#anyway i'm really sorry you're going through this bb :(( it is such a shitty thing to experience

[inkykeiji]

hiiii clari 😚 not to be too sad and messy on main but i feel really weird rn 😭😭 i have feelings for a professor and i just failed to turn in a final for him on time because of crazy last minute personal stuff that really made it impossible for me to finish my work and i feel so pathetic about it 😭😭 like i just wanna crawl into a hole bc it’s not a big deal but i hate feeling like im disappointing someone or myself and i cringe at the idea of me being a bad student :// like ive been debating continuing school for a masters but im also someone who runs away when i feel uncomfy and i kinda just never wanna talk to him again bc i don’t like feeling vulnerable. it just sucks bc id rather burn a bridge than confront the fact that i messed up ☹️☹️

hi hi!! <3 aw sweetpea i’m so sorry!!! i actually ended up in a similar situation during my undergrad—there was this PhD graduate student that was teaching one of my courses and i really, really admired him. we had a lot of the same tastes when it came to film + a lot of the same views in general, and he always left such marvellous and thoughtful comments on my papers. fast forward to the very end of the semester, our massive final paper is due and, exactly like you, i end up being unable to finish it on time because of personal reasons. i emailed him to explain—i wasn’t concerned about the late penalties to my grade, but i was so goddamn upset because i valued his opinion of me so much and i didn’t want this incident to soil it. i admitted this to him in my email, and he messaged me back SO SWEETLY, said something like this could never impact his view of me and that he still thought i was a wonderful student, and decided to waive the late penalties for me.

if you haven’t already, i’d definitely suggest sending your prof an email to explain—and be authentic in it. it’s not an excuse, it’s merely an explanation of what happened. i know it’s scary, and i get not wanting to feel vulnerable or look incompetent, but if you can muster up the courage to do so it is often worth it!! you can still keep your issues private (i did), but it definitely doesn’t hurt to explain yourself! and, honestly, i think there’s a good chance your prof might respect you even more if you’re able to open up and admit to your mistake. it demonstrates that you can acknowledge the fact that you messed up and feel remorseful for it, and it also shows how important your work is to you.

i completely understand how you’re feeling and it’s such an awful thing to experience—school was incredibly important to me and to this day still is, so i 100% understand where you’re coming from. but!! also!!! shit happens! you’re only human, and you can’t be perfect all the time. this can be a hard thing for us perfectionists to accept, but the sooner we can swallow that pill and grant ourselves some grace, the better we will feel and the easier it’ll be to do these things.

[bumblesimagines]

Double Trouble

Request: Yes or No

Couldn't think of a better title lmao. This is gonna be real shitty but the intro to series are either amazing or pure shit. Gonna give (Y/N)'s mom and fam a name cause I don't wanna keep writing (M/N) or (L/N). (Y/N) isn't related to any of the characters fyi. Spot the very obvious accidental reference

~

"Why California? Out of all the places in America, California was choice you went with? Not Washington, Oregon, or fuck, I don't know, North Dakota?" (Y/N) rested his head against the window, watching the houses pass by. His mother, Tanya, glanced at him with a small frown.

"Baby, aren't you tired of Alaska? Same old cold weather?" Tanya asked, staring forward at the empty road. (Y/N) scoffed, sitting up and looking at her with a raised brow.

"You can escape the cold. You can't escape the heat." (Y/N) pointed out, leaning back and picking up his phone with a frown. He looked at the texts from his friend, sighing softly.

Yaya

U already in cali??

(Y/N)

Ya

(Y/N)

It sucks

Yaya

New school new u bby

Daniel

Whats the time difference?

(Y/N)

It's 4 here

(Y/N)

Wbu?

Yaya

3

"Baby, could you look at me?" Tanya asked, pulling into the school parking lot and parking the car. (Y/N) turned his head to look at her.

"I'm sorry I suddenly dragged us out of Alaska. I just felt like we could use a change. Alaska feels suffocating as an adult. I want you to have new experiences." Tanya explained softly. (Y/N) nodded, glancing at the students walking into school.

"Listen, if you get anxious or feel sick, text me, okay?" Tanya gave him a comforting smile, running a hand through his hair. (Y/N) nodded, opening the car door. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.

"Have a good day, sweetie!"

