#and today i got the notification that she checked mine again

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

Staring at the screen thinking, "You can reach out! Please reach out! I'm here, I will always be here for you, please message me. Please."

[iamtired10]

once upon a sleepless night

pairing: pham hanni x fem! reader

genre: pure fluff.

warning: mention of mother insomnia and kissing.

SUMMARY: it’s one of those sleepless nights again. you’re restless, mind racing, but hanni, even though she’s exhausted from her long day, decides to tell you a whimsical fairytale to help lull you into dreamland.

you sighed as you leaned back in your chair, stretching your arms and glancing at the clock on your desk. 9:53 a.m...

“i’ve been at this for four hours straight.. still tired but not sleepy,” you muttered, rubbing your forehead as a persistent ache throbbed. regretting the 7 cups of coffee you’d downed today, you wondered what you could do. you always felt drowsy in class and needed the caffeine to stay awake.

rising from your chair, you decided a break was in order. grabbing your phone and a lollipop from the desk (a sweet gift from your best friend’s sister while you were hanging out), you settled on the couch. you turned on the tv and started scrolling through your phone.

absentmindedly munching on the lollipop, you browsed instagram, checking out the latest posts from newjeans.

**buzz! buzz!!**

a notification popped up, jolting you from your scrolling.

pham honey:

hey there, gorgeous..

the love of my life..

do you need me to bring you anything before i arrive?

your eyes widened in surprise. you paused your lollipop mid-chew, reading hanni’s message over and over.

“wait—what does she mean by 'she’s coming'?” you wondered aloud, trying to recall if she’d mentioned a visit today. nothing came to mind. she’d been swamped with idol commitments, and it had been a month since you last saw her. newjeans had just had their comeback, and they were buried in work—stages, photoshoots, and all the usual idol grind.

and you missed her. a lot.

her hugs, her kisses, her voice, her smile, her playful teasing, her jokes—everything.

you quickly tapped out a response, your excitement evident.

you:

wait you’re coming over? 

omg, you could’ve given me a heads up! 

i didn’t clean my room today 🙂💔 

and all i need right now is 

you ❤️ 

come back soon 

our plants miss you so much 

i mean, our ‘kids’ 

simpsona smith 

and flex armstrong

pham honey:

hehe i wanted to surprise you 🤭 

i’ve got a day off tomorrow

so manager unnie finally gave me the go-ahead to visit you.. yay! 

what did you mean by ‘you need me’ though? 😏 

care to explain? 😜 

and i MISS our ‘kids’ so much 😭 

have they grown up at all? 🥺 

i’m going to shower them with water and love when i get there 🤭

you:

well it’s not a surprise anymore😕

when i said i need you, i meant that i miss you so much, you silly bunny

you’re the only one who completes me

honestly i can't even put into words how much i miss you

could you hurry up a bit

so i can finally give you that big hug?

pretty please 🙏🏻

pham honey:

ooh~ 😏

someone seems extra needy for my affection today huh?

alright i’ll try to walk faster

but be patient, baby.

patience 😉

and...i’m super excited to see you.

i MISSED you too… like a ton?

i’ve been hugging my pillow at night, pretending it’s you ☹️

i can’t wait to shower you with kisses, like SO MANY kisses.

and cuddle you endlessly.

i LOVE YOU so much that it’s hard to even describe.

oh my god why are you so perfect?

you’re unbelievably perfect and i can’t believe you’re MY girlfriend, mine <3

you’re mine

oh god 🤭 i THINK I’M OBSESSED.

seriously baby... marry me 😍

you:

stop texting

and come home quickly

you walk so slowly with your short legs ☹️

and don’t you dare be late

pham honey:

wow. that’s kind of rude!

alright alright 🙄

you couldn’t help but smile as you set your phone down. “why is she so cute...” you murmured to yourself. with a sense of urgency, you mentally chastised yourself. “y/n, clean the room before she arrives!” you told yourself as you stood up, lollipop still clutched between your teeth.

you made your way to your room, determined to tidy up. the bed was reasonably clean but still a little messy. you didn’t want your perfect girlfriend, hanni pham, to see it less than immaculate. she deserved everything to be just as perfect as she was.

while humming contentedly and chewing your lollipop, you changed the bedsheets to fresh ones, making sure everything looked neat and inviting.

after you finished, you glanced at the clock. it was 9:31 p.m.

“when is she coming back...” you wondered aloud as you grabbed another lollipop from your desk, tossing the stick from the previous one into the trash. you stepped out of the room, a chuckle escaping you as you imagined hanni possibly tripping over her own feet. it was amusing but also a bit worrying.

hanni was always unpredictable. like, REALLY unpredictable.

you never knew what kind of delightful mischief she’d get up to next...

and it only made her cuter.

you loved her for it.

you loved her for exactly who she was.

you reached for your phone, which you’d left on the couch earlier. the tv’s soft hum played in the background, a distant noise in your current state of anticipation.

just as you were about to enter the final number of your password—

**ding-dong!!**

the doorbell rang loudly, making you jump slightly. “is that her?” you mumbled, the lollipop still dangling from your mouth.

“probably her,” you mused to yourself.

you made your way to the front door, fingers gripping the doorknob. you took a deep breath, peeking through the peephole to get a glimpse of the visitor.

there she was—standing outside the door, looking absolutely adorable in a hoodie...

wait a second—

IS THAT YOUR HOODIE!?

with a resigned sigh, you thought, “nothing new, she’s swiped my hoodie again…”

but she’s finally here...

why am i so nervous? you wondered, turning back to the door. slowly, you opened it. before you could even get a good look, she leapt into your arms, hugging you like a koala.

“oh my god, hanni, i can’t breathe,” you groaned, feeling her arms tighten around you. “come on, you’re squishing me.” even as you grumbled, you couldn’t deny how much you needed this.

“no way,” she mumbled into your neck. “i’ve waited a whole month to hold you again. baby, i missed you so much, like a person who’s lost something vital and can’t get through the day without it.” you stood there, unable to stop the smile spreading across your face, as you wrapped your arms around her. with your foot, you nudged the door shut and locked it.

“can you let go now?” you asked, making your way into the living room.

“uh-uh,” she shook her head, her nose buried in your scent. “why do you always smell so good?” she asked, pulling back just enough for her eyes to meet yours. she looked both exhausted and exhilarated. “i don’t use much perfume. it must just be my natural scent,” you shrugged, still chewing on your lollipop as you gently tried to pull her off the couch.

“no, don’t pull away!” she protested, pouting and crossing her arms, clearly disappointed. “you can’t just push me away after i’ve missed you so much!”

“you just came in from outside. go wash up first, you might have germs. i can’t risk catching anything—eww,” you teased, a smirk playing on your lips as you settled down on the couch opposite her. she huffed in response, turning her head away with a dramatic sigh. “seriously, how could you be so rude?” she grumbled.

“i’m just being careful, you know. can’t help it if that bruises your ego,” you teased, a smirk playing on your lips. “and let’s talk about the whole stealing thing, shall we?”

“stealing? me?” hanni raised an eyebrow, looking at you like you’d just accused her of some heinous crime. “when did i ever steal?”

you rolled your eyes, finally taking the lollipop stick out of your mouth and licking your lips. “don’t try that innocent act with me, pham. it’s not gonna work.”

she huffed dramatically. “fine! i might’ve borrowed one hoodie…”

“oh, just the one?” you crossed your arms, leaning back with a knowing grin.

“ugh, okay, fine! three hoodies!”

you shook your head, a mock-serious look on your face. “no more cuddles for you—”

“five! okay, five of your hoodies! happy now?”

you chuckled, clearly amused. “now i am. i think i'll call the cops now. imagine the headlines: ‘newjeans’ hanni caught red-handed stealing five hoodies from a fan, scandalizing her career.’”

“oh, shut up!” she pouted, crossing her arms. “i have every right to take your hoodies! i need something that smells like you when i miss you... and i even left one of my favorite hoodies with you, didn’t i?” she tried to sound indignant but it came out more like a whine.

without warning, she launched herself at you, nearly knocking you over. you caught her with a laugh, holding her close as she snuggled against you like a clingy koala.

“seriously, you’re gonna give me a heart attack one day,” you grumbled, though you couldn’t hide the smile on your face as you felt her warm breath against your neck.

“oh, please. you’re the one who was begging me to get here fast so you could hug me,” she retorted, her voice muffled against your shoulder.

you ran your fingers through her hair, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “okay, maybe i was being a little sweet... but i didn’t mean it that much.”

“liar!” she pinched your side playfully, making you yelp.

“ow, hanni!” you whined, trying to pull away, but she tightened her grip around you.

“hmm..” she looked up, her eyes meeting yours, weary and soft. “you look exhausted,” you mumbled, gently rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. she sighed, cupping your face in her small hands. “i am... really tired... today’s practice was brutal. we recorded a new song today and... oh! you know, dani tried to moonwalk and tripped over her own feet!” she chuckled, her eyes lighting up for a moment. “haerin and i had a dance battle... but she beat me this time. minji was teasing me, as usual... and, oh! by the way, hyein told me to say hi. she misses you.” hanni rambled on, her voice a sweet melody to your ears. you couldn't help but chuckle softly as you brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“you’re just too cute, baby... i can’t handle it,” you sighed, feeling a surge of affection wash over you. her cuteness was something that always left you both awestruck and grateful.

sometimes, you wondered what good deed you had done in life to deserve a girlfriend as wonderful as her.

“oh, shut up... i’m not that cute,” she grumbled, hiding her face in your neck, her voice muffled. “i don’t get why you and bunnies find me so adorable... you guys are too much.” she playfully hit your chest, causing you to laugh. you pulled her closer, enjoying the way she felt in your arms. “oh, my hanhan is flustered, i see. did i make you blush? yayyy!”

“l/n y/n, can you shut up... or i’ll kiss you,” she threatened, pulling back with a pout. you smirked, “oh really? but sorry, i'm busy eating my lollipop right now.” you teased, chewing the lollipop with a mischievous grin. she rolled her eyes. “is it weird that i'm jealous of that lollipop? you’re giving it more attention than me—”

“excuse me!? pham hanni, stop being so blunt!” you raised your eyebrows, feigning shock, as she crossed her arms, her expression daring. “can’t help it when you're licking that lollipop like that... it's kinda seductive.”

you felt your cheeks heat up, caught off guard by her words. “y-you're so weird...” you muttered, turning your gaze away. “don't look at me like that, you little freak.”

she chuckled at your flustered state, her fingers gently tilting your chin back toward her. “what look, darling?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. before you could respond, she reached out and popped the lollipop out of your mouth, bringing it close to her own lips. “hey, what the hell? that's mine!” you protested, but she just grinned wider.

“it must be really sweet, the way you were eating it... i want to see if it's as good as it looks...” she murmured, her voice dropping to a low, teasing whisper. your eyes widened in realization. “no! don't! that's gross, i already licked it! a little kid gave me that, and you can't just—”

“who said i was going to taste it from here?” she interrupted with a chuckle, her voice sultry and suggestive.

you froze, narrowing your eyes, trying to process her words. then it hit you.

“pham hanni, don’t you dare—”

before you could finish, she leaned in, capturing your lips with hers in a kiss that felt like she had been waiting forever for this moment.

her lips moved against yours with a hunger and intensity that left you breathless, her hands tangling in your hair as she deepened the kiss, leaving your lips swollen and red, and a few love bites on your neck as souvenirs.

just your average pham hanni behavior...

“baby, you're not sleeping?” you snapped out of your thoughts as you looked up from your notebook. you stopped writing and saw hanni lifting her head up from the bed. her hair was a bit messy, her eyes half-open, wearing one of your pajamas, looking absolutely adorable.

“ah.. i just have a few things to finish, my sweet bunny. did the lamp wake you up? sorry, i'll turn it away a bit..” you smiled, adjusting the light so it wouldn't bother her. hanni sat up with a sigh, rubbing her eyes. “what do you mean by 'a few things'? it's 2 a.m... you should be in bed too...” she yawned, clearly still half-asleep.

“can't sleep...” you admitted with a small, nervous laugh, turning your chair to face her. “did you have a nightmare or something? do you want me to cuddle you again?” you asked, getting up and moving towards her side of the bed. she reached out, grabbing your shirt sleeve and pulling you closer, wrapping her arms around your waist. “no, you're the one who should be sleeping...” she mumbled, her voice still heavy with exhaustion.

“you didn’t get much rest last night, and now you’re up again... working through the night like an owl or something,” she huffed, pressing her face against your stomach. you chuckled, patting her back gently. “baby, i can’t help it... even when i’m dead tired, i just can’t seem to fall asleep, no matter what i do...” you admitted, watching as her eyes widened slightly.

“has this been happening a lot lately?” she asked, concern evident in her tone. you nodded. she sighed, “sounds like insomnia... you’ve got insomnia, babe.”

“yeah, you could say that... but don’t sweat it.” you shrugged, rubbing the back of your neck. she scoffed, “don’t sweat it? do you even know how bad insomnia is?! it makes you tired... *yawn*... gives you poor concentration, mood swings, and increased stress or anxiety... it’s sooo bad. it can lead to health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, and even accidents due to drowsiness...”

“oh... you’re making it sound like a big deal...” you laughed nervously, your hand gently caressing her back. "it is!” hanni insisted.

