#because it's time for some light flirting

[rebelssvy]

babeeeeee you have me addicted to your roommates ushi x reader fic 😭 please make more with links 😭😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 maybe a tsukki x reader 👀 okie but also love the size difference kink showing in your fic too 😭😘👌 absolutely delish girl thank you for blessing us

FUCK yes. god YES i can.

cruel ✧.*

tsukishima x reader ₊˚ෆ

★ twt links included!!!!

⋆·˚ ༘ *

summary: you and tsuki are roomates, you go out to a party and he is just mean to you. so when you get home you embarrass him by going through his porn. smut, making out, twt links, squirting dirty talk all, male receiving head

twt links scattered in here. loved making this!!! request more babes.

of course you were overstepping. of course you had had a little to much to drink. but to be honest you were still fully aware of every move you had made tonight. it was all calculated.

you and your roommate tsukishima kei had found yourselfs at a party earlier that night. it was a friendly get together that turned into more of a party the longer it went on. sure you took some shots. but all of that was hours ago.

during the party you had been flirting with some of kei’s teammates. it was nothing bad of course. it was all far play. the music was bumping and the lights were flashing. truly it had turned into a house party. it wasn’t until tsuki had pulled you aside that your mood really flipped.

he could be cruel sometimes. a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, but he was also caring. in this moment all the lines were blurred.

whispering in your ear he spoke the words. “stop putting yourself out there your just going to embarrass yourself..” you gasped, pushed him back and left. like any sane person would. you ordered and uber walking out of the apartment complex and arrived at your shared apartment within minutes.

instead of wallowing in your pain, you created a master plan. one that was going to embarrass him so much that he would have no choice then apologize to you. you were quick to your room, changing into skimpy pjs and lacey under garments.

sure his comment hurt. but it hurt more coming from him. you liked him. after sharing an apartment with him for so long you two would laugh after his snarky comments. hitting him and telling him to treat you better in which he would reply, ‘yes y/n…’. so why did he pull you away tonight and degrade you? did he have a problem with you flirting? maybe..

shortly after you changed the locks to your home unlocked and he walked in. with his timing it seems like right after you left, he said goodbye to everyone and followed you shortly after.

“how did you get home?” he asked, taking off his hoodie and hanging it up. then proceeding to take his belongings out of his pant pockets.

then and there is struck you. your master plan.

you walked over to him, making sure you didn’t rush to fast, but just quick enough to close in on him. “took an uber..” you spoke quietly. almost to a whisper.

“huh? you what? why are you being so quiet..?” he asked tone slightly annoyed. hook, line, sinker. you had riled him up just enough.

“oh i don’t know…” you said now right next to him, back against the counter top. he stood above you. eyes linked with yours. he was obviously looking at all of you. all of you. he tilted his head to the side waiting for you to finish your sentence.

“maybe.. it’s because..” you had to sly about this. reaching behind you in a very smooth motion, you grabbed his phone into your hand. praying he didn’t notice until you had it firmly in your grasp.

“-because you made me feel stupid..!” you said sharp and bluntly pushing him on the chest with your open hand before taking quick strides back to your room. it was too late for him to realize what you had.

you were already at your door when he started “y/n! give me my phone back!” stumbling after you, you shut the door in his face. locking it quickly. he was right on the other side of the door. his knocks turned into pounds. then shortly he gave in.

“what did i do y/n… fuck- please i’m sorry just open the door.” he said pleading to you.

“no tsuki. you embarrassed me. you said i was trying to hard and i was going to embarrass myself. so now… im gonna embarrass you.” you said while a smile on your face. your mission was simple, find somthing so embarrassing that he wanted to cry, give his phone back. and he would apologize. simple.

you knew his password. of course you knew his password, when unlocking his phone he spoke again on the other side of the door. “i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have said that. i didn’t know what i was thinking…” he said softly. it was sincere, but you were going to let this end that quickly.

you searched through his phone, going to his camera roll you looked for embarrassing photos of him in his pre-teens or maybe even as a kid. but the only thing you could find were younger pictures of him and he was adorable. this wasn’t going to work, you needed somthing better.

and there is was, your knight in shining armor. an app with a big white X on it. you knew you could find somthing on twitter right? ever guy had somthing on there… so he should right..?

before opening the app you decided to toy with him. just to make this whole thing more painful for him. “whatcha got on twitter kei? anything you want to tell me before i go through it?” you spoke with a joyful voice.

“god. y/n please don’t oh my god. i’m sorry. just don’t go into that app.” he pleaded more miserable then ever. that was your goal anyways.

“sorry i’m gonna do it anyways!” you laughed. and just like that you clicked into it. it had to be here somewhere… you thought.

like a beacon in the night, the likes tab revealed all. scrolling through countless videos of porn. something inside you shifted. maybe it was the way you heard him whisper “fuckk..” behind the door. or maybe it was that you had a full visual gallery of all his kinks. but you were growing needy, and it was clear to you.

you paused on certain videos, watching them longer than others. like the way this girl took her bfs cock down her throat and the way she was all tied up. it made you think about kei doing that to you. god! what were you thinking!

mindlessly you rubbed your legs together. the sound of him behind the door made your brain go fuzzy. “y/n just stop.. please..” he whispered. you couldn’t stop. you scrolled to the next one.

the next video was of a girl get railed right next to a pc monotor. her hands scrambled over the key board as she took rough back shots. your mind flashed to the set up kei had in his room. your mind flashed to him pounding into your cunt infront of his game. you having to be al’ quiet because the mic is still on. fuck. why were you thinking this. you forced yourself to remember you were still mad at him.

the next one a girl spread her legs in a public bathroom, forced to be quiet as her partner finger fucked her. spitting on her cunt. kei would be good with his fingers, is he seriously into the whole public thing? god seriously what is wrong with you! the need for him to do stuff to you was too much. your lust was replacing every emotion you had in you.

the last one really sent you over the edge. a video of a girl getting pounded, it is only about 30 seconds. and the entire 30 seconds is of her getting fucked through her orgasm. she soaks the camera with her liquid and is moaning through the whole thing. it was too much for you.

opening the door you met face to face with a deranged tsukishima. blushed and flushed his hair was a mess and his eyebrows furrowed with anxiety. there was something else though, the way his eyes were halfly litted and the way he looked down at you were your gaze met his. you needed him. and maybe, just maybe… he needed you too.

“tsuki…” you called his name out, bringing the phone up to his chest before taking it back into your hands and unlocking it. he didn’t say a word the whole time. “i’ve never squirted before…” you admitted before showing him the video. he recognized it. it was one he watched often.

“fuck.. y/n… what do you want. i’m sorry seriously. but… is this just a game to you? to get back at me?” he asked while taking his phone back. through it into his pant pocket.

“no.. it’s just… fuck tsuki-“ you cut yourself off. to afraid to cross that line. your gaze dropped to the ground. but somthing else caught your eye. his cock was prominent in his pants. it was big from the looks of it.

“tell me what you want.” his voice rang iut in the silence. confidence surged through your body. lust was overcoming every other emotion you had. any clear thought was gone.

“i want you to fuck me kei..!” it was music to his ears. before you knew it his body crashed into yours. he grabbed your face and pulled you in for a deep kiss. you moaned into his mouth. your noises made you embarrassed.

“fuck i love that… keep moaning for me please” he begged, almost reading your mind.

your back crashed into the wall next to your door frame. his hands traveled up and down your figure. your lips worked against each other. both of you needing more.

without second thought you broke the kiss and dropped to your knees. you really weren’t one for giving head, but for him…. you would do anything.

“y/n.. you don’t have to..” he said sincerely. you shook your head no, before freeing his cock from his pants and underwear. pulling them all down at once. it was beautiful. on the longer side, with a little girth. his balls were smaller. his tip was a nude pink. and fuck- your mouth drooled.

licking the tip, but a little. he groaned, hands flying to your hair, pulling it out of the way. you then licked all of it. before taking it into your mouth. back and fourth you bobbed your head. saliva slipping out of your mouth.

you gaged once or twice but it was short lived before he was pulling you to your feet and into his arms. lifting you up off the ground he mumbled the words “need more..” before making his way to his room.

gently resting you on the bed he stripped you of your clothing. making fast work of anything you had on, which already wasn’t much. your legs were closed before he pried them open. back flat on his bed, legs spread for him to see. you leaked on to his sheets. your wetness already overwhelming. his mind went silly.

“let me…” he said bringing his hand to your cunt. he sat infront of you on the bed, slightly angled but only to see your sopping pussy at full view. you moaned when he touched your folds. curling your clit your back arched off the bed.

it wasn’t until you lifted your hips into the air that he plunged one of his slender fingers into you. “fuck~ kei-!” you moaned out. your words were his motivation. he finger fucked you with grace. until he added a second one and you were squirming all around the place.

“fuck that too much for you baby?” he toyed. you clenched down on his fingers, enticed by is words. “you like that? you like when i fuck with you huh?” butterflies filled your stomach. he was too much.

“i need… you kei please please gimmie your cock..!” you moaned out, reaching for his length. only to grab his thigh and claw at it. searching for more.

“i’ll give you more baby…” he said while flipping you around. moving both your bodies in harmony while he kissed you with heat. you moaned into his mouth until you two broke for the position change.

it was in no time that he had you all stretched out around his long length. you were al spread for him. him underneath you, your back against his chest. his words rang out in your ears.

“knew you would like this position. been thinking about doing this to you al night. can’t fucking run away from his cock baby…” he fucked his dick into you. you were lacking of control. the only thing you could do was bounce on it.

“fucking been thinking of fuckin you like this for ages. getting to whisper in your ear and play with your clit….” his hand came in contact with your sensitive little bud. you started seeing stars.

“didn’t know you would be such a slut for my dirty words.. huh baby you like that?” he slaped your cunt. your back spasmed and you moaned out. you were going to cum. it was too late to even say anything your overwhelming sensation approaching too fast.

“cum on it.” he spat out. he knew you were gonna cum. and yet he kept fucking you. his long hard cock in and out of your sopping wet pussy. his balls smacking against your skin. his groans behind your ear. fuck.

white liquid rushed out of you. tsukishima quickly rushed to rub harshly into your clit.

“fuck! ah-! kei fuck! ah~ i can’t-! stop!” your words were rushed, staggered and stuttering you grabbed onto his wrist to stop.

finally when no more seemed to come out of you he stopped his motion and set you down. laying you beside him. all your energy you once had was gone.

“see, now you can say you have squirted.” he laughed from beside you.

he was right.

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

yum.

[godlygivenanxiety]

Danny's what some would call a 'pretty' guy: he's got long eyelashes and brown eyes so dark that they look black, he's been blessed with thick black wavy hair that has more good days than bad, clear brown skin and eyebrows that although not full still match his features well enough that his resting bitch face(that he's never aware of doing) didn't make him any less attractive; he's strong, his chest and arms have some muscle to be felt underneath a healthy layer of fat, he's got curve to his waist and heavy thighs, a few love handles and a cute small ass.

In conclusion, yes. Many people find Danny attractive and even handsome, and they assume that he's aware of his looks because how could he not be? Adelaide makes a comment once about how 'her bed had space for a beauty like him' if he ever felt inclined to get some fun and Jacob Seed himself mocks Danny by calling him 'angel eyes'.

The truth's that Danny doesn't see it. From time to time he'll say that he loves his hair or joke about how kissable his lips are and actually mean it but overall he avoids mirrors, because all he sees when he looks at himself are the dark eyebags, the splits on his lips from chewing on them, the scars on his wrists. He's too ashamed of himself, feeling like a burden and a mistake, to see himself in a good light; so he blushes when complimented and flirted with but he takes them as jokes or kindness and the mocking 'for being too pretty' becomes 'you're ugly inside out' which he accepts as truth.

Only a lover would be able to cut through his bullshit, but it would be a never-ending battle against Danny's self deprecating habits.

Do others perceive your OC as physically attractive? How does your OC feel about this?

[namism]

holding your hand

➳ categories: canonverse, gender neutral reader

➳ summary: How Sanji, Nami, Law, Zoro, Kid, Koby, & Sabo secretly hold your hand.

➳ notes: happy 300, and happy valentine's! 🧡

Sanji

Sanji isn't ashamed of showing affection publicly, so he holds your hand most of the time.

However, he does so in such a way that he considers pretty mild.

Some of the Straw Hats believe otherwise, though.

Notably, Zoro calls his affectionate hand-holding initiatives "shameless" and insults him for his disgraceful public display of affection.

But Sanji can only chuckle to himself as he continues with his gestures—Zoro doesn't know what he's talking about.

This is pretty mild, and it's not at all shameless.

Just how would the swordsman react when he sees how much more physical Sanji gets in private?

Sanji is a sucker for you. He loves getting physically touchy once you show that you're comfortable with it.

Holding your hand is just another way that he shows his affection; he usually shows it through light feathery kisses on the back of your hands and lips, but in public, the safest option is hand-holding.

When you're around people, your fingers are loosely intertwined with his.

When you're alone together, Sanji massages and plays with your fingers gently and intimately. Sensually.

Even then, it doesn't bother you because he seems to be genuinely enjoying himself.

