#anyway it’s some kind of dinosaur so yeah I’ll fucking eat it

[iamumbra195]

The Outsiders incorrect quotes because I'm bored

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dally: Legend says that when you can’t sleep, it means you’re awake in someone else’s dreams.

Dally, a raging insomniac: When I find out who you are, I’m going to kick your ass.

...

Darry: Yesterday, Ponyboy told me that when he was a kid and had nightmares of being chased by monsters, he would end the dream by finding me because I would protect him by fighting off the monsters or carrying him away. The funny thing is that when I was a kid, I remember constantly having nightmares where I had to save him from monsters.

Darry: ... I'm torn between thinking it's sweet and being annoyed that he somehow mastered the ability to psychically transfer his nightmares to me as a child

...

Ponyboy: Name a more iconic duo than my crippling fear of abandonment and my anxiety. I’ll wait.

Johnny: You and me?

Ponyboy: *tearing up* Ok.

...

Two-Bit: You know what I’ve realized?

Steve: That some thoughts are better left unsaid?

Two-Bit: Nice try, anyways-

...

Darry: You're smiling, what happened?

Ponyboy: What? Can't I smile just because I feel like it?

Soda: Steve tripped and fell down the stairs today.

...

Steve: You played me!

Soda, cheating at poker: Like the cheap kazoo you are!

...

Ponyboy: Can I have some water?

Byron: *starts chugging his water bottle*

Byron: *chokes from drinking too fast*

Byron: *spills water all over himself*

Byron, coughing: I don't have any water.

...

Random person at the church: How many children do you have?

Mrs. Curtis: Biologically or emotionally? Because there's a big difference.

...

Curly: *gets a text* Oh! It’s Tim.

Ponyboy: Did he get the stuff?

Curly: Yeah, he says he got us the clown costume, the power drill, and 12 gallons of blood.

Ponyboy: Whoa! Where’d he find 12 gallons of fake blood?

Curly: You wanted fake blood?

Ponyboy: ...

Curly: I’ll go call Tim

...

Soda: You can take away my rights, but can you take away my lefts?

...

Johnny: Dally and I were crossing the street, and this soc drove by and honked at us

Darry, sighing: What did he do?

Johnny: he chased him to the next red light, then reached into his window and...

Dally, grinning: Who wants a steering wheel?

...

Bob: I came out here to attack people and I'm honestly having such a good time right now.

Bob: *gets stabbed a minute later* Fuck.

...

Curly: FIGHT ME, YOU NERD ASS PUNK!

Angela: At least try to sound slightly more sophisticated when you threaten someone.

Curly: Oh, I'm sorry. I should ask; dost thou want to engage in a duel, my good bitch?

Angela: Somehow that's even worse.

...

Soda: What’s the dumbest thing you believed as a kid?

Darry: That naptime was a punishment.

...

Ponyboy: The first time Two-Bit opened a box of Cheerios and looked inside he yelled, "OH WOW! DONUT SEEDS!"

...

Johnny: So I have made the decision to trust you.

Dally: A horrible decision, really.

...

Two-Bit: Who thinks I can fit 15 marshmallows in my mouth?

Darry: You’re a hazard to society

Steve: And a coward. DO TWENTY.

...

*At the police station*

Darry: Hi, I’m here for Dallas.

Police officer: Who’s Dallas?

Darry: Ah, you must be new.

...

Ponyboy: So the other day Darry sent Soda out to get us some gas.

Ponyboy: And instead of getting gas, he got us novelty cookie cutters.

Ponyboy: Now everything we eat is shaped like a dinosaur.

Ponyboy: …

Ponyboy: I love it so much.

...

Angela: I hate when people ask me what sign I am. Bitch, I'm a sign from god. Start running.

...

Buck: What are you writing?

Dally: The fuzz wanna know what kind of weapons we have in the house. I'm letting them know it's private information.

Buck, looking over Dally's shoulder: This just says 'fuck around and find out' in calligraphy.

...

Johnny, having a panic attack: I don't dab. I stab.

...

Steve: Your existence is confusing.

Ponyboy: How?

Steve: Your presence is annoying, but the thought of anything bad happening to you upsets me.

...

Soda: Heads up, if you try to make a candle with food colouring, it will just sink to the bottom of the glass, and when the flame eventually reaches the bottom all the food colouring will catch fire and become one giant tall flame that you cannot possibly blow out and the glass will start to crack and then you'll throw your tea on it in a panic and then the extremely hot food colouring will boil and sizzle horribly and then the glass will shatter.

Darry, sighing: What did you do?

Soda, wailing: A MISTAKE

...

Two-Bit: So what’s for breakfast?

Ponyboy, staring at the eggs all over the walls: Regret.

...

Johnny: "You're an old soul" is just old people speak for "I've noticed you've been depressed since you were 9."

...

Ponyboy: Quick, what's your blood type?

Dally: How would I know?

Ponyboy: How would you not!?

Dally: Who am I, Karl Landsteiner, discoverer of blood groups?

Ponyboy, distressed: You don't know your own blood type, but you know who discovered them?!

...

Curly: *Accidentally punched Ponyboy in the face*

Curly: *Trying to decide between saying 'I’m fucking sorry' and 'Are you okay'*

Curly: ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY?!

Ponyboy, confused: What’s wrong with you?!

Angela: *wheezing in the background*

...

Darry: Can you please be serious for five minutes?

Two-Bit: My record is four, but I think I can do it.

...

Sylvia: Why are you like this??

Dally: I used too much "No More Tears" shampoo as a kid and I haven't felt a single emotion since.

...

Curly: I was arrested for being too tuff.

Tim: The charges were dropped due to a lack of supporting evidence.

...

Ponyboy: Do you think different paints have different tastes?

Soda: They do.

Darry: ... Why did you say that with such certainty?

...

Soda, euphoric from his first date with Sandy: Date someone who will drag you outside at 3am to look at the stars.

Steve: If anyone, and I mean anyone, wakes me up at 3am to go look at the damn sky they will be removed indefinitely from my life.

...

Tim: I have the sharpest memory here - name one time I forgot something!

Curly: You left me in a Walmart parking lot at 2am a day ago.

Tim: I did that on purpose, try again.

...

Dally: *choking on something*

Steve: Jeez, Dal, don't die on us.

Dally: Don't tell me what to do, I'll die whenever the hell I want

...

Angela: You can trust me! Let's not forget who pulled you out of the river when you were six.

Curly, dryly: Let's not forget who pushed me in

...

Dally: I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally.

...

Darry: Don’t say a word.

Ponyboy: Fergalicious.

Darry: Pony, I said no words.

Ponyboy: Oh, I see how it is. Two weeks ago, when we were playing Scrabble, it wasn't a word, now suddenly it is a word because it’s convenient for you.

...

Soda: Steve, you need to react when customers cry!

Steve: I did. I rolled my eyes.

...

Ponyboy: 'Struggling with depression' would seem to imply that I am bad at being depressed when I am, in fact, very proficient at being depressed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

That's it for now lol

[krowjet]

Screw fucking with this one. This kid’s on the edge of a mental breakdown, they need to study for multiple final exams in the next week. They’re only here because the last one quit and I got to run around for a week straight. I can feel the amount of anxiety in my soul. This one is gonna cry if someone tries to interview them. They’re surviving on ramen and dinosaur chicken nuggets. Energy drinks flow through their veins. I’ve never heard so much mental screaming. I can’t even tell their super power underneath all that.

I sigh, seeing them approach me. “You know, even for a college student you’re a wreck. When was the last time you actually had a home cooked meal and a night of proper sleep? Do you need someone to tutor you?”

That caught them by surprise, and I’m honestly impressed they aren’t shaking. “How did you- oh… yeah.” They trail off quietly, flushing a brilliant red color. “Yeah. Anyways, you need sleep. Look, it’s fun causing enough chaos to make a TTRPG seem mild, but it’s not nearly as fun when the hero looks ready to pass out of exhaustion.”

I see them shift uncomfortably, rubbing their arm like a child caught doing something wrong. It’s kind of adorable see them so embarrassed by it.

“Anyways. How about we head someplace to eat. I’ll even pay, help you study, and then you go home to rest. I’ll put off causing chaos until you’re done with those exams.”

They nod like a small child, and I can’t help but smile at them. “Alright. We’ll meet at the local diner in an hour. We’re going to change and look like normal people. Bring your notes.”

I watch them nervously eye me, but I think they can tell I’m serious, so they dart away.

This is the most troubled hero I’ve ever seen, I couldn’t even find the urge to fight them in me. I sigh once again. It’s not like me to pick such a calm response to a hero, but unlike the last few, this one genuinely already was in such a bad headspace there really wasn’t much left for me to do. Besides, I’ve been there myself. College was rough, alright?

I leave the scene myself. It wasn’t like I got very far with my felony, only breaking down a door to a jewelry store and luring out the employees with ease since they really don’t get paid enough to deal with me. The owner would be able to replace the door perfectly fine, I know he had insurance from a previous attempt. It’s a good thing the city is actually good with replacing these thing, but still, I don’t steal from small or local businesses. I might be a villain, but I have morals.

I quickly rush back to my apartment on the edge of the city after I change in a gas station’s back room. It’s not particularly my favored type of clothes, but flip flops and things like a tank top and basketball shorts are easy to switch into and hide. I’m friends with the manager on duty, so she lets me do so without a care. She looks away as I exit to avoid looking at my face if asked, and I slap a fifty on the counter for her on my way out as a thanks.

I enter my apartment, and step into the nicely decorated room. It’s small, but it’s perfectly fine for me. All the furniture is from large chain stores or garage sales I paid extra for. It is a little dirty at the moment, since I have a basket of laundry on the couch and it could use some dusting. I pick through the basket for more nice clothes. A nice trench and some simple black pants with a cream turtleneck. Very academia in terms of aesthetic.

I grab my old notebooks from college. It’s not the first time I’ve tutored, and actually I used to do it for a job. Well, side job, but still. I was in the same course as that hero, from what I could tell from the exams they were panicking about.

I put them in my bag along with my wallet and keys, and head out once more to go tutor them. I head down to the local diner, run by a sweet old couple who used to babysit me.

I walk in, waving to the wife, who was hosting for the night, training a new employee. She waved back, and I look around, finding the hero. I walk to them, and plop across from them.

They wore a relaxed outfit of jeans and a band shirt, their green hair tucked into a beanie. It was all looking a little worn, and I could tell it had been a while since they had gotten any newer clothes.

“So… what do I call you? We’re out in public, so best not to use the show names, but I also don’t want to exactly share our documented names. While I could just look in your brain, that feels kind of rude given the circumstances.” They nodded in response, thinking for a second. I can hear the names flashing in their mind, from “bird” to “cactus” to even “gender.” I don’t get some of them, but they smile as one pops up and sticks.

“You can call me Aspen.” I nod, sticking my hand out to them. “Well, Aspen, you can call me Tudor.” They shook my hand, their hand a little clammy and with stiff movement.

“Alright, next question. You already know my ability. I want to know yours, seems fair all things considered.”

Their mind floods with a panicked noise, a bit of screaming, and wondering what the hell they were suppose to do here. I put my hand up, a sigh on my lips. “Relax, kid. You don’t need to tell me right now, I’m only asking since it might make it easier to help you study if I have something to work with that. It’s easier to build study plans when I know limitations.”

“It’s changing gravity.“

I pause. Gravity manipulation is usually rare, and those kind of individuals typically end up working more in things like science on space stations, but this kid is more interested in money management and accounting. It’s a weird field, but honestly I can’t say anything.

“Well, I’m not sure how that’s gonna work as well since you’re focused mostly on money and economics. But anyways, we should probably start.”

I call over a waiter, and I let Aspen order whatever they want to eat, telling them I’ll pay and it’s my treat. They’re hesitant at first, but I’m firm in my decision.

I help them review all the material for their upcoming exam, and being a telepath makes it significantly easier to help them understand the material since I’m able to see exactly what they’re struggling with.

“So, since you did so well with your study session, how about I take you clothes shopping as a treat?” I feel the surprise off of Aspen, which turn to excitement and nervousness. Some thoughts emerge about whether or not they can trust me, and I can understand.

I am villain, I regularly cause chaos around the city. But just because I commit crime, doesn’t mean I don’t have morals. I have a clear moral compass, and hurting someone who’s already in enough trouble is not something I add to.

“Seriously, kid, I’m not gonna be tricking you into getting along with me. You’ve seen my track record and you know just as well as I do have a very specific style of villainy and tricking people to like me isn’t it. The amount of people I target that do that is pretty notable.”

They still are hesitant, and I sigh. “Look, if you don’t want, that’s fine. But at the very least, meet me here later and I’ll keep tutoring you. Got it? Foods on me.”

I stand up, ignoring their protests as I go to Danny to pay the bill. I leave a large tip for the waiter, and I wave goodbye to her and Aspen before going home.

For the next week, despite their mistrust of me, we continue to meet at the diner. I pay for their food, and they learn the material well. It helps I can tell when they make mistakes, but even then, I can see lots of growth and understanding. Tomorrow is the last day before their exam, so we’re doing a final review. These are some of the last credits they need and I want to make sure they don’t need to retake any courses.

I walk in, finding them in the usual booth towards the front.

“Hey kid. Todays the last study day, so let’s do some light review of the material as a whole, then get some tea and go home, alright? You need sleep before your final.”

Aspen nodded, pulling out the study guide I made them the second night of studying. “Alright. I made a study set for you online, so you can go over that tonight and in the morning.” They grin, hurriedly pulling out an old and cracked phone. I frown, the urge to get them a new one filling me to the core.

Some might say I’m going soft, but this kid clearly doesn’t get spoiled much. They’re a good kid, clearly deserving of it. Regardless of my role as a villain, I’d do it anyways.

“Alright, here’s the code, if you have any questions I’ll be able to address them.” They nod happily, getting busy on the new set. I can hear them excitedly getting them all right, passing with ease. Some stump them a little, but they work them out on their own. It’s impressive, really, how well they’re able to do.

I order a dessert I saw peeked their interest a few days ago, and they practically squeal with excitement.

“Ight. Do well on your test, little Aspen. Get some sleep, meet me here the day after tomorrow. I’ll take you out for a treat, all right?” They grin, and I can feel little of the nervousness and hesitation they did the first time, it’s mostly been replaced with excitement.

I wave goodbye, and I watch them leave, walking back to the front to talk to Danny and her husband. “The way you take care of them is adorable. You’re like a parent to them.” I blush, not having taken into account the fact I act like that.

“Uh… I think I picked it up from you two. You treated me like that as a kid, and I merely try to mimic it.” They hug me, wishing me a goodnight before they let me leave.

I pick up a few extra ingredients for a nice meal for them. It’ll be a nice change, and I’ll make plenty for them to take to their apartment and roommate.

I turn on the tv, deciding to watch the news for a little bit. There’s some news about my absence for the last two weeks, how the city has been a bit more chaotic. There’s still plenty of criminals and villains, some worse than I am. In my absence, they’ve gone crazy. The amateurs aren’t nearly as efficient as I am, but they are causing a lot more destruction than I have ever done.

The news flash to an ongoing crisis. It’s a bank robbery with some hostages being held. I narrow my eyes. Even I have more morals than that. The innocents shouldn’t be dragged into our crimes. It’s stupid. You can steal all you want, but don’t endanger them directly.

The reporter continues. “A hero as arrived on the scene, but they’re struggling to deal with those group. Currently, they are fighting a villain with an electricity ability. Reports are saying this is a match up between a group of villains who’ve only recently picked up in their crime rate, and a newer hero.”

I take a look at the hero, and my eyes widen. That looks like the uniform that Aspen had on when we first met. They’re getting hit hard.

Anger wells up inside me. I don’t even bother to change into my own uniform, put I grab my mask and goggles, and my bike’s keys.

I jump out the window into the parking lot, rolling and running to my bike. I rush to the bank, zipping through the streets and ignoring all traffic laws as much as I can to get there quickly without hitting anyone.

I get there not longer after. It’s stupid, maybe, but I can’t help it. I kick the stand down and leave it not too far away, dodging beyond the police barrier despite the screaming. I don’t care, my kid’s out there, in trouble.

They’re getting the shit kicked out of them, and I stomp over. I reach into the asshole’s mind, digging far in and pulling their worst fears out. He can feel the hellscape forming, and he crumples to the floor, screaming. He’s yelling about a fire and smoke, burning alive.

I kick him away from Aspen, picking up the kid. “You’re supposed to be resting,” I whisper as I rush them towards the barrier. “Get them medical care, I’m dealing with this.”

I hand them off to an EMT, panic welling inside me. I push it down, I can’t let it get to me right now- people inside need me. I walk to the bank, gripping into the minds of all inside- panicking hostages are clearly distinct, and I push a feeling of calm upon them. The anger, serious, and threatening ones I can feel as well, and I dug deep into their brains.

“You all are assholes,” I say as I walk in. They can’t even try to fight me, too far deep into their fears to even able to hear me. I pick up one of their guns, and I hit them each upon the head, hard. Every time they crumple to the ground.

I look over to the scared hostages. They’re all scooting away from me. I sigh, and I can see them all tied up with rope. An idea dawns on me, and I quickly untie them.

They all rush out, afraid of me. I get it, I am a known criminal, and I did just absolutely wreck about four criminals in front of them and came out unharmed. I took the rope and tied them all up, leaving them all in front of the counter. I gather their weapons and put them in a pile away from them, putting them on safety or sheathing them. It’s best to keep them from potentially getting hurt when they pick them up.

I leave, going back outside, walking past the barrier. “All have been dealt with. Four side, unconscious and tied up, weapons away from them. One in front, also unconscious. All hostages evacuated. Where’s the hero?”

They rush to get me to them, fear in every single one of them. It’s not like I’ll hurt them, that they know, but they’re afraid of my potential and if I did try. Police are rushing in to the bank to get them all, doing another sweep.

I’m not allowed into the ambulance, but they assure me they’ll be alright. I nod my head, and they tell me where they’ll be taken. They know I’ll just find out anyways. Aspen’s name floats in their head, almost as if they’re telling me. I can see them looking at me and I know they really are.

I nod and they finally go to asleep.

I leave for the day, and I go home. I don’t care what the news says about today, Aspen, or should I say Jensen Ogden, is all I’m focused on. I can hardly think about anything else. They were in so much danger today, I can’t stop myself from thinking about what could have happened if I’d been too late.

Regardless, I pack a bag of stuff to give them when I visit tomorrow. I might be soft, but no one messes with my kid.

You are a telepathic supervillain that uses their powers to create the perfect personalised hellscape for every hero. But when you peer into the mind of the newest hero you find that they are a complete mental wreck and honestly you just feel sorry for them.

[haik-choo]

request: i read your haikyuu as boyfriend headcannons and 🥺 they were so cute!! if you don’t mind can i get some hcs of your first kiss with noya and hinata 💞

a/n: yess!!!! YES!!!!! your mind...i decided to do all of the first years and add in noya because i really wanna,,,ALSO THESE ARE KIND OF LIKE SCENARIOS??? AGAGAG

@dearkozume because you wanted me to tag you in posts!!! <3

[FIRST KISSES WITH KARASUNO FIRST YEARS + NOYA]

-nishinoya, hinata, kageyama, yamaguchi, tsukishima

nishinoya yuu.

he’d kiss you when walking with you, his mind would probably already be filled with thoughts about kissing you when he realizes you’re giving signs of wanting to be kissed and he. panics

has probably been dating you for a week and keeps on thinking about how to kiss you

he doesn’t want to be pushy and kiss you when you’re not ready, but baby really wants to kiss you

but he won’t if you’re not ready! 

but you’ll be walking back from practice with him, hands intertwined as he complains about tsukishima being an ass or something

and all of a sudden he notices that you aren’t responding like you usually do, not even an ‘uhuh’ or a ‘mhmm’

and he just looks over at you to see if you’re okay, and he notices that you’re literally just staring at him, seemingly not even noticing that he’s stopped talking

and he stops walking and realizes that you’re not just staring at him,,,,,,you’re staring at his lips

WHEN I TELL YOU HE ALMOST SHITS HIMSELF. HE’S BEEN PREPARING AND EVEN TOLD HIMSELF THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE A MONTH BEFORE YOU WERE READY BUT YOU’RE GIVING THE SIGNNNNSSSSS

he takes his hand from yours and grabs your shoulders and pulls you in really close, and his breath shakes when he opens his mouth; you’re a little shocked, but in a good way 

“can i please kiss you?” 

it’s a whisper, and his eyes are wide and his cheeks are painted red; you can even feel his fingers twitch on your shoulders, which is cute because he never gets nervous

and you just...nod

and he nods back at you, closes his eyes, and you close yours. and his lips gently press against yours in the middle of the sidewalk, it’s nighttime, and it just feels so right

he pulls away, his face a mixture of “did i just fuck up” and “OHEIHGroigerngrGUvk” and it has to be the most endearing thing you’ve ever seen. and you wanna see it again sometime soon

just not when he looks like he’s about to pass out from the nerves

“w-....was that good?” he’d nervously ask, his hands still gripping your shoulders, and you’d just nod and laugh, kissing his cheek and intertwining his fingers with yours again before starting down the street

“it was perfect, yuu. let’s do it against sometime.”

“yEAH o-OKAY” (he says as his voice cracks)

hinata shoyo. 

you’d kiss him at night, in his room with no one home, it’s a chaotic kiss because he probably doesn’t see it coming, like at all, and he does something stupid before melting

you guys are used to being at one another’s house like,,,,all the time

you’ve been friends since his middle school says, and when he told you he was going to karasuno, you decided you’d go too

and now that you’re dating, it’s all basically the same. except you wanna kith him and he wanna kith you but you guys are each other’s firsts and just.awkwardness pursues

you’re at his house, but natsu is out with his mom getting groceries for dinner that night (you’re staying over for the night because it’s a friday)

and you’re waiting for hinata to be done with his shower, just finishing up the homework for the weekend so you can 1) spend time with your boyfriend and 2) so you can help him with his homework later

“y/n, have you seen the lotion anywhere?” he calls from the bathroom

“oh, yeah, give me a sec” and you get up and open the door, remembering you put it in the cabinet instead of on the counter, and you just stop,

his hair is wet and he has a towel on his shoulders, his cheeks red from the heat of his shower, his eyes raking over the counter and shelves

“i-its in the bottom cabinet” you manage, and he smiles and opens to cupboard, laughing, “why’d you put it there?” 

his voice is just. perfect. it’s smooth from the steam and yet it’s still a little grainy

and you briefly wonder what it would sound like after a make out session bUT YOU STOP YOURSELF

“what’re you staring at???” he tilts his head to the side and just. doesn’t realize your heart is beating out of your goddamn chest

and you decide to just go for it

in one swift step you’re right up next to him, both hands on his cheeks to bring him down and kiss him, his eyes are wide, not really processing what’s happening, and he’s pretty shocked

so shocked, in fact, that he drops the bottle of lotion on your foot

“OW whAT THE HELKE”

“AH IM SO SORRY IM SO SORRY I DIDN’T MEAN TO --”

you sigh and hold your foot, jokingly saying “you could’ve just told me you didn’t want to kiss instead of smashing my big toe, shoyo --” but he doesn’t even let you finish before he dives in for a second kiss, lips tightly pursed together, inexperienced, but eager, hands squishing your face

and he pulls away, his large eyes staring straight at yours, breath ragged and ears glowing red

“hehe, shoyo, you’re getting your wet hair all over my face”

“sorry i just really wanted to kiss you again” 

kageyama tobio. 

he kisses you because he just can’t take it anymore. it’s probably out at a park after he’s done practicing, and it’s unexpected because he doesn’t know how to do anything; but he goes for it anyway because he just wants to let you feel how much he loves you

i’m surprised he even has an s/o anyway--

he texts you saying ‘hey can you come to the park with me. i was practicing with the idiot but he left because it was late and now’

‘now???’