“we need to fix this.. chamomile tea, meditation, melatonin…” her voice trailed off as sleepiness tugged at her again. despite her best efforts to stay awake and worried for you, she was clearly still exhausted. all she could think about was making you chamomile tea in the morning or finding a meditation video on youtube to help you relax.

“you’re still so tired...” you tilted your head, observing her. “yes, but you’re even more tired than i am... so get in.” she sighed, letting go of your waist and scooting over to make room. “huh, what?”

“get in bed, dumbass,” she said, snuggling back under the blanket and patting the space next to her.

“uh... okay, let me just turn off the lamp...” you murmured, reaching over to turn off the light before climbing into bed beside her.

you groaned as you turned to the other side... it's been an hour now, and you still can't fall asleep. beside you, hanni was fast asleep again, clearly exhausted from her long day. you could hear the soft sounds of her breathing, occasionally mumbling something in her sleep and pulling you closer, snuggling against you.

“god... why the hell can't i sleep... i'm too tired to deal with this,” you sighed, rubbing your neck and opening your eyes. “i can't just lie here doing nothing... maybe i should get up and read a book in the living room, don’t want to wake my tired baby again...” you thought, carefully trying to get up. but as you moved, you realized hanni’s arm was still draped over you, holding you tight.

you blinked. “she's asleep... i’ll just move her hand aside... she's too sleepy to notice,” you thought as you slowly began to lift her arm off your shoulder. but you failed, accidentally jostling her awake.

“y/n-ah, what are you doing...” she murmured sleepily, her voice groggy with fatigue. you closed your eyes, silently cursing yourself for waking her up again. “uh, i need to pee...” you blurted out nervously, trying to come up with an excuse.

“huh... you've been to the bathroom like four times already... do you have diabetes too or something?” she muttered, slowly opening her eyes. “oh god, why did you give my baby all these problems...” she sighed, shaking her head.

you blinked in surprise. “no! i don't have diabetes! what the hell...” you exclaimed, and she chuckled softly. “then why do you keep running to the bathroom, huh?”

“okay, fine... i lied. i just... can’t sleep,” you admitted with a sigh, dropping your head back onto the pillow. “can’t sleep?” she whispered, pulling you closer. you nodded, feeling her warm breath on your neck. she sighed gently. “is there anything i can do to help you? do you want me to make you some chamomile tea, baby?” she offered, her voice filled with concern despite her own exhaustion.

“no, you should sleep,” you insisted, shaking your head. “but i can't sleep peacefully when you're struggling to sleep, baby. you're going to be exhausted tomorrow, and that's not good... just tell me if there's something i can do. i’m not going back to sleep if you don’t...” she said, softly caressing your cheek.

“i don’t know... but your voice calms me a lot... if you don’t mind... could you tell me a story?” you asked, snuggling closer to her. she hummed softly, her fingers gently brushing through your hair. “you want me to tell you a story... like a fairytale or something?” she asked quietly. you nodded against her shoulder.

“let me think of one, baby...” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead as she continued to stroke your hair. “hmmm... i remember one that my grandma used to tell me when i was little...” she said, and you looked up at her, a small smile tugging at your lips.

“close your eyes and just listen, okay? don’t think about anything else, just listen. it’ll help you fall asleep...” she murmured, placing gentle kisses on each of your eyelids, making you feel even calmer.

“okay, baby. i'll just listen,” you mumbled, closing your eyes. she chuckled softly, pulling you even closer. “that’s my baby,” she whispered, her voice soothing as she began her story.

“once upon a time,” she began, her fingers gently threading through your hair, “there was a princess.”

hanni closed her eyes, letting her imagination bring the story to life as she spoke, her voice a soft, soothing hum that blended with the quiet of the night.

“this princess lived in a beautiful kingdom, where everything seemed perfect and peaceful. but despite all the beauty around her, the princess felt a deep unhappiness inside.”

“why was she unhappy?” you asked, curiosity getting the better of you.

“babe, you said you wouldn't talk,” hanni teased, pausing her hand in your hair for a moment before continuing. “but well, the princess was unhappy because, although she had everything she could ever wish for, she was lonely. she had a kingdom and all the luxuries one could imagine, but she had no one to truly share them with, no one who genuinely cared for her.”

“she had her parents, of course," hanni went on, her fingers resuming their gentle, calming motion through your hair. “but it wasn't the kind of connection she was yearning for.”

she paused, her voice her voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone.

"then, one day, the princess met a knight..."

"the knight came into her life like a breath of fresh air..." hanni murmured, her voice soft and dreamlike. "he was unlike any other man in the kingdom.. he wasn't interested in her wealth or her title.. he treated her with kindness and respect.. not as a princess, but as a person.."

hanni smiled at the thought of the knight, her fingers tracing lightly along your jaw.

“the princess was captivated by this new person in her life...” she continued in a whisper, her touch tender and affectionate. “she found herself drawn to him in ways she couldn't explain.. maybe it was his courage, his loyalty, or just the way he saw her for who she truly was...”

“as time went on, the princess and the knight grew closer...” hanni said, her voice now a soft murmur, almost like a lullaby. “they spent time together, sharing their thoughts and dreams.. learning more about each other with every passing day...”

her hand moved gently down to rest on your chest, feeling the steady rhythm of your heartbeat.

"as they got to know each other, the princess realized she was falling in love with the knight.." hanni whispered, her hand drifting down to rest lightly on your stomach. "he was everything she had ever dreamed of and more.. and to her surprise and delight, she discovered that he felt the same way about her.."

"time passed, and their love only grew stronger.." hanni continued, her soft, melodic voice drawing you deeper into a state of calm and peace.

"they were blissfully happy, cherishing every moment they could spend together.." she murmured, her fingers gently tracing along your skin, soothing you further.

"but the princess' parents... they didn't approve of their love.. they had other plans for her.. they wanted her to marry someone of higher rank.. someone who could bring more power and wealth to the kingdom.."

"they forbade their relationship.." hanni said, her voice tinged with a note of sorrow. "they wanted the princess to marry a suitor who would benefit the kingdom politically, not a humble knight.."

"the knight and the princess were heartbroken.." hanni whispered, her hand stilling for a moment on your hip. "they tried to reason with her parents, but it was in vain.. her parents were determined to marry her off to someone else.."

"but the knight knew he couldn't just give up.." hanni continued, her voice firmer now, filled with quiet determination. "he didn't care about status or wealth.. he loved the princess, and he was resolved to find a way to be with her.."

“so he went to the king and boldly asked for the princess's hand in marriage.. the king was furious and refused, but seeing the knight's determination, he set a challenge.. if the knight could complete three impossible tasks, then he could marry the princess,” hanni explained.

as hanni continued the story, her voice calm and soothing, you began to feel drowsy.. her storytelling was comforting, her gentle caresses on your hair making your eyelids feel heavy.

"the knight, with the unicorn's horn in his possession, presented himself before the king, having completed all three tasks.." hanni murmured, her hand now tracing soft patterns on your arm. "seeing that the knight had succeeded, the king had no choice but to honor his promise and allow the knight to marry the princess.."

"and then they live happily ever after...." you mumbled sleepily, a small smile tugging at your lips.

hanni chuckled at your sleepy comment, her hand continuing to gently run through your hair.

"yes... it's a classic fairy tale.. the knight overcomes all obstacles, wins the princess's heart, and they live happily ever after.." she whispered, her voice carrying a hint of playful amusement.

“thank you... han... for the story and for everything... i love you... so much...” you sighed, feeling yourself drifting off, the world fading away.

“anytime, my love... good night.. sweet dreams, and remember to dream of me, okay?"

a/n: i really enjoyed writing this, and i hope it brought you some joy too. thanks so much for reading, and have a wonderful day or night! :)) (i need a hanni fr...)

[aubvrns]

“Never Not Mine”

| SVU & Headcanons

Sypnosis — How would they react to you sulking because they have been ignoring your calls.

Note — Olivia Benson, Alexandra Cabot, Casey Novak, Melinda Warner // inspired by the loveliest, @lxndrlvr !

(Female reader centered, no pronouns used!)

———————————————————————

!!

Olivia Benson

• — Olivia would kneel down beside your bed and press kisses all over your hand, apologizing over and over again until you’d look at her.

• — She was not the most responsible person when it came to her personal cellphone. Everyone, especially the captain knew that. One time, Cragen found her phone on top of the coffee maker overheated.

• — This time, she left her phone in the bathroom. Thankfully, it wasn’t waterboarded.

• — When she realizes you are ignoring her, she would straddle your hips and place kisses all over your face just to get a reaction out of you. And once she does, she embarrassedly explains why she missed your calls.

• — “Casey rang it and found in on top of the toilet seat.” She whispers, “Hehe, sorry.”

• — And to make it up to you, Olivia would give her full attention to you by cuddling while you watch a movie unbearably inseperable from eachother. She would hold you, resting her head on your shoulder.

• — Not long enough, she falls asleep against it and you couldn’t help but laugh. You really needed to by her a phone charm next time.

Alexandra Cabot

• — She would go home with your favorite flowers, chocolates, and even the cardigan you didn’t realize was missing. You didn’t bother being mad anymore, you just shut your eyes and slept.

• — To be fair, it was 12 AM in the morning. And you didn’t have the energy to be mad at her for missing your calls.

• — Alexandra Cabot, the blonde insomniac who rarely sleeps properly, somehow found herself sleeping on her desk for three hours straight. While her phone was flooded of your calls, her back hurt.

• — She would try to call you back, but assumes you have up on waiting for her.

• — Alex would go to the nearest mall that was still surprisingly open and buy you the things that you like. Tell me why the woman bought a massager as well.

• — “I certainly deserve the back pain for sleeping in my office.” Alex says as you knead her back gently, bringing ease to her body.

• — She would hug you tightly, inhaling your comforting scent in the crook of your neck as she tells you why she missed your calls. She knew you were listening because she would tickle your sides and you would squirm everytime.

Casey Novak

• — Casey would open the door slowly to your room, smiling awkwardly as you ask why she hasn’t been picking up your calls. She could only smile, her cute dimples popping out.

• — She had left her charger at home with her phone running at thirty percent for the whole day. She tried to borrow one from Elliot, but he said he accidentally broke it trying to contemplate his anger.

• — So, it was a whole day of her praying to God that you did not call her out of your worry. Unfortunately, you did. About a million times.

• — She would distract you by huskily whispering compliments in your ear as you lean in her hug, a displeased but smiling expression lies on your face.

• — Casey would cradle you and you would just stay still, letting her do whatever the hell she wants with you. You were glad that she was home, and all that matters is that she is safe.

• — But you playfully roll your eyes as she jokingly starts to sing you a lullaby and coaxing you down on the bed as if you were a newborn baby.

• — “So, I forgot my charger. 😁”

Melinda Warner

• — Melinda would go home to you sleeping peacefully in your bed. She smiles to herself, adjusting your blanket further up your neck.

• — She got cozy. Changing her clothes, unpacking her work bag, and eventually joining you between the sheets.

• — Melinda wasn’t that sleepy yet, so she checks her phone for the first time today. She was confused why she didn’t have any notifications. Turns out, her phone was on do-not-disturb the whole time.

• — When she turns it off, your missed call notifications came flooding her phone to the point you were awaken by the sound of endless chiming. She was in shock, completely unaware that you’ve been calling her.

• — “I’m sorry, darling. I must’ve clicked DND on accident, I didn’t mean to miss your—”

• — You interrupted her by hugging her tiredly, just resting in her embrace. She closes her mouth, playing with your hair to bring you consolation for being alone without any updates.

• — She grins warmly, her eyes observing your peaceful features resting. Melinda met her own weary too, she has alot of making up to do in the morning.

!!

[cherriesformatt]

Hi could I request Matt x reader

They are in their senior year of Highschool and it’s prom season.The reader is sad because she never had any romance in her life and dreams of a promposal.Matt really likes the reader and even though he doesn’t like bring attention to him he surprises the reader.

promposal || matt sturniolo

matt x fem!reader

warnings: none, fluff!

word count: 1,1k

a/n: I hope you like it and I did not ruin the idea!

I came home and tossed my bag and car keys on the cubby.

"Hi! I'm home!" I yelled to check if anyone was back from work or in case of my brother from school.

Only echo answered me and I sight of relief because the last thing I wanted was to small talk with everyone how my day was.

I went to my room, stripped from my clothes and wrapped my body in white, fluffy robe. I took change of clothes, my phone and dragged my feet to my parents master bathroom. They had huge bath tube and my mom had all those fancy stuff from TikTok to make a relaxing bath.

I made myself one with lots of bubbles and got in. I didn’t put any bath bomb or candles because it would give me a headache. The only thing I did was putting music on from my phone on the speaker in the bathroom.

I hated today. And all of this week to be honest.

It was this time of the year again. Senior year to be specific. Thats why I hated it even more because it's the last time ever for that.

For prom.

Everyone including my best friends were proposed to go to prom by their boyfriends. In every cute way possible. I was only there to fake smile and be happy for them but also a little jealous. Because here is the thing.

I was always so focused on school and soccer that I never, ever let any boy near me. It is a miracle that my best friends are still my friends. I was single through all high school, never went on any date and when I rejected some boys no-one asked me again. Which brings us here, I also was never asked to go for a prom. This time it was a little sad because it is going to be my last prom.