"You too." (Y/N) closed the door, walking towards the school. He had lived in Seward his whole life. He was used to the cold, the sound of boats, the cold immediately hitting his face the moment he stepped outside. (Y/N) knew it wasn't about experiences. His mom just didn't want him to have the same boring life she did. (Y/N) looked at his phone, opening the group chat again. He looked through the texts, smiling at the pictures his friend sent him. (Y/N) looked at his email, sighing as he searched for his locker. He found it, opening it and glancing at the guy beside him.

"Uh, hey, I'm Ethan. You're new, right?" Ethan gave an awkward smile, clearing his throat. (Y/N) licked his lips, nodding. Ethan seemed like the typical nerdy loner.

"Yeah, I'm (Y/N)."

"Cool, cool. Where are you coming from?" Ethan tilted his head, closing his locker and leaning against it. (Y/N) didn't feel like making friends but Ethan could probably help him get familiar with everyone and everything.

"Alaska." (Y/N) replied, closing his locker and giving him a tight smile. Ethan's brows raised, letting out a small chuckle.

"Really? That's cool, I've never really left California. What's it like?"

"Cold." (Y/N) chuckled softly. Ethan laughed and nodded, licking his lips as he stuck his hands in his pockets. (Y/N) looked him over. He was small, skinny, seemed nervous and awkward. Probably a good guy.

"So, are you a junior?" Ethan asked. (Y/N) nodded, going into his phone gallery and pressing on the saved picture of his schedule. He showed him the screen, watching him lean in and smile.

"We have 1st, 3rd, and 6th together." Ethan said, motioning down the hall. "Come on, I'll show you around."

"Thanks." (Y/N) gave him a small smile, following him. His gaze flickered from student to student. Some glanced at him, knowing he was new. (Y/N) didn't like attention. He didn't like the spotlight. He hated when people stared or payed too much attention to him. He hated the way a pit formed in his stomach and he became nauseous when he was called on and people stared at him in class. (Y/N) entered the class, taking a seat beside Ethan and sighing softly.

"Thanks, by the way. I didn't expect to make a friend until like my second week here."

"No problem. I know it can feel shitty to be the new kid." (Y/N) gave Ethan a small smile, looking forward.

(Y/N) set down his lunch tray, sitting down across from Ethan. He glanced around the courtyard, picking up a french fry. Ethan finished drinking his water, humming softly.

"By the way, whatever you do, don't mess with Maddy Perez." Ethan said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. (Y/N) furrowed his brows.

"Right, you don't know them." Ethan chuckled, turning his head. He looked around, searching for the girls.

"There, the girl with black hair besides the blonde and the girl in a jeresy." Ethan motioned towards them. Maddy seemed like your typical popular. Makeup done perfectly, perfect body, her hair was done perfectly.

"She's a cheerleader and probably the most popular girl in school. She's been with Nate Jacobs for a while. Nate is a football player and his dad has a lot of power. He's.. Terrifying. The girls beside her are her best friends. Cassie and Barbara." Ethan picked up his burger. "There's Kat too and Kat is.."

"Your crush?" (Y/N) cocked a brow, chuckling. Ethan's tone had changed the moment this 'Kat' girl had been mentioned. His eyes had softened and a smile had appeared on his face.

"U-Uhm, n-no. She's a friend, like, just a friend." Ethan gave a nervous fake smile. (Y/N) hummed, shaking his head as he chuckled softly. He looked down at his tray, poking at the wrapped burger.

"Anyways, Cassie's nudes and some videos of her got leaked by her exes. It was real shitty." Ethan told him, finishing his burger. "There's Rue and Jules. Rue overdosed over the summer and Jules is new here."

"What?" (Y/N) furrowed his brows, staring at Ethan. The biggest thing that ever happened at his school was two teachers fighting. Drugs were an issue everywhere. He just didn't expect a teenger to OD and everyone to know. Ethan looked back at him.

"Do you wanna.. Hang out?"

"I have to unpack." (Y/N) replied, picking up his phone and scrolling through his instagram.

"Oh, shit, that's the new kid." Barbara pointed out, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. Cassie and Maddy turned to look.

"Oh.. Where's he from?" Cassie asked as she twirled a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. She wanted to forget all about McKay after their argument and breakup. The new boy seemed like a good distraction.

"He seems sweet." Cassie said with a small smile. Maddy scoffed, rolling her eyes as she looked at her.

"That's what you say about every guy, Cassie." Maddy opened her backpack, taking out her makeup bag. She took out some gloss, turning when she spotted Nate. She scowled when Nate very obviously flirted with some girl. Maddy took in a deep breath, turning toward her friends.

