#as I did go into this biased (thanks s)

[goldentigerfestival]

seeing some of y'all talking about/have talked to some of y'all who have said to me how y'all feel like the dub forced (western especially) masculinity into Yuri, and

yeah.

I left that out of the actual posts themselves because it felt too opinionated for the actual posts (even though you know it's my blog I can do what I want, but I don't want people discrediting me over shit like that), but yeah.

it feels a lot to me like they wanted Yuri to be some cool masculine edgy dude instead of a silly, playful, dorky, emotional, caring man. as if his silliness and emotional side is something to shy away from and isn't "cool enough" for a main character.

it's sad to me because he's such a different person between versions - enough that if I'm interacting with someone who only knows dub Yuri, it genuinely just doesn't feel like we're even talking about the same character sometimes. I want to be talking about the same character, but since some people only know the dub, they only know what the dub made him out to be.

I've seen a variety of things - art, writing, memes, whatever - where there are times I'm genuinely able to be like... that's such a dub Yuri specific thing. like, the way he gets portrayed is something I'm able to look at and be like "that's literally something only dub Yuri would say/do". it's not the fault of people who don't know the original context, but that's why it frustrates me so much - because that's all some people can know contextually (listening to the audio alone gives you a pretty clear indication of how much tone isn't the same between versions, but obviously some people will still be missing context), and the dub changed the experience (and went out of its way to do so) completely for those people. again - not the fault of the people who played the game. it's the fault of the people who were in charge of context/tone and took advantage of that and changed things and made him literally behave differently (because there's... take what's in front of you and translate that, and then there's going out of your way to change what's right there so the context/behavior is no longer the same).

it especially shows to me in interactions with Flynn between the western and JP fandom. the way Yuri behaves interacting with him in fan created media is sometimes vastly different from my experience between both fandoms. again, it's not people's faults who don't know Yuri's original personality, but it is the dub's fault for portraying him that way.

for me it's heartbreaking to see how dub Yuri treats Flynn and how the dub itself narratively treats Flynn. I love the relationship they have in JP and I love them both as characters in JP. like I've said, sometimes I want to punch dub Yuri for the shit he says and the way he behaves. I've never felt that way about Yuri in his original context. I've felt worse for dub Flynn than JP Flynn because I feel like JP Flynn is better cared for by the narrative/characters, but god, poor dub Flynn??? jesus.

the thing is, this comes from a place of strong love for Yuri (and Flynn!) so I hate that they changed things. I always stand by media in its original, purest form, no matter where in the world that media came from. localization absolutely should fix things caused by language barriers and tweak oddly sounding things - sometimes there's no choice! but it's not there to create a newly existing piece of media. it's not there to create a new character plastered on the face of an existing character or to fulfill the loc team's opinion of what that character should be.

it can be difficult - usually impossible - for me to be experiencing JP exclusive content and trying to imagine dub Yuri in those situations (think like, the drama CDs or Rays' content). I know I'm not the only person who feels this way and is extremely bothered by it.

obviously I'm not the be all end all - I'm one person with feelings and opinions, but I just feel very strongly about this kind of thing and I want to share how wonderful of a character Yuri is in his original form. a lot of the clips I posted I posted because I love his silly or caring attitude. I could blab to you about him forever. so, I hope more people will give this man a chance and experience him the way I know him.

[bookwyrminspiration]

Why do you love, why do you lie?

Why do you hide beneath a chilly disguise

I wish I could know how and who you were

Tell me why she means you are not her

I hear voices from the other room

Though every word’s a blur

They may as well be speaking Greek

Though there’s no way to be sure

So every day I wake

Two names are in my head

The face of pride and envy

The face of calm and dread

And every time I see them

I cannot help but see

A way for me to die today

A way for me to leave

I find a way to see them

Whichever way I go

They are a devil on my shoulder

A reminder of my woe

No one tells me I’m irrational

But nonetheless I know it 

The deathly calmness of the mind

Not letting you to show it

I still believe that I am sane

There’s nothing wrong with me!

I am the same as any other

Or can’t we all agree

I’m not the person I once was

Though I still try to shed that skin

No no no, I’m not alive

No no no, I cannot thrive

I must admit my interpretation of this is skewed because I saw S interpreting the poetry he received in a queer way, and now that's in my mind. The rhyme scheme is intriguing in this ABCC for the first and last, and ABCB for all those in the middle? As far as I know there's no name for that kind of scheme, but my poetic knowledge is also limited.

I'm also curious about the shift in focus throughout the poem. We begin with a lot of "you" and switch to "I/me", so what's the purpose? Does the you actually refer to a focus on another character, or is this repetition of what another has said to them? If we're taking the queer reading, perhaps about the questions the speaker has received about their identity. Or perhaps the speaker addressing themselves?

The lines about two names, shedding skin, nothing wrong with me, not the person I once was, etc. are fairly straightforward in a queer reading of this. But the stanza's about hearing voices in another room and finding a way to see "them" are vexing me. Is this meant to paint a picture of the speaker's life? Does the "them" refer to the two faces in the prior line, which presumably refer to the two names? In which case are they seeking out themself in "find a way to see them"? or does that refer to the inevitability of confronting themself, how no matter where they go they Are Someone and they can't get away from their life.

Anyway, my wonderings aside thank you very much for sharing this with me, I am honored to have been one of the blogs to receive your poetry--even if any specific message may be eluding me, though perhaps vagueness was intentional and the point is to take away something personal. Regardless, your poetry is appreciated

[mariasont]

My Assistant - A.H

a/n: im a little addicted to bimbo reader rn if you can't tell lmao

masterlist

‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧

pairings: aaron hotchner x bimbo!assistant!reader

summary: you can't reach a book so hotch helps you out

warnings: none? fluff, reader climbing a fucking book shelf and for what

wc: 0.8k

"Oh, biscuits!" 

It was a ridiculous thing to say, but frankly you didn't care. You were on your tiptoes, chest flush against a bookshelf. Spencer had asked for a book for the case they were working, and naturally, it was nestled on the top shelf.

Balancing precariously on your stilettos, you stretched as tall as you possibly could, your fingers skimming the spine that was an inch too far away.

You shifted your weight back onto your heels, planting your hands firmly on your hips as you considered the stubborn object just out of reach. Sure, Spencer would grab the book without hesitation if asked, and he'd do so with a smile, but you really liked feeling useful.

For over a year, you've been the one at Mr. Hotchner's beck and call--fetching coffee, filing papers, and attending to, basically, his every need (not the one you wanted though). To others, it might seem trivial, but you really liked it. Well, you really liked him. 

At first, you were intimidated--how could you not? He had a reputation. You heard the stories--a man who never smiled, his ever-serious nature, and Penelope's not so family friendly description of his sternness was enough to unsettle anyone.

But you considered his reputed severity to just be part of his charm, he was far from the figure others painted him as. He was a good boss, always fair, never once raising his voice at you or demanding too much. In your eyes, he was perfect. You might be biased. 

The idea of climbing the shelf was a gamble, especially in these shoes, and it seemed almost certain to end with a less-than-elegant fall. Still, you couldn't resist the challenge and hoisted yourself up anyway, the shelf wobbling perilously as you did so. 

You pressed on, climbing higher, the wood's groans of protest falling on deaf ears. If this was how you were going down, so be it.

"Almost there," you muttered to yourself, straining every muscle in your arm, you were sure.

And just as you almost had the book, your balance faltered and then found new footing, the sensation of falling dissipating. In its place, you found your ass delicately perched, nearly seated on someone's broad shoulder.

You honestly didn't even need to look to know who it was--embarrassingly enough--you had basically memorized the feeling of Hotch's hands. Though they had never been wrapped around your legs like they were now. His grip was warm and strong, sparking a wave of electricity that rippled through your whole body.

"Got it!" you cried out, your victory fist pump nearly launching you from Hotch's shoulder. But his hold on your thighs clamped tighter, securing you in place. "Thanks, sir."

You angled your head downward, locking gazes with Hotch--his eyes a rich blend of ember and molten chocolate that you really liked looking at.

His eyebrows were arched in a silent question on his well-defined face as if he really couldn't believe what you were doing. 

"Careful," Hotch murmured, his hands lowering you to the ground. There was a fleeting brush against your ass, surely accidental, yet it sparked a flurry of butterflies swirling in the pit of your stomach. "In the future, just ask. I wouldn't want you hurt over something as trivial as a book."

"Oh, don't you worry about me, sir. I'm like, practically a pro at rock climbing when I'm not here." you said, letting out a bubbly giggle.

He regarded you with a look that was equal parts amusement and disbelief, clearly not convinced.

"Okay, not really, but wouldn't that be cool?"

"Well, rock climber or not, let's keep those feet on the ground, please," Hotch remarked, the slightest quirk of his mouth suggesting a suppressed smile. "It's less of a fall from there."

"Sure thing, sir!" you beamed, popping off a silly salute, noting his struggle not to roll his eyes. "But I did get the book, so it all worked out in the end, right?"

With a gentle nudge on your lower back, Hotch directed you towards the conference room.

"Yes, it did, but for future reference, Spencer's height makes him more capable of reaching those books himself."

You couldn't help the blush that colored your face, and you managed a flustered smile.

"Well, I mean, it is what I get paid to do, sir."

"No, you get paid to do my bidding, not Spencer's," he teases, giving a gentle squeeze to your side.

Your laughter rang out, a bit too high, a bit too bright, as his touch sent a delightful vertigo spiraling through you. 

"Well, yeah, okay, that's fair. But it's been pretty light on the to-do list from you today."

"And you're complaining about that?"

With the conference room in sight, you pretended to lock your lips and throw away the key.

A rare laugh rumbled through his chest, and you felt your knees buckle, you were sure you could have melted into a puddle right there and then. It was such a beautiful sound, and you desperately wanted to become familiar with it.

Spencer emerged from the conference room, his eyes landing on the book in your hands. "Is that The Selfish Gene?"

Hotch took the book from you, handing it to Spencer with a firm look. "Reid, I'd appreciate it if you didn't recruit my assistant for your library runs."

taglist: @hotchhner @khxna

[cosmicalily]

"to be loved is to be remembered" - a mini series by @cosmicalily. view series masterlist, and outline here

procedural memory | kim seungmin x fem!reader

procedural memory: a type of implicit memory that is categorised as the unconscious guide to the processes and tasks performed on a daily basis.

author's note: this might be one of my favourite seungmin fics i've ever written. and maybe i'm biased because he is my bias and i love strawberry matcha, but i think sometimes it's okay to be self indulgent. enjoy!

There were many things that Seungmin would do without realising, as if he was on autopilot. Actions that were ingrained into his daily routine, little activities that made up his day without his awareness. The way he made his bed, the double knot he always tied on his shoelaces, the route he took to the coffee shop where he worked. He loved his routine; he loved simplicity and consistency.

At work, he thought even less about his actions. He was a quick learner, and had mastered the art of perfect coffee early on. He heard the words ‘latte’ or ‘flat white’ and somehow the completed drink would appear in front of him thirty seconds later.

“Do you do iced strawberry matchas?” a voice asked, snapping Seungmin out of his coffee-scented daze. He looked at the shot he’d started running for a flat white and then at you, cheeks pink from the cold and eyes sparkling. A soft blue scarf was wrapped around your neck, covering your chin, and you wore a cosy navy cable knit sweater, just a little too big at the sleeves.

Seungmin thought intently. “We don’t,” he said truthfully, drumming his fingers on the benchtop. “But give me a second. I’ll try and make something for you.”

You beamed in excitement. “Thank you!”

“It’s no problem,” Seungmin gave a half smile back, digging around for the matcha powder. “Although, I have to say, who orders an iced drink in the middle of winter?”

Your cheeks flushed a little pinker and you rolled your eyes. “Shut up, it’s business for you, isn’t it? And I’ll tip, obviously, because it’s a custom order. They just don’t taste as good warm. I tried it once, and it was awful.”

“Was it?” Seungmin paused, tipping the ice cubes from your cup back into the tray and placing it into the freezer. “I’m going to try and change your mind. Out of confidence as a good barista, but also out of concern for your health, because you’re literally going to freeze as soon as you step outside with ice in your system.”

“And if I don’t like it?”

“It’s on the house.”

“Deal,” you agreed, leaning against the counter and watching as he poured the frothed strawberry milk, creating a little bear design. He leaned to grab a lid, but you knocked his hand away. “It’ll cover the art you did,” you protested, and he shook his head in amusement.

You breathed in the soft, sweet scent and took a sip, thinking hard. Seungmin watched intently, his attention distracted from the three coffee orders he had lined up to complete next. You smiled, and his face softened. “Good?” he asked.

“It’s shit,” you deadpanned, then burst out laughing. “It’s amazing! How much do I owe you for it?”

“Nothing,” Seungmin replied, eyes shining.

You opened your mouth to protest, but he gave you a warning look. “Do you do this often, then?” you asked, taking another long sip of your drink.

“What do you mean?”

“Save girls with silly drink orders from hypothermia.”

“Sure, it’s my favourite pastime,” Seungmin replied seriously, though his eyes twinkled mischievously. “No, not ever before. You’re the first, Strawberry.”

Your smile widened at the nickname. “Even if you’re lying, I feel special. Thank you…” you paused.

“Seungmin,” he finished, handing over a latte to a man behind you.

“Thank you, Seungmin. I’ll be back, I promise!”

He nodded. “I know you will. See you around, Miss Matcha.”

You snorted and walked towards the door, spinning around and blowing him a quick kiss. He winked and you burst into a fit of laughter, and once you were properly out of sight, he let a full smile creep across his face.

By your third visit to the coffee shop, he didn’t even need a prompt to make your order. By the fifth, your drink would be sitting, ready for you, extra hot. Even though you no longer had a reason to wait, you always stayed to talk to him, and he was thankful you did.

Soon, Seungmin became unconsciously aware of your routine, of your timing, of your daily scarf rotation. Once winter ended, he caved and made you your first iced strawberry matcha, which you declared better than any other iced drink you’d ever consumed. He still refused to let you pay, but he was always accepting of your newfound habit of leaning across the counter and giving him a quick kiss before you left for the morning. Initially on the cheek, but by mid spring, on the lips. Your kisses tasted of your mauve lipstick, cinnamon, and of course, strawberry matcha.

After a year of dating, you moved into his apartment. Seungmin, a lover of routine and consistency, found himself mesmerised by your sporadic actions and in the moment decisions. It didn’t frustrate him, the way he worried it would. Your presence was a constant, something dependable that he centred his new, irregular routine around, filled with evening walks and beach day trips. He learnt your habits, and soon, your actions were as familiar to him as his own. He would still make his bed in the morning, and you'd help him, finishing the job off with the two jellycat puppies you'd bought for your six month anniversary. He would tie a double knot in his shoelaces, and wait for you to slip on your ballet flats. Whilst you always had your signature drink at his shop, he knew you loved chamomile before bed, and there was always a mug of it by your bedside after you'd gotten out of the shower.

And of course, you did the same for him, but in your own way. You'd lay on top of him, playing with his hair for hours, explaining every single thing you adored about him. You cooked him dinner, and you'd sit on the counter beside him as he did the dishes. It was routine. You were each other's routines.

He kept working at the coffee shop, but now as a manager, although he always insisted on making your drink himself, and you would visit him, sometimes bringing your laptop and glasses with you to set up in a corner and work, other times bringing whatever book you were currently engrossed in.

“Hi baby,” you smiled up at him, stretching your arms and dog-earing your page.

