eggplant. 

“Hi… you didn’t eat last night. I heard you talking about egg— “

Your whimper, followed by several guttural sobs interrupt her greeting, hand flying over your mouth. Ellie simply stands by the counter with wide eyes, fork in hand. 

Ellie thinks you’ve stopped crying, “Uh… I just wante— “

More loud sobs from you. Snot dribbles down from your nose and Ellie cringes, tearing a piece of paper towel and handing it to you. You take it graciously and blow your nose. 

“This is,” sob “the best thing a-anyone,” sniffle… sob “has ever done f-for me.”

Ellie just nods and flips the eggplant. You can’t control yourself, arms wrapping around her waist, sobbing into her back. 

“I, um… Consider it a peace offering, I guess.” 

“I take back,” heave “I take back whatever dumb shit I said about you before you moved in,” heave “You’re so… fuck you, Ellie!” You hug her tighter. 

“Queers gotta stick together.” She mumbles. 

“Like wet pussy lips!” You wail, fat tears seeping into her t-shirt. She snickers to herself, “Get a plate.” 

You sniffle all the way to the cupboards and set the tiny table. 

Chef Butch. That’s Ellie’s new name around these parts. 

For someone who supposedly “hates eggplant”, she seasoned and fried the fuck out of it. Get this bitch on the Food Network!

You’re full and energized before leaving the house for once. You don’t even need your morning coffee. 

“Hey, uh… can I ask you something?” Ellie calls from the table.

You pause dish scrubbing to look at her, “Mhm.” 

“It’s kinda… a big deal.” She mutters, eyes flickering nervously. 

“… Should I sit down, or?”

“It’s not bad. It’s just… I don’t know.” 

You rinse your hands and set the last plate on the rack to dry. You grab a clean towelette and sit across from her. Ellie can’t meet your eyes and her cheeks are fiery. You smirk. 

“Need help with something?” 

Her head bobs, eyes glued to the table. 

“Then ask me.” You lean closer. Ellie whispers your name. A deep sigh from her, lips parting around her question. 

“Do you wanna model for my portfolio— “

“Of course I’ll help you send nudes— “

Confusion paints her face, “What.”

“…What.” 

“What did you just say.” 

“Nothing.” You shrug, face burning. 

“You can say no. It’s not that serious.” That guarded twinge in Ellie’s voice has returned. You don’t like it. 

“You think I’m pretty?” You tease with a pout. 

“What.” 

“You think I’m sooo hot and sexy that you’re gonna make me the star of your— “

Ellie blushes, “You’re not the… star of anyth— “

Your hands wave excitedly, “I’m so honored! I’d love to! When do we start!” 

Ellie sighs, massaging her temples, “Do you have work on Sunday?” 

“Not anymore!” You do a little dance in your seat, “What am I gonna be doing in the pics, o ye camera master?” Her ears are so red. Why is she so fucking nervous? You’ve already accepted! 

“Just look like you’re in love.” 

“… Oh.” 

Ellie grimaces at your tone, “Listen, I only have two weeks to finish this submission. I haven’t had any luck finding people to help me out!” 

You pause, “Is this why you buttered me up with a buss down plate?” 

“… Would you hate me if I said yes?” 

“Fuck, Ellie— “

“I’m desperate!” She exclaims, “But I also don’t wanna just ask anybody! I need the photos to be believable! And you kinda… you kinda get it!” Ellie points to the painting of you and your first love. 

The silence is thick as you explore her face. Her forestry-filled eyes are nervous, but there’s a glimmer of hope in her pupils. You like it; Her orbs look brighter. Greener somehow.

“I wanna see it, then.” 

“See what?” 

“Your big ass binder… and your portfolio!” 

Her eyes roll. “Pick one.” 

“Wooow, you’re really gonna ruin another opportunity for roommate bonding? That’s wild. Alright.” 

“Pick one.” She’s stern with her demand… You like that, too. 

You smirk. “Show me your portfolio.” 

She crosses her arms over her chest. “You see it when it’s finished. After the pictures are done. Take it or leave it.” 

“Okay, damn,” You give up, “So… what do I gotta do for prep?” 

“Not much right now. I have to set up my equipment and all that…” She glances around the living room, “we’ll talk about the rest later.” 

“‘Kay.” You twiddle your fingers together before the biggest light bulb shines over your head. 

“I also get 40% of the earnings— “

“Fuck no.” She says with a small grin. You pout. 

You knew something was wrong when Abby randomly invited you over to study… on a Saturday night. You don’t know how she’s a STEM major; You haven’t seen her with a book since you’ve met her! 

The second she opened her door, something was off. It’s been days since you’ve seen her and she barely reacted to the grilled cheese you brought. Her answers have been curt and she’s not laughing at any of your jokes. Your Cheetos are doing a great job at soothing your anxiety. You want to comfort your friend with whatever’s bothering her, but you’re not sure how. 

So, you talk. And talk. And talk about Ellie.

“I’m not gonna lie,” You crunch, comfortable on Abby’s beanbag. “I’m kinda excited! I’ve never done a photoshoot before.” 

Abby shrugs from her work desk, voice monotone, “I mean, just be mindful. It’s obviously not a game for her so you needa take it seriously.” 

Your brows furrow, “What do you mean?” 

“Your roommate slash crush— “

Your head shakes, “I don’t have a crush— “

“Slash crush,” Your friend emphasizes, “asked you to be a part of probably one of the biggest creations of her life. If that photo book or whatever is as important as you say, it’s not just a “photoshoot” for her.” 

… Nah, you’re still confused. 

Abby scoffs, “A photoshoot about romance and you’re her only model, making you breakfast, and whatever else she’s done! How much does she have to spell it out for you?” 

“I don’t understand why you’re yelling!”

“I’m not fucking yelling! I’m watching out for you before you do something you regret!” 

You sit up straighter, “And what does that mean!”

“What have you been saying this entire time? I don’t wanna live with someone I fucked!” She mocks, “It seems like y’all are pretty close to that.” 

You stare pensively, “We haven’t fucked and we’re not going to! You’re doing the fucking most!” 

“Yeah, whatever.” She continues to scribble. 

“Abby… what’s wrong?” You clumsily stand from the bean bag. “I’m so con— “

“You wanna know what’s wrong?” She snaps, pen slamming on the desk. “Every time we see each other, you talk about her! I’m sick of hearing about… whatever the fuck you have going on at home, quite frankly! We can’t even joke around because you’re so pressed about someone you don’t even like!” 

You’re going to cry; You can feel it. Abby’s never been this upset with you, “Why did you wait so long to tell me this? I would’ve stopped coming to you a long time ago!” 

“Because I cared and didn’t want you to feel by yourself while Maya’s away! That’s why! But now, it’s like…” 

A tired sigh from her and she gives up, hand waving dismissively, “Talking about this shit is pointless. I’m going to bed. Shut the door behind you.” Abby rises and brushes past you, switching her lamp off and climbing into her warm bed. You allow your tears to fall as you gather your belongings, gently shutting her door behind you and attacking your face with your sleeve. You hate crying in public. 

The elevator ride feels much longer than it should’ve been as you weep. The doors shutter open, and you can see the weather is not on your side. It’s pelting bullets outside; You knew you shouldn’t have walked. 

“You got a ride?” 

You look over at the security guard perched behind the front desk. Fuck all feds, but Stanley’s cool. You shake your head. 

“You can’t walk home in that. Driving is also dangerous but,” He shrugs, and you sigh. You pull your phone out of your pocket. 

“Hey, Siri… Call Chef Butch…” 

“CALLING CHEF BUTCH.” 

Stanley’s warm laughter eases your shoulders. 

DING!

You unlock your phone and smile at Ellie’s text, rising from your chair. 

“Alright, Stan. Pray I don’t turn into Frosty out there,” You throw over your shoulder. 

He laughs, opening the heavy door for you, “I will! Get home safely!” You throw your hood over your beanie, easing past him and nearly being blown away by the fucking wind. How did Ellie drive in this shit!

You somehow manage to follow the view of your car, pounding on the passenger window to get Ellie to unlock it. You miss your step on the curb and fall face first into the seat. You hear Ellie’s laughter. 

“You alright?” 

“Yup! Fucking peachy, thanks!” You stumble in and slam the door with the wind, out of breath, body melting from the heat. “You couldn’t have parked a little closer?” 

“… No.” 

You stare at her through the snow in your lashes, “Ellie, take us home, please. I’m annoyed and going through a fucking breakdown, like I can’t be outside right now. I’m gonna pass out!”

“… You wanna talk about it?” 

“No.” You spit. 

“Alright.” She puts the car in drive, but her foot is still pressed on the brake. 

“I just can’t believe this shit right now!” You ramble anyway. “You think you know a person, like, fuck! This is stupid!” You punch the glove compartment. 

“… What happ— “

“Like, fuck! Fuuuck! Like what the fuck!” 

You’re screaming your head off and Ellie’s just watching, face flat as ever. It makes you scream louder. But your wails pause when your eyes flicker downward. Veiny hands clenched around the steering wheel. Your screams suddenly sound like whimpers. When’s the last time you had sex?

Is it sad that the thought of Ellie choking you out is easing your meltdown? This is the worst day ever! 

“I’m gonna rip my fucking face off— “

“Why're you staring at my hands like that?”

“What the fuck, I’m not staring. Be quiet.” 

Your roommate grins like a fox, “Okay.” 

The car’s moving and so are your eyes, all over Ellie, wherever they can reach. You’re pissed and horny and you need a shot. 

“You ever get the urge to strangle the fuck outta someone?”

“Mhm.” 

You ponder, “How does it feel to smoke weed?” 

She shrugs, “It feels good.”

“How good? Scale of one to ten.” 

“… Thirteen.”

“Better than sex?” You ask quietly. Your brain is elsewhere, locked on the bulging blue veins in her hand, following the lines through her hoodie. 

She ponders, “… Yes.” 

“You’re biased, though. I can’t trust you.” 

“Stop staring at my hands like that.” Her low voice is like a kick in your back, spine slightly arching in your chair. You’re glad she’s looking at the road; She’s making you go into heat and she doesn’t need to see it. Maybe Abby was right about you being a fucking hypocrite. 

“Or what?” Your tone is icy, and she licks her lips. 

“I’ll pull over.” 

You shudder at her boldness, “Pull over.” 

Your car jerks to a stop and you jolt forward, eyes still glued onto Ellie’s mouth. One kiss… It isn’t sex. It’s just kissing; Who doesn’t love kissing? You’re alone and warm and it’s gorgeous outside. It would be just a kiss. Just one, just one. 

Ellie’s staring at you, eyes reminiscent of the storm outside. Flurrying and dark. Her tongue swipes over her lips again, and your gut swirls. “Stop staring at my hands.” You suck your bottom lip in your mouth when her breath hits it. She’s leaning forward and so are you. Just one kiss, that’s all you need. 

Your pussy’s talking and she’s loud… Literally meowing for her. 

“Is that a fucking cat?” Ellie whispers, nose brushing yours… She can hear that? How horny are you? 

“Dude, that’s a cat! There’s a cat right there!” Her gasps shock you, and you peer out the window, finding a small, dark spot in gusts of white snow. There is a cat! 

“Oh, my fucking god! Ellie, what the fuck—“ You’re pushing the door open and she grabs your arm. 

“Wait, you’re gonna fucking fall— “

“We can’t leave her, she’s gonna die out here!” You rush out in seconds and you’re slipping like a cartoon character on a banana. You’re kissing the air to lure the kitty over, but she just cries. She’s probably starving! 

“C’mere, baby, c’mon!” You hear Ellie muttering curses from behind you. After almost busting your face on icy concrete, you’re finally close enough to scoop up the shivering ball of fur, and you’re sobbing as you wrap your scarf around her tiny body. 

“Ellie,” you choke, “We ca—can’t leave h-her— “

“Okay, okay, stop crying, where is she?” You hold up the bundled fabric and Ellie gently takes her, shoving her in her hoodie before grabbing your wrist and guiding you to the car. Ellie hops in the driver's seat, the car filled with desperate meows and your hysterical sobs. 

Ellie cranks the heat and holds the wrapped furball, softly cooing at her. 

“Where’s your mama, hm?” 

Meow! 

“No mama?” 

Meow! Meow!

You’re wailing, “She’s a fucking or—orphan— “

“Can you be quiet.” Ellie snaps. 

“O—“you sniffle harshly, “Ok—okay— “

“Hold her, I gotta drive. We’re going to Petco.” Ellie’s zooming down the street, whipping and swerving. You’re almost positive she ran a red light. 

