#because it's so different from my usual stories

[maxtalksalarmclocks]

Spotlight: Panasonic RC-60

So here's a brief story.

When I set up this blog, I searched "alarm clocks" on Tumblr and was a little disappointed to see very few results. (At least several of which were explicit, because...it's Tumblr.)

But I did see the alarm clock I'm reblogging now, the Panasonic RC-60! It's cool, right? It's got fun colors, and angled fonts, and triangular buttons, including a snooze "doze" button that looks like the clock's top-right corner was chopped off. Neat! The 80s-ness reminds me of the GE P'Jammer.

I didn't reblog the clock at the time, because I didn't have more to say about it. But then my wonderful friend @cytochrome-sea sent this very same Tumblr post my way, asking for my feedback! And that inspired me to do a Google search of this clock...where I discovered two delightful things that you wouldn't know about this clock from the original post!

I will share them with you now.

Delightful thing #1:

There is a marble-look version:

As an alarm clock expert, it is my professional opinion that it's really weird for alarm clocks to look like they're made out of marble. You don't see that every day!

There's also a black model. I'd say it's for people who hate fun, but it's actually secretly my favorite version... (Don't tell anyone...)

So that's delightful thing #1. Now for...

Delightful thing #2:

You see that big cutout on the back-left corner of the clock, in the photos above?

The clock can sit on that cutout instead.

Look:

This is off the rails. There are many alarm clocks that move around between different positions. I've done a whole post on such clocks. But usually it's as a means of controlling the clock.

With this clock? There's zero purpose for the positions besides it looking cool! I love how in both the "cube" and "diamond" positions, as I'm calling them, different parts of the clock are upright or askew. Like, with the cube position, the display and buttons are upright, but the doze button and the labels around the display are not. Then with the diamond position, the doze button and the labels around the display are upright, but now the display and buttons are not!

I want to be the kind of human being who wakes up every morning and decides, based on how I'm feeling, if it's a "cube" or a "diamond" kind of day, and rotates my Panasonic RC-60 accordingly.

Something about the diamond/gemstone shape (and maybe also the marble look, come to think of it) made me think of my favorite show, Steven Universe, and I think if Steven had this clock, he too is the kind of person who would very deliberately rotate it each morning to set the tone for the day.

Additional photos:

It's neat that the way this clock is designed, the most essential controls (alarm stop, sleep timer, snooze, and alarm/radio on/off) are always accessible, and then more rarely used controls (time set, brightness, and AM/FM) are hidden on the back. Volume and tuning are relatively accessible on the sides.

That's all!

Thanks for letting me share the hidden sides (get it?) and hidden facets (get it?) of this one-of-a-kind alarm clock! See you soon!

Image credits:

eBay, eBay, Retrospekt, Retrospekt

Panasonic RC-60 Alarm Clock

[cosmoszyn]

zayne always listens to the songs that you share on your instagram stories—no matter what. to the point where he even has his notifications for your posts turned on.

in the middle of reviewing his patients' records? he's checking it out. doing his usual workout routine? his finger taps on the application faster than his brain can register. whenever he was unoccupied, he would certainly tap on your icon to view your story and listen to the music you share.

and the first time you share a breakup song—he was crushed.

it happened when he was stuck in a horrible traffic jam on his way home from a long day at work. as he drums on the steering wheel patiently, a familiar ding! from his phone caught his attention. without hesitation, he opens the familiar application and taps on the song you shared from your audio streaming provider.

connected to the bluetooth of his car, he turns up the volume of his speakers and intently listens to the tune.

the song was from a different language, he notices, which starts off sullenly with its piano keys. he thought nothing of it until the chorus rolled off, the english line "love is painful" evidently catches him off guard.

he whips his head towards his phone, eyes wide and lips slightly parting. in a hurry, he glances at the unmoving traffic ahead of him and almost scrambles to take his phone to quickly search up the translation of the lyrics.

his lips form a thin line and his heart slowly shattering into two as he scans the words.

he swallows thickly.

you two haven't been meeting up as of late, nor have you two been doing your regular video calls because of conflicting schedules. was that the reason for your sharing of a heartbreaking song? did you feel neglected that much to the point where you had to share a song that resonates with your feelings?

he suddenly feels nauseous.

with shaky fingers, he opens the messaging application and sends you a quick text.

Are we okay? If you're over with this relationship, I'd rather have it done in person rather than through chat. I'm coming over now.

he tosses the device on the passenger seat as he tries to find space in the cramped road to make a u-turn to your home, but to no avail.

instead, he notices the incessant notifications from his phone.

Huh? Of course we're okay Why would we be over? Zayne? What happened? Oh. Was this about my instagram story?

he replies a quick 'Yes,' ignoring his racing heartbeat. within a second of hitting send, your caller ID pops on the screen.

"Zayne! Oh my god, we are not breaking up! I just liked the song so much, I am so sorry!"

he blinks.

"What?"

"I've been into the group's songs lately and this has been my favorite so far. I am so sorry you thought I'm breaking up with you. I would never."

"...We are not?"

you hum on the other side of the line. Zayne releases a sigh of relief.

"Next time, please talk to me instead of giving such... cryptic messages. You almost gave me a heart attack."

you giggle on the other side of the line while apologizing profusely and promising to make it up to him.

and within a minute of hanging up, he finds another story on your profile. this time, a photo of you two with the caption "i love my bf!" in bold and an upbeat love song in the background.

LMAO I HAD THIS SILLY IDEA WHILE I WAS WALKING HOME. i couldn't get stray kids' japanese song "love is painful" out of my head and suddenly i thought of zayne's reaction when he sees you sharing a breakup song teehee. i rlly wrote this drabble the second i sat my ass in my chair instead of resting from work

[fiastomatocheek]

WHERE IT HURTS ME THE MOST

requested: yes | req: okay so my idea is reader and will are arguing and she's got a short temper and so will is kinda dialing in on insults related to that. and i guess to make this make sense, she had a past boyfriend that didn't treat her the best so her anger is a coping mechanism and a safety net for herself so she doesn't get hurt again but he's never seen her cry at all (about that situation or anything else) in the time they've been dating. and they're just going back and forth and back and forth and finally will says something like ‘well i get why your ex left because you're so stubborn and angry all the time. if you got your anger under control maybe some good things would happen to you’ and it just breaks her. like she stops fighting and when she goes to leave, will sees the tears welling in her eyes and he knows immediately that he fucked up. and she isolates herself and no one hears from her for days until finally will finds her at her apartment and he apologizes or something like that? please and thank you!

pair: will smith x f!reader

genre: angst, hurt/comfort, romance.

warnings: past emotional abuse, toxic ex mentioned, yelling/argument, emotional breakdown, isolation, hurtful dialogue, emotional vulnerability, but ends with comfort and healing.

summary: you only asked will for one thing is that to check in after practice. it wasn’t a demand. just a simple gesture. but when a small concern turns into a spiraling argument, will crosses a line he never should’ve touched. and the moment he sees you cry for the first time, he realizes exactly how much damage he’s done.

fia’s note: never been in a toxic relationship before *praying this kind of love never finds me* so i’m not really sure what else to add, but i hope you enjoy it anywayyy. love you all lots!! my fav little 🍅s. alsooo i’d love if some of you could recommend me a few will smith angst fics to read, i’m in the mood to suffer a little. and i’m currently open to dad!luke hughes requests too!! he doesn’t get nearly enough dad delulu content on here and i desperately need it.

tagging team fia ! — @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @dancerbailey3 @mashmashi @kell9rs @nokiaholland

fia’s masterlist | join fia’s taglist | fic discussion

“Hey,”

Will greeted casually, wiping his damp forehead with the edge of his shirt after tossing his gear bag down by the entryway.

“Hi,” you replied flatly.

He paused, glancing at you. “Everything… okay?”

“I don’t know. Did something happen after practice? You usually text.”

He looked up from unlacing his shoes.

“Yeah, sorry. Coach kept us longer than usual.”

You leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

“You still could’ve sent a text. Just… anything.”

He let out a breath, already heading toward the kitchen.

“Babe, I was busy. And you know I don’t take my phone on the ice.”

“I know,” you said quietly.

“But it’s not about the rink. It’s about after. You had it once practice ended. You just didn’t use it.”

“You’re mad?”

“I’m not mad,”

You said, eventhough the frustration in your tone told a different story.

“I just… it would’ve taken two seconds to text ‘I’m okay’. That’s all I needed.”

Will tossed his hoodie over the back of the chair.

“I was exhausted. I didn’t think you’d be this upset about it.”

“That’s the problem,” you snapped.

“You didn’t think. About me. About how I sit here wondering if something happened. If you got hurt. I know it sounds stupid, but it matters to me.”

“It’s not stupid,”

He said quickly, but the way he rubbed his temples suggested he didn’t quite mean it.

“It’s just… I don’t get why it’s always a big thing.”

“It’s not always a big thing,” you said, voice rising.

“You just make me feel like I’m asking for too much everytime I express something that bothers me.”

“Because you come at me like I’ve already failed.”

You stared at him. “Maybe I wouldn’t have to if you actually listened when I talk.”

Will’s jaw clenched. “I do listen, I do. But you’re always so angry. Every conversation turns into a fight.”

And just like that, your anger cut deeper than he probably intended.

You turned away, trying to collect yourself.

But Will didn’t stop.

“It’s like you’re constantly looking for something to go wrong. I come home and you’re already on edge, like you’re bracing for a war that hasn’t even started.”