"Is there a party tonight? I need to fuck with Nate. He's such a dick." Maddy tapped her nails against her phone case. Cassie gave her a comforting smile, shaking her head.

"You can come over and we'll have a photo shoot. You can post it and make him regret everything." Cassie grinned as Maddy's eyes lit up, nodding.

"This is why I love you, Cass." The two giggled as Maddy wrapped her arms around her.

"But, back to that new guy.. If he hangs with Ethan, he's probably a loser." Barbara said, watching the two boys. Cassie gasped softly, shooting her a look.

"BB! Ethan's actually a really sweet guy. We did a project together last year." Cassie said. Maddy nodded, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, BB, don't be a bitch. You do got a point though. He gives major school shooter vibes." Maddy said, leaning forward to look around Cassie. She watched as the two stood and threw away their trash.

"Hey, they're staring at you." Ethan said, nudging (Y/N). (Y/N) turned towards the girls, catching their eyes before he shrugged and turned away.

"Let's go to History."

[katsukikitten]

Irritated 6 (?)

A/N I know I never have to apologize but when I do series I feel like do the most and possibly extra BUT I also feel compelled to do these long series for more depth. Hopefully that translates well into my stories as I want them to be read similar to short stories instead of we went from 0 to 100 real fucking quick. So I'm sorry if this series is coming off as more filler than a build up of content. (This is why I'm struggling with my longer series like princess etc) ENJOY BBs

Finally your last task of the day and then you'll be free.

Free to go to that damned hotel room to pack your bags to board a plane. You swear to yourself that you will never come back.

The lights on the stage are again overly bright but this hostesses asks appropriate questions to the ten of you.

And even the fan's questions are dolce and decent.

"Ah Red Riot-sama. I'm sad yet happy that you're taken off of the market but will you televise your wedding?" A box dyed red head asks eagerly, clutching the microphone with slightly shaking hands.

You bite back a smile, nudging Bakugou. Scarlet eyes rove over your face and give you a smirk in return in agreement.

Cute but ridiculous request.

"Ahhh I'm not too sure about the details yet. I've only just asked her a few nights ago." Kirishima laughs, rubbing the back of his head suddenly bashful.

The crowd erupts in roars and majority of the Q&A is now focused on the Kirishima wedding.

A blessing for both yourself and Bakugou.

Although you two become bored quickly as a long line of box dyed red heads of men and women alike wait idly to ask whatever their heart desires.

So you begin to scribble on your pad, you draw the hostess in chibi form, you move down the line of the table mentally stopping on Bakugou. Soon your pen swirls on it's own. The hot head looks odd in your cute chibi.

That is not an adjective that you want to use for him.

He is not *cute* or kind or hot..

Just hot headed.

A snarl to yourself as you begin to engulf Bakugou's chibi in flame before adding yourself lifting a gas can to pour over him.

"That would only encourage me." He murmurs in your ear, a hint of a dark laugh. It is hard to keep the dusting of pink off of your cheeks.

"Fine." A whisper as the pen slicing a line through gas and puts water.

You look to him and he sneers your way, biting back a smirk.

"What's going on with Icy hot?" Scarlet rovers over scratch paper, a snort escapes him, "You did well with Deku he looks utterly useless."

You bite back your laugh, although it is hard, looking up at Bakugou who takes any chance to hate on Izuku.

The hostess walks down the table, stopping before the two of you.

"A fan has a question for you Tejina." She smiles brightly, although you can see some annoyance in her eyes. This must not have been the first time your name was called.

You look out to the mic stand, the lights blinding you for a moment before your eyes adjust, the lighten the illumination over the patient fan.

Your blood runs cold in your veins, smile fading ever quickly depsite you fighting to keep it in place.

Green eyes stare up at you with a mix of emotions. Anger, adoration, jealousy.

You bite the inside of your lip until you taste the tang of pennies as you watch him lick is lips.

"Tejina." His voice speaks your hero name as if it were a dusty sonnet, unused but never forgotten, "Did you enjoy what I picked out for you?"

Nails dig into the tender flesh of your palm as you hold back.

No, *fight* back the urge to shove that microphone so far down his throat you could hear the gurgling of his stomach digesting it. You'd give anything to watch him claw at his throat in uncertain panic, watching his naturally ruddy cheeks flash in hauntingly delightful hues of red, blue, purple and white.

Katsuki notices the shift in your demeanor, his eyes spy the soft glow of your hands before he looks at the fan.