“I know you don’t like small animals, but c-can we keep her, please— “

Ellie’s lip curls, “It’s not that I don’t… not like them—” She rambles on, but you’re so focused on the baby in front of you. Poor thing looks so tired. What if she’s sick? Oh God, she would’ve froze to death if you didn’t stop—

You blabber to her between choked whimpers, “I love you so much, we’re gonna get you safe, don’t worry— “

“Oh, my fucking god,” Ellie sighs softly beside you. 

Pheromones will have to wait. You’re a mother now. 

After your emergency pet escapade, you and Ellie sneak the cat past the complex security and into your apartment. If anyone finds out — if Carol finds out — you’re fucked… and unhoused. 

Small meows are filling your ears. Your baby’s full, at least. Poor thing was horking down minced tuna in the car. Her teeth are so small and cute. She looks like she’s going to doze off soon. 

You watch as Ellie sets up her little area in the living room… Right next to her fucking photography set up when the fuck did she do that—

The corner of the living room is fully decked with maroon and ebony backdrops, Ellie’s sticker-littered camera resting proudly on its stand. There’s a… big ass umbrella-looking thing towering over the setup and a stool on the dark floor cover. There’s a small, white briefcase on it, tied down with a padlock. It’s either a gun or her portfolio. 

“Bring her over here.” 

Your gawking gets cut short as you cradle kitty over to Ellie, handing her over so she can lay her on the small, paw-shaped bed. She’s purring; Your heart’s melting. 

“I see you haven’t changed your mind.” 

Ellie’s tucking your baby in, “About?” She hums.

“The shoot.” You whisper. 

“Why would I?” She faces you and stands. You shrug nonchalantly, but your mind’s racing. You probably found someone worthy of doing it. 

Ellie inches closer, looking down at you. “Consider it roommate bonding… Featuring adopted cat child.” 

You giggle. She's staring at your smile, all over your face. Into your eyes. Yours flicker down to her mouth. Either you're hallucinating, or she’s leaning closer. One kiss won’t hurt. 

“Um…” She whispers, gaze dropping to the floor. “Earlier I was gonna… say something.” 

“What is it?” 

She shrugs, “… I forgot.” 

“Okay.” You’re whispering now. She’s staring at your mouth. Her eyes are hypnotizing; There's a universe in them. A forest with trees that grow for eternities, miles and miles of green meadows. 

“You’re staring.” She mutters. 

“So are you.” 

Ellie wants to say something. You can see it. But she doesn’t, and neither do you. “Gotta get up early… I’ll see you tomorrow?” Her voice cracks. 

You’re cheesing and your hearts in your throat. “Yes. See you tomorrow.” 

One last toothy grin, she’s gone into her room, door shutting softly for the first time. You exhale like you’ve been holding your breath, already missing her presence. 

You’re giddy when you finally climb into bed. You can’t help but think that Ellie is, too. 

longest taglist ive ever had i am very sorry if i forgot somebody pls dont hate me i am neurodivergent : @starologist @hrtmal @ohlawdthebirds @villainousbear @timmy-27 @inf3ct3dd @aouiaa @shurisbigtoe @emothurman @lonelyfooryouonly @imelliesgf @baumbii @brackishkittie @littletinyladybugs @r1miese @horror-whoree @elsbunny222 @elliesatchel @makemescreamel @lav3nd3rhaze @elliezflower @ellieloml @ellies-princess @saverdelrey @womenofarcane @muthafuckingstargirl @mina-281 @yuckyfucky @aimformyheartt @elstoy @skylerwhitwyo @sawaagyapong @nil-eena @dewylittlestars @sakiigami @feelsoseencantdream @ellieslittlegf @fictionalgap @liabadoobee @whooknooows @sarahsmileslikesarahd0esntcare @qtgaslighter @p4ison1vy @eviestevie-14 @weaselot @elliewbbg @elsmissingfingers @lmaoo-spiderman @lyssaspengler @elliewilliamsmunch @gummydummykj @kiwikeysblog @juniorsfav @louleele @alittlextrahoney @tohoko @333-starhotline @girlkissersco @saplingkoi @crxmxnzl-c0rpzes @elliew-illiamsmissingfingers @diddiqueen @alexisvs-world @mostlyhornyandsad @lolaaa699999 @elsblunt @niyahlovesu

[m00nsbaby]

Jealous of your celebrity crush.

Moon system x reader. - Headcanons.

Steven.

It was an amazing date.

You couldn't remember when was the last time you went to the theater, and even though Steven and you had never had money problems, you still saw buying tickets for the front row as a luxury.

That night, you laughed, cried, and even hummed softly to each other. After all, it was your favorite musical.

Oh, and Steven's hand never let go of yours.

"Shall we go to the back?" "Here? Love, we can't…" "Steven!" You blushed, giving his shoulder a light tap. "Not for that, to get an autograph."

Steven was well aware that you both chose that particular show mainly because your favorite Broadway actor was in the cast.

"Run, or we won't catch him."

Your boyfriend truly was your best accomplice in everything. You couldn't think of a time he had said no to your whims, and he was the one who stood up to lead you out of the venue.

As you got closer, he felt something odd in his stomach.

A different sensation.

You felt his hand tighten around yours, and you could only assume he was making sure not to lose you in the crowd that was starting to exit as well.

"I'm nervous," you whispered. "Me too." And you didn't question how odd his response was.

There was a small group of people at the back of the theater, all with the same intention as you – to get an autograph and a photo with the stars of the show. A metal barrier separated them from the actors.

You took a spot toward the back, holding onto the barrier, and Steven positioned himself behind you.

"Should I take the photo, love?" That strange feeling invaded him again when you declined.

And again when a round of gentle applause and cheers echoed through the air. It all felt quite intimate in a way, and that didn't sit well with him.

You gasped loudly when you saw him coming out. That was another point on the list of things Steven wasn't enjoying about this situation.

It didn't seem strange to you when he draped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer to him.

"What should I say to him?" You asked eagerly as you watched him move through the crowd, talking, signing autographs, and thanking other fans.

Luckily, you had positioned yourselves towards the end, which gave you time to think about what to say.

"That he did a great job?" Steven pressed his lips together at his own words. It was as if he was suddenly regretting this whole idea, no matter how hard he tried to find his usual kind words, nothing came out.

Finally, it was your turn.

"Did you enjoy the show, guys?" He was so dreamy. A sigh escaped you at how kind he remained, even though he must have been tired. He took his time with each person, getting to know them and chatting.

Steven wasn't impressed by him at all.

In fact, thinking about it, neither his performance nor his singing were as good as he had initially thought.

Rather mediocre, actually.

"Your work is… incredible, really." Your eyes shone as you watched him sign your program.

Your dramatic boyfriend could only think that was the way you looked at him. And that you should only look at him that way.

Only at him.

Steven dissociated from much of your conversation, especially the part where you handed your phone to the other guy for a selfie with you. He snapped back to reality when he asked about Steven.

"He's my boyfriend; I forced him to come." You joked. Why did you two suddenly seemed like lifelong friends?

Besides, it was a lie; he was the one who had initiated the idea.

"I-I wasn't forced at all; I love being involved." He replied honestly. It churned his stomach that the other guy looked at him with admiration. Why did he have to be such a good person?

You said your goodbyes with a hug that left a slight scent of his cologne on you. If it was possible, it made Steven even more nauseous.

"Isn't he charming?" "Sure."

You pursed your lips at Steven's sudden coldness as he walked beside you in the well-lit city, not letting go of your hand.

"Didn't you like him?" "Of course, I liked him, love. Why wouldn't I?"

His rapid speech gave him away, and you remained silent as you tried to figure out what had upset him.

Oh.

Oh.

You decided to test your theory.

"Don't you think his eyes were beautiful?" Another squeeze of your hand, and you had to bite your lip to keep from laughing. "They were just regular eyes."

Bingo. Steven was jealous.

At the entrance to your house, you turned on your heels, taking advantage of the stairs to give you a few extra inches in height so you could look him in the face.

"You know you don't have to be jealous of anyone, right?" His cheeks turned red as you placed your hands on them, giving them a gentle squeeze.

Steven, obediently, held onto your waist.

"You're the love of my life, Steven Grant." Your words were the culmination of a wonderful date, of the happiness he brought you every day.

And yes, a jealous Steven was amusing, but it broke your heart to think that insecurity might be getting the best of him.

His eyes sparkled like the stars.

"You are mine, right, love?" He sounded like a little kid begging for confirmation.

He knew exactly how to play his cards, what puppy-dog face to make based on the situation, and the tone of voice that made butterflies flutter in your stomach.

And a special warmth in your body.

You played along.

"Only yours, sweetheart." You whispered before kissing his lips.

Steven was content with how his little jealousy issue had been resolved, but he was sure of one thing after this.

You wouldn't be watching anything starring that idiot again.

Marc.

Marc was proud of his accomplishment.

Fighting for tickets on a website was more challenging than you could have ever imagined, not to mention the secret maneuvering behind your back. It had probably been his most difficult mission, surpassing all the tasks Khonshu could assign him.

But he would be the first to say it had been worth it. Even more so after having the opportunity to see you cry tears of happiness in his arms on your birthday.

"Will you come with me?" "Of course, dear." That was the biggest surprise, actually. Marc despised crowded places with all his heart, but he was excited to accompany you on such an important moment for you.

When the day of the concert arrived, Marc almost fainted.

He was left speechless by your style, a bit more… dark? You had definitely gotten into character for the concert, and that only encouraged him further.

For a short time.

He regretted it as soon as he saw the line to enter, but that was another matter.

You arrived at the venue early, mentally prepared to stand and wait for a good couple of hours.

And you had to say that after that experience, you were truly ready to marry Marc because you had an amazing time in your little corner between the metal fences. You talked about everything, because despite spending as much time together as possible, once you started talking, no one could silence you.

It was worth it; you almost fainted when you entered and realized you had reached the front row.

Marc, on the other hand, was starting to feel nervous due to the number of people arriving, but he immediately went into his boyfriend role. He let you hold onto the metal railing, and he positioned himself behind you, enclosing you between the fence and his body.

He would rather die than let you get crushed.

When the concert started, Marc was already feeling overstimulated, but he was willing to let you enjoy this. After all, according to the band's official page, it would only be about an hour after the opening acts.

He was satisfied to hear you scream, jump, sing, and smile like he had never seen you do before.

The problem began around 15 minutes into the concert when the lead vocalist fixed his attention on you.

Like clockwork, Marc remembered all those times you had talked about your teenage crush.

A burning sensation rose to his throat, and he furrowed his brow when he saw the singer wink at you while singing.

"Marc! Marc! Marc!" Your shouts pulled him from his thoughts, and you looked at him over your shoulder. "It's my song!" You had been saying that for the last 10 minutes, but it made him laugh. He kissed your lips, and you returned it briefly.

Marc mentally prayed that the idiot had seen that. Who, by the way, seemed unable to take his eyes off you.

The noise was enough to cover the groan that escaped your throat when Marc's hands tightened on your hips, pressing you closer to his body if that was even possible.

You blushed, though it was impossible to tell whether it was that or just the heat from jumping around for so long.

The straw that broke the camel's back was when the other guy leaned over the edge of the stage to your level and grabbed your phone from your hands.

You were going crazy. Screaming, with tears of sheer excitement in your eyes.

Marc rolled his eyes. Cheap tricks, he thought.

His only consolation was knowing he had made you scream louder before.

The phone returned to your hands after the guy recorded himself singing a few lines and interacting with the crowd.

This was definitely the best day of your life, or you were dreaming.

When the last song came on, his instinct was stronger than him. He ended up turning you around, and you didn't complain.

This was his special moment.

You could swear he kissed you the entire time the song played, until you relaxed in his arms, and the music seemed like a background melody accompanying you.

You would have never imagined that Marc was marking his territory.

He showered you with kisses until the lights came on, making you aware that you were still in public. You separated almost instantly, your cheeks red.

"Marc! You made me miss the last song!" You didn't seem upset as he leaned his forehead against yours.

You had enough time for yourselves while people began to leave.

"You don't seem too upset." Your hips hurt from the way he had been holding you for the past several minutes.

"Thank you," you whispered before kissing him one last time. "It's the best gift I've ever received."

Marc didn't have time to tell you how much he loved you; his gaze focused on the two large guys wearing backstage passes on their chests that were scanning the crowd.

You never knew why Marc pulled you out of there in a hurry, but you had no more doubts or questions when he distracted you with bribes, he bought you the T-shirt you liked the most, and a poster at which he would later throw darts.

