#anyone have like audiobooks or something
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doyouknowwhoyouare13 · 2 years ago
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I'm going to stay up tonight and finish my tote bag. I will. I will. I will.
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giantkillerjack · 1 year ago
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Me: hm, I want something to put on the TV as background noise... Huh. Looks like YouTube is recommending something called The Last Unicorn. That's perfect, it's probably some old shitty animation that has aged poorly! I can watch it ironically!
Me, 2 hours later as the credits roll: *crying, cheering, buying the book, composing the songs*
Me, 2 weeks later: So I have compiled all of the quotes from the book that I think could make good tattoos, and also, HOW HAVE I NEVER LEARNED ABOUT HOW THE LAST UNICORN FUCKING SLAPS??? This gay-ass little fairytale fed my soul! Watered my crops! Transed my gender! Can't believe I heard of this story from youtube recommendations, of all places!!
#original#the last unicorn#tlu#peter s beagle#molly gru#schmendrick#schmendrick the magician#two of my favorite characters in anything right there in the center of the story! and I'm glad I saw the film first!#my reading ability has diminished due to trauma disability etc. but it seems like having a visual reference actually really helped!#no wonder i only ever want to read fan fic! turns out reading is not actually Superior to other types of Storytelling. it's just different.#to say otherwise is snobbishness I have been eminently guilty of in my life!#but like it is easier for me to consume tv and movies and that is fine actually. also that's why I'm doing a graphic novel lol#because i wanted to make something i would actually be able to read if i found it at a library. altho the audio book IS gonna be bomb#the audiobook is for visually impaired readers and anyone who wants or needs it! accessible stories for everyone! yeah!!#my gender was already transed but now I've gained an ADDITIONAL gender! which one? I'll never tell 😘#i am so powerful i have so much fuckin gender. my wife has no gender. and she is equally as powerful.#and also she has STUDIED THE BLADE#mostly zoro's blades from One Piece#normally YouTube recommends me shit movies like idiocracy or smth this is like if every day ur cat brought you a piece of rotten food and#then one day it brings you a BEAUTIFULLY ANIMATED TALE FEATURING MY BELOVED TWINK FUCK-UP WIZARD FRIEND AND MY ALL-TIME HOMEGIRL MOLLY GRU#and also it's soft and beautiful and funny and fucking weird!! i wrote melodies to the songs in the books on my ukulele
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panthermouthh · 5 months ago
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I’ve started reading ‘Journey to the West’ and I love this stupid monkey
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llycaons · 8 months ago
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yeah forget about my other tv obligations for a bit besides iwtv and dunmeshi. this 3000-page long historical court intrigue bl is gonna be my meal for the next six months
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dan-whoell · 2 months ago
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i sure know how to pick offline days
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pikkish · 8 months ago
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What’s your favourite part about writing and are there any particular tropes or genres you prefer?
Favorite part about writing is being able to cause emotion. I absolutely LOVE it when I write something and people respond just to say how it made them feel. The more viscerally gut-wrenching, the better. I just wanna make people feel things, yknow?
for tropes and genres, I try not to be too biased. Tropes are just tools for making a story, and genres are just colors of paint, or particular flavors. A skilled writer can make any trope into a good story, and any genre appealing. Likewise, a bad writer can make any trope or genre boring. So I try to base whether or not I like a story more on how well it's constructed and written, rather than just what tropes and genres apply to it.
That said, of course, certain tools can be more fun to use, and certain flavors appeal more than others. I like anger being presented as a good thing, or at least an acceptable thing, rather than something that needs to be suppressed or gotten over. I like characters who are undeniably and unshakably good despite having every reason to turn evil. Some internal or emotional conflict is fine, of course, necessary even, but I like it when they know who they are and what they want, and their bigger problems are figuring out how to get it. No particular preference for setting, fantasy, scifi, historical, modern day, it's all fine, but I tend to shy away from romance for romance's sake stories, and/or normal guy's real life normal problems stories- I like a bit more action and adventure. I'm sure there are other things, but those are the major ones off the top of my head.
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lavender---sunshine · 2 years ago
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in all seriousness i 90% sure im going to quit my job tomorrow and for a while i will have just enough money to live on and will have to spruce up my resume and job hunt and stress but MY GOD i need to do something else because this is making me suicidal
#like actively suicidal. wanting to die in a way i have not since highschool. literally woke up and thought 'i dont want to be here anymore'#and then couldnt make myself get out of bed until like 10 minutes before i had to leave the house for job 2#i know its unprofessional but i pretty much...quiet quit i guess. i worked from home for like a month straight without telling my boss#and she called yesterday wondering about it and the whole time the only thing i could think of was 'you didnt even know for a MONTH#thats how little people communicate around here#the office culture is toxic. the people are self absorbed and shut me out. ive gone through like 6 big life events and no one knows because#no one in that office cares enough to ask. and even if i volunteer the most i get is a 'wow that wild look at this tiktok yeah anyway'#im so burnt out. i have 1 day of rest and i dont get to do that at all. so no like im not going to get up get dressed sit in traffic park#on the street because a year later they still havent given me a clicker for the parking lot and sit in the back of a warehouse for hours#talking to no one. ive literally gone days without talking to anyone there. its so lonely.#theres only so many audiobooks and podcasts and albums you can listen to before you think 'i would be ok getting hit by a truck tomorrow'#im going to hate these next few months but i just need time#and the lord works in mysterious ways because my other boss just started talking about hiring for mon/tues which are the days i work bad jo#so i would at least get those hours until i find something else stable. im going to try very hard not to be mean about it but im like...#hey girl this place sucks ass and you know it. im not negotiating#but thanks for that raise 9 months late#im giving you three weeks for find a replacement and i dont care if you fire me in that time#il work from home or panera or starbucks or library but im not stepping in that office again unless its for my minifridge and heater
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callme000 · 11 months ago
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I don't think audiobooks are bad or an inferior format - but they're not necessarily reading and they're not equivalent to oral storytelling! When people pass on stories orally, they are directly interacting with their audience, tailoring that retelling in that particular instance to that particular audience. Easiest example being campfire stories that are always about "nights like this" and "not too far from here". It's a false equivalence because audiobooks do not and cannot do that. (Ted Chiang has a very interesting story about oral storytelling called Truth of Fact, Truth of Feeling which is centered on the differences between oral and written tradition - fantastic read) The malleability of oral tradition is the most important part!
Audiobooks are wonderful for accessibility, for those who may have learning or physical disabilities that can make traditional print inaccessible - 100% in agreement. But audiobooks, especially in this day and age, are very often used as background noise when completing another task. Not saying it's impossible to be focused on an audiobook, but reading traditional print requires pretty significant active involvement and is hard to do while also dedicating some portion of your concentration elsewhere.
Imo you lose a lot with audiobooks: you can't make annotations, the reader/narrator's intonation and performance choices will color your perception of the book, it is difficult to jump between passages or sections or quickly browse through the book, you cannot really set your own pace without audio distortion - you also gain a lot: integration of music and background noise and multiple voices expand the world far beyond the page, it's great for accessibility, it can help incur a more visceral reaction (ex: Lolita's audiobook, which is excellent and I highly recommend it) in the listener.
But it is fundamentally different and I don't think it's entirely unfair to assume that people are often engaging with audiobooks in a less active way than they do with traditional print. Relinquishing your ability to "steer" the reading makes it a significantly different - and not necessarily equivalent - experience. To the point where, in my experience, it's often incomparable.