“You know I hate when you do that,” he groaned, sitting beside you on the bench. Nevertheless, he pressed a kiss against your cheek and you giggled.

“I know, but like, it shows the love I have for my books. The ones that have crumpled pages and tea stains and frayed edges are the ones I read the most.”

Seungmin shook his head. “I’m just teasing. I love you and your broken books.”

“They aren’t broken-” you protested, but he cupped your face in his hands and silenced you with a soft kiss.

“I love you,” he repeated, eyes glossed over.

“I love you too,” you gazed back at him. Your book fell off your lap, but you didn’t move to grab it. The strawberry matcha Seungmin had brought over was probably cooling, but you didn’t care. It was moments like this where everything felt like muscle memory, where nothing felt new or uncomfortable. He was familiar.

He grabbed your hand, entwining your fingers in his. You gently stroked his thumb, then whined when he let go of your hand to reach in his pocket. “What are you doing?” you asked, then you paused.

He’d slotted a ring on your finger.

“You can say no,” he said, looking you directly in the eye. "You can take it off. But it feels right for me. I saw it in the window the other day and I didn’t even think, I just bought it. Which is crazy, because you know I overthink and overplan everything.”

“I know, you’re a dork,” you smiled, but your eyes were glassy. “Why the fuck would I say no? Of course I’ll marry you.”

Seungmin breathed out and pulled you in a tight embrace. He felt warm, he smelled like coffee, and the skin of his neck was soft against your cheek. “I’m glad, because I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

“I’m only doing it for the strawberry matcha, of course,” you quipped, chuckling.

“I’m only doing it out of pity,” he added.

“Dickhead.”

“Asshole.”

You leaned against him, his arms around your waist. He kissed your cheek, your forehead, your shoulder, and you rubbed his back. A buzz went off in his back pocket, a reminder that his break was over.

“So,” he broke the hug, rubbing the back of his neck. “Your drink’s probably cold. So I guess, as a good barista, and now a good fiance, I probably have to make you a new one.”

“I’m gonna make out with you for hours tonight, Kim Seungmin,” you declared. “You’re my dream boy.” You blew him a kiss as he stood up, taking your drink with him, and he winked in return.

You watched his reflection on the steel coffee machine, and saw him smile.

[kiyo-cant-write]

hey, this is my first time sending a req, but can you write azul learning that reader has a crush on jade? like they tell azul and whenever they’re asked why they like him, they say something like “he’s cute” or “he’s so babygirl” or something and they’re just totally smitten

sorry if reqs aren’t open! ty <3

reader with a crush on jade talking to azul ✧･ﾟ

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Thank you for requesting! Yes, they are open (for anyone wondering!) Very happy to write some biases because I have a personal situation atm that is very stressful for me /gen pos

I love this request and I am excited to tackle it. I saw a few ways for this to go and ultimately went with the most comedic route!

So I am sorry if you wanted unrequited love, pining, and angst. Feel free to request again with more details if you think my take wasn't what you were looking for xD

Anyways, enjoy!! ^^

.

Summary: [Name] has one person on their mind and his name is Jade Leech. However, the person they choose to share these sentiments with is Azul Ashengrotto, owner and proprietor of the Mostro Lounge. And he is so happy to hear about it (/s)

TW/CW: None

Notes: gender-neutral reader, the reader is Yuu/Ramshackle Prefect, they/them pronouns for the reader, pre-relationship Jade/Reader but Jade isn't really present for most of it in narrative-

Guest Stars: Floyd Leech, Jade Leech (mentioned, brief)

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✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

Azul Ashnegrotto (& Jade Leech)

Azul is annoyed from the moment it comes up.

He thinks that this meeting will be about business and instead... It's about Jade. Jade? Not even the twins, literally JUST JADE.

He wants to sigh but withholds it for the first half to be polite.

[Name] is very passionate in their rant[?] about Jade.

They say many phrases that Azul does not understand.

He knows many things... slang just isn't one of those things.

He hardly understands why they are so captivated by Jade.

Jade isn't a bad person, outright, but to Azul, he's just... been there. The same could be said of Jade's twin brother, Floyd.

Azul wants this interaction to be over, it's awkward.

But [Name] did not answer, they just kept on yapping. /ref

This is getting tiring for the young merman. What even... is this?

As it continues, Azul finds himself starting to see their point.

This octomer maybe realizes that he is bisexual during this interaction. But he's not sure he wants to think about that yet.

He does not intend to help [Name] woo Jade unless they ask.

Floyd is also there. Being Floyd.

Azul was quite sure he didn't plan for this today. It wasn't on his schedule, he couldn't imagine why it would be. Who let them in? He sighed at the thought. He knew that this was an esteemed guest of the Mostro Lounge, he should be nice to them, they were a "friend" to him now, after all... And he valued them within reason...

Floyd had gone as far as to say that he and [Name] were the "best" friends of the group. Azul didn't really care. But he supposed the value must be true if the twins were interested. Jade seemed equally enthusiastic about this when it had been discussed.

Sigh. But this? This was pressing every button he had in the worst of ways and he was having trouble ignoring it. Every word grated on his last nerve and made him want to scream (and that would not be good for his image!).

"[Name]..." he began, only to be cut off by their (ongoing) speech.

"Azul! Don't you just love Jade?"

Azul paused. What? What did [Name] just ask me? Had he misheard them? He had to have misheard them. There was no way...

Composing himself, he answered.

"He is an associate of mine, yes—"

He was cut off by [Name] before he could finish the sentence.

"But isn't he dreamy?" they asked him.

Double what? Oh, this was happening. Joy.

"Well, you see—" Azul began, trying once more to explain before he was cut off again by the over-excited Prefect of Ramshackle.

"I just think he's so babygirl."

"You... what?" Azul said, turning to them with enough force to be cause for worry about the state of his neck.

"I said—" [Name] attempted to repeat before he cut them off.

"No, I heard you," Azul told them, "You consider Jade as a woman?"

This had to be some kind of land thing. Right? That, or he was once again spending too much time with books and not enough time with real people. It was just as his mother and grandmother had always said back home under the sea. He sighed at the very memory of it.

"No?" [Name] said, "Well, I mean, unless I should. Should I?"

Azul thought about it for a moment. Jade wasn't one to care about gender but he had never mentioned anything about womanhood. Noting that he answered their question with honesty.

"...He hasn't said anything to me about the matter."

"Oh, good. I wouldn't want to misgender Jade."

[Name] seemed relieved.

"You. I. You?" for a moment, Azul was at a loss for words, "Nevermind. [Name], what in the world has you so captivated with Jade today?"

They seemed to melt a little at the mention of Jade's name. They were clearly... invested in Jade. Surely this wasn't normal? Was it?

"He's just so—"

Azul sighed, cutting them off to explain he understood the concept.

"A young girl, I heard you the first time," the octomer said.

"He's just so perfect I can't even right now!!" [Name] gushed.

A second sigh escaped Azul, he wanted this moment to end. It was painfully awkward to hear about his... colleague like this. Not to mention inappropriate! They should just go tell Jade about this interest they had. Why him? What did he do to invite this?

"That makes two of us, though my frustration hardly lies with Jade."

"Hm?" [Name] asked, confused by the statement.

What did Azul mean by that, exactly?

"Nothing, nothing," Azul assured them through gritted teeth.

Like that, [Name] was back on their Jade high.

"Just... Jade."

"Indeed, er, I suppose," Azul said, relishing in the quiet that grew between them as [Name] observed Jade working from afar.

Jade and Floyd were waiting tables today. Floyd had complained that he was not in a "cooking mood" and decided that running orders around the lounge was much more "fun." That one gave Azul a headache, but that was normal.

Regardless, Azul only had one thought as [Name] watched Jade...

Silence! Sevens, finally.

But as he took a moment alone with the subject, his mind wandered down every path that [Name] had suggested about Jade, about the world. What would be different if Jade were a woman? Was Jade attractive? These were possibilities that Azul had never entertained.

It was enough to push toward a headache if he wasn't careful. Too much new information could be harmful to the mind, he knew this well. But it was something that his thoughts seemed to hook into, holding on tightly as if to say "Try to take this from me."

Azul's mind was a montage of every moment between himself and Jade (Floyd was also there but that was not important at the moment) since they had come to land. From Land Camp to Night Raven College... He had spent a lot of time with Jade.

Had something changed? For him? Jade? Anyone? Floyd?

...Maybe not Floyd. Unless? Hm, the twins in this light. Men in this light. Men? Men? Oh, dear. Well... it was something to think on. Something to not tell Mother, or Grandmother... or Stepfather...

"..."

He stood silently until [Name] poked his shoulder.

"Uhm... Azul? Are you okay?" they asked him, seeming a tad worried.

"Hm? I am fine, I suppose. You've given me something to..." the octomer trailed off for a moment, "Think on, I suppose."

"I did?" they asked, confused at the statement.

He didn't want to elaborate on this just yet. Too soon, far too soon.

"You did," he told them, "Just some... New information."

"Oh," [Name] said, "You're welcome, then?"

They laughed albeit a bit awkwardly as they spoke.

"SHRIMPY!!" a voice rang out from across the room.

Ah, they were noticed by a moray. The moray was sprinting toward them, closing in. Closer, closer... Target acquired. Squeeze. It was much gentler than when Azul instructed Floyd with clients.

"Hi, Floyd!" [Name] greeted him.

"Heyy," Floyd offered, "What are you doing with Azul, huh? Is he keeping you to himself?~"

[Name] tilted their head to the side at the question. What did Floyd mean by that? They liked Jade. They thought Floyd knew that but they shrugged it off as a Floyd-ism.

"We were just chatting," they told him.

"Maa, sounds boring! Wanna come play with me?"

Azul was almost thankful that there was a distraction from his obvious inner confusion. He had to hand it to Floyd's eccentricities, they came in handy sometimes (not often, but sometimes).

The eelmer picked up the human and slung them over his shoulder with ease. This was why people were scared of Floyd. He has monstrous physical strength.

"Eh?? Floyd, where are we going?" [Name] asked him, holding onto his shoulder to keep from accidentally falling onto the floor.

"We're playing 'Let's Bother Jade'!" Floyd told them, running toward his brother at the same speed he'd run towards [Name] earlier.

Azul turned to see Floyd (and [Name]) inches from colliding with Jade (who was holding 4 plates of food)...

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Imagine the rest for yourself~

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✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

Thank you for reading! Likes and reblogs are appreciated! Do NOT repost my writing/headcanons as your own >:c Check the top of my blog for the inbox status and read the rules before requesting. This is not a twst-only blog! ^^

[weirdsht]

cale with an s/o that's mothers so hard (coos at the averaging 9 year olds, bakes/cooks for the knights, plays and trains with the wolf children) – absolutely soft for kids, loves cuddling the children and cooking for them^^

Biased Concern - Cale/Reader

notes: I combined 2 asks because the premise was similar

tags: fluff, no gender specified for reader, novel spoilers (war)

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

Constructive criticisms and any kind of interaction are more than welcome

Requests are open and welcome

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another anon said: omg!! regarding the small preview you posted,, like there's the part in the novel where on and hong are in the eastern part with Ron and Beacorx while Cale has 3 days to live and smth smth + Raon going through his first growth phase (I don't really remember) so his s/o is in despair bc of the situation and they're like– ONE OF MY BABIES IS SICK AND ONE IS DYING AND THE OTHER 2 I DONT EVEN KNIW WHAT THEYRE DOING WAHHH 😔😔 that's all bye ✊️

Things are hectic. War is ongoing. Everyone is on their toes. Commander Cale Henituse is nowhere to be seen. Roan Kingdom’s Crown Prince Alberu Crossman is in a state of shock.

In short, things are chaotic.

However, it doesn’t look like that on the outside as most don’t have an idea what’s going on. Only very trusted people know just how everything is on the verge of being in shambles.

“I’m sure you were shocked your highness. Please forgive him. He has this terrible habit of throwing fast ones at random times.”

That was the first thing you said to Alberu as you entered his tent. The golden-haired man was already busy as it was. Now he has to cover and fill up Cale’s missing presence.

“I think I’m getting used to it now.”

You let out a short laugh at his response. Alberu said it with a nonchalant tone however his face conveys just how much of a headache Cale brings him. But it wouldn’t be Cale if he didn’t bring a headache.

“At least eat while you work your highness.”

Pushing the cart closer to where the crown prince is, you presented the foods cooked for today. On the plate, there’s a medium rare steak paired with some vegetables like asparagus, mashed potatoes, and others. It’s a simple meal, but it has all the nutrients and protein one would need. 

“Did you help cook this? You were fighting earlier you should’ve just rested.”

“It's not a bother at all Your Highness. Seeing everyone energetic is enough to make me energized as well.”

You smiled at Alberu as he started eating. Humming in approval at your cooking.

“When are you going to visit Cale?”

Alberu stopped eating for a second to ask you a second. You stayed silent at his question, deeply pondering about it.

On one hand, you wanted to visit him and check how the children and he is doing. On the other hand, you are still needed in the Gorge of Death. Especially since the others are gone. Your complicated thoughts did not go unnoticed by the quarter elf. He can easily tell just how worried you are for your significant other but also thinking of your responsibilities.

“Just go.”

“But Your Highness as Cale’s Deputy Commander–”

“Are you going against the word of the crown?”

That made you shut up. However, you were still hesitant. Cale’s absence already puts so much on Alberu’s plate. His responsibilities will overflow if you go away too.

“It’ll be fine. Just make sure to come back quickly. While you’re at it tell that punk to get well fast too.”

Alberu waved his hands. Telling you to go now, leaving no room for argument.

“I… Thank you, your highness.”

Soon enough you are inside Hope and Adventure Loving Inn. Specifically, you were inside Beacrox’s kitchen making sweet treats for everyone.

Just outside the kitchen the staff, the previous mountain bandits, are whispering among themselves. They’ve never seen anyone freely enter the chef’s territory so this is a shock for everyone.

“Thanks for letting me bake Beacrox! Take this portion and share it among yourself and the other staff.”

You smiled at the tall man with him only responding with a bow of gratitude. As you go out of the kitchen you see everyone acting a bit weird. It was so obvious they were trying to look busy while eavesdropping. One of them was even feather-dusting another employee’s face.

“You’re here nya!”

“We missed you nya!”

On and Hong greeted you respectively as Ron guided you upstairs. Indeed, you haven’t seen them since the opening of the inn. You said you were going to visit but things got delayed because of everything that happened.

“I missed you too. Now go share this among yourselves. Make sure to leave some for your youngest brother.”

You hugged the two for a bit before asking Ron to show you where Cale was. As he showed you the way you reluctantly let the two children go. Promising to play with them more later.

“I must warn you. The sight inside is unsightly.”

The servant warned you before opening the door. Sure enough, it was. The first thing that caught your attention was the foul stench of blood.

Speaking of blood, Cale was super bloody. He keeps vomiting blood like a water pipe with a leak.

“Oh my…”

You unconsciously said. The two heads lying on the bed turn to you. With Raon’s expression brightening up.

“You visited!”

“Well, I did promise to visit your siblings.”

Smiling, you welcomed the toddler into a warm embrace. Behind you, Ron excused himself to give the three of you privacy.

Cough!

A certain redhead deliberately coughed out blood louder than before. Clearly unsatisfied at you saying that you came to visit the children.

“Of course, I came to visit you too.”

