#been meaning to doodle the costume switch for a while!

[bothersomedirtchild]

Classic bait and switch!

[narrators-journal]

thanks for confirming you're okay with it, I just like general fluff between Yusuke and Ryuji, maybe things about confessions. Smut wise, they both seem like they'd be switches and I enjoy frottage between them

This took a good amount of time to work out, but I hope it’s good and fluffy! I don’t write a lot of Yusuke or Ryuji, so forgive me if they aren’t very fitting. But, I hope you enjoyed regardless, it was a lot of fun to write <3

“Yuuuuuuusuuke!” Ryuji Sakamoto called as he burst out of the dreary grey and through the door of Le Blanc. Yet, his entrance was only met with the empty silence of the unoccupied cafe. The only sign of life within the warm-colored, coffee-scented walls a thick, paint-dotted book that had been left on one of the tables. “Yusuke? Are you around, dude? You better not have stood me up after I put this money away to get you lunch!” He called again as he approached the abandoned book and tried to somehow peer through the floorboards above his head.

Yet, no matter how he squinted and strained, he couldn’t see through the boards, even if Yusuke and Akira were hidden above him. So, with a heavy sigh, he looked back to the table he stood by. Where a sketchbook sat alone.

Decorated with specks of differently colored paints, scratches, and charcoal stains, Yusuke’s sketchbook was well loved and obviously precious to the lanky, blue-haired man. So, Ryuji plopped down at the table with a sigh. “Guess I just have to wait for you. What a girly thing to do.” The blonde joked to the richly scented air, a small smile on his face as he sat by the book in the quiet cafe. Left to sit and watch the cloudy sky close in on the streets outside with little else to do but watch time tick by around him.

Yusuke’s beloved sketchbook his only form of company in the homely cafe’s silence. His only form of potential entertainment, too… “I mean…” Ryuji hummed to himself, “I doubt he’d particularly care, right? He shows off his artwork at those competitions, so he’s surely okay if I take a peek.” With that, the blonde flicked open Yusuke’s sketchbook to stroll through the pages of artwork.

And, of course, there was plenty of life studies and thumbnail sketches and doodles. Some pages were nothing but careful studies of phones, or people on the subway, others were filled with scribbles, flowers, joke conversations between chibi versions of the phantom thieves. But, as Ryuji continued to turn pages, he began to come across more finished sketches of Akira, Futaba, or Ann, before he reached a similar, yet different section of the pages. And while the others had their fair share of pages of studies for their faces or expressions, after those, there was an extensive swatch of pages that. Only had Ryuji.

And, unlike Yusuke’s other friends, the sketches and drawings of these pages weren’t simple studies of practice, but entire drawings of just. Ryuji. Skull with captain kidd, Skull half out of the mona bus’ window, plenty of expressions, and just, drawings of the blonde doing random things. All drawn with care and great detail for Ryuji’s mannerisms and costume details. “Wow, this is-” As he spoke, the ambiance of the quiet coffee shop was broken with the soft jingle of the bell above the door that announced the return of the artist. Only a split second before his indignant squawk did. “Ryuji?! What the hell are you doing here so early?!” Yusuke yelled as he barreled over to the blonde to snatch his sketch book off of the table. “I was coming to get you for lunch, remember? We agreed to meet up here by noon.” “You’re too early though!” Yusuke declared, his grey eyes fixed on Ryuji angrily, only off-set by the healthy dust of crimson across his pale cheeks. Well, that answers that for me, huh? “Inari, it’s 1 pm.” Was the simple counter to that point, said with a smile that tried to fight its way onto the man’s face as he watched the blue-haired artist check his phone. “Oh. It is.” He said, the anger in his words gone for a bit of indignance and embarrassment.

And, with that shift came an awkward silence between them. As if Akira wasn’t off to the side, left to politely wait for the silence to break. “Anyways, you ready to go get some of that lunch? Or did you and Joker already do that?” Ryuji asked as he got to his feet, and just like that, the tension was broken. “O-oh, no. I’m sorry about that by the way, I-I was at the bath house,” Yusuke explained, the awkwardness that clung to his words the artist’s natural weirdness. “Great! Let’s go then!”

And, just like that, the snooped-through sketchbook had been forgotten in favor of lighter conversation as the pair made their way outside. Though, the gentle pitter patter of the drizzle on Ryuji’s umbrella didn’t wash the experience away entirely. The blonde may not have mentioned it, but those lovingly detailed drawings of him were on his mind. And, he couldread between those lines.

[bnhabadass]

Pairing: Hawks x Reader Warnings: N/A Genre: Fluff Word Count: 4.5k Synopsis: You're surprised when your best friend tells you she's dating pro hero Hawks. As you get to know him throughout his frequent visits to the tea shop you work at, your uncertain despisal of him may just turn into romance. 

When your best friend told you that she was dating the number two hero you laughed in her face. “It’s true!” she pleaded. Her eyes gleamed against the hanging lights in your kitchen. She looked as if she were a lovestruck middle schooler doodling hearts and writing her initials in the margins of her notepad. But you knew her like the back of your hand and you were well aware of her habit of compulsive lying.

You spent the following week teasing her relentlessly for making up such an outlandish lie. Yui Nakamura, your best friend in the world. She was an up-and-coming actress who claimed that she was slowly taking Japan by storm.

“I guess I just caught the number two hero’s heart from my last film,” she told you. It was all she could talk about for a solid week, leaving you rolling your eyes and sticking your tongue out in a fake gagging motion every time his name was brought up.

It wasn’t until she brought him into your place of work that you finally realized she was telling the truth. The small jingle bells tied to the doorknob of the shop rang as you were crouched behind the counter, sorting loose tea leaves into their respective jars.

“This is my favorite place to get an iced tea in this hot weather,” her sickeningly sweet voice cooed.

Your ears perked up. Grabbing one of the jars of tea leaves, you stood up with a big smile on your face, ready to greet your friend. That smile, however, didn’t last long. Instead it was replaced with a punch in your gut and a ringing in your ears as you saw the person standing in front of you holding hands with your best friend was the number two hero in Japan.

You should have known something was off when the few people sitting in the leather chairs and at the counter looking out into the street had gone silent. Everyone’s jaws were slack in amazement at the hero before their eyes. A few people whispered about how much more handsome he looked up close or how they didn’t realize how vibrant his wings actually were.

The only person who didn’t look shocked or happy that he was there was the number two hero himself.

“(Y/n)!” Yui exclaimed. “How’ve you been?”

“Um, good,” you managed to choke out. Your eyes never left the winged hero.

“I see you’ve noticed my boyfriend,” she giggled. Her happy-go-lucky smile never left her face. It seemed as though her biggest wish had come true. It’s no secret that she had been pining after the hero for years, playing back footage of his rescues and showing them to you over and over again. She would always cover her eyes when watching his fights because she “couldn’t bare to see his beautiful face get hurt” and you would have to tell her when the scary parts were over.

“Hawks,” you spat out.

His golden eyes dug daggers into you. “Yes?” His tone was uninterested and very clearly bored. It left a sour taste in your mouth.

“I, um, well I, ya know, I didn’t–”

Yui cut off your stumbling with a fluttering laugh, the kind of laugh they romanticize in a shoujo manga. “(Y/n)-chan didn’t believe me when I told her you were my boyfriend,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Now come on, Hawky, what do you want?”

Hawks visibly cringed at the nickname she had given him. Hawky, like the sport but spelled like the bird. Even you could admit that it was pretty bad.

“I think I’ll have the iced hibiscus tea,” she said. Her hands fumbled for her wallet.

“I’ll take a small sencha.” You never expected the winged hero to drink tea. It seemed so unlike him. He seemed much more of a coffee kind of person, needing the extra energy to fulfill his hectic life.

“All right, your total is 540¥,” you said. As you brewed their tea, you couldn’t help but keep an eye on Hawks and the little things about him. Sure he was attractive, but was that really enough to satisfy your friend? He didn’t seem very interested in her as she tugged on his sleeve like a little kid clinging to their parents.

As you called their names with their orders in hand, you were surprised when neither of them went to grab their drinks. Instead, Hawks sent two of his feathers to grab them out of your hands. They were so delicate yet so strong.

Yui smiled as the feather fluttered around her before presenting her drink in front of her.

“Let’s go,” Hawks said, still with a look of boredom plastered to his face, but maybe there was more to him than you thought.

You got to know Hawks a little more during the next few months. It’s true that when you first met him he was not your cup of tea. He and Yui would come into the shop and as Yui chatted your ear off about all the sweet nothings he would tell her, Hawks always seemed to zone out or lose interest in the conversation relatively fast. From the outside it looked like he didn’t care about her and that made your blood boil. But there had to be more to it, right? You’re sure that Yui wouldn’t bother with someone who didn’t seem to care about her.

It was at the end of summer when Yui told you the exciting news. She was cast as a major role in a new film and would be flown to Yakushima Island for the shoot. As she told you the good news, her smile never faltered. It was as if all her dreams were coming true and the different pieces of her life were being put together like a puzzle.

“I’m really happy for you,” you said while pouring hot water over a tea bag with oolong in it. “I can’t wait to see the film when it’s released.”

“I can’t wait for you to see it too! It’s going to be rough being away from Hawky for so long but I think we’ll both manage.”

You turned around before she could see you rolling your eyes at the ludacris nickname. You’re not sure how it managed to stick throughout the months, and every time you hear the words pass her lips it triggers a shudder to run through you. “When do you leave?”

“Next week. You have no idea how excited I am, (Y/n).”

You were happy for her, you really were. Yet part of you felt like you were being left behind, stuck in the mud. While she had her handsome top pro hero of a boyfriend, you spent your nights alone and as she went off to chase her dreams of being one of the most famous actresses in Japan, you were still pouring hot water over tea leaves as you have been for the past two years. It didn’t seem fair, but you would never let her know that.

The next week went by quicker than you had hoped and Yui was off to the airport. She, of course, stopped by for one last cup of tea before she left.

Once she was gone the leaves began to change. Red, orange and yellow leaves fluttered through the air onto the ground and gusts of wind would push them across town, occasionally dropping them off in front of the tea shop’s door.

This time of year was always your favorite. The smell of cinnamon and spice floating through every tea, pastry and coffee shop always made you smile in delight. A new shipment of pumpkin tea had just arrived and you couldn’t resist ducking down to stick your nose in the box and smell the leaves through their packaging under the counter.

The homey smell ravished your senses. Your mind was instantly filled with wonderful fall memories. Jumping in piles of leaves as a kid, drinking hot tea by the window and watching the rain outside trickle down the gutter of your childhood home. Carving pumpkins and dressing up in inappropriate halloween costumes back in your college days. It all came back.

“Do I even want to know what you’re doing?”

The all too familiar voice of Hawks startled you, and as you leapt up out of shock, you hit your head on the counter top. “Ow,” you croaked. Reaching for the fridge next to one of the display cases of teas, you grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and placed it on your head. “Hi.”

“Hello to you too.” There was a cocky grin on his face, unlike what you’ve seen of him before.

“Yui’s out of town.” Why was he here? There was no reason for him to be if his girlfriend was gone. Since he started showing up with Yui, the shop had gotten much more traction. More people had shown up asking when the pro hero was coming next or which seat he sat in. You were sick of it all.

“I know. Doesn’t mean I can’t get a cup of my favorite tea from my favorite barista.” His cheeky smile grew and you beat yourself up for blushing at him compliment.

“What’ll it be then? A small sencha?” You grabbed one of the small to-go cups in preparation.

“Nah let’s switch it up a bit.” He eyed the list of teas up and down, ogling the glass containers with delicate tea bags placed inside. “What box were you sticking your nose in just now?”

You looked down at your feet in shame, cheeks heating up at the memory. You had hoped he would forget about what he just saw or at least wouldn’t mention it out of pity for you. “Pumpkin tea. It’s a new shipment that just came in.”

“Huh,” he pondered. “Is it good?”

Your head shot up. “Seriously? You’ve never had pumpkin tea before?”

“Nah the commission doesn’t really like it when I eat or drink things that aren’t in my diet.” He wove his hand through his blonde locks, pushing them back out of his face. “They’ve been a bit more chill about things since I started dating Nakamura, but I’m still on a pretty strict food regiment.”

The fact that he referred to your best friend by her last name almost made your heart ache. For how much she doted on him he barely seemed to care. “That sucks,” you said. “Do you want to try it?”

He chuckled a bit. “Yeah, let’s give it a whirl.”

You heated the water and poured it out in a hot stream over the tea bag. “Here you go. That’ll be 280¥.”

He slid the coins over to you and held the piping hot to-go cup up to his nose, breathing in the heat and letting it run through him. A soft smile overcame his features and he pressed the cup to his lips, letting the brew hit his tongue. His eyes shot open. “Wow. That’s incredible.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Isn’t it really good?”

“It is!” He smiled up at you and you couldn’t help but drink in every detail of it. It was a happy and relaxed smile, one that a child would give after tasting candy for the first time. His eyes grew brighter than the sun as the tea coated his taste buds and pulled him into euphoria.

“Um, excuse me?” a small voice croaked from behind Hawks.

He moved to the side, revealing a small young woman holding hands with a little boy. He was chewing on an action figure and as he pulled the head out of his mouth you could see the bright flames of Endeavor coated in a layer of thick saliva.

“Hey there,” Hawks said. “I’m sorry, do you need to order?”

“No no no!” The rosey cheeks of the young woman deepened as chills of embarrassment filled her. “My son here is a really big fan and, well, we were hoping we could get an autograph.”

You weren’t sure how something like this would play out. You’ve seen the stares and the hushed whispers people give when watching Hawks and Yui in the shop. They almost look too scared to approach him, yet this flustered woman came out of nowhere.

“Yeah of course!” Hawks’ cheeky smile widened. He squatted so he was eye level with the boy. “What’s your name, little guy?”

The kid slid behind his mother’s hip, unsure of what to do or say.

“I see you like Endeavor. You have good taste. He’s one of my favorite heroes too.”

You watched in awe, jaw slack as if you had been slapped in the face, as you watched Hawks laugh and ruffle the kid’s hair. He signed a notebook that the kid’s mother gave him and just as he was about to say goodbye, the kid shot his arms up in Hawks’ direction. You could feel yourself melt on the spot as he picked up the giggling boy, spinning him around. It was so unlike him to do that, but at the same time it was everything you had ever imagined in the stories that Yui would tell.

That was the first time that you realized you were beginning to fall for your best friend’s boyfriend, and after that nothing would be the same.

Hawks came in and out of the shop more and more frequently, only now ordering a small pumpkin tea. As the days went by, the weather grew colder. Chilly winds howled past the store and jingled the chimes out front.

Hawks sauntered in, giving you the grin and nod he was now accustomed to.

“Small pumpkin?” you asked, gripping your scarf and holding it closer around your neck.

“You know it,” he winked.

You hated how every time he walked up to the counter your breath would hitch and your heart would skip a beat. The little wink he gave you definitely didn’t go unnoticed by you. You hid the flushed feeling by burying your face up to the tip of your nose in your scarf.

“So what’s been going on in tea land?” he asked. His fingers danced across the display of cup sizes and tea cakes to the side of the register. They stopped, resting on the side of the jar labeled “TIPS” in a fat black marker over bright colorful construction paper.

“Same old,” you replied. “How’s hero work?”

“Same old.” The two of you had grown comfortable with minimal conversation, almost finding it endearing that the two of you could communicate so much with so few words.

“And Yui?”

Hawks took a moment before answering. You looked up from the tea you were preparing but averted your eyes the second you realized he was staring at you. “I’m thinking of breaking up with her.”

You couldn’t pay attention to what he said next. All you could hear was the ringing in your ears at hearing his words. He was breaking up with her. The recent nights you had spent fantasizing what it would be like to be the one held in his arms at night seemed more in your grasp. The thought scared you a little.

“Hey, are you listening?”

“Huh?” He snapped you out of your thoughts. “Sorry, I think I zoned out a little.” You could feel your face heating up. “Why are you breaking up with her?”

“It’s been about four months,” he said, still toying with the rim of the tip jar.

It bothered you a little how he kept looking at it. Either put in a tip or leave it alone, you wanted to yell at him.

“Four months,” he repeated as if he needed to double check. “That’s when our contract is up, at least.”

You were confused. What was he talking about? “What do you mean?” The skepticism on your face made you look like a puppy being taunted with a bone.

“Heh, you’re cute when you’re confused,” he said. “Our relationship,” he trailed off in thought, trying to find the right words. “It was never real, I guess. Never has been.”

As Hawks spoke about the contract the two of them were under, that her agent and the people working at the commission made them sign, your jaw became more and more unhinged.

“Why did they force you to date in the first place?” The shrill of your voice was hard to tame.

“Her agent knows my people well,” he admitted, referring to the commission. “And they thought this would be good for her publicity. They were right since it got her the big movie she’s working on, but they told us if nothing happens after four months we can end it.”

“I see.” You were still trying to put the pieces together in your mind. “So you never really loved her.”

He couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “I thought that was pretty obvious,” he admitted. “Look, I know she’s your best friend and all but she’s kinda hard to be around and to get along with at times.”

Deep down you knew he was right, but hearing it come from someone that you knew Yui loved and trusted made your blood boil. What made you feel even worse was the growing hope within you that if Hawks didn’t like someone like her, he could possibly fall for someone like you.

He looked down at his phone to check the time. “Shit, I have training with my intern in ten minutes.” As you slid his drink towards him he fished into his wallet to pay. Taking out an extra bill, he folded it up and put it in the tip jar. “Promise me that when I break things off with her you’ll be there to comfort her?”

The question took you off guard but you nodded anyway.