He runs his fingertips across your skin, feeling its texture and seemingly memorizing the way your fingers curve.

He admires your nails as his brain gradually shuts off after a long day of working at the ship.

Sanji doesn't care what you're doing as long as he gets to play with your hands. You can be reading a book or dozing off calmly, and he would continue with his movements.

Some days when he's extremely tired, he falls asleep holding your hand loosely and it makes you feel warm inside. On those occasions, you cuddle up beside him and drift off to sleep as well.

Nami

Nami is secure woman.

That said, hand-holding is just another lovely gesture that you have both grown accustomed to in your relationship.

It's a normal occurrence that doesn't strike any embarrassment or shame.

In all honesty, it's not her favorite romantic gesture, but it's an action socially acceptable enough when you're in public.

Even then, you don't hold hands 24/7.

But it does come in handy when someone attempts to flirt with her.

Yes, Nami can handle herself just fine against creepy people, but sometimes you just have to step in and do something, you know?

One time at a bar with some of the Straw Hats, a guy approached her and started using lame pick-up lines to win her heart.

Nami seems disinterested as usual, but you're head is burning with rage from the other end of the room.

You walk up to them briskly, and you immediately lock your hands with hers.

The dude doesn't get the hint, though. "Siblings?" he asks.

Nami clenches her hands with yours. Her eyes narrow, the hues in them darkening.

Yeah, this guy is stupid.

"Lovers, actually," she corrects.

And just like that, he's gone.

It's a great tactic, one that's funny, effective, and certainly something you would repeatedly do to keep people away from flirting with your girlfriend.

Law

Law is too shy to initiate romantic gestures in front of his friends. Ironically, he's more comfortable with being spotted by strangers in public than his friends or crew.

(It might be because he's always one tease away from ending up a pathetic blushing mess... compared to Penguin and Shachi, at least strangers know how to mind their business.)

Anyway, you don't understand his odd preferences, but you don't question it as long as he displays physical affection. The gestures aren't extreme; they're rather tame, but even the tamest of gestures in anyone's eyes is already the boldest of them in Law's mind.

He holds your hand when he's certain that nobody is around in the Polar Tang, or when the public space is clear of his eavesdropping crewmates.

His tattooed hand holds yours in a loose grip as the other rests on the sheath of his Kikoku over his shoulder, a sign of his relaxed demeanor as you walk side by side.

Law would tighten his grip when you drag him around or when he senses danger nearby.

One time, you were walking around Sabaody Archipelago when crowds of concertgoers swarmed the area and caused a bustling commotion at the grove.

Law's first instinct was to clench his hands with yours and pull you closer to him as strangers among strangers bumped into you after failed attempts to control their budding excitement.

Times like those call for Law's protectiveness, and whenever it happens, he tends to keep you close to him in fear of losing you in the crowd.

It almost happened before when a rival pirate crew raided an island the Heart Pirates were on, and Law was genuinely frightened.

From that day onward, he vowed to always hold your hand in some way.

Zoro

Zoro doesn't do hand-holding.

However, he does it in some way.

For one, if you have to dismount the ship or you're descending from a flight of stairs that can mess with your balance, he would, of course, offer his hand to help.

For two, if you get scared to walk alone at night or at a sketchy island with obstacles that can endanger your life, he would let you hold his hand.

You generally get a pass because it's you. If it were anyone else, he would feel uncomfortable.

When he sees Sanji swooning over a girl, his hands caressing her fingers as she laughs, Zoro notices how much she likes his touches.

The sight made Zoro snort. Frankly, Sanji looks stupid.

However, it gave him an idea to try it with you just once.

Just once.

He doesn't know how to initiate it because he never does these things.

When you want to be physically intimate, you do it through other means.

So as expected, Zoro executes it awkwardly, not until you show a reaction that has your whole face lighting up.

It's a normal day at the Thousand Sunny, with everyone on the crew busying themselves with personal work.

Zoro's resting at the upper deck by Nami's tangerine trees when you sit yourself beside him and lean your head on his shoulder to rest with him.

Zoro takes that opportunity to place his hand on top of yours, which shakes the sleepiness away from your senses and instead brings you energy.

He instantly feels warm inside seeing how happy you look, but he promises to never tell you that.

Kid

Oh, Kid loves to hold your hand, alright.

He realized recently how much better it is to hold you rather than to use his powers in magnetizing whatever metallic garment you're wearing so he could pull you next to him.

He holds your wrist with his metal hand, the size difference driving you insane.

But most of the time, he holds you with his human hand, which is still evidently larger than yours.

It's a sweet act in some way—the hand that represents his humanity is what he uses to hold you.

Anyway, he often drags you around the ship or island while holding your wrist tightly.

Sometimes, you initiate the hand-holding and make a poor attempt to lace your fingers with his.

It's a bit difficult to do since his fingers alone are so much larger than yours, but Kid silently enjoys it.

He likes to see you try, and it's a nice break from the usual way he holds you.

More often than not, he gets made fun of by Killer and his crew for acting so soft around you.

You don't take offense to it because they have made it clear that they were only making fun of their captain, the one who usually puts up a dominant exterior.

Kid wants to punch them for teasing him so badly, but their teasing doesn't stop him from holding hands with you.

Because deep inside, he knows that they don't mean any harm.

Koby

Shy Koby. You can only imagine the amount of time it took him to progress from minimal skinship to holding your hand for extended amounts of time.

Hint: it took him a couple of months.

Part of which is attributed to his shyness, but he also had to make sure that you were okay with it.

The first time it happened drove him insane, to say the least. Although it lasted shortly, feeling your hot skin on his sent a different type of surge through his body.

Sure, Helmeppo hugged him often, and Garp punched him when he misbehaved, but those were different.

Way different.

He wasn't used to it, but it didn't help that he had a crush on you, on top of the circumstance when it happened.

The both of you were cleaning up after Garp's mess at his office, arranging the upturned furniture and binders upon binders of confidential Marine documents.

Koby didn't realize just how close you were to each other when he bent down to help you. At that time, he was focused on cleaning up the office before Garp got back.

Suddenly, you both reached for the same fallen document on the floor, your skin coming into contact.

Your hands froze. Silence came. After a few seconds, you decided to calmly pull away and let Koby do the job, pretending to ignore what just happened.

Koby had to take a deep breath for himself after that encounter.

It escalated soon enough when you began to notice his reactions to your touches. To say that he enjoyed them was an understatement.

As time passed, it was without question when you began to make your interactions more intentional, passing the barrier of accidental physicality and achieving a level of comfort that didn't exist months before.

Eventually, Koby warmed up to the physical contact and could now maintain skinship without mentally malfunctioning every 30 seconds.

Currently, he loves to hold your pinky finger because he thinks it's a cute gesture without being too loudly affectionate, but there are times when he does just hold your hand with fingers intertwined.

At the end of the day, no matter the way he holds your hand, you're just glad that he gets to do so without no longer feeling awkward.

Sabo

When Sabo develops a crush on you, his way to your heart is to make his presence physically known all the damn time.

He initially expresses his interest through his words, but he soon realizes that verbal flirtation isn't enough to express just how much he's into you, so he decides to become intentionally obvious... through physical intimacy.

It's subtle when he does it, but he deems himself a master because it works every single time.

Sabo makes it a goal to stand beside you at any given moment, even moving closer when he realizes that you're comfortable with having him be that close.

It becomes a mutual understanding over time that there is something romantic in your coupled actions, so when he gets the opportunity to initiate skin-to-skin contact, he seizes it before he loses the chance.

He specifically loves to hold your hand because it's a subtle gesture good enough to make your heart flutter.

He does it often when people are around because he wants everyone to see, but doesn't want to at the same time.

(He thinks it's like a game. Also, he enjoys the thrill.)

One thing he does a lot that testifies to that thought is to gently place his hand on top of yours under the dinner table.

Everyone would be eating their meals and involving themselves in conversation, yet you have your hand under Sabo's in a secret act of flirtation.

Sometimes, he would look at you knowingly and start playing with your fingers, causing you to reciprocate and give him your full attention.

Over time, it becomes your favorite way of holding hands with him (not that you do it a lot to begin with)—suddenly, the thrill of people finding out excites you.

...until you were eventually caught by none other than Jiron during dinner.

The little geezer dropped his fork on the ground, so when he bent forward to pick it up, he saw Sabo's hand on top of yours under the table.

He ended up making a commotion over it, and just like that, your little secret was out.

It didn't stop you and him from holding hands, though. If anything, it fueled your physical intimacy even more.

[rizzmura]

under your skin; the first impression

enemy!niki x fem!reader

warnings: strong language, mild sexual tension, suggestive themes, enemies-to-lovers dynamic, light teasing/flirting, angst, heated banter, emotionally charged moments

w.c.: 2.5k

chapter one synopsis: niki walks into your life like he owns the place. he’s cocky, self-assured, and somehow always knows how to push your buttons. what starts as harmless teasing soon escalates into a rivalry that neither of you can escape. but there’s a thin line between hate and something else you’re trying hard not to acknowledge.

you had heard about him before you met him. everyone had something to say about nishimura niki, and none of it was particularly glowing to you. he was the kind of guy that had a reputation for being difficult, cocky, and loud. he had this charm, a swagger about him that you couldn’t ignore. his confidence radiated from every word, every action. and if you were being honest, it annoyed you. everyone had their limits, and niki seemed determined to find yours.

before he even stepped into the lecture hall, you had already made up your mind: you were going to keep your distance. college wasn’t supposed to be about dealing with someone like him. it was supposed to be a place to focus on your future, to get your degree, and leave. you weren’t here for any distractions.

but of course, niki didn’t seem to understand the concept of “quiet.”

he burst into the lecture hall like a hurricane, his loud voice announcing his entrance before his body even fully filled the doorway. he was talking to a friend, animated and expressive, as usual. his presence immediately drew attention, and you could feel the collective sigh of the room when he took the seat right next to you, without even a glance in your direction.

you tried to ignore him, but it was impossible. everything about him was distracting. his too-loud laugh, his exaggerated gestures, the way his energy seemed to fill every inch of space in the room. you could almost feel the way his presence pushed against your own, like an electric current you couldn’t escape.

niki seemed to have no concept of personal space. or maybe he just didn’t care.

“hey,” he said casually, looking at the papers in front of you. “you look like you’re actually paying attention. i should’ve sat next to you.”

you shot him a quick, disinterested glance, silently wishing he’d just leave you alone. “great,” you replied flatly, focusing your gaze on your notes, trying to ignore the way his eyes followed you as if he was trying to figure out who you were, like it was some kind of game to him.

he wasn’t deterred. of course, he wasn’t. “you know, i heard this lecture is a waste of time. i only came because the syllabus said there’s a quiz later this week.”

you couldn’t stop yourself from rolling your eyes. “how convenient for you,” you muttered, still not looking at him, but you could already feel a little tickle of irritation creeping up your spine.

niki grinned, completely unfazed by your flat response. “i take it you’re not a fan of this place, huh? you’re a bit too serious for college.” his tone was playful, but there was an edge to it, a hint that maybe he wasn’t entirely joking. or maybe he was, and you were just reading too much into it.

you glanced at him, your annoyance rising. “i’m here for the degree. not here to entertain you.”

he raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by your sharp response. “oh, come on, you’re no fun. you gotta lighten up sometimes, y’know? college is all about enjoying the ride.”

you frowned, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “well, maybe i like my ride with fewer distractions. ever think about that?”

his smile only widened, clearly enjoying this little back-and-forth. “you know, i like a challenge.”

you didn’t know why, but you felt your temper rising. maybe it was the fact that he seemed so effortlessly charming. maybe it was the fact that he didn’t seem to care at all about your attempts to ignore him. either way, you couldn’t stop the sharp edge in your voice when you snapped back.

“well, good for you,” you gritted out. “i don’t need your advice.”

niki’s eyes lit up as if he’d won some small victory. “oh, come on,” he said with a mock pout. “i’m just trying to be helpful.”

“keep your ‘helpfulness’ to yourself,” you snapped, doing your best to ignore the rapid beat of your heart. “i don’t need your advice.”

but he was relentless, and you could feel his presence grow closer. he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping low as though it were a secret only meant for you.

“wow. that’s intense. i didn’t realize you hated me so much.”

“i don’t hate you,” you gritted out, your tone tight with restrained frustration. “i just wish you would leave me alone.”

niki leaned forward, his eyes glinting with amusement. “if i left you alone, how would i have any fun?”

you stared at him, incredulous. “seriously? you think this is fun?”

he shrugged, his carefree attitude only serving to irritate you further. “maybe for me. definitely for you.”

you clenched your jaw, already regretting the decision to sit next to him. this wasn’t the first time you’d encountered someone like him—people who thought they could talk circles around you just to get under your skin—but niki seemed to have a particular talent for it. and what bothered you the most was that, despite how much you hated it, you couldn’t stop thinking about him.

as the lecture droned on, niki kept up his quiet commentary. at first, it was just casual comments—little jokes that no one but you could hear, the occasional nudge of his elbow against yours. you tried to stay focused, but every time your mind started to wander, niki was there, right next to you, almost like he was baiting you into conversation. it was as though he knew exactly how to push your buttons. how to make you uncomfortable.

you weren’t sure how to handle him. on one hand, you resented the way he seemed to have this easy, effortless charm that made people laugh and draw attention. on the other hand, there was something strangely magnetic about him. something that made you feel like you wanted to get to know him. despite yourself, you couldn’t seem to shake the pull. it frustrated you, made you angry, and left you feeling confused.

by the time the lecture was over, you were beyond frustrated. you had never been more relieved to hear the bell ring. gathering your things in a hurry, you stood up, ready to get out of the room and away from niki. he didn’t even seem to notice the way you were practically rushing to leave.

but as you turned to walk out of the lecture hall, you felt a sudden tap on your shoulder. you spun around, fully prepared to tell him off again, to let him know that you weren’t interested in whatever game he was playing.