‘i’m lonely :(’

and now here you are, sitting on a bench, laughing with kageyama as he tries to practice by himself 

“kageyama! it’s already nine pm, take a break and then let’s get something to eat”

he reluctantly nods and moves to sit next to you on the bench

you smile up at him and lace your fingers with his, resting your head on his shoulder and staring at the night sky, peacefully thinking

and kageyama is sure you can hear his heart beat like a drum against his chest

he texted you because he wanted to kiss you but he didn’t know how to say that, and chickened out and just said he was lonely

kageyama knows that he’s not experienced, and that if you were in a relationship with someone like tsukishima or sugawara you’d have already kissed by now

and he’s just...so thankful that you’re so patient with him, and that you respect his boundaries

and he knows that you’ve probably been wanting to kiss him, and damnit, he wants to kiss you too

so he just tests the waters...and just kisses your temple, causing your head to shoot up in shock, because he never kisses you

and you can’t even say anything now because his beautiful steel blue eyes are staring at you so intensely that your breath is stolen from you 

before you know it, he leans down and firmly presses his lips against yours

but he doesn’t pull away for a few seconds, which you don’t mind because fuCK hE”S KISSING YOU YES

but then a few more seconds go by

and then a few more 

and then you finally pull away, “kageyama?” but he doesn’t respond and then you get a good look at his face and almost burst out laughing because it’s literally SO RED

his brows are furrowed together, his lips are tight, and his cheeks are so pink and he just softly mutters out, “i didn’t know how long to kiss you for and then i freaked out because i thought it was too long and i froze up please don’t break up with me i’ve never done this before--” and you cut him off with a kiss that, this time, only lasts for a few seconds

“there. is that better?”

and he can barely manage a nod with how hard and fast his heart is beating

tsukishima kei.

he’d kiss you the morning after you’ve slept over, both tired and lazily watching tv with a cup of joe in his hand and breakfast in your lap, a warm atmosphere taking over you both

it’s probably a sunday morning, and you and tsukishima are sitting on his couch with the tv playing a documentary on dinosaur fossils after you wake up from spending the night 

and he had a cup of coffee in a white mug with a stegosaurus decal on it, and you have a finished plate of toast on your lap 

“did you know that a stegosaurus’ brain was the size of a dog’s?” he mindlessly says, taking a sip of coffee

you hum and look up at him, taking him in with all his glory. his hair is messy and slightly curled at the end now that let it grow out a bit, his glasses were slipping from his nose and his typical piercing eyes were less so, now seeming just a little tired

but your eyes got caught on his lips, and how the coffee left them with a wet sheen

it had already been a month of dating, you had met him when you both took the same extracurricular class in college (’art before the modern ages’ it was called, all about art from the cavemen period and around there) 

after suffering through the boring lectures from a rather untalented professor, he ended up asking you out to coffee one day (surprising you) 

and now here you were, sitting with your sides touching, heart beating in synch

‘well. might as well kiss him’, you thought

“hey, kei, put your mug down real quick” “???okay, weirdo.”

he gently places his cup on the coffee table in front of you both, and he looks over at you expectantly “why'd you wan--” but alas, his words are cut off as you pull him down on top of you, your back hitting the cushions with a soft ‘thud’

but despite having the confidence to initiate pulling him on top of you, his honey eyes are wide and right in front of yours and you didn’t plan for them to be so mesmerizing

needless to say. it’s silent and awkward before he opens up his mouth to tease you

“so you aren’t going to kiss me?” he’d say with a smirk, before rolling his eyes and repositioning himself so his lips are hovering right over yours

“guess i’ll have to do it myself” 

and he laces his fingers with yours as he kisses you passionately. the sun is filtering in, and it looks like he has a halo of light coming from behind his blonde head of hair. it’s so breathtaking that you just close your eyes and lose yourself in the feeling of him on top of you

he pulls away from you with eyes filled with love, something you’ve noticed he’s giving you a lot lately, and gives you a small, genuine smile

“god, i have to do everything around here”

“oh my gOD shut up” 

yamaguchi tadashi. 

he’d kiss you when you’re doing something domestic together, like making dinner together when you both are blaring music in the kitchen and you’re crushing him with the back hugs you love to give

“tadashi, the salt is in the cabinet above you head!”

“thanks, baby!” 

he’s stirring the pot for the spaghetti, putting salt in the boiling water before he puts in the angel hair

and you’re finishing up the homemade sauce, deicing to let it simmer for a few minutes while you decide to go and bother tadashi 

“mmmm, that smells good, baby!” you say as you go behind him, peering over his shoulder. he laughs and shakes his head, “it’s just pasta” you shrug, “still smells good.”

the domestic scene just fills your heart with so much content that you’ve just GOT to let it out

and you want to let it out on your wonderful boyfriend, tadashi 

so you press your face in the back of his olive green sweater, letting your hands slowly slip over his sides and across his stomach, interlacing your fingers together before letting out a sigh of satisfaction

you almost giggle at the way his body tenses up and he twtiches in your hold

“wha-what’re you doing! you’re going to make me burn the spaghetti!” 

“you can’t burn spaghetti, tadashi”

“watch me!”

“i can’t help it, you just smell like...”

“like what?” he’d ask, his face red as he finally pours in the pasta, the corners of his mouth poking upwards

“like my future husband~” CUE HIM DROPPING THE BOX IN THE WATER, BABY BOY IS SO SUPRISED

“w-WE’VE ONLY BEEN DATING FOR TWO WEEKS, I--”

“i”M KIDDING TADASHI AGAGAGAA CHILL OUT” 

a few seconds pass, and his heart is still going a thousand miles per hour, you know because you can hear it thumping against your hands that are now on his chest

you start to giggle, face propping up on his shoulder

he can’t help it, and he starts to laugh too, laughing at how he gets flustered so easily when it comes to you 

and after a minute of loud tear-inducing laughter, he finally just turns around and wraps his arms around your waist, his eyes staring down lovingly at you and your dazzling smile

time slows to a stop, and you both just lean in at the same time, lips connecting at the halfway point, perfectly. he’s smiling against your lips, scrunching up your shirt in his grip. :(((( this is so cute

and his heart jumps a little at the way your hands fist his shirt, and he thinks about how he could do this all night (which he will) before he separates from you with hearts in his eyes, placing his chin on the top of your head

“uh, i think you burned the spaghetti babe??? how the hell--”

“i TOLD YOU THAT YOU DISTRACT ME” 

[noahhawthorneauthor]

Inside Thitwhistle's and the mind of an immortal who has never had friends. (Phantom and Rook)

I’m elbows deep in dish water and my muddied thoughts when a familiar voice sounds from the other side of the counter behind me.

I swallow something heavy, dry my hands off and make sure to pull my hoodie sleeves down past my wrists before turning to face Quentin. I give him a smile. “Hey, Quentin. Gowan need more scones? They’re on the house, I did eat three or four of hers.”

Quentin smiles back, shoulders squared, stance tall. “No thanks, I was actually wondering if you could help me with something. I’m looking for a book.”

“Oh, sure. I’m not completely familiar with the selection yet, but there’s a computer back here that I can use. Well, once I figure it out. Follow me.” I say, gesturing to the hidden aisles of books.

The circulation desk rests on the opposite side of the dividing wall that houses the sink and appliances for the cafe. Green velvet upholstery and dark brown leather provide cozy lounge chaises and reading nooks, accented with silver embroidery.

Arlo’s touch lacks in this area, but the occasional black or gold feather flutters across the dark wood of the towering bookshelves. Aisles stretch into a seemingly endless labyrinth, offering anonymity. A few private niches and group friendly reading spaces are tucked between the aisles, often not revealing patrons until you’re right upon them. My favorite area is the least occupied and hides in the far back, under the stairs that lead to the apartments.

Quentin waits patiently while I struggle to boot the computer on, then find the right browser. My brows furrow, the desktop is a mess and full of icons. He peers over my shoulder. “Oh boy. You should have Caspian take a look at that dinosaur.”

I look back at him. “Dinosaur?”

“Yeah, that’s like twenty years old.”

I wrinkle my nose, muttering, “I must be the dustings of a fossil then.”

He chuckles nervously. “True.”

“I think Caspian most likely would rather do anything other than assist me, but thank you for the advice. Ah, here it is. What book are you looking for?”

Quentin blushes, pushing up his glasses. “Well, I feel bad now seeing how much of a hassle this is for you, but I don’t actually need a book.’

I turn from the computer to glare at him head on. “Oh.”

He adjusts his glasses. “We could really use your help, with the Game, you know? And Arlo’s worried about you.” Quentin shifts on his feet. “Your business is your business, you know? I don’t know what happened to you, but … You don’t owe us anything, or have to feel weird. I think you’re really nice, and the others do too. Caspian’s an ass, but that’s just him.”

I cross my arms, having to look away from his elegant features. He has one of those faces that can bring forth your deepest secrets and crack your heart open. Quentin should be with Arlo. He won’t disappear. He’s kind, and I know he would love Arlo so much better than I ever could.

“I appreciate that, Quentin, thank you. I don’t,” I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve … made connections, I guess you could say. Making friends is not a strong suit of mine.”

Quentin blinks in surprise. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make an enemy, not yet, anyway.”

I chuckle darkly, an unfamiliar feeling. “People liking you, and what you can do for them,” I finally drag my eyes up to his, “and those who are a true friend, are two very different things.”

Quentin nods solemnly. “I think I can understand that.”

We stand there, staring at each other.

“Oh, also, Kitt wanted me to tell you that she’ll be empty bright and early tomorrow morning if you still wanted to get that tattoo, if not that’s fine, too.” Quentin nods quickly. “But anyway, I’ll, um, I’ll go now. Oh, also this message is from Tobias, they’re having dinner at six tomorrow, if you wanted to come. Stop by and eat some grilled food, surprise a good mood into Arlo. We’ll all be there, talking theories.”

And fuck if that doesn’t spark my interest. “Did you come up with anything?”

“Well, we didn’t, but someone found the first painting about an hour ago, in Arlo’s studio. It’s been all over the news and social media, a few people have already submitted their guesses that it’s him. Can you imagine?”

I chuckle. “I might be able to.”

Art by @gagakumadraws

[kirishimaswife2819]

Ferris Wheel Kiss || Eijiro Kirishima x Reader

Masterlist

Pairing: Eijiro Kirishima x Fem!Reader

Summary: You meet Kirishima at an ice cream shop after you get stood up, and then you go to the fair together

Word Count: 2.1k

A/n: I don’t know anything about games at the fair, but every fair is probably different, so if I’m wrong then just go with it anyway. Also thanks to everybody who liked my other posts! -Danielle <3

You messed with the edge of your shirt, as you sat and waited for your date to come, even though you knew he most likely wasn’t coming. The date was supposed to be at five and it was fifteen after seven. You thought that nobody noticed, and you were hoping nobody did, because getting stood up is embarrassing. 

But a certain red head noticed how you looked around and ignored the bowl of ice cream in front of you, and he also took note of you checking your phone every so often. He was frowning, wondering who would stand you up. He thought you were pretty, and you looked like a nice person, so who the hell would stand you up?

“Shitty Hair!” Bakugou yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“What?” Kirishima asked, looking to his ash blonde friend who sat across from him.

“The hell are you staring at?” Bakugou questioned, looking around the ice cream shop for something interesting.

“Nothing,” Kirishima responded.

“Bullshit, you weren’t listening to a single word either of us were saying,” Bakugou said, gesturing to Kaminari who was sitting next to him.

“Yeah, are you staring at somebody? A girl?” Kaminari asked, looking around, “Ooo, is it that cute girl in the corner with the sunflower dress?”

“No, it’s the girl at that table, by herself,” Kirishima said, pointing to you.

“Oh dang, yeah, she’s cute. What’s she doing by herself though?” Denki asked, looking in your direction as you turned on your phone and dialed a number before holding it up to your ear. Kirishima watched as your expression slowly got more and more sad, until eventually you hung up.

“I think her date stood her up or something,” Kirishima said.

“Who are you two idiots talking about?” Bakugou asked, turning around and looking at who they were looking at. Bakugou saw you, you were now sitting with your palm on your cheek, poking around at your ice cream.

“I’m gonna go talk to her,” Kirishima said, getting up.

“What, why?” Denki asked.

“We’re still going to that fair tonight, right?” Kirishima questioned and Denki nodded, “Well, since Sero couldn’t come, we can invite her instead!”

“Whatever,” Bakugou said, watching as Kirishima approached your table.

“Hello!” Kirishima said, giving you a big smile. You looked up from your bowl of ice cream. Kirishima could tell from your expression that you would start sobbing any second if something set you off.

“Hi,” you replied, “Can I help you with something?”

“Yeah, actually, I was wondering if you wanna come with me and my friends to the fair that’s in town,” Kirishima offered, gesturing to his friends at a corner booth. Kaminari gave you a smile and waved, while Bakugou didn’t turn back to look at what Kirishima was doing.

“I don’t have much money,” you responded.

“Oh, that’s fine! We’ll pay for you!” Kirishima offered.

“Do you want something out of me or something?” You asked, looking up at him.

“What? No! I just think you’re kinda cute and I thought you would have fun at the fair with me and my friends. You don’t have to go though!” Kirishima said, smiling at you.

“I guess I’ll go,” you replied, and Kirishima smiled.

“Great! Do you wanna come sit with us until we’re ready to go?” Kirishima asked, and you nodded, picking up your ice cream. Kirishima then led you to their booth and let you sit on the outside.

“Oh, wait, I never got your name,” Kirishima said.

“Y/n L/n,” you replied.

“Okay, cool, I’m Eijiro Kirishima and these are my friends, Denki Kaminari,” he said, pointing to Denki and then pointing to Bakugou, “And Katsuki Bakugou.”

“Nice to meet you all,” you said, finally taking a bite of your ice cream.

“So, what are you doing here all alone?” Bakugou asked, speaking his first words to you.

“Bakugou!” Kirishima scolded his friend, glaring at him.

“No, um, it’s fine. My date stood me up,” you said, looking back down at your ice cream.

“That’s so unmanly,” Kirishima said.

“Yeah, what he said,” Denki agreed.

“When are we leaving?” Bakugou asked.

“Probably after L/n finishes her ice cream,” Kirishima asked, looking at you, but you really didn’t look like you wanted to eat it.

“No, we can go now, if you want. I’m not in the mood for ice cream another more,” you said, turning around and throwing the white foam bowl into the trash can.

“Okay, let’s go then,” Bakugou said, standing up. Denki got out of the booth after him, and then you got up, with Kirishima close behind. You all then went outside and began the walk to the fair. Kirishima walked beside you, while Kaminari and Bakugou walked ahead.

“I’m sorry about him back in there,” Kirishima said, apologizing for the ash blonde’s question.

“No, it’s fine. I thought it was pretty obvious,” you said, with a shrug.

“It was, he’s just a jerk before you get to know him. And even then he’s sometimes a jerk,” Kirishima explained.

“I fucking heard that Shitty Hair!” Bakugou yelled back. You turned the corner and the fair came into view. It didn’t look as pretty as it would later, because it still wasn’t too dark out yet, but there were still flashing lights of various colors. You all got your tickets, and went in.

“What do you guys want to do first?” Kirishima questioned, looking between you three.

“I want to go play some games,” Kaminari said.

“I’m gonna go ride some rides, I don’t care what you guys do. Meet back here at like eight thirty,” Bakugou said, not waiting for you guys to answer, before going off on his own.

“Alright, I guess we’re playing games then,” Kirishima said, giving you a smile, “Let’s go.” You followed Kirishima to a darts game.

“Hello, how much is it?” Kirishima asked, taking out his wallet.

“Five bucks for five darts, if you get five darts in a row then you get one of the big prizes,” the worker said, holding his hand out for the money. Kirishima gave him five, as well as Kaminari.

“Do you wanna play?” Kirishima asked, looking at you.

“No, I’d probably lose anyway,” you said, with a shrug.

“Oh come on, don’t put yourself down. Besides, it’s just for fun,” Kirishima said, giving the man another five. Then you each took your turn throwing darts and playing the game. Kirishima managed to get five in a row, Kaminari got one, and you got three.

“Alright, pick something out of this bin,” the worker said, holding a bin out to Kaminari.

“Dude this stuff is junk,” Kaminari said, frowning at what was inside.

“Yeah, well you should’ve hit more balloons, now pick, I don’t have all day here,” the worker said, and Kaminari frowned, eventually picking up one of the colored bead necklaces.  Kaminari pouted and put the beads around his neck, you laughed at how upset he looked.

“Hey, I got her to laugh!” Kaminari yelled, smiling, “Bet you couldn’t do that, Kirishima.”

“Shut up, man,” Kirishima said, as the worker spoke to you.

“Pick something from the third row,” he said, pointed to the row with various small plushies. Eventually you pointed to the blue octopus plushie and he handed it to you, then he turned to Kirishima.

“Pick from the top row,” the worker said, and Kirishima thought for a minute. All of the plushies were about two feet in height, and his options were a gray shark, a pink cat, or a blue dinosaur. He then looked at you and noticed you staring at the shark.

“The shark please,” Kirishima said, making eye contact with you as the worker handed him the shark, he then turned to you, “Here ya go, L/n!”

“Wait, really?” You asked, and he nodded, pushing it a bit more in your direction. You took it, and hugged it, making sure both stuffed animals were fine in your arms. As you were walking to go play something else, you spoke to Kirishima again, “By the way, you can call me by my first name if you want.”

“Okay, Y/n, thanks! You can call me Eijiro if you want to,” he said, as Kaminari picked out another game for all to play. You spent a while playing games, before it was almost time to go meet Bakugou. 

“We should probably go meet up with Bakugou,” Kaminari said, as he lost another game.

“Okay, let’s go,” Kirishima said, leading you guys through the crowd of people. Kirishima noticed you getting kind of pushed around, and falling a bit behind, so he reached out his hand for you, and you smiled and took it.

“Thanks Eijiro,” you said, as he pulled you up beside him, but didn’t let go of your hand.

“No problem,” Kirishima responded, as you got out of the crowd and back to the spot. A few minutes later, Bakugou came back.

“Okay, what do you extras wanna do now?” Bakugou asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. You looked around for something to do when you made eye contact with a familiar face, the boy that stood you up. You frowned, and looked away quickly, but he had made eye contact with you, and was now approaching you.

“Hey Y/n,” he greeted you, giving you an evil smile.

“What do you want?” You asked, trying to get closer to Kirishima and away from this man. Kirishima noticed this, and took your hand, holding it.

“Aw, come on, don’t be like that. It was only one time,” he said.

“Yeah, and you made me wait two hours and ignored all my texts and calls. You didn’t even forget, you just didn’t want to come!” You yelled.

“What can I say? You’re kind of annoying, but you’re also hot, so,” he said, shrugging.

“I’m going to recommend that you walk away before I do something I’m going  to regret,” Kirishima threatened.

“What the hell are-”

“Listen to him, and walk away, you fucking extra,” Bakugou said, “You don’t wanna pick a fight with him, and if you pick a fight with him, I’m gonna join in and blow your ass up.” Bakugou made a few sparks for dramatic effect.

“Fine, geez, freaks,” he said, backing away and going back to his friends. Kirishima glared at him as he walked away, and almost forgot about you, standing beside him.

“Are you okay, L/n?” Kaminari questioned, looking at you to make sure that you’re okay. That snapped Kirishima out of his thoughts, and he looked at you.

“Yeah, I’m fine, can we just go do something?” You asked, avoiding eye contact with any of them.

“How about we get some food and then we can ride the Ferris wheel,” Kaminari suggested and you nodded.

“I’m fine with that,” you said.

“Alright, then let’s go,” Kirishima said, still holding your hand as he led you all to where the food booths were. After you all got what you liked, you sat down and ate. After finishing eating, you all got in line for the Ferris wheel and soon you got on. Kaminari and Bakugou got on before you two, even though Bakugou complained about having to go with Kaminari. Then you and Kirishima got on. 

“The sunset is pretty,” you commented, looking at the various collars as you got up higher and higher.

“Yeah,” Kirishima said, not looking at the sunset but at you. He noticed the sad face you had while trying to enjoy the sunset, no doubt from the events of that day. You had your arm around the shark plushie, so it didn’t fall off. Kirishima wasn’t even sure why you brought it on with you, but you looked cute hugging it, so he wasn’t going to complain. Finally, you made it to the top, causing Kirishima to speak again, “You know, people normally kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel.”

“W-what?” You asked, looking over at him, your face heating up, you weren’t expecting him to say that.

“Well, I think you’re pretty cute, and I wouldn’t mind kissing you if you’re alright with that,” Kirishima said, smiling at you.

“You think I’m cute?” You asked, and he nodded.

“And you’re pretty fun to hang out with too!” Kirishima said, smiling, “So is it alright if I kiss you?”

“Yes,” you replied, and Kirishima smiled, leaning in giving you a kiss on the lips. He pulled away, smiling, taking note of your face heating up and the small smile on your lips.

“Do you want to go on a date sometime?” Kirishima asked.

“I’d love too,” you replied, “Are you actually gonna show up?”

“Of course I will! That dude is just an unmanly jerk,” Kirishima said.

“Is it bad that I’m sort of glad he stood me up?” You questioned.

“Why are you glad?” Kirishima asked.

“I met you,” you replied, with a shrug.

“If that’s the logic we’re going by then I’m pretty glad he stood you up too.”

[remywrites5]

           Remus looked at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. He really needed to get more sleep, the bags under his eyes had taken up permanent residence there, and his roots were starting to come in. He spat into the sink and then rinsed his toothbrush off. When he glanced back up at himself, there was the same harrowing reflection staring back. He needed to at least re-dye his hair pink or else pick a different colour.

           He’d dyed it pink on a whim after his last breakup. He thought maybe going from his usual tawny curls to something else would make him more exciting, more cheerful, more something. “Why are you never smiling?” Benjy had asked Remus all the time. As if Remus should just constantly be smiling like some kind of insane person.

           Remus walked over to his desk and flopped into his rolling chair. He sat with one leg bent up towards his chest and hunched over his tablet. The thing was so old it was practically a dinosaur. The program he used to draw on was always crashing – causing Remus to do almost constant saving. Drawing web comics wasn’t exactly the most lucrative use of his art degree, but it paid the bills.

           There was some sort of ungodly sound outside and then the distinct clatter of something breaking. Remus jumped to his feet in surprise, wondering if someone had climbed up to his flat to murder him. Two shadows appeared at his door and then one of them knocked. Well, if they were murderers, they were of the polite variety.

           Remus walked over tentatively, his pen for his tablet still in his hand as his only means of defense. He figured at the least maybe he could poke a few eyes.

           “I don’t think anyone is home.”

           “He has to be home. I haven’t seen him leave the house in days.”

           “Hmm, paying close attention, are we?”

           “Shut up, Jamie.”

           “Ow!”

           Confused, Remus opened the door to find two guys standing on the other side. The dark-skinned one with glasses immediately smiled, while the pale one with long dark hair kept his face neutral.

           “Hiya! I’m James and this is Sirius,” James said, moving what was in his hand so that he could wave. “We run the bakery downstairs. We just came to introduce ourselves and bring you these!”

           Remus took the container when James offered it, still a little bit stunned by the whole thing, and opened it up. Inside was an assortment of baked goods. “Oh. Thank you,” Remus said, a little bit at a loss for words. “This is really nice.”

           Remus was suddenly struck by the fact that two very attractive men were on his doorstep and Remus was wearing the same hoodie he’d worn for three days. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d put on deodorant. Embarrassed beyond belief, Remus felt his cheeks flush.

           “Aren’t you going to say anything?” James prompted his friend, shoving at Sirius�� shoulder.

           “Hi,” Sirius said, running his fingers through his shoulder-length hair.

           Remus swallowed thickly and quickly put the container of goodies down. He didn’t trust his shaking hands not to drop them. “Nice to meet you.”

           “Whoa, are you an artist?” James asked, noticing the pen in Remus’ hand. “Do you think you could design something for us?”

           “James, don’t impose,” Sirius said, crossing his arms over his chest.

           “I’m not imposing!” James insisted, turning and shooting Sirius a look. “We’ll pay for the work. It’s just right now our menus are so bland! They don’t really say ‘Padfoot and Prongs’ Patisserie.”

           “That’s a fancy name,” Remus said, tucking the pen behind his ear so that he could shove his hands in his pockets. Suddenly they’d gotten all sweaty.

           “Yeah well, this wanker is half French, so he wouldn’t let me call it a pastry shop,” James said teasingly. “By the way, you haven’t told us your name.”

           “Oh,” Remus said, realizing that James was right. He shuffled his feet slightly and kind of wished James and Sirius would leave. He hadn’t had such a long social interaction in months. This was getting to be a bit much, and James’ enthusiasm was draining. “Remus. Remus Lupin.”

           “So do you think you can design something for our menus?” James asked excitedly, his hazel eyes big behind his glasses.

           “Um, sure, I’ll take a stab at it,” Remus offered, even though he kind of didn’t want to. He had deadlines to meet and he was already a little behind. But then James and Sirius had brought him baked goods without having even met Remus before. Besides, how hard could designing a menu be?

           “Great!” James said, slapping Sirius on the back. “Isn’t that great, Padfoot?”

           Sirius sighed. “Sure is.”

           Remus pulled out his wallet and handed James one of his business cards. It had been Benjy’s idea that Remus get them. This was only the second Remus had even given out. The first one had been given the Benjy. What a waste of money.

           “My email is at the bottom,” Remus explained, pointing to it on the card. “Just send me the details of what you want and I’ll work something up.”