You laughed, walking towards the bed to give your significant other a kiss on the forehead. The bed dips as you sit down on it, with Raon still in your arms.

“I take it that you successfully got the water ancient power? All this blood must be from your plate fixing itself then.”

One of your hands was stroking Cale’s hand while the other one fed Raon the singular cookie you had brought with you inside the room.

Cale’s eyes looked at you. Probably examining if you were hurt somewhere while being away from him. He then frowned as he saw you feeding the chubby dragon. Your gaze travels to where he seems to be looking and the jealousy makes you laugh.

“Yes, I made it. Yes, there’s still some left. Yes, I already prepared some greasy food to cook so you eat later after you’re well. No, I will not stop feeding Raon. Don’t be greedy, you already have most of my attention.”

The commander’s frown etched deeper in his face as you said the last part. His gaze seems to be asking you if you’re really concerned about his well-being.

“Of course I am.”

You chuckled.

“I wouldn’t left the Gorge of Death if I wasn’t silly.”

Pushing his hair back a little, you gave his forehead another kiss. Reassuring him that you didn’t just go for the children.

Later on, when Cale was feeling much better he asked you if you only got together with him so that the kids would favour you.

“Silly man, I don’t need to be with you for the kids to love me.”

“That’s right nya!”

“Certainly nya.”

“I’ll like my human’s human even if you aren’t together!”

The defeated Cale could only click his tongue in annoyance.

[vigilante24ish]

🌙 Moon Phases 🌙

Agatha Harkness X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1738

Chapter 20:

You all had sat around the warm fire, sharing some of Jen's handmade on-the-spot perfume paste that took away the stench of dead leaves, sweat, and mud that existed on you.

Slowly, the mood had started to change, and with Teen back to his live self and his new scar; everyone took turns showing off their scars, briefly mentioning the cool story behind it.

That was, until Agatha joined, sitting at the empty space between you and Rio; not too close to any of you, as if herself feeling divided.

And then Rio had to tell about her scar, changing the mood as subtle messages were clearly behind her story; upsetting both you and Agatha.

You watched Agatha be the first one to leave the circle right after Rio confessed her "scar." You barely lifted your head to watch her go or cared when Rio went after her.

By now you had come to realize who this mysterious green witch was, and what she was to Agatha.

A part of you, deep down, was not surprised. You often spent a lot of time away from one another and she was not forced to remain focused to you alone; the fact that you did it for her, was merely out of your loyalty for her.

Yet somehow, it still bothered you. Seeing those looks she would often give you, now directed to her. The way Rio would try to invade her personal space and make her react, testing your patience and the fact that you did not wish to interfere.

Perhaps you should, but who were you to lay such a claim? When you had left Agatha on her own so many times? And who said Agatha wished to be claimed by you?

Those questions and thoughts had darkened your mood and it was evident on your face, something the other witches noticed.

They didn't know exactly what relationship you had with Agatha, mixed signals confusing them to the end, but they had their suspicions.

Thankfully for you, there was one kind hearted soul in the group that did not like to see you down.

"I still don't think I thanked you enough...uhm..." Teen started, keeping his usual smile but feeling slightly embarrassed since he never got your name.

Truthfully, you had not told anyone your name, and Agatha had only been calling you by your nickname; something no witch had dared to call you.

You smiled faintly and turned your attention in him. "Y/N," you introduced yourself, earning an even bigger smile from him.

"Well then, thank you," he continued. "I owe you."

"You owe me nothing. I am glad you are okay. " You offered a small weak smile.

"Though I have to ask... how did you do it?" He asked, grabbing his little book. "What kind of spell was that?"

To your help, somehow, came the oldest of the witches; Lilia. "This was no spell, kid," she explained, earning his attention. "This are the tricks and magic of a Moon Witch."

Teen was suddenly intrigued. "Moon witch? I don't think I have read a lot about you." he confessed.

You offered a sad smile. "I am afraid my kind is not that well known or welcomed. Not many witches are chosen for it, either."

"It is the type of witch dedicated to the moon and its phases. The very same entity witches pray over spells, blessed them with power," Lilia explained, once again.

Teen was very invensted. "So, you do what... Moon magic?"

"If only," Jen interrupted him. "Moon magic s the purest form of magic. It is literally the essence of blessing, purification, and protection of the highest form. Moon Witches are the OG white witches."

"Then why don't other witches take that path? Why is it not known in the books?"

"Because it is a cursed path that you do not choose but rather get chosen," Lilia said, her tone getting colder as personal experiences biased her opinion. "Unpredictable and destructive nature of magic. Spells gone wrong, too much magic unleashed... plagues coming out of nowhere, curses been thrown, kids disappearing into the night..."

Each catastrophe made you lower your gaze and your head, one hand holding tightly your triple moon pendant for some sort of comfort.

You did not argue with Lilia, because there was not something to argue for. She was right in everything and you hated to admit it, but it was all true.

At night, you would still be haunted by experimental spells you did wrong. Of too much magic, you pulled into a potion or a person and caused more destruction than anything else. You were volatile for years, and only after you learnt not to interfere did you find some peace with your magic.

Agatha was the only one that had never shunned you for your powers, never blamed you when things went astray. On the contrary, she had ways to make you see the other side of the issue; to take you realise that it wasn't always that bad... that it could be fun.

"It's a solitary path, kid," you finally said, your voice heavy as was your heart. "It is not one witches wish to be known for or have in their covens," you lifted your head slowly. "I hesitated to heal you, and if it weren't for Agatha's begging, I wouldn't have interfered. That's not my calling."

Yet despite the grim talking, despite your defeated tone; Teen was not ready to give up. He could still see light within you, still see there was good to be done, and he was determined to help you see it too.

"But you did interfere. You helped me!" He argued, joy and energy still in his dark eyes. "You saved me from death and look." he lifted his shirt again. "You barely left me a scar."

Somehow, despite your best efforts, you could not fight the contagious smile that came from him. Hearing his words, doing his best to cheer you up; it warmed your soul, and you could not remember when someone else had managed to do that.

"You must be the first to say that," you commented.

Surprisingly, Alice chose to join; having been quiet for far too long. "He is right, you know. You saved him, and I saw how you fought that curse when it touched you. Whatever magic you wield, I am glad it is on our side."

"Speaking of curses," Jen interfered. "How is it that you can push away and protect yourself from whatever curse we fought back there and not the poisons from the first trial?"

"Ah," you exclaimed. "Common misconception there. I can protect against evil and darkness but not poisons. They fall into a more... neutral category."

"Well, that must suck."

You could not help but chuckle faintly. "Oh yes. I can go head to head with dark witches, but hemlock can end me in a day."

"So, Y/N," Teen called you out, using your name. "Do you have any cool scars?"

It was then you realised everyone had talked about their scars, some from bigger adventures and some from minor ones. You have been the only one that had yet to confess a part of their past, and frankly, you were not sure how willing you were.

Yet as you stared into their eyes and you remembered how Alice and Teen were welcoming your magic, how even Jen seemed to see you differently; you could not help but feel as if you truly were part of a coven.

A feeling foreign to you but nonetheless welcomed.

"I do, a few," you confessed and loosened up your tie more. Once it was not in the way, you managed to remove your shirt halfway and turned to expose your scarred back. "Caught by a group of modern witch hunters, tried to make me confess the whereabouts of a coven close by."

You felt the stares on your scars that decorated your back and quickly chose to hide them by fixing your shirt; feeling uncomfortable with people staring at them for too long.

Unbeknown to you, Agatha had happened to approach while you were talking and got a good look of the scars you did not have the last time you two reunited.

She remained quiet, watching from the shadows with a dark expression on her face; one that the world had not seen in a very long time.

At the same time, you chose to cover yourself and sit down; looking at the group. Their gazes were mixed, some showing more concern and sympathy and others; pure fury.

"Witch hunters," Lilia scoffed, one fist holding the material of her pants tightly. "One of the worst things mankind had created."

You could not help but nod. "And somehow they made it to the modern era as well."

"They are lucky they haven't met me," she commented. "I still remember the last pair that made me flee a comfy village I had chosen to settle down."

"Thought witch hunters were a myth," Teen argued, looking at Lilia. "I mean, with movies and all those things you hate."

The older woman tried not to get offended. It was not her fault the media represented witches that badly. "Not this kind, kid. Those in the movies are nothing compared to the real deal."

Jen nodded her head. "They are cruel men, taught to recognise spells, and somehow always manage to track down where witches live," she explained, being alive longer than him and Alice; made her little more knowledgeable on the subject.

"And they go hard-core once they find one. Try to draw a confession out of her, secrets and whereabouts of covens, " you added. "In the past, they targeted innocent women who under the pressure of torture confessed to being witches; when they had no magic within them."

The boy seemed horrified at this new piece of information. "This is horrible!"

"This was a witch's life," a new voice added, making everyone spot Agatha leaning on a tree. "Humanity was never accepting of anything different and always went to the extreme to see it gone."

Murmurs of agreement echoed between Lilia, Jen, and you; the eldest in the group. They had seen the rise and almost impending fall of witchcraft, some earlier than others little later.

But they all had been prosecuted one way or another for their craft... and their choice in lovers.

Chapter 21

[wisteria-cherry]

Hi I've been searching everywhere for a new barty Crouch Jr story and I've read your head cannon for dating him as well as some of your other works and I really enjoy your writing so I was wondering if maybe I could request a reader x barty crouch Jr book where reader is good friends with Regulus and barty gets jealous or something along those lines leading to him to confess his feelings for reader? Anyways thank you for taking the time to read my request! Love your writing!

ofc sweetie <33 tysm for your support!!

dream come true

“are you busy today?” barty asked as the two of you settled down in the courtyard, pulling out books and parchment to begin your respective papers— barry’s for transfiguration (his punishment for sabotaging a gryffindor’s teacup that they were meant to transfigure. the gryffindor deserved it; he’d taken barty’s teacup by accident but then wouldn’t give them back. of course, mcgonagall was quite biased, so barty was the recipient of punishment) and yours for charms.

“i am, i’m going to hogsmeade with regulus.” you respond absentmindedly, trying to balance your inkwell on a tree root so you didn’t have to put it in the dirt. “he said he’d be here soon to pick me up.”

“pick you up? what is he, your boyfriend?” barty scoffed. you only laugh, and barty hoped his face wasn’t as red as it felt. he was serious; he didn’t like how close you and regulus were. he never had.

“he’s just a friend, barty,” you roll your eyes. “how do i write an introduction about the aguamenti charm? it’s just a spell…”

“c’mere, let me see.” barty patted the spot beside him, and you moved over to sit next to barty, leaning against his shoulder as he looked at what you had on your parchment already. not much. really, he didn’t need to see your parchment, nor did he need you to sit next to him to help you, but he liked it when you did. you were warm; not that barty ran cold, but it was nice having you up against him to shield him from the crisp, autumn air.

“try starting with what the charm is.” he glanced over at you, you with your chin on his shoulder. you who looked so pretty, you who he wanted as his. “then summarize the history of it. that’s what you’re writing on, yes?”

“yeah.”

“so then summarize it with a couple words. nothing specific, otherwise you won’t have anything to write later—“

“hello.” you and barty both looked up at the new voice.

“regulus!” your face brightens, and you stand up, hugging him. regulus hugged back, and barty’s brow furrowed.

“are we going?” you ask.

“yes, i only have to change. i came from herbology.” regulus made a face, clearly not pleased by his dirt-stained sleeves and muddied trousers.

“i’ll wait for you here. barty’s helping with my essay.” you say, and regulus looks to barty and nods at him.

“barty.

“regulus.” barty nods back. you sit back down next to barty.

“i’ll be back in twenty minutes.” regulus says. “don’t leave without me, yeah?”

“see you then.” you laugh, and regulus walks away.

“you two are close.” barty says almost immediately after regulus was out of earshot. you look to him. he’d been acting somewhat strange, seemingly overly concerned about you and regulus.

“barty, i already said we’re friends.” you repeat. “is something the matter?”

“no.” barty scowled and looked back to his paper.

“barty.”

“i said nothing’s wrong.”

“are you sure?”

barty stopped, feeling his chest tighten. did he dare confess his feelings? he had no idea if you liked him back. you never gave any indication. in fact, anything barty would classify as flirting was directed towards regulus. did he want to risk his entire friendship with you for some stupid feelings?

yes.

“i like you.” barty blurts out, and immediately clenches his jaw.

stupid, stupid, stupid.

but then you break into a smile and there’s some hope— either you’re about to laugh at him or laugh with him.

“i like you too, barty.” you say finally, and the tightness in barty’s chest dissipates.

“you mean you don’t like regulus?” barty asks, trying not to sound as breathless as he felt. you laugh.

“i told you he’s just a friend.” you wave your hand. “merlin, barty, for someone so clever…”

“yes, i’m daft, very funny, now c’mere.” barty was smart. he knew he was smart. quite frankly, he didn’t like people proving that he had moments where he wasn’t. so, he did what he thought was the best option in order to change the subject; the option he’d been waiting to have since first year when he first realized how much he liked you.

he kissed you. obviously.

lips slotted against yours, he felt his heart nearly explode. finally, finally, he could know you belonged to him, and everyone else in the courtyard could know, too. he didn’t care that he was kissing you publicly, despite the fact that barty himself shamed those who did the same. this was different, this was you. this was a dream come true.

[cordiallyfuturedwight]

my 2024 gif wrapped!! (tagged by the marvelous @raplinenthusiasts & @cosmicdreamgrl & @jkvjimin) ♡ ↳ sharing my most popular and favorite gif sets from the past year under the cut

january - seokjin reminding us what's important in life - dimple!!!!!!!!!, rapline tear!!!!!!!!!!!!! love wins all / beginner's heart, king hoseok

february - serendipity jimin; stunner taehyung - hope world dance practice; missing jin hours; valentine for annie <3; hobicore mixtape!!!

march - 5th muster taehyung, fri(end)s performance - gone phishing, tangerine yoongi

april - human mint chocolate - gq jin; user magic shop ot7; trivia love (this one hardly resonated with anyone as much as it did with @rainbowcoloredpalmtrees ily)

may - kim seokjin pink google search; yay omg - lost! mv

june - being a cutie 101 by park jimin - whatever the fuck jinmin have going on here, calm down heart, stop racing!!

july - now playing: who, w korea jin (in yellow) - w korea jin (in white); the chokehold he still has me in

august - confidence goals with jin; 'i love that i am handsome' ok, stages of grief with kim seokjin - run jin, in summary; bangtan in turtlenecks part 15 (it's on a deep sleep for now, hang in there enthusiasts)

september - vogue korea jin; goooooooorl i get it, vampire jungkook; i love that one too!!!! - pat's mixtape; a labor of love, nuts namjoon; that time i imported text from a third party software i was playing with

october - gq japan jin; listen!!!!!!! where is more (non) shaky footage.... i'm mad - i'll be there live clip; i loved how my coloring turned out <3, i also like this namjoon, and my supertuna video game (sorry i picked 3)

november - princess jin; y'all are real for that one - save them; taehyung just kills me

december (so far...) - laughter & joy jin; yeah :') - pretty namjin; i have always wanted to gif this (thank you sky!!)

thank you for another year of supporting my nonsense ♡ this year was actually very hard for me and i love coming here and just being silly

if you'd also like to share, please do, but no pressure of course!! whether you are still active or not, whether you made things every month this year or not.... i loved all of your creations this year! i hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and i wish you all the best ♡ ( @rjshope @magicshop @heybaetae @kimtaegis

@jinstronaut @btsjk-biased @btsiu @jung-koook @loversmore

@kookjinnies @thatgoddamngingerundercut @yooboobies @taee @agustd3 @vminsos

@sugajimin @namchyoon @bladesrunner @94erz @kth1 @taehyunghobi @starcatching @sugurugetos @dazzlingkai ) the way i had to break y'all up to tag you all...... cheers!