“hey,” niki said with a grin, standing in front of you with an annoying cockiness that made your blood boil. “don’t be mad, okay? i was just messing with you. no need to look so pissed.”

you tried to push past him, but he stepped in your way. “seriously, you’re not even going to talk to me after what i said? i thought we were bonding.”

you stared at him, incredulous. “bonding? no, we were arguing. and i don’t plan on bonding with you anytime soon.”

niki just laughed, a sound that only grated on your nerves further. “that’s a shame. i think we could make a pretty good team if you didn’t hate me so much.”

you just shook your head and walked away, trying to ignore the sudden flicker of something in your chest. it wasn’t attraction, you told yourself. it was just... irritation. the guy was infuriating, but you couldn’t deny that you couldn’t stop thinking about him.

you sat alone in the cafeteria, poking at your food with a fork, lost in thought. niki's words echoed in your mind, his smirk haunting your every thought. you hated how easily he got under your skin. you hated even more that you couldn't seem to shake the way he made you feel.

as you sat there, lost in your frustration, niki appeared once again. he slid into the seat across from you, his presence immediately overwhelming. you looked up, ready to snap at him, but the words died in your throat when you saw the look in his eyes. this time, his expression was different, still cocky but with an edge of curiosity.

"so, what's your deal?" he asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.

you blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in his demeanor. "my deal?"

"yeah," he said, tilting his head slightly. "you seem like you've got it all figured out. what's your story?"

you hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "i'm just here to study. get my degree and move on."

niki raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with your answer. "come on, there's gotta be more to it than that."

you sighed, feeling the weight of his gaze. "fine. i'm here to get my degree and hopefully land a good job. that's it. nothing more, nothing less."

he nodded, seeming to consider your words. "fair enough. but you know, college isn't just about the degree. it's about the experiences, the people you meet, the things you learn outside of the classroom."

you couldn't help but roll your eyes at his clichéd response. "thanks for the lecture, but i've heard it all before."

he smirked, clearly enjoying your sarcasm. "just thought i'd give you my two cents."

you shook your head, a small smile tugging at your lips despite yourself. "you're something else, niki."

he leaned back, crossing his arms with a satisfied grin. "oh, by the way, i'm having a party at my place tonight. you should come."

you blinked, caught off guard by the sudden invitation. "a party?"

"yeah," he said, nonchalantly. "it's going to be fun. a good way to take a break from all the studying."

you hesitated, your mind racing. the last thing you wanted was to spend more time with niki, especially in a social setting where he would undoubtedly be the center of attention. but something in his gaze made it hard to refuse. "i don't know…"

"come on," he urged, leaning forward again. "it'll be fun. besides, you need to lighten up, remember?"

you couldn't help but roll your eyes at his persistence. "i'll think about it."

"that's all i ask," he said with a wink, standing up from the table. "party starts at eight. don't be late."

with that, he turned and walked away, leaving you sitting there, your thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. why had you even considered going to his party? you had no reason to. yet, a small part of you was curious. what was it about niki that made it so hard to stay away?

as the day went on, you found it increasingly difficult to focus on your studies. niki's invitation lingered in your mind, a constant distraction. you couldn't deny that there was a part of you that wanted to go, to see what he was like outside of the lecture hall. but another part of you was wary, hesitant to let your guard down around him.

by the time the evening rolled around, you still hadn't made up your mind. you stood in front of your mirror, staring at your reflection, trying to decide what to do. finally, with a frustrated sigh, you grabbed your jacket and headed out the door. maybe it was a mistake, but there was only one way to find out.

when you arrived at niki's house, you could hear the music thumping from the street. the party was already in full swing, people milling about in the front yard, laughing and talking. you took a deep breath, steeling yourself, and walked up to the door.

niki was there to greet you, a wide grin spreading across his face when he saw you. "you made it!"

you nodded, feeling a bit out of place. "yeah, i did."

"come on in," he said, gesturing for you to follow him. "let me introduce you to some people."

you followed him into the house, the noise and energy of the party washing over you. niki led you through the crowd, introducing you to his friends, making sure you felt included. despite your initial reservations, you found yourself relaxing, enjoying the atmosphere.

as the night went on, you noticed that you were the center of attention for many of the guys at the party. they approached you, striking up conversations, complimenting you, and vying for your attention. you couldn't help but feel a bit flattered, even as you tried to keep your focus on the casual conversations.

niki, meanwhile, seemed to be watching you from a distance. though he continued to laugh and joke with his friends, you couldn't help but notice the way his eyes flickered in your direction, observing every interaction you had with the other guys. his expression remained unchanged, but there was an intensity in his gaze that you couldn't quite decipher.

at one point, you found yourself talking to a guy named taeyong. he was charming and funny, and you enjoyed his company. you laughed at one of his jokes, and he took the opportunity to move a little closer, his hand lightly brushing against your arm. out of the corner of your eye, you saw niki stiffen, his jaw clenching ever so slightly.

you glanced over at niki, catching his eye. for a brief moment, you thought you saw a flicker of something—jealousy, perhaps? but just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by his usual cocky smile. he raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "enjoying yourself?"

you turned your attention back to taeyong, but you couldn't shake the feeling that niki's eyes were still on you. as the night went on, you noticed other guys approaching you, each one trying to win your attention. niki continued to watch from a distance, his presence a constant reminder that he was never far away.

eventually, you excused yourself from the group and stepped outside for some fresh air. the cool breeze was a welcome relief from the heat and noise of the party. you leaned against the porch railing, taking a moment to collect your thoughts.

"you seem to be quite the hit tonight," a familiar voice said, breaking the silence. you turned to see niki standing there, his eyes fixed on you.

you shrugged, trying to play it cool. "just making new friends."

"looks like you made a lot of them," he said, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of something more.

you couldn't help but smile at his comment. "jealous?"

niki laughed, a genuine sound that made your heart skip a beat. "me? jealous? please."

"good," you said, meeting his gaze. "because there's no reason to be."

he stepped closer, the distance between you shrinking. "maybe not. but it's hard not to notice when every guy in the room wants to talk to you."

"maybe they're just being friendly," you replied, trying to keep your voice steady.

"maybe," he said, his eyes locked onto yours. "but i can't help but think it's more than that."

the air between you was charged with tension, the unspoken words hanging in the balance. you wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but the intensity of his gaze left you speechless.

after a moment, niki reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from your face. the simple touch sent a shiver down your spine, and you couldn't help but lean into his hand, craving more of the contact.

"i'm glad you came tonight," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"me too," you replied, your voice just as quiet.

as you stood there, lost in the moment, you couldn't help but wonder what the future held for you and niki. he was still as infuriating as ever, but there was something about him that made it impossible to stay away. you didn't know what would happen next, but one thing was certain: your life had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

the weeks after the party felt like a strange blur. there was a shift in the way you saw niki, but it wasn’t one you had the luxury of making sense of. every encounter with him only made it more complicated. you hated how much he occupied your thoughts, how he made you feel things you weren't prepared to feel. but the tension between you was undeniable, a pressure that lingered like a storm waiting to burst.

it wasn’t long before you saw him again, this time outside of class. you were walking across campus, lost in your own world, when you saw him—niki, leaning against a tree, arms crossed, looking entirely too comfortable in a way that made your blood boil. you didn’t want to deal with him, not today, not after everything that had happened at the party. the memory of his smirk, his casual disregard for your boundaries, had lingered longer than you cared to admit.

but niki was impossible to ignore. he spotted you immediately, and his trademark grin spread across his face.

“hey, there you are,” he called out, voice loud enough to make a few passersby glance in your direction. he pushed off the tree and walked toward you, his confident swagger somehow grating on your nerves.

you stopped in your tracks, your heart beating a little faster, a mix of irritation and something else you weren’t ready to acknowledge. “what do you want, niki?”

“just wanted to talk,” he said with a casual shrug, but there was something in his eyes—a glint of mischief, maybe even challenge. “you know, we didn’t get to finish our conversation last time.”

your stomach dropped, remembering how that last conversation had gone. the anger, the frustration, the way you’d tried so hard to ignore him because of what you were feeling. it hadn't worked. it still didn’t.

“there’s nothing left to say,” you snapped, taking a step back, trying to keep your distance.

he stopped in front of you, not backing down. “really? feels like there’s plenty to say.” his voice was still playful, but there was an edge to it now, like he was daring you to say something. to do something.

you clenched your fists at your sides, the urge to snap at him overwhelming. “you think this is all some kind of joke, don’t you?”

niki’s expression shifted slightly, his grin faltering for just a second. “i don’t think it’s a joke. but you sure act like you think i’m some kind of joke.”

the words stung more than they should have. you opened your mouth to respond, but before you could, he continued.

“you think i’m just some cocky guy who doesn't take anything seriously,” he said, voice low now, more intense than before. “maybe you're right. but you’re not exactly making this easy, are you?”

your chest tightened, and a sharp retort slipped from your lips before you could stop it. “maybe i wouldn’t be so ‘difficult’ if you’d just stop messing with me. if you’d just leave me alone for once.”

niki’s eyes flickered, just for a moment, with something—hurt? disappointment? you weren’t sure, but it made your breath catch in your throat. you couldn’t afford to feel bad for him. not now. not after everything.

he took a step closer, narrowing the space between you. “you think i enjoy this? the back-and-forth? the constant tension between us?” his voice was quieter now, almost hushed. “you think i want this?”

“i don’t know what you want, niki,” you retorted, your voice cracking with the rawness of the frustration you’d been holding in for weeks. “you don’t make any sense. one minute you’re annoying the hell out of me, and the next, you’re acting like you actually care. it’s impossible to figure you out!”

his face hardened, his eyes darkening. “and maybe it’s impossible for you to admit that you care too.”

the words hit you like a slap, leaving you breathless. you wanted to argue, to say something that would push him away, but the truth lingered in the space between you. you did care, in some twisted way, and that terrified you.

“i don’t care about you,” you snapped, more forcefully than you intended. “i don’t want you in my life. all you do is make everything harder.”

niki’s jaw clenched, his expression tightening. “is that what you really think of me?” he took another step forward, invading your space, the air between you crackling with tension. “that i’m just a problem for you? that i’m just some guy you can push away whenever it suits you?”

you opened your mouth to respond, but the words got stuck in your throat. he was too close. his presence was overwhelming, suffocating even. and there was something in his eyes, something that made you question everything you thought you knew about him.

“i don’t know what you want from me,” you finally said, your voice shaking with the effort to keep it steady. “you don’t make any sense, niki. you think this is some game, but it’s not.”

“fine?” niki laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. it was bitter, frustrated. “you think i’m the one treating you like shit? you think i’m the one making this miserable?”

you stepped back, your mind reeling from the realization that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way you did—caught in this endless cycle of misunderstanding, of playing games neither of you were willing to admit.

“i don’t know what you want from me,” you repeated, feeling your emotions slip out of control. “i just want to be left alone.”

there was a long, painful silence. then niki’s voice broke through the tension, rough and raw. “i want you to stop pretending like you don’t care. i want you to stop pretending that i’m the problem when you’re just as much a part of this mess as i am.”

his words were like a punch to the gut, and you couldn’t stop the way your chest tightened, your heart racing as everything you’d been trying to suppress came bubbling to the surface.

“i don’t need you, niki,” you choked out, every word feeling like it was ripping itself from you. “i don’t need this. i don’t need you messing with my life, making everything harder than it needs to be.”

“you think i’m the one messing with your life?” his voice rose, a mixture of anger and hurt in his words. “you think i’m the one making this hard? i’m not the one pushing you away every time you start feeling something.”

your eyes burned, the anger and hurt so strong that it made you dizzy. “i’m pushing you away because you don’t respect me. you don’t respect my boundaries, niki. you think this is some game, but it’s not.”

the words were out before you could stop them. and as they hung in the air, something in niki seemed to snap. his eyes darkened, his mouth tightening into a thin line.

“i’m not some game to you?” his voice was barely above a whisper, but it was filled with a fury you hadn’t expected. “well, i’m not some toy for you to just push around either.”

the fight had exploded, raw and brutal, and neither of you could stop it. the emotions were too strong, too tangled, and now you were both caught in a moment where there was no turning back.