"I hate myself" I said and made my body to go under hot water while Frank Ocean was playing in the room.

I stayed like that for a second but I heard my music stopped for a massage notification so I sat back up and took my phone from the ground next to the bath tube splashing some water on the floor.

I checked the massage and I was a little surprised. It was from Matt Sturniolo. I knew him because his brother Chris was dating my best friend Maggie. He sometimes drives us to parties or games. He and his triplet brothers played hockey and lacrosse in our school. They were pretty good. Nick also did our yearbook this year. Matt and I never really had any class together and beside knowing him as Chris's brother I didn't really spend time with him. He didn’t usually stay at parties after games and even if he did he spent time with his team mates I did with mine.

I smiled a little. Was he kind of asking me out? What should I do?

Wasn't I just complaining that nobody asked me out?

And I said yes.

What am I even going to wear? It’s march and it’s going to be cold on the beach.

I spend and hour in the bath and than I ate early dinner and started to get ready.

I did blow out on my hair and put a light make up on. I didn’t want to look like I care too much. I put some jeans on and a hoodie with white Air Force 1. They had blue flowers custom painted for me on them by one of my friends.

When I got a text massage from Matt that he is waiting outside a little before 7 I told my parents I’m leaving and took my purse and locked the door behind me.

He was leaning on his car and smiled when he saw me. He looked nice. We kinda matched the outfits. He also was wearing a hoodie and jeans and white air forces.

“Hi… it’s nice to see you not on the field next to mine” he said.

That’s true. We usually just had practice or a game next to each other.

“Same to you… you stole my outfit tho” I laughed as he opened car doors for me.

“I can live with matching your outfit” He smiled looking at me and he closed the doors and went to the driver seat.

We drove to the beach talking about everything and nothing. Mostly about sports and music and the midterms.

“We’re here let’s go?” He smiled when we parked.

I got out of the car and he came to me.

“Okay I know it will sound weird but can you close your eyes? And not peek?” Ha asked me.

He was nervous?

“Okay…. But if you want to kill me my dad is going to find you and probably kill your brother for accident” I said closing my eyes and sticking my hand out for him.

He giggled at what I said and toon my hand to lead me.

Sun was setting already so it is going to be dark soon. I’m not sure what we are doing here.

I heard some sounds as we were walking on the sand but mostly it was sound of the ocean.

“Okay I’m going to let go of your hand… don’t open your eyes just yet” he said.

He dropped my hand and I stand waiting for him to tell me to open my eyes. I heard some voices too.

What the hell is happening.

“Okay… you can open your eyes now” Matt said from somewhere in front of me.

I opened my eyes and they automatically widened.

There was some lanterns going up into the sky. Like I my favorite movie.

Tangled.

I looked at them and then down to see where they are coming from. Whole lacrosse and hockey team were putting them up.

There he was standing in the middle with a poster that said:

Light up my night at prom?

And there was a painting of the tower from the movie. It was beautiful. I bet Maggie did it.

Nobody ever did anything like that for me.

“Matt what the hell?” I said coming up to him I’m pretty sure I had tears in my eyes now.

“Sooo?” He looked at me unsure of my reaction.

“Of course..” I said looking at him and wiped my cheeks with my hoodies sleeve.

Whole teams started cheering and I laughed.

“How did you even know? That I like the movie…” I asked.

“Well I talked to Chris and Chris talked to Maggie and you know…” he scratched back of his neck.

“Gosh I feel like I could kiss you right now…” I whispered.

He smiled and put one of his hands on my cheek and the other one wondered on my back to pull me closer to him. He looked deep in my eyes looking for reassurance but I just connected our lips together.

It couldn’t get any better. The best promposal I could ask for.

[jackhues]

(mockingbird au!) fruit punch - platonic!hughes

request: hi! this request was for the au, I was thinking maybe y/n is receiving some hate for dating jack after they go public and since jack is away for a game, quinn is there to help her through it?

requested by: anon : )

notes: hii, i loved this idea, and i'm so sorry it took so long, but i hope you like it!! continue sending in requests for the au! check out the request rules below! thanks for requesting <3

likes are good, reblogs are better <3

mockingbird! au request rules!

tags: @woodruff-edwards , @austinbutlerscaresme , @svechnikovvv, @hockeyboysarehot , @emptyflowerpots , @mysticaldonkey , @lam-ila , @babydollmarauders , @starjoyyy , @kjohnson-91 , @gavinbrindley, @hischierdevils , @jackhughesily , @panarin10 ,  @equallyshaw , @power2myheart , @lynnismypseudonym , @beccaiscold , @akengii , @nowandkei , @cinnamonpancakes ,  @mitchymainer ,  @lifeofpriya , @marshmallow-babe, @hughesx3 , @emsully2002 , @starsandhughes , @huggy-hischier73 ,  @doglady5678 , @thatoneblog , @exonct07 @hughesmedicine , @qwanelledingele , @mindless-rock ,

join my taglist!

gif not mine!

you smiled to yourself as jack made his way down the stairs.

over the course of your relationship, you’d always known jack to be a pretty happy person. but today, he’d been happier than usual. 

you didn’t blame him. so were you.

last night, jack had posted a picture of you on his story during date night, the two of you hard launching your relationship to the public.

jack had wanted to show the world he was taken since he met you — insisting multiple times that you were the one for him — but you’d gotten him to slow down. at least until the two of you were more comfortable together. 

you knew jack was famous, especially amongst younger female fans. you had no doubt that going public would put the spotlight on you.

but seeing jack’s smile when you’d told him he can post that picture on his story had been everything to you.

“baby, did you see my toothpaste? the travel pack i keep in the washroom?” jack asked, arriving in the living room.

you folded another shirt, placing it in jack’s bag.

“did you check the washroom?” you asked him, trying not to laugh.

jack blinked, trying to remember.

at his expression, you couldn’t hold in laughter, “maybe you should check the washroom.”

“maybe i should,” he agreed, running to the washroom to search for his toothpaste.

jack was set to leave for his roadie in less than half an hour, and like always, the two of you were packing his bags at the last minute. 

jack insisted that it was the only way he could function properly. packing too early made him stressed out. you, on the other hand, needed everything packed at least a week before.

you guys compromised by setting his clothes out a week before, but doing the actual packing last minute.

“got it!” jack grinned, packing his toothpaste. he pressed a kiss to your forehead, helping you up and shouldering his bag. “what would i do without you?”

“you’d probably be buying more toothpaste,” you grinned.

jack laughed, checking his phone at the sound of a notification. 

“is it nico?” you asked, referring to his teammate.

“yeah, he’s here to pick me up,” jack confirmed. 

he kissed you, before pulling out with a giddy smile. jack leaned forward again, and you had to push him away with a little laugh.

“jack,” you ushered him to the door. “nico’s waiting. you need to go.”

“okay, okay. i’ll call you when i land,” he said, pressing one last kiss to your cheek before rushing out the door.

“bye!”

you smiled to yourself, locking the door behind him and collapsing on the couch. 

being with jack had been unlike anything you were used to. the way he managed to make you smile to yourself just by thinking of him, the way he’d become such a big part of your life — you’d never had that kind of relationship before.

you reached for your phone, about to text your friend and ask if she wanted to get brunch with you.

instead, your brows furrowed at the number of notifications on your instagram app. your phone was on dnd, so you hadn’t gotten any of the notifications, but there were a lot.

endless possibilities ran through your brain — from your friends dying to you somehow being added to a million new group chats.

you opened the app, furrowing your brows at the requests in your inbox and profile. people were tagging you in posts, in comments, mentioning you in their stories. 

it took less than a minute for you to realize most of them were bashing you for dating jack.

there were people sharing your instagram user (which was found by a nosy fan who’d done some hunting) in jack’s comments. some people had even made fan accounts of you, and the comments were flooded with mean remarks about your body, your face.

you knew you shouldn’t keep scrolling, but you couldn’t stop.

the comments about your nose, your hips — they were the exact things you picked yourself apart over.

hours passed, which you passed scrolling through instagram and twitter, when your phone lit up with a call.

“shit,” you muttered, accidentally pressing the accept button. you placed your phone on your ear, “hey.”

“hey,” quinn greeted on the other end of the line. “okay, i’m at freshco and they’ve got the fruit punch you like. do you want me to get ritz crackers with that or the digestive ones?”

quinn was shopping for when you and jack were going to visit vancouver on a road trip next weekend. he knew of a few of your weird food combinations, but he couldn’t remember which brand of crackers you liked with fruit punch, so he called to make sure.

you were about to answer, when you remembered the instagram comments. a lot of them spoke of your hips, your stomach… maybe fruit punch wasn’t a good idea.

“um… you know what, it’s fine,” you told him. “i’m not really in the mood for juice, you know?”

you could hear the gears turning in quinn’s head.

“y/n?” he asked. “are you okay?”

“i’m fine,” you lied.

“and i’m the tallest sibling,” you could picture quinn’s eye roll perfectly. “what’s going on y/n? you know you can talk to me, right? is it jack? you guys seemed happy on his story yesterday — oh.”

you took a shaky breath, the hurt you felt over those comments finally catching up to you.

“people are really mean,” you muttered, curling up on your side, trying not to cry.

you heard shuffling from quinn’s end of the line, before he sighed, “yeah, i know. but you don’t have to listen to them. you shouldn’t listen to them.”

“but they’re everywhere,” you said. “i open instagram: there’s a million comments. i open twitter: it’s the same thing. i can’t escape them.”

“just because you can’t escape them doesn’t mean you need to listen to them,” quinn insisted. “those people — they’re the ones who’re dreaming of having your life. but they don’t, and they’re jealous of you. they don’t know you, they know absolutely nothing about you. and that makes their opinion of you invalid.”

you sniffled, listening to quinn’s words. 

you were still hurting, yes. but having quinn there, reminding you that those who were speaking ill of you didn’t even know you made you feel a little bit better.

“thanks, q,” you told him. “that makes me feel a bit better.”

you could hear quinn’s smile, “good, because i still can’t remember what crackers you like with fruit punch?”

[beepboopeeboo]

Classmates | 5. Café

Heyy i’m back kinda 😀 i hope y’all are still interested in reading this smau 😭😭 I ended up making this chapter a bit long to make things up (or at least I think it’s long)🧍‍♀️

“You know it would be really funny if Haerin and her friends walked right into this cafe right now,” said Rinji.

“No it would not! How’d you even find out?” Y/n gave a confused look knowing damn well she didn’t make it obvious that she and Haerin exchanged numbers.

“Danielle told me”

“You guys still talk?” Haruna questioned.

“Of course we still do. You’re making it sound like we’re exes, she was literally my band’s vocalist.”

Y/n shrugged, “I mean technically she is since shes a ex-member.”

“Can ex-band members not be friends or something?”

“They can they can its just…I thought something bad happened which was why she left.”

“Oh, no she had to leave since she wanted to focus on college. We’re all cool though.”

“Good to know” Y/n receives a text message a few minutes after and checks to see who it was from.

It was Haerin

“WHAT!” Y/n was so taken aback that she stood up from her seat and was quickly sat back down by Haruna. The people in the cafe looked at her with a concerned look, while her two best friends awkwardly laugh and smile apologizing to the onlookers.

Haruna hits the lover girl on the arm

“Ow! What was that for?!” Y/n says loudly as she rubs her arm pouting. Earning even more glances from other customers.

Rinji leans in whispering to Y/n, “You fucking idiot did you forget that we’re in a public place,” she continues, “What got you so surprised that you suddenly stood up?”

Y/n shows the two girls her notification and their eyes widen.

“Answer back what are you doing?!?” Haruna says.

“What do you want me to say!”

“Just tell her “yeah hey its y/n” or something.”

Haruna looks over at Y/n’s phone, “That’s it?”

“What else- oh she replied back” Y/n looks at her phone again

“Does this girl want me dead. My GOODNESS.”

Rinji waves her hand in front of the enamored girl’s phone to get her attention, “Y/n? Earth to Y/n!”

“Huh? Wha?”

“Dude you’ve been staring at her picture for almost 5 minutes. Send her a contact photo back or else she’s gonna think you’re leaving her on read.”

“Oh shit. You’re right.” She quickly looks through her gallery for a picture to send back to Haerin which took like a minute or so to find, but Y/n eventually found one that she liked and sent it to her. “Aaaand sent.”

Haruna just shakes her head at the girl in disbelief. Her childhood best friend of however many years has had the same crush on this girl since sophomore year and they are now just interacting outside of school, but don’t get her wrong she is happy for her though. Rinji on the other hand is just glad that Y/n won’t be texting them about the tiniest interactions that she and her crush just had or when she sees her in the hall every time. However, something tells her that she’ll still be dealing with even more of Y/n’s crush related things.

“WHAT?!?”

“Oh yeah. I invited Eunchae too so she might end up bringing someone along with her. Hope that’s alright with you guys?”

“Yeah thats cool. I’m guessing it’s Kyujin or Haerin?”

“Was this Haruna’s plan to get me to interact with Haerin??!”

Not really. Haruna just wasn’t sure if her tennis bestie was bringing one of their teammates or another friend.

“To be honest she didn’t really specify who she was bringing but I guess we’ll have to see.” Haruna shrugged it off meanwhile Y/n is trying her best to stay calm. “Anyways, while we wait I want to know how orientation went for you guys today. Because mine went pretty well surprisingly.”