[pumpkinpaix]

Regarding #EndOTWRacism’s summaries of 2023 OTW Board election candidate positions

Before I begin, let me say now that while I am a volunteer with the OTW, my views are personal and should not be taken as any kind of official statement from the org, its leadership, or other volunteers, especially not the candidates in question. My focus here is on the Asian candidates for obvious reasons, but this post is not meant as endorsement or disavowal of any of the candidates, whose bios and platforms can all be read here.

Do not take this as an excuse harass the mods running EOTWR. I cannot make myself clearer.

--

I am making this post to express my extreme disappointment with End OTW Racism’s post purporting to summarize the platforms of the candidates for the upcoming Board elections. It is no longer rebloggable, but can be read here.

The way that the candidates with Asian names were spoken of is deeply insulting when compared with how candidates with English-language names were discussed. Asian candidates had their platforms misrepresented, their expertise downplayed, and their lived experiences reduced down to “bringing an international presence” to the board, which was then further caveated with, “diversity alone is not going to solve the issue of racist harassment currently allowed in the OTW’s policies and enforcement practice”. While it is true that diversity alone is not a solution, it’s pretty offensive to essentially have “remember! Just because they aren’t white doesn’t mean you should vote for them!” tacked on to one of the Asian candidates’ platforms. 

End OTW Racism seems more concerned with whether or not candidates used the buzzwords they wanted to hear rather than with how racism is discussed holistically within the statements. While I can appreciate that EOTWR has a specific agenda, to say things like, “[s]he does not mention racism, racist harassment, or hiring a DEI consultant in her platform, so outside the outreach and support she mentions, there is not enough for us to conclude that these would be priorities for her” regarding Zixin Z.’s position, directly following the statement, “[s]he also mentions the need for outreach towards non-English-speaking fans and has a desire to provide support to volunteers from minority groups” is fucking laughable, especially after the initial mistake of stating that Zixin Z. only wanted to do more outreach to Chinese-speaking fans. Again, I understand that people make mistakes and that this mistake has since been corrected, but I hope it prompts some reflection on the sort of biases that would lead to such a mistake in the first place. It may have been completely innocuous, but in charged discussions about racism, please understand that it gives an impression that is difficult to shake. I do thank you for not trying to hide that this happened. 

Why is Anh P.’s lack of discussion on TOS/PAC a point against her, while Zixin Z.’s years of experience on PAC, her role as a mod on Weibo, and her background in nonprofits don’t even warrant a mention? For that matter, why did none of the Asian candidates’ skills or experience warrant mention? Qiao C. and Zixin Z. have both been volunteers with the organization for several years now, and Anh P. has years of moderation and volunteer experience elsewhere prior to her work with the OTW.

It is so fucking frustrating that despite each one of these candidates specifically talking about the need for diverse voices, they had their platforms essentially passed over because they didn’t use the right words, and it is particularly fucking aggravating to see that EOTWR will use Chinese issues as props when trying to press OTW leadership on the racism that occurs within the org, but then completely fail to connect the dots on why these candidates are running because the wrong language was used. Zixin Z. is one of the Weibo mods, for fuck’s sake. 

The entire post feels like an exercise in virtue signalling, from every time it was brought up that a candidate did not provide pronouns in their platform statements, despite every one of them having pronouns provided in their bios (why mention this detail at all? You could have simply used the pronouns), to what felt like willful obliviousness to the anti-racism stances in the Asian candidates’ platforms. It feels like the concern starts and ends with racism in Anglophone terms, on Anglophone terms.

I can respect the driving ideas behind EOTWR, even if I disagree with the way that EOTWR pursues their goals. I do believe that we want the same things in the end, and therefore chose not to interact with the many posts I have seen about the protest. However, I saw the summary post and could not let it pass without speaking.

For a protest group supposedly dedicated to ending racism in the OTW, this felt incredibly hypocritical, conscious bias or not. In my most charitable frame of mind, I can see this as misjudging and overcorrecting to ensure that there was no favoritism shown to the obvious non-white candidates lest EOTWR be accused of tokenizing– again, it is true, that diversity in and of itself is not a solution to racism. 

In my least charitable and most bitter frame of mind, I feel inclined to wonder if EOTWR, much like the OTW itself, is uncomfortable with the lack of influence they could exude over an international candidate. It would be much, much easier to push their agenda forward with more culturally familiar candidates, particularly white ones. Guilt and public scrutiny are powerful weapons and easy to wield against those with perceived privilege in our current atmosphere, often to the detriment of the actual discussion at hand in my experience. I know that’s cynical. It’s hard not to be. (For clarity's sake: I do not know the other candidates' races. This is a hypothetical.)

This isn’t a demand for an apology. I think we fetishize the capital-A Apology to the point where I find them sort of meaningless unless they are given freely. I don’t need EOTWR to agree with me, and I don’t really want to keep talking about it. Rather, I would prefer that EOTWR take action to do better as they continue in their campaign. What that action is is their decision. If they truly mean to stand against racism in the OTW, then I’d like them to demonstrate it.

--

DO NOT HARASS EOTWR MODS. I AM FUCKING SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.

[k-tarotz]

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��𐭩 our astrology readings might take a bit longer to deliver, so please keep that in mind while looking through options. we also excel at tarot more, as that is requested more for us. regardless we will do our best with your reading.

𝓒. Future Lover ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ details about your future spouse . . . 50,50£

𝓒. Fire x Water ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ the fate between you and your twinflame . . . 40,50£

𝓒. Us, Now & Forever ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ compatibility reading between you and the person of your choice . . . 55,50£

𝐈𝐈. Idol ·.༄࿔

ᡣ𐭩 please keep in mind that we will be respectful of idol’s privacy while doing these readings! if their higher self doesn’t allow us or you to know something we will simply not put it in the reading. not as a way to do it half heartedly, but to respect them even in spiritual terms. these readings are for fun, not to be taken seriously.

𝓒. Ace of Coins ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what is it like to live together with the idol of your choice . . . 35£

disc.: includes 7 section’s & pictures (moodboard~)

𝓒. The Star ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you as the new member in your fave group . . . 32£

disc: you don’t have to be the same gender.

𝓒. The Lovers ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you and your bias in a romantic relationship . . . 25£

𝓒. Three of Cups ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ friendship between you and an idol of your choice . . . 25$

𝓒. Knight of Cups ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your soul connection with idol of your choice . . . 25£

𝓒. The Sun ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ how does the group of your choice view you . . . 32£

disc.; for groups over 7 members it’s 32£+ as this is a reading that requires a lot of energy.

𝓒. Ace of Wands ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ which idol(s) are most similar to your future spouse . . . 25£

𝓒. The World ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ how will your biases next year be like? . . . 25£

𝓒. Chanel N° 5 ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you and your celebrity crush in a romantic relationship . . . 25£

𝓒. Seven of Cups ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your idol’s ideal types . . . 10,50£

𝓒. Go Big or Go Home ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ detailed dynamics between the group of your choice . . . 25,50£

disc.; for 7+ members it costs more

𝓒. BFF ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you and the idol of your choice as best friends . . . 25£

𝓒. Peekaboo ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ how the idol of your choice if viewed by people . . . 27,50£

𝓒. Sweet Venom ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ compatibility between you and the kpop group of your choice . . . 18,50£

𝓒. Polaroid Love ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ did you share a past life with your idol/bias? . . . 22£

𝓒. When I Grow Up ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your life as a celebrity/idol . . . 20£

𝓒. Ditto ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you in a k-pop music video . . . 19,90£

𝓒. Replay ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ which of your biases are you most compatible with? . . . 20,50£

𝓒. Nightmare Before Christmas ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what would it be like to spend time with your special person or bias. . . 27,77£ [13,33£ for short ver]

𝓒. Dark Romance ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what horror movie trope would you and your bias be. . . 15,55£

𝓒. Backstage Pass ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ would you sign an NDA if you were to meet your bias. . . 22£

𝓒. Pumpkin Spice ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ messages from your bias. . . 16£

𝐈𝐈𝐈. Romantic ·.༄࿔

ᡣ𐭩 these readings can both be about your future spouse or crush. we do not judge, so pick whatever is most comfortable for you.

𝓒. X.O ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ do you have a secret admirer? . . . 16,50£

𝓒. Red String of Fate ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a person who will serve a romantic purpose in your future, but is not your future spouse . . . 32£

𝓒. Aurora Lights ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ compatibility between you and your special person . . . 16£

𝓒. Love ABCS ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ describing everything your person loves about you . . . 30£

𝓒. Red light Green light ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ red and green flags of the person of your choice . . . 11£

𝓒. Serendipity ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your future partners initials and zodiac/birth month . . . 5£

disc.; this is done through pendulum. not an indepth question.

𝓒. Starlight ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your crush’s view on you . . . 16,50£

𝓒. Tied to The Soul ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ have you already met your future spouse? . . . 18,50£

𝓒. Crush on You ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ would your crush reciprocate your love? . . . 15,50£

𝓒. Love Potion ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what do people love about you . . . 15£

𝓒. Tell Me Tell Me ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ channeled message from your future spouse . . . 6,50£

𝓒. Heart to Heart ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your future spouse as a person . . . 18£

𝓒. My Universe ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a reading on you and your fictional other . . . 10,50£

𝓒. Pretty Little Liars ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ we will tell you if x and y are/were/will be in a relationship or if one has a crush on the other . . . 22,22£

disc: this can be about anyone you desire as long as it’s within appropriate limits / boundaries

𝓒. Nova’s Fashion ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your next partner’s fashion . . . 17,77£

𝓒. Stupid Cupid ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your future spouses/crush’s/bias’ different styles in love. . . 17,77£

𝓒. Luna(r) Lovegood ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ compatibility with your special person based on tarot and your chinese zodiacs. . . 15,55£

𝓒. Crush Landing On You ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ if you were an actress/actor in your favourite k-drama and who you might end up with. . . 25,55£

𝓒. Blessed-Cursed ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ do your visions match or clash with your future spouse? their expectations of your wedding. . . 20£

𝓒. 7 Minutes in Heaven ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ channeling your future spouse’s lustful desires towards you. . . 12,50£

𝐈𝐕. Intimate Readings ·.༄࿔

ᡣ𐭩 these are 18+ readings and can get very explicit with descriptions, please keep that in mind before buying! these readings are preferably about future spouse, you alone or people you have already had positive interactions with. minors cannot purchase anything from this section.

𝓒. Dirty Dancing 18+ ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ the intimate life of you and your future spouse . . . 26,50£

𝓒. The Devil 18+ ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what makes you desirable to others? . . . 19,50£

𝓒. Lover 18+ ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what will your first time be like? . . . 19,50£

𝓒. Lucky Charm 18+ ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ the kinks of your future spouse/crush . . . 17£

disc.; crush must know you on a personal level

𝓒. Honeymoon 18+ ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ everything about your honeymoon . . . 25,50£

𝐕. Generic ·.༄࿔

ᡣ𐭩 these are a mix of readings that you can apply to life as a whole. feel free to choose whichever you wish to.

𝓒. Baby Shark ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ will you have children in the future?. . . 27£

𝓒. 10 Years ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ an insight into your future. . . 25£

𝓒. Lady Dior ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your story as royalty . . . 18,50£

𝓒. Silver Dragon ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ you as a mythical being . . . 15£

𝓒. Jeanne D’arc ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what would it be like for you to live in the past . . . 15£

𝓒. To Be or Not To Be ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ should you do/purchase the thing you are thinking of? . . . 12,50£

𝓒. Cat Eye ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ things you might be good at but not realise . . . 13,50£

𝓒. Dynamic Duo ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ dynamic between two people you are curious of . . . 15£

𝓒. Upper Side Dreaming ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what your dream is trying to tell you . . . 10,50£

𝓒. Paw in Paw ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a reading about your animal guides . . .15,50£

𝓒. Two of Wands ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ career advice from your guides . . . 15,50£

𝓒. Aurora ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what does your aura look like? . . . 15,50£

𝓒. One In A Billion ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ what was your past life like? . . . 20£

𝓒. Me, Myself & I ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ your life in another universe . . . 17£

𝓒. StarFire ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ who are your spirit guides . . . 15,55£

𝓒. Teddy Bear ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a reading on how you can connect more to your inner child . . . 10,50£

𝓒. 7 Days A Week ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a reading about how your next week will be like . . . 14,50£

𝓒. Limitless ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ a reading about how your next month will be like . . . 20£

𝓒. The Wheel of Fortune ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ how will your life go next year? . . . 25£

𝓒. Yes or No ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ simple yes or no question, but in depth . . . 4,44£

disc.; if you don’t want an indepth answer it’s only 2£

𝓒. Mirror, Mirror ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ general reading of your choice . . . 4£

disc.; 4£ per question

𝐕𝐈. Platonic ·.༄࿔

ᡣ𐭩 these readings are about platonic connections, with whoever your heart desires to get them with.

𝓒. Other Half ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ initials and zodiac/birth month of your most important platonic soulmate . . . 5£

𝓒. Sound of The Wind ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ 4 long channeled messages from different people in your life . . . 17£

𝓒. Melody & Kuromi ୭

𓈒 ࣪ ˖ ୭ৎ ࣪ the dynamic between you and your friend . . . 15,50£

꒰ ౨ৎ 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 .ᐟ .ᐣ

please read our rules before purchasing as they exist for a reason! we do appreciate the time you spend on reading it. the list could potentially become longer in the future.

✦ payments are made through paypal or ko-fi.

✦ as of now, we do not offer refunds.

✦ readings can take up to 7-9 days maximum depending on circumstances.

✦ if you would like to purchase a reading but it’s not listed you are always free to custom your own reading.

✦ by purchasing from us you agree that any sort of tarot, astrological or spiritual reading of the sort is for fun and entertainment purposes and not to be taken seriously. as well as that we are not responsible for any sort of action, behaviour or mentality you do or believe because of them. our readings aren’t meant to be taken as stone cold truth but as a grain of salt. an entertainment form meant to ease the curiosity of your mind, or cure a boredom you might have.

✉️ example message: “ Hi, I am (initials/nickname) and I would like to purchase (reading name)! “

. . . . thank you for your time and for giving our paid reading’s page a look! we appreciate you, your interest and for getting through all that! if you ever have any questions you’d like to ask please feel free to go ahead and do so, we do not mind! 🫶🏻

[panda-writes-kpop]

OMG YOUR NAYEON FLIFF ALPHABET WAS ADORABLE I WANTED TO CRY do you think we could get a mina one????

also university is also killing me rn, all of my final exams are next week (I have 4 exams 😭) and ngl I'm pretty sure I'm not going to pass the course ls unless i score like 100% on the final exams 😭😭

Mina ~ Fluff Alphabet (Requested!)

a/n: thank you for the request, anon!!! mina is my top twice bias so of course I can do this for you. i know i'm super late to this but i hope exams went well! quick reminder to everyone that grades don't define you or your intelligence 🫶 but i was mentally wishing the best for you when I first read this request because I understand the struggle. 🥲 You're gonna do great next semester, anon, I know it 🥰

tw: none!