《》

tag list (if your name is crossed that means i cant find your blog)

@ramenoil @strawberrynull @si3rren @rikidaze @yangjungwonnie @hehabi @ijustreallylike2read

[aventurineswife]

Hi! This request is based on something personal that I do, so I was wondering if you could do it (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)

It's about how readers are cold people (regarding temperature) they're always cold no matter where they are, then one day they hug the character (Aventurine, Sampo, Caelus and finally Childe), instead of it being a nice hug as it should be, the reader puts his hands under the character's shirt and it's worth mentioning that the reader has a low temperature therefore his hands are terribly cold. The reader did that just to annoy the character, also because he likes the character's warmth. It's something I do with my friends to annoy them ♪⁠～⁠(⁠´⁠ε⁠｀⁠ ⁠)

-💤🩵 anon

“The cold never bothered me anyway”

Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Sampo x Reader, Childe x Reader, Caelus x Reader, Flirting, Playful Teasing, Cold/Heat Contrast, Romantic Tension, Physical Touch (Hugging, Hands slipping under clothes), Vulnerability, Mutual attraction.

Warnings: Mild suggestiveness, Light discomfort (due to cold touch), Emotional vulnerability, Potential tension.

A/N: I'm not saying you're obsessed with Childe... But you're obsessed with him. I should probably run to hide my warmth 🏃‍♀️, don't know I'm still warm while wearing a tshirt and shorts in literal winter...🧍‍♀️

Aventurine leaned against the balcony railing, his ever-present smile in place, his golden rings catching the light from the stars above. Life was a game, and he always played to win—until now. You, however, were a challenge he hadn't quite figured out. Every time you entered the room, he could feel the chill in the air, the coldness seeping from your very presence, making him both curious and wary.

"Careful now, my dear," Aventurine said, his tone teasing, his eyes glinting beneath the soft light. "You're starting to freeze the very air around you."

You grinned, taking it in stride. "Maybe it's just you who's too warm."

With a sly smirk, you approached him. Before he could react, you wrapped your arms around him in a quick, almost too casual embrace. Aventurine’s laughter bubbled up at first, amused by your spontaneous affection. But then, the chill from your hands, as they slipped under his shirt and brushed against his warm skin, sent a shiver down his spine.

"You," Aventurine hissed, pulling back just enough to look at you with narrowed eyes, a mixture of annoyance and something deeper flickering behind his gaze. "Do you ever stop? I’m quite certain your hands could freeze the very life from me if you tried."

You only laughed, keeping your hands there, enjoying the sudden jolt of warmth his body gave you as he shifted uncomfortably. His usual suave charm seemed to falter for a brief moment, a rare glimpse of vulnerability.

"You’ve got all this warmth, Aventurine," you murmured playfully. "I think it’s only fair I take some."

Aventurine’s smile returned, but there was an edge to it. "You’re playing a dangerous game. Don’t think I haven’t noticed, dear. But, I must admit," he said, moving slightly closer, "it's rather... fun."

His words were calculated, but the warmth in his eyes was unmistakable.

Sampo paced around the bustling market square, always scanning for opportunities, always searching for his next big score. Yet, whenever you were around, he found himself distracted, his usual confidence slipping into something more unsure. There was something about your icy presence that gnawed at him.

"Hey, hey, don't give me that cold shoulder!" Sampo called out with a grin, catching you just as you passed by.

You simply smirked, the chill in your step unmistakable as you approached him with a twinkle in your eye. "What’s the matter, Sampo? You don’t seem as warm as usual."

Sampo raised an eyebrow. "What’s that supposed to mean?" he asked, but before he could retreat, you suddenly wrapped your arms around him in a hug. He grunted in surprise, but it was the sudden coldness from your hands slipping under his jacket that made his eyes widen.

"Sampo," you whispered mischievously, your fingers grazing his skin. "You're always so warm. Thought I'd help you cool off."

Sampo froze for a moment, his usual smooth talk faltering as your icy touch made him shiver. "O-Okay, that’s it!" he sputtered, trying to squirm free, but your hold was unyielding. "You better be paying me for this kind of service!"

You just leaned in closer, savoring the way his body stiffened in discomfort. "You’re always talking about warmth, but now you get to feel it from me."

"You’re lucky I’m not charging you double for this, you little...!" Sampo snapped, though the playful irritation in his voice was more endearing than anything. He couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "Aha, I guess I’ll have to get you back, huh?"

The Astral Express was always a whirlwind of motion, a place where time and space seemed to bend. But even among the stars, there was something about you that made Caelus uneasy. His curious eyes often lingered on you, and while he could never pinpoint it, there was an undeniable tension in the air between you two.

"Everything okay?" Caelus asked, walking up to you with a soft smile, his eyes always so calm.

You shrugged, your cold aura wrapping around him even as you stood by his side. "Everything’s fine," you said. "Just a bit cold, that’s all."

His eyes softened at the admission. He had always been sensitive to the feelings of others, and he could tell that you weren’t just referring to the temperature.

Without warning, you wrapped your arms around him, and Caelus tensed. It was warm, almost like a protective instinct, until he felt the sudden chill of your hands pressing against his skin, slipping beneath his jacket.

"Wait—!" Caelus began to protest, but the icy sensation sent a sharp shiver through him, his breath catching for a second.

You grinned into his ear. "Just wanted to see if you were as warm as you seem."

Caelus’s face flushed, his composure slipping as the coldness spread through his chest. "That's... that's not what I meant..." His voice trailed off, and his arms instinctively pulled away from you, trying to escape the discomfort of your touch, but there was a subtle warmth in his reaction too, an appreciation for the closeness.

You couldn’t help but laugh. "Relax, Caelus. Just a little cold comfort. Besides, you’re so warm I could get used to it."

He blinked at you, unable to hide his smile, despite the discomfort. "You... really are something else," he muttered, though a soft glow of affection began to flicker in his eyes.

[Header credits]

Childe was known for his toughness, his unshakable resolve in the face of any challenge. But when you entered his presence, it was as if a strange vulnerability crept into his heart. The way you held yourself, so cold yet so determined—it made him curious, though he’d never admit it.

"What’s the deal with you, huh?" Childe grinned, leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "You always give off this frosty vibe."

You smirked back, walking closer to him with a casual air. "Maybe I just like your warmth, Childe."

Before he could respond, you wrapped your arms around him, the sudden hug catching him off guard. He was ready to laugh it off, but then, the icy shock of your hands sliding beneath his shirt made him stiffen, his breath hitching in surprise.

"Hey!" Childe exclaimed, quickly pulling back. "What the hell was that?"

You grinned widely, savoring the way he recoiled. "Just wanted to see if you could handle a little cold," you teased, your hands lingering for just a moment longer.

He shivered, but not from the cold. There was a heat to the way his body responded to you, despite the discomfort. "You think you can just sneak up on me like that?" he grumbled, though his tone lacked the usual sharpness.

"You should be more careful next time," you teased, stepping back with a satisfied smile.

Childe couldn’t help but laugh. "You're lucky I like a good challenge," he muttered, his grin wide and genuine, the warmth in his gaze unmistakable.

[yara0546]

୨୧ When they confess their love, but you think it’s a joke.    .    .    반응     ୨୧

୨୧ Pairing: enhypen x fem!reader

୨୧ Genre: Romance, Fluff, Light Angst, Comedy

୨୧ Word Count: 1,000–1,200 words

୨୧ Note: English is not my first language, so I apologize if there are any grammatical errors, because I sometimes use a translator in some sentences.

୨୧ Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction from our imagination. It is not intended that the plot, theme, original characters, idols, etc. portray any real-life events/people. Plagiarism is NOT tolerated on this blog. If you believe we have copied an existing authors’ work, please message us privately. thank you and enjoy :)

Masterlist

✦ Heeseung   ୨୧   ;   희승   !

You were sitting across from Heeseung at a café, laughing at a funny memory when he suddenly stopped mid laugh.

"I like you, Y/N. A lot." His voice was softer than usual, his gaze locked onto yours.

You chuckled. "Pfft, sure, Heeseung. And I’m secretly a billionaire."

His smile faltered for a split second before he leaned in, resting his arms on the table. "I’m serious."

You blinked at him, still half-expecting him to laugh it off. But when he didn’t, your breath hitched. His usual playful demeanor was gone his eyes held nothing but sincerity.

"I’ve liked you for a long time, Y/N. Don’t laugh it away."

At that moment, you realized this wasn’t a joke.

✦ Jay   ୨୧   ;   제이   !

Jay had been dropping hints for weeks, but when he finally gathered the courage to confess, you just… laughed.

"Oh, Jay, that’s a good one! You almost got me."

His jaw clenched, and he exhaled sharply. "Y/N. I’m. Not. Joking."

You still grinned. "Come on, Jay, you’re always teasing me. Why would this be any different?"

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated but keeping his cool. "Because this is the first time I’m telling you something that actually matters." His voice was lower now, more serious.

Seeing the shift in his tone, your stomach dropped. He wasn’t playing around.

✦ Jake   ୨୧   ;   제이크   !

Jake’s confession was clumsy but heartfelt.

"I… um… I like you, Y/N. Like, a lot. More than just friends."

You burst out laughing. "Jake, stop, you’re too funny!"

His face turned beet red, and he started fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. "Wait… what? You think I’m joking?"

You nodded, still giggling. "Well, duh! You flirt with everyone!"

Jake’s eyes widened, and he stepped closer. "Yeah, but not like this. Not with you."

Your laughter faded as his sincerity sunk in. Oh.

✦ Sunghoon   ୨୧   ;   성훈   !

Sunghoon confessed in the middle of a casual conversation, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I like you, Y/N. It’s kind of annoying how much I do."

You snorted. "Nice try, Sunghoon. You’re hilarious."

He narrowed his eyes. "What part of that was funny?"

You smirked. "You? Liking me? No way."

Sunghoon crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. "Wow. You really think I’d joke about something like this?"

You hesitated. Sunghoon wasn’t laughing. In fact, he looked offended.

"I don’t say things I don’t mean, Y/N. Maybe you should think about that."

✦ Sunoo   ୨୧   ;   선우   !

Sunoo’s confession was all sparkles and confidence.

"Y/N, I have a confession to make. I like you, and I think we’d be the cutest couple ever."

You gasped theatrically. "Oh no, Sunoo’s finally lost his mind!"

He blinked. Once. Twice. Then placed a hand over his chest.

"EXCUSE ME?!"

You giggled. "Come on, you love attention. This is just for fun, right?"

His mouth fell open. "How DARE you underestimate my sincerity! Do you know how many times I practiced this in front of the mirror?!"

His over the top reaction made you laugh even harder until you saw the actual hurt in his eyes.

"Y/N… I really meant it."

Oops.

✦ Jungwon   ୨୧   ;   정원   !

Jungwon confessed after days of overthinking.

"I like you, Y/N. Like… more than a friend."

You burst into laughter. "Jungwon, that was so deadpan. You need to work on your delivery."

His face remained neutral. "It wasn’t a joke."

You faltered. "Wait… you’re serious?"

Jungwon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why would I joke about something like this?"

Your heart pounded. You had just laughed in his face. Oh no.

"It’s fine." He forced a small smile. "I’ll just… pretend you didn’t say that."

Now you felt horrible.

✦ Ni-ki   ୨୧   ;   니키   !

Ni-ki’s confession was blunt and direct.

"I like you. A lot."

You immediately rolled your eyes. "Haha, good one, Ni-ki."

He frowned. "What’s funny?"

"You! You’re always teasing me, why would I believe this?"

His expression darkened slightly. "Because it’s true?"

You still looked skeptical, and he huffed. "You know what? Fine. Don’t believe me. But I’ll prove it to you."

You raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How?"

Ni-ki smirked. "Just wait and see."

And from that day on, he made it his mission to show you exactly how much he meant it.

[specialgumsock]

//Random romantic things you guys do/he does! with the stardew valley bachelors// :-)

(Apologies again for bad writing, not proof read… T-T also FYI my asks are open)

Characters: all of the bachelors from stardew valley

Tw: mentions of Shane being hungover and drunk. Mentions of being freaky idk

Alex would buy you flowers a lot.

He misses you? Flowers. You’re mad at him? Flowers. He would go and get you flowers for no occasion, just to bring you flowers. Probably something his grandfather told him to do when he was younger, since his grandma likes flowers as well.

The first time you got flowers from him you remember like it was yesterday-

"What are these for?" You say, grabbing the bouquet from the out of breath, and almost disheveled looking man on your door step. He only smiled up at you and answered. "No reason, I just love you…"

Yeah, you were giddy the entire day while tending to your crops.

You and Sam are in a constant competitive flirting competition.

You two try to out-flirt each other with over the top, and bad pick up lines… Even in serious situations.

It was another rowdy Friday night at the saloon, on the couch you sat on Sam’s lap while Abigail and Sebastian played darts.

"You know-" Sam begins, putting his joja cola down for a moment before continuing. "If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber." You nearly choke on your drink and wince at the awful line.

"Oh, wow. That’s terrible. But not as terrible as how much you’re gonna blush when I say-" You lean in close, your voice going into a whisper. "Are you French? Because Eiffel for you…"

Sam groaned, then a smirk grew onto his lips. "Weak."