He smiled a deep and genuine smile that showed so much more emotion than could be understood by the human brain. “Thanks. She’ll need a good friend like you to keep her company.” And with that, he dashed out the door quicker than your eyes could follow.

A week went by and you heard nothing. Hawks didn’t come into the shop to tell you how it went and Yui hadn’t texted you with any of her usual updates for how the movie was going. It wasn’t until you were locking up shop on a Friday night that you received a FaceTime request from Yui. You texted her, assuring her that once you got home you’d call her back. You knew that he did it and she needed to hear from you right now.

Snuggled into the plush fabric of the side-of-the-road sofa in the middle of your living room, you called her back. It only took one ring before she picked up. Her face was blotchy and red and the makeup she wore on set was streaking down her features.

“What happened?” you asked, fully aware of the situation.

She explained in detail everything that had happened, from the warm tea she was holding in her dressing room when he called her to break things off to the way his eyes shimmered with both sadness and relief as he told her what was on his mind.

You tried to reason with her as she blew her snotty nose into tissue after tissue. Phrases like “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you” and “You’re better than him anyway” often came up. Truth be told, you were only paying attention to her side of the story half the time. You slipped in and out, mind wandering over to where Hawks may be and how he must be doing.

“Maybe he had a reason for doing it,” you finally said once she had started to calm down.

“What?”

“Do you think he, I dunno, wasn’t happy?” You shrugged a bit. Your eyes traced the rhombus patterns on your carpet as they avoided Yui’s saddened expression. “Maybe he just wanted to be a free bird is all.”

You looked up from your carpet and came face to face with Yui’s eyes. Once doughy and glossed over with a thick layer of gelatinous tears, they now held a form of anger and hurt that you have never seen from her. “How could you say that?” she asked. “How could you even think of taking his side?”

“I’m not taking a side, I–”

“Yes you are!” Her face was turning red and as much as you wished to defend the man you had caught feelings for you also wanted to be there for Yui. “I don’t know how you could defend him right now, you guys aren’t even friends.”

Hearing her say that hit you deep in the chest. Of course she didn’t know how often Hawks had swung by the shop. Of course he wouldn’t tell her.

“You barely know him, (Y/n), so why are you defending him?”

Why were you defending him? Even with Yui out of the picture, there would still be a slim chance that Hawks actually felt the same way you did. He’s the number two hero, an icon in more ways than one. His fangirls pooled at his feet constantly. Why would you, just a simpleton working at a tea shop, have a chance with him?

“I can’t even talk to you right now.” She was looking down, refusing to make eye contact with you through the small screen.

“Yui, I–”

“No. Just,” she trailed off. “Call me when you know whose side you’re on.”

And with that she hung up and you were left alone. You felt terrible, like the worst friend in existence. You needed something to calm yourself down after the shitshow you had a feeling would be your last conversation with her for a long time.

Your shaky figure got up off the couch and went into the kitchen, putting up the water for a cup of tea. Your hands visibly calmed down once you gripped the hot mug with the pumpkin tea bag swirling inside.

“Hey baby bird.” As you walked into the living room, the person lounging on your sofa startled you. You let out a scream and the hot tea sloshed out of your mug and hit your chest, the thin material of your shirt and the knit sweater you dawned doing little to nothing to stop the burning sensation. “Ah shit.”

Hawks ran up to you and pressed the sleeve of his hero costume against your chest. “I’m sorry. Are you all right?”

The wince you gave him let him know his answer. “What are you doing here?” you managed to croak out once the heat subsided. “And how the hell do you know where I live?”

“Followed you home,” he said like it was nothing.

“So you stalked me.”

“I like to call it stealth training.” The grin on his face resembled a snarky cat and as pissed off and angry you were about him and Yui and everything, you couldn’t help letting out a laugh.

The aura between you two was both friendly and awkward. It seemed as though you both wanted to say something but didn’t know what. As Hawks kept rubbing his sleeve against your damp clothes, his eyes trailed over your face and tried reading into what you were thinking.

“I talked to Yui,” you finally let out. “She’s mad at me.”

“So I heard.” He stopped moving and rested his arm on your shoulder. “You deserve better friends.”

You looked away. “No. She does.”

He let out a laugh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You, (Y/n), are kind, compassionate, care about your customers and you actually take time to listen to others. And I know Nakamura would say the same thing.”

Somehow the use of your friends last name didn’t bother you as much as it used to. What did cause you to blush was the sound of  Hawks saying your own name. The sound of it leaving his lips had an imprint on you like no other.

“And those,” he continued, “are some of the many reasons why I started to fall for you.”

You felt a sting in your cheeks as they grew hot from his words. He liked you? Did you hear that correctly? He fell for you? The same way you fell for him? The only thing you could think to do was let out a “huh?”

And Hawks let out a toe curling laugh. “I like you. Have liked you for a while now.”

You didn’t know what to say. You were so overwhelmed with emotion. All you could even think to do was stare at him with your mouth agape.

“Hello?” he waved his hand in your face. “Earth to (Y/n).”

You shook your head and the rest of your body, getting any jitters out. “Um, yeah.”

He barked out another laugh. “So, do you got something to say to me or are you gonna leave me hanging?”

You took a sharp inhale. “I think that I might also like you,” you said. “A bit.”

“Now was that so hard to say?” He took a step forward, raising a hand to cup your face. He wasn’t ready, however, when you stepped away, shielding yourself from him. “What’s wrong?”

“Yui is what’s wrong.”

It dawned on him how difficult and confused you must’ve been feeling, especially if you’ve liked him for as long as he’s had feelings for you. Yui Nakamura is your best friend so of course having feelings for her boyfriend, her ex boyfriend, would make you fall into a pit of despair.

“I’m sorry.” You turned away, walking back to your kitchen.

Even though you clearly wanted to be left alone, Hawks followed you and stayed in the door frame as you put up water for another cup of tea. “You remember when I caught you sniffing the heck out of that box of Pumpkin tea?”

You made a disgruntled noise of agony as you buried your head in your hands.

He chuckled. “That’s when I realized I had feelings for you. When did you know you had them for me?”

You sighed. “Look, Hawks. I really wish that things were different and that Yui wouldn’t be mad at me, but–”

“It’s a simple question, baby bird.” He reveled in the nickname.

Your eyes wandered over to the kettle and the soft heat that rose from the stove. “I think it was when I saw you give that kid and his mom and autograph and, I don’t know, you’re just...really good with kids is all.”

“Is that really all?” His cocky smirk struck you and you couldn’t help but hit him playfully.

“Shut up, asshole.” The kettle went off and you grabbed two mugs, placing pumpkin tea bags in each. “I like you, but I love Yui.”

“So I’m assuming that it would be inappropriate for me to kiss you right now?”

You handed him one of the now full mugs, your face lowered to hide your subtle embarrassment. “You are correct.” The two of you stood there in the middle of your cramped kitchen, neither darring to take a sip. “But,” you started. “We can maybe cuddle on the couch a bit and talk, if that’s something you want.”

His golden eyes brightened. “Yeah, baby bird. I’d like that.”

[permian-tropos]

The theory/headcanon whatever that me and @excalibutt thought up while playing Bachelor route Day 7: 

Bear in mind it’s not airtight. 

It started with us doodling around being flippant and morbid about Eva’s disappearance because we slept at the Stillwater to be close to the Cathedral to talk to Aglaya, and were wondering if Eva would just despawn, it turned out we had to leave and re-enter the building, which I joked meant she climbed out the window, how did she switch places with Ayan so fast, etc.  

But because we had this wonky timeline where we were going to the Cathedral at the exact same time when Eva should have been, yet of course we didn’t see her Do The Thing, though we received her suicide note while we were literally standing right inside the main entrance (did it fall from the sky?? Daniil look up you fucking idiot!! oh god he doesn’t know) and where Andrey learns of her disappearance quite a while before she actually does disappear...

That set me up to imagine for fun that maybe something else was going on. 

Then we did the main quest where one of the people who’s been spies for the PTB turns out to be a traitor of some sort and once you catch them with riddle logic Aglaya pushes them off the top floor of the Cathedral. She says they did it themselves. They were just having a normal conversation up there with no railings huh. Yeah ok gurl. 

But this evil fuckin thought popped into my head. That person’s in an Executor costume. You don’t know who’s in it. What if it’s Eva?

Because it would be so incredibly fucked UP and twisty if it turned out that was the case. If Eva was one of the people watching Daniil for the PTB, I mean she tries so hard to ingratiate herself to him doesn’t she? And she would be able to keep track of everything he does and send him letters at the right time.

When she says “I’ve figured out a way to help you”, why would her death and consecrating the Cathedral be that helpful to Daniil in the moment while he’s trying to fight the plague? Sure it might prove you can defeat Death in some mystical way, but imagine if she’s aware the PTB want to destroy him, she’s gotten Actually Attached To Her Assignment UWU, and she’s decided to turn traitor. 

She doesn’t give anyone any sign of this, leaving behind a false trail to distract Andrey and writing up a dreamy, sentimental note for Daniil because he can’t be held accountable for her treason if he doesn’t know what’s going on.

And then Daniil doesn’t see Eva jump from the Cathedral no matter when he arrives there, because he does see the Watcher jump. The one he accused of being a traitor and brought directly to Aglaya. 

I’ve always been curious about the fact that she dies in Bachelor route but I’ve been told she doesn’t die in other routes in Classic, as if... you do something that causes her death by succeeding your quests as Dankovsky? But that doesn’t seem right... does it?

I’m not saying this theory actually holds up in canon I just don’t like Eva’s canon story so much sorry think it would be fascinating. 

[just-a-creep-babe]

Matchup!

Commissioned by @1that-one-person1 Thank you so much bby 😘❣️

Requests are closed

Masterlist: x

I match you with: Stephanie

SFW

Steph has been through a lot

Her world has been shrouded by fear, paranoia, hatred and misery for as long as she can remember

Which is why she’s almost immediately attracted to your calm & quiet demeanor

You seem like such a soft & welcoming safe-haven from the stress that she usually has to deal with

It makes her wanna stick around your side from day one—even if part of her is afraid of dragging you into the mess that is her life

She just can’t resist wanting to be around you tbh

And the more time she spends with you, the more she notices the little things—like how you tend to keep to yourself & you seem a bit shy

But she also notices the way your eyes light up when someone mentions a thing you like

And it’s just so dang endearing; it makes her wanna get to know you a lot better :>

She isn’t exactly super extroverted herself, but she tries her best to chat you up whenever she gets the chance

She specifically tries learning about the nerdy stuff you’re into so that she has something to talk to you with

And she‘s sort of a huge nerd herself, so her interest is pretty genuine ^^

Once she starts getting to know you better, she absolutely adores how kind & funny you are

You go from being this cute ray of sunshine to her best friend that never fails to make her laugh

Her day always seems to get better when you’re around <3

And the little crush she has soon turns into a full-blown I-think-I’m-in-love-with-you-but-I-don’t-want-to-ruin-our-friendship-or-make-you-uncomfortable situation

She becomes terrified that you find out she’s in love with you because she doesn’t wanna lose what y’all have

And the fact that you tend to be naïve sometimes only makes things so much worse because she’s scared of deceiving you

It’s only when one of the guys prolly Jeff talks to her that she finally manages to build up the courage to confess

And she’s so relieved when you reciprocate her affection ^^

She’s also hella nervous too because now she‘s gotta open up & be vulnerable with you

She’s not completely jaded to the world, but like I said, she’s pretty traumatized, so normal things like intimacy up can be a bit difficult sometimes

It helps that you’re so kind & caring though uwu

Homegirl really, really likes you, and she wants to make your first date special, but she isn’t exactly good at that sort of thing

It kinda freaks her out a bit ngl

So Jeff helps her out again

He’s honestly a great wingman lmao

With his support, she sets up plans for a cute movie night with some good food, fairy lights, scented candles & lots of blankets & snacks

By the end of the date, y’all end up stuffed with junk food, listening to music together with your pinkies linked 😚😚

Speaking of, she fucking LOVES music, and because she’s a bit shy at first, she’ll express how she feels through the different songs she shows you

It becomes the way you communicate deeper feelings sometimes, and it’s honestly so cute 🥺🥰

While she is terrified of intimacy at first, she’s also a hopeless romantic

So she gradually becomes more comfortable with the whole dating thing over time

She sets up the cutest activities for you to do together

Including, but not limited to; stargazing, going to planetariums, petting zoos, aquariums, museums, art galleries & a BUNCH of other places

She likes art as well, so whenever you get the urge to doodle, she’s right there with ya ;)

You end up working together on bigger pieces and they look ✨bomb af✨

She can’t animate, but watching you work your magic makes her wanna try it out

She’ll be eternally grateful if you teach her, and she’s a great student, too—she’s a super fast learner :D

She’s also dabbled a bit in cosplay, but she’s a bit shy about it

So seeing you so open & enthusiastic about it is sUch a confidence boost :>

She’ll shyly try it out with you again—and she gets all cute & flustered when you compliment her outfit, it’s super adorable 💞💕

Still, she tends to prefer sticking to the sidelines & helping you out with your costume though

And she’s a relatively good seamstress, too, so she can take care of any outfit modifications needed uwu

Because she’s sort of a dork, she’ll go with you to conventions too—no doubt about it ;)

~Loves~ buying art & cute trinkets as souvenirs, so expect to come back w lots of merch lmao

And she almost always ends up buying you some kind of cute plushie, just cause she can 😌💖

She thinks you’re an amazing person with a heart of gold—which is why she hates it when anyone makes fun of you or tries to roast you

She’s not super confrontational, so she won’t jump in & snap at them, but she’ll definitely give em “a look” & be super passive-aggressive with them

She’ll get you out of any uncomfortable situations as fast as she can, and then she’ll do anything to reassure you and/or distract you

Because of everything that’s happened in her life, she hates hospitals, but she’ll still go with you to appointments/check-ups because she wants to give you her full support

And she also does her best to keep up with any medical info she might need—so if some kind of emergency happens, she’ll know what to do

She’s on & off medication, so if you have to take some as well, you’ll always end up reminding one another to take 👏them 👏meds👏

Honestly, while she does still have her bad days, having you by her side makes everything so much better

She’s eternally grateful to have met you <3

NSFW

Homegirl isn’t the most dominant person in bed tbh

She’s sort of a switch, leaning towards bottoming or being a power bottom

So the first few times you’re together, it ends up being that meme

You know the one… yeah, that one

But just like how she learns to be more vulnerable over time, she also learns to enjoy topping a lot more~

You just look so cute & endearing beneath her, how could she not want to take control & make you feel good, y’know?

She’s relatively vanilla, but also down to try some BDSM stuff

Wouldn’t mind tying you up & teasing you until you just can’t take any more~

Like, despite being vanilla, if there’s one thing this girl loves, it’s being a tease

She adores how desperate you grow under her touch while beg because you’re just so needy

She’s a bit iffy when it comes to degrading you, but she’ll definitely praise you a whole lot

Loves worshipping your curves with her hands & mouth while murmuring how soft & sweet & perfect you are

Overall, she really just wants to make ya feel good

Sex is how she enjoys showing her love & dedication to you, so she always tries to make it as enjoyable as she can

Things always end up super steamy & sensual

But she also likes being goofy sometimes, so there‘s never too much pressure or anything ^^

On special occasions (or just when she’s feeling a lil frisky ;)) she’ll dress up in cute lingerie

And she’ll absolutely love it if you do too~

Definitely be ready for a bunch of compliments—especially if you get flustered easily ;3

She enjoys being a bit risqué when it comes to teasing you in public 👀

And if she’s not there to do it in person, she’ll send nudes instead ;)

She sends some lewd ass pics when she knows you’re in the middle of something or surrounded by other people, just to get you all riled up :p

It’s not fair—and she knows & loves it~ >:)

She always wants you to be happy & comfortable though, so she won’t do it if you tell her not to

Your comfort has ultimate priority over anything else

Which also means y’all have a bunch of established safewords—just in case

Overall?

Loving & caring gf

You’re at the center of her attention during sex; she does whatever it takes for you to have an enjoyable experiences

Please cherish her & return her affection cause she’s been through a lot & deserves it too :”)

[ootori-sibs]

Kyoya's second shot

Episode ten: Tamaki makes a discovery!

Tw: self harm (mentioned and implied) starving (mentioned)

The next session was more peaceful, he didn't have to talk to any guests, he could just watch Tamaki, whilst stirring his coffee lazily. Tamaki's way of acting evil was incredibly satisfying to watch; he kept pressing gentle kisses to the prop skull, running his tongue against his perfect teeth, the way he purred his words towards the girls- playing up his natural accent to make the ladies swoon, he drew his words out, lounging about in lazy regality. Kyoya had no idea Tamaki could do that, it was incredible… nearly enough to make him drool if he was honest. He wanted nothing but to sit there under Tamaki and let him woo him like that… but that could never happen. Kyoya looked at the girls, the guests, laughing and giggling and watching Tamaki with wide eyes… and he was consumed by jealousy. How dare they, how dare they get to enjoy so much attention from Tamaki, whilst Kyoya has to sit there, just wishing. They're so horrid, so vapid, they're worse than Haruhi, they don't even deserve his hatred.

Oh. The coffee stirrer had shattered in his hand, he growled under his breath and pushed the cup away from him. He turned to his laptop for comfort, opening the finances, he's not doing anything, just toying with the graphs and such. He takes out his phone as well, opening the council group chat.

Shadow king: Seika, I need you to do something. Now.

Woman#2: Ooh, someone's pissy, what happened?

Shadow king: That is irrelevant, just do something.

Hurt her.