Straight at the lead singer's face.

Jake.

At this precise point in his life, Jake considered himself probably the most unfortunate man who had ever existed.

Because, of course, the first time he ignored his desires to throw the guy into the nearest sewer and let him be forgotten over time.

Even more when he complimented your nails.

"Of course, they're nice," he thought to himself. "Even more so when they're wrapped around my…"

He couldn't continue mentally killing him; he had to smile and say "I'm the boyfriend" when you two bumped into your favorite actor on the streets of New York.

It made his stomach turn to notice how you fidgeted with your hands, trying to appear calm.

In fact, he couldn't decide whether he liked that more than if you had just voiced your desire to scream.

Both options made him want to put on Khonshu's suit.

The upside was that, for security reasons, you couldn't take a photo with him, so he could live without having to see you smile even more next to him forever.

Without being dramatic, he would erase his memory if he could just to forget that all this happened.

But you could say it was a fairly harmless encounter as far as possible. Well, for Jake, who never expressed how this was eating him up inside. You, on the other hand, had to wake up the next day with marks on your body caused by him.

His hands on your neck and waist, bites on your shoulders.

Although, you weren't complaining. It was a nice reminder that even though there were many attractive men out there (with acting skills like gods), none of them would ever drive you as crazy as Jake Lockley.

The problem came when you ran into him for the second time.

Jake didn't consider himself particularly insecure.

You yourself had to deal with a thousand girls who thought he was flirting with them because of that permanent smile on his face.

Or that habit you hated so much of winking at them to get a free dessert or to get you two seated faster at the restaurant.

But sometimes, Jake's ego wavered.

That small part of him that still felt like a tool for Marc and Steven, forgetting that he was a person in his own right.

You kept him aware of his independence, and when he doubted that… everything was a disaster for him.

So, you can imagine how he crumbled when the other guy recognized you.

"Of course, I remember you!" He was so loud that Jake swore he had a headache just from listening to him talk.

You almost fainted right there.

He grabbed your hands again to see your nails, excited about the new design, while Jake was thinking about how easy it would be to cut off his hands in that position.

You didn't need to say anything for him to understand your protest; both of you looked at each other in reproach.

"It's the same perfume, right?" The aforementioned guy took you out of the momentary staring contest with Jake, whom you could feel breathing down your neck despite being about two steps away from you.

You nodded silently.

"I knew it. I can still smell you on me."

After that, Jake swore he was seeing everything in shades of red, and a shiver ran down your spine because you could feel his gaze fixed on you.

"Well, we're already running late." Jake's accent interrupted your conversation, and his hand settled on the small of your back. You bit your lower lip because at this point, you didn't know if he was scaring you or if you wanted to push this limit further.

"Oh, but this time we can take the picture that you wanted so much…" "Really late." Jake interrupted him immediately, that smile that made you tremble from head to toe. In fact, he didn't even let him respond, or finish that sentence in which he seemed about to tell you he was glad to see you.

"Come on, mi vida." A bad omen.

His hand slid slowly down your back until it reached your hand, gripping your wrist with his usual firmness, but you noticed an extra touch of strength.

It's needless to emphasize how he devoured your mouth as soon as you entered the building.

It was going to be a long night.

And mentally, you thanked the city's cold weather; you could wear scarves without anyone wondering what your possessive boyfriend had done to you the previous night.

You would consider making him jealous more often.

yeah, i wasn't really a fan of this lol, anyways, here's a little extra of which guys i thought about while writing this in order of appearance!!

[daycourtofficial]

Daycourtofficial’s 1k Celebration Masterlist 🍾

A week of a different genre fic every day!

Date: Week of March 11, 2024

*this will be updated as things change/are requested

Day 1: Fluff - It’s so quiet in the world tonight (Lucien x reader)

Summary: You and Lucien are having a quiet night at home, soaking in the peace, discussing how things will change when your baby arrives.

Day 2: Angst with no happy ending - You’re losing me (Azriel x reader)

Summary: Azriel has always put his duties as spymaster above his own needs and wants. How long can you let him keep putting work over you before boiling over?

Day 3: Hurt/comfort - I am ash from your fire (Eris x reader)

Summary: Surprising Eris one evening, you’ve turned up in the dead of night to let him know that your brother had figured out your secret relationship, offering you an ultimatum.

Day 4: Angst - My love should be celebrated (Nesta x reader)

Summary: Despite your best efforts, Nesta continues to push you away. All you’re trying to do is help her, but her self-hatred is all consuming, causing her to lash out at those that try to get too close.

Day 5: Smut - I pretend you’re mine all the damn time (Azriel x reader)

Summary: on a mission Azriel ingests the powder from an experimental breeding program. you offer to help him release, forcing Azriel to confront his feelings for you

Day 6: Angst with happy ending - Forever is the sweetest con (Cassian x reader, Azriel x reader)

Summary: the war with Hybern claimed the life of your husband. Reeling with grief, you discover that you’re pregnant. His brother and your friend, Azriel, begins spending more and more time with you, finding solace in each other amidst your shared grief.

Day 7: Angst with happy ending - Come back, be here (Azriel x reader)

Summary: It’s the anniversary of your mating bond ceremony and despite his reassurances, Azriel is nowhere to be seen. He shows up to your home hours after the fact.

[gadriezmannsgirl]

Hi can u do one where reader childhood bsf comes over by surprise when the team and wags (w readers &gavis fam) are over at readers house in there big yard they having a get together and him and his family were invited to stay and he keeps making remarks and saying things about there childhood memories and his sister says “I really wanted you as my sister in law”wich made everyone mad like gavis family and friends and his mom said “maybe I can stil have y as my daughter-in-law and that caused everyone to get even more mad bec everyone loves them together and they don’t want anything to happen to them and can we have a jealous gavi?

I programmed this with the hour-posting thing, hope it works!

Kinda loved this request, I mean... The audacity of the mom saying "Maybe I can still have you as my daughter-in-law" makes me think of Belén going all crazy and defensive like: "Hell no, she's mine!"

Audacity -P.G

Summary: When you get hints of love confessions in front of your boyfriend made by your best friend, you gotta step up and make things clear.

You were having the greatest time ever with your family, your boyfriend's family, a few of his friends and teammates like Pedri, Ansu, Alejandro, Ronald, Kessié, Ferrán, Eric, Robert and his girlfriends/wives were here doing a parrilla, most of them still over the moon with their LaLiga title, taking advantage of the fact that the Páez Gavira family was also here and fourth members complete you decided to do another little celebration.

A few of the lads like Busi, Alonso, Ousmane and Frenkie couldn't come because of personal stuffs but the rest of them said "I'm in".

You laughed when Pedri was telling an story when the bell rang, confused you thought it was one of the guys but everyone was already there so deciding to not interrupt everyone else you went to open the door.

When you did so, you didn't expected for your best friend to be behind it, especially since he left for Portugal to study and you had four years and half without seeing each other but still talked, not frequently as you used to do but still.

You were surprised? Yes, in both good and bad ways. You missed him? Yes, this guy has been your best friend since you were eight years old. You were mad? Yes too, you already have plans going on and he just can't appear himself like nothing. Also, how did he knew the direction of your shared house with your two years boyfriend, Pablo? And most important... How was he let in if you lived in a residential condominium?

"Hey!"

"Hola" You said tight smiling still not processing everything

"Do I not get a hug or you already changed me?" You laughed lightly shaking your head but still decided to hug him

"I'm surprised, it's all" Your voice came out muffled by his clothes

"Gonna let me come in?" Your eyebrows lifted at his request. This wasn't like him. Where was left the sweet and shy guy that you always had to protect from people?

"Portugal has changed you, hasn't it?" You asked still not letting him in but in fact leaned at the door

"For the best" You nod taking him in

"Thought you hated tattoos?" You asked watching one on his bicep

"This one is meaningful" You hum nodding

"What does it mean?"

"The skateboard is me and the sunflower is you. You've always liked sunflowers and I remember that time where you putted a sunflower in the skateboard and I pushed it" You laugh at the memory lightly

"It fell off the hill" You said still giggling making Josué laugh too

"It did"

"You shouldn't have done that though. You could've done something else, there's like a million significative things to do" You shook your head

"Well... I missed you and I wanted to have this memory of you" You smile lightly

"Well thank you" You nod "Don't expect me to do me one though"

"Only if you want" You shook your head

"Not in the mood for one of those" You reply lightly as he laughs

"The new house is pretty... And really big. All for yourself?" You nod "When did you left your parents house?"

"Like sixth-seventh months ago"

"You didn't told me" You shrug your shoulders

"I guess I forgot to" You look at him "Sorry for that" He shakes his head not really paying attention to it "What are you doing here by the way?"

"You don't want me to?"

You laughed "I told you I'm surprised" You removed yourself from the door "Short vacations? Long vacations?"

"Short vacations" You hum nodding "Uni's been hard so I took the first chance I got to come back here for a week"

"I'm glad for you" You said smiling

"Are you busy?" You nod

"I am actually"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm in a... celebration? get-together? both?" You ask laughing lightly "So yes... You can come back tomorrow and I can help you with anything, we can catch up too" You propose excited

"I'm leaving tomorrow to Madrid to see my mom's family side"

"Ah! What a shame" You say when all of sudden you heard a woman's yell

"Y/N!" You look behind Josué's shoulders and see his mom and his older sister making their way towards you

"You brought your family?"

"I really thought you were doing nothing, like old times where you only did school things"

"Yeah well... Old times" You fake laughed, not liking his comment "I'm busy, Josué"

"Please, just a few minutes then we'll be out of your hair" You sigh opening the door for him to come in

"Fine" He fistbumps the air "Only because of your family because if not I would have made your ass get back" He laughed as you hug his family, also not seeing them for the same amount of time as your best friend

"We missed you so much!" You smile

"I have missed you too, señora Ana"

"None of señora, just Ana" You laugh closing the door

"I'm loving your house, girlie" Josué's sister, Bárbara said "Can I stay over?"

"Maybe not today" You laugh "Make yourselves at home" You say going to the kitchen to settle the five of you there for a while.

A few minutes have passed, you were chatting with them when your mom comes inside asking for you and gasps when she sees her friend, Ana. You fought the need of rolling your eyes, this wasn't supposed to happen.

You loved them but you were pissed at the fact they just showed up like I'm here, if you haven't seen me and done, no. It didn't worked it that way, you were busy and they didn't respected that.

Now, your mom was talking with them all excited and invited them to stay for a little while and you wanted to yell at her no but two things happen. One, you never raised your voice at her. Two, it would be seem in a bad way that you don't want them here.

And you don't. Right now, you don't.

Seconds later, Pablo came in worry written on his face "Amor, is everything okay?" He asked and when he saw you his worry left but then confussion took over his pretty face watching the four unknown people to him in his house "Sorry" He apologized

You walked towards him, grabbing both of his hands "Everything's good, mi vida. Don't worry"

"And who are they?"

You sigh "He's my whole life-best friend, the one I told you about that's living in Portugal now" You said looking at Pablo "He's Josué Salvador" You introduce your best friend "His sister, Bárbara Salvador" You point out the girl "And his mom Ana" Pablo nodded "Señores, this is my boyfriend Pablo Páez" You smile

A few "Nice to meet you's" were heard in the exchange

"They decided to give me a little surprise visit, considering we've not seen each other for four years" You added smiling

"Que lindo de su parte" (How nice of them) Pablo said looking at you as you tried to apologize with your look

"But Y/N told us you guys were a bit busy so we might as well go now" Josué said as Ana lamented

"Already?" You smiled painfully at her

"I'm sorry, I asked him to come tomorrow but he said you'll be off to Madrid to see your family. You grabbed me by surprised, we had already done plans" You felt Pablo's arm go around your waist as you lean into him

"They can stay for a while" Pablo blurted out as everyone look at him

"You sure?" Bárbara asks impressed

"You sure?" You ask not believing him and at the same time giving him a look "I mean... You sure?" You changed your tone

"We wouldn't like to step in and-" Pablo cut them off

"You can join us for a while if you'd like. You haven't seen Y/N for four years and it was a nice gesture of you to surprise her, a few minutes more won't hurt anybody" You gave him another look and he just brushed it off

Fun thing he had said that.

One hour later he was clenching his jaw over and over again, he was with his eyebrows furrowed and he only heard the "Do you remember when we..." words over and over again. It wasn't fun anymore. Everyone and even you, kept trying on taking the lead of the conversation to another place, change the subject, but everything you said he always managed to bring it back with a: "That reminds me of..."