"You want strong? Alright, watch this." You say, noticing poor Emily walk over to grab some of the empty glasses left behind by previous patrons. "Excuse me! Can I get a to go cup? Because my boyfriend is too intoxicating to leave behind." You say, the VERY awful line making even you cringe.

Emily just sighed, looking done with life, and walked away. Sebastian and Abigail already having tuned you two out.

Sam shook his head. "Truce.. only because I don’t want to be banned from the saloon for a month again."

Sebastian let’s you win when it comes to games- any game.

You’re a sore loser who sometimes storms off in frustration, and he couldn’t care less. To him, it’s about seeing you happy, not about the victory. Growing up with a little sister, he’s pretty used to letting someone else win, especially if it means keeping the peace or just seeing that excited grin on your face.

He’ll always pretend to be super serious when you win, giving a defeated- "You’ve beat me, my mighty opponent!" and might even offer an overly dramatic bow, but deep down, it’s a running joke between the two of you. He’s fine with it. It’s not about pride, and honestly, he likes seeing your excitement when you win, even if it’s clear that he’s playing the long game and letting you win.

If you throw a little fit after losing-huffing, pouting, and trying to find an excuse, he’ll just laugh and say something like "Don’t worry, I’m sure the next one will be your win…" all while giving you a teasing smile. He just loves the playful energy and the way you light up when you finally get a win under your belt. And after all, he’s just happy to be there with you.

Shane has this thing he does called "hear me out" meals.

He spends a lot of his time drunk or hungover, so he’s definitely made a lot of… interesting meals.

These meals come from him when he’s in one of those moods from being hungover or tipsy and he gets a burst of "inspiration"

Like the time he made you try "pasta surprise" which consisted of spaghetti noodles and random ingredients he found in the pantry… A bad day for peanut butter and gravy.

But there are more bearable ones like "Breakfast Pizza" Eggs, sausage, bacon and whatever leftovers he has in the fridge.

"Breakfast of the future…" Shane said under his breath, placing the "pizza" down at the table in front of you. You rub your tired eyes, and look at the meal. "Wow… this was certainly a choice."

Elliot leaves you notes, like little love letters.

You find them everywhere, your pockets, on the fridge and even on your pillow. He can’t help it, he just wants to let you know how much you cross his mind.

One day you remember you needed to grab something from Pierre’s shop, pulling on your coat for the chilly fall weather. A little note falls you and you pick up, confusion written all across your face.

"To my Dearest, Lover- Thinking of you, as always. I hope your day is as lovely as the sea breeze, Yours truly, Elliot<3"

You feel your face heat up, and your heart starts beating faster. "Man I’m so lucky" you think as you can’t help but smile. It’s crazy how little things like this get you flustered, but, MAN, do you love him.

Harvey loves to play doctor, and not in a freaky way. (He would if you REALLY wanted though.. wink wink.)

Whenever you get the smallest scratch or feel even slightly under the weather, he goes full doctor mode. He insists on checking your pulse, listening to your heartbeat and even wrapping your finger in an unnecessary amount of bandages.

"Just… to be safe" He says, just as he put a second bandaid onto your finger that you cut while chopping your garden fresh vegetables. You can’t help but to giggle and tease him, thinking about his face stone cold serious, brows furrowed like he was preforming life saving surgery, when in reality he was just doing something as simple as putting a bandage on your finger. "Okay, Doctor Harvey~" Your words playful as he blushed and stammered a bit.

"J- *Ahem* Just making sure you’re okay… now get some rest, Doctors orders." You laugh, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Of course."

[eclipixels]

Payback

Sylus x reader

Content: You don't like Sylus allowing other girls to flirt with him, so you take matters into your own hands to get back at him

A/N: pt.1 pt.2

[2,911 words]

      You sat with Sylus at the bar, your head resting against his shoulder, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses filling the air around you. The two of you had arrived earlier than most, and now, as you watched the slow trickle of people filtering in, you couldn’t help but think that maybe Sylus had been right, you should have waited a little longer before coming.

      With a soft sigh, you sat up, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. "I’m gonna go use the bathroom, okay?" you murmured, your fingers lightly squeezing his arm before you slipped away toward the restroom.

      The momentary break was meant to be nothing, just a quick trip before returning to his side. But when you emerged, your heart nearly stopped.

      A woman stood dangerously close to him, tilting her head in that familiar, flirtatious way as she batted her lashes. The dim lighting of the bar only made the moment more intimate, more insufferable. Then, as if to twist the knife deeper, she leaned in, her lips close to his ear as she whispered something you weren’t meant to hear, something that sent a searing pang of jealousy straight through you.

      Did you really believe him when he told you that you were the only woman he wanted? That he never entertained temptation? That he never strayed, even when countless women threw themselves at him?

      You wanted to believe him. You truly did. But watching this unfold, watching him stand there and allow her to linger, to bask in his presence without a single sign of dismissal—it gnawed at you. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t flirting back or even paying her much attention. The fact that he didn’t push her away, that he allowed these moments to exist at all, was what truly got under your skin.

      And who could blame her for being drawn to him? Sylus looked effortlessly breathtaking in his tailored black Versace suit, the sleek fabric clinging to him in all the right ways. He exuded confidence, mystery, an untouchable charm that made heads turn the moment he stepped into a room. If you were in her position, wouldn’t you want a man like him to look at you the way you wished he only looked at you?

      But why? Why couldn’t he make it clear that he was unavailable, that there was no room for anyone else in his orbit? The questions burned in your mind, threatening to spill over into words you weren’t sure you were ready to say aloud.

      Because no matter how much you trusted him, doubt had a way of creeping in like a shadow in the night. And right now, standing there, watching her linger in his space… that shadow felt all-consuming.

      "You okay?" a voice pulled you from your thoughts, and you turned to find yourself looking at some guy. Tall, effortlessly good-looking, with a broody, mysterious air that made him stand out.

      "I'm completely awesome. Just having the time of my life," you replied with a smirk, the sarcasm practically dripping from your words. "I mean, you agree, right? I am awesome. You know what? Don't even answer that."

      He gave you a small smile, the kind that was just barely there but still managed to be annoyingly charming. "As much as I’ve heard about you, you're more than just awesome."

      Your drunken mind barely registered the comment or who exactly had been talking about you. But if he had heard things, well, hopefully, they were good things. He had this whole mysterious, darkly intriguing vibe, and if you weren’t so hopelessly in love with Sylus, maybe—just maybe—something could have happened.

      "Do you wanna dance?" you asked impulsively, tilting your head at him.

      His eyes widened slightly, as if the question had caught him off guard. "I don't think that would be appropriate," he said, his voice polite yet firm.

      Seriously, what was it with men not wanting to dance with you today? You were an amazing dancer.

      "And why exactly wouldn't it be appropriate?" you teased, grabbing his arm before he could protest and pulling him toward the dance floor. Not that you were trying to make Sylus jealous or anything. But, you know, if it happened organically, you wouldn’t be opposed.

      "Just relax. It's just a dance," you grinned, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him a little closer. You giggled as he let out a small breath, clearly debating whether to just go with it or keep resisting.

      Then, as if the universe had a twisted sense of humor, the music shifted into something slow and romantic, one of those songs you'd never heard before but could already tell was meant for lovers lost in each other’s arms.

      Perfect. Just perfect.

      You didn’t want to look. Didn’t want to see if that woman was still talking to Sylus.

      "You know," your dance partner said after a moment, "I learned how to waltz once. It’s been a few years, though."

      You chuckled, tilting your head at him. "Oh yeah? Think you still got it?"

      He smirked slightly. "Guess we’re about to find out."

      For a fleeting second, you felt Sylus’s gaze burning into you from across the room. You could almost hear the unspoken words in his stare. But you ignored it. To hell with him.

      The two of you danced so flawlessly, so effortlessly, that the energy in the room shifted. People took notice. Whispers spread, eyes turned. But you didn’t care. For the first time tonight, you were simply having fun.

      Then, with a fluid motion, he twirled you around, sending a rush of exhilaration through your veins before pulling you back into his arms. And finally, the grand finish—a dip, deep and dramatic. The moment lingered as you locked eyes with him, your breath slightly ragged from the movement.

      A slow smile spread across your face as you straightened up. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” you admitted, a soft laugh escaping your lips.

      "I'm glad I could make that happen," he replied, his own smile warm and genuine.

      Before you could say anything else, the sound of clapping caught your attention. You turned to see Wanda and Tara grinning at you, their faces full of approval and amusement.

      “You were amazing!” Tara cheered, her excitement practically radiating off her.

      Your dance partner chuckled, then took a small step back. “You should go join your friends,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. “Besides, I wouldn’t want any trouble for you.”

      And just like that, he turned to leave.

      A frown crept onto your face. His words confused you. What kind of trouble? He was fun to be around, easy to talk to. You had a feeling that if nothing else, the two of you could have been good friends. But he was gone before you could ask.

      The thrill of dancing, the lightness of the moment—it all started to fade as the weight of reality crashed back down. For a little while, the music, the movement, the laughter had made you forget. Forget about Sylus. Forget about the ache in your chest.

      But now? Now, it all came rushing back.

      You forced a smile as you said goodnight to Tara and your other hunter friends. They wanted you to stay, to shake off the sadness, but you were drained. Completely and utterly exhausted.

      All you wanted was to be alone. To cry in peace.

      And you didn’t care how you got home.

      Stepping outside, the cool night air did little to soothe the fire burning inside you. But as if the universe hadn’t tormented you enough tonight, there he was—Sylus, leaning against his motorcycle, waiting.

      The last person you wanted to see right now.

      At least he wasn’t with her.

      "What are you doing here?" you asked, voice sharper than intended.

      At the sound of your voice, he turned his head, his expression unreadable—until his eyes met yours. Then, just like that, his gaze hardened.

      "The real question is, what the hell were you doing in there? With that guy?" His tone was sharp, laced with something that almost sounded like jealousy.

      God. The sheer audacity.

      You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head. "It's called dancing, Sylus. You know, that thing people do when they're having fun?" You crossed your arms, eyes narrowing. "And honestly? The hypocrisy is commendable. Really."

      His brows furrowed. "The hypocrisy? What’s gotten into you, Y/N?"

      Maybe it was the drinks. Maybe it was the adrenaline crashing. Maybe it was the way your heart still ached from watching him with her. But something inside you cracked.

      "You know what? You’re right. I knew what I was getting into with you," you admitted, voice shaking, "but I can’t do it anymore."

      His expression faltered for the first time, but you didn’t let him speak.

      "Is this even a relationship to you, Sylus? Or am I just someone you’re fooling around with until you get bored?" The words came out harsher than you expected, but you didn’t care.

      For a moment, silence hung between you like a storm waiting to break.

      Then, something in his face changed. The sharpness faded, replaced with something else, something you couldn’t quite place.

      Hurt?

      "Is that what you really think of me?" he asked, voice quieter now, almost disbelieving. "Of us?"

      You swallowed hard, but he didn’t stop.

      "Is that what you think I’m doing?" He took a step forward, his usual cocky demeanor nowhere to be seen. "Just stringing you along until I get bored?"

      The way he said it made your chest tighten, but you wouldn’t let him turn this around on you.

      You stepped back, refusing to let your resolve waver.

      "That’s how you made me feel today, Sylus," you snapped, your voice trembling with the weight of everything you had held in. "You made me feel used. You made me feel small—like I was nothing compared to her. Like she mattered to you, and I didn’t."

      Your lips quivered as you tried to hold back the lump forming in your throat, but the words wouldn’t stop now.

      "You can’t let the most gorgeous woman in the room flirt with you, throw it in my face, and then expect me to just stand there and not care," you choked out, barely recognizing your own voice—raw, broken, angry.

      Sylus exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He wasn’t trying to hurt you. You knew that. But that didn’t make it hurt any less. And maybe he hadn’t been ready for this confrontation, but neither were you—you hadn’t asked for this heartbreak.

      "She means nothing to me, Y/N," he said, his voice quieter now. "And she wasn’t the most gorgeous woman in the room."

      You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head. "Yeah? That’s funny, considering how easily you let her hang all over you."

      His jaw tightened. "Don’t use that tone with me, Y/N."

      And that—that—set you off completely.

      "Fuck off, Sylus," you spat, stepping back, fire burning behind your eyes. "You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to act jealous then get mad when I get the same way."

      As soon as the words left your mouth, Sylus closed the distance between you in an instant, crashing his lips against yours in a kiss that was rough, desperate, and possessive. He had heard enough. He couldn’t lose you like this. He wouldn’t let it happen.

      You wanted to fight back, wanted to push him away, wanted to scream at him for how much he had hurt you tonight—but you didn’t. Instead, you gave in. You kissed him back with just as much fire, all the jealousy, anger, and pain pouring into the way your lips moved against his. You wanted to rip his hair out, but at the same time, you wanted to fuck him senseless.

      His hands gripped your waist as he lifted you effortlessly, and you instinctively wrapped your legs around him. He walked forward until your back hit the wall, trapping you between the cool surface and the warmth of his body. A sharp gasp left your lips as he tangled his fingers in your hair, tugging just enough to tilt your head back, exposing your neck to him. His mouth was on you in an instant, lips and teeth marking you, sucking deep enough to leave bruises. His marks.