Woman#2: You want me to hurt her? How? Are you sure?

Shadow king: I don't care how. Just do it.

He put his phone back in his bag, hands shaking from the anger. He wanted to leave, he felt angry, he felt he was going to scream. He took his glasses off, rubbing his face and running his hands through his hair, deep breaths, he just has to take deep breaths.

"Senpai?" Haruhi's soft voice cut through his calming breaths, sparking the rage in him again, he looked at her, putting his glasses back on. She looked worried, a soft smile on her face, she had no idea how much she was hated, "are you alright?"

He tenses up, did he have the strength to lie? He felt like punching her in the face here and now, but he knew he couldn't do that. He was tapping his nails on the table, trying not to tell her to fuck off, his lack of ease was clear to her, as he gritted his teeth and forced a smile. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be? I'm just sorting out the finances right now, did you need anything Haruhi?"

She paused, sensing the danger though being unable to see why, her smile turned to a frown, "I… no, I just wanted to check on you, I'll… go back to my table now." She took a few steps back before turning and heading back to her customers, she should have been focusing on them anyway. Kyoya felt a little worried about how she'd clearly noticed something, wondering if she realised how much he hated her.

He couldn't focus on anything, nothing at all, so instead he took out his notebook, beginning to doodle. It was a human, it had sharper features then a human; a pronounced nose, a tiny neck, very sharp shoulder blades- Haruhi was softer than that, was he drawing Haruhi? He fixed the shoulder, smudging the offending ink with his finger and rounding off the shoulders. He focused on her hair, it was similar to Tamaki's, but uglier, flatter, brown. Her expression was one of disdain, one Kyoya had never seen on her face before, she was disgusted, like he knew she would be when she realised what he'd been doing- if she realised, commoners were never smart. Was the school badge on the wrong side? He always struggled with mirroring, it was hard to remember. Her eyes were bleeding silver from his pencil, he would have grabbed a pen but he had no blue, he didn't want to touch his red, it was the only red pen he had- Haruhi didn't deserve it.

She was disgusting, selfish, she didn't deserve Tamaki, she was just some dumb commoner… commoner, commoner, he said that word a lot, but Yuuichi had said it was regular- just regular people, they were the minority in real life. It was a strange feeling, they all had so much power yet there were so much more commoners in the world, it was strange, it was… odd. His breaths shuddered as he wrote words, the same word, over and over and over and over again around his sketch.

Commoner.

She's a commoner, and he hates her.

The session ended after a while, and the tables were pushed together, guess Tamaki had ordered a meeting. The others had gone to get dressed, so Kyoya hesitantly followed. When he got to his corset, he really didn't want to leave it, besides, the others hardly ever do any inventory so it's not like they'd notice it missing. He toyed with the tightness for a little, before slipping his shirt and blazer over it, something sparking in his mind as he put his tie on. An idea that led him to pull said tie as tight as it could possibly go… then loosen it a little- a tie isn't as safe as a corset apparently.

He took his place at the table, opening his laptop and closing his book, "so, what's this meeting about then Tamaki?"

Tamaki paused, looking unsure for a moment, there was something about how he'd looked at Kyoya that made him suddenly very uneasy, "well, just about everything and anything, just thought I'd switch it up, cause I uh- I wanna do something on Friday!" He smiles, clearly having just made that up, "care to give us a finance report?"

Now that was something Kyoya could do, he nodded, opening the finances graphs and charts and tables. He took out a remote for the projector that sat in the ceiling, waiting until Tamaki got the whiteboard out for him, then he projected his screen onto it. "So," he actually smiled, he loved talking about numbers, "we're actually doing rather well, profits are up and I have to say welldone, all of you are contributing to the profits equally, although of course, Tamaki is still number one." He pulled up a chart depicting each hosts individual profits, complete with images; obviously he'd manipulated the graphs, the twins were actually doing better than Tamaki by 2% but the graphs only purpose was was to make Tamaki feel good, and to hide the fact that Kyoya himself literally avoided hosting at all costs. The hosts seemed to enjoy the graph, though Haruhi had frowned, to which Kyoya nodded, "unfortunately, Haruhi has been slacking recently, is there a reason for this?"

All eyes were on Haruhi, and Kyoya felt incredibly vindicated by this. She paused, blinking in surprise, "well I don't think I was falling behind, I could've sworn I did more hosting then you have senpai…" Her tone was a pondering one, but Kyoya felt the rage spark up again.

"Well there's no need to be so rude about it," Kyoya glanced around, hand on his heart, maybe it was time to take a risk, "you've been awfully spiteful towards me lately and I'm not sure why, is something the matter Haruhi?" He kept his tone soft and almost hurt sounding, hand pressed against his head as the other loosely held the remote for the projector, he did his best to paint Haruhi as the aggressor- he could tell Tamaki was still too hurt from her distance on Sunday to stand up for her, but he looked torn, not sure who to believe. The twins glanced at each other, then between Kyoya and Haruhi, they'd been privy to the discussion that morning and were likely still hesitant. Honey and Mori were the wild card, Mori was unreadable as always but Honey looked sympathetic to Kyoya, and Kyoya felt a little spark of victory.

Haruhi stared across the table at him, trying to read him and failing, Kyoya was not going to let his guard down. So she sighed, "I haven't been rude to you senpai, you've just been jumpy, I even asked if you were alright this afternoon, remember?" Oh god, she was being honest, he wasn't sure how to combat honesty, unless he could twist her words into what he wanted…

"Haruhi, I'll be perfectly honest here, you should probably stop neglecting your duties. As I said this afternoon, I was too busy to converse with you, and you had clients anyway so you should have been at your table instead of bothering me with questions about whether there's anything wrong with me." He paused, taking a breath and letting it sink in, he was taking a huge, huge risk here, and he hoped it would pay off. The twins seemed to at least somewhat agree that Haruhi should have been doing his job, Honey seemed concerned about what was said, Mori was still unreadable, and Tamaki… Tamaki looked almost angry, but at what, Kyoya wasn't sure.

Haruhi was startled, "I… I didn't mean it like-"

Kyoya shut her up with a wave of her hand, "that doesn't matter Haruhi, what matters is that you left your station, and should pay more attention to your duties, are we in agreement?" She nodded and he smiled, changing the slide, "but yes, profits are up, even if the recent theme cost quite a lot, namely in the diamonds for Tamaki's prop skull," he glances down at the king, seeing Tamaki's smile made him feel fuzzy inside, he's so glad these idiots don't think about things for more than three seconds.

But then Tamaki spoke, "oh, about today's theme, I made sure to put all the costumes on the hangers when you were all setting up the table… Do you remember where you put your corset, Kyoya?" Oh god, oh fuck, Kyoya instantly glanced away, hand going to his abdomen, feeling the bones of the corset through his shirt and blazer.

"Well I-..."

Hikaru snickered, holding in a laugh, "did you keep it on? Couldn't you get it off?"

Karou joined in at that, chuckling softly, "like when you took too long this morning? Were you actually just struggling?"

Kyoya felt his face go red, and was glad of the makeup, he frowned and glared over their shoulders, "that's… that's not why I-"

"So you did keep it on?" Honey spoke up, tilting his head, smiling, "but for a different reason?"

Tamaki sighed, "aww Kyoya, I offered you help you if you got stuck, there's no shame in it." The tone he used, it was one you'd use for a jumpy, frightened animal- he was offended but he couldn't say it didn't sooth him slightly. He also felt the idea of Tamaki helping him with the corset was certainly someone that made him feel fuzzy but he was too tired to protest too much. He just sighed.

The meeting was cut short a little, Kyoya wasn't entirely sure what happened, he remembers the twins did a talk about the costumes they have for the themes lined up, and Honey gave feedback on the cakes he had ordered… but Kyoya was a little fuzzy through the whole thing, maybe the corset and the combo was a little too much. He could glance back down at his notebook to clarify that he was taking notes, though it was a larger font.

16:26 - Clothes look good, cake was dry...

It trailed off, and Kyoya's face feels hot, he's dizzy, and feels like he's so close to passing out. He closed his eyes and felt cold fingers against his skin, opening his eyes he saw Tamaki carefully untying the ribbons of his corset for him, his eyes were full of concern, "Kyoya… this is way too tight… how could you breathe?"

"Hm… couldn't…" Kyoya's words were slurring, god, he really was about to pass out.

Tamaki's eyes flickered up to Kyoya's face, noticing how clouded his eyes are and sighing, "oh no…" he reaches up, loosening Kyoya's tie for hum, their faces were so close, and Kyoya wondered if Tamaki could feel the heat from his face, "you tied your tie too tight too… please don't tell me it was on purpose…" he looked at Kyoya with those big doe eyes that Kyoya can't resist, and something in Kyoya just breaks. He's crying now.

Shocked, Tamaki pulls him into an embrace, just letting him cry, "oh… oh Kyoya… why? Why would you do that to yourself? Does this mean you lied about the reason for your starving too? Is this why you've been so antsy?" Kyoya didn't answer, he was sobbing now, the floodgates were open, there was no moving until he was done. Tamaki let him for now, a lot of things probably making sense in Tamaki's mind, he shifted so Kyoya and he were both more comfortable. The curtains parted slightly and Kyoya couldn't see who it was but Tamaki snapped, "hey! Don't look! Let him have privacy, just go home." Kyoya appreciated Tamaki caring so much for his privacy but felt a little bad at intruding on his.

Tamaki cradled him softly, rocking back and forth as Kyoya sobbed in his arms, Kyoya felt awful, absolutely horrible, he had been hurting himself, he had and that was awful, he had upset Tamaki, he upset his darling best friend and crush by letting him find out about the self harm. He was a horrible friend, he should have hidden it better, god he was terrible…

"Kyoya," Tamaki hummed Kyoya's name, pushing back slightly to look Kyoya in the eyes, wiping his teeths gently, "you know you can talk to me about anything right? You're my best friend and I love you, you're very important to me and I don't want to see you so hurt. Take care of yourself, I know it's probably hard, but just try your best, ok?" He smiled softly at him, his hand on Kyoya's cheek, Kyoya's own hand came up and touched Tamaki's, his eyes were wide and he couldn't help but smile. Tamaki's so wonderful, so brilliant, Kyoya loved him with every inch of his being, Kyoya simply adored him. "Promise me I won't ever see you so hurt again?"

Kyoya just nodded, he would hide it better next time, he wouldn't let Tamaki see even the idea of Kyoya being hurt, he hated himself for how he'd upset Tamaki- he wouldn't let it happen again. Tamaki had smiled and stood up, helping Kyoya up before fully undoing the corset, letting it fall to the floor. Kyoya felt a shiver run down his spine and Tamaki gasped, "oh you must be so cold! Here, let me help you with your shirt!" He bent down and buttoned Kyoya's shirt back up, humming a sweet little melody, one that made Kyoya's heart soar like a bird. He stood and put a gentle hand on Kyoya's shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow mon ami, take care of yourself."

Kyoya was silent on the way home, his bodyguards couldn't get a word out of him, his fingers drummed on the cover of his black book, he wanted to write, but he didn't want to have to get his pen out of his bag. They got home eventually and Kyoya stormed up the driveway and into the mansion, he practically ran upstairs, slamming the door to his room the moment he entered it. He threw his bag at the table, before following it and kneeling down, placing his book down and opening it.

17:56 - Tamaki realised why I had the corset so tight, he helped me take it off, his hands are so soft. He knows about the self harm, I promised I wouldn't let him see it again but it's too late: he knows, he knows, he knows, he knows…

[yeojaa]

SUGAR HIGH, chapter iv. (w. JJK)

You're not entirely sure when it happened, though you'd come to terms with it. You'd counted the days, waiting for the inevitable. You'd truly thought you'd be okay, but by the broken, half-beating thing in your chest - you knew you'd never really been prepared.

alt summary.  You thought you’d known real love and maybe you had - it just wasn’t with who you thought.

pairing.  jeon jungkook.  mentions/involvement of ot7.

tags.  angst, break up, post-break up, comfort, OT7, slow burn, friendship, moving on, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, emotional bagge, fluff, canon compliant, jeon jungkook is bad at feelings, jeon jungkook is a good friend, jeon jungkook is a sweetheart.

rating.  general (for now?)

word count.  ~2100

chapter 4.  How’m I Doing

They say all that ever matters is timing.  You think they must be right - because no matter how good you've always been together, the timing is just never right.

He's awake before you and for once, he doesn't mind how his internal clock has him stirring before the sun has risen. It gives him time to linger here, where he belongs.

It feels oddly domestic, his arm hooked around the pillow and the other barely breaching the divide between you.  Tips of fingers ghost over where you'd be if you only shifted an inch, trailing through the heat radiating off your frame.  He exhales a sound like frustration but there's only warmth in his mouth, peeking past his teeth like rays of sunlight.  

Like this, Jungkook allows himself to daydream.  To imagine endless summer skies and you weight of your hand in his, laughter curling out of your mouth like smoke and filling the space until he's drunk on the sound.  He drifts between your cotton candy smile, so saccharine sweet it gives him toothaches, and the feel of your hip nudging his through choreography he'd love nothing more than to practice with you.  (You'd hate it - two left feet, you'd argue - but he'd insist.  You'd always say yes.)

He closes his eyes and it's you at his side, keeping him anchored to this reality he's so often surprised by.  It's you laughing with Hoseok, bursting into an impromptu slide and disappearing behind fingers when he's focused his lens on you.  It's the two of you in the kitchen, adjusting to each other with practiced ease and cowering when Seokjin reminds you both of the burning banana pancakes.  It's you swiping the rain from his eyes, pulling him beneath a shared umbrella while the sky opens above you, so heavy it sinks into your bones.

He imagines being swept away during the holidays, Christmas shopping in between trying on silly costumes, elf-hats pulled low over your ears.  He kisses you at midnight on New Years and he nearly forget about the fireworks going off above your heads - there are enough of those between you.  He finds your face in a sea of thousands, serenades you like there's nothing else in the world.  

He daydreams about all the things he's never had.  

(Whoever said daydreams hurt had never dealt with a reality like this.)

 You're studying his face like a woman possessed, as if maybe, just maybe, you could burn this image into your mind for the rest of your days.  That it could be your saving grace when he's halfway across the world and you're reminded that you're alone again.  

You memorize the slope of his nose and the gentle curve of his lips, the way the little freckle smack dab in the centre draws your attention without even trying.  You examine the way his lashes flutter with each breath, the way his forehead tenses here and there, brows drawn together by something you wish you could smooth away.

You want to give him the world. 

Instead, you're gingerly reaching out, puppeteered by your quick-beating heart.  

It feels like electricity shooting through your veins, igniting your bloodstream as the tips of fingers graze his temple.  You touch him like he's precious, crystal, about to shatter into a million pieces.  Within your brassy broken cage of bones, your heart skips a beat.  You withdraw--

"Don't stop."  He's caught your wrist in the same moment you've pulled away.  He's pleading, hopeful and sweet.

When you card through his powder puff of hair, a smile spreads like butter, too big for his face and crinkling the corners of his eyes.  A hum of contentment parts his lips and he's leaning into your touch, seeking warmth like a sunbathing cat.  You gladly oblige him, alternating between stroking the swell of his cheek, doodling nonsense into the margins of his skin, and sweeping his mop of brunette behind his ears.  

You stay like this for minutes that stretch on in silence - only broken by a vibration of his phone.

"You have to go," you speak the words faintly, muffling the sound against your pillow.  You know how you sound - disappointed and just a little petulant.  You don't mean to.  

He hums, as he always does, and catches your fingers in his own.  His large palm engulfs yours but your fingers, long and thin from years of piano practice, easily combat his.  You giggle once, soft and low, as he twines them together, gently knocking yours - his? - knuckles against your chin.

"I do."  It's like a nail in a coffin, the finality of it.  "Why don't you come by later?  Everyone will want to see you."

The thought makes you smile despite yourself.  You'd missed them, too.  "Okay."

Your acquiescence seems good enough for him and he's bright-eyed and bunny smiled, mouth splitting wide.  He's still got your hand in his, refusing to let go as he rises up, holding himself comfortably upon one elbow.  There's emotion in the way he looks at you, takes in the way your bangs drift hazy over your vision and your teeth worry your bottom lip with self-conscious abandon. 

"You'll be okay, you know."  His reassurance is stronger than the sun's rays, more concrete than the ground beneath your feet.  It's equal parts a statement and a promise.  He'll make sure you're okay - he always has.

Because he's the person who dives without thought, swimming among the shipwrecks in your eyes.  He's the one who has always brought the light to those cracked hulls and broken boughs.  He's ignored the swirling void and gnashing teeth, refusing to leave behind the buried treasure he knows sits beneath the trench.  He'll pull you to the surface, even if it means drowning in your ocean. 

"I know - I have you."  

 Once he's called for a car and you've both brushed your teeth, you wait outside the front door together.  You're sipping at coffee - or trying to - and he's leaning on the railing, light bathing his handsome face in a way that makes your heart stop.

He was your best friend but you'd be lying if you said he wasn't breathtaking.

"We've got meetings until about 3 PM.  I'm not sure what's going on after that but you can probably just come by then."  Jungkook is studying his phone, scrolling through unread messages and deftly ticking back responses.  He's got his bag hiked over his shoulder, lighter now that he's unloaded your souvenirs, and seems perfectly at ease.  Without glancing up, he's holding out a hand for your mug of coffee.  You pass it to him without a word, watching the way the steam curves  around powdery skin and drifts into the early morning.

He takes a sip, nose wrinkling in that distinctly Jungkook way, and hands it back to you.  "Too hot."