Every single one of you were tired of hearing those stuffs. Pablo was retracting his words and he now understood your looks.

"You know" Bárbara spoke "I really wanted you both to be together as a couple and for you to be my sister-in-law" Now, everyone opened their eyes wide as possible as you coughed the drink you had taken and Pablo sat up straight in his seat, pulling you more into him. You put your hand on his thigh

You could see the looks of disbelief, anger and annoyance of everyone

"Really? I didn't know that" You tried to play it off "Sorry to say that won't happen. I've never seen Josué in that way and I don't think I ever will, I already got my boyfriend"

"We thought it was obvious Josué was in love with you" His mom said

"He almost didn't took up on the scholarship for you" Bárbara continued

"Glad he did, wouldn't wanna be a dream crusher" You replied quickly as they got quiet for a bit

"Also, she already has a sister-in-law" Pedri says nodding as Aurora smiles pointing at herself

"The best one" You go to high five her but miss it causing you to laugh

"But you can still be" Ana said "You know, maybe you can become my daughter-in-law and Bárbará's sister"

"Maybe you can go and look for another one" Belén said laughing lightly trying to light up the mood "This one's mine" She grabbed your shoulders and kissed your cheek as you grab her hands and kiss her cheek smiling

"We saw her first" Bárbara said

"She's not an object" Alejandro says shaking his head

"She can choose who her in-law's will be" Ana, Robert's wife said as you nod

"And those are the Páez Gavira family" You said immediately, happy that your friends got your back

"Yes for now... Maybe in the future who knows?" Ana said smiling

"I don't think so, señora" Pablo said "I intend on spending the rest of my life next to Y/N as her boyfriend, in a future her fiancé and then her husband. You can add into the mix the dad of her children, I'm not letting her go, she's the love of my life" You smile grabbing his hand

"It's disrespectful of you to come here and say those kind of stuffs" Araujo's wife, Abigail said "And mostly when we all love Y/N and Pablo together, they are it for each other"

"Yes, it truly is" Your mom said nodding "This is a family get together too, we don't really appreaciate these kind of vibes here and mostly when we are celebrating something really important for all of us. I'm not letting you enter my daughter's and my son-in-law's house and sit there talking trash, I'm sorry to be the one who says this but I think it's the best if you leave"

"Walk us out?" Ana asked you, your mom stood up without problem and opened the door that gave access inside your house.

"Are you really gonna let this happen?" You shrug your shoulders as you see Josué turn around at the door, you sigh lightly

"Hey, I wasn't the one who started saying stuff that I wasn't supposed to say, I have a boyfriend and for your sister to say something like that in front of our faces, bro... She has THE balls" You shook your head "We've changed, Josué. Our friendship isn't the same it used to be as when we were fourteen and much less when we were eight. I'm not the same and you're not the same" You look at his tattoo "I'm sorry I never knew you were in love with me and I'm sorry I don't see you in that kind of way, I'm happy with my boyfriend, I'm in love with him and I want the rest of my future with him. That little stunt your mom and sister did was awful and childlish"

"Your life is in Portugal now, mine is still here in Barcelona. With this amazing people" You mention all around you "We can remember the good times because you're still my best friend the one who supported me through everything and you will always be. But I don't think I can forgive this, your family didn't just insulted me, they insulted my boyfriend, his family, my family and our friends, that crossed a line. I hope you get the best girl ever because you are an incredible boy and wish you the best" You smile pushing your fist out for him to hit it

"Sorry for everything" He said pushing his fist with yours "Lamento mucho todo esto, gente" (I'm sorry for all of this, people)

"Try not to do it often" Pablo said behind you as everyone laughed lightly

And with that Josué left and a big silence was formed in between you.

"Okay... We know you're guapa, Y/N" Pedri said smiling "We just didn't know you had that kind of power, attracting not only the men but their families as well" You laughed loudly

"La señora Belén fighting for her yerna" Robert said making you laugh as Belén kissed your hair

"I was just protecting one of the family members" She said as you smile at her

"I didn't liked her from the beggining" Aurora said shaking her head as your mom returned

"We could see it when Bárbara mistaked the Gucci belt" Ferrán said still making the laughs return but Pablo stood up, excused himself for a moment and left.

You sighed, excusing yourself too and left after him.

"Pabs" You said jogging upstairs into your shared bedroom "Pabs" You called out for him "Amor" You watch him sit on the edge of your side of the bed, hands on his head as his elbows rested on his knees "Talk to me?"

"I'm just impressed by the audacity of that people" He said shaking his head in disbelief "They just passed over me like as if I was nothing. I felt fucking small"

"Even I did. I was so uncomfortable, I didn't even wanted them to come in. Not everyone can appear as if nothing, I only let them in so I could talk with them for a few minutes but everything went out of hand. And you were just being nice when you let them stay... But I gave you your place, I let them know I'm not changing you and the lads helped too"

"I know" Pablo nodded looking at you "I'm just shocked"

"And jealous?" You hinted as he gave you a look but sighed

"He shared so many things with you, mi vida! It is a bit impossible to not get jealous, I think he knows you even better than I do"

"Stop that. He doesn't. You know me, the present me and you will know the future me. He knows the past me and like I said, I changed. He knows my favorite fruit at twelve was strawberry but you know now that, that's not true..."

"Because you love watermelon" You nod

"I love watermelon" You agree "See? There's a whole stuff he knew about my twelve year old me but you know them better. Don't be jealous because yes, he may have been my best friend, but you're my best friend now, you're my partner in crime, you're my rock, the shoulder I lay and cry on, the ying to my yang, the love of my life, my boyfriend and my everything. Stop that and focus on the important things, your career, your life, your family, us" Pablo smiled

"You're right... Just like always" You smiled giggling and leaned up to grah his face and kiss his lips "Love you" He said as you blush

"Y yo te quiero mucho más" You replied standing up "C'mon, let's tell everyone the party's cut short so we can cuddle. I know you want that and I also want that"

"You truly are it for me, you know me so well" He hugged you from behind kissing your neck as you both laughed

"What can I say? I'm whipped for my man"

°°° °°° °°° °°°

Taglist: @gaviypedrisbride @stuckinaf4nfiction @elijahslover @azzpenswrld

[autistichalsin]

I love my mom but the lying and guilt tripping gets to be so much sometimes.

IE she overheard me talking about getting my brother a ticket to fly to comic con with us. She got pissed about money (fair enough I guess since he still lives with her and my dad) but then I brought up we were helping, and she got mad at me saying she missed my college graduation because of money so why didn't we help?

I just about lost it. I BEGGED her to come. I offered to pay for all the hotels or plane tickets. She's scared of flying so wouldn't do that, and won't let my dad go anywhere without her, so that was a no. And she said the drive was way too long, she'd be really uncomfortable, and my dad couldn't take that long off work.

She didn't come because she didn't think it was important. Bottom line.

In fact, I even mentioned at one point before the graduation I was grateful, as much as the pandemic sucked, that the graduation would be getting livestreamed because it meant she and my dad would see it no matter what. And she (granted, drinking at the time, but still) said it was horrible for me to celebrate people dying just so I could have a graduation.

EVERY TIME I brought up my graduation, she never showed the slightest interest, nor the slightest bit of sympathy that she was missing it. She went out of her way to blame me, act like I was the one being unreasonable. She continued showing absolutely no interest for my Masters graduation, so that I ended up not even bothering to travel (online program) because I knew no one would be there for me anyway, so why bother.

I didn't even get to go to my high school graduation, because it was an online program on the other side of the state. I had to be held back a year when depression hampered my academic performance, and my older siblings had already dropped out; in desperation, trying to motivate me not to do the same, my dad promised me that if I made it, they would too. So I worked through, got the credits I needed... and nope. My mom screamed that my dad spent too much on getting the car up to pass inspection standards (how does that even make sense) and that we therefore couldn't afford to go. So I didn't get to attend that either.

And you know what? Honestly, I made my peace with it- with the fact that my mom will never care about me the way she cares about my sister, that she just doesn't think my successes are worth celebrating (unless she can brag to someone online to seem like a good parent, I guess) and lacks the empathy to understand why me having my parents with me at major life events is a big deal. I worked through that and made my peace with it and have quietly decided I am not even going to bother inviting them to any future events I have, unless maybe I get married one day, I guess, though I feel she'd still try to find excuses not to go to that if it was more than a four hour drive from her.

I could deal with all that. But she fucking LIED about it to guilt trip me. She lied that she WANTED to come and it was money preventing her. That I never tried to help her get to me. And that's the part that hurts the most. That she wasn't there to celebrate when it mattered, but now has the nerve to lie about it and play victim, as though I'm the reason she wasn't there.

She always does this shit! When I was a senior in undergrad, there was an undergraduate research symposium everyone in my major was required to present at. It was ALSO on Zoom, so no excuse not to make it. I asked her and my dad multiple times if they'd like to see my present my research paper on a Japanese death cult and the effects it had on Japanese culture. They BOTH declined. So I invited my grandma, who was happy to be invited, and my best friend even walked her through setting up Zoom for the first time. AFTER the event, when I was telling my mom and dad on the phone about my grandma loving my presentation, THEN my mom got livid and said she had NEVER been invited, and of COURSE she would have come if she had the chance, why did I invite my grandma and not her?

She doesn't want to share in important things with me but then she gets pissed if I then share them with others instead. I guess she wants to feel so important that her declining would make me refuse entirely instead (as with my Masters degree ceremony?) I don't know.

I'm just tired of this man.

[bellarkeselection]

Hello beautiful person, how are you? I hope well hehe, I saw that you had open requests for Georgie Cooper and I asked if you could do one where he is friends with a "good vibes" girl and they are Watching a program that she wanted to see, and he realizes that he likes Cooper, but super is going through all this with the baby but still tells him days later. You could do it? I love the drama Greetings from Colombia 💗

Always Cared For You

Georgie and I have been close for awhile. I had just graduated high school so I invited him over to my house to watch some football like old times. Sitting on the couch I shoved popcorn into my mouth. “Is everything okay, Georgie. You’ve been looking at the phone a lot.”

“Uh yeah sorry. Mandy’s been worried that Cece might have a cold. I’m just worried that she might call and I’d miss it.” He admitted shaking his head turning his gaze back in my direction.

Sitting the popcorn bowl on the table in front of us I bite my lip. For awhile since he had started pursing Veronica that was when I realized that I had feelings for him. “You’re a good dad, Georgie. Everyone in this town may think it’s wrong that you two aren’t married. But you’re a good guy.”

“You always been nice to me. Maybe I just have a natural good charm or that you might have feelings for me.” He leans forward smiling at me while shoving some popcorn in his mouth.

I avoided his gaze dropping it towards my intertwined hands where I mumbled under my breath hoping he wouldn’t hear me. “It’s cause I have a massive crush on you.”

“Are you serious, Y/n. Why - why didn’t you tell me?” He scooted closer to me placing a hand on my knee making me finally look him in the eye.

Throwing my head back I pushed my hair away I nervously blurted out everything I was keeping from him. “Because Georgie I was afraid that you we’re just friends with me. And then everyone in town heard about Mandy and the baby. I just….I don’t know I thought that you and her would just end up together with the fact that you have a baby together.”

“We may have a baby together but it doesn’t mean we are stuck together. I mean we fight most of the time and Mandy told me that she doesn’t care if I see other people. So that’s ridiculous. I thought you would have noticed I like you too, a lot more than I do Mandy.” Geoegie turns to face me grasping my hands in his smiling at me.

Blinking my eyes a couple times I parted my lips at him. I couldn’t really form a sentence so I did the next best thing. “Georgie, I…” Moving myself forward I wrapped my arms around his neck kissing him slowly.

Georgie leaned into the kiss moving one hand to my waist. His other hand moved to my cheek drawing me in for a deeper kiss. “I’m just checking here but does this mean that you care about me too.”

“Yes Geoegie. I have always cared for you.” I chuckled kissing him again. He tugged me closer where I ended up sitting on his lap never breaking the kiss.

He broke the kiss smiling at me and I mirrored his same expression. Even if he was having a baby with an older woman. I didn’t care about his current situation. He was still a good guy to me. “I think we should go out for Mexican to celebrate. Oh but don’t think I’m doing that just to sleep with ya, cause I’m not gonna do that.”