♡ Masterlist ♡

Affection (How do they show their affection? What love language(s) do they use?)

Mina loves spending quality time with you, even if you’re not actively talking or doing something together. Being in the same room as you while you’re both doing different activities is good enough for her - you could be working on one of your hobbies while she’s gaming, for example. Just being there for her makes her so happy.

Beauty (What do they admire about their S/O? What makes their S/O beautiful?)

She admires your resilience and, if you’re more extroverted, your extroversion and friendliness towards other people. You’re stronger than you know, and you always get back on your feet after a bad day, and she respects it. 

Comfort (How would they help their S/O if they were having a rough day?)

A simple Come home when you’re ready. text awaits you on your phone, and when you head home, you’re pleasantly surprised to see her holding a bag of your favorite fast food/takeout in one hand and a video game controller in the other. She doesn’t mind if you want to just eat and watch her game, or if you want to play together, but Mina wants to get your mind off of your struggles, even if it means watching her struggle in a virtual world.

Dreams (How do they picture their future with their S/O?)

Mina likes being where you are, and if that means that you want to stay in your apartment for the rest of your life, then she’ll stay with you there. Her idealistic future is to be with you, no matter where, when, or how.

Equal (Do they tend to be more dominant or passive in the relationship?)

She’s more passive, but that doesn’t mean that she’s not assertive at times. If there’s something that she thinks that the two of you need to talk about, then Mina will gently bring it up. You may be the one planning most of the dates, but she likes to occasionally surprise you with a date night or two, especially if you’ve been busy or had a rough go at things.

Fight (Would they easily forgive their S/O after a fight? How would a typical fight go?)

Call me biased, but I don’t really see the two of you getting into fights? Mina is a mellow, calmer person, so she tends to get along with most people. It would take a lot for her to raise her voice at you, let alone get into an argument. Not saying that the two of you don’t have disagreements, which are normal and healthy. You simply talk through them with her so you both can understand where the other is coming from.

Gratitude (How grateful are they for everything that their S/O does for them?)

Mina doesn’t often say her gratitude, but it’s often evident in her actions. A hand on the small of your back when you make her breakfast on a busy morning, clean dishes after you come home late from work, and a small note left on your nightstand, thanking you for driving her home last night (even though you do it all of the time).

Honesty (Do they tend to keep secrets from their S/O, or do they share everything?)

Mina can seem secretive to people outside of her relationship, but she isn’t secretive to you. She might not tell you everything immediately, but if it casually comes up in conversation, then she’ll bring it up.

Inspiration (Did their S/O change them, or was it the other way around?)

Mina is inspired by your constant kindness towards her and other people. When she has a bad day, she wants to close herself in a bubble and disappear from the world. When you have a bad day, you take it with grace and try to keep everything moving along while finding reasons to smile and laugh. Safe to say, you inspire her a lot.

Jealousy  (Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?)

Mina gets silently jealous, which means that she internally broods a lot while someone is being a bit friendlier than she would like. Her scrunched eyebrows and thin smile, when you glance at her, is a sign to quickly end the conversation and comfort her. She tries to reassure you that she’s not jealous, but you both know she’s lying when she sighs as you wrap your arm around her.

Kiss (How often do they kiss you? Where do they like to kiss you?)

Mina often goes for quick pecks, especially on your cheeks. It’s an easy greeting and goodbye for the two of you. When you’re alone, however, she doesn’t mind kissing you on the lips with more passion. They’re longer kisses, and once she gets her hands on you, she won’t let go until she’s satisfied.

Lazy Day (How do they like to spend days off with their S/O?)

Mina likes to spend her days off at home, but she doesn’t mind running errands or going shopping with you if you like to do those things on the days you’re off. She does tend to spoil you a bit (if you’ll let her pay), but dinner is on you this time, you swear.

Marriage (Do they want to get married? How often do they think about marrying their S/O?)

It would be one of those moments of domestic bliss where Mina looks up at you and wishes that every day would be like this. Next, it comes up casually in conversations at a more frequent pace, and before you know it, the two of you are looking at matching rings together.

Nicknames (What do they call their S/O?)

Babe, baby, darling, dear

A mix of older/newer nicknames - depending on the mood she’s in. A teasing Mina likes to call you old-fashioned names, as they fluster you, but in day-to-day life, babe and baby work just fine for her.

On Cloud Nine (What are they like when they are in love? Is it extremely obvious to others?)

Not a lot of people would be able to notice that Mina’s in love, at least at a first glance. It’s the subtle things, like the way her eyes light up when you next her or the big smile she wears when she tells her friends that the two of you have plans this weekend. Her inner circle of friends would know, but everyone else would be clueless.

PDA (Are they very upfront with their relationship, or do they prefer to keep things quiet?)

Mina isn’t huge on over-the-top PDA, but she doesn’t mind holding your hand or giving you a quick hug in public. Kisses aren’t off the table either - a small peck to your lips or cheek will do for her.

Quirk (Some random personality trait that makes them an excellent partner.)

She’s a fantastic listener due to her quiet and caring nature. She just… knows when you need to vent and she’s ready to listen to you. If you want, Mina will give you advice, but if not, she’s more than happy to just listen to you talk all night.

Romance (Are they a born romantic ready to woo their S/O at any moment, or do they struggle to spark romantic moments with their S/O?)

Mina isn’t a born romantic, but she has her moments (that come out of nowhere, you swear) that sweep you off your feet. A teasing comment, the sweetest compliment ever, or an extra bit of affection can send your heart into overdrive as she pretends to have no idea of the effect that she has on you.

Support (How do they help support their S/O to reach their goals?)

Mina loves being there for you, whenever you need her. If you’ve got a big event coming up, she’ll be one of the first ones in her seat. If it’s not something that she can be there for, she’ll text you a supportive message or find a way to contact you so you know that she’s there for you, for the good and the bad.

Thrill (Do they like trying out new things to spice up their relationship, or do they prefer to stick to a routine?)

Mina is a woman of routine, and she likes exactly the way you two have your relationship set up. She doesn’t mind the occasional off-the-cuff date night, but it’s nice to just cuddle under some blankets and watch a movie together for a few nights in a row.

Understanding (How well do they know their partner?)

Mina has a silent understanding of you from simply observing your behavior. The two of you like to go places together, so she naturally picks up on your favorite drinks, food, style of clothing, etc., and you’ll find yourself receiving gifts from her during the holidays or on your birthday that you absolutely love but have no idea how she’d know about that. It’s not like she’d tell you, either.

Value (How important is the relationship to the person versus other relationships and things in their life?)

Mina tries to express to you that you’re one of her priorities. She takes you to meet other people who she deems to be just as important as you - her family and close friends, for example - so you know how much she values you and your relationship.

Wild Card (A random fluffy headcanon that you have about the relationship?)

I love Gamer!Mina, as a gamer myself, so she’d be ecstatic if you had the same hobby as her. Even if you like different genres of video games, you find yourself playing together or against each other. She won’t go easy on you, just because you’re dating, so you better bring your best to the table (even if you’re both playing MarioKart and flying off the edge on every turn on Rainbow Road).

XOXO (Do they like to kiss, hug, and cuddle you? How often do they do so?)

She does, but it’s often in private. When it’s just the two of you, Mina is very clingy. She always likes to be near you, and when she’s near you, an arm is around you or her lips are on you. She does like when you initiate first, and she’s more affectionate when you do so.

Yearning (How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?)

Mina simply indulges herself in her hobbies and work more. You’ll be back soon enough, and it’s not like the two of you are running out of moments to spend together. She does call you every night, just to check in on you (it helps her sleep at night, but she’ll never admit that to your face).

Zeal (Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind?)

You and Mina believe that every big step should be taken together, as a couple. It’s a constant battle of take-and-give between the two of you, where you both are trying to be the givers instead of the takers. Sometimes, however, you need to take so you can give, so you don’t mind going the extra mile for each other when you need to.

[inkpot909]

Staying Over at Rohan Kishibe’s House for the First Time Headcanons

↳ Takes place after Kira escapes from the Duwang gang and assumes another identity. Reader hinted to be a stand user. Gender neutral Reader with they/them pronouns.

A/n: I’ve recently started the live action Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan show; I adore it. I’m rather biased towards his character, finding him wildly entertaining. But Araki, man, I get you. I hope y’all enjoy! <3

Warning(s): Canon-typical danger; mentions of Kira’s crimes and the threat he imposes.

You’ve only been going out with Rohan Kishibe for a month or two.

When the manga artist took a month’s long hiatus from publishing- due to a rather unfortunate scuffle with one Josuke Higashitaka -you’d been by his side nearly day and night. Considering the state his body was in, you couldn’t help but fuss over him all throughout his recovery.

The first couple of days, Rohan was bitter and insisted his own independence.

He claimed he ‘doesn’t need anyone's help,’ but his protests ultimately fell on deaf ears. You made it clear you weren’t budging; proving to be just as stubborn as he is.

A handful of days into the new routine, he grew quiet.

And to your credit, you didn’t bat much of an eye at that. If you were at all curious over the change in his behavior, you kept that to yourself. Keeping any questions inside as you continued to dote on him. He… found that he really appreciated that.

And after some consideration, the free time allowing him to ponder, he better understood just how much he appreciates you. Wrapping his head around it… he would’ve grown annoyed at the trouble if it weren’t for his fondness for you.

Eventually, after the first week, it seemed to you that he suddenly started silently accepting your help out of the blue.

There was no pushing back against the assistance anymore.

Rohan needed to take the time off from writing or drawing, liking it or not. Having specifically your company to fill the time… well, he could’ve done worse (His exact words).

Whether or not Rohan had the beating coming didn’t once cross your mind; only your concern over his well-being plagued your thoughts. It’s something that came so naturally to you; the feelings you harbor for the mangaka not as much of a hassle for you to digest.

That said, neither did the possibility of him taking any note of your kindness reach your train of thought. At first, you figured him saying any variation of ‘thank you’ was just politeness.

Even less… your deeper affection for him is another thing you figured would go unaddressed.

Regardless of your surprise, the time spent together proved to be the final push the both of you needed to make things official.

He was direct, almost blunt, when asking you about your feelings for him. Eyes focused on you, falling expectantly silent as he waited for an answer.

When did he notice? How long had he been sitting on asking you about it? You could only guess.

But the relationship that formed that day was more than enough for you to be thankful you’d been completely honest with him.

It’s… rather unfortunate a relationship blossomed during such a dark time for the quiet town of Morioh. Koichi, Josuke, and Okuyasu shared the same sentiment on the matter.

Fast forward a handful of weeks later and tragedy struck once more. The killer had taken action against a middle schooler; his devilish nature clearly knowing no bounds.

Although you didn’t know the boy personally, just the thought of this illusive killer taking a young life so completely without hint or warning… it quickly sent shivers down your spine.

After meeting with the other stand users in town, the lump in your throat only became thicker. Your stomach swirling, and palms growing clammy.

The little crowd dissipated, and you walked away from the gathering with Rohan at your side.

The two of you remained silent; too much on both of your minds to speak.

Your gaze stayed fixated on the concrete sidewalk. Each crack or indent from lifetimes of personalities meeting it’s support… and possibility being used by him. Your feet potentially using a route the killar has utilized at least once in all his time in Morioh.

That possibility makes another chill roll down your spine.

You would’ve thought yourself to be paranoid if it weren’t the reality you were living. Succumbing to your darkest thoughts and a level of anxiety that somehow kept your body moving forward on auto-pilot.

At least, that was until the mangaka walking beside you finally spoke up, not even glancing your way as he did so.

“You should stay at my place for the time being,” he had told you in a frank tone, “Your stand still hasn’t fully materialized like mine or the others. If the killer were to track you down, you’d likely be at a huge disadvantage. You’re staying with me.”

If it were coming from anyone else, you’d consider slapping them due to the nerve of it.

But this is Rohan... and reading into his actions has become second nature to you at this point.

You considered his earlier quietness; what you could discern from a quick glance minutes ago. His eyes sharp with thought, and the usually comfortable silence uncharacteristically thick with tension.

His decisive tone didn’t come as a surprise, but the commanding structure and choice of his words got the gears in your mind turning.

Rohan’s reasoning was sound, sure, but a man like him only ever speaks with purpose. He means every word that pools from his lips. And the knowledge of how he behaves in less extreme situations implicitly reveals his true feelings on the matter:

He was worried.

The killer’s ability to murder right underneath everyone’s noses became real that day. Even with the previous killings, it didn’t strike the same chord until one of your own had been lost. No one is untouchable, and that strikes fear.

In short, the killer is dangerous... and likely knows people are out looking for him.

Rohan would never speak a word of it, but that reality struck unease even into him. If not maybe for his own sake, but for yours.

And it manifests exactly as you would expect. It could easily be left unnoticed, but you know him better than to miss such a thing.

Rohan’s motivation was clear in no time at all. The town just lost another child to this monster. Hell if he’s going to let you to slip right from underneath his nose.

Coupled with that overwhelming weight, as well as his own personal habits, don’t expect staying over at his place to feel all that domestic as soon as you cross through the front door.

Rohan cares about you, of course, but that’s not going to stop him from making a beeline to his office the moment he’s inside.

His home is familiar, no doubt, but provides no ease with him locked up inside his workroom.

There isn’t a single noise behind the closed door, letting your mind trick yourself into believing you’re alone.

The bare walls and simple furniture don’t assist much either, even with art hung up on display here and there. Only glimpses of personal touch.

As soon as the killer is dealt with, you resolve to press him about decorating more.

Hours pass your very first day there, and the only time you ever see him is when he grabbed a little box of leftovers from the refrigerator for dinner. Only focused on satisfying his body’s need for food, he hadn’t said a passing word.

You knew better than to expect it anyway.

Instead, he simply warmed the food up in an expensive-looking microwave a room away, and was already working on shoving it impatiently in his mouth while walking right back upstairs...

How long has it been since then? you wonder, a soft sigh escaping your lips.

You’ve sat yourself on Rohan's welcoming couch, distracting yourself with late night television. The couch itself is a dull color with nice cushions, but lacking in the household-to-household personality only developed from frequent use. A blanket is lazily wrapped around your shoulders, and the TV screen gently illuminates your face. Your eyes gloss over the images that flash at you, seeing but not registering a single thing.

There’s no helping it. A child died today; the killer slick and tactful enough not to leave a single trace behind.

You turn away from the screen in quiet defeat, gaze wandering out a window in the living room. The sun has long vanished beneath the horizon, the darkness outside not allowing you to view much of anything.

Your eyelids are fighting to stay open despite your mind’s business.

A part of you was hoping Rohan would’ve come out of his study by now, but that’s proven to be wishful thinking. Honestly… I should know better than to assume that, you think to yourself.

The current situation has undoubtedly given him a lot to ponder; a lot to write down.

Staring back towards at his living room TV once more, you give no honest effort in trying to paying attention. The sitcom provides no escape, no relief. It’s nothing real, after all. Just a fantasy fabricated by some executive. The constant laugh tracks grating on the eardrums. The volume is low, but it still disrupts regardless.

Alas, nothing else of such promising whimsy is on.

Your fingertips curl, grasping at the blanket around your shoulders. The soft surface stresses in your tight hold. You bite your lower lip in consideration, so hard you have to cut it out less you accidentally cut any skin.

The show takes a sudden pause to provide a few minutes of advertisements. Images of impossibly tempting pizza and seafood flicker on the screen, price tags proudly displayed and narrations enthusiastically going on about how ‘worth it’ the food is. Your lips tighten, and eyebrows furrow. You’re not hungry, so the images do nothing but annoy.