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#before anyone gets mad at me i think audiobooks are good#i do not personally like them and try to avoid listening to them#lolita is literally one of two exceptions and the other exception (alone w you in the ether) is a novel ive read multiple times#and have thoroughly engaged with prior to listening to the audiobook#world war z is also another personal exception but i could never finish it#that being said again i think audiobooks are good but the argument being made here is targeted at the very extreme end of the argument#rather than what most people who i know dont like audiobooks (comme moi) find issue with - which is that people are just.#absorbing passively#sorry for writing an essay i am avoiding work#by me#coming back to add to the tags bc i see people talking about how many audiobooks they could listen to while doing other things#but how few traditional print books they could read bc they couldn't sit down and read#that is. my point!!!! in the age of goodreads and booktok people are just. consuming#i am a fan of the romance genre and am guilty of reading 7 popcorn lit type books in a weekend i know the joy#but! like come on man i think that just proves how actually reading takes more work and effort and is inherently different than an audioboo#sorry but i do not believe you all are dedicating the same amount of attention to an audiobook while doing the dishes#as a physical book you have to sit down and read#they are not bad but like lets not act like they are interchangeable experiences#we do not have to take the moral high ground for preferring something easier#its dickish to be rude about audiobooks but i do not think it's sensible to assume the average reader and average listener are#having identical experiences w the same text and the listener is much more likely to have passively engaged w the book
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faithisland · 1 year ago
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eighth doctor audio dramas have my mind generating this incredible early 90s space age / gothic post-revival imagery that is making me consider making fan art ..?
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alchemiclee · 1 year ago
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if I had money, I would pay someone to rewrite heaven official's blessing, but lesbian. if I was rich, i'd pay someone to turn it into a whole manga
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agamemnon-sux · 1 year ago
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You can just read a book instead of listening to some awful dude drone on for hours.
Can't read a book and make choux au craquelin at the same time now can I?
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darksteel-relic · 1 year ago
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My office returned all its remote work staff to hybrid last month (the only reason I'm still there is because I got promoted to a much less stressful department with a substantial raise literally a week after the shift was announced). This week I had a pretty bad cold, extremely stuffy with a bad cough, so I called in saying 'Hey, I have a really bad cold. I'm well enough to work but I don't want to spread this to anyone at the office. I am going to be working from home today to avoid spreading this.'
When my shift came around, I saw that I had been put in as sick and couldn't clock in. I tried messaging my manager telling them 'I can still work today, but it would be irresponsible to go into the office as I am.' but I was told that today was supposed to be an in-office shift and this would have needed to be approved by HR.
If I leave my apartment the mask is on. It only comes if I am eating or drinking. I'm trying to be responsible and conscientious of the well being of others by working from home when I'm sick I'm forced to burn a sick day instead.
Everybody loses.
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elusivedew · 4 months ago
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💌 | Cubitum eamus ?
✧ synopsis ⤐ it takes you 2 years from the minute you meet spencer to confess how much you like him, and it all happens on a random wednesday night.
✧ contains ⤐ friends to lovers but they both know what's up, s3 spencer who's been through a handful of shit, brief mention of alcohol consumption on two occasions!!suggestive themes but no straight up smut, spencer reid experiences happiness for once, reader is his only hope in life, reader wants him real bad and he knows. My spencer reid debut yay! Title translates to "will you go to bed with me?" w.c ~ 9.2k
Working at the BAU is not an easy job. In fact, Spencer thinks, working at any unit in the FBI is the closest thing you'll ever get to hell on earth. This feeling of agitation and exhaustion seems to aggravate every time he's working on a particularly draining case. Not only does the content of the cases get into his head often, and sometimes into his dreams, but he's also been directly harmed by the criminals they’re chasing. How can you remain completely objective about something when you become a victim too?
Over the few years he's worked in the BAU, he's received more harm than he ever expected. Drug addiction was not something he had in his five-year plan when he first joined the FBI. It's not something anyone who works in law enforcement expects, really. 
Needless to say, he's tired. The kind of fatigue that makes you bedridden for days. 
He also happens to be alone on a Tuesday night in the middle of June. 
The latest case he worked on took a little over two weeks to wrap up, an unsub that likes to take his time and has such a disorganized MO that it was almost impossible to see the patterns. All the physical and mental work completely knocked everyone off their feet, except for him. His colleagues all went home and passed out of exhaustion, and he’s still up. 
Spencer can't sleep. He's too busy thinking. 
It's something he does a lot, for his job, for himself, for the duration of his whole life. The gears have been turning in his head since his very first word, the minute ‘mama’ was out of his baby mouth, he’d been tasked with the weight of the whole fucking universe. The price of knowing so much from a young age has cost him a lot. And tonight, it specifically costs him his peace, his right to pass out after a long day of work. 
And he'd love, more than anything, to have an off button somewhere inside. But because that hasn't been invented yet, and his nervous system feels like it's on fire, he's still up by the time it's 10 pm. It’s not late, objectively, but he’s been home for more than three hours now. He tried a lot of sleep remedies— herbal tea, audiobooks, aroma therapy, hell, even exercising to tire himself out, but all of them failed. And now he's just left with sore muscles and an even more tired brain. 
By the time it's 11 pm, he's lying on his couch, feeling like death. His head is pounding with the feeling of an oncoming migraine, and he knows that he’s in for a particularly long night.
That's when his phone rings, and because he’s so alert and so sensitive to stimuli at the moment, he almost kicks it off the coffee table. But he doesn’t do that, because he’s still a little sane despite everything.
Instead, he reaches over and checks the contact name, and his whole face lights up. He feels absolutely ridiculous for not making this call first, because his nervous system is now very much alive— and not in a way that makes him feel like an overheating microwave, no, this is a good thing. And good things don’t happen to him often. He runs his hand through his hair, a nervous habit, and picks up the call. 
Suddenly being awake doesn't feel so bad. 
“Agent Reid.”
Your voice comes through the phone like a cool breeze of air during the grueling heat of June. He finds himself relaxing a little, releasing tension he didn't know he had in his muscles when he was so distracted just a few minutes before.
“I'm begging you to stop calling me that.” 
“Aww, why not? I like feeling like your boss,” you're smiling on the other end, he can hear it, “what's his name again? Aaron?” 
He rubs his temple with a smile he can't fight off, “That's agent Hotchner to you.” 
You laugh and he feels proud of himself for eliciting such a pleasant sound out of you. He's immediately thinking of other ways to get that sound out again. If Morgan could see him now, he'd never let him hear the end of it. 
The good thing about you and Spencer is that no one knows. Not his colleagues, not your friends, not your families. That's the good thing, you get to keep this precious thing between the two of you. The bad thing is that you're not really together. You're not even romantically involved, you've never uttered the four-letter L-word around each other (like or love, both), and you don't even really flirt with each other. 
To put it into simple words, you and Spencer are just friends. 
But friends who relieve each other's stress nonetheless, and god knows Spencer needs that right now. 
“You're back from your recent trip, right?” You ask, audibly crunching on something. It sounds like you're also lying on your couch, he wonders if you were going through something similar when you decided to pick up the phone and call.
“Yeah, thank god.” 
“I take it that it wasn't a very good one then? I mean, none of them are good but, I'm guessing some are worse than others.” 
Spencer sighs, “You guess correctly.” 