“I wasn’t thinking that but thanks for saying it. I’ll get my jacket and meet you outside.” I told him watching him grab his keys from the kitchen while I grabbed my jacket and intertwined my hand with his nefarious we went outside to his truck and drove to the restaurant.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[twistedtummies2]

ReCount: Top 15 Keith David Performances

Earlier this month, one of my favorite actors - Keith David - celebrated 68 years of living on this planet. Mostly known for his work in voice acting, David is a multi-talented performer whom I love for many reasons. One is how prolific his body of work is, in more ways than one, and another is his natural charisma and vocal power…but I think what I admire most about this performer is his dedication and energy. David is one of those actors who subscribes to a philosophy I personally believe in, and which I think ALL good actors SHOULD believe in: “Do your best, and try to have fun doing it, no matter what.” If you’re in a bad production, then be the bright spot that makes it all worth it; and if you’re in a good production - which, hopefully, will be norm - be one of the things that makes it so great. Keith David has been both of these numerous times in his career, and I will always respect that highly. A while back, I made a very brief “description-less” list of my favorite David roles, but since then things have changed: I’ve been introduced to some new performances from the actor, re-evaluated older ones I already enjoyed, and even been reminded of a couple I knew about but had not witnessed in so long, I completely forgot they existed. (My age is catching up to me already, I swear, and I’m only barely thirty.) So, I decided it was time to do a “ReCount” for this performer. And, as I so often do with my ReCounts, I decided to expand the list and go a bit further. So, with that said…here are My Top 15 Keith David Performances!

15. The Narrator, from Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked.

It’s not surprising that, with his impeccable and powerful vocals, Keith David has been the narrator for SEVERAL documentary programs. By far my favorite, however, is this one, released twenty years ago in 2004, as a tie-in with the History Channel to the upcoming film “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” (Ironically, neither the movie nor the comic ever gets discussed in this documentary…weird.) “Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked” tells the history of superhero comics from the late 1930s all the way into then-modern day. (Obviously, some information here is out of date or just old news, due to the thing being two decades old.) It covers some of the more important comics published, some of the more interesting moments in the history of the medium, and some of the more noteworthy creators who have been responsible for bringing such stories and characters to life. David was a great choice for such a program; as this list will show, he’s actually got a LOT of experience playing comic book characters, both before and since, a couple of which are focused on in the documentary (likely not coincidentally). As a result, there’s a certain authenticity to his presence here. There’s not much to say; the thing about documentary narration is that it’s meant to be kept very neutral in tone, most of the time, and helps to both convey information and help with the mood without being extravagantly produced. It’s more the fact that I love this documentary so much that gives it placement here.

14. The Cheshire Cat, from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

This is a role I’m 99% sure NOBODY but myself would place on a countdown of this nature…but that’s the beauty of personal opinions: they belong to the one giving them alone, and that’s really all this list is about. In this spin-off series of “Once Upon a Time,” Alice and the Knave of Hearts go on a quest to stop the Red Queen (not to be confused with the Queen of Hearts), and rescue Alice’s love - a genie called Cyrus - from the Queen’s new ally: Jafar, of all characters. In the first episode, the Cheshire Cat shows up for a brief scene; it’s indicated that he and Alice used to be friends, but the massive, predatory feline has gone madder than ever with hunger. He turns on Alice, attempting to devour her, but is finally stopped by the intervention of the Knave. Upon his defeat, the Cat flees into the forest…and is sadly never seen again. I was rather disappointed the Cheshire Cat showed up for only such a brief time, especially since it would have been easy to bring him back and explore the setup of the character more - a villain who used to be a friend is a powerful concept - but alas, twas not to be. David uses a different sort of voice than he usually has (I’m not sure if it’s by his own work or if the voice was altered after the fact), much more high and “slithery” sounding, which actually works to give the Cat a decided creepiness, while still being silky and dangerous as ever. It also helps to differentiate him from a certain other magical feline in the actor’s resume…but that’s another story.

13. Okkoto, from Princess Mononoke.

It had been so long since I’d seen this movie in-full, I actually completely forgot David was even IN it. The moment I realized this, I made sure to give the entire feature a return visit. This classic anime picture by Studio Ghibli - the work of the great Hayao Miyazaki - focuses on the conflict between humans and various forest-dwelling spirits. Among these Gods of the Mountains is Okkoto: a huge, blind, white boar who leads a tribe of giant pig-beasts to attack Iron Town, a human settlement responsible for causing chaos in the woods by attacking many of these spirits and gods. At first, Okkoto is depicted as a strong but wise leader; powerful, but capable of mercy and understanding. However, his pain and anger ultimately lead to him becoming a demon, at which point he loses all of his intelligence, becoming a mad, mindless beast. While David’s time behind the mic is relatively small, it is memorable: he gives Okkoto a sort of tender but firm quality, and a touch of eternal weariness. It’s an ancient and soothing voice, which makes the change when Okkoto becomes a bloodthirsty, voiceless monster all the more startling.

12. Mr. Simms, from Tales From the Hood II.

This sequel to the 1995 cult classic “Tales From the Hood” is…exceptionally terrible. The first movie presented a series of stories that combined horror with humor and social commentary, particularly focused on the hardships of African Americans. It did so in a way that never felt too preachy, too annoying, or too excessive. Unfortunately, despite being written by the same exact people, the sequel is all of these things: the messages are hamfisted, the attempts at humor are mostly pretty annoying, and it mostly comes across as weird and gross more than it does legitimately scary. If there is one bright spot in the film, however, it is Keith David in the role of our host for the day: Mr. Simms. Like in most horror anthology pieces, there is a framing device that features a specific character who helps guide things along, much like in “Tales From the Crypt.” For these movies, that role goes to Simms: a funeral home director who is (rather transparently, so I don’t think it’s a spoiler) the Devil himself. In the original film, Simms was played by Clarence Williams III; he had retired from acting by the time of the second picture, and David was given the role. It’s honestly hard for me to say which version of the character I like more: Williams played the character with a manic intensity that was equal parts entertaining and extremely creepy. David, however, brings a sense of verbose power and a suave, slick, smooth demeanor, which is different enough while still having the same blend of humorous eccentricity and ominous danger behind his actions and words. He is, by far, the most entertaining part of the movie, and steals the show from the top to bottom. I actually was tempted to place Simms higher, but the rest of the movie is just so utterly appalling I don’t think it’s fair to do so.

11. Despero, from Justice League.

As I said before, Keith David has played many characters in superhero pieces. This is the first of a few to make the list. Despero is a supervillain from DC comics, who has repeatedly been a pain in the capes for the Justice League. When the DCAU made their animated series adaptation of the Justice League, it was only natural Despero would come along to cause trouble at some point or another. In the two-part story “Hearts and Minds,” Despero’s origins are given a tragic leaning, as it’s revealed he was an outcast among his own people on the planet Kalanor due to an alarming deformity: a third eye. Forced to wander through the wastes of the world, he eventually came into contact with a mystical power, which gave him psychic abilities and superhuman strength. Believing he had been chosen to rule Kalanor, Despero used his powers to take over his home planet, taking his revenge by subjugating the rest of his kind, all while claiming to be trying to lead his people to paradise. I don’t know that much about Despero in the comics, but this version of him was a really fun interpretation: like it so often did, the DCAU took a villain who could have just been a pure evil monster, and gave him layers of sympathy and complexity that made him unique. I don’t think I can say this is one of my top ten favorites of David’s roles, but it does come pretty close.

10. Keith the Handyman, from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

For those of you who don’t already know, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” was a children’s show hosted by the late, great Fred Rogers. It’s…hard to describe what the show was really about. It was a very mellow series focused on the titular Mr. Rogers, as he invited guests over, checked on his mail, taught kids about various jobs, and occasionally presented stories taking place in a fairy-tale world filled with puppets. Still early on in his career, David played a character called “Keith the Handyman,” who was one of Mr. Rogers’ neighbors. He appeared as a carpenter, a tinkerer, and an arcade machine fixer-upper in various episodes. David described the show as “kind of complex, but also simple,” which I think is a great way to put it: the series had a very calm, simple way of talking to its young audience, and presented very simple, loveable characters…but it also dealt with ideas, themes, concepts, and issues that were really complex. David admitted that, at the time, he didn’t fully understand the series, but over time he came to respect both the show and its host a great deal: he liked how neither ever talked down to the audience, and treated complicated concepts in a way small girls and boys could understand. David has never been alone in these feelings, and for good reason.

9. Dr. Tenma, from Pluto.

This, unless I’m mistaken, is David’s first role in an anime since Princess Mononoke. That film came out in 1999; that makes for over two decades between it and “Pluto,” which came out in 2023. “Pluto” is a dark, Alan-Moore-esque reimagining of the famous anime/manga series “Astro Boy.” I should point out that I know…basically nothing ABOUT Astro Boy, in its original form, aside from the fact it’s considered a “classic” and…well…exists. As a result, I was able to go into “Pluto” almost completely blind, with no real preconceptions or biases at all. There are many things to admire about this sci-fi mystery thriller, one of them being the voice cast…and among the most noteworthy of those voices is David as Dr. Tenma. While Tenma doesn’t show up till about halfway through the series, his presence is an important one from that point on. He is the creator of Atom (a.k.a. Astro Boy himself), and is one of the more complicated characters of the show, as well as one of the ones who holds the key to the mystery that unfolds through the series. While Tenma is a protagonist in the series, he’s an extremely complex individual; responsible for some terrible things, and willing to go to some dangerous measures to achieve the results he wants. He’s not evil, but he toes a fine line of ethics and morality almost from start to finish. While at first I found David’s voice slightly distracting, I very quickly bought into his work, and he is one of several highly impressive voice actors in the dub. This is one of those anime where I feel one really should watch the English version, and his appearance in it is part of the reason why.

8. Childs, from The Thing.

This is arguably David’s most famous live-action appearance on this countdown. John Carpenter’s “The Thing” - adapted from a story by John W. Campbell Jr., which in turn was inspired by a story by H.P. Lovecraft - is a classic sci-fi horror movie. Many consider it one of the best ever made. The plot focuses on a group of people working at a research facility in Antarctica, who are put under siege by a shapeshifting extraterrestrial that assimilates and consumes other living creatures. The film is well-renowned partially due to its extremely gory, gruesome, and grotesque special effects, as the Thing changes forms and absorbs its victims, and partially for its deeper subject matter: the alien’s abilities make the “real” enemy of the story the team’s distrust of one another, as they are constantly second-guessing if one of their members is the monster in disguise. One of the most interesting characters in the story is Childs, one of the team’s chief mechanics who is the first to discover the Thing’s chief weakness: fire. Once again, this was fairly early in David’s career, but it’s certainly a landmark for his onscreen appearances, especially given the way the film ends…but I mustn’t say more, or I will ruin the story.

7. Black Panther, from Fantastic Four: The Animated Series.

This was one of several Marvel cartoon shows made in the 1990s, all taking place in the same shared universe, along with “Spider-Man” and “The Incredible Hulk.” I watched all of them growing up, and all of them had their pros and cons. One of the coolest pros in the Fantastic Four series was the episode “Prey of the Black Panther,” in which the titular quartet meet the King of Wakanda. The Panther is something of an anti-hero in this story, as he actually lures the Fantastic Four to his home in the wilds of Africa and battles them as part of an elaborate test. Eventually, the heroes put aside their differences and work together to defeat the evil Klaw…and also a giant gorilla covered in tomato paste. (As you do.) David, of course, was great casting for the role of the Black Panther, and I’m surprised he never played the character again after this, at least to my knowledge, as he plays the role perfectly. My only problem with this appearance, and the main reason why the Panther doesn’t get higher on the list, is that he only shows up in one episode…and, like with a lot of stories in these shows honestly, the episode is sort of rushed for time. It tries to cram a LOT of story into less than half an hour, and so the pacing is a bit off. Still, the actual depiction of the character is a strong one, and probably one of my favorites to date.

6. Imam, from The Chronicles of Riddick.

For those who don’t know, “The Chronicles of Riddick” was a series of sci-fi action/adventure movies, starring Vin Diesel. They were made at an early point in Diesel’s acting career, and - despite gaining only a lukewarm-at-best critical response - gained a cult following with audiences pretty quickly. The series consisted of three live-action movies, an animated short film, a non-canon prequel, and a couple of video games. Imam’s real name is Abu al-Walid; his pseudonym is a reference to the prayer-leaders of Islamism, though whether it’s an actual title or just a nickname is unclear. He is a holy man who seeks to find “New Mecca.” He appears in the first film of the series, “Pitch Black,” wherein Imam ends up being one of the survivors of a crashed ship. Riddick - a mysterious intergalactic criminal - was being transported on the same ship to face trial. When alien lifeforms called Bioraptors begin hunting the survivors, they’re forced to rely on Riddick to lead the way and help them escape. At first, Imam and Riddick don’t exactly get along (for likely obvious reasons), but as the story goes on, not only is the holy man’s faith in God tested, but his faith in Riddick begins to grow at the same time. Eventually, the two characters end up becoming friends. Imam returned in the animated spin-off, “Dark Fury,” and had a small but important role in the sequel, “Chronicles of Riddick.” This was one of the first live-action roles I saw David in (I think prior to this Mr. Rogers was the only other example), and it was interesting to see him play a character like this. In many ways, I think Imam was one of the most complex characters of the series, and I really wish we could have seen even more of him.