“Same here. I got some classes with a couple of people that I know.” Rinji replied.

“Honestly me too and it’s mostly because I have like 3 classes with Haerin this year.”

“Really?” The two girls say in unison.

“Yeahhhh. We looked over at each other’s schedules in which the times and classes matched for 3 of them. Then it resulted into us exchanging each other’s socials and numbers once we were in our 3rd class together.”

The two girls just looked at each other then at Y/n with a face. Before one of them could even say anything the bell from the cafe door rang and Haruna checked to see who it was from her seat. Coming in was Eunchae, Kyujin and Haerin. Y/n’s heart was beating a lot more faster and she became nervous once she saw a glimpse of her crush standing alongside her own two best friends and she immediately looks down at her phone pretending to be occupied.

“Okay i gotta stay calm and pretend I didn’t see her. I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t see her or her friends.”

The three girls walk over to where the other trio were sitting after ordering and thankfully the table near them was empty so they all would be able to interact with one another. They were also allowed to put their tables a little closer to each other, as long as they put them back to where they originally were, and so they did. Haerin sits down on a chair close to Y/n but not too close.

“Seriously Y/n a fucking thumbs up??”

Y/n looks up from her phone and tries to scoot over a little more towards Haerin, while trying her best to somehow not embarrass herself. Her heart continues to beat faster so she distracts herself by fiddling with her fingers and goes on her phone to scroll through instagram. Her being shy doesn’t help the fact that she wants to talk to her crush, however, she couldn’t really think of anything to talk about. Haerin is also pretty shy and quiet so she doesn’t really know what they should talk about either.

“Y/n Kim go get our drinks,” said Rinji.

“Damn, why are we suddenly using my full government name out loud,” Y/n says as she’s standing up.

Rinji rolled her eyes

“I’ll come with you too, Y/n. I think ours should be done soon,” said Haerin and gets up as well.

“Oh. Yeah okay.”

As they both head towards the counter together, Y/n tries to strike up a conversation.

“So did you end up having any other classes with your friends?”

“Oh uh I think I only have one class with Kyujin, but I still have the same homeroom as Eunchae,” her crush replied.

“Same. I only got one class with Haruna and another with Rinji. Oh wait we literally have AP Lit together with Haruna and Kyujin.”

Haerin lets out a chuckle, “You forgot your classmates already?”

“Possibly.”

They giggle to themselves and grabbed the cup carriers holding their drinks, then walked back to where they were all sitting.

The six girls continue on to talk about random things from one topic to another.

“We should all seriously hangout again together some time!” said Kyujin. “Before I forget, Y/n and Rinji, is it alright if you guys can give me your numbers?”

Eunchae pulls out her phone too, “Oh! Can you two give me yours too so I can make us a group chat?”

“Yeah definitely,” Rinji tells the girl her phone number and afterwards Y/n tells hers next.

“Cool, thank you guys!”

After exchanging numbers, they put the tables and chairs back to where they were before both groups parted their ways.

“I guess that wasn’t so bad”

[previous, next]

Taglist: @sofakingwoso @newhairnewjeans @fluffyji @wintersgff @linnnsworld @aprilsavagegirl @frankzz9 @idkwhatim-doinghere101 @pandafuriosa60

[dwailol]

Over the Desk

ComPOUND: Round 4 of a week alone with Bucky

[f reader x Bucky] WC: 1.7k

Summary: after round 3 your hands are still a little brush burned and you’re a little anxious about the ongoing mission. Bucky wants to treat you nice. How nice can he really be though? Especially when you’re sitting on a fucking desk!! ;)

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT 🔞

Warnings ⚠️: mentions anxiety, smut, oral (f receiving), p in v, cream 🥧

——————————

With fresh brush burn on my hands texting is painful. I promised Wanda I would check in with her today. I had some unprovoked anxiety about a secret attack on the compound or some conspiracy plan while I’m alone here. I’m not afraid of any outside threat as much as I am about blindly destroying the building. When the flames begin, it’s almost like an out of body experience. I get focused on my opponent with no care of collateral.

The compound has entity detection systems. However, I got no notification when Bucky snuck up on me last night. While that worries me, I can’t tell anyone about Bucky and I’s situation. They might be tempted to look at the cameras…

Part of my super power maintenance is to keep a cool head and he makes it hard to do that. Our session in the training center was plenty proof. He’s still in there lifting who knows how much weight.

As I’m slowly typing my response to Wanda’s check up, she calls me. Fuck. It would be easier to text a lie than talk around it to one of the most powerful women I know. I step into an office space before answering.

“Hi dear.”

“Hey Wanda!”

“You were taking too long to respond. Is everything alright?”

“Everything is-“, Bucky walks up to stare at me through the glass door. He was shirtless and sweaty after his 3 hour long workout.

“Everything is fine. I’m just a bit tired after my training session. Need a nap.”

“Keep a cool head love. I’ll let you know once we are coming back. It looks like it might take few more days than we anticipated. Be looking for a different number because I have to ditch this burner phone.”

She hung up before the conversation could go on for too much longer. I place my phone down on the desk and give Bucky a nod of approval to come in.

“You should really use a different cellphone for calls like that. One for business and one for pleasure,” he says. He lifts me up to sit me on the desk. I look down from his intense stare. He makes me nervous sometimes.

“Y/n, I know that the nature of our relationship isn’t very roses and chocolates, but you can open up to me about your nerves whenever you feel like it. I’ve had my own struggles with snapping and coming to in a world where you’ve unknowingly hurt people even ones you care for.”

“I’ve been working on my mindfulness like Bruce thought me. I’m just afraid of being used as a weapon against my own will again.”

“No one here will make you do that. They let you stay behind for this didn’t they?”, he lifts my chin up, “You’ve got the freedom of choice now. Why you keep choosing me I’ll never know.”

“It’s because I know you get it. When you get rough with me it’s almost like practice for keeping my anxiety down. If that makes sense-“

He gives me the softest kiss he’s ever given me.

“That makes sense. I’m glad you feel comfortable with me then. No matter how intense things might get I still care for your well being.”

I grab his bare sides to pull him close. I move my hands up to his chest. He squeezes one of them softly and brings it to his face for a kiss. I move his face to mine. We press our heads together before going in for more. Our lips began to melt like butter.

He leans closer and I place my hands behind me to stabilize. The kissing starts to resemble more of mouthing. He pulls me by the hips to the edge of the desk and spreads my legs apart. He grinds himself in between my thighs. I slide back and wince from the pain of my burned hands.

His flesh hand holds me up as his cool vibranium hand massages over the rope burn. He examines the damage and red marks. His touch soothes the pain a bit. He places more gentle kisses on my palms.

“Like I said I’ll be more gentle this time.”

“You don’t have to hold back. I know how you like it.”

“I’m gonna be soft and sweet because I want to be. You deserve some soft and sweet.”

“Show me what your soft and sweet looks like then super soldier,” I gaze up at him with a subtle smile. I know there’s only so soft and sweet he can be.

Every touch from then on is a smooth glide around my body and face. The tenderness of both his hands sends chills through me. He sure was treating me like an angel. He drifts his hand to tease the inside of my thighs where I’m warm and wet.

“You like the sweet stuff too. This is all for you doll.”

He slides my shorts and panties off. He meets his face to my opening then kisses all around it. I feel myself pulse. He brings his fingers to stroke my folds before slowly inserting them. I gasp at the new feeling of gentleness. We’re usually feral by this point.

He moves his fingers as if he were calling for me to come towards him. He strokes the spot inside me that rests next to the nerves of my clit. I moan with pleasure. The sensuality of it was relaxing.

His pacing and soft licks to my pussy brings me to an orgasm. I thought that was only possible with our rough sessions.

“I want you,” I say with the purest desire in my eyes.

“Say no more angel.”

He stands up to remove his gym shorts. Just like his fingers, he slowly puts himself inside me. The feeling is heavenly for sure. I lay back on the desk as he fills me with his cock and rubs at my clit. He starts to lose himself then picks up the pace a little. I moan as he moves through me like silk.

He gives a satisfied “mmm.” He turns me horizontal on the desk so he can hop up and hover on top of me. He lifts my hips up and I wrap my legs around him.

“Tell me what you want most and I’ll do it,” he says while lightly nibbling at my ear.

“Faster,” I say with a wide mouthed gasp following. His movements lift me up. My back arches upwards towards his body with each stroke. I roll my hips with his.

“I love it when you do that. You better be careful. I don’t wanna cum too quick.”

I mindfully slow my movements. He exits out of me to kiss me all the way down to my clit. He stands back up. I think changing positions over this desk of all pieces of furniture is much needed. I roll over to put myself in a bent position.

“Bucky, I know we said soft and sweet, but I don’t want you to hold back in this position,” I give a devious smile and lip bite. He puts his cock inside me. It feels so much bigger bent over like this. He plants both hands on the desk and brings his head close to mine. I feel his length reach so deep.

“Of course angel,” just like that he pops back up. He grabs me by the hips and fucks me the way you should be fucked over a desk. I give him some loud “Oh!”s to give him the green light to really get after it. I claw my nails into the desktop.

“Touch yourself.”

He moves my hand to my clit. I can feel my next orgasm building up and I can tell it’s gonna be a big one. I start to lose my breath.

“You gonna cum for me? I wanna feel it baby. Cum for me.”

“Uh huh I’m gonna cum for you,” I’m nearly breathless. He shortens and quickens his strokes so he’s deep inside me. My hand finally gets a break. My orgasm releases all throughout my body. It felt like a never ending wave of ecstasy. The waves flow perfectly with his beat.

“Damn, angel, I can feel you still cumming on this cock. I’m well on my way.”

“Please give it to me!” I whine. I’m still going. He yells as he releases himself inside of me. He stops moving just to press into me deeper for a second. He lets out his last grunt. He twirls me around to kiss me. It was as smooth as rose petals and as sweet as chocolate.

“I should probably take a shower,” he laughs.

He’s sweatier than when he first came in that’s for sure.

“I’ll join you.”

“I’d love nothing more.”

[r0ses4ndlilies]

My love for her.

Dabi x you

Ok so like I wrote this in sixth grade and found it recently and i thought it was ok so far but like… be nice bffs :’)

(Also haven’t seen any of mha after the time the LOV kidnapped bakugo)

It was a regular day for me, just like any other. As I put my hair up in a ponytail and took off my makeup, I heard my phone ding. It was my mother, who worried about me constantly. I picked up my phone and opened the notification.

The message read: "Y/n I just wanted to tell you about the new app i have on my phone it's called Day2Day! It's super fun you should get it! Xx

Love mommy!"

I smiled softly at the message and responded with, "Okay mom, I'll check it out. Love ya!"

I went back to my nightly routine and finished taking off the remainder of my makeup and then started putting on moisturizer. My heart began to race as my phone dinged due to another notification on my phone. It was my mother asking about something for her knitting and my mouth curved upwards. I knew she had texted the wrong person, so I ignored it.

As soon as I stopped staring at my phone screen, the familiar ding came through, once again. Another text from my mom. Once again, I ignored it because I assumed she was probably saying sorry for sending the previous text to me in error.

Then I got another text, once again from my mom. When I glanced at the phone screen, I saw she was still texting about knitting. Just to clarify...I know nothing about knitting or yarn. I was about to tell her just that when my thumb accidentally scrolled up and I remembered to download the app she'd mentioned earlier.

Excitement ran through me and I didn't want to waste another minute, so I downloaded it. But when I tried to open it, it wouldn't work. Then I thought I would try to delete it and redownload it, once again. But it still didn't work. I was out of options, so I just let it be and finished my text telling my mom to stop sending me silly knitting messages.

I sat my phone on the black shiny counter, that was polished perfectly, and looked at myself in the mirror. I let out a long, deep sigh, and then grabbed my phone. As I walked down the long dark and empty hallway of my apartment. A shiver went down my spine, as I finally made it to my room and firmly closed my door. I walked to my bed and quickly plugged in my phone before turning off the lights. It took no time at all before I finally fell asleep.

I woke up the next day, completely forgetting about the app not opening last night. I went on with my normal day. The only non-normal thing was a new guy who was moving into the empty apartment next to mine. He had black hair and purple patches on his skin. I smiled politely at the guy and he smiled back. He looked like someone who was friendly.

By the end of my day, around 10:30 p.m., I felt dead on my feet. I'd had an extra long day. As I turned the key in the lock of my front door, I noticed my new neighbor open his door. At the exact same time.

All day today, I'd felt as if I'd been watched. I'd had that prickly feeling on the back of my neck. I'd looked for whoever watched me and I swore I'd seen him. My new neighbor. Had he been around me all day long? It was confusing that he'd arrived home at the same time as me, but then I do tend to overthink things. So I made a decision to stop thinking about it. I entered my apartment, locked my door from the inside, and checked to make sure it was secure. I was safe.

As I made myself dinner, I received a few notifications on my phone. My mom was too tired to even type letters. Only emojis appeared. I was too tired to even respond. I barely made it to the sink to put clean my plate, before walking into my room. The only thoughts in my head were of sleep. I face-planted on my bed and drifted off.