"I could've told you that,"  you murmur around a mouth of beguiling laughter, happily returning both cold palms to the ceramic.  Heat warms you to your core as you drag your lips through scalding liquid once more, staring at him unabashedly.

"What?"  He notices - of course he does - and levels you with what's meant to be a demanding stare.  Perhaps it would be, if not for the way his expression splits in half, suspicious facade giving way to a smile that could only be described as beautiful.  "Soomi-ah, you know it's rude to stare."  And there's that bunny quality, two front teeth standing center stage.

"I'm just glad you're home." 

He scoffs to hide the sudden rouge that colours his cheeks, tinges the tops of his ears.  He's immediately pulling you against his side, careful not to dislodge the cup from your hands.  It's silly, the bashfulness that rises in his chest and settles like an unfamiliar weight on his shoulders. 

Jeon Jungkook was many things but shy wasn't one of them - not really. 

He'd grown into his long limbs and wicked smile, frighteningly aware of the effect he had on most people.  He'd learnt to command it, switch it on and off so quickly it'd cause whiplash.  Gone was the timid fifteen year-old, replaced by a larger than life idol with a pouty mouth and a body that could make you cry.

But that was only out there - to them, the people who loved him and his hyungs unconditionally. 

Here, with you, he was just Kookie. Even if you rarely used the nickname now. 

(You said it didn't belong to just you two anymore, and he supposed that was true.  He wasn't just yours anymore.)

"I'm always just a phone call away," he murmurs into the top of your head.  He's said it once and he'll say it again, even if you don't believe him.  He knows it's just your stubborn nature that keeps you rooted in place, refusing to take up any more space in his life.  He also knows you'd call if you really needed him.  You always did.

You nod, the only indication you've heard him.  You know, you know. 

"Your car's here."  

It's like the ending to a bittersweet fairytale - the strike of a clock at midnight. 

He squeezes you a little tighter and you allow yourself to loop an arm around his impossibly small waist, gently squeezing his hip.  Then he's gone, taking the steps two at a time as he bounds down to meet the sleek black sedan.  You're not sure who's in the driver's seat - whether it's one of the boys or a manager or someone else entirely - but you catch the way a hand pops out of the window.  A quick wave.  Someone you know, then. 

Right before Jungkook steps into the passenger seat, he's waving as well, wrist flailing like he's boneless.  "I'll see you later!"  He calls, disappearing inside and behind the shadow of a tinted glass.  You wonder if he even hears you when you call out.

"Bye, Bunny."

 "She's back home."  There's surprise lacing the rich baritone, turning the statement into a question as soon as Jungkook has slid across supple leather.

The younger man hums, slotting his backpack between his knees.  "Yeah, recently."  He doesn't offer anything more as he cards a hand through his hair and shifts to recline fully into the seat.  He's ready to head back to the complex and take a long hot shower and prepare for the day.  Hopefully there'll be something to eat, considering how early it is.  He's sure Seokjin will have whipped something up.

"We weren't sure where you ran off to so quickly but Yoongi-hyung had an idea."  

"Why would Yoongi-hyung think I was there?"  Jungkook doesn't have time to catch himself before the his words are rolling off his tongue, seemingly held by a string that furrows his brow.  He ignores the way Taehyung's own raise, disappearing into his carefully styled fringe.  

"They talk, you know."  Whatever sixth sense the elder has seems to drive him to continue his first though, molasses heavy on his tongue in an effort to smooth whatever feathers he's ruffled.  "We all do.  She's our friend, too."  A moment of silence as he rolls to a stop, nodding politely at the halmoni that is helped across the street by what he assumes is her grandson.  "Yoongi-hyung said she'd been sad lately, so he figured you'd want to see her as soon as we got back."

Jungkook isn't sure what the emotion clawing up his throat is or why it feels like bile and envy, licking acid over his vocal chords.  He doesn't even realize he's holding tension in a vice grip until he's loosening his hand, little crescent moons dug into the soft flesh of his palm.

He shouldn't be jealous.  He doesn't really even think he is jealous.

Hurt, maybe.  That makes more sense.

"Oh."  He wonders if it comes off poorly.  By the way Taehyung shifts in his periphery, he's sure it does.  

So he clears his throat and offers a contrite smile.  These are his hyungs, his best friends, his brothers.  He knows better.  He thinks you'd reprimand him if you caught him like this.  You'd tell him they were your friends, too, and that you could never have enough people who loved you.  You'd make a point about ARMY, about the people who've raised thousands of dollars in his name and wrote you letters thoughtful enough to make you breakdown.  He'd have to agree.

An abundance of love was the best problem to have.

"She's coming by later,"  Jungkook relents, lolling his head to the side as he speaks.

Taehyung beams, boyishly handsome and relieved by the melting tension.  Long fingers tap the stirring wheel as gears turn in his head.  He hasn't seen you in forever - ages longer than his maknae - and he can't help but imagine the ease with which you'll slot back into their lives.  Even if only for a little while.

"Great.  Let's keep it a surprise."

notes.   i realized i haven't been proofreading anything so i apologize for any mistakes littered through past chapters. i'm going to start planning out future ones so hopefully there will be more rhyme and reason moving forward. @-@ 

this chapter was heavily inspired by eric nam's "how'm i doing". https://youtu.be/D46_enlxfP8

[popculturebuffet]

Jake Reviews Stuff: Close Enough: Logans Run’d and Room Parents

IT’S FINALLY HERE, PERFORMING FOR YOU. Seriously I have waited 3 years for this. And while yes thanks to a combination of a french animation festival and HBO’s own oopsie doodle I was able to watch 3 episodes already, and review them, it dosen’t make this any less sweet.  The fandom can finally come togehter as a whole and enjoy the hell out of the series. And doubling my excitment is the fact that HBO Max dropped 15 episodes! 14 episodes bundled into half hours and one extra long episode that seems to feature one of the greatest musicans and comedians of all-time, a man who needs no introduction but hell if i’m not giving him one. WEIRD, AL, YANKOVIC!

I could not be more excited if I tried. And yes that’s with full awarness my pre-amphibia and owl house workload just became at LEAST 4 times what I expected and this may be all there is. Having to review 12 episodes still means getting to WATCH 12 episodes of a show I truly adore. It’s an easy trade off. So with that out of the way, we can dig into close enough’s second two episodes and see if the show can keep the momentum from the first pair! Door’s open, let’s do this! The full review and spoilers under the cut. 

Logans Run’d   With Candace having her first sleepover Josh and Emily (Who apparently aren’t on good enough terms with their parents to have them watch her something I hope they explore later in the series), have their first Candace free evening and spend it as you’d expect for a 35 year old couple: Pelvic thrusting to turn down to what while doing general errrands then planning to have a nice night in of tea and the great british baking show, which continues this show’s hard to get used to trend of using actual brand names.  The two invite Bridgette to join them which she scoffs at saying the pair, and Alex who is not only delighted to join them but is in an old timey sleeping costume with listening horn which, no joke, is his profile picture on the show’s website, which feels perfect honestly and I love everything about that. 

The three soon realize to their horror through flashback that they indeed are old (Hilariously alex’s is literally just his introduction in this episode), and beg Bridgette to take them along to a club, Logan’s Run’d. What follows is the three of them getting hard core drunk all the way to 9PM while  Bridgette flirts with a younger guy and youtube sensation and who looks like the earth 3 version of hank venture.. until it turns out he’s actually a toddler wearing some sort of robot suit because of course.  Things go south however both as our heroes realize their running out of steam.. and as another 30 something is made VIP>.. which in this club is being murdered to death by a giant fan. With blood which I”m sure JG was giddy to do first chance it was approriate given he did 8 years of a show on a children’s network and children’s networks hate blood as much as they hate actually letting shows mention the concept of death directly by name.  Naturally the four of them want to book it out of there: While Bridgette , if she wasn’t lying about her age to the toddler, isn’t in the danger zone, she still just hit on a toddler and is naturally afraid of going to prison, but get stopped by the bar guy. Alex, in a supremeley sad yet badass moment, pulls out his blockbuster card and prepares to sacrifice himself for his friend’s sake: Partly because he cares about them and candace and partly because he’s worried he has nothing left to live for now he’s old, something I myself worry about going into my 30′s next year. Josh (Emily takes a second to join in) rushes to save his best bud and the two reassure Alex he has a future, a future of not having to get new music, of having nights of just relaxing and watching tv and getting pepper in your beard for , as Alex puts it “That george clooney look” Bridgette was the last one and guards her friends from being murdered for obvious reasons before breaking the fan.  Our heroes are saved, alex and me honestly as all of that sounds really appealing to be honest and I live 2/3 of it already, are convinced that growing old is pretty sweet. Oh and the owner turns out to be an old guy, as Alex realizes when he refrences logans run and is murdered by the crowd. Our heroes enjoy pancakes, Bridgette still finds the guy cute which.. no no bridgette just no, and Alex muses about them having seen a man die.  Final Thoughts: A decent episode.. while not as good as 100% no stress day ahead of it or the previous episode, i’ts a simple episode with good gags, an utterly great character moment for Alex which shows that despite his weirdo exterior he’s a damn good guy and he has something to live for. Also the toddler subplot was stupid and kinda creepy. A decent gag filled episode withs ome great ones and some really good animation. Also the opening is utterly iconic, easily one of the shows best jokes so far and probably in total and still works despite the use of turn down for what being slightly dated, but it works because it’s just really damn funny. Not the series best thus far but it’s still okay if a standard episode is this enjoyable. 

Room Parents: Now this is the good shit. It’s parent meeting time at Candace’s school with Me Daughter Teacher having one last announcment while Josh is about to pass out from having to hold in 3 powerades... dude should’ve gone for gatorade.. it still goes through you it just tastes objectivley better. Anyways me Daughter Teacher locks the room for the announcment because he needs a room parent and things quickly turn to purge as everyone is either fleeing or trying to murder each other to avoid it. While i’m not a parent, I can at leat understand not wanting to give time to do this when your schedule is likely already a hellscape. Josh (Who wonders if they got a purge going, got a good laugh out of me. ), being basically what if Mr. Peanutbutter had an illigitmate son he dind’t know about, and i’m still not convinced he’s not his dad until the show proves otherwise, happily volunteers to Emily’s horror.  Josh however.. is entirely game. He even makes a dad joke calling it a “Fun Raiser” to emily’s annoyance. It’s a nice show of just HOW opposite the two are: Emily being more stressed, as 100% stress day proved/will prove given it’s after this episode even though i’ve already seen it but it’s set later but...

The point is she’s a ball of stress while he’s a ball of enthusasim just like his dad, who i’m now just.. 100% convinced is his dad and dosen’t know it. Prove me wrong. Anyways Josh meets Nikki another parent whose own son is ominously framed in shadow because of course something weird about her who offers to pitch in.. and is also transparently intrested in josh.  The next day Josh and nikki talk on the phone and Bridgette and Alex instantly pick up that she’s into him and that josh is the kind of guy every girl wants, with Bridgette sighting the look when he inhales mustard and Alex, being the objectivley best, citing his thin papery jack of clubs body type. I’m now 100% convinced they all had a foursome at some point before the divorce which Emily tries not to think about and Emily isn’t convinced.. until Josh, in another great gag, says Nikki said “wash your balls, so random”.  Emily, now panicked, enlists Pearle who gladly volunteers her spy van, because Pearle is also objectivity the best, to go spy on alex in a montage set to heart’s crazy on you were we get our image for this episode which is a great gag.. especailly Emily mouthing “Wait afterwords’ and it being followed by them going to the sex hotel.. which is actually the essex hotel.. which is for affairs as it’s sign says. It’s hard not to just list gags for this show because it’s damn good but i’ll try.  Emily then confronts Josh that night (doing the dramatic light turning on thing by holding the lamp another great gag), and Josh explains no he’s not cheating on her because he’s a pure boy, and he aquises to her, also finally realizing Nikki’s been transparently trying to seduce him.  Naturally their attempt to uncoroomparenther before the Fundraiser goes pear shaped as it turns out Nikki is a con artist who pulls what professionals call a josh , scam a stressed parent, tie him up or kill him and then steal the fundraiser money for a school, for a living (She has another one cooking at the moment) and leaves them. Emily orders a knife via a delivery service, while a waiting Pearle wonders where they are.. which raises a lot of questions. WHy pearle is there is easy, she’s supporting Candace and her friends/tennants. That part is easy. Why she brought Randy, who at least at this point is objectively useless and why Alex and BRidgette AREN’T there I can’t explain. Maybe mecha pope garfield rose from the grave. Maybe Bridgette’s fucking that clown again. Maybe Alex has more garifled theroies to bust out. Actually those last two answer my question for me.. I mean someome’s gotta reveal Garfield was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. 

Our heroes arrive however to Foil Nikki , who thent ries to escape on a children’s train.. which being a children’s train Josh and Emily just hop on and in a hilarious bit slowly remove the kids before ending up with Candace, who says “daddy’s girlfriend is getting away”. Jessica DiCiccio is a delight as Candace and her delivery is impecable here. However Nikki switches tracks and cranks up the speed. Thankfully while Emily and Candace fall off the train pearle and Randy, who I STILL don’t know why he’s in this episode he has no lines and does nothing, catch them, leaving it to Josh to fix his mess. After a breif fight and a nut shot Josh sucesfully swaps the money for Nikki’s fake son/dummy who she chokes bart style before both explodes when they hit a thermometor factory.  Our heroes win, the fundraiser is a sucess and the teachers have elected Josh room parent for life (”That can’t be legally binding” “IT’S LEGALLY BINDING!”)  Final Thoughts: A great , really damn funny episode with a great premise. While Emily being worried Josh would cheat seems weird given he’s a nice enough guy, it’s sometimes understandable to be panicky about that sort of thing and her worry is warnated given one party is trying to seduce her husband, josh is just too stupid to realize, which makes for a lot of great gags. It’s a really tighly done episode that like the above is more pure comedy and just hilarious, but has even better jokes and a much better executed premise to work with. And no weird toddler things. So overally a slam dunk.  I have more close enough reviews coming today, obviously though i’d rather watch the rest before reviewing them, but while I do you can shoot me an ask to talk more close enough, and in more serious matters... One of my best friend’s cat’s cancer has come back and being out of work and just having moved into a new appartment, he needs help paying for it. You can find the go fund me here.  And as always until we meet again, later days. 

[turtle-steverogers]

WTF is Cats About?

ralbert and cats the musical :)

warnings: none, cept cats the musical (if ur a cats stan, i swear im not making fun of it,,,,just,,,,,cats)

ship: ralbert

word count: 1577

editing: no lmao...CATS

-

Albert likes to think he’s gotten used to all of Race’s funny quirks and little habits.  He’d long since given up on getting him to stop biting his nails and the whole twirling his hair while he relaxes thing is pretty endearing.  But there are some things that still surprise him.  

Like his utterly amazing habit of withholding big life changes until they’re glaringly important and then announcing them as if he’s commenting on the weather.

Which is why Albert basically spits his tea all over his laptop one morning when Race announces he’s been cast in the fucking Broadway revival of Cats.

Fucking Cats.

Albert doesn’t even know what Cats is about.  Not that he’s ever really had the desire to know.  The whole show is a little too...furry for him.

It had been a mild Sunday morning up until then.  The sky was clear and blue and the sun rays hit just right on their bed, waking them up, but not disturbing them.  They’d lounged around for a few hours, switching between lazy morning cuddles and tiredly making out.  Life since moving to the City together had been exhilarating.  The freedom they’d once yearned for so heavily was finally at their fingertips, lending them the time to focus on their dreams and basking in the post college glow of their early adulthood.

Race worked at the local pizza joint when he wasn’t auditioning for whatever he could find casting calls for (which apparently included fucking Cats the fucking musical).  It was a good gig for him; it kept him busy and entertained.  Something Albert struggled to do single-handedly.

Albert on the other hand worked at a dingy mechanics shop a few blocks away, fixing up old cars on the side while working his way through the prestigious culinary grad program he’d somehow managed to get into.  All in all, they were doing well for themselves as 24 year olds living alone in New York City.

Somehow, they’d managed to drag themselves out of bed and into the kitchen, where Albert fixed them a modest breakfast of omelettes before docking at the counter to sort through some emails.  

Race was sitting next to him, absentmindedly petting Chips, their orange tabby, when he states, “I got cast in the Broadway revival of Cats.”

Albert pauses mid-type, glancing up at his boyfriend, who’s still intently looking at Chips, running his hand down the length of his back, “You what!?”

Race takes a deep breath, then repeats, “I got cast in the Broadway revival of Cats.”

Albert’s been rendered speechless by Race plenty of times in his 6+ years of knowing him.  But he’s never felt quite as...dumbfounded before.

“You got cast...in Cats?” He asks slowly, before shaking his head and backing up, “Wait, no, hang on, hang on...you auditioned for fucking Cats?”

Race ducks his head, a blush forming under his collar and around his ears, “Uh, yeah, I meant to mention it...but it never came up?”

Albert blinks again, “Who- what- what even is Cats?”

Race goes to answer, then closes his mouth hastily, “I don’t...actually really know…”

“How don’t you know?  You’re in the damn show!”

“I was only just cast!  I don’t know it that well yet!”

Albert makes a choked noise, “Okay, but you should at least know what the fuck the show is about if you went through a damn audition process- wait, when was this even happening? What- I’m so confused right now...my fucking boyfriend got cast in a Broadway musical- FUCKING CATS- and I didn’t even know he was auditioning.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you!” Race says, looking alarmed at Albert’s impending Cats- induced mental breakdown.  Chips gives an annoyed meow at the lack of attention being bestowed onto her and leaps off the counter, trotting away to find Queso, their golden doodle.