5. The Cat, from Coraline.

This is the other cat I mentioned when I spoke of the Cheshire Cat earlier in the list. And to be honest, this character always reminded me of Lewis Carroll’s tricky feline, both in the original Neil Gaiman novel and perhaps especially in the Henry-Selick-made stop-motion movie. This raggedy black cat is a mysterious creature, able to travel between the “real” world and the Other World. While he can only speak in the latter, he seems to be equally intelligent no matter where he goes, and appears to have strange powers: like the Cheshire Cat, he seems able to disappear and reappear entirely at will. The Cat is an ally to Coraline - giving her advice (albeit in the most snarky way possible) and helping to keep her safe during her travels in the Other World - but his motives and origins are very unclear. We don’t really know why he wants to help her, or how he has the powers he has, or even what he really is. It’s indicated that he’s an old enemy of the Other Mother - the main villain of the story - but exactly why they’re enemies is unclear. It’s also indicated he’s fond of Wybie, in both worlds - an eccentric local boy who becomes Coraline’s best friend - but why this is, or if it has any bearing on his reasons for what he does, is anybody’s guess. With so many unanswered questions, he quickly becomes one of the most fascinating characters in the story, and David’s vocals help a good deal. He plays the Cat with a smooth, slightly sinister-sounding charm, which gives the character an unsettling edge despite his apparent good intentions and actions. It helps to keep the viewers guessing the whole while, and the sarcastic, slick feline’s snarky attitude leads to some great bits of dialogue.

4. Husk, from Hazbin Hotel.

Speaking of snarky felines…if you know me well, this guy being so high up won’t be even remotely a surprise. Husk is one of David’s most recent roles, but I’m already convinced he’s one of the best, and a shoe-in for my top five. For those who don’t know, “Hazbin Hotel” is a web series on Amazon Prime (started by a pilot you can find on YouTube, which had a completely different cast), which is a combination of adult humor and animated musical. The story takes place in Hell itself, where Charlie Morningstar - the daughter of Lucifer - decides to try and create a hotel where wayward souls can seek redemption and gain access to the pearly gates. There are lots of reasons for this, but part of the reason is because Heaven has taken to carrying out annual “exorcisms,” sending hordes of angels down to cull some of the population of Hell to keep it from getting overcrowded. Charlie wants these exterminations to end, so - with the (extremely sketchy) help of a demon called Alastor - she begins to work on finding a way to get the hotel working and show Heaven the plan to redeem souls rather than punish them has benefits. Husk, one of the major characters of the series, is the hotel’s grouchy bartender; a former Overlord of Hell who lost a bet with Alastor, and is now forced to do whatever the demon says. Not only is David delightfully funny throughout this comedic series, but there’s also other layers that come out, too. Husk is grumpy, foul-mouthed, and cares a lot more about drinking and gambling than getting into Heaven, but as the show goes, on softer sides to him come to light. What’s interesting is that David is something of an outlier in the cast, to a degree: the creator of the show wanted a “Broadway cast” for the series, and for the most part, that’s exactly the case. Many of the actors in the show are more well-known for their work in musical theatre than film or television. David is the one exception: he’s done his share of theatre, and even a couple of musicals, but he’s much more well-known for his work as a voice actor. Despite this, he fits in like a glove…and hey, he gets the best song of the series, so I’m obviously not going to complain.

3. Spawn.

Of all the comic book characters Keith David has played, none have been more noteworthy in his career than Spawn: the superhero identity of Al Simmons, a police officer with a dark past. After Simmons is brutally betrayed and murdered, he finds himself dragged down to Hell, where the Devil transforms him into “Hellspawn,” forced to do his bidding. Eventually, Spawn escapes the Devil’s clutches, and proceeds to use his demonic powers to punish and hunt down evildoers (think Ghost Rider, but with an arguably even worse film adaptation). David is arguably the definitive voice actor for the character, much in the way the late Kevin Conroy was considered the definitive voice of Batman, or Tim Daly and George Newbern have been considered the definitive voices of Superman. Like them, he first played the character in a 1990s animated TV series; if I’m not mistaken, it was one of the first truly adult animated superhero series ever made, able to capture all the dark elements of the Spawn comics and present characters and stories that were complex, disturbing, and gripping in their intensity. It even won a couple of Emmy Awards! Since then, David has reprised the role two or three times in video games; most notable for me was“Mortal Kombat 11,” where Spawn was one of several characters included in a DLC package. While Spawn isn’t quite as renowned as DC or Marvel’s hordes of heroes, he’s probably one of the more noteworthy characters to come from a company that ISN’T one of the big two, and hearing David play such an iconic character is always a sheer delight.

2. Goliath, from Gargoyles.

On the note of superhero fiction, “Gargoyles” was Disney’s response to the popularity of shows like “Batman: The Animated Series” and “X-Men: The Animated Series.” The series was noticeably darker in tone, and more mature in its character and storytelling complexity, than a lot of other animated Disney shows of the time. A sort of combo of dark fantasy and superhero action, the series focused on a team of living gargoyles in New York City. They work together to protect humanity from mad scientists, ancient gods, mischievous fae, immortal warriors…and, most diabolical of all…corporate businessmen. The leader of the Gargoyles, our main character, is the mighty Goliath. I’m fairly sure this was the first Keith David role I ever saw growing up, before I even knew the man’s name, and it’s still one of the most iconic to me. Having brought up Batman, Goliath actually reminds me a lot of him: strong, somewhat stoic, with a tragic past, a slight leaning to the theatrical at times…and, frankly, just a good ol’ fashioned badass. There’s not a whole lot else to say; this is one of the first roles I think of with Keith David, and it’s probably a favorite for a lot of other people, too.

1. Dr. Facilier, from The Princess and the Frog.

I think this is the role most people nowadays would recognize Keith David for most immediately. (I could be wrong there, but it’s the role I hear more people speak of in connection to his name than any other.) It was definitely the role that introduced me to the actor; yes, I’d seen and heard him in other things before, but it wasn’t till this movie that I recognized the name “Keith David” properly, if that makes any sense. Facilier is one of my favorite Disney Villains - second only to the malevolent Maleficent - and, for a while, he was a pretty big deal. Nowadays he seems to be SLIGHTLY less renowned (though certainly not by a whole lot; he’s still considered pretty popular), but most people agree he’s a lot of fun and arguably the most enjoyable character in the film. David’s voice is a big part of that: Facilier is far from the most complicated character he’s played, but he’s a very entertaining villain. The character is a slippery con artist; succinctly described by David himself as “a schemer,” he’s both constantly in control and constantly trying to gain control, which makes for an interesting contrast to the character throughout the film. He’s also one of the few villains in a Disney movie that succeeds in permanently killing off a major character in the story. David has since joined the ranks of other voice actors who have returned repeatedly to voice their character in spin-off materials for the Parks and TV; there’s no sign of him growing tired of the part, so as long as he’s around, here’s hoping more fun with Facilier and his Friends on the Other Side remains on the horizon. Without a shadow of a doubt, he is my favorite of Keith David’s many marvelous characters and performances.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Sergeant Cantrell, from The Quick and the Dead. (An excellent Western, and David is excellent in it, I just liked the fifteen options I picked more.)

The Narrator, for Egypt’s Golden Age. (A three-part documentary series on Ancient Egypt’s most famous pharaohs. Best way to learn Egyptology ever.)

Solovar, from The Flash. (Again, like with Cantrell, I just like the fifteen I chose more.)

Mongul, from Young Justice. (Would have been on the list if it weren’t for the fact I felt other versions of Mongul were even better.)

[fundielicious-simblr]

(Narrator)

It's christmas card season in this fundielicious sims world, and in an effort to include more side characters and go back to my roots, I decided to pose a few families for christmas cards. I also did the cliche thing of using said christmas cards to announce a few pregnancies. This will have the 3rd person narration of the families, the actual captions that they'll use on their simstagram post will come later with said simstagram post after this.

Maggie and Shane are not ones to miss putting out a yearly christmas card, ever since they got married almost 10 years ago it's been a tradition. Their first christmas card together was also Maggie's debut in pants on recorded media, hows that for a fun fact. They're enjoying life with their toddlers, both are working and have them in a christian daycare during the day. They're not going on their yearly ski trip with Reece and Stacie this year, so they'll be celebrating the holiday season with Shane's relatives so that they can get a city break. There's no pregnancy announcement from these guys, and honestly we can't be sure when the next one will be, though they do have one final child to add to the family before they'll consider it complete. Maybe once the kids start officially going to school and have more independence.

Our favourite political family are announcing a pregnancy this holiday season! Colton working as the districts conservative representative means that their lives are a lot more central to Windenburg, Brittany is homeschooling Nicole and apparently they thought now was the best time to have another child. Secretly (but no so secretly) almost everyone wants this baby to be a boy, it's always tied into talk about carrying on the family name and generational blessings and all that. Whilst Brittany just wants a healthy baby (and might want a boy a bit more than another girl), she can't forget the example of her cousin Adalynn. She and her husband Mason had 8 boys in a row before having a little baby girl, and Brittany is definitely not having that many children, so she's not letting herself get too hung up on what this baby will be.

Our resident reproducers are back at it again, this time with kid number 12. The pregnancy announcement isn't new to the family, but they decided to throw it in to announce it to the friends and family that live far away and. Their house is just controlled chaos at this point, and with each kid they just slot right in. So far their prayer point for the quarter is expanding their house (and i keep forgetting to plan out what those posts will look like) This new baby will make their appearance by Harvestfest, so Kyleigh is about to be pregnant through yet another summer - poor her. Not that it's ever bothered her enough to stop getting pregnant.

Zoe and her latin lover are steadily pumping out these children, they're going on four years of marriage and by their 4th anniversary will be on their way to 3 kids under 5. They've been enjoying Windenburg life, being able to see Zoe's sister Amira and her husband quite often as they live close by so they've created their own little routine. Along with seeing family when they visit WIndenburg or when they take small trips, they've really been enjoying life. For Christmas they're staying in Windenburg for their last winter there and Francisco's family will come visit.

Now we go back to our regularly scheduled programming!

[strawberry-cowmilk]

omg helloo!! heard your requests are open again so i couldn't resist! how would the brothers react to mc being a witch who worked with them back in the human world? ( i learned that some witches work with demons and have altars about them and leave them gifts and stuff in exchange for little favors or just cause they appreciate them)

i just think it would be funny for mc to pop out of the portal and learning their fav divinity was just standing there and the bro going OMG I KNOW U (bonus if they like their little worshipper)

thank u in advance if u write this 💓

have a nice day/night!!!

Hi! I'm sorry for the long wait, I hope you didn't mind too much. Anyways, I hope you like it and I wish you a good day too

the brothers with a witch mc

-> brothers x mc

mc's gender is not mentioned but is called a witch, not proof read

content warnings: spoilers up to lesson 14

-----

Lucifer

he saw the exchange student forms, he wanted to pick somebody he knew

'welcome, mc, I'm sure you wouldn't mind catching up over dinner?'

if lucifer shared a bond with you, his brother knew you existed, there's 0 awkwardness at the beginning of your stay

Mammon

he heard one of the exchange students was a witch and he just hoped it wasn't one he owed money

well, mammon does owe you but you're nice about it unlike other witches who change him into frogs

'mc! mc! look at the new wheels I put on my baby!' (his car)

Leviathan

he doesn't usually work with other people unless they are some sort of celebrity to otaku folks

but you were nice, levi may or may not have a crush on you

when he found out you were coming to the devildom, he put some games and anime aside for you

Satan

in the human world, right before the exchange program would start, you told him you were chosen as a candidate

maybe it was the fact you're at a cat cafe but satan looks really happy

in the devildom, satan shows you around all the important places (yes including cat cafes) so you won't get lost, also he wants to spend time together

Asmodeus

asmo met you at a party because you knew solomon

you two hit it off, so he invited you to a bunch of other parties, including ones in the devildom, that's nice since you now kind of know the area there

he can't believe it's really you who emerges from the portal, your day will be filled by all sorts of fun activities now, like shopping

Beelzebub

one time beel left a literal stick at your altar hoping to exchange it for food, to his surprise it worked and now you're best friends

sometimes belphie would get a little jealpus because beel spent too much time with his new witch friend

he basically emitted light when he saw you were chosen, immediately starts introducing you to his family

Belphegor

you knew something had happened when you arrived in the devildom and belphie was nowhere to be found, no he wasn't in the human world he'd have let you know

when you found him in the attic, and he explained what happened, you reminded him not every human is bad, you've talked about this (he listens to you)

with danger of your own life, you convinced lucifer to free his brother, there was a lot of chaos but it worked

[rankingthehousewives]

Eight years later, or, "I'm not getting older; I'm just getting bolder."