“How are you feeling?” Your voice is softer when you ask, concerned, and even though he doesn't like to make you worry, your well-intended question is a very welcome sentiment. He’s almost relieved knowing that there's someone who'll always ask, someone who'll always notice. 
“Not very good. Tired.” It's a short answer, but he knows you understand. You've understood him for a very long time now, nearly two years of knowing each other. 
“It sounds like you had a very long day.” A very long month. “Why didn't you try to catch some Zs?” 
The way you phrase it makes him snort, and he knows you're proud of yourself for that one. “I can't, me and the Zs never had a very good relationship. Trust me, if I could turn my brain off, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.” 
You hum, “Do you wanna talk about it? I could give you some very valuable, life-changing insight, maybe you'll be able to go to sleep after.” 
He smiles, “I've actually had enough of this case, I'd like to talk about something else.” 
“Oh, I can definitely do that. Tell me, what did you have for breakfast?” 
Breakfast is a terrible topic, meals in general, because you know that he misses a lot of his meals when he's on the job. You always lecture him for it, berating him for being so skinny at his big age, but it's always underlined by concern. He knows you worry about him, he wouldn't blame you. 
“Not much…” He trails off, knowing you'll catch on. 
“Oh honey, I know your eating and sleeping habits are fucked, but can't you at least lie to me?” 
The way you call him honey should not be making his stomach turn like that. 
“I could never lie to you.” 
“You literally just did.” 
You both laugh and he's so, so glad you called. If he didn't think you were asleep he'd have called you first. 
“Okay well, I didn't ask that question to find out something I already know. I asked because remember that café we were constantly visiting before you went on this trip? They finally brought the chocolate chip cookies back.” 
The chocolate chip cookies case (the quadruple c) is a very vital issue in your relationship with Spencer. Because for weeks, the both of you have been visiting that place close to your apartment, hoping to get some chocolate chip cookies, only to be met by raisins. It was a very devastating experience for both of you, having to settle for something else on the menu every time. But now it’s okay! The chocolate chip cookies are back. 
Spencer is so glad he's done with his silly criminal case so he can focus on the real problems at hand.
“And I was thinking, if you're not too tired tomorrow, should we have breakfast together?” 
It's sweet, it's earnest, it's you.
It's such a characteristic gesture, asking him to have breakfast with you after particularly draining cases, checking on him as soon as you can tell he's home, and sounding so sweet and concerned over the phone when you know he's feeling down. It’s the small, thoughtful actions coming from you that have helped him keep it together so far. 
And the feelings that thought brings out in him lead him to realize, in those few seconds, that he liked you much more than he planned on. Not that he ever planned to like you in the first place, but he thought it was a small crush that would eventually go away, it’s happened before with the pretty women he befriends, and he didn’t think this time would be different. 
But it was, and now he’s totally screwed because he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to say no to you. 
“Absolutely, I can't wait to have those chocolate cookies again.” 
You're ecstatic over his response, your tone picking up about 3 octaves when you jump to discussing the other plans you have this week. Your favorite artist is releasing an album soon, your favorite game is finally available at the video game store, the finale of that show you've been talking to him about is airing in two days, and it seems like your life is full of positive sequences.
The juxtaposition between what he sees at work and the enthusiasm you bring into his life almost gives him a headache, but it could very well be sleep deprivation. He wonders if all the misfortunes that have happened to him are the evil equivalents of the things you brought into his life. 
But if all the bad things that have happened to him and around him got compensated by you, he doesn't find it such a bad tradeoff. Because meeting you on a random Monday night and somehow catching your attention enough for you to leave him your number— even when he was so frazzled by the need for coffee so he could grind out some paperwork before his deadline— it feels like he used up all his luck on that fateful encounter.
And having someone he could always meet up with, outside of work, has been very grounding. 
You talk his ears off for the rest of the night, rambling about one thing or the other until his eyelids get heavy again, and he feels tired enough to sleep. You tell him that's been your plan all along and wish him a good night. 
Later, when he’s under the covers of his bed, drifting off to sleep, for a few minutes his brain isn't aggravating him with the thoughts that have been haunting him all day. For a few minutes, all he can think about is you.
He is so fucked.
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Emily Prentiss is a very smart agent. 
She’s been told that ever since she was a little girl, and though it was often complimentary, people sucking up to her mom and whatnot, it was never a complete lie. She grew up thirsty for knowledge, mastering everything she could get her hands on, and even as an adult with a grown up job, she continues to excel at what she does
But then, if she's so smart, why the hell can she not figure out why Spencer Reid is so giddy while doing his paperwork? 
It may have to do with the fact that it's Spencer, and that kid has always been a little perplexing to her. He's bright and brilliant, but she could never truly understand how his mind works. But, at the same time, there's such a thing as habits, and Spencer is not typically so smiley while doing paperwork. No one is smiley while doing paperwork in this line of work, because it makes you relive the nightmares. For goodness’s sake, this is the behavioral analysis unit, and Spencer is behaving weirdly. 
It seems like she isn’t the only agent at the office who noticed the peculiarity. Agent Morgan stands behind her, his third cup of coffee in his hand, squinting at the young doctor. They observe him like a wild animal in his natural habitat; had they not been so tired from all the work, they would’ve been picking on him by now.
When Emily feels her presence behind him, she turns around, and they exchange a mutual look of understanding. They've never seen Reid act like that in the time that they’ve worked together, and they know one thing that they've never seen him experience during that time either. 
They realize it at the same time, and Morgan nearly drops his coffee. 
Spencer Reid is in love.
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There have been many misfortunes in the 25 years that you've been on this earth, and you're convinced that a lot of them have been aimed at you. You're the only person who has ever suffered that much during your whole life, it's a known fact. It's a fact that you like to remind Spencer of, to make him feel better about his work, and when he laughs at it, you remind him that people called Jesus a liar too.
You've been through a lot of suffering, but the task of getting dressed before Spencer knocks on your door in approximately ten minutes may just be the worst thing that's ever happened to you.
He thinks that just because he has a day off, he could pressure you into a sudden— very much unplanned— date? He thinks that shooting you a text to get dressed so you can go to the record store and then have dinner only twenty minutes before you're supposed to do the aforementioned activities is allowed? He's absolutely right, and you hate him for it. 
Not that it's really a date, you know you and Spencer have never crossed that line, but it feels like it. Especially if he's making you feel like a teenage girl high on hormones having her very first crush. Her very first date. The particular action you're thinking about has to be kept to yourself, just so you don't jinx it. 
You really shouldn't be thinking about that when you still haven't figured out which outfit to wear. More thinking about clothes, less thinking about boys. Specifically one boy. 
It takes all your willpower and energy to finish getting ready in those ten minutes. You settle for your most comfortable pair of jeans and a white button-down with a vest over it, and for good measure, you throw your coat on— the long beige-brown trench coat that makes you feel like you're Sherlock Holmes about to solve a crime. You realize that it's very fitting for an outing with a profiler, he's kind of like Sherlock Holmes if you think about it. 
It's fall now, and it's much more chilly. You hope your precious profiler brought his own coat because, as much as you care for him, you won't be lending him yours.
When he rings your doorbell, you're finishing up and tossing the rest of the necessities into your bag. You make him wait for a minute, to avoid seeming eager, and then make your way to the door.
The minute you lay your eyes on him, you feel sick to your stomach.