           Sirius tilted his head to the side. “What are your rates?”

           “Um…” Fuck, Remus hadn’t exactly thought about it. He knew what he charged per page on his web comic but this was completely different. “How about you just, um, let me get a free baked good from time to time and we’ll call it even?”

           “Of course!” James said, nodding emphatically.

           “Hold on,” Sirius interjected, putting his hand up to stop James. “For the rest of time you want free shit from us? Just for a doodle?”

           “Sirius –“ James cut in, his face slightly aghast at his friend’s harsh tone.

           “I – I won’t abuse it or anything,” Remus said, feeling his face heat. Christ, the way Sirius was looking at him made him nervous. “It won’t be every day or anything like that.”

           Sirius huffed and turned his face away. “Fine. But I reserve the right to cut you off.”

           “Okay.”

           “Perfect,” James said, tugging on Sirius’ arm. “We should get back downstairs. We’ve still got a lot to do before we open. I’ll email you later, Remus!”

           “Sounds good,” Remus said, waving after them as they started down the fire escape. The moment he closed the door, he felt like he could breathe a little easier. He didn’t know what Sirius’ problem was, but the fewer interactions Remus had with him the better.

                                                           ***

           Remus finished up the latest update for his comic and sat back with a groan. It was already 10:30 at night and Remus hadn’t had any dinner. For once he had been in a good flow and hadn’t wanted to stop. Now his stomach was so empty it hurt. He couldn’t remember eating breakfast either.

           He walked over to where he had left the baked good James had dropped off and carried the container into bed. He sat munching on them as he scrolled through his phone. He had eaten about half of them when he remembered James was supposed to contact him. He pulled up his email and sure enough there was a message from James Potter.

           Apparently they wanted something kind of classy involving a buck and a black dog. Remus was intrigued, and popped a custard crème into his mouth. Their stuff really was mouth-wateringly good. Remus was glad he had asked for pastries instead of cash. While he could use the money, he tended to live on instant noodles and bacon sandwiches. Having something from the bakery from time to time would be a real treat.

                                                           ***

           Remus’ flat was on the top floor of the building and it meant he had almost exclusive rooftop access. He hadn’t done much with it except put out a table and two chairs. He really only went out there to smoke anyway. He stood by the side of the roof with his elbows on the ledge, watching the street below, his cigarette resting between his lips.

           Sirius exited the bakery and walked down the side alley of the building. He seemed to be having a heated discussion with someone on the phone. Remus felt himself tracking Sirius with his eyes, even though he didn’t mean to.

           “Damn it, Reg, I already told you –“ Sirius seemed to be cut off by the other person on the phone. “I don’t care if they cut me off. I’m not going on a blind date that my mum set up with a woman! I haven’t lived in that house for five years and she still thinks she can control me. Now she’s even roping you into it.”

           Remus felt a bit bad for eavesdropping, but the street was relatively quiet at that time of day, so it was difficult not to hear. Remus wondered why Sirius had said woman like that, as if he were offended by being set up with someone female. Remus didn’t want to get his hopes up that Sirius might also be gay. Thinking that was a dangerous route to go down. He tried to finish up his cigarette and go back inside before he was spotted, but it seemed Sirius was done with his conversation. He dropped his phone by his side and looked up at the sky. His eyes seemed to immediately land on Remus and Remus felt his cheeks heat up in response. He took a slow drag of his ciggy and let it out, letting his eyes drift away as if he hadn’t just been staring.

           He wasn’t wholly surprised when he heard footsteps making their way up the fire escape. He finished his cigarette and lit another one. He usually didn’t chain smoke like this, considering all the nicotine often made him dizzy, due to how little he ate most days. He turned when Sirius made it onto the roof and somehow managed to meet Sirius’ accusing stare.

           “How much of that did you hear?” Sirius asked, slipping his phone into his pocket.

           Remus scratched his cheek with his free hand. “Uh, the whole thing?”

           Sirius sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Can I bum one of those?”

           Remus opened the pack and shook one out towards Sirius. Sirius slid it between his lips and leaned in when Remus flicked the lighter to light it. Remus hadn’t noticed it the first time they met, but Sirius had grey eyes. Remus had never seen someone with eyes like that before.

           Remus had no idea what to say, so he just continued smoking, watching Sirius out of his peripheral vision. It was a little awkward, but not unbearably so, and it seemed Sirius was happy to smoke in silence. Sirius’ apron was covered in flour, and what Remus hoped was jam of some kind. not something more nefarious based on its red colour. The last thing he needed was a Sweeney Todd situation in his building.

           Remus and Sirius finished their cigarettes at the same time and both killed them in the ashtray. They were standing so close, should to shoulder, and Remus had no idea why that made his heart race. He turned towards Sirius in order to say his goodbyes, and suddenly Sirius was even closer.

           “Well, I should –“

           Remus didn’t finish that sentence as Sirius was leaning in. He was moving with intent and his lips just barely brushed against Remus’. Remus gasped, the sound getting swallowed up as Sirius’ lips pressed more firmly against Remus’. Remus let himself enjoy it for a moment, Christ, it had been so long since he’d kissed someone, before he brought himself back to his sense.

           “What are you doing?” he demanded, pushing Sirius away.

           Sirius’ eyes searched Remus’ for a moment and then he took another step back. “Fuck, I – I’m sorry. I don’t even have an excuse.”

           Remus grinned as he watched Sirius flounder for a moment. He decided to let Sirius off the hook. It was just a little kiss after all. “Hey, I’m almost done with the menu design. Do you want to see it?”

           The tension in Sirius’ shoulders ebbed at Remus’ offer. “Yeah, sure.”

           Remus told Sirius to sit down at the little table while Remus went inside to get his tablet. He brought it out and sat down across from Sirius. He opened up the menu design and placed it in front of Sirus. He was actually a little nervous as Sirius looked it over. It was a buck and a dog running through a forest surrounded by berry bushes. James had explained in the email that their homemade jam was a huge selling point for them and they wanted the menu to emphasize that.

           “It’s not too dark, is it?” Remus asked, chewing his bottom lip.

           “No, I think it’s perfect.” Sirius glanced up, and for the first time Remus had seen, Sirius smiled. “We’re doing a soft opening in two days. You should come.”

           “Will I have to pay?” Remus teased, resting his chin in his hand and looking at Sirius.

           Sirius laughed. “Fine, you don’t have to pay. What kind of pastry do you like best? I’ll make it for you.”

           Remus considered it for a moment. “Jammy dodgers.”

           Sirius’ grin widened. “You got it.”

                                                             ***

           Remus went to the soft opening, even though he hadn’t been around that many people in a while, and it put his social anxiety through the roof. He met James’ wife, Lily, and their son, Harry. He also met quite a few of James and Sirius’ closest friends. Even though everyone was very nice, Remus couldn’t help feeling a bit like an outsider.

           However, Remus didn’t miss the way that his jammy dodgers seemed to be the only ones with little hearts in the middle. That knowledge alone was enough to make him stick around.

                                                           ***

           Remus was in trouble. His web comic was about a werewolf and a vampire that fell in love with each other. The werewolf character struck a striking resemblance to Remus, although the character had Remus’ original hair colour. The idea had come to him based on his name. The vampire character, however, had short dark hair and red eyes. Yet, whenever Remus found himself drawing him, his hair seemed to be getting progressively longer for no discernable reason and his eyes seemed to be grey.

           It didn’t help that Remus saw Sirius pretty much every day. During his lunch break, Sirius would bring up something from the bakery, and they would sit together at the little table and eat and smoke. Remus had gotten to know Sirius, little by little, cracking away at Sirius’ shell to the gooey center underneath. Despite his first impression of Sirius, and his original cold exterior, Remus found the man himself was mushy and romantic and sweet.

           Remus told Sirius about the fact that he’d always meant to make a little rooftop garden, but as of yet hadn’t really gotten around to buying any plants. Sirius showed up the next day with a little tree.

           “It’s called Dogwood,” he’d said with a knowing grin. He had continued to buy Remus several flowers and plants since then. He’d even brought some herbs for cooking, even though Remus insisted he didn’t really cook. Every time Sirius and Remus found a place for the new plant, Sirius would get that same smile. A smile that had started to cause butterflies in Remus’ stomach.

           There was no talk about the conversation Remus had overheard or of the kiss they’d shared. Remus figured both topics were off limits.

           Maybe that’s why he couldn’t get Sirius out of his head.

                                                           ***

           Remus dropped his head back and groaned. “I told you if you didn’t stop me I would eat all six éclairs.”

           “An impressive feat,” Sirius said, grinning behind his wine glass as he took a sip.

           “I hate you,” Remus said, scrubbing his hand over his face. He was starting to sweat a bit from overeating. “I’m going to put on so much weight.”

           “You could use some more meat on your bones,” Sirius responded with a shrug. “You barely eat as it is.”

           “I was right, this is a Sweeney Todd situation, you’re fattening me up to put me in a pie,” Remus bemoaned, clutching his stomach. That last éclair had really done him in.

           “We don’t even serve meat pies at the bakery,” Sirius said in amusement. “I think you’re safe.”

           “I’m not buying it,” Remus said, staring at Sirius accusingly. “Why else would you bring me all these sweets?”

           Sirius glanced away, twirling his wine glass between his fingers. “For an excuse to come see you.”

           “Oh,” Remus said, a blush rising to his cheeks. “Really?”

           Sirius stood up and walked over to Remus, placing his hand on the back of Remus’ chair, and leaning into him. “So, I made a mess of our first kiss. Think you might let me try again?”

           “Um.” Remus stared up at Sirius and let out a shaky breath. “Yes. W-we can do that.”

           Sirius slid his fingers through Remus’ curls until his hand came to rest at the back of Remus’ head. Then he guided their lips together into a soft kiss. Remus opened his mouth first, and Sirius was quick to follow suit, their tongues meeting in a mixture of chocolate, wine and cigarettes. Remus eagerly chased the taste from Sirius’ mouth.

           Sirius pulled back after a few life-altering moments. Remus felt his eyes flutter open to find that Sirius was smiling at him. God, Remus loved it when Sirius smiled. “I could eat you up, I really could,” Sirius sang softly.

           Remus busted out laughing. “Do not sing Sweeney Todd at me when you’re trying to be romantic.”

           Sirius chuckled and pulled Remus up into a hug. “Noted. Should I just tell you I love you then?”

           Remus hugged Sirius back, burying his face in Sirius’ neck, ignoring the deep blush currently on his face. “I-I think that would work.”

           “Well?” Sirius asked expectantly, turning his face and pressing a kiss to Remus’ forehead.

           Remus hugged Sirius tighter. “I love you too.”

           Remus stood there, in a moment so like a fairy tale that he didn’t want it to end, wishing he could freeze time. He stood in the moonlight, embracing the man he had come to adore, surrounded by all the plants Sirius had bought just for him. It felt like more than Remus deserved, but he wasn’t about to let it go. He could only hope the next moment would be just as sweet.  

[bakugou-jpg]

Cherry wine || Single dad!Tsukishima

Hello, hello ! I here by present you with chapter 1 of cherry wine. I apologize for the last bit since it was a bit rushed but i do hope you will all enjoy it anyways. Also! Thank you so much for all the kind words and support you guys have given we really appreciate it :)

Masterlist

-Chapter 1-

________________________________________

"..Wake up bud, there's cereal waiting for you on the counter."

The covers moved, a small groan coming from underneath them. A tuft of dirty, messy, blonde hair peeked through the top together with the nose of what seemed to be a stuffed meerkat. "Noo.." A voice grumbled, barely hearable due to the covers almost deafening the sounds coming from underneath.

It didn't take long before the curtains were shoved aside, the blinding sunlight shooting through and immediatly taking grasp of whatever it could find. Which also seemed to be the face of the 7 year old boy hiding from his father underneath the covers.

"Dad! Its too bright, i'm going blind!" The boy whined while pushing his stuffed animal into his face. He nuzzled his face into its fur and sighed, enjoying his last few seconds of comfort in bed. Monday mornings were the worst, a morning where his father wouldn't have any mercy with waking him up. Even if that meant tossing him over his shoulder or for his wiggly fingers to find their way onto his side while that very annoying smirk was present on his face.

Tsukishima stretched, letting his eyes get used to the morning sunlight before dragging his long legs to the small turtle enclosure that was placed on top of a drawer. He flicked on the light and immediately checked if the turtle, who went by the name of Mika, was still alive and good. Once he was greeted by the grumpy eyes of the drowsy turtle he reached for the small box of crickets and took out the last two, tossing them into the enclosure after having opened the top and closing it again afterwards.

He crossed his arms and looked at the hidden boy with a raised brow. "Kaoru Tsukishima. Your cereal will get soggy and i'm not making you a new bowl. So get out of bed or else i'll help you." He said, walking towards the bed and kneeling down, tugging at the sheets.

An mischief giggle errupted from under the blankets and a head poked out of the sheets. A pair of golden brown eyes peeked up at him and Tsukishima certainly didn't miss the big grin on the boy's face.

Kaoru was almost a carbon copy of his dad. He had his dad's dirty blonde hair, golden-brown eyes and his dad's interest in dinosaurs. It brought some sense of pride to Tsukishima, knowing that he did that. That a kid so smart, imaginative and nice was his son.

Had you told Tsukishima, 10 years ago when he was 16, that he'd father a boy at the last year of his college and take responsibility for him by raising him on his own. How he'd provide and do anything he did for his son and that every decision he made was for his son? He would've called you crazy, saying how he wouldn't be stupid enough to make the decision of doing such things without the right protection.

It was something that was true, Tsukishima had been dumb enough to not use the right precautions that one night. He was too busy thinking with his dick instead of his brain, too busy with his own desires instead of thinking of the consequences.

Though Tsukishima wasn't religious in any way or shape, he was god forever thankful that he wasn't a responsible person that one night.

"..I'm not leaving my bed" The boy said while giggling like crazy, knowing exactly what the outcomes could be. He had one of his arms tightly wrapped around his stuffed meerkat and pulled the blankets up, trying to hide his smile but Tsukishima's didn't miss how his eyes crinkled and how his eyes held nothing but joy.

The tall man dipped down, throwing Kaoru's sheets off the bed revealing the boy and grabbed his ankles. He stood up, taking a few steps back and dangled the boy upside down by his legs. Kaoru burst out in a fit of giggles, his arm dragging over the floor and his shirt slipping down his chest down to his head. His dad moved his legs on his shoulders, Kaoru now up side down dangling on his back as he took him down the hall, to the kitchen.

Tsukishima slowly lowered Kaoru, making sure he wouldn't just harshly fall onto the ground and hurt himself. The boy put his hands on the ground and his legs slipped down his father's back, landing on his fours. He jumped up, immediately letting his eyes scan the kitchen counter before grabbing his bowl of cereal. "Thanks"

Whilst climbing onto the stool next to the kitchen island, Tsukishima quickly put down a spoon before disappearing somewhere into bathroom only to return with a small pile of fresh clothes. He walked back into Kaoru's room and put the pile of clothes on top of his bed, making his bed before doing so.

"Eat up, brush your teeth and get dressed. After school we're gonna buy some more food for Mika, no buts. Now hurry up we're gonna be late"

Kaoru groaned and shoved a spoon full of colored dinosaur shaped cereal into his mouth. "Mnnyeah wyeah" The boy said with his mouth full, some droplets of milk going down his chin and onto his pyjamas.

Quickly finishing his breakfast, Kaoru hopped off of the stool and ran to his room. He quickly got rid of his pyjamas, leaving the discarded clothes somewhere on the ground for Tsukishima to once again clean it after him, and pulled his sweater over his head. The raccoon print on the front was a bit damaged after having been in the washing machine several times, but Kaoru loved it very much regardless of it.

Tsukishima was in the bathroom, splashing his face with water rubbing a towel rather harshly over it. He put his toothbrush back into the cup placed next to the mirror and spat out the remaining bits of toothpaste that was in his mouth.

There was a soft tug at his sleeve, the 7 year old boy signaling towards the cup that held the toothbrushes and Tsukishima handed him his dark blue toothbrush. "..thanks" Kaoru mumbled while putting a little dot of toothbrush on it before climbing onto the

Tsukishima left the bathroom and went to the hallway, sliding his feet into his shoes when he felt his phone buzz.

        Turning off his phone again, Tsukishima could hear quick footsteps coming his way. He kneeled down, loosening Kaoru's shoes for him since Kaoru always managed to take the longest time getting them on.

"Kuroo's waiting for me, u can tie your shoes in the car just be careful u don't trip" He said while grabbing Kaoru's bag, checking to see if he put his lunch in.

Kaoru shoved his feet into his shoes and looked at Tsukishima with pleading eyes. "Can you carry me to the car~? Pretty pleaseee?" His son begged while looking at him with his hands folded. Kaoru was forcing puppy eyes,

A look most parents would think was adorable..

Tsukishima tilted his head and looked down at Kaoru, his eyes scanning over the body from the 7 year old. "Kaoru, can you do this?". He moved his foot up and down, kicking his leg in and out before looking back at Kaoru again who was looking at him with a confused look in his eyes.

Kaoru nodded and got up. He started copying Tsukishima's movement, moving his foot up and down, kicking his legs in and out and even wiggling around with it a little. "Yeah, of course.." The boy muttered, his eyes looking back up at Tsukishima.

..but Tsukishima absolutely hated it when Kaoru tried to bribe him with just a single look.

"Well then your legs work perfectly fine now get your butt to the car or else i'll leave you home alone and you can walk yourself to school." Tsukishima said with a smirk, looking down at his son with a devilish glint in his eyes. He unlocked the door and waited for Kaoru to catch up, who was currently groaning and rolling his eyes at his dad.

"Daaad!" Kaoru whined, leaning into his father while holding onto his arm while he locked the door again. He pressed his face into his arm and started making inaudible noises into his sleeve.

Tsukishima was still smirking, loving nothing more but to tease his son and get on his nerves sometimes. He reached into the pocket of his coat and grabbed his car keys, pushing a button so that the car would unlock. "Kaoruuu" He said in a similar high pitched whiney tone, something which made Kaoru puff his cheeks, only getting more and more annoyed by his father's behavior.

The two of them got into the car, Tsukishima making sure Kaoru was buckled up correctly, and they left their apartment complex on their way to school.

It wasn't too far away, a ten minute ride tops. The ride to school was always quiet, except for the music Tsukishima put on softly playing in the background. Kaoru wasn't exactly a morning person, though already having finished his morning routine the boy was still sleepy and when Tsukishima would look at him through the rear view mirror, he'd almost every time catch his son dozing off.

With the familiar building in sight, handsful of children screaming and running around. Parents kissing their kids goodbye, dropping them off and immediately leaving and of course the gossip moms  who's husbands already left for work and were currently either talking about other children or the way other parents raise their children. Tsukishima knew they talked about him often, after all he wasn't very involved with the other parents there just with his son. He also knows he'd get judged for the fact he'd raise Kaoru without a 'mother figure' in his life was something he apparently 'needed'.

Tsukishima couldn't give the slightest fuck about what those women thought about them, but he had to admit that sometimes he wanted nothing more than to shove his foot up-

"Thanks for the ride, say hello to Kuroo for me!"

Kaoru unbuckled himself and leaned towards the front of the car, giving his dad half a hug due the fact that hugging like that didn't go as smooth, and Tsukishima ruffled his hair in response. "Hurry up, bud, you're gonna be late" His father said, looking at all the kids who hurried inside of the building.

The boy gasped and quickly grabbed his bag from the seat next to him.  He threw the door open, it almost bouncing back shut from the force, and quickly jumped out of the car.

Tsukishima furrowed his brows and glared at Kaoru. "Oi, Kaoru careful with the-"

Without sparing a second of his attention to his dad, Kaoru swung around and threw the car door shut with big force. It was as if the boy tried to blast the car to the other side of the road just with his hand. They sound of the door colliding with the car made Tsukishima's ears buzz and he groaned.

"-door, Kaoru Tsukishima are you deaf?"

Kaoru had already ran inside of the building, not sparing a second glance back at his dad as he greeted his friends with a big smile.

Tsukishima groaned and rolled his eyes, starting his car again before taking off. "Little asshole" he muttered under his breath, turning his car around to go towards his work but not before making a stop along the way first.

The ride there didn't take long, after all Kuroo also didn't live too far away from the school Kaoru went to. In a way, it annoyed Tsukishima. After all Kuroo was a pain in his ass that he couldn't get rid off, yet it was better than having to drive for over half an hour just pick him up.

With the leaves twirling in the wind, around his car which slightly blinded his sight for a second, Tsukishima slowly stopped his car and looked up at the two story house whos curtains were all closed instead of 1 room which was probably Kuroo's.

After college, Kuroo had moved in with Kenma. Tsukishima didn't exactly really know Kenma, the two of them barely having anything in common except for the fact they both used to play volleybal and were associated with Kuroo. All he knew from Kuroo was that Kenma now was quite a famous twitch streamer and his working hours were ungodly which was most definitely why all the curtains were still closed except for Kuroo's room.

Right before Tsukishima could reach for his phone on his deskboard, the front door flew open and the raven haired man who's hair always looked messy walked out of the door with a smirk. He waved at Tsukishima, who only rolled his eyes at him and started his car again, and quickly locked his door before walking towards the car parked in front of his house.

"Took you long enough-"

"U wanna take public transport next time? Cause i'd be more than glad to go straight to work and let you ride the metro every morning if its a bother for you." Tsukishima said while turning his head towards Kuroo as he entered the car. There a digustingly sweet smile on his face, his eyes squinted and his voice was laced with a thick layer of sarcastic politeness. He slowly opened his eyes again and send a death glare Kuroo's way.

"In fact you could take the metro right no-"

"Okay, i get it! Geez, Mr dinosaur, chill your ass down. Who got on your nerve this morning?" Kuroo exclaimed while clicking his seatbelt shut. He shoved his brown leather bag, that over the years got quite some damage here and there, down in front of his legs and spread his legs his folded hands resting on his lap.

The car drove away from its previous parked spot and slowly sped up. The blonde male behind it gripped the wheel a little tighter and squinted his eyes as the rays of the sun started irritating them. "Think that's a question you already know the answer of" He answered, moving down the sun visor from the car.

Kuroo scoffed and shook his head. He rested his elbow against the door and supported his head with his hand. His hazel colored orbs scanned over the area, his eye falling onto two kids holding hands while walking to school.

"When's ya' next match? Cool if we hop on by?"

Sendai frogs.

Sendai frogs was a volleybal team, one Tsukishima had joined a few years ago. At first volleybal to him wasn't something he did for 'fun'. He never understood why his teammates got so overly excited about scoring just a single point or how they'd cry because they lost. If you told 16 year old him he'd be joining a somewhat 'proffesional' volleybal team for fun, he'd laugh at you and call you names.

Yet a lot had changed since then. He now enjoyed it more than anything else, feeling an extreme wave of pride wash over him everytime he'd block a good ball or score a point. The wave of pride became almost some sort of tsunami everytime he'd look at the bleacher's and see Kaoru wearing a kids-sized version of his shirt with green and yellow stripes painted on his cheeks while cheering him on.

Tsukishima tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and sighed. "Do whatever you want. Just google the next few matches it should be on there somewhere." He spoke, slowly halting the car when the light turned red.

Kuroo grabbed his phone out of the pocket of his coat, silently mumbling about how Tsukishima could show some more appreciation, and started typing away. His eyes slightly squinted as he let them run over the screen, trying to read the little letters at the bottom of the page.

Once the traffic light turned green again, the car took off and rode through a pile of dead leaves that laid on the pavement making them all shoot up into the air before they gently and gracefully whirled back onto the ground.

The ride there wasn't exactly long nor short. Both Tsukishima and Kuroo were blessed with the fact they were able to find a place to live in the same town as where their jobs were located. It was only about 15/20 minutes by car and about 30/35 minutes with public transport.

Sendai city museum.

It wasn't the biggest museum in japan, that was for sure, but it had one thing that interested Tsukishima a lot when he started looking around for an internship in his last year.

A fossil department. One with the most magnificent dinosaurs, his favorites and the fossils themselves were of great quality. Though, back then, Kaoru was only about 1/2 years old Tsukishima never forgot the way his big golden brown eyes would stare up at the mammoth that was 100 times his size back then. How he'd coo while making grabby hands towards the triceratops while trying to wiggle out of his father's safe embrace.

It was one of the first times Tsukishima took Kaoru somewhere, only being about 19/20 years old back then and still being kind of new to all of the changes Kaoru was going through. It was weird realizing the tiny baby he held in his hands before was becoming a human being with actual personality.

Probably one of his proudest memories, knowing his son might love dinosaurs as he did.