Hi divas,

It's been the better part of a decade since I first posted this list, and a lot has changed: for me, for Bravo, and not least for the various superestrellas herein. I'm forced to fess up to some clunker opinions (Stacey Forsey is not a better Housewife than Vicki Gunvalson; Teresa Giudice is [heartbreakingly, devastatingly] not actually in love with her brother), and a few overall sea changes in the way I conceptualize the show and Bravo in general.

First of all, I underestimated the delight of the Housewives blog/news cycle, which has only refined as an apparatus since the posting of this list. A key component in being a Bravolebrity is one's ability to titillate with delightfully brain-bending headlines (Teresa Giudice 'can’t relate' to Jen Shah’s prison sentencing: 'I would never do something like that.') and to shock and delight with one's antics, public snipes, absurd feuds, and assorted felonies. When I first compiled this list, it was after my first watch of each of series, and I didn't understand that a good chunk of the captivating material occurs offscreen, as a thrilling little adrenaline hit during an otherwise mundane day. If I had to make a list like this again, I'd take that into much more rigorous account.

But I wouldn't make a list like this again, because fundamentally... I really like all of these women now, at least as highly edited TV characters! Shock twist: they're all now tied in my heart! I see them all as rich and necessary players in the show's milieu, and I honestly think that my individual moral judgments of them are totally irrelevant—and, in fact, I think the show works best approached as non-judgmentally as possible. I respect that each viewer will have their own individual lines in the sand as to what is and isn't Too Far, informed by their own personalities and experiences, and I can't ask for carte blanche approval of these problematic women and their problematic ways. But for me, I have genuinely come to appreciate Kyle Richards and Jeana Keough and THE Mary Schmidt Amons, and of course I still love Phaedra and Tamra and Sheree and all of the other beautiful Botoxed gladiators who have taken to the Coliseum (and The Traitors season two) for our collective entertainment.

I think part of what's brought me to this conclusion is that in the current era of BravoCon and celebrity superfans and Peacock exclusives, the social media discourse has gotten increasingly tense, heated, and even abusive—between fans and other fans, certainly, but also between fans and the talent. People frequently direct really cruel messages to the Housewives and other Bravolebrities without thinking of the impacts of those sorts of messages, individually and en masse. I think a ranked list like this one, with its favourites at the tops and least favourites at the bottom, isn't a great format for communicating the nuance of these programs at their best, and for expressing my appreciation for these many strong, interesting, entertaining women who love vaginal rejuvenation and axe-throwing. Basically, I think we're too quick to judge, and I think I judged too quickly.

I still get really sweet messages from readers about this list (please forgive me if I haven't answered yours!), so I won't strip it from the web, even though I disown a lot of the opinions underpinning it. If you're reading this in 2024, or later, just know that I almost universally wish I were kinder and more thoughtful in my appraisals. And, hey, thanks again for reading.

If you're interested in keeping up with me eight years later, I write, produce, and host a podcast with my friend, Josie, called Bittersweet Infamy. We cover infamous non-fiction stories, including an excruciatingly in-depth dive into the Salahis' white house crash with lots of bizarre celebrity cameos, from Shaq to Sugar Kiper to Bai Ling. Three and a half years in, we're revving up for our 100th episode, so we'd love the well wishes.

If that's not your vibe, then please continue to enjoy the weird and wonderful worlds of Bravo—and please, by all means, make it nice.

xoxo

t.

P.S. RHOSLC kicks ass.

P.P.S. Luann is still my favourite.

[updownlately]

with the new year literally just around the corner (or maybe it's rung in for a few of you!)...

depending on your dash you may see a handful of these posts around, but i'm totally going to add to that tally and put this in my orbit!

to all of you that felt that you maybe didn't do enough in 2023, didn't achieve enough, progress enough, get where you wanted to be, etc, just know that you did great this year! you got through it. you did your best every day, even if that 'best' looked different every day, you got through your worst of days, laughed through the best of them, and you tried, and that's something (the biggest thing imo) to be proud of!

to those that had a tough year, be it with losses of loved ones, family issues, relationship issues, life struggles, school, friends, work, anything, im so so so proud of you for making it through the year! you've done a great job to make it till here and i know for a fact that you'll be okay in 2024, even if that okay is not what you think it may look like! keep stepping forward, even it it's the world's smallest step, and don't let a step back discourage you! you haven't made it all this way only to back down now! you've got this! take care of yourself and your emotional, mental, and physical health, and i hope that 2024 brings you everything you've been looking for and more!

to those that don't care for the new year or aren't celebrating this year, i hope you enjoy your extra day off! take the time to rest, to relax, to get that breather you didn't know you needed! do things that make you happy and rejuvenate you. and i hope you enjoy yourself without any extra pressure!

going into the new year, im wishing y'all the best! hoping you guys get the jobs you want and the programs you've worked towards! hopefully your personal relationships run their course in a way that is beneficial to you, be it through companionship or lessons to learn! i hope that you get the chance to live life day after day, and not just survive, even on the worst days!

i hope that 2024 treats you guys gently, lovingly, and kindly, and that good things come all your guys' ways!

take care amigos! enjoy your new years, and thanks for sticking around here! i appreciate each and every one of you guys! thanks for reading my works, interacting, chatting about other things, popping by to say hi, etc! you've all made my year pretty cool and i appreciate it!

again, happy new year and stay safe!

much love 🫶

-blu

[captainsophiestark]

Undefeated

Jane Foster x Reader

Masterlist - Tag List

Written for my Year of Olympians and part of a bigger challenge being run by @yearofcreation2023 which features a ton of awesome creators and runs all year! Go check it out! And yay, after like two months of now writing I’m caught up just in time for June! 😅

Fandom: Marvel

Prompt: Ares; War

Summary: Darcy and her best friend, Y/N, are taking a night to party in between all the stressors that come with grad school, and doing so by absolutely DOMINATING at Beer Pong. When Darcy needs a substitute, however, it might lead to something more than a temporary team up between Y/N and Jane Foster.

Word Count: 2,520

Category: Fluff, Chaos

A/N: Listen, I don't know if anybody but me cares, but the rules of Pong simply do not work narratively for this fic, so for the sake of the story, there's no such thing as redemption or overtime.

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, fixating on my target and blocking out the noise and chaos around me. I took another deliberate breath in, then on the exhale, I took my shot.

Splash! My ping pong ball sailed through the air and landed smack dab in the middle of my opponent's cup.

"YES!" I screamed, punching my arm in the air jumping a few times to release the energy. My voice was almost gone from screaming all night, but I absolutely didn't care.

"LET'S FUCKING GO!" yelled my partner and best friend, Darcy Lewis, in my ear. My ears had been ringing for about an hour thanks to that combined with the music and talking of the party, but I didn't care about that either.

Darcy and I were in the middle of our last semester of grad school, and in the unique, rare period of the semester where we'd just finished a bunch of exams and papers for our midterms and didn't have to start studying or worrying about our finals quite yet. We had about a week of semi-peace for the whole semester, and like the rest of our classmates, we were using it to celebrate the fact that we were still in college to the extreme.

There was a lot more stress in grad school, so we deserved to overcompensate every once in a while with our parties.

I'd come into the night proudly boasting my undefeated undergraduate and graduate record in beer pong. With Darcy as my partner, I'd extended that streak to include winning against every single team that tried to challenge me tonight.

The competition had gotten seriously heated, with people rotating through either side of the table and people regularly challenging us like they were going to be the ones to finally take us down. We'd picked up a few people to act as refs, mostly for judging elbow distance and having the final decision on specific rules, and another few people had wandered over to start acting as commentators. Despite the fierce competition, it was all in good fun. We'd been laughing and cheering right along with everyone else all night.

And now, we were about to add another pair to our list of defeats. I'd just knocked out their second to last cup, and it was Darcy's turn. If she made it–which I knew she could–it would be game over.

I watched her take a deep breath and raise her arm, lining up her shot and getting in the zone the same way I had a second ago. She drew back, but before she could release the ball, a commotion from behind us distracted her.

"Darcy!"

She started to turn, looking confused as someone in the crowd called her name, and at the same time someone grabbed her wrist. She yelped, dropping the pong ball to the floor and glaring at the brunette who'd just come running up to her in a frenzy.

"Darcy!" cried the woman. "We have to go, right now! You're never going to believe what I just found-"

"Jane, I'm in the middle of something!" she yelled back, gesturing to the table before us. I just watched on, trying to process this new complication in maintaining our pong supremacy. Slowly, the pieces from various stories Darcy had told me came together. This must be Jane Foster, the scientist Darcy had been an assistant for and the reason she'd made a 180 from polisci to astrophysics.

"I'm sorry, Darcy, but I promise this is worth it. Come on-"

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," I said, stepping in front of the two of them. Darcy grinned at me as I squared up against Jane, like she couldn't wait to see which of the two of us would prevail. I didn't know who she was betting on, but I knew for a fact it was going to be me.

"Who are you?" asked Jane, looking genuinely confused as she surveyed me. I straightened a little, suddenly uncomfortably aware that Jane was very, very pretty. I put it out of my mind, however, with a little help from our pong opponents across the table throwing their hands up at the unexpected interruption.

"Y/N Y/L/N," I said, going back to business as I squared my shoulders and stared down at Jane. "Darcy's best friend, and undefeated beer pong champion. And I need Darcy to take the last shot of the game so we can win and my streak can stay unbroken before you leave."

Jane looked like she was about to respond, but Darcy beat her to it.

"Actually, when Doctor Overenthusiasm here grabbed my arm, she tweaked my wrist," announced my championship-winning partner, not sounding half as distressed as she should've for the news she was giving me. "I don't think I can take the shot."

"What?" I cried. Darcy shrugged, I stared at her in horror, and Jane looked between the two of us, completely baffled.

"Why can't you just take the shot yourself?" Jane asked, at last settling on addressing me. I looked at her like she was crazy.

"I already took my shot!" I explained, gesturing to the table. "I got their second-to-last cup, and now, it's my partner's responsibility to get the last cup and win us the game."

"Hm," mused Jane, a slight frown creeping onto her face as she looked at the situation before us. "Well... can't you just postpone the game? Or call it off?"

"At this point? No way! We'd have to forfeit, which would mean losing my undefeated record."

Jane opened her mouth to reply, but on cue, the guys at the other end of the table beat her to it.

"Hey, what's the hold up? Take your shot and miss, Lewis, so we can finish this game once and for all!"

I looked grimly to Darcy. These guys had come the closest to beating us out of everyone tonight, and we only had one cup left standing on our side, too. If they made it to their turn again, the odds were more than likely that they'd win.

Suddenly, a brainstorm hit me like a bolt of lightning as I caught sight of Jane again. Maybe, just maybe, Darcy and I still had a hope after all.

I whirled back to the table, leaning forward (while being very careful not to upset our lone cup) and called across to our opponents.

"My partner just got injured! I want to use a celeb shot for her turn!"

The guys looked between each other, then back at me. A celeb shot meant bringing in someone else–a ''celeb'–to take a turn for us, even though they weren't technically on the team. Our various opponents had done it a few times throughout the night, but not the team we were playing now, and not in a game-winning scenario.

"Who?" demanded Chris, one of our current enemies, from across the table. I gestured to Jane, whose eyebrows immediately shot up into her hairline, but Chris' teammate Andrew jumped in before she could say anything.

"She's not a ringer, is she?"

I made a face, then looked from Jane back to Andrew.

"Honestly, man, I have no idea. I just met her ten seconds ago."

"Does Darcy know?"

We all turned to look at my best friend, and she just shrugged.

"As far as I know, Jane's never played pong in her life!"

"Hey!" All our attention shifted to Jane, and she suddenly seemed a lot less confident. Her cheeks picked up a cute red tinge. "Okay, I might not have... really played before. But still!"

Chris and Andrew shared a smile, then looked back at me. I frowned.