Still, you do anything to ensure you’re still awake for just a little while longer. A necessary factor in the decision your mind finally screamed at you to just follow through with.

Go say goodnight to Rohan, and just go to freaking bed already.

Moving carefully slow, you work on shutting down the TV and peeling yourself from the couch. You swear the process takes minutes at a time, though you don’t check the clock hanging on the wall to confirm. You’d have to squint in order to properly digest it in the dark lighting; why extend the effort?

Mentally saying goodbye to the living room with a final glance, your feet scrape the wooden flooring to move your body towards the stairs ascending to the second floor.

You’re cautious of making any noise while walking steadily closer to his study, keenly aware of your boyfriend’s need for peace and quiet.

Stopping right in front of the closed door, you take in a deep breath before knocking as lightly as you can muster. Knowing full-well he’d have heard it, you don’t wait for a response before entering.

It’s a privilege you gladly wear on your sleeve.

“Rohan…?” you gingerly call, poking your head into the room.

It’s dimly lit inside, only his desk lamp illuminating whatever it is he’s hunched over. No sunlight is present outside, yet the shades are drawn anyway.

There’s a brief pause before he turns his body around in his chair, looking at you with a raised brow. “What do you need?” he asks.

The tone of his voice is a soft reflection of a gentle atmosphere present in the air. Much more welcoming than the walk earlier. That said, there’s impatience laced in his tone- something that he never cares to hide.

You smile, thankful of his subtle movements.

Sure, he doesn’t like being interrupted by anyone. But even Koichi would be met with a harsh word or two at an interruption.

But you’re different. A familiar and welcome presence. If it weren’t getting so late, he may have offered you to look at what he’s been working on. It’s a fact that either feeds right into your ego or is too flustering to ponder further.

Maybe somewhere in between.

“I was just going to head to bed… I wanted to say goodnight and-” you rub the back of your neck sheepishly. “-I’m also wondering where I should sleep is all. You’ve got a lot of empty rooms, so I just wanted to make sure-“

“Just sleep in my bed,” he cuts you off, the tone of his voice completely serious.

“I-… your…” you hesitate, taken aback by his bluntness. Rohan is truly something else; causing you to short-circuit with five simple words. “But where will you sleep?”

God, I sound ridiculous, you think.

A chuckle escapes his lips, turning to look down at his desk once more. You hear a distant scraping noise, evidence that he’s started drawing again.

“You know we’re dating, right? I’m still going to work for a while longer. But I’ll join you in bed later.” He tells you, leaning his head back momentarily as if this conversation is a tad bit pointless to him. Still, he adds with a sigh, “But of course, if that would cause you discomfort, then feel free to take the guest bedroom across from mine.”

You shake your head slowly, even though he’s no longer looking at you. Stay in a different room? No way. His sigh tells you he finds that idea undesirable as well.

“I’ll stay with you. I wouldn’t want to be alone tonight anyways. Goodnight then… make sure you get some rest, Rohan,” you say, voice considerably gentler than before.

“Goodnight, Y/n,” he responds. “And since you’re telling me to do so… then I’ll consider it.”

You can hear the smile in his voice.

He was just so… upfront about it.

Your eyes stay widened even as you shut his office door. Standing completely still right outside his work space for a full minute before daring to peer down the hallway leading to the master bedroom.

His bedroom… the one he so casually welcomed you to join him in.

That warms your chest for the first time in hours. The smallest amount of comfort is provided just seeing him again. Remembering, oh right, he’s in the same space as you.

But the added prospect of sleeping at his side… that manages to pull your mind away from Morioh’s affliction.

How could you hope to refuse a suggestion like that?

You begin to make your way to the room, but your feet do not drag this time around.

If Rohan said it’s okay, then it really is. There’s no need to doubt yourself when he’s invited you so clearly; he’d be offended if you didn’t take his word for it.

Inside the bedroom is neat and clean.

A little bare, granted, but there is some more artwork hung up on the wall- evidentially an unsurprising consistent in his home. There’s a mirror above a large wooden dresser as well- a photo of his parents sitting on top of the mahogany surface.

The dresser itself is a little redundant, considering a walk-in closet across the room. Or maybe it’s perfectly reasonable. You hardly ever see Rohan wearing the same outfit twice.

The door itself is left thoughtlessly open, the darkness within the confined space making your stomach churn. No windows present inside, it’s the purest void in the home.

You make your way to it in just a couple quick steps, and shut it with a frown on your face.

The door’s soft click shut causes a huff to leave your nostrils, as if you’d just saved yourself from something life-threatening.

The only other notable object in the room, aside from two nightstands, is a large bed.

It’s the only thing within eye-shot not meticulously put together. Sheets and blankets left on the mattress without being remade.

The pillows on one half of the bed still indented from daily use. The sheets themselves are silk, and similarly to the pillows on the same side, the imprint of your boyfriend’s body rolling out it earlier that day is still visible.

He clearly doesn’t spend much time in his bedroom.

You still find yourself hoping the bed smells like him regardless. Silence undercut with the sounds of you discarding the clothes you’d worn that day. They stink of sweat, a reminder of how nervous you’d gotten just before dinner time.

Your sleeping clothes, luckily, hold no such memory. Comfortable and encouraging sleep; just what you needed.

And Lord, you were right about the sheets smelling like Rohan.

Laying down on the unused side of the mattress, you are overwhelmed by a lovely mix of his favorite cologne and his natural scent. You’re ashamed to have taken in a couple deep breaths the moment you make yourself comfortable.

After one of the most frightful days of your entire life, you couldn’t think of a better end to it.

Rohan clearly doesn’t cheap out on his own bed set either, much to your delight. The comforter is engulfing and enough to lull your occupied mind into shifting gears.

Now, your only lamenting over just how truly tired you feel. And the silk sheets almost make you feel envious of your boyfriend. Almost.

It would if it weren’t for the simple fact that maybe... just maybe staying over will become a regular occurrence.

Situation called for everyone to look out for one another, but the barrier has been broken regardless. And it’s a pleasant thing to ponder during the last few minutes of your day.

Staying with Rohan. In his own space. A habit lasting long after the killer is gone and dealt with.

Even in the dark, new space, you cannot help but smile. Your eyes finally flutter shut, but the groggy joy displayed doesn’t falter.

Rohan’s casual attitude over you sleeping in the same bed as him makes you believe it really might become a regular occurrence. At least… he likely wouldn’t turn you down asking to stay over for a night (Not that you’ve ever asked before).

The future of your relationship eclipses your fear just long enough to allow for genuine rest.

Already fallen asleep by the time he retreats to the bedroom after hours of non-stop work, Rohan himself slips into the room quietly a few minutes past midnight.

Observing your peaceful form sleeping in his own bed fills him with a sort of pride he only ever used to associate with his writing.

Not that he’d ever directly admit to such a thing. He’s with you after all, and that clearly depicts how he feels.

At least, that’s what he tells himself.

Because regardless… he still finds himself contemplating you while he changes his clothes.

Your understanding of just his actions and the subtle inflections in his expressions is something to be admired.

Hell, you are someone to be admired in general. Pictures of you sprinkled in his sketchbook, an eager desperation to capture what he sees on the page.

He figures he could study you for hours at a time if you let him.

Just a couple months into being official and you’ve already proven yourself to be the loyal partner he always hoped to find, however deep down that desire may had been kept.

Deep down.... he ponders, slipping into bed next to you. Turning his head in your direction, he stares shamelessly while thinking.

Rohan’s own hopes lie in learning how to properly express himself to you.

So accommodating yourself... it makes him want to commit to giving you a fulfilling relationship. It’s a feeling he’s recently gotten around to fully understanding, but one that in the shadows of a gloomy night... he silently embraces.

Just the same as him physically reaching out an arm to embrace you, just before resigning himself to a deep sleep...

When you finally wake, Rohan has already gotten up and left you to sleep in peace. Late to rest, early to rise.

What catches your immediate attention, though, is the smell of coffee brewing in the floor below you. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you don’t bother changing just yet before pulling yourself from the mattress. The wooden flooring chills the pads of your feet, but it does nothing to hinder your journey out of his bedroom.

Walking silently down the hall, that smell only hits your nostrils harder. Warm and fresh… you sigh, I can feel myself waking up already.

And if the scent of coffee doesn't do the trick, turning a corner to spot Rohan sipping out of a cup held in his hand at the dining room table certainly does.

His hair is still a bit ruffled from sleep, along with the notable absence of any color variation of headband. A robe lazily holds onto his shoulders, loosely tied around his waist to stay in place. His expression is neutral, face pointed down to the newspaper held in his other hand.

Those familiar green eyes flicker up at you when you enter. Although you tread lightly around his home, any noise around him is hardly ever missed.

“Good morning, Y/n,” he greets you gently, setting down his newspaper. It’s only when he examines you does it cross your mind that you quite literally rolled out of bed, and likely look like it too. An amused expression reaches his face as he adds, “Slept well?”

“Yes... I did,” you confirm, touching the ends of your hair. Only for it to drop a moment later; under his observation your only met with warmth. Prompting you to approach the table instead of growing anxious.

You don’t sit down, but you can more clearly examine the details of his face from your position.

“Your bed is very comfortable,” you go on with a smile. “I’m almost jealous.”

He chuckles at your last statement, his smirk shifting to a more genuine smile. Followed by a nod and hum of approval. Rohan takes a moment to take a sip from his cup of coffee, and you give him that moment patiently.

“I’m glad you think so,” he replies, “I do my best to get my eight hours, after all.”

Being someone so meticulous over environment, his response confirms your suspicion that he takes a special care in where he sleeps. Your smile grows wider.

“You think that means I just need to sleep over in order to get my full eight hours?”

Rohan lets out a scoff at that, the sound hiding a laugh at your eager question. “For me, dear. Not for you. You could sleep on the damn floor for all I care.”

“Now, Rohan-“

“But the theory is certainly worth a try,” he cuts you off, that easy smile still on his face. A mischievous gleam flickering in his eyes.

Oh.

“Then we ought to… your bed is really lovely. I’d hate to waste the opportunity,” you reply, picking up what he was putting down. Your tone turns cheeky as you add, “Plus, getting to sleep next to you… well, that’s cool too, I guess.”

“Just cool? You guess? Sleeping beside me?” he scoffs, taking a sip of his coffee. “I made extra coffee, by the way. Go grab yourself a cup; you clearly need it.”

You laugh at his words, glancing over to the coffee pot still sitting patiently on the stove. It’s tempting to go and do as he suggested right away.

Noting to do so in a moment, you turn back to Rohan and ask, “You’re going to be working most of the day today, I assume?"

“Yes,” he nods, “But I can spare some time in the morning.”

You could just faint.

Once again, you know full well there's no one else he'd be willing to spend extra time lounging about in the morning for other than you.

Sensing the joy his words send you, he tilts his head toward the counter. His eyebrows raising as if to say, ‘I’m not going to ask you again.’

A single night to adjust, and staying over at his place is everything you hoped for.

His hospitality... others may not think it, but Rohan is quite fair. He speaks to you directly, welcoming you to join him in whatever he’s doing if he isn’t burying himself in his work.

Most notably, he’ll want you to help him do any of his research. Or rather, he’d like to info dump while skimming through books in or outside the home.

It’s one of several ways he opens his mind to you.

He’ll make extra coffee for you in the morning, sure, but he’s also insistent on making you dinner- depending how sucked into working he gets.

If you take initiative and cook a meal for the both of you, he won’t let it happen again no matter how grateful he may be. You’re still his guest, after all. Better a host treats their guest (He wants to show off for you).

He’ll take you out with him during his non-work-related errands as well.

Rohan doesn’t explicitly tell you why, but it seems to make mundane tasks much easier for him to endure. He isn’t scowling the entire time if you’re there, at least.

All and all, he hopes this will become a habit as much as you do. Expressing that he likes having you there with him in his own special way.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

can i request yukari and minako (seperate) reacting to their s/o finding their evoker laying around?

(Persona 3) Yukari and Minako's S/O finding their Evoker

Minako's part has a 3D render for her because I am heavily biased.

Yukari had gotten so used to having only the members of S.E.E.S enter her room, it didn't even occur to her that having an Evoker wasn't normal.

A fact she was quickly reminded when her S/O came through the door, and that was the first thing they noticed.

(S/O) "Yukari is that a gun?!"

Yukari's heart stopped for a brief moment before regaining her train of thought.

(Yukari) "Oh, jeez! Sorry, that's not actually real! It's for a club I'm part of!"

(S/O) "T-The Archery Club?"

Yukari tried her best not to act nervous, something she hoped S/O wouldn't pick up on.

(Yukari) "No, it's a different one. It's the one that you see me, Minato, and Junpei in."

(S/O) "That would explain why I see you with them all the time, but what even-"

(Yukari) "I-It's a prop basically. It looks pretty real and everything, but it's all just for show. You can't even fire bullets out of it."

It was clear from S/O's expression that they weren't buying it entirely, but upon closer inspection, they could tell that it couldn't be used.

At least, not in the way they were thinking.

(S/O) "Whew, next time warn me before you just have something like that lying around."

S/O eased up a little, chuckling as they decided not to press Yukari any further on the subject.

Something she was thankful for.

(Yukari) "Yeah, that's my bad...H-Hey, don't bring that up to anyone, alright? Last thing I need is for a rumor to go around that I'm carrying weapons."

(S/O) "Like the rumor of you and Minato going out?"

(Yukari) "Are people still going on about that?! They know we're a couple!"

Now her mind was wandering off, anger reigniting as she put her Evoker away and out of sight.

At least S/O didn't find her actual weapons hidden, including all the weird medicine, bombs, and elemental items she had stashed.

Minako was in the middle of preparing her gear for tonight's expedition into Tartarus.

She had put on the SEES uniform for a brief moment, making sure there weren't any holes in it.

The last time they went, she had been hit by a particularly nasty shadow, and she wasn't entirely confident if she had come out unscathed.

There was a knock on the door, and Minako didn't think anything of it.

(Minako) "It's unlocked!"

She replied in a peppy voice. Minako was expecting her teammates, not S/O.

(S/O) "Hey, sorry to pop in like this! I just wanted to-"

S/O stopped when they saw her evoker laying on the nearby desk.

(S/O) "W-What the- Is that a gun?!"

Minako quickly snatched up her Evoker and holstered it, quickly clearing her throat and trying to play it off.

She waves her hand dismissively in response.

(Minako) "That must've scared the heck out of you, sorry, I should have mentioned that sooner!"

S/O looked at her holster, then back at Minako.

(S/O) "Does your club make you wear that red armband?"

(Minako) "Red armba-?"

Minako clears her throat before responding.

(Minako) "It's kinda like a theatre club, but it's pretty exclusive. I was lucky enough to be invited! Mitsuru-senpai is the one who leads it."

(S/O) "A theatre club? But we don't-"

Minako cut them off before they could ask any further questions.

(Minako) "Anyways, I'm a bit busy, so what did you need?"

(S/O) "Well...T-To be honest, that gun kinda made me forget-"

(Minako) "Alright, I'll be out in a second, just close the door! I gotta change, don't make me throw the pillow at you!"

She almost forced S/O out by pushing them towards the door, quickly locking it behind her and sighing deeply to herself.

(Minako) Hopefully they bought that...Actually, who the heck let them in the dorm anyway?!