And then I got another notification. I barely opened my eyes to ensure it wasn't an emergency, when another one came through. It was from the Day2Day app. I forgot about sleep and got excited, because maybe it was finally working! The notification read: "Follow these instructions exactly, unless..."

Since I was curious by nature, I couldn't ignore that dreaded message. I opened it and read the instructions. Shivers ran through me when I opened the app and saw that it was exactly like a messenger app. The text I got was confusing and couldn't be real.

1. Tomorrow you will go to Broadway Street, then enter the shop "MIYO"

2. You will then go to the bathroom and press this code on the door: 1977

3. After you input the code, you will then walk through the door, and there will be a man in all black waiting for you.

4. Don't talk to this man as he will only become an obstacle, if you address him in any way.

5. After you pass the man dressed in black, you will see another man sitting on the throne. You will give him your phone and you will leave. If you talk to anyone while on this mission, you will not be able to go back to your regular life and pretend none of this happened.

I then replied with a question anyone would ask: How do I know this is true?

I then got a reply right away with pictures of me looking at my phone. They were from my bedroom, wearing the same pajamas I was wearing, at this moment.

My stomach twisted with nervousness and I jumped up to close my blinds, then double-checked the locks on all the windows. As I walked back to my room, I was reminded of my new neighbor that lived next door. But it would be too obvious if it were him. There I go overthinking things again.

As my head hit the pillow, for the second time that night, I fell asleep anticipating what would come tomorrow.

I woke up slowly the next day, and it took me a minute to remember the weird message I'd received before bed.

I quickly got dressed and immediately grabbed my phone, before opening my door. I dashed outside, locking the door behind me. I made my way to the store 'MIYO'. I ran and ran until I got there and then asked if I could use the bathroom and the man at the desk said, "of course." He handed me a slip of paper that had the bathroom code on it. As I took the slip and walked over to the bathroom, I double checked the code on the app. It matched the code on the slip of paper! I pressed 1977, the numbers felt cold on my fingertips.

I felt nervous because I didn't know what would happen. I slowly opened the door, not sure what to expect. I walked through the door cautiously and followed the instructions from the night before.

I soon then saw the man dressed in black. I then walked past him. I felt the air swoosh as he turned and began to follow me. I freaked out and sped up my steps to the man on the throne. I ran so quickly, I stumbled and had to right myself. I handed him my phone and he promptly accepted it.

I turned around and ran for the exit as I saw the light from the door that let me in starting to get further and further away. I ran faster and faster and then a green light flashed before my eyes. I screamed so loudly, I awoke from the noise.

I picked up my phone on the bedside table and saw the time. 

7:30 a.m.

Had I dreamed the whole thing? Had it simply been a nightmare? Was it really that new neighbor?

My body began to shake and I wondered if I'd ever know the truth, because it had felt so real. 

END?

[ace-and-ink]

the other day

(i almost called it yesterday)

i wrote a poem after class

called it a warm-up

called it cards

i did everything my professor said i shouldn’t

took advice from my writing professor

who said

“here are a list of writing rules

go break every single one of them”

i’ll take this one slower

because my theatre class got out early

and i got to eat this time

the soda fountain was busted

the cherry coke wasn’t that

we read of those who wrote

with inspiration of art

i’ll never write like

the way orphan made me feel

i hear i song

and i cry

and i steal half their lines

want me to do it again?

i’ll list what i’m listening to

“take it from me

i’m not looking for anybody

i’m sick of car rides

you lied while we lay back to side”

my friend (?????)

[for our audio listeners

if you’re ever out there

there’s a series of question marks

because i don’t know

what i want her to be]

said goodbye to me as she left

and i couldn’t catch her

i had to fix my desk

i sat with a pretty girl today

she reminds me of my old friend

the one i’ve written about before

the one i’ve compared myself to with a dying moth

i wish she’d look at me like she did

she smiled at the end

before fumbling her papers

and i almost relapsed on the spot

i saw a pretty girl in my building

she lives a floor above me

i think about how my elevator sometimes

doesn’t say what floor it was going to

and i always have to double check

i wonder what system it uses

or if it just didn’t want to say it

if it skipped a line on accident

if it just had too much going on at once

i don’t think i can call this a poem

what if i call myself a moth again?

i use dogs too often

my hair looked decent when

i left the bathroom this morning

i saw my reflection when the poem wouldn’t load

and i think i almost lost three years of progress

that girl was from here

in this city i’m familiar yet foreign to

i reread my own poem

and i’ve suddenly never used a metaphor in my life

i talked about rocks

and i wrote about moths

i’ll only be a hit online

- by online i mean i’ll get clicks

from my one online friend -

my roommate always keeps the door open

the same friend from before had her room rekeyed

i don’t know how to make this a poem

my professor would never take this

i keep getting snapchat notifications

of my old teammates from home

celebrating each other’s birthdays

i almost don’t even go home for mine

so should i use a simile?

should i add a metaphor?

i can’t say i agree with holly in that song right now

i can’t drive

but they’ve lied while we laid together

and they’re still going on about getting high

let’s see

what can i say here?

i feel like a fish in a fishbowl

- there’s my vehicle -

i can see everything i want

but i can’t get to any of it

- there’s my tenor -

my writing class made me feel

like i at least have a chance

so far poetry

has made me feel like i’ve been fooling myself

i can’t call this poetry

i can’t say i’m good at all

which isn’t the problem

it’s that i don’t feel like i can be

i’m laying in bed

the brain killer

and now i don’t want to go to geology

which isn’t for another hour

i’ll call this a warm-up

like i do

being the fraud artist i am

saying every piece i don’t like

was a practice sketch

so i don’t have to claim it

hey if i add a period here

can i call this all enjambment?

ah shit nevermind

there it goes

i’ll end it on this

anyway.

— warm-up: tenor

[key201303]

Pairing: Jaehyeong x Reader Word count: 1525 words Warnings: None! Just a bunch of comfort Plot: You’ve been feeling really overwhelmed lately because of your bosses. They’ve been asking you to overwork for the past few weeks and even though Jaehyeong asked you to set the limits and tell them you couldn’t overwork anymore in order to stay more healthy, you couldn’t say no to your bosses. Today when you got back home, Jaehyeong was home waiting for you to join him in a delicious dinner. But as soon as you run to his arms and tears start streaming down your face uncontrollably, he cannot focus on the food anymore. A/N: I'm officially coming back! Lot's of thing have been happening that kept me away from writing but fortunately I can say I will be able to slowly go back to writing. Thank you to everyone that is still here and that will read and support my stories from now on, doesn't matter if you're old school or new to this blog ❤️ Also I've noticed there are not much content with The rose and specially with Jaehyeong so here I am, black roses you're all welcome to my blog let's share our love for these guys ❤️ Taglist -> since it's been so long, let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!

It’s been a tough day. Not only because your coworker keeps giving you more and more of her work because your bosses have been asking you to stay at work for longer or even extra days. At this point, with this tight schedule you haven’t been able to see Jaehyeong. You even almost forgot how his voice sounded like in real life or how his eyes shined everytime you appeared in his sight. And that made you feel even worse about the whole situation. He has told you plenty of times to set your limits so they cannot exploit you just because you do your work and other’s. But you’re not the type of person to say “no”. It’s like that word doesn’t exist in your vocabulary. Now unfortunately you have to pay the consequences of overworking. “Y/N, I’ll leave some documents I couldn’t finish on your desk, I’m going home.” The voice of your coworker broke the peaceful sound the coffee machine made while preparing your fourth coffee of the day. All you did was check the wall clock that hungged above your heads and nodded, not even looking at her. Once your coffee was ready, you had to go back to work. As soon as you entered your office, your phone screen lit up with a familiar notification sound. “I’m home! Hope you come soon, I’ll make some good food, remember our promise?” The message said. Only then you remember the little promise you made the night before. Jaehyeong was going to finish practice earlier than usual and promised you he would make you your favorite food as long as you finished earlier than usual as well. You felt overwhelmed for a moment. You wanted more than anything else that quality time with the man that owned your heart. And you only had to say “no”.

After a few more minutes of conversation a familiar voice knocks you out of your thoughts once again. “Can you stay a few more hours? Jiwoo’s work need to be finished today.” Your boss said. To be honest, you were tired. Tired of always wanting to go home but not being able to do so because Jiwoo didn’t finish her work. “I have plans.” You said without even thinking what you just said. “But…” Your boss tried to answer but you cut him off. “No buts. It’s Jiwoo’s work, not mine.” You said packing your stuff without looking up. “If it has to be finished today, she should have stayed like I do everyday.” You added getting off your seat and walking towards the door that separated your office from the rest of the building. “I’ll see you on Monday.” You said before leaving the place as your boss and other coworkers looked at you with a surprised gaze. Finally you could feel a huge weight getting off your shoulders.

The walk back home was cold. Hands and nose were freezing tho your ears were warm thanks to the headphones Jaehyeong gifted you a few weeks ago. And not only your ears were getting warm. Your heart was also finally starting to feel warm as you listened to “She’s in the rain”. It never fails to make you feel better whenever you listen to it. (Take some time to enjoy the song before you continue reading)

You finally got home and the strong smell of fresh homemade food filled your body with the feeling of home. And even more feelings appeared as soon as Jaehyeong’s smiling figure appeared leaning on the kitchen door frame. His smile was as bright as light, as sweet as chocolate, as beautiful as a rose and as warm as the sunshine. You couldn’t stop admiring his figure as you walked towards him, hoping to land between his arms and rest your head in the warmth of his chest, near his heart where you belong. His smile grew even wider when his arms wrapped around your small figure. Unfortunately that smile didn’t last long. You could feel the tears falling down your cheeks, getting dried by Jaehyeong’s soft pull over. You tried to stop the tears but you couldn’t. Finally all the stress you’ve been trying to hide was flowing out your body through those tears. “You don’t have to hide your emotions anymore, not in front of me.” Jaehyeong said, tightening his hold, making you hide your face back in the warmth of his heart. “Let it all out… You’ve held it for long enough and I’m here to listen to you.” He added with a low voice, stroking your hair trying to calm you down.

“I have an idea.” He said, a smile appearing back in his lips when you started to feel a bit better. “Let’s go.” He added, grabbing your hand and his guitar. You looked at him confused. “But the dinner…” You tried to say, pointing at the dining room table, full of food. “Food can wait, your health can’t”. He said taking you to the rooftop of your little apartment.

The sky looked beautiful when not much city lights ruined the light stars and the moon had. ��How can you know me so well?” You asked Jaehyeong, a small smile threatening to appear in your lips as you still tried to dry some tears that were left running down your cheeks. “Because before dating you, I had to deal with your annoying ass as a best friend.” Jaehyeong joked as he removed the last tear from your cheek with a soft touch, gaining the laugh that was threatening to come out from your mouth. 

“Come on, I’ll let you choose the song for today.” He said once you both got warm and comfy in the small tent you had built for when you needed a stargazing session like the one you were about to start. You immediately suggested ‘she’s in the rain’ and as soon as you started to pronounce the title of the song Jaehyeong cut you off. “You always choose the same one! Can’t you just change for once?” He said playfully laughing. “If you don’t want me to choose then don’t ask me to do so!” You said laughing as well. After some discussion on which song he should play, finally you both agreed on him playing “See-saw”.

His voice was soft, low, not really putting much effort but still taking you to heaven, words flowing through his mouth so effortlessly which made you feel even more cozy. The moonlight hit the perfect spots to make his face features stand out. The silverish light hit perfectly his blond locks, creating an elegant silver hair illusion. You couldn’t focus on the sky. The galaxy his dark eyes held was more than enough that you couldn’t have more attention for something else apart from him. Only then you notice it was not the homemade food the one giving you the feeling of home. Actually it was the thought of him being there for you the one that made you feel home, because everywhere and anywhere would feel home as long as you were together. (Take some time to enjoy the song before you continue reading)

Once he finished singing, his slender fingers kept playing the guitar a bit more as you laid your head on his shoulder. The lack of light, his scent, the soft music his guitar was making mixed with the soft vibrations you felt because of him quietly humming to random melodies was lulling you into a deep sleep. A huge smile appeared on his lips when he noticed your almost asleep figure. “You look so beautiful like this. I’m so lucky you decided to say yes when I asked you out in such a shabby way.” He whispered, pretending to think you were fast asleep and couldn’t hear him. You couldn’t help smiling at his confession which made him act all surprised and disappointed because you heard what he said which made you laugh even more. “This is the girl I missed.” He said. His eyes held so much admiration and love whenever he looked at you. It’s always been that way. You guess Dojoon was right every time he said Jaehyeong would always look at you in a very different way. And it was true. You were the only person living on this earth and probably this galaxy that could see that look in his eyes. Full of love and so fond of you. “Promise you won’t overwork anymore.” He said once you both finished your little stargazing date. “We promised to have a happy life together, you can’t get sick already.” He added as you both entered the kitchen, a small tint of sadness in his expression. Seeing him like this broke your heart. “I promise, from now on no more extra hours.” You said with a small smile, offering him your pinky to seal the deal. But he preferred leaning a bit to close the distance between both of you and place a soft yet full of the love he had for you kiss on your cherry lips. “Let’s go, we have to hit up the food if we want to have dinner.” He said with a playful smirk, leaving you wanting more, just like he always loves to do.