He wears a face he has since committed to memory, an audibly growl is caught by the microphone.

"Oi." Katuski's voice brings you back from your desires plunging you into ice cold water as you register the emotion on his face.

You had never seen Bakugou so angry before. Sure you knew he has a short temper, was easy to pop off at the mouth and the hand.

But you had never seen such unwavering malice in his eyes, or the firm way in which his jaw set.

Grinding teeth with clenched fists, that sweet burnt caramel smell that tickled your nose in dreams wafted to you in heavy waves.

You knew what came next.

Next he would pop, jump into action pair is impulsive temper with the look in his eyes you wonder if that man will ever be able to walk again.

Hell breathe again.

But he would win, even beyond the grave.

You grab onto his powerful thigh as if to hold him in place. He cuts you a look from the side of his dazzling scarlet eye.

He reads you well as you do him.

*"Let me fucking kill him."*

*"No."*

A silent exchange through body language before Bakugou stands anyway.

A deadly snarl as his body heat increases rapidly before the room plunges into darkness.

Screams erupt as the pros automatically jump into action.

Todoroki illuminates the room with fire, Momo makes flash lights, while Denki pulls the hostess over the table protectively as Deku, Asui, and Jhiro move through the crowd to make them calm and to find a threat.

All the while you grab onto Bakugou pulling him back stage. He grabs onto you with rough, inspecting hands.

"We need to be out there. *He's* out there." Bakugou snarls, although his hands have not left your hips. His dancing explosions send flashes of burning Scarlet in your direction.

Rapidly the heat rises in the backroom as well as in your blood.

You grab onto his forearms talking through your teeth, trying to soothe his popping skin.

"It was me." You grit, one hand gesturing about as he looks down at you confused before realization washes over his handsome features.

Washing away some of his wrath with it.

Suddenly the world is flooded with light, Bakugou looks harsher than ever, letting go of your body as if you were hot coals.

He is reminded too quickly of powerful you really are. He gives his back to you, furious over a lot of things.

But more so over the fact that you willingly give power to such vile scum.

And for what? Lingering outside of your door?

"Tch." Is all he says as you watch his retreating back, "Let's get Deku so we can fucking leave this shit show."

To say you were relieved to be stand in front of your shitty hotel room would be an understatement.

Although a looming weight hangs over the door, as if you were to open the cheaply wood fiber door a giant black serpant with hungry greeneyes would meet you.

You swallow thickly as you wait patiently and yet impatiently for Bakugou to retrieve your hotel key from his wallet.

Instead your phone rings from his black pants to which you freely rummage through.

"OI! OI!" Hot explosions pop near your skin but you brush them off staring at who's calling.

Director Yumi, good. Hopefully he will have moved up the time the three of you were scheduled to leave.

"Hello?" Your answer with cheerful disposition.

Although you are unaware that this is the beginning of things going from bad to worse.

Much worse.

Your vision blurs as the director speaks and the two men beside you feel the air charge with an onset heaviness.

The kind that Bakugou knows comes from rage, he notices your clenched fists. The tension making your normally fluid body go rigid.

He wants to rest his palms on your shoulders, let them soothe over your smooth heated skin.

But he barely allows himself the thought.

"WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" It echoes down the hall and Izuku jumps. Jade eyes widening while scarlet narrow.

"A fan party tonight?! Did the boys know about this?" You turn with eyes so angry they glow fiercely with your power.

Both raise their hands to show empty palms and shake their heads no.

"So what is the fucking dress code to this mandatory party hmm? Is it formal? If so I don't fucking have anything." The two men watch you with wary eyes as your voice and temper spike again.

"YOU CANT FUCKING TELL ME?! oh wow you know what a surprise. But what is more surprising is the fact that you're the director of an agency. I'm not sure what it is that you do aside from pissing away your daddy's hard earned money. I know you aren't here to make business deals, talk about hero loans or get your own exposure like the other directors of agencies or as your Father used to do. I know you do little to no research before making a decision nor do you consult your employees as your father did. I know that you have no fucking idea how to run this business, that you do not even posses a fourth of the abilities your father was capable of and I *know* all you're good for is bending Nezuko over your desk to fuck her stupid."

Both sets of eyes widen, your cellphone screen cracks from the pressure of your grip.

"You're right. We *do* need to have a conversation when I get back. Now if you'll excuse me I'll go ask another pro hero or another director who actually knows what the fuck is the dress code and itinerary for this surprise fan event." You say in even breaths and tones before you snap. Throwing your phone onto the floor with heaved breaths.