“Maybe because I am bracing,”

You snapped, spinning back toward him.

“You don’t know what it’s like to live in a state of defense. To have someone chip away at you every fucking day until the only thing left is armor.”

Will’s expression now is confused, overwhelmed, cornered.

“I’m not your ex, babe.”

“I never said you were. But sometimes you make me feel like I have to prepare for the worst. Like if I don’t say something now, I’ll end up swallowed by silence, again.”

He scoffed. “You can’t compare me to him everytime you’re upset.”

“I’m not! I’m just trying to explain why I am the way I am!”

“Then maybe work on changing it.”

Your stomach dropped.

“What?”

“I’m just saying,” he muttered, frustration bleeding through,

“You always expect me to cater to your triggers, your past, your baggage but when do you take responsibility for how you react?”

“I am taking responsibility,” you said.

“I’m telling you what I need so we don’t spiral like this. And you’re acting like I’m attacking you.”

Will stepped back, tone turning cold.

“You know what? Fine. Be angry. Be stubborn. That’s all you ever do anyway.”

You flinched.

And then he said it. The most hurtful things you’ve ever heard.

“Well, I get why your ex left. Because you’re so stubborn and angry all the time. If you got your anger under control, maybe some good things would happen to you.”

A breath. A heart broken.

All of the pain hit all at once, your body stilled, your face blanked. Your eyes went glassy, your fists clenched at your sides.

Will’s face dropped as soon as the words left his mouth.

“Wait no, I didn’t mean that, I—”

But it was too late.

Your voice cracked as you whispered,

“You were supposed to be different.”

You turned, grabbed your keys, and… left.

It’s had been three days eversince that day you left his apartment, eversince the you hadn’t answered a single message.

Not the texts. Not the voicemails. Not even the flowers he sent that sat untouched outside your apartment door.

Will was unraveling, everytime he closed his eyes, he saw the way your face shattered, how your mouth opened in shock, but no words came, your eyes filled with tears those tears you never let him see before you slipped out the door without another word.

Now, soaked from the rain, he used the spare key you gave him months ago, stepping into your apartment with a heart heavy enough to drown him this time.

You were there.

When you looked up and saw him, you didn’t move.

“Please…”

He said quietly, shutting the door behind him.

“Just… let me say this.”

You looked so tired. So hollow.

Will knelt beside the couch, water dripping from his head onto the floor.

“I know… I know I said the one thing I should’ve never said. But I need you to understand… I wasn’t angry at you. I was scared. Scared I was failing you. And instead of being patient, I chose to be cruel.”

Your eyes flicked toward him, lips trembling.

“You’ve told me what your anger protects. I should’ve respected that. I should’ve seen that what I call ‘yelling’ is really just the sound of you trying not to drown.”

He hesitated, then reached for your hand so gentle, barely a brush.

“I love you. Not in the convenient way. Not just when things are easy. I love you when you’re quiet, soft. But I also love you when you’re loud and afraid. I love you when you’re angry because I know that anger comes from pain you never deserved.”

Will moved slowly, sitting beside you, careful not to push too far.

“You don’t have to protect yourself from me. Not with words. Not with walls. I’m not going anywhere. No matter how loud it gets. No matter how hard it feels. I’m yours. Even when it’s not easy.”

“You are not too much. You were just never given the right space to be everything you are.”

Silence.

“And I want to be that space.”

You looked at him, crumpled and broken, and you believed him, your body leaned forward. Your hand reached for his. And when you finally pulled him into you, burying your face in his shoulder, he held you like the home he promised to be.

“I don’t need you to be okay all the time,”

Will added, voice shaking a little now.

“I just need you. However you are. However you come.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into your hair.

“I’m so sorry.”

[dailymothanon]

Was way too busy today to draw anything but this is how it feels to get my millionth Soundwave plot that is either cassette harm or something maybe a little interesting just for it to never actually be explored and end up tossed aside 😔(of course, I’m just over exaggerating for fun;) warning for a rant btw—

I think most if not all Soundwaves have been handled pretty solidly? Kinda? I guess 90% of the stuff he does as a character is just be an asset to keep the overall plot moving which is fair, but also mostly him just aura farming all the time lmao like girl we get it 😭 but also go off… but also I do heavily wish his character was explored more, different dynamics, change the formula! As mostly Megatron and maybe Starscream and to an extent Shockwave are often changed story and personality wise much more prominently or noticeably. Part of me also feels like 🤔 maybe the lack of change in Soundwaves (design wise? He certainly Does Change a lot) is partially because it’s hard to explore a character that tends to not be really expressive or talk much, so I don’t blame anyone… just wish that he has more juice yaknow 😌 something more filling than just stoic mech who practically carries the whole faction on his back, known to be loyal, and also has cassettes that he seems to care for a ton.. sure, you can say these are essentials to his character, but I guess like, isn’t that the point of different continuities? Endless possibilities that are all technically canon in their own regards (for example the folks who don’t like TfOne Shockwave cuz he’s very expressive and emotional, who think “he doesn’t have emotions why is he like this” well, yea, he doesn’t have emotions in THAT continuity, but in THIS continuity, he does! It’s a fun new way of seeing him!). Maybe TFA Soundwave is a good example to me of like, this is an interesting new idea of a story for him! But then it’s not really explored ever 😭 but don’t get me wrong, this does Not mean I don’t like other Soundwaves from the lack of story, I love them all very dearly!! Tfp was also an interesting and cool concept of him! Most Soundwaves have had great aspects about them to me which is why I cannot pick a definitive favorite! But one thing I think they all collectively lack a little in is exploration of character that’s past him just being a tool to keep things moving, which to me, even that within itself is something that may be explored, him being seen more as a tool than an individual, but I still completely understand why he isn’t touched on cuz obviously he won’t be the main character or anything 😛 important character Sure, but he’s almost treated like a side character at times which again, is also fine and valid, I don’t have expectations that the story would consider him cuz there’s usually not really reason to; though in comparison to the rest of the high command getting many new analyzations and different directions to go, it is a little disappointing to me when I think about it too much 📼 but I still love him a lot regardless!

[jesncin]

Not to push my luck and talk about Johnstantine and King Shark again, but I just want to discuss how,,,sad it is that these characters get treated so differently by fandom and how their legacy has been deeply unkind to non-white characters.

Johnstantine has a fantastic, well-written run that portrays a dimensional character with palpable humanity. It's to the point fans treat John like a real person that shouldn't be joked about because "he matters to people! He survived the AIDS crisis!" (while conveniently leaving out characters like Ray Monde or Davey) even when he is a fictional character at the end of the day. I'm not a fan of modern bi-jokes galore flandarized DC!John either and I recognize Vertigo!John's historical importance as a queer character, but I don't like fandom's attempt to moralize liking him "the correct way" by acting like he's a real person. Some of yall talk about him like he's Kevin Conroy or Howard Ashman or Freddie Mercury and that's odd. Like yes it would be distasteful to write those real people into flandarized characters and ships, but John isn't real. He is at the mercy of whatever writer writes him, for better or worse.

Ultimately John is a fictional character, and that's okay- you can have preferences on how he's written over decades without moralizing your tastes. I don't get this "he's flandarized into ships with cartoon characters" sentiment like what do you mean? John himself has been a cartoon character as often as Zatanna has been. If a ship like JohnZee isn't one of these flandarized fandom ships, then what are you talking about? Nanaue? The usual punching bag to the "Johnstantine is being flandarized" discourse, right?

And that's when I get sad. Because Nanaue doesn't get to have a well-written debut story the way John did. No, King Shark is from Superboy 94, a run that largely takes place in Hawai'i. With a deeply racist and orientalist depiction of Hawaiian characters and myth. Nanaue is appropriated nearly whole cloth from Hawaiian mythology and has since then been mostly brought back as a "big idiot brute" joke character often divorced from his indigenous roots. I've been told countless times that people didn't know King Shark is a native character. He doesn't get the dignity of characters like the Monkey Prince get to have under Gene Yang's pen. We're lucky if DC even remembers that part of him.

And yes I recognize that myth!Nanaue and DC!Nanaue are entirely different figures. But it's disingenuous to see how this character was adapted from native religion with his name and backstory attached, then portrayed as a "thuggish buffoon"- to be a neutral adaptation without racist or ableist connotations.

I look at these new preview pages for Supergirl and it's depressing. We now have "Princess Shark" a Sharknado joke villain who Supergirl just dunks into the ocean and flies off as the story centers a white girl. I wonder if they'll even bother giving Princess Shark a Hawaiian name. They sure didn't bother giving her native clothes. The optics would've been weird, so whitewashing King Shark's native roots is clearly the better option.

There's all this talk of dignity to fictional white guy Johnstantine (a character made by white guys based on Sting, a white guy). When, the irony is, if there is any character more based in reality when it comes to the Johnstantine x King Shark ship, it's Nanaue. He's the one who has basis in real Hawaiian beliefs, mythology, religion, and history. I get that DC's treating Nanaue as a joke most of the time, and it's wishful thinking to believe the white dominant fandom would do better- but at least I want us to think about it.

Hawaiian culture and history are victims to cultural genocide from violent colonization. Adapting a character from their myth is not a neutral act. Ignoring that history and whitewashing it is not a neutral act. If we recognize that John is a politically important character as a punk from the 80s-90s during the height of the AIDS crisis, then can we even give a fraction of that energy to non-white characters? Even when they're not well written? Just because DC doesn't respect these myths, doesn't mean you should too.