[emma-cantmakeuphermind]

Just A Project | V

Nathan Prescott x Reader

Masterlist

Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Warnings: swearing, pretty chill

Words: 655

I dramatically fell onto my bed after I got changed into some comfier clothes. I let out a huge sigh ready for sleep. I sit up and pick up my phone to check the time. 6:12. I gently toss my phone down and lie back down. I close my eyes, trying to fall asleep, but then my mind wanders, thinking about everything that happened today. With Nathan. And then I remember that we're meeting tomorrow at lunch and a new burst of excitement fills my chest. I give a huff trying to clear my mind. I feel myself drifting off into a dream state, when all of a sudden-

*knock knock knock*

I shoot up, startled, like one of those dreams where you’re falling. I let out a groan of frustration into my pillow. I begrudgingly get up and shuffle to the door, quickly composing myself for whoever is on the other side. I open the door and I’m faced with Max Caulfield. A small smile appears on my face, Max is a good friend. “Oh, hey Max.” I greet her. She smiles and says, “Hey Y/N, I was just wondering if you had a copy of the reading material Mrs. Hoida gave us yesterday? I guess I left mine in the classroom.” I think about it for a moment and tell Max to wait for a second, I walk over to my desk and sift through some of my school work. I find what Max is talking about and I bring it to her. “Thanks, Y/N/N. You’re a lifesaver! I’ll bring it back tomorrow!” I smile just glad I could help. “Yeah, drop by whenever.

We say our goodbyes and throw myself back onto my bed. Just as I’m about to close my eyes again I feel my phone buzz with a notification. I grab my phone, frustrated, and read the notification. ‘Notification from Instagram: nthn.prsct started following you’ I blink for a moment going to Nathan’s page. He has a few posts, mostly his work, the occasional Vortex Club flyer. My eyes flicker up to the top of his page. ‘Following: 5’ My eyebrows draw in confusion tapping the following count to see who the five people are. Kristine Prescott, I’m guessing that his sister, Victoria Chase, 2 professional looking photography accounts, and me.

I go back to his page and hit the follow back button. I put my phone down and think about the fact that I’m 1 of the 5 people he's following. I know it's stupid, it's social media, it doesn't matter that much, but I can't help the fluttering feeling that swirls in my stomach at the thought. I finally close my eyes in peace and fall fast asleep.

—————————————————————

Buzz…

Buzz…

Buzz…

I grumble awake at the buzzing. I unwillingly grab my phone to check the time, 8:52. I sigh and then I see the 3 notifications from Nathan. My breath hitches for a moment tapping on them. Our texts open and I see the new messages.

N: “what r u doin nrd” 8:26

N: “u better not have fallen asleep on me” 8:38

N: “ansr me or i kik ur ass” 8:50

I smile a bit at the messages texting him back.

“chill, haha, im awake” 8:54

N: “good, cuz 2 b honest, i dont rlly wanna kik ur ass” 8:55

“aww, why? you like me too much?” 8:55

N: “hell no, im jus 2 lazy” 8:55

“the way you type infuriates me” 8:56

N: “so ive been told but idc” 8:56

N: “deal wit it nerd” 8:56

“no <3” 8:57

N: “whatever dummy. ill see u tmr” 8:57

“goodnight nathan.” 8:58

I shut off my phone, place it on my nightstand and roll over. I close my eyes with a smile on my face, hoping tomorrow comes soon.

[organised-disaster]

Here you go @randosfandos and @baxieblur-turnip since you wanted it so much I'm ENSURING you see it the second you check your notifs

SNOWBIRD: CHAPTER II

I shower, scrubbing my sweaty body. The breeze from the roof of the Justice Building air-dried me slightly, but it feels nice to finally be showering. My hair isn't especially dirty, and it's irritating trying to dry it, so I make a conscious effort to keep it away from the water. The soap smell is soothing. I can't quite place it.

I scrub my face. I get soap in my eyes. I no longer feel happy about the soap. I wash the soap off of me and out of my eyes as I think about today. It's the day of the Reaping, meaning I need to be prepared, just like every year, to potentially be sent to die.

Or watch someone I care about get sent to die... Yumi would tell me that she loves me in a situation like this. She did every year before she passed away.

Yumi. My older sister. Never did well as a Career. Yumi was gentle, empathetic. A bleeding heart, even. She couldn't bear to hurt anyone. If someone hit her, she'd ask them why instead of hitting back.

I step out of the shower, wrapping my towel around my torso. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Yumi and I didn't look similar to each other. Yumi's nose was softer and rounder, her eyes kinder. Yumi's hair was a dusty black, much lighter than my charred colour. Yumi was cheerful and radiated warmth and welcoming.

I can't stop seeing her instead of me when I look in a mirror, though. I knew Yumi's face as well as I know Sera's. I know that while her eyes were warmer, they were still as narrow and catlike as mine are. They still looked just as harsh in the wrong lighting.

I know that while Yumi's default expression was a soft smile, her anger still looked the same as mine. Anger was so rare, so jarring, that I couldn't help but memorise it.

I know that while I rarely smile at anyone but Sera, Yumi had dimples and creases identical to mine. I can't stand to smile at my reflection anymore. It's impossible not to see Yumi.

Sometimes I wonder if Sera sees Yumi in my smile as well. I wonder if she loves her exactly the same as I do. I wonder if she blames me exactly the same as I do.

I wonder if Sera sees Yumi in her own smile also. Yumi's narrow face didn't especially resemble Sera's, but Sera's eyes and Yumi's were similar browns, although Sera's eyes practically glow from the inside. Sera's smile has the same comforting quality as Yumi's.

Yumi was just as good with people as Sera, just as patient as Sera. Just as kind. Just as sweet. Just as trusting.

I wanted to be like her when I was younger. I know now that Yumi's thinking never did anything good for her. She needed to be vicious. Capable of taking a life. She wasn't, not when it mattered most.

I'll give her that. Yumi passed on her own terms. Yumi knew what she wanted. Yumi stuck with it. With her love for humanity. She's braver than me in that sense.

She was so much like Sera, it's almost like they're the same person. Perhaps that was the reason I got so close with Sera after Yumi died.

Or maybe the reason was because Sera loved Yumi, too, and felt her loss as much as I did.

There's a lump in my throat. My vision blurs slightly. I wipe my eyes, clearing my throat. I splash cold water on my face. Today, of all days, is a bad time to think of Yumi.

I violently scrub my face again, this time with my towel to dry it. I look up into the mirror by accident. My fringe is completely soaked. My eyes are reddened. There's a brief flash of Yumi's face across my vision, angry and full of hate.

It's gone as quick as it arrived. I hurriedly turn away from the mirror. I dry myself, keeping the mirror behind me the whole time.

After I'm no longer sticky, I pick up my clothes from the floor and start to get changed. A nice button-up and trousers. The shirt is grey, and the trousers are white, both slightly worn as they originally belonged to... I glance at the mirror again.

Yumi glares at me. She sniffs and wipes her nose as she finishes putting the clothes she wore on the day of the Reaping on. I leave the bathroom, and my sister, behind.

Sera is sitting on my bed, toying with her hands anxiously. Her eyes are trained on my clock, watching every second quietly thunk by. The sound of the clock is almost muffled by her uneven breathing and the occasional thump of her heel when her bouncing leg makes contact with the floor.

She smiles up at me when she notices me in the doorway, stopping her jittering. Her hands continue to shake slightly, as does her leg. Her eyes dart to what I'm wearing, then back up to my face again.

Her smile vanishes, if only for a moment. It's back so quickly, it's almost like she didn't react at all. She remembers, then. Well, how could she have forgotten?

Yumi was just as much Sera's sister as she was mine. If Sera wasn't at my house to talk to me, she was here to talk to Yumi. If Yumi was out, chances were that she'd be doing something with Sera.

Sera screamed louder than I did. Sera's grief was known. Sera gained sympathy.

Such an apathetic child...

No reaction whatsoever..?

Her sister...

How awful...

A monster, that's for sure...

I block out the whispers of District Four as I sit down next to Sera. As she always does when we are close like this, she leans into me. I put my arm around her and let her rest her head in the crook of my neck. She sighs deeply, her breathing calming down.

I know how deeply Sera craves the comfort of touch. I have always been averse. In general, if someone is making contact with my skin, it's because they're trying to hit me until I don't get back up.

But I also know how good it feels to be near to Sera. For our hands to be locked together, for our shoulders to be touching, for her breath to be on my neck.

Sera is gently gripping the hand attached to the arm I'm holding her with. She carefully traces lines along my palm with her thumbs, following the creases. Sera likes repetitive things like that.

There are a million things I could say to Sera. But just like every year, I don't need to say any of them. Now is not a time for words. Words come later. Words come after. And some words come never.

Words used to express relief. Words used to state gratitude. It's considered awful luck to say things like that. Especially when the people selected only have a one-in-twenty-four chance of coming home.

No matter what, there'll always be at least one grieving family. Sera's family has always been so lucky. Seth, Sera's brother, is only about a year older than I am. He's too old for the Reaping now. He's never been pulled.

Sera hasn't been pulled before, either. I hope she stays that way. I don't know what I'd do if she didn't. I've never thought about it, either. If I think about something like that, it starts getting hard to breathe.

I can't really think about it. My thoughts just won't go there, and if I force them to, they don't stay for long. I don't like it. I stay away from things like that. They belong at the very back of my mind with everything else.

I don't have to worry about that. Sera won't be pulled. I won't be pulled again. We're going to be okay.

Sera's switched from massaging my palm to fiddling with the hem of Yumi's shirt. She's started her gnawing of her lower lip, the already damaged skin bleeding slightly.

Her eyes flick to my clock again. I once again hear her breathing grow uneven as some degree of panic sets in. I squeeze her a little tighter, pull her a little closer.

Sera tears her eyes from the clock. Sera has a death grip on Yumi's shirt. I gently pry her fingers off, squeezing her hand when Yumi's shirt is free. Sera's tenderising of her lip ceases. Sera sighs and surrenders as we fall over together on my bed.

Sera adjusts herself to be resting her head on my chest, her feet hanging off the edge of my bed. Sera only ever wears one pair of shoes. A clunky pair of worn leather boots that fall off her feet at every possible occasion. They slide off, one actually hitting the floor while the other clings for dear life onto her ankle.

I hope my heartbeat doesn't speed up too much. It'll probably make Sera's head bounce if it does. I let my head fall back onto my pillow, my neck already hurting from my observation of Sera's boots.

Sera starts to toy with my hair, running it through her hands. She's always loved to compliment how shiny it is, how smooth I keep it. She always goes on to say how she wished she could have her hair as tidy and clean and nice-to-the-touch as mine.

I never said anything to her. Perhaps I should have. I would have liked to tell her that her tousled mess was charming. That it framed her face. That it brought out her smile.

I would not have liked to tell her that it made her look like Yumi, who wore her unkempt, unruly disaster in almost the exact same way. I don't think Sera remembers, but her hair was kept neat once, too.

Back when Yumi was still alive and Sera's mother was still around. Sera saw her family a lot more when she was younger, her brother not yet graduated, and her father not totally responsible for their income.

She had to brush her hair every couple of hours and apply some sort of gel to it, but it stayed in place. The kind of cutesy style that made little girls an object of affection for all the little boys.

She was maybe around seven when she properly met Yumi. She had come over to my house and accidentally walked into Yumi's room, briefly forgetting which was mine.

Yumi was fourteen at the time. She had been so sweet with Sera. By the time I realised that Sera had gotten lost somewhere, she was already playing some sort of complex game that involved knots with Yumi.

I tried to join. I wasn't good with knots then. I'm better now, but I still struggle with complicated ones. Sera has always been so talented with her hands. She's always had such nimble fingers.

I finally tied a knot. Yumi couldn't untie it. Neither of our parents could untie it. Sera couldn't untie it. That memory has resulted in this sweet mental image. Of Yumi sitting on the floor of her room, her little sisters next to her, puzzling over a knot tied by the least competent one.

That mutual lack of understanding for how I created such a thing was a building block for their relationship. I don't quite remember what became of the knot. I believe I gave it to Sera.

Sera has always admired Yumi. Sera saw the way Yumi wore her hair and decided it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She mimicked Yumi in other, smaller ways that she still does to this day.

A little flick of the hand here, a tonal shift there. Sera saw how Yumi played with her hair when nervous and started doing it herself. She does it automatically now, pinching and rolling her blonde locks between her thumb and forefinger.

I absently run my hands through Sera's curls. My fingers snag on knots, and I hear Sera wince as I work them out. I groan.

"Sera, did you brush your hair this morning?"

Sera doesn't respond. She's pretending to be asleep. I know from experience that Sera takes at least ten minutes to fall asleep; it hasn't even been three. I sit up, Sera sliding down my chest, then sitting up as well.

Sera won't meet my eyes. I sigh and rub her face.

"You need to take care of yourself, Sera," I say, disappointed but not surprised. Sera tends to neglect things like this. Only small things, and she doesn't really resist, but she doesn't do them if she's not prompted.

Brushing her hair is a bad one. She almost never does it. I have to do it for her most of the time. Once, I didn't see her for four days because of an especially busy week for both of us.

It took me ten minutes to clean the accumulated grime off of her body and at least an hour to work the knots out of her hair. I scolded her the entire time for her forgetfulness. I wasn't surprised that her family didn't remind her, considering that her father and Seth were out fishing for a good three days. I assume Sera avoided them on day four.