      He wasn’t the only jealous one tonight.

      Watching you dance, hearing you laugh so freely with that guy—it had made something primal snap inside him. He wanted to be the one spinning you around, holding you in his arms, making you smile like that. He wanted to be the man who made you happy.

      His hands slid under your dress, gripping your ass roughly as he pressed his hips forward, grinding against you. You gasped at the friction, a moan slipping from your lips as you felt how hard he was through his jeans. You wrapped your legs around him tighter, rolling your hips against his, desperate for something to ease the ache between your legs. You were frustrated, upset, and so fucking turned on all at once.

      Then, before you could stop it, a single tear slipped down your cheek.

      Sylus stilled.

      He heard the soft, broken sob escape your lips, and his chest tightened. His hands, which had been gripping you so possessively just moments ago, suddenly softened their hold. He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against yours as his breathing evened out.

      His thumb brushed the tear from your cheek before he pressed a tender kiss there, his lips lingering. And then, slowly, he set you back down onto your feet.

      The loss of contact made you shiver, but you weren’t ready for this moment to end—not like this.

      “I'm so absolutely sorry for how I made you feel tonight.”

      “I just wish you would push those women away, why don’t you do that?” Your lips quivered. His heart broke, how could he make you feel this way? He was mad at himself.

      “I didn’t think it mattered. I thought you already knew I loved you.” He admits, feeling stupid for not realizing sooner how much it hurt you.

      “Still, it hurts seeing them flirt with you and you do nothing.”

      “I am sincerely sorry my love, I promise, I won’t let it happen anymore.” He closes the distance between you two. He wraps his arms around you tightly "you're my weakness y/n, I never wanted to have one but then you came along.”

      “You’re mine, okay?” You say firmly.

      "I am yours. So beautiful you are, the prettiest. I love the dress princess" he kisses your forehead

      "Thank you love, I got it in your color" you smile.

      "I know but It would look better on the floor” He grins wickedly. Oh my god, you really are stuck with him now.

      “Don’t think I’m forgiving you that easily, though,” you said, your voice firm, your expression stern.

      Sylus paused, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features, but he masked it quickly. “What do I have to do?”

      You took a step closer to him, a sly smile tugging at the corner of your lips. “Beg.”

      His brows furrowed, and he blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What? You can’t be serious.”

      You leaned in, your gaze locking with his, a challenge in your eyes. “You heard me. On your knees. Beg me to forgive you.”

      His lips parted, but he didn’t immediately comply. “Y/n–”

      Before he could say anything else, you shoved him gently but firmly, guiding him to the ground. The sudden action had his breath hitching, but he quickly found his footing, settling on his knees in front of you. He looked up at you, his gaze filled with something between defiance and desperation.

      His thighs flexed as he kneaded his jaw, eyes narrowing in thought. Then, he finally spoke, his voice low and sincere. “Please forgive me, darling. I am so fucking sorry.”

      You raised an eyebrow, not satisfied with the apology.

      Sylus let out a soft groan, his hands resting on his thighs, looking up at you with a vulnerability that made your chest tighten. “I’m so, so sorry.” His voice dropped an octave, heavy with regret.

      And still, something in you wanted more.

      The sincerity in his eyes pulled at something deep inside you, but you weren’t ready to let him off that easy. "I want to hear you say it. I want to hear how much I mean to you. I want to know that you won't let this happen again."

      His breath hitched as his hands moved to the floor for support, his body leaning slightly toward you as if instinctively reaching for you, aching for you. “I won’t let it happen again, I swear to you. I won’t make the same mistake. Please, Y/n, forgive me. I can’t lose you. You mean everything to me.”

      You could see the desperation in his eyes now, the plea for you to believe him.

      "That’s better," you said, nodding slowly. "But words are just that. Show me."

      He lowered his gaze for a moment, then looked back up at you, his posture shifting as if he was preparing to give you all of him. And he did just that, all night long. You drained the life out of him, not stopping until you were satisfied.

[goldfades]

oh, can you do a jealous booker?

jealous book is a different breed i love it

The event was loud, a blur of flashing lights and flowing champagne, but Devin wasn’t paying attention to any of it.

Not the cameras, not the music, not the endless conversations swirling around him.

His focus was solely on you.

More specifically, on the guy currently talking to you.

Devin wasn’t even sure who he was—some industry guy, someone important judging by the way people kept shaking his hand and laughing a little too hard at whatever he was saying. He was tall, well-dressed, confident in that way that came from knowing he had status, and worst of all?

You were smiling at him.

Not just a polite, thanks for the compliment kind of smile. No, this was your engaged smile, the one where your eyes softened just slightly, your head tilted just enough to show you were actually interested in the conversation.

And Devin hated it.

He wasn’t insecure. He knew where he stood with you. He knew you weren’t the type to entertain just anyone.

But that didn’t mean he liked seeing someone else make you smile like that.

Didn’t mean he liked the way the guy leaned in just a little too much, how his eyes flickered down toward your lips every time you spoke.

Didn’t mean he liked the way you hadn’t noticed Devin watching.

His jaw tightened, fingers flexing slightly as he debated how long he was willing to let this play out. Because right now? He was two seconds away from walking over there, sliding an arm around your waist, and making it very clear whose girl you were.

Devin’s grip on his drink tightened, the cold condensation damp against his fingertips, but he barely noticed. His whole body was taut, a slow burn creeping into his chest as he watched the scene in front of him unfold with agonizing patience.

The guy was still talking—still laughing, still leaning just a little too close, his confidence grating against Devin’s last nerve. It was the way he looked at you, like he thought he had a chance, like he didn’t realize that Devin was standing right there, watching, barely keeping his temper in check.

And you?

You weren’t flirting. He knew that. You were just being you—warm, polite, effortlessly charming. It wasn’t your fault that men mistook your kindness for an invitation.

But that didn’t mean Devin had to like it.

Didn’t mean he had to sit back and watch this guy try his luck like he wasn’t standing ten feet away, like he wouldn’t have zero issue shutting this down.

His jaw ticked. His patience was running thin.

Then it happened.

The guy reached out—just a simple gesture, fingertips grazing the bare skin of your arm as he said something low in your ear, something that made you laugh, made your hand lift to cover your mouth like you were actually entertained.

That was it.

Devin wasn’t even thinking anymore. One second he was standing on the other side of the room, and the next he was right beside you, his presence immediate—a shadow, a heat, a weight that was impossible to ignore.

You barely had time to turn your head before his arm slid around your waist, firm, possessive, his fingers splaying against your hip, pulling you flush against him.

The conversation died instantly.

The guy blinked, clearly caught off guard, his smile faltering for the first time. Devin’s expression didn’t change—didn’t waver, didn’t flinch. He didn’t need to say anything.

His body language spoke loud enough.

“This your man?” the guy asked, his tone forced-light, but Devin caught the slight edge to it, the unspoken challenge underneath.

You hesitated for half a second—just a blink, just enough time for Devin’s grip to tighten.

“Yeah,” you finally said, your voice softer now, aware of the shift in energy. “This is Devin.”

Damn right, I am.

Devin’s eyes didn’t leave the guy’s face, dark and unreadable, daring him to test his patience, to push just a little further.

But the guy wasn’t stupid. He got the message.

His hands lifted in mock surrender, his smirk returning, but it was different now—less sure, less cocky. “Didn’t mean to step on any toes,” he said, voice laced with something close to amusement. “Just having a conversation.”

Devin finally smiled, slow and sharp. “Yeah? Well, conversation’s over.”

The guy chuckled, but it was hollow. “Alright, man.” He gave you one last glance—one that Devin definitely didn’t like—before he stepped away, melting back into the crowd.

And just like that, it was just the two of you.

The tension didn’t leave Devin’s body immediately. His grip on your waist lingered, his thumb pressing into your hip like he needed a second to remind himself that you were his, that there was no real threat, that you weren’t going anywhere.

You turned toward him, tilting your head slightly.

“Jealous?” you teased, your voice light, but he could hear the amusement tucked beneath it.

Devin scoffed, but the way his fingers flexed against you betrayed him. “Nah,” he muttered, leaning in closer, his lips brushing just below your ear. “Just don’t like watching other men act like I don’t exist.”

You smiled, slipping your arms around his neck, letting your fingers slide into the soft curls at the nape of his neck. “You know I wasn’t flirting, right?”

“I know.” His voice was low, smooth. “Doesn’t mean I liked it.”

You bit your lip, leaning in just enough so your noses brushed. “Then maybe you should remind me who I belong to.”

Devin’s eyes darkened, his grip tightening.

“Oh, don’t worry, baby,” he murmured, his lips curving into something wicked, something promising. “I will.”

[penny00dreadful]

<<Previous Part | AO3 | Next Part>>

Eddie had a plan.

Well, not so much a plan… more of a series of events that he hoped whatever deity might be listening and actually bothered to give half a fuck would actually make happen.

Because he was at least eighty… four percent sure Steve had been sending him signals over the last few months.

Months listening to Steve gush about the kids that had recently fallen into his lap, helping Dustin out with his curls for the Snow Ball, or blinking those big sad eyes up at him when he talked about his dad making him get a job somewhere in the new mall so he could understand what real hard work was.

Eddie had scoffed at that. 

Like Harrington Sr. knew what real hard work was.

But there had been all these little touches. These lingering looks.

And the blushing.

Eddie prided himself on the fact that he could get the most biteable pink colour to rise in Steve’s cheeks and over his nose with only a couple of words.

All that was to say that Eddie was going fucking crazy with it all and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to survive it much longer.

So he had to do something about it.

Which is what led him here, to Steve’s front door.

Or more accurately Steve’s driveway because he hadn’t worked up the courage to actually step outside his van yet.

But the lights were on and there was no sign of his parents, otherwise he would have turned right around.

So there was nothing left to do other than step out, saunter up to the door, give it three hard knocks, confident knocks, just like he’d planned and hit Steve with his most charming grin.

Once he was inside he’d pull out every stop, lay the flirting on so thick Steve would barely be able to breathe and then, when the time was right, he’d brush a curl behind Steve’s ear and lean in.

Okay so it was a little hopeful, but Eddie was nothing if not an improviser and he was an expert at going with the flow, so on the slim chance that anything went wrong, he could work around it.

He would be getting a kiss today if it killed him.

Or he’d take the rejection if it came, but he was really trying not to dwell on that possibility.

Okay.

Okay.

Eddie took a deep breath and finally stepped out of the van, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans, though he’d blame that on the muggy late May air.

He was able to deliver those three solid knocks to the door.

After some shuffling and some cursing coming muffled through the door, Steve poked his head out, his face completely draining of colour when he caught sight of Eddie.

Well.

Not off to the best start.

“Eddie.” He breathed, keeping his body hidden behind the door.

“What are you doing here?”

“Is it a bad time?” 

Fuck.

Maybe he’d completely misjudged the situation.

“Um…”

“I checked to make sure your parents were gone but…” Eddie let the words fade out as he really took in Steve’s expression. 

He looked uncomfortable, tense and a little scared. 

“Is everything alright, sweetheart?” The pet name just slipped out, coloured completely by his concern.

That delicious pink colour dusted over Steve’s cheeks again and he stared at Eddie hard, like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

He seemed to come to a decision, his shoulders slumping and a sigh escaping him.

“Everything’s fine, it’s just…” Steve cut himself off with a huff and a groan. “You’re gonna see it eventually, I guess. So will everyone in fucking Hawkins so might as well-”

He disappeared behind the door, a solitary arm coming out to wave Eddie inside.

Screw his plan, something was wrong.

“Whatever it is, Stevie,” he said, stepping inside and turning as the front door clicked closed behind him, “I’m sure we can figure-”

But his words faded away when he finally registered what he was looking at.

There, Steve was standing in all his glory, red faced and trying to look unaffected, a hand on his hip and very determinedly not looking at him. 

All the while wearing the most ridiculous and somehow the most salacious little sailors costume Eddie had ever seen in his life.

He was completely struck dumb, openly ogling, openly staring, dragging his eyes up and down Steve’s body, from his strong legs wrapped up in those tiny shorts to the chest hair poking out over the top of the shirt just begging Eddie to bury his fingers in deep and pull.

Steve was fidgeting under his gaze, getting more and more uncomfortable with each passing second until he had to break the silence.

“There’s a fucking hat too.”

Eddie could only absentmindedly nod and mutter, “Is there?” to show he was listening because in all honesty he was on a whole other plane of existence.

“Yeah, it’s fucking…” Steve shook his head, pulling the aforementioned hat out of his pocket and cramming it onto his head with a scowl, waving his hands out as if to say ‘tada’.

There was nothing Eddie could do about it, he could only just keep staring.

It didn’t make any sense?

How did he look so pretty?

Steve always looked pretty but this was pretty dialled up to eleven. This was soft and sweet and giant glittering, puppy dog eyes levels of pretty. 

Was there fucking magic woven into the polyester fabric or something? Did that shade of blue just really, really suit him? 

What was this sorcery?

“Listen, man. Can you just-” Steve crossed his arms over his chest. “Can you stop staring and just like… make fun of me now so we can get it over with and move on?” He had a little pout on his face, he looked embarrassed and upset and Eddie couldn’t have that. 