Gasping for air as you near black out rage, the doors rattle.

Both men stand, eyes wide and staring.

Sure you've been angry, they've now seen you distressed but they've never seen you like this.

Consumed by your wrath and fury.

Izuku looks to Katsuki depserstly, who is biting his lip.

Hating to see you so unraveled.

Did this really all have to do with the dress code to the last minute party or did it have something to do with that scum bag plus whatever the hell else you'd clearly been claming up.

"Oi if you need a dress we can find you one. You have a similar body type to Momo. She's always prepared and probably packed an extra." Katsuki wraps his arm around your shoulders turning you on your heel.

"Or she could make you one." Izuku pipes up, you shove away Katsuki's arm.

"What about you two?" You hiss, "Did you guys lie about knowing?

Bakugou laughs at Deku's blanched face.

"No he's a nerd and always prepared." He snorts, hand finding the small of your back guiding you towards the stairs once again.

"And you?!" A vicious snap that he ignores

"Kirishima is in the same hotel as Momo. He will have an extra for me."

"How can you be so sure?"

Katsuki gives you a sideways glance before pulling you across the street and down the block towards the other heroes' hotel.

"Ever since he dragged me to that nerd island event he's packed an extra." He crosses his arms as the three of you get into the elevator. You wonder what that's like, to have a friend who always has your back.

It has been so long ago since you had actually trusted someone and the only person you could...well she turned up missing shortly after you became a hero.

She was the one person you could never save.

You swallow your shame as you follow Bakugou and Izuku to the fourth floor.

"Take Y/N to the girl's room please Bakugou." Izuku beams as Bakugou snarls, opening his mouth to retort but you interrupt.

"I can go by myself, really. It's just three doors down." You smile, they both look at you with worried eyes that make your skin crawl, "I'm a big girl I can handle it!"

With that you turn, making long strides to the door lifting your hand to knock.

"My two number one heroes!" Kirishima exclaims pulling them into his room.

"Oi oi!" A snarl as their door slams shut.

Your fist seems suspended in air as you ponder.

Would it be rude to ask for a dress?

Would now be a bad time to slip away to just buy one and save yourself the debt?

Before you do a 180 a voice calls from the otherside of the door.

"I'm going to get my extra charger from Eiji" Mina talks loudly enough to be heard through the thick wood before swinging it open to reveal herself and the other female alumni of class 1A, all perched around the room primping.

"Oh Y/N-chan!" She sings wrapping toned pink arms tightly around your frame. You clear your throat, unable to hug her back. Lightly tapping your fingers against her arms.

"Hello..." You say a little awkwardly with a small wave, "I'm sorry to bother y'all but I need to borrow a dress for this party I....forgot to pack one."

"Come in come in!" Mina ushers you in forgetting that she flipped the latch on the door, it sits ajar and goes unnoticed.

She walks a full circle around you.

"Welp my glutes are not nearly as toned as yours...." She looks around the room before settling on Momo, "Mo! Love! Yall have similar measurements!"

"Hmm, yes we do. I believe her thighs to be more muscular than my own and my breasts to be a tad bit larger..." She ponders before an idea crosses her mind, "Ah I'll make one!"

She pulls a measuring tape from her forearm measuring your frame, all the while you protest.

"Oh that's too much trouble. I can go and buy one I dont ne.." But she gives you a look that oddly silences you.

"Its no trouble at all. Plus it will give me great practice! I usually use cloth to make blankets." She scrunches her nose at the thought.

"Oh did you pick your song yet?!" Uraraka asks with delight as she plops on the bed beside you.

Your eyes narrow in confusion as your brow furrows.

"What?" Your heart pounds into your ears as she continues to speak.

"You know for your little opening appearance before all the dancing and booze. Bakugou, Deku-kun and you are the stars for the "surprise" fan party. You get to walk out to your very own song!" U-san produces her phone her screen is lit with a promotional poster.

"TOP HERO SPECIAL APPEARANCE"

It reads across the top, your rage quickly turns into something else as you stare down at the phone.

Before you know it your eyes well over and fat droplets darken the material on your thighs. Your hands fly to cover your face as your rage comes out melted and raw.

"I..I'm sorry...." You sob, "I'm having the worst weekend of my life."

The six women exchange looks as they silently debate how best to approach their new friend.

"Is it Bakugou?" Jhiro's voice comes out harsh as Mina behind you chimes in.