“I mean, you’re not entitled to tell me everything about your life, just...wow, I mean, this is big,” Albert scrubs a hand down his face, “I didn’t do anything to make you feel like you couldn’t share this with me, did I?”

Race’s face softens, “No, of course not, Albie,” he sighs, reaching across the table and linking their hands together, “I just got caught up in everything...sometimes things just feel so busy and overwhelming and I like to process it alone before letting other people in on it.”

Albert squeezes his hand, “That’s understandable,” he smiles, bending down to kiss his knuckles, “And congrats! I’m so proud of you! I mean, fucking Broadway...my boyfriend’s gonna be on Broadway.”

Race beams, “Thanks.”

“We have to celebrate,” Albert concludes, “I’m calling Spot and the others.  You better not have work tonight, ‘cause we’re going out for drinks.”

Race shakes his head, bemused, as Albert pulls out his phone to text their group chat.  

“Fucking Cats…” Albert murmurs as he sends the text, “Fuckin’....Cats.”

XXX

“Can you say that your bite is worse than your bark?  Are you cock of the walk when you’re walking alone?  Because jellicles are and jellicles do, jellicles do and jellicles would, jellicles would and…”

Albert freezes in the doorway to their apartment, slowly closing the door behind him as he strains his ears.  He follows the sound of the weirdly tempoed music to the kitchen, where Race is bopping around by the microwave, reheating last night’s dinner of chicken curry.

“Hey,” Albert calls, setting the groceries on the counter.

Race glances over, flashing Albert a smile and turning down the music a few notches.

“Hey, yourself,” he says, pulling his bowl out of the microwave and stirring it a bit with a fork to cool it down.

Albert crosses to him, pecking him on the lips quickly and grabbing a glass for water.

“Jellicles can and jellicles do, jellicles can and jellicles do…”

Albert wrinkles his nose, “the fuck even is a jellicle?”

Race shrugs, shoveling a forkful of curry into his mouth, “Dunno, some type of cat?  Google it.”

Albert hums, “So this is Cats then?  Interesting music.”

“I know, it’s kinda weird,” Race says, perching at the counter, “But it grows on you.  Rehearsal started today, so…”

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” Albert places his glass in the sink and leans against the counter, “How’d it go?”

“Pretty well, I made a few friends,” Race says, “Jojo’s in it.”

Albert smiles, “No kidding! That’s crazy.”

“Right?  I didn’t even know he was auditioning!”

“Seems to be the trend with this show.”

“I get it, I get it,” Race rolls his eyes, looking a little guilty.

“Jellicle songs for jellicle cats, jellicle songs for jellicle cats, jellicle songs for jellicle…”

“If they say ‘jellicle’ one more time I’m going to shoot myself,” Albert growls.

Race whips his head up, eyes slightly wide, “Oh, honey, you are not going to make it through this one…”

“Fantastic.”

XXX

“Hey, Race, have you seen my- WHAT THE FUCK!”

Race turns away from the bathroom mirror, fixing Albert with an innocent look.

“Have I seen your what?” He asks.

“No,” Albert says, pointing a finger, “First answer what the FUCK happened to your face.”

Race turns back to the mirror, dabbing some more orange cream foundation around his eyes.  Disturbingly, Albert notes that his makeup design looks very similar to Chips.

“Gotta do our own makeup for the show,” Race answers, padding a generous amount of setting powder around his face, “I’m practising.”

“Right…” Albert rakes his eyes over Race’s features.  So far, the makeup only spans on his face and down his neck a little, “What else does your costume entail exactly?”

Race grins wickedly and Albert swallows.  

“Oh, you’ll see.”

XXX

“Do you like my tail?”

Albert slowly closes his book, praying for strength as he looks up.  Race is standing by the doorway, rehearsal bag dropped at his feet.  His face is smudged- like he tried and failed to clean off all the layers of his meticulous cat makeup.  He’s dressed normally in adidas workout pants and a random t-shirt from a color run they did years back.  Protruding (Albert doesn’t wanna know how, but alas) from his backside is an orange tabby cat tail.

“Did you choose to be the same kind of cat as Chips?  Or was it some sort of creepy coincidence,” Albert deadpans, refusing to look at the tail longer than he has to and keeping his eyes fixed on Race’s face.

Race’s smile drops a fraction of an inch, “Wait, it’s weird that I chose to be her breed?”

Albert groans and picks back up his book.

XXX

“Congratulations!” 

Albert is met with a faceful of Race’s blond curls as the cast comes swarming out of the stagedoor.  He smells like makeup remover and sweat, but Albert doesn’t care as he kisses him, pride swelling in his chest.  

He doesn’t think he’ll ever get over the exhilarating feeling of seeing Race shine onstage.

“Thanks!” Race looks high on adrenaline and Albert never wants that light to leave his eyes, “What did you think?”

“You were so good!  Everyone was!  And the music was all better than I first thought it would be,” Albert said, playfully swaying them back and forth where they stood, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around Race, “Just one question.”

Race cocks his head, “what’s up?”

“What the fuck is Cats about?”

Race tips his head back and laughs, “I still have no fucking clue.”

-

the word ‘cats’ doesn’t even sound real anymore and i think that’s fitting

thanks for reading, chiefs

hmu to be added to my tag

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[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Z 202

Last episode, Gohan created a superhero persona to disguise himself while he fights crime.   By acting as the Great Saiyaman, no one at school will find out that it’s really Gohan.

This episode, he blows the whole thing on the second day, because some girl is on the roof when he switches out of his costume.   Hijinks, as they say, shall ensue.

Gohan isn’t sure what to do here, so he just sort of walks past the girl and worries about it.

He gets so wrapped up in the problem that he doesn’t pay attention in class, so the teacher makes him stand outside.  

Meanwhile, the girl is in the same class, and she’s doodling Gohan in her notebook.    This looks pretty good, but I always wonder if when cartoon characters sketch someone in the house style, is it supposed to be photorealistic, or cartoony? 

Anyway, the girl, Angela, is so consumed with thoughts about Gohan that she doesn’t pay attention to class either, and she breaks down in tears when she gets in trouble.

But she uses this as an excuse to go stand outside, where Gohan is.   The teacher didn’t actually tell her to do this, but what’s he gonna do?   Punish her for pre-emptively punishing herself?  

So, out in the hall, Angela asks Gohan if he has a girlfriend, and when he doesn’t answer right away, she gets all upset.   Then she threatens to tell everyone his secret unless he takes her on a date, so Gohan agrees.     Angela tells him to meet her in town tomorrow on Sunday.   Wait, so they’re in school on a Saturday?    That’s bullshit.  Also, why does Gohan have to hold pails of water but Angela doesn’t?  

Gohan tries to deal with this properly, so first thing’s first, he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do on a date.    So he asks his mom, who probably isn’t the best person to go to for advice on this, but who else can he ask?   Piccolo?  Krillin?  Yamcha?   These guys all have no business giving out advice.

Chi-Chi fondly recalls the time she and Goku hung out alone while Emperor Pilaf and Colonel Silver fought over a Dragon Ball.   I want to say this was Dragon Ball Episode 31?   This isn’t a flashback to that episode, though, since this is all-new footage, so I sort of wonder if Chi-Chi might not be embellishing things somewhat.    In any case, she tells Goku they’re on a date, and when Goku doesn’t know what that is, she tells him that it’s the most fun thing a boy and girl can do together, so he naturally assumes she wants to spar with him.  

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...

So yeah, none of that helped Gohan at all, so he just asks Angela not to reveal his secret, and she tells him to take her to see a movie.  

Here’s a nice shot of the Satan City Theater.   I guesss this movie is about a volcano?   Anyway, Gohan falls asleep in the middle of it, and Angela gets upset and thinks he doesn’t want to spend time with her.   Well, duh.    You’re blackmailing him, remember?

Gohan follows her outside and tries to patch things up, and she immediately cheers up and tells him to take her to a cafe.  

There, she instructs him to ask her how many sugars she wants in her coffee, so he can add them for her.   

So, I get the sense that Angela really wants to have a paint-by-numbers romance, hitting specific moments that she’s seen in books and TV shows.    But she needs a boy to actually execute all of these spots, so she strongarmed Gohan into doing all of these things, but it’s never going to feel quite like it did when it happened on TV, because it’s not spontaneous.   Right now, she’s only enjoying this because she’s experiencing it firsthand, but it’s a hollow fantasy.

I say this because I’ve seen men over the years pining for similar fantasies.    Well, maybe not similar, but the same formulaic approach.   Like, “I gotta get me a girl who will dress up in a red wig and a yellow dress and a white vest and ask me to tell her how many sugars she wants in her coffee, so we can re-enact this episode of DBZ.    Yeah, that’s hot.”  Or whatever your thing is.    The reality is that even if you found someone to humor such a specific request, it would never quite hold up in real life.    You can’t manufacture this stuff.    

Maybe that was the point of Chi-Chi’s story earlier.  It was romantic for her because it actually happened, and it wasn’t just Goku doing whatever she wanted him to do.   They were both being themselves, and they hit it off, and that’s why she thinks so fondly about that time he punched a tree.   Krillin’s first date with 18 was probably nothing at all like he had in mind, but he probably loved it because it ended up cementing his relationship with the love of his life.   And I’m sure he would have loved to take 18 to a movie and a cafe, but not as an end unto themselves.    You can scoop your own sugar, and if you wait your whole life for someone else to do it for you, you might miss out on something better.    I’m not sure where I’m going with this analogy.    I take my coffee black, so maybe I should move on.   

Anyway, Angela wants thirteen sugars in her coffee because of course she does.

Over coffee, Gohan tries to get some sort of reassurance that she won’t tell anyone his secret, but that’s the furthest thing from her mind.   She mentions that “it” is cute, but that’s about all she has to say about it.  

Then there’s a fire at Satan Tower.    Well, I think this was supposed to be Satan Tower, because that’s where they were going to go next, but maye they saw this building on fire while they were on their way.   

So, little bit of trivia here, this episode didn’t air on Cartoon Network because it was originally scheduled for September 19, 2001, eight days after the 9/11 attacks.   That sort of flew under my radar at the time, because I had already seen this episode on VHS a couple of months earlier, but when I heard about it I wasn’t sure what to make of it.   Were they just not going to show any TV program that featured a tall building on fire?   I think for a little while, that’s what the networks did.   At the time, no one really knew what was appropriate and what wasn’t.    I have to admit, seeing this screencap does remind me a lot of the footage of the towers burning.   But at the time, that was a very distinctive image, and no cartoon of an unrelated incident could compare. 

Anyway, the episode finally aired on Toonami about eight weeks later, but this is a filler ep, so it’s not like anyone really needed this one to keep up with the story.

So when Gohan and Angela find this, they hear that there’s people trapped on the roof, and Gohan realizes that he needs to change into Saiyaman and save them.

But Videl’s already on the scene.    Her aircraft can’t land because of the thermal updrafts, so she jumps down to the roof herself and tries to open a valve on a water tank, figuring that flooding the roof will at least buy time for a rescue.    There’s a whole sequence where she consults a team of computer guys about it, and this dude checks the building’s schematics and runs a simultation to see what good the water will do.    But Videl’s not strong enough to open the valve, and her fingerless gloves don’t help matters.    They’re stylish, but not much protection against the hot metal. 

But then Gohan rushes in, despite Angela’s protestations, and Saiyaman shows up to save Videl when the water tower falls over.    He punches a hole in it, which I guess does more than Videl had counted on?    Anyway, he saves all the people on the roof, including Videl.

Afterward, Videl spots Gohan in the vicinity, and she wonders if that might mean something.   Remember, she still harbored suspicions that Gohan is the Golden Warrior, and this is the second time she’s seen him at the scene of a crisis.   

Then Angela finds them and assumes that Videl is Gohan’s girlfriend.   Uh-ohhhhh!

Funny thing is, despite knowing Gohan’s secret, she seems to have no idea why he ran into a burning building a minute ago.   She thinks he was just trying to save Videl, or maybe she thinks they like to make out in burning buildings?  I dunno.   

Heartbroken, Angela tries to play her best card, and tells Videl Gohan’s secret.   Gohan’s horrified, but he can’t really do anything, so he just starts screaming, as if he can drown out the truth.   Then again, screaming usually works pretty well on this show, so I can’t fault him for falling back on the basics. 

But between breaths, Angela gets the secret out: Gohan wears teddy-bear underwear.   Wait, what?

In perhaps the stupidest flashback ever, we see Angela wandering around after gym class, only to find Gohan pulling up his pants.    I guess he was changing out of his gym clothes?   Why would you do that with the door open?   

So that’s the secret Angela’s been holding over Gohan’s head this whole time.    So what about on the roof?   Didn’t she notice Gohan wearing the Great Saiyaman costume there?   No, she didn’t, because she didn’t have her contact lenses in at the time.    Womp-womp-waaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Videl is not amused.    I’m pretty sure in the dub, Angela wonders what Gohan is talking about, so she asks him if he had his pants down on the roof too, and Videl tells him to keep his pants on, or else.

Of course, Gohan could care less about how many girls see his sexy undies, so he just laughs the whole thing off and claims that his mother bought him the wrong kind by mistake.    Really?   That’s the best you can do?    She bought the wrong kind, and you just keep them in your rotation anyway?    My mom bought me this shitty tank-top looking thing when I was in seventh grade and I absolutely despised it, but she wouldn’t listen to me and bought it anyway, so I knew she’d probably try to make me wear it and I wanted no part of that, so I stuffed it in a box in my closet where she wouldn’t be able to find it.    Out of sight, out of mind, right?   Well it worked.    I still don’t know where that fucker went.    I probably threw it in the trash one day just to be safe.    That shirt sucked.   Not just because it looked stupid, but because my mom wasted money on it rather than just listen to me, the only person who was ever going to wear the thing.   

Sorry, I went off on a tangent there.  That’s what this liveblogs are all about, though.    If you just wanted a dry recap of the action, you’d watch these yourself, or look it up on the wiki.   Point is, Gohan wouldn’t wear teddy bear underwear unless he wanted to.     He killed Perfect Cell.    He wears a vest.   He does what he wants.

So Gohan’s secret is safe, but he still feels terrible about hurting Angela’s feelings, so the next day he goes to apologize to her, only to find that she’s moved on to some other boy, and she’s got a date with him next Sunday.   Badda-bump da-da-bump!

[alj4890]

Love Prompt

(Matt x Addison) with the prompt: unexpected pregnancy requested by @krsnlove

(Matt Rodriguez x Addison Sinclaire)

Masterlist

Tagging my two known Matt x Addison shippers 😉 @krsnlove @hopelessromantic1352

Guess What: Part 1

"What do you think?" Addison asked.

Thomas flipped through her fashion designs for his upcoming movie, Secrets in the Dark. He frowned at some of the dresses for the female lead. "These aren't quite what I pictured the character, Christine, wearing during undercover missions."

Addison sniffed and her eyes filled with tears. "I...I worked really hard on those!" She grabbed a box of tissues off his desk and started to cry. "I did exactly what you asked and you sit there, behind your desk, acting all high and mighty. Well Mr. Know It All, MAKE THESE YOURSELF!" She knocked the portfolio on the floor.

She took off crying and ran to the bathroom.

Holly and Amanda came rushing in. Thomas was stunned by Addison's outburst.

"Thomas, what did you say to her?" Amanda asked.

"Were you arguing?" Holly peeked out the door and could still hear her crying.

"I didn't say anything other than these dress designs weren't what I had pictured!" He stood up and led them to the bathroom.

Addison's whimpers and sniffles could be heard through the door.

Amanda pulled Thomas and Holly back. "Has she possibly had a fight with Matt?" She whispered.

Holly shook her head. "They both can't stop talking about how happy they are together. Ryan told me last night that Matt asked him how soon he thought he could propose."

Amanda's smile and muted squeal caused Thomas to look up for divine intervention. She noticed and playfully shoved him. "Don't be the type of husband where romance has died simply because you married me."

"I did not mean..." His frown grew fierce at her teasing. He pulled her close to his side and kissed her forehead. "I will deal with you later." He growled. "If Matt has not upset her and I didn't say anything I haven't before, what else could upset her?"

Holly took her glasses off and placed the tip in her mouth. Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Maybe her family. She was talking about being pressured to visit the other day."

"You might have been the straw that broke the camel's back." Amanda told Thomas. "If her family has been driving her crazy, she might have a lot of pent up frustration."

Addison opened the door sheepishly. "Sorry Professor. I don't know what came over me."

Thomas reassured her it was fine. She started tearing up again. "I am so sorry. Youre being so nice and I was...a...jerk." She started crying harder.

Holly hugged her and tried to get her to calm down. Amanda urged her to come into the kitchen. Thomas reluctantly followed when Amanda caught him trying to escape. He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter as Amanda tried to offer her something to eat or drink.

Addison reached for the snicker doodles. Between tears and soon laughter, Thomas noticed she ate nearly a dozen cookies. His eyebrows raised in astonishment. Amanda's cookies were good but he never knew Addison to eat that many.

She drank the iced tea handed to her and reached for three more cookies. "I don't know what is going on with me lately. I have been crying over everything. Maybe I have PMS. Oops. Sorry Thomas."

His serious expression didn't change. "I have worked with you ladies for years and lived with that one for over a year. Nothing phases me about female hormones."

Amanda tried not to laugh. "Since he is so comfortable discussing this. When are you supposed to start?"

Addison pulled up a calendar and frowned. "I'm late."

Three pairs of eyes stared at her. "How late?" Holly asked.

"Um...two and a half months, I think."

"Two and a half months!" Thomas exclaimed. "How could you not notice that?"