"I know, Rumes. I'm sorry," she mumbles. "It's just... I didn't have the time this morning." Sera's excuse is flimsy. I stand up and walk over to my dresser, locating my hairbrush. I walk back over to my bed and sit down. Sera obediently turns to show me the back of her head.

I start to slowly run the brush through her tangled mop.

"I think we both know that isn't true, Sera." I'm not trying to be accusing. But I'm not trying to be nice.

Sera winces, both at the fact that I've caught her and because of the knot the brush has just caught on. It rips out a little of her hair as I work it through.

"I... It's..." Sera sighs. "It's a little hard, you get it?"

I don't. I really don't get it. Self-care has never given me any trouble, but I don't dare mention this to Sera. Telling Sera she's strange for not washing her face won't help her. Reminding her that she needs to do it will.

I've never been completely certain if her poor care of herself was because of her faulty memory or something else. I'd love to blame it on her memory, but Sera's general... erraticness is probably to blame.

She'll start tasks and forget about them entirely, she'll lose track of time, she'll forget to drink water... It's not really a surprise that she forgets important things anymore. She remembers to eat, at least. That removes some level of worry I have for her.

"Yes," I lie. This seems to reassure Sera. A part of her hair bounces back into shape as I finish pulling the brush through. I start again at my next chosen section, running my hands through what I've brushed. For a long time, there is no sound but our breathing and the soft, gentle noise of the brush through Sera's hair.

"You remembered to wash it. That's good," I say aloud, recalling its pleasant smell and softness when I hugged her earlier. I should have praised her then.

"Thank you," says Sera, a little uncertain. I regret speaking almost immediately.

Sera sighs and fidgets. Her other boot fell off at some point.

"You look like her, you know," she says quietly. I force the brush so hard through her hair it slightly yanks her head back. It was an accident. I hope.

"Sorry." There's a long silence.

"You really do, though. You look like Yumi," Sera finishes.

"Can we not talk about this, Sera?" I ask. Sera huffs.

"You can't just pretend she doesn't exist because she isn't around anymore," says Sera, more certain this time.

"I'm not," I respond levelly.

"Then w-w-why do you keep acting like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you never cared." I yank the brush suspended in Sera's hair.

"Hey, look at that. It's stuck," I say, letting go of it. It remains in Sera's hair. She reaches around to the back of her head and pulls it free, handing it back to me.

"Stop doing that, Rumi," she says, sounding like she's dealing with a small child.

"Doing what?" I ask, starting to brush Sera's hair again. Sera sighs.

"You know exactly w-w-what I'm talking about, Rumes. Don't change subjects to avoid things," she says. I don't avoid things. I'm not avoiding anything.

I voice this. Sera sighs again.

"You do, though, Rumes. You are. It's okay if you miss her. I do, too," says Sera. I finish brushing her hair and throw my hairbrush at my back wall. It thunks onto my dresser again.

"Can we just not, Sera?" Sera turns around to face me.

"I think w-w-we should, though," she says. I don't want to listen to her anymore. "I think w-w-we need to talk about her."

"We don't. There's nothing more we could say," I mutter.

"Rumi, you get so... distant. Around this time of year, you just avoid talking about her entirely."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to talk about a dead woman?" I snap.

"Yeah. Lots," Sera responds softly. "But you talk about her." I stiffen.

"You like to mention her from time to time, anyw-w-way," says Sera. "You joke about how Yumi w-w-would do this, Yumi w-w-would like that, blah blah blah."

I turn away from Sera, no longer enjoying this conversation.

"Rumes, you talk about her like she's just... aw-w-way," says Sera thoughtfully. "And I think that's good, I do, because -"

"Stop." Sera sighs softly.

"Rumes, can w-w-we just talk -"

"Stop."

"Rumi, it's not healthy to bottle these things up. If you don't w-w-want to talk now, that's fine, but -"

"I don't want to talk about it at all," I interject. "I don't need to, I don't want to, I won't. It's that simple." Sera needs to drop it. I'm fine. I'm acting normal. I always behave like this.

"She died for a good reason, okay? And I think w-w-we -"

"A good reason? You think it was good?" I interrupt. Sera looks startled.

"Rumes, that's not w-w-what I -"

"Oh? It's not w-w-w-w-what you m-m-m-eant?!" I shout, imitating her stammer.

"Rumi..." Sera's definitely upset. I've crossed a line. I don't care. Maybe she deserves it, just this once.

"Why don't we all just celebrate, huh?! 'Cause Yumi's dead! That's GREAT!"

"Rumi, just stop..." Sera mumbles.

"Sorry, you'll have to speak up! I can't hear you under all those extra letters!" I find the wound and tear it open.

"Rumi, w-w-w-why are you -"

"Oh, get to the point! How hard is it to talk?!" Sera flinches. She pinches the crooked part of her nose. She always does that when she gets self-conscious.

"Rumi, please just calm down," says Sera, voice gaining a pleading quality. I ignore this.

"Calm down?! You want me to calm down?!"

Sera's eyes start to water.

"Oh, don't you start crying AGAIN! You're so bloody emotional all the time!"

"You don't even have emotions!" she snaps back. Sera gets up off my bed.

"Maybe the reason you act like you don't care is because you really don't!" My sheets are pulled taught as I clench my hands. Sera angrily kicks her foot into one of her boots, looking for the other one. "Maybe you didn't cry at her funeral because you didn't love her!"

"Of course I loved her! She was my sister!" I shout, following Sera as I kick her boot from my bed into my wall. She snatches it off the floor and slams her foot into it.

"She w-w-was my sister, too!" Sera shoots back.

"No! No, she wasn't! Yumi was never your sister! No matter how close you think you were, you were never her sister!"

That's hurt her. She stops for a moment, tears threatening to start rolling down her cheeks.

"I loved her. Doesn't that mean something?" For just a moment, I feel a sliver of regret. It vanishes.

"Doesn't mean anything. You never meant anything to her," I snarl. This is untrue. Yumi did truly care about Sera. But now I just want to hurt her. Sera mumbles something.

"Huh? Speak up!" I demand. "You wanna say something? Say it to my face!"

"At least I'm not the reason she's dead," she says. There's utter silence.

"What?" Sera is completely crying now.

"At least," she repeats. "I'm not," she continues. "The reason she's dead."

"So you're saying it's my fault, then?"

Silence.

"N- no, I... No, I'm sorry. I got angry."

"No, I get it."

"Rumes, please, I didn't mean it. It w-w-wasn't your fault."

"It was, though. It's my fault. And it's always going to be my fault."

"It's not! I got angry! I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I've never been that angry before. I'm sorry. If it's any-w-w-one's fault, it's mine. I could've -"

"Just stop, Sera."

"Rumes..."

"You can go now, Sera."

"But -"

"You can go now, Sera. Go home. Say hi to Seth for me."

Sera nods. She tries to hug me. I gently push her away.

"I'm sorry, Rumes."

"So am I." Sera opens the door.

Sera hesitates, standing in the doorway.

"Yumi w-w-would have said you look nice."

The door closes.

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 15

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1391

Warnings: Swearing, mention of death

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: Think of You Life As We Know It

****

Ghost

You're going to get someone killed.

Maverick's words echoed in her head, and while she could take criticism from almost anyone without flinching, hearing such a thing come from her idol hurt more than she cared to admit. The last thing Ghost wanted to do was hang out at the Hard Deck, where she knew Maverick would inevitably be after the tournament to finish the day off on a good note with the Daggers. Embarrassment hardly covered her emotions, and she dreaded showing her face to him. Any chance of her getting in his good graces was probably shot now...

Still, she'd promised Juliette and Jackie she'd be there tonight, and God knows what her sister would do to her if she didn't show. Reluctantly, Ghost showered, dried her hair, curled it, and did her makeup before throwing on black shorts, a white tee, and her ever-trusty bomber jacket. As she picked up her phone to check the time, a notification popped up: Ghoul's Birthday.

A knot lodged itself in Ghost's throat. How could she have forgotten that it was today? It'd only been a few years, and she'd never missed it before, so why had this year been any different? Shaking her head, Ghost thought: Forgive me, Ghoul. I've had a lot going on, but it's no excuse. I have to head to the bar to see the Daggers, but I'll make sure I do your favorite shot in honor of you and our tradition.

Gathering herself, Ghost shoved her phone into her jacket pocket and strolled to the Hard Deck, enjoying the ocean breeze caressing her skin. It temporarily alleviated her melancholy but returned when she stepped into the Hard Deck and saw Hangman and Coyote playing darts. Once upon a time, she would've joined them without reservation or hesitation. If only those times still existed. Swallowing her unease, Ghost headed to the bar.

"Hey, Penny," she greeted, plastering on a smile. "How are you?"

"Hey, Ghost," Penny replied cheerfully. "Heard you put on quite the show today."

The aviator let out a dry chuckle. "I think that depends on who you ask."

"The spectators thought you did a great job, but they're not the ones you wanted to impress today, were they?"

Ghost shook her head. "I wasn't trying to impress anyone, but I certainly left a sour taste in someone's mouth. That, in turn, has left a bitter one in mine that I need to wash down. May I order an Irish shot, please?"

"Hitting it hard right off the bat, huh?" Penny queried, grabbing the required glassware. "How badly do you think you screwed up?"

"Enough that it's gotten to me, and that's saying something, but I'm not going to drag you down with that. Besides, this drink isn't to drown my sorrows. This-" Ghost motioned at the shot Penny currently prepared- "is an homage to my late WSO: Ghoul. Today is her birthday. We always did this shot for her birthday, and if we were deployed and unable to do it on the day, it was the first thing we did when we stepped foot onto solid ground. She-"

"Is that an Irish shot?" Coyote asked excitedly, coming to stand beside Ghost. He draped an arm around her shoulders. "Were you planning on doing this without us?"

"Us?"

Hangman appeared on the other side of Coyote and confirmed, albeit uncharacteristically demure, "Us."

"We were going to celebrate Ghoul's birthday but wanted to wait until you arrived to participate. Almost like old times. Penny-" Coyote turned to the bartender- "make that three Irish shots, please, and thank you."

"You got it," she said, pouring the Bailey's and Jameson's whiskey into shot glasses and then filling pints of Guinness. She placed the glasses in front of the aviators and asked, "How about a picture before you knock these back?"

"Good thinking," Coyote agreed, handing Penny his phone. He gently but forcefully moved Ghost to his other side so she resided between him and Hangman. "Ladies in the middle."

Ghost didn't argue. She would push aside her feelings for Hangman to celebrate Ghoul's birthday. It was only a drink, after all. Coyote lifted his shot glass, and Ghost and Hangman did the same. They smiled at the camera for a quick photo before Penny returned the phone to its owner. Once tucked safely in his pocket, Coyote toasted, "To Ghoul!"

Hangman and Ghost echoed the sentiment, raising their shot glasses and clinking them against each other before dropping them into the pints and chugging them in one go. Ghost finished hers first, more so out of desperation than anything, for she hated the taste of beer, and the quicker she finished it, the sooner she could get another drink to wash away the taste of Guinness.

Ghost grimaced and ordered a Bailey's and Whiskey to wash away the taste. Coyote grinned and said, "You know Ghoul is laughing right now."

"The things I put myself through for her," Ghost replied, taking a big swig of her new drink the moment it landed in front of her. It briefly washed away the sambuca. "How much for the drinks, Penny?"

"Don't worry about it," she said, taking away the empty glasses and subtly nodding toward Hangman, who was glancing down at his phone. "Someone already took care of them."

Ghost took the hint, recognizing Hangman didn't want her to know what he'd done. "Oh, well, whoever they are, tell them thank you. I really appreciate it."

"What do you say we play some darts?" Coyote suggested, taking a sip of the beer he'd newly ordered. "One for old time's sake before the others get here."

Do it for Ghoul. She would want us to spend time together on her birthday. "Uh, sure, if you two don't mind me joining your bro party."

"You? Never. Right, Jake?" Coyote peered expectantly at his friend.

"Of course not," Hangman responded casually. He playfully smirked, "Remember, the board is the target."

Ghost frowned. "I missed the board one time!"

"And flooded a restaurant because of that."

"They shouldn't have put a water pipe below it! It was bound to happen sooner or later!"

Hangman chuckled. "I know, I know, I'm just giving you grief. Besides, that can't happen here. Penny was smarter than those other bar owners and made the decision to put the dartboard away from any water pipes. Come on."

The trio moved over to the game, and the boys allowed Ghost to go first. They only played for fun, not keeping score, namely because Hangman would've kicked both their asses at it. Darts had never been Ghost's game, and she missed the center by a long shot most of the time, but she at least hit the board. Hangman, naturally, hit bullseye after bullseye. Coyote even covered his friend's eyes as he took the shot, but Hangman still nailed it.

"Man, how do you do that?" Coyote demanded, staring in disdain at the three darts on the bullseye.

"I had to make up for the ass-whooping I got earlier today," he said. Turning to Ghost, he added, "Your callsign should've been Demon."

"Yeah, you're not the only one who probably thinks that. Some didn't take too kindly to the stunt and let me know."

"I was mad it worked, but I'm not-"

"It's not you that I'm talking about."

Hangman frowned. "Then fuck whoever got onto you about it. It might've been considered a dirty move, but it worked, and you wouldn't pull a stunt if you thought it would put them in danger."