"Yea do we need to kick his ass?" It comes out harshly. A laugh escapes your lips, it sounds foreign.

"Ah no, I can handle Bakugou." You wipe away your tears feeling stupid, "He, he's actually been...fun this weekend."

"Wait wait wait." Mina pauses, "Bakugou? Like Bakugou Katsuki? With red eyes and blonde hair?"

"Yes." You giggle some more, "Hard to believe I know but like I said he's been fun. Helpful even. Kind."

"Wooooooow" The women say in unison.

"So what's bothering your so badly?" Momo's soft voice takes on a tone of motherly concern. You sigh as you debate.

Do you tell them? And if you do how much do you actually reveal? How far back do you need to go?

"Just my male fans are too overbearing. How do you deal with it?" You settle on a partial truth, omitting majority of the details. Plus anyone following your Instagram could see.

"Your fans are too much." Mina agrees, "Momo you get a lot of comments because of your suit right?"

"Yes, some are very hard to ignore. Especially when the go into detail on what they would do to me regardless of my consent. It used to bother me. A lot actually to the point where I thought of changing my hero costume to attract less attention but Sensei Midnight stopped me. She said all I would be doing was putting myself in a more difficult situation with less skin for my quirk to benefit me. That it did not matter what I wore I would still get the comments." Momo pulls a little more of the black fabric from her exposed stomach, giving it a critical look, "That my obsessing over them is what gave them power."

The last sentence settles over you in an odd manner.

Had you given these trolls power over you?

Or has Yayorozu never been blackmailed before?

Still it was sound advice, you had given those comments power.

"Alright I believe its finished. Let's try this on shall we?" Momo says lifting the dress up to you.

"Get ready here with the rest of us. I'm dying to play with your hair!" Mina pleads before squealing when you nod your head yes.

"Bakugou, what are you doing in the hall?" Izuku asks before Katsuki raises his hand to silence him. He retreats from the slightly ajar room, not answering until the hot head is mostly to Kirishima's door.

"I was gonna tell Y/LN about the party but I think the girls just did. Let's grab my stupid suit and come back to pick her slow ass up later." Bakugou dismisses it with a wave of his hand.

And yet he cannot dismiss your words.

"Bakugou has been...fun."

"Please stay Katuski"

He squeezes his eyes shut trying to get your voice and your sad eyes out of his head.

Only to encourage them to haunt him further.

[shitfics]

"My date stood me up, can you come pick me up?" Jinkibum;; i'm glad you're back! 💚 And i hope you're better rn. I'm another one that have the notifs on because I really like your fics/prompts. Thank you for sharing what you write again ;;;;

Thank you so much bb!! That really warms my heart. ;-; And sorry this one is coming a bit late, it ended up longer than I thought it would and I’ve been real unfocused lately. Things are definitely better than they were, but they’re still a bit rougher than I realized. ^^; 

I hope you enjoy this!! (If you can’t tell, this is 100% inspired by the incredibles because I saw it the other weekend.)

-------

It takes a few dozen rings to get through.

“This is Kibum speaking.”

“My date stood me up. Can you come pick me up?”

The other end of the line crackles. “...Jinki? Is that you?”

“Yeah.” Jinki runs a looped finger around the ribbed wire of the payphone. “I’m at that breakfast dinner near the highway.”

“The one with the shitty coffee?”

He laughs. “That’s the one.”

“I’ll be there in a bit.”

The line goes dead with a click. Jinki sets the phone back on the receiver and sighs. He knows Kibum will come for him, but he wishes hadn’t gotten into this situation. He should have given up on his date and taken the last bus.

But the stupid part of him -- the desperate part of him, if he’s honest with himself -- had to hope that maybe the other man was just late. So he’d stayed. And now he’s stuck on the opposite end of the city from his apartment.

He takes a seat against the side of the now-closed diner and lights a cigarette to pass the time.

The researchers that’d run tests on him back when heroes were above-ground had never told him if his freakish strength and sturdiness came with an immunity to the shit in them, but it’s not like he would’ve quit anyway. The habit is one of the few things about himself he can consider normal, and it’s hard not to be attached to that. Especially in recent years.

When he sees the dual headlights of Kibum’s bright blue car pulling into the parking, he stomps out the light and tosses the butt in a nearby trash can.

“Thanks for coming to get me. I know it’s late.”