Spencer Reid is beautiful, this is a fact that you've known ever since you met. He pulls off the dorky yet hot look so well, with that stupid smile of his when he talks like a smartass. And you're reminded of this every time you see him, the fact that he's so adorable that it physically hurts to keep your hands off him all the time. Tonight is no different, he's dressed in a dark button-down with a brown vest over it, covered by a beige coat that contrasts the dark colors beautifully. It takes you a couple seconds to realize you're wearing similar outfits, almost like a matching couple.
“Copycat.” You accuse, fighting off a smile with warm cheeks. He grins in retaliation, “Hello to you too.”
God, he’s beautiful. In the dim light of your apartment's entrance, you catch the gleam of his eyes. They're warm, earthy, and familiar, you don't think you'd ever stop staring at his eyes if you had the chance to do it without looking crazy. His eyelashes are unfairly long, and his light brown hair forms waves around his face like a frame around an artwork. He always tucks a few stray strands behind his ear, and you always mess it up for him– which is something you do for two reasons, you like annoying him, and you desperately want to touch his hair. It’s just simply unfair for him to be born that beautiful. 
He seems to notice you staring because his cheeks are a little pink, and he has a little bashful smile on his face. “Ready to go?” He scans your form like the little detective he is, “Looks like you could get ready in 20 minutes after all.” 
Now you remember why you were so annoyed at him, good looks be damned. 
“Oh shut up, never do that again.” 
“Or what? You'll cuss me over text messages again? How will I ever live with that.” 
His shy smile is replaced with a smug grin, and you hate to admit it, but it's one of your favorite looks on him. Because Spencer isn't always able to genuinely smile like that, he's usually stressed about one thing or the other; and knowing him, he's always reliving some terrible event that happened in the past two years, and sometimes even further back in time. So while his amusement comes at your expense, you'd rather see him smiling like this all the time. 
“God, you're so mean to me.” 
Even though you mean to sound stern, you can't hide your smile. 
You pick up your keys from the hanger by the door and toss them into your handbag, he follows your movements with his eyes, “that's not true. I'm always so nice to you, sometimes a little too nice.” 
You lock your door behind you and give him a fake offended look, “You could never be too nice to me. Let's go, agent Reid. We've got a long night ahead of us.” 
Then you're strutting ahead of him, motioning for him to follow you like a helpless little intern. Even though he rolls his eyes and laughs in disbelief, he ends up following you anyway.
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‘Albert’s records’ has been your favorite record store since you moved into your apartment in Quantico— and not only because you’ve met Albert, the sweetest little old man to ever exist, but also because Spencer always looks mystified inside the store. It’s like something about vintage things just makes him tick. 
You're checking out vinyls that are selling for discounted prices, old pieces of famous artists and commonly known albums, while he's looking at the posters on the walls, admiring the artistic work of the rustic-looking store. He’s always trailing behind you, and you don't mind because it makes you feel safe and cared for. You didn't know being trailed by an FBI agent could feel so comforting. 
Your eyes catch on a certain record, and you turn around, “Hey, Spencer.” 
He stops eyeing the posters on the wall and turns to you, hair falling over his shoulders adorably. 
“What do you think of this?” 
You're holding a classic black Billy Joel vinyl in your hand, careful not to hold it too tightly. It's his 1977 release of The Stranger, an album you're not too familiar with. You've only listened to Vienna and a few other songs. Spencer eyes the cover carefully like it triggers a memory deep inside his brain. You're expecting him to go on a tangent about Billy Joel and 70s music, but you're instead met by a very sentimental response. 
“My mom loved that one.” 
He's quiet, using that careful but lost tone of voice, and you worry that you accidentally triggered something unpleasant. You knew Spencer had a complicated relationship with his parents, namely his mother. On the rare occasion where he had a few too many drinks, he spilled a lot more than he intended to. Drunk Spencer was always so painfully honest and you admired how easily his filter would come off a few drinks in, but you never wanted him to feel embarrassed by it. On those particularly emotional nights— after he calls you to pick him up because he's too drunk to drive— you would listen to him ramble the whole drive to your apartment, force him to stay over so you can take care of his pounding headache in the morning, and hold him until he passes out on your couch like a partying college student. 
Something he’s never been before.
Those incidents have led you to know more about Spencer than he ever thought he could share, and one of those sensitive topics just happens to be his mom. It's not an uncomfortable topic, you've talked about it before when he's not too drunk to realize what's going on. Even though it was hard for him at first, talking about it became easier the more he shared, you understood more and more things without him telling you. 
And because you’ve talked about it, you're not scared of his response when you ask with a lighthearted smile, “is that a bad thing?” 
That seems to bring him back to earth, and he gives you a reassuring smile, “No, not at all, just brought me back to some memories I'd honestly forgotten about.” 
You hold the record to your chest, almost certain that you're going to buy it now, “Well would you like to make some new memories in relation to this record?” 
Would you like to come to my apartment and listen to it with me?
“Yeah, I'd love to.” He smiles in a way that makes you feel a little lightheaded, knowing he's comfortable sharing this much of himself with you. It's so intimate, knowing that in this public store, you're still sharing private moments that no one else knows about.
You’re about to go back to checking out vinyls, trying to conceal the giddy feeling bubbling in your chest, when a high-pitched voice intrudes on the moment you were having with Spencer. 
“Oh my god.” 
You both turn to look at the source of the voice and when you look to Spencer to see what this is about, he looks like he recognizes the source. He looks terrified. Your gaze falls on two blonde girls, one gaping at the sight of you, and the other being the source of the dramatic reaction that broke through the silence a few minutes ago.
Her blonde hair is styled in waves and she's wearing such a colorful, creative ensemble that you're mesmerized by the intricate details of her outfit. The hair clips, the makeup, the platforms that she's wearing, you wanted to talk to this girl so bad. 
And it seems like you're in luck today, because she's immediately rushing to your side with wide mesmerized eyes.
“Wonderboy, you've been hiding her from us for how long exactly?” 
You're guessing “wonderboy” is Spencer since she seems to be his friend and your chest feels warm knowing his friends nickname him such cute things. Spencer deserves to be known for all his good traits after all, and he sure as hell is your boy of wonder. 
“Garcia, please, I'm begging you to act normal about this right now.” He mutters, trying his best to keep this conversation quiet.
She shakes her head, “This is the most normal I can act about you hiding a girl from us.” Then she turns to you again, extending her arm for you to shake. You eagerly extend yours back. “Penelope Garcia, tech analyst at the FBI, and genius boy's co-worker. Oh and, your source for any dirt you want on genius Reid over here.” 
That explains how someone like her is in Spencer's social circle, but it doesn't explain how someone so bubbly could work at such a gloomy unit. Working for the government when she should be at the club? It's a crime to you. 
“They're keeping a gem like you in a dark, creepy room to dig up information for them?” 
You honestly didn't know you could commit such flattery and Spencer is looking at you in disbelief, but she giggles at your poorly concealed flirting and you feel proud of yourself. 
“Oh, wonder boy, how did you ever snag a wonderful girl like her.” 
Spencer is blushing so hard at this point you could probably fry an egg on his face. You're introducing yourself to Penelope, filling her in on your occupation, when the other blonde introduces herself as Jennifer Jareau, JJ for short, and she's even more excited to meet you. 
She's also heavily pregnant, and you hope that she's currently on maternity leave. 
“We were looking for more records that this little guy here could listen to, it's incredibly engaging to include him in our vinyl pick-out process.” JJ rubs her stomach as she explains and you're so fascinated by the idea of childbearing and birth for a few seconds that you almost forget that it's terrifying. 