After he graduated it didn't take long before his old internship had offered him a job for he had worked really hard back at Sendai city museum as an intern and they wanted him really badly. An opportunity that opened many doors for him, for about 7 years later he was now head of the fossil department after working hard to achieve his goals.

It didn't take long before Tsukishima had learned about the fact that 2 years before he joined, a certain 'friend' of his got himself enrolled into the science department as a researcher.

So that is exactly how Tsukishima found himself dropping Kuroo off at the museum every morning for the last 6 years.

Closing the door behind him with a soft bang, he reached into his pocket and pressed the lock button on his carkeys. With the signal of the lights flashing for a moment and the familiar beep echoeing in his ears, the two men took it as their sign to walk towards the entrance of the museum.

The raven haired bedhead stuffed his hands into the pocket of his coats and stretched his shoulders, his eyes glancing at Tsukishima from the corner of his eye. "You've got that big opening on Friday, right?" He questioned, stopping in front of the automatic doors while waiting for them to open so they could enter and be welcomed by the warmth inside.

Once the doors slid aside, the two men made their way inside and Kuroo already started unbuttoning his coat. "..Nakamura mentioned something about it so i was just wondering. Heard it was a pretty big deal."

Tsukishima hummed and sighed, removing his hands from his jacket to take his glasses off his face now that the change of temperature was starting to make them get fogged up.

"Just a 'grand opening' for a new fossil i've been trying to get my hands on for some months now. Recently discovered somewhere in the US, you know why i left for two weeks? But yes, that is friday."

His eyes were slightly squinted, not wanting to run into anything or look over an object. His eyesight was quite poor so in many ways had he been glad to hear that so far, knock on wood, Kaoru hadn't inherited that gene.

Kuroo hummed, pursing his lips slightly while greeting the older woman who was sitting behind the welcoming desk. He started unwrapping his scarf from his neck and folded it, slowly coming to a stop once the two men had reached the spot where they parted ways.

"What time?"

Tsukishima sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose for they started slipping off. He shrugged and turned around, his back turned towards Kuroo as he made his way towards his office. "Eight and i'm not picking your sorry ass up" He said, bag swung over his shoulder.

His footsteps echoed through the hallway, his eyes set on the large entrance at the end of the hall that read 'Jurrasic' in somewhat elegant yet adventurous way to catch the attention of both eldery but also of kids. He could hear Kuroo saying something, but for his own headache he decided not to pay attention to it as he entered the fossil display area.

With a triceratops on his right, his eyes settled upon the fossil on the other side of the room. A stegosaurus. Though, it by far wasn't Tsukishima's favorite dinosaur, it was his first ever project. To add to that, the fossil was on great shape too. It's back plater being in perfect condition, something which isn't very common with a stegosaurus fossil for the fact that it's back platers are so thin and fragile.

Even though it had been 6 years since it got here, Tsukishima always took a moment right before going into his office to admire it. Of course, he was very proud of all of the fossils and projects he did over the course of the last 7 years, but that stegosaurus being his first big fossil project brought a lot of pride with it.

In the middle of the hall was a big red curtain, circled around the fossil hidden behind it that reached all the way to the top of the high ceiling. So far, Tsukishima's tallest fossil. Surely, not the one with the best quality, but it was a new dinosaur and a tall one at that and that by itself had been enough to draw a lot of attention of the public.

"Ah, Tsukishima! Good to see you"

Tsukishima's eyebrows slightly rose as his eyes locked with the ones of his boss who was currently standing in the middle of his office.

It was strange, for Tsukishima barely saw his boss during his usual work day. There were many weeks where'd it go by without even seeing the man. After all the museum was quite big and his boss worked in an office on the third floor while Tsukishima worked on the first.

Perhaps, there was something urgent? After all, why else would he be waiting for him in his office? Only then did he notice the new desk lined up in front of his own, two cardboard boxes filled with computer material inside of it. Since he was the only person working in this specific office that would mean-

His boss clapped his hands together and smiled warmly. "There'll be a new person joining you today. Hope its not a problem she'll be in your office, i was hoping you'd be able to take her underneath your wing? She's still quite new to the job and worked at a museum in Miyagi before here before she moved." He started explaining, his hazel eyes settled upon Tsukishima's form as he moved to place his bag next to his desk. The man took one of his hands out of the pocket of his blazer and held it out towards the door, nodding towards the same direction.

In the 7 years Tsukishima worked at the museum, he had been completely alone in an office for 5 of them. The first two, he was under the wing of his mentor. An older man, around his 60s, who taught him all the ropes of this job. He was very kind and wise, Tsukishima admired him and was very grateful for all the knowledge he received from him. He retired two years later, leaving Tsukishima alone in the office they used to share. Surely, some people came and went, but around the time of last year Tsukishima became the head of the department after having put up 7 years of absolute great work and got his own office. Besides, there weren't many people working on this department for some reason.

"Oh! Sorry!"

In the door opening, Tsukishima was met my a pair of legs holding onto a cardboard box with a big pile of organisers balancing on top of it. He could see the slightest glimpse of (H/c) coloured hair sticking out of the top. A few papers fell down one of the high storage cabinets, probably because the woman had bumped into it with her sight being blocked.

Tsukishima watched as the pile of documents and organisers started tilting and quickly took a step forward, straightening them before taking them from her. He took a step back and looked down at the woman now standing in front of him.

She opened her mouth, about to thank him, but once she looked at his chest her eyes widened surprised by the fact Tsukishima was so extremely tall being 1,95 meter tall and all. Her eyes traveled up his body, stopping once they locked with his eyes.

"..thank you. Sorry i thought that if i piled it up it would be a bit faster instead of having to walk up and down to the entrance." The woman said with a small chuckle following afterwards.

He could notice she was a bit nervous, hiding it with a smile and some sort of awkward humor. There was just the slightest hint on pink dusting her cheeks. Not because of the fact he made her flustered, but because of the fact she suddenly felt like a very tiny mouse compared to the tall man of a giraffe looking down at her.

The man turned around and placed the pile on top of her desk, the woman following shortly afterwards and placing the box next to it before clenching and unclenching her hands to relief the cramps.

"I'm (Y/n) (L/n), thank you for having me here and nice to meet you" She said while holding out her hand. Tsukishima looked down at her hand for a moment before taking it, squeezing it as he shook her hand.

"Kei Tsukishima. Glad to have you here."

(Y/n) smiled at him and held his gaze for a moment, peering into his eyes for a moment before quickly removing her hand from his grip and look away not being able to hold eye contact before feeling intimidated.

Once again, their boss clapped his hands. The man walked towards the two of them, softly slapping a hand onto their shoulders and squeezing it. It was quite the friendly gesture, something he did often and Tsukishima had gotten used to it over time but he could see how (Y/n) slightly flinced at the sudden action.

The older man laughed warmly and sighed rather loudly. "Well then, now that's settled, Tsukishima why don't you show her around a bit yes? Just take today to show her around the hall, teach her all the basics and get to know each other a bit yeah?" He said, removing his hands from their shoulders only to rub them together as if wanting to rub off the germs.

Without even having waited for a response, the man walked towards the exit and closed the door behind them leaving the two new colleagues alone together in an empty room.

There was an awkward silence. From (Y/n)'s side it was not knowing what to say, not knowing what Tsukishima liked talking about or what type of humour or interests he had. Of course, talking about their job seemed like the most logic thing to do since they both liked it but maybe it was a bit too predictable and boring to begin with. All the thoughts and panic ran through her head, yet Tsukishima just didn't seem to notice the fact there was an awkward silence and didn't feel the need to fill up that silence.

He looked at the boxes, peering into them to look at all the cables and gadgets. "Do you need help, setting that up?"

The woman's head snapped to her right, snapping out of her thoughts and followed Tsukishima's eyes. She peered into the box and started rubbing the back of her neck, a crooked smile appearing on her face. "Oh, uhh. If you'd like to, i mean i'm pretty bad with setting up electronics. My..old roommate always did that for me." She said with a chuckle. She started unpacking the boxes, placing all of the equipments on the desk. Tsukishima followed after her, organizing all the cables.

"I'm not the best at setting stuff up either, but i can try to help." The blonde said while lifting the monitor out of the box and placing it down. He adjusted it slightly, making sure it was straight and not tilted all the way to the sides. "..Is this spot good?"

(Y/n) hummed and nodded as her hand unconciously fiddled with the side of her blazer, rolling a button between her fingers. Maybe she should of have figured out how to do this at home first, asking a friend or one of her parents to help her. That would've made a better impression then she currently was making, standing next to Tsukishima while watching him with big eyes while handing him all the things he asked for. Like a kid holding a flashlight for their dad.

With his back on the ground, Tsukishima started connecting some of the loose cables with a zip tie to make sure the bottom of her desk wouldn't be a tangled mess. His eyes were slightly squinted and his bottom lip was trapped between his teeth, something he often did while doing something physically he had to concentrate on such as putting together Ikea furniture.

His mother had commented on how Kaoru started doing it, saying how she'd always notice how he'd try and copy a lot of things Tsukishima did when Kaoru was a toddler and how he'd really focus on everything his father did. That phase was over, sadly because Kaoru's grandma was delighted with looking at the scene that Tsukishima himself never noticed, but it seemed that Kaoru had taken over the same expression whenever he coloured or build something with legos.

Tsukishima plugged the powerboard into the outlet and flicked on the power button. A sigh left his nose and he pushed himself up, clumsily shuffling out from underneath the desk. The space was tiny, way too tiny for Tsukishima's long body and that surely was confirmed when he bumped his head against the top of the wooden desk.

(Y/n) kneeled down, looking at Tsukishima with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" She asked after hearing the knock and seeing him rub the back of his head.

The man hummed and nodded his head, quickly getting up and plucking a little dust bunny off of his sleeve before throwing it into the trash. Tsukishima turned towards the computer and once he saw that all the lights that were supposed to be on were on he turned towards the woman standing behind him. "That should do it for now. I'll send you some codes via mail soon so that you can get access to Bicrosoft for stuff like word and excel."

He took the last empty cardboard box and folded it together, making sure not to rip it for Tsukishima wasn't sure if she wanted to keep them for something else. "I'll show you around after you're done setting everything down, after that you need to fill in some things to get your own ID card. To prove you work here. " He said while showing her the ID card that hung on his neck, secured with a dark blue neckstrap.

There was his picture on it, one taken in his usual work attire, in front of a white screen. The picture was already a bit old, it being from 3 years ago already, and was supposed to get replaced soon but so far neither Tsukishima or his boss really bothered about it. Next to his picture there was his full name, birthdate, profession/the department he worked at and his employee code.

The woman leaned a bit closer and examined the card, humming to herself before backing up again. Her eyes scanned over her desk that was now filled with a completely set up computer and a small smile made its way onto her face.

(Y/n) looked at Tsukishima and bowed her head slightly. "Thank you for setting it up. I think i'd still be here next Thursday if i had to it myself, i'd never be able to figure out which cord would go where." She said, once again with forced awkward humor and a smile. These jokes, trying to act 'relaxed' and 'fun' really weren't paying off at all. If it wasn't the awkward smile on Tsukishima's face it would be the fact that she didn't even find them funny herself.

With a second of silence gone by, the two of them started doing their own thing. As (Y/n) unpacked her stuff, placing down a plant and filling her drawers with paper and pens, Tsukishima was busy on his computer to try and already get the form for her ID ready.

The upcoming hour had been spend mostly in silence.

Once again, it was some sort of not noticing the awkwardness hanging in the air type of situation coming from Tsukishima. After all, he was just doing his thing and concentrated on the words he read on the screen and the things he typed. The man didn't notice how she bit her lip and fiddled with her blazer. He didn't even notice when she was done and stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say.

First days at work were always rather awkward, right? She'd be fine eventually..right?

Like his boss had already informed him, today wasn't exactly very productive.

Tsukishima spent all his time helping her, mostly with getting programs installed and telling her about how certain processes of things went. Like the process of getting a new fossil in, something the museum was currently in the middle of doing.

Though it had already been a few hours since the two of them met, they still hadn't really talked. Well, they had, but only work related things. There was no small talk or getting to know each other a bit better, something that Tsukishima later on realized he might should. After all, she was under his wing now and she had to feel comfortable.

God how he was bad at that.

"Why did you pick this over the museum in Miyagi?"

The two of them were currently standing in front of a pachycephalosaurus, als referred to 'Egg head' by Kaoru. They were in the middle of the tour, Tsukishima showing her around a bit and telling her about the history of where the fossils were from and how they got them.

The question seemed to have taken (Y/n) off guard for a moment, the eyes that once admired the fossil now slightly widening before snapping towards Tsukishima. He could see how she licked her lips, softly tugging her bottom lip before they tugged into a smile.

She chuckled and looked and moved her hands around, signalling at all the fossils around them. "I think this is enough of an answer, don't you think? I wanted to move somewhere else, so once i found the job application i knew i couldn't let this opportunity slip through my fingers."

Tsukishima slowly nodded his head. He looked around the hall, his eyes scanning over the variety of fossils, plastic dinosaurs and pictures. It was set up in a way so both children and adults could enjoy it, the choice of fake plants and placements of the dinos together making it look like as if you were walking around amongst them. It wasn't too over the top, after all people who wanted to admire the fossils also still had to enjoy walking around here without thinking it was too childish.

He inhaled deeply and looked back down at the woman standing in front of him, his golden brown eyes locking with her (e/c) ones. "I chose it for the same reason. Walking around here made me realize that something like this was really somewhere i could see myself walking around even when i'm old.."

There was a moment of silence before Tsukishima sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"..what made my decision final though, was the paycheck" He followed, not even meaning for it to sound like a joke and also not realizing it until he heard a laugh escape the woman's throat. For the first time that day, it being a genuine one.

A small half sidded grin made its way onto Tsukishima's face and he adverted his eyes to the red curtains that were currently hiding the new fossil from the public eye.

"I mean, that paycheck really did look good" (Y/n) said, an actual more relaxed smile present on her face. Though, it wasn't the funniest thing in the world, she felt more at ease. After all this was the first time today the two of them had an actual fun interaction.

She looked at Tsukishima for a moment and noticed how his eyes were looking at the other side of the room. Following his gaze, she now too noticed the curtains and barricaded area. When coming in today, she hadn't been very focused on the fossils around her since she had her attention on not dropping the boxes in her hand.

Tilting her head and squinting her eyes,the woman turned her body towards the new discovery. "What's behind that?" She asked him, adeberting his eyes back to him.

"A brachiosaurus. Discovered in the US, process took a few months but he's finally here." Tsukishima said while stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He hummed for a second before turning towards (Y/n). "The big reveal is gonna be Friday evening at 8. You should come, it'll be a good experience for you to see how these things go."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened and a small smile made its way onto her face. She switched her gaze between the currently hidden by the curtains brachiosaurus and Tsukishima. "Really? That would be wonderful, i'd be honored!" She exclaimed, her hands folding together. There was a spark in her eye, one of excitement. After all, its not every day you get to experience such a thing in your first week of working at a new place. "Could i see it now?"

The man opened his mouth to answer but quickly closed it again. A small smirk made its way onto his face and he tilted his head slightly. "I think it would be more interesting to wait until Friday, that way it will be a reveal for you too."

(Y/n)'s had raised her eyebrows at him and slightly squinted her eyes. "You-..I..That's a wonderful idea, Tsukishima! There's nothing i love more than a good surprise.." She exclaimed, a tone in her voice Tsukishima couldn't quite place but the twitch in her eyebrow said enough.

Softly snickering at her reaction, soft enough for her not to hear, the two of them completed their tour. Though they still didn't talk a lot apart from work related things, (Y/n) had now started asking him a bit more questions. About when he became interested in dinosaurs, where he went to college etc. Still, in a way, related to work yet subtly going off course to more personal stuff.

"Is this your son?"

Tsukishima looked up from the map he was holding in his hands and saw (Y/n) examining a framed picture he had on his desk. The only picture there, really. He looked back down at the map and nodded. "Yes, Kaoru." He said while signing his name at the bottom of the paper.

(Y/n) put the picture down on his desk and smiled. "He looks a lot like you. How old is he?"

"He just turned 7."

Her eyes slightly squinted and she pulled up her eyebrow, her head tilted as she looked at Tsukishima with a questioning look. "You're 26 right?"

Silence.

Great, not only are the judgemental karens at Kaoru's school there but he now apparently also has one at work. Not that he minded, he couldn't give less of a shit about it but it was annoying as hell.

Tsukishima sighed annoyed and closed the map with a loud bang. He turned around and shoved it into the office storage closet. "Yes i am 26 years old and yes i was 19 when Kaoru was born, no i do not regret it." He said, a very annoyed tone lacing his words.

Once again, there was a silence.

"I think its wonderful that you're a dad, my apologies if you thought i meant it in a judgemental way. Just curious, but i'll stop the questions if you feel uncomfortable-"

"Oh, no its okay. I'm used to people..Doesn't matter, my apologies" Tsukishima said, face palming internally. In this moment, there was nothing more he wanted to do than punch himself in the gut what a great way of responding to a new colleague who's just curious about his life.

(Y/n) only chuckled and shook her head. "Its okay, don't worry about it." She said, grabbing her coat from her desk chair one they put together that morning with a bit of a struggle. Their shift had already ended, after all they didn't have anything to do today except for introductions to each other and everything new to her.

The already slowly setting sun creeped its way through the blinds, landing on top of their desks and warming up Tsukishima's coat that was currently on top of his own. Tsukishima quickly closed them, closing everything up so they could leave, and he took his coat and bag from his desk. "If you close up, always make sure to close the blinds. Though it currently isn't the biggest problem, in the summer the sun shines onto the computer and can get them overheated and its not the nicest thing in the world" He said, turning off the light of the office as the two of them left the room.

"Noted. Once again, thank you very much for showing me around today and helping me with everything. I'm also very grateful for the fact i'm able to work under your wing." She said while slipping her arms through the sleeves of her coat. Her fingers made quick work of the buttons and belt and she quickly swung her bag over her shoulder afterwards.

Tsukishima shook his head and wrapped his scarf around his neck. "No need. I'd like to see what you've got up your sleeve" He said, the two of them exiting the fossil area only to end up in the big reception hall where right next to the front desk a raven haired man was talking to the old receptionist with grin.

It only took a few seconds until Kuroo had spotted them, quickly wishing the receptionist goodbye and jogged towards them. His eye fell onto the woman next to Tsukishima and his eyes immediately lit up. "Ah, Tsukishima, who might this be? Nice to meet you, i'm Kuroo i work as a researcher here." He said while holding out his hand, something (Y/n) gladly took with a smile.

"I'm (Y/n), nice to meet you too. I work with Tsukishima." She said, shaking his hand before retreating it back into her pocket. Right before she was about to say something else, her eyes fell onto the clock on the wall and immediately widened.

She quickly bowed her head before sprinting off. "I'm terribly sorry, i'm gonna miss my train! I'll see you tomorrow, goodbye!" She yelled, her bag swinging left and right next to her money as her coat swayed behind her. Within seconds, she was out of sight.

Kuroo grinned and nudged Tsukishima with his elbow, something which made the man wanna roll his eyes all the way back already knowing what was about to come. "She looks like a nice person and likes dinosa-"

Tsukishima's lips pulled into a sugary sweet smile and he closed his eyes. "Oh? You heard her didn't you, the train's leaving soon i'd hurry if i were yo-"

"Geez, geez, mr dinosaur! You really can't take a joke, huh?" Kuroo said, rolling his eyes and scoffing afterwards. He shook his head as the two of them left the building and sighed. "You know, you'd never actually leave me here, you're too nice for that" Kuroo said with a grin, waiting at the passenger's seat door as Tsukishima got into his car.

The blonde raised a brow and looked at Kuroo through the window, closing his door behind him while starting his car. The ravenette pulled at the doorhandle several times with no success and his eyes widened as Tsukishima drove the car out of the parking spot, without Kuroo in it.

"O-oi! Tsukishima i was kidding, please let me in man!"

__________________________________________________

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Taglist:

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[svtskneecaps]

in the rain

Yoon Jeonghan x (gender neutral) reader

Words: 3k

nothing says summer like spending hours upon hours in a car together. at least nothing’s boring with jeonghan

day 6 of a tct summer collection

(my masterlist)

There’s something about road trips, intoxicating and refreshing and energizing and addicting. There’s something about the ideal of cruising down the highway as the scenery flashes past quicker than you can see, rolling over the hills and saying hello to the horizon at the peaks.

And so what if the RV is old and can’t quite hold at 65 mph on any incline above 20 degrees, and so what if there are two beds and an air mattress for the five of you to split, and so what if Jeonghan blew half his meal budget on cheez its and peanut butter and Mingyu bought more noodles and meat and ingredients than you can fit in the cabinets for meals you probably can’t make on the RV stove, and Minghao brought wine and ritz crackers and Chan showed up with eight pounds of candy and about as much instant ramen, and so what if you almost ran out of gas in the dead space between towns and every time you turn things fall off shelves and counters and leave those in the back scrambling to make sure nothing breaks? Road trips are about the adventure (“Shut up, Jeonghan, they are!”) and a trip without complications is just driving next to cows, and what’s so special about that?

Jeonghan’s limbs had reportedly started to atrophy behind the wheel (“I’m petrifying into a tree, we have to switch out!”), so he’d pulled into a rest stop to allow time for everyone to stretch their legs in a way that wasn’t probably illegal. This particular rest stop, you notice, has several dinosaur statues lined up by the picnic tables, and there’s only one other group there, a rowdy family ferrying food to and from a camper parked nearby.

The younger three, naturally, gravitate directly for the dinosaurs, yelling, “Chan, it’s Chan!” (with the exception of Chan himself, who seemed split between joining the joke or pretending he didn’t know them). Mingyu swings himself onto the tallest of the brontosauri with infuriating ease.

“It’s not fair,” you complain, struggling to climb on while using the baby stegosaurus statue as a step. “He should be struggling the most! He doesn’t know how to use those limbs!”

Mingyu sticks his tongue out at you, scooting away. “Yes I do!”

“He’d make a good gas station balloon,” Minghao notes, a slight smirk on his face. Mingyu flips around to make a face at him too, but Minghao just raises the camera hanging around his neck and snaps a picture, his smile only growing.

Jeonghan eventually steps in and supports your foot so you can crawl onto the dinosaur’s back. By the time you pull him up behind you, the other three have finished with the brontosaurus and wandered over to the T-Rex.

“I can’t believe it, he’s not even going to take a picture.” You click your tongue. “What do we keep that kid around for?”

“Wine, mostly,” Jeonghan says.

You sigh. “He does have pretty good taste.” You take out your phone. “Well, who needs him anyway?”

It takes a little bit of maneuvering to get the dinosaur’s face in with both of yours. The sculptor made the dino’s face just a touch too tall for an easy photo op, but you manage. Jeonghan’s breath is hot on your neck as he presses against you, and you pretend it isn’t making your hair stand up.

And then the picture is taken and he slides off the side of the dinosaur, heading over to the T-Rex.

You stay on the brontosaurus for a moment, watching him laugh at Mingyu trying to lift Chan onto the dinosaur’s shoulders (his whole face lights up and his head goes back; he never laughs long but you can’t look away).

Then you go inside.

He comes up next to you while you’re watching the screen with the weather forecast, tracking the green blob of the storm swirling over the roads.

“What’s the verdict?” he asks.

“We’re gonna be driving into it,” you say, surveying it. “From what I can tell, it’s just rain, so we should be fine.”

“Should?”

You shrug. “If I say anything definitive I’m going to jinx it.” You keep your eyes on the map. “If it gets too bad we can find a spot to pull off the highway and wait for it to blow over.”

“We can’t just wait it out?”

“We’re running late as it is, I don’t know if we have that kind of time. Jihoon’s gonna be ticked if we don’t show and I refuse to get on his bad side.”

“Aw, he’s all talk.”

“I’ve heard Mingyu bring up the story of his guitar more times than I can count, I’d rather not get my own the first time I meet him in person.”

He snickers, and you glace to the side to see him looking at you. You turn your gaze back to the forecast and pretend your heartbeat is normal.

“Well, if he tries anything I’ll tell him the story of my old friends who crashed and died driving in a rainstorm,” Jeonghan says.

“You had friends who died?”

“Nope,” he says cheerfully, “but Jihoon can’t prove that.” He leans his head on your shoulder. “And I’d rather my answer not change because of some rainstorm, okay?”

“No worries,” you say, reaching over to run your fingers through his hair. “Quick but careful, that’s my motto. Nobody’s dying on this road trip.”

Death is not a good road trip adventure.

The clouds break as you follow the highway across the wide flat ranching fields. In seconds, the curvature of the earth’s horizon is masked by a curtain of rain. You flick on the headlights and slow down, sitting farther up in your seat as though that will let you see into the distance.