“Don’t worry about it -- anything for an old friend.” Kibum smiles at him widely. When Jinki settles into his seat, he can see that Kibum isn’t clothed in his daring fashion -- instead of a tight-fitting dress-shirt, he’s clothed in a plain pink house robe, over a set of loose cotton pajama pants.

He feels a pang of guilt. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“Of course not. You know I always draw at night.”

Jinki laughs. “Yeah.”

Kibum rolls out onto the street and enters the highway for the direction of Jinki’s apartment, already knowing where to go. The engine revs sharply as they gain speed -- Kibum’s flashy sports car really was something else -- but quickly settles into a steady rumble. It’s then that Kibum decides to speak again.

“Do you know why they stood you up?”

“I have a guess, since we met through a friend of a friend. He probably heard along the grapevine that I had powers.” Jinki sighs. “I swear, everyone gay in this city already knows...”

“It’s a small community. Things travel like that.”

“You’d still think at least one person wouldn’t care. It’s not like we’d have to worry about having children.”

Kibum snorts. “Don’t worry about it so much. You’re young and handsome; you’ll find someone.”

He turns to look at Kibum, expecting a follow-up joke. The lights over the highway give him only an intermittent and dim view of Kibum’s face, but Jinki can see his words were genuine.

He smiles slowly. “You think I’m handsome?”

“I’m just stating facts,” he says, hand tightening on the wheel. He glances at Jinki sidelong, then looks away quickly, back at the road. “...But I do, yeah.”

Jinki shifts in his seat, suddenly unsure what to say. He’d known Kibum liked men from the moment they met, and at first he’d been interested -- but he pushed that down when Kibum treated him with nothing more than professional distance.

Things had changed, though. Kibum knew his alterego -- had to, since it was the only legal identity he had anymore -- and they’d become friends. Why couldn’t that change again into something else?

The old warmth in his chest that would bloom when Kibum’s hands traveled over him to take measurements feels just in reach. He wants more of it again, and not just for nostalgia.

“Would you want to come up for a drink, once we’re back at my place? I splurged on some good whiskey recently.”

“I’m not stupid, Jinki. I know what you’re really asking.”

“I’m not good at being subtle, I know,” he says. “...But what do you say?”

Kibum finger taps rapidly against the leather cover of the wheel for a moment before he answers. “Look, if you’re just lonely--”

“I’m not,” Jinki says. “I was interested in you before.”

“You never seemed like it.”

“We met through a government program. You think I was going to make a move on you when there were agents there every time I tried on a new supersuit you made?”

“You have a point,” Kibum admits, lips pursed.

He brings his car to a stop in the lot of Jinki’s dingy apartment complex, and after shifting into park, stares at Jinki appraisingly. The light of a passing van travels over his face, and again, Jinki gets a brief insight into Kibum’s feelings -- there’s hope and want in his eyes, but his jaw is set with tension.

“If we do this, and it doesn’t work, I’m not sure how easy it’ll be for me to go back to being friends.” He licks his lips, clearly nervous. “I want to make sure you’re aware of that.”

“I’m willing to take that risk, if you are.”

Kibum’s mouth quirks, a bit of vulnerability falling away to be replaced with his usual confidence. “I drove across the city at two in the morning to just give you a ride home. How much more obvious can I make it that I’m willing to do stupid things for you?”

Jinki grins. He reaches a hand across the car and places it on Kibum’s thigh. “I can think of a few ways, maybe.”

Kibum peels it away, brow raised in amusement. He leans in towards Jinki, who closes his eyes, heart fluttering in anticipation for their first kiss -- only to feel breath against his lips as Kibum does nothing more than speak.

“You owe me that drink first.”

[dismalzelenka]

Stuff Tag Meme

I was tagged by both @agentkatie and @kawakaeguri so I suppose I must do this then, yea?

rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag 10 blogs you would like to get to know better.

a - age: 26

b - birthplace: Seoul, South Korea

c - current time: 12:08pm

d - drink you last had: water

e - easiest person people to talk to: V-Day exchange new best friendo @joufancyhuh. And my soul sisters @sasshole-for-rent and @5ftgarden. Y'all should read our collab fic. i am trash pls ignore me.

f - favorite song: changes daily, but currently Chopin Nocturne in Bb minor. Kind of a love hate feeling though actually, like seriously, six flats? Wtf was that dude thinking amirite, my fingers walk into hell every time I open the damn score.

g - grossest memory: tw for terrible sexual encounters. Seriously you might wanna skip this one. No? Aight I warned you.

one time i went down on an anonymous tinder hookup and they had stale, piss soaked toilet paper clumped in their puss bits and lemme tell u i never ever faked a stomach virus to get someone out of my flat so fast.

h - horror yes or horror no: horror maybe. like most things it depends on my mood and the type of horror. Unless it's @inner-muse's red lyrium torture horror. I'm almost always in the mood for that. 👌

i - in love?: I thought I was.