“What about you guys?” Penelope jumps in, eager to put Spencer on the spot again. 
“Oh we, uh,” Spencer's eyes shift between you and the two girls, like he's surrounded and begging you for help, “we're just checking out the vinyls on sale.” 
“Yeah, I was honestly waiting for these discounts because I'm not selling a kidney for some records, you know?” You step in, hoping to take some heat off Spencer, because the poor boy looks like he’s about to combust.
You're also well aware that the two girls in front of you think you and Spencer are dating, but they haven't said it out loud and Spencer hasn't attempted to correct their assumptions, so why would you be the one to ruin their fun? You'll let them think you're on a date. 
“Oh that's so true,” Penelope nods in understanding, “it's like I just want to listen to music, you know?” 
You nod in understanding, you do know. 
And you also know that you're absolutely going to adore Penelope Garcia and JJ and everyone that you meet who’s involved in Spencer's life. Even though this meetup is so completely unplanned and coincidental, it makes you excited knowing you can prod Spencer about more details now, talking about work in a way that doesn't concern the cases. You’d kill for some office gossip that doesn’t involve yourself.
“Oh, Morgan is going to lose it when he hears about this,” JJ says, almost talking to herself. 
Penelope jumps to add more wood to the forest fire, “Oh my God, remember what he said to Emily? He was right.” That catches Spencer's attention, “what did he say to Emily?” 
“He said that you're all giggly at work because you're in love.” Penelope answers without missing a beat, and she says it so casually, as if she didn't basically strip Spencer naked right in front of you. 
You’re subtly stealing glances at him from the corner of your eye, suppressing a smile at the way he blushes deeply and looks at the ground as if he wants it to swallow him whole right now. Something tells you you're absolutely going to love Penelope and he's going to pay the price for that relationship. 
“Spencer is giggling at work?” You ask, like she just told you he joined a cult.
Penelope nods eagerly, “Oh yeah, I've never seen someone look so cheerful while doing paperwork, every time I'm out of my office for a coffee refill he's just there giggling to himself like he's hearing voices. Except the voices turned out to just be a pretty girl, which I have to say,” she puts her hand over her heart dramatically, “I’m so glad it did.” 
Spencer squeezes his eyes shut, the shame overwhelming him, “I'm begging you to stop talking.” 
Penelope and JJ are giggling, enjoying torturing him like this for your pleasure, and you’re close to joining them, but you choose to stay loyal to Spencer— if only to make sure he doesn’t get a migraine from all this embarrassment. But you're also just giddy, knowing Spencer cannot conceal his infatuation with you to save his life. Despite all the hints here and there that he definitely likes you, and all the discreet touching and staring at your lips when you talk —something you know he can't tell you noticed— the way he doesn't deny any of what's being said tells you that you're, at the very least, a person of interest. 
A person of Spencer's interest. Your smile is getting harder and harder to hide.
“Okay, okay, lovebirds, we'll leave you alone now. But trust me, you haven't heard the end of this, once Derek finds out, oh Spencer Reid, you might never want to step foot in that building ever again.” You nod eagerly, excited to hear more about how they’ll taunt him later on. They give you their rushed goodbyes as Penelope guides JJ outside the store, you can hear her quietly complain about leaving empty-handed when she came all the way, but your mind is someplace else, neurons buzzing with ideas of how to torment Spencer now that you’re alone again.
You turn to look at him, no longer holding back your smile, “so…” 
He immediately puts a finger to your lips, “Don't start.” 
You reach for his hand to move it away, giggling like a schoolgirl, “you're fawning over me at work? Oh my God, Spence, I didn't know you were that far gone, baby.” You hold onto his hand, as a way to restrain him, but also because you just want to hold his hand. 
“I was not fawning, they made it all sound so much worse than it actually was.” You raise your eyebrows at him and he continues, looking more flustered. “I was smiling, can I not smile to myself anymore?” 
You absentmindedly lace your fingers with his, bringing your joint hands to your chest like something precious, “You're smiling like a lovesick fool about me at work, Spencer, you're so fucked.” 
Your amusement is so palpable, and your cheeks hurt from smiling, but there’s also something else there.
Something you haven’t fully experienced before, not its rawness and neediness. Something that you can tell will grow in your chest until it fully conquers your whole body and claims your mind. You don't know what you'll call it yet, but it's something a lot like love. 
“Alright alright, I get it. It's National Embarrassing Spencer day, let's buy this record and get out of here. We have a dinner to get to.” 
The weight of his hand in yours almost made you forget you were still holding the record, handling it so carelessly just to bring him closer. You realize you're drunk on affection, and eager to have more of his attention for the rest of the night. When he doesn't make a move to remove his hand from your hold, only dragging you behind him to check out, you feel like there will be a lot of new developments tonight.
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The rest of the night goes as well as you would imagine.
Despite your incessant teasing, you have plenty of conversations that aren't centered around embarrassing Spencer and enjoying it. You sip wine together while he tells you about the letters he's been sending his mom; apparently, he's started telling her about you. While you're surprised he's only just doing it now, he confesses that he wanted to wait until he was sure you'd stay before he made such a decision. Unfortunately, with his line of work, he's right to be worried about things like that, but you stayed anyway, and now his mom knows about you. 
And you have her favorite record in a plastic bag that you carry on the way home. 
When his car pulls up to your building, you're hesitant to get out. You don't feel like the night is over yet. It was lovely and unforgettable, meeting his friends, learning about his mom, and having a very nice dinner together, but you feel like there's still one more topic that needs to be discussed. 
When you don't make a move to get out of the car yet, he calls out your name in concern. You turn to look at him and your gaze is so intense he's almost intimidated.
“Is everything okay?” 
You nod absentmindedly, too lost in trying to figure out what's missing from such a wonderful night. 
“Well, we're here. This is your apartment, you know?” You can tell that's not the sentence he aimed for, but you're aware that Spencer stumbles over his words when he's nervous. You don't fault him for it. 
You give him a genuine smile, “Yeah, I know.” 
Then you're moving to unlock the car door, the newly bought record in your hand, and you get one leg out of the car before you realize exactly what this night is missing. 
“Spencer?” You turn to him, he's already looking at you. 
“Yes?” 
Slowly, carefully, you ask, “would you like to come upstairs?” 
Your apartment is somewhere that he's only seen while extremely drunk, hammered out of his mind. You realize that this is the first time you invite him up when he's actually well enough to walk on his own, and you also realize that it means something to you. You hope it also means something to him. 
“Uh, yeah, sure? If you want me to walk you to your door, I'll definitely do that.” He's picking at the leather covering the wheel, cheeks slightly flushed like they’d been earlier. Multiple times during the night, you note how he’s always glowing red around you like a pulsating organ. Is it the slight chill of the weather or the heat behind your eyes? You hope it’s the latter. 
“I think you know what you want.” 
You weren't sure if he knew, but knowing Spencer, a line like that will trigger him into thinking about it so hard that he'll actually figure it out. You watch the gears turn in his head but he still looks confused, you hope that by the time you get to your door, he'll realize what you're talking about. 
“I'm not sure, but I'll figure it out.” You give him one last smile before you exit the car. 
True to his word, Spencer walks you up to your door after parking his car somewhere close. When you reach the apartment, as you dig for your keys in your purse, he stands next to you, looking a little lost because he clearly didn’t expect this. He fiddles with the ends of his vest while observing you. 