Much to her dismay, it was technically herself.

Minako had told her friends that S/O was allowed to visit her room, and that explained how they were able to come in basically unannounced.

She quickly regretted that decision. At least S/O wasn't active during the Dark Hour, thank god.

[honeysuckleharringtons]

any chance you could do Counselors' Lounge for steve please? 🫶🏼💫

hi, love!! i am so so sorry this took so long to get out, work stuff happened and mental health stuff happened but i hope this was worth the wait! it's also not technically workplace but they are working at a summer camp, but if you wanted something else, feel free to leave another ask and i write a new one hehe 🫶🏻💛

"Take Me To The Lake" ~ S. Harrington

Summary: In which Steve's last summer at his childhood summer camp becomes his favorite summer ever.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2,048 (she got a lil wordy oops)

Content Warning: reader and steve are implied to be around 18/19, sexual humor and fade to black smut bc steve is a hoe, light mentions of food, mostly fluff but a lil angsty at times, possibly bad descriptions of volleyball bc it's been a minute since i played, reader from ohio lol, lmk if i missed anything!

Extra Notes: yeah i did name it after a taylor lyric, what about it??

Originally Written: 07/07/2024 through 0718/2024

Beta Read By: @writer-in-theory 🫶🏻❤️

masterlist | summer celebration

“You're going down!” Steve shouted from his side of the sandy volleyball court, hands on his hips to further prove his point.

You simply shook your head. “You wish, pretty boy!” It looked a whole lot like he mouthed something to the effect of ‘Yeah, I do,’ but a children's summer camp wasn't exactly the place to unpack that.

Camp Clearwater was probably your favorite place on Earth, and it was the one place on Earth where you were guaranteed a month of wonderful bliss with your favorite person ever. To say it was your favorite month of all twelve in a year was probably a little biased, but when you were getting to see the one person on the planet you adored more than anyone else, it was hard not to pick favorites.

Steve Harrington had started out just like any other camper in your eyes: for one, your rival, considering you were never on the same team at camp due to gender differences; not to mention, he was someone you only saw that one time of year. But, thanks to raging hormones at the wonderful age of thirteen, a chance game of “spin the bottle” after dark had brought the two of you together and you'd been inseparable ever since. Sure, you were pretty much only guaranteed the month of July together, but after that fateful first kiss, you called each other every night and all but forced your parents to drive you to the other's city every now and again for a date or two.

“Alright, when the whistle blows, the Ladybugs will serve,” the announcer practically yelled through the bullhorn. Your bones rattled with the volume of her shout, but it only added to the excitement coursing through you.

The whistle blew, the ball went up, and Kimmy smacked it right into the back corner of the court. Was it cheating for you to pick your two best players for the championship set? Maybe, but with Kimmy's precise serves and Megan's ability to keep the ball in the air no matter how many times she had to dive or slide, it would feel wrong for anyone else to be on that court.

The girls met in the middle of the court for a high five, clearly proud of the serve. Cheering them on from the sidelines, you yelled, “Good job with the ace, girls!”

The ball went up again, this time a lighter serve that barely made it over the net, taking out the setter of Steve's team. Still, they managed to keep the ball up, even with the weaker of their players being the one to spike the ball back over to your side of the court. It went back and forth a few times, eventually ending when Kimmy's block went out of bounds.

Steve had definitely brought his A Game when training the two boys on his team, seeing as most of the round, both your team and his were neck and neck on points. Before you knew it, the score was twenty-three to twenty-three, and either team needed only two more points to win.

In hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best decision to coach against your boyfriend. Sure, healthy competition was always a good thing in relationships, but it was Steve's last year as a counselor, and you'd hate for him to walk away sad. Although, from the crease forming between his brows, you could tell that he was more stressed than anything right now.

“Come on, guys, you got this!” he shouted from his side of the court, hands clapping loudly in excitement. You couldn't resist doing the same, turning to your own team and cheering them on.

The next point went to the Ladybugs when Megan surprised them with a tip that fell right over the net, giving the guys' team basically no time to bounce back. You were one point away, and the thought of winning the championship—even if it was only just at some summer camp—made your heart rattle inside your rib cage.

Then, the Beetles took the next point with a shocking service ace, keeping their team and the game alive.

Two more points and again, it was anyone's game. Your heart pounded and your hands shook at the exhilaration and thrill that this game was giving you.

The ball went back and forth, back and forth, until you'd forgotten you were a coach, not a spectator. You were just as entranced by the ball as the parents watching from the bleachers were, and you didn't even realize what had happened until all the girls on your team came flooding over to you, all squeals and cheers.

“We did it!” one girl, Britt, screamed as she jumped up and down. Another squealed, apparently incapable of forming words. Megan and Kimmy were all smiles as they did the handshake all the girls in your cabin had started doing toward the beginning of the month.

You couldn't help but be proud of your girls, not just Kimmy and Megan, but each of the girls on your team that had fought for this year's trophy. In a sense, it was your last trophy, since you'd now graduated high school and wouldn't be playing in college. Though, you definitely were coming back to Camp Clearwater every summer you could.

After your celebratory dinner in the dining hall and the most bittersweet of goodbyes as you sent all your new friends back home to their parents, you couldn't help but search for your ‘rival’ coach to see how he was handling things.

You found him back in his cabin, alone since all the campers had already been sent home. Walls that were usually filled with posters of baseball players and favorite movies were now bare, beds that normally housed pre-teens were now vacant, and the boy who usually wore a smile was now sporting a frown, one that displayed what looked like sadness and homesickness.

“Cheer up, pretty boy,” you said, catching his attention, his eyes darting up to meet your figure where you stood in the doorway. “You've always known I'm better than you at volleyball.”

He snickered, his frown slightly disappearing. “You wish.”

You stepped closer to him, shutting the cabin's front door lightly behind yourself. “What was that you mouthed at me today? Yeah, I do?”

Steve rolled his eyes, though his expression displayed joy at your words. “Thought you might not have caught that.”

Your hands met his hair, swiping through the brown strands delicately. “I'm a better lip reader than you thought, Harrington.”

“Yeah, that's not your only specialty with lips though, is it?”

A scoff escaped your lips. “Is that all you think about?”

“Sometimes,” he said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. “But mostly I just think about how pretty you are and how lucky I am.”

A smile pulled at your own lips, your heart nearly melting at his sweet words. Still, despite his demeanor, you still felt the need to ask, “Are we okay after today? No hard feelings?”

His brows creased. “Why wouldn't we be okay?”

“I did beat you at your very last Beach Bug tournament,” you reminded him, your hands moving down to his own and interlocking your fingers.

“Don't remind me,” he said dramatically, throwing his head back. Then, he met your eyes again, his expression sickeningly sweet. “Seriously though, we're okay.”

You held out your pinky finger, a pout appearing on your face. “You prommy?”

He locked his pinky around yours. “Yes, I prommy,” he replied sarcastically before pulling your hand up to his mouth and kissing the knuckles.

Then he was pulling you onto the bed with him, both your legs and his braiding together as they dangled off the side of the mattress. Steve's hand met your waist as he pulled you into his side while his lips met your head for a soft kiss.

“Weird how this is the last weekend I'll spend in one of these cabins,” he mentioned as his eyes darted from you to the roof.

“Don't remind me,” you parroted his words from before, only this time they were true.

His hand slid down to meet your bare leg, skin sun-kissed from all the time you'd been spending in it lately. You noticed his eyes avoiding yours, and the homesickness that swirled in them. The two of you still had another forty-eight hours before you had to leave each other, and yet he was already longing to be back in your arms.

“I do have some somewhat good news, though.”

Your heart raced at the possibilities, though your brows wrinkled in confusion. “What?”

“Well, I was gonna tell you over the phone when I found out but I thought it would be better to tell you in person. Just in case I don't get the reaction I'm hoping for.”

This only made you more confused. “Why would I be upset over good news?”

By now, the two of you had made your way back to sitting, his legs still dangling from the bed while yours were now pulled underneath yourself. Steve’s eyes were more serious now, his breathing speeding up as he got closer to his confession. “Do you remember how I said I was moving for college?”

“Yeah, your dad was trying to get you into U of Chicago,” you waved your hand as you remembered his words. “Alma Mater crap, right?”

Steve chuckled at your question. “I may have not been entirely sincere about the whole thing.”

He just kept adding to your state of confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Steve took your hands in his, watching as they intertwined once again. “He was trying to get me into UChi… but that's not where I'm going.”

“What are you…”

The next statement had your heart racing just as much as the volleyball match that afternoon. “I got into Bowling Green.”

Your mouth flew open as your arms wrapped around his neck, squeals flying out of your mouth left and right. “You're kidding!”

His head shook against your shoulder where it rested, and you swore you felt a tear slip against your tee shirt. “I know it's not Denison, but-”

“It's here. It's two hours away from me. Not six.” By now, tears were forming in your own eyes, your smile wider than the lake outside of that cabin. You pulled his face away from your shoulder, meeting his gaze again. “Why would I be upset over this?”

Those big brown eyes you loved fell down to the floor, his tears drying up in an instant. “It doesn't mean I can come back here.”

You wiped at a stray drop of water on his cheek, causing him to shiver at the touch. “Why not?”

“My dad made an agreement with me. If I promised him my summers at the firm, I could promise you my weekends during the school year.”

Butterflies shot off in your stomach like fireworks. He may not have been able to give you everything you wanted, but he could give you enough. And that was simply all you needed.

Hands made their way into dark brown, beautiful strands. Lips met skin, the pulse point of his neck to be precise. “Steven,” one kiss, “Otis,” another kiss, on his jaw, “Harrington,” one last kiss, underneath his ear.

“Hmm?” he asked. You could almost hear his eyebrow cocking upward.

Another long kiss, then a small nibble to his earlobe. “I love you.”

“You're insane.”

His tee shirt made a light thump against the floor. “Insane for you.”

Steve looked down at you through dark eyelashes, meeting you with a half smirk. “I take it you're excited about this whole thing?”

“Very,” you nodded, your grin outright showy at this point. “You remember earlier how you said I was going down?”

The man could hardly keep his composure as your hands met the button of his shorts. “You are truly insane.”

“Maybe…” You finally made your way off the bed, sinking to your knees in front of him. “Do you wanna find out how insane I truly am?”

“I've died. I'm in Heaven right now. Or Hell, one of the two.”

“Me too, Stevie,” you said, leaving a kiss on his knee. “Me too.”

-> taglist: @dungeons-are-too-cold @ducky-died-inside @awkotaco24 @liberhoe @princesseddie @corrodedseraphine @manuosorioh @esoltis280 @mochminnie

[helloalycia]

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐓𝐎 [𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄] — 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐃

summary: as you struggle to accept Lucy Gray's absence, Mayfair continues to push your buttons, landing you in hot water with your parents.

warning/s: mentions of the Hunger Games (duh) and mild violence.

author's note: here is the final part! also happy new year everyone, forgot to say it! hope you like this one :)

one / two / masterlist / wattpad

It was difficult to keep up with the Games as they went on during the week. I'd never had need to before, but this year was different for obvious reasons.

The electricity in District 12 was shit enough as is, but even worse so was the signal on the TV when it did occasionally work. I caught the Games and interviews a few times, but not for very long and never did I actually see Lucy Gray, only some of the other tributes or very dark scenes of the arena. She could have died already for all I knew, but deep in my heart, I just couldn't believe that.

I tried to be there for the Covey as much as I could, checking in on them at least once a day throughout the week, and they did the same for me, the lot of us forming a sort of support group. And I also had Y/BF/N to keep me sane throughout it all, but the only people who didn't understand my change in attitude were my parents. I couldn't blame them of course, considering they didn't know what Lucy Gray was to me, but it was still hard.

One evening at dinner time, my appetite wasn't very big. It hadn't been since Lucy Gray had left, but it was beginning to be ruined entirely when my dad started talking about the Games as a pastime.

"...keep getting a bunch of comms from the Capitol about how popular it is this year," he was saying, a mere comment but one that upset me because all I could think about was Lucy Gray. "Apparently Lucy Gray is a popular contender. The Capitol love her singing."

My fork dropped from my hand as a frown curled on my lips. How dare the Capitol love her, only to send her to her death for their entertainment.

"What's wrong?" my dad asked, but my mum shook her head at him. Not seeming to get the hint, he said, "What? She's been off all night. I'm just asking."

She shook her head again, making him sigh with offence, and I couldn't take sitting here for much longer.

"Can I please be excused?" I asked without looking at either of them.

"Of course, honey," my mum said sympathetically, and I was grateful that she seemed emotionally aware enough to notice something was up.

Leaving the dining room immediately, I headed straight for my bedroom and got straight into bed, needing the comfort and warmth of my duvet. It was lame to imagine it was Lucy Gray here with me, I knew it, but I did it anyway.

I should have said it back. Why didn't I say it back? I knew I loved her, I had loved her for a while now. How couldn't I? But I didn't say it and I fucking should have. God, I was a fool.

About twenty minutes later, a knock on my door pulled me from my disassociation, and when I didn't answer, my dad stuck his head through the door. Once he spotted me, he let himself in a took a seat at the edge of my bed, a guilty expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," he said, which surprised me. "I've been so busy at work that I haven't realised how hard it must be seeing one of your schoolmates in the Games."

That wasn't it at all, but I shrugged anyway.

"She was a friend," he noticed. "Wasn't she?"

I couldn't answer, not without my heart breaking at the truth of who she was to me.

He sighed gently. "She was bad news, Y/N."

I clenched my jaw at his biased opinion. "Forget it–"

"Wait," he cut me off. "Let me finish."

I looked up at him, glaring, but he didn't let it faze him.

"She's bad news, but she was still a good girl. And I'm sorry for what she's going through," he said, in his strange way of trying to understand.

It was the best I would get from him, especially since he didn't know the truth, so I accepted it. "Thank you."

He leaned down to hug me, and like the little girl I was, I let my daddy comfort me like he used to.

"Me and your mother are worried about you," he said once he pulled back. "Please eat more."

I nodded reluctantly. The last thing I wanted to do was worry them. He seemed to accept my answer, as he relaxed a little then left me to get some sleep.

Once again, it was a difficult night.

She could still be alive, that was what I kept telling myself. The Games hadn't ended, not that I knew of, and though I didn't truly know if she had died in the few days it had been going on, I kept telling myself the opposite. She could still be hiding from everyone, or somehow got lucky and taken out her opponents. I wasn't sure, but thinking anything else was breaking me.

I was at the markets with Y/BF/N, helping her pick up some bits for her parents and trying to keep myself busy so I wouldn't be thinking of Lucy Gray, when none other than Mayfair decided to piss me off.

"Well, if it isn't Y/L/N," she said with amusement, Billy Taupe at her side. "Haven't seen you around much. Not since your little songbird left."

I rolled my eyes and ignored her taunting, not in the mood to put up with her. Y/BF/N ignored her too, the two of us looking at some shirts for her mum, but Mayfair wasn't getting the hint.

"You're lookin' a little rough," she continued. "Not doin' so hot without her?"

"You okay?" Y/BF/N said quietly for me to hear, and I nodded.

"She won't be doin' much singing in the arena, I suppose," Mayfair added. "Other priorities and such."

"Will you shut up?" I snapped at her, knowing she wasn't going to leave if I didn't speak.

"Or what?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, as if daring me.

I clenched my jaw, glaring at her, but Y/BF/N squeezed my arm gently.