“Lucky this isn’t road trip season,” you say. You haven’t seen another car on the road for at least an hour.

“Yeah,” he echoes. “Lucky.”

His face is barely reflected in the window, distorting with each sweep of the wipers. You chance a glance. His knuckles are white on the armrest as he stares out the windshield.

“This is nothing,” you say. “It’s a baby storm. Did I ever tell you about the time I delivered pizzas during a hurricane?”

“Did they give you hazard pay?”

“Only like two bucks. Can you believe it?” You click your tongue. “Fuck Pizza Hut, am I right?”

He huffs something like a laugh, so you keep going. “Got a twenty dollar tip from this one guy who looked like he was in the middle of an intense dnd game, and I mean intense. Either that or it was a Lord of the Rings marathon, man looked like Gandalf.”

“But was it a good Gandalf?”

“I mean, I was convinced.”

“That’s not saying much, you were convinced by that kid in a hulk mask too.”

You gasp in mock outrage. “If I weren’t driving I’d smack you,” you threaten. “And he had the hands and bodysuit, too, he was the real deal! You couldn’t tell either!”

He actually snickers, but doesn’t argue. You’d both fought over the privilege of handing candy to the child, that last fall.

“And anyway, that wasn’t even the weirdest delivery I made that night.”

“I guess that makes sense, only the crazies call for a pizza in a hurricane.” His reflection in the window smiles, and even though you’re driving you dare to chance a glance; his face is lit up with a smile, his hand relaxed on the armrest. “Who was the weirdest?”

“Weird but wholesome, it was this older gentleman who spent like three minutes searching his wallet, I mean thank god he had a covered porch or I would’ve gotten even more soaked. His wife gave me these plums for a tip; I looked them up and it turns out they’re actually illegal, it was wild.”

He clicks his tongue. “You got tipped in illegal plums and you didn’t even share them with me?”

“This was before I met you guys. Those plums were long gone by the time I was in a spot to share them with you.” The pounding rain has died down enough that you feel confident enough to peel your hand away from the wheel to pat his thigh. “Don’t worry, if I get tipped in any other illegal foods I’ll be sure to share.”

He swats your hand away, but he’s laughing.

It’s still raining when you pull into the campground, but not pouring. A pleasant sprinkle, really. Jeonghan still complains about it as he and the others try to give you directions to back into the spot. Most of the directions conflict, and based on the way Minghao keeps shaking his head at the others, you probably could’ve been backed into the spot 30 minutes ago if not for-- well, whatever competition is going on behind you. Oh well.

By the time you finally throw the camper into park and get the awning pushed out, Mingyu has already gotten the portable grill out of the cabinet and set up outside, although he’s having trouble with the lighter. The RV is always stocked with six or seven of the stick lighters, but they’re pretty much guaranteed to be on their last dregs no matter when you try to use them. He’s already halfway through the collection, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pulls the spark trigger over and over, the flame only catching for a few seconds.

Jeonghan skips over, calling your name. “Come on,” he all but whines, “let’s go explore!”

“Weren’t you the one who was just complaining about how wet you were getting?” You glance out at the picnic table, which is still getting rained on even as Minghao and Chan struggle to drag it under cover.

“That was just because you were all safe and dry in the RV.” He wraps his arms around you and rubs his dripping hair against your shirt.

“Rude!” you yelp, pushing him away, but you’re laughing, and so is he. You huff, crossing your arms. “Well I was going to, until you started using me as your towel.”

“Well you’re all wet now, you can get a little more wet!”

There’s a barely a damp spot on your shoulder, but he’s got a shit eating expression and even that lights up his face.

“Oh no,” you say, “I’m soaked.”

He grins and takes you by the arm, dragging you fully into the rain. “We’ll be back in an hour,” he calls.

“Text me if you find the bathrooms,” Chan hollers back.

There’s a surprising amount of other campers parked around. A few have adults sitting on folding chairs, outside under an awning, cans in their hands. They wave cheerfully as you pass.

“That’s probably the bathroom,” you note, pointing at the building. It’s so dirty on the outside that you wonder if maybe it would be better in the long run to just take turns in the RV’s shower; most outdoor bathrooms like this are pretty gross inside.

“I’ll text Channie.” Jeonghan takes out his phone, bowing his head to block the screen and types out the message. You giggle watching his wet fingers slip across the screen. He bats distractedly in your general direction, finally managing to land a hit only once the message is sent, his phone in his pocket once again.

You find a playground at the bend in the road, where it doubles back to wind around to the exit. Jeonghan shouts, “Race you!” and takes off across the slick grass.

“False start!” you yell back, and even though he has way too much of a lead for you to catch up, you still take off after him. You see his foot slip out from underneath him once or twice, but the speed of his run keeps him from falling entirely. It makes for a funny picture either way, and you find yourself slipping as you laugh.

He seizes one of the swings, all but launching himself into the air. You skirt around his feet, ducking under his hand as he reaches out, as though to pat your head on the way by. There’s a puddle of water in the swing, but you’re already soaked from the rain that patters steadily onto your head, so what’s a little more?

Still, you wipe it off before you sit down.

Within moments, you’ve caught up to his altitude, the height of each swing leaving you floating at the peak before gravity takes over, jolting you onto the seat again.

“You’re better than I thought,” he says, flying past you, going forward as you swing back.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Your head follows him as you swing by again.

“Nothing.” You hear the grin in his voice.

“I’ll have you know, I was the swingset champion in every school and every camp I ever went to.”

“How many schools did you go to that had a swingset?”

“Sir that is entirely beside the point.”

His laugh rings out. “Right, right, of course.” Rain hits your face as you swing forward (or maybe your face hits the rain?). “I suppose that means you’ve gone all the way around the top bar before?”

“Of course,” you say. “And I nailed a kid in the head with a paper airplane from the peak of a jump off the swing.”

That seems to pique his interest. “Yeah? How many times did you manage that?”

“Once, and then they sent me to the office bc the kid started crying, but it was a good once.”

“If I gave you my shoe, would you be able to throw it to me from the swing?”

You almost slip off the swing. “Jeonghan I’m not going to throw a shoe at your head!”

“Not at my head! Just, to me. Like a gentle toss, so I can catch it and no one receives any bodily harm on the road trip.”

You breathe out. That makes more sense. Bodily harm is not a good road trip adventure.

He digs his feet into the trenches below the swing to stop his momentum, stumbling forward across the playground. He tosses a couple woodchips at you when you giggle, before slipping his shoe off.

“Dude, you’re gonna get your foot all muddy and then what?”

He yanks off his sock. “Then you’ll have to carry me to the RV sink.”

“Or I’ll hose you down in the yard; I saw a couple spigots on the way over and those bitches are icy cold.”

He wipes the shoe in the grass before lining up the shot, planting his foot on the ground. “Alright, catch!”

He misses.

When you’re done laughing at him, he tosses it again, this time actually managing to get it to you, even though it lands kind of wildly against your lap. You lean back for a few good swings, regaining the altitude you lost from the distraction of the catch and the laughter.

“Ready?”

Your first throw goes wild. The second nails him in the chest. The third he actually manages to catch.

By the tenth you’ve graduated to trick shots. He leaned over the playground equipment nearby and caught it. He tossed it to you from under his leg, and you caught it. You threw it over the bar and under the bar and with your nondominant hand and backwards and he caught it again and again.

“Alright, time for the jump.” You adjust your grip on the swing.

“You’re sure this is safe?”

“Of course it is.” You gesture for him to toss you the shoe, which he does. No trick shots that time. “I’ve done it before, remember?”

He looks oddly worried as he resumes his position on the ground a short distance away.

“Relax babe,” you say, “I got this.”

He straightens up at the nickname, a smile flashing across his face. “Alright,” he says, rubbing his hands together. “Whenever you’re ready, babe.”

(you like when he calls you that)

You take two swings, building up the momentum. He takes two steps, eyes focused on you.

You let go.

The shoe leaves your hand, and your feet hit the ground, and then the woodchips slide and your balance is lost and your hands slam into the ground too.

He calls your name.

You huff out a breath, and then another, processing.

“Are you okay?” His hand is on your shoulder, and his eyes dart over you as he checks for injuries.

“Totally fine,” you say. “Did you catch the shoe?”

He huffs, half exasperated and half amused. “That’s your priority?”

“Listen dude, I didn’t just make the sickest trickshot of the year just for you to drop the shoe cause I broke my ankle.”

He shoves your shoulder and you clutch it like he’s wounded you, dropping to the ground with a grin.

“Of course I caught it,” he says. “I would’ve caught you too but you jumped the wrong way.”

You scoff. “Alright, that’ll be the next trick shot.”

For a second you think he might actually be considering it, but his phone rings. He answers, listening for a few seconds before moving it away.

“Mingyu got the grill working,” he says to you. “Chan added helpfully from the background that if we’re done kissing we can come back for food.”

You raise your eyebrow. “We’re kissing?”

He shrugs. “If you want.”

He says it flippantly, but his eyes trail over your lips.

You stand up, helping him up after. Your hands linger. He’s still looking, and you find your eyes drifting too.

You lean in, quickly, before you can change your mind, and press a soft kiss against the corner of his mouth. He freezes, and then pulls you close, a real kiss this time. It’s like a fire exploding, and the chill of the rain is forgotten. You can hear a faint “Ew!” from the phone still held in Jeonghan’s hand, and you feel him smirk against your mouth.

You break apart, staring.

And then you take off like a shot across the grass. “Race you!”

You hear his footsteps chasing after you. “Hey, no fair! I’ve only got one shoe!”

Throwing your head back, you laugh, the rain slamming into your face.

(like a call and response, his laughter reaches your ears. it sounds like a sunrise)

[jiminrings]

hi so i saw that you're okay with writing blurbs (totally fine if you're not up to it tho) i just wanted to ask about the homebound au, you mention that jimin has a tough love relationship with y/n so can you elaborate more on that?? like how their relationship is? tysm and i love ur writings :((

homebound: tough love

pairing: best friend!jimin x y/n

glimpse: jimin has a tough love relationship with pit stop crew!y/n, and you’re very determined to get him to smile :D

wordcount: 3k

notes: thank u so much baby!!! ur cute and i love you

this is an in-depth take of jimin and y/n’s friendship from homebound, the racer!yoongi fic and in there originally jimin is sO annoyed by u hehe but there iS this piece as his redemption arc // gif isn’t mine!!

in your very humble opinion

first impressions in first days in literally EVERY setting possible last for a lifetime

yeah sure time and influence would change these relationships built on first days bUt of course they matter!!!!

that would be the first memory someone’s ever gonna have of you and that shit’s crazy if u really think about it

you didn’t really pay mind to first impressions at first because you really thought that it’s whatever the other person makes of you,,, for being yourself

but then jungkook happened

and then sUDDENLY YOU BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE THAN YOU’VE EVER BEEN IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE

it’s both your first day for work but for different teams and the two of you could still be up on each other’s throats buT it’s just via text

update: jungkook bought FOUR boxes of donuts all in different flavors and that’s just for his fellow crew members

for his crew chief, he deadass bought him a dozen for himself AND jungkook even made a crepe cake for the guy!! from SCRATCH

for jung hoseok the racer? tiny cups of ice cream cake packed in a little cOOLER he specifically bought for this reason alone

even sent pictures of those two large bags with him that he’s gripping in one hand alone....

your heart warms that oH look a selfie that a smiling koo sent AAAAAAAND he’s flipping me off :))

no worries tho you came fully prepared

you’ve baked red velvet crinkle cookies!! just two of em stacked and in the middle is cream cheese icing that tastes sO heavenly

although only 1/4 of them you did yourself because they looked like they were the only good ones from the two batches you’ve made hehe

the rest of those you just ordered and gODDAMN were they v delectable and scrumptious

now min yoongi the racer couldn’t be here for the first day because uh from what you’ve heard, he’s uh somehwere in malta with his girlfriend and the flights out of malta are cANCELLED aha

that just means you have to pour your all to your crew chief

a separate box of red velvet crinkles

AND THEN

get this

a large tupperware you had to buy,,

filled with different types of pstries and bREAD

cream puffs and pretzels and blueberry muffins then buttered croissants and basically everything else that u could check out with a reasonable expiry date

a little sticky note right in the muddle

“let’s get this bread :D”

bread meaning dubs and dubs meaning wins aHa get it?? get it?? do u get it

you’re really aiming to give it to mr. park jimin himself

you’ve actually never met him but you heard his name a handful when you were still a trainee

park jimin sounds so much of a dignified name it’s absolutely intimidating

much more so when you’re knocking at his door and there’s a gentle hum from inside the door and you’re so nervous to differentiate whether that was a signal for you to come in or dON’T

spoiler alert: you came in at what you assume is the middle of the call your crew chief was making and oh-

oH HE’S A FINE CREW CHIEF ALRIGHT

he’s young!! even looks like he’s just in the same age as you are and you can’t really tel because WOW

you honestly thought mr. park jimin was just an old sack of rice or something

like maybe even fermented rice wine old

you didn’t knOw mr. park jimin is THIS

ok jimin’s peeved because uh that him clearly meant no but also curious at the same time because who r u

he was in the middle of a call with yoongi who’s called him in his office phone which is why he’s sped all the way here, hence why you haven’t seen him in the gathering downstairs

he also acts as yoongi’s manager besides being his crew chief and he’s unknowingly fit into the position

it’s like when a professor groups you and there’s no assigned leader but eVERYONE knows who the leader is even if so

now he’s kinda in the middle of berating yoongi because he should’ve came home tWO days ago but he wanted to extend alright and now look who won’t be coming home for another three days :D

suddenly the door bursts open and he sees an unfamiliar face peeking through and???

“.... can i help you?”

oH RIGHT INTRODUCTIONS!!

“mr. park!! oR should i call you jimin?? should i call you doc like from cars the movie because i thOught that’s what usually happens???”

who are you

who ARE you

you’re so nervous that you went down the cars movie spiel and that’s jUNGKOOK’S move and maybe you’ve been spending too much time with him that you’re morphing into one person

of all the traits you could absorb it really had to be the nervous cars talk :(((

“i’m y/n y/l/n, a crew member!! i was recruited to be a trainee back in uni and i went straight to here and i heard sO much about you-“

..... hmmmmm

either you really did hear about jimin and his name makes up for some news

or you’re a liar

if he’s being frank, jimin’s only started out as crew chief like a year and a half ago

yes he knows he’s young!!!

much more young compared to the stereotypical balding crew chief with the mustache and the sun spots

there’s still some talk on to how he shouldn’t be crew chief at all because he doesn’t have like 100 years of experience like these dinosaurs do bUT HE KNOWS HE’S STILL QUALIFIED

he may be not as experienced but he knows the math!!! he knows the logistics and he knows the statistics

jimin’s smart and agile and he knOws he could handle being a crew chief!!! yeah although yoongi himself is like two years older than him and bossing him is hilarious at times lol

“-and i just wanted to give you this!! y’know... for the official start of my career and a little goodie bag!!!”

he knows what you’re doing

first impressions amirite

he doesn’t care for this shit at aLL because if he may brag.,., people are immediately whipped for him and all he needs to do is smile to their direction

that’s it

oh you’re kinda embarrassing yourself in his opinion lmao but ok

“oh. i usually find red velvet too sweet.”

cool cool

now you get that not everyone is as passive-aggressive as yOU are and how you’d much rather wait to let that person pass before you talk shit

but jimin is really straightforward as you could tell

“it’s okay because there’s bREAD!!”

who doesn’t like bread :))

not uNLESS jimin hates bread or is allergic to eat it because then that means you officially have butchered your first impression

“... huh... whole container.. filled with bread...”

he’s not even feigning his expression

he looks severely underwhelmed and you wanna suck it up because if you’re gonna look tragically displeased with me boss ATLEAST do it behind my back :(((

anyways jimin stands up from his seat and outsretches his hand and that’s your cue to shake it and then leave

one problem though,,,

you see you’re wearing some rings

and he’s wearing some long-sleeves

and you are gracefully unaware that there’s a loose thread by the cuff of it and jimin over here is sporting sweater paws.,..,.

the handshake’s over but yOUR RING IN HIS CUFF ISN’T

“oH i’m so sorry sir let me just-“

you’re tugging your hand off aND FUCK

“no y/n i’ll just-“

jimin tries to be the one to pluck it out from your ring that’s stuck but that’s too late for it now

bECAUSE THE THREAD’S ALREADY BUNCHED UP

and it’s now bunched up and when loosened :))) the thread’s already ran :))) and is very visible on jimin’s slightly expensive shirt :)))

yours and jimin’s dynamic...

it’s uh

it’s unlike no other

literally

jimin is repulsed by you

he finds that you irk him very easily and you don’t know wHY jimin finds you to be in his nerves when you literally do nothing to him

he joins in the team drills to boost morale and let the crew know that not only is he the one heading it, but he’s also with you along the way

“do you want ice cubes in your drink?”

jimin’s sunglasses are perched up just nicely on his nosebridge as he sips on his water that came from the jug

honestly the weather is just sO humid and slightly iced water just won’t cut it

“yeah sure”

he outstretches his hand for you to take the cup and put ice in it but you dON’T

you don’t take it away from him!!!!

instead

jimin sees you plopping down a handful of ice cubes in his cup with your bARE hands

b-buy you’re holding the cooler there mUST be some tongs in there

WHY DID YOU DO THAT

“they r clean and besides!! friends do that!!”

“who told you that we’re friends?”

he is the one who halts all your plans

“stop snacking” is his signature line for u whenever you’re by the pit

and yoongi isn’t even near the box yet wHY can you not snack???

you can’t even protesy because jimin already has his palm open so he coulf confiscate the gummy bears with the promise that “yea sure i’ll give you them when the race is over hmmmm yea”

of course he isn’t gonna stuff it in his pocket

he just plops them down on the table and when you ask him for them????

they’re all hot and melty and disgusting because they were accidentally left in the sun to disintegrate

“do you want some coffee?”

WHAT’S WITH YOU AND SHARING YOUR FOOD

and then he met jungkook

he’s a bit of a brat but eh jimin finds him more tolerable than you

you’re all done with the workout and your trainer sehun is just sO unforgiving like would another eight second break hurt????

you’re kind of passed out by the bench and so is everyone

“i didn’t have any kids ask me for a picture today :((“

typically after the race some people would ask for your photograph!! along with the other pit stop crew members and they just make your day!!!

yoongi isn’t the only superstaer here ok :((

“well maybe if you did your joob good, they’d actually want to be in the same frame as you are.”

jimin snorts in reply without skipping a beat and ahhhh everyone knows the two of you are gonna start fighting again

one

two

usually you just roll your eyes but-

“jimin i don’t kNOW what i ever did to you for you to hate me so much and i’ve literally done nothing but to try and be kind and patient with you!!!”

oh they’re just gonna leave collectively now

“i already know you find me insufferable you dON’T have to rub it in my face every single time.”

you just combusted actually

you’re so over with jimin treating you like a loose thread on his shirt and he discards you every TIME like so

you can’t catch a break and it’s as if you’ve never done anythint good for him ever in your whole career

you don’t make conversation with him not unless it’s for work

you don’t offer him your food

you don’t throw him a smile

he bought a box of red velvet crinkles but then you didn’t even get a piece :((

jimin is shitty at apologies and the guilt’s been eating up at him because yeah he admits that he’s crossed a line there

MULTIPLE TIMES

and most of the times it’s always intentional so that’s even more guilt-tripling

then THE incident happened

and you left

he felt the most apologetic and shitty for that because gOD you’re just so good to everyone and to especially him!!!

he’s treated you so badly and you don’t waver for a single second because up until the last minute, you were still adjusting for him!!!

you were still considering his possible promotion and him in general when he knows to himself that you could’ve easily pinned the blame on him

but you didn’t

you covered for jimin and didn’t want him to be jeopardized by yoongi’s outrage.

“i’m sorry for being an asshole to you all the time.”

the moment the season ended, he’s immediately made his way to kim kradle to apologize to you

again and again

again and again until he wore himself out and cried and you had to stop him sternly just to assure him that you’re not angry at him

he looks out for you in his own ways

jimin’s not very vocal nor showy on how thankful he is to have you as a friend

it’s to when you order a chocolate chip smoothie and then the barista gives you a matcha one and you aBSOLUTELY hate matcha

and u already paid and you don’t want to cause a scene or anything like that

“i thought you hated matcha?”

jimin’s confused because since when did you develop a love for this green thing you’ve vividly described as soggy grass after a rainstorm that tastes like soil and phlegm

“oh i sTILL do!! lmao the barista got it wrong but it’s ok i’ll-“

“absolutely not.”

and then jimin’s immediately taking your cup and the receipt on the table and he’s gOING for the counter and won’t back down even if you’re tugging at his sleeve

not only was your order replaced, you ALSO got a complimentary cookie as the manager’s apology because whew jimin could be scary

it’s when you’re cooking lunch at kim kradle and u are mighty afraid of oil splashes because who wouldn’t????

jimin would nudge you to the side and he’d wordlessly take over for you

you would fall asleep on the floor and he’d prop a pillow underneath your head quietly

if he’s in the mood he’d give you another one underneath your arms

he may call for yoongi to carry you to the couch but ok fine he carried you one time and he’ll never speak of it

he’d let you believe that a ghost carried you there or something

sometimes jimin is just his usual grumpy self and he’s always been that wat

it’s tough love

jimin really drove to kim kradle at 7 in the evening which is out of his way and out of schedule because he should’ve done this errand at the opposite part of the city,,,

but here he is

with some fever medicine and a blanket from your place (he has a spare key) because you’ve been feeling homesick with all the back and forth from kim kradle and yoongi’s place :((

“thanks, minnie. lol if only i don’t love you platonically and u weren’t an asshole to me, you would’ve tOTALLY be my boyfriend rn”

ahem

yoongi would like to make it known that HE IS HERE

he IS the boyfriend

“you guys know that i’m-“

“totally. if only i didn’t find u annoying and a bitch, we could be married right now!!”

yoongi just wants to-

jungkook pats yoongi’s head in amusement

lol he too is a lil jealous because yOU’RE his best friend but anyways

“let them be, yoongs.”

aish he’s right

it’s heartwarming to see

jimin’s only warm to a couple of people and that’s including yoongi

he’s not the most open nor affectionate person in the world but he’s trying ok and that’s good enough!!!