"Well everything has been a whirlwind since Matt and I got together. I've never really been consistent, cycle wise, and I just didn't think about it." Addison said in a rush to defend herself.

Amanda reached over and took her hand. "I understand. Perhaps though, you might want to take a pregnancy test."

Holly volunteered to go get one. Addison said she would go with her. "I need to clear my head." Amanda and Thomas watched them go.

"She's pregnant."

Amanda looked up at him in surprise. "You noticed it too?"

Thomas picked up the cookie jar and held it upside down. Only crumbs fell. "A little hard not to."

Amanda chewed on her bottom lip. "How do you think Matt will react to the news?"

Thomas slipped his arms around her. "Don't worry. Matt cares deeply about Addison. He isn't likely to do anything to hurt her."

_____________________

Addison left her doctor's appointment and stared down at the ultrasound in her hand. She was nearly three months along. "No wonder I've only been able to fit in yoga pants and loose dresses recently." She mumbled.

She sat down on a bench outside the doctor's office and tried to get the nerve up to tell Matt. As she held her cell phone, it lit up. She groaned when she saw who it was.

"Hey Abbey." She tried to sound happy to hear from her sister.

"What's wrong?" Abigail asked.

"Wow, I can't even say hi to my big sister without being called out." Addison said in irritation.

"Sorry! I miss you. I was going to see if you had decided to come for a visit."

Addison realized that Matt wasn't the only one she had to tell. "Yeah, I um might be able to come for a few days. I am currently working on the costumes for another film, so I won't have a lot of free time when we start filming."

Her sister laughed excitedly. "I can't wait to see you. It has been too long between visits. I'll call Adam and let him know. Mom and Dad will be so happy. Oh! You ought to bring Matt so we can all meet him."

Addison covered her face. She couldn't imagine how her older brother and father would react to Matt getting her pregnant on what appeared to be their first night out after admitting they were in love with each other. "I will see if he can come. I need to get back to work. I will call later with a weekend I can come visit."

Once the call was over, she called Matt. Her leg began to shake up and down as she waited on him to answer.

"How did you know I needed to hear your voice?" Matt said when he answered.

Addison smiled at his sweetness. "It's a gift." She took a deep breath. "Listen, um I--"

"Would you like to have dinner together tonight? I've missed not seeing you these past couple of days." Matt interrupted.

"I would love that and had planned on asking you. You beat me to it!" She replied. "I missed you, but I knew I would never finish the designs if I had you all to myself. She teased.

Matt smiled and looked down at the floor, embarressed at how easily her words affected him. "Where would you like to go or would you prefer eating at my place?"

Addison knew she would never be able to tell him she was pregnant out in public. "I would like to eat at your home, if that is okay."

"I would too. As much as I enjoy showing you off, I would like a night of no chance for interruptions." They decided on a time and he told her he loved her.

"I love you too." She brushed the stray tears and looked up to try and stop them. Once she was done with that, she sent a group text to Holly, Amanda, and Thomas. "It's true. Need a lot of 🍪 please OMW."

She laughed at their responses of excitment, promises that everything would be fine, and that cookies were being taken out of the oven as they typed. "I can do this." She said softly.

________________________

Matt kissed her as soon as he opened his door and saw her. She smiled and hugged him. "Did you miss me?"

He kissed her again. "Too much." He stood back to let her in. "I have been trying my hand at cooking. So far, the house has not burned down."

Addison laughed and followed him into the kitchen. She looked around and noticed nothing on the stove or in the oven. "I know I am not the best cook, but don't you need to use those appliances to whip up dinner?"

He chuckled and stepped outside. "Not when you use a grill." He opened the lid and her mouth watered at the smell of kabobs cooking.

"Oh I love you." She moaned.

"I'm going to pretend that was directed to me and not the food you were looking at." He couldn't hardly contain his happiness when she quickly reassured that it was meant for him.

She curled up in a patio chair and watched him turn the kabobs and then check the ears of corn he had in another section. She wondered if she should tell him now or wait until he saw her eat everything he prepared and then whatever she could find in his house for dessert.

Matt noticed her somber expression. He walked over to her and cupped her chin. "Addison? Is something wrong?"

She lowered her eyes and handed him the ultrasound. Matt took it and wondered why she had this. He then saw her name written at the top. He quickly sat down. "This is yours!"

She nodded, tears coming into her eyes. She was very worried his shock would switch to anger or disgust.

Matt began to smile. "This is our baby! Addison! I...this is amazing! When is the next appointment? Can I come with you? What do you need? I..." He swept her into his arms and kissed her.

She held on to him and cried against his shoulder. "I was so scared to tell you."

He sat down with her in his lap and soothed her. "Addison, you know I would never have been anything but happy over this. You knew the one thing I always wanted was a family. Since you are the only one I want that with, this news could not be better."

She laughed softly while pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Matt, you don't have to say things like that."

"Like what?" He kissed her softly.

"Like me being the only one you want to have a family with." She snuggled against him.

He lifted his head and frowned. "Addison, I'm serious. You know I am in love with you and--" He stood up and made her sit down. He quickly took the food off the grill. "Wait here."

Addison watched him jog into the house. She placed a hand over her stomach. "That's your father. He is terribly sweet. I hope you get that from him."

Matt came back out and knelt down in front of her. "I planned on doing this tonight because I couldn't wait."

Addison's blue eyes dropped down to the diamond ring in his hand. "Matt!"

The adoration on his face made her tears start up again. He gently caressed her cheek. "Ryan told me it was too soon, but I couldn't wait. I've loved you for a couple of years now. I already thought you were amazing, but you showed me how perfect you really are when you remained by my side after the accident. So many were ready to give up on me, but you never did. Hope and joy seem to follow you everywhere you go. And now..." He placed his hand over her stomach. "You carry it for me. I never thought the world could possibly be any better simply because you are in it. Now, I see how lucky we are to have another you soon coming to it. My hope is that our baby has your heart. That's all I ask. That and if you will marry me."

Addison nodded and kissed him. She let out a tearful laugh and hugged him. "I love you so much. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no to the baby being like me."

Matt's brow drew together in confusion. She looked up into his eyes. "I already wished he or she would be like you."

He shook his head at her sweetness. "So what would you like to do now?"

"Eat dinner." She automatically answered.

He made her a plate and poured a glass of iced tea for her. Matt sat down beside her. "I meant what do you want to do for a wedding. When, where, all those details."

Addison dropped her kabob. "Oh! I forgot. Is there any chance you could go with me to visit my family?"

Matt nodded. "Of course. Sun Valley, right?"

"Yes." Worry clouded her bright blue eyes. "Matt, I'm not sure how they will take the news of our unexpected pregnancy."

He slipped his hand into hers. "It'll be fine. I will be right there with you."

[rkyohan-blog]

* what does the ghost say?

halloween starter for @rkjinhyuk !

yohan used to be a “creative kid”. as a pre-schooler, he was encouraged by his parents to express himself however he wanted to, leading to many masterpieces being found on different walls and surfaces of the house until his parents reigned him back a little bit. as his drawings became less scribbles and scratches and more shapes and recognizable facial features, they started to feature more and more on the family’s fridge. for a few years, the fridge stayed covered, until slowly some things started to come down and be replaced by more practical things, like a white-board to-do list, motivational poster magnets, the cool bottle-opener-slash-wine-screw shaped like a duck that came in dad’s stocking one year. his mother always told him that they still kept everything, in a very special box up in their room. little philip didn’t really care much as he got older, instead finding more enjoyment in keeping stuff in his own sketchbooks. of course, for a while he still showed off pretty much everything to his parents seeking validation in ooh’s and aah’s but eventually, when doodling was no longer a popular thing for a middle-school star athlete to do, he stopped caring. 

he eventually grew out of the whole visual art thing entirely -- well, he took one class in high school, but switched into the health and fitness class at the encouragement of his friends -- and his creative side was buried deep underneath dreams of hockey championships and trap beats, left about a hundred pages back into the half-filled sketchbooks that sit rotting in yohan’s anchorage-based storage unit. 

it’s been a long time since he’s put any creative effort into a halloween costume. besides all the partying, there hasn’t been much in it for him when it comes to halloween since he became too old for free candy; though he secretly admired people’s costumes; it wasn’t cool to get super decked-out in sfx makeup for halloween in high school unless you were, like, an art or theatre kid. yohan and his popular friends typically flexed their non-chalance and innate coolness by wearing as little as they could get away with to the halloween parties.

he doesn’t look back on it fondly. almost every year, his friends would bug him to dress up as PSY. which, looking back on it, was pretty weird and kinda rude, but yohan didn’t think much of it at the time besides being mildly annoyed when his classmates would ask him to sing the song and yohan would have to tell them each time that he doesn’t actually speak korean and literally, if you try to sing it you’ll still probably pronounce it better. on god. ( that wasn’t entirely true. by then he’d gone to korean school for a little while and actually secretly enjoyed the hell out of it, but he always felt uncomfortable talking about it with the more well-meaning, but ignorant of his classmates. )

his costumes have graduated from sunglasses and suspenders, at least, but when he can get away with not wearing anything special, he will. yeah, he has ideas, yeah, he’s a little jealous of how confidently people walk around on halloween night decked out in even the most riduclous costumes, horns reaching like five feet in the air and capes trailing behind them and the like. every halloween night, he thinks okay i’m tired of being lame, next year i’ll do something awesome, but every halloween morning, he realizes he’s forgotten that he wanted to care again and he winds up throwing on a shirt that he already has and coming up with something on the fly.

and thus, he’s settled on Alvin again, which is actually not a terrible costume when he actually has the other two chipmunks with him, but he doesn’t at the moment. yugyeom is going to be theodore, and apparently they’re stealing a dog? but for now, he’s just a tall boy in a regular red sweater with a yellow cardboard ‘A’ taped to it, and hasty eyeliner ‘whiskers’ beside his nose. he’s shown up to this event mainly to see what goes on, as he didn’t really research any of the information beforehand, he wanders around a bit, eyeing the food -- but not for too long, the jell-o brains make him feel a little queasy -- and then stands for a while beside a small group of zombies, opening up his phone to scroll through his apps absent-mindedly. 

a few minutes later, he hears someone clear their throat ahead of him, and yohan realizes too late that he has 8 white-contact-clad eyes staring at him -- a quick glance around and he realizes he’s accidentally been standing in line for... something. oh, fuck me. 

“huh?” he says dumbly, cheeks heating. 

“how many in your group? two?” the staff member is polite, but looks a little exasperated, gesturing at him, and then to his side. 

yohan, still looking stupid, repeats himself: “...huh?”

one of the zombies pipes up politely: “we need groups of six to go in, so they’re looking for two people,” and it takes a second to see that the zombies are a 4-person group and yohan is standing directly after them. 

“oh-- no, sorry, it’s just me,” he says, awkwardness clear in his voice. oh god, what is he even in line for? 

in an attempt to figure out what to do, he looks around again, this time looking to his side and back a bit. immediately, his eyes land on the other person closest to him, the one that the staff lady thought was in his group or whatever. he gives him a once-over and a small nod.  

"hey, olaf.” he turns back. 

wait, olaf. i know that olaf.

“jinhyuk?” spinning around once again, his eyes widen, and he blinks several times. though his face smiles, his heart drops. happiness at seeing his old friend is very overshadowed by the guilt he feels when he's reminded of how long ago he meant to message jinhyuk to tell him he’s back... “hey man, it’s been a while, ahah--”

the voice of the attendant interrupts, tearing yohan’s attention back to the front of the line. “okay, so you’re both solo! perfect, you can both come on in,” 

staring into the darkness of what he assumes must be a haunted house or something, he realizes that facing the people he’s ghosted is far scarier than any ghosts that these people could show him.  

[ask-shakespearehigh]

Q&A post with the Mods!!!!

This is going to be a long one oh boy

How strict is the delineation of creative control vis-a-vis characters/plays between the mods? (@pedanticlecturer)

We generally have the plays split up along lines of “what we know”— we have a list at the very beginning of the blog. Sometimes we’ll draw the others’ characters (mostly me drawing some of Star’s…) but even then the final say on characterization is up to the “main” mod for that play — mod aster

what aster said -- mod star

What is your favorite play? What is your favorite character in terms of how they were written in the source material? (@pedanticlecturer)

I think my favorite play overall is Macbeth, just because I like the vibes (and the fact that I too could kill Macbeth), the fact that you don’t say it’s name in theatres, and the fact that it’s a play I did a full read through and analysis of in class. Favorite character? Puck from Midsummer. — mod aster

uhhhh,, hmm. ive always had a soft spot for midsummer since i saw it with aster esp bc of how fun the costumes were. of the comedies it has the largest potential to be the most visually pleasing bc of the concept of fairies,,,and im gay and dramatic so i love that. id die if i got to costume design for midsummer,,,or be in it,,,yeah. fav character. hmm. probably mercutio?? i recently saw a version of romeo and juliet where mercutio was played by a woman and oh my god it was amazing!!! not to mention mercutio’s portrayal in baz luhrmann's INCREDIBLE version of r n j!!! (I based my mercutio design on him) he just spends the entire time making dick jokes. love that. -- mod star

How do you answer asks so fast? I mean it's great but I'm impressed 😂 (Anon)

Personally, it’s a mix of: notifications on, quick drawing speed, and using the blog to avoid my class work — mod aster

aster is fast and (as you can see from all of my answers) im lazey -- mod star

Are there any elements/characters of the plays you're covering that you would have liked to work into this blog's plot, but couldn't due to the constraints of the setting or the synthetic nature of the blog? (@pedanticlecturer)

I wanted to make everyone gay but unfortunately due to plot constraints we have to have some hets but that wont stop me from making it lgbt as possible. -- mod star

I did want to make The Tempest more of a central play, but it just didn’t translate well. Similarly, other supernatural elements like the witches in Macbeth. This isn’t so much a constraint mentioned, but my own time/energy means that I want to show the Macbeth backstory, in a specific format, but I can’t right now— mod aster

Is there a hierarchy of import when it comes to each play's individualized impact on shakespeare high's general arc? If so, what plays are crucial to the foundation of the story? Which ones did you do mostly for shits and giggles? (@pedanticlecturer)

This is phrased like an ACT question and i might not answer it right so sorry in advance but: mod aster and i only selected a few plays for each of us to do given we dont know all of shakespeare’s works, but we tend to put more emphasis on the the more well known. But it also comes down to 1. How much we have plotted out for each play and 2. What the followers ask about most. Our two most popular are hamlet and macbeth bc people are familiar w those but around march caesar always becomes relevant again. I didnt even have designs for some of the characters until someone asked about them. -- mod star

I would say the same as star— it generally comes down to what people ask about. I will say that the overall plot is sort of separated into “has happened” and “is happening”. Like, the human potion of Midsummer, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth are all in the “aftermath” portion, while Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet, among others, are happening. We’re trying to incorporate as much as we can, and I don’t think any of them were really put in without some thought.— mod aster

What personal significance does shakespeare hold in ur guys' lives? (@pedanticlecturer)

I go to a theater school rn and so ive dealt w shakespeare (although not all of them) it also helps that i was in loves labours lost last year as moth and that i read hamlet and r n j. Theres also a theater in my state that always does One Big Shakespeare per season and they always do them super well!!! My love for shakespeare probably started w seeing midsummer at that theater w mod aster!!! So. Theater kid rights!! -- mod star

To be honest, I got back into Shakespeare Because of the blog. I’ve been friends with some people that got really Pretentious about Shakespeare, and it kinda put me off of it. I did have a book of abridged plays (the plays’ plots written out in prose, basically) that I read as a kid, which is what got me into not only the plots of a lot of the plays, but also the idea of having them illustrated. And, same as star, the theater in state does the One Big Shakespeare— and they tend to do some really cool things with the costumes, setting them in diff time periods. I haven’t been able to see any lately since I’ve moved, but they still slap. — mod aster

🥰😘💙🥰🥰💜💟🥰I 😍💗💚😍😍LOVE🖤🖤 YALL ♥️♥️🧡💛💚💝❣️💕💘💖💗💓💞💝❤️💛💜 okay now i have a question i swear— how long have the two of you been doing art??? and what were your first shakespeare plays??? (@hellaghosts)

Uhh i started drawing when i was like idk 12 and i have the giant boxes of sketchbooks to prove it!!! I moved to digital art at abt 14-15 but mostly stayed traditional until this yr when i got a Neat New Tablet so some of my sketchbooks are sitting abandoned rip. My first shakespeare was either romeo and juliet or midsummer nights dream and i love both of them v much!!! I have a very old piece of art that i did for r n j for my freshman class assignment on it and it hasnt aged well alsdjfjafd circa 2016 i think??? -- mod star

Oh man. I started drawing when I was about 10, but it was Bad. I don’t think I got much into drawing again until I was about 14? Sometime around the end of middle school/beginning of high school. I would say I started getting into drawing as more than doodling/coloring edits sometime around 2015-16? I would draw on my iPad with my finger, then I got a tablet for my computer, and now I pretty much stick to my iPad with an Apple Pencil. My first Shakespeare play was….. uh…… probably Midsummer???? I have No idea. We would go to plays when I was little, so I honestly don’t remember if I saw others before. It may have been Romeo and Juliet— I had that book where it was the original and the “modernized” with the little dog that explained things— which, if you know it makes sense, but if you don’t is probably a bonkers answer. — mod aster

Do you think this blog has like? An overarching thesis (be it b/c intentionally or simply b/c ur own take on the world has bled thru to the point where u believe it’s central to the piece at this point)? (@pedanticlecturer)

Not gonna lie, I had to read that like three times AND dm you to figure out what you were asking from us and all I have is “be gay, respect women, write your own happy endings”. — mod aster