He stepped forward.

“You look like a Ken doll.”

“Thanks.” Steve replied, sulking, stepping back and looking so uncomfortable Eddie couldn’t stand it.

“Stevie.” Eddie said, almost breathing the word into the scant air between them. When had they gotten so close? Steve jumped like he also hadn’t noticed how close they had gotten, his eyes going wide, flicking down to Eddie’s lips for just a moment before bouncing back up to meet his gaze again. “It’s a good thing.”

Eddie couldn’t help himself anymore, raising a hand to Steve’s chest to drag his fingers through the hair poking out.

He could feel Steve’s rapidfire heartbeat underneath his fingers and he heard the tiny little inhale when he touched bare skin.

Steve was still staring at him, mouth slightly parted. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” Eddie croaked back.

“Like you want to eat me.”

“Because I do.” He whispered, finally dragging his gaze up from the chest hair to look him in the eye. “Can I?”

Steve nodded.

Eddie dragged his hand down, wrapping his fingers around that stupid little red ascot and used it to pull Steve into him.

In all his planning and all his ideas of how this was going to go, he hadn’t thought that Steve was going to be looking like a walking wet dream.

He also hadn’t expected Steve to be just as eager. He’d expected, hoped, that he’d be just as into it but he thought he’d be shy. Maybe nervous or meek.

He’d been so stupid to think that.

This was Steve Harrington.

King Steve.

While he was pulling Steve towards him by the ascot, Steve’s hands snapped up to grab him by the hair, yanking him forward and they crashed together so forcefully he was pretty sure he cut open the inside of his lip on one of his bottom teeth but he didn’t fucking care.

He was finally kissing Steve Harrington.

His Stevie.

They were both pushing, the two of them manoeuvring and shoving, trying to get the other up against the wall but Eddie won out eventually, crowding him back, a hand at either side of his head, caging him in.

He was licking in, trying to taste every inch he could and almost as soon as his hands landed on the wall, he removed them.

Why the fuck was he touching the wall when Steve was right there?

He dragged his hands down, eventually bringing them around to cup that beautiful ass that he wanted to do terrible things to.

Steve took advantage of the movement, spinning them around until Eddie was the one caged in against the wall now.

Which was… different.

Not bad, but different.

He was always the aggressor but being blanketed completely by Steve, still able to pull him in by the ass was different.

Good, even.

“Like a Ken doll, huh?” Steve hummed against his jaw, grinding up against him.

Eddie could practically hear what Steve was gonna say next.

Does this feel like a Ken doll to you?

But…

Even though he expected it.

Even though he’d heard it before.

The shrill ringing of the phone still came as a surprise.

Steve was still holding him tight, still pressed it close, firm and caring, but his attention had drifted over to a spot on the wall by Eddie’s head.

He only had a few moments, a few seconds more.

Eddie brought his hands up to grasp Steve by the face, turning him back to look him in the eye.

"I love you, you know that?” He almost whispered, feeling that old familiar lump in his throat again, his bottom lip wobbling. “Please tell me you knew that before…"

Steve hit him with a soft smile, winding a hand through his hair, gently pulling him in and cradling him closer into his neck.

That fucking phone was still ringing in his ear, hanging where it shouldn't be, on the wrong wall in the wrong room, teal with a twisted cord.

"I know.” Steve soothed into his hair. “I know because you know. I knew I was loved by you. I've always known."

"Can you-" Eddie took a shuddering inhale, knowing it was futile but needing to try anyway. "Can you stay? For just a minute longer. Don't go yet."

"You know I can't." Steve gave him one last squeeze. "I have to answer this. It’s about Max."

The phone stopped ringing.

Back at the beginning, when all of this apocalypse nonsense started, Eddie wasn’t exactly involved. 

Like, yeah. He wasn’t particularly involved before Spring Break either, but the apocalypse had started a couple of weeks after that and Eddie had ended up convalescing all over again because of it. 

But this time it was within an infirmary tent in Evacuation Zone C, rather than a fully stocked hospital. The rush to get themselves out of Hawkins and the panic that came with not being sure where the rest of their friends and families were while they ran had meant Eddie, still looking like a demobat chew toy, had pushed himself too far.

He had woken up in the tent, barely exonerated and immediately panicking because while the infirmary wasn’t empty, there wasn’t a single member of the scrappy little Upside Down Fellowship to be seen.

It had only been a few moments later, however, when he heard the familiar voices of both Nancy and Dustin raising holy hell somewhere outside, screaming at some poor soldier about getting back in contact with Agent Stintson, Doctor Owens, his commanding officer if they had to, because they had been told, they had been sworn to that their friends and family would also be evacuated. That their people might be sent to one of the other five Evacuation Zones, but they would do everything within their power to get them all into one place together.

No big surprise then, when that hadn’t happened. 

It had apparently been two days already, according to Dustin’s high pitched shrieks and they had heard nothing. He didn’t know where Claudia was, or if she’d even gotten out, Nancy didn’t know where her family was. They didn’t know what had happened to Max, still at Hawkins Memorial Hospital when the apocalypse hit. They had no idea where any of the Sinclair’s were. 

Robin.

Steve.

Wayne.

They could be at a different Evacuation Zone. They could be dead. They could be still in Hawkins, now on a militarised quarantine lockdown, no one in or out unless they wanted to go up against a line of soldiers.

Even then, the cracks spreading out like a spiderweb, the vines bursting up through the ground, the demogorgons, the Ghouls mostly deterred anyone looking to break back in.

He could still remember bouncing around in the back of Nancy’s station wagon as she weaved her way at top speed out of Hawkins, black spots in his vision the pain almost unbearable, but not unbearable enough to drown out the sounds of the rest of the town trying to run.

The screaming, the screeching of tires, the crunching of metal as people veered off the road at speed, the sirens, the complete and utter confusion.

It had definitely sounded like an apocalypse.

And it had gotten quiet since.

At least, that was what the rumours were.

From complete chaos, to silence over the last two days.

Which meant anyone still inside… it didn’t bear thinking about.

They just didn’t fucking know.

The only people they thought were maybe, probably safe were the Byers, Hopper and El. 

They had all left barely twelve hours before everything went down, travelling back to California to pick up the last of the Byers stuff to move back to Hawkins.

They’d probably barely made it to Tulsa when it happened. 

But they were out of Indiana when it hit, they all knew that for sure thanks to a quiet phone call from El when they hit St. Louis.

She hadn’t wanted to go, hadn’t wanted to leave Max’s side. But her stuff was down in California too and she had only agreed to go when Hopper had promised to stick by her side and Jonathan had promised they would stop often so she could call back and check in for any changes to Max’s situation.

They’d only managed one call before everything went to shit.

And like, Eddie wasn’t stupid. Neither were Nancy and Dustin, so when the three of them spoke in hushed voices around Eddie’s little cot in the infirmary tent, they agreed that El’s leaving Hawkins had probably been what spurred Vecna into attacking when he did.

There wasn’t a psychic child in the town anymore to defend it, not that she could have. His attack was vicious, quick, sudden and unexpected.

They all had thought they’d have more recovery time before shit hit the fan.

The three of them had silently agreed to never mention it to her.

If they ever saw her again. 

She’d probably figure it out herself and they didn’t want to add to the inevitable guilt.

Eddie had attempted to sneak out of the infirmary on day four of their stay, to join Nancy and Dustin on what would have probably been a suicide mission to sneak back into Hawkins and search for their people themselves.

But he’d been caught, just as Dustin and Nancy were caught not long after. 

The only reason the three of them had avoided military detainment for what would have probably been a never ending amount of time, was because Nancy and Dustin had slowly been amassing a small number of loyal followers.

People had started to notice.

People had started to become aware that those two, and Eddie to a lesser extent, had more information than even the soldiers about what the fuck the vines and demogorgons and ghouls were.

And people were starting to get just as pissed off with the lack of information being communicated.

So there was a near schism.

It was clear the military goons hadn’t been told much. They’d just been told to follow orders like good little soldier boys and they had been doing absolutely nothing to quell the frantic questions, anger and growing conspiracy theories amongst those in their Zone.

And while a growing number of people were starting to latch onto Nancy and Dustin as their de facto authority leaders, it wasn’t everyone.

Some people refused to believe anything beyond what they had already decided was the truth.

Be it aliens (incorrect), a government conspiracy (somewhat correct) or Eddie himself (comically incorrect).

Eddie had found himself slipping back into that persona he had perfected in school. 

Protector of his sheep.

Though it was slightly more dangerous now than schoolyard bullies, Eddie was also slightly more dangerous than he had been. 

And he looked it, too.

Covered in bandages and wounds that were only just starting to heal again, a gnarly chunk of flesh missing from his face and neck that made even the most self-important fucker grimace at the sight of.

Adding onto that, there was a look in his eye now, a steely strength to his shoulders and his jaw that did just as much as a battle vest ever had for sending the middle-classers scattering.

Probably had something to do with him having a fist fight with death and winning.

And the satanist rumours. 

They came in handy now. People were wary of him, more than they ever had been.

And that was how he found himself playing guard dog for Nancy fucking Wheeler.

It wasn’t all bad. Those that had a little more common sense than righteous indignation running through their veins were actually starting to come around and… respect him?

It was one of the wildest things to ever happen to him and that was saying something. 

He’d been to a whole other fucking dimension, he’d been accused of murder, accused of witchcraft and deals with the devil, but respect from the refugees of Hawkins was still something he never thought he’d have.

Things only continued to get better for them once Wayne turned up.

He was full of fire and spit at being given the runaround from the military in Zone E, insisting they had better things to be doing rather than search for his nephew. One guy amongst hundreds missing or misplaced.

Eddie threw himself at his uncle right there in the main thoroughfare of Zone C and held on like his life had depended on it.

Wayne had clutched at him tight and later, with Eddie tucked under his arm like a scared child, had listened to Nancy and Dustin tell him how he was the first to be found. How the military were effectively stonewalling them. How they knew next to nothing.

It hadn’t been long then, for Wayne to join Dustin and Nancy in what had essentially turned into a coup of authority over the military.

Eddie wasn’t far behind, but the injuries on his neck and face meant he only ever really spoke when he had to, and the impact of that had people listening closely whenever he did.

The arrival of Wayne had reignited all of their hopes that everyone else would show soon, like it was practically a given. Of course the rest of their friends and family would show.

Wayne turning up meant the others couldn’t be far behind, surely, whole and determined and invincible as they all were, as they all had been in the past.

Eddie looked back on those days now with a bitter sort of feeling, wondering how they could have been so naive.

Nancy was the first one to have to deal with the gut punch, telling them all that wasn’t quite true.

When Karen Wheeler was found along with Mike, Holly and the Sinclair parents, they arrived exhausted, emotionally drained and already coming to terms with their losses.

Ted had gotten his wife and his kids out once the hoard descended and had died for his efforts. 

The Sinclair parents were alone.

No Lucas. No Erica.

They hadn’t heard from anyone else. They were all just as in the dark as the rest of them. 

They had no answers about where everyone else was.

Nancy had been alight with rage that had nowhere to go, apart from barking at military officers. 

The Sincair parents remained hopeful for as long as they could, perking up every time new people arrived into Zone C, but that was all dashed every time. 

As the weeks slowly passed, Susan Mayfield and Claudia Henderson were found and transferred in. 

Dustin clung onto his mom for hours afterward.

Susan was dead eyed and defeated. 

No one knew where Max was, if she was still trapped in the hospital she’d last been seen in or if she’d gotten out somehow. 

It was highly unlikely.

She’d still been comatose and broken.

If she had woken up at any point… it wasn’t looking good. 

The Buckley parents, arriving in the middle of it all, were just as lost, slowly retreating back into themselves.

The military still weren’t giving them any answers. 

And it only served to draw more people to their side, the fact that a high school journalist, a drug dealer, and a nerdy kid who spent his time fucking around with his walkie in the hopes he could contact any of his friends were the only ones with any kind of inclination as to what was going on, and any kind of idea of how to move forward.

By the time the Hoppers-Byers turned back up, it was nearly nine months later.

And things had both gotten worse and better by then.

The military had up and abandoned them.

They had woken up one morning in the previous month to find their usual bases a ghost town, equipment left behind, fatigues and weapons and some trucks abandoned.

Communication with the other quarantine zones told them that the same had happened all over. 

The military had been pulled out of Indiana completely, leaving them all to be ghoul food.

And so their planning started. 

Nancy, Dustin and Eddie had started making plans to collect people, scared and panicked from their quarantine zones, not knowing what to do or who to turn to.

They had a plan set up and ready to go when a truck pulled up to the gates, beaten to hell and barely slowing down.

The gates had slammed open on their own, sending Nancy’s appointed patrolling guard into a frenzy.

The only reason the Hoppers-Byers didn’t end up riddled with bullets was both because of El’s powers and Dustin, Mike and Nancy’s shouts to ‘hold your fire!’

El threw herself from the truck without a care in the world and straight into Dustin and Mike’s arms.

Their elation was short lived, however.

El informed the camp that the cracks were spreading, the vines and demogorgons and ghouls were branching out and it wouldn’t be long before they were overrun.