You unlock your door and get inside, leaving it open so he can follow you. You drop your purse on your dining table and lay the record down next to it, watching from the corner of your eye as he steps into your apartment cautiously, like he's stepping over booby traps. 
The door locks and you can't escape the conversation any longer. You also can't bear seeing him so lost, because god blessed him with eyes that make him look like a sad baby deer all the time. And every time he uses them on you, you immediately cave, because letting him suffer feels like letting a baby animal die.
“Spence.” You call, sultry and slow.
If you catch the way he slightly jumps at your voice, you don’t react.
“Yes?” He’s quiet, worried.
You lean back against your table, a relaxed smile on your face, “you know why I brought you here, right?”  
He swallows, tucking his hair behind his ear. “A woman inviting her date up to her apartment could lead to a variety of things, but most commonly it leads to either sexual intercourse or murder.” His cheeks heat up at the words ‘sexual intercourse’ and you want to eat him alive. “And I'm kind of hoping you didn't invite me up here to kill me.” 
You raise an eyebrow, the desire to tease him so strong and unforgiving, “So you hope I'll have sex with you then?” 
That really gets him. His whole face goes red— blood rushing down his neck and up to his ears. He opens his mouth to say something, but he can't. Instead, he just opens and closes it a couple of times, unable to articulate anything. If you were in a different situation, you'd have called him a fish, but you also realize something very critical: he doesn’t deny your previous statement.
“Spencer,” you call his whole name this time, voice low and heavy with something that alarms him further. “Can you come here, please?” 
He hesitantly leaves his spot, taking slow, careful steps to your side. He stands at a considerable distance, making sure he gives you your personal space. If he’d done this at any other time, you’d have been fawning over how considerate he is, but right now you want him as close as possible, personal space be damned. 
Feeling particularly brash, you reach out and pull him closer by a fistful of his shirt. He’s startled, but he lets you move him closer as if he were a rag doll, now you're barely a few inches away from him. Your hand moves to his neck, feeling the warmth that spread there a few minutes ago, the warmth that you caused. If it feels like it's getting warmer under your touch, you don't comment on it. 
It's the first time you've touched him this much, this intimately, and it feels like you've been missing out for the past two years. 
He watches you carefully, eyebrows furrowed as he tries to figure out what you're aiming for. This is probably how he acts at work, you think, staring at something until he’s able to break it open and decipher its message, will he decipher your message too?
You look up at him through long lashes, peering into his eyes, hoping to communicate something with your eyes before you can put it into words. You feel a certain need in your stomach, tying knots and constricting your airways— it's what you guess people would call butterflies. Right now, you'd call it absolutely torture. 
“Spencer.”
It's the third time you've called his name so far, and this time your noses are touching and you practically breathe his name onto his lips. This encourages him to put an arm around your waist and raise the other to cup your face affectionately. You lean into his touch, welcoming the reciprocation.
“I'm here,” his voice is low, more certain now, almost like he figured you out, “you can tell me.” 
You nearly melt in his hands now that he's using that self-assured voice. You love it when he's shy, but god do you adore it when he talks like he knows exactly what to do with you. The things you'd let him do to you would probably get you placed on a watch list, but you don't mind as long as he's the one watching. 
“You know what I want to say, don't you?” 
He blinks, the gold flakes in his eyes so striking when you're this close, “maybe I do, but I'd like to hear you say it.” 
He's in no place to be making such demands. He should be melting in your hands, not the other way around. You shouldn't be getting this weak at the knees just because he's using that stupid husky tone, sounding like he knows all your secrets. But, fuck, he absolutely knows all your secrets. He could probably read you like an open book— which you actually wouldn't mind at all because you've seen the way his hands stroke the pages when he's reading, and you'd love for those fingers to be all over you like they're all over those stupid books.
Your eyes glaze over with desire and you're getting impatient, while he watches you like he's studying your next move. Goddamn profilers and their dirty work. He should be getting dirty with you.
You mutter a quiet fuck and step back to separate your bodies; even though there's no place to go because the table is right there, you're at least not directly face to face anymore. His warm breath on your lips was driving you insane, and you brought him up here to talk, you needed to have this conversation. For your sanity. 
He gives you space, because he's always been so caring and so perceptive about what you need, and the gesture makes you want to bounce on him. You have to remind yourself that if you keep thinking with your lower regions, this will be a counterproductive night.
You realize you can't do this while standing up, so you hoist yourself up on the table, and wiggle around till you get comfortable. Your trench coat isn't bending to your will and it takes you some more shuffling to beat it down. You really should've taken it off when you stepped in through the door. 
The sound of Spencer's chuckle makes you realize that he's still here and he's very much observing your embarrassing fight with a trench coat. Your cheeks feel warm, but this is not the most shameful thing you've done tonight, and you're probably aiming to beat that record anyway. 
“Don't laugh at me,” you mutter, embarrassed but smiling. 
“Okay,” he laughs, “I won't.” 
“God, you're such a liar. Is everybody at the FBI full of lies?” 
He shrugs, “Depends on who you ask.” 
You laugh and you're so in awe at how all the stress leaves your body so easily when he's talking to you, it makes you wonder why the hell you can't just say it. One sentence, something he already knows, something anyone would probably know by observing you for five minutes, it should be easy. But as obvious as it is, you're also well aware that once you say it, it becomes real. And you can't escape It. You can't pretend like it's something casual between you if you get your heart broken, or if he feels like you're moving too fast. The minute those words are out of your mouth, you'll have to confront the reality of your situation. 
And you're scared. 
You're scared that once you say those words and it becomes a real living thing, you could actually lose Spencer. You could get into an argument later and it ruins everything between you, or he could fall out of love, or you could fall out of love. There are so many bad endings to a relationship and the possibilities make you hesitate. 
Spencer must've noticed that you're taking a while to speak, that you're too busy stressing out about it, because he comes close again (leaving enough space for the holy spirit this time) to gently hold your hand. It works like he intends it to. The skin-to-skin contact is grounding and you relax a little, wishing you could just melt into him and never have to go through any uncomfortable conversations.
But when you look up at him, and you're met with the familiar trustworthy eyes of the guy who has been your god-given solace for months now, you wonder how the hell you could ever rethink taking a chance on him. 
Even if the risk is terrifying and you're scared of ruining things, you know Spencer would be worth the try. Plus, fantasizing about a reality where it works out and you get married in a few years is actually much more fun than thinking about impending doom. 
You don't want the world to end before you tell Spencer the raw truth of your feelings, and not through subtle gestures or sneaky glances, you want him to hear the whole thing. 
You squeeze his hand for one final reassurance. He smiles and squeezes your hand back. 
“Spencer, I've got something very important to tell you.” 
Slow and stead. 
“I'm listening.” 
You lick your lips. 
“Okay well, remember how I told you a few months ago that there were currently no guys who were interested in me?” 
He nods.
“Well, I lied.” 
He raises his eyebrows, amused at the route you're taking, “oh yeah?” 
You nod, swallowing heavily, “Yeah, yes. There was this… guy at my job, he doesn't work there anymore because he got transferred because of ‘new chances’ or whatever, but he was working with me this time last year, you know? Anyways, he'd get really close to me whenever we were handling the same task, not in a sexual harassment way but in an ‘I have a crush on you’ way. And I realized that he was interested in me because he kept dropping hints and I'm, surprisingly, not that oblivious. I can tell when a guy likes me. He actually asked me out once to this new donut place near the office, but I declined because he has really bad table manners to be honest and, god I'm glad he's not working with us anymore because he'd hog all the coffee and we could barely find anything to drink by the end of the day— but that's not the only reason I rejected him, I actually rejected him because… because I couldn't imagine going out with anyone else who wasn't you, and I guess what I'm trying to say is- that's when I realized that I like you, Spencer. And I've liked you for almost a year now.” 