This blog started with an ides of march shitpost and you think we have enough brain energy to write a whole thesis? I projected feelings of found family onto my half of the blog but idk if that counts. Be gay do crime 420 69 -- mod star

What’s the nature/rough dynamic of ur relationship? How do y’all know each other? (@pedanticlecturer)

Met mod aster when i was like 4 and even tho we didnt live close we became like, best friends although the Best part didnt start until we were like 13-ish and eventually we talked like non stop (about anime and homestuck. Yknow. 13 year old kid things) and we didnt see each other a lot bc of Distance and now its even worse bc aster is in colleg.,e but we consider each other siblings regardless of family bc we’re adopted into our own respective families so that bled over into our friendship and it would feel weird calling him anything other than my brother now. We’ve seen each other at our best and worst and if you really want a good insight on what we’re like as siblings watch griffin and justin mcelroy’s overview video of catlateral damage wherein i am griffin and he is the long suffering justin. -- mod star

Star is basically my long distance sibling and functionally the only cousin I recognize bc like their parents are basically an aunt and uncle and like our dads look enough alike that we’ve both accidentally gotten the wrong dad for a hug or similar so like. Anyways yeah Star is the Griffin to my Justin, complete with our absent middle brother who we love dearly— mod aster

Dubiously relevant q but what kind of music do y’all listen to when u do art (if that is indeed a habit either of u partake in) (@pedanticlecturer)

It can depend on the piece? I was working on some (unrelated) oc prints that were song-focused, and for those I just listened to said song on loop. Sometimes I have playlists. Sometimes I’ll just be in a Mood and throw a song on loop. But a lot of time for the blog, I’ll listen to The Adventure Zone for the billionth time, because I have Too Much Attention. I’ve also, on request from Star, linked the most recent “loop song”.— mod aster

I tend to obsess over the same like 3 songs every few weeks so those get listened to on repeat but it also depends on the tone of what im drawing or who im drawing i might genre switch bc of that. If im drawing ophelia i stick to lana del rey and if im drawing hamlet its the neighborhood, horatio is sufjan stevens etc. i have categorized,. Most of the characters i draw into different songs/genres/energies of music but not like i ever follow that. Sometimes i just pull up a really long nonsense video and forget to draw. Essentially: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ -- mod star

How’d y’all come up with ur pseudonyms? (@pedanticlecturer)

I love space so much and my main blog is starryeydsailor space gay rights!! Im also tiny and full of energy and bright so basically i;m star -- mod star

Uhhhh i was like “hey i want to do uhhhhhh flower?” And then I google searched flower names until I found one I liked —- mod aster

How did you end up deciding the rough timeline of events in canon? (@pedanticlecturer)

It’s mostly determined by like. How we choose per story? If that makes sense. Like, we just take story by story, and decide “is it happening, has it happened, and when?” And then we fit them together in relation to each other just by dint of. All existing at once. Like, I knew I wanted Macbeth to be in aftermath, because like, even though there’s no murder, the way I’ve translated it to the AU is still kinda heavy, and it’s something that I don’t know that I could do properly if it were happening right now. Also, it’s more interesting IMO to have them at different times. Tl;dr we wing it per story and slot them together— mod aster (mod star agrees I just can word better, in theory)

If you could tell the story of shakespeare high in a different format than an ask blog, would you? Obviously y'all are making very good use of the format, but would you want to write this as a animated series or like? a comic book? or is the form inseparable from the story? (@pedanticlecturer)

I kinda wanted to do a webcomic or maybe to plot develop through like, animatics but the element of surprise comes from the asks we get and really makes us think so the blog is a good start. We didnt think we’d get this far -- mod star

Pretty much what Star said— there are certain elements where it’d be neat to do as a comic or as an animatic. Like, the fantasy dream is like, an anthology webcomic of each story, where you can like, see other characters in the background and stuff. But to be honest, we develop a lot by what we’re asked— there was a post about developing worldbuilding by being asked questions and then pretending you’ve thought about the answer, and it’s not far off. Personally, it’s hard to just lay out a story, because I have a whole WORLD and what’s relevant? What are people interested in? It’s by getting questions that I can then focus in on an area to develop. And yeah, we Super didn’t think we’d get this far lmao — mod aster

Any headcanons about your characters that you don't think will ever come up on the blog through asks or plot posts? (@pedanticlecturer)

I could make a whole separate post for this!!!!! Mostly its voice headcanons (and by mostly i mean like 1 or 2) or relationship hcs!!!! -- mod star

Honestly same. I don’t think I have voice headcanons for mine, though I bet I could find some. I’ve got a bunch of miscellaneous headcanons that just kinda float around, but like they’re scattered, too numerous for this post, and also not always things I’m sure are canon yet.— mod aster

[jenatwork]

Mental illness and self-care at work

 I’ve had more than one person (including my doctor, ugh) suggest to me that, since I hold down a full-time (and fairly high-level) job, my mental illness can’t be all that bad.

Not true. It’s not uncommon for people with mental illnesses to work full-time, to reach high levels of management or be self-employed and successful. I’m lucky to have a job that I genuinely like, working for an NPO, and my job is my reason for getting out of bed in the morning. In previous jobs, I absolutely have been unwilling to get up or leave the house, taken long stretches of sick-leave or resigned when a job wouldn’t enable me to take time off when I needed it. And even in this job that I love, I struggle a lot, and often can’t do much in the evenings when I get home.

The reason I get by at work is because I’ve developed a ton of self-care strategies and coping mechanisms so that even when I’m tearing myself up inside, I can still get shit done.

 1.       Dress for work.

My job has a fairly relaxed dress code, and if I want to wear jeans and a T-shirt I actually can (and sometimes do). But on days when I’m wearing a button-down shirt or a smart dress, it makes me feel ‘managerial’. It puts me in a work-ready frame of mind before I even leave the house. In previous jobs where I had a uniform, I felt better when my uniform looked good – shirt ironed, smart shoes, and so on. I’m not at work to get a date; I’m here to lead my team and run my shop, and looking the part is like putting on a costume to get me into character.

 2.       Wear stuff you like.

Having said all that, wearing a bit of jewellery or a pair of socks that make me smile helps too! So I’ll wear my button-down shirt, but I’ll wear a pair of dinosaur earrings, or a Pride wristband, or my BMO socks, and get a little reminder of something that makes me smile. My Line Manager actually notices and makes positive comments (I’m lucky to have a Line Manager who appreciates that I’m unapologetically nerdy). If you can’t wear pierced jewellery, wear character socks or a tie-pin or put a keychain on your bag.

 3.       Take packed lunches.

Even if it’s a sandwich you made five minutes before you left the house, it can be a reminder that you did something positive to take care of yourself. When I’m feeling well, I take time to make elaborate decobento boxes or try new recipes. When I’m doing okay, I do meal-prep while making my dinner in the evening (or make extra and pack up the left-overs). When I’m not doing well, I have packets of ramen and small cans of veggies that I can heat up in the microwave at work. Taking even a few minutes to plan ahead and save a bit of money makes me feel like I’ve got some control and am looking after myself. Also, as I have ASD, I have issues with food choice, and if I have to buy a sandwich at the supermarket and they don’t have what I like I can have a full-on meltdown before I even get to work, so packed lunches eliminate that possibility.

 4.       Have healthy snacks available.

Obviously this isn’t possible for everyone, but if you have an office or a break-room and can keep your own food, it helps. I keep cereal and a pack of dried fruit in my office for when I couldn’t manage to make breakfast or if I forget my packed lunch or just want to keep myself from raiding the staff biscuit tin. Eating healthy food regularly also means your brain has fuel to work and focus.

 5.       Use a planner.

I started bullet journaling two years ago, and it’s had a big impact on managing my mental health. As well as helping to organise work stuff, I have spaces for doodling and bullet journaling, so if things get too much I can sit at my desk and have five minutes just putting the bad thoughts down on paper. It probably looks a bit overly dramatic when I read it back later, but at the time, it really helps me to put my thoughts in order and get some stuff out of my system. Plus it’s a way to switch off from work but still look like I’m doing something productive if anyone walks by my office!

 6.       Delegate tasks.

If you’re a supervisor, team leader or manager, trying to do everything yourself can be tempting. My mental illness often makes me feel like I’m worthless if I’m not doing everything myself, but then if I do too much I tire myself out and literally can’t do anything. So I’ve had to work hard to learn to delegate stuff to my team. But I’ve realised that delegating actually helps to remind myself that I’m in charge and I’m managing a team, not just running a business. It takes a bit of effort sometimes to train staff to do something they haven’t done before, but training someone on one specific task saves you a ton of time and energy in the future when you can hand the job to them (or even get them to train someone else!)

 7.       Personalise your work space.

Again, this doesn’t work for everyone. I have a tiny cubbyhole of an office with no door so anyone can walk in at any time. But I have a couple of photographs of my niece pinned up above my computer. Three years ago, when I was at my absolute lowest, the one thing that kept me from killing myself was thinking that I’d never get to see my niece grow up. I also collect little plastic dinosaurs on a bit of empty shelf space, and sometimes my staff even bring one to add to the collection!

 8.       Take breaks.

If you’re bound to take breaks when you’re told to, make the most of them. Have something to read or something relaxing to do (not video games – give your eyes a screen break and enjoy time passing slowly for a while). Sit away from your usual work space. This one is tough for me because we don’t have a break room and I can’t really leave the building, so I switch off my monitor and read or write in my planner.

 9.       Work in short bursts.

When I’m really struggling mentally, I can’t focus on anything for very long. So I work on one thing for about half an hour, then move to a different part of the shop and do something else. I take short breaks – maybe five minutes – then go back to task for another half hour or so.

 10.   Record your achievements.

I do this in my planner, but anywhere you can keep a list works. It’s especially useful on those days when I’m working in short bursts. Even if it’s stuff like ‘answered an e-mail’ or ‘submitted supplies order’, stuff I do daily, having that reminder that I’m getting stuff done helps to keep me motivated.

 11.   Encourage and appreciate others.

Honestly, this is the one I often find the hardest. When my mood is low and I’m isolated from friends, find the mental energy to praise other people seems almost impossible. But it keeps my team motivated and means they’ll work hard even if I’m not. I find that delegating tasks is easiest if my team feel like I’m someone they want to work for. Plus saying positive things to others can help lift my mood when I see them feeling encouraged.

 None of this stuff is intended to be a magical quick-fix. It’s stuff that requires mental and physical effort. I don’t do all of them all of the time (I wore jeans and a T-shirt at work today, and I’m really struggling with the ‘encouraging others’ bit lately since my mood has been particularly low). But putting in that effort is an investment in both my job and my mental health. Yes, it does often leave me exhausted by the end of the day. But putting the effort into my job means I build my sense of self-worth (when I’m unwell and my friends aren’t reaching out to me, I remind myself that my job benefits tons of other people). It means I can pay my bills, and live independently, and have money to do fun stuff when I am feeling well.

I realise this isn’t ‘fairy lights and blanket forts’ fluffy self-care, but I hope this shows it’s possible to hold down a job with a mental illness (and also serves as a reminder that your colleagues who seem like they’ve got their shit together might actually be struggling as well).

[2indecisive4this-blog]

Kaitlyn x MC HCs (as per anon request)

1. Who is the early bird/ Who is the night owl?

Kaitlyn’s a major night owl. MC tries to keep up, but tends to pass out...often flopping right onto her. It can be inconvenient.

2. Who is the big spoon/ Who is the little spoon?

They switch, but generally Kaitlyn’s the big spoon. MC revels in the feeling of being totally enveloped in Kaitlyn’s embrace. When MC can’t sleep, she’ll grab Kaitlyn’s arms and pull them around herself. Though this wakes her up, she never minds and gives MC a loving squeeze and soft kiss on the back of her neck before falling back asleep.

3. Who hogs the cover/ Who loves to cuddle?

They battle for covers-custody constantly. MC usually wins, but relinquish the blankets because Kaitlyn’s “just too cute to say no to”.

4. Who wakes the other one up with kisses?

On the rare occasion Kaitlyn wakes up before MC, she'll pepper her with kisses until she wakes up (usually groggily groaning one of her celebrity crushes’ names “Oh Jen..” to get Kaitlyn feisty. It doesn't usually work “Aniston or Lawrence?”)

5. Who usually has nightmares?

Kaitlyn has frequent nightmares with monsters from her favorite horror movies, though she claims that she actually likes them. MC sees through her bluff though when she snuggles extra close and squeezes her a little tighter afterwards.

6. Who would have really deep emotional thoughts at the middle of the night/ Who would have them in the middle of the day?

They're both known to wake the other up to ask deep philosophical questions

“If you can sunbathe, does that mean you can moonbathe?”

“OMFG I WAS WONDERING THE SAME THING”

7. Who sweats the small stuff?

Kaitlyn. She's still fairly insecure about their relationship, often being worked up when her plans don't go exactly according to, well, plan. When she starts stressing, MC will take her face in her hands and kiss her nose, assuring her that “everything is perfect”

8. Who sleeps in their underwear (or naked)/ Who sleeps in their pajamas?

MC used to sleep in her pajamas but Kaitlyn's incessant whining that “pj are just extra distance between [them]”, they now both sleep “O’ Natural”. It's gotten to the point MC often forgets to get dressed when leaving their room in the morning. Needless to say, her friendship with Zack and Chris with never be the same again.

9. Who makes the coffee (or tea)?

MC makes it, though admits she probably doesn't need it with her “natural high on life”. Kaitlyn knows she needs it, and demands it “by the friggin gallon”.

10. Who likes sweet/ Who likes sour?

They both love the combination, often opting to buy both a pack of Swedish fish, and one of Sour Patch Watermelon. when it comes down to it though, the Swedish fish always gravitate toward MC and the Sour Patch Watermelon to Kaitlyn.

11. Who likes horror movies/ Who likes romance movies?

Kaitlyn LOVES horror movies. To death. Quite literally. MC doesn't like them but tolerates them for Kaitlyn's sake. Usually Kaitlyn tells her to “watch [her]” during the scary parts, and takes the opportunity to steal a kiss or two.

MC is a sucker for cheesy romance, romcoms in particular. Kaitlyn insists that “true love happens over time and can't be represented in an hour and a half” She will admit though, that “Drew Barrymore is smokin’”, and she'd “watch anything to see her in it”.

12. Who is smol/ Who is tol?

MC is tol, though just barely taller than Kaitlyn. Personality wise, MC is smol.

13. Who is considered the scaredy cat?

MC. She jumps at every little thing. Kaitlyn used to like scaring her, but at this point it’s too easy and she doesn’t even bother trying.

14. Who kills the spiders?

Kaitlyn, though MC always whines and asks her not to kill them. Once, Kaitlyn tried sparing a spider and instead dumping it outside (as requested) but a paranoid MC changed her mind and sent her back out into the wilderness to ensure it wouldn't return. It took hours.

15. Who is scared of the dark?

MC. She's “not scared, just apprehensive of what might be hiding in it”.

16. Who is scared of thunderstorms?

MC. She startles with each thunder clap and and shivers at the thought of lightning. Occasionally though, Kaitlyn can convince her to stand outside in it, and they kiss beneath the torrent.

17. Who works/ Who stays at home?

They both work, though MC tends to work from home (writing). Kaitlyn has spare time between gigs, and so they hang together a lot while they’re at home.

18. Who is a cat person/ Who is a dog person?

They’re both dog people, although MC also loves cats. Kaitlyn loves MC’s dog (MC sometimes gets a lil jelly over how much Bastien (“don’t judge”) loves Kaitlyn)

19. Who loves to call the other one cute names?

It’s been a sickening and undying competition between them for ever. It started with Kaitlyn calling MC “bunny” (after an embarrassing The Christmas Story -esque fiasco), to which MC countered “snugglebunny”. The most recent installment is “Snuffleupagus-bunny-pooh-bear I” (Kaitlyn’s creation) but with no end in sight, and with Webster’s Dictionary being the colossal reference that it is, the possibilities are endless.

20. Who is dominant/ Who is submissive?

Kaitlyn tends to be dominant, but they switch it up frequently (MC loves topping Kait mid “session”--Kaitlyn loves it too).

21. Who has an obsession (over anything)?

Kaitlyn’s ongoing horror movie obsession has grown tiresome for MC. If she has to sit through another Skin Goblins marathon, let alone being Kaitlyn’s Skin Goblin cosplay partner (it’s a two person costume), MC’s head might implode.

22. Who goes all out for Valentine’s Day?

MC openly obsesses over Valentine’s Day, whereas Kaitlyn tries to act cavalier (while planning an extensive surprise in secret).

23. Who asks who out on the first date?

MC asked Kaitlyn bc Kaitlyn still couldn’t fathom that MC was into her as well (old gay insecurities).

24. Who is the talker/ Who is the listener?

They take turns. It’s slightly ridiculous. Kaitlyn fished a clock out of an ancient chess set from her (limited) time in chess club in highschool. They take turns chattering for 45 seconds at a time before switching again.

25. Who wears the other ones clothes?

Kaitlyn.

Never.

Does.

Laundry.

Ever.

Hope that’s enough information to answer the question :)

26. Who likes to eat healthy/ Who loves junk food?

They both live on crap food (past the point of junk food). They’re working on it though, no more Cheetos with Cheez Doodle on top, only one or the other.

27. Who takes a long shower/ Who sings in the shower?

They both sing in the shower, although Kaitlyn’s singing is far less embarrassing (and yet she somehow remains more embarrassed while doing so? Again, old gay insecurities die hard).

28. Who is the book worm?

MC loves reading (mostly graphic novels at this point), whereas Kaitlyn’s Netflix addiction grows with each season of American Horror Story.