Touched by his words, Ghost offered him a genuine, grateful smile. "I wish they saw it that way."

"Want us to take care of him?" Coyote queried, cracking his knuckles menacingly. Hangman mimicked the actions.

Ghost laughed and shook her head. "No, no, but I appreciate you having my back."

"Forever," Hangman said.

The response- a habit formed so many years ago that had yet to break despite everything- slipped off her tongue. "And always."

For the briefest of moments, the tension between the former friends dissipated. For a fleeting second, a peace settled over Hangman and Ghost, and had no one else joined them, perhaps it would've continued like that. However, the Daggers arrived, hollering their greetings from across the bar, and the moment disappeared.

****

Tags: @lgg5989 @shanimallina87 @polikszena @summ3rlotus @icemansgirl1999 @supernaturaldawning @thedarkinmansfield @lyannaforpresident @lapilark @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth @simpofthecentury @shadeops21 @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @double-j @bradshawsandbridgetons @catsandgeekyandnerd @peachiicherries @multifandomcnova @fandomsstolemylife00 @bookloverhorses @mak-32 @midnightmagpiemama @luckyladycreator2 @ellamae021 @kmc1989

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2 Chp 3 Chp 4 Chp 5 Chp 6 Chp 7 Chp 8 Chp 9 Chp 10 Chp 11 Chp 12 Chp 13 Chp 14 Chp 15

If you're not on the tag list and want to be, just let me know :)

[ireceived-p8250000]

April 7-13, 2013

Sunday:

Studied for upcoming exams again. Did all home works and chores before going to my shift.

I went to my shift. A lot of people so I couldn't concentrate. I made a video again.

I went home at 11.

Monday:

No classes but I have to gather with my groupmates for the editing. I'm still waiting for Mansoor's entry and he saidhi he's in the area now.

We had quiz in Psych Stats.

Tomorrow is Holiday.

Tuesday:

It's holiday so, I checked on my herbs. Mansoor sent me the photos and his entry and I edited and integrated them into mine. I gave it to Fiona for finalization. She invited me to her house. So afternoon ai went to Trancoville. She was gracious.

We talked especially like travelling to Hong Kong which she did and that's why she absent for a week. I didn't notice her. She asked about me and Mansoor. She commented that he's a bit tight assed. We just laughed. She's a good company. She edited almost everything. Finished and went to my shift at the bookstore.

Wednesday:

We have lectures. Also I received a notification that I earn a spot for Dean's list. The awarding us on Friday.

When I arrived home, I told my mom immediately. One parent is only needed anyway.

Thursday:

We did our group dynamics activity.

It was successful.

Then AnaPhy on lymbic system and marathon lecture. More homework.

Friday: Another lecture and finalizing about the K-12 program.

And integration of theories.

Then OsychStats.

But we were excused for the dean list awarding. My mommy came with Dad. I have medal and certificate. Mansoor wasnt around. He congratulated me though.

I met him though after I they left. We said we'll celebrate on Sunday.

Saturday:

Group dynamics for SocOr. We will have talent show next week.

Long Quiz again for AnaPhy. Totally brain drain.

The bookshop. We haven't interacted much with Mansoor these days. He said he's busy ,too.

Then shift again. I was so sleepy.

April 7 to April 13, 2013:

Sunday:

I studied for upcoming exams and completed all my homework and chores before going to my shift. The bookstore was busy, making it hard to concentrate. I made another video and went home at 11.

Monday:

No classes today, but I had to meet with my groupmates for editing. I was waiting for Mansoor's entry; he said he was in the area. We had a quiz in Psych Stats. Tomorrow is a holiday.

Tuesday:

It's a holiday, so I checked on my herbs. Mansoor sent me his photos and entry, which I edited and integrated into mine. I gave it to Fiona for finalization. She invited me to her house, so in the afternoon, I went to Trancoville. She was gracious, and we talked, especially about her trip to Hong Kong, which explained her week-long absence. I hadn't noticed she was gone. She asked about Mansoor and me, commenting that he seemed a bit uptight. We just laughed. Fiona is good company and edited almost everything. We finished, and I went to my shift at the bookstore.

Wednesday:

We had lectures today. I received a notification that I earned a spot on the Dean's List. The awarding ceremony is on Friday. When I got home, I told my mom immediately. Only one parent is needed for the ceremony.

Thursday:

We did our group dynamics activity, which was successful. In AnaPhy, we covered the limbic system with a marathon lecture and received more homework.

Friday:

Another lecture and finalizing our project on the K-12 program, integrating various theories, followed by Psych Stats. We were excused for the Dean's List awarding. My mom and dad came with me. I received a medal and certificate. Mansoor wasn’t there, but he congratulated me later. We decided to celebrate on Sunday.

Saturday:

We worked on group dynamics for SocOr and prepared for next week’s talent show. We had a long quiz in AnaPhy, which was totally draining. I went to my shift at the bookstore. Mansoor and I haven’t interacted much these days as he’s also busy. I was so sleepy during my shift.

[stressedlawsecretary]

Today's Focus

04.26.24 - I'm being soft with myself; it's sunny and gorgeous but it's also allergy season and it's kicking my ass. I rely on OTC allergy medicine, and occasionally I'll intentionally stop taking it to see if the pollen has cleared up. Unfortunately, I live in a place with three distinct allergy seasons, and at this time, it appears I cannot go without; my head hurt so badly I left work early yesterday and it's all sinuses. I'm going out for more today, but thank god it's the end of the week at least.

Work - So, like I said, I took off early yesterday, and SJC emailed me after I left asking me to fix the formatting of a document she accidentally fkd up. Other than that, and maybe an efile (I haven't checked if it's mine yet or not since I'm on the notification list for an AAG that's no longer 'mine') I foresee it continuing to be extremely quiet.

Background Noise - I am remote working, since it's Friday, so the background noise will be mostly the DVR. This is good, since the number is above 90% again and my father has told me there's like 12 hrs he's watched that I need to catch up on. Today if I pick up my tablet to watch YT I'm just watching the videos on the Watch Later in order; no specific focus for today, though I will skip beauty & wrestling videos as I watch those over the weekend.

I watched 25 videos on YT yesterday, which is quite good I needed to make some progress on some things.

Study - Friday & the weekend is where I try to read/finish open Wikipedia pages. Since I've been struggling with sinuses, I'm unsure how much reading I'll be able to do; it'll be hard enough to stare at a screen and format a document while my head is pounding. Ibuprofen can only do so much.

It did affect me yesterday; I only got four pages into one book, and two into another, and aside from a few Horizon/Post Office scandal articles and a random press release that's all I could accomplish. I am le tired man.

Extras - Friday means I clean out the catbox and prep it for the weekend; if I have any energy whatsoever I'll try to get some extra chores done. I am making a haddock meal tonight, after shopping with the hunny; we're prepping for Saturday's meal, which I think will be homemade fast food (chicken finger subs & filet-o-fish sandwiches.) I have three more episodes of Carranger before watching Garo over the weekend and switching back to Turboranger to finish it up next week. The second season of Freakazoid is not particularly long so that might get finished up as well, along with a couple more episodes of Krapopolis on the DVR and maybe some of the Bob's Burgers I got on there as well. I struggled to write yesterday, so I'm hoping to do better today if my headache doesn't overcome me.

[ringtrappedinamber]

Vignette 6- I wouldn’t call it a film

Mio Side

Start | Back | Forward

Mio opened her phone and showed it to her mom. 

Mio: “This is the video I did yesterday. I think I did the dance really well!”

Miharu: “Oh! You look cute! Did you make this with your club?”

Mio: “Ah… No, I did this one on my own.”

Miharu: “Ah, yeah. They’re boys right? Probably not into this kind of stuff.”

Mio frowned. 

‘This kind of stuff… Well, she’s not wrong.’ 

The day passed quickly and soon enough Mio made it to the clubroom. Lobat and Sy were listening to a recent movie’s soundtrack. Mio was doing more ‘trend’ research on her phone. 

Mio sighed loudly as she flopped forward onto the table. She checked her phone again, but sure enough the video wasn’t getting any more views.  Mio slapped her hands down on the table causing Sy and Lobat to turn towards her.

Mio: “Lobat! I joined this club to get better at making movies! So why don’t you teach me something today?”

Lobat stared at her for a moment and then made his classic ‘that sounds like a pain’ face. Mio marched over to him and handed him her phone. 

Mio: “Th-This is me doing a recent trend. It’s really popular! Even accounts with less followers than mine are getting really huge views off of it but my views won’t go up!”

Lobat clicked play. Mio leaned over him looking down at the screen with determination. 

Mio: “See? See? I’m doing the dance properly! And I think I look really cute, y’know? I had my mom do my hair differently.”

Lobat stared at the video intently. Once it finished playing he clicked play again, watching it a second time. 

Mio: “Ah! Wait! Give me your phone!”

Lobat handed his phone over. She pulled up her account on his phone and handed it back to him.

Mio: “That way it’ll count as a separate viewer…”

Sy burst out laughing. Mio grinned sheepishly. Meanwhile Lobat was just replaying the video again. He had a weirdly focused stare going on. Mio felt a little nervous with him just watching the video over and over. Even for someone like her, who shamelessly showed her videos to everyone, having them watch with that level of intensity was a bit embarrassing. 

Mio: “S-so… What’s your tips..?”

Lobat glanced up to her.

Lobat: “We didn’t make this kind of film with Austin.”

‘‘This kind’.. And what’s that supposed to mean..?’

Mio: “I-I wouldn’t call it a film..”

Lobat looked confused but didn’t press it. 

Lobat: “I’ll have to think about it...”

Mio: “Yeah, hehe. I get it. This kind of stuff isn’t as impressive as what Austin was doing. I know there’s a big difference between doing trends and actually making a movie..”

Lobat glanced at her curiously.

Lobat: “You’re… surprisingly negative, huh? I’ve got to head home early… I’ll think about it.”

Lobat got up and walked across the room, heading out the door. 

Sy: “Come on, man… you could have said it better than that…”

Sy picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. 

Sy: “Don’t hold that against him. In his own way I think he’s trying to tell you to have more confidence.”

Mio: “He didn’t help at all!” 

Sy: “I’m sure he’s just figuring out how to reply.”

Sy headed out. Mio slumped onto the table.

Mio: “And you didn’t help either…”

Mio grabbed her bag and headed home. She scrolled through her videos aimlessly. Soon she began to notice several notifications popping up on videos she’d uploaded a long time ago. 

‘Eh?!’

Someone was liking all her videos? She clicked through to the account. Barely any pictures but the few that were there were of local vistas around the city.

‘That’s Lobat, right?’ 

She got home and ate dinner. Once she was done she checked her phone again. A dozen more notifications across almost every video she’d ever made. She sat down on her bed, clicking through to his account. Before today it seemed like he hadn’t even really used his account. Now it was just a nonstop wall of liked trend videos. Well at least it wasn’t just her videos. He seemed to be liking a bunch of different ones.

Mio: “Did I accidentally get him hooked on this trend..?”

Mio sent him a message through the app.

>Mio (9:12): Lobat. Stop stalking me.

>Leiden (9:12): Not 

>Leiden (9:12): I’m not

>Leiden (9:12): I’m not stalking.

>Mio (9:13): If you like that trend I can recommend a lot of good dance trend people.  

>Leiden (9:14): Good, could you sort them by follower count and average video views? >Mio (9:15): No.

Mio sighed. What the hell was this guy up to..?  She was sure he was disappointed. They were the ‘film’ studies club. But here she was doing dances and voice over and stuff like this. She knew that she probably looked pretty unserious by their standards. 

‘Yeah.. I guess I’m a little negative…’

>Leiden (9:16): Wait, does it show you what I like? 

>Leiden (9:16): I was liking to save them.

>Leiden (9:16): To watch later.

>Leiden (9:17): Not just yours.

>Mio (9:18): Okay, got it.

Mio set the phone aside and flopped down on her bed. 

The next day at lunch Mio sat with her friends for lunch. Becca, Jess, and Dannie. Mio sighed heavily. 

Mio: “I asked the upperclassman to help with my videos.”

Becca: “Eh? The cute dance? Why’d you need help?”

Mio: “It’s not really gaining views. The upperclassman watched it. He watched a couple of my videos. But he didn’t really say anything about it..”

Becca: “I never really got the impression you were so serious about this stuff. I was honestly shocked when you told me you were joining that club.”

Jessica: “Yeah! Like! You post on social media but it never really felt like.. You know… your whole heart was in it?”

Mio glanced down and forced a small smile.

Mio: “Yeah, I guess I’ve always kind of only.. Half-tried at it.”

Dannie frowned and reached out to stroke Mio’s hair gently. Mio felt really embarrassed. 

Dannie: “You try your best on each of them. And even though I don’t know much, I know each one’s getting better.”

Mio: “Oh? Really? How so?”

Dannie flinched and pulled back. She furrowed her brow and glanced down. Mio sighed. Right. Dannie was her friend, but Dannie never really knew how to talk about this stuff. Every time she tried it always just ended up getting awkward. 

Mio: “Ah! Sorry. I got over-excited… Oh! I need to head back to class.”

Her friends looked at each other. They could tell Mio was upset but no one really knew what to say. Mio turned and trudged back to class. 

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