“i TOTALLY would’ve been the godfather to their child though lmaooo”

jungkook snickers for a side comment that’s too LOUD and he’s only half-joking if he’s being honest and-

uHHhH

quick question

is that a flying wRENCH

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #356

“i’m just a painting that’s still wet: if you touch me, i’ll be smeared, you’ll be stained, stained for the rest of your life”

Have you ever used emotional blackmail to get your own way? WOW, no. What a starter. Has anybody ever used emotional blackmail on you? Not to my memory. Who did you last worry about and why? Honestly? Myself. My physical health just isn't very good right now. When are you next at work? Do you enjoy your work? N/A When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I'm not sure; I'm honestly very, very bad at this. I struggle big time hiding if I don't like something. Last time you heard a growl, who or what did it come from? My stomach. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) I use a mouse. I'm not a big trackpad fan. Do you have the right time set on your microwave? Yeah. What is your most expensive bill? I don't have any bills that I pay myself, because I can't. Do you have a big yard? No. Is there someone you would love to punch right now? Myself lol. Does the water in your shower take a long time to get warm? Yeah, it does. Song playing? I have "Leave A Scar" by Marilyn Manson on. Are you tired? I'm always tired. If you had the power to instantly transform someone’s life (for the better), who would you choose to use this on? My mom. Her entire life has been so fucking unfair, and she doesn't deserve it whatsoever. Just one day of her being perfectly happy would make my entire life. You wake up to a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Your family is safe, but most of your city is zombified. You need weapons and various other supplies. What is your first general course of action? I seriously cannot even begin to imagine what I would do besides panic and be one of the first to die, honestly. If a family member (or boyfriend/girlfriend, if you have one) happened to be infected by one of these undead creatures, how would you go about dealing with that situation? It would tear me to shreds, but shoot them in the head to hopefully prevent them from turning. I couldn't let them suffer. Does someone’s view on homosexuality affect how you feel about them in any way? Sure as hell does. How about someone’s view on religion? This one depends on what their beliefs entail and to what intensity. If you were paralyzed from the neck down, would you still want to continue living? Why or why not? NO. NO. NO. This is seriously one of my biggest fears. Just fucking kill me. That sounds like very legitimate torture to me. Has any medication you’ve taken ever made you sick? How so? Three, to my memory. When I started Latuda, it made me throw up semi-frequently, BUT its effectiveness made me stay on it. My body eventually adjusted. The same thing happened with my current mood stabilizer, Vraylar. I was also on another, Trintellix I think, and that one did nothing but consistently make me puke, so I stopped it. Would you ever consider being a foster parent? No. Would you rather drink alone or with friends? With friends. Do you have too much time on your hands? WAY too much time. And yet I do nothing productive with it. Have you ever thought about hurting someone? Not seriously, no. Do you thank people for helping you? Always. Have you ever seen a zebra up close? Yeah, a few. Do you freak out if you see blood? Nah, it doesn't bother me. Have you ever complained to a manager about anything? What was it? No. Are there any songs that make you feel angry inside when you hear them? "Eternally Yours" by Motionless In White makes me feel that, among a thousand other emotions that are way too strong for me to handle, so I just don't listen to it. Have you ever been in a building that was on fire? YIKES, no. Are you in an argument with anyone right now? No. Have you ever written a poem for someone? Numerous times. Who’s the last person who cussed you out in anger? I think only my grandmother has done that. Who is the person you are closest to that you’ve meet online? Sara. (: Have you friended your parents on FB? I have my mom on there, but Dad doesn't have a FB. Where do you go out to eat for a special occasion? It depends on what we're in the mood for and what the occasion is. When someone sneezes, do you say “Bless you,” or “God Bless you?” Just "bless you." Have you ever seen the movie A Walk to Remember? Cliche or worth watching? Yeah, it's a wonderful movie. Do you live in a house, apartment, or another type of arrangement? House. Are you one of those people who like to spell out numbers? Grammatically speaking, any number below ten should be spelled out. I obviously spell out "ten," but w/e. Did you or do you still have a Furby? Was/is it annoying? I did as a kid. It didn't annoy me then, but as an adult I know they're creepy as shit lol. What's one event your town has that you don’t like to participate in? I don’t participate in any town events. Are any of your siblings married? What are their spouse’s names? Yeah. There's Nick, Josh, and Franky. Do you know how to sew? What's your favorite thing to sew? No. Have you ever owned a turtle? Did it ever bite you when you owned it? It's so awful looking back on, but my sisters and I kept a box turtle that wondered into our yard once as kids. No proper husbandry or anything; it was just in the kiddie pool. Thankfully, we were smart enough to not actually keep it forever (or rather, until it probably died from improper care); we wound up releasing it into the pond near our house, from which we assume it came from. Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? I do; it comes with the Adobe photography bundle I have. I definitely don't use it daily, or even weekly. Has your school ever had a lockdown? If so, for what reason exactly? No, only drills. Do you enjoy it when your school has drills? (ex/fire or tornado drill?) I didn't, no, because I didn't like imagining the real situation. Do you watch any shows that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of? I'm an adult, for one. But anyway, I've never watched shows they'd have a problem with. If you have any pets, how would you describe their personalities? The cat, Roman: very, very affectionate, boisterous, demanding, playful, smart as fuck, and shy when it comes to strangers. The snake, Venus: curious, chill, and a bit timid. Do you have any friends that own a private lake? Not to my knowledge. Do you have a drone? No. Who is your favorite comedian? It was John Pinette, but following his death, probably Gabriel Iglesias. Where were you the last time you stayed in a hotel? I think at a dance competition? Do you know anyone with Crohn’s disease? Yeah. Out of all of the shows, movies, and books you love, who is your OTP (one true pairing)? Probably Spyro and Cynder from The Legend of Spyro trilogy. I love them. But I honestly don't have like, intense OTP feelings for any fictional characters? No real reasons, I just don't. Rhett and Link are my *true* OTP haha, but I didn't know if they counted since they're obviously real. Have you ever written a fanfiction? Did people actually like it? Nah. Have you ever liked playing dollmakers or online dress-up games? OH MY GOD my little sister and I would do that together ALL the time. Have you ever sent any celeb fan mail? No. Have you ever gotten a serious injury at school? What happened? No. Do your pets follow you when you walk around the house? Oh yes, he's my shadow. What was the very first social media site you signed up for? Myspace. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? I mean, I know what I want, I just don't know if it's achievable for me. Do you have commitment issues? Nope. If you were to start a business, what kind would it be? I'd love to have like my own facility for boudoir photography. I've only shot boudoir once, but it immediately became a passion because of how empowering it was for my then-friend. I could go on a real ramble as to why I love it. What’s something you’ve done that sounds too crazy to be true? Been to psychiatric hospitals like six times. I honestly did lose count. Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. What was the last thing you drank? Water. Truly incredible, I know. What’s the weirdest decoration you’ve seen in someone else’s home? *shrug* Did you have your own bathroom when you were growing up? No. Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad and his wife. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? That dinosaurs never existed. What was the very first election you voted in? This past one, actually. Do you feel positive and optimistic about your future? I don't want to think about this. What exes do you still associate with? Just Sara and Girt. Who told you they loved you last? My mom. Your worst enemy? I don't say I have any enemies. People who don't like me or I don't like them, but "enemy" isn't the proper word. What was your last dream about? Ugh. What a fucking question to ask, considering what I dreamt last night. I had both a nightmare and a normal dream; in the nightmare, I was sucked up into a tornado and carried away, and it felt so, so real. I was terrified. The dream is more vague in my memory, but I know I was at Jason's house (which wasn't actually his house) and his mom was still alive. I was hanging out with her and just chatting. It made me wake up in a really somber mood. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital? Psych hospitals, yes. Have you ever built a snowman? Yeah. What is your favorite milkshake flavor? Chocolate. Do you have any scars? I have a lot, but most are from negligible instances that just won't go away for some reason. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create? Putting all impossibilities aside as well as any potential health repercussions, maybe a meerkat and an opossum? Just in general a meerkat with a marsupial tail would be SO cute. Plus imagine the pattern. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had? Oh I don't know. Can you do any accents other than your own? I can pull off a really convincing British one. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain. No. I just get clean, get out. I've always hated showering (the process anyway, I obviously enjoy feeling clean), so I get my business done adequately and then I'm done. Do you believe in aliens? Eh, maybe. It does seem pretty questionable to believe NOTHING else can exist in an infinite space. I doubt they're little green men, though. What do you think about babies? WAY too much work and WAY too much responsibility. Keeping another life safe, healthy, happy... the idea alone is terrifying. No thanks.

[okayish-omens]

Eddies in a box

or Flowers in a Box but it’s cyberpunk. anyway here u go

Chapter 1 – The Beginning

autors note: okay just so you know i dont like this game. well sorta, but not really. but my older sister really like it though so i'm writing it for her as a present for her birthday. :) i hope that she likes it!

dedcated to my sister, haley :)

-okay beginning now-

Vee walks into the flat megabuildign 10. he is wearing a scarf and has squinty eyes. then he sees johnny sitting on the chair in the flat. the flat is pretty and has many BDs in it.

"hollo johnny" he says

"hello Vee" jonnhy says but bitchily.

"what are you on your period of something?" said ve also bitchily (but Johnny can sound way more bitchy because Koala Reeves plays him)

"you should knows i'm not a girl after you spend all night sucking my dick ;)" said johnny (johnny has the hots for v even if he has squinty eyes)

(i bet johnny has a squinty eyes fetish)

"what?' said ve e because he was smoking and not paying attention.

"oh nothing i guess that was a dream" said jonnhy sadly

"oh cool" said vee (hes kind a dumbazz lol) "anyways i came back from the store because rogue says we have a new case"

"oh really?" johnny said. He got up and walked over to eve. "Wow that's cool :)"

"We should go" said vee. "rouge will be wondering where we're going"

-some time later-

The crime scene was very bloody. It was at a muesum. everyone was there. even Takemura (everyones a bitch in this game and so is takemura). Takemura walked over to veee and there was some black chick by him (she kinda looks like the girl from being human, lol i love that show you sould watch it)

"Hi freak-v” Takemura said. (hes a jerk but he gets alot of dick he's like a pimp lol)

"why don't you go fuck a dinosaur taekmura" said Eev. 'jerk and also your cheating on your Wife."

"WHAT" said tkaemura (even though he's pimp hes still lame :)) and then he run off (but he didn't fuck a dinosaur like frea-v said)

(i know i'm not that good but the story isn't that bad :D please review)

Then Rouge came by and that made stuff more interesting. (i like her shes cool).

"Hi vee" she said. "how is this case going"

"Good" said V. "I think I know the killer"

"wow vee you're so hot" Said Jhonny.

"what?" said v.

"I mean smart" said johnyn.

"i know right?" Ve says

"can you just tell me who the killer is?"

V looked down at the body and narrowed his already squnty eyes. then some white words (it happens in the game guys don't flame me) appeared in front of him.

"the killer is takemuar;" said Vee e. "because he is a douche".

"Ok arrest him guys" said Rgoue. "Thanks vea for your help".

"no problem," said V.

"cool"

then they took away takemura, but someone was watching from the shadows. Someone who would want revenge.

-authors note: please r and r! i'll write more i have a great twist coming up :)-

Chapter 2 - The Skull

autors note: FCK H8TRS ! but for that 1 person who liked my fic thnx you 3 ! ! keep reviewin guyz! :)

-2 days earler-

takemura stempted through the doorway of the door. in side was a bunch of creepy stuff like spider web and a fish tank with deadly fish and a hammer head shark in it. and so was adam smasher.

(i hate yorinobu i like to call him Adam MASHER :))

Tkaemura sat down at the tabel across from smasher. "hello" he said.

"hello takemura why are u here" said smaher

"well yor i was wonderi ng if uo could fix somthing for me." said Taekmura. (get it cause in the game they say 'adam can u fix it for me? :O)

"wat?" said smaser

"well u see in the future this guy caled V-" said takemura

"oh i know him hes tawsome" said smashr

"ikr anyways he arrests me in the da future so i ned you to kill him." said taekmura

"how do u know the futre" masher saided

"well you see" said takemura

-FLASHBCAK-

Takemura is in the megabuild10 wen he touches Vees skull (not his REAL skull under his ksin lol his UNREAL 1 on the s helf)

then he (dun dun dun)… COULD SEE THE FURTE

-flashnack over-

"cool faslback" said smsher

"i know right"

"you no takemura you're really pimpin (well it's true real the first chatper of my sotry) so I think i will kill him for you"

"thnx then" said takemura.

"your welcome" said smashre

-back at the flat in the presnt time-

"i wonder what adam is doing now" sid vee

"yea me to," said johnny wisfuly "last time we saw him was at the hq. remember it blew up becasue u shot the bomb then the elevator began to explode. Yorinoub jumped away on his mototcyle-copter and smasher fired up his lazers into the smoke and climed up them. i pushed you in too the water beloe and (can you guys tell im trying to add more desription to make it god :)) saved us botg. then rouge came in and saved us. we never saw adma agan after that night.'

"yea johnyn …. i know i was there." Veee said.

johnyn did not like smasher much he liked to call him MASHRE haha (like me) because vee obvously liked him better. vee was a smart man who neded someone to kepe him intrestd johnny was simply a borin rockstar terrorist. he wold nevre me as good as adam..

he looked over at the skull which lay on the shelf… … . . and had an idea.

(okay guys do u like it? i added some more long bits and i tried to make it good and post some good scifi stuff in it :) :) :) please REA DAND REVIEW

Chapter 3 – The Kill

athorus note: thnx for all the revews guyz! I really aprciate it :) btw I found some bold font on my compter so now I;m going too bold some fstuff to mke it more dramatic ::)

-presetn time-

Vee and johnny were having dinner at a resuatrant. Mama welles was theyre (it's funny because JACKIe and yea) and they were eatin g gphagetti because thats what italina people eat (or maybe mama welles is spans hi cant remember) and she brouhgt over some candles and it was nice BUT THEN

a guy with a gun crahsede through the widow and shot vee dead and he fell to the floro dead and johnny said "OH NO" and held him in his arms

a single tear dripped donw his check add it was sad. every one of the cnadels in the restuarnt was blone out. it was sad.

"WHO" said johnyn. "WILL SOLVE THE CASE OF VEES MURDOR IF HES DEDA"

it was a sad day.

-back at the flat-

johnyn was stiging theye sad when all of a sudden the dore opend. in came a fmalr face- it was (dun dun dun) VEE.

"WOW SAID JOHNNY" "your mback!"

"i know" said eev "wait wat do yu o mean"

"you died"

"no i didnt" said v

"WHAT"

"yea i didnt why do u say i did."

"because you did!"

"hmmmph" said veee

"okay" said jhonny and then he went aoutside

then he saw misty (who is uhso tarot reder) and she said johnny i need "to talk to you"

"oka" he said

mitsy said "look eve died"

"yeah i know :(" sdia johnny

"but hers here"

"yea i know" said johnny

"see what happned is when vee touched the skull he sthins he saw the futue but realy his future self was swraped with his past self so his ptas self died and his futre self lived"

"oh" said johnny. "okay"

"lok smashre is trying to kill vee's fture slef you have to help him"

johnny thought about what would happen if vee wa s a striper "I DEDUCE THAT UOU ARE SEXY" he said

"what" said mistey

"nothing okat bye" said johnny going back

futurev was there and he said "hi johnny"

"hi Veea"

-1 day later-

"okay hi" said takemura "you said you killed him but hes skill alive"

"i know" said smashr. "because he touched the skull too"

"oh no"

"yes. which means that your past self has been aresttd and is in hail right now"

"good" said tkaemura

"no not good"

"i mean tnot good " said takemura

"godo said" adam "anways we need to kill the other vea too okay"

"okay" wait no

"pahy me"

"okay i'm a pimp so i have lot of mony"

"colz"

-1 day earlier-

vee touhec d the skull

-1 day later, at the flat-

John y touched the skull. (dun dun dun) (dun dun dan)

autors note: thnxs for reviwing guzy! keep it up 3! :):)

[freewheelshippin]

Ranmaru is a musician down on his luck and out of inspiration who got taken in by a sweet old couple running a gardening/flower shop, so while he pulls himself together, he’s grouchily helping out and making bouquets and doling out plant care advice. M is a tattoo artist with not enough clients, confidence in her art, or skills in keeping succulents alive, but maybe the toughie at the store across the street can help her with all three!

and because I’m Like That I got tied up and uh....wrote a little (a lot) of something, focusing on the artistic funk part of the equation. But if you’ll let me have one more indulgence, the headcanon I have is that it eventually Happy Endings into becoming roommates and business partners, starting an indie label to support other artists!!!  

anyways here’s this excessively indulgent/serious fic that came outta this LOL

He was here, folded among big green leaves for much longer than he’d intended. The owners heard he was down on hard times and didn’t have a safe place to call home, so he holed up in their guest room. Before he knew it he was stepping in for them at every heavy mulch bag, every wheelbarrow piled high, every crouch that was too much for their aging bodies.

It wasn’t a bad life. It was an improvement, sure. He was alive and fed every day, and he’d never known a home so warm. But it still wasn’t his. He felt like a houseplant, tended to and placed in warm sun, but just as easily fading into the stillness of quiet moments and the background of everyday. He’d never wanted a life like a plant. He hungered deeply even though he was eating regularly again, and he felt more like a bored tiger, pacing in its cage but nowhere to go.

******

He’d been there long enough to start noticing the regulars. The first was that friendly guy who always got idioms wrong and bought the store out of all their cat grass. The second someone was even friendlier, and he’d bug him for what kind of flowers to get a florist. He kept asking even if Ranmaru never gave him an answer past ‘I don’t fucking know’ as he arranged bouquets that used as many herbs and broad, bold leaves as traditional flowers.

The third was someone who looked like she walked in from his past life (or the one he wanted back, anyway). The shaved head, the denim and patches, the ink peeking out from under her sleeves. She was friendly enough but nowhere near as ready to ask for things or will information about herself as the other two regulars, so he only knew her from her purchases and the name on her card.

It wouldn’t have been remarkable in itself if he weren’t so hungry. He’d burned bridges he shouldn’t have while he was ablaze, and now the only people who thought of him kindly were through this stupidly quaint little shop. He was too ashamed of his bullshit to be ready to show his face in those places right now, but he also craved chasing the stage and the dream he’d stayed alive for.

It was just a made-up story he was attaching to someone, he knew this. Maybe she went home and did everything she could to fade into pleasant background like a houseplant. But he’d rather pretend she went to the shows he wished he were going to, that her fingertips were callused in the places his were going soft, and pretend like he still could smell that stuffy, stale sweat from a venue. Maybe he hadn’t burned it away completely from his life and future.

Occasionally, he still wished he was starving, but he’d bury his hands in mulch and dig space for a new plant before he gave in to dumb thoughts like that.

*****

The first time they had a conversation, it was because she forgot something. A big something, big enough that Ranmaru wondered how someone could have a head on their shoulders but forget this.

It was a long, flat portfolio bag. He flipped through it to figure out what it was and tried to not look past that. It was tempting, though, because the contents made him feel the tiniest bit sated for the first time since he’d started working here.

They were flash sheets for tattoos. It had to be hers, right? There was energy to them that he’d ached for but turned his back from. So when she came back, he brought it up very plainly.

“You forgot something here,” he said when she came up to the counter. He produced the portfolio bag.

“.......Oh.”

“What, is it not yours?”

“No, no, it is! I just didn’t realize I’d even lost it!”

“How the hell did you manage that?!”

“A swiss cheese brain full of holes,” she laughed. “...Also, I’ve been really busy.”

“What would make you so busy you forget a giant stack of art like that?”

“Uh…”

“....Whatever. It’s none of my business.” He started to properly ring her up before something occurred to him. “You bought the same succulent last week,” he commented, furrowing his brow. “And a few other times before. What’s so great about it, anyways?”

She made a face of discomfort and surprise, and he felt the same distant shame that he messed this last (even if imagined) connection to that life, too.

“...maybe you can help me, because I keep killing it.”

“You killed a succulent in a week?!”

“No! I mean. I don’t know, is that even possible?”

“First time for anything,” Ranmaru snorted.

“Okay,” she said, putting hands on the counter challengingly. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not one of those serial plant killers.”

Ranmaru just looked back at her incredulously. “You sure about that?”

“If it’s not a succulent, I know what I’m doing! I got a whole brood of chili plants and herbs and spiderplants…”

“You’re overwatering it.”

“You haven’t even seen the plant.”

“Yeah, I don’t have to. Everything else you mentioned doesn’t shit the bed if you water them too much, and succulents are stupidly sensitive to that kind of stuff. Are the leaves falling off if you barely even poke them?”

“......Yeah…” She looked apprehensive, almost resentful for a moment.

Ranmaru knew he shouldn’t, but he just kept talking. “I can’t tell you what you wanna do with your plants, but it sounds overwatered.  Don’t water it at all for a couple weeks. Make sure the drainage is good, repot it if it isn’t. Bring it in if you’re still fucking it up.”

“You sure are rude as shit when a plant buddy’s life is on the line, huh?”

“What’s the point of buying a plant if you’re just going to kill it?! You’re just throwing away your money that way,” he grumbled, embarrassed. Him, caring about plants passionately. That didn’t feel right for his image, but it felt more wrong to just let people uselessly throw away their time and money just to give a living thing no future.

“I mean, I’m also buying dupes right now to spruce up my workspace, it’s not like I just have a graveyard for my cash and failed succulents.”  

Ranmaru grunted. “Just bring ‘em in if they’re still giving you trouble. I can give you some cartons to make carrying ‘em easier.”

“Ahhhh, nah, don’t worry about it. I work across the street. It’s no problem.”

“Where?” He had a feeling he knew already.

“Oh, the tattoo parlor. I’m actually headed back there right now.”

“....Guess I could just as easily go over there.”

“Hey, and you could get a tattoo from me while you’re at it!” she laughed. “Here, hold on.” She fumbled a little before handing over her business card. Ranmaru studied it briefly before pocketing it gratefully.

When she tried to hand him money, he held a hand up.

“...Pay when you stop killing ‘em. I should’ve checked in sooner, and you get so much from here already, anyways.”

“...You’re sure.”

“If you feel guilty, then take my advice seriously.”

“....Weird business model, but I like it. I can’t give you a discount on ink, if that’s what you’re after.”

“Hell no. Go back to work. Come back when you stop watering them so much.”

“Alright, fine, fine. You drive a hard bargain,” she said with a laugh, scooping the plant into her hand. “I’ll see you next time I fuck ‘em up some other way.”

She left, and Ranmaru realized she forgot her portfolio bag again.

******

He didn’t do much of anything except sleep, eat, take care of the neighborhood strays, and work anymore, but he thought about practicing bass again. He didn’t have amps, pedals, or much of anything anymore, either sold in desperation or lifted by former bandmembers in spite, but his actual basses he couldn’t let go of. Sentimentality or some promise to himself this arrangement was temporary, he guessed.

He studied the business card a lot. Something about the style of the art on it felt right, beyond it being the dose of the studs, sweat, and tears he missed. He didn’t bother trying to describe it to himself further than that; it just felt right, and that’s all he needed to know, but it didn’t stop him from lying awake in bed, staring at it as he struggled to sleep or get out.

Eventually that led to the temptation of looking through the portfolio more thoroughly. He gave in after washing his hands so thoroughly he wouldn’t get the dirt of potting soil or the grease of human hands on it. Not out of secrecy, more out of respect.

Not all of them were things he’d say he was interested in -- science fiction, cartoons, dinosaurs, other stuff he didn’t recognize -- but so much was riffing on images, bands, lyrics, album covers that built his tastes in rock. Even models of bass guitars he’d tried to save up for, once upon a time. It didn’t match the tattoowork he was used to seeing, the lines and compositions feeling more like they belonged in a comic book or a gig poster.

It felt good. It was a small vision of the kind of future he’d wanted. Art and energy like that, paired with his music. He’d forgotten how the excitement of chasing a good future felt, much less feeling like it was even vaguely within grasping distance.

His eyes fell on an image that wouldn’t leave him. A severed, snarling wolf head, out of which winding leaves and vines and stems grew, blooming into orchids.

*****

She didn’t come back for weeks. He went about this life as usual, but some days he’d find his fingers sliding over the smooth neck of one of his basses, missing their calluses as the strings dug into them. But the motions never left him, at least, and they hit notes like barely any time had passed.

He should give that portfolio back to her already. But he’d found himself looking at its contents more and more when he missed the stage so much he physically ached. He couldn’t be imagining this feeling this art made him have, not after this long.

At one point he made a copy of the wolf with orchids growing out of it. He cut it out, unbuttoned his shirt, taped it over his heart, and looked at himself in the mirror, and for the first time since the old couple took him in, he didn’t feel like a houseplant.

*****

He came to the parlor with the portfolio in hand on a lunch break soon after that. She looked uncomfortably unoccupied, her area empty of clients while the other tattoo beds were occupied. He didn’t bother with the receptionist before calling her name. She practically jumped out of her skin from surprise.

He just presented the portfolio bag.

“...Whoops.”

“Do you just not want your art back?”

“...It just slipped my mind.”

Because you’ve been busy, Ranmaru thought to himself as he looked at the empty tattoo bed.

“Did you kill your new plants yet?”

She straightened up and her whole demeanor changed, from the moon to the sun. “Now that I can rub in your face. Look, look, come see.”

She had a small planter of succulents, nestled among spideplants and a red prayer he remembered selling her. The spiderplant and red prayer looked healthy. The succulents didn’t look amazing, but they certainly weren’t on their way to meet their maker.

“Not bad. I’ll rec you some better succulent soil next time you come in. Whenever that is.”

“I figured I’d wait more than one watering cycle before I came in parading like a pageant queen.”

“Too many and I bet you’d be holding another plant funeral,” he said with a wry smile. “But take your shit back already. I’m tired of all your art being at my place where I’m the only one looking at it.”

“...Wait, hold on. Did you look through it?”

“....Sorry. It’s been weeks. I liked your business card and curiosity got the better of me.”

“Oh…” She looked not disappointed, just surprised. “So...you mean, like. Thumbing through the pages looking at it, not just staring at the bag look at it.”

“Is it a secret project or something?”

“No, no. Just…” She hesitated. “Some flash sheets that didn’t do well is all.”

“Really?” Ranmaru was surprised. “These?”

“...Yes? Did I forget something else in there?”

“No. Just. Surprised they didn’t do well. I like ‘em. There’s a good energy to them.”

“Well, that makes you the first,” she said with a hollow laugh.

Ranmaru barely considered with his head what he was about to ask. He’d already chewed it over so much and knew in his heart his answer that he didn’t need to hesitate.

“If nobody else claimed it, I want one of them,” he said resolutely. “The wolf with the orchids.”

“...What, like, now?”

“I’m on lunch, I can’t do now. But….when’s the earliest you got?”

She laughed grimly. “When do you get off work?”

“Six.”

“Then I’m available at six.”

“Then I’ll be here.”

She looked at him in disbelief.

“...You really want it that bad?”

“Don��t tell me what I want,” he growled. “I saw it and it felt right, thinking about it on me. Orchids are a part of my name, anyway.”