You're out of breath by the time it's all out, but incredibly relieved. You look up at Spencer and he has this amused twinkle in his eyes and a very dumb smug smirk on his face. Once you're fully and completely done with your little speech, the first thing he does is laugh.
You're so offended you immediately take your hand away from his and slap his chest, “Don't fucking laugh, I just confessed my feelings for you.” You hit him some more, but he won't stop laughing, “Spencer, this is so fucking rude, oh my god, just reject me like a lady if you're going to mock me like this.” 
He catches your hand before you land another weak punch on his arm, and you have very little time to react before he reaches forward, cupping your face with his other hand and joining your lips for a long-awaited kiss. 
You've fantasized about the way he kisses for a very long time. After you’d heard about his little make-out session with that actress in the pool, it took everything in your body to resist asking him to take you next. You've thought about kissing him nearly every night when you were falling asleep, he was even haunting some of your dreams like a fiend, kissing you like his life depended on it, only for you to wake up to the cruel, harsh reality of never having kissed Spencer Reid.
But that reality is different now. 
He uses both his hands to cup your face and angles your head just right to get as much contact as possible. He tastes like the wine you've been drinking all night and smells like cedar wood and sage. God, even when kissing you he has to smell like a perfect little herbal garden? You'd get mad at him if his lips moving against yours weren't melting away every ounce of sophistication you have in your body. 
You use the chance to be greedy and reach your hand into his hair, making sure to mess it up so that there’s proof that you were here, in his arms, kissing him. 
He's sweet with his kiss, despite knowing you both waited for it for so long, he doesn't push you to go further even though you'd love for him to. You'd let him take you on this table right now.
But the absolute worst thing about Spencer is that he's so respectful that he pulls away after a few seconds to watch for your reaction. He's flushed with desire and his eyes have gone dark in a way that you've only seen when he was really angry. You can tell that he's restraining himself to not make you uncomfortable. His eyes scan your face eagerly, his hands resting on either side of your face.
“God, you're so… ridiculous.” 
The comment is so unexpected that you laugh, and the sexual tension seems to ease into just… sexual existence. “Hey, what's that for? You're going to kiss a girl and then immediately insult her?” 
His smile mirrors yours, “my apologies, your highness. I have just never heard such a ridiculous confession in my life before.” 
You frown, lips curling into a pout, “not true, that actress in the pool had a ridiculous confession too.” She didn't, but you never fully got over her kissing Spencer before you could. 
“Oh yes, I'm sorry, I forget about any other woman when I'm with you.” Then he plants a quick kiss on your lips with a poorly concealed smile, and you can just tell that he's going to be doing that a lot to get away with whatever bullshit he's spewing. 
“You’re unbelievable, Spencer Reid.” 
Then you’re kissing him again, craving more of what he gave you during the first kiss. The desperation for contact has you pulling him closer by his collar, leaning into the kiss like you were starving before him. When he finally slips his tongue into your mouth, you moan so pathetically it makes his grip around you tighten, body drawing impossibly closer to yours.
You're kissing for such an extended period of time that you're dizzy from the lack of air when he pulls away, and you're greeted by that lovely shade of crimson on his face. You desperately want to find out just how red he can get and in what other places.
You're admiring his face, lost in the haze of the kiss, and chewing absentmindedly on your lips when you suddenly remember something very important. You draw back a little to shoot him a very serious look. 
“Hey, you never said you liked me back.” 
He laughs in disbelief, “do I have to?” 
You nod like a petulant child, seriously alarmed.
He playfully rolls his eyes, “alright, I like you too,” he kisses you, “I like you a lot actually.” 
You're satisfied with that answer, melting into his touch again, like a helpless pet. You admire the post-makeout look that adorns his face and makes him more beautiful than you could ever imagine, and he gazes at you with stars in his eyes. For a while, it feels like the universe belongs to the two of you and no one else. 
Until you remember how late it is and the fact that Spencer actually works tomorrow, then you're not that happy anymore. 
“What's wrong?” He asks, nose rubbing against yours as if you could ever focus on anything when he's that close. 
“You have work tomorrow, and it's very late…” 
He draws back from you, as if broken out of the trance by your words, “Oh no, you're right.” He's starting to move away when something inside you kicks in and suddenly your legs are flying to lock around his waist to secure him in place. He raises his eyebrows at you, amused and surprised.
“You can't do this.” 
You nod your head menacingly, “oh yes I can.” You know he could easily break out of your hold if he really wanted to, but the fact that he's entertaining your antics tells you that he's not very eager to leave either. 
“Angel, I have to go to work in the morning. Like an adult with responsibilities, you know?” 
If you were in your right mind, you'd be offended at that comment, but he's just kissed you senselessly and then called you ‘angel’ for the very first time. No one could blame you for not being very wise. 
“You can still go to work in the morning, you just... don't have to leave right now.” 
“You want me to stay? Here?” You nod. “My love, you don't even have a change of clothing that can fit me.” 
“Then sleep naked. I won't complain.” 
He laughs, “What about a toothbrush? You don't have an extra one for me.” 
“I change my toothbrush once every three months and I always buy extra, so I do actually have a completely sealed, never used before brush that you can use. It will be yours from now on.” 
He shakes his head in disbelief but you can tell he's starting to budge, your technique is working. 
Plus there's the unsaid promise that, if he stays, there will be a lot more kissing going on. 
“And you want me to go to work tomorrow in this same outfit?” 
“Mhm, we'll hang it and it will be just fine.” 
“I don't have my badge with me, I can't go to work without my badge.” 
You scoff. “Then wake up early and drive by your place, stop creating irrelevant problems, Spencer.” 
He’s in disbelief at your brazenness but seems to cave in anyway. “Fine, yeah, I'll stay.” 
You smile, very proud of yourself, “yes you will.” 
At this point, you're aware that your leg is still around his waist, and you're holding him in place like you took him hostage, but you honestly don't feel like letting him go just yet. Months of pining for him like a lovesick fool, you think you deserve to relish in the power you exert over him. He seems to notice the hunger for power in your eyes because he's coming closer again, placing his hands on either side of your thighs. 
“You have other plans for me tonight, don't you?” He's using that husky tone again and looking at you with glazed-over hazel eyes. Like a predator hunting its prey. 
You place your arms around his neck, back where they belong, “and if I do? Will you punish me, officer?” 
His warm breath fans over your lips and you're shaking to your core with anticipation, “I don't know, maybe I will.” 
Then he puts an end to all your antagonizing conversations that are distracting you from more important matters by bringing you in for another eager kiss. You take all of him in, the stubborn grip he has on your face, the teeth clashing when he shifts your positions, the low moan he releases when you pull on his hair — you take everything he gives you with eagerness and hunger. You could swallow him up whole right now if you could. 
When he pulls away to take a breath and you're confronted by his disheveled face once more, you realize that there are a lot of things you're going to do to him tonight. You realize that it’s going to be a good while before either of you goes to sleep.