"It's alright with us!" Andrew called cheerfully. I scowled, then retrieved the ball Darcy had dropped when Jane grabbed her. I held it out to Jane, who very reluctantly took it.

"Do I really have to do this?" she sighed, staring at me with a raised eyebrow as we stood together at our end of the pong table. Darcy stood a few feet away, and I could see her familiar manic grin over Jane's shoulder.

"Yes," I decided.

"Why me?" she asked, sounding completely exasperated. "There are tons of other people here who could do it, and Darcy and I have to go-"

I waved off her suggestions. "I love most of these people dearly. They're friends and classmates who I enjoy going through life with, Chris and Andrew included. But right now, in this moment? I don't trust a single one of these motherfuckers not to miss on purpose and sabotage my perfect record. This is war, Jane."

She shook her head and scoffed, but I could see the undercurrent of nerves that had her holding the pong ball in a death grip as she surveyed the table before us. I hesitated for half a second, then stepped closer to her and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"Listen, Jane - you can do this. I know we don't really know each other, but Darcy talks about you all the time. If you can go toe to toe with SHIELD, you can channel a little beginner's luck and sink that ball in that cup."

She turned her head to look at me, giving me the barest hint of a smile.

"Darcy talks about you all the time, too. So far, everything's been very on-brand."

I laughed. "Thanks, I think. Here, let me give you a couple pointers, and then you can knock this out for me and Darcy."

I tried to ignore the way my heart sped up in my chest as I laid my arm over Jane's, holding the back of her hand and walking her through the motions of a good arc shot. I also DID NOT look at Darcy, because I knew she'd see through me in a second and then the teasing would be endless.

"Alright, that looks good," I finally said, stepping away and looking at Jane with a smile that hopefully conveyed my faith in her, and not any of the stress boiling in my stomach. "Just aim, release, don't let your elbow go over the table... and we're golden."

Jane took a deep breath and nodded, then turned her attention to her target. The lone cup on the far end of the table sat waiting, Chris and Andrew both hovering over it as the rest of the party-goers looked on. I held my breath as I watched Jane draw her arm back, then fling forward and throw.

Her elbow was clear, so my eyes snapped to the red plastic solo cup. I swear the whole room went absolutely silent as the ball flew through the air, then finally, landed in the cup with a splash.

"YES!" I screamed, jumping up and punching the air at the same time Chris and Andrew cried "NO!" and stared at the cup in disbelief. I laughed, delirious and disbelieving, and then without taking a second to think I turned to Jane, wrapped my arms around her, lifted her into the air, and kissed her straight on the lips.

A second later, my brain finally caught up, and I jumped away from her. I stared at Jane in wide-eyed shock and panic, all the rest of the noise from the party completely blocked out. She looked as surprised as I felt, her eyes staring at a point just past my shoulder and her hand trailing up to trace her lips.

"Oh my God, I am SO sorry!" I cried, shaking my head as I finally processed what I'd just done. What had I been thinking? "I got so excited about the win, I just- I have no idea what came over me. I'm so, so sorry-"

To my surprise, Jane actually began to smile. Her face and neck were bright red, but she broke out into a beaming grin and actually took a step towards me. I stared back at her, still in shock but for a much happier reason, and she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked at me.

"Jane..." I started to say, butterflies absolutely exploding in my chest. She closed the distance between us a little further, then tilted her head like she was about to kiss me again. Before we could get any further, however, we were interrupted.

"So, the two of you, huh?" asked Darcy, popping up between us with a grin on her face. I loved her dearly, but right now, I wanted to kill her.

"Darcy-" Jane and I started at the same time, our faces matching looks of 'I love her but I'm going to kill her'. We cut off when we realized we were speaking in sync, made shocked eye contact, then looked away in mutual embarrassment.

"Okay, as much as I'm loving this," said Darcy, taking Jane's arm and pulling her a few steps towards the door, "you came in here screaming about urgent science, so we should probably get to that now."

Jane nodded, slowly coming out of her haze, pausing to smile at me again nonetheless as she and Darcy made their way across the room.

"Don't worry!" Darcy called back over her shoulder to me. "I'll send you her number so you can ask her on a date when we're done!"

I laughed out loud in pure joy at the ridiculousness of the moment as I waved at Jane and Darcy and they at last made their way out the door. Jane gave me one last beaming smile before she disappeared, and Darcy shot me a wink. I stared after them for a few moments, then got shaken out of my stupor as Chris and Andrew came over to congratulate me, both for my win and my possible new girlfriend.

I smiled and laughed the night away with them and the rest of my friends, but I couldn't keep my thoughts from regularly drifting back to Jane. It felt like Darcy had planned this, somehow, and if that was the case, I'd need to do something nice for her as a thank you.

I spent the rest of my night celebrating the preservation of my undefeated Pong streak while simultaneously mentally planning the perfect first date with Jane Foster. I'd been to a fair number of parties in my many years of collegiate education, but this had by far been the best.

****************

Marvel Taglist: @valkyriepirate

[sailoragere]

ABOUT THE ADMIN: SEREN/DIPSY

I’m white and AFAB, identifying as Agender. Know it's a bit of a contradiction, but Catgender, too. I use both the general he/him and meow/meowself neopronouns. My orientation isn’t at all relevant in this strictly nonsexual space, but it’s Demi-GrayAce. Aromantic.

25 physically, but often mentally regressed to teenage or below. This is due to repeated trauma and autism. But I’ll stress that despite this, I am bodily an adult and should be viewed as such. Long term abuse survivor.

💖Sailor Moon is indeed my Special Interest. Venus is my big favorite, Jupiter my other. Together? Best ever.

They're like sisters to me, yeah, and they also are kinda in my head. Like literally in my brain.as in like imaginary friends of mine, with Mina sometimes running the show. Must’ve kinnied too hard

Sailor Moon is one of my top favorite things in the world. The original 90s anime (Japanese, English subtitled), is my favorite iteration. The Sailor Moon R Movie: Promise of the Rose is a complex cinematic masterpiece. The world hasn’t known peace since Sailor Moon Drops shut down. I have been healthily autistic about Sailor Moon since June 2014

This is in fact me vs everyone else when Sailor Moon gets brought up.

Did you know that Minako’s original Japanese voice actor did her own cover of the famous song Venus by Shocking Blue?

Did you also know the original Japanese voice actors for Minako and Makoto (Rica Fukami and Emi Shinohara), share the exact birthdate and have celebrated together with a big party? Twice? They also made a song together and it’s one of the best.

Please talk to me about Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon agere. I have many facts and many thoughts.

I want to learn the Japanese language and study its culture, but that doesn’t mean I overlook Japan’s imperialist history or its other flaws. In general, I'm interested in history and different cultures. I know a little Spanish, but not much.

💖Love to write & draw (aspiring to be a childrens’ author, illustrator and librarian).

One of my proudest achievements was when I won, I believe it was first place(?) for the Young Authors’ Program in third grade. I love “digital fingerpainting” the most!

💖 Multiply disabled + chronically ill (high possibility of delay in activity as a result), I alternate between my laptop and phone.

Might not seem it, but I struggle with moderately severe anxiety and tend to be dreadfully shy outside of my infodumping.

So join me if you please, as I pour my heart upon these virtual pages

SFW INTERACTION ONLY, PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

[freneticfloetry]

Good morning! At the credit of our dear friend Char, there's a lil ask game in progress. If you feel like it, answer with three random facts about yourself and send it to the last seven blogs in your notifs! anon or not, doesn’t matter, let’s get to know the person behind the blog.

Please & thank you! Lim

Hmmm, three random facts… I feel like I burned my Bird Fact already, that’s usually my go-to. 🤣

1. I’ve met both the first woman in space and the first Black woman in space! I was a big science geek in grade school — won the school science fair every year and the City of Chicago fair in eighth grade, and the prize for the latter (along with a bank bond and a trip to the statewide fair) was a sit down with Mae Jemison. Then I taught a STE(A)M program for girls as part of a nonprofit in my twenties, and spent a week at Motorola’s Innov8 retreat with Sally Ride. Not my most random celebrity encounters by far, but still two of the coolest.

2. A few of my oldest friends are people I met when I first started writing fic (for OG Roswell). I travel with two of them pretty much annually. One in particular I knew for around three years before I ever found out her last name (during a group phone conversation)… which happened to be the same last name as my childhood next door neighbor, who was the sweetest little old man in the world. I kind of went “oh my god, I grew up next door to a *last name*!” to which she immediately replied “I guarantee we’re related.” Apparently when her family immigrated from Italy, their original surname was changed to this one by mistake — essentially a typo — and now everyone with this name in the country can be traced back to her ancestors. We did a little digging, I picked my dad’s brain, and we discovered that my neighbor was her grandfather’s estranged brother. We were able to put his son in touch with her dad’s siblings, a side of the family they hadn’t spoken to in decades, and now they’re all reunited and in regular contact. It remains the best random coincidence ever.

3. I was once a local Oracle of Bacon champion. That is all.

[delivish]

"Get in the fucking robot..."

Haven't been posting snippets here, my bad!! PacRim AU anyone?

🤖⃤

Karen McCormick’s funeral was a somber affair. 

Of course, Butters thought. This was a funeral. It was sad whenever anyone died. 

Or, at least, it should have been, but the fact of the matter was that death was so much a part of their lives here that they barely registered the losses anymore. Funerals on the Nimitz-class supercarrier True Glory were a monthly occurrence, but when Kaiju attacks were high, there might be a service every week, clinical and perfunctory and brief. One of the sergeants might say a few words, or Father Maxi would lead them in a quick prayer. They’d snap a quick salute. The captain would open the hatches, and then they’d launch the biodegradable burial pods out to sea to return to the womb of the earth from whence they came. Assuming you were ever found, or there was enough of you to bury, of course. 

Done and done. 

The Kaiju had been particularly fierce this month, with battles raging on multiple fronts, and they’d been busier than ever on the supercarrier, tensions high. It felt horrible to admit, but the funerals had become an almost welcome relief from the endless chores and brutal training sessions. 

Butters always whispered along with the prayers and saluted even if the officers couldn't see him, holding it until those burial pods finally sank below the churning waves, his empty eye socket throbbing with phantom pain under his patch. Some of the other boys thought he was being a kiss-ass, but it only felt right. 

None of the prospective pilots would ever say this where their superior officers could overhear, but they even had a name for it: feeding the fish. 

Did you hear what happened to so-and-so? 

Yeah, he’s feeding the fish. 

And then they’d shake their heads in pity and pour one out for the dead or shrug and snort derisively if the person hadn’t been particularly liked. 

But no one ever, ever made too many jokes. To be a pilot, even a pilot-in-training, was to stare death in the face. Any of them could be next. 

None of them had ever expected it would be Karen, though. 

Butters glanced over at the pilots. It was rare to see them all gathered in one spot. They had one, maybe two, here at any given time. The pilots spent most of their time off fighting in the field or shuttling between the other supercarriers, carrying out missions of presumably life and death importance. Their faces were caught in glimpses, their exploits recounted with no fair amount of awe and embellishment — the pilots were the closest thing they had to celebrities. 

Kenny McCormick’s face was streaked with tears, his head lowered, shoulders bowed. 

Some of the other pilots had gathered in a semi-circle around him in a show of support — Kyle Broflovski, one-half of the Jaeger team Super Best Friends, stood to Kenny’s left. Stanley Marsh, his partner, stood on his right, and as Butters watched, he placed a hand on the small of Kenny’s back, grounding, comforting touch. Kenny leaned into him. 

Butters forced himself to look away. The excitement amongst the trainees was palpable. Hundreds of young men and women joined the Jaeger training program every year in the hopes of becoming pilots someday. Half of them washed out of basic in the first six months, and the other half wouldn’t make it through combat training. Very few who joined the program ever made it to the end — those who trained Jaeger pilot hopefuls like himself trained them with the intention of breaking their spirits so they could be remade better, stronger, more disciplined, and maintained relentless tactics to exemplify the mercilessness of the Kaiju the trainees hoped to face in battle as pilots. Anyone who scrubbed out still qualified for officer positions, but for many of them, that was tantamount to failure all the same: you weren’t worthy. To be a pilot was to be in a separate class of your own. 

Butters felt more than he heard Craig take a breath beside him. He hardly had to look to know who he was staring at; even amongst the pilot-elite, he stood out. 

Tweek Tweak. 

“Can you see him?” Butters whispered. He glanced around nervously, then pitched his voice even lower. “Pilot Tweak— is he like everyone described?” 

“Shh,” Craig hissed back.