They needed to abandon camp and they needed to do it now.

The bad news didn’t stop there.

El was being… blocked somehow.

She couldn’t enter the void, she couldn’t even access it anymore.

It was like Vecna had shut her out, like closing off a plane of existence to her.

She could still move things with her mind and that was awesome and Eddie was pretty sure he was just staring at her open-mouthed since she’d blasted the gates open, but she couldn’t search for people any more.

And so, any hope that might have been building that they would have been able to find their missing party members crumbled once again.

While they all came together to plan out a hasty retreat, settling on a small town in the north with a sizable gated community that Karen had been hoping to move to at some point in her life, Dustin refused any input.

Apparently the Party had been aware of Karen’s hope to move and had dubbed the place ‘Rohan’. Years ago, when they were still full of childish whimsy and the worst thing they could think of happening was one of their party members moving forty-five minutes away by car, they had meticulously tracked the way there and back in case they needed to rescue Mike from suburbia.

Dustin put up the mother of all fights, screaming at them all that they had to stay. This was where they were supposed to meet Steve and the rest of the Party. This was where they would have been told to go! They had to stay! They couldn’t leave until they turned up. What if they arrived and everyone had gone?

It was only the darkening and reddening of the clouds in the distance that convinced him it was futile to stay.

But even so, he insisted on leaving a message.

They left a crude spray painted ice cream cone on the stone wall at the entrance with an arrow pointing back to the command center hut.

Inside, they’d ripped all of the maps, diagrams and papers from the walls, needing to take them with them, but that ended up being Dustin’s canvas.

Scoops Troop, Ranger and Red. The week is long, The silver cat feeds, When blue meets yellow in the north, A trip to Rohan sounds nice, If you tread lightly. 

None of them knew what the fuck Dustin had just come up with or how that explained anything, but he insisted that it made sense, slamming his compas down on the desk directly below the words and storming out of the hut.

Eddie decided to leave his own memento, just in case. Because as much as he tried to placate Dustin, there was a terrible, horrible little glimmer of hope in his own chest that somehow Steve was still alive and out there, looking for them.

He wrapped his black bandana around the gated entrance, a small sticky note covered in sellotape to protect it from the elements attached:

Come at once if convenient. If inconvenient, come all the same.

Their trek to Rohan was long and winding. They took constant detours to the other evacuation zones, collecting people as they went.

All in all, it was a month later by the time they reached the high walls and gates.

The things that had earned Eddie ire from the good people of society before the apocalypse now seemed to be viewed with respect.

Case and point, the ridiculously rudimentary and hastily applied chain and padlock holding the gates closed and barring them from entrance to the abandoned community was quick work for him, able to leave the lock intact enough to be locked again behind them.

They had swept the place, hoping that they weren’t breaking into some other groups safe haven but it seemed like the richy-riches of Indians had been able to be evacuated much more smoothly than the poor fuckers from Hawkins.

And so, that was where they had settled ever since.

It was where they had set up, what was essentially Hawkins 2.0.

The high walls were constantly patrolled, keeping them safe from ghouls and bandits, they had crops planted, they had a laundry and a water supply from the water tower up the hill. 

It was the best they could have ever hoped for.

And even then, their little broken Fellowship always hoped for those figures on the horizon.

But they never came.

Steve’s face was swimming in front of him, beat and battered, smelling of smoke and ash, still dressed in his Scoops uniform, sitting on Eddie’s fucking couch smiling through the pain.

Wayne knelt in front of him, gently dabbing antiseptic over his face.

They were quietly joking with each other, keeping the mood light and all Eddie could do was stand and stare.

Stand and stare in numb shock at the state his boyfriend had appeared in amongst the ambulances and flashing lights outside the mall, waving off Wayne’s attempt to help him walk to the van, Eddie trailing behind, wide eyed and completely helpless.

They had kept up a steady banter, Steve and Wayne while Eddie sat in the back, unable to take his eyes off the caked in, already dried and flaking blood in Steve’s hair, the handprint slowly blooming around his throat, the raw ligature wounds around his wrists.

Nothing about it said fire.

Eddie knew deep in his bones that he would spend the next few hours staring at his uncle and his boyfriend, smiling and laughing with each other through the tension like Steve had just skinned his knee on the basketball court.

He knew after that that he would help Steve wash everything off in the bath, not wanting him to stand in the shower.

He knew that when he saw the mottled bruising skin under his shirt, the cuts and other injuries he could barely even stomach thinking about, he’d have a quiet little breakdown in his bedroom when Steve insisted with what seemed to be his last thread of dignity that he could handle the rest by himself.

He knew that he clung onto Steve throughout the night and the next morning, barely sleeping, unable to stop watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, just making sure that he was still alive. 

And as Eddie was shocked into consciousness by the sound of unfamiliar footsteps coming up the stairs towards his bedroom, he knew that whoever had woken him up had saved him from the teal landline phone with a twisted cord appearing on the headboard of Eddie’s bed. 

He had barely cracked his eyes open, taking in the reality of the devastatingly empty bed next to him and between one inhale in and the next, he had his hand solidly around his weapon.

He snatched the rifle up from the side of his bed, and had it cocked and pointed at his closed bedroom door as those heavy footfalls kept approaching, survival instinct beaten mercilessly into him.

Though in the back of his head he knew that there was no way a ghoul could have made it up the stairs to his bedroom, there would have been uproar in the streets and he would have been awoken long before, as a line of defence. And in any case, ghouls moved almost silently. They were deadly quiet. 

But then, ghouls weren’t the only dangerous things in the world right now.

Sometimes…

Sometimes humans were worse. 

Eddie knew the sound of Wayne’s footsteps, he’d grown up with them, he’s spent the majority of his life listening to them and whoever was approaching him right now was not his uncle. 

“Hold your fire, Munson!”

Hopper’s voice came through the wall rather than behind the door, almost like he had pressed himself up against it, in case Eddie shot first and asked questions later.

Smart move. 

Hopper seemed to understand more than anyone else why Eddie had become so trigger happy recently.

Eddie let out a breath he wasn’t even aware he’d been holding in. 

Clicking the safety back on, he placed the rifle back in his lap and called out for Hopper to come in.

“There’s been a drop.” Hopper poked his head in the door, “looks like the government has finally remembered we exist. Let’s go.”

<<Previous Part | AO3 | Next Part>>

Fic title and lyrics from Through The Valley by Shawn James but it was this version by Ashley Johnson as Ellie that truly captured me.

Big thanks as always to @hbyrde36 for the magnificent beta work and to the @strangerthingswritersguild for their motivation.

@geekymagicalpotato

[moutheyes]

gelboys cinematography go brrr

I don't have a way (or time tbh) to do this coherently but I did want to point out some of the visual aspects of gelboys that have invigorated my brain so far.

1. depth of field and visual texture

I loved how long the mall scene was and how it was shot to take maximum advantage of the space. in the first screencap below, the dialogue action is taking place all the way at the back, but because everything is more or less in the same field of focus (blah blah phone camera depth of field but i'm not getting into the technical nitty-gritty) the viewer can take in everything all at once, while also following the spots of color—baa's pink guitar case, bua's green sweater—that tell the eye exactly where to look. compare that to the second shot, which maintains a very similar framing: now the action has moved to the front, so the camera's focal point does naturally focus on fourmod and baa, but chia and bua are still in the same spot they were earlier, in the center of the frame, inescapable for both the viewer and fourmod. you get so much information from every single shot, and the way the action moves forward and backward in these spaces to create visual texture in this show is so pleasing to me.

2. ambient + diagetic nighttime lighting

I was SO happy about this. we always complain about how people in QL are always sleeping with the lights on but the gelboys team is out here showing us you can have it all! you can have a realistically dark room that utilizes natural sources of ambient lighting! in this scene, there's the various LED computer lights, the phone screen, the lava lamp, and the street lights coming in through the window. that overhead shot with the phone screen illuminating fourmod's face through the glass table is one of my favorites from the show so far.

3. montage of decorative elements

serves a few purposes: scene transitioning and shorthand exposition (fourmod suggested they all get gel nails for the performance so the implication is that these are the designs they chose), reinforcing the visual motif, and revealing the individuality of the characters. the bassist seems to be more minimalist compared to baa and fourmod, but even they have different decoration styles, with baa repping his favorite girl group, while fourmod goes for cute and hodgepodge (and changes his mind quite a bit—stickers and nails are good for the fickle-minded because nails grow out and stickers are generally easily removable).

4. dirty framing (with additional layers)

semi-related to the first point, but the use of dirty framing to show both context and conflict is so effective. back to the mall scene—fourmod seething while creeping on chian and bua via spotify playlist was a pretty classic use of this, but when he comes back a third time (these are unprecedented levels of downbadness, I'm afraid), the crowd action has surged to the front and grown even more chaotic. now, not only are there more people between fourmod and the object of his obsession, but this time he's behind the glass, and thus smaller in the frame—an even more isolated position.

also want to shout out my favorite dirty shot from ep 1; the scene is populated with students but the framing of bua and chian's faces in the foreground keeps the viewer grounded, and I especially love the second frame, where you can only see fourmod's eye.

oh! and these; the amount of contextual information the viewer gets here is so pleasing. the intense flirting is the centerpiece, but the framing and body movement also shows you baa's annoyance/displeasure one moment, followed by fourmod's other friends playing documentarian. the social aspect of how this is all unfolding—not only the use of social media, but the monitoring of said social media as well as real-life interactions—adds additional textual layers on top of all the visual layers in this show. it's so good I wanna cry.

[starlene]

Anne of the Island Book Club: Chapter 14

Okaaaay.

Faced with Ruby's dying fears, Anne feels "it was difficult for [her] to speak to any one of the deepest thoughts of her heart" – but even so, she deals with Ruby better than I think many professional therapists or theologians would.

Maybe it's because I've always been of the socially awkward sort myself and thus I cannot understand how anyone as young as Anne here can be anything but a fumbling mess with other people, let alone in a literal life-and-death situation... but even if I disregard that knee-jerk reaction, I feel like for a 19-year-old who gets upset when people post constructive criticism in her Wattpad comments, Anne is unrealistically good with people.

We've already seen she's brilliant with children (or at least, brilliant with Davy), and now, she's also brilliant with the dying. I mean, good for Ruby, it's great that she can have this conversation and pass away peacefully – but yeah, I just kinda feel like Anne is exhibiting quite a lot more wisdom and/or people skills here than you'd expect of someone of her age.

~

I also want to say that I think the part where Anne thinks about Ruby's attitude towards life, "She had laid up her treasures on earth only; she had lived solely for the little things of life" etc., is a bit... uuuuggghhhh.

In my mind, no matter how religious you are, a 19-year-old dying of an incurable disease is a tragedy, and said dying 19-year-old feeling upset about it is not indicative of some kind of a character flaw.

Ruby expresses sorrow that she'll never get the chance to be a wife and a mother. I don't know, I'm neither religious nor do I dream of becoming either of those things myself – but I feel like having to give up your dream of having a family because you're dying at 19 is always awful, no matter whether you've been a hopeless flirt all your life or an extra pious model Christian. The narrative paints Ruby as unreasonable here, which I think is incredibly unfair.

Oh well. It is what it is; I guess some ways, this book is simply very much a product of its time.

~

Anyway, I don't think this chapter is all bad, it's just incredibly heavy-handed when it comes to delivering the moral of the story. I've always found the description of Ruby dying touching, I think "And, while light feet danced and bright eyes laughed and merry tongues chattered, there came a summons to a soul in Avonlea that might not be disregarded or evaded" is a beautiful way of putting it.

I'm from a culture where open-casket funerals are not a common thing, so a a child, and to some extent even know, Ruby in an open casket and especially Avonleans talking of the sight of her for years afterwards (!) feels macabre to me. Macabre, and just plain weird.

"Ruby Gillis was the handsomest corpse she ever laid eyes on" – who says that!! I mean, yeah, Mrs. Lynde does – but really? The handsomest corpse?? Maybe it's just a culture difference, or maybe Mrs. Lynde is overstepping some boundaries here even in the original context, but to me, that feels like such a disrespectful thing to say it's making my skin crawl.

~

In any case, I think it was an especially interesting experience to reread this chapter an adult.

As a nine-year-old, I think I just read through this thinking, uh-huh, makes sense, if you're pretty but not intelligent in life then death will fix that, yeah.

Nowadays, I vibe with Diana feeling uncomfortable at the end of the chapter. You and me both, girl. You and me both.

[sweeteastart]

Ravioli day 5 four days later for raviolishipweek by @breannasfluff

I finished this 25 panel hell of a comic. It's resolution is a bit quick but i don't think I'm impartial after spending days on it

[leonardalphachurch]

i think it’s really funny that all the people in the tags of that poll saying to vote chucker are people who are still active participants in the fandom meanwhile there’s like one person saying to vote lolix who’s still active. it’s what i’ve always said felix girlies are NOT loyal you’re coming crawling back to vote on a poll well we all know where your loyalties lie.

[spotlightstudios]

Was anyone going to remind me that Lucio is the absolute biggest dork, or did I have to replay his route to figure it out again?

[insanechayne]

~ ~ ~