[bleulikedaylight]

Ms. Delinquent, Natasha

pairing: delinquent basketball captain! natasha romanoff x student council president! reader

synopsis: Y/N L/N, perfect student council president, gets paired with the school’s worst nightmare—rebel basketball captain natasha romanoff—for a major project. she’s late, annoying, and impossible to work with. but one unexpected moment makes Y/N wonder… is there more to natasha than the chaos she brings?

warnings: mentions of school fights and bruises (non-graphic) + tell me if i missed anything !! | wc: 2.3k | genre: romance, fluff, kinda enemies-to-lovers !! ;p

note: WOWOW, two posts in one day??? who is she??? (definitely not someone procrastinating her to-do list by writing about a rebel basketball captain and a stressed-out student council president falling in love—definitely not.)

anyway, hii !! i had way too much fun writing this !! >< also, feel free to send me messages, asks, or requests—i might (emphasis on might because I’m lazy, hehe) turn this into a series if you guys like it, aaa. ALSO, i really, really need to make a masterlist to keep my profile organized, but guess what? i’m too lazy. someone please bonk me with a pillow or smth. 💔

part one ♡‧₊˚ part two ♡‧₊˚

Y/N L/N

Year & Section: 12 - A

Position: Student Council President

Vibe: Miss Goody Two Shoes, Walking Honor Roll, and A Literal Angel

Known For:

- Fixing everyone’s mess (including Natasha’s)

- Straight As, Complete notes, and a color-coded Google Calendar

- Always wearing her ID. Always.

- Literally the only reason the faculty hasn’t given up on this school

- Smiles sweetly while saying, “That’s against school policy.”

NATASHA ROMANOFF

Year & Section: 12 - A

Position: Captain, Women’s Basketball Team

Vibe: Rebel Without a Cause, Hotheaded Heartthrob, and Leather Jacket Energy

Known For:

- Cutting class but still scoring MVP

- Pulling up to school on a motorcycle (allegedly)

- Has a permanent seat in detention—but makes it look like a throne

- Once made a guy cry during a scrimmage... with just a glare

- Looks like she doesn’t care—until it’s Y/N.

What would you do if you got partnered with your polar opposite for a school project? Like... the girl who's practically allergic to rules, shows up late to every class—if she even shows up at all—and somehow makes your life as student council president ten times harder just by existing?

Well, I have... and here's how the story goes.

She's Natasha Romanoff.

If there’s one person on this campus who gives me a headache at least three times a week, it’s Natasha Romanoff.

Captain of the women’s basketball team. Standing at six feet of pure chaos. The type of student who thinks rules are suggestions and uniforms are optional. She’s the exact kind of person I swore I’d never get involved with. You know—the delinquent, the rebel, the walking red flag your mother warned you about.

She rarely shows up to class. And when she does? She’s either asleep, doodling in her notebook, or getting sent out for being a 'distraction.' Her file in the faculty office is thicker than the student handbook—and I would know, I helped revise it.

She picks fights like it’s a sport. She’s been banned from three different cafeterias for fighting in line. Her knuckles are always bruised, her lip usually split, and yet she still walks around like she owns the whole school—because somehow, she kind of does.

It drives me insane. I’m the student council president. I run this place on schedules, protocols, and peacekeeping. I solve disputes between orgs, approve event permits, and enforce policies like my life depends on it—which, sometimes, it kind of does. So imagine my horror every time her name pops up on my desk. 'Romanoff punched someone again.' 'Romanoff’s skipping classes again.' 'Romanoff's motorcycle is parked on the faculty lawn again.'

She's a walking nightmare for someone like me.

Worse, she seems to have no plans for her future. No goals. No ambition. Just… basketball. That’s all she ever thinks about. Practice. Games. Scores. Like the world outside the court doesn’t exist. It’s frustrating. It’s pathetic. And yet—she plays with so much fire, it almost makes you forget everything else. Almost.

Tip: don’t be fooled by her soft-looking face. Sure, she’s got those calm green eyes and a lazy smile that makes girls weak in the knees, but trust me—she’s all sharp edges underneath. Dangerous. Reckless. Untouchable.

Naturally, girls chase after her like she’s a rom-com lead in real life. I’ve seen love confessions on paper cups, flowers in her locker, and girls literally waiting outside the gym after practice hoping she’ll so much as glance at them. But you know what’s weird? Despite how egoistical she is—despite the arrogance, the swagger, the attention—I’ve never seen her date anyone. I’ve never even heard rumors of her with anyone. Not once.

And then came the groupings for our Humanities project. A randomized draw, they said. Fate, I’d argue.

It was one silly project. That’s all it was supposed to be. A one-time, two-week, half-grade assignment. But it led to the one thing I never expected...

Actually knowing her.

That was the day everything changed.

That was the day Natasha Romanoff looked at me like I wasn’t just the school president... but something more.

—

You hear your name and Natasha Romanoff’s in the same sentence and immediately feel the universe collapse.

“Group three… Romanoff and L/N.”

The room goes silent. A beat of stunned silence, and then—

“WHAT?”

“Oh my god.”

“No way.”

“Lord, this is my Roman Empire.”

You shut your eyes and exhale slowly.

“Y/N,” Wanda whispers, clutching your arm like you’re on a sinking ship. “Tell me I heard wrong.”

You stare at your teacher. “Miss, is there a mistake—?”

“No mistakes,” she says cheerfully. Too cheerfully. “I think this will be a… fun dynamic.”

Yelena is already cackling. “Good luck, president,” she sings. “You’re gonna need it.”

Behind you, Natasha Romanoff stretches in her seat like she didn’t just cause a classroom-wide scandal. She yawns, leans back, spins her pen between her fingers like a basketball. You lock eyes for exactly two seconds. She smirks.

And just like that, you know you’re doomed.

—

Later that afternoon

You’re pacing by your locker, chewing your lower lip. You don't have Natasha’s number. But Yelena does.

“I hate this,” you say, typing quickly. “This feels like betrayal.”

“Calm down, you’re literally texting her for school,” Yelena replies while eating fries. “Now go! Be a good president and go manage your delinquent girlfriend.”

“She is not my—never mind.”

You shoot her a glare, then copy the number. You stare at your phone for a full minute before finally typing:

You expect to be left on read. Or worse—no response at all.

But she replies.

You blink.

She does find you. Within ten minutes.

You watch her walk in like she owns the place. In her hoodie, earrings glinting under the warm light, one earbud in, backpack slung over one shoulder. She moves like a secret, like danger with a pulse.

She drops into the seat across from you. “Hey.”

You glance at the time. “You’re… early.”

She shrugs. “Skipped practice.”

Your jaw drops. “What?! Why would you—”

“To work on the project,” she says simply, like it’s obvious.

You gape at her. “You skipped practice. For school.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, presidente,” she teases, resting her chin on her hand. “You messaged. I showed up. That’s the arrangement, right?”

You can’t even tell if she’s being serious. But her eyes are calm, and she actually opens the module you printed out. No complaints. No smart remarks. Just… reading.

You snap out of it and start discussing your plan. She listens. Occasionally nods. Offers surprisingly decent ideas. You make notes. You don’t notice that your voice grows more relaxed. You don’t notice how she’s been watching you the whole time—not the paper. Not the topic. You.

“You know,” she says once you finish outlining the draft, “you talk a lot when you’re nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Hmm,” she hums. “Cute.”

You nearly choke on your water.

—

Once you pack up

“Okay, I’ll message you updates after I type the outline,” you say, stuffing your planner into your tote. “Thanks for actually showing up, by the way. I didn’t expect you to.”

Natasha stands, slinging her bag onto her shoulder. “I’ll walk you home.”

You pause. “What?”

“It’s late. You’ve got three books in your bag, and your tote’s heavier than Yelena’s sarcasm. Come on.”

You blink at her. “Are you… being nice?”

“Don’t ruin it,” she deadpans.

You roll your eyes but… follow her. She doesn’t ask for your address. She already knows it. (You don’t want to know how.)

The walk is quiet. She keeps her hands in her pockets, glancing at you every few steps like she’s making sure you’re still there. At one point, she slows down to match your pace. You pretend not to notice. But your heart’s doing cartwheels.

When you reach your gate, you turn to her. “Okay, um… thanks. Again.”

She shrugs. “Text me when you’re editing. I wanna see what it looks like.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You care about the final output now?”

She gives you a lopsided smirk. “You care. That’s enough reason.”

Before you can respond, she’s already walking away.

You stand at your gate, heart thundering, cheeks warm.

What just happened?

—

Meanwhile, the group chats are on fire.

—

Your phone buzzes again—more group chats lighting up, your friends collectively losing their minds—but you don’t check them right away. You’re still thinking about her voice. The way she said you care, that’s enough reason. It loops in your head like a song you’re not ready to skip. And for the first time since the semester started, you’re not thinking about deadlines, reports, or disciplinary forms.

Outside, your phone buzzes again.

You smile.

You think that’s it. But then…

Your jaw drops. You type furiously.

You let out an annoyed huff. Or at least, that’s what you tell yourself it is. But deep down, you’re smiling like a fool under the covers, kicking your feet just a little—just enough to feel ridiculous.

Because Natasha Romanoff just told you sweet dreams.

Because she showed up. Listened. Skipped basketball for a group project.

Because somewhere between the chaos and the attitude and the teasing, you’re starting to realize something terrifying:

She’s not just a delinquent.

She’s not just trouble.

She’s kind of wonderful.