I'm so sorry I'm going through a breakup right now and I'm kind of in a shitty place and also still not over the ex before the newly acquired ex and have spent the last week bouncing around hotel rooms because going home to face new ex is uncomfortably and surprisingly painful despite the fact that I broke it off with him and anyway if you're like damn why is diz so depressing lately well I'm a pisces with my heart bleeding all over my sleeve but I'll be OK I promise. Love you crazy kids.

j - jealous of people?: mostly of my cat because I really want to lie around in the sun and snore all day but these pesky things like "jobs" and "responsibilities" and "repeated phone calls from worried friends and relatives who haven't heard from me in six or seven days" keep interrupting my attempts to be a cat myself.

l - love at first sight or should i walk by again?: definitely walk by again. and then just. keep walking. maybe I'll figure this out for the next one, I mean third time's the charm, aye? 🙂

m - middle name: that's boring. Everyone knows my middle name because I go by it. But my first name is Lucas, isn't that much more interesting? Putcha hands in the air for the genderqueers 🙌🙌🙌🙌 we're loud and proud and actually just a small swarm of bees in a human shaped trenchcoat. 🐝🌈

n - number of siblings: none growing up. Unless you count the dog, my dad got our names mixed up a lot. 😂

o - one wish: to finally figure out how to be a responsible adult and stop hurting everyone I touch. To wake up from a nap and actually feel refreshed for once, I mean seriously what even is the point otherwise amirite?

p - person you called last: the hotel I'm currently staying at. 🗑️🔥

q - question you are always asked: More like a conversation. Let me give the example from Walgreens yesterday.

Me: Hi yes I'm here to pick up my prescription. *rattles off name*

Rxist: *squints suspiciously* For Lucas? His prescriptions aren't ready yet. Can I see some ID?

Me: Oh yeah, sure, here you go. Lucas is me by the way, I just go by my middle name mostly.

Rxist: Your first name is Lucas...? *squint at me, at driver's license, and back at me*

Me: Yeah! Picked it myself, don't you like it?

Rxist: ....your prescription is ready, ma'am. Have a great day.

I mean, what, Lucas can't be a lady's name? Absurd, amirite? 😱😂 Ah, the southern US. We're so rustic and quaint and stuck in the fifties here. It's adorable really.

r - reason to smile: My cat. Look at this dork, doesn't he look amazing in his skull and crossbones hoodie?

Also the Dragon Age fandom, because like, you nerds make me smile every goddamn day. Goddess bless every single one of you adorable fuckers. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

s - song you sang last: Movement 4 from Vivaldi's Nisi Dominus. Cum dederit. Dress rehearsal for our opening performance of our Lent concert series was on Monday and I am

H Y P E D.

t - time you woke up: shit I honestly don't remember, I just saw the sunlight and stumbled downstairs hoping I didn't miss free hotel breakfast. (I didn't by the way, it was delicious.)

u - underwear colour: also pale pink. good taste whichever one of you two I stole this from. The meme, not the underwear. Those were a quite practical Christmas gift.

v - vacation destination: Somewhere snowy with mountains and a three digit or less population count.

w - worst habit: I convince myself I'm terrible for the people who love me and run away from them. It's quite sad, actually. I'd make a great video game companion with my perpetually unresolved mommy issues and inability to take anything seriously. Take note, Dragon Age 4.

x - x-rays: dental. I think they cost more than three months of utilities. 😭

y - your favourite food: raw sushi and super, SUPER rare steak. Like just sear the outside crispy and I'm good. I'm probably actually a cat, tbh.

Z - zodiac sign: 🌞Pisces♓️, 🌝Scorpio♏️, ⬆️Libra♎️

Gonna tag my fam @sasshole-for-rent, @5ftgarden, @joufancyhuh, @inner-muse, @buttsonthebeach, @galadrieljones, @a-basket-full-of-whimsy, @suzumicchi, @becauseanders, @laraslandlockedblues and that's ten but honestly I love all of you so feel free to consider yourself tagged and do this on my behalf if you are so inclined.

LOVE YOU ALL TO LITTLE PIECES. ❤️❤️❤️