“....Okay, you know what? Let’s do this properly. We’ll do a consult at six. I’ll edit the design so it’s more personalized to you, then we’ll schedule an actual appointment you’re actually prepped for so you don’t pass out on the table. And don’t -- “ She caught him about to insist before the words could come out of his mouth. “-- I’m sure you think you’re real tough, but you can’t just tough guy your nervous system into taking more pain unprepared.”

“Fine. See you at six.”

Ranmaru wanted to tell her the hurry was less because he thought he could take it, and more because he was so ready to have it on him. He didn’t, though, and just left, head buzzing with hazy, overwhelming excitement he didn’t know how to express.

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

Consulting with her on the drawing was more fun than Ranmaru had had in weeks, maybe months. She stayed past her coworkers to do the consult, so they had the parlor to themselves to discuss edits. She played doom metal in the background, sludgy and slow enough that they could properly have a conversation, but the energy as she discussed the drawing with him, drew in edits, and made conversation was exhilarating like a concert.

It was so easy to talk. Even if he was short or blunt, it didn’t seem to stop her from continuing the conversation, and every development they pushed it in just felt good. He didn’t feel invaded, but he didn’t feel insignificant, either, and the way the drawing was going, he felt a kind of known he had lacked.

“I still can’t believe you want your first ink on your pec like that,” she remarked as she refined linework. Ranmaru enjoyed watching how her pen moved.

“It’s over my heart. Not just my chest.”

“That’s, uh.” She hesitated before capping the pen. “.......Are you really sure about this?”

“...” Ranmaru felt himself recoil at the thought of telling her the depth of what this drawing made him feel, but he wanted to communicate, somehow, that he couldn’t imagine regretting this. “I’m absolutely sure.”

“.......” She hesitated again. “This isn’t….a pity thing, right?”

The thought to hold his tongue actually managed to occur to him in time. The doubt she expressed pissed him off in so many different ways. That she was unsure enough to tell him, and that it was there to begin with. The thought of throwing away this connection just to be pissed made his stomach twist, and he thought of the person he saw in the mirror with the drawing taped to his chest that first time.

“This isn’t a pity thing,” he said stiffly as he forced his voice down. “....I saw that drawing and imagined myself with it. And I liked that vision of myself more than the current me.”

“Oh god,” she said, her face bright red. “That’s so goddamn deep. My dumb fuckin’ wolf really made you feel that?”

“It’s not dumb!” he barked. “Why’re you calling it dumb to me? I’m about to get it tattooed on me, aren’t I? Be prouder of your work!”

She took a deep breath after a moment of being totally taken aback. “....You’re right. Thanks. I should be more professional about this. So….my absolutely majestic, heaven-sent fuckin’ wolf really made you feel all that?”

Ranmaru felt his mouth crook into a smile. “Yeah. I want it to be mine, and I want that better me to be mine, too.”

She smiled back widely. “I’ll do your tit justice, then.”

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

The appointment was that weekend. When she pressed the stencil against his bare chest, he felt the hunger in him sated for just a moment. Not in a carnal urge sort of way, but more like the path forward felt brighter. Possible. Changes and connection and a future was possible again. He wanted more ink from her already, but he also wanted it to not just be that. He wanted a friendship.

“Okay,” she said as he laid on the table in front of her. “Ready?”

The whir of the machine and needles started and stirred a nervousness in his gut that he hadn’t expected, and he hesitated and gasped for a sec.

“...You OK?”

“Yeah,” he grunted. “Just…nervous.”

“Take a deep breath. It’s not too late to rethink or reschedule if you need more time.”

“No.” He was resolute. “I want this.”

She paused. “....I can’t do this the whole time. But just to get you comfortable.”

She offered her left hand to him to squeeze. He hesitated for a moment before taking it, folding each finger over hers. He can’t remember the last time he touched someone like this.

“...Okay. Deep breath. Let out out slowly…there we go. Ready?”

“Ready.”

The needle plunged into him, and while it hurt, he felt excitement and renewal spreading through to his fingertips.

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #227

Thurs Apr 30 2020 [06:34 PM] Wack'd: Another story catalyzed by space objects falling to Earth [06:35 PM] Wack'd: This time a meteor lands in a lake in Pennsylvania [06:36 PM] Wack'd: One of Reed's science friends calls Reed and is like "hey, I know you're big into meteors, wanna come do science and hang out" [06:37 PM] Bocaj: Space needs to stop dumping its junk in our yard [06:37 PM] Wack'd: I mean hey, we do it too. It's reciprocal pollution [06:37 PM] Umbramatic: The Great Space Junk Exchange [06:38 PM] Bocaj: When has a thing earth sent v'gering into space ever caused a problem [06:38 PM] Umbramatic: ...what the fuck were the dinosaurs polluting space with to get what they did [06:38 PM] Bocaj: Its not like we send a hulk of stuff and crash it into gladiator planets [06:38 PM] maxwellelvis: @Umbramatic Tobacco [06:38 PM] Wack'd: @Umbramatic : *Land Before Time* videocassettes [06:38 PM] Umbramatic: dbtgfrh ojgifmhk  hjnl;.'; [06:38 PM] Bocaj: Ha [06:39 PM] maxwellelvis: The real reason the dinosaurs went extinct. [06:39 PM] Wack'd: So anyway the team is going on vacation! Johnny wants to get a tan and Sue is like "let's bring the grill" and I'm like "you're. You're going to Pennsylvania" [06:39 PM] Wack'd: Like yes the caption specifies it landed at a resort but like, c'mon [06:39 PM] Bocaj: CAN Johnny tan? [06:39 PM] Bocaj: He's exposed to heat and light every day of his life [06:40 PM] Bocaj: Can Johnny Storm get a sunburn? [06:40 PM] Bocaj: Also: why isn't his name Blaze? [06:40 PM] Wack'd: Maybe he can choose to but it's unpleasant to use his powers for it and he prefers the old-fashion way [06:40 PM] Bocaj: Hm, acceptable handwave [06:40 PM] Wack'd: Like there's a difference between being exposed to solar radiation from billions of miles off and setting yourself on fire [06:41 PM] Wack'd: Ben is grumpy because Alicia is bogged down with work and can't make it, and his only other friend will be busy with science [06:41 PM] Wack'd: (You'd think he could hang out with Sue and Johnny and Franklin but whatever) [06:42 PM] maxwellelvis: Sandman stopped taking his calls? [06:42 PM] Wack'd: Sandman tries to beat him up on the regular, what're you talking about [06:42 PM] maxwellelvis: Ahh, right, you're not reading Two-In-One. [06:42 PM] maxwellelvis: Okay, there's ONE thing in Marvel Two-In-One that causes an actual change to the status-quo in Marvel; there's an issue where Ben goes to a bar and finds Sandman is also there. So he sits down with him and they talk. [06:43 PM] Wack'd: "Yer off yer meds again, aren'tcha, Flint" [06:43 PM] Bocaj: One of my favorite scenes in the DCAU [06:44 PM] Bocaj: Get rekt that scene of Batman talking to Ace, psychic meltdown [06:44 PM] maxwellelvis: By the end of the issue, Sandman has gone legit, and for like a decade, he stayed so, until eventually some Spider-Man story needed him back on the Sinister Six. [06:44 PM] Bocaj: (Because it implies that Only Batman can human at people is why) [06:44 PM] Wack'd: Decade does seem to be where Marvel status quo changes top out sadly [06:44 PM] Bocaj: I think it was after the clone saga [06:45 PM] Bocaj: During the panic mode 'shit roll it back roll everything back fuck fuck fuck' kneejerk [06:45 PM] Wack'd: Gotta remind people of the good ol days after that stinker, yeah [06:45 PM] maxwellelvis: Then it was close to like, two decades or something. [06:45 PM] maxwellelvis: That's an astonishingly long time in comics. [06:45 PM] Wack'd: Oh wow [06:45 PM] Bocaj: Funfact: Sandman was an Avenger [06:45 PM] Wack'd: Huh! [06:45 PM] Bocaj: Reserve, but still. [06:45 PM] Bocaj: Nice [06:46 PM] Wack'd: If nothing else the idea of him as a sympathetic crook seems to have stuck [06:46 PM] Wack'd: Which is not nothing [06:46 PM] Bocaj: Sam Raimi intensifies [06:46 PM] maxwellelvis: Marvel Two-In-One Vol 1 #86 is the relevant issue. [06:46 PM] maxwellelvis: So it hasn't happened yet at the time you're reading, is the other reason you hadn't heard about it. That issue was in 1982, so about a decade and a half, give or take. [06:47 PM] maxwellelvis: And you weren't far-off with that JLU joke, @Wack'd, says here that a big thing in the issue is Sandman dealing with the trauma of having been merged with Hydro-Man. Which is probably why he's receptive to the idea of going legit. [06:48 PM] Wack'd: Alright then [06:48 PM] Wack'd: ...anyway Sandman isn't. In this one. So [06:49 PM] maxwellelvis: Yeah, this was a lot more explaining for a dumb joke than I anticipated. [06:49 PM] Wack'd: Back to the story at hand [06:50 PM] Wack'd: Ben decides he's gonna go fishing. He's got a floppy hat and a vest and everything. Also: more womanly stereotypes!

[06:51 PM] Umbramatic: i love ben's fishing outfit [06:52 PM] Bocaj: He looks so happy [06:52 PM] maxwellelvis: Fishing hats like that always make me flash back to that M*A*S*H episode where Col. Blake salutes while wearing his hat and hooks his finger on it. [06:52 PM] maxwellelvis: "What are you trying to DO to me?!" [06:52 PM] Bocaj: Oooow [06:52 PM] Wack'd: They fly into Pennsylvania and things have. Escalated.

[06:52 PM] Bocaj: "I don't want to hoard gold, I want to turn people into dinosaurs" "HE KEEPS SAYING THAT" [06:53 PM] Wack'd: For the record earlier cutaway panels show this is a bird that got mutated by the meteor but I got distracted and forgot to post it [06:53 PM] Umbramatic: that pterosaur's wings make me viscerally angr--AND THAT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE [06:53 PM] maxwellelvis: Somewhere a paleontologist is weeping [06:53 PM] maxwellelvis: OR [06:53 PM] maxwellelvis: Oh cool, I didn't know the writers of *Dino Squad* ghostwrote this issue [06:53 PM] Umbramatic: that's me, i'm the weeping palentologist [06:54 PM] Mousa The 14: The bird didn’t mutate, it simply regressed to an earlier form [06:54 PM] Bocaj: HROINK! [06:54 PM] Umbramatic: if it did that it'd be more like a velociraptor [06:54 PM] Mousa The 14: Hroink indeed. Hroink indeed. [06:55 PM] maxwellelvis: Pterosaurs and birds are completely different groups of archosaurs, that's a mutation, Mousa. [06:55 PM] Umbramatic: YES [06:55 PM] Wack'd: Not really sure why this merited a silent panel

[06:55 PM] Bocaj: Just put up an invisible force slide [06:55 PM] Mousa The 14: Artist showing off [06:56 PM] Wack'd: How bad he can draw children? [06:56 PM] Umbramatic: i dunno which makes a better reaction image, franklin's face or the pterosaur's [06:56 PM] Mousa The 14: Or to show Franklin is about to use. THE POWER [06:56 PM] Bocaj: Its not the worst tiny adult i've seen in comics [06:56 PM] maxwellelvis: Unless it leads to another god-child moment, it's a rather pointless reaction image. [06:56 PM] Bocaj: I'm not saying that its all Franklin's fault but I blame Cable on him [06:56 PM] Bocaj: God-child arms race [06:57 PM] Wack'd: So the monster explodes, and Reed collects its gem--EUGH

[06:57 PM] Bocaj: I don't like this. [06:58 PM] Wack'd: Ftr Gideon Carruthers is Reed's science friend. We already have a Gideon so I'll call him Carruthers [06:58 PM] Umbramatic: -screaming- [06:58 PM] Wack'd: To disambiguate him from the rich doofus [06:58 PM] Bocaj: I'd laugh my ass off if he looked just like gideon from gravity falls [06:58 PM] Bocaj: or even gideon from Scotts Pilgrim [06:59 PM] maxwellelvis: I know there's some sci-fi parasite this reminds me of, but I can't think what. [06:59 PM] Bocaj: Captain N mother brain? [06:59 PM] maxwellelvis: Parasite [06:59 PM] Bocaj: She was a parasite on my peace of mind [07:02 PM] Wack'd: Sue takes a moment to check that Franklin isn't traumatized but he's like "we fought and won, just like in the comics!" And then uh

[07:02 PM] Wack'd: Were comics caught up in the Satanic Panic or whatever? Like [07:02 PM] Umbramatic: -screams- [07:02 PM] Wack'd: Seems more like a 50s thing [07:02 PM] Wack'd: Also yeah that sure is a Franklin [07:02 PM] Bocaj: I think Wertham argued that kids couldn't distinguish comics from reality and yeah that was way before this I think [07:03 PM] Bocaj: I think in his book he cited an incident that I don't know if legit or not where a kid tied a blanket around their neck like a cape and jumped off a roof [07:03 PM] Wack'd: Eesh [07:04 PM] Bocaj: Not sure that could be laid at Superman's feet. He very clearly says 'I have alien powers from being an alien' [07:04 PM] Wack'd: Can't wait to see this kid's mutt mutate into MCGRUFF, THE CRIME DOG

[07:04 PM] Bocaj: Duff Dog Oh Yeah [07:04 PM] Bocaj: Suds McDuffie [07:04 PM] Wack'd: This is cool too I guess

[07:05 PM] maxwellelvis: I was going to say, I think a dire wolf is more likely. [07:07 PM] Umbramatic: awoooo [07:07 PM] Bocaj: Werewolves of Slyvania [07:07 PM] maxwellelvis: I really wish the LOTR movies had modeled the Wargs more on dire wolves than hyenas. [07:08 PM] Wack'd: Okay I think we can safely dismiss the idea of these mutations having some kind of basis in scientific reality

[07:08 PM] Wack'd: Paleontologists rest easy [07:08 PM] Umbramatic: FOREHEAD BEAM [07:08 PM] Bocaj: You've never seen a dog shoot a laser? [07:09 PM] Umbramatic: pidge shoots lasers all the time [07:09 PM] Wack'd: Anyway this time instead of the monster exploding Reed spots the parasite on the back of its neck and grabs it before self-destruct is triggered [07:09 PM] Wack'd: Kid gets his dog back and dog stops being a fiend [07:09 PM] Umbramatic: we have to prevent her from doing it to the neighbors [07:09 PM] Bocaj: Duffer... will live [07:10 PM] Wack'd: Reed I, uh, think the forehead laser puts a serious hole in your theory!

[07:11 PM] Wack'd: Also the fuck is the "evolutionary agent"? Is he claiming we have, like, an evolution gland that pumps evolution juice into our bodies that makes us not be weird history monsters? [07:12 PM] Wack'd: Okay so Reed elaborates that the forehead laser is because the parasite gives its hosts psychic powers to make them more powerful so they can steal gasoline to eat [07:12 PM] maxwellelvis: Well, sure, I can see how that- huh? [07:13 PM] Wack'd: "It makes a bizarre kind of sense," says Carruthers, who is also identified as a geologist and so I guess is just rolling with this [07:13 PM] Bocaj: Carruthers: "Its not a rock so i don't fuckin know" [07:14 PM] Wack'd: Sue is upset that Franklin is in danger and weird shit keeps finding them and Reed is like "we do have some quiet times, they just happen off-panel" and Sue is like "you're right, I'm sorry I snapped" [07:14 PM] Wack'd: And she wants a normal life and yadda yadda [07:14 PM] Bocaj: Like that time she played horsey [07:15 PM] Bocaj: REMEMBER THE HORSEY TIMES SUE [07:15 PM] Wack'd: Sue, hold on to your memories of like the first two pages of each recent arc [07:15 PM] Bocaj: Yeah! [07:16 PM] Umbramatic: thbijgthp oknjlph;[m'n [07:16 PM] Wack'd: So they send Ben down in scuba gear to get the meteor which does actually kinda look like it could be a Steven Universe corrupted gem. Unfortunately he brings something back with him

[07:17 PM] Wack'd: Remember: if a character says they want to go fishing in act one they need to catch a giant sea monster by act three [07:17 PM] maxwellelvis: Shai-hulud [07:17 PM] Umbramatic: poor ben [07:17 PM] Umbramatic: he just wanted to turn fish in to blathers [07:18 PM] Wack'd: Reed, being the smart intelligent thing he is, puts this round item down on the floor of a rocking boat [07:19 PM] Wack'd: It cracks open and [07:19 PM] Wack'd: And then Sue was the reverted evolution thingy

[07:19 PM] Bocaj: So whats the 'reverted evolution' of Sue [07:20 PM] Bocaj: Issue 1 Sue where she didn't ever contribute anything? [07:20 PM] Wack'd: Uh. Angry, I guess?

[07:20 PM] Bocaj: My idea was funnier and plausibly unfair [07:20 PM] Wack'd: True [07:21 PM] Bocaj: Hope this isn't another situation where Reed is justified in belting her [07:21 PM] Wack'd: Also Reed opens the cracked egg and finds five grooves for parasites to be in like seeds [07:21 PM] Wack'd: So after Sue there's one unaccounted for [07:21 PM] Bocaj: Dun dun dun [07:22 PM] Wack'd: Immediately resolved by it dropping out of a tree and on to Carruthers' neck [07:22 PM] Umbramatic: oh [07:22 PM] Bocaj: Whats tension anyway [07:23 PM] Wack'd: Hm. Reverting made his skin darker. Don't like that

[07:24 PM] Bocaj: I do like the resigned "Yep -- I wuz right" from Ben [07:24 PM] Bocaj: Don't like "uglier than the hulk" paired with the thing you said [07:25 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Carruthers goes after some oil because these things eat oil remember, so Johnny blows up the oil and Carruthers goes flying like in an action movie or a Looney Tune [07:25 PM] Wack'd: Thus knocking him out so Ben can get the parasite off him before he explodes [07:26 PM] Bocaj: Yaa~aaay [07:26 PM] Wack'd: Oh. Oh fuck [07:27 PM] Wack'd: I've been sitting here thinking "but why are the monsters blowing up anyway? How does that benefit the parasites? Surely they'd want to keep the host alive to keep collecting oil" [07:27 PM] Wack'd: Adding to that, Reed postulates time is a factor as to why some explode and some don't [07:28 PM] Wack'd: But, uh. I thiiiiiiink it might be a lot simpler than that

[07:29 PM] Wack'd: If I'm right, Franklin blew up the dragon and the sea monster. He wasn't around for the dog and Carruthers [07:29 PM] Bocaj: Dun dun DUUUUN [07:29 PM] Wack'd: (And probably wouldn't have blown them up if he had!) [07:29 PM] Bocaj: Geez Franklin, geez [07:30 PM] Wack'd: And now he's like "do I...blow up mommy? No, right? I feel like that's probably a no" [07:32 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Sue is not entirely mutated, just got some weird facial deformities and is a little out of it. Reed says its maybe her cosmic ray blood [07:32 PM] Umbramatic: *screams* [07:32 PM] Umbramatic: @ the franklin face [07:32 PM] Wack'd: Haha! VINDICATED

[07:33 PM] Wack'd: Honestly kudos to Moench here for successfully constructing a mystery I didn't know was a mystery until the reveal happened [07:33 PM] Wack'd: That's some good writing right there [07:34 PM] Wack'd: Less good writing: this

[07:34 PM] Umbramatic: so nice work [07:35 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Franklin blows up the parasite without hurting Reed or Sue and is very proud of himself [07:36 PM] Wack'd: And Reed concludes "uh maybe we should figure out exactly hat Franklin's deal is" before the whole team hightails it back to New York [07:36 PM] Wack'd: A happy ending maybe

[07:37 PM] Bocaj: OR IS IT? [07:37 PM] Wack'd: Nope, turns out they have another son [07:38 PM] Bocaj: Benjamin Jonathan Richards you were named after the two bravest men I know [07:39 PM] Wack'd: LETTERS! Everybody loves some letters [07:39 PM] Wack'd: Eric L Watts wants Johnny to fall in love with another superhero and Ben and Alicia to get married. I like one of those ideas [07:39 PM] Bocaj: Is that the one what did happen eventualy? [07:40 PM] Wack'd: I mean both of those happen eventually [07:40 PM] Bocaj: Or is it the one, due to the vagaries of gendered language, that has Johnny come out as queer? [07:40 PM] Wack'd: Ha [07:41 PM] maxwellelvis: Lyja isn't a superhero when she and Johnny meet, though. [07:41 PM] Wack'd: Someone wants to know how Sienkiewicz is pronounced! It's sinKEVitch [07:41 PM] Wack'd: @maxwellelvis He does also date Medusa, so [07:41 PM] Bocaj: He's dated Crystal and Medusa [07:41 PM] maxwellelvis: Good golly [07:41 PM] Bocaj: He dates Nova, not that one, who probably counts if Silver Surfer do [07:42 PM] Bocaj: Huh. This list of romantic partners I've found for him is shorter than you'd expect [07:42 PM] Wack'd: People are kind of tetchy at how much Reed stretches now. Two different letter writers are like "He's not Plastic Man!" [07:42 PM] Bocaj: Hah. [07:43 PM] Wack'd: And people really like the more domestic stuff, specifically how Sue is written [07:43 PM] Wack'd: I'm sure the fact that all the letter writers are dudes is a coincidence [07:44 PM] Bocaj: I'm kind of but not really but a little surprised that Carol and Johnny haven't gone on at least one date. They have a venn diagram social circle and Carol dated Spider-Man briefly which is a similar kind of energy [07:44 PM] Wack'd: Oh hey, look who's making her *Fantastic Four* debut

[thatsparrow]

(fleabag/priest • read on ao3)

I love you, too.

It'll pass.

Much like God, that last bit turned out to be a lie. 

—

It's two years later and things are—fine, actually. Good, even. Cashiers ask you how you are, and you say, "I'm doing well, thanks," and it doesn't even feel like a lie. The cafe is, somehow, still a success—enough so that you can afford to do things like buy a new awning and replace the linoleum. You even spend a weekend with drop-cloths spread out over your nice, recently-replaced linoleum and give the interior a new coat of paint. You choose this pastel, light-washed teal color that looked cheery on the swatches but mostly reminds you of watered-down mouthwash. Still, when the sun comes in during the afternoons, it looks nice. You get compliments on it.

All the guinea pig pictures are still up, of course.

Both Hillary and Stephanie (who is, you remind people, actually a hamster) are also doing well, which feels like a miracle. A few months back, Hillary caught some sort of guinea pig flu and that had led to an emergency vet visit and several very-panicked Google searches about guinea pig lifespans, but then she'd gotten better and apparently they live for four-to-eight years anyway, so, she'll likely be around for ages yet.

(Hamsters, on the other hand, only live about two. Sorry, Stephanie.)

That banker—or, former banker? You never did find out what his new job was—still comes by. At least once a month, and usually on Chatty Wednesdays. He brings his wife, too, as he'd said he would. She has kind eyes—which is the sort of description you don't use very often, but suits her—and is both soft-spoken and full of questions. You learn that she bakes, because of course she does, and every so often she brings along a cloth-lined basket of lavender cookies or rose-frosted cupcakes or something equally Martha Stewart. They're fucking delicious, too.

Claire still commutes from Finland, but less often, now that she lives there. She has an apartment in London for when she visits that's obscenely beautiful and rarely-ever used—dark granite countertops and these funny-looking geometric sofas and lots of tasteful artwork (though, none of them done by your cunt stepmother). It should all be gathering dust, but Claire pays someone to clean it once a week and to keep the fridge stocked (on the off chance she comes for a sudden visit, which she never does). Sometimes, when you've been out late and your own place is too far away, you stay there for the night. Claire did give you a spare key, after all, and it seems a shame that no one is getting any use out of those million-thread count sheets or the quinoa salads in the fridge. You don't particularly like quinoa, but that isn't the point. 

The two of you don't talk often, but often enough. You know that she's busy, and when she does call, it doesn't feel like an obligation. Like, sure, maybe your sister needs a calendar reminder to phone you, but when she does, she sounds genuinely happy to hear from you. (She also just sounds genuinely happy about her life, which is such a wonderful change of pace.) Tall, blonde, beautiful, Finnish Klare posts pictures of the two of them on Facebook sometimes (yes, you got a Facebook just to friend him)—mostly selfies, all taken by him, of him and Claire in various corners of the world. Stern-looking, northern cities where the sun doesn't rise part of the year, and bright, fruit-flavored beaches where the sun never sets. Claire looks half-annoyed in all of them, but the kind of annoyance that's covering up how pleased she really is. Like she isn't allowed to look too happy about her tall, blonde, beautiful, Finnish boyfriend and how much he clearly adores his tall, brunette, equally-beautiful, British girlfriend.