And she’s starting to mean something to you.

You’re so doomed.

You’re thinking about Natasha Romanoff.

You fling your pillow over your face to muffle the scream

You close your eyes, the ghost of her smirk burned into your mind.

Tomorrow’s going to be interesting.

Very, very interesting.

[sxnshinebowz]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚"I can wait, As long as it takes.“🥀˚:

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Banner made by @surfknow 💕

Pairings: BadBoy/Troublemaker-hyunjin x Daddygirl/religious-FemReader.

Warning: Swearing?(not really tho..), Suggestive dialogue, Soft!DomHyun! VirginReader?. Not full smut. not extensively tagging in order to preserve the whole reason of a story.

Authors Note: First fic i've written this year. Writers block had me in a headlock (not that I mind being in headlocks) Recommended song: Blind Eyes Red by MINNIE (for the sake of the tention yk)

Word count: 2,569 words!

Y/n: “You shouldn’t have come. You can’t be-”

Hyunjin: “So? What’s your dad gonna do?” he interrupted, climbing through your window.

Your heart raced as you watched him gracefully hop down into your from the windowsill, his dark eyes gleaming with a hint of defiance. You knew that look all too well. it was the same one he had when he’d convinced you to sneak out of the house for the first time, the same one that had led you both into countless late-night adventures and near-misses with trouble. But this was different. you had a boy in your room, your father would flip out if he ever found out about this.

Hyunjin sauntered over to the bed, a cocky smirk playing on his lips as he plopped down on the fluffy, white comforter. His black hoodie and ripped jeans starkly contrasted with the room's soft decor, making it feel like a scene from a rebellious teen movie. You couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and anxiety as he surveyed the space, his eyes lingering on the frilly pillows and the collection of teddy bears neatly arranged at the head of the bed.

"You still sleep with those?" he teased, reaching out to poke at the nearest bear.

The light from the moon streamed in through the window, casting a silver glow over the room. It was a stark contrast to the warm, yellow light that usually filled the space. The shadows played across Hyunjin's face, highlighting his sharp features. His eyes went back to you, resting on your thin nightgown that barely covered your legs. You felt a flush rise to your cheeks as he took in the sight of you, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than it should have.

"Hyunjin," you whispered, "you can't just show up here like this."

He leaned back, his hands behind his head, stretching out on the bed. "Why not?"

You sat on the bed, pulling the comforter closer to your chest, subtly covering yourself. "You know why. What if my dad hears you?"

Hyunjin's smirk grew wider. "It's not like I've never been here before."

The words hung in the air, a reminder of the countless nights he had snuck into your room in the past, bringing with him a taste of freedom that had always seemed just out of reach in the confines of your strict household. But this time, it felt like there was something else behind this visit.

"What do you want?" you asked, trying to keep the tremor out of your voice.

Hyunjin's expression grew serious, his eyes locking onto yours. "You've been avoiding me."

You felt your stomach clench. It was true. Since you had both started dating, you had been pulling away from your him, afraid your father would find out.

"I just…it's complicated," you finally managed to say, your voice small.

Hyunjin sat up, his expression softening. He reached out and took your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Look, I know your dad's not exactly thrilled about me being around. But you can't just push me away because of him."

You sighed, looking down at your intertwined fingers. "It's not just him. I don't want to lose you, if he finds out…"

Hyunjin's thumb traced small circles on the back of your hand, the touch soothing. "We'll figure it out" he said, his voice a quiet promise.

He leaned in closer, and you felt your breath hitch in your throat. Before you could say anything more, Hyunjin's lips pressed against yours, the warmth of his breath mixing with the coolness of the night air. His kiss was soft and gentle, but it sent a jolt of electricity through your body, reminding you of all the reasons you had fallen for him in the first place. It was as if he could feel your fears and hesitations, and he was trying to chase them away with the sweetness of his touch.

Your eyes fluttered shut, and you found yourself leaning into the kiss, allowing the familiar feeling of his arms around you to wash over you like a comforting wave. His hand moved from yours to the small of your back, pulling you closer. The fabric of his hoodie brushed against your bare skin of your arms, sending goosebumps along them.

As the kiss deepened, you could feel the tension in your body slowly dissipate. You had missed this, missed him. The way he made you feel like you were the only person in the world who mattered. The way his touch could silence the million thoughts racing through your mind.

But before reality could begin to creep back in, he slowly laid your back into the bed, his body hovering over yours. The plush mattress enveloped you, and the cool fabric of your comforter sent a shiver down your spine as it grazed your skin.

Hyunjin's hand slid from your back to your neck, gently cradling your head as he deepened the kiss. His other hand trailed down the curve of your side, the lightest of touches leaving a trail of fire behind it. Your breaths grew shallower, and you felt your heart pounding in your chest like a drum.

You knew you should stop this, knew the potential consequences if your father caught you, but the warmth of Hyunjin's embrace was like a sedative, making you feel safe and loved in a way you hadn't felt. You had been so caught up in the fear of discovery that you hadn't realized how much you craved his closeness, how much you had missed the way he made you feel alive.

As his hand moved higher up your thigh, the fabric of your nightgown riding up, you clenched your thighs together involuntarily.

Hyunjin paused for a moment, his hand resting on the soft skin of your leg He looked into your eyes, questioningly, as if asking for permission to go further. You bit your lower lip, the throb in your core growing stronger. The silence between you was deafening, filled only with the sound of your heart beating and the occasional rustle of the leaves outside.

"It's okay," he whispered against your neck, his breath hot against your skin. "I've got you."

You nodded, the weight of your fears momentarily lifted by his comforting words. He kissed you again, his hands moving with a gentle urgency that sent a thrill through your veins. Each touch, each kiss felt like a declaration, a promise that he was here, that you weren't alone in this.

As your hands roamed under his hoodie, feeling the firmness of his back and the warmth of his skin, he began to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, his voice a soothing melody that sent shivers down your spine. "You're mine, and I'll always protect you."

You felt yourself relaxing, your body responding to his gentle coaxing. His words were a balm to your soul, easing the ache of loneliness that had been growing since you had started hiding your relationship from your father. With Hyunjin, you felt seen, heard, and cherished.

Hyunjin's lips trailed down your neck, leaving a trail of tender kisses that sent your pulse racing. His hands moved with care, exploring the curves of your body with a reverence that made you feel like the most precious thing in the world. His touch was a silent reassurance that no matter what happened, he would be there for you.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," he murmured, his voice a gentle rumble against your skin. His fingers danced along the hem of your nightgown, hinting at the desire to explore further.

You took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "I trust you.." you whispered, more to yourself then him.

Hyunjin's eyes searched yours, looking for any signs of doubt. Finding none, he leaned back down to kiss you again, his movements deliberate and tender. He knew this was new territory for you, and he didn't want to rush you. He had always been the one to take the lead in your adventures, but this was different. This was something that required patience, something that required his complete and utter respect.

As his hand slid up your thigh again, you felt your body respond with an anticipation that was both thrilling and terrifying. His touch was featherlight, as if he could feel the tremble in your muscles, the racing of your heart. He took his time, kissing you deeply, letting you set the pace as his thumb grazed the sensitive skin of your inner thigh.

You could feel your resolve wavering, the heat pooling in your lower stomach begging for more. You parted your legs slightly, the fabric of your nightgown sliding up as Hyunjin's hand followed, tracing the curve of your thigh. His eyes searched yours, looking for any sign of hesitation. You swallowed hard, nodding slightly, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a knowing smile.

His touch grew bolder, his fingertips brushing against your panties. A soft gasp escaped your lips, and he took it as an invitation to press his thumb against the fabric, feeling the dampness that had gathered there. The fabric was a thin barrier between his hand and your need, and you could feel the heat of his skin even through the material.

He whispered, his voice thick with desire. "Do you want me to keep going?"

You nodded, unable to form words as his thumb began to make slow, deliberate circles, teasing the sensitive skin beneath your underwear. He was so attentive, so focused on giving you pleasure that you felt your body begin to unravel. The tension coiled tight in your stomach started to spread, a warm, pulsing ache that grew with every stroke of his thumb

He leaned down to kiss you again, his tongue delving into your mouth as his hand continued to work magic between your legs. His other hand slipped up to cup your breast, his thumb flicking over the peak of your nipple. You arched into his touch, your breathing becoming ragged. Hyunjin was a master at reading your silent cues, and he knew you were ready for more.

"Do you want me to go harder?" he asked, his voice a gruff whisper against your ear. "I'll give you whatever you need, just tell me."

You nodded, "Please.." Biting down on your lower lip to keep from crying out too loudly. His touch grew stronger, more insistent, as he worked your clit with a firm pressure that had your toes curling into the bed. The feeling was overwhelming, a delicious mix of pleasure and pain that made your body quiver with need.

Hyunjin's eyes searched yours, looking for any sign of distress. Seeing only passion, he leaned down to kiss you harder, his tongue dancing with yours as his hand continued to move between your legs. The sensation was intense, and you found yourself moaning into his mouth when he kissed you, your nails digging into his shoulders. He groaned in response, his own arousal evident in the way he pushed against you, his erection pressing through the fabric of his jeans.

But he remained focused on you, his touch gentle even as he increased the pressure. He whispered sweet nothings in your ear, reassuring you that he would stop if you needed him to. His words were a gentle reminder that you were in control, that this was about your pleasure, not just his. It was a stark contrast to the aggressive persona he had cultivated over the years, but it was one that you had always known was there, hidden beneath the layers of rebellion and bravado.