"Forget her," she reminded me, and I would have listened, but Mayfair didn't know when to shut up, and I just couldn't take her attitude anymore.

"It's where she belongs," she said, my final straw. "She's not so charmin' when she's dead–"

I smacked her hard across the face, making a few passers-by stop to witness the commotion, and Billy Taupe and Y/BF/N gasped with surprise. It felt good, I wouldn't lie, especially when I saw the redness on Mayfair's cheek.

Mayfair glared fiercely before lungeing at me, sending me backwards into the vegetable stand. The breath was knocked out of me, and then she yanked on my hair harshly, making me scream at the suddenness of it all. I shoved her backwards and she grabbed my jacket in the process, forcing me to get out of it before she could have me in her clutches. Furious, I lunged for her with every intention to punch that smug smile right off her face, but someone blocked my way and held me at bay.

It was a peacekeeper, and they were doing the same with her, and I wouldn't have doubted she was my mirror at the moment – angry and red-faced.

That was how I found myself sat in my dad's office for the second time in my life, though this time Mayfair was seated beside me, and her father was here too.

"...and it doesn't make sense why you were both fighting!" my father was saying with confusion. "You're both friends, aren't you?"

I scoffed at that, crossing my arms defensively. The mayor shook his head with disapproval, before looking to his daughter.

"Are you gonna tell me why you fought?" he asked her, opting for a gentler approach.

The two of them had been trying to get to the bottom of our fight for ten minutes now, but neither Mayfair and I were willing to talk.

"Why don't you tell them why you got bitch slapped?" I finally spoke, looking to Mayfair with a sneer.

"Y/N!" my dad scolded, but Mayfair spoke up a second afterwards, meeting my glare.

"Why don't you tell your dad why you're so upset about the chosen District 12 girl tribute this year?"

I pressed my lips together to contain every insult that was threatening to be said, instead settling on burning holes into Mayfair's face. Neither of us spoke, knowing we couldn't admit to anything, even if we wanted to get each other into trouble.

Everybody knew Mayfair had something to do with Lucy Gray's reaping, but there was no physical proof, and her admitting why she was fighting with me in the first place would be all the evidence my dad needed to intervene. Similarly, my dad could never find out exactly what Lucy Gray meant to me and why I was so defensive against Mayfair. So, we were at a stalemate.

"Fine," the mayor decided, sounding tired. "We'll agree to disagree, but this behaviour is not tolerated."

"You'll avoid each other if you have to, but I don't want to see this happen again," my dad ordered.

I rolled my eyes as Mayfair scoffed under her breath. We were soon dismissed, escorted home separately, and though my mum tried to get the truth out of me, I was unwilling to share it. I was just surprised I hadn't received a punishment from my dad, especially when he came home later that evening. For whatever reason, he let it slide.

I'd just have to avoid Mayfair, it seemed. Easier said than done, but it was better than ripping her head off out of pure anger. I'd never hated someone so much in my life, but fighting her wouldn't bring me back Lucy Gray, no matter how much I wanted it to.

It was a few days later when I was bringing some tea into my dad's study, per my mum's request, when I saw him ending a phone call with a surprised look on his face. I set the tea down on his desk before glancing at him with concern.

"You okay?" I asked. "Who was that?"

He blinked, as if still digesting whatever he'd heard. "It was the Capitol. Apparently I'm to escort home the winner of the Hunger Games."

I furrowed my eyebrows, unsure if I'd heard correctly. "What? You're what?"

"That songbird, your schoolmate, Lucy Gray Baird," he clarified. "She won."

My breathing hitched as I widened my eyes. Lucy Gray had won? She'd won the Hunger Games? She was alive?

"Lucy Gray– she's coming home?" I asked, feeling the rate of my heart increasing with every piece of information discovered. "When?"

"Tomorrow morning," my dad answered, taking the cup of tea.

Tomorrow. She was coming home tomorrow!

"The Covey," I got out, struggling to contain my excitement, bewilderment and surprise all at once, "do they know?"

My dad quirked a brow at my reaction. "I'll be sure to let them know. I'm sure they'll want to be there at the station when she arrives."

Oh, they were going to be so happy to have Lucy Gray back! How I wished I could see their reaction when my dad told them. And tomorrow morning – I could be there too, when they greeted her at the station! I could finally see her and touch her and hold her and–

"You know you won't be there, right?" my dad burst my bubble in seconds. "I know I said she was a good girl, but this changes things, Y/N. She's dangerous. Who knows what she did to win the Games? How many kids do you think she killed in there?"

"As many as she needed to," I said sternly. "It was the Games. That's how you play them."

He shook his head, disagreeing. "I want you nowhere near her or them. You hear me?"

"I go to school with them," I reminded him through gritted teeth.

"You know what I mean."

I swallowed thickly, in disbelief that he would create a villain of her for something she was forced to do. But what was I to expect from a man who never trusted the Covey in the first place? Sure, they were good for a party, but to have them in your circle was a different story. I hated that he thought that.

No, there was no way he was going to stop me from seeing her. Not after she finally made it out alive.

My dad wasn't joking when he said he didn't want me at the station to greet Lucy Gray. As if he expected me to disobey him, he left some peacekeepers to guard the area, only letting the Covey there to pick her up.

I had no choice but to wait not far out from the station, out of sight from the peacekeepers but directly on the only route back to their house in the Seam, so they'd have to pass me to get home. The Covey knew of my plan, so I found myself waiting there eagerly for Lucy Gray's arrival.

No matter how hard I tried to plan what I would do and say once I saw her, nothing seemed right. I decided to just let it be and do what felt right in the moment, but just the thought of seeing her again after a whole week and a half which felt like much longer left me nervous.

I checked my watch. 10am. Her train should have been pulling in now. I made sure I looked somewhat presentable before waiting another ten minutes, and then I heard footsteps. I turned around and saw the Covey, all chatting away with Lucy Gray in the middle.

She looked stunning, a little underweight, but with that same positive glow that only she could possess with a single smile. Already, tears were forming in my eyes because I was finally seeing her again in person, it wasn't my dreams.

Her eyes soon found mine and she slowed down, smile fading once she realised it was me. I wet my lips, straightening up subconsciously, and approached her.

"We'll give you a minute," Barb Azure said, squeezing my shoulder with a relieved smile, before leading the others away.

I glanced at them, before returning my attention to Lucy Gray, who was single-handedly warming my heart. She was back. She was alive. I hadn't missed my chance.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her tightly, eyes closing as tears dropped down my cheeks. "I love you too," I muttered into her shoulder. "So much."

I felt her arms wrapping around me too, and then she began to laugh quietly, sending shivers all over my skin. I didn't let go, not for a whole minute, and neither did she. Never again did I think I'd be able to hold her so close, let alone tell her I loved her too.

"You did it," I said, pulling back slightly, and I realised she was crying too.

She nodded in response, and I lifted my hand to cup her cheek, thumb wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see you at the station," I said quickly. "My dad said no and he had guards there so I couldn't–"

She cut me off with a kiss, brief but delicate, making the fireworks in my chest explode at the contact.

"I missed you so goddamn much," she said once she pulled away, resting her forehead on mine.

"I missed you too," was all I could say, and even then it didn't feel like enough.

The way I missed her was indescribable. A part of me had been missing this whole time, and now that she was back, I felt whole again. I couldn't lose her again, I just couldn't.

Losing Lucy Gray and being lucky enough to get her back only made me realise one thing: life was too short to hide what meant the most to you. And though Lucy Gray was adamant on not causing trouble between my family and I, happy to be my secret, I just couldn't take it any longer.

Sneaking around and lying to my parents wasn't worth it, and Lucy Gray deserved so much better than that, especially after all she'd faced. So, I finally had the guts to tell my parents the truth.

About a week after the Games ended, I found my parents sat in the living room, the one day off my dad had which meant they were both present.

"Mum, dad, I need to tell you something important," I said when I found the courage.

My mum, who was reading a book, looked up at me, sensing my nerves. "Honey, you okay?"

I nodded, then stood in front of the couch before them. My dad lowered his newspaper and quirked a brow, both confused and intrigued by my entry.

"I just need you to listen before you reply," I said carefully. "Please, don't be angry."

"Well, now you're worrying us," my dad said, straightening up in his seat. "You in trouble?"

I shook my head, before taking a deep breath. "So, you know Lucy Gray, the girl who–"

"Won the Hunger Games, yes we know," my dad finished for me.

"Your school friend, right?" my mum asked.

I nodded. "Yes, she's... she's much more than that though." At this, my dad raised both his eyebrows, so I quickly added, "I know you wanted me to stay away from her and her family, but they aren't bad people. They're just a little different. They only have each other."

"That's not an excuse for the things they get up to," my dad retorted, but my mum nudged him and shot him a look that told him to pipe down.

"Thanks," I said to her gratefully, before continuing, "So, yeah, Lucy Gray. Well, the thing is..." Now or never. "I'm in love with her. And she's in love with me. And I don't want you to hate me or be disappointed, because I can't help who I'm in love with."

My dad wore a blank expression, as my mum was surprised and tried to digest my words. I stayed quiet for a moment, giving them chance to process and also calm my racing heart.

"Being in love with her doesn't change a thing," I explained, unable to stay quiet for too long. "I'm still doing well in school, still on track for the job at the Justice Building, but I love her. And I want to be with her without having to hide it from you both. She's more than a friend, always has been."

My palms were growing increasingly sweaty as neither of them said anything, and I soon wondered if I'd spoken at all because of their silence. But then my dad stood up and glared at me, and I knew it was real.

"Are you crazy, Y/N?! Lucy Gray?! You're in love with the Covey girl?!" he yelled. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Y/D/N, calm down–" my mum said, standing up too.

"Calm down?! She's throwing her future away for nothing!" he shouted, before shaking her hands off and leaving the room suddenly.

As the echo of the door slamming filled the silence, I hugged myself uncomfortably and waited for round two with my mum.

"Give him time," she said softly, surprising me. I looked up, and she rested a hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud of you for telling us the truth. Couldn't have been easy with your father's attitude."

I blinked, sighing with relief. She wasn't angry.

"Lucy Gray seems lovely," she added with a warm smile. "It's a shame that she was picked for the Games, but her positivity hasn't faltered, that much is clear. She's strong."

"She is," I agreed, still in disbelief that my mum wasn't upset with me.

She pulled me in for a hug, squeezing me gently. "I should've known it was something more when you were acting all weird when she was gone. I'm sorry that you couldn't trust me."

"It's not you," I assured her, pulling apart. "I just wasn't sure how to say it, knowing how dad feels about them."

"Oh, I'll sort him out," she said dismissively. "Now come here. I wasn't finished with the hug."

I laughed, letting her pull me in for an even tighter embrace.

"You gonna tell me what the surprise is or are you just gonna keep dragging me behind you?"

Lucy Gray scoffed dramatically at my words, not stopping as she dragged me by the hand, leading me to the meadow. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I just told you, would it, darlin'?"

I tried not to laugh at how easily frustrated she could get with my impatience. Ever since I'd told my parents the truth about us, of which my dad eventually came around to the idea thanks to my mum, I no longer had to sneak around with Lucy Gray. And today, she'd quite literally dragged me all the way from my house and out here to the meadow for a 'surprise'.

After much playful protesting from me and groaning from Lucy Gray, we finally reached her favourite spot at the top of the meadow. A giant tree sat on the brow of the hill that overlooked the whole field, with another log beneath it that Lucy Gray loved to visit to write songs or be alone. Already waiting for us was her guitar, propped up against the log.

"Am I about to be serenaded again?" I teased, making her roll her eyes playfully.

"Shut up and sit down," she ordered lightheartedly, and I laughed as I did just that.

She grabbed her guitar before sitting next to me, facing me slightly. Really, I'd been eager to hear her sing for me since she did last time (which now felt like so long ago). Since she'd been back from the Games, she'd returned to performing in the Hob as usual, of which I'd watched with adoration. But this was different, less of a performance and much more intimate than being on a stage could allow.

"So, I don't know if you remember that song I was writin' for you before... y'know," she began in an uncharacteristically shy voice, "but I finally finished it."

"Lucy Gray, of course I remember," I told her with a small smile. "It's the best thing anyone's ever done for me."

She began to smile too, nodding. "Right. Well, like I said, I managed to finish it. And I'd like to sing it for you, if you'll let me."

I nodded encouragingly, getting comfortable on the log and admiring her as she also got ready. Licking her lips, she began to strum her guitar, starting off quiet before settling on a rhythm that was dreamy and delicate and soothing.

"Love songs are fleeting,

but the melodies stick with you.

I have learned your heart,

and memorised the tune.

It's my favourite,

I'll sing it in any occasion.

It'll be my soundtrack,

beyond our youth."

Just like she did the last time, her voice was soft but strong, quiet but powerful, and her eyes were closed as she felt the meaning of every word. Even after hearing it a second time, I was hanging onto her every word, eager to hear the rest.

"Honey now we're older,

but we'll never age.

I don't think my love will

ever start to fade.

My attachment to you

isn't subject to change.

My heart’s yours forever

and always."

She gave me a comforting smile that sent a warmth all over my body as she finished the chorus, and I didn't know what to do. Her words were beautiful, and I felt too lucky to have someone who felt that way about me.

"Every note you hum,

is a classic through and through.

I'll add them to a list called

'All Things I Look Forward To'.

It's my favourite,

even if no one will play it.

I only want a future

filled with you."

Again, even after hearing it a second time, I was in awe. Tears of happiness pooled in my eyes as she moved onto the chorus again, her voice smooth and stunning, lulling me into her trance. She hummed as she played, building up to the bridge, and I never wanted her to stop.

"I'll sing it it still in 10 years time

20, 30, 99.

I'll dance as long as I can stand,

partner for life take my hand.

We'll set the record for strongest love,

keep the vinyl free of dust.

Spin it soft eternally

and my dear you'll sing with me."

I wiped at my tears, embarrassed and simultaneously unbothered because nobody had ever made me feel this way before. She saw a future with me? She'd looked that far ahead and saw me by her side?

"Honey now we're older,

but we'll never age.

I don't think my love will

ever start to fade.

My attachment to you

isn't subject to change.

My heart's yours forever

and always."

She kept playing, notes as delicate as they were at the start, and hummed along until she faded the whole thing out, and then we were sat in silence as her words carried into the meadow.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, her shy smile returning as she set the guitar down.

"What do I think...," I repeated quietly, still reeling from her song. "I think that I didn't expect you to beat what you sang last time. That, surely, you couldn't improve it. But you proved me wrong and did just that."

She let out a chuckle, rolling her eyes to distract from the pink dusting her cheeks.

"Lucy Gray, I think you just made me fall even more in love with you, which is a feat considering I'm already in way too deep," I said lightheartedly, but I meant every word.

She wasn't sure what to say, and I couldn't think of anything more to add that would show her how she'd made me feel. So, I leaned forward and I kissed her. Resting my hand on the back of her neck, I pulled her close, pressing my lips to hers and sighing contently when she fell right into it.

I could have kissed her all day, but air became a problem and I remembered what I wanted to say to her.

"The song," I breathed out, meeting her honey-golden eyes. "What you said? It's the same for me too. Forever and always. I feel the same way. It's beautiful, Lucy Gray."

As if that was what she'd wanted to hear, her shoulders relaxed and she smiled beautifully. "I'm so glad you like it, Y/N."

I mirrored her smile before leaning again, this time taking it slower and appreciating the feeling of her so close to me. It was a feeling I was certain I could never forget.