Even the bad ones.

29. Who is the better cook?

Neither of them can make a half decent meal alone without making an offensive mess. As near as they can figure though, two heads are actually worse than one, as when they work together nothing gets made except for a mess.

30. Who likes long walks on the beach?

MC and Kaitlyn like to ironically frolic along the shores, hand in hand. MC actually loves building sandcastles, while Kaitlyn actually loves stomping them afterwards.

31. Who is more affectionate?

MC is more innocently affectionate; opting to hold hands in public, sneak quick kisses, and give long tender hugs. Kaitlyn, although now confidently out, is still occasionally nervous (old gay habits) of PDA, but more than compensates in private.

32. Who likes to have really long (deep) conversation?

They both do, but MC’s subject matter tends to be lighter whereas Kaitlyn’s discussion topics usually derive from real-life examples she’s feeling guilty or regretful of.

33. Who would wear “not guilty” t-shirt/ Who would wear “sin” t-shirt?

Kaitlyn wanted to wear the “not guilty” shirt, but MC called her out.

34. Who would wear “if lost return to…” t-shirt/ Who would wear “I am…” t-shirt?

Kaitlyn's the lost puppy. They wear them so often that they've accumulated 3 pairs. Kaitlyn thinks it's funny to also wear the “I am MC” shirt without MC noticing. MC does not share the sentiment.

35. Who goes overboard on the holidays?

MC is obsessed. Kaitlyn tends to forget they're even coming up, tending to opt for belated holiday gifts (so she has the timeto buy them last minute). One year she got MC a single disposable razor left over from her 5 pack (“get it? Because you raze the roof?”)

MC did get it.

MC was not amused.

36. Who is the social media addict?

Kaitlyn's developed a bit of an obsession since becoming her band’s social (media) butterfly.

37. Height difference or age difference?

A tiny height difference, MC is a hair taller.

38. Who likes to star gaze?

They both LOVE it, often waking up on their front lawn after an especially starry night.

39. Who buys cereal for the prize inside?

They both will, but won't admit it; often racing the other to finish the box solely for the prize at the bottom. MC calculated the number of times it takes to reach the bottom and so feels confident she's getting the mood ring (little does she know, Kaitlyn already opened the bottom of the box, took the ring, and taped it back up).

40. Who is the fun parent/ Who is the responsible parent?

They don't have kids, but they have a dog! His name is Wilbur, and they're convinced he's actually a pig in disguise. They're both honestly abysmal dog/pig parents, but together they manage to walk him, feed him, and get him to the vet on time (usually).

41. Who cries during sad movies?

MC. Kaitlyn rolls her eyes, hugs her close, and hands her a tissue (though they have to share whenever a dog dies).

42. Who is the neat freak?

MC wouldn't call herself a neat freak, but Kaitlyn’s messiness pains her soul. She often reminisces to the brief period of time she lived with Rachel, musing that she “didn't yet know what a trash goblin truly was”.

43. Who wins the stuffed animals at the carnival for the other one?

They both try very hard and fail even harder, but have a great time and opt for cotton candy and caramel apples instead.”Food is the best prize anyway”

44. Who is active/ Who is lazy?

They're both pretty lazy, although MC tends to be pretty restless and hard to pin down. She spends a lot of their “Netflix and Chill” sessions pacing more than chilling.

45. Who is more likely to get drunk?

Kaitlyn doesn't drink anymore, though she has a growing suspicion that her “shirley temples really do [her] in”

46. Who has the longer food order?

Kaitlyn. MC tries to keep up, but Kaitlyn could eat everything on the menu and still have seconds. It's no competition.

47. Who has the more complex coffee order?

MC. Not that her order is overly complicated, but Kaitlyn drinks black coffee. 

“I like my coffee how I like my women, bitter”

“Hey!”

*winks *

48. Who loses stuff?

They both lose everything. Kaitlyn at least knows she left her things amidst her other piles of crap, whereas MC loses things everywhere she goes and has no chance of tracking them down.

49. Who is the driver/ Who is the passenger?

They tend to go by bus, but when it comes to it MC usually drives.

50. Who is the hopeless romantic?

Day by day, MC is, but Kaitlyn is excellent at creating massive gestures. MC loves them (and her) dearly.

Give me a fictional couple :D

[gloomy-goober]

What’s in a Name?

Creativity realizes something while watching Thomas audition. Why don’t they have names?

BONUS - Very Vigilant V

Middle school was bringing a whole new world of excitement into Thomas’ life. New friends, no interests, new feelings. It had also started to change things among the three sides that lived in his mind space. 

Logic had taken to wearing a normal vest instead of the sweater made one. The smart side has started to become a little less cheerful and more focused on his work. Heart started to switch between a cardigan over a t-shirt and his normal sweater. The emotional side had been going through many mood swings; one moment he could be smiling and the next wanting to cry. It was very odd. 

Creativity had not changed much. He still was dressed in his Peter Pan costume and refused to wear shoes. He had gotten taller and it showed with how high his shorts were getting. He did not have time to update his own wardrobe because there was a more important job to focus on. One being that Thomas had signed up for Theater. 

The side was always at attention every time Thomas did something for this new passion. More than often the other two would find him on the couch in the main hub watching the outside world as Thomas practiced. Heart would sometimes join him but would get distracted and go do something else. 

Today was one of those days where Creativity was glued to the screen alone in the hub. It was, after all, a big day for Thomas. Today was the auditions for the school musicals and Thomas needed his creative side’s full attention. 

The pre-teen watched as Thomas squirmed in his seat as he waited for his name to be called. That had been happening a lot lately. Thomas had been nervous for many things. Talking to people, doing something, and going up on stage. 

The squeak of a door dragged Creativity’s attention away from the screen to look around the room. Nothing seemed off. The door to the basement was closed tight, Heart’s door was wide open, and he had not seen anyone leave through the door to the subconscious his kingdom. 

The boy frowned and glanced at all the doors one more time before he looked back up at the screen. Thomas was now on stage and seemed to have relaxed a little. 

“Hi. I’m Thomas Sanders and today I will be auditioning for the part of...”

Creativity frowned and tuned out the last of the introductory line. A new thought, or idea, began to bubble up inside his head. He wanted to get up and ask one of the older sides about it as soon as he thought it but Thomas needed him. 

He focused on the current events in Thomas’ life and hummed along with the solo. His mind halfway on making sure Thomas did an amazing job preforming and the other half on his new and important question. 

Thomas had finished his performance and moved fast to sit back down. As soon as the sixth grader on screen took his seat again, Creativity was out of his. The young side had a question to answer. Thomas would survive without his creative side paying extra close attention. 

The boy did not catch the slight crack in the basement’s doorway or a tired eye watching him as he left. Even if he did notice that he did not let on that he did. His mind was focused fully on his new idea. 

He stumbled into Logic’s room without so much of a greeting and looked at the two sides that sat in there. Heart was upside down with his feet up against the bed and Logic was at his desk with a stacks of paper that resembled Thomas’ homework. 

“Hey, kiddo!” Heart dropped the book he had probably been given to entertain himself with, “Thomas done with his big audition? I am sure he did fantastic.”

“Yeah, he did great and all. Naturally,” Creativity could not help but brag; a small pose being given with a dashing smile.

“Yes, well, you and Thomas have been working hard,” Logic said with a nod. “It is to be expected that you did well. I am almost certain that he will get the part.”

“Yeah,” Creativity seemed to bask in the praise but he quickly blinked out of it. The wide smile on his face being replaced with a small frown. “But that is not why I have come in here, though I do love all of this praise. I have an important question to ask.”

Heart rolled over onto his stomach and sat up. His way of saying that the youngest had his full attention. Logic looked up from his papers to give the side at the door the indication he could speak. 

Creativity took in a deep breath and stood up straight. He just had to go for it and hope the other two did not question why he thought of this idea. 

“Why don’t we have names?” 

The silence that usually was part of Logic’s room seemed to become a little more noticeable as the other two stared at the younger child.

Logic fully turned his chair away from his desk and gave the youngest side a confused look. 

“We do have names. I am Logic, he is Heart, and you are Creativity.”

“No, no, no!” Creativity shook his head, a frustrated look began to appear on his face, “I mean like actual names.”

Logic fixed his glasses; obviously annoyed with being told no. “Those are our actual names,” he pointed out. 

“We aren’t not following you, C,” Heart said with some kind smile. 

“I mean, like, how Thomas is called Thomas. If we are kind of people why do we just label ourselves instead of naming ourselves,” Creativity turned in a circle with his hands waved in the air as if that would help his point. “We don’t call Thomas, host or human, for Jiminy Cricket’s sake!”

“We have never needed a ‘name’ before. Our labels have been good enough,” Logan stated slowly, “They categorize us and make it easy for someone to know what our functions are.” 

“But we are the only three here,” Heart said in a tone that just screamed he was going to Creativity’s side. “And as much as I love calling you Logic, I do like this idea Creativity is giving us. It would even be fun to make up human names!”

“That is the spirit, Heart!” 

“But...but we don’t need names!” Logic tried to argue, “I...I mean, why change something? Heart, you always get confused when something changes.”

“But why not do something because it sounds fun?” Hear countered back, “I think coming up with a cool name would be really fun. Think of all the pun-ortunities!” 

Creativity smiled brightly. He was happy Heart was on board with his new idea.

“You don’t have to choose a new name if you don’t want to, Logic,” Creativity said with a kind smile, “But you are going to be missing out on all the fun me and Heart are going to have trying to find one.”

The kind smile turned into a smirk and Logic bristled under it. The creative side started to count down slowly to when the smart side would snap and join the side of human names. It would be any...minute...now...

“Fine,” Logic said with a dramatic huff and stood from his chair, “But I am only joining because you two will not know the complex meanings in names and will need assistance researching to choose the perfect ones that would suit you.” 

“What about...Peter?” Heart’s finger thumped down onto the name in the book he had in front of him and he looked at the green clad side expectantly. 

“Boring,” Creativity answered back with a sigh. They had been at this for hours. He had thought that choosing a name would have been a fun exciting thing but so far it was just dead ends and faces at everything that Heart suggested. 

“How is it boring?” The emotion based side asked, “You are dressed like Peter Pan I would think it would be the most suited for you, C.”

Creativity shrugged and finished the drawing of a dog he had been doodling on the piece of paper that he should have been brainstorming on. 

“I just don’t think it suits me. It is boring.” 

“I also do not think a name meaning rock would suit him well,” Logic said. The pre-teen sat with his feet up against the table and another book in his lap. He already had a list of names in alphabetical order in front of him; a few them of them crossed off. “He is not really the perfect example of a strong foundation

“Yeah, if it means rock it defiantly is not going to-hey! What does that mean?”

Logic straightened his glasses and pretended to focus on his page.

“Now that was not very nice, Logic,” Heart said with a disappointed look on his face, “Now say you’re-HEY! That is a cool name!” 

The side was easily distracted as he wrote down another name onto his sheet of paper. He put a little heart by it and then, with a slam, he closed the book. 

“Welp, I’m done.”

“What!?!” The other two looked over at Heart in shock. 

“You only wrote one name down,” Creativity pointed out and Heart nodded with a smile on his face. 

“How could you possibly know that it is the right one?” Logic questioned. 

“The heart wants what it wants,” Heart said dramatically and placed a hand over his chest with a dreamy smile on his face, “And I feel it in my bones that this is the right one.”

Creativity seemed to take this as a good explanation and planted his elbows on the table. 

“Alright, so what’s your name?”

Heart opened his mouth to tell the others but Logic quickly muffled him with his hand. 

“No! We do not want his decision somehow influencing ours. We will all choose a name and then introduce ourselves once we have chose-EW!” Logic pulled his hand away from Heart’s mouth with a look of disgust. The stuck out tongue told the story perfectly and Creativity had to giggle. 

“Really, Heart, that is immature of you.” 

“Thank you,” Heart said and slid the book over to Creativity. “I am going to get you two some snacks while you continue to name hunt.”

The eldest hopped from his chair and patted the youngest side on the head before he skipped off to the kitchen. Creativity sighed and looked over at Logic for some kind of help but found the studious side back into action looking through the book of names. 

He would get no cure from boredom there so he might as well flip through the book and hope that the name would pop out at him. He needed something that sounded strong and daring. That embodied the creativity that he was. Something that would be as great as he was. Something that showed the passion that he had inside. 

Something like...like that!

A small gasp left the boy as his eyes landed on the perfect name that laid buried in the ‘r’ section. It was perfect. All that Thomas had learned and what his ‘heart’ was saying just made that simple little word sing to him. 

“I take it you found a name then?” Logic asked. The boy had crossed out a few names he had on his sheet of paper. 

“I think I have,” Creativity whispered in delight, “Oh, Logic, when you find yours it is going to fill you up with so much joy.”

Logic made a small noise and went back to crossing out names and erasing somethings on his paper. Honestly, Creativity thought that the logical side was putting way too much thought into this simple task but he knew saying something would not do any good.

“I’m going to go help, Heart,” Creativity said, “Meet us in the hub when you are done, okay?”

“Yes. Yes, have fun and all that.” 

The youngest chuckled and skipped out of the room; his new name playing over and over again in his head like a happy song. He could not wait to tell the others.

It seemed to take ages for Logic to finally come out of his room. In the time it took for the side to show his face Creativity and Heart had consumed one and a half plates of cookies and watched all of Sleeping Beauty. It was the only thing they could do to not blurt out their new names to each other. 

Logic’s appearance made them both sigh outwardly in relief. The poor composed side did not have a chance to balance himself as he was dragged into their hastily made pillow fort. 

“Finally you are here, nerd!” Creativity said with a laugh, “We thought you died from trying to choose the most obscure name in the books.” 

“Yes, well, it was a hard decision,” Logic said as he straightened his bow-tie and glasses back to their normal position. “I was stuck between the meaning of a name and the possible pathway from a meaning to a name. In the end I think I chose the correct one.”

“Cool,” Heart said and crossed his legs, “So who is going first?” 

They all glanced at each other. A wave of nervousness went over them all as they stared. Out of the corner of Creativity’s eye he could have sworn he saw something small and dark creep out towards the entrance of the hallway but he was not certain if it was just the blanket or something else. 

He started to turn to look but Logic pulled his attention back to the moment at hand. 

“Well, since no one is volunteering I guess I shall go first.” The boy sat up straighter and smoothed out his pants before holding out a hand for either of them to take. 

“Hello, I am Logan,” he glanced away from the two, “I chose this name because of the term Logos which means the logical side of an argument. Also, I am quiet found of my normal title.” 

His hand stayed suspended in the hand for a few second but for the nervous side it seemed to be agonizing hours. Finally, Heart took the hand and shook it with a bright smile on his face. 

“Nice to meet you, Logan!” 

“Yeah,” Creativity leans back against one of the pillows, “It suits you; its nerdy.” 

“Thank you? I think?” Logan’s face dusted pink from embarrassment and he pulled his hand free of Heart’s grip. He tried to act like that had not been the scariest thin in his life but it did shake him some. 

The pre-teen took in a deep breath and turned his head back to face the other sides. 

“Alright, who is next? Don’t make me call on someone.” 

Creativity grinned brightly and jumped up from his pillow seat.

“You asked for it and here I am. The  one, the only,” He struck a pose; one hand up flamboyantly and the other across from that to make a small frame. “Roman Sanders!”  

“Roman,” Logan said the name slowly with an approving nod, “Interesting choice. I suppose you chose that because of Romance or Romantic seeing how that plays into most fanciful dreams and is the leading theme in princess movies?”

“No? I kind of was thinking about the Roman Empire and how it was really awesome,” Roman said with a snort, “I mean, they were grand and dramatic and everyone knew about them. They owned the whole world!”

“No they didn’t.”

“But that is a cool way to think of it too,” Roman finished as if Logan had not said anything. With a showy bow he flopped back onto the pillows. 

Heart clapped his hands and pulled Roman into a tight hug. “Well I think that is an amazing name, kiddo! Really suits you.”

“Yes, yes. Took me forever to find the shoe that fits,” Roman waved him off, “But now it is your turn, Heart. Tell us the name. Tell us the name.”

“Alright. Alright,” Heart chuckled and ruffled the youngest’s hair. The pre-teen took in a breath and waits a moment for some tension before he let the name out into the air for the first time. 

“Patton!”

“Patton?” Creativity said a little shocked. 

“Oh, like Pathos. The form of argument used to invoke an emotional response,” Logic countered back with a stunned but pleased look on his face. 

Patton laughed and looked at Logan confused, “What? I just chose it because I could make some Pat jokes. Like ‘Someone needs a Patton the back’ or ‘let’s play a game of Patton-ca-OH MAN I SHOULD MAKE THAT AN ACTUAL GAME!”

The heart squealed and hugged Logan tightly. “Logan, can you go find me some tennis rackets?” 

“Why?”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Roman interrupted them and looked at the two of them confused, “You both are missing something really weird that just happened.”

“We are?” Patton looked around the pillow covered hub but he was not seeing what they were missing. 

“Yeah, you are. How in this small world did we manage to choose names that ended similarly without telling each other?” 

Logan frowned and tapped his chin. “That is odd...”

“Yeah,” Patton said with a small frown but brightened back up quickly, “I guess that just means we are a super duper close family! Group Hug!” 

The side reached over and pulled Roman into the embrace. The happy side humming in delight with having the two others close. 

“Roman.” 

The side in question turned his head to look at the one that said his new name. He was a little surprised that it was Logan that said it. The smart side glanced away nervously before looking directly at the creative one. 

“This was a good idea.”

“You mean it?” 

“Yes,” Logan said with a small nod, “I do.”