Your breath coming in pants as you whispered, "i want this so bad…"

Hyunjin's eyes lit up with a fierce hunger, but he kept his promise, his touch remaining gentle and measured. He kissed you harder, his tongue exploring your mouth as if he could taste your desire. His hand moved to your other thigh, lifting it slightly to give him better access. His thumb circled your clit in a slow, steady rhythm that had you writhing against him, desperately seeking more.

He whispered in your ear, "You're so wet, so beautiful… all you need to do is tell me when you're ready." His words were a gentle command that made your stomach flip with excitement. You could feel the tension building, each stroke of his thumb pushing you closer to the edge. You clung to him, your body trembling as you approached climax.

As you reached the peak, he slowed down, his touch featherlight, not wanting to overwhelm you. His eyes searched yours, looking for the final sign. your breath hitching in your throat, and with that, he began to move his thumb in quick, firm circles, the pressure just right.

"Hyunjin," you gasped, your voice shaking. The room was spinning, the pleasure building so high you thought you might shatter.

"Shhh, baby. That's it," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that seemed to resonate through your entire body. "Let go, I've got you."

And with that, you did. Your orgasm crashed over you like a wave, your body convulsing in his arms as he held you through it all. The world outside your bedroom faded away, leaving only the two of you in the warm cocoon of your love.

As the aftershocks of pleasure subsided, you felt his hand slow, his touch gentle and soothing. He kissed your forehead, his warmth enveloping you like a blanket. "Are you okay?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

You nodded, your eyes still closed, a soft smile playing on your lips. "More than okay," you murmured. You had never felt so cherished, so desired.

He leaned back, his eyes still on you, watching the way the moonlight painted your skin. "I've wanted to do that for so long," he said, his voice filled with wonder. "To make you feel good, to be the one to make you come."

You opened your eyes to find him looking down at you, his gaze filled with a mix of lust and admiration that made your cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red at the sight of his erection. "I can wait," he murmured, his thumb still tracing lazy circles on your skin. "As long as it takes."

You nodded, feeling the warmth of his body pressing into yours. His words were a gentle reminder of his patience, his willingness to go slow even when the fire between you burned hotter than ever. "Thank you," you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.

Hyunjin leaned down to kiss you again, his lips soft and tender as they brushed against yours. His hand slid out from under your nightgown, the absence of his touch leaving a trail of longing in its wake. "We'll take it slow," he promised. "As slow as you want."

He laid beside you, his arm draped over your waist, his fingers idly tracing patterns on your skin. His eyes searched yours, looking for any hint of discomfort or regret. But all he found was a soft smile, one that grew wider as his hand slid up to cup your cheek. "You're so gorgeous," he whispered, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had escaped your lashes.

Constructive criticism Is welcome.🤗

Thank you for your time.💕

[nightmareweaverz]

Hi, I am the dev of Duality. Reblogging this on my private blog so as not to bring drama on the game blog.

While I very much agree with most of what you wrote here, I don't understand what you mean by there being an issue with yandere characters being made into love interests. Fiction, like you said, is made for exploring dark and tabboo topics. I don't think it's fair to pretend that me creating sweet yanderes who love you in a made up story is the reason people turn to such insane mindsets irl. This is the same as the one case of mentally ill children stabbing another child "for slenderman" and then the entire internet acting like creepypastas automatically make you want to stab people.

If someone cannot comprehend the idea that the sweet loving yanderes in my games do not exist irl, they are either deeply troubled or a child who should not be engaging with my content in the first place.

If we're going down this road, we need to get rid of vampire and werwolf romance, mafia romance, any and all villain love interests in any media because apparently romance consumers are too stupid to realize a real man is different from the fantasy in their books.

Usually, people who try to justify the awful actions of a morally evil character do so for the following reasons: they have been judged for liking said character and thus try to prove they are "allowed" to like said character, or they are afraid that liking a morally evil character reflects poorly upon their own morals and thus they need to prove to themselves that said character can be excused. And then there's the hidden third reason in which they simply do it as a joke. Incredibly few of those people make these excuses because they would actually excuse them in real life.

Don't get me wrong, the people in this community are very much messed up, but I firmly believe they are not regular folks who suddenly decided they need a stalker boyfriend solely because they read it or saw one in a game. 95% of the human population would not want a stalker partner and would not change their mind upon playing a game in which a stalker hugs them and gives them cookies. Just like they won't go looking for bears in the woods to hug one cause they saw a cute bear plushie at the store.

Also I am getting kind of tired of western creators and consumers acting like the yandere trope is normally just a horny slasher villain with 0 love or care for their lover. The original yandere trope's definition from japanese means "A person who loves someone so much that they go insane." It is literally a trope MADE for the romance genre. If you do not like it, stop using the word yandere. Read thriller stories and play thriller games.

I know you didn't aim any of this at me specifically, but I have been hearing arguments like yours going around the yandere community and outside of it for years at this point and I am tired of them, so I sort of let my frustration out.

Hello, I am writing this post in order to address my own community but also give a heads up to other yandere game devs on Tumblr. This has filled me with deep dread and I feel like it needs to be spoken about at once.

TLDR: There's a community of over 1k people who are seeking real life yandere relationships and planning illegal actions here on Tumblr.

I recently discovered there's a fairly big community here on tumblr of people who are seeking "yandere" partners in real life and/or identify as "yandere" themselves. Part of me is hoping and praying to the gods that it's just roleplay, but the community has "IRL" in its name and there is nothing in its rules indicating that it's roleplay. Some of the people in there are following my blog.

To other devs, I urge you to discourage such mentalities and make it as clear as possible that we DO NOT tolerate this stuff.

To anyone who identifies as "irl yandere" and is following this or any of my blogs, block me this instant. What you are doing and encouraging is abusive if it is outside of a consensual roleplay or BDSM scenario. Purposefully isolating a person from their loved ones, kidnapping them, harming them (again, without consent) is abuse. Get the hell out of my community, you are not welcome here. I will not have abusers use my game or participate in my community. Seek therapy.

There is a difference between exploring a crazy scenario in a game and pursuing said scenario in reality. NONE of the stalkerish, obsessive, overly jealous things Keith and Tenebris do in the game are okay to do to a real person. They are not role models, they are not ideal partners.

And to people who are seeking out "yandere" partners in real life, for the love of god realize that your fantasies will not play out the same in reality. You are putting yourself and all of your loved ones at risk. No matter how much you think you can appeal to a "yandere" or meet their needs, that is still an abuser who may go to extremes one day. There was a damn post in that community asking for advice on how to turn someone against their family. Another asking how to kidnap someone and being praised for it. This is not a joke. Do not invite abusers into your life. It will not play out like your fantasies. You will feel unsafe and violated, you may end up in a very very bad situation that you cannot get out of easily. There is a high chance you may lose your life when the abuser decides they can't have you to themselves any other way.

And to those of you in my fandom who are well in the head and aware this is nuts, please report this community if you come across it. The age of entry was 16, SIXTEEN YEAR OLDS ARE IN THERE LOOKING FOR ABUSERS. I cannot stress how fucked up this is.

I really really really hope I just somehow didn't pick up that this was all roleplay. I hope I didn't just witness someone trying to plan out how to kidnap a real person. Please just let me be a clueless idiot.

[absolutebl]

When it comes to problematic content in QL, everyone has different tolerance levels, and different definitions for it. For you personally, how much is too much? And given that some of your faves/constant rewatches may not have aged well, do you adjust your tolerance as you go, do you just ignore it/tune it out, or do you watch, cringe, and carry on? Does problematic content make you lose love for something with time?

Hum, complex question.

I guess it's usually context and origin for me. Like I forgive Japan stuff I won't take from Thailand because it's... Japan, kinky and boundary pushing is what they do. I don't always like it, but I will usually watch it. I understand their POV and style. And more importantly, so do they.

Certainly that has to do with how well established Japan is both in BL and as a film industry. But there's something more going on. They usually have something to say when they trigger, something thoughtful and provoking about culture, or queerness, or the BL genre.

Where as Thailand doing something similar will come off as clumsy and puerile, like they are teens who don't know any better and are just poking at their audience to see what kind of reaction they get. Or worse, don't even realize when they make a misstep - they just needed it for plot or are executing a tired trope.

I want finesse with my abuse!

I don't mind being manipulated, but I can't catch it in the act. I need to notice it after, and then I make tiny clapping noises.

For me too much is often when it's too predictable in the wrong way, or when it's poorly executed. Like rape just for a plot point. Or lack of consent when it makes no sense for either character or story arc.

I don't like it when poor writing hits me up side the head. Like (and I will harp on this forever) did he have to steal that key and break into his hotel room? Did we all have to overlook it and think, for some reason, that was okay? It wasn't necessary for the plot. It was lazy writing.

I hate lazy writing.

I'd rather bad writing.

How do I put this?

If Japan had done that, it would have been some weird creepy edgy stalker aspect to the seme's character and it would have been purposeful. The dirtiness of it would have been part of characterization. Undies would have been stolen. The lens would have told us to find it off-putting. It would have been done with intent.

Thailand's lens often makes bad/stalker/creep behavior seem normal or acceptable.

If Japan reads your private journal we, the audience, will all know how gross that feels. The grossness will be part of the creepy kinky plot. If Thailand does it... it's just passed over as fine. Or worse, romantic.

Japan does its violations with intent. Because they like the edge. They want to make us a little bit uncomfortable... at all times.