"If you have a child, will you also name it Claire?"

"What? Don't be silly, we're not having a child. I don't even know if we're going to get married."

(She does, and they are.)

"You could spell it with a ch so it's a little bit different. Something silly and American, like C-h-l-a-y-r-e."

"Stop it."

(She's smiling on the other end of the phone. You expect they'll announce the pregnancy by the end of the year.)

"It's gender-neutral, too, so you're set either way. Come on—you both have perfect bones and perfect hair and it'd be such a shame to waste that. "

"You're ridiculous."

"Always, but I think I'd be a great Aunt to little Chlayre."

"I'm going, now."

Apparently, having sex with someone who has the same name as you is weird, but you get used to it. And, apparently, the sex has been so amazing anyway that it's worth a little weirdness. Good for her. God knows she needed it.

(Speaking of God—)

He moved parishes shortly after the wedding. Not God, of course, but—well, you know. You'd thought it a little dramatic to move entire cities just because you'd had sex, but it was also arguably less dramatic than his leaving the Church, so. Likely he had made the right call. You probably would have ended up hating each other by the end, anyway, if he'd stayed. It wouldn't have worked out, because when do these things ever? It's good that he left. (It isn't.) It is.

Still.

You think about him less than you used to, less than in the days after—I love you, too. It'll pass—the bus stop, when it was all still so fresh and new. When you were feeling dramatic (drunk), you'd liken it to the feeling of having lost a limb, like he'd taken one of your hands or some vital organ when he'd walked away. When you're feeling less dramatic (sober), you liken it to having lost something you'd only been promised—something fanciful, like someone told you that they'd invented the ability to breathe underwater and it had all turned out to be a lie. 

Except it wasn't a lie. He did love you. He just loved God more.

One afternoon, you'd been running errands that had happened to take you past the church (six blocks out of your way, actually, but close enough) and ducked inside—not even to say anything, just to see him, maybe—but it had been empty except for Pam arranging some pamphlets at the front. You'd asked about him, because of course you had, and she'd said he was "gone."

"Gone gone? Like—"

(Dead?)

"No, sorry, my mistake. Moved. This lovely parish on the coast whose own priest passed away a few weeks ago. A little quiet, but he says it's very charming."

"You've spoken to him, then?"

"Yes, of course."

Of course—like it's so simple.

You leave ten minutes later, after Pam's talked you into donating another ten pounds to the collection and volunteering at another church event the coming weekend, but it doesn't really hit you until you're nearly back at the cafe that he's—gone. Not dead gone, but might as well be. That, much like Harry taking that stupid dinosaur toy, he'd wanted to close the door permanently. Maybe he knew you well enough to know that you'd come back to the church someday, or maybe he knew himself well enough to figure it was only a matter of time before he turned up on your doorstep, and so he'd taken the choice away from you both. What a stupid, frustratingly-adult thing of him to do.

You hate him and love him a little bit more for it.

You don't really know what moving on looks like, but you figure it out. You drink a lot, at first, and then a little bit less. You stop feeling weepy whenever you see a Bible, or a G&T, or photos from the wedding. Rebound sex isn't as good as you'd imagined (except with the Hot Misogynist), and so you quit bringing people home quite so often—at least until you can stop comparing everyone to him. You still masturbate over him, of course, but it feels less like a need and more like a way to treat yourself. Like, if you eat all of that kale salad and only have a glass of wine with dinner, then tonight you can wank over his stupid strong arms and his stupid beautiful neck and that stupid little smile of his. If you just make it through a whole lunch with your dad and your cunt stepmother and not say anything too profane, then you get to touch yourself and imagine waking up with him in the morning and him making you pancakes and other sickeningly domestic fantasies.

It's been two years, so of course you've moved on, but you've moved on in a way that lets you keep loving him. Perhaps it's irresponsible, but you're not willing to let him go entirely. Not yet, anyway.

 —

 Then, your cunt stepmother announces that she and your father are adopting a baby.

"I'm sorry, what—"

"You've got to be fucking kidding—"

They'd waited until Claire was in town to make the announcement. They'd invited you both over for tea, and you should've known something was strange about that, but then you're sitting in the garden with a mouthful of Earl Gray and your cunt stepmother says she's adopting and you have to flip a coin between spitting out the tea all over her tasteful linens or scalding the inside of your throat.

You end up swallowing the sip, but it's a close call.

"Well, you know, I've never really ruled out having children—it's such a blessed, beautiful part of life—but, unfortunately, I can no longer conceive naturally, and so your father and I have been discussing—"

(It wasn't a discussion.)

"—and we submitted the applications and met with a mother this week. Lovely girl, terribly awful home life, can't afford to raise the baby on her own, but she's just got the most marvelous cheek bones."

(Cunt.)

"Anyway, she's due in a couple of weeks and then we'll be bringing little Felicity home—"

(Felicity?)

"—and we'd just love it if you two were there for the christening."

"Yeah, because this family has such a great record with godmothers."

Your cunt stepmother is still smiling but the look she's giving you is acidic enough to peel paint.

"Oh, look, I don't know." Claire's grip on the teacup is so tight, you're surprised she hasn't cracked the porcelain. "I've just taken time off to come home, and I'm really not sure I'll be able to again so soon—"

"No, but you must—mustn't she, darling? Your father just couldn't bear it if you weren't there for such an important day, and we did so miss you at the wedding reception."

(Two years, and she still hasn't let that go.)

"Say you will, Claire. Please? Promise us you'll be there." How your cunt stepmother manages to look so pleading is a mystery, but fuck her if she doesn't have it nailed. Your father is still mostly silent, as he's been throughout this whole ordeal, but Claire must see something in his expression because she relents with a, "Yes, fine, alright. I'll be there."

For the christening. The christening of the baby they're adopting. Your father's going to be in his fucking seventies at the kid's graduation.

"Oh, how marvelous! It won't be for a few months or so after the birth, so you should have plenty of time to get everything in order. The whole thing will be just splendid."

(It won't be.)

 —

 The day of the christening creeps up like a bad dream.

(You know those events when you think you'd rather get a bikini wax and then take a bath in lemon juice than attend? This is one of those days.)

You found a dress that seems like a good church dress, a boat-neck, sky-blue thing that doesn't really do anything for your figure, but it is a christening, so. You get there early because your cunt stepmother asked you to (demanded it), and because Claire will be getting there early as well, and maybe the two of you can sneak some of the church wine. You figure you'll probably be handing out programs or directing people to their seats or whatever else happens at a christening. It'll last about an hour, and then there will be a tasteful reception with champagne and sparkling cider and your dad and cunt stepmother showing off baby Felicity in her white, wedding-like christening gown, and then you can go home and forget the whole thing ever happened.

That's the plan, anyway.

You get to the church a half-hour before the christening starts (which is still later than you were meant to be here, but fuck it) and your cunt stepmother is already in—well, a tizzy. She's wearing this funny, artsy-looking gown that's patterned like stained glass and you wish it looked worse on her than it does. She's not yet holding baby Felicity (because this day isn't really about baby Felicity) but she is deep in conversation with the priest up near the altar, who's already dressed in his own decorative christening robes. Then your cunt stepmother looks up and sees you standing in the aisle, half-debating whether you could hide under the pews, and she's calling out your name and saying, "Thank God you're finally here—sorry, Father," and, "Oh, do you remember—?"

(It's him.)

"—he's the priest who officiated our wedding. He's not in the parish anymore—such a shame—but when I knew we'd be adopting little Felicity, I contacted him to find out if he'd be willing to perform the ceremony. Such a dear, isn't he?"

(It's him.)

"I do so love the symmetry of it. And it seemed such a hassle trying to find another priest we'd connect with when we already knew such a nice fellow."

(It's him, it's him—fuck me—it's him.)

He smiles when he sees you, a nice, polite, church smile. Of course, he's had however many weeks to prepare for this whereas you've just had an anvil dropped on you like you're Wile E. fucking Coyote.

"Pleasure to see you again," he says. He even sounds sincere.

"Likewise—" you say, but then your cunt stepmother is coming down from the altar and shepherding you into the back and putting you to work folding programs—"Make sure you're lining up the corners, dear,"—and you've never hated her quite so much. Of course, if it weren't for her and baby Felicity and the whole stupid christening, he wouldn't be here in the first place, but you're willing to ignore that for the sake of hating her. Fuck, he'd looked good, too. And here you are in your fucking church-appropriate dress folding fucking programs and by the end of the day he'll be gone back to the fucking coast and—

You need a cigarette, or ten. Fuck the programs.

It's quiet in the alley, enough so for you to take a couple of slow, deep, wonderfully nicotine-filled breaths and get yourself together. It'll be fine. It'll be miserable, but it'll also be fine. You'll sit in the pew, and you'll watch him perform the ceremony, and try very hard not to think about how beautiful he is underneath the fancy christening robes, and tonight you'll drink yourself unconscious and then wake up tomorrow and forget the whole day ever happened. It'll be the worst day of your life, but then it will be over.

(Second-worst, actually.)

The cigarette is nearly burned down to your fingernails, and you're about to stub it out when you hear the side door opening, and you say, "Sorry, Dad, I'll be there in a moment, I'm just—"

"Got a light?"

It's him.

(It's him.)

You nod, your breath feeling very shallow as he comes up next to you, leans in towards you with the tip of his cigarette. The orange light looks like paint on his skin, like he's been pulled from a Renaissance painting. He still smells the same.

"Aren't you worried about ash on your—" you gesture down at the fancy christening robes.

"Not really." He exhales, slow; his hand is shaking a little. "I doubt anyone but your stepmother would notice, anyway."

The thought gives you a sudden rush of satisfaction. Fuck, you do love him.

"I tried to quit for a while," he says after another breath, the smoke hovering in front of him, "then found I didn't really want to."

(You hope he isn't actually talking about cigarettes.)

"Better than me—I've never even tried to give it up."

(You, at least, are definitely not talking about cigarettes.)

"How have you been?" he asks.

(Miserable, then less miserable, then better, and now miserable all over again.)

"Good, actually. Haven't run myself out of business yet, so. That's something. How about you?"

"I was pretty lonely, for a while. New parish and all that. But it's not so bad now, and I quite like being so close to the water."

(You're happy that he's doing well, and also a little unhappy that he isn't doing worse.)

"That sounds nice, actually. And it's good of you, to have come all the way back for the christening. You didn't have to."

He's giving you a look. You hope it's the sort of look that means, yes, I did.

"Well, your stepmother can be awfully persistent."

"Yeah, well, she's a cunt."

He laughs at that, both amused and unsurprised. "I don't think I can mention that during my speech."

"No, probably not."

His own cigarette is nearly gone; you'll have to go inside, soon, and then the moment will be over. You really, really don't want it to be over.

"Do you ever think about moving back?" Your palms somehow feel very dry and very sweaty at once.

"Sometimes. Often, if I'm being honest, but—" he exhales instead of finishing the sentence. "There's plenty to keep me busy where I am now."

"And how's—God?" You're just fishing for time now. Badly. 

He raises an eyebrow at you. "Mostly the same. A bit disappointed in the state of the world, but still filled with an infinite capacity for love, forgiveness, et cetera."

"Right. I think I remember something like that in the Bible."

"Love, forgiveness, et cetera?"

"Exactly."

He laughs again, then pauses. "Do you still have it, then? The one I gave you, I mean."

(You know what he meant.)

"Yeah, I've got it somewhere." 

(In your nightstand, but he doesn't need to know that.)

He nods, then lets his own cigarette fall to the pavement.

"Well, I should—"

"You should probably—"

If you were braver, you might kiss him. If he were braver, he might kiss you. You don't really want him to leave, and he doesn't particularly look like he wants to go, but without being brave, neither of you knows what's supposed to happen next. He'd go back inside and then go back to his new parish, probably, and you'd never see him again. It's painful, how much you don't want that.

"Can I ask you something?"

He looks both curious and a little afraid for the question. "Yeah, of course."

He'll be going anyway, whether or not if you fuck this up. There's no reason not to try—other than that you're a little bit of a coward, but that's not really an excuse.

"You said it would pass." You feel a little dizzy. "Did it?" His jaw goes tight a little, like there's a wire running through it. "I'm just—curious, I guess." You take a slow breath. Fuck, what you wouldn't give for another cigarette right now, or an IV filled with whiskey. "Because it didn't, for me."

At that, he lets go of whatever tension he was holding in his jaw. He lets out a half-laugh that seems—relieved, almost. "No?"

You shake your head.

"No. It didn't for me, either. I feel like I've spent the last few years cheating on God—loving him and loving you."

There it is, in the open then. I love you, too.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

You want to kiss him, or maybe have him fuck you against the wall. You think he probably would, too. It's exhausting, feeling this elated and miserable at once; by the time you go back inside, you hope the needle has landed on one or the other, you almost don't care which.

"What does that mean, then?"

He laughs again. "Fuck if I know. Like I haven't wasted two years trying to figure that out." He sighs, impossibly weary. "I still don't want to leave the church."

"Okay."

"But I don't want to spend any more time without you, either."

"Okay."

"It would help if you said anything else."

"I would, if I knew what else to say."

(Kiss me, fuck me, marry me—none of those are particularly solution-oriented, though.)

"It's been a while since we were friends. We might not like each other anymore."

(Bullshit. To the friends part and the not liking each other part.)

"Yeah, maybe."

"We could still end up hating each other."

(We wouldn't.)

"Also true."

"But—I could come back. See you again. See if this is still—"

(It is.)

"I'd like that."

He nods, weighty, like you were just discussing how to solve world hunger instead of whether or not he'll move a forty-minute drive back inland. 

"I should actually get back inside, now, before your stepmother castrates me—"

(Which would be a shame, now, after all that.)

"—but I'll be in touch? If you want?"

"I—yeah. Yes, I do."

He nods, and then he's stepping away, back towards the side door and the interior of the church. You wish he'd moved the other way, wish he'd push you up against the pitted brick wall and kiss you like it'd kill him to do anything else, but he doesn't. He's already in his fancy christening robes, after all, and it'd be a shame to wrinkle them now. Besides, you've waited two years. You can wait a few weeks or months more. You can wait, and then the two of you will figure out what happens next. He loves you as much as he loves God, and that already feels like a better place to start.

You brush the ash from your own dress and go back inside.

(You had said this was a love story.) 

[kebinwooo]

rules: answer 10 questions, tag 10 mutuals to answer 10 questions you write

getting to this a bit late but i was tagged by @theyoungflexer! i realized all my answers to this are super boring so i’m so sorry in advance OTL i’m honestly not an interesting person this is so sad LOL anyways everything’s under the cut (bc despite having boring af answers i still somehow talk a lot)

1. what’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten?

why am i blanking on this LMAO i want to say i’ve never eaten anything super disgusting myself (like bland and would-not-order-ever-again stuff? yeah i’ve had that. but nothing impressionable enough to say it was the worst thing i’ve ever eaten) but i have definitely seen my fair share of gross creations /looks at jeonghan’s marshmallow wrapped in lettuce 

2. describe your aesthetic as pretentiously as you can!

is it bad if i say i don’t really have an aesthetic? or at least one that i know of? i’m so sorry i’m so boring LMAOOOOO like i have certain things i like but idk if any of them constitute an aesthetic... anyways moving on bc the more i write the more sad i get AHAH

3. would you marry your bias? why/why not?

depends who we’re talking about. if it’s kevin (from ukiss), that’s a maybe. he’s been slowly sliding off my bias list and lowkey already lost ultimate bias status (I’M SORRY KEVIN ;A;) and like he’s definitely a super sweet and kind dude (i know since i met him and he was so caring and attentive ;u;) but also he seems a little too perfect yknow? being with him would just make me feel like i can never live up to his image hahaha so yeah i can’t imagine marrying him (also bc he’s eight years older than me LOL)

if it’s joshua, yes. i love him a lot and he also seems sweet like kevin but also  so easygoing and thoughtful and fun to be around and just AGH. i’m gonna cut myself off before i ramble lol

now... if it was changkyun, HELL NO. I CAN BARELY STAND THE DUDE AND I’M ONLY A STAN. WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MARRY HIM BC I’D WANT TO FIGHT ALL THE TIME (lmao i’m only (half) joking. like yes i do love him in my own way but idk if i would be willing to marry him bc i get the feeling our personalities won’t completely mesh) 

4. what’s your favorite myth?

this is a great question and one that i’m suddenly blanking on. i love greek myths a lot but for some reason i can’t remember any wtf??? i guess my favorite one that i can remember off the top of my head is when odysseus tricks the cyclops and blinds him and then the cyclops is running around going like ‘NOBODY STABBED ME’ and his cyclops friends are like wtf do you mean (does this even count as a myth? LOL well i’ll just say it does)

on another note, i DO want to say that my favorite greek goddesses are artemis and persephone (and also a lil bit of athena) but i really can’t remember any myths related to them that i particularly liked so.... oops?

5. what’s your favorite meal?

ooooof this is a hard one. i’ve had a lot of meals that i’ve eaten and loved... i’ll go with my birthday meal from last year. basically it was an omakase-type restaurant and i ate like various cuts of meat throughout the entire night and it was delicious and great. i wanted to go back for my bday this year bc i’m turning 21 and they give you free alcohol on your bday but tbh idk if i can even go anymore.... fuck covid tbh >:( 

6. what is your idea of true happiness?

honestly? i’m kinda unexpectedly graduating early next semester so right now my idea of true happiness is just a stable job and a clear path for what i want to do bc that’s what i currently DON’T have lmao. also having a s/o would be nice.... quarantine is making me feel sad and single and lonely HAHAHA. but yeah mostly just having a stable, clear life path that i enjoy while being able to afford what i want with a little leftover so i can splurge every now and then yep

7. if your life was a movie, what song would play during the opening credits?

hmmm, this is a good question and one i can’t seem to answer right off the bat LOL the undying kissme in me wants it to be a ukiss song... so i would choose ukiss’s dear my friend as like one of those fun, starting off the day songs! but also it doesn’t feel like it would start off a movie on my life. so realistically, it would be yorushika’s hitchcock! it’s a really upbeat, cute song.... and then you read the lyrics and it’s pretty depressing and existential LOL and that basically sums me up super well and would be a great song for that initial character setup

8. if you were a dinosaur, what dinosaur would you be?

i have absolutely no reasoning behind this but i would want to be a brontosaurus or a stegosaurus LOL i feel like i once had a more interesting answer to this question but i forget now oops

9. where’s your favorite place to hang out/visit?

this is gonna sound super lame of me but boba shops where they have a lot of seating and you can stay for hours playing games. my favorite summer activity is to go out with my friends for boba and then sit around playing board games in a nice air-conditioned cafe. but alas.... covid >:( 

also, this is gonna sound even lamer of me but when i’m at school in washington, my favorite place to hang out is the international district in seattle (and particularly the supermarket, uwajimaya). i’m surrounded by a lot of white people where i go to school so when i head up to seattle for a day trip, going to the international district and just seeing asians again and eating asian food is soooooo comforting. so yeah LOL 

10. what do you HAVE to have on you when you go out?

this is gonna sound super dumb of me but i like actually NEED to have my phone on me. my phone broke last year and i had to go around without it for like three days and i felt so naked, especially when i was eating by myself and had nothing to do with my hands. it was the worst tbh so yeah i’m a horrible phone-addicted person it seems OTL 

***

i’m not tagging anyone but if for some reason somebody read all my answers and wanted to do this as well, i’ll add some down below! just say you were tagged by me if you do them! 

1. If you could reunite any group of people, who would it be? 

2.  What’s your favorite trope?

3. What’s a song that you always recommend to somebody?

4. If you could live anywhere in the world without any restrictions (aka language barriers are nonexistent, money isn’t a problem etc.), where would you want to live?

5. If you could learn the exact time of your death, would you choose to know? 

6. What’s a superstition you have?

7. If you could give a TED talk on anything, what would it be on?

8. What’s your favorite form of potato?

9. What would you absolutely never do, not even for a million dollars?

10. Make a soundtrack of your life. What songs have to be included? 

[taco-night-frenzy]

More Detective Luigi ideas

so I’m finally starting up the sequel to Mario is Missing. Hotel Wario. Yeah? That’s cool. Good job me. Finally going.  Anyways, then I started thinking “WHAT ABOUT A DIFFERENT STORY” because I hate myself. Basically because I always sort of... forget about the Yoshis from Mario. Not so much forget, but also wonder what I can do with them writing wise. It’s not like there’s many deep Yoshi characters you know? It’s mostly just Yoshi.  BUT THEN. Got to thinking. BOSHI. Dude. BOSHI. And the baby Yoshi from Thousand Year Door.  ANYWAYS here’s the ‘LORE’ that I’ll probably never write since I’m still a LONG way away from finishing Hotel Wario...

------ So some kid comes to Luigi’s dang office right. Needs help with stuff. It’s the Yoshi kid from Thousand Year Door. He goes by Gonzales, naming himself after his hero.  So Gonzales isn’t a baby anymore, but he is still a kid. He’s got an eggshell on his butt and Luigi is like “is that still your ... eggshell?” And Gonzales is like “no its a fake, i just really liked the aesthetic”  Oh, by the way, Gonzales can speak English because he can in Thousand Year Door even though most Yoshis only speak in Yoshian. (You know, like this.) Luigi explains he’s taken some Yoshian in school because it was an easy language to learn for him so he understands Yoshis much like Mario did. Mario learned to talk to Yoshis because he’s always been a fan of Yoshis.  So, Gonzales telling Luigi about the Yoshis in New Donk City. Everyone always pictures Yoshis as happy-go-lucky lazy idiots who don’t worry too much, and for the most part, that’s true. But on New Donk, in the city, it’s way harder on them. You can’t just live wherever you want, eat whatever you want, where ever you want. People here expect even Yoshis to get a job and work. Most Yoshis struggle with this, mostly because they can only speak Yoshian and are just in general... well they’re little dinosaurs with baby arms.  There’s a Yoshi service that a lot get by with. Call up a Yoshi and pay them a fee to get you where you want in the city. ride em and whatever.  The big problem though is YOSHI COOKIES. Yoshis generally are hungry bastards, right? Gotta eat. They love sweets and treats and just about everything. Yoshi Cookies are basically and literally drugs to them. Gonzales is in a gang with Boshi and they sell illegal Yoshi Cookies.  Yoshis get addicted to this stuff. Most of the time, its not even real drugs, they’re just SO YUMMY that Yoshis will do ANYTHINg to get them. Spend all their coins on Yoshi Cookies instead of rent and stuff like that. Leaves em messed up. Then there’s the REAL hard stuff. Yoshi Cookies baked in with Honey Syrup. If Yoshi Cookies were addictive before, this stuff is MENTAL. Gives Yoshi’s a ton of energy too, but mostly just makes them hungrier and want even more Yoshi Cookies. 

Mystery would probably be... someone’s been killing Yoshis. That’s fucked up right. Luigi’s like “that’s fucked up” but he doesn’t say that because it’d be fucked up if he did.  Luigi agrees to help Gonzales and they get into the underbelly of the Yoshi Gang. Run into Boshi and this guys NOTHIN like other Yoshis. He’s tough as hell and he’s a mean Yoshi Cookie seller.  Oh, by the way, forgot to mention, important lore. Luigi notes how the Yoshis talk a lot with their tongues and body language. Their little dino hands aren’t good for much, but they help get a point across. Luigi is naturally good at understanding mumbling grumbles and putting the pieces together since he’s a mumbly guy too. Also he’s like “I’ve got a decent tongue I guess. Now that I’m getting popular, I see people make drawings of me with overly large tongues and I’m kind of insulted by it and don’t get it, but whatever.” Talkin’ bout SPEED LUIGI of course.  Anyway Boshi is a bad dude, super bad. BUT he’s not the leader. Luigi and Gonzales go to see the Yoshi Gang Boss and... and... it’s BEEG Yoshi. That’s right. That big fat Yoshi from Mario RPG beta art that wasn’t used? That’s the leader.  He’s like (WHAT THE YOSH ARE YOU DOING HERE) but generally to everyone else he just sorta sits there and looks like a big cute fat Yoshi. He’s shouting insults and cussing and saying how he’ll kill anyone that goes against him but again... he’s Beeg Fat Yoshi so its funny. And uhh... that’s all I got. I wanted to ramble. One day I’ll look back at this and say “yeah I was never gonna write this” or!! OR! Maybe ONE DAY I’LL LOOK BACK AT THIS AND IT’LL ALL BE WRITTEN AND I’LL SAY “LOOK HOW I WROTE THIS SO LONG AGO. WOW GOOD JOB ME.” that’s it that’s ... that’s all. I love you bye.