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sksninja · 1 year ago
Note
Comments/kudos/feedback are great and wonderful things to be treasured (and screenshot and saved in a photo to shower in love when you need it), but the heart of the passion MUST come from you.
This truth is relevant for any creative medium and is more prevalent the more niche the artform.
If I were to count the number of people who've asked for podficcing advice, got started, and then dropped the practice LESS THAN A YEAR LATER because "no one liked it," that number would be at least 5 (and that's just those that messaged me personally).
Loving your own stuff is hard (I promise I understand), but while there are definitely people out there that will love your works (and maybe even tell you about it if you're lucky) that love has to start somewhere. May as well be you.
Vent ask: Someone in one of my fandoms has recently started posting her big colour coded spreadsheet that compares her fic stats. She uses it as an illustration of the ratio of comment threads to hits on her giant multichap fic. Then she complains that the ratio is unfair to her because she made this big fic and gets a lot of hits and people aren't lavishing her with enough praise. Then she says that her readers owe her, saying things like it's "paying the piper." (She's not very good at metaphor.)
Obviously, I did the normal thing and just blocked her but I feel like people who see this kind of behaviour in fandom and politely ignore it should get a little treat sometimes, for all our unnoticed forbearance. For about one second I was beset by the urge to leave her a comment explaining that I had actually read several chapters of her fic and that it was not very compelling to me.
--
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closetedgtaccount · 19 days ago
Text
G/t Literature Megathread!
Hi! I've been a lurker in the G/t community here on Tumblr since around 2011-ish? I'm addicted to G/t literature, and I hoard it like crazy. I wanted to share this for anyone looking for something to read, or if they're new to the community. Feel free to reblog with any recommendations, or even to just promote your own stuff, because I'd love to read more!
Unstuck Together (@sizebrained)
A cute romance story between two pairs of human/borrower siblings! Lots of great fluff in this. I made sure to put it at the top because it doesn't get nearly as much attention as it should.
A Fraction of Justice (@ratcatcher0325)
Smal wannabe lawyer is (understandably) very angry at the world that treats him like an animal. Lots of amazing hurt/comfort in this, and the relationship between Alexander and Natalie is really sweet! Probably one of my favorite G/t stories out there!
The Walls Won't be There Forever / Cold Weather (@clumsiestgiantess)
I just linked to clumsiest's writing masterpost here, since I love most of their work! "The Walls Won't be There Forever" and "Cold Weather" are definitely some of my favs tho, since I probably have a preference for G/t angst lol.
Online Dating Can Be Hard (@duckit7)
I love Cam and Kate! There's roughly equal amounts of fluff and angst in this story, and I eat it up. Really like the worldbuilding too; it's a modern setting where smallfolk (Parvuses) are supposed to be treated equally to humans, but has a lot of the roadblocks you would expect. I feel like not enough stories use this kind of setting, which is a shame because it's prime for angst! As a heads up, this story is split up across Duckit's Tumblr and AO3; both of which are included in the link above!
One Shot (@narrans)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/39455319
An amazing collection of G/t stories by Narrans! A lot of these stories contain some good angst, and Narrans is a great writer! I'd also recommend checking out their other series as well, such as A Tall and Small Collection. They also provide audiobook style readings of their works on their youtube channel (linked above), which has been very helpful for me when I'm at work or on walks!
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biancadoes1 · 2 months ago
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Through the last year, we have heard both from Luke and Nicola’s mouth’s that there was a connection and chemistry from when they first met. Luke even admitted that he has a terrible memory, but can recite exactly how he and Nic met and how she made him feel. Nic has stated multiple times she doesn’t have a relationship with anyone in her life like she does with Luke. They both really struggle to DTR (define the relationship). Whether this is intentionally sneaky or they simply don’t know how to express how deep their relationship is, it’s clearly a special bond that they share.
With that being said, the past 6 months have been filled with what many of us would call “Easter eggs” or even “coincidences” per se. However, I’ve always seen these little moments as a part of the Red String Theory.
For anyone who doesn’t know what the Red String Theory is, it is essentially a belief that an invisible red string connects people who are destined to be together. The string will always pull them back together no matter what. Similar to fate and destiny, the red string is a “physical” metaphor to demonstrate that they’re meant to be. No matter how many twists, turns, and others trying to break it, it will stay connected until they end up together.
There are SO MANY moments that people could label coincidences or Easter eggs, but if we want to go deeper - intentional or not - it’s their red string tying them to each other. Also, you can only have so many coincidences before it’s not a coincidence anymore. My rule has always been if it happens twice, it’s a coincidence, now three times, we’re talking more about a pattern or something more than just a happy accident.
Below are moments in my mind that make me see their red string and I feel are not just coincidences:
Nic using “Birds of a Feather” on her Tatcha ad back in September: Now, I totally see where people are coming from saying that this was just a song she liked. For anyone who saw Nic post her Spotify Wrapped, Billie Eilish was on there. It could have been an unintentional song choice, but what links it to Luke is the fact that he referenced that song throughout the tour, specifically in edits he saw of them. Also, the Fashion Awards the other night, this song makes an appearance as it is the song chosen as Nic is walking on stage to present an award. We are now at 3 times this song has been referenced intentionally or unintentionally in regards to Luke and Nic.
The flight/airport pictures: Again, a moment that could be seen as intentional or unintentional. Regardless, Luke never posts anything that is personal, so it can be inferred that it was a work trip, but we really don’t know. Nic posted on a plane that was taken the same day as Luke’s pic, but we never saw them on the same trip. Well, Luke we don’t know where he was, BUT we didn’t see any pictures of him in NYC with Nic. Does that mean he wasn’t there? No. Was this intentional or unintentional? Idk, up to opinion. It was just an unusual post to see from both of them at the same time. That little string loves to yank on them!
The color red: Red baggate is so exhausting (that damn bag A had was not THE red bag). However, that similar shade of red has appeared with both Luke and Nic. With Luke, we see that bag that he left in the story he posted. With Nic, it was her fall color of the season when she was attending Gucci events. Also, she has a red bag that could be THE red bag, but we only saw a glimpse of it. So, now we have something that is physically red connecting them.
The damn audiobook: Okay, Nic, I get it, you are a smart business woman. So, of course a romance book about two actors of a regency show who film intense sex scenes together and then actually fall in love is just all a marketing thing. Right? No. This book fell in Nic’s lap. She could have chosen any book (she has done many audiobooks), but she chose this one. Her fans would’ve listened to it regardless of what the book was about, but this specific book called to her. Why? Why literally read essentially a Lukola fanfiction? What would that actually do for you? Nothing. She was drawn to that book for a reason.
The children: This is really funny to me, but both have been linked to two unknown randos who are significantly younger than them. The speculation, backlash, etc has been very similar for both situations. I think that it’s really funny to think about this red string continuing to run through those kiddos for the plot lol.
These are just a few examples that I thought of on the spot. I know for a fact there are many, many more. It does not matter what may or may not be happening right now, but that red string isn’t going anywhere. Their connection in life is never ending and both have even said that. The way that they mirror each other, repressing chemistry, and the fact they can just look at the other and know exactly what they need is not just some coincidence. Not many people find the one person in life who understands them to their core like that. They did. I know you can have platonic soulmates and they are anything but platonic (I mean, “professional jealousy,” give me a break).
Haters: talk to the wall. Because, frankly, these two are destined for each other. Whether it’s now, tomorrow, or 5 years from now. That red string is THICK with these two and it’s not going anywhere. Believe that.
Haters talking to us:
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