Thailand does it with a blunt butter knife and expects us to overlook a character flaw.

Back to your question...

So given it's a BL producing country that I know is clumsy about this (like Thailand) sometimes I notice and get annoyed, and sometimes I sigh and it doesn't bother me. Often that has to do with my mood. Sometimes it's the chaos of the show. Like with say Pit Babe, or The Sign, eventually I'm just overwhelmed by the absurd crazy of it all. Probably because they clearly aren't taking themselves seriously, the whole darn show: cast, crew, production, everybody.

Sometimes the violation in question is simply not a trigger for me so I don't mind.

Sometimes it reads as a kink and then I kinda like it (Taiwan will do this a lot).

Sometimes I don't even notice.

Yes, certainly I have dropped show or moved on from rewatching older stuff because now it bothered me, where once it did not (cough cough TharnType).

But others I still understand (if not love) because they say something about the time they were made and what the genre was then, like Takumi-kun.

Some stuff I loved so much when it first aired and still love with such nostalgia that I don't really see its flaws. UWMA is likely one of those. It's always great to me, even on rewatch, even after 810 other shows.

But I think UWMA might not be great to someone who started watching BL in 2022 or comes to the genre out of Korean BL, for example.

Does problematic content make you lose love for something with time?

Sometimes but not always.

It's all in the nuance, I guess. Mine, what I bring to the show, my willingness to understand its origin and forgive it its sins, but also the show's nuance and its execution of story.

(source)

[charcubed]

Doctor Odyssey finale (aka the Captain vs The Powers That Be)

WELL! My mind is powerful unfortunately.

That simultaneously blatantly looked like what happens when a queer story gets censored but ALSO felt it could be twisted as setup for a future throuple in season 2 if miracles happen, which is both better and worse than I expected (a la Max’s speech).

They packed several bits of ODY3 subtext in the last like 5 minutes of that episode and I will TAKE IT ALL:

Max and Tristan making up as a group wedding happens.

Here's a screencap I took that also captured my sister texting me because she heard me yell "FUCKING FINALLY" through the wall.

Bonus points for the Captain's speech about love.

Despacito (LMFAAAOOO) being a Max/Tristan moment before Avery returns. "It started with a dance on a beach," as we were reminded this episode. But that song and dance was always about all 3 of them.

Not ending it on Maxavery; ending it on the throuple. Despite how that makes Tristan a third wheel in a scene that would feel objectively insane in any other television program about a love triangle lol. But this was never a conventional love triangle despite this supposed "resolution"! It was a poly love story!

And Max said he'd take all the bad again for both of them.

Treasuring the beautiful morsels <3

But! Come for the ODY3 subtext, stay for the other tangentially related subtext in the episode.

It's not a joke anymore (if it ever was): I DO think there is credence to the Captain's story in this finale being about the censorship of the show. It felt intentionally blatant.

"Corporate" "The powers that be" The rest of the team standing in solidarity? Not a boat but a SHIP?

Yeah.

Sequence of events:

Captain Massey, #1 supporter of ODY3 in the show (like its creators/writers), is steering the ship.

Captain is removed from power by corporate and the ship is steered by Monroe to bring Avery to Max.

Maxavery ultimately decide on monogamy. (That hard cut from Max and Avery dancing without Tristan to the Captain looking upset while on the ship? Like holy shit lol.)

Captain is then put back in power in the end via solidarity and protesting from his team.

Only then does ODY3 subtext return.

Crazy work.

I see. I perceive and appreciate. I say "fuck you, ABC network executives." The usual.

But in all seriousness, one of the reasons I'm arguing this is that – if I understood/remember correction (I'm very tired so maybe I'm off with this detail lol) – the Captain was removed from his position for saying they were returning to land to pick everyone up. So corporate punished him for that.

But Munroe made the same call and then did THE SAME DAMN THING with no consequence. It wasn't a plot thing. It was a metaphor!!!

CRAZY. WORK.

I do think they set up potential for a season 2 fairly well, all things considered? Like Max/Avery are obviously doomed without Tristan involved. Framing even conveyed that:

Tristan being in the middle again, getting between Max and Avery just like when they walked down the aisle as a trio (as ODY3 truther Captain is reinstated)… likely thing for them to show.

Avery wearing red as a visual warning while Max/Avery's chairs are close together and Tristan is slightly farther with a different drink… sick and twistedddd. (<- Complimentary)

So like, I'm at the point where I believe this show either doesn't get renewed because they said no ODY3 allowed, or if it DOES get renewed it's because ODY3 is (temporarily) alive as a possibility. The writers left themselves enough threads and subtext to work with, though I'm not sure how they'd get around Avery not being on the boat.

...but Avery going to med school means Max/Tristan would physically be on the ship together as just the two of them for a bit. There's that.

So like. Am I satisfied? No.

Would I say I'm upset? Not on the level I could've been. The writers got to sneak in more crumbs than my low expectations anticipated tbh. I'm mostly just sighing heavily. I also think I'm entitled to financial compensation, and Tristan as a character is entitled to violence, after which I will wrap him up in a blanket to hug him.

Would I say this show has wasted potential if it's been axed via the behind-the-scenes ultimatum of network interference that I suspect? Yeah, obviously. ABC executives, you STUPID BIGOTED BASTARDS.

To recap from last week's post:

There is a non-zero possibility that the execs gave Ryan Murphy an ultimatum about no longer doing polyamory, and since that’s the premise of the show, he is stuck struggling to figure out where the show can go from here. Which is maybe why it’s a decision (but not much of one) that the execs say Ryan Murphy has to make, which positions him as the bad guy who has to take the fallout from fans if he ostensibly ~just decides not to continue the story~ if renewal doesn’t happen.

The way this finale went seems to support that. But who knows! Take it with a grain of salt.

Anyway. I'm chillin. Like I made my peace with this a couple weeks ago at this point because I could see the writing on the wall. This show was still a gift to me. Censorship is just seemingly alive and well in the big year of 2025 (that's not news, though I really appreciate it being written into a plot) but subtext is also alive and well, so! Fuck it.

Throuple slow burn love story boat show I will always adore yoouuu <333

[canonizzyhours]

Congratulations to Canonizzyhours on 500 posts!!!

This blog has done so much to improve the fandom. New people may not remember this, but during the hiatus after season 1 if you were brave enough to say anything remotely critical of Izzy you'd not only get the canyon screaming at you both publicly and in anon asks, but you'd also get a flood of DMs from other people (both anon and not) saying how relieved they were to see someone else saying it because they felt gaslit by the fact that everyone else they ever saw talk about Izzy seemed to be describing an entirely different character from the guy in the show. Now if you want to say something about Izzy you know you can say it here. I want to thank whoever's running this blog, I know it's got to be real work and you probably get regular harassment in the inbox but you really are appreciated, one of the pillars of the fandom.

The milestone had me thinking back about some of my favorite posts here and I realized something: I usually think of this blog as for venting, but a lot of posts here are genuinely insightful meta. It's not even always meta that's hard on Izzy - a lot of it takes a really thoughtful and measured approach to talking about his character. I appreciate that so much, but also it really says a lot about how bad the need for this blog was, that people feel the need to post that stuff here instead of on their own blogs. How much really great meta do you think we lost entirely, before this blog existed, to canyon harassment campaigns? I can think of examples where people posted thoughtful and fairly Izzy-neutral meta essays that they eventually made unrebloggable or deleted entirely because the canyon was so vicious about it.

In closing I'm going to list several of my favorite Canonizzyhours meta posts that I want everyone to read if they haven't already. I don't completely agree with all of these but they all raised really memorable, insightful points that deepened my understanding of the story, and I'm so grateful this blog gave them a place to exist.

12, 26, 46, 54, 88, 89, 99, 104, 124, 128, 144, 152, 205, 254, 264, 271, 277, 363, 393, 394, 404, 406, 408, 413, 421, 436, 440, 441, 442, 465, 467, 490

#505.

ideally i would link all of these posts but i've been sitting on this ask for days and have not found the energy - might be back to do it later. thank you for your kind words anon

[wintersentry]

HIII i love wintersentry. a lot. i have for months so uh. here’s a collection of headcanons of them i’ve made over the past couple months!! (p.s. bear w me i’m new to the whole tumblr thing)

pretty sure a couple people have said this before, but bob is a clothes stealer. 100%. (i’m also obsessed with the idea of him wearing bucky’s red henley. i need to see fanart of this i will explode)

whenever bob has a hard time sleeping and/or wakes up from nightmares, bucky soothes him and his favourite thing to do to distract him from them is to tell him stories, he’ll share dumb stories from when him and steve were kids, and the first time he did it it broke bob out of his trance and sort of confused him a bit when he realised how quickly it took his brain off it. bucky definitely learned the technique from when sam would help him through nightmares. it helps to fill the silence, though

bob was SO awkward when they had their first kiss. he didn’t really know what to say, and he ended up saying something along the lines of “you taste nice” because he didn’t know what else to say. it made bucky laugh for a good 2 minutes, which then embarrassed the hell out of bob, but he definitely comforts him and kisses him some more. just tells him he’s a dork 😭😭 (i also like to think he references this on their wedding day to tease bob)

they are soft. SO INCREDIBLY SOFT. things like sleepy hugs from behind in the mornings, usually when bucky makes breakfast for the rest of the bolts and bob follows him and clings to him. soft kisses on foreheads… couch cuddles while they watch movies, bucky combing through bob’s hair with his hands…

bucky takes note of things bob likes, or if he mentions he wants something he ALWAYS makes sure he gets it for bob. bob could mention one night he wants a specific brand of chocolates, specific flavour, and by the afternoon of the next day there will be a bag of EXACTLY what he wanted bought by bucky.

bucky buys bob flowers. ON EVERY DATE. even sometimes when he makes shopping trips, he might see some really pretty flowers that remind him of bob, and he can’t leave the store without grabbing them for him. because of this habit, they definitely have several vases of flowers spread across their room, but bob will never complain about it.

bucky knows how to dance, bob doesn’t, and he gets embarrassed whenever he tries to. (this does not stop them from dancing to old love songs at 2 in the morning in the light of the refrigerator, never.)

the rest of the bolts found out about bucky and bob’s relationship probably nearly immediately, despite them trying to stay quiet about it, they failed. miserably.

they’re both addicted to instagram shorts. and they send eachother animal videos and cute cat videos. and definitely have spent several hours laying in bed watching them together.

on days when bob doesn’t have the motivation to get out of bed, bucky stays with him. he brings him meals (or gets him takeout if that’s what bob wants) and they watch movies all day together.

whenever they have vacation time, they spend it together and visit different national parks together, they both love exploring nature and hiking together, and they have a scrapbook of their adventures together. bucky always sneaks pictures of bob whenever he gets distracted, because bucky loves capturing bob’s joy.

bucky always finds little trinkets at stores that remind him of bob, so half their bedside table is covered in them.

bucky showing bob how to drive his motorcycle. motorcycle rides in general just to get them both out of the house…

—

very sane about them. SO GLAD PEOPLE ARE FINALLY FINDING THEM AND LOVING THEM !!!! YAAAY

also hi!! this is my first actual post on wintersentry tumblr. nice to meet you all!!! you might recognise me from twitter because that’s where i’m more active (seriously if you search wintersentry on twitter you WILL find me in like 2 seconds 😭) but i wanna try and be more active on here because you are all super cool so… hi!!!! waves!!!

[saythatuwill]

android!vessel ♡ hcs/thoughts . . .

now playing: always, everytime // the wrecks

hello my friends! thanks for bearing with me for the past few days, WE ARE SO FUCKING BACK!!!! isn't it like a little crazy that i began posting about android!vessel literally ONE WEEK before the line "i was your robot companion"? thank u to everyone who msged me like SHERRY!!!!! SHERRYYYYY!!!!!! LOOOOOK /silly

oh and THANK U to @astronoids for helping me come up with one of these!! ^w^ and for their general support of this au, i just felt like they needed the love for it.

if there is anything you're curious about when it comes to android!vess, my asks are always open! these are sorta misc hcs so i'm down to elaborate or share even more.

tags: @concretejunglefm, @fadingangelwisp, @chey-h, @xmads-omensx (if you're on this list SPECIFICALLY for noah content, i'm sorry! i need to sort everything out again!!!)

♡ vessel is a HUGE daydreamer, maybe to the extent of maladaptive daydreaming? 

♡ i like to think that because sleep was constantly messing with androids, changing their parts, adding new features they shouldn't have etc, vessel ended up getting a projection system. android!noah has this too, but while his works correctly, vessel's doesn't.

♡ it was added to be able to project images and videos directly before vessel's eyes and of course, in his "mind". it was used as psychological torture when it came to the cult, but now that vessel is free, it's not used the same way. (unless it glitches, sometimes it flashes unwanted things at him.)

♡ he is a very natural storyteller because of this, he can vividly see ideas and images in his mind, and sometimes he'll pace around the house or in the backyard for hours.

♡ sometimes he can trigger it himself, other times it sorta just happens, like if he hears music or other sounds, or maybe he sees something that just sorta awakens him.

♡ he struggles with snapping out of it on his own at times, but whenever he does he usually tries to write it down, or he starts drawing or painting whatever it is he saw.

♡ speaking of that, vessel is quite the artist and writer! he enjoys visual art, poetry, and writing stories (fiction, usually fantasy-based).

♡ when he first moved into your house he sorta stood around like a statue or followed you around like a lost puppy. you're a busy person! gotta keep him occupied somehow. you don't really need a 6'4 masked android staring you down while you work on your cases. 

♡ one day you came back from work with a bag full of miscellaneous stuff. both from shopping and from some of your friends at work. full of books, sketchpads, paint, notebooks, yarn, couple of sports-related things. threw it into his arms like "you my friend need some fuckin' hobbies."

♡ he didn't do much with it for a while. he has his own bedroom in your house with basic furniture so it was all just kinda on the floor or on his desk.

♡ his bedroom is very much not decorated btw, at least not in the start. you told him he can decorate it, or if he has a vision you'd be down to help him make some of it happen. he looked at you like you were speaking a different language.

♡ he started with trying the sports stuff, generic basketball yknow. he was in the parking lot for like an hour sorta just. bouncing it. throwing it a couple times. holding it awkwardly. was not his thing.

♡ tried the yarn, because y'know, maybe knitting could be his calling. 15 minutes later you check in on him he is somehow tangled in the yarn. 

♡ "how the hell did you manage to do this?"

♡ "... i cannot say for certain."

♡ you had to untangle him, every time he tried to do it himself (because he INSISTED he could get himself out of the predicament) he made it worse

♡ books next, maybe he's into reading! this kickstarted writing for him. he seemed to be very invested in the books you'd gotten, you hardly saw him for DAYS.

♡ by like day 3 you were getting sorta worried about him (you totally did not miss him. no. never.) so you decided to check in. you set up a corkboard for him on his wall in case he wanted to put stuff on it, it is COVERED in papers with ideas and sketches and he is going AT IT. 

♡ whenever he actually finishes something he's working on, he presents it to you like how a kid shares a drawing w their parent. (you think he is so fucking talented)

♡ also, he talks very formally. and he's not very good at understanding expressions. like. shit like "elephant in the room"

♡ "there are no elephants present in this room, (name). an elephant would not be able to fit in this space."

♡ he's gentle giant coded. but if it came down to it... he would absolutely fucking kill for you. he will protect you no questions asked and not just because he is a bodyguard model. you mean a lot to him! scary dog privilege!

♡ vessel, ii, iii, and iv all ended up in different homes after being saved from sleep but they do still hang out! vessel went out of his way to repair all of those friendships from the damage they took during the cult. (vessel blames himself for everything. it is not his fault.)

♡ they like to hang out in your backyard usually, usually they sit in this little circle in the grass and chat. they could talk for hours. or iii, being the bad influence, convinces the rest of them to do some bullshit that leads to you having to sit them down and scold them like children.

♡ he doesn't laugh a whole lot, but when he does it is absolutely infectious. loud, warm, the kind of laugh that could make everyone else in the room laugh with him.

♡ gets nervous when others touch him, especially without permission. PLEASE ASK HIM FIRST or he gets very worked up. he has definitely hit someone on impulse because they touched him unexpectedly.

♡ comes across as a listener, but secretly a yapper. especially if it's about the things he's passionate about.

♡ (will be seen in a later fic) you had to teach him to dance, and ever since, he seems to really like it. you know that cryptid dancing vessel does on stage? yeah, android!vessel does it too. ngl he's pretty fun at parties

♡ come get your freak of an android he's doing things (you set him loose on purpose. he needs enrichment)

♡ oh and before any of you ask. yes, he does pursue music later on! but not initially. this is not directly vessel related but ii was actually the one to pitch the band idea. and for what it's worth, you actually help teach vessel guitar.

[sysmedsaresexist]

do you mayhaps have advice on how to be out as a system to our psychotherapist?

we'd really want her to know

I wrote a post once that I really wanted to link here and I can't find it, I'm going to have to try again

Don't beat around it, I see so many posts that suggest being coy, testing the waters, and then letting the therapist come to the conclusion

Don't do that

I agree to an extent about testing the waters.

If you're concerned about whether your therapist is knowledgeable or a believer, ask them:

DO ASK: Do you have any experience with dissociation and dissociative disorders?

If you're uncomfortable with their response, find a different therapist

Easier said than done, but if you're not comfortable, don't tell them, wait

DO ASK: can you tell me about your experience and thoughts?

Again, if you're uncomfortable, wait

FEEL FREE TO COMPLETELY RE-INTERVIEW YOUR THERAPIST

Do it

DO ASK: What are your thoughts around healing? Do you think fusion is required? What does a road map of treatment look like going forward?

Once you've decided you're comfortable telling this person, just tell them

Your therapist isn't an idiot, they're waiting for you to say it as much as you're waiting for them to say it

The best way to have a clear, concise conversation is to get on the same page

If you're being coy and, "sometimes I feel like different people," Do you know how many things that could be? Do you know how many things that could mean?

Tell them: I am plural, I think I have a CDD, I have DID, I'm questioning, just be straight up

This is terrifying

I know, you've heard so many stories of people being forcefully committed, the horrors of psych wards--

That's not going to happen, especially if you've done your due diligence to find out where your therapist stands

That only happens when you're a clear danger to yourself or others

You're sitting in a therapist's office having a calm conversation

You're safe

And because I know the fear is going to sit in your head, if this DOES happen, stay calm

Stay calm, don't panic, once you're processed (if they even do process you, because why is this calm person being committed) you'll be able to make phone calls, call anyone and everyone, and get a number for a malpractice lawyer

The calmer you are, the more money you're going to get, because obviously you're not supposed to be there

STORY TIME

I was having a bad, bad time with one of my medications, it turned out I was allergic but I wouldn't learn that until weeks after this

I went to the hospital to get an emergency psych consult about coming off my medication immediately (many medications can't be stopped cold turkey)

The doctor that took my file had seen me before and was homophobic, I left his office part way through my session because he refused to call my abuser my "partner", instead continually referring to her as my "friend"

This doctor, without seeing me again, had me sanctioned and involuntarily admitted

STAY CALM

I was not calm

I worked the next morning, I'm a smoker and I was not allowed one last cigarette after finding out 3 hours into my visit that I was no longer allowed to leave the ward I was currently in

I panicked

I will never forget him finally coming to see me, late that night, and me crying, telling him I couldn't be there, I had to work, my job, and him SMIRKING at me and saying,

"Are you sure? Look at you right now."

Don't let them put you in that corner

In the end, this actually didn't affect much of anything, the nurses are usually pretty good at spotting these things

They calmed me down, gave me something to help me sleep, and in the morning, I made all my calls. My partner had called one of my old friends from my legal years, and by lunch, I had a meeting face to face with the same doctor

I explained we had a lawyer, that I was clearly not a danger, and that I needed to leave

And I was walked out of the hospital ten minutes later with new prescriptions and follow-up appointments with other psychiatrists

My file was later faxed to my GP and there was no information on my very brief hospital admittance

My doctor pursued a complaint, but I don't know what happened with it

If your doctor wanted to admit you, you'd already be admitted

You know who DIDN'T have me sanctioned?

My therapist, when I straight up told her I had DID

I promise, it's okay to tell them

***provided you're comfortable with their answers to your questions

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

And the honor continues for two reasons, dear @1990mx5! The first of which is to go over how your assumption is correct... but not in the way you think. I did already know every last bit of the info (in the second post, at least), but where the effort really went on -besides making the writing flow and captivate, but that goes for every post- is the images!

To exemplify, let's look at the ones showcasing 4 v. 5 lugs.

Of course, I could've used any four lug and five lug car, but I wanted the choice to make some sense. At first I considered using the Volkswagen Lupo and the 4th gen Polo that launched partway through its life.

The two were a size apart in the brand's range at the time, and illustrated how five lugs have crept downwards with luxuries and safeties increasing car bulk: the prior Polo (which the Lupo was based on) used four lugs, and further back in time so did even the Golf above it.But then I had another idea - what about the Mighty Boy?

That way, I could bring up another kei-sized 80s Suzuki in the form of the Samurai to illustrate how some offroaders have 5 lugs when you'd expect 4!

But then, as I struggled to come up with a 5 lug vehicle matching the absurd shape of the Mighty Boy, I came up with the NC Miata joke, which amused me to no end (and incidentally somewhat illustrated my earlier point about modernity pushing 5 lugs downmarket).

So I went and searched for a picture of the pair, finding few and far between of just the two (and none where the lugs were even visible on both) - but then I saw a picture of an NC wearing Enkei RPF1s.

These may be the most popular aftermarket rims in the Miata community, so there's plenty of pictures of NAs with them, and they display the lugs pretty well. Plus, this Copper Red is very close to the NA's Merlot Mica - so if I could find a picture of a Merlot NA with the same rims from the same angle, wouldn't that be nice?

So I looked, and I found some close ones, but either with a hardtop on, which I felt clashed, or with a tan top up, which I felt clashed even more. So I turned to more common shades, and black turned out to be the ticket.

These ones' angles aren't a perfect match and the interior colors are different, but I figured this was as close as I would get. So I superimposed the pictures...

scaled the NC's down to match...

...and cropped a section of the common area that made a sensible cut.

And that is the story behind two pictures of that post.

...SIKE! I also made another edit, scroll up to see if you can spot it :)

Also double sike, technically, because the source of that first NC picture also featured a closeup of the rims that somewhat matched one I found in my quest for a matching NA picture, and that's the pair you see later on in the post - of course, superimposed and scaled and cropped and the usual shebang. One of them's even color corrected.

But hold up, you may say. I never explained the second reason for why I mentioned you. And well, that's more of a technical reason.

You see, that was what I was going to do all along with the tri-spokes addition, but then I realized it would've been neater and more sensemaking to just reblog your reblog instead. So I opened the reblog editor under your reblog and painstakingly migrated all the post over to that one.

As I was finishing up the post, I noticed I'd made an error in the first addition (the one that you had reblogged - don't worry, it gets less confusing). So I went and corrected it.

When you reblog a post, you reblog that version of it, so future edits of it won't show up in your reblog, or indeed in others' reblogs of your reblog. This means that your reblog of that addition still features that error (go see if you can find it!). So, to avoid perpetrating it, I opened up a new reblog editor under my addition and painstakingly migrated all the post over again.

Okay, so why didn't I reblog your reblog of that addition (the second one, the one I am reblogging here, sorry did I say less I meant more confusing)?

Well, I was doing it. And then as I was writing this post I noticed I had to edit that addition too. So actually now there are two more edits hidden in that pair of Miata pictures.

Yes that means I had to migrate this post over too.

Ugh.

There's also a very cool story about another picture in the post, but it's almost lunchtime, so-

*looks at clock*

*almost two hours past lunchtime*

What? This was supposed to be a quick, couple-minute post! How did I get sidetracked like that? I swear this never happens.

the car tower has donned its gay apparel.

(see my car tag for other pics of its glory)

[sabrinajenre96]

Worth the wait

Pairing: Tim Bradford x Detective!Reader

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, emotional heartbreak, mention of past addiction, unresolved feelings, mutual pining, fluffy confession, protective German Shepherd, kiss

Word Count: ~2.2k

The bullpen had settled into its usual end-of-day rhythm — chatter tapering off, rookies wrapping up paperwork, and Angela Lopez giving Lucy Chen a look that screamed not again as she animatedly recapped a takedown.

Detective Y/N stood by the whiteboard, pen in hand, finishing notes from a long shift. The cases weren’t anything she couldn’t handle, but her heart wasn’t in it today. Not since she’d overheard that Tim Bradford had taken a personal day.

She knew why.

Isabel.

She wasn’t bitter — at least, she told herself she wasn’t. But the ache that settled into her ribs all day told a different story. Y/N had always known Tim loved hard. And once upon a time, he’d loved Isabel with his whole heart. Maybe he still did.

No matter how many times Angela nudged her toward him, dropped hints, or outright tried to set them up, Y/N shut it down. Because in her heart, she didn’t believe Tim would ever choose someone like her — not over a woman who once had all of him.

So, like always, Y/N smiled, joked, and pretended. Pretended the thought of him starting fresh with Isabel didn’t wreck her.

That evening, she pulled into her driveway, exhausted and numb, craving silence, iced tea, and her usual Thursday-night chicken burrito. Shay, her faithful German shepherd, was probably pacing at the door, ready to cuddle.

What she didn’t expect to see was him — Tim — sitting on her front porch steps.

In his hoodie and jeans, his hands clasped together, his eyes lifting to hers the moment she got out of her car. He looked tired, maybe even a little nervous.

“Hey,” she said, approaching slowly. “Everything okay?”

He stood. “Yeah. I... I just needed to talk to someone. Hope it’s okay.”

She nodded, playing it cool even though her heart was thundering. “Sure. How long’ve you been sitting here?”

“About an hour,” he admitted.

“Come on in.” She unlocked the door and whistled. Shay greeted them both with a happy bark and a tail wag, instantly easing the tension.

They moved to the living room. The air between them was awkward — heavy with unspoken things.

Tim cleared his throat. “I went to see Isabel today.”

Y/N stiffened, smile faltering for half a second before she masked it. “That’s good. She doing okay?”

“She’s doing well,” he said softly. “Really well.”

Y/N nodded. “I’m happy for her. And for you. Maybe now you two can... you know. Have that second chance.”

Each word sliced deeper than the last. She didn’t look at him.

“I didn’t go for a second chance,” he said.

That made her blink. “What?”

“I went for closure. I asked for a divorce.”

Her breath caught. She turned to him, confused. “Why?”

Tim looked at her — really looked. “Because I’ve been in love with someone else for a while now.”

Y/N forced a smile, heart shattering in silence. “Well... I’m happy for you. Whoever she is, she’s lucky. You deserve to be happy, Tim.”

He chuckled — low, almost disbelieving.

She stood up too fast. “You want something to drink? I really need my iced tea before I combust.”

She retreated to the kitchen, needing a distraction. She opened the fridge, grateful for the cool air against her flushed face.

Footsteps followed her.

“Y/N.”

She didn’t turn around.

“Y/N, the woman I asked Isabel for a divorce over... it’s you.”

Time froze. Her fingers gripped the iced tea bottle like a lifeline. She turned slowly, eyes wide.

“What?”

He stepped closer. “You heard me. It’s you. It’s been you. I was just afraid... afraid to say it because I didn’t want to lose you. You’ve always deserved better, and I didn’t think I was better.”

Y/N stared at him, blinking away the tears she didn’t know were forming. And then, without a word, she crossed the space and kissed him — hard, deep, desperate.

Tim kissed her back instantly, hands cradling her face like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held.

When they finally broke apart, breathless, Y/N pressed her forehead to his and whispered, “I love you too.”

Just then, Shay barked from the doorway, tail wagging like he’d just solved a mystery.

They both laughed — Tim pulling her into his arms again.

“Guess he approves,” she murmured against his chest.

Tim smiled. “Told you